Kios: Chapter Two/The Fair [plot/Azix]

Ariella hummed softly as she pulled the saddle from her horse. Jarl had taught her how to properly care for the horses and ever since, she had taken every opportunity to help out with their care. She found little as relaxing as going for a soothing ride around the fields and then coming back to pamper the horses with a good brushing and a few oats. She hung the saddle on the nearby stand and then tugged the riding blanket free as well, the horse giving a soft whicker as it munched on the small bag of oats she had given the mare. She had already removed the bit and the horse was standing calmly as she removed the rest of the riding gear. Grabbing a brush from a nearby table, she began the process of giving the mare a good brushing. The horse appreciated it and she enjoyed doing it, it gave her quiet time to think.

She still had not fully processed the information Azix had given her, but she was doing her best to fulfill her duties. She had already found two of the instructors he had wanted. She was not sure how to deal with him hiding his true name for so long, though. The fact that he finally gave it spoke of trust, but it had come after she had more than shown her loyalty and devotion to his cause. She was hoping he would return from Remano soon so they could talk, taking out Chancy had not given her adequate time to address it with him before he hurried back to Remano to handle something. Plus, Viri mentioned there would be a town fair that night, a celebration of being free of Chancy’s cruelty and the woman had mentioned that she and Xenos should stop by, as the townsfolk wanted to offer their thanks. While she did not feel like she had done much more than take out a shameful man, she would not deny the people their chance to offer thanks, if that was their wish.

She gave the mare a loving pat as she continued brushing, watching the bristles of the brush glide over the coarse hair of the horse’s hide. She had run the mare harder today, working up a lather as they splashed across creeks and loped through a field of wheat. The wind had done much to calm and soothe her and the mare had enjoyed a chance to get out and stretch her legs. Now to await the arrival of her ‘boss’ and tell him about the fair, perhaps having a chance to speak with him privately about the other matters.

After Azix and Ariella took care of Chancy, Gillus Tium and Janus Silivus regained consciousness an hour later. Finding their charge dead, they were unsure of how to feel about that news. They had failed to protect Chancy, which grated against their sense of duty, yet they were relieved. Chancy had been a despicable man, concerned with money without a trace of humanity.

Seeing their underlings pick through Chancy's possessions, looking for anything of value unnerved Janus. She took her frustration of failing out on the closet guard she could find, knocking him on the ground with a low-sweep, before kicking him across the jaw, hard enough to dislocate the joint. Gillus calmed her with a hand on her shoulder.

With a glare towards the others, "You pillage a dead man's estate? Shouldn't his possessions pass to the next of kin? Get out of here!" The guards looked amongst themselves and took off with what they already had in their pockets. Gillus sighed and turned to Janus, "What do we do now?"

Janus shrugged, "Think the magicians will return?" With this failure on her and Gillus' record, the mercenary group they worked for would probably assign them to small duties as punishment. The Golden Hawk Company prided themselves on their successes and took great pains to cover any failures.

Gillus watched his partner carefully, "It is possible. Think we should stick around?" The look in her eye was all the confirmation he needed. Running his fingers through his hair, he let out a deep breath. "Let's clean up the place while we wait."

---

Azix stepped off his magic carpet and looked over Chancy's estate. The past couple days had been spent handling matters in Remano, in preparation for his departure. His face scrunched up in worry at the thought of leaving Reim at a time like this, especially leaving the Grumptoes and Ariella behind. He trusted the yellow magician to handle herself, but the possibilities of what could happen while he was away flooded his mind. Noticing he was dwelling on things out of his control, Azix took a deep breath and released his fears.

Azix draped his carpet over one shoulder and gripped the door knob. After a hesitation, he opened the door and stepped inside. He was surprised to see that the mansion was well-maintained, he expected the guards to fully loot the place. Most people would take that as an offer to fully ransack the place, taking everything of value.

He looked up when he heard someone descend the stairs to find Janus standing there with a hand on her hip. Her face was perfectly neutral, yet Azix could see restraint in her posture. He remembered her as one of the guards he had fought that night and grabbed for his staff. A hand grabbed his arm before he felt the folds of his cloak.

Gillus shook his head at Azix, "I think words rather than violence are needed." He searched Azix's face for any sign of defiance before releasing his arm.

Azix raised a brow at Gillus' words but gave a slight nod. "I would prefer words over bloodshed as well. Shall we speak up in the study?"

