Nik sat down as well, taking just a moment longer than Kaylum to do so. "I am well, and you?" he replied, giving Kaylum a quick smile. This was awkward territory for both of them, he knew, and the best way to handle it was to approach things carefully. At least they both wanted to be cordial about things.
“I am well,” Kay replied evenly. He would think that he would be more anxious, though. His parents definitely suspect something going on between them, but perhaps Kay being more relaxed about it put off any suspicions for now. Xiomara was right (again), perhaps having a one-on-one conversation with Nikolas was what he needed.
"Good." Nik said, thinking for a moment to try and figure out what to say. "So…what do you do? Outside of…whatevre you were doing when I got here?" hobbies. Hobbies were probably a good place to start, right? He hoped so, anyways. Otherwise, he did not know what to talk about, where to steer the conversation.
Easy enough question. Kaylum shifted his legs around as he said, “I must admit that the activities I often engage in aren’t very social ones. Usually I just read or take flights. Other times I spend time with Xiomara, and we do things with each other. How about you? I only ever see you in the training ring.” Among other places, but those were times outside of my body.
"I read, or play cards with my guards." he replied with a shrug. "I…training and fighting are part of who I am." he did not mention against whom that fighting had been done, but knew Kaylum would know anyway. "For a while, all I was able to do was sit in my bed and read while I recovered."
Kaylum nodded knowingly, the corners of his lips curling upwards. “My mother and father would never want me to train or fight in combat. They insisted that I be a peaceful prince, but I know they just don’t want their only heir to die.” He pursed lips, curious about something. “What kind of books do you read? Are they any different than the ones we have in Tesh?”
He laughed faintly. "Yes, well, hopefully you at least know how to defend yourself." he replied, blinking at Kaylum. At the question about books, he shrugged. "I would not know, I have not read any books from Tesh to compare to." he ran a hand through his hair.
“Oh, it’s the old ‘levitate you into the air’ thing except I actually break your bones,” he replied, waving his hand, still smiling. Even if his parents forced him to stick with his wits, instinct, and powers, it wasn’t a bad arsenal.
Kay shrugged back. “Well, just tell me what you do read, then I’ll tell you what I read, and we’ll see if it’s any different.”
"I see." he replied, and then considered the book question for a moment. "Mm. I read a lot of different things. Military history and tactics, fiction, history, things like that. What about you?" he studied the other prince calmly.
“Ahh,” Kay nodded. “We have books like those. But I like to read fiction mostly, sometimes fairy tales, myths, and legends. I have books from many other dragon shifter nations, but I find that ones from Xihar interest me the most.”
For a moment he got lost in his own words, thinking of the places where he liked their books and literature. Xihar was home to the ice and snow dragons, residing in some of the tallest and coldest mountains ranges in the world. It’s often said that they are the best storytellers, so Kaylum’s opinion wasn’t exactly unique.
He nodded slightly. "I…cannot think if I have ever read anything from Xihar." he said, shaking his head just a little bit. "My apologies." he studied Kaylum again. He had heard of Xihar before, but as far as he could remember, mhad never read anything from that country.
…. Unique among dragon shifters, anyway. He waved the other prince off. “Oh, no need. I didn’t expect you to. They are quite good though, I think…” he stopped himself from saying you would enjoy them. Would a human even enjoy shifter literature? “Well, I think so,” he amended awkwardly.
Nik nodded faintly. "When I get home again, I shall look in our library and see if we have any from Xihar." he said, wanting to understand Kaylum better, but knowing they had none of those books with them, as he had not brought many books and neither had his father."
Kay raised an eyebrow. “Oh, alright.” He didn’t think Nik would say that. “And… do you know if you have any books from other human kingdoms?”
"With me right now? Or in the library back home?" he replied, cocking his head faintly at Kaylum, not quite sure whst the other prince meant by that, but quite willing to answer it once the other man clarified what he meant. "Because the answer is yes to both."
“Oh, I just meant in general,” Kaylum shrugged. “Just wondering if maybe there was a particular kingdom who’s literature you’re partial to.”
"Oh, no, not really. I mean, obviously I am partial to my own country's literature, but outside of my country, I do not really have a preferred place of origin for my books, no." he replied, shaking his head a little.
“I see.” He pursed his lips, then sighed, searching for a change of topic. He remembered Nik’s strange soul, but also remembered that now wouldn’t be a good time to talk about that. It would lead to many more questions that Kay didn’t think he was ready for. Maybe the Kevran prince would have heard of psychic dragons who could astral project, but even among the common Tesh people it was more myth than fact. He fell silent.
Nik stretched faintly, looking at Kay quietly. He didn't quite know what to say now; perhaps that was his fault, for beginning the conversation without a clear picture of where it would go.
Kay met his gaze for a moment, then looked away. He decided to circle back to something they previously talked about.
“Since I couldn’t fight in battle or do anything of the sort, I would often read instead.” He wetted his lips. “Educate myself on diplomacy, strategy, and politics. I didn’t really enjoy it, but I was… frustrated, I think. That I couldn’t really play my part in the war the way I thought I would. So I… found an alternative.”
Nik nodded slightly. "Are you a good strategist, then?" he questioned, looking at Kaylum. "And fighting is not really all it's…cracked up to be, I suppose." he ran a hand through his hair with a faint frown, then shook away the memories that had popped up.
Kay mulled over the question. “In theory? I’ve helped my mother a few times, but she’s the real strategist. She tells me I’m good, but I’ve only heard it from her and Father.”
He noticed the frown, recognizing it quickly. He’d seen the soldiers and veterans wear that same frown before. “Sorry, I…” he shook his head. What was he saying? “I didn’t think so. I didn’t envy my mother each time she earned a wound or scar.”
He blinked at the other man, then shook his head quickly. "It's quite alright, don't worry about it." he replied, giving the other man a quick smile. "I was only…memories. That's all."
He grunted. “Memories are powerful.” Lapsing into silence again, he rested his arms on his legs. If talking about fighting and such brought back painful memories for Nik, then Kay didn’t want to bring it up.
Nik cleared his throat faintly. "But, it's a good thing you are decent at strategizing, then." he said, going back to what they had previously been speaking about. "It's a useful skill."
He made a vague mutter of agreement. “Too bad I don’t get to use it most of the time. I bet you’re very good at it.”
"I am not the best, but I'm pretty good, yes." he agreed. "And even if you do not often get to use it, it is still a useful skill for when you are king."
Oh boy, yet another thing he didn’t want to think about. He laughed a little. “I don’t know if you know this, but we dragon shifters have a lifespan of up to three hundred years. I will not ascend to the throne for a long time, unless both of my parents abdicate.”
(Sorry Kay I’ve got some bad news for you sindkjdkjds)
"Oh." Nik had not known that, no. "Well that's…ah." what did that mean for them? Nik was, as far as he knew, fully human, and would only live to perhaps 90 if he was lucky.