It was very late and still Vanessa couldn't find any sleep. Her eyes wandered over the immense bedroom that she learned to know by heart during the last few weeks. Everything was shined with a silver light. Today's night had a full moon, after all. Today has been sunny, not a single cloud in the sky. Reason enough for most people to consider it a happy day.

But Vanessa knew at least one person for whom this day wasn't a happy one…

Nozel was in her arms, his head on her chest. One could have thought that he was sleeping, but Vanessa could hear from his breathing alone that he wasn't. She had one hand in his hair, which was so much softer than it looked like. Her other one was in his and Nozel was holding to it like there was no tomorrow.

Today was the 31st of August… Birthday of Acier Silva. The mother of the four remaining Silvas today. And a person Nozel had loved and admired so much.

It was already a difficult day for him. Vanessa knew from having witnessed it from time to time already that remembering his mother pained Nozel a lot. Mostly due to the regrets and the guilt he was wearing like a second skin.

Surely, it would have been better if he didn't need to face nobles today. But apparently, some nobles had decided that the birthday of the late Acier Silva was the perfect occasion to bring some marriage proposals in person and to criticise the decisions the Head of House Silva had made since his mother died. Oh, not openly, of course. But not that subtle either.

As if the day wasn't already difficult to Nozel already. But facing all those so-called critics, added to some disgusting marriage proposals – his words, not hers – that must have been too much for him.

Vanessa hadn't been there, of course. It wasn't her circle. They weren't supposed to meet today, but something inside her had urged Vanessa to go see Nozel. And thankfully she did.

Apparently, Nozel kinda snapped before leaving the visiting nobles. Whatever he had said, he was sure it had offended most of them. It might have consequences tomorrow, but Nozel hadn't cared about that. His regrets were aching him like they haven't in a long time.

He had left the palace. Of course, Vanessa had first landed on his balcony, but he wasn't in his room. Her next try had been the graveyard and she had been right. Nozel had been right there, in front of his mother's grave. He didn't cry, but he didn't hold back his tears either. Vanessa knew that letting him alone wouldn't help and she wanted to comfort him, to be there for him. So she stayed at his side. First in front of the grave, then back in his bedroom.

And now here they were, late at night, after a passionate embrace. Vanessa was sure that it made Nozel good, but knowing him, it wasn't over.

Looking over his room, Vanessa was still amazed how big it was. And there wasn't much furniture in it. One bookshelf, one desk with a chair, one single armchair by a window, one mirror, the giant bed… it felt way too big for one single person and Vanessa could see how lonely he must have been all these years.

Somehow, it reminded her of her cage. A part of her life she didn't really like to remember and tried mostly to ignore. But sometimes, it just came back, especially since Nozel became such an important part of her life. Looking how big and kinda empty the chamber was, Vanessa wondered if the reason why her room back at the hideout was so full of junk was because she didn't like emptiness, because it remembered her of the cage.

And still, Vanessa came to like Nozels room a lot. Because she had mostly good, happy memories bonded to it. Every kiss they shared, every time they slept together in that very bed, every discussion they had, every little fight that ended up back in each other's arms… Of course, their relationship wasn't only happening in this room. But still, despite the memory of the cage and the sadness she felt thinking how lonely Nozel must have been, she loved her memories bond to this chamber.

Vanessa continued to run her fingers through Nozels hair. She wanted to say something. Maybe she needed to, maybe not. But the silence didn't settled her quite, even though it wasn't really heavy or awkward.

"Feeling a bit better?" she asked. It wasn't much and she wished she could say something better than that. But still, it felt right.

She felt Nozel nod. It was the only gesture he had, with caressing her hand with his thumb. Was he trying to comfort her?

"I'm sorry…"

It was just a whisper, but Vanessa could hear it really well. She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"We really need to work on your guilt issues, honey."

Nozel sighed again, before actually getting up, letting go of her hand and sitting on the edge of the bed. He was looking down, his hands gripping the silky sheets. It was almost looking like defeat and Vanessa didn't like that at all. As much as she didn't like to not feel his body against her anymore.

"It's just… I thought I was doing better with my guilt and regrets. I really did, but today… I couldn't stop it, it was overflowing again."

He gripped the bedsheets tighter with an upset sigh. It broke Vanessas heart to see him like this.

"Oh, my Nozel."

She sat up and hugged him from behind. Nozel put a hand her arms, as he wanted to hold her close to him, but was still hesitant doing so.

"You know you can come to me when you feel sad? You can let me be here for you."

"I… I don't want to be a burden for you."

"You're anything but a burden to me, Nozel. Didn't I promised you that I won't let you carry your burden alone ever again? And no is not an option."

Nozel sighed, before starting to hold her arms more tightly. "It's just one of those phases when I think that I don't deserve you."

"That's bullshit, honey," Vanessa sighed, smiling as she felt him wince at the curse word. "If I were bitch who would use you to get fame and glory and everything she wanted, then you wouldn't deserve me, but someone better. But that's not who I am, thankfully. Besides, it shouldn't be about deserving. You also wanted me in the first place."

