“No shit. He’s gettin’ sloppy.” Elara raised her voice slightly on her last sentence, looking unconcerned as ever. In fact, she looked amused. The footsteps came to a stop, and then a knife was hurtling out of the shadows at Elara. She sidestepped it easily, and it didn’t take a genius to realize the thrower had no intention of harming her.
“Damn you Acacius! I’m not getting sloppy, you’re just a freak!” A man stepped out of the opening between two buildings, grumbling to himself. He wasn’t as tall as Kieran, but he was built with the wiry muscle of someone good at stealth and running.
Kieran raised an eyebrow, stiffening when the knife came hurtling past. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the newcomer, but remained silent. He took a half step, placing his body partially in front of Elara, just in case of danger from this stranger. He didn't want to mess up and get sent back to Ishar.
“Sloppy sloppy sloppy.” Elara singsonged, tapping Kieran’s arm once to let him know it was fine before stepping around him. “What kinda assassin are ya if ya can’ even sneak up on your target, Declan?”
The man, Declan, rolled his eyes fondly before making his way over. “The kind that doesn’t want to kill you. Count yourself lucky. Who’s the guard?” While it was phrased like a question to her, he looked at Kieran when he asked it, looking for an answer there too.
Kieran frowned slightly, and nearly crossed his arms, before remembering that that would show the scars on his wrists, so he left his hands by his sides. He glanced at Elara, wondering if he should respond or not, after stepping out of her way, though still close enough to protect her if necessary.
Elara flicked an eyebrow up, tilting her head slightly as she waited for Kieran to respond. Though instinct had her wanting to answer for him, she knew she couldn’t do that forever. Plus, he could speak for himself. She knew that.
"Kieran." He replied after a moment, shifting slightly and crossing his arms, keeping his sleeves over his scars. Why does it matter what my name is? I'm just here to keep her highness safe, that's all. Not that she can't take care of herself, but… He sighed softly.
“Name’s Declan.” Declan said with a nod of greeting. He raised an eyebrow at Elara, before lifting the other one as well. Waggling his eyebrows at her. “Official guard or protective boyfriend?”
“Official! Gods, why’s everyone keep askin’ if we’re dating.” Elara grumbled, shooting Kieran a slightly apologetic look. “His Royal Ass decided I needed another damn guard.”
Kieran was silent. At the question of whether or not he was her boyfriend, he raised an eyebrow. "She would not be interested in a Thari, and besides that, I would not enter into a relationship with her." He said, vaguely surprised that this Declan hadn't yet asked who his owner was. Then again, this country wasn't big on slaves, so that might explain it.
“Ouch. Tha’s rough.” Elara quipped, not all that offended. “Who says I wouldn’ though?” She challenged, not insinuating anything, just challenging that assumption.
“She did date an ogre once, so a Thari’s probably a step up.” Declan mused, crossing his arms over his chest.
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't if you knew anything of our reputation." He replied. The Thari were known for, well…not just being slaves, but for having a tendency to be, well…a bit rough in bed. "In addition to that, you have described me as a rock. Ktherion, I believe? I don't exactly have enough emotion to be a satisfying romantic partner." Also…I don't think I'm ready. There were so many times when I wasn't allowed to say no. I had no control.
“Gyurog was a perfectly fine partner, excuse you.” Elara pointed at Declan, Kieran's comment flying right over her head. “He was always able to reach things on the shelves in the store. When they let him in.” She shrugged a shoulder, tucking her hands into her pockets. “I don’ date anymore anyway, so whether or not ya have any emotion don’ really matter.”
Declan hadn’t missed the meaning behind the comment though, raising a dark eyebrow at the Thari.
Kieran nodded, and went silent. He caught Declan's look, and raised an eyebrow slightly. What does he want? He wondered. He removed his attention from Declan to Elara, silent. His horns gleamed in the dim light, and his orange eyes were shadowed and dark. He looked like a demon or monster from an old story.
