With a guilty coo, Adeyemi groomed at the feathers that lay about Willow's gem, the closest to an apology the owlet was likely to receive. At the other prince's response, the turaco focused back on the green bird, clucking with another wave of pride. "Willow has many talents... but I am sure she will show you herself, if she deems it necessary," he added seriously.

Though the chick was arrogant - and often ignorant - he did understand one thing: how to learn from your blunders, and not commit them again. If he wanted his companion to stick around, the royal knew he'd have to make it clear they were equal, even if she wasn't a princess. At the answer to the query of companionship, Adeyemi nodded sagely, huffing out a breath. "Well, I am sure you will find someone of proper strength and beauty, yes? I was lucky - Willow found me as a babe, when I received these battle scars," he explained, raising up a scorched foot proudly, crest rising to attention.

At the other fowl's next question, however, the limb dropped to the floor with a sharp clack, and the turaco's eyes narrowed, shuffling closer to Willow uneasily. "Her position, Prince Charmbirb Gertrude," he murmured, slick as oil but barbed, "is as my equal. It is how a true companionship works, yes? To find someone who compliments you, keeps you in balance." With this, he gestured to the owlet with a sweep of a green-blue wing, glare softening. "Willow is such a companion. I have my faults. She helps me to learn from them, yes? As will you, when you find your destined."

@Willow

Willow shifted a little, glancing down towards Adeyemi briefly before she brought her gaze back to Charmbirb. She shifted once more, probably frowning if she didn't have a beak. It was clear the owl was still mildly irritated, but she seemed to tense down hearing Adeyemi's words.

She half-shut her eyes with a sigh, waiting in silence.

Hm. Companions. Perhaps these two were softer than he thought. Was there some sort of nonsense behind the scenes? Prince Gertrude's eyes narrowed, "As your equal, perhaps, but I do not find that I crave such a companion as you do. For someone like me, I do not need someone to follow me around as my equal, though I will entertain the notion for others of nobility. I simply need one thing from someone in the 'companion' group, per say, and that is obedience." He pipped out his words quickly with a small nod of his head at the end. His crop filled slightly more with air (or maybe pure ego) and his feathers ruffled once or twice as if to show off their iridescent sheen, "I suppose it is not mandatory for every noblebirb to have a proper subordinate, after all, nobility have an air that allows us to make our own decisions without the consult of another, but it is simply not what I would look for... someone such as your Willow." Briefly, he turned to the dull colored owl, "No offense to you, Willow, it is just proper that nobility have a subordinate and such. Surely it is understood among your kind." He nodded again, turning to look at Ayedemi once more. Though the owl seemed irritated, it was not its place to speak out against him, he simply addressed her directly because it seemed to be the wish of another noblebirb. He would not miss the growing tension in the air, but he was willing to push it once more to see where the youngling truly stood on the topic. "Blah"

Adeyemi huffed, beak clicking, head tilting from side to side as if trying to puzzle out what the other Prince could mean. In the end, he simply shrugged, wings rustling as he settled, raising a brow at Gertrude. "Hm. Perhaps not everyone is created with an equal," he pondered, eyeing Willow speculatively, before turning back to the green bird with what could be a grin, had he a maw and not a beak. "I suppose I have been gifted with such a powerful ally."

Still, he listened, humming. "Obedience is easily lost without loyalty, though I have no doubt you can gain both, as a Prince like myself." The words were oily and not quite truth, murky like the waters of Cetus. "The air to make our own decisions, yes. The wisdom to stave off arrogance in the face of a more powerful enemy... perhaps not. It is quite like fire," he added, peering down at his own scarred legs. "Pride and the flames are both hungry. Relentlessly hungry. To have loyal allies is to have a pool of water when all is burning."

Though the tense atmosphere stayed, Adeyemi himself seemed relaxed, now, eyes bright with enjoyment - after all, the turaco loved to hear himself talk, and the other royal was giving him plenty of chances to do so. "Yes, subordinates are useful," he admitted, humming, "but they are even moreso when they believe themselves to be important. The more false power you give them, the more loyal they will become. To have a hoard of willing servants at your beck and call, each never seeing themselves as truly subservient, but your most trusted warriors... well. It would be so lovely, to know that so many would die for you," the chick trilled, eyes cloudy with thoughts of the future.

The gaze snapped back to the present in a moment, flickering between Willow and Gertrude. "But to have a truly trusted companion, one of equal talent, in some ways even more powerful... well. No one can be alone forever."

@Willow @Gertrude