[ conjuring refreshment table . . . ]

[arcanepower]

Who: Belth and whoever
Broadcast: None planned
Action: Wonderduck
When: slightly backdated to 4/24

[The Wonderduck has a visitor today. He's only a little over five feet tall, dressed in black robes, and looking curious and surly at the same time. An interesting combination. But he does come bearing gifts or bribes, however you might call it, and they are fresh and fucking delicious.

He's here to visit one person in particular, but he's also really nosy so he might... wander off into the kitchen to see what the ducklings have. His ship doesn't even have a spice rack. It's disgraceful.]

Comments

[princessia]

You made those for us? Thank you!

[ Even she's forgetting to introduce herself. Noticing the over-excitement in her voice, her cheeks begin to glow. Oops. It really does look delicious to her. She shouldn't let the poor guy stand there and keep holding the plate out like that. ]

You... can set it down somewhere.

[arcanepower]

I did. It's-- it's no problem. [She's... so happy. And cute. And tiny. What do.

He sets the plate on the counter though, just within her reach, and hides his fingers beneath his sleeves again.]

This is my first time boarding someone else's ship, so I thought it would be polite. It is not uncommon to bring small gifts when visiting someone's residence on my world.

[After an awkward pause, he bows from the waist. It makes his long ears bounce in a funny way]

I am Belthazar.

[princessia]

[ His ears are long and they kind of remind her of pink rappigs, her favorite animal. They're so cute! Though, she keeps those thoughts to herself. It might be rude to bring it up. He's different from a lot of the other elves she has seen on the fleet. ]

Welcome to the Wonderduck, Bel...thazar. [ A slight pause as she says his name slowly. She wants to make sure she says it correctly and she does. She smiles shyly. ] My name is Elize.

[ She toddles over to the counter, eyes lighting up again as she tries to decide which one she wants to eat first. ]

May I eat one now? I'll be sure to save some for the others.

[arcanepower]

[OH NO, RAPPIGS. Yes, that's a very good point.]

That's right, [he murmurs, and he sounds a bit surprised. Usually non-elves have trouble with his name.] It's... uh... a pleasure to meet you, Elize.

I made enough so that everyone can have two. [A pause.] I think.

... I can conjure more.

[princessia]

[ Con... jure? She's not sure what that word means even though she might have heard it thrown around a few times. That's a strange word to use for baking, she thinks! Deciding on one of the more chocolatey pastries, she picks it up with her fingers and gives it a small nibble. She almost feels bad for eating one, since they also look too pretty to eat... but she's a little glutton. ]

It's so delicious!

[ It doesn't take long for her to scarf the whole thing down... ]

Your baking is great, Belthazar!

[arcanepower]

[Oh no. Oh no, the small girl is complimenting him. His nose turns red and his blush extends from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, and he reflexively curls his fingers around the hems of his sleeves. All of his confidence, gone. Just because a girl looked at him sideways.]

Th-- th... thank you.

[AHEM.]

You can have another one.

[princessia]

Umm... you're welcome.

[ Wow, it's difficult for her to ignore that whole lot of red on his face. Don't worry though, Belthazar, she won't call him out on it and make him feel worse. She knows how that feels. Normally, she's in the position of feeling flustered.

Focusing her attention back to the plate of pastries, she chooses a more fruit based dessert. She nibbles it more slowly, savoring the flavor this time. ]

This one's amazing too. [ She smiles. ] Everyone's going to love it when they try it!

[arcanepower]

[Belth is very easily flustered. Not calling him out on it is a good choice.]

I don't usually cook for anyone but myself. It's... an interesting feeling.

[princessia]

[ Good thing she's nice enough not to call him out. She nibbles a bit more at the pastry, then looks back up at him, tilting her head. She's smiling a bit... clearly, she is very pleased by his cooking. ]

Interesting? Why do you say that?

[arcanepower]

[She is, and he's strangely happy about it.]

It... isn't something I really considered doing before. I don't make people happy, usually.

[Well, that's vague.]

[princessia]

You should cook more often! [ A little fist clench with her free hand. ] You'll make people happy and gain a lot of friends!

[ Maybe she just wants to eat more of his cooking. She's always thinking about friends too. In her mind, she may be thinking of him as a friend already. He gave her food. So kind! He is a friend now. ]

[arcanepower]

[He leans back a little, not expecting such... passion.]

But I'm-- I'm not good at that. Friends. I'm not good at friends.

[His ears flatten again.]

I didn't even have one until two months ago. I have no idea what I'm doing...

[princessia]

[ She's reminded somewhat of herself, having formed her very first friendship with Jude not too long ago back on her own world. Making friends is still something she's new at herself, but she wants to make as many as possible. ]

That's okay! I felt like that too before. [ It's even scary for her sometimes... ]

We can be friends, if you'd like.

[arcanepower]

[It's really hard to say 'no, I'm terrible with people and want nothing to do with them usually' when faced with Elize.]

... You know what it's like?

[Now that's something he hasn't heard before.]

But you're so... nice. Everyone must love you.

[HA HA HA HOW WRONG YOU ARE, BELTHAZAR.]

[princessia]

[ She shifts uncomfortably, thinking about the people of Hamil. She's getting along with most people, but that was after she left behind that village... ]

Not... everyone. That's not true.

[arcanepower]

[His brows furrow. He could push, but it's none of his business. And he doesn't want to upset her. He turns his nose up then and crosses his arms.]

Well, they're obviously stupid. And wrong. Honestly, to mistreat a girl--

[He mutters something else that sounds halfway between Tolkien Elvish and Latin. Whatever it is, it's vehement.]

[princessia]

[ The surprise on her face turns into a tiny smile, with a faint flush. She doesn't understand the language he's muttering, but she feels flattered he'd express such disapproval on her behalf. ]

Don't worry. It's okay now...

[arcanepower]

[He lets out a breath like 'ffffffffffffffffffffff' and doesn't make eye contact.] That's-- that's better.

Some people are disgusting. They end up self-centered and incorrigible in all they do, and they won't lift a finger to help those suffering around them. Your worth isn't determined by greedy simpletons.

[princessia]

[ Wow, that's some big vocabulary for her, Belth! It does sound a lot like what she thinks about the villagers of Hamil and how they treated outsiders... ]

You've met people like that too?

[arcanepower]

My city is controlled by them. The rich and the corrupt prosper while everyone else is crushed into the dirt. [He hates them. He wishes he could just annihilate them all but that's, you know, not something he could actually do even if he had the strength to. His sister would want him to do better.

He'll have to change their minds and do things the hard way. The right way.]

The only thing they understand is power.