1x1 with ~naturesword~

[~Anubis~]

Adeline felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she realized she had been overdoing it with all the thankfulness. "I apologize, I am being a bit too much aren't I?" She questioned, an abashed smile appearing on her lips for a brief moment. Perhaps she was minding her manners a bit too much, something she was guilty of doing all too often. The princess silently followed the knight over to the arrows, gently taking one in her hands, holding it gingerly as if she could hurt it. It was beautiful, even though it was the most basic version of an arrow she still found it to be gorgeous.
As she listened to Alok's instructions she nodded before carefully notching the arrow into the bow, looking at him for comfort before positioning herself into an archers stance. For someone who had never even held a bow the position was decent, of course it was nothing professional but she wasn't making a fool of herself and that was all that mattered. "How bad do I look?" The woman questioned, a giggle beginning to escape from her lips.

"Well it makes sense considering your condition, but we as knights look at things like this a little bit different. In the army the faster you get up from being wounded the better, but I assume that isn't always the best practice is it?" Romanos mused, observing Kisa carefully. Perhaps it would be better if she went to bed but he would leave that up to her, he simply would be here to support her. "I will be right back with some tea and a snack." He hummed as he gently took the cup from her hands, his fingers gently brushing against hers for a brief moment. With that simple gesture he felt his face flush slightly and quickly turned on his heel to briskly head to the bar. "May I have a refill on this tea please, and perhaps a pastry or two to go with it?" He asked the man at the bar, handing the empty cup over as he spoke.

[~NatureSword~]

Alok smiled as her and gave her a little shrug,"Just a little, and only sometimes." He responded to her question, one hand on his hip. He was used to a certain amount gratitude, but sometimes it did feel a little much. However, no matter how exhausted he felt by a thousand thank-yous, it wouldn't make him love her any less. He watched as she took the arrow and notched it before moving into position,"Not to shabby for a princess." He commented with a little playful note in his voice.
The elf circled her a little as he took note,"It just needs a little tweaking." Alok slowly moved up behind her and gingerly placed his hands on her waist. He then moved his foot between hers and gently moved her feet a little further apart, speaking softly as he did so,"Your feet need to be square and shoulder length apart, with your front foot pointed slightly towards your target. Keep your back straight and your core engaged," his hands slowed moved up her back till it reach the top of her shoulders,"But stayed relaxed. Your shoulders and chest should be as neutral as they can be. Good, and your chin over your shoulders." He told her.
Alok moved his hands and arms again, but this time wrapping them around Adeline as they copied beneath her own arms, placing his hands gently and loosely under hers as he continued,"Your bow arm is parallel with your shoulders, good. Now your draw arm, don't let your elbow drop. Keep it up so that you have a straight line with both arms." He informed her, using his own arm to slowly raise her elbow to the right position,"Alright. Take a minute to note all the feelings in your body. You want to feel like this ever time your draw back the bow string. When you're ready, let me know and I'll tell you how to aim for the target."

