She happily followed him through the village once again, this time not getting distracted by the flowers along the path, or even by the villagers who gave her glances. No, she was focused straight ahead, right on Ryan. After it felt like butterflies flying around inside of her, she could not get it out of her head. She had never felt something like this before, and she had no idea what it could be, but she enjoyed it quite a lot. Ryan on the other hand was concerned about the feeling he felt. It was something he had also never experienced before, but he knew it was something that could distract him from focusing on the goal ahead. That is not to say he did not enjoy the feeling he felt when he looked directly into her eyes, in fact the excitement he felt was exactly why he was worried. He had heard many tales of exorcists getting their judgement clouded by emotions and it costing them their life, but he also reminded himself of what his brother would say.
"Our emotions are what make us greater than our enemies." His brother would tell him. "Yes they can cloud our minds, but they can fuel our drive. Push us beyond the limits we thought possible, all because of a little bit of emotion." He had never been sure about his brother's words, though he was correct. There have been just as many stories of exorcists pushing their limits and performing impossible feats. He himself had pushed his limits before through extreme anger, and he watched his own brother use his magic in a way never thought possible, using the raw emotion he felt in the moment. But Ryan was still hesitant to make a mistake. Though maybe today, he could let his guard down just a little. After walking for a few more minutes they finally turned a corner to see the village market. It was a small market, nothing to brag home about, but it was a quaint area that Meridyth adored. In the center of it all was a stone pillar with a statue standing atop of it. The statue was a bronze cast of the founder of the town, Mitus Popennius Magnuso, who is rumored to be buried underneath the pillar. Around the stone pillar was a ring of bright yellow marigold blowing gently in the wind. These flowers were a favorite of Mitus's wife, who perished before they reached this location. He had these flowers planted in the village center in her memory so that everyone may adore and cherish them as she did. There was a wide ring of cobblestone reaching out from the flowers that met with the buildings that surrounded the plaza. There were a few stalls scattered about, selling mostly mundane things. One sold fresh meat caught by two Kitsunese brothers, and another sold small trinkets and jewelry from an old yet not so frail Ursin woman. There was another stall run by a shady looking human who claimed to have miracle tonics, some that would regrow hair and others to make two mortals fall deeply in love. The one that caught both of their eyes was a young Kitsunese girl, who looked no older than fifteen, selling bundles of flowers and bouquets. They were beautifully made and well taken care of, showing obvious care for her work. But the two of them were not here for trinkets, flowers, or snake oils, they were here for the Thimble & Threadwork, a simple tailor shop that lined the outer edge of the market. It was a simple two story building with a wooden sign that displayed a bronze thimble with red thread wrapped around it. Ryan made his way towards the store front, with Meridyth in tow, though now it was harder for her to focus as she was enthralled by the marketplace. She had never been to a marketplace before, let alone a store and she was excited to see every bit of it. She could barely contain her excitement of finally interacting with the world she had only heard of beyond her walls, so excited that she did not notice Ryan stop in front of her and ran into him. To her it was almost like running into an immovable stone wall, but to him it was like someone gently bumped into him.
"Are you ok?" He asked her as he turned around to check on her. She was a little dazed, but thankful that she did not tumble backwards.
"Yes, thankfully." She said while regaining her composure. "I'm sorry I was so distracted by the flowers in the market. I've never been to a market before and I was just getting a little too excited." She said as she looked up at him with a smile. This struck Ryan as odd, for someone like her to not have visited a market before. Everything told him that Meridyth was a girl of higher class, someone with skin as pristine as her surely would have visited the markets often for beauty supplies. For her to have never been to a market, and to be amazed by one as simple as this, something was not adding up. He was certain he was missing critical details to her story at this point, and it put him on edge, but the moment he would look back into her eyes all his concerns about her would disappear. But this time he had to know if she was lying to him.
"So have you truly never been to a market before?" Ryan asked her with a raised eyebrow, trying to hide his obvious suspicion. He studied her face for her reaction, surely if she was lying, he would catch it.
