Chapter 34

"When it proves expedient." Rean allowed with a nod of his head, acknowledging the truth in her words. He kept his arm firmly around Melyssa, feeling her body shaking in silent fury against his and hoped she would let her cooler head prevail. Shirley was provoking her on purpose. He had reached the same conclusion she had, they were being spied on and took a calculated risk. "This is Melyssa, Melyssa Brackett." He said it casually, his eyes sweeping from Shirley to Cedric. Something had flickered in Cedric's eyes, it was gone almost as soon as it had come, but he had seen it.

"Brackett…Brackett…doesn't ring a bell." Shirley was lying through her teeth, an evil smile crossing her face while Cedric had given himself away. She didn't notice it, too busy enjoying provoking the daughter of the fish market owner they had in their clutches at the moment. "Where are you from, Melyssa?"

Calm down, losing your temper is not going to help matters, she mentally coached herself and the smile had returned to her face, the trembling ceasing. Shirley was testing her to see if she would lie and Melyssa wasn't about to be caught in that trap. "Here, actually. Born, bred and raised Jurai. You may have heard of my family's business, Brackett & Co.? It's the largest fish market in the city."

"Ah yes!" Shirley snapped her fingers, surprised the girl had been forthcoming with that information, even though she already knew it. Her trap hadn't worked. Bummer. "It was a PLEASURE meeting your family." Her eyes gleamed almost viciously, her voice dropping an octave. "Especially your grandfather, he was A LOT of fun to talk to. My condolences on his death." She didn't mean a word of it, turning to look at Cedric. "McBurn COULD have went easier on that old geezer, but once he gets started, it's hard to pull him out of his…aura."

McBurn killed her Papa…Melyssa felt her heart crumble in her chest all over again and she had to fight back tears, not believing how callous this woman was being talking about her family.

"How is your dear mother coping anyway? I heard your father disappeared and nobody has heard from him. Tragic, really." Shirley sounded bored, studying her red painted talons and shrugged. "Do send my regards to her, won't you?"

"We will." Rean said before Melyssa could, his eyes flashing with fire at how callous Shirley was, knowing hearing this was breaking Melyssa.

He was proud at how she was handling herself, however, and would tell her so when they were not here. Right now, all he wanted to do was draw his Tachi and remove her head from her shoulders, knowing he would be doing the world a favor. Rean was not a man to harbor such thoughts, not usually, but here he was, seriously considering it.

"Perhaps you'd return the favor and send McBurn my best? He's going to need it." Because he wasn't going to try talking Melyssa out of killing the man when they came face to face, again.

Shirley snorted at the Ashen Chevalier's bravery and rolled her eyes, shrugging. "Suit yourself. Just make sure you're prepared to be BURNED. Remember, you play with fire too much and you will get scorched. Just some friendly advice from me. Do look around and buy anything your heart desires. I'll even give you a discount." She snapped her fingers. "Cedric, come."

Obeying like a dog, Cedric trudged behind Shirley and looked back at Rean, giving him another look that told him they needed to talk.

Melyssa couldn't stand being in the shop a second longer and walked away from Rean to step outside, closing her eyes to breathe in the fresh, salt-water air from the ocean. McBurn…McBurn killed her Papa and more than likely had her father in captivity. Was Crossbell really a coincidence or did he know who she was? She couldn't break down, not now, not when they were just starting the investigation. She had to remain strong, diligent, cautious and on guard, taking several deep breaths to slow her racing heart and to keep the tears at bay. Later…she would break down later when she was alone in her room, not here and not now.

"If they've been planning this coup, McBurn knew who you were last year, you were a target." Rean had caught up with her and was speaking in low whispers, his eyes still rolling from the cheesy 'burn and scorch' comments from Shirley. Which brought them back to the speculation that maybe the train attack hadn't been a coincidence either. She was very likely a target. "I need to get Cedric alone." As long as Shirley was around, that wasn't going to happen and she wasn't about to let herself be distracted by him.

"He knows something. And I have a feeling McBurn has my Dad."

Melyssa was sure of it, especially after that conversation with Shirley and Cedric. She turned to look up at Rean, not able to deny anything he said. Crossbell and her run in with McBurn…were they looking for her? Is that why Ouroboros attacked Crossbell, or was it just partially the reason? What about the train? Was that because of her? Melyssa felt so much turmoil and guilt overwhelming her, but she had to stay strong.

"Where to next, Instructor?" When Rean just stared down at her, she folded her arms in front of her chest. "We have to continue, right? I'm fine, don't worry about me right now. We need to focus on the task at hand, so where to next?"

