Maric frowned in anger as he saw the bruise, and was about to say something but Nimue spoke first. Though his speech was interrupted by hers, his magic was not, so he healed her bruise with a quick motion with his hand as she spoke. What she said however struck him like a hammer. How could she say such things? There was no way he could hurt her like that! She was right though. Defending her would most likely be seen as aiding an enemy of the people or something damn stupid like that. They were probably sending another letter at this very moment. He himself had written a couple himself already, but the letter to the guild would probably be negated now.<br/>And now he was faced with a problem. Go with the woman who was stealing his heart away, or continue to work with the guild to secure justice? He had worked for justice for almost his whole life. Was he going to be able to throw that away? Or would he give up this chance at love? At a peace that he had not felt since he was simply a young boy with nothing but his parents and sister?<br/>Stepping in front of Nimue, his hand raised, the projectiles flung at her halted in the air before dropping back to the earth.<br/>This was not the justice he had striven for his entire career. If defending the innocent was wrong, then he'd be wrong, with or without the guild behind him.<br/>Anyways, he could afford to be selfish at least once. Everyone deserved to have a chance at happiness didn't they?<br/>"Shut your eyes tightly and stay close to me." Maric ordered the young woman as his free hand grasped at her's, his voice strict and to the point as he himself closed his eyes.<br/>The palm of his raised hand was suddenly filled with a glowing orb that quickly intensified in brightness before spilling out to encompass the entire area. Anyone who's eyes had been open in the area at all as he cast his spell would be blinded for a couple of minutes, but not harmed at all. Only undead or other specifically unholy creatures could be harmed by that spell. After the light faded, Maric opened his eyes before jerking on Nimue's hand, signaling that it was time to go before leading her out of the town. He did not stop for rest at all, and it was only once they were well past the treeline that he stopped Nimue so that they could catch their breath.