Today was treat day.
It was humbling when such iconic creatures nosed at Luna's pale hands in the morning reminding her that today was the day that they got their damn treats. It was also humbling when she showed up to her post empty handed and she got to watch several sets of eyes go into a full pout. Sure she had to lean in and squint a bunch to get the full picture, the world wasn't much except for coloured fluff to her, but... She could tell. They were pouting.
Which was why, even though it was almost noon, she had her cloak on, hood over her head to keep the sun off her face. Was she sweating? Absolutely. Luna was extremely uncomfortable. She could feel the sweat trickle down her spine and soak through her shirt. Luna knew that the second she got back she'd have to take a bath and change.
Today was her lucky day though. Luna didn't have to travel too far to collect her treats for her drakelings, which meant there would be minimal wandering around and minimal staring. A superstitious people, Luna didn't enjoy being out in the midst of people too often. Despite being a born and bred Adelan, she was, to her dismay, extremely pale. Her hair was so devoid of pigment it was white, her eyes so blue that light hurt them, she'd had her own fairshare of teasing growing up so, now, she made means to cover up.
Basket in hand, fruits piled into it. She'd exchanged money with the vendor before fixing her hood and tucking her un-basket-ed hand into her pocket. A hesitant peek at the sky, eyes half closed to do so, and she gauged herself to have only been away for half an hour or so. It would be lunch time when she got back, and then bath time for the smallest of the brood. Of course, all that would happen after treats.
So distracted with her thoughts Luna didn't notice that the fuzzy thing in front of her was another person. Which would explain why she unceremoniously walked into them, lost her footing and ended up on her butt. Her hood fell off her head, exposing her pale head of hair. The incident wasn't without a few spectators and, thankfully, only a few of the apple like fruits managed to escape the basket.
"I'm so sorry!" She cried, hand instantly groping for her hood, eyes shut tightly more in an effort to avoid the pain of the bright lights than because of it. Luna quickly moved to rest on her knees to right herself before she fixed her hood and looked down at the set of feet beside her, "I wasn't looking where I was going, I deeply apologize."
Today was a terrible day.
First there had been all the commotion this morning with Valys and Rhosiris being whisked away to do who knows what for the good of Adela. All important hoity toity business. All Zhirai knew was that dragons were involved, poncey Anastolyr was being left behind, and he wanted nothing to do with it all.
But then Ana had gone off into the city to explore and Kirsikka was busy tending to some of the others. Something about all the pollen from the plants making everyone sick and miserable. So Zhirai decided to go off on his own and THAT is how he ended up in this predicament.
He was completely and utterly LOST. Who even built cities like this anyway? Why did there have to be so many unforgiving stone walls all packed so close together with dark, smelly, narrow passageways? Didn't anyone in this star-forsaken country want to see daylight?! No wonder they were all so pink. They were just like giant naked rats in clothes.
He shuddered at the notion while trying to spin about and get his barings. It was not meant to be though as he was suddenly plowed into from behind and sent stumbling forward. Zhirai pinwheeled his arms, already off-kilter from his spinning as he stepped back to try and catch himself. Except in doing so he only managed to step on something round and cumbersome. One moment he was flailing about like a fish out of water and the next he too was on his back side, snarling and swearing in his melodic native tongue like the sailor he was born and raised as.
"Watch where you're going, Pinkskin! What, did you just learn how to walk today?" he shouted at the babbling figure in his own language. He growled further in displeasure at the thing gouging into his back only to reach back and pull forth a somewhat squashed apple. His lip curled in displeasure as he made to toss it into the human's lap. Zhirai paused though as he examined it feeling the sticky juice leak into his hand.
"What it?" he asked waving it in her face instead.
Luna winced at the voice - though was a little confused at the language. Either way, it sounded a little grumpy and she couldn't blame them, despite the fact that everything was little more than a blur she could very well tell the person she'd run into had fallen over as well.
Though she had to lean in and squint to see what the person was waving at her. "I..." Luna nodded, "Yes, please" and she reached out and plucked the seemingly squished apple, making a face and placing it in the basket. The dragons wouldn't care if the apple was squished a little. Maybe they'd care if it had clearly been sat on - which it was but they didn't need to know that. Luna put the basket down - a few other apples-fruits had escaped but she couldn't see where they went and thus, she didn't worry about it.
"Here, let me help you up," her voice was apologetic and Luna made sure her hood was properly shadowing her face before she stood up and reached out a truly pale hand, finally trying to give this person a look. Hm. Were they like her? Or something else entirely? Luna couldn't really help the question that fell out of her mouth in her surprise, "Where are you from? Serendipity?" That seemed like a safe option that made sense, "I'm sorry again, for bumping into you - I have a hard time seeing."
Zhirai squawked in shock as instead of receiving an answer, the leaking orb was plucked out of his hand. He accepted the helping hand up but did not let go as he reclaimed the offending fruit that had caused his earlier tumbled.
"What it?" he repeated in Ketran, waving it about close to her face but refusing to let her take it back until she answered. The answer was inconsequential though as his limited vision caught sight of the pale braid that slide forward out of her hood.
It was then that he finally released her hand in order to latch onto the hair instead. "You're Procyon??" Not waiting for an answer he yanked her hood off to look at her face. The eyes were all wrong. A gentler touch that brushed her hair behind her ear also revealed further disappointment. Just another Pinkskin with their strange round ears. Huffing sighing in disappointment, he released the apple back into her basket in favor of reaching out to help yank her hood back up as she had it.
"Sorry," he muttered sullenly, feeling like a naughty kitten that had gotten its paw stuck in a fishing line and needed saving.
