Hey, everyone. Let me get this out first in saying that I enjoyed Engage. That enjoyment coupled with my active imagination and passion for writing has led me here. I've noticed Engage stories trinkling into this site and AO3, and amongst them a handful featured the girl that I'm writing about this time. Citrinne caught my eye when she was revealed and became one of my favorites throughout my recently completed first playthrough. She was the girl I had Alear marry, and that's what this story is going to be about. With all that said, I hope you all enjoy the story!
I do not own anything.
Absolutely Priceless
When Alear first woke up, he never thought that he'd become so familiarized with rings in his life. He never could have imagined upon first waking that they could hold such power…or such significance. This life had been full of surprises, a lot of bad, but just as many, if not more good ones. Amongst those happy surprises were the people that he'd met, the allies, the friends, the family that he'd found.
As he stared at the Pact Ring left behind by his mother, one person in particular came to mind. The blue glow of the gem sharply contrasted the red shine of her eyes, as well as the golden jewelry she wore. It perfectly described the wealth that she possessed, as well as her soul-utterly dazzling. So dazzling that he found himself questioning if he was really worthy of her. Or at least asking her if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. That's what the ring in his hand represented, a lifelong commitment.
Alear was all too aware of the fact that Citrinne practically already had one of those. Her patriotism was one of the things that he truly admired about her. Could she, would she, give that sort of devotion to him?
Thinking back to Griss' words regarding his true origins, he once again found himself wondering if he was deserving of such devotion.
"I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say that no, this doesn't change anything. We will simply not have that sort of talk! You have been all that we were raised you to be, and so much more, Alear. You have been our guiding light, our leader, our comrade, our friend, and none of that will change with this latest piece of information. You are a Divine Dragon, our Divine Dragon, Alear!"
Those passionate words had done a great deal to free him from the cold shackles of despair that he begun to entrap him. It was as if Citrinne had blasted them away with a spell; he always felt that the greatest magic she had was her voice. It could be soft yet firm, encouraging and commanding. Actually, that went for her presence as well. He'd always seen her as a source of strength, and even now he continued to do so despite the incredible power that he'd apparently accumulated.
It wasn't just power that he'd accumulated though, it was a great many things. Amongst the most important was a reason for him to fight and continue onward, regardless of what revelations he was faced with. His resolve had been hardened too much to be detoured…and yet here he was, feeling such nervous trembling.
If she said no, would his supposedly unshakable will be broken? Alear had heard tales of those who'd had their spirits broken over a romantic rejection. He didn't have that luxury though-an entire continent and its people were depending on him to lead the charge. Including Citrinne and the very nation that she'd sworn to protect and serve.
"Why do you question if she may not recuperate your feelings? From what I've absorbed, the feelings are mutual." Byleth had once told him as they watched a sparring session between Citrinne and Celica. Befitting his role of an instructor, he was showing how observant he could be, and supportive. Still, Alear couldn't help but feel a bout of nervousness, even as he found hope in swordsman's words.
Still holding the Pact Ring in hand, Alear walked out over to the balcony, his eyes falling upon the surrounding skies. At a glance, everything seemed so peaceful. One never would have imagined that there was a portal to the vast multiverse hundreds of feet above them, slowly eroding the very foundations of Elyos while threating the worlds beyond it, including those of the Emblems. With such a threat on the horizon, could he have really afforded to be spending so much time thinking about love? Then again, the gravity of the threat was one of the reasons why he was considering telling the woman he loved how he felt.
Even though they now had all the Emblems back, and having unlocked their full power, Alear wasn't overly confident about their odds. They were favorable, but he knew that their victory wasn't guaranteed. With the return of many of his memories, he remembered how narrow his last victory over Sombron had been. Despite the grievous injuries he'd dealt his biological father, it still hadn't been enough to kill him, a mistake that Alear paid for with a hole through the chest. His power even exceeded that of his mother's at her peak. With those sorts of odds…Alear had realized that victory was going to require nothing less than a hundred and ten percent of his strength. It may even require his life.
"Don't hesitate. Even if destiny foretells tragedy, a greater pain would be keeping your feelings held in. Besides…not every love story ends in tragedy like mine."
"Sigurd…I'm sorry I'm making you have to give me this pep talk."
"Don't be. As Queen Lumera's personal Emblem, I…somewhat feel it is my duty, not to mention I…think you and Citrinne would make for an excellent couple. My best advice would just be mindful. A relationship between you two will potentially lead to accusations of favoritism from other lands. Knowing Citrinne, she'll luckily take that into consideration, and do her best not to let it stop either of you."
"Sigurd…thank you. I'll try to keep all that in mind, especially if we end up…pursuing a relationship."
While by no means stoic, such heartfelt smiles from the Emblem of the Holy War were somewhat rare. When he thought about the Holy Knight's life story, Alear released it made sense. While they couldn't replace the son he never got to see grow up, they along with the rest of the younger members of the army did awaken those parental instincts. Alear had certainly felt like he was receiving a much needed nudge from a father figure.
Thinking about those encouraging speeches and what potentially loomed in his future left Alear looking back at the Pact Ring. The moonlight reflected off of the deep cobalt-blue gem, it almost seemed to be trying to encourage him just as the Emblems had done in the previous two days. After this coming day, only one more day of rest remained before they set out to confront Sombron for the final battle. Of course, that was assuming that nothing happened that forced their hand. So far, Alear had woken up to every day, grateful that no further tragedy had befallen Elyos. Still, he went through the day with a nervous ear kept open for anything troubling.
