"Are you absolutely certain you do not want me to stay a little longer, C? No one at home would mind it."
Aem had been here for quite a few days and nights now and she'd been declared 'miraculously' entirely healthy. There was only a young scar left on her shoulder and the faintest of phantom pains when her mind returned to the memory. That wasn't something that could be cured with anything else but time though.
She was prepared to return to normalcy already.
"Yes, Aem, I am."
She suspected the only reason he actually wanted to stay around was to keep an eye on the Dragon Slayers and the king himself, suspicious as her brother was prone to be.
Of course, he probably also wanted to be absolutely sure she was safe, so he could tell that to their parents with no hesitation once he did return. But she was safe for sure. She had two bodyguards, a Commander and a dragon that would all protect her. She knew that to be true, because she knew they were already her friends and that is what friends do.
So, he really did have no cause for concern whatsoever. Still, he looked at her skeptically, not sure he believed her entirely. Alas, he could do nothing but stare, torn as he was.
"While slightly insulting, I do understand your worries," the king said as he slowly approached, actually showing his face to see her brother off. "I can assure you she will be safe here."
Aem turned a sharp glare in his direction. "You told us that when you took her from us as well, but barely a cycle had passed before she was struck by an arrow-"
"An incident we will not allow a repeat." The king's eyes narrowed.
Aem quickly wore the same, almost hateful look on his face.
"How do you plan to keep that promise? Assassins are not people you can so easily guard yourself against." A smirk took its place on his face. "Heaven knows I have infiltrated this very castle numerous times myself."
She sighed audibly at him. He'd been one of the most eager in their kingdom to go and spy on everyone here and had gone on many missions. She just didn't see the need for him to flaunt it in their faces like this though.
While the king glared at him for that remark, as expected, Sergon merely ignored it.
"You are right - we cannot prevent them altogether, but we can minimize it," he replied, wholly unaffected by Aem's taunting. "We have already posted numerous people around the castle-grounds and there are patrols walking around at all times."
Her brother frowned. "Do you really think that enough to stop someone like them?"
"It is certainly better than nothing," the king snapped.
Aem stared at the other man for a long, hard moment, before turning to her.
"You could also return home with me."
She shook her head. "I am staying here. I am not prepared to leave yet." She had yet to actually achieve anything. She had to stay here until she was certain she could do no more, at least.
He looked alternately from her determination to the king's smug smirk, eyebrows furrowing more and more each time. Finally, he simultaneously breathed in deeply and groaned.
"Fine. But I will not leave you here all alone," he said, the topic not one they were going to discuss.
Now she was the one to sigh. Why did he always have to be so difficult?
"Bu-"
He held a single finger up.
"I will be going home myself," he said. "I will leave Sunrose with you instead."
She stared at him, knowing her expression was echoed on the other three.
"Sunrose? But why?"
"Because you need someone from home," he said. "And because I know I can trust her with this." He looked up at the dragon who had silently been seated next to him. "Right?"
She whined in agreement, then stuck her head down to him, gently caressing his side with the tip of her snout.
He reached up and gently scratched her scales.
"I know. I will miss you too, girl."
Ciara frowned. "Are you sure about this?"
Those two were incredibly close, anyone could see that. She couldn't imagine parting with Kaisog, so she didn't understand why he was ready to let her go.
She hoped it was for the reasons he said rather than just to poke fun at the king and the Dragon Slayers here.
"You need the extra friend around here, C. You know you do." The dragonelle's nod only confirmed just how alike those two really were despite all appearances.
She smiled at them both, deciding to take that to be their truth.
"In that case, I would love to have her here." Even Kaisog chirped in agreement.
Sergon nodded as well. "She is welcome here anytime," he said, confidently speaking on behalf of the entire castle despite the king's disbelieving glare. It seemed the Commander had developed a soft spot for the dragonelle, being his first and all.
"Glad to hear it," Aem said. "Of course, her presence here also serves another purpose. If my sister ever gets hurt again, she will return to me and I will bring an entire cavalry to take you down," he warned them, brimming with confidence. "So, for your own sakes, I do hope you will keep your word, your majesty."
She frowned. He was being dramatic again.
"Aem." He was making everything so unnecessarily difficult.
"Understood," the king suddenly said, surprisingly calm. "Absolutely no harm shall come to her under my watch."
Aem grinned. "Now, that sounds about right."