The light drink he had shared with Jeanie before being summoned here was helpful in soothing his nerves, but noplace near enough to deaden him to the implications of this meeting, or the... connotations... behind the king's proposal.

Even more-so, since he disliked being one to let people down, or leave work unfinished-- The situation had him in a tough spot; He really, already had obligations of his own he needed to see to, and besides, he'd be beyond useless in just a few weeks, more likely than not-- While he did not sleep the ENTIRE time while hibernating, the time he WAS awake, was a kind of dreamy not-really-alert state, with more "reactive" levels of consciousness, and fraught with uncoordinated movement, fuzzy thinking, and irritability.  It was NOT a pleasant condition to be in, and he did NOT want to have people trying to tell him "oh how very important doing this thing is!" while in that state. It was a recipe for disaster, hard feelings, and the formation of grudges in every capacity.  It was just "Not a good thing" all around, and was completely inescapable. Since nobody else seemed intent on safely escaping while they had the chance, that left him the odd-bear-out; It was nothing personal, and he really DID hate leaving the issue of the war "unresolved"-- but this was something he had no real choice in, anymore than somebody can put off taking a shit indefinitely. As the winter approached, the "Need" to do it became equally unbearable. It was going to happen, like it or not.

He huffed a breath, and looked down at his feet like a child caught stealing cookies from the jar before dinner.

"[color=7bcdc8]... Thank-ye fer da chance tuh git loose...[/color]" he managed, albeit awkwardly. "[color=7bcdc8]... Uh... Uh really hates tuh leave work unfinish', --'specially when uh dun been paid... [/color]"

He shifted one leg on the ball of his foot back and forth nervously, but looked up timidly, still hunched in a plaintive manner.

"[color=7bcdc8]...Buht uh cain't stay.. In 'bout a week er so, uhs gunna be less 'an useless, an' no good fer nuttin' buh' layin' 'bout fer six month...[/color]" He heaved a sigh and cocked his head, making very earnest eyes at Frederic. "[color=7bcdc8].. Uh cain't helps it... It like havin' ta takes a shit-- cain't hol' it back ferever... ... an it gunna happen, ya wants it ta er not...[/color]"

He looked down at his feet again, his foot having never stopped the slow rotation back and forth on the floor. 

"[color=7bcdc8]... Asides..... Like yaself were worri'd 'bout ya boy.. Muh own pa likely outta his min' right naow... I's been gone a whole month, an' he ain't had nary a word 'bout muh safety. ... Ya gotta un'erstand, uh's is somebody else's boy.. an' dey like as not, jus' as wurried as'n you wus... ... an more..[/color]."

He looked up again, this time with sadness, despair, and open worry on his huge hairy face-- 

"[color=7bcdc8]... Uh has ta warn 'im 'bout what likely commin'-- Uh din' really come ta save ya boy... --but uh glad uh did--... uh came ta stops da war, ifn uh could... buh' it soun' like we's jus' slowed it daown instead... [/color]"

his look suddenly gained severity and intensity-- ferocious intent in it.

"[color=7bcdc8]So's me an' paps's gots ta get ready fer it-- Keep 'at shit out, an' at arm's length. 'At take time an' effort-- Uh gots tuh see tuh my own, ya sees? I dun blame you non-'tall, I kin tell ya don' wan' cause no trouble fer us up yonder; but from what I kin put tughether muh-ownself? Soun' likes ya gots some dumb-fuck modder-fucker as ain't willin' ta quit-- an' at fucker need all the discouragin' he kin git, ya know? Mebbe we git at place up yonder so prickley, he all tied up tryin' tuh git in, no? Don' wan' 'nudder Fanghorn. Not ifn' uhs kin avoid it none, 'ats fer damn sure! Unlike 'em poor barstards, we's kin be readeh, --an fuck 'em up good![/color]"

The severity faded back to being plaintive again.

"[color=7bcdc8].. Uh wish uh could help ya more... buh I caint... Uh sorry...[/color]"

He looked at Jazdia, then at the others with a sweep of his sad eyes. 

"[color=7bcdc8]Uh wish y'all duh best uh luck. Hones.'[/color]"