Feet were propped up comfortably on the edge of the lounge chair stationed in the library. A perfectly balanced dagger spun skillfully between the fingers of its owner while he sat around bored. Dae’s head was leaned back upon the arm of the couch while staring up at the ceiling. There was no one available to entertain him during the beginning of his visit to the Observatory. He had already attempted to annoy his sister, Alairia, but she was beyond comprehending his attempts due to how busy she was with the gardens. It was harvest time for her current herbs, and Ria was exactly like their mother during that time – oblivious to the outside world. He had noticed her knew assistant had been nervous in his presence though it seemed to be a constant state for the woman.

Syn was busy working with her new Coven. Apparently, new blueprints had been brought for the upcoming siege that they were going to wage. Dae knew that his skills along with Elrand’s would be tapped into when the time came, but during the planning phase they were to be left out until everything was solidified. Even Raith was too busy. The assassin sighed dramatically. He could forgive his future brother-in-law since he was a god after all.

Blade continued to spin until with one swift motion it was sheathed in his belt. One last dramatic breath was exhaled before he heaved himself up. That day he had already changed from his usual work gear into something more comfortable. A light green sweater with black trousers, though he still wore his weapon belt around his waist. He would have felt naked without it. His polished leather boots echoed footsteps as he made his way out of the library and into the main foyer area. For a moment the assassin lingered to exam the entrance. Things were slowly becoming more standard as the idea of Raith being a god now was accepted. The man had been ascended to the position of Wrath and Heavens. The thought of being future in-laws with a god was still insanity to Dae, but then again, the Balatro family never seemed to do anything normal.

He tapped the tip of his boot on the pristine floor before moving on to the throne room. It was a rather simple location despite the giant carved dragon that clutched the back of the throne belonging to the deity. Strom gray eyes widened slightly at the sight of a familiar visage. An amused and pleased laugh was expelled as Dae made his way across the room. ”Well if it isn’t my buddy, Lewis! I was wondering when I was going to run into you here at the Observatory. What have you been up to?” Dae smiled brightly down at the fellow assassin. For a moment he held in a slight look of confusion as the aura given off by Lewis was very different than the last time they had met. Even so, Dae was pleased to finally see the ‘kid’ in the temple. Raith had informed Dae of the new occupants of the temple, and he had been wondering when they would meet again.

”I’m not sure if you remember me. We had met back in Zets’Ki Cradle. Does that ring a bell?” He extended out a hand to shake with the other man. There was a darkness that seemed to have settled over the now grown man. It was a familiar haze that was typical for assassins. There was little way to avoid it in the selected occupation they followed.

The days in the Observatory were never dull, but after living there for a time, Lewis was starting to finally relax and finally be able to call this place home. Even when he had been a part of the guild, he never truly felt at home. This place was something that he could call home with confidence. Still, even with his experience in the Observatory, he found himself almost intentionally distancing himself from the Pilgrims who followed Raith. He thought of many of them as almost beneath him; perhaps a bad trait that was picked up from Lord Riath and easily one that Lewis did not know how to discard.

Those who were ‘worthy’ though, seemed even less likely to cross paths with the assassin. Lewis had not even encountered Lady Syn, though he knew for the most part what kind of weight she pulled around. In the past few months, he had not even encountered Lord Raith in person, only receiving his orders through written communication. Still, the assassin did wander the Observatory from time to time, if only for the occasional exercise when he was bored, or to steal a snack from the kitchen (surprisingly easy to do, though Lewis had wondered if they were letting him more than once.)

It was one of these random outings that Lewis found himself encountering someone from his past, before he had been exiled from the old thieves guild. A lot had happened since then, and it took a moment for Lewis to recognize the assassin who had gifted him knowledge to move forward. Dae had been one of the few reasons Lewis had become more successful in his art, and while it was not 100% guaranteed, was probably one of the reasons he was alive today,

Of course, Lewis’ first thoughts were of the annoyance of meeting someone who knew him. He was half tempted to immediately turn around and leave, but the voice that called out to him was familiar.

“Master Dae,” Lewis stated in a formal way. He had no idea how to interact with the assassin that had taught him so much, nor did he know his status. Lewis knew that, at least for the most part, he had no obligations to listen to or report to anyone other than Lord Raith, but that did not mean he was without consequence should he show disrespect to the wrong person.

It was only after this that he analyzed the words that were spoken to him. A casual tone. Casual meant that there was n o hierarchy involved in the conversation. Oh/ He smiled. Or at least, what passed for a smile.

“Of course I remember,” he said finally. “It has been quite some time.” Indeed it had. Lewis had encountered quite a few successful assassinations since then, and had tapped into a darker part of his mind that cared less and less for the repercussions that came with achieving his goals. He had Lord Raith to thank for that as well.

His hazel eyes locked onto Dae’s extended hand. I should take it. It shows…connection? Lewis took the more experienced assassin’s hand. Emotions made little sense, but it made others feel connected. And connections lead to trust.

Trust was vital here, under Lord Raith. Perhaps that was the next step in all this. Gain trust. Wasn’t that what the guild was about? Trusting one another?

“What have you been up to?” Lewis asked. That was the next step, right? To ‘catch up.’ Perhaps there was something to learn, perhaps there wasn’t. Was it useless if there was no information gotten?

This is exhausting.