#vacoa

“Hey! Mister Warrior!” came a voice, causing Vaco’a to slow to a stop, letting out a small breath of aspiration. He should have expected this, considering his notoriety in the settlement. He turned his eyes behind him to see one of the Doman children, who rushed up to him with a jump to their step. He smiled sincerely, as anyone should when a child approached them.

“Ah, yes?” He asked, voice low so as to not bother Aeterna to much as she was slumped a little bit against Solstice’s neck. She had turned her head to look to him and the child, watching. That only made him more nervous, letting out a soft, almost inaudible chuckle.

“Where did you come from? Was it that snowy place? What did you see? Were you on a mission?” And there came the wellspring of questions, ever the curious ones he found the children of Doma. He grinned a bit before kneel down, as he towered just a bit over the smaller stature of the child.

“I did, Coerthas, remember the name, it might be of value to you when you too become an adventurer.” He told the young boy, who only grinned to him on the answer, eagerly awaiting the rest from the hopeful gleam in his eyes. “I was not on a mission, I am however am on one now, one I should be completely.” He reached up to tussle the young man’s hair with his gloved hand. “Perhaps when I finish, I will come back to tell you more.” He chuckled before he stood back up to his full height.

The smile upon the boy’s face looked like it would nearly split his face, how overjoyed he was at hearing that. He nearly jumped on his feet as he rushed off, waving back to him and Aeterna. “You promised! I’ll be waiting!” He called as he went back to his gaggle of friends, other children from Doma. Vaco’a frowned just a bit, he wondered just how different… and difficult it was to live here, compared to their home.

He shook his head, it was not something to think about at this moment, he had a task to complete. He had told Aeterna that she would be safe in the Scions’ care, and he would make good on that promise. He smiled to Aeterna as she smiled back to him, finally dropping her silence when the child had been there. “I hadn’t realized you were good with kids.”

Vaco’a let out a bit of nervous laughter at that, turning back towards the road to head down the paved path, towards the aetheryte. “Ah, well it is somethin you sort of learn when they approach you so often.” He muttered, a small blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. It wasn’t long before they made it to settlement’s center, finding their way before some doors which, from the sounds of the laughter and what could only be men shouts, could only be a tavern of some kind.

Vaco’a reach up his arms to help Aeterna down from Solstice’s back, the smaller girl stumbling a bit against his chest as she was still unsteady upon her feet. He held her a moment in his arms, making sure she was steady. At least, that’s what he told himself as he held her, feeling both a sense of warm from her in his arms and a chill from the sensations. It was strange, he almost felt like she was made to fit so perfectly there, right in his arms.

A small shake of his head, he let out a soft cough, moving his hands to her arms, to keep her steady before he let go. He gave her a smile, hoping the small dusting of pink went unnoticed upon his cheeks. “Apologies, I should have made sure you had your footin.” He grinned before he held his hand out to her, for her to take. She had her head turned towards the ground, one hand gently rubbing her other arm in a slow fashion. Had he made her nervous?

He sighed internally, he always managed to do that. Regardless, she took his hand after a time, allowing him to lead her into the tavern before them. He held open the door for her to enter before he took her past all the rowdy adventurers in the room. There was a door in the back, that was his target, he just hoped he could make it before –

“Oh ‘ey, all, tha Warrior!” Came the shout, one of a man with an accent, and clearly drunk from the sounds of it. Vaco’a couldn’t help but sigh, he knew he should have changed his garb before coming here. This armor of his was too recognizable. He turned to the other adventurer who approached him and Aeterna.

It was a big Roegadyn, dark in skin tone, a seawolf, as they were wont to be called. The man’s dark hair made it a bit hard to see the deep green eyes that flitted to Aeterna a moment, who held onto Vaco’a’s arm as she hid a bit behind him. Vaco’a only grinned, as he should, when approached as he was by the rowdy adventurer. “Ah, hello.” He greeted with a small wave, trying to keep the man’s attention off of Aeterna.

“Now, I didn’t think tha Warrior of Light was one to pick up dames. Ye sly dog.” He chortled, letting out a peal of laughter in his drunken state, waving an arm to his comrades at the bar. They all waved him off, obviously more content to stay seated and enjoy their drinks. Vaco’a considered it a mercy that they stayed put. This man however, only reached over to give Vaco’a’s shoulder, the one not being held by Aeterna, a powerful smack.

Thankfully, Vaco’a had steeled himself for such treatment, keeping his feet on the ground and not moving much as it jostled him a little bit. He rotated his shoulder a bit to get a bit of feeling back into it. These Roegadyns, always putting more power into their swings than they aught should. “Well, don’t let me keep ye. Enjoy ye night.” The Roegadyn grinned, tipping his head to Aeterna as he turned back to his pack of hooligans at the bar.

Vaco’a breathed out a sigh, halfway of irritation and relief. He grinned a bit nervously to Aeterna and guided her towards the door that was set in the back of the room. Safely behind its threshold, he closed it behind them, letting out a deep breath. “I… ah, apologize for the men, they can get a little much to handle when they had a few too many drinks.” He grinned.

She merely smiled to him as she shook her head. “It’s fine, though I am finding myself quite surprised by how many know who you are.”

Vaco’a gave a nervous chuckle as he led her towards the inner chambers of the Rising Stones, “Ah, yes, it is a bit hard to keep that under wraps when it is home to the base of the Scions.” He mentioned, nodding to the room around them. There were people seated, and others standing, but they all kept to themselves, talking in near hushed tones. Only one person approached him at this moment, one he expected.

Tataru let out a gasp upon seeing him, rushing over with a worried look upon her little features, “Oh, Vaco’a, I had not expected to see you. What with the, oh, who is this?” She asked, upon her eyes falling to Aeterna at his side.

“Yes, this is Aeterna Hinotori. She… has a condition that I was thinkin the Scions could help with…” His voice trailed there, having nearly forgotten about the Scions’ condition at present. “When they have the time, I mean…” he grinned, though it was slightly saddened, a look that did not go unnoticed by both parties in his company. Tataru had the grace to not pry, patting his hand a bit as she turned her gaze to Aeterna, who looked ready to ask Vaco’a what troubled him.

Thankfully Tataru had been ready to pull her attention from him, “Miss Hinotori, was it, a pleasure. I am Tataru, heh, I suppose you could call me the lady behind the scenes here in the Scions.” She gently took the auri’s hand, leading her away from Vaco’a. “Here, a room for you to rest. I am sure I will get the details about your ailments in due time.” Tataru turned her head for but a moment to look back at Vaco’a, a small knowing grin on her face.