A Clash of Cultures (Closed. Attn Nalaya)

[Nalaya]

Fort Verelk'
Tatev, Nalaya

Ada leaned in the doorway and watched as he put his things away. It was a little like her medics with their aid bags—at her insistence. Most Kapitans were the same way. It was a particular brand of demanding that made certain everyone was prepared to go even if everything went wrong or it was night or something unexpected happened. She was willing to admit that she probably counted as a hard-ass on duty, even if she was softer spoken. Raith Immel had scared her into straightening up her whole command and even her own behavior. The knowledge that lives relied on her had never been so visceral as in those months. And then there was the literal viscera that she'd seen. It almost made her shiver a little bit, just thinking about it. That hadn't been a good deployment and everyone knew it.

She was glad he was keeping hydrated, though she was worried about his breathing. The rapid pace suggested he was short of breath. That could be a sign of something extremely serious. Thankfully, this was Tatev, so medical response time was a few minutes at most anywhere in the city. She lived near the Cathedral, on the same side of town as the base, so it wouldn't take long at all if anything happened with him. It did make her wish she had an oxygen bottle with her just in case, but she couldn't think of a way to sign one out and bring it with her that wouldn't be weird.

"Yes, I'm still offering," she said with a smile, trying to calm his nerves a little bit. Now that she'd proposed it, her own nerves had settled about the idea. She was in it for the long haul. She just hoped that nothing came up that would send her running out of the house halfway through dinner tonight. "It would be fun to cook with you, but if you decide you're not up to it, just let me know." Her native instinct was to take care of it herself since he'd be her guest, but she figured him cooking a well would keep his mind of his own nervousness. That meant it was one of the better things he could do. Why he was nervous, she wasn't completely certain. She knew why she'd been and still was a little.

"I need to sign out before we go. I can do that from my office," Ada said as she lead the way back out into the hall and headed towards her own office on the hospital side of the base. The big change as they went through the locking metal doors was in the atmosphere rather than the physical structure of the building. It was the same sterile white flooring with light blue painted walls. The scurrying of nurses, doctors, and orderlies through these halls towards the ER and ICU was reminiscent of ants.

Ada's office was neat except for her cluttered desk top covered with charts and paperwork. Unlie that of some country's officers, her office was actually personalized and decorated. There was a Guy on a Buffalo poster on the wall along with an autographed poster for the Chermak Odz, one of Nalaya's national-level football teams. They were based in Tatev and she'd always been an ardent fan even though she wasn't originally from the city. There were prints on her walls along with her license as a physician, mostly paintings of the seashore and optical illusions in the desert created by the sun and shadows. She was lucky enough to have a window that looked out at the mountains, rendered invisible by low, dark clouds. It was a beautiful view of flashing lightning that arced from cloud to cloud and sometimes struck the ground, however. There was also a framed photograph on the wall of herself in a verdant forest near a particular aid camp with some other medical officers, including Siri Kalousdian, who had been her CO at the time. Someone had also put a small bobble-head of Perrin Pahath-Moab on her desk that had "Play ball with me..." engraved on the stand.

Ada slipped around her desk and leaned over her laptop, punching in her password so that she could sign out of hospital duty. She'd already talked to Levian about calling it early today. As long as she kept her phone on her, she would be fine. They could reach her in an emergency, not that she expected one. James had changed the usual pattern for her—it had used to be that every text or email she got was an update or an alert from the hospital. Now she actually had them coming in from someone who wanted to talk to her just because. It was a welcome change.

Her mind was already on dinner by the time she'd finished as she weighed the pros and cons of what to fix. Nalayan food, at least in half of the country, didn't strike her as something he would find overly exotic. The locusts eaten sometimes in the Dominion or the frequently rare—sometimes extremely rare—meat in the Homeland would probably be less appetizing. She didn't cook either, though she had eaten both. She did steer clear of certain meat around the Mak'ur, though. It paid to be discerning. "Alright, we're good," she announced as she closed her laptop. For once, she would leave it at the office and not try to do her paperwork from home. She briefly searched her mind for anything she'd forgotten. Her house was clean, she knew that. It was Monday and her cleaning day was Sunday, so the stray socks and books all over the place wouldn't be a problem yet.

Outside, the hail had stopped falling and wind was slowing down a little, but it was raining. She pulled on her sturdy field coat, and flashed him a smile. "Better dress for the weather, James. We won't be out in it more than ten, fifteen minutes, but that can be a long time when it's a little miserable out. It's a little bit of a walk—I don't usually drive in Tatev. The streets are narrow enough that you'd probably find it a little bit nerve-wracking. There's a streetcar that runs anyway."

Once he was appropriately attired, she lead the way out of the base. They both had to present ID to the RV even leaving the base, their papers examined with a polite thoroughness by the tough-looking Nava'ai serzhant wearing that blue armband. It wasn't a heavy rain, so it wasn't too unpleasant. About four minutes from the base of walking at a brisk pace, they could catch the streetcar. It went right by Ada's house, so it wouldn't be too bad. The rain drummed down on the metal roof and fell in splashing puddles. Water ran down the street like a small stream, probably an inch or so deep across most of the roadway. People were largely inside, though they did pass a mother attempting to wrangle three small children inside, who were playing in the rain.

Above, thunder cracked again and lightning flashed across the front windows of the old stone houses. Their steep roofs were bordered with carvings of dragons, manticores, and other mythical monsters designed to ward off evil. Around the doors were patterns of thorns made out of the wood from thorn-trees or hazel. Smoke curled up from most of the chimneys before being blown away by the wind. They were getting a nice view of part of the city. The Cathedral was only visible from the side, two cross-topped spires rising into the sky unbowed by the the storm. The rest of the building vanished into the cliffs that they were quite near. On the other side of the city, it opened out into a lush valley. The whole city itself was encircled by mountains. "So what do you think so far?" Ada asked, still smiling a little bit.

[Shalum]

Fort Verelk'
Tatev, Nalaya

"Nice to hear" James replied, shooting Ada a quick smile as he rose from his kneeling position; closing the footlocker as he did so. He felt a bit more at ease, relieved to be exact, that the offer still stood; though he wasn't sure why he was so nervous about it. It was just a dinner among friends, something he had done a million times before; there was no valid reason to be nervous, but he was. Only now, was he beginning to regret offering to help her cook. According to his friends, he was a great cook, but that was with Shalumi foods, not foreign ones. Much to James' dismay, the Shalumite Commander lacked even basic knowledge of local Nalayan foods, much less how to prepare them. He didn't even now what the local diet was for that matter. "I would love to help cook" he smiled nervously as he replied. "Although, if I get in the way, feel free to kick me out while you work; I'm not well 'versed' in local foods, so I may not be as much help as you would like" he explained a bit sheepishly.

"Lead the way" James motioned toward the door, taking another swig of necessary water from his canteen; before closing the military issued bottle, setting it to the side with the rest of his gear. The Shalumite Commander paused mid-step, the sounds of heavy rain and hail hitting the roof able to be heard from where they stood. James backpedaled, snatching up his reliable field jacket, which was sprawled out across his military pack; one of the few things he hadn't put stuffed into his footlocker. The jacket matched his woodland BDUs, the Shalumite flag stitched over his right pectoral, his last name over his left pectoral, and his unit emblem over where his right bicep was. He draped the jacket over his forearm, meeting Ada's gaze as he spoke. "Sorry about that, ready. Just in case I need it, but safe than sorry" he smiled a bit sheepishly, following her out. Once they entered the medical side of the wing, the two hugged the wall, keeping out of the way of the staff when possible. While Ada fit in with the medical staff, James stood out, having the sharp appearance of a soldier; not that of a doctor.

James took the time to glance around Ada's office, a bit surprised how personalized it was. While he had never really thought on it much, Ada seemed like something of a hardass, not the type to show too much emotion. His office was, unfortunately, like that; with a few pictures of he and his family, but not much more than that; lacking even a cliche motivational poster. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Ada was different, had emotions under her exterior, hardened by medical work. It almost made him want to personalize his office when he got back to Aragon. While Ada began to sign herself out at the computer, James glanced out the window, his eyes lighting up as an arc of lighting rushed from the sky to the ground; making a truly beautiful sight, one that he had never gotten in Shalum so far. He chuckled slightly at the sight of the Perrin statue, reading the inscription. He gave the small bobble head a flick, in an attempt to pass the time, eyes watching as the head bounced up and down. Flicking the bobble head made him feel a bit better, as he wasn't fond of the New Edomite ruler, unlike some of the people he had served with so far.

James flash Ada a quick smile as he shifted on his feet, transferring the weight of his jacket from one arm to the other. "Sweet. As always, lead the way" he chuckled; knowing that Ada knew the base far better than he did. While James had an uncanny knack for navigating new places, he hadn't had enough time to explore the base (as always, keeping in the approved areas) to learn its quirks and shortcuts. The place seemed easy enough to navigate, with a plethora of signs and an ample amount of staff present to point him in the right direction if he veered off form where he wished to go.

As James followed Ada closely, loud a loyal hound would it's master, he began to ponder their odd friendship. Over the last few weeks, Ada had added an interesting variable to his life. She, unlike most of his 'work' friends, was up to talking about things that didn't revolve around the military. With her, he had been able to talk about his life outside the military, which was boring for the most part, but it was nice to talk about from time to time. It was both refreshing and liberating to have someone who he could talk too, even if it was only through text. If his mother had found out about him talking to Ada daily, she would not have been happy in the least. His mother wanted him to avoid being acquainted with 'commoners' whenever possible. She believed that, because he was a noble, he should have only been around other nobles. It was an idea that he didn't agree with in the least, Ada being the foremost example.

Nodding at Ada, James slid on his thick field coat, taking his time to make sure that it was securely fastened. While James was a large man, the heavy coat made him look even larger, the thick material making his shoulders appear sharp and his arms thick. It was warm inside his coat, the material keeping him warm while the cold rain landed on his coat, sliding helplessly off. He tapped his pocket a few times, making sure that his ID was where he had left it, pleased to find that it was where he had. It would definitely be embarrassing to have to go back to the barracks to retrieve his proper papers, something he was supposed to have him on all times; unless he was in the field, where dog tags filled in. Once on the streetcar, James and Ada found a spot where they had to stand, holding onto the handlebars for support; thankful to be out of the rain. As they passed the mother of three, James chuckled quietly, the young kids reminding him of his younger days; when his parents had a hard time keeping them indoors when the rain was falling outside.

As a flash of lighting filled his vision, James tore his gaze away from the kids, letting it come to rest of the passing city. He wasn't sure how to describe what he saw, since he had never seen anything in Shalum that could have compared to Tatev. He felt as if he had stepped back in time, and had found himself in the middle ages with electricity. He took note of each building, observing the way they had been designed and built. While Jason had never studied it in college, he had always been greatly interested in architecture. As it turned out, Nalayan architecture was far more interesting than Shalumite or Azzie designs, the two being the only styles that he had ever been introduced to. The whole time, his eyes had been lit up like a child in a candy store, it obvious that he was enjoying the sights. "I'm enjoying it a lot" he replied with a small smile. "You're right, there's no real way to describe Tatev, or the mountains for that matter" he admitted, still smiling a bit as he looked down at her. Absently, he wondered how close they were to her home, as he was interested to see how she lived.

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

"I certainly like it," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying. Ah, we're here." Ada jumped off the street car and splashed into a puddle, laughing a little bit as the water spattered across her legs. She held the low wooden gate open for James. The rain on the small footpath to the house was held at bay by the branches of two, thick-needled cedar trees. Behind it was the house, a small and steep-roofed house with a stone lower portion and wood above that. It had the same carvings as the other houses, emblems of dragons twisting back on themselves worked into the side of the roof in an unobtrusive fashion, and the doorframe was lined with thorn-wood. Her whole family was Nakhmanayr, so it would have been unthinkable for them to have not warded their home from malicious spirits. Some traditions had been passed down so long that they just became completely automatic and that was one that had come from antiquity. The shutters on the windows were open since she hadn't been home to close them. It was probably time to do that.

Ada huddled under the eaves as she unlocked the door. The front porch wasn't very large, jutting out maybe five feet. The lock was the oldest part of the door, which had been rebuilt, so she had to handle it with a certain finesse and a few choice words when it stuck for a moment. "Sorry. It's very...temperamental." She pulled the door open to reveal her home.

It wasn't an overly large space and was modern in its appearance despite the outward appearance of the house. The walls were drywalled and painted a soft, light grey and dark blue carpet spread across the floor up to the open kitchen, tiled in white with countertops of blue-ish slate. Off to one side lead the hall towards the bedroom, bathroom, and her office. The armchair and couch in the living room both looked well loved but tended to and looked towards the stone fireplace that was probably as old as the house and stood to one side, though they were at an angle where one could see the window as well. An olive-wood table stood in the kitchen near the back door since she really didn't have a dining room and she preferred to be in there anyway. The house was clean, but it still looked lived in. There was a coat draped over the back of a chair at the kitchen table as well as books of anatomy and physiology stacked on the table along with paperwork from when she was on duty. More than a few novels cluttered the bookshelves to the left of the door, opposite the living room. She read a great deal of science fiction, so that abounded beside medical references.

The paintings on the walls were reminiscent of the photographs from her office, many of the sea and the red cliffs of Yeraskh. Those were the only things she really missed about where she'd grown up. But there were equally as many of the desert and oases, along with one of a particular crumbling ruin better known as the Fane that lay in Dyvynasshar. "I really should have cleaned up before you came over," she said, picking up a dog-eared copy of I, Robot from where it lay on the couch. She wasn't a perfect housekeeper, though her definition of messy was probably a normal person's clean. The military did that to a person. "This was my grandfather's house on my mother's side. He got in contact with me after the war and we connected. I took care of him before he died and ended up with the place. It's a good home. It has a lot of happy memories."

Ada had loved her grandfather, no matter how briefly he had been in her life. It had only been a few years since everything was unified, after all. He had taken a shine to her and was the only member of her family she had been in contact with regularly. Karun, her half-sister, wrote her sometimes and she always wrote back. She still wasn't certain how they'd found her after the ashes settled, but she was glad that they had despite how screwed up the circumstances were. Ishkhan knew where she was, of course, but they weren't on speaking terms ninety-nine percent of the time. And the times they did encounter each other, it was usually shouting instead of speaking.

The medical officer closed the door and hung her coat up beside it, more than willing to take James's before moving into the living room proper. "I'm going to start a fire, if that's alright. You're more than welcome to poke around, particularly in the kitchen. I didn't really have any solid plans for dinner, so I'm open to suggestion. There's some whitefish in the freeze along with lamb and some beef, plenty of fruit and vegetables in the fridge, and bread on the counter there," Ada said, crouching down by the fire. She picked up wood from the bin and fit it in along with some crumpled newspaper. It would probably take a few tries to get the fire going with a match, but she didn't own a blowtorch no matter how helpful it would be

This is nice, she reflected. It wasn't often that she had a guest and the house seemed a little more lively when it wasn't her alone. The closest she came to company off duty was the stray cat she'd sort of adopted, but Pap usually showed up only to eat and weave between her legs in figure-eights for attention while she tried to take care of the roses out in the back. Besides, this was James. She felt comfortable around him. Oh, there was always room for her to put her foot in her mouth, but she had relaxed enough that that was much less likely.

The kitchen appliances were a little bit old, including the gas stove, but they were all clean and tended to. An oak cutting board scarred from use stood next to the knife block. There was one thing to be said for Ada's kitchen knives—they were wicked sharp, like a surgeon's scalpel. It was habit, really. Out in the living room, Ada coaxed the fire to life with surprising success and closed the iron screen around the fireplace that kept wood from rolling out. The smoke drafted up the chimney and out to puff like a cloud in the rain.

All in all, it wasn't a magnificent place, but for Ada, it was home.

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

"Its not hard to see why" he smiled in reply, glancing down at the his Nalayan companion for a moment; before returning his gaze to the passing city, something torn straight out of a tale-of-ole. His eyes were warm, and his posture relaxed, his nerves finally settled enough that he could enjoy himself. "Awesome, I'm ready to get inside and out of the weather" James replied with a grunt as he leaped from the boxy car into the rainy street ahead. As he landed in a puddle alongside Ada, his large boots kicked up water, splashing both he and the female medical officer; earning lighthearted laughs from the two of them as it hit their respective legs. The two jogged up the small, stone footpath, a large cedar tree giving them shelter from the frigid tempest above; a thankful reprieve and a small mercy. Even though his primary objective was to reach shelter, he took a moment to admire the carvings; the fearsome dragon one of his favorite mythical animals. Glancing at the open shutters, James frowned, making a mental note to close them if the chance arose; the pieces of exterior wood, assuming that was what they were made of, needed now more than ever. While he was sure that the house had seen far worse during it's existence, it was better safe than sorry as they said.

