Blackened Heart

She had gained her composure as she had then started to finish cooking, 25 mins later the good had seemed to be about done, she had set everything on the table and she had went upstairs to change, she had worn a white silk dress that had belong to her foster mothers it was cool out so she thought that she might like the gentle breeze this evening, she had then brushed her hair as he was as soft and shiny like the silk dress she was waring, she had then walked back down stairs and had set up the two plates for her and Zander as she a waited his arrival. She thought to herself, what if he gets the wrong impression of her dressing up? After all it was a silk dress, for fine dining even though she was just eating super, she sighed, none the less, after dinner she knew she had to get out of it sooner or later to get ready for work.

Zander came back, dressed, though he was not prepared for what awaited him. She sat, dress of silk, shining like gold, or some other lusterous ore. It was enough to take his breath away, though he did not show it. Or tried to, anyway. He sat across her, unable to stop staring.

"I-I... ahem... you look even more beautiful in this dress, my lady." He didn't know why she was dressed so lavishly, but it certaintly did suit her.

She blushes then looks down at the dress then looks at up at him. "Sire, your words are to flattering for the likes of me... This dress though, belonged to my mother. This is my first time waring it in a few years since she past on...back then I couldn't fill it out as she could, but know I can." She smiles as she looks at him. "Please, enjoy your supper, I hope you like chicken strew and corn bread." She begins to eat as he sat down as she looks down at her food and she swallows. " I can't thank you enough for doing my chores while I was in resting...But I am also angry at myself for not stopping you while I had the chance. Your duties here are to be my guest, and I cannot have my guest carry my daily burdens, I must apologizes for all the work that I must face every day, that you had gone threw. It's just that..."

She looks up at him with a sadden look upon her face. "My mother...she died not to long ago of a fetal illness, the king raised the price for good medical assistance, so that the worry, like us could not afford it, I tired...everything in my power...everything to save her...but, it was to late, she died on the first day of spring 3 years ago...Her grave is in the back about 2 paths away, Ferro, Father, and I visit there every year first day of spring to lay iris flowers by her grave, those were her favorite flowers...They became her favorite because of my birth mark, it resembles an Iris lily, I don't know why, but they always made her happy...After she died, her death motivated me to study into the medical arts of healing magic, to hope, that one day I can become a doctor that everyone can afford. Hell, I would even do it for free if I must, thats how much I care for life..."

She looks at the boy that was still resting on the couch then she slowly turned back to Zander. " The boys name is Lasche...He had awoken last night while you were in rest, he seems so untrusting of me...well, how can I blame him? The boy was being attacked my god knows what, he must be still so scared...I have never seen such a boy like him before...but man or beast, he was in need of help, he pleaded for it. So I did all I can..." She shakes her head. "I'm so sorry, hear I am depressing you with such talk of death, and illness at the table, forgive me, that is very ungraceful of me."

He held up a hand, silencing her. "No. Were I to blame you for speaking your mind, I would be nothing but an aristocrat, which I refuse to be. I know how you feel about life. Killing is a hard business for the soul."

His voice became low, and he looked down, and absentmindedly picked at his food, as if remembering bad memories. "I never have gotten used to the feeling I get when I kill others. Of course, I would be afraid if I ever got used to it. Taking a life is probably the worst feeling you can feel, rivaled only by watching a loved one die and being able to do nothing. It is as if you are seperated from the person doing the killing, you try to justify it, distance yourself from it, make yourself cold to it. But the feeling is stronger than any sedative the mind can create, and only the truly black of hearts can become okay with it. The men and women like these that simply don't care are monsters. It is always said that the Miravae are souless, but I have never seen one of them stone a child for simply being." His voice had grown cold, so much so, that it was almost as if he could snuff out the candle flame between them by nothing more than a word. The shadows played about his features on his lowered face as he stared into the flame, painting a grim visage on a once peaceful portrait. Through all the beauty his features had once been, now only a terrifying and intimidating glare of hate burned through. As if his feelings towards the selected subject was much deeper than he had spoke of, as if those feelings were soemthing he wished to keep burried.

