#rfss2018

It was the snowy and star-lit evening of Winter the 24th in the independent town of Selphia. More specifically, it was the eve which preceded Christmas day: the Night of Holies.

Usually, it was tradition for the natives of Norad and by extension Selphia to celebrate the evening in peaceful solace and tranquility. In addition, it was known as a night perfect for romantic rendezvous and evening dates. It was all the more true for the Night of Holies this particular year.

Within the grand halls of Selphia Castle, the princess and her first man hurriedly prepared for what the former codenamed as “Operation Knight Song”.

“Doug, we’re going to be late. C’mon you’re taking too long! They might have arrived at the plaza already…”

“Hold on, dear. Ngh, this jacket’s too huge! I have no idea what size Volkanon picked out but it’s taking me longer than usual to…”

“Ok, less complaining, more moving or we’re gonna be late. We don’t want to keep them waiting, right?”

“Wait dear, I’m finished!!”

In a frenzied but enthusiastic rush, Princess Frey’s husband: Doug, descended from the 2nd floor of their living area with a pair of black pants, brown snowboots and a crimson colored jacket. Despite his previous complaints, it turns out the jacket was just about the right size as shown through his satisfied grin.

“Well, how do I look?” the red-head dwarf asked between gasping breaths.

“You look fantastic!” Frey chirped with a smiled as she clapped her hands together. “What do you think of mine now? Dolce and Clorica helped pick this out for me the other day. We had it custom tailored and ordered from Norad’s capital.”

Doug took another look at his wife’s snow-friendly attire which consisted of a beautiful black coat accompanied by an emerald coloured Wooly fur snow cap with both pieces complimented by an illustrious snow white scarf. For the evening, Frey had also undid her twin-tails, letting her long and beautiful emerald hair down.

“Stunning, I dunno what else to say.” Doug widened his eyes while his lips formed what could easily be described as a dreamy yet flustered smile.

“Hoooooh? Flirting this early on in the Night of Holies?” Frey snickered as she motion towards her husband, clinging onto his arm playfully. “I guess you are desperate for a spot within Santa’s Naughty List.”

“Gahhh, cut it out!” Doug yelped, his objections contradicting his now reddened cheeks. “N-not that I mind but not this early either, h-haha…”

“This blockhead,” Frey whimsically thought, “Wonder how we’re gonna have kids at this rate?”

Doug spoke, “So uh, what about Ventuswill?”

“She’s fast asleep.” she informed her husband, “I had Clorica and Vishnal prepare her a cup of hot milk and a serving of pancakes. Venti wanted to go to bed early so she wouldn’t wake up late and miss the Christmas festivities.”

“Alright! Now that’s all settled…Let’s head out then, shall we?” Doug smiled coolly, extending his hand out.

Frey giggled slightly as she took her husband by the hand. “Of course. As the high princess of Selphia, Operation Knight Song will not fail!”

For the sake of some yuletide context in this given Night of Holies and by extension “Operation Knight Song”, it is commonly well known in Selphia that there were two individuals who helped push the princess together with the hotheaded dwarf shopkeep of the general store. The honour went to none other than Margaret or by her nickname: Meg, the gentle elf musician of Porcoline’s Kitchen and Forte, the dashing and valiant head knight of the town.

Meg acted as a wingwoman of sorts to her close friend Frey and it was Forte who was always there to convince Doug to get his act together when it mattered the most. They’ve both remained strong family friends to Selphia’s royal couple ever since.

Of course, there is much more to this story and Frey herself knew it very well. Throughout this all Meg and Forte remained close friends. Relegating the overall feeling to “friendship” was a massive underestimation, so to speak. In reality…

“Forte, Meg! We’re here!” Frey excitingly called out as she and her husband approached the two figures waiting outside on the snowy centre of Selphia plaza.

“Good evening you two!” Margaret waved her hand and approached the couple, giving Frey an affectionate hug afterwards. “Ohmigosh, you both look so adorable!”

“Awwwww, thank you!” Frey squeed in delight. “You’re looking stylish too Meg. Same goes to you, Forte!”

“N-no, I’m not in need for any compliment whatsoever…” the blonde and tall knight mumbled. “I just put on a new cape that Kiel bought me. If anything, Meg looks so much better.”

