A Mari and Sieghart Fanfic. A short mini-series that I originally intended as a oneshot. It was suppose to be about Mari and Sieghart primarily but I ended up writing more than I intended for each couple. This can be thought of as a sort-of prequel to my other Grand Chase story "Burning In The Skies".

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What Is Love?

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The morning at the Grand Chase Castle, went off like any average morning. The girls grouped up in lines waiting to go to the bathroom. The boys were still asleep. While the maids and a few butlers who were on breakfast duty for the day, were in the kitchen preparing breakfast the knights were busy brushing their hair and putting on their uniforms and armor.

Today was the entrance ceremony for the new members so all the senior members had the rest of the day off. During the evening there was to be an extravagant ball for all current members to celebrate the end of Kaze'aze as well as celebrate the arrival of the new recruits. After spending so much time fighting evil the Chase decided to take a short break and head back to Bermesiah. Soon enough they would have to face the Ascendant god and they would need all the rest they could get.

"Mistress Mari, will you be taking breakfast today?" Her maid for their short stay, Serenity asked as she brushed through Mari's azure hair.

"That won't be necessary." Mari replied as she touched her face up with eye liner.

"You'll get anemic if you don't eat." Serenity warned fixing Mari's collar and her shirt.

"I assure you. I will be fine without it." Mari sighed as she turned around for her final inspection of her Rune Caster outfit. "Well?"

"That won't do. I'll send a message to the chief immediately." Serenity smiled "You look lovely."

"Thank you." Mari kept her face straight "I suppose a glass of milk and dried toast wouldn't be too troublesome."

"Excellent."

Having nothing better to do during the day, Mari wandered the castle in hopes of finding something that would catch her interests. The other members were scattered doing whatever it was that they wanted to do. Mari didn't really concern herself with thoughts of them. Needless thinking.

"Um excuse me?" A small girl spoke out meekly "Could you help me please?"

Mari turned to face the girl. She was accompanied by another girl about Mari's age. One with bright smile on her face and the other seemed surprised for one short moment before she regained her composure. The surprised girl had captivating jade green eyes that somehow complimented her long flowing black hair that extended to her lower thigh. The other had gorgeous sapphire eyes and blonde curly hair tied up into tiny ponytails with black ribbons.

"I'm looking for the assembly hall, we're first years and we missed orientation because we got sick on that day." The blonde girl smiled sweetly as she asked.

"It's down the hall. Just turn left." Just then the school bell sounded "You had better hurry." The girl's didn't wait another second as they rushed through the hall. It had been a few months since Mari joined the Grand Chase and hadn't fully learned their conduct. Now was a perfect time to learn.

She turned left like she instructed and there in big bold letters wrote 'Assembly Hall'. She opened the door slowly; young girls and boys as far as the eye could see were sitting and chatting the day away. She walked in an picked an empty seat in the back.

"Did you hear about the legendary warrior?" Mari overheard a conversation between a few girls sitting in front of her "I heard that he was here!"

"Oh you mean that Sieghart fellow?" another interrupted "I saw his granddaughter early today! Elesis I think her name was. She didn't strike me as 'Legendary Heir' though."

"That's true," another joined "My older sister is a third year here; she told me that Elesis was a hot head. But she did tell me that Sieghart was a noble and handsome as the legends."

Handsome? I suppose that he is somewhat attractive but he is also very lazy. Mari had to admit he gave off a certain elegant air, even more so than Ronan.

Mari ignored them for the remainder of the free time they had before the Knight master showed up. For what felt like hours the various commanders, chiefs and even the Council President all gave speeches on what they expected from the students.

"And on my final note, all first years should be weary of one Sir Sieghart. He may appear charming but he is-" Suddenly, the Knight Master grabbed the microphone away from the Council President.

"That will be enough of that, Miss Variel" the Knight Master gave her a stern gaze.

"But they should be warned about his power!" she retorted trying to grab the microphone. She immediately stopped when the Weapons Master cough twice "Sorry," she said once before she got off the podium.

All the recruits in the room were dumbstruck. No way could one man cause all this chaos. One way or the other, Mari wanted more about this man. Although, she had been carrying out various experiments on him she still knew little about him. In the few months she spent with him the most she ever figured out was that he had ten butlers and maids, that he enjoyed standing in the rain (for whatever reason) and disliked anyone who tried to hurt his granddaughter. She had to know more.

After, the assembly was called off the students were allowed to return to their respective dorms. That is when she began her search. She wandered the campus in hopes of finding him, but she got caught up in the thrill of exploring someplace she hadn't been before.

