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Things were coming together slowly, bits and pieces here and there with additional adages that made the whole thing a bit confusing. A vacation, even one given from the current leader of the Clans, was not something Thrain really wanted to consider. It felt undeserved, it felt more like something a frustrated parent would tell their mischievous children instead of doing something with them. Telling them to take a vacation was a way of telling them to calm down, to stop being so meddlesome, to put themselves on hold in the rebuilding of their old home. So they had fought some Insanity Titans and it had been enough? That was it? They were done?
Frustrated to the point of honestly showing facial expressions in the form of a pout, Thrain headed back through the portal to the little plot of land given to them by the school. Maybe he wasn't overly fond of the school, but it was still better than not having anything. It was better than something destroyed and falsely won back.
So with a fold of his arms across his chest he popped through the portal and began to wander.

Back on post he would do the same, but there he would trudge through the snow in whatever pattern he felt like to give himself a few moments alone to think and ponder and consider. Unfortunately there was no snow here, only tents and rudimentary homes for him to wander around, to weave a slow and steady path between them, his golden gaze focused out on the area in front of his face. Naturally he began to delve deeper into his mind, picking apart little considerations until they were a woven net of words and emotions. And that meant he sort of stopped paying attention to not only where he was going, but also what might be coming up on the path.

Half in the deep end of a thought about what he was to do now, Thrain began to slow in his walk. It wasn't anything close to a full on stop, but it was edging closer to that by the minute. A hand rose from clasping his other arm to rise up to his chin, thumb and forefinger rubbing against the bit of facial hair that bloomed along his chin. Part of him considered growing the rest of it out on his face, then thought maybe of shaving it all and then realized he had totally swam out of the deep end into the not even in the shallow end of the water.
That was when he stopped walking altogether and that was when he noticed someone was tugging on his clothing.

A small noise left him as he turned around, just a hum of a question, his fingers still around his chin in thought as he looked out and realized the thing that had done the tugging was just a little bit further down. With a blink he lowered his gaze slowly, blinking again when he saw the face peering up at him. The large eyes made his mouth curl in a smile and the hand on his chin moved down as though to reach for her, but paused before he was even half way.
"Am I still dreaming, or have I really found the Lady Yuhzi?" He asked cautiously, half afraid that she would disappear once he spoke. Even if this was an illusion, it was just as precious as the one he'd originally found. And, though she had tugged on his clothing, he half expected the little mare to just disappear in a cloud of green and gold.

Born into a family with little standing in the world, and now alone with no family at all besides the one he had made for himself, Thrain had a more fluid idea of what constituted as a lady. Any mare who possessed a gentle disposition, or at least some semblance of grace, was always called a lady. Those more like Shaheen were not immediately called 'lady' (there was nothing high mannered about Shaheen save for her snobbishness, as much as Thrain was fond of her), but he had yet to meet a woman like his War friend who also demanded without words to be given such an honorable title.
But little Yuzhi, oh she was definitely a lady. It was tempting to call her Little Lady, but there seemed something in the tilt of her brow that made him doubt calling her that. Not that it wasn't true, especially since he had to tilt his head down to one side to properly look at her averted gaze. That only made him smile a little wider, a warm feeling bubbling within.

"I am most pleased to see you are safe." He told her, dropping the arm that had crossed over his chest.
After a moment of thought he stuck out his hand between them. With a light smile he held out his palm to her, a mimic of the gesture, if more energetic, of the one she had done when they first met.

And didn't he have so many questions for her! What was all that they had just been through, how had she gotten out? What did she think of Death and his odd drink as well as the pronouncement that they should vacation, the word sticking oddly in the Guardian's mind. But first he would wait, placid in composure as he waited for the little mare to shake his hand.
She was a lady, after all.

With far more relish that he knew he should feel, the Guardian curled his hand around the mare's, once more moving their joined hands up slowly, and then down. It was such a simple action, but he felt supremely pleased to be able to do it again, only for truth this time. What had happened in The Tear had been real, but for some reason, it felt more... More back in their world. He cocked his head to one side as he grinned down at her and then easily let her hand go.

Since she seemed so quiet he felt it only natural to be the one to begin conversation.
"So!" Thrain stood up straight then to puff out his chest. "Tell me, Lady of Conquest, how did you escape that awful place? You seemed to have fared well in that strange world since you are here before me now." A hand gestured to all of her as a form of approval that she had made it out. It felt a little odd to talk so freely and with such buoyancy, but Thrain would have felt even odder not to chat up this adorable little filly. There was just something rather precious about her. And, in all honesty, he had not gotten a chance to hug her and he oh so wanted to do that still.

