Ewan would find a house in the middle of ruin. Wood torn down, some windows broken, and a place that was very dirty. Lenika did not hear Ewan actually knock as she was coming around from the back of the house and dragging a large box filled with the things she wanted to keep. Her body straightened as she saw him standing there and she cleared her throat before hoarsely asking, ?What are you doing here??

Lenika cleared her throat again as she was in need of water but to find a drinking vessel would have been difficult. She looked like her house did: a big mess. Her hair was wildly escaping the tie, she was thoroughly dirty, and she had dark circles under eyes as if she has not slept too much.

?I?d offer you a drink, but I doubt I have anything that could hold water, and don?t get too close. I don?t want to ruin your clothes,? she smiled faintly but she made the attempt for Ewan.

Lenika waved her hand in dismissal at the idea of needing water, ?I?m not thirsty right now, but thank you for the offer.? She had to smile just a little at him but there was something sad in her eyes, so she did shift her gaze some to look over his shoulder. ?Renovations is a good way to put it. I don?t really want to rest until it?s done.?

Dirtied hands pushed back the mess of hair that was in her eyes and she inhaled deeply then exhaled before directing her attention back to Ewan as she asked, ?How is everyone at the manor like Sylvia??

Her clothing and shoes were also dirty and she dug her toe into the ground as she tried not to let her thoughts linger on any one topic for too long. She was thoroughly bothered and defeated at the moment, so if she did have the notion of self destruction then it might prove to be a better option. Her voice softened and her thoughts threaded into the tone of her voice, ?You could help if you wanted to. Break something, except the things in the boxes.?

Lenika shook her head as she spoke, ?I don?t drink coffee. The stuff tastes horrible.? She tilts her head to the side as she watched him move about the building then pick up some wood and give one to her before he walked away again. ?Uh?thank you.?

Her hands held tightly onto the wood slat as she narrowed her eyes at him. She did not make a move to swing at the building, nor did she follow after him. She did, however, shift her stance to turn and face the house a little more.

Her gaze looked up and down the building before she shook her head and said, ?I think I?ll recruit a dragon for the absolute destruction of the house, but for now I like to simply break what can be broken and save what should be saved.? Lenika took in a deep breath and held it a moment as she closed her eyes. It was a moment or two before she exhaled slowly, perhaps she willed herself to be calm, and opened her eyes. ?Once it?s gone?I?ll breathe easier and take some time off, maybe, or just find somewhere else to go for a little bit. Be someone else too.?

As she spoke, she had taken steps closer to the house but she stopped to glance over at Ewan. There was a smile, albeit a sad one, then she looked back to the poor building. ?I?m sure that what happened was for the best and I know it?s not the worst thing that could happen to me, but it brings back some things to my mind that I had never wanted to remember. It makes me think I made all the wrong choices a person could make,? there were unshed tears in her voice. ?It makes me question everything now and I should have stuck to the plan I had when I originally came to Rhydin??

She felt the dryness in her throat now and she swallowed hard. Memories and old feelings were flooding back and it was causing a surge of emotion to flow through her. She lifted a forearm and wiped at her face then she spoke softly, ?Please break something, even if it?s me.? She then threw the wood slat at an unbroken window and turned away at the sound of the shattering. She stepped away from the beat up house as dirtied hands wiped at her face and pushed back wild hair, even as she kept her back to him and tried to regain control over her emotions, then she said, ?Now you."

Ewan watched her carefully, ?You called this place your escape. You were escaping a similar situation when you came here??

?Not exactly similar,? she glanced away. ?Whenever someone asked I simply said I just wanted a change. A fresh start.?

His expression asked the question yet unspoken, and he wanted to know more.

Lenika, however, was not going to give in to that look, and asked, ?Do you want something to drink??

?No, thank you,? he said as he rose from his lean and looked to the house again. It allowed him time to hide his biting back words under the guise of examining the structure.

?All it takes is time, right??

He did not know if she referred to the destruction of the building or the getting over a hurt, but he turned a smile to her and nodded, ?So I?ve found, yes.? He kicked at something on the ground just to listen to its sound and watch its path. ?Intentions on being elsewhere and being someone else for a bit, is what you said. Who would you like to be??

?Maybe I?ll try to be a fighter,? she offered shrugging. ?I don?t really know.?

?The whole world is open to you,? he grinned. ?I hope the changes give you what you need.?

?Maybe they will. It?s hard to say really.?

He could only nod again as he turned to the pathway leading to, or in this case, away from her house. He paused to look back to her, ?A visit to the manor is always open to you.?

She spoke nearly at the same time, ?The hardest part is people knowing.? She turned to watch him move.

Her words draw him back slightly, puzzled, ?People knowing??

?Other than by you, would I even be welcome there?? She asked of the manor, as if she avoided his question with one of her own.

?Maybe it?s not knowing. I don?t know,? she said throwing her hands up in the air. ?I?m a very confused person these days.?

?People who know care about you, Lenika. As to those that don?t know, who cares?? Then, as the subject, in his mind seems tied to her other question, ?And I gather my welcome for you is not enough?? But he did not turn this into something about him, and he went on, ?Of course you?d be welcomed by others. It?s a perpetually welcoming group if they don?t think you?ll try to kill one of us.? He regained more measure of calm that had started to slip.

?It isn?t that your welcome isn?t enough,? she trailed off into a pause. In a moment she continued, ?I?d rather not get you into trouble.?

?What trouble could you conceivably get me in to? Are you planning on stealing from the larder or poisoning someone? That?s the extent you would have to go to in order for me to be in trouble.? He walked close to her, ?But if you do not wish to come, that is fine. Do not make up these excuses for my comfort. I assure you, I do not need them.?

?And you always did get angry, even if you try not to let it show,? she did not step back from him in his flash of temper. ?There are no excuses, and I have not yet made up my mind of where I will go.?

She had caught him, and he took a step back. He had let his temper go. Another mistake, another error that at the wrong moment could bring trouble. How much further can he go? A breath he let out slowly, then a low, brief laugh, ?Of course not. You have to call out temperamental swordsmen and put them in their proper place first before you can find your new escape.? His hand over his heart, he bowed his head, ?My apologies for losing my temper.?

?You don?t need to apologize to me. You?re allowed your feelings.?

It was not the time nor place to contradict her, though he was of a mind to do so, instead he smiled.