Margaret wore her usual outfit but this time adorned with an azure mantle cloak, a kind of fashion that was common in the Nation of Elves as well as a checkered scarf which Forte had given her as a birthday present earlier in the year.

Forte had her usual armour equipped with additional protection from the winter evening including the aforementioned new cape which her younger brother had given her as a present. Outing or not, a knight had to remain prepared for anything. Whether it would be against monsters, immediate threats…or confessing to the love of her life.

“Great, then we’re all gearing to go.” Frey raised her fist into the air. “Onward to the observatory!”

“Hey, be careful or you’re going to trip!” Doug called out as his energetic spouse went on ahead. “Honestly, some things never change…”

“You seem rather excited yourself.” Forte commented with a half-smile on her face. “Not as enthusiastic as Frey but still.”

“Yeah, yeah yeah…So, you’re ready for this?” the dwarf gazed at the knight whose cheeks became flushed with pink not soon after. “I mean, you can do it any other time of the year but if you want to leave a lasting impression, it’s now or never.”

“Um, I know that!” Forte answered with a determined voice.

“What do you know exactly, Forte?” Meg curiously tapped her on the shoulders, resulting in a brief but alarmed shriek.

“M-MEG?! UHHH NOTHING!! WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Just about how we should enjoy the Night of Holies b-because it only comes once a year. Yeah, it’s like that.”

“Well, best we get a move on. The snow might stop at any moment and I want to bask in this blissful scenery as much as possible. I saw Frey rush past your house already.” Meg stated while pointing to the western-most exit of the plaza.

“R-right…” Forte nodded as she followed Margaret down the steps leading to the town’s western residential district.

Doug was left alone in his thoughts for the time being. “Man, I know Frey wants to thank them for everything they’ve done for both of us but…this is something out of a romcom novel that Granny Blossom keeps inside her old shelves.”

Frey’s eccentrically named plan, “Operation Knight Song” had one and only one singular goal: successfully get Forte to ask Meg out. This wasn’t anything platonic or familial either.

Another piece of information that was common to most of the town’s inner circle was that Forte being madly in love for Selphia’s star musician, Margaret.

As a knight, romance or intimacy was not within her scope of immediate prioritization. Those never crossed her mind as much as it did for the other girls in town especially during their seasonal sleep over gatherings.

Yet Margaret came into Forte’s life and ever since then her existence alone did just about everything to question the knight’s supposed heterosexuality.

There are numerous reasons as to how the elven musician had stolen the knight’s heart but even then she couldn’t list all of them properly without breaking down into an awkward, stuttering and anxious mess. Meg was resourceful, hardworking, beautiful, compassionate, charismatic, somewhat of a dorky odd-ball, both shared some latent fear of phantoms (Pico was the prime exception) and Forte’s mental list could go on and on.

Forte was content simply just remaining close friends with the musician but as the months and years went by it became clear that she couldn’t deny her own feelings any further.

It started out with simpler things such as her regular compliments towards Meg becoming more frequent in nature. It was followed with other small instances such as their hands brushing against each other by accident on several occasions or noticing the aromatic scent of her hair on a more regular basis. Afterwards, it all escalated to much greater physical contact such as sitting awkwardly as Meg fell asleep next to her on the bench during one late afternoon after work.

It reached an apex when the musician casually kiss the knight on the cheek during her birthday. All Frey and Doug could recall was that Forte was reduced to a stuttering, flustered mess that same day.

A few weeks later, the knight confided with the royal couple that she could no longer deny the feelings she’s harboured for Meg and declared her resolved intention to confess.

Needless to say, Frey 100% supported the proposition alongside her husband, even if the latter wasn’t too enthusiastic about lowkey stalking their Night of Holies date in the guise of a group outing.

Doug sighed and hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. Even if he wanted to, it was too late to turn back now.

Within the top floor of the windmill observatory’s interior, Doug had finally caught up as his wife handed out the hot beverages and snacks she had prepared for them all prior to leaving.

“I brought along some hot cocoa and choco cookies.” Frey pulled out four heated thermos containers and a plate of chocolate chip-cookies from her picnic basket. “I have a few bottles of Prelude to Love in here too that I brewed up during these past few days if you’d like some later tonight Meg.”

