I recently deleted my TMC Instagram fan account (vardaisies) but now I'm getting back into the fandom and ideas are blossoming at an aLARMING rate. Should I make an Instagram account for a TMC comic? (hA my art skills are worse than my writing skills lolol) In other news...where were we with the story?

Some thousands of years ago...

"I have much more important things to do than attend the banquet," Niyx continued. "Also, I'm not invited. But she is!"

Alex frowned and turned, opening her mouth when she noticed the girl skidding to a halt in front of them. She had long blonde hair and freckles, her eyes a bright blue. She was wearing a pretty white summery dress paired with sandals. Alex noted that she blushed when her gaze fell upon Niyx, and she immediately turned her eyes to Alex, suddenly curious.

"Have you seen Aven?" She puffed. Niyx shook his head.

"But, sweetheart, he's holed up in his room. You can do so much bet - " He began, a devious grin on his face that dropped as soon as the girl shot him a stern look.

"He's just a friend. I needed...oh, are you going to introduce me to your companion, by the way?" She added. Niyx blew out a long breath, rolling his eyes.

"Tasha, this is Aeylia. She's staying with the royal family for a while, but you can get the full story from Aven. Aeylia, this is Tasha Lorenn. She's half-human, so you two should get along just fine, seeing as you were raised by mortals."

Tasha raised one eyebrow. She started to say something in the common tongue for Alex's benefit, but Niyx beat her to it.

"She'll be at the banquet tonight as well because her grandfather doesn't trust her at home alone anymore," He said in Meyarin, smirking.

"It was one escapade!" Tasha said, almost whining, having switched over to (one of) Alex's (many) language(s). "I was going to be back before him, but I started chasing a squirrel and that led me to the Sarnaph..."

"Sarnaph?" Alex choked out, half-shocked by Tasha's dismissive tone. "How do you brush off a Sarnaph encounter just like that?"

"Technically, it wasn't an encounter," Tasha pointed out. "It was more of 'I saw a Sarnaph and ran away with minor injuries' sort of thing, but Loro Roathus went on about how I was much more vulnerable as a half-mortal and now I'm..." She hesitated, searching for the right word in the common tongue. "...held at home, or at the palace, given Roka, Aven, Kyia or Niyx agrees to watch me."

"Grounded?" Alex suggested, and Tasha nodded.

"Thank you, Lasa Aeylia. I hope we can get to know each other during your stint at the palace," She said formally.

"Aww, thanks! That's a lot more heartfelt than some people have said to me," She answered, shooting a pointed look at Niyx, who feigned surprise. "I hope to get to know you better as well."

Beat. Then - "Catch you later, kitten!" Niyx said, flashing a devilish smirk and leaving. Tasha's bright expression was fixed in place for another second before dropping.

"I'll take my leave as well. Be seeing you, Aeylia," She said stoically, and Alex mentally groaned as the other girl passed her. Seriously?

"But I don't like Niyx!" Alex spluttered a few days later, as Aven finished talking about his week-long absence and started a trivial topic before he left for dinner. What Alex said was true - Niyx's ceaseless flirting was almost annoying, and she knew he didn't mean it either.

"That's not the point," Aven said, unrolling a large scroll with a lot of writing on it and reading off it. "The point is Tasha thinks you do, and as long as she does she's going to despise you."

"Ugh. What's the worst she can do?" Alex sighed dramatically, flopping on her bed. "She's more like a kitten than I am. Puuure."

"True," Aven admitted. "But you should probably talk to her about it. Discourage Niyx as well; it's largely his actions that are causing her beliefs. I think half the royal staff believe he has an interest in you, too, although if they knew him better they'd realise he was just playing around."

"I'll have a word with Tasha," Alex amended. "Now get out of my room!"

Aven backed away, laughing. As soon as the door was closed, he grinned to himself, shredding the scroll once he was back in his room.