Shady

And just like that, he swallowed her with guilt once again. She glanced at him, then blushed and looked away quickly. It seemed he was even better at manipulating her ...

She nodded earnestly at that. Good. So he did realize she needed to come home. And soon. “Yes… I would like to be home before that happens.” I would like ...

She nodded reluctantly, doing her best to not piss on his sunshine. The dancing would be nice, she supposed. But not if she had to stay here. She couldn’t imagine ...

“That makes sense.” She nodded. “…I suppose that will be one thing to look forward to.” The singular thing. And not at all worth it. But. Well. It was something, ...

“Do you suppose they’ll have any now?” Ky asked. “Or are they special order?”

“That’s fair,” Ky conceded. Right. Nobles could afford to replace things every time. “Do they smell nice? Or are they just pretty?”

“That’s sad.” She furrowed her brow. “Couldn’t you get a case for them? Or put them on a specific shelf? If they’re already dried, they shouldn’t rot… right?”

Right. That . She kept getting so distracted by all the other crises in her life that she forgot that that hell was coming for her. Imagine if Michael happened ...

"That sounds nice," Ky mused, imagining what they might look like. "Are they for special occasions? Or just 'cause?"

“Nothing wrong with being silly.” Ky smiled a little. Gods knew she could use more of that. “The joy is the same regardless, no?”

“They sound nice,” Ky agreed with a nod. “I’ll have to keep an eye out for them.”

Ky smiled at that, endeared. That definitely seemed heartbox worthy. “That sounds nice. Do you have a specific color or shape you like the most?”

“What’s your favorite?” Ky asked with a small smile. “Goodie, that is.” Were you allowed to put treats in the heart box? Or was that a no-no?

“Thank you.” She dipped her head, then gave a tentative smile. It was so uncomfortable to accept gifts like these. Especially when she knew it was going to be lavish ...

“…oh.” She was quiet for a long moment, processing that. She supposed that made more sense than simply working for the merchants — put more money into their economy rather ...