“Leagues ahead o’ her own care for herself though.” Johnson said, raising an eyebrow at Elara when she, of all things, stuck her tongue out at him. “Speakin’ o’, much as I love havin’ ya here, you two should get back, ‘fore the King sends out a party t’ come getcha.”
Kieran nodded, but remained quiet. Silent unless spoken to, and only use as many words as are absolutely necessary. He reminded himself, silent.
"O' course you agree with 'im." Elara grumbled, wrinkled her nose dramatically at Kieran. Oddly enough, she listened to Johnson though, swinging Mack down from her shoulders to give the girl a lingering hug, like she wasn't ready to leave. When she did let go, she straightened, giving Johnson a twofingered salute as she stepped backwards down the hall, knowing Kieran would follow. "I'll see ya two soon! Take care o' eachother."
Kieran was silent still as he followed her, still mentally berating himself. He may not have been a slave anymore, but habit was hard to break. You dont say a word, remember? Unless a question is specifically addressed to you, you don't speak. People like you should be seen and not heard. He swallowed slightly, careful not to knock his head on anything as they left.
Elara only turned to look at Kieran once they had left the small home, followed by plenty of goodbyes from Mack and Johnson both. It was to take the mask back, to dispose of properly, but she hesitated when she seemed to catch sight of something in her guard's gaze. "Er-you a'ight?" She finally asked, after mulling over the probability of him even answering in her head for a moment.
(welcome back!)
Kieran pulled the mask off, orange eyes blank. "I'm fine, your highness." He replied calmly, holding the mask in one hand. He wondered what sickness the little girl had, that they had to wear masks to even go inside.
((Thank you! It's good to be back!))
Elara carefully reached out, taking the mask from Kieran and tucking it into a pocket on her bag, furrowing her brows. "Ya sure? Ya look kinda…out of it. Got other things on your mind, huh?" The least she could do was be civil. Besides, she was obviously still in a good mood from visiting Mack, despite knowing that she would probably have to answer questions about the girl's illness, and why it affected everyone else but Elara.
(no problem! I bet it is)
Kieran nodded again. "I'm fine." He repeated. He shook his head slightly. The loose bun still held his curly hair back from his face, except for a few strands. He was handsome, in his own way, but…well. He was Thari. Thari didn't tend to date outside their own kind, especially not marry. They were compatible with other species, sure. Could have kids. But they simply chose not to. That, of course, might be because they were slaves.
Elara snorted at that, shaking her head as a memory was brought to mind. When she’d repeated the same thing to her mother, with two broken fingers from grabbing at an overhang to keep from falling. “You say so.” Good features, incredible eyes. She hated it, but she had to admit, he was good looking. Too bad he was so tall, and her guard. And a Thari on top of that. All together a bad combination for the small Princess, who relied on reading emotions to keep ahead of the game. Like talking to a brick wall.
"I do." Kieran agreed with a slight shrug. "It's not as if you could contradict me." He bit his lower lip, realizing that that wasn't, perhaps, the best thing to say. Could get whipped for that. She said she wouldn't hurt me but…can I trust that? Can i trust anyone? He looked away, face still expressionless.
“Rude.” Elara huffed, her lips twitching as she looked forward once more. Like she was trying hard not to laugh at that. “Bu’ true.”
Kieran glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, surprised. Most people wouldn't…just agree with me. At the least, I'd get slapped for backtalk. He thought, shaking his head slightly.
Elara fell quiet for a little bit longer, old memories flickering through her mind in a bittersweet slideshow. Her hand shifted to the hilt of her mother’s dagger, as an emotion the closest to sadness she’d show passed over her face. Where are you, mom? I’m not sure how much longer I can do this. “I don’ wanna go back yet, but I kinda hafta, don’ I?”
Kieran shrugged slightly. "Technically, I can't tell you what to do unless your life is in danger. So. Consider this your reminder to head back soon, but I can't stop you if you remain out here longer." He said, then wondered why he was giving her that help of letting her stay out if she wished. He shouldn't have let her leave the castle in the first place, and now he's helping her stay out of it? Gods, he was doomed.
She flickered a surprised look his way, though gratitude flashed in her eyes as she looked away again. “One more stop.” Elara said, more to herself than anyone else, as she cut down a side-street. “Then I’ll go back.”
Kieran nodded, and followed her quickly. People turned to watch him, he knew, but he paid them no mind. Adjusting his sleeves to cover the scars, he kept following Elara, silent.
Elara's steps almost seemed eager as she led the way through the streets, ducking into an alley a few minutes later. “Hope ya can climb,” Was all she said as she headed straight for a pipe along the side of one of the buildings making up the walls of the alley, the metal stretched to the gutter about ten or so feet up.
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "If it can hold my weight, yes." He replied as he followed her. He waited for her to lead the way, as he didn't know which way she was wanting to go. He looked around, keeping an eye out for anyone approaching.
Without an answer, Elara began to climb. She was quick and practiced, like she’d done it plenty of times, using the walls and the bent bits of the pipe, whatever she could, as foot and handholds. A minute later, she was on the shingled roof, her face up to the evening sky and eyes closed, taking in the little sun cutting through the clouds of Slum smog and fog from the wharves nearby. “Your turn.”
Kieran sighed, and cast a critical eye at the height of the building. He backed up, and, getting a running start, leapt upwards. He grabbed the gutter with one hand, and pulled himself up without having to use the pipes and handholds. He stood up, looking down at her. "Easy." He said, the faintest trace of a smile ghosting across his features, before vanishing.
Elara had turned to watch him, her face not betraying her surprise at his easy scaling of the wall. “You’re lucky yer tall. Don’ worry though.” She said, turning away. Her voice carried the same tone a promise would, and her fingers twitched at her side, betraying some sort of excitement. “It gets harder.” And with that, she was off, up the slope of the roof and along the uneven tip where the sides met, with an odd and slightly reckless speed.
"I am Thari; we can do a lot of things better than humans." He said, without a trace of pride, simply as if he were stating a fact. He followed her, easily keeping pace with her. To be honest, he didn't get much chance to stretch his legs like this, but his natural abilities easily kept him at the same pace as Elara. He could have outrun her most likely, though he didnt try.
Despite the ache in her ankle, Elara moves with ease along the rooftop. In fact, she quite looked like she belonged up there, high up and in places that most people shouldn’t be. Dangerous places.
She didn’t falter once, not when she suddenly slid down along the shingles to the roof’s edge, nor when she reached that edge. Instead, she jumped-no, leapt- across the distance to the next roof, not even pausing to regain any balance before continuing along. “Keep up, ktherion.” The nickname in her mother’s home tongue, the language she’d grown up speaking alongside the Common Tongue, was a surprise even to her, though it didn’t show.
Kieran made the leap quite easily, landing beside her and cocking an eyebrow. "What did you just call me?" He asked. He really didn't care if it was an insult, hed been called everything under the sun, and more besides. He didn't seem bothered by all the running and movement, though he wondered how her ankle was holding up.
“Tha’s for me t’ know and you t’ never find out.” Elara said, looking out over the rooftops. The buildings were uneven and most of them crooked, some rising higher than others, much different from the better areas in the center of the city. A grin lit up the Princess’s features as she started off again, still ignoring her ankle in favor of making definitely not safe jumps and taking questionable routes along the rooftops. “C’mon! We gotta get there ‘fore the hour changes!”