Maybe in some way, he was half hoping something did happen to distract himself from his impeding confession. It was cowardly, and unbecoming of the type of man that he believed Citrinne deserved.
His gaze moved from the ring up to the pale crescent moon that hung in the sky. "I wonder if she's…training right about now." He openly mused.
Apparently, there was a term for those who remained active into the night, or several terms. When it came to the blonde Brodian, Alear found he preferred the term, night owl. It was her fierce desire to become stronger that kept Citrinne up, a desire that was shared by several others in the army. She was still the one that he watched the most, the one whom he'd hold off on his own sleep for.
Before he knew it, he was out the door, descending the steps and then walking the quiet grounds of the Somniel. Once midnight struck, most if not all of the activity on the floating island ceased. Most of it, but not all. If he focused his senses, he could hear them: footsteps, breathes, slashes, punches, and magical explosions. The last one was what he looked for when he wanted to find Citrinne. That was one surefire way to find her, though he had a couple more. One of them tracking her by her scent.
Little by little, as he regained his memories and his old powers, his draconic abilities had awakened as well. That of course went for his senses. When they'd arrived in Gavre Port, he'd used his draconic sense of smell and hearing to search for any signs of anyone still alive; to his dismay, he'd found none. That's what led him to agreeing with Ivy that they had to keep on going for there was no one left to save. When battle inevitably found them, he'd done his best to keep track of everyone through the battle. Naturally, that went for Citrinne, she eventually disembarked from the ship and entered the fray herself.
Even amidst the remains of the dead town, he'd felt nothing short of joy seeing her. The relief he felt in his allies' survival was tripled when he saw her, and then quadrupled when she smiled back at him. It'd been a challenge to keep a simple handshake from turning into a full-blown hug of reassurance.
He followed her scent toward the training grounds, not at all surprised that's where she was at this late hour. Odds were if he'd waited another half hour or so, he might have missed her. Thankfully, her dedication to getting stronger didn't overwhelm her sense of self-preservation. Not anymore.
The closer he got, the stronger her scent became, it sent him into something of miniscule frenzy. He wanted to see her, he felt like he had to see her.
"Alear!"
See her he did, and she in turn saw him.
"H-H-H-Huh?" he gasped. "C-C-Citrinne? Y-You're-"
"Up late again?" She teasingly answered. He gave a sheepish smile that she returned. "Yes, I just…couldn't help myself. With the final battle so fast approaching, I found myself choosing to get in as much practice as I could. I'm sorry if that worries you."
"No, Citrinne, it's okay. I just want to be sure that you get at least three hours' worth of sleep." He replied.
"Ah, yes, I remember that. Don't worry, I was…I was just finishing up my training." He wondered how true those words really were. Just as he was about to tell her that she was free to train as long a she pleased, he caught sight of her eyes. In them he saw shimmering concern for him. Those feelings were put into words with her next statement. "Alear, what about you? How are you feeling?" The worry for him was on full display, the worry for him as a person and not just the Divine Dragon or the army's leader.
It felt like it'd taken ages for her to get into the habit of calling him by his name instead of his title. Even once she'd gotten into the trend, she tended to do it only when they were alone, such as they were now.
"I'm…I'm doing fine. The battle at Gradlon Temple, I've put it behind me. Only one more battle looms, and that's the one that I'm focused on." He responded.
Evidentially, his response wasn't enough, at least not to Citrinne. She placed the wind tome she'd been using on the ground and then walked over. Alear's heart thundered within his chest as his right hand was taken up by both of hers. Without hesitation, he squeezed them, immediately losing himself in the soft and loving embrace. He was further smothered into benign euphoria as he gazed into the ruby-red of her eyes. They still shined with such concern for him, yet he could have sworn he aw something else there as well. Alear felt a struggle between being realistic and being optimistic. With the latter's thin victory, he decided to give into impulse. Without a word, he wrapped his left arm around Citrinne's waist, pulling her into a tender hold.
She held onto his hand as he held her, leaning her head against his chest. It wasn't quite a total replication of their embrace after the last battle, but it was certainly close enough. Perhaps even better considering that this time, they were truly alone. Both of them were vaguely aware of that, and grateful for it. What was unfolding at the moment was…special to them to say the least.
"Alear," the blonde whispered.
"I must protect the world that she showed me the light of, which includes the people in it. It's not just because of her though…I want to protect everything because I care about it, I love it all." He felt the slight tightening of her hands around his. "I've come to truly love the people in it." Alear continued. He was just barely able to stay standing when Citrinne looked up and her singular-colored eyes looked into his dualistic ones. Alear felt that he could have lost himself in them, but by pure chance his gaze drifted to her pink lips. He could practically see the air swiftly rushing in and out of them; his ears picked up the faster than average beating of the Brodian's heart within her chest. It almost seemed to be calling to him.
"A-A-Alear,"
Her ethereal voice struck him like a bolt lightning from one of her tomes. As the jolt traveled through him, he realized precisely what he was doing. Cheeks aflame, Alear pulled away, his own heart pounding like a drum. "I'm so sorry, Citrinne! I-I didn't mean to intrude on your person! I just lost con-"
"No, no, it's fine, Alear!" The Sage countered, her own cheeks red and her voice clearly flustered. Thankfully, her composure seemed to be holding together better than his. "T-That was…well, I…I mean…that was…" Lowering her hands, she stood up straight, taking a deep, calming breath. Despite the setup, her cheeks were still burning red. Alear felt his lips partially split as he felt that same impulse taking hold of him. "I was…actually enjoying being in your arms. Your embrace is akin to being wrapped up in the arms of heaven. It's quite fitting to be honest."
