He took her grin in stride, unperturbed by her sudden shift in mood and merely raising a steely brow. "Hmm." It was not a subject he chose to push at the moment, however, not when the Doubletake reiterated her credentials and the Tidebreaker followed her gaze to the horizon, quiet for a short time thereafter.
"Torchline will always be your home," he said at last. He spoke slowly, finally allowing the weariness to enter his voice. "And I do not doubt that one day you will rule her. And rule her well." Finally he turned to look at her, and though there was a hint of regret in the set of his jaw and the tilt of his brows, his gaze was firm. "But I will not appoint you as co-ruler today, Flora. Not if you cannot compromise when we disagree. Not if every disagreement becomes a battle."
He inclined his head. "But we will speak again soon. And I will tell you my answer then." With that, the mermanta slid back into the deeper waters and dove, shape shifting smoothly into that of a broad-winged manta, skating beneath the powerful swells.
~fin~
"Torchline will always be your home," he said at last. He spoke slowly, finally allowing the weariness to enter his voice. "And I do not doubt that one day you will rule her. And rule her well." Finally he turned to look at her, and though there was a hint of regret in the set of his jaw and the tilt of his brows, his gaze was firm. "But I will not appoint you as co-ruler today, Flora. Not if you cannot compromise when we disagree. Not if every disagreement becomes a battle."
He inclined his head. "But we will speak again soon. And I will tell you my answer then." With that, the mermanta slid back into the deeper waters and dove, shape shifting smoothly into that of a broad-winged manta, skating beneath the powerful swells.
~fin~
