Kiori and Rylee shared many laughs just like in the old days, and for a little while, Kiori was even able to forget that he was an assassin, still armed to the teeth. All of that melted away when they talked about everything from embarking on epic quests, to the best kind of foods, to the best kinds of sticks to "sword fight" with. But, such rapid fire conversations would inevitably peter out, and they were soon left in a calm, relaxing silence. At that moment, Kiroi's mind was at ease. There was no reason to think about difficult things like how to survive, or what they were going to do next; he was here, he was human again, he wasn't alone, and that was already more than he had dreamed was possible. Then, Rylee asked a strange question: what if?

Kiori had never thought about such things in the guild. In fact, he forced himself not to think of such things; contemplating everything he could have had and comparing it to what he had in the guild was a recipe for depression, and that was the path to becoming a true monster. But now that he was free, now that he actually had some choices in his life, he supposed it wouldn't hurt to think about it. He didn't answer Rylee right away. He looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and gave the question some serious thought. For almost a full minute, he sat in quiet contemplation before he spoke. "Well, the fact that we were able to rebuild our friendship despite everything proves that we were in no danger of losing it. Over a decade of not even knowing where the other is, compelled by the guilds to turn against one another, and yet still friends. I doubt there are many people in the world who can say they have a bond like that..."

Kiori fell quiet for a little while longer, but it was clear that he wasn't done answering. "I suppose if we had a bit longer together we'd have shared our first kiss. You know, like kids do just to see what all the fuss was about. After that, I suppose anything is possible. Even our little story... who knows?" Kiori caught himself off-guard with that last sentence. He had really only meant to say that anything could happen, not that they would have ended up getting married. However, as he thought about the prospect, just as a possibility, a could have been, he found himself smiling. "Ah, there's one thing I forgot. We would have had a dog. I was bugging my dad about it for the longest, and he said when I turned thirteen he'd get me one, and of course he would be as much your dog as mine. But, I guess we'll have to wait a while on that one." His answer complete, he wondered why Rylee had asked that in the first place. Was there something she wanted to hear, or was this just a part of the "training" to make him more personable?

Kiori's initial response while not answering what she asked wasn't wrong, only a few days ago they were locked in mortal combat, then before that neither of them existed in the other's world, not anymore. Here in the present both him and Rylee were back to having fun, just enjoying some worthwhile company in each other. She would've been satisfied if that's all he said, in this reality and all others they will remain close friends forever. Amazing really, that they share a connection so potent, so timeless that when all other bonds would break they survived. He fell silent, she was about to reply, maybe to thank him for quieting her mind, that is until he continued.

Rylee was shocked, or just surprised... she didn't know how exactly she felt, by then that sense of confusion wasn't unfamiliar, still what did Kiori mean? They would've shared their first kiss, that's what he said... that is what he really thinks? In this reality with Rylee the Constable and Kiori the Assassin they have never kissed, they never had that relationship, what if in another timeline the facts would be reversed, living a normal, peaceful life as an actual couple. From the back regions of her mind echoed a single thought.

She wanted that.

Rylee chuckled, admittedly an uneasy one. "If we had a dog, I would name him Pickles, weird name yeah? Ever heard a dog named Pickles? No? Well that's why I would name him Pickles, a cool unique name no one would ever expect, and I'd like surprising our neighbors. Heh, wouldn't mind being odd and strange, better than being boring." Her bantering was about normal, however to her it felt a little stilted, there was just too much weighing on her, she was thinking too much still. Gradually she started inching ever closer to Kiori, partly not to startle him, however more importantly she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. After some second guessing, some hesitation, that head of hers crowded. jam packed with a combination of hope, and doubt, all wrapped up into a Pandora's Box, if she decided to do this there will be no turning back.

