Matthew is only gone for a moment like he said before returning but he had more than one pack in hand as he made his way to the bedroom. Ivan arched an eyebrow at the second pack but said nothing and waited for him.
"Ivan? What have you brought with you so I don't take more than w-I need?" Matthew called from the bedroom though his voice was not all that loud.
Ivan stands up and walks into the room. "What you'll need depends on how far you'll be accompanying me." He says arching an eyebrow. "If you are accompanying me just in Vernal, then whatever you would take on a trip will be fine. If you intend to accompany me into Solstice however…"
Matthew looked up at him from packing a bag. He swallowed, the man looked even taller from the floor. "U-um, well I plan on accompanying you until you have found a wife so..."
"Any valuables you do not intend to bring with you, you may want to leave with someone else for safekeeping." He says looking down at Matthew. "I have been at it for months already and I do not know how many more it will take."
"Alright then." Matthew then went back to packing his clothing, thinking that he would only be out for four months or so at most.
"..." Ivan sat down on the boy's bed and watched him, occasionally commenting on what he thought Matthew would and would not need to bring with him. After his clothing was packed, Matthew made his was to the kitchen and started to fill the other pack with food and cook wear. Ivan looked between the two packs and the one boy, wondering how he expected to carry both when both were so full.
"So... will we be leaving now or tomorrow?" Matthew asked with his smile returning to his face. He was quite pleased with what he had packed.
"Tomorrow would be best I think." Ivan says with a nod. "It is best to start early in the morning rather than later in the day."
The other agreed with a nod. "It would also give me the time to inform my patients before suddenly disappearing."
"Your patients?"
"Yes." Matthew said with a bright smile. "I sort of play a role of a medicine man in the village here. But not officially."
"Why not officially?" Ivan asks curiously.
"That's because... I am not fully trained and my master passed on before she could finish my apprenticeship." Matthew frowned at the memory of his dead mentor. "And so I couldn't get permission from the King's court."
"Are there no other masters that you could complete your training with?"
Matthew shook his head. "None that wish to have me."
Ivan frowned slightly with a puzzled look. "Why not?"
"It's... Hard to explain." The boy answered as he tried to avoid the topic.
"Surely any masters nearby do not have so many apprentices that they can not handle one more?" Ivan persisted with the question, honestly puzzled why a master would not wish to have such a quiet and polite apprentice.
"Oh, it doesn't have anything to do with masters not having room for another. They just do not want... Someone like me." Sighing sadly, Matthew turned away. "I would like for us to stop talking about this, they are memories I do not wish to dwell on."
"Why would they not want a quiet, polite, and well behaved apprentice that is good at their trade?" Ivan asks, frowning a bit more. "Is that not considered a perfect pupil here?"
"It's about my beliefs, Ivan. Nothing else. Now please. Stop." Matthew's voice was hushed, but pleading. Ivan gave him an odd look for a moment before shrugging and nodding.
"Ah, do you have any pets?" He asks, changing the subject to a question he had earlier. "When I knocked on the attic door and startled you, I heard wings flapping."
Matthew gave a jolt and looked back over at the prince. "O-oh? Ah, well it could have been one of the hens. You gave me quite a scare this morning." He laughed nervously.
Ivan arched an eyebrow at the jolt but did not comment on it. "Hm. I thought you might have a pet bird or something." He shrugs a bit. "It had not been my intention to do so. I was looking for the owner of the house I woke up in."
"It's fine. I would have done the same."
Matthew was hiding something, that Ivan was certain of. He wasn't quite sure what the boy was trying to hide from him but he was willing to drop the subject for now. Surely he would find out at some point while the boy was travelling with him.
Ah, that reminded him… "Your brother is a knight correct?"
"Yes, does it bother you?" Matthew fiddled with his small jacket, a little nervous if Ivan would want to start a fight with Alfred. He most certainly looked like he wanted to with Arthur.
Ivan shook his head a bit. "No, no. My main grievance with the knights here is that they are not as disciplined as the ones back in Solstice. That and the fact that they let the wizards join in their battles as much as they do but that's beside the point." Ivan says waving it off. "What has he taught you?"
