bloodbound. (earinor & akira)

"I know, it's a shame. I know a few of them that I never showed you, and where they bloom, though, and I'd be happy to show you one day.", he suggested with a smile. Yujin would do anything for Richards sake, even if he concurrently doubted himself; there was nothing he'd lay off from, nothing he thought he couldn't do, and the audacity to just want to try things was probably enough to keep him alive past whatever point he'd crossed at some section in his life that led him here in the first place. "Hm?", he was stirred by the simple mention of his name, turning his head to look at Richard, who seemed to have something that he wanted to get either off of his chest or just simply impart upon him. Whatever the case, he'd listen, just so he'd get it out of his system - whatever it was, even if he wanted to- no, he was being too negative, really. "Sew?" He mulled over it for a bit, then remembered the injury on Richard that he had fixed previously. "Depends. I'm not good with skin, but fabric I should be fine with. Why?", Yujin asked in turn, wanting to know ever so desperately what his skills were called upon for. Was there a way to simply tell Richard that he'd learn for him, even if he didn't know how? Maybe, but saying it felt as if it was a waste of both their time.

Richard lifted himself out of the water and returned with a comb, meanwhile Yujin was the one that ever so slightly looked at every square inch of skin that he could see from leaning back his head, just to take in the sight of Richard, who currently seemed as if nothing could ever harm him ever again. "Your dad? Pfft, I'd like to see that.", he snorted in amusement about the possibility no less - Muhan was good at what he did, Yujin would give his dad as much, but putting up a fight against Nayantai of all people, after everything Yujin ever heard about Richards father? It seemed so impossible that he himself thought Richard was having a jest, but then again. "Hmmm, surprise him? I think I have an idea. Let's see if I can beat him tomorrow then, how about it? Do you want to watch?", he suggested to his ailing lover, hoping to coax him out of the four walls he found himself within even more now than ever. The attitude about any of this that he already had wouldn't change - Yujin wanted Richard to move onward, forward, and then keep going, even if that meant less time for them together, even if that meant that, maybe, they couldn't be together at all. "That's nice to hear ... maybe you'll be a head taller than me in no time!" What a suggestion that was, but still, it was all that he could say out loud, without touching sore subjects. Yujin leaned back and let Richard get to work eventually, just enough so it wouldn't cause any issue. "Can I wash your hair after this?"

Richard wanted to show Yujin the flowers in their garden on the castle grounds, or the meadows in Fhaergus, but it didn't seem like Richard would be going back. If he just had gone back to check on things, to see how things were in Fhaergus, he'd have known Dayan was alive and Yujin would have been save to visit. Instead he wasted months in that cellar for the red haired devil to make Dayan his own. No, enough of that, it seemed he couldn't stop his thoughts from roaming. "I was just thinking of making some Adrestian flowers out of fabric for you, but I don't really know how. To give your room a bit of color.", he explained. It didn't need to be a surprise and knowing Yujin he'd love a project they could work on together. Was it stupid to do something so mundane though? It seemed like Richard should have bigger problems than thinking about fabric flowers and Yujins idea of interior design.

"Heh... dad rarely even wanted to train with us. After the war was won he didn't want to pick up his sword again I think. He's still pretty good though." He'd seen him and Richard had had his fair share of trouble getting past him, but back in the castle he never wanted to spar with Dayan or Richard. Maybe he was just afraid of hurting them? And Rain was often times not too happy about fighting in general, even when Dayan and him just beat each other with some sticks, reenacting the war. Well, he could see why that wasn't very tasteful. "Y-Yeah... maybe.", he eventually answered. He didn't want to committ to it just yet, he didn't know how he'd feel tomorrow. For ow he combed through the long strands of hair Yujin sported, it was somewhat hard as he had to move back and forth to comb through the whole length. "I think I stopped growing.", Richard mumbled, then nodded slighty. "Yeah, but I kind of wanted to do this because you do too much for me already..."

Whatever Richard wanted, he’d get - at least Yujin thought of it that way, and he didn’t want it to be anything else, either. To him, if the stars grew legs and walked all the way down here, onto this earth, he’d catch and shatter every single one of them to gift Richard their sought-after stardust, which also, in turn, meant that he was neither above nor beyond committing atrocities for him, even if sometimes people wouldn’t see eye to eye on that. “My room?”, he chuckled. “Not ours? That’s noble of you. I’d have to figure out how they look in the first place, maybe there’s a way we can ask someone to donate an illustrated issue of a book print and you help me pick the colors once it arrives, or we ask for pressed versions of them?”, was his suggestion, anyway. Sure, they’d probably not look like they did when they were still alive, but pressed versions were often close to their regular counterparts and Yujin, ever the person to overdo it, was all the same right here - he wanted to go above and beyond yet again, even when Richard might not want him to, for the sole reason that nothing in his life was going the way it should, if he didn’t intervene.