As James skid to a halt, he lightly bumped into Ada, his momentum carrying him forward more than he was expecting it would. "Sorry, sorry" he apologized; his expression sheepish as he stepped back a bit to give her room to work. Through the trees, wind and a small amount of rain swept through at an angle; making contact with the inner perimeter of the small porch. Quickly, James sidestepped, using his broad frame and think jacket to block Ada from the elements as she fondled with the solid door; which looked like it could handle a good amount of punishment before it would be felled. He chuckled quietly as she cursed under her breath, using words, most of which he didn't understand, but knew that they were explicit from the tone alone, that he rarely heard from the female soldiers under his command; unless they were in faux-combat. "It's fine Ada" he replied, shooting the female Nalayan a quick smile as he ducked in; breathing a sigh of relief as he did so.

"Thanks Ada" he said, shrugging off his jacket, small droplets of water merging to form mini-streams as he handed it to her. He took a moment to wipe his hands together, using friction to warm and dry his hands, the appendages the only part of him besides his face uncovered; his long pants and jacket doing their jobs efficiently. Unfortunately, his feet were wet as well, water managing to worm its way into his boots, soaking his socks when he jumped into the puddle. James took a moment to run a hand through his regulation length brown hair, collecting the water in his hand, before wiping it off on his mostly dry sleeve. "Fire sounds nice" he smiled, glancing at the fireplace. If he were at home, he would have lit his own fireplace, before collapsing on a couch to doze off for a few hours. It was something that he had done many times over the years, especially during winter when it actually could be considered 'cold' in Aragon from time to time. "I'll go poke around then, see what I can come up with" James replied; watching as Ada drifted over to the fireplace As quickly as he began to observe her, he glanced away as she leaned over to start the fire; face a bit flush in embarrassment, even though there was no way she could have seen him.

Jason took a moment to admire the house before he moved to the kitchen, in no particular rush to begin his scrounging, as Ada was tied up at the moment. The house was comfortable, with pleasant colors adorning the walls, and worn but well maintained furniture populating the main living spaces; spaced around the ancient looking stone fireplace, which stood solid. As he passed, James froze in place, his eyes locking onto the hodgepodge of sci-fi novels, some of which he recognized by the cover alone; not even needing to read the titles. A small smile formed on his lips as he took note of the books. While most didn't know it, James was a closet nerd; the kind that would take the weekend off to roam a gaming convention or Comicon if he had the chance. One look at his home would have revealed an expansive collection of: sci-fi, romance, and action novels in that order. "Clean up?" he chuckled as he questioned her, sneaking a peak of the cinnamon haired officer. "This place is pretty clean, if I may so myself" he complemented in reply. Arguably, his place was cleaner, but he didn't have to deal with as many books and papers that she did. Everything he needed for work was on a laptop and two flash drives, one of which was a backup in case he lost the first.

In the kitchen, James whistled quietly as he held one of the cutting knives in one hand, resisting the urge to give it a cursory flip; something he did at home quite often with his own knives, though they weren't nearly as sharp. Returning the knife to the cutting board, James stepped over the refrigerator, rooting both through the freezer and fridge for necessary provisions; his mind already at work, trying to conjure up something for dinner. James was pleased to find that many of the materials on hand were things that he was akin to working with. In truth, the only things that were foreign to him was the lamb, which wasn't a common meat where he grew up in Shalum, and a few of the local fruits; which looked good, but were still new all the same. "Hey Ada" he called out, since she was still a bit away from his, only now rising as the fire came to life. "You've got plenty to work with, any thoughts or preferences?" he asked, a bit quieter since she was closer.

He shot a quick smile at the female Nalayan as she approached. He was eager to get started, cooking something that he greatly enjoyed to do during his free, since living alone for so long had required him to adapt and even thrive at certain things; not to mention his voracious appetite after returning home for weekends with a weekend pass. Warm food was a rarity in the field, unless it was a chemically heated ration pack, so he liked to make the most out of meals when he could. Along with cooking, cleaning was another skill James had picked up, as he kept his apartment near spotless from most people's point of view; going by military standards at that. James practically sighed in relief as a tendril of warmth from the fire found him, seeping into his long sleeve shirt, the counter blocking anymore from reaching him. While he wasn't particularly cold, the warmth felt great. He chuckled to himself as he thought about his current situation, if it was different, this would have made one hell of a date.

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

"I don't know about you, but I think it's the right weather for stew," she said with a smile. "I promise I'll pick something that's not too outlandish for dinner. Maybe fasuyla. It's a lamb stew with green beans, tomato broth, and anything else you'd like to try putting in it. Maybe some potatoes? We have matnakash." She indicated the loaves of puffy, leavened bread with a golden crust by way of explanation. She wasn't certain how familiar he was with Nalayan food, but the answer was probably not very.

"Here, if you'd like to cut things up and add them to the pot? I'll take care of the broth," Ada said. She'd been taught to cook by her family and still did it, though it was difficult to do with one person. She found herself freezing a lot of food and eating leftovers most of the time. It wasn't the same. It would be juggling things a little to have everything done at the same time, but she was fairly confident in her ability to get it right.

"Oh, be careful with the knives," she warned. She didn't him to cut himself. A trip back to the base for the hospital would probably not be fun times, depending on how bad the cut was. She could always stitch him up here too. Her aid bag was right by the front door.

Once the broth was done, she left the stew in James's hopefully capable hands, going over to the liquor cabinet. She crouched down and opened it up, peering in at the collection of bottles. Alcohol was something she had plenty of, for the other officers when they dropped by. Plenty of them were gifts too. She just didn't drink quickly enough to thin out her stocks to the point where she needed to go shopping for it. She still had a bottle of good, Ijevan semi-sweet red wine. It wasn't the dry variety, but she preferred it anyway. Ada hadn't found an excuse to open the bottle, though. It was a fine gift and she'd been saving it for...something. She wasn't certain what, exactly, but this seemed like as good of a time as any. It was just being a good host.

With that picked out, she returned to the kitchen to handle making something sweet for after dinner. Ada quickly discovered that it was fun to have James around the house. Suddenly a space so often quiet and subdued had come to life. She was more than happy just to talk and found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. It eased a loneliness she hadn't realized existed. In her normal life, she just buried herself up to her eyes in work and that didn't give her time to notice she didn't have much in the way of companionship once she left post.

Ada also put on coffee, knowing that it would be a while until dinner was ready and they were both probably still a little chilled from outside. She knew she was. Then she went around and closed the shutters, just in case it started to hail again. It was a little bit of a struggle to get them shut with the wind, so she did ask for James's help. Between the two of them it only took a few minutes.

Nalayan coffee was fairly concentrated, black except for a probably ridiculous amount of honey that thickened it. There was enough caffeine in it that it could probably leave someone vibrating with energy even hours later. "Would you like some?" she offered. "It's a little strong." That was an understatement if ever there was one, but she didn't really think he would mind it. She was used to guests who were already well acquainted with the substance.

Over all, it was turning into a very nice night as far as she was concerned. A sort of contentment had settled in her heart in a way that quieted down the fluttering of anxiety in the center of her chest. She had been worried about what might happen as much as she was hopeful if would go well. Now she was fully relaxing and just soaking in the rare moment of peaceful company. No stress, no expectations, just herself. And if the hospital called, she was fairly certain she would throw her phone at the wall. If things could just go without interruption, she would be as happy as could be. With the stew simmering away and dessert warming in the oven—she'd made it in the morning, as much for herself as for a dinner guest—she sat down on the couch and let out a deep, happy sigh. "You can sit down anywhere you like," she said, smiling up at him.

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

"Stew sounds nice," James replied with a small smile as he leaned against the blue counter top, using his strong arms to lightly brace himself against the slate; the rock cool under his warm fingertips. "Don't worry about outlandish, Ada" he chuckled lightly. "Outlandish I can handle. I remember telling you about my stint in eastern Shalum, if anything was too outlandish for my tastes; that was it" he replied with a small smile as he began to get the necessary ingredients for the stew with her help. He held back from adding anything she had already stated, not wanting to muck up their meal by experimenting. There would be time for that in the future, or so he hoped.

It was a reference to a story he had told her at some point during the previous month when they had been messaging each other whenever they had the chance. At the time, James had been a young, gullible captain fresh from the Frankfurt war academy; a college which was the best in Shalum for military students. He had plenty of book smarts, but a lack of street smarts at the time. His CO at the time, along with the rest of the squad, had rather forcefully coerced him into eating the local wildlife, since their rations had presumably 'gone bad' due to the harsh weather of the easternmost provinces, and they needed to know if anything local was edible. In terms of geography, the eastern province of Maldoria was the closest Shalum had to desert, the area commonly referred to as 'badlands' by the Defense Force and Army. His 'meal' had consisted of a selection of bugs and a type of lizard that he wasn't able to identify, the reptile roasted to the point of being unable to be identified. By the end of his meal, James had felt and looked rather green, the lizard having a certain slimy taste to it even with all of the roasting; thankfully he didn't get sick from the meal. As it turned out, it was the way new soldiers were introduced to the unit when deployed to Maldoria; and the rest of the squad had been treated to similar meals at one point or another. From that point on, James had learned to tolerate and even enjoy foreign foods, except for lizards; which he couldn't look at in the same light ever again. While Ada may have felt pity or concern for him, he looked back at it with a smile; knowing that it had been in jest and that his battle-brothers and sisters meant no harm.

"Cutting sound fun" he smiled, reaching over to select one of the smaller knives, only grabbing what he needed from the wooden block; the knife filling one of the middle slots. The knife was a sharp as the others were, but it was obvious that it had seen a bit more use over the years. He quickly set out what he planned to cut first onto the board, methodically cutting the meant before setting it to the side. The knife felt comfortable in his, lighter than his combat knife or tomahawk, the latter still in service with Shalumite units for mountain and winter warfare. The war games in Nalaya had given him an excuse to break it out for a while, something that he was excited about. While the Tomahawk didn't particularly belong on the modern battlefield, he enjoyed using them. As he got a bit too close with a cut, Ada quickly warned him to be careful; it apparent that she had been watching. "Sorry, sorry, will do" he said a bit sheepishly, making the next piece cut deliberately larger. Cutting himself would ruin the dinner, and that was something he didn't want; as he rarely had opportunities like this to simply unwind with friends.

At some point during the meat cutting, after washing up, James took off his long sleeve BDU to reveal his short sleeve underneath, placing it neatly to the side after folding it so that it took up less room. The fire, which he initially thought had been a novelty, was now burning full force; filling the area with comforting heat that surrounded him. It had quickly gotten hot in the long sleeve, which was now dry, so he stripped it off; revealing his tan arms which were covered in a few drops of sweat, if only for a moment before they evaporated and his body began to vent heat easier. Thankfully for Ada's, he was the one doing the cutting, and left little risk for a kitchen mishap; not that he knew that he was the distraction.

James was surprised how easy and fun it was working with Ada, as they moved around the kitchen, helping each other when needed, joking all the while. They moved in an odd sync, James there right when Ada needed him, and Ada there when he needed her. If there was anything that Ada had a hard time reaching, James was there using his six foot wingspan to his advantage. As they cooked, they fell into an easy banter, joking about anything that they could. James was sure that he had laughed and chuckled more than he had in years during this time, and was quite positive that his face was going to be frozen into a smile by dinner's end. It was only now that James realized how isolated he was whenever he was at home. Most days that he had on leave were spent at home, reading or killing time on the internet; a general lack of social interaction. When his older brother Alexander dropped by, on leave from the Royal Infantry, he was a bit more social, but that didn't happen that often.

As he glanced over, he shot her an approving look as he saw the wine bottle in her hands. While it was expected of him to be a lager drinker, like many Shalumites from where he lived were, he liked a good glass of wine now and then. James had grown up a Catholic, and was the son of a famous family in Shalum know for their wine; meaning that he was no stranger to the sweet, intoxicating red liquid. "That's a good wine, nice choice" he said, pausing as he watched her. While he knew little of Nalayan foods or culture, he knew a good deal about wine; whether it be domestic or international. He was genuinely surprised how quickly he had recognized it, since Nalayan wine was hard to research, much less see in person; especially down in the southern continent were Shalum was tucked away. "You don't have to get me drunk, Ada, I would have come willing" he said; immediately regretting his words, thinking that he may have stuck his foot in his mouth. His cheeks flushed a bit as he returned to work, embarrassed.

"Sure, I'll take some" he replied, gratefully accepting the cup from her hands. He was eager to try it, since coffee in Shalum was consider a 'watered-down' bastardization of the product by more than a couple of foreigners he had met over the years. Try as they might, Shalumites had never been able to grow coffee, the climate just not right for the product. The majority of what they drank in Shalum, that was actually worth buying, was imported.

As he took a sip, his eyes widened in surprise, but his face didn't sour any. It was strong by all means, the black liquid potent and warming, which he was thankful for. The brief stint outside to close the shutters had chilled him and had been something of a small workout as he and Ada worked against nature. Once inside, they had high-fived, grinning to themselves as they checked up on the cooking dinner and desert. He gave a low whistle as he sat the cup down. "Strong is an understatement, Ada" he chuckled. "That was really good though. Its already making me feel warm again."

James was surprised how well the night was going, other than the single misspeak, which had already blown over; assuming that it had even been heard by Ada at all. Neither of them had been called back, and he was sure that if he was called, his phone would hit the wall, be smashed; or thrown outside into the rain. It was a harmless musing that made him grin to himself for a moment, as he knew full well that he couldn't ignore a call if it came; as much as he may have wanted too. Already, the nervousness in his chest, and the worry that polluted his active mind had dissipated, replaced by a calm, content feeling that made him warm inside, and raised his overall mood. With the food cooking, and nothing left to do, the two soldiers padded to the living room; talking amiably.

James paused for a moment, surveying his two options. The armchair looked comfortable and inviting, though it was obvious that it had been in service for a while. On the other hand, he felt drawn to the couch, wanting nothing more than to plop down while he waited for dinner. His hesitance came from Ada, as he didn't want to spook her by appearing eager to plop down beside her. Instead he smiled at her, giving a small nod in acknowledgment as he padded to the couch, sitting down; earning a sigh similar to Ada's in response. The couch was far more comfortable than it looked, and coupled with the fire which was going strong, he was a goner even though he didn't know it. He looked at Ada, his brown eyes full of warmth as he met her gaze. "This is really fun Ada, I'm enjoying it, thank you for allowing me to come out here; its a beautiful place" he said, breaking the gaze to look around the older, but intriguing house. "So you said this was your grandfather's?" he asked, trying to spark conversation.

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

The you don't have to get me drunk comment was met by a blush. Ada couldn't help being a bit embarrassed, if in a good way. She did like James, after all. It was nice to hear that he was enjoying himself without intoxication. Her own hope was that she wouldn't get nervous again and drink a little bit too much. It was a burden to be a friendly drunk, she'd learned a while ago. And his embarrassment was endearing.

She was grateful when the topic changed, though. To family, unfortunately, but at least he was seeing the good part rather than the unpleasantness that marked so much of it. "Yep," she answered with an affirming nod. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. Papy would be too. He was a good man, the only one on my mother's side I get along with. He was a jeweler here in Tatev, making all kinds of things. He made my mother's wedding ring for her." She paused. "That reminds me. I should get that box for you."

Ada stood up and headed towards the hall leading to her office, but she didn't even make it through the living room when someone banged hard on the front door. It was too organized to be the wind blowing a shutter open. The evening had been too good to be true, and that usually meant that something wasn't going to last. "That's weird. Normally the hospital calls. Must be one of yours," she said to James before pulling the door open. A man bulled his way in right past Ada, knocking her to the side. Ada's lips immediately pressed into a thin line. Lovely. The one thing worse than coming home to someone bleeding out on my carpet. "Ishkhan, I have a guest. You can't just walk in here whenever you feel like it."

There was a sort of resemblance between Ada and her half-brother, mostly in the lines of their faces. They both had the same narrow nose and high cheekbones. Ishkhan had brown hair and dark eyes rather than Ada's red and grey. He favored his father rather than his mother, so the shared blood wasn't always apparent—much to Ishkhan's satisfaction. "I don't see you stopping me," he said, turning around to face his sister. He looked pointedly at James, then back at her. "Shalumi?" Ishkhan was not a small man. He was shorter than James by a good four inches, but he was broad-shouldered and barrel-chested. He had been milits'iayi once, if the scarification on his arms was any indication, but he hadn't stayed in when it became the Banak.

Ada bristled a little, her hand tightening on the door knob before she shut it. "Yes, he is. What do you want?"

"I heard you were with some foreign asshole. I wanted to see if it was true. Apparently, it is," Ishkhan said before switching to English so James would be party to the conversation. "Who the hell is he?"

"That's not your business," Ada said sharply. She'd lost all of the softness she'd had around James.

