Maria stepped through the gates of Aguris, Clara right behind her, gripping her hand. The city guard were circling the group, their swords drawn and attentions focused outward. Maria's other hand was resting on the hilt of her sword.

They pushed into the city, avoiding the ruble, the guards had to kill a few monsters on the way to the town square.

"Spread out in groups of two and secure the city." Maria ordered, she then turned towards her mansion, sighing as she looked at the large whole in the front. She started walking, Clara and a single guard followed.

Maria stepped up to her front door, turned the handle and pushed. She sighed as the door fell forward with a dust filled thud. "My home. . ." She said in dejection as she carefully stepped inside. The stairs in front of her were still intact, she climbed them carefully it seemed that only one side of the home had been destroyed. The side with the bedrooms was fine, but her office has a large hole in the wall and ceiling. She pushed open her office door and stepped inside, a sigh once again escaped as she approached her desk and gazed at the large circular window. It was shattered, cracked pieces still resting in the frame. In the center of the room was a massive makeshift cross bow and some bolts. She remembered using it on Aries, watching Skarlet charge that beast and how she was swatted away like a fly.

"Maria?" Clara asked as she approached her master cautiously.

"I'm ok, just this is allot I don't know if I'm ready to be a leader." Maria replied looking towards her friend, fear and anxiety making her eyes shake.

"Maria, no matter what decisions you make, no matter how you deal with this. . . I will never abandon you, I will follow you and believe with every fiber of my body that you're better than Seraph ever could dream of being. So simply do what you think is right and I will support you even through fire." Clara expressed confidently as she strided over and took both mariai have she looked into Maria's eyes to they calmed and filled with confidence once more.

"You're right, I'm sorry, just this is allot. But we can do this, we just have to rebuild." Maria finally pulled herself together, she turned towards the city she could see through the hole. "When will the caravan arrive?"

"Tonight, my Lady." Clara replied, placing a hand over her heart and bowing.

"Good, when they arrive send them to me. When the guards finish clearing out the monsters in the city have them guard the people. Also tell the guild Master to come to see me." Maria began giving orders causing Clara to smile and bolt from the room.

Maria approached her desk and brushed all the dust off before sitting down. It wasn't long before the Guild Master stepped through her door. He flicked his hand and collection of vines and earth appeared from a greenish glow, forming the shape of a chair. He then sat down and nodded at her.

"What's the plan Lady Maria." He spoke respectfully causing her to unintentionally smile.

"My people don't have roofs or places to sleep. I want the construction completed with haste, can you support the builders when they arrive." Maria explained calmly, though a soft smile still lingered on her face.

"Make rebuilding the guild a priority and I will persuade the adventurers to help." The Guild Master responded just as calmly.

"Hmm, ok it's a deal." Maria nodded, "Your mages and warriors will be extremely helpful."

"What happened to Skarlet?" Andy suddenly asked, his posture revealed anxiety for once.

"She's fine, though she decided to leave Aguris, Cody chased after her. I don't think they're coming back though." Maria explained, the Guild Master's face fell at the news.

"She's still running huh?" He asked somberly

"Yeah, she is. Cody is determined to catch her though. So hopefully they'll heal together." Maria sighed but her words caused the Guild Master to pause.

"Is Cody ok?" He asked in confusion.

"Physically yes, but there's something plaguing him mentally. He's not running like her, no he's chasing something. I hoped he'd tell me what it was one day, but I guess I'll never know." Maria explained leaving the Guild Master thoughtful.

"I don't know about that, I have a feeling they'll both be back one day." The Guild Master smiled before standing up. "I'm sure we'll talk more over the next few days, but for now I have work to do and I imagine you also need to get things in order. Good luck." He turned and began to walk out.

"Andy, sir, please clean up before you leave." Maria sighed in disappointment, her gaze landing in the chair made from magic.

"Ah, of course." He snapped his fingers and waved his hand causing the chair to break down into magic particles that evaporated. "It would have done that on it's own eventually. . ." He says before closing the door behind him.

"Of course it would." Maria said absently as she pulled out a stack of paper and began working. Her own dancing across the page as she recorded the events of the past few days in detail. This was only step one, afterwards she'd have to take note of all the damages and calculate the expenses. She'd be entertaining guests all day, gathering as much information about the current state of her city as she could.

~

Maria fiddled with the adventurer's card in her hands, the room dark except for the candles set up around the room. Though it burned and cast dancing shadows, the room was still cold. She was laying on her desk with a large stack of papers beside her, holding the card out in front of her. Rain poured down like a waterfall in front of her, filling a large horse feeding trough. She sighed as she pushed the card into her pocket. She'd been taking guests for the past ten hours, only just recently was she finally able to rest.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

After the guards finished cleaning out the monsters that tried to settle they worked with the citizens to set up a temporary camp in the city square. Through the large hole in her wall she could see the light of fire and the sound of voices barely reaching her office.

After investigating the damages it became apparent that Aries left in the direction of Otalos. I hope Cody and Skarlet don't get caught in its path again. She thought as a knock sounded through the room, Maria turned her attention to the double doors that led into her office.

"Come in." She called as she sat up brushing her hair back and fixing her collar, she gazed at her work once more. Clara walked into the room with hurried footsteps, stopping about halfway in.

"They're here." She announced, Maria nodded, gesturing for her to send them in. The people who'd just arrived were the caravan leaders: A blacksmith named Oswald, a carpenter named Séan, and a brick maker named Garth.

Clara hurried back to the doors and pulled them open, the men stepped in. Séan seemed to lead the group, he was young and handsome with short Blonde hair and silver eyes. Oswald was old, and was eyeing Clara in a way Maria didn't like. Garth seemed normal enough, he was middle aged, with greying hair and a strong body.

