Fine Line

[Existentially Odd]

Lam entered the tavern before Kysis (as he\'d opened the door for her) and looked around nervously, suddenly wary of who they might be forced to converse with in here.  It had seemed the natural alternative to the Falcon\'s Mask to meet their requirements of a good meal and the company really was far more refined, but the likelihood of running into nobles that they\'d met at the Judge\'s dinner the night before was much greater and that was not good.  Lam wasn\'t in a very sociable mood.

She\'d left Dagger\'s home in a haze of tears and retreated to her own to lick her wounds.  Curled up, alone on her bed, she\'d sobbed her confusion and heartbreak into her pillow, very pleased that Matthew was out and she could fall apart without an audience she needed to keep appearances up for.

She honestly didn\'t understand why Dagger would say such things.  Part of her was ecstatic that he\'d realised what he\'d lost in her (at last) but most of her was just bitter, feeling it was too little, too late.  Though... was it?  Although she\'d made a courting committment to Kysis, they weren\'t exactly married.  It would be easy enough to walk away from the baffling and quirky blonde and back into her former lover\'s arms, after a brief break up conversation and heartfelt apology... but... she didn\'t think she wanted that.

She also didn\'t think she was \'settling\' for Kysis in the wake of losing Dagger, despite his insinuations to the contrary.  That was the problem, really.  Sorting out her jumbled feelings was something she was scared to do partly because she didn\'t know where she stood with the younger lord.  She still felt awkward and confused around him so much of the time - a bully, the rest - that it was hard for her to face the genuine, simmering interest she had for him beneath it all.  Defensively, she could see so many ways they were wrong for each other (she was older, experienced, hated by his family and generally gangly compared to his grace) that she barely dared hope they\'d work out.  She was reserving her feelings as much as she could and stopping her heart from passing judgment on Kysis... well, she had been.

Now, she found she couldn\'t.  She needed to frankly face what she already felt and could potentially feel, and decide whether he would be as passionate a match for her as Dagger had always been.  The thing with Dagger of course was... well, their passion and their history.  She\'d grown into a woman loving and sleeping with him, to the point that he was like an extension of herself in part.  Only recently had she been severed from him enough to take breath on her own and face her life and future frankly.  Familiarity had never bred contempt with Dagger but it had smothered her, to a degree.  She\'d grown in the months she\'d been apart from Dagger, her goals for herself only becoming firmer and her equilibrium restored; no more was she on tenterhooks, wondering whether he\'d visit or whether she\'d walk around a corner one night and find him kissing some pretty young thing in an alley.  The extremes of emotion she\'d experienced with the man and his philandering had contributed to their passion, whether he saw it that way or not.

Frankly, it hadn\'t been all that healthy.  The highs of being with him and worshipped physically by him could never fully erase the lows of knowing he shared himself around or just... kept himself apart for whatever reason he deemed it necessary.  Sometimes she\'d go a month before he visited her for whatever reason, and the whole time she spent in an agony of wondering when she\'d see him next, playing silent games with herself of debating whether she should make the move and go to him but not wanting to lose face and be the one chasing, so staying home and being despondent, hoping desperately he would come to call, with the occasional ceremony in between where, again, she couldn\'t touch him whenever she wanted but would have to wait until an opportunity to sneak away arose...

The sneaking around was a big thing for him.  When he asked her not to leave him, she wondered if he\'d fully contemplated what her being with him would entail.  No more deception or secretiveness - and she thought that that would dampen their passion, to a degree.  There was definitely something intoxicating about public indifference and secret intimacies being mixed, and that thrill would be gone.  They wouldn\'t have people speculating about them and trying devious ways to get information about them anymore; everyone would simply know that she and Dagger were a couple and that would be that.

She\'d bear a good deal of criticism now, of course.  Had she and Kysis not publicly dated, it wouldn\'t be anywhere near as bad, but if she bit the nut at the root and decided she would break from the blonde and then suddenly (instantly) appeared everywhere on Dagger\'s arm, people would talk and she\'d likely undermine some confidences with her apparent philandering and indecisiveness. Plus, there was the fact that just imagining the scene hurt.  The image of her and Dagger together was an old one; the hurtful part was the contemplation of ending things with Kysis and sending him back to his solitude and his big, empty manor with a bitch of a sister and a sappy, devoted servant as his only company in a foreign land.  She hurt for him and she hurt at the thought of being without him.

That had to count for a lot, surely.

Every time she would get close to a rational and definite conclusion though, Lam would think about something one or the other of her lovers had done and the tears would start anew.  After an hour, her head was aching from crying and she felt miserable, so she got up and busied herself with drawing a bath.  At some point, her leg muscle had given up torturing her but she made the water extra hot so she could soak for a good long while anyway, and took great pleasure in the redness her skin gained from scrubbing with the soap as well.

The only conclusion she was able to definitey draw was that she wasn\'t settling for Kysis but that she still didn\'t know how much they could mean to each other.  She was afraid of letting herself fall so completely in love with him that she was entirely dependent upon him for her happiness, as she had been with Dagger.  It hadn\'t been healthy... however, in an ordinary relationship like a marriage (as she anticipated she and Kysis could experience), it would be perfectly safe.  But how was she to know if they\'d survive marriage?  Well, as far as she could tell, forced companionship on the journey to and from Kreos would likely sort that out.

As for Dagger... the fact was that her feelings for him were still undergoing a metamorphosis.  Whenever she was close to him, the physical side of them overwhelmed her senses and dominated her thought processes but now that she\'d spent some time on things, she could see that... well, they hadn\'t exactly had the perfect relationship.  Her feelings for him had changed when he told her with certainty that he didn\'t want to alter their relationship; something willful and neglected had risen up and irrevocably skewed her view of him.  He was selfish.  He\'d guided their relationship according to his hangups, while she\'d surrendered to his whim willingly, allowing him the control.

She didn\'t like it now.  She didn\'t like thinking about always deferring to Dagger\'s dictates because of one entreaty and she wasn\'t sure that he\'d change... enough.  Was he not enough for her now?  This thought also made her cringe and feel terribly guilty, like she was undervaluing the grand love they\'d shared, the epic romance, the blinding passion and intense couplings... but what had all that got her, in the end?  A few heady orgasms, some maddening emotional reactions and some haphazard moments of togetherness (with a whole cartload of loneliness the norm).

No, if she and Dagger were to pick up their relationship, it definitely couldn\'t be the same.  She deserved better.  She didn\'t doubt that they could make it work but she did doubt that he would be willing to try it her way.  Kysis, on the other hand, was her equal and partner from the outset.  If anything, she was the dominant person in their relationship, but he\'d showed he had the spine in him to stand up to her when his feelings or desires were pressed.  He was a worthy opponent, as well as an exciting and intriguing partner and... truthfully, he fit her better.  She just wanted to be sure she wasn\'t \'settling\' - that bloody word was beginning to haunt her, Dagger\'s words cutting her to the quick, as they always had.  In thinking that, however, she qualified her thoughts by reminding herself just how far she and Dagger had come together, of the rough times in her career he\'d supported her through, of the way he\'d been there when it counted...

