Shady

The girls shuffled out. Kaelan uncertainly stepped in, lingering by the door as he eyed Ash. Talia told him what? What was this about?

"Mm..." Aeron thought for a moment. "I mean, the sprites are usually fairly nice if you give them gifts. But they can't hold still for shit, so dunno how much ...

"Thank you, sir," Talia murmured again, nodding and stepping towards the door. She hesitated by Kaelan and muttered under her breath, almost imperceptibly quiet, "I told him."

Kaelan's eyes snapped back to Ash and he blinked. Ky? Like... Ky ? He glanced at Talia again and she nodded slightly. "Thank you, sir," she murmured, glancing back at ...

"Hmm..." He shrugged. "I mean, you're welcome to ask. But you best be respectful with it... and smart. Don't try, like... the red caps or something stupid like that. They're ...

Kaelan wasn't sure what that meant for him. What the fuck had he done? Why was he getting one-on-one attention with the lord of the Keep? He peered past Bay, ...

Kaelan walked in silence, focusing on trying to relax and get less angry. He needed not to end up on the gallows. Best to keep his temper under control. If ...

"And why are you doing the portrait if not to appreciate their beauty?" Aeron challenged. "To gawk at them."

"Good." He nodded, taking a deep breath and relaxing his shoulders ever so slightly. Perhaps Ash wasn't evil incarnate afterall. Perhaps he should squash the murderous fantasies before he got ...

"And then treat them as a beast," Aeron pointed out.

"Alright." Kaelan dipped his head, brow furrowed. "... You're sure he's not...?" Kaelan would lose his mind if he walked in on his sister's abuse.

Aeron shrugged. "They're people not beasts; they're entitled to privacy."

(Ahh I was wondering but wasn't sure. Dat works ^^ I edited slightly too) "Oh?" He furrowed his brow. How in the world had he possibly come up during...?

The former, then. "...I imagine they'd take offense."

"...Yes, sir." Kaelan nodded, taking the point. "...What does he want with me, sir?"