As enchanting their kiss was, it was Velvet who finally broke their solemn bliss. Not out of a discomfort or breath, but hesitation. Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears, so loud it was like a mudslide.

"Velvet?"

Eleanor reached out to her hand, holding her firmly. For all the thoughts she had of the former Exorcist being on the softer end, she was glad that this was not the case.

No, it was never the case. Ever since their duel.

It was projecting. From Niko onto her. Just like those dreams she had.

"Just… give me a moment."

The two just looked at one another before turning to see the clouds go by. Hand still in hand.

"We better head back to the two stooges." The former Therion finally spoke. "They'll be worried that their precious Shepherd was corrupted."

The usual banter stunned Eleanor for a moment before she rolled her eyes. This was typical of her. Playing with the emotions on her sleeve, but through a veil of sarcasm and blunt statements. For the redhead, it wasn't the exact same projection she had back in Musiphe's domain.

For that, she was just as glad that reality was different.

They both got up, brushing some of the pollen and grass from their clothes. Maotelus and Aoife finally rejoining them after trekking up the stairwell.

"Enjoying your moment of solace, Shepherd?" The Firebrand asked. "Therion."

"It was relaxing. After all this, a little break wouldn't be so bad, don't you think?"

Aoife looked at Maotelus, who just nodded back. The Prime Lord sighed, shrugging. "Do as you will. Our allies await our return."

Just as she disappeared into scarlet motes of light absorbed into Eleanor's body, Velvet looked back at Maotelus and nodded. "We're off again. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's… honestly not lot."

"You know what I mean." Velvet tapped her shoulders. "When did you get a mouth like that?"

"From you."

Just as the pair were heading away from the Empyrean's Throne, just down the road, Amelia and Alex were walking their way towards them.

"Ah." Amelia looked at Velvet and Eleanor. "So, you two fuck or something?"

The pair's eyes widened before Alex whacked the brunette's head. "They clearly didn't you minx. You see, their hair isn't all a mess."

Velvet raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly did you get that idea?"

"From a book." Alex innocently said. "But that's not the point. Taking a boat over to the last Empyrean's temple from here would take a bit longer. So, I think we might as well head over to Londinium. Port's quieter and we'll be under the radar from any potential spies."

"You're worried that we're being tracked?" Eleanor frowned.

"Well, no." Amelia was busy rubbed her head. "Our little noble here just wants to say 'bye' to her baby sister before heading off."

"Shut up. It's just shaving off some time. And it's closer to home too."

"Ah, the Breuse house. It's been a while since I've been there." Eleanor chuckled. "We had a banquet there."

"And that was one you called my father an asshat." The blonde eyed her partner. "Not that it wasn't unbecoming."

"So, we're heading to Alex's house, a minor noble, with an asshole of a father, really just to see her sister?" Velvet exasperatedly rubbed her temples. "Whatever. The faster we can find these temples, the faster we can deal with the Morrígan Wings. So how are we getting there?"

"By horse. I've paid for it."

The county of Londinium was an old part of the Empire. Sitting upon a hilltop, it was one of the first counties that pledged their allegiance to King Claudin Asgard. Their knights and warriors had a long history of being the fiercest towards their enemies.

But over the years, Londinium had become something of a backwater, due to greater territories won by the Empire and their proximity to waterways for the growing conquests. But the people of Londinium had never lost their drive or their loyal ways.

But as always, there some was rain coming down. Four horses pulling towards the walls as several guards turned, crossing their lances to block their trek forward.

"Newcomers? State your business… Ahh, Lady Breuse, ma'am. Please, come inside. The weather's as muddy as it always is."

Eleanor nodded under her hood as Alex took point as they entered.

Like the many villages the group visited during their journey finding the therions, Londinium was boxed in by the ocean port on the other side. The houses and streets were similar but as Velvet checked the corners and marks, this small city was built less like a village and more like they were preparing for an invasion. According to Amelia, Londinium was one of the few holdouts against the various daemon hordes until Artorius drove them back.

The view people that remained in this rain looked fairly dour, minding their own business above everybody else. Yet, despite this very neutral air, she could tell where they were heading.

Upon the sloped hill, among some of the other nobility there, was one that seated itself a bit taller. Not a mansion, as she had come to expect from Eleanor and Amelia's descriptions, but definitely something she expected from the port city back home. To the side of the house, Velvet saw some stables. Already a stableman was waiting for them as they helped slow them down before getting off their horses.

"Lady Breuse, welcome back home. I see that you've brought your friends today." Though she eyed Amelia. "And you've brought the Troublemaker as well."

Amelia looked partially offended but shrugged it off. "Can't believe that you all remembered that remark."

"We did."

Alex rolled her eyes as she pressed her friends towards the house. It seemed that they would not be going through the front door, but one of the side-doors. "Ignore their snide remarks. Welcome to the Breuse Abode."

She pushed the side door into the kitchen and Velvet's eyes widened. Far greater than anything her former home could do, with several sinks needed and plenty of storage all over.

"… Do you have servants or something?" She asked the blonde.

"I mean… last time I was here, three people? Not including the stable hands."

"The joys of living in higher society." She remembered that a blacksmith wanted to take Niko's hand. She wouldn't have had a life like this, but it would've been something better than –

The former Therion pushed the thought to the side as somebody poked their head from the corner of the kitchen. Another blonde, but she looked like a younger version of Alex. Their eyes meeting and the other ducked behind the door frame.

It wasn't until Alex traced Velvet's eyes that the smaller girl dashed out and tackle-hugged their blonde.

"Alex!"