She\'d eventually sighed and got out of the tepid water, finding very little relief in her thoughts and noticing that the afternoon light was diminishing.  She\'d promised Kysis she\'d get to his place as soon as she was able and, though nothing was clear, she felt she was able to at that point.  She needed to see him.  Dagger stirred her passions and her emotions, but Kysis soothed her.  She highly doubted she would tell him of her visit with the older lord - and certainly not of the kiss they\'d shared, a lady was entitled to some secrets, surely? - but she couldn\'t force her melancholy mood to shift enough that he wouldn\'t notice.  There was nothing for it but to take the risk, though.

After she\'d styled her hair by pulling the freshly-washed top half back with a comb, she\'d dressed in a simple, lightweight pair of pants, a dark blue tunic and her black cloak, and met him at his home with the news that she\'d had a tougher than usual training session with the prince and was feeling a little \'off\'.  The news that the king had approved her leave brought a smile out of her, but it was about all she could muster as she asked if they could leave to eat now, while she thought she still had an appetite (and she could tell he knew there was something wrong as soon as she said that, given he\'d never known her appetite to waiver - especially after an arduous training session).  She was glad he\'d agreed and she\'d been quiet on the walk over, holding his hand and mulling over him now that he was beside her, continually thinking...

"Where would you like to sit?" she asked as she looked back at him, walking in behind her, her heart giving a gentle sigh in her chest at the sight of him.  He really was very good looking and... hers.  How, by Talon, could she be \'settling\' for one so grand?

[Kysis]

Breakfast had felt a little awkward, to say the least, but once that was over with, Kysis started feeling a bit better.  Matthew knew the trip was coming, one step forward to them actually taking it.  Now they had only to see what the King said of it, perhaps Fredrickson too.  Kysis still felt rather bad about that whole bit, like he had been a thief in some sort of way.  Even though Lam had insisted that he wasn\'t, Kysis could not be so sure.  Fredrickson much have viewed Kysis as a theif, perhaps worse.  Who knew?  As soon as Lam was off to get her day going, such thoughts desisted, thankfully.  Kysis had his own business to go about with anyway.

The morning training was solo today, which felt odd but that was how it was for the month plus before Rico arrived.  Kysis tried not concentrating on it though.  His left hand could close comfortably around the hilt of his sword; that was no longer the problem.  A few swings and Kysis discovered that his hand could not grip correctly, the sword slipping numerous times.  A little later he found out that it was because he could not feel his palm at all, making gripping propperly impossible.  With a sigh, he switched back to the right.  He had gotten good enough with his off hand, but it was frustrating, his left still crippled as it was.  The local doctor in Kreos could take a look at it, and his eye again, see if there were any changes.

It was a first, but Kysis realized he missed Tiberias.  Yes, he missed Ryos, but that was his uncle, he was supposed to be missed.  Kysis breathed a sigh, relaxing from his stance as he tried recalling the criticism Tiberias would have offered for that routine.  The man had trained Kysis as much as Ryos had, would hopefully have stuck to Kreos even after Ryos\' passing.  If not.... it would be a sad loss.  Kysis went back to his routine, this time paying close attention to his every move the way Tiberias always had.

Kysis felt better once at least part of his normal routine was fulfilled, though the manor seemed strangely empty.  He walked around for a while, making sure everything was where it should be, going through the finances as much as his brain could tolerate.  He spoke with Alex for a while, wanting to use his native Greek while Alex wished to practice his English a bit more.  Both got accomplished, Kysis even managing to teach him a bit more in the process.

It was a slow day, all in all.  Kysis aided a few people in the shop, a few quick demonstrations for humor.  By the time Lam was over, Kysis had already bathed and was quite glad he had strayed away from blue when changing.  Deep rust red was the hue for his doublet, black for the undertunic, pants and boots.  It did nothing at all for his eyes, but Kysis was hardly thinking about fashion or that sort of mind when chosing.  That was Alia\'s deal, not his.  It was the same attire he wore back at that courtyard maze, which he had not thought of or remembered either, but it was.

Kysis was not feeling very social either, all the more since he had never been to the Scowling Boar.  His father had a few times, told Kysis it was a noble\'s place, upclass and uptight.  It made him wonder if any from the gathering the night before would be there, and he hoped that would be a no, too.  Talking to them again would mean putting that stiffling mask to use again, which Kysis had not wanted to do any time soon.  Oh well.  Such was life.

But as where to sit, "Is one place better than another?"  Kysis allowed his gaze to sweep over those there, not recognizing any faces.  Then again, people tended to blind together in his mind, unless they had some detail that stood out blatantly.  Lam\'s red hair had helped on that front, making her more memorable than all those others he had run in to during his Oberon stay.  Should it be called stay?  Kysis felt he was settling in to the city well, liked it enough that it would not be just a \'stay\' if he got his way, "Or are there people to avoid?"

Both seemed very possible, so Kysis was curious while at the same time being indecisive, pushing the decision back on to Lam in a subversive sort of way.  If he decided a place that ended up being terrible, Kysis would feel bad for a long while about his often unfair karma (some of the Eastern traders were absolutely obsessive about it!  Kysis just thought on it to be on the safe side).  So, he waited for her answer, all the while looking around, getting a feel for the place.  It seemed awfully green....

[Existentially Odd]

Her mouth twisted as Kysis gave a typically logical answer - as always, untouched by passion and ruled by rationality - and she sighed quietly as the decision fell to her to make.  There was no point arguing with him about the fact that it always seemed to be her job, because it was an undeniable fact that she was the local and always the one with the greater knowledge wherever they went.  She was looking forward to seeing the roles reversed in Kreos, though she did feel worried at the fact that she wouldn\'t even be able to understand what people said.  At least Kysis was able to speak the local language fluently.

"No, not really," she informed him as she looked more closely at the patrons within the room.  A few nodded to her - namely, her brother-in-law, the Lord Blake, who was huddled at a table with a fair-coloured, younger man - and their gazes slid to take in Kysis at her side before they returned to their discussions.  No-one that was likely to cause her trouble was there and especially not Dagger (to her undying relief).  That said, he wasn\'t very likely to be gathered around the tables where people took their meals anyway - true to his habit of not doing anything to the norm, he would be upstairs in a snuff room possibly playing cards if he was here, having eaten at his home, in all likelihood.  His new cook probably gave him a lot less to complain about than Irene had.

