With expression carefully guarded and posture carefully neutral, Ordhan listened intently as Bethen began to answer--only for his eagerness to wilt back again as she mildly dodged the query. He did not want to contradict her. It might have been simply her way to decline answering; if demons were a danger constantly on the mind of every mage, it was likely a sensitive and unpleasant subject. The knight glanced away, both to hide disappointment and to avoid burdening the young mage with a stare. She had seemed sheepish about her deflection, and he did not want to aggravate her discomfort further. Glancing down at Falina, he saw a mirror of his own disappointment concealed in her soft features. But, ever buoyant and amiable, the dwarf was smiling as bright as ever a moment later.
Bethen seemed to thoroughly enjoy speaking of the next subject. Whatever hesitance had deterred her a moment before was now gone, and a smile tugged at the edges of his mouth both for her enthusiasm about the history of her home and Falina's interest. Ordhan listened with interest, though not quite in the tower itself; every mannerism and inflection of Bethen's voice as she spoke promised a glimpse into the lives of mages as a whole, and Ordhan silently weighed every word. She didn't speak of the Tower with loathing, so perhaps it was not a horrible place to live? Perhaps it was wishful thinking, on his part.
The knight found himself grinning at Falina's honest declaration. He had only seen her be polite, but he did not doubt that she could be blunt if she chose. She had been very kind, free with her friendship and with compliments of startling depth; if all of them were truly meant, it was quite an honor. He was uncertain of how he had earned them so quickly.
"You are too hard on yourself. It is very interesting," Ordhan agreed solemnly. The sound of his voice was strange in his own ears, and for a moment he wished he had remained silent, allowing the two to continue their conversation without his interference. Falina seemed disappointed at the mention of books. "Did you want to hear from any of them?" he ventured. "I could read something aloud, though I do not know of any to recommend. Most of those I have read are of Darkspawn or battle tactics," he admitted sheepishly. And dwarves, it was true, but that seemed a bizarre thing to say at the moment. It would seem as if he had befriended her as a mere curio, instead of as the endearing young girl she was.