“You’re okay, it was just a bad dream.” Ayofemi held on to Adriwyn at the Rose’s Headquarters. She hugged the woman tightly.

Adriwyn’s wild stare focussed in on Ayo, and she relaxed, hugging back and sighing deeply. ‘Oh! I’s sorry – I din’ mean to be sleepin’ ‘ere, even! Though I’s glad it were you findin’ me.’ She shushed, shaking a little in the other woman’s arms, trying to push the dream from her mind.

✿

A thought about them that they’d never share:
I wish I had her confidence – or at least her ability to seem confident. If I ever said that, I’d just get another lecture, though.

First impression of them:
(( It was in Fort Salma, so…. ))
For someone that beat up and missing a leg, she’s sure not complaining as much as the other wounded – and she seems really nice.

Favorite thing about them:
Her loving nature, and how helpful and kind she is.

Least favorite thing about them:
Even when we’re around each other, she won’t let me in enough to help – trying too hard to protect me, despite what I know I can take, and what risks I’m willing to chance.

Hopes for their future relationship:
For us to keep on being friends, and not drift apart. Better if we deepen our friendship, of course, but I really don’t want to lose what we have.

“Nice gun.”

A slow, soft smile settled on the pale woman’s lips. She looked down at the pistol on her hip, then back up to her friend. “Thank y’! Tha’n were a gift from Adilah, back…” her smile faltered a bit, “afore she were threatenin’ to kill me.” A small shrug, and most of her smile returned. “I were awful touched by it.”

“If you were given a chance at gaining a noble title from the Queen for doing something, how excited would you be? Would you even care for such a title, Adri?”

‘If’n by “excited” y’ means “terrified”….’ The small blonde sighed heavily. ‘As thin’s be now, I’s a … retainer, a ‘irelin’, even betimes called a “pet”, but I ain’ th’ same sort o’ target in noble politics as a noble be.’ Her nervousness at the implications of the question showed in the fact that she started pacing. ‘There be a lot o’ similarity ‘tween th’ gangs an’ th’ nobles – not tha’ mos’ nobles’d ‘preciate ‘earin’ tha’ – but there some big differences, too. An’ I understands th’ world o’ street gangs, but I don’ understand th’ world o’ nobles. Makin’ me a noble… ‘less’n I ‘ad a … mentor f’ bein’ one, an’ one powerful ‘nough t’ look out f’ me while I learned… well. Jus’ makin’ me a noble wouldn’ be much better’n throwin’ me in th’ sea wi’ th’ Risen sharks. ’Ceptin’ wi’ them, I’d ‘ave a chance.’