"An early lunch, we need to talk." Rean felt like a complete tool for his current train of thoughts, but… they needed to talk and he would lay it out for her. Shirley had expressed interest in Melyssa and that was about the only way to get her out of Cedric's eyesight, which meant he could swoop in and talk to the former Crown Prince without that mad wench interfering. "Let's hit a street vendor and find a quiet place." He wasn't going into a pub or café; he didn't trust anyone in this town to not eavesdrop.

After they bought a fish sandwich from a vendor with a drink, Rean guided them toward the docks that were on the nobility side of Jurai. They sat side by side and she listened to what he had in mind, his plan. Cedric had the information they needed on the whereabouts of her father, but he wouldn't tell them with Shirley breathing down their neck.

"So, you want me to occupy Shirley long enough for you to talk to Cedric? What makes you think he'll tell you where my Dad is?" She asked, pure curiosity in her tone and already knew there was only one way to 'occupy' the Sanguine Ogre. Were her skills up to par and strong enough to withstand Shirley's onslaught? There was only one way to find out. "Never mind, I'll do it." Anything to help rescue her father, even if it meant putting her own life on the line.

"He knows something and the look he gave me when Shirley was guiding him off. I think Cedric has bitten off more than he can chew with Shirley. Today was a GOOD day for her." Rean said seriously, nodding when Melyssa gave him a curious look. "She's a maniac, and that's putting it nicely and mildly." She was a freaking lunatic, a mad dog who is just barely on a leash. "I doubt Shirley will try to engage you in combat. That is not… what she's after from you." His face flushed, from the tips of his ears down to his neck, glancing at the fish sandwich and cleared his throat. "If you're not comfortable with any of this, just say the word. I don't want to put you in a situation you can't handle."

Melyssa raised a slow brow at the way his face flushed and she suddenly realized what exactly Rean was referring to. He wanted her to… "I'll figure it out, Rean. I can handle her." There was NO way she would engage in any lascivious activities with Shirley, but…she also knew how much The Sanguine Ogre loved to fight. She was a Yaeger queen, practically, and Melyssa wouldn't be able to submit her, but…that didn't mean they couldn't engage in a sparring session. "You just focus on getting whatever information you can from Cedric and leave Shirley to me." Squeezing his shoulder, she took another bite out of her fish sandwich and stared out at the water, really hoping McBurn didn't hurt her father. Please Papa, watch over Dad until I can get to him, she silently prayed, shutting her eyes as a gust of wind blew over her and somehow, she knew it was her Papa letting her know he was.

Rean was silently praying to the Goddess, his own gaze out on the water now as the blush slowly receded. She was a virgin who had her first kiss stolen and here he was, asking her to flirt with a madwoman so he could gather information. If he could have, Rean would have switched places with her, but Shirley wouldn't fall for it and even if she did, she wasn't interested in anything except harassing him and eventually trying to take his head off his shoulders. By the time he was finished, she was too and they just sat there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, he stood up, brushing his hands off on his pants and held out a hand for her.

Looking up at him, Melyssa slid her hand into his and felt that rush of warmth flood through her body and the connection with him strengthen. "Rean, I need to ask you something as a friend, not as my Instructor." If she didn't ask this now, there probably wouldn't be a better time later on. "I heard what Shirley said about it being against the rules for an Instructor to date a student in Thors." Keep it together, don't blush, don't give any indication you are interested in him, she mentally coached, not releasing his hand. "I was just curious if she was lying about that or not, just to get under your skin. Is it true?"

"It's frowned upon." Rean answered, staring down at her intently, his fuchsia eyes curious. "Students and teachers have been known to start… expressing interest in each other, but generally wait until the student has graduated before cementing anything. Well," He stopped, shaking his head. "Most of them. There have been a few incidences where relations were entered and just not made public until after the fact. Since nothing can be proven…" He shrugged, not sure how else to explain it. "Why?" His heart rate had picked up exponentially.

Hers was up as well and she had no idea why she asked him a question like this. No, that was a lie. She knew why. Melyssa had feelings for him and they had grown ever since the night they ate gelato together under the stars, after walking the academy grounds. There was something about Rean…something special and it had nothing to do with his titles or the fact he was a hero of Erebonia. She liked him…for him, just the man.

"No reason, it just caught my attention and being a first year, I was curious if she was lying about it or not." Melyssa had another question for him, but she wasn't sure if asking it was the right thing to do. Screw it. "What are your feelings on it? A student and Instructor dating each other? Do you think it's right or wrong?"

