#anywhere

"I don't like the idea of everyone else being endangered by me..."

"Well, who says it's your fault? "

"Because Balor look for us. So do Dark Kin."

"But they hate everyone , don't they?" Curious

"They hate us especial. And Dark Kin can.. um... sense us?"

"You mean you can't really hide from them?" startled. Not quite, one can hide, but they know to search.

"Well... I mean, I can hide, but.. but they can find me, eventually."

She frowns. "I got sloppy here."

"You're SAFE here. They don't get in. They still haven't" She says with a hoof stomp "You didn't get sloppy. "

"I can't pretend I'm safe."

"And I can't forget I have to fight."

"Well, I'll learn how to shoot so you're not fighting alone, but dont' forget you got guards, and Sir Buce, and Dame Ash!"

"okay. I think Sir Buce kind of wants to protect Salma as much as you but they wouldn't let ANY Of us get hurt"

"But you shouldn't...you shouldn't be hurt because of me."

"I don't want that to happen."

"I'll be hurt cuz of things I choose " A firm nod "YOu're my friend, but I am still a DeBuke. We get ourSELVES hurt thank you very much" Firm

"If... if bad people come, you'll run away. Fast as you can."

"Yes. I will." A nod "And take you with me"

She shakes her head.

"No, you have to run away and not get hurt."

"Sir Gerald was a knight and a grown up."

"Sir Gerald? " Ariel says then "Sir Gerald is the one who fought to protect you and bought you time didn't he? He waws protecting you alone though. You got a whole hold protecting you now. It's not the same. "

She huffs, fidgeting, distressed... trying to hide it, with limited success.

Ariel gives her a hug "It is not your fault. And you got like an ARMY of warriors here. And Sir Gerald wouldn't want you fighting unless you absolutely had to. he wants you training, but that's not the same thing and you don't have tokeep your sword all the time"

"I feel better when I have it."

"Well, I don't want you dying trying to protect ME neither" She hurumphs

"But that's my job."

"Protecting my people, right?"

"That's a troll's job and I don't want any of THEM doing it either" Ariel says