Yuri and Judith walked up the stairs towards their Inn; they tried to get there quickly and not keep Löder and his intimidating bodyguard waiting.
They drew closer but heard sounds of ecstasy coming from their room. The muffled, sensual noises cut through the thin, oakwood door.
"Well, that didn't take long." Yuri shook his head, ready to knock on the door.
Judith grabbed his hand, "Wait..." she told him, "Let's listen a bit longer."
"You're starting to sound like Raven," Yuri told her.
Judith rolled her eyes, "I just meant that we should let them have fun a little longer."
"There will be other times for that, but right now, let's tell Estelle about Löder."
Yuri knocked twice.
•
Rita froze in the middle of the act, looking down at Estelle. They were both nearly nude and sweating, breathing slowly to try and calm down.
"W-who is it?" Rita asked.
"It's us, let us in. It's urgent."
Estelle shouted at them, politely, "One minute, please."
They both hustled into their clothing, Rita fumbled with the zipper on her outfit.
"Damn this zipper... it just... ugh!"
Estelle slipped into her nearest outfit, her great costume from the castle before running to help Rita zip herself up.
"Thank you..." Rita whispered.
Estelle rushed over to the door, unlocking it to find Yuri and Judith.
Rita and Estelle's faces were glistening with sweat, their clothes were rumpled, and their hair was in shambles from the devious deed.
Yuri and Judith knew. Rita was sure of it.
"Sorry to drop in," Yuri smirked, "But we ran into Löder, he has some important news to give you."
Estelle's attention shifted as she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get it to stay down.
"Where is he now?"
"He's at a restaurant in the upper quarter of the town. He said he would be there until sundown. Best not to keep him waiting, and he said anyone you want to bring along would have their meals paid for."
Estelle kept trying to situate her hair.
"You two look like you took naps and got some bad bed head," Judith lied, "Both of you fix your hair and your clothes, then meet us outside."
Yuri and Judith left, shutting the door behind them.
"Do you think they knew?" Estelle asked her, nervously."
"They probably did. I'm so sorry that I threw myself at you, that was immature and inappropriate for a princess."
Estelle brushed her hair, "Rita doesn't apologize... it was fine."
Rita helped Estelle get the wrinkles out of her dress; then they took off out the door.
•
Rita, Yuri, and Judith followed Estelle at a respectable distance, making their way to the royal quarter of the town.
As they approached the restaurant, it was not as large as they have expected.
"I've never had seafood before, do you guys know if it's any good?" Rita asked.
"I had some at a Noble dinner once... It wasn't anything sp-" Estelle and the rest of the party stopped in their tracks, stunned.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Yuri groaned
"How did she do it so fast?" Judith asked.
Standing before them was a restaurant with double doors labeled "Patty's Seaside Mysteries." With a big picture of the blonde pirate herself right above the door.
"The way she's Winking in the photo makes me a little... Uneasy..." Rita commented.
"I..." Estelle began nervously. "I think it's nice."
They entered, the place was surprisingly packed shoulder to shoulder—table after table of the most diverse crowd of people they had ever seen.
A bright-eyed waitress greeted them, "Welcome to Patty's, his highness Löder has reserved a table in the back for you and your companions, Lady Estellise."
She guided the party of four to a reasonably large table in the back. Only Löder and his burly bodyguard occupied the table, but Repede was lying at the edge of the room.
Rita turned to the waitress, "Are dogs allowed in here?"
The waitress began setting menus for the four of them.
A familiar, upbeat voice rang out, "This dog is allowed in!"
Patty hopped down from the ceiling. She always had the most shocking entrances.
"Woah!"
Patty pet Repede and gave him a piece of sushi before taking a seat at the table.
"How did you do this so fast?" Yuri was the first to ask.
"I put my old crew back together. I realized the treasure I was searching for was right here the whole time." Patty winked at Yuri.
Yuri politely waved to her, an inorganic smile on his face.
Estelle took a seat, "What do you recommend for me here, Patty?"
Patty covered her eyes, "If you have to ask, you must leave it up to chance."
Estelle tapped the center of the menu, and Patty removed her hands. "Thank you." Estelle smiled.
Everyone else ordered meals, and the discussion began.
Löder stood up, "I would like to begin by expressing my thanks to all of you once again, the entire world owes their lives to you. I owe mine twice to Mr. Lowell."
Yuri leaned back in his chair, "Get to the point, your highness." He rudely commanded Löder.