“He didn’t? Did he not- no, nevermind, I believe you. That might take some resilience too, though. Dad always says all he knew from a child up to when he was closer to thirty than twenty was the war, and that wielding weapons is second nature to him.” No wonder he also doubled as the personal guard of his father, Shuren; he simply hadn’t had the fortitude to actually put it down and deny his profession in life, yet, Yujin often wondered what his old man could’ve been, were it not for what had transpired in his life. “Oh, it’s not going to be bad, okay? Besides, at the dinner there’s going to be more people than just me and Muhan.” Richard couldn’t hide forever and right this instant, he’d grab a metaphorical hold of him and drag him down under with him if he had to - that much was for sure. In the end, still, he couldn’t force Richard to anything, but he’d at least try to get him to commit to something, as long as he could do it without repercussions; right now, he just enjoyed being in the bath with him and being cared for. “You sure? I doubt I’m done.” Or at least he wanted to doubt it, given Muhans size, but who even knew? “Just being there with me is enough, you know. It makes me feel like I did everything right, and if it’s something like this, I’d love to return the gesture.”

"If anything my room is our room.", Richard answered. He rarely visited Yujins mainly because it was much colder there. "You don't have to go all out on it. We can make any flowers, even if they don't exist." This castle was too empty. Everything was in this blue tinted icy color with some wooden item strewn about. For how colorful all their clothing was, there sure wasn't much else going on and it was somewhat depressing. Similar to the first time he came to Silesse, he missed simeple grass and flowers, anything that wasn't snow. His family stemmed from a fairly cold place as well, but even Fhaergus snow melted eventually and gave way to lash nature. Growing up in Myriad, there was even more variety, though the castle garden was very orderly and Richard preferred the wild flowers on Fhaergus meadows. All of that meant absolutely nothing to Yujin and that was somewhat sad, but Richard couldn't go back, much less could he take Yujin with him. He already wanted to come the first time they headed there, good thing Richard just vanished over night.

"I think the war was harder on Nayantai than my actual dad... even though my dad was always very nice and much softer. Maybe that was why Nayantai didn't want to be that brutish anyway, because he thought dad would disapprove. He never told us off and we did have training in swordfighting, but when we played pretend with wooden swords, I don't think he liked that very much." He would have disapporved Richards decisions as well. His lust for revenge was nothing his das would ever have wanted for him, much less Nayantai after all that he'd been through, which Richard only knew bits and pieces of. He truly achieved absolutely nothing with that. "I know. I just don't know if I'll be able to get out of bed tomorrow." Richard was honest with Yujin, which he should be. "Well we're definetly adults already, although I don't feel like one.", he mumbled. He couldn't believe he grew older once more. He still felt like a teenager with no responsibilities. "My dad wasn't very tall either, so who knows." Richard didn't even know how his mother looked like. "You're too nice Yujin and I have nothing to give in return."

"I won't disagree, but if anything, I'd like to share everything I have with you.", he made clear. Yujin was a man of his word, and to him, Richard was important - he'd combed through his mind and memory for him, and he'd do so time and time again, just to keep reminding himself that he truly loved this man, be it as it may. "But I'd like to. Sure, fantastical flowers not found anywhere where either of us have lived are nice, and to imagine what could be is nice too, but a little memento of something that might actually be real is nicer. Besides, I do want to show you what stuff there is in Silesse, too." It wasn't a lot, and it wasn't colorful, that much was clear - after all, this place was covered in snow and ice year-round and anything that persisted in its cold, harsh territory was most likely equally as harsh and cold as the surrounding temperatures that they, somehow, found love and nurture in. Why not them, too? Yujin would persist out there, but if it were just him, maybe he'd lose it eventually, and with Richard by his side, the other would maybe not endure the cold at all.

"I don't think anyone had a good time during or after the war, but ... I guess he wouldn't like that. Still, kids don't really know better, anyway.", Yujin tried to encourage Richard to see things in a more positive light - it wasn't about doing anyone a favor, much less was it about making a big deal out of things that were done and over anyway. For now, he simply let Richard comb his hair, try to rid it of whatever knotw he could find, even if there weren't a lot to begin with, and just enjoyed the water for what it was - warm, and relaxing, and enveloping for a reason. "I know. It's okay. We'll figure something out, like we always do." They did, or at least Yujin tried and then Richard came up with the actual solution to their persistent problem - it wasn't worth it to mull over for fifty years, but it was something worth considering in the end, given that sometimes both of them failed to really draw a conclusion. "Neither do I. Maybe we shouldn't look at it like that, though. We should, I don't know, take it slow? There's no rush, and besides, we can be adults later ... I think we should just enjoy what time we have now, and then worry about other things!", Yujin decided for them, eventually standing back up and looking Richard in the eyes, tenderly grabbing his shoulders. "You have plenty to give in return. I love you, all the same. You can stay about as tall as you are, I think that's a good height, and besides, our parents don't define us, got it?", all of this turned in a much more motivational speech than he intended to, but he pressed their foreheads together soon enough. "Love is unconditional, and I do love you pretty valiantly. You put up with plenty of my stupidity."

"You don't have to do that.", Richard answered. He alreay got too much from everyone around him without contributing anything on his own. He always had someone look out for and feed him, give him shelter, sometimes Richard felt like it was time to do all those things on his own. Not that he thought he could right now, but being mothered by everyone didn't help him he believed. His fear and anxiety somewhat subsided in the past couple weeks and was replaced by guilt and grief bit by bit. If this continued maybe at some point he managed to leave the castle again and once he could do that, maybe he could just live in that hut he once called home, despit it reminding him of his father. It seemed like a goal out of reach and one Yujin would not understand. Richard didn't want to hurt him, but he was clearly not ready for a real relationship, he first had to heal and care about himself, even if it sounded selfish and even if that meant sending Yujin off from time to time.

