<span style="color: #8080FF">Delphine smiled, brushing a wayward strand of her strawerry locks from her face, revealing ebony eyes set in porcelain skin. "Ghaleon... happy to have company?" She jeered, pacing towards him, "I'll alert the town crier." She smirked throwing a side-long glance at the man. Lacing her arm through his, she motioned for him to lead the way. "I always thought you too entrenched in your reputation as a cold, calculating killer to be seen with a common bard." her voice was gentle, with depth and motives seen only by masters.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #40FF80">Her jeers and snide responses only made his smile deepen as her arm slid to encircle his own. "Alert whoever you choose, I'm sure your words will fall on deaf ears." He smiled sweetly as she motioned for him to lead, listening intently as she spoke of his acts to keep the sheep fearful of him. This made him snicker to himself, for she was right. He did enjoy being feared for a reason other than what he was. They feared what he protrayed, not what couldn't be helpt. Her last words of a common bard almost merited him to scold her for such a travesty. "Now, while I do enjoy being feared, let's not forget the privaledge you are awarded. Not only are you far from common, but far too modest." He said softly as he stepped closer to her, avoiding a passerbye before continuing." Normally, I would be but a whisper on the lips of child, but how can I pass up the oppritunity to walk with one of the few true treasures of this city. My lady, having you by my side only solidifies your worth. I do not travel in tandem with common, only the worthy." He smiled, taking a small breath. "Although, however precious you may be, you are still a chore... If only when you're angry..." He smirked as the jab of his own before sighing. "All jabs aside, I am quite happy you decided to follow me this morning, but I get the feeling you have something on your mind. Now would be a good a time as any..." He said softly, looking down to her ebony eyes, his own green swirls flowing in slow waves, a sign of comfort.</span><br/><br/><br/><span style="color: #8080FF">She looked up into his deep, green eyes, She remembered a time when she could barely look away from him... a time she remembered fondly. "Just a chore?" She chided, "I'm much more than simply a chore when truly angry, my dear." She replied, smiling. </span><br/><br/><span style="color: #40FF80">"All jabs aside, I am quite happy you decided to follow me this morning, but I get the feeling you have something on your mind. Now would be a good a time as any..."<br/></span><span style="color: #8080FF"><br/>She sighed, her pace slowed slightly, her arm tightened around his, "I'm... worried. I'm not scared of the barbarians or even Miss Felly's Necromancer... I am, however, scared of what this job will entail." She smiled at a local who called her name, bowing her head slightly... "I doubt we'll be able to do this with any clandestineness; or have you much pride that we can pull this off without fame to rival that of even the target himself?" She queried, peering again into his eyes. "If I may be so frank, Ghaleon, I've always been comfortable working with you because you provide a certain level of confidence... confidence necessary to maintain my way of life." She glanced around at the buildings and faces of the people passing by, but most were nameless, of no importance to her, easily ignored. "I don't want to take to living underground," Her voice shook, "like a rat, worse... like a... like a common thug." She spat the final few words. <br/></span><br/><span style="color: #8080FF">She sighed, straightening her posture, "Sorry, normally I'm more eloquent..." she smiled weakly, "but then again, I have always been more comfortable around you." Her gaze rose to the sky, a pastel collage of pale orange and the dark remnants of the night. "... for better or worse, I suppose..." She looked back to him, grasping his hand in hers, intertwining her fingers between his, "I just need to be assured that nothing will change, that I'll still be free to live without the fear of death or contract on my head... that we won't all lose each other."<br/></span><br/><span style="color: #40FF80"><br/>Ghaleon stiffled a chuckle as she countered as he had come to expect. Proud and challenging, he simply watched as her tone grew more grim. He listened quietly, taking in her words like they were gems. Precious and worth more than gold. He cared for each member like they were his family. Their opinions and feelings were always taken into consideration. So when she spoke of worry, he tried to understand. He nodded in kind to the passerby that called to her, only to continue his stoic silence. When she began to apologize he shook his head, to show he hadn't thought any less of her.<br/><br/>Her hand lacing around his made his smile dwindle, a small sigh leaving his lips. "No need to apologize, you are right to be wary. This job will ask a lot of us. I..." He fumbled in his words for only a second before breathing out."I know the life you lead, the secrets you keep, probably better than anyone." He said softly, moving his shoulder in a wince, for the mere thought of his own secret brought the pain of his morning ritual to the front of his mind. "There is a small amount of pride that says we will get away scott free, but only if this plan of mine goes off without a single hitch. But while i worry about the outcome, I'd be lying if I said everything will go well..." He said softly as his hand tightened around hers for only a second. "No matter the outcome, you will never need to hide as long as I still breathe. For 9 years you have been with me. To let you come to harm goes against everything i promised." He said softly, looking toward the approaching gate, they were nearly to the oak. He was almost saddened that their time was ending. He always felt at ease with her near him. Perhaps it was the way she looked at him.<br/><br/><br/>"I guess the only true assurance i can offer is your lifestyle will remain veiled. I will die before any of you are blamed for this target's end. If all goes to plan, no one will know we did anything at all.." He said with a smirk as he went over the plan swiftly in his mind. He took a deep breath, then looked back to her, his orbs taking in her beauty. "Besides, you are too beautiful to be blamed for murder. So don't fret. I will protect you..." He seemed to trail off, he meant to say he would protect them all, but she would see his eyes glaze over for a small instant, before continuing. "Seems i must apologize... I forgot that prolonged eye contact was dangerous... I almost fell for you..." He said with a small laugh as he turned his eyes away from her. "Though cant say i would mind that, all things considered." He laughed and closed his eyes, feeling the fog fade from him. His hand stayed locked with hers, and didn't shy away at all, simply smiled and slowed his steps even further, trying to prolong the time he could spend with her. For the last few years, he had been trying to discern his feelings for her. Knowing the power she had over him, he spent many years testing his theories in her presence. The second reason that he was happy she had followed him, was he felt the haze of desire even when he hadn't been near her. This meant that her wiles were not the cause of his lingering gaze. There was more than the allure she commanded.<br/><br/>"So... We have a few moments before we arrive... Was this all that concerned you? Or was there something else?" He said softly as he turned back to her, his thumb sliding across her hand sweetly.</span><br/><br/><br/><span style="color: #8080FF">She smiled warmly at him, and sighed, "I'm alright... for now." The two walked the rest of the distance in comfortable silence, though it wasn't long before they came upon the spot chosen, "Where's Felly'bas?" Delphine looked around... "I can't sense her at all."</span>