[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Sm0KhRV.png[/img] Collab between [@The Muse] and [@SpicyMeatball] [sub]Location: Alchemy Chambers[/sub] [i][h1]Part II[/h1][/i] [hr][/center] Eris peeked out from behind Charlotte’s shoulder, breath still caught in her throat—until she laid eyes upon the tall figure standing beyond the doorway. Zephyros! Relief crashed over her like a wave. Her fingers loosened their grip around Tia’s hairpins, the tension in her chest began to ease, the sputtering embers of her magic quieted. [color=B1E4FC]"Guard Hale?"[/color] she breathed, the words escaping in a soft exhale. The name grounded her, steadied her pulse. A tentative smile bloomed across her face as he met her eyes and gave her an easy smile in return, casual and reassuring as ever. [color=B1E4FC]“Apologies… something… something just happened and you gave us a scare,”[/color] she added gently, half-laced with a laugh that never quite surfaced. Her eyes shifted to Charlotte, still tense, blade unwavering. [color=B1E4FC]“It’s okay, Miss Hawthorne. This is Mister Hale—I know him. He’s another guard.”[/color] Zeph’s attention lingered on Charlotte, quietly sizing her up. Thoughts seemed to shift behind his hazel eyes, yet he let it pass without comment. [color=B1E4FC]“Is there something we can help you with? It sounded quite urgent.”[/color] Eris asked, her tone more composed now, formal instinct kicking in like muscle memory. Her gaze drifted over him—no armor, no uniform. Just boots and simple winter clothing. She’d only ever known him as a sentry. It struck her as odd, seeing him like this. Zeph turned his full attention to Eris, a lazy smile still faint on his lips—though it softened at the edges, concern flickering behind it. [color=98A869]“I was passing by,”[/color] he said, tone light, like he didn’t want to stir more alarm than necessary. [color=98A869]“Saw someone drop from one of your balconies and take off into the trees.”[/color] His brow creased faintly. [color=98A869]“I tried to follow, but…”[/color] He paused, then lifted his left hand halfway, a sheepish grin tugging at one corner of his mouth. His wrist was already purpling beneath the cuff of his jacket sleeve, swollen and stiff. [color=98A869]“Slipped on some ice in the process. Think I might’ve broken something.”[/color] He flexed his fingers carefully, then winced. The grin faltered slightly. [color=98A869]“But I wanted to check to make sure you’re alright.”[/color] As much as Zephyros—[i]Guard Hale[/i]—had clearly assessed her, so had Charlotte done to him. Her steely-blue eyes darted up and down his figure, then met his gaze once more. She, much like Eris had, noted that the man before them that was supposedly a guard donned no armor. Yet the name was known to her. [i]This was the man that she’d most recently been assigned to.[/i] A smirk crossed her lips as she kept her blade in place, gently prodding his chest with its tip. Not enough force to cause any harm, but enough to be noticeable. Zeph’s gaze slowly drifted away from Eris, flicking briefly to the blade poised just beneath his sternum, then back to Charlotte. A slow smirk curved across his lips in response. [color=A54343]“Your arrival is convenient, [i]Guard Hale,[/i]”[/color] Charlotte glanced to his wrist, her tone not quite one of accusation but certainly laced with doubt. Eris’ eyes nervously darted between the two—the relief she’d felt moments ago vanishing in an instant. Against Charlotte’s better judgment, she lowered her blade and planted it between her feet. Confident enough to lower it, wary enough to keep it drawn. [color=A54343]“Why aren’t you in uniform?”[/color] She raised a brow, [color=A54343]“Surely you weren’t granted leave with all that happened yesterday. Especially given that there was a certain Zephyros Hale’s name written above mine on the assignment sheet.”[/color] Amusement flickered in the golden flecks of Zeph’s eyes as he held her hard stare—interest sparked. [color=A54343]“That can’t be a coincidence, [i]Guard Hale[/i], can it? Because if that happens to be a brother of yours, I’ve got a bone to pick for leaving me alone in the cold.”[/color] Her expression now hinted at the annoyance portrayed in her voice, Eris’ presence behind her almost completely absent from her mind. Zephyros clearly looked capable enough to have been their mystery assailant, and Charlotte wasn’t buying a broken wrist from [i]slipping on ice[/i] for a moment. [color=98A869]“You Aurelians truly are bold, aren’t you?”[/color] Zeph chuckled, slipping his hands into his coat pockets—ignoring the sharp pain that shot from his left wrist and up his entire forearm. His gaze briefly shifted to the Sage, still standing silent and rigid behind the taller woman. That bright smile of hers nowhere to be found. He almost felt guilty. [color=98A869]“I was pre-scheduled for a day off.”[/color] He offered at last, eyes returning to Charlotte—almost surprised that he didn’t have to look too far below his own eye level. She was shorter than him, as most people were, but taller than the majority of women who’d glared up at him countless times before. [color=98A869]“No one briefed me on having a new trainee until this morning.”