When Elsa spoke he bobbed his head in acknowledgement of his new moniker, flashing a smile at her laughter. That’s better, he thought a little more natural. He watched the rest of the exchange attentively, tilting his head a little to shake his forelock out of his eyes. As Elsa finished speaking again he held her gaze a moment longer, as Ilios began to speak again, piqued a little by her statement and her tone.
So the Throat would be hot and dry, the Edge would be shady and probably windy. The Falls - he was guessing wet, and Aurora Basin, well… at least it narrowed things down a little. He had a few other names to remember mixed with the geography. Both Ilios’ unhampered enthusiasm and Elsa’s obvious sincerity leant esteem to each of their homelands. He hadn’t considered visiting before settling, though it made remarkably good sense. His voice was an even tenor, and while he spoke softly his voice was not quiet. He spoke precisely without over-enunciating.
“That is good advice” he said, “I think I’ll follow it.” He dropped his chin thoughtfully against his throat, glancing between them. “It would be nice to get a sense of the place as a whole, too.”
Achaius held himself with unpracticed ease. He had never portrayed a remarkable figure – he wasn’t hulking, brightly coloured or flamboyant – but he carried confidence that made him easy to see and easy to remember, if you were looking. He knew the edges of his body well, and he moved himself within them comfortably and smoothly. He eased his weight backward, flexing his left fore and then his right, trying to encourage a little more warm blood into his feet as they stood there. The end of winter meant damper days and somehow the damp made it seem even colder.
“Thank you for the friendly welcome,” practiced joviality was underscored today with real gratitude – for the information and for the conversation. Talking to strangers is like a sport, and he found it fun to flex his brain in this exercise again. “I appreciate it, and I’ll remember it.” He paused, his tail swishing casually against bay thighs. “Maybe we will run into one another again when I visit. Ilios,” he said, turning to face the adolescent directly and dipping his head a few inches in a cordial bow “You have been an excellent salesman.” He would keep an eye out for Ilios in the future; he was interested to see what would become of him. “Elsa,” he said, turning again toward her and bending his knee, dropping a little lower, a little more formally, in a gesture he had practiced too many times to count. His forelock fell across his eyes again as he did and spoke his next words to the ground “It has been a pleasure.”
He hoped they would meet again.
Achaius.
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Thanks guys :)
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