#Ragarok oc

[carmasi]

Mercenary for Hire Chapter 14 - Coincidences

“Again” 

The stern voice of his teacher was heard as he was seen slashing through the body of a training dummy. He’s been at this since the sun came out and he have had no rest, as all he did was angled his sword, and slice, slash and repeat. 

“Again” 

Allen yelled again and so he did as he was told, it wasn’t like he wasn’t used to training, but it had been a while since he was last  subdue to his master training method. He remembered  those were the same training method he subjected his elder daughter to and for what he heard she turned out to be something. 

“Allen!” They heard the voice of a woman coming from the hall in their vicinity. Her figure was tall and slender, and her hair a light color blue, her eyes though, a shade of amethyst that rival that of his master. 

“Can you call me dad for once in your life Blue bell?” She grunted and Killian's eyes widened  at the sight of the rune knight.  That was Sayasaki Keeper? Her mere aura was menacing, not to mention her narrow hooded eyes had a murderous wind to them. 

“Fine, dad, I need the training rink. When are you going to be done?” She asked, a hand placed on her hip as she swayed them to one side. She wore the Rune knight uniform, but unlike most, a black bodysuit covered the rest of her body, where the armor did not.  Killian’s gaze met hers and for a minute he shivered “Who’s that?” Saya asked, looking his way  and then at his stance, analyzing every inch of the man’s position. 

“ That’s My pupil,  you remember Killian?” Saya raised a brow, trying to recall whom he meant but she was drawing a blank,  much to Allen’s disappointment. He trained them both in the same grounds, they faced each other multiple times, needless to say, Sayasaki always won. Was the Rune knight really so dissociated with everything around her she would not remember? 

“Can’t place him… but he has a good grip on his hands. Work on his foot work though, he’s slow” she grinned looking over at the dark haired man “ You two have ten minutes, before I come over and kick you both out” Allen groaned, his daughter had become a pain since she was appointed as reconnaissance captain. He liked her better when she was a lazy knight who drank booze all day and fought at the arena for fun and glory. 

“Alright Wrightstone pick it up,  we’re heading back to Izlude for the rest of the day” Killian flinched, he hadn’t been called by his given name in so long. The name Wrightstone, the one given to him by his master when he was found in that cave, when he lost all hope. When he was borderline dead alongside all those other kids. 

He picked up the sword that he was given and followed his tutor, he’d heard what the runed knight said about his footwork, it shamed him to know his flaws were out in the open for anyone to see. Then again, she did train under his master, so maybe not just anyone could see his flaws. They walked through the hall on their way back to the Izlude home, where he knew more dummies awaited them, more training. 

Lily walked right through the gate, passed the same hall, missing her husband and his pupil. Her blonde hair brown eyes daughter falling into stepped behind her. She stopped though, as the scent of spearmint lingered around them, such a familiar scent, calming and lovely. 

“Kyrius?” Lily called out and Kyrius looked back at her not having the time to even turn her head to find where that familiar scent was coming from, “coming mom”

They felt into step together and soon reach the castle library where books floated about as they walked, scholars greeter the sorcerer and she said nothing, the picture of poised perfection, as her lilac hair flowed gently and the hibiscus at each side of her head made her look younger than she was, who’d thought she had three grown daughters. 

“Alright honey bee, let’s try and fix those runes for you” Kyrius nodded and just like that disappeared behind a door with her mother.

[300iqprower]

There are so many other pantheons that don't get proper treatment in fate. Where's fucking Susano'o? Where's Tezca? Where's Set for the egyptian gods? How does a game manage to put avatars of Ra and Horus in the same room but no Set and Isis avatars. Where TF is Xolotl. Where are all of the more interesting gods. Greek gods have been used to death in just about every series. Give us some variety.

there is....so much I could say, so much I could gush about in regards to so many gods and how much potential their interactions in FGO would have. Especially since as I showed in that Prelude I literally have Set as a major character in my grail war fic. (and my friend has his favorite OC in a persona fic use Xolotl!) But I honestly can't say anything about FGO's handling of this that I haven't before, it's all literally as simple as "The creator likes the Greek gods the most so those are the only ones that get fully represented" Just another one of the fundamental issues with the series, really. Or once again rather just FGO specifically.

When it's something like Stay Night, Apocrypha, Zero, etc etc etc, where it's a single contained story, you don't need to represent everything; it'd be downright unreasonable to expect that. Even with how FGO started we can't really expect that.