"The arms of heaven," Alear repeated, a sheepish blush on his face. "Thank you for the praise, Citrinne."
"While praise, it is also the truth. I have seen you bring hope and salvation to many: friends, strangers, and most recently former enemies. It's spectacular, inspirational, and downright amazing." Her return praise made his cheeks blush even more, a sight that caused Citrinne to giggle. "I shall admit, a part of me would like to jealously hoard your touch for myself." No sooner had she spoken did her eyes widen in alarm. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that! I-I misspoke! That was entirely selfish of me, and I apologize!"
"Citrinne, you don't need to apologize." He soothed.
The blonde shook her head. "But I must. What I said was so selfish and callous, to have you all to myself would be…"
"Citrinne," he called again. While she'd tried to explain herself, she'd looked away, and it took him calling out to her to correct that. His heart swelled as her ruby eyes eventually found their way back to him. "You don't have anything to apologize for." Alear repeated. You're not the only one to hold such selfish thoughts. He mentally remarked. Anxiety kept him from physically voicing them. Alear feared what would happen if he did speak them, what would become of the bond between the two of them? As the fear began to crawl up him, he felt the reverberation of Byleth and Sigurd's words; they fiercely beat it back, thus allowing his inner courage to rise up. "Citrinne," he began.
"Alear, if it's…not too much trouble, would you stay here with me for a moment?" Came her sudden whisper.
"Yes, I'd love to." He immediately responded. It was enough to make a smile form on her face, and that in turn manifested one on Alear's as well.
From an outsider's view, Somniel seemed to be high enough that one could touch the stars when they came out at night. Those who'd been fortunate enough to take residence upon it knew that wasn't quite true. Even atop the floating castle close thousands of feet in the air, the stars were still so far out of reach. There was something enjoyable, even wondrous in that, as Alear and his compatriots had found.
"Despite being so high up, look and you see the stars. They're still so distant, that means that we still have further to go." She'd once poetically waxed to him during a break during a late-night training session.
"Citrinne, did you ever imagine that this journey of ours would end in battling the Fell Dragon himself? Alear asked as they watched the celestial spheres glisten across the night sky.
The blonde sat to his left, her legs folded up in a way befitting of a noblewoman. Despite the long hours she'd spent training and sweat she'd accumulated, she still looked as such. Alear would say that she looked even better with glow of the stars above her. Her golden jewelry glittered in the moonlight, free of any obscurations thanks to the clear night. Between it and her similarly colored hair, Citrinne was a sharp contrast to the blacken purple of the sky. No, she was a star, a star that had descended from the heavens to find a place on earth-a place beside him.
"Honestly, somewhere in the back of my mind, the possibility existed. When I first heard of Queen Lumera's death, I was just as heartbroken as everyone else. Still, my years of studying magic led me to researching sealing magic, including perhaps the sort that she'd used to seal away Sombron. With her death, I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that the seal would be undone and the Fell Dragon would arise again." Her head fell and her eyes closed, a look of deep pain coming over her face. Alear immediately reached over and grabbed a hold of her right hand. It caused her eyes to fly open as they looked upon her. A moment later and she smiled in gratitude. "Unfortunately…all my fears were confirmed when we entered Elusia and confronted the Fell Dragon himself. Even his 'incomplete' state was terrifying. Almost as terrifying as watching him turn all our Emblems against us."
He was never going to forget the memory, and he was never going to not blame himself for getting them all in that mess. It was-
"What befell us at Destinea Cathedral was not, nor will it ever be your fault."
Alear's eyes widened as he swiftly looked from the night sky to her. Citrinne's face was firm, yet her eyes glittered with that same quiet compassion.
She gave their interjoined hands a squeeze. "Alear, you know how hotly the fires of vengeance burned within those of us of Brodia. Our king had been taken…my uncle had been taken. Even if we had to track through one of Elusia's infamous blizzards, I would have pressed onward. To rescue him, maybe even…avenge him. Not to mention I will say that a part of me wanted to strike at Elusia's heart." Her eyes grew heavy with sorrow. While she'd agreed with Diamant, it'd still taken Citrinne time to accept Ivy and her fellow Elusians as allies. She shook off the lingering pain and looked to him with determination. "In a sense, I'm about to do that-striking at the heart of the threat to my people…and my friends."
"Citrinne," he murmured.
"To my previous point, I don't blame you, and I never will. None of us do. As I just told you, we Brodians would have pushed toward Destinea Cathedral, even if we had to do so by ourselves." She more directly explained. "Knowing you, you'd have no doubt followed us."
"Yes, I'd have gone with you all to protect you all as best I could." Alear spoke, wearing another sheepish smile.
"As best you could," she picked up. "You say that as if your power would have been insufficient to our own."
"In terms of martial prowess, Diamant's abilities far exceeded my own. When it came to magical ability…"
Seizing on the moment, the Brodian noble giggled in hearty amusement. "Worry not. As always, what's spoken between us will remain private." Citrinne's red eyes found their way back to the starry night sky. "I must admit though, a part of me would enjoy a magic duel with Princess Céline, oh, and Princess Ivy as well." Alear chuckled at the trifecta of sorceresses that made up the magical backbone of the army. The three were undoubtedly the strongest mages they had, a fact they themselves were quite aware of. It was a point of periodically hot debate who amongst them was the strongest.
