Leave to these two exemplary knights to make what should have been an ordinary interaction extremely awkward. Cyd was gearing up to hug her cousin anyway, but with the encouragement from Syr Sabinian, she hesitated. Arms half raised, she couldn't help the pained expression that crossed her face.
Rollyn, sweet Rollyn, who had been an earnest and well-behaved child ever since he was created from sticks and mud in that hazel tree grove all those years ago, hesitated too. There should be a bird in the branches which sprouted from his shoulders. Then, at least, there would be a cheep or something to break up the silence which followed.
"...It's good to see you, Cyd," the tree broke the long run of weird glances, unsure with what to do with his hand, unmet and rejected by Sabinian. It remained hovering there in the air for a moment too long, before he scrapped the attempt altogether and shook off the rebuttal with a rustle of bark and leaves.
"You too, Rollyn. I'm glad you're in GOOD HEALTH..." she emphasized the last bit, shooting a pointed glance at Sabinian. "...and please forgive my companions," Cyd urged. Despite her efforts to smooth things over, she still ended up dropping her arms. It was weird now. "They're surly from a rough journey."
"Of course, it's a long ways from Astenvale." A wistful smile crossed Rollyn's face. He had lips to smile with, though they looked very dry and rough. "I'm glad you arrived safely."
With bare feet and creaking steps, Rollyn shifted in the sand, going up the shoreline path. He waved the three of them forward, hoping a walk and the fresh sea air would shake off whatever that awkwardness was. "Come along, I'll show you where you'll be staying. We'll go through the village and past the doctor's house, so I'll point out everything along the way."
Rollyn, sweet Rollyn, who had been an earnest and well-behaved child ever since he was created from sticks and mud in that hazel tree grove all those years ago, hesitated too. There should be a bird in the branches which sprouted from his shoulders. Then, at least, there would be a cheep or something to break up the silence which followed.
"...It's good to see you, Cyd," the tree broke the long run of weird glances, unsure with what to do with his hand, unmet and rejected by Sabinian. It remained hovering there in the air for a moment too long, before he scrapped the attempt altogether and shook off the rebuttal with a rustle of bark and leaves.
"You too, Rollyn. I'm glad you're in GOOD HEALTH..." she emphasized the last bit, shooting a pointed glance at Sabinian. "...and please forgive my companions," Cyd urged. Despite her efforts to smooth things over, she still ended up dropping her arms. It was weird now. "They're surly from a rough journey."
"Of course, it's a long ways from Astenvale." A wistful smile crossed Rollyn's face. He had lips to smile with, though they looked very dry and rough. "I'm glad you arrived safely."
With bare feet and creaking steps, Rollyn shifted in the sand, going up the shoreline path. He waved the three of them forward, hoping a walk and the fresh sea air would shake off whatever that awkwardness was. "Come along, I'll show you where you'll be staying. We'll go through the village and past the doctor's house, so I'll point out everything along the way."