Yujin was back! It was vey good to be back home, and he had found Ping at the guard post upon arrival, so fortunately, there wasn’t trouble in getting back in. Well, Ping gave him a dirty look, but since they were friends, he didn’t sound an alarm or anything. He decided then that later he would find a way to make it up to the black and white lion, but after his journey away, all Yujin wanted was to relax a bit and take in his homelands, he had missed them.
“And where have you been?”
The voice startled him, and he predictably slid off the rock where he perched. Fortunately Yujin hadn’t chosen a rock that was on the edge of a cliff, or he might be in trouble. He looked around, but the owner of the voice wasn’t hard to find. She wasn’t exactly colored subtly. “Uh, Zisè! Hi!” He stammered dumbly, pulling his front back up on the rock to look at her. She didn’t seem happy.
“Well?”
Yujin probably knew it was hopeless, but couldn’t help playing dumb. “What do you mean? I haven’t been anywhere.” He stammered, head tilted to try and compliment an innocent expression.
The duchess before him hardly seemed phased. Damn, she was in nobility mode. Since they’d met when he was a cub, he’d found Zisè was actually quite gentle, except when she was… well, like this. “Don’t you lie to me, Yujin! I know you were gone! Where were you?” The purple lioness pulled herself up on the rock, which meant that he was now in a rather stupid position, looking up at her.
“I wasn’t anywhere, I swe—”
“Liar!”
Okay, the game was up. He best not get her angry. “All right, all right! I’ll talk!” He cried, pulling back from the rock so he didn’t have to look so pathetic, at her feet. “I went out and… explored. A bit.” He admitted sheepishly, and felt forced to look away from her. Now he was a little afraid. Would his stupid curiosity lead to him being… exiled? The thought horrified him, because he had just been curious. He never wanted to leave the pride! It was his home, he just wanted to see the world. If Zisè knew, she probably would have told someone by now. He was done for.
“I knew it!” The duchess cried, and she looked almost ready to slap him for a moment there. “You are lucky I did not tell my father we had a deserted!”
“I’m not!” Yujin couldn’t help raising his voice a bit.But it grew softer quickly. “You didn’t tell him?” She shook her head, but still looked angry. “Will you?” He as hanging on her answer now, and it looked like he depended totally on her good will.
Now Zisè’s expression changed, and she suddenly seemed pretty sad. “I don’t know. Should I?” She asked, and it looked almost like he had somehow hurt her. Yujin wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
“Well, I’d… prefer if you didn’t.” He said honestly. “I wasn’t… leaving, Zisè. It’s just I’m young. And curious. And I love our home and I always want to be here! But…” He sighed, with a frown. “I don’t know. I just wanted to see a bit of the world before I spent the rest of my life here, that’s all.” It was a lame reason, perhaps, but it was exactly how Yujin felt, and he supposed Zisè deserved to know. She was a noble in his house and much higher ranked than he was. And now he kind of depended on her good will to stay out of trouble.
Besides, they were friends.
She seemed to consider this for a few moments, and he tried to catch her eyes, because looking in one’s eye should make it look like you’re being certain and honest, and he wanted to get that across. But she just looked down. “You shouldn’t have left.”
He supposed he couldn’t argue with that. “I know.”
“You are lucky I’m the only one that found out.”
He offered her a small smile there. “I think you’re the only noble that would actually care to check. I was only gone for a couple of weeks.”
This didn’t seem to amuse Zisè, though, so his smile faded, and he looked away, feeling awkward and wrong. “Just don’t do it again.” The duchess finally said with a sigh. “You’re my friend, and I don’t want you exiled.” So he supposed that explained why she seemed pretty upset. And also why she hadn’t told anyone. Yujin felt a rush of affection for the duchess there, and wanted to head butt her to show it, bbut figured she might not appreciate it right now. Maybe he could make it up to her later.
“Thank you, Zisè. You are a good friend.”
The duchess snorted, and that amused him because it wasn’t very lady-like. He laughed, which got a bit of a smile from her. They would be okay, and that made him feel good. “You are too. When you’re not being stupid.” He wanted to joke then, and do something stupid, but decided not to. They could play later. “There is a condition, though.” Yujin’s ears perked up then, and he wondered just exactly what he would have to do for her. Perhaps something humiliating. Naah, Zisè wasn’t really the type… was she?
“You will need to tell me all about what you saw! I doubt I will ever see it.”
He smiled. “I’ll tell you all you want. But… you know, you could probably get permission to go on a trip.”
The purple lioness seemed to consider it. “Maybe someday. If I do I’ll take you with me.” He nodded, sounded fair enough. And like fun.
“Well… I should go find my mother. Haven’t seen her since I left.” said Yujin, because he figured Zisè was still a little mad at him and might want some time to think. “You know where to find me!” And ith that, he hurried off.