"No, I have not." Meridyth told him before pausing for a moment, her smile disappearing. She could tell he was suspicious and knew she had to be honest with him. Ryan used this moment to focus on the change in her facial expression, looking for a twitch or subtle shift that would indicate dishonesty, but what he did see he dismissed as his mind playing tricks on him. Surely that would be the only logical explanation, for what he saw would not be possible. For less than a second, he saw a flash of yellow eyes hiding beneath her vibrant icy blue eyes staring back at him. Before he could process what he saw she began speaking again. "My caretaker, never let me go to the market. Anything I needed he would fetch for me." She told him as life faded from her face. Seeing her expression and obvious pain seemed to tear something in the exorcist heart. He dropped all suspicion about her after that, she was clearly just a girl who was shut in at home by her family and she couldn't take it any more. He had heard of families who would lock their daughters or sons up until it was time to wed them off to another rich noble family, either as political favor or to gain a higher status themselves. Ever since he heard of this, he pitied those kids. But now he finally had a chance to help one, and that brought a smile back to his face. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked her back in the eyes.
"Well, he isn't here to stop you now, and even if he was I wouldn't let him, so let's enjoy it." He said with an awkward smile. Her eyes went wide as tears began to form in them, which made Ryan begin to panic, but he stopped when she wiped them away with a smile.
"You're right," Meridyth replied, "let's enjoy it!" Ryan gave her a nod and led her into the Thimble & Threadwork. As the door opened it hit a small bell hanging above it, letting out a pleasant ring. Inside the shop were shelves filled with various fabrics and clothing, each vibrant and hand made. There were a few mannequins scattered about wearing both beautiful coats and unfinished projects. There was a counter on the opposite wall from where they had come in facing the door, and there at the counter was a middle aged woman who was sorting through a variety of fabrics. Her hair was a burnt orange color with grey streaks starting to show, and was tied in a ponytail with red bandana covering the top of her hair. She had crows feet around her hazel colored eyes, which greeted the two of them warmly along with a thin lipped smile.
"Welcome, what can I do for both of ya?" She asked them as she set down the fabrics. Meridyth was looking around the whole store, amazed at all the different fabrics and clothes, while she approached the woman. Her whole life, she had only seen the finest silk robes that seemed dull with no life woven into them, but now she could lay her eyes upon much simpler, and yet more lively fabrics, and she was amazed. To the normal person this shop was insignificant and just like any other tailor shop on Terran, but to her this was part of her first peaceful glance at life outside her garden.
"I'm here to get a new dress." She told the tailor with a beaming smile. The tailor grinned back at her, happy to see someone so excited about her shop.
"Well you're in the right place dear." She said as she lifted her arm to the side, as if signaling Meridyth to look around the whole store once again. "What type of dress are ya looking for?" Meridyth eyes once again looked around the shop with enthusiasm. She had not thought about what she would even truly want. She thought hard about it, thinking back on all of the expensive and elegant silk dresses she had worn up until this point, and she finally had an idea of what she was looking for. She turned to the tailor with bright eyes and a wide smile.
"I want something that's not too bright and flashy, but still with a hint of color. A nice simple and humble dress that is sturdy and does not stand out too much." She said happily. The tailor reciprocated the smile and began leading her towards a few dresses in the back.
"Hun, I think I have just the perfect thing for ya, and maybe a little something to add that extra bit of color ya want." The tailor told her as she turned around to face Ryan. "Mind if I borrow her for a bit? I'll bring her back looking better than ever." She told him with a wink. He smiled at them both and gave a nod.
"Of course, I'll be in the market out there. Come get me when you find one you like and I'll get it for you." He told both the women as he turned to head out the door.
"Don't worry, well come get'cha." The tailor said with a grin. She turned her attention back to Meridyth who was still looking at all the fabrics. "You're a lucky woman ya know." She said with a grin as she began pulling down a few fabrics from a shelf next to them and grabbing a few plain dresses off of a rack next to Meridyth.
"What do you mean?" Meridyth asked with her head titled a bit.
"Not many girls come in here with a man willing to pay for their dresses." She teased as she grabbed a bronze broach out of a basket on the floor. "Espeically a strong man like him." she added while holding up a dark purple cloth to Meridyth, and giving a light frown while looking for another color. Meridyth blushed and turned away to hide her embarrassment, but the blush quickly faded when she really thought about the situation. She knew the world was not kind, and that this joy she felt would surely end, more than likely sooner than later. She had a feeling that after today, she would not be seeing Ryan ever again. But it would be for the best for both of them, wouldn't it? He would not have to worry about be on the run with her, and she would not have to worry about him returning her to that garden where she was held prisoner for all these years.