Gillus looked to Janus to see her reaction. Janus had a suspicion that the magician would be unwilling to converse, but she was willing to allow his request. With a curt nod, she turned up the stairs, disappearing into the study. Gillus gestured for Azix to lead while he followed behind him.

Once they were seated in the study, Azix looked between the two former guards of Chancy. "I must admit, I am surprised to find you still here. So, what did you wish to discuss?"

Janus leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees to support herself. "I am surprised you showed up, magician. You slay our charge and then have the gall to show up here again. Did you wish to desecrate Chancy further?"

Azix noticed Gillus tense up while Janus spoke, but continued listening. The two showed dedication to their job, but there was something weird. Why did they continue to hang around? What tied them to this place? He sat up straight and looked Janus in the face. "I came to look through Chancy's documents for any information I could find. A wealthy landowner this far in the country, surely one of his stature would live in the city. It is curious, why are you two still here?"

Gillus watched Azix carefully as the magician spoke and felt the truth of his words. Gillus gave a subtle signal to Janus before speaking. "For your truth, I will speak true. If we went back to our Company, we would be demoted for failure. So, we have no place to go. Now, why did you kill Chancy?"

Azix chuckled, thinking Gillus was joking. Seeing the stern looks pass over Gillus and Janus' faces, Azix grew serious. "Why didn't you kill him?" The two sat stone-faced, waiting for Azix to continue. Azix sighed, "The townspeople's suffering was a major reason. Kidnapping their daughters was the other reason. I made sure Thus' sons were returned unharmed and Chancy decided to be petty. After such a display, I felt words would have no effect."

Silence fell over the trio for a few minutes as Janus and Gillus reflected on Azix's words. Gillus could tell the magician was speaking the truth, yet there was something more. To his right, Janus struggled internally with memories of her sisters. Chancy's actions never sat right with her, but who was she to judge? Chancy had said the farmers were stingy people, unwilling to pay their debts, yet the magician sat there and said they were suffering. Had she really been blinded by duty?

Janus broke the silence first, "The farmers wouldn't pay back their debts, so of course Chancy had to resort to extreme measures." Even as the words escaped her lips, she knew she was trying to convince herself.

Azix's expression hardened, "Would not pay back or could not? Chancy tried to squeeze every last cent out of the farmers, going so far as to involve Thus. How could you not see it? Stupidity is one thing, but willful ignorance is another."

Gillus' eyes went wide at the harsh words and moved a hand to Janus to calm her before she acted rash. Janus shrugged his caring hand off, ashamed with herself. She glared at Azix attempting to find a fault in his argument, but finding none, she stormed out of the room. Gillus watched her go before turning to Azix, "That was uncalled for, she - we, were doing our job."

Azix shrugged and stood up, moving over to Chancy's desk. He took a seat as he began looking over the various papers, separating them into piles while he spoke. "I respect a sense of honor or duty, but I find it hard to sympathize with anyone who felt a sense of duty to Chancy." Azix sighed, "I am probably being a bit harsh. I just don't like to justify killing a despicable man."

Gillus seemed to accept his answer and sat in silence while Azix moved on to searching through the drawers. Underneath some documents, Azix found a sealed package. Inside were two bound books with a sheet of instructions.

To use the journey book, simply write in one and the message will appear in its mate no matter the distance. The message will be erased in both after it has been read.

"This could be useful...," Azix mused out loud, before sliding the journey books into a pocket within his cloak. He looked back up to Gillus, "If you two have nowhere to go, I could use your experience."

Gillus gave Azix a curious look and he continued, "I have a vested interested in Kios and I want to make sure its people are safe. If you two would watch over the town and help keep the townspeople safe, I will pay you whatever Chancy did. Double what he paid if you so choose."

Gillus was taken aback, he didn't expect to be offered a job. "I-I-I would have to talk to Janus and think about-"

Azix shrugged and walked to the door, "You have time to think about it. If you are interested then find Viri. She will be able to instruct you further." He made sure that Gillus knew who Viri was before leaving.

Gillus leaned back in his chair after Azix left and thought about the offer. Janus returned to the study shortly after and gave him an inquisitive look. Gillus explained the offer to her and she looked dumbfounded. Who would offer them a job after such a failure?

---

Azix arrived at the farm a half-hour later and spotted Ariella brushing out a horse. A smile stretched across his face as he watched her for a few minutes. Realizing he was staring...appreciating, Azix cleared his throat to get Ari's attention. "How have you been, Ari?"

