Kiernan's gaze remained lowered upon his hands as his muscles tensed, trying to conjure the words he needed to make things right. He needed to apologize, of that he was keenly aware. For his lack of skill in combat to cover her, his inability to defend her, his lack of knowledge of how to help her as she recovered... Her arms moved around him as she instead made an apology towards him. His eyes widened as he drew in a slight breath, but he slowly returned the embrace. Letting out a deep breath, his arms folded so one could rest gently on the back of her neck while the other caressed her back. Holding her firmly yet gently to him like so, he quieted for a time and savored the embrace before a grin took his lips.

"There is no need to apologize to me, Numira. I was worried I had lost you, I was terrified..." He admitted openly, backing up a little bit though his arms remained gently looped about her. Kiernan's golden gaze swooped down to fixate on her own, genuine and calmed as he now formed an apology of his own. "I am only sorry I could not protect you as I'd promised." His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he tried to form more words, thinking them through before speaking up again. "I will do whatever it takes to avoid further harm coming to you." He managed after a few moments, voice firm as he looked at her with determination. Then, looking own to his prosthetic, he frowned a little bit as eh thought back to Ixera's words. "I'll become stronger to protect you." He promised, a grin then tugging at his lips as he found one of her hands to gently take a hold of.

~ . ____________________________ . ~

Veila had taken up a position near the middle of the troops, needing to have more care over not crushing people than she'd like to deal with, but their march was more than slow enough for her machine to keep up with this. She had taken towards boredom at this point in the day, only noting a change in atmosphere as they approached the coming mist and Kain moved on forwards in their formation. Taking curiosity in the movement, she herself pulled ahead a bit, though not quite advancing as far as Benoit or Kain dared. Then they came to a halt. Frowning where she stopped to stand, she too spotted the figure in the mist. "Huh." She remarked, turning for a moment to where the commander rode within the head of the troops in question.

Arnoult rode on to the head of the formation within a few moments of the troop's pause, stopping up just behind the Golems. "Who in the hell told you maggots to-" He barked, pausing only as he came to see Kain's fist extended. Drawing his gaze to the horizon beyond them he too spotted the woman there, one of his eyebrows quirking up with curiosity. "And, who's this bitch? Find out, give her a try!" He yelled with some enthusiasm, a sort of twisted smile playing across his face. The ground troops began to advance, leading Veila to drawing one of the large sheathed blades from her side. If he insisted. Focusing herself, the blade was soon alit with flame, crackling and held high above the troops as she moved on forwards curiously.