A beautiful performance [Tags: Nox! Closed for specific SL purposes]

Noxaura never did well with other people's emotions. Shells, she could barely handle her own. So even if she did sense his sadness, she did not empathize or even try to understand. Maybe she didn't need to. Some people were perfectly capable of dealing with their own issues.

Besides, he didn't know her well enough for her to have actually caused him harm. At least she didn't think she could have. There were people she treated much worse than she had treated him whom she had known for much longer. Maybe if he hadn't been a rebel. Maybe if she didn't know he had already killed someone, she would be more understanding. Still, it was doubtful given her upbringing and her nature that she would be nice.

Perhaps that was why her next thought betrayed her. Lonely. What could he possibly know about her? The he could see how alone she felt was odd, to put things mildly. Not that she was about to admit that to a man who could not or would not tell her his name.

He was right and while she practiced lying to other people, she had hardened herself to her own emotions and truths. Maybe because she focused so much on herself.

"Just because I am lonely now, doesn't mean I always will be." She said, justifying her reason to live, like it needed justification. She wanted to see what happened in the future. Noxaura had things she could offer to the world. Just like he did, even if he thought his reasons more noble because of his cause. Someday she might have a worthier cause than herself. Although, she doubted it. "Besides, misery loves company, doesn't it?" Her mouth caught in a half smirk, though it wasn't mirthful.

As she spoke, her hand dove down, under her corset where the small pouch had some of the things she kept. When she pulled out the small vial that contained the scrolls, she met his eyes once more.

"You should be able to leave easier from here without anyone following you." She said, because she had in fact brought him to the edge of town. Pressing the vial into his hand, "No hard feelings." This time she was looking down at the vial. Admitting only now and more to herself as if saying goodbye to something real and animate, " I have a hard time letting go of certain treasures."

Maybe it wasn't just the thieving, maybe it was the treasures that she used to replace human emotion.

It surprised him a little, he supposed, to hear the girl admit that he'd been right about her -though he had no idea the extent of it. Axiar said nothing else of it, though.

Even more surprised was he, when Noxaura pressed the metal tube into his hand. Wasn't quite sure what to make of her sudden apologetic sentiments, nor the fact that she had suddenly decided to try and be helpful. Axiar wasn't about to tell her what the list was for however.. so if she'd looked at it, she'd have no way of knowing if she was aiding in some future plot of terror or not. Considering his purpose though, the rebel closed his hand about the tube and tucked it safely in a pouch at his hip.

While working then to untie the knot that attached them at the wrist, he inquired -perhaps purely out of kindness, "Since I have promised to let you live, I should ask, do you want to be known as someone who involves herself with murderers? If anyone finds out it was me... and they have seen us together in the streets, you will also be implicated."

She was also surprised that he bothered to worry about what might happen to her when he left. Hadn't she been telling him all along he had issues with proximity. "It wouldn't be a problem if you had listened to me about your issue with getting so close." This time she was teasing him.

"I doubt anyone really noticed though. Even if they did, you were wearing a mask and a wig earlier." Of course she had still recognized him. "Word to the wise though, masks don't really work how they should when you have such a peculiar eye color especially after staring at someone." Really what was it with him and staring at her while standing so close?

For some reason she had a hard time being as mean to him as she wanted to be. Nox, didn't want to take the time to examine why that was. She felt suddenly awkward. Normally she could dismiss people easily. She could play games with them and still feel completely apathetic.

Once her wrist was free of the binding she waited. Either he would say something or he would walk away. Nox never particularly liked goodbyes. Which was what this would likely come out sounding like. After all the likelihood they would cross paths again was fairly slim. She would watch. The longer she stayed out, the more likely her mother would wait up for her. Funny how her mother's concern cropped up when something horrific happened.

It was up to her then.

Noxaura was probably right about the mask thing, so it was lucky that the wig was able to shadow his eyes a bit, in that case. He would have to remember that though, about his eyes, for in the future.

Releasing her hand and discarding the strip of cloth from his grasp, letting it fall to the grass, Axiar stepped back from her and angled himself away from the Hold, as though he might head down that very road, that very instant, without any more preparation -as though his journey would be a short one. But that was not the case exactly.

He did have a long road ahead of him, in order to return to the Chorong Headquarters, and so he would need to pack provisions. For now though, he would take this road, breaking off onto an alternate route when it forked to wind back around the Hold in another direction. From there, then, he'd be able to collect his belongings and some supplies and find another caravan on which to head back south on, making it home in good time, just before winter.

It would be nice to go back there. How long had it been? Almost two turns, since he'd left there? He was looking forward to a pleasant reunion.


Axiar's eyes drifted off into the distance as he thought about those things. Perhaps he seemed a little reminiscent, but his attention soon returned to to the girl beside him.

At first, it seemed as though he might say something. Could there have been some development in their relationship in this short time that warranted it? But, no. Axiar looked at her with a silence that must be growing to seem rather customary of him.

Lengthening his stride then, the man's gaze fell to the path ahead of him, leaving her to return home on her own.

When he didn't respond to anything she said, she thought it for the best. Really, the less said between them the better. He would be on his way to wherever he was going and she would go back to her normal, uneventful life. It was a bit unfair that he should have all the fun though. As he walked away, she said nothing. She watched for a moment, maybe a little longer than she normally would have because she was imagining where he might be headed but she turned around afterwards and walked back home.

[close??]