[/color] He continued, carefully omitting the fact that no one had even been able to find him the night before. [color=98A869]“I was actually on my way to find you. Figured Lady Hightower might’ve known you—being Aurelian and all. Turns out I was right.”[/color] [color=98A869]“Apologies for leaving you out in the cold, though, Hawthorne.”[/color] He added, a faint half-smile returning. [color=98A869]“Lack of communication between our two commanders, I’m sure. I’d never leave a lady out in the cold otherwise. I’ll make it up to you.”[/color] Eris could’ve sworn she saw something mischievous dance in his expression, despite the earnest tone of his voice. In contrast, Charlotte let out a quiet and unimpressed huff. Nervously, Eris stepped around the armored woman, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on her upper arm. [color=B1E4FC]“Let’s at least get him out of the cold, Miss Hawthorne.”[/color] She said softly, holding Charlotte’s gaze. [color=B1E4FC]“I should take a look at his wrist.”[/color] Something unspoken passed between them. A silent plea hidden in her gaze. Charlotte’s skepticism was palpable. But Eris had come to know the man standing just beyond the door. Zephyros had never given her a reason to be fearful of him. And yet… She trusted Charlotte too. What did her new friend suspect that Eris didn’t? Who could she trust more? Or was it naive to trust either of them? A thought crept in—was this tension simply due to the internal strife between Aurelians and Lunarians? It was no secret that integrating with one another had been difficult. Still, it was interesting that the two had been paired together. A step towards progress, perhaps? If Charlotte didn’t escalate. Letting her hand fall away, Eris turned her attention back to Zephyros. Snow gathered in the dark strands of his hair, those bright eyes already settled on her. She offered a soft, hesitant smile, then stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. Zeph flicked his gaze back to the sentry in the door frame who still blocked his path. With noticeable hesitation, Charlotte nodded to Eris before turning her eyes back to Zephyros. She held his gaze for a moment, head tilted upwards, before stepping to the side and stowing her sword in its place on her hip. [color=A54343]“Well, in you go then.”[/color] She motioned with a single movement of her head, [color=A54343]“Don’t get any ideas.”[/color] Zeph stepped inside, his smile growing faintly. [color=98A869]“I would never.”[/color] Charlotte took a quiet step back, positioning herself just off to the side of the room. She didn’t stray far—close enough to intervene if needed, but far enough to give the illusion of privacy. Her posture eased, but her eyes never left Zephyros for long. Though Eris seemed relatively calm in his presence, Charlotte’s hand remained near the hilt of her sword, her gaze sharp and measuring. One thought was at the forefront of her mind; a slip on the ice would have to have been quite the extraordinary one to have broken a wrist. Eris’ trust in him wasn’t enough to convince Charlotte to fully relax, even if this was supposed to be the man she was assigned to as a partner. And yet, she’d seen the way that Eris had looked at him without fear. That counted for something. The sage was certainly no fool and her intuition had already proven itself even if it hadn’t been backed up by courage. For the time, Zephyros had earned the benefit of the doubt. If Eris trusted him, Charlotte would trust her. [color=B1E4FC]“You can sit here,”[/color] Eris said, closing the door behind Zeph. She gestured toward the sitting area to their right, where a fire crackled in the hearth along the far wall—likely lit by one of the Sages who had already begun their work for the day. As instructed, Zeph moved toward the area—a space much more familiar to him than the upstairs had been. Quietly, he settled into the armchair he typically claimed whenever the Sage took it upon herself to offer snacks and drinks during long watch hours. [color=B1E4FC]“May I see your wrist?”[/color] Eris asked softly, appearing beside him with a dainty hand outstretched. Zeph carefully withdrew his left hand from his coat pocket and offered it to her, watching as she cradled it gently in her palm and examined closer. Each time she poked, prodded or pressed, he winced. And each time, her blue eyes flicked up to meet his—apologetic, but measuring every reaction. Slowly, she rolled up his sleeve to reveal more of the bruising. His gaze drifted to the delicate and precise way her fingers moved—his attention catching on the softness of her fingers as they grazed against the tender skin of his forearm. As if sensing the burning of her gaze from across the room, Zeph glanced up to find Charlotte’s eyes locked onto him. He offered her a faint smile. [color=B1E4FC]“You still have some range of motion.”[/color] Eris murmured, almost to herself, fingers brushing carefully along the edge of the bruise. Zeph returned his attention to her. [color=B1E4FC]“I don't feel any shifting.”[/color] Her gaze lifted to meet his as she slowly withdrew her hands from his wrist. [color=B1E4FC]“It’s likely a fracture, not a break.”