How Fortunate

by Ghoulogic

It's at the small bustling town of Sunshade where their paths first intertwine. A dancer, one forever haunted by the harsh cruelties of the world. And an apothecary, one who shines brightly in the face of those same cruelties. Their chosen paths will take them to places and sights unlike any other, but at least they'll be walking side by side during this grand adventure.

9. Love I

The second Alfyn saw the familiar rooftops of his neighbor's houses his heart leapt for joy.

"Oh man, oh man! We're finally here guys! We made it!" The apothecary shouted, running ahead of the group without a second thought.

Behind him, Tressa pumped her fists into the air and let out an excited yell. "Hell yeah! Out with the Cliftlands and in with the Riverlands!" The young merchant ran ahead of the party as well, jumping on top of Alfyn's back without warning.

"It's about damn time. It's really freaking nice to actually see something green again." Therion grinned. "Can't wait to finally try the mead Alfyn's been goin' on about."

"Agreed. I do hope we'll pay a visit to the tavern later." Olberic nodded, nudging Therion's shoulder with his elbow. The thief's grin stretched out even further. It seemed that the two of them were on the same wavelength.

"Knowing Alfyn I'm sure we'll be there fairly early into the night." Ophilia laughed. Beside her H'aanit smiled and gently patted Linde's head. The snow leopard wagged her tail happily, eager to explore the new town.

"Well, shall we make our way over then?" Cyrus said, walking ahead towards the young merchant and apothecary.

Everyone followed suit except for Primrose, who was staring at the rooftops with wide eyes. She took a couple of hesitant steps forward, only to stop after a few seconds and look downwards.

Noticing the dancer lagging behind, Ophilia turned around and called out to her. "Primrose? Is everything alright?"

Hearing her name, the brunette brought her gaze upwards and met Ophilia's eyes. She was looking at her with a concerned look, as she always did whenever one of her companions was acting strangely. Giving her a quick nod, Primrose made her way beside Ophilia and the two women started walking towards the rest of the group together. As they got closer, the butterflies in the dancer's stomach only became increasingly restless.

"Are you sure you're okay? Your face is very tense." Ophilia asked.

"Is it? I don't feel tense." Primrose shook her head. "But perhaps it's because…"

"Hmm?"

"I think it's because I've been looking forward to visiting Clearbrook for so long." Primrose confessed, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe I'm just nervous about whether or not it'll live up to my expectations."

Ophilia smiled warmly and gave the dancer a slight nod. "I can see that. I was very anxious myself when I finally got to visit the Goldshore cathedral, but as soon as I saw it all my nervousness went away. So don't worry, I'm sure everything is going to be great!"

Primrose responded to Ophilia with a warm smile of her own. She always knew what to say to comfort someone who was feeling distressed. If anyone was the mother of their group, it was most certainly the cleric. She had stepped into that role the very first day that they all started traveling together, and thankfully, she hadn't stopped playing the part since. If it wasn't for her guidance and discipline, then each member of their party would have likely succumbed to their own foolishness a long time ago.

Primrose herself included.

As the young women approached the town's entrance, the dancer saw Alfyn walking back towards them with a large grin plastered across his face. He came to a stop right next to the entrance sign, and put both of his hands on his hips as he waited for them both. The way he looked now, it was as if the apothecary had never left Clearbrook and was simply welcoming two wandering travelers into his beloved home.

"I'll go on ahead." Ophilia giggled, taking a quick look at the dancer next to her.

"Ah, Ophilia. Wait—"

"Heya, Prim! Could I talk with ya for a sec?"

Primrose stopped and turned towards Alfyn with a slanted smile. She gave Ophilia a quick wave before making her way over to him, stifling a giggle when she saw the blonde's face flush red as Cyrus approached her. Knowing the professor, it was most likely because he had made some oblivious comment on the cleric's beauty. Still, the dancer knew that Ophilia reacted a bit more affectionately to the scholar's remarks than the rest of the girls. It was fairly obvious what was starting to kindle between the two of them.

Pun not intended.

However, Ophilia and Cyrus weren't the only ones who were getting special attention. There was another pair among their group whose relationship had also recently begun to stir.

Primrose would know. She was one-half of that pair, after all.

"Alfyn." Primrose greeted the other half with a small wave.

"What's with ya? You're stiff as a laundry board." The apothecary chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "Lemme guess, your feet are sore?"

Primrose raised an eyebrow curiously. "You can tell now?"

"Actually, I've been able to from the moment we met. Just realized it was probably better to wait for ya to come to me 'bout it. Cause otherwise I'd be rubbin' your feet every hour of the day." Alfyn grinned.

"I see. Well, now that you have told me that, I'll be coming to you far more often than before." Primrose smirked, placing one of her hands on her hips. "Only because you're so generous."

"You sure it ain't outta spite?"

"Of course not. Do I look like a spiteful person to you?"

Alfyn narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Well, maybe a little." The dancer giggled, tilting her head slightly. Even if she couldn't see them, Primrose knew that her cat-like eyes were shining mischievously. She couldn't help it. This was her nature.

"Yeah, sure." Alfyn said slowly, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "If I had to choose one word to describe ya, it'd be between beautiful, mischievous, or spiteful."

"Well, I'd prefer the former." Primrose smiled before giving Alfyn a playful wink.

The apothecary laughed heartily, leaning against the entrance sign with both of his arms. Seeing him so overjoyed about being back in his hometown made Primrose's chest warm up a bit. She knew that Alfyn had always felt a little homesick because he had left Clearbrook so suddenly. It wasn't like he had left without telling anyone, like Primrose had done so in Sunshade. But unlike her, Alfyn actually had a close relationship with all the townspeople. It had to have been very hard for him to leave without explaining himself to anyone.

Aside from Zeph, of course.

Speaking of, Primrose was finally going to meet Zeph. She had heard so much about him from Alfyn that it almost felt as if she knew him already. It was going to be quite strange to finally see what he looked like, especially considering the fact that Zeph probably didn't know she even existed. Alfyn never wrote back home, after all. Even so, the dancer couldn't wait to shake his hand and thank him for everything that he had done for her favorite apothecary.

So, with that being said…

"You wanted to speak with me?" Primrose asked.

"Shucks, almost forgot!" Alfyn exclaimed. "Well, you probably already know what I'm gonna say, don't ya?"

Primrose smiled, crossing her arms below her chest. "It's about our promise, isn't it?"

"You've been lookin' forward to this, haven't ya?" Alfyn said, the corners of his mouth starting to curve upwards.

"Mhmm. Ever since that night when you pledged to take me here." The dancer hummed. "It's been on my mind practically every day since then, and now that we've finally arrived, well…saying I am excited would be an understatement."

"Do you remember exactly what I told you, though?"

"Huh?"

"I said I'd take you here and introduce you to everyone. Then we'd take a walk through the forest, go for a swim in the river, and have a picnic at the big hill right outside of town." Alfyn smiled, his brown eyes glowing with emotion. "I also said I'd teach you how to fish here when we didn't get a chance to in Rippletide. And don't think I'm letting us leave before we get a chance to dance."

Primrose's eyes widened. Had he remembered all of this from way back then?

"What I'm tryna say is, don't worry. Cause I haven't forgotten." Alfyn declared, caressing the dancer's right arm gently with the palm of his hand. "I know you've been waiting for this for a long time, and so have I. So let's have the time of our lives, alright?"

Primrose blinked. After a few moments, she let out a deep chuckle and shook her head slowly. Taking his hand off her arm, she laced her fingers around his and looked up to meet the apothecary's eyes. She noticed that his face was slightly flushed, likely embarrassed from her soft touch. Taking one last look at the entrance sign, the dancer sighed happily and nudged her head towards the town.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

---

Clearbrook was everything that Primrose had wanted and more.

The first thing that she noticed about the town was that it was slightly larger than she had expected. It certainly wasn't anything overly large, but it was decently sized. Comparing it to the other hometowns of her companions, Primrose would rank it somewhere in the middle. Behind the great cities of Atlasdam and Flamesgrace, of course, but ahead of smaller settlements like S'warkii and Cobbleston. Ironically, it seemed to be just about the same size as her previous home, Sunshade.

The next thing the dancer noticed was the sheer amount of people that were outside. If she had to guess, well over half of the townspeople were outdoors, going about their daily lives peacefully and with smiles on their faces. First, there were the various people who were simply chatting outside their homes or taking a walk through the town. Each of them talking amiably without a single care in the world.

The children were down at the river, playing some sort of kid's game in groups of four. Even from the edge of the town, Primrose could hear their yelling and laughter as the games reached their climactic ends. Not far from the water was a small hill, where the mothers were sitting down on the grass conversing with one another as they looked over their sons and daughters.

