Figurehead

forty-two

The doors close with a thud. I push the few invites I've written to the side, closing the inkwell and container of sealing clay before drying the nibs. Tri appears in the doorway, tentative as she touches the doorframe with a hand. Uncertainty flits across her features- so like Nirs'- before she enters, taking a seat on a cushion near the firepit.

I clear my throat. "Hey."

Awkwardness fills the air. "Hey." Her golden green eyes settle on mine, and she looks stern, but then I realise her eyes are lined and she's just tired.

"Tui said you wanted to talk to me?" I prompt.

She nods. "I wanted to apologise for being so aloof," she says quietly, sighing. "Not just in the palace but for.. Dre, really," she shrugs.

I raise my eyebrows. "Dre?"

She inclines her head. "Kind of. I mean, I knew when you and Dein became friends five Dre ago, and I was there, I just never bothered to meet you myself."

"I had no idea," I laugh a little. "There's no reason for you to apologise." My laughter fades and any amusement I had slips away. "I hope I don't offend you by saying I'm really, really sorry."

She shrugs, a twitch of a shrug. "What's done is done. I'll see them both again one day, and I'm just.. I'm glad I still have Yef, I still have my parents, my friends, and my almost-brothers and almost-sister." Dein and Lus and Tui. I nod.

"Do you, Yef and Tui still intend to stay in Deritri?" I ask.

She nods. "I think we've been called to serve there. For how long, I don't know," she shrugs. "But we will obey the call." I nod. She eyes me a moment. "Tui said you think I don't like you."

I laugh a little, awkwardly. "I don't know, that's what I thought."

She looks down at her hands, then meets my gaze with a small grin. "To be honest, I didn't." I raise my eyebrows. She shakes her head. "Sorry about that."

"Was it because Dein and I were alone and unguarded?" I ask. She was as cold as the snow whenever she addressed me that day. Evening. Night. Whatever it was.

She shrugs. "Well, yes. It was a few things. The two of you were alone and unguarded; he was holding your hand; he trusted you and I didn't. And I was in an understandably bad mood, what with the false message from the Avu." She shakes her head at that.

I grimace. "That was low," I mutter. A low move, trying to lure Dein to his death. I'm glad, thankful to the Lord that the plan was thwarted.

She nods. "When you told me it was his idea to travel unguarded, I wondered if you'd opposed the idea." She sighs. "But I know what he's like, and besides, from what I saw, you looked ready to defend yourselves." She arches an eyebrow. "Where would you have aimed the knife if Dein hadn't stopped you?"

My cheeks flush. "I wouldn't have killed you," I defend. "It was just precautionary, and for show," I admit. "I probably wouldn't have thrown it at all." I furrow my eyebrows. "Why did you ask me how long I'd known him if you already knew?"

She shrugs. "I guess I wanted to hear what you'd say about your friendship or relationship with him."

"You asked me if I knew he'd become king, and then you asked me about your beliefs," I say flatly. "I had no idea what you were doing." Still have no idea.

She sighs. "Well, I didn't know you were a believer, and I wasn't completely sure you weren't interested in the crown instead of Dein himself." I narrow my eyes, opening my mouth to retort, but she continues before I can. "Now I know you genuinely.. Care for him."