Rodorio had not changed much since ancient times, a fact everyone who lived there took pride in. Occasionally a guide or history professor who had found out about his place would drag people here but the tourists never stayed long. It was made very clear that they weren't really welcome in this place.

"We can't have them getting to Sanctuary after all," Sara had heard her Grandmother say more than once. "they protect us so it's only fair we keep people like that from being annoying." Then the older woman had sniffed and said, "It's not like they understand anyway." Sara could only nod in agreement with that.

Athena's warriors didn't leave Sanctuary much, but when they did the would sometimes come down and visit the village. Usually they went to the bar or were buying things at the shops and once word got around that they were here, Sara couldn't help going to see who it was. She could always tell a Saint when she saw one. Not they ever wore their armor when they came down to the village. Why would they need too? No one here would dare try to harm a Saint, and even if someone was that crazy there wasn't much they would be able to do to the goddess warriors.

But even without the Cloth, she could tell a Saint by they way they carried themselves, the aura…and sometimes they physical beauty the possessed. It wasn't just female Saints that could be called beautiful, although she saw them too sometimes. They were more intimidating to her than the other Saints. At least with the male Saints she could see their expressions but the female Saints…those silver masks intimidated her.

Besides, it was more fun to giggle over the male Saints. None of the men village would have been able to wear their hair down to their waists they way some of the Saints did and look good. Then again none of the men looked nearly as good as most of the Saints did. When they had been younger she and some of her friends had made a game of running up to some of the Saints and giving them flowers or small gifts, then running off. It been fun to see how the Saints reacted and they used to compare notes on which Saint had looked at who the longest.

Most of them had grown out of that now. Not that it still wasn't fun to flirt with them, but now they actually had to get up the courage to talk to them face to face…

Sara sat on the low wall in front of her Aunt's shop and watched three Saints that had come to town together stand in a small group talking.

"They're staring at us," Ptolemy said as he glanced back at the two girls sitting on the wall. When they saw him looking in their direction, the pretended to be busy with whatever it was they had in their laps, but it was obvious what they were doing. He wondered why everyone always made such a big deal out of it when he came down here. All he was trying to do was shop.

"So? It's not like its' anything new," Asterion said. "People have been staring at us since arrived."

"Most of them are more subtle about it though," Ptolemy glanced at them again. They were whispering together now.

"She wasn't looking at you," Asterion said amusedly, "at least not you specifically."

"Don't read my mind like that!" The Stagitta Saint snapped.

"I wasn't. it was just obvious what you were thinking," Asterion looked over at the girls. "I did check her mind though."

"You're just showing off," Ptolemy growled, "we aren't allowed to use our powers for personal gain, remember?"

"That wasn't for personal gain. It's not like I'm using my abilities to win her over. I wouldn't need them for that."

"And how would you know that?" Moses said suddenly grinning slightly. "You don't have that much more experience with women."

"I have more experience than Ptolemy does," Asterion couched and blushed slightly. "I doubt he's even spoken to a girl."

"No one is that pathetic," Ptolemy growled. "I have and you know that."

"Ordinary girls, not female Saints. There aren't many of those around Sanctuary," Asterion smirked.

Ptolemy crossed his arms. "I still have. It would be hard to not talk to a girl unless you were trying to avoid them."

"I meant that you have never had an actual meaningful conversation with a girl who was not a Saint. Having someone say hello to you or apologize for bumping into you don't count as conversations."

"Why do you keep chaing what you mean? No matter what you say, I have talked to girls who aren't Saints."

"Then prove it," Asterion smirked.

"What in Athena's name are you doing Asterion?" Moses hissed. Neither of the two Saints even looked in his direction.

"How?" Ptolemy asked stubbornly.

"Ask one of our little admirers on a date," Asterion answered, "I think that should be a nice challenge. Unless you don't think you can do it, then we could do something less challenging…"

Ptolemy bristled and glared at Asterion, upset his friend would even think he couldn't do something so trivial. "I can do it," he snapped, before turning. As he neared the two girls, focusing on the one with dark pink hair, he realized that he had no idea what you said in a situation like this. But he could not faulter or back down now.

