“Thank you, I had decided to move out of the city for my home. Because sometimes I just needed to get away from everyone... For a any number of reasons,” Asran said. “Plus the view isn’t too bad,” he said. Truth be told his house had the best view. As it overlooked the ocean, and he could see the city lights at night. Without hearing any of the noises from said city.

He walked inside, and held the door open to Ayrie. The inside of the house seemed at first warm, and welcoming. But, there was an unmistakable feeling of loneliness hidden underneath. In front of the door a few feet was the stairs that lead up to the second floor. With two hallways to the right, and left Once Ayrie, and Symphony were inside he shut the door. “Feel free to explore while I cook dinner. Symphony should be able to keep you away from anything dangerous in my home,” he said. “I’m gonna get dinner started.” Then he walked away going through the right hallway.

Ayrie spent some time exploring the first floor of the house, finding a few things interesting but nothing of serious interest until she spotted a piano in one of the rooms near the kitchen. She sat down and tested the keys for tune, then began to play a melody she had learned years ago while attending music class. The notes were clear, the melody following her mood of the last few days. When she finished the song she started just playing a random tune that she made up as she went, allowing her fingers to just play what she felt. Symphony sat next to her, watching her play and appreciating the music.

She was much happier than she had been the last several days, and certainly happier now than she had been when she was a child and teenager growing up in the Church. Growing up as an orphan and ward of the Church hadn't been terrible, but it had been boring. She let the melody trail off as she thought of her childhood, remembering the teasing of the other children when she asked questions. The looks of priests and priestesses as they realized she would not be easy to control. The punishments she received at the hands of some of the less forgiving of them.

She shook the memories from her mind and stood, walking to the bottom of the stairs. Gingerly, she started to go up them, taking it easy in order to not pull at her side. Symphony went up ahead of her to make sure there was nothing that might be harmful, and finding nothing he waited at the top of the stairs for her. She walked around the upstairs for a bit, staring at artifacts and magical items in one room, and then finding a locked door she assumed was either his bedroom or a workroom. She was curious what might be inside, but she went back downstairs smelling something delicious coming from the kitchen. She found Asran cooking away, and stood in the doorway for a moment just appreciating the sight.

Asran moved around the kitchen with an ease he hadn’t had in a long time. So he began making one of his more delicious recipes in his repitoure. Which would also take the least amount of time to make. He mixed an array of vegetables, butter, herbs, and spices together. Which soon began to let off a delicious, and inviting smell. Then gently covered it, and set it to a low heat beside another pot that let off little wisps of steam. As to allow what was inside to continue mingling its flavors together.

Then he took a whole chicken, and with expert skill deboned it, and set the remains to the side. As he planned on making a stock with that later. He took the boneless meat, and set it in a large pan with oil. He slowly started cooking it letting it brown before sticking it in the oven to finish. While he did that he turned to the pot left on the stove. He tasted the red sauce, and then snapped his fingers. Knowing it needed something just a bit extra. So grabbed some seasonings from his cupboard. When he sensed Ayrie he simply pointed a finger to a set table.
“It’ll be ready in a second,” he said.
Then pulled out the chicken, and carefully pulled the pot towards him. Then gently ladled the chicken, and juices into it. Then gently gave that a good stir. Then turned to an egg timer, and grabbed serving spoons along with two ceramic bowls. He grabbed some herbs putting it on a cutting board, and with deft skill finely chopped it up. When the egg timer dinged Asran turned the stove top off.
In no real time at all Asran came over to Ayrie. Setting a bowl of red sauce covered chicken on a bed of rice topped with the herb he’d chopped up. Then he sat across from her, and started eating.

To Ayrie's eyes what he was doing was just as magical as anything else she had seen in the last few days. She sat at the table and waited, and when he served up the food she handed a plate down to Symphony and started eating herself. It was delicious, and filling.

"This is wonderful." She said between bites. Judging from the gulps and happy little growls Symphony was also enjoying it. "I wish I could cook like this. I can bake treats, but anything I do on the stove winds up burnt."

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the meal,” he said. “I’ve made quite a lot so if you want seconds there is more than enough.” He then continued eating having this meal with Ayrie was nice.
But, he had questions for her. Mainly if she was having any affects from being Astoria reincarnated. The same as her presence caused him to have. The thing that he’s craved for so many years was right in front of him. But, he couldn’t accept it because he felt like it was screwing with her free will. What if in the end even Astoria, and he were never meant to be together. After all it made sense seeing as despite everything she’d trusted a strangers lies. Versus trying to talk to him about it. He hadn’t even noticed he’d stopped eating for several long minutes to think.

"What's wrong? You've been kind of quiet..." She said, looking at him staring at his plate as if he thought the meaning of life was in it.

"I don't want to pry, but if there's anything you want to talk about... I know I'm not really her but... Ugh, it's hard to say what I mean. I feel as though I've always known you but I know that I have only known you a few days." She looked down, not sure what else she could say or do.

“That is where the problem lays. We don’t really know each other. Yet because you’re Astoria reincarnated there are these feelings. That should be earned not something that just poofs itself into existence. Because fate or whatever the hell dictates why these feelings should exist. It’s frustrating,” Asran said putting a hand to his face. “Not to mention unfair. I’m supposed to move on, I’m supposed to forget the feelings. I should hate Astoria, and everything to do with her for betraying me. Yet I cannot bring myself to do so, it’s perverse.”

"I'm sorry..." Ayrie said. "Is there any way you can look at me as just me? Not as her? I'll try not to act on feelings that are not my own if you'll try not to think of me as her."