“That would be lovely, thanks!” Meg cheerfully replied.

“Doug and I are gonna go head down now.” Frey announced suddenly, “Oops, you see…uhhh…turns out I forgot a few extra cloaks and blankets, incase for when it gets colder tonight…Y-yeah.”

“Wait, we just got up here!” Doug stuttered in an alarmed fashion. “Also, I brought us some blankets and cloaks in my bag…AGH.”

Frey interrupted her husband’s objections by playfully pinching him on his bottom. He played along as a result. “Uhhh, I mean yeah. I totally forgot them. H-haha, oops.”

“We’ll be right back in a jiffy, ok? I left the hot drinks and cookies near the benches next to the outer entry. Help yourselves!” Frey playfully declared as she and Doug descended down the stairs.

Forte sighed. She knew very well that the entire thing was a copout ruse to make sure she and Meg were alone. She appreciated the sentiment but wished as well that the couple didn’t have to sacrifice a part of their romantic evening to help her confess the feelings she’s held for so long towards the beautiful elven musician who stood nearby.

“Ahem. Ummm, mind if we step outside? I want to take a good look at view right now.” Forte somewhat nervously proposed.

“Hmm? Sure thing. The snowy evening view probably goes great with the hot cocoa.”

“So easily. What about your fear of heights, Meg?”

Meg giggled lightly and responded, “Why would I be worried about that? Especially when I have you by my side?”

Forte couldn’t help but melt internally and smile at the sentiment. She extended her arm out towards Meg, offering her hand. “Well then, shall we?”

“Wowwww!!” Meg gasped in delight. As they walked into the exterior viewing balcony of the observatory, the sight of a tranquil snowy evening glittered with the night sky’s stars awaited them both. “I’ve been to this observatory countless of times but the view’s always amazing…”

“And to think you were afraid of coming here, let alone of setting foot into the observatory’s top floor because of your fear of heights…” Forte teased slightly and continued. “…I’m glad you’re enjoying the view these days.”

“Uh huh…” Meg nodded enthusiastically while she opened up her drink. Taking a light sip, she sighed happily. “Ahhh, this is heaven. I’m not big of a chocolate lover as much as Dolce but this alongside he winter evening is pure utter bliss…”

“Indeed,” Forte agreed, taking small sips of her hot cocoa while her gaze was transfixed between both the view and at Meg herself. “This reminds me of my childhood…Our parents always used to make us hot cocoa on winter evenings. My mother was practically a master at the craft and it was one of the many things that warmed our father up after his snowy evening patrols…”

“Forte…”

“They’re both gone now. However, what isn’t are the memories they left behind for Kiel and I. For that reason…I want to keep living on, protecting those I hold dear and…well, continue to make even happier memories with the people I care for.” Forte uttered the last part out with a faint blush.

“Awwwww, that’s so sweet…” Margaret softly said, hugging the knight from the side. The surprise was almost enough to let her drop the hot cocoa she had been handling finely.

“EEEEEK!! M-meg…please.” Forte staggered, “I could have spilled something hot on either of us… be more careful…”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” she laughed gingerly, breaking the hug. “I really am happy though…to be here. Happy to be with you all…that’s all.”

“Hmmm? Is something the matter?”

“Well, just that…When I first came to Selphia, truth to be told: I was afraid. Porcoline had recently taken me under his wing at the time…I knew nobody in town. I wasn’t sure if I could open my heart up so easily. Especially somewhere so far away from home…Then I met you, Lumie, Venti, Dylas, Arthur, Frey and everyone…I fell in love with this town soon afterwards. It’s far from my birthplace but…Selphia’s my home. I wouldn’t have it any other way and…I’m just so thankful to be here with you all.”

“Meg…”

Meg sighed trying to shake away what was a bittersweet smile on her lips just moments ago, “…Sorry, I got over sentimental again. Winter evenings like this remind me of my homeland a bit, I couldn’t help it. Anyways, why don’t I play us a song?”

Now was the time, Forte realized.

