I really had to force myself through this chapter. Things will finally get interesting after this but geez. -_-
Posting the next chapter tomorrow including all reader responses from the last two chapters. Thank you so much everyone! (Honestly I have next chapter 80% written it's gonna be awesome)
The blacksmith stretched her arms, wincing immediately in regret. She had been overworking herself and was feeling particularly sore after locking herself up in the forge for a couple days. She had forgotten how different actual sunlight felt from the intense embers in the stove, but now she closed her eyes, soaking in the warm summer rays.
The weather was simply too nice outside to not go out, she could make up for this break on those miserable winter days. Plus anyway, this was to be a productive trip to the mine- she was just taking the long way was all.
It was the outdoor scents that she relished the most, likely the only complaint she had about smithing was that there was nothing too pleasant about the ashy smell of fire tainted with metal. She had to resign herself quite ruefully that she would forever smell like a dirty penny.
Heading up the hill of the river area, she spotted Rio down below in the meadow, plucking up shippables with impressive efficiency.
Rio on the other hand, always seemed to smell like some type of flower. She had once confided in her with some embarrassment that people at her old school referred to her as some sort of fairy. Something the blonde had immediately laughed off at the shear ridiculousness.
Iroha too had thought that was a little over the top but seeing her flit between the flowers - maybe she could understand that a little. The girl's hair which was a dull yellow and unruly indoors, shone gold in the light with an untameable wildness as she bent down to inspect a toy flower. She really did look like an imp out of a story book.
She shook her head out of her inspection, she had forgotten she could actually call out to her. She was about to too, but someone else caught the blonde's attention first.
"Well, well farmer. Fancy meeting you here."
Rio smiled, "Allen." She greeted the red head.
"Shouldn't you be preparing for that crop festival or whatever?" He asked, "Do you really have time to be frolicking about?"
"It's true the festival's coming up.. but I'm not actually sure what preparing would mean. What else can I do, I've watered my plants, fertilized them, now what? Brush them? Dress them up? Tie and little bow around them and give them a pep-"
Allen shushed her, "I'm proud you're learning sarcasm but it looses its humour if you stretch it too far."
Iroha shook her head at the sight of the stylist, she had still not gotten over the shock of his more recent actions. He was a friend though, and if Rio could forgive him she had no choice but too as well. She began to make her way over to join them.
He looked at the blonde for a moment. "Any sightings from that animal dealer?" He asked.
Rio glanced at him wearily. "No. Why would I?"
The stylist smirked and Rio brought her hat back over her head. "Well he's been avoiding me like a bashful school girl since our last encounter. I swear- if he comes running back demanding I take responsibility for taking his first kiss-" The stylist paused, shaking his head in amusement. "I'm not sure what I'll do- I think you've noticed I'm not a one-girl type of guy. Definitely not the kind he wants to bring back to his mother and start a home with."
"You just surprised him was all." Rio objected in Neil's defense.
"You took this all much better than he did." Allen commented, "Both times."
"Well… I don't know, things like that can't surprise me anymore, next to my best friend you're an open book."
"Iroha is pretty straightforward." He replied with some confusion.
"Iroha?" Rio asked. Iroha paused with slight hurt. She had never really thought of things like best friends but that didn't mean Rio had to look like that was such a baseless assumption.
"I meant my college roommate Chelsea, she's you scaled up ten notches."
"I'll have to try harder I suppose." Allen shrugged, "I'd hate to think my watered-down personality is boring you."
"That's not what I-"
"Anyway," Allen said shaking his head, "You're actually rather good at de-railing me. This is not want I wanted to tease you about. Let's talk about your crush."
A hand quickly went to his mouth. "SHHHH!"
"It's not like anyone is here." Iroha ducked into the shrubs as he glanced around and then grimaced, why did she hide?! Well it would have been weird if she were just standing there staring at them. There was no getting out of it now.
"Well, I don't really feel like talking about it." She heard the farmer say timidly. " It's also something to never be discussed in public! Top secret! Between you and me only!"
So now they were keeping secrets from her? Two needles in her heart within a minute.
"What do you even see in that dope?" Allen asked.
"I don't know! I've just always… He's always there exactly when I need him you know? He can just be so nice…"
Iroha, currently hidden did not see the incredibly incredulous look Allen gave Rio at 'nice'. Instead she froze. There was only one person they could possibly be talking about. Rod. There weren't many young men in the village and only one you could tag 'nice' to. Which would probably explain why they were bound to fall for the same guy. Could she compete with Rio though? Her chest sunk because she knew the answer.
"Somehow even though you're not physically laughing… I feel like your laughing at me." Rio said dryly.
"Never. I'm a gentleman. Though this is all just so sickeningly sweet- I wonder what Iroha will say? You know she-"
" 'will say'? There is no 'will say' she's DEFINITELY not finding out. I told you, this secret's mine and yours only." Rio said firmly which only heightened Iroha's suspicions. Rio knew about how she felt about Rod, so of course she'd keep it a secret from her.