"Just Yuhzi? Do I dishonor you by calling you lady?" There was no maliciousness or hurt in his voice as he asked this, just an honest question that hoped to receive an equally honest answer. Never before had Thrain had much direct interaction with those of Conquest, and though he knew their ways, was still a little lost on the more intricate dealings of their hierarchical standing. But above all that he would hate to offend his new friend (if he could call her that) so it was vastly important to make sure she was comfortable.
"You fought your reflection? Ah! Was that where you were after the door we entered together?" A finger had moved up to tap at his chin but was stuck in the air a moment later when he realized where she might have gotten off to. "I will admit, I was rather worried to find you had not come into the room with me like I thought would happen!" The finger returned to his face to rub under his nose in a mildly embarrassed gesture, as though admitting he was disappointed not to continue traveling with her was something he should not speak of.

The mention of wanting to improve oneself, however, is what sparks him straightening up a little, his easy smile dissolving for a moment. Ah! A filly after his own heart! Blonde brows drew taut for a moment as he nodded at her.
"Improving oneself is always admirable." That felt like it needed to be said with all the conviction and honor he felt regarding the subject.
But just as quickly as he had lost his smile it came back, easy and light. A hand waved at the filly.
"Hurt? Oh, I am not so easily hurt. I have trained for many years to hone my ability to sustain many, many injuries. I am made to protect, so any thought to my own well being is second." That... Probably was a really bad explanation. "AH! I am fine, thank you for the concern." This was said with a small bow, a gesture of gratefulness to the mare for caring about him, even a small bit.

If Yuzhi was not looking, she would entirely miss the shift of Thrain's expression from placid patience to interested excitement. It was quick and easy, almost casual, like everything else about the stallion. He grinned down at the filly, one hand swiping up in a tight gesture of excitement.
"A scholar, eh? That sounds intriguing! What sorts of things do you study?" It was clear by his enthusiasm and stance that he would not budge from his spot until he had heard all about Yuzhi's studies, even the simplest and most basic bits of knowledge, visibly excited, if still in a small and reserved way, to learn more about this mare.
After a short pause, the Guardian gestured softly, a motion that meant if the mare wanted they could continue to walk on the path they had both been on before they had run across the other. When Yuzhi began to say something, Thrain turned back to her, confusion and interest on his face but no words passed into vocalization. If there was something the filly was to say but failed to, the Guardian would not ask. If she wanted to finish he would gladly listen, but for the moment he would not push for further clarification.
The way she says his name, however, makes a blonde brow quirk for a moment before he nods gently at her. While normally the sound of his name is not cause for notice, when she says it there is something extra. Something he is not willing to explore at the moment for a variety of reasons. "If I have my choice," He begins softly, offering her a carefully lowered elbow as a sign that they should walk together a bit, "Then I would prefer to call you Lady Yuzhi. If this bothers you, please let me know."

The mention of improving oneself without change makes him reach up a hand to hook around his chin to carefully tug at the bits of hair there, a moment given to consideration. This entire time he had tried his best to improve himself, to increase his strength and do what he could but had experienced nothing but failure. But this little creature who studied books and scrolls and ink on paper wanted to improve her own strength. And if she could do it, then so could he.
"If you are dedicated in your efforts, I do not doubt you will achieve all your goals and more." He told her, looking down at her with a soft smile.

It was her next questions that made his cheeks darken slightly, the hand on his chin rising up and back to fiddle awkwardly with the tie around his hair.
"Ah that... That is... Not as straightforward an answer." He huffed a sigh, short and stilted compared to his calmness before. "It is not that I do not want someone to care for me, to protect me, it is just... That I am good at what I do. And that I have trained my entire life to protect someone close to me. To protect everyone close to me." At this, Thrain paused on their path and looked down at the mare. Carefully he turned more toward her and gently bent his knees to shorten a bit of distance between them.
"Think of it like this; Think of it similar to someone close to you doing all your research. They find the books and they know the words and they give you all the knowledge you need without any of the work." A hand passed between them quickly, an impatient, fleeting gesture that hoped to dispel his last metaphor. "Bah, that is a bad example but it is close. I would not object to someone protecting me, but I would prefer to keep them safe. I would feel satisfied in making them happy with my pledge of care."
No one could ever say he wasn't a big softie.

