Lunch was indeed ready when Lina and Rasmus made it back to the square, and everyone was either eating or in line to eat. Lina frowned, "Hope there's enough left for me!" she griped.
Smiling, Rasmus looked down at her, "I'm sure there is, Sylphiel would make sure there was. Lina- can I ask you something?" he a paused, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. Stopping, she looked up at him, "Why'd you say I was Rezo's son?"
Shrugging with a laugh, Lina replied, "Being his twin would make you too old for Syl!" With that, she turned and flounced off.
Hesitating a moment longer, Rasmus thought on that as he gazed at the crowd, half mesmerized by the swirl of colors and people. The single girls- and the younger married girls- were dressed in their finest spring dresses. Lina had worn her usual clothes- having no one to impress and not one to wear a dress anyway. Sylphiel... she was in pale lavender off next to the cooking area, helping to serve food, laughing and smiling as she handed out bowls of her stew.
I think... what I really admire is her forgiveness, he told Flagoon, who was confused as to where that comment had come from- the tree had been contemplating Rasmus's lymph nodes.
He sighed at the tree and shook his head, but Flagoon was quick enough to catch up and replied, Ah. I see.
Lifting his eyes again to gaze at Sylphiel, Rasmus continued his observations, I think I'd like to learn how to forgive people as fully as she does. I mean... maybe we're not on the best of terms yet, but she's accepted that I'm here and... has forgiven me enough to talk to me. I think I really admire that. And the fact that she's willing to help me become an individual. Turning his gaze elsewhere, Rasmus spotted Gourry, I admire him too. He's dumb, but very honest and has a way of seeing things that really make the truth obvious and not so bad as it looks at first- like his... Rezogoon comment. Thinking back on that, I suppose he's right in labeling us as a single entity that's entirely new.
Is this going anywhere? Flagoon asked.
Expression falling, Rasmus's lips twitched downwards, See? You've gotten sarcastic.
In return, Flagoon replied, More, I've learned how to handle you. You have a tendency to wallow in self pity unless broken from it with another emotion and you have the habit of going on and on about a subject without ever really getting to the point.
Folding his arms, Rasmus turned his back on the crowd so he could have his mental conversations in relative peace. Like you've got anything better to do than listen to me? He shot back.
I'm your captive audience. I have no choice but to listen to you.
Ohhh, and I suppose you'd rather listen to Sylphiel talk about unicorns? Rasmus demanded.
Of course, Flagoon had an answer to that one too, So would you.
"Mr. Lord Rasmus?"
He blinked and looked down, finding a little girl tugging his sleeve. She barely reached past his waist. Flagoon was laughing at him, having, by default, won the argument and Rasmus spat a curse at the tree even as he smiled at the girl, "Yes?"
The girl, a young blonde with large brown eyes, smiled shyly back at him, "The dances are going to start soon- um... and I... I... just wanted to ...ask you if you could...would... um..."
Taking the hint, Rasmus knelt down to her level and smiled, "Sure, I'll dance with you- if you don't mind that I don't know how to."
Breaking into a wide grin, the girl nodded, "That's okay! I don't know either!"
"Then I guess we're perfectly matched," Rasmus replied and held out his hand. Blushing, the girl placed hers into it and he folded his fingers around her tiny hand. Laughing, she turned and pulled him off towards the dancing square.
Bushed, and still unable to manage to make it far enough to the serving tables to get something to eat without being waylaid, Rasmus took a seat at one of the tables off to the side of the dancing square, hoping that he'd be left along long enough to catch his breath. If it hadn't been one of the girls- aged eight to early twenties- who'd asked him to dance, it had been one of the men who'd wanted to hear about Rasmus's fight to save Sairaag. He'd refused to tell them much of anything, wanting to get the story straight with Lina before things got out of hand, but he hadn't gotten the chance to meet with Lina either.
Briefly, he'd seen her and Gourry dancing, then they were on the other side of the square, eating again. Of Sylphiel, he'd seen nothing of since the dances had begun, and now it was sunset. He was starving.
"Hey."