Pandreo, undoubtedly the best magic user from Solm, was more than happy to stay out of the arguments, at times to his countrymen's chagrin. Some of them felt like Solm should have had a stack in the fight.
Alear himself would have liked to say that he didn't have one either. Except he reluctantly did. Céline had been one of the first friends he'd made. Ivy had became a steadfast ally of his, as well as a friend. Finally, there was Citrinne, who sat beside him. Unlike with the previous two sorceresses, his feelings for her went beyond friendship; if Alear wasn't certain about that before, he was now as he sat beside her, watching the stars alongside her.
"When the war's over…perhaps you three could challenge each other." He absent-mindedly spoke. Before he could take it back, he saw the amused twinkle in her eyes. "I'd make sure to be that, and for civility's sake, I'd be impartial in my cheering."
"Yes, as nothing less would be expected from the Divine Dragon." She humorously accepted. "To have such contests between nations…I think that might help foster better relationships amongst them. It certainly as between Brodia and Firene in the past."
"And what of Elusia?" Alear asked.
"I believe that the same can be said for them. Albeit I do imagine there'll be some overbearing and wounded pride to work through, but such is to be expected in the pursuit of peace." Citrinne answered without losing her stride. "Magical duels, international relationships…we shall have much to do once the war ends."
"Yes…we will." Softly affirmed the Divine Dragon.
"Alear," Her voice possessed a familiar hardness to it coupled with the tenderness of her squeeze. She wanted his full, undevoted attention, and she got it. "We will see the end of this war. All of us, Alear."
"Citrinne," he murmured. "Have I showed that many troublesome signs?"
"No, but…I…I…I suppose I just want to be certain. I want to make sure that you're looking forward, toward the future. It's thanks to you that we all believe that one is achievable, and we want our futures to include you, Alear." The blonde quietly yet passionately confessed. "I'm sorry if I'm sounding so intrusive. Or worse, like I have no faith in you."
He shook his head while wearing a light smile. "You sound like a person who cares about me, which I appreciate, Citrinne." Her sigh of relief was cute to him. "I won't deny that some part of me does still hold wounds over everything we've been through, wounds that I believe will heal after the war's over." He reached for the box of thoughts and anxieties that he kept buried deep within him. With shocking ease, he unlatched the box, allowing its contents to see the light of day. "Sombron is my father," he began.
"And thus, you feel like it is your responsibility." Citrinne immediately deduced in a soothing voice. "Between the two of you, you are the oldest, not to mention…there is no familial love in your heart for Sombron, unlike Velye."
"None can be mustered after all that he's done, including killing the only real parent that I've ever had." Alear could tell how cold his voice was. While the fiery anger of his younger days was still there, it'd been tempered by all that he'd experienced over the past several months. None of that fury was present in the heavy-hearted sigh he let out. "I must be the one to do it."
"Because you are the oldest of Sombron's surviving children, and thus sparing Velye the pain and guilt of doing so." Citrinne finished. He looked to her, noting the sorrow on her face. While they both knew that the Fell Dragon's demise was required, it would still be kin slaying. Amongst their number, there was one who'd take the task the hardest. As it happened, that someone was a person whom both Alear and Citrinne were close to. "Life is full of so many unexpected things, more so than we could ever imagine."
The heaviness of his face was off-set by the resounding laugh he gave. "That it is. I never would have imagined that I'd have so many colorful people waking me up almost every morning…or that I know what fried gecko tastes like."
Citrinne's face was illuminated by joy as well. "Hahaha! Or fried fish gusts mixed with freshly cooked lettuce!"
"I've found it actually tastes pretty good when you sprinkle a little garlic on it." Alear quietly remarked.
"Hmm, that I agree with. It came as quite a surprise to me…as did attempting to put a little spice on seemingly cold lamb dipped in…oh, I don't even remember. Maybe I don't want to, yet I feel like Chloé will give me another serving when we have another lunch together. I remember she really seemed to enjoy it." He chuckled at her nonchalant shrug. "Going on this journey, I have met incredible people, truly incredible people that I'm proud to fight alongside, and whom I want to live beside."
Hearing that caused the intense, pulse-pounding stirring within him. It was the same as when he stared at the Pact Ring thinking about her. Now, as he sat beside her, talking so emotionally and casually with her, he thought of the Pact Ring. Alear thought of how he'd like to slip it onto her finger and let her know that she was the one he wanted to spend his life with.
"Citrinne," he slipped up. Once again, her eyes looked to him, shimmering like polished rubies. "There's something I-" he stopped short as she yawned, rather uncontrollably.
Her eyes widened immediately afterward. "I'm so sorry, Alear. I didn't mean to do that just now! I-"
"I'll walk you back to your room so you can get some rest." In seconds, he had her by the hand was pulling her up. He could see a soft-hearted rebuke on the edge of her tongue, but Alear beat her to it. "You've been training all night, and you did promise me that you'd get at least three hours of rest."
"You know what time it is?" She jokingly asked.
"I think it's time that we both got some rest. We may not be going to war tomorrow, but sleep is important." He coolly answered. "So, will you allow me the honor to escort you back to your room?"
"You're asking for that? You've had it for months now, Alear." She laughed. Her eyes went down to their intertwined hands, a blush creeping onto her face as she gave him yet another warm squeeze. "I would be the one who is honored, Alear."
