It was a bright and eventful day for the all the folk residing in Bermesiah. Serdin Park buzzed with excitement and hullabaloo. A huge wedding was going to happen right at the very heart of the area. A pair of doves were locked in an ornate cage and hoisted up to the altar which was located in mid-air and accessible through a pair of spiral staircases that yawned down to the enormous, makeshift podium where the audience would be seated. Rows of chairs were prepped, separated by a wide aisle that was neatly covered by a newly-dusted red carpet. A huge vase dotted each row, and all were filled with symbolic red and white roses. Slowly, the audience began to spill into the venue, talking and gossiping about the lucky couple who were about to wed. Serdin wasn't the most romantic of all places, but it wasn't the first time two people joined their hearts at the very center of its renowned park. The witnesses were of different races and subjects of mixed monarchies. There were elves, humans, and the occasional tamed monsters. Some even came from Ellia, completely disregarding the distance between the two countries and the fact that a highly treacherous sea separated them. Of course, it was taken a bit by surprise when the Queen of Kanavan and Serdin themselves stepped out of their carriages, greeting the townsfolk with hearty smiles. The two Queens joined the crowd of a hundred, assuming their position in seats situated close to the altar. A few more individuals talked about how over a thousand people would gather to witness the nuptial.
It wasn't long before the ring bearer, flower girls and brides maids lined up at the other end of the aisle. The groom arrived shortly after they did. The day was going to be a memorable one, and he wanted to make sure that nobody would disrupt the peace. Although he still hid his tyrfing somewhere nearby, he had left behind his suit of armor, and instead wore a ceremonial tuxedo. His indigo hair was pulled back into its trademark pony tail, with his bangs brushed back to reveal the nervous glimmer in his eyes and the unbreakable smile plastered on his handsome face. He made his way towards the two Queens so that he may receive their blessing as an individual, and as Bermesiah's soon-to-be-wedded hero. Once he was sent away with wishes of luck, he took slow steps toward the altar, with his heart seeming to beat faster than ever.
Arme stepped out of the carriage with newfound happiness. Her best friend, Elesis, was finally getting married and she was the Maid-of-Honor. Lire would have done a better job at it, but since she wasn't really into walking alone in the middle of the aisle, she turned down the idea and became a bride's maid instead. It was almost practically the same thing, but Lire preferred doing the procession with an arm wound around Ryan's.
Elesis was probably still at Serdin castle, pondering on whether or not she had made the right decision to marry Ronan. It had been six years since they first met… Five since they started their relationship. A lot of elders remarked that it was too soon, and the thought had been bugging her for the last two weeks. During the bridal shower yesterday night, however, all those worries were blown away literally. Unfortunately, like the hallucinations caused by partaking in too much health potions, the effect was wearing off. Elesis was in doubt, like any other bride. But whilst she had mental battles with herself, Arme was fully aware of the fact that she will make the right decision and walk down the aisle. She was brave and courageous that way.
Arme inhaled sharply and waited patiently with the rest of the flower girls. Lire, on the other hand, will be eying the periphery of the venue for Ryan. He should have been there a while ago but since he had forgotten to bring along the bride and groom's present, he headed straight back to Eryuell Island for the sake of retrieving it.
Arme watched the blond elf who was just a few meters away from her. Her green eyes were fixated at the distance where she presumed Eryuell Island would be. It wasn't a long way from the park, but hurdling back to monster-infested areas on a horse wasn't exactly a charming thing to do. Ryan would be lucky if he got back on time with a simple stain on his shirt. Arme shrugged, knowing the impossibility of the picture.
She glanced back and caught sight of Lime who had arrived before all of them. She was excited, and one could easily tell from the way her eyes sparkled as she conversed with the rest of the bride's maids. She was one of the shorter folk, so it would be hard to tell her apart from the flower girls. The dress she was wearing saved her from the possible misconception. Arme smiled at the green-haired midget, and dreaded it immediately. She was but an inch and a half taller than Lime. The height difference was small and she only felt better about it because Lime was older than her.
A few seats away from Lime was Asin and Rufus. It was surprising to see the both of them, sitting there wearing poker-faces. The two were inarguable killjoys, that's for sure, and Asin probably presented himself because Amy forced him to.
