The creaking of the staircase caught the attention of the count, who stood hunched over a plant of some sort. Malia stood by the door, watching her friend concentrate on the nth plant he had created that week. She walked in, closing the door behind her as she did so.
"What are you getting up to?" She asked. Helios looked back, his blue eyes locking with her gold ones.
"I'm curating a plant that heals sea sickness." He answered, focusing on the lilac plant in front of him. Malia simply nodded, not really understanding the new interests. It had been a good two weeks since the Juggernauts had left, and Morte had decided it was time to start a new leaf without Helios being count. A title he still held for familiarity. He dropped in the last few drops of this purple substance, and continued on to the next plant.
"So, what did you come in for?" Malia snapped out of her daze and focused on the man who was now looking at her again. She bounced on her feet one by one.
"Well, I was hoping you'd come to the port and hang out today. The academy is having a last leavers celebration for the ones that are graduating." Helios looked at her for a good long hard minute before sighing. He walked up to the blonde girl and gently held her hands.
"I know what you're trying to do here Malia. You want me out of the isolation, but you know I can't. The damage that I've done is simply irreversible." He reasoned, his eyes becoming glassy as he remembered all the victims he had hurt during those five years. Malia could see his internal battle and she hated it.
"Morte was informed that it was the work of the demon from five years ago impersonating you. The Juggernauts held Alanzor's body up for the crowd to see." Helios' eyes soften as Malia tries to find every reason in the book to have him come out.
Although true that Morte had been informed of that story, and the majority of them had understood and forgave him for the heartache caused by him.
There were still a minority of people who could not look at him without feeling fear in their heart. Until that had changed, and the whole of Morte had forgiven him, he'd remain locked up in this tower of his. Away from his people, his mother and his best friend.
A look of pure determination sprawled across the blonde haired girl's features. No matter how hard he tried to isolate himself, she wasn't going to allow it. She had gotten her best friend back, and God forbid if she'd just allow him to waste away like this.
She was going to go on a little adventure outside of Morte with him. Make him see the beauty of the world he always used to talk about when they were younger. The people were so well mannered that they'd be able to be left alone.
Helios grew nervous as Malia's head was filled with various different bright ideas. A sea based adventure with just the two of them. They'd probably run into the Juggernauts down the line too. Her mind was made up.
They'd become sea explorers. Not pirates. Explorers. She grabbed the white haired man's hands and dragged him out of the room, his futile protests falling on deaf ears. All the man could think of was.....
"Uh oh."