Nozel turned slowly his head towards her. There were still some tears lingering in his eyes.

"I am rather selfish when it comes to you, Vanessa. You know that? I just can't not having you in my life."

"You lived about expectations of others for way too long, honey. If anyone deserves to be selfish, it's you. You have made mistakes, but I believe for sure that selfishness was never one of them."

Nozel turned his head away again and Vanessa wondered if she did a wrong move with her sentence about mistakes.

"I know that you rightfully resented me for how I handled Noelle… but like her, you forgiven me." He sighed and she could hear the sadness in it. "Noelle, you… how can you forgive me? I'm still not able to do that."

"We forgive you because we wanted to," Vanessa said while blowing a soft kiss on his shoulder. "Noelle cares about you, she always will. As for me… Well, you did wrong and you know that. I care for Noelle, it pained me that you had part of responsibility in her pain. But I know that you're not a bad person, I know it wasn't out of malice. After I saw who you really are behind your cold mask, after I came to understand you, after I came to love you… It was pretty easy. Because I came to understand and I felt ready to move over my resentment. You're trying so much to be better and I can't not admire that. Besides, you seems to need help to forgive yourself and I'm going to help you with that."

She laughed softly as she added, "I wouldn't be here otherwise, you know that?"

Nozel sighed again, before getting one of her hands and kissing it softly on the back. It was like the touch of a butterfly but Vanessa still felt it flowing through her entire body.

He was still wearing his braid. He would surely allow her to undone it, later. It was soothing for him to let her braid his bangs or unbraid them. To be honest, Vanessa came to love doing this as well. It really was soothing, also for her. Since they started dating, she came to be used to his braid and even to like it.

Not to mention that she also knew about the whole history behind the braid; since then, she didn't wanted to make fun of it. Nozel didn't even asked her, he understood after all why people would find it funny. It was something Vanessa decided and wanted to.

"I still see her sometimes…"

"You're mother."

Of course it wasn't a question.

"Yes… I still see her, how she's fading away in her bed, while I just can't do anything but seeing her like this. My mother… she was such a strong woman, an amazing Magic Knight, a wonderful captain for the Silver Eagles. Seeing her like this was so difficult to witness. But what was even more hard to realize was, that with each passing day, she faded more and more. The reality that my mother was going to die became clearer every day and I was unable to accept it."

Nozel sighed again, before continuing, "I wish I could have done better. To handle better what she had left behind. The Head of House Vermillion would never let my aunt come over to help. Nebra, Solid and of course Noelle were too young. My father preferred to flee, to leave us alone. Somehow, it had to be me… I didn't realized back then, but I know today that I wasn't ready."

"Of course not. You were fourteen and in grief, you didn't even had your grimoire. You made mistakes, but you did the best you could, given the circumstances."

Her lips brushed his skin, there were his neck met his shoulder. She could almost see the fourteen-year-old teenager he had been, who just had lost his mother, who couldn't even properly grieve, who had so much pressure on him, which grew over the years. Reason more why she wanted to comfort him, to be there for him. Like he was for her.

"I don't want you to think you don't deserve happiness or being with me. Honestly, I don't care if it's deserved or not. You showed me who you really are behind your cold mask. The real Nozel. I fell in love with you, broken and everything. And I feel like the luckiest girl in the kingdom to be loved by Nozel Silva."

Nozel let out a noise that kinda sounded like a chuckle. It made Vanessa smile. She hoped that he started to feel better. At least a bit.

"I wish you could have met her. I think my mother would have love you."

"I'm sure I would have love her too. From what you're telling me about her, she seems to have been an amazing woman. Well, she is your and Noelles mother, how could she had been not amazing?"

Nozel chuckled and Vanessa considered this a victory.

"Although… wouldn't she have made me some difficulties, like a protective mama would usually do? After all, I stole the heart of her precious baby boy."

"Baby boy," Nozel scoffed. He tried to sound annoyed, but failed to do so, which made Vanessa giggle.

"I don't think she would have made you difficulties. As long as I'm happy with you… according to my aunt, that would have been more than enough for her."

Nozel sighed and Vanessa flinched a bit, because he was sounding sad again. "My aunt recently told me things about my mother I never knew. But maybe I should have, considering how she was towards us, her children. She never wanted any arranged marriages for us. So, me being with a witch… she wouldn't have mind."

"That sounds even more like an amazing person."

"Oh, she would have fight against bigotry within nobility, like we need to do. But she would have accepted you as a daughter-in-law."

Of course Acier Silva would have faced difficulties, the close-minded nobles and royals for children happiness. But the admiration Vanessa had for this woman grew more. If Acier would have accepted a witch for Nozel, she would also have accepted Asta for Noelle and whoever Nebra and Solid would have chosen. As long as her children were happy, that seemed to be to most important for her.

Vanessa regretted even more that she'll never met Acier Silva.

"It seems that your mother believed in love."

"She did. She was in love herself, after all."

"With whom?"