"Ceres!"

Velvet took a moment, blinking as the two siblings reunited. It was like seeing something play from the outside, the very events of a relationship that she shared. Part of her sweat, thinking how her constant fawning might've embarrassed everybody around. It was not exactly the same being on the other foot, but two eventually turned back to the others.

"Ah! Sorry. Everybody, this is my baby sister, Ceres."

The younger girl curtsied bowing her head. "A pleasure to meet you all. Ah, but I already know most of you. Especially the ruffian."

Again, Amelia feigned a blow to the chest. "Even you, little squirt?"

"I'm not little." She puffed up her cheeks. "I'm a beautiful songstress of the opera!"

"Stop trying to get into each other's nerves." Alex got a hold of the situation. "Is mom home?"

"Yeah, just mom. Father's off on another one of his forest expeditions."

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "We'll just be here for a night and day before we head off again. I hope you don't mind us coming here semi-unannounced."

"You are my daughter." Another voice called out from the door frame. Another blonde-haired woman, clothed in usual Imperial clothes. "You are always welcome home."

Velvet took a moment to compare the three women. It was almost like those illusions Melchior had, making copies of everybody. But her eyes were not fooled, just like that battle upon the volcano. Perhaps they were not clones, but snippets of time in a portrait: a young girl, a young adult, and older woman. If anything, they all had one defining characteristic shared between one another: a wavy long cowlick centered on their heads.

"I hope that all of you would stay for dinner." The other woman bowed her head. "We have an entire stuffed prickleboar, but we weren't sure what to do with it…"

Already Amelia felt like gagging, but Eleanor grounded her with a hand on her shoulder.

"We would love to have some."

"If that is all, I'll have the servants prepare some rooms for you all." She bowed her head again before heading off.

Velvet felt out-of-place with this all. Servants? A massive house? The more she learned of this, a whirlwind of thoughts floated about before she felt another hand on her shoulder. Eleanor gazing back at her before Velvet sighed. "I look like an idiot, don't I?"

"You're not the first to step into something like this. But come on. We've got some time to enjoy away from our usual bits and pieces. Just indulge a little."

"Did we ever indulge during our sea voyage?"

"Once, I think?" Eleanor tried to think. "But that was more out of necessity than anything else."

"Then is it really indulging?"

As two servants came down and ushered them to their guest rooms, Velvet and Eleanor were brought to one single room. "Ah, I apologize as we didn't have enough time to set up a separate bed for the both of you."

"That's…" Velvet cut him off. "That's fine. We'll… we'll share the bed."

The servant man looked at the both of them before humbly bowing his head and adding. "Once dinner is prepared, we will come for you." He took his leave as Eleanor rested her hands on her hips.

"We used to share the bed back then. It's not really different now."

Velvet shrugged her shoulders. Still trying to sort her feelings and thoughts. But this time, Eleanor was there was a strong moral pillar.

"I guess."

Alex took an axe, hammering it down on a log. The wood split into two as she set her tool to the side and piled the split wood into pile besides another larger pile. Piece by piece, the blonde continued this routine: Set, Swing, Split, Pile, Repeat.

For her, it was the small sanctuary away from the chaos of home and training. Just something so small to build something even bigger. Sure, one of the servants could've done it, but she always dismissed them once she started.

The larger pile kept getting bigger and bigger when she heard another person approaching. Somebody dragged one of the larger pine logs before letting it topple and roll over to her. Alex stopped it with her leg before looking back up at the person who did it.

"Amelia. Got bored with your room already?"

The brunette took a seat on one of the larger logs. "With everybody casting a geas on me, I'd like to be close to somebody I know. And away from the couple."

"They acting lovely-dovely? Did you see sparks in their eyes?"

"You need to lay off those romance novels." Amelia casually dismissed, much to Alex's annoyance. "But yeah, the awkward phase is setting in."

"And here I was thinking it would be more or less the same." The blonde brushed her hair to the side before chopping another log. "You ever experienced love, Amelia?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry. Nope, never had."

"Really?" She put down her axe and took a seat on the chopping log. "With the stories as Legates and what-not."

"There's a difference between 'fling' and 'love'." She pointed out. "And all of those were flings."

"Has Lailah ever said anything about that?"

"Besides saying to that I'm a storm blew through people's lives? There were those few times she was talking about you. And me."

A light blush on Alex's face glowed as she coughed and looked to the side. "Y-you don't say?"

"We were work as a team, and you watch my back so, I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

Her heart jerked from her chest before the Breuse daughter rubbed her shoulders. "Uuh-huh."

"By the way, is your old man joining us for dinner?"

"Probably. You think it's gonna be an awkward moment?"

"With everybody here, I'm just gonna say to expect the worst." Amelia stood back up. "I'll be in my room, relaxing."

Not too far away, the two malakhim who came with the group were enjoying their view, looking at the villagers of Londinium. The rest of the Breuse family were non-resonate, they couldn't interact with them beyond some slight of hand and vision changes.

"The Hound and the Hunter dance and speak words but say nothing at all." Aoife turned back to seeing the people heading from store to store or talking with other people.

"Aww, you're being too critical. It's young love."

"It's sickening." Aoife held her hand out, looking through the gap of her fingers. But as she scanned the horizon, she paused.

"Something up?" Lailah asked, trying to follow her eyes. To the forests nearby but the other fire malak shook her head.

"No, it was nothing. I feel the Breuse patriarch will be returning soon. We best make ourselves scarce when that happens."

In love and this world, the only thing you can do is Be Yourself watch?v=_jGKB5b50Mk