August [+Nyx]

It was nothing like the former criminal to feel these feelings of uneasyness, maybe even nervousness. She had worked so many jobs within her lifetime that she might've lost count along the way. Different colleagues, bosses and tasks on every job as well. While she had never worked for the Upper Class before, she didn't expect it to bother her as much as it did. Beside that, this wasn't your regular old Upper Class family. These were the people ruling over both Alderrath and Ashmoor as a whole. The ones who chose to keep Alderrath as it always had been, no matter the sometimes inhumane circumstances within the Lower Ring. She would now serve these people, voluntarily. When climbing the rings in between her jobs, she could've never imagined ending up here, within the Winter palace. Legally.

At this point she was standing beside Ashmoor's Duke, Edward Winter. The most powerful man within the entire district. Even the usually fearless Nyx could feel her knees weakening with every second passing, but she remained determined. Who in the right mind would possibly pass on this chance, even if it meant living with the guilt of betraying your own morals. Never again would she have to be a stray within the Lower Ring again, begging people for work. All she had to do was guard the second-most influencial person within the district.. How hard could that be?

An unfamiliar voice greeted the man beside her. Father. It was the only word needed for her to realise who had just walked up to them. As she turned around she met a pair of emerald colored eyes. This was the woman she would be guarding. The Duke's daughter was visibly taller than herself, making her having to turn her head upwards in order to look her in the eyes. It had cost her a second before realising the customs, and the fresh guard quickly bowed down before the Heiress as the Duke introduced her to his daughter, making it unable for her to inspect the woman further. "Truly an honor, your Grace." She spoke after the introduction, staying within her bowed down position as she stared to the ground. It was the Heiress' reaction that kind of threw her off. Staring at the floor of the palace, many feelings overwhelmed her. Doubt, annoyance, guilt, maybe even a little anxiety. As much as she wanted to stand up straight, she waited for the Duke's reponse. It would be better for the ground to witness the uncertain expression on her face right now, rather than the Heiress herself. She had to take a few seconds to collect herself. This was going to be her biggest job so far, and most certainly the biggest job of her entire life.
  

It took a while before the guard got her permission to stand up straight again, but when she did, she finally got the chance to have a better look at the person she was going to protect. The short conversation between the Duke and his daughter passed her by as if it was just background noise. Silently, the guard observed the woman before her. The heiress was tall, surely taller than expected. Her face was decorated with a freckle here and there, and the woman radiated both elegance and status. If it wasn't for the life she had lived within her Lower Ring years, she'd even be kind of intimidated by her presence. Weird, especially since thugs and thieves had never scared her.

As Nyx sunk within her thoughts, a certain voice was quick to snap her out of them. She had not even noticed the Duke taking his leave, and was now left alone with the person she was going to spend most of her time with for Lythrana knows how long. "That is quite the long story, your Grace." She answered, trying to repress a nervous smirk. The woman's voice had a taste of disbelief, maybe distrust even. Perhaps her Lower Ring skin hadn't shed as much as she thought it had by now, and the remains of her past still lingered within the smallest details of her mannerisms, as much as she tried to hide them. The thought of how she landed the job brought her back to that weird but eventful day. The stolen artefact that she was trying to get her hands on surely changed her life, but not in the way she initially thought it would. No amount of cash would compare to the salary she'd make here. Perhaps, she could even buy her own ship within the span of a year. "I could tell you all about it during a garden stroll, perhaps?" She then offered to break the silence. Besides, the atmosphere within the castle started to feel stifling. Perhaps she'd feel more at home after stretching her legs a little.
  

Maybe it was just her imagination, or something she liked to believe, but her offer seemed like it had broken the ice a little. Maybe just a chip out of the massive walls that seemed to surround each of the aristocratic family's members, but it was a start. Even though she still despised the social system, the Upper Class, and everything related to these matters, she had to protect this woman. Playing pretend wouldn't be enough to keep this job. It was expected of her to put her life on the line for her when necessary. The thought of this made her suppress a silent chuckle. Quite ironic, how even with an imporant job like this, she still remained a pawn of an unjust system. No matter your rank on the social ladder, this family would find a way to exploit you. Nevertheless, the blonde's cheeky smile caught her off guard, forgetting about her thoughts for a moment. For a few seconds, the woman before her seemed to show signs of humanity, instead of being the tyrranical Heiress the guard had already made her out to be.

Nyx agreed with her offer, and started following her towards their destination. While strolling through the massive castle, she tried her best to think about how she could twist her story around. She had only told people the true story, but had not yet told the socially acceptable version out loud. The paintings and statues within the hallway's didn't even catch her attention, as she tried to puzzle together a story believable enough to tell the Heiress.