After an evening of fever and unconsciousness, Elias finally wakes to find the stars glittering beyond the canopy of leaves above him. After managing to sit up, he looks around to find Shahīn sitting a short distance away. He is covered in blood, as has become the norm these past few days, and he looks exhausted, slumping as he wraps old bandages slightly too tightly around his wounds.

Elias, his voice raspy: You look like a freaking Creature.

Noras: [startling in the middle of bandaging his stab wound, then hissing, then looking at Elias, wide-eyed] You swore. [amending himself] ...Kind of.

Elias: [laughs out loud, wincing as his side seizes in pain] I feel I’ve earned it. [His focus shifts to Shahīn’s crudely bandaged wounds] Why did you help me?

Noras studies him for a moment: [cautiously] I asked you first.

Elias: Pardon?

Noras: [turning around fully] Before. Before Orville… I asked you why you did that spell. You never answered.

Elias, letting out a short breath in amusement, suppressing a shiver - the mangled bodies and copper smell of blood still fresh in his memory: You said it yourself, I have no sense of self-preservation.

Noras stares at him: [frustratedly] But why? I was taking you to Orville, same as them. You could’ve killed me with them and gotten away.

Elias [with a slight smile]: I won’t lie and say I didn’t consider it. But to be fair, you weren’t the one who decided to make me an impromptu punching bag... [jokingly] and you’ve grown on me. Besides… [he sobers as Shahīn’s bandaged wounds catch his eyes again] It was me they were after, you shouldn’t have been caught in the crossfire… I’m sorry.

Noras: [face twisting, voice raising in frustration] I abducted you! I brought you to them! [He cuts off in a rush of breath and covers his face with his hands] Never mind… you’re… you… [He mumbles something unintelligible into his hands and shakes his head, falling silent]

Elias hums, frowning at the wounds. After glancing around the clearing he stands with a slight stumble and wince, limping over to the outskirts of camp over to the shrubbery.

Noras twists around as the prince walks away, watching him limp around with furrowed brows: What are you doing now? You should be resting.

Elias doesn’t reply, slowly picking the plants - achillea millefolium and solidago, then wobbling over to Shahīn, grinding the mix of flowers in his palm.

Elias: The yarrow and goldenrods will help heal your wounds [he reaches to press them into Shahīn’s wounds], you need to be careful of infection, so place this against them before you bandage them.

Noras flinches back the moment the prince touches him: [uncomfortably] Leave it. You don’t need to. I’m used to it, anyway.

Elias, a flash of anger passes his face: [deadly calm] This is the second time you’ve refused to properly take care of your wounds. You’ve gotten hurt on my behalf, and I’m not going to let you suffer any more than you have to. Now take the paste before I have to physically restrain you. [as an afterthought] Also, you’re bandaging them too tightly - and is that mud on the bandages?

Noras: [irritably] You got hurt protecting me first, but does that stop you from walking around like a mad person? [Even so, he takes the herbs and cautiously puts them against the stab wound] I’ve made it this long with my muddy bandages and I’m still alive.

Elias frowns, and unties his waist sash - offering it to Shahīn: Here, use this. It must at least be cleaner than - [his nose wrinkles as he looks at the amount of muck on the bandages] those.

Noras looks from the expensive-looking silk sash to the prince, and shakes his head, going back to dressing his wound with his own bandages.

Elias: [internally] I will FITE you!

Elias purses his lips, and proceeds to tear the sash into thinner strips - without breaking eye contact: Either you bandage yourself with this, or I’ll do it.

Noras gives him an incredulous look: You are by far the worst captive I’ve ever worked with. [He considers Elias for another moment, and then sighs heavily and takes the pieces of silk, adding, more quietly] I don’t think I can pay you back for these.

Relieved, Elias allows himself to sink to the ground, rubbing at his broken arm: No need. But if you really need an excuse to take it, consider it payment for… for avenging my friend.

Noras looks at him: You don’t owe me anything.

Elias smiles: Then we can agree to disagree. [he thinks for a moment] Speaking of owing, I’ve been wondering. How much was I worth?

Noras shifts, turning away: ...A fair amount. Enough for me to find a - less distasteful employer, after the job.

Elias snickers: Disappointing, but not unexpected. I would have hoped I would be worth enough so that you’d have been free of this life, at the very least.

Noras huffs a short laugh: You were. [darkly] In a manner of speaking.

Elias blinks: Oh?

Noras waves a hand: [dismissively] Doesn’t matter.

Elias hums: Very well - [abruptly] not that tightly!

Noras stops short, realizing, suddenly, that he has wound his bandage far too tightly around his arm, even by his standards. He unwinds it: [in a mutter] Thanks. [He gives another short, humorless laugh] You don’t need to keep helping me. It really doesn’t matter.

Elias frowns: It does. Bandaging too tightly can cause swelling at the least - at worst, you could lose your arm.

Noras smiles a little sharply: Like I said. Doesn’t matter. [more lightly] At least, it shouldn’t - not to you.

Elias shakes his head: Well it does - you saved my life, as little as that’s worth.

Noras: You saved mine.

Elias: [mumbles] It’s not the same.

Noras: [quietly] No, it’s not. You’re - a good person. I’m not. [He stands up and stretches, wincing as his stab wound pulls] I’ll make a fire. We’ll leave for your kingdom tomorrow morning.

