Gladiator (Closed)

[JadeKnight]

Every society had it's dark side and the Earth-like planet of Kratos was no different. While the civilization enjoyed being in the space age and information technology, they had a barbaric practice. To them it was combination of social control, population control, and punishment. That was the Arena. Every city had one form of the Arena, from a small wooden and dirt-covered field to the massive Stadium size Arena. The size and style of punishment used in the Arena varied from only a few days of forced fighting in the small arena to life sentence of fighting till the offender died in the arena. As with any sport, gambling was a major business for the companies that ran the arenas. Gladiators could also have sponsors, getting everything from money for equipment to food that was better than the meals provided to them. The only limits to the Arena was the ban on any guns allowed in the arena. Spectators could even vote on weather a losing combatant should live or die.

The largest Arena was located in the planetary capital of Helios. Those sentenced here were serving multiple life sentences or had been given the death sentence. It was named Helios Death Dome, a circular stadium that could hold nearly 100,000 occupants and packed to capacity nearly every weekend.

It was in Helios Death Dome that Kieran Fleet-tail found himself held in. He knew that it was supposed to be a mistake, but there was nothing he could have done about it at this point. Someone or some group had decided to stop his release from being granted.

Kieran had been a former special force team leader in the Alliance military, joining when he was 19. His service had been flawless, easily raising through the ranks until he gained his own team at the age of 24. Everything went down hill on a mission his team was given, an assassination of the Proten Ambassador of the rival country Kieden. The move was an attempt by the Alliance to gain an upper hand in setting up their own leadership in the country.

During the mission, Kieran had left the three members of his team at a rally point they had chosen, checking a possible secondary point closer to the target. When he returned fifteen minutes later, he came up an scene he had not expected. Two of his men had their pants down, while the third was raping a young human woman. He could see the fear in her eyes as she looked at him, begging for help. In a fit of rage, he grabbed his pistol, shooting all three of his men in the head. At his trial, his actions were ruled a justified homicide. However the judge felt an example need to be made, so the soldier was sentenced to five years in the arena.

On the day he was supposed to be released, he was given notice that his sentence had been extended indefinitely. He was transferred to Death Dome two days later. Three weeks later he was still trying to figure out what indefinitely meant as he waited his turn to go into battle once more. The loudspeaker broke his thoughts.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, next up is Kieran “Ice” Fleet-Foot. He is currently sentence to an..is this correct...it is..an indefinite sentence. His opponent for today is John “Crusher” Robert, who is served five life sentences for mass-murder in the Helios subway.”

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica Monroe, the Lady of Helios, stood under a wide white canopy, watching as men and women were ushered into the arena for their battles. She found the entire scene detestable, but she was there for a specific reason. The death and dying was secondary…she was going to save a life.

Angelica had known more then her fair share of tragedy in her short life. Her mother had died during her birth in the seaside resort of Tariton. She was raised by her father, a tragic man with a drinking problem that had taken him away from her when she was 12. As an orphan, her destiny was her own and being the wealthiest woman on Kratos certainly had its advantages. She had power and influence, but it wasn’t until she met Cristoph Monroe that she realized just what that meant.

While attending university, she discovered a mutual attraction with the handsome Cristoph. He was the eldest son of the Duke of Helios, someone that had grown up with the same advantages and wealth that she had. He understood her and Angelica found herself falling deeply in love. They were married on the first day of the New Year in a wedding that was the high society event of the century. It was covered in all the newspaper and she found it so odd that photos of her in her wedding dress would appear on the covers of magazines all over Kratos.

Christoph was a man with a deep heart, one that used his power to help those less fortunate than himself. He bought the favor of many men sentenced to the Helios Death Dome. In fact, many of the men that worked at Monroe Manor, were men that had been purchased from the Dome. He would take them on as a project, groom them to be upstanding citizens and he only had one man in his entire time that was too much for him to handle.

