the house whose tale is told in blood (part two)

"Please sit there while I fetch some tea" Iris said as she walked off. Leonel did as such, making sure to remove his armor and store it before sitting down and caving in the ornamental furniture. soon enough she came back with a fresh tray of tea, "sugar?" she asked. "Two cubes, thank you" he said as he admired the work of art that was the architecture and paintings decorating the room. " House Hoslow collects art as a hobby, mostly depictions of our old home within mt. Gelmir but we've been collecting some from our new home here in caelid" she explained as she watched his inquisitive eyes wander around the room's various land scape drawings.

"Aah thank you for entertaining him darling, sit next to me and learn, we know your brothers only care for battle and wenches" lady Hoslow said as she took a seat in front of Leonel who was enjoying the rather good tea. "now then, Leonel the lion tamer, apprentice of Ansel the sky render, slayer of a glint stone dragon and a magma wyrm most impressive, baron of the lion's den city and secret owner of the storm hill city by way of the duchess being in love with you, I must say you have quite the resume for such a young age meanwhile both my boys could only boast getting beaten black and blue at the arena..." she said as her eyes wandered to the distance in melancholy.

" Uh, well yes that would be me, I did not know the magma wyrm quest got out so quickly" he said in confusion as that was literally last night. "Oh, fret not I have informants in the entire caelid region as mostly every noble knows, now to what do I owe your visit lion tamer?" she asked as she glanced at the two... no there was a third lion within the room. "Well, I've come to caelid due to its diverse range of combat arts and warriors who wield them in order to Challange myself and improve my own, Caelum arena was my first step and as I understand it, the arena requires a recommendation to apply" he said.

"Well, I most certainly can give you such a recommendation, but.... the only catch is that you be my daughters betrothed" she said. "WHAT" the two in question exclaimed almost instantly. " Oh, settle down children, for one you Leonel are not promised to anyone, and I doubt you'll get any other chance to join the arena seeing as your other chance just gained a new champion in the form of a sword singer of the dessert bandits, besides my daughter is a great candidate, she takes after me to boot" she said." that's... would you not take gold for the recommendation?" he asked hopefully. " Child you are worth far more than gold, besides I'm only getting older, and I wish to see at least one of my children happily married before I croak, grant this old lady her wish please?" she pleaded.

Iris blushed fiercely as she fantasized such a life, every noble she has met that was of her age were simply not good enough she thought. most just wanted to get her in bed and the others only cared about gold. he on the other hand, a charming knight with lands and great feats already in his belt, 'not to mention his fierce eyes aaah' she thought as she stared into his cerulean blue eyes with the depth of the oceans themselves. "... very well but I do not wish to make it soul binding yet, she as well as I deserve the option to break it should we not love each other by the time we come of age" he said resolutely.

"Well, that's the best I was hoping to get, very well, as of today you fight for house Hoslow within every arena and battlefield inside the caelid region as the betrothed of my daughter Iris Hoslow, I will bet my entire house savings in each and every fight you participate in so make sure to multiply our wealth son" she decreed as he felt a small mark form on his palm, a blood red rose. "Stay her from now on, we also have a villa in each free city and knowing your master you'll very likely vie for the title of caelid champion, so I'll take this chance to follow you with my family as a way of vacation, Iris show your fiancé to his room" she said as she stood up and left with a gait in her step.

Iris did not speak as the fantasies ran wild within her head, but she did as such with absolute proficiency which is why the two now awkwardly slept in the same room due to her clumsiness. each took one edge of the bed although Leonel felt a piercing stare coming from her side. "This is not my room, is it?" he asked plainly. "n-no its m-mine but as we are to be married, we must get used to one another" she said as she fought through her embarrassment using the mental techniques her mother practically drilled into her skull although that did not lessen the worrisome amount of blood within her cheeks.

"r-right w-well then good night" he stuttered out now realizing the position his lust for battle put him in. Vitani saw the two struggling and being the evil big sister, she was a plan was devised. 'Sister don't, he's not-' Sarabi tried to reason with her. 'Oh, come on sister, you yourself said it, he needs to experience what love is and no one willingly initiates it without a small push' she said mischievously. ' I agree, as a male cub he must be the first and if he won't do so then a push is a necessity' Apollo chimed in with agreement into the dilemma and that made 2 out of three.

as the two were about to call it a night a sudden strong breeze that came from both of their sides sent the two tumbling into each other. "ow ow ow" the two almost practically said at the same time as they rubbed their foreheads. Iris opened her eyes to see another cerulean pair glowing within the darkness staring back at her own striking violet eyes. they could fell their breath upon each other tickling each other's noses. hers of fresh blue berries and he as if glint stone had a sweet smell to it. they laid there in front of each other entranced as their noses slowly neared the other although who moved first would never have been revealed as the moment their noses touched, as electricity sparked between them they separated quickly. "s-sorry" he whispered, "don't be i-it was my fault" she said although they could both hear the disappointment in her tone.

the morning came quick, Iris awoke to the sun's rays upon her face as the events of the night before played within her mind. 'The could've been kiss, stopped by nerves' she thought as she wiped her eyes and looked to her left hoping to see him only to be disappointed. she got up and looked outside the window out towards the glistening white city. a clash of steel snatched her attention as she watched three fighters spar within the garden grounds below her. Leonel wielding his halberd shirtless fighting against Juno and Diallos who too for some reason fought shirtless.