With the flowers alike Yujin jumped to the possibility of a shared project, taking most of it on himself with little left for Richard to do. "Alright.", was all he said. "I wasn't a kid when I decided to go back to Adrestia...", he simply mumbled, but Yujin probably didn't understand what he meant. Sometimes it was hard to talk to Yujin, because either he forgot the important context or because he circumvented anythin that could bring up hurtful memories, or simply subpar facts. "Sometimes I have to figure things out on my own.", he told him, knowing that if Yujin just came by every day, waking him up, getting him out of bed, bringing him food and so on, he'd never do it himself. "We're having it too easy..." They didn't have to grow up and Richard didn't have to heal. It didn't matter if he did or not, he could ust remain here and live out his days, there was no pressure to get better. Yujin came closer, once more showering Richard with love he didn't deserve. Richard actually would like to be more like either of his parents, instead he was much weaker than both of them and had it easier too. Maybe that was why. "You put up with me being either rude or useless...", Richard mumbled, thinking back to their past too, when he yelled at Yujin most of the time. He could already hear Yujin disagree without looking at the truth of Richards state right now.

"And if I want to?", he teased Richard in turn, well aware that it might not be in the blondes best interest, but Yujin cared for him, more than just a bit. If he'd let him, he'd drown him in gifts, in toys, in plants, in kittens, in whatever his heart desired, and if it was something as simple as a thousand dead birds, he'd catch those for him as well. Yujin was, of course, struck by an arrow, something that would be a foreign concept to him, but someone had once mentioned Cupid, and how it was easy to be hit by one of his very own projectiles, and then, to only have eyes for one thing in life. Yujin liked Richard, loved him, even when his thoughts were muddled and just like that, he built every brick of his imaginary home around him, making Richard a fixed part of it without even asking, simply because he assumed it would be alright to have him here forevermore. If he were anything like his father, he would lock Richard up in here, for no reason at all, just to have him for himself, pin him to a board like a moth with his wings first, none of which he sported, to keep him secured and with him, but Yujin was never as obsessed or cruel with anyone before, he simply knew that he was in love with Richard and if he would have to let him go again, something would crack in the back of his mind, for the worse.

Regardless of it all, however, he watched what Richard was doing, listened to what he was saying and cuddled up to him, as best he could in that position with the other occupied with his hair, even still. "I know, I know. I'm just saying.", he chuckled, deprived of his own memories that, right now, seemingly came back after they hadn't been with him for so long. What was it again? That stupid stuff his father would give him, for no reason at all, right. "Mh, I know. I just ... don't want you to feel lonely, or like everything is something you have to do by yourself. I'm here for a reason, after all!" And Richard had allowed him to do just about anything for him up until know, Yujin knew that, and he prided himself in being someone that Richard dearly loved, even if he wasn't quick to show it at times, or might even find himself refusing to do so. Did it matter? He was used to the hurt that came with that, and he had always been able to swallow it down, too - Yujin liked things the way they were know, knowing that eventually, he had to let go of Richard so he could be himself again. "We should go on a grand adventure someday, get on a boat and sail out of here... didn't we talk about that when we met and you asked me if I ever left Silesse?" Even now, he could say that he really hadn't, with his father mothering him like an overprotective hawk that would always carry him back to the nest, from just about anywhere. "And so? We all have those days, and you're not useless, just healing. Rude, well, yes, but that's also a thing of the past.", he chuckled, amused by the mere thought, trying to puzzle together the old Richard. "Besides, as easy as I have it, you had to suffer plenty. It's time to rest for a bit."

"Then you shouldn't... not aways anyway.", Richard replied, Yujin was making this so hard on him He got everything he wanted without even lifting a finger, so why would he? If he was on his own he'd either starve or had to finally get up and forage for food himself. All he did here was to no consequence to anyone. Richard needed Yujins love and support to get better and he was slightly better, but sometimes he felt crushed by him, drowned out. Sometimes Richard felt like there was nothing of himself left and Yujin took up his space as well. He didn't mean to, he just wanted to help and that made it all the harder telling him to give Richard some room to breath and be himself, whoever that was. Whenever he picked up something for himself, Yujin took it out of his hands preparing everything so Richard had nothing left to do. At least he hasn't found out about the talisman yet and Richard made mistakes and fixed them or had to start over all on his own.

