"I've agreed to marriage with a duke in Pendrago."

Sorey blinked across the small table at Alisha. She was still smiling, but she looked distracted with her distant gaze on her untouched cup of tea. "Many believe such a gesture will be paramount in resolving the remaining political conflict between the countries," she went on. "And I agree."

"Is- I mean, congratulations," he told her. "But are you… Is this really what you want?"

She crossed one arm over her chest distractedly. "Rest assured, I've given it much thought. I'm doing this of my own volition. I truly believe I can be of the most help to both countries in such a position." She raised her eyes finally, and this confident smile was the one Sorey recognized. "Yes. This is what I want."

The look was contagious and quickly had him beaming back at her. "I'm really glad for you, Alisha! I'm sure you'll do great. So what's this duke like?"

"Well…" She hummed thoughtfully as she tapped her chin. "He's a slightly older gentleman. Soft-spoken and very polite. I've only met with him a couple times, but he seems well-educated, and he's highly involved with the political side of things in his city."

"A couple times?" Sorey echoed. "That's it?"

Alisha nodded. "It's not unheard of. Growing up, I always knew there was a very real possibility of my marrying someone I had never met at all." She said so casually, almost indifferently. "Perhaps this situation doesn't seem ideal, but… I am grateful for what it is. And that I am able to help in this way."

Sorey gave a quiet, warm laugh. "That's definitely the Alisha I know. You haven't changed at all."

She flushed slightly. "Three years isn't a very long time, I suppose…"

"I meant it as a good thing," he assured her brightly. "And I'm sure you and your husband will really make a difference together." Perhaps he imagined it, but he thought a peculiar shadow crossed her face as he said that. Before he could wonder, let alone ask, she answered cheerfully,

"I hope you're right. At any rate, it means a lot to me to have the Shepherd's blessing. Thank you for your confidence, Sorey."

"It's coming from your friend more than the Shepherd," he told her warmly. "But anyway, I'm glad to see things have only changed for the better while I was out." If Alisha thought three years wasn't very long in the general sense, it had been nothing for Sorey. His sleep had been dreamless and peaceful, but he was glad it had gone on no longer than it did.

"Indeed. The pro-war revolts are nearly unheard of now." She sipped her drink at last, her gaze turning to the window. Her bedroom faced the large and impressive garden behind her manor, perfect for observing while lost in thought. "Captain Sergei estimates the radicals are very few in number, and any who persist will be caught soon."

"That's good." Though unfortunate, being a problem to begin with. Rose had told him much the same, and at his confusion had explained that war had its advantages and opportunities for those sleazy enough to prey on them. Others were merely stirred to action by hatred. It had come as no surprise to her, at least, that some people would cling to such a dark and hollow purpose. "Sounds like Ladylake's getting on just fine. But I was actually talking about you."

Alisha blinked. "Me? Well… yes, I'm doing well. Although I've missed - all of you," she said after a short pause, looking away again with a small smile. "But with the threat of war over, and the kingdom doing as well as it is, I've had more time to myself than before. I've caught up with some old schoolmates, and have made some new acquaintances in Rolance…"

"Oh," said Sorey suddenly, "hey, so - will you be living in Rolance after you're married? Or is he coming here?"

"We've yet to discuss those terms, actually. Given his role in politics there, however, I find it more likely that I will be the one to relocate." Sorey's expression must have spoken for him, because she offered him another confident smile. "I'm fine with that. I'll still have my manor here, after all, and I'm sure we'll travel back to Ladylake for business on occasion, at the very least."

Sorey couldn't help an admiring look. "Heh… I don't know why I worry. You're strong, Alisha. I know you'll do fine."

Her cheeks gained a touch of pink color again, her expression something a tad self-conscious. "Maybe. And yet… to be perfectly honest, I am a little nervous. For a few reasons."

"About moving?"

"About the marriage." As soon as she said it, Alisha seemed to regret her words. She shook her head, but this time her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sorey. I don't mean to weigh down this happy meeting with my silly worries."

"No, it's totally fine." His expression was an earnest one. "If you wanna talk about it, I'm more than happy to hear you out." When she seemed to study him for a few moments, as if weighing the possibility, he added lightly, "You'd do the same for me. But if it's too personal, you don't have to."