Speaking of the Pinkette, another carriage pulled in – this being one of the largest in the kingdom. 9 horses hauled the gigantic transportation into the mouth of the venue and careened slowly to a stop. A few voices could be heard before Jin was relentlessly knocked out of the vehicle by a very impatient yet perfect and poised Amy. Her hair was curled and let loose, spinning down to her waist. Flowers adorned the patches near her ears. Her dress bellowed as she jumped and willed herself past her red-headed fiancé. Oblivious to the ignorance she paid him, Jin moaned and arched his back, but he must have been feeling a slight tinge of masochism that day because he maintained his lying position on the side of the pavement, smiling widely at the sky as if the girl he loved had not kicked him out of the carriage.
"Jin, get up!" Rin called out from inside the carriage, casting her perfect blue eyes at the fighter. She produced herself from the vehicle, wearing an ensemble of white and blue. Her hair was wrapped into a neat bun and the dress she wore showed her figure without the slightest bit of indecency. Her skin was tan and glowing majestically under the Bermesiahn sun. Sieghart, Ley and Dio watched the scene from behind her, snickering their asses off. Zero and Mari were among the remaining passengers in the vehicle, but they cared less not to notice the redhead lying on the pavement, unconsciously dirtying his white tux.
"Come on, guys! Ronan has been up there all day! Elesis is going to be here any minute! At least take the event more seriously! It's supposed to be perfect!" Lire said, trying hard not to shout her words out and cause a commotion. Lire was a pacifist – she knew better than to raise her voice too high.
Jin stood up and dusted himself off but to no avail. He didn't like the idea of walking down the aisle with Amy in dirty clothes. Not only was it an embarrassment, but it could potentially ruin the perfect wedding Elesis and Ronan had planned conscientiously for a year (even if Ronan did most of the work) so he jumped back into the carriage to do the minor cleaning.
Arme laughed at his stupidity. She could magically whisk the dust away, but he was panicking too much that he forgot she was witnessing the entire pandemonium. Then another thought overtook her – he might not have even noticed her there. With the growing number of members in the Chase, it was becoming more and more difficult for her to stand out… Sure, there were a lot of swordsmen in their little squadron, but that didn't stop Elesis from being her outrageous little self. The said redhead fought without magic… She was exemplary at everything. Arme, on the other hand, depended on magic so much that imagining life without it kills her.
There were better magic-users in the chase too… In fact, they were so excellent that the whole group could deal without her. Arme's mind darted back to the time when Elesis, Lire and Ronan went for a mission and left her in her private library to continue her research. When they returned, they had never been so alive – so energetic. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that Kaze'Aaze had kidnapped them and replaced them with clones. In the end, though, she realized that the mission went better than they had expected – perhaps so because Arme wasn't there to bother them with her immaturity.
Arme felt her heart sink. Looking back on herself, she realized that her endeavors with the chase had transformed her into a better person. Somehow, she had forgotten about obtaining Kaze'Aaze's invincibility… Somewhere along the way, she decided that it was better not to learn the forbidden secrets of magic… She even feared that she would become the Queen of Darkness herself. Greed was a weakness, she realized. It was best to leave it behind.
Arme shook her head and tried to convince herself that Elesis wouldn't have chosen her to become the maid-of-honor if she was utterly useless. She was a friend… Friendship is one of the more powerful elements the universe offered. It surpassed loyalty, humility and camaraderie altogether. It was fragile, but it's also strong. Perhaps stronger than a million diamonds clustered together, metaphorically speaking.
She was half-way lost in her thoughts when she received a delicate tap on her shoulder. Lass was standing behind her, looking like a lost boy. His hair was shaggy and unkempt, but he was in a better-looking white tuxedo than Jin's. Arme laughed at him, unintentionally. She didn't usually taunt or mock other people on purpose, but when things came out of her mouth, she was deprived of the ability to stop herself. Like fireworks on the verge of explosion – BAM! However, she needed to hold herself back today. If Lass walked out on the wedding because of her, she would be toast for the thousandth time in the history of Grand Chase.
"Do Elesis a favor and fix your hair." She pointed to the unmoving carriage out front. "Sieghart is a narcissist, and I'm betting a million GP he keeps a comb in the back pocket of his blazer."
Lass said nothing, but he started off towards the carriage either way. At this, Arme felt her heart sink yet again. She was so easy to ignore… so easy not to talk to. She knew she wasn't unapproachable. Kids loved her, slimes did her biddings and at times, she could be a Grade A monster chow. She had already acknowledged a long time ago that she wasn't that attractive but, even more than that, she was certain she wasn't ugly. So why was she always left out? Was it her selfishness? Her secret wish to be more like Lire and Elesis? Her unconscious desire to wreak havoc on the world as Kaze'Aaze's successor?
