Welcome to Gaia! ::

Amalric couldn’t help but notice how quickly Maritza covered the steps, long legs showing no patience or mercy for them, and he had kept up with his own, but it was certainly faster than he would have taken them of his own volition. Had she not been practically leading the charge, he would have thought to take them slower for her sake, since he often moved quicker naturally on his own long limbs than others did.

Not the case in this instance, clearly.

“I am nervous,” he admitted without qualm, though the backs of his ears did warm as he withdrew one of his favorite tomes on spellbinding runes. “I couldn’t say if it’s more or less so than before, but I am a natural rambler and can find it difficult to hold smooth conversations with attractive girls. Not that I’m blaming you,” he hastened to add, “though you are-” Well, there was likely no safe direction to take that. “What I’m meaning to say,” he said, taking the book and setting it to the bed but not immediately bothering with it, “is that I apologize for my rambling but this is a momentous opportunity for learning and I’m endeavoring in every way to capitalize on it without offending your sensibilities and sometimes that in itself makes me…”

He cleared his throat.

“Overly verbose.” He eyed her, though, at the words, and truly, it was almost beyond imagining—but not quite, and what a thrilling thought. “You must have been so fearless…the thought- the concept of doing something so phenomenal with so much potential for new information stirs the senses and I would say I couldn’t imagine a more exciting opportunity except that I think I would be too much of a coward myself until the journey was more tested. But you made it all this way-” He shook his head, his blue eyes directed forward but lost in imagination and thought at what it must have been like. “I think I would give almost anything to see such a place if I knew I could make the trip soundly.”

Amalric blinked at the initial question, but found himself smiling at a corner in spite of his abashment, his shoulders relaxing. “Not so many as you might think, no,” he said. “Your rare blend of ‘brusque masculinity’ must appeal to my more feminine senses and leave me in a flustered and distractible tizzy. Fortunately…” His eyes warmed as his nerves eased, “I’ve always been more dedicated to academics than even the most dashing interruptions to my thought processes, so I don’t think I’ll have any difficulties obliging that curiosity.”

Reaching as he said it, he opened the tome he’d selected, though his eyes lifted to watch as she sat back and he tucked a falling strand of black behind his ear with a small nod. “Understandable,” he agreed. “Sometimes the rush of the moment can distract from the risk involved. Still, you had been involved in the process, what I infer must have been years of planning and engagement before the moment to set sail into the sky came…every opportunity for fear to win out over your thirst for advancement, and your courage and curiosity won out. It’s no small feat.”

Come with me, when we’ve perfected the process.

His fingers, which were halfway down the index as he prepared himself to give a summary and open question as to where she might like to begin, paused mid-page, his eyes darting back up at the words. It was such an open offer, to be coming from someone he had only met a half hour before if that, but before his mind was even given the opportunity to fully process it, his tongue was moving of its own regard. “I cannot think of anything that would please me more. The opportunity, all that must be available there- I would do almost anything. Do you know when or how often your people might be making return flights? I suppose it may be impossible to know now, as this is your first, but- Well, you know, I would be happy to speak with you or any among your team about contacts within Zidel, both at Daurelts and elsewhere—persons who know the city and could arrange space and resources for you to be in contact with your own leaders. I am no figure of authority, but I know the city and cannot imagine a greater way to expand on my studies than to be involved in any way I can with your people and facilitate that communication. I imagine every one of my professors would wish to as well, and-”

As Amalric’s mind eagerly tripped over itself at the thought of how much there would be to be done, he had to remind himself that not only could he not personally orchestrate it, but given that these people were so new to their continent there really was no telling how they would be received on the grander scale. Not all of the races of Tendaji were especially trusting and welcoming to strangers, and the potential for conflict even among well intending people was entirely present, particularly when the culture clash was likely to be significant.

Still.

“I will be eager to aid in every way I may and cannot express how eager I would be to see your homeland…” The briefest of pauses came then, “…after the process is consistently reliable and we’ve determined for a fact that our countrymen don’t intend to wage war.”

The academies in Belrea produce our leaders, so being admitted is something of a rarity.

Amalric blinked at the words, his gaze lifting to eye her at the unspoken implications. Being admitted to academy was a rarity? He supposed, on the one hand, the same could be said of Daurelts. It wasn’t an opportunity that everyone had, certainly. It cost a great deal more than most could afford, for one, so in that respect it was already selective to the wealthy, and in truth, many of their leaders were likely schooled in such institutions, afforded the best avenues for advancement by their lineage and station.

Still, the way she said it made it seem that the structure was different. Having to ‘show high promise’ to be admitted gave the impression that, at least theoretically, students were chosen for their academic achievements, not their family’s ability to afford great sums of money. It also, though, by virtue of the same token, seemed a system ripe for political manipulation at best, corruption at worst, those with all the right history finding ways to see their children into the system.

But this new continent seemed far more advanced than theirs already, so perhaps it was as or near to as ideal as it sounded. Clearly, his inquiries into that would have to wait, because, much to his immediate surprise, he found he was soon dealing with a groggy young woman, passing out before him as they spoke. Flushing, he nodded.

“Yes, you- Of course.” He hadn’t anticipated it, and certainly it showed a great deal of likely undeserved trust. But far be it from him to challenge it. Thus, in but a moment he was scooting off of the bedspace to make room, tucking aside his book for the time being, and letting the girl to her rest.

If the beginning was any indication, his further endeavors with these people would be interesting indeed. For this instant, however, he dedicated his time to settling atop the opposite bed, and reading in quiet.