Her decision made, she led them to a table positioned directly in front of the stage, with a good amount of space around it.  It was in a fairly obvious position towards the centre of the eating end of the room, but she figured she and Kysis had nothing to hide and the couple at the table adjacent to theirs were finishing their meal, so they wouldn\'t be lingering within earshot for long.  The other tables were littered with diners in various stages of eating and they would have had to sit close to someone no matter where she chose - the couple nearest their table weren\'t really known to her, though the man was familiar on sight and she had a feeling he was a merchant of some sort.

Almost as soon as they\'d sat, they were approached by a serving boy who took their order.  The standard meal tonight was roast lamb and vegetables, which pleased Lam because it was her favourite meat.  The smells in the room had revived her lagging appetite to the point that she asked for a loaf of garlic flavoured bread and a honey mead to accompany her food and she was able to smile with the anticipation of its delivery.  Once Kysis had placed his order, she leant her elbows on the table top and folded her hands around them in an habitual pose, leaning towards her partner slightly (she was rocking onto the front two legs of her very stable chair, too, which the polite bit of furniture was not meant to do).

She wanted to ask how the rest of Kysis\' day had gone and what progress he\'d made in organising his affairs for leaving but she feared the question being turned back upon her so she decided to jump in first and steer the discussion elsewhere, bringing up the future instead.  "How many nights do you plan for us to stay in Kreos itself?" she queried.  "I\'m just wondering how many clothes I\'ll need to take - I suppose I\'ll have to manage to pack a few dresses for formalities?"

A small smile was mustered at this, for if she had her way, she would only need travelling clothes and some lighter pants and tunics once they arrived.  She had no idea on Kreos fashion but she gathered that she would be expected to be wearing dresses for the most part - even if only to impress his parents with her femininity - and wanted to know what she should select.  Of course, she had only two casual dresses stored in her armoire at her aunt and uncle\'s place; the rest were extravagantly materialled or decorated and designed pieces for formal occasions.  For his title ceremony, she would like to have his opinion on which to take (another reason to drag him over there to meet the relatives - he could go through her wardrobe with her), though she was leaning towards the maroon one she\'d worn the night before.  It was simple in its design but hung beautifully on her without having too many fussy additions like bows or beads.

[Kysis]

Kysis followed Lam\'s line of sight as she acknowledged someone, the Lord Blake.  Thankfully, his wife was nowhere to be seen, drawing a slight smile in their direction.  That was a relief.  Kysis was glad when Lam chose a table, without very many people in close range.  It was good to know they would not be so closely judged as the night before, or at least that was what Kysis told himself as they took their seats.  He decided to order something which sounded very Oberon, knowing full well that their lamb was sure to disappoint a discerning Greek who was very used to the way home cooking made it taste, and that anything "exotic" here would just be a somewhat pale comparison of the actual foods he had tasted there.  So, something Oberon.  Kysis was curious to see what it all tasted like.

"Formalities?"  He thought for a moment, trying to consider what possible formalities Lam could be referring to.  The ceremony?  It seemed Kysis had to clear up a few things, "I don\'t believe anything formal would be needed.  Maybe a casual dress at best, but.... the ceremony is outside, in front of the city.  There is no need for anything dazzling.  Just a speck of dust..."  The last sentence was muttered under his breath.  It would be warmer in Kreos, that was for sure, and Kysis would rather Lam be maneuverable than dressy.  That was a rule of thumb in Kreos.... which would also have to be broached at some point in time.

And the language issue.  Kysis had not thought about it before now, but Lam knew no Greek, and most of the people in Kreos knew nothing but Greek.  The Liari Keep was a different place all together.  The personal servants, such as trainers and what not all knew Greek and English, for the purposes of guests.  Some knew Latin, depending, but Lam did not know that either....  It seemed like they would have to be together all off the time, no choice.  Kysis tried not getting nervous at the thought, "I would suggest more summery clothing for Kreos, though.  Greece is nice this time of year."

[Existentially Odd]

She was dismayed to realise that she\'d never contemplated the difference in climate as they journeyed southward.  She\'d heard it was always warmer the farther one went but she didn\'t know from personal experience.  Oberon had more or less shaken off its full snow blanket now, but there was a crispness in the air that defied an immediate shift to less-protective clothing.  Her attire in Kreos really was going to take a lot of thought.

"I feel... quite... inexperienced at this," she sighed, giving him an appealing look.  "Out of my depth.  I\'m sorry, I just imagined that your ceremony would be much like... well, like last night, really.  I just assumed, unfortunately.  It shows that I\'ve never travelled or experienced any different culture, doesn\'t it?" she muttered, giving a self deprecating laugh of awkwardness.  "I really hope I don\'t embarrass you."  This was a very real and growing fear now.

[Kysis]

"Not at all.  Kreos is very different from here.... and historically, Greece has always been a bit odd."  Since he had stated it, Kysis figured he would also have to explain it.  He fixed his eyes on the stage floor to speak, as if he was sweeping up the words he planned to use and could get them from no other place, "No one will bow to me or treat me much different from anyone else, unless they are foreigners.  Well, some do, but most do not.  It is a.... equality sort of thing.  All I do is make sure the land is guarded and properly managed, no more."

Kysis felt he was downplaying the title a bit, but that was how it was.  He owned the land, he managed it.  The people made their own choices and voted for their own laws.  That was the way Greece had always been, though, at least when under their own rule.  Rome had changed things a little, but now that the last of imperial rule was gone, things could go back to normal.  The Serenissima to the west wanted to put Greece back under a republic system and the sultans to the east wanted kingship of the land.  Kysis just wished the both of them would just give up already, seeing as they had failed and failed again in all past attempts.  The Greek people could be stubborn when needed.

Knowing that he could no doubt talk for days on the subject of his homeland, Kysis decided that it was best if he allow Lam questions, which could pinpoint the information needed so he did not babble.  He hated rambling.  That sort of exercise was done in his mind, thoughts that no one else bore witness to, which was how he liked it.  Kysis wanted to appear calm and collected and lordly, not like some indecisive serving boy he often acted, "Ah... it might be best if you ask, what you need cleared up.  I might never get to the point otherwise."

[Existentially Odd]

She gave him a wry look, widening her large eyes at him slightly.  "In some cases I am completely ignorant and very glad to have you just talk, you know," she admonished, hungry for any and all information he could give her.  It settled her somewhat, to hear him speak of his home land; with so much she didn\'t know occurring to her the longer she put thought into it, his voice and his wording were the only things that could reassure her.

"I\'m beginning to feel that... well, that I know so little, anything you say will be informative.  I should probably have you teach me a few phrases in case I get lost but... that can wait \'til later," she mused, coming to a hasty decision.  In fact, they had the whole journey southward to practise things she would be able to say to people - Do you know where Kysis went? would be top of her learning list - for now, she needed to know what would successfully get her to the country.