Jin and the others made it out of the carriage just in time to line up accordingly in front of the aisle before Elesis arrived. The seats were full and the clock was ticking. Ronan was probably getting nervous, waiting beside the altar. Lass had his hair done in a spur so that he could join Ronan. He was the best man, Arme recalled. He didn't want to be one, at first, seeing that this religious stuff was getting to him. His father was a demon. Standing there could mean damning the wedding. But who was he to speak? Compared to Ley, Dio and his half-brother, Rufus, he was the least demonic of all. Heck, the threesome even came to be a part of the event.
Ryan arrived just on time with his package and a missing horse. His hair had a few leaves stuck to it. Thankfully, his tuxedo survived the trip. He held the present and threw it back into Amy's carriage without fail. Lire hugged him and joined the others in the line. It was an understatement when the rumor-mongers stated that the crowd would consist of a thousand people. It was nearly twice the number of the expected population. A huge percent of them had to stand.
A few more minutes of waiting was all it took before the procession began, and there was no denying the perfection of it all. Elesis was beautiful in her gown, even if the veil covered her stunning, made-up face.
As Arme walked in front of her best friend, she began to feel a slight twinge of jealousy. She might not have a wedding as wonderful as this one. Not a single boy would swoon over her, even after her battle for Bermesiah. There was always someone more eye-catching than she was… She needed to be at the top of a pedestal to be cheered for. Arme mentally kicked herself for the degradation and looked up at the staircases leading to the altar. She whispered a good luck to Elesis before the girl proceeded up the steps, where Ronan would meet her halfway.
Arme smiled before assuming her position in the front row. Everything was beautiful, detailed and simply perfect, in an unfair sense. Her amethyst eyes were trained on the handsome smile Ronan was wearing as he and Elesis stood hand-in-hand in front of the priest. At that moment, rekindled feelings sufficed from within her and jealousy threatened to creep back in. She found herself reminiscing the first moment they, as a trio, laid their eyes on the indigo knight.
He was easily Arme's very first crush. She believed back then that meeting him near the edge of the canyon known as the Gorge of Oath was fate. She knew right away that he was powerful. When he casted his Holy Blessing on them, they were virtually unstoppable until the spell wore off. He was valiant, brave and a gentleman at that matter. He was also the complete opposite of Elesis so when he became an official member of the chase, it took a long time for the both of them to adjust.
At first, Arme had this antagonistic scheme to make Ronan her own. She even went to the extent of pouring a small love potion into his drink. Thank the gods they were on a ship at that time and one of the clumsy crewmen knocked the cup over by mistake. There was also that small moment when she actually had that slightest feeling she actually had a chance with him… But it turns out, he was only trying to be her friend.
Believe it or not, she was happy when he and Elesis announced their relationship. It was drizzling at that time – the type when the sun's still up and rain water drops shyly on the streets. Arme knew that they would work things out, and she was right. Look at them now, smiling fondly at each other like they hadn't seen the deepest, darkest parts of the world. Arme could feel the gods mocking her, telling her she didn't deserve anyone. To make matters worse, the relationships in the chase had turned into something a lot more predictable. Lire and Ryan were together and she knew that they would marry next year. Amy and Jin are unstable, but they're already engaged. Ley and Dio haven't stated their plans, but it's obvious that they're madly in love with each other and, heck, they may already be in a secret relationship with each other.
Arme was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to listen when the priest had began the rites. In an hour, nothing could break the two Kanavan knights apart. Again, she thought it was unfair. A part of her kept telling her that Ronan should have been hers… Nonetheless, Ronan deserved Elesis, and the phrase still sounded accurate the other way around.
Ronan was too good for the purple-headed mage – she had come to terms with that fact the moment they landed on Ellia. He and Elesis were already in a relationship. His months of courting her finally paid off, and he didn't even have to spend a single dime for her. Elesis wouldn't like it if he did because to her, it would seem like she was a really expensive doll waiting to be a part of his collection. Ronan wasn't a player, but he could be a flirt at times.
Ronan had enough knowledge to navigate through Ellia, so they didn't get lost. It was because of him that they found Lass.
Lass… The purple haired girl felt he cheeks redden just by thinking up his name. Her eyes wandered up to the alter and she watched him stalk down the opposite stairs before disappearing somewhere in the neighboring aisle.