"As in how to fight?" Matthew asked honestly.
"Fighting and defending yourself." Ivan says with a nod. "While my reputation should give us fairly easy travelling, I am sure at one point or another you are going to need to defend yourself and I need to know what I am going to have to teach you."
With a huff, the young guardian crossed his arms. "I'll be just fine, you need not worry yourself. I am not as frail as I look, I assure you that."
Ivan arched an eyebrow. "I did not say you were as frail as you look. I just have my doubts on how well you have been taught considering the knights themselves are not taught as well as they could be here."
"I care not about who is better trained, I know what I must to survive. We were not always simple village folk."
"A better training usually improves your chances of leaving a battlefield alive greatly." Ivan says very seriously. "The basics are fine if you need to defend yourself from wild animals or unskilled thieves or even a mediocre knight maybe. Anything more would need either a hefty amount of sheer dumb luck or the ability to outrun your opponent to survive."
"Quit speaking to me in that manner. You barely know me. I am not your apprentice, I am not your servant and I am most certainly not one of your subjects! What is it to you if I get myself hurt?" Matthew spoke in annoyance, taking some steps back just in case Ivan did not like what he was hearing.
Ivan's eyes narrowed, scowling in irritation. "I am speaking to you out of experience." He growls out. "I am not sure how much older than you I am, but I know I have been in far more battles than you will ever be. I am one of the most skilled fighters in all of Solstice. Yet even I sustained such injuries by a creature I am not familiar with because I was not prepared." He paused a moment, giving Matthew a chance to say something to that.
"I understand that and respect that. But you are not doing me the same courtesy in understanding that I can look after myself." He scowled back at the man, it was like dealing with Alfred all over again.
Ivan took several steps forward, getting up so close that the boy was forced to take steps back until he'd backed him up against the wall. Once he was there he placed his own hands on the wall on either side of Matthew, trapping the boy there. "You are scrawny. In a fight against someone with more strength and skill than you, you would lose." He made eye contact with him, holding his gaze as he spoke slowly and precisely in a deadly serious tone.
Matthew quickly became frightened and started shaking. Every part of him was screaming to run, but he was doing his best to hold his ground. The last thing he needed was his wings to sprout and reveal himself to Ivan.
Even if the boy hadn't been trembling, Ivan could see it in his eyes how quickly Matthew became frightened. "Look, I have merely backed you into a wall and you are terrified. Those who wish me harm would do much worse than this to you simply because you have decided to help and accompany me." Ivan says, not breaking the eye contact. "They could do anything to you if you are not skilled enough. Rape… torture… slavery… murder… anything."
The man's voice remained deadly serious. "If you know only the basics, I am going to need to teach you much more than that. With only the basics, you would be completely useless in a battle and just a burden on me."
Matthew was practically on the verge of tears though it all, Ivan didn't have to be so unforgiving about it. "Y-you don't think I don't know that?" He all but whispered and moved his hands to wipe the tears from his face. Ivan frowned at Matthew's tears, he had been intending to make the boy understand and he ends up making him cry; typical.
The guardian's focus was lost as memories started to seep into his thoughts and the movement of his arms caused his muscles in his back to flex painfully. Instincts called for flight and his wings tried to come forth, but his will held them locked within his body. It was like being stabbed as two forces fought for control. Matthew lurched backward in reaction, his head hitting the wall roughly and making him yelp. Ivan blinked in surprise and pulled back, watching in confusion.
His body jerked as he tried to hold onto his bindings. His breathing was suddenly labored as his wings pressed against his lungs. No, no, no! Matthew tried to scream, but only came out as hot air in wheezed pants. When his legs gave in and he fell, Ivan caught him on instinct, easing him to the floor and looking both startled and confused. Was the boy having a fit of some sort?
Matthew was whimpering in pain as he clutched his sides and tried to regain control over his own body once more. Ivan let go at Matthew's whimper, but his hands hovered over the boy's back, unsure what to do in this sort of a situation.
