1x1 with ~naturesword~

[~Anubis~]

“I overheard you seem to have a busy day set out for you tomorrow as well. I have no doubt that Romanos will take excellent care of you but please be sure to not over exert yourself my dear.” Adeline stated as she gently wiped the bread crumbs off of her hands and onto the plate. It was a delectable meal per usual and now she was ready to get settled in for the night. Perhaps she would curl up on the sofa and read a book before turning in for the night, but her exhaustion told her she might not.”I agree, I think I shall at least look for something to read, although I might not get to it until the morning.” The princess said in agreement, a soft giggle escaping from her lips.


“That is true, if you need my assistance feel free to find me.” The knight suggested as he learned over the back of the chair to stretch out his back ever so slightly. He truly didn’t have any other plans for the evening but a bath didn’t sound all that bad. He would help Kisa settle in, bandage her wounds, and then take care of himself. It would be rather nice to get some good rest before the events of tomorrow came to be, especially if the two would be doing quite a bit of research.

[~NatureSword~]

Kisa looked to her friend as she spoke before giving a little smile,"T-To a library. I-I'll be sitting down for the majority of the time..... b-but I promise that I will be careful." She added on, knowing that the princess wouldn't rest well unless she assured her. The kitsune glanced at the knight quickly one last time before going into thought about the upcoming events of the night. She didn't mind it so much about Romanos changing and redressing her wounds. However, though there was one, probably the worst one of them all, that the kitsune was feeling quite shy and embarrassed about showing to the knight. Kisa was pulled out of her thoughts and back to the princess when she spoke again,"I-I think I saw a few that you'd probably like when I was looking earlier." She informed her.

Alok nodded his head in understanding,"If it comes down to that, I will be sure to do that." He commented to his comrade. As their dishes were finally getting cleared away, the elf stood up and stretched his arms over his head for a brief moment before he looked at Adeline,"So, shall we move over to the parlor?" He asked with a smile, ready to relax on the couch and maybe do some light reading himself before going to wash up for the night.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline nodded, knowing that her friend was in good hands with Romanos, she wouldn’t want her to go with anyone else. “I trust that you will, if you ever need anything please do let me know alright Kisa.” She replied, her eyes glimmering as she knew her friend was in higher spirits than before. Truly that was all she cared about at the moment, the kitsune certainly deserved all the praise and comfort after saving their lives. The princess didn’t know that she deserved such protection and loyalty but she was grateful to have it. “Is that so?” She questioned, slightly leaning forward in her chair to show that her interest was peaked. “I would love to hear your suggestions, I’ve been dying to delve into a new book and I’m sure you know me very well!” She exclaimed, truly feeling excited for the idea of a book that she would truly enjoy. After the day that she had a little bit of relaxation would be nice.

“You better.” Romanos teased, a slight chuckle escaping from his lips as he looked over at the other. He was sure Alok wouldn’t need any help but he would offer it nonetheless, that was what knights did after all. “Moving over to the parlor sounds like a lovely idea.” He agreed, standing up from his seat at the bar to walk over to sit besides Kisa. “Having a lovely evening ladies?” He questioned, a small smirk spreading across his lips as he looked between the two of them.

[~NatureSword~]

Kisa gave a gentle smile to her and nodded a little,"I-I will." She answered softly. She shifted ever so slightly in her seat before looking a little surprised when the princess suddenly leaned in a little, causing to her move her gaze to the side as she gently scratched the bottom of her cheek with a single finger,"W-Well, yeah...." She started before sliding her gaze back to her as she laid her hands on her lap,"T-There was one where a girl, who's never left her little town, goes on a quest to find her best friend, and meets some new friends along the way. I-I've read it before, and the main character kind of reminds me of you in a way... I-I can show you the book if you like...." She replied to her.
The kitsune gently pulled all her hair over one shoulder and brushed her fingers through the bottom of it. When the vampire knight came and sat down next to her, she could feel the tips of her ears going warm. Kisa nodded her head slowly to his question before slowly looking at him from the side of her eyes,"I-Is it time?" She asked him slowly and quietly. She knew the knight was going to change and redress her bandages after dinner, but she wasn't really sure how soon after he was thinking. She wanted to keep talking a little longer with Adeline, though at the same time was sort of delaying and stalling what was to come.

Alok chuckled along with his comrade and soon followed him over to the parlor room, where it seemed the ladies at beat them to it already. He decided to peruse the books as the others made conversation, walking around to some of the bookshelves as his eyes scanned the books. For a small inn, they did have a fair amount of reading material that guests could welcome themselves to read and enjoy during their stay. He casually picked up a book from the shelf and glanced over to cover before deciding that it could be an interesting read. It was a small book with some history of the village they were in. As a kid, Alok couldn't be bothered to learn much history in his studies. Now as an adult, it seemed to fascinate him, even if it was just little snippets here and there. The elf settled down onto the couch opposite of the others before opening the book up to start reading as he listened in to the conversation every now and then.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline nodded, pleased with Kisa’s assurance that she would stay safe throughout her travels. Although she knew Romanos would take good care of her friend she couldn’t help but require such comforting words. As Alok approached her eyes instinctively fluttered over to him, her cheeks dusting a rosy shade of pink. She had been so foolish to sneak out of her room, yet he didn’t berate her for it, gods she was thankful for his kind understanding.

