Say No To This

@ sun spirit

While Aerith had no experience whatsoever with boys in the romantic sense, she had plenty of experience with them in what she considered a casual sense. She'd grown up training with Elwin and the other noblemen's son's, which led to her seeing them naked on more than one occasion, in the bathhouse at the end of practice or getting dressed before training. None of that bothered her, so why should taking off her armor in front of Nyrel bother her? It was just armor."I suppose I don't know you well enough to determine whether or not I hate you. But that doesn't mean I like you, either. I just don't have much of an opinion yet." She explained with a little shrug, still trying to grab at the straps.

She looked over her shoulder when he asked if she wanted help, nodding a little, her brown locks beginning to fall out of their neat braid. She'd used to have her hair cut short, like a man's, but at the insistence of the late Queen she'd started to grow it out, intending to keep it only at chin length, but after the Queen's death she hadn't dared cut it, and it now reached just past her shoulders. Luckily, Ceren was an excellent teacher, both in her skill at braiding and her patience with the hothead.

"Yes, that would be helpful.. Ceren tied them earlier, and she had said she's come help me with them after the ball, but I suppose she's in bed already, and I'd rather sleep in the armor than wake her up after everything she's dealt with today."

---

Elwin frowned as he listened to his best friend speak, slowly turning to look at her as she continued on and on, realizing that she might be saying more than she meant. But he couldn't unhear what he had, and frowned deeply as he looked at her, worry evident on his features. "What do you mean, Ceren? Who is trying to ruin our friendship? And what do you mean, he'll hurt you?" His frowned deepened at that, holding onto her arms again, afraid she might try to run away or avoid him as he asked her more and more uncomfortable questions, but he had to know.

"Has someone been hurting you, Ceren?" He asked seriously, the worry in his eyes being replaced with anger for just a moment before he managed to get it under control, and although he wasn't known for his temper, Elwin was ruthless when he was angry.

@ katahdin

It was that sort of honesty that had led Nyrel to his sure statement earlier that she didn't hate him, although he wasn't entirely convinced that she didn't like him either. Maybe not to the degree that she liked Elwin or Ceren, but... some part of him suspected they were both beginning to develop a soft spot for the other of some sort. Still, he didn't say that, as he had the feeling it would probably be the wrong thing to say and instead nodded his acceptance of her claim not to have much of an opinion. "Well, I'd say I'd work on impressing you, but I have a feeling you're difficult to impress."

He stepped forward when she accepted his help, gently pushing her hair to the side first and then working on undoing the neat knots that had apparently been Ceren's handiwork. Her armor didn't fall off, but it would be loose enough now that she could pull it over her head. "She wouldn't be angry even if you had woken her up, you know," he told her after he'd finished and stepped back. "Ceren's too considerate for her own good most of the time. It's more likely she'd be upset with herself for forgetting she said she'd help you." It was one thing he didn't think he'd ever understand about his little sister. She had no aspirations to get ahead, to make a name for herself, and not a single calculating bone in her body. She'd become a healer because she'd wanted to travel around the kingdom helping people when she was a child, and she hadn't applied to be Royal Healer. It was just offered to her, after the previous one retired.

---

When Elwin finally turned to her, Ceren felt a quick moment of relief, some part of her still just concentrated on fixing whatever she'd done wrong, but the moment he started asking questions, she realized that she'd said more than she thought. Her eyes widened as he held onto her arms, keeping her in place, and she could tell by the look he was giving her that she needed to say something fast.

"I'm not hurt. I-I just meant..." She couldn't remember what it was she'd said exactly. "I meant it'd hurt if our friendship was ruined somehow, and-and I don't want that to happen because I care about you so much." Though he held her arms, she inched away from him, almost as if by moving slowly she'd be able to slip between his fingers. "I'm sorry, I know I probably didn't make a whole lot of sense just now. I'm just tired and stressed." Please, please believe me. Don't make me say it.

@ sun spirit

Aerith held her hair out of his way as he worked on the ties of her armor, smiling a little as they spoke of her friend. "I've never seen her angry.. I bet it'd be funny." She mused mostly to herself, thanking him as she stepped away, easily lifting the armor up over her head before placing it on the rack with the rest, left in her undershirt and pants.