She shook her head. "No, that isn't it. It's just…" She gave a small, meek shrug. "Frankly, I… I've never been… involved… with another person. So… this is all new to me, and a little intimidating, silly though it may be. It's not something I can simply prepare for by training or studying, either, so…"

"Really? Princesses aren't taught about that kind of stuff?"

"Well… normally, yes, I imagine. But…"

"Not you," Sorey guessed with a kind look.

"Not me," she agreed, sounding ashamed.

"Nothing wrong with that," he said blithely. "And anyway, I'm definitely grateful that you studied the lance as well as you have. Knowing about marriage wouldn't have mattered against hellions, would it?"

Alisha chuckled. "No, I suppose not. And like hellions, I imagine this is just something I'll have to learn about as I go. Through experience."

It seemed pretty out-of-place to compare the two, but Sorey gracefully withheld a laugh and only replied, "Yeah, I guess so." Still, he didn't feel right just leaving it at that. Alisha was worried, probably much more than she was deigning to show, and he hated the thought that he couldn't help her. "But there's probably something you could do," he mused. "Even if it's just something small and simple." I've never been involved with another person, she'd said. Well, if that was the case-

-then the answer seemed pretty obvious, actually. "Hey!" he proposed. "Why don't you practice on me?"

Alisha blinked. "P-Practice?"

"Yeah! I mean, I know it's not the same, but… if you're new to that kind of thing, maybe you just need some practice saying and doing some stuff, so it'll come easier to you later."

"I… I suppose I can see the sense in that…" Her face began to color again, brighter than before. "But I… well… the things I'm talking about are…" She shifted her weight, taking a sudden and immense interest in the nearest wall. "Umm… When I said I've never been involved with anyone, I meant… in a romantic sort of nature, so…" He stared at her openly and curiously, which only made her blush deepen further when she stole a glimpse at him. "I only meant… that I've never been - physically affectionate with another before…"

It clicked. "Oh," said Sorey simply. Then, a second later, "Oh. Hmm." Crossing his arms, he leaned back to stare thoughtfully at the ceiling. "So, you mean you've never-"

"No," said Alisha quickly. She was back to staring at that wall.

He cocked an eyebrow at that, about to point out that she hadn't even heard what he was going to say, but then refrained when he realized she was confessing to no experience at all. "Oh," he repeated. "Well, that's not a bad thing, I don't think. I've never been into that kind of stuff, either." Granted, it was kind of impossible when he'd grown up entirely around relatives for the majority of his life, but he'd never felt as though he was "missing" anything, anyway. The familial love of a dozen parents and a brother was more than enough.

Alisha nodded stiffly. "Indeed, I don't think it shameful for unwed individuals such as ourselves to lack such experience. All the same, it's…" She gave a quiet sigh. "Perhaps I'm overthinking things. As comfortable as I am talking to a crowd, a one-on-one relationship is something else. It's a little…"

"Daunting?"

She nodded again. "Mm."

"I don't think that's bad, either. It's natural," he told her casually. "But I guess that's easy for me to say," he added with a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not the one getting married."

"No, it's quite alright. I appreciate your concern, and your offer to help all the same." Alisha smiled at him, the same smile he was always glad to see: happy, genuine, warm, and relaxed. It made him twice as determined to help her, but he wasn't sure how he could in this case.

Then again, maybe he was thinking too hard. She seemed easily flustered by the subject, but a little embarrassment never killed anyone - and it couldn't hurt to ask. "The offer still stands." He dropped his arms for a more at-ease poise. "I mean - I get what you're saying," he added quickly, "so yeah, this might sound weird, and I hope you don't take it the wrong way. But if you mean you've never kissed anyone before, I think we're good enough friends that it wouldn't really be awkward, you know?"

He figured this was one of those things that would have Mikleo spluttering and blushing and stunned by his best friend's bluntness. It probably was something most people would be embarrassed to talk about, but Sorey had always felt sort of disconnected from these things, and that hadn't changed much since meeting Alisha. Just as he'd noticed how pretty she was long before now and wasn't intimidated by it, he didn't see any sense, personally, in being flustered by the thought of a kiss, especially from someone he knew so well.

