alas suas.

“A lot of things have happened? May I ask what? Nothing too terrible I hope. You know you can always ask for our aid or support in times of need,” he looks worried for a moment, before trying to smile again, “But I’m glad you’re currently happy. It means a lot to know you’re alright.”

          ❝ As long as the two of you are happy, I have no reason to be dissatisfied. I'm shocked to hear that you two have barely gotten to that level, though. ❞ And this makes her rub the back of her neck at Jafar's earlier question of what all had happened with her recently. ❝ It's...ah the same for me actually. ❞ she's never been good at admitting anything, being in a relationship is something she hadn't admitted to anyone yet.

To say he’d misses her would be an understatement, which is which he set up this little lunch get together, to catch up and talk and see her face.

          ❝ For the most part, I've been well. ❞ Her smile is a rarity, but it's genuine as she speaks to him. ❝ A lot of things have happened, but I can say right now that I am content with everything. ❞

“ Hold on, I’ll get you something to drink! Maybe even eat! “ The silence that was cast over her was quickly broken when she explained how there was something she needed to talk to him about. With the tone she gave off it already seemed rather troubling, but she had only cemented the fact with its urgency. Swallowing back some fear, he’d respond to her with a silent nod, giving her a small wave for her to follow. A few steps upstairs and they’d arrive in a rather spacious looking library with a bed off to the side of it. Something he had personally installed for the sake of convenience. 

He’d beckon for Morgiana to sit down onto the bed next to him, giving her plenty of space for thinking but kept at least close enough. It was hard to gauge distance with two different mindsets going off at once, but he decided to remain at the very least, a few inches away from her. There was a lot of worry going on in both of their minds now. It was clear that she wanted to explain something to him in regards to the several mysteries revolving her upbringing or her past. Perhaps it was something else, who knew?

All that mattered was that he had to be there for her. Not just as her friend anymore but as her significant other, to be with her through these hardships. It was a difficult step in their relationship but it was promptly one needed. He needed to break the silence and ease things in. And there was only one way he knew how to. Something he had managed to do time and time again. 

Smile through it. 

“ You know I’m.. happy you came here. Ah, not only that you’re here but.. the fact that you wanted to tell me here! It.. means you thought a lot about how you wanted this to go down. And that’s good! Everyone should have a plan when it comes to these things. It keeps you organized and tidy. It means that you really.. really put a lot of thought into this. And that itself is important because.. any good relationship I think means that there shouldn’t be any secrets! I mean.. my mother and father knew as much as they could about each other when they met and.. learned of all sorts of things about each other later. And that’s fine. You can’t really.. get everything out at once. “ A brief pause to keep his thoughts together. 

“ What I mean to say is that.. I’m happy. That.. we’re able to move forward like this. It always seemed that.. as close as we were, there was still something between us. Something we couldn’t see like.. an invisible wall. Sure we could see each other smile through it but it was still holding us back from each other. So.. that’s why I’m happy we’re finally breaking it down. Because.. at the end of the day.. “

“ I do love you. I really, really love you. And.. I want to keep loving you. And.. knowing that there wont be any secrets like this between us, will make me love you a lot more. And even if it’s hard to hear.. even if I don’t want to think about it.. I can’t have you be the only one working to move it forward. So no matter what it is, no matter what it is you have to tell me, no matter how long or short it is.. it wont change how I feel. Actually.. that’s wrong. Because.. if we’re moving forward with this then the only logical conclusion is.. I’ll love you even more. “ A hand of his slide by, atop of her’s to emphasize his point. 

          What will he do? What will he think? What will he say?

          The more she thinks about it, the more negative her thoughts become. 'It shouldn't be this hard, it's in the past.' is what she keeps telling herself. There's no use in dwelling on it, that part of her life was over now and she was free to make her own decisions, free to live a life that she wanted, and to be with anyone that she wanted. Even still, when she casts her gaze towards the covering she keeps on her ankles, it feels like there are shackles on her once again.

          She only listens when Morgan speaks to her again, taking in all of what he has to say. He's right, there should be no secrets in any good relationship, yet here she was keeping something important about herself away from him in fear of what he'd think of her. It's wrong and it makes her stomach turn in knots just thinking about it. Because again, how can you claim to love someone when you can't share something so important? Something that they should know?

          But Morgan seems so sincere in saying that he loves her and that he wants to keep loving her regardless of this. That he won't let her go through it alone. The reassuring placement of his hand atop of her own is the push that she needs to finally come out with it. And so after a very prolonged silence, she sighs. Still not looking at him, she slides her feet up onto the bed and traces over her covering one last time before she slowly begins to take them off.

          The first one comes off and what Morgan would see is a very dark circle encircling her ankle completely. The second soon after is taken off and the same could be seen. She stands up from the bed now, so that he could see them completely. She still does not look at him, only looks down at her feet. ❝ These are...markings that will never go away as long as I live. ❞ she speaks firmly, though it's obvious that it's hard for her to speak about them.

