#floreix

ETIE, HUH? THE NAME BRINGS TO MIND the muscular girl he'd usually spot in the training grounds, serious expression on her face and making two-hundred squats look like a walk in the park. he'd always regarded her with some mixture of admiration and envy, as a fellow retainer for a royal family. . . and maybe just a little bit of anxiety. hard to ignore the impression she gave off, after all.

so turns out she was really good at flowers, huh. . . he'd never've thought.

as they start walking toward the meadows that strew the island on its south-facing side, he listens happily to alfred's gentle answers. roses are a pretty standard pick, but they make plenty of sense for someone like him——he's sure he's seen one or two pinned to the prince's outfit before, both in and out of battle. and red ones are supposed to be the most heartfelt expression of emotions to match their deep and vibrant color, right? prince alfred's always seemed like the sincere and honest kind.

there's a piece taking shape in his head at the thought, and he almost misses the other's return question; though it's not much of an issue when the prince continues onto the second part of what he'd asked a beat later.

There she was! Hopefully he wasn't late. "Yunaka! I want to thank you for being my roommate for a night but also," Eyes avoided her and where color would be found on his face at the topic at hand, there were none. Instead he offered a nervous sigh. "Since you told me that night about talking to Lord Rafal…Can i ask if could you keep our own talk about my feelings for him under lock and key?" The dragon already knew how he felt but having offered him an invitation to talk, he didn't want to ruin it before it even happened. Not that Yunaka would ruin it, he trusted her, but he was worried that if she spoke a little too much it would make what he wanted to say come off as awkward above anything else. Whatever the case, he smiled tiredly at her once decorative stars welcomed him. "I told him i wanted to talk once we had the time or when everything was over, that's why i'd appreciate if you don't mention anything i said about him yet." A soft chuckle as he played with the cloth on his wrist, a calming habit he had found over the past weeks. "I just want to tell what i have in mind myself."

"Heya Big Bird!" Though she turns to him with a grin, Alfred doesn't meet her. Immediately, the smile is thrown away for worry as Yunaka inspects him. Nothing physically wrong, which means...

...oh shit.

"Oh." Of course, why wouldn't he want that kept between them? Alfred was an open book, but that didn't mean he was one that you could go around reading out loud. Yunaka swallows around the newly formed lump in her throat. "Right. About that..."

"So...Rafal already came around to yell at me some more." And point out how shitty she looks, which she should. Probably do something about. At least Alfred was polite enough to ignore it. "And I um. I kind of mentioned that we talked? And that you, uh...you'd been kinda bummed and that also you told me about how he rejected you twice."

"B-but that's all I said about our conversation! I-I didn't say anything else about what you said, I promise!" She doesn't think she did, anyway, but...shit, she really ran her stupid mouth on this one. "I-I'm sorry, Alfred, I should have realized..."

Even the freshest of air held an immovable force. The winds' strong gusts only further exemplified with each passing step; the trees and leaves followed. A shiver ran up the princess's back— Much as she tried to merely ignore it, there was no doubt Alfred had noticed the way she shook. Rather, it appeared he already had a plan in mind.

"Alfred..? You are offering me your coat? If you give this to me, you will no longer have one. I do not think that is the wisest," she protested. Even so, she knew her brother well— No matter how much she may have tried to refute or convince otherwise, it seemed his mind was set. Inevitably, she took the carefully crafted apparel into her own hands and draped it over her shoulders. She held it tightly with her fingertips, ensuring it remained in place.

"S-Sorry... I hope I didn't offend you Prince Alfred. I promised myself that I'd pace myself with the drinking, and I just had one..."

Though maybe Alcryst should shut up before he makes things worse. Prince Alfred wants to toast—all Alcryst is doing at this point is delaying what he came here for. "I-I'll be back quickly! So that I don't waste any more of your time...!"

The sparkling water table looks rather dire: syrup stains the white tablecloth and drips onto the floor, and the students seem to crowd around the same bottles. Alcryst finds himself gravitating towards the end of the table, where the less-appreciated flavors reside. His eyes catch upon "blood orange." A strange name... but at the same time, kind of cool right? Feeling sponatenous, Alcryst adds a few pumps to his water and returns to Alfred.

Oh Latona who watches from above, again? Ewan had to use every ounce of will power to not bury his face in his hands and sob. He misspoke once why do multiple people ask him about it..

Instead he turned and faced Alfred with an expression that combined a smile and a grimace. “Oh, that. Well, it’s..” He couldn’t make the same joke as he did with Yuri…

“I can’t actually talk about it. It’s a meaning that holds the fabric of reality together.. if I even dare utter the truth, it could cause space-time to be torn apart! It’s one of those things where if you know it, you know it. If you don’t, nobody can tell you..” As he explained he made all kinds of dramatic hand and arm movements.

It was a little upsetting that they got separated and selfish of a thought as it was, he wanted to work together side by side instead of having to compete. At the same time, letting himself be upset on the matter would do nothing for either of them, so he chose to remain positive instead.

