When they made it back into the compound, they were immediately stopped by a guard and told they were expected. Elle wasn't shocked by that news as she then followed Caius deeper into one of the buildings. She was surprised when they walked out into a private courtyard that had a small fountain. Yeul was trailing her fingers in the water and didn't bother looking up when she spoke.
"I trust you both slept well?"
Elle had a hard time keeping her tumbling thoughts from making her voice come out hard. "Well enough, but there are a few things we need to discuss."
Caius and Praes both glared at her for the tone she used, but Yeul only sighed as she stood and finally turned to them. "I suppose that means you have had the chance to understand. Very well." She then gestured to the two guardians. "Please leave us."
Praes stepped forward with a frown. "Please forgive me, but is that wise?"
Elle understood why Yeul didn't want things to be overheard, at least if it was what she thought it was. She waved her hand to grab Praes' attention. "How about we compromise? I can stand in the doorway so you can see me from the other room. Would that work?"
He gave her a look like she was crazy, but Yeul's next instructions were clear. "Praes, do not forget that Edelweiss was sent here by the Goddess. Etro would not have sent someone that wished me harm. The Emissary should be afforded the same respect you would give to me."
Elle cringed at Yeul's continued insistence in using her full name, but she didn't call her out on it. Hopefully, neither of the men would pay it much mind. Praes was still frowning, but he bowed. "Of course." He then turned to Elle. She could tell he was not happy about the request, but he wasn't going to contradict Yeul. He then bowed to her as well. "Forgive me, Emissary. I only speak out of concern for the Seeress."
Elle nodded and resolved to try and stand where he could see her anyway. She hoped it would ease his mind a little. "I understand."
Both men then bowed and turned to leave. Elle moved to stand where she could still see them as Yeul turned to her with a smile. "So, what did you want to discuss?"
Elle took a moment to see what she could gather from the girl's body language. She still wasn't sure if Yeul knew more than she had led her to believe and was keeping quiet, or it was something else. She sighed in frustration when she couldn't get more than what the Seeress wanted her to see. Her voice was aggravated when she spoke.
"Look, I know I tore out of here yesterday without asking a lot of questions, but with time I think I have a better understanding of what is going on. My questions have to do with how much you know? I know you aren't obligated to tell me anything, but I'm running blind here."
Yeul gestured to the wide lip of the fountain. "Please, join me."
Elle looked back with a sigh. The Guardian would just have to deal with it. She sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked to where Yeul's attention was back on the water. Both women watched the waves spread as the girl ran her fingers through the water. Elle was once again reminded of her theory and her gut clenched.
When Yeul finally looked back up again, there was a far-away look in her eyes. "Did you know that each Seeress always foresees her own death?"
Elle's fist tightened involuntarily at the thought, but she nodded. "Yes. I also know you have been forbidden from trying to change it."
Yeul raised a brow at her confirmation. "You know more than I expected." She tried to give Elle a reassuring smile. "Do not worry about me. I have had time to come to terms with that vision."
She then turned troubled eyes back down to the water. "Though the idea of my death has haunted my life, it was a set point. That is no longer the case. I have now seen two drastically different versions, and neither will resolve into clarity."
She looked back to Elle with a frown. "Why would your presence affect my death?"
Elle stood with a curse and took a few steps away. Her mind was whirling. She had been correct in her assumption that she was there to prevent the tragedy of the future, but how was she supposed to do that? She could only remember the high points of the story, and that was all hundreds of years in the future. She was mumbling under her breath while she paced.
It was several minutes later that she looked up to see Yeul watching her with interest. The Seeress' voice held surprise. "You know what is to come."
Elle sighed and retook her seat. "I know some of it, but I don't think sharing will make it better." She chewed on the corner of her lip while she tried to think of a way to line her thoughts out. She wanted to growl in frustration.
When she felt she could at least make sense, she spoke again. "Look, I am not 100% sure about this, but I think I was sent here to keep a tragedy from occurring."
