The books came in a multitude of languages, colors, and sizes. She methodically sifted through one of the stacks, opening up random pages of the books to identify the language, then setting them aside when she couldn’t read them. She passed the now-familiar but still foreign symbols of the Mes’Mo’Tanian language, another language built solely on symbols in long columns, and eventually found her own. She was flipping through one when Théadan joined her side, his hand sliding to rest low on her back. He was sweet to apologize for the lion, but hearing him say it only reinforced how outlandish her idea to keep the cub was. Navia shook her head while setting the book down and reaching for another, “There’s no need to apologize. It was foolish of me to even consider having it as a pet.” Still, there was reluctance in her voice to admit it.<br/><br/>Her focus settled on the book then, and she absently leaned against Théadan some while she flipped through the pages. It could come in handy, she decided. It was clearly written for a younger audience with its simplistic sentences, but it was a collection of stories Navia knew well and the easy reading could benefit them should Théadan decide he really did want to learn Khluri. “How much for the book?” Navia asked abruptly, shutting the book and looking expectantly to the rotund Khluri woman behind the table.<br/><br/>“Two for a copper.”<br/><br/>Navia dug out one of the Mes’Mo’Tanian books she had set aside and tucked both books under her arm. She had no clue what the book was about, but they’d read everything out of the book they’d brought on the ship, so she figured whatever it was to be good enough for her to use to keep trying to learn the language. After paying the woman and expressing her thanks, Navia turned to give Théadan her full attention. Her dark gaze searched his for a beat and she noted there was uncertainty in those green eyes, likely for her behavior. She definitely did not want that. He could end up questioning her and she didn't fully understand her own behavior to explain it. So she sighed and shrugged before offering him a small smile, “Don’t worry about it, okay? We have Wyn and hopefully someday soon we’ll have Azva as well, and that will be more than enough for me.”<br/><br/>Her gaze drifted, caught on a display a few tables down they must have missed during her haste to put space between herself and the cub, and she looked back up at Théadan with a newfound glint of mischief in her eye. “Besides, I already have one kitten in my life and that’s all I need,” Navia coyly pointed out and gave his side a poke. She purposely brushed up against him while she went to step past him then, the grin on her face a sign she was getting past the lion cub and wanting to return to their lighter mood from earlier. “I’m going to go look at one more thing, then we can seek out that tavern, okay?”<br/><br/>Hoping Théadan wouldn’t tell her no twice in such a short amount of time, Navia parted from him to peruse the display that had caught her attention. A menagerie of colors awaited her, as well as a sturdy Mes’Mo’Tanian woman with hair that reminded Navia of Silva and Ingrid. Reaching the vendor brought a moment of disappointment though, for she had thought they would have more variety of a particular item she had hoped to see at the markets.<br/><br/>“Do you only have this in black?” Navia asked, reaching out to test the feel of the fabric.<br/><br/>“This is the last of our stock. The colored items always go first. We should be receiving another shipment within a few days if you’re able to come back.”<br/><br/>Navia shook her head, explained the<i>Uttarana</i>was due to leave within a day or so, and went with the black. The woman was kind enough to wrap the purchase in burlap for her and Navia carefully tucked it away in her cloak while she went to find Théadan once more. It wasn’t time for him to see it after all. Once she had returned to his side, Navia smiled up at him, “Are you ready?”