Anya let her brows furrow for a moment before feeling her cheeks rise into a sweet smile. "I'm glad you think so," the girl murmured, running a hand through her hair before letting a soft sigh out, "but that's just what you think... the other higher ups... they think I'm a pretty centre piece and that's about it. According to them, I'm soft, which I suppose is true, but no reason to go begging the king and queen to have another child in their old age." She noted with a quiet chuckle, glancing to the ground. "They were expecting someone a little more like you to come along... more hardy, if you will. Which is why I suppose I was promised to Luther. He's a lot braver than I am." She shrugged before biting her lip in thought. "Your reasoning for not linking small spaces isn't silly, you know." She murmured quietly. Sage had been scared into not liking them by his own father... she couldn't help but feel sorry for him about that. Anya looked him over for a short moment. "You have a point. Maybe we should crack on with our training once you're better. One day it could mean life or death." She noted thoughtfully. The chances of her ever being fully alone when she was in power seemed very low... but it still would be good practice encase she was jumped on her little wanders. The girl raised a brow at Sage for a moment. "And my reasoning for not liking Ladybugs is valid too! The way the crawl, and have spots, and fly about..." Anya shivered teasingly, trying to bring the mood up a little.

Sage chuckled and shook his head at her joke. "Alright, fine, the ladybugs are the worst creepy crawlies out there," he giggled, just to appease her in a teasing way. Then he met her eyes again seriously. "But really Anya, it's not bravery if you just hack and bash with a sword. Fighting is just fighting. That's nothing special. Facing your fears like you did in the water when we first met or dealing with blood and gore to help me out...that's bravery. That's why I'm saying you're strong. Luther might be able to harden his heart, but that's not what will make a good ruler. Knowing when to be hard and when to be gentle ..thats a skill you have that will make you into a good queen one day." He meant what he said too ... All of it. She was, in all honesty, braver than he was in that aspect. She had faced her fears while he avoided them at all costs.

Anya tilted her head to him as he cheeks slowly flushed up before dropping her gaze to the ground. She used to compliments... tuns of them, but coming from Sage, they felt different... honest. Instead if just staring blankly at him, she wanted to say something back, and just for a moment her head went completely empty. There was so much she wished she could do for Sage... to fight his fears with him, just like he had done with her since the moment they met, and give him and his sister everything they had ever wanted, if it was possible... but that was the thing. It wasn't possible. Sage had been reluctant to take her charity, which meant to matter how much she showered them with gifts, it would mean nothing. And his fears... they weren't something she could work through with him. Her eyes fluttered back up to meet his after a few quiet moments. "I hope your right. I want to do whats best for your people... that's why I sneak out, I think." She murmured, starting to fiddle with her nails slightly. It was a funny thought. She had only ever been taught what the higher ups would want... but when she wanted to learn more about the less privileged, she had been dissed. "You know Sage, over the last few days, you haven't seemed the least bit scared. I think that makes you braver than I could be... hell, I think that I've been more worried about you than you have."

Sage smiled softly and shook his head. "Thanks, but Anya, they're your people, not mine. I'm just one little part of the whole city structure." He lay back a bit and sighed. "I guess I've just gotten used to the idea that death is inevitable and the only reason I've fought is becasue of Lizzie. It's not brave, it's....I dunno..." He trailed off for a second, trying to figure out what he was trying to get out. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you think I'm brave, but I'm really not. I'm just used to death and I'm holding on because Liz can't live without me. She has a chance to have a decent life, and I can't take that from her just so I can have peace."