Further out was a stone bridge that connected each half of the town. On it was a small group of young men leaning over the edge and skipping stones into the water below. It seemed like they were competing to see who could send their rocks the farthest, and every time someone would make a good throw they would all get rowdy and yell out gibberish while pointing fingers at each other. Every once in a while, someone would cross the bridge and the men would greet them happily with wide grins and lazy waves, putting their competition on hold completely.

And of course, almost all of them spoke with the same accent as Alfyn's.

The last thing she noticed was the scenery. Alfyn had once said that he didn't think there was a place in the entire continent that had more green than Clearbrook, and he was right. The grass and trees were lush and bright, and could be found in nearly every corner of the town. Even the rooftops had their fair share of greenery, as each one was marked with small patches of grasses and weeds.

Then there was the river. The dancer had heard about the Riverland water from some of the traveling patrons in the Sunshade tavern, back when she was still working there with Yusufa. They described the river almost as if it was holy, so clean and pure that you could see the fish swimming around just by looking downwards. Now that she had a chance to see it for herself, Primrose was pleased to find that the rumors were true. The stream of water glistened beautifully beneath the golden sun, and every so often the dancer would see a couple of shadows frantically skirting underneath the surface.

The river was like its own little world, one that was shared between the aquatic life that inhabited it and the benevolent people of Clearbrook that had kept it pristine for generations.

Primrose almost lost herself in the beauty of the river until she heard a small commotion ahead of her. Turning her head to see what was going on, she saw the rest of her companions being greeted by some of the townsfolk. Each of them had a welcoming smile on their face, and one of them was already talking with Olberic about making sure their group's stay here was a pleasant one. He was a young man around her age, with long caramel-colored hair and eyes of the same shade of color. He was plain-looking, but still handsome, and his warm smile reminded her a lot of a certain someone she knew.

As soon as she saw him dressed in the same forest green jacket that she had grown to be so fond of, she knew exactly who the young man was. However, before she could even say anything, Alfyn tightened his hand around hers and tugged them both forward. His pace slowly sped up as they got closer and closer to the crowd of people in front of him. When they were only a few steps away, the apothecary couldn't hold himself back any longer and opened his mouth to speak.

"Looks like you're doing pretty well, aren't ya? Big brother."

The young man's eyes immediately widened, and he turned to face Primrose and Alfyn with an incredulous look on his face. As soon he laid his eyes on them, however, his expression changed into one of absolute joy and relief.

"Is that you, Alfyn?" The young man asked, not believing what was right in front of him.

Alfyn's eyes began to tear up, and he barely managed to choke out his answer.

"Yeah. I'm home, Zeph."

The embrace the two shared after that was something that Primrose would never forget. She never had a sibling, so she never quite understood how strong a brother's love could be. Until now, of course. Alfyn and Zeph weren't related, the dancer knew that. Everyone knew that the two apothecaries didn't share a single drop of blood. Even so, watching them grasp each other so tightly and emotionally made it was clear to everyone there that these two young men were brothers.

That was all there was to it.

"Oh gods, it's really you Alf! What are you doing here?! How have you been? Why—" Zeph laughed breathlessly, finally letting go of Alfyn. "Dohter himself, I-I have so many questions that I can't even get them all out properly!"

Alfyn laughed as well, waving his hands out flat in front of him. "Haha, woah! Hold your horses there, man! I'll answer 'em all later, don't worry. Anyways, I—"

"ALFYN!"

Before he could even finish speaking, the rest of the townsfolk crowded around the apothecary, smothering him in between everyone so that he couldn't escape.

"Golly, it really is you! Hey everyone! Alfyn is back! He's finally back!"

"Alfyn! What took you so long?! We missed you!"

"Good to see ya again, old chap! Have you grown taller since we last saw ye?"

"Heya buddy! We hittin' the tavern later, eh?"

"Oh goodness me! Look at how much you've grown! Oh, it feels like just yesterday you were a small little boy…"

"Shucks! It's really good to see you guys! Ah, damnit…" Alfyn shouted, trying to free himself from the mob. "Hey! You guys mind giving me room to breathe?! I'll catch up with you all later, promise! Just let me talk with Zeph first."

Reluctantly, the crowd of people moved away from the apothecary and went back to their daily lives. Primrose had to hold in her laughter once she saw Alfyn again. His hair was in complete disarray, and his clothes were so disheveled that he looked like he had just been run over by a raging bull. Alfyn shook his head vigorously and blinked a few times to get his bearings back. Once he did, he turned back towards Zeph with a toothy grin.

"Wow! I could barely breathe in there! Guess everyone really missed me, huh?" Alfyn chuckled as he ruffled his hair back into place with his hand.

"I'll say. Wait until Nina hears that you're back. She's going to be all over you for who knows how long." Zeph nodded.

"Oh crap, that's right! Nina! Shucks, I can't wait to see how much she's grown!" Alfyn yelled, looking over Zeph's shoulder. "Wait, she's not behind you? Where is she?"

"In the forest with Lily. She told me she would be back around lunchtime though." Zeph answered, pointing his thumb at the trees behind him. "Which reminds me, that's coming up soon. Why don't we head to my place and we can talk while we eat?"

"That sounds great! Can we please have—"

"Grilled fish and potatoes? Of course, it's your favorite after all."

"Then what are we waitin' for!?" Alfyn beamed, pumping his fist into the air in excitement. "Let's get going!"

"Ahem."

The two apothecaries froze in place upon hearing the deep voice and turned towards it with ashamed looks on their faces. Olberic was staring at them with an amused grin and with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The knight had to force himself not to chuckle. Alfyn and Zeph had been so lost in their conversation that they had nearly forgotten about all of them. Seeing them act like this only made their brotherly bond that much more obvious.

Also, who could blame them?

"Whoops! S-sorry guys, almost forgot." Alfyn stammered sheepishly. Turning towards Zeph and smiling widely, the apothecary gestured to his fellow travelers with his hand. "Zeph, I want ya to meet the people I've been travelin' with. We've been together for a little over nine months, and they've helped me out a ton. There ain't a better group of people in the entire world!"

"We've already introduced ourselves, but allow me to say thank you for everything that you have done for Alfyn." Zeph bowed. "Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you during your stay to show my appreciation. A friend of my brothers is a friend of mine."

"Nonsense. The pleasures all ours, Master Zeph. Well met." Olberic replied with a warm smile. The rest of the group nodded in agreement beside the knight, each of them sporting their own friendly smile.

As they all reacquainted themselves, Primrose gave Alfyn a light tap on his shoulder to remind him of her presence. The apothecary turned around to meet her eyes, and as soon as he did so she mouthed something to him silently. Alfyn nodded slowly, understanding exactly what she was trying to tell him.

"So, shall we get you all situated at the inn? It's over there right next to my place." Zeph said, pointing at a building on the other side of town. "Don't worry, Alfyn and I will make sure that you all aren't charged a single leaf."

"Actually, Zeph. Before that…"

Alfyn took Primrose's hand into his own once again and held onto it gently as his brother turned back towards him. "I've got someone I wanna introduce you to."

"Oh, my apologies. I got a bit ahead of myself there." Zeph chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He did so in the same way Alfyn always did when he was embarrassed.

Alfyn gave him a light smile before turning his head towards the dancer. "Zeph, this is Primrose. She's the one that's been together with me the longest in our group. We met in Sunshade right after I left Clearbrook, and ever since then she's been by my side. Honestly, I don't know what'd I do without her."

"I see. Primrose, was it?" Zeph smiled warmly, extending out a hand towards the brunette. He raised a curious eyebrow when he noticed their joined hands. "It is lovely to make your acquaintance. Thank you for taking care of Alfyn for so long. I know he can be a handful sometimes."

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that. Think nothing of it, what I do for Alfyn is only a small fraction of what he does for me." Primrose laughed, shaking Zeph's hand sincerely. "It is so nice to finally meet you, Zeph. Alfyn has told me so much about you, and it's great to finally put a face to a name."

"All good things, I hope?"

"Of course."

"Shucks, I never thought I'd see the day that you two would finally meet!" Alfyn said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Heya, Prim! See? I told ya I was taller than him!"

"I can see that, unfortunately." Primrose sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "But still, it's not like you're towering over him. You're only slightly taller."

"Not true! I've got about half a head over him." Alfyn argued. He made his way beside Zeph and stood next to him shoulder-to-shoulder. "Take a look and tell me I'm wrong."

"U-um, Alfyn…" Zeph mumbled, stepping back slightly.

"Shh! Well, whaddya think?" Alfyn shushed quickly, before turning back towards the dancer.

Primrose hummed thoughtfully and began twirling her hair around her finger. After a few moments, her lips curled into a playful smirk. "No, not quite. I'll give you a quarter head, and nothing more. Your hair makes you look taller than you actually are."

"What? There's no way!" Alfyn paled, looking over at Zeph with panicked eyes. "Did ya get taller since I left?"

