Cocking her head to the side, one hand resting on her hip, Lee stood silently as she observed the scruffy boy standing straight, posture perfect, right in front of her. He was no less miserable looking now that he was upright but at least he did not seem to be lacking in spirit. Grimacing at his bloodshot eyes and defensive tone the mage let out a low gusty sigh, it seemed as if she had her work cut out for her.
Shaking her head no since the First Enchanter had not mentioned anything about forcing a stubborn boy to wear robes, even though he certainly looked like he could use a good clean set of them, she jerked her head to the side to indicate the food she had brought along. “ I brought you food but,” Eyes trailed up and then back down, scanning the child’s clothing, one brow slowly rising towards her hairline, “You look like you could use a change of clothes, if only so that set could be washed. Did anyone give you anything to change into?”
Posture softening, her voice with it, the girl reached out one hand as if to pat his shoulder. Thinking better of it her hand fell to rest uselessly at her side. “You know… if you let them wash your clothes you will get them back. There is nothing to be gained from stealing a child’s clothing.” Tossing her head at the ridiculousness of that notion, shaking the very idea from her head, she straightened up once more and looked the boy in the eyes. “For now you should eat, that is far more important at this time than what you are wearing.”
“...If you don’t mind my asking why do you not want robes?” She hoped that he was not refusing the robes in some attempt to avoid being labeled as a mage as this was a case where the clothing did not make the man. Pretending to be something he wasn’t, that he wasn’t a mage, would only hurt him in the long run. It was best if he accepted the truth instead of living in denial like so many of the children did, like she had…