Ezner scrubbed at his skin roughly, getting every bit of grime and muck from his skin. He made sure to clean out beneath his fingernails, scrubbing his hair and face thoroughly. And he listened. And he let his mind work as she did.

[i]'A Ball? I wonder why Mr. Dey didn't go. That sounds like something he would've liked.'

'No, it wasn't open to everyone...'

'"All you do?"'[/i]

Those last two stung a bit, but he kept it to himself. He knew she wasn't saying those things intentionally. She wasn't the only one. The people at work, people from the Order during his time in the safehouse, they all had slips of the tongue like that. He couldn't blame them. People simply don't think of slaves often. It was understandable.

Still, it hurt to hear.

[i]'She knew people there. That's nice. I wish I knew people too.'[/i]

There was another few pangs of loneliness and self-consciousness. He didn't really know how to get to know people. Elisabeth was the only person he really knew, and he still only barely knew her.

[i]'She dances? I would like to dance. I've never danced before. Good to know to not step on toes.'[/i]

For some reason that reminded him of when he was a child. He would serve his owners dinner, and if he ever accidentally bumped them or touched them while trying to ladle soup, they would whip him and make him do it again.

[i]'I would like to go to Viden. She said it was beautiful, back on the trial we met.'

'I wonder if she will be weary of traveling so much. Will she be staying here for a while?'
[/i]

And when she said that he had found her, a smile grew upon his face, one she would be able to see despite being behind him. Ezner finished bathing, climbing out, walking over, grabbing a towel. He dried himself off quickly and efficiently, then using a second towel nearby, dried the floor where he'd been walking. He hung them both back up neatly, getting them just exactly straight and perfect. Turning back toward Elisabeth, his smile was still there.

[b]"Sounds like you've traveled a lot. It makes me happy to know you had nice journeys." [/b]

He reached out, gently grabbing her hand, walking into his bedroom again, [b]"Whereabouts in Scalvoris did you go? I was born in Almund and it was the only city I knew. And not well, just our neighborhood where I ran errands mostly."[/b]
Ezner quickly got dressed. [b]"I'd like to go back. Slavery is illegal there now. I wonder if my mother is still there."[/b]

Then he turned, his eyes a bit brighter, as he looked her right in her own, [b]"Would you like to go there with me, sometime?"[/b]

[i]'Because I would like that.'[/i]