She groaned softly as she stretched, her arms stretching up above her head as she lifted herself onto her tiptoes. Despite it being a comfortable suit of armor, being in it for so long still made her feel stiff and achey. She smiled over at him once she was done, doing her best to hide a yawn as she turned to get herself a glass of water from the pitcher one of the maids had left out for her. "Thank you again, for helping me.. Both earlier with the honey and just now with my armor. I really wasn't looking forward to sleeping in it." She said, gesturing to him to ask if he wanted some water as well, although they'd only left her the one cup. But she didn't mind sharing.

---

Elwin frowned, his grip loosening on her a bit, although his gaze hardened. "Dont you dare lie to me, Ceren." He didn't mean to sound threatening, but he knew that she was hiding something, and by the way she put it, who ever had put her up to whatever scheme she had mentioned was threatening her as well.

"I know something is going on. You dont just casually mention someone threatening to hurt you unless you do things that will ruin our friendship. What's going on, Ceren? Who's hurting you?" He asked again, reaching a hand up to brush her tears away, touch soft and gentle despite his hard look and words.

@ katahdin

Aerith brought up a good point about Ceren when he thought about it. "You know, I'm her brother, and I've never seen her angry either," he admitted, skimming through memories in an attempt to pinpoint something. Even when their parents had died, he'd wanted to find the bandits that killed them because he was angry, but she'd been absorbed in the simple fact that they were gone and mourning them.

As she continued to pull off her armor, Nyrel averted his eyes, not so much out of any modesty on his part as it was to offer her some privacy. As he started looking around her room though, he couldn't help but become interested. It wasn't exactly clean, but it wasn't horribly dirty either, and she seemed to have a collection of strange things, one of which included the biggest frog he'd ever set eyes on. He hadn't even noticed she'd finished undressing until he heard her speak and glanced over to find her with a glass of water. "You're welcome. I know I wouldn't want to sleep in it." He shook his head when she motioned to the water, then nodded towards the part of her room he'd been looking at. "What is all of this?"

---

Ceren felt her eyes begin to water again as Elwin told her not to lie again. She started to speak, but he interrupted her, and she bit her lip instead, a touch of panic in her eyes as she looked up at him. "Please," she said softly, reaching up and taking the hand that was futilely attempting to dispel tears that were still falling from her eyes. "I didn't mean to mention that. It's fine, I can handle it. And I'm not hurt. No one's hurting me. Remember the dress I was wearing earlier? Everyone would've seen it if I was hurt." What she was afraid to say was that she didn't want anything to happen to him--Nyrel. Despite what he'd done, he was still her brother, and he wasn't all bad.

@ sun spirit

Aerith grabbed a wool throw that she had found somewhere on one of her adventures and draped it around her shoulders like a shall before walking over to him with her glass of water, looking at the walls where he pointed. "That stuff? I dunno.. I just liked it." She said with a simple shrug. Along with her prized frog Theseus, fish tanks and terrariums were scattered across the room, containing lizards and snakes and big beetles that would make any 'normal' girl scream. Her room was also covered in plants. Somehow, she had found enough trailing plants with long enough vines to drape along the beams that held up her ceiling, the vines even beginning to climb the walls and cascade onto the floors in some areas. In addition to the flora and fauna, she also had various knickknacks and treasures, ranging from broken clocks to beautiful portraits, including a rather nice portrait of herself that looked recent, although it was tucked away and covered in a piece of cloth, obviously not meant to be seen.

"I.. I never had any friends beside Elwin and Ceren, and while she was at the Academy and he was busy learning about how to be King, I didn't have a lot to do.. So I'd just go find things and bring them back, so that if when either of them came back, I could say that I did something interesting too, even if it wasn't as interesting as Healer or King school.." she admitted softly, taking a long sip of her water as she avoided his gaze, worried he would think her weird.

---

"Ceren. Please." Elwin repeated, voice just as stern, but much softer, his hands moving cup her cheeks in his hands as he gazed down at her, eyes begging her to tell him the truth. "No one cries this much over something they can handle. You want to move across the continent just to avoid this, for Gods sake. Please, I only want to help." He begged, sighing deeply as he closed his eyes for a moment, thinking over his words before speaking again.