Matthew ignored Ivan for the moment and focused on breathing evenly and regaining control of his wings, but it seemed like he was going to lose. He could already feel them pressing up against his uncut jacket. "N-no..."
"No?" Ivan asks in confusion.
"D-don't touch me!" He forced himself up, which was awkward with the bulge on his back, it was messing with his spine. Matthew tried to glare at Ivan, but it only came out as a pained look.
Ivan frowned at what he said, putting his hand on Matthew's shoulder despite the boy's words. "No. What is wrong Matthew?"
"No!" Matthew swiped the others hand away, bringing his legs up quickly before kicking Ivan straight in the chest to push Ivan off balance and hopefully knock the wind out of him. Ivan wobbled to regain his footing, blinking rapidly in surprise at the kick.
Matthew winced in pain from the recoil of his sprouting wings being shoved back into the wall, but forced himself to get onto his feet and made a run for the kitchen window. With a single bound he jumped through the small window, scraping his arms and legs on the way through and landed somewhat gracefully on his hands and feet before scrambling towards the old barn.
Ivan followed after Matthew but stopped at the kitchen window before running out the front door, looking to see where Matthew went. He couldn't see Matthew but the barn seemed like the most likely option so he briskly moved towards the barn, wondering just what was going on.
Matthew pulled his jacket off before it tore in half and let his wings spread out. He let out a heavy relieved sigh before falling into a pile of hay in the barn. "Ku.. Kumajiro.. don't let anyone in.." Was all he could get out, he had strained himself too much from holding back.
Ivan reached the barn door a few moments later, opening it and going to peer inside of it. "Matthew?"
A loud screech rang though the air and the sound of hooves galloping towards the barn door. It came quickly, charging towards Ivan as a white blur and a sharp set of antlers.
Ivan quickly moved to the side and away from the doors, eyeing the barn warily. Wait for Matthew inside or risk being gutted by antlers…
The creature reared at the entrance, its large talons lashing though the air in warning. The beast's body was completely white aside from a few gray markings along its wings. Held up on its slender, but strong legs, a sharp beak added to its already deadly wares. It let out another screech before lowering its head for another charge.
Ivan's eyes widened at the sight of it before noticing it was getting ready to charge again and made a swift retreat into the house, closing the door quickly.
Kumajiro had chased him half way before stopping abruptly. The beast snorted and then turned around to walk back to the barn with its head held high in victory.
)*(
About an hour later Matthew walked out of the barn with the beast by his side.
Ivan was sitting by the window, watching for when Matthew returned. He arched and eyebrow upon seeing the creature with him but didn't comment on it.
Matthew patted him on the beak before walking back to the house. Kumajiro followed behind him all the way to front door. Which Matthew was very hesitant on opening, knowing full well that Ivan was inside.
"Hello.." He said softly, a hint of shame in his voice.
"Welcome back." Ivan calls from the kitchen. "Is the thing that tried to gut me with its antlers your pet or your guard dog?"
"Er... neither..?" Matthew glanced up at the man before slowly walking to the table to sit down.
"What is it then?" He asks arching an eyebrow.
"My partner..." Matthew said as he sat, nervously looking at Ivan every few moments.
"Partner?" Ivan asks curiously.
"Yes.. We work together."
"Ah, I see." Ivan nodded in understanding. "Hungry?" He gestured at the food he had set in front of Mathew's spot a while ago when he had gotten himself lunch from his own bag.
"Oh, thank you." He mumbled as he picked at the food. Ivan nodded and looked back out the window, letting Matthew eat in silence, not wanting to say anything to upset him as he had earlier.
After he finished the food, Matthew was still staring at his plate. "I'm sorry for shouting and kicking you... it was uncalled for."
"No, I apologize." Ivan says shaking his head and looking back over at Matthew. "What I said earlier was uncalled for. I was trying to make a point and I went too far."
"And I shouldn't have snapped at you. You were only trying to help."
"No, you had every right to snap at me. I was trying to make a point and instead I made you cry and…. Whatever that was." He went quiet, looking away from Matthew.