"I'm not sure, but…Nina did say one day that she thought I had grown a bit over the last couple of months." Zeph replied. "Lily mentioned it as well."

"Oh no. There's no way. Don't tell me…you've hit another growth spurt!?" Alfyn yelled, his eyes widening considerably. "Aw, man! You're gonna pass me up in no time!"

"Even if that were the case, it's hard to believe that I'd be able to even catch up to you, much less surpass your height entirely." Zeph claimed. "Besides, there's also the possibility you'll grow taller as well."

"Yeah! And to do that, I've gotta make sure I'm keeping myself well-fed." Alfyn laughed. "So how about we head over to your place and cook us up some fish! I'm startin' to get mighty hungry."

"That sounds perfect." Zeph nodded, before turning to face Primrose with a gentle smile. "And Primrose, it would be great if you could join us. I'd love to hear all about your travels."

"I would be more than happy to." The dancer smiled happily. She wouldn't pass this up for the world. Besides, Primrose was beginning to feel hungry as well, and if the grilled fish was as good as Alfyn had made it out to be, then she was in for a treat.

"You all are welcome as well, of course." Zeph offered, turning around and facing the rest of the group with open arms.

"Well, that sounds just lov—Ouch!" Cyrus yelped, rubbing his side gingerly. He frowned at Therion next to him, as he had just pinched the professor from behind.

"Why?"

"Just shut up Captain Moron. I'll explain at the inn."

Olberic chuckled and shook his head after a few moments. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid we're all still tired from the trek this morning. I think it'd be best for us six to go settle ourselves at the inn and rest for some time."

"Ah, yes. Of course." Zeph nodded. "I understand completely. Would you like me to come with you to help sort everything out?"

"No, it's alright! We can handle it from here." Ophilia reassured, stepping forward and meeting Zeph's eyes with her own. "We'll come join you a few hours after lunch is over."

"Very well. Meryl's father, Gilford, is the innkeeper. Talk to him and let him know that you're staying as guests of mine. He'll take care of you." Zeph instructed.

"Understood." Olberic nodded. "Well then, I suppose it's time we left. Thank you again, Zeph. I am looking forward to conversing more later."

"Likewise. I wish you all a good rest."

Briefly saying their goodbyes, Primrose and Alfyn waved their companions farewell as they left to go relax at the inn. As they crossed the stone bridge that led to the other side of town, the dancer noticed Ophilia slowly turn her head back towards her. Primrose locked eyes with the blonde for a few seconds, expecting her to wave back or smile briefly as she usually did. Instead, the cleric sent her a playful wink, and turned back around before the dancer had a chance to respond.

Primrose let out a small huff. She knew exactly what Ophilia was trying to say, and it wasn't appreciated. When exactly had she become so cheeky? Oh well, she'd have to get back at her later. Because right now, the only thing the dancer was thinking about was enjoying what little time she had here.

And what better way to start than with a nice, hot meal?

---

"Oh, so you're a dancer? That's wonderful. We've never really dabbled in any of the finer arts here in Clearbrook, but we still love to dance."

"So I hear. Alfyn tells me that you all dance for enjoyment rather than for performance. I'm excited to see exactly what he means by that later tonight."

Zeph let out a small laugh in response and took his first bite out of his fish. Judging by his satisfied expression, it appeared that the meat had been cooked fairy well. That only made Primrose's stomach growl a little louder. She needed Alfyn to hurry up and finish cooking the rest of his portion, or else she was going to start eating without him. The dancer wasn't one to let her hunger control her, but even she couldn't resist the tempting smell from the grilled fish much longer.

Primrose and the two apothecaries had made their way to Zeph's residence shortly after parting with the rest of their friends. Alfyn and Zeph had started preparing their meal as soon as they arrived, both of them clearly eager to eat lunch. While they cooked, Primrose passed the time by taking a look around Zeph's cottage. It was a small home with a very relaxed and cozy charm to it, made out of wooden flooring and smooth clay walls. It looked just like what she always imagined Alfyn's home to look like.

Upon entering through the front door, there was a large wooden bookshelf that held many different types of pots, vases, and containers that were likely used for both cooking and medicine. Next to it was a small nightstand with a small vase of flowers resting on top and a small cabinet that was used to store miscellaneous items. Behind both pieces of furniture were various pots of plants and herbs strung up along the wall, and were illuminated by the candles that were on the dinner table nearby and a few lanterns. Underneath the table was a pretty pink and yellow carpet, which was decorated with a flowery pattern alongside the edges.

A few steps away from the dinner table was the fireplace and chimney, which were both completely made of cobblestone. Hanging over the fire was a decently sized metal pot, which was what Alfyn had used to cook the diced potatoes. Next to the fireplace and against the corner wall was the kitchen area, which was surrounded by various cooking utensils and appliances. Most of the ingredients were in bags and knapsacks that were underneath the table or pressed up against it on the sides.

The final area of Zeph's house was the sleeping area, which Primrose assumed was also where the apothecary took care of his patients throughout the day. It was tucked away in the far corner of the house, and consisted of two adequately sized beds and a wooden chest with flowers set up next to it atop another nightstand. The chest contained all the common tools that the apothecary needed to work effectively, while the nightstand was likely used to hold Zeph and his little sister's clothing.

The house was plain, modest, and humble. It was quite different from what Primrose was used to with the Azelhart manor, but she still found it pleasant. Sometimes simplicity was the ultimate sophistication.

"You have such a lovely home here, Zeph. I have to confess that I am finding myself feeling slightly jealous." Primrose remarked. "The dormitories in Sunshade were not exactly the most flattering place to live in."

"Oh, that's right…working as a dancer in Sunshade must have been a terrible experience." Zeph grimaced, looking downwards solemnly. "I can only imagine what you had to deal with. I'm sure you were forced to go through some very…appalling experiences."

"Yes, I have many memories from my time there that I would desperately like to forget. But I can only blame myself for putting myself in that position." Primrose chuckled sadly. Realizing something, she met Zeph's eyes once more. "Speaking of, I'm surprised that you reacted to my past so well. Most people respond with contempt or disdain, considering the type of work I did."

"Then they should be the ones that are looked upon with scorn. You should never judge someone based on what you know on the surface." Zeph said with an easy smile. "You're clearly well-spoken and well-mannered, so you don't seem like someone that would put themselves through that without a good reason. At least, that's what I think."

"…"

The apothecary raised his eyebrows. "Is something the matter?"

The dancer shook her head in response. "Ah, no. It's nothing. Just…are all of you Riverland apothecaries so kindhearted, or is it just you two?"

"If there are other apothecaries from around these parts, I'd like to meet them!" Zeph laughed, pressing his cheek against his hand. "But no, I think Alfyn and I are a special case. We grew up in such a wonderful and caring town, so it just feels right to treat others the way we have always been treated."

"That's what I thought. Then Alfyn truly…" Primrose whispered, her eyes glazing over in thought.

"Hmm? Primrose?"

"Alrighty! I think I'm finished guys!"

Primrose and Zeph's conversation came to a stop once they heard Alfyn shout from the kitchen area. They each smiled as he approached the table with two large plates of food in each hand. One was his own meal, which had a much larger serving of both fish and potatoes than Primrose and Zeph combined. The other plate was filled with sliced bread that had been lightly toasted with butter. The dancer could feel her mouth watering at the sight of the freshly prepared food.

Alfyn took a seat next to Primrose at the dinner table, handing each of them a clean knife and fork that he had just washed with a wet rag. After helping himself to a few slices of bread, the apothecary grinned at his two closest friends.

"Sorry for the wait! Time to dig in!"

After waiting for what seemed like hours, Primrose took her fork and finally put a warm piece of fish into her mouth. The delicious juices and flavors gushed out as soon as she took her first bite, and almost instantly the dancer's hunger disappeared completely. Alfyn had told her many times just how delicious the freshwater fish from Clearbrook was, but this was on an entirely different level. The dancer would never be satisfied with regular saltwater fish again for the rest of her days.

The potatoes were also delectable, and complimented the meat surprisingly well. Primrose had never heard of this particular combination before, but now it would be deeply ingrained in her mind. Gods, imagine if H'aanit had cooked their lunch instead of Alfyn? It would have been the best meal of her life.

The only thing that was missing was a freshly baked batch of Sweetdough, and Primrose could take care of that with a few minutes in the kitchen. H'aanit had taught her the recipe one night during their stay in S'warkii.

"You weren't kidding when you told me how good the fish was in Clearbrook, Alfyn. This is absolutely delicious." Primrose praised, putting another bite of fish into her mouth and chewing slowly.

In contrast, Alfyn did the same but talked while his mouth was still full. "Glad ya like it! Honestly, it's been a while since I last had some freshwater carp. Forgot just how tasty it is!"

