When The Tigers Broke Free

[Lykaios]

Fight fire with fire, or so the saying went. Usually sayings endured the test of time due to the truth they carried in them. However, there was no expression that could be more wrong.

To fight fire different means were necessary, very different means. First the fire had to be contained and then extinguished. Success of the former did not guarantee fruition of the latter though and Lykaios knew that would be the case with him.

Yes, the fire within him had been contained, yet the flames in his heart were anything but extinct. Forced by those who believed to be in control of the galaxy to go into hiding, The Wolf decided to do so, what his adversaries probably weren't counting on was that instead of running, he decided to conceal himself in plain sight.

Yes, the darkness within him was as strong as ever but he kept it well masked and in check as he had always done. Attracting attention to himself was nothing new to him, it had always happened, after all his mere height was unusual, so strangers' eyes being laid upon him was nothing extraordinary to him.

And so it was the planet of Ossus where Lykaios had decided to remain unseen in front of everyone's eyes, watching, waiting...

[Sanya Tagge]

Ossus.

A world of secrets. A place where things of great importance remained in plain view, without really ever being seen by those around them. In times past, pilgrims and academics of many kinds had come to Ossus seeking wisdom... until one fateful day. A cataclysmic event – the very stars themselves exploding – sent a shock-wave across the world, stripping it of life and dooming the world to physical and spiritual ruin. Thus it had remained for many years, a shell of its former self, the true past of the world fading into myth and legend.

But not all was forgotten.

Located within the Adega system of the Auril Sector, the world of Ossus became one of many to be monitored by Sanya Tagge. Though fortune had seen fit to elevate her beyond the position of Sector Monitor, the systems she had once invested so much time in remained dear to her heart. They reminded her of her past victories, of the many triumphs she had made in the name of the Galactic Empire. When she wanted to get away from life – as she did now, more so than ever – it was to Auril she returned, though with none of the pomp or ceremony that one might imagine to surround a woman of her high status.

An unmarked transport had delivered Tagge along with a small retinue of hand-selected guardsmen - headed by the ever-loyal Stormtrooper TK-187 - to Knossa Spaceport. It was only the second time she had set foot on Ossus, but it looked better than she remembered it. The rejuvenation project had gone some way to restoring that which had been destroyed so many centuries ago, terra-forming the land into something which was acceptable to the critical Imperial eye. To the south, the Eocho Mountan range stood tall, proud and defiant, untouched by time. Sanya smiled faintly at the sight of it.

Kiandra Pellegrino, apprentice artisan in the Ministry of Truth and some-time assistant to the Minister herself, dealt with the business of finding Sanya a place to stay and delivering her luggage there. She had brought enough for a week, but had made it clear that she was open to the possibility of staying longer.

“I need some fresh air.” The journey from Coruscant had been long, suffocating. “I'm going for a walk to the gardens (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gardens_of_Talla). Lieutenant, you may accompany me.”

'187 nodded (concealing his surprise masterfully) and fell into step behind his superior, whilst the others divided themselves between guarding their base of operations – a TaggeCo owned hotel – and moving ahead, to survey the area. The gardens were only a short distance away and the peace they offered would present a welcome change from the chaos and unrest that had swamped Minister Tagge's life in recent times...

[Lykaios]

“How do you know?” The child’s faint whisper was so frail that no sooner than it had left his mouth, it had fallen victim to the wind’s every whim and was carried away by the cool autumn breeze following the same unpredictable pattern of a fallen leaf that was drifting away in the wind.

“Because I’m your mother.” A phrase often dreaded by sons and daughters was in this case full of love and tenderness.

They couldn’t see each other, not only because it was dark, after all well into the night was the only time of day when he dared visit her, but because mother and son were separated by a thick brick wall; him on the outside looking in (or at least trying) and her between four walls with no link to the outside world other than the hollow through which food was tossed her way and for a minuscule fracture on the upper part of a wall where his tiny hand fit just enough for the tip of his fingers to touch hers.

“Excuse me!” His thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

“Excuse me! Sir!” Lykaios turned around to face the man who was calling him, the obscure image in his head taking a backseat on the back of his brain. “Can you give me directions, sir?” The man asked once he had The Wolf’s attention.

Half a smile crept up Lykaios’s face, which was returned by the man. Without saying a word The Wolf turned around and carried on his way through the streets of Ossus.

