I am the flea you cannot flick! [Aeyt!]

[Rhindeer]

"You were with Swinden?" Einin blurted, and laughed. Indeed, she'd heard the name before, and her father had done business with that name in the past. "My gods! That is so weird! I mean, just...how small the world really is, and..." And no. No, she couldn't imagine him settling down.

She was still absorbing that when the conversation went to that subject.

"Gods. I never hear the end of it!" Einin said with a dramatic groan, flopping onto her back with her arms spread. "That's all my parents ever wanna talk about. Suitors this, marriage that, making myself pretty as a silly peacock to catch peoples' eye. You have no idea."

She shook her head, going quieter. "It's why I gotta get good at this, and fast. I don't have a lot of time. I have to get good enough and just...do something big. Make a name for myself. And then, when I've proven myself anonymously--I got to be anonymous, my parents would shut down everything if they knew! But once I've proven myself, and knights want to have me, once I'm in I can be like, aha! It is I! Einin! A lady! But by then it'd be too late because I'd be in, you know. An ordained knight! And then I wouldn't have to worry about just..." She shrugged. "Losing who I am."

She stared up at the clouds above. "But oh, yeah, that's right. So, uh, I'm kinda engaged now? Three guesses as to who, and three guesses as to how fast I'm gonna end it." She paused. "Though maybe I shouldn't? No one's been bothering me about husbands since the engagement, so...maybe I could stretch it out. Stretch it out a reeeally long time and not get married. And just keep it up and keep postponing the marriage until I'm a knight, and then call it off. Except...ugh. Except then I'll be pestered about when the wedding is and blah blah blah."

She shook her head. "This is so stupid."

[Aeytrious]

"Be happy for family that love you enough to annoy you. My mother was a whore, and I don't know which of her johns was my father. Luckily for me she had been a looker in her day. I'd never have made it this far if I wasn't ruggedly handsome." Ryk returned to laying on his back. He never relaxed, it was nice to enjoy leisure, perhaps it was something he'd have to partake in more often. "Perhaps it's my fathers good looks I've inherited."

"This place is so much different than Zantaric. There the stink is in everything, the blood and corruption out for everyone to see it," he paused, remembering the boyhood he had barely survived. "Here they hide it behind perfumes and nice clothing, but the underworld is just as sinister. It may even be more dangerous here. They smile to your face and slip the dagger in your back. In Zantaric the blade goes in your back as well, but there's no false pretense. Everyone stabs everyone else every chance they get. You survive by your wits and the strength of your arm. Alliances only last as long as they benefit both parties."

"So you want to be a knight? Why not run away to Adela? The women there have all the rights of men. You'd thrive there with your natural talent. Of course you'd have to give up everything you have here."

[Rhindeer]

Einin frowned at his story, grimacing. She remembered it, only the version she'd heard before had been far more graphic. He was right, though. She was privileged. She could have been born somewhere bad, like in Zantaric, or been born to peasants. It was only chance that saw her born into nobility where she had never had to worry about food, or shelter, where all her needs were provided for and she was safe. Where she had never known a day of discomfort. His story made her feel guilty for ranting about her parents, because as much as they aggravated her at times, they did love her.

Feeling a little chastened, she sat up again, wincing at her sore tailbone, and shrugged one shoulder. "You said it. I'd have to give up everything." She blew her bangs out of her face. "I love 'em, too, you know. Like you said, it could've been bad, but I've got it good. I know I do. That's why it's so frustrating, because I know they want what's best for me, but...it's not what's best for me."

She hugged her knees. "Anyway, I couldn't leave. I don't know a thing about Adela and besides...I wanna be a knight for my people. And if I'm somewhere else, I...gosh, this sounds so dopey, but..." She ran a hand through her hair. "I guess it's just, if I was gone, they wouldn't be around for me to make them proud."

She looked at him sharply then as though realizing who she was talking to. "Gods. Why am I telling you all this? Just...forget you heard that. It sounds so whiny after everything you just told me!"