"I-I suppose it depends on the condition of the area around you..... w-weather your safe in a city or out on the battle field." Kisa responded to his comment. As he came and took the cup from her, she looked up at his eyes for a brief moment as his fingers brushed her own, a slight shiver going up her spine. She almost felt like she was frozen in place under his gaze. After the vampire turned and exited the parlor to go to the dining area, Kisa slowly leaned back and stared ahead, letting out a shaky breath that she was holding in, her mind trying to wrap around what had just happened in those few minutes.
Stoart, the barkeep, looked up at Romanos and nodded his head,"Of course." He said as he took the cup and set it on the counter. He put some water into the kettle and set it on a stove to heat up before moving to get the tea leaves for a fresh pot,"How about for yourself?" He asked him as he started to measure out the tea leaves.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline giggled at his comment, sensing his teasing nature. "I'm sure every new recruit looked like this even you Alok." She shot back, a certain twinkle in her eyes as she looked over at him. As their gaze met her heart fluttered within her chest, the knight just seemed to be able to drive her crazy. As a blush creeped onto her cheeks she looked back at the target, her eyes narrowing with determination to impress him, to make him proud. The princess did her best to ignore the way that he circled her yet no matter how hard she willed it away the blush began to spread to the tips of her ears. This only furthered once she felt his hand slip onto her waist, she knew it was only to better her stance, but by the gods how she longed for him to hold her for a different reason. The woman made a mental note of her stance after he put her into the correct position, now that she felt it once she was sure she could do it again.
Every time his hand rested on a different part of her body she felt electricity shoot across her body. She heard his words to relax and feel but all she could do was wonder if he felt the same sensation as she. Yet she needed to focus, she was stronger than her feelings, her brain was battling with her heart. After taking a deep breath her body fell into effortless comfortability, her stance molding into his. Finally her mind was cleared from other distractions, mostly being Alok, and she was ready. "I'm ready Alok." She hummed, her eyes focusing on the target as she awaited his next instruction.

Romanos shook his head, "I'm alright thank you, just the tea is fine." He replied as he watched the barkeep measure out the tea leaves. After a few more minutes the tea kettle began to scream, signaling that it was hot and ready. Although he knew it was to make that sound it caught him off guard and flashes of the earlier attack came back to him. Yet as the tea and pastry was served to him he managed to put on a brave face and thanked the man for his help. "Here you go." The knight said as he handed the cup of tea and the plate back to Kisa offering her a charming smile that only waivered for a brief moment. The male settled back in his seat once more, sighing softly as his stiff body melded into the cushions. "Does it taste alright?" He questioned, quite willing to get her something different if the pastry wasn't to her liking.

[~NatureSword~]

As he slowly moved along her figure to align her posture, Alok could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Never had he been so close to a lady in a leisure manner, much less the very princess he swore to protect. He had to remind himself multiple times that he was only doing this to teach her and help her, and for no other reason. As her stance molded into his and he could feel her relax against him, Alok focused on his breathing to slow his heartrate, to not give away anything to the princess.
He waited for a moment until she said that she was ready,"Alright. Make sure you use both eyes to look at your target. No closing one eye. You'll get a better aim with two. Now, when it comes to aiming, if the target is close, you'll want to see it about a hand's width away to the right of the handle. That would be like the distance we're shooting now. The further the target, the more aligned you'd want it to be with your bow shaft." He explained to her. The elf slowly moved his arms down to let her hold the stance herself and took a step back,"Line up your target, breath, and shoot when you're ready." He told her.

Kisa sat there silently, staring at the wall of the other side of the bay window before finally blinking herself out of the trance. It took her a moment to remember where she was and what had just happened, but it came back to her quite quickly. A warm blush washed over her cheeks as she thought about the interaction before shaking her head a little. The kitsune turned her attention back to the book on her lap to provide as a distraction to her thoughts.
As the sound of footsteps approaching once again, her ear twitched a little before she lifted her gaze back up to him,"T-Thank you...." She gingerly took the little plate of the danish treat and set it down before she carefully took the hot cup of tea into her hands. As she did, she noticed his smile, one that she had seen quite a few times over the last few days. However for that brief moment, she was sure that it was different then those previously given. Upon his question to the pastry, Kisa took a bite of it to try it before smiling a little with a nod,"I-It's good." She told him. The kitsune gently set the danish back down on the plate as her smile slightly shifted to something a little more concerning,"Romanos?.... A-Are you alright?" She asked him slowly and softly.

