Communication

Summary

Keyra discusses with Elena the complexity of returning home due to Elena's father offering her engagement as a bounty, while Keyra grapples with her own fears and Elena's changed perspective after her time in another dimension.

Abstract

In the narrative, Keyra is in conversation with Elena, who has recently returned from another dimension with fire-wielding abilities. Keyra is aware of the bounty placed on Elena by her father, which ties her return to an unwanted engagement. Despite the danger and complications, Keyra's primary concern is Elena's safety and her willingness to return home. Elena, on the other hand, has a newfound indifference to her father's wishes and the societal rules she once followed, including her engagement to Zurar. She expresses a clear preference for Keyra over Zurar and acknowledges the difficulties of their situation, but ultimately, she is open to pursuing a relationship with Keyra if that is what they both want.

Opinions

Keyra fears Elena's father's retribution and the potential consequences of Elena's engagement bounty.
Elena views her father's actions as trivial and does not want to be with Zurar, the man she was engaged to before her disappearance.
Keyra is conflicted, wanting Elena's safe return but also concerned about the implications of the bounty and Elena's changed demeanor.
Elena is portrayed as having grown and changed during her time away, now valuing her own feelings and the bond with Keyra over her father's approval.
Keyra subconsciously braces for a negative reaction from Elena regarding the engagement bounty, indicating a fear of rejection or harm.
Elena dismisses the engagement bounty as unimportant and expresses her feelings for Keyra, showing a desire for a relationship based on mutual consent and affection.
Keyra acknowledges the difficulty of their current predicament but also sees the potential for a future with Elena despite the challenges.

Communication

Chapter 29 Keyra’s POV

The fire didn’t burn her. It didn’t burn her in the outwild and it didn’t burn her now as she stood holding Elena’s hand. It was warm with a slight tingling sensation but it didn’t burn.

“Are you going to listen to me now?” Keyra asked. Elena stared at her as if she were a phenomenon to be observed and cataloged.

“Yeah, ok”

“Your father put out a bounty on you, kind of. Whoever returns you home wins your engagement” My best friend is now a fire wielding maniac because she ran away due to an engagement and I’m telling her all this. I really do have a death wish don’t I. “So the question is, with that complication in mind, do we go home-home? All that matters is getting Elena home safely. After that, well, that’s not important.

“And you don’t want that?”

“No that’s not it at all–”Just say it. “I do want that– I was worried you don’t want that” Keyra said, subconsciously bracing for whatever Elena would say or do next.

“Why would I not want that?”

“Because you were engaged to Zurar and your father would kill me, or you, and–” Keyra said, desperately trying to backpedal. Please don’t hate me. Please don’t hate me. Please don’t hate me.

“It seems like you don’t want this,” Elena said with a slight frown. I do. It’s just complicated, and it doesn’t seem like you’re yourself and–

“I do, just– I don’t think you understand what this actually entails–” This seems so unlike her, does she remember? What really happened out there. Does she remember all the customs and strings attached to engagement? Does she remember that this is a big deal?

“I just spent a few months out in another dimension, and you think what exactly? That I’m mad at you for saving me? So what if my father made some stupid wager, that’s not your fault. I still care about you.” Elena looked down “I don’t care about what he thinks” Keyra cringed at the term “stupid”.

“You used to care. You always followed every one of his stupid rules”

“Well maybe I’m different now”

“But you could be with Zurar and–”

“I left because of him!” Elena paused and took a breath, and looked back up at Keyra. “He didn’t go looking for me. I like you, I don’t like him. So if you don’t want to deal with getting engaged I understand that. No sane person would want to get into a relationship with me, but if you want to, I want to” I want to.

“You know that this is the hard way out right?” Keyra asked.

“So was everything else up to this point.”