Elias doesn’t make a peep for the majority of the next day, staying oddly and rather ominously silent, even as he’s put into the sack, whereas he usually has one or two complaints - mostly about the stuffiness, considering the season.

Noras appreciates the silence. He does. Still, oddly, he finds himself waiting for the prince to make some other weird comment, and when no such comment appears, he feels both satisfied and uneasy. He’s gotten what he wants - but, dammit, why is the prince being so quiet all of a sudden? Noras keeps thinking about their conversations the night before - there is no way, of course, that Prince Elias is really any different from all other nobles… but, at the same time, he did seem to believe what he was saying. There did not seem to be a lie in his voice when he expressed his - philosophies, as he called them.

After some time, they come to another forest, and because it’s a torrid summer’s day and Jeade is getting tired, Noras decides to stop the cart for a bit so his horse can enjoy some well-earned rest in the shade. He climbs down from the cart and opens the prince’s sack, then goes to get Jeade’s oats from a different sack.

Elias, while he does shift the sack so that he’s just sitting in it and it’s not covering him - the fresh air is welcome - doesn’t move off of the cart, watching the man.

Noras, trying not to feel disconcerted by the prince constantly just - watching him - goes around the cart to feed Jeade. Sheltered from view by the giant horse, he addresses the target: [blandly] You’re surprisingly quiet today.

Elias shifts slightly, playing gently with Sir Fluffles’ ear - who is very happy to see his human: I don’t want to say something that makes you uncomfortable again.

Noras, still behind Jeade: You didn’t make me uncomfortable. You pissed me off. [He snorts slightly] Do you really think anything you could say to me could hurt me?

Elias’ eyes look over to where he would be behind Jeade: … I’ve made you angry before. What I said yesterday… that was different - [he abruptly stops and looks down, frowning]

Noras, coming back around the cart: [dryly] You’re learning.

Elias nearly doesn’t react... nearly.

Noras reaches into the fruit sack and places an apple in front of the prince: Eat. We’re leaving again soon. And eat all of it this time. I’m short enough on supplies as it is, without you wasting them.

Elias shifts, and goes to pick up the apple, before pulling his hand back and settling back into his former position. He opens his mouth to say something, but then shakes his head and pushes the apple towards him.

Noras: [muttering to himself] Or waste my money, what do I care.

Elias: [almost hesitantly] Does kidnapping people make good coin?

Noras shrugs, leaning against the cart: Enough.

Elias: … Do you… have any other skills, besides breaking and entering?

A flash of irritation crosses Noras’ face, but he turns to the prince with a smirk: Of course. Kidnapping is a side gig. I’m significantly better at murder.

Elias, instead of being revulsed, looks rather apologetic: I’m sorry about that.

Noras scowls: About what?

Elias finally looks at the man: [sincerly] That you’re good at murder and kidnapping. You must have suffered greatly.

Noras blinks, surprise and something like pain flashing across his face before his expression shutters: [starting to move back, away from the cart] What, can’t I pick up a hobby just because I’m naturally talented?

Elias shakes his head: I don’t think anyone would choose your line of work if something hadn’t forced their hand.

Noras turns away: Shows what you know.

Elias: Forgive me if I don’t find your li - falsehood - convincing. [he thinks for a second] You could have become a guard.

At this, Noras spins around, his guarded expression replaced by incredulity and irritation: And serve a king? Not fucking likely.

Elias: As a guard you would serve a village, the people, not nobility.

Noras: [flatly] Right. I know how well guards take care of villagers.

Elias: It always depends on the guards’ moral integrity. Whether they’re willing to be lazy or bought off, or whether they actually want to protect those they’ve promised to take care of.

Noras: [bitterly] Doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, a guard serves the king, and if the king decides his life is worth more than ours, then that’s the law.

Elias: … You spoke Xikyun the other day, can I assume you’re from there?

Noras steps back again and the guarded expression slams back up: So what if I am?

Elias shakes his head: Nothing, I’m just sorry. I heard about what the King had done, it was abhorrent.

Noras shrugs: They’re royalty. It’s what they do.

Elias frowns: It shouldn’t be.