"I barely do anything at all." Besides eat and sleep, what was necessary to survive. There wasn't more to it here, he didn't need to be strong or brave anymore. Richard sighed and slowly let go of Yujins hair. "I don't think I'll be going on any journeys anymore..." He couldn't even leave this castle, he was too afraid. There were still people out there ready to kill him on sight, surely even those who supported his brother as king, just so Richard wouldn't cause any troubles. It was his throne by birthright after all, even though he had no interest in it. Did Dayan send him here because of this too? So his political enemies wouldn't try and use Richard for their own agendas? Getting rid of a wolf as the King of Adrestia namely. "I've rested for a long time already...", he mumbled, knowing that he wasn't able to just stop that and there was nothing he could do anyway, why would he? If his brother exiled him so he'd be save it was really not all too difficult to stay here with Yujin forever. Richard had enough of the bath and since Yujins hair was all clean and combed through now, he slowly got out, wrapping himself in a towel to dry himself of. He needed to stop pitying himself and maybe that stupid dinner was a step in the right direction, something that felt hard to do and something he didn't actually want to intrude, but Shuren himself invited him and so he felt inclined to acceppt and try looking like a normal human being to their guests. Yujin said they'd have some clothes fit for him so he didn't look like a slob. "Yujin? When you have a formal dinner like that, do you wear different clothes? What do you do with your hair? Should I cut mine, or... do I fit in more if I let them grow?" He'd never fully fit in with those blonde hair of his that weren't as easy to tame as Yujins either, but he could stil abandon Adrestian standards if he were to stay here.

The picture that was being painted for him seemed as clear as day - Yujin had both anticipated and loathed an outcome like this, but even now, he smiled at Richard, gently, as a barrage of words, of softened complaints hit him. Was this too much? Love could crush someone, make them crumble like fine dust, grind them into fibrous powder all the same; that, too, had to be turn-off for some and Yujin, who knew that his very own love language was both touch and gifting, praising and glorifying, was met with what was to be anticipated: Richard being himself, still, even when he had long since been turned into someone else, reduced to the basics of his character by his own suffering. A soft smile spread on his features, both worried and slightly hurt as he grabbed Richards hands to hold them in his own, just for a moment, to give him a wistful, knowing look, for nary a second. "Alright. I'll give you some breathing room.", he responded, both happy and torn over the situation itself. There was no need to question any of this further, to ask himself where he had gone wrong: There hadn't been a single wrong step that he'd taken, Yujin was quite sure of it, moreso over the way Richard reacted. To let one down gently was done out of love, and to let one go stemmed from the very same feelings. Likewise, the wolf finally let go of the man that claimed himself as lesser, looking at him with a twinkle of adoration in his eyes, as blue as the endless sky on a cloudless day.

"Would you like to do something on your own? I'll bring you whatever you can't get from where you need it and I'll leave it at that. Pinky promise." The hardest part of all of this was perhaps the acceptance that faltered in his own heart, the fact that there were two hands wrapped around it, holding it tight and ripping at it like a piece of paper, tearing until it would give in and bleed once mroe. "Don't say that. It'll take time, but we have all the time in the world! Even if we're old and senile at some point, I'd like to set sail with you, whenever, wherever - I've waited for you before, haven't I?", he chuckled, trying to lighten both of their moods that seemed to have shifted, not by themselves but because of the atmosphere around them, which had warped and turned into something that Yujin couldn't figure out for the life of him. "Like people before you, and will after you. Richard, there's no shame in taking your time to heal, trust me." Others were back at their feet faster, but not healthier, not necessarily anyhow. Yujin, why, he wasn't even sure if Richard would gain anything from forcing himself through all of this and as such, he followed him out, grabbed his own towel, dried himself off and then was quick to slip back into the fresh clothes he'd dragged along for the two of them, given the time of day they'd picked for their bath. "Yes?", he looked up when he heard his name called, then snorted and started giggling. Richard asked a lot of things at times, none he could blame him for, sure, but that didn't make them any less out of the ordinary or hilarious to him. Had his father taught him nothing? "The garments aren't much different from the usual, but they're a bit more embroidered, somewhat fancier? I can lend you some, or we get you your own - as for your hair, I put mine up, you should do the same. Hmmm ... I like them as they are, but if you don't like them or think they get in the way, there's no shame in cutting them. You'll fit in either way." That wasn't even a lie - were it not for the haircolor on this man, he'd be the same as them, through and through.

It was hard to ask Yujin for things, especially when it was leaving him be for a bit. He was understanding, of course, he always was. Richard appreciated it. "No I have some things to do already.", he told him. Learning the dialect around here, learning how to read and write Thrian too and of course his little project. "I can't promise I'll be able to...", he sighed. Even if he felt comortable leaving the castle, where would he go? He didn't believe Dayan would appreciate him traveling around. Maybe under a different name. Who knew? He didn't want to cause him any trouble, but just his existence could be enough. Richard slipped into the fresh clothes Yujin brought. "Whatever is easier.", he answered regarding the clothes. "I think I'll let them grow." His hair maybe needed a cut eventually, just to bring them into some kind of form, but he never really wore them especially short to begin with. Thrians wore their hair much longer than was custom in Adrestia and Richard doubted his hair would grow as long as Yujins, but he'd let it grow a bit more at least.

Both of them returned to Richards room where they spent their time as usual. Richard had his new feline friends as well. He asked Yujin for some pelts he could lay on the floor for them to run over to their water bowl by the fire where it wouldn't freeze over, without their little paws getting too cold. He gladly used the newly laid path as well if he needed to add firewood. The day of the dinner came faster than anticipated and Yujin handled Richards hair to look a bit more fitting for the occasion. They left for the dining hall together, a room Richard hasn't entered before and seemed to be rarely used. Shuren and Muhan didn't have a lot of guests either and they rarely ate together it seemed. Everyone here just did their own thing, it was different to how Richard grew up. The room would likely also be cold, which was why Yujin gave him an extra layer to wear today. Together they entered the room.

