Key
★>> I'll be using this symbol for Ariton's inner speech/thoughts.
♪ >> I'll be using this symbol for Maevus' inner speech/thoughts.
** >> A past dialogue…
* * * * * * * * *
Ariton picked up Maevus and gently carried her to a bed, Andrew led him to inside an alcove behind one of the large shelves.
"Well this is a discovery", he muttered amused as he settled and covered her with a soft blanket, he gently pulled the pain from her and healed her from the odd twinges of pain scattered around her body.
"You look like a man in love, or at least like someone who has discovered a rare and beautiful treasure", the man from earlier—Andrew—commented.
"You could say that", he answered, "She's like an Ephemeral agrace that freed me from a dark prison", he said softly, as he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.
"Well aren't you poetic", Andrew huffed. "You seem to be very close with her, but I've known her all her life, I've never met you", he stated strongly, a sharp warning resonated.
Ariton smirked, "Well of course not", he answered easily, "We've never officially met", he stated, "Not you, nor her", he said.
"Then how?"
"You're a terrible listener", Ariton noted and then stood up and walked out of the room, allowing his charge (mortal? partner? ★ I'll have to figure what you mean to me Maevus? ★) to rest. He settled on the chair at her desk and allowed the man—Andrew—he'd have to remember, to take the seat of the head, for now.
Andrew hummed, "Go on then enlighten me", he snarked.
Ariton rolled his eyes but nodded; "How should I put this, so I don't come off as juvenile", he paused, "Ah… correspondence, I can say, we have exchanged many mail to each other on the internet", he lied smoothly, "I was to meet the head of the HR as per her suggestion, and due to the unforeseen storm, I reached the museum a bit too late, by then the storm had begun to rage, I had no choice but to seek shelter under the awning of the great building", he begun weaving his tale. "It was at that moment between my wondering of how to find a good affordable hotel, and how to get to it, that she appeared", he grit his teeth at the reminder of how he met her, her tear-stained cheeks, bright curious eyes temporarily distracting him from her grief. "How she even managed to find a driver mad enough to drive through this storm, is a miracle and then some", he muttered, "She had just stepped out of the vehicle, and rushed towards the building. We met half-way, I brought her into the shelter", he paused, "I guess you could say, that is how we met", he informed, "There was no doubt she was terrified of me for a moment there, and then I introduced myself. And since we were both trapped, we've spent some time with each other", he answered, "By then most of my clothes were soaked through and quite useless, my phone itself is damaged and soaked through", he huffed, "As you can see I might not find this apparel appealing but it does keep me warm, which I am eternally grateful for", he praised then and smiled. "Do you have any questions?" he asked then.
Andrew blinked at him, and shook his head, "None that I can think of", he confessed.
"And you don't think I'm lying?" he asked confused.
Andrew shrugged, "Mae has a bizarre romanticism of meeting and befriending strangers across the globe. As a child she used to have pen-pals", he answered bemused lost in a memory, "I'm not remotely surprised she reached out to an Antiquities Expert at CUMAA (Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology), if her curiosity was compelling her", he huffed rolling his eyes, "I think I need to give her another lecture on self-preservation", he muttered to himself.
Ariton snorted, and "It's a good thing she can't lie to save her life", he laughed amused.
Andrew sighed and nodded. "So you've been together for?" he asked trailing off.
Ariton turned to the clock and counted back the moments and to make their story believable, "Hm, approximately three hours", he answered curious about the magical significance of that particular number.
"And so what are your plans?" he asked quietly.
Ariton hummed, "I have no idea, everything I own is ruined and gone", he paused and laughed, "Would you believe me if I told you thieves don't care if there's rain or thunder, as long as they can get their worth", he huffed, "Here I stand before you in borrowed clothes, sans the one bag I had and or my damaged now stolen phone", he snorted again and looked away.
Andrew sighed, and "Unfortunately I'm rather well-versed in the reputation thieves have", he sighed heavily looking past him.