Noras: [a little mockingly, parroting the prince’s phrasing from the night before] What shouldn’t be and what is are separate things.

Elias nods his head in acknowledgement: That is true, which is why people like the King of Xikyuu shouldn’t be allowed to lead kingdoms. Power, selfishness, and greed always corrupts those men in the end.

Noras: [dryly] Again with the shoulds and should nots… [he walks away, going back to Jeade] We’re leaving in a few minutes.

Elias, almost automatically: It’s with shoulds and should nots that conversations are made, some of which then lead to change.

Noras lets his head thud against Jeade’s neck: [in a mutter] A philosopher, for this day and age… [slightly louder] Do you ever shut up?

Elias winces, and turns his attention to anywhere but Noras: No… it’s why I don’t have company very often. [more quietly] It’s also the reason no one will look for me.

Noras lifts his head: [without much bite] Makes my life easier, then.

Elias laughs, a hint of bitterness in his voice: I’m sure. It would be much harder for you to get away if you had attempted this with my sisters or brothers… [he hesitates and then leans backwards, looking at the sky] Then again, Orville doesn’t want them, so he’s in luck.

Noras climbs onto the front of the cart: So, you’ve decided who’s after you, then?

Elias shakes his head: Not decided. I narrowed it down. There’s only one person who I’ve annoyed to the point of kidnapping in this direction and this far out. It’s him.

Noras: Yeah? What’d you do to piss him off so much?

Elias: [matter-of-factly] I got him stripped of his title and exiled.

Noras, with a slight twist of his mouth: I won’t ask why. The old bastard probably deserved it. [he glances back at the prince] The only question is, what’d you get out of it?

Elias’ eyes narrow darkly: Revenge for a friend. [he blinks and the darkness is gone] And another self-centered prick who tried his best to harm the common folk was banished from my country’s court.

Noras blinks, and in spite of himself smiles slightly, as though vindicated: I knew you weren’t just a good Samaritan.

Elias shrugs helplessly: In this case, not entirely. However, while I had a personal vendetta against him, my first priority was and always will be to help.

Noras says nothing, just scoffs quietly and reaches for the reins.

Elias looks at Noras with a tired smile: It’s why I came. You needed help.

Noras pulls the reins back so abruptly that Jeade lets out a loud snort of protest, and Noras twists around: Excuse me?

Elias, scratching Sir Fluffles behind the ears: I asked if you needed help, you said yes, so I came.

Noras stares at him, caught between irritation and incredulity: That was - a figure of speech - [he stops, taking a breath, and narrows his eyes at the prince] Don’t give me that shit. What do you really mean?

Elias pauses, thinking: As I said before, you seemed like you needed help. [he opens his mouth to say more but then closes it]

Noras: [in a controlled tone] And what exactly do you think I need help with.

Elias: [simply] To get out.

Noras stares at him and then huffs an annoyed sigh: This again. [he looks the prince in the eye] Listen, I’m going to explain this as clearly as I can. Bad people do bad things because they’re bad, and they get paid for it. [firmly] That’s all.

Elias: As I said before, and you may call it naive [he gives the man a look], but I believe that no one would do work such as yours if they had any other choice. I’m good at reading people, you don’t seem like you would be a bad person - if you had a choice - to me.

Noras stares at him, surprised, and maybe it’s the way he tilts his head, or the position of the sun—but for just a moment there’s an odd light in his eyes. The moment ends in a blink, however, as Noras quickly turns around and takes the reins again: We’re leaving.

Elias dips his head, and starts bringing up the sack to engulf him again.

Noras hears this, and turns again to grab the sack and pull it back down, turning back to the front before the prince can lift his head: [roughly] Leave it. [after a moment’s pause] We’re out of your kingdom now. There’s no one out here to see you.

Elias blinks, and then smiles softly to himself, picking up Sir Fluffles and slipping into the front with Noras: Alright.

Noras shifts, glancing at Elias and then back to the front: I didn’t say you could— [he stops and sighs] Never mind. [starting the cart] If you say one word to me, you’re going back in.

Elias smiles to himself again: Very well. [he then closes his eyes and enjoys the breeze]

Noras: [under his breath] That was two. [but he keeps driving]