Her mind darted back to when they found him on the outskirts of the Island. They were wide aware of how dangerous he was. Arme, being the curious one, tried her best to track him down. However, she wasn't the tactician, so even if she had pin-pointed where he was, she wouldn't know how to get there. Elesis, Ryan and Lire ended up doing more of the thinking.
Arme already knew they were going to face Kaze'Aaze soon, so she immersed herself in books. To her surprise, none of them talked about a boy named "Lass" even if his name was already widely known in Bermesiah. Was he that damned to be left out in books? He's possessed for gods' sake! The least they could to was to write stuff about him so that he wouldn't look like the evil guy.
They found him again after a month's worth of battles. Arme vaguely remembered the black fog clouding the top of the dark Queen's castle. Her mind had stored everything for her so well that when she looked back, she could practically feel her erratic breathing, her heartbeat racing, her hands sweating, She also remembered the sounds… and the bright light that encompassed every single area as Kaze'Aaze vanished, leaving the silver-haired boy's lifeless body on the ground. Ronan, Jin and Elesis raced to him because they were the least exhausted of all. Arme, on the other hand, drifted into unconsciousness as she watched the two knights carry him on their shoulders like a heavy, broken mannequin.
Arme recalled the moment she woke up… How seven soldiers, heavily wrapped in their armor, surrounded Lass' bed. He was a few feet away from her, with the soldiers serving as their only wall. It was the one moment she felt genuinely needed. She hefted herself on her feet, feeling the sand below them. She came to the conclusion that they had been carried to a tent erected on a camp at the shores of Ellia. Lass' breathing was steady, implying that he was okay. Inconveniently, his wounds were still bleeding and no amount of bandages could stop the flow. His injuries were deep, but not fatal. She remembered going easy on him because she could sense his innocence. Lire did the exact same thing, but the others didn't hold themselves back.
Arme pushed the soldiers aside and looked at his sleeping face. He was so angelic that he had absolutely no trace of Kaze'Aaze's curse. She lifted her head and prayed to the holy light for guidance. When she felt energy coursing through her veins, she pulled her hand upwards, then casted it towards him. "Cure!"
At that moment, pink hearts were flying everywhere. The soldiers felt rejuvenated. The energy they had lost returned to them in a nutshell. More importantly, Lass' wounds were half-healed, so she figured he would be okay for real. After that, she passed out again.
The subsequent weeks flew by normally, and they didn't speak much. They shared no similarities at all. They went to missions together, but they didn't converse like close friends would. They were in two different ends of a single spectrum known as the world. They just didn't blend. One of the few major things they had in common was… well… their involvement with Kaze'Aaze. And whilst Arme chased after the said witch, Lass struggled to get away from her. Furthermore, Lass thought Arme was stubborn and she thought he was boring (truth was, she thought of his silent demeanor as a boring asset, but it was an asset nonetheless.) So in the end, despite the kind-of similarity, they would always be the opposite of each other.
Arme did have a huge crush on Lass, but she chose to give him up (though not completely) after eavesdropping on his boy-to-boy conversation with Ronan. Her curiosity got the best of her that day, and she regretted it up 'till now. There was no stopping her from wanting to pry, especially when the question Ronan had thrown intrigued her.
"So… Lass… Who do you like?"
Arme listened in more properly from behind the thick door that gave the room and the hallway a decent partition. There was silence in the air for a few, suspense-filled seconds. Then Lass finally gave out his answer.
"Lire."
It was probably the first time Arme felt her heart break. It was also the moment she realized that what she felt for Lass was a far cry from the huge crush she had suspected it to be. It was nothing compared to her feelings for Ronan. The stuff she felt for the Kanavan knight was probably a brief form of puppy love, and it faded away the instant he and Elesis started dating. Lass was a foreign case entirely. The moment the archer's name escaped his lips, Arme felt her heart slip, fall, and shatter. It hurt for days, but being the pretentious little girl that she was, she hid her emotions quite well without the need to avoid Lass.
She looked up at the altar and smiled the nth time that day. The priest was ending the mass, giving Ronan and Elesis the permission to kiss.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest cited, looking at the newly-wedded couple in front of him.
