Haaf followed along with Will, sliding into an easy spot between the taller man and the group at the table. He could be a buffer, that was fine with him. The table was like a microcosm of the tavern itself, chaotic and bustling with everything from planning and answering questions, all overarched by quips and verbal sparring. It made him wonder if any of them were serious at all about what they were doing as well as him wondering what exactly they were doing. He didn't concern his thoughts much with it. He knew why<i>he</i>was there and that's what mattered to him most. Even the gregarious and sometimes frightening people surrounding the map and the warrior didn't concern him much. He was happy to look around and busy himself with...<br/><br/>Ohhhh, the gypsy woman had the most beautiful and colorful clothes! Her jewelry was fetching and only a side-step from his own. Her words were hard to decipher at best, but the feeling around her was one of metered thoughtfulness. He'd known some Gypsies along his travels and had found them to be a warm and fun people when not pressed by some other community who'd somewhere down the line decided that property was property. A silly notion to him that people could divide up the land, waters, and skies and play that it belonged to them. Naive. Ridiculous. But not the Gypsies, they understood it a little deeper than that. He wondered if she was far from her people and if maybe she'd sing songs or play music for this lot on their adventures. He fancied if she did, that he would like to dance with her; whirl and spin in a kaleidoscope of colors made by their skirts and jewels as they laughed. It was a fun thought, a beautiful one until...<br/><br/>He could feel the eyes of the mage on him; direct and sharp. His thoughts and eyes turned from the colors of the Gypsy woman to the woman whose moods changed like the winds. Their eyes locked and he knew in that instant that her eyes saw deeper things, things that most others didn't and for a brief moment he felt the ripple of her hunger brush up against his soul. His brow furrowed slightly and then he slowly turned his head at an angle where only his stormy grey eye was on her. He looked. He looked deeply beyond the surface and watched; watched her as she looked to Will and back to him, then watched as something shifted in her again. The hunger seemed to dissipate and something else took over; something uncertain and shrinking that encompassed her from head to literal toes. Maybe she was broken. Interesting; and one to watch closely with guarded care.<br/><br/><i>'Bring on the nightfall...'</i><br/><br/>The words fell across Haaf's ears in strange synchronization with the apprehensive feelings he was having. He took it as a subtle sign, a breath of warning that had been spoken by unsuspecting lips. Will's hand on his back brought him fully back around, and he blinked as he looked back over his shoulder with a warm smile. "No, no, it's fine," he reassured as he reached back to lightly snag it back. He was much more content to be locked in a gaze with Will Riot and the discomfort he saw there pricked his heart. His eyes lingered there as he drew the man's hand around and rest it to his chest.<br/><br/><i>Everything will be alright. I can help you. I will heal you.</i><br/><br/>It was his earnest desire and the reason he was there, but it wasn't the time or place for such a display; especially not with what he'd just seen of the mage. But he would help Will Riot, yes, he would. Until that moment, though, he would stay close, watchful, reassuring, metering out his magic where he saw fit. Outside of his healing, he was as useful as anyone else. Perhaps he was a head or so shorter than most men, but strong and full of vitality. It simply took a look to see he was unmarred, untouched by tiredness, with strong muscles, solid posture, and a light gait. And perhaps he wasn't a warrior, but he wasn't without his means of protection either.<br/><br/>"You don't have to apologize," he said as he looked back to the table, watching the people hash things out at the table as he petted the back of Will's hand with light fingers.