"I know we are not on the same team and all, but i wish you a lot of luck and that you're well for the enterity of this," He chuckled as the hand that found warmth against the dragon gave the shoulder a light rub, as long as Rafal knew he wanted to best for him he was satisfied even if they got separated. And if Alfred were to lose, well he wouldn't be mad, having fun was important too. "I'm confident in both of us but don't forget to have fun, alright? Doesn't matter if we do that together or not."

Perhaps something of Rafal were changing. Thawing slowly and inevitably as even the most primordial glaciers did. No matter how cold or solid or impervious to time, never could one's nature remain as it did forever. Centuries upon centuries of solitude had once seen the Fell Heir immovable as stone, mind and body alike. So what of a measly month long separation from certain individuals was different? A matter so insignificant and small in scale would predispose him to. . .to—

Irritable, he fiddled with the blue scarf across his lap, plucking at the edges. And then plucking at them some more. A repugnant dowry of false festivity in his mind, yet to be worn in any way. Yet to gain its owner's acceptance. In its place, sullen displeasure weighed the thoughts, and lifted only by distraction. Clapped hand attached to wrist attached to arm; he trailed it to the end, gazing ultimately into the beaming face of the Firenese prince. A sunny spirit by his nightly comparison.

"I am settling as well as can be." Hackles forced to flatten, words darkly muttered, and concerns waived - which was to say, not very well at all. But it wouldn't do to worry the other man. "Fun." Disbelieving echo. But lighter. "Frankly, I haven't the faintest clue what that ought to entail. But your good intentions are well received."

Yes, it hadn't escaped Rafal. Those good intentions. He eased and at last left his miserly scarf alone. Alfred was truly exceptional of character, no doubt host to his own parasites of feeling and reservation at severance, and still he found it in himself to reassure another. An example surely to follow at least in the aspect of composure. Bitterness pushed out with his sigh and it was far from his only burden dissolved.

"Can i tell you something?" He would anyway. With a hand covering his lips and slightly leaning closer to her to speak in a somewhat more 'quiet' voice he shared his secret. "I think these serving rat's outfits are very cute—OH and the music played by crickets is really good too, i myself enjoy some tunes so some cricket-played ones sure are a new experience!" And all he told was no secret, only positive reactions to this miniature ball.

the exuberant call rings from none other than the prince of efflorescent firene, nation of water and meadows cauterized by rivers running red with iron. save that here, those meadows flowered still — and if the firene she had known wore brodia's warmongering face in this world, then perhaps the opposite was likewise true.

this alfred's face certainly bore none of the lines of his fell predecessor; she finds it does his appearance good, for youthful joy to light his eyes in the place of sleepless ambition's dulling gleam. but more than that alone, the sight of the young royal is a welcome relief for a different reason.

"thank you, prince alfred. i admit i am still growing accustomed to it myself."

that reason being the unexpected friendship he had formed with rafal in the time, she assumed, that she had spent in slumber. her brother had not spoken of it directly, but observation had discerned enough of the tale at its surface.

before she could say more, however, the prince leans in close, voice dropping to a surreptitious whisper — but if nel had been prepared for a quiet exchange of serious news beneath the cheerful greeting, what comes is anything but.

she finds herself put on, as they say, ' a back foot ' for a heartbeat. the serving rats — cute? ... she supposes they are not unsightly, though in truth she hadn't paid them much mind herself. and the music; aside from the anomaly of the musicians, the pieces themselves were pleasant of course, but likewise nothing she would have expected a firenese ear to find exceptional. nevertheless, she finds herself — "... yes, they are certainly original, i agree." — concurring, in a sense.

"Rosado! It's wonderful to see you!" Time apart after the war alongside not having gotten to see him around were recipe for missing people he had lived under the same roof with a while ago. Joy painted on his lips and eyes were followed by sweet words. "I've always found impressive your focus on cuteness, all of you show it perfectly. But now that we are here, maybe we can find you a flower that's very cute too."

He spoke with a chuckle, in his eyes flowers were equally beautiful as they were cute—and of course a reminder of peace too—surely Rosado would find one greatly fitting.

"That said, this offer goes to everyone in our team but if you need anything, let me know! I'm here to support you in any way i can."

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE SHALL COME! though in this case, really it should be more like an angel.

rosado pivots around on his heels to greet the firenese prince with just as sparkling a smile, cheeks lighting with a blooming glow at the familiar compliment. not everyone was a-hundred-percent sincere about it, but he'd never had any reason to doubt with him. "that's so nice of you say, prince alfred——thank you."

a little flare of the striped plaid half-skirt at his hips in both hands shows off that perfect cuteness on display today: a variation on the comfortable black and bold statement he'd often worn around on the somniel back in the war, complimenting his complexion and bringing out the color of his hair and eyes.

"i'd absolutely love to go flower-picking with you—we can try to see if there's one that matches me in cuteness." not super likely, but he never knows! he's definitely seen some pretty incredible ones before, and especially in firene.

"you'd have an eye for that kind of thing, huh? don't they call you the prince of flowers?"