But at this point, it's so much larger in scale. Part 1 to a certain degree for sure since it boils down to all of collective history vs a seemingly impossible to avoid future. But then on top of that Part 2 really REALLY kickstarted a level of expansion of the franchise in both the scale of its plot and of its roster. There are like upwards of 350 characters at this point just in terms of who we can summon in game. When you have a roster that big but dont even spare a second proper member of an entire pantheon, that's not an issue of "we cant fit it all in there" that's an issue of you not trying to represent it all. And as someone neck deep in historical fiction I get how hard it is to balance it out when you're always going to have some overlap in favorites! But when it's THIS centralized, which FGO definitely is when it comes to west-European and Japanese figures for humanity, and Graeco-Roman for divine beings, it inherently undermines the entire concept.

honestly there's some truly problematic stuff I could go into about this but really dont want to especially when i'm almost certain it's unintentional undertones rather than active malice. Especially when instead I can circle back to what I said at the start:

Firstly, while it's a shit game you should absolutely look to Smite if you want to see what properly spread out pantheon representation looks like. Secondly: I'm just going to give a list of some figures I have in my writing either as an established character or at least conceptualized, and specifically those who I explicitly set out do something with because I feel like they have so much potential that isn't ever going to be explored in series like Fate or Record of Ragarok (A series that so far is overall more consistent in quality but still has a not as bad version of Fate's overly centralized representation). This wont even include ones that are well known yet rarely used (Thank christ for Red Pyramid otherwise I dont fcking know what I would do for quality portrayals of Set and Bast), just the ones that I think "I can't believe we always use the same handful of gods when all this exists". I’ll also even limit myself to one per pantheon.

Ah Muzen Cab (Mayan god of Bees and possibly the Apocalypse)

Nergal (Mesopotamian god of War, Disease, and the Twilight)

Artio (Celtic god of Bears)

Pele (Polynesian goddess of Volcanoes and Fire)

Baron Samedi (Haitian Vodun spirit of Life and Death)

Samael (Jewish angel of Death)

The Nidhoggr (Norse dragon trapped within the roots of Yggdrasil)

Yemoja (Yoruba mother-goddess of Water)

Arawn (Welsh god of Death and the Afterlife)

Xiuhtehcutli (Aztec creation deity and god of Fire)

Aži Dahāka (Zoroastrian embodiment of Sin)

Cikap-kamuy (Ainu god of Owls, Rituals, and Material Success)

Ba’al (Canaanite god of Storms and Kingship famously portrayed by Israelites as the “Lord of the Flies” Beelzebub)

And honestly I think i could include more like Czernobog (Slavic god of the Night) and Anansi (Akan trickster-god of Spiders and Storytelling) on the ground of "yeah they're referenced a good amount but it's very rarely an actual portrayal of them". Or how you have figures like Ravana who are VERY popular in their native country but literally nowhere else, or minor figures like Bakasura who something like (once again) Smite shows can be PLENTY interesting.

[somewhat-honest-abe]

it’s 11:01 pm and i’m bORED let’s talk about my ocs so you can love them too!

context: it’s a fantasy adventure featuring a band of adventurers goin’ places, savin’ the world, fallin’ love, ya know. the works. no one in the world is white, btw, and no one in the main cast is straight, cis, or able-bodied/neurotypical. bc i can.

kelmaris: you mean MY SON. kel is a trans adventurer who fell in love started travelling with shan. he is gay and smol and i love him. also he’s the eldest of the triplets (lenna and mardi are his sibs) and has a telepathic connection with the two that was brought about by the gods. he has ptsd, dysphoria, and a prosthetic left arm that he uses to cast magic. for a d&d/pathfinder equivalent: half elf paladin.

lenna: kel’s younger sib. they are agender, ace, and aro. they formerly identified as a trans woman, but due to trauma they then identified more agender instead. they are a cinnamon roll and super pretty. they also have the telepathic connection thing. she also has ptsd and is disabled from the neck down, but uses a magical necklace to move around (though it’s incredibly tiring and makes her sick if she uses it too often). d&d equivalent: half-elf bard.

mardi: A MESS BUT I LOVE HIM. he is genderfluid and pan and basically loki if loki were a romani half-elf bard/rogue guy (but also like. the thor ragarok version of loki.) he is in love with ai but he doesn’t realize it was her bc he was drunk and has memory issues. he is the youngest of the triplets. for a clue to his personality: he is the half-elf incarnation of the “i lyk the bred” meme. he has a prosthetic leg and adhd. d&d equivalent: half-elf bard/rogue, esp one who seduces everything.