"I'm happy to say that I've remained spoiled with the seafood here. I'm sure in other parts of the world it isn't nearly as good." Zeph chuckled. "On that subject, what do you guys usually eat while on the road? I would think it's nothing too special."

"Yeah, you're right about that. For the most part it's bread, nuts, and dry meat that we store up while we're in town." Alfyn answered in between large bites of food. "When we run outta those we hunt or look for things in the wild, but that rarely happens now. We've gotten really good at plannin' our travels, I'd say!"

"Don't forget about H'aanit. She's able to make a decent meal out of even the most plain scraps of food." Primrose smiled.

"Ah, the huntress?"

"That's the one."

"We owe H'aanit a lot. Olberic and her do most of the fightin' for us while we're on the road." Alfyn grinned. "Shucks, if they weren't there I'd probably be the one playing the meat shield! Don't even wanna think 'bout that."

"Yeah. You're a good fighter Alfyn, and you're good at the frontlines too. But your role should be supporting the shield, not becoming the shield itself." Zeph nodded his head in agreement.

The dancer raised an eyebrow. "Oh? But when you and I were together by ourselves for those first few weeks I thought it went smoothly."

"Wow, you didn't notice? Fightin' with just us two back then really took a lot outta me. I was always bruised up." Alfyn revealed, turning his head towards Primrose. "I remember goin' to sleep early and using my salves in my tent so you wouldn't notice. Good times."

Primrose frowned deeply and crossed her arms under her chest. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

"I don't know! That's how we planned it out at first when we first fought together in the catacombs, and since it went so well for you I kinda felt bad tellin' ya I wanted to change things. Plus, back then you were still sorta on edge all the time, so it felt awkward…" Alfyn responded hesitantly, shrinking under the dancer's harsh gaze.

"Hearing this is starting to make me feel guilty. Gods, I really was difficult back then, wasn't I?" Primrose sighed. "I'm sorry, Alfyn. I never meant to pressure you into that role."

"Nah, don't worry about it. My biggest troubles back then were findin' ways to get you talking on the bad days. Though, I can't really blame ya for that. The Sunlands were awful!" Alfyn exclaimed, staring at Zeph with frightful eyes.

"Then I'll make a point to never take a trip there. It's just unfortunate that you have to cross them to get to the Coastlands. I've always wanted to see the shores." Zeph smiled warmly.

"Oh, they're lovely. We've been to Rippletide and Goldshore, and I very much enjoyed myself in both places. Alfyn and I swam together quite a bit at the beaches there." Primrose nodded.

"I guess that means I'll have to pay them a visit. Nina has told me she's wanted to go as well." Zeph responded.

"Goldshore's also the place you bought me my speargun, ain't it Prim?" Alfyn asked, taking in a mouthful of potatoes.

"That's right, and it cost me quite a bit of leaves. So you better be grateful." Primrose grinned, tapping the apothecary's nose playfully with her fork. She giggled as he quickly backed away with his face all scrunched up. She'd have to do that more often.

"Speargun?"

"Oh damn! That's right, Zeph! Prim got me this really cool thing that lets you spearfish while underwater! I've gotta show ya at the river later." Alfyn yelled out happily, leaning across the table with excitement.

Zeph leaned across the table as well, his eyes shining enthusiastically. "Underwater? Truly?! Heavens, it must be quite the invention!"

Primrose watched as the two young men started chatting away over Alfyn's new fishing tool. Seeing them like this, it was almost as if they were still little kids who had just started learning how to fish. How cute.

"Well, boys will be boys, I guess." Primrose mused internally. Taking in the last bite of her meal, she leaned back in her chair casually, watching Alfyn and Zeph nerd out with each other.

After observing them for a few more moments, the dancer grew bored and decided to stir up the pot a little bit. "I have to admit Alfyn, I never really understood what you find so fascinating about fishing. It seems like it'd be rather dull and boring."

Almost immediately Alfyn whipped his head back towards her and narrowed his eyes. "That's cause you've never tried before. Which reminds me, I'm supposed to show ya how to fish here soon, aren't I? Once you do, you'll change your tune, trust me."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that. I've told you before that I find fish to be rather foul, haven't I? Perhaps my opinion will only grow to be more negative." Primrose purred. She had Alfyn right where she wanted him.

"With me as your teacher, you won't."

"Who said you'd be my teacher? I want Zeph to teach me."

Alfyn's eyes widened. "You'd betray me just like that?"

"Hmm…you know what they say. Sometimes the person you'd take a dagger for is the one who's holding the handle." Primrose smirked mischievously, before turning towards Zeph. "He'd be more than happy to teach me, wouldn't you Zeph?"

"Haha. Um…" Zeph chuckled nervously in his seat.

"Zeph, watch out! She's comin' for you." Alfyn warned. "Get away while ya can, and whatever you do, don't fall for her trap!"

"What do you mean, Alfyn?" Zeph asked while looking back and forth between the two.

"Look closely at her, big brother. This is her true form." Alfyn said jokingly. "Prim's nothin' but a conniving little vixen! If you ain't careful, she'll tease ya till the end of your days."

"I see…I'll be wary then." Zeph nodded in confusion.

"Aw, you're no fun. Guess I'll settle for Alfyn then." Primrose shrugged, narrowing her cat-like eyes at Alfyn.

"Begone, foul creature."

Primrose smirk turned into a wide smile. "Alright, now you're being slightly overdramatic. What have I ever done to you to warrant this reaction?" The dancer asked, holding back her laughter as best as she could.

Alfyn merely raised an eyebrow.

Unable to hold back any longer, Primrose let out a loud laugh, placing her hand over her lips as she began to giggle uncontrollably. The sound of her beautiful laughter caused Alfyn to stop his playful act and smile widely at her as well. The apothecary's eyes warmed over as he stared at the dancer.

And of course, this didn't go unnoticed.

"You two are very comfortable with each other, aren't you?" Zeph said curiously, leaning his elbow on the table.

"Yup! Prim and I have been together for so long now, she's practically like family to me at this point." Alfyn smiled affectionately.

"Oh? Is that a proposal, Alfyn?" Primrose teased, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Shucks, if only I had a ring…"

"How romantic. Well, you can propose to me once I don't have to babysit you all the time. Honestly, would you even bathe if I didn't remind you almost every night?" Primrose complained.

"H-hey! I'll have you know that I'm pretty good at keepin' myself fresh and clean!" Alfyn responded in protest, patting his chest proudly.

"I'm not sure I believe you."

"Actually, Alfyn has always been fairly responsible when it comes to hygiene. But I don't know if that's changed since he left." Zeph nodded towards Primrose, who eyed him watchfully.

"Ya see, Prim? I ain't some type of country slob who can't take care of himself and—"

"ALFYN!"

The three of them immediately turned to face the front door, which was where the voices had come from. They found two little girls standing there out of breath and with both of their hands on their knees. One of the girls was staring right at Alfyn with watery eyes, and was clearly on the verge of breaking down crying. As soon as she saw him grin at her widely as he always did, she ran towards him and threw herself into his chest without a second thought. The other girl followed closely behind and did the same.

"They said you were back, so I had to see it with my own eyes! Alfyn, you're really here!" Nina sobbed into the apothecary's chest. Next to her was Lily, who said nothing while crying softly into Alfyn's sleeve.

"Yeah, I'm back. It's so good to see you two girls again. Look at how much you've grown…" Alfyn whispered, wrapping his arms around both of them. It took every ounce of self-control he had to hold back his tears. Leaving Ellen and Flynn in Goldshore had nearly broken his heart, and this was just what he needed to help heal it back up.

Zeph came over after a few moments and wrapped his arms around the three of them, finally completing the embrace that all of them had been waiting for almost a year. They didn't all share each other's blood, but they were a family, one that had finally been reunited after being apart for far too long.

Primrose watched the emotional scene with a small smile on her face. She found herself surprised at the fact that she was holding back tears as well. Seeing Alfyn like this, seeing him overcome with emotion…it made her chest warm up like it never had before. The dancer had lost her family, but had found a new one with Alfyn and the rest of her companions. She was just happy that he still had both of his.

The embrace lasted a few more minutes before the two girls awkwardly wiggled their way out of the hug. They stared up at Alfyn with sparkling eyes, clearly excited to spend time with the young apothecary.

"When did you get back?! Oh, and how long are you staying?" Nina asked, jumping up and down energetically.

"As long as you two don't chase me outta town, three days." Alfyn grinned, holding up three of his fingers. "And I got here a couple hours ago, ya didn't miss me for too long."

"Aw, you had lunch without us! No fair!" Lily squeaked.

"Yeah sorry, me and Prim were hungry so we whipped up some grilled fish and potatoes real quick." Alfyn laughed lightly before ruffling Lily's head with his hand. "Don't worry 'bout a thing though, we saved some for both of ya!"

"Prim…? Oh!"