"I need to know how different it is and in what ways.  You said once that it was a violent place, should I bring my weapons?  My armour?  And just how much warmer will it be?  You still didn\'t say how long you thought we\'d be there - will there be time enough to launder everything we wear on the way down and... well, they have soap and things like that down there, right?  Water pumps?  Baths?  Outhouses?  Will we be staying in the same house as your parents or... do they have their own house and we\'ll be situated at your keep?  Do you have servants?  Will there be a place to keep the horses?  Do you think we\'ll need to take one or two pack horses, because I should probably go and speak to Gallagher about... that... " she trailed off, looking at his expression.

She\'d asked a lot of questions in a short space of time, she suddenly realised - right after she\'d told him she was happy to simply sit and listen.  She pressed her lips together lightly, signalling that she would be quiet and wait for him to answer now, a blush highlighting her cheeks as she stared somewhat helplessly into his blue eyes.  She didn\'t even look away when their food was placed on the table before them, so intently was she \'listening\' to him now.

[Kysis]

A smile had broken out on his lips as the questions began to unceremoniously spill everywhere.  By the time she finally pressed her lips together he allowed himself a little laugh, glad that he had asked.  Even though she claimed to want him to just talk, she had a great many specific things she wished to know.  Teaching her a little Greek would be nice, a light to this upcoming week and journey.  Just showing her the keep was one thing, actually passing on a bit of his culture via the language was an entire other, which excited Kysis entirely.

Luckily his brain was taking notes, and even the food getting set down did not break his chain of concentration.  He would answer every question he could remember, and hopefully not miss any.  This would be an interesting test...

"Marcos says that Kreos has calmed a lot since I left, not my fault, I swear.  Not a suit of armor, though, that would be too stuffy and slow if something did happen.  A weapon might be handy, though." Can\'t I get at least a chance to protect you, even if once? "I do not know how long.  A week at most?  Or however long you would like, if you like it.  Yes we have soap."  At this Kysis had to laugh.  He was too much of a clean freak to exist in a place without soap, "And yes, there are servants.  They have their own manor closer to the ground\'s gates.  My parents are probably situated near the forges, where Ryos used to live from.  We would be staying in the keep itself."

Kysis took a moment to pause, glancing over his food and deciding where he would start once this whole business of answering the first onslaught of questions was overwith.  There would be enough of a cool-down between for a few bites before the next surge would.... by Talon, his brain was doing it again!  Kysis decided to get back to those answers, "Kreos remained in Roman control much longer than even Rome itself.  Some of the areas in the city have plumbing.  It is a pain to keep working up to par, but it is rather nice."  One of the herbs used smelled too inticing to let sit for any longer, Kysis taking a small bit of potato and giving it a try.  Not bad, for a northerner, "And the pack horse issue depends upon how much you plan on taking.  I don\'t have to bring as much since I have all of my other possessions back in Kreos but you.... I have a special saddle made for carrying large amounts of gear.  We should try packing it to see if everything fits?"

With that a deep breath was given, Kysis taking a sip of beverage.  He was rather pleased with how in depth all of his answers, and was almost positive he had answered everything.... minus how different it would be.  That would take the course of the next few days to get out, and still Kysis doubted he would be able to explain in terms Lam would understand without actually seeing.  Greece was at a clashing point between two different worlds, it seemed, so it was a blending of all those different sides haphazardly thrown together.  It was one of those \'see and believe\' sort of deals.

[Existentially Odd]

"Plumbing?" she frowned, not understanding the word he\'d used and picking it out because... well, frankly, she\'d understood everything else.  Images were forming in her mind, of the property Kysis governed and roughly how everything was situated upon it; she then imagined anonymous people populating it and started to create a scene in her mind that she would work with and amend until reality corrected her fully.

While she waited for him to expand on his terminology, she began eating her meal, glancing up to him from watching the meat be cut and back down again while she collected some vegetables on her fork.  She frowned as another question occurred.  "Are your parents the types to expect us to dress for dinner?  Will we have meals with them or... only once or... not?"

[Kysis]

"Plumbing is...."  Kysis fished, having used the English word in hopes that it would sort a few things out.  Apparently not.  It took a few moments and a few bites of food before he finally had all the words gathered, this time up from his plate which he had been staring at, "There are pipes that carry water all through the houses so there are taps to draw baths inside and the like."  Kysis hoped that cleared matters up, seeing as he knew little else about plumbing.  It was there and it worked, that was all he really needed to know.  The Romans had been using it for centuries.  They invented it.

And now for the rest, "You will probably only see my mother if we seek her out.  She takes all meals in her office."  Kysis did not want to go in to just how secluded his mother was.  She hardly even seemed a wife, with how she had her own room stacked with books of scripture and little glass figures which had been gifted her over the years.  Yes, she had two children, but that was as normal as she would be.  Kysis had gotten much of his isolationist mannerisms from her, "If you want to dine alone there, or out in the city that is always possible.  Marcos may be entertaining guests during our visit, so if you wish to be around him, you would have to suffer their company also."

It felt like he was hardly doing the hectic state of Kreos justice with how focused he was on specifics.  Kysis could try explaining it on the long journey.  They would definitely have the time then, and he would be more comfortable with giving finite details at such a time.  Kysis was enjoying the food, which he ate at between sentences.  Most of Kreos was not as proper as Kysis, as that had also been passed down from the matron.  Lam would no doubt notice.

[Existentially Odd]

She could only blink in wonderment at the concept of plumbing, deciding she\'d have to see it to understand what he meant and... well, she was best to not question without the advantage of sighting it first.  As for his parents... it was an odd situation that, once again, she couldn\'t anticipate a presentation of.  Something else she would have to see in action to understand.

"Oh.  Well... uh, I didn\'t have any particular desire to spend time with your father necessarily, I just... sort of... expected that we\'d share a formal meal with them so they could... well...

meet me?  Will they even care that we\'re together?  That we could end up...

will we even see them at all?  I\'d thought that a meeting would be... desired?" she hazarded, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks once more.  She decided to stare at her food, just in case his expression showed her that he was genuinely surprised by such a proposal and that she really wasn\'t all that significant after all.  "Oh well," she finished lamely, shrugging as carelessly as she could.

[Kysis]

"Of course I want you to meet them.  I mean, they are a bit odd but..."  Kysis sighed, staring at his own food as well.  He wanted her to meet them, but in his mind not all meetings had to happen at meals.  Marcos would no doubt want to talk with Lam a bit away from Kysis, probably more about business than anything else.  He had dealt with the Oberon guards before, so it might be.... friendly?  Arna refused to come out of her little hole in the wall, but he would make an effort.  The woman would never approve, but he at least wanted to inform her about the possibility rather than leaving her in the dark all together.

"We can do a formal dinner with them.  I will talk to them once we are there about that." And if I can get Arna out of her hole for this, it will be a miracle.

