"Uncle Klienn," she said and he looked at her with a doting expression.
"You snotty brat, did you remember your Uncle Klienn before you rushed to marry?" he asked her and she smiled wider and giggled. Her giggle caused him to soften and look more like an old man, than a scary youth. This girl was always up to no good, he thought.
"She does not want to come back. She had this weak barrier protecting her," Jaine said respectfully to the protector.
"It's made that way to deceive you," protector Klienn said and Jaine frowned; but as usual, Lyson maintained his smile.
"Are you saying it is a strong barrier?" Jaine asked.
"No. it's weak. It's made so that it can be broken. That pendant is a stay-away order by The Religion. If you break it, it does not matter how much we explain, we are all dead," protector Klienn said.
"Even you?" Lyson asked Protector Klienn. This was the first time his smile wavered slightly.
"The stay-away order is made in way of a crest of The Religion. This is a crest even most priests don't have. An ordinary person carrying it around means they are protected by The Religion. The barrier keeps away anyone below the tenth martial rank; it was made to be broken. Purposefully breaking the barrier when you see the pendant, is a clear sign that you are challenging The Religion. They will have Holy Knights come to kill us. The penalty is death. No exceptions. No matter who you are," the protector explained to his clan's men, before turning to Helen.
"That husband of yours sure went far. That is really a dangerous item you hold there; I wonder how he got it," the protector said, but Helen looked away. She knew he wanted to know how Walter got one, but she did not care; this was hers. She had not known what it was, but knowing now that Walter still thought of her safety, she was proud.
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"Lord Steinhouse is not around, I hear," Protector Klienn said.
"He had things to do," Helen said.
"And you are not coming back, are you?" he asked and she nodded, "My lord husband said to stay home till he returns," she said and he smiled.
"Good," he said with a smile and his clansmen frowned and turned to stare at him.
"What? I only promised to convince her to come back. I have no intention of forcing her," the protector said when he saw the looks on his clansmen's faces.
"Helen, won't you invite us in at least? You are doing such a bad job as a host," Lyson asked.
"I don't know who you are, neither do I welcome you, so why would I entertain you?" she threw him a dirty look, before turning to the protector and transforming into a little angel.
"Uncle Klienn, when was the last time you came to see me? I thought you had forgotten about this insignificant girl," she said with a pout, making the protector break out into a happy laugh.
"You little brat, do you know how hard it is to keep you in check? It's good you are now another person's problem," the protector said.
"Oh, so you did not want to see me again, that's it?" she said putting on a fake serious expression as she harrumphed and turned away.
"Of course not, this old man had to come prepared so that you would not put me in an early grave," the protector said in false seriousness.
"Oh? Prepared? So you came bearing gifts? Ya! Old man, bring out the gift and I will consider forgiving you," she said righteously, causing black lines to appear on the old man's face. How did he forget that this girl had a tendency to turn everything into a gift-bearing ceremony?
"Fine, let's have tea. Then this old man will give you a gift," the protector gave in and Helen broke out into a winning smile.
He instructed his clansmen to settle in the capital, while he stayed back with Helen. When they complied and left, Helen led him to a tea room where they sat in short silence.
The protector waited for her to say something, while she waited for him to say something. They both knew where the conversation was going, but waited for the other to give up and start.