The Fox Tamer

Chapter Two: Pop Goes the Vulpes

Layla sat in a small diner and watched as Aaron and Bleu ate. Aaron shoveled food in her mouth faster than she could chew it, leaving Bleu in awe.

"You gonna eat that?" Aaron asked eying his grilled chicken.

Bleu grimaced at Aarons sloppy eating and food smeared face. Sticking his fork in the chicken breast, he held it out to her. "Please, by all means, take it. I've  seemed to have lost my apatite." He murmured in an elegant tone.

Aaron shrugged "yeah? Suit yourself but if that's the case, pass over those berries too." She said.

Bleu carefully pushed his plate in its entirety to the girl.

Layla cleared her throat, "Bleu was it? You're accent....are you Finnish?" She asked. "Finnish? And where would that be from? No, no my people are of Tulikettu's line, Revontulet valley, Käreitär." Bleu explain.

He spoke as if everything he had said was common place, while Layla and Aaron exchanged confused glancing. "Say what now? Hey guy, you crazy or somethin?" Aaron asked mouth full of food, her fork pointed at him.

"N-no of course not. Do people here really not know of Käreitär, in the north?" He asked looking between the two, at their silence he frowned. "Revontulet? It's the winter green capital of Käreitär! The Emerald Sea? Know for its vast green plains?....a rarity in the North...of..." Bleu's voice was starting to raise in his indignance and disbelief.

He sighed and drooped his shoulders "Nevermind then..." he murmured with a wave of dismissal.

"Um...so it's a small country in the north?" Layla asked, she knew a great deal about other countries...or she tried to keep up with them. They had many children from all over the world transferred to Fernwood Orphanage, and Layla preferred to know a bit about each child's birth home and customs to make them feel more at home.

"Yes, yes we'll  go with that for now." Bleu sighed.

"Are you a dignitary?" Layla asked. Bleu chuckled, "hardly, father never trusted me in politics. I'm a show horse, I look good and can give a good show for other Clan leaders. Lady Wu of the Huli-Jing clan is particularly fond of my Horsemanship." Bleu spoke these things with great pride, his chest seemed to puff out just a little.

"Huli-Jing....Chinese diplomats? Royalty? " Layla asked.

"Chinese?" Bleu asked his tone equally as confused as her own.

"Nevermind...how long will you need a place to stay?" She asked. "I can house you for a night or-"

"For the foreseeable future, I'm  afraid." He said.

"Or...two?" Layla blinked, had she heard him right?

"I'm sorry what?" Layla asked. Aaron started to choke on her soda while she broke into laughter. "This fool said the for see able future!" She gasped between cackles.

Bleu eyed Aaron carefully "are you a bultungin? You laugh like one...Qora clan? Would explain why you know so little about the North..." he muttered to himself, quietly pondering.

"Would also explain your poor hygiene and manners." He added.

"H-hey! I'm homeless bitch, a homeless kid! It's called scruffy." Aaron growled.

"No scruffy is not brushing for a day or two." Bleu corrected.

"I change my mind, don't let him stay with us Lay!" Aaron called out, her eyes casting daggers upon Bleu.

Layla sighed, "I can't leave a foreign royal or...whatever he is alone on the streets to find his own way." She said. Aaron motioned to Bleu "seriously?  Look at him! He looks like he waltzed out of Buckingham Palace! I'm sure he'd be fine! He is probably rich!" Aaron reasoned wildly.