Radaguen held no great love for the city of his birth. He had spent his childhood frolicking in Gridania's lush gardens and climbing its many trees, and had spent his adolescence training with the lancer's guild, and it was a beautiful place to be sure - especially during the spring, when the flowers bloomed and the birds sang and the market stalls were full of fresh fruit and bread. Yet as he grew, the shadows began to creep in and he began to see the flaws. The lancer's guild was what broke him - after showing his aptitude he was challenged by a disgraced former student, a duskwight man wrongly accused of theft, and in the ensuing conflict slew him.

He had never killed before. He wished he could say he hadn't since.

All of a sudden, that verdant city held no appeal, kind memories soured by bloodshed. He left the city at his first opportunity, joining the Scions of the Seventh dawn. A part of him had hoped in vain he would never have need to return. Fate and love had other plans, as they always di-

"I hope I did not keep you waiting," came an amused voice from behind him.

He spun in place, reverie thoroughly broken, and there she stood, her twinkling eyes belying the sly mischief that her serene smile often hid. The Elder Seedseer, de facto leader of Gridania, the people's connection with the Elementals that were the true rules of this forest, and the woman who had given him reason to return here. Kan-E-Senna. The very sight of her made him freeze, and he could swear his heart skipped a beat. No matter how many times he saw her, he couldn't stop himself from savoring her beauty as if he'd never see her again, drinking in every last detail of her, from her flowery smell to the faint worry lines in her forehead to the soft curve of her cheek to the way she was barely containing her laughter.

"First a shrub and now me - if you continue staring at things in public like this, people will begin to worry."

He blushed bright red and looked away, admonished. He had been staring, and he realized he wasn't the only way - passersby turned to look at the two of them, whispering to each other. The Elder Seedseer was not an uncommon sight in Gridania (and at this point neither was he) but the Elder Seedseer and the Warrior of Light together? People would gossip from that alone, and the rest of the day would throw ceruleum on that fire.

He had never been with her in public. Not like this, at least.

"So. Shall we?" She smiled up at him, and stuck out an arm. He entwined his arm with hers, and began to walk with her, slowing his long strides so she could set the pace. He might have noticed the effect this had on the onlookers, the wave that went through the crowd, but all he could see was her. All he could feel was her arm and the hip that occasionally bumped against his side, and all he could hear was the beating of his own heart.

They began to walk a tour of the city. Kan-E-Senna would exchange pleasantries with her people along the way - he wondered how she would dodge questions about their relationship, but no one seemed brave enough to ask. She would stop at every store and stall and guild hall, saying hello and ensuring all was well, making sure her people could see her in turn. At the first couple of stops he tried to let go of her arm and step back, an act of habit, but she just tugged him along. People were happy or disgruntled to see her, and respectful or coarse in turn, and all the other things people are around their leaders, but many still gave them a sidelong look or raised eyebrow.

And yet every time the world around him started to creep back in and nip at his heels, he looked at her again and it all faded back away. He had worked so hard for so long to find some semblance of inner peace, some way to quiet the unrest that plagued him, and he had made impressive progress, but with her it was different. Those quiet moments when she relaxed in his arms or when she giggled at a foolish joke he made or when she lay beside him in the small hours of the night comforting him with nothing but her soft breaths as she slept. She was his peace and joy and light and -

"Radaguen?"

He suddenly realized he was being spoken to. He bolted upright, blushing, and realized they were standing in the conjurer's guild. E-Sumi-Yan looked at him expectantly, obviously waiting for an answer to whatever he had asked.

"My apologies. I was lost in thought. What were we talking about?" Radaguen said, voice low and hoarse from lack of use.

Kan-E-Senna nudged him with a smile. "What did I tell you?" She murmured.

"I was going to ask how you are doing," E-Sumi-Yan said patiently and not without amusement, "but I think I now have a more relevant question."

Radaguen swallowed. This was the question that would make or break this day.

"How long have you two been together?"

"Ah, uh, we first started seeing each other like this shortly after Ishgard rejoined the Alliance." Radaguen answered.

"Hm." E-Sumi-Yan studied him for a moment, then turned his attention to Kan-E-Senna. "Are you happy with him?"

"Yes." Kan-E-Senna said simply. She cast Radaguen a quick look that made him blush. "I am very, very happy with him."

"Good. I hope I don't need to remind you that your duty to the elementals comes first."

Something flashed across Kan-E-Senna's eyes, some mix of frustration and regret. "You do not need to remind me."

"Good."

They bid each other farewell, more formally than they greeted each other. They walked in silence for a few minutes, then Kan-E-Senna suddenly perked up and changed direction. Radaguen gave her a curious look, which she answered with a fierce smile. "There's something I'd like to pick up before we head home."

She led them briskly to a stall near the outskirts of the city. The owner of the stall blanched when he recognized them, and Radaguen quickly realized why - the stall was selling homemade news bulletins, and the latest issue seemed to be fairly fresh. In bold letters it read "Seducing the Seedseer - has the Lecher of Light found his way under Kan-E-Senna's robes?" The Seedseer purchased a copy from the sheepish peddler, and thanked him sweetly.

"I have some of my people visit that stall now and then, to get an idea of what the people are feeling," She explained as they walked away. The smile had returned to her face, sly rather than serene, mischievousness undisguised.

Her bodyguards were waiting to greet her at her door, and were less than pleased. They had a hushed discussion, and he caught bits and pieces about "getting the whole city talking", The smile never left her face.

She ushered him inside and when the door closed let out a sigh, all of her tension seeming to flow out of her body with her breath.

"So… that wasn't so bad, was it?"

He reclined on her couch and pulled her into his lap. She snuggled up to him gratefully.

"By the twelve, I needed this… I'll have to address things properly at some point, but for now…" She kissed his collarbone, and rested her head on his chest. "For now, all that's important is right here." He stroked her hair silently as she drifted off to sleep.

"I love you." He whispered and kissed her hair as she dozed. Somehow, it had never occurred to him that she might find the same peace in him that he found in her.