Xion had long noticed Valen's approach and his belligerence and did something that would at least put him in a safe position, when Arioch turned to meet him, he moved with her so that her back was between himself and Valen.  If they were truly heroes like she was claiming they were; he wouldn't do anything as long as his comrade was in the way of his weapon and Xion just had to keep it like that.   "I understand pride Arioch, Never mistake that. We're all born with it, just my sense of it is different from yours." He pointed out to her and kept his hands in his pockets and stood casually and peered over her shoulder to address Valen. "Oh blondie, I wanted to tell you: your buddy Gandrian is skulking around here too somewhere. He's been saying some rather uncouth things bout you and the other members of your group." He said with a perfectly straight face.<br/><br/>But when she spoke like she believed he couldn't do right by his own girls he darkened a bit and his eyes turned into slits for a moment as a mild odor of pumice began to surround him.  But he had to force it back down and met her on casual grounds with a mild grin.  "You say they're heroes, I haven't heard or seen them do anything particularly heroic, that tall one behind you seems to be rather weepy over the loss of his queen." he said, starting to chuckle internally and shook his head.  He fell into the idiom of formality to address Valen again.<br/><br/>"Pray thee, sir knight. It does not due to dwell on what has already transpired. Mourn not your queen, for thou shalt dishonor her in recourse in thy sorrow. Iinstead, seek thee to make her legacy not fade into obscurity." he grinned and turned to Arioch.  "Personally I'd rather have you my dear as my friend than my enemy. For the sake of the girls you know, it pains them so to see us always fighting." he said and reached out and brushed her hair out of her face easily and gave her a wolfish grin.  "But right now. I think I need to have a drink if you'll excuse me." he said, stepping back and giving her a curt bow before turning a corner and walking away.<br/><br/>Once out of sight, he would return to his hunt for the feeling of the shard's power, he wanted to find it before Annie or the others did. Maybe they'd give him a bit more respect if he could get to it before they did. or maybe not: those people were all stupid jackasses it seemed.   He knew he could irritate Arioch and the others  but as long as he didn't take offensive or violent steps toward them they didn't have reason to attack him. It was good to be bad sometimes... And he wanted to see them whup Gandrian for once.