She laid her hand over Kiori's, with a little luck he wouldn't pull away... right? Rylee's breathing deepened, perhaps not noticeable to him, yet to her it felt like she was nearly suffocating. She was deadly quiet, the longer this lasted the more embarrassed she felt, then before long she looked truly flustered, cheeks feverishly red. Rylee wasn't looking at Kiori, no she was starting directly at the blades of grass beneath them, this was her last chance to forgot everything, just keep to the status quo... She swallowed her rising panic, opened her mouth, then spoke clearly as she could manage.

"What if we kissed now?"

"Pickles, huh?" Kiori said with a small chuckle. "I guess it's a bit more original than Wolfie." He expected the two of them to go back and forth a bit about what they would name their hypothetical dog, but then Rylee fell silent, which was unusual for her. He gave her a quizzical look, wondering what would make her look so uneasy, and then he felt her hand on his. It was unexpected, but not startling; as relaxed as he was, his body wouldn't instinctively draw away from her touch, but for some reason he felt something... abnormal. His body tensed up a bit, though Rylee was sure not to notice in her flustered state. kiori looked at her, trying to garner some clue as to what he was feeling from her face, but she would not meet his eyes. They were holding hands, she was blushing and timid; Kiori may have been ripped away from society, but he was no idiot. His intuition told him exactly what was coming.

Despite that sudden comprehension, when Rylee spoke, his pulse skyrocketed. He could no longer look at her, and he felt a cold sweat developing on his body, but he didn't move away. "Rye, I..." he started to speak in a choked voice, but even that little bit tapered off. He had no idea what to say. Sure, he had sweet-talked and caressed more than a few courtesans as a reward for his service, but he never knew any of them, and had never cared if he saw any of them again. They existed in his life merely to fulfill a physical need. This coming from Rylee, though, was completely new territory. He didn't even understand what he was feeling, or even that it was possible to feel the way he did. It was something similar to fear, but without the dread and drive for self-preservation that so often accompanied it. In fact, it really wasn't fear at all, but what he felt didn't really matter. What was he going to do?

It was one thing to fantasize about getting married and starting a new life, but fantasies had no consequences. This question, regardless of how he answered, changed them. Even if he refused, he was sure that they would still be friends, but their friendship would forever be tainted with the shadow of unrequited love. Kiori didn't want that. He didn't want anything that could potentially hurt Rylee in any way. But to go forward... he just wasn't ready. Then again, when would he be ready? Would he ever be ready? Hell, the way Rylee looked even she wasn't ready. Kiori mustered up all of his willpower and forced himself to look at her again. He looked even more scared now than when she faced an assassin at sword point, and for the first time he noticed just how beautiful she was. "If we kiss," he said at last in a soft, shaky voice, "then I suppose we'll have a little bit less to lie about."

With that, Kiori had made his decision. He took a deep breath and gently lifted Rylee's chin so they could see eye-to-eye. He wondered if he was breathing as hard as he thought he was, if he was shaking as much as he thought he was. One thing he did know, though, was that he was tired of being a pawn of fate. Twice already circumstance had abruptly thrown him into a new life. This time, he would take a step into one of his own accord. He leaned forward a bit, but hesitated, his heart a cannon in his chest going off in rapid succession. He had a choice; was this really what he wanted? He found the answer in Rylee's clear, glowing eyes. Right now, all he wanted was to make her happy. There was no more hesitation. He interlaced his fingers with the hand that had been delicately resting on his, gently caressed the back of her head, and gingerly pressed his lips against hers. Then, he wondered why he had been afraid of this in the first place.

The wait was almost unbearable, was he going to say no? Did she royally screw up? Did she just destroy a friendship returned from the brink by wanting more? Rylee dared to take just a glance, Kiori was looking away, he was looking away. What did this mean? Did he feel the same, being too embarrassed to face her, or was he straight up disgusted wanting nothing more to do with her... She can take it all back, it can't be too late, all she had to do is force her best smile, force his attention, then say something along the lines of, "Haha you silly boy you, falling for that..." or something.... Rylee was more than panicking as she truly believed that right there she just lost her best and only friend, she was terrified, more terrified than when she faced him in the tavern. Then he gave his answer. He didn't say no.