"You mean the world to me... Not just as a friend.. And if anything ever happened to you, especially something that I could prevent, I dont know how I could live with myself..." he admitted softly, voice barely above a whisper as he gazed into her eyes, thumbs smoothing over her cheeks to wipe her tears away.

@ katahdin
(I need sleep, but I couldn't stop myself from posting this one last thing before I crash )

Guessing that Aerith would stop him if he got too close to something she didn't want him to see, Nyrel decided to crouch in front of a few terrarriums that had caught his interest. The first thing he saw was a turtle, and upon inspecting it, frowned to himself. It was a snapping turtle. And beside it was a tank he suspected at first to be empty, but when he concentrated, he saw a tail peeking out from under a log and thought it was probably a lizard. In the third tank was a rattlesnake.

While he was crouched, looking around, Aerith continued speaking, to his surprise, glancing back to where she stood from where he still sat crouched. "Not as interesting?" he asked in disbelief, looking back to her various creatures, plants, and knick-knacks. "Ceren's stories from the Academy put me to sleep, and I can imagine Elwin's stories about learning to be King wouldn't be much more interesting. You, on the other hand, apparently went out somewhere and caught both a rattlesnake and a snapping turtle. I'd much rather hear how you managed that than about how when you mix this herb and that herb, it'll give you insomnia rather than take down your fever and cure your bellyache or whatever they did individually."

---

He was breaking her. Ceren could feel him slowly chipping away at her insistences, but she continued to refuse to tell him, knowing she needed to keep her brother's secret. And then, suddenly, he'd won, because she couldn't let him blame himself if something happened that she couldn't hide and the way he was looking at her as he tried to convince her to tell him and comfort her at the same time was too much.

Her shoulders slumped as she let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes, slowly nodding. "Okay," she said softly, "But you have to promise me... please promise that you won't hurt him or put him in the dungeons or anything. I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I can't tell you unless you promise, El, no matter what else happens."

She meant it, and she waited until he agreed before she said a word. And because she knew the explanation would be long, they ended up sitting down. There was only one chair in the room, so they sat beside each other on the bed, and though they started off separated, at some point Ceren ended up leaning into him as she explained about how Nyrel changed after their parents died and pushed her towards certain goals, even in the Academy, claiming it was for the good of the family. Then how he'd asked her to try and romance Elwin and make him fall in love with her, even though they were childhood friends and she was certain he couldn't have those sort of feelings for her and it was Nyrel's idea that she go to the ball in the first place. Everything was explained, including how he held his position as her legal guardian over her and how he sometimes got rough when he didn't get his way.

@ sun spirit

Aerith moved over to him slowly, kneeling down beside him as he looked at the terrariums, smiling to herself as she recalled the adventures she had been on when acquiring the snapping turtle and rattlesnake. They had been fun adventures, ones that she doubted she'd forget any time soon. She looked over at him in surprise as he called her interesting, blushing faintly as she looked at him. Of course Ceren and Elwin had called her interesting before, but they were her friends, they kind of had to say that. But Nyrel didn't.

She smiled a little to herself as she looked away again, the now familiar feeling of warmth filling her chest. "You're very kind, Lord of Ass-... I mean Ashwick."

---

Elwim frowned a bit, reluctantly agreeing to not hurt him, although he knew that he might not be able to keep that promise. His frown only deepened as he listened to her, the comforting arm he had wrapped around her tightening as he listened, holding her in his arms tightly by the time she had finished. He was furious. How could Nyrel do such a thing? Especially to his own sister. His actions were bordering on treason, and he would have to answer for his actions, but now he had to comfort Ceren.

He held her in his arms, stroking her hair reassuringly as his head rested against hers lightly, letting out a long sigh. "Its ok, Ceren.. I'll never let him hurt you again. You're safe." he promised, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

@ katahdin

Aerith’s response, nearly calling him by the wrong name even while attempting to thank him, had Nyrel chuckling good-naturedly. Somehow, he instinctively knew she didn’t mean anything by calling him Baron of Asswipe, especially since it was a one-time joke meant to make a point. “I’m not trying to be kind right now though, just truthful,” he told her, and as he rose from his crouched position, he offered her a hand to help her stand as well. “Honestly, you intrigue me. You have a very keen mind, and I enjoy talking to you.”