Blinking, Rasmus half turned to the left to look beside him at a pretty moon-faced young woman with brunet hair. "I noticed you hadn't eaten yet," she held the plate she carried out to him and waited till he took it before she sat beside him, pulling one leg up onto the bench in front of her, showing off her calf from beneath her flowered pink dress. Leaning an elbow on the table, she smiled at him in what he guessed was an alluring fashion. Really, the expressions these girls were throwing at him were going over his head, and he had only just begun to get the drift that they were giving him a lot more attention than the other boys.
"Hm," he said, trying to decide what to do, "Thanks," he admitted, "I can't seem to get across the square without getting detoured."
She smiled and laughed lightly, "Yeah, we're all rather excited to have you here. I mean... the son of Rezo. Who would have thought! Really, we'd just never heard of you before."
Taking up the plate and spoon, Rasmus took note that none of Sylphiel's stew was there. That was interesting to note, or perhaps there just wasn't any left. He took a bite anyway and replied after swallowing, "No one's heard of Rezo's grandson either, but he's saved the world ...what, three times? I believe he's dating a princess too."
Eyes widening, the girl sat back slightly, "Grandson?" she eyed Rasmus.
Laughing, the copy shook his head, "Not mine," he replied, "Zel would kill me if I ever claimed he was mine! No, he's from Rezo's first daughter. I was... a... mistake."
Relaxing, the girl thought on that, "A mistake? Wow. That must be depressing to know."
He was steadily losing interest in food as he thought on it further and sighed, "Yes. It's hard when you're expected to be someone you can't be- stuck with someone you can't leave- and... Sorry. Don't mind me. I gripe when I get hungry." He smiled at her and stuffed more food into his mouth to keep from saying anything more.
"No, I understand completely," the girl said and Rasmus looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I mean, my sister is so perfect. She's pretty and smart and everyone loves her and I always hear from mom every time I screw up: 'why can't you just be like your sister?' I just can't seem to do anything right and if I do, it gets compared to how my sister would have done it." She sighed and rolled her eyes.
Nodding slightly, Rasmus sighed, "Yes. Exactly that."
The girl turned and hooked both her elbows on the table behind her and looked up at the sky with another sigh, "Yeah, it makes me so mad sometimes- I just want to hit her or throw something! But I can't, because that would only make the situation worse. I just try to hang on and ignore mom until she goes off to rant about something else. Then I go do what I want to do till I calm down and hope that someday someone will marry me and take me out of this dump."
Rasmus lowered his spoon finally, realizing that he wasn't going to be putting it into his mouth anytime soon- having been thoroughly distracted by her words. "Why wait to get married?" he asked her.
Sitting forward, she stared at him, "You kidding? I couldn't possibly go out there alone! Besides, I ...just don't have any useful skills..."
"What is it that you usually do when you go to calm down?" Rasmus asked instead.
Flushing, she picked at her skirt, "I ...well, I sew. I like making dresses."
Smiling slightly, he finally took a bite of his dinner and thought as he chewed. Once he swallowed, Rasmus pointed out, "Did you make that dress?" he asked and she flushed, nodding, "I think it's quite nice." She blushed even more deeply and peered at him shyly, "A dress designer could get a lot of money in some towns I've been through."
At this, she stared at him, "You... you're sure about this?"
Nodding, Rasmus replied, "Yes. It just takes some dedication and finding someone who would be willing to help support you as you start your business. I'll tell you what. If you can get a ride to Atlas City, go to a woman named Laria, she's got a shop called Tailor Made, I'll write you a letter of recommendation. She'll take you on Rezo's word."
The girl flushed, "But... you're going to forge a letter from Lord Rezo?"
Flashing a grin, Rasmus replied, "Why not? He's not here to complain, and I doubt he would anyway. All I'd be saying is that you're willing to work and just need a place to start. Laria is an accommodating enough woman, she'll be willing to accept you at least on temp. If you to really hit it off, maybe you can become partners?"
Face turning even more pink, the girl clasped her hands together, "Oh thank you, Lord Rasmus! You truly are a kind soul!"
Shaking his head, he answered honestly, "Not really. But I'm learning."
Thinking it a joke, the girl laughed then leaned forward and kissed his cheek, "My name's Giselle," she informed him before getting up and heading off to tell her friends of the wonderful news, and likely spread rumors of what he'd said of his past.
