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Chapter Text

Primrose was silent as she stared at the campfire, watching as the flames licked at the logs. They weaved around each other in an intricate dance that she admired, and it helped her take her mind off of the horrible events of the day.

A deep sigh escaped her as she closed her eyes. Her cruel, former master was dead by her hand, but at the cost of her only friend all these years. Yusufa...She deserved so much better than what she got, and Primrose deeply regretted not being able to save her.

Despite her friend's untimely passing, a beacon of hope emerged for Primrose's desire to seek revenge for her father's murder. She finally, after waiting so long in the hellhole of Sunshade, had a lead to one of the murder's whereabouts. She would go to Stillsnow, kill him, and hopefully acquire the location of the other two men in the process. Luckily, it seemed that she would not be going alone.

Primrose had been surprised and wary when she had run into a trio of strangers when she was ready to pursue Helgenish and the man with the mark of the crow. She did not want to trust them so quickly, but seeing that they were well armed made her change her mind quickly, and they had been a great help at bringing down Helgenish and his goons. She learned after the whole ordeal that the three were traveling for their own reasons, and Primrose decided to join them. Safety in numbers and all that.

“Hey, Primrose?”

The dancer was pulled from her thoughts and she looked up to find one of her new companions smiling at her, his arms filled with various plants and herbs that he had just collected. Her first impression of Alfyn was that he was a kind and helpful man. He had been the one to suggest that he and his other companions help her track Helgenish, and he wouldn't have taken no for an answer. However, he was still a stranger to her and she eyed him warily as he sat down next to her.

“Hello, Alfyn. Where are the other two?” Primrose asked when she noticed that he was alone.

“Ah, well, H'aanit went off hunting for a good meal, and ended up dragging Therion with her to help carry it back. I just helped myself to some of the local flora. Can't wait to see what I can whip up with this!” Giddiness oozed from Alfyn's voice as he spread his spoils out before him and set down his satchel. A small smile crossed Primrose's face. She admired how passionate Alfyn was about his work as an apothecary, and he seemed to be very skilled at it as well. He turned his attention back to her and asked “Are you doing okay? I...know you've had a, ah, hard day.”

“I will be alright. I thank you for asking. I am just dealing with a whirlwind of emotions at the moment,” Primrose said, sighing slightly as she turned her head away. She would not say more; strangers like him did not need to know the details of how she felt.

“Well, if you every need anything, I'm always here to listen,” he said. Primrose turned to look back at him with narrowed eyes, studying his smiling face carefully. Primrose was good at reading people, and she was surprised to see that Alfyn seemed to be genuine in his statement.

“Ah! Speaking of that...” Alfyn said as he rummaged around in his satchel. He pulled out a jar with a green substance in it and studied it, before nodding to himself. “So, I have this salve here, and it may be helpful in easing the pain in your foot.”

Primrose's eyes widened in surprise, before narrowing again with suspicion. She thought that she had been hiding her injured foot well enough, but apparently Alfyn was more observant that she had first realized. Her gaze moved from the jar in his hand and back up to him. She didn't want to trust him so easily, but his bright smile and the concerned look in his eyes made her feel like he was being sincere.

“I am...amazed that you noticed. It really is nothing. You need not waste your salves on me.” She did not want to burden the man with such a minor pain, but Alfyn just shook his head.

“Aw, shucks, Primrose. You don't need to put on a brave face for me. Call it a healer's intuition, but I think this might be hurting you more than you want to admit. You've been limping a bit ever since we left Sunshade,” he said, tilting his head at her.

“Hmm, you did notice. Bravo. I thought my acting was better than that...” she muttered, frowning slightly. She then nodded and removed the shoe on her injured foot. “Very well. I accept your help. What do you require in return?”

“Aw, you don't need to give me anything.” Alfyn chuckled as he opened the jar and scooped out a bit of the salve. He carefully grasped her ankle and rubbed the green paste on the arch of her foot, and she winced slightly as the small wound stung.

“Sorry. Should'a warned you about the stinging. But I think your foot'll feel a lot better in the morning.” He dug around in his satchel again and pulled out some bandages and wrapped up her foot securely. Primrose was impressed with how gentle he was, but she was perplexed at his refusal for payment.

Primrose eyed him warily. “Alfyn, you must want something in return for your service.” She had been around enough men these long years as a dancer, and one thing she learned was that they never did anything nice without expecting something in return. They usually took their payment in money, or they pushed for something more...intimate.

