Embers of Sun and Flame (Fuegoleon Vermillion x OC)

Chapter 22 Trust

They simply stood there, looking each other in the eye as a breeze fluttered their capes. The frown on Arcturus' face showed no signs of fading away, making the all too familiar tension build up in Fuegoleon's chest and spread all around his body, just like frost of first cold winter's night.

Something happened, he thought, his mind tumbling into turmoil as he tried to think what had changed since the morning. But as he came up with nothing, the tension soon turned into dread that started eating him, gnawing him as he thought about Solara's fragile form in his arms, the last time he saw her.

He saw in his mind's eye her pained expression and how she trembled like the last autumn leaf, still holding onto the tree from which it hung. His thoughts drifted into the fact that she had left in that condition, the knowledge wrapped around his throat, bringing with it the flashing images of the state that she might be in as a result. The dread burrowed into his heart and was about to grow into terror.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calm and collected,

Arcturus let out a sigh, blinking for the first time during the exchange. "Quite frankly," he began. "I wish that you would have agreed to that an hour ago."

Fuegoleon raised an eyebrow, the tension and dread turning into confusion.

"I called my wife and had a talk with her, since a third party expressed their opinion on the matter," he explained, pausing for a moment. "And..." he grit his teeth, chewing onto the words that he was about to say, letting them turn around on his tongue. "She... agreed to your request."

Fuegoleon's mind became blank, the twisting and turning of his fears ceased in the process, as he could only look at the man in front of him. His gaze was fixed on the stern expression that was plastered on Arcturus' face, as he struggled to believe, if what he heard was indeed said. "You... she, um, I am permitted to visit Thea?" He asked, his voice full of disbelief.

Arcturus' brows stayed furrowed, displease radiating from him. "You are, if you agree to meet certain requirements," he spoke through gritted teeth, forcing out every syllable.

"What requirements?" Fuegoleon asked in haste.

"You must agree to have the outflow of your mana restricted," Arcturus stated with a frank, unnegotiable tone as his eyes turned to stare at those of Fuegoleon.

"Have my mana restricted?"

"Yes," Arcturus nodded. "In a similar way as ours is confined as we are here. We feel it to be only fair."

Fuegoleon stayed silent for a brief moment, processing Arcturus words. He... has a point. If they are restricting their mana here, then it'd be fair for me to allow for mine to be restricted just the same. But... I have never been in a situation such as that, and additionally I'd be travelling far away from here, into a strange country, alone. I'd be on unfamiliar territory with limited magic and no means to return if something was to happen. Though I've been given every indication that they're trusting me a great deal by allowing for this to take place, which means that I, in turn, have a reason to trust them.

Silence lingered in the air, as Fuegoleon weighed his options. "You're asking me to venture into a distant, foreign land, with relatively little to..."

"Without safety measures?"

Fuegoleon simply nodded as a reply, not saying anything further to the matter.

"We realize that, but still, the conditions stand."

"Could I tell a family member from where I'd be travelling to Thea?" Fuegoleon suggested.

Arcturus stayed silent for a moment, pondering. He wishes to the precautions of his own? Arcturus chuckled internally. He's being smart about it. And, as Lena said, suppose that if something was to happen, we could just destroy the gate. Thus, allowing him to let a family member know the location of the gate in question, could be permitted. Besides, they would need a key to enter regardless. He thought, gazing to Fuegoleon. "Alright, that seems reasonable enough."