There were some people who had earned Hadama's trust and comfort such that he welcomed such displays of affection. After his family, Evie was the first among them, and as she braved the chilly waters to approach he used his magic to pull himself up on a column of seawater so he could better return the embrace. He might not know the reason for her joy, but he shared it with her regardless, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze before freeing her to share her news.
And oh, what news it was!
His eyes had barely skimmed the words before she spoke them aloud, lending reality to the abstract text and he looked up to see her face. His chest swelled with quiet joy for her, nearly bursting with bright emotion that had been far too lacking in his life of late. He savored it, holding onto his dignity only long enough for Evie to make her request before he abandoned it to swim forward in his personal column of sea, opening his arms to offer a second hug in as many minutes. Without a shared Attuned bond he had no other way to show his happiness for her, but he gathered her close, his voice a soft and fervent rumble in her ear. "My deepest congratulations. Evie, I am so happy for you."
He held the embrace longer this time, finally pulling away when the lump in his throat had subsided enough to speak. He bowed his steel silver head deeply over her hands, which he took in his webbed fingers, the invitation carefully tucked in his two smallest fingers so it didn't blow away. "And it would be my greatest honor, if I could. But I can only survive in natural bodies of water if it is not the full moon." And that had only just passed an aching few days before.
He squeezed her hands, his touch as light and careful as ever in spite of his strength. "My heart will be with you. And if there is time to quest, I will ask a god for a favor to allow me to be there. When is the day?"
And oh, what news it was!
His eyes had barely skimmed the words before she spoke them aloud, lending reality to the abstract text and he looked up to see her face. His chest swelled with quiet joy for her, nearly bursting with bright emotion that had been far too lacking in his life of late. He savored it, holding onto his dignity only long enough for Evie to make her request before he abandoned it to swim forward in his personal column of sea, opening his arms to offer a second hug in as many minutes. Without a shared Attuned bond he had no other way to show his happiness for her, but he gathered her close, his voice a soft and fervent rumble in her ear. "My deepest congratulations. Evie, I am so happy for you."
He held the embrace longer this time, finally pulling away when the lump in his throat had subsided enough to speak. He bowed his steel silver head deeply over her hands, which he took in his webbed fingers, the invitation carefully tucked in his two smallest fingers so it didn't blow away. "And it would be my greatest honor, if I could. But I can only survive in natural bodies of water if it is not the full moon." And that had only just passed an aching few days before.
He squeezed her hands, his touch as light and careful as ever in spite of his strength. "My heart will be with you. And if there is time to quest, I will ask a god for a favor to allow me to be there. When is the day?"