He was glad that she'd simply referred to him by his name, not his title or even Lord Alear, just Alear. Whenever he'd met a new ally, he'd endeavored to have them see him as simply that, and address him as such. It'd taken some time, but he'd practically reached that point with everyone in the army. Regarding Citrinne though, his heart swelled with joy at the truly personal relationship that they shared, how she'd address him so casually. Considering how formal she could be, he considered that accomplishment to be special. And considering how he'd came to think of her, well…Alear couldn't quite put it into words.
They were aware of their intertwined hands on the walk back, but neither of them said a word about it. Likewise, Alear knew that Citrinne was self-conscious of the blush on her face, just as much as she could see the one on his face. Neither of them looked at each other during the short walk back to her room. They did somewhat take great pains to make sure they weren't noticed though by the other night owls still out at this hour. Somewhat like Citrinne, Alear hoped they too would soon be calling it a night. He'd subtly noticed how some habits had changed as they drew closer to the war's end.
"Well, as always, a thank you is an order." She declared as they stood before her door. Alear briefly looked back to her hand, quietly saddened how it was no longer wrapped around his own. "Thank you, Alear, for escorting me back, and allowing me to spend more time with you. It's…it's time that I believe was just as well spent training, if not more so." The Brodian girl stated. Her cheeks still sported the same blush as they had before.
"I'm truly happy to hear that, Citrinne. I…I really, really like spending time with you; if you're not too busy tomorrow-"
"No, I am not, and I would happily look forward to spending more time together!" She excitedly shouted. It made Alear's lips curve into a wide smile-the sight of it was enough to kill the apology building up within her. "I…look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Alear, like always."
"As do I, Citrinne." He spoke Realizing their time together had came to a temporary end, he took a single step back, intending to turn away from her.
He heard the sudden and powerful thumping of her heart followed by the sudden intake of air through her lips. Confused, he turned around, and was surprised to find her face closing in on his. It was his breathing that stopped as he felt the gentle touch of her lips on his cheek. Alear's red-and-blue eyes widened; they remained so once the kiss ended. In the recesses of his mind, he noted how the kiss had ended too soon. Not to mention he'd…preferred it to have been on his lips instead of just his cheeks. That smoldering desire was no doubt the reason why his eyes went to her lips; Alear just barely noticed how red her cheeks were. It could give the left side of his hair some competition.
"Thank you for…talking with me tonight, and all the nights prior." Citrinne whispered to him. "G-Goodnight."
It was rare for her to stutter, that was usually Lapis' trait, particularly around their shared charge, who Alear was certain the pink-haired girl had feelings for. The fact that Citrinne was acting like this with him…
Nodding, Alear practically hurried back to his room. He could feel the steam rolling out of his ears like a heated pot. As soon as he closed the door, he found himself leaning against it, his hand going to his right cheek. The residual warmth of Citrinne's lips on his skin was still there. Not even ten minutes old and the memory had become such a strong one. More pressing than that though, the short but sweet kiss had left him hungry for more. As he attempted to smother that hunger, his eyes fell on the flowers that sat atop his piano. It magnified the feeling.
Alear removed his hand from his cheek to lightly caress the flower petals. They were almost a match for their giver's warm touch, they certainly reminded him of her.
"I suppose that settles it." He whispered to himself. "Come what may, I can't let my feelings stay buddled up. Citrinne deserves more than that, and I want her to know that the great thing I can give her is hers to have." At the end of that statement was the unspoken question of if his feelings would be recuperated. There was only one way to find out, and he was going to take it tomorrow.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" Her bare feet were creating holes in the floor. Not at all the first time this had happened, but this time was different. Entirely different.
The truth was, she'd wanted to kiss Alear for a while now, perhaps even going back to their adventures in Solm. Citrinne was pretty sure that's when her feelings for him began to well and truly bloom into romantic. Since then, they'd only intensified. Seeing him die twice in one evening had practically force fed those feelings.
Revisiting the memory caused her to stop her pacing and sit down on the bed. She practically needed it as the pain of that day hit her like a reopened. Citrinne looked down at her trembling hands, her vision briefly blurring. Instead of clean they were stained red with blood, Alear's blood. Her frantic attempts to heal him failing one after another despite her best efforts.
In that moment, Citrinne would have given up everything she owned, every piece of wealth that her family owned if it meant bringing Alear back. There was no price too high for her to pay to have him back. Alas, for all her wealth and ability, resurrection had been beyond her…but thankfully not of the Emblems.
"Citrinne, you've come to love Alear, haven't you?" Micaiah gently broached. The fiery wastes of Gradlon weren't the best place to have an attempted heart-to-heart conversation about romantic feelings, but that's what ended up happening.
"I…I…I…yes. Yes! I have! Heaven help me, he is more than just the Divine Dragon to me, he is…he is a man that I would follow to the depths of hell for. He is also the man that I would want to give my love to. My love, not my wealth or my status, albeit if we were together I'd be more than happy to give Alear access to those things as well. Oh, if I tell him that he might think-"
"Citrinne," The Emblem of Dawn interrupted with a gentle laugh. It was such a sharp contrast to the hellish landscape around them. "I highly doubt Alear will think too much about such things. What he will care about is the very real love that you're giving him, which I'm sure he'll recuperate."
"…Are you? I mean, I…I worry about his other prospects." The mumbling was tinged with the nervousness that she tried hard to keep hidden from her comrades. Especially her female comrades.