“Well, when you put it that way...” Alfyn said as he gently set Primrose's foot back on the ground. “I just want one thing then. I want you to take it easy and get well as fast as possible.” The smile that crossed his face was so blindingly bright that Primrose was rendered speechless for a moment.

“But, Alfyn...” Primrose tried to protest, but she was cut off as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Aw jeez, Primrose," Alfyn started, pausing briefly to give her shoulder a light squeeze, "I don't need any payment from you, really. I just...want to see you get better. To be happy. That's worth more to me than any amount of money.” She flinched slightly at his touch, but quickly relaxed as she felt her cheeks flush. Normally she was wary of being touched by any man, because most had ill intentions to touch her further. It was different with Alfyn. It was a friendly touch, with no indication of an intent to go further. It was...odd to Primrose.

“Ah, it looks like H'aanit and Therion were successful in their hunt!” Alfyn's gaze moved behind Primrose as he removed his hand from her shoulder. She frowned at the loss of contact, but her hunger suddenly was at the forefront of her mind when she saw the massive boar that the huntress had managed to kill for them. Primrose smiled as she and Alfyn joined the two in helping prepare the meal, and she felt like she belonged somewhere for the first time in a very, very long time.

Chapter Text

The tavern was lively tonight, with the bulk of the excitement coming from the table in the center of the room. Eight people sat around it, with mugs of ale in hand and smiles on their faces. A lot had happened in the short time that Primrose had been with this group, and her eyes scanned the faces of her companions over her drink.

H'aanit had been the first to set out on a personal journey, and she was answering questions about hunting coming from one of their newer companions; Cyrus, a scholar they had helped out in Atlasdam. He was very smart, but Primrose found that he was hopelessly clueless when interacting with women, as he seemed oblivious of how his overbearing praise of her hunting skills was affecting a now incredibly flustered H'aanit.

Therion had met H'aanit first and joined up with her after she had helped him out with a problem, and he was currently teasing the newest addition to the group, a cleric named Ophilia. She was kind and gentle, and could defend herself well enough, and Primrose chuckled as she snapped at the thief when his teasing went too far.

A hearty laugh erupted from Olberic, a former knight from a fallen kingdom, as he conversed with Tressa, a young and spunky merchant. The former was looking for the man that had betrayed his kingdom, while the latter was hoping to hone the skill of her trade and become the best. Primrose thought that Alfyn had been chatting with them just a moment ago, but she caught sight of him up at the bar getting more drinks.

A small smile crossed Primrose's face. The apothecary was a determined and easy-going man. His passion for healing others was admirable, and the fact that he asked for nothing in return for his services perplexed her. Given the importance of his job and his skilled way of doing it, he would have no problem asking for a decent sum of money in return. But here he was, barely scraping by with what little savings he had. Some of the members of this ragtag bunch were lucky, herself included, that Cyrus and Olberic were generous in sharing their savings with them. Therion also sometimes shared his...earnings as well, but Primrose felt a little more guilty accepting anything from him, given the ambiguity of where it came from.

Primrose was pulled from her thoughts as a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind, and she instinctively grabbed the hidden dagger attached to her hip and thrust it in the direction of her possible attacker.

“Arg! Prim! It's just me!” She spun around as she was quickly released to find Alfyn standing there, his wide eyes locked on her dagger. He was lucky that she hadn't pushed it any further, for the point was grazing his shirt just below his heart. She quickly lowered the dagger and flushed with embarrassment as she realized that the rest of the table went quiet and was now watching them.

“I'm so sorry, Alfyn. You startled me.” Primrose said, adverting her gaze as she returned the dagger to its resting place on her hip. Alfyn let out the breath he was holding and he shook his head.

“Ah, you don't need to apologize. I'm the one who scared you. I ought to be apologizing to you.” he said, chuckling sheepishly.

“You're lucky you didn't spill my ale, lad.” Olberic said, grinning as he took the mug that Alfyn offered him. Alfyn smiled brightly and rubbed the back of his head.

“Aw, shucks, I've just got good reflexes. They get better the more ale that I drink I reckon!” he said, and most of the table rolled their eyes.

“I doubtest that very much.” H'aanit commented. “Thou almost sustained a dagger to thine chest. Wherest were those reflexes then?”

