[center][img][/img][h1]♚ [color=crimson]E Z R A N  [/color]♚ [/h1][img]http://66.media.tumblr.com/51fc61ac770a524e9468f174afa94d7f/tumblr_inline_n1xc79Kcic1rb3m8r.png[/img][/center]
[center][b]Accompanied by [color=silver]Ser Mara[/color][/b][/center]
[center][color=black]♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ ♚ [/color][/center]

All things considered, things seemed to be going well. At least, Ezran thought so. The boy –Brendan, he now knew– was every shade of polite he’d ever seen, and some he hadn’t. Every noble encounter he’d had before was tacked with an obligation to create meaningless small talk, ask about provinces he was hardly aware of, and be regaled with a flurry of information on nameless marriages, scandals, and the like. To meet someone so…accommodating was strange, to say the least. Even Mara seemed a tad surprised, smirk tugging stronger for a moment, like she was trying not to laugh at a joke. 

To be honest, paired with his first outreach to another, he wasn’t as drawn to the prospect of continued silence as he was prior. Talking to a Darkthrone noble who’s conversational interests barred on how close the king was and if he could hear them was another matter, but Brendan was not nearly as abrasive. 

He still let the silence hang a moment, on reflex alone testing to see if indeed he didn’t prefer it. Perhaps it was just a momentary urge, or he was confusing a desire to socialize with a panic to run away. But, the moments passed and still he found himself at least wanting to listen to the other boy speak. He had a pleasant voice, and in only a few sentences had introduced a story promising plenty of intrigue. 

Finally: [color=crimson]“I’ve not heard of you,”[/color] the words were blunt, an affirmation to Brendan’s query rather than a demeaning statement. [color=crimson]“Never met a rogue prince, interesting title. Did you earn it?”[/color]

The more he spoke the less confident in his words he was. Was he being too forward? Was there an insult buried in subtext that he wasn’t aware of? He’d never been to Tromania, perhaps there was some custom against curt replies. It would be a lie to say making an offense now would pain him, it was doubtlessly the most effort he’d put into a conversation in months. 

Another fact he saw was apparent to Mara, who gave a subtle thumbs-up under her folded arms, then ushered him to continue on.

[@Polaris North]