It certainly had been such a bad morning – simply, after finding that they needed not only to be rid of two bases of the Conquerer's army, but six, to get to Koeingsdorf. Before Emmy could find the time to visit her mother's grave, she had been stricken with the news, swift and silently, like an assassin. Having the responsibility of a union leader, she had to manage hers, get the best soldier she could find, before attending to her own needs. Rush's sister, Irina, was to be in her union as a healer, had volunteered in helping to manage the union, so all was almost well.

Almost? The union leader was the only one not in shape, and it was as if Irina, having natural leadership skills like her brother (even though she's the youngest of the lot), had taken over. Irina had said specifically to 'have a break', and took her role almost automatically. Emmy disagreed, but found herself in the gardens of where her mother had supposedly brought these flowers to life, when the Marquis, David's parents had died. Having such a burden of taking care of the Marquis and her daughter Emmy, single handedly, she was bound to break, right? But she didn't.

Something that her daughter could not do.

"Hey," a boyish, cocky voice had reached her ear, breaking her bubble of thoughts. It was Rush, whose cockiness was perhaps the size of the Valeria Heart, had it not been stolen by the Conqueror.

Speaking of the Valeria Heart, it had been stolen at the time of her mother's death. She couldn't help herself, her chest felt heavy, and her shoulders drooped slightly. She didn't want to well up in tears in front of this boy. "What do you want?" She felt the need to hit this boy like she always does. A deadly urge. How she would use her special, powerful technique, inherited from her mother, 'Hundred Flowers', to banish this annoying thing from the face of Earth. He didn't annoy her physically per se, his cockiness did.

"You can cry now."

Honestly, Emmy wasn't sure if that was a genuine phrase. But she welled up in tears anyway, her hands rubbing her eyes in embarrassment, as Rush came to an embrace, making her cries muffled into his shoulder. She didn't care that they were both uncomfortable – their height difference was so amazing that Emmy had to literally bend down to reach his shoulder.

Right now, there was not a worry in the world. It was as if the world was at peace, as tears worth a thousand battles and suppressed emotion rolled from her eyes. Rush didn't say a word, much to her surprise. Instead, he gently patted her head, wearing a soft smile on his face. The phrase was genuine. It was never good to judge a book by its cover, especially this boy.

From a distance, David watched scornful, though he didn't know why. He was having his daily walk to the garden, in respect of Emma, only to discover her daughter, embracing…Rush? He looked away, eyes evident of pain, and then started to walk away briskly, away from that woman.

Why was he angry at that woman? She didn't do anything!

Was it…. The Marquis's steps began to get louder, his mind in a state of flurry.

Jealously? Banish the thought! David? The Marquis? Falling for someone like Rush?

He didn't want to deny it anymore.

A/N: (silently celebrates) they made a Last Remnant section~ Emmy doesn't really talk much in the game, (oh really, Kare, you're only up to the Base parts), but honestly, how can she coolly just be like, oh, 'I am Emma Honeywell the second, mom's gone, no prob, Emmy's here' without showing any sadness that her mother had died?

I don't usually read long fics with huge paragraph because I can't be bothered so I feel like a hypocrite so I made it short. Less is more. Part 1/3.