It was shortly before their second wedding anniversary that she discovered she was pregnant. Christoph was over the moon when she told him that Christmas that she was going to have his child in the summer. He swore that he would change the world for that child. Little did she knew that her strong, handsome husband would be struck down just a week later.

They had been driving to Tariton to celebrate their anniversary. It would be a nice get away for just the two of them before the world started prying in on the possibility that the Lady of Helios was with child. She remembered the bright grin that he had on his face as he drove their sleek sports car across the mountain passes. She could even remember his last words…”It’s going to be a whole new world for us, Ang…”

When she woke up a month later, she never knew that the new world wouldn’t involve Christoph. He had crashed the car on a sharp bend and he had been killed instantly. She had suffered major injury, and more heartbreaking, she had lost her baby. The scars that she still carried were little match to the scars that were on her heart and soul. She retreated from the world, mourning even still to that day for the husband that had been ripped away from her.

Angelica had returned to the Dome when she healed, looking through the ranks of the men that were fighting for those that were worthy of being saved. So far, she had bought the contract of three. Today was a little different. She had heard through her father-in-law of the changes that were coming. Those that fought and survived were not guaranteed safety any longer. It sickened her.

As she sat in the noble’s box, her long red hair loose about her slender face, she looked over those that were being ushered in with her cool blue eyes. She was dressed smartly in a black suit, one that covered the scars on her arms and body. The moment that she set eyes on Kieran, she knew who she was going to save that day. Motioning towards her guard, she whispered in his ear, pointing towards the man in the arena and telling him that money was no object.


Angelica Monroe: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nhlqtamD6...bg/s1600/wedding-hairstyles-for-long-hair.jpg

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieran made his way slowly out into the middle of the large arena, is four tails whipping back and forth behind him as he moved. The grace of his species could be seen with each movement he took, no wasted energy. He used his winnings to bring back the former glory he had been used to from his days as a spec ops soldier. The outfit he wore was a one piece bodysuit, black with silver stripes along the sleeves. A series of three stars in a triangle on his right breast signified the spec ops. His red and white bangs were held back from his face by a black head band. His ears flickered back and forth on top of his head, taking in the sounds of the arena, but his red eyes were focused on his opponent. Though he didn't seem to wield a weapon, he had a concealed spring-launched knife beneath his right forearm.

Crusher, as his opponent was called, was a black human. He wore only a pair of blues jeans and black sneakers, showing off his overly muscled arms and torso. He dragged a large sledgehammer behind him, the head of it bigger than Kieran's head. Kieran figured his opponent to be more of the charge in type, so this fight was going to be over quickly.

“Take your places fighters. 3...2...1..fight!”

Kieran shifted into a standing position with his body angled towards John. His right hand was placed out in front with the palm open, his left hand slightly behind. His feet were shoulder-width apart, right foot slightly out in front while his left was back a little. John yelled a battle cry of some sort, pulling the sledgehammer around with both hands. He charged towards Kieran as the crowd yelled, almost deafening the kitsune. The hammer was brought back and then swung around in an arc towards Kieran. He ducked forward beneath the swing, feeling the breeze along his ears. The kitsune's right hand shot forward, slamming into the side of John's neck. The pressure hit released the knife beneath his forearm, driving it through the man's throat and jugular vein.

The Kitsune leaped backwards as the man stumbled backwards, trying to stem the dark red blood flow. It was over in a few moments before Kieran turned his back to the dead man, walking from the arena floor. He was stopped just inside the door by the arena's warden.

“Got some good news for you Ice. You've been freed from the arena. You're contracted now.”

The warden thumbed over his shoulder towards Lady Monroe's guard standing at the one of the exits out of the waiting area. Kieran blinked for a moment, glancing between the warden and the guard. He wasn't quite sure about things, after the fiasco with his release date.

“Go.”