"Well, I believe there are several that we can rule out as potential romantic rivals. Undoubtedly starting with Goldmary, who I seem to believe has became quite smitten with Boucheron."
"How he puts up with her, I will never know, but may the Divine Dragons of old bless him. They've surely blessed her with allowing Boucheron to find the patience to deal with her." Amused laughter burst from the Emblem's lips. Citrinne didn't quite join her until a moment later. "Let us not speak of…love rivals. Rather I believe that I may be in need of a boost of confidence. Either that or someone to talk some sense into me."
"Citrinne, I don't believe that keeping your feelings to yourself will be beneficial, to either of you." Micaiah offered.
"With all due respect, Micaiah, we're in the middle of a war. Not to mention I don't want to add more to his burdens."
"I don't believe that telling him you love him would be a burden to him. In fact, I believe it would give him a much-needed boost of strength. A boost similar in nature to the one that his presence, his smile, gives you."
Selfish as it was, she couldn't help but feel joy at the prospect of him finding strength in her presence, in her seeing him differently from the rest of the women in the army. Alongside that, she wanted Alear to see her as more than simply a rich noblewoman. It'd pained her how she'd unintentionally gave him that impression during their first interactions. Still, if it weren't for that less than stellar first impression, she never would have had him tell her about how valuable a sentimental gift could be.
Could her love count as such a thing? What was her love worth?
"No," she whispered. Her hands moved from her lap to her chest. She felt the fast and constant thumping of her heart beyond her breasts. "If it comes from here, then he shall accept it…even if he doesn't recuperate my feelings."
With that quiet resolution, Citrinne began to undress herself, and dress for bed. While she believed it might be for the best to wait until peace returned to Elyos, she would eventually tell Alear of how she felt. Perhaps during the final battle she would have a chance to further show him that she was a woman worthy of standing beside him.
"You know, I don't think the views of Somniel will ever cease to take my breath away."
"I don't think I will either. I'm actually hoping that it survives the coming battle against Sombron." Alear winced as Citrinne suddenly turned to him, surprise evident on her face. "I talked with Marth this morning and he told me…in order to pass through the portal, we'll have to use all of Somniel."
Rather understandably, Citrinne's surprise doubled. "Use all of Somniel? You mean move the entire island through the portal! Is that even possible?"
"Apparently so. I read that previous Divine Dragon leaders were able to do the same in ages past, including mother." Her surprise made him recall his own amazement at learning that fact.
Citrinne was rather fast to accept it. Her gaze looked from him to the horizon. It was slowly but surely gaining the same shade of red as her eyes. Intermixed with it were traces of gold that reminded him of her hair. The evening had brought a gentle breeze that everyone seemed to be in the midst of enjoying. Citrinne certainly had been. Rather than training, she'd been reading one of Jade's novels alongside Alcryst by a campfire. It'd been a pleasant surprise, to all of them honestly. Alear saw how the archer's eyes had widened as he requested a moment alone with his blonde retainer.
It was just a hunch, but he was pretty sure that Alcryst knew what he was going to ask. He'd never seen the archer fight so hard to keep from smiling. The younger Brodian royal was a little too eager to let him walk off with his magical retainer. Said retainer herself had a slight flutter in her step, especially once she realized where they were going.
There was always a beautiful view to be offered by the Lookout Island, but sunset and sunrise were said to offer the best views. Ultimately, they'd caught the sunset view, which Alear couldn't quite say he was complaining about. Evidentially, neither was Citrinne.
Words couldn't describe how beautiful she looked gazing out onto the sunset. Though he was the one worshipped as divine, she looked just as heavenly, if not more so than him. Alear was so tug-tongued by her magnificence that he almost forgot why he'd even brought her here.
While he gawked at her, she turned around to face him. "Alear," she giggled. "I do believe that you called me out here to do more than just tell me that."
He regained his wits in a fraction of a second thanks to her words. Alear reached down to grab at the bag that he'd carried on his person throughout the afternoon. It'd drawn the attention of Somniel's residents as he passed them by on his search for Citrinne. Finally in front of her, he could reveal its contents.
"You're right, I did ask you to come here for more than that. Far, more." Her eyes lit up more so than the setting sun as he pulled out the lone flower and presented them to her. "Here, Citrinne, have a look at this."
She took them into her hands, examining the trio with sharp, analytical eyes. "These are dried flowers. In fact, they look quite familiar…" Her eyes widened in recognition, which swiftly moved from the flowers to him.
"Yes," he confirmed with a nod. "It's from the bouquet that you gave me. I careful dried each flower to use it as a decoration."
Based on the relief he gleamed on her face, she'd wondered what he'd done with the bouquet of flowers she'd given him. The answer had left her heart in a joyous flutter. "Oh! Yes, of course! I'm delighted to see how you've taken such good care of them!"
"Since they came from you, I gave it my best. Each time I think of so many things about you whenever I look at them, Citrinne. Your kindness, your grace, your strength, your beauty, and how I…" He paused, feeling the rapid acceleration of his heart. Actually, that was only half of it. The other half was the increasingly awestruck look on her face. It wasn't just the sunset painting her cheeks an increasingly bright shade of red.
"That is such a lovely thought, Alear. Thank you for sharing it with me." She said in a clearly smitten voice. She gently stroked the flower, now letting her inner relief flow like unchecked. "I was hoping that they would come to mean something special to you, just as how all the gifts you've given me have meant the same."
"I didn't call you here just to show you the flower. This time, I have a gift for you." He spoke.
