[Rodrach]
Coming back up to the room he knocked upon the door and waited a good few moments to listen. When he heard nothing from inside he opened the door and entered, scanning the room for anything awry. Certain that there was nothing wrong he closed the door behind him, his eyes falling upon the sleeping form of her Ladyship. It was obvious now that she had been exhausted after the strange bout of magic which had brought them to their current location.
Quietly he hauled the requested privacy screen to the far corner, next to the vanity, and set it up. Having encountered the servant sent to fetch the item in the hall he had taken possession of it. While his lady was asleep he did not trust anyone else inside the room. With a nod to himself he turned back towards the two beds. Now her Ladyship wouldn't need to concern herself when changing clothes.
An image of water droplets on soft pale skin crossed his mind and he quickly discarded it. Seeing her undressed had been an accident. A small lapse in judgment that he would be paying for later.
Walking silently up to her Ladyship's bedside he looked down at her for a moment, contemplating the incident from earlier. Although he wouldn't admit it aloud, unless asked directly, he was concerned for his Lady. The frantic and near desperate way she had scoured her skin red trying to get the blood from her hands… He let out a small sigh. Rodrach knew he still had a lot to learn about her, now that he was free of the curse that had once bound his body and will. In the back of his mind he added a 'fear or aversion to blood' to the list of things that might adversely affect his Lady.
The woman let out a soft sigh and shifted, a small pout crossing her lips before she settled into a more comfortable position. Her scarlet hair was splayed around her head like a blazing halo, the ribbon she'd used to tie it back having come loose. Of a sudden he felt the urge to reach out just to touch it, to know its softness and reassure himself that this was all real. Instead he carefully readjusted her blanket and took the loose ribbon before stepping away from her side, not wishing to be tempted further.
Sitting at the table he began a thorough check of his inventory. Looking over each piece of equipment with a skilled eye to ensure it had taken no damage and was not in need of repair. As he sat there guarding her Ladyship the sun slowly began to set. It bathed the room in bright oranges and pinks before darkening into a deep red that eventually became the purple-blue of twilight.
So far his Lady had not stirred, her sleep deep and undisturbed. Looking at the spellwork on the room, which had remained active, he decided it would be best if he took a short rest as well. He would need all of his strength if he wanted to protect his Lady in this strange new world.
Sitting on the larger bed he leaned his back against the wall, sword resting across his lap, and crossed one ankle over the other. It did not take long for him to fall into a restful yet guarded sleep.
An unspecified amount of time later he woke to the sound of something shuffling around the room. Eyes snapping open he took in the immediate area before him, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. What he expected was an enemy, perhaps a petty thief or one of the less reputable servants.
What he saw was his Lady.
Moonlight poured into the room from the window as his Lady stood there in her simple nightgown. Her skin was aglow, as if she were the moon itself, and her hair shimmered as if reflecting the stars. The only thing that seemed amiss were her eyes. While they too seemed to glow with an inner light there was a lack of awareness to them that was at odds with his Lady's usual demeanor.
"The King of Death…" Her voice nearly startled him as she finally spoke. "He will awake inside his Great Tomb. From unfathomable loneliness and grief shall calamity descend upon the world." A chill ran down his spine as her words seemed to come from some distant place he could never reach. "They will look upon his pale visage and tremble in terrible awe. All shall know him and weep in despair." As she finished speaking her eyelids fluttered and she faltered in place.
Rodrach watched her fall as if in slow motion. Scrambling up from his position he leapt off of the bed and caught her just before she collapsed completely, saving her from hitting the hard wooden floor. Checking her pulse and mental state with a quick diagnostic spell he was a little disgruntled to learn that she was just asleep.
Then it hit him.
Her Ladyship had been asleep the entire time. What she had said had not been a conscious thought. Which meant only one thing- what he had heard was a Prophecy. One that sounded a lot like future trouble if they were not careful.
Picking up his Lady he set her back into bed and pulled the blanket up to once again cover her delicate frame.
"Rodrach?" Eyes open and dulled with sleep she blinked at him in mild confusion.