Both of the girls turned around quickly and looked at Primrose with curious eyes. The dancer almost stepped back instinctively, not sure on how to respond. Primrose wasn't particularly comfortable dealing with children as she had never interacted with any of them on a consistent basis. She had also never had a proper childhood, so she wasn't quite familiar with the way normal kids behaved. That being said, Primrose had gotten along fairly well with Ellen and Flynn. She just needed to be herself, and she'd be just fine.

Maybe.

"Hello there. It's nice to meet you. Could you tell me your names?" Primrose asked sweetly. She knelt down slightly so that the two girls would come closer.

"I'm Nina, and this is Lily!" Nina exclaimed, looking up at the dancer in wonder. "What's your name?"

"My name is Primrose. Like the flower." The dancer smiled.

"Wow, just like me!" Lily gasped dramatically. "My name's a flower too!"

"Indeed. Lily is a wonderful name." Primrose nodded slowly, before turning to face Nina. "And so is yours. Both of you have such pretty names that I find myself feeling a bit jealous."

The two girls giggled, their bodies shaking as they laughed. Primrose felt her heart swoon. These girls were absolutely adorable.

After giggling for a few more seconds, Nina pointed at Primrose with her finger. "Hey, Miss Primrose? Can I ask you something?"

"Just Primrose is fine. And of course."

"Are you the beautiful girl that everybody's talking about right now?

Primrose blinked. She looked up at Alfyn and Zeph, but found that their expressions were also confused. "Pardon?"

"Everyone's talking about it! They're saying that Alfyn came back holding hands with a really pretty girl that has long brown hair! Is that you?" Nina asked with a curious look.

The dancer blinked again, and looked up at the two apothecaries once more. Zeph was staring at her with raised eyebrows and looked as if he had just come to an understanding. On the other hand, Alfyn's expression was the complete opposite. His face had flushed a deep crimson, and his mouth was gaped open in disbelief. If Primrose herself wasn't in a state of absolute shock herself, then she would have taken this opportunity to tease him about it for hours on end.

Instead, Promise shook her head quickly. Taking in a deep breath to recompose herself, she looked back down at Nina with a small smile. Just as she had done with Alfyn earlier, the dancer reached out and playfully tapped the tip of the girl's nose with her finger.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out."

---

"Shucks, Prim. You look really good in that."

Primrose giggled lightly, taking one last quick look-over at her new clothes that she had just bought at the local store. Noticing Alfyn looking at her closely, Primrose gave him a little spin, twirling around slowly in place to better show off her outfit.

As per Zeph's suggestion, the dancer had decided to change out of her normal attire into something a bit less revealing. Primrose knew that Zeph and Nina didn't care about how much skin she usually exposed, but that didn't mean that the rest of the townspeople would feel the same way. Especially considering that Clearbrook was a fairy green and modest town, both literally and figuratively. Even if they were trying their best to ignore it, there were sure to be a few people that found her dancer's attire to be a bit too indecent, and that was understandable. Most of the people here had probably never even seen a dancer before.

Normally, Primrose didn't care about what other people thought about her clothing, or herself in general. But this was different. She wanted to get along with the people in Clearbrook, and she knew that some of them might feel slightly uncomfortable with the way she normally dressed. So, the dancer had decided to purchase a new outfit during her stay here. After spending a few minutes looking around the shop, Primrose spotted a set of clothes that she knew she absolutely needed to have.

"You look just like…"

"An apothecary, right?"

Alfyn nodded slowly. Her new attire consisted of a long white villager dress that went all the way down her legs, stopping just above her ankles. The end of the garment was colored leaf-green, which was sectioned off from the white perfectly by a thin tan line. The dress was long-sleeved, and the cuffs fit around the dancer's wrist loosely like bed sheets hanging off the side of a bed. Over the dress, Primrose had on a forest green vest that was cropped right above her navel and held together in the front with brown string. The last piece of the outfit was a pumpkin-colored scarf that was tethered around her neck loosely, and was knotted in the front in the shape of a bow.

Primrose had chosen to style her hair differently as well. She had left the front of her hair the same, letting her long bangs frame her bright emerald eyes as they always did. Instead of her usual high ponytail, however, the brunette had elected to tie her hair into two long braids. Each braid had two dark-green ribbons at the end to keep the last bit of untied hair in place, which matched perfectly with the new headband that she had bought in place of her regular one. Fashioned like this, the young woman looked like your everyday ordinary village girl that had lived her entire life in her hometown.

One would never have guessed that she was once actually an exotic table dancer at one of the largest pleasure districts in all of Orsterra.

"Y'know, if you looked like this and someone was meeting you for the first time, they'd probably think that you're my assistant or somethin' like that." Alfyn remarked, giving the dancer one last look-over.

"Agreed. I must admit that I am quite pleased with this look." Primrose nodded with a small smile. "Although, it is rather warm…but I'd imagine that is because I'm used to showing a lot of my skin."

"Yeah, you got a point there. The weather in Clearbrook doesn't get too hot, so I wouldn't worry. But we are gettin' close to summer, so who knows?" Alfyn shrugged.

"Ugh, finally. Spending the winter up north was terrible. I've never been so consistently cold in my entire life." Primrose moaned, shaking her head dejectedly. "I'd rather it be scorching outside than freezing. At least then I can do something about it by removing some of my clothes."

"Shucks, Prim. You're being awfully bold today, you know that?" Alfyn chuckled. "Also, most people say they like the cold better for the same reason, except they're thinkin' about putting more clothes on. I think you're the only one in the whole world that thinks about taking their clothes off first."

Primrose blinked. "I believe you're the first man that has ever told me that taking my clothes off is a bad idea."

"Well, that's cause I'm a gentleman. At least, I try to be."

"Hmm, I don't think those actually exist."

"Aw, c'mon. I'd say we've met some pretty stand-up guys during our travels! Well, we've also met plenty of bad ones, so I guess that's not a good examp—" Alfyn said before getting suddenly cut-off by Primrose. The dancer had leaned in towards him quickly and gently placed her pointer finger on his lips.

"Shh. Honestly Alfyn, when will you ever be able to tell when I'm flirting with you? It gets hard for a lady to deal with sometimes." Primrose purred deeply. "Here, I'll make it easy for you. Brush the loose strand of hair in my face away, take my hand, and lead me into the forest so we can take a walk."

The apothecary's eyes widened. He stood perfectly still for a few seconds, letting the blush on his cheeks die down before making his move. Once he was recomposed, he did exactly what she had told him. He gently smoothed her hair back into place with one hand, and used his other to grab hold of Primrose's right hand. The dancer smiled at him affectionately as he did so, trying her best to hide the red forming on her cheeks.

"Alrighty then, ladies first." Alfyn smiled, nodding his head towards the path leading to the forest.

Primrose rolled her eyes playfully and tugged Alfyn forward with her as she began walking towards the path. Eventually the two settled into a comfortable pace and moved in closer to each other as they entered the forest. They said nothing, enjoying the sounds of their surroundings to their fullest, like the wind passing through the trees and the small chirps of the birds moving from branch to branch. Every once in a while, Alfyn gave Primrose's hand a soft squeeze and pointed towards something that he wanted her to see. As time went on, the dancer found herself pressing closer and closer into him, until eventually, she was holding onto his entire arm.

Neither of them said a word.

That was how their relationship was these days. Ever since that one morning in S'warkii when they stirred awake and found themselves tangled up with one another, their relationship had changed completely. Maybe if one of them had woken up before the other, then they might still share the same connection that they had before. But they had roused awake at the same time, and instead of pulling back as she would have expected her to, Primrose had decided to snuggle in closer to Alfyn and press herself further against him. The apothecary had responded by hugging her tightly and resting his head against hers gently as they went back to sleep.

From that point on, Primrose and Alfyn became noticeably more intimate with each other. Soft touches, holding hands, staying up late together on certain nights…it was obvious to their companions what was going on. And it wasn't like the dancer or apothecary hadn't realized it either. Every time they met each other's eyes, the question was always there. However, they silently agreed not to address the subject, choosing to let things play out naturally instead.

And that was how things still were between the two of them, carefully dancing around the subject without actually talking about it. Sure, it was agonizing for the rest of the group, but they found that it worked well for them. They were still comfortable around each other, so there was no reason to push things further until the right moment.

Primrose just wished that moment would hurry up.

"So, you enjoyin' yourself so far?" Alfyn asked, breaking the silence for the first time since they had entered the forest.

"Very much so. I had high expectations, but so far I haven't been disappointed in the slightest. Clearbrook is wonderful." Primrose nodded. "I don't know if three days will be enough. Hopefully, we can convince the others to make another stop here after we're done in Saintsbridge."

"Man, that would be pretty great. I knew that I missed home, but I never thought I'd be this happy to be back." Alfyn smiled widely. "Saintsbridge is still in the Riverlands, so at least it'll feel a bit like home."