Nodding, Kysis glanced over to his right again, turning his head slightly.  Once the serving boy had passed at a good distance away, Kysis went back to his food, nibbling now.  It seemed as if he was sending the wrong sort of signals all the time, which was frustrating.  He had even been trying harder and yet.... sighing, Kysis took a few more bites of food, trying to get his mind back settled in to answering these questions again.  He wanted to know what Lam had to say first, but he would be ready.

[Existentially Odd]

"Oh no, don\'t do that!  Just... I\'m speaking from Oberon habits, I understand that - it just comes back to me wanting to know what clothing I should take, to be properly prepared for a climate it sounds like I\'ll be totally new to," she grinned wryly, looking up into his eyes.  She felt exceedingly uncomfortable with this topic and decided she\'d have to change it somehow.

For a little while, she made it appear she was engrossed in her meal and listening to his answer on the matter of dining with his parents but then she managed to settle on entirely different topic - that was more relevant to her knowledge base, as its implementation was far more imminent - and it became apparent that she was mostly waiting for him to finish speaking before she voiced her newest question.

"Do you have a tent that you prefer to use, by the way?  I have one that is designed for two people but I take up a good amount of the space within and the quarters would be... cosy, to say the least.  Does that sound alright to you or should we endeavour to get something larger during this week?"

[Kysis]

He nodded slowly, understanding fully that their cultures were different.  Kysis had begun to understand Oberon a bit more, but Lam had not gotten a chance to understand Kreos.  He would have to be patient with her, explain things in different terms over this next week and then the travel time, too.  It was good that Lam chose a new topic, getting his mind off the line of his parents and what duties he would have to adhere to while there.  There were certain things Kysis would not know until he arrived, so they were pushed from the forefront of his mind, more important things to fret over anyhow.

"That should be fine.  My only tent is rather small."

The other tents were not his, and not in Oberon.  Marcos had taken a great many things with him that Kysis could have found a use for.  Things that Marcos could have gotten another of when back in Kreos, no less.  It was frustrating at times, but.... cosy meant comfortable in that closed, warm sort of way?  Kysis thought that over for a moment before deciding it had to, nodding again.  As far as he was concerned, a bedroll under the stars would be fine, but with the weather it probably wouldn\'t, at least not until they neared Greece.  So the tent was fine by his account, if Lam also agreed upon it.  Since she would be the guest, he was leaving a great deal of the decisions up to her.  Kysis was comfortable with almost anything.

The voice of the servingboy made Kysis jump a little, head turning sharply to see him.  Kysis breathed a sigh of relief.  The boy only wanted to know if anything else was required, at which Kysis looked to Lam for the answer.  He was perfectly satisfied by not getting snuck up on, silently wishing he could approach from the left for comfort sake.  Kysis did not speak on it though, waiting for Lam to say something.  The young lord was sure the question was directed at her anyway.

[Existentially Odd]

She was taken from her contemplation of how much room there would be in her two person tent and whether something larger might be in order anyway by his startling reaction to the servant merely being polite.  She\'d been thinking that if it rained and they needed the tent for shelter, they would have to be curled around each other in the centre to avoid touching the sides and discouraging leaks, which might be alright unless he was in one of his impersonal moods... when he flinched and took all her attention for another reason.

Frowning vaguely from Kysis up to the boy, she mustered a polite smile and told him that the meal was fine but that she\'d like another honey mead (she seemed to have finished her first rather quickly).  Kysis was then asked if he\'d like another drink before the young man scuttled off to fill the order.

"Are you alright?" Lam asked her partner once they were alone again, the frown deepening.  "You seem a bit... touchy... ?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth, however, when they were interrupted again.  Another young man - the fair coloured one that had been sitting with her brother in law when they walked in, in fact - stepped up to their table on the opposite side to the one the server had just vacated, to Lam\'s right.  He cleared his throat lightly to gain attention, looking first at Kysis and then at her, expectation and interest glowing in his deep brown eyes.

"Good evening, Nolan," she said evenly, slightly miffed at the nineteen year old\'s rather austere implication that she should introduce him before he spoke; certainly, it was polite in most cases, but with the very proper noble breeding this boy had undergone, Lam knew what lay beneath his attitude and the haughtiness rubbed her entirely the wrong way.  Especially since he didn\'t greet her by name, but deigned only to nod at her.  Still, she kept her voice calm, giving away none of her annoyance as she bowed to the inevitable and introduced him, hoping he had a point for coming to hover over them.  She turned her gaze from the tall, narrow-shouldered boy to her lover and back again.  "Lord Liari, I would like you to meet my nephew, Nolan Blake.  What can we help you with, Nolan?"

Instead of looking at her any longer, Nolan was now beaming at Kysis, his left hand thrust out for shaking and an expression nearing worship on his bland countenance.  "I wanted to compliment Lord Liari on his fine weapons demonstration the other day and ask him, how long have you been practising the art of swordsmanship, sir?"

Lam\'s stare shifted from Nolan to Kysis, wondering what he\'d make of this question.  It was a rather stupid one, truth be told, but it was just the kind of noble claptrap that opened up all conversations and Nolan was a product of his environment.  And his mother, as was obvious in the way he ignored her.  Lam hadn\'t even known the boy was allowed knowledge about weapons; as far as she knew, Hannah detested her paternal connection with the guards so much that she\'d prevented both her sons from training - though Theodoric enjoyed a spot of polite fencing so she supposed he might have had some influence after all.

Frankly, she didn\'t know her nephew, so for all she knew, he could be looking to trade weapons or become some sort of fighting expert (she highly doubted it).  The only one of Hannah\'s children she\'d ever had conversations with was Dirk and that was only because he\'d gone through a rebellious phase where he defied his mother\'s instruction and hung around the guardhouse.  She\'d let him see everything she did, rather liking the attention, but he hadn\'t been back after she\'d been swung at and then promptly vomitted on by a cantankerous drunk she\'d been wrestling into the cells one afternoon; it was likely a bit too much reality for his noble sensibilities to endure, which had disappointed but not surprised her.

[Kysis]

A smile was forced, Kysis trying to smooth over getting caught off guard by confirming that yes, he would like some more of the wine he had decided to try.  It was a bit on the dry side, but probably an acquired taste (which he would most likely never get, seeing how often he drank: rarely).  It went well with the food at least.  Kysis just liked being able to hear the people around him, their movements and such.  He had great hearing, but in a place such as a tavern such a sense was rendered useless.  That was why he had situated himself in a corner at the Falcon\'s Mask, keeping it so that he could see anyone who approached.  Lam might have thought it a little suspicious, but that was how Kysis remained most comfortable.

Kysis had actually seen the man approaching from the other side.  He was the one with the Lord Blake earlier, if he remembered correctly, Kysis wondering fearfully what the young man might possibly want.  Hopefully not to call him a screwtoy, too?  He really needed to get rid of that terrible grudge associated with those around Lady Hannah, but it had been damn offensive, and only the night before.  He could allow himself a little bit of steam over that.  Luckily, the fellow had distracted them from Lam\'s question.  Not everything was alright, but Kysis had no want to elaborate on it, and if a specific question was asked Kysis would not lie.  Of course, he had always been good at hiding certain things.

