( the general welcome is warm, of course, as confusing and overwhelming as his arrival has been. it is, in hindsight, much better than what he's used to, but not everything is a garden filled with the brightest roses. there are thorns hidden under beauty, and to the most friendly of people, welcoming strangers with open arms to a castle this big, it isn't too far-fetched to think, something is amiss. he explores the castle as he's allowed to do, a place as magnificent as it is impressive, but there is a spot, not hidden but certainly away from general sight, that catches his attention. a staircase, slightly worn. so different from the polished walls.

down is a dungeon, and it's not immediately surprising — every castle has dungeons, of course, it makes sense —, but there's... more prisoners than he'd have expected. eli doesn't know them, doesn't recognize them, but some, understandably so, give him side-eyes or straight-up glances that he does not fault them for. some scoff at him even, and the ones that do catch his attention, because one of their cellmates is, much unfortunately in this case, a familiar face.

even in such a dire situation, the seer can still spare a small, weak smile at such words. )

Hmmm... I suppose you're right. I wasn't really looking for anything, so I suppose it's quite hard to find something that doesn't quite exist. ( there's a pause, where his smile dies out and washes away from his face, and then: ) I would never have expected to find you like this, Naib.