31.Dec.13, 05:34 AM
The sound of the man's voice, gentle as it was, was enough to cause the sickening lurch of Yulieas' stomach straight to his throat. He started slightly, negating some of the dignity he tried to regain with his re-emergence into the gardens from the brush. He could feel a familiar blush rise to his cheeks, but took a deep, steady breath. So he hadn't gone unnoticed. Nothing to be done about it now. He turned to face the witness to his shame.
That flutter of nerves flared up again as he instantly recognized just who it was. Master Healer Quennell. Retired now, Yulieas was fairly certain, but that didn't change the fact that he had attained the rank. He would be recognizable to many holders, and Yulieas especially. While he was fairly certain the man had no idea who he was, the young man had fairly idolized Master Healer Quennell for some time. What Telgar-born apprentice healer wouldn't? Or former apprentice. That correction flicked through Yul's mind with the same sting it normally carried for him. And this man, with all his rank and prestige, had just presumably observed Yulieas hiding in a bush. He almost wanted to crawl back in now.
As nice as the man seemed, the redhead couldn't help himself from being just a little intimidated. The he trailed an idle hand through his hair with a bit of apprehension. In the process, his fingers brushed into the twig stuck there, and, blush deepening, he pulled it out in the least conspicuous manner he could think of. When he lowered his hand, though, he didn't know what to do with it, and so he ended up fidgeting with it with both his hands. He couldn't bring himself to lift his eyes from his shoes for several moments until Quennell spoke again.
He lifted them and stared at the man blankly as he asked for his help, blinking. He may have seemed like he was taking time to consider the offer, but really he was still just processing it. It had to swirl around in Yulieas' head a few times for the boy to come to the conclusion that he hadn't heard the man wrong. And then Yulieas, always somewhat awkward, didn't know how he was supposed to respond. Well he couldn't very well refuse now could he? So his decision was already made. He nodded slightly, at first just saying, "Yes." He was relieved to hear his voice come out so calm and even, even if it was soft much as it usually was. He continued after a few moments, "That is to say, no, I'm not busy. So, yes... I can." He offered up an earnest, albeit small and nervous, smile, dropping his eyes once again.
That flutter of nerves flared up again as he instantly recognized just who it was. Master Healer Quennell. Retired now, Yulieas was fairly certain, but that didn't change the fact that he had attained the rank. He would be recognizable to many holders, and Yulieas especially. While he was fairly certain the man had no idea who he was, the young man had fairly idolized Master Healer Quennell for some time. What Telgar-born apprentice healer wouldn't? Or former apprentice. That correction flicked through Yul's mind with the same sting it normally carried for him. And this man, with all his rank and prestige, had just presumably observed Yulieas hiding in a bush. He almost wanted to crawl back in now.
As nice as the man seemed, the redhead couldn't help himself from being just a little intimidated. The he trailed an idle hand through his hair with a bit of apprehension. In the process, his fingers brushed into the twig stuck there, and, blush deepening, he pulled it out in the least conspicuous manner he could think of. When he lowered his hand, though, he didn't know what to do with it, and so he ended up fidgeting with it with both his hands. He couldn't bring himself to lift his eyes from his shoes for several moments until Quennell spoke again.
He lifted them and stared at the man blankly as he asked for his help, blinking. He may have seemed like he was taking time to consider the offer, but really he was still just processing it. It had to swirl around in Yulieas' head a few times for the boy to come to the conclusion that he hadn't heard the man wrong. And then Yulieas, always somewhat awkward, didn't know how he was supposed to respond. Well he couldn't very well refuse now could he? So his decision was already made. He nodded slightly, at first just saying, "Yes." He was relieved to hear his voice come out so calm and even, even if it was soft much as it usually was. He continued after a few moments, "That is to say, no, I'm not busy. So, yes... I can." He offered up an earnest, albeit small and nervous, smile, dropping his eyes once again.