Coming back into the room, I sit down on the bed, ready to hear what Rose-sweerui has to say. In the inter-room travel, she told me something odd. She wants to keep this woman. Her tone almost made it sound like she wants a pet.

I do not even want to ask if this is the norm for an aelenvari.

"So... What do you mean by keep her?" I ask, my masked face looking over at Einervaene. She seems to have calmed down somewhat. An innocent smile is there instead of anything else. I guess that means Rose-sweerui has been delighting her with sweet words?

Rose-sweerui gets up, her hands shaking as her voice squeals, "Yes, yes, yes! Look at her!"

My eyes go to the aelenvari and then back to the filthy human. Still stood there on the burnt carpet, still caked in mud and muck. I return my gaze to Rose-sweerui and I blink. Not that she can see. Perhaps it is not the only thing she cannot see...

"She's filthy." I remark, unsure if this is a joke or if it is genuinely related to how aelenvari eyes work differently. There's no way she can't see filth. Her flower built that big bathing complex as a first thing priority!

"Yes..." Rose-sweerui groans, something muttering out of her lips.

"Come again?" I gnash back in a similar tone and she motions her brushing away of the tangent. The uptight woman pats her bedsheet seat and sits again.

"She's filled with a magic I have never seen before. Everyone out there, these human-roots, they're all barely a vegetable worth remembering. You shine in contrast, a so much greater being with few who compare in my life. But her? This Einervaene... She's golden!" Rose-sweerui explains, and the foreigner reacts with a flinch.

"G-Golden!?" she squeaks, heavy thoughts breaking out into the open. She checks her hands, despair-rich tears rimming her eyes again. What sparks across her hands is more of a blue. Einervaene sniffles uncomfortably, her magic shamefully hidden away.

I'd rather not look at this sort of behaviour, admittedly... Not while I am handling my own issues. I don't want to impose, so I need to be cautious. Bring the conversation back a few sentences.

"Are you fine with that, Einervaene? Sticking with us?" I ask the supposedly golden woman and she looks up at me, her thoughts derailed. The smile comes back, and it sweetly curves well, her cheeks creasing. She starts to nod, and it picks up in speed. She sniffles again, fingers coming together and pushing each other back.

"With... With how my journey has been so far. I think being around someone as strong as you can't hurt me, can it?" Einervaene tries to joke with a half-enthused huff. Whatever's going on inside her head, it is much like what is going on in mine. I know enough to empathise with her position. This far from home and your life has been in danger? It's terrifying.

I don't know what she's been through and I'd rather not make a competition of it. Being trapped in a mountain-spanning bug hive is not boast material. Neither is dying and turning into one of the same monsters. Only thing really worth puffing my chest over is the fact I kissed a goddess. Or, rather, I was kissed by one. Two.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

My chitters pick up with the heat in my cheeks. The memory vanishes.

"So, I guess we can add that onto what we tell the Founding-Lord." I comment and Einervaene seems to be fine with this change.

"That's fine. He's a close friend of my mother. He's to serve as my guardian while he can. But, my intentions are to head to a place known as the Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding. I'm hoping to resolve an issue there." she explains and I nod a little, leaning towards Rose-sweerui as my mind blanks out the long name.

"That where we going?" I ask the aelenvari.

"Yes, my love, it is." Rose-sweerui thankfully clarifies. I lean back the other way and move to get up.

"Right, well. Might as well get that out of the way. Let him know you have arrived and are safe. When you are ready and all that. I imagine he's aware of what happened to your ferry or will hear about it." I explain, heading to the door out of here while one claw makes sure everything is secure. Even a single bandage flying around my body on the wind is enough to cause problems. Yet, Einervaene does not move from her patch of burnt carpet.

Despite her earlier presumption and operations under it, she's not willing to move. Words catch on her tongue, clogging her mind. Earlier, she was willing to try and get my attention from that rooftop. I think that was probably her, anyway. Nevertheless, she does not move.

"Actually... I was hoping I could clean myself up. One embarrassing meeting is enough for today. And... I'm tired." she explains, looking away as she does so. Her hands try to play it off coyly, yet her mind is public enough with her worries. A moment to rest is finally here.

"That's fin-"

"Great, I'll hop in the bath with you and help!" Rose-sweerui declares, springing from the bed and up towards the woman.

"You are already cle-" I try to interject and she plunges herself up against the foreigner. Einervaene yelps and Rose-sweerui moans with a giggle as her clean clothes and body pick up the new layer. One of muck. I shake my head with a sigh, watching Rose'lhia get all clingy with Einervaene. Poor girl is barely able to process it.

"I won't be long, my precious love!" Rose'lhia calls back, Einervaene ahead of her on a pair of ramming palms. The last expression I manage to spot is a smile of pure, newly found determination. The last action I behold sounds off with an exaggerated hip swing slamming the door. I am left on my own.

"She'll be awhile. Guess I'll do it myself and inform the old man that Einervaene is now here." I say to myself.

My eyes linger on Einervaene's attempt at architectural redesign.

"Maybe inform him of that as well..." I add on with a mutter, my uncertainty growing as I have no idea as to how he will react. He seems nice enough, especially given his involvement with helping Einervaene. The scale of her journey would require someone who can be properly trusted. Yet, surely this kind of damage is pushing the limits of his patience, no? Likely to infuriate him and all...

Back home, it would most certainly have brought bloodcurdling anger. Top, middle, lower and grounder, it wouldn't matter. People enjoy pretty carpets and those that make such things aren't happy with their destruction. No one makes things this nice and is able to throw away all care for it. Not in my experience.

This is all the sort of stuff I'd never be able to afford back in Tobaballe. I wouldn't of been able to buy it, admittedly, barely being a low-floor citizen in that gone life. But, with the wages I saw, it never mattered. This stuff is so fancy and I feel bad seeing it get damaged.

This Brewbrt owns the entire town, though. Apparently, anyway. Maybe it's not all that much of an issue because of it. A whole town is a lot of money. I think. Still, I do not want to deal with another round of searching for places to stay like I have been doing so much today. Endless nitpicking by Rose'lhia as to what deserved her presence and what met her standards...

Of all the people to be travelling with, why did fate waylay me with a snob? Guess I should be thankful she's quite the looker, despite the difference in species.