Ari was lost in her thoughts when she heard someone clear their throat behind her, making her turn quickly, repressing the urge to grab for her wand. Time in Remano had left her suspicious, but she was usually more lax in her attentions out at the farm. She still needed to find a balance between the two. When she saw it was Azix, an involuntary grin crossed her face before she smothered it, remembering she had a bone to pick with the man. She shrugged and patted the mare gently, earning a whicker of pleasure from the animal.

“I have been well. I have been making good progress on your requests, Viri has agreed to teach the children for now, until I find a more experienced teacher. And Bruno should be arriving within a week to begin instructing them on self-defense and fighting skills. You will like him, he is loud, boisterous, playful… and massive. He was a trainer at the Coliseum, but is beginning to get a little slow for that. And he has been sick. So some fresh country air and the laughter of children will be good for him, and he will teach the children well. I have a small lead on the third request, but it has yet to pan out. I plan on returning to Remano tomorrow or the day after to try and catch wind of something else. How have you been? Anything terribly exciting?”

Her voice had an almost flat tone, pure business as she struggled internally with how to handle him hiding his name from her. While it was true that she may have slightly misrepresented her… status, she had trusted him with her given first name and her family farm. It seemed unbalanced that he had waited so long to give his own name. She couldn’t stop the flutter of excitement at seeing him, but she wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily just because she enjoyed his presence. Moodily, she turned back to the horse, giving it one last swipe with the brush before gently slapping the mare’s rear to move her into her stall. The horse put away, she turned back to Azix with an almost expressionless look.

“Oh, Viri wanted to make sure we would both be in town tonight. It seems the townspeople would like to hold a fair of sorts in our honor. Offering thanks for Chancy and all that. I assume that will be agreeable?”

Azix listened to Ariella as she explained what she had been up to. He was impressed that she had managed to accomplish so much in such a short period of time. The burden of leaving eased knowing that Ari would be handling matters for him while he was gone. Yet, he got the feeling from her posture that something was bothering her. He tried to sift through her words for any subtle clues, but couldn't find anything.

He wasn't surprised to hear that the town was holding a fair, it seemed only natural to celebrate freedom from Chancy, but he was shocked it was being held in Ari and his honor. "Yes, that does sound fun. A night of relaxation and festivities will be nice for both of us, I'm sure."

Azix looked in Ariella's eyes, searching for a reason for the distance he felt from her. He was tempted to ignore it until she was ready to talk about it, but he decided to try anyway. "I wanted to say thank you, Ariella. You have never let me down. You seem...tense, is everything alright?" It was unusual to see Ariella so serious, normally she was cheerful and eager to impress.

Ariella was eager to try and shove off his question before taking a deep breath. She was an adult now, it was time to quit cowering and try and please those around her. The matter would not simply resolve itself, so she forced herself to speak about what troubled her, making an effort to keep her voice even and detached.

“I am… I have had much time to sit and ponder on a few things. I am trying to decide how bothered I am that it took you so long to reveal your actual name. While I acknowledge that your line of work requires… delicacy, I have trusted you with more than I have trusted anyone. I trusted you with a gift given by one of the few people in my life that never demand I be anything but who I am. It was only well after that, that you decided to give me your name. I know I should not be upset, but I am. While I am flattered that you did trust me enough to give me these responsibilities and to offer me your name, it feels… almost empty, I suppose. Like perhaps it is a ploy to gain my trust so you have someone to watch the Grumptoes while you are gone. But I am not being entirely fair. I have not told you all of who I am, so how can I expect to know all of who you are?”

She realized her words were jumbled and without sense, but she had never had a very good filter between her brain and her mouth, more apt to shout nonsense than hold serious conversation. It simply did not suit her to be serious. It simply was not in her nature. She took another deep breath before continuing, hoping he would not interrupt until she had finished all she wanted to get out. She struggled with what she should and should not tell him, but she had asked him, in a subtle fashion, for truth, so she should give and she wished to receive.

