Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Stazi no, I am ready...please" her voice taking on a husky sound tho not quite desperate plea. She lifted her hand and removed the hat, letting her hair tumble down, she had braided it but not very well so her crown of glowing locks spilled about her shoulder as this time the tears trembling on the edge of her eyes shimmered truthfully.

"I was just going on for some...err...training, but my normal partner wasn't up for it tonight" leaving his name out of it so he wouldn't get in trouble, she hadn't said anything that was a direct lie and she wouldn't. "I just fell into a pile of soot on the way down, I didn't want to get the wonderful clothes you bought for me to get dirty that's all...." Smiling softly at her beloved older brother, hoping he believed her about the clothing, it was truth they were lovely clothing, but she also couldn't spar in them."Please Stazi I won't do it again. I will stay in my room until we leave."

Looking at him pleadingly not to punish her, she couldn't help it that she got so bored so easily. "what about that boy...or rather that sword....why would an urchin carry something like that around" hoping she could direct him away from her to the boy, besides she honestly wanted to know what Stazi's plans were for the boy.

As much as she loved her brother ever since he came back he had been a pain who couldn't even see she need something to do. He was so intelligent, why couldn't he see she was bored out of her mind. She needed this trip to Laburnum or she would go insane. She was not a wilting flower who couldn't defend herself in the least.

Theo... No one's ever called me that... I like it.

Theodore smiled as the waitress began bringing their food to them. His eyes grew in eagerness as he saw his plate set in front of him. He also nodded to what Ippi was saying.

That's one way to build an appetite. I don't usually run around. But I do when I'm chased by people armed with pointy things. But luckily, that hasn't happened to me yet.

Theodore was amazed by her eating speed, but he didn't show it. Since he ate at a somewhat accelerated pace also. He chowed down, while still being polite. He nodded when she mentioned her crying.

Legeus? Who's that?

Anastazi's brows rose, and some of the irritation drained away. "Training?" He paused, then answered her other question. "That boy...I don't believe him. I mean, I do, to an extent, but there's something he's not telling us and I want to know what it is. And I too am interested by his sword, although it is not my primary interest. Now then, what have you been training for?"

He sounded curious rather than angry, interested for once in what his sister had found to occupy her time.

Serefina's face blanched slightly, she hand't meant training per se had she. She gripped the long sword's hilt but said nothing for a moment, gathering her composure. It didn't matter that Stazi's tone was curiosu and casual rather than annoyed, she had let one of her secrets slip. "Just in general, even hawking and archery can get boring after a while, so I've been meeting someone to train me with a bit of swordplay" toning down how intense the training sessions were as well as how good she was, everything was the strictest truth, not a lie in there it simply wasn't the entire truth but no way to know that.

"Perhaps we should see what the boy has to say for himself, perhaps I should arrange alight dinner for him, if he was so hungry it might make him a bit more biddable" Playing host to whatever Stazi had planned, letting him know she was perfectly willing to go along with whatever he had planned. Already moving towards the kitchen to give the order like a lady of the house would, they would not dare question her appearance, she would change and then join her brother.

Theo ran down the street and past the abandoned house when he heard "Theo is my only friend." He backed up and looked in. 'A real golem! That's so cool, i've never seen anything like that.' he thought as he spoke in a quiet voice.

Ippi? It's ok, you know. Creations like those are just a part of alchemy, as I understand it.

"Hmm. Well, I don't suppose learning swordplay can hurt. At least I wont have to worry so much when you're out and about...Alright then, you don't have to sneak around anymore. Just...get some clothes that are more suitable. You don't need to dress like a cabin-boy just because you don't want to mess up your formalwear."

She was too headstrong to obey him if he forbade her to practice, anyway. He might as well have her stop sneaking around, so he would know what was going on. He was a bit surprised at her suggestion to play host to the boy. He had not thought she would have taken to the duties of a hostess so readily.

"Indeed...all of us could use a bit of food. Why don't you go to the kitchen and have some food brought up, while I go talk to him?" He leaned in and kissed her lightly on her dirty forehead. "Thanks love."

Anastazi climbed the stairs up to his study and found the guards and the boy waiting outside the door.

"Well then, come in," he said as he unlocked the door and showed them in. "Do have a seat." He gestured to the chair opposite his own and took a seat in the large comfortable chair that sat imposingly behind his desk.

The dark cherry desk was immaculately kept, with the exception of the trade records he had been balancing earlier before he's run out to find Serefina. All around the room, the walls were lined with bookshelves. Occasionally a shelf would give way to a flat space on the wall and some work of art would be hanging there. The floor was a practical hardwood finish; carpet had to be cleaned more often and that meant mroe people inside his private room, which he would just as soon avoid.

Anastazi settled into his seat and steepled his fingers together, elbows resting lightly on the desk. "Now then. Where were we?"