[Aeytrious]

"I cannot relate to your posh life, or having love of family," Rit's words were flat, unfeeling, "I can't say that I'm jealous either. The path I was set upon from birth led me to be perhaps the most powerful man in Kia's Court, certainly in Arca. Each of us has a role that we must choose for ourselves. I simply find it wise to appreciate everything you have, even as you fight to reach greater goals. I think it's admirable to see you reaching to be a Knight in a place where women are not viewed as strong. Just know, that with that feminine figure, it will be hard to hide your gender. You must learn to walk and talk as a man does. Or they will know, just as I did the first time I saw you, that a woman was beneath those clothes," he looked at her and smirked, "You have a bit of an alluring sway when you walk."

[Rhindeer]

"...Alluring sway?" Einin turned her head to stare at his smirking face for several long seconds, then groaned and pressed the heels of her palms to her face, embarrassed. "Jeez. Thanks."

She feigned rubbing her eyes to give herself an excuse to keep her face covered a little longer, just long enough to make sure she wasn't blushing. Arch nemesis or not, he had a strange way of throwing her off balance--his compliments about her beauty and the way she walked, and...that one time when he'd kissed her. It was confusing, and about as frustrating as it was flustering. He was probably doing it on purpose, to throw her off guard or something, and thus far she hadn't figured out how to guard against it. Which was equally frustrating.

However, somewhere in there, he had a valid point. One she'd given a lot of thought about--but which had, painfully, fallen short. She'd thought she'd looked pretty masculine with her breasts bound and men's clothes on. Not a super rugged guy or anything, but a pretty guy, and Serenian men did run delicate. But Ryk--Rufus--had figured her out right away, and if he could see right through the disguise, there was no way she'd fool Serenian soldiers.

Looking at him again, she shrugged. "Well, you're a man. Got any tips on how to be more manly?"

[Aeytrious]

Ryk barked out a laugh at such an absurd question. Tips on how to be more manly? Quite hilarious really.

"How does a bird learn to fly, a fish to swim? It's in the things nature," his thoughts working through the problem, Ryk's face grew more serious as he addressed Einin. "You musn't try to 'act' manly, you must think like a man, and feel like a man. There is no sway when I walk because I keep my feet apart. I strut with strength and pride to show I'm a predator, not prey. Some might say I am like a peacock with this action, putting myself on display. Even though I move with grace, it's that of lion, not a deer. I have practiced at refining the strut of a nobleman, but I have always moved like a predator on the hunt."

[Rhindeer]

Einin glowered when he laughed at her, shoulders hunching defensively. She hadn't thought it a stupid question.

"Oh, ha ha," she said. "Look, I'm serious. I mean c'mon--you said it! Even birds have to learn how to fly. So...I could learn, too. The key's believing it, right? Not acting? Being predatory or whatever?"

She mulled that over and nodded to herself. "Okay. I think I could do that. I'm an owl, after all. Not a peacock like you." With a grin, she stuck her tongue out at him. "And owls eat peacocks."

[Aeytrious]

The man that was truly Theodore Wrenthis smiled at Einin.

"Ryk can be quite like a peacock. Rufus however, is a wolf through and through."

[Rhindeer]

"Pffft. Owls aren't scared of wolves, either," Einin said, stretching her arms over her head. "And there's probably some kinda owl out there somewhere that's big enough to eat 'em!"

[Aeytrious]

"Birds of prey, like owls, have little to fear from wolves, as long as they stay out of reach," Ryk lounged, enjoying the feel of the grass. He'd never lay in grass if he were in one of his good suits. "But if a young owl falls from it's nest before it can fly, a wolf, or any predator, will not hesitate to snatch it up in it's jaws. We must be sure you can fly, before you encounter something out there that I've not brought to heel." He looked over at Einin again. It amazed him that she was oblivious to her beauty. Better that, than so full of herself that she was absorbed in her own reflection.

"You are an interesting find. Too bad your moral compass is so straight. If you lived in my world, with all these shades of grey, I'd gladly add you to my ranks."