Oswald reached out and attempted to grab Clara's butt, she spun around immediately and smacked his hand so hard he yelped, then she walked over and stood beside Maria. Oswald looked to Maria as if to say, That slave just hit me aren't you going to do anything about that?

"Clara, go fetch Joseph, and see if my sister is up. If she is, tend to her until our guests leave." Maria told her, Clara nodded and with a smirk at the man who's eyes held a mix of anger and confusion. Clara left the room and not long after, Joseph arrived with some tea. Maria stood up and greeted each of the men with a handshake.

"My name is Maria, it's his to have you here to help." Maria spoke politely as they each gave their names. She then turned and pulled out a piece if paper from the Stack.

"Here these are the important things we need rebuilt as soon as possible." Maria handed Séan a paper, he read over the list of things, paused then looked at her in surprise.

"Your home is not listed." He pointed out warily.

"It is not important, therefore I omitted it for now." She explained, he nodded as he pulled out a small notepad of his own and began jotting down small notes.

"So first off, the adventurer's guild. Second: Orphanage, third: Fixing all still standing residential homes. Fourth: Beginning construction of the destroyed homes. And lastly: Fixing the wall." He read out a brief summarized version of the paper, "The first two will take a month, the third will take a month, the fourth will also take around a month and a half, while the wall will take two months. That is, if you can provide us with what you promise at the top here." He tapped on the top of the paper, she had offered them mages and extra man power. It was the deal she made with Andy prior to this meeting. He'd said if she made rebuilding the guild the top priority, then he would contract all adventurers with applicable abilities as hired help during reconstruction.

"Of course, you'll find our guildmaster Andy waiting in the hall, you can hash out the details with him." She assured him, he nodded, putting the notepad back into his pocket.

"Next This is the overall damages report, it contains a map of the city and all the information you'll need to get started on the construction." Maria handed him another couple of documents and he began reading it.

"What about money?" Oswald spoke up, "Does a brat like you even have the money for a project like this?" He gazed at her in suspicion.

"Of course." Maria produced a Large gold coin, she placed it into Séan's hand, "This should be enough to cover the first five." Oswald made an annoyed huff.

"This is more than enough, is this a job you want done quickly?" He asked, eyeing her curiously.

"As quickly as possible without sacrificing safety, I want this town rebuilt well, I don't want it falling in the next breeze." She explained, he nodded, his eyes felt like they were trying to read her like a book.

"Yeah, no problem Miss Maria, I look forward to working with you. I see your mother raised you well." He smiled as he shook her hand, she felt herself tense up. "And, apologize to Miss Clara for me, I see you have a close relationship with her." He smiled knowingly before leading his entourage out of the room. Maria watched him leave, Joseph offered her a cup of tea which she took.

"Joseph, find out who that is, and who he was to my mother." She said, gripping the tea cup a little harder than intended, she sipped the tea before turning to gaze at the rain pouring down. "And bring another trough, I don't want water pooling in here."

Joseph bowed and slipped from the room, Maria made her way over to her desk. Mom, are you up there somewhere, dad's gone now. . . it's just me and Sarah now. I miss you, It all falls on me now, to protect the family, to protect the town.

Maria turned as Clara and three butlers dragged a new trough into the room, they pulled the full trough out of the way and placed the new one under the leak. Maria slipped past the butlers and grabbed Clara's hand, "I'm heading to bed, would you come as well?"

"I still have some work to do." Clara said apologetically, Maria nodded and let go, she headed out the office door and up the staircase. Sarah was already asleep, Maria pushed open her bedroom door and plopped down onto her bed.

"You should take your day clothes off before going to bed." Clara said as she stood in the doorway.

"I thought you had work to do?" Maria asked, her face buried in the sheets. Clara walked further in and slipped her arms around Maria.

"Are you ok?" She asked as she hugged her, Maria sighed as she got to her feet and began undressing. Clara pulled her nightgown from the closet and handed it to her, Maria slipped it on before sliding back into bed.

"Yeah, just, one of the guests reminded me of my mother. Though that's only part of it, I'm just tired." Maria sighed, "There's always so much work." Clara slipped into her own nightclothes and climbed into bed with her.

Maria felt her hands running through her hair, "You're doing great, your mom would be proud."

"You think? What about Cody?" She asked, "You think he'd approved of the way I've taken care of things."

"You know the answer to that, he's always approved of you. It's why he stuck by you so long, as long as you keep putting the people first." Clara assured her, Maria rolled over to look her in the eyes.

"Thank you for sticking by me, Skarlet and Cody were the two people I expected to be able to count on in uncertain situations. Skarlet with her stubborn march forward, and Cody with his relaxed confidence. They were like pillars, even though they both showed up so suddenly, I looked up to them." Maria sighed, her eyes strayed to the ceiling above. "But you were there too weren't you, always by my side, I need you more than ever. It's so uncertain, I know you don't know anymore than I, but I feel more at ease when I have you around."

"I'm not qualified to be a source of wisdom, I'm only a year older than you. . ."

"I know that dummy, I can't help it, as everything else has been uprooted. . . you are the one thing that's still here. . ." Maria trailed off, she closed her eyes.

"I, umh, I don't know what to say except. . . thank you." Clara replied, but Maria had fallen asleep.

Clara gazed at her, she's like an older sister and a younger sister all at once. Sometimes she seems weak and in need of being held, other times she shows more confidence than most of the adults in the room. She can take control of the air, the room bowing to her, and her people show her respect.

Clara pulled the covers up over her, but in these moments, when she shows the weakness and uncertainty of her age, she only shows it to me.