Alisha clearly didn't share the same comfort. Her mouth actually dropped open partway before she quickly remembered to close it, the pink hue in her cheeks spreading to her neck and forehead. "I-I… You would…?"

Sorey frowned, but it was a self-reprimanding look. "Ahh, sorry, sorry. That was definitely weird, wasn't it? Mikleo's probably right, I don't really have a lot of tact when it comes to-"

"No," she blurted. The objection was loud, probably louder than intended judging by how she winced. "That is - no, it's not weird. It's…" Her smile was shy this time as she joined her hands over her stomach, staring at the tabletop. "It's… really very sweet, Sorey. And… I'm honestly touched that you would… do something like that for me."

It's really not a big deal was the first reply to come to mind, but fortunately that sounded tactless even before it left his mouth. Instead, Sorey shook his head and assured her, "Anything to help a friend. But you won't hurt my feelings if you say no," he added with a chuckle. "That was pretty forward and all…"

"No, I… No," she repeated more softly. "It was... just right for you, Sorey."

He tilted his head. "Huh?"

"Nothing," she said sincerely. She raised her head again and he noted that her blush had gone down quite a bit, although it was still glaringly obvious. "Anyway, I appreciate that you would offer something like that. And… I feel it would be terribly rude of me - to refuse it in turn…"

"Hold on - you don't have to feel obligated," he said seriously. "I didn't say it to be honorable or whatever. If you don't want to, you don't have to. I just thought it might help if…"

"I know how you meant it." She matched his tone, even if her small, awkward smile offset it a little. "Which is why I appreciate it all the more. I admit, I'm… nervous, and terribly unskilled when it comes to such things, but… Truly, you… are the one person I wouldn't mi- That I would trust - in such a situation." Despite the effort it was taking her, she forced herself to meet his eyes again. "And if I can't be comfortable with you, I'm not sure whom I could be comfortable with. So… as selfish as it is for me to accept your generous offer… I'm... alright, if it's you, Sorey."

That earnest, purehearted faith in him… It was almost enough to make him feel awkward in turn. The smile he answered with was proof of that, equally small and a little crooked. "Okay… but if you change your mind, that's fine. Just say so."

She nodded, her blush and her smile going nowhere.

Stepping around the table, he offered his hand to her as he had done many times before. Alisha took it without hesitating and stood, letting him guide her over to her cushioned window seat. It was easily wide and deep enough for two people, and seemed more comfortable than just standing, so he waited for her to settle on her knees before sitting cross-legged in front of her.

"Like I said, I'm new to this, too," he reminded her. "So backing out or laughing at me are both fair game."

The (half-)joke made Alisha chuckle and some of the tension eased from her shoulders. "I'm certain I'll do no such thing. But the same goes for you."

He nodded with a grin. "Fair."

Sorey moved a little closer, until their knees were almost touching, and hesitated there with his fists on his thighs. He wouldn't have said he was nervous, necessarily, although his stomach did feel light. The pause was to consider how best to start - because he would definitely be the one to initiate, with Alisha already doing her best to be forward as it was. It took only a few heartbeats to decide, and then he gave her a warmer smile - reassurance, comfort, confidence, trust.

He took her hand again in a patient, unassuming gesture. Unlike previously, however, he began to remove her glove, tugging lightly at each fingertip to loosen it, and then slipping his fingers under the cuff to slowly work it down over her palm, her knuckles, until it was free. He lifted her hand to shoulder-height, and then leaned forward to kiss the back of it.

It was a tender, lingering kiss, intended to help her adjust to the feel of him in that way before they went any farther - and perhaps it was a better idea than he'd realized, since she inhaled sharply and he felt her twitch in surprise. Watching her through his bangs, he kissed her hand again, this time along her fingers, just below her knuckles, and a more pronounced blush flooded her face as she pressed her lips together, the twitch in her body now a light tremble.

"Sorey…" As quiet as the word was, she sounded surprised and curious as she watched his face intently. He met that stare unabashedly, waiting for any kind of sign that she wanted out of this after all. Slowly, almost cautiously, Alisha raised her free hand to settle it against his cheek. Her thumb swept over his cheekbone a couple times, and then her fingers trailed softly down to only just miss the corner of his mouth. She hesitated, but then feathered her touch over his lips, her breath noticeably catching for a couple beats. The thin, lacy fabric did little to obstruct the warmth of her skin.