A nod was given when the introductions were, Kysis watching Nolan closely.  He did not have the bearing of a swordsman at all, so the question struck him as off, much less the fact that he had been at the demonstration.  At the time, Kysis and Lam had not been closely associated, so the dungeon keep (as he had mentally taken to referring to Lam\'s sister the moment he knew she had bred) would not have as much of a reason to keep him away.... but still, how many nobles would have been there?  Either way, he would not leave the young man hanging there, beaming as he was.  He seemed a bit too happy about it all.  Perhaps Kysis was just being suspicious, though.

"Thank you, ah...."  He actually had to pause and think a moment, slightly embarrassed when he came up with the actual number behind the second part.  If Nolen had not been staring at him, Kysis might have not answered, "I\'ve been.... practicing thirteen years."  That felt puny, to say the least.  Especially with the recent train of thoughts on his master in that subject.  Tiberius had been practicing for longer than Kysis had been alive, had traveled and learned from all over.  Kysis felt the young man\'s complements were severely misplaced.

Kysis looked back to Lam, facing her squarely with a questioning expression.  It would be read as \'what does he want?\'  or \'what is wrong with him?\', however she wished to take it.  That was not the reaction he had been expecting.  He knew that nobles fenced, some boxed, but his family did not deal in that sort of equipment.  The steel was too good for that sort of thing.  What interest could a noble have in combat if they had a comfortable, stable life without such perils?  Of course, the question could be asked of Kysis, too, but he had grown up with that peril.  It was just a way of life for him, this plush and comfy way of Oberon seeming foreign, though pleasant.

Hopefully Nolan would go away?  Kysis was to respectful to send him away, even if they were still eating.  It was Lam\'s nephew, after all.

[Existentially Odd]

Lam merely looked back at Kysis with a slightly bitter twist to her lips, as said relative continued to blithely ignore her in order to gain his attention.  Nolan had obviously used her as an opening into a conversation he wanted to have, which was typical from a noble viewpoint but uncommon from hers; usually people used the people she spoke to to start a conversation (or complaint session) with her.  It was rather deflating to be on the other side of the equation, she would have more sympathy when next it happened to someone she was conversing with.

Nolan gave an appreciative whistle, followed by a brief chuckle.  "Thirteen years, eh?  Well, sir, that\'s nearly my entire lifespan!  No wonder you are so skilled!  Tell me, the weapon you used at the demonstration, it looked very strange; now you can\'t tell me that was a regular sword," the teenager declared playfully, waggling a finger at Kysis as if the blonde was trying to pull a swift trick on him and he\'d figured it out at the last moment, "what do you call something like that?"

Lam was impressed that Nolan had the wit to deduce even that much, given his obvious ignorance when it came to weaponry.  She gave him a wry look, taking in his posturing stance and the way he was angled to face Kysis completely (leaving her a pleasant view of his back), half tempted to assume the kid was flirting with her lover but knowing it was simply the \'noble\' way of having a conversation.  Instead of declaring open interest in a topic, one insisted on wending about the place and tittering over nonsense before getting to the point.  Lam didn\'t think Nolan had a point.  He just wanted a chat with a lord who\'d made a name for himself (touch a bit of fame) and what better place to be seen associating with him than in front of his peers at the tavern?

She leaned slyly around the two men blocking her vision so that she could have a look at what Theo was doing, trying to ascertain whether he had a part in sending his son to their table or not.  It didn\'t appear so, however, for Theodoric was just picking at a non-existent something on the surface of his table with his right hand, his left elbow leaned on the furniture for support.  His gaze was downcast to look at the wood he was poking, but he appeared genuinely nonchalant and unconcerned about what his offspring was up to.  Lam knew he would want no part of anything that was likely to fly in the face of what his wife wanted - and talking to her sister or her sister\'s lover was certainly not something she\'d want - but he was decent enough to condone his son\'s wishes and allow him to make his own choices.  He really was a noble man; Lam had no idea how her sister had ended up so lucky.

[Kysis]

Kysis could see the looks Lam was giving, and since he was not exactly comfortable himself, a tiny resolution was made.  Of course, he would answer the question first, and think a bit as he did so to find a delicate way of shooing Nolan off.  He would hate to get the young lad against him and quash any sort of rebellious streak that might happen to carry him away from the Lady Blake... he also thought it was none of his business unless specifically brought in to it, or unless-- that chain of thought was cut off as quickly as it came.  Kysis had an issue currently to deal with.  That other could be thought on at a later date.

"A flail..." his voice trailed off at that, a silent hint that Nolan was not appreciated at the moment.  Kysis lifted his drink, which was now refiled (had the serving boy been back already?), taking a sip and watching the young man with an arched brow from over top the chalice\'s rim.  Would that be enough to give the hint that they were eating, and wished to continue doing so?  Or that they had wanted to enjoy their evening?  Perhaps, perhaps not, though the way Nolan was talking to him (and his body language) were bothering him.  It was a lot like.... Rico, that one time he had come back drunk.  Kysis really wished he could erase that from his mind all together, but now that he saw that slight resemblance...

"Well, Nolan, it was nice meeting you."  Kysis nodded, hoping the kid could take hints.  Could he?  He assumed one of noble breeding would be schooled enough to notice something such as that.  Kysis had not even put his drink down, its hovering close to his lips though not on them.  He did turn his head so he could see Lam again, wanting a little support on the matter.  Anything would do.  Even with Nolan\'s back to Lam, she could still say something....

[Existentially Odd]

"A flail!" the teenager exclaimed, warming to his topic with this encouraging information.  Of course, his mouth closed and formed a severe line as he heard his aunt\'s next words and then he turned to glare at her.

"Tell your father hello from us and I hope you enjoyed a meal as good as we currently are," she smiled benignly, making a point of taking another mouthful when his gaze swung her way (there wasn\'t a whole lot of food left on her plate, for her appetite had returned as soon a she\'d got a scent of quality morsels being served, but she was glad of what she had).

Nolan snorted austerely at her, glanced at Kysis and then back again, his gaze accusatory - like she had instructed her lover specifically to be nasty to any relative of hers that approached or something. Naturally, that wasn\'t Lam\'s style, it was Hannah\'s, but Nolan wasn\'t to know that, given that he\'d been poisoned against her from an early age.

"Of course, Aunt," he sneered, his manner suggesting that of course she would want to greet his father, both of them being lesser beings as they were.  He apparently didn\'t feel it necessary to use her name at all, for he swung away from her to smile at Kysis once more (as if he\'d shaken off the brief association with a dirty relative and could focus once more on one worthy of his attention), saying, "Farewell for now then, Lord Liari," with a flourishing bow before making his grand exit.

