Private Finished An Unexpected Chat

Usually when Maarab wanted to fly, he would go to the woods and hunt. It was a good release, an opportunity to work out his aggression while sorting through increasingly chaotic thoughts. But with his father's recent communications, he thought it more prudent to remain in the city.

Keeping an eye on his surroundings was somewhat difficult with only one eye, even from above, so Maarab almost passed by Felen, not picking out his familiar face until he saw the other man's interaction with the small group.

After they had moved on, Maarab landed a short distance in front of Felen with a grin. "I have seen blind people with more situational awareness. This island is.. ha ha ha." He laughed, but a troubled look briefly crossed his face as he considered the elf. "Working? Or is this a free moment?"

"At home, I think there was no such thing as a civilian. I had to look it up. This island is.. larger than an outpost." The troubled look was quickly replaced with a burst of soft laughter as Maarab glanced around. His guard was up as well, though no one seemed to be paying attention to the two of them. He murmured, "At least it should be harder to..." before shaking his head and returning his gaze to Felen.

"Can we go- anywhere that is not the middle of the sidewalk actually?" Maarab was not exactly hesitant, but his posture was wary. Talking to Felen was a spur of the minute decision.

"Privacy? No that should not be needed. The cafe will be fine. I only wished to not be run over if I get.. distracted." Maarab glanced around again, spotting a building with a table out front, which he assumed was the cafe Felen had mentioned. A place known for selling coffee was not one of the places he would visit on his own, but he vaguely knew what they were.

It was a quick walk, and Maarab was too keyed up to sit. Though if Felen did, he would follow suit. "I am not expecting an ambush." He stated that confidently, but then his gaze went distant. ".. It would make things easier.. But, no, it won't be an ambush."

Maarab grinned, his posture not relaxing an inch. "Did you have many books where you are from? I think that of all the things I have discovered on this island the amount of knowledge so freely available has been the most surprising. Just one book..." he trailed off into a burst of unsettled laughter.

"More than my home then. Our books were only reinforcement, stories we already knew, laws. Perhaps the magic users had more. Certainly nothing approaching what they have here. And the books themselves - one book here raises more questions than I have asked in my entire lifetime. And I've been here almost a year..." He trailed off again. This time he wasn't laughing.

"Home is a lot more simple. Questions are discouraged. When I was permitted to stay here. I never expected it to be for so long... And I did not realize I would barely scratch the surface of the knowledge available." Somehow, Maarab managed to tense up more, though he had sat down. His eye kept darting over his surroundings, more because he did not want to think about what he was saying than from any real concern.

"Conversation is not my strong suit and I am thinking out loud. I am more suited for action than words. There is something about them though... Do you read at all? If you get the time? "

"Militaristic. ha! Yes. War does not end, we just find new targets when one fails. I never questioned it... Why should I question it? I am the son of the archdemon and I was born to be a weapon and that is the way it is. I should not."

Felen's demonic hand distracted him, and he broke into silence for a moment, staring at it with open curiousity. Maarab briefly lifted his own shadowed arm to compare, but it was too stiff to easily maneuver onto the table, and he let it fall back to his side.

"If only it were just one book. Philosophy - there are whole sections of books dedicated to - questions. And they are not illegal here. I was already punished - I would not have returned here if I had not been permitted. But I have learned too much in a year and I find myself.. reluctant.."

A few black feathers fell to the ground, and Maarab's left hand unconsciously went to the chain around his neck. "My whole life I have never so strongly considered disobeying a direct order!" His burst of laughter this time was louder, but he managed to curtail it by biting his own lip. He was not aware how unsettling it seemed, but he knew it might be hard to have a conversation if he let it go too long.