When Yeul frowned, Elle held up her hands with a negating gesture. "Look, I am well aware of the paradoxes that can be caused, so I have to be careful, but nothing else makes sense."
Yeul looked into her eyes without speaking for long enough that Elle started to squirm, but she didn't look away. Finally, the girl nodded. "I will trust that anyone marked by Etro understands the consequences of rash action. I will not ask for further details, but know that any changes may result in added visions."
Elle frowned when she realized what that could mean. There was also a part of her that wondered if the future was really written in stone. It wasn't something she could control either way. She nodded. "I understand. I will keep my head down and watch. That's all I can do for now."
Yeul smiled once more. "While you are here, please enjoy our city. I already have a room set up for you here, and Caius can be your guide. I saw enough of where you came from to know this will be a change."
Elle took a deep breath. "That's one way to put it." She managed to smile in return. "Thank you. I know this has to be hard for you too. I've got to say that you handle it better than I could."
Yeul's smile widened. "Perhaps." She stood and gestured to the exit. "Please let Caius know if there is anything else you require while you are here, and we will do what we can to assist."
Elle nodded as she headed toward the door but stopped and turned back around. "There is one thing. Could I get pants instead of this skirt? I feel uncomfortable as hell in this thing."
Elle almost felt like cursing when Yeul laughed but held it in. The girl nodded. "I will see if we can get something brought for you." Elle was thankful for that much at least.
When they walked into the chamber, Yeul paused on her way to speak to Praes. "Edelweiss, please wait with Caius in the outer room. I will have a change of clothing brought to you."
Elle clenched her jaw again but gave the girl a nod. It wouldn't do her any good to get pissed about it now. At least not with the leader of the City. When she turned back to Caius, he was smirking at her. "Edelweiss? Is that what you meant when you said you would not answer to anything but Elle?"
She had to take a deep breath to keep from yelling. It wasn't like he knew how much she hated that name. Her teeth were still clenched when she answered. "That may have been the name my parents gave me at birth, but I have refused to go by it since I was old enough to shorten it to Elle." She glared up at him. "Can we go now?"
He chuckled at her visible irritation before he turned to the door. He wasn't ready to give up yet, though. "Why do you hate it so much? It sounds foreign to my tongue, but still lovely."
Elle rolled her eyes. "I bet it does. It translates into noble white. If it were just me being named after the flower, I might not hate it as much. It's the fact that my parents loved that stupid movie so much they named both of us after it."
His brow drew down slightly. "What is a movie? And do you mean your brother, Kurt?"
She paused and looked up to her guide with a slight smile. As irritated as she was at the conversation, she was still impressed that he had remembered all that. She gave him a nod. "Yes, my brother." She shook her head as she tried to think of a way to explain the rest. "I guess you could say a movie is a detailed story where people act out the parts."
"Ah, we call them plays."
Elle chuckled. "That's close enough."
"What part of the play does your name come from?"
Elle grimaced again. She realized she wasn't going to get away from the subject until his curiosity was satiated. "It was a song about a flower. The edelweiss is a bright white flower that only grows in high altitudes and on cliffsides. They are incredibly hardy plants and are a bugger to get to, so men used to go after them to prove a point. It's one of the reasons the country they come from has the name plastered all over the place, but it's a name for lodges and restaurants, not for people."
Caius laughed at her explanation. "I understand why you do not care for it. We have a flower here that is similar, though the petals are purple instead of white."
Elle frowned up. "Yeul said the same thing. Still, please don't call me that name." Caius gave her a smirk and a nod.
When they made it to the outer room, Caius took up a position by the door, and Elle paced while they were waiting. After a few minutes, she trailed over to where he was. "What do you call that flower here?"
He lifted a brow at her question. He thought she was done with the subject, but answered anyway. "It has two names. It would depend on who you ask."
Elle gave him an expectant look. He chuckled before he continued. "Men call it the Warrior's Bane. Though it is better known to most as the Lover's Trial."
