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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220927/23fb834f443fddf069b302a80ffae13a.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220927/713c9ea7f90a3bccf2680492bc93671a.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220928/bcf4c8fb894d886cf1f86d12d903935e.png[/img]
[h3]...Feat. [color=228B22][b]Iyen[/b][/color][/h3]
[color=1E90FF][b]Time[/b]:[/color] Evening
[color=1E90FF][b]Location[/b]:[/color] Banquet Hall
[color=1E90FF][b]Interactions[/b]:[/color] Kalliope [@Tae]
[color=1E90FF][b]Mentions[/b]:[/color] 
[color=1E90FF][b]Appearance:[/b][/color] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/kg2qwHH4/alkalinestingray-A-Malay-woman-sitting-on-a-tree-branch-adult-l-7ef98d90-03c7-4ee4-a849-9b32e06b7271.png]Iyen[/url] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/Fzw1wZ8n/alkalinestingray-Portrait-of-a-South-east-Asian-Chinese-sailor-52c337e9-3211-44db-8828-5fdc1044bd39.png]Sjan-dehk[/url]
[color=1E90FF][b]Attire[/b]:[/color] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/0QCZ6rQj/alkalinestingray-Watercolour-painting-of-an-outfit-for-a-male-s-312f5cf8-c1fd-4b90-8f64-d292f9b1da7f.png]Sjan-dehk[/url] [url=https://i.postimg.cc/bJfFDK9C/alkalinestingray-Watercolour-painting-of-an-outfit-for-a-female-4e7d7b50-e077-439d-b35a-05297e271a19.png]Iyen[/url]
[color=1E90FF][b]Equipment:[/b][/color] 
[hider]
Sjan-dehk:
[color=1E90FF]Sword and pistol hanging down his right thigh[/color]

Iyen:
[color=228B22]A short blade sheathed on her lower back
A coil of rope across her body[/color]
[/hider]
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Sjan-dehk was just about to tell Iyen off for interrupting, when Kalliope spoke.

And for a moment, he relaxed. There was something refreshingly familiar about the playful notes, the hints of mischief that coloured her first few words, that calmed the tempestuous thoughts in his mind, and eased the wearisome weight that pressed upon his heart and shoulders. For a while, all felt as they should be, as if his troubles from earlier had been naught but a figment of his own imagination. 

Of course, that Kalliope hadn’t disagreed with Iyen certainly helped.

He answered her smirk with a grin of his own. Words gathered on the tip of his tongue, the beginnings of a quip to counter hers. But before he could say anything, she apologised.

Then, she explained herself. 

He listened in silence, the mirth on his face cooling to an expression more sombre, more serious. His eyes remained locked on Kalliope’s, except when she averted her gaze, and the one occasion when he threw a sidelong, questioning glance at Iyen. The Sudhrayarn woman didn’t look at him, instead coughing into her fist and gaining a sudden, deep interest in the embroidery of the tablecloth before her. That told Sjan-dehk everything he needed to know. He let out a quiet sigh that existed more in his head than upon his lips, and shook his head slightly. 

Remorse dripped from every word, every syllable that left Kalliope’s mouth. Each was like a knife piercing him to his core, filling him with self-reproach for having been so selfish. This entire time, he’d only thought of his own feelings; how it’d stung when she’d left him for Cassius; how she’d left him in a mess of tangled emotions, and how discontented he’d felt about the whole situation. Had there ever been a moment during his self-pity when he’d considered how she might have felt? Or even tried thinking of other reasons for her actions that didn’t involve him? 

At several points, he wanted to speak up, to tell her plainly that she didn’t need to apologise. That she had nothing to apologise for. But the words wouldn’t come. 

And so, he continued to listen in silence.

Only when she’d finished did his voice return to him. [color=1E90FF][i]“Kali–”[/i][/color] He began quietly, but quickly stopped himself, his eyes momentarily closing in thought. She’d taken the time to give him a proper explanation. The least he could do was to take the time to think over, and give her a proper reply. 

