The Gig [Tuesday]

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis, social creature that she was, hadn't talked to nearly anyone but Ata and Trenor today by the time she made it to the Gig. She'd noticed something was off, but given her rather honest and blunt disposition naturally, she hadn't really registered it might have been anything other than a mood.

As it was, she was quietly currying the horses today, as it was warm enough to be almost pleasant.

[mwahaha. open omg!]

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[momslilassassin]

"Hi, Aravis!" Ben said, walking in. "I've brought your weekly bribe of hot chocolate so you won't decide I'm too young to talk to!"

That had been a lot different than the "hello," he'd been planning, yeah.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis blinked, but amiably replied, "Hello, Ben. You aren't too young or too short, and this is my favorite time of the week."

...well.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's cheeks went pink. "It is?" he said. "Because I'm always afraid I'm being a pest, especially since you're practically royalty and I'm not."

He frowned. "What the hell?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I don't know!" Aravis said helplessly, going pink. "But I don't care about whether I'm almost royalty. I hate when people call me Lady. And I have the scars to prove it! You've seen my ugly back."

[momslilassassin]

"Your back isn't ugly," Ben replied, trying very hard not to flail. "There's nothing about you that's ugly."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You either. Except your hair is kind of stupid."

Oh, Aravis.

[momslilassassin]

"Hey!" Ben said, clutching at the braid. "It's traditional! Even though I'm the only one who does it, it's still traditional. Jedi have a long history of stupid hair. Look at my grandfather."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Your grandfather has beautiful hair. I rather envy it," Aravis admitted.

[momslilassassin]

"It is kind of nice," Ben replied, then made a face. "I hope I get to be as tall as he is, too."

What. the. hell.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I doubt you will, but I like you this size because I am not very big and I don't like having to look up at men," Aravis admitted.

[momslilassassin]

"You think of me as a man?" Ben said, blinking and blushing.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Well, yes. What else should I think of you as?" she wondered.

[momslilassassin]

"Back home, people go with little kid," Ben said with a frown. "Or Son of Skywalker."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You're grown," Aravis decided. "And you're a Skywalker in your own right. I'm hardly going by Aravis Tarkheena, Daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, Lord of Calavar anymore. It's too long anyway. I hate that stupid title."

[momslilassassin]

"It is kind of a stupid title," Ben agreed. "You'd be writing it all day."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Imagine if I'd married. I'd have an even longer name," she said.

[momslilassassin]

"Aravis Tarkheena, Daughter of Kidrash Tarkaan, Wife of This Ugly Old Man, Please Send Help?" Ben guessed.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I think they want me to marry Cor so I'll be queen someday, too," Aravis said softly.

[momslilassassin]

"Do you want to marry Cor?" Ben asked.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I don't know yet," she said, absolutely honestly.

[momslilassassin]

"Do you like him like that?" Ben asked. "Or maybe...Merlin?"

He had no idea why he wanted to know.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes I do," she admitted. "Merlin's a darling, isn't he? He's the only one I let call me Lady Aravis here, because he seems to like it. Why?"

[momslilassassin]

"Because I'm afraid you like him more than you like me," Ben said, then covered his mouth with his hands.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I like both of you!" Aravis said honestly. "You're both very dear to me. I missed having friends. I barely ventured out of my room or Seely's this past year."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm glad you have!" Ben said. "I would've really missed getting to know you. You remind me of home without being from home."