The warden almost pushed him towards the waiting guard, wanting to go and count his latest bundle of money. Not quite sure what was going on, Kieran reset the knife beneath his forearm before following after the guard.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica was seated in the back of her sleek, dark limo as she waited for the arrival of the man that she had purchased. That always sounded so strange to her. You could purchase another person that it was perfectly legal. She supposed that it was better than the alternative that they faced.

As she waited, her cell phone rang and she looked down to see that it was her father-in-law. She was fond of the man and he still checked on her every day as if she were his own child. He missed Christoph, she knew, and she was his only link to his dead son. She touched the screen to take the call, a smile in her voice as she regarded the man that she absolutely adored.

“Hello, Bernard. How are you today?” She answered, glancing up to see the man that she had purchased walking towards the vehicle beside her guard.

She continued her conversation as the door was opened and he slid into the seat across from her. Her blue eyes took in his appearance like a seasoned businesswoman. He was dressed like a soldier, held himself like a soldier, looked like a soldier. Everything in his bearing told her that he was ex-military…and they were usually some of the easiest to rehabilitate. That was a blessing she decided as she answered a question posed to her by her father-in-law.

“Oh, of course I’ll come to you party next Saturday. I’ll have Shell put it on my calendar. Will you need me to play hostess or will Megan be back by then?” She was use to being the hostess of his parties since his former wife had divorced him nearly five years ago and the young Megan Monroe was hundreds of miles away at college.

“It’s a date then. I will see you then, Bernard.” She finally hung up the phone and looked at the man with an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry about that. My father-in-law is a lonely man who likes to talk.”

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren stood outside the dark, sleek limo for a few moments, studying it. The tinted windows didn't allow him to see inside, so he didn't know who it was that had 'rescued' him, so to speak. The guard made a motion for him to continue, opening the door for him. Taking a moment to adjust his eyes to the difference in light, he climbed into the car.

He shifted in the seat across from Angelica, looking around the interior for several moments as he half-listened to the phone conversation. He was a little impressed by the look of things, as he really had never been this close to anyone with money. His red eyes studied the woman across from him, taking notes of her.

She was very beautiful, for a human woman. Seeing no signs of threat from her or the surroundings of the limo, his left hand went to the top of his right forearm. A press in the right spot and a soft snap was heard before the sheathed knife fell into his lap. He picked up the weapon as Angelica finished up her phone call and turned her attention to him. He shook his head for a moment.

“No need to apologize for that. It's not my business on your family affairs. I was just surprised that someone decided to pull me from the arena. Thank you though.”

His tails flickered back and forth slowly along the seat and floor of the limo. Two of his tails brushed against her legs, the fur soft against her skin where it made contact.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica tucked her phone away in her purse and took a moment to gather her thoughts before she looked up at the man that was sitting across from her. She had dealings with men and woman that were like him, in both species and circumstance. In fact, some of her most recent dealings had been with a real estate developer that was just like the man in front of her, save for darker fur.

Glancing down at his tails as they flicked back and forth against her legs. The contact was strange, she decided, and it definitely made her heart ache. It was the first time that she’d been alone with a man like this since her husband’s untimely death. How much she wished that it was him across from her in the back of that limo…

“You are very welcome.” She finally forced herself to say, her blue eyes finding his as she brushed her red hair from her face. “I suppose that formalities are in order. My name is Angelica Monroe. I am the Lady of Helios, but you can call me Angelica.”

“I have purchased your contract for the length of your punishment. I have to admit that yours is the most severe that I’ve seen. I suppose we will be together for quite a while.” She was rambling, talking nonsense. Cristoph always made it seem so easy…

“I will offer you employment at my estate, pay you a salary and give you room and board. I think it best that you stay with me for the foreseeable future. Perhaps in a year we might discuss what you would like to do.” She said hoping that he agreed to the terms that she had set out for him.

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren was quiet for a few moments after Angelica finished talking. He took his time mulling the offer over in his head, studying her carefully. He leaned back into the seat, folding his hands in his lap as he began to speak.

