"Will it be like this one here?" Tina looked at William with wide and innocent eyes that were filled with expectation.
To her, the gold-trimmed curtains and the spirit-gathering floorboards were proof that they had finally made it—that being with William meant a life of luxury and safety.
William felt bad to lie to such cute eyes and felt worse to let her down. He knew that the disciple quarters, while respectable, were often Spartan and competitive, designed to forge masters through hardship rather than coddle them in comfort.
"It will be quite a nice place as well," he only managed to say these words before Tina took this as an agreement, her imagination filling in the blanks with even more grandeur.
"Yes! I knew the young master was capable and strong! Hurray!"
She raised her little fist high in the air while jumping the remaining few stairs before landing and ran off to check the rooms again.
