So Happy I Could Die
Cristo glared over the sea at the approaching shapes. They were approaching land fast; faster than he had ever anticipated. How much longer could this journey last?
He stared over at his party, their faces dirty and weary. Ages had passed since they had hit dry land and were able to take a good long bath.
Their leader, a green-haired, blue-eyed man named Solo nodded approvingly. They had made good time up until now, on a mission Cristo was unsure of. He, the princess Alena, and the old tutor Brey had recently joined the party and had no idea what was going on.
"Are we going to defeat the Prince Leon?" A deeply tanned girl with lovely purple eyes and matching hair demanded softly. In her hands was a crystal orb she kept in a leather bag near her at all times. Solo nodded, and she seemed pleased enough and dropped the subject at once.
Cristo's eyes fell on the good princess Alena. He had been on a quest to protect the dear princess of Zamoksva since she had finally run away from her kingdom and decided that she was going to really adventure. It had always been her dream to travel the world in search of adventure, and now she finally had the chance.
She was so beautiful, and yet she paid no mind. The way she played in the muddy swamps and oceans surrounding her kingdom, one would think her to be shameful of her immaculate beauty.
"You've been rather quiet this trip." Brey intruded on his dreams, much to the young cleric's dismay. "What in the world are you gazing at now?"
"Brey, he's admirin' the wans on this 'ere ship." A merchant named Torneko Taloon entered the conversation, unannounced and rather standoffishly. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"A young priest shouldn't be staring at young women." Brey sighed, always standing between Cristo and Alena. "He may lose sight of his goals and become a man of sin."
"C'mon, Brey." Torneko sighed, rubbing his cheek with his hand. "He's a great kid. 'Sides, men need to get accustomed with the ladies. Then they're more experienced later in life."
Cristo felt his stomach lurch, and silently excused himself from the conversation. All he wanted was for the kind, intelligent, powerful princess to be happy. And if that meant him having to break his unannounced vows to never stare at her, he would just have to make do.
"…Are you alright?" Nara, the young woman with those gorgeous amethyst eyes asked him.
He jumped, as she had appeared basically from nowhere. "Wha? Oh, yes." A hand went over his jumping, skipping heart. "I…I'm fine." His breathing was heavy; heavier than when he had confronted Master Kung, who had wanted to steal Alena back in Taborov.
"Men nowadays." She sighed, her silver bracelets jingling softly as they danced into one another. "Their heads are full of nonsense, aren't they?" Sitting down on the ship's deck, she rested her head in her hands. "Don't you agree, Cristo?"
For a moment, he was silent. Was he really so invisible as a man that nobody affiliated him with said sex? "Nara, I'm…"
Nara laughed, stifling it behind her tanned hand. "Cristo, you don't qualify as a man."
Depression forced Cristo to sulk, feeling lower than ever before. "I see."
"I mean it in the way that you're really mature." Her fingers flew over her orb, feeling its smooth, glassy surface. Clouds of what looked like smoke or fog swirled about, hypnotizing Cristo. "You're far different than any man that ever lived in Laissez-Fayre, Cristo. Take pride in that."
"Only because Brey's always breathing down my neck, trying to find fault in me." Regretfully, Cristo admitted this. Or because I'm a cleric."
Nara shook her head decisively. "Cristo, if you were really like that, do you think Brey or the clergy could have stopped you? Fact is, you're an intelligent young man who needs to realize it."
"You really think that?" Cristo couldn't help but ask. After all, he needed the kind words, since he had never gotten them from anyone thus far. "Well, I think you're unlike any other, erm, woman I've met. You're not afraid to speak your mind, but you don't always need to be heard, either."
Was that a blush Cristo saw creeping onto Nara's perfectly sculpted cheekbones? Hopefully so.
"I meant everything I said about you, Cristo." Nara tried to hide her smile; Cristo could tell. "You're a real man, and I accept you for that. You don't need to impress me."
Cristo smiled the first he had smiled in what felt like five consecutive eternities. "Thank you for those kind words, Nara. I shall keep those in mind. I—"
He was cut off when Nara wordlessly stood up and pecked Cristo on the cheek. After that, she left him standing there, more confused than ever before.