“This is all your fault, you know,” Crenia snapped, shaking the cobwebs and drying mud from her body. “‘Oh, run this way, I know where to go! The magic told me!’ No it didn’t, you ignorant, arrogant son of… of-” she bit her words off when she felt Elayne’s glare burning into the back of her spine. He’d never shown any indication that he would hurt her, but the weight of his gaze promised that she shouldn’t rely on the past’s empirical evidence.

The smile Ceres threw her only made her angrier. “Oh, but who was it who felt they needed to read books that whispered when we moved? I think it might be you who forced me to find us a pit to hide in.”

The lion-tailed scholar glared, pushing towards their camp and away from him. If he happened to follow right at her side, barely a few hands away - well, that was on him.

Eirin giggled at them, pushing gently against Elayne. “Do you think he likes her?” she whispered conspiratorially.

Elayne’s gaze, always so soft when it rested on her, sharpened to follow their companions. “More than she likes him,” he agreed with a shrug. He didn’t really care much what they did, as long as Eirin was not put in danger. Both of them had been the root of earlier difficulties, and he had yet to forgive the unrepentant pair.

She leaned in closer, the feeling of her warm, excited breath nearly causing him to flinch back before he could school his emotions. “I think he like likes her,” she pushed farther, guileless laughter a hidden spring that he blessed his stars to be able to hear. “He flirts with everyone, but I only see him tease her. But I don’t think she realizes!”

He stared at her for a moment, releasing a sigh that he hoped she thought was a pondering exhalation. “Perhaps she knows, but doesn’t feel the same. Maybe she’s concerned he’d feel embarrassed.” At Eirin’s quirked expression, he conceded, “Not that he actually feels shame, but he’s unusual.”

She nodded, thinking. “Maybe. I think that if you like someone, you should just say it. If they don’t feel the same way, they should tell you, and then you move on. None of this silly miscommunication or… or pining.”

“Do you ‘pine’ for anyone, Eirin?” His voice was deceptively light, and he hoped she didn’t notice the strain on his throat.

She took a minute to respond, and his heart stuttered, leapt, fell, and sang - until he noticed what had caught her attention. “They’re going through our gear!” she cried, almost more offended than shocked. “That’s not theirs - they know that’s not theirs, right, Elayne?” Her eyes, pink as blossoms, blue as sky, were wide, and he could almost see the lack of thought behind her worried eyes. She wasn’t stupid, and he’d never insinuate such a thing, but he’d noticed that she’d often freeze when confronted with pressure. It was his job to protect her when she wasn’t ready to protect herself, to stand as a bulwark against the pains of life. At least, she’d freeze mentally - her steps had quickened, and she overtook the magic pair in her personal quest to defend her ‘stuff.’ “Excuse me,” she called, almost too far to be heard but entirely too close for Elayne’s comfort. “I think you’re in our camp.”

The closest of the pair was a tall, near-white puck, beady orange eyes glinting with mischief as he took a step towards her. “You weren’t here, love, so we’re just… taking care of it for you. Littering isn’t very nice, after all.”

He smiled, and a growl pulled itself from Elayne’s chest. “You’ve got three seconds to step away from our things.” The words felt sharp, dangerous, blades thrown at a target he just wanted to take down.

“Oh? You’re so quick, sweets - no wonder she left you for me.”

A gasp, then giggle shattered through the tense air. “Lookit what I found, Loven! A proper gem, this is!” The bright blue mare giggled breathily, a square gem between her teeth.

“Stay away from that! It can give you entirely too much magic, more power than any mortal creature should have!” Ceres shouted, voice showing a level of worry Elayne had never seen him wear before. The effect was ruined, however, when the angel caught the magician winking to the scholar.

The robber’s smile widened hungrily, tossing the gem up and catching it a few times as though its weight would share its secrets.

“How?” the puck - Loven, apparently - asked, staring at his companion with a look between desire and utter revulsion. “We’ll have to tell the client, of course, so that they don’t make any mistakes. Be careful, Asrey.”

Ceres’ gasped theatrically, and Elayne wasn’t sure how the bandits hadn’t noticed the play they’d been cast in. “That would be awful! Truly horrible! Leave it with us, please - we know not to bite it with the left side of our teeth, after spinning four times and licking orange water.” Asrey began to spin, though the count seemed somewhat more than four when she finally stopped. “Oh, no, there’s pink water in this cave!” Her eyes searched around, but it was obvious she was more than a little dizzy and entirely lost. “Near the pink moss - no, the pink moss, that one’s more of a salmon color.”

They all heard the crack as the gem broke.

“What - what’s happening to me? I can’t see, I can’t see! Loven, I’m cold Loven! I’m cold!”

Before them stood a newly formed cavedweller. “Huh,” Ceres said after it became apparent no one was going to answer her. “I wondered what would happen.” Loven had already fled, and Asrey - changed to her very core - had stumbled enough to no longer be seen.

Elayne turned back to Eirin, trying to lighten the mood, though he knew had no skill for it. “So, what was your answer?”

She looked back at him, thoughts tumbling behind her eyes even as she looked at him with confusion. “Can you remind me of the question?”

He laughed gently, moving past her to check on the rest of their belongings. “You know, I don’t remember myself.” There would be more time later. He could be patient, until she was ready to accept or reject him.

~~~~

Eirin watched him leave, the strange feeling in her chest leaving her skin too tight. 

She wasn’t ready to call herself a hypocrite. Not yet.