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Every day, Aldren had to come up with a reason for why he liked Zena. Yes, his home, his family, his friends were here, but that hardly facilitated a reason for him to actually like the place. He stayed because he was needed, not because he loved his home. But rather than stay somewhere that was so very easy to despise, he searched for reasons to like it. The sky was beautiful. Every night when the sun set, the sky was painted in rich golds, fiery reds, and vibrant purples. It was beautiful. The mountains seemed to go on forever. The snow was so fresh on a consistent basis, that even the paths he'd trekked a hundred times seemed new. It kept things interesting.

Usually.

Aldren blinked down at the unsteady tracks veering off sharply from his village. He hadn't realized anyone else came out this way. Even the other villagers seemed to have fairly routine paths that they trekked. And this wasn't one of them. Curiosity ate at him, so, with a slow roll of his shoulders, he followed them. It was no great span of distance before he came upon a huddled figure, tucked beneath the scraggly, gnarled branches of a dying tree. It wasn't an animal, and it didn't seem overtly pleased by its predicament. "Erm, hello?" Aldren asked hesitantly, crouching down to give the thing's- the girl's shoulder a poke.

Aldren jumped a bit as a hand reached up to pat against his. The first bit that sprang out at him was her lack of gloves. Even in the slightly more mild chill of the warmer months, how could anyone expect to go around wearing so little and not get frostbite? He gave a quick glance around, wondering if she'd journeyed here with companions or if she truly was alone. Upon seeing no one, he stooped down to her side. "I could be," he retorted back teasingly. Definitely a girl. Fair skinned from what he could see. A Wind lass up from Sauti? Surely she should know better than to wander so far north with so little protection...

He shifted back, enough to unzip the thick fabric of his outer coat and tug it off before draping it gently over her frame. "You really are a touch in over your head, I think," Aldren hummed. It wouldn't due to let her wander about on her own, anymore. There was always that chance no one would find her, and she'd freeze to death. He shook the thought away. If it were up to him- and it was, in this case- that wasn't going to happen. He leaned in, touching his fingers to her sides. "I'm going to pick you up, alright?"

Not trying to do anything weird or unsavory. Just hoping to help you. Without waiting for much of a response, he tucked his arms beneath her and lifted her to his chest. He wasn't the strongest or most sure-footed of his race, but he had height, and that had to be worth something. "It really is dangerous to be wandering about in the snow with little more than a cloak," he scolded.

Aldren couldn't even begin to hide a rumble of amusement at the girl's words. A big, strong Ice man? Hardly. But he was grateful and highly entertained that she thought so. It wasn't far home, but the snow made the trek more difficult, and he wasn't accustomed to carrying anyone larger than his little sister. By the time his steps started faltering, the house was already in view. "It's just an overcoat," he hummed at her question. "I'll be plenty warm without it, and I don't expect to keep you out any longer than necessary." He struggled with the door, trying not to jostle her while scrambling at the handle until he could nudge it open with the toe of his boot.

"It's a silly thing to go anywhere if you can't go prepared," Aldren hummed as he sat the Wind woman in front of the fire. From her chair, his little sister gave an inquisitive quirk of her eyebrow, but with a soft scoff and a shrug, returned to her book without any questions. "Anyway, wanting to see a new place isn't worth risking your life over. You really should've turned back long before you got that stuck, don't you think?"

Aldren blinked, then snorted in amusement. "I'm not so sure if hoping and expecting someone to save you is a great way to go about things," he told her, managing to sound half-serious. Really, the situation was a dire one, nothing to laugh about. She really could've been lost to the snows forever. But she wasn't. They were both fine and both here, and when she was ready to take her leave, Aldren would be able to escort her safely to the border. He gave a shrug and moved to prepare a warm drink for his unexpected guest.

From her chair, Seph looked between them. It was becoming ridiculously common to find other girls in the house. A different one each time. The youngster's lips puckered, and she snapped her book closed, loud enough to hopefully get the stranger's attention. "Hello," she greeted as formally as her sitting state would allow. She may have caught the drift of the story, but it still seemed peculiar for a stranger to be wandering the mountains. "My name is Sepharine," she greeted. "And I wonder what's brought you so far out here? While wearing... so little."

"Ah!" Aldren piped as he set a kettle of water over the flame. "That's rude of me... My manners are slipping. I'm Aldren. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." He dipped his head politely, enough so that he missed the disbelieving look his kid sister shot him. He carried this woman into the house without even knowing her name?

Sepharine was not amused in the slightest. Her lashes dipped to half-mast, gaze turning impassive. What a reckless creature. It was girls like this that didn't deserve to procreate. And they certainly didn't deserve her older brother's kindness and attention. Aldren was far too forgiving and much too easy-going. Surely the girl had a mother who'd give her a good scolding for this absurd and thoughtless behavior. Seph sighed. It wasn't her place to say anything of it, though. Surely in time, she'd get what she deserv- "Ugh!"

Aldren tousled his little sister's hair, disturbing her thoughts and the glare she cast at the Wind woman. "Mind yourself, Sepharine," he scolded with a quick laugh before turning his attention back to the other girl, Zumei.

"Anyone in their right mind would've helped you," he assured. "Or at least, they should, anyway." He gave a nonchalant shrug. "Besides, it was a learning experience! Now you know what's waiting out here, hm? Cold, snow, wind, and-" He gave her a quick wink, accented by a toss of deep blue curls. "-me. At your service."

He probably should've asked if she liked tea or coffee or cocoa. Aldren didn't really know what she'd like to put in this boiling water. But he hadn't, and it seemed too late for choices now. After collecting mugs from the cabinet and pouring each full of steaming herbal tea, he moved over to the girls and handed off a ceramic cup to each of them before taking his own and settling in a perch on the floor.

"'Repay,'" Aldren repeated, blinking bemusedly back at Zumei. "No, that's nonsense. I'd never ask for such a thing and really I've no intention of keeping you from your home for-"

But Sepharine stopped him with a harsh "Apupup!" And a pat on the head. "You didn't ask, she offered, and I think it's a good idea. More people should pay their dues." Her attention turned to the girl. Seph's golden eyes narrowed on her. "You must be fairly stupid, so I don't rightly know-"

"Sepharine..." Aldren grumbled in quiet reprimand. There really was no need to be anywhere near that rude.

"-so I don't know if I really trust you with my food... Still, I'm curious what types of dishes Wind nomads enjoy, so please," There, she'd been polite. "Repay my brother by making us dinner."

Aldren sighed softly and took a long, slow sip from his mug. Girls were the most combative of creatures. He could practically feel his younger sister's indignant puff at his back. 'Princess,' indeed. It didn't sound all that insulting to him, and it wasn't like a great many other people called Seph any such thing. But somehow, the word still managed to strike the younger girl as negative, and she responded in like: "If I'm a princess, and you're to be making my dinner, that must make you a servant. Servants should talk less and work more. Shoo, shoo," she huffed softly, waving the Wind woman toward their kitchen area.

Aldren didn't exactly like the sound of 'figuring something out.' He swallowed, set his mug on the nearby coffee table, and stood from the ground. He probably should make another attempt at admonishing Seph, not that it had gone very well so far.

Instead, he ignored the younger female, and instead took hold of Zume's arm, gently tugging her from their living quarters, and toward the wood-burning stove in the kitchen. "Don't stress over it," he murmured once they were out of immediate earshot. "You don't owe me anything, and you shouldn't feel obligated to comply to the wants of children. If you would like, you may assist me, though...?"