"OH MY GODS! Babs...! Don't sneak up on me like that...!" Remora set down the bowls, clutching her heart. She was half-scared and half-deflecting. Babcia's eyebrow raise simply grew more defined. She tilted to the side to look behind her granddaughter, adjusting her gsses.

  "And just who might all that food be for, dearest...?" Babcia's lips curled into a rexed and knowing smile. Remora gulped as she felt like she was under an interrogation light. She smiled far too widely as she scooted the bowls further behind her back.

  "Uh... for me...? Like you said I'm just... so... hungry... A-and it just smells SO good, Babcia, I mean you've OUTDONE yourself-" Babcia's eyes flickered in unamusement. "...So you know, I just figured I'd grab two helpings and-"

  "Is it a boy?" Babcia cut past the bullshit as she crossed her arms. Remora felt the color drain from her face and she stammered to respond. "Because if it's a boy, Remora, you know I have certain rules, I mean I'm happy you've finally found someone with how darn isoted you've been these past few months, but I have rules, Remora." Remora jumped out of her skin at her grandmother's words.

  "AH! N-no, Babcia, oh my Gods, no, no, no! It's not a boy!!!" The pitch of her voice shot up two octaves as her face burned hot and she waved her hands frantically.

  "Ah, but someone IS here." Babcia's wrinkly face spread once again into a smug grin. Remora's mouth gaped as she tried to find a way to deflect, but she could only stand there with a pathetic, defted look on her face. "Mhmm... Gotcha." Babcia wagged her finger pyfully.

  "Okay... yes... yes, I brought someone over..." Remora hung her head. "A friend. A girl. Not a boy." Remora frantically added. Babcia hummed as she maneuvered to clean up some crumbs on the dining room table. This woman was always cleaning.

  "About time you found someone to be around! You're starting to act like me and you are far too youthful to act like an old fat grouch." Remora groaned and rolled her eyes, going to her grandmother.

  "You're not fa-." Remora attempted to intervene, only for Babcia to continue talking over her.

  "I'm hurt you didn't bother introducing me, Remora!" She swatted her granddaughter's arm. "Unless you ARE hiding a boy...!" She gasped dramatically. "Deceiving your POOR Babcia...!!!" She clutched her heart. Remora whined in desperation.

  "No! Babcia! SHE. IS. A. GIRL...! I swear on my life!!! She's just um..." Her eyes darted around frantically. "She's REALLY shy... I mean... REALLY REALLY shy...! And tired... And you know, she's feeling a little under the weather with all the cold rain and whatnot..." Remora wringed her hands together.

  "Mhmm..." Babcia nodded. She sighed and pnted her hands on her hips, sending Remora a deadpanned look. Remora met her grandmother's gaze, expecting all hellfire, more berating, more teasing, more interrogating... instead her grandmother shook her head and brushed past her, dusting off the crumbs over the trash and then picking up the bowls.

  "Well... you girls enjoy..." She pnted them into Remora's hands. "But I want to meet this new friend soon you hear?" Remora looked down at the bowls then back up at her in shock. She felt the relief flood off of her all at once.

  "Thanks, Babcia..." Was all she could mutter in return. Babcia let out a small "mhmm" before spinning her granddaughter around, patting her behind to move her towards the stairs.

  "Well go on, don't keep your friend waiting... But so help me, if I clue into them being a boy at all, Remora, you're facing my wrath...!" Babcia pyfully shook her fist. Remora ughed and ascended the stairs as her grandmother called after her. "WRATH, REMORA!!!"

  Remora closed the door with her back, releasing a sigh. Well, that wasn't preferrable... Her gaze drifted upward, unable to help the worry on her face as she met Marina's eyes who looked back at her like a lost, starving puppy, and she knew she would have to deal with the whole Babcia situation ter...

  "Is everything alright...?" Marina whimpered with fright. Remora gave her a reassuring smile as she walked over to her.

  "Juuust peachy... now here, eat up. Careful, it's hot." Remora handed her a bowl before pulling out her desk chair and sitting down beside her. The warm steam of the stew hit Marina's face, and she grimaced as she looked down at its contents. She lifted her spoon, poking and shifting around the ingredients, having to force down a groan. Peasant house... Peasant clothes... peasant food... She thought to herself. What a joke...

  She lifted her head as she watched Remora blow on a spoonful of her food and take a bite. She groaned with delight as she practically melted from the fvors, quickly digging in for more. Marina couldn't help making a face as she watched Remora shovel her mouth with food.

  "Hah- hah- hot-!" Remora waved her open mouth before chewing and swallowing. "Ohhh Gods, that's the stuff..." She proceeded to devour away. Marina continued staring with horror in her eyes, which finally caught Remora's attention and a raised eyebrow.

  "What?" Remora snipped at her, causing Marina to jolt her gaze back down to the stew.

  "Nothing..." She continued poking around. Remora's eyebrows furrowed as she sat back in her chair.

  "You gonna eat...?" Remora pointed with her spoon. Marina couldn't help a groan slipping out.

  "I don't know..." She admitted, staring into the void that seemed to fill her bowl. She felt her stomach rumble, but she didn't want to give in... She's already been humiliated enough today. Remora shrugged and stood up.

  "Great. More for me." She brought her hand out to take her bowl. A sudden, almost feral instinct kicked in at the prospect of her food being taken from her... at the prospect of going to bed hungry. This peasant life might be incredibly unfamiliar to her, but the sensation of hunger was not... Memories came rushing back to her of those countless nights as a young, foolish princess, where she would be sent to her room without food sometimes twice a day... all because she couldn't control her temper or manners. She snatched her bowl away in an instant.

  "NO, DON'T!" She barked, practically bearing her teeth like she might bite her hand. She watched the surprise cross Remora's expression and she quickly shrunk down. "I... sorry... I'm sorry... I'll eat it... please don't take it... please..." Her face was hot and her hands shook as she gripped the bowl. Remora raised her hands as a sign of peace to not stress her more.

  "Woah, woah... I... I'm... I was kidding... I won't take it." That was the second time tonight she's seen this girl snap. She backed off down into her chair, realizing she'd have to treat this girl a bit more like walking on eggshells. A long, uncomfortable silence stretched on between them as Marina poked around a little bit longer, before ultimately deciding to rip off the bandaid.

  She took a tiny slurp of the broth. She could see Remora eyeing her out of her peripherals, not at all helping the scorching temperature of her face. However, as the fvors... savory and warm, hit her senses, her eyes lit up and she took a bite. If she thought the bath was wonderful, this was even more wonderful ten fold. Her eyes sparkled in bliss and she took another bite, then another and another, the temperature suddenly sizzling her tongue.

  "Hah- hah- hot!" She fanned her mouth. Remora ughed softly as she watched her, her expression warm. Marina's gaze shot up at her as the peasant girl giggled. It was the most natural and sweetest sound she heard out of her. Marina's felt her cheeks growing warm again... though she wasn't sure why... Perhaps the heat of the food... Or something....... She ducked her head back down.

  "It's good, right? And you had such doubts..." Remora teased with a smirk. Marina sighed as she finished a bite.

  "It is... not what I expected..." She murmured. She didn't want to give this peasant girl all the glory... but she had to admit... this food was so warm and delicious. Remora smiled. It wasn't much of a compliment but she would take it anyways.

  They polished off their bowls, Remora taking them and setting them on the desk and sitting back in her chair with satisfaction, humming softly to herself.

  "Well, never imagined I'd be having a sleepover with a damned princess." Remora stretched in her seat zily. "Though, I guess you had much more of an unexpected day, huh?" Remora inquired, trying to coax some story out of her.

  "Sleepover?" Marina echoed as she tilted her head to the side. Remora shot her a confused smile.

  "Y...Yeah...? You know like... when you were a little girl and your friends would come over on the weekends...? My friends and I used to get into all sorts of trouble... we'd steal Babcia's nail polish and makeup, talk about crushes and gossip, or even tell ghost stories like The Tale of the Sea Witch or... The Terror of the Fishman!" Remora's eyes twinkled with nostalgia, meanwhile Marina looked at her like she grew two more heads.

  "What...? Why are you looking at me like that?" Remora crossed her arms. Marina shrunk back. "Well? Alright then, tell me what your pompous-ass sleepovers were like then." Remora challenged her. Marina's gaze drooped down to her p.