“I do not know how much you know of Magnostadt. It was created by a group of magicians that wished to have their own place in the world, basically. It turned into a society of snobbish, egotistical asses who shunned any without magic. One of the families to help create and settle the beginnings of Magnostadt were the Negri family. My full name is Ariella Cleopatra Negri. My father and mother both sit on the diplomat’s council, in very high standing in the community. My brother, Adius, is quickly rising through the ranks in the Academy. I’m not just some little rich snob from Magnostadt, I am an extremely rich magician with diplomatic ties to a very powerful city. That is at least the start of who I am. Now, Azix… who, if I can be blunt, are you?”

'Oh...' Azix had expected an urgent matter with the Grumptoes, the farm, or a situation related to their work to be bothering Ariella, not the fact that he had withheld his name. After all they had been through, he supposed it was fair to feel slighted for not knowing everything. He listened to Ariella and briefly wondered if her fallopian tubes were swollen, dismissing it with a mental chuckle, taking care to not let it show on his face.

After hearing it all, Azix was a little annoyed that Ari threw around her status. As a Marquis of Kou, he too could flaunt his position, but he despised that behavior. Ariella had expressed a disgust of the caste system, a form of inequality as he did. With a deep breath, Azix flipped up his eye-patch, revealing an inky, purple pool covering the surface of his left eye. Looking her in the eyes, "You were right, that wasn't fair at all."

Azix sighed and looked up at the clouds, "I did not imagine your family was that powerful. Is that the reason you want to remove the current caste system, because you are 'extremely rich' and powerful?" He shook his head and looked into her golden gaze, "I keep information from you to keep you alive, I can't save you all the time. What information I do give you is to show my trust in you. You gave me and the Grumptoes a gift that your grandmother gave you, displaying a faith in me that I hoped to return. I gave you my name, a token of my faith in you, the next day as part of my thanks.  would have sooner but you were in Remano. What else do you want in payment?"

"Since you gave me your rank, I suppose I should too. I am from Kou, a Hóujué, what we call a Marquis." He spoke of his rank with distaste, it was clear that he preferred not to be known for the position. "I can assure you that every job you have been assigned to has been to clean up filth of my own mind, your hands have not been involved in Kou affairs. That is the reason I hid my name, because it is involved with Kou. Xenos is what I choose to go by so I can keep things separate." Azix looked to where the Grumptoes were playing in the distance, "I try to keep things separate for them, for their safety. Do you understand now? Yes, I hoped you would look after the Grumptoes, but because I thought you wanted to."

He turned back and gave her a grin, "Isn't that why you call me boss?"

Ariella felt her resolve crumble for a moment at hearing his words. She had not thought of the fact that it wasn’t to hide from them, but rather to hide them from him, the dangers his life held. Hearing his assumptions about her mentioning her title, she couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. He had misunderstood her reason behind telling him. By the end of his words, she felt much better about the situation, but felt she should probably clarify something.

“Well… Marquis… It is a great honor to meet you. But, I wasn’t telling you my title to flaunt. It was to illustrate that I have never used my status before. My money, yes. I can be a bit free with it. But in Magnostadt, my name means that I could not trust a single person that attempted friendship, simply because of who I was. I hated that I had to wonder, my whole life, if a person wanted to play with me because I was fun… or because they thought they could gain favor in the right circles. That was why I have not used my surname the whole of my time in Reim. I hated never knowing. I liked the fact that, while you may have used my talents to your own advantage, you seemed to genuinely like being around me. I did not have to think you might be using me to gain a better foothold in a society I despised. But regardless, I thank you for your honesty and for your attempt at protecting us. I do care a great deal for the Grumptoes, and I am sorry I was so selfish as to assume you were dishonest out of self-interest instead of our safety. Looks like I was right to call you ‘boss.’”

She laughed softly and shook her head with a grin, her normal disposition falling into place.

“Well, now that my rampaging hormone has attacked and you have conquered the beast, I believe I need to tidy up before our celebratory fair. I smell of horse and Viri said she picked out something… appropriate, to wear. So perhaps we should both go look a bit less fancy for a rustic country fair, hm? Viri seemed very excited and insistent that we do not dally too long!”

With those words, she looped an arm through his and began dragging him towards the farmhouse, pausing long enough to latch the barn closed. She idly wondered what Viri had sat out for her, the woman knew she had only ‘city’ clothes and had promised to find her something more fitting for the occasion.

A sheepish look floated onto Azix's face as he realized that he had assumed to much when she provided her status. His response appeared to put Ariella at ease and the focus was turned back to the festivities to be had. She looped her arm through his, pulling him to the house. Azix laughed and tried to keep up with her.