[Sanya Tagge]

TK-187 accompanied Minister Tagge as she walked, though he maintained a silence which would only be broken should some potential danger present itself. Rank protocol aside, his instincts told him that the Minister had not requested his presence because she wished to chat with him whilst she strolled. He didn't mind this, of course. It had been a trying and turbulent time for them all, of late, and the truth of it was that '187 welcomed the chance to spend some time away from his platoon. Vacations were few and far between in the Stormtrooper Corps, for those who survived long enough to actually earn any vacation time, and though walking through the gardens of Ossus was hardly '187's ideal way to spend an afternoon, the open, quiet air was a welcome change from the cramped 'trooper barracks.

Up ahead, there were a number of Stormtroopers guarding the entrance to the gardens. Whilst they had once been free to enter, under Sanya's watch an admission fee had been instated, to capitalize upon what was a popular tourist attraction and frequent haunt for locals – and also ensure that the gardens were no longer used, as they had been in the past, as a gathering point for unsavory groups of protesters. Since then, the gardens hadn't seen quite so much foot traffic. Upon reaching the gated entryway, the guardsmen recognized Minister Tagge upon sight and stepped aside, waving her through. TK nodded to his fellow troopers, and like mirror images they nodded in reply.

“I'd like to be alone now, Lieutenant.”

At this, TK-187 nodded. Alone, in this case, involved him pausing for a minute or so until Minister Tagge was a short distance ahead, and then resuming following her. That way, she would have the solitude she desired without sacrificing the security of having an armed bodyguard. The gardens were littered with monuments and statues, carved from ancient stone and amongst whom '187's polished white armor seemed particularly out of place. There was no time to appreciate the art, however. Instead, the 'troopers eyes were continually sweeping the area, sighting out various points behind which a being could conceal themselves.

[Lykaios]

“Come on! Last one is a rancor with a hernia!” The kid’s words were followed by a laugh and the kind of playful shoving that comes from siblings trying to beat each other at meaningless games.

He had easily taken the lead, he never knew why but ordinary tasks had always been more than easy for him and what many would consider to be exceptional efforts hardly ever make him break a sweat. He was special and hew knew it, back then he just didn’t know how special and the root cause of it.

Suddenly their little race was no more, something had made him stop, perhaps it was the fact that he didn’t sense his little sister behind him, or that little voice that sometimes would talk to him like a sixth sense. Not knowing why he came to a halt did not matter, all that mattered was finding his sister.

“Keara!!!” Time seemed to slow down as he called out to her, his gaze shifting in every direction possible; the busy streets had suddenly gone quiet and then his eyes found her. He tried to scream but no words came out, instead his head felt like it exploded.

She had stopped her run for out of the corner of her eye, she had spotted a cub dokrik on a traffic lane just begging to be run over, instead it was her who almost got hit by a drunken swoop biker. Without warning, an invisible hand pushed her out of the way and into safety.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I think so.” Both their hearts were beating as fast as they could until the tension was broken by the pup slobbering on the little girl’s face.

It was seldom that memories jogged the brain of the Dark Jedi but since setting foot in Ossus it had been the second time that his mind’s eye surfaced a recollection typically locked deep down in his brain.

It was also twice now that his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by something or someone. Not really knowing where he was walking to or from, his eyes couldn’t help but notice the ivory colored armor clad Imperial.

What was a Stormtrooper doing here? No, that was not the correct question, after all the presence of the Empire was one of the reasons why Lykaios had chosen Ossus, to hide in plain sight, the planet’s past and its strength in the Light side of the Force, made it easier for him to hide the darkness within. No, the question was: what was one single Stormtrooper doing in there? Only one reason appeared feasible, he was someone’s bodyguard.

Only one way to find out, his curiosity was peaked and even though they said that curiosity killed the cat, well, he was not one. And so Lykaios entered what he later discovered were the Gardens of Talla, approaching the trooper and whoever it was he was protecting.

[Sanya Tagge]

It seemed that but for the Minister, the gardens were empty. TK-187 wasn't surprised. Sensor readouts on his helmet told him that the temperature was a little chilly, perhaps too frosty for most to consider a walk in the park. If the Minister felt the cold, she did not show it. Ahead, she paused to admire a dark stone pillar, its surface etched with the now-faded tale of some historical battle. TK watched her for a moment before turning to examine the surrounding area. As he pivoted, he spotted an unexpected sight: someone walking towards him.