"A...condition?" He blushed slightly from remembering he almost cried in front of this man he barely knew.
"Yes." Ivan nods. "… You have already seen part of why people think me cruel and heartless and now you have experienced it first hand as well." Ivan glances at him briefly before looking away again, face blank. "Are you sure you still wish to travel with me?"
"..." He thought about it for a moment. "Are.. you willing to agree to some terms before we depart?"
"…What are the terms?" Ivan turns to face him, arching one eyebrow.
"W-well, I only have two things that come to mind. The first being, that you stop telling me how to protect myself and the other is that you don't touch me while I sleep." Matthew felt embarrassed from his odd sleeping term, but it was most likely going to be the only time when they travel that he will be able to have his wings out.
Ivan arched his eyebrow a bit at the second term but nodded. "The second one yes, but the first…" Ivan pauses for a moment to word it without insulting or offending him. "I was not telling you how to protect yourself. I started by asking what you knew and received a vague reply. I was telling you that I know from experience that you will need much more than just the basics if you needed to defend yourself from someone with a level of skill closer to my own."
"..." Matthew scowled slightly and simply pointed to the kitchen window where Kumajiro was now, watching Ivan unblinking.
"…..It is coming with us?" He asks, looking as if he were not too fond of that idea seeing as it had attempted to gut him not too long ago.
"He is my partner, where I go he goes. And besides, he is very good for carrying heavy weight. Not to mention he is great for getting away from the werewolves."
Ah, well that explained the second pack.
"…I see." Ivan eyed the creature a bit warily. "He will not try to gut me again like he did earlier?"
Matthew shook his head with a stifled laugh. "No. He was only protecting me."
Ivan frowned softly, not nearly as amused as Matthew was. "Very well, but I would still like to asses your skill level and give you advice on how to better your skill level." He holds up one hand to stop any protests so he could continue. "Only because not everything will be as wary of him and there may be places that we go where he can not either due to doorway sizes or the personal rules of the host."
The boy pursed his lips. "...Now?"
"If you wish to do it now then yes. Or we could do it after a stop tomorrow. As long as it is within the next day or two."
"Tomorrow?"
Ivan nods. "Tomorrow then." He turned and glanced at the thing staring at him. "What is his name by the way? ...And what is he anyway? I have never seen such a creature before."
"Oh, well I can understand why you have never seen one before." Matthew smiled with pride. "It's actually a miracle that he was born. But first do you know what a Gryphon is?"
"Da." Ivan nods. "They are common in Solstice."
He nods and continues. "Well when a Gryphon mates with a mare, that is if he doesn't eat the poor horse first, a Hippogriff can be born. But there are very rare occasions that the Gryphon will mate with a female elk. The reason why this is so rare is because elk are a Gryphon's main source of food, as you already know. So... that is what my partner is, a Hippogriff elk and a pure white one at that." Matthew obviously showed a lot of pride over his companion.
"Ah… interesting." Ivan says, looking a bit impressed. "What is his name?"
"Kumajiro."
"That is a very... unique name." He says blinking a bit. "I do not believe I have ever heard one like it before."
"I made it up when I was young." Matthew blushed slightly.
"Ah, I see." Ivan says, smiling in slight amusement.
)*(
Matthew awoke the next morning with the rise of the new dawn, he and Kumajiro were curled up in the barn. "Come on... Let's get going before Al shows up."
He saddled up Kumajiro, got his reins on and made sure everything was secure. Then he grasped the reins and led him out to meet up with Ivan, the man having woken up at about the same time they had. Kumajiro giving a loud snort as he looked at the man. "Are you ready?" Matthew asks.
Ivan nods. "Yes, do you need to tell anyone other than your patients that you are leaving? We will probably not be back for a few months at the least."
He gave a soft shake of his head. "No, I already talked to everyone yesterday."
He nods. "Did you tell your brother?"
"Yes, when we were at the castle."
Ivan nods. "Then, let's go." He puts on his pack and starts walking back towards the castle, though when they got to it he started walking around it instead of through the gates.
