AN: Thank you to everyone who has read this far already! I am still enjoying Xillia 2 (especially the Gaius scenes) and hope that you feel that joy in my writing. If you feel that my portrayals of the characters are way off, please do let me know. After seeing Gaius in Xillia 2, I am quite taken by his personality and back story even more than I was in the first game. Please be sure to review and let me know what you think so far and even your thoughts, I always message back soon after so please don't be shy :)

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"It seems that you are ready to take off, Rowen," Gaius said rather bluntly as he saw the man putting together a small pack for himself and Esther. Rowen and Gaius had just finished up political affairs right after Gaius had witnessed Esther on the balcony. He couldn't quite place it, but the moment was rather tranquil to him. He did not have women near him most of the time simply because they were intimidated, so to see one on the balcony just a few spaces down was strange and yet… not. The woman was surely one of a kind and that was how he felt as Rowen cheerily prepared this tour. The old man's butler days were certainly not over yet from the looks of his humming.

"Shortly, your majesty," Rowen said straightening up as he saw Esther walking quickly towards them, looking rather lovely in a blue outfit. As she walked closer, Rowen could see the intricate designs of varying hues of blue and white fur of the cuffs and collar. The leggings were black and disappeared just below the knees under a matching set of boots to go with the overcoat. Mittens were on her hands along with earmuffs to shelter her from the cold. Eyeing Gaius a moment, he couldn't help but smile widely as she approached with a wonderful smile of her own.

"Good morning, Rowen, and, again to you, your majesty!" Smiling ear to ear, she couldn't help but feel good considering the wonderful softness of the clothing she wore. At first, she was worried it would be a bit bulky, but she rather enjoyed it after spinning around a few times. The boots had a slight heel and made her legs feel so long and elegant despite her lack of height. The coat was a beautiful shade of blue that was a bit darker than her eyes overall despite the lighter threads that was along the fur on the cuffs and collar.

"My, you look lovely this morning, Esther," Rowen said as he neared Gaius a little more. "I wonder who picked that wonderful ensemble for you, my dear. I'm sure they are just proud as can be to see the final result." Seeing Gaius flush a slight shade of red was rare, but it confirmed his thoughts. Gaius was up and around that area last night and Rowen saw him pick out the blue outfit before going to his own room. What a busy night it had been and he was sure that Gaius would never tell the young woman himself that he was the one who picked out that outfit. Sad really… the man could have quite a reputation with the women if he only tried.

"Oh, thank you," Esther said rather gleefully as she touched her cheek with a mitten. "But I'm sure you exaggerate. I simply just feel confident today is all, but I would like to thank the person who picked this out. The handmaid just set them down I'm afraid and left because I was on my GHS so I didn't get to ask who it was."

"Well, I am sure they know your thanks by you wearing that lovely outfit and being a lovely young lady in it," Rowen said as Esther gave him a rather confused look for a moment before smiling.

"I suppose so," she said before looking up at Gaius. Despite this morning's little talk, she didn't feel intimidated by him. Just a bit nervous as to what to say since he left it at a rather dead end conversation. "But about this morning…" she started before seeing him shake his head.

"It was nothing, I was out of line. Mornings are not quite my strong point," Gaius said with that face that she was starting to know so well already. That poker face was really something; even she couldn't help but smile at that thought.

"To be honest, they weren't really mine either until I had to be a morning person for my job. Or rather, my former job. But I needed to do what I needed to support my family, and I'm sure you're the same, sir." Her face reddened slightly as she thought the next thing to came to mind. However it was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Hard to believe that you have a weak point at all though considering… well that… you probably could take down an entire army." Her eyes landed on his chest as she hinted that she noted very well that he was shirtless and witnessed every muscle that his torso had to offer. A rather daunting spectacle for right away in the morning when one was not prepared.

Raising his eyebrow, he couldn't help but wish to scold Rowen who had the look of pure entertainment and curiosity written clear as day on his face. However, the old man was due for a good laugh and who was Gaius to stop it… despite him being the reason for it. "I simply have a trained body is all. One must be ready, body and soul for a battle should one take place. I am sorry to have disturbed you this morning," he said before noting her shy face and how the red in her cheeks was quite fitting. Last night nearing the end of supper, she had looked slightly pale and he was worried that this had been too much for her.

