The kitchen was filled with aromas that one couldn't imagine; entering the warm, vibrant room many eyes fell on him. The ones he couldn't recognize by face just stared, whispering quietly to the others at the table. Dio grasped hold to Lucciola's hand tighter nervously.

"Help me with the plates Al, I can't hold all of them!" Lavie chirruped, giving a friendly smile to the Guilder as she passed. The meals were placed at every seat; the company's talk seemed to overflow the room with voices.

"I would like to make a toast," Claus stood up uneasily, glancing at all the ones he knew as friends stare at him, "I'm glad all of you could make it…though Empress Sophia might not attend…what we should really be grateful for…" He looked at Dio and swallowed away his fear.

"Is that Dio will be here with us this evening, I'm glad he's alive…" The blonde looked out at their faces to see if their was any change in emotion, "And some of you," Tatiana looked down at her plate, slipping the fork from her hand sadly, "never really liked him…but I think we should forget all of that, make a better place for him, and for us!"

"Cheers!" The group cried, tapping all their glasses with the faint chime ringing in the air. Dio released his worries, sitting in his own seat to find them greeting the man as if he was family. The feeling of being with them made his eyes well up with delight.

Alvis sat diagonal from the hazel-eyed boy, scooping up mashed potatoes with one finger curiously she laughed at the sight.

Dio looked at the foreign food, tasting each side dish with a smile on his lips. This place made him more at home seeing not a single rose. This was the place he would stay until he died, where the ones that had passed could never reach a living soul.

"Lucciola, do you like it?" He looked to his side, seeing his friend sip at the wine glass after every bite or two. Properly eating the food, making it seem that Delphine sat along with them at the table. "Don't be so stiff Lucciola, loosen up!"

Dio seemed to flex, amusing himself with the joke he made. Lucciola glanced at the plate and then him, "Flex...up sir?" Lucciola knew well enough that he didn't need to ask, without haste did he eat as his friend did. Tasting the unknown food with his finger, licking the rest awkwardly off his fingertips.

Not soon after was the feast gone, only scraps and remnants for the next dinner were left. A tap came from the door, Lavie rushed to answer, wiping her hands on the apron at her waist on the way.

"Hello- -" She stopped, seeing Sophia standing there with a broad smile on her rose lips. "Sophia! I'm so glad!" Lavie embraced the fair woman, feeling a great happiness overwhelm her. "I didn't think you would make it!"

Grasping hold of the Empress's hand in a hurried way did she lead her to the dining room. "Look who's back with us!" Sophia seemed to be spun around, there, sitting on one of the chairs, was Dio.

"You…you're…alive." She saw him notice the tall woman before him, standing up from his seat in greeting. It took a moment to actually feel that he was being embraced; even Lavie was shocked, seeing how tightly the woman held him.

"I know that Alex would be so happy to see you…" She said through choked gasps from the tears rolling down her face. "He really did care, knowing how it must have felt to live with such a person." Dio didn't need to know whom she spoke of, the answer had always been there. Delphine.

They departed, Lucciola uneasily shifted glances between the two, ready to cease another upcoming embrace. On the other hand Dio was baffled, the Empress cared for him, it felt if he really did have nothing to fear.

"Come on! Claus would just love to see you!" The redhead tore the new captain of the Sylvania from the room before anything else occurred. A flustered look of red was on her face, not noticing how tightly she held onto Sophia's wrist.

- - -

"Lord Dio…"

"It was nothing," He followed after where Lavie had left, feeling a hand rest on his shoulder. A sudden feeling of rage bubbled up in his body, remembering back at the time Lucciola betrayed him. "I need some rest…"

"You were to follow the Empress, weren't you?"

He could feel his hand tense, he didn't want to be so cruel as to brush the hand from his shoulder. Instead, Dio continued on his way, the guilt inside forced him not to look back at his companion.

- - -

"E-Empress Sophia…" Claus stuttered when seeing her being dragged in by Lavie, "I mean your highness… I mean…Captain!!" He saluted her with sweat beading at his forehead.

"No…please don't," Sophia blushed at his strange welcoming, releasing her wrist from Lavie's binding grip. "I'm so glad…"

"Oh, so you met Dio?" Claus eased himself, there was no need to act this way before someone like her. Lavie shoved him aside, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah she did, and you know what Claus, that stuff left over could make some pretty good- -" Sophia's hand was on her shoulder, a look of uncertainty and concern on the woman's face.

"If I'm not interrupting you from something important… can I talk to you, outside?"

Lavie turned red and hung her head low, feeling so foolish. Especially before such a royal woman, following out after her leaving Claus there confused and worried with his own problems to work out.