“It's a pleasure to meet you Lady Angelica. My name is Kieren Fleet-Foot. I'm not really sure what happened with my sentence. I was suppose to have been released three weeks ago.”

He was quiet for a few more moments before speaking once more.

“Your offer is a generous one, and I would be rude to turn it down. It's actually preferable to the constant fighting in the arena. I would not mind at all seeing your beautiful face, more than I want to see those ugly men.”

He gave a little to smile to her, shaking his head for a moment to remove some hair from his eyes. His tails stayed where they were on the floor, still flickering against her slender legs. Spotting a bottle of water in the pocket of one of the doors, he pulled it out. He unscrewed the cap and drained half the cool water before recapping it.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica sucked in a quick breath as he talked about seeing her beautiful face. She didn’t like hearing comments like that from men, especially after Christoph’s death. She watched him as he smiled, pulling the water bottle from the door and taking a drink as the limo pulled away from the Dome.

“I will tell you upfront, Mr. Fleet-Foot, that what we have will be a purely business relationship. I am your boss and you will treat me as such.” She said in as calm of a voice as she could muster.

She hoped that she didn’t sound like a complete and total bitch, but it was important to set the ground rules when dealing with someone new. She knew that he wouldn’t know her story nor did she expect him to. She actually preferred being around people that didn’t know about her husband’s death and the accident.

“What skills do you possess, besides the obvious ones that you might have gained in the Dome.” She asked him, hoping to find him some position that he would enjoy on her estates.

 

[JadeKnight]

The kitsune swirled the half-full bottle in a bit of a circle as he listened to her state exactly what she expected their relationship to be. He already knew that just because rules were stated in one way, there was always room to bend and work around them. It was something he had to do in order to get some of the more secretive missions done. He didn't give her a response, just a little bit of a nod to her.

The mention of skills being acquired in the dome made him chuckle for a moment.

“The acquiring of skills in the Dome only happens for everyone else but me.”

He wasn't boosting, as his eyes took on a serious look as he began to speak of his past.

“To simple name a handful of my skills would include hand to hand, sniper marksman, assassination, scouting, wilderness survival, and cooking, to name a few. I am nothing like the trash that currently resides in the dome. The special forces were a unit unto themselves.”

He looked out the window for a moment to watch the scenery go by, finishing off his water. He turned his attention back to her as he laid the empty bottle beside him. His red eyes resumed their softness they had before, his body relaxing further.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica listened in silence as he listed the skills that were unique to him. She had no need for an assassin as many in her position might, but she was always in need of a good guard. Could she trust him, she wondered to herself as she stared into his soft red eyes. He seemed like he was trust worthy, someone that she could put through their paces.

“I think I have a position that might be right up your alley then.” She said softly, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. “My bodyguard has submitted his resignation. He is moving to Tariton on a permanent basis with his wife and new son. I am in need of someone with your skills to act as my guard.”

“Of course, I would ask that you go through training before you take the position. My guard is with me for another week and would gladly take you through your paces if you accept.” There were people out there that would take her life for a price and it was important that she always had someone there that could protect her.

 

[JadeKnight]

He was quiet for a little bit of time, seeming to think things over. He was of course going to take the job, but he wanted to make her have a bit of doubt for him. Looking at her beauty, a few ideas were forming in his mind, but he would take his time. After all, it wouldn't do him any good to reveal his intentions too soon now.

He watched the scenery go by as he drank another bottle of water, slowly. He is almost finished with the second bottle when he finally does speak.

“I would be happy to accept the position. And going through a bit of training would be no problem.”

He gave a little bit of a smile to her before finishing the water off. The thought of what having someone own another should be like, but it wasn't quite as bad as he thought it should be. After all, he wasn't locked up in any cuffs during transport.

“What else should I know?”

 

[heartofcourage]

“There’s not much else that you need to know. You will accompany me to all events and all business meetings that I go to. I will tell you that while I have a busy social schedule, I enjoy my solitude at home.”