Yujin idled by, took all for granted, always, and now that he couldn't, he found that training kept his mind off of things when it started to wander - with memory came pain, with Richard soltitude and at the same time, a wave of loneliness carved itself into his chest. Despite all of his promises, now and forevermore, he wasn't cut out to be all that he wanted to be. There was ringing in his ears at times, words that were whispers on the wind haunted him and Richard, who was improving bit by bit, with every passing day that Yujin thought haunted him more and more, was nothing if not the companion he had once sought for himself. Yujin felt as if he was forgetting something, more important than many other things in his life, yet brushed it off - the training with Muhan helped him forget that which he remembered regardless, made him realize how ridiculous it was for him to deviate from his original plan of simply helping Richard and himself. Whenever Muhan mentioned him being skittish, or clearly absorbed into something else, Yujin wished he could pay it little mind, yet failed the obvious over and over again. His mind was plagued by something, he didn't know what, and yet, steadily, it crept at toward the edges of his mind.

With the dinner looming over them like a thread, Yujin was the one that felt more uneasy about it than Richard likely ever had - he wasn't sure what it was, but his hands were sweaty the night of the dinner and a sense of foreboding loomed over him. His leg hurt, as did his scar and the cold of Silesse, for once, seemed to bite down into his bones as well, unrelenting and unloving, forging a pathway through all that he thought himself to be. The door to the dining hall seemed impossibly heavy, the pangs of his heart louder than ever and his fear once more felt unfounded. Yujin hated it, even if he couldn't tell what it was. With Richard by his side, he'd figured he'd calm down eventually, and yet, the anxiety remained even still. Was it of any use to tell him he was nervous? No, Yujin was sure Richard could tell, and it wasn't like this was about him - it was about them all, but more importantly about helping Richard overcome his fears, which he was currently likely doing a pretty shit job at. In the end, he pushed the doors open, gave Richard a nervous smile all the while and found their family dinner a tad grander than he imagined it - his fathers were there, alongside another man their age, as were his siblings and his brother was flagged by ... two women? "I hope we aren't late.", Yujin excused them both, waiting until Richard had stepped in to close the door behind them. A large table, likely carved of ice and part of the flooring stretched before them, their seats made of wood and draped in furs and and fabric instead. "Not yet.", Shuren remarked and seemed equally confused - why, though? "If you could take your seats then, please.", his old man urged them, leaving them with a stupid seating arrangement: One of them women to Xu's side on Yujins left, and Richard to his right, with his little sister, who seemed to be happy enough to have Richard on her left. "Yujin!", the woman to Xu's right, and Yujins left, exclaimed with bated breath as he finally sat down, making sure Richard wasn't too uncomfortable first. "I've missed you!", she giggled as she grabbed his arm. "Hah?" Who? Someone cleared his throat - Muhan. How untypical. "Young lady.", the third man, unknown to Yujin, remarked. "Your manners." With that, she straightened back up, glaring daggers at the man opposite of her, who bowed his head apologetically. "It's quite alright.", Shuren responded. "Thank you for joining us for dinner on such a short notice. I hope the way here wasn't too arduous?" Yujin grabbed Richards hand and squeezed it slightly, as his sister foisted over a basket of bread on the other side, clearly offering it to Richard to pass along.

Yujin was incredibly weird the past couple days and Richard couldn't tell why. He didn't ask either, if he wanted to tell him, he would eventually, but whenever there seemed a good opportunity, Yujin left to do something else. Richard meanwhile just tried to focus on healing. He occupied himself with multiple things and he indulged Yujin in finding new clothes for him that fit his complexion better than the colors Yujin wore usually. He also let him style his hair as he saw fit and the day of the dinner came closer. Richard was nervous, yes, but not very much so. He rarely talked to Yujins siblings or Muhan, but Shuren still kept looking after his health and he was nice enough. Aside from that, Richard grew up around important people visiting for dinner and behaving accordingly. He was punctual and polite, he knew how to behave and he was sure that he could do a good job even now. This held even less stakes than anything at home and Dayan wasn't there to be silly, or simply late, or trying to make Richard laugh in front of another duke.

Yujin was still nervous on the day of the dinner and once he opened the door looked smaller than he ever did. Richard trailed after him, it seemed they were the last to arrive. A short glance around the table, before Richard lowering his head, very much aware that he was, despite his standing in Adrestia, probably the lowest ranking person here. He also didn't know what Shuren told his guests, one of which looking very much familiar. Richard knew that woman, Yujins former fiancée or something like that and Richard had been mad before because he made him part of an affair of sorts. In the end maybe Shuren needed to still keep relations with her family and thus Richard decided to not think more of it. Richard took his seat, having trouble following the short conversation between Yujin and his father in their distinct dialect. Almost immediately that woman was over Yujin, much like a girl, not an adult and she was quickly reprimanded, judging by the tone of the man likely her father. Yujin grabbed Richards hand under the table, which Richard found a bit inappropriate. This seemed too official and Richard didn't want to draw Shurens ire, even if nobody could really see. When Yujins sister handed over a basket of bread he used the opportunity to wrangle free from Yujin, taking it with a smile and a short "Thank you.". He grabbed a bread, then passed the basket along to Yujin.