There was very little Luna could think to do when her hair was grabbed onto and her hood was pulled from her head. The sharp pain from the bright light made her squeeze her eyes shut for a moment but she opened them again to squint at her new ... friend?
"uuhh..." was all Luna could vocalize, her voice as elegant as ever in her confusion. There was always a degree of confusion when she'd meet some people for the first time, so she didn't blame his curiosity. Maybe he'd never seen anyone as pale as her before. Then, the hoot was back on and she was again confused.
"It's ..." She paused, was it okay? "Fine." Luna finished and then looked down at her basket and then back at her new friend. "My name is Luna, can I walk you home?" It seemed polite and he seemed new.
The procyon grunted roughly, jamming his hands in his pockets as he glared at the ground. His brow furrowed as he tried to remember the right words to express what he wanted to say. Sadly simple emotions and desires such as asking for directions were proven to be far more complex in the Trader's Tongue. Why couldn't the Pinkskins speak Embass like everyone else?! Of COURSE the buggers had to be special and irritating.
"I," he paused still struggling for the right order of words and huffing in his frustration, "house lost."
House lost.
Luna brought a hand up to her face and worried her fingers against her lower lip while she tried to figure out what that meant. House lost. "Well," She moved her hand from her lip and held it out to him, indicating for him to take it, "We can find your home. I'm assuming you can understand me a little, but can't speak the language well?" Luna smiled, tilting her head up so the hood only cast a shadow and kept the sun from her eyes.
"do you remember which direction? Big building? Small building?" Luna pointed in the general direction of the castle, "I work there. With the dragons. I feed them and make sure their needs are met. These are for them. " she said, shaking the basket.
He blinked at her, struggling to process all the words and translate them into his own tongue before consider his answer then translate back for her to understand. She was correct though that he did understand at least a bit better than he could speak but even then it could be considered a very loose form of understanding. Curse the blasted wordsmith and his badgering to learn the words of the Pinkskins. If he hadn't been so persistent then perhaps Zhirai wouldn't have resisted quite so much out of pure oppositional defiance.
"Dragons," he repeated recognizing the word. "Valys and Rhosiris dragons Pallaton took with. Dragons."
Luna choked on her next inhale while her companion said the name Pallaton. There had been a rumor there were unusual guests at the main castle and the Regent had accepted them as political refugees or something. Was this man one of them? Luna moved a hand to her chest to lightly pat it while she tried to cough and catch her breath at the surprise.
While she'd never met the man himself, she knew Pallaton was at least a decent person. She wouldn't get into too much trouble leading this stranger to the main gate, would she? When her hand wasn't taken, she took it upon herself to (perhaps rudely) grab the strangers and thread their fingers together so he couldn't just slip out of her grip. He didn't give his name, so she took that as a sign that perhaps he never would.
Luna didn't push and instead began walking towards the main road tugging her new companion along. "We'll get you to the main castle then, if you like. Unless you were shopping?" She chewed on her lip, looking down at the basket, the few dragons she was taking care of would get fussy if she took much longer, "How about we lead you back home and then get you an escort, hmm? I'd hate to be lost in a city if I was new to it, it's so big."
Oh stars, he'd killed the Pinkskin. Or perhaps it was sick. Why else would it make such an awful coughing, gasping, wheezing sound. Was it catching? Zhriai eyed the way she patted her chest before reaching out to thump her lightly on the back. Maybe he was being a bit dramatic. Pinkskins were rather fragile creatures to begin with after all.
He did not have long to muse though as suddenly his calloused hand was interlocked with her much smaller one. The elf was too shocked at this latest development to immediately notice they were moving as he was too busy staring at their hands and giving them a light shake to see if she'd let go. It did not last long though as he dropped their joined hand and took in the main road. Then, he held her hand more properly giving it a light squeeze as they came up on so many of those like her. He hated the crowds, the noise, the smells that made his head ache, and worst of all, standing out so much. It was because of all of them that he had gotten so hopelessly lost in the first place just to escape them.
"Shopping, no." Zhirai finally responded after a quiet pause. "Dragons?"
Shopping, no.
Good to know. Luna glanced over her shoulder and smiled towards her unknown companion, fixing her hood to cover her face better once they got walking. The pair drew gazes more curious than anything else and the pace and stride of Luna had people shuffling to the side while she walked back to the castle.
"We can go see dragons, if you like," She said smiling and with their hands still linked. The walk was uneventful - the regular citizens recognizing the cloak Luna was wearing, the pattern and colours, to know what she did and where she did it. While normally she might have been stopped and questions. Perhaps jeered at, the display of Adelan colours was a clear sign of what she did and that there may be consequences for interrupting her work.
It was a bit of a walk but soon enough the gates were coming up along with the guard... Who she walked right past, dragging poor Zhirai behind her. Basket of apples on one arm and Zhirai in the other hand she stopped and turned to him, smiling, "Do you know where to go?" She bent her elbow to point to the main building, "Pallaton is in there usually. I work and live out back," Luna chewed on her lower lip and then looked around, "Are you hungry? We can feed the dragons and then I can make us lunch if you like..." Luna smiled again, "As a welcome to Adela."
"Pallaton left," he replied easily. The tension in his body melted greatly once it was just the two of them again. He had felt the looks. It was like being out at sea and knowing that while you couldn't see him the beast was just beneath the ice, staring. Waiting. Thankfully though, much like with the creatures of the icy depths, nothing happened. This time.