Once they were inside, Viri descended the stairs and seeing Azix, gave him a smile. "Xenos, how good to see you. The whole town is anxious to see you two at the fair. Come upstairs, we'll find you some clothes."

Azix nodded, "I'll be up in a moment." He turned to Ariella and pulled the Journey Books from within his cloak, offering her one of the twins. "I found these at Chancy's estate. Supposedly we can communicate across far distances between the two. I haven't tested it out yet, though." Azix slid his twin back in a pocket and followed after Viri.

He found Viri shuffling through clothes, looking for the perfect outfit for Azix. A smile danced on his lips, the housekeeper's care for others was touching. He sat down in a chair nearby to wait, "Before I came here, I was at Chancy's estate. Two of his guards were still there."

Viri paused her searching and raised a brow in his direction, "Anything we have to worry about?"

He shook his head, "Quite the opposite, I imagine. They seem to take their duty seriously and without a charge, they are quite lost. I offered them a job to protect the town. I wanted to let you know, in case they show up here at some point."

Viri nodded, she gave a quick glance to Azix before settling on an outfit. She laid it out on the bed with a smirk, "Try this on. Don't worry about the two guards, I will see to them. Now, I must see to Miss Ari." She gave a small bow before leaving Azix to try the clothes on.

Azix changed into the clothes Viri had set out and went downstairs to wait for Ariella. While he waited, the Grumptoes came in from playing outside. They took one look at Azix's outfit and began laughing.



Leo pointed at Azix's clothes, "Now you look like a country bumpkin'!"

Azix chuckled, "I suppose I do. How have you boys enjoyed it out here?" The boys began talking excitedly all at once, each saying their favorite part, over-talking each other to express an even funnier moment than the previous one. "Ok, haha, not all at once. I can tell you like it here."

Two Days Ago::

Ariella looked at the offered book with a bit of awe, she had heard of journey books before, but had never seen one up close. She examined it while walking into the house, distracted from Viri pulling Azix into a room to see to his clothing. When she arrived at the small room she stayed in, Nilexa yawned widely at the return of her Mistress, fluttering about curiously, eager to see her mistress’ newest acquisition. The winged serpent then promptly laid across the pages and trilled her tongue at Ari, making her laugh. Scooting the serpent away, she closed the journey book and tucked it safely into a drawer beside her bed. She knelt beside the bed to drag out the package underneath, lifting the lid to peer inside. She had paid a pretty penny for the contents of the package, a custom made cloak for Azix’s trip to the snowy north. The material was thick and warm and the edges were lined in soft, grey fur. The inside of the cloak was lined with numerous pockets in which he could hide items and have them easily at hand. She stood with the box and sat it on the bed as Viri came bustling in, eager to have someone else to dress for the evening.

“Well, Miss Ari, I have to perfect thing for you! My girl left it behind when she went traveling to Remano and I think it would look fabulous on you.”

The older woman pulled several items from the closet and Ari simply chuckled at her enthusiasm. It was nice to be pampered once in a while and Ari trusted the woman’s judgment. It did not take long for Viri to have Ari trussed up nicely and she stood back to examine the effects in the large mirror. The woman had picked out a nice peasant top for her with a corset to squeeze everything into the right places. Her skirt was a purple that matched her hair, accented with small golden medallions and Viri quickly produced large gold hoops to hang from her ears. The entire effect made her look much less ‘fancy’ but still gorgeous. Viri let Ari’s hair down, tying a matching ribbon around her hair and then stood back with a satisfied look.

“That will have your date drooling for the evening, Miss Ari,” the woman said with a wink, just as a knock sounded at the door. “I believe that may be him now! Don’t you two dally too long, I know you have a present for him though.”

The woman chuckled and swung the door open to reveal Azix’ outfit, making Ari giggle in amusement. The attire was certainly not what she was used to from the man, but he did not look bad. The gaggle of Grumptoes around him all saw her and began ‘oooh’ing and ‘awwww’ing at her dress and she laughed and waved them away.

“Don’t you boys have to go get cleaned up? No smelly boys allowed! And you, Sir Xenos, look DASHING! Please, come in for a moment, I have something for you!”




The gift:

Spoiler:

Azix's jaw hung open as the door swung open to reveal Ariella in her dress. Even though the dress wasn't as fancy as those wore at court, the way Ariella filled it out left a stunning impression. He composed himself and gave her a goofy grin, "You look stunning, Ari. A gift?"