“Uhhh Meg…look…I…there’s something I need to…uh, well…”

“Huh? You want me to play a Christmas song? Ok, I’ll think…Silent Night or Jingle Bells…I want to see how it works on my harp…”

“No, that’s not it, I wanted to say that…um…”

“Wait, neither of those songs? Well, I’ll just play us Joy to the World and…”

Forte bit her lip in frustration. Her thoughts raced insanely as her heartbeat rose sharply. “Forte, it’s now or never.”

“I got it! I’ll go play us Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, that was a classic my old teacher taught me…”

“Meg, please listen to me: I love you.”

“...Huh?”

As the knight uttered those very words from her lips, it’s almost as if time itself had stopped in its tracks that winter-clad evening. Meg’s expression went from that of her usually cheerful eccentric one to that of pure speechlessness.

“I don’t mean as a friend or as a sister. Meg…look, I love you as a woman. Romantically. You’re caring, knowledgable, talented, compassionate, empowering, warm and just pleasant to be around everyday. My chest has been racing as of lately just being next to you…I don’t know what else to say…”

“Forte…is this true?” Meg blinked while a tint of red began slowly surfacing from her own cheeks.

“Yes, it’s all true. I was scared prior to this…We’re both girls and I have no idea how your culture does it…hell, I’m not even sure how my parents would react if they could see this but I don’t care! As a knight of Ventuswill and all of Selphia, I’m not going to hold my feelings back in front of the woman I love, damn it!”

Once more, Forte was met with a silent and blank response from the musician. Fearing it amounted to nothing but a potential awkward rejection, she steeled herself for what was next. She walked into this knowing that heartbreak might be a viable outcome but she would rather have professed her feelings than hold her silence forever.

“I’m sorry…who was I kidding. Just pretend I said nothing, please…Regardless, I want us to remain friends and…”

“You idiot…” Meg gritted her teeth, glaring with tears in her eyes.

Forte wasn’t given much room to react as Meg tightly embraced her as if it would be their last.

“M-meg…?!”

“Honestly…you blockhead…” she sniffled, keeping her arms wrapped around the knight tightly. “Took you long enough…! I’m so happy…I’m so glad you feel the same way…”

“Feel the same way…y-you…you mean…?”

“Yes…but…I’m afraid too. Not because we’re both girls. I don’t care about that at all…it’s because I’m an elf. You’re human.”

“What if you are an elf? I care nothing about that. I know there are places in Norad that ostracize your people but I’m not…”

“It’s not that!” Meg cried out as she continued to cling onto Forte. She blinked through her tears and continued, “It’s much more complicated. You know that elves live longer than humans do. What if you go before me…? You’re a knight…You’ve already pledged your life to the sword. Your line of work makes it so that you’re ready for death at any given moment. If you die before me and I have to live out the remainder of my existence in this world without you…I…”

“Meg…” Forte whispered, “You’re not wrong. I’ve devoted my life to the path of the sword. The sword is nothing more than an extension to my real devotion: those who I care for. You included most of all. You’re right…maybe I could fall in battle or I might succumb to illness, who knows what the future has in store but…I’d rather face those dangers while protecting and loving you…”

“Forte…”

“I know we have to go slow of course…I-if you say yes, that is!” Forte stammered but regained her verbal composure right after. “Going moderately is the key but my feelings for you are genuine…Meg…I want to be your knight and dedicate my sword to you. B-by that…I want to be your girlfriend. W-well…?”

It wasn’t too long after that the musician’s anxious tears were immediately replaced with tearful giggles as she broke her embrace. “Honestly, do all knights have to confess like this? I don’t even want to know what the marriage proposal would be like…!”

“H-hey, I was being serious…”

“I know, Forte. I know very well…Therefore, my answer is: I accept!” Meg spoke out the last part with a cheerful grin as she wiped the last of her tears away.

“Huh?! Meg, are you sure about this?”

“More sure than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Not going to lie: I’m still anxious…I have no idea what awaits us but…with my brave and dashing girlfriend by my side, I have nothing to fear.”

“Meg…ugh…I…” Forte attempted to choke back a sob as tears welled up her own eyes. She stepped forward and gave her beloved a firm embrace. She sobbed softly between sniffles and hiccups, “Ngh…I’m so happy…I was afraid that…ugh…Meg…I love you! I love you so much!”

