Today was supposed to be a wonderful day. It is the one-year anniversary of the Divine Dragon Alear's victory over the Fell Dragon Sombron. The Divine One and his allies/friends, those who fought alongside him, agreed to have a reunion at Lythos Castle in celebration of peace in Elyos. The royals even rushed and rescheduled some of their duties just to clear space in their schedule for the party. All of Alear's allies from Firene, Brodia, Elusia, and Solm managed to show up for the event, and they even brought food from their own respective nations to liven up the feast.
There was a lot of casual chatter, laughter, games, and smiles. Unfortunately, though, one smile amongst the crowd was forced and exaggerated.
Alear's smile, that is.
After spending a couple of hours mingling with his friends, Alear retreats to his mother's room and looks at the dark blue night sky from the balcony, wishing for some time alone. He could finally drop the forced smile and just focus on his thoughts and true feelings.
In truth, while he was definitely happy to see everyone, he couldn't smile a full smile because of one reason.
"Divine One," someone called.
That voice. That familiar voice. Alear stops looking at the stars and hangs his head low. He was a little hesitant to turn around and face the person who calls his name. But he knows it is rude to just ignore them. Despite his wish for solitude, he turns around and sees a certain pink-haired swordswoman waiting for him to respond.
"Hello, Lapis," Alear greeted.
"I saw you walk away from the party," said Lapis. "Is it a bit too much? Were you not having fun? Were my potatoes too salty?"
"No, no, the food is fine, Lapis," said Alear. "I just... I needed some time for myself."
"Forgive me for the assumptions, Divine One, but I couldn't help but notice you were struggling to smile throughout the festivities," said Lapis. "I don't mean to accuse you of faking the smiles. I can tell when they're genuine, but... not all them were."
Alear closes his eyes and sighs. This reaction only confirms Lapis' suspicion, but she was, fortunately, not upset at him. She could only stand next to him and look back and forth between his face and the stars.
"It sure is a lovely evening," said Lapis. "I can't wait to take this party to the Somniel. So many memories there."
Alear opens his eyes, looks at the stars again, and says, "Yes. So many beautiful memories."
"Remember when Prince Alcryst got into a heated discussion with Princess Ivy and her retainers?" Lapis recalled. "Not exactly a beautiful memory, but it was interesting to see him defend Brodia's stance on Elusia. Rarely do we see him speak with such confidence. And then Citrinne butted in. King Diamant tried to defuse the situation, to no avail."
"I had to intervence and plead for everyone to stop fighting," Alear remembered.
"Then there was that time when Amber and Chloe accidentally set the kitchen on fire," said Lapis. "I shouldn't laugh at kitchen accidents, but the fact that it happened due to a simple disagreement on ingredients..."
Lapis laughed at the memory.
"And there was that time when Hortensia suspected Yunaka of plotting against her," said Alear. "She actually thought that Yunaka poisoned Ivy's meal. The mess that resulted from that misunderstanding, well, let's just say I hope I don't return to the party to see another one like it."
"Our army is a colorful one," said Lapis.
"Lindon's experiments, Etie's training regime, sparring with Kagetsu," Alear enumerated. "All of it makes me nostalgic for the times I would see all of you on the Somniel every day. I know we were in the middle of a war, but all the moments we shared on the Somniel, they were truly lovely."
The two share a laugh as they think back to the peaceful and hilarious moments at the Somniel during the war.
The laughter dies down as the stargazing continues. Lapis, however, couldn't let this silence go on without bringing up something that she wanted to say.
"Divine One, are you avoiding me?" Lapis asked suddenly.
Alear's face tensed at the question.
Lapis reaches for something and pulls out a ring. It was the Pact Ring, only it was different. The bottom half of the band was covered in gold and silver that matches the material of the ring.
"I couldn't remove the engraving of my name, but I could cover it up by melting down some gold and silver," said Lapis. "Should you ever give it to someone else, they'll never know."
Lapis puts the Pact Ring down and next to the Divine Dragon's hand. Alear picks up the ring and looks at it with a downhearted expression on his face. He closes his eyes again and puts the ring down, trying to stabilize his emotions.