She did the same down his throat, up the side of his neck, along his jawline and forehead. Simple, curious touches that her bright eyes followed over every inch, and which he patiently permitted without interruption.

He'd never been touched like this - examined, studied, explored - and while it was new, and a little odd, it wasn't unpleasant. Neither did it make him falter or even feel all that self-conscious. All of this was new to Alisha, so Sorey didn't feel like she was scrutinizing him. He had given her the chance to become familiar with another person like this, no strings or embarrassment attached, and she was taking full advantage of it.

When she withdrew, her previous tremble quelled and her confidence back in swing, he took that as indication to keep going. He began to raise his hands, but stopped again just as quickly as he reconsidered, and instead removed both of his own gloves, as well, and set them aside. When he looked up again, Alisha was blinking curiously at the gesture, but his reasoning was probably made clear when he reached forward and gently took her face in his now-bare hands.

He'd noticed before that her skin looked soft, but he never imagined it would be this smooth and pleasant to touch. As often as he had held hands with Natalie and Myrna and the other Elysian seraphim as a child, as many times as he'd casually touched Mikleo, this was different. Not only was touching Alisha new (he'd never touched her like this, skin-to-skin) and unfamiliar (she wasn't family), but it was also… different, very different, in a way he couldn't quite place. She felt… more natural than a seraph, somehow. More comfortable. More right.

As often as he'd exchanged contact with Rose, even that wasn't really comparable to this. Rose was casual and playful, brief and to-the-point; Sorey never really had the chance to notice what she felt like, let alone linger on it like this.

Fair and delicate, Alisha's skin gave readily under the slightest pressure from his fingers. His hands, in contrast, were calloused and rough from years of climbing and creating and sword handling, and hardly seemed fit to touch something so… pristine in comparison.

He held her with the same care he would have given to handling glass or a priceless relic, slowly and gently tilting her head back as he leaned closer. Her skin flushed warmly under his touch, but she didn't object or pull away or give any other sign of refusal. Once he was confident he wasn't going to do something as dumb as miss, Sorey let his eyes fall closed - since that was ideally how this kind of thing went - and with the same cautious care touched his mouth to hers.

It was kind of clumsy and still managed to fall a little off-center. Being his first kiss, he also hadn't thought very far beyond this point, so for a few seconds neither of them moved. Then he drew back a little and kissed her again, and this time Alisha responded with a gentle push back.

It was… a new sensation, Sorey noted. He wasn't sure strange was right, since that made it sound bad, but he didn't know what he had expected it to feel like in the first place. Another's mouth against his own was foreign, unusual, and he could immediately understand the intimacy associated with it: the proximity and trust that it required between the two involved notwithstanding, it obviously promoted synchronized cooperation of a certain degree, as well - not to mention the mouth was, it turned out, unexpectedly sensitive. Alisha's return kiss sent goosebumps over his skin and a pleasant warmth down his spine. As light and considerate as her movements were, the nerves in his lips tingled under each one and quickly ached for the next in every brief pause.

Her lips were even softer than her skin, if possible, and tasted vaguely of the peppermint in her tea. This close, Sorey realized there was a light, clean scent to her skin, something nice and flowery, and for a short time - a few seconds, a few minutes, he couldn't say - his senses were overloaded with everything she had to offer: that calming fragrance, her warm breath on his skin, her mouth sliding over and around and caressing his own, the way her quick inhales would sometimes tug his lip between hers, her palms coming to rest on his chest-

He was still leading, still the only one acting directly - that wasn't to say he was knowledgeable or even confident about this, but he was approaching it with the same all-in and curious attitude that he did with everything. Despite some increasingly eager urges and new, unfamiliar sensations, he hadn't lost himself in the moment, at least not entirely. A part of him remained detached and objective, observing and analyzing and cataloging every feeling and reaction in himself as well as every gesture and response from Alisha. This was about her, after all, and helping her to become more comfortable. So after what Sorey guessed was a few more minutes, and he had more or less gotten a grasp on how this worked and what to expect, he began to withdraw a little. He didn't back away, but he slowed down his movements, stalled his kisses, and gave her some more obvious openings to act on her own, should she want them.

