IN THE FOREST OF THE LOST

[beathollow]

it's all too perfect.

Comments

[cleansewithfire]

[ Oh no. ]

Mr. Richard, please do not...

[ledbythewind]

How dare you--!!

[He's. Not exactly listening.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Then she's going to grab his arm and make him listen. ]

Mr. Richard.

[ledbythewind]

Sunrise...

[The expression on his face clearly isn't a happy one, but he can't continue to strike with her holding his arm like that. He lowers the blade, frown deepening.]

She hurt you.

[cleansewithfire]

I do not think she will be happy about it.

[ And like, bleeding sucks but also isn't anything especially new for her, so Sunrise isn't particularly upset. ]

[ledbythewind]

[How she will feel about it is beside the point--

but Sunrise will get a Diarama either way.]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Sorry Richard, what's being upset on her own behalf. ]

Thank you, Mr. Richard.

[ledbythewind]

You don't need to thank me for that.

[It's only natural he would heal her???]

[cleansewithfire]

But you are kind to me, so should I not thank you?

[ledbythewind]

[Something about that innocent question makes something twist in his chest, and for a moment his mouth thins out into a line.]

I'm doing this because I want to. It isn't any sort of burden to me.

[cleansewithfire]

...Then is it not even more important that I tell you how much I appreciate you?

[ledbythewind]

...

[Richard falls quiet, unsure of how to respond. He isn't used to people saying those words and meaning it in any sense other than appreciating what he (the prince/king) is able to do for their benefit. It's... strange.]

... I suppose so.

[cleansewithfire]

[ Perhaps it's because of how Richard goes quiet that Sunrise tries to tiptoe and reach up to pat his head, still holding onto his arm. She wishes she knew how to convey how much she cares for him, and how grateful she is that he would care for her. ]

[ledbythewind]

[He leans his head down a bit to allow this, having learned that this is Sunrise's way of expressing affection. The fact that he's willing to accept it at all, much less in public, is testament to the fact that for all that he's still unused to such things, he can at least recognize and accept them for what they are.

And isn't that progress of its own?]

[cleansewithfire]

...After this is over, we should do something fun together.

[ Even if that might be hermiting in their room for a while. ]

[ledbythewind]

... we should invite Mafuyu as well.

[He's not sure quite why that feels so important, but it does.]

[cleansewithfire]

Of course.

...She cannot taste food either, but she likes different textures too.

[ledbythewind]

[... ah.]

Maybe we could take her to the arcade and try to win her some of the prizes like the ones Eli won for you.

[cleansewithfire]

Oh, that is a good idea. I think she will like the toy animals.

[ledbythewind]

Then let's hurry and finish this so that we can bring her back home with us.

[cleansewithfire]

Okay. Ms. Mafuyu should get to be happy.