The man just tilted his head slightly, barely taking note of which god was invoked. Or how casually it was done so. His hand seemed to move slightly towards her but then whatever light was in his eyes dimmed slightly, and it dropped again. "You are mistaken" he finally murmurs, in a voice that sounds defeated, "I was never royal. I only...worked for them." With a sigh, he remains silent for a moment

He watches her form flicker, and his expression seems to be slightly more understanding. He was surprised, sure...but neither his spirit, nor his situation allowed much room for being overly reactive, "...But that doesnt matter anymore, does it? They are dead." The words sound final, but in that tone, a bit hollow, with a face of shame.

And then he simply turned and began walking away from the capital city, "..you seem to invoke gods' names so casually... Then I suppose I should give you mine, though I have shamed them."

He pauses in his walking and stands taller, looking up into the sky, "Aria, the goddess, the song of bravery...Thorus, the sword, the god of warriors. I have shamed them." he repeats softly, ut firmly, before turning back to her, "...I have...but I am still going to walk with you and protect you."

---

---

She led the way down the street, her footsteps not leaving prints but small plumes of dust. “Royal, worked for royals, I have yet to see a difference myself.” She listened as he spoke of the gods, debating telling him about her own, and a couple lies would have to be in order to prevent something stupid from happening. The gods, she had found, didn’t like being spoken much of. Invoking their names was another story though.

“My family raised me to speak of the gods as if they were mortal just like ourselves. For us, there was no fate worse than a god with an ego… not that it matters now.” She kept walking, not noticing that he had ceased in his walking. Or noticing and ignoring it. One of the two. She knew he had seen the flicker, and now she had to tread carefully; at least in her mind.

He sighs, feeling like the shame on his shoulders has doubled. No doubt he had garnered the gods attention by speaking their names. But he had hoped sharing with her would have gotten something from her. But it had given him nothing, only seemingly her continued indifference. His shoulders dropped as they continued to travel.

"To not know the difference is only ignorance." He sighs, but otherwise had no other intention of speaking. It was no longer his place to profess an oaths or give assurance, and doing so would have no effect here. Clearly, the one that had saved him...held some sort of animosity within her. He supposed that he only got lucky that she felt like it.

He wondered if he would need a new god.

---

---

After a moment she stopped and turned to him, shaking her head before speaking. “I’m sorry. I’m usually not this much of an awful person. There are many things I am due to learn in this world and perhaps it will not be so bad having you by my side, if you wish?” She meant her words, having set herself on this path by saving him. Her instincts were still insisting she ditch him but she was going to give him a chance. He knew too much to be ditched now anyways.

And you make sure you don’t die by being nice to the guy who has a weapon and us probably twice as capable when it comes to it, Kaiyora Min. Even if he doesn’t get to know your name.

....If he needed a new god, which one should he swear himself to? The penitent? The reborn?

...What would he swear to them?

As he contemplated the new direction he needed to go, he barely registered that they had continue to travel, let alone the silence.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts as she spoke again. He responds with a weak smile and a nod. "Being informed will serve you well. The first lesson...is that working for royalty does not give you the title. Only blood does. Or...taking over through force and killing the ruling family. That is why its important to know that the family is dead. And knowing this, you know that I get none of the benefits they would have gotten. And neither can I ascend the throne, as a royal could."

---

---

She frowned, not at all getting it but accepting it so she could avoid much more of a lecture. She was tired, after- she yelped as she tripped over a rock, managing to catch herself but huffing. “What are the chances you can teleport?” She guessed pretty low, but one could hope. If he couldn’t teleport, she knew she was too drained to walk for much longer. Only if I get desperate. She told herself.

He watches her as she stumbles and sighs, coming up closer to her. "You're either resistant to magic, or were near death before I cast rejuvenate."

He kneels down briefly, sweeping her off of her fet and into his arms, where he held her gently. "...chances are...fairly decent. I can't cast anything fancy though, so it might not get us very far before I run out of magic."

He nods forward, "I just need a visible target. and.."

He tenses slightly, keeping a firm grip on her. "Teleport"

In the blink of an eye, they were on a new section of road, though it seemed very similar, there was a tree with a branch overhanging next to them that wasnt before. He grits his teeth, "...in my state. I can probably cast...three more."

---

---

She gave a huff but allowed him to teleport her. Better than doing it herself and getting hurt or worse. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it I was both. We’re close though. Don’t bother with your magic.” She glanced around then decided stupid things would be her best bet. “You can bother to carry me though. As much as I hate the idea, I’d rather not fall and break my ankle.” With that she shifted to her fox form and jumped onto his shoulder, small enough to fit- barely. Her three tails flicked against his back. To the naked eye she would appear as a cat, but she of course was not. She had used the last of her magic’s patience but it was worth not collapsing.

He nods slightly, internally grateful that he wouldn't need to push his magical limits.

And then surprised, and made grateful by her transformation. The relief showed on his face. "Thank you...now, which way?"

