Warming Up

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POV: Astaros

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The room fell quiet as Val Systin and I looked at Fillia expectantly. My shadow covered her as the light from the window shifted at my back. Fillia looked at me and Val Systin with confusion.

"What's wrong guys? {Fillia

I looked at her with concern.

"You sure you're okay?" {Astaros}

"Yeah I am, is there something wrong with me I'm not seeing?" {Fillia}

She turned herself around in a full circle with a curious look on her face. She really didn't feel anything. Me and Val looked at each other before I shrugged at him. He looked away and sighed, lolling his tongue out of his mouth.

'How do you even sigh when you're a wolf.' {Astaros}

I turned back to Fillia who was now looking at me with an odd face.

"Can you and Val Systi~n was it? Can you and him talk without speaking?" {Fillia}

A moment of surprise flashed across my face. She had figured that out fairly quickly.

"Yeah although it's fairly one sided as he doesn't really say anything and more just sends what he is feeling directly into my brain no matter the distance." {Astaros}

Now it was her turn to be surprised. Then she frowned.

"Thats… actually really useful." {Fillia}

I walked to the door before opening it to the smell of Katia cooking the breakfast menu for the regs (Regular people).

"Well theres no use being jealous of a the dog who can't talk so lets just roll."

Suddenly she looked extremely down. Now what.

"I'm sorry about the orc heads, we never got them and they've probably been scavenged by now." {Fillia}

"Nah it's all good I got them all so lets go get some breakfast before the eggs are all gone." {Astaros}

"If you want I- wait what." {Fillia}

"Yeah don't worry about it I started grabbing some but then you looked really sick so I began to run back." {Astaros}

Fillia sighed. Of course Astaros had been able to get them. Why did she even doubt him?

"Alright I'm going back to my room, you go eat your heart out." {Fillia}

"And the dere is gone. Haaah I wish it lasted longer. Cmon Val into the shadow, we can't have anyone knowing that you're here."

Val jumped into my shadow and Fillia passed me by and headed down the hall.

I then turned and swung down the stairs stepping quickly down each one. I jumped down the last three steps and landed on the main floor. Nikky the waiter who I had wiped the floor with froze as I arrived and I looked at him with disdain. He had acted irrationally in the face of danger and gotten nearly killed for it. I walked past him intentionally shifting my shadow with my dark element to cover him as I passed, giving him the sense that I had absolutely overshadowed him in a literal and figurative sense.

He looked down as I passed him. He was obviously intimidated. If he ever did something like that again he would not get away with just a slap on the wrist.

I then turned and sat down, ordering the scrambled eggs and toast from the pretty waitress who came over while listening to the hubbub of the masses. Then I heard a voice from nearby me.

"Hey Astaros… can we talk?" {Dryis}

I turned to see the beautiful woman standing behind me.

"How can I help you Dryis?" {Astaros}

I smiled under my helmet. This felt like It was going to be interesting.

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POV: Fillia

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I sat down on the edge of my bed before breathing out.

I then grabbed my pillow and screamed into it.

'AHHHHHHHH HOW COULD I DO THAT I FELL ASLEEP ON HIM NOW HE'S GONNA THINK I'M SOME KIND OF CREEP' {Fillia}

I knew what I was feeling for him. Ever since that night I saw him shining in the moonlight while carrying me. I knew it. When I sat by his side and waited for him to wake up I remembered how fast my heart beat every time I remembered it.

When I was a child my mother had read me many fairy tales about knights in shining armor rescuing a princess.

When I fled Thacion with Dryis I felt as though I had been the knight of a fairytale. But now I finally knew what it felt like to be the princess.

I hugged my pillow tighter before sitting up. I didn't even know if he had a lover (although if he did he certainly didn't act like it) so I still needed to ask that as well.

'Haah this is going to be tough'

I got up from my bed. Well first let's fix my tail and then get back into shape. I can't be weak while asking to stand beside him.

Wait for me. Astaros.

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POV: Dryis

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I fidgeted with my hands as I took a seat across from Astaros. He really was giant. He was bigger than Katia and more powerful too. That was why I came to him. I need that power.

"Astaros first off I'm sorry for my conduct a couple days before. You obviously did your best to bring back Fillia and she herself had calculated the risks. I AM TRULY SORRY." {Dryis}

I couldn't bear to look up and meet the angry gaze he was likely giving me.

"HUMHUMHAHAHHAHAHAHAH I was so close to unconsciousness I barely heard you! So don't worry about it." {Astaro}

I looked up surprised at the boisterously loud man before me. I had expected rage and some form of request but not this. His laugh, although loud also felt very soothing as though it was something made to calm the mind.

I smiled at him while he leaned back and tilted his head.

"I assume you didn't just come over to apologize to little old me" {Astaros}

I giggled before retorting:

"Theres nothing about you thats little" {Dryis}

"You're right I'm bigger than most men in more ways than one." {Astaros}

I fake pouted and looked at him.

"You can be so vulgar some times" {Dryis}

He then grumbled out.

"It wasn't a joke though" {Astaros}

The tips of my ears flushed red as I began to stutter.

"A-anyways back o-on topic" {Dryis}

"Yes you had a request right? What could our esteemed innkeeper request of me." {Astaros}

He received a plate and fork from a waitress, thanking her before turning back to me. His faceplate came up a little and he began to eat.

"I would like you to train me to fight." {Dryis}

His fork stopped halfway to his mouth the egg on his fork falling off. I knew it, there was no way he would agree. I hung my head in defeat.

"What do you mean by fighting Dryis? Do you want me to teach you to wield that longsword or do you want something different?" {Astaros}

I looked up at him in surprise. I had expected to be shot down. But this was good I had a chance.

"I want to learn how to wield my sword as a warrior and not a trained swordsman" {Dryis}

"So you want to learn how to fight in a real situation with all the stops pulled" {Astaros}

His tone was flat and empty. Not good.

"Yes" {Dryis}

He stared at me silently as his silver eyes appeared from behind the shadows of his helm. They bore deep into my own amber eyes worming into my thoughts and mind.

"Alright then I'll do it but you need to give me a little time." {Astaros}

In my head I pumped my fist into the air as I offered Astaros the brightest smile I could.

"Alright then I gotta roll." {Astaros}

He turned and looked at katia.

'Wait how long had she been there?' {Dryis}

He gave her a solid thumbs up and a quick nod signaling his approval of the food which he had shoveled into his mouth the moment I stopped talking.

She nodded and offered a thumbs up back with a rare glint of pride in her eye.

'Wow even Katia warmed up to him' {Dryis}

I thought this as I walked him disappear out the door.