---

As tightly as Elwin held her, Ceren was practically in his lap, but there was no awkwardness between them as she drew comfort from this steady presence in her life that she’d nearly run away from. And for a moment, she couldn’t comprehend what she’d ever done to deserve someone as gentle and caring in her life. And she asked him just that, wanting right then to be able to stop crying on him and forget everything that would happen tomorrow. “What’d I do to deserve you, Elwin?” She asked softly into his shirt, sniffling. It’s almost like you’re always waiting to help, the way you’re always there when I need it, even though I haven’t been half that.” She sat up suddenly, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her nightgown. “I was supposed to be helping you sleep. You were already getting to bed late, and now you’ll just be miserable when you wake up tomorrow.”

@ sun spirit

"You are still being kind, and kindness isn't something I receive a lot." Aerith smiled, taking his hand when he offered it to help her stand. Although, despite telling herself to let go more than a few times, she couldn't bring herself to do it, eyes studying him curiously, obviously thinking about something, a little frown curving her lips. "Do.. Do you think anyone will ever love me? Not like as a friend, I know my family and Elwin and Ceren love me like that, but romantically... Elwin says I'll find somebody, but I dont know if I believe him.." she sighed, glancing down at their hands, and remembering she was still holding onto it quickly let go as she took a step back, blushing faintly as she held back a yawn before checking the clock.

"It's getting late.. You should get going. I'm sure there are some rather distressed damsels from the ball who are disappointed they didn't get to dance with anyone, and are waiting for someone to sweep them off their feet." Aerith teased, scrunching up her nose as she bit back laughter.

---

Elwin smoothed his hand over her hair as he held her tight, letting her cry. He smiled a little when she asked what she'd done to deserve him. "We might not realize it sometimes, but we always deserve the people who love us." He reassured her, wiping a stray tear from her eye before pulling her closer when she pulled away, shaking his head. "It's not a problem, Ceren. Dont worry about it. And before you say you need to leave, I insist you spend the night here, where I know you're safe. One of the other healers can handle anyone who needs help during the night." He insisted before laying back against the pillows with her, keeping his arms around her securely.

@ katahdin

Aerith surprised Nyrel with the sudden shift into something deeper and more intimate with their conversation, holding his hand as she talked almost as if she were asking him and not in general. And when she immediately dropped his hand and changed the subject, all but demanding he leave, he didn’t argue. “They’re all asleep by now,” he said with a wave, in lieu of answering her first question, “But you’re right about it getting late. We should both get some sleep.” He gave her a smile and walked back towards the door, opening it up. For a moment, he paused in the threshold as if he would say more, but he pushed through into the hallway instead, closing the door behind him without looking back.

---

Elwin had laid back, still holding her, before Ceren could argue that she really should leave, and she laughed a little at their position. “El, I can’t stay here,” she said, bringing up a hand and placing it on his arm, then, because that felt awkward, squirmed over until she faced him. And though she’d thought that would be better, something about their proximity, their bodies practically pressed together, made her hesitate. “It’s okay, El. It’s... nothing’s going to happen tonight. I’ve been doing what he wants, and he’s good.” She looked into his eyes with a little smile, adding softly, “Thank you. For everything.”

@ sun spirit

Aerith nodded a little as she watched him leave, waving a little as he left, even though he was faced away from her and didn't see. She sighed deeply once the door was shut, huffing in irritation as she pressed her hands to her face, groaning a little. She was upset with herself for being foolish, especially in front of someone she barely knew. Despite his kind words, she knew he was the kind of man who said what he thought would help him the most, and figured that his kindness was just a tool to get on her good side. Who knows what he would say about her to others. Feeling foolish, she brushed the tangles from her hair and changed into her nightgown, which was about the only dress she'd ever wear, before climbing into bed and tugging the blankets around her with a tired sigh, drifting off to sleep to the croaks and squeaks of her various critters.