"Can I ask why you did that?" Moses muttered to the Canes Saint as they watched Ptolemy walk purposely away. Asterion didn't say anything immediately.

"Before we left," was what he said at least, "I heard that Algol had been summoned by the Pope." There were only three reasons the Pope would call for a Saint personally. One was if they had messed up so badly the Pope wished to reprimand them in person, but he also rewarded Saints if they had done very well. Even if the latter was the reason Algol was called up, Asterion knew it wouldn't sit well with the Stigga Saint. If it was because the Pope had decided Algol was fit for another mission though, it would be better if Ptolemy wasn't in sight of the Perseus Saint for a while.

"He'll run back to Sanctuary if he hears about it," Moses said.

"Then we just won't tell him, right?" Asterion gave a pointed glare at Moses. The other Saint nodded. "Besides, this could be amusing."

"Amusing for you maybe, but what about the poor girl he's going to tramatize?"

"Oh, I don't think it'll be that bad…at least not for her." Asterion smirked.

"They aren't Gold Saints, are they?" Her friend Thekla whispered to her. Both of them had taken yarn and needles out with them so it didn't look like they were here just to stare.

"They don't look like the Gold Saints," she whispered back.

"But we haven't seen all the gold Saints. Sappho said that Milo told her some Gold Saints almost never leave their temples."

"So? Sappho says a lot of things," Sara scowled, "that doesn't mean they're true." She looked back at the three Saints. "What do you think they came here for?"

"Shopping I think," Thekla propped her chin on her hand. "They would already be at the bar if that's where they were going. That's what all the other Saints do."

"That's true," Sara nodded, then quickly pretended to be counting stitches as one of the Saints looked their way, "but they're Saints." Warriors for the Goddess who were so powerful they could shatter rock with the least touch….trying to understand them was like trying to understand the gods themselves. At least that was what everyone in the village said when a Saint did something unexpected. Whether it be surprising or those Saints who remembered that the village was indebted to Sanctuary and liked to call in that debt when they came down.

"Do you think what Sappho said is true though? That Lord Milo was actually flirting with her?" There was awe in Thekla's voice when she said that. He was a Gold Saint, one of the most powerful and beautiful of Athena's protectors, to have someone like that find you attractive.

"He probably was. But he flirts with everyone, you know that. He was just being nice and Sappho is trying to make everyone pay attention to her ." Sara scowled as she said. Partially it was because she was jealous. She might look at the Gold Saints with longing when they came to the village but she couldn't bring herself to actually talk to them. Ever time she even thought about having one of them looking at her she got tongue tied.

"Well it's working," Thekla said. "Her father was bragging about his daughter catching the eye of a Gold Saint."

"Sappho just likes to spread rumors.." Sara began.

"Ahem," someone cleared his throat loudly. She looked up, and one of the knitting needles slipped from her fingers. There was a Saint standing right in front of her. One of the ones they had been watching. The other two were looking in their direction as well and Thekla dropped what she had been working on and squeaked when she saw that.

"L..lord Saint," she managed to say in greeting. He just stared at her and she wondered what he wanted.

"Do…you come here often?" He said at last.

"Yes," Sara replied without thinking much about it. She heard groans and a few sniggers from the other Saints. It was only then that she realized he had been hitting on her and she flushed. The Saint threw a glare at this companions before turning back to her. He cleared his throat again.

"So..umm…" he didn't seem to know what to say. She realized that her perch on the wall actually made her taller than him, and it seemed wrong that she should be above a Saint. Setting the needles and yarn next to her, she slid off the wall.

"Is there something I can do for you, Lord Saint?" She asked, nervously brushing dust of her skirt.

"You could come with me," he said, then seemed to look a bit embarrassed when she flushed. "I mean…would you be willing too…uh…go for a walk with me? Around the village."