"That reminds me, I meant to ask you this. Have you or Zeph ever been to Saintsbridge before?" Primrose inquired, turning her head slightly to look up at Alfyn.

The apothecary shook his head. "Nah, I've never been. And as far as I know, Zeph hasn't either, but that could have changed in the past nine months. Why're you asking?"

"No particular reason. I thought that since the cities are usually in desperate need of an apothecary, maybe you two had gone for work at one point." The dancer answered with a slight shrug.

"Makes sense. But no, we've never visited. Though in the past, we did talk a lot 'bout it. I always wanted to travel around back then." Alfyn chuckled. "Guess I got my wish, but I never would have imagined that I'd be travelin' the whole continent."

"Understandable. You must have thought that you were going to stay in Clearbrook for the rest of your life, right?" Primrose responded.

"Yup! Never really saw a good reason to leave aside for my personal aspirations. But hey, look at me now!" The apothecary laughed, patting his chest proudly with his free hand. "Now I'm an official member of the greatest group of travelers in all of Orsterra! And dontcha forget it!"

"Yes, yes, congratulations. So happy for you."

"For some reason I feel like you're being sarcastic."

"And what gave you that impression?"

"Just a hunch."

"A hunch indeed." Primrose giggled softly. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow? So far, we've only scratched two things off the list. Although, I'm sure you have all of this planned out already, and you're not telling me because you want it to be a surprise."

"Shucks, am I really that predictable?" Alfyn muttered underneath his breath.

"When you're as straightforward a person as you are, that's to be expected." The dancer laughed. "Personally, I think it's a good quality. I'd much rather you be predictable and sincere than erratic and manipulative."

"Then I'll take that as a compliment! So thanks!" Alfyn said happily, and began swinging their joined hands back and forth. "Anyways, I figured we'd save the rest for tomorrow. We should go fishing first thing in the mornin' cause that's when a lot of 'em come out. Then we can relax for a bit until lunchtime, and I thought it'd be fun to have a cookout next to the river so we can swim and eat at the same time. That leaves…"

"The picnic. Oh, and you said you wanted to dance as well." Primrose remarked before taking a look down at her legs. The dancer's feet were starting to get sore, which meant it was time to start heading back.

"Shucks, don't worry about the dancin'. There's always a lot of that going down at the tavern each night! We'll just hop right on in." The apothecary reassured.

"So there's a stage?"

"Nope. Just the floor."

"I-I see. It must be quite a rowdy experience then." The dancer chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, but trust me, it's a ton of fun! I'm sure you'll have a good time." Alfyn grinned widely, turning his head to meet Primrose's eyes.

"Indeed. I'll be looking forward to it." Primrose smiled genuinely in response. "That being said, my feet are starting to hurt, and I'll need them to be fresh if I'm going to be on the dance floor tonight. So, how about we head back and get some rest?"

"Sounds good! Follow me then, I know the quickest way back." The apothecary nodded, before turning them around completely. "Once we get back, I'll give ya a massage to help your feet. You'll feel just like new."

The dancer smirked mischievously. "Oh, but I want Zeph to do it."

"Shucks, Prim!" Alfyn protested loudly. "Can't believe I thought you'd behave while we're here. If anything, your teasin' has gotten worse."

"Fine, I'll simmer down. I promise." Primrose relented, before her eyes widened as she realized something important. Her lips began to slowly reform into another devious smirk.

"By the way, Alfyn. I just remembered something I wanted to ask you." The dancer purred softly.

"Sure, go ahead!"

"Since Zeph is also an apothecary, does that mean he has his own special man-purse like yours?"

---

Clearbrook's tavern wasn't anything special. It was a small establishment, not even half the size of the tavern that she previously worked at in Sunshade. However, like everything else in Clearbrook, it had a certain charm to it that made Primrose feel comfortable as soon as she stepped in through the front door. The festivities were already well underway, as nearly all the tables were filled and the bar was crowded with people asking for another round of drinks. Yet despite that, everyone turned as soon as they heard the door open and greeted her with bright smiles and shouts of glee. It felt almost like she had been a part of the town her entire life.

Well, having Alfyn next to her certainly helped.

With the gossip going around town about them both, it was obvious that people were excited to finally meet the dancer. Of course, there was talk about all the members of their group, particularly Olberic because of his stature. But when a woman as attractive and young as Primrose arrived in town holding hands with one of the most well-known members of its community, people were bound to be curious about what was going on.

It took Primrose nearly an entire hour to finish introducing herself to everyone, and similar to when she met Zeph, it was quite the unique experience to finally see the faces of the people she had heard about for the past nine months. Meryl and her father Gilford, Magg the cook, and even the elder Gertas, who wasn't nearly as grouchy as Alfyn made him out to be. Each and every one of them greeted the dancer with a warm smile and a firm handshake, telling her that if she ever needed something from them during her stay, they would be happy to help.

Naturally, many people also asked her about her relationship with Alfyn, which Primrose responded to by making a joke about how she was his "babysitter". Most of the time, it was enough to satisfy their curiosity, but for the people who inquired further, she told them that they were simply fellow travelers who had grown close during their time together. It was an open-ended answer, one that was partially true. Primrose and Alfyn had grown very attached to each other, but their relationship right now was much more than just two people traveling the continent together.

But they didn't need to know that. Like the dancer, they would have to be patient.

Right now, Primrose was sitting at their table with the three other people that she first met before their group had been established: Alfyn, Olberic, and Tressa. The original four were enjoying a few drinks and sharing a nice, hot meal that was on the house. Even though Primrose wasn't usually a fan of sweet liquor like mead, this particular brew was quite delicious. She'd have to watch herself, however, because if she had too much alcohol then she might gain a bit of unwelcome weight.

The dancer sighed. It was hard being beautiful.

"Hey, Alfyn! Can I have some of your mead? Olberic's not letting me have any." Tressa pleaded with puppy-dog eyes. "Puhleeeeeeeze?"

The apothecary frowned. "Sorry Tress, but not this time. If this was any other town, then sure, but I dunno if I feel comfortable lettin' ya drink in my hometown before you're of age."

"Ugh! Well, I guess that's fair. Wouldn't wanna put that on you." Tressa huffed.

"You should be grateful that we let you drink at all in the first place." Olberic claimed, before taking another sip of his drink. "If you were to be caught, then we all would face quite the predicament."

"Eh, you could just have Therion bust me outta jail if that happens. Besides, dontcha think it'd be fun living as fugitives!?" The young merchant exclaimed.

"Well, technically I am a criminal, seeing as I've assassinated someone before. So I guess it wouldn't be much of a difference for me." Primrose mused.

"Shucks, you two are some she-devils, ya know that? Ain't that right, yer Lordship?" Alfyn grinned, lifting his mug towards Olberic. The two men clanked their drinks together and took another swig of their mead, happily enjoying the taste of the sweet liquid.

"Indeed. I can only wonder how you and I have managed to survive as long as we have. I'd say we deserve a reward of some sort." Olberic chuckled deeply.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. So, how 'bout it?" Alfyn said, turning towards Primrose as his grin widened. "You wanna buy the next round of drinks for us?"

The dancer raised an eyebrow in response. "Not particularly. And if anything, it's Tressa and I who should receive compensation. Having to deal with you men is aggravating at best, and dreadful at worst."

The corners of the knight's mouth curved downwards. "Surely I am not included in that mix?"

"I'll give you a pass. The other three, however, I cannot say the same for." The dancer nodded.

"Woah, woah! How'd this go from a friendly chat into a slander session!? I ain't done nothing to deserve this." The apothecary strongly protested.

"Hey, if you give me some mead then I'll come over to your side."

"Shut up, Tress."

The friendly banter continued for a few more moments, only stopping when they each ran out of alcohol. Alfyn and Olberic decided to go for another round, while Primrose elected to stop in hopes of waking up tomorrow with a flat stomach. Olberic waved his mug towards the barkeep, yelling loudly that they needed more drinks. In that moment, the knight heard someone directly behind him asking for the same.

"Can't believe you guys would start without me. Honestly, I feel a little betrayed." Therion smirked, taking a seat in between Tressa and Olberic.

"You can blame Prim for that. She said she wanted to start right away cause she didn't want to have to deal with the two of us drunk at the same time." Alfyn laughed.

"That true, Twinkle Toes?"

"That's right. If you think that I am going to babysit you two similar to how Ophilia always does, then you're sorely mistaken." The dancer declared firmly.

The thief shrugged. "Fair enough, can't blame ya there."

"While on the subject, where is everyone else?" Olberic asked, noticing that Therion had arrived by himself.

"H'aanit decided to give Linde a bath and Cyrus is on bath duty this time, so he stayed behind. Ophilia said she wanted to help, and so here I am. All alone. Still single." Therion joked, placing his elbow on the table casually and resting his cheek on the palm of his hand.

