Kipp

Miles

War had ravished the land his family had been in for centuries, and it had forced them to make themselves scarce amongst the world. Miles knew his family's history of having to make do but it still hit him like a truck every time he recounted the stories from his relatives about it.

Mrs. Till placed the trinket in Miles's hand. It was a little glass bird, a swan by the looks of it. "I wish we had an easier way to put these back," Miles grumbled as he stood on his tiptoes. He nudged it precariously with his fingertips to move it farther back, his arm straining with the effort. He knew she had a step stool somewhere in the back, but once things went there, it would never be unearthed again and lost to the small dark room permanently unless they needed it. Mrs. Till watched him with a criticizing gaze, much like that of a hawk or a schoolteacher. When Miles had placed it back, she nodded at him and permitted him to do as he pleased until she needed help again. Miles went to the back door and pushed it open, feeling painted wood sliding beneath his fingers. The sun had dipped lower in the sky by now, and lights by the water began to appear, dotting the waves and ripples with yellows and oranges. He walked around for a few moments, swinging his arms through the sea thrift and letting his mind wander. He thought of Indigo, who was probably safe and sound inside her house, laughing with Kaia and her mom about something silly, and then turned his attention to his residence. Mrs. Till was his guardian, and she made sure people knew it.

Miles hadn't been out for more than a half hour at most he thought when she called the boy in for dinner. He stood up, brushing his hands on his pants, and followed her back inside to the back room that served as a dining area. In front of him, she set down a plate of warm rolls, stew, and an assortment of vegetables. She settled into her seat across from him watching him pointedly. "Yes?" Miles asked after swallowing. She continued to look, her eyes flicking down occasionally. "Miles," she sighed. "We need to talk about that girl you're with, Indigo." Miles tensed up. He met her eyes with a subtle glare and his hands clenched tightly around his fork.

"What's there to say? She's a friend," he asked, wary of her response.

"Well, for one, her caretaker is you know who, and second, she's being brought up horrendously."

Miles shot up in his seat, meeting her gaze with a glare of his own. His breathing had become uneven, and his voice was low. "Excuse me, Mrs. Till. You hold no place to speak about my friends like that." He had NO idea why he was calling Kaia a friend, but he was certain she'd put him through a wall if she found out he let an old lady speak about her like this. Kaia deserved some respect, after all, she was the one who fought alongside some of the best warriors in the land and he had a speculation she somehow knew everyone and their mothers personally. Mrs. Till watched the boy in front of her with distaste, her thin lips pulling into a frown at Kaia's mention. Miles thought she was scared of the warrior, and rightfully so. She deserved good graces. He swallowed thickly, his hands still shaking with disbelief and the anger that passed alongside his blood. The two finished their meals in silence across from one another solemnly, neither looking at one another until the dishes had been cleared and washed. Miles stalked off to his room shortly after, only pausing to swipe a glass of water from the sink.