"I'll go with you…" she couldn't turn down a request from a Saint after all. A tiny part of her mind was clambering that he could want to do more than walking to her but she pushed it away. He was a Saint after all, he wouldn't try to hurt her. Besides, he'd seemed very happy when she said that.

"Great!" He held out his hand to her. Hesitantly she reached out and took. The Saint grinned gripped her hand tightly. As he pulled her away she glanced back over her shoulder, just as one of the other Saints went up to talk to Thekla.

The Saint didn't say anything for the first few minuets. He was holding her hand a little more tightly than she wished he would but he wasn't actually hurting her. She flushed as they passed several of her neighbors.

"L..lord Saint?" She said when it appeared

"Ptolemy," the Saint answered without turning around.

"Excuse me…?"

"Ptolemy," the Saint repeated, then stopped to look back at her. "It's my name. Not 'Lord Saint'."

"Oh, sorry Lord Ptolemy," she didn't recognize the name but then again she only knew the names of a few of the Gold Saints.

"Why are you apologizing?" Ptolemy asked, "we've never meet before have we?"

"No, I would have remember that," at least she was nearly positives she hadn't meet him before. Meeting a Saint was something she wouldn't forget easily.

"Then don't apologize," he ordered.

She nodded nervously, "Yes Lord Ptolemy." He frowned but then started walking again, pulling her along. After a while she felt she had to speak up again. "Where are we going, Lord Ptolemy?" He stopped walking.

"I…don't really know," he admitted. He turned to look back her. "You're the one from this village. Where do you think we should go? "

"Well…" she tired to come up with anything that could be interesting to a Saint. Nothing came to mind. Rodario wasn't exactly know for it's tourists destinations. "There's a look out on the cliffs that has a nice view of the ocean…" she said hesitantly. It was about the only thing she could think of that he would find intrusting. It was also outside of the village proper. Away from people. And she would be alone. With a man who was a stranger, even if he was a Saint.

"Very well," Lord Ptolemy said, "where's this lookout?" She sighed and told him, and in a few moments there were walking a long the path that lead toward the cliff. As the left they village behind she wasn't sure what else to say to him. He was walking faster than her too and she had to hurry to keep up with him.

She stumbled suddenly, a rock sliding out from under her foot. Only Ptolemy's grip on her hand kept falling all the way down. When she managed to straighten he had stopped and was looking back at her in concern.

"You all right?" He asked . She nodded, embarrassed that she managed to do something so stupid in the presence of a Saint..

"It was just me being clumsy, sorry" she muttered in apology. Ptolemy made sure she was steady on her feet before they started walking again. He slowed down and she was able to walk next to him if she wanted too.

"You were looking at me, right?" Ptolemy said suddenly, startling her. He stopped and looked at her. "Back in the village, you were watching me right?"

"Yes," she had been watching him…and the other two Saints too. She wondered why he wanted to know.

"I knew it," he said satisfied. "Asterion isn't nearly as good as he thinks he is ." When he started walking, he ended up pulling her along with him again. At least they were almost at the look out by now.

There wasn't much at the lookout. Someone had made a long bench for it under the shade of a tree, and there was a magnificent view of the sea. But that was it. Bringing him here wasn't the best idea I've ever had.. Unless you were into ocean views there wasn't a lot to do here. She was sure a Saint wouldn't find it that interesting.

"This is…peaceful." Ptolemy let go of her hand. He kept glancing around as he walked over to the bench. She trotted behind him, flexing her fingers to get the blood circulating in them. She hadn't thought of this place as peaceful before. Boring or nice maybe…but she wasn't a Saint. Maybe peace meant more to a warrior. The Saint sat down on the bench, looking around. He turned and smiled at her, "Are you going to stand there all day?" he asked and patted the seat next to him. She blushed and hurried the last few steps to the bench.

Neither of them said anything for a while after they sat down. Sara glanced out him out of the corner of her eye wondering why he had just decided to bring her out here. Thekla had been watching them with her…Ptolemy turned his head slightly to look at her and she realized she had been staring. She quickly looked away and pretended to be examining the letters that someone had carved into the bench. This only lasted the few seconds it took to realized it was a name carved into the wood and that there was another name carved next to it. It was only then that she remembered that the lookout was also a popular place for couples seeking some privacy from the village. She blushed and quickly turned her attention to her hands.