Dorik, Löder's unpleasant bodyguard, was not happy about Yuri's mistreatment. He uncrossed his arms, "Watch your mouth, scum."
The entire table gasped, Patty and Repede got up, weapons ready.
"Dorik, this is not necessary-" Löder started with a slightly firmer tone.
"Do you ever stop being a jerk?" Judith shouted at him, less of a question, and more of a threat.
"I have a problem with lower-class citizens disrespecting royalty." Dorik's raspy voice began to rise.
Patty's hand was on her weapon, ready at any moment.
"Dorik, as your superior, I am asking you to stand down. These people are heroes and should be treated as such; they've done nothing wrong."
Dorik sat down, "Forgive me, your highness."
"Dorik is my council appointed bodyguard. After Estellise was kidnapped, they concluded that I need a bodyguard." Löder sounded annoyed, which was significantly out of character.
"Yuri is right, let's get to the point, " Estelle told him.
Löder sighed, "I am stepping out of the race to become emperor. I am conceding to Estelle."
The room fell to silence; only the muffled chatter from the other room could be heard.
Rita was the most upset, "You can't just make Estelle go back."
Estelle placed her hand on Rita's shoulder to calm her, a noted gesture by those who didn't know about their relationship.
"That's a kind offer, Löder, but I had already decided to drop out and let you become emperor," Estelle told him, which shocked nobody but him.
"You don't understand; I am unfit to be emperor. It is in the best interest of the world for you to take the throne." Löder was passive-aggressive stubborn.
Yuri sat up straight, "So you're going to force Estelle to become Empress because you're too lazy?"
"Yuri, please." Estelle told him, "This is my business."
"I am begging you to take the throne when I step down. I've already filed the papers; unfortunately, you now have no choice."
"Löder you stubborn little-" Rita started fuming, lunging toward him.
His guard stepped in front of him, and Estelle held Rita back by her arms until she calmed down, but never let go of her hand.
Patty noticed the detail and scratched her head.
Löder stood up, "Your meals have been paid for. Have a wonderful evening." He then began walking away.
Everyone else sat down to enjoy their meals, and it had been a very long day.
Patty cleared her throat, "Let's break the tension! How are your meals?"
"It's wonderful, Patty! Even better than the Castle's."
"This might be the first seafood I've ever been able to stomach." Yuri approved.
"Coming here too often would certainly hurt my figure, but I'll visit for the occasional treat." Judith approved.
Rita got up and ran off, "Get me a to-go bag."
Estelle tried to get up and follow, but Yuri held her back. "Let her go."
Rita stormed into the other room and then out of the restaurant altogether.
She ran to the docks, where she hoped Löder hadn't departed. When she arrived, Löder was boarding his ship.
"Löder, you slimeball! Get back here!"
Dorik drew his swords, with an unphased Rita continuing her charge.
"You dare! Foolish child!" Dorik assumed an attack stance, with Rita entirely prepared to go through him.
"Stand down," Löder commanded Dorik, who didn't react to his command.
"Dorik, stand down. I mean it. Stand down, or I will have your reputation discredited.
Dorik sheathed his blades, the Mage's pace slowed down when she saw that Löder was not leaving.
He stepped in front of his bodyguard, exposing himself to any of her attacks.
"You think you can just abandon Estelle after what she did? What kind of human garbage water would do that?"
Löder bowed his head in shame.
"You do not understand."
"Oh, I understand plenty!" If Rita still had her Blastia, the entire harbor would be up in flames. "You're a lazy, bitter Noble who wants all of the perks but none of the responsibility of being emperor."
Rita grabbed his shirt and pulled him up by it, slamming his body against the side of the ship.
Dorik reacted, drawing his blades once again with the intent to harm.
"No, she means me no harm. Stand down." Löder called off his guard.
"I have to step down, Rita."
Rita pulled him back and slammed him again; the bodyguard anxiously watched in horror.
"You make me furious, " She slammed him again, "You're a small, petty man." She pulled him back, ready to bang him again, but stopped when she saw.
She set him back down, looking down his shirt. She ripped the buttons and exposed his chest.
There was a hole with a metal shell where his heart to be, similar to Raven and Yeager's Blastia Hearts, but it was missing the Blastia.
"Löder... What is this?" Rita's whole attitude changed as she began to understand.
"I was trying to keep this quiet, but I am, "
"You're dying, " Rita finished for him, "You have no heart, how did this happen? How have you survived this long?"
