(Flashback)

The young blonde girl stood under the camphor tree upon the hill. She was close to her home, but got caught within the storm that came out of nowhere. It was raining too hard for her to make a dash to Aromavale's gates. That, and the fact that she wouldn't be able to make it without slipping upon the steep ground. Mud had started forming in piles as the dug-up ground became darker hues of brown with every dozen drops falling upon it.

The girl wished she had brought an umbrella with her. But, she didn't know that it was suppose to rain today. Sighing in defeat, she waited until the storm passed, so she could head to her Vale and home. She wondered if she was the cause of the storm itself to appear.

The girl was now fourteen and she made monthly visits to Aromavale's neighbouring Vale. Crop Plain Vale had asked Aromavale for assistance since a twister had blown through their crops and ruined almost everything in sight. Eleanora volunteered to help out while a few others joined her. Since she was a witch, she was asked to cast spells upon the crops. Understanding what they were asking of her, she brought her hands together and chanted foreign words until little lights sprouted from underneath the ground and within some of the torn up roots. In a few seconds, the crops looked good as new. Everyone was amazed by how fast she was to master her craft. Farmers offered to pay the citizens of Aromavale for their services, but Eleanora kindly declined their offer. Aromavale, after all, was a peaceful Vale and wouldn't hesitate to help out anyone else. Especially, thanks to the Harmonic Witches in their Vale.

She wondered if the side effect of her spell was to have rain showering upon those crops as she left. She didn't know it would, literally, come out of nowhere. She was the only one out of the volunteering group that didn't make it back home before the storm came down. She was thankful it wasn't windy, or she would've been freezing. The blonde noticed that the sky was going a bit dark and wondered if the sun was already starting to set. The sun was at high peak when they finished and it takes an hour to get from between the two Vales.

Eleanora was huddled up against the bark of the tree, curled into a ball to keep any warmth that she still had in her body. The cold air from the rain wasn't helping due to it being autumn, and the fact that the sea breeze from Aromavale's shores could be felt along the path was just adding to her misery.

The blonde felt so helpless without anyone there with her. She just wished there was at least someone who could share in this experience. It wasn't until she looked up that she saw the light of a lantern coming up the hill of the path. A man with an umbrella followed that light behind it also. At first, Eleanora thought that it was someone who would be able to take her home, but, then again, it could just be a traveler who happened to have an umbrella in tow. She looked back down at her feet and dismissed the thought of the man seeing her underneath the tree.

She wished she was at home, with her sister and her lover. She had developed feelings for Humbert about six days ago, but she didn't know how to show love for him. He was the one to tell her his feelings, and she accepted the courtship he offered. To see his face light up when she said yes was the moment that her life could be happy forever whenever she was in his arms.

Eleanora kept thinking about the past few days that she didn't notice the man walking up towards her. Through little gaps in her body, she could see the light getting brighter around her. She tried looking up, only to squint at the intense brightness until her eyes could get used to it. The man in question took the light away from in front of him and held it at his side.

"Eleanora?" a voice spoke. She recognized that voice. Looking up, without squinting, she saw the familiar green eyes she's known since she was little.

"Humbert?" she asked. He smiled at the recognition and offered her his hand. Nora gently took the offered hand and stood up to be at almost eye level with him. What she barely realized was the suit he was wearing. Humbert wore a black jacket upon his blue vest and red bowtie, with a pressed white button-up underneath, and matching black dress pants alongside black dress shoes and white gloves. He also wore a black top hat upon his golden orange hair. She looked in awe at his handsomeness.

"Why are you out here? And, more importantly, why are you dressed like that?" she asked softly. He chuckled at her questions and which ranked of importance.

"I being dressed like this is more important than being out here?" he asked in amusement. That's when Eleanora realized what he meant. Blushing a deep red, she looked away from his amused smile in complete and utter embarrassment. Humbert saw this and thought she took it the wrong way. He raised her chin, so that she could look him in the eyes in all honesty.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude if I did. I was out here, walking to Crop Plain Vale, in search of the fair maiden who I gave my heart to. Considering, she didn't come home and had her mother, father, and sister worrying about her. Not to mention me." he explained. Once again, Eleanora looked down, this time shame. She had worried her family when she didn't mean to, and he took on the bold task of coming to search for her. She laid her head against his torso and wrapped her arms around his waist. In her perspective, she was really lucky to have someone so thoughtful to look out for her, even if sometimes he did go overboard. Leaning a bit to set the lantern on the ground, Humbert straightened out and placed his arms behind her head, his head resting just above her temple. They stayed that way for a few minutes before Humbert pulled away, much to the dismay of both. He offered her his arm as he picked up the lantern with one hand while holding the umbrella in the other.

"Now then, shall we head back home?" he asked. Eleanora just smiled and took the lantern out of his hand while holding his arm at the same time. He held the umbrella over both of them as they walked out from underneath the camphor tree's temporary shelter. A few steps after led Eleanora to lay her head on Humbert's shoulder as they continued through the gates of Aromavale. They both felt lucky to have each other as he kindly led her back to his home.

-(Time Lapse)-

"Oh, Eleanora. You had us worried sick." Lynette embraced the living daylights out of her daughter. Humbert and Eleanora had just entered the cottage and were greeted by the eyes of both families.

"Mom… choking, not breathing…" she wheezed at the major loss of air. A few seconds later, Lynette let go of her daughter and allowed her to breathe normally once again.

The rest of the evening followed the conversation of what happened while she was in Crop Plain Vale. Apparently, Eleanora was supposed to come home and then be escorted to a fancy dinner inside the cottage. She found out that Humbert had this planned from day one of their courtship. Like she said, he could go overboard a few times. She was flattered nonetheless. Guess that's why he was dressed so fancy. Ushering Humbert's mother, along with her own parents, Concordia allowed her sister some privacy with Humbert, not before casting a spell to change her sister's dress into a clean dark blue alternate of what it used to be. Silently thanking her sister, Eleanora turned back to look into the eyes of her lover.

She could never grow tired of just simply looking into the man's eyes and being lost within them. Looking into them was like observing an emerald in all of its glory, reflecting the light that shines upon them. A few minutes of comforting silence led them towards the small couch, him wrapping his arms around her as she leaned, once again, upon his chest. She had lost count on how many times they've been in this position before. But it didn't matter, considering how they could lose track of time when they're comforting each other.

Before the two could realize what had happened, they fell asleep in each other's embrace. No one dared bother them, especially since Eleanora sent Concordia a mental message of delight and comfort. Concordia got the hint and relayed how Humbert and her sister were doing. By this time, Bennett and Lynette had already gone to their room, and Concordia offered Analuisa her bed while she stayed up a bit longer. She was happy that Eleanora had someone else in her life besides her. That, and the fact that Humbert could be there for anyone if he felt it necessary. Happiness was smiling down upon the two families of Aromavale. That is, before the proclamation of war began.