His eyes went wide and he took a half a step back as the girl began to jitter and stammer. "Sorry!" she blurted, apparently shocked. "No, I'm sorry!" he blurted back, definitely shocked. He watched her as she convulsed, contorted, and threw herself before him. It took him a moment to recognize the motion: a genuflection. A bow. Color immediately flooded to his cheeks.
Her words sounded far away, as in water, but one word stuck. Did she just say...?
"Did you say," he asked in a low voice, glancing around nervously as he gulped the final word audibly, "apprentice?" He was confused, only barely concluding that he was not suffering from some sort of brain fever brought on by the heat. If it can be believed, he instantly began to sweat even more profusely than before.
He raised a sleeve to wipe his forehead and, unable to stop himself, let out an small, anxious chuckle. The smile appearing at the sides of his mouth, though, that was proud.
Her words sounded far away, as in water, but one word stuck. Did she just say...?
"Did you say," he asked in a low voice, glancing around nervously as he gulped the final word audibly, "apprentice?" He was confused, only barely concluding that he was not suffering from some sort of brain fever brought on by the heat. If it can be believed, he instantly began to sweat even more profusely than before.
He raised a sleeve to wipe his forehead and, unable to stop himself, let out an small, anxious chuckle. The smile appearing at the sides of his mouth, though, that was proud.