[/color] Straightening, she turned toward the dim hallway that led to a lab, where another Sage had briefly appeared earlier. [color=B1E4FC]“I can’t heal you today,”[/color] she added softly—regretfully, [color=B1E4FC]“but another Sage should be able to.”[/color] Zeph lifted a brow. The [i]lead Sage[/i] couldn't heal him? Strange. But he kept his mouth shut. As Eris disappeared into another room and out of sight, his gaze shifted back to Charlotte. [color=98A869]“Did you see who it was? They didn't hurt either of you, did they?”[/color] he asked, his brow creasing in feigned concern—just enough to sell it. Lying had always come easy. [color=98A869]“Whoever it was looked like they were in a hurry to leave.”[/color] Charlotte’s eyes lingered on him for a moment before she shook her head slightly, [color=A54343]“That much we agree on,”[/color] she paused, taking a seat at a table and leaning onto its surface, [color=A54343]“No, they were gone by the time I got to the room. Lady Hightower first alerted me to the threat.”[/color] She looked up to Zeph once again as she finished speaking, looking for any hint that would betray him but finding nothing. [color=A54343]“It’s odd. All that effort and nothing was taken.”[/color] Charlotte held back the small detail of the gemstone for the moment. If Zeph was truly as innocent as he said, she didn’t expect him to push this particular point any further. [color=98A869]“Nothing?”[/color] Zeph echoed curiously, his brow drawing tighter as he painted confusion into his gaze. Briefly he glanced away, as if lost in thought over this “new” bit of information. In truth, he simply listened to the quiet shuffle of footsteps from the room Eris had vanished into. [color=A54343]“Must have been quite the fall you had,”[/color] She nodded towards him, intending to direct attention to his wrist, [color=A54343]“I suggest a bit more training when you heal up. To strengthen the muscles ‘n all, might prevent such a strain in the future… especially just from slipping on ice.”[/color] [color=A54343]“You’re lucky it wasn’t your sword arm, the commanders wouldn’t be too pleased about that.[/color] Zeph’s concern melted into a quiet, breathy chuckle, amusement flickering back into his eyes. [color=98A869]“The Commanders aren’t pleased about anything.”[/color] He muttered dryly, his gaze dropping to his bruised, throbbing hand resting on the armchair. [color=98A869]“Appreciate the advice.”[/color] He added, tone thick with sarcasm, as he idly used his good hand to pluck out a small piece of gravel from his palm. [color=98A869]“Since we’re partners now, I’ll make sure we train hard and often. Can’t have you ending up like me. Weak wrists and all.”[/color] His gaze flicked up to meet Charlotte’s, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Before either of them could say a word, his attention slid to the right—where Eris emerged from the other room with an older, curly-haired brunette woman following just behind. The same Sage Zeph had seen scrawling runes across the prison walls the day before. [color=B1E4FC]“Miss Hawthorne. Mister Hale.”[/color] Eris interrupted softly, her gaze shifting between the two of them. [color=B1E4FC]“This is Lady Penelope Rovella. She’s a healer as well.”[/color] Stopping beside Zeph, she gestured to his wrist and looked to her older peer. [color=B1E4FC]“Pen, this is Zephyros Hale. He’s a gua—”[/color] [color=FDFD96]“I’ve seen him around.”[/color] Penelope cut in bluntly, her brown eyes narrowing on Zeph as he met her with an innocent smile. [color=FDFD96]“You’ve a talent for making a distraction out of yourself.”[/color] Without waiting, she took his wrist into both hands—far less gently than Eris had. Zeph sucked in a breath as Penelope lifted his wrist and pain lanced through it. His gaze narrowed briefly on the older woman, though her attention was now fixed on her own hands wrapped around his wrist. Eris grimaced, concern etched into her expression, but she let Penelope work without interference. As the older Sage closed her eyes and drew in a slow breath, a soft yellow hue began to radiate from her palms. Zeph watched intently, a spreading warmth rushing through his veins and leaving a tingling sensation along his fingertips. After a few minutes, Penelope opened her eyes and pulled her hands away. Zeph flexed his fingers, testing the movement, then smiled. [color=98A869]“Good as new. Thanks, [i]Pen[/i].”[/color] [color=FDFD96]“Lady Rovella.”[/color] She corrected him without looking back, already headed towards the lab. [color=B1E4FC]“Thank you!”[/color] Eris called after her, though Penelope offered no reply as she disappeared into the other room. Unfazed by her peers' attitude, Eris smiled softly and returned her attention to Zeph. [color=B1E4FC]“Now I have a favor to ask.”[/color] Zeph raised a brow. [color=98A869]“That so?”[/color] [color=B1E4FC]“Can you see what you can do about increasing the watch around the Alchemy Chambers?”[/color] Her smile wavered, worry flickering in her eyes once more. [color=B1E4FC]“The intruder didn’t seem to take anything… we think. But I… I don’t want something like this happening again.”[/color] Zeph nodded, [color=98A869]“Of course. Hawthorne and I will even take it upon ourselves if we have to.”