“Enough abou’ my love life-“
“Or lack of one.”
“-fuck off. As I was sayin’, enough about all that. C’mon, there ain’t no way Tia don’ know I’m here.” Elara lifted her hand in a crude gesture directed at Declan, who responded with a wink, before continuing down the street. “Hey ktherion! When’s the last time ya ate?”
Kieran followed her. "Breakfast." He replied. He was becoming more used to the fact that she expected answers to her questions, and didn't seem to care if he spoke without being spoken to. But it still caught him by surprise sometimes.
“Perfect. Tia’ll focus on feedin’ you instead o’ me.” Elara said, shaking her head with a laugh. “‘S like she knows when I ain’ eaten in a while. Then she won’t leave me alone.”
Declan fell into step with Kieran, though he left a decent distance between them. He was a fan of personal space. “How selfish of you.” He teased, grinning. “Using your guard to avoid an old woman and her soup.”
Kieran shrugged. "You should still eat, your highness. I am used to going without food. I do not know if you are or not, but you should still eat." He told her, uncrossing his arms as he walked.
“Eh, long as I get somethin’ t’ eat e’ry once in a while, ‘m fine.” Elara said dismissively, shrugging a shoulder. “Ya need t’ eat more’n just breakfast.”
“She says, as though she’s any better.” Declan muttered, rolling his eyes at her in Kieran’s direction.
Kieran shrugged. "Your highness, you are going to eat." He replied to Elara. "It is my job to keep you safe and healthy. Eating is healthy." He told her, orange eyes flickering around, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious.
Elara opened her mouth to continue arguing, before pausing. After a moment of thought, her eyes lit up with a wicked spark as she turned, walking backwards to face him. “Fine. Bu’ only if you do too.” She said, raising a pale eyebrow at the Thari.
Kieran nodded. "Fine." He agreed. He would make sure that Elara ate. It was his job to. Well, maybe not to make her eat, but to make sure that she was alright. And he would rather her not starve to death. That would mess up his plans.
Elara’s scheming look switched almost immediately, to an almost uncharacteristically bright smile. Though not quite, because that same smile had made an appearance when she was with Mack. “Perfect.” She left it at that, spinning on her heel and almost falling, but pretending she hadn’t.
A few minutes and some sketchy looking people later, music and laughter could be heard, and the source could be seen as they turned onto another street. The doors to a tavern were propped open, a few clusters of people of varying levels of sobriety standing outside and talking. A shout of ‘everybody watch your wallets!’ could be heard as somebody caught sight of Elara, followed by laughter and waves, and called greetings.
Kieran gave a sharp nod, staying close to her as they drew closer to the tavern. His eyes flickered around the people around them cautiously, hand tightening on his sword hilt almost automatically.
“Not any more! The little thief has money now!” Declan called back, stepping forward to slap Elara’s shoulder, earning him an elbow to the side.
“Maybe, but there’s jus’ somethin’ bout takin’ the money tha’s irreplaceable.” Elara said dramatically, ducking out of the way of a hand coming to ruffle her hair, her hand slipping back into her pocket after taking Declan’s wallet and replacing it with a rock that weighed the same.
So she's a thief. Interesting. Kieran thought, sticking close to Elara. He himself was not worried. He had nothing of value, and even if he did, he wasn't worried about being stolen from. Most people didn't steal from Thari. For one, because of how big they were. Two, because they never had anything worth stealing in the first place.
Declan snorted at that, veering off to go chat with a group of men, unaware of his missing wallet. Elara greeted almost everyone she passed, before leading the way into the tavern. Where she was immediately attached by a woman with sky and pepper hair.
“Tia! You’re gonna squeeze all o’ the air outta me!” Elara said amidst laughter, returning the hug after a moment. The attention that had been drawn to them faded as everyone inside went back to drinking and talking, the music playing loudly.
“It would serve you right! Not coming by at all, for months! You know I cannot trust that Declan’s word on anything!”