The woman forced her attention back to Kisa, not wanting to embarrass herself any further for the time being. Besides she was truly interested in hearing about what stories her friend thought she might like, she was certain whatever it was would be lovely. “Oh? Well if she reminds me of you then I shall love to read it! It sounds a little bit like us though does it not? Two best friends on a quest together and then our boys are simply the side characters.” She teased, her eyes shimmering as a giggle escaped from her lips. It felt lovely to laugh with her friend again and for a moment it felt as though everything was going to be okay, even though that might be naive of her to think.


Romanos shook his head in response to the kitsunes words, he would not force her to go until she was ready. “Take your time Kisa, I can tell if your dressings need to be urgently bandaged and we certainly have some time. Enjoy your evening.” He advised her, leaning back into the plush cushions and letting his muscles relax for a brief moment. Even to him curling up and reading a book didn’t sound like a bad idea, especially if he was to share the tender moment with Kisa. That thought brought a small smile to his face while he rested, simply enjoying listening to the others talk. “Find something good to read Alok?” He questioned, finally sitting back up to join in the conversation at hand. It was rather pleasant to be able to sit for a moment and simply envelop himself in the friendly chatter between the group. He knew this was what they all needed, even if they didn’t all know it at the time.

[~NatureSword~]

Kisa quietly listened to the vampire's words before she smiled with a little nod,"A-Alright." She said, feeling a little more relaxed knowing she had a little more time to enjoy the others company. She shifted her attention back to the princess when she spoke again,"O-Oh, I guess it does. I-I didn't even realize that...." She commented. However, while she knew her friend was teasing, the next sentence caught her off guard,"O-Our b-boys...?" She stuttered in a quiet, slightly squeaky voice. She slightly glanced behind her at Romanos before suddenly looking straight ahead at Adeline with another little squeak in her throat, her hands quickly covering her face as she was certain that it was going quite flush.
The kitsune shook her head a little with a nervous little giggle,"W-Why don't I quickly get the book..." She offered, using it an an excuse to hide her embarrassment. Without waiting for a response, Kisa stood up and walked -well, more like limped- over to the one shelve, biting her bottom lip as pain shot through her leg as she walked on it a little too quickly. While she remembered what bookshelf the book was on, she was glad that she didn't remember the exact spot it was in, allowing herself time to calm down. Eventually, she found the familiar dark blue cover with the silver lettering, gently pulling it off the shelf to reveal a silver lily design in the center of the front cover. Once she was sure that she had calmed down and hoped that her face wasn't as red anymore, Kisa slowly walked back to the couch, trying her best not to limp too heavily on her one leg, before she sat down and held the book out to Adeline,"H-Here you go." She said softly.

Alok glanced up from the book when he suddenly felt like he was being watched before he caught sight of the princess's gaze towards him. He gave a quick smile back in her direction before turning the page of the book, continuing on in his reading. He got through a few more pages before he heard his name, asking for his attention. The elf looked up towards the vampire and stared for a few seconds as his mind worked out the question,"Yeah, it's not too bad. It had the same name of the town, so I guessed it was just a little history book of the town. Turns out I was right about that." He said with a nod before glancing at the book,"Apparently, back before there was even a village built here, many people of all races and tribes would use this path to cross over the mountains that lay between the north and south territories. Of course, it was also only those who dared to even make the journey, since it's not one that can be made in a single day and weather conditions could easily change to hazardous." He told him, a smile on his face as he read through it.

[~Anubis~]

Adeline too quickly realized how her words that had sounded, even though she hadn't meant it in that way. Besides Alok clearly was something she could never have, no matter how hard her heart burned for him. It broke her heart a little bit as she glanced over in his direction, her mood souring slightly. Of course she would put a brave face on as long as she could even though deep within her heart betrayed her. It was cruel that she had gained such affection for the knight and she blamed herself for all of it. She knew she shouldn't have let her guard down, besides he certainly didn't see her in such a way. It was foolish of her to even think it, she had to get over herself. The woman took in a deep breath and forced her gaze away from the man, realizing that she had been staring at him for far too long. Thankfully Kisa soon returned with the book and she graciously took it from her, tracing the cover with her finger. "Thank you Kisa, I truly am excited to begin reading it." The woman stated, gently opening up the book and focusing on the letters before her. Perhaps reading would distract her from what she couldn't have, a distraction was certainly just what she needed.

Romanos listened eagerly to his companion, nodding along as the other spoke. Perhaps such a book would prove to be useful for their trip, maybe he would read it once the other was done. "That sounds interesting, perhaps there's some knowledge we can glean from it for our travels." He suggested, smiling gently as he listened to the other's words. "It would be interesting if there was another passage way to home that not many knew about." He mused, knowing that it was quite unlikely. "Honestly I couldn't have known this town was that old, it seems as if they have done quite a good job at upkeeping this place." He added, leaning back into his chair as his eyes flickered over to the bar. This place was quite unlike his home and the other towns he had visited. He was quite used to larger towns, ones with an established military.