Azix stepped inside and picked up the grey, fur cloak. It would certainly be comfortable for the climate, able to hold in his body heat to keep away the cold. He noticed it was extremely well made and must have cost Ariella a pretty penny. "Wow, thank you. This is perfect."

Not wanting to sweat, Azix set the cloak on the bed, he would retrieve it later. He turned back to Ariella with a smile, "Between the cloak and seeing you in that dress, one would think you are trying to win my heart." Azix had a teasing twinkle in his eye, but it melted into seriousness. He held out a map of his house, the instructions, and the key, offering them to her. "I obtained that house to operate as a new base for the Grumptoes. Viri has the ledgers with the expenses charted out, though there may be two additional people joining." He briefly explained what had happened at Chancy's estate, to make her aware of the situation.

Azix realized he was talking about work and chuckled, "Excuse me, this is supposed to be a festive day. Well, I think we are ready to go. Shall we?" Azix offered Ariella his arm, so they could make their way to the fair.

Ari blushed prettily at his comments about her dress, trying to cover it by focusing on what he was saying about the ledgers and his house in Remano. Her face was still a rosy crimson underneath the darker sheen of her natural skin tone as she nodded, committing the information to memory and then placing the papers into the drawer with the journey book. She would make sure to destroy the map after she had found the house, to keep it out of curious hands. When he redirected her attention to the fair, her face lit up and she took his arm with a fond smile. His complimentary comments still had a rosy tint in her cheeks, but it had settled down quite a bit, at least.

“That is right, it is to be a night of fun and festivities, no more work talk. Jarl said he would take the boys down in the wagon with Viri bringing the rest down behind him. I figured we could either take a horse or fly, whichever would be your preference. I think I can still ride side saddle.”

She gave him a teasing grin before leading him outside where Viri and Jarl were busy loading everyone into wagons, excited voices twittering through the evening air. Viri had her Shutit Stew safely stored in her wagon, the local favorite smelling delicious. Jarl had prepared two horses for the pair, figuring they would prefer to ride by themselves rather than be crushed into the back of a wagon with a bunch of children.

“Looks like horses are the mode of transportation being suggested!”

She chuckled and waved at the mare she had ridden earlier, recognizing the other one prepared with a side saddle for her was a spirited filly that had recently been green broke. Jarl had even been nice enough to leave a step for her to get on, knowing she was out of practice with riding side saddle. She carefully settled herself into the saddle, remembering her training from years ago in Magnostadt while the horses whinnied and shuffled under her. Getting more comfortable, she looked at Azix with a bright grin, admiring the way his more rustic attire fell across his body.

“Shall we, Sir Xenos?”

With his left foot in the stirrup, Azix swung his right leg over the horse and sat in the saddle. He adjusted his seat and lightly gripped his thighs against the horse's ribs. He pressed his legs into the horse's side to urge her forward. The mare clopped forward, Azix grabbed the reins, adjusting them so she could still move her head, but he could easily direct her by moving the reins to the left or right.

A crow passed over head, reminding him of the bandits that assaulted the villa, the Black Crows. Azix wondered if they were part of the assassins that were after Garret and he. His face met his palm, he still hadn't warned Ariella. He cast a sheepish look towards Ari, "I told you I was a Marquis of Kou, that is just a fragment of the power my family used to have. My father led a rebellion against the Emperor...he failed. My mother and father were killed. My uncle was able to pull strings to spare my life and salvage part of the family name." He dismissed that information, with a gesture to show he was getting to the point. "As such, I am not popular in the court and assassins have targeted me before. I thought the problem was resolved, but it seems I have a target on my back again. If they have learned about you or the Grumptoes, you might be used against me. Another reason I'm thankful for the farm and this town, I've taken care to make sure they don't know about this place. Still, you should always keep an eye out. I'm sorry to burden you with this."

Ariella gracefully urged the horse forward, the spirited filly moving at her direction. At Azix' words, she arched a brow. So much for no work talk. But this was actually more personal than that, she had a feeling he did not often talk about his past, especially not so bluntly. She took the information in with a deep breath. Having assassins after him made her worry, not just for him, but for the children as well. She would be sure to take extra steps of caution when she traveled back and forth to Remano to minimize exposing the children to dangers.