"He's just making sure I'm fine before he heads on his way." Meridyth said, forcing a smile while looking at the tailor. "Once this is done I'm sure he'll be on his way."
"Now I don't know about that dear. I'm telling ya, men like him will surprise ya." She told her while sorting through the colored fabrics. "Now come here dear, I think I've got something for ya."
Ryan shut the shop's door and stared into the market. There was a smile on his face, and he couldn't deny it, he was excited to see how this outfit would turn out. He thought about it and realized she would need a good sturdy pair of boots. He looked over at the small cordwainer's shop on the other side of the market and began to make his way over there, thinking about how he would do this. He did not know her shoe size, nor if she even wanted a pair of boots. He wasn't even certain if he could write this charge off towards the Shrine. Ryan knew he would more than likely need to pay out of pocket for this. He shook his head and began making his way to the cordwainer. It was a bland building compared to the ones surrounding it. There were no intricate carvings along its top like the others, and not even a single flower box along the windows. All it had was a simple painting of a boot on a sign that hung off the side of the building by two rusted iron chains. As he approached the shop, he could hear raised voices. His pace quickened to investigate what was going on. He was worried that there may be an altercation, or worse a robbery, though surely no one would be unwise enough to steal from a story at this time of day. He was hoping it was just a disagreement, for if it was something like a fight or robbery, he was not allowed to intervene. Exorcists are under a strict vow of neutrality in situations not involving demonic entities. This vow is in place to ensure they can not be used as a force to fight against other nations as many of them were tougher than the average soldier. This vow also unfortunately extends into policing of people in different cities and villages. Meaning unless an Exorcist believes a demon is involved, they legally could not step in things such as a robbery or a brawl in the street. There have been cases in the past of Exorcists stepping in to stop an incident in a town, causing the guards and mayor to feel undermined and them taking legal action ending in the Exorcist being forced to resign. Though many times, if it was for a just cause, the Exorcist would simply get a slap on the wrist and sent on their way. Ryan was just about to reach for the door when it flew open and a tall man stepped out. It was an older and grizzled Kitsunese man who stood in front of him. The man's piercing grey eyes met him at eye level. His face had many small scars across it, with one prominent one across his left eye. His face was rugged with a 5 o'clock shadow on his frowning face. He wore a set of black armor that seemed to absorb all light, with a bright white sash across it. There was a katana on his hip that sat in a white scabbard with a white cloth grip. It had seen almost a century of use, though one could not tell by how well maintained it was. What stood out the most about this man was his pure white hair and fur on his tail and ears, and the almost oppressive feeling of darkness around him. Ryan instantly recognized who this was, for there are very few men who are as tall as him. This was the Shadow's Guardian, Masaru Onikana. He was a strict and by the book man, who cared little about those around him. Ryan has had a few encounters with Masaru before, usually as disagreements on policies in meetings or in arguments over how he was running the Exorcist. Masaru was one of the many who thought Ryan was unfit for the position of Grand Exorcist, and he still stands by that belief to this day. They both stared each other down intensely for what felt like an eternity.
"Tonoko." Masaru huffed out in a low tone.
"Guardian Onikana." Ryan said while holding his ground against the much older Kitsune.
"What are you doing in this miserable little village, Exorcist?" He questioned Ryan with a straight and emotionless face.
"I would not call this place miserable." Ryan refuted. "I'm here because I saved a girl from three demons, and stayed to make sure she made a full recovery." Masaru's eyes narrowed after hearing this.
"Three demons huh," He quickly asked, leaning in toward the Grand Exorcist, "I wonder what three demons would want with this girl?"
"I have no clue." Ryan replied, letting his guard down a bit. "It's odd to see three demons target one person, let alone cooperating the whole time. I think they might have been summoned by someone." His gaze left Masaru's eyes as his mind got lost deep in thought while he mentioned that last part.
"Interesting, tell me Grand Exorcist Tonoko, what does this girl look like?" the Guardian asked in a sharp tone. This question snapped Ryan out of his thoughts and made him tense up once again. Looking back into Masaru's eyes he was met with a predatory gaze. The air around them had grown dark and oppressive while noise from the outside world began to be muffled.
"She was a young Neugdae woman with long brown hair and green eyes." He told him without hesitation. He did not know why, but he knew now that Masaru had something to do with this girl being attacked. Their eyes stayed locked for a second as the oppressive darkness hung around them, then as suddenly as it appeared it began to recede.