shan: ALSO MY SON. he a demiboy. he is blind, but in his culture blind people are huge religious figures treated with the utmost respect, and he was adopted by the king (who is gay and needs an heir so win-win). he usually travels with a Companion but his old companion died so he literally fasted and sat on the road for a week until kel found him and he became his new companion. also he has robes that are used as a diary which i think is p cool. d&d equivalent: human monk.

eino: precious bby. they are a tiny fae looking for their sib who travels with kel and shan. they were adopted by the two, more or less, and they are ridiculously adorable. they are autistic & enby bc their race doesn’t believe in gender as a construct, and basically everyone is nonbinary. d&d equivalent: fairy witch (but like a lil fairy witch)

ayla: precious bby’s big sib. travelling with lenna. i love them. they’re a lesbian and they fall in love with their deity of family and home and it’s adorable. they’re also nonbinary & autistic, but they also have ocd and depression. they really need love and cuddles guys. (thankfully, lenna is a cuddling MACHINE). d&d equivalent: fairy witch (but a full grown one this time).

ai: MY GIRL. ai is also travelling with lenna and she is pregnant. (it’s mardi’s kid, though neither them realize it until later) she is super excited about being a mom but she’s also like. really nervous. ya know? also she’s pyrogender! (for y’all who don’t know, it’s where your gender is normally at a neutral state, with some flares of intensity that returns to rest. i first heard of it on here and i love it so much. i think it’s cool guys.) she’s also got a walking stick she uses as a cane due to mobility issues, and ayla (who is a tol bean and strong) sometimes carries her. which is cute. d&d equivalent: elven alchemist.

mako: mako is gay. super gay. for his husband. who is also gay. i love him. he is a friend of mardi’s (by friend i really mean tether to sanity, but potato-potato, ya know) and ai’s older brother. also he has ptsd and a prosthetic right arm (he and kel become gay prosthetic buddies). btoh he and his husband djimon are genderqueer. d&d equivalent: elven gunslinger.

djimon: djimon is also gay. for his husband. i love them. so much. djimon is a dwarf and is missing one eye. he and mako are basically the super badass couple of the group. he and lenna (the two aces of the squad) drink together and laugh at the others being all in love and shit. sometimes mako joins in to laugh at their messy family and give djimon lil smooches. d&d equivalent: dwarven sorcerer.

if ya want backstory or elaboration, shoot my an ask. i will talk about this world and these babies all. night. long.

[carmasi]

Mercenary for Hire Chapter  10 - Kindle and Ice - Pt 2

Kyrius looked as the sun set from the window on her room, a shawl across her shoulder and a braid to one side of her , she sighed. Has it been true what Cecilia said, had the mercenary stayed by her side all this time? She tried to remember but all she recalled was coming to the inn before collapsing. She sighed, and sat on the bed, her door knock “come in..” she called out and the door opened. It was the  mercenary, it was Wright.

“ Wright” she whispered, but his gaze met the floor, his hands were brought up in a fist to the side of his body, her expression saddened, she’d hurted him.

 “ I’ve offended you” she mumbled before he looked up “I’m sorry” he opened his mouth to say something to put her at ease but he didn’t.  He turned right back and walked out the door. He couldn't speak, he had no words, his heart was pounding violently, his throat was shut, he could feel the burning red under his cheeks as he sighed. He leaned against the door and brushed his hair back, he was fine earlier, as fine as a stuttering  man who can’t speak to women was. What changed? Was it because she asked him to stay, because he was sure of how he felt for her, because he could now put a name to the force that pulled him towards her? because he was still upset at his price?.

“Wright '' the door opened behind him, and he almost fell over, he was surprised she came after him “you are still here. ” he looked back at her, the words still wouldn’t come out. Why did she come after him?

“I’ve asked the ladies at the front to have something ready for you to eat, please.. Have some, it's the least I can do to thank you, and to apologize…for before” She fiddled with the hem of her nightgown.

“ your mana” his deep voice made, her eyes finally met his “ Have your mana recuperated?”

 Kyrius played with the curl in her hair, before replying to the man, a nervous chuckle escapes her  “I still have a long way to go.. To be completely honest with you, some time ago, my body started producing and excess of mana, and it started free flowing whenever I felt strong emotional despair … like what happened in the cave”

 She held her right arm, the place where her runes had been placed, other than her collarbones. She noticed they broke at the cave after she saw him being swaddled by the lizard. Her  heart tightened just remembering that “The Runes Maheo spoke off.. They serve to keep that in check, funny enough my mana affinity always cause me to freeze things  or causing a big storm” she chuckle as if it was a joke, his expression didn’t change he only observe seriously " I won't be able to recover until my emotions are back in check, or until i can get my familiar to help —” 

“Why Are you telling me this?” His words are cut, and dry.  Kyrius looked up sadly, the mercenary hadn't noticed "I wonder, why?"

