Thunder Dome the way in

There was no hesitation before Asterr replied — it was yet another showing of her grace as a leader. She expected honesty from her subordinates, so she led the way by being honest herself, even if that meant speaking of her personal life. Noctura had of course not picked up good manners from the almost-mute savage father who had raised him, but had subconsciously remembered some politeness from his early childhood, and the rest of it he'd picked up along the way, mainly through use of his own romantic imagination. That was how he knew to word his question without being impertinent. He wanted to know more about Asterr, but not in any pushy sense — perhaps that was part of why she answered so easily.

It was likely also because she respected the wishes of her subordinates, though. Noctura knew that he was not special, other than in the sense that they were all special to her in their own ways, and he hadn't even toyed with the idea that she might feel for him what he felt for her. No, he was content to be as special as the others who ran with Ryūjin, for that meant Asterr was willing to share some of her life with him.

He listened with great fascination. Had he not also been giving some attention to the path ahead and finding a way into the cavern, Noctura would have been gazing at her outright, looking down into her sparkling silver eyes as she spoke of dragons, prophecy, and magic. Her history was romantic beyond his wildest dreams, and the conviction of her words made her story ring with more truth than he ever would have expected. I'm envious, he admitted, quietly ashamed of his selfishness in being so. Your upbringing sounds more enchanting and more sacred than anything my own childhood could have mustered.