decompressing

The hesitance with which he spoke came across thoughtful, and Aryn gave a shy encouraging smile as he searched for the word. Continuing his introduction only solidified that impression further, her interest in this polite gentleman manipulated only slightly by the surname he gave. Abraxas. She'd of course heard stories and not all of them good, though her father's wisdom on not judging a man by his name kept the yearling from thinking on him too harshly.

"The pleasure is mine, Eli." She repeated softly, the warm blush returning to her cheeks. "Can I call you Eli, or do you prefer Eligos?" Surely he couldn't have been one of the Abraxas' from the stories she'd heard. Already her fantastical mind was putting a story to the man, labeling him as a kind and gentle soul and of course not at all one of those murderous heathens from outside of Boreas. Not a man who raped or pillaged or conquered, a true gentleman.

"Have the festivities gotten to you as well? I find the sounds of water here to be soothing, but maybe that's just my being raised around so much of it." She pointed fleetingly towards the river that split the territory, then smiled down at her paws shyly. He'd not want to hear about such silly things and a polite lady would ask about him before divulging her own life's story.