The 'Tates' Will Decide [Angel_Lass]

Apparently neither of the men had heard her, though Blicka meowed in confusion from the stairway.

--

After her bath, Yalty gave her a woman's travelling robe to change into, though it was a bit too big. The little girl Tates had mentioned had apparently shared Yaltys size-- though not on such a monstrous scale.

"So, when the storm clears, you'll be headed..?"

"Durien." Tates said simply, sipping the tea his friend had made. "It's a small enough but big enough city-- we can get anything we need and move on unnoticed."

"I see. Will I be coming along then?" Yalty raised an eyebrow.

"Tates looked up at the mamoth of a man, then back to the Priestess raising an eyebrow. "One more couldn't hurt, right?"

"Yalty laughed at Tates rather put out expression. "I told you to drink your milk." the large man taunted.

"How can you even breathe? Isn't the air thinner up there?" Tates quipped in response, crossing his arms in indigence.

Yalty stood up, still laughing. Of course, Tates was actually fairly tall all things considered. It was only in comparison to Yalty he seemed so small.

"My trunk is still in the spare room?"

"No, Tates, I used it to make toothpicks." the giant said sarcastic, catching the bun Tates threw at him.

"I'll be right back." Tates announced, standing up as well, making his way upstairs to avoid any further height jokes.

"He's likely looking for the scissors." Yalty said simply, taking her look for an inquisitive glance.

Neither men seemed to notice the dagger.

"How are you feelingn by the way?" the giant asked, hefting himself to his feet to walk over to a closet. He opened the door and pulled out a rather large burlap bag. It seemed to be a sort of improvised backpack, with many pockets sewn onto it. "For a little while there, you gave me a scare. You know that was no ordinary poison you sucked out of those wounds, don't you?" he raised an eyebrow over his shoulder at her. Really, he had a very fatherly feel to him.

"Yalty nodded, setting his bag aside before pulling out two smaller sacks, these two less elaborate than the large one. "I'm honestly surprised no one has commended you yet for that effort." he admitted. "You showed the makings of something greater than most mortals-- normally that calls for some sort of reward."

Tates boots thumped lightly on his way back down stairs.

"Alright. Found them. Yalty, do you have--" he cut himself off to catch the sheet thrown at him from the taller man. "... Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Yalty said, waving a dismissive hand as he sat back down.

Tates wrapped the sheet around his arm before looking back to the priestess. He was shirtless. For whatever reason, he had pulln off his shirt while upstairs- once more showing off his well sculpted physique.

"Ready, priestess?" he asked,holding the scissors through one loop with his index finger.

Tates nodded as he pulled her hair up, laying the sheet over her shoulders. "That should be doable. We'll have to burn what we do cut though, so you can't be traced.' he explained, keeping the sheers in his pants pocket for the moment. "About here?" he asked, laying his index finger just below her shoulder blade.

Tates tied her hair up around her waist and cut just above the tie, leaving it choppy just below her ribs. He handed the hair off to Yalty for it to be burnt outside and went back to the Priestess, doing the best any man really could do, tripping it to an even length just below her shoulders.

By usual standards her hair was still long. Certainly long enough to braid, pin up or put in a bun.

It only took half an hour at longest to cut away her long locks... to cut off her ties with the God of life.

"There." Tates declared, handing her a brush and hair tie. "That must make your head feel a bit lighter." he mused, attempting to make light of what he had just done.

Tates frowned, dropping the brush and tie to wrap his arms around her, allowing her to cry. He shot Yalty a pleading glance, not sure what to do.

Yalty simply shrugged before hefting himself up and leaving the two alone.

Tates moved to sit, moving for the priestess to sit in his lap. He didn't disturb her crying, he simply ran his fingers up and down her spine, attempting to comfort her. Really, there was nothing else ot be done.

"For what?" Tates looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Crying? Tears are our soul overflowing our eyes. You're going through a growing experience when you cry. It's nothing to be ashamed of." He assured her, gently pushing her hair out of her face.

He looked worried, though was obliviously trying to mask it. "Feel better now that you've gotten that out of your system?"

He stared for a moment before looking away. "Suit yourself. But it's our emotions that make us human." He reminded her, standing up when she slipped off his lap. "It isn't too short." he mused, eying her hair. "When you're ready we'll be leaving. It's safer to travel at night if the God of the Sun is following us."

Outside, Tates and Yalty were waiting for her, Yalty loading the bags and camping gear onto the back of--maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her-- of a dragon. When the horse sized beast looked over and blinked at her.

"Blika." Yalty scolded, still trying to put a lead in it's mouth.

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Cat-Dragon-21517997 [:p the cat is its small form]

Tates looked over to the priestess and smiled. "You're ready then?"

"You don't recognize the furball?" Tates raised an eyebrow. "She's been laying in your lap half the time we've been here." He pointed out, amused by her reaction.

"Come on then." Yalty said, holding the lead in his hand. "We ought to get going. Before more of those guards come looking."