"Cath's friendly. What's unsettling her? I told the staff to get her whatever she needed."

...He's having trouble coming up with an answer here. And how often is Milo at a loss for words?

"Nothing of a rabbitlike nature," Milo hastens to assure him. "It's just. ...What do you think of her, as a person?"

"She's... nice? Hard done by what with the contract dragon-napping. Showed me through the Caves, saved me at least a day. Good company."

"She... didn't particularly look it on the trip. And she does not care for the entire 'rescued from dragon, marry rescuer' paradigm, far as I can tell."

"Well. I don't think she wants to marry you immediately, but there is a wide range of possible options between that and - lack of fondness, isn't there?"

"Lots," agrees Jann. "But again, she didn't look it. Or say it. Or act very flustered while verbally making it clear that we were not getting married, even, which might have been mixed messages but would have been messages. Why do you think she's fond?"

"I'm hardly the world's leading expert on this subject, but she seemed - I don't know. The possibility occurred to me."

"Well, I s'pose I can... talk to her. I've been preoccupied but I'm less preoccupied now."

Milo shrugs.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Emmalina is on her way back to her room from the library when she spots Jann heading towards her room. She swallows nervously, but collects herself and goes to meet him. It's been rather a big day for him, after all. She can mope later. "Hey. How did it go?"

"About as well as could be expected. How are you doing?"

She thinks about how to answer that for a second. "Aimless, I suppose. I haven't had a chance to be idle in a while." She looks at him carefully. "I'm... I don't mean to take up your time. I'm sorry, if you had to come check on me, or something?"

"I wasn't doing much. My, uh, parents, are still catching up, she's the only person in the castle he had... met... before he got turned to stone. So he's probably even more overwhelmed than I am. My presence is not required."

"Do you... want to talk about it?" Emmalina offers awkwardly. "I mean. You listen to me vent about my parents, I'm happy to return the favor?"

"I mean, if you're curious, but there's not very much to say. I never met him but he's my dad and now here he is. He's never met me but he's my dad and now I'm a knight, not, like, a baby."

"Oh, no, you don't have to, it's fine," she assures him. She looks away uncomfortably. "I don't mean to keep you- if you need to meet your friend-" and turns bright, bright pink.

"My..." Blink, blink. "...My friend's gone home, a while ago, I'm free as a bird."

"...oh." She looks down. "Sorry. I shouldn't have- It's none of my business."