"Interesting." The Guardian said as a frown formed upon his face. "Well Tonoko, I recommend getting back to your office sooner rather than later. The Inquisitor can't do all that paperwork piling up on your desk." He stepped to the side and began to walk towards the western entrance to the village, the same one Ryan and Meri had come through the night before. Ryan glared at him as he casually walked off. "Don't forget your duties, Grand Exorcist." Marasu gave one final warning without glancing back. Ryan hated every interaction he had with the Shadow Guardian so far and this one did not change that. What bothered him the most was that he knew Masaru could not summon a demon similar to the three he fought, meaning someone else was involved and he needed to get to the bottom of it. He originally wanted for him and Meri to part ways after today, but now he did not know if that was such a good idea. With a stern look upon his face he turned and walked into the cordwainer's shop , and as he stepped in the shop, a bundle of bells rang overhead. Ryan could see the old cordwainer standing over a workbench with his fist clenched into a ball.
"Excuse me sir-" Ryan reached out but was suddenly cut off by a boot flying at him.
"I already told you, you son of a bitch, that even if I knew anything I wouldn't tell you!" The old man yelled. Ryan moved his head to the side and the boot whizzed by him, slamming against the door right behind him. The old man stared at him for a second, realizing what he had done. A frown full of regret spread across his face as his head dropped. "I'm sorry sir, I thought you were someone else."
"It's fine." Ryan said while being over to pick up the boot. "If it's who I think it is, I don't blame you, but you need to be careful with who you throw boots at. Not everyone is forgiving, especially him." He handed the boot back to the man. The man stared at him, frown still plastered onto his face. He sighed and took the boot from Ryan.
"You're right son." He said while setting the boot on the workbench. "Well, what can I do for you son?"
"I'm here to find a sturdy pair of boots for a girl." Ryan said as he stepped deeper into the shop, looking around at all the boots on display. They were neat and well crafted with care. Most were made for long travels, but none were made like his. His were rough and thick, with metal plates between tough black leather. All Exorcists had a pair of boots like his, whether they wore them or not, and each were specially crafted for each and every exorcist. He turned back to the man. "A pair that would last her awhile while she's traveling preferably."
"Well son, you are free to look around, or if you need something custom made let me know." He told Ryan as he began working on a half-finished shoe. Ryan looked around at more of the boots lined up along the shelves. Many of them were made with a light brown leather with intricate and ornate designs on them. He was impressed with every pair he saw, admiring the effort that went into every stitch and design, but that was not what he was looking for. He was not looking for a pair that would draw attention, nor a pair made to impress everyone who saw them. From what he gathered, Meridyth had seen and had many ornate shoes and clothes. He wanted to get her something different. As he continued to browse, he saw them, a pair of boots that were dark brown and plain. Anyone else could have looked by them and not even noticed them, but not Ryan, not when that was exactly what he was looking for. He attributed that to a blessing from Creo himself to find them, and in a size that appeared to be her size. He grabbed them and brought them closer to give them a deeper inspection. They were dusty, as if they had been sitting on that shelf for a few years, waiting for the right time, for the right person to catch their eye. He brought the boots over to the cordwainer and set them on the work bench next to him.
"How much for these?" Ryan asked with a small smile. He was praying it would not be an outrageous price, for he was not a haggler. The old man barely glanced over towards them while he continued working on the half finished pair in front of him. He had to take a second look at the pair placed next to him, and when he did he stopped all work. He recognized these boots immediately, and they brought back a wave of memories. A few years ago he helped his daughter make her first pair of boots. She had chosen a dark brown leather to craft them from, and in her vision, they did not have any of the intricate designs like all her fathers shoes around them, mostly because she was not skilled enough to make them, but also because she thought they would stand out amongst all the shoes her father made. Now she was in Imosuru making shoes better than he ever could.
"I," the cordwainer hesitated, not sure if he wanted to part with them, "well, how's about 20 silver?" That was almost double what they were really worth, and even Ryan could tell. But he could tell this excessive price was not out of greed but something else. He could see it in the old man's eyes.
"That sounds fair to me." Ryan said as he reached into the coin purse tied to his side. He pulled out 2 gold coins and handed them over to the cordwainer. The old man was surprised but did his best not to show it. He stared at the two coins deeply as Ryan made his way towards the door. The old man gazed upon the boots one last time as Ryan stepped out the door, and a small smile spread across his face.