"We don't serve to your kind."
Nisroc and Titus looked over at the comment, from examining the linens offered on a cart a few paces away, to see the fledgling that had joined them get pushed to the ground under her. The exchanged looks and turned to stand at her side, but she looked over and shook her head instead, staying them in their tracks, and pulled herself up to dust the dirt off her robe. Akeelah nodded to the cart keeper and turned to return to their side, not speaking a word on the matter and it had them exchanging looks once more.
They left the cart keeper with a look of warning, and he bowed under their authority, but made no comment on the matter that surely needed to be addressed. But at a better time, in private, not in the openness of the Axis Mundi. Akeelah looked ahead, peering at the carts and stalls as they passed, from the safety of standing between two Power's.
The three of them stopped at another stall, looking over the leather belts presented, Nisroc needed a new one and Ereal knew how to weave them better than anyone. The stall keeper smiled in greeting to the two Power's, she had crafted many of their leather works, and turned a disgusted gaze to the fledgling standing between them.
"We don't serve to your kind here, best be on your way, cowardess."
The two Powers shot their heads up, staring wide eyed at the angel before them, Akeelah nodded turning to step off. Not too far, she had promised to stay with her two older friends for the entirety of the trip and sat on a large tone lining the street waiting for the Powers to finish their perusal.
Nisroc was loath to take something from another who would treat his dear little friend so dishonorably, but he need require a new belt, and selected the one he had been looking over before such horrid words were spoken. Ereal smiled in thanks, a gesture he did not return much to her confusion and took the wrapped item silently.
Their little friend had waited patiently, back to the stall, throwing little pebbles at the feet of the passersby. He touched her head lightly, nodding when she looked up at him, and the two Powers lead them on once more.
"Do you need anything, Baby Power?"
Akeelah nodded silently and kicked her little foot, "You need new footwear?" and she nodded again. Titus indicated a cart just a way off, and they journeyed over, excusing themselves as the cut through the crowd milling about in search of the items they needed replaced.
The cart owned, a portly grizzled angel, glared at the fledgling but nodded respectfully to the two Powers, "Welcome gents, you may peruse my inventory, but we don't give to her kind here."
Enough was enough, "What does that mean?", the fledgling pulled on his hand, shaking her little head frantically, "No Nis! It doesn't matter! Let's just go!" he squeezed her hand in return, not allowing her to turn away this time, and Titus came to stand behind her in the case that she managed to worm her hand out of his and try to make her escape. Amon looked surprised that someone had rebuffed, questioned the unspoken rule along the Axis stalls, and a Power none the less.
"We only serve to honorable ones, sir, we do not cater to cowards."
Nisroc hummed in acknowledgement, tilted his head slightly, and pulled the fledgling around to stand in front of him. She tried to step back, but only managed to get as far as he was, pressing into his legs.
"And what did you do during the raging war, Amon?"
"We hid, sir, to avoid being taken to the mindbreaker."
The Captain hummed again, nodding his head "Then tell me how that is any different then what she had done?" he could feel her moving against his legs, as she turned to look up at him, but he was focused on the angel before them "If hiding to preserve ones safety is cowardly, dishonorable, then what does that make you for doing the same. You should be shamed, self-preservation is not dishonorable, and for a fledgling to have to handle such decisions even more so, but what is dishonorable is degrading one so young for doing the same as you." Amon was pale, thoroughly chewed to the bone, and lowed his head in shame. The Powers' nodded together, and Titus stepped to his Captain's side "We only need new sandals for the little one and then we will be out of your way. The keeper nodded, stepping aside, gesturing them forward to try on for the right size.
They walked back the way they came in silence, heading in the direction of their Pavilion, the little fledgling walking silently between them. Withdrawn, as if she were believing the words spoken so cruelly about her own flock of choir angels, and he squeezed her fingers lightly to draw her attention.
"Do not listen to them, Baby Power you are in so many ways an honorable angel."
"But they're right Nis we are cowards."
"This happens often?"
She nodded, and yelped softly as she was scooped up, Titus settling the fledgling on his hip midstride, turning her head towards him with a finger under her chin "Listen to me, Baby Power, taking ones safety in their own hands is not dishonorable. You are the furthest thing. You don't look at us and see the Warriors that struck others down where they stood, do you?"
"No, but—"
"You don't judge people on their actions, do you?"
"No, but, Titus—"
"You do not cower around the Archs for what they have done in the past, do you?"
"NO, Titus the—"
"Then you are not dishonorable. And there are countless others who would stand by that statement. Don't think so lowly of yourself."
"And for Fathers sake." Nisroc finally cut in as they stepped up to the training field, walking for the others resting on the benches after their own sparing matches "Don't look so withdrawn, it does not suit you, it's wrong to have you so quiet."
"Why's the Baby Power being too quiet?" Haniel questioned as they drew nearer, drawing the attention of the others, all looking inquisitively at the three of them "Did something happen?"
"That hasn't already been taken care of. Do you think you could aid in convincing our stubborn Baby Power that she is not a dishonorable angel?"
The others looked confused, but nodded all the same, and Haniel grinned in confusion "I feel as though we missed something, but we wouldn't turn down an opportunity to do some convincing to this sly little thing."