Prim softened again, but Asta could tell she still had something to say. Regardless though, the wolf decided to keep the thought to herself, turning around to the long wooden table to pick up a thick slice of bread and cheese to present to Asta on a copper plate.
"I don't know if you eat cheese?
Asta took the plate, sniffing the soft goat cheese. She had never had, or even heard of cheese before, but it didn't look like meat, and she wanted to be polite. Tentatively, she took a small bite, surprised that she didn't hate it.
"Where's Molaki?" Asta asked as she scarfed down the food, suddenly realizing how hungry she was.
"I sent him out to run," Prim answered. "He was going to lose his entire mind while you were knocked out, so he's out taking the edge off with some of the younger wolves that sympathize with him. He'll be back soon, I'm sure."
"Sympathize with him?"
Prim had sat back down in the wooden chair by the bed, picking up her book again to absent mindedly thumb through it.
"Well, as I think you learned, the history between us and the deer is... complicated, but the youngest generation almost universally ready to be done with it. Nobody was considering going out and initiating peace, but they don't want to massacre on the tip of their tongues anymore. And, so few of us have found a true pair bond, there are a lot of wolves that are just so enamored with what Molaki has found in you, they'd never think of taking that away from him. Truly, you could be a sentient turnip, and they'd fight to keep you safe and here with him."
Asta didn't respond right away, looking back at the window hard, reminding herself she wasn't trapped.
"....You ARE going to stay here with him, right?"
The doe whipped her head back around to Prim, who's eyes had gone slightly cold again.
"I don't have a choice in the matter, so yes," Asta responded, tightly.
Prim snorted, furrowing her brow. "You're not a prisoner, Asta. But that's not the answer I wanted. You shouldn't want to leave his side. That's what a true bonded pair is."
The doe was becoming increasingly frustrated, groaning in frustration and putting her head in her hands. She felt like she was being interrogated all over again, except the opinion from Molaki's sister could be even harsher.
"That's not what I said! Or, that's not what I meant. You realize I had a family and friends and a home, right? They all probably think I've been killed. And they'll never know any different. I'll never be able to say goodbye to my mother? Is that how you dreamt of finding love? I'm sorry if I'm not enthusiastic enough."
Prim snorted, but replied teasingly that she was happy to see the first actual glimmer of sarcasm from the girl - stating that her sister in law would need that to not get swallowed by her new family. Asta had only met Prim, and their mother, but she had observed that Prim was gregarious from the start, and hadn't shown any submission or fear at any point, even in the Tri Chambers while everyone else was uneasy. Watching the wolf women float around the room, casually chatting with her guest like nothing was out of the ordinary, Asta wondered where she had gotten such confidence. Prim even offered to take Asta around Lyko to get her acquainted, but the deer woman physically shrank back at the idea. She knew she would need to leave the house soon, but she was so cozy and comfortable right now, and as much as she had no reason to distrust Prim, she didn't trust her the way she trusted...
Molaki announced himself with the door below swinging open brashly, scraping of clawed feet on the wooden floor ringing out as he shook his fur off rashly and started to scamper up the spiral staircase.
"LAK, She's awake, don't come up here like that," Prim barked out as Asta's grip on her mug of water tightened instinctively at the sound of a predator.
A pang of guilt cut through Asta's body as she felt herself tense at the sound of a dog. She would have to change her way of thinking drastically if she wasn't going to get swallowed by fear every twelve seconds, but it was immediately quelled when a rush of excitement replaced the dread, the second she saw the white haired male round the corner.
It was the first time that she had seen him in the daylight under good circumstances, when she could actually contemplate him and look him up and down. He was, on all accounts, conventionally handsome, every muscle in his arms cut as he reached for the banister, but not over bulked. His hair was again in a loose bun, stray strands hanging down over his face and tousled around his white pointed ears, making her wonder how long it would be if he let it down, but with his chiseled jawline, she felt he could pull just about anything off. Molaki had clearly shaved at some point while she was asleep, but stubble was coming back in. He was dressed in a grey linen shirt that hung haphazardly left of center, the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled to his elbows, his pants regrettably made of brown leather.
But she could barely be distracted by the stench of tanned skins, overwhelmed instead by the fact that he was here. He was back. She hadn't realized how ungrounded she had felt sitting in the bed without him near her, even with the good company that Prim had been.
Asta smiled from ear to ear as Molaki stopped at the top of the steps, his golden eyes piercing her as he held his breath as though what he was seeing wasn't real.
"Asta?"
Asta tried to say something, but she was overwhelmed, words failing her, only whimpering and nodding her head, outstretching her arms.
That was all Molaki needed, bounding over to the bed and having to force himself to stop short of tackling her, holding himself back and instead embracing her and nearly lifting her off the bed like a rag doll.