to pretend you are a fool

"Eli. Prepare a good room for a guest coming shortly." The prince leveled him with a blank stare as they walked together. It only lasted a moment before he looked ahead again. Their footsteps echoed in sync, bouncing off of the relatively empty hallways. They weren't in any particular rush- sometimes they found each other traversing the hallways together just to do so. The servant didn't particularly mind.

Eli eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Who's coming?" He couldn't think of any king whose land was in dire need, or of any tournament up and coming. It had to be someone of high importance to require a nice room, one that he assumed would have to be at least on the second story. Perhaps there was a travelling merchant coming through, and their items were important? No, that didn't make sense. He would stay at an inn and the goods would be transported separately.

Aesop sighed, visage almost revealing an expression that Eli was ready to pick apart. Alas, he covered it up just before the dam could break. The servant did not miss the way his hands tightened into fists by his side. "You'll see soon enough. Now, get busy." He turned around before he sped off, giving his friend a weak, not-so-reassuring smile.

A hoot sounded from a little far away. On instinct, he raised his arm in the air, and talons soon landed on his gloved hand. The owl toed her way up his arm, briefly pushing her beak against his neck before taking rest on his shoulder. The position could, in no way, be comfortable for her, yet she had taken to doing that every single day since she had first gained full mobility of her wing.

He lifted his other hand to rub his fingers up and down her belly, occasionally giving her a head pat. He clicked his tongue before speaking. "Do you have any idea on who's coming?" Logically, he should not be this curious. However, there was a saying that repeats in his head every so often. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

His own, Brooke Rose, gave him a wide-eyed stare before shifting her weight on his shoulder. She squeezed her talons almost painfully, and she let out a deep shrill. Right. Whoever was arriving in the kingdom was not someone who was going to provide Eli with a good time. Just as always, huh? "I figured as much." As much as he wanted to play it off as though he was nonchalant about the situation, he could feel anxiety start to roll around in his stomach, taking the form of an undigested breakfast. Brooke saw through the facade, and rubbed his cheek with her head in a soothing manner.

With a heavy sigh, he continued down the hallway before taking a turn to the right and heading up the stairs. No matter if this guest was out to kill him or Aesop or the rest of the Oletus Kingdom, he still had to make sure that this was the best damn guest room they had ever taken residence in. Vaguely, in the back of his mind as he made his way to an empty guest room, he wondered why Brooke hadn't shown him a vision of this person, if they were as dangerous as she and Aesop implied. He shook himself out of that thought. She wouldn't put him through a vision if she could help it, only if it was in the most dire scenario. Considering that, everything would come out fine in the end, wouldn't it?

Sensing his thoughts, the owl rustled her feathers next to him, lifting a claw to scratch at his neck. She spoke in a high hoot, affirming what he was thinking. He smiled, thanking his lucky stars that he was able to end up with an intelligent, immortal, and feathery being for a companion. Sometimes she could be a bit sassy and overbearing, but most of the time, she was the only being he could trust.

—•—•—

Shifting from foot to foot, he stole a few quick glances around the room before locking his eyes on the door again. Prince Aesop was sitting on a throne, with his father by his side in a slightly bigger throne. They looked every part as royal as they could, but even a blind man could tell that they were impatient as ever.