She hid. That was what she did. Like a coward. From all the people that had once been a part of her life that showed sympathy for her in the aftermath of the end of her life. The only person that she even remotely let in was her father-in-law, the darling man that shared in her sorrow.

“You will have your freedom at the estate, but I do ask you to stay within the walls of the grounds. Should you step out and get arrested, I may not be able to get you back.” She advised him, knowing that the situation sounded bleak, but he would be surprised when he saw the sprawling estate that she called home.

Angelica was quite then, looking out the window as she thought about the rest of her week. There was charity work to be done tomorrow. A day of rest the day after that. Then she would be dealing with her business advisors and her lawyers as to the next business that she was going to start. Then she would have to start looking for a dress to wear to her father-in-law’s party. It was enough to make her weary.

The limo continued on for what seemed like an hour before it pulled off onto a secluded drive which was guarded by the most state of the art security system money could by. As they passed through the large metal gates that contained an ornate coat of arms for the Monroe family, Angelica nodded towards some of the gardeners that were working. They waved back, smiles on their faces. They were men that had been saved and willingly gave their work to her for their little bit of freedom.

“It takes a while to get to the house from here. Nearly fifteen minutes.” She commented absently.

 

[JadeKnight]

“Don't worry about me getting arrested. I have no desire to go back to the arena and fight. It got old quick.”

He studied Angelica for a few moments as she became quiet. He could tell she was hiding something back, just from the way she seemed to carry herself. Though it probably be something he should try to find out, he felt the need to find what was hidden beneath the surface. That had been part of how he had survived early in life, looking for the undercurrent of things.

As she waved to the gardeners, he looked out towards them as well. He didn't wave or anything like that, merely watching things go by. He gave a bit of a nod when she told him how long it was going to take to arrive at the house. From the sound of it, exploring the place would be fun, so to speak.

Though most of his attention was on the scenery, he did look towards Angelica from time to time. He took a few deep breathes, calming his nerves. He wasn't excited yet, but he didn't wait to seem too excited for the freedom.

“What is the current household?”

 

[heartofcourage]

It was natural that he would ask about what the household consisted of. Angelica wasn’t sure how she wanted to answer that though. Her husband was still very much a part of her life and a part of the house. He was practically everywhere that someone looked. She had been unable to get rid of many things from her life with him. Still, she needed to be honest in this situation.

“It’s just myself.” She said softly, pushing a strand of red hair out of her face. “I have a butler named Gustav that will take care of any need that you might have. Mrs. Miller works in the kitchen and will make whatever you want to eat. There are also three maids that are responsible for the upkeep of the inside of the house and I have a very large support staff that work outside.”

She turned her blue eyes back towards Kieran, studying him for a long moment. “If you are worried about your privacy, I will tell you that you have nothing to worry about.”

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren nodded as she went over the household. It was smaller than he thought it would be, but that would make things easier. He raised an eyebrow for a moment when she mentioned worry over his privacy. He gave a little chuckle for a moment.

“I'm not worried about having privacy. I figured my days of being in a crowded room with large groups of men and being constantly watched were over when you took up my employment.”

He was quiet for a few moments, mulling over a thought as he looked back at her with his red eyes. The distance between them wasn't that great, so he thought it might be time to start testing the boundaries.

He suddenly leaned closer to Angelica, his hands laid on the top of her thighs. His face was only inches from hers as he stared into her blue eyes, searching them. He sniffed for a moment, inhaling the scent of her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica was startled when he placed his warm hands on the tops of her thighs, his face moving inches from hers as he stared into her eyes. No one had touched her like that since Christoph. She wanted to slap him for such insolence, for daring to touch her like that. Yet she didn’t move as he sniffed at her, inhaling her scent like some kind of animal.

“I think you need to remove your hands.” She said, her voice laced with a kind of panic that was hard to place. “And if you don’t, I will have someone remove them for you.”

