A Fragile Pair

[Don't worry about it it happens to allof us :)]

"What am I thinking? That you are too beautiful for words. Your eyes scream of power and yet you say you have a curse. That you could get hurt if I don't get you to my house quickly." Adrian said, being purposefully obtuse about the question. "I don't know what I think of being a bodyguard. One doesn't get a assignment until they reach the age of twenty--they say to give us a chance at life before we get bunkered down with assignments. Most of the people that get bodyguards are the rich or famous and those that are able to do as they please. I just hope that I don't get one that is extremely difficult to get along with. That is my only true worry about being a bodyguard--that the person I'll get will have so many enemies that it'll be hard for me alone to keep them alive."

Adrian motioned for the woman to lead the way towards the village that was visible by the lights in the distances. "After you Miss Lani."
 
[thank you (:]

Iolani was shocked at how forward for calling her 'too beautiful for words'. She blushed a bright crimson red, which contrasted with her tan complexion. Her eyes turned a light violet, as she looked over to where they were headed. "You don't get to pick bodyguards, I assume. If I could have one, I'd pick you," she confessed quietly. "What I have is a curse, if everything that comes with it is sorrow." She then nodded and started to walk toward the village's entrance, covered in lights to show that there was civilization.

"This is beautiful," she commented aloud as she looked all around, a smile faint on her lips as she walked further into the village. She finally made it in, Adrian at her side. Someone walked past her, and she stepped back as if to not get in their way. She looked over at Adrian, her eyebrows bouncing up in excitement. "I've never been so excited," she giggled softly.
 
Adrian shivered as the air chilled and jogged to catch up with the woman, smiling and waving to the people still out because of the market.

"You wouldn't want me. You'd want my older brother, or my father even. They've never lost a client. I haven't even been tried out yet." Adrian said, leading the way through the town to his home. "And sometimes you can pick a guard, though most that come to the council don't know a guard or a family that are bodyguards."

Taking a turn, the young man opened the front door of a house and stuck his head in to make sure that the 'coast was clear'. "Ma, Pa, we have a visitor." He called as he opened the door all the way and motioned for Iolani to enter.

An older man of maybe 45 came out of a back room cleaning his hands on a napkin, a smile on his face until he saw who it was that he had brought home. "Son, why are you bringing home women?" he asked, getting the wrong idea.

"Father, I ran into her at the lake. I offered her a place to stay since I gave her quiet a fright I have to say." adrian said, his bubbly nature seeming to disappear. He was rigid and controlled and had the air of someone expecting the unexpected.
 
Iolani rolled her eyes, "I don't want you for the security, I would want you for the personality," she murmured and kept her mouth shut as soon as they walked into his home. She subconsciously stood by the far wall, just in case she was asked to leave. It was all too good to be true, once Adrian's father came out and gave her a disgusted look.

She bit her lip, somewhat embarrassed, seeing as what she was wearing was horrible for first impressions. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't mean to cause any trouble. I know with the way I'm dressed it may seem that...I'm known to cause ruckus, but it's not true," she told him quietly as she looked down at her dirty feet. She had just taken a bath, and was already filthy. She could take hundreds of baths, and still feel nasty and filthy with the way Adrian's father looked at her. God, she wished she cold just...disappear. Her eyes turned a muddy brown, ashamed of herself.
 
Adrian stepped in front of the young woman, glaring at his father who returned the glare. "Father, listen to me. She is not of that kind. I promised her shelter, and if I must I'll use what little money I have to buy her a place at the inn if you truly want to refuse my request." He said, anger at having embarrassed the young woman he had met filling him and making him set his shoulders even stiffer.

Adrian's father looked between the two and frowned even deeper before nodding. "You are welcome here for the night. We have an extra room that has recently been vacated. What may we call you, young woman?" he asked, turning and motioning for them to follow him. "Adrian, go get properly dressed. And see if we have any of your sister's dresses left over from their last stay. Miss, you may come with me and meet my wife who is making food right now."

"Father--"

"Now Adrian. Do no make me tell you twice."

Adrian's fists clenched and he grounded his teeth, but he did not try to argue again. Giving Iolani a small smile he whispered "I'll be back down in only a few moments. Please don't get angry at him. he's a stiff old man. He thinks even female body guards should work in dresses despite the limitations that gives them." then his father snapped his name again and he flinched. Sighing he ran off quickly so that he'd be able to join them again quicker.
 
Iolani watched as Adrian walked off and she bit her bottom lip. She gave Adrian's father a polite yet shy smile. "You may call me Lani. My name is Iolani, however. What may I call you? Mr. Trivial?" she asked him ever so politely and gently. 

Iolani was nervous, beyond words! He was very intimidating and his aura read powerful. Her gaze laid on the floor, and finally decided to try and look at her Adrian's father. Iolani could see where Adrian got his good looks from, and manners. However, she could see how he got power from his father, wanted to use it. 

Sadly, she noticed how he only used power badly and against himself. Causing self-harm.
 
