There was the slightest welling of panic in his throat as she admitted she'd been asking after him. And yet she wasn't behaving as if she'd realized his lie of omission. It was possible they hadn't mentioned it, those servant girls. Though if they knew what he had done…
Oh, this was all getting a bit bigger than he'd intended, as lies went. It wasn't even meant to be a lie. If the castle was full of girls who thought he was lying about his position, that would lead to rumors and that would lead to… nothing good, he was sure. "I was not trying to stay away," he assured her. "But I do get… busy. Sometimes. I apologize if I've been negligent." He bowed his head in apology, and said nothing about her asking after him. He did not want to forbid it, but he did not want it to continue, either.
She held the books almost possessively, and once again he felt guilt, this time for making her feel as if he might take them from her. He was a librarian; taking books before they'd been read was not his job. "You do not need to thank me for doing my job," he said, though he realized quickly that this may not have been a kind thing. "And I am not your lord. But you are very welcome," he added, an afterthought.
He twisted the rings on his fingers, the bracelets around his wrists, the fidget hidden beneath his sleeves. "A guest owes nothing," he said, "not even to the King." He nearly smiled to her whispered joke, though it was rueful. "We have only books," he continued, "and it does not take a thief to read them."
That was a terrifying thought, being responsible for making sure she didn't hurt herself in the halls. She was easy enough for him to carry, so it shouldn't have been, but he worried still. "I would be happy to join you," he said instead of voicing his concerns, "if you will have me."
Oh, this was all getting a bit bigger than he'd intended, as lies went. It wasn't even meant to be a lie. If the castle was full of girls who thought he was lying about his position, that would lead to rumors and that would lead to… nothing good, he was sure. "I was not trying to stay away," he assured her. "But I do get… busy. Sometimes. I apologize if I've been negligent." He bowed his head in apology, and said nothing about her asking after him. He did not want to forbid it, but he did not want it to continue, either.
She held the books almost possessively, and once again he felt guilt, this time for making her feel as if he might take them from her. He was a librarian; taking books before they'd been read was not his job. "You do not need to thank me for doing my job," he said, though he realized quickly that this may not have been a kind thing. "And I am not your lord. But you are very welcome," he added, an afterthought.
He twisted the rings on his fingers, the bracelets around his wrists, the fidget hidden beneath his sleeves. "A guest owes nothing," he said, "not even to the King." He nearly smiled to her whispered joke, though it was rueful. "We have only books," he continued, "and it does not take a thief to read them."
That was a terrifying thought, being responsible for making sure she didn't hurt herself in the halls. She was easy enough for him to carry, so it shouldn't have been, but he worried still. "I would be happy to join you," he said instead of voicing his concerns, "if you will have me."
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-08-2014, 12:09 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-08-2014, 03:17 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-10-2014, 06:25 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-10-2014, 11:28 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-12-2014, 02:04 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-13-2014, 02:34 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-15-2014, 08:48 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-16-2014, 01:55 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-21-2014, 11:46 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-22-2014, 07:04 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-26-2014, 03:15 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-26-2014, 09:10 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-27-2014, 11:39 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-28-2014, 02:26 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 11-30-2014, 02:57 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 11-30-2014, 07:09 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 12-06-2014, 06:19 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 12-10-2014, 03:25 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 12-28-2014, 08:27 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 01-04-2015, 05:56 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 01-15-2015, 02:32 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 01-24-2015, 05:20 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 01-27-2015, 12:03 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 02-05-2015, 03:09 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 02-18-2015, 03:42 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 02-23-2015, 11:41 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 03-28-2015, 11:45 PM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 04-05-2015, 01:59 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by tindome - 07-05-2015, 01:51 AM
Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 08-13-2015, 04:10 PM
RE: Guest of the King [Closed] - by Tindome - 11-06-2015, 10:34 PM
RE: Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 12-05-2015, 08:25 PM
RE: Guest of the King [Closed] - by Tindome - 01-17-2016, 08:00 AM
RE: Guest of the King [Closed] - by Hobo_Bob - 03-10-2016, 08:45 PM
RE: Guest of the King [Closed] - by Tindome - 06-27-2016, 03:06 PM