"Cultures and peoples? That sounds like quite a lot to keep you busy! But why only on paper? What about off paper?" There had been little time during the Guardian's extensive training to devote to academic pursuits as brute force was favored over the ability to know which clan had done what in which year. And though he was not very familiar with books of the learning sort, he had always been intrigued. While the want to learn had always been there, knowledge did not always want to stick in Thrain's brain and he had occasionally found himself frustrated when he did devote his time to learning only to discover the things he had read yesterday had been forgotten. In that regard, he was mildly jealous in a friendly sort of way toward Yuzhi. It felt odd to recognize that, let alone understand the sensation. Jealousy was not the right word, for the thing he felt was multifaceted, it sought to find out more about the filly, it was more like... A curious desire.
That settled in his mind in an uncomfortably aware way. The Guardian rolled his shoulders back in a motion meant to distract himself when the thing he wanted came from the mare herself.
"Stories, eh? Ah! I could tell you a story or two. I am excellent at it, and have many illustrious and fantastical stories to my name." At this the man's chest swelled both physically and metaphorically. Telling stories was a favored pasttime so the fact that this little mare liked the activity too only made him that much more happy.

Walking was easy, a small step here and there, Thrain careful to keep his strider shorter so that Yuzhi would not have to scurry alongside him. Perhaps it made him feel a little stilted in motion, but he would not risk offense by asking to carry her. Even if he really, really wanted to just cuddle her lots and lots hggnnnnnn.
But when she turned her blushing face up to him and gave the stallion qualifications for the other's names, he found himself blushing lightly at well. Sure to be careful he detached her from his elbow so that he could step in front of her. One hand went flat across his stomach as he bent at the waist in a bow.
"As m'lady wishes."

Half risen from the bow and still half bent down to better explain his point, the Guardian was totally caught off guard when his nose was poked. The end tickled with her touch and when she began to talk he stood back up straight. A hand passed over his nose in hopes of making the sensation last, but he gave the filly a wry smile soon after.
"A Giant of the War clan? Tell me it was Shaheen or her grumpy consort. If you beat them then I will allow such a thing." He told her with a laugh before he bent back down again. Something in the way she said she would protect him and therefore he could protect her stirred that curious desire and he blinked once to dispel it. The thought would not leave, it had made itself comfortable in his skull and left him to only grin in a foolishy excited manner at the mare.
"No, no wait a moment. You beat a Giant? Now! That is a story I would like to hear." His grin turned wider and once again the elbow was offered to her.
This little mare had defeated a Giant? Somehow that did not surprise the man, but instead made something warm grow within him. Of course this little creature had. She may look small, but he knew from the first moment of their meeting back in the Tear that she housed a stone hard disposition. Perhaps he had softened it, but Thrain found himself only further intrigued by this little thing.

That made a great deal of sense, enough that the guardian nodded curtly with a gruff noise of agreement. But when she mentioned teasing, the easy look on his face hardened into a frown.
"Who would tease you about your height? That is most dishonorable. It is not as though you are not perfectly capable." Because she totally was, obviously. Still, something unsettled him about people making her uncomfortable about what she was and could not change. That was not the way one with honor should conduct themselves and he would most nobly fight anyone who dared make fun of such a precious creature!
It did, however, give him the opportunity to pick her up should he strike up the courage to ask. And how funny was that? He was nervous to ask!

Even more so when she gave him a look of interest edged with something more and asked for a story. The momentary squeeze of her arm had him grinning in hopes to cover up that weird feeling in his chest, but then she was out from beside him and he wasn't sure why it made him feel hollow.
The motion of knighting him brought back the smile, but it was her confession of who she had beat that had the man really grinning.
"Truly? It was Shik that you defeated?" A bark of laughter came next, not one of derision toward her but something more proud. "If that is true, then by all means I will allow you to protect me. He is a bear of a stallion, quite literally, but he is a strong fighter and I am sure he takes defeat quite poorly. But you, Lady Yuzhi, are just full of surprises!"

The coy smile, however, nearly wiped the affable look entirely from his face.
That was way too cute how was that even fair oh my goddess Thrain was gonna die hgggnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
An odd noise bubbled up in his throat and he coughed to dislodge it, finding his face warming considerably.
"You have a deal then. B-but ladies first, so you... ah... you begin..." That smile was making him feel all sorts of jumbled up suddenly, but damn it all if he wasn't going to try and see it again.