Sighing, he turned his attention back to his dinner and wondered if he could possibly get across the square to get some of Sylphiel's stew to fill out that last empty pocket in his stomach. "That was rather sweet of you, actually." Sitting up straighter, Rasmus turned to look to his right and found Sylphiel standing there.
Carefully, she took a seat near him, but not too close- certainly a lot further away than some girls had been sitting. Almost at arm's reach, actually. Are we that far apart still? He mused in his mind. "Maybe I just wanted her to leave me alone?" he offered, just to see what Sylphiel's reaction would be.
She didn't answer for a long moment, then took a breath, "Or maybe you just had sympathy for someone in the same situation you were in?" Before he could answer that, Sylphiel forged on, "They think we're... a couple."
Laughing lightly to hide his interest in the idea, Rasmus lowered his plate to his lap and pushed around some bell peppers he'd picked out of his dinner with the fork, "I don't think the girls quite believe it."
"I've been telling them you're just my guest."
He couldn't help the slight break in his poker-face and glanced at her to see if she'd noticed, "I see," he replied, "It is true enough."
Sylphiel, who hadn't looked away from his face, twisted her hands in her lap, "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, though not accusingly.
Embarrassed to be called on his slightly sarcastic comment, Rasmus scratched the side of his nose, "Just what I said. It's true enough. Not that we're more."
"Are we less?" Sylphiel asked directly.
This got a reaction from him, and he lifted his eyes to look at her, "Whatever you want us to be, Ms. Sylphiel. After all, I am the one imposing on you."
She frowned with a sigh, "There you go again, being self degrading."
"Hard not to be, all things considered, but this isn't the place to discuss it," Rasmus replied truthfully.
Standing, she turned to face him fully, "Then come."
Looking at her in confusion, Rasmus blinked as she pulled the plate from his hands and put it on the table behind him, then took his hands, pulling him up. Turning, she kept hold of one of his hands and pulled him through the crowd, and off into the darkness beyond the area the festival had been set up in.
After a few turns, they finally came to an area with trees and a small pond- Rasmus noticed it was the same one Lina had hauled him off to earlier that day. Lifting his eyes, he shuffled to a stop, staring at the sunset's glorious colors of crimson and orange, fading to violet off in the east. From this vantage, he had an unobstructed view of this display of colors.
Sylphiel let go of his hand and turned to face him, then closed her mouth as she saw him staring off over her head. "You... haven't seen many sunsets, have you?" she asked him.
Brought back to reality by her voice, Rasmus blinked, then looked at her, "Not really. ...wasn't allowed to," he admitted. "You wanted to talk to me?" Striding forward, he found a bench set next to the pond and took a seat on it.
Flushing, though it was hard to see in the fading light. "I..." I just wanted you to myself for a while, Sylphiel finished mentally, then glanced towards him. He was staring at the sunset again, not at her. Hesitantly, she slipped closer and perched on the edge of the bench next to him. But not too close. "You...well... I mean... Our... conversation earlier..."
Finally, he looked at her and blinked, "Of whether we're more or less," he replied, "Truly, Sylphiel, it is up to you. I'm not a guest; guests eventually leave, and I cannot unless you bid it."
"You speak like you're my indentured servant," Sylphiel sighed and lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "You're not, Rasmus... I forgive you for what happened. You...weren't in your right mind then, and ...I just can't live like that- hating you for being in your own body. It just isn't fair of me. You didn't ask for this any more than I did." Shifting uncomfortably on the stone bench, she lifted a hand to play with the silver necklace he'd given her- the one missing a stone in the setting.
Licking his lips, he stared at her without answering- long enough for her to finally lift her eyes from her knees and look at him to see if he'd even heard her.
Rasmus smiled at her, "Thank you," he told her, "I-"
Something's wrong! Flagoon put in and the warning echoed down the link to Sylphiel. Rasmus was on his feet immediately, dashing back the way they'd come, following the sounds of screams.
Behind him, he could hear Sylphiel tearing down the road as well, "Rasmus! Wait!" Sylphiel shouted, but the sound of screaming had reached her by then, and she put on more speed.