Matthew followed on behind him but did his best to make it look like he didn't know Ivan. He didn't walk up next to him until they were well out of the village. "So... do you know which castle you are headed to next?"
Ivan looked over at him. "Actually no. I'm afraid I do not know the layout and placement of castles in this country very well. I travel away from ones I have recently visited and ask for directions along the way. Occasionally the royals of the previous castle will tell me where the next one is but most do not."
"I see. There is one about two days walk from here, did they give you any information on the royals living there?"
Ivan shook his head. "No. We try to keep decent relations with other royals but this is one of the castles where I am a bit less welcome than I am in others. Mainly due to the disagreements between Kirkland and myself."
"Oh... Well do you still want to try the next one?"
Ivan nods. "Yes, I have to try all of them."
As the day went on there was little said between the two. Kumajiro nipped at Ivan's pack almost every two hours, Matthew was beginning to wonder whether or not Kuma wanted something from the bag or just wanted to irritate the older man.
Ivan would turn slightly and frown at Kuma when he nipped his bag but didn't actually say anything about it since it was not being done too frequently.
After a little while longer, Kuma started to pull on Matthew's small coat. At first the man would just brush him off but the hippogriff was persistent. He groaned slightly as he turned quickly on the bird. "What is it and this better not be about treats."
Kumajiro was quick to stand straight when Matthew turned to look at him, it was almost like watching a child pull their hand from the candy jar and pretend like they hadn't done anything. The bird just glanced away from Matthew's gaze and back, like he had a secret to tell. But it was just an animal, right? Nothing but an oversized guard dog.
The bird was quiet for another moment before clicking its beak three times and scratching the ground with his left foot. Matthew raised one eyebrow. "Uh, no..."
Kuma snorted and rustled his neck feathers. At this Matthew burst into laughter.
Ivan turned his head and arched an eyebrow at the two of them. "What is so funny?"
"Kumajiro asked if-" Matthew was shoved forward a little from Kuma's beak, but it didn't stop Matthew from giggling still. "If you were a creepy old man that needed help to another town."
Ivan gave them a slightly unamused look. "I will not deny the part about being creepy." He says looking at Kumajiro pursing his lips slightly. "But I'm not that old and-" He turned his head to look at Matthew. "You did not tell him the reason you are travelling with me?"
"Oh, I guess I must have forgot." He turned to meet Kuma's eyes before he simply said. "We're helping him find a mate."
Kumajiro shook himself lightly like a dog would before walking on. Leaving Matthew with an unhappy look and a pout. "Don't be rude, I don't need another Alfred on this trip thank you very much."
"Another Alfred?" He questions, arching an eyebrow and continuing to walk.
Matthew realized he said that part aloud. "Er, yes. It's what I say when someone is being mean for the sake of being mean."
"Ah, your brother's name..?" Ivan guesses.
"Yes, sorry." He frowned and followed after the hippogriff before he got to far away.
"Why are you apologizing?" Ivan asks, keeping up with him.
"Because if you knew my brother you would know how much of an insult it is to be called Alfred... And because I'm picking on my brother through someone else."
Ivan arched an eyebrow. "I assume he is one of the less disciplined knights?" He asks casually. He vaguely remembers hearing the name once before when visiting the castle they'd just left a while back but it had been a while and he never saw who 'Alfred' was as he'd heard the name shouted down a hallway by Kirkland.
"I don't know, he just can be a real big pain." Matthew sighed.
"Older brother?"
"I'm afraid so." He mumbled in a little bit of annoyance.
Ivan chuckles a bit. "When would you like to do the assessment today?" He asks, changing the subject.
"Assessment?" Matthew asks with a small turn of his head.
"Of your fighting skills?" Ivan arched an eyebrow and looked at him, wondering if the boy had forgotten that he'd agreed to it yesterday.
"Oh that. Um... Right now?" Matthew fiddled with the hem of his jacket, remembering what happened yesterday when he got cornered by the bigger man. He felt uneasy; he knew very well that Ivan could overpower and greatly harm him. Matthew didn't want to get cornered again and have his flight instincts pick up, but Ivan was not letting it go so what choice did he have?