“Heh, well you know what they say. The quickest way to a man's heart is through his chest.” Therion said, laughing as Tressa and Ophelia groaned in response. Primrose blushed, and Alfyn sputtered as his face turned even more red than it already was. The alcohol really seemed to be getting to him.

“That was terrible, Therion.” Ophelia said with a frown, and he rolled his eyes as the rest of the table resumed their normal conversations. Primrose turned her attention back to Alfyn as he sat down next to her.

“I really am sorry, Primrose. I tend to get a bit, ah, huggy when I've been drinking.” he said, frowning as he adverted his gaze downward to the mug in his hands. “I never wanted to make you uncomfortable or anything.” She smiled at him. She knew Alfyn was a good man and would never hurt her, but he past experiences with similar scenarios made her jumpy and cautious in this environment.

“It is fine. You were not aware of my...aversion to being touched.” Primrose said, though if she had known it was Alfyn all along, she did not think she would have minded that hug as much. Alfyn stared at his mug for a few moments before looking back up at her.

“I just...well, I don't mean to pry or make assumptions, but...you've been through so much, and I wanna help make sure your life only improves from now on! You really are a wonderful person, Primrose, and I'm lucky to call you my friend.” He paused and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Er, we are friends now, right?” He looked at her with puppy dog eyes and Primrose couldn't help herself as she laughed.

“Yes, I think it's safe to say that we are friends now, Alfyn.” she said, and the way his face lit up made a warmth flood through her chest. He was always so genuine and wore his heart on his sleeve, and Primrose really liked that about him. “I would not be opposed to being hugged by you in the future, just no more surprise ones. I would not want to actually stab you next time.” Primrose chuckled as Alfyn's laughter carried through the tavern.

“Alright! I can handle that.” he said, “Don't suppose you'd be up for one right now. I promise that not surprise Alfyn hugs are the best!”

Primrose smiled and nodded. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, her head automatically resting on his chest. She hesitated momentarily before slowly wrapping her arms around him. This was nice, she decided. He was warm, and he had an earthy smell to him, probably due to all of his time hunting for medicinal herbs and the like. She felt...incredibly safe in his arms.

“Jeez you two, get a room already!”

The two pulled apart quickly at Therion's words, while Tressa and Olberic burst out laughing. H'aanit tilted her head at the two of them curiously, and Cyrus was also watching them with a perplexed look on his face. Ophilia sighed warily and shook her head at Therion.

“It-It's not like that! We're just good friends is all.” Alfyn said quickly, adverting his gaze bashfully. Primrose smiled at his reaction; he was rather adorable when he was flustered.

“Then I propose a toast.” Olberic said, raising his mug over the table. “To new friends and to the journey that awaits us!” The rest of the table cheered and lifted their mugs, and a loud clink resonated throughout the tavern as the mugs knocked against each other. The smile did not leave Primrose's face as she took a sip of her drink. Friends. She was not used to having friends. In her lifetime they had been few and far between, and she had a good feeling that this ragtag bunch of travelers would prove to be the best friends that she'd ever have.

Chapter Text

After spending so many years in the Sunlands, Primrose had forgotten the look and feel of the snow, and found that she was ill prepared to combat the cold. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her skin in an attempt to warm herself up. H'aanit had asked Linde to scout ahead a bit up the path, and luckily they should reach the town of Stillsnow by the end of the day. She was determined to make it there as soon as possible, for she knew that at least one of the men who killed her father was there waiting for her to plunge her dagger into his chest.

“Hey, Prim?” She turned to find Alfyn standing next to her, his eyebrows creased and his lips turned downwards in a concerned frown. He had his vest in his hands, and he was holding it out towards her. “Here, take it. You look like you're freezing.”

She stared at the vest in his hand for a moment before shaking her head. “I do not want you to be inconvenienced due to my lack of proper planning. I am fine, Alfyn.” she said, but the sudden loud sneeze that erupted from her betrayed how she was really feeling.

Alfyn chuckled and continued to waved the vest in her direction. “Aw shucks, you should know better by now that to try and fool ol' Alfyn when it comes to your heath. I can see right through your tough act.” He opened the vest and moved behind Primrose, hovering it over her shoulders. “May I?” he asked, and a small smile crossed Primrose's face as she nodded slightly. Alfyn was a generous and kind man, but he could be incredibly stubborn, especially when it came to arguments about health related issues.