"I truly am sorry, Divine One," Lapis apologized.
"Lapis, I told you, you have nothing to apologize for," said Alear. "You had every right to reject the ring if you didn't feel same way I feel about you. It was my error for not seeing your true feelings for Alcryst. I engraved your name on the ring, hoping you would be impressed and accept it. If mistakes were made, they were mine, not yours."
"Even so, I couldn't stop thinking about how heartbroken you are," said Lapis. "Every time I look at the ring, as I was trying to cover up the engraving, you were all I could think about."
"I won't lie, Lapis. It still hurts," said Alear. "That doesn't mean I don't want to be near. But the truth is, it's not easy for me whenever I am close to you. Just being in the same room as you makes me think about when I tried to give you the Pact Ring."
"Struggling to move on, huh?" Lapis said. "Divine One, do you really truly love me?"
"I do," Alear answered with heart and full sincerity. "I wish I can just move on, Lapis, but it's not easy. You're the first person I fell in love with, Lapis. It's a wonderful feeling, which only makes it hurt so bad when you rejected the ring. When I saw you again today, I knew I am far from moving on."
Lapis wasn't sure how to respond. The Divine Dragon's love for her is deeper than she ever thought. She had hoped that offering to remove or cover up the engraving on the ring would be a step forward, but it only facilitated the pain. He engraved her name on the ring in the name of love, and that's not just something that you move on from easily.
"Have you told Alcryst how you feel?" Alear asked.
"I, uh, wh-what are saying, Divine One?" Lapis said, denying her feelings.
"Don't worry. I won't pressure you," said Alear. "But take it from me. It's easier to just let it out and deal with the consequences later. I wanted to tell you how I felt because I was a little worried I might not survive the final battle."
"I'll, uh, take your words into consideration," said Lapis.
"Worry not, Lapis. Your rejection does not change how much I care about you," said Alear. "I still wish for us to be friends like always. I'd hate for us to avoid each other because of my decision."
"I'd hate for that, too," said Lapis. "Don't worry, Divine One. I wouldn't end our friendship, especially after you've been so kind to me."
"You should probably head back to the party," Alear suggested. "Pretty soon, people will be looking for us and my mother's room will end up crowded, not to mention they'll get the wrong idea about us."
"You're right," Lapis replied. "Have a nice and safe evening, Divine One."
Lapis turns around and leaves Queen Lumera's bedroom, leaving Alear alone with his thoughts and feelings. He was still not ready to return to the party, but having talked to Lapis has eased him a bit.
Meanwhile, back at the party downstairs, Alfred and Etie are eating treats together - treats that feature the retainer's special muscle stimulant. Lots of people at the party seem to be enjoying Etie's contributions, Alfred included.
"These are great, Etie!" Alfred praised. "You can barely taste the stimulant because of how sweet and yummy this cake is."
"I'm glad to hear that Prince Alfred," said Etie. "I made this one specially for you."
"For me?" Alfred reacted.
"Oh, uh, y-yes," Etie stuttered. "This is your favorite flavor of cake, isn't it? I wanted to make sure to pour as much effort into it."
"You're always looking out of me, Etie, whether it's the sweet stuff or the muscle stuff," said Alfred.
"Well, I'm your retainer. My duty is to look out for you," said Etie. "Just be sure you don't eat too much cake. Otherwise, tomorrow's exercise will be a bit more demanding than usual."
"Hey, I don't mind. If it means spending more time with you, I can eat as much cake as I want," said Alfred.
"What?" Etie reacted.
"Oh, um... I'm saying that I don't mind a more demanding morning exercise, as long as it's with you," said Alfred.
Etie would not think much of those words, if not for the way he said them. His voice is softer and his tone sounds, well, strange. Strange in that there's more emotion to it than she expected. She almost dropped her fork just thinking about the meaning behind the tone in her prince's voice.
"Um, Etie, you're staring at me," Alfred pointed out.