"I think that it depends on the couple." His first impulse had been to say wrong because, technically, it was wrong, but not necessarily from a moral standpoint so much as an ethical one. "Sometimes an Instructor may take advantage of a student and pressure him or her, which is one of the reasons the rule is there in the first place. I think, however, that there are couples who are exceptions to that rule and they're the ones who wait until they can formally be together."

"Very diplomatic answer, Instructor." Melyssa teased, trying to lighten the mood and could see the slight smile curve his lips. "All right, back to business. Thanks for teaching me something new today." Winking, she looped her arm through his as they walked away from the dock back toward town. "So, do you want to put this plan into action now or wait a couple hours? If we don't wait, I fear Shirley will get suspicious right off the bat. What do you think?"

"Oh she will, which is why we're going to continue our tour of the noble section." He hated calling this part of Jurai that, but it was the truth since there was nothing BUT nobility there. When they had been coming in, they hadn't been able to tell anything was wrong outside the gates. Jurai had looked peaceful and inviting and now they knew that couldn't be further from the truth. "We'll also need to get word to the higher-ups, Jurai is in violation of a few laws and treaties." Though… he frowned, stopping to look down at her thoughtfully. "What if it's not just Jurai?" What if all levels were being infiltrated again? Rean wasn't sure if Erebonia could handle another civil war so soon after the last one.

"I thought that too…and something tells me it's not. Jurai may not even be the beginning of whatever is going on." Then she had a thought and gestured to his ARCUS II. "Machias' father is the governor and acting Chancellor of Heimdallr, correct?" Rean confirmed it with a nod. "If something is going on within the empire, surely he knows something about it. Maybe you should call and ask your friend for some help, to see if can find out any inside information. He is part of the judicial inspectorate, after all." Basically, Machias went all over Erebonia to observe certain people and places, investigating them in his own way. It was like a light bulb went off in Rean's head at her suggestion and he held his hand up in order to make that call.

"I wonder when the last time he came this way was…" She had a brilliant idea and when he had a moment later tonight, he would make that call. "I think Jurai was the beginning, it makes a lot of sense. For the most part, Jurai is isolated and small enough to serve as a… sort of testing grounds. If whatever this is, this takeover, can be implemented here smoothly, they may try applying it on a larger scale in some of the bigger regions." If they hadn't already, he mentally added, seeing from the look on her face that she was thinking along the same lines. "Come on." He looped his arm through hers, heading back the way they had originally come. "Let's get going."

For the next three hours, they explored and investigated the upper side of Jurai, the nobility all looking smug and happy. There wasn't one face that looked scared or unsure or timid. They finally made their way back to Shirley's shop and Rean nodded at her, both parting ways while she stood outside of it. Taking a deep breath, Melyssa stepped inside and went on the hunt for the redhead. It did not take long to find her or her cackling, annoying voice.

"Shirley." She called out, watching the redhead slowly turn until teal locked with blazing blue.

"Well, well, the fly has found its way into my web. And what brings you back here, little girl?" Shirley sauntered up to her, flicking a piece of dark blue hair from Melyssa's face.

"I have a proposition for you, if you're interested, Sanguine Ogre." Melyssa placed her hand on her unsheathed Cutlass, a cold smile crossing her lips. "If you are, meet me outside of the gates in 5 minutes."

"And where is the great Ashen Chevalier hiding, hmm? Do you really think I'll fall for a trap like this?"

"No, I don't and he's elsewhere. I came alone." Melyssa could lie with the best of them. "I just want it to be you and me, one on one." She stepped up to the redhead. "No distractions, no witnesses…" Sliding a finger down Shirley's top, if one could call it that, that cold smile grew. "I figured you'd enjoy some alone time with me and we could work up a sweat together."

Now THAT was the way to Shirley because she didn't have a doubt in her mind that this little chit wasn't even half the warrior she was. She could tell by her stance, some things the body tended to give away if one hadn't spent years training it to obey even the smallest of thoughts. There was potential there for sure, but it wasn't fully realized yet.

"Oh sweet thing, you didn't really want a fight… you want to tumble with me." She cooed, winking knowingly at the younger woman. "You will DEFINITELY work up a sweat, I promise you that."

"Whatever you wanna call it, just meet me and bring your best. I'll be waiting, hope you don't disappoint." Melyssa turned and walked out of the store, heading for the outskirts of Jurai. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she hoped that was enough to lure Shirley out here away from prying eyes and ears.

Don't let me down, Rean.