Alden was put on his guard when it sounded like Abir was threatening to make him stay. But before he could think of a way to escape such a situation, he watched the prince break out into laughter, explaining how he seemed to be jesting for now.<br/><br/>When he spoke of the price, however, Alden rolled his eyes. "You think I meant a literal price? By the gods... as much as extra treasure would help in funding my menagerie, that wasn't what I had in mind."<br/><br/>He slowly walked over to where the prince was lying on his back, crouching down to poke at Abir's forehead in an almost playful manner, even though he wasn't smiling.<br/><br/>"I was talking about exchanging information about each other, silly prince. You think I would talk about myself and not want to know more about the man who claims to love me? If you're going to ask about who I am, then I want to know more about you so I can figure out if you're worth giving a chance."