---

Elwin loosened his arms a little to let her move, chuckling as he watched her, although he shook her head when she said she would be fine. "Even if you're right. I don't want you to be alone. I'd much rather have you here with me." He smiled, one hand moving to rest against her cheek while the other ran through her hair. Laying here with her like this reminded him of their sleepovers when they were children, although he was glad not to hear Aerith sleep talking. As he looked at her, he realized that he couldn't keep the truth from her any longer, afraid that she would get into trouble with her brother and would leave again.

"I love you." He blurted suddenly, his cheeks flushing red as his he moved his hands away from her face, suddenly afraid that she'd reject him, although he didn't want to force her to stay with him if she didn't want to be there with him.

@ katahdin

The strangest thing about Aerith, Nyrel decided, wasnt the fact that he enjoyed her company; it was that he was almost always truthful with how he acted around her. And though he probably should have reassured her, something had stopped him. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he found he didn’t want to delve into it too deeply either. It was one of those feelings he just had this instinct needed to be left alone. So he stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked away and once he was in his room, went right to bed.

---

Ceren smiled softly at him and though she didn’t say it out loud, she couldn’t help but think she’d rather be here too. Not because she was afraid, but because of Elwin. She couldn’t quite name what had changed since she got back, but it almost felt like they were closer somehow. Maybe it was her imagination or having told him everything or both of them having experienced the same kind of loss with their parents... She just knew it was inexplicably there.

Then he said he loved her. Ceren stared at him with wide eyes as his face went red and hands pulled back away from her. For several moments, she was silent, her mind spinning as she tried to comprehend what he’d said to her. “You... but...” She shook her tried, trying to get her thoughts straight and sat up. “ I mean, I feel like we’ve been closer since I came back, but... this isn’t about Nyrel, right?” She looked over at him, this awful fear creeping up that he was making some attempt to make her Nyrel situation better even though she wasn’t entirely sure why she scared about his reasons.

@ sun spirit

Aerith slept soundly through the night, rising as she always did early, even before the sun came up, dressing before quietly tiptoeing through the halls and outside to get some training in, although she was alone, preferring to wake and train in the hour or so before the guards woke up to do their training, knowing that they didn't like her and would only bother her if she were out in the training yard when they awoke. By the time the sun was coming up she was heading back inside, her only injuries a few minor scrapes on her palms and a small cut on her cheek from a misfired arrow, much less significant than the ones she had been getting recently. She hummed as she walked through the halls, considering stopping by the kitchen for some breakfast, although she thought better of it, considering she was supposed to be in her room under house arrest, not out training and wandering the halls. Although, in her defense, she had a routine that she liked to keep, and there had been no guards posted outside of her door to keep her in.

---

Elwin shook his head quickly when she asked if this had to do with Nyrel, sitting up a bit to look at her better, hands moving to take hers. "No, God, no, I'd never say something like that unless I meant it." He assured her, releasing a sigh before looking into her eyes, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "But I do, I do love you, Ceren.. Not just as my friend. And.. And I understand that you may not feel the same about me, and I can assure you that if you don't that won't change anything. I value our friendship more than anything, and wouldn't do anything to risk it. Just, tell me that you don't feel the same way, and I'll never bring it up again. It'll be like I never brought it up." He spoke quickly, obviously nervous, and terrified of her rejecting him.

@ katahdin

Nyrel hated mornings, but unfortunately, they were a necessary evil, especially when one had an early meeting with someone who was very much a morning person. He’d just gotten out of a meeting with a duke he was making a deal with, and his stomach was rumbling, ready for breakfast. He decided to stop by the kitchens and request some breakfast—which he’d have sent to his room—but just as he was about to turn the corner to enter the kitchen, he ran into Aerith. Almost literally. She was sweaty, obviously having been up to something rigorous, and it looked as if she had scrapes on her hands. The fact that they’d managed to bump into each other was cause for raised eyebrows, and he gave her a half-smirk as he stopped short of bumping into her. “Hey.”

