No such thing as death (Ares/ Vala)

Several years had passed and many countries had flown by before he finally found a reason to live rather than run. Life was too short to be wasted doing something you hated, but he loved the army and so the opening for a battle strategies professor seemed perfect.

He apparated to a quiet place in Russia, he wasn't a big fan of crowds now. He just couldn't trust anyone any more. Not after Judith. After a quick look around he flicked his wand to make his trunk follow when a sharp pain hit his chest. He gasped doubling over in pain as he fell onto his trunk trying to prize it open, but his hands were shaking too much.

Vala walked along the riverside in St. Petersburg. It was a muggle city, of course, and Vala was none too fond of muggles, but she did love the view.

The girl returned the smile of one man with one of her own, but continued on her way. She did not wish to interact with anyone here. Muggles could not be trusted.

Walking past an alley, Vala paused, hearing noise from within. "Hey," she called quietly, seeing a man doubled over what appeared to be a trunk. "Are you alright?" Moving cautiously forward, she curled her hand around the end of her wand.

He looked up at the sound of a voice and felt both relieved and annoyed at someone being there with him. "Potion..." He croaked in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "... in trunk... potion." He said turning so he was no longer leaning on top of the trunk.

Right now he had to be thankful for her presense and hopefully she was trustworthy enough to save him.

"Po..?" Was he a wizard, then? Closing the distance, Vala crouched down to open the trunk, rummaging a bit until she found a promising-looking vial.

"Is this it?" she queried, holding it up. Prying the stopper away, the girl hesitantly placed a hand behind the man's neck while bringing the potion to his lips with the other.

He nodded his head gently and urged her to bring it forwards. He needed the potion and he needed it now. He could already feel deaths grip pulling him down but he couldn't let it win. Not yet, not when he had so much more live left to cover.

He opened his mouth and gratefully swallowed the potion before sighing in relief. Why did he always end up leaving it so late? This wasn't the first time, but all the times before he'd managed to save himself. The poison must be getting stronger. With that in mind he turned to look at his rescuer and gave her a little smile in thanks. "Thank you." He said gently nodding his head.

"You're welcome," Vala said softly. "Are you better, now? Seems you must have a rather serious condition. Where are you going? I could travel with you... It would help me feel better to know you're really alright.

"My name is Vala, by the way."

He nodded and slowly got to his feet. "I will be fine, its just a slight complication that is all." He said dusting his jacket down, looking back to full health again if his pale face and tired looking eyes didn't give him away.

"Honestly i will be fine. I'm heading to Durmstrang, i have just landed a job there." He smiled closing his trunk and making it fly once more by his side. "Only problem is, i have no idea which direction it is." He said looking around him for any sign of the castle.

"Ares." He said holding out his hand for her to take. "Thanks again, you have no idea what you have just done."

"A slight complication? I would certainly hate to see your definition of a severe complication," Vala remarked, also rising to her feet.

"Durmstrang? I work there! Well, I do this year. Last year, I was still a student," Vala said, then realized she was prattling a bit. Brushing off the urge to blush, she continued. "I could take you to the port, to catch the ship. I need to be heading back, myself, anyway. If you have permission from the Highmaster, you can apparate or portkey there. The apparation zone is also at the port."

She took his hand. "Like the Greek god of war," she remarked. "You're most welcome. I'm glad I could help."

He smiled. "I've seen worse believe me. It's always worse when you have to watch it happen to someone else. But i truly am fine." He said setting off towards the north, it was somewhere to start at least.

"Oh you do? What do you do there?" He asked, wondering if he was in the presence of another professor. It would be useful to get some tips about the students. Had hadn't actually worked with kids before so any tips would be useful at this stage.

"Thanks that would be great." He said looking back to make sure he hadn't left anything. "Oh no i don't think im up for apparating at the minute. Besides id much rather walk, its good to familiarise yourself with your surroundings.

"Exactly." He nodded. "My parents never did realise how fitting the name really is." He smiled.

"I'm the librarian, actually," Vala replied, walking along beside him. "I took over the position when the old librarian retired. We want to turn here," she pointed out a street.

"The ship isn't so bad, really. Everything is comfortable and the view from the deck is beautiful," Vala said. "I come here to walk about often - the Isle gets a bit small after a while. I always take the ship, though."

She smiled. "I reckon just about any name would fit you well," she remarked. "I mean, you could be called anything and I'd bet it would sound gorgeous. That is -" The girl did blush, this time. "Merlin. I said that aloud, didn't I?"

"Oh a fan of books then? Books are great for passing the time. You are learning something whilst at the same time enjoying yourself." He said, he loved a good book every now and again. It was just nice sometimes to read about other peoples problems instead of experiencing your own.

He nodded and turned the direction she pointed to. "Oh good, i could use a good rest. I've been traveling all day and it is getting rather late now. A nice warm glass of butterbeer in front of the fire would be great." He thought out loud. He just hoped his office was nice and cosy.

He smiled. "Thank you, its not often i find myself being complimented." He smirked, people had often mentioned his work but other than that he'd had nothing. But he'd never really had time for girls, the army didn't allow working relationships and he was always working so there was no time to get to know a girl.