"Disturbed isn't quite the word. Surprised is more like it," she said with a small laugh as she looked to Rowen who was obviously more than just amused. Looking back to Gaius, she smiled full heartedly at him. "But I do understand what you're saying. Before I was sick, I remembered my mother profusely wanting me to do martial arts as a defense. So after I got better, I honored that and practiced when I wasn't studying. Not the same as war, but preparing yourself for what could happen is something I undertand."

"Excellent way to put it, young miss. But if I may, we should be going if we want to get the tour done and also finish much of the paperwork you so graciously sorted yesterday afternoon," Rowen said as Gaius looked to him and nodded.

As Rowen escorted her to the small carriage he had arranged earlier and set on to their tour of Kanbalar. Xian Du would be rather soon considering they were a city of tradition and did not openly accept Elympios quite yet. Rowen and Gaius mutually agreed that much of the population would be the last to accept Elympio's way of life into Rieze Maxia's. Not as outright as Exodus, but rebellion would be imminent.

"So, may I ask of your mother. She sounds like a truly bright woman who I would have loved to meet," Rowen said as they headed into town, pointing out the various stores in the process.

"She was a wonderful woman. Lillian Valerie Svent was her name and she was known for being a proud and self sacrificing woman. She volunteered much of her time to charity events and made sure that I always knew how to give instead of take and put on a brave face if I was ever scared. My father was a gentle man, Vaughn Vladimir Svent. It was a mouthful, but I remember people called him Vlad more so than anything. I miss them both very much, but I know that life goes on and that I must make them proud with all I do," she said with a sense of pride that Rowen remembered radiated from Milla on more than one occasion. The thought made him smile as he remembered the fond memories of her.

"I am sure you do. It seems you have surprised Gaius and myself on more than one occasion in little more than a day. I am looking forward to working with you, young miss," he said as he brought his hand forward for her to shake it. Taking it with a smile on her face, she shook it once before letting go.

"I am looking forward to the same. This place is truly amazing. No wonder Gaius seems so proud of where he's from. Something about it just tells me that although he made hard choices, I know that he's a good king and a person to learn from," she said with a confident look.

"You are quite right, but now let's go have some Gaius Dumplings. They are a delicacy after all," he said with a smile as he escorted her into a small food shop to have a few of the strange dumplings that resembled their king.

Before the afternoon was through, Rowen had taken Esther to see much of what she could see and told her where it was best not to go. Even a small side trip to the Xailen Wood Temple was done and she couldn't be happier for it. The beauty of this place was outstanding despite the cool air. By the time she was done she still felt decently warm, but her nose was running a bright red tainted her nose and cheeks.

Pulling up to the castle gates, there was some crowd. The people did not look too happy either. She could hear the chanting, but she wasn't pleased when she heard the topic. 'Get the Elympian scum out of our country! She doesn't belong here! Send her back where she belongs!'

"Well, this isn't good. I shall prepare for you to go the back route so you do not get caught up in this trifle," Rowen said, but they noticed her and it was too late. They started towards the carriage, but before they could even engage in proper conversation, there was something sharp against Esther's forehead. More like a sharp pain as a small rock tumbled down to the ground. The warm liquid of blood seeped its way down into her hair and side of her face as Rowen held her up and told a guard to bring her to the handmaids to clean up.

Before she was completely out of sight, Gaius walked past her and glanced her way for a moment before saying something to the public. Whatever it was, they dispersed and the door was shut behind her. The guard brought her up to her room and a handmaid followed as she was walking by. When he said something about telling Rowen, Esther was already feeling even more light headed. The woman near her was telling her something about laying down for now as she cleaned the cut. That wasn't hard, but it still hurt as she grimaced at the stinging that the healing artes gave before relief washed over her. At least before the shame came to her.

They didn't want her here… she was hated already by those under Gaius. Or at least some. But before she could dwell on the thought long, Rowen and Gaius entered her room.

"Are you hurt?" Gaius asked calmly as Rowen dismissed the handmaid.