Rylee couldn't even fathom a response, she was so utterly and totally lost she couldn't make a sound. Instead being completely dumbfounded she peered right into Kiori's eyes, what she saw was determination, he was serious. She didn't know what to expect, for her while she desired this, so badly that before now she didn't even know she wanted this, yet it was something else for these desires to come true. She allowed him to make all the movements, besides her body wasn't about to comply to her commands both flesh and mind were paralyzed. He laid one hand behind her head, and his the other, still caught by hers, curled around her fingers in a tight grip, now they really were holding hands. He leaned forward, then it happened. They locked lips.

If her mind was blank before, it was gone now, absolutely nowhere to be found. Everything felt numb, from head to toe and back. Rylee's eyes were still open, pupils dilated tenfold as they were personally reacting to the stimuli she was currently experiencing right there in that moment. This was a kiss, not just that... it was her first kiss, and maybe even more important then that it was their first kiss, essentially a contract proving they are much more than friends, despite all that's happened their feelings and love culminated into this single place in time. To Rylee this was pure, unadulterated, bliss. She didn't know how long they were locked in their embrace, yet when they backed off, their first kiss over and done, Rylee wanted it again. Now working under her own will, using her remaining free arm she hooked it around Kiori's neck to bring him in once more. She initiated the act this time, this time her eyes were closed simply to block out unnecessary information for she only wanted to feel his warmth, this time her actions were overflowing with passion, squeezing him so tightly as never to let him go, not ever again.

This second kiss lasted longer, partly due to Rylee's unwillingness to allow it to end, however it had to end for an unflattering reason at that, she needed to breath. She sat there facing Kiori head on, this was it they were lovers now, girlfriend and boyfriend without a doubt. From then on they couldn't leave each other, that cannot be a possibility, not ever. Still locked locked together, Rylee knew she had to say something, it probably should be profound, it had to commemorate this new life they will share together, yet... in a typical style of hers what she said was nothing too groundbreaking.

The meekest "Yay" of her entire life.

For the next few moments, Kiori felt more alive than he had in his entire life. All the privilege and luxury that came with being a member of the world's most powerful guild was but a fading ember vainly mimicking the dazzling sunlight that he was now baking in. A primal vital force coursed through him, waking not just every nerve in his body, but every strand of aether that composed his soul. He was alive! And he regretted nothing, neither invoking the ire of the guilds nor daring to step beyond the nostalgic friendship he had so comfortably set up a roost in. If he saw that as happiness, then he was blind and ignorant of what was right within his grasp. This was love, and it was worth casting away everything he thought he valued for just one moment of it.

And if that first kiss was a drop of heaven's nectar, the second was a full chalice. Rylee returned his kiss with passion as unbridled as their conversation. It was well that they were sitting, because this would have literally swept him off of his feet. She wrapped her arm around him, he tightened his embrace, and the fact that they were both leaning into one another was probably the only thing that kept them from falling to the ground in their reverie. He let Rylee have full control of the second kiss, letting her passion wash over him, letting it wash away all the memories of blood and pain. There was no past, and he could care less if there was a future; time was completely gone and all that existed was right here, right now. The pounding that Kiori felt, was it his heart or was it Rylee's? Was there even a distinction any more? But, inevitably, they dissolved back into reality with the parting of their lips.

The kiss was over, but Kiori didn't let go; he didn't want to let go. He was still stunned by the unfathomable surge of emotion he had just experienced, and he was in awe about the strange sensation that now lingered. Something had changed, but he could say what. He was still Kiori, she was still Rylee, but they were different. He had seen plenty of "lovers" in his travels before, and had heard the word thrown about too many times to count, but now he was finally beginning to understand what the word meant. And then the time came for words. Apparently it wasn't even easy for Rylee, so how was he supposed to say anything. Well, he supposed that he could fall back on her earlier advice and just say what he was thinking. "Rye, so long as we're together, I don't want you to be afraid. I swear, no matter what, I'll protect you." It was nothing poetic, nothing creative, but it was sincere. No longer would they be trying to survive. Now, they would be trying to live.