"I will not use my full strength on you." Ivan says watching the uneasy boy. "I want to test your skills, not mine…Plus it is more than likely that I would severely injure or kill you if I used my full strength."
"... That just makes everything better, thank you Ivan." He crossed his arms as he walked faster so he was standing next to Kuma. Once next to the mighty animal, he hung his head and leaned his shoulder against Kuma's, whom glanced at the little guardian for a moment.
Ivan blinked in surprise before sighing and lengthening his strides to catch up with them. "I apologize. I was only stating a fact."
Kumajiro hissed at Ivan and clicked his beak threateningly, almost daring him to come closer.
"Calm down I'm not going to harm him." Ivan says with a slightly annoyed look.
The hippogriff still hissed and even shifted his wing so it hooked around Matthew to pull him closer. Matthew said nothing.
Ivan shook his head and rolled his eyes a bit and just continued walking past them. They could wait until later to do the assessment.
Kumajiro ruffled his feathers all the way to his head and kept an eye on the taller man. He decided that he certainly did not like this man at all.
Ivan glanced back and arched an eyebrow. "Oh calm yourself, I have no reason to harm someone who took care of my wounds and insists to help me even after he's seen and heard just what kind of man I am." He calls back at the hippogriff in an exasperated tone. This was so much more trouble and annoyance than he wanted. Though he might not have minded it if the overprotective creature had not come with them.
The bird squawked at him and shifted his wings, though it fell on deaf ears, nothing he could say would be understood by the Solstice prince.
Ivan glanced at Matthew. "If you understand him, feel free to translate because I do not."
"I.. don't think you want me too... and I only got the first bit." Matthew mumbled and buried his head in Kuma's neck.
"Just go ahead and translate, I do not care if he is insulting me."
"Leeching on..." his voice dropped to a whisper, really not wanting to say.
"Leeching? On what?" Ivan stopped and turned, arching an eyebrow curiously.
"L-leeching on Matthew's body. That's all I got, alright? I told you I didn't get all of it." Matthew was greatly embarrassed, he could only guess that Kumajiro was talking about using his healing touch on the other's wounds.
"Leeching?" Ivan glanced back and forth between the two of them, confused by Matthew's embarrassment. "I do not believe I understand."
Flushed, the boy looked up at the bird. "Repeat that please before I further embarrass myself..." Kumajiro did, but with much distaste. Matthew sighed and was very happy he was right. "Leeching on Matthew's body energy for your own needs. He speaks of my healing touch."
Ivan's head tilted a bit, looking at Matthew curiously. "Healing touch?"
The man finally looked Ivan and looked rather puzzled at that too. "You... have never heard of healing magic?"
"We do not generally rely on magic for things such as healing in the Solstice Kingdom." Ivan says with a slight shrug. "We have healers but none use magic to heal with."
"That's odd, most are ready to jump to using magic when healing wounds. Especially the wounded..." Matthew moved away from Kumajiro, now feeling more comfortable.
"The wounded either die due to the cold, of a lack of knowing how to patch their wound properly, or they patch it up and live to see another day." Ivan says with an indifferent look on his face. "We are trained to know how to patch ourselves up properly however so it is usually the cold or animals that kill the severely wounded. It is just how we do things there." He pauses for a moment. "That may or may not be part of why I have sometimes heard my kingdom referred to as the 'Soulless Kingdom'."
"Are you against its practice?" Matthew frowned in defense, was everything that he did or knew something that Ivan didn't like or accept? This is going to be a long journey...
Ivan shook his head. "No, I am not against it. I understand it is useful; we just do not use it in Solstice. It's just… tradition." He shrugged a bit.
"I see. Well, I hope we don't run into any casualties on this trip. I'd like us to return home in one piece."
"I will return home more or less intact." Ivan says with a shrug before turning a stern look onto Matthew. "You on the other hand may or may not need work on your fighting skills to do so."
"One does not need to fight in order to survive, Ivan." He returned the stern look.