"I'm making it my business. The last thing the family needs is more of your bullshit," Ishkhan snapped. He was a good-looking man, but not when he was angry. "Have you even told him who you are, Narekatsi?"

Ada almost broke the old door knob. That shot across her bows hurt. It also opened up a very old, very tender wound. "Don't you ever fucking call me that," she hissed out through clenched teeth. With anyone else, she would have taken a deep breath, calmed herself, and explained that she went by her mother's name. But Ishkhan knew how much she hated it and he just had to keep needling her about it.

He shrugged, clearly not listening to his sister. By obligation, he held out his hand to James. "Ishkhan Rshtuni. I apologize for intruding, but I have some business with my sister that can't wait," he said, forcing the anger out of his expression so he didn't offend the man. This was a foreigner, so he knew he could get away with it. With another Nalayan, intruding like that and going after the host could get a throat cut. "Normally I wouldn't air our quarrel in front of someone, but it's important."

"And what's that?" Ada said coolly, trying to settle herself.

"Where's Mayr's wedding ring?" he said, turning around to face her again. "I know she left it to you, though the why forever escapes me."

"Because I'm her daughter," the medical officer said as she continued to struggle with her temper. She hated that they were having this conversation in English now. The last thing she needed was this in front of James. Or this in general, now that she thought about it.

Ishkhan made a sound of disbelief. "You're the one who killed her, Narekatsi. It was just Tatik being a traditionalist," he said sharply, driving that knife of guilt just a little bit deeper. Ada paled like she'd been slapped and curled her shoulders a little as if trying to look smaller. It hurt because she knew at least half of it was true. Her grandmother was a strict traditionalist, even though she wasn't overfond of Ada. And the other half...that was what everyone told her, and she knew why. It made the ache of unshed tears start. But she wouldn't cry now. She never did in front of her brother any more, mostly so he wouldn't have the satisfaction. She'd let all that go when she was alone. She could hold it in for now.

"I'll go get it for you," she said, voice subdued. That being thrown in her face was a little too much to explode through. She could do that after Ishkhan left.

You look too much like your father...

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

James' eyes snapped to the door as the sounds of loud, almost violent banging resonated through the room; the sounds strong loud enough to overpower the storm outside for a few moments. The Shalumite commander quickly rose, turning to face the still closed door, stepping to the side of the couch so that he could face the door at a better angle. He glanced at Ada, giving her a nod in agreement. "Must be, though I'm surprised. I would have thought that the base would have called me first" he replied. He briefly tapped on the outer materiel of his side pockets, double-checking that his smartphone was, in fact, on him; which it was.

As the door shot open, and Ada was shoved forcefully to the side, James' fists coiled on instinct; his body going rigid, adrenaline practically begging to flow free. Already, James' mind was analyzing the situation, and the belligerent in-front of him; looking for every advantage or weakness that the man may have had. The man was smaller than James in terms of height, James standing solidly over him like a tower. It seemed that whenever James went in Nalaya, at least so far, he towered over the locals; his partial Azzie genetics giving him a natural boost. The only thing that Ishkhan had over James, was his muscle mass, appearing naturally bulkier; compared to James' lean form. Thankfully, James' training had taught him how to deal with people stronger than he was, so that advantage was somewhat negated. While James didn't want anything to come to blows, he wanted to be prepared for anything that may have happened. As he glanced between Ada and Ishkhan, he realized that the two had some similar features, almost familial; though the hair and eye color was enough to make him second guess himself.

While James didn't know much of the local language, he knew enough to know what Shalumi, though it wouldn't take an intelligent person to know what Shalumi meant; it appeared somethings were universal, regardless of language. He also picked up the curse words, as they were on of the few things he had studied on his way to Nalaya. It seemed that the ability to curse in other languages came in handy more often than not. For a moment, he was glad that they switched to English so that he could understand them, but he quickly realized the scale of the argument going on in-front of him. His eyes narrowed a bit as he returned Ishkhan's look, crossing his arms, allowing his biceps to fill out a bit, making the sleeves of his a bit tighter. If Ishkhan was to glance down, he would have noticed that both of James' hands were scarred, particularly around the knuckles; said scars earned from years of hand-to-hand training and heavy bag work, not to mention a few fights.

"Commander James Blackburn, Shalumite Defense Force" he replied tersely, not appearing pleased in the least by the situation. As James shook Ishkhan's hand, he put a bit more pressure than he usually would, making sure that the Nalayan in-front of him felt it. While James wasn't a psychologist, one trained to read people and their emotions, it was clear that Ada was hurt; and probably quite angry by Ishkhan's actions. He had been around her long enough to know how she acted. Normally, she was reserved, but not now; not in the least. Even so, he stayed quiet, not wanting to do anything rash; though he felt uncannily angry and protective at the moment. James protected his friends, and Ada was the closest one he had; other than his brother Alexander.

As Ada walked away, going to the back of the house where he assumed the bedroom was, James stayed put; standing tall and strong as he eyed Ishkhan with distaste, the Nalayan returning the look. The two stayed like this for a moment, staring each other down challengingly. Time seemed to slow for a moment as James moved, striking like a snake, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. One moment, Ishkhan was standing in-front of the door, and the next; he was pinned violently against the wooden fixture, one of James' forearms holding him against the wood by the neck, using the other long arm to pin both of Ishkhan's. As Ishkhan's back hit the door, there was a rumble as the sturdy door shook, enough force being sent in all directions to make that part of the house shake for a moment. If the circumstances would have been different, James would have dropped Ishkhan immediately to see if he was alright, but James was beyond that point; and Ishkhan was still very much conscious, though possibly a bit hurt. The look in James' eye was enough to send most men running. It was the look of a feral animal who had just been confined to a cage, and was waiting for the chance to be freed.

"Now you listen here, Ishkhan" James growled with venom in his voice, low enough that it would have made most men tremble in fear or shock; sending a shiver down a normal person's spine. "First of all, you never speak to a woman like that, especially your sister. She's a good person and doesn't deserve any of what you just said to her, you damn bully. That's what you are, just a bully" he continued. As he spoke, he applied more pressure with his forearm, not allowing Ishkhan to speak or breath. At this rate, Ishkhan had thirty seconds of air at most before he passed out at most, something James knew from firsthand experience.

James paused for a moment, taking a a deep breath, his lungs still not use to the thin mountain air. The force that he was using, was taking more out of him than he thought, though the adrenaline was keeping him more than passable; in case it came to blows. Even so, James made a quick note to pace himself in-case things got out of hand. Setting his jaw, James resumed speaking. "I have no idea what just happened, but from what I know, that ring is Ada's, and it's staying with her. Nothing you just said was close to appropriate or civil" James said; abruptly letting go, knowing that Ishkhan only had a few seconds of air at most. A normal person would have slumped down from the experience, but it appeared that Ishkhan may have been able to stand on his own, though James would have been genuinely surprised if he stayed upright under his own power. James glared at Ishkhan, surprised at how angry he felt over the whole ordeal. Seeing Ada get hit during the opening had been enough to set him off. "I'm going to check on Ada. If you're here when I get back...you don't want to know" he growled, before backing away; not breaking eye contact with the male Nalayan until he reached the hallway.

Slowly, James moved through the hallway of the ancient house, doing his best to calm himself and return his breathing to normal before he saw Ada. It was easy to find her, as the house wasn't particularly large, and a door was ajar that hadn't been earlier. Taking a deep, calming breath, James knocked gently on the door; putting enough force into it for Ada to hear him clearly. "Ada, its James. Is it...alright to come in?" he asked nervously; placing his hand on the door to push it open if she said 'yes'. If she didn't he would wait by the door, a bit awkwardly, until she decided to come out. He wanted to be there to help her, but he wouldn't make her say anything if she didn't want too either.

One thing was for sure, James wanted answers...

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

Ishkhan was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't among them. He knew he could win against Ada, whether through force—not that he would ever do that—or, usually, a certain level of manipulation. Just enough to push all of her buttons in the right places to get what he wanted. And bringing up parts of their family history and just that name, Narekatsi, was almost always enough. When James dropped him and then left, he was back out the door the way he came in. Not so quickly that it seemed like running away, but fast enough that he would be gone by the time the tall man came back. Ishkhan wasn't used to foreigners being willing to get in his face. James's reply was more what he was accustomed to when he pushed his boundaries too far and a definite signal to get out of the place before something more unpleasant happened.

Ada stepped up to the door only a second after James got to it, a small jewelry box in one hand. "Here," she said. The medical officer's whole affect seemed a little more subdued. She started walking back down the hall towards the way they'd come, stopping when she reached the end. "I'll be right—oh, he's gone." She looked back at James and gave him a small smile that struggled to reach her eyes. "Thank you for running him off."

Seeing any of her family tended to take something undefinable out of Ada. The life in her eyes had flickered a little. It could come back, but she needed some time. The Nalayan woman set the little box on the coffee table and leaned forward, resting her face in her hands for a few seconds before straightening up and looking at James. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she said quietly. "As he said, usually we don't air our family problems in front of strangers. It's extremely poor manners. I'm afraid I'm not much of a host." And that was not a good realization to a person whose whole culture prided itself on the virtue of hospitality.

She had to pinch the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger to keep herself centered so she wouldn't go and do something stupid like break her own things or cry, both of which usually ended up happening because something about those subjects coming up turned her into a frightened little girl again. Twenty years evaporating in an instant. The glimmer of tears might have been visible in her grey eyes for a moment before she blinked it away. "I suppose that demands some kind of an explanation, since you've been introduced to our unhappy history."

This was the part that she didn't want to talk about. Her legs moved restlessly as she spoke, feet facing the door, as if ready to bolt at any moment. Ada's shoulders rolled forward a little bit as she closed in on herself slightly and braced as if for a sudden shock. When people found out about this part of her history, they were never the same towards her. Sometimes for the better, but usually for the worse. There was a certain stain to her blood that she didn't think would ever come out. It had become a well-kept secret, the main skeleton in her closet. And now here it was coming out on her first evening with James.

Maybe it would be a relief to have it out of the way. He would either run or he wouldn't. If he ran, she knew he would never have been a good friend anyway. If he stayed, he was probably an idiot and definitely a good man. At least, that was how she explained it to herself. "My family and I don't exactly see eye to eye," she started slowly after a long pause to collect her thoughts. "Ishkhan is not the worst of it. He is just the most...obvious. I prefer him to the others. The less insidious it is, the less damage it does. He never pulls a 'you're just like your father' line."

Ada held her hands out in front of her, twisting the ring on her right middle finger as she spoke. It was an OCS ring from the Academia in Sevan with the nation's motto inscribed on its band. "How do I even...?" She took a deep breath. "Ishkhan is my half brother. We share our mother, who the ring belongs—belonged to. But if we talk about my family, we have to talk about both of my parents, don't we? Casimir Narekatsi was my father's name. To you, I am certain it is just another name. To Nalayans, it is a thing of blood and fire. That is why I use my mother's name, Rshtuni, even when I'm rightfully heir to my father's legacy as the oldest of his children. It is not something I would ever want."

She focused on her ring and the way it gleamed a little in the firelight, trying not to look at James. "They called him the Dragon because he seemed to bring the end of the world. His roars were machine guns. The beating of his wings, concussion blasts from IEDs. His fire, that of napalm. He was the warlord who tore the Heartlands apart. When he passed through Zmrukht, they say even the insects died. True or not, it was his legend. I was not a planned child or even a wanted child. I just happened because he decided to inflict more misery on another woman. These things happen in a war with evil men. After my mother came Karun's and probably countless others who didn't survive the war. I don't know how she got away from him, to be honest. I wasn't old enough to understand when she...died."

It was hard to even think about with Ishkhan's words so close to the surface. You're the one who killed her. "She was never the same again. I think it killed the wonderful person she used to be, because it stole the joy out of her life. Maybe that was why none of my family liked having me around. I was a reminder of what had happened. Every day, she had to look into his eyes when she looked into mine. Eventually she just had enough. I was six, so I didn't really understand when she just walked off the Kasagh Falls. They patrol those cliffs, but there are always people who jump. It's a very long drop with a very sudden stop. And when Ishkhan said it was my fault, I believed him. He was a child, a hurting child, and children sometimes do cruel things. But no one ever told him he was wrong. They just left it quietly alone and that was the way it was. Some of her things, like the ring, were left to me because things in my family are passed from mother to daughter and father to son no matter what, no exceptions. My grandmother is a strict traditionalist. Even though she couldn't bear the sight of me, she still insisted I take it."

The story was an old and familiar wound. It painful to bring into the light, but she knew it was healthier. In the darkness, it would just fester and rot. "I threw everything I had into school. It was my way out of Yeraskh. The war was still going on, but I went to Sevan to avoid the worst and go to school at the Akademia. I graduated as a doctor, worked in the tail end of the war, and then went to OCS to become a proper officer even though I'm only sort of in a command position. I suppose it's rather appropriate that I'm in the military given who my father was, if ironic considering my choice of disciplines. Ishkhan did his stint in the milits'iayi and then joined the Banak—the army—when Nalaya became an actual nation. Then Papy found Karun and I, so we became our own little family until he died. Now my half-sister and I talk sometimes."

She stood up and grabbed another small log to put on the fire. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me, but it is what it is," she said. It the most she'd ever told anyone. Everyone else either knew because they were part of her family or had only heard half the explanation. "Ada Narekatsi. I hate the sound of it, not that Ada Rshtuni is much better."

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

James nodded, giving Ada a nervous, almost awkward smile in reply as he rested his hands on his head for a moment to breath a bit easier; allowing more to enter oxygen into his lungs. Quickly, after a few breaths, he dropped his hands back to his side; the breathing exercise beforehand not quite necessary, but more for his peace of mind. His blood was still pumping, the veins on his arms still protruding for the moment, and would remain this way for a bit longer; till he calmed, which he was already on the path to doing. While he didn't feel ill by any means, he felt a bit weak for a few seconds, the sudden movements of him pinning Ishkhan to the door draining him more than he thought it should have; especially now that the adrenaline was wearing off. He knew it was the altitude at play, so he wasn't worried about the momentary feelings of weakness, as he just needed time to adjust properly. Now he truly understood why his men had been ordered to stand down for forty-eight continuous hours. If he had to fight a prolonged battle in this condition, he would have either passed out from exhaustion, fallen back to a better position, or surrendered all together.

"It was -ah- no problem, at all, Ada" he replied a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I just told him that it would be best if he left the before you returned" he replied, half-lying since he doubted Ada had heard much of the commotion; since the bedroom door had been mostly closed, and the storm outside was still loud enough to be heard as it battered against the windows. "Don't worry about" he replied, shaking his head at her, giving her a slight smile. "You've been nothing but a good host until, and you still are very much a good host. Your brother is the one who is to blame, since he did barge in after all" he replied matter-of-factly. It was clear that James placed not even a minuscule amount of blame on Ada, and that he was on her side. His eyes lingered on the small jewelry box as she sat it down, watching her curiously, as he was halfway interested in what the ring looked like.

James swallowed nervously as he studied Ada, watching as her expression into one of sorrow and vulnerability. It was the first time that James had seen her like this, not longer the tough girl that he was used to, that he come to know as one of his best friends. Instead she looked forlorn as tears threatened to spill out for a moment, tense as her legs bounced restlessly, as if she was going to make a run for it at any moment. "You" he replied slowly, meeting her eye. "You don't have to tell me about it Ada, if you don't want too that is. I understand that this may be a rough subject to talk about, and if it makes you uncomfortable, I won't force it" he replied honestly as he sat down beside her. After a moment, she decided to push onward with the conversation, so James listened quietly, hearing and analyzing practically ever word she said.

Casimir Narekatsi, doesn't ring a bell, was the first thought of James' as he listened. He had never heard the name before, and as Ada said, to him, it was just another name. But not to her it appeared. To her it was a lot more than that. As it turned out, Casimir Narekatsi was a feared Nalayan warrior, known for ruthlessness; to the point that he sounded that he was in the running for the angel of death. James' eyes widened in shock that Ada wasn't a planned, or even wanted, child; knowing full well what that meant. Ada's expression changed a bit more at the mention of her mother, but she pressed on regardless; like a veteran soldier would. James wanted to stop her, not because he didn't want to hear what else she had to say, but because it looked like she really needed a hug at the moment. However, James knew that this was hard enough for her as it was, and that doing so may have locked her up completely; and she might not have ever spoken more of it.

James' eyes softened at the mention of her mother's death, a suicide by simply letting go at Kasagh Falls, it clear that the mental strain had been too much for her to bear anymore. At the mention of Ishkhan, James' eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment. Her brother had bullied her mentally into submission, hanging her mother's death over her head, like Ada killed her. His stomach churned a bit, feeling pity for her that she had to go through was she had. As she continued, James realized that he and Ada were alike in more ways than he would have initially thought. When he had left home for the military, he had thrown everything he had into it. He wanted to be more than just another noble in the military, he wanted to earn his keep, he wanted to make sure that if Shalum was threatened; that he would be able to stand up for her. In truth, he wanted to be separated from his family, mostly his mother in truth; and the military had been his way out.

