"All right. And if you want to talk with me or Pradnakt about it, you can."

She nods and smiles slightly. "Thank you." She shifts closer, because a hug would be nice right now, even if she doesn't need it.

Yeah. Hug.

Hug! "I'm glad that doesn't happen to you," Rhoda says, because that's important.

"Yes." She gives her a little squeeze. "Pradnakt would never. She's pretty amazing that way."

"She's just pretty amazing," Rhoda says. "You are too."

Aww. "Well, that makes three of us, I suppose."

Rhoda ducks her head, skin darkening, and smiles shyly, but doesn't actually argue.

"...Should probably eat," she comments, although doesn't actually move to pull away from the hug.

"Yeah." She gives her another squeeze, and then moves away.

Well, Rhoda will eat then, although for now, she doesn't touch the chickpeas.

Daisy wasn't really expecting her to.

"Is there anything else you'd like to do while we're here?" she asks, after a bit.

She thinks for a second, and then shakes her head. "I don't think so."

"All right. I should go check on our order before too long, but we can read another book first, if it's a short one."

"That would be good," she smiles, and looks for a short book.

There are plenty to choose from.

While she's looking, a slightly smaller child turns the corner into the aisle she's browsing, and stops short - a girl, completely bald, with brighter orange skin than the shades of brown and tan Rhoda's seen so far and purple eyes. "You're new," she announces, after a moment's gawking. "Daddy, she's new," she tells someone out of sight around the corner.

Rhoda goes still for a moment. "I- uh, yes?"

"Who's new, honey?" A man's voice, calm and slightly amused.

"This Zabrak!"

"Oh, wow, she must be very new-" he turns the corner (tall, bald, with a ring of short horns protruding from his skull and red and black lines drawn on his face) and stops short, face falling. "-Ah." He inclines his head respectfully to Rhoda before turning his attention back to the girl. "Come back to the lounge and leave her alone, honey."

"But she's new!"

She goes even stiller, blinks, carefully doesn't show just how confused or unsettled she is.

"I- it's fine?" she says. "I don't mind?"

She looks for Daisy for guidance.

"It's all right, Sir, she can talk to us."

    "See? The pretty droid said it's okay."

    "No, Tock."

    "But-"

    "Come and get your books; we're going home."

The girl clearly isn't happy about it, but complies. "Sorry about that," Daisy sighs; "you didn't do anything wrong."

"...What happened?" she asks helplessly.

"He probably thought you were Pradnakt's apprentice, and dangerous the same way she is. Most people here are afraid of her, at least a little bit."

She looks confused by that. "...Why would they- think I was Pradnakt's apprentice? And- she's not-" she stops there, because she supposes Pradnakt could be terrifying, with her speed, and her lightsaber, and the Force, but-

But she doesn't get that. Unless Pradnakt is making a point of being scary? And maybe she is, she did seem to want to be left alone.

"Not dangerous? She's not dangerous to us, because she likes us. She is dangerous to most people. All Sith are."

"Oh," she says quietly. "I- that makes sense." Pause. "...And why do they think I'm her apprentice?"

"Because that's how it usually works. Sith don't usually have friends, or family; they have staff and apprentices, and sometimes allies. And you're about the right age to be a new apprentice."