He listened along as she spoke, steadily making progress through the meal on his plate all the while β at least, aside from the occasional pause, his posture wavering forward ever so slightly as drowsiness took hold. Still, he always blinked back aware, moving on to the next piece of steak or bread as if he hadnβt started to drift off at all.
Perhaps sheβd take the brief lapses as nods of acknowledgement.
By the end of the sorceressβ summary, only a few bites of bread remained.
βHm,β he responded β genuine curiosity lingering even through the exhaustion. Truly, he had wondered. And now he had some basis to go off of β a small steppingstone he might later use to learn more on his own.
Probably a steppingstone to fall face first off of, too, given how some of the creatures had reacted to him.
He would worry about that later.
Reaching for the cup again, he plucked out the lemon that was floating within, biting into it without a second thought.
Ah. He hadnβt had a lemon in so long.
βSounds I have several conversations to look forward to,β the man finally commented β dedicated to very thoroughly removing the fruit from its rind β before setting the remains of the lemon upon the plate. Once that was done, he sipped on the water again, slowly setting it back off to the left.
The bread was still there. And, there was plenty he could still ask her, while he finished it off.
His head had nodded down. This time, he didnβt blink back awake, his hands still as his shoulders drooped completely, his breathing even.
Heβd fallen asleep sitting up.