[~Anubis~]

The very touch of Alok made her feel so very nervous but everything about it just felt right. For a moment she felt their hearts beat in rhythm as if they were one consecutive unit. But she had to remind herself that even if his heart desired hers, he would never betray his loyalty to the king, her father. Besides she didn't want him to have to make that choice for love, although her heart desired him. She could feel the tug of her heartstrings pulling within the walls of her chest as she thought so deeply of something she could not have. Did the world have to be so cruel that she was placed in such a position? Her mind told her to give up faith that her father would be accepting of her feelings but her heart could not. The feelings ebbed veraciously within her heart but for some reason the bow seemed to calm her, the idea that it held such power and she wielded it calmed her. For once she was in control of something.
"Yes sir," she replied, the word sir simply just slipping off of her tongue. He was her instructor now and for some reason she simply desired to show him respect. A sense of cold washed over her once his familiar warmth left and now it was just her and the bow. She drew the bow back her eyes narrowing as she looked upon the center ring of the target. As she exhaled the released her grip on the bowstring, letting the arrow fly into the center of the target. "How was that?" She questioned, well knowing that she knew she preformed well but wanting the affirmation nonetheless.

"Of course, it's not a problem to help you when it's needed Kisa." Romanos replied, smiling gently as he began to relax. Everything was alright now, the four of them were safe and in a comforting inn for the time being. He had gotten rations and other items to prepare for their next trip, now they wouldn't be so ill prepared for an attack. It wouldn't happen to them again, he promised himself that. Besides once Adeline got more equipped with a weapon and her magical ability was honed in they would be much better off. That was a fact.
"I'm alright Kisa, it's embarrassing to admit but the sound of the kettle screeching caught me off guard. It brought back memories of the night we got attacked, nothing quite informative of the events however. I'm sorry to bring up bad memories but I do owe you some honesty." The knight answered, bowing his head slightly in shame as he averted her gaze. It wasn't often he was honest about his worries and anxieties, but they had already been through enough. She deserved to know how he was feeling is she desired to but at the same time he wouldn't overwhelm her with his thoughts.

[~NatureSword~]

Alok quietly watched her, waiting for her to take the shot. As he did, he could feel his heart longing, aching even, to go back and stand close to her again. To hold her and have her melt into his arms again. He watched as she drew the string back a bit more before finally letting it go, whizzing through the air before it hit the target with a solid thud. The elf looked to see where it landed on the target before his jaw slightly dropped, moving his gaze slowly to look at the princess. He stared at her for a second before the corners of his mouth turned upward to a smile,"A bullseye? First shot? Adeline, that was amazing!" In his excitement, he picked her up at the waist and spun her around. When he brought her back down, he moved in to kiss her before suddenly stopping short. He gave a nervous laugh as he pulled back a little and rubbed the back of his head,"Hehe, sorry.... How did it feel for you? Think you can do it again?" He asked her curious, quite excited for her.

Kisa slowly took a sip from her hot tea, being carefully not to burn her tongue as she quietly listened to him. She frowned slightly as she lowered the teacup onto her lap as her gaze followed it down, thinking. The attack was only two nights ago, so it made sense to her that things might set off memories that they didn't want to remember. She thought about the answer he gave her, and felt like there might have been more then he was telling her. She would have been then same way.
The kitsune's tails swayed a little at her side before looking at him from the corner of her eyes,"Y-You don't need to apologize to me.... I-It's only naturel to have those feelings and emotions... I-I would know." She told him softly. Her mind was still replaying what she remembered about the attack, as well as her nightmares that filled in some of her blank memory. In truth, Kisa was afraid. She knew now about her transformation, and knew that it was natural for her race. But at the same time, she was terrified of it, knowing that the first time she had no control over it and no idea how to transform into or out of it. Even the lightning magic that she knew she had, she didn't know how to use it. Every time it just reacted on its own, usually if she was in extreme danger or something of the like.
Kisa felt one of her eyes getting a little misty, so she quickly ran her hand over it to hide it from showing. There was also something that she just felt like she needed to ask the knight,"Y-You said the screeching brought back memories.... D-Did it have to do with the princess or..... or me...?" She asked him slowly.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline giggled as the world spun around her, her eyes lighting up with delight at the pride the other felt over her. Gods how she never wanted this moment to end. Her heart raced inside of her chest as if it were running a marathon as the taller elf leaned in close to her lips and her hands swung to gently cradle his cheeks as she leaned in closer. But then he pulled away and she immediately released her gentle hold on his face, quickly turning to hide her head in sheer embarrassment. She finally had the moment she had desired so long but it had ended so poorly. Damn the tears that had sprung to her eyes and damn the confusion that now clouded her mind. She would never be so foolish ever again and she simply shook her head yes in answer to his question, knowing her voice would crack if she attempted to say a single word. Nor could she even muster the right syllables to form into words, she simply raised the bow once more, pulled back the string, and shot. Once again the arrow found its mark, sitting snugly next to her first, yet the sense of joy did not return. Only frustration and unrest settled in her soul and her face was as unmoving as stone. This of course only lasted for a few seconds longer and a small smile replaced her placid expression, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. She didn't want to let Alok know how she hurt inside, although she feared she already did.

