Traveling with Risaela, Rajan found, was rather more enjoyable than he had initially expected. They navigated the Lowlands and she showed him potential spots where his flower might grow in the late Spring. Considering the open tundra and the vast expanse of snow drifts, he was skeptical about the lotus finding its way to such places, but he gave her the benefit of the doubt. They would see if he would find the light yellow flower when the world grew warm again.
It was with an even and unhurried gait that he followed the youth into a part of the northern Expanse where the dead grasses were soft underfoot, even in the places where they treaded on hard-packed snow. He took this as a sign that they had come into the Fields, where Risaela and her pack called home. A part of him welcomed the relief, thrilled with the idea of meeting others, while the other figuratively waited nervously on pinecone scales. This was to be only temporary, he told himself as he watched her grey-touched head tip back in a summoning song.
He smiled at her when she assured him that they would be met in due time and that they would go flower-hunting together soon enough. He gave her a nod,
charmed as he took her in. She was confident, which he liked, even with that stutter... but, even then, that little speech defect, he found, was...
cute. His satisfied smirk softened, and his ears and stance relaxed. Risaela was probably too young for him if his preliminary assumptions were correct. He swallowed and took a deep breath, getting his thoughts back on track with preparing himself for meeting her superiors. He had time yet he was sure. With Risaela's help, he would find
the one. All he had to do was be patient and begin with his first task - after all, without the flower, he would not have someone to make his
rani.
you're all here indulging your particular vices
& so I've come to indulge mine