Encounters with civilians were not something '187 relished, at least not when he was in uniform. There were protocols and procedures to be followed, to ensure that Stormtrooper acted in an identical manner. The image of unity was one the Empress was keen on upholding. On top of this, it created the impression that what lay beneath the white armor was not a man or woman but a part of the Imperial regime. Once upon a time, they had literally been clones of one another. Now, they just acted like it.

“Citizen...”

He acknowledged the civilian, barely moving as he assessed the mans height, weight and so forth. Most important of all was attempting to distinguish if he was armed. It was a relief to TK' to see that he was not. The 'corps had an unforgiving policy when it came to dealing with aggressive civilians, and '187 had no desire to sour the Minister's mood even further by terminating someone in her presence.

[Lykaios]

Interaction with Stormtroopers was not Lykaios's forte, in a peaceful manner that was.

A slight nod of the head was the reply given to the Imperial, no words but a simple movement to acknowledge the authority of the armored soldier. It meant nothing but enhanced the lie that Lykaios was nothing but a commoner.

Lykaios allowed himself to smile inwardly, there he was this...soldier, ready to die for whoever it was he was guarding, his chest swollen with pride to be an integral part of the Empire who had brought order to the galaxy, and yet he was oblivious to the fact that even with his plastoid armor and blaster, he would be dead in the blink of an eye if the Lord willed it so.

After all, appearances were never what they seemed for the trooper was not the might of the Empire and Lykaios was not a commoner. Even behind the smoked visor, The Wolf could see the Imperial's eyes, scanning for weapons. Typical, didn't they know better though? An assasin or criminal would not parade around, his weapons flashing, he scoffed at the notion.

"History is written by the winners." Lykaios said as he came to the woman's side and barely into her line of vision. The carved tale of the battle etched in the pilars she was admiring, was an exageration of such events but it was them who get to tell the story for they had won that war and the losers were left without a voice.

"Very wine work though," Said he, intrigued by who this woman was that she commanded her very own Storntrooper.

[Sanya Tagge]

Lost in her own thoughts, Sanya did not notice the approaching figure until he was stood at her side. She glanced at him cautiously, not turning to regard him, and felt a faint fluttering of her heart as she wondered if he had silently disabled her bodyguard. Chancing a look at his face, and what lay beyond him, she saw that the Stormtrooper remained vigilant, his blaster rifle trained upon the strangers back.

“Do you know much about this history?” she asked, with a faint nod back towards the pillar.

[Lykaios]

"I should," Said he solemnly, still looking at the carvings and not her. "I was there." Half a smile crept to his face as he turned to the woman and then let a small laugh escape his lips.

His half joke had two purposes: break the tense air that had suddenly formed with the trooper aiming at his back and to deflect her question; she didn't need to know whether he was joking or being serious, hopefully she'd go for the former and that'd be the end of that.

"Are you not cold?" He inquired as the sudden drop of temperature became more evident, she didn't seem dressed for the weather and he couldn't feel the cold, therefore to offer his jacket would be the least he could do.

[Sanya Tagge]

“I had expected warmer climes from Ossus. Evidently I expected too much.”

The cold breeze tickled her skin and tousled her hair, wispy strands shifting a little out of place, yet the Minister resisted the urge to shake and shiver. She smiled a little at the thought that this stranger was being chivalrous – a quality so rare now – yet for all he had a charming smile, he was still an unknown quantity. Folding her arms, hands resting gently beneath her elbows, the Minister returned her attention to the pillar, though it was clear her examination of the artifact was not quite so focused as before.

“What brings you to Ossus?”

[Lykaios]

"I'm not sure." He said truthfully. Yes, partly he had made his way to Ossus to cover the darkness within him with the planet's alignment to the Light Side of the Force, but there were other planets that had such ties and he hadn't picked them. He had picked Ossus.

Moving slowly and deliberately so that the trooper could watch his every move, he took off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders, protecting her from the weather, then going back to the side.

"Have you ever felt like you just had the need to do something or go somewhere?" He inquired as he continued to look at the pillar but clearly paying attention to her instead.

[Sanya Tagge]

Gently drawing the jacket a little closer to her skin, Sanya considered his question for a moment before answering. “Sometimes.”

- but that kind of whim wasn't something Minsiter Tagge had the luxury of indulging in, not often at least. Though she had chosen to come to Ossus, she had no doubt in her mind that Miranda had been glad to see her go, at least for the time being. Until everything on Coruscant blown over, it was best for all of them if she kept low profile... somewhere as far from the Inquisitors as possible.