When Ada stood up, James stood as well. He let her throw another log into the fire before he spoke. "Ada" he began slowly, trying to find the words. "Do remember that conversation we had at the bar all those months back?" he asked her. The conversation at the bar had been practically burned into his memory, and he could recall it in great detail, at least up to the fight. Then things got a tad blurry. "You told me that, blood is just blood; that the circumstances of our birth just give us a beginning, that it doesn't have to define us. We make who we are, not our families, just us. Sure, your circumstances weren't the best, but look at you; look how great you actually are. Ada...when I look at you, I don't see you as the daughter of the Dragon, some angel of death and evil. I see you, Ada, a good woman, a great medical officer, and the best friend that I have" he replied. The conviction in his voice was enough to show how he meant every word, and enough to show that he still left things unsaid.

Before he knew it, he was moving forward, wrapping her in a tight, emotion filled hug; his strong arms wrapping around her, pulling her close to him. Something about it felt uncannily right, her body held tightly against his. She barely came up to his shoulders, as he was a giant compared to her, and many to many of the denizens of Tatev for that matter. He continued, voice much quieter, but still quite understandable to her. "Ada, don't worry, I'm not going to run or hide just because of your name; I'm not the kind of person. When I look at you, I just see you, not you name, or your family, or your blood, just Ada. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing to apologize to me, or anyone else for that matter."

James pulled back a bit to look down at her, his brown eyes meeting her grey with an unreadable amount of warmth in them. His eyes darted between her's and her lips for a moment, as the urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. "Feel free to kick my ass afterwards if you don't want me to do this" he mumbled, not quite sure where the words where coming from; or any of the other emotions that flowed through him at the moment. Slowly, with nervous hesitance, he leaned forward, placing a kiss on her lips; emotion flowing through him as he did so. It wasn't the greatest kiss he had ever had, but there was a lot more emotion behind it than he could ever remember. Hopefully, he hadn't just ruined things between them

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

The hug was everything Ada needed to come out of the place talking about her family always took her to. The warmth brought her back to the real world and out of the past without the tears or the anger that usually had to serve as her anchors. What he said, even if they were words she'd used as well, eased an ache in her heart that had been there her whole life. James was a good man, maybe better than she deserved in her life. And the wave of relief that she felt when it didn't send him running for the door was new and wonderful. The skeleton was out of its closet, but the world was still safe and fine. Maybe even a little bit better now that that was out in the open.

And then he kissed her. It was a little bit clumsy, a little bit tentative, but it seemed perfect. Ada just smiled against his lips and blushed a little bit. Before he could pull back and probably apologize, the Nalayan officer gently drew him into a second kiss. She was fairly confident that he wouldn't complain. It was still new, but a little less awkward since they each knew that the other was on the same page. James was a great friend, but she wasn't going to deny that she liked this a lot better. About the moment that she moved back again to look at him with ponderous grey eyes and a faint smile, the timer on the stove went off.

"Thank you, James," she said softly, reaching up to touch his face with delicate fingertips. He seemed even more handsome than before. Maybe it was in the way he looked at her with so much warmth. It really did look like none of that mattered and that made James as rare as a gemstone. There was none of that ancient history weighting her down with him. She wasn't certain she knew how to be the person she saw reflected back in his brown eyes, but she wanted to try.

Normally she didn't let people into her life this way. She was glad that she had made the exception. She brushed a thumb over his cheekbone, still studying him for a moment with the same pleased smile. Hopefully he wouldn't worry about it now. The timer continued its shrill announcement that food was ready and that someone had better pay attention to it soon. "I need to get that," she said a little bit apologetically. But the smile didn't stay gone for long. "We should do that again sometime. Maybe soon."

She had to pull away to go take the stew off the burner. Ada took bowls down from the cupboards and rescued silverware from the drawers. She wasn't certain exactly how to start talking again, but the moment of quiet wasn't too bad. It let her collect her thoughts a little bit while she served up bowls. "I don't tell anyone that much about me. At least, no one until you," she said carefully. It was in a tone of voice that said Please don't hurt me with it.

Ada set food out on the table and smiled at him. Her color was still a little high and her eyes were bright. The soft part of her inside that wasn't tasked with handling the here and now was walking up on clouds. Infatuation was a wonderful place to be, though it hopefully grew and matured into something even better.

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

Needless to say, James was surprised when he was drawn into the second kiss, but had no qualms about it as he smile against her lips; returning it without protest, his hands forming a gentle grip on her hips so that he could hold her close to him. The internal worry of him destroying whatever he had between Ada and himself, evaporated, the moment she pulled him in; replacing that feeling of worry in his chest with one of contentment as their lips met once more. While both kisses were a bit clumsy and hesitant, they both felt right, and were both more than enjoyable. When she pulled back, James pulled back as well, his brown eyes meeting her grey, full of warmth and compassion; a small grin forming on his lip as he gazed back down at her.

Internally, the commander breathed a sigh of relief, James ecstatic that he hadn't been rejected. He now knew that if he hadn't acted on impulse, he would have ended over thinking things. If he had done that, he would have ultimately talked himself out of it, for fear of ruining things or being pushed away. "I-it was no problem at all, Ada" he replied, tongue stumbling over the first word as he fingertips began to trace his face. Her fingertips seemed to leave fire in their wake, but the feeling was an oddly welcome one to James. "Yeah, we should definitely do that again" James replied in agreement, a small smile on his lips; face flushing a bit more as he thought about it. He begrudgingly let go of her so that she could return to the kitchen, therefore saving their dinner from ruin. As he moved toward the kitchen t,o help her if she needed it, his stomach gave a audible rumble of approval; as his nose and stomach traded notes on the aroma.

James nodded in understandingly, it quite clear why Ada wouldn't have said anything about her past; especially her family or change of last name. To him, she would always be Ada Rshtuni, not Narekatsi, regardless of what her blood said she was. "I understand" he replied slowly. "I'm...glad you told me about that Ada. Its important to know" he replied. He knew that, from her tone, there was a lot that went unspoken between the two as they traded looks for a moment, before she moved to fixing their dinner for the night. He wanted to offer to help her with the dishes and silverware, but she seemed well off on her own; not appearing to need his help handling the food and plates. As they set the food on the table, James said a silent payer over the meal as they sat down, asking that it would be nourishing to their bodies; and more importantly that things would simply work themselves out. James liked Ada, and he hoped this would end up more than simple physical attraction.

For a few moment, the two sat in a comfortable silence as they dug into their meals, James doing his best to not devour the stew in-front of him; since it was still very hot, and he was infamous for having a ravenous appetite. The majority of his meals were frozen in Shalum, were nuked by a microwave, and lacked the homemade taste that this brought with it. While it wasn't the healthiest, James didn't have the time or energy to cook more often than not. Instead, he ate at a reasonable pace, making sure to not slurp, a bad habit that he had been known to have in the past. While he had broken it during his time in the military, he had a unwarranted fear that it would return during dates, which this had quickly become; his earlier musings turned to reality before his eyes, through his instinctual actions.

Not wanting the meal to be in complete silence, James spoke up first, bringing up things they had talked of in the past, subjects that were safe to talk about; making sure to stay as far away from her family as he could. Thankfully, it worked, and before long, the conversation evolved into new subjects and stories; the two soldiers managing to laugh like they had earlier as they recounted old tales from their service. It was a fun, light conversation between the two, the weight of the world and deep conversation beforehand the farthest thing in their minds. While the conversation had disappeared from their minds, the kiss and its lingering effects had not, though neither had yet to bridge the gap about it during the dinner; as much as they would have liked too.

After dinner, James and Ada cleaned up the table, grinning slightly as he 'bumped' into her using his hip in the kitchen after he put his portion of the dishes away; Ada stowing her's before him. As expected, the two closed the distance once more, locking lips gently; James leaned back against the blue slate counter as they kissed, the taller Shalumite having to lean down to do so. "Maybe we should head back to the main room, its a lot more comfortable there" James suggested as he looked down at the Nalayan medical officer.

Before long, the two found themselves in the main room, on the couch as the fire warmed them; a new log added to the fire to ensure that it would stay alive, and that they wouldn't have to bother with it for a while. Instead of simply setting beside each other on the couch, they cuddled, a new experience for James; as Ada leaned against his broad chest, his strong arms holding her closer to himself. Cautiously, James stroked her cinnamon hair, since it felt right for him to do; but he wasn't sure if she wanted him to do so. Every few seconds, a gentle wave of comforting heat would wash over them.

Coughing, James began to speak slowly. He had wanted to propose an idea for a while, but with the rapid, unexpected developments; James decided to push the idea up a bit. Besides, the the worse that she could say was 'no' anyways. "Ada" he began, toying with a piece of her cinnamon hair for a moment before tucking it behind her small ear. "I was wondering....would you be interested in coming to Shalum one day in the future? I mean, I know you visited Dresden and all, but that was during the war games" he continued.

He swallowed nervously as he worked up the courage to continue. "Ada, I was wondering if you would want to take leave, for say a week or two, and visit Shalum for pleasure; not work. I live in Aragon, and if you wanted too, you could stay with me" he offered. "Its a nice city on the ocean, with good tourists spots and a plethora of restaurants to choose from, not to mention museums and historical attractions" he continued; his inner nerd loving to visit the latter choices when he had time. "I have a flat not far from the ocean, if you wanted to visit the beach as well. So to sum things up, would you be interested in...someday vising Shalum with me as your guide?" he asked nervously as he watched her; her red hair obscuring her face.

[Nalaya]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

Having James's arms around her was reassuring and slowly she felt her stress from the day ebbing away. All the thoughts of work and then her brother's sudden intervention were no longer important. They would become important again later when she returned to the stormy sea that was the real world, but for right now she was safe in a harbor. Between the warmth and the comfortable sound of his heartbeat against her ear, she started to drowse, slipping in and out of wakefulness. If she had been a cat, she would have purred at the feeling of his hand on her hair. "Hmm?" she murmured before waking up a little bit more at the question.

It wasn't a little thing. It was one thing to see someone at work in another country, staying on base but going out for the day. Actually taking leave off to go stay at his house would be a completely different thing. Not that she didn't have the leave—she hadn't taken a day off since Raith Immel, so she had weeks saved up that she could get at the drop of a hat since her unit was on hospital duty. Levian was a very understanding man, too. So it was certainly possible. But was it wise? Was it too fast? Then again, it wasn't like she was moving in with him or jumping into bed. Sex was, to Ada, not unlike emotional superglue. Once she threw it into a relationship, she stayed whether it was a good idea or a bad one. So that would be waiting.

Besides, he said someday. Not right this minute. She could live with that.

"Definitely," Ada said, a little bit of sleep in her voice. "I'd love to visit, really see Shalum. I'm sure I could get a couple of weeks of leave together any time." Then she blinked a little, reminded of what she'd pieced together for him about Nalaya. "Oh! I'll be right back. I need to get you that box before I forget again."

Ada jumped up with a surprising speed for a woman who had been half asleep and went over to the side table where an olive-wood box similar in dimension to a shoebox waited. It was a little longer, but that was all. "I tried to get you something from every corner of Nalaya," she said, running her fingers over the carving of a manticore on the front. The sides of the box were inscribed with thorns wound into intricate patterns of knots that formed a barrier to keep evil spirits from the contents. She slid it open to reveal a handful of treasures.

There was a small, leather-bound copy of the Qu'ran from the Dominion. The cover was worked in to a design of flowers and vines with the title itself in the leather's patterns in Arabic script. Inside, it was calligraphy in emerald ink with many colorful illustrations done by hand. Ada had picked it up at a small bookstore in In Salah. "This is Vatani," she said, handing it to him carefully. The ribbon that marked the pages was an emerald silk. "I know you're probably not Muslim, but the vast majority of them are, so I thought it would be a nice symbol."

There was also a small, straight, double-edged knife of damascus steel, with a feline image inlaid into the blade in silver. The cross hilt curved forward close to the blade as if to trap blades slid along the dagger's edge. The grip was wrapped in braided leather and then the pommel was a silver lion's head with obsidian eyes. "This is from a friend of mine, a Mak'ur metalworker. Ghaundar makes these for the Yath as back up weapons, though most are a little simpler in their design. You see them up in the Homeland."

She produced large clamshell with an opalescent sheen from a thick wrap of embroidered white cloth, its inside carefully scratched into verses. Blue ink had been wiped over the surface and been wiped away again, leaving delicate blue lines that formed the letters. "This is Nava'ai. It's a poem about the ocean. There's no way to emphasize how important verse is to them. A shell like this is something you might leave for an ancestor or at a shrine to one of the virtues."

Then Ada fished out a little stone fetish that looked like a bird with uplifted wings made out of some dark blue stone, gold eyes flickering in the light. It had a hole in it where it looked like someone could wear it as a necklace. The thing was tiny and probably quite fragile. "This is Imanalov', a good luck charm and a symbol of zi, the dreaming spirit as they call it." She set it to the side with everything else, carefully lifting the last thing out.

It was a silver armband, formed in the image of two dragons locked in mortal combat, both with ruby eyes. "And this is Arusai," she said with a small smile. "They used to make these for the arrajin, the First. They were the tip of the spear in the old Arusai armies, first into battle and last out of it. Every Arusai family has an art that they strive to master. The Narekatsi family have always been warriors. I think generations probably wore this into and out of battle. Its name is Niyaz, after the first warrior who wore it all those centuries ago. My grandfather resized it and wore it, so it'd actually probably fit you. It's not for me—I'm a healer—but I thought I would give it to you. A little piece of Nalayan history."

She let him examine each piece in turn, ready to put them back in the box to give to him whenever his curiosity was satisfied.

[Shalum]

Ada's House
Tatev, Nalaya

James smiled down at Ada as she rested on his chest, the feeling of contentment spreading from his chest to the rest of his body, the epicenter from where she laid her head. He knew that this sense of elation would pass sooner than later, which he wouldn't enjoy, so he made sure to enjoy it while she lasted. It had been a long time since he had experienced any form of intimate contact, so much though that it felt foreign to him; but not in a bad way however, more like rediscovering a hidden treasure that he thought had been lost long ago. As another wave of heat from the fireplace rolled over them, he began to feel sleepy himself, but he managed to force himself to stay conscious. As much as he would have preferred to lay their all night, they were running out of time until they had to RTB, or face consequences; which neither of them wanted to do, regardless of how comfy they may have been.

A small grin spread on James' lips as she replied, her voice sleepy, making her sound rather cute as she spoke. Relieved didn't even begin to describe how he felt that she was actually willing to go with him someday, and see his country as more than soldiers. It hadn't been a question that was easy to answer, and was something of a big step for a 'normal' couple he guessed; since he had never been far enough in a relationship, especially an international one, to be certain. "Awesome" he replied as he looked down at Ada with a small, happy smile. "I've got a couple weeks of leave saved up, and I can use it about any time" he continued. He briefly wondered if it was a bit soon to ask, but she had already said yes, so there was no going back now. Contrary to popular belief, sex wasn't what James had in mind when he asked. While it was something that was enjoyable, and was a key part of relationships further down the road, it wasn't something he took lightly.

"Ahh the box, I forgot about that for a second" he chuckled as he sat up; his eyes following her. Already, he missed the feeling of her head on his chest, but he didn't show it, as he was entertained as he watched her, surprised how well she switched gears from sleepy to awake, or so it appeared anyway. "Cool, I've been looking forward to seeing this" the Shalumi commander replied as he studied the intricate box, leaning forward a bit. Even though he had been introduced to the Nalayan way of life, and their views on spirits, it was still interesting to see how they acted about it. Before Christianity had hit Shalum like a tidal wave, many of the ancient tribes had been this; believing that spirits were among them. One big thing about spirits in Shalum, was that when someone died, it was believed that you walked the earth endlessly unless a relative carved a small statue in your image; so that you would have a place to reside and watch over your family from the spirit world once you passed on. While the views on spirits had been lost long ago as generations and Christianity rooted deep, the tradition was still there, at least with the western tribes of Shalum, who were known for being the in the most rural areas of the country.

James eyed the intricately made book with curiosity, taking it gently from her hands, as he realized that it may have been delicate; and he didn't want to ruin it if it was. He had recognized the book almost immediately, not from the appearance, but from the words which were written on the cover. "No, not Muslim, but still very magnificent all the same" he said; shooting her a small smile, before he tentatively flipped through a few pages to admire the hand painted images. In Shalum, while the majority were Catholic or Christian of another form, other religions were tolerated and accepted without much discrimination; Islam being no different. He studied the book for a moment, before handing it back to Ada with the same carefulness and respect that he had taken from her hands earlier. He briefly brushed a thumb over his shirt where the crucifix that hung around his neck stuck out under the fabric. The cross was made of silver, and Christ of gold, a family heirloom that had been passed down for many generations.

