They still reach for him and it drives the doubt deeper. He's done this, hasn't he? He's not pulling himself together enough to be convincing. A king should have his best foot forward at all times. There's a voice that runs through the back of his mind that feels like oil. 'These friends you've fooled into caring.'
Hawke's voice is a plea and Amelia's concern is clear where there'd been almost nothing before. There's too much running through his mind and over it all, the guards jeering at him. What a pretty mouth he had, too bad he used it for back talk and sarcasm. They had a fix for that.
They were right about one thing, he certainly never seemed to use it to find the right words.
He takes a centering breath, not to subside the storm in him, but simply to set it aside. Now wasn't the time. Hawke needed Chris to be okay. Amelia needed him to show it. He could do that. He turns back to them, expression gentle and smile not full or even trying to be, but affectionate all the same. "I'll be alright. I can't stay away from Jacob, he'll worry too much, and I've more'n one knife on me and a first aid kit, I can get back just fine. I've been in this city three years without incident, one day won't change that." He doesn't address the rest of what Amelia or Wolfe says, he can't...but he can do this.
"Please. What I need is for you two to get home and cleaned up and take care of each other. Getting caught out with too many questions helps no one." He at least bites back the apology that threatens to bubble up. That's not helpful right now.
no subject
Hawke's voice is a plea and Amelia's concern is clear where there'd been almost nothing before. There's too much running through his mind and over it all, the guards jeering at him. What a pretty mouth he had, too bad he used it for back talk and sarcasm. They had a fix for that.
They were right about one thing, he certainly never seemed to use it to find the right words.
He takes a centering breath, not to subside the storm in him, but simply to set it aside. Now wasn't the time. Hawke needed Chris to be okay. Amelia needed him to show it. He could do that. He turns back to them, expression gentle and smile not full or even trying to be, but affectionate all the same. "I'll be alright. I can't stay away from Jacob, he'll worry too much, and I've more'n one knife on me and a first aid kit, I can get back just fine. I've been in this city three years without incident, one day won't change that." He doesn't address the rest of what Amelia or Wolfe says, he can't...but he can do this.
"Please. What I need is for you two to get home and cleaned up and take care of each other. Getting caught out with too many questions helps no one." He at least bites back the apology that threatens to bubble up. That's not helpful right now.