Curiosity filled her eyes. "You do? For me? What might that be?"
Despite all the anxiety that had gripped him for the past few days, Alear felt calm. It was actually much like gaining his footing in battle and in speaking. What had at first seemed terrifying no longer seemed to be the case once he made the first step. As several had told him, from the Emblems to his living comrades, it that seemingly daunting first step for the wellspring of courage to be found. With its waters surging through him, he reached into his right-side pocket and brought to view the blue and gold ring that his mother had left for him. Unexpected, it'd also been the objective of one of their toughest battles.
As he watched Citrinne's eyes again light up with recognition, and her cheeks burn aflame, he knew for certain that the battle had been worth it, and he'd fight it a thousand times over so he could make this proposition to her.
"This, the Pact Ring." He declared.
"What?!" She shouted, her voice seemingly rolling across the gold-coated clouds behind them. "But this is a historic piece of jewelry! I suspect it's worth more than all of my riches combined! Perhaps even more than all of Brodia's! Why…why would you give this to me?" She asked in a trembling voice.
Still retaining that surreal calm, he dropped to his right knee, still holding up the ring. Citrinne's eyes widened further as she recognized the position. How couldn't she? She'd outright once told him she'd been witness to a few marriage proposals, which this was looking a lot like. No doubt within the next few seconds her mind finally accepted that's what this was. If there were any doubts, Alear cleared them up with his next words.
"I'm giving it to you because I want you to stay by my side as the person closest to me-my closest confidant, my…well, the…queen of Elyos, and most importantly, my wife, Citrinne." Despite the blush burning his cheeks from the inside out, he maintained his focus. This was something he wasn't going to falter on. "To me, you're the most incredible woman in all the world, and the one I want at my side, if you'll have me."
"If I'll have you?" She gasped. "Alear, why wouldn't I want you at my side! If anything, I'm the one who should be asking if I'm sufficient enough! I'm-"
"You're the strongest woman that I know, in both body and in heart." He cut off, swiftly but not too harshly. "Citrinne, from the moment I met you, I thought of how beautiful you were, even while you were glaring at me as though I was a common bandit." The slight jab broke up the supercharged air. Her cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red, an apology tumbling from her mouth. Alear couldn't help but laugh. "After our first battle together, I realized how glad I was to have you as an ally, and how I hoped we might become friends in the future."
"We…certainly did, and you certainly proved your worth during our battle against Princess Hortensia." She said with her recovered wits, and a smile. Now that they were revisiting the memory, he could see it was undoubtedly a fond one for her too. "Since then, you've only gotten stronger."
"And so have you, Citrinne, but you were always strong from the start." He knew he had to get in front of her self-doubt before it could sink its fangs into her. Alear vowed that come what may, he would never let it bury its teeth deep into her. "You were always strong and beautiful, and over the course of our adventure, I've come to realize that I want you to remain beside me. Past this war and into the world that lies beyond it. I don't want anyone else but you, Citrinne." His courage was pooled into one shot that he took. Alear reached forward and gently grasped Citrinne's hands, still holding the lone flower. "The strong, noble, and dedicated woman that I've gotten to know on this adventure, the woman that I've fallen in love with…the woman that is you, Citrinne of Brodia."
He felt her trembling in his hands, and he saw the swift falling of a lone tear from her eyes. "Alear, you...you think such things of me?"
"No, I know them to be true of you, I've seen them with my own eyes." Alear pressed, then flashed her a gentle smile while cocking his head. "They're pretty much what made me fall in love with you. Not your wealth or your status, simply the things that make you who you are. That's the person whom I am asking to marry me. Speaking of which…the me that's kneeling before you, he is-"
"Alear," she spoke, silencing him. "The man that has been at my side, leading me into battle after battle, being there for me before, during, and after each one. One of, if not the most courageous and kindest man that I know of." Feeling her hands begin to gently close around his felt like the morning sun shining on his hands. "Also, the man who reminded me how much a sentimental gift can mean-more so than anything bought by the greatest amounts of money." With a gentle tug, she pulled him to his feet, a smile of joy threatening to break his face as he stared into hers. "Alear, you're giving me the greatest gift imaginable, one that I shall happily accept, and return."
"Citrinne," he whispered, excitement bubbling within him like lava from a volcano.
"Yes, Alear! Yes, I would love nothing more than to marry you!" The blonde exclaimed. She moved simultaneously with him, throwing her arms around him. His own warm and loving arms quickly and lovingly coiled around her smaller frame.
This feels…mother, this feels better than anything I could have imagined. Alear thought as he basked in the warmth of Citrinne's embrace. Just everything about her filled up his senses, right down to his soul even. Of course, it also aroused his more…primal side, a side that had silently called out to the blonde now in his arms. That side flared up as Citrinne pulled away and looked up at him. Within seconds, he felt his impulse control slip, and then the next thing he knew his lips were on hers.
It took Alear all of twenty seconds to realize he was kissing Citrinne, and that she was kissing him back. Amidst the kiss, their eyes found one another; after that the kiss deepened. They prolonged it until the inevitable need for air forced the two of them to separate. In the vacuum that followed, Alear found himself panting harder than he ever did in battle, and the same went for Citrinne. They were both locked onto one another.
"I…suppose that we can do this since we're officially-"
"Engaged?" He finished. No sooner had he spoken did they burst into mutual laughter. It was impossible not to make the pun given the occasion. Once word spread, they were no doubt going to be hearing a lot more jokes about it. As his laughter died down, Alear remembered one important detail. "Um, speaking of engaged, Citrinne, your hand."
