[P] Endless Sky

[Eik]

His ears perk forward and his chest leans in to the sound of Moira’s laughter. He would like to make her laugh more, but he isn't very good at things like that, so he simply enjoys the sound of it for now. Laughter had never been easy for him-- for some reason it made him feel like a fool-- but the sound of hers is mesmerizing. 

" I do not wear mine proudly like you do, but they are mine... For what it's worth"

He nods silently, seriously. So, she is stronger than she looks-- it does not surprise him. He takes a step closer with a sudden urge to touch her broken wings, but that is all- a single step. Anything else would be presumptuous, and the last thing he wants is for her to flee. He does not think she would, but she might, and he could not bear that possibility.

Then she yawns a massive yawn and ruffles her feathers like a sleepy bird. Jasmine? He is familiar with jasmine. The wealthy Solterrans plant it near their northern windows so that the sweet smell drifts above their heads at night. It is a scent he learned to associate with luxury and not necessarily peace-- but perhaps now when he roams the streets of the capital, delicate whiffs of jasmine will rise above the sand and salt of Solterra, and he will be reminded of Moira Tonnerre

The thought brings a small smile to his face.

"Thank you, we have jasmine in the desert." He sounds excited, and absently notes to himself how hard it is to find a good healer in Solterra. It was past time they invited the other courts to come and share their knowledge, or better yet send the Solterran youths out to learn from their neighbors. He quickly tucks the thought away for when he is alone, or with his sovereign, and savors Moira's company for however long he has left with her.

"Athos, Venus, and The Nameless."

Eik is shy to look at her as much as he does but he can't draw his gaze away from the way her coat seems to catch the sun and amplify it. A fiery challenge to our dear Solis-- he can't help but privately approve but would never say such a thing out loud. And as she talks, he pictures the places she's seen and the places he's seen and how strange and wonderful it is at all that their paths should converge-- if only for a single, far too short, sunrise. (He does not dare to hope for another, for the pain of dreams that never come true)

He has always loved stories but hers in particular is spun masterfully. Each word rings heavy with love and nostalgia and truth, and he feels honored to be gifted such a glimpse at her life. Captivated as he is by each and every one of her words, waiting in anticipation through the long quiet for the next, her question catches him completely off guard.

"Oh?" He looks behind him for a moment as though the backdrop knows the secret to why she would want to paint this scene. Nothing he sees offers an explanation, and as he listens to the morning the breeze playing in the trees sounds a bit like mocking laughter. He turns back to her, unable to wipe the dumbfounded expression off his face. "Eh, sure, if you want." If he had the slightest clue of how personal this was to her, he would be far less concerned by his own self-consciousness. As it is, he is skeptical this may be some sort of trick. "Well, only if I can see you again." He is greedy, and even though the sun is up his questions (demands now) keep coming. "Do you trust me enough yet to tell me where you live?" There is a rare playfulness to his voice, and a twinkle in his sleepy eyes.

-     -     -
There is no better way to know us
E I K
than as two wolves, come separately to a wood

@Moira :')