They talked about a couple other mundane things after that before gradually heading off and Iroha emerged from the bushes; suddenly regretting her walk very much.
The day got worse from there. She could only seem to find junk ores in the mine and returning to the forge, she had made a terrible mistake on her ongoing project, forcing her to re-melt the metal and start from scratch.
It was three in the afternoon when the farmer came to visit. The blacksmith continued her work at the anvil, beating the metal down.
"Hey Iroha! Hows the day treating you?" She grinned.
Clank!
Although usually level-headed, irritation welled up in her. "Not too well." She said stiffly.
Clank!
"Is something wrong?" Rio frowned.
She glanced away from what she was doing to look at Rio, resting the red hot metal on the anvil's surface and her hammer on the ground.
"I'm sorry Rio. I'm just a little tired." She apologized, she was acting childish she realized, she couldn't blame Rio for liking the same guy, those things just happen. Plus it was her own fault she had never even attempted to get closer to him. Though it still was a little poor of Rio to not tell her.
"Oh believe me I get it." Rio nodded sympathetically. "I was you a week or so back. You really should get some rest if you're feeling off though."
"I'm just fine." Iroha immediately dismissed and reached for her project, forgetting part of it was searing hot. An intense pain shot through her fingertips and she immediately recoiled, falling back with a pained screech.
"Goddess!" Rio exclaimed in alarm, grabbing the cleanest towel she could find.
Iroha sighed, not yet brave enough to inspect the burn before Rio wrapped it up. "We have to see Klaus right now!" She panicked.
A visit to be yelled at by Klaus was really not what she needed on this already horrible day but there was no way around it, Rio had already rushed her out the door.
When they arrived at the hospital, Klaus was talking to a younger man in a matching coat. Upon noticing the two at the door, his expression soured. "Hello again Doctor Klaus." Iroha said with a shaky voice. He dismissed the other doctor before turning his attention back to them, readjusting his glasses. Iroha she gulped.
It took ten minutes for her wounds to be treated, then significantly longer for Klaus to stop lecturing her on how she never should have received those injuries in the first place. "How many times do you have to come here before you realize you need to be more careful?!" The man snapped.
Iroha bent her head, knowing that any excuse would only keep her there longer. "You are right. I am sorry."
"No really," He pressed, "I'm asking you how many times?"
"I've learnt my lesson." Iroha said somberly.
"Good because I will not allow this to happen again." He sniffed. With that you would think the matter was dropped but it obviously wasn't. He picked back up on his rant, questioning her intellect and even at one point urging Rio to tear down the forge the next time she hurt herself.
Rio of course refused, and made the mistake of telling him that it was her fault this time around for distracting Iroha, which of course led to him going off on her.
The blacksmith forgot her annoyance at the farmer, quickly empathizing as it was now Rio's turn to duck her head and nod deafly to his lecture. He proceeded to go off on a tangent about Rio's own health. She interrupted him to protest, a rookie mistake Iroha winced.
"Pull up a chair." He told the farmer darkly, "I think it's about time I lecture you both."
The two exchanged a panicked look but begrudgingly complied.
They were out of the hospital an hour later, the two friends slogging their way back home wearily.
"I never knew a lecture could be so mentally draining." Iroha mumbled.
Rio couldn't even manage a reply. Se grunted her agreeance.
"I'm sorry you had to be there to get caught up in it all, but I'm glad you were there none the less." She smiled weakly. She meant it, there she was getting so upset about Rio keeping secrets from her that she forgot what an amazing friend she was.
"Of course, you know I always have your back." Rio laughed. "We're together through the good and bad- 'cause we're friends you know?"
The blacksmith could have cried, but she didn't. Instead she did something grossly out of character, pulling her friend into a tight hug. Rio laughed some more and tentatively returned it. "Geez what's with you today?"
A horse's whinny pulled them apart and they looked back in alarm to the town square.
Rod was frantically trying to get a grey mare under control, she reared up and he backed up. Neil hopped the desk of his own stall to help him out. Together they managed to calm her.
Iroha turned her attention back to Rio and paused. The blonde continued to watch the boys with a distant expression playing across her face. A light smile crossed her lips and the pit in Iroha's stomache found it's way back. She pushed it away and took a deep breath in. "Rio, I know."
"Know what?" She asked in confusion.
"I overheard you and Allen today… about your 'crush'." She stated.
Rio's eyes went wide as saucers and she quickly removed her hat to place to her lips. "Oh." Was all she could manage.
"I've been thinking about it and… at first I was upset naturally. Plus that you kept it a secret from me didn't help but I don't want to lose you over something as silly as a boy, I've never had a friend I've felt as close to as you. So just know I think you should go for it."
