all goodd)

-

Ella startled a bit at Sages words, seeing as she hadn't been paying much attention to her surroundings and had pretty much been zoned out. "Just a bit. Is that bad?" she asked, giving him a. polite smile once she had managed to regain her composure from the slight scare. She got startled very often, though she didn't exactly apprecuate it early in the morning.

He threw her an apologetic look when she jumped, then sort of flipped back onto the bed with a sort of shrug and yawn. "Just curious, I guess," he hummed, stretching again and running a hand over his face. It was days like this that were darkish outside that made it especially hard to get up...he wasn't aornjng person already, but the dimmer light made him even sleepier he supposed. He figured that was ok though...if she wanted him up, she'd have woken him.

Ella gave just a nod of acknowledgment in Sages direction as she finally got herself up, shivering slightly at first seeing as she had emerged from under warm covers. She regained her composure from the diziness, then turned back to his direction, tilting her head slightly. "I've got to go out to some sort of, meal thing or whatever today, do you want to come?" she asked politely. "it's fine if you say no, they aren't the most exciting"Ella added with a slight laugh.

Sage sort of yawned and waved her comments to the side. "Oh, I'll come," he mused. "I already said I would," he hummed, sitting up and leaning against the headboard and drawing the covers up to his chin, since his clothes were still definitely very chilly. "Besides, I'd rather do anything than sit and act pretty in that corner for another three years," he snorted. The girl was nice enough to him...and even if she didn't want him there, she masked it well. But she did seem sincere, and he would gladly go with her instead of sitting here.

Ella nodded, her smile almost showing genuine as she looked towards him. As much as her attitude didn't seem it, she was very much glad Sage was coming, it would definitely make the situation of a 'meal' more genuine. "Good, i'm glad. We could find different clothes before it starts? We have a couple hours" she said, her voice soft as she spoke, untangling her hair from the hairband.

Sage sort of grinned back at her, though it wasn't quite his normal grin. It was more of a 'im glad but I don't want to seem like I'm overstepping here' grin. She seemed genuine enough about it, but he was still just....kinda nervous. Worried that she could turn attitudes in a split second if he said or did something wrong. It would just take time for him to relax completely, if he ever could. Everyone else still treated him badly. He cocked his head slightly at her suggestion and then nodded. "That's fine with me," he mused, eventually making the move to slide out of the bed. "I'll get ready and we can go," he said with a shrug.

"Okay" Ella said with a polite smile, looking Sage in the eye again for a split second. She slipped into the bathroom with her clothes to get changed, once again dreading being pulled into a stupid, this time short but floaty white dress. She pulled it down as far as she could to her knees though it didn't seem to reach, and sorted her hair out, having to clip it back with hair clips behind her ears. It did take a while for her to get ready, and after around 20 minutes she emerged back into the room, standing by the door. She felt slightly uncomfortable in the dress, bit she was sometimes pretty much told what to say- so just went with it. "Ready?" she asked? her voice quiet.

Sage sort of just moved to change into a different outfit...one that he hadn't slept in. She was in the bathroom, so he may as well just do it out here. Still, he did it quickly, glancing around as if he expected someone to walk in or something. He wasn't exactly certain they wouldn't, actually. And while he was somewhat used to people seeing him, it still wasn't very pleasant. And if Ella hadn't wanted him yet, he had no intention of showing her anything. Besides, he had so many scars he'd prefer to keep hidden. He was ready soon enough though, and he patiently waited for her to come out and then wandered over to join her, nodding in response to her comment. "Ready if you are," he hummed, padding after her as they left the room. They past a few guards on the way, and he wearily stepped around them, staying as far away as possible. He caught their glances and all though, which made his cheeks heat up slightly.

As they walked, Ella locked eyes with a couple others, including the servants who seemed rather weirdly..shy. All she could do was shoot a slight frown in their direction and carry on, seemingly only feeling comorrtable when looking at Sage. "We have about an hour maybe, we could see the horses if you like?" she asked, leaning against a cold white brick wall as they neared the end of the corridor, her gaze set in the distance on a couple of people conversing. They looked like maids, but a bit better off. Overall the palace itself wasn't too bad. It looked nice, it was clean and for the most part warm and Ella was happy. But having to actually..be the queen was the part she hated, and would give virtually anything not for it to be that way.

Sage followed her along for a while u til she spoke up. Then he shrugged slightly and nodded. 'thats fine with me," he mused. He knew she'd said they'd look for some clothes for him after the dinner, on the way home, and he was just happy about that. But the horses had been nice, and he was more than happy to go down to the barns with the time they had to spare. Really, he wouldn't mind getting distracted there and just never going to the dinner to begin with, but he knew that wasn't really an option. But that was ok ....he was sure he'd get some hate for going with her, but he got hate for literally just existing, so there wasn't much difference than his normal day to day routine. And she'd asked him to go with her so....he would. He wanted to make sure she wouldn't start just ignoring him. Not caring if he was there or not. It was strange....he jated his job and would rather be left alone, but when it was have her ignore him or have him forced into something every night, he'd choose the later. He wasn't sure why, but in the moment he supposed he just felt like he wanted someone to notice him. To use him for something, even if that something wasn't something he particularly enjoyed. So far, she'd been surprisingky pleasant...he just really, really hoped it would stay that way.