"What did you need to talk about?" She asked, trying to keep their eye contact separate. Sophia nervously fixed her glasses, those emerald eyes shining with a tinge of affection.

"I know how I must have made you feel…back at the kitchen," Neither of them knew that Dio was standing at the entrance of the hall. Listening in to when he shouldn't have to a conversation he needn't to hear.

"You mean about Dio!? No, I'm fine…really, it's just. I was like that, well, because of your actions, Sophia." Lavie stared at her feet, keeping the interest on the dirty apron spotted with grease and other food stains.

- - -

"Hello there…" Dio said quietly, the two women turned their attention towards him. Seeing that Sophia looked as if she sighed relief by seeing him. The royal lady making her way towards him in no need of rush, but smoothly with every step.

"Would you like, to take a walk?" The question he couldn't seem to answer, nodding his head in agreement.

- - -

The golden fields out before them seemed to last yards until ending past the rolling green hills. Two figures walked in the dawn, the sun began to set and it seemed the air was still, not even the birds seemed to sing. All was quiet..

"You and me…are alike, Dio," Sophia looked at him with a weak smile, tears edging near the sides of her eyes. "But I didn't endure the most unimaginable suffering as you did…I see your wounds are fresh…"

It didn't seem to make sense, what she said was perfectly understandable, but why? This conversation seemed to make his happiness darken, not knowing why the woman spoke of wounds he didn't see. The sudden anger momentarily made him act differently than he usually acted…

"Right here," Sophia stopped, as well as he, feeling her smooth hand on his chest.

"My…heart?" Dio paused, feeling a blow hit him subconsciously, the scars were on the inside…that which would take a long time to heal, or never. He could feel hot tears streaming down his cheeks, seeking for her embrace to lighten his dampened spirit.

"Even here you are still troubled with this pain…" She stroked his hair reassuringly, making it feel as if she was talking to a child. Sophia dared not break the hold, for the boy was suffering, it was now that he turned seventeen. Not too long ago actually…she was nineteen now…

He was gone for more than a year…

"I'm sorry… if I never came…if I just never…then," His hazel eyes looked up at her, "Alex would still be alive…it's all my fault.." The Guilder broke down into another torment of sobs and aching. Neither seemed to care that the darkness of the night poured over them.

"It's not your fault Dio…none of it was…you never belonged there… with her," She lifted his chin and a weak smile came to his face, with a second thought her lips kissed his forehead. Hearing Dio make a sudden gasp, his hold loosened and she felt him fall back.

"Dio!!" Sophia fell to her knees, dirtying the skirt she came to his aid, kneeling over him. With one glove of hers she dabbed his forehead, seeing no sense of sweating or illness. Strange…it almost seemed…

The next moment Sophia was lying on the ground with a giggling Dio, finding that she fell when startled at Dio waking with a fake cry. It made her laugh, never feeling so cheerful in a long time.

"Stay here longer Sophia," Dio rolled to his side putting his arms around her once more.

Her laughter faltered, feeling his kindness she turned to face him, "I can't…the Sylvania needs a captain…"

"Then Godwin and the others can stay here too! What fear is there to stay?" The young man began another fit of laughter, his face turning red from everything that had just happened.

"But, I'm also the Empress, that is a role none other can take.."

His arms recoiled, it seemed he was stabbed in the back by her words, "I understand," Dio sighed, getting to his feet, standing there for a moment, gazing into the last of the horizon. In the turn he made was a smile on his face once again, holding out a hand. "Let's go back home!"

She nodded, taking hold of his hand she felt herself lift from the ground, the pieces of wheat still on each others hair and clothes. Her face flushed red, seeing that Dio was actually holding her hand, none had done so before.

"I'm glad that you're back…Dio"

He squeezed her hand affectionately, seeing Alvis rush out from the home, stopping to the sight. The Empress and Dio were specked with pieces of wheat, their hair messed, and their clothes rumpled.

"Shouldn't it be your bed time, Al?" Sophia asked, seeing the girl blush red and vanish into the home.

- - -

As Sophia finished dressing into her night gown she smiled, it was so good to be home. Though it wasn't truly she still felt the welcoming aura of one.

"But what if…I did stay…Empress Sophia?"

She seemed strange, talking to herself as she lay in bed wearily. Too tired to keep awake, but her mind filled enough to keep her mind and soul awake.

"I'll see," She blew out the candle and buried herself deeper into the bed's warm sheets, "Only time can tell…"

- - -

End of Chapter Two –Chapter three to come soon-