"Really?" Asked the farmer.
Iroha nodded.
"You don't think it's a bad idea?"
"Why would I? You too are quite suited for each other."
"You really think so?"
"More so than I would be…" The blacksmith said quietly.
The farmer blinked, suddenly sensing the disconnect. "You?"
The blacksmith tilted her head, "Well you did know my feelings for him."
"Are we… are we talking about Rod?" Rio asked dumbly.
"We're not?" Iroha blinked.
"….No."
"Then who?"
Rio sighed. She was going to really regret this. "…Neil"
Iroha gawked and Rio shifted nervously on either foot, feeling a heightened gravity under her gaze. "Neil." Iroha repeated thinking that couldn't possibly be right.
"Yeah." She attempted a smile, "So I guess we aren't into the same guy, that's good news right?"
Iroha shook her head before grabbing her friend by the arms. "Rio! What on Earth are you thinking?! You two hated each other!"
The farmer looked away sadly. She really thought for a moment Iroha would understand, but she was too reasonable. To mature and motherly.
"You're going to get hurt." She urged, "You know how he is. Give him your heart and he could very easily stomp on it."
"Neil doesn't want to hurt anybody." Rio mumbled.
"He doesn't want to but that doesn't stop him." Iroha scoffed. "Just remember how horribly he treated you at the beginning, what on Earth made you decide to like him?!"
Tables had turned and now Rio was upset. "You just don't understand! I just like him okay? You said you wouldn't let a guy come between us!"
"That was before."
"And this is now." Rio said dryly.
"I'm just trying to look out for you…"
"Yeah fine, I'll just stop liking him. Easy." The farmer glared at her, "I wasn't going to do anything about this crush… Like I wasn't going to confess or anything. I was really happy though when you said I should."
"I'm sorry Rio." Iroha sighed. She just couldn't agree with how reckless she was being. "But you understand right? You always hear the horror stories of girls ending up with the wrong guy- those dark and moody types with just their faces going for them. I just don't want to see you in that situation. You're so smart. You're too smart to think you can change a bad boy."
The farmer shook her head. "He's not like that. I don't want to change him." She sighed deciding the fight wasn't worth it. "The crop festival's tomorrow." She said numbly. "I should go get my stuff together." With that she left and Iroha watched her go sadly. This just wasn't her day.
The festival was much more impressive than the season before. In the spring the village was still just barely more than a couple houses with next to no spectators. Word of the village's recent success though had to be spreading, with twice the participant's tourism for the week boomed, and in great time since the inn had just been rebuilt.
Dunhill seemed ecstatic. Vendors had even approached him to set up shop and the festival field was now transformed into what looked like a country fair.
Rio didn't have the capacity to take in any of this though. She paced back and forth frantically. There was some relief in that she had done everything she could but the drought had played a major part in interrupting the growth and re-seed of her crops. She had registered in expert class under Dunhill's instruction and everyone had such high hopes for her.
The competition having heard rumour of her, eyed her wearily. They'd probably never respect her after this if she lost.
She looked sick and stressed enough that a number of villagers had to stop and make sure she didn't need a visit to the clinic.
"Hey…" A voice said.
Rio jumped and wheeled around.
The man who they had seen talking to Klaus at the hospital jumped back a little in alarm. "Nervous I take it?" He chuckled.
"Uh, yeah… a little." She admitted.
"Well, you certainly don't need to be. You were the Agriculture Queen after all." He smiled.
Rio groaned, "Even you know too? Please don't say that."
The man smiled apologetically. "Sorry, believe me I get it."
"Really?" Rio asked.
"I was actually the king of the medical school last year." He explained. "I wouldn't expect you to know of me or anything since the post-grad degrees are kind of separated out, but I get how ridiculous the whole title thing feels." He explained.
Rio's eyes teared, and she clamped her hands around his. "You really do understand." She sniffed.
"Sure does put a lot more pressure into everything though, everyone expecting so much more of you. Like we'd be doing rounds and I just know I have to know the answer to every single question or I'll lose all respect. Since we're either perfect or nothing you know?" He sighed.
Rio nodded fervently.
"I'm Trent by the way." He smiled, "I'm getting some guidance under Klaus before I return to my clinic in Mineral town. That's where your previous Queen Claire is actually."
"Oh really? So that-" Rio's question fell short as she heard Dunhill announce the start of the judging. She was rendered immobile in fright.
Trent smiled at her reassuringly and she nodded, wobbling away. Iroha shook her shoulder in encouragment as she past and Allen smirked at her in a way that was either reassuring or 'at least if things go wrong it'll be entertaining'.
She caught a flash of a red coat in the crowd though and that's when she really found the strength to compose herself. She needed to go up there in confidence, it was the least she could do for Neil who had gone to so much effort to keep her crops alive so that she could participate.