Zhirai tilted his head at her slightly, slowly processing her words. "Dragons eat...." His brow furrowed not knowing the word for the abnormal shaped balls in her basket so he only pointed instead, "Luna?" Was that the word she'd used for them before?
"Dragons eat Luna?" She repeated, blinking owlishly before she looked at where he was pointing. "Dragons don't eat Luna," She took his hand and pointed it at her, "Luna," then she moved his hand back to point at the fruits, "Apples."
She smiled and started to veer away from the castle, leading the guest to where she would feed the smaller dragons snacks. "Are you hungry...? You can eat one, if you like. Eat the apple," she said a teasing smile growing on her face, "Not Luna."
There she as touching him again. So much touching. Was this normal for Pinkskins? Was personal space not a thing for them? Why so much familiarity? Or did this one just think him stupid because of his poor command of their tongue? He wasn't an idiot thank you very much!
He rolled his pales eyes with a huff at her teasing but turned his hand in her grip enough to catch hers in turn. Zhriai then dragged the appendage to himself until their joined hands rested against his sternum. "Zhirai, eat no Pinkskins."
"Zhirai," Luna repeated and paused for a moment to feel the heartbeat of her new companion. It was interest that despite the differences between them - though visually she seemed to blend in well, there was the same organ that pumped blood. "I'm glad you don't want to eat... Uh... Pinkskins." Which she could only assume was her.
The no confirmation about the apple made her also assume that he wasn't interested in that, either.
"There they are," She said, motioning towards a stone building attached to a stable of sorts and one of the smaller ones spotted her. About the size of a horse currently, the little dragon bounced over the fence and clumsily trotted their way over. "Hello, Lovely," She whispered holding the basket away from the sniffing face, "Not until we get back over the fence, and then you'll have to wait your turn."
A huff, a quick graze of scaled head to her thigh and the little dragon bounded off again, nudging it's clutch siblings into wakefulness while Zhirai and Luna walked towards the building. With no lock on the door, she pushed it open to a small kitchen and placed the basket on the table, her cloak being placed over a chair and glanced over her shoulder. "Would you like to help give out the snacks?" She smiled over her shoulder at Zhirai while she grabbed a cloth and threw it over her shoulder and grabbing the basket again.
The inside of the building was quaint, little decoration and what was around were odd trinkets like bones or slightly munched looking flowers. The furniture was wooden and meant to accommodate two people at most. The door on the other side of the room lead directly to another enclosed area that was much much larger, though a large barn door was open and the young dragons could leave and enter as they wished.
A mezzanine above the door that led to the sleeping quarters of the dragons had a living space for Luna, but it was little more than a shelf, a dresser and a trunk with a lock on it at the foot of a plush bed.
Cloak left on the chair, Luna quickly took her hair down and finger combed it before braiding the snowy white locks and grabbing the basket again, holding it out to Zhirai while she made her way to the door. "They're learning how to be gentle, but they won't hurt you."
He followed her obediently through all of it. Flinching some as the dragon came barreling at her and awed when she did not do the same but instead treated it much like one would the massive snowcats back home. Was there more to this little Pinkskin than met the eye? Was she some sort of powerful wordsmith or beastmaster? Was she one of Adela's most respected figures? Perhaps he shouldn't have been so rough with her when he grabbed her earlier. But her hair, there it was again so lovely and white like fresh fallen snow and not so different from his own, was it so wrong to have wanted to touch it when he thought her the same as him? Anastolyr was without a doubt going to eat his liver for this later, especially if he caused grave insult to one of their host's most respected peoples.
Zhirai was startled from his whirlwind thoughts and observation of her and the limited space by the tactile feel of the basket being placed in his hand. He looked down staring once more at the strangle shaped orbs, apples she had called them.
He stepped out the door with her, blinking in the sunlight a bit as eager heads popped up at the sight of them or more specifically, Luna and her basket of treats. Zhirai stood tall and stiff as he approached warily and was approached in turn. Eye never once leaving the beasts, he reached into the basket and pulled out an apple to offer to the closest dragon, hand shaking only slightly as it was quickly plucked up. This wasn't so bad. Definitely more like snowcats.
"Beautiful. Don't eat me and I'll let you have more. Yes, you like that right? You try to eat me though you little fucker and I'll make you into a pretty pair of boots and a rucksack. You hear me?" He continued murmuring to them softly in the language of his people, voice light and lilting as it flowed and offered the dragons threats and insults.
Luna watched, completed enchanted and very entertained.
"That's a beautiful language," She said, running her fingers over the snout of the dragon trying to get treats from Zhirai. The dragon momentarily turned into the scratches before nibbling the apple away and bounding away. The dragons took their treats politely and they were off again. While they were heavily meat eaters, Luna felt like diversifying their pallets for snacks was an okay sometimes thing.
The last dragon off with it's nibbles and one apple left in the basket, Luna plucked it out and sunk her teeth into it giving a delighted hum. While warm apples weren't her favourite it was still a delicious treat and she chewed thoughtfully before offering the non-bitten side to Zhirai, "Have you had an apple before? Would you like a bite? They're very sweet."
After a moment, she pursed her lips and tapped at her lips with her free hand, "How do you say 'hello' in your language? Could you teach me?"
His head turned slowly to eye her. Had the Pinkskin just complimented him? Of course it was a beautiful language, it was of a far more cultured and fierce warrior race. It was nothing like the harsh guttural sounds of this so-called Trader's Tongue. His thoughts he kept to himself though as another head bumped under his elbow making him jump slightly and refocus his one-sided gaze back on the task at home.
