The princess and her knight

Aria nodded in acceptance, he seemed right as she looked up at the sky. It must be the reason the wind was blowing harder than this morning. She watched him from behind, following him to get out of the forest as quickly as possible. Aria clung onto Idacrous's cloak a little more, holding it closer to her body. The howling of the wind kind of worried Aria, she had never really been outside when a storm was coming. She glanced at the bushes and the trees shaking with every gust and her hair still getting in her way' it was making it harder for her to keep up with Idacrous.
 
As Aria starts falling behind due to the hair problem, he reaches out to take her hand and guide her along in that way. He's never had such a dilemma before (the pros of being a boy with shorter hair) and so, unfortunately, has no hairtie to help the princess keep her hair in place. Weaving through the trees only starts being more difficult as the grey clouds fully obstruct the sun from view. This forces the duo to slow their progress slightly, despite the Knight's experience in this terrain.

Despite the circumstances, Idacrous continues to glance back towards Aria to make sure she is progressing alright and even suggests a couple stops so that the both of them could rest and refresh themselves. However, as evening draws closer, the rain starts. What started as mere hand-holding resulted in the male throwing his arm around the princess, shielding her from some of the rain and wind that the cloak was ineffective in managing. That, of course, will not stop the both of them from getting soaking wet.
 
Aria blushed a bit. "Thank you Idacrous. I am sorry I am making the journey longer for you. I am sure if I was not here you could have been at Hollow's End already." She watched her steps as to keep up with her knight. She knew that she couldn't slow down, she would make it worse for him. All she hoped was that they would make it to their destination soon. She looked at him for a moment.
 
Idacrous remains ever vigilant of their surroundings, for just because the weather is being a pain doesn't mean that their enemies would decide to stay indoors. This attention to their surroundings also keeps him from being uncomfortable about being in such close proximity to...well...another human being. He's not one to usually relish such close contact, but, he convinces himself, this is necessary. However, it is this vigilance that allows him to spy something from the female.

Is she...blushing? The male doesn't have time to consider his feelings about the matter, but he knows that that cannot be a good sign. And then, just as he's looking at her blush, she looks at him. That momentary eye contact causes his steps to falter for a split second before he awkwardly forces his gaze back to their road of travel. And there it is, the edge of the forest.

The knight slows his progress as they near the edge of the woods. Before them is a steep slope down towards the road and, just a ways further down the road, is the misty Hollow's End. First obstacle, the steep slope. Not wanting to argue with the princess and assuming that she'll forgive him for what he's about to do, the male offers a quick explanation, "This is the fastest way. Hold on." Aria has no time for questions before she's swooped into Idacrous's toned arms and, just moments later, they're sliding down the slippery slope. Or rather, Idacrous is the one sliding, his rear skating along the mud while his booted feet provide guidance and friction. The princess is just along for the ride.
 
Aria could see the town in the distance, she made a smile. Almost there, she was cold and wet. She was glad to be at a town, even if it wasn't the safest. "Huh?" She said just as he picked her up and put her in his arms. "Oh." She said as he slide down the slope. This was something she wasn't expecting. Involuntarily she clung onto his as to not slip out of his arms.
 
The ride's over almost as soon as it starts; gravity works wonders. In no time at all, the two of them are at the base of the slope. Idacrous is muddy as hell, especially his lower half from all the slipping and sliding, while Aria only sports bits of mud stains from where splotches may have accidentally flew onto her dress. The knight takes a moment to re-compose himself before he uses his lower body strength to push himself to a stand and eventually help the princess back onto her two feet. "Sorry about that. I needed to get us down without getting you hurt."

Now out of the protective shelter of the forest, the rain is pelting down harder than ever. It's abusive, really. "We're almost there now."
 
"It is alright, I understand." She said giving him another smile. She was soaked yet she didn't seem to mind it really. She never had to deal with anything like this and for her it was the most fun she has ever had. Although there were times that she was frightened she was enjoying her journey and spending the time with Idacrous. "That is good, we both seem pretty wet." She turned to look at the town in the near distance. She held onto the cloak tighter, trying to wrap it around her body to keep warm.
 
Once Aria is steady on both her feet, the male nods towards the princess with his usual faint smile. "We'll be able to get dry soon." That said, the male resumes his arm-over-her-shoulder guiding position as they make their way onto the road and, eventually, down the road.

The time saved due to the lack of obstacles on the road is hindered by the mud and puddles on the poorly-cared-for road. Step-by-step, the town before them grows larger and, an hour later, they are at the gates. Looking in, the entire town appears deserted, which is no surprise due to this dreadful weather. By now, Idacrous can feel a slight chill in his bones and he can only imagine how shivering cold the princess would be. Aria may notice that the knight gives off an unusual amount of body heat, but even then, he's not a furnace. "Hold on. We're almost there."

