The viking bastard had begun to grow early this year, and he showed no signs of stopping. Rugged, rough-hewn... his father's son. Erik had big shoes to fill... someday. For now, he's just a boy coming into his own. Trying his best to.
When she appeared, it was at a run. His eyebrows lifted, curious. Was she showing off, or was she that excited to see him? Wagering it was probably both, Erik couldn't help but let a brassy little smile flicker to life on his lips. Dismissing Kaiju back to find his brother or whatever it was he needed to be doing, he would try to greet Ember on his own. This was his message to deliver, and he was going to do it. And he didn't want any witnesses if he tripped over his words or whatever. Erik speaks three languages, but it seems like he doesn't always speak all of them well.
Her tail was tidily tied up, but it looked like she was trying something new. He's reminded of the way that his aunts prepare their jewelry, braided into their coats. It was all very lovely, but so much fuss. Ember wears the charm, too. Erik steps into her space, a gentle knock of his muzzle against her cheek before stepping back. "Sneaking? I knocked," he grins. His voice has evened out some, though it remains strained.
But her suspicions were correct. He gave a solemn nod. "My dad says," right, take a second, gather his words. "Tell Artorias Celeste from Stargazers was kidnapped." Admitting that they'd had a security breach was hard. Celeste had been kidnapped away from home, but still. Still, it's not the only reason Erik's words are heavy. Something between his aunt and his much-older sister, he'd spent so much time with Cel's kids that they were basically his siblings. His expression drawn and a bit grim, he delivered the message to Ember. His words came scarcely as it was, better to deliver them to someone he's comfortable with, worried they'd desert them entirely looking down the barrel of a king.
"Speech"