Ptolemy still hadn't said anything either, although he had shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. Sara finally decided that she had to break the silence.

"What Saint are you?" The question came out far faster and more garbled than she had intended too and she blushed. "I mean, I know you're a Saint but I was just wondering which constellation you were."

"Sagitta," he answered immediately, "I'm the Sagitta Saint."

"Sagitta, that's the…" her mind blanked. She knew some of the constellations but that one didn't sound familiar to her and she felt stupid because of that. Maybe she should have learned more about the starts that were connection to the warriors that protected the village.

"It's the arrow constellation," Ptolemy said after a long pause. He sounded disappointed. "It's by Sagittarius."

"Oh. I'll be sure to look for it tonight," was the only thing she could think of to say. They lapsed back into an uncomfortable silence for a minute or so. She cleared her throat. "Umm…why where you in town today? Saints don't usually come down here without a reason."

"I had some shopping to do," Ptolemy answered. "You can only get the basics in Sanctuary, so if you want anything else you have to come here for it."

"What did you buy?" She asked as she looked around him for a bag or something even though she was sure he hadn't been carrying anything, a bit curious as to what Saints actually ate.

"Nothing yet," Ptolemy mumbled and looked embarrassed. "You kind of distracted me."

"Oh," Sara said, unsure of how she was suppose to respond to that.

"I probably should finish shopping soon," Ptolemy continued. "The Pope doesn't like it when we spend a lot of time away from Sanctuary."

"So even Saints get in trouble for being late?" A Saint being punished like a child was a strange concept.

"Not really. It's more like it's looked down on if you spend too much time away from Sanctuary," Ptolemy explained. "We're suppose to be protecting Athena but we can't do that if not there. If people start noticing that you aren't in Sanctuary much and you aren't on missions they kind of start to talk, and that's not the kind of reputation you want."

"I think I can understand that," Sara looked up and watched the sunlight play through the leaves of the tree they sat under. "Athena is the reason you Saints exist. You don't want to disappointed her."

"That's kind of a simple way of putting but I guess you could say that," Ptolemy said, then sighed.

"Is being a Saint complicated?" She said a loud before she had really thought about what she was going to ask.

"Sometimes," he said looking down at the ground, frowning. Sara looked over at him, suddenly worried she had brought up something she wasn't suppose to .

"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't bring up things like that," she said. Ptolemy looked back up at her in surpise.

"Uh, no, I don't mind," he said. "It's just that I'm not used to talking to people who have to ask questions like that."

"Oh," It made sense that he would be talking most to Saints. She wondered if her question seemed stupid to him. She looked away from him then glanced out over the ocean where the sun was…much lower the sky than she remembered it being. She jumped suddenly remembering that tonight was her turn to help with dinner and she wouldn't have time to make anything if she didn't make it home.

"Hey, you okay?" Sara turned to face Ptolemy. He looked concerned and she couldn't really blame him.

"Sorry, I just remembered something that I ha.." her brain kicked in, reminded her that she was with a Saint and she could bet that this was one of the few reasons her mother would take for being late. "Never mind, I can stay if you want. It's not that big of a deal."

Ptolemy sighed and rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit like he wanted to say something then be stood. "It's all right," he said.

"Are you sure? If you don't want me to go yet…"

"I said it was all right, didn't I?" Ptolemy said annoyed. He grabbed her hand and started to pull her back toward the village. This time he wasn't walking as fast though, and she was able to keep up even though she still lagged a bit behind. He didn't say anything though, only this time she was worried because he was mad and she got nervous. She hadn't mean to offend him or anything like that. Then he spoke up, startling her. "What's your name? I don't think I got it yet." Ptolemy stopped and looked back at her. It took her a few seconds to find her tongue again at the sudden question.

"It's Sara," she managed at last. He smiled slightly.

