Note*~
Hi, it's me again! Another "Those With Wings" tie in...
PARINGS
Kalas/Xelhaaaa
Tad hint of Lyude/OC (Caroline (Guardian Spirit))
You have to read the one shot "Star Spangled Night" in order to get one small detail. That is all.
XOXO
Bonds
Xelha and Caroline walked on the candy streets of Parnassus, their bags each loaded with supply and food magnuses.
They were about to head to Alfard, the great Empire of the flame, and everyone was nervous about the grueling, risky journey. For Caroline, just walking through Mira's cities got her mind off a lot of things. Unique was definitely the understatement for the continent, yet Parnassus still had a spark of beauty, despite it's childish sugar and candy themed air.
Smiling, Caroline glanced at Meemaii in her arms, and hugged the Greythrone. She could feel herself giggle in delight. It had such adorable eyes when the creature looked at her, and she was glad that it liked her when she and Kalas began to travel with Xelha.
"I'm glad that you're alright after all this time, Caroline," smiled the blond. "It hasn't been easy, especially for you, but you've pulled through and have been so much help... I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," the smile was still on her face. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. Sure, I'm in a completely different world, but at least I'm friends with you, Kalas and the rest of the crew. They've been so nice..."
"We've got to thank Trill for this amazing bread," Caroline continued after glancing around the edible scenery and sorting through the mangus Trill gave her. "The sample she gave me was so good... It doesn't compare to the food in my world!"
"Yeah, Trill..." Xelha's eyes looked to the ground, her smile vanished in a split second. "It taste good..."
"You alright?" Caroline was surprised at Xelha's sudden change of mood.
It had been a rough past few days, but with rest she was sure the woman would feel better. Giacomo and the Empire already had most of the End Magnus, and the troubles they had on Mira were disheartening, but that didn't seem to be the case. What really startled her?
"Yes, I'm fine," Xelha shooked her head. "I'm just tired. Spells can really take a toll on you."
Caroline breathed, her insides quivering in nervousness. The evidence was right before her, but if she made the wrong accusation... Would it bring awkwardness? Xelha might dislike her, but that wasn't possible. They seemed like good friends, even if they knew each other for less than a month.
The woman breathed and glanced firmly at Xelha.
"I might get this wrong, but... do you... do you like Kalas?"
The spell caster glanced at her as if she saw a disfiguring creature, eyes wide in shock.
"M-me? Kalas, I- no, it's not..." Her face began to turn to shades of pink, but Caroline didn't push the subject. "How... how did you get the idea?"
By now, Caroline wished she didn't brought up the subject. Hopefully by the end of the conversation, she and Xelha would still be on good terms.
"Well... for one, when the old man in Balancoire teased Kalas about being engaged to Trill, and I saw how you looked, I thought... I'm so sorry."
For a while they walked in silence, Caroline's eyes to the ground and walking as if she was pacing to her began their route back to the Duke's manor.
She pried into something extremely private... how could she do that to a friend? Now there was going to be this awkward air around them until the trip for supplies ended for the day.
"To be honest..." Xelha broke the silence. "I'm jealous of you."
Caroline looked up to face Xelha, surprised at what she just said. Xelha was jealous of her? How?
"You get to spend so much time with Kalas, since you're his Guardian Spirit. You two seem so close, and I'm just a girl he knows... You're more important to him than me, but... I want to be that person who's significant to him. I mean, you're significant to him because of the bond you share, but that's something I'll could never get in between and never understand..."
Caroline was lost for words. All this time, Xelha was carrying these feelings ever since the day she and Kalas met her. Perhaps with what she just said, she could have feelings for him. She was jealous because she thought there was a slight chance Kalas might like Caroline.
For a moment she thought she did had feelings for Kalas at one point in time, but she was just confused on letting Kalas in as a close friend and a familial like relationship.
"You don't have to worry about it," breathed the woman. "I don't like Kalas that way. I don't think... we could go there. He's a nice guy and all, but he's like a brother to me. When I get happy and all that... it's just I never had any brothers or sisters in my world, I'm an only child, so... his friendship means so much to me."
Xelha's glance was solemn and firm. Caroline hoped what she said got through to her.
"Thank you... you're a good friend. I'm glad that you were chosen to come to our world." A smile was on Xelha's face.
"Don't worry about it," Caroline felt herself smiling. "And I won't tell anyone, especially Kalas. You have my word."
"On another subject, about the Mindeer..." said Xelha.
Caroline's face began to burn in pink crimsons. Xelha saw what she and Lyude did on the deck. She was so caught up in trying to make Lyude comfortable and seem like she didn't hold anything against him, but she didn't notice if Xelha saw what they did.
Did Kalas saw them together on the deck? He'd tease her to no end.
"Don't take it too hard about breaking one of the cogs," said Xelha. "Gibari isn't mad at you, and it probably broke while we were going through the Passage of Souls. We got it fixed when we landed at the port. I notice how you seemed to be intimidated by him, but Gibari cares about you as a friend. He likes you and thinks that you're a wonderful person"
Whew...!
At least it wasn't the latter. Gibari scared her whenever his voice boomed behind her and she'd scurry like a mouse.
"Yeah... no offense to him, but... he kind of scares me now and then," sighed Caroline.
"You're really tiny compared to him, I don't blame you," chuckled Xelha.
Her ballet trained figure was lean from years of dancing. Caroline's arms were a tad bruised from practicing archery with a bow and arrow, but she thought to help out in fights to pull her idea of objects in magnus was awkward for her, but after learning the ropes from Kalas and Lyude it wasn't a problem.
Duke Calbren offered some fresh clothes to Caroline to replace her dirty ones. At last, she had some clothes to blend in to the world around her. She asked if her original clothes could be washed, since they were her only reminder of home. If she felt homesick now and then, she could wear them if she didn't want to wear the new set. She kind of felt out of place in the foreign clothes, and the old set was to remind her of who she was.
"I saw you and Lyude talking on the ship deck," Xelha began.
Oops.
Caroline thought too soon.
"I'm glad that you can get through to him," the spell caster said. "With what he's been through and him formerly on the side of the Empire, I'm glad that you tried to be friends with him and make him feel welcomed to the group."
"Thanks," gulped Caroline. "It was nothing... really. Did... did you see anything... else?"
Xelha looked perplexed. "Anything else, what you do mean?"
"Did you listen to the entire conversation?" a thousand pins were pricking at the woman's chest.
"I was talking to Kalas... I just saw you two on the deck from the doorway... that's all."
"Ah, never mind... Forget that I said anything."
After walking up the stairs of the city of Illusions, they were nearing the diner. Kalas, Gibari and Lyude were wildly laughing and sipping drinks.
"What happened? Did he do anything to you?" Xelha asked Caroline. "Is everything alright?"
Lyude was the first to notice the girls' arrival, and a welcoming smile was soon on his face. For some reason, Caroline could feel her cheeks flush, but her gaze didn't falter to break eye contact.
In the moonlight, his dark maroon eyes seemed to gleam so much brighter.
The solider was so brave... so bold. So noble. She wished she had half of his strength and courage, and perhaps... she'd be less afraid.
"No, everything's... alright."