He inclines his head in acknowledgement of the library's (this world's) uncanny nature. Given the amount of books he readily found, he couldn't help but notice it.
Altaïr thinks "nothing" is a lie, but Malik taught him that he cannot know, only suspect.
"Not even the joy of seeking knowledge?" Offhand, not really expecting an answer. Resigned not to get more writing done for the moment, he cleans his qalam and closes the inkwell with familiar care despite his calloused hands. His Omen stares at the boy throughout. There is nothing offhand about the way Ruya cants her head in swift little jerks to look at Paul from this or that angle.
"What did you do? Damage a book? Test your teacher's patience?"
The closest he comes to small talk is asking (without his usual tricks or intimidations) why someone is going about the task of helping strangers in a library. It is the sort of task Altaïr might have been set to as a Novice for some academic slight or other. (A more serious punishment would follow a slight committed in the sparring ring.)
no subject
Altaïr thinks "nothing" is a lie, but Malik taught him that he cannot know, only suspect.
"Not even the joy of seeking knowledge?" Offhand, not really expecting an answer. Resigned not to get more writing done for the moment, he cleans his qalam and closes the inkwell with familiar care despite his calloused hands. His Omen stares at the boy throughout. There is nothing offhand about the way Ruya cants her head in swift little jerks to look at Paul from this or that angle.
"What did you do? Damage a book? Test your teacher's patience?"
The closest he comes to small talk is asking (without his usual tricks or intimidations) why someone is going about the task of helping strangers in a library. It is the sort of task Altaïr might have been set to as a Novice for some academic slight or other. (A more serious punishment would follow a slight committed in the sparring ring.)