          ❝ I don't remember much about my homeland, but there's a reason why. I was kidnapped at a very young age, sold into slavery. I was marketed as if I were some kind of animal and not a person in the slightest. It didn't take long for me to be sold. My race is among the strongest known back home...and so I was very sought after. I remember crying every day after I had been sold. ❞ She pauses for a moment, letting him take the first part in before continuing.

          ❝ I was...thoroughly abused. Whipped, beaten, tortured, and I tried to run away, but each and every time that I did, I would be told the same thing 'You can never escape, Morgiana.' and I believed it very much. I remember feeling afraid for a very long time and then after awhile I just felt...nothing at all. ❞ Still, ever so calmly she continues to tell her story, though her eyes are closed as she remembers everything. ❝ It was a nightmare. But thankfully...after many years, I was liberated. But even still I...can't help but remember. ❞ It's something that one would never forget, after all.

          And then slowly, she starts to come apart. As much as she tries to hid it, there's a noticeable shift in the tone of her voice and it begins to crack. She trembles so hard that she has to sit down again, but she sits on the far edge of the bed, still refusing to look at him. ❝ I just keep thinking to myself that I don't deserve any of this, that all I am and will ever be is a slave. I can't escape it, no matter where I go. I tell myself that it's fine, I've moved past it...but when I look at you and you say that you love me, I realize that I'm not. How could you ever love someone with such ugly marks like mine? I kept it from you for so long, I knew you would reject me. ❞

“ If you’re with me there, it shouldn’t be any problem or concern. I can show you all the most interesting places there! Especially in the grand center of the land is the royal palace, with decorated halls and rooms as large as small houses! “ His excitement in describing the land would be cut off momentarily when Morgiana had brought up visiting his mother, Morgan’s face freezing for a moment before looking at her in a bit of shock, jumping back a bit. 

“ R-Really?! You already met my mother..?! “ Oh. Was this the embarrassment he had been concerned about? For once in his life did he truly wish that his mother had not spoken to her about memories of him that made him look foolish? Was this what growing up meant? Who knew. 

Although learning of the context behind her words and caring for him, he felt rather confused internally over the matter itself. It was rather mysterious of her really to offer such a promise for what was seemingly a friend.. although to have things turn like this was rather interesting in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps he just felt bashful that before and after they had started being together, she was so concerned over his well being and protection. It partially saddened him that he didn’t have the immense amount of strength she did to return such but in his limited power, all he could do was see to every of her mornings being brighter than the next. 

“ She.. she really is, isn’t she? She’s what inspired me to follow the path I am on now. I suppose without her, I wouldn’t quite be who I am now! “ In a sense, that was wrong. What he knew of his mother he could only assume himself to be a different person. But as he spoke with the memories in the back of his mind over who had truly raised him to be such a being, he was quick to shake such thought off before such worry covered itself onto his face. When she asked to go to his home, he’d nod without second thought. 

          She takes a moment to look around, breathe in and then breathe out. In truth, the small exchange they shared has made her think about many things. Mainly the fact that though they have been together for quite awhile now, that she hasn't shared much about herself with him. There's so many things he doesn't know, so many things that she doesn't want him to know. But she knows that if she doesn't tell him now, she'll never be able to. When you start to become serious about someone in the way she has for him, you have to tell them things that you don't tell anyone.

          It shouldn't be this hard. She was over it, had gotten past it, and didn't let it bother her anymore. Actually, that's somewhat of a lie. The visit that Jamil had paid her two years ago is still fresh in her mind, she replays those events over and over and it eats away at her every time she thinks about it. Why did something that was supposed to mean so little to her now suddenly feel like ten tons weighing on her shoulders?

          Maybe it's because she cares about Morgan. No, she can't say that because if you truly loved someone, you wouldn't want to hide anything from them which once again makes her question herself. Which is all the more reason to go through with it now rather than wait for later. This is it. She's settled on it. It's going to have to be tonight that she says it, there's no reason for her not to.

           After standing in silence without saying a word in what seems forever, she finally speaks, ❝ There's something I need to tell you. ❞ She can already feel the lump rising in her throat just thinking about how she's going to word it. What will she say? What will he think? It's awkward to say it casually, so out in the open like this. ❝ ...It's important. ❞

Her trying to piece together what she could.. and him being so insensitive to such.. he would chastise himself for this later. As he tried to picture together what she described, he would snap back into attention when she began to speak on Ylisse. Trying to lighten the mood just a bit, he’d start to speak up. 

“ W-Well, it does have it’s virtues, after all! Ylisse is.. a rather large continent. Villages a plenty with mountainous regions, forests and we’re not too far from sea faring cities as well. In the middle of the land of course there’s the great castle where the Exalt and his wife stay at of course. It truly is a wonderful land and.. “ 

“ I-If possible.. “ Feeling bashful all of a sudden as he scratched his cheek with an idle finger would he look off to the side for a moment, feeling rather embarrassed to say. It was almost too adult for him to even say but.. 

         She had been led to Morgan.

