<b>[Bjorntheim]</b><br/><br/>Eira promptly affected a wide-eyed and guileless look, all innocence, and entirely at odds with her warrior's attire -- dusty, well-used armor, sword and axes hung from weapon belts crossed over her waist, a heavy cloak clasped at her collar, and an overworked haversack thrown over one shoulder.<span style="color: magenta">"I need a <i>reason</i> to come visit you, now?"</span>She followed the faux-complaint with a grin and a shrug, and eased the pack off her arm the better to step smoothly towards him, and offer a quick hug.<span style="color: magenta">"It's just... it's been a while,"</span>she then answered.<br/><br/>For a moment she left it at that, her gaze roaming the workshop. Here, in this place, amid all the engineer's projects, a little childlike wonder could leaven the cold, brooding blue of her eyes. But that brief silence seemed to draw more explanation from her.<span style="color: magenta">"Fighting for surface-dwellers, Horgar. It's what I do, and I'm good at it, but I don't love it. And I miss... all this."</span>She waved a hand, to encompass not just the workshop, nor the house, but the entire Dvergar city beyond.<span style="color: magenta">"More than I thought I would.  Homesickness, or maybe just maudlin, but either way coming here gives me a little joy, even though I can never stay long."</span><br/><br/>Homesickness, or maybe just maudlin, indeed: she caught herself there, turned her eyes back to the engineer, and forced wistful thoughts away and a smile back to her lips.<span style="color: magenta">"I missed my friend, too. I missed hearing about his latest invention that's going to shake the world to its foundations and make him rich beyond his dreams of avarice. You'll tell me everything, won't you? Maybe over a meal? I came into a hand-keg of this sweetest mead that I wouldn't mind your help finishing."</span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>