Closed [Citadel] Emerald Azure (Orion)

[Rachel Messer]

In a corridor somewhere in the Stormhold Citadel, 19th of Bell, 22nd of Spring 514 A.V

Huff...

Huff...

Huff...

The instructor was panting as she tried to control her breath, she was running through the halls of the Stormhold Citadel, heading to the Bitten District where her apartment was located, people could obviously see she was in a hurty, even if they didn't notice her before because... "Ofh! Sorry! Gah! Apologies! Excuse me!" She was bumping everyone in her way. What could drive the normally calm and level-headed instructor to panicking like a farmer being chased by a Balicani?

A hearth of course, a particularly burning hearth which was foolishly left alone by the clumsy blond. She had no excuse, this was a foolish mistake that could cause her apartment and furniture through self-arson. She could see it now, Knights interrogating her, taking her to the Tank, and Gerard Anthonius shaking his head as he fired her from the Fighter's Pits, no! She had no noticeable skills other than combat, losing her job would plummet her pride into the proverbial abyss. This must not happen, the golden yellow glow in her right palm flared as Priskil's luminance chipped away at her fears then fed her courage.

"Yes! Yes! I can do this! I can make it!" She even shouted to herself to boost her confidence and running speed, people around her just looked at her then shook their head at the crazy blond, of course, some Knights narrowed their eyes and whispered something, if they wanted to arrest her for disrupting peace, then so be it! But please by Priskil, let her take care of that hearth first.

So caught up in her one-tracked mind and literal one-tracked sprint, Rachel didn't realize she was heading straight into a man, a rather taller man with dark hair and beautiful blue eye- "OMPH!!" She fell to the ground, but not after bumping harshly to the man, her vision swimming as her body tried to comfort itself from the impact. "P-Petch it!" She let out a rare curse, a Sunberthian heritage which Rachel tried so hard to hide, it took her about five ticks to recover and realized what was going on. She might injure someone, that man with the striking blue eyes, those azures distracted her! How more foolish she could get? Scampering to her feet, Rachel made her way to the man, bowing, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I... I was in a hurry! I accidentally left my hearth burning when I left home!" Ah, the ever-so-honest instructor, it was by a miracle that she lived in Syliras, if she stayed in Sunberth, someone would have used her already.

[Orion Michaels]

A day off. Now that was a rarity. Normally he'd be off on a patrol, training endlessly at the training grounds, or having lesson after lesson pounded into his head by his patron, Dinah. Not this day, however. His ceaseless dedication to honing his new found path had been rewarded with a break from the grind. The squire had been provided an opportunity with which to do whatever he wanted. Spend time with his daughter. Perhaps go see Hadyn and Liam. Purchase some odds and ends he was lacking.

Naturally, the squire slept the entire day.

It was glorious, refreshing, and most of all, it was needed. The squire had driven himself into the ground time and time again trying to push himself and prove himself worthy for his knighting quest. Yet, despite his skill, his skill that bested even some knights, he hadn’t been called to leave. ‘The ability is there, but the personality is not.’ The words of one of Dinah’s subordinates still burned in his ears. He was good enough, but not good enough. It was frustrating. There was only one way to deal with that.

A drink.

Orion had pulled himself out of bed as Syna’s rays began their disappearance outside Syliras’ walls, though the room he lived in gave him little appreciation for such a thing. With black pants and a dark green shirt, as well as his long sword and dagger strapped to his side, the squire made his way from the depths of the dormitories. His destination? Anywhere the booze flowed freely.

Orion was lost in his own thoughts as he went along. What was once a nightly occurrence was now a luxury he rarely had time to afford. A few times a season at most would the blue eyed man be able to put down his blade and pick up a mug. It seemed to him that those times rarely brought relaxation as the link between drama and a beer was undeniable. As things always went for Orion, however, another kind of drama would find him.