Abandoning the pretense that she was still studying the pillar, Sanya glanced over her shoulder towards her nameless companion. “What do you think it is that you need to do here?”

[Lykaios]

Odd. How to complete strangers were having such deep conversation. Perhaps that she was the answer to her own question, or perhaps she was just meant to be one of the million faces Lykaios had seen over his lifespan.

"I have this...feeling...this...impression...that someone needs me." His intense azure eyes crossed paths with her gaze for a moment as he said the words. He didn't try to invade her thoughts, that wasn't like him, but he did try to get a feeling for who and what this woman was.

"You?" He asked simply. He got the feeling that like him, she hadn't come to Ossus just for pleasure purposes.

[Sanya Tagge]

“Someone needs you? How very noble you are,” The idea brought a hint of laughter to her features as she gave another tug at his jacket, the scent of it at the edge of her awareness in the cold air. The heavy fabric was warm, comforting even, and she shrugged her shoulders further into it, the collar drawn close around her neck.

“I suppose you could say I just needed to... get away from life for a little while. To forget all of my worries for a day or two. So here I am, in this.. absolutely thrilling place.”

The sarcasm was plain in her voice. Even there in the tranquil gardens, however, there was a reminder of what awaited her when she returned to Coruscant, in the form of the armored Stormtrooper carefully watching over their conversation.

[Lykaios]

Lykaios joined her in her small laughter. Someone needing him, hardly meant he would be helping said someone and that made it all the more ironic. Perhaps that's why he had always gotten away with what he wanted.

When she was done saying the words, he nodded slightly.

"If you're not content with what you are or what you aren't, no matter how far you go, you will never be able to get away." His tone was matter of factly, she said she was getting away from something...more like someone, but in truth it sounded like she was trying to get away from herself.

"In the end, you are who you are wherever it is you call home or in this thrilling place." Lykaios then eyed the trooper, did she share some of his dislike for the Empire? Or was she simply being careful with her words and how much she let on to her bodyguard and a stranger?

[Sanya Tagge]

He was right, of course, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Without a word Sanya turned and began to walk once again, moving on to another of the gardens many monuments: a statue, some of his features worn smooth by decades of rain. At his measured distance behind, TK-187 began to pace forwards too. As she walked, Sanya glanced down for a moment at the strangers jacket, wondering what it could tell her about him – but it was plain and dark. She doubted it reflected his character accurately. Glancing back, almost disinterestedly, over her shoulder, she asked:

“So.. are you going to continue this gentlemanly streak of yours and introduce yourself?”

[Lykaios]

He watched as she took a few steps, the trooper was quick but discreet in following suit.

Lykaios found very intriguing how fast the soldier moved and the efficiency with which he had managed to keep the exact same distance between the two. She was important, the swift and precise manner in which the trooper had moved, left no room for doubt in that regards.

Only one question remained, was she just someone in a position of importance or was she someone actually important?

His thought was quickly interrupted by her words, to which he first replied with a small laugh.

"Why, forgive my manners...or lack thereof.." He left the sentence unfinished as he took a couple of deliberate steps, carried on. "Name is Lykaios," Said he as he took a bow.

[Sanya Tagge]

“Lykaios.”

As names went it was... unusual, exotic even. TK-187 halted as Sanya paused, turning to look up at her newfound acquaintance with an express of good humored curiosity. She wondered if he was only part human, if there was some trace of another species in him whose culture had conceived such a name.

“Does that.. mean something?”

[Lykaios]

"Of the Wolf." He said simply but he was quick to notice how she was studying him, her mind going places, probably about his background, his lineage, his trade.

Lykaios was pleased, for he not only had her attention, he also seemed to have her intrigued. If properly exploited, her curiosity could prove a valuable asset to him.

Letting a half smile crept up his countenance, he allowed for her inquiries to keep coming.

[Sanya Tagge]

Though she had sought solitude in the gardens, Sanya found herself pleased that the stranger had decided to approach her. It had been essential to her career development to spend time around people, learning how best to manage and manipulate interactions towards positive outcome – yet spite of this all, there were few people whose company she sought for the simple pleasure of conversation and the comfort that came with their presence. Strange, that she should already find herself drawn to this man...

“I see.. and what is it you do, Mister Wolf?”

[Lykaios]

"I've had many trades..." Which was truth, only those had been a part of his life many years ago. His current profession, he wasn't about to reveal, not just yet.

