A Minor Misunderstanding

"Instructor, you do know we're falling behind, right?" Rean warned, craning his neck up to try keep sight of his classmates as they wandered deeper and deeper into the crowded Heimdallr streets. He could just about see the back of Gaius' head through the sea of people, but that was about it. The rest of Class VII were lost in the crowds.

The capital was typically the most crowded place in the Empire, but it seemed as though absolutely everyone in all of Zemuria had decided that they all wanted to pay the city a visit on that very day. The streets were positively teeming with people.

"Rean, relax. Everyone knows we're going to meet at that plaza in front of the palace, so it doesn't matter if we get separated." Sara waved off his concern.

She seemed to be more interested in browsing the shop window they were stood in front of, and the clothes held inside of course. She was chiefly invested in the assortment of belts they had on display for some reason. Rean wasn't sure why though. She had plenty of belts already after all, some might have said she had too many. In fact, Sara had more belts on her person than was surely practical for any one person to have.

"It's literally the biggest building in town" Sara continued. "It'd honestly be more impressive if anyone got lost trying to find it."

Rean sighed. He supposed that she was right of course, though that wasn't what was troubling him most.

After all the attacks and strange happenings with regards to the Imperial Liberation Front, it was hard not to be a little worried. It seemed like every time they left Trista on a field trip, something went wrong. It was almost like the IMF was stalking them, waiting for Class VII to appear somewhere before enacting some new, malicious scheme. What did they have planned next, Rean wondered? What was their ultimate goal?

Sara straightened up and turned to face him with a smile. "You're doing it again."

"Huh?"

"Worrying." Sara gave him a pointed look, though it soon softened. "It's ok, Rean. You're perfectly safe here."

Rean ghosted the softest chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, I know. We're in the capital after all. There's the army, the Heimdallr Military Police, the RMP, and plenty of other forces keeping everyone safe."

"Huh? Oh no, I meant you're safe because you've got the world's very best bracer by your side." Sara smirked. "She's often called the Purple Lightning, you know. You may have heard of her before: Strong, fearless and faster than lightning. Rumour has it that she's intelligent, utterly fabulous and the most world famous beauty in all of Zemuria. Ring any bells?"

"Ah, of course." Rean couldn't help but roll his eyes a little. "How could I forget?"

He didn't bother to point out that there were several bracers of the same or higher rank than her out there. Though come to think of it, there weren't all that many that he knew of. It was almost strange to think that his Instructor was something of a rare breed, a member of a select few warriors who were among the very best anywhere. Her general behaviour and laissez-faire attitude hardly leant themselves to that image after all.

"Come on," Sara began, linking her arm with his in an awfully familiar fashion as they started walking again, "I'll be your own personal bodyguard for today. So don't worry, I'll keep the bad guys away."

Rean smiled, and tried not to think too much on how close she was to him. "I feel so much better, now that I've got a rhyming bracer looking after me." He didn't bother to keep the teasing sarcasm out of his voice.

"So you should, though you should know that my services don't come cheap." Sara flashed him a wink.

"Duly noted." Rean sighed. "You do know that I'm just a poor student, right?"

As a matter of fact, Rean, as son of a Baron, was in a better position financially than many of his peers. Sara didn't need to be reminded of that for the time being though.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm sure we can sort something out. Play your cards right and I may even arrange a special discount for my star pupil." Sara teased.

"Oh! Excuse me, sir?"

Rean turned at the sudden and new voice to find a merchant peering at him from behind his market stall. At a glance, the stand was festooned with all sorts of different necklaces, rings and other bits and bobs of jewellery that glinted and shined in the morning sun.

"Wouldn't you like a gift for your beautiful girlfriend, sir?" The man smiled, throwing his hands out to indicate the many trinkets and baubles that adorned his stall.

Rean blinked. Girlfriend?

"Ooh, yes! That sounds like a lovely idea!" Sara enthused.

Rean blinked again. "Wa- Wait, you mean-" He nearly tripped over his own feet when Sara started dragging him closer to the stall.

"Come on, darling." Sara persisted with an awfully evil looking smile. "Let's at least have a look!"

Rean eyed her with a glare. She was having way too much fun with this already. "Sara …"

"What?" Sara fluttered her eyelashes so very innocently. "You want to keep your girlfriend happy, don't you Rean?"

Rean sighed. He knew his Instructor well enough to know that she was determined to see this little game of hers through. He was walking up to join Sara at the market stall before he thought better of it.

"Ooh! What about this one?" Sara's eyes lit up as she pointed out one of the many glittering necklaces.

"Ahh, that's a lovely choice, my dear." The merchant smiled the smile of a fisherman who'd caught the biggest of fishes. "The colour would really bring out your eyes beautifully."

Rean eyed the necklace dubiously. It was a silver chain with a teal looking gemstone hanging down in the middle. He couldn't see how that would work well with Sara's amber eyes.

"Oh, and he does like my eyes." Sara smiled to the merchant in a conspiratorial tone. "He's always saying it's his favourite thing about me."

Rean sighed again. He knew that there was nothing at all preventing him from just turning around and walking away. So one merchant would think he was an asshole boyfriend, so what? It was just his misunderstanding anyway. Still, for some reason he couldn't help but be compelled to go along with Sara's little masquerade. It had to be in that smile. Or maybe it was in her eyes, like she'd said.