Elias: You’re injured, let me help - [he tries to stand, but promptly falls back, grinding his teeth and clutching at his ribs]

Noras: [huffs] Lunatic. [He moves around the space, collecting wood, doing his level best not to show any sign of injury. In the end, he makes a small fire, then sits and watches it quietly, absentmindedly drawing figures in the dirt with a dagger]

Elias, watching with his face morphed back into expressionless: It might sound strange, but I don’t think anyone apart from Valai has ever cared as much about my wellbeing as you. You may be the closest I’ve gotten to having a … a real friend.

Noras blinks at him: [with a short laugh] Me? That’s depressing. [He thinks for a moment] I guess it’s… about the same for me, though. [quickly] Not the friend part. But - the other part, maybe.

Elias suddenly finds that his eyes are leaking: [staring at his palm where the tears are collecting] …Huh.

Noras stares, wide-eyed, at him: Why are you crying?! What did I do?! I didn’t even say anything why are you crying—

Elias: I - I think I’m… happy? [he frowns] This doesn’t make sense.

Noras: [edging away from the display of emotion] You really are a lunatic…

Elias’ tears stop, and his face goes blank: Right, sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable… [he stands up, with a barely noticeable falter] I’ll… go to the other side of the clearing.

Noras, internally screaming: No - you should stay by the fire. It gets cold here. If - if you want… [he struggles with the rights words] If you want - I can sleep somewhere else…

Elias’ face is artificially blank, and while his voice is the same, it wavers slightly: Not at all, you’re the more grievously injured of the both of us. I’ll be over there [he starts to wobble away]

Noras: For fuck’s sake. [He jumps up and quickly pulls Elias back to the fireplace, and gently shoves him back onto the ground next to it] Stay put. I didn’t save you just to have you die. [He sits down, knees to his chest, shifting, looking resolutely into the fire] I’m… I don’t think you’re a lunatic… I don’t think so… just a little bit mad, crying over someone like me. You have to admit, it’s a little… questionable.

Elias: I guess? Why?

Noras: [stares at him blankly] Context. [waves a hand] Never mind. There’s no point… in any case, what do I know? I’ve never cried in happiness before.

Elias: I’m sure you will. One day… eventually. [He stretches, clicking his tongue at Sir Fluffles to come to him] Maybe if you meet my rabbits [he scratches Fluffles’ chin], you’ll be brought to tears from the cute fuzzines.

Noras: [doubtfully] Meet your rabbits?

Elias: Maybe, maybe not. [he pauses] What will you do now?

Noras looks away, affecting nonchalance: Same thing I always do. Run away. Start from scratch somewhere new. [under his breath, unable to help himself] fucking die, i guess

Elias: Die? Is that why you were saying nothing mattered?

Noras winces, curling further into himself: I… [with heavy reluctance] News travels fast in the Underworld.

Elias’ eyes widen as understanding crosses his face: I see… [halfheartedly] You could go down south - not to the Arenas but... [he pauses before straightening and looking Shahīn straight in the eyes] No. I’ve got a plan. Work for me. Be my knight. It’s foolproof.

Noras: [wide-eyed] I take it back. You are a lunatic.

Elias: I’m serious. I don’t have a knight - and I doubt you’d prefer being a squire. Besides, if you become my knight, you’ll be an - honorary - part of the royal household, the Underworld won’t be able to touch you lest they gain the ire of the king. You also need a way out - work for me, and you’ll be able to fight for what’s right, and legally.

Noras wants to turn away, but finds that he can’t. He shifts in place, fidgeting: I - I can’t… You don’t know what I’ve… I couldn’t be a knight.

Elias: [smiling to himself and gesturing to Shahīn’s current bloodsoaked state] I’ve seen plenty - and you’ve also been very graphic. The past few days have been very eye opening. But if that’s not enough, then tell me. You’ve helped me, let me help you.

Noras: [struggling to keep his tone neutral, with a very guarded expression] And what if you - what if you change your mind… after I tell you?

Elias deadpans, then, viper-quick, he grabs the knife that Shahīn had been drawing in the dirt with.

Noras, reacting on instinct, tries to grab it back, and now they’re both holding onto it as Elias brings it close to his throat.

Elias, completely serious: Then you may strike me down as a liar.

Noras: [pulling the knife back and tossing it away] Wh—?! Why would I do that?!

Elias simply smiles: So?

Noras scowls, but only for a moment: It’s pointless arguing with you.

Elias delicately shrugs a shoulder: If you truly don’t wish to be my knight, then I won’t insist. But if you wish to be my knight and feel it necessary to tell me, I’ll listen.

Noras: ...Not tonight. [he hesitates] Are you… sure? [doubtfully, guardedly, hopefully] You really want me… as your knight?

Elias: I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.

Noras looks at him for a long moment, eyes searching his face. Then he lowers his eyes and takes a deep breath: …Okay. Okay.

Elias: Then, when we get back to the palace, I’ll announce my decision. [he smiles softly at him] Thank you, Shahīn.

Noras: [flushing slightly] Noras.

Elias: [blinks] Pardon?

Noras slowly looks back up at him: My name is… it’s Noras. Noras Niazai.

Elias blinks again, then gives Noras another smile, yet again softer: Then… Thank you, Noras Niazai.

Noras blinks, drawing back slightly at the sound of his name, and then, with a sudden wash of relief, he smiles.