Primrose let slip a pleased sigh as Alfyn draped his vest over her shoulders, and the lingering warmth immediately made her feel better. His hands rested on her upper arms for a few moments, and she appreciated the added heat from them. She was surprised at how disappointed she was when he finally removed his hands, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the loss of heat, or the loss of his touch. Her face grew hot at the thought as she turned to face him.

“See, Prim? You look like you're feeling loads better already!” Alfyn said, a huge grin crossing his face. His smile was infectious, as Primrose couldn't help but smile brightly herself.

“Thank you. I hope you won't get too cold now.” Primrose said, her smile fading a bit as a wave of guilt passed through her.

“Hah! Don't you worry about me. I'll just roll my sleeves down and be all set!” he said. He made a show of smoothing each of his sleeves down to his wrists, one after the other, and Primrose chuckled.

“Alright, I see you have everything under control. But if you start to feel cold, I will give this back to you. I don't want you getting sick either.” she said.

Alfyn smiled and rubbed the back of his head bashfully. “Shucks. You really are a kind person, Primrose. I should be fine. I may just be a country bumpkin from the Riverlands, but I think I can handle the cold for a bit. Don't you worry.” He winked at her before turning back towards the path ahead, jogging a bit to catch back up with the rest of their group. Primrose stood in place for a moment as she pulled Alfyn's vest up over her face, stopping under her eyes. She breathed in slowly through her nose as she started walking after her companions. She noted how much the vest smelled like Alfyn, and was reminded how much she liked the smells of herbs and healing potions. The thought made her blush, and she was left to silently contemplate the reason why as she continued towards her destination.

*

A light snowfall fell from the sky over Stillsnow, but Alfyn hardly noticed as he stepped outside the tavern for some fresh air. He stared up at the sky, ringing his hands together as he tried to think of anything else besides the place that they had just visited. He knew that he should be inside, helping Primrose and the others plan their next move in confronting one of her father's killers, but he wanted to clear his head so that he could focus completely on helping her.

He was young and naive, he knew this. He had never left his tiny village before this journey began, so the idea of a brothel was jarring to him. Sure, he had known what they were prior to reaching Stillsnow; he was not quite that clueless, like Tressa was. However, the thought of so much ale and many beautiful women in one place made him restless. It wasn't that he wanted the, er, services of those women. It was more so the fact that he was very sure that most, if not all, of those women were not in this profession by choice. He felt bad for them, and wished that he could do something to help. He sighed deeply and kicked at the snow at his feet.

“Alfyn?”

He jumped, startled by the voice speaking his name. He regained his composure and looked over to find Primrose staring at him with a concerned frown on her face.

“What's the matter? You left quite suddenly, and you seem to be fidgeting quite a bit.” she continued, moving closer to him. He adverted his gaze, trying to hide the blush that rose onto his cheeks.

“Ah, shucks, sorry. It's just...so cold up here is all.” he said with a halfhearted chuckle, hoping that she would buy his flimsy cover up. “I'm from the south, ya know, and, well, I'm just not used to the cold.” He forced himself to look back at her, and she was studying him with an unreadable expression. A few excruciatingly long seconds drew by as he tried not to melt under her intense gaze, but she finally spoke.

“...It's the brothel, isn't it?”

Alfyn visibly cringed and Primrose chuckled in response. Dang it. He should have know better than to try and hide this from her. The dancer was excellent at reading people, and he was very bad at hiding his true feelings. He hoped that she wouldn't think less of him.

“Thought so.” she continued, nodding as she crossed her arms over her chest. He noticed that she was still wearing his vest, and he smiled. He thought she looked really nice in it.

“Sorry...It's just the thought of those women...and the mead...and, ah...” Alfyn muttered, fumbling over his words as he tried to explain his thoughts to her.

“You'd do better to keep your mind on the journey.” she said. Alfyn winced and nodded, feeling guilty for letting himself get distracted from helping her out.

“Besides...” Primrose continued, a smile crossing her face, “You don't need a brothel if all you want is the company of a beautiful woman.” Her beautiful laughter hit his ears as he recoiled and became incredibly flustered. What did she mean by that?

“W-wha...But, that's...I mean...I don't...” he sputtered, his thoughts tripping over themselves. Primrose rolled her eyes and shook her head as she stepped towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“You are a good man, Alfyn. Any woman would be lucky to have you. Remember that.” Primrose said softly. It felt like a large lump had formed in his throat, and all he could do was nod in response. Her hand moved to his arm and she tugged at his sleeve, prompting him to begin following her back inside.