"Oh, a-am I?" Etie stuttered again.
"And you're stuttering," said Alfred. "That's not like you."
"You're right. It's not," Etie said, still behaving strangely. "Um, are you sure you want to gorge on sweets just to spend more time with me?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Alfred replied with a smile. "Out training, our exercises, all that we do together, they mean a lot to me, Etie."
And there was it again. Alfred wasn't speaking in his normal voice. That softer, more emotional tone when talking to her and only her. The only other person he's talked to with that tone in his voice is the Divine Dragon, and that's because he has grown to see Alear as a friend and a brother. But with her, does the tone in his voice mean the same or something more?
"You know what, Prince Alfred, I'll go get more treats for us," said Etie. "Enjoy the cake."
Etie stands up and walks away, leaving Alfred alone with her cake. Alfred's eyes do not leave Etie's direction as he continues to eat. His mind and hands slow down the longer he stares, though. Even when Alfred tried to look away, he couldn't.
He suddenly stops eating and just looks at Etie, who was talking to Fogado and Timerra, probably about the treats she made. The smiles say that they enjoy her food as much as he did.
"She's acting strangely, if I must say."
Those words came from Celine, sister of the prince.
"Has it finally happened, Alfred? Has mother's plan for a Queen Etie come to fruition?" Céline teased.
"What? Oh, that... n-no, it's nothing like that," Alfred blushed. "Wait, you knew about Mother's plan all this whole time?"
"Yes, I did," Céline teased further. "What exactly is happening here? Did you finally tell her and now it's awkward being around each other?"
"Well, I told her about Mother's plan," Alfred informed. "We both laughed off the idea of becoming more than just the prince and his retainer, but now that you mention, she has been acting weird around me at times."
"And what about you, Alfred?" Céline asked. "If I didn't know any better, I think you're entertaining the thought of Etie as your queen."
"Wh-What? N-No I'm not," Alfred stuttered as he blushed again.
"You're stuttering, Alfred," Céline pointed out. "Oh, the thought of Etie as my sister-in-law, it's enough to make me smile."
Yunaka was off on her own in a little corner of the dining room, just munching on some pastries. While she was happy to be reunited with everyone she fought with during the war, she was not feeling her most festive.
"Yunaka?" Someone called.
Yunaka gasped. She recognized the voice, and it's not the voice she wants to hear right now.
"Not now, Seadall," Yunaka said, refusing to turn around and look at him.
"If you do not wish to speak to me, why come to the party?" Seadall asked.
"I came here because everyone would want me to," said Yunaka.
"Yunaka, please, I just want one simple conversation," Seadall pleaded.
"Well, we're both here now, so might as well rip the bandage," Yunaka said, her back still turned.
"Yunaka, why did you leave me?" Seadall finally asked.
"I was afraid you would ask that," said Yunaka.
"We were having so much fun, traveling and performing together," Seadall remembered. "But then, one night, while I was sleeping, you just left me all alone. The masses notice that I was not performing at my best, and it's not hard for me to see why. Not having you by my side is negatively affecting my performance."
"Well, I'm sorry you disappointed your fans," said Yunaka.
"Yunaka, this isn't just about my performance," said Seadall. "I miss you, Yunaka."
Yunaka gasps. She almost loses grip of the pastry. Those words were what made her finally turn around and look at Seadall in the eye. The sight of her face puts a little smile on Seadall's face.
"While I do care about my performance, I care more about you," said Seadall. "Just having you by my side, it meant a lot to me. Dancing together, performing together, it has filled me with happiness I had not felt in a long time."
"What are you trying to say, Seadall?" Yunaka asked.
"I think what I'm trying to say is... I..." Seadall stopped.
He was too nervous to talk.
"Before I tell you, I must ask, why did you leave me?" Seadall asked.
"It's complicated," said Yunaka. "Don't get me wrong, Seadall, I did enjoy traveling with you. Performing on stage, flexing my talents, it gave me this wonderful feeling that I've never felt before."
"If it meant so much to you, why would you leave it all behind?" Seadall asked sadly.