Only once the treats were all gone did he return to watching her. She really was a strange one for a Pinkskin even if she did look almost as beautiful as a procyon. Apple? No. Hesitantly with a shake of his head he accepted the fruit. She had just bitten into it so clearly it was not just for dragons and she seemed to enjoy it. The Pinkskin food had yet to make his people truly sick even if some of it was harder to politely consume than others.
One confident chomp later and Zhirai could now add 'apples' to that list of impossibly difficult foods. His teeth slid across the smooth skin struggling to find purchase in its flesh as instead all he did was leave bruised dents with the impression of his teeth in the skin without managing to pierce it. The man huffed in exasperation, scowling deeply as if she had offered it up just to embarrass him. What wicked games was she playing at?
For a moment he considered being mean and causing her embarrassment as well but stayed his tongue. "Heilll ou sælll."
Ah.
Luna paused and held her fingers to her lower lip, wincing slightly when he struggled to eat the apple. Would it be more rude to... Bite a piece off and offer it? Maybe... Another time. Or cut the apple and share a slice. Luna chewed on her lip and held her hand out casually for the apple back if he wanted to be rid of it.
"Heilll ou sælll" Luna said slowly, trying to mimic his mouth movements, looking at his lips and then examining his features again. Then she couldn't help herself, "You don't have to try it - the apples," She pointed at it, "I'm sorry if you don't like it. I promise they taste good... But maybe later?" An apologetic smile and she looked towards the castle proper. Looking away for a moment she cleared her throat and offered a small smile, "I take it you don't eat much fruit?"
He nodded some at her pronunciation. It wasn't correct but it was close enough for a Pinkskin. How much more could he expect of them after all?
Zhirai flipped his hand at her as if to shake her notions away regarding the apple. She'd done enough already to humiliate him, he wasn't going to allow her to have further laughter at his expense right now. The impossible food would be saved for later when he could attempt again in peace and privacy, that is if he didn't try to give it to Valys to suffer with instead.
Again he shook his head, staring ahead at the land so different from his own. "Teeth made for meat. Trees grow ice and crystal not," he paused trying to remember the pronunciation of the word she'd used, "fruit."
Oops.
Luna wilted at the hand wave, a flush on her cheeks that turned her ears red and embarrassment so thick it made her eyes water and she cleared her throat. In an attempt to hide that she felt so bad, Luna ducked her head down and nodded while he continued on.
She hadn't noticed his teeth, her tongue went over her own and she lifted her eyes to look at his mouth, leaning in a little bit so it was less fuzzy. "I see, I apologize," Luna smiled - or she tried to smile - and then leaned back a bit to wring her hands. Perfect. She'd insulted and embarrassed a guest to the country and the castle and she was going to be put out onto the streets and left with no home.
"I'm sorry," she blurted out again, brows knitted up and looking worried, "I didn't know that you couldn't eat fruit," Luna shook her head tried to smile, "I might have something in the pantry, if you were actually hungry." Give him something else he might hate, "Or... What else can't you eat?"
He lowered his head to look down at her, rather confused at why she was suddenly becoming like his namesake for her people and turning quite so pink. Humans were weird. Zhirai stiffened as the little human proceeded to lean closer into his face and stare up at him with her red face and watery eyes. That was an awful lot of 'sorry's' coming out of her too. The rest was too foreign for him to understand completely though so he just shrugged and attempted a far more vicious bite into the apple.
His teeth made a loud pop-crunch into the skin as juice flooded his mouth and dribbled down his chin which he quickly wiped with his sleeve. He had an easier time chewing the fruit with it separated with the skin. The peel he politely pulled from his tongue and discarded to the ground. It was only then that her earlier words finally made a bit more sense in his head.
"Braid," he answered abruptly.
There was a curious tilt to her head and she watched his sharp teeth finally sink into the apple, and perhaps she was too close to get an unfuzzy look at his face to see if he hated the taste. A glance at the dragons, the adorable fuzzy-non-furry things they were and Luna chewed on her lower lip.
"Braid," she said simply, repeating him. Since this wasn't his natural language, she turned the word braid around in her head. But a braid was already a thing. He didn't eat hair? Well that was good. Luna reached behind her head and pulled her own pale braid over her shoulder, "Braid?" She pointed at her hair, "Hair? Braid? You don't eat hair?"
Luna scrunched her nose while she thought, mouthing the word 'braid' over and over again. It was when she started to say something that sounded like 'brayd' did she snap her fingers and exclaim perhaps too loudly. "Oh! Bread? Like... Loaf of bread?" Her eyes were bright while she mimed what a loaf of bread was incase the word didn't click.
"Then..." She pointed to her mouth and then his before she smiled and asked, again, not taking into consideration he wasn't the best at the language, but at least he could understand some of it, "What do you eat? Are you secretly a dragon? Just eat fresh meat?"
He looked at her quizzically and shook his head, repeating 'braid' again for her as if it was obvious. Only when she corrected him and mimed a loaf did he nod. "Brayed." Her questions indeed took time for him to process again. "Dragon?" he asked, pointing at the lumbering young beasts around them, before pointing at himself. "No. Am I Ztara Vratazi. Fish. Animal."
Zhirai paused and looked at the fruit in his hand again, scrutinizing it for a moment before attempt another, easier bite. "Apple."
Luna smiled faintly at him, bringing a finger to her lips to tap at them and giving a little pondering hum. "Fish and animals." She repeated, she didn't know what a Ztara Vratazi was but, maybe that was the name of his kind. He certainly wasn't human.