“Come. Let us get back to discussing the task at hand. The others are waiting for our return.” she said.

“R-right.” Alfyn managed to squeak out, and he wasn't sure how he was going to concentrate now after that conversation, especially since the first thing he heard when returning to their table was Tressa commenting on how red his face was. It was just the cold, he told himself. Just the cold, and not the beautiful dancer smiling at him from across the table.

*

The deed had been done, and only two of her father's murderers were still among the living. Primrose had bid Arianna farewell and almost headed to the tavern to regroup with her companions. However, she decided that she needed to be alone for a while, so she instead found herself at the edge of town, staring off into the snowy wilderness, deep in thought.

Even though she had cleaned it almost immediately, she could still imagine the vivid red of the man's blood coating her dagger, which she now held in her hand. She closed her eyes and took in a deep, shaky breath. She was...worried. Worried about what she would find in her hometown. However, she needed to know the truth, and make the rest of the crows pay for what they did. She could not falter now.

Still, Arianna's words continued to play over and over in her head. What do you have faith in? It disturbed her that she did not have an answer. Her quest for vengeance was all that mattered. It was all that she had to live for. That was even more disturbing to her.

Her eyes shot open as she heard footsteps crunching in the snow behind her, and she quickly readied her dagger in case it was needed as she spun around, only to find Alfyn standing there, hands raised in front of him cautiously.

“Hey, just me. Please don't try to stab me again.” he said, chuckling as Primrose slowly lowered the dagger and returned it to its place at her hip.

“Alfyn, what are you doing here? I...need to be alone.” Primrose said, turning away from him and wrapping her arms around herself. She felt vulnerable at the moment, and she did not want to expose anyone to this darker side of her. Especially someone as warmhearted as Alfyn.

She was met with silence for a moment, before the crunching of snow underfoot altered her that he was moving, and he stopped when he was right beside her. They stood in silence for a while, and she was glad for it. However, her curiosity got the better of her and she finally spoke up.

“Why are you here?”

Alfyn didn't answer right away. He continued to stare at the snow covered hills in front of them, the snow glittering in the light of the moon. Primrose turned to look at him just as he turned to her, their brown eyes met and stayed locked to each other for a moment before Alfyn adverted his gaze.

“Well, I was just...worried about you. You've...got a lot on your plate right now, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” he said, looking at her with a gentle look in his eyes. She knew he was being sincere – he always was – but she instinctively got defensive.

“I...I'll be...fine. You wouldn't understand.” she said quietly, turning away from him again. Silence fell again between them, and an uncharacteristic sigh from Alfyn broke it, causing Primrose to turn back to him, with an eyebrow raised.

“Ah, shucks Prim. I know you've had a harder life than most of us here...but well, I've lost both of my parents too. My dad fell to the plague when I was a kid, and my mom passed just over a year ago. I just thought I might be able to lend you a sympathetic ear is all.” Primrose's heart sank at the sad look that crossed Alfyn's normally bright face, and she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I'm sorry, Alfyn. I know you want to help me. I was...insensitive. I am sorry about your parents.” she said. She then chewed her bottom lip, feeling conflicted. Getting some things off of her chest may help to ease the darkness plaguing her heart, and Alfyn really would be the best person she could confide in. He was honest and kind and genuine, truly one of the most wonderful people that she had ever met.

Something suddenly snapped inside her, and before she knew it, she was pouring her heart out to him. Alfyn blinked in surprise when he realized what she was doing, but stayed completely silent and attentive as she spilled her life story to him. She talked about her childhood, the fateful day of her father's murder, even her time spent in the hellhole that was Sunshade, serving that bastard of a 'master', Helgenish. She never thought that she be able to tell anyone about that, but something about the non-judgmental way he was listening to her made her keep going and not want to stop.

Primrose didn't know when she had started crying. She didn't realize it until she reached up and touched her face, finding streaks of wetness upon her cheeks. She trailed off as she was suddenly raked with sobs, overwhelmed with sadness and embarrassment and rage and a conglomeration of other emotions that just spilled out of her all at once. She felt Alfyn place a hand on her shoulder, and she sobbed harder as she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer until she could bury her face into his chest. His arms wrapped around her gently, and one hand rubbed her back soothingly while the other massaged the back of her head. She didn't know how long she stood there, crying in his arms, but by the time she was able to compose herself enough to stop, her eyes were red and puffy, and her throat was sore.