James let out a low whistle as his eyes landed on the knife, which had obviously taken a lot of time and TLC to get it to its current state. The lion on the blade screamed danger and death, but also brought grace to the table as well, concealing how dangerous it actually was under a facade of attraction and elegance. "Mak'ur eh?" he question curiously, eyeing the blade with a new light. While he didn't know much about them, he knew that they were warriors, a bit on the crazy side of things. He had heard stories of cannibalism, which he assumed were true, though in Shalum; everyone assumed Nalayans were cannibals, which he was most certain they were not, so the chances of hearing skewed stories were likely. "Its a nice blade, I wouldn't want to see it coming at me" he chuckled as he held it, running a thumb over the leather covered grip. "Definitely the work of master" he said as he handed it back to Ada.

James was afraid to touch the shell, the fear of dropping it one that made him a bit more than nervous; as he saw how important it was to Ada. "Wow" James said quietly, admiring the beauty of it as he looked over the words; though he couldn't understand them in the least. While he could speak the local language, he couldn't read it, something he hoped to change someday. He studied the shell a bit longer, before handing it back to Ada without word, as he wasn't quite sure what to say; but his expressions were enough to show that he enjoyed seeing it.

James was even more hesitant with the bird than he was with anything else, actually declining to hold it, not out of disrespect; but because he was known to be something of a fumbler at time, a reason he played soccer and not on the gridiron. Even so, he leaned forward, placing him a bit closer to Ada. "It looks very nice, kinda reminds me of my crucifix in a way" he replied, tapping his broad chest; signalling to the necklace that hung around his neck and went down his chest.

James' eyes locked onto the armband, staring at the dragons with acute intensity, his attention rapt even more so than it already was; the ruby eyes drawing his attention. In Shalum, the dragon was a big deal, as it was a creature that was famous for its strength and bravery in battle from tales lost to the past. While their deeds in ancient literature may have been lost, the sentiment still remained, so much so that they had a multi-role fighter class named after the beast. His eyes widened in surprise when she offered to him, as a token of remembrance. He shot her a happy, but slightly incredulous look as he removed it from her petite hands slowly. "Are you sure, Ada?" he asked, making sure that he had heard right as he accepted it. "Thanks" he continued, the smile growing on his lips. "Then, I will wear it with pride and honor" he promised as he slipped it on, his eyes widening as he found that it fit almost perfectly, just a -tad- loose, but not so much so that it would be an issue. He gave her a tight hug, unable to wipe the happy expression from his face. He was positive that he would be unable to wipe a smile/grin off his face after tonight, as too much had gone right, except for Ishkan's visit which had been overshadowed by positive emotion.

Not long after Ada put the things away, sans the armband, the sound of alarms went off, coming from James' smartphone. They had planned their day so that they could hop on the next tram that would take them back to base, and would give them about ten to spare as well, in the vent that something went wrong. James had always been something of a planner, and he liked to leave a bit of extra time for leeway, since it wasn't uncommon for traffic or something of that nature to hold them up. With a quiet groan, they rose from the couch, heading toward the door. James stopped Ada for a moment, leaning down to kiss her. "Goodnight kiss" he whispered quietly, "since we can't do that on base" he continued as they broke apart; the Shalumite commander opening the door for her.

On the tram back, he wasn't opposed to her leaning against him if she wanted, since this tram was mostly deserted, and didn't appear as if there were soldiers from either nation on board; the few passengers being locals. James was feeling a bit more confident than usual, the events of the night something that he hadn't expected; but had enjoyed more than he could describe properly. It had been a long time since he had been in a relationship. But did this count as one? Up until today, they had been close friends who could talk to each other about subjects that they couldn't talk to with other. She had shared things with him that he was sure no one else knew, besides her brother and half-sister. He was just concerned about the distance between them and the cultural difference, since long distance relationships rarely worked and Shalum was different from Nalaya. Was this simple infatuation, or something more? He hoped the later as he and Ada hoped from the train, bound for the base, thankful that the rain had stopped at some point during their time on the couch.

For the next two days, the soldiers and James did as ordered, unable to PT or anything else because of the health risk. Altitude sickness was a pain for all of the Shalumites present, as nowhere in Shalum were there mountains as high up as they were; meaning that not a single soldier from the guard unit was used to conditions like this. James and Ada got to see each other many times during these two days, but were unable to do anything but talk, which James didn't mind; not wanting to get caught important. He was worried things would be awkward between them, but the talking came as easy as all the times prior.

The war games were more lopsided this time, going in the Nalayans favor this time, as the Shalumites were sluggish and hesitant in the field; mountain warfare something that was new to many of them, which was much of the reason that they were there. Even so, James led his men the best he could, playing it a bit more safe in terms of maneuvering. This time, instead of paint ball rounds, the Shalumites got to face simunition; which stung worse more than paint-balls from James' point of view. The first two rounds went to the Nalayan, which wasn't unexpected, though the Shalumites were quick learners; and fast to adapt which showed in the third and final round of the first day of the war games.

[Nalaya]

Aid Station Ayb
Outside Tatev, Nalaya

The mountains here were unforgiving and harsh in their beauty, like the edge of a stone saw biting into the sky above. Ridge-lines rose up sharply and steeply, allowing fire to rain down from above. But there were other, more dangerous enemies. The sun, beating down with a dull, insistent heat that stood in stark contrast to the rainstorm that had marked their arrival; the wind that gusted through the canyon they were working around like the breath of a devil; and the cold, raging white waters of the Chath Niar'haanin where it rushed down from the heights. Just a little bit further south it would become the border between the Mak'ur Homeland and the world. It was the kind of river that ate people, deceptively deep, forever churning against the rocks, and possessed of undertow and undercurrents that frightened Ada. She did not envy the team whose job it was to watch the river while the war games went. The reality was that all they could do was recover a body, but it made people feel better to have divers on hand. But no one plunged into the white-water depths, thankfully.

Someday, she wanted to show all of Nalaya to James, from the burning sands to the rocky coasts and so much more. But right now, Ada's thoughts lingered on dinner and James's kisses. Not only that, but they visited the promise she had made—she would go stay with him in Shalum for a while, probably to get a similar tour. She hoped his own family were more pleasant to be around than Ishkhan, though he might have liked Karun. Her half-sister was a good soul. Maybe next time he was in country she could introduce him to the single part of her family she was on good terms with.

Someone slapped the back of her head and not too gently at that. "Head out of the clouds, Rshtuni!" Levian bellowed, a bit sternly as he walked by her. Ada winced and touched the back of her head. She'd deserved that one. However, that didn't mean she enjoyed it.

For the Nalayans, the war games went smoothly even in defeat. They were always training, or 'playing' as Levian referred to it. Most of the commanders wanted their troops so used to combat that the stupid mistakes would be out of their system come battle time. In addition, they had the advantage not only of knowing the terrain, but being a primarily veteran force. Ada was proud of James when his side won the last game of the day.

The aid station was not a quiet place, either. Oh, they had the first fifteen minutes during Levian's inspection for her to gaze off into space, but then came the first wash of casualties: a mix of real people limping out of the games with injuries and the deadheads—simulated wounded bodies complete with blood packs and sharp bone fragments. They could only get so close to reality, but for Ada it was real enough. The silence was the eerie part. Other than her teams shouting, there was no noise. As sick as it was, she preferred the screaming. It told her that her patient was still alive. And heaven knew there wasn't enough morphine in the world to keep that pain away.

She spent her day packing wounds and dealing with amputated limbs, spattered in fake blood that thankfully didn't smell like the real thing. It was just dye, cornstarch, and water. And yet adrenaline thrummed through her veins all the same. The aid station worked long after the war games died down, frantically trying to save patients that had never even been alive to begin with. And no one put in less than a hundred percent effort because the experienced medics treated it like the real thing.

Finally, their day ended after the sun was well down and the temperature had dropped from 85°F to somewhere around 63°F. She shivered in her jacket, arms and hands completely covered with the blood. She could taste cornstarch. It would be a long night yet as everyone on the Nalayan side had their every little action picked apart in front of them for both compliment and criticism. She and Levian were always particularly harsh, but only because they both felt the weight of the real thing on their shoulders. That all-day flood had been a walk in the park compared to Raith Immel. No burns, no screaming, no gunfire coming in, no hiding behind anything possible to avoid fire. No Norvenians opening up on them.

But in the darkness, a thought comforted her. James. It brought a warmth back to her exhausted limbs, enough energy to make it back to the base and stand in the showers with her clothes on until the red washed away. And then she went to her office and collapsed on the cot someone had thoughtfully put in there, immediately falling into the black of a dreamless sleep.

Soon, she would go to Shalum to see James's world, and that was enough to comfort her at the end of the day.

[Shalum]

Outside Tatev, Nalaya

James' arms felt like they were weighted, the long limbs hanging loosely at his side, his rifle hanging around his neck by a strap which he didn't normally attach; but had for this occasion, not wanting to lose his prized rifle to the rugged terrain of Nalaya. Each step felt a bit hard as he pushed his legs onward, actually earning somewhat of a burn for the effort. There was a reason James didn't go hiking, and this was it, though he knew he would probably get some form of reward out of this in terms of muscle growth, assuming he got proper nutrition afterward; which he would make would happen, whether it be Nalayan mess food, or the 'tasteful' MREs that the SDF had sent with them. All in all, James was tired, the mountain war games pushing his body a hell of a lot further than he normally did during training; his body not used to operating this high up, in mountain terrain at that, even if his lungs had adjusted to the mountain air.

As he eyed the Defense Force soldiers from the rear, James being one of the last in a column of Shalumites heading back to base, he felt a small surge of pride run through him. The first two rounds had been losses, the second especially embarrassing, even if it was expected; as they were the away team after all. However, the third round...it had been a good win for them. He wasn't quite sure how it happened, as a lucky three-round grouping to the thigh had taken him out of the game pretty quickly, but when he had finally managed to stand up using his own power; his men were cleaning up what remained of the Nalayan forces, taking prisoners when they could, or simply finishing off the remainder. When he reached the Shalumites after the win, they were cheering and clapping, congratulating the members of squad-four, who had apparently managed to outflank the Nalayans and deliver something of a crushing blow; though they had lost seven of the ten men that had originally been in their squad in the process.

From an analytic standpoint, the numbers lost for such little ground didn't say anything good about the Shalumite infantrymen, but in this particular situation; it wasn't completely unexpected. They were trained to defend areas, especially urban cities, while the army and marines moved ahead and kicked the enemies asses back to where they came; so all in all, they had done rather well for themselves. When they weren't drilling for combat, they had other things to do, like supplementing security at international airports in major cities alongside the Royal Infantry in the capital, and the regular security guards.

After the battle was over, the Shalumites, including James, found themselves in the aid stations set up by the Nalayans; giving the Nalayan medics a chance to work once more, this time with more realistic wounds than what the Shalumite paintball guns had delivered. James had thought that paint balls stung, but simuniton had proven him wrong, though he knew in a real situation; these training rounds were nowhere close to what a real bullet felt like, he wasn't stupid. They came close, but there was only so much they could do. The Shalumite commander rubbed his inner thigh, trying to make the sting go away, or at least turn into something a bit more dull. Whoever had hit him had gotten a few lucky shots in, as they had nailed him in the inner thigh, a bit too close to some areas then James would have preferred. While he was wearing a rigid piece of hard plastic to protect him, much like professionally athletes did, too close, was too close.

Much to James' dismay, he found himself in a different part of the aid station than Ada, he able to see her from where he; though it was clear that she was too preoccupied with one of his men, who seemed content to simply lay there while she 'patched' him up. For a brief moment, the Shalumite commander wished that Ada could treat him, as he hadn't seen her for the majority of the day; unless she was in the crosshairs of his ACOG scope, which had only been once. Even then, she had been too far away from him to be an accurate shot, not that he would have taken it.

Instead of Ada, he got a strawberry blonde instead, who appeared a bit younger than Ada, and was a tad slimmer; her hair pulled back in a bun, which had become mussed as she bounced around from patient to patient. James assumed they were running triage, based off what little he knew about medicine, and assuming he was correct; he wasn't the biggest priority at the moment. The 'wounds' he had received weren't comfortable by any means, but they weren't life threatening, and even if he was bleeding; he had a bit of time of time before it would become a problem. Not to mention, it wouldn't have been a hard wound to treat, and was something even he could do; though he would let the medics handle things instead. Thankfully, the blonde doctor didn't make him remove his pants, which they would have done in a regular field hospital to get a better look at the injury. Instead, she simply 'dressed' the wound and gave him some 'painkillers' before moving on, barely batting an eyelash at him; before moving on to assist another doctor who was just now getting to helping a man with a more serious chest wound.

Not long after, he was released from the aid station, opening up the bed that he had been on for another wounded soldier to lie and while he waited his turn to be treated. As he left, the Shalumite donned his field jacket, the same that he had worn to Ada's house; as it was made of thick material, and the temperature had dropped a good twenty degrees since he had entered the aid station and darkness had fallen upon Tatev. He was alone for the moment, though there was a group of Shalumite and Nalayan soldiers ahead of him, filing back into the base as they were treated and released. The small, lucky minority that hadn't been hit during the battles were already inside, the Shalumites eating chow as they talked about the battles that had happened earlier in the day, and strategies that they could have used to make things go differently, managing to laugh all the while.

James fished a MRE out of a box that his men had brought in and had set down on a table in the center of the Shalumite groups. He ate alone this time, the people who he normally sat with at the aid station or otherwise occupied. The only person that he knew well enough to call a friend was chatting up a female Nalayan soldier, though James wasn't sure how good a job of it he was doing, as the female's back was turned to him, leaving him unable to read the body language for the most part.

Clarke, that was the Shalumite soldier's name, appeared to be having a good time however, so it couldn't have been going so badly. James smiled at the man, though he wasn't sure it was seen, and finished up his meal in silence; before trekking back to his room, going through the Shalumite barracks, which were already beginning to fill up with tired men, only stopping to take a quick shower. When he returned from it, he found his own room still empty, Captain Jaworski still at the aid station helping the Nalayans and learning how to operate in the meantime. While the Shalumites had good doctors, they had no real experience in terms of pressure, so this was good training for the medics that the Defense Force had brought along. James stripped off his field jacket and ditched his boots before collapsing onto his cot, finding more comfort than he thought possible in the generic, military material.

As he drifted off to Morpheus, his head found itself caught up in thoughts of Ada, ones which brought a smile to his face. The thought of his medic made him feel a bit warmer, his limbs a tad less sore. That woman, especially her kisses, made him feel a bit better....about everything. He could tell her just about anything, and she could tell him anything, assuming she wanted too. He had learned about her past through horrid means, but it was out in the open, and he accepted it; because it was the right thing to do, and it was Ada after all. He couldn't hold anything against her, no matter how bad it may have been. He too drifted off into a dreamless sleep, a small smile on his lips as he did so.

A few days later, the war games were over, the Shalumite staying a day more than the Nalayans had in their own homeland. Over the last few weeks and months, many Shalumites had formed friend or acquaintanceships over the course of the games, so some actually said goodbye by name. At one point, as James was making his way toward the exit, he ran into Ada in the deserted barracks, whether by: fate, chance, or luck. There was literally no one there, all of the Shalumites already gone. The only reason that James had been there, was because he had forgot his jacket, something that was too important. A grin played on his lips as he 'ran' into her.

"Well Ada" he said as they stopped. "I can say...visiting your country has certainly be an experience that I will carry with me, and will never forget" he admitted honestly. His pack was thrown over his shoulder, and they weren't far apart. "Thank you for showing me everything Ada, thank you" he smiled. They didn't have much time to spare. While he might have been the commander, they had a timetable to keep too, and another storm was coming in to chase them off. Thankfully, they had warning this time. They kissed goodbye, James giving her a kiss that made him feel a tad dizzy. "I couldn't leave without doing that one last time" he admitted with a sheepish grin, flushing slightly; his olive skinned cheeks a bit red. "I'll message you the first chance I get when I get back to Aragon. Goodbye Ada, for now" he said; giving her one last, long look before he departed.

---

Aragon International Airport, Shalum
A few weeks later

From far away, Aragon looked like it belonged in a super hero movie, one where the villain came through and destroyed half the city before the hero could step in. It was a -huge- city, even from far away, with a population of over 8,000,000 living in the city limits itself, not counting the other 10,000,000 in the surrounding cites and suburbs; making it a true conurbation. It had large skyscrapers that dared to touch the sky, filled with office workers doing a plethora of different jobs. Along the coast, large hotels, resorts, and even a few casinos overlooked an expansive beach; which was quite popular this time of year, people flocking to enjoy the sun and fun.