Lam merely sighed, shook her head and drank a few quick mouthsful of her mead, rather satisfied with the way her head spun from the effect of too much, too fast because it was another defiance against a family that did very little besides continually mock her.  "I\'m sorry about that little upstart," she apologised as she replaced her mug succinctly, her expression showing how her mood had only grown worse.  "He\'s got far too much of his mother in him and not enough of his father."

[Kysis]

Kysis shrugged to Lam\'s latest words, finally setting his glass down once the young fellow was gone.  That slight throb at his right temple was subsiding.  Whether it was the wine or the lack of Nolan could be anyone\'s guess, so Kysis just left it open mentally, glad no matter which answer it really was.  Now they could get back to enjoying their food.  Kysis had noticed that Lam was ahead of him, having worked through her food quickly while he was still picking.  It was a new type of food for him.  Working on it slowly was understandable.

At least to him.

"I may have to meet them all eventually, anyway." And he served nicely to track your attention earlier  Kysis forced a smile again, its feeling fake on his lips, but better than the sour frown which had taken to it when Nolan was rude to Lam.  Lady Blake\'s impression upon him became quite obvious then.  At least it had not been that hard to get him away, and Lam had not seemed offended by the want to get the runt away.  In fact, was that a pleased look?  Perhaps, perhaps not.  Kysis was glad to be facing towards her again, and to be eating again.  The food did his stomach good.

He left it at that, leaving a few paths of conversation open.  Since he still needed to eat more, he would step back a bit, let her lead any sort of conversation she pleased.  He would talk, yes.  Just not as much as her.

[Existentially Odd]

Lam sighed as she had some more mead, giving him a wry look.  "Not if I can help it, you won\'t.  The only one decent enough to converse with is her husband but he - rightly - prefers to keep the peace and stay away as much as possible.  No point in riling a dragon and risking your precious parts unless there is a life or death situation," she told Kysis somewhat bitterly, replacing her mug once more.  It seemed to be empty, which was a shame and she looked around for the serving boy to order another while she expanded on her answer.  Oddly, she wasn\'t in the mood to talk about herself or even them, but spilling a few of her family\'s secrets right then didn\'t faze her in the slightest.

"You know," she told him quietly, folding her arms and leaning forward onto her elbows in a conspiratorial manner - she had to be sure no-one nearby would overhear what she was about to tell him, "I didn\'t have a whole lot of respect for Theo for marrying my cow of a sister, until one night not long after I became a lieutenant.  We\'d been informed of strange goings-on in a house in a good area and had decided that thieves were holed up in it, so we raided it.  Turned out a lot stranger than thieves," she giggled, her eyes widening for effect.

"The house was leant to a friend by a certain noble while he went away on business and this friend had decided to bring a few of his close, personal friends over so they were in the middle of some very... intimate dealings when the six of us burst in.  They weren\'t thieves, just a bunch of men and boys playing games together.  It was all very awkward - especially when I found Theodoric dressed in women\'s clothing, in the act with another man," she whispered, raising her eyebrows pointedly and then sighing in a very satisfied manner.

"After that, I had all the respect in the world for the man.  He admitted to me that night - in amongst crying and begging me to keep it from the bitch - that he only married Hannah to keep up appearances and because his family expected it.  Same with having children.  I reckon he\'s only ever visited her bedroom those three times if he could help it," the redhead sniggered, then frowned, thinking that perhaps she was being a little crass for Kysis\' sensibilities but the alcohol was blurring that thought quite nicely.  She recovered smoothly enough and smiled at him.

"Half the time she attacks me for my supposed screwing around, I\'m sure she\'s just jealous and it keeps me happy knowing that her husband only married her because she was good \'stock\'.  One of these days she\'s going to push me too far and I\'ll tell her, too - though Theo would never forgive me and I care about him far more than I\'ll ever care about Hannah," she snorted, looking back at her plate to see what was left for the eating.

[Kysis]

The way Lam was leaning forward and looking about, she had Kysis\' attention immediately.  He had never been one for much gossip, but as far as he had noticed, that bit that Lam shared was rather interesting.  Assuming this would be the same, he listened up, leaning forward a bit himself.  Guards had probably seen some of the most interesting things of anyone in Oberon, with the callings of their job.  They knew the dirt on everyone.  Lam even knew some on Kysis, who had otherwise secluded himself from the people of Oberon.

At first, Kysis was intrigued.  Thieves?  Kysis had yet to run in with their like, but found them vile none-the-less.  At least the "thieves" of Kreos had the balls to attack in the open rather than sneaking around in the night.  Yes, he had been very lucky to avoid their ilk since arriving, with as many problems as Kysis had heard from the other merchants.  Hopefully these public appearances would not draw their attention....  And he would keep hoping, keeping defenses up and watching hawkishly.  Would his association with Lam save him from half the trouble?

Kysis blinked a few times, moving back slightly as he tried to judge whether he had heard her right or not.  He let his eyes slide to where the Lord Blake had been sitting earlier, not wanting to twist his head too out of some sense of secrecy or subtly or kindness.  The subject matter made Kysis a touch uncomfortable.  Of course, it would explain why Lam had quickly asserted in the Falcon\'s Mask that homosexuality did not bother her in the least.  What bothered Kysis about it all was how she had been convinced (at that time only, thankfully) that he preferred such endevors.  He did not.  Hearing about it made Kysis shift his weight a little, cast a look about.

"To each his own." which was all he would say on that matter.  Kysis could not state otherwise for the sake of Rico.  Yes, he had trouble being in the same room as him now, just wished Rico would move on but at the same time they had been friends for as long as Kysis had been practicing sword.  It was hard to turn back on a friend so close.  Kysis found the situation shared about the Lord Blake to be appauling, but that consideration of Rico\'s own opinion on the matter stopped him from saying so aloud.

Though not feeling quite so hungry any more, Kysis forced himself to eat a little more, finishing off the roasted vegetables while leaving a bit of the meat.  He hardly remembered what it was, other than the fact that the meat was light in color and flavor.  This time he heard the serving boy coming, and forced himself to not turn his head and look.  Kysis did not want more drink, quickly stating as much when the boy offered.  The staff was kind at least, making sure everyone was satisfied.  He supposed that was how all businesses should be, though not all had the patience of a tavern.  Kysis appreciated it on some levels.

[Existentially Odd]

Glancing up, she sighed as she saw Kysis more or less close himself off.  His expression was shuttered and she wasn\'t sure whether it was because of the fact that she was telling secrets he didn\'t approve of her laughing at, or whether it was the subject matter itself... either way, he was no longer open to discussion and she felt the effect keenly.  Unfortunately, she also wasn\'t in a particularly strong mindset after the day she\'d had, and she was torn between wanting to confront him and demand what his problem was, or simply let it lie.