The mercenary didn’t respond, he wanted to,  but all he could do was move. He took her by the  hand and walked back inside her room, she blushed, her fingers interlacing with his, when they finally walked closer to her bed. His hand trail up to her shoulder and gently had her seat back on bed as he stood 

“You need to rest..”  The way he spoke was soft yet stern. He felt her tug at his clothes again “will you..” she stumbled on her words “ would you watch over me?” her honey brown eyes looking up at the man, as they glimmer. She sounded so shy, so bashful. Would you watch how I feel?. she hadn’t been like this, she was always so confident and chirpy. So straightforward, and now she seems so unsure, almost scared, as if she was scared of his answer. He took her hand into his, and interlace her fingers with his, as he took the seat close to the bed, where he’d watch over her for the last couple of nights, before he nodded as if to say I’ll stay. She smiles shyly.

She liked the feeling of his hand on hers, so warm against her cold skin, she stared at it for a minute as their fingers interlaced, as she played with it. Her eyes darted up to the line that defined his jaw, a line that wasn’t there before, a mark “ That scar.. ” she’d notice it before, her free hand raising to trace the line of his face and run it through the cut on his cheek. His body tensed up to her touch, those delicate fingers against his rich dark skin, he felt as though he should stop her, as though he should pull away from her, but he couldn't. “It wasn’t there before”,  the soft gentle touch tracing not just his lower jaw now. He struggled to keep his eyes away from her, he’d caught himself staring at her a couple times, staring at her lips. 

“Was this back at the cave?” he nodded slowly. Kyrius let out a soft sigh and her palm cupped his cheek “ I’m sorry, your lovely face got scar because of me” she said in nothing more than a whisper but he caught it she said lovely?  His gaze came up to meet hers and those rich honey colored eyes looked straight at his silver one, a glimmer in them he longed for. He felt as she squeezed his hand gently when his own raised to meet the one on his flushed cheek. 

 “You just called me lovely?” he questioned, it wasn’t something he heard, often, at all really.  

“Yes” Kyrius answered as her small frame leaned forward, closer to him, and so did he, not knowing what pulled them together “ I think.. You’re just” nothing. She said nothing past that, no because her words wouldn’t come to her but because her body said everything she wanted to, as her lips graced his, and so he leaned forward, their mouths caught each other in a soft gentle kiss. 

 It was a jolt of electricity that shot straight down to her core,  as his lips met hers, nothing she’d felt before. She pulled back surprised and was met with the silver eyes of the man starting back at her, his surprise just as palpable as hers. Kyrius bit her lips and took her hands back, no longer feeling his warm touch on her finger  as she clenched the hemp of her gown. What was she thinking? She fought back whatever desired she had, whatever feeling she developed, she was scared she’d cross a line 

“I’m so.. Sorry” nothing she’d said now would dig her out of the grave she  had now dug for herself, what would he think of her, one minute she was asking him to stay and offering him money to do so, and another minute she was kissing the man “I’ve offended you, I’ve cross a line I’m —” 

Again..

Was all he could think as he saw her fiddle with the hemp of her skirt. kiss me again. He stared at her and heard what she said, how could she be  apologizing now? If anything, he should be thanking her, gosh he’d wanted to kiss her since he found her trembling in the dark cave. I want to kiss you again.

All notion of common sense went out the door, when he saw her, when he felt her lips on his. How her cheeks were flushed and how she fiddled with her skirt. she's done nothing wrong, not in his eyes. Her gaze avoided his, yes he was surprised but he was not offended. Look at me.  He thought.  “Kyrius” he called out but she didn’t respond, his voice raspy and low, but she was too embarrassed to look back. 

He move from his place in the chair and then into the bed next to her, his hand cupping her cheek and gently force her gaze up to meet his,  he angle his face to  one side and lean forward to her “ you’ve got nothing to apologize for” they were so close they shared a breath, before his lips grace her this time and  that jolt, that feeling once again shoot straight through her body as he kissed her. He was so gentle,  yet so hungry, she kissed him back letting her hand  rest on his chest before he pulled back “no” she whined when his body moved away, her hand grabbed on the collar of his shirt  “Don’t go.. Keep going. kiss me again” she pleaded, his thumb gracing her lower lips as he stared.

