Elara stood there for the duration of the ringing, which stopped after a full minute, and then continued to stand there and watch the bell for a bit longer. When she moved again, it was towards the edge of the platform, to lean out and watch one of the gears turning diligently in it's place. C'mon, they're on this one, I know it.
"Careful." Kieran said softly, watching her warily. "Don't fall." He took a step closer to her, just in case he needed to catch her. His eyes darted warily around the room.
"I won't." Elara huffed, leaning a bit further over. She stretched her fingers out along with her arm, the tips brushing the cog lightly. As it turned, something carved into the metal came into view, two sets of initials. E.A and L.A, a small and roughly carved star inbetween them. "There it is." She whispered, her fingers brushing over the initials as they passed. "Took forever t' carve, an' I was twelve then, too. Even shorter'n I am now."
Kieran nodded slowly, but said nothing. It wasn't really his business to say anything, so he wouldn't. He merely watched her, not wanting to interfere. Shifting slightly, he gave a soft sigh. We should be heading back to the castle soon… He realized. We should have been on our way already.
Elara snorted suddenly, wobbling before balancing herself and turning to look at Kieran. "My ma'd probably tell me t' quit 'dilly-dallying' and to 'just get going'. Might as well take tha' advice, since I've pu' it off long enough." Her hand was on the hilt of her mother's dagger again, like the movement was a comfort to her.
Kieran nodded. "Are we jumping again, or leaving the tower the normal way?" He asked, looking down at her. His orange eyes were still emotionless, distant. As if all emotion had been sucked from hin long ago, never to return.
Elara opened her mouth to answer 'jumping', but the protesting of her ankle gave her pause. With a huff, she looked over at the ladder that led down from one platform to another, eventually reaching the normal rooms of the tower, where the stairs were. "Normal way." She muttered, making a face.
Kieran nodded, and followed her. He was, to be honest, a little relieved they were taking the normal way. He had noticed she was favoring her ankle, and didn't want to have to carry her. Though he could, if necessary. He just doubted she would want him to.
((Imma time jump us ahead to getting there, since nothing important really would happen on the way. That's for laaaaateeerrrr~))
As soon as they stepped through the palace gates, Roman was there, his usual grin noticeably missing. Elara knew that look. It always meant the King had sent for her, and her friend knew how much she hated talking to him.
He was so different. Different from her mother, different from her, from Johnson, who had been the closest thing to a father figure she'd ever known. It wasn't just his status. It was the King himself, every bit proper and royal and not at all the kind of person she could ever imagine her mother wanting a relationship with. She didn't. She was an escort, and you know that.
Soon enough, there they were, Elara and Kieran, in the Throne Room and waiting for the King.
(alright lol)
Kieran was silent, his arms by his sides. He knew he couldn't say anything wrong in front of the king, or the king could terminate his deal, and send him back. And then he would be stuck, forever and always, a slave. Forced to do whatever his owners wanted, no matter what that might be. Whether that was manual labor or otherwise. He had no hope of working off the buying price on his own; this was his only chance, and one that he knew he might fail.
"Waiting waiting waiting. Tha's all it ever is." Elara muttered, her hands in her pockets and one fiddling with something in one of them. "Gotta show 'e's got all the time in the world." She seemed to have almost forgotten Kieran was there, as she muttered to herself about the King.
A minute or so later, the King entered the throne room, sandwiched between two of his personal guards and trailed by an advisor.
Kieran glanced at her during her muttering, but didn't comment. When the king entered, he automatically stood up straighter, face going completely and utterly blank, as he had been trained to do over the years. You don't show emotion to your owners and betters. You don't question them. You don't look like anything but a statue.
“Thank you both for meeting with me on such unfortunately short notice.” The King spoke with importance, his accent one of status, so much different from his daughters harsh commoner’s accent.
“Did we have much of a choice?” Elara asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest. That drew a surprise look from even the guards in the room, and all eyes moved to the King, waiting to see his reaction.
A weary chuckle. That was the reaction he gave. “I am afraid not, in this instance. The threats we have received from… the Shadows on your life make this of utmost importance. I am sending you away, for your safety.”
Kieran frowned slightly, but said nothing. So we are going somewhere? This should be interesting. He thought, expressionless as he watched the king and Elara speaking. He knew, of course, that he would be expected to accompany Elara, which was fine. That is my job, after all. He let out a soft sigh, shifting, but again didnt say anything. He would do as he was told. It was that simple.
“What?” Elara’s hissed words were accompanied by an almost imperceptibly frantic tick, gripping her arm tighter. I can’t leave. I can’t leave because what if something happens and I’m not here to do anything. What if something happens to Mack- “I can’t leave.”
