He kneels down before the boy, appraising him with a glance.
"Athessa." He addresses her without looking away from Colin.
"Dominus, I thought that if I brought him here we could wait for the mob to disperse and--"
"Stand up."
"--then we could take him back to his parents or..." Athessa's explanation is so hasty that she doesn't catch his order for her to stand, and when she doesn't get up off the floor, the man finally breaks eye contact with Colin to hook two fingers through the hoop in the elf's ear.
"I said stand, girl," he says, pulling upwards on the earring to make her comply. She yelps and clamps her hands over her ear to keep the ring from tearing free, and jumps to her feet. He lets go and, once again switching easily between anger and calm, says "Now, introduce us."
"I--What?"
"Introduce us. If you're going to be in my service you need to know how to properly introduce your master to people of differing class status, now bow like I taught you and introduce me to the boy."
Athessa blinks a few times, processing the order, but she starts to speak before the Dominus can scold her again.
"Colin of Denerim, m-may I introduce Magister Gaius Lucius of Ventus."
Magister Lucius nods his head in greeting as if he hadn't already spoken to Colin. He remains kneeling to speak to the boy at eye-level, interlacing his fingers over his bent knee.
"Now, Colin. I understand that you've demonstrated some magical ability today. You do not need to explain the details, I've already been informed of the casualty. I want you to tell me about your parents."
no subject
"Athessa." He addresses her without looking away from Colin.
"Dominus, I thought that if I brought him here we could wait for the mob to disperse and--"
"Stand up."
"--then we could take him back to his parents or..." Athessa's explanation is so hasty that she doesn't catch his order for her to stand, and when she doesn't get up off the floor, the man finally breaks eye contact with Colin to hook two fingers through the hoop in the elf's ear.
"I said stand, girl," he says, pulling upwards on the earring to make her comply. She yelps and clamps her hands over her ear to keep the ring from tearing free, and jumps to her feet. He lets go and, once again switching easily between anger and calm, says "Now, introduce us."
"I--What?"
"Introduce us. If you're going to be in my service you need to know how to properly introduce your master to people of differing class status, now bow like I taught you and introduce me to the boy."
Athessa blinks a few times, processing the order, but she starts to speak before the Dominus can scold her again.
"Colin of Denerim, m-may I introduce Magister Gaius Lucius of Ventus."
Magister Lucius nods his head in greeting as if he hadn't already spoken to Colin. He remains kneeling to speak to the boy at eye-level, interlacing his fingers over his bent knee.
"Now, Colin. I understand that you've demonstrated some magical ability today. You do not need to explain the details, I've already been informed of the casualty. I want you to tell me about your parents."