"Well, I thought I had a harsh family history. At least no one is trying to kill me... yet, at least. I am pretty sure if my parents found out that I am running around with a ruffian from Kou, they might send out the hounds for me, to make sure the family name stayed clean."

She gave him a teasing grin, trying to show that she appreciated his openness while still letting him know that she would not push for more than he was comfortable with.

"At least the children will be safe here. There is enough people looking out for them, myself included, that they should be fine. But I will be cautious, boss. Promise."

As they trotter down the road, she let her body move easily with the horse, knowing it was pointless to try and gain control over the animal while sitting side saddle. The filly seemed to appreciate the freedom and did not betray her trust, staying on the road and keeping a steady pace. As they approached the town behind the wagons, she could see lanterns stretched across the road, candles lining a large tent sat up at one end of the main road where many people were gathered, awaiting their arrival. Soft music could be heard playing from a variety of instruments manned by several of the townsfolk. She looked at Azix with a broad smile.

"Well, boss... shall we go and join the party? Sounds like its already in swing!"

He chuckled at her teasing words, "Ruffian? I thought I was playing the dashing gentleman, taking a gorgeous woman on extravagant dates." He stuck out his tongue, giving her a wink.

Azix felt better now that he had warned Ariella, seeing that she understood to be cautious. The sounds of the fair grew closer and Azix could see a large tent. The followed behind the wagons until they stopped. Azix swiftly dismounted while keeping the reins in hand, he offered his other to Ariella to help her down. Afterwards, he led the horse to a small pasture where he stripped off the saddle, setting it with the other tack and let the mare join with the other horses.

Offering his arm to Ariella, he flashed a grin, "Let's join the party!"

Ariella laughed as he helped her from the horse, indeed playing the dashing gentleman this time and keeping her from exposing anything to people as she dismounted from the filly. She landed gracefully, only a slight wobble to her step and she followed suit in stripping the filly down and letting her roam the pasture with her mother.

She took Azix' arm and let him lead her towards the group of people. As they approached, the townspeople all quieted slightly, the Grumptoes grinning as the small crowd parted and they all began clapping before Lavicus gave a hoot and cheers erupted. Ari blushed at the attention, but was happy that they had been able to help these people reclaim what was rightfully theirs. Two small children she did not know came forward and began dragging her and Azix to the front by the tables of food that had been set up, their chairs decorated in flowers. Two women approached, one adorning Ari's head with a wreath of flowers while the other woman, an elderly lady with some spunk, tucked a flower in Azix' attires before grabbing his rear end with a wink.

Ari laughed loudly when she spotted what the woman had done, waving at the townsfolk and trying to quiet them. Two men approached the table, both bowing at she and Azix before one spoke, the other still in a bow.

"Miss Ari and Mister Xenos. Thank you so much for everything you have done for Kios. We are eternally grateful for your assistance in our troubles."

They switched and the other man spoke, his voice almost tearful in thanks.

"Because of you, we have our lands and our daughters back and without fear of being swindled again. As thanks, we would like you to have Chancy's lands. Viri told most of us about the other people you were wanting to bring out, and you will need a place to put them. Use it as you see fit. A bunch of us got together, and we all agreed, we would be honored if each of us could take a family in and teach them about how to handle a farm and whatnot. It isn't much, but it is what we can afford to offer you. Please, accept these tokens of our appreciation?"

Ari stook, her jaw gaping open, completely speechless as she looked at Azix for some sort of sign of what to do or say. These people were not only giving them more land, they were opening their homes to strangers and were willing to help them learn that not everything was as miserable as the slums of Remano. She could feel her eyes misting slightly at the gratefulness displayed and felt unworthy of such thanks. All she had done was what she felt was right.

Azix blushed as the elderly lady gripped his butt, slightly nervous of the forwardness. Everyone seemed so thankful, it was funny to think that all he had really done was murder two people. He was surprised when he was offered Chancy's lands, turning to Thus to see what the man though. Thus had a grin on his face and nodded, he thought Azix would put it to better use.

Azix was slightly overwhelmed by the generosity, but it was good to know the Grumptoes and their families would be secure here, surrounded by caring people. He gave a bow of thanks, "You would really be willing to help these families? I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I don't know how to repay you. All I did was help take care of one greedy person, yet you are opening your homes to strangers. You folks are truly amazing!"

Janus Silivus and Gillus Tium stepped, their weapons secured, Gillus with his curved spear on his back, Janus with her sword and shield strapped behind her waist. They knelt before Azix, and the orange magician raised a brow.