Idacrous is conscious how laborious each step must be for the female at this point; she's walked a long ways in heels, through difficult and muddy terrain. To help, his arm tenses to support some of her weight for her. It's in another ten minutes that they come to a stop before a quaint house. Lights flicker inside from whoever is living within and the smell of a freshly-cooked chicken manages to drift out and into the dismal air. The male's stomach growls softly.

Knock knock. The impact of fist against door is resolute and urgent. Knock knock.

"Who in the heavens?!" A gorgeous lady opens the door, looking to be about 30 years of age. Curly, crimson locks frame her light-skinned face while emerald eyes look down upon the muddy male and his princess...though Aria probably looks like a far cry from noble at this point. Wiping her hands upon a navy apron, the woman looks about to tell both of them off. That is, until Idacrous looks up and locks gazes with the other. All of a sudden, her arrogance melts to...could it be...care? "Idiot!" The usually insulting word is said with an undertone of gentleness and, if Aria was in a coherent state of mind, it sounded like a nickname.

Idacrous rolls his eyes as he tries to take a step past the threshold and into the warm room beyond. "Missed you too, Olivia."
 
Aria felt the warmth of the house as the door was opened. She wanted so badly to just walk in and warm herself up but she knew she had to wait until they were invited. It seemed that this was the woman Idacrous was talking about, considering the way they were talking to each other. As they walked into the room the heat around the area circled around Aria. She made a smile, glad to be out of the rain and finally in a place that was warm. "I am sorry for coming in as we are and unplanned ma'am." Aria said softly. Her hair and dress were dripping water droplets onto the floor.
 
Olivia doesn't move to stop Idacrous and the stranger from entering her house, but she also cannot help the frown of distaste that spreads across her lips as their muddy boots stain her wooden floor. "Oh, Idi. You could've sent a message before you. What, with not having been here in years, you think you can just come waltzing back here unannounced? Not that I wouldn't accept you, but...for heavens sake, take off your boots!"

The female is currently clothed in a skin tight, red dress that cuts a little low up top and a little short down bottom...a hint to her less-than-clean job in this part of the town: a courtesan, as she would like to call herself. The way she positions herself and moves exhibits sensual nuances; the pouting lips, the tilt of her head, the slight lean against her hip. Even when she turns about to head deeper into the house, there's a certain come-get-me air to her. However, in this scenario, she's certainly not trying to attract anyone. When she returns, it is with a mound of clothes in her hands.

"And who's this girl you bring with you?" Quite the fiery woman.

Idacrous takes a deep breath as he removes his boots, motioning for Aria to do the same. "Please, Olivia. Calm yourself."

"Good thing you didn't take everything with you when you left. Go get yourself cleaned up." She looks at the male, obviously the dirtier of the two before tossing him his clothes. "You can have the downstairs bathroom."

"And you," she turns towards Aria with no amount of courtesy at all. "You're quite dressed up for a romp in the mud. I'm afraid I don't have anything fancy around here, so you'll have to settle for these. You can take the upstairs bathroom."

The Knight offers the princess a nod, his eyes begging her forgiveness for the harshness of the fiery-haired woman's harsh words. That eye contact made, the male is obediently off to the bathroom for a much-needed bath. Aria's path would take her up a flight of stairs and into a narrow hallway. The bathroom wouldn't be hard to find and, once she enters, she'll notice that everything is meticulously clean. On the wall hangs a self-portrait of the courtesan on a pole. Sexy and risque.

Should Aria inspect the clothes handed to her, she may balk at them. In her hands is a sexy red-laced, black corset with a pair of black leather pants.
 
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Aria took off her shoes as she was told. It was the woman's house and she did not want to cause any problems for Olivia or Idacrous. She gave the woman a smile and headed towards the bathroom she was told. It was a strange sight seeing a clean bathroom yet what stood out was the picture. To Aria it seemed kind of strange; of course there were portraits on the castle but none ever like that one. Aria glanced at the cloths a blush coming over her face. "Oh my." She said to herself but what else could she do. The woman was kind enough to let them in, she couldn't go complaining about the strange attire the princess was going to have to wear.

Aria let the warm bath water fill the tub and then undressed, getting into it. It felt good and she was glad to get the mud off of her. She washed her body and hair, making sure there was no more mud on her. She rested in the bath for a few moments, enjoying the peace. It was nice and cozy; back at the castle everything wasn't so cozy. If fact the bathroom wasn't like this one at all. After she was finished she stepped out and dried herself off. It was nice to now be clean and dry from all the rain and mud that they had went through. She put on the strange clothing and looked at herself in a mirror. She felt odd and blushed a bit for wearing such obscure clothing, especially for a princess. She made her way out of the bathroom and down back to the woman.
 