As a blond mass crashed into him, the unsuspecting squire was nearly upended. The corridors within the castle were not nearly wide enough for someone to sprint wildly down, but those same narrow paths also aided in keeping him on his own two feet. “Slow down there!” Orion placed a hand against the wall to steady himself before looking down at the woman who had impacted him.

Before he could speak, she energetically rose to her feet and pleaded her situation to him. A burning hearth? That could get out of hand rather quickly. “I’d hate to see such a pretty girl locked up for burning down Syliras.” The drinks could wait. “I’m Orion, Syliran Knights squire, and I’ll be creating a path for you.” He smiled and turned to face down the path. “Just tell me where I’m going, stranger, and we’ll make sure that our city stands at least another day.” It was certainly more exciting that having another drink poured on his head.

[Rachel Messer]

Well, of course, the man had to be a squire, one of the Order, the fact only made Rachel felt more guilty than before, she tried to bow again, but she could imagine herself... locked up in the dreaded place called the "Tank" for burning down a portion of the Fortress, her reputation, her career, her life, everything would be ruined. She didn't come to Syliras for this, no, she came her to carve out a new path for her, for Priskil, and one simple hearth could destroy it all, she wouldn't let it. She knew Priskil wouldn't let her fall, the Goddess of Hope promised to always watch over her friends after all.

"T-thank you, Sir Orion!" As she was in a hurry, Rachel didn't notice Orion's flirting remarks, her one-tracked mind simply registered that he wanted to help, Rachel wanted to refuse out of guilt, but he seemed set and refusing would just be rude and ungrateful of her, "Of course! My apartment is in the Bittern District! This way!" Rachel pointed to a particular corridor as she ran alongside the taller man. They arrived soon after, in one of the most cheapest housing sections available in the Fortress, Rachel came here with little coins in her purse... just enough to buy her a simple apartment, she made a lot of them in the past season working as an instructor though and the blond woman was thinking about moving to a fancier district once she gathered more wealth, perhaps at Winter or next year.

Rachel ran to her apartment door, panting and heaving, her light blue dress whipped about as the instructor skidded to a stop then she hastily procured a key to unlock the door, but not before fumbling with it for five precious ticks, then she barged in, finding... the hearth being tipped over - for some reason - and flames were already burning her chair and desk! Granted, it had not spread to her other furnitures or belongings yet, good thing they came earlier... wait, Good?! No, it was bad! "Aaaaaah!" The woman screamed in panic, she held the sides of her head with both of her hands as she went inside then just stood there like a buffoon. She was a competent swordswoman and combat teacher, but she was also a worry-wart and easily panicked person when faced with things she was not familiar about, a burning apartment was certainly one.

"No, no, no no no! What to do? What to do?!" Her thick Sunberthian accent came back as Rachel panicked, "Someone help! Heeeelp!" She really looked like a stereotypical damsel-in-distress... even though that was precisely the role she strove to get herself out of, after almost being violated as a child back in Sunberth.

[Orion Michaels]

The shame that washed over his features after he introduced himself was almost enough to make him burst out laughing. There was so much panic in the way she'd carried herself. Surely it would just burn itself out and there would be nothing to worry about. Such an over the top reaction was unnecessary, but some people were just a little more jumpy than others.

After his offer to clear a path for her, the woman stayed true to form. She burst to her feet and was off in a flash, Orion at her side. Bittern District. He'd patrolled that portion of the citadel more times than he was happy to admit. Dinah seemed to get some pleasure in sending him to there or the docks. The wealthier districts didn't need near as much . . . observance . . . and most certainly not from Orion, it seemed.

It didn't seem to matter what he said on the trip to her apartment. The woman was tunnel visioned on the task at hand. Put out the hearth. Save the city. It was a good thing that the squire had been forced to put so much time into running; it would have been a shame to be gasping for breath next to a green eyed beauty. Not that she would have noticed.

