[ Asra closed his eyes, as Julian continued to speak, as if to envision it-- ]

Gulls... if there were gulls around even so small an island, you must not have been more than a day from shore...

[ Cracks his eyes open to see that smile, and the corners of his eyes crinkle as his own smile flashes-- briefly and helplessly-- wider. He looked away, at his own untouched line of soldiers. ]

You collect stories like no one else. Have you ever thought of writing them? Er.. [ his smile crimped, suppressing a soft laugh, ]

Dictating, so that someone else can write it?