It was hard to keep the frown off his face as Asbel approached him, almost as if his friend were having trouble believing that it was really him. Understandable, given the circumstances, but Asbel was nothing if not an open book, and that little apologetic smile did nothing to reassure Richard that there wasn't something more going on than mere surprise that the two of them had both been brought to this world. No, Asbel was hiding something, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

... but his body apparently had other ideas, because as if on cue, his stomach growled. Loudly. Far more loudly than was proper for a king or anyone from polite society, and now it was his turn to look sheepish.

"More exhausted than I'd thought, it seems. And also more hungry... I apologize for that." Not that Asbel would ever judge him for something like that, but manners prompted him to offer an apology anyway.