Hi so...I decided to keep posting this on both Ao3 and because more people are reading it! Yay! So here's a bunch of chapters all at once. (This chapter title is also from the song "girls" by Girl in Red. Go listen to it!)
When Zarina opened her eyes, they were in a completely different place.
Where are we? she wanted to ask, but didn't because it would make Nylian even more obnoxious and cocky than he already was.
As she looked around, Zarina quickly snatched her hand away from Nylian's. They were standing at the edge of a large expanse of forest. Zarina couldn't tell if it was human or elven territory, and she didn't care to find out. A small, narrow path starting right in front of where they were standing twisted throughout the forest.
"Well, what do you think?" Nylian asked, turning to face her.
Zarina had to admit that it was really pretty. The trees were just beginning to turn for the winter, which made her think that it might be a human forest, and so the forest was a blend of greens and red and purples.
Of course, she could never say that to Nylian. She just shrugged and said, "It's nice," hoping it would discourage him, but he barely even heard her response.
After a few more words exchanged between them—well, more than a few from Nylian—he told her to follow him. He led her into the forest, all the way along the path until they reached a fork in the road, where they turned right.
This path went a few hundred feet before stopping and turning into a small clearing. The clearing had a blanket spread out over the majority of the space, with a basket set in the middle.
"Did you prepare…a picnic for me?" Zarina asked, surprised by the thoughtfulness of it.
"Yes, I did! How do you like it?" Nylian didn't even wait for Zarina to reply before continuing to talk, which removed any sort of likability points he'd earned with the picnic. "Go on, sit down. There's mallowmelt, ripplefluffs, custard bursts, and more!"
He sounds like an advertisement, Rina thought to herself, trying not to laugh as they sat down and Nylian opened the basket to reveal a large assortment of elven food.
They sat together for a while, eating food as Nylian talked Zarina's ear off.
Eventually, it started to get a bit too much for Zarina, but of course she couldn't say anything about it. Nylian would most definitely tell her mother, who would probably force her to stop being friends with Lyrei. Instead, she just gritted her teeth and willed herself to tune the sound of Nylian out.
When will this end?