What was he so nervous for? Yujin didn't know himself, even when Yin mostly left him be - Yin? Right, that was her name, he recalled as much, and the face she bore was too close for comfort, too. Was it wrong of him to not have his thoughts in order? Almost startled he took the bread basket from Richard, who's reluctance of keeping ahold of his hand had hardly been noticeable to him. Yujin felt like an idiot in that moment, confused beyond belief as to why he was acting like he was a groundhog watching his own shadow at the end of winter, about to get scared by it. Was it the general nervousness, the understanding of him doing something wrong, or was it the insistence he would always be fine, no matter what? "Thank you." The more he thought about it, the less he found himself willing to indulge in this meal - Yujin wanted to leave already, ironically enough, after dragging Richard here in the first place. As he took a piece of bread, and passed the basket along to Yin, her hand rested on his for an uncomfortably long time, likely because her father seemed distracted by the idle chitchat he indulged in with his fathers. "Thank you, Yujin.", she uttered as she grabbed her own piece of bread, then foisted it onto Xu, who passed it along as well.

Their first serving of the night was brought about by servants eventually - it was soup, not the spicy kind, in an almost milky looking broth with a few noodles. The adults, which included all fathers, Xu and the other woman to his left, apparently, seemed to be discussing something rather important among themselves, even over the food, Yujin did well to ignore it and eat instead. Yin, on the other hand, seemed more and more interested in him, especially with their surroundings seeming more lenient. "Sooo, did you miss me?" "Hm?" Their conversation seemed pretty one-sided, and Yujin, for his part, buried his words between bites of bread and soup, as well as useless half-answers that were neither here nor there. "Psst.", Ruo was careful not to elbow Richard, trying to get his attention. "Bored yet?", she asked while leaning back, holding her sleeve up to her face in an attempt to shield her next words from someone else, physically, even if nobody was even to their right. "How's the food?" "How's the food?", she asked, but Yujin had leaned in from the other side at the same time, asking Richard the exact same question.

Richard knew that Yujin had trouble remembering a lot of things and right now he seemed more confused than anyone else on this table. What wouldn't get into his head was that neither Shuren nor Muhan felt the need to explain anything, or at least introduce Richard to their guests. All of this stank like some kind of ruse, or sick game anyone but Yujin and Richard were in on. Richard decided to just be polite, sit here and eat and when the soup was brought before them, Richard took a tiny sip first to test it. It didn't burn him to a crisp, maybe their guests also weren't big fans of spicy food, but they at the very least spoke the same dialect the other did. Yujins sister seemed a bit bored and she had the misfortune to have no one but Richard to talk to. He looked at her with a smile and shook his head. "In Adrestia I've been to dinners like this all the time. Important people talking to my dads for hours, while we had to behave.", he explained to her.

Richard was slightly annoyed, slightly angry even maybe, but at the same time he didn't want to cause a scene and he knew how to behave in situations like this. Maybe either of these emotions gave him the strength to actually talk, even if it was just Ruo he talked to. Yujin also wanted some attention it seemed, much to the annoyance of the girl on his other side probably. "It's good.", he answered both of them, then turned to Ruo again to try and glean some information at least, while Yujin was busy being confused about his seating neighbor. "Can you tell me who your guests are?", he asked her with the utmost innocent tone he could muster.

Yujin wanted out of whatever conversation Yin was interested in - he couldn't figure out why she or her father were part of a family dinner in the first place, or who the other woman was that Xun had brought, but she was the least of his concerns, given the other people present at this table. "That sounds more boring than whatever this is.", Ruo complained to Richard in the meantime, completely disinterested in the soup she had been served and was supposed to chow down on. A bite here, a slurp there, and then a mouthful of bread and she already seemed pleased with what little she had been offered, if only because her palate wasn't easy to please. Yujin, on the other hand, simply nodded at Richards acknowledgement and willingsness to eat the food as he was pulled back to Yin, who demanded his attention without giving him a moment of respite, despite her father already telling her to be kinder and gentler to the man she seemed to be so interested in, the man that couldn't recall her at all, even if he tried, those bits and pieces seemed to be nothing in the grand scheme of things, fleeting memories that had long since passed.

"Is it? Do you want mind? I don't like it.", she openly confessed to Richard and shoved her bowl slightly his way, in case he wanted to switch. From how little she knew of him, even before he disappeared and then came back, he seemed nice enough, but nowhere near as overbearing as her brothers could be. A welcome change of pace, was he not? "Nobody told her?", Ruo's voice dipped low as she leaned closer to Richard, once again raising her sleeve to shield her words from prying ears, like sharing unnecessary secrets with another girl her age, about to gossip and giggle about someones hairdo, or their lack of etiquette. "The old guy between my dads is some sort of village chief, a bit far from Silesse but not that far. Father's been sucking up to him for years, he wants his lands.", she pointed out to him, then motioned to Yujin. "The girl next to Yujin is Yin, his daughter. Her and Yujin have a bit of a ... weird relationship. One moment father says they're to be married, the next she's off the table again." Ruoxe sighed, motioning with her shoulders as servants showed up to take away their - by now hopefully - empty bowls. "And the other girl next to Xu is like, his beloved? She's not related to the other two, but she's Xu's betrothed. I don't like any of them, they're all prissy and loooove pretending to be oh so virtuous."