Absent mindedly, Luna reached out, while Zhirai nibbled on the apple, she found his features fascinating. While Ketra wasn't quite a melting pot of non-adelans, more than enough travelers went through, and she'd seen non-humans before. She'd never been so close to one though. Lina's finger traced the point of Zhirai's ear before she really realized what she was doing. "You're very beautiful," she said, trying to cover her tracks, "Are you all so pale?" She pulled up her sleeve and held the back of her hand next to some of Zhirais exposed skin.
While he was lovely colours, she was sapped of them, pink undertones were the only colours. Not even a freckle. "I'm a bit odd looking, for an Adela."
He froze, his entire body tensing as if submerged in the frozen waters of home. The Pinkskin touched his EAR! Not only that but the highly sensitive appendage was sending shivers up and down that made it difficult to think clearly. Zhirai was so thrown off kilter that he could not even begin to consider slapping her hand away as he would have done back home. Matters were only made more befuddled when as he opened his mouth to give her an earful, she proceeded to compliment him.
Beautiful? Him?! She must be blind. He could think of no other reason for her to call him such a thing even as he stares at her with his one good eye in dumbfounded disbelief while she continued as if it was so normal and simple to call a foreign stranger attractive.
Aaaand she was touching him again, her arm pressed along side his. He dragged his gaze downward indeed taking in her pinkish undertones to his own bluer ones.
"Many colors, fire, gold, ocean, snow, or night. We have names for them. Am I Procyon...snow. Like you."
While her own eyes weren't clouded and she was close enough to see Zhirai clearly and she smiled softly, eyes tracing along the scar on his cheek and over his lips before looking down at their skin.
"Snow," she repeated, "Like me?" Luna smiled and tilted her head, looking up at her newest friend. Finding him not violently pulling his hand back as permission, she took his hand in hers and traced her fingers over the back of it, marveling slightly in how the same but different it was. "We don't seem so different aside from the undertones," She said oddly pleased. While no one treatedly her badly for her strange colouring, it did ostracize her. The superstitious ones full on would pretend she didn't exist.
"We should get you back to your kin," She finally said, dropping Zhirai's hand, "you can come visit any time, if you like." Luna nodded towards the castle and extended her arm for him to take her elbow, "I can escort you back, if you like."
His fingers flexed under her touch, feeling slightly unnerved at how touchy feely these Pinkskins seemed to be without need for personal space or permissions. Two could play at that game though and although she dropped his hand, Zhirai was quick to catch hers. His long, calloused fingers traced her palm with feathering touches.
"Smell," he commented as he measured his much larger palm against her more delicate one. "And no ears." The elf reached out to touch the rounded top of her closest one as of to punctuate the point.
He made no indication of otherwise understanding her words though as he continued to maintain their physical connection while staring down at her, lost on thought.
"Ah," Luna started to say, surprised when her hand was tugged back and her palm explored. Had she missed some feature that she had but he didn't? Luna looked at her hand and flexed her fingers, head tilted curiously before Zhirai took his turn examining the things he had but she was missing.
"Yes," Luna tucked whatever loose hair behind her rounded ear after he touched it and smiled, "I am quite plainly human." she spoke with the assumption Zhirai understood her and with his hand in hers, she led him back to the castle, fully intending to drop him off with his own. "Can you hear better with them being all pointy?" She asked, pointing to his ears and then her own.
Zhirai looked down at her and slowly tilted his head. He understood the question or at least he thought he did, but he did not know how to answer it. How could he possibly know if his hearing was better because they were pointed when he did not know what she could hear with her weird, rounded ears.
"What hear you?" He finally questioned, staring at her intensely as if doing so would allow him to hear as she did.
Luna blinked owlishly, slowly and wide-eyed and then opened her mouth to speak before slowly closing her mouth again.
"What hear me, indeed," that was a difficult question and now that it was turned on her she understood confusion. Looking around, she just frowned again, not even able to identify anything decently far away. "Erm... Nevermind. Silly question," dismissive handwave and she looked up and away, knowing her face was bright red with her embarrassed blush.
Then she sped up, the castle growing closer. She'd be able to leave him at the castle, go home and then smother herself with her pillow. Be dragon food because the babies would no doubt get hungry and find her. Trying to be nice but all she did was embarrass herself by being ignorant.
"Well, I hope you have an okay day once you're back at the castle, I'm sorry for the apple. And the ears. And bumping into you. And just..." Luna sighed, "I've made a terrible impression of Adelans but I promise you it was all well intended."
He raised a pale brow at her before shaking his head in disbelief. Pinkskins really were too strange for words. Zhirai easily matched her pace, his longer legs not even straining as she walked briskly to lead him back to where the remainder of his people were housed.
"Connlaothians worse," he intoned, neither denying the impression she had made nor agreeing with her harsh self-judgement. "You fast too talk." He added after a thought, unable to keep up entirely with everything she was hurrying to apologize for but understanding at least the gist. Still, it was a far more welcome ear-buzzing than he was sure to get from Anastolyr once he returned. Damn wordsmith never knew peace and insisted that no one else would either.
Luna ducked her head lower, pulling the hood farther over her face because it was only getting redder. Leave it to her to just embarass herself at the end instead of enthusiastically be friendly.
Maybe the enthusiasm is what killed it. "I'm sorry," she said again, lifting her head up and looking at her companion, trying to smile but grimacing instead. "You know where you're staying in the castle, right?" Total topic change. That would be fine and not at all odd. Still, her cheeks and neck were red from blushing and every passing moment just made the urge to bury herself higher. Spoke too much. Too fast. Embarassing.