He blinked, shaking his head. That was enough, Zander, he told himself. Now is not the time for such dark thoughts. "But nevermind such things, it is of no concern to anyone." He looked to the boy. "As for Lasche, I'm sure there is much more to his distrust of you, other than the one who pursued him. Miravae do not live easy lives..." He stared at the boy as his voice trailed off, obviously thinking about something, though what could not be said.

She looks at the but then back at Zander, as she could see she might have brought up something that had made him angry, she lightly rested her hand on his as she looks at him. "I'm sorry if I have brought up something you did not want to tell me. My apologizes." She had got up and had brought her dish to a large bucket full of water as she started to wash her dish. "When you are finished with your meal, please leave it on the table and I will clean up alright? " She smiles sweetly but at the same time a bit of sadness was upon her face, she did not want to say anymore to upset him.

He got up, removing his gloves, rolling up his sleeves. "I shared in this meal as much as you, it would be rude of me not to help in some way." He walked over to her, taking a dish of his own, and began washing it.

"You do all of these things to help lighten the load for your family, you should have help every once in a while." It was probably because she felt as though that she were not apart of it, and so felt she had to repay them, he now realized. After all, they had taken her in out of the goodness of thier hearts.

She looks at him as he rolls up his sleeves and starts to clean his plate, she didn't know what to say to him, she wanted to stop him, but at the same time wanted to thank him. She was confused on what to say, she looked up at the window as the sky was becoming darker as it was now a gloomy blue as the saceda's start to cheap in the trees.
" I must be leaving shortly to go to the bar at the Inn, if you want you can stay here and rest, you really need it, I once again apologize for all that work." For some reason, she was apologizing to him more then thanking him, she wanted to thank him, but she couldn't she was hating herself of what he had to go threw with her burdens, so he could repay her back for his stay at her home.

"On the contrary, Miss Melina, I seem to have promised Ferro something, so I'm afraid rest will have to wait." He smiled brightly at her. "Looks like you won't be rid of me quite yet, eh?" He chuckled. It wasn't just because of Ferro, however, he also didn't want her to be left alone, not while Isphiel still lived, though she had no knowledge of this.

She smiles as she looks at him. "And what have you promised my brother mind me asking?"
She finishes washing the dishes as she puts them up in the cub board.

He leans on the counter. "Well, I suppose I am to become his wingman, of sorts in wooing a noblewomen."

She chuckles as she closes the cabinet and looks at him. "He still infactuated with her eh? Her name is Lady Ivy, shes one of the younger nobles around 20 I'm only a year older then her, shes a real pain, she comes into the bar with different men, rich men might I had and they buy her drinks and whatever else she wants, then when she gets board with them she dumps them then gets a new sweetheart to flaunt with until she gets tired of that one. My brother really is a fool for love if his eye is only for her."

He shrugs. "Who knows, perhaps this will work out for him. Impossible to know if you do not try." He smiled at her. It was as if all the darkness afflicting him had gone. He was one again the Zander she was familier with.

She smiles, well I guess it's not impossible to try." She smiles as he looks at him. " I just don't know if it's possible to change her, being very spoiled can do that to a person I guess." She chuckles. "I wouldn't know really, I have never been spoiled, nor do I want to be."

He smiled. "You have to always have faith in others, or you can't help them change, eh?" He pushed himself off of the counter. "Besides, it seems to mean a lot to Ferro. Can't hurt."

She smiles as she looks at him and she walks to him. "I guess your ready, well I will be up stairs getting ready, if you want to go ahead of me it's ok, I take a while to get ready." She chuckles.

He smiled. "That is fine, I'll wait." He walked away from her, towards the fire, in front of Lasche. He turned, looking at the boy, only to find a piercing stare looking right back. Zander waved a hand slightly, looking into the orbs of silver that met his own green. "'Bout time you woke up."

Lasche didn't move from his laying position, but only spoke, in more of a whisper than normal. "Yeah... where is your sword...?"

