His warm words greeted her and they did not seem strange to Nayru, who received such compliments from so many figures in her life. Even when criticism came her way it was dealt in such a kindly way that Nayru had never encountered unpleasantness from anyone. There had been that one day with Saluce, but she had known the brute was not himself that day. Something had been eating away at him and even in his anger he had softened at the fairy child. So that Aro showered her with such devotion she did not question such affections. Weren't all friends so, well, friendly? Merely she broadened her smile, the one he claimed brought him such delight, and nodded as he recounted his recent doings. He was fine, it seemed, but a failure? Nayru wrinkled her nose in disagreement but before she could speak he was holding out the rose towards her.
"Oh? For me? Why, thank you Aro." Delicately she plucked the flower from his hands, inspecting it at perhaps greater length than was required. It was covered in ice, but that was perhaps what had saved it from wilting into a brown mass. It must have been quite a late bloomer and had succumbed to winter's frost before it had a chance to really die. "It's beautiful, really." The red matched the hue of her eyes and Nayru knew this; it was for the same reason that the necklace she wore pleased her, this offering made her happy too. "I wonder if perhaps I can press it, or if its seed are still alive. Maybe I can grow some in my greenhouse." It was a thought, more to herself than to Aro, and then his words fell on her and she lifted her head again to meet his gaze.
Missed her? Well, she had missed him, though perhaps not in the same sense. Now that he was here, she realized that his company was pleasant and she could have enjoyed it in all that time she was gone, but he had scarcely been on her mind while he was away. Except for those meetings with his parents. Yet his words too were as troubling as they were pleasing. He said again that he had failed and Nayru shook her head, placing one hand upon his shoulder, her gaze sharp as was her voice, almost. "Aro, you have not failed. Delayed perhaps, but all the leaders are still there and there's nothing stopping you from meeting them. Do not speak to me of failure, do you understand? " She smiled then, softening, "Who have you met? Can I tell you who I've met?" Her laugh was light, lilting. "You mother and father both. Separately though. Your father came here. Did he tell you?"
Pulling her hand back, she inspected the flower, and then remembered the sack of bottles she had placed at her own feet. Gathering them back up she grinned at the boy, her eyes dancing. "Can we walk to my house and drop these off? We can talk on the way and I can show you my plants, if you'd like." She bowed her head, waiting for his consent, for ever she was the submissive creature, wishing to please whoever it was she was with just then. Just then it was Aro.
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