@nordionknight

King Ares of Nordion had visited Hoshido. It seemed only fair they have some kind of visit in return. Lady Hinoka had been very particular to her two retainers when she’d instructed them on what they were not to do while visiting.

“Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t wander off with anyone. Don’t even look at anyone just...none of the shenanigans this time you two.”

Agreeing to that had been easy enough, and Setsuna had started with every intention of following through on that. But she really couldn’t help it when somehow the gate had spit her out, alone and first. She also couldn’t help it when people seemed to not believe she was supposed to be here.

“I already told you...” She whined, probably not as concerned about the weapons pointed at her by the guards at the castle’s gate as she should be. “I’m one of the Hoshidans. If you ask Ares” She pressed on while they shifted uncomfortably. “He’ll know me.”

“And you expect us to just let you waltz in on your statement alone.”

“Aw, Ares...~” she said, quite visibly touched. “Thank you!~ That means twice as much coming from such a handsome man such as yourself!~” She laughed a little, shaking her head. “... Not that you need me to tell you that.”

Recently I have had many signs of Ares wanting to work with me: Death and The Chariot in Tarot cards, unknown dogs staring at me in the neighborhood for no apparent reason, moths following him, mirror numbers, constant images of snakes, ah, a thousand things.

The thing is that today I decided to offer him my boxing training.

It was TOO exhausting, and I couldn't hear Ares yelling at me in the middle of the workout: MOVE, GO ON, HIT HARD, AAAAAAAA!

He literally wouldn't let me stop and I could feel him training with me, doing my same exercises to motivate me 😂.

A moment later he shouted at me: IN SPARTA WE WERE DOING WORSE, YOU CAN DO IT, COME ON!

It was amazing HAHAHA it was too beautiful and I ended up exhausted but we were both happy 😂.

Setsuna put on the darkest glare she could manage. “WHO DARES APPROACH?” She demands, her voice as deep as she can muster it. “Do you know who I am? Do you know who you dare speak to? Can’t you tell by this glorious blond hair alone?” She has nothing but her arrows, and pulls one out to brandish like a sword. “I am the night itself. Darkness incarnate. I am the black knight.” She wrinkles her nose and puffs up her chest. “What is friendship? I have no need for that. I have a horse. What more could I need?”

For a second Ares worried Setsuna would be stubborn, but luckily she had the sense to go inside.

Things could go one of two ways, after his knife was out: the guy could pull out a weapon of his own (please don’t be a piece, Ares begged silently), or he could decide going in unarmed wasn’t worth it. It was the latter. The man turned away with a choice insult, and Ares clicked his knife shut and stuffed it back into his pocket as he hurried into the bar after Setsuna.

She was waiting close to the door, as if watching them could’ve helped the fight at all, and he made his most disaffected face while he closed the door behind himself.

“You okay?”

Ares made it inside, one piece and unharmed. Relief ran through her, leaving her even more exhausted. She smiled wide as he approached her. She wanted to hug him, some kind of expression of thanks. It’s what she would have normally done. She forced herself not to. Ares didn’t like her after all.

“You worried me.” She answered instead. She’d expected things to go bad when he pulled out a knife. So many things could slip up and go wrong when you brought out a weapon. If something went wrong and he got hurt because of her...

One last kick of her foot and Setsuna was finally untangled from the net she’d been hanging from. She huffed. That took longer to get out of than usual. Though she supposed it was nice of Ares to help her down from it rather than just cut the net and let her drop like usual. That tended to be quicker, but hurt more.

Oh, speaking of Ares. She turned back to him. He was still holding her up. She still had her arms around his neck. She was glad he was nice enough not to just drop her. She smiled. Well, she had behaved for a while now...

A scared text

[Sent] ares you’re still here right?

It wasn’t often she felt uncomfortable in these kinds of situations. She went out drinking with companions others often enough. Though she didn’t usually leave any of her friends’ sides when she was with them. She wasn’t sure what had lead to her ending up in the alley by herself, but she was sure she didn’t want to be here anymore. Not with the group of drunken men talking loudly at the end of the alley.

[Sent] can you come outside now please?

She tapped the side of her phone impatiently as she waited for an answer. She knew Ares didn’t really like her, but he was the last one she could remember seeing inside. Shinon had picked Gaius up, Gerik had been getting ready to leave when she’d slipped out for some reason…she couldn’t remember who else was there besides the blond, and she’d be surprised if he didn’t just have her number blocked.

Her eyes flickered from her phone to them again as one of them said something. She couldn’t tell what it was, just that it was loud. She shrunk in on herself a little more. She didn’t think they’d noticed her yet, but she definitely wasn’t about to go any make herself noticed. Especially not with them between her and the door to the bar where they’d all been drinking.

[Sent] i know you hate me and all but if you could come help me out i’d really appreciate it…