Phoenix Maplewood darling, a bad romance

recognition finally washed over saena's ruddy-marked features, eliciting a grin from Casmir. "and you were the one i helped, once or twice. well, tried to," he joked lamely. now that they seemed to know one another, he felt safer swaying his plume once or twice in her direction "you look a lot better, Saena," he murmured, eyes falling unbidden (again) to her curved sides. he knew nothing of the tension that had once been between the woman and his dad, and nor would he have cared.

"we haven't been at the plateau in a long time. dad and Dante decided that we needed a change and so we packed up and moved to the coast right before my little sisters were born." Leth and Deedee -- god, he missed them already. he wouldn't be able to see them grow up and maybe they would forget him, but he simply could not have remained in the beautiful redwood forest.

"they're fine, I just ..." the Mayfair boy paused here to roll his shoulders and draw shaky breath, fighting for composure. "my girlfriend died .. um. an infection. and then -- there was someone else I loved, and just ... I needed to leave," he finished with the rawness plain in his voice, hoping desperately that Saena wouldn't ask him any more hard questions.