Her youth lent to her a riotous ignorance that Kaj envied and despaired over in equal parts. It was she who had disturbed his one moment of peace free from the chains of his herd and title, it should be he who was rightfully distressed and upset. Instead, he found no flare or fire in the depths of his breast, merely cold coals that told him he'd been fighting too hard for too long to give to her what she so desired. Helovians still remained beyond his reach of understanding, and their hierarchies only gave him lasting headaches that persisted throughout his attempts to comprehend them. Magic, at least, he could understand. She displayed it with every twist and turn of her lithe bodice, the only thing Kaj knew concretely. Perhaps he could rely upon that throughout their encounter, if nothing else.

"I concede that there are ways to see without looking, but you could have been bested by an outraged opponent in your tired state. I had merely been dozing, I could take your action as a grievance insult you know," he said lightly, amusement twinkling in powder blue eyes to show that he was merely jesting by pushing the issue. It was no harm done, after all, and Kaj was not so strict and severe to hold it against her as another leader perhaps might have. There were a thousand different tales and stories that defined her actions, her habits, just as they did his own. Until he knew them, he could not rightly judge her based on what he'd seen and experienced firsthand. At least, that was the Storm Bringer's personal philosophy.

Deep laughter brewed in his chest at her concise response, though his face was quizzical. "Is that not what you Helovians insist on doing?" he asked, hoping for clarification. "I have only been subjected to excessive apologies in my seasons here, though I regret to inform you that I've also experienced little outside of my own kingdom." Kaj's title kept him firmly chained to his empire rather often, but it was a relinquishment of independence that he had willingly given. He contemplated the information she'd given him as they switched places, she within the tickling boughs of the willow and he without it.

After only a moment of careless distraction, he noticed she had poked her tiara back through the fronds, gazing upon him with eyes reminiscent to the sparks that lay just within reach of his magic. She had shown herself to be just as intense, and it was exhilarating for lack of a better word. Kaj had known many mares in his years, Evangeline perhaps the most electric of the group in which he had foolishly given his heart, but Cirrus was otherworldly in her mannerisms and pride. It was certainly intriguing, if nothing else, and Kaj found himself ridiculously hoping that she would deign to remain with him in the clearing.

Words take him by surprise, but he is carefully poised to not show it himself, a habit taken from years of being a mere wall of meat for his mage. Contemplating them, tasting them, he cast his eyes slowly upon her as if thinking she would run at the mere mention of emotions in their frankness. She certainly seemed the type. Would it be too bold, to ask her what caused her heart such pain for this to be a normal occurrence? Then again, she had extended the nonverbal offer by revealing her agony, so Kaj alighted upon it as tenderly as he could manage.

"May I know?" he asked softly, eyes serious and ears attentive. "I am not so presumptuous to think I can help," he assured, azures like calm waters inviting her to step within them, to trust him just once, so that he could take the chance to show her that it was not in vain. "A story for a story is only fair," he decided, a silent hand thrust between them, a promise that he would walk the path of hard memories beside her if she so sought to use it as an escape, a reasoning, for doing so for him.

@[Cirrus]