Chapter 11: Welcoming
A few blocks down of quietly following, the girls finally made their move. “Hey cutie,” the leader opened with as she quickly stepped up on his open side, lacing her arm around his. “Where you off to?” she purred while she came around to lock her violet eyes with his, her free hand pushing Alura back to knock her bag’s strap off. “Want some company?” she pushed her red hair back from her eyes as she pressed her body in the low cut dress against his chest, and her face closer so their noses were nearly touching.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iyP577OGl
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“Madam,” he tried to sound gentlemanly although he was growing frustrated by her mind he wished his would stop reading. “I already have company, as you can see.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxGThPa8uj
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At this same time, Alura had released a noise as her bag was swiped off her arm before she could pull it back up by one of the two and growled as the second took hold. “Give it to me now.” She snarled as she bared her small half demon fangs at them. With his help and him using another bit of magic, he pushed the redhead off him and reclaimed Alura’s bag as well as her hand into his. 728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHmiYoF5Tb
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He cleared his throat and pulled Alura close against his side. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have somewhere to be.” He stepped away with the brown haired young woman held close to him. 728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0T3yayrdw
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The woman in yellow curled her fingers and tightened her fists while glaring after Marenzo. “No wizard is telling Rose Leena no.” She huffed as she put her fists on her hips, thinking over before getting an idea. “Gilia,” the brunet perked up. “Tina,” the blond perked up as they both listened for instructions. “Go and buy me a serpent’s dagger from the rat in Tol, then meet me at my slumber home.” They both nodded and were off. She also was off but it was in following the pair to see where they were going while keeping a greater distance from the pair.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyOGyyQQVh
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“Are they still following us?” Alura softly questioned to her friend. Silently he barely gave a nod of his head. “Why can’t they leave us alone?” she sighed.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9r9qpHJoz2
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“Because, they’re girls,” Marenzo responded without thinking and quickly regretted it as he got a glare from Alura. “Um…you know the crazy kind and not the smart, intelligent and lovely kind.” I swear we need to work on your smooth moves, idiot.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3OQMsSibn
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Alura did not look the least bit impressed or fooled. “Uh huh, sure, you just keep telling yourself that and see if this ‘girl’ lets you near for anymore closeness time.” She began to pick up her pace to put a small bit of distance between herself and him.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYYTS2Tz8B
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He released a breath and caught up to her. “You are just being fussy because you’re hungry so let’s get lunch and we can find a place to rest to make sure we aren’t followed to a hotel, okay?”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnUH7ItQQA
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Alura thought this over then nodded. “Okay, let’s find a place to eat then start asking around to see if anyone knows anything about Nightrayne.” He was glad for this agreement and they made their way off to see what eateries were in walking distance.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYMnsKHwKd
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At the open diner they each ordered something simple while listening to the quiet chatter from other eaters around them. After they got their meal and proceeded to eat, Alura eyed the waiter thoughtfully. Marenzo looked up from his meal eye his friend and, after a bit of invading her mind, spoke up after swallowing. “You can ask if you want but be discreet, please?” he requested gently.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQfOjnGJtJ
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“I am the most discreet person you’ll ever meet.” He rolled his eyes with disbelief of that statement. “Excuse me,” she waved over the waiter.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GLoVgiHFZ
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The man in his thirties returned and looked a bit concerned. “Is there a problem, ma’am?”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKZ0nLWYOU
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“No, all is fine,” she assured, “but I do have a question.” The man was confused but nodded and politely listened. “Have you heard of a man named Synto Nightrayne?” she paused upon seeing the confusion growing on his face at hearing this name. “He’s an old friend of the family and,” she quickly grabbed Marenzo’s hands which caused him to fumble with his fork while slurping up some noodles with haste. “We wanted to let him know we were engaged.” She grinned despite the shocked flushing on the wizard’s face.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg8diSgWL9
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“Hey since when-ow!” he hissed after his shin had been kicked under the table as she wanted it to be convincing to the worker.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXW156XqBt
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The waiter watched them as if they were loony especially in hearing the soft whispers through their teeth to one another. Everyone’s insane to everyone that isn’t them. He reminded himself as he released a breath. “I must tell you I have never heard of a Synto existing in the present years. I do recall my great grandfather telling horror stories about the nightly croen that would harm the wicked, but other than that I’m not able to provide you with any help ma’am.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Cc8cbkh0
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“Oh…”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXjDmb8aOY
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“Is there anything else I can get you both?” he questioned while straightening his vest.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwHWpaIOBN
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“Nope, we’re good. Thank you very much for your help.” She responded with a small sweet smile.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwkKgY6y6F
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He nodded and began to step away before pausing and whispered close to her ear after lifting his hand by his mouth. “Ma’am, you may want to put on your ring. Without the ring then it appears you are lying about any engagement since he has a ring.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIP5Fmnr4v
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Alura’s cheeks flushed and a tiny nervous chuckle left her mouth. “Oh, right, thank you. I guess I lost it on our way here.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhne4VlnySS
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“Ah, no problem. I would recommend going to the Lillypond Jewelry that sits along Yulin Street.” As he explained he pointed in the directions they would go from the eatery.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AoBZRzllr
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Marenzo gave a kind sounding chuckle as he softly placed a kiss upon one of Alura’s hands which made her cheeks blush brighter. “Thank you, we will be going right there after we finish our engagement meal. Then later,” he looked at her lovingly, “we can discuss our future as well as how many children we plan to have.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuPuyFvGRI
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“Well, we also do catering, so if you need one for your wedding, then don’t hesitate to call.” He then took his leave to help other customers.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnusQoTBTrI
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“Oh we’re going to have such a wonderful future together, my dearest love~” Marenzo cooed before snickering which was soon interrupted by another sharp kick, this time to his lower leg right on the bone. “Ouch!” he hissed and released her hands as did she so he could rub his sore throbbing limb. “That wasn’t nice to do to your future husband.” He complained with a pout.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Oz8YmQkx
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Alura huffed and began to eat her meal quickly. “Well I never asked to be your wife so deal with it.” She grumbled with food in her mouth before swallowing and continued.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtwub4urs6
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Well I didn’t ask you to go off and make up some story without thinking it through, either. He thought sarcastically.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxuLNZVsFv
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Once done, they paid the bill and left to make their way to the jewelry store with Marenzo insisting they had to get a ring now or they’d need to change up their story. “Come on, we can just say I don’t want to lose it so I don’t wear a ring.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGXdoOdZ5E
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“Nope, you said we were engaged so we need to get you a ring or it’ll look weird for a newly engaged, just broken up couple to be hanging around each other so much.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1vf6Q6cv9
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She groaned at his matter-of-fact tone and attitude as they looked at the different rings. “Who’s paying for this, just so I know?” she questioned while starting to pull her bag around to open it.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcCHDGt4HY
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“You,” he bluntly responded as he picked up a yellow sapphire ring. “You know I don’t have any money.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BprvzjwhR
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“But your family is technically rich.” She began searching through her bag for the money pouch.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQFfEtM96C
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He sighed as he set the ring down. “You forget, I was banished from my family so me getting to any of that money legally is zippo.” He turned to set his eyes on a ring with three turquoise colored topazes.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfM5y3VWaj
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Alura rolled her eyes and counted her money. “I have almost ten thousand relu left.” She looked around after feeling the shop clerk’s eyes on her. She came to a stop when a particular ring caught her eye. “Hey, this is unique.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfg3bdG9Y8
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“What’cha find?” he inquired while coming over and pushing back his silver bangs.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dOsvk20Eg
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She picked up the piece of jewelry that had a matching set of earrings and necklace, to show Marenzo. “This,” she gently touched the smooth angles of the stones. “Isn’t it beautiful?” he nodded and she turned her attention to the clerk who had checked out another customer. “Excuse me but what gems are these?”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDhuhoekeT
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The clerk looked and left the counter to come over to the pair. She lifted her glasses and adjusted their thin frames to look at the stones. “Ah, you have a fine eye my dear miss. The stones are an ocean garnet and a forest amethyst.” She pointed first to a rich blue-red stone and then to a stone that was an odd mix of both a green hue with the common purple tones an amethyst was known for.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9jj3NfQLA
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Alura found the price and she nearly jumped with her hair sticking out on end. She gave a polite yet uneasy smile due to the cost. “Um…could you recommend something that’s on the lower price scale?”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWup1BLwll8
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The clerk raised an eyebrow as she took the jewelry from the young woman to return it to the shelf. “I do have pieces that are more priced for the lower income couples.” She removed her glasses and they followed her to the counter where they looked at the jeweled, un-jeweled and simply engraved with flowing designs. They looked the rings over and decided on a pair of matching rings with a reddish-green garnet stone.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfkIN5nSUY
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After paying the thousand relu for both, they left with Alura messing with it some as she wasn’t used to the feeling of jewelry or not a ring circling her finger. “Quit playing with it.” Marenzo ordered as they walked along the street, his own rings moved so the garnet set on the silver band was on the correct finger. She grumbled complaints about ‘how it was easy for him to say’ since he always had rings on. They would continue for some minutes into an hour of exploring the city before locating a building that looked to have some unused rooms. “Shall we?” he asked while wrapping an arm around her waist.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrheSxcPjE2
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Alura nodded and he teleported them both inside, picking a stable room on the second floor and released her so she could walk around the wood floor area. “It’s kinda dusty.”728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9YaCP3w08
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“But it’ll do for one night so we can leave early and book a room in an actual hotel. This keeps the chances low for that woman to pester us.” He made his way over to peek out the window and watched as Rose passed by the building with a hateful glare. He didn’t take his eyes away from the window until Rose was out of sight as she was heading to her slumber home, a small mansion-like building on the upper side of the city. “She’s much too high class to come into anything that isn’t spotlessly clean.” 728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElvL5tt56n
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The sun was slowly falling as the time of the afternoon slipped away from them which allowed for a cooler air to start settling in. Alura nodded and softly began to rub her arms some before being approached, then pulled close by Marenzo who lead her over and sat against a wall in a corner. He used magic to set her bag down beside them as well as another to make a blanket appear from her bag. “I don’t remember packing a blanket. How did you do that?” she questioned with suspicion as he gave an innocent yet guilty smile.728Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSjXJtlGjH
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“A wizard never tells his sources.” She frowned and hit him lightly in the chest with her fist before resting her head on him, letting him cover them both up with the quilt patterned covering for warmth. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head softly on top of hers as he closed his eyes. One day it will work out that I can tell you. I hope anyways. “Goodnight, Alura.” He muttered and heard her softly respond in her sleepy voice. He soon, as the sun set, drifted to sleep as well. Unknown to them both was the book had filled out some information inside its binding while they had been in the jewelry store.
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