"That's a nice name," he said then started walking again. She hurried to keep up, feeling a little guilty over mentioning leaving to him. She would have gotten out of helping with dinner if they had stayed behind too.

It didn't take that long to reach the village. They both stopped once the reached the place where they had meet. Ptolemy let go of her hand and they turned to stare at each other. Neither of them said anything for a while.

"Will you be all right?" Ptolemy said at last. "You didn't have to be back home by now or anything?"

"It's fine," she answered. "It was just later than I thought and I promised that I would help with dinner.."

"I guess I should finish buying stuff too," Ptolemy said. There was silence for a while.

"I should be getting home now," Sara said and stepped backwards.

"All right," Ptolemy said, "Bye.."

"Yeah, um, bye," Sara took another step back, then turned to leave paused. She didn't want to leave it like this. "Lord Ptolemy?" She called and looked back over her shoulder at him. The Saint had started to leave as well, but he had stopped and was looking back at her. "It was nice meeting you." She blushed as she said the words, although she could see why. Then she turned and hurried away, suddenly too shy to look back and see how he reacted.

She only slowed and stopped after she was around the corner. Something in her urged her to go back and peak around the corner to see if he was still there. They had just meet, there as no one some like a Saint would be staring longingly after her no matter how much her ego wanted him to be. Sara took a deep breath and headed home.

When she walked the back door that lead to the kitchen, Thekla pounced on her looking far to excited.

"Whathappenedwhathappened?" Her friend demanded breathlessly. "Did he do anything? Did you do anything?"

"Let her say something Thekla," Sara heard her mother says as she pushed past Thekla into the kitchen. Her mother looked up from where she was pealing potatoes. "So, was he really a Saint or was Thekla just overreacting again?"

"No, she wasn't for once," Sara answered as she ignored Thekla's angry squeak. "He said he was a Saint and I don't think he was lying."

"Of course he wasn't, what sort of fool would dare to come up with a lie like that?" her mother said as she worked.. "Besides, everyone knows those there were Saints. It was all over the village!"

"After you left BOTH of others came up to me! I didn't know what to say and one of them was missing an eye. Where did you go anyway?" Thekla butted in, grabbing her hand. "You disappeared for ages! He didn't do anything to you did he?"

"Of course not!" Sara said hastily. "We just went out to the lookout and talked for a while, that's it."

"Ohh, the lookout," Thekla raised her eyebrows, "I thought you said it was nothing?"

"I said nothing happened!" Sara half shouted as she felt heat rise in her cheeks. "He just wanted to talk for a while, that's all."

"But that's boring," Thekla said and dropped into a chair, resting her chin on her hands. "He won't really remember you for just talking."

"So what if he doesn't?" Sara said stubbornly. "He's a Saint, it's not like he's going to see me again."

"If you had made an impression on him, you might." Her mother said turning toward her, hands on hips. "A Saint comes to you and you didn't make an effort to be charming to him? You should have made him interested!"

"But…"

"No buts." Was her mother's firm reply. "Having a Saint interested will show everyone that while you might not be as beautiful as the servants, you're still equal to them!"

The Servants was the name most of the town used to describe the woman who Gigas, Chief of Staff of Sanctuary came down and choose to serve the Pope himself. It hadn't escaped the notice of anyone that he only chose young, extremely beautiful women. There were rumors of the real reason they had been chosen but they had served the leader of Sanctuary. The women who had been allowed to come back down to the village were very respected.

Despite all that Sara was glad she wasn't a raging beauty. She did not want to be hauled away from her family to serve an old man whose face you couldn't see. Maybe it was a bit disrespectful to think that way, but she didn't care and it wasn't like she voiced those thoughts allowed anyway.

"Are you exaggerating just a little?" Sara muttered.

"Speak up when you're talking to someone," was the reply, "and I am not. There's honor in serving the Sanctuary, even like they did, but to have a Saint coming to you? Even they didn't have that."

"It's not like I'm ever going to see him again though," Sara said, "he's probably forgotten all about me by now."

