[ impulse jolts her into a twitch. her entire body stumbles to round on him before the low baritone registers in her ears — a familiar voice to set her at ease. the tension in her shoulders sags, accordingly, though wariness edges her eyes. if she had her choice of intruder, chishiya ranks highly on the list; he's too covert to be a source of gossip, and too careful not to dig his fingers in and tear until she opens to him — but even with that assurance, she hasn't forgotten his attitude toward the privileged.
and now she happens to be amongst their number. protected by her status, as grisha have so rarely been. her eyes dart between his as though on a hunt. curious. prowling. when the only crumb she can snatch up is contrition from him, she looks away, sparing a single glance over her shoulder to confirm what she already knows. the vision has faded. he doesn't know what comes next. ]
It's fine.
[ it isn't, really. she's tired of having an audience before she's ready to put these things on display, but the fault of it doesn't lie with him. and besides — ]
There are worse things to see. [ she should be grateful it was a kinder memory. her eyes swivel back to him. expectant, almost. ] No smart comment to make?
[ princess, he'd once called her. it hardly seems the time to hold back now. ]
no subject
and now she happens to be amongst their number. protected by her status, as grisha have so rarely been. her eyes dart between his as though on a hunt. curious. prowling. when the only crumb she can snatch up is contrition from him, she looks away, sparing a single glance over her shoulder to confirm what she already knows. the vision has faded. he doesn't know what comes next. ]
It's fine.
[ it isn't, really. she's tired of having an audience before she's ready to put these things on display, but the fault of it doesn't lie with him. and besides — ]
There are worse things to see. [ she should be grateful it was a kinder memory. her eyes swivel back to him. expectant, almost. ] No smart comment to make?
[ princess, he'd once called her. it hardly seems the time to hold back now. ]