"Because... because I... I'm a... I wasn't sure..." Yunaka couldn't speak clearly.
"I take it that it's something very personal to you," Seadall guessed. "Perhaps I shouldn't pry, even though I am curious."
"I may not be able to tell you about my secret, not now, but I can tell you one thing," said Yunaka. "I missed you, too, Seadall."
Seadall smiles in response.
"I'm happy to hear that, Yunaka," said Seadall.
"Believe me, I would love to perform with you again," said Yunaka. "But I have some personal demons I have combat first."
"And how are you faring on that front for the past six months?" Seadall asked.
"Not very well," said Yunaka. "The solitude, the bloodshed, it only made me yearn for companionship the more I indulged."
"Bloodshed?" Seadall questioned.
Yunaka gasped again. The word bloodshed slipped out of her tongue when she didn't mean it.
"I have always suspected your past was full of hardship and violence," said Seadall. "I just never expected your past to affect our relationship this much. Having you by my side, performing with me, not only has it greatly improved my performance but it has also filled me with this feeling that I never expected."
"What feeling?" Yunaka asked.
"Love," Seadall answered.
Once again, Yunaka gasps.
"I love you, Yunaka," said Seadall. "Nothing would make me happier than to have you by side once again. But if you do not feel the same, then we can leave things as they are. I just wanted you to know."
Seadall turns and walks away, returning to enjoying thsi reunion with his friends. Yunaka just stands there in her own little corner, thinking about what Seadall just said. It was one thing for him to say that he was happy to be working with her, but it was another for him to confess that he harbored romantic feelings for her. The worst part of it, for Yunaka, is that...
"I love you, too," Yunaka muttered.
Alear wasn't the only one who decided to sneak off from the party. The Queen of Elusia, Ivy, excused herself from the celebration in order to spend some time alone outside the castle. She removers her fascinator and looks up at the bright white moon in the sky.
"Ivy."
Ivy jumps a bit upon hearing a familiar voice call her name. There is no need to panic, she tells herself. She steadies hereslf as she calmly responds...
"King Diamant," Ivy greeted formally.
Diamant walks closer and stops just next to Ivy. She was avoiding eye contact, which does bother Diamant, but he does not force her to face him. Instead, he just says...
"Please, no need to be formal. It's just the two of us."
"Just the two of us, hmm?" Ivy repeated.
"You left the party a little too soon," said Diamant. "Hortensia is wondering where you are. Her retainers and yours are currently searching for you. It won't be long before they find you here."
"Well, let them search. I need some time to myself," said Ivy.
"To yourself, or to us?" Diamant wondered.
"Oh, Diamant," Ivy uttered, touched but also annoyed.
Ivy touches the necklace she is wearing. It wasn't just any other necklace, though. It's a necklace she made herself with the gem that Diamant gave her a year ago during the war. It grants courage to the one who possess it, he said. And she has admitted that it did make her braver. She even said, in her very own words, that she found the courage to reimagine their relationship... in more ways than one.
"I see you are still wearing it," Diamant said, referring to the necklace.
"Be careful of where your eyes linger at," Ivy teased.
Diamant just chuckled as he looked away for a second.
"When you said you would wear it every day, you really meant it," Diamant continued. "Whenever we visit each other, I always see it around your neck. I'd like to imagine you even wear it in your sleep."
"Well, I don't, but, yes, when I'm not sleeping or bathing, I do wear it," said Ivy.
"Did your sister have anything to say about it?" Diamant asked curiously.
"She's suspicious as to why I wear it every day," said Ivy. "I haven't told her that the gem came from you."
"I assume it is because you wish to avoid unneeded accusations," Diamant guessed.
"Well, one of these days, Hortensia will recognize it as a gem from Brodia," said Ivy. "I would hide it, but I see no legitimate reason to stop wearing it."
"I am happy to hear that," Diamant smiled.
"Well, this gift means to me much more than you could imagine," said Ivy.
"Oh, does it?" Diamant replied.
