Why are so many Islanders such terrible parents. It's upsetting. 

Her father is also a pretty terrible parent but he didn't really try to get input into her packing.

While she's at it she checks for good weapons hiding places and the like.

While the girls are sorting out their own room, Fairy Godmother shows the boys to their own. 

It's almost the same as the girl's, though they have a different statue in the centre of it. 

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. Someone will come and collect you for dinner."

Ashwin says nothing to her, simply stalks into the room to his bag, pulling out his bow to check it.

"Thank you," he says (his father had considered politeness important, had taught it firmly).

He stares around at the room, then it penetrates more fully that he's going to be supposed to be living in it and he wants to hide in a corner.

(Does he recognize the statue?)

It's certainly a prince of some description.

Ashwin looks over his shoulder to Lius, feeling his anger soften.

"You okay?" He asks, once they're alone.

He recognizes Prince Naween from TV. Doesn't think anything of it; he knows they do things like that with important people in Auradon.

He - doesn't know why Ashwin is asking him that. 

"...Yes?"

"Are you?" he adds, because he knows that's what you do, when you're talking to someone.

"Not really. Never been this far from Nia before." He runs a thumb over his bow. "You can tell me if you're not okay. I'm not gonna push for conversation. But we are friends."

"I'm sorry. I hope she'll be ok."

He's - not sure he really knows what that means. He's ok, because he hasn't hurt anyone yet, and he can't be ok, because he's evil, and he's ok because there isn't anything he should complain of.

(He isn't sure he knows how to be friends, either. Worries suddenly that it's dangerous for him to be in a room with someone alone, who isn't his father. But the people in charge wouldn't put him here if something bad would happen would they?)

Ashwin's grip tightens around his bow. She won't be, he thinks, but doesn't say.

He's not sure what to do, he and Nia never needed words, and Cati always talked enough for the both of them. He looks over at Lius, titling his head a little. Trying to puzzle him out. It's probably going to be a time thing.

He notices. But there's nothing he can do, except pray for her, and offer to, and he doesn't think people like it when he says it.

"I'm sorry," he says again. (She should have been invited instead of him...)

He isn't sure what the second gesture means.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

It's hard to imagine Lius doing anything evil at all.

"It's - still sad," he says (he isn't sure how to say any of other things that makes him think, even if he was trying to say them).

(Lius doesn't find that hard at all.)

"Being brought here? Perhaps. But we won't be here for long."

Ashwin collapses onto his bed, taking his bow with him.

He meant her being there and maybe not ok. But he doesn't know how to say that. He isn't sure how to respond either but he wants -

"...why?" Why do you think that? How do you know that?

"We're not going to be here for long."

Ashwin seems certain, but not from a sensible standpoint. His shoulders are hunched, like he's bracing for a hit. 

He notices, again. He wants to do something to help, and he doesn't know what he could do. He starts to pray for help for it, stops. If he's going to pray he should pray for Ashwin, it matters that Ashwin - has what he needs, has what is better; it doesn't matter how it comes to be. It's selfish, to ask that it be through him, as though it matters that he can do something and not just that Ashwin - and Nia - are OK (or - more OK. Or whatever they can be). Selfish. (He prays.)

"I'm sorry," he says again.

Sensible or not is invisible to him; just the certainty.

"Why - do you think so?"

"They'll change their minds and send us back. Declare us unsaveable. Not that we needed saving." 

Oh. They might do that. Which - they would be right, about him, he shouldn't complain about that. But if it's better for some of the others, here, and they get sent back too -

(He shouldn't have been invited, someone else should have been invited, what if they send everyone back because of the evil in him-) (He - needs saving but he is probably unsaveable, and it's selfish to want it anyway -)

"I'm sorry." He should think of something else to say, but he hasn't.

"I-I'm not sad to go back? Why are you sorry?"

"Oh. That's good then." He should actually unpack his things. He starts doing that, even though interacting with the room makes him want to hide somewhere again. He still doesn't have very many things.

Ashwin doesn't press him, but does shoot him glances as they unpack.

Soon, they are collected for a feast in their honour. The page is practically vibrating in excitement.

"You're going to give us slightly more notice, thank you," Cati says, glaring at the person.