"You do if you're travelling with me." Ivan replies. "I was not kidding when I said there are people that will ambush and attack us because they are trying to murder me. Nor was I kidding when I said that they would not hesitate to attack you simply because you were with me."
"Then I will do what I must to protect myself." He tries not to growl out the words.
"Then you agree to let me help you improve your obviously poor skills in fighting?" Ivan asks with a smile. "I say obviously poor because there is no other reason you would be so stubborn on this matter. If you were aptly skilled you would have simply agreed to let me test your skill level and offer advice on how to improve instead of arguing with me on this matter."
Matthew's eyes widened in surprise, but at the same time he was unimpressed. "So you completely believe that I cannot protect myself whatsoever, correct?"
"No, I did not say that. I said your abilities to protect yourself against someone closer to my skill level without relying on your partner is very inadequate." He replies with a smile.
"Again... That is implying that I cannot protect myself. Don't beat around the bush Ivan." Matthew lowered his eyes and walked up to him so he was about an arm's length away.
"No, I said you would be able to protect yourself from petty thieves with just the basics. That is still protecting yourself. But that will do no good against someone who is anywhere near my skill level."
A big smile started to inch across his lips. "Is that so~" He said almost playfully.
Ivan smiled right back. "Yes~"
"Ha!" He cheered and jumped up and down.
Ivan arched an eyebrow and watched in amusement as the boy jumped up and down. "Hm?"
"You're a little liar Ivan~! And here I was starting to believe everything that was coming from those pretty little lips of yours." Matthew's smile got even bigger.
Ivan chuckles. "That I will not deny. You should not do such a foolish thing." He says smiling at Matthew in amusement. "But how exactly am I a liar, hm?"
"You're not heartless nor cold, Ivan, you care about what happens to me." Matthew replied with a soft smile. "You hardly know me and yet you are always going on about how I need to defend myself. That I am in danger from so much as sharing a few words with you. Even to test where my skills lie so that you may offer to train me to be better. Indeed you are coming off a bit rude, but that is not your fault. Being as how you grew up and the parenting you were under, you've been led to believe that strength and obedience are the only two worthy qualities.
Nevertheless… deep down, your heart is kind. It just needs a chance to prove to everyone, someone, that you are not as others say. The stories they hear of a man destroying everything he touches are not true. He is a man that wishes to show his father that he's a good man and worthy to rule his family's kingdom, and he shows this by fighting for it, protecting it.
But…" The youth's smile dropped. "Everyone sees without knowing. Everyone accuses without listening. You are just needing a chance Ivan. And I want to see that person you want to be, not the person others claim you to be."
Ivan's face went blank and expressionless shortly after Matthew began talking, his brows furrowing a bit at the boy's assumption of his upbringing. At the mention of his father, Ivan's eyes narrowed, his lips becoming a thin, hard line. He expression remained that way, even after Matthew's little speech was over. It was obvious he was angry but he said nothing, just staring at Matthew. There was a tense atmosphere around him, like the calm before the storm.
Matthew felt that he had touched a nerve somewhere but didn't know where. He bowed his head sadly. "I didn't mean to offend you, I was just trying to show that there is more to you than you let people see."
It took some willpower to not lash out at the boy or shout at him. After a minute or two he spoke, his words tense. "I say you are in danger because you are. You helped me though I did not ask for it and I do not wish to repay that kindness with your death because you were not prepared to fight someone close to my skill level."
He pauses for a moment before dropping the angry expression and settling for a tired look. "I have heard that about my heart many times from my sisters. It will do you no good to repeat it to me, however." A slight scowl appeared on his face. "You are very very wrong about both my upbringing and about what I am trying to make that bastard understand."
"I'm sorry that I upset you about your family. But try as you might, but you can't hide yourself from me."
"You have not known me for very long, do not assume you understand anything about me." Ivan growls out before turning and walking away to continue their journey.
Matthew watched him walk away and softly spoke to himself. "No... But I will." He turned to look up at Kumajiro as the large animal stood next to him. "Be gentle, promise me Kuma? We'll be together for a long while, until I figure out why I'm here." And with that Matthew slowly followed after Ivan, wanting to give him some space.