Morosely, she chose the latter option, not wanting to fight (with another lover) again today.  Dagger had asked her to stay with him... be with him... had begged... and she\'d walked away, in effect choosing Kysis.  Looking at the blonde now, though, she wondered just how well they were suited if she could offend him so obviously that he picked half-heartedly at his food and wouldn\'t make eye contact, but wouldn\'t tell her what bothered him.  And she didn\'t have the will to continually forge the paths of communication.

"Yeah," she murmured and set about finishing her meal and the third drink she\'d ordered.  Once her concentration was applied to the task, it didn\'t take very long at all (plus, she didn\'t have a lot left) and she was able to look far more placidly at Kysis once she\'d set her mug down for the final time.  Her mood had shifted slightly to resigned because she simply couldn\'t figure out whether she was settling or not and it was much easier to forget about it for now.  Take everything as it came, deal with it then.  Exist in the moment with her grumpy lover and just... leave him to his hang ups.

"Ready to go, or do you want to check out some of the more secluded rooms?" she teased, insinuating that dastardly things went on in the snuff and cards rooms of the hotel (and they very probably did, but she was baiting him for now).  Of course, she might also have meant the hotel rooms and she was happy with that ambiguity in her current, indifferent state of mind.

[Kysis]

Kysis found himself watching Lam again, trying to figure out just what changed her mood.  From giggling to quiet again and.... oh.  Kysis decided that he must have sounded rude in some way, with how he shoved off the subject matter.  However, he could defend his stance on that with the utterance of a single name, but decided to leave it lay.  Bringing up the discussion again was the last thing Kysis wanted to do, and the way she said secluded rooms made him curious.  What sort of rooms?  Why the sly look?

His gaze bounced about the walls for a bit before he found a staircase, interest a bit more peaked.  Taverns were public places.  Bad things could not happen in them because anyone could walk in at any moment.... right?  Kysis glanced back to Lam quickly, then the doors again.  He did not necessarily want to see anything that went on in such places, with how Lam was talking about it, sounded a tad traumatizing.  Knowing what sort of things went on was an entirely different matter, as Kysis doubted he could conjure up some sort of imagination to go with the words Lam would supply, unless she went in to too much detail.  She did that at times, but Kysis had gotten used to it.  It was different than he was accustomed to, and thus more interesting, intriguing even.

"What kind of back rooms?"  Kysis was the one to lean forward in that conspiratorial sort of way now, engaged in this endeavor.  The young lord had once decided to ask about the back rooms in a few of the places about the port to the south east of Kreos, was surprised by what sort of things he had found.  It was crazy what sort of things could be found just beneath the surface.  Kysis was hoping this would prove just as insightful.  Plus, it was a way to get the topic away from the Lord Blake\'s sexual habits, of which Kysis had wanted to know nothing of.

[Existentially Odd]

The corner of her mouth lifted in a half smile and she pondered his interest.  At least he always asked - often regretted his curiosity, it seemed, but he continued to ask her for details about whatever she was talking about.  She did appreciate that about him.

"Oh, there\'s a lounge upstairs where the gentlemen inhale a bit of snuff and play some cards.  There are a couple of other rooms beyond that designed for very high stakes card games, where fortunes have been known to be won or lost," she explained, the humour of teasing him fading.  She knew very well that Kysis wouldn\'t be interested in sitting around bragging about his wealth or doing underhanded scratch-my-back-I\'ll-scratch-yours deals.  She gave another smile and stood.  "Let\'s just go," she told him.

[Kysis]

"Alright...."

That was confusing.  She had seemed so enthralled with it and just shoved it to the side the next moment-- Kysis really hoped he would not end up the same way.  It was a frightful train of thought.  It was also dismissed for the moment, Kysis trying to get some soft of cheerful state of mind broiling up.  Alia was gone.  That was something to enjoy greatly, milk it for all it was worth.  Though Rico acted as if he knew something, Kysis still had the state of mind which told him no man wanted a sickly little bitch such as Alia, so she would be around until healthy enough to attract attention.  He could also hope that was soon, and that the trip did not tax Alia\'s health any.

Kysis smiled, taking a moment to look around for the serving boy.  That was who got paid in the end, right?  At least that was how they did in Kreos.  The young lord flicked open the coin pouch hidden at his belt, finger hunting through as he tried to guess what he might need.  Kysis had more than enough money on him, that was for sure.  He also had a dagger hidden beneath his tunic on his left forearm.  A little paranoid?  Hardly.  Kysis just wanted to be prepared.

"Is there anywhere you wish to go after this?"  he had noticed Lam\'s sudden stop in creating conversation, and was trying to spark some up himself, now.  Kysis was sure she would tell him if she did not want to talk.  It seemed like she always stated exactly what was on her mind, which Kysis appreciated.  It was comforting in a way.  He just had to learn how to do it himself.

[Existentially Odd]

She shook her head and tried to force herself to cheer up, but her heart just wasn\'t in it.  She supposed that over an hour of heart-wrenching sobbing and even more hours of mental anguish about one\'s life did tend to drain the energy from one\'s body as well as their soul, so it was hardly surprising she was a bit beyond the effort of cheer right now.

"Nah," she murmured, tucking her chair in and stepping over to his side and slightly behind him, wanting to just wrap her arms around him and rest her chin on his shoulder but resisting for the sake of public decency (she didn\'t care for herself but she doubted he\'d like it), "just back to your place.  I\'m tired."

As if to support her claim, she yawned behind a politely raised hand and then sighed.  The alcohol had been a good pick up for a little while, but all too quickly its soporific effects were taking hold (no doubt aided by her state of body and mind) and she was happy to embrace that.  She tucked her hands into her pockets while she waited for him to be done paying for their food and drink, interested in mutely following wherever he led.

[Kysis]

Kysis paid, and gave a little extra to the serving boy for being punctual and polite (despite sneaking up from the right constantly).  That put a smile on the lad\'s face, which was good enough, Kysis pushing in his table and nodding as he lead the way out.  He was glad that no one else present decided to bother them while passing by, especially the merchant over by the boar, whom Kysis remembered from that day he had to do "bath duty" as he sourly called it.  The man smiled and gave a small wave though, to which Kysis only nodded before quickly leaving.  Kysis had a title of lordship to back him, but he was also a merchant, having to dip a bit in to both worlds as much as he despised it.

It was a nice walk back, if a quiet one, Kysis not walking as fast as he wanted to because of that earlier yawn.  He was trying hard with the whole concept of being considerate, forcing himself to learn as he went.  Soon they were back to his place, the two guards trying a greeting in English again, actually succeeding with, "Hello Captain, Kyros Liari."  Kysis wished they would get used to using English completely, rather than resorting back to Greek so often, but at least they tried.  The young lord sighed, opening the large door and holding it so for Lam to pass through before him.  The house was nearly silent, with just the kitchen fire crackling.  It was strange.... but welcome.

(Continued in \'Fine Lines\')