"You could say I like challenges, so I'm always looking for opportunities and constantly switching from one line of work to another." It wasn't a lie, more of a half truth, he had worn many hats throughout time and hidden behind many masks.

Even before he saw her face, Lykaios could tell the woman was one of beautiful features, but until he saw her in the current lighting he didn't truly realize how beautiful. The way the light reflected of her countenance, highlighted her beauty even more.

[Sanya Tagge]

Unemployed then, she thought. If not, then involved in some sort of business that didn't warrant discussion with strangers. Considering this, Sanya felt a little chill work up her spine. For a distracted moment her eyes were drawn back to TK-187 and she wondered what he thought of this Lykaios. Was he a threat? Feeling bold, she decided to test the water.

“I see... I work with the government.”

If he could be vague, so could she.

[Lykaios]

"The dictatorship, you mean." The words were spoken with no concern for the Trooper's reaction, what was he going to do? Kill him? He would be more than welcome to try and lose his life in the process.

"Not that I have a problem with it, mind you." Another half truth.

"A democratic republic is nothing but a state of mind, an illusion. There can be no such thing as a common wealth when one end of the galaxy's biggest concern is the connection speed of their holonet and in on the other end their biggest concern is having hardly any food." Lykaios paused for a moment, before carrying on.

"Democracy is not always majority's voice, rather the loudest one. No, the galaxy needs one being to act upon the galaxy's best interests as a whole, not the interests of some." All this, Lykaios did believe firmly, perhaps not in the shape of the Empire but in a similar form.

[Sanya Tagge]

It was a reply she had not expected and Sanya was forced to pause for a moment as she evaluated just what this little... out-burst told her about the man at her side. There were many points he had risen which she could have picked upon, though she had not been expecting to debate government policy whilst on vacation. This in mind, she kept her tone casual. There was no need to justify herself or the Empire to some stranger.

“There is... no such thing as a universal concept of best interests. What is best for one man is not so for another, and to think otherwise is naïve. Yes, every citizen of the Empire requires food, shelter, basic health care – but it is not the job of the government to coddle it's people. How does the old saying go... you can lead a bantha to water, but you can't force it to drink?”

Here, she smirked slightly, pausing. “We can only do so much.”

[Lykaios]

"Oh, I bet I could Force it to drink." Lykaios said playfully and allowed half a smile to crept up his face. Even though his tone of voice had never been raised while expressing his points of views, he came to the realization that he had become a little too serious and perhaps provided a little too much information that wasn't asked for.

So before the atmosphere even had a chance to become tense, he deflected to a bit humor. Serious conversations need not be tense, especially when wanting to achieve something.

"And my inquire what is it you do with the...government?" When he said the last word, he allowed his half a smile to become a full one.

[Sanya Tagge]

He didn't recognize her, then – or if he did, he was playing ignorant. It didn't bother her, however. Anonymity was precisely the reason she had come to Ossus. “I work with the Comission for the Preservation of the New Order.”

COMPNOR was a huge, all-encompassing organization. At one end of the spectrum, there were the soldiers of CompForce and the agents of the Imperial Security Bureau, and at the other end there were the socio-political engineers of the Coalitions for Improvements and Progress. Without specifying the exact nature of her position, Sanya left a great many possibilities open to consideration.

“...but I'd rather not talk about all of that. I came here to get away from work, for a little while, to have a vacation of sorts.” A pause and then, throwing caution and reason to the wind, she asked: “I was planning on going for a bite to eat soon.. if you'd like to join me?”

[Lykaios]

"Forgive me," Said he as she made it clear that her position within the empire, was a topic currently off-limits and not to be addressed, at least for now. "I did not mean to pry in regards to your occupation."

The way she spoke about her profession gave him the impression that she was more important than he had first thought.

"It would be my pleasure to join you." He said as he presented her with a warm smile, out of the corner of her eye he tried to catch a glimpse of the trooper's reaction.
He kept

[Sanya Tagge]

Though it wasn't his place to eavesdrop, TK-187 had been listening with at least half an ear to the chatter between the Minister and her newly acquired acquaintance. When the matter of dinner was raised, the Stormtrooper felt a sigh rising in his chest. The gardens were open and difficult to gage on that account, but it was another matter entirely to protect a member of government in a crowded public place.

Fortunately for '187's nerves, the Minister chose somewhere not far from the gardens which was similarly deserted. The owner of the cafe looked practically stunned to see the three of them approaching – a tower of a man with a demure blonde at his side, the both of them shadowed transparently by an armored soldier. A word into his communicator and TK-187 was joined by another four troopers, two of whom took the guard of the entrance whilst the other pair set about exploring the cafe as discreetly as Imperial soldiers could.