Though if he was to play along, Rean would be damned if he was going to be paying an awful lot. Some of those necklaces cost more than his monthly allowance!

"Well … how about this one, dear?" Rean drawled the word as he pointed out a more understated – and crucially, much cheaper – necklace. It had a shorter chain, in a bronze coloured metal rather than silver, but it had a lovely little topaz teardrop set into it. Even though it was less expensive, he did think that it would actually suit her a lot better.

"Ah, now that one's lovely as well." Sara smiled wide as she peered over to have a look. "Could I try it on?"

"Of course, of course!" The merchant smiled, although it was a little dimmer than before. He was probably hoping to lure them towards his more expensive pieces. He unlocked the display cabinet to fish it out before handing it over to Sara gently. "Here you go, my dear."

"Thank you." Sara accepted it gracefully. Then she eyed Rean with what was surely a glint of pure evil in her gaze. "Rean, dear, would you put it on for me?"

Rean blinked, somehow resisting the urge to glower. "Okay …"

Sara handed him the necklace with a wink before turning her back to him. "Thank you, dear. You're always so delicate with this sort of thing after all." She flashed a sly smile the merchant's way. "He's got fingers of an artist you know, always told him he should take up the violin or something."

Rean sighed yet again as she turned around and reached up to pull her cerise hair out of the way, exposing the subtle curves of her lovely neck.

Eyes unwillingly drawn to that choker she always wore, Rean swallowed that uncomfortable lump in his throat. He did his best to ignore it as he carefully laid the necklace around Sara's neck. He made doubly sure to avoid making any sort of contact with Sara's skin with his fingers, he wasn't sure if his nerve could handle it. It took him a few fumbling attempts, but eventually he managed to fasten the clasp and could retreat to a safer distance.

"There." Rean breathed a sigh of relief once he'd finished. "All done."

Sara turned around with a smile, and Rean knew immediately that he'd made another grave mistake.

She was stunning, absolutely gorgeous. She always had been and always would be of course, but there something about her in that moment that made Rean's heart ache so very much. The necklace sat close to her neck, almost as tight as her choker but not as restrictive, with the gemstone sitting just above the little 'v' shaped gap in her clavicle. He was proven right; the topaz really did bring out the life and light of her eyes all the more somehow. Those eyes sparkled with that all too familiar hint of mischief and love of life itself.

"So, how do I look?" Sara asked with a delightful smirk.

"Beautiful." Rean couldn't help but murmur with a smile.

He immediately flushed. Did I just say that?

Sara's eyes widened just a fraction, surprise maybe. Then the smirk came back in full force. "So, the same as always then?"

Rean couldn't help but chuckle and smile, even as he rubbed at the back of his neck a little awkwardly.

"Oh, it suits you perfectly, madam!" The merchant enthused from the side lines. "A fine choice, I must say."

Sara reached up to toy with the gemstone for a moment as she admired her reflection in the merchant's mirror. Her head then bowed a little in thought with a soft smile on her lips.

"I love it." Sara's gaze came back up with that familiar glint of mischief in her eyes again. "We'll take it."

"Splendid, splendid!" The merchant was pleased. He looked to Rean. "You won't regret it, sir!"

Rean already was regretting it as he reached for his wallet, though he supposed that it could have been a lot worse. He surreptitiously looked around, relieved that none of his classmates were around to witness the whole charade.

Still, despite his embarrassment, he couldn't help but smile as they walked away, with Sara wearing her new jewellery proudly.

"Don't worry. I'll pay you back later." Sara promised with a smile.

"What?"

"For the necklace?" Sara chuckled. "It was sweet of you to play along, but I can't have my students buying me things like this now can I?"

Rean was almost tempted to scowl. "Sara, it was gift."

Sara smiled in an understanding manner. "Rean, come on, I did goad you into it. Besides, it's not like you have a job to pay for little trinkets like this. I mean, I know you're from a noble family and all, but I couldn't possibly let you pay for it, it's not fair."

Rean shook his head. "Doesn't matter, it was a gift, one I hope you enjoy."

Sara eyed him carefully. "A gift for what?"

"Does there have to be a reason?" Then Rean smirked. "Alright, how about this: think of it as payment for being my bodyguard for the day."

Sara laughed, a joyous heartfelt sound. She considered for a long moment. "Alright then, thank you, Rean. That's … That's real sweet of you."

"Don't mention it." Rean smiled.

"Still, you do realise that this means war, don't you, Schwarzer?" Sara smirked at him.

"Huh?"

Sara reached up to touch her necklace again. "This is a lovely gift, you know I'm gonna have to go and do one better than you now."

"Sara, there's really no nee-" Rean started to protest.

"Nuh uh uh, Rean!" Sara wagged a finger at him with a smirk. "You've made your bed now. I suggest you shut up and lie in it."

Rean sighed. Of course Sara wouldn't just leave it at that.

He was almost too surprised when warm lips suddenly graced his cheek.

"Keep being a good boy, and maybe I'll lie in it with you." Sara teased in a whisper against his skin.

"Ah- Sara!" Rean started, his cheeks bursting into flame from her lips' touch.

Sara just cackled. "Ha ha! Schwarzer: One – Valestein: One!"