"My father."

Oh. Vanessa didn't know what to think about that. Nozel didn't like his father at all and she knew that Noelle had only met him three or four times in her life. And none of those meetings have left some happy memories about papa Silva within her squadmate.

Maybe he was different when he married Acier? Maybe she saw something in him that no one else could, that he showed only her? Vanessa never met that man, so she couldn't judge what Acier saw in him. But she was lucky enough to fell in love with her spouse in an arranged marriage. That must be rare.

"But he never loved her back."

Oh. Actually, she wasn't lucky at all. This was sad. Even sadder than an arranged, loveless marriage in general. Acier fell in love and it was only one-sided.

"Was she very in love with him?"

"As far as I can remember, deeply," Nozel sighed in frustration. "She always made sure he was happy, asking him about his day, wanting to know his interests, to know him, spend time with him. She would have given him the world if she had been able to do so. But he couldn't care less. All he wanted was glory, his glory. Marrying into royalty was a big step for him."

Vanessa saw Nozel clenched his fists again and she felt a tear falling on her arm. She felt for him, deeply. His mother was one of the most important persons in his life and that his own father basically never cared about the love she had for him, that must be hard.

The words Nozel used to describe the love his mother had for his father… It felt familiar to Vanessa. Of course it did. That was the love Nozel was giving her, the way he loved and cared for her. Vanessa felt now even more compassion towards Acier Silva. Having such love for her husband and that stupid man couldn't care less.

At least, she had her children to cherish.

Vanessa hugged Nozel even tighter. On this point, he was luckier than his mother. She loved him back, as much as he loved her. And like she said earlier, she felt so lucky to be loved by him.

"I love you, Nozel. Never forget that."

She felt him turn in her arms and in the next moment, his lips where on hers, diving her into a sweet kiss.

"I love you too," he whispered, as they parted from the kiss.

Nozel lied his head on her shoulder, as Vanessa softly stroke his hair. She was glad that he came to trust her enough, to allow himself to be vulnerable and sad in her presence. It had been a huge step for him, Vanessa knew that. Opening himself to his siblings was still a work in progress, but he was getting there. And she was proud of him.

"Feeling better, honey?"

"I think so."

She let a bit go of him, enough so that she could see his face and put a hand on his cheek. "I'll be there for you, Nozel. Just like you're here for me."

He put his hand on hers, his glance diving into her eyes. Vanessa swooned as she saw all the love within his metallic purple orbs. His sadness and his hope, his frustration and his happiness. The regrets he felt very strongly today and the deep love he had for her.

"By the way, I can't imagine my life without you in it either, handsome."

Nozel just looked at her, unbelief, happiness and love mixing in his glance. Vanessa giggled. This broken man, as much as she was, this royal who hide who he really was behind a cold mask… she loved him and he loved her back. After getting over Yami, after dates that never really made her feel deeply, she was surely lucky to find herself in a beautiful love story.

It was almost like a tale grandmothers told children during long winter nights at the fireplace or a dark romance novel within some library. In a way, it was. A prince and a witch, that was already tale-worthy. Not to mention their own pasts, which could strangely fit as well.

But this wasn't a tale from a granny, nor a dark romance novel in some shady library. What they had was real and despite the difficulties of nobility and royalty concerning classes, despite their own issues, despite coming from different circles, they were lucky to have it, Vanessa was certain of that fact.

She brushed his braid away to kiss his forehead. Letting even her lips lingering on his skin. Nozel sighed happily.

"I love you, Nozel. I'm here for you. And I'm going to repeat those words and many more until it's finally carved inside your stubborn Silva mind."

"Don't need to. It's impossible for me to not believe you."

With that, he kissed her so fiercely that they fell on the mattress again and even rolled on the bed. Vanessa was overwhelmed by his kiss, opening her mouth for his tongue, a hand in his hair. She was happy. Nozel was definitely feeling better, comforted and ready to go up again. The passion he kissed her with was proof enough of that.

"Thank you," he whispered as they finally parted. She had no idea how long they kissed like that, but it was clearly not just one kiss.

"What for, honey?"

"For being here. For your love. For many things…"

"You're welcome, Nozel. And thanks, as well. You're an amazing boyfriend, whether you believe it or not."

He chuckled. Gosh, she loved the sound of it.

Slowly, her hands reached his braid, starting to undone it. Nozel let her do it. As she finished, Vanessa run her fingers through his bangs. It was amazing how despite looking different and not as soft, his hair was almost as soft as Noelles.

Nozel leaned down, rubbing his nose against hers. Vanessa closed her eyes. It hasn't been a happy day for him, but the night was definitely going in a more comforting, happier direction.

I will be here for your son, lady Acier Silva. I promise you.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, honey. Everything just feels perfect now. Unless… would you like a round two?"

Nozel just grinned, which was pretty rare enough to be noticed, before going for her lips again. Vanessa gave in to the passion, holding him as tightly as she could.

If he felt down again, she would be there to comfort him. Just like he would be there for her. That was they kind of relationship they had.