“If I do that, I won’t be able to stop myself” his silver eyes darkened, and his voice went even deeper, as if that was even possible, the longing, the desire, he was now experiencing was hellish, out of this world. No one had even awoken such things within him, yes he wasn’t a hit with women in general, but he got around, yet this woman, this blonde warlock did things to him.

“Then don’t” she whispered in more of a plead, THAT, was his undoing.

Anything he was holding back, whatever leash kept him in check snapped and he was now yet again, taking her lips into his, so passionately it made her drown a sigh in his mouth. He bit her lower lips for her to open, and invited him inside. She did. his tongue now exploring her cavity as he pushed back, and before he knew it she was resting on her back, whilst he lay a top of her. Their lips caught in a tangle of passion, while she raked her finger down his messy hair. His hand trailing down her side and holding on to her thighs that gently wrapped around his middle. “Kyrius” he growled. And every nerve on her body  shivered at the tone of his voice. His calloused hands felt as though they were burning against her skin, his lips tracing down her neck and collarbone, and at that moment she thought she may just melt in his arms, and she’d do it gladly.

[carmasi]

Mercenary for Hire Chapter 13 -Part 1 -Seeking Twilight -

He’d been so determined after talking to Vera he  just darted out of the guild, without a plan,  without knowing if he could become  what she had asked him, what he needed to  become. Someone worthy of the sun. 

How could he do that when he couldn't even  make the one person who ever believed in him proud? He let that person down when he failed his Chivalry test to become a knight.

His steps lead him as to knowing exactly where he needed to be, as if subconsciously he knew what he needed to do. He stepped in front of a house, where a lone lily flower was standing on the foyer,  a place where he spent many of his teen years. 

The lights were still on despite it being night already. This home,  this place, it was but  the home of his master, his former teacher’s home. Kyrius had once said something to him, which reminded him of his master. 

“ You can do anything you believe in” 

He sighed remembering her smile as she said it. A moment later he was knocking on the door.  Within a minute the door opened, his silver gaze meeting that one of the male who now stood in front of him.  The man leaned against the door frame, his eyes a deep shade of violet that glimmered with the light of not sunshine as they normally did, but moonlight, his ash-blonde hair rested gracefully  over his shoulder, as he crossed his hands over his chest at the sight of the dark skin mercenary. 

 “Killian” 

Killian almost shivered at the silkiness of his voice, his master was a man who would elicit jealousy of anyone, the type of man who’d look perfectly by the arm of the warlock he was crushing on, though the mere idea of it blinded him. 

 “Ma.. Master” the man in front of him  chuckled 

“A stutter? really?  I thought you only did that with women” The black hair man shook his head 

“Nevermind the stutter!  Listen, I want to train, I want to try again” The blonde raised a brow looking up and down at his former pupil who now stood just as tad taller than him. He was but a child when he was taught to fight the ways of a Knight, when he tried to become a  fully fleshed man of chivalry and failed, when all he knew was mistrust and abuse.  All he cared about then was to keep himself alive.  The look on the blonde changed from an amused look to a serious one as he unfolded his arms in front of him. 

 “What made you change your mind?” The sharpness in his voice, like an unsheathed sword , could cut through almost anything if he wished to, and now, now he was cutting right down his pupil determination, his resolve. 

“Last time you were pretty adamant at the fact that this was not a life for you” his former master continue sternly “ That you were too broken, too untrusting,  too far gone, to even be anything but what you were, a fighter, a slave who’d only fight to keep himself alive. That’s why I dropped you off at the mercenary’s guild.” 

The dark skin man bit his lips, remembering the shell he had once been, the shell he still was. 

“Things..” his voice shook, trembling even “ Things have changed.. I want to try, I want to fight.. Not for myself, not to stay alive, I want to protect that which is precious to me, I want to be worthy, I want to be able to stand by those I..”  He cut himself off, feeling the red on his cheek bubbled. The one I love. 

“Allen, who’s at the door” the voice of a female came from the back and the door opened to let the woman's crimson eyes and lilac colored hair show. She looked like she was getting ready for bed. The woman smiled broadly as her eyes met those of the mercenary. 

 “Is that… little Killian at our door?” she chirped, before she grinned, the woman’s high pitch voice sounded just as sinister as he remembered it as a kid. Though she meant well she was just eccentric. 

“Goodness Allen dear, what you did to the poor kid, why is he all red?” The blonde man sighed, the one thing that’ll make him come down from his all so high horse, was his wife. 