"Just a scratch, but I must ask… is that the artes that she used? You people really are something. I'm kind of jealous," she said without even really thinking as she turned her head towards them.

"That was hardly a scratch with that amount of blood. But yes, that was an arte," he said as he unfolded his arms and walked closer to her, almost to the edge of her bed. "I told them that you are my assistant and that to abuse you is to abuse their king. I am sorry I could not prevent this sooner."

Looking at him rather shocked, she found it hard to find words. "I have only been here a day, sir. I know that I am in the minority here, but it makes me driven to prove that we are not all like Exodus. Terrorists who have no moral fiber, that is what they are. I am an Elympian, a proud woman who will not back down and whine like a child. I will prove to them that I am different."

He admired the fire in her eyes and his lips upturned in a smile as he saw her already starting to stand up before him. She was quite small in comparison. Now that she was closer, she came up to his shoulders and was a delicate looking woman. However, that small event she had to endure spoke volumes to him in ways she would never know.

"We will prove them different," he corrected, his reward being a shocked and yet thankful expression.

"Yes, I look forward to it. But I seem to remember quite a bit of paperwork to be done," she said trying to hold back the happy tears that threatened to fall. It warmed her heart to hear him say that after the unneeded display of hate. The King's support was important to her and she decided then and there that she would support him no matter what. That he was worth it.

"Quite right," Rowen interjected with a small wink. "I shall prepare some tea for us as it looks to be a long evening until supper is done."

"Make mine a napple peach if you would…" Gaius said as he gave his preference and offered his arm to Esther. "I would hate to see you fall from any sort of dizziness. We shall have someone check up on you should the pain come back at all, but in the mean time please don't do things recklessly."

"Yes, sir," she said as she looped her arm through his and walked with little difficulty towards the small office where the papers were at.

The warmth she felt with Rowen and Gaius was making her forget about her head as they went through one pile before supper. It was a long haul, and they all agreed that they would have to space out the paperwork a bit better to not feel so knotted up in their necks and hands. Minestrone was the soup of the evening as they all warmed up to it as Rowen and Esther shared their day with Gaius. But before Esther could even finish, she was nodding off in her chair.

Rowen looked at Esther who was now breathing rather deep and had such a calm facial expression as her eyes were clearly shut. Smiling at her, he looked to Gaius quickly who now noticed this as well.

"I see that today wore her out," Gaius said rather conflicted. He was upset at himself for not being able to protect her, but he knew that the people would be rather hostile at first. Just not this badly in front of his own castle…

"Well, you should know that she had many fond memories before the incident took place. In any case, I can take her back to her room if you'd…"

"No, I will carry her up myself. I owe her that much. Because I could not finish the absurd paperwork, she had to leave her own family and come here against her will," he said as he stood up and moved her chair quietly as he picked her up without a single strain on his part. Rowen was not shocked and was rather pleased with himself in the dining room as he watched Gaius carry her out. She looked like a small doll compared to Gaius, but she had a similar aura around her as he did. One that made people want to understand her should they wish to try.

As he made his way to her room, he couldn't help but glance down at her. She was a beautiful, small woman. One that he found rather endearing as a moment longer than he wanted ticked by with his eyes absorbing all they could. As he entered her room, he set her down on the bed and suddenly wondered if she was too warm. Unbuttoning her coat, he set it aside and took off her boots as well. There was a long sleeved shirt that reached to her hips underneath that hugged her curves and the leggings that left nothing to the imagination. The man in him couldn't help but notice that the shirt was a V neck and showed that perhaps she wasn't as small as he thought. It at least gave him some confirmation to her age, but that was where he cut those thoughts off.

"Pleasant dreams..." he whispered as he mused her own saying for a moment. Entering his room, he was going to make this right even if it killed him.

Covering her body in her blankets, he backed up and left her room feeling slightly conflicted even more so. He failed to protect someone so fragile looking and even scolded his own people for it, but they needed that much. She was a woman he felt compelled to protect and yet didn't quite see why. She had taken martial arts training, but was it enough? Today proved that to not be the case, but then he would have to see for himself. Feeling determined, he was going to help her become stronger so he could feel better about letting her out of his sight.