"Well, that might not be the case for much longer. I noticed Cordelia sending some careful glances your way the last time we saw her." Primrose giggled softly.

"Nah, don't even get me started with this, Primrose. As soon as I hand over that last Dragonstone, I'm gone." Therion claimed.

The dancer laughed. "Now that is something I would be willing to put my money on."

"Fine, I'll take you up on that. How many leaves?" The thief challenged, reaching across the table with his hand.

"500 hundred leaves says that you'll settle down with her in the next three years."

"You're on."

The two shook hands to seal the deal, and coincidentally, their drinks arrived at the same time. Therion took his first big gulp of mead, his eyes widening once he realized just how satisfying the beverage was compared to the brews he had tasted before in the past.

"Shit, Alfyn. You weren't kidding about the mead here." The thief grinned happily at the apothecary. "Definitely gonna have a lot of these while we're here."

"Ya know it! Cheers!"

Alfyn, Therion, and Olberic clanked their mugs together once again, while Primrose and Tressa looked at them with friendly smiles. The night was shaping up to be a good one.

"So, what were you two up to all day? Haven't seen you guys since we got here." Therion asked, nudging his head towards Alfyn and Primrose.

"Nothin' much, really. Had lunch with Zeph, and when the girls arrived we played cards for a bit until Lily had to go back home." Alfyn responded. "After that, Zeph had a couple of patients to take care of, so Prim and I went shopping for some new clothes. Then we went for a walk, and well, here we are."

"Ah, are those the new clothes you bought then, Primrose?" Olberic remarked.

"Indeed. I quite like them, and they were fairly cheap too." Primrose smiled happily. "Plus, they make me look like a sweet, innocent girl."

"Yeah, if I didn't know you already I'd think you were the village sweetheart. Not some deadly table dancer from the sandy south." The thief chuckled into his scarf. The dancer chuckled as well, finding the stark comparison amusing.

"It suits you well, surprisingly." Olberic nodded.

"Plus, your hair is sooooo cute! I like my hair short, but sometimes I wish I could style it in different ways like you can." Tressa squealed in excitement.

"Speaking of which, just so you girls know, a lot of Lovely Lace grows around these parts. So I'll have plenty of stock for when you girls need it for your skin and hair from now on." Alfyn announced. Almost instantly both girls shot out of their seats towards him.

"Really!? Aww, hell yeah!" Tressa shouted.

"Ophilia once said that you were sent to us by Aelfric himself, and I agree wholeheartedly. This is the best news I've received in weeks." The dancer gasped gleefully.

"Shucks, you galls really like this stuff, huh?" Alfyn laughed.

"I suppose we three will never understand the woes of being a woman." Olberic mused.

"That's for sure." Therion added, before turning towards Alfyn. "So, what about Zeph? Isn't he coming?"

"Yeah, but he usually comes a bit later, around the time everyone starts gettin' real lively." Alfyn replied. "Which should be any second now."

"Good, I wanted to chat with him more. He seems like a good fellow, and Alfyn has spoken very highly of him." Olberic smiled. "You had the chance to talk with him more than us, Primrose. What was your impression of him?"

"Oh, he's such good company. Imagine Alfyn, except better spoken and with a bit more refinement to his behavior, but not nearly as charming and lively." Primrose responded, before placing a hand on Alfyn's shoulder. "You're both certainly different, but similar in all the right ways."

"Wow, what a raving review. Well, as long as he can drink like Alfyn, then I think we'll get along just fine." Therion smirked playfully.

"Zeph's really good at holding his mead, so don't ya worry 'bout a thing!" Alfyn said proudly, almost as if he was talking about himself.

"Did you get to see him work at all?" Tressa asked the dancer curiously.

"Yes, a little."

"Then just for fun, who would you say is the better apothecary? Alfyn or Zeph?"

"Shucks, now that's somethin' I'd like to hear too! Me and Zeph always were kinda competitive with each other." Alfyn grinned, turning his head to face the dancer. "Last I saw him, I'd say he had a slight edge over me, but a lot can change in nine months. So, whatcha think Prim?"

The dancer met his eyes and gave him a gentle smile. "You understand that there will be an incredible bias to my answer, right? I think it'd be best if someone like the professor were to answer that question. Cyrus is good at being objective."

"That's true, but it'd still be fun to know."

"Hmm…very well then. I think you're slightly better, Alfyn. Zeph is clearly an incredibly gifted apothecary, but I believe the experience that you have gained during your travels puts you slightly ahead of him. It shows in the way you communicate with your patients." Primrose explained, speaking loudly so that everyone at the table could hear.

"Woohoo!" Alfyn exclaimed, pumping both of his fists in the air. "Guess I made the right choice to leave after all!"

"Agreed. I think out of everyone in our group, you've grown the most during our travels." Olberic chimed in as well. "It's between you and our young merchant over here."

Tressa turned to face Alfyn and gave him an easy grin. "You might be ahead right now, Alfyn, but I'm gonna catch up to you one of these days!"

Before Alfyn had a chance to respond, a voice from behind Tressa spoke up suddenly. "I do believe that's my line, Tressa."

Primrose turned her head and smiled as soon as she saw Zeph walking towards them with a mug of mead in each hand. Making eye contact, Alfyn quickly stood up and waved towards him as he made his way to the table. The dancer gave Zeph a small wave as well, happy to see him after going their separate ways earlier in the afternoon.

"Quite the gathering here tonight. I assume the other three chose to stay in for the evening?" Zeph asked Olberic as he took a seat next to him.

"Indeed. I suppose we'll have to drink more to make up for it." The knight grinned, taking a glance at the two mugs that the apothecary had set on the table.

"Well, I'll do my best to live up to those expectations! I'm not the fastest drinker, but I'd say I can hold my liquor fairly well." Zeph laughed loudly, before turning to the rest of the party. "It's good to see you again, Primrose. Therion, Tressa, I hope that you two had a good afternoon. Did you find the inn well?"

"Sure did!"

"Thanks to you. We owe you one, so let me buy you your first mead."

"I'm afraid it's a bit late for that." Zeph chuckled, gesturing to the two drinks in front of him. "Here Alfyn, this one is for you. A toast to brotherhood."

Alfyn grinned widely and raised his new mug towards Zeph. "20 years and counting, and there's many more coming! Cheers!"

The two apothecaries clanked their mugs together and threw their heads back, gulping down their entire drink in one quick chug. Alfyn was the first to finish, and let out a satisfied sigh as he placed the empty mug back down on the table. Zeph finished shortly after and did the same as his younger brother. As soon as he finished, the two raised their hands and shouted for another round, eager to make up for all the lost time from the past several months.

Primrose raised both of her eyebrows. She had never seen Alfyn drink like this before. He wasn't a lightweight by any means, but he certainly wasn't the strongest drinker in their group either. The dancer had out-drank him many times in the past, and quite easily as well. But right now, Alfyn was taking in his mead like it was water, and wasn't showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, he looked even more sober than she was, and she had only gone through three drinks. Either her tolerance was getting weaker, or Alfyn's was getting boosted by some intangible factor.

And it was quite obvious what that was.

"Alfyn, I think having Zeph next to you while drinking helps your tolerance. I don't believe I've seen you take in your alcohol this well before." Primrose said, staring at him in shock.

"Shucks, really? Wouldn't have noticed unless you pointed it out." Alfyn shrugged.

"Funny you say that. I do believe that the same phenomenon applies to me as well." Zeph laughed, turning towards Alfyn. "As soon as you left, I noticed that I started to drink less and less. Perhaps it's the friendly rivalry between us that pushes our tolerance further."

"Yes, I'd say so. I went through a similar experience with Erhardt. He and I used to always compete against one another in the barracks while drinking." Olberic recounted. "After we went our separate ways, I found I could never quite reach the same level as when he and I shared drinks together."

"How peculiar. Though, I suppose it makes some sense." Primrose hummed thoughtfully.

"Hey, Zeph! You mind letting me have some of your mead?" Tressa asked, looking to take advantage of the situation.

"Of course, would you like me to order you one as well?"

"Yeah! That'd be great!"

"You sure 'bout that Zeph? Y'know she's underage, right?" Alfyn questioned.

"It's fine, it's not like we're going to lock up any of you. In fact, you and I drank quite a bit while we were still underage, remember? Clearbrook has never been one to care about little things like that." Zeph lightly chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess…maybe I'm being a bit of a spoilsport here. Alright Tress, you win! But you're payin' me back for it." Alfyn finally relented, looking over at the merchant.

"Sure thing. Thanks, doctor bros!" Tressa exclaimed. She stood up from her seat and walked towards Alfyn to give him the leaves for her drink. Once she did so, Alfyn waved towards the barkeep, shouting over the noisy crowd for another mug of mead.