Ariton winced recalling the shattered glass cabinet against which Maevus had been thrown into before he'd lost his temper and almost killed one of the intruders. After knocking them all out and between the discussions of theirs on how to tie them all up, one of the men had moved and pulled and thrown Maevus against the glass cupboard. Had Maevus not commanded him to 'Stop', he would have ripped the man's throat out; instead he threw the man into the nearest wall, uncaring of the blood that spilled, not even lying when the constable had asked why he was bleeding. Rage pulsed shallowly, and he growled;
"I hope you'll make sure they pay for hurting her", he hissed then, focusing on his hands lest he look up and show the other man he's eyes tinted red, if the bloodlust he was emitting was any indication.
Andrew nodded, "With prejudice"; he promised anger rattled between them before they both jumped when a low groan reached them.
★What an odd camaraderie we share… ★
Together as one they turned as Maevus stumbled out of her alcove, "Urgh… I could sleep for a century", she muttered as she collapsed on the seat next to Ariton.
"I wouldn't recommend it!"
"I wouldn't recommend it."
Ariton and Andrew exchanged a startled glance and laughed awkwardly.
"Well at least you made friends", she muttered weakly. "Anyway Bossman, may I write up a report on Ariton and everything else that happened and deliver it to you tomorrow?" she requested, "It seems the storm is letting up, and I think it's high time Ariton and I leave for the day", she paused, "Ah, but…" she bit her lower lip, "Do you have any other plans?" she asked warily.
Ariton shook his head, "Until the banks open tomorrow I am in your capable hands", he bowed, "I trust you", he said simply.
Maevus flushed and nodded, "Right, we're going home, I'm sure mom will be surprised, but I just don't care anymore", she muttered tiredly.
Andrew nodded, and "I'll drive you home—ah, ah", he scolded her again. "No arguments, both of you wait for me at the entrance and I'll drive you home", he ordered sharply.
Maevus sighed and nodded.
Ariton followed her as she walked around the room, grabbed her cellphone and escorted him through the building.
As they walked Ariton hummed, "Why an Antiquities expert?" he asked curiously.
"You said you could find treasures", she answered quietly realizing their voices echoed in the large empty corridor.
Ariton hummed, "And you came up with that?" he asked confused.
Maevus nodded, "An Antiquities Expert is like a treasure hunter, they find and record archaeological antiquities for authentication", she informed him, "If you can find treasure, then you can be the aforementioned", she stated, "Not to mention we've been looking for an archaeological curator and an Antiquities expert for months now, but ninety percent of them are bust on digs and some are even contract bound to other museums so we can't poach them", she answered, "I have actually been in correspondence with a female writer that has a very ambiguous name and her username is 'Ari', if Andrew is going through my laptop, he'll find a month long email conversation going back and forth between Ari and me", she sighed heavily, "Small miracles", she muttered amused.
"Kind of creepy actually", Ariton corrected and hummed, "And I'm a demon", he pointed out.
Maevus shrugged, "After the day and night I've had I'm going to squint at it and think of it as a miracle and I will think about everything else later, I really need to sleep", she muttered.
Ariton nodded, "So tell me who I'll be meeting impromptu at your home?" he asked worriedly.
"Ah", Maevus turned to him, "For now you're going to meet three people, that I will definitely be leaving the entire interaction and interrogation up to you", she vowed stressed. Not that Ariton could blame her;
"My mother Ariannaha Murphy—a renowned scholar in archaeology, she'll probably, actually most definitely will, question you to near death. The woman is a fact checker of the Archaeological Society of England", she started and continued with, "My older brother Scott Murphy; a pediatric neurologist, who generally harmless will probably stare at you like a kicked puppy. As an experienced receiver, it's incredibly uncomfortable", she promised and, "And finally his easily harried wife and my sister-in-law and also your new boss if all things go well", she muttered that last bit mostly to herself, "Maya Murphy—she's the one we have to sell this 'old' friendship and current-partnership to more so than the other two", she warned sharply and then spying their—his future boss, she smirked, "Good Luck!" she teased and skipped away from him towards Andrew.
Ariton genuinely hated the man or more likely instinctively inherently disliked him. Ignoring Andrew he followed Maevus he inwardly admired her cheek;
★ That woman is the devil…The cheeky Vixen! ★