As he always did, the squire pumped his arms in rhythm with steps, keeping his arms low and his back leaning forward, but straight. Form was everything, a difficult lesson to learn. What use would he be if he injured himself trying to aid her? He breathed in a nice steady count. In, 2, 3, 4. Out, 2, 3, 4. All the while he adjusted his pace to stay with Rachel. Her running was just like her mannerisms. Wild and energetic. She was going to be the one to hurt herself. He had to admit, though, her drive seemed endless. It had to be with how much wasted motion she had.

The squire waited patiently after they arrived at her apartment, smiling softly as she fumbled with her key. That smile quickly faded, however, when the scent of burning wood caught his senses.

The door opened.

There was fire.

Both the blonde and the blue eyed man seemed to freeze for a moment at the sight before them. Neither of them could have actually expected there to be a fire. Much less one risking a transformation into an inferno.

She screamed. That focused the squire. If he were to be a knight, he couldn't afford inaction. Smoke was billowing and the flames were threatening to spread further. "Go get help!" It wasn't a suggestion.

Orion put his sleeve up to his mouth and rushed forward into the room. His eyes began to water almost immediately as the smoke irritated the sensitive organs. Gritting his teeth, the squire decided to first ensure that none of her other furniture could be caught in the spread. The flames almost seemed to hiss as he got near, the dancing tendrils of smoke licking at his flesh. Orion placed two hands at the edge of her bed and began to drive it away from the consuming fire. The wooden frame was warm, but not so much as to burn him. Still, if they'd been later than they were then the bed would have ignited soon.

I hope she's still got the energy to do something..

He kept his center of gravity low to the ground and drove the heavy bed with his legs and arms. Grunts came out as it resisted movement against the hard stone floor. If he had the time he would have kept trying to get it out of the apartment and into the hallway, but with each tick it took him to re-position the bed, the fire on crept further. The last thing he wanted to do was trap himself in there.

Involuntary coughs escaped from the squire as the smoke attempted suffocate him. The fire was no less contained. There has to be some water in here somewhere.. A wash basin. Something. It wouldn't be enough to put out the fire, but it would at least give him some options. If he could find it.

[Rachel Messer]

Unfortunately for Orion, Rachel had not fill her wash basin for the day yet, the only water in sight was her waterskin... which would obviously not be enough.

When the Squire issued an order for her to get assistance, Rachel's obedient and Order-respecting immediately kicked in as she broke out of her stupor, nodded at Orion, then sprinted out of her apartment. Her breath heaving as her muscles filled with acid, by Priskil, she wanted to rest, but her adrenaline kept her going. Her tunneling vision searched left and right for someone to help, she wanted to scream for help, the oh-so-cliche scene of a damsel in distress, but then... her emerald eyes found someone, a bulky man, carrying two large buckets of water. What for? Rachel didn't have the capacity to care at the moment.

"A-ah!" Her body moved by its own as she made her way to the man then stopped before him, the man quirked an eyebrow, "Whaddya want, Missy?" It was clear he didn't appreciate a blond woman suddenly blocking his way, but then the damned girl did something unexpected, she charged at him then practically snatched both buckets out of his hands. "W-wha-?" He stood there in disbelief for a couple of ticks before his face contorted in rage at the fleeing thief, "COME BACK HERE! HELP! THIEF! THIEEEEF!!" Water thief to be specific, since this was not the Eyktol desert, it sounded rather funny, but a thief was a thief.

"Ha... huff... huff!" Rachel's arms and legs practically screamed at her to cease the act, carrying two heavy buckets of water certainly didn't help her case, but for the safety of Syliras, she must go on! Driven by determination and sheer willpower, Rachel entered her apartment, carrying the water buckets, with the man hot on her heels. "W-water! Water!" She notified Orion as Rachel put both down, then picked up own with both of her hands, then she literally douse the hearth in the cool liquid, hopefully Orion would do his part then... by Priskil, please let it work.