I was thinking more along the lines of worrying, especially if it was a dangerous forest and there was no one to help him. Most people would panic if they were being chased.

[ He nods though, somewhat relieved as he puts pancake batter on the pan. ]

That's good at least. Was there anything interesting about that one, or...?

[ don't make a worried face, don't make a worri- ]

A dragon, really? You've been holding out on me. [ teasing ] And he has a partner in his treasonous, evil forest fighting mission?


[ that's what he's taking away from this ]

It's a baby, how can it be scary?

[ Thinks about it, ] Well, if he's with him then I'm sure you'll see him again. Traveling magic roads tends to come with at least a party of two.

I'm not going to point out a dog could mean like chihuahua or great dane size and just say fair point. Maybe he likes you.

[ Finishes flipping another pancake that's a thing he's supposed to be doing and then puts it on the plate he'd been gathering - pushes it in front of Gingham. Briefly quiet as he pours more down and asks: ]

Are you going to keep viewing them as you get them?

[ starts making the batch for the rest of unholy as he nods. ]

Yeah, I can see that. [ A beat. ] But I'd like to think it works out for him.

What do you -

[ pause, thinks. squints - ]

- Is this somehow about the engagement to a girl thing? I kind of remember something about that.

[ ... ]





[ ... ]



[ ... ]

What.

How would that even be le-never mind, she's like the queen. She can do whatever she wants.

[ stops mid flip ]

I hope not that would suck for him.

Get married? I mean the most obvious answer is for love. We literally just watched a movie about how everyone deserves a great one of those. So maybe we hope that's how he gets her.

[ he tries to tease, but there's that more serious lilt to it. like he does want to believe the best for gingham and other gingham. he smiles and shakes his head. ]

You have nothing to thank me for and if there's any other weird parts you wanna talk about - [ waves a hand as if to say, "be my guest" ]

You saw my vision where the kid was what? A few years younger than I am now? Isn't it possible that you get a vision from a few years from then? It might not be linear. [ Then a beat, ] Or he might just be a hopeless romantic when he finds the one

[ Said teasingly and with all the over-dramatization of the word to boot. Then sliding another pancake to the plate he makes a small, thoughtful hum before shaking her head. ]

Not if there's something you don't think there's worth knowing? So far it sounds like young prince with controlling mom runs away, possibly both to escape weird engagement and face evil forest. Or one or the other. He sounds brave and like his heart is in the right place, which sounds familiar... Maybe a little bit of a klutz which also mighr sound familiar.

[ He grins, unabashedly: ]

Okay, so maybe I'm the one who's the wishful, hopeful romantic. Don't give up yet, he's still in his magic forest journey.

[ It doesn't seem to last with the awkwardness. Swallows something down. ]

I know.

[ Because he's constantly worried about the similarities in his own. He doesn't need to say that as he puts the last pancake down and turns off the pan. ] But I said what I said because for me those are some of the things I love about you. Which means he can't be all bad.

Even if he is a klutz.

[ confused sounding: ]

Yes?