[/color] He volunteered his new trainee—though from the look of it, it seemed she’d already assumed that duty on her own. [color=98A869]“We’ll report what we saw to the Commanders and request more soldiers to stand watch. You should speak with them about what you saw too.”[/color] Eris nodded, but Zeph hoped she wouldn’t—or at least that she wouldn’t have much to say about it. [color=98A869]“We should check the perimeter.”[/color] He added, rising from the armchair—his height casting a shadow over the small Sage who took a step back to give him room. Looking over her, his gaze found Charlotte. Silently, he offered a nod toward the door in lieu of a verbal command. Charlotte rolled her eyes, standing from her place and tucking the chair back neatly against the table. A small smirk spread across her lips as she let her eyes hang on Zeph for a moment before making her way to the door. [color=A54343]“I know you’re technically my superior, but how are you going to be any help if you’re unarmed and… unarmored?”[/color] [color=98A869]“What do you think I have you for?”[/color] Zeph smirked, falling into step behind her. [color=98A869]“You're the distraction in case I need to make a quick getaway.”[/color] Charlotte paused for a moment at the door. Something was missing. The recruit’s mind jumped down her list of gear before her eyes widened slightly, [color=A54343]“Just a sec, forgot my shield upstairs.”[/color]. Without wasting a second, Charlotte retrieved the keys from Eris and promptly walked across the room and up the stairs, her armored footsteps never failing to betray her position. Finding the tower shield still leaned against the small table, she took a moment to tighten its straps onto her forearm before hefting it up to her side. After locking the door and returning the keys to Eris, she found herself back on the ground floor, walking towards the front door once more. Relatively new breastplate shone gently in the candlelight, still free of enough blemishes to advertise her status as a recruit. Her pauldrons, bracers and boots all glistened similarly as she moved, gently clinking against each other. [color=A54343]“Shall we?”[/color] Holding the door open, Zeph quietly gestured for her to lead the way, his gaze purposely lingering for longer than necessary. Charlotte stepped outside, squinting briefly as the cold air slammed into her like a runaway chariot. A quiet cough escaped her lips as the chill reached her lungs, [color=A54343]“I’ll never understand why you Lunarians chose to live in this…frozen wasteland. Do you actually enjoy this, or is it just as miserable as it is for me?”[/color] she called back to Zeph before turning her attention ahead. Zeph raised a brow as he followed her out, hearing the Sage’s footsteps close behind—silently observing the pair. [color=98A869]“This is our warm weather. I’m not sure what you mean.”[/color] Before her, Charlotte spotted two figures approaching the Alchemy Chambers. The first of them appeared to be ever so slightly familiar, as if she’d seen him in passing during a patrol. Taller, younger looking though still older than herself, dark, medium length hair that didn’t quite touch his shoulders. Attractive enough by all accounts, were her mind in the right place. The second figure however is what captured her attention. Surely younger than her, but the lack of color in her skin betrayed any accurate guess at her age. Four, purple glowing eyes—or what appeared to be eyes at least—stared back, though definitely aimed towards Zephyros. Behind her, inky black wings were tucked neatly against her back, but still made the recruit uneasy. She’d crossed paths with blightborn a few times, but none quite this… uniquely gifted. Following Charlotte’s gaze, Zeph lifted his attention over her head and spotted the two—recognizing the blight-born immediately. His gaze slid to the unfamiliar man beside her. From posture and attire alone, Zeph could imagine that the man was just as polished and high-born as Nesna might’ve been, once. Peeking her head around Zeph’s arm, Eris quickly scanned the frigid landscape, heart quickening as she searched for whatever had brought the duo to a sudden halt. What if the intruder had returned—what if they’d come to— Her attention caught first on the blight-born woman, eyes growing wide at the unnatural violet glow that reflected off every snowflake drifting past two sets of eyes. And behind her slender figure, unmistakable despite being tucked neatly against her back, were… [i]wings[/i]?! Eris’ gaze snapped up, darting between both guards, expecting tension. But neither Charlotte nor Zeph seemed alarmed. Not nearly as on edge as she felt. Still, Eris unconsciously moved closer to Zeph’s back, attention sliding to the man beside the blight-born. A flicker of recognition. Nathaniel. Relief softened her shoulders, if only slightly. Returning her gaze to the woman, she studied from afar with growing curiosity. Even with the increasing unease inside her chest, Eris knew she should say something. She’d be expected to. She needed to smile, step forward, stand tall, and greet them like a proper host. She inhaled, lips parting to speak. But Zeph beat her to it. [color=98A869]“Nes! Should I alert Kane or are you behaving today?”[/color] [hr] [sub][b]Interactions:[/b] Nathaniel [@Echotech71], Nesna [@enmuni][/sub]