Fancy lights and red carpet were never Aria's thing. She didn't like them one bit, thus while walking into a fancy restaurant where only the finest of Athenian citizens dined, she felt a repulsion deep in her heart.
The clatter of real silver, the conversation in polite hush whispers, and the hint of lavender in the air, the jumble of it all had her cringing at the lips and a bit anxious in the heart.
'I don't belong here...' She thought, and she spared no time to let her lover know.
Grabbing Raven's hand just as a waitress was about to show them to a table, Aria urged him to follow her outside. Although perplexed, Raven did as she demanded and followed her out. But even as they sat back inside the carriage, Aria refused to speak for a while.
She'd been struggling to adjust to their new lavish lifestyle–one of the many reasons why she'd spent nearly all of her time at Helga's house ever since moving into the mansion as well.
"What happened?" Finally as Raven asked, she leaned back into the padded seat and while looking up heaved a heavy sigh and answered.
"I don't like this...not one bit," turning her head towards Raven, she wore a bittersweet smile. "I'm sorry, it's just not what I expected. I thought a date would feel much better, yet somehow visiting these places, especially that restaurant, makes my skin crawl as if a million rats are running under it."
Even though he'd already sensed her hesitance, Raven assumed that Aria was willing to try something new. But with that proven false, he rested a hand on her shoulder and decided to comfort for a moment.
"Alright, what do you wanna do? Something that would help you calm that anxious heart of yours," he asked, feeling her heart pounding just from placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Hmm? What do I wanna do huh..." Unsure herself, she turned her head around with a chuckle. On the other side of her seat, however, her eyes laid on the gauntlets that had yet to be tested. For a while, she simply stared at them, but slowly reaching for the cloth and unveiling them both, she picked them up with a light smirk on her face. "How about a spar?"
"What?" A bit perplexed, Raven drew his hand back.
"They belong to them?" Raven asked, only just realizing that both the girls were half dragons.
"Just get in, I already have a guest!" She announced, motioning them to get in quickly.
Walking right in, the two wanted to ask more about this guest, but with Markus clearly visible inside the living room, they didn't have to ask. Sitting on the couch with his helmet set on the coffee table, the man turned spirit was holding a mug full of steaming coffee.
"Didn't expect more company," he said, staring at the duo with his necrotic green eyes.
"I didn't either, until I sensed her nearby..." Quickly shutting the door behind them, Helga moved up from behind the duo and took a seat on the opposite section of the couch from Markus. "Anyways, you two can have the yard for a while, go ahead and play while us adults talk."
Curiosity bubbled between the two, yet they remained quiet for now. Walking through the house to reach the backyard, however, Aria couldn't help but ask.
"What is he doing here?" She said in a whisper.
"Maybe we can find out later?" Raven replied before grabbing her hand and taking her for a strange date that included sparring with each other.
In the meantime, Helga and Markus sat facing each other. Both had many things going inside their heads, after all, the dark knight was there to discuss something Helga would've never expected in a million years.
"You wanna retire as a king's guard?" She asked again, but his answer remained unchanged.
"I wanna retire as a knight altogether..." Both knew that was a lie, yet their conversation continued.