[2] WEEPING MONK║you're not what I was looking for

60| One Made In Flames - 𝐈𝐈𝐈

[ CW// mature content ]

Lancelot returns with an old friend.

The clearing was in fact as full as Ari had hoped that it would be. Meaning that there should have been fewer in the trails and tents that surrounded the armoury to hear what had occurred inside. If not their gentle disagreement, then the harsh sounds of their make up for it.

Through the people who sat around the numerous fires, their plates of potatoes, beans, and slivers of pork in hand, she searched for her father. She'd been told that he'd returned from wherever he had gone— escorting the humans, she suspected— two nights prior, but she was yet to have seen him. He took often to eating his supper within the peace and quiet of his own tent sometimes but most nights he would be here amongst friends.

After a minute, she spotted the silver of his hair cresting over a tent, and then he rounded the corner, smiling as he spoke with her old friend, Hanna.

Having taken a deep breath, she tucked her hands together and approached them both. Her father's high spirit faded away at the sight of her, which stung.

"Arianne," he said curtly.

"Fadîr."

Hanna noted the stiff look between them. "His Grace has been showing me around the inner of the camp," he said to Ari cheerily.

She nodded, her gaze only briefly shifting to him.

"Though perhaps it is time for me to gather some supper for the night."

Hanna excused himself and Ari was thankful that her friend still knew how to read her after all these months apart. She looked over her shoulder to her usual campfire, seeing Lancelot just slipping in to join the others with a plate in his hands.

"Squirrel is over there." She gestured that way. "Kaze, Gawain, Elyan— the blonde, Pym, and Hector— Lancelot's brother—" that moniker raised Hanna's brow— "will be able to settle you in." Ari knew that Lancelot and Squirrel at least would.

"Brother?" Hanna asked with interest.

"It is a long story." One that wasn't Ari's to tell. "They're quite different in personality," she said with a touch of a grin, "I can promise you that."

Illuminated with curiosity, Hanna gave a lopsided smile. "I'm intrigued," he said and began to twist between the Sunborns, "so I'll leave you both."

"Thank you, Hanna."

The Tusk nodded but before he could step away, the old king held out his hand.

"It is good to finally have met your acquaintance again," Adrian said.

Ari had forgotten that Hanna was still in his youth, not much older than her, when her father had left.

Stunned for a moment, Hanna stared, but then grinned. "Thank you, sir." He shook the old king's hand hand with enthusiasm, marvelling to be doing so.