          Knowing that he tried his best for her, to make her happy and comfortable in the ways he knew how, that was enough to give her a sort of happiness that she'd surely have never received from anyone else. She listens as he talks about Ylisse, nodding here and there at his explanations. It seemed like a beautiful place, surely somewhere that she'd want to visit if the chance presented itself. A part of her was jealous that he had somewhere to call his own, a family that he could go back to. Though she had Aladdin and Alibaba, she never knew what it was like to have somewhere in specific to go. Still, she's happy just listening to Morgan. ❝ I wouldn't mind, so long as it were with you. ❞

          ❝ I never told you, but I met your mother once. I told her that I would take care of you, though I hadn't meant in...this sense and it was very well before I realized that I had feelings for you. She seemed kind, though. I felt very warm being near her. ❞ Everyone in his family was surely just as brilliant as she. Which again makes Morgiana feel guilty that she doesn't have much to show for. 

Although he did wonder if there was more to be found between the two that would strengthen what they had? At least that’s what he thought on the matter. When she brought up something bothering him, he was quick to shake his head and not pay much mind to it. “ No no, I’m just thinking on other matters..! I… really shouldn’t, though. After all, we’re spending time together, it’s not fair. “ 

And to have been fair she was on his mind.. just probably not in the way she thought it to be. When she brought up the idea of going home just so that he can probably rest it off, he’d shake his head rather rapidly, waving his hands. “ No no I’m fine now! I mean.. we haven’t spent a lot of time together.. I really do want to cherish it if possible.. Oh! Um.. you know, we haven’t.. really talked a lot about what our lands are like.. haven’t we? I mean.. I don’t quite think I’ve told you much about Ylisse. “ 

          ❝ There are few things I can remember, though. ❞ And she remembers them rather fondly for the short time she was there, for the very short amount of time that she was with her parents, maybe even her siblings. It's all kind of blurry, though. But there are certain things that she can remember and it makes her happy that she's able to tell him, ❝ I come from a place known as the Dark Continent, but it's not very dark at all. ❞ emphasis on the word not, because people tend to make the assumption far more often than she's comfortable with. 

          ❝ It was very spacious and we lived freely. Green, as far as the eye could see and there were very many fruits and foods that one were able to enjoy. And the rising sun...was a sight to see. I miss it, truly. It's a shame that I can't remember more. ❞ She sighs, talking about it just made her homesick and nostalgic towards a place that she had no real big memories of. And then she turns her attention to Morgan.

( 💌 ) yes, that’s right!! ( 💌 ) i’m happy to hear morgan’s doing well with social interactions and the like! he’s always been good with people.

Better than Inigo himself, it seems, when girls are concerned. But then again, who isn’t.

TO: Inigo

It started off innocently enough as the young couple going on a date. Both of them had come to the realization that after having been reunited in this city, they hadn’t a lot of time to be together. And with the chaos happening in the city, that was to be expected. Having found a day to finally do so, the two opted to spend their day just.. being with each other, really. Nothing over the top was necessary so as long as the two were just around each other.

It was kind of at this moment of being alone with Morgiana did Morgan come to really understand the kind of radiant personality and girl she was. Strong and dependable yet.. at the same time, not afraid to show her true feelings when prompted or given. 

It honestly only saddened him to think there might still be something between them that she may have been hiding. There were secrets on his end of course such as his lineage and who he was but some how maybe he thought it’d be alright.. after all, they were happier this way. But could such a relationship be built on hiding so much from each other? Only when he realized he was being spoken to would he speak up. 

“ Oh! Uh.. c..chocolate? “

          There's a lot of things that could be bothering him, the fact that she's never really been one for conversation could be one of them. To her, actions tend to speak louder than words, so she never thought that it would become a problem between either of them. Still...the fact that he seems bothered about something is enough to make her think something else is wrong.

          Maybe it's because she hasn't been fully honest about herself, things that she kept hidden would eventually eat away at her. Maybe...maybe if he wanted to know, she'd tell him. There was always that possibility that he'd reject her, though. ❝ You seem like something may be bothering you. If there's anything I can do to fix it, I'd like to at least try. ❞  She doesn't look too worried though, but there is a vague expression of concern that adorns her features now, especially when she suggests the last thing. It could mean anything.

     It was purely coincidental that he actually caught sight of said Fanalis while thinking like this, even if there was an obvious change in her appearance he noted right away. Still, such a thing didn’t perturb him in the slightest when it meant seeing his dear friend.

     ❝ Mor! ❞  

          Just how much time has passed back home? How long had she been gone? He didn't look the slightest bit bothered, nor did he really seem different aside from his appearance. If anything, he seemed more mature than he had been previously and he even looks a lot like Solomon, so much that he pretty much resembles him, the spitting image as one would say.

          Aladdin is still Aladdin, though. But it is a little strange to not have to look down at him now, literally. ❝ It does, ❞  considering she hadn't aged a day and here he was having grown an entire foot above her. It almost makes her wonder just how tall Alibaba would be right about now, Hakuryuu too.