While many may have been overwhelmed at first by the city, it was surprisingly easy to adjust to. If one stuck to their area of living and work, it wasn't a hard place to navigate or drive in, at least for James anyway. One of the last views on a plane may have saw, assuming they payed attention, would have been the royal palace, which overlooked the capital from the hills that surrounded and confined the mega-city. It had originally been built as a castle for the Hollands, who had been feudal lords at the time, as both a show of power, and as a place for the lords loyal to the Hollands to meet at, still and feel safe. Even today, it still had some strategic value, though not nearly much with modern technology playing its role.

Among the throngs of denizens, and towers of Aragon, was James Blackburn; who was standing in an international airport terminal, waiting for Ada to deplane; which would probably take a while with the other planes coming in and leaving. The commander was dressed casually in dry fit athletic shorts and a dry fit t-shirt, both of which lacked the usual army symbols that James was prone to running around in anymore; exposing his muscular arms and legs in the process. He was on leave, and when he was on leave, he wanted to feel a bit less 'soldiery', at least for a while. He was wearing a blue and white ball cap of the local college level soccer team, the Aragon Wildcats, who were doing quite well this year. He was a big fan of soccer, and Aragon felt like his home-team, though he was originally from the Frankfurt area; who just so happened to be Aragon's rival. His brown eyes were framed by sunglasses, something he didn't wear often.

After so long in the service, he felt exposed without his uniform or a pistol on his hip; something he knew Alexander Blackburn, his oldest and only sibling would find amusing to hear, though it was very much true. Then again, having a gun on your side in an airport wasn't recommended, even if he had the proper IDs that would allow him too. The closest he had was his HK45 tactical which he took everywhere with him, and was currently in its designated spot in his car console, concealed properly; and would be hard to find if you weren't really looking. As he thought about himself being exposed, two Royal Infantrymen walked by in: BDUs, body armor, and wielding assault rifles, a sign that he was safe, and that he was a bit paranoid. Though, few could blame him. He was in command of the unit that provided security to the main beach district, meaning that he got paid to worry about things, and observe people.

Over the last few weeks, he and Ada has talked a great deal, through either text or email; depending on what their situation had allowed. Over that time, they had done their usual banter, but there was a bit more to it now; especially with their new found relationship, if one wanted to call it that, since it was a bit of an odd one at the moment due to circumstance. She had finally managed to get some time off, and so had he, as he had close to a month saved up, probably a bit more than Ada. They had worked things out, so that they would get to spend some time together in Aragon before heading south to Frankfurt. Apparently, they were going to meet his parents at some point, something he was a bit hesitant to do; since they had a weird, messed up relationship at times. This wasn't even mentioning his mother...but one step at a time as they said.

After a while, people from Ada's flight began to disembark, leaving James to the waiting game; something that didn't take too long, thankfully. As he spotted Ada, a grin spread on his lips, though he didn't approach immediately, allowing her to weave through the traffic a bit first, before he swooped in to help her out. "Excuse me miss, are you lost?" he asked as he glanced down at the Nalayan woman with a warm smile. "Welcome to Shalum, Ada" he grinned, leading her out of the crowd a bit into a more open area.

[Nalaya]

Aragon International Airport
Aragon, Shalum

Ada had spent her flight mostly asleep with earbuds in, listening to the soothing sounds of a lecture on the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex of the brain as she drifted into and out of consciousness. But as the plane shifted into a descent, she opened her eyes and found her breath stolen by the city. It was like nothing in Nalaya. Yeraskh had its few skyscrapers, but this city was beyond massive. She knew her eyes had gone wide, but she couldn't help it. She would be one of millions of people in that anthill of a city, milling about the streets. It made her very, very grateful that she had James waiting for her so that she wouldn't be alone. This was the kind of city that could just swallow someone up.

She was out of uniform in jeans and a snugly fitting, forest green T-shirt with a symbol for the Tatev Marathon on it. Ada tended to shy away from shorts even in hot weather except when she was running, used to a country where fairer skin needed to be protected from the sun. But even as an Arusai, her natural skin tone was a little darker than those around her. She still had her dog tags on, though. They were advantageous even in civilian life in case anything happened to her. Being Nalayan often meant being almost painfully aware of one's mortality.

The medical officer had two weeks of leave, provided her unit didn't ship out anywhere. She was looking forward to her time here in Shalum after almost a month and a half of just talking to James by text. She'd managed to call him a handful of times, but invariably she had to get off the phone because she was being paged down to the ER or they had a code. It didn't help that she was working strange hours, so half the time her messages were coming in when he was asleep. But it was still talking to James and so she enjoyed it. Seeing him in person would be even better.

She stopped to switch her phone on in case James called her and noted that she'd missed a call from Karun. That was a call she could return later. Her half-sister didn't sleep well, so it wouldn't matter if Ada called late in the night. Invariably the woman would be awake. Thankfully, there was no call or text from Levian. That was one of the things she was terrified of.

The minute she heard James's deep voice behind her, she jumped a little. She hadn't even seen him coming, but the surprise was a pleasant one. She let him lead her out of the crowd. Once they were to a more quiet area, she hugged him in greeting and then kissed him lightly. "It's good to see you," she said with a bright smile, feeling a huge wave of relief from anxiety she hadn't even realized she was feeling.

It was funny how coming to a new place could make her nerves shoot through the roof while she didn't even bat an eye at the operating table. She was still a little overwhelmed by the crowd and the sheer noise, but it was much better now that she had him. "This place is huge," she said, looking around again despite herself. "And the number of people...is this what ants feel like?"

[Shalum]

Aragon, Shalum

James smiled down warmly at Ada as she hugged him, the commander quickly returning the affectionate action, his strong; lean arms wrapping around her small waist. As their lips met gently for the first time in months, James felt a bit more complete, at least for a moment; the Shalumite commander amazed at just how much he had missed her touch. "Its good to see you too. I missed you" he replied back, matching her smile with one of his own. No one as much as batted an eyelash in the couple's direction, as partners reuniting in places like this was more common than one may have initially thought, as cliche as it was.

A small, slightly amused grin spread on his lips as he eyed Ada as she glanced around the airport. He knew that look quite well. When he had first moved up from Frankfurt to Aragon, he had felt the same way, overwhelmed by just about everything he came across; though it was a warranted reaction. For anyone who had never been to Aragon, or a city that rivaled its size, it wasn't hard to go through something of a culture shock. He poked her playfully in the side. "I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I first moved up here from Frankfurt" he said sagely, giving her a small smile. "But yes, I think this is what being an ant feels like" he chuckled, releasing her from the hug. "Don't worry though. Not -all- of Aragon is this crazy" he told her, trying to be reassuring. "Come on, lets get out here" he said, nodding toward one of the exits. The exit, while not terribly far away, had a good number of people in-between, though not as many as during the holiday seasons; meaning that Ada would get to see what she could expect to see what Aragon had to offer before she ever made it out of the airport.

"So, how was your flight, Ada?" James asked as they began to walk; offering to carry any bags she may have brought with her. The majority of those who they passed appeared rather normal. A couple of well dressed men were standing in a small group, talking as they nursed their expensive coffees and teas; munching on their doughnuts and scones, a few eyeing the couple as they passed, Ada standing out compared to the other women around them. In the waiting area they passed, a tired mother and father were trying to wrangle their two children, neither of whom was older than five, and appeared quite energetic; unlike their parents, who looked as if they could use a month's worth of rest. Huddled around a plug, placed for public use, was a group of what appeared to be hipsters, all of whom had their phones plugged; funnily enough, into a portable electric strip that could hold six plug-ins. The most surprising however, was a group of three or four practicing native Edensits, who were wearing only body paint and talking jovially; seeming unfazed as many looked at them funnily as they passed. They were the -only- group of Edenists in the entire airport, as that particular sect if Christianity was still very new to Shalum.

Not long after passing the Edenists, the were at the exit of the airport, that would lead them to the main entrance, and eventually to the acres of asphalt that was the parking lot. As they stepped out, the cooler temperature of the airport was lost on them, as the Shalumite summer heat hit washed over them. It was in the upper nineties, though the cool ocean breeze made it feel a bit cooler; however the longer they stood in the sun, the more they would feel it. "I'm parked over there" James said, pointing at one of the parking lots closer to the entrance. While it wasn't marked clearly, it was a parking lot for military personal, a bit smaller and much less crowded compared to the public lot; though it appeared like any other lot at first glance, as most who used it drove civilian vehicles. The walk to only two minutes at most, much of the waiting caused by traffic at a crosswalk, which was policed by a soldier from the Defense Force; the uniform giving him away, though the patch on his shoulder told that he was from a different unit then James. The Defense Force only had two active units, one in Aragon, and one in Frankfurt; James assigned to the former, which was a bit more prestigious, though few could really tell the difference.

"Ahh, there she is" James said, pointing at a sleek grey sedan which was a few rows ahead of them, and was settled in a parking space between a larger pickup truck and and another sedan of a different company. Upon further inspection, the emblem of the front of the car was clear. It was a silver ring around the letters 'FMW' which stood for Frankfurt Motor Works; a luxury car company based out of James' hometown, which was much of why he had bought the car to being with. It was an expensive piece of machinery, built for smooth riding, and designed to make sure the occupants were comfortable the whole time. It even had a satellite radio, which was capable of picking up stations from around the world, Nalaya included; though he had never tried to pick up a station from Ada's home country.

"This is my...other girl" he chuckled, patting the car almost lovingly as they approached it, he on the drivers side. "Toss your stuff in the back and hop in" he said, opening the driver's door while he waited for Ada to hop in the passenger's seat; which was covered in leather, like all of the other seats. It was obvious that the car had been a bit more on expensive side of things, but between James' military pay and government allowance; not even mentioning what he had saved up from his years prior to service, it had been a rather inexpensive acquisition. It was even a clean diesel vehicle, which had been the biggest cost driver, since the technology had yet to enter the public market in high numbers. When the Nalayan woman had finally settled in, James put the car into drive, checking his mirrors before he pulled out of the parking space.

Getting off the airport ground took more than a few moments, as there was a good number of cars always coming and going through the airport; except during the wee hours of the morning. However, once they got past the area which was like a toll booth, but instead validated your parking ticket and charged you for parking, it was smooth sailing. The area around Aragon International wasn't as densely populated as the rest of the city was, all of the buildings and shops being one story, though basements were under some homes and businesses. The property values were low here, and few wanted to live near the airport for good reason. The only reason that many of the businesses were there, was to cater to those coming and going from the airport; many of said shops being: restaurants, clothing stores, or hotels. There was both a heavy police presence, and a slight military presence in this area as well, the Defense Force providing security to supplement the local police force.

Instead of heading due west toward the towers of Aragon that made up much of the downtown area, James hopped onto a highway that was headed southeast the sign that hung over the interstate reading Auburn-Aragon, which was one of the smaller towns that made up the huge urban area. It was the southernmost 'mini-city' of Aragon, with a population of just under 200,000 denizens, most of whom worked downtown in the towers. It was clear why, as many of the buildings in Auburn looked to be on the more expensive side of things. The majority of those who lived here were middle-class people, ranging from bankers to higher ranking military officials, like James as an example. The true upper class of Aragon lived in the northernmost mini-city of Burbank, closer to Callaban.

During the drive southeast to Auburn, the interstate rose up over a part of the continuous city at one point, raising the cars three or four stories in the air. During this time, if Ada looked out the window to her right, she would have gotten a better look at Aragon and its expansiveness. If she would have looked at James, or past him, she would have seen the Port of Aragon, which had a good number of cargo and cruise ships docked. Next to the port of Aragon, was the Oceania Naval Station, which was one of the primary naval stations in Shalum. Docked at the naval station, was the 8th Carrier Strike Group, which had only recently been formed around Edomite vessels sold to Shalum. They had just finished their sea trials, and were refueling and rearming before they moved out to the Sea of Shalum to idle until it was time for them to move out to wherever they may have been needed.

Throughout the drive, James made small talk with Ada, feeling a bit nervous since it had been a while since they had last spoke, at least in person. Their last phone call had been more than a week ago, when he hadn't been the most energetic. He had just gotten back from Aragon after a week in western Shalum, which was a -very- rural area, dealing with a mudslide that had stopped up isolated a village. While it was normally the SDF's job to clean things like this up, the Defense Force had been called in to provide security as well, since the area was notorious for pro-Azzie insurgency. Thankfully, no gun play had happened, but it had worn mentally on James and his men, since an attack could happen at any moment. While the insurgents didn't hit civilian targets, government forces were fair game. He had told her that it was just a 'long' day at work, since he had been looking forward to talking to her the entire week. Thankfully, they managed to keep up conversation, sticking to the light, easy topics; making sure to stay away from anything that would have counted as 'too' personal, though they had spoken of the latter in the past. The twenty-five minute drive to his apartment felt more like ten minutes at most, at least to him.

When they finally parked, they didn't stop in a normal car lot, but on a public street, which wasn't very busy; with less than a dozen cars on the long avenue. They had pulled up alongside a long row of buildings, which were obviously apartments, though there were no exterior doors, just gates which were spaced out down the entire row. James turned off the car and got out, letting a stray car pass before he did so. He led Ada to one of the gates, opening and holding it open for her, before he shut it behind them. Past the gate, they found themselves in a Roman styled apartment, with all the apartments facing inward toward an inner a atrium, which was well kept, and had a three tiered fountain as the centerpiece. Through a side gate, there was a small pool that was usually unoccupied this, as the majority of the tenants preferred to hit the nearby public beach. However, at night the pool became busier, as the beach crowds returned home or to their hotels, and the beach closed down, though it was too large to be patrolled effectively.

"Well, assuming you look out the window, this is what you'll be waking up to outside every day" he smiled down at her, waving his hand to signal to the atrium that surrounded them. They had worked it out so that Ada would be crashing with him, in the guestroom that rarely used for anything more than storage. Even though the room was barely touched under his watch, he had taken the time to meticulously clean it, even going to the extent of dusting and vacuuming; along with washing the bed sheets of the queen sized, memory foam bed that she would be sleeping on. In fact...he had cleaned up his entire apartment in preparation for her arrival. Most would have probably considered it excessive, as dirty to him was cleaner than most normal people ever let their houses get on a regular basis. It wasn't like he was trying to impress Ada or anything...

"Come on, my apartment is over here" he said to Ada; leading her over to one of the apartments that was tucked into the corner. The number '32' was on the door in large, black numbers against a wooden door painted white. He fished his keys out of his pocket, muttering 'eureka' as he found the correct bronze key that would grant him access. The well oiled door opened without any form of resistance, James not having to put any muscle work to open it. As they stepped in, they were surrounded by air that was far cooler compared to the outside temperature. "Home sweet home" James said as they entered, flicking on a lamp, illuminating the apartment; which was already partly done thanks to an open window curtain. "Come on, let me give quick tour, show you where you will be staying."

They were standing in the living room in his apartment, which was a good sized room, and was comfortably furnished. Tucked against the wall next to the front door, was a flat screen TV, not a large one, but a 40in HDTV with cable hooked up to it; along with a gaming system that he regularly watched movies on, on the rare occasions that he had time to stop and relax. Further back from the TV, was a brown wooden coffee table, which had two remotes for the TV and cable on it, along with the controller for the gaming station. Behind the coffee table, was a black leather couch, that looked rather inviting, and looked as if it could hold three people comfortably, four if they didn't mind being a tad uncomfortable, or one if James decided to crash on it after a long day at work. Adjacent to the couch, was a smaller, black leather love seat, which matched the couch. There were two end tables at either end if the couch, lamps and drink coasters on both.

Hanging on the wall, in between the love seat and TV, was a single wall shelf, which had a few pictures placed upon it. Among these pictures, was a younger James in his dress uniform, standing next to a man in a Royal Infantry uniform. James was leaning against the man, grinning slightly. The two looked a lot alike, though James had at least three inches on the man beside him, not to mention the man's hair was a sandy blonde, not a brown like James. It was clear that the man in the picture was no other than Alexander Blackburn, his older, but slightly shorter brother; though the shorter of the two appeared a bit stockier. There were a few other pictures of James, most of which he was in a Defense Force uniform, smiling for the camera. One of the few that wasn't him in a uniform, but a regular suit instead, was him with his brother, and surprisingly enough; his parents. James and Alexander, as it turned out, looked a lot like their father in appearance, though James was taller than his father by a few inches as well; and Alexander had taken more of his mother's hair color. Along with these two pictures, on the mantle, was a small, hand carved Cuderae, the Shalumite equivalent of a bison. It was made of white marble, and looked like it had taken ages to make. James hadn't made the piece, but had picked it up during his time in eastern Shalum, buying it from a local tribesmen during his last tour in the area.