She thought that she could separate her own feelings from the memory of Astoria's feelings. She had already begun to be attracted to him before, but had thought he was off limits to her. Now she wasn't so sure, but she knew she had to go slow.

"I like you Asran. Me, Ayrie, not just the memories I have. But more than that I care about you, and I want to be your friend... Even if," she paused, "even if that means that I should stay away for a while."

“It makes me sick with fear, and worry. That you’re love is caused by the fact your Astoria reincarnated. Not because of her memories, but something that runs deeper. That my own... What if it’s a cosmic joke? What if when or if we got through with falling in love. That something like the curse will happen again? What if we are just meant to suffer? I don’t want that, I don’t want that to happen to either of us.” Asran shook his head deeply his fears may seem insane. But, ever since Astoria he could not find it in his heart to love again. Yet here Ayrie was, and here he was falling in love with her.

Ayrie watched his face as he spoke, feeling a deep desire to comfort him. This time she didn't stop herself, and she got up and went around the table,(silently asking Symphony to give them some privacy) she went to his side and put her hands around his face, gently turning him so she could look him in the face.

"One thing I know is this, you and I are part of the balance of things. The universe brought Astoria's soul and memories back in me, not to play a trick on you, but to restore balance and justice. To repay you for your unecessary suffering." She looked deep into his eyes. "I do not know if something else bad will happen, but if it does I don't think it's to punish us, I think it's just the nature of our power. It's our duty to create balance, and so there will always be something trying to stop us."

She moved her hands to his shoulders, gently rubbing them to release tension.

Asran looked at her with such worry filled eyes. But, slowly he calmed after shutting his eyes he resting his head slightly into her hands. “Thank you,” He said softly. Then looked up at her again he loved her, and it worried him. “I just wish I knew if I fell for you. Or if I fell for the woman you were reborn from.”

"We'll find out." She said simply, caressing his cheek. "I'm not nearly as impressive as far as looks or power, and I have a less serious personality. You'll probably get tired of being around me sooner or later."

She heard Symphony slink out of the room, having finished his meal.

"We can take things as slow or fast as we want to, Asran. There's no deadline on the stages of a relationship."

“Nah that doesn’t seem likely. It’s like taking care of an adorable puppy. Who doesn’t quite know how the world works just yet,” Asran teased with a smirk. He then turned to his unfinished meal. “I’m still starved so I’m gonna finish my meal. You should do the same. I mean I did cook it for the both of us,” he said.

She punched him lightly on the arm for the puppy joke, but giggled and went back to her side of the table. "Careful now. At least I'm potty trained."

She sat down and finished her plate, then served herself seconds as the meal was really good, and she was starved.

"So I suppose if we're going to get to know each other it's best we start talking about things not related to the past." She said. Then looked at him, "Besides cooking what does the great Asran like to do?"

Asran laughed, and mock rubbed his arm as if it hurt chuckling. Then watched her sit down making him laugh more at her joke. “Well you are at least there’s that,” he smirked.
Then turned to his food, and started eating he went to get seconds, and then a third share. As he was recovering his strength. He looked at his hand as it felt so much stronger than it used to. He then turned to look up at Ayrie when she mentioned something about them getting to know each other better.
“Well, I like to garden as it’s calming. Along with going fishing to not only enjoy tasty fresh fish. But, for the same reason as gardening it’s calming. With how hectic it can get with running Cornopa I need to have calming hobbies. Otherwise, I think I’d pull a wrath and slam someone’s head through a wall with how helpless the people on my city can act without me.”

"I can imagine the responsibilty. All the petty squabbling and the neediness of some people." She thought about it for a few minutes. "Now that you are better, will you go back to helping children?"

She knew his main priority now would be going after the Angel, but she also knew how close to his heart he held helping kids out of bad situations. She had heard of some bad situations in border towns where kids were forced to work in coal and salt mines, sometimes with little or no food or water.

“I have plans of helping children. While also planning how I am going to get my revenge. Though if the opportunity arises to get some petty revenge by say, destroying a temple filled with particularly nasty priests of his. Well, who’s to say I won’t enjoy eating a few of them. They give him power, but then they’d give me their power,” he said smirking evilly at the end.

Ayrie shuddered a little at the thought, though she knew that he would go after those who deserved it.

"I would like to help you with that, if you'll let me. I was a child in the Church, amd while my experience was not that bad, I met many who were not as lucky as me. I would like the chance to help the orphans under the Church's thumb."

Thinking of some of the children who were 'transferred' from other monasteries and temples to get them away from certain priests, and the priests who were hidden away so that the public could not rise against the church over their indiscretions made her blood boil. She had been lucky that the majority of the priests where she was were only zealous, not cruel.

“I don’t wish for you to get involved with that. It’ll only cause you problems, especially if your soul is Astoria’s. Eventually as your power grows you’ll become a light,” Asran said simply. As if Ayrie helped him with it then those of the light would come barging down his door to purify him to remove his taint from the light. It’d happened previously with Astoria, and he’d barely been able to fight them off when he was well into his prime.

"Well, whatever I can do from here then." She said. "I'm looking forward to learning more about my power. Symphony has told me that he can teach me quite a lot, more even than Astoria may have known. I guess as a sprirt he has gathered quite a lot of knowledge from all over."

It also helped to know that if she got into trouble he could take control of her power through their link as well, though he had said it was a last resort method of helping her.

"He seems quite excited to be here and help me actually." as if on que Symphony strolled back into the room and lay down at her feet beneath the table. His fur was warm next to her skin.