“ Alright.. Killian,  if you believe you’re ready, I have no objection to training you, and  helping you prepare for the Knightly crusades, but know this;  it was not your inability to fight that prevented you from passing.”  Allen pointed at the man’s chest “It was  your own heart, your selfishness, and deception. A knight is selfless, a knight is chivalrous,  A knight puts the well being of the many above his own. Are you sure you’re ready to be that?” 

Killian brought his hand into a fist, as his hair blew with the soft breeze of the night and the light of the moon came up to shine above him, as he thought of the smile that had made him shiver “for her..”  he thought before nodding, maybe he wouldn't put the need of the many before his own, but he’ll surely put her above all. 

“ Yes.. I am.. I’ve found my reason to be all that and more..” Allen grinned at the determination in those silver eyes, something he thought extinguished on his pupil that day he found him at the Morroc ruins cave alongside those other slave children. 

 “Very well then. I’d love to know whatever this reason is. For it, to ignite such fire in your eyes boy, where even I could not” 

Lily chuckled and hooked her arms alongside those of the mercenary “Of Course you couldn't my love, Can’t you see”  The woman with lilac hair grinned “ but, that’s something I’d let Killian tell you in due time” She wink at a very confused mercenary who blush at the gesture, as he was being pulled inside the home by the woman.

“Come on, it's late, you’ll stay in one of the girls' rooms, while we prepare the guest room for you. Honey bee’s room would do. After all, she was here not too long ago, so the room’s clean~” Lily cheered and Allen closed the door behind him. 

[carmasi]

Mercenary For Hire Chapter  9- Pt 5

Part 5 

He almost lean into her touch, just as he wanted, but he said nothing, he said absolutely  nothing, he was taken back by her request, not knowing what to think of it. He watch her bite her lips, her finger tracing the shape of his jaw. Her touch gentle and almost intimal, he almost pur before he heard her voice

 “I - I can pay the price to have you stay a little longer if you're worried about that”. 

Those words. His price. His expression went dark, before he stood up from the chair and pulled away from her touch . Right, he had forgotten he was nothing but a contracted mercenary, a lowly rat in the eyes of those around them,  on her eyes, her words had just reminded him of it, and just like a cold bucket of water had been dumped on his whole body he fisted his hand on each side of him. 

 “The Mission is clear, and you're all healed up for what it looks like, plus you've got your satchel back”  he spatted, his voice cold and distant.

He wasn’t stuttering but she felt the disdain coming from his tone, nothing like how he’d been so far, a piece of her heart ache, tighten. She watched him walk away and toward the door where he had just walked from. Her hand clenched on to the sheet of the bed before she finally  stood. A complaint, a wince escaped her lips. It wasn’t as bad as before, but the speed in which she had stood caused the pain on her ankle to shoot right up her leg. 

He didn’t look back even as he heard her groaning, he wanted to, his heart told him not to step out the door,  to see to it that she was fine, to see to it that he could stay, even if it meant to just be paid. But no. He wasn’t going to.  As much as he wanted her, it would hurt his pride, his heart. He opened the door, standing ready to leave. 

“I’m sorry!” she called out “I don’t wish to make you feel like an item for sell.” she whimpered.

He didn't turn to look back no matter what she said, she’d done her damage. He held onto the knob of the open door, his expression never changing. “Its just…  I.. just” She struggle with her words, a first since he’d meet her “I feel safe… you, your presence,  you see I” her finger grabbed on the seams of her gown nervously. 

“I know it must not mean anything, for someone in your line of work, I know I’m probably overstepping, and I’m just being stupid, and shallow to think you just wanted to make sure I was fine…”  She bit on her lips, embarrassed to admit she wanted him to stay, to admit she thought there was something there, that his presence alone was everything she needed at this time, no, not just at this time. She fought back tears.  

“B-But S-since you’re not contracted to keep me company, and you’ve already done so much… I.. I know you’re probably just making sure you get paid... After all -” she choked on her words, looking at the broad muscle back in front of her, there was no way a mercenary would stay this long just because. 

There was nothing there, other than the payment she owed. “I’m not staying” her breath caught, before he continued “I’m not staying because of payment … I did , I wanted to make sure you were alright” his low tone was loud enough for her to hear his statement,  but his expression was still dark, he didn’t want to think about his reason, why he stayed, what she now said,  how he felt. Her heart skipped a beat knowing maybe, just maybe she was wrong,  the door clicked and he disappeared behind them.