The Ward's Guard

Pior grunted and turned away. "Yeah, yeah. Just be careful or whatever."

"You'll-" The man cursed. "You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?"

Pior leaned forwards, trying to catch his breath. "Pardon?"

Sighing, Pior reluctantly got to his feet and followed Vivace, grumbling all the while.

"I prefer not. Easier to understand you this way when I'm sober."

Pior thought about it for only a moment before shrugging. "Sure, I guessin'."

"I don't rightly know," Pior said with a shrug. "He was supposed to meet us here."

"Wha- Aaaaaaand she's gone. Ok, yeah. I'm probably crazy." He sat down onto the grass, wishing for a shot of liquor. At least when he was drunk, things made sense.

"What the flip are yous trying to say to me?" Poir placed his hands on his hips. "Ya know, I feel that I'm doing all of the work in this conversation, because you're close off. Yes, closed off, that's you."

"Are ya . . . Laughing at me?"

Kuno leaned over the man's face. "You sir, are annoying." Reaching forward a finger, he poked his cheek a couple of times before sitting back, looking thoroughly disappointed. "Cat, have Arminio summoner here. I want to know what he thinks." As the woman summoned another serving boy, Kuno leaned back to watch the body. "I will puzzle you out, sir. Don't you worry about that."

"That is unfortunate," Kuno admitted. "You all may leave to your duties, Catorphia and I can handle this." The guardsmen looked to the Mayor for permission before heading out. Mayor Ewald, however, locked eyes with Kuno. You will give me whatever information he provides that directly affects my town, yes?" "Of course, of course," Kuno said while waving him away. "Now go keep your town running." Nodding hesitantly, Ewald left the room. However, it was not before Kuno shouted after him. "And be sure that bucket is still coming!" Waiting for just a few moments, Cat answered the door to see the serving boy with the bucket in one hand, and a platter of drinks balanced on the other. "Put them down on the table, and bring the bucket here," Kuno called. He was on a schedule, and this was taking too long. As soon as Cat arrived with the bucket, Kuno stuck a finger in to be sure it was cold enough. Satisfied, he nodded towards the stranger. Upon seeing the nod, Catorphia heaved the bucket up, and splashed it across the man's face.

"I will make a wild assumption," Kuno said as he stepped towards a door, summoning a staff member, "that you're attempting to smile." He turned to address the serving boy. "Fetch us some refreshments, our guest looks tired." The mayor glared at Kuno for a moment, but nodded to authorize the command. With that, the boy ran off to the kitchen, and Kuno returned to face the stranger. "Welcome, my friend. What brings you here?"

"Calm down, son." Came a sturdy voice. Six pairs of eyes looked over the man, studying him closely. Out of all of them, it was the grey eyed man who spoke. "You've obviously been through a lot, sir. Simply breathe, we wish you no harm." Kuno had kept a careful eye on the man's hands, but spoke nothing about them. He decided it was better to see hoe the man acted, then how he reacted in this moment. Pior folded his hands, and sighed as he looked at yhe Amal. "I can never shake the feeling that you're tryin' ta talk to me when I'm sober."

"This would be so much easier if you were in the human shape." Pior mumbled. The guard slapped him again after calling for a bucket of water.

News was an important subject. It always had been for Kuno. So, when a stranger stumbled into town, bleeding out and delirious, he was among the first to know. In a manner that was very un-Kuno, he rushed out of the Tavern when the messenger whispered the news in his ear, leaving Arminio behind to run to the Mayor's Manor, where they had taken the stranger. With how suspicious the townsfolk had grown, there was no other place that they would have taken him. By the time that Kuno got to the courtyard that was before the Manor, a small crowd had gathered to see what had been dragged into their town. Already whispers could be heard about spies or plants by those who wanted nothing more than to feed on the flesh of their young. One could drink in the hostility that was in the air. By the time that Kuno could make out details, Catorphia had caught up with him, her entire face covered with a scowl. Kuno waved her away. "Oh hush, you know I mean well." The woman looked at her superior as a mother would when reprimanding a child. To that Kuno waved her forward. "Come on, this is important." Just as the duo made their way through the crowd, a call went up as guardsmen forced through, seizing the stranger and carrying him into the Mayor's house. All Kuno could do was curse. "This is why I practice patience; you know." Cat scoffed, which earned an indignant glare from Kuno. "Oh? At least flying by my instincts this once didn't get us lost." She looked away, monitoring the crowd around them. "Yeah," Kuno said, "we'll finish this later." He then shifted with the crowd as it dispersed, following its flow until he could break away to swing around to the back of the Manor. He tapped on the door, determined to get an answer this curious puzzle. When it creaked open, Kuno -despite his short stature- swept aside the serving boy who stood in his path as he stalked through the halls, eventually finding the room where the guardsmen had dumped the strange man. The mayor had not arrived yet, but Kuno could work with that. With a single gesture, Kuno spoke to the guards. "Wake him." "Uhhh, what?" A guardsman asked as he looked at the man inquisitively. "Who are you?" His stance changed to a defensive posture when he saw Kuno's companion appear in the door. The grey eyed man, however, didn't budge. "I said wake him, soldier. Are you hard of hearing?" "His command is mine." A voice rang out as the new Mayor, Ewald strode into the room. The man glared at Kuno for a moment, obviously puzzling the man's appearance before turning back to the guards. "Wake this man, and let's be done with it." With a curt nod, the three guardsmen who were in the room positioned themselves so that if there was violence, they could protect their new mayor before one slapped the stranger across the face, hoping to bring him to consciousness.

He nodded, and turned to leave. However, as he reached the door, he paused for a moment. "My l- Ivian. Thank you."

He nodded. "I will watch over her carefully."

"And I'll bu-" Caden stopped, not expecting Ivian to back down so easily. Gaping for just a moment, he straightened his back and nodded. "Her name was changed at the marriage ceremony, and she no longer practices her torture at all."

"I don't blazing know, Ivian. But she's someone I need, and I will be damned if I let myself go through losing someone so close to me again." He growled softly. "Do not try to take her from me. For both our sakes."

Without flinching, Caden continued to glare at the king. "I have already nearly lost her once. I will kill to stop it from happening again. Understand?"