Shuren held his court, if one was allowed to call it that, more like an Adrestian noble than a Thrian one. In fact nobility wasn't necessarily big in Thria, there were those born to kings or chiefs, but marrying someone considered 'common' in Adrestia was almost never a problem. The fact that his grandfather, Nayantais father, had become king proved it. He was a nobody, at least in Thrians eyes, when he got involved with their queen and he even held power after her death. In a sense, this gave everyone a fighting chance for power and sometimes strength was what lead to a change in leadership, while in Adrestia it was strategic marriages. Shuren however was much more lean, much more well spoken and suffisticated and much more into negotiations than the Thrian cliché, proven by Richards own close family, would suggest. Nayantai was never made for these kind of things and Khojin definetly wasn't either.

"Oh uh... that's alright, I'm not that hungry.", Richard mumbled into Ruoxes direction with a smile. He barely ate and he definitely didn't finish his own soup which seemed way too boring for Yujins sister and maybe the rest of his family too. To be fair to them, it wasn't spicy, but it also wasn't much else. He did glean the information he asked for fairly easily though, Ruoxe seemed bored enough to tell him about the people here, gladly too. So Yujin and Yin maybe were still on, in Shurens eyes, and there was probably no way he wanted his son to marry an exiled Adrestian prince instead and yet Richard felt played with in this moment. Muhan and Shuren alike knew of Yujins relationship to Richard and were gladly nurturing it for quite some time since he came back and Yujin himself didn't stop once to think about his maybe fiancé either. Richard didn't want to be caught in the middle of this, he didn't have the energy for it. "Mhm... Silesse feels much more like Adrestia than what I saw of Thria when I grew up." His aunt and her daughters were very much the opposite of this, they were loud, strong and independent. Richard couldn't quite tell what Ruoxe wanted to be. "If your older brother inherits Silesse, would Yujin move to his wife's or husband's place then?", he wondered and as far as he knew, even though Yujin would inherit Silesse before Xu, that plan had been abandoned since that odd incident.

Was Richard just a schmuck? Ruoxe couldn't tell, she desperately desired to know if she could test the waters with him, however - how much was too much, and how long until it pissed someone off? The thought alone was funny in her head, saving her brother from unwanted advances by giving his boyfriend of sorts unwanted advances, or rather, pissing Richard off, but she knew that her seat at this table was that of an island with one port, and if Richard cut her off for the night, no matter how considerate she'd be about everything else, she'd be stuck on the sidelines, hoping that something funny would shift their seating order, which almost never happened. "Suit yourself.", he replied in turn, their plates already whisked away. No second course had arrived, very likely because her father wanted to savor the moment, whatever the sadistic reason was that he could come up with. Wasn't that almost mean to her old man? Ruoxe let her gaze dance across their little banquet table, as far as they could reach anyhow, with Yujin preoccupied denying Yin any sort of level plain field or advances, Shuren engrossed in his favorite hobby - talking - and Muhan sitting idly by, as if he needed to strongarm Yin's father into agreeing something sometime soon. Xu on the other hand snuck his fiancé kisses, some which she sheepishly returned, and just then, she had enough from looking around.

Saved by the arrival of their second course - some sort of roasted fish, likely saltwater, alongside vegetables, likely adrestian, and a heap of rice and egg was present on every plate. The chatter was drowned out by their feasting occasionally, which gave Ruoxe even more excuses to hopefully get up and disappear into the castle for the night soon enough. "Thanks to my father, no doubt.", she joked under her breath, still careful to not let Shuren hear more than he earnestly needed to. What an annoying man he was to be around at times, with eyes and ears as far as anyone could see. "Hmm, are you scared we're going to send you back home?" A jest, nothing more, as she dug a shallow porcelain spoon into her hardboiled egg, spilling the runny yolk all over her rice, striking a jackpot for herself. This was about as tasty as it could get, if only they had served some of that adrestian meat from the other day with it, but she could hardly be picky. "Depends. If he marries her, he'd be going with her. No place for them here, especially not with Xu. If he marries you? I think you'd be staying here, easy as pie, but father would likely still kick you out of the castle eventually. Mean, I know, but as he always says 'I can only feed and house so many' - and beeeeesides, I think being by your lonesome with your loved one is much more fun."

Richard wondered how many courses there were and if he was honest, as soon as the dessert was brought away, he'd most likely excuse himself for the night. Nobody needed him to be here anyway. Yujin, albeit not by choice, was occupied and if anything, he didn't want to shake him off of himself either. The next course was brought before them eventually, again it was perfectly fine for Richard to eat, though he still seldomly ate a lot and not something fatty like that. It tasted like nothing to him anyway, not by fault of the cooks most likely. He ate some rice and forced down some more, just so his plate wouldn't look that sad, he didn't want to upset anyone and as he has told Ruoxe, he grew up around important people being invited and acting accordingly. Even when not, their family always ate together, every night, if not for some good reason not to attend.