The newly minted couple just arrived in the village proper with Kiori taking the lead, after their life changing kiss the two of them decided it was about time to enter the village. Personally Rylee would've been more than happy to stay like that with him, tightly wrapped around him, so close she could feel everything from his body heat, to the beat of his heat, and to sound of each breath of his lungs. She knew he had to feel the same way as well, it was different from when they were only friends, Rylee had the sense that she can understand him much better for they have truly become much closer, she can trust him beyond what was previously thought possible.

Although... Rylee had to admit, she wasn't too sure how she should treat him anymore. Should she try to be constantly loving, always expressing her love by throwing herself at him through more embraces, or should she just keep things how they've been, simply joking around to have fun, though of course while still finding moments to be intimate. For the time being she shouldn't stress those aspects of their relationship, they just begun maybe it'll simply take time to become used to their new status, by her own words she probably should act naturally.

The village looked quite different from when they stood at a distance, as expected. While not suffering it was clear these people could fare better. Many of the homes were dilapidated, some were at an angle due to years of soil erosion, others had roofs slightly curving in from many days of rain. The buildings that at one point were painted looked to be faded now, the walls were covered in scratches and dirt. The villages themselves for the most part seemed to be in good health, no one was obviously starving or deadly ill. If Rylee had to guess due to the village's isolation, and relative lack of wealth, taxes from the Guild could be minimal as such the lack of tax burdens probably helped to improve their lifestyle.

No one seemed to care about their presence, all expect one man. He was clearly very old, his hair wispy and white as spider silk, his muscles were atrophied attesting to the man's advanced age. His clothing was extremely worn, a hemp shirt and pair of hemp pants with a leather vest as an extra piece. He wore no shoes and as such his exposed feet were filthy, caked in clay and mud, toenails yellowed as they were infested with fungus. The elder squinted, eyes that expressed deep wisdom peered from his ancient face, which was covered in many scars and lines. "We do not receive travelers, why have you come here?" His statement was to the point, his voice was rasping and wheezing. This old man wasn't too pleased to see strangers enter his home.

With Kiori in the front it was only natural for him to respond, and Rylee wanted him to speak for them, it was good practice to intact with someone other than her. She took a few steps forward and with both hands she grasped his shoulder. She gave a reassuring and affectionate squeeze as to signal he should talk. If Kiori were to look back, Rylee would express a soft, knowing smile, letting him know it was alright, she was right there in case something were to go wrong.

Kiori had been truly happy when he and Rylee sat their in each others arms, and traces of that bliss lingered even as they walked into the village. Part of him wanted to just forget everything and stay like that forever, but once his voice of reason kicked in, he could deny reality no longer. They needed supplies, and they needed to brace themselves for the imminent battle. However, something changed in Kiori when he thought about it, now. No longer was he sullen and grim at the prospect of fighting the guild; victory meant a longer future with the woman he just realized he loved, and that lit a flame deep within him. It wasn't a beast-like ferocity that he was capable of unleashing as an assassin, but a staunch confidence that dared anyone to harm what he held dear. He and Rye both wanted to live a peaceful life together; he would make that happen.

As an added bonus, Kiori no longer seemed to carry himself as an assassin as he walked. Although assassins never wore any special marks or revealed their identities, people just knew when one was approaching them. So, the old man that welcomed them to -- or rather berated them for having the audacity to set foot in -- his village either had the courage of a mamma bear protecting her cubs, or was proof that Kiori the Assassin was fading away. In fact this tiny, shriveled, frail, prune of of man commanded respect such as he hadn't felt except from Guildmaster Mallik. Although he didn't slouch normally, his posture reflexively straightened. Was that normal for a hunter? If not, he could just call it respect for his elders or something. He felt Rylee grab his shoulder, perhaps to reassure him, but he wasn't so lost that he couldn't handle a basic statement of business. Kiori was glad that the old man was to the point, and it was perhaps the easiest question he could have asked.