[Rhindeer]

"What? Me, one of your thieves? No way. I've got no interest in a world where it's okay to terrorize and rob people, and where...and where people die in the collateral and no one cares. What's gray about that?"

With a frown, Einin hugged her knees again. "I know, I know. You control the criminals and all that, so they don't do worse stuff. I've heard it before. And I wanna do that, too, so I guess we both want the same thing if you really wanna break it down. But I wanna do it the right way, 'cause there is a right way. And I want people to see me and feel safer because they know I'll beat up the bad guys, not see me and be scared because I am the bad guy. So..."

She shook her head. "So yeah. It's a shame. You could've made a good knight, y'know."

[Aeytrious]

Ryk smiled. He supposed it was true, he would make an exceptional Knight, but he wouldn't be the man he was if he had not been thrown into the world in such a violent fashion.

"Well my main goal isn't to control crime, it's to be filthy rich, and powerful enough that the struggle to survive is made easier. I just happen to dislike rape and murder, and I'm not fond of children being hurt. So I use my power and influence to discourage unsanctioned crimes. Plus the Wolves are very territorial, we don't let other gangs or freelance criminals stay in Arca."

[Rhindeer]

Einin's lips quirked into a lopsided grin and she plucked a handful of grass. "Heh, yeah. Not so noble after all, eh? And here you almost had me fooled for a second. Except not." She flicked some grass at his nose, then rose to her feet with a languid stretch, back arching until her spine popped. "I'll stick to the light, thanks. Your shades of gray are too dark for me."

Rubbing her sore bottom, which felt more sore from all the sitting, she glanced down at him. "So, uh, how's your shoulder?"

[Aeytrious]

"Long since mended," Ryk replied, watching Einin rub her shapely bottom. He needed to get that under control. Perhaps he'd have to entertain a beautiful young serving girl from a tavern tonight. That would have to be enough to sate his lust for the evening.

"Perhaps we should get more into the training?"

[Rhindeer]

"Hey, I've been waiting on you, old man," Einin said with a cheeky grin. "You're the one who slunk off to go all broody."

[Aeytrious]

"Old Man? I'm not the one that's nearing the age when nobody will want to marry me," Ryk said, returning Einin's grin. This was going to be an interesting relationship. He rolled back and did a kick up to show off that he was keeping age at bay.

"Are you ready to be abused in the name of training?"

[Rhindeer]

Einin puffed her cheeks out at that comment and blew air out the side of her mouth, making her bangs flutter. "Now that was just below the belt," she said, and stuck her tongue out at him. "Abuse. Pfft. You're the one's gonna get abused for that one." And what a show off, too! Not that she wouldn't be doing the same, if she knew how to do that.

...Maybe she'd practice in her room tonight.

Twirling on her heel, she marched onward, heading out of the garden and into the courtyard. She tried to follow his earlier instructions, walking like she owned the place to put a little "manliness" in her stride. Glancing at him from over her shoulder, she arched a brow. "How's my walk, by the way?"

[Aeytrious]

"Like a cat in heat. Is that what you're going for? I can keep watching if you like," Rufus grinned at Einin in a way that was obviously exaggerated. "You have the owning the place down, but you haven't lost your sway. Walk with your feet set apart a bit more, and migrate that hip movement up toward your shoulders."

[Rhindeer]

Einin spun around to gawk at him, face flushing red with embarrassment. "A cat in--WHAT?!" She rubbed her face. She supposed she had set herself up for that.

"Jeez. I suppose I should commend you for brutal honesty. Now if you don't mind, I'm just going to...wait here a moment. You just--" She gave a frustrated wave of her hand. "You just go on ahead. Walk ahead of me."

[Aeytrious]

"Walk ahead of you? I guess it would make sense that ladies would like to watch a man walk as much as we like to see ladies sway." Ryk smirked at his own comment , and strode passed Einin. He fetched up his blade and mask and quickly stepped into the proper starting position.

"Ready when you are."