they were covering expenses. So...
truthfully, in that case they were covering it."
She looked relieved, suppressing a grin as new worries struck her,
"I see. Will they... be upset?"
Turning away, he lowered his head a bit, trying to busy himself
with looking at some of the controls on the console before him, "They
ordered my return a few days ago, actually. I took a final withdrawal
of cash, a large one... which I assumed they'd believe was needed for
the return trip. But I dare say they will have--or will soon--cut me
off entirely if I don't report back."
"I see. Will they be able to shield us from the Union?"
She knew the answer before he spoke it, her gaze drawn to the floor.
Placing his hands upon the back of his seat, he squeezed it a
moment. With a shake of his head he responded, "They won't do
anything for us, Ardanna. If I return they will take me before the
committee and have me judged. And for trying to help you they will
find me unfit and maybe even strip me of my powers."
"What are we going to do?"
He hung his head before noticing the sadness in her voice. Turning
back around, he moved towards her, "Don't be fearful," he
said softly, his male voice reassuring, a smile upon his lips as he
brushed his hair back from his face. "I am not helpless. You saw
a glimpse of what I can do back there, didn't you?" He meant it
reassuringly, but the reminder soured him for a moment, "Well,
it's but a small bit. I can protect us. Provide for us." His
mood did elevate again with those last words; he sounded almost eager
to do those things for her.
She looked up at him and, though she obviously wanted to believe
him, she was still filled with fear and doubts, "Where could we
go, Kieren? We'll need cash for... everything, won't we? For flying
this, for..." she frowned deeper. "For food, for shelter,"
she looked up at him, "Is... is there a place I can entertain on
my own? Keep the cash?"
"Yes," he said, slightly deflated at her unease, "There
are many such clubs throughout the galaxy, of course. But... you
don't have to do that. There is always work for a man of my skills
and abilities. Fiato Masters are revered throughout the galaxy for
our unparalleled prowess."
She could feel that she hurt him, and she hated it. She swallowed,
"I'm sorry, Kieren. I just hate that I put you in this situation
and now you want to take all the responsibility for getting us out of
it," she frowned, looked towards him, "I just want to make
things right."
Her words did soothe him--or his ego--and he smiled to her again,
"Of course." Brushing a hand back over his hair, he looked
towards the floor, pondering.
"In the club you had the advantage in the situation over me.
But out here in the wider galaxy," he smiled to her
reassuringly, "I possess the greatest knowledge. It's only fair
after the wisdom you gave me I take some time to help you." He
rose back up and smiled widely to her, "It won't be forever.
But... for now, you can relax. And know I will protect you and keep
you well."
She looked at him as he stood, watching him so carefully,
entranced by his every movement for a while before she nodded.
"Kieren," she paused, looking up at him once more. "Just
know that if you need a large amount of cash... I'm sure you can find
a buyer on a market. I'm still untouched. There are buyers; buyers
that will be kinder to me, alright? So... if we're in a tight place,
just, let me help, alright?"
He smiled at first, glad to hear her suggestion, though when she
continued his smile began to turn to a frown. "Sell... you?"
He said, not that he fully understood what she meant. "That's...
unconscionable, Ardanna!" He blinked in shock, "How could I
do that? Ever? How could I sell the only person I've ever loved?"
Her nose crinkled upwards in her confusion, her head tilting to
the side, not sure what he was talking about. "Not like that,"
she said slowly, her expression softened at his declaration of love,
smiling at him for a brief moment before
truthfully, in that case they were covering it."
She looked relieved, suppressing a grin as new worries struck her,
"I see. Will they... be upset?"
Turning away, he lowered his head a bit, trying to busy himself
with looking at some of the controls on the console before him, "They
ordered my return a few days ago, actually. I took a final withdrawal
of cash, a large one... which I assumed they'd believe was needed for
the return trip. But I dare say they will have--or will soon--cut me
off entirely if I don't report back."
"I see. Will they be able to shield us from the Union?"
She knew the answer before he spoke it, her gaze drawn to the floor.
Placing his hands upon the back of his seat, he squeezed it a
moment. With a shake of his head he responded, "They won't do
anything for us, Ardanna. If I return they will take me before the
committee and have me judged. And for trying to help you they will
find me unfit and maybe even strip me of my powers."
"What are we going to do?"
He hung his head before noticing the sadness in her voice. Turning
back around, he moved towards her, "Don't be fearful," he
said softly, his male voice reassuring, a smile upon his lips as he
brushed his hair back from his face. "I am not helpless. You saw
a glimpse of what I can do back there, didn't you?" He meant it
reassuringly, but the reminder soured him for a moment, "Well,
it's but a small bit. I can protect us. Provide for us." His
mood did elevate again with those last words; he sounded almost eager
to do those things for her.
She looked up at him and, though she obviously wanted to believe
him, she was still filled with fear and doubts, "Where could we
go, Kieren? We'll need cash for... everything, won't we? For flying
this, for..." she frowned deeper. "For food, for shelter,"
she looked up at him, "Is... is there a place I can entertain on
my own? Keep the cash?"
"Yes," he said, slightly deflated at her unease, "There
are many such clubs throughout the galaxy, of course. But... you
don't have to do that. There is always work for a man of my skills
and abilities. Fiato Masters are revered throughout the galaxy for
our unparalleled prowess."
She could feel that she hurt him, and she hated it. She swallowed,
"I'm sorry, Kieren. I just hate that I put you in this situation
and now you want to take all the responsibility for getting us out of
it," she frowned, looked towards him, "I just want to make
things right."
Her words did soothe him--or his ego--and he smiled to her again,
"Of course." Brushing a hand back over his hair, he looked
towards the floor, pondering.
"In the club you had the advantage in the situation over me.
But out here in the wider galaxy," he smiled to her
reassuringly, "I possess the greatest knowledge. It's only fair
after the wisdom you gave me I take some time to help you." He
rose back up and smiled widely to her, "It won't be forever.
But... for now, you can relax. And know I will protect you and keep
you well."
She looked at him as he stood, watching him so carefully,
entranced by his every movement for a while before she nodded.
"Kieren," she paused, looking up at him once more. "Just
know that if you need a large amount of cash... I'm sure you can find
a buyer on a market. I'm still untouched. There are buyers; buyers
that will be kinder to me, alright? So... if we're in a tight place,
just, let me help, alright?"
He smiled at first, glad to hear her suggestion, though when she
continued his smile began to turn to a frown. "Sell... you?"
He said, not that he fully understood what she meant. "That's...
unconscionable, Ardanna!" He blinked in shock, "How could I
do that? Ever? How could I sell the only person I've ever loved?"
Her nose crinkled upwards in her confusion, her head tilting to
the side, not sure what he was talking about. "Not like that,"
she said slowly, her expression softened at his declaration of love,
smiling at him for a brief moment before
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