Lass resisted the childish urge to laugh. It was all sappy and organized that it bored the shenanigans out of him. In fact, he was so bored, Kaze'Aaze would actually re-possess him if she had the chance. All these religious rituals were still a bit new to him, even if he had spent a year and a half flipping pages through books in order to understand them. In the process, he had made the bold decision to be baptized under the same religion as Elesis, Ronan and Arme, even if he thought it was utterly useless. It wasn't like he was an atheist. He believed in gods. He had seen them, bowed down to them, fought with them and even amazed them. He just wasn't into rites, and other stuff that drove his insides nuts.
His eyes scanned the row of seats across the aisle. Arme was standing there, clapping fondly with a happy smile on her face. As if on cue, the pair of doves that were locked in the cage near the altar was released, marking the end of the service.
As the crowd began to disperse the area, Lass waded his way towards Arme. He predicted that the rest of the chase would be busy with each other and they would be very hard to approach. Arme was the easiest to talk to, even if they didn't actually discuss over matters frequently. He wanted her to talk, but around him, she always wanted to listen. It was uncanny, but it was the way things worked for them. Plus, it was one of the reasons why they weren't close. Lass thought hard about what to say to her, but in the end, his mind went black. Arme needed to start the conversation in order for him to have a decent discussion with her.
Much to his delight, she spoke first. "Lass! What brings you here?"
Unfortunately, he wasn't in the mood to give the answer to that question, so he just shrugged and let Arme do more of the talking. The girl continued the one-sided conversation with ease… She was a complete blabbermouth. Lass knew that she couldn't go an hour without saying a thing or two – even when she's fighting. That aside, she could also be a complete airhead despite her wits. There were times when Lass had to prevent her from doing something stupid. Like that one time when she healed a god. It was the most challenging thing to do for a small mage like her. With her strength and energy, she pulled it off. In the end, she paid most of the consequences because she didn't listen at the right moment. The god was being manipulated by negative forces, and she took in most of the preliminary damages.
Lass cared a lot for her… possibly a lot more than Elesis and Lire did… And the two girls were her closest friends!
"So are we going to take Amy's carriage?" Arme said, staring at him in anticipation.
"No…" Lass trailed off because his mind went blank again. Seriously though, why did his brain go haywire whenever he was talking to her? He was usually contemplative. Even if speaking was a bit of a challenge to him, saying stuff wasn't an arduous task. So why did he find it hard to talk to the young mage? It wasn't as if they hadn't conversed properly, but it seemed to him that the only times when he instigated a long discussion with her was when her well-being was in jeopardy, or after her life had been put on the line.
Arme lowered her head, and Lass mentally drowned himself for disagreeing to her statement using such a harsh tone. The girl followed her gesture with a simple retort, "You're right. It's probably full anyway."
Unexpectedly, Mari huddled over to them, putting up her emotionless façade. Sieghart trailed behind her, looking more pissed off than usual.
"They kicked me out of the carriage," Sieghart digressed with a grimace as he folded his arms across his chest, expressing his displeasure.
"They didn't have to do that if you weren't being a jerk," Mari said, bluntly.
"They're the ones acting like jerks, not me!" Sieghart said, flatly. "The last time I checked, I had more rights to that carriage than they ever did."
"Amy had reserved it for her and Jin first, so your argument is useless, if not invalid," Mari told him.
"You could side with them all you want. That won't change the fact that they turned you down too," Sieghart said.
"They turned me down for a reason. There was no space in the carriage for the both of us," Mari said.
"Oh, and what do you expect us to do? Sit around and wait for horses to show up? We're going to have the leftovers when we get to the reception," Sieghart said, fuming.
"Calm down. It's not like all the carriages in Bermesiah have been reserved for this event," Lass said.
"Wrong. All the carriages in Bermesiah have been reserved for this event," Mari said, matter-of-factly. "All of them are probably on their way to the Kanavan castle now."
"There's a stable two blocks from here," Arme suggested, pointing to the east. "There are no carriages but since we're in such a hurry—"
"Fine! Let's go," Sieghart said, stalking off to where Arme had directed.
Arme looked at Lass and smiled. Lass knew that she was just trying to cheer him up, but it wasn't working. If anything, his worries were starting to take an even greater toll on him. The girl was clumsy and if they were riding horses to Kanavan, that would mean crossing over the gorge of oath for a short-cut. She might fall off... And she's wearing a dress too, for crap's sake!
