Slipping out

[Northen Light36]

Malvern chuckles. "Sounds like you've had an adventurous life, and I'd be interrested in whatever tales you care to tell," he comments. "Although I can't quite picture Amaro here as coping with a young child around, though when I saw him in town with those two, they seemed quite devoted. How did that work out?"

[Kender Bard]

"Oh Acqua loves Amaro to bits," Talon laughed. "It's really funny actually. They were at each other's throats for a long, long time. But, if you knew what Amaro was like when he was younger, redouble his stubbornness and you'll have Acqua. I guess kindred souls call to one another. Acqua didn't gut Amaro, and Amaro didn't strangle her, so they wound up being the best of friends. It's good, too. Alethia is more like Acqua's mother oft times, and so Amaro makes a good father. She needs two parent-people to keep her out of trouble, since trouble is so likely to find her."

He cocked his head. "I honestly don't know much about Vortai though. I would, normally, but he won't talk to me. Nothing seems to coax him into having a conversation with me. I wish I knew what I did to offend him so horribly."

[Northen Light36]

"Try breathing," Amaro comments. "Half the time I can't get the boy to speak, Talon. Honestly, I'm fairly sure Acqua's the only reason he sticks around."

"Give him time," Malvern suggests. "Boys are stubborn... And if he's kin to Amaro, he's probably got double the share of pig-headedness." Malvern chuckles. "As for trouble being attracted to the girl, well if you're anything like Kalin, you've attracted more then your fair share of trouble."

[Kender Bard]

Talon took that as a compliment, puffing with pure pride. "And a story to go with each one of them. But no more trouble for me, at least not for a decade or two. I'm a family man now."

Only Amaro would have been able to pick out the faint, discordant strand in Talon's tone. Something that gave the barest of hints at... disappointment?

[Northen Light36]

Amaro glances over at Talon in concern, but doesn't say anything... for now. He continues to work while Malvern chats with Talon. At last though, the sword is repaired. "We best get home before the family starts wondering where we are," Amaro annouces. Malvern nods.

"Very well, but both of you feel free to come by anytime," he replies. "It does an old man good to spend time with the young."

[Kender Bard]

"I promise I will," Talon says solemnly, but with a bright smile on his face. "And next time I'll bring Alethia, or maybe my whole family. Alethia could pack something tasty to eat and it'd be a picnic. In the smithy." He chuckled at the idea, and waved, walking off.

[Northen Light36]

Amaro says his own farewells then heads after Talon. "Something the matter Talon? For a moment there you weren't your irritatingly cheerful self."

[Kender Bard]

"Hmm?" Talon inquired, smiling. "That's silly, Amaro. I always try to be extra cheerful around you. The Forces know that you need as much rubbing off on you as you can get." He chuckles, but it dies away. Amaro could read him well, and he could do the same to Amaro. It wasn't that surprising.

"It's nothing in specific," he explained. "There's just a part of me that sees my new life as a death of my old one. I know... it's silly. I'm very happy right now, but I'm also grieving the loss of adventure." He looked up at the sky with a very thoughtful look on his face, quoting an ancient adage. "Winds aren't meant to stay in one place for long."

[Northen Light36]

Amaro looks at Talon for a moment then puts a hand on his almost-brother's shoulder. "You're not the only one with itchy feet, Talon," he assures his friend. "I'll tell you what. Let's get our family settled in comfortably, and then you and I can take a few days and head off to see what trouble you can drag us into. How's that sound?"

[Kender Bard]

"Wonderful!" Talon burst with gleeful enthusiasm. "Oh-oh can we go back to the place we met? I bet I could find it again! Rocs leave big nests after all." He beamed radiantly at Amaro. "We could see if there are any eggs there!"

[Northen Light36]

"What have I gotten myself into?" mutters Amaro, but he nods. "Fine, Talon. You can try and feed yourself to a Roc again. Clearly history does repeat."