“Malik,” Naji echoed, “Uh, well, thank you, for saving me from those guards. I am in your debt.”
He gave a slight laugh. “There is no debt to be paid. I was simply passing through.”
Naji frowned. “You’re wrong. You are obviously a skilled warrior, but you still risked yourself to save me. I owe it to you to repay it.”
Malik raised an eyebrow at his vehemence. “If you insist.”
“I do.”
A smile flickered briefly across his face. This...could be troublesome, given his situation, but he supposed it would do no harm to indulge the boy for a short time. At the very least it would be an interesting diversion, and he did miss the company.
"Well, you may as well come along with me. If just to stay out of trouble." He turned and began to walk back towards the city gates.
Naji followed, staying a step behind.
They walked in silence for a short time before Malik spoke up.
“How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Naji started. “Huh? Oh. I just turned 20.”
“Ah, I thought as much.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, how old are you?”
“I am 30, to be 31 this year.”
He felt surprise flutter through him. “Thirty? You don’t look it.”
“No?” Malik smiled.
“Well,” he scrutinized his features a moment, “I suppose I can see it, to an extent. You have a deceptively youthful face. You look more mid-twenties.”
A Long Time in Coming- Favorable Chance Encounters 6/?
He gave a slight laugh. “There is no debt to be paid. I was simply passing through.”
Naji frowned. “You’re wrong. You are obviously a skilled warrior, but you still risked yourself to save me. I owe it to you to repay it.”
Malik raised an eyebrow at his vehemence. “If you insist.”
“I do.”
A smile flickered briefly across his face. This...could be troublesome, given his situation, but he supposed it would do no harm to indulge the boy for a short time. At the very least it would be an interesting diversion, and he did miss the company.
"Well, you may as well come along with me. If just to stay out of trouble." He turned and began to walk back towards the city gates.
Naji followed, staying a step behind.
They walked in silence for a short time before Malik spoke up.
“How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Naji started. “Huh? Oh. I just turned 20.”
“Ah, I thought as much.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, how old are you?”
“I am 30, to be 31 this year.”
He felt surprise flutter through him. “Thirty? You don’t look it.”
“No?” Malik smiled.
“Well,” he scrutinized his features a moment, “I suppose I can see it, to an extent. You have a deceptively youthful face. You look more mid-twenties.”
“I am glad to know I apparently age well.”