---

Something tight in Ceren eased as Elwin reassured her that he was serious, even though the implication that he was being serious was... massive. The way he spoke, it was obvious he knew it more than anyone else. And suddenly, she was being asked to consider how she felt, something she’d never stopped to do with him because she’d loved him in a way since they were kids and had never considered him in any other light. But now... “I-I don’t... I don’t know, El. I... I mean, I love being around you. You’re always so patient and kind with me, but I never thought about it. I never thought you could feel that way towards me.” She blushed bright red, looking down into her lap. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings because she’d never thought about it, not when he’d come out so honest to her. “I guess it’s been different since I’ve been back, and sometimes I just feel so warm and nice with you.” She groaned in frustration at her inability to tell him something conclusive, running her hands through her hair. When she looked up, her eyes were torn and confused as she admitted softly, “I-I’ve never liked someone before or anything like that. I might... I didn’t like that girl earlier tonight, the way she ignored me and talked to you and I was upset when I thought you just said that because of Nyrel but... I don’t know, El.”

@ sun spirit

Aerith's stomach was growling, and she was still considering sneaking into the kitchens when she nearly ran into someone, reaching out her hands to steady herself and the mystery man, although when she realized it was Nyrel she grinned sheepishly, raising a finger to her lips as if to hush him. "I'm not supposed to be here, so you never saw me... Hey, are you going into the kitchen?" She asked, her eyes widening a little in excitement as she realized he might be able to get her some breakfast without any theft or speaking to a maid who would purposefully bring her the wrong thing. "If you're not, I'll pay you to. I just really need some breakfast, and I'm sick of eating burnt bacon and burnt eggs and burnt.. well everything." She laughed a little to herself, but knew she probably sounded crazy, offering to pay him to do something like order her breakfast.

---

Elwin nodded a little as she spoke, and although his heart ached and he looked a bit disappointed, it wasn't the worst response he could have gotten. She hadn't outright rejected him, but it hadn't been what he hoped. He thought long and hard about what he ought to say, knowing it should be something kind and understanding, something that would reassure her that he wasn't upset and that she could take her time deciding. But, when he looked back up at her after figuring out exactly what he was going to say, his carefully collected thoughts went out the window, and before he could stop himself he kissed her, his hands moving to cup her cheeks as he drew her close, pouring his heart into the kiss as he had done a few moments before with his words.

@ katahdin

There was a quick moment of confusion when Aerith put her fingers to her lips, but remembering that she was under house arrest for the foreseeable future cleared all that. Although there was still the question of what she was doing wandering around the castle halls if she was supposed to be in her rooms. “Hmm,” he mused and glanced toward the kitchen. “I hope the ghost in my room is hungry... I might just ask to have two portions of breakfast sent to my room, which of course is the third door on the left in the east hall.” He glanced back over at her with a quick wink, then continued on his way into the kitchens where he did just as he said he would.

---

When Elwin didn’t reply and continued to stay silent, Ceren’s mind started turning again, trying to think of what else to say to him, how to salvage the situation. “Elwin,” she started quietly, then suddenly his lips were on hers, and she was being kissed, the sensation absolutely nothing like kissing Theseus the frog prince had been. That had been brief and wet and definitely disgusting, whereas this... before she knew it, Ceren was kissing him back, her mind leaving behind all logic and trying to sort through the various emotions she’d been feeling as she focused instead on what was happening in that moment. When they eventually pulled back, she was breathless. “I love you too, El... maybe not the same way you just said you love me, but... maybe we could..” She blushed, “I mean, I’m not disinterested.”

@ sun spirit

Aerith's eyes lit up at his mischievous wink, beaming as she hurried off down the hall, returning to her room just long enough to have a quick bath and change into a fresh set of clothes, as she was sweaty and dirty and didn't want to gross him out when she was incredibly grateful to him. When he returned to his room she was already there, her still damp hair pinned up into a bun with a few clips to keep it off of her neck, the adventurous and odd girl standing by the window, where she was carefully placing a little terrarium, mostly filled with moss and a few ferns and mushrooms, although in the center bloomed a beautiful tiny orchid, which had definitely come from somewhere very far from the castle, although it looked to be too delicate to have been transported far distances. Aerith was busy fussing with the placement of the gift, trying to make sure that it would be in a spot that would get enough sunlight, although not too much, hating the idea of the little flower wilting.

