<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“Boy needs to get his head out of the clouds,” </span>Maleki said with a slight chuckle.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“May be good for his sight, but it ain’t that great for his lifespan.” </span>Maleki stood and thought for a moment, seemingly doing a bit of mental math, before pulling out his own coin pouch. Quickly, he rationed out as many of the coins as he dared into his hand, and dumped them into his pocket, handing the majority of the pouch over to Aleksandra.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“We’re gonna need some more supplies, water especially, but in general, get a bit more of everything you think we’d need to cross the Flats. The horses are going to have it the worst if you insist on bringing the wagon.”</span><br/><br/>As the hand stopped him from leaving proper, Maleki did not turn around to face Aleksandra. There was a sigh and Maleki elaborated a little bit.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“It isn’t that simple. My business is with friends, and they hold the same contempt towards me my enemies would. They simply understand the situation enough to still allow friendship. Best you can do is drag me into an alley and do your… thing. But, if you want some kind of assistance, they’d be the ones to talk to,” </span>Maleki said, his reluctance returning now that the business of how to cross the Flats had subsided.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“And you act as if I know the banner that flew. Didn’t quite have the time to ask as they were storming through the Star District and governor’s estate.”</span><br/><br/>And with that, Maleki inhaled deeply, returning to the act they had begun carrying out after their short tryst. Immediately, he stormed out of the tent, her grasp on his arm giving the good impression that<i>he</i>was done with their debate. Without much of a word to the rest of the camp, Maleki tossed himself onto his bedroll and proceeded to toss and turn, though it was no act even if it lent itself well to the performance. Maleki had been avoiding Valkaren recently. The reparations that he had carried out so far have been escalating. He was worried about what would come next. He was also concerned about the state of the region on an echelon that Maleki did not reach any more. Thus, Maleki drifted off to a dreamless sleep, forcing himself to stay under throughout the night as well.<br/><br/>Of course, Maleki still awoke first -in the pre-dawn morning no less- out of himself and Tommen, choosing to still feign sleep until the boy was closer to consciousness. He was not going to bother to try to slip away again. It was too much of a hassle with the horses and wagon. But finally, the younger man began to stir, causing Maleki to stand.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“Come on, boy. We got a rough couple of days ahead of us,” </span>Maleki said, dusting himself off and pushing out of the tent. At the smoldering embers of the fire, Maleki added more wood, wishing to quickly start on his own breakfast as quickly as possible, hoping the scent would draw Tommen out and the noises would stir the ladies across from him. But, just to be sure, Maleki raised his voice. “<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">Aleksandra, hag, get up. I don’t want to have to find you stumbling onto my next camp again,</span>” Maleki called, rummaging around to find himself something to eat and adding to the racket. Aleksandra had had plenty of time to converse with the bag of bones that traveled with her. If they went with him, then it was following the ramshackle plan. If not, even better for Maleki’s physical and mental health, as the trip to Valkaren was not required immediately.