This was his first time in another village.
His hands clasped tightly as her smaller body hung close, Robin lead him in, her red eyes flickering to each face, searching something, anything, akin to her mother. All the while, Henry looked around in interest, comparing the village to his old one. This one wasn't as magic themed as his old home, the people here dressed normal, and had knives and swords on their belts, or spears in their hands. There was dirt on their faces and clothes, shiny from the sweat of a long day's work.
And the kids here, especially the ones around their own ages were just the same, if not dirtier than the adults.
And with all eyes on them, it clicked in his head just how out of place the two were with their snow hair and purple robes. Most of the village kept a wide birth, making it almost feel like home, but he felt that was more with the designs of Robin's robes, with the glowing purple eyes of Grimleal glaring out back at them. Robin mentioned that her mother gave it to her before they were separated, and despite the attention it brought, she wasn't willing to let it go.
Not entirely understanding her attachment, Henry let it go, following her along through the village. The blackbirds that followed her everywhere hung away this time, watching from the outskirts as she and Henry explored the quaint village.
"I don't think she's here," Robin murmured sadly as she slowly stopped guiding him and pausing by a fountain that stood in the center of the village. Henry took the chance to peer at each face, looking for something that could match Robin's own, or someone that shared similar hair color as her.
There was none though, no white hair beside their own, no other match of red eyes, or soft gentle features that the girl beside him had. Shrugging, Henry said aloud, "Well, not much we can about it now." Turning to her with a broad smile, he requests, "So how about you show me what's fun here? I've never been in a village outside my own." So what was there to do?
They might as well enjoy the visit so it wasn't a complete waste.
Robin smiled brightly, and Henry could almost see those large wings shudder and shiver in absolute excitement. "There's a bit to do," she promised him. "Mother and I would take a look at their stores, magic stores."
Now that caught his attention. "Magic?" he repeated.
Robin shared his smile, her red eyes glowing. "Most villages always have at least one magic store. Not a lot for dark mages, but definitely something for everyone, sages, mages, and so on. Usually you have to buy them, but its also nice to just look."
"You think they have a book of hexes?!" Henry asked.
Robin shrugged. "I dunno," she admits, "we never looked into hexes much. But this is Plegia, they might have something."
"Goody, goody, goody," Henry changed, jumping around Robin. New hexes! New HEXES! All the possibilities that he could find! The world seemed to get bigger too. Maybe there was more than giving someone a swine's tail, reversing time, or giving your prey a nasty cold. What else could hexes outside his old home could do?
As Robin lead him through the village, Henry sought the magic store frantically and its possible curses that it could hold. All the things that he could do...
Robin jerked to a stop, Henry nearly walking right into her. Grabbing the stiff girl's shoulders to steady himself, he looked over her ivory top just to meet the cold dark eyes staring back down at them, dressed in a long dark purple cloak, everything but his face completely hidden away. A shaman, Henry realizes, tightening his grip on Robin's shoulder as he instinctively drew her away from the dark mage.
"Sorry," Robin uttered.
The man simply blinked as he peered down at her, glancing at Henry before peering back at her. "What a curious child," he murmurs to himself, ignoring her comment. "You are not what you seem, are you?" he asked Robin.
Before the girl could reply, Henry jumps forward, asking, "Can you direct us to the magic shop?"
The shaman glanced at him, then eyeing Robin again, his head tilting as he considered them. "Tharja," he said aloud, waving absently behind him. A girl roughly the same age as them stepped forward, gripping a big book hard, peering at them with narrowed dark eyes. She glanced at the man before looking back over at them. Indicting to Robin once more, he asked Tharja, "What can you sense about this girl?"
Tharja arced a brow at him before eyeing Robin, tilting her head as she considered them. "Just the girl?" she asked.
"Just the girl," he confirmed.
"I feel left out," Henry said absently, only to be ignored as the two continued to stare at Robin as she glanced up at Henry. "Sometimes this happens," Robin whispers. "Its always the dark mages."
"You sure you're not a dark mage?" Henry asked.
"Yes."
"You are," Tharja argued in a bored tone, looking up at the man for confirmation. When he nodded, his eyes still locked on them, the girl looked quite pleased with herself. Robin rolled her eyes and walked off, murmuring a hushed pardon. "I'm not a dark mage," she grumbled to herself as Henry followed after, giving the two one last glance.
"You should be wary," the shaman called after them, "not everything is as it seems."
Robin ignored it as Henry hummed curiously, glancing back and watching as they drew back into the crowd, murmuring to themselves. "I wonder if they would hex us?" he said randomly. Robin shrugged as she pulled him up closer. "I don't think so," she said, "no reason to."
"Who needs a reason?" Henry replied, then he stopped, gasping loudly and startling Robin beside him. "MAGIC!" he cried, spotting the magic store and scrambling too it, Robin's hair and robes, ruffled by the sudden rush of air. Blinking dumbly for a moment, she smiled and giggled as she watched the comedic sight of the thin boy running to the store. Gathering up her robes, she raced after him, eager and curious to see what they have to offer.
"I found Katarina's Bolt!" Robin exclaimed as she rushed over to Henry, showing him the yellow big, her red eyes bright. "Mother mentioned that this is one of the most powerful lightning spells out there," she went on, sitting crossed legged beside him. "Its a little too pricy right now, but I really hope to try it sometime."
"I found Ruuuuiiiin," Henry squealed back, waving the purple tome back to her, "its a hexing spell that ruins them!"
Leaning forward to look at the price, Robin smiled as she set her tome down, eagerly telling Henry that they could probably get it. "We could?" he gaped. Robin nodded, "The price is low, so I guess its one of the more common tomes, but still much pricier than other common anima tomes, like thoron."
"You have money?" he asked, he certainly didn't grab any.
"Mother and I carry some, do a few jobs to get more. So yeah, we could get it. Might as well since you need something to protect yourself."
"Sweet!" Henry pumped.
As the two sat and talked, they were both unaware of the mismatched eyes staring at them from outside the store, their eyes locked on Robin. "Soon," a soft voice whispered to themselves, slinking into the shadows, never breaking away from watching Robin. "Soon."
while playing as tacition/grandmaster, i found that i'm more of a magic user than physical attacker XD i just enjoy being a mage too much