Löder sighed, "When Yuri rescued me from that ship, Barbos had already crushed my life force powered Blastia, calling it useless." Löder pointed to Dorik, "I survived so long because Dorik was a healer, he was keeping me alive. But with the necessary destruction of the blastia, healing artes are no longer possible."
Rita was ashamed of her actions, "I'm so sorry, I had no idea... How long do you have?"
"You had no way of knowing, and the doctors say it could be tomorrow, but I have a month at most if I continue my visits to the capital hospital."
"So, Estelle has no choice?" Rita asked, even though she knew the answer.
Löder sighed in contempt, "It appears that way, I'm afraid. We are the only candidates for the throne."
Löder boarded the ship, attempting to readjust his ruined button-up, "Give lady Estellise my sincerest apologies."
Rita watched the Nobles' ship cast away, just like her dream of spending the rest of her life living calmly with Estelle.
As the ship vanished into the distance, she stood there. The sound of the waves washing the only noise she could hear. A tear welled in her left eye, followed by several more, blurring her vision of the moon over the horizon.
She ran off back to the restaurant as fast as she could, trying to block back the tidal wave of tears that we're destined to erupt.
She reached the Restaurant just in time to see the group leaving. She hastily darted toward her newly proclaimed girlfriend, seeking comfort.
"Rita, where were you? Are you ok?"
Estelle's questions we're cut short by the red-haired mage grabbing her so tightly that she could barely breathe. The floodgates were opened, Rita soaked through Estelle's outfit.
"Woah, Rita, what happened?" Estelle asked, incredibly worried for her partner.
"He has to step down." Rita stuttered out tearfully, "He's dying, and he's going to take you away from me."
The rest of the party watched silently up to this point, "He's dying?" Yuri asked.
"His heart was a Blastia... He lost it, and he was living off of healing Artes, But now that they are all gone..." Rita couldn't finish her sentence.
Patty finished it for her, "So now that healing Artes no longer exist, his time in this world is shorter than the smallest of tides."
"I know Blastia Heart Blastia, " Judith said, "He probably has two weeks at most."
Rita was finished crying; she sniffled and finally let Estelle go.
"So, I guess I must take the throne?" Estelle asked them.
Rita looked at her silently, her eyes begging for another way.
"Repede, and I will head back to the capital and find a way out of this, " Yuri proclaimed.
Repede slowly waddled his way next to Yuri and collapsed.
"Patty, you've gotta stop feeding him so much." Yuri told her.
Patty hopped over to Repede and scratched him behind the ears, "Aye, but a lass just can't say no to her baby, " Patty spoke in baby talk, "No she can't, oh no no she can't." Repede smiled and lazily wagged his tale.
"Ok, that's it; your diet starts now, " Yuri pointed firmly at the dog. Repede responded with a groan.
Judith bashfully placed her hand on her chest, "Oh my, he doesn't seem to like that, " She smiled.
Patty scratched Repede's bloated belly and turned to look at Rita and Estelle, "So, are you, lasses, officially a couple now?"
The rest of the party now looked as well, Repede included.
Rita and Estelle looked at each other. "Yes, " Estelle told them, flushing Rita's cheeks pink, "Yes, we are."
Estelle held on to Rita's arm to reinforce her point.
Judith smirked, "I can't wait for Karol and Raven to hear about this. I bet their heads will just explode."
Yuri looked at her and smiled, "I'm trying to picture Flynn's reaction. He always talked about which Noble Estelle had her eyes on." He chuckled, "He didn't even know Rita had a thing for Estelle until I told him."
Judith and Patty laughed, while Rita was red-faced embarrassed, and Estelle was clueless.
"So, " Estelle started, bashful, "I was the only one that didn't know?"
"Well you, and Flynn." Yuri told her.
Judith raised an eyebrow slightly, "Hey, I have an idea, how about we get a separate room so Ristelle can have their own."
Estelle looked confused, "Ristelle...?"
Rita facepalmed.
•••
"I'm happy they let us be alone. That last encounter before dinner was embarrassing." Estelle told her as she gathered a nighttime outfit in preparation for her shower.
"Look, I'm sorry about crying on you and all of that... I'm just going to miss you..." Rita told her, her voice cracking again.
Estelle grabbed her hand, "You're coming with me, and we will be together. I promise."
Rita smiled, "Thank you, Estelle."
Estelle walked into the bathroom, "I'll be in and out in 3 minutes."
Rita stepped in and shut the door behind her, "Oh no, you won't, " she told Estelle playfully."
"Rita, " Estelle giggled, "I love you so much."
They kissed as their water warmed.