Anya gave a soft nod as she tilted head back against the wall. "You're brave, Sage." She told him, not really saying much else about jt. He didn't think he was brave, but in her eyes at least he was. The only reason he was still alive was because of his sister... but Lizzie was strong as well, and that would probably be because of Sages example, surely. People weren't born fearless... they become it. Through experiences. She couldn't imagine Sage being born afraid of nothing. Other than his feelings, of course. She couldn't help but wonder why he was worried of them. Obviously, his father couldn't have helped, but it was more than that. People are afraid of things that they don't know about... so maybe that had a role in it. Maybe he just didn't know what it was like to be loved by anyone other than his sister. Though, she didn't want to ask. Anya raised a brow at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Oh, they're not my people. Not yet. My people are sitting on a high up balcony somewhere and sipping on some tea." She shrugged before giving a faint, rather joyless smile. Anya glanced back over to him for a minute before her face wrinkled slightly, "What do you think happens... you know, when you die? Does it all just go black, or what?" Anya was painfully aware of how deep that was, but she always had it on her mind. Unlike Sage, she was afraid to die. To leave everyone and thing she loved behind, that she would never see them again... it terrified her.

Sage thought for a second and shook his head. "I don't know what happens where you're actually dead, but dying....I'm too familiar with that bit. You go cold, and kinda feel like you floating, and everything calms down." He looked over at Anya with a small smile. "It peaceful, even if you're dying in some horrible mangled way....there's no pain by then. It's just...quiet calm." He looked back up at the ceiling with a shrug. "Sounds like peace if you ask me. You don't have to fight for your life every second if your existence." He blew his hair out his his eyes and was silent for a bit. "I used to wonder what happens. Now I'm just waiting for it to catch me " He looked over at the girl and shrugged lightly. "People in the slums aren't expected to live long...I think the oldest person I've ever seen there is in their later thirties. Most are dying off in their early twenties, mud twenties if they're lucky. Or unlucky. However you look at it " He was close to that age himself. He wasn't sure how Anya would take it but if she showed up one day and he had died off he wanted her to know a reason why, even if it was just 'the slums are crappy and no one can live in them for long'.

Anya blew out a shallow breath as she listened in. Her jaw clenched a little as she thought about what he said. Where she was from, it was common for people to live long, relatively joyful lives. She wanted that for Sage... and everyone in the slums. She felt stupid... being upset for people she didn't even know, but they deserved more than a straining life and a lonely death. They shouldn't be waiting for it to come for them. Anya watched Sage for a moment, a small frown sinking into her cheeks. People only lived to about their mid twenties in the slums... that was what Sage had said, at least, and if that was true then he might not have long either, even if he did survive this infection of his. From the way he talked about death though, it sounded like he was looking forward to it. "I suppose that means you don't have long to wait then." She scoffed, humourlessly rolling her eyes. "There's so much more out there for you Sage. You don't deserve to spend your life in that that tavern with whoever wants you." She grumbled, wrinkling her nose slightly.

Sage glanced over at Anya for a moment, surprised that she cared that much. Sure, they were friends, but that only meant they weren't trying to kill eachother and could be honest with eachother. He hadn't expected her to say something like that. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. That's not the point. And there's nothing I can do to chance the life I have." He looked up at the ceiling again and sighed. "Maybe if you're queen you can help whoever's alive then." He most likely would be gone by then, unless he somehow lived way longer than normal or she became queen within the next few years.

Anya shook her head slightly. "I'll have to out live both my parents to become queen. That's going to be years to come." She shrugged softly, shifting again so that she was laying on her back. Sage was right in one sense. Although there was so much for him, and everyone else in the lower villages, they'd have to work tooth and nail to get out of the slums, and they were already working so hard to live. They weren't even really living... more like existing. The girl let out a hopeless sigh, eventually realising that nothing she said or did would make reality any better. She drew in a breath, settle a short silence settle before glancing back over to him. She had it so easy... she would never know what it was like fot him, not really. "Maybe with you taking me on little tours, I'll know how to make things better for the lower classes."

Sage nodded slightly. "Maybe. It's a hope. Though, I'm not sure they'll accept your help right away." He shrugged. "people can be stubborn fools when their ego gets in the way. Or a drink." He looked over at her again with a small smile. "You'll make a good queen. Even if I'm not here to see it, I have faith in you. Don't worry too much about it. You still have lots of growing to do before you become queen." He put his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, and he didn't know what the doctor was going to do later. Now was the best time to get some rest he supposed.

(It's short class is starting lol)