"The necklace is not just a show of courage," Ivy said. "You gave it to me. That makes it valuable. When I touch it... hold it... I think only of you, how I cherish you, how I wish I could always have you by my side..."
"Huh?" Diamant gasped.
Ivy gasped as well, realizing what she just confessed. She covers her face with her fascinator, unable to face him after what she just said. She momentarily glances at Diamant, only to see that his face was turning a shade of red.
"Could I ask you to forget that?" Ivy blushed.
"I don't think I can even if I tried," said Diamant.
"There's being courageous and then there's being an imbecile," Ivy scolded herself. "Dammit, this is not the time for this."
"Are you sure? It sounded like you really wanted to get it off your chest," said Diamant.
"Is that all you have to say, Diamant?" Ivy questioned.
"Well, I... I'm not sure if... should I say..." Diamant stopped himself.
"I see I have you flabbergasted," Ivy smiled.
Diamant blushes as he chuckles to himself. Ivy chuckles to herself as she blushes again. The two look away from each other as they try to "recover" from this hot feeling beneath the skin of their faces. Ivy rubs her shoulder. Diamant lightly taps his cheek. They both remained in this state of embarrassment for a little while. They almost wish someone would come and find them so they can be split up. One minute later, no one showed up.
"When you said you've reimagined our relationship, I did not expect this," said Diamant.
"Please do not say another word," Ivy pleaded, still embarrassed.
"But it would be rude of me not to reply properly," said Diamant.
"I insist, King Diamant, do not say another word that could potentially spell doom for the both of us," Ivy pleaded further.
"I also wish to have you by my side always, Ivy," Diamant confessed.
Ivy drops her fascinator as she looks down at the grass. Am I dreaming? No, I'm not, Ivy said to herself. Oh, how she wishes she was dreaming. The reality of this is terrifying.
"You are aware of what such confessions imply, aren't you?" Ivy said, still blushing.
"I am," Diamant answered simply.
"But you don't care about those implications, do you?" Ivy questioned. "People will ask questions, uncomfortable ones at that. Salacious rumors would start should word get out."
"Then it is a good thing it's just the two of us here," Diamant said with a smile.
The sight of Diamant's smile only makes Ivy blush still, but she does not look away. If anything, seeing him smile makes her want to smile, and so she did. A part of her is telling her to run away and forget this conversation ever happened. But another part of her tells her to stay and keep having this conversation with him.
"You are aware that such relationship between us is not plausible," said Ivy.
"I wouldn't say it's not possible, but it is close to being so," said Diamant.
"Are you seriously that willing to pursue this?" Ivy questioned.
"Only if you are," Diamant answered. "You did confess first."
"Oh, don't put this on me," Ivy blushed. "But, you are correct. The gem has given me courage, too much courage, and I opened my mouth without even thinking of the bigger picture."
"Well, I think I'll leave you be to think about it," said Diamant. "There are windows in the castle. Someone could easily see us. The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to be caught, if we aren't already."
"In that case, have a good evening, King Diamant," Ivy said formally.
"May you have a peaceful night, Queen Ivy," said Diamant.
After about half an hour of alone time, Alear decides it's time to return to the party, even if thinking about Lapis still hurts him. But he couldn't just avoid the party all night long just because of heartbreak. If anything, the lively atmosphere downstairs should help him temporarily forget about the rejection. As he turned a corner, he almost runs into a certain someone.
"Oh, hello, Divine One."
It was Citrinne, and she was holding a pink flower. For some reason, she hides it behind her back when she saw him.
"I was, um, I was looking for you," said Citrinne. "Well, everyone was."
"Oh, sorry. I didn't meant to worry everyone," said Alear. "I just needed a bit of time to myself."
"Why? Is something bothering you?" Citrinne asked. "Is the party too much? Are we being too rowdy?"
"Oh, no, not at all," said Alear. "It's, um, it's a personal reason."
"Oh, well, no use prying then," said Citrinne. "Although, if you don't mind sharing it with me, I can offer comfort."
"That's very nice of you, Citrinne, but I'm not ready to tell anyone about it," said Alear.