"My name is Kiori, and this is my wife Rylee," he began, flawlessly recounting the tale of how they lost everything in the wildfires. From Kiori's perspective, it was a perfect telling, not missing one detail. What he didn't realize though was that a hunter who had barely escaped with his wife and scarcely any belongings would probably not be this calm and composed so recently after losing everything. "Respect for elders" wouldn't exactly be a good excuse here either. Still, he finished the story. "And so, we came here hoping that you would be able to spare us some supplies, and perhaps a place to rest our heads." Now it seemed that they were at the old man's mercy, and Kiori glanced back to see either Rye's approval or dismay at his story. As he looked at her, though, his blood ran cold. How could he have overlooked something so obvious? It was such a glaring hole in their story that could leave him immediately branded as liars. How shrewd was this old man? Did it only seem obvious because of his training as an assassin? Either way, he hoped their host couldn't recognize a constable's sword when he saw it...

The ancient elder didn't react, instead he continued to eye the couple suspiciously, he may be an average man without skills comparable to Kiori or even Rylee, yet he had many more years of life experience. Rylee felt nervous as she waited for his verdict, even if Kiori remembered their story word to word, the old man may turn them away regardless. After a few more carefully measured moments, their greeter waved his hand way in disgust. "Keep your orchestrated story to yourself, I see past your lies, and the two of you should be left to the wolves." Her heart sank, they couldn't do anything about it, and this puts them in a dangerous position. Instinctively she clutched Kiori's shoulder even tighter, maybe out of fear, or maybe an automatic reaction to comfort him.

The elder was about to turn away, his word absolute, but stopped before gazing upon them once more, specifically he focused on how close they were to each other. The man sighed, as if he were having second thoughts, again silence passed as he thought deeply once more. "Yet..." He continued. "I can see not everything is a lie... even if not married, a young couple cannot be left to die." Rylee was surprised, why did he change his mind so suddenly? Even so it was irresponsible to look a gift horse in the mouth, as she was about to thank him profusely, he held out a hand for silence, he wasn't finished yet. "At the very end of the road you will find an abandoned home, it is yours for the foreseeable future, before sundown I will have the supplies you so desire delivered." With that the old man was decisively finished, and wanted to deal with them no longer given how he ambled away, not even to await for a response.

Rylee pulled Kiori towards her, her face absolutely beaming with happiness, they did it, their first part of the plan was carried out, admittedly not without issue, but they had a temporary home. "We did IT" she tired whispering but couldn't contain her excitement, as her voice was still quite loud. Suddenly she threw herself at Kiori for another hug, or perhaps not too sudden since they were considered lovers now. Rylee proceeded to continue whispering, still being somewhat loud. "Kio you did great back there, I mean I understand why that old man knew we were lying, the whole thing looked to be rehearsed, but you were able to talk comfortably, plus more importantly he's letting us stay!" The whole time she never was aware about the fact her sword was still worn openly.

Kiori clenched his teeth as the old man called them out on their act. He couldn't blame him; there were too many holes in the plan. Dread welled up in his gut, though, because now he had no idea what to do. It would be hard enough fighting off an assassin at full strength, but it would be impossible if they were tired and malnourished from trying to live in the wild. He was prepared to throw all of his pride aside and prostrate himself before the man, begging for just a shred of mercy, but fortunately he didn't have to. Despite instantly seeing through their lies, he agreed to let them stay. "Thank you sir!" he called out, but the man was not interested in hearing their thanks. It was a rare man that could pull of a personality that was simultaneously callous and benevolent.

