meeting astor

The child approaches, and there is a guard? Or at least, it appears that he's guarding.

Though, a question follows.

"Hello."

"What's in there?"
(Ambrose Roche)

Aristidis adverts his gaze towards the child. "Ah, this is Silverfall mines, behind me is the entrance." The Astor would state with a nod.
(Aristidis ven Astor)

The mines?

Weren't those supposed to be occupied by workers all around? Perhaps that was the case further down below, but even then...

"I see!"

"Why are you guarding those?"
(Ambrose Roche)

"We are currently at war with Achyon, I am here to ensure they do not enter the mines." He'd state in response.

If they were to enter the mines they'd see their fair share workers, yet up on the surface Silverfall could be considered an outpost for Osrona.

After all this place was the source of most of Esshar's ores!
(Aristidis ven Astor)

War?

So the rumors were true. He's seen plethora of soldiers all around- some injured, some grieving, some still somewhere out there. Perhaps Esshar was just as war-torn as he's been told.

"I see..."

"Tell me about this war. How it's been going?"
(Ambrose Roche)

"Mmhmh." Aristidis' eyes narrow in on the child, in all fairness Osrona's defeat still was something that would take a long time to get over. They lost too many people that day.

Far too many.

"You're a bit too young for me to tell you about war." A simple way of avoiding it with his lingering feelings. "It isn't something any child should have to partake in."
(Aristidis ven Astor)

Perhaps that was so.

But it's not exactly the reason why Ambrose asks. He could understand the horrors of war, and even surprisingly well- and yet..

"No, it's-"

"Not because I plan to participate." Not right now, at the very least. He still had too much growth to strive towards before that would even be possible.

"I want to know how it goes, and what's likely to be happening."

"So that I can prepare."
(Ambrose Roche)

A deep breath would be taken. "Very well then."

"These mines we are standing on now, thousands of people died here a few years ago." He wouldn't coat it, if the child wished to prepare then he'd be honest. "Achyonites, Osronans, women, children, men."

"War does not spare any."

The Astor pauses, and then continues. "And that was only the second battle."

"Years prior, before I was born - or just born - another assault on these mines happened, and even more died then." His eyes shift towards the child. "The ground you stand on, you must prepare yourself to realize that not only you, but those you care about will die right where you stand."

Perhaps it was gruesome, harsh, and too detailed for them, yet such lessons were taught to the Astor at a very young age, and the wisdom would be passed on to those he could.
(Aristidis ven Astor)

Gruesome.

To one's surprise, he doesn't seem all too shocked about it. Truth be told, he just watches with relatively calm eyes- although a small frown appears.

But why?

"It's okay.."

He rolls up his sleeves a bit. Beneath them are the old bruises - still healing, riddled with the odd markings of various burns. It's almost as if some tried to mark him..

Like one brands a cattle.

"I know how it's like."

Did he escape from somewhere? Did he flee a particularly horrible place? It's the likely explanation, but in any case...

"It sounds horrible."

"Is there a plan against it all?"
(Ambrose Roche)

"Boy, come here." Aristidis' tone changes, it sharp, it is sudden. The words of the boy go on deaf ears as his arms were revealed.

Burns and bruises, marked, the Astor simply shakes his head. "Let me look at those wounds. Now."

While normally he would've engaged more into the conversation, this took priority over everything, he wouldn't allow a child to walk around with injuries like this.
(Aristidis ven Astor)

"..."

It's reasonable that he would be concerned, but these are not the wounds he could do much about- when Ambrose begins to step closer, these brandings were definitely not fresh.

His flesh has healed over it, no doubt, but it left the scars. Whoever did that to him clearly had an intent to mark him down as a sick joke.

Someone's possession.
Someone's cattle.

"I don't think you can heal it..."

"It happened years ago."
(Ambrose Roche)

"Let me see." Yet that request was simply an order as well, as the boy came up to him Aristidis would take one of his arms, his hands would flow with light.

The boy would feel the touch of Holy Magic coursing throughout him.

Up and down his hands would go, examining the wounds and doing what he could yet it wasn't much, he wasn't a certified doctor but he knew people that could do more.

His eyes shift back up towards the child.

"Who did this to you?"
(Aristidis ven Astor)

The Holy light is almost blinding.

Unusual to him, for he's spent his life away from such things. If anything, it's something that he couldn't even tell how to treat before him..

It felt..
Strange?

But the question that comes summons a certain reluctance. Almost unwilling to speak, almost afraid. Yet, there's an answer.

"...Bad people."