"It is nothing, my Lady, you are perfectly safe. Please return to your rest." He urged quietly.
After a moment of watching him she gave him a small smile before her eyes closed and her head listed to the side. She let out a shallow breath and he knew she had fallen asleep once more.
Mildly shaken by what he had heard he returned to his own bed and sat, contemplating how best to protect his Lady from the coming calamity she had predicted.
The first part of the prophecy had named his new enemy as the King of Death, which had multiple potential meanings. It could be one who has overcome death and thus could never die. Or one who is strong enough to bring death to all they met. Maybe even one who has mastered death as an Elder Lich. At least the second part helped narrow down his options. If this King had awoken inside a Great Tomb then surely it was some form of Undead?
Slowly a smile crossed his face as he resettled against the wall once more. "Undead, hm?" He chuckled and looked down at the hilt of his blade. "Perhaps I am worrying over naught." After all- what was an Undead when compared to a Holy Knight?
Waking the next morning to the sound of movement his eyes opened and he took in the room all at once. Just as before his Ladyship was standing at the window. However, unlike the night before, she was leaning on the sill with a bright smile on her face while a gentle breeze danced through her long scarlet locks. Her eyes slowly opened and she turned to look in his direction. He felt his breath hitch in his throat when her smile softened at the sight of him. "Good morning, Rodrach." Her attention turned to the view outside the window and she let out a small sigh of contentment. "The sunrise is beautiful today."
'Not as beautiful as the sight before me.' He carefully did not say aloud as he nodded politely in her direction. "And a good morning to you, my La-" at the small pout on her face he cleared his throat. "Tsukino."
Perhaps it was a trick of the light but he thought his Lady's face might have reddened slightly for a moment before she pushed away from the sill and turned to face him. "We have much to do today. Our first goal is to find as accurate a map of this area as we can, and the second is to learn more about this Emperor."
Getting up from the bed he stretched, his fingers brushing the ceiling. "As you say. Shall I see if the cooking fires have already been lit?" He asked, glancing at the screen he had brought up the night before.
Her eyes followed his gaze and took in the screen as well. "That sounds like a good idea to me." Then her gentle pink eyes came back to rest upon him. A small frown crossed her delicate features and her head tilted slightly to the side as her eyes roamed over his armor. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling to be scrutinized by his Lady, yet he couldn't help shifting under her gaze. "Were you comfortable sleeping in your armor?"
The question caught him off guard momentarily. "Of course. As a Holy relic it conforms to the wearer in a manner that will always leave one comfortable." Although if truth were to be told he had never truly thought about it before. Unless his Ladyship asked him to change, for reasons known only to herself, he had always worn his armor.
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by asking." She said with a mildly sheepish look. "And for what I am about to ask you to do."
One of his brows rose. "There is nothing your Ladyship could ask of me that should compel you to apologize." He said firmly.
The woman laced her fingers together in front of her and began to fidget. It was a gesture that he would have considered annoying in another but was endearing from his Lady. "Traveling while wearing our top tier gear will only attract attention, and likely have trouble quickly finding us. I know that you have other sets of armor and I would ask that, once we are away from this village, you change into something less conspicuous. However, since the villagers here have already seen you in that set of armor it would be best to keep it for the time being. As a Lady it is expected that I would have multiple outfits, even when traveling, so they will not find it suspicious if I were to wear something different."
Rodrach thought about it for a moment and came to the conclusion that it was a sound plan. Even if he would rather continue wearing his Holy Avenger armor it was too eye catching. "I understand, my Lady. Which armor do you think would be best? I will need time to prepare and activate some of my spells ahead of time."
Her brow furrowed slightly and she raised a hand to her lips in thought. He wanted to chuckle but held back so as not to disturb her thoughts. He had seen her like this many a time, contemplating their next move or planning for their latest adventure. "I think your best bet is the Umbral Hawk, the Descending Echo, the Sunbreaker, or the Moonfang." Each armor she described had its own strengths and weaknesses yet all were on the more plain side in appearance.