After a few hours of wandering, she finally noticed the time as the sun was close to setting. Now she had less time to find him, perfect. She wandered to the second floor in hopes of finding someone, but this floor like the first was empty. Just then she thought she would rest for a few minutes before she went looking for him again. She opened the closest room she could find but what she found left her in awe.

The sun was setting casting an orange hue over the horizon. The light shone through the windows bathing the room in its beauty. In the corner of her eyes, she could see a man sleeping peacefully on four chairs put together to create a bed. His shaggy raven black hair danced in the gentle breeze, highlighted by the setting sun. His ivory skin was remarkably flawless, not a blemish in sight. It was the same man that she had been looking for all morning.

She found herself drawn to the man. There was something there, something familiar about him. Mari always had the feeling that she had seen him before but Mari couldn't put her finger on it. Ever since she met him she had been attracted to him. She knew nothing of him, but he might have been the only one who would have known about her people.

Every since that day, she would have constant discussions with him about her machines. Though she had to admit she was in the wrong when she forcible used him for her experiments but he was the only one who would survive. Eventually it became like a game to her and she couldn't help herself. She had become so use to having him around she would often feel lost if he wasn't around to experiment on which led her to develop childish habits.

I need to correct those habits before they become a problem. Errors like those are not needed.

"Although this one tells me that my mistakes and habits make me who I am. Habits are only distractions. Nothing more."

But why do I believe him when he tells me so?

She gently stroke the man's face. For a six hundred year old man in his early twenties, he had soft creamy skin. He looked so defenseless, so peaceful. She didn't know why but she felt a slight uneasiness; a strange fluttering in her heart. For a moment before her eyes fell to the man's lips. His lips looked extremely inviting at that moment; it was like they were drawing her in like a magnet with metal. She had often read on the act of kissing but the thought of doing it with someone else was beyond her. She felt hesitant. Something she rarely felt.

I…must be curious as to the act of 'romance'. Yes, that's it. I just want to know what it feels like to kiss someone else. Slowly she lowered her head and gently pressed her lips against the sleeping man's. No sooner had she done that she began to back way.

What is this? This seems to be a rise in my temperature, erratic thoughts entering my brain, and an abnormal temptation to do it again. Strange. Wait why would I initiate such behavior with him?

"According to my calculations this was supposed to be nothing more than a physical encounter…"

"Old man, where are you?" A loud boisterous voice called. Elesis literally kicked the door open glancing between Mari and her grandfather "So this is where you were?"

"Hmm? Red? What's going on?" His argentine eyes finally opened. He scratched his head scanned his surrounds.

"What's going on? We've been looking for you all morning! The Knight Master has a few words to share with you so you had better get your butt to her office!" Elesis commanded.

Elesis was loud, high strong and a serious girl. Her tone and appearance alone told people how much of a tomboy she was. That was Mari's first impression of her anyway. Eventually she got to know Elesis. She occasionally showed her feminine side, only when her significant other was near.

Mari looked behind her and her assumptions were correct. The Indigo knight was there, an uneasy expression plastered over his face. The probable cause was Elesis brash demeanor. Even though they were total opposites they managed to 'love' each other - a term that Mari found confusing on many situations.

"Uh, yeah. About that, I had some things doing so-"

"I bet you were taking a nap the whole day!"

"You can't prove that. No one can."

"You were sleeping quite comfortably. If I were to calculate the-" Sieghart wrapped his hands around Mari's mouth before she could say anymore. What? My heart is pounding at such a quickened pace? Is it because he is holding me?

"Ahaha! That's enough, Marionette! Well if you'll excuse us, I'll be going to meet the knight master! Ciao!" Sieghart lifted Mari into his arms and made his way to the door. Elesis stood there flabbergasted.

"…what just happened?"

"If I gave you an answer you wouldn't believe me."

…

"Sieghart, could I ask why is it that you're still carrying me?"

"Because if I left you with Elesis you'd probably prove to her that I was sleeping. In doing so you'd give her more ammunition to verbally assault me with. I'd rather have my ears intact."

"I see…" She whispered softly. She had a mountain of questions to ask but strangely she didn't want to ruin the moment. She could have told him that he had already been running for five minutes and that holding her like that was not necessary but she enjoyed it too much to tell him.

…

Into the late hours of the evening the ball had began. Every member of the Grand Chase was present, the old and the young. It was filled with dance, song and food. There were smiles all around as old friends, and new met and created laughter. It was here that our heroes gathered to enjoy the romantic ambiance that the ball proved. For some it went well for others…not so much.

Jin has been keeping a secret from his friends. How will this affect his relationship with Amy?