Her mint was very good, but certainly not what she deemed worthy of first. She had overlooked of course, that the drought hit the others too. With that being said, she won.
Rio beamed and immediately scanned the field zoning in on her target almost immediately. Neil almost looked confused to see her bee-line for him. "Neil!" She said happily.
"Hey." He said keeping his arms crossed uncomfortably, "Congrats."
She giggled.
"Uh. Shouldn't you be celebrating with your buddies?" He asked.
"I had to thank you first!" She insisted, "I never would have won without your help this season."
"Well, no problem I guess." He nodded.
Just then a woman's voice interrupted them, "Well if it isn't Romeo and Juliet?" She had announced this loudly enough to peek nearby attention as well, other villagers including Iroha and Allen slowed down in their tracks to listen in.
"What?" Rio blinked.
The woman seemed a little embarrassed by her outburst, "Sorry- of course you two wouldn't know those names, we tend to give our regulars nicknames and forget they aren't their real names…"
The two continued to look at the woman blankly. She was of a sturdy figure, with kind eyes and curly brown hair that were vaguely familiar.
"Do you remember a little coffee shop near HM University?" She asked. They nodded. " I own it." The woman explained.
Rio suddenly recognized her. "Oh right! I can't believe I didn't know that! Now that I'm really looking at you, of course I know who you are. What are you doing all the way here? It's such a coincidence."
The woman beamed, "I decided to check out more local herbs for our teas and desserts- which of course I'll be needing to talk to you about later- but more importantly, it's so nice to see the two of you together!"
She laughed at their questioning looks, "Oh come on, don't act like you two haven't been in love with each other for years before this point."
The pair's faces immediately burst red. "What?!" They both objected.
"That's why you call us Romeo and Juliet?" Rio asked quietly.
"You always were adorable", she said affectionately ruffling the farmer's hat. "That's what everyone at the shop called you two. You were actually quite famous, people even came in when it wasn't their shift just to see what we were talking about."
"….." Neil and Rio remained quiet.
The woman shook her head in exasperated disbelief. "Well I mean, FOUR YEARS. Four years you guys were exchanging glances and the timing was just never right that you made eye contact. We had half a mind to force you guys together!"
"?!" The matching expression they sent her was of shock and disbelief.
Then they shot that look to each other.
Allen looked like he was having a field day, the café owner turned to him conversationally, "Honestly, we had a running bet on whether they'd make eye contact on a particular day. It only happened only once and by then the pot was so big, our girl Angie was getting free coffee for a year."
Truthfully Rio remembered that day, he was leaving the waiting que with his coffee, she was entering and their eyes met for a second. She was MORTIFIED to know other people remembered it too.
"This story is ridiculous. You all were seeing stuff that wasn't there" Neil scoffed.
She rose her eyebrow, "You're not convincing me at all, did she not run straight to you after winning?" Rio froze.
"And why is it I've suddenly not seen you at the café since she graduated?" She nudged him playfully.
He glanced away, using the excuse, "There's a restaurant here now." A little to late to sound convincing.
She laughed, "You two are so cute, I'll have to tell the baristas you two ended up together." With that she scampered off, unwitting of the bomb she had just dropped.
"I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone to discuss this recent turn of events." Allen grinned, grabbing Iroha from behind and whisking her off as well.
There was complete silence. Well, the fair still continued to wind down in the background but as long as the other stayed quiet, to them, it might as well have been pin-drop silence.
"…Soooo." Rio started.
His face twisted from shock to disgust and she grimaced, bad signed.
He wheeled on her, "Is that true?"
"Wh-what? N-no of course not." She stuttered.
"You come up to me saying you wanted to be friends but you've been stalking me for four years?" He asked.
Rio felt incredibly hurt, but then that was quickly replaced by anger. "NO." She said firmly. "I don't appreciate you accusing me of that when she said we both were guilty. It's like someone saying, 'you two robbed a bank' and you turning to me and saying 'how could you rob a bank?!'" She waved her arms around, "Doesn't make much sense does it?!"
"No, that comparison doesn't make much sense." He responded.
They were quickly spinning into an argument quite like the ones they stopped having a season ago. Luckily, the festival geared down after the main event and most of the people from out of town had already left.
Only a couple villagers remained watching the two go at it quite worriedly as they trickled out of the festival area.
Soon they were the only ones left in the empty field, both thoroughly frustrated and drained. "You know what? WHATEVER." Rio spat. "Why should I even justify myself to a creep like you?"
"Ditto." He said under his breath.
"I'm going home, enjoy being the piece of trash you are." She balled her fists and walked away, quite pleased with both having the last word AND leaving him all alone in the field.
Yes, she was quite satisfied with herself, until she found herself inside Iroha's workshop. The blacksmith looked at her in concern and that was all it took for her to burst out crying.
"You were so right." She sobbed.