“Prim, do you...feel better?” Alfyn whispered, pulling slightly away from her so he could look down at her. She sniffed and nodded, reaching up to rub the tears from her face. Alfyn brought his own thumb to her cheek and wiped away some stray moisture, and she sighed wearily.

“I'm sorry, Alfyn. I never wanted anyone to see me like this. So...weak.” Primrose said, her voice cracking slightly and she look to the ground in shame. She felt fingers slip under her chin, and Alfyn gently lifted Primrose's head until she was looking at his smiling face again, a sight that immediately warmed her heart.

“Please Primrose, don't apologize. You are human just like the rest of us.” he said, a frown suddenly forming on his face. “And don't ever call yourself weak. You are the strongest person that I know, and shucks, that isn't an exaggeration.” She stared at him with wide eyes as he continued.

“You've just...been through so much hardship. Way more than anyone should have to deal with in their entire life. And you're still so young. Only a bit older than me, right? Golly, you have such a heavy burden to carry, and yet you're still a kind and selfless person. You have an inner strength that I sure as heck ain't ever seen before. I'm going to stick with you until you achieve your goal, and then I'm gonna make sure that you find happiness, I swear on my life.”

Primrose was left speechless at his words, as well as the fiery determination that blazed in his eyes. If it were anyone but him spouting this nonsense at her, she would have laughed in their face. But this was Alfyn that she was talking to, and he was different than all the others. He really had her convinced that what he said was true, and she was grateful for every genuine word.

“Alfyn, I...thank you.” Primrose whispered, not quite knowing what else to say. Alfyn smiled at her and took her hand in his, causing her to blush.

“You're welcome. Prim, you can always come to me if you ever need to talk about anything. I'll always be here to listen.” he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. She nodded and gave him a small smile.

“Well, I reckon it's getting pretty late. We better head back now, alright?” Alfyn said, turning back towards town. Primrose agreed and they headed back to the inn, hand in hand. Suddenly, the cold, snowy night didn't seem so frigid, and the warmth that spread throughout her body came directly from her heart, and his as well.

Chapter Text

Primrose had never seen the ocean before. She stood at the edge of the water, her bare feet half buried in the warm sand. She took a deep breath of the salty sea air and closed her eyes as a calm breeze tickled her face. She decided that she quite liked the town of Goldshore. It was small and quaint, and she was realizing rather quickly that she liked being near the sea. She felt content and relaxed.

“Linde! Thou must not rolleth in the sand! Tis too hard to cleaneth from thine fur!” an exasperated H'aanit scolded as she chased the snow leopard down the beach, and Primrose couldn't help but let slip a chuckle. She then burst out laughing when the sand covered Linde tackled an unsuspecting Cyrus, who ended up flat on his back and dazed. There was never a dull moment with this group, but she was glad that they had time to relax and enjoy themselves on this journey. Her eyes moved to the water, where Tressa, Olberic, Therion, and Ophilia were having fun together.

There was just one person missing. When Alfyn had overheard the locals speaking of a mysterious sickness spreading through the town, he had run off on his own to investigate. She smiled when she thought of how excited he looked. He was always looking to help people in need, and Primrose knew that this would be a good test of his abilities as an apothecary.

“Shucks! It sure looks like you guys are having a blast!”

Primrose smiled as she turned to find Alfyn standing behind her, a grin plastered on his face.

“Ah, Alfyn. You've returned.” she said, “Did you manage to help any of the sick townspeople?”

“Well, about that...” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck and adverted his gaze. “It seems like I've got some competition here.”

Primrose raised an eyebrow curiously. “Oh?” she inquired. She did not expect to hear that.

“I helped out a poor girl who fell and hurt her knee. She told me her sister was sick, so I followed her home to see what I could do. But when I got there, she had no fever that I could see.” he said with a shrug, “Apparently there's another apothecary in town, and from what I've seen, she's very good at what she does. I reckon I could learn a thing or two from her.” A sparkle of admiration shown in his eyes and Primrose couldn't help but think it was cute.

“Maybe you should seek her out then. Expanding your knowledge was why you went on this journey, right?” she said.

“Yeah, I think I will! You wanna join me, Prim?” Alfyn asked. Primrose smiled and nodded.

“I'd love to, Alfyn.” she said, and she let out a chuckle as he smiled brightly at her.