The maitre d' – an elderly woman who was silently torn between wishing away potentially troublesome customers and longing for the contents of their pocketbooks – escorted her sole customers to a table not far from the cafes entrance, so they had a view of the plaza outside. It too was quiet, save for a few market stalls. Once the old woman was gone, leaving the pair to contemplate a rather meager menu, Sanya cast a smirking glance towards the deserted square.

“I hadn't expected to come to Ossus and find it such a... ghost town.”

[Lykaios]

The Stormtroopers scouting the small cafe to which they were headed, were as discreet as a Bantha crossing the stage of the Imperial Ballet Company in the middle of a performance. It wasn't as if they were trying to call attention to themselves, but the ivory colored armors they were incased in, simply made them impossible to miss.

The fact that there were five troopers now, ready to guard, perhaps even to die for this woman, dissipated whatever little doubt remained of her importance. In a chivalric fashion, Lykaios pulled her chair back, waited for her to be seated and then gently pushed it, getting her closer to the table.

He then proceeded to take the seat directly across from her and couldn't help but notice the nervousness of the woman who had led them to their table and was now walking away, hoping for no trouble.

Lykaios nodded slightly at Sanya's remark. When he had first docked his starship in the planet, he had no idea why he had come; as he made his way through the streets of Ossus, his expectations were still unclear but when he found her, his purpose on the planet had become evident.

"From what I read on the holonet, I too, expected a bit more hustle and bustle in the streets." He looked at the menu as the words left his mouth.

"Do you plan on being here for long?" As he inquired on her plans, he glanced at the square in the direction she was looking, as if trying to find exactly what it was that she was observing, but in reality, all his attention was focused in her.

[Sanya Tagge]

Eyes narrowing slightly, there was a wistfulness to her expression and voice when Sanya finally replied, after a long moments thought. “I don't know.” Then, as if she had swept aside whatever thoughts were acting as a distraction, she chanced a demure glance back at her companion, then focused her attention upon the menu and wine list. A smile was creeping onto her lips. “It all depends on whether I find something worth staying here for.”

[Lykaios]

"Interesting," Said he in reply to her statement. His eyes still fixated in nothing. "I was just thinking the same thing..." For not concentrating on something in particular, he was doing a pretty good job of giving the impression of just the exact opposite, he left the sentence unfinished, not adding the '..until I found you' that was lurking in his head.

Their meeting was not a chance encounter, it was willed by the Force and she was the the reason, or part of the reason, why he had come to this planet in the first place. Now he only needed to figure out what exactly did it all mean.

"May I ask you something, Miss Tagge..." Without really awaiting for an answer he carried on. "Do you believe in fate?" His azure eyes were now interlocked with hers and as he threw the inquiry her way, a woman appeared, ready to take their order.

[Sanya Tagge]

“Fate,” she said, as though testing the flavor of the word. “My.. father used to say there is no fate but what we make for ourselves. Then again, he was an officer in the Navy and there can be no place for.. gambles of fortune and destiny in such a profession. As for myself..”

With another pause, Sanya pressed one fingertip to her plump lips as she gave genuine consideration to her answer. “Yes... I do think there are some things which are simply meant to happen.”

[Lykaios]

"Would it be safe to say then, that based on what you are saying, it is your belief that we did not meet each other by mere chance?"

His inquiry was direct and to the point, he had never been one to beat around the bushes or sugarcoat things.

Besides the half smile in his face aided his lighter, almost amused tone, made it seem like he was just trying to carry on a conversation that had taken on a philosophical twist, rather than letting on his intentions of figuring out what piece she played on the puzzle of his destiny.

Even though physically impossible, his half grin seemed to grow bigger, more candid for her and a rather distinct spark shone in his eye.

[Sanya Tagge]

“What was it you said, earlier... that you had a feeling that someone needed you.”

A glass of wine had found its way within Sanya's reach. High-breeding had all but blinded her to the presence of the serving classes, so that she did not see the young waitress who had brought the glass and lingered for a moment, hoping to receive even a sliver of recognition from the clearly imporant pair. Curling her fingers around the glass stem, Tagge took a tender sip before slightly tipping the glass towards Lykaios.

“I have my suspicions that you purposefully followed me into the Gardens, Mister Wolf.”