Asd stepped back into his attic dorm room for the first time in over a month; it was surprisingly clean and well kept, but even if he realized that he wasn't exactly too keen on coming back here, at least not in the manner he did. For some reason, or so Chelsea had said to him, he was now a person of interest to the Emperor, and for the life of all that was scared to himself he couldn't figure out why. None the less he was shackled once again, a sergeant in the army, or better yet the navy of the sand sea, it was all kinds of fucked up. The were-scorpions of Ahmet were notorious; they literally were the stuff parents used to scare their children to sleep now he had to go fight them.
He shook his head as he sat down on his bead, his eyes gaining a faraway look in them as he considered his options. Running away from the academy was one thing, they couldn't exactly go after him as he wasn't a slave but rather a student. There really wasn't much they could do to him in that regard, so he would be totally and completely free from their clutches on the premise that he lives out the rest of his life as ordinary with no chance at all to be taken in by any other force. At that point joining the military as a foot soldier would have been the next best thing, or perhaps just buying land and running a farm.
But then the military got involved and everything got a whole lot more complicated. There was no escaping them, Asd knew they would chase him to the very ends of Boria. Not stopping or resting until he was in a prison where he would never see the light of day again till he withered away, or worse; executed and killed on the street like a common dog, made a spectacle of in front of everyone else. He was stuck, the empire might not be all powerful but he knew their reach expanded everywhere. Maybe it was his inherent fear of them that was making him think so, but he had to face the reality. Running away from a military post without being discharged would not be an option for him, not unless he was left with no other choice.
[Master? So what will we do next?] Gaia asked as she floated out of Asd's body her wisp form flickering in the small draft of wind that blew through the attic.
"There isn't much we can do Gaia…. not much but to grow stronger, learn, get to the 1st circle and then report for military duty. Wherever our path may carry us from there, we will let the wind decide. But for now our choices as limited if not out rightly made for us. I just got my freedom, living my life on the run would do me no good. I- "
*Knock! Knock! *
Asd held his breath as he looked towards the door. For a moment he was scared, his heart stuck in his throat before he calmed down. He was in the academy, nothing could get him here, so it would be better for him to calm himself down. He squared his shoulders and moved to the door, then asking with as much steel as he could muster in his voice he asked.
"who is it!" a small voice Answered, and in that moment all of the tension in his body faded away.
"It's me…. Harris…. Asd; please open the door it's cold out here."
His heart began pounding even more as he quickly unlocked the door and wrenched it open, and there she stood. She looked different, her hair had been cut short and had taken on a purple hue that shimmered under the dim lighting of the attic. She was dressed in a simple white dress that was almost see through, his heart throbbed as he moved forward and swept her into a hug. She giggled as he spun her around, moving with even more grace as he used his heel to swing the door shut.
"you shouldn't move me around too much Asd, I'm still a little sick you know." He stopped, and gingerly brought her down like she was the most delicate thing in all of existence. he half her face as he opened his mouth but no words could come out of it. Tears rapidly pooled in his eyes as his lips quivered, she looked fine, but it didn't change the fact that she was targeted by some bitch because of him, she almost died because a spoilt brat who was torturing him got hurt in a situation that was accident and her own doing. He felt his fury just as much as he felt relief to see Rhea back on her feet, but he wouldn't let his mind be clouded by dark thoughts, right here right now she was right in front of him and he wouldn't let anything distract from drinking the euphoria of being in her presence.
"I thought I was never going to see you again." He finally managed to croak out with his throat heavy, but all she did was place a finger on his lips as she said to him.
"I didn't come here to talk Asd. The last I was in this room I made you a promise my love, and I'm here to make good on my word. And besides that i-i... I really missed you. So no talking tonight my Lion, just be with me, as it's supposed to be." Asd swallowed audibly as he took a step back, watching with rapidly widening eyes as Rhea took off the dress on her body. she caressed his face and stood on her tip-toe, gently letting her lips brush his and sending a shiver down his entire body. she smiled, and in that moment Asd knew she had him ensnared, in front of her and her love nothing else mattered. Not. A. single. Thing. At. All.