Gonna give credit to the artist for allowing me to use their Delthea as the cover image. They go by poocas on Tumblr and rigelianero on Twitter. I encourage you to check out his other works if you like his style!
Chapter 1
"Greetings Alm." Luthier entered the tent trying to act as normal as he could.
"Oh hello, Luthier. Whats up?"
"Your perception is impressive", Luthier's expression turned into a more melodramatically solemn one. "To know something was troubling me before I can even say."
"I just-", Alm tried to say.
"Alm we are friends correct? I remember you nodding the last time I asked."
"Heh. I did nod, Luthier." He smiled to sell the thought to his friend.
"Right.", Luthier paused to make sure he was clear with what he was about to request. "So then, it wouldn't be out of the bounds of what is customary to ask you to "hook up" with my sister?"
"Your sister? W-with Delthea? That's absolutely out of bounds, Luthier!" the leader yelled with much fluster.
"Oh that's surprising. I asked your friend Gray before coming to you and he said you'd be more than up for it." Luthier said with honest sorrow.
Alm sighed trying not to be too hard on the misguided mage. "Of course Gray would. What gave him that idea? What did he tell you?"
"Well I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship for a silly request, so I asked Gray for assurance. What he told me was that you still pine for a girl from your childhood," That got Alm's eyes to go wide. "So Delthea's youthful appearance would have to appeal to your sensibilities!" Luthier declared like this answer had to be correct.
"Celica?!" It had to be.
"So it's true?" Luthier questioned with a point.
"No! Wait, I mean..." Alm had a lot he could've said but was interrupted again.
"Really? He also told me that "hooking up" refers to the friendship between a male and a female."
"You really shouldn't look towards Gray for guidance regarding women... or me."
"Then I will say this in my own words." And Luthier requested with gusto. "Would you be willing to befriend my sister Delthea?"
"That's still a rather odd request. Why? Does Delthea not have any friends in the army?" there was worry in his asking.
"Sadly not. Even in our home village she intimidated potential friends with her magical ability and overbearing sense of superiority", Luthier said what he saw as the truth.
"Oh. I'm sorry for her." the sympathy was apparent in both Alm's voice and expression.
"Yes, I try to help her, but as she likes to point out I'm not the best model for making friends. That's why I want you to be that positive influence on her that I've failed to be!"
"I see. Well this is actually a good excuse to strike a conversation which I've been meaning to do. I'll see what I can do."
"Oh thank you, Alm! You're truly the best friend I could ask for. Well I believe so? You're certainly better than any of my cats at least."
"Umm thanks, Luthier." Alm took the intended compliment.
Luthier exited his leader's tent happy that his sister will be tended to.
Alm made it a point to make time for a first impression with Delthea. Which had to take time. The army just recently crossed Rigel's borders and safe travel was a large concern, so time for socializing was hard to come by.
But the opportunity eventually found him when the team settled in the Black Forest, where locals don't care for your allegiance. Just if you pay good coin for quartering.
And surprisingly, Alm wasn't the one to start the conversation. When the group was gathered in the inn's dining hall, many members were still eating but Alm had his face planted in a book on a small bench to the side. That's when Delthea grabbed a seat next to him.
""Hey, leader." she smiled at him with her usual cheer.
""Oh hello, Delthea." Alm was a little shocked, but he smiled back anyway and put his book to the side. "Good of you to speak up, I was actually meaning to ask you if you've become accustomed to your new situation."
"Oh yeah it's been great." You guys are a lot more accepting than the people at my village."
"Oh." Alm was relieved and not all too surprised that Luthier's story partly contradicts this. "How did the villagers treat you back there?"
"It was just a pretty backwards place. I couldn't show off my magic skills to no one and a lot of them spread rumors of me being a witch because I was so naturally good at it." She said in a bummed tone.
"That's rough. Shame that you had to join an army to find a place to be yourself."
"I know right." she agreed to how pathetic that sounded.
"But we're glad to have you. A gifted mage is definitely the right label for you."
"Ahh thanks!" Delthea lit up. "It's a fact, you know", and she quickly got defensive. She put her pointed finger on his chest and looked in his eyes desperate for some understanding. "People just seem to get the wrong idea when I say it. Glad you get the memo though."
Alm smiled at the reaction he got, but looking down at her, he was reminded at how short the girl before her was. "Though I have to say." He shifted himself straight forward, looking down with some thought. "You're rather young. How old I don't know, but I worry that it's an age where this combat is taking a harder toll on you than the rest. Is it?" he quickly turned his head to look at her.
"Gah!" the subject was very touchy for her and she tried to assure him, "It's not that big a deal! I'm like twice as mature as my brother and I'm keeping my sanity just fine. But I don't want to go through the phase for people to look past it..."
Alm could see how she looked downtrodden, and the others in earshot were starting to make assumptions.
"Had enough of that as is, y'know?"
Delthea rubbed her arm and sideglanced at Alm expecting a response.
Gray just looked in awe at Alm. Tobin also saw the scene and commented on it to Gray "Who woulda thought huh?" .
Python had the biggest smirk, but kept his words to himself so he could ask for the juicy details later.
Alm saw this and ignored them for her sake. "Then I won't press the issue."
That got her to continue, "About fighting... I wouldn't want to make a career of it. I'm good and all, but magic just isn't what I see myself doing. People tell me that's a waste, my brother and parents weren't an exception."
'Weren't?' Alm knew that was a more sensitive topic if the implications were true.
"Thing is, I don't really know what I'd rather do..."
"You got time to think, I'm sure a lot even after we're done with this war." he said teasing her most likely really young age. "I didn't have a plan to get where I am. I just wanted to be a soldier and following that goal lead to me becoming leader of the Deliverance."
"Hmm, sounds like you got lucky." Delthea felt a little better with his assurance.
"Uh. That might not be far from the truth.", Alm deadpanned. 'Why even tell that story to her?'
"Heh. Did I strike a nerve?" Delthea giggled.
"Maybe. It's something for me to think about."