The next thing he knew, Rylee threw her arms around him, relishing in their small victory. Kiori returned the hug and let out a soft chuckle, but was far more composed about the situation. It was fine for them to enjoy the moment, but now they would have some serious work to do. He blushed slightly at Rylee's praise, but he didn't want to lose too much time celebrating this small step. After all, this was the easy part. "What do you say we take a look at our new house," he said, once it seemed like Rylee's excitement began to ebb. He followed the old man's instructions down to the end of the road, and there saw a small hut that could qualify as a "home" only in the most liberal sense of the word. The building appeared sturdy enough, and at least seemed to be free from rot, but apart from a roof, it had little else to offer.

Kiori pushed open the door to the hut and peered inside. Perhaps there had been two rooms at one point in time, but if so that wall was taken down. There were a few cabinets, the frame of a bed with no mattress, and a single moldy chair inside. Fully furnished, the hut would likely be cramped, but as vacant as it was it actually seemed moderately spacious for the two of them. That was good, a bit of room would be useful for their preparations. The hut also seemed to be out of the way of most of the village's traffic, and was only a few steps away from the wilderness. Also a good feature. From this location they should have no problem telling when the assassin was coming. Kiori gave a satisfied nod, then said, "What do you think?"

Their dwellings wasn't perhaps what Rylee expected, yet at the same time she figured offering anything too grand would've been over trusting on the old man's account. She nodded in agreement. "It really doesn't look like much, but considering we've slept in the open for the past few nights I'd say this is a good upgrade." She took a closer look at their one real piece of furniture, that being the overgrown, musty chair, and well just from that glance she knew it was probably a poor idea to actually use it. "But... I think we will need to do some cleaning first, and maybe find some proper furniture, even a box would be a better chair than this chair."

They would have time for plotting later, to her it was important to have a livable space, may it be technically a hideout and not a permanent home, it was still their home nonetheless. Rylee started by trashing their chair, yet rather than throwing it she decided it could make decent firewood for colder days, instead after taking some time to smash it to pieces she piled the remains in a corner of their hut, it was a little damp but if given some time she was sure it would be usable when needed. The cabinets looked to be in good condition, unfortunately they contained nothing, seemed the previous owners really did clear out. While they didn't have much in personal positions, Rylee stored both her constable's coat and sword, although she did keep her knifes on hand, running around unarmed didn't seem to be a good idea.

Kiori was attending to his own jobs, they haven't verbally agreed on what they should do, as such she just allowed him to take care of business. By using tree branches she gathered, Rylee swept dirt and other pieces of refuge that couldn't be picked up by hand, it was rough to say the least like being unable to reach into corners, still when done the entire area looked that much cleaner for her efforts. Rylee stopped for a moment to take in their situation, this had been their plan for a while, find a village to hide in until discovered by an assassin, yet in a way all that changed. Kiori meant much more to her now, that being one difference their newly formed love, but also to her it didn't feel like they were fugitives, no it felt like they really were getting a fresh start.

"Kio?" Rylee started. "I know how it is, how we're actually hiding just to survive... but, well I kind of like this, us cleaning a home together." She started to laugh, well more like a giggle. "Remember that other reality, the one where we're normal people living a normal life? I have a feeling we would've gotten together anyway, that we would be moving in together in the same house like now, but you know in a much nicer place of course." Kiori the Assassin would never had this causal of a conversation with her, good thing he wasn't Kiori the Assassin.

While Rylee went about cleaning the inside of the house, Kiori decided to tackle the outside. First and foremost, the windows were caked with dirt and gunk, so he scrubbed them off good, inside and out. Next, he hoisted himself onto the roof to clear it of all the leaves and debris that had accumulated there; if left unattended, it would eventually start to rot and eat away through their roof, which was kinda the most important part of the house. Finally, he scraped away the moss that had begun to grow along the side of their house, again defending it from being devoured by the relentless forces of nature. As with any house, there was an endless amount of fixing up that could be done, but it looked like all the pressing issues outside had been addressed, so he headed back inside to see how Rylee was doing.

