<span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'">'Strange,' thought Gyatso, 'I wonder why Aurelia is blushing?'  The Guardian didn't believe that he'd given her any reason to be uncomfortable.  He'd been talking a bit about his human hands when it happened.  It likely would not do for reasoned that he would learn more about his Mistress as they spent more time together.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'"></span><br/><span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'">It was good that Aurelia had suppressed any squeamish feelings and had accepted the token bit of Gyatso's body.  That token would become the talisman for her to summon him from outside of this time and space.  He 'felt' the connection between them become stronger when she touched the bit of claw that he had bitten off for her.  Now Gyatso could also 'feel' some casual part of her connection to the blanket that she had earlier placed over his shoulders.  It was comforting to her and she was sharing it with him.  He was grateful for it.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'"></span><br/><span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'">Still, Gyatso noticed that Aurelia was not quite at ease.  The mundane act of making the tea lifted her mood somewhat, but she was still getting used to the idea that she had summoned him and seemed to feel a need to justify the action to him and perhaps to herself.  Any information was helpful, but Gyatso knew what his purpose was and Aurelia didn't need to explain why she had summoned him.  It was new, but it seemed very natural to him.  He did not interrupt her as she spoke.  Then she showed him a small device that displayed moving images and sounds.  Aurelia positioned it so that he could watch and hear.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'"></span><br/><span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'">He instinctively seemed to know that this was the image and sounds of Aurelia's antagonist.  Of course, she wouldn't be so upset if she was just showing him something interesting.  Gyatso focused on what he was seeing and hearing.  The man was apparently sick with violence.  Logically, no one but a healer would have anything to do with such a person so it must be either a new development or he somehow was able to hide his sickness until it boiled up.  The man was a danger to himself, a danger to others and most importantly he was a danger to Aurelia.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'"></span><br/><span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'">When the recording, Gyatso briefly smiled at his new understanding, was done, he looked over to Aurelia.  Playing the recording was painful to her, she did not enjoy it, but it was a testament to her strength and resolve to heal and get beyond this sickness that made her share the recording with Gyatso.  Aurelia continued to explain the man's violent sickness and how the human society was failing to protect her.  Gyatso would not fail to protect Aurelia.  It was his reason for existing.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Allura', 'cursive'"><br/>
<span style="font-size: 22px">He wanted to comfort her but he needed to do it with his words.  "Aurelia," said Gyatso, "I will protect you from this man, Viktor, and whatever else seeks to harm you.  I will seek not to inconvenience or trouble you, therefore if there is something that you wish for me to do that I have not been doing then you must tell me about it.  I hope that you will feel that you can depend upon me."<br/>
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The scent of the steeped tea tickled Gyatso's nose.  He smiled a toothy smile, closed his eyes, leaned his head back and inhaled deeply.  "Oh," he quietly exclaimed, "the tea smells very nice!"  Then he opened his eyes to look at Aurelia.  He hoped that his presence calmed her.  <br/>
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Then a thought occurred to him and he spoke, "Aurelia, would it be possible for us to meet with your friend with the dragon guardian?  I am confident in my ability to guard you, but I am operating mostly on instinct and I believe that I could be a much better Guardian with more information.  Also, I think it would be good for us to be with someone that you are already at ease with until you are sufficiently more comfortable with me."  Then he gave his mistress another big smile and said, "We could go to that shop that you mentioned and get supplies for a tea party, yes?"  It would also be good for Aurelia to feel that she could go outside and know that she would be protected.</span></span>