Tucked into another corner of the room, near a mock dining table that sat four, was a waist high, three tiered book shelf, made of wood; something he had done himself during his younger days when his grandfather was still living. It was a well organized shelf, actually separated by author or genre. The first row was mostly fictitious military stories, about wars or secret missions that were nothing more than tales, though they were well written; and some of the books had some age on them. The second row, which required one to bend over to see clearly, was a bit more surprising, especially since they had been purchased by James. The second row was solely books of the romance variety, many of the titles from well known authors across both Shalum and the world. Buried among this full row of books, were two written by Olivia Lalery, that James had completely forgotten that he owned. He actually enjoyed reading romance books, and did regularly, not ashamed or embarrassed in the least like other men may have been. The third row of the shelf was practically empty, and held a few random books.

The next room over, was the kitchen, which was smaller than the living room. It, unlike the living room, had a ceramic tile floor instead of carpet. The kitchen counter was made of tile as well, white being the color of the day. The cabinets, which held all of the dishes and cups, were made of brown wood with black handles. There was a block of knives to the side, though none of them were as sharp as the ones at Ada's house, but they would get the job done all the same. The fridge was full sized, with the door on the left side leading to a freezer, and the one on the right leading to the fridge. They were both stocked, though not anywhere near full capacity; as he needed to stop at the grocery in the next day or two. The stove was a bit older than the fridge or dishwasher was, being an original appliance from when the apartments had been built, however it worked just as well as the day it had been installed. The newest appliance in the kitchen was the microwave, which James had replaced only a week earlier. A power surge had come through the area during a storm, and had fried the device, but thankfully nothing else.

Past the kitchen, was a hallway, which led to four rooms. The first they came to was a full bathroom, outfitted with a shower that could be turned into a bath with the flick of a lever under the water spout; and had a glass sliding door as an entrance and exit. There was nothing extraordinary about the room, as it was equipped with what anyone would find about anywhere else, assuming you were in a modern nation. Further down the hall, on the same side as the bathroom, was a small laundry room with a washer and drier, along with all one needed to wash clothing. At the of the hall, opposite to the laundry room, was James' room, though he didn't show Ada that. The guest room that Ada would be staying in, was across from the bathroom.

It was spartan but comfortable, lacking in much in the way of decorations, since he didn't use it often. Her bed was a queen sized memory foam mattress, already covered in soft sheets and four pillows. She had her own TV, a smaller 30' flats screen, the remote on the nightstand beside a lamp. She had a window as well, its curtains pulled back for the moment to allow sunlight in. There was a medium sized dresser to the side, all of the shelves empty in case she wanted to use them, with a mirror atop. She had a half-bathroom attached, which lacked a shower, meaning that she would have to go across the hall to wash up.

"Well Ada" James said after the tour, leaning back against the wall, giving her a small smile. "That concludes our tour of the place" he continued. "I'm glad you managed to get leave and come out here. I was wondering...would you want to go out tonight, see the city of Aragon? At night, its a sight to see" he smiled, though a bit nervously; as he had never been good with asking people out.

[Nalaya]

James's Place
Aragon, Shalum

"The flight was alright. More comfortable than military aircraft, even if it was pretty busy," the Nalayan medical officer said, looking around as they walked. This new place with its strange atmosphere made her a little bit uncomfortable. So she did what any good Nalayan soldier would—she turned on the swagger. Ada walked with her chin up and her shoulders squared, as if the airport and everything else belonged to her. It was something she'd learned from her Mak'ur Kapitan back when she was just a leytenant. She didn't quite have the attitude to make people stop and veer out of her way, but it kept her from being jostled and made her feel a little more comfortable. It was a way of faking it until she made it.

The Edenists drew her attention a little bit, not because of their nakedness, but because she hadn't really expected it here in Shalum. It wasn't bad, just a little uncomfortable. Ada had mixed feelings about the ETC, like many Nalayans. They were good people, but they were also a wellspring of religious fanaticism. As her commanders jokingly put it, Nalaya had enough fanatics of its own.

When they reached his car, she laughed despite herself. "Men and automobiles," she said teasingly with a click of her tongue in mock disapproval as she set her bag in the back. She tried not to throw it around too much. It was worn and abused, the bottom still spray-painted black with Bara stenciled on it from when she'd left on her second deployment. Before that, it had read Raith Immel.

She was quiet on the drive, though plenty happy to contribute a comment or two here and there. For the most part, she was content to let James talk. Ada was an attentive listener even though the surroundings were fascinating as well. Normally her attention might have wandered, but this was James. He could have been reading the phonebook and she would have listened. If they even had phonebooks here. Out of habit, she checked her own phone. There was a text waiting for her. So much for vacation time, she thought wryly as she opened it up. It was actually from her half-sister.

Karun: I can see what you see in him. By the way, check out the news from home when you get to where you're staying. If they have it.

Well, it was half good news. The second half made her stomach knot in that unpleasant, expectant way.

"This is quite the place," Ada said with a smile once they reached his apartment, looking around. She'd been nearly blown away by the building itself. It was a little jarring to be surrounded by so much technology when she was still accustomed to that being primarily at work. It wasn't that she actively tried to keep it out of her life—she had a computer and a smartphone—but it was easier just to slow down rather than race from screen to screen. The military was the only place where things really happened in a hurry in Nalaya. Daily life for the most part ambled along. It wasn't as densely populated as Aragon. She found it a little intimidating, but she hadn't survived this long by shrinking from things that made her feel small.

On the whole, the place was very...James. It had the personal touches that reminded her of him from the romance novels to the photographs. In another way, it was also a reminder that she was coming from an entirely different world than him. It was not like any Nalayan home she had ever been in. That was hardly a bad thing. It was just different. When he spoke, she turned around. She had been fascinated by the window and its view.

"I'd love to go out," Ada said at the invitation, smiling a little. James's nerves were a little endearing. They served as a reminder that he was just as lost in this as she was. She was just perhaps a little better at soldiering through the butterflies without giving a sign they were there. "Just let me know if there's a dress code and I'll see what I can do."

[Shalum]

James's Place
Aragon, Shalum

The Shalumite Commander smiled back at the Nalayan Kapitan, pushing off against the door frame that he had been leaning on while he showed her the guest room. Few noticed it, but James lacked only two inches of bumping into the top of door frames, at least in his house. In older buildings, which had shorter frames, he had actually bumped his head before. It was one of the disadvantages of being tall, though he didn't mind too much, as it only happened rarely. "The place I was planning on taking you is more of a 'casual cafe' kinda place, no dress code required. Though, if you want to, we could wear more formal clothing" he chuckled lightly.

There was more than one reason as to why James was a nervous wreck (in his own mind anyway), the foremost being that Ada was now in his dwelling, on leave for close to a month with the intent of them simply spending time together. That idea alone made his brain race and his heart flutter, something he hoped was out of excitement, or else he was going to need Ada to check him out...which didn't sound nearly as bad to him in retrospect.

Another reason for his nervousness, was the fact that he hadn't been on a formal date in close to a year, not counting the dinner he had with Ada. This was not due to a lack of female interest, but because of his military career, which seemed to ship him out whenever he got anywhere close to possibly dating someone. He had always made a point of not getting close to the women in his unit, unlike some of the other officers who were under his command, most of whom were men; even though the Defense Force, like the entirety of the Shalumite military, was 100% gender integrated. Because of this, the pool of those who he could grow any form of attraction to was limited at best. At some point during this previous year, he had told himself that he wouldn't try and find a partner till he left the military...then he met Ada; who had quickly become an exception in his mind.

As he stood there, his stomach gave a low growl, causing him to turn sheepish. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, and Ada had flown in just past noon; leaving him with little time to eat anything more than a stray protein bar, which his body had burned quickly. According to both the clock and his stomach, it was now lunchtime. "Hey Ada, are you umm...hungry? If so, I'm sure I could scrounge something up for us, assuming you want to stay in" he said with a small smile. He led her out of her room, and back into the living room.

"I'm gonna go see what we've got, I forgot what I have on hand" he told her; shifting on his heels so that he could face her and the living room. "Also" he began, glancing at the TV and laptop, the later of which was sitting on the couch in sleep mode. "If you want to check up on Nalayan news, emails, things of that nature; feel free to borrow my laptop over there" he offered her with a small smile. His laptop's wallpaper was the logo of 'Aragon United', which was the pro-soccer team that had found home in Shalum's capital. By birth, his allegiances were supposed to have laid with the team from Frankfurt, but he had learned to love the local team in the last few years.

Whether they ate lunch, or didn't, the following hours were rather comfortable as they simply relaxed; enjoying each other's company. James had been genuinely worried that they would fall into some form of awkward silence during this time, but they had managed to keep up something of a conversation while the TV was on in the background. With every minute that passed, James felt the nervousness of being around Ada for so long ebb away.

When it came to seating, James wasn't sure if it was acceptable for them to sit together like they had back at her place in Tatev after the weeks apart; so if Ada wanted to be close to him like that again, she would have to bridge the gap. He wanted to be respectful, so he didn't try to initiate any form of contact like that, though him not trying to close the distance did not mean he wasn't tempted by any means.

At one point in the conversation, James brought up Ada's life back in Nalaya, wanting to keep conversation flowing. They had managed to grind down the day a bit, but they still had at least an hour to kill before it would be worth going back into the city. "So Ada, how have things been back in Nalaya?" he inquired. "How has Karun been by the way?" he asked lightly as his brown eyes were fixed on her. Ada had told him about her half-sister in the past, and she seemed to view the woman without distaste; so he considered it one of the more safe subjects to talk about, though he knew enough to tread with caution.

[Nalaya]

James's Place
Aragon, Shalum

While James was a nervous wreck, Ada had calmed herself down as she adjusted to a safer new place. She could sort of sense his anxiety after all her time with patients even though she couldn't feel the fluttering of his pulse under her fingers. She knew that meant she would have to take the lead if she wanted this to be more than a friendship, but at least most men she knew didn't like to be lead. She wasn't Mak'ur, she didn't have the courage to simply come out and make an appeal or a claim. There would be another way around this. She just needed to think about it, come up with her plan. It was like tactics on the battlefield except she had the luxury of time to consider it.

Even as she looked around and took in the little personal touches that made up James's home, she smiled. Someday, she wanted these things to be familiar. It was a strange feeling. She had been feeling oddly for some time, but she could recognize those beginning hints of infatuation that lingered after attraction was in memory alone. Being out at work gave her time to think and absorb the conversations between her and James.

"Why don't we go out?" she suggested on a whim. It would be good to get out and see more of James's home. Plus, she wouldn't force him to cook on her behalf. That he would made him a considerate host, but she was also trying to be a considerate guest as well. "I can catch up on the news and all that later. If Karun texted me about it, it's probably not exactly positive. Or my football team won nationals. Sometimes it's a toss up."

She smiled faintly even though her instincts told her it probably wasn't the winning of nationals. Her grey eyes were thoughtful, even a touch worried. But she threw the melancholy away as best she could and soldiered on. Duty could wait a little while, provided it was even something that she could control.

Ada sat close enough to James that her arm brushed his occasionally or her leg bumped his, a way of testing the waters. When he mentioned Karun, she smiled slightly. She did love her sister and they did get along quite well. The younger woman's courage made her wish she was brave enough to wear the name Narekatsi too. "She's doing well. Better every day, she says. Her health for a time was not well, but it seems she has shaken that off," Ada said. "We're talking more and more. I promised I would introduce you to her some day if you ever want to go to Nalaya again. Right now she is working in Sevan as a liaison between ethnic group representatives. She's even seen the Quarval-sharess in person. It's quite the job. A little dangerous."

She paused a little. "As for me? Life goes on. It's been exciting, doing some training in Vatan, but mostly that means slogging around in the desert. The heat was unbelievable, even for me," Ada said. She did have a healthy tan to her relatively fair skin. "Three weeks at In Salah was insane. Not to mention the training courses. I think I've been less terrified in real battles." Ada laughed. "It was good."

She prodded his side gently. "Come on, let's get some food and you can tell me all about your grand plan for this stay."

[Shalum]

”Becousins”
Aragon, Shalum

James brought his silver sedan to a stop in the restaurant's parking lot, putting the car into park. He was dressed in some ‘nicer’ clothing, though not quite formal. He had for the occasion, donned khaki pants and a blue polo shirt that showed off his lean muscled arms. Once the car was turned off, he exited, actually going to the extent to walk around the sedan to open the door for his Nalayan friend. He gave her a warm smile as he did so. “After you, Ada.”

Ada was still in her older, worn jeans and forest green T-shirt with the symbol for the Tatev Marathon. She'd collected all of her thoughts in the car and had a definite plan for moving forward. Whether James could keep up or not was entirely up to him. She brushed just a little bit close to him in a way that might have been considered teasing as she got out of the car. "Such a gentleman," she said, smiling up at him. Sometimes she felt almost like a child standing next to James's relatively large frame. "But thank you. In we go?"

James smiled down at her, offering his arm to her as if he was escorting her. He felt that same, oddly exhilarating twinge run through him as she brushed against him, even though it was little more than a simple graze. “I try to be when I can,” he chuckled.

“Yes...in we go” he replied a tad nervously. He had made reservations in advance, so he doubted they would have to wait for a table. Hopefully, all would go well on this date like it did last time. His nervousness stemmed from the fact that it had been close to a year since his last ‘real’ date not counting the visit in Tatev.

As they walked inside, they were greeted by a waiting area, which had a few groups lounging in it; while a hostess moved away to show a group ahead of them to their respective table. Beyond this greeting area, was a large room with a number of tables and booths, the later of which were against walls that split the room into smaller sections; while the tables stood out in the middle of the sections. Overhead, large fans spun slowly, circulating the air and smells of food. To the right of the entrance/waiting area, tucked against the wall, was a long bar manned by a few keepers. The majority of the other patrons were white collar workers from the surrounding areas.

James led Ada by hand to the hostess, who had just returned. The woman smiled at them. “Welcome, do you have a reservation?” she inquired, glancing down at her clipboard.

The Shalumite commander nodded in confirmation. “Yes we do, under Blackburn,” he replied.

The hostess nodded. “Ahh yes...Blackburn for two, right this way,” she replied, picking up two menus as she led them to their table which happened to be a booth.

Ada was a little distracted by the feel of James's calloused hand around her own. It was the power of infatuation and she was well aware of its presence now. She stayed close to her local guide, still smiling a little even as they sat down at the booth. It gave her an excellent view of the other tables and the comfort of having her back against a relatively solid wall. She wasn't certain how it would hold up to gunfire. When she caught herself thinking about that, it almost made her laugh aloud. You could take the girl out of Nalaya, but never Nalaya out of the girl. "This is a nice place, James," she said to put his nerves to rest. It was an honest assessment. It was very different than the average place in her homeland, but that was to be expected she was well away from her native land. It was both freeing and unsettling. "Thank you for bringing me here for lunch. I'd have never found it on my own."

She seemed quite settled and relaxed, but Ada could never completely let the world go when she was out in public, no matter how attractive the idea was. Her grey eyes made a swift scan of the area around them, looking for threats or anyone who was too interested in their table who might go on to cause trouble for James and her. The outside world was never really safe. There was always a chance of something going on and she had been trained day and night to be prepared. When the bullets flew, she would have to be ready to tend to the wounded before they even knew they'd been hit with whatever she had at hand. They'd be screwed, she thought humorously, looking down at her eating utensils and napkin.

At least with James she didn't have to be that person all of the time. It was just convincing her instincts to get on board that was proving to be a challenge.

James smiled back at Ada as he sat down, shuffling the menu in front of him a bit as he did so. He sat across from her, his leg brushing against her own from time to time, something he normally would have found uncomfortable, now more than welcome. “It’s no problem, Ada. In all honesty, I found this place on accident” he chuckled. “I was having some car troubles and this was where I found myself at after a while. The food is quite good, though sometimes it’s a bit more than I can eat” he shrugged as he spoke honestly. The place had a draw to it not only because of it’s good taste, but also because of it’s hearty portions.

He glanced down at the the menu for a moment, going over the options. There was a number of things to choose from. A row different sandwich options, a page dedicated to different types of steaks, not to mention an assortment of locally caught seafood that was guaranteed to be fresh. There were a good deal of different beverages offered, both alcoholic and not, many of the former imported from Ossoria and Schottia.

Much like Ada, as they sat down, James’s eyes swept over the restaurant, though maybe not with the same intensity as her own gray did. He wasn’t necessarily looking for shooters or hostile contacts, but instead for anything that stood out. It was something he had been trained to do, and had paid dividends during his time working security in the embassy areas with his unit. He shook his head and stopped himself. They were in a ‘good’ part of town that was well patrolled by the SDF and capital guard, he doubted there would be any real trouble. If there was...he was packing, albeit lightly, just in case something happened. A habit he had picked up.