At first she didn't. She slowed down along with him, although her fingers curled into his shirt and held on. Other than a couple brushes of her lips, she didn't kiss him again, but she still didn't pull away. Sorey started to speak, realized he wasn't sure what to say, and instead just touched his forehead to hers, letting their hot breaths mingle as they panted softly.

Once his heartbeat wasn't quite so loud in his ears, he nuzzled the inside of her cheek gently with his nose, his lips ghosting over her skin but not properly kissing just yet. He did the same along her brow and down past her ear - learning her face by touch as well as he knew it by sight, much as she had done moments ago. That was probably a little beyond what he had been called to do here, but he didn't want to put her on the spot by simply waiting. Her eyes were still closed when he chanced a glimpse at her, but he could tell she was smiling.

Perhaps that helped. Her hands found his shoulders, and then after a few heartbeats the sides of his neck, his jaw, which her thin fingers traced up and around, quietly jingling his earrings before slipping into his hair. He reflexively leaned into her a bit as she began to comb through it, something about that simple motion so tender and intimate that it momentarily took his breath away even more than their kisses had.

Alisha took the initiative now. She restarted their kiss, still a little shy and uncertain, but when Sorey responded in kind she grew bolder. The fingers in his hair tightened slightly, pulling him down to let her kiss him more deeply. He braced his hands against the cushion on either side of her hips, a motion that put him flush against her, but she only turned her head to compensate and didn't miss a beat. As small and dainty as she looked, she held his weight easily - which, Sorey mused, was a good metaphor for Alisha in general.

She sighed, quietly and shakily, as their latest kiss ended, and took a moment to simply linger in place with him. Her thumb caressed the back of his neck, a comforting gesture rather than sensual, and he leaned into her a little more, trusting and content.

When the silence and stillness stretched on, he opened his eyes to look at her. Hers were still closed, but her expression was distracted and thoughtful. He nudged her nose with his own and smiled when she looked at him, as if he were about to speak - but he only broke into a grin before suddenly leaning down and pressing his face into her neck, his smile into her skin, and heard her laugh as she rocked backwards.

"Sorey-!" She clung tight and pulled him with her. The wall caught her before she could go too far, but she still ended up at enough of an angle that he leaned over her. She laughed as he continued to nuzzle her, entirely playful now. When he clamped his lips lightly on the side of her neck and blew, breaking the quiet atmosphere with an obnoxious noise, Alisha actually jumped with a good-humored shriek, incidentally pulling his hair, but he wrapped his arms around her middle to hold her in place as he did so again, earning another ticklish laugh.

She wriggled to the side and Sorey immediately loosened his already slack grip, not intending to trap her if she really wanted out, but Alisha kept her arms around his neck and pulled him with her. He caught himself on his forearms as the two of them went entirely horizontal, keeping most of his weight off her but still giving himself ample room to attack her neck again. She pushed at his shoulders as she broke into frivolous giggles, but her strength was half-hearted and playful, so he kept at it.

Once he'd left a few pink spots on her skin and her laughter was starting to wear down, he relented. Dropping his forehead onto her shoulder, he heard her sigh in a content, amused sort of way.

Her hands returned to his hair, now in absent strokes. He enjoyed the gentle massage for a couple quiet minutes, and then she slipped her arms under his and over his sides to grasp his shoulders, simply holding him. The temptation was there to set his weight down and just lie on top of her to relax completely, but he resisted. He was naive in a lot of ways and indifferent to a lot of things, but even he knew the kind of boundaries that would begin to cross.

Instead he lifted his head and looked at her. Her face was still flushed, but her eyes and easy smile said she was much more relaxed than before. That had been his intention and his hope in lightening the mood as he had, so it seemed he'd accomplished that much.

Alisha met his gaze straight-on this time, even if she did still look a little coy. Leaning up, she kissed him lightly and fondly once, twice, and then did the same to his top lip, the corner of his mouth, his jawline. Something about that tender, featherlight touch was more… interesting than even the deepest of their kisses had been, tempting Sorey again to press himself closer, but he ignored the urge.