Ptolemy took a bite of the apple the shop owner had shoved at him as he had left and readjust the string that supported the small bag he had found to carry his purchases. He savored the taste of the fruit. Sanctuary supported the' provide for yourself life' lifestyle and while there were fruit trees in Sanctuary proper, but everyone raided those so there usually wasn't much there. Saints didn't get paid much, so everyone tried to stretch what they did get even if it wasn't by much.

He glanced back at the village as he hopped a rise and the words from that villager girl, Sara, echoing in his head. "Being a Saint is complicated, isn't it?" It shouldn't be. Wasn't he just suppose to protect Athena and the Sanctuary with his life? It wasn't suppose to be about being chained here because the Pope wouldn't give him any missions since he was one of the younger Silver Saints and didn't have any showy attacks. He wasn't the strongest Silver Saint but he wasn't weak either.

He barely noticed when he entered Sanctuary, he was so wrapped up in this thoughts. It's just because my Cloth doesn't have any obvious special features. It's powerful but you have to use it right! Sagitta's attack isn't something you can just throw around in the middle of a battle!

"What, did you get the girl mad at you or something?" Ptolemy blinked, then took a second to see Moses leaning against a rock. "I told you moving to fast would be a bad idea."

"I didn't get her mad," the younger Saint said. "She seemed happy went home anyway."

"Oh? So you're date was actually a success? Asterion will be surprised. He said you would probably do something stupid to her." Moses came to walk beside him.

"I'm not that pathetic! I can talk with a girl without messing up!"

"Hey, that's what Asterion said, not me!" Moses said quickly, then gave the younger Saint a curious look. "So, what was she like?"

"She was…nice," Ptolemy said thoughtful as he chewed another mouthful of apple. "and cute, too I guess. She was looking at me though, I asked her."

"You sure she just wasn't being nice when she said that?" Moses smirked. Ptolemy glared at him.

"At least I did better than you," the Stagitta Saint shot back. Moses winced.

"I tried! But that friend of your girl just kind of freaked out when Asterion and I tried to talk to her."

"She probably thought you were a Cyclopes and had chosen her as your next meal."

"Very funny," Moses muttered dryly. They walked in silence for a while. As they neared his the area were the Saint accommodations were, Ptolemy began to wonder why Moses had come to meet him. He wasn't unhappy about seeing his friend, it was just a little odd for the whale Saint.

"What's going on?" he asked. Moses was silent, then looked away.

"I thought it would be better if you heard if from a friend first…Algol was sent off on another mission."

The rest of the apple shattered as Ptolemy closed his fist around it. "Again?" he said soflty. "He got another one?"

"Ptolemy, you know why he keeps getting them," Moses said patiently.

"He's not stronger or any better than me! I can even beat him a little over half the time when we don't have our Cloths on! If he didn't have that shield.."

"But he does have the shield," Moses cut him off. "It's powerful, even you have to admit that much."

"Sagitta's arrows are powerful too!" Ptolemy protested.

"Turning people to stone is a lot more dramatic than just shooting someone and leaving them to die." Moses pointed out.

"That doesn't mean it's better," the Sagitta Saint argued.

"I didn't say it was!" was the reply. "I'm just trying to say that Algol is just likely to be noticed more."

Ptolemy grumbled under his breath. He didn't like being reminded of that. Algol always seemed to push ahead of him even when it wasn't deserved. Moses must have noticed the look on his face because he sighed.

"Don't think too much about. You'll get to do something that will make even the Pope forget about Algol."

"As long as that happens soon," Was all that Ptolemy said.

It was full night and Sara was getting ready for bed when she happened to glance out the window as the stars and she remembered her promise to Ptolemy. Well, not exactly a promise but he had made her curious since she hadn't heard of the constellation before. Almost every house in the village had a book about the stars. With the Saints so nearby it just made sense too. It only took a few minuets for her to find the book. Wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, she opened her window and perched on the windowsill before she opened the book and started to scan the pages. The Saints were the protectors of the village. Maybe it was time she learned the names of the constellations that represented them.