Elystria stood motionless for a moment, her gaze still fixed on Mordred as though she were gauging the space between them. Then she stepped forward, closing part of the distance without fear, and leaned against the wall opposite him. She kept her stance respectful yet familiar.
- "How are you?" she asked simply, her voice suddenly gentler. "I mean… really."
Mordred gave a small shrug, a half-smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
- "I'm living in a rat hole, they whip me if I breathe too loud, I'm starving, and I sleep next to rats cleaner than the guards. I've had better days. But I've also had worse."
She smiled faintly, a sad yet amused expression.
- "You joke, but I can see the tension in your shoulders. Even here, you never stop. You're always on edge."
- "And you, princess?" he quipped. "Do you often visit your 'toys' in their rat holes?"
- "Only the most fascinating ones," she shot back with a hint of irony.
