keevathescaledshadowâ:
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Keevaâs expression softened at Josefinâs words. She wasnât used to being allowed space and time to work things through. Certainly not in front of anyone else. But even upon their first meeting Josefin had given Keeva the kind of space she needed. The space to breathe and the space to calm down to where she could talk again. And even though she struggled with words, Josefin was still so patient. Gently asking questions, trying to understand, to help Keeva understand. It was a foreign kindness and the dragoness appreciated it wholeheartedly. Especially after everything Josefin had done for her. She nodded, a soft grateful smile echoing Josefinâs patient one.Â
âOh, right, he mentioned you knew one another. Weâre siblings. Well, half-siblings I supposeâŚfrom what I heard some humans treat that differently.â She still was hazy about the intricacies of human family dynamics so she gave a small shrug and continued. âRegardless, we share a father. I never met our father- my mother wouldnât talk about him. She told me I had no siblings on that side either. But that was a lie too. Cai tried to come see me, several times over the years, but because he had been among humans and elves my mother told him no.â She shook her head anger welling up again but she was worn out to the point now where it had little energy to fuel it. âI never knew about him until he recognized me at the refugee camp.â She smiled, spirits lifting slightly at the memory.Â
âThat uh- parchment I write on- the gold one, it sends letters to him.â She glanced to the side a bit embarrassed. The letters hadnât been something she had tried to actively hide but she often would be writing a response when Josefin or Kirian would come across her and she would quickly tuck the parchment away, hoping they wouldnât ask. Keeva was still self conscious about her writing. âIâm rather awful at it though. Images are so much easier than words.âÂ
Josefinâs silence in response to Keevaâs insistence sent a pain through her. She knew there was a possibility that they would fail. That whatever ritual the magi were helping them with here wouldnât work but Keeva still clung to that determination. She had to. She wouldnât give up. Neither would Kirian, a fact that became more apparent the more time the dragoness spent around the two humans.Â
She sighed and scooted so she could lean against the tree as well. Not releasing Josefinâs hand she rested her chin on her knees as she tucked them to her chest again. Pale gaze looking at the cottage they had been staying in. It was strange, to find herself somewhere so far from home. But at the same time there was something very comfortable about spending quiet days on this warm island with Josefin and Kirian.Â
âI like staying here.â The dragoness still looked at their temporary home base. âIt sounds stupid but itâs almost peaceful in a way.â She glanced at the woman next to her so she could judge her facial expression as she continued. âI think Kirian almost likes it too.â She joked, though she meant it for the most part and she gave the Princess a bit of a knowing smile. Keeva had noticed the amount of time Kirian spent around Josefin and the amount of times she had seen him truly smile had a directly positive correlation. Even without that, the way he had cared for her after the attack, the way they spoke to one another, even the way they would look at one another sometimes. Keeva wasnât very worldly but she also wasnât blind. The way they cared for one another was clear to the dragoness.Â
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Perhaps in more ways than they realized, they were similar. Josefin had grown up learning how to manage her emotions around different types of people. It was politically necessary and ensured her survival at the worst of times and her accomplishments in the best case scenarios. After all, no one wanted to listen to an emotionally compromised princess. Well⌠few wanted to listen to a princess in general but sheâd forced her way into some situations by maintaining that control and her ideas. But Keeva, she had grown up thinking it was better to push it all down. Sheâd grown up learning to ignore and regret her emotions and even her thoughts and in many ways, sheâd grown up being invalidated by her mother and then likely herself.
âMmmâŚâ Josefin nodded, listening as Keeva explained her relation to the dragon.  Her own family might have been compromised with the rebellion but they hadnât always been so distant. Growing up, she and her siblings had always stuck together. Their parents were too busy and it was difficult leaning on anyone else or letting anyone else in. She couldnât even imagine if any of them had been bastards. Her parents had always been notoriously in love and faithful to each other. âI suppose⌠weâre lucky in that way. All my siblings and I were born in wedlock to the same parents. They have always been the picture of a happily married couple too⌠I never would have thoughâŚâ She sighed, I never would have thought Beric could be a traitor. Though in truth, she wasnât convinced he was. âThe things I do know of him are mostly through Adaline⌠theyâre⌠uh⌠Rather closeâŚâ Josefin wasnât exactly sure how close but she knew her sister and her affections.
Josefin smiled warmly, shaking her head at Keeva. âThatâs alright, penmanship isnât that important. Itâs the content that is.â She chuckled lightly, a memory with AmĂŠla brandishing itself. âWhen I was little⌠I broke my arm and leg in an accident⌠I had to learn to write with my other hand. For years, no one could read what I was writing. My tutors would have me dictate my notes or letters to a staff member if they needed to read themâŚâ It didnât help that she was a child anyway at that point and had all of the motor skills of a roughly eight year old. âGenerally⌠I prefer reading to writing or drawing or anything anyway and Iâm sure your handwriting is more than adequate. But if youâd like, I can help you practice.â
âSo do IâŚâ She breathed, turning her face upward, as if searching for the sun under the shade of the palm tree. âIt is⌠Itâs quiet⌠there are so many rare books and tomes in the magaesterium⌠more than I could read in a lifetime⌠this is what Iâd always dreamed, I supposedâŚâ She peeked out from beneath her lashes when Keeva mentioned Kirian and simply shook her head. âKirian loves Loqoala, he mostly grew up here⌠he got to be the most⌠free from his parents here. I donât know how much that helped though.â
âDonât you start thoughâŚâ She laughed, though a faint blush had colored her cheeks. Her relationship with Kirian was simple but their situation was complicated. They loved each other but it looked like fate and the fate Kirian was choosing would keep them apart. âI wouldnât say heâs a lost cause⌠but heâs absolutely made up his mind. So I might not like his decision or agree with it⌠but itâs his⌠itâs his version of justice. And Iâll support him until the endâŚâ Whichever of their ends came first, at least.