Janus gave Azix a firm look, "After seeing how the townspeople look up to you, I can see that you were right about Chancy. If the people would have us, I pledge my blade to protecting Kios from any threat."

Gillus nodded to Azix, "I would pledge my spear as well, to defend the people."

Azix looked to the townspeople who smiled back at him. He motioned for Janus and Gillus to stand. "Stand up, we are all equals here. Now, it seems the people would be proud to have you watch over them." He turned to the people, "So, shall we dance?"

Azix gestured to the musicians present and grabbed Ariella's hand, "Can I have this dance?"

Ari continued staring in stunned silence as Azix spoke to the townspeople and could not find her words, even after the guards offered to protect the town. Everything was a jumble of gratitude and all she had done was murder someone in cold blood and anger. She did not feel she should be rewarded for that, even if it was for the greater good. Azix quickly pulled her from her thoughts by asking for a dance and her face flushed a bright red as she nodded demurely at the request.

She let him lead her out to the open area the villagers had set up, surrounded by dim lamps, the only other light coming from the full moon overhead. Her head was spinning from the generosity of the villagers, but she did not let it stop her from resting her hand on his shoulder and moving to the tune someone started playing. With a startled chuckle, she laughed and shook her head, giving Azix a grin.

“Looks like I am finally getting a date without violence. I keep expecting someone to jump out of nowhere and hack me to pieces. This is all a plot to kill me via shock, isn’t it?”

She stuck her tongue out teasingly before giving a content sigh. It was nice, being around Azix when they were not rushing off to another job or planning the future of the Grumptoes. She had a feeling they both needed this small repose from the bustle their recent lives held.

“So, Xenos… How does a man like you end up in a place like this?”

Azix entwined his left hand in Ariella's, resting his right hand on her hip, leading her to the beat. He had been trained on proper dancing etiquette from his time spent around the nobles, but it had been a few years since and he was a little rusty. He joined her in a laugh, "Only because I have this~" He looked down to the golden God's Necklace around his neck and back into her eyes, a teasing grin on his face face.

He held her, bodies swaying to the music, enjoying her touch and the comfortable silence that stretched between them. Half a year ago Azix would never have imagined to be in a place like this, dancing with a beautiful woman. Ironically, Ariella seemed to be thinking something similar. He chuckled softly, "Skipping down fate's mysterious road, hand-in-hand with a beautiful woman."

Azix stared into Ariella's golden eyes, swept up by the excitement of the celebrations and leaned forward. The briefest of hesitations and then his lips met hers in a tender embrace. Some of the townspeople noticed and began clapping, pointing at the magicians in joy, at the passions of youth. Feet dangling from a tree, Lavicus, Octovius, Leo, Tyrion and Jacques gasped at the sight and burst into a fit of laughter.

Hardly anyone noticed the grey-cloaked man riding a braying mule through the town with the festivies in swing. Pulling on the reins, he brough the mule to a halt and looked at the crowd. Spiral eyes looked at the pair of magicians as Azix mentioned fate. A smile curled on the cloaked man's lips, "What was this place called?" Pulling a map out from within his cloak, he ran his finger along the surface. "Kios. I will have to remember this town."

Flicking the reins, he dug his heels in the mule and continued on his way. While an interesting farming town, it wasn't the one he was looking for. He hummed a haunting melody and closed his eyes, burning the image of the two magician's in his mind. The white Rukh fluttering around this town seemed centered around those two, it was rare to find two perfect subjects in one place.

-exit-

Ari chuckled at his comment about the necklace and shook her head in good humor. She still remembered coming back from the closing darkness to see him above her, holding her as he revived her. An aching pang echoed in her chest at the memory of the hammer crushing her heart before it was washed away. His mention of her beauty made her blush again and she paused in anticipation as his lips fell on to hers. The moment was sweet and brief as the people around cheered and the Grumptoes giggled at them and she found herself laughing along with the cheers.

Her entire body warmed in happiness and she could not remember a moment ever being as perfect as this one, surrounded by people that were growing closer to them and the children they tried to protect together. The only time she had ever felt so accepted and free was when her grandmother had still been alive. She twined her fingers in her hair as she chuckled softly, shaking her head at the townspeople.

“Okay, okay, show is over. Let’s go enjoy some of that famous Shutit Stew I have been hearing about for days!”

-Exit-