With the addition of clear sunlight and the absence of filth, it looked like a whole new building. It actually looked like it could be quite comfortable with a couple of pieces of furniture. But that bed... it would be better to sleep outside than on that frame; at least the dirt was soft. Maybe he would be able to think of something once they got some supplies. Kiori turned when Rylee began to speak. "Well it's definitely a nice change of pace," Kiori replied with a smile in regards to cleaning up the house. Then she went on to talk about more of those what ifs. It was fun to dream, to think about things you didn't, or probably couldn't, have. However, now they had it. "Let's not talk about that other reality any more," he continued, walking over to Rylee and wrapping his arms around her in a gentle hug as he got close. In a way, it was almost painful to think about that particular what if at this point; just the idea of how much time they had lost was depressing. "We don't need that one anymore." Then, he gave her a sly grin. "Plus, if you keep talking about getting together with that other Kiori I might get jealous."

Rylee responded with a kiss, though this one was just a peck to the neck. "It's good you get jealous, let's me know I'll never lose you to someone else." She said this with a mischievous smirk, then she threw herself into the embrace already initiated by him, her arms of course wrapped around his body, and her own pressed up against him. They stayed like this for a while longer until Rylee decided enough was enough, of course like always she could stay like that forever, but eventually they'll need to take breaks. Rylee pushed Kiori away, in a playful manner needless to say, still grinning the entire time. Then with nowhere else to seat herself, considering she broke down the only chair, she practically skipped away to a corner of the room to sit in, after much of the dirt was cleaned away the floor was manageable.

"So..." Rylee started. "Now we got ourselves a tiny home, what's next?" She could think of a few things, they needed to prepare for the assassin's arrival which meant they also need to prepare to run again. Things like stockpiling what they don't use could be a good idea, with just the two of them she imagined they wouldn't be using everything they revive, especially if they ration. What's more now they've gotten this far it was time to figure out what they should do after leaving this sleepy, seaside village since obviously they couldn't return afterwards. It was then it really did dawn upon her, they were no where near to being done with the Assassin's Guild even if they were to escape now, the guild would only send another after their heads, then this cycle would continue either until they're dead or the guild give up, she knew the guild wouldn't guild wouldn't give up easily. Yet throughout all this she was going to be with Kiori, more than ever surviving to see past this ordeal, they will spend a full life with each other and that was a promise to herself.

It would have been nice if they had time to just enjoy their time in this quiet nameless village -- maybe the village elder would even grow to like them -- but there was still something important they needed to do to prepare for their imminent visitor. "Now," Kiori began, "we start sharpening your fangs. You still have those knives I gave you? Get your sword too." He wasn't naive enough to think that he could turn Rylee into a master swordsman over night, but there were a few simple things he could show her that would tip the scales in their favor. "The first thing you need to do is prepare yourself mentally. If the assassin is smart, he'll come when we're sleeping, which means that there is a fifty percent chance that you will have to detect his presence, or more likely ward off his first attack, and if I am sleeping his first attack will be aimed at me." The coldness was returning to Kiori's voice. As much as he wanted to start over and live a normal life, he needed the assassin. He needed the calmness, the calculation, the capacity to kill. He didn't want to frighten Rylee with the prospect of crossing blades with an assassin, but these were simply the facts.

"There is one thing working to our advantage right now," he continued. "The window is facing the woods. If he attacks the hut, he will likely do it from the window, since that will give him a line of sight before he enters. When you are on watch, listen for silence. You won't be able to sense his approach, but the animals will. If ever the woods fall completely silent, wake me immediately. With that said, he may attack immediately if he sees you react to the silence, so be prepared for that worst case scenario. Are you alright so far? How are your nerves?" At the end of his plan, he tried to mellow out his tone a bit to show Rylee that Kio was still there. "If that's all clear, let's practice." He sat down and leaned against one of the walls, as he would if he were going to sleep. "The assassin just crashed through the window and has a strike aimed at my chest. The noise wakes me up, but I won't come to my senses in time. Show me what you'll do." This was the best way to do things. Instead of teaching Rylee entirely new techniques that she would have no hope of mastering, he wanted to see what her instincts told her to do. Building off of that would be feasible.