“No clue. She’s just…gone. And I keep lookin’, but she’s the one that taught me everythin’ I know, so I know it’s hopeless. If she wanted t’ be found, she would be.” Elara shook her head, pressing her lips together for a moment. “She was all I had. It was always just us, against the rest o’ the world.” She sucked in a slightly shaky breath, looking over at him. “You know, times like this make me wish I didn’ have any emotions like you. But I couldn’ do it. There’s too many things I love. Too many happy memories.”
He nodded. "I see. I am…sorry." he said slowly. "That you had to go through that." He shrugged. "I think that someone like you would find being like me very boring. Predictable. Slow." He shrugged. "Sure, I'm a good fighter. So is most of my species. Sure, I'm a good tracker; so is most of my species. There is not much about me that isn't known or easily guessed."
“You’re right. Would be kinda boring. Always bein’ One step behind as long as someone can predict you.” Elara looked back up at the sky, blinking a few times. “That’s why you gotta be unpredictable. Not a step ahead, bu’ playin’ a whole new game.”
He shook his head. "I am not wired that way. My whole life has been follow orders and dont you dare deviate from them. So that's what I know how to do." He shrugged slightly. "I know what happens when I disobey, and i would prefer to avlid that." He kept his gaze fastened on the stars.
“Makes sense. I’ve said it before an’ I’ll say it again though, the only thing close t’ a punishment you’ll get for anythin’ is me yellin’ at ya, and I’ve been told I’m too tiny to be threatening.” She said, huffing a laugh at the memory of Roman’s words.
Kieran nodded. "I know. But if I do not do a satisfactory job, your father can send me back to my owner. And i would prefer that that not happen." He replied. "So." He shrugged slightly, shaking his head a little.
“Not if I can help it.” Elara said simply, sitting up to check on her ankle. The swelling seemed to have gone down a tiny bit. She poked at one of the bruises, wincing as though that wasn’t obviously going to hurt. “Matthias said we’re heading to Junia’s Port tomorrow-today? Which is kind of shitty, ‘cause I love walkin’ the waterfront.”
Kieran nodded. "I suppose i could carry you, but I do not think you would want that." He replied. "But you are not walking around on that ankle of yours. You will make the damage worse, and might end up with a permanent limp."
“Tha’s why I said it sucks. ‘Cause ya won’t let me walk on it, so I can’t walk the waterfront. I don’t so carryin’.” She shrugged, pulling her foot over her other leg to futz with it, testing the damage.
Kieran nodded. "Ah. My apologies. But it wouldn't be so bad if you hadn't been so active on it when it first got hurt." He told her, closing his eyes with his head tipped upwards.
"Okay, true, but I would also rather pretend you aren't right." Elara said, sticking her tongue out at him despite the fact that his eyes were closed. "At the very least, will ya let me use a cane or crutches or some shit? There's a little cafe down by one o' the piers that's got great hot chocolate."
"Crutches. I will look around for some." He replied, glancing at her, then closing his eyes again. He sighed softly. He bit his lip slightly. Hot chocolate sounds amazing…but I probably won't be able to have any. He thought, shifting.
"I'm sure there's a store round here that'll have 'em." She said, rolling her foot around and grumbling. "D'you drink hot chocolate? An' are you a 'just the drink' kinda guy, or a whipped cream guy? I load the damn drink up with marshmallows and whipped cream, sometimes coffee creamer if I'm feelin' it."
He shrugged. "I like hot chocolate, yes. I…have never tried whipped cream, nor marshmallows. Or coffee creamer, i don't think." He replied, face tipped back towards the sky with his eyes closed.
"What? By Helvar, you gotta at least try whipped cream when we go down." She said, looking up at him with slightly wide eyes. "Actually, ya can just try mine, and then see if that's what ya wanna order. Wastin' good hot chocolate is blasphemous."
He nodded. "Alright then." He replied slowly. "If you say so." He shook his head slightly, raking a hand through his hair, the curly strands hanging into his face for a moment.
"O' course I say so." She said, flopping back onto her back. "Never tried whipped cream." She muttered, squinting up at the sky. "Tha's about the same as never livin'. It's an essential part o' life."
"Well, according to some, I don't have any sort of life. So." Kieran shrugged. "Also, most don't feed their slaves whipped cream. Or at least, i havr never had an owner who did." He looked up at the stars again.
"Not a slave here, but I'm still gonna feed ya whipped cream." Elara said, closing her eyes and breathing slowly. Rest, since she couldn't sleep. "Er-not feed ya, more just give ya the whipped cream. But ya get what I mean."
(oof I'm sorry for my typos; I'm tired and the autocorrect on my phone isn't working correctly lol)
Kieran shrugged. "I know what you mean, your highness." He replied, shaking his head slightly. "But you really don't have to. I get food like the other guards; that's all I need and want." He sighed.
((Lmao you're good.))
"The other guards buy food ou'side the food given t' them, too. C'mon man, just accept the whipped cream. Call it a gift or whatever. Payment for stargazin' in the middle o' the night with me. Whatever." She waved a hand lazily, turning on her side and opening her eyes to look at him.
He sighed. "We'll see." He replied, shaking his head slightly. "We'll see." He pulled a hand through his hair, debating about whether or not to redo the bun.
"Y'know, most people'd love t' let a princess buy 'em shit." She pointed out, not offended, more joking and amused, if her small smile as she watched him was any indication. "'Specially without any strings or anythin'."
"I do not care. I do not need or want anything." Kieran replied. Except my freedom. He sighed. "And how do I know there are no strings? How do I know that anything won't be held against me?"
"'Cause I'd make it pretty clear if I was lookin' t' hold ya to somethin'." She stated, shaking her head best she could without lifting it. "Sides, ya ain't got nothin' I'd ever really need, so…yeah."