[~NatureSword~]

Kisa smiled softly at the princess as she took the book from her hands,"Y-You're welcome." She replied before watching as she opened the book to start reading it. She quietly listened to the boys before quickly deciding that she wasn't interested in listening to a conversation about the history of a town. She sighed softly under her breath before slowly leaning forward in her seat as she lowered her hand down to her calf, gingerly rubbing it over the bandages as she lightly chewed her bottom lip. It was still stinging after her little walk to the bookshelf, and she hoped that she didn't accidently break a stitch in her hastiness. The kitsune sat back up again before raising a hand to rub her eyes, the tiredness suddenly hitting her. ''I should probably go up soon..... She thought to herself before slightly glancing at the vampire next to her, her cheeks warming to a light rose.

Alok shurgged hier shoulders as bit as he listened to his comrade's comments,"Maybe, but I'm not really sure. If there was another passage that's in here and not on a map, then I'm sure there would be a good reason as to why that is. Either, I haven't seen another like that in the book yet, if it is there. As for the town's age, it isn't as old as you might think." He said before flipping back a few pages to make sure he was saying the correct fact,"Judging by the year it was founded, it's only about 70 years old." He shared with him before flipping back to his current page. Alok read quietly a bit more before a yawn slowly escaped his mouth,"I agree though, about the town's structure. I'm sure they have to made sure everything stays upkeep since they're high the mountains, where storms can be treacherous enough to do some serious damage to the buildings." He said as he put in his two cents on the subject.

[~Anubis~]

Although Adeline was beginning to feel rather tired, she flipped through the book with a small smile on her face. Her friend was right in her assumption that the princess would fall in love with the book and she wasn’t sure that she could possibly put it down. She only looked up when she heard her friend yawn, knowing that soon it would be best for her to tuck in for the night as well. Since the kitsune didn’t get up quite yet neither would she, not when the book was getting even better. Yet she was sure if she didn’t retire to her chambers within the hour someone would find her asleep on the recliner in the morning. That would be an embarrassing sight, nor did she want anyone to feel as though they had to carry her back to her room in an attempt not to wake her. Especially not Alok, he had already done enough for her this very day.


Romanos nodded as he listened to his friend reply, soaking up his thoughts on the subject as well. “Well if you find anything interesting out be sure to let me know, though I am surprised to know that it’s only seventy years old. Perhaps the founders just had a liking to older architecture. Which I certainly cannot complain about, it is a very lovely town after all.” He replied, yawning himself as sleep began to overtake him. His eyes then fluttered over to Kisa, knowing that if he was tired she would very likely feel the same. “Well I hate to end the night but I think it’s best if I get some rest.” He said as he stood up from his seated position on the chair. His bones creaked slightly as he stood, causing him to chuckle a little bit. “Are you ready as well Kisa?” He questioned, holding out an arm to her if she needed help standing. He would be more than happy to carry her if need be, but he didn’t want to embarrass her by outright doing it infront of the others. He also knew that a little bit of assisted walking would be better for her healing anyways.

[~NatureSword~]

Kisa watched the men quietly for a moment before quickly averting her eyes when Romanos's eyes flutter over to her, silently hoping that he hadn't caught her watching him. Why was she watching him? Why was she so drawn to him lately? Could it.... No, it couldn't possibly be. She shook her head a little to herself as she felt the couch cushions shift when the male stood up. Her eyes fluttered down to her hands as she controlled her thoughts before they suddenly looked up when her attention was being called, locking gazes with the vampire knight,"O-Oh, yes. I-I am." She answered softly, raising a hand to gently take his arm as she pulled herself up to her feet,"Goodnight, my lady. Sir Alok." She said quietly.
After bidding their two companions goodnight, the kitsune slowly walked out the parlor and up the stairs with the knight, biting her bottom lip as she limped on her right leg. At first she wasn't going to say anything to Romanos, but then she remembered that he was going to be changing all of her dressing and bandages after they got to her room, which meant if she did break a stitch, he was going to find out anyways,"M-My leg hurts a little...." She told him quietly. Kisa opened the door to her room and entered in, right away noticing a tray of fresh bandages and ointment on the table by the bed. She limped over to the bed and carefully sat on the edge, letting her legs dangle off the side.

Alok shrugged his shoulders as he listened,"Maybe. Who can say?" He said. He watched as the knight and handmaiden got up from their places on the couchto excuse themselves for the night,"Goodnight to you both." He bided to them. He glanced towards the princess for a second before his attention was turned back to the book in his hands. He read for a bit longer in the calming silence before he could finally feel himself starting to get a bit tired himself,"Well, I think I'm going to wash up and call it a night as well." He commented as he set the book down on the coffee table before stretching his arms out. He still wanted to get a bath in before going to sleep, and now that he was starting to feel it, it seemed like a good time. The elven knight looked towards Adeline and smiled at her when he noticed the tired, yet curious look in her eyes as she read her book,"Will you be retiring for the night as well? Or do you plan to read a bit longer?" He asked her curiously.