Reciprocating the embrace, Meg giggled softly as she comforted the sobbing knight. “You big dork…I love you too…don’t panic. Even if I said no, I wasn’t going to leave you behind either…You’re precious to me no matter what…”

“Sorry…I shouldn’t have lost my composure like that. It was unknightly of me, so to speak.” Forte calmed down as Meg wiped her tears away.

“I dunno, I have absolutely no problems seeing this side of you either.” Meg playfully teased.

“Hey!! Ugh…you’ve always been unpredictable at times, you know that?”

“Maybe. Maybe not…I wanna do something else unpredictable, of course.”

Forte swallowed a lump as her heart raced once more. “Well, what would that be?”

Kiss.

Eyes still widened, Forte stared blankly as Meg’s lips parted from hers in a quick but blissful instant. “Merry Christmas Forte. I love you.”

“Ah.” Forte said aloud and continued. “Ah. Ah. Ahhhhh.”

Thud.

“Oh my gosh, Forte!!” Meg cried out in horror as she witnessed her newly confessed girlfriend dropping to her knees. She immediately knelt down herself cradled the flustered knight around her arms. “Are you okay?! Do you have a fever?! Are you tired?!”

Meg was all the more puzzled as she witnessed Forte’s unconscious but dreamy eyed and flustered expression. It was as if she had gone to heaven and ascended into a higher plane of goddesshood.

“Honestly…I need to get us both inside ASAP. Can’t have my girlfriend fainting outside here.”

Unbeknownst to either of them, the royal couple stood quietly in wait within the observatory’s interior in a floor below.

“Fufufufu…looks like Operation Knight Song was a grand success.” Frey sheepishly giggled. “Mission accomplished!”

“Uhhhhh…We did absolutely nothing besides eavesdrop.” Doug informed in a deadpan tone.

“C’mon, dear. We promised to be backup for Forte incase she froze up but looks like she didn’t need our help. That’s my Forte, haha…”

“Well, I’m happy for them both. That much I’ll say. I think we need to go up there before Forte freaks out any further.” Doug proposed but his intentions were interrupted by the mischievous princess holding up a mistletoe over both their heads.

“Oh hell no. Dear, please. Not now…w-wait until home at least!!” the fiery red-head dwarf took a step back, panicking.

“Awwwww, don’t be like that.” Frey licked her lips. “It’s almost midnight. Besides, I want to give Forte and Meg some time to themselves while I have my own little fun…”

Doug swallowed hard, laughing nervously. He had no intention of denying his playful wife’s advances but he braced himself for what came next. This of course consisted of Frey pouncing on her husband and showering him with cuddles and a flurry of kisses over his face and neck.

She’s standing in the kitchen of the house she shares with Raguna, waiting for him to come back inside from tending to his monsters.  Even a holiday can’t stop him from the work that needs to be done, not that Bianca would dream of asking him to take a break or ignore his pets.  She knows from taking care of Francoise, and from everything Tabatha had ingrained in her, just how important it is.  Many could rightfully accuse Bianca of being selfish, but being cruel to a pet goes beyond that.

A smile comes to the girl’s face as she sees her boyfriend finally heading back to the house.  While he’d been outside, Bianca had been busy baking a cake, and it’s nearly ready to eat.  Of course, there’s nothing in the way of an actual meal besides, but actual cooking was always going to be more of Raguna’s forte than hers.

There’s a light dusting of snow in Raguna’s hair as steps into the house, and a rush of cold air follows him in.  Bianca shivers, her smile briefly turning to a frown as she snaps at him, “Close the door.”  Raguna simply gives her a rueful smile, and gently shuts the door behind him.  He knows her, and knows that she’s not trying to be mean.

He crosses over to her before giving her a brief kiss, which is when Bianca notices that he’s carefully holding something behind him.  She pulls away, looking at him a bit accusingly, trying to see what it is he’s holding, before she speaks.  “That better not be a gift for me.  Whatever it is, I don’t want it.”  In this moment, she has everything she wants.  There’s nothing he could possibly give her to make it better.

“I think you might want it,” Raguna says in return, smiling at her.  Bianca’s expression quickly turns to being decidedly unimpressed.  She opens her mouth to retort, to say that she doesn’t, but he moves too quickly, pulling a ring out from behind him.

