Apart from the Inn seeming to be a nice and cozy place to eat a freshly hunted bird, there was also the fact that Youn was still wet … and too poor for a towel. That she’d actually discover her partner-in-crime was pure luck, did he laze the entire time around here?! Well, she couldn’t really blame him, as he took the travel on sea far worse than she did. But could Youn just forgive him?! After all, he did the kind of thing only rich people without a single worry in their life did! Considering her options for a moment and the fact that he wasn’t alone she pulled out the dead animal she had prepared beforehand and made, with a fake smile full of joy, her presence clear. “Hey hey Papa, look what I found! Food!” 

“Papa?” Emmeric held an inquisitive look on his face for a moment as he looked at Youn before shaking his head in disregard. “Oh, Youn… It looks as if you’ve been having a time. Enjoying these cursed lands?” He chuckled before taking a serious look at the kill in her hand. Meat. Given, it was game, and he would have much rather preferred something a little redder, but meat was meat, and it was better than what he had managed to haggle with the last of his money.

He sighed. This little girl had out-bested him at providing for the two. But, putting such notions behind him, he spoke again, playing along to her little charade. “So, daughter of mine, are you planning on sharing that with your dear old father?” A coy smile played on his face.

Huh? What was this?! The genius expected her [i]father[/i] to go all embarrassed or feel awkward or something! But no, instead he played along! Furthermore, he actually had the backbone to even ask for a piece of the food SHE had caught for HERSELF? Not to mention he did practically nothing but laze around. Wow. BUT at the same time there was finally a chance! A chance she could actually hook up on him and use magic! After all, the bird was still raw, and she had enough experience with toasting rats (and hopefully the bird would taste better). With that out of the way, there was still the problem of him playing along in an unexpected way, continuing the façade the thief replied. "Uhm...sure, but not for free! I need your help to roast it...and I want a smoooch full of love!" Sure, luckily for her there wasn't much in her stomach, else there would have been a chance of throwing up.

“A smooch?” Emmeric had been alright with playing along before; her actions a tad out of character, but believable to be a part of some childish game. Now, well now she was being outright bizarre. “Youn, are you feeling alright? I’m guessing you’re hungry if your hunt is to be of any indication, so here.” He handed her what was left of the bread and cheese before standing up and stretching. “I’ll go try to find a large stick of some sorts and we can cook it over the fire here; I doubt anyone here at the inn will care.

“Now sit right here and eat until I’m back… or you could come along, I suppose. I really have no place in telling you what to do, huh?” The rogue chuckled while scratching the back of his head.

He did it again! This goddamn Scoundrel, why couldn't he behave like Youn wanted him to for one second?! And now he even dared to deny her needy craving for magic with simple logic! Curses! "I'd rather swim and walk BACK to Tevelesen and give my excuse of a mother a kiss before I kiss anything male!" If he dropped the farce she could just do the same. Taking the piece of cheese and bread she continued. "And there is no need for a stick or me sitting if I can use fucking magic." Yes, she was a bit mad, and the 'fucking' was part of that. Why was she supposed to share with him if she had nothing to gain from it? They were already [i]bound[/i] by destiny after all. And anyways, the worst that could happen was setting the Inn on fire.

“Ah, magic.” Emmeric was smiling, but he was far from pleased with the girl. “You seem to have a nasty reliance on it, as well as a foul tongue, so let me tell you something. You’re a little girl, and speaking like that to someone like me, or almost anyone else here, will likely end with your tongue cut out.” He flicked his blade in front of her face, making sure just the tip was pressing against her nose. “Now, how about we work out a deal, hm? I shared my food, you share yours. We go find a stick and do this cooking normally and-” he hesitated with a sigh, relenting before withdrawing his weapon “-and we can go slightly outside the colony’s boundaries before you work any form of fire.”

