Aelinor turned toward her fully then, the faint warmth around her softening rather than flaring â an instinctive Summer response to guarded honesty.
âKindness is a practice,â she said gently, not dismissing Hopeâs words, not trying to overwrite them either. âCities donât offer it freely. People learn how to make space for it.â Her gaze followed Hopeâs to the corner stall, the corner of her mouth lifting in quiet encouragement. âSometimes it starts with something as small as choosing a drink that doesnât punish you for being thirsty.â
At the mention of a refill, Aelinor glanced down at her cup â nearly empty â and let out a soft, amused breath.
âThatâs a generous offer,â she said, shifting her weight as if to fall into step beside her rather than waiting to be led. âAnd I agree â ordinary things are better shared. They remind you youâre still part of the world.â
She nodded toward the stall, then back at Hope.
âCome on,â Aelinor added lightly. âIf it turns out to be terrible, we can both pretend it was an act of bravery instead of poor judgment.â
A pause, warmer now â an opening rather than a question.
âAnd if youâd like,â she continued, âyou can tell me what kindness is supposed to look like to you. I find cities are more cooperative when theyâre given specific instructions.â
Hope considered that point, brow creased with quiet intensity. Had the city been asked? Or was its current state as much to do with the violent collision of time and place and realm as it was with choices of the people in it? "That's not a bad first step," she agreed with a smile. "Not bad at all."
At the soft encouragement, Hope nodded and fell into step beside her. "Sometimes I need that. The reminder that I'm in the world, I mean. Too many times I haven't been, in one way or another. So let's start with this act of bravery and see where we go from there." The invitation to explain her wish wasn't simple to answer, but Hope did her best all the same.
"I guess if I had to describe it, then kindness would look like peace. I want the time for us all to breathe, for the threat of violence to stop, all of that. It's exhausting beyond measure, waiting to see which faction is going to break this truce and how. I'd like calm, above all."


