As Aria descends down the stairs to the living room, she'll be able to hear hushed voices below. It sounds like Idacrous was long done his showering and has wasted no time catching up with his friend.

"Dear gods."

"Can you help?"

"Of course I can. It looks true then. The Dark Ones are rising."

As the princess rounds the corner, she'll witness a half-naked Idacrous sitting on the lush, cream couch with Olivia sitting beside him. The two are facing one another, though the attention seems to be focussed on the male's wound. The dressings have been removed and the courtesan's left hand is pressed against the wound while her right rests gently upon the male's left shoulder. Should Aria look closely, there is a slight glow from Olivia's palm and, when she removes the hand, the wound has disappeared.

"There all better. You better be..." The female trails off abruptly as she notices Aria's arrival. "Look who's finally done," is announced with a smirk. "I've got to say my clothes look better on you than your own." From the casual way she speaks, Idacrous either has not told his friend about the princess's identity or the courtesan just doesn't care.

The knight turns his gaze towards Aria as Olivia heralds her arrival. His expression is a mixture of shock (obviously he hadn't really looked at the clothes that poor Aria was handed) and embarrassment. His cheeks warm just a tad, the male not able to deny that the outfit does look good and really hoping that the King never catches wind of this.

The green-eyed courtesan broadens her smirk as she notices Idacrous's reaction, slapping him fondly on the shoulder before using that contact to push herself to a stand. "You poor boy. C'mon. Dinner's ready." Her graceful strides take her on a path past the princess and into the kitchen. However, the mischievious woman isn't about to pass up a perfectly good opportunity to make things even more embarrassing. Pausing just before Aria, she gives the other an obvious full head-to-toe scan before winking at the girl. "Lookin' fine. Maybe you can steal poor Idiot's virginity." She disappears into the kitchen before Idacrous can hurl something at her.
 
Aria nervously and embarrassingly thanked Olivia for the compliment. She looks at Idacrous seeing his wound better and makes a sigh of relief. The woman must have healed it. She looked at his face, just staring at him for a moment. She looked away feeling uneasy about the situation. It didn't help what Olivia said either. Aria got bright red. "Wha-?!?!" Aria hasn't known how to react to anything this whole time and that, well that was the worst of all. "No...that is...I am.." Aria couldn't get any words out.
 
Idacrous resists the growl that threatens to rise from his throat, but cannot help the reddening of his cheeks. Taking a deep breath, he pushes himself to a stand. The male apparently has no qualms about going around topless, as he doesn't even look to don a shirt before he makes for the kitchen as well. As he passes Aria, the male mumbles, "Don't listen to her. She's crazy. Let's eat."

The kitchen is just as meticulously clean as the courtesan's bathroom and, by the time the two arrive, the table has already been set for three. While nothing like the glamour of living in a castle, there are sufficient utensils for all of them: a plate, a fork, and a knife for each. Mashed potatoes, a roasted chicken, and some steamed vegetables rest on the center of the table. "It's not much, but I'm not going to apologize to someone who came unannounced. You want more, you can go hunt it down."

Conflicted between his rage at Olivia's earlier words and his thankfulness for some food, the knight eventually manages to decide his hunger is more important than his pride. Holding out Aria's chair for her first, the male then seats himself and proceeds to dig in.

The courtesan watches all these subtle motions with curiosity. The Idacrous she knew did not pull chairs out for people, or look at others so gently. Hell, she never got a gentle look from him and she's someone special! It is not jealousy that taints her expression, but curiosity. As she seats herself, she eats with more moderation...choosing conversation instead. Afterall, she wasn't the famished one.

"So, what's your name?" is queried to Aria.

Idacrous nearly chokes on his food. "Aurora," he manages with potatoes still in his mouth. Hopefully that gives the princess hint enough not to disclose her identity.

"I didn't ask you, Idi. You eat. I want to get to know my guest." She turns back to the princess. "Aurora, is it? How did you happen across this idiot friend of mine?" A gentle, yet suspicious smile curves her lips.
 
Aria followed Idacrous to the kitchen. "No. All of it looks great." She said to Olivia who mentioned that it wasn't much. "It is perfect." It was true that Aria was used to more and other types of food but she didn't mind this. It made her happy that she could eat normal like this for the first time. She walked over to her seat and watched Idacrous pull out her chair. "Thank you." She said to him with her usual smile and sat down in the chair. She began to cut everything small, like as she did with the bread. She was always told to eat in a fancy way too. She hears the woman's question and Idacrous's abrupt lie. Although she didn't quite like lying Aria understood the reasons. Idacrous's intentions for it were good. "Yes, Aurora. Idacrous here has been so kind as to help a travelers on her way to see someone." Aria said after she had finished eating what she had on her fork. She was told never to eat with a mouth full like other people did.
 