"No." The response was flat and unbothered. His attention was less on the fact though that she likely would be stuck with him a bit longer until she either abandoned him, found someone to help him, or miraculously found where his shared rooms were. Instead he was more concerned with how rather pink she was suddenly becoming. Of course the first Pinkskin that he found to look almost like him would start to show her true colors. But was she sick? Why all of a sudden?
There was nothing for it. He would just have to ask.
"Are you diseased?"
The words echoed in her head and she looked down at her hands. Moving to quickly hide them before a look of pure hurt crossed her features and she looked up at at Zhirai for a moment before ducking her head back down. Luna tried to get smaller, shoulders hunching and hands held in front of her.
"I..." a small sigh, "No, I'm not." Luna chewed on her lip and continued to walk I silence. She'd given herself a duty and she'd see it though, even if she just wanted to crawl into a hole now. Surely Zhirai didn't mean the way it came out but Luna couldn't help how much the question hurt.
She scrubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, careful to keep the hood up and kept moving. Surely the guards in the castle knew where the elves were staying. "We can find where you're staying and then I'll leave you alone. I'd feel terribly guilty if I just left you lost and alone," Luna's voice was soft and a little quiet, very much missing the enthusiasm from before
Perhaps it was the nature of being Pinkskin to just flush from beige to rouge at a moment's notice. She had been nothing but kind and truthful to him, as far as he knew at least, he had no reason to doubt her answer. He did not even think twice at her rubbing her face. With this infernal heat being as miserable as it was he too found himself wiping sweat from his brow quite regularly.
Her words however normal they were for conversation's sake, sent an odd curling in his stomach. Had the apple made him sick and was now not agreeing with him? Cursed Southlands. Why was everything so horrible here? The plants made their eyes hurt, the sun made their bones hurt, the food made their stomaches hurt. Everything was miserable. Even the roads made no sense so while the Pinkskin beside him seemed to know the way, it was all a maze to him.
The castle gates coming up into view was startling for him despite their having continued to head in that direction. He could not have possibly attempted to retrace their steps from the dragons to here even if held at spearpoint.
"You require payment for trouble. Come with me and will be sorted."
Payment for trouble.
Luna pulled a face behind her hood, not wanting to force her company on the elf longer than she needed to. It wouldn't do to offend him further, so Luna kept her denial to herself. A little nod, a quiet 'okay' and she continued on.
She would guide him to their suite and that would be that. Luna walked through the door, making sure Zhirai was beside her still and once inside and away from direct light, she removed her hood and pulled her braid over her shoulder. The guard was the first person she went up to, the conversation was quiet and the guard pointed off to the side before giving her a dismissive look and turning away. A small nod and Luna started to a door on the side, waving Zhirai over.
"Almost there, you're apparently just down the hallway. Guest suites." A small polite smile and she quickly turned away and began to walk again. "You should keep a journal. Or a map, so you don't get lost again," Luna gave another polite look to Zhirai? Her smile not reaching her eyes. Diseased. Walking past a mirror in the hallway, she caught site of her reflection, giving it a momentary distressed look before turning away again, head down. Ready to drop Zhirai off and then go home.
He hummed softly while looking about the hall they were walking down before shrugging. "All looks same."
Zhirai sighed as he tried to remember which door was which. "Getting lost met you," he added simply. "And apples and....dargoons?" His nose crinkled as he tried to remember the name of the big lizards he had encountered and watched her feed.
It did all look the same and Luna remained quiet while she gave a hesitant polite smile of apology.
"I..." Luna cleared her throat and nodded, "Yes. Getting lost did do those things, the dragons didn't seem to mind you." She wrung her hands while she kept count of the doors on one hand before coming to a larger door at the end of the hall. The flush clung to her cheeks and she rested her pale hand on the door before pulling it away. "This should be it," Luna stepped away and offered a little polite bow of her head to the star elf. "It seems rude to open the door but it's the right amount and the biggest door, so it must lead to the suites. It was lovely to meet you, Zhirai."
A hesitant smile and she reached, took one of his hands between hers and gave it a gentle shake before letting it fall and she tucked her hands back into her sleeves.
"But you did?" Zhirai replied before being distracted by their arrival at the door and her sudden taking and releasing of his hand. He stared down at it as if trying to remember what Anastolyr had told them about such customs.
He was saved from further confusion though as suddenly the door opened and a giant of a woman dunked her head on her way out the door.
"Oh! Greetings!" The Antares greeted in her native tongue rather surprised by the pair and mistaking Luna for a Procyon at first glance as well.
"Pinkskin," he interjected causing the woman to glare and hiss something nasty back at him, her skin turning a deeper shade of red out of embarrassment.
"Apologies. Um thought you were one of us. I Kirsikka. You? Hurt? Need healer?"
Startled was one thing that Luna was immediately, she jerked back a step and then froze. Like a scared rabbit her eyes went wide and she just... stared. Words failed her and while her vision wasn't the best she could tell how tall this person was and intimidating and Luna found both her hands on Zhirai's shoulder, half ducking behind him automatically with the initial cheerful hello.
"It..." Luna didn't move from behind Zhirai, eyes still wide and mouth dry, "it's alright." She whispered out, collecting herself. She'd been expecting more... regular height elfin people but... "hurt?" Luna reeled herself back in and she looked over herself confused.
There was nothing to see under the thick black clothing, she pat the sides of her head and gave her arms a squeeze. "No, I'm not hurt..." she trailed off and then looked at Zhirai, realizing what had happened. "Zhirai was lost," Luna started, "So I was helping him back."