"Oh, oh! You're right! I'm so sorry, Alear! I suppose I was caught up in the heat of the moment. Goodness, it almost feels like something out of one of Jade's books. Once she learns of this, she'll no doubt write about it." She rattled off as she held her left hand out.
The ring slid onto her ring finger with such ease, Alear wondered how so much anxiety had kept him from this moment. He pulled his hands away and watched as Citrinne held the blue gemstone ring up, her face one of lovestruck awe. Personally, Alear felt like he was the one was awestruck. Once again, Citrinne seemed absolutely heavenly, admiring the glittering ring with the sunset behind her, painting her in a truly golden glow. How lucky was he to call such a woman his wife and his partner?
"Heh, you know, I love to give gifts, but I rarely receive them myself." She said once she regained her composure. Even then, the joy on her face was simply radiant. "You were right about sentimental value. A gift from the heart is a wonderful gift indeed." As she spoke, her hands came to rest atop her heart. Alear could hear the constant, drum-like beats it gave off, no doubt as the full scope of his proposal continued to sink into her.
He could hear his heart making the same sounds. "I couldn't agree more, Citrinne."
"Thank you, Alear. You've made me feel like the luckiest person in the world. When this war is over, we'll have the wedding! And before that a formal ball. I know all that seems like a long way off but…"
"We could have a dance here, right now." Alear offered. The second she'd mentioned the possibilities, his mind took off, as did his body. Before he could lower his raised hand, Citrinne reached out and gently grasped it. "We could dance right here and now. Just the two of us." He continued. "Think of it as our…first dance together, as partners, as a couple. I'd actually rather like it if that's what we could do, Citrinne."
"Then that's what we shall have. For now…just the two of us." In the next breath, her body was pressing against his, their hands interlocked. They both knew she was the far better dancer than him, a fact that they both acknowledged as they looked into one another's eyes. A short but hearty fit of mutual laughter followed. It slowed died down as they began to sway to the music of the evening wind. The once setting sun seemed to freeze just above the horizon.
Their lips found each other between the loving movements. The kisses ranged in their intensity, the longest leaving the couple breathless and panting. Those kisses also left them wanting more, greedy yearnings that they happily indulged in. Whispering moans arose from them, never leaving the secluded spot though. Just as they'd intended, this moment was theirs.
"Nnaaah~" Citrinne moaned after their latest kiss. She could feel the buildup within her body; it was also evident in her eyes. Alear was in the same boat. "What a gift exchange this is-you and I both giving ourselves to each other. It's priceless."
He gave a short chuckle of acceptance. It pattered out as he bumped his forehead against her, heavy pants rolling from his lips. "Citrinne," he whispered. Temporarily losing control, he grinded his body against hers, causing the blonde to let out a rather explicit moan. Containing the excitement that swelled up within him was a challenge, but he succeeded, if only barely. "I'm sorry. It's just I've…"
"To quote Chloé, you've had your eyes on me for a while, have you not?" She answered. With crimson cheeks, he nodded. "Greedy as this may sound, I'm happy to hear that, Alear. I want you to keep your focus solely on me. At least when it comes to romance…and one day soon intimacy." The smile he gave her was much cooler, yet he couldn't deny that he let some excitement seep out. Their following kiss was a confirmation of her words, and a promise. He slightly squeezed her around the waist, further sandwiching their bodies together. They remained in that tight embrace after the kiss' end. "Alear,"
"Everything we'll do after this war ends, the day after tomorrow."
"We will see it, together." She once again affirmed.
"Yes, we will, my beloved Citrinne."
They continued to kiss and dance to the music, even as the backdrop of burning daylight was replaced by night. Light was still present, in the myriad of stars that glistened in the night sky. Unlike last night, the pair watched them flicker while held in each other's arms, resolute that there would be more nights like this. Not just for them but for the rest of Elyos. They would fire to ensure that was to be, and that their love would shine as brilliantly as the stars above. A love that had no price to it, and was as infinite and bright as the stars above.
Fin
And so ends my first Engage fic. Citrinne stood out as one my favorite units both character wise and gameplay wise. She struck a balance between serious, humorous, and depth. My one real criticism was all that wealth she has was held back from us in gameplay, but hey, that's for another day. Likewise, for another day is a potential spicier take on Alear and Citrinne's relationship, which I'll admit I do already have some ideas for.
Speaking of relationship, I worded some lines differently as well as the placement of the Pact Ring. Not to mention I made it clear that Alear was proposing to Citrinne, as atypical of S-Supports in the series. One of the critiques I'd give Engage is how Supports were handled this game. As someone who's very into shipping multiple characters, not just the MC, I was rather disappointed by the lack of paired endings outside of Alear's chosen lover, and even then, I'm not a fan of how some translations were made to be platonic instead of romantic. Citrinne's fell into a weird limbo between the two as it definitely had some romantic undertones despite the English translation wording it differently. Rectifying that was part of my intention here…and spicing things up just a little bit.
A little fun piece of trivia, I actually had a different ending planned for this story. One a touch more comedic and it involved Engage's now memetic Wake Up events. I'll save that one for another time. Also, I'll be doing a few more Engage stories since I found the cast to be actually pretty enjoyable.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this story! As I said, the first of a few more incoming Engage fics (but don't worry, I won't be neglecting my other FE stories). Let me know what you all thought of this one, and take care, readers!