---

---

She lifted a paw and pointed in a direction. It wasn’t much longer before they would come across a clearing in which stood a small cottage. The cottage itself look rather rundown, as if it had been abandoned for years on end. Kaiyora jumped down off his shoulder, shaking the magic off her fur to reveal her real form. At this point she didn’t care what he did and didn’t see of her. She trotted up the steps to the cottage’s porch and the door creaked itself open. She sat down, her three tails wagging as she waited for the other to enter.

The man would silently follow the direction her was given. There were no questions asked, just the offered trust in the interest of survival. His stride slowed though, as they approached. Even as the fox girl ran up to, and entered the building. HIs eyes took in its appearance, and the surrounding area. This wasnt too far from the capital...had he known of this place?

...he didnt think so.

Slowly, he would enter in after her, "this home...?"

---

---

The little fox gave a happy bark then darted over to the couch and curled up on a pillow. She would let him look around or do whatever; she was exhausted. She lifted her head briefly to give him a slow blink before laying her head back on her paws. She would trust him, she had decided. They both wanted to live, after all.

The house gave in inviting creak, a blanket sliding from off the couch back to over the small fox. The house itself was pristine, as if somebody had lived there. Nobody had for years, but it maintained itself. The door shut gently, not locking though there was a soft click. It could have seemed like the house was… excited?

The ex-knight had no idea that this place had been unoccupied until recently, and just assumed that it was the fox's place to live and had been for a while. His nerves, still heightened from the fact that his entire world had been destroyed and he would surely still be in danger if he were ever found out, led him to be a bit jumpy. He paused and stifened as the house creaked and moved around him, especially when the blanket moved on it own.

It was strange and alarming, though he curiously noted that nothing around him felt malevolent. Looking around a bit, he eventually sighed and took a seat himself, one close to the door. "well...it will be nice to rest..." he says, his voice giving away more of his weariness than he had been aware of projecting.

---

---

The house watched the man, taking note of how tired he seemed as he sat. It gave a quiet groan and waited a few moments before returning to tending to the small fox spirit. The blanket tucked around her, sending her to sleep in a split second. It would've offered the ex-knight a blanket but didn't want to alarm him farther. Instead, it pulled its curtains shut, dimming the room from the light outside so he could sleep easier if he did wind up sleeping.

He looks over as the curtains are drawn to a close, "oh that's..." he sighs and then yawns, " that's.... nice. thank you." he is quiet a bit and then chuckles "...though, I dont know who....or what....im thanking."

He keeps looking around, taking in the surroundings, but clearly, the ordeal has taken its toll, and he soon passes out"

---

---

About four hours later, the small fox woke to the smell of cooking bacon. She noticed the man sleeping and knew she would have to be quiet as she investigated. She slipped down from the couch, trotting into the kitchen to find the house cooking food. That… totally adds up… cooking house… then again I can’t expect any less, She shifted to her semi-human form, though she kept her pointy wars and three tails as the house offered her a fresh plate of food. It probably had found some food in its cellar, Kaiyora figured.

“It was kind of you to draw the blinds for him. He needs the rest.” She spoke to the house quietly, her voice much lighter now that she was rested. She was trying to avoid waking the man up, wanting him to sleep as long as possible. At her words, the house gave a quiet happy creak as if thanking her for the praise.

Sleep was deep, but not peaceful.

With each creak and groan, he moved, but would never remember it. Instead, he would tense or tremble due to the nightmares of his own mind. He had been a knight, of course. A trained warrior. Combat was not something new. Death was rare, but also not new. Seeing everything irrevocably destroyed, and a castle's worth of bodies...that was new. That was too much.

Finding the throne room had been enough to send him running.

At such memories, while he was internally wailing...on the outside he was just somewhat groaning with the mental pain.

---

---

After a few minutes, Kaiyora decided that now was a good time to tell the house to wake him. With only a few murmured words, the house was quick to use a blanket to poke the man's face. Kaiyora sat herself down on the porch to eat the pancakes the house had given her. How the house knew how to cook was not something she had the capacity or will to fathom at the moment. It was her first proper meal in a while so she didn't exactly care how it was done.

Already on edge, it didn't take much. At first touch, the man's eyes flew open and he gasped with a cold sweat. For a moment, his surroundings didn't register. His mind was still flooded with memories and nightmarish imaginings. He didn't try to find out where he was, he looked around for a threat, or whatever had touched him.

For a moment, he stayed still and tense, hands grasping onto the arms of the chair, read to move.

However, after a few breaths, it didnt seem like anything was happening. Then he began to see the house. He began to see the furniture. He began to remember where he was.

Finally, he could take a deep breath, which he held for a long moment, before expelling his tension.

SO it's with a sigh that he finally sags in his spot, and gives a little murmur. "what's going on..?"

The house gave a little wave with the blanket then pointed to the kitchen. It could heat up some pancakes in a couple minutes, if he wanted. The house did still smell like cooked bacon. A gentle breeze rattled the windows somewhat. Kaiyora, still on the porch, was nowhere to be seen. She had taken her fox form and was just resting in a patch of sun.