They began their short stroll towards the stable. All the while, Sieghart bragged on and on about how he hated walking. He also hoped aloud that the stable would drag itself closer to him. Mari was quiet, and she fidgeted with the strings of her dress as she walked. Arme watched her eagerly as if she was waiting for the girl to say something. With only Sieghart moaning and groaning himself to starvation, the stroll seemed longer.
Arme heaved out a huge sigh when they got to their destination. "Here it is."
An old man – the trainer— emerged out of the stable just in time. He was old, but not bent, and he was carrying a stack of hay. Lass immediately ran to his assistance, holding the other end. The man didn't see who had come to his aid. Instead, he muttered a thank you.
The trainer's face revealed shock when he dropped the hay and saw his helper. "Well if it isn't Lass of the Grand Chase."
"And Sieghart." The black-haired warrior put his hand on his waist to show his pride.
"What can I do for you?" The trainer said, smiling.
"We were wondering if we could borrow four of your horses," Sieghart said with a smirk.
"There are only three of them remaining, I'm afraid," The trainer told them, frowning.
"If I had my staff… I could have flown there," Arme whispered audibly, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"That's okay. We only need two," Sieghart suddenly said. He nudged Mari.
"Yeah… Two would be fine," Mari said, swatting the gladiator's elbow away.
Lass turned his head to ask Arme the same question, only to end up watching the color drain away from her face. The girl had never liked the idea of riding horses. Lass fully recalled that the knight master had a hard time dealing with Arme because of this. She had to explain the process of getting on the saddle and holding the reigns over and over again that she decided to give up. When Arme became the battle mage, she learnt how to ride her staff. Unfortunately for her, it could only travel short distances.
Arme got on the horse first. She climbed up and reached for the reigns carelessly. She could only put her legs on one side, considering that she was wearing a dress. Lass could almost laugh at how cute and pathetic the girl was. It seemed like she could slip off the saddle at any moment.
Lass got on next, positioning himself behind Arme. His hands slipped themselves around her as he grabbed for the reigns. When he felt the leather seep into his palm, he pulled at them tightly with his left hand. He used his right hand to move Arme closer, securing her so that the feeling of falling off won't get to her anymore.
"It's gonna be okay," he reassured her.
Arme nodded hesitantly. At this, Lass wished she would put more faith in him. After all, he was more of an expert than she will ever be.
They started their journey slowly, passing the park and the market altogether. When they reached the forests, their horses started to pick up speed. Arme held onto Lass' shirt for support as the wind bit her face. The breeze was practically howling when they got to the gorge of oath.
"Do horses know how to fly?" Sieghart asked.
"No. But they will now," Lass said. He pulled at the reigns and, by instinct, the horse staggered backwards.
"Lass… What are you doing?" Arme asked him, fearfully.
"Getting us to Kanavan castle," he said. His tone beamed with outright confidence.
He whipped the reigns downwards in an instant. The horse reacted to this and picked up pace again, speeding up towards the gorge.
"Oh gods… Oh gods… Oh gods," Arme muttered into his chest, holding onto him even more tightly for dear life.
"Close your eyes," Lass said, smiling when the girl did exactly as she was told. His girl.
Maybe that was the point of all this. Maybe he was protecting her and doing all these crazy things for her because the subconscious possessiveness in his heart told him that she was his. When the horse made its first jump and the air nipped their faces all the more, Lass knew that he was going through all this trouble for her. If it wasn't, he would have gone straight back to their home in Serdin, even if he was the only person there.
The horse jumped a second time… and a third… and a fourth... It was a nearly impossible feat. That man must have trained his pets well. Arme knew a few good people after all. Speaking of the girl, she had wrapped her arms around Lass a little too tightly.
Lass was fondly familiar with the mage's trademark death grip. She gave him the same one back in Nightmare's circus. Just when he was on the verge of succumbing to the ring master's strong mind-control, she managed to help him regain his senses by catching him in her embrace and teleporting away from the circus-freaking asshole. He could hear her voice, albeit as faint as a whisper, telling him to come back. When he regained consciousness, she was nowhere to be found. It was Ryan and Jin, hovering over him with worry.
"You could open your eyes now," Lass said when they finally crossed the gorge. Looking ahead, they noticed that the castle's conical peak was visible from the distance. In a calculative perspective, it was but a few kilometer's away from them, with a thick forest drawing a visible line between themselves and their destination.
Arme lowered her head and loosened her grip on Lass, but she didn't let go. Apparently, she was still shaken from the events prior.