“Alright! Let's go!” he said enthusiastically, and he offered his arm to her. She placed a hand in the crook and let him lead her towards the town. They stopped briefly to let H'aanit know where they were going. The huntress acknowledged them briefly before turning back to chasing Linde, who had jumped in the water and was now soaking wet and chasing a fleeing Cyrus down the beach. The duo laughed at the sight as they left on their own mini adventure.

*

Alfyn was all smiles as he eagerly led Primrose through the semi-crowded streets. He was pleased that she had agreed to join him in seeking out the other traveling apothecary in town. He always enjoyed spending time with her, and seeing her being at least a little interested in his profession made him happy.

“Oh? It seems there's a crowd forming over there.” Primrose said, snapping him from his thoughts. She was pointing ahead of them, and he turned his head to have a look. The crowd was gathered around a purple haired woman, who was smiling sweetly as the people spoke to her.

“Oh miss! How can we ever repay you?” one woman said.

“Thanks to your tincture, my husband is out of bed for the first time in weeks!” another chimed in. Others voiced their praise at her work, and Alfyn concluded that she must be the person he was looking for. He decided that he had to see if she would offer up any of her trade secrets. From what he could pick out from the crowd chatter, she apparently charged very little for her services, and that was one thing that she had in common with him.

Primrose was not as impressed as Alfyn was. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to the woman speak. From what she said, it seemed that she had the same views about her profession as Alfyn. She said that 'we apothecaries have a sworn duty to ease suffering wherever we go', but Primrose couldn't help but feel that something was off when she said it. Her words did not seem to have the same sincerity behind them as Alfyn's did. Or maybe Primrose was being too suspicious.

She stood off to the side as Alfyn eagerly went to speak with the woman, whose name was Vanessa. Primrose raised an eyebrow when she denied Alfyn's request to share her knowledge with him. Maybe it was the way that she hesitated before answering that made Primrose wary. Or perhaps it was the way she avoided making eye contact with him. Whatever it was, it made Primrose think that she was hiding something. Alfyn seemed completely oblivious of that fact, as he returned to her side after bidding Vanessa farewell.

“Aw, shucks! I was really hoping that she would let me in on at least some of her secrets.” Alfyn said, sighing dejectedly as he frowned at Primrose.

“I think you will do fine on your own, Alfyn. You are a smart and determined man.” Primrose said, offering him a slight smile. The smiled faded quickly as she averted her gaze and bit her lower lip. She wondered if she should voice her suspicions. She looked back at him and saw that a smile had returned to his face in response to her words, so she decided to keep her thoughts to herself.

“Lets go back and join the others. I believe it is almost time for lunch.” Primrose said.

“Good thing. All this excitement sure works up an appetite!” Alfyn said, laughing as he slapped a hand to his stomach. Primrose chuckled and shook her head at his antics and they both headed back to the beach.

*

After eating a quick meal on the beach, Alfyn took a walk along the shore to do some thinking. He was still pretty bummed that Vanessa hadn't revealed any of her tips and tricks, but that just made him more determined to become a better apothecary all on his own. He saw someone digging in the sand a ways ahead of him. It was Ellen, the little girl he had helped earlier in the day.

“Well, lookee here!” Alfyn said cheerfully as he approached. She looked up at him and smiled brightly.

“Hello again, Alfyn.” she said, giggling as she walked up to him and held out her hands. “Here! This is for you!” He tilted his head curiously as he knelt down to get a closer look. She was holding a seashell in her hand.

“Do you like it?” she asked, and he chuckled as she waited with baited breath for him to answer.

“Aw, I sure do. It's a beaut.” he said, and she beamed at him.

“Thank you for helping me!” she said happily.

“Well, I didn't do too much, but I'll accept your thanks.” Alfyn said, shrugging. He was glad that Ellen was feeling better. He could at least say with confidence that his healing salves were top notch.

Alfyn chatted with Ellen for a while, frowning as he learned that she collected seashells to give to their mother, who struggled with making enough money to care for her family. He laughed when she offered to give him some money. Did he really have the appearance of some dirt poor bum? He'd have to work on changing that...

“Here, Alfyn! Have another shell! You can give this one to your girlfriend!” she said, shoving another shell into his hands.

Alfyn blinked, confused. “Girlfriend?” he questioned. As far as he knew, he was as single as can be. Where did she get the idea that he had a girