"I don't think those two are faking it."
All three turned in unison to glance at the two elves relaxed nearby.
The one seated higher on the branch finally summoned the courage to speak.
"Uhm… Vaelith?"
"Hmmm?"
Vaelith responded with a hum—cool and effortless—not bothering to move from her languid position. Her eyes remained half-lidded, posture draped with indifference.
"Mother has already unsealed your magic, hasn't she?"
There was no response. The silence stretched, weighty. Rwanda shot her a sidelong glance, already growing uneasy. Soramir, meanwhile, had drifted back into her usual meditative state.
"I'm gonna take your silence as a yes,"
The elf continued, more tentative now.
"So… why are you still moving around with that toy?"
Vaelith moved for the first time. Her head inclined back slowly, enough to meet the speaker's eyes above her.
Her fingers curled loosely around the rifle leaning beside her.
"You mean this?"
"Y-Yeah."