The Umbral Hawk was a set of plate armor that came with a tattered shroud covered in Shadowhawk feathers. It was lighter than the others and perfectly silent. Excellent for stealth but its defense left much to be desired. Descending Echo was a matte midnight blue and was on the heavier side of his armor sets, but with his skills he wouldn't even feel the weight. He could also attach his usual cloak to it without it looking too out of place. Moonfang was made with the pelt of a Greater Lunar Wolf and unless it was seen under the moon was a dull gray. It had speed and agility buffs with an added bonus against projectiles. Sunbreaker was a little more elaborate than the others, engraved with golden flame patterns, but it was both lightweight and had high spell resistance.
"Then I shall use the Descending Echo." He said after thinking it over for a long moment.
Her Ladyship smiled, looking pleased, and it lit up her entire face. "Whichever you think is best. I trust your judgment."
She could not have known how much those words affected him.
Before he could express his gratitude for her trust his Ladyship's stomach let out a very noticeable grumble.
Her face reddened slightly in embarrassment. "I suppose I am still quite, ah, famished from yesterday. Thankfully I've recovered from my exhaustion, I should be back to normal in short order."
He very carefully did not comment how nothing about her could ever be considered 'normal.' Not with her appearance nor her compassionate heart. "I will return shortly, my- Tsukino."
She gave him another bright smile before heading towards the privacy screen.
Heading downstairs he strode to the kitchens once more, having familiarized himself with the layout of the inn the day prior. While he didn't detect anything amiss in the wards he'd set it was still good practice to use ones eyes and instincts. Some magic was designed to slip past other spells so it payed to be cautious. Especially when it came to his Lady.
"Sir Rodrach, good morning. Is there something I can do for you?" The wife of the inn owner asked him, wiping her hands on her apron in a nervous gesture.
"Mistress Malden, my Lady has awoken and I have been tasked with finding our breakfast." He left out the part where she was changing in their room and even with the privacy screen he didn't want to risk seeing her naked once more. If he did so he might not be able to keep his words of devotion behind his teeth.
"Oh, of course! If you'll give me a moment I'll have everything ready." Turning away from him the woman hurried to her task, glancing at him now and then.
Knowing he made mortals nervous he moved to stand near the door, our of the way in case one of the servants had to pass him by. It didn't take long for their meals to be prepared and the woman to hand them over on a serving tray. He scanned the meal passively for anything amiss but found nothing. "Thank you, Mistress. I shall return with the dishes in time."
Returning to the room he knocked and waited for the quiet "enter" before coming inside. Sitting at the table was his Lady, wearing a set of robes she called Frosted Blossom. It was quite plain compared to her other vestments but he supposed that was the purpose. At least the materials were all high quality and the defensive stats were nothing to sneeze at.
He set out their meals and sat across from her as she fiddled with her hair, tying it into elaborate twists through a moonstone and platinum diadem. Her fingers were long, slender, and dexterous as they worked. He was mesmerized and couldn't have looked away if he tried. As a strange of crimson draped down her cheek he followed it with his eyes and froze when he realized she'd noticed him watching her.
Thankfully she just smiled as she tied off the end of her braid, leaving it to hang behind her as long slender bangs framed her delicate face. "There, now I won't need to worry about it getting in the way as we travel. Though it probably makes me look quite plain." She chuckled.
He smiled in return. "Whether your hair is free or plaited you remain as peerlessly beautiful as ever, my Lady." He wanted to kick himself the moment the words left him.
Her pink eyes went wide before her cheeks flushed pink. "Thank you, Rodrach." Her smile of gratitude was more radiant than any sunrise.
"Think nothing of it, it is only the truth."
"All the same, thank you. Now, why don't we sample Mistress Malden's fine cooking once more? We'll have to gather supplies for the road and I doubt we'll find anything as good as this for a while."
"We'll make do, my Lady, we always do."
She gave him a slightly pouty look. "Tsukino."
"Of course, Tsukino." It would take him some time to get used to it but as her eyes lit up once more he swore to put in more of an effort to remember. Her happiness was worth that much at least.