Thrush had already sat when she arrived, she slid into the chair with a smile and a toss of her hair.
"Wait long?"
"As long as you took."
"Oh . . . well, hopefully that kept you in some sort of suspense?"
"for food?"
"Of course, but also strong and meaningful conversation?"
"I don't really talk much."
She nodded, "But you could though . . . to me . . . if you wanted."
"I could as much to you as anyone." He leaned back in the chair
"So where'd you learn to fight like that, you're great . . . I mean not as good as me obviously, but I was trained by the best of the best."
"Self-taught"
"Ahh, you have really great form and unpredictability for probably most people, but I guess you've gotten used to what works?"
"Hmm?"
"Well self taught people get caught up in the tactics that have always worked for them, trained fighters have drills for different things that can sometimes help them adjust on the fly for new encounters."
"I would say you did not really give me time to adjust."
"Oh . . . yeah I blame Rahasia."
"Rahasia?"
"One of my teachers, she was the standing woman of war at the Akatar, just under my mother."
"Wait . . . your mother?"
"Mmhmm?" She held up her hand "A moment, someone is here to ask what we want."
They ordered and as the server slipped away she turned back to Thrush.
"My mother, Arsa, leader of the Akatar, defender of the Mind Queen."
His face contorted in confusion. "What are you doing way out here?"
"I am on a journey of self discovery." she smiled which faded just slightly "And I am heir to nothing."
"I see,"
"I'm not ready to fully talk about it yet, but we'll just say that my sister has taken my spot, through no fault of her own, and I didn't want to . . . be special just because of my birth standing with nothing to show for it."
"I'm not quite sure I understand, but you have left to be notable on your own?"
"Yes,"
"Noble, or foolish."
"Why not one in the same?" She gave a soft laugh. "Can I not be nobly foolish, or foolishly noble for that matter?"
He laughed a single noise identifiable only by the look on his face and the subtle motion of his eyes. "I believe the difference will depend on your ability to do so, if you don't have the ability to be notable, you are foolish, otherwise . . . well I'm sure we'll see."
"So, I don't know if you've noticed but you've been talking with me?"
He contemplated this a moment, "I suppose I have . . . you're easy."
"Oh, you have no idea." She laughed.
"And undeniably friendly, with a streak of . . . something." he seemed to struggle with the right words.
"That's my undeniable sex appeal." she offered up wide smile on her face
"Maybe?"
"Oh! Here's our foooooood." Haley did a little dance as the food was placed on the table. "I have not had the money for a proper meal on my own for a bit . . . been living off the caravan meals and what I could squirrel between destinations." She looked at Thrush "Thank you, for falling for my fake weakness."
