7 Taking In and A Hint of Love

Meldy, Lilly and the King are on the other side of the gate when one of those guards fly out. Then they feel the ground rumble. "What was that?" Meldy asks. Then Argus walks out from the gate. "That takes care of that. But…" Argus looks at the king. "Right I thank you for saving me but I feel your actions were harsh." The king said. "Do you want to go back I can arrange that." Argus says. "Argus thats the king your speaking to." Meldy says. "Meldy you've known me a day now what have you learned about me." He says. "Uh… right. But um…" she wants to mention his journal but is unsure how he'd react to the invasion of privacy. So she stays quiet. "Meldy it's good to see you again though I wish I was better dressed." The king says. Meldy realizes she's still wearing a towel. "Uh….I" she's flustered. "No forgive me for being underdressed. But Argus didn't give me anytime to change." she says. "Oh right I forget humans had shame on such a strong level." Argus said. He reaches into a gate and pulls out a robe that's emanating great power and he passes it to her. She slips it on and then removes the towel. "What's this soothing feeling." She asks. "Oh that's the robe I sleep in it's enchanted with a regen effect. Anyways…." Argus gets cuts off by Saia and Silica entering his room. "I thought I heard you guys." Saia says with a beaming smile. "Lilly!" Silica runs up and hugs Lilly. "We'll continue this talk later. Saia could you make some of those steaks for all of us?"  Argus asks. "I'm already on it." She says looking over everyone. "Who are those two?" She points at the helpful guard and the king. "Oh" Argus faces the Guard and asks. "What's your name?" "I'm Seben and I just want to say I'm not part of that group I was just hired to help protect their "Cargo" I'm from the Central Empire's Adventurers Guild. Grab my rune and check for yourself." He says honestly. "You sure knew a lot like the kingdom was in trouble." Argus says suspiciously. "What was I supposed to do I was in the middle of it." Seben said. "He was the only one of those guards that helped me." The king says. "Oh, Meldy can you heal Seben then." Argus says. "And for this guy he's the king." Argus says pointing. At those words Saia is shocked. "The K.King." she says stuttering. "Sis the food." Silica says to Saia. "Oh!" She and Silica rush out of the room. "Go on ahead." Argus says to everyone. Meldy, Seben, and the King follows after Saia and Silica. Lilly doesn't leave she seems worried. "Your going to have a proper meal." He says to the worried Lilly.

"But I'm a slave." She reaches for the collar around her neck but she doesn't feel it. In a shocked voice she says. "Its gone?". "I removed everyone's collar back there. Right I guess you were unconscious." He says. "So I'm free?" She asks in a sweet voice. "That's right you'll have a good meal and a bath then you'll be able to go home." After Argus said that to her she has a downcast look on her face. "I don't have a home or a family anymore…" she says tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Argus is speechless unsure of what to say. "When I was taken away the bandits that did it burned my village down. Killed my Mom my dad and my best friend. He tried to save me but the bandits killed him." She says crying her eyes out. Those words hit a little too close to home for Argus. "Well until you decide what to do I guess you can stay with me." He says. "But I'll just be in your way." She says.  He pats her head. "No worries come on let's eat. He says. She wipes her face and they leave

Inside the tavern area Argus sees Meldy, the King, and Seben sitting at a table. As he walks up everyone quiets down. "Why'd you stop talking when I walked up?" He asks. "Your a Lich." the king asks. "Meldy did you have to tell them?" Argus says annoyed. "I was filling the king in about our mission." She says. Argus sighs and he grabs a plate of food and sits at a table far away from everyone else so he doesn't ruin the atmosphere. Lilly joins him. "Don't force yourself I'm a big bad scary Lich full of evil it's not like I saved the king or anything. He says loudly so the others hear. "What's a Lich?" Lilly asks. "Just eat." Argus says to her. At the other table everyone's talking about Argus. "He killed the demon lord?" The king asks. "He fatally wounded him." Meldy says. "Why did he change sides for?" Seben asks. "He said he was bored of it." Meldy says. Then Saia and Silica walks from the kitchen carrying a cake. She sets it down in front of Meldy and cuts it into slices. "Why is Argus and Lilly sitting way over there?" Saia asks. "I think he was upset that we found out he's a Lich." Seben said. "A Lich." Saia said surprised. "But I thought Liches didn't care about anything." She adds. "I heard they traded their humanity for power." Seben says. "Meldy we read his journal what do you think?" Saia asks Meldy. "Well from what we read he wants to end slavery. But that was 300 years ago who knows what he wants now." she says. "Well I believe he's still wants that." Saia says. "He wants to end slavery as well." The king says puzzled. "Well we need to still thank him." Saia says taking two plates with cake on it over to Argus and Lilly. Silica does the same.

"Ah that was good." Argus says out loud. "Yeah it's been a long time since I had something this good." Lilly says. Saia and Silica sit down with some slices of cake. "Argus I don't think I could thank you enough." Saia says. "I didn't do much." He says. "That's not true my sis told me how you rushed to save her your like a knight in shining armor. Please marry Saia." Silica says. Caught off guard by her sister's words she's flustered. "Silica you can't just say that." "Why not you like him right." Silica says smiling. "Uh… I.. So I hear it's going to be rainy tomorrow." Saia tries to change the subject. "What do you.think about my sister?" Silica asks Argus. "I think she's great your lucky to have family like her. Relationship wise I feel as though I'm too old to be with someone as young as her." He says to Silica. "But you don't look much older than her." She says.  "Hahaha I'm 318 years old" He says. Lilly and Silica look shocked. "Aww man and here I thought you were perfect for my sister." Silica says giving up.

Lilly and Silica finish eating their slices of cake. "Lilly let's play a game." Silica says. "Oh um I don't know…" Lilly looks at Argus. "go play." He says to her and with that Silica and Lilly run off. "She seems to be getting attached to you." Saia says. "She said she had nowhere to go and when she told me what happened to her family I realized she's similar to one of my old friends. So she'll be staying with me till she decides what to do." Argus says with a hint of pain. "Well that's good if she's with you I won't have to worry." Saia says trusting Argus.

"Anyways now that everyone's eaten it's time to hear the kings story." Argus announces to everyone.