Youn wasn't quite sure if she was supposed to be happy or more angry at Emmeric, she was a child, a boon she was able to abuse quite effectively in the past, but this guy was apparently not giving a single fuck about her age. "As if I would be so stupid to speak to anyone like that who is not 'someone like you', you think I am THAT stupid? Now get that thing out of my eyes." He was her partner after all, which also implied they should probably get along, that was also the reason she actually didn't feel the least bit threatened by him...she had experienced worse after all. "A deal? Well, you can take them back then." Freshly hunted strange-bird meat was surely more tasty than moulding cheese and bread. "Or..." Right, while he did not entirely comply to her demands, there was still some sort of progress, and she was just about to throw it all away? No way! "Alright, you can have half of it BUT you have to pinky swear me that, as soon as we get the chance, you finally let me practice magic! That toothpick of yours won't do good against those huge badass monsters!" And just with that, the small bit of tension that had build up was gone, at least from the brat's side.

“Hm, look,” he let out a puff of air through his nostrils, “I’m just trying to establish a boundary; I’m not your toy to play with whenever you want in any way shape or form, and if you treat me like that again, I’ll-” He was trying to come up with some threat so that this girl would take him seriously. “I’ll make sure you can’t touch and use my, well, whatever it is that let’s you cast fancy magic like you have been, and I’m very good at not getting caught, yes?

“Plus, I’m not ‘pinky swearing’ you anything; after your most recent stunt right now, I’ll know better than to trust you when you act your age. But, for now, you have my solemn, [i]verbal[/i] vow that I’ll let you cast as many spells as you want until I’m unable to stand, [i]whenever[/i] we’re in no way a threat to the colony, agreed?” 

Urgh, there she tried to be friendly and stuff and he came with all this mean parent -> child talk, he even put the "act your age" stuff in it. Did he ever raise a child? No? Right. But what he suggested was pretty much what she wanted...and it wasn't a secret that what made her accept the bond was him as a fuel-source at first, and a person as second, as vile as it may be. "But why no pinky swear? I can't trust your "verbal vow" then, if you have so much experience raising children as you imply, then you should know how important the pinky swear is!"

Emmeric smirked. “I implied nothing of the sort. And what child am I raising? All I’ve seen here in the colony are men and women of varying size and description and the despicable wench in front of me. Now, you take my deal, or leave it. If I absolutely must, I’ll beg for food, and how would it make you feel to be the bonded of a beggar, eh? And trust me, I’ll make sure everyone who sees me knows [i]you’re[/i] my partner. Not many little girls around here...” He crossed his arms in satisfaction with his statement.

This guy, seriously, was he really that knight in shining armor that enabled her to survive? Fuck, she even considered telling him the truth about the few people that actually lost their life back then, just to have a 'clean start' with him, but now she had to think twice about that. "How it would make me feel having one of those weaklings that blame everything but themselves for their misery in life as my partner? If my life wouldn't depend on it I wouldn't care but since it does..." Right, as much as she knew he wouldn't hurt her it was also the other way around, why didn't she think about that earlier? They didn't just have some sort of bond that enabled them to survive in this cursed land, no, the bond also meant they shared their body, soul and mind in one way or another. "Fine, take part of the stupid bird, now play your part and fetch a goddamn branch, I am really curious if it tastes better than rat."

The rogue was surprised for a moment -- a reaction that was clearly displayed on his face -- before grinning widely. “I knew you’d come around!” He ruffled Youn’s hair briefly before making a straight line toward the door. “I’ll ask around, see if there are any herbs or spices growing around here that we could cook it with! It’ll certainly be a meal to remember after we’re back to gruel and what I found earlier.” He snickered slightly like a child. “I’ll see you in a bit, daughter o’mine!” Then, Emmeric made his exit, practically slamming the door behind him.

...? Really? Really!? Was he a bloody child? All he wanted was forcing through his will? Youn was supposed to be the 13 year old! "Whatever." The thief murmured annoyed to herself. With him gone she could now concentrate on more important things, like the big fire that was the reason for her visit in the first place, after all, the young girl was still wet from the small improvised shower she took.