From there Alisha trailed down to press another easy kiss under the curve of his jaw, just above his throat - at which Sorey's arms buckled and he made an involuntary, guttural sound that even he didn't recognize. It startled him almost as badly as the sudden, raw flare of heat in his stomach.

Alisha drew back in an instant, looking concerned. "I'm - I'm sorry, did I-?"

He cleared his throat and shook his head, abruptly aware of how warm he felt, inside and out. Naturally cold-natured as he was, it was a strange feeling. "No - no, you're - fine-" His voice managed to break in three different places. Even when he controlled it again, it still sounded huskier than normal. The surprisingly sensitive spot on his skin still tingled. "I just - you - surprised me," he said lamely. "Sorry."

She gave him a sympathetic look, and then a teasing smile. "Ticklish?"

"Something like that."

Chuckling low in her throat, she began to massage his shoulders beneath her light grip - and try as he might, Sorey couldn't withhold a small, satisfied groan. "That… feels nice," he murmured, setting his forehead against her again. She kept at it without a word, her fingers strong but gentle and wonderfully adept at working out the lingering fatigue and aches from his journey here. She worked inward, across his shoulder blades to the middle of his back, and then down his spine, prompting him to relax more and more and earning a couple more pleased sounds.

By the time she reached his hips and paused, he was lying on top of her, after all - and when Sorey realized it, he snapped out of his stupor and lifted himself off of her with a strangled noise. "Sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't-" Her arms had quickly tightened around his waist, preventing him from going too far. When he blinked at her, Alisha colored a little yet again.

"It's all right. It… feels nice," she said quietly, echoing his words from before. He wavered, but only for a moment before setting his weight back down. He heard her inhale, quick but heavy, and her eyes darted rapidly over his face - but her only response was to begin rubbing and stroking his back again.

He settled into the crook of her neck, his forehead against her quickened pulse and his breath on her collarbone. They lay like that for a while, although again it was hard for Sorey to guess how long.

"Sorey," said Alisha at length, hesitantly.

"Hm?"

Her hands slowed to a stop. "...You're not the type to get married, are you."

For a couple seconds that seemed like a completely random statement, until he remembered why they were in this situation to begin with. "Huh? Oh. Uh…"

"I'm sorry - if that was too personal…"

"No, it's fine." Lifting himself off of her, Sorey moved over and up to lie beside her. Close enough to still enjoy the warmth of her body, but at a (slightly) more casual distance, and now at eye-level. "It's not really something I've thought about," he admitted, folding his arm under his head. "Never really had the reason or opportunity to." Granted, he was still young, but he knew what he wanted to do with his life - had known for a long time - and he didn't see a place for something like romance anywhere in those plans. He wasn't opposed to it, but it was something he'd done perfectly fine without up to now, which was perhaps why he was so indifferent to the idea.

Even now, lying next to a beautiful girl with whom he'd just been rather intimate, he wasn't nervous or bothered. As pleasant and enjoyable as those touches and kisses had been, his blood was already cooled and his heartbeat back to its usual steady rate. He wouldn't object to more of that intimacy, since it was Alisha, but he didn't crave it, either.

"But when I think about where I'll be sixty or seventy years from now, I admit that's not something I picture," he went on with a one-armed shrug. "But I dunno. Things happen, so maybe."

Alisha watched him as he spoke, and then turned her gaze back to the ceiling when he finished. "Hmm." A slow smile turned the corner of her mouth, although he thought it looked a little wistful. "When you put it that way, I can imagine it, as well. As long as you have ruins to explore and Mikleo to keep you company, you'll always be content as you are."

"Not just Mikleo. Every friend I've made along the way." He took hold of her hand, prompting her to glance at him curiously. "I want to see the world, but that's just the beginning of my story. Just like this marriage is going to be the start of yours. I know things can't stay exactly the same - that's not how life works - but they don't have to." He gave her a bright, confident smile. "We'll adapt and grow with those changes. And no matter what, I'll always call you my friend, and I'll always make time for you. I promise you that, Alisha."

Sorey expected or at least hoped for a cheerful response, so he was startled when he saw tears welling up in her eyes. He stared at her, confused and concerned. "Alisha?"