"You're usually one to not worry very much about us, Alfyn. But when it comes to Tressa, you do tend to be fairly overprotective." Olberic laughed.

Therion smirked. "It's cause he's adopted her as his new little sis."

"Hey, I wouldn't mind being a Greengrass! Why don't we make it official, Alfyn?" Tressa giggled playfully. "Or do you wanna be a Colzione? I'm fine either way."

"Prim and I had a chat about this once actually, and we decided that Alfyn Colzione sounded a lot better than Tressa Greengrass." Alfyn recalled. "Besides, my last name never meant too much to me. I'm the last one with it, after all."

"That reminds me, what is your surname, Zeph?" Primrose asked curiously.

"Gardner. Zeph Gardner. Not the grandest of names, but I find it works well enough for me." Zeph responded with an easy smile. "Actually, it was my mother's family name. My father was the one who chose to change his."

"Ah yes, that's becoming more common nowadays, isn't it?" The dancer nodded.

"I think it depends mostly on the situation. In my father's case, he was a traveler who settled down here after meeting my mother. Her family had been a part of Clearbrook already for generations, and so he felt it was only right to continue their history." Zeph explained, capturing the attention of the entire table.

"How courteous of him. What did he do for a living?" Olberic inquired.

"He was an apothecary, believe it or not. My father was one of the main reasons why Alfyn and I decided to study medicine." Zeph answered, before taking another sip of his drink. "After he died, we felt that it was our responsibility to take his place for the town."

"Continuing your father's legacy…an admirable aspiration." Primrose smiled.

"Thank you. May I ask for your surnames then? I believe I caught Tressa's earlier, but I still don't know the full names for the rest of you." Zeph requested.

Immediately, Primrose and Olberic stiffened in their seats, which caught the apothecary by surprise. Was there some complicated story behind their family names? Given their occupations, it wouldn't be strange if that were the case.

The thief snickered amusingly. "I'm just Therion. The other two though, their names hold a bit more meaning. They usually don't go around announcing it for the whole world to hear."

"O-oh, is that so? Forgive me then for prying." Zeph stuttered, quickly turning towards the dancer and knight.

"No, it's quite alright. You're an honorable and trustworthy man, and it'd be rude of us to withhold." Olberic reassured, shaking his head slowly. "My full name is Olberic Eisenberg. I was once a knight dedicated to the service and protection of King Alfred. You may know me as the Unbending Blade of Hornburg."

Zeph's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open slightly. Before he had a chance to respond, he felt Alfyn tap his shoulder next to him.

"Wait, there's more." He said casually, before gesturing towards Primrose next to him.

The dancer gave Zeph a small smile before placing her hand over her heart and opening her mouth to speak. "My name is Primrose Azelhart. Highborn daughter of the late lord Geoffrey and his wife Dahlia. Although lost, I am the current heir of the noble House Azelhart. I am sure that…you are quite familiar with those names."

Zeph's jaw dropped completely. He sat completely still for a few seconds before turning back towards Alfyn with baffled eyes. The apothecary merely laughed in response and nodded slowly, confirming what they had just said. Zeph glanced back and forth between Olberic and Primrose, still in complete shock over what he had just heard. He closed his eyes and took in a few deep breaths to recompose himself, and let out a gentle laugh after a few moments.

"Well, I'm sure that my reaction says it all. It seems that I am in some very special company." Zeph smiled genuinely. "Of course, I'd love to hear each of your stories, but that can wait for another time. I'm sure you are all tired and hoping to use the evening to unwind. So tonight, we simply enjoy ourselves."

Olberic grinned, lifting his mug off the table. "Well said, Master Ze—"

Before the knight could finish his sentence, the table behind them erupted in a frenzy, which made the whole group turn around to see what was going on. A young man and woman had stood up from their seats and started to dance with each other, holding hands and prancing around the open floor like a gazelle. Instantly, the musicians began to play their instruments much louder, which brought out boisterous cheers from everyone in the tavern.

Another man and woman directly next to the party's table also stood up, quickly joined hands, and danced their way towards the other pair. They were immediately followed by two more pairs, one consisting of two men and another of two women. The four groups of two began to dance around each other in a circle, and eventually, they all settled into a comfortable pace. As time went on, the spectators became more and more lively, clapping their hands together and tapping their boots on the floor to the rhythm of the music.

Primrose felt her heartbeat start to accelerate.

Dancing had always been a way for her to loosen up and forget about the troubles of her day. At the same time, however, her usual performances were fairly difficult and taxing on her body. Additionally, they were done with the intention of pleasing the spectator, which made the performance much more susceptible to criticism. At its core, it was showmanship. That was the category of dance she had learned and practiced for nearly two decades.

And Primrose was perfectly fine with that harsh reality, as it was what had pushed her talents this far. It was the type of dancing that she had grown up with, the type that she had fallen in love with, and the type that had brought her solace after her father's death. She wouldn't be the dancer she was today without it.

This type of dancing in front of her was completely different, yet it excited her to no end. It was liberating, joyous, and festive, much more similar to performances from musicals rather than from theater. It certainly wasn't anything artistically impressive, but that wasn't what it was meant for. Alfyn had said it best, it was dancing for the sake of personal enjoyment, rather than for show. Primrose found herself craving it. She wanted to get out there, to know what it felt like to let everything go and dance without worry.

And partially because she wanted to show off a little bit as well, but she'd keep that to herself.

"It seems that the night has officially started." Zeph smiled, before looking across the table at Tressa. "Would you care to share a dance, Tressa? Of course, only if you're up to it."

"Wow, really?! That sounds like a lotta fun!" The young merchant replied. "Are you sure though? I'll admit…I'm not much of a dancer."

The apothecary laughed. "Then I'll take it easy with you. Don't worry, you'll find yourself getting used to it in no time." Standing up from his seat, he made his way over to Tressa and extended a hand out to her. "Shall we?"

"Hehe. Sure thing!"

Hand-in-hand, Zeph and Tressa made their way to the dance floor, pushing through the crowd of people on their way there. As soon as they broke through, the apothecary clasped the merchant's hand and began to slowly spin and hop around in place so that she could get her bearings. It wasn't long until the two of them were skipping around with the other pairs, laughing and cheering merrily with the raucous crowd. Alfyn watched the whole thing with a half-smile on his face, happy that Tressa was enjoying herself.

"Shucks, he stole my little sister away." Alfyn said playfully while shaking his head. "Though, I guess technically she's his sister too, so I'll let it slide."

"Aw, just look at her Alfyn! She's having such a good time." Primrose giggled softly.

"Haha, she's a natural!" Alfyn grinned, before turning towards the dancer next to him. "Alrighty then! Shall we?"

"Huh?"

"I'm sayin' that it's our turn. Can't let Zeph show off all on his own, now can I?" Alfyn chuckled, offering his hand to her with a teasing smile. "Here, I'll make it easy for you. Brush the loose strand of your hair away, take my hand, and let me lead you to the floor so that we dance."

Hearing him repeat her words from earlier brought out a bright laugh from the dancer. "Honestly, Alfyn. You are such a dork sometimes."

"Again, I'll take that as a compliment. So…?"

The dancer let out a light chuckle before putting on a confident smirk. "Very well then, I'll give you the honor of sharing a dance with me, Alfyn. But fair warning, you'd better be able to keep up. I have a reputation to uphold, after all."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Alfyn laughed happily. "Besides, this is my turf, princess. I'm more worried about you here."

"Oh? Is that a challenge?"

"Whoever trips first loses. Deal?"

The dancer merely raised an eyebrow in response. Once she saw that the apothecary was being serious, she stood up from her seat and took his hand. Alfyn stared at her with a loving smile for a brief moment, before putting on a more confident expression as he led her towards the dance floor. Ready to make him eat his words, Primrose stepped ahead of him slightly as they got closer to the open space, giving Alfyn's hand a firm squeeze to make sure they didn't lose each other. Once they broke through the wall of people surrounding the other dancers, she turned around slowly and placed a single finger gently against her lips.

"It's a deal."

---

A/N - Hello! Thank you all for reading this far! As I mentioned before, this update was going to take a little longer because of the sheer size of it. Still, I wanted to get it out as fast as possible, so here it is! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I put a lot of effort into it.

The long awaited Clearbrook chapter is finally here! Well, at least the first part is. I didn't want to release an update that was 30,000 words, as that would be triple the size of my previous longest chapter. So I'm splitting it into two. As you would expect, this part of the story is the end of Act II, and I'm sure you know why. That's all I'll say on the matter until next time.

So, about the update schedule. Once again, the next chapter is going to be quite a long one. That being said, it's going to take me around the same amount of time as this one, if not more. Things are starting to pick up on the job hunt for me, and most of my attention needs to go to that right now. I hope you all understand, and thank you for being patient.

I hope to see you guys again soon! Have a good one, and stay healthy.