He dragged an empty chair over—the same one he’d sat in while talking to Charlotte—and placed it in the middle of Iyen and Kalliope, forming a ring of seats. [color=1E90FF][i]“You don’t owe me an apology, or anything, really,”[/i][/color] he said as he sat down. [color=1E90FF][i]“The fault’s mine for, ah…”[/i][/color] A faint flush washed over his cheeks. He hooked a finger into his collar and tugged on it. [color=1E90FF][i]“Assuming certain things. In hindsight, I should’ve guessed that there were people from your past here, after…Well, you know, after what happened in the hallway.”[/i][/color]

And in hindsight, he should have also guessed that those people had great capacity for danger. Hafiz had certainly seemed that way. 

[color=228B22][i]“Assuming certain things, huh?”[/i][/color] Iyen’s amused voice piped up.

[color=1E90FF][i]“Not now, Iyen,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk replied quickly and smoothly, as if this was something he’d dealt with umpteen times before. He didn’t even look at her, although her words did resonate with him. Kalliope had explained why she’d wanted to so desperately get away from him, earlier, but still Sjan-dehk wasn’t sure whether his assumptions about her relationship with Cassius were right. And that uneased him greatly.

[color=1E90FF][i]No. Now is not the time.[/i][/color] With a swift rebuke, he pushed those thoughts aside. They could wait. 

[color=1E90FF][i]“If anything, I should be thanking you,”[/i][/color] he said with a little smile. [color=1E90FF][i]“I’m used to being the one protecting, not so much the one being protected. It’s new to me.”[/i][/color] He chuckled softly before continuing. [color=1E90FF][i]“But I’ll admit that I feel…Better, knowing that I didn’t do anything to make you, ah, feel ashamed. I didn’t mind it, carrying you in here. It felt…” [/i][/color]

His voice trailed off, and he finished his sentence in a bashful murmur. [color=1E90FF][i]“Nice.”[/i][/color]

Iyen let out a barely suppressed giggle. Sjan-dehk shot her a look, and she simply hummed in response.

[color=1E90FF][i]“Ignore her, she’s just being…Iyen.”[/i][/color] He shook his head, cleared his throat, and turned back to Kalliope. He grinned—a small, hesitant one, but a grin nonetheless—and reached out for her shoulder again. [color=1E90FF][i]“But you don’t have to worry too much, Kali,”[/i][/color] he said and leaned forward, resting his palm upon his smooth, supple skin. [color=1E90FF][i]“Think I might’ve told you this before, but it might be worth repeating, now. Whatever fight I get into is my choice. If your enemies want to mark me, or notice me, then let them. You’re…A friend.”[/i][/color]

Friend. It described his relationship with Kalliope perfectly.

And yet, he didn’t like it. There was a bitterness under it that sat poorly in his mind.

[color=1E90FF][i]“You’re important to me,”[/i][/color] he corrected himself, before he knew what he was saying. [color=1E90FF][i]“I-I mean, well, you’re an important friend–”[/i][/color]

Iyen gave him a slap on his shoulder, and not a gentle one, either. [color=228B22][i]“Stop it, Sjan-dehk,”[/i][/color] she said, laughing, and looked at Kalliope with an expression that was half apologetic, and half [color=228B22][i]‘I told you so’[/i][/color].

[color=1E90FF][i]“You stop it,”[/i][/color] Sjan-dehk said and shot her another look, but with much less vitriol than before. It was more out of embarrassment, than any sort of genuine irritation or annoyance. He drew in a deep breath, quickly looked around the banquet hall, then returned his gaze to Kalliope. [color=1E90FF][i]“But yes, if anyone wants to come after me because of you, then I’ll just have to fight them.”[/i][/color] He spoke casually, as if he were talking about a mere future fishing trip. [color=1E90FF][i]“It wouldn’t be the first time I got involved in courtly nonsense that turned violent, and I’m still here, so I’d say that I’ve got a pretty good track record with these things.”[/i][/color]

He grinned and gave Kalliope’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. [color=1E90FF][i]“Besides, someone has to watch your back as well, I think. Can’t let you do all the protecting.”[/i][/color] Without thinking, he slid his thumb over her joint. He didn’t even notice what he’d done, so focused was he on looking her in her eyes. [color=1E90FF][i]“And it looks to me that things are coming to an end, anyway. Most everyone’s gone.”[/i][/color]