The question was so direct, it took a moment for Zander to think of a response. "My sword? What need have you to see my blade?"

Lasche chuckled. "I simply want to see it. You must have a pretty impressive weapon if you could take him down."

Zander shook his head. "It is not the sword who defines the swordsman, only how he wields it."

Lasche smiled. "Yes, perhaps, but without a good blade, a swordsman might as well not even be as skilled, since the man with a better blade has an advantage too."

Zander was reluctant to let the boy see his blade, but as it was, he didn't see anything that Lasche could do that would be dangerous. Not in this state anyway. He picked the sword off the mantle, handing it too him.

Lasche smiled, pulling it from it's sheath. The blade sang as it came from it's rest, as if ready to kill again. Lasche's eyes lit up as he saw just how expertly the blade had been forged. "It's a beautiful weapon..."

Zander was weary of the boy's fascination. It was one thing to admire a craftsman's work, but this was more... sinister. It was as if Lasche thought of the blade as more than a tool, instead as a work of art. "Perhaps I should take it back now, wouldn't want you to cut yourself."

Lasche chuckled. "Oh I won't." He held the sword up to the light, admiring it more. "Perhaps you can let me keep it for a while. I mean, you're going to be leaving me all alone, I would feel a little safer with something for protection, in case they came back." He looked at Zander's worried look. Lasche smiled, the firelight shining on him. In that light, his grey eyes definitely did give off the appearance of being souless. "Unless you just want them to take me back while you're gone, that is." He laughed darkly. "Wouldn't want your hard work to go to waste, now would we?"

Zander, however against the idea of giving up his sword, knew that, however twisted, was truth in his words. The sword had a protective charm cast on it, and it could possibly shield him from danger, to an extent. "Fine... so be it. You may look after it for a while, but I expect it back in my hands the moment I arrive back, understand?"

Lasche smiled, sheathing the sword, standing it against the couch beside him. "Yes sir."

Zander shook his head, knowing it was a bad idea, but refused to go back on his decision. With s sigh, he went up stairs to see if Melina had finished.

Melina had taken off the beautiful silk dress she had on and put on a plain old dress, that of what a hand maiden would ware, she then pulled her hair back into a bun as her her front bangs were hanging loose, she had then looked at herself in the mirror as she was trying make herself look as plain and homley as possible.
She had then walked downstairs as she sees Zander awaiting her to come down, she smiles as she walks downstairs as she looks up at him and nods, "Ready to go?

He held his arm up for her to take, smiling. "Shall we? Would hate to make you late."

She smiles as she holds him by the arm as they start to walk out, but before she did, she looked at the boy hoping he will be alright by himself.

As they walked by, she could see that he had went back to sleep, though now a sword rested by him, one that she would recognize as Zander's own.

She looks at Zander and then the boy again as she wondered why Zander's sword was near the boy. "Why is your sword there with the boy while he sleeps?"

Zander chuckled, shrugging. "I thought he might need the protection since we are leaving." He scratches his head. "You... uh... you don't think that was a bad call do you?"

She wasn't really sure what to think on it, I guess the boy could handle himself, but at the same time he was still healing from last night, so she wasn't sure what to think. "I'm...not sure really. But I'm sure he will be alright, come let us leave." She closes the door behind them as they start to walk out on the trail."

Zander smiled. For whatever reason he liked the time they spent together. She wasn't like the others. She was better. And... when they touched, he felt something. Something he hadn't felt before. It was odd, since he had only known her fo such a short time, but already he felt he knew her as if they had for years.

He blinked. Why was he thinking like this? This wasn't normal, she probably didn't even feel similar. He sighed, still walking, not realizing that during his toughts, he had began to pull her closer, almost as if to absentmindedly comfort himself.

She had felt him pulling her closer, she blushed as he had, she looked up at him and smiled a bit. Then the feeling from before came back from when they were in the kitchen, her heart started to pound faster and faster, she didn't understand why, she had quickly looked a way as she was blushing again. "M-Mi`lord, holding me a bit tight there arn't you?" She chuckles nervously.