Tifa & Aerith IV

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah was ready to hastily assure her companion that he wasn't doing anything wrong when his train of thought changed suddenly and she found herself being dragged around the square. She tried her best to remain upright as she stumbled, his stride too swift for her.
"What--" she started, but she was stopped into bashful silence as the other guardians came into view.
The next few moments seemed to blur. Large, white wings enveloped her and she heard screams rise from outside their protective walls. She looked up to Aether then, eyes filled with confusion and fear. His words didn't even register in her mind, but her heart certainly started panicking when he took hold of her and his wings stretched.
"No, no... I'm afraid of heigh--"
She gave a small squeal as they launched into the air.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We're not flying too high, i promise." Aether comforted as he swooped over the crowd, watching as his sisters helped to calmly usher people out of the square. Soon he was landing gently on the balcony of a nearby house, setting delilah back down on her feet.
"I am sorry about the rush, My Lady." He said hurriedly, placing himself between her and the edge of the balcony, "Stay down for me OK? I'll be back, i want to check what's going on." He spread his mighty white wings and took flight, swooping down and disappearing into the surging crowd.

He wasn't gone long, and when he returned his face was grave.
"We're to stay here for now." He said, urging her gently away from the edge of the balcony, "The others are handling the situation."

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah was left in daze as she was placed back on the ground again, her head swimming from the journey. She didn't feel so well. By the time Aether returned again, her legs felt like jelly.
"W-what's going on?" she asked shakily.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Someone attacked the King." Aether said honestly, picking Delilah up before she could protest and sitting her down, noting how ill she looked. He knelt before her then, keeping his wings wide as if he needed to be ready for something at any moment.
"They tried to get you as well, so you have to stay here with me OK?" He smiled softly, "Sorry that this isn't the most ideal of festivals."

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah brought a hand to her forehead. Having Aether pick her up only made her even more light-headed.
"Uncle?" she asked weakly
"Is he alright?..."
She felt sick to the stomach.
"'Tried to get me as well'?" she repeated in disbelief softly. "Who are 'they'?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We're not sure who they were yet." Aether said softly, reaching forward to touch Delilah's forehead, channeling calming energies into her, trying to settle her nerves.
"We must wait for my brother and sisters to come and get us." He moved to sit beside her, extending one of his large wings around her protectively, "Feel free to speak of anything you wish, you must settle your nerves or you will make yourself ill." He dodged saying anything about the King's condition, as he was unsure himself.

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah was starting to shake a little. She would have never guessed that her life was in danger when she arrived in the capital. Aether encouraged her to speak, but her throat was closing up. Without much thought about her actions, she leant in to the Angel's body as his wing wrapped around her, curling up a little.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Aether did not seem even remotely bothered by Delilah's actions. As she leaned in to him he curled his wing tighter around her, moving his arm around her as well to stroke her hair.
"You are safe here with me Lady Delilah." He assured, watching the edge of the balcony intently. The sounds of ruckus below had ebbed somewhat, but there was still a bit of noise drifting up to them. Aether was just about to speak again when there was the sound of footsteps and a dark figure walked around the corner.
Despite being a silhouette Aether spotted the crossbow and wrapped his wings completely around himself and Delilah just as the man loosed the bolt. "Keep low!" He said quickly to Delilah as he moved away from her, leaping after her attacker as the person tried to flee.

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah tried to relax as Aether comforted her. But just as her heart was starting to calm, the danger returned again. She tucked herself in against the Guardian as he shielded her again, a scream sticking in her throat as she heard the bolt bounce off of his protective wings. She felt incredibly vulnerable the moment he left her, but followed his instruction, dropping as flat as she could.

[Tifa Lockhart]

The fight between the angel and the attacker did not last long. The click of the crossbow went off twice more before the attacker screamed, staggering backwards as Aether forced him back with his wings. There was the sound of stumbling and a scream. The man had fallen from the balcony while fleeing from the Angel's wrath. But Aether had not attacked, his advance had been purely defensive, trying to keep the attacker away from Delilah.
"Darn." The angel gasped, leaning over the balcony to see the man's broken body at the bottom, he turned then, worried amethyst eyes desperately searching for Delilah. When he spotted her, he rushed over, "Are you alright?" He asked, kneeling down to help her sit back up from her flat position on the floor.
There was a crossbow bolt in his shoulder, silver blood oozing around it.

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah was terrified by the time Aether returned to her side. Trembling again, she righted herself once more, her eyes soon finding the wound in the Angel's shoulder.
"Oh..." she said faintly, reaching up, not hearing his question.
"You're hurt..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Aether looked confused at first when Delilah fussed over his wound. Obviously the Arc had not realised he was injured.
"Oh, it's nothing." He said with a smile bringing his wing around himself so he was briefly shielded from her view. While hidden behind the white feathers he pulled the bolt out, that done, her let his wing fall again. 'There, all fixed." He said merrily. The lightly bleeding wound remained, but the bolt was gone.

"Brother." A voice behind them called as Lady Fortuna, the red headed woman, came to perch gracefully on the edge of the balcony. "Is the Countess alright?"
Aether stood, gently urging Delilah to stand with him, keeping her close by his side and shielding her with a wing, knowing that she was anxious and frightened. "She is fine. The prince and the King?"
Fortuna's expression darkened, "Bring her to the palace quickly." She instructed, before taking flight.
Aether frowned, glancing down at the lady he guarded, "I'm afraid we must fly again, feel free to shield your eyes." He smiled warmly, "We will leave when you are ready."

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah had so many questions, but before she could even utter a word, Aether informed her that they would be flying again. She winced a little, clearly still uncomfortable with the idea, but shrunk into him.
"Please... not far?" she half-questioned, half-pleaded.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Aether's response was a soft pity-filled smile. "Flying is not so bad once you are used to it." He assured as he put an arm around her comfortingly, his wings opening wide behind him as he prepared for flight.
"We only need fly to the palace, it is not so far."

[The Painted Lady]

Delilah gave a soft whimper-like noise as she was urged to step in toward Aether. She looked down, edging in a little closer and bringing her head down to rest on the collarbone of his uninjured shoulder. Her fear of everything about the situation - being away from home, having her life threatened and now the immediate need to conquer heights - overrode any fear she had of acting out of place toward the Guardian... for the time being, anyway.