"Mm-" She gave a shaky little laugh as she turned away, wiping at those tears before they could fall. "I'm sorry. I'm - not upset, I'm just… happy." She certainly didn't sound like it, but Sorey gave her the benefit of the doubt. Girls were turning out to be even more of a mystery than he'd thought.

Her grip on his hand tightened, however, and she nodded once, firmly, as she cleared her throat. Something about that seemed like she was reassuring herself more than Sorey as she replied, "Yes. You're right. Changes are a part of life, but that doesn't mean we can't make the most of them." She turned to him with a tired smile and a searching look. "...I'm sorry, Sorey, for pulling you into my personal matters like this. I'm thrusting all my problems upon you again - and once again, you didn't hesitate to help me."

He leaned up on his elbow to look down at her, thoughtful and silent for a few beats. "Well… I'm not sorry," he told her with a mischievous smile. "I don't have any regrets. So unless I was really that terrible," he teased, "don't feel bad about what's happened."

Alisha gave a gentle laugh, the last of that solemn air disappearing - for good this time, he was willing to bet. "No, it was nothing of the sort. You were…" That pink shade returned to her cheeks. "You were amazing," she said softly.

Since this began, that was the first time that Sorey effectively, truly felt embarrassed. He felt some heat trickling into his own face despite his efforts to play it off. "O-Oh - well - nah, I'm just - I mean, you were…"

With another warm laugh, Alisha took his face in her hands and kissed him again. There was nothing shy or unsure about this one: it was deep and firm and confident, as if she had kissed him a thousand times before. And yet the way they both took their time, slow and lingering as though reluctant to let it end too soon, was a sign that they knew this one would be their last.

Sorey gasped when they finally parted, breathless and sheepish as he smiled at her. Judging by the pace of her breathing, she was feeling much the same. "Still sorry?" he asked.

Alisha hesitated, opened her mouth to speak, and then appeared to change her mind as she closed it again and shook her head, smiling back. "No. Not for this."

Sorey withdrew and stood up, and then offered her a hand to help her do the same. "So," he said cheerfully, as if the interruption to their initial conversation had never happened, "when is this wedding of yours, anyway?"

"Not for another month. But both Hyland and Rolance will be celebrating in the weeks leading up to it, as a way of promoting the union and keeping the spirit of peace alive among the people." Despite her matter-of-fact tone, Alisha sounded embarrassed. Noticing his look, she added uncomfortably, "It's… a bit much, but I'll be so busy with planning that I suppose I won't notice."

"Heh, I've seen you handle worse than this."

She looked pleased by his confidence, but still replied, "I don't know about that. Political gossip is one thing. Having the details of my personal life discussed as the topic of public interest is another." She shifted her weight. "But I suppose that's an inevitability of any public figure," she reasoned. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"But you'll have someone to bear the weight with you. And if you ever need someone else to lend an ear, I'm glad to."

"Thank you, Sorey. But you have much more interesting matters to attend to than a girl's boring tales of home life."

He grinned. "Oh, I dunno. Something normal might be a nice break every once in a while."

Alisha laughed. "Normal for whom?"

As they often did, they parted ways on her patio. She lingered at the top of the steps as he descended, turning around at the bottom to smile up at her. "Mikleo and I are heading out soon - we're thinking of starting with the northern territories. But we'll be back for your wedding. I'll make sure of it."

Folding her arms behind her back, Alisha smiled like her namesake. "That means a lot to me, Sorey. I'll save you both a seat of honor."

He gave an enthusiastic nod. "Great! We'll see you then! Take care, okay?" As he turned to depart, Sorey made a mental note to tell Mikleo as soon as he was able. He didn't entirely trust himself to remember a date, even a very important one, when ruin-exploring was involved; his best friend had an impressive biological clock, so Sorey would probably be depending on his memory in the next few weeks.

As she had done many times, Alisha watched Sorey's back until he was out of sight. Only then did she dare let her smile falter and her shoulders slump. Only then did she run her fingertips over her lips, briefly and gingerly, half-afraid of spoiling the memory of his touch. Only then did she sigh, heavy and sad.

"I don't regret what happened today," she whispered to her empty yard. To herself. "I only regret not telling you the truth." A sad smile fought against the lump in her throat. "But now… now I know it's for the best."

And I know I can make your heart race as fast as you've made mine. That's enough for me.

It has to be.