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[Blade Master Model 42]

King Himos was already at the end of his patience with the combined group's antics. When he spoke again, it was a roar that shook the hall. "Each of you will take this responsibility seriously!" Himos pointed an accusing finger at Grae. "You will explain why you have brought a whimpering child into my presence. Do you seek to insult me in my time of need, human?"

"...I am no fool, Your Majesty. I brought him because he will be useful. He can refresh a warrior at a moments notice, and is a talented swordsman in his own right. His problem with your people isn't relevant to the task at hand- or wasn't, until you saw fit to add your own to my ranks. In any case, I have complete faith in his ability to perform under pressure." Grae's words were almost subservient, but the gaze he met Himos' with was like iron.

"...Then go, and prove his ability and yours. Find my daughter."

"Of course." Grae turned and swept from the room, deftly pushing Milos out in front of him. There wouldn't be much time to speak alone before the others followed, but he had enough time to ask the most important questions. "Are you alright? Are you going to be?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Joachim turned to the king and bowed.

"I am serrrious. Yourrr daughterrr is as good as found."

And with that he followed Grae out, though not especially quickly. There wasn't any need to rush just yet.

[rokubiraijuu]

The king's roar is enough to quiet him, though not dim the eager light of his expression. He's had enough experience around angry adults to know when is the best time to shut his beak, even if his wings still rustle with excitement for what's to come.

"Sorry, your majesty," he replies, in the same tone that he once used to skirt around Granny when she would rage, down flying.

"Hehe, looks like you were right!" he croons delightedly, though less loudly than before, to Aurelia once they're out of the king's earshot and heading out of the cave. "I've got a lot to learn about royalty! Hmm, I wonder where we're off to first."

[Gaterhyme]

"... I'm Claire."

There hadn't been time to say much more before Milos became the center of everyone's attention. She'd wanted to help him, but she hadn't been sure how to do so without making the situation worse. The king's displeasure had been terrible to behold as well...

She was glad when things wound down. Even though she wanted to join Grae and Milos, the best way to help now was probably to match everyone else's somewhat leisurely pace. Quietly, she did so, and made no particular show of mingling.

[Twinwolf]

Aurelia winced, although she knew (/hoped) that she was taking it seriously enough not to be one of the targets of the outburst. She didn't say anything though, just walking out a bit after the humans and after bowing (was that a thing laguz did?).

"I mean, he's worried sick about his daughter... I don't think that's really specific to royalty, is it? As for where we're going, I guess we'll just go to Morcia? I'm not sure where else we'd go, given the mission."

[RedMageCole]

All Milos really could do was stand there in silence in response to everything, as he had nothing else to say; he had already said his piece and he hoped that would bring a little understanding. He initially looked a tad relieved that the king was calling the Laguz to order... but something stirred inside of Milos at the comment of him being a 'whimpering child'. It was something that paralyzed him more than he already was paralyzed from. It wasn't just fear, it was... a bit of... some kind of angry feeling. If he wasn't still afraid, and if he wasn't standing in the presence of a king, he might have stood up, but all he really did was shrink back in shame.

Grae's encouragement, however, was enough to somewhat bring a bit more of a spring back into his step. He stood up a little more, but still said nothing... only trying to look a little more confident, even if he was still trembling. He tried to take deep breaths as quietly as he could as Grae spoke on his behavior. He looked... a bit ashamed as Grae came to him.

"I-...I'll be fine... I-I'm really sorry about overreacting and... getting you in trouble with the king like that. But... I promise I'll... I'll get better over all of this. It just caught me off guard..."

...Milos' words dropped to a whisper he only intended for Grae and himself to hear.

"I... I might whimper a lot... but I'm not a child. I... I will prove that."

[Blade Master Model 42]

"You don't need to prove anything to me. I know your skills. If those Laguz we're working with give you more than you feel like taking, let me know. I'll handle it." As the rest of the group make their way out from the cave, Grae turns to address the group. "Let me make something abundantly clear. I make a habit of working with people that I specifically elect to work with. The six of you do not meet that standard. I don't know how you fight, I don't know your skill set. Here is what I do know. I am in command of this operation. You will follow my orders. Everyone fights. No one quits. We're leaving for Cuue, immediately. For those who don't know, its a city just beyond the Morcian border. I have contacts there who might be able able to give me some information on Laguz being trafficked in the area. Does anyone have any questions?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Aye. I'll listen to you, you'rrre an old fighterrr so you've earrrned some rrrespect."

"What arrre we doing about sleeping arrrrrrangements? The old cougarrr, she needs a man herrr age of a night."

Joachim just grinned a cheeky grin at Grae.

[Blade Master Model 42]

Grae almost smiled at the suggestion. Almost. "To this point, we've been sleeping spread across three tents. The girls use two tents, Milos and I use another. You six can determine your own arrangements- and I hope you brought your own, because I don't have spares."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Sleeping out in the cold then, is it?"

Joachim considered that.

"Your frrriend therrre, he's not going to be scrrreaming scarrred when he walks out the tent in the morrrning and sees a couple of big cats and a wolf?"

[rokubiraijuu]

Jupi tilts his head at Aurelia's observation, genuinely curious.

"Is it? I guess that makes sense."

He isn't able to say much more before the tough old guy addresses all of them. "I'd guessed Morcia as much, but that answers my question. Should be fun!"

Hearing the discussion turn to sleeping arrangements, he lifts into the air and flutters to the front. "I don't mind taking first watch, boss. I've got no problem sleeping in a good-sized tree and you can't beat a hawk's eyes, haha!"

[Blade Master Model 42]

Grae nodded toward Jupi and ignored Joachim's question. "Alright, I'll take you up on that. Let's get moving people, we can walk and talk. We have a lot of time to get to know each other." Grae led the way, heading north northwest to circle the lake heading toward the northern border.

[Chevaleresse]

"Mmm. I suppose." Heledd stretched, trying to put the encounter behind her. She hadn't meant to offend the king, but she also couldn't deny the amusement she'd garnered from teasing that Milos. "I can handle my own shelter. This isn't my first hunt. And I don't quit until I've caught my prey." She glanced at Milos first, then Joachim at that. "And you, panther kit, should be careful about those jokes. Cougars can strike without warning, you know." Her tone was fairly light, and a mischievous glint shone in her eyes.

[RedMageCole]

Grae's encouragement was enough to give Milos a little more confidence in himself, his stutter beginning to waver as Grae assured him.

"Thank you, sir..."

After that, however, Milos nervously waited for the sleeping arrangement results, because even though he assured himself he wouldn't be so afraid of his comrades, the idea of sharing a tent with Joachim was a bit scary. Thankfully, it seemed they might not have to... but overhearing his comment made him flinch a bit.

"I won't..."

He doesn't sound very convincing. Regardless, he marched on, trying to take a little more of a front-marching role rather than staying in the back like he usually did... though he kept his distance from the beasts.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Is that so? Save it for the hunt then, show us how they did it in the olden days."

Joachim winked at Heledd and moved to follow the humans.

"If Jupi's taken firrrst watch, I'll have second. I like to brrreak my sleeping up anyway - too much at a time and I'm out for hourrrs, be absolutely useless in the morrrning."

"And the wolf, we'll let herrr sleep rrright on thrrrough. Can't be having herrr howling at the moon at all hourrrs, keeping us all awake like that."

He grinned at Aya to show he had no mean intentions - he just liked to talk.