Wonderkind

She didn’t look up when he returned, her head down as she drew a picture in the dirt.

 

She drew a sad face in the dirt before looking up at him sourly.

“I can’t get the stick to catch on fire,” she grumbled.

 

“I don’t want you to be angry,” she said quietly, looking back down at the ground. “I don’t want you to be sad. I don’t want to be frightened anymore.”

 

She looked up at him finally, her hood slipping off her head.

“Why do you care?” she asked quietly. “You know I’m not going to keep anything from you.”

 

“Why do you care what I think?” she asked, standing up to look at him. “Why do you care if I’m frightened or not? You’re going to find out the visions either way.”

 

This seemed to surprise her and she watched him for a moment, tilting her head.

“...I am?”

 

She seemed stricken before shaking her head.

“You are my friend. I just... I’m surprised.”

 

She looked down at his crossed arms, frowning deeply.

“I didn’t... I don’t know. I didn’t think you wanted to talk to me. I know you’re on a kind of important mission. Plus, I mean, you are a warlord.”

 

She frowned before reaching out, coaxing his arms open gently.

 

She looked up at him for a moment before slipping her arms tentatively around his waist, hugging him gently as she settled her head on his shoulder.