A sense of peace settled across Romanos once more as his shoulders fell into a relaxed state. It was as if Kisa's words had a soothing effect and her reassurance was vital to his comfort. Never had he believed such words before as the army told him to rid himself of any feeling any emotion, but he believed the kitsune. His soft brown eyes shifted to look over at her once more this time his sorrow replaced with a different emotion, one that was more soft. For the first time he recognized his emotions for what they were, love and true admiration for the other. She was beautiful not only in the way that she looked but also in the genuine care she seemed to hold for him. He longed to stride across the room and hold her close to fully marinate in the warmth that radiated off of her, but he would not be so bold. Not yet at least, but gods he desired to.
"Thank you Kisa, your words mean more to me than you know." The knight replied as he shifted around in his seat, hoping that his feelings weren't written across his face. "I would say a mix of both but Kisa.." He began to say, his voice faltering for a moment as he fumbled for the right words. He cleared his throat before speaking once more, "I don't want you to take this the wrong way at all. But I think it was you, simply because... forgive me for saying this.. but simply just because I care for you more than the princess and it hurt me to see you hurt. It felt as though I failed and I think being so close to loosing you was the most terrified I have ever felt." He said, tripping over his words occasionally as he searched for the right vocabulary.

[~NatureSword~]

After he first pulled away, Alok thought he saw a glimpse of something on the princess's face when she turned her head away, but he didn't think too much of it. He would have, wanted to, kiss her in that moment, but the reason why he stopped this time wasn't because of their standings. It was because he suddenly felt shy about taking the princess's first kiss. He watched as she didn't say a word and then taking another arrow before taking another shot, matching her first one to a tee.
The elf's jaw dropped a little once again as he gave a great smile in amazement,"Adeline, that was great! You're a born natural!" He exclaimed, turning to look at her. It was at this moment that he realized something had upset her. She would have been bouncing off the walls by now with excitement, but she was quite still. He took a quick read of her body language as a smile returned to her beautiful face, realizing that whatever it was that upset it, she was trying to keep hidden from her. So, he made the decision to play along like he didn't notice until he could figure it out. Alok gave her one of his charming smiles,"I was originally thinking that you'd try out a few others before making a decision, but after seeing you use that bow, I don't think we have too." He said happily.