The silence stretched between them for another long moment before the manor came into view. It was a large, gothic looking structure made of grey stone. Large windows were crowded on every surface and two turrets jutted from the corners of the imposing structure. Stone gargoyles protected the house from their positions on the eaves of the house and the brightly colored flags for the house of Monroe fluttered in the breeze from the tops of the parapets.

The limo stopped and Angelica was quick to leave the vehicle, her purse clenched tightly in her hand as her heels hit the stone driveway. “Gustav will show you to your room.” It was all she said as she turned on her heel and entered her house, making her way to her bedroom in the western tower.

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren remained in the position for another moment after she threatened him to remove his hands from her thighs. His ears twitch for a moment as he picked up the panic in her voice. He pulled back from her as the manor came into view. He looked out at the manor for a moment, watching until they stopped.

He didn't say anything in response as she hurried out of the limo and into the manor. He climbed out after her, watching her body language as she went out of sight. It didn't take much to pick up on her fear, but he wasn't sure what it was of.

He nodded to Gustav, letting him lead the way to his room. He took in the manor as he walked through it, taking mental notes of what he needed to know. Once he was in his room, he stripped off the uniform. Glad to be free of the constrictive material, he looked at himself in the mirror. Scars covered his chest, back, and upper arms, mementos of the arena and military exploits.

Grabbing a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the shower, cleaning himself of the arena stink. He was surprised that Angelica hadn't said anything about it, pushing the thought aside. Once he was cleaned up, he began to explore the inside of the manor on his own.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica was in her room, shaking like a leaf as she thought back on the encounter that she’d just had. Perhaps hiring him as her bodyguard was the wrong choice. She didn’t like the way that he made her feel and as she paced the large expanse of her bedroom, her mind swirled with all the thoughts that were threatening to consume her whole.

“God, Chris, I wish you were here…” She said, stopping in her pacing to look at the picture of her husband that rested on her side of the bed.

He was smiling, looking at her with that loving gaze that she wished she could see again. She walked to her side of the bed and sat down on the plush mattress, picking up the frame and looking into her husband’s gaze. She could feel the tears starting to burn her eyes and before she knew it, she was curled into a fetal position on her bed, clutching the picture to her chest as she sobbed out the ache that had settled into her heart.

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren wasn't exactly sure of what he would find while exploring the manor. He picked up a few small items, examining a bit before putting them back where they had been. He did find lots of pictures of Angelica and and a strange man, plus many pictures of the man by himself. He made a mental note to ask about the man, continuing his exploration.

He was exploring one hallway when his ears picked up the sounds of sobbing. It took him a few moments to locate the right door it came from, listening for a few moments. He wasn't sure who it could be, but had the feeling it might just be Angelica.

He laid a hand on the doorknob for a moment, thinking to open it. He caught himself and pulled his hand away. It wouldn't look good if he just barged in on Angelica, so he backed away from the door. His stomach growled for a moment, reminding him it had been awhile since he had last eaten. He chuckled softly and made his way down to the kitchen.

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica lay in that position for a long while, even after the tears had stopped. She sniffled and wiped her nose, placing the picture of Christoph back on the end table. She ran her fingers across his handsome face before she leaned down and kissed the picture. She missed him more than words could say and perhaps there would be no one else in the world that ever filled that aching void in her heart.

She slowly slipped off the bed then, changing into a comfortable pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. She was low maintenance despite the life that she lived. With a pair of well worn sneakers on her feet and her red hair pulled back into a ponytail, she left the room to go to the kitchen. It was about time for something to eat.

She was surprised to find Kieren there, but she supposed that it was to be expected. He lived there now and had free reign of things. She sucked in a deep breath and kept to herself, moving to make a snack as she did her best to ignore him and leave him be.