Yujins sister was bored enough to engage with Richard who was the only one around her she was able to talk to without yelling across the table. "I'm not sure what the arrangement is...", he answered. Dayan sent him here, Shuren agreed it seemed, but Richard knew neither motivation of either man. He was just shoved around, happy to be far away from Ares and close to Yujin and yet he felt pushed around, especially now. What was it with Shuren? Was this a game to him? Was he trying to keep his options open? Yins father apprently held some lands Shuren wanted to control and Richard? He was still an Adrestian prince and even if he stepped down to leave the crown to his brother, he had some kind of claim, of not over Adrestia and Myriad, then maybe over Fhaergus. Politically it wasn't a bad play, but it all depended on the deal he had made with Dayan and the terms they lay out. Richard wasn't sure if he wouldn't just cause all sorts of trouble if he moved back to Adrestia, even if he hid away surrounded by Fhaergus' mountains. Dayan was still seen as a wolf and Richard was the former kings son. "I'm not sure if that will ever happen.", he simply answered Yujins sister. His father had ambitions, that much was certain and Yujin himself? He should have the right to decide what he wanted, but if he only picked Richard because he simply was around more often and therefor fresher in his memory, or present at all, it seemed wrong too.

Spooning her egg into the rice, Ruoxe didn't keep close watch on anyone seated at this table, couldn't care less, but she noticed just how meager Richards appetite was, for all that lay on his plate seemed to never diminish, no matter if he put something in his mouth, something she saw quite clearly, or just left it be as was. Again, was that really any of her business? She should stay out of it, she knew that well enough, but on the other hand, her brother, who should be paying close attention, didn't seem like he was quite present for Richard tonight, but rather Yin. "Neither do I.", she mumbled in return. Whatever she knew, she only knew because other people had told her, allowed her to know, and that was where it seemingly stayed at. Was her father ever going to back down? Ruo didn't know, she believed that all in all, none of this was supposed to be the way it was, but now, everything had already gone to shit. Who was willing to fix a broken carriage? Not a single one of them seemed adept enough at something so simple, her included, and maybe that was why she kept her mouth zipped.

"Marrying him? He seems to be on board, but if you don't want to, I can't blame you. It would be an endless amount of work, and I don't know if there's any payoff or benefit." Ruoxe hardly understood whatever condition her brother had, she didn't bother, why would she? Yujin remembered her just fine most day, and the few times he didn't exactly, he was likely trying to make a fool of her. Whatever. Fine by her. "And if it's because of my father, I can't blame you either. He's a bit of a freak.", she openly confessed next, without any regard for him. Clearly, he had heard that, especially when he shot her a glance from the corner, despite not laying off of Yin's father and talking about some sort of alcohol and brewing potencies. In turn, she simply smirked at her father as she stole some leftover fish from Richards plate, being bold enough to let her bad manners shine through. Was she using Richard now? Ruo almost felt bad, but the evening went on, no, it dragged on forever, until dessert was all but finished and she couldn't wait to finally get up and out of here. "Have you touched any of the other courses at all?"

Ruoxe was not that much younger than Yujin or Richard, but the few years showed anyway. She didn't know what love meant yet and in a way Richard hadn't been so different the first time he arrived in Silesse. Obviously siblings often also had their feuds with their brothers and sisters, so he didn't pay her snarky comment that much mind. There was no point in explaining Yujins good feats to her. In the end it was him that made Richard feel a bit more normal and alive again both times he came here when nobody else managed to do that and he also never gave up on him. Still, Richard couldn't help but wonder how much Yujin knew when Richard stepped off that boat. The first time Yin was a topic, he also never mentioned her, when he surely had remembered her when whatever it was that started between them started. It wouldn't surprise Richard if Yujin simply didn't say anything, because Richard had been feeling so terrible, that he just wanted to be nice and to protect him in a way.

Did that excuse a lie like that? No and did Yujins condition? Probably not. It wasn't like he couldn't recall important things by just writing and reading notes he left for himself. Either way, Richard didn't feel like he was capable of being dragged into something like this on top of everything else and he shot Shuren a glance as well, suspecting him to instigate that for whatever selfish and cruel reason. Richard was probably well in his right to simply get up and leave, but he behaved and probably didn't look much different to his usual also very gloomy self. The dessert was brought out after what felt ages and it was also something Richard was definetly not going to be able to keep down if he tried, something else he felt like Shuren would be aware of, after all it was him that monitored his diet so he slowly got back on his feet and didn't hurt himself in the process. Ruoxe already stole some fish from Richard, which he didn't complain about and now that she asked him about the dessert, he simply slid his bowl over to her. "You can have it if you want it.", he told her, trying to add a small polite smile as well. He pondered over if he should ask Ruoxe more questions, but he feared he'd sound obsessed, then again most of the evening went by in silence. "Can you tell me when the last time was Yin was here?", he asked her anyway, just to stop guessing and speculating about Yujins honesty.