Elion stiffened, unable to summon up any courage in himself to turn around and face the lady who had been dragging him by his hair like a mop less than a day ago. He remembered it all too well; his body scraping along the rough ground as he tried not to cry out, until he didn't have to try anymore because he had been gagged and tied to a strange, icy cold surface. He had managed escaped, barely, and was able to reach Zenna before anything happened to her. He wasn't a very good "rescue party" it seemed.

He could feel Zenna tense beside him and wished he knew how to comfort her, but instead he just sat there, the woman's cackles still ringing in his ears. Zenna acted first (which didn't really surprise him) and he saw that she was already on her feet, making himself awkwardly follow her up. He glanced nervously at her, worried about what she might do next. She was the most unpredictable, headstrong person he's ever known and he wasn't sure whether that should've made him scared or gawk. Both, maybe? Lately all he'd been doing is gawk.

She clenched her fists at her sides and Elion crossed his arms over his chest, not quite sure what to do with them. He was fucking terrified.

"I guess you lot didn't enjoy Nox's hospitality," Grandma cut through the deadly silence, her voice raw and crisp, always making sure she pronounced every syllable. It sent shivers down Elion's spine. "Fair enough, he's a bit too impulsive for my taste, and way too indecisive, but Weylyn clings onto him like a lost puppy. It's irritating and strange, even though he is her father. But who says we have to love our families, eh?"

Something flashed behind Zenna's eyes and she quickly shook it off, never losing her stance. She always looked like she was ready to pounce, not letting anything penetrate her invisible shields. "Cut to the chase, hag," she bared her teeth so hard Elion thought they might break off, "what do you really want with us? You said you wanted an alliance. Fine. This isn't exactly how alliances work."

Grandma mimicked Elion's stance, folding her arms and balancing on her left leg. He intertwined his hands behind his back self-consciously, wishing he could sink into the shadows and disappear.

"I never offered an alliance, child. I simply declared that we could help each other if you would stay as our guest. I, however, never said he could stay as well. Though I can see why you keep him around, he's quite charming, and you seem like a good enough babysitter," she gave him a once-over before her gaze settled on Zenna again.

He was afraid that the girl from the woods would give in then and there, surrendering him or trading him for her escape, but she stood her ground and something fluttered in his chest. Hope, he thought, then quickly dismissed it. "You don't touch him," she growled, procuring the dagger she had taken earlier and twirling it expertly between her fingers. He couldn't fathom why she'd be helping him; he had come impulsively and had completely failed his mission, resulting in getting them both in trouble, and trouble is all that seemed to come from this blasted house. But she never flinched, never faltered, and it caused him to think about how she'd gotten so strong in so little time. She was only a year or two younger than him and already she looked ready to take on an army.

"How noble. But what am I to do with him? He's useless to me." She turned to him again. "Are you good for anything other than standing and gawking?"

"I--uh, I can--sing?" he stuttered, clamping his mouth shut the minute he realized what he had said. Stars above, he was bad at this.

"Oh! Brilliant!" Grandma cooed, obviously annoyed, "You can nanny Weylyn. I'm positive she'll be pleased to have a different voice sing her lullabies." She turned her back to them, calling her granddaughter to join the scene.

Weylyn skipped in almost instantly, her hair only half braided. "Yes, grandmother?" she inquired, looking weary.

"Mind showing our guests to their rooms? They're boring me."

"Of course, grandmother," she brightened, taking a gaping Zenna by her wrist and bouncing back up the stairs, Elion following not far behind.

Grandma stopped him halfway, her palm pressing into his chest. He gulped, daring to meet her piercing gaze. "Watch your back, pretty boy," she snarled, "you're still unwelcome."

He nodded his head incessantly, finding it difficult to stop, and she released him. He rushed up to join the girls.

The house was a lot bigger than it had appeared when he was trying to sneak in, though it felt hollow and empty, thick air surrounding him everywhere he went. He sped up a bit, trying to catch up to Zenna and Weylyn who were already far ahead, talking about something he couldn't make out.

"I'm sorry you don't like it here," Weylyn frowned, twirling the part of her hair that wasn't yet braided. "But if you want, I'd love to have you join my tea party. Your boyfriend can come too!"

"He's not my--"

"We'd love to," Elion smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he moved to be on the other side of the little girl. Zenna raised an eyebrow at him and he simply shrugged.

"Oh, great! To my room, then!" she beamed, taking off at a faster pace, leaving the two to trail behind.

"You're too nice," Zenna scolded him, blowing a stray hair off her face.

"Arrest me," he shrugged again, grinning sideways.

She rolled her eyes, playfully bumping him with her shoulder as they rounded into the bedroom. Both their eyes widened at the same time. The room was completely yellow—from the walls to the furniture to the carpets and bedding—the only other colour being some spots of white and green and the brown, half-hidden, hardwood floor. It felt as if they had just walked into a bedroom on the sun.

"Tea, yes?" Weylyn offered from her spot at a gold-tinted toy chair, her legs swinging back and forth eagerly. Only Elion accepted. Was he too nice? His mother wouldn't have cared, anyway, she was always too blinded by her grief for her lost firstborn son (whom he had been named after) to ever care what Elion did. He would never be as good as she wished.

They took the last two seats at the round table, life-size mannequins surrounding them, each one delicately places in their accustomed seat.

"I, um—What are your names?" Weylyn asked after we were both squeezed into the tiny chairs.

Zenna hesitated a moment before answering, "I'm Zenna, and that's Elion. Kind of like a lion, only less scary."

He frowned, which made Weylyn's entire face light up in a giggle. "That's okay! Not all lions that are strong have to be scary!"

Elion softened at her words. They meant much more to him than she could know and he could already feel himself warm up to the little girl. "Thank you, Weylyn. I'll remember that."

He picked up his teacup, taking a sip and spitting it back out just as fast, grimacing at the taste. "Waah—What is that? It tastes like dishwater!"

"That's because it is dishwater, silly! You're not supposed to actually drink the tea!" Weylyn was off giggling again, followed by Zenna and soon they were all bent over laughing until he couldn't even remember why they had started.

Maybe they were wrong, maybe not everything in the house was all bad. They still had to find a way out, but tomorrow was another day and they were so exhausted. What harm could a little time off be?

————
A/N

Wooh a little Elion POV for ya there (there'll be more backstory later, don't fret). Ah anyway thank you for readdddiiing, this was more of a filler chapter but it let me explore a bit more and show that not all characters are what they seem at first, so keep yer eyes open :P