Elaine was surprised to find where she was when she woke up on a reasonably bright morning. Not so much being in the room she was given in Descole's home, but more the fact that it was still her room. She would have expected Descole to maybe put her in the basement or maybe put her in some room closer to his or Raymond's.

Looking around as she sat up, she knew it was the same room. Everything was where she remembered it to be positioned. The sheets of the four poster bed were still emerald green. The door to the en suite was open. It was the same room.

Elaine lightly drummed her fingers on the bed as she contemplated what to do next. Could this be like the first time she woke up here? Maybe. Elaine had already guessed that the window to the small balcony would likely be locked. It'd be shocking if it wasn't. But should she even bother checking if the window and door to the hallway were locked? She was a prisoner here again, and her previous escape was mostly luck considering the circumstances.

A moment or two later, Elaine got out of her bed. She might as well check at least. That way, no one can dare say she didn't even check. No surprise the window was locked. Mildly surprisingly the door was though, but was probably done to keep her from wandering around the house or something like that. She folded her arms and tapped her foot. No clock in the room. No way to tell the definite time except to make as educated of a guess as possible judging from the outside. It was definitely in the morning at least. Maybe around nine or a little after?

But what was going to happen as soon as Descole showed up? No doubt translating Azran glyphs would be involved, or some other scheme similar to that of Misthallery and Ambrosia. Complicated, over the top, unethical and extreme. That seemed to be how Descole's plans worked from what she had seen so far.

With nothing else she could do and not in the mood to read any of the books on the desk, Elaine went back to the bed to cocoon herself in the bed sheets. May as well be asleep when someone came in.

She was too long there when she did hear her door unlock. Elaine kept still and had her eyes shut tight, though not too much to draw attention. She heard footsteps approaching her bed. Descole's footsteps. Elaine tried to keep her breathing even, and it was actually easier then she had first thought it would. She was so sure Descole approaching would have caused her a heart attack by now!

"Please don't tell me we're playing this childish game again." Elaine inwardly sighed and turned over on her back to look up at Descole. While his mouth didn't show what he was feeling, Elaine suspected that he might have been glaring down at her.

"What childish game? I'm just sleeping." Elaine said with a mocking, child-like tone.

"I don't want a repeat of last time you did this."

"But I was sleeping not too long ago."

"I wasn't talking about that itself. I meant that last time you did this, you starved yourself for a week nearly!"

"You were the one starving me!" Elaine spat. "I just refused to do your work."

"And if you had done it, you wouldn't have starved." Descole scoffed.

"And I'm 'ardly the only person in the whole damn world who can do your translations, am I? So you could 'ave just let me die and find someone else!"

"I don't want anyone else!" Descole snapped.

"… What do you mean you don't want anyone else?" Elaine felt a bit thrown off by Descole's words. He just huffed and looked away.

"I mean… I already have you here. Why should I go through the trouble of having to try and translate myself when you're here?" Elaine didn't answer straightaway to that. It just felt a bit… Awkward, somehow. Elaine cleared her throat.

"I didn't realise that the 'great' Descole could be so lazy."

"I'm hardly lazy." Descole scoffed. "I just don't want to go through the trouble of having to find another translator. Then there's the case of your dead body to consider."

"Glad to know I'd be so missed by you." Elaine's sarcasm was heavy as she brought her knees up to rest her chin on as she hugged herself.

"… I… Wouldn't want you to die." Elaine looked sharply up at Descole who seemed to avoid her look.

"Pardon?"

"I said I wouldn't want you to die." Descole repeated, sounding reluctant as he did so. There was a bit of an awkward silence before Descole spoke again. "I'll leave you to get reacquainted with your room." Descole turned to leave. "I'll send Raymond up with breakfast." Elaine looked at Descole as he reached the door and suddenly said,

"Merci." Descole stopped as he grabbed the doorknob but didn't speak as he opened it and stepped outside. Elaine closed her eyes and leaned back on the bed.

"You're welcome." Elaine shot up just in time to see the door shut. She stared at it for another moment or two before lying back down again.

She couldn't deny, she had missed Raymond's cooking.