[ It takes Claude a while to trust going into the Horizon again. He does, here and there, and each time holds his breath with the expectation of being back on that mountaintop or wandering a labyrinth in the dark again. But neither happens - each time he's standing right back in Derdriu again with water still streaming through the canals, the sun above, and absolutely nothing amiss.
Walking inside the building reveals the courtyard in one piece with everything where it'd been left, except perhaps a little more haphazardly so from times he'd been there and left. Or it could be from all those unexpected visitors who's dropped in despite Claude sealing off the doors, as the Horizon hadn't particularly cared about that. It's also comforting considering he's not the tidiest person to ever exist - just ask his roommates - so some of the papers stay shuffled on the desk in his study, books are stacked wherever they were last read, and there's a couple half-played chess games.
Where he can be found the most often, though, is standing out on the edges of the canals with a hand shading his eyes against the sunlight to watch a small shape flying above. The wyvern seems to have sensed something has been off (or is still off, really) and tends to stay close to Claude. Watching her soar in loops above is as calming as anything could be, except maybe actually flying himself. Maybe someday.
The sound of footsteps on the stone walkways catches his attention and he half-glances back over his shoulder with a pasted-on smile to greet whoever it is in passing and nothing else. But then he notices who it is, and Claude turns the rest of the way around to greet Ciri properly. ]
I don't think I've seen you around this part of the Horizon before. Are you out exploring?
— ciri
Walking inside the building reveals the courtyard in one piece with everything where it'd been left, except perhaps a little more haphazardly so from times he'd been there and left. Or it could be from all those unexpected visitors who's dropped in despite Claude sealing off the doors, as the Horizon hadn't particularly cared about that. It's also comforting considering he's not the tidiest person to ever exist - just ask his roommates - so some of the papers stay shuffled on the desk in his study, books are stacked wherever they were last read, and there's a couple half-played chess games.
Where he can be found the most often, though, is standing out on the edges of the canals with a hand shading his eyes against the sunlight to watch a small shape flying above. The wyvern seems to have sensed something has been off (or is still off, really) and tends to stay close to Claude. Watching her soar in loops above is as calming as anything could be, except maybe actually flying himself. Maybe someday.
The sound of footsteps on the stone walkways catches his attention and he half-glances back over his shoulder with a pasted-on smile to greet whoever it is in passing and nothing else. But then he notices who it is, and Claude turns the rest of the way around to greet Ciri properly. ]
I don't think I've seen you around this part of the Horizon before. Are you out exploring?