Kisa continued to watch him from the corner of her eyes, taking in what he was saying in response. It surprised her a little to hear him fumble over his words. He was always calm, cool, and collected whenever he spoke. When she got over the surprise and actually understood what he was saying, her eyes widen slightly as a her cheeks began to warm up, all the way to the tip of her ears. The kitsune kept her head low to hide her expression as she gently placed a hand on her chest. There was an uncomfortable, yet warm stirring in her chest as her heart skipped a beat. She had a guess on his answer, but secretly was hoping to be wrong about it. Why was she so against the idea of someone liking and taking an interest in her? Was it really because she was a slave in this land, who grew up in an enemy land, far from here, as she would exclaim every time someone tried to become close? Or was there another underlying reason that she just didn't know about, lost with her memories? Kisa lowered her hand and carefully picked up the tea cup, letting the warmth to calm her. After a moment of silence, she nodded slowly to him,"I-I see..... I-I had a feeling that might have been the case....." She whispered softly.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline could tell that Alok's eyes were scrutinizing her mannerisms and it took everything in her to not sigh. Understanding unspoken emotions certainly came with his job and there was nothing she could do to hide them. She hated that as she used to be able to hide behind a smile and either other royals didn't notice or simply didn't care. But Alok cared, no matter how hard he may try to pretend to ignore it, she knew him better than that. "Thank you Alok, it means a lot coming from you. I'm just glad that I can perhaps be more beneficial to the group on our travels now." She murmured, meeting his gaze for a brief moment. She disliked the tension that now rested between the two of them and although she felt hurt she still desired to close that distance between them once more.
Never had she felt this way about anyone else and she had her fair share of royal suitors, but none felt like him. "I don't think I need to try anything else either..." She agreed, placing the bow down by her side as she awaited to follow his lead. "I would like to go back to the inn after this if that's alright." She added after mulling over the idea. Perhaps a warm bath and a few moments to clear her head would let her gain her restraint once more. She needed some time to ponder over the events that had just happened and figure out her emotions once and for all. Perhaps the time apart would allow him to figure out his as well, she didn't want to feel so confused anymore.

Romanos watched Kisa's reaction with a small frown on his lips, perhaps he had said too much. He cursed himself for this as he knew better than to be so sappy, to open up so much. It was against everything that he was taught and he wouldn't dare disobey those teachings again. Although her reaction wasn't necessarily a welcoming one he didn't feel completely shut out either, alas the worry in his heart remained. "I apologize for being so blunt, it won't happen again nor will it affect my duty for the rest of our journey." He replied, figuring that apologizing and placing a boundary back up was in fact the correct decision. But as he kept sending fleeting glances in the kitsune's direction he couldn't help but wonder if she would like to be left alone. The last time he left she seemed slightly upset, but what if leaving her side was the correct decision now? He would have to get his emotions in check before they left the safety of the inn, he couldn't be this indecisive in a moment of danger.

[~NatureSword~]

As he realized that she seemed to have been frustrated about something else on top of what she was already upset about, Alok realized that it was him that was the second thing to annoy her. She had caught him reading her like an open book - Shoot! He did it again! Alok slightly looked away to stop himself from reading the situation. It was so second nature for him that he just couldn't help it, and felt worse knowing that he was casually doing it to his princess and friend. He cleared his throat a little by coughing into his closed hand, giving that brief moment to reset his mind,"Yeah, of course. We'll put that training bow back by the wall with the others, and then we can pick out a bow and quiver from the store front before heading back." He told her, laying out the new plan. He thought a little more before adding,"We should pick out a dagger or something of the like for you as well. Bows are great, but aren't suited for close range. Something small and light is good to have for when you're in a pinch, as well as for foraging, hunting, and other basic survival skills. I truly believe that no one should be without one, at the very least a small knife." He explained as his hand went up to rest on the dagger sheathed on his belt.

Kisa listened to him before her head shot up and she looked towards him, once again in surprise,"You have nothing to apologize for! I'm the one who should be sorry." She said quite quickly before biting her tongue a little. She was silent for a second before she lowered her head a little as she continued speaking,"I-It's my fault you were in that predicament.... I-If I hadn't let my emotions take over and if I-I hadn't left your side, then maybe things would have been different.... for the better...." She explained as she looked into the teacup on her lap. The kitsune swished her tails a little from side to side before bringing them up to rest at her side. Here she went, letting her emotions take over once again. Though, she really did feel like some of the outcomes of the attack was her fault,"A-All I am is weak and a burden...." She whispered.