"But i must say, never have i met a girl as attractive as you. You have more personality than any girl i have ever met." He smiled taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "And that blush is very cute." He'd have to make her blush more often.

"Very much so - though, I never was what one could call studious."

Vala gave him a skeptical look. "You? Not often complimented? Where have been hiding, then? A monastery?"

She glanced away coyly, another flush spreading across her face as he kissed the back of her hand. Looking up again, her hazel eyes met his.

"If all girls were as attractive or as personable as I, there would be riots in the streets," Vala declared.

"No me neither, i was only ever interested in the physical lessons. They seemed more my kind of thing." He admitted. "I guess you can say that but no, i've been at war ever since i was able. It seemed like the only thing i was good at." He shrugged.

"And that would a be a nightmare." He nodded. "But i love a girl who knows what she is. Most other girls tend to lie to make them seem more attractive. God knows how they came up with that."

Vala laughed. "Most other girls feel the need to appear modest," she stated. "Rather useless, if you ask me. Anyone with eyes can see whether a person is attractive or not. Why pretend to be ignorant? I've always been pretty, and I feel no shame in being wholly aware of that."

Placing a hand on his chest, Vala raised up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I think I shall be very glad you've come to Durmstrang," she murmured in his ear. Turning, she continued down the street a few steps, pausing to look back at him over her shoulder.

"Coming?" she asked.

"Very stupid and time consuming." He agreed, it really did annoy him when someone clearly knew how beautiful they were but acted modest to make themselves look better.

He stopped stock still as she moved forward to kiss his cheek and whisper into his ear. "I have a feeling i'm gonna love Russia." He smiled before jogging forward a little to catch up with her.

"So what is a beautiful girl like yourself doing working in a job that hides her from the world? Not that im complaining, it definitely makes working at Durmstrang seem more appealing."

"It was either that or work in a shop," Vala answered with a smile. "Or teach - and I don't like children. Well, the children at the school, anyhow. Spoiled brats, the lot of them. I could've gone elsewhere to work, but I guess I wanted to stay behind to look after my brother. He's too smart for his own good - a teacher, but he's only fourteen.

"That reminds me - which job is it that you've accepted? I know we have several openings."

"Oh i could never work in a shop. Just the thought of seeing the same four walls is driving me crazy." He said looking around to take in his surroundings, you never did know when you would need to protect your land.

"No children aren't really my thing either." He admitted. "He must be something special to be teaching at that age. Is he like a child prodigy or something?" He asked, he was surprised to hear the Highmaster was allowing someone so young to teach at the school.

"Battle strategies. I seem to have a gift when it comes to planning out wars. I'm yet to find one i can't win." He said dusting down the brooch on his jacket. "I was made general after 2 years of serving." He boasted.

"Oh, he is," Vala replied, a note of fondness entering her tone. "He has a photographic memory - so he can remember everything since he was about two. He can flip through a book once, and then remember the whole thing without trouble. Then, he uses it and all the others he's taken from the library to build towers or whatever. He has no regard for books, whatsoever. It's... frustrating."

She gave him an admiring look. "That is very impressive," she said. "Handsome and smart. A catch."

"That is an impressive gift to have. I imagine it would come in great use for a lot of things." He said running his hand through his hair. He could have used a gift like that to memorise the opposition.

"Maybe in time he will become to accept things. Right now he's still a kid and we all know kids don't take anything seriously." He said, he hadn't really had much experience with kids but he could remember his childhood pretty well and those kids didn't respect anything.

"Don't forget amazing fighter as well. You can't win wars without being able to fight."

"Perhaps," Vala agreed mildly. "Though, there are times I doubt he shall ever truly grow up."

She gave a soft laugh. "And amazing fighter," she added obligingly. "You shall have to show me, some time.

"So, what brings you to Russia, Ares? That is a British accent you have, isn't it? Is it just for the job, or is there another reason, as well?"

"Perhaps, but boys do tend to mature a lot later than girls. Sadly its a well known proven fact. He will mature in his own time, lets just hope its sooner rather than later for the books sake at least."

"Deal. I shall teach you to fight. It's always a fun thing to do." He smiled. "I felt the British army after someone was failed to be punished for their actions. Since then i've been traveling the world and i just thought it was time to settle down somewhere. This job just happened to be exactly the thing i needed." He shrugged. "I have two reasons now though. My decision would have been a lot easier had i met you before today."

"I shall look forward to it.

"Well, I'm certainly glad your travels have brought you here," Vala remarked, giving him a bright smile. "Though, had you met me before today, would you have been accepting the job, or the promise of my company?"

"It was a miracle i found the add, it was like i was destined to meet you here. It seems someone up there likes me, either that or i did something in life to deserve it." He said nodding up the sky. Hell if anyone deserved it it was him, he'd had an awful life so far.

"The latter. The job seems so much more pleasing now i know there is something to look at. And believe me i've never had a more beautiful view and i've travelled the world."

Vala rewarded him with a brilliant smile. Some men were useless when it came to compliments. To find one so very adept at it was rare.

"This shall be a good year," she predicted.