“Elara, it is not safe for you here.” The King’s voice carried a slightly worried undertone, like he wasn’t quite telling the whole truth.
Kieran took a breath. "You need to listen to your father." He said to her softly, shifting and waiting for the reprimand that he shouldn't speak to his betters. "He knows what is going on." He fell silent after that. He almost expected to be slapped or berated for speaking up. That was what usually happened. And maybe Elara had said she wouldn't, but so had others who had broken that promise, so he didn't put much stock in words.
“I can’t just leave her.” Elara whispered to Kieran, glancing over at him for a moment. That man is not my father. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“It isn’t safe for you to stay.” The King looked between the two of them, his eyes returning to his daughter after a moment. “It won’t be for long, just long enough for the threat to blow over, so that you are not in any danger. You are the next in line for the throne, Elara. You need to be kept safe.”
Kieran was quiet, shifting for a moment. He sighed softly. He wasn't going to interfere with Elara and her father again unless they asked for his opinion. Which they wouldn't. He would stay with the princess wherever she went, though, without questioning what was happening.
Elara, once again, opened her mouth to refuse, when something gave her pause. She uncrossed her arms to shove them in her pockets, one hand closing around the key in one of them. I can't leave. But if I stay, am I putting them in even more danger? She thought of the clocktower, and her mother, who had always done everything she could to keep her safe. She thought of Johnson, the closest thing to a father figure she had, working so hard to buy the expensive medicine that kept his own daughter alive. And, admittedly, she thought of Kieran, who wanted to work off his contract to free himself, and didn't deserve to die still owned by somebody else. "Fine. Fine-alright." She finally conceded, her eyes on the ground and the bags under her eyes seeming a bit more noticeable.
The King nodded, smiling softly at Elara, who didn't seem to notice. "You two leave as soon as possible. Your things are already packed, though I assume most of your important things are in that bag of yours." Spot on. He looked at Kieran, speaking directly to him. "You are the only one of her Guards accompanying her, just in case. The other Guards have been hand-picked by myself and the Captain, and are already waiting with the carriage. You will be accompanying her on the journey, which, for the sake of keeping the people from worrying, is being disguised as a normal trip to make appearances in various cities."
Kieran nodded. "I understand." He said softly, keeping his gaze fastened on something in the middle distance. He didn't look his superiors in the eyes. That was what he had been trained to do. Looking them in the eyes was disrespectful, a shoe of rudeness that was to be beaten for. And even if he wasn't sure if the king or Elara would do so… he wasn't going to risk it.
The advisor who had come in with the King moved to stand next to him, talking quietly with him, before the King nodded, nodding his head in farewell and dismissal before turning to leave. "That is all for now. I hope you will be safe, and that you will return soon-"
"His sleeves're too short." Elara interrupted suddenly, looking just a bit surprised by herself even. Shaking that off, she motioned to Kieran. "He's go' those long limbs'n shit. Too long for the size 'e's got."
"I will have someone take care of that, and get him a larger size as soon as possible." The King said with a nod, looking back at the two of them. His eyes alighted on Kieran, conveying a silent plea to take care of Elara. "Kind travels on you both." And then he was gone, along with his 'entourage', leaving Kieran and Elara alone in the figuratively cold-feeling throne room.
Kieran blinked. He glanced at Elara, surprised that she had said anything. He hadn't been going to, as it wasn't too much of an inconvenience, but…oh well. It didn't hurt anything. He sighed softly. "You did not have to say anything." He said quietly. "I am alright as is." He didn't quite meet her eyes; he never did, focusing on something in the middle distance while waiting for the next order or movement.
“You wouldn’t’a asked. Figured I might as well, while he was here. If I’d have asked anyone else, it woulda taken forever.” Elara shrugged, slipping her hand from her pocket to look down at the ordinary house key. It was anything but to her though. A symbol of a home to run to, should she need it, after losing hers. But a pipe dream all the same. “We should ge’ goin’. Don’ wanna stay too long’n not wanna leave.”
Kieran nodded. "Alright." He said softly, adjusting the sleeves again. It was true, he most likely wouldn't have said anything. Correction: he wouldn't have said anything. She was right about that. He sighed quietly, and got ready to follow her to wherever she would head next.
Elara closed her fist around the key, tucking her hand into her pocket again as she led the way out of the throne room. “Y’ever been travellin’? Er-prolly not I’m guessin’. How much o’ the world have you seen, then? Yeah, tha’s A better question.” It was like she was half talking to Kieran, and half to herself, and at the same time, barely even there thought wise.