Luna bowed forward, her pale braid falling from her shoulder so the end almost swept the floor. "Apologies for being startled, I wasn't expecting anyone of such..." Luna stood back up, back straight and lifted a hand, "stature. I'm Luna. I care for the young dragons. Sort of like daycare, now that I think about explaining it." The last bit was mostly to herself and a bit mumbled.
The pale woman took a step back and made way for Zhirai, "I guess we've found your home away from home." Her voice got quiet and she smiled at Zhirai and then at Kirsikka, "it was lovely meeting the both of you."
Zhirai turned and looked at Luna over his shoulder with a raised brow of confusion. Was the Pinkskin sick after all? She was behaving as a bird before a snowcat, flighty and unsure. He shrugged towards his kinsman and rolled his eyes a bit before ignoring them both and heading into their shared suite.
Kirsikka for her part remained patient, albeit a bit inwardly irritated at the other elf for his rudeness. Some people needed new lessons on manners. "Worries none," she uttered back with a kind smile. "I am of stature for my people too. Thank you for help! Come," the tall woman offered, holding out her hand to Luna. "Have tea."
Tea?
Liuna's mouth fell open and she was swept along, reaching a hand out and taking Kirsikka's. "Tea would be lovely, thank you," Luna didn't even try to make her gawking subtle, looking between Zhirai and Kirsikka before she bit her lip and tilted her head.
"You're family?" She motioned to the two elves, curiosity heavy in her voice while she looked between, "brother-sister?" Luna paused and then snapped her fingers while she was being lead, "husband-wife?"
Kirsikka beamed brightly at Luna's willingness and easily placed the smaller woman's hand in the crook of her elbow as she had seen other humans do. She kept her strides a bit shorter and slower so as to not sweep the young woman off her feet and all but drag her through the room before leading her to sit in a cushy armchair near the fireplace.
At her questions, Zhirai snorted and rolled his eyes while attempting to get into the tea things before Kirsikka smacked his hands away. "No," she replied emphatically at the second question. "Just companions of road."
As she spoke the antares slowly and methodically worked at steeping the tea leaves and warming the cups. "Zhirai's brother passed on our journey here and I left my twin behind with her mmm beloved? This is word for life partner?"
The pale haired Adelan took a seat gratefully on the plush chair, her feet barely touching the ground. Luna listened to Kirsikka, blinking and watching her step the tea carefully. Each movement looked calculated, like even though she's done this hundreds of times before, it was always with purpose.
Then kirsikka mentioned that they were only traveling companions and continued to elaborate.
Luna felt awful, growing quiet and giving Zhirai's form a lingering look. Lost his brother traveling? Her heart ached a little at the thought and she tucked her hands between his knees, head going down slightly to fend off any surprise empathy. The idea turned into it's own beast, her thoughts winding and changing. It took a moment to compose herself and she looked back at Kirsikka with bright blue eyes.
"I think either works, though beloved sounds very lovely. Married is another word for it," Luna sighed and played with the fabric of her clothing, "the journey was bad then? To Adela?" She questioned, curious, casting a sad eyed glance at her new friend.
Kirsikka hummed and nodded her head. "Married. I left her with married." A deep breath filled her lungs and the silence that followed Luna's question. Then, with an exhale it passed. "Yes," the woman spoke with a softness twinged with pain, "it has been long and very difficult for many of us. We lost friends to weather, to beast, to," the antares glanced towards Zhirai, "heartbreak. But, we also parted ways with friends who found place and belonging. We hope to find peace here too."
Zhirai attempted to take advantage of Kirsikka's distraction and reached for a cup again only to be slapped away by the healer in such a nonchalant manner that it was clear this was not a new intrusion. "Do you like things in tea, Miss Luna? We do not put but you humans like mm su-gar, or hon-ey, or maaalk? It is wondrous. We do not have these things at home."
Losing loved ones to weather and beasts seemed like a perfectly normal -but tragic - thing to happen while traveling long distances. Luna nodded along politely, soaking in the information while she stowed on the last cause. Heartbreak. She looked down at her hands and played with her fingers while she listened. When Kirsikka offered sugar, honey or maalk she tilted her head ti the side in confusion. Luna was never sure if she had always done that or if it was body language she picked up from her dragons.
"Oh, milk." Luna pulled her braid over her shoulder and played with the ends of that before she politely shook her head, "no, no it's fine. I can have tea as you make it." She cleared her throat and awkwardly shifted in her seat.
"I have a question, and I apologize if this is rude," Luna looked from Zhirai to Kirsikka, "how does one die to heartbreak?" She shuffled in her chair so her feet were flat on the ground instead. "Do you mean like an illness?"
The red woman looked up warmly as she passed over the cup of tea for Luna as well as gave one to Zhirai before he all but snatched it up. Her features became clouded and she took a moment to stare into the steam of her own cup as if it held all the answers. When she did speak at last her words were weighted and measured.
"For Starstriders like us, we feel things so deeply in hearts that it can kill us. Great sorrow, great grief, great rejection; it is literal death. We came to Adela for hope. Not all were so lucky to see it done. For some it is slow," 'like me,' she thought. "For others more fortunate...
"Not exactly happiest topic, no? What is it Miss Luna does?"
Luna will never forget the day she learned that these interesting colorful elves could actually die of heartbreak. Her mouth was full of tea and her feet barely brushed against the ground. It was good tea, but she found it hard to swallow with how her chest tightened at the idea of such a thing. A sympathetic look towards kirsikka and Zhirai and she gave a little nod, tucking the information away and letting the topic change.
