High seat Azroth's son was indeed fascinated by the boy now walking by his side.

Thatch seemed, by any perspective, poor, unkempt, and uneducated, at least from a glance. Until one actually spoke with the boy to realise his erudition, no one would be any wiser of his talents.

And who would speak with a child who looked like that?

Azroth's son realised in a swift moment of self-awareness, that he would never have approached Thatch at all if he saw him.

It was a good thing for the both of them that Thatch spoke to him first, and he hadn't the presence of mind to turn away from him.

Even though the two side by side looked extraordinarily out of place, even in the now dense crowds of the market, Azroth's son was grateful for this encounter.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Thatch's voice broke the momentary silence between them.

"Ah I asked if we could be friends. Is that... a problem?" Ginger again spoke without much confidence. It would be strange for anyone to ask this of someone they just met.

But for some reason, Ginger felt it was the right thing to ask.

"Friends? Do you know what that means?" Thatch spoke flatly.

"It means meeting regularly and getting close, does it not? I'm not quite sure myself actually" Ginger spoke with serious contemplation.

"So, do you think your parents would like you to spend your time with an orphan?"

Ginger was taken aback. He hadn't considered that he wasn't going to get many opportunities to sneak outside of the castle for quite a while yet. At least not until the political tensions cooled down. Besides that, what did Thatch just say? Orphan?

"You don't have a family?" In Ginger's experience, it was unthinkable that one could even survive without a family. Ginger knew he wouldn't be able to survive a week in such circumstances.

Were orphans so common outside?

Just how had Thatch been living?

"None" Thatch spoke blankly, as if it didn't concern him, and continued walking "Where would you like to visit by the way? Should I recommend some places?" He continued as if nothing important was asked.

Ginger felt a pang of pain well up inside him - something even he himself couldn't quite explain.

'I really have been living ignorantly, haven't I?' He thought to himself. He stopped walking and stood in place.

Thatch turned to him "You don't want me to guide you anymore?" It was understandable to Thatch that anyone would turn away from him. In fact, it was already quite astonishing that the boy had talked to him for as long as he did.

"No I was just thinking, I've lost interest in the markets. Could you take me to where you stay instead?" Ginger said.

Thatch looked at Ginger in astonishment.

'Was this boy trying to get himself robbed? Why The Under would he want to see where I lived? Couldn't he tell how dangerous that would be? What's going on? Was he really so naïve? At least let me work harder to take your things.' He thought.

"Do you know what you're saying?" Thatch looked at the other boy incredulously.

"Yes, I want to know how you've survived. I certainly couldn't" Ginger spoke the last words more softly.

"You're saying you trust me. Not only to take you to where I live but also that you trust me not to have you killed and left on the street. What have your parents been teaching you?" Thatch said as he face the boy and looked into his eyes.

'Forget it' He thought, 'why am I convincing him otherwise? If he wants to get robbed, I'll rob. If he wants to get killed, I don't care.'

"Well since you've spoken so clearly, I doubt you'd do anything of the sort" Ginger looked at Thatch with a relieved smile.

"Do... you even have any idea where you're asking me to take you? It is entirely and fully unpleasant" Thatch ignored Ginger's faith in him and continued to walk, this time towards the side alleys. He felt they had gathered a little attention.

Thatch knew that with his appearance, he really shouldn't be seen in the center of the thoroughfare.

"No I don't, but I want to know" Ginger said simply.

"Fine. Don't regret it."