"Yet worry I shall. 'Tis in my nature. ...Though I attempt to keep it in check."

Given that they are there, in her bed, together... he doesn't feel particularly self-conscious now about reaching out to maintain contact - his fingers resting lightly on her sides, just above her hips.

A masterwork, to be certain.

And happy nameday be upon ye! :D

"Aye, but for a heart that resembleth naught more than a kettle at a fine boil," he replies - since it /is/ him. "Bubbling pleasantly, near to overflowing if it shouldst continue in such bliss. And thee?" he inquires. "I pray my concerns regarding our relative stature hath remained unfounded..."

He considers, then, how to greet her - and opts to speak his internal debate openly. "...At times, words may be both unnecessary and unwelcome..." he murmurs, snuggling in return with a smile. "Yet as thou hast, for some inexplicable reason, chosen to spend the night and wake by /my/ side...?"

Urianger almost doesn't register that she's woken; he's been half-awake, drowsily drinking in the warmth, the contentment and the beauty of the morning after, his thoughts wandering - though never too far. He blinks at the spoken word, however, and automatically his arm lifts to enfold her.

...An excellent idea. Ask thy mother. Likely she hath far better context in which to decide how to explain.

And if she displayeth reluctance to explain... I recommend thou leavest it at that. Young thou art, and though mayhap frustrating, there shalt come a more appropriate time to learn of such.

.....

While I am all for folk expressing themselves in any way in which they art comfortable...

...At the /very/ least I beg thee exercise great care if thou choose to examine this... occasion.

Forsooth... the Great Serpent hath one, mayhap the loporrits could borrow it. :D

After the initial... unexpectedness... I am beginning to become fond of it. Mayhap 'tis the little loporrits bouncing about merrily...

Precisely - a few words spoken in jest regarding a subject of which one was already fond may merely provide no more than a laugh... or they may snowball into a massive monstrosity :)

Time enough to zoom out :)

Tis an upgrade FATE about to start on... Ah, I hath heard it begin on Bryn whilst typing this in fact. :D

((laughing for an "offhand comment" by mine ex is how I wound up writing a 100k word fanfic that unexpectedly became quite popular in a very large fandom for a time, ooooooops))

In a world so far from mine own, where few living hath seen such a sight, where the ever-present glare causeth one's eyes to ache without refuge... the ability to channel such powers was a welcome comfort, constant assurance that the stars remained - and an impetus towards progress in our cause.

Thus did I have some knowledge, and thus set about examining whether the energies used by the astrologians of Sharlayan behaved in the same manner - and confirmed that they did.

And therein lay evidence that the familiar vast array of distant light among the darkness was present, though unseen.

'Twas an intellectual curiosity, in part; among the materials archived at the Bookman's Shelves were star charts predating the Flood, displaying a night sky much as our own. Though astrology was not a primary focus in my studies at Sharlayan, 'tis of course... adjacent... to the art of prophecy.