Olivia eyes Aria's eating habits with a quirked brow, though makes no comment on it...at least yet. "Yes, it seems Idi has changed through the years."

Idacrous swallows his potatoes before taking a chicken drumstick and biting into it. He chews the meat thoroughly, swallows it, and then attempts to take the courtesan's attention away from his charge. "Yes, and it seems you haven't. You're still working at that bar?" The male takes another bite out of the drumstick before leaning back, his dark eyes intent upon Olivia's emerald ones.

Olivia's resulting laugh is almost angelic, though the way she leans forward to give the knight a healthy view of her cleavage is not so much. "I'm good at it. Gives me pretty good income to afford a place like this...for those occasions you decide to drop by." The knight must have been used to such behaviour as this from the woman, as his cheeks hardly flush at the copious view; it's quite a contrast to how a not-so-subtle statement from the woman about the princess could have elicited such a response. It's noting this that the courtesan leans back in her own seat with a pout. "I question your sexual orientation sometimes."

Less than impressed, the knight shakes his head. "Control yourself, Oli. You do have a younger guest here with us and I would hope she doesn't get tempted to follow your ways." The words are spoken solemnly, though a smile does break forth soonafter.

The red-haired woman can't pass up an opportunity to test Aria's comfort level further. "Oh, c'mon. It's never too early to grow up. The girl will need to know how to be a woman. Look at her. I think she could grow into that look quite nicely. You take her into the Scarlet in my clothes, the men will be flocking for her." A grin spreads across her features, while a mischievous glint sparkles in her eye.

"You're just saying that to try to get on my nerves."

"And it's working." She winks.
 
Aria shifted around in her seat at hearing these comments from the woman. She looked at both of them at first unsure of what to say in a situation like this. It seemed her teaching wasn't very good teaching after all, perhaps they should have teached Aria more about these types of things. How was she suppose to react without giving her identity away. Aria then shook her head. "I am sorry to intrude in your conversation so rudely and for all you have done for us thus far but I cannot let you continue this talk. I prefer if you refrain from saying such remarks about me, miss." Aria blurted out, after all she was the Kings daughter and the king ran a country. She made a pause. "Those men will not touch me, I will not put myself through that so please forget what ideas you have been having Miss Olivia." Aria may have been saying this but in all honesty she was embarrassed. Not only about how Olivia was talking about her but how Idacrous was reacting to it.
 
"Miss Olivia," the courtesan purrs, as if quite pleased by that title. "You've got quite the tongue on you. So be it. But if you want men to keep their paws off you in this town, you'd better learn some self defense. Unless you plan to stay holed up here. Speaking of holed up here, what are you plans tomorrow? You can't leave yet." The statement is spoken in a matter-of-fact way, as if the red-haired girl was privy to some secret that Aria was not.

Idacrous has finished his chicken now and is working his way through some vegetables and more potatoes. It is only after he swallows that he offers, "I'll have to leave in the late afternoon." He looks towards the princess and explains, "I'll do some scouting." And back to Olivia, "Can you take care of Aurora while I'm gone? I'll be back in the morning."

To be honest, the knight wasn't exactly enthusiastic about leaving the princess behind, even for a short while. However, he deemed it necessary and finds himself asking for yet another favour from the woman he once knew, and hopefully still does.
 
Aria finished her food. She wasn't sure how she felt about being left with Olivia. She was a nice woman but it worried her to be alone with someone who she had to keep her identity hidden. It also worried her of what Olivia might do to Aria, considering the way she was talking about Aria just moments ago. However Aria knew it would be the best thing for Idacrous to check things out before they left. "I would stay out of your way to let you do the things you need to do." Aria said to Olivia, hoping she wouldn't disapprove Aria.
 
Olivia offers Aria a sweet smile in between small mouthfuls of food. It doesn't take much to fill the woman up and, soon, she's collecting the dishes. "Girl time. I think it'll be fun. I have work in the afternoon, but I should be back by the time you leave."

"Work? So early?"

"Don't be judgmental," Olivia states with a wink before she takes his dishes from in front of him. "Anyway, I have an extra room upstairs, which you can be a gentleman and let Aurora stay in. You can take the couch. But," she takes a look at the clock. "I'll need both of you in the spare bedroom for a couple hours. I have a guest coming over. When the both of us are in my bedroom, you can come out. Just don't be loud about it."

Idacrous lifts a brow towards his courtesan friend before shaking his head. "Of course." Should Aria look confused, the knight would shake his head and give her a don't-ask look.
 
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