Chapter Text
You sighed out, engraving another symbol into your wooden instrument. Raine was supposed to have been here hours ago and you were beginning to worry about them. You were their apprentice, and had developed a parental bond with them after years of them being your tutor. Like few children, you dreamt of being in the Emperor's Coven. You were picked at when you were younger, as other thought Bards were useless to the Emperor. But that only pushed you forward. You'd developed a deep love for music, playing with Raine made the world slow down just a few minutes, just the two of you talking through strings.Maybe they'd ran into trouble with the Emperor? You were growing impatient, there was only so much you could do in Raine's study. Since it's such a familiar place, its long since lost its childlike glow, now dulled with dust and foggy memories. You'd seen this room so much you could recall everything inside of it with your eyes closed. Your mind began to wonder, ever since Lilith left the coven you'd been lonely. It may have been short, but the two of you had begun a fast friendship. It's a shame she had to go, but you were glad nonetheless she'd been reunited with her family. Sometimes deep into the night, you wished the same. The warm feeling of two adults happily bonding together to raise you. A family, that's what you'd always wanted, maybe that's why you wanted into the emperor's coven so badly. Though in some cases, Raine was your family, but did that count?
You rubbed at your eyes, now wasn't the time to be asking those kinds of question. You had to find out where Raine actually was. Getting up from your place at their study, you walked outside while fastening your mask behind your hair. You adjusted your tunic as you walked, looking for any sign of the mint haired bard. The first few places you could think of were their room, and some quiet places around town. Maybe if you hurried, you'd be able to track them down. You sighed, sitting down on the dirt. The sky had dimmed, street torches had been lit, a few stray stars had begun showing up, and still no sign of Raine. The only thing distracting you from your worry was how exhausted you'd become. Maybe they'd gone back to the palace? Of course you wanted to check but you weren't sure if your legs would carry you any further. You dug around in your pocket, finding the snack you'd yoinked from the dinning hall earlier that day. You'd begun to feel your eyelids drop once you'd taken a bite, fighting to stay awake- hald to find raine and half to prevent a creature from biting your hand off trying to steal your snack- but as always, sleep won as your body fell limp and your head rested against crates.
"Easy, don't wanna drop them," you stirred when you were lifted off the ground and held against someone's chest. Too drained to keep your eyes open for more than a few seconds, you were able to make out the familiar mint hair hidden behind a white, , blob?
", , Raine ?" you reached out, blurry vision making it hard to realize your hand was resting half in eda's hair, and half in raine's direction. She snorted, re-adjusting you in her arms to remove your hand, putting it over your stomach with a pat.
"Rest up kid. You're okay." Too tired to reply with more than a smile, you do just that.
"-I'll take it from here-" covers were brought up under your chin. You didn't even have to open your eyes to know you were in your room at the emperor's castle, tucked in snugly by the individual you'd begun your day looking for.
"Where did you-"
"Shh, ask all your questions in the morning, I'll be right here when you wake up."