anyone;

[magnus]

we carry these things inside that no one else can see
they hold us down like anchors; they drown us out at sea

“It is that obvious?” he replies with a laugh, amused at how perceptive she was while simultaneously wishing he was a little better at masking his own emotions. You would think that by now he would have figured out a better way of shielding them from the world around him; it certainly had never done him any  good to wear his heart on his sleeve. It either hurt the people around him or made him vulnerable to attack. One day, he would have to figure out a way to wear a thicker armor—guard himself more.

Today was, clearly and unfortunately, just not that day.

“I do indeed have a lot on my mind, but heaven help me on the day where I say a pretty mare like you is hard to miss.” His scarred lips lifted into a roguish smile, ears perking between the thicket of his tangled, inky forelock. She was indeed easy on the eyes, and he was not against telling a woman so. “I am glad to have stumbled across you today. It is certainly a better alternative to what I was planning on doing.”

He frowns a little when she mentions the raised voices and he looks off into the distance, wondering if the meeting was still going on. He had stormed away after having said his piece, and while he didn’t regret taking his leave…he did regret not making sure that everyone else was in a good place. He just had to hope that it was better to shield them from the full breadth of his temper than whatever else may happen.

“Ah, yes,” he finally responds, doubt flickering over his expression before he shakes the thought from him. “It is perhaps best you avoided that situation. There are some heated tempers.” He gave her a gentle smile and stepped to the side. “I apologize that you came to the kingdom on such a day.” Normally, the Gates were bright, vibrant—peaceful. It was unfortunate that she was exposed to what he saw as such atypical behavior. “I would be happy to escort you around though or answer any questions you may have.”

magnus