---

Elwin was relieved when she didn't scream or hit him or run away, resting his forehead gently against hers once they broke their kiss, releasing a small content sigh before grinning like a fool as he looked at her. He held her hands in his as he listened to her, giving them a gentle squeeze as he nodded a bit. "I know.... You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He admitted with a little laugh, closing his eyes as he shook his head at how foolish he was being, but when he opened them to look at her once more he looked a bit more serious. "I know you're unsure of the extent of your feelings, and that's fine.. But, if you'll have me, and it's not asking too much of you, I... I really want to marry you, Ceren." He admitted, squeezing her hands again as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't want to marry anyone else, only you..."

@ katahdin

After Nyrel asked for breakfast in the kitchen, it was a matter of waiting for it. He’d considered asking them to send it to his room as he usually would have done, but seeing as how Aerith was under house arrest and probably didn’t need to be seen outside her room, he decided to wait instead. When he was given the food, it was two covered plates on a tray, which he carried back his room. He was taken by surprise when he pushed his way in, however, as Aerith already stood inside, fussing with a terrarium that she’d set on a table under one of the huge windows. “What’s that?...” he asked curiously as he pushed the door shut with his foot and set the tray he held on a nearby table. He left it there, approaching her to peer inside the glass, within which was a small, independent ecosystem, the center of which was a fully bloomed orchid. “Is finding that why you were scraped and sweaty?”

---

Ceren wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Elwin look as happy as he did in that single instant, and more than anything, seeing that joy he radiated warmed her heart. “Less than five months?” She asked with a small smile—five months was as long as she’d been back—something about his excitement catching. Gone was the girl who not long ago had been unsure and scared and crying. There were no more tears and no worries left in her eyes now. And then he got serious again, and Ceren’s eyes widened as he was suddenly talking about marriage. “Are you asking... right now?” She asked as she stared at him. Everything that had happened tonight was crazy fast. “B-but I thought you didn’t want to marry yet, and I’m a healer, not a queen, and everything that just happened.”

@ sun spirit

She glanced over her shoulder as he came into his room, her mouth watering at the smell of whatever he had brought, not a single scent of burnt food anywhere, although she resisted leaving what she was doing at the window to dig into the meal, knowing it could wait. She laughed a little when he asked about it, shaking her head. "No, I was just training this morning. Nothing adventurous.. And this, is a very, very rare orchid. Rare enough for there to only be three in the wild. But, lucky for me, I'm very good at growing things." She beamed before returning her attention to the clear glass container, only stepping back when she was satisfied. While she had never considered it, her green thumb probably had something to do with magic, just as Ceren had her healing gift, although she was also a gifted fighter, and didn't think her hobby was anything exciting.

---

Elwin chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Try since the day you left for the Academy." He grinned, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, nodding a little as he looked at her, hoping she'd say yes. "I am asking, although I promise I'll do a proper job of it in the morning, with a ring and everything." He reassured her, shaking his head. "I didn't want to marry any of those girls there tonight.. I didn't want to marry because the council wants me to. But, I very much want to marry you, whether you agree today or ten years from now, I'll wait. You're more of a Queen than anyone of those women tonight could ever hope to be, Ceren."

@ katahdin

“Really?” Nyrel asked with a raised eyebrow, turning his attention back to the orchid. It was admittedly beautiful, though he wasn’t sure he would’ve guessed how rare the flower was if not for her telling him. And then there was the question of why she’d brought it into his room, if it wasn’t something she’d found that morning but she’d had for a while. “It’s beautiful. You’ve done a good job with it.” He studied where she’d chosen to set it, realizing she’d moved some of his things out of the way so that it could sit where she’d placed it. Suspicion bloomed, but he asked anyway. “Why’d you bring it here?”

---

Ceren’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “You couldn’t have,” she denied immediately. “I was only eight! You were only nine or ten!” That was too young and too long ago besides. She just couldn’t imagine that he’d felt this way for so long, especially when she’d been gone for so long. And then he admitted that he was asking, actually asking, and she felt butterflies fluttering nervously in her stomach. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She took a calming breath, reaching for his hand. “Elwin, I can’t say yes,” she told him softly. “Not when I don’t know how I feel. Maybe we can... try with each other though?” She suggested this almost timidly. “And when I know, I can answer then?”