Elle started laughing as soon as she heard the names. If they treated them the same, then they both made sense. "I suppose that means warriors often go looking for them? If it's the Warrior's Bane?"
Caius joined her in laughter. "Yes, but that is only part of the reason for the name. It is only sought when the man wishes to propose. It is proof to the woman's family that he is dedicated and a strong warrior. The name is a joke the men share."
Elle's eyes lit with understanding, and she grinned. Of course, it was probably the man's buddies that called it that, but still, she had seen her own coworkers harassed enough about taking the big leap to understand that it was part of the camaraderie.
They were interrupted at that point by a young woman with an armload of clothes. She bowed to Elle as she held them out. "As you requested, Emissary. If you would like to follow me, I can provide a room for you to use while you change."
Elle nodded. "Lead the way. I'm already tired of the breeze."
Caius gave her a quizzical look. "What breeze? Is there a problem?"
Elle actually felt her cheeks heat slightly when she turned to him and unconsciously brushed down the back of her skirt. "Not anymore. I'll be right back."
She wasn't sure why she was suddenly embarrassed at the thought of the man looking at her legs. Or other things. She doubted he would anyway. It was weird, and just one more reason she was ready to change.
When Elle came back out, Caius' eyes widened before he looked away. She scowled at him when she realized it was so that she couldn't see him trying not to laugh. Prick. He'd probably feel breezy too if he was forced to wear a skirt.
She managed to keep from snapping at him as he gestured to the courtyard. "After you."
Once they were outside and on the way down the trail, he spoke again. "Where would you like to visit first?"
Elle sighed and looked up at him. "Are you alright with this? I mean, I know it has to suck playing babysitter."
He looked confused, but only for a moment. His face turned to a blank mask, and he answered politely. "It is my duty to follow the orders of the Seeress. Please do not feel concerned on my behalf."
Elle grimaced at his brush off but didn't bother asking again. Instead, she looked out over the city. "What are the important things for me to know? Are there places I should avoid? Or, where are the best restaurants?"
Caius looked over, and Elle was glad to see his smile back. "All of that could take days to cover, but I suppose we can start with the places you should go for all bartering."
Elle waved her hand. "Lead the way."
Once they reached the city, Caius made a point of taking her a different direction then she had gone the day before. She wasn't going to complain. She was sure Raine was a lovely woman, but she needed to get her bearings before she had to deal with the inevitable questions the woman would have if she saw her with Caius again.
They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the city streets. He showed her how to tell where she was with the markings on the sides of the buildings. He even explained some of their uses if they were public structures.
They stopped in the late afternoon for a meal on the far side of the city. The place was along the edge of one of the larger squares, and the sound of the fountain was relaxing. She also noticed that the breeze blew the mist through the square and helped to keep it cool. No wonder so many people seemed to congregate in these places. The weather was close to miserable, but she didn't let it show. At least it was almost dusk, and nighttime brought much cooler temperatures.
It was nearly dark by the time they made it back, and the guards frowned until they saw Caius. He gave her a bow as they opened the doors. "It was my pleasure to escort you today. I will meet you here again tomorrow unless you would rather stay in."
Elle waved the thought away. "Not at all. I still have a lot to learn, and I would get bored if I stayed cooped up. Thanks for showing me around."
He nodded with a smile before he turned and the guards locked the outer doors behind him. Elle still wasn't sure what the point of her being there was, but she doubted she was going to get answers by sitting around. She would learn all she could about the city and hopefully the people that lived in it. Especially the one guiding her. He wasn't exactly closed off, but he kept a polite distance. It wasn't surprising since they were strangers, but she had a gut feeling they would need to become friends. Not that she was opposed to the idea. She was still smiling as another woman came and led her to the rooms she would be using while she was there.
A/N: The next few chapters will be them getting to know each other while she gets to know the city. Lots of world building and character development, but not a whole lot of action or game events. Still, I hope you enjoy. Thanks!