" Fight together if you wish to best me, if this continues you two will be forced to walk the city with nothing but your loins to protect you" he gloated as he dodged another sword strike and parried a whip strike. " Augh how the hell are you so good? damnit Diallos this is your fault, "STOP STEPPING ON MY FEET YOU BUFFOON" Juno yelled out as another foot smashed down on his feet. "FUCK YOU JUNO THIS IS REVENGE FOR YESTERDAY" Diallos yelled out which turned the three against two into a 1v1 as they wrestled in the dirt like animals. "AGH FUCK YOU YOUR MOTHER IS A SHEEP" Juno yelled out.

"WE HAVE THE SAME MOTHER YOU ILLITERATE DONKEY" Diallos yelled back. "Every day they bicker endlessly, it makes me wonder if we are truly related or if mother found them in some shady alley" Iris said as she approached the lone spectator watching the new beginnings of wwe within the lands between. " Well at least they have the will to fight even if it's each other, sorry about last night" he said as she stood next to him which immediately brought a strong blush to the two. "it's alright, today we are headed towards the arena, are you confident in this?" she asked with a tinge of worry lacing her tone.

"I'll be fine iris, I doubt I'll meet something crazy like a demigod or something, besides the danger will help me get stronger" he said. " Then we will root for you, we will depart at twelve, I will see you then as i have to go and run some errands for mother" she said as she hesitated slightly before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and running off. "Not even a day here and you claimed the rose of house Hoslow huh? good, at least she'll focus on you and not rat me out when i want to leave" Diallos said as he untangled himself from the still angry Juno.

" yes, well done future brother of mine, now then let us continue, preferably without this adopted waste" he said as he unsheathed his blade. "we look nearly identical dear brother, I guess that simple observation is too challenging for your peanut sized brain" Diallos shot back. no words where exchanged as another round of sweaty wrestling ensued. Leonel only shook his head and collected his shirt before summoning his armor and hopping atop Sarabi. ' will we be exploring this city?' she asked. 'of course, I want to relax a bit before Apollo snatches me away for training' he said.

what followed was a nice visit around the city tasting different types of food. Vitani dragged him towards a flower shop much to his confusion at least until he saw a bouquet of violet roses gleaming in the sun light. ' a lady loves pretty flowers and Iris is no different, make this a rule, women love presents yes, but they love them more when they have meaning behind it, and you very likely saw their resemblance to her' she said. he stared at them a bit longer some memories flashed within his mind, memories of Luna and Ana. 'Truly cub things only get more complicated for you mhmm? I suggest that you live in the moment and not the what if future' Sarabi said. 'Flowers will not seal the deal cub, it is but a gift for a fair maiden, you are a lion do not fear anything' Apollo chimed in.

ultimately, he took them and paid for them before leaving in direction of the arena as the time of his first battle approached. as he approached, he could see hundreds of people gathering around it and forming lines trying to enter the arena stands. he saw Juno waving towards him from another entrance." this is the fighter's entrance, good luck I bet all my gold on you" he said before he ran off back to the noble's entrance, the three followed him. he entered it alone, inside he could see other warriors, some seemed like knights, others like mages and some like rogues, he could even see two samurai who were staring each other down but what caught his eye the most was Iris who leaned on a pillar staring at him with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, " to fight of course, as a noble I can recommend myself and thus I took it upon myself to show you what I'm made off" she said with a smug smile. "Very well then, should we clash on the arena know that I won't hold back" he said matching her smug smile. "Oh? very well then, how about a bet? whoever wins today gets to force the other to do whatever they want for a day" she said. "mhmm, alright then you're on, good luck" he said as he heard the horn sound off initiating the free for all. they all entered the different elevators of their choice then ascended up to the arena.

a large sandy pit with some stone here and there, several weapons lay embedded all around likely from former challengers who fell in combat. "Oh? so your sister wishes to conquer him on his own field of expertise, mhmm following in my footsteps mhmm?" lady Hoslow said as she watched her daughter take the spot she took when she bested her husband on this very field of combat.