Djinni places a friendly peck to the side of his face as she pulls away, the same affection she would give to her own younger siblings. He looks even taller than when they had last spoken, she thinks. She had often been taller herself, so perhaps it is just that he’s grown more comfortable with himself in the time since their last meeting. Looking up at him admiringly, she repeats the words that Zai has heard from her time and time again: “You still look ‘found’ to me” and the customary gplayful prod at his chest with her nose.
It comes crashing down when he asks about his family.
Of course he asks. He cares, loves them dearly; it is what had truly drawn her to him. It had drawn her to all of them, truly: the happy family with the loving mother, brave father, and their smiling children. She had only meant it as a joke, but the wildcat king had misspoken, and there are some things that even Djinni cannot undo. Ygritte had gone to look for him, and then Raene had done the same. She can’t seem to stop them from leaving to look for something that they’ll never find.
But they’ll all come back someday, she is sure. That hope is what keeps her eyes steady even as her smile falls. “They’re…not here.” The three words are too simple, not enough of an answer. “I heard your father went missing, and then your mother and Marlyn left to find him. Raene left too, but she told me to take care of Sylva while she was gone so I’ve just…stayed.” She leaves out the middle of the story, that she’d thought it would be amusing to toy with Marlyn for a few minutes before revealing herself and the conversation had taken an entirely different turn and now Djinni rules the land they stand in.
Sylva should belong to him, she realizes as she looks up at him with a pensive expression.
natural build - slim
smoky grullo tobiano
sea green eyes