  "I didn't have... sleepovers..." She quietly admitted. Remora's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

  "You what??? Not once ever???" Her voice boomed with shock. Marina shook her head.

  "If I was to interact with other children, they'd be heirs to other kingdoms... Usually it would be at parties where treaties and alliances would be made or deals would be struck. They were these... terrifyingly, sophisticated, elegant dances. I often didn't talk to the princesses of neighboring kingdoms because we'd all be far too busy trying to be courted." Marina's expression was defted as she spoke, and Remora's eyes softened in pity.

  "Courted...? At such a young age?" She shifted closer to Marina. Marina scoffed and rolled her eyes.

  "It wasn't usually for real... it was simply for the heirs to practice their social graces..." Marina crified. "But you know, even if I wanted to be friends with any of those girls, they could be so incredibly vicious and mean. So, I usually just stuck to myself... hide in a corner... or sometimes I'd sneak out..." Marina rubbed her arm as her mind drifted to those days.

  Remora's gaze saddened as she listened to the princess. It sounded like such a terribly lonely childhood, no, a terribly lonely life. Even if she and Marina were worlds apart, Remora felt that same loneliness in her recent day to day life... especially at night. She sighed and stood, going to her drawers.

  "Well. Then that won't do." She rummaged noisily through her drawers. Marina watched her with wide, confused eyes.

  "What are you doing...?" She blinked inquiringly at her. Remora stood up and turned around with a hairbrush.

  "Just some girl time. Mind if I do your hair?" She motioned the brush in her hand.

  "W- but... aren't you tired? Isn't that just more work for you???" Marina waved her hands to deny her. Remora rolled her eyes and crawled over the bed to settle behind her.

  "Nah. It's fine. Plus if you let it dry like this it'll be a rats nest. Turn your head." Remora sat up on her knees, pcing her fingertips on Marina's cheek and chin and tilting her head forward. Marina tensed, bracing for the usual roughness of how her servants would brush her hair... but soon released her tension as she felt the first few gentle strokes of the brush through her thick drying hair. Remora was so... firm and spontaneous... but strangely... so gentle with her. She sighed and let her shoulders fall, forcing herself to have to rex a little. Remora smiled after a few more strokes, her hand helping untangle her locks.

  "Your hair is so pretty... So soft and full of volume... and it has a slight curl to it." Remora's tone was warm and genuine, and it made Marina's stomach flutter strangely. She kept her head forward, not because Remora told her to, but to make sure the girl didn't see the pink forming on her cheeks.

  "Thanks..." She murmured. If Marina was proud of anything about herself, it would be her hair. Its health and color were from her father's side of the family. Although, her mother had much more brittle hair, which seemed to be part of the many reasons they've always had a tense retionship... Marina scowled at the thought.

  "...My mother would make the servants straighten it everyday. She said the waviness was unruly and undylike... It feels weird to have it like this..." Marina reflected out loud. Remora stopped her motions and leaned to look at her. She hummed to herself. Maybe she could help her feel at least somewhat at home?

  "Well... if it would make you feel better, I think I could find my straightener..." Remora offered. Marina sighed and shrugged defeatedly.

  "I don't see the point..." She wanted to say more. She wanted to sh out at herself, at the decision she made, but she was too tired. Her spirit felt broken. Remora sighed and grabbed a handheld mirror, pcing it in Marina's hand.

  "Well..." She started fluffing out her hair and making it y nicely over her shoulder. "I think it's beautiful just the way it is, princess."

  Marina had heard that once before... Whenever her servant and bridesmaid Jamie would help her with her hair... that's what she would say...

  "You're beautiful the way you are, princess." The memory of her voice made her heart both flutter and sink at the same time.

  Remora smiled at her through the reflection of the mirror, pcing her hands on the girl's shoulders. Marina felt her breath hitch as she looked at herself, then at Remora. This kindness she felt... she knew Remora was having to force it a little... but it was kindness nonetheless... and it was a rare but familiar feeling. She noticed through the mirror that Remora's eyes had that same brown color she grew to love... It made her want to cry again, but next to her sadness, a fuzzy warmth began to return her chest and her lips curled up into a soft smile.

  "Thank you..." She replied sheepishly.

  The sight alone made Remora almost... giddy.