"I don't know if I'll be able to see a thing in this…"

Having already been helped into the rest of his armor, Seymour had been left to sit on his own and have some time to prepare, time he was currently using to examine the helmet he would soon have to wear. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful that as much of him as possible would be protected, or worried that he was going to have to take part in a dangerous sport he had never participated in before while his already-bad vision was limited to two small slits.

The plant that had started this whole event was sitting in the corner of the room, where it had been brought after he insisted that he would prefer it wasn't left in Audrey's estate without him. He was sure that most others assumed he was concerned about it being stolen, given how valuable it had proven to be. In truth, he was much more concerned about what sort of trouble it might get up to if it was left unsupervised.

Seymour didn't see how the plant could seem so calm when he was feeling filled to the brim with an anxious dread. Of course, now that thing chose to be sitting there quietly, despite all of the grand talking it had been doing before.

"You know, you could at least offer some advice, seeing as you got me into this situation in the first place."

He looked over to see that the plant was beginning to put on a dramatic act of looking weak and listless, made a feeble-looking effort to lift it's pod off the ground. "Feed me…"

"This isn't the time."

"Feed me…" The plant repeated more insistently.

"I have to be able to hold a lance! I can't go slicing my fingers right now!"

"Feed me!" Its voice rose to a loud, shrill whine, and it impatiently slammed a few vines against the ground, almost like a child banging its fists in the midst of a tantrum.

"Twoey, you aren't helping!"

"Not helping?" Suddenly finding a good deal of energy again, the plant rose up to a taller height, tilting its pod at an offended angle. "You think I'm not helping?"

"I just meant-"

"Do you believe all of this happened by chance?" It interrupted him as it swept a vine to gesture at the room around them. "You getting invited to an event like this, being able to afford a decent suit of armor, having these nobles give you a second glance?"

"Alright, I'm sorry." Seymour let out a defeated sigh. The plant was right, he didn't have a hope of making anything of himself without it. "I'm just worried, that's all. There's a lot riding on this."

"Hm…" The plant seemed to take him in for a moment, considering something carefully. "You do realize, there are other ways to be rid of the rival for your lady's affections…"

A hungry grin showed off the teeth of the large pod, and Seymour's jaw dropped as he realized what it was implying.

"You want me to kill people?"

"You've seen what kind of man he is." The plant replied matter-of-factly. "The way your dear Lady Fulquard jumps like a scared rabbit when he approaches. Just think what kind of life she'd be condemned to. Would saving her not be worth it?"

Seymour was almost terrified to admit to the idea that anything at all might ever convince him to go out and kill. But as the plant spoke, he couldn't help but feel a small flicker of agreement with its words, one that was further fueled by a sense of anger as he thought of the way that man had treated Audrey.

"No." He shook his head and tried to push feeling away again. Maybe, just maybe, he'd have to confront that thought in the future. But he wasn't willing to yet, not unless he absolutely had to. "If anything's going to happen, it's going to happen honorably."

"Hmph."

He wasn't sure if the green creature was about to say more, but before it could, a light tapping came from the door.

"Seymour?"

The plant quickly pulled its pod upright and settled into a still position, looking for all the world like an ordinary, if still unusual, bit of greenery.

"C-come in."

The door opened slowly, and Audrey stepped into the room with her hands clasped tightly around some small object he couldn't manage to make out.

"I wondered if it might be alright for me to come and speak with you now."

Seymour nodded, and scooted over on the small bench to make more room.

"Of course. You're always more than welcome to speak with me."

He would have been glad to go somewhere else, but there weren't many places to find privacy at the moment, and he could hardly say that he wanted to be out of earshot of his plant.

She came to sit next to him, and used one hand to nervously smooth out the folds of her dress while the other remained tightly clenched around something that she seemed too nervous to show him yet. She was dressed in her finest for the event, but all he could focus on was nervous look on her face, and how any other concerns were forgotten and replaced with the thought that he would do anything to ease whatever fears she was having.

"I hope you don't resent me for putting you in this position." She quietly spoke up. "I know you never expected anything like this to happen."

"My lady, you've done nothing wrong." He was quick to assure her. "I'm the one who should apologize. This whole thing started when I came to your banquet."

She seemed touched by his kind words, but still looked quite troubled. "I all honestly, I can't say I understand why you're still here. No one ever said that you had to take part, and surely you aren't competing because..." She lowered her eyes to the ground, and seemed to be trying to choke back her emotions. "Surely I cannot be worth this."

"My lady…"

"I'm not worth this, Seymour. You don't know the half of what's become of me, trying to be what they all require. The suitors I've needed to please, the things I've had to do…"

"You have nothing to be ashamed of."

She looked up at him in surprise, and it was clear that those words were the last thing she expected to hear.

"You have the kindest heart of anyone I've ever known, and that's never changed whether you were living in our little village or in a grand estate. That's what makes you who you are, not anything you've had to do. There are none who will ever hold my respect the way you do."

She flushed and glanced away for a moment, this time due to being overwhelmed with the way her heart leapt rather than any sense of fear or embarrassment. "You have always shown me such sweet understanding."

Seymour would swear he could almost feel his heart stop as she reached out and lay her free hand atop of his. He thought of how wonderful it would be to lean in, hold her in his arms. But there was still one nagging worry in the back of his mind. Audrey deserved to have whatever she wanted in life, and before he could entertain the idea that her choice might be him, he had to be certain that he wasn't an option she felt trapped with in a difficult situation.

"My lady… I recognize that you weren't consulted as to the terms of this tournament. And I want you to know that, should I be fortunate enough to be the winner, I won't hold you to any arrangement you don't wish to be in."

"I see." After having so many people treat her like a trinket to be auctioned off, Audrey couldn't begin to describe how much it meant to her to have him give her the choice. Though at the same time, she was so unused to stating what she wanted that it was strange and rather frightening to have to take the initiative herself. But he was being brave for her, so she had to be brave as well. "And… if my wish was that we did keep such an arrangement?"

Seymour gave her a warm look that she felt could make her heart melt on the spot. "I would consider myself the luckiest man in the world."

Audrey glanced down at her hand, no longer clenched in a tight fist, and began to unfold the small square of cloth in her grip.

"I did come here for another purpose than just to speak with you."

She was still a little self-conscience about her skills with a needle and thread, as she was with many of her abilities, but she had made up her mind to present to him the handkerchief that she'd embroidered with a pattern of flowers and curling green vines.

"I've been told that we have a tradition for these tournaments in which a lady can bestow her favor on the one she wishes to win. I hoped you might accept this and wear it today."

Seymour's eyes widened, and he seemed to have to swallow a lump in his throat before asking, "You would have me be seen with your favor? Even at such a public event as this?"

She held his gaze, her expression filled with equal parts fondness and longing. "Sure."

"I-I would be honored. More than I could ever say."

Audrey beamed, and reached over to carefully help him pin it to his armor. Both knew that the future still held no guarantees, but neither was willing to consider their fears in that moment. They were going to be together. They just had to be.