Her train of thought comes to an immediate screeching halt as her gaze flicks between Raguna and the ring.  She knows what it means, knows what he’s asking, but she hadn’t imagined he’d ever want this.  It’s a subject she’s never even brought up before - as selfish as she is, and as much as she would love to spend the rest of her life with him, Bianca always thought a day would come where he’d get sick of her and her attitude.  But this - this is him saying that he wants her and to be around her, regardless, forever.

There’s snow covering the ground outside, and the world seems to stand still but for a moment.  Bianca can scarcely believe this is happening, and for once, she settles easily into silence if only to give Raguna a chance to actually speak and ask her.

There’s a falter, a bit of hesitation, as Raguna begins to speak, as if he expects Bianca to interrupt him.  As if he’s unsure of what to say.  “Bianca… will you give me the privilege of spending the rest of my life with you?  Will you marry me?”

She smiles, large and genuine, before replying, “Yes, yes I will.”  If there’s a few happy tears shining in her eyes, Raguna knows better than to comment on them.  “But - are you sure you want to spend that much time with me?  I know I’m not the nicest person around.”

The poster was fresh off the press. Towards the top was a picture of Kiel’s face, smile wide and welcoming. Below the photo, large, black words jumped off the page, daring those nearby not to read them.

Book Signing with Kiel Winter 3-4 at 11 a.m. in Bell Hotel Lobby

Leon stared at it, dumbfounded. “I hope he doesn’t expect us to get a book signed by him.”

Forte rolled her eyes. “You’ll go get a book signed by him and you know it.” She continued to stare at the picture of her brother. He looked older than he had a year ago, since they last saw him in person. Leon pouted. He didn’t like her reaction much. Was he losing his talent in flustering people or was Forte starting to grow immune? No, impossible. Forte could never. He just needed to push a little harder.

Leon got her attention back on him by shrugging. “I’m sure I can find something in my possession that Kiel wrote his name on. He was a nosy little gremlin when he was younger.” Leon didn’t bother to hide his smirk when Forte turned to him with her eyebrows furrowed.

“Lin Fa told me after Kiel’s last book came out you stayed up all night reading it,” Forte stated slowly, unsure of what Leon would do next.

Leon decided to shrug again. If there was one thing Forte disliked, it was indifference. “I’m sure he’s still a nosy little gremlin. “I’ll invite him over some other time and he’ll be more than happy to write his name on something. I don’t need to go to the book signing.”

An angry red flushed Forte’s cheeks and her eyes narrowed. Leon grinned. This was his favorite part of teasing people. He loved the moment he fooled someone into believing his words only to pull the rug from under them a moment later.

“You have to be at Kiel’s book signing!” she insisted, fists clenched. “Even if you don’t get anything signed by him you should still be his emotional support. He looks up to you!”

“Okay,” Leon simply stated and watched as the color left Forte’s cheeks and her eyes rounded out again.

There was a brief pause before Forte asked, “What?”

“Okay,” Leon repeated. “I’ll go. You convinced me.”

The color that had just left Forte’s cheeks returned as she figured out she had been tricked. This time the crimson took over her entire face.

Without saying goodbye, Leon turned around and walked away before Forte could start yelling at him again. Although, that part was fun too. She was always too flustered to form her words correctly and it made her even more flustered. It was a vicious cycle that was live entertainment for Leon.

Today, however, he had better things to prepare for.

“So, are you going to the book signing?” Leon watched as the long-haired man across from him sighed and put down his drink. It was rush hour at Porcoline’s restaurant, so most tables were full and the noise was on a level that had Dylas’s eye twitching as he went from table to table. That was a different long-haired man, however, than the one that currently looked too tired to put up with Leon today.

“Why are you sitting here?” Barrett asked. His lunch was only partly eaten and he hadn’t taken a bite since Leon sat down. Maybe it was his way of telling Leon to leave. Besides the obvious displeased tone of voice, of course.

“I’m sitting here because I wanted to ask you a question,” Leon answered. “Which you’re not getting out of, by the way. You’re not as clever as a fox like me.” Barrett sat still, not reacting to Leon’s behavior.

Fine then, Leon thought. He’s not that fun to tease anyway.

“I figured since Kiel interviewed you for the book that you’d be willing to go to the signing,” Leon said, finally getting to his point.