 

[JadeKnight]

The kitchen was filled with plenty of food to feed an army, and yet Kieren didn't know what he wanted. He sighed as his stomach growled once more, probably upset at him taking his time. He had just about made a decision when he picked up footsteps behind him, followed by a now familiar scent. His four tails jerked around for a moment before settling down behind him once more.

Finally deciding on a couple of apples, he grabbed one in each hand. He took a bite of an apple, watching her quietly. She showed the signs of having just cried, confirming that it was her he had heard. If he was going to ask about the strange man, now might be a good time. Though there was also the chance of her breaking down again. He soon had one apple finished, core and all before he spoke up.

“You have a lovely house. Though I would like to ask who the man is that I've seen you pictured with.”

 

[heartofcourage]

Angelica stopped in her tracks as he asked her about who the man in the pictures was. She felt something in her body bend near to breaking, but she held herself together firmly. It was a natural question, she told her emotions. Nothing to be upset over. Glancing up from her sandwich, she looked Kieren in the eye as she prepared to tell him about the man that she had loved and lost.

“That man is my husband.” She said softly, glancing down at the gleaming gold wedding ring that she still wore on her finger. “His name was Christoph. He died in an accident just over a year ago.”

Her voice was soft, quiet, and she was surprised that there were no more tears. Perhaps she had gotten them out earlier and there were simply none left inside. She suddenly didn’t feel hungry and she pushed the sandwich towards Kieren, bracing herself against the counter with a deep sigh.

“Having his picture around gives me comfort. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I can have them removed from near your bedroom.”

 

[JadeKnight]

He was silent as he listened to her explain about her husband. His red eyes glanced towards the sandwich she had pushed towards him for a moment. He raised an eyebrow for a moment at the gesture, before lowering it once more.

“No, it doesn't make me uncomfortable, I was just curious. I am sorry to hear you lost him. My condolences.”

He reached down for a moment to the plate, pushing it back to her.

“Eat. No matter how you feel, you shouldn't deprive yourself of food.”

It probably wasn't great advice for the moment, but food had been a precious commodity for him the past few years. It didn't feel right to him to waste the food. He rubbed the second apple against his chest for a moment as he spoke once more.

“When do I begin the bodyguard training?”

He figured he had some idea what things would involve, so he felt pretty confident in his abilities.

 

[heartofcourage]

She was glad that she wouldn’t have to remove Christoph’s photos from the wall. That was something she didn’t know if she could handle. She glanced up at Kieran as the plate was suddenly pushed back in front of her. It was true that she had lost a fair amount of weight in the year since her husband had been gone, but she had never once had anyone express concern for her wellbeing. Sure, there were people who thought that she should be under a doctor’s care, but none had actually forced the issue.

Reaching down, she lifted the sandwich, taking a bite to please him as he asked when his training would begin. She didn’t really knew, but she was sure that Joe, the man that he was replacing, would find him soon enough.

“Joe is probably tending to something right now. He should find you within the hour if that is alright.” She said, shrugging her shoulders and taking a seat at the bar beside Keiran.

“I’m sorry if I was cold towards you earlier.” She said softly, her red hair bobbing in her ponytail as she turned to look at him. “Sometimes my hurt outweighs my common sense.”

 

[JadeKnight]

Kieren shook his head for a moment.

“Don't worry about that.”

He was quiet for a few moments as he ate the second apple. He had lost loved ones in his life, but he had heard that mourning for too long wasn't healthy. He finished the apple core off as he looked at her. If he was going to be in charge of her protection, he figured her well-being was going to be part of that as well. He reached over and laid a hand lightly on top of hers for a moment.

“Taking down all of the pictures won’t be necessary, but I think you should take down at least all but maybe one or two. Being in a constant state of mourning is not going to help you live. You do need to let go so that you don't miss out on things.”

He was quiet for a moment as he studied her eyes before speaking again.

“I lost both of my parents, my mother when I was sixteen and then my father while I was in the arena. I did mourn them, but I moved on. I miss them, but I've learned to move on. I know you can.”