₪ everything's contagious it's a modern middle ages

[errantknights]

The question-and-answer aspect of the nexus has always entertained Martel - mostly because he's a sick bastard who enjoys other people making idiots of themselves now and then - but it's been a very rare occasion that he'd indulge himself, and rarer still that he'd indulge it stone cold sober.

He'd like very much not to be stone cold sober,

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[at_thy_hearth]

"What brings you here to ask that?"

Why no, Hestia is not answering that question - not unless Martel turns solely to her for it, and she doubts he ever will. She wouldn't be any help to someone who sought the answer, anyway; it is, in her divine opinion, mortals should decide for themselves.

Perhaps why she is at the Agora: to observe the questions and answers mortals have for each other.

[errantknights]

"A combination of boredom and curiosity, my lady," he says, smiling and not pressing the fact she hasn't answered; he isn't likely to cop to the personal nature of it out loud, particularly when he suspects she can guess why the subject might be on his mind, as it were. "May I greet you?"

There's an added layer of respect in that question, a weight to it; ritualistic.

[at_thy_hearth]

"Of course." She extends her hands for him, smiling.

[errantknights]

Until this point, Martel has been sitting down - on a stool at the front of the amphitheatre - but when she offers her hands, he rises.

...and then he kneels, taking one knee at her feet, and kisses her palms one after the other; his own hands are roughened by the nature of his work but perhaps surprisingly gentle, capable of care. It's a simple ritual and one that he's fond of (both for honest reasons and reasons of 'charming the ladies'), but it's been a long time since anyone has given him a blessing.

[at_thy_hearth]

Hestia smiles, with fondness for Martel and pleased by the ritual (it has been too long since she was greeted ritualistically, and these days, there are few that will in any capacity). She almost touches his head but, instead, pulls him up from his knees; that seems too personal.

"It has been too long," she says and knows Martel will understand her sentiment.

[errantknights]

Martel rises if not easily then willingly - his carefulness betrays the ache he's not otherwise admitting to, even if he smiles at her as charmingly as he pleases all the same. (He can be very charming when he sets his mind to it, only that happens very rarely.) "That's a sincere shame, Lady."

And he does understand.

[at_thy_hearth]

She knows better, but she calls no attention to it; they've already been over Martel is a brat, right? Even if not, she knows there has been worse and he can endure because he would refuse otherwise. Still, Hestia wants to touch his head and mother him. (You're so concerning, Martel.) He has been through enough, in her mind, and nothing would comfort her more than comforting him (...and keeping him out of trouble - especially that).

"And all the more reason to cherish the moment," and yes, she is obvious.

[errantknights]

Try as he does to be perhaps not good but better, Martel has never been what one might call tame. He mends what he can of his habits and tries to manage the rest, acutely aware that actually staying right out of trouble seems to be entirely beyond his ability.

Boredom tends to play a part in that - and that's why he keeps himself so goddamned busy. If he could set aside his sword and be the pure scholar that he has the mind for, idleness might not chafe at him so much-

"Not if it means we have to be living in the past, my lady," he adopts a cheerfully impudent air of feigned chastisement, in the manner of someone who has a kneejerk response to maternal instinct ('troll it, expecting reward'), "I'm sure you have plenty of moments to look forward to."

[at_thy_hearth]

"Perhaps in Xanadu, yes," she replies, neither fazed by his impudency nor particularly amused. Hestia is aware she has probably just enabled his childishness, but this type of trouble Martel is prone to is easier to deal with and squash when necessary. She is willing to be patient with him; she certainly wants to be for him.