"Far from here." Far from Esshar. In fact, not even on this continent.
(Ambrose Roche)

"Do not be vague with me, boy." Aristidis would state. "You are with me, a member of the Astor family, they cannot touch you." No matter where they were from Aristidis had the blessing of both Leonaus and Maltizel, a divine beast and a angel.

"Give me the details."

The Holy Magi's mana bolsters, doubling down on the situation. He'd seen injuries like this from war, all too common, and yet to have these wounds inflicted upon a child?

These weren't just 'bad people'. They were the ugliest of them all.
(Aristidis ven Astor)

"..."

There is further reluctance to that. A single speech here and now does not undo years of subjugation and absolute dominion over his body and mind.

Whatever Aristidis attempts to deal with, it's deeply rooted. It's not as simple as just easing the physical pain.

".. no."

He steps away, anxious. Perhaps even afraid, now - for it seems as if he doesn't want to step closer again.

"They'll find me again."

Who does he speak about, that could have him so afraid?
(Ambrose Roche)

"Find you again?" Aristidis questions, more and more clear does it become that this wasn't a simple issue. No, it was something much more. "Boy, if I so desire I could have the entirety of Osrona come to my aid." He'd boisterously proclaim. "Whomever did this to you will simply be nothing but a past memory."

"They cannot find you again, and even if they do they'll have to go through every knight and keeper to put their hands on you."

A lie, yet, one needed.

"Do not fear rule your life when salvation is right in front of you."
(Aristidis ven Astor)

It felt so quick.

Overwhelming. Such bold declarations could be re-assuring to some, but to Ambrose, it feels all for naught. Where Ambrose hailed from, such would be simply impossible.

For perhaps Aristidis has good intentions only, it's by far not enough to break the deeply rooted fear.

"No!"

He steps away even further- a shudder passes his body, but he tries to remain in control.

"You don't know how it's like.. when you don't know if you'll see tomorrow light ever again."

There's a lingering pause and silence. Ambrose realized that Aristidis had good intentions, but still, he simply...

Wasn't convinced.

"..This is too fast."

"I don't believe this. I don't believe you can."
(Ambrose Roche)

"You are right. I don't." Aristidis was raised in a manor, everything he ever needed was handed to him. Such was the life of a noble, especially that of an Astor.

He never went hungry or cold, he was well off and then some.

Yet even as the boy steps away, Aristidis remains still, even if he tried to run the keeper was certain he could catch up, and he'd drag him to Osrona by force if needed.

"I'll never know if I won't see tomorrow because of the light I already cast, for I am hopeful that with each and every day that this world will improve."

The Astor takes a single step forward. "It naught matters what you believe boy, you are just a sapling."

"What you believe, and what I can already see far outweighs you, now stop being a fool." A hand is outstretched. "Come with me to Osrona willingly, or I will pick you up by your collar and force you to get aid."
(Aristidis ven Astor)

There is a certain frown to his features that comes with it.

Why would Aristidis have to resort to threats of forcing him back to Osrona? If anything, he was willing to occasionally visit the Shimmering City, but now... it felt like they were going to just detain him.

"..For what?"

"Are you just going to lock me up, like they did?"

A certain distrust to the statement he made, but then again... unfortunately, Astor's wording wasn't the best in this scenario.

"I don't mind coming around occasionally.."

"But don't threaten to just drag me in."

That, most certainly, does not earn his trust.
(Ambrose Roche)

"Lock you up?" Aristidis states. "No, we are going to take care of those scars and get you on the right foot for life." He'd state with his hand still out stretched.

"I refuse to have you, a child, aimlessly roam around the sub-continent in fear that some group of people are going to kidnap them again." He was forceful, who ever these people were needed to be stopped, and if they got their hands on him...

Well no, he refused to think about it.

"You don't need to stay, but you need to have those wounds looked at regardless of how old they are."
(Aristidis ven Astor)

He hesitates, still.

It could still very well go wrong- perhaps with Aristidis actually intending to force him to stay, or even deciding to lock him up after all. The earlier declaration that he would do that to him didn't do well in easing his worries.

But he responds, still.

"..I can't stay there at all times."

"I have a living to make, coins to get. I need alchemy reagents to practice and whatnot..."

"I don't want to just mooch off someone."

There was no intention for him to sit around at all times and wait like a damsel in distress. Quite frankly, he would rather learn all that he needs to know to make it on his own.

"But.."

"Okay.. I'll tag along."

At least for now. Maybe it was worthwhile.
(Ambrose Roche)