James cleared his throat before he spoke. “So, I heard that you wanted to talk about our plans for the trip? I had a few plans, but it’s a modular schedule, so we can work in anything you may want to,” he offered.

Ada nodded as soon as she'd placed an order for a cup of coffee. It never took someone long to come around and ask for drinks. She'd already picked some seafood off the menu, curious to see how different it would be from home. "To be honest, I was interested in seeing some of the vineyards you told me about. The natural features of Shalum are interesting too, places off the beaten trail. We could go to the beach even." It occurred to her in a distant way that James's family owned some vineyards, but she'd mostly forgotten the fact that he was nobility. There was no real Nalayan analogue other than the honor roles of her homeland, but those were acquired rather than inherited. Honestly, she wasn't even concerned about James's family overmuch, considering the fact that he likely wouldn't want her to meet them so soon...if even at all. She still felt a need to hide herself in that way out of habit, residual fear of bringing shame onto intimates lingering in the back of her thoughts. But that didn't consciously cross her mind. It was something that remained in the dark recesses below waking thought.

Oh my am I famished! Rebecca thought to herself as she pushed open the door to the restaurant, called Serenity Lounge. It was a place that Rebecca liked to frequent with her friends on weekend...her girlfriends, with John, her girlfriends and John. The University of Aragon provided Rebecca with many opportunities to make friends, and having friends out for food was always fun. It was easily accessible via Aragon Metro, which was how Rebecca arrived there on this occasion. Sure, she had to walk a couple blocks, but it was well worth the walk. The smell of fresh food that hit her nose when she walked in didn’t make things any easier. Rebecca didn’t bother placing a reservation, since she was coming alone. Although she valued doing things with her friends, sometimes Rebecca thought it was nice to go out and eat alone. Being a University student could be a trying experience, with the stresses of being around other people constantly. So it was that she came out by herself on this occasion, to enjoy a meal in solitude, or at least as much as she was like to get. Rebecca stood about 5’8’’, and had dark brown hair that fell just past her shoulders in ringlets. She had slightly darker than fair skin, and she was wearing a blue dress that matched her eyes. Rebecca took a seat on a bench in the waiting area and scanned what areas she could see to help her pass the time until she could be seated.

James nodded, taking a sip from the water that he had ordered. He had chosen a chicken salad sandwich for himself, a much larger portion of it served during this time of day, which would keep him full until he went to sleep. “I would love to take you to see the vineyard of Shalum at some point. If you want to go off the beaten path, there are options. We could go see the forests around Dresden--while not in military garb or being shot at. They’re actually quite a lovely place to hike, if you wanted to do that. Another option, if you wanted to stay out of Aragon’s beaches, would be to drive south down the coast. There’s a small city of around 50,000 called Niece that’s known for its beaches and tourists' spots. I like to go there to get away from the hustle and bustle,” he replied.

He paused for a moment, thinking about going south to see the vineyards. They were a sight, especially this time of year. “If we go to see the vineyards, the closest being around Frankfurt, it’s about a four to five hour drive,” he commented. He liked the idea, but he didn’t want to run into his own family necessarily. His father was a nice man, as was his brother...but his mother was a different story; and he hoped to keep Ada around long enough to feel comfortable introducing her to them on better terms. As he glanced over, his eyes widened. Sitting not too far away was his cousin, Rebecca Gentry, waiting patiently on a bench.

He waved a bit at the girl. “I think that may be my cousin, Rebecca” he commented with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I wouldn't mind the drive to the vineyards," Ada said. She was quickly warming to the idea of going south if it had both Frankfurt and somewhere nice on the beach. She caught where he was looking almost immediately and frowned slightly despite herself, feeling a little thrill of that green-eyed monster when she first saw the pretty woman. James's identification of her immediately calmed that down or at least made Rebecca seem less threatening. It was something that she would have to watch—Ada knew she had her faults and that was not an uncommon one in her culture. "Should you go talk to her or just let her do her thing?"

Rebecca noticed her cousin James waving at her, and Rebecca smiled and waved back. She didn’t get to see her cousins Alexander or James nearly as much as she would like to. She saw her Uncle Joshua more often than not, and her Aunt Nichole...was someone that she didn’t mind not seeing often. As much as Rebecca was there to eat alone, she couldn’t pass on the opportunity to eat with her cousin, or at the very least say hello. So Rebecca got up from the bench in the waiting area, and walked over to James’ booth. “James!” Rebecca said exuberantly, and moved to give him a hug.

James glanced at Ada. “I’m not quite sure, I don’t even know if she’s spotted us y--oh she has it appears” he sighed a bit. He had been hoping that they would be alone this evening, though he hadn’t expected company either. To him, a night with Ada, even in a platonic nature, was worth its weight in gold since they only got to see each other so often. “I don’t think I’ll even have to get up” he continued as his eyes tracked Rebecca approaching. It was funny, they lived within ten miles of each other, but it had been at least a couple of weeks since he had seen her last. “Hey Rebecca” he greeted, having to stand in an awkward position to hug her.

Rebecca gave her cousin a big hug, and then she turned her eyes to the woman in James’ company. Rebecca observed the woman, who looked to be about the same height as her. She had gray eyes, her hair was cinnamon colored, and she was wearing a green t-shirt with jeans. “Hey James...who’s your friend?” Rebecca asked curiously, smiling at the other woman.

James smiled at Rebecca. He had always liked the girl, she acted quite well compared to some women her own age. His brown eyes glanced between Ada and Rebecca, a bit wide. He hadn’t expected to introduce Ada to any of his family for a while, not that he didn’t want to someday, it just didn’t seem appropriate yet. “Umm...Rebecca this is my friend Ada. Ada, this is my cousin Rebecca,” he replied. He wanted to shoot Rebecca an ‘act cool’ look, though he knew better than to.

The doctor-on-duty air returned to Ada's formerly relaxed, slender frame. She was smaller boned than their guest and sharper of feature as well with a more prominent nose. With the tan skin, it marked her as foreign as much as any rubber stamp could. "Siruhi Rebecca, a pleasure to meet you," she said in her accented way, staying seated because they were at a booth. In a chair, she would have risen, but it was a little more awkward here. Her professional attitude overwhelmed her more playful air. This was one of James's relatives, yes, and while that meant they were probably safe, she didn't want to give them anything to object to.

Rebecca beamed a smile at Ada. “It is very nice to meet you too, Ada. I hope I am not interrupting anything!” Rebecca stated politely.

For a moment, Ada was at a slight loss. She wasn't really used to such enthusiasm from a stranger. She looked to James for some cue, but didn't see what she was looking for. "We were just discussing our plans. I am down here on leave," Ada said a bit stiffly, inclining her head. She could be friendly, but this was a strange country and a stranger who was probably, now that she thought about it, nobility. That baffled her. How on earth did one address them? Like regular people, she supposed.

James glanced between the two. He smiled at Rebecca a bit, though he wasn’t quite sure how to feel. He enjoyed his cousin’s presence...but now was not when he was hoping to have her around. He had planned to have a nice night with Ada, and maybe even go on a walk or something later if she wanted to. He wanted to get Rebecca away from them, while still remaining cool about it, as to not raise suspicions from either girl. “It’s...nice to see you again, Rebecca” he said. It wasn’t the best hint, but ‘get lost’ wasn’t something he could say to her.

That was when it hit Rebecca, although she suspected it from the beginning. This is a date! Rebecca was happy for James, who had not been very active in the dating scene for quite a while. Rebecca nodded towards her cousin. “I should get going...I think my table should be ready here pretty shortly. It was nice seeing you, James!” Rebecca turned towards Ada once more. “It was nice meeting you, Ada. I hope to see you again sometime soon! Have a nice evening!” Rebecca smiled and walked back the way she came. Sure enough, her table was ready on the other side of the restaurant.

James sighed internally in relief. She had taken the hint, he would have to thank her later. “See ya cousin, talk to you later” he smiled gratefully as she left. He sat back down in his chair, his leg brushing against her’s as he did so. “Umm...sorry about that, I didn’t expect to run into anyone” he apologized with a sheepish look.

[Nalaya]

At the Restaurant
Aragon, Shalum

"Not a problem." Ada smiled a little and shrugged. At least it wasn't an ex, she thought with a hint of humor. She relaxed again slowly after Rebecca's departure. "She seemed like a nice enough girl. Very...friendly," Ada said, her grey eyes focusing on James's. It had honestly put a little hiccup in her strategy for the evening, but she could recover from that.

Strategy. She almost laughed aloud at herself. Only she could reduce dating to a matter of tactics, though more in the style of the battlefield than medical in nature. Still, her analytical brain was hard at work trying to come up with some kind of cunning plan to turn this into an actual date as opposed to two friends having lunch. James, bless his heart, was being altogether more cautious than she wanted him to be. Yes, it would be bad if things went wrong, but without risk there was no reward, right? A little bit of boldness could go a long way, and if he couldn't see that, she would have to gently nudge him in the right direction.

It was kind of fun, to be the initiator of things. He seemed to be getting used to casual contact with her, but she kept it light and intermittent even though the flooding of warmth every touch gave her made her want to hold onto him and not let go. It was definitely, she decided, infatuation. That delightful first falling step into love. Though to be honest with herself, she'd been feeling it since she'd first started to get to know James. Even when they first met, he had been something other than just another soldier in her mind. Something about his eyes and the way he'd looked at her.

Her thoughts were getting too fuzzy. She prided herself on a more rational, level head than this. It was time to get to work. But she was again interrupted before they could really start talking beyond mild pleasantries by the arrival of food. Ada couldn't really complain because it was very good, but still.

"So to the vineyards, then?" she said, nothing more eloquent coming to mind. She didn't really want to talk about James's cousin, not that there was anything wrong with her. It was just that family tended to leave a bitter taste in her mouth. James's was probably wonderful, but she would still have to convince them that she was a good person and she hadn't managed to reach that point with her own half-brother over a whole lifetime. It was hard to even think of herself as a good person after all that bitterness. She had been convinced for a long time that there wasn't any good in her and she was still carrying a burden of guilt that only time could heal. It was in med school that she'd learned she could do something well and help people at the same time.

[Shalum]

At the Restaurant
Aragon, Shalum

While they didn't know it, James' train of thought was similar to Ada's. He was relieved that it wasn't an ex of his, as that would have most definitely ruined the night. While Rebecca had certainly put a kink in any plans he may have had, she didn't pose a threat to whatever he and Ada were, unless she gossiped about it to the wrong people. Granted, between his lackluster love dating life beforehand, and the size of the city that Aragon was; the chances of running into an ex were slim, but still present. He had learned that luck was never on anyone's side when it came to this kind of thing, especially if the books or movies held true. He hoped that they wouldn't in the future, as those types of scene tended to drive wedges between the main characters; something he didn't want to happen by any means.

Internally, he was at ends as to how he should act. He knew that he wasn't exactly acting as outgoing and as romantic as he should have, and wanted to act. Dammit...why did everyone in the movies and the books get to be so naturally suave? Think James! What did you do well with, last time you went out with a woman? Oh that's right, you can't even remember when your last date was, much less what you talked about his consciousness mused; it almost seeming as if his own mind was making jokes at his expense.

With every touch, James felt a bit better, a bit lighter--more at ease about the situation at hand. Each causal graze, whether it be their knees, or their hands 'accidentally' touching when they reached for something, made warm feelings bloom in him. This was more than casual friendship, he knew that much. Heck, she had kissed him the minute that they had any form of privacy, albeit it wasn't much more than a light peck. And to be honest, with each touch, he longed for another. This was definitely more than a simple friendship.

His brown eyes were warm as he looked into her own gray. There was no judgement about her past in them, he saw her for her. Where she came from didn't matter, and she hoped that she felt the same way about him. It seemed that in the stories, it was everyone women's dream to get swept off her feet by a nobleman, but this was different than those works of fiction. She saw him for well...him, not social rank or monetary worth. She saw James, the slightly awkward Shalumite soldier; not Commander Blackburn, a man from a rich family with a lot of power.

As the food was brought, James smiled and thanked the waiter. His food looked delicious, and tasted even better, one of the many reasons he liked this place. It was filling, but not in the way that one would feel overly full later on. He had been taught long ago to not talk with your mouth open, meaning that he swallowed before even thinking of replying. "Yes...the vineyards. Its a few hours drive, but definitely worth it. Frankfurt has a lot to see as well, though the vineyards are a bit part of their economy. We could even go to a wine tasting, the ones that are more like parties are actually pretty fun" he commented.

"If you wanted to even further south, we could drive down to Fontera and see Emerald Moss National Park. It's an government park where you can find a lot of more rare species of animals like direwolves. It's a beautiful place, with a large lake overlooked by a snow capped mountain. My unit went through that area at one time. It was nice to see, very serene" he smiled softly. He had never noticed it till now, but a large number of his stories involved military service some time.

As they ate, an idea came to mind. It was getting dark now, and the sky was clear, the moon high in the sky. He took a sip of water and proposed the idea. "Hey Ada" he began. "I was thinking, would you want to go for a little walk after the meal? Tis a nice night for one, don't you think, milady?" he asked with a warm smile.

----

Later after dinner, James took Ada's hand gently, walking leading her by hand; while staying at her side, to the park a few blocks north of the restaurant. Occasionally, James would brush his thumb against Ada's hand, something he found comforting to do. Having her hand simply linked with his made him feel...more confident, but he was still undoubtedly nervous. The walk was a pleasant one, the temperature now in the lower 80s, making for comfortable weather. "It certainly is a nice night" he smiled at her, meeting her eyes. He always made a point to look her in the eye, and not her body. Granted, she had a very nice body that was hard to look away from, but he cared about other things as well; unlike some of his fellow men.

Eventually, they arrived at the park, which compared to the metropolis around it, seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. It was a sprawling place, that took up at least twenty acres of untouched land. There were many pathways which seemed to lead in a hundred different directions, with trees and shrubs everywhere. It was surprisingly well maintained, the grass cut at a good height, and all of the plants meticulously trimmed to look their best. In the center of the park, there was a large man made lake that was stocked with fish for the local community. Tucked away, in the back of the park, was a small community garden that was maintained by both the local citizens and visited once a month by the local schools.

"Come on, I'll show you around, I like to come here often. It's one of the few places where you can find some peace and quiet this time of night" he said as they walked; his eyes warm with some form of affection; primarily infatuation. "One thing about this is that you can see the stars here. Not artificial lighting to stop you from seeing their beauty" he smiled; nodding up toward the open sky.

Eventually, as they walked in no apparent rush, the two found themselves by the lake. The moon was high in the sky, and was very bright, illuminating them both. James felt his breath escape him as he saw Ada's features illuminated by the moon. She was beautiful, with an almost angelic appearance as her face seemed to glow. "The view tonight is...wow. Simply breathtaking" he said as he gazed upon her all the while; his brown eyes focused on her. "And the moon and stars look nice too" he chuckled nervously, still holding her hand. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her...but did she want that?

[Nalaya]

At the Park
Aragon, Shalum

Ada had been quick to agree to the idea of a wine-tasting. She loved a good wine as much as anyone else and even if her palate wasn't the most refined in the world, she had fun drinking it. James wasn't someone she would have to worry about being a bit free with wine around—one, he was out of her chain of command and two, he seemed very non-judgmental, at least thus far. She was even more content with the idea of going to the park. After the massive anthill of glass and concrete that was the city, she was ready for something green and peaceful.

She was not disappointed. It was quiet here now that night had fallen and the stars above were like grains of white sand scattered across a veil of nebulous indigo. James was slowly, so slowly gaining confidence, which increased her desire to cheer him on. That probably wouldn't have been appreciated, of course, so she left it well alone. Instead, she made sure that she kept presenting opportunities. She let him keep her hand and she walked close enough to him for their shoulders to brush. The easy contact made her feel more warmth than their surroundings ever could. She was full, she was happy, and peace had settled over her life. It was as close to perfect as she could imagine being without the ruinous effects of something like a phone-call interrupting.

When he drew her attention to the stars, Ada immediately looked up. The constellations here were different, though not so greatly varied that they were all unknown. Her eyes danced from one to the next. They were very clear here, much as they were in the mountains. Most of Nalaya was so dark at night that the constellations were never far from sight.

She heard him mention the beauty view and looked over, only to see James looking right at her. It warmed her heart and sent a faint flood of heat through her cheeks, though it was too dark to see the blush against her skin. His nerves were adorable enough that the response was automatic. Levian would have been proud, as the chief judge of comebacks among the medical staff. Ada took a step closer until they were just barely not touching and almost purred, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

The medical officer then smiled. "Don't think so much, James," she advised him even as she leaned in and kissed him softly. She knew that if she waited for him to make up his mind on the whole business that they might be out here all night. It was beautiful out, but not that beautiful. Besides, what was it that her family's style of swordsmanship taught? Always have the initative. Sometimes, it seemed James just needed a little push and then he got it.