Northstar Vale i used to be soft

the boy, clay, takes his exit and tzenno offers him a gesture of parting with a small dip of his head. after he is out of sight, does his gaze go back to the emperor as the other man speaks. though tzenno is sure that the older man doesn't mean it that way, at the very least not personally, the rōnin cannot help but feel the sting of insult as the emperor makes a statement about how he is to convince him that he will not split the second his belly is full of food. admittedly, tzenno has thinned some due to travel and the inability to spend copious amounts of energy on hunting big game but even so —

i can hunt well enough on my own, spoken in simple fact, absent of arrogance. it would benefit me in no way to steal your food and bolt. beyond that it was a matter of honor. i understand your concerns. all i have to offer is my word, for now. i need a master to serve. without one, i am a soul without a body.