"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Iolani. Mr. Trival is fine for me." Adrian's father said with a nod before leading the way into the kitchen. "Love, there is a woman here that will be staying the night. Do we have enough food for four rather than three?" There was a woman working on some creating food. The moment the door had opened, she spun and threw a knife at the two that entered which Adrian's father caught easily and handed back.

"Oh, hello there missie." the woman said happily.

Adrian skidded in a second later, receiving a throwing knife as well as his loud entrance. He ducked and let the cooking knife fly past before holding up a blue dress. "I hope this is all right for you to wear Miss Lani." he said. He had changed himself into a dry pair of black trousers an a matching sleeveless black shirt.
 
Iolani screamed in horror when the first knife was thrown. Was that a regular thing around here? Iolani's heart was just about to relax, when a second one was thrown at Adrian. In fear she shot her hands up into fists, cause the knife to set off on fire. No one was supposed to know about her powers. 

She blew it twice in one day, to the same man. Now including his family as well.

"Oh goodness! I am so sorry! I didn't meant to put it on fire, I was just--I was--," Iolani stopped talking as she tried to pat out the fire with her hands. As a defense mechanism, her hands blew out ice, which covered the knife as well. The fire wad out now, but the cracks around the incision on the wall were filled with ice. And so was the knife.

"I should let myself out, shouldn't I?" Iolani spoke in a fragile whisper. First time in a home within ten years, and she blew it with ten seconds.
 
Adrian and his parents stared at the knife and then at the girl. his parents were staring with the same fascination that he had shown earlier that day when he had seen her eyes change. Adrian was only smiling gently at her.

"Please, lass, don't leave," Mr. Trival said, having defrosted a little when he'd seen the powers the girl possessed. "We have had a few mages in the family, so we know what to do when there is a jumpy one. Had you warned us, we would not have frightened you."

Adrian smiled and held out the dress for her to take. "I hope you don't mind that it is a blue dress; it was the only one that we had that I thought might fit you," he said softly. He had known that once his parents knew she was a mage, she was going to be more than welcome. His aunt had been a magic user.
 
"Me? A Mage? Oh no no no," she murmured lightly as she shook her head in denial for emphasis. She walked over to Adrian to grab the dress gently. She played with it in her hands as she quietly thanked Adrian for even letting her borrow a dress.

"I shouldn't stay. I looked up mages, once when I finally able to read. Actually a Mage told me herself I wasn't an ordinary Mage, if one at all. Only mages can control up to one or two elements. Three are rare. I can do four, and-and...I have no control. My eyes change color with emotions that I produce, a-and...that's just the beginning," she told them to warn them.

"Please don't turn me in. Many men have tried to capture me and...I'm just tired of running," Iolani whispered the last part, as she got a bit emotional. Her irises turned a dark blue, but glowing miraculously bright. "I'm just a curse among people around me."
 
Mrs. Trival didn't let the men stand there any longer. She ushered them out and smiled companionably at the young woman. "You needn't worry about us turning you in, Iolani. We report only to the bodyguard community, and even then they hardly care if the person we house is a mage or a three headed dog. Come dear and sit next to the fire. That'll warm you and we can talk if you like. or you can change clothes and wait for dinner, or, well, you get the picture. You can do whatever you want here. Why don't you tell me how Adrian and you came to meet?"

Adrian stood at the closed door, his eyes growing wide as he heard the question that his mother proposed. His father stood behind him and was watching his son with interest, before he himself put his ear to the door and waited.

Except they weren't to find out what was said for Mrs. Trival went over to the door as quiet as a mouse and banged a pot with a wooden spoon right next to it. Yelps of pain could be heard from the other side as Mrs. Trival laughed and went back to her work.
 
Iolani relaxed, once Mr. Trival wasn't in the room anymore. She bit her lip, and nodded slowly in understanding as she fumbled with the dress in her hands. "May I get dressed first? I don't want to ruin your beautiful furniture," she murmured to her politely. "Oh, Adrian and I? Oh, it's funny really. I was relaxing by the water, just resting my feet when he jumped into the water," Iolani said with a soft shrug and giggle.

"It was funny, because I got splashed. He was so worried, that my so called bodyguards would go after him. I told him to relax, and not to apologize. Still worried, he offered me a day at his home, which I'm very grateful for," Iolani told her with a faint smile slowly growing on her lips, as she lied to his mother easily.

It wasn't a lie, per say. They did meet in the water, and he did splash her...but no one had to know that she was stark naked in the lake, trying to bathe.
 
Mrs. Trival laughed at the story as she motioned to a darker corner in the room. "Go ahead and change over there dear." she said before going back to chopping some onions for a stew that was over the fire. "That does sound like Adrian. A perfect gentleman when the situation calls for it, but otherwise a shy little boy that doesn't want to get into trouble. He's always been that way. Ever since his sisters left to go to the court. But at the same time he can't help but jump into that lake every night. It's like he's part watermonkey or some such creature. Every night, even during the winter. He'll run down to that lake and run over the icy top if it's frozen. He says it's to make him stronger. I think he just likes it." Mrs. Trival was a chatty woman that didn't mind talking to anyone, even if she could throw a dagger far better than most men.
 