"Right, sorry," Citrinne apologized.
"By the way, I saw you holding a flower," said Alear. "Why are you hiding it behind your back?"
"Oh, um, about that... I, uh, it's actually for... you," Citrinne said nervously.
Alear swears that a tint of red was showing on Citrinne's cheeks. Why is she acting strange about giving him a flower? She's given him a bouquet before. What makes now different?
"Should I ask why you're nervous about giving it to me?" Alear asked.
"I would tell you, Divine One, but... I think that can wait another time," said Citrinne.
Citrinne takes her one hand out from behind her back and gives Alear the flower. Alear takes the flower and smells it. The smell seems to have brought a smile on his face.
"It smells lovely, Citrinne," said Alear.
"These do smell the loveliest out of all flowers," said Citrinne.
"Is this going to be a thing between us, Citrinne?" Alear laughed. "You've given me flowers as a gift for aiding you in battle, for my birthday, and now for this reunion."
"Well, as you said, you value gifts that come from the heart," Citrinne reminded. "Every time I pick flowers, I think about you."
"Well, thank you, Citrinne," said Alear. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me the special reason why you wanted to give me this specific flower?"
"Well, you have your secrets, Divine One. It's not fair I tell you one of mine," Citrinne teased.
"Haha, fair enough," said Alear.
"But, please, be honest with me, Divine One. Are you happy to see all of us together again?" Citrinne asked.
"Of course, I am," Alear answered honestly. "For the past year, I tend to look back on the days where we're all just relaxing at the Somniel. I am grateful that we get to have these reunions once every year, along with all the birthdays and holidays."
"Well, you are being sincere, so I shouldn't worry too much," said Citrinne. "But, hey, even if you can't tell me why you're feeling down earlier, just know that you can lean on me to help you feel better. I love taking care of people. That includes you, too, Divine One."
"Well, you can start by walking with me back to the party," Alear suggested.
"No problem," said Citrinne.
Citrinne grabs hold of Alear's hand and starts gently dragging him back to the party. She lets go of his hand when they made it back to the dining room. Most of everyone was still there. They were told that Hortensia, Zelkov, Kagetsu, and Amber were looking for the other two missing people of this party - Ivy and Diamant. Alear walks towards his sister Veyle, who was playing a board game with Anna and Jean. Citrinne observes the Divine One from the distance. She could only stare at both him and the flower she gave him.
It hurts her that she couldn't tell him the reason she gave him this specific flower.
"I love you, Alear," Citrinne said quietly. "But your heart yearns for Lapis. And moving on is proving to be a huge challenge of you, huh? I was hoping to tell you the truth tonight, but that would be ill-advised. You need more time to recover, and I have to respect that. Just know that I'm here for you, for as long as I live."
"Hey, Citrinne!" Someone called.
"Oh, Lapis," Citrinne replied as she turned around. "You, um, you didn't just hear me just now, did you?"
"Wha... no, I didn't," said Lapis. "But I was gonna ask, where were you earlier?"
"Oh, I was looking for A... for the Divine One," Citrinne said.
It wasn't a lie, but Citrinne's nervous tone made it sound like a lie. She was hoping Lapis won't pry.
"Why, Citrinne, you're blushing," Lapis teased. "Your cheeks are as red as the carpets in the royal court."
"Hey, don't use my own words against me," Citrinne responded angrily. "Or should I go and tell Alcryst about how enamored you are with him?"
"Wha... h-hey, don't you dare," Lapis retorted. "A-And I'm not saying you're correct. I just, um, I don't want there to be any embarrassing misunderstandings between me and Alcryst."
Citrinne gasps and says, "You mentioned him by name, without the prince moniker."
"Oh, um... wait, I didn't mean it," Lapis blushed.
"Well, we can either keep teasing each other until the sun rises or we can focus on having fun in this party," said Citrinne. "The Divine One is not in very high spirits right now and we need to make sure he goes to bed with a big smile on his face. Care to help me?"
"Oh, um... s-sure," Lapis stuttered.