"I help tend the dragons, the little ones are too young to really be out on their own, so I... am a glorified baby sitter." Luna smiled slightly,"I guess I'm a nanny of sorts. I bring them treats, teach them how to read, they can't speak words, but they communicate in other ways. I'm not cut out to be a dragonrider, so I help in my own way." Luna gave a small smile, "They understand. We may be in Adela but this is also probably the largest concentration of dragons, poachers and bad people wanting a 'pet dragon' try to do very evil things sometimes."
A small smile and Luna took another sip of tea, "you're free to visit me whenever you like. You too, Zhirai." A pause and Luna turned her head to Kirsikka, "is he always so grumpy?"
"Dragon," she repeated slowly. "That is hairless, flying cat? You must be very talented Miss Luna. Dragons are special to Adela, yes? I'm so sorry you were stuck with Zhirai for the afternoon then," Kirsikka laughed softly while sipping her tea.
"I would enjoy seeing very much yes," the healer lit up at the invitation. "It is safe for me to come? I will not scare with stature?"
She snorted then at the lull and its following question. "This is him on good day. At home, much worse." Kirsikka made many scowling faces, imitating Zhirai before giggling softly.
It was very impolite to cough out your tea.
It was very, very impolite to make a mess in someone's home. It also took every ounce of effort to keep herself contained when Kirsikka called dragons hairless flying cats. There was a moment, and she missed some of what Kirsikka said, but finally, when the moment passed Luna politely put her tea on the table and tried to compose herself. Her face was red, though the slightest change in mood caused her face to flush, now it was bright pink to the tips of her rounded ears.
"Yup" She squeaked out in reference to the Dragons. Hairless cats. Hoo boy. Kirsikka will come meet them - Maybe Luna would wander by on another day and see if she was available and steal her away. When Kirsikka mentioned Zhirai being good today, her eyebrows lifted up, surprised, "Oh. I'm sorry, I was only teasing." Luna flashed an apologetic smile towards Zhirai before looking to Kirsikka again, "I have to be going soon," A little polite nod, "But if you let me know when you're here, I can come get you another time and you can meet the babies."
"Are you well, Miss Luna," Kirsikka interjected in concern, leaning in and holding a hand out as if to offer comfort. "Is tea too strong? I'm sorry." She waved her hand though as Zhirai huffed and scowled. "Do not mind Zhirai. Always grumpy he is, but I would like much to see dragon babies with Miss Luna. I will be here," she continued getting to her feet again and offering a hand to help Luna up. "Does Miss Luna know way back? I can escort."
She smacked at her chest when the inhaled liquid protested her breathing again and stood up, taking Kirsikka's hand and using it for balance.
They were so kind.
Luna quickly snapped a glance at Zhirai and looked back at Kirsikka. Kirsikka was so kind. A small smile and she gave a little nod, "oh yes, I know my way. Acm. I've been all over the grounds." She looked towards the door, as usual, everything was fuzzy but it was a familiar fuzzy. Still it would be rude to decline.
A bright smile and a polite nod to Zhirai, Luna lifted her hood over her head and smiled up at Kirsikka. "If you escort me then you'll have no problem visiting whenever you wish to," Another smile and Luna nodded towars the door, "have you been on the grounds at all? The Den is a bit off to the side. Not away from everything but sort of... pseudo-hidden, I suppose."
"Oh a little but no. I prefer uh Adelan healing house. At home I do similar work. Adelan methods here are different and I am fascinated. Did Miss Luna know Adelans only have one heart?" She asked in the gleeful awe of newly learned information usually found in excited school children.
She offered her arm to Luna as she walked her out of their shared rooms. "Den Miss Luna said? What does this mean? I do not know word? It is where Miss Luna work? Or live? Or dragon babies? Where do baby dragons go when grown? Are baby dragons only raised here?"
Did Miss Luna know Adelans only have one heart? That question would linder a while. They walked and Luna listened, hand over her chest to feel her heartbeat. The questions came at a rapid fire and she had to ponder each one. All while feeling her heartbeat.
"Den is like... a home! It's where I work and live, yes, and baby dragons! They usually end up with the Dragonriders, no, not only here, just the ones that choose to." Luna smiled at Kirsikka and led them on a leisurely walk back to her home. "The Dragons in Adela are different because they're also Adelan. Just because they happen to be dragons doesn't mean anything. They mature differently and some of the young ones interested in humans come and live with me. Sort of like a babysitter." It was a modest home, attached to a large building with a roof and huge doors.
"They come and go as they please during the day but I patch up boo-boos and get between fights. Give them a talking to when someone comes to me if they've cause trouble on the field." A little shrug, "a home away from home. I get them treats and help with brushes if they're itchy " a little shrug and she smiled up at Kirsikka, "unfortunately they can't speak like you and me. But many Adelans can communicate with dragons anyway, only its... an innate gift as far as I know." Luna pondered and looked at Kirsikka, "some of the very old ones can communicate with you anyway, if they're strong enough."
"Ahh, so dragons are uh...citizens? I see, I see. And Miss Luna is babysitter, human nursery mother? It sounds like noble job. Miss Luna must be very proud," the healer stated patting the smaller human a bit roughly on the shoulder as they stepped outside.
"This gift? I know it. I have not, but Kirsikka sister do. Sinikka speak often with cow--no....cat? Big uh furry, long tail," the woman motion with her hand a long thin tail behind her rear and then two triangle ears on her head using the first and second fingers of each hand spread upside down, "and ears, and uh this tall." Kirsikka held her hand up to the middle of her thigh to indicate the size of the mighty beast she was describing. "I seen not cat here though."