platinum and diamond

[go_meta]

They get to Casasha. Shara gets her cream puff and her fruit. Strangers incline their heads to her and call her "pennon"; a few recognize her personally or just know that there aren't any other Swanpennons her age and call her "princess". Casasha is pretty densely populated - there's farmland in parts of it, but the place the wilds spit them out in isn't it; it's a largish city by the source of the river they've been following, and after they spend a night in an inn there - and their horses are more thoroughly seen to than is possible on the trail - they'll be proceeding on a well-trafficked highway to the royal household.

Comments

[go_meta]

"Oh dear. Do I need to intervene?"

[in_tatters]

"No, no, it's just the uh - maid was acting like we were uncultured. Which, technically we are, but - sister."

[go_meta]

"...If she's being rude I can get you a nicer one."

[in_tatters]

"Ask Zeviana, I was fine with it," he shrugs.

[go_meta]

"Okay. So what's up?"

[in_tatters]

"Kayam came by and mentioned something? I'm uh - checking to make sure it's not false?"

[go_meta]

"Um, okay? What?"

[in_tatters]

"Apparently, uh - you have a crush on me the size of a continent?"

[go_meta]

"That is not how crush sizes are measured."

[in_tatters]

"... There's a system for measuring crush sizes?"

[go_meta]

"Nooo but if there were it wouldn't compare them to landmasses, I don't think."

[in_tatters]

"Okay, well -" He fidgets. "Should I drop this conversation and never bring it up again?"

[go_meta]

"I - um - why are you asking, I was trying not to make it - why did Kayam even tell you?"

[in_tatters]

"Because I sort of mentioned that I had feelings for you?"

[go_meta]

"Oh. Um. You do?"

[in_tatters]

He nods, a little shyly. "If - I don't know, if it's unwanted or something, though, I can back off and let you be or - something."

[go_meta]

"I was - I mean - you were talking about how you were having trouble knowing for sure what you want and - the like. I - am not sure how to take this, considering - that? But - like the hugging - not unwanted on my end - I'm worried about you is all."

[in_tatters]

"Well - my head's still something of a mess when it comes to - personal space and how I should act and how platonic feelings work." He fidgets, a bit. "But nothing I had while I was there was - in a romantic sense. So in a disturbing way I seem to be absolutely fine on that note."

[go_meta]

"Well, Kayam wasn't - mistaken."

[in_tatters]

"Good, I think I might have crawled off to a corner to die of embarrassment if she had been."

[go_meta]

"Well, that would never do."

[in_tatters]

"No, it'd be pretty terrible," he snorts.

[go_meta]

"And maybe the crown would retroactively disapprove if I went and did something like send you to expire in a corner."

[in_tatters]

"Maybe, and then you'd have to go on more adventures and have to eat more trail food."

[go_meta]

"It would be terrible." Pause. "So - what are you thinking in terms of what to do about these incomparable-to-continents-because-that-is-silly crushes?"