Barrett sighed and Leon could see him relax, if only slightly. Most people had that reaction when they realized Leon wouldn’t be targeting them at the moment. “Yes, I’ll be going,” he admitted. “My son really wants a signed copy since I’m in it.”

“And quite a lot, if I remember correctly,” Leon smirked as Barrett grimaced. As much as Barrett hated the attention of the public, it was true. Kiel’s book was a biography of the events that transpired in Alvarna less than a decade ago. It was an inspiring read that Leon will never admit made him cry.

A few years ago, Kiel came to Leon with an idea. He wanted to write a biography about Ventuswill and Frey and their adventures and struggles. He wanted to study Earthmates and conduct interviews and actually do something with his passion for books that could potentially help people.

Leon was surprised at first. Just the day before Kiel had seemed content living life as he always had: reading and gossiping and cooking for his sister. However, Leon could tell from the look in his eyes that this was something Kiel really wanted. Maybe even needed. Leon still had some doubts. Kiel often unintentionally spread false rumors and Leon didn’t want his book to turn out the same way.

That’s why Leon kept a close eye on Kiel’s progress. He read through many rough drafts and even sat through several interviews. Of course, he himself had been interviewed. When the book was completed, it was strange to see his own words on paper, quotes that Kiel had deemed worthy of being immortalized.

And best of all, Leon’s fears were unfounded. Kiel didn’t stretch any truths. He stated facts and added flowery language where he could. Despite the fact that Leon had been there for the whole experience, he read the finished product like it was a new fiction novel.

The success of Kiel’s first book made him happier than Leon had ever seen him, and he was already a ball of sunshine.

One evening, Kiel confided in him that his happiness largely came from finally being able to help Forte financially. She made a good income from her career as a knight, but Kiel hated when she worried, even if it was over little things. Plus, it made him feel like an actual adult.

A few months later Kiel announced his next project: a biography about the events surrounding Fiersome in Alvarna. The topic came up when he was interviewing Barrett for his first book and he immediately knew he had to look into it as well. He packed his bags and left for Alvarna to research and interview and write.

It was just as good as the first one, in Leon’s opinion. Though he may be biased considering he knew how torturous those hours of being questioned by Kiel must have been for Barrett.

Leon wished he had been there. Why wasn’t he there? He should have gone with Kiel. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do anyway.

Well, at least he got to watch Barrett squirm now.

“Yes, I’m in it a lot,” Barrett broke Leon out of his thoughts. It almost sounded like he was gritting his teeth. “Is there another point you’re trying to make?”

Leon shrugged. “Nah. I’ll see you there.” He then stood and left his seat. At least he got the final word in, and hey, Barrett even almost looked baffled at his sudden departure. He was so busy imprinting Barrett’s face to memory that he didn’t even see the figure walking through the door.

“Oof!” A familiar voice huffed as a body ran straight into Leon, their head hitting his chin. The person quickly pushed away, muttering apologies as Leon rubbed his chin. Then he heard a gasp. “Leon!”

Leon’s head jerked up and the pain was forgotten. In front of him stood Kiel. His eyes were as big and innocent as usual, but his hair had grown significantly. There were pins crammed all over his head attempting to hold his hair back. Someone needed to teach this kid about hair gel.

Later, though. For now, Leon wanted to reminisce. “Kid!” he exclaimed, throwing his arm around the shorter boy’s shoulder and rubbing his hair. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

Kiel giggled as his hair was messed with, then shot Leon a blinding smile. “Yeah, well, I was homesick, so I came early.”

Leon chuckled. Kiel couldn’t even pretend to be embarrassed that he missed everyone. That was one of the most refreshing parts of Kiel’s personality. He was so unapologetically himself.

“What about your previous book signing? You’re on a big tour, aren’t you?”

Now Kiel looked bashful. “Uh, yeah, but I’d actually scheduled to be there for a few extra days for sightseeing. I decided I’d rather come home. It’s my birthday soon, after all.”

The smile on Leon’s face grew from teasing to soft. Damn, this kid had to be the most sincere human in Norad.

“Well, I’m glad you’re back,” Leon admitted. Because Selphia’s final puzzle piece has been put back into place, he thought.