Iolani laughed easily along with Mrs. Trival. "I bet in his past life he was a merman perhaps?" Iolani joked along with her as she went into the corner, stripping off her clothing. She slipped into the dress swiftly, clasping the button on the front, and let her hair flow wherever it pleased, some of it falling on top of her chest. She turned around, "How does it look? Thanks so much for letting me borrow it, Mrs. Trival," Iolani told her politely as she took a seat near the fire, heating up her hands slowly. "I love water a lot myself, I could swim all day if I wanted to," Iolani sighed softly at the mere thought.
 
Mrs. Trival was about to joke along with the young woman before she stopped and saw how the dress fit. "No need to thank me, Adrian was the one that picked it out."s he said, smiling over at the young woman. "I have to say my own daughters looked dreadful in that, but you seem to have just the right body for it my dear." With a smile that was true, the woman went and pushed the door open. "Adrian, why don't you come help chop. The sooner it gets done the sooner young Miss Iolani can eat."

Adrian stretched and walked quickly into the kitchen with a smile. "We must of course make sure Miss Iolani eats quickly--" He started to say before pausing and looking at the young woman by the fire place. He stood for a good minute, staring. Then, he inhaled deeply and looked away, his cheeks a light pink. "Mother, if you let me I can get all of those done real quick. Why don't you go speak with father?" he took the knife from the woman and went to the counter where he began to chop the vegetables as quickly as he could. He tried not to look at the beauty near the fire unless he had to for he feared he would freeze up again and stare.
 
Iolani thanked Adrian's mother softly, and looked down at the fire, watching how the smoke escaped into the chimney gracefully. She was somehow entranced into the fire, feeling the warmth within her heart. She felt as if the fire and her were connected...as if they were One.

Suddenly, she felt eyes on her, and she turned around to see Adrian staring at her intently. She blushed a dark pink, and looked back at the fire for a moment. Once she heard Mrs. Trival leave the room to leave the two alone, she finally got up. She slowly walked over to Adrian, almost on the tips of her toes, as if not wanting to make any noise. "Do you want help?" she asked him, her eyes gleaming out toward Adrian's body.

Her eyes were now an electric yellow, reminding people of lightening.
 
Adrian opened his mouth to answer before he noticed her eyes and his mouth dropped open a little. The blue of the material played off, in his mind at least, beautiful against the electric yellow that they were now. "You--" he tried to say only it came out a croak and he looked away with a blue as he turned to go back to chopping. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I mean you are the guest and I'd really like to see how you like our cooking." He paused in chopping and looked sideways at her before looking away and scratching the back of his head, his blush growing.

"You look very pretty in that dress M-Lani," Adrian said, dropping the honorific for the first time since meeting her. "It suits your eyes, what with them always changing. I've heard once that blue --or maybe it was white--either way that blue can go with a lot of different colors. That's why I thought this might look good on you. And it does, it really does."
 
Iolani dismissed him calling her guest. So what if she was a guest? She wanted to help, so she could feel like she wasn't just sitting around being catered for. She wasn't used to that life, needing to do something for others. She watched as he looked at her in utter shock, and she soon felt self-conscious. She didn't know what was wrong, until he then blushed and complimented her.

He was embarrassed!

She blushed herself, looking down at him cutting up the food, and placing it here and there and adding spices. "Thank you, you are very sweet Adrian. May I say that you always look handsome as well, without even trying," she confessed, as she then raked her wacky curls out of her face, only for some of them to bounce right back.
 
((Happy Holidays to you my friend))

Adrian slipped with the knife and nearly chopped his thumb off when she called him handsome, and sweet. He sighed and laughed. "You really do know how to make a man flustered. Did you always know how to do this, or did you just pick it up recently?" he asked with a small smile as he went back to chopping the veggies--this time slower and with much less risk of losing a finger. "So, if I may ask, what do you plan on doing over the next day or so? Will you be leaving in the morning?" He was really curious about that and had already discussed it with his father--now he just had to find out what she wanted and he might get his desire, though he wouldn't put it as such.
 
Iolani gasped, ready to help when he almost chopped off a finger. She finally let out a shaky breath, once he teased her. She rolled her eyes playfully, and shook her head with a soft giggle as it slipped off her lips. "I've never been so open with a man before, none other than you...and I have a bad habit now of just speaking before I think. Does that answer your question?" she told him with a soft smile, as she sat down on the edge of the table, letting her ankles cross as she swung them softly back and forth.

"I...don't have plans to do anything. Before you found me...I was just going to keep running away from bandits and thieves, until I found another village to get food from, and just keep walking," she told him softly.

That was always her plan, it never changed ever since her parents died.

"Like I always do," she added softly. She looked over at Adrian, seeing how his biceps moved when he cut down onto the veggies, how precise and cautious he was. All because of her. She felt her stomach flip, and she rolled her eyes at the gesture her body made. No, he'd never look at her like that. And they just met!

"If you want me to leave in the morning, I'll go. I don't want to be a heavy burden on you and your family," she murmured softly.
 
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