The horse advanced slowly towards the castle, and even from the distance, they could hear the festive music echoing out from behind the structure. Arme leaned back to peak beyond Lass' shoulder so that she could see how Sieghart and Mari were doing. The two were bickering again, with Sieghart's voice being the dominant one. She let out a sigh and returned to her original pose. Lass resisted the urge to look at Arme's face as she laid her head against him.
Kanavan castle wasn't too far off… It took less than half an hour to get there on their horses. Luckily, they had arrived on the nick of time. A lot of carriages were still pulling into the palace. As members of the Grand Chase, they were allowed to come in first. Their tardiness began to sink in the moment they entered the open space known as the palace gardens.
There were a whole lot of circular tables set up, each one meant to accommodate around ten people. There was a banquet to the south, and (much to Sieghart's delight) no one had gathered around it yet. There was a small stage propped up for the young couple. The Queens' table was located right in front of it, granted that they were the most important part of the audience. With nothing else in mind but food, the quartet assumed their seats at a table next to the rest of the chase.
When the festivities died down, a large bonfire was lit in the middle of the backyard as a symbol for the last event. Amy brought out her violin and started playing a slow tune. Elesis and Ronan decided to take the lead and danced slowly against the warmth of the breathing flames. Other couples began to join them and soon, Arme and Lass were one of the few still sitting around.
Arme blushed at the thought, seeing that this might as well be an opportunity to dance with him. She heaved in and hoped for the best. "Let's go! It'll be fun!"
Lass looked at her as if she was stating the most ridiculous thing in the world right to his face. Thinking of his expression as a sign of disinterest, she decided to live it back down.
"Never mind," Arme said. "You're probably not into stuff like these anyway…"
It surprised her, however, when Lass extended his hand out to her.
For the first time ever, Arme felt at a loss for words. Her mouth fell agape for a few good seconds due to disbelief.
"What? You said it's going to be fun," Lass said, flatly.
Arme figured that he went along with her out of intolerable boredom. She put her hand in his palm and let him lead the way to the bonfire. She lost herself somewhere midway. All her mind could process was that she was in Lass' arms, leaning against his chest as he and she glided across the floor in an awkward dance. She closed her eyes, ignoring the constant cracking of the firewood that gave way to the flames. Somehow, she felt like she was dreaming. It was addictive – the feeling of being there with him.
Arme knew at once that something had lit up from within her – rekindled hope. The only thing missing was the brave confession she would have to make. Tonight was probably the best night to do just that. And while a small crowd gathered around to watch Ryan put an engagement ring around Lire's finger, Arme and Lass stayed a good few meters away from them, giving them their much-deserved privacy…
Arme sighed and pulled away from Lass slightly, giving her enough space to actually breathe. Lass was unmoving but Arme could sense that he was somewhat caught by surprise at this gesture.
Arme lowered her head and thought twice about what she was going to do. Her words were unprepared, and she might mess up, but she knew she had to get her feelings off her chest if she wanted to move on.
"Lass," she started, looking up at him. She was still encased in his arms, and that was enough to distract her a little. Nevertheless, she remained undeterred.
Lass gave her a questioning look, turning his head askance.
"I might not be able to repeat this again. And I might mess up along the way. I know that you really like Lire and… well… I didn't want to back down because of that," Arme paused, hoping that Lass was still listening. Fortunately, he was.
Memories of previous attempted confessions began to flood in. The first happened on their way to the Temple of Cuatal. She was at the very back of the party with Lass. Her mind was in shambles, and she was dying to speak. When she got the chance, however, a voice echoed from above, cutting her off. The second was during a vacation. Amy had finally joined the team, and she wanted so badly to go to the beach. Arme didn't know how to swim and she looked like a little girl in her stupid, purple, one-piece. She tried to approach Lass that day, but failed.
Not wanting to lose motivation, she continued, "I've always wanted to tell you this for years now. But I just can't because people kept coming along, and I grew scared. I know you don't feel the same way, but I don't care…"
Arme couldn't contain herself. Now she was just being verbose. Not only was she boring Lass out of his wits. She was also wasting his time and hers.
"Lass, I love you," Arme blurted out, closing her eyes simultaneously.
Lass couldn't believe his ears. He wanted to hear her say those words over and over again, but she had made it clear that she didn't want to repeat it. He didn't know what to tell her. He didn't know how or what to reply. Tears had begun to spill out of her eyes. He, on the other hand, remained mute. He was shocked beyond belief. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her against him once more, allowing her to sob into his chest.
Lass was rendered immobile because of the crying girl in his arms. The crowd behind them cheered (for the newly-engaged), and Lass felt an even greater need to ignore them.
"You don't have to cry, Arme," Lass said, barely beyond a whisper.
"B-But… Y-You didn't say anything… Y-You probably… h-hate me…" Arme retorted in-between sobs.
Lass' mind went blank again yet he had to fight it. Arme was breaking down and if he didn't do anything, he'd lose her. It was his chance, and determining his luck, it could only happen once. All too suddenly, he pulled the girl an inch away, caught her by the chin and pressed his lips on hers. He felt Arme's mouth open in a surprised gasp as he did so. Before they both even knew it, she was kissing him back. Something in the deepest depths of his mind hailed him for his triumph. He actually did something far more courageous than a confession and he congratulated himself for it.
Arme pulled away first, breathing heavily. Her cheeks were dyed red due to the contact. Her eyes were wide and her hand was pressed to her lips.
Lass, on the contrary, was breathless. The softness of her lips was intoxicating. They remained silent for a short while. There was barely enough time for the both of them to jump-start their hearts. Despite the urge to tell her those three words she deserved, he leaned forward again, grabbing her by the waist this time, and kissed her once more. This one was more passionate and less forced than the first. He could feel Arme wrap her arms around his neck. In return, his left hand rose to her back, pulling her closer. He suddenly became aware of the unspoken passion he held for her, and the silent wishes to be with her that he had forced back for his and her sake.
He broke the kiss before pulling Arme into an embrace.
"You know… I've never liked Lire," Lass admitted, giving the girl a heartfelt peck on her forehead.
It was Arme's turn to give him a questioning look.
"That was two years ago, if I'm not mistaken. I lied to Ronan because I knew you were listening," Lass stated sheepishly.
Arme blushed and lowered her head. She was speechless.
Lass glanced back at the bonfire to find everyone busy dealing with their own stuff or staring at them. Elesis and Ronan were at the Chase's table, their gazes locked on the mage and himself. They were smirking like the total jerk-offs they were, but he didn't mind. They were probably waiting for good news before they left the reception. Ryan and Lire sat beside each other, sharing smiles that defied the ones worn by the newly-weds.
"You haven't told me something important yet," Arme stated, looking up at him with puffy cheeks.
Lass' eyes locked on hers. For the first time ever, he felt his mind do a complete restart. As illogical as it sounded, it seemed like his heart had skipped four or five beats. He blurted out the three words almost impulsively. "I love you."
He said it so fast that it took Arme by the bombshell. She blushed so hard that she had to hide it by burying her face in his shirt.
Lass marveled at how right the words came out, especially when they were directed at her. He couldn't resist repeating the statement. "I love you, Arme."
It was sappy and unpredicted for someone like him, but he said it anyway. A brief smile crawled onto his face, further emphasizing his handsome features.
Arme giggled at this. "I love you too, Lass."
When they kissed the third time that day, the grand chase was there to cheer for them. The remaining crowd followed their example and clapped their hands. It was all magical and unreal. Becoming Lass' girlfriend was something she had deemed impossible. Arme would hate it if it was all just a dream. It wasn't sinking in right. Maybe she had fallen asleep in the carriage on the way to the wedding… Maybe the wedding itself was part of the dream as well.
Arme couldn't help but smile when she proved herself wrong the following morning after waking up next to a sleeping Lass. She remembered changing into her sleepwear and hopping into his bed before he could even protest. She also recollected the last bit of scolding she oh-so-playfully resisted before dozing off. She pulled the loose straps of her nightgown back up to her shoulders and got off the mattress, but not without kissing her boyfriend on the temple. She started towards the window and pushed it open, allowing the morning breeze to seep into the room. Lass groaned and stirred in his sleep in response. Arme smiled and decided to play with the strands of his hair so that he would wake. In a few seconds, his eyes popped open to broad daylight.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Arme said, wrapping her arms around him while he hefted himself up.
He grinned at her before he kissed her cheek. "Good morning."
There you have it peeps. Just a little fanfiction I wrote to fill my time. I love sappy stuff, sue me. Oh... and before you actually do, I don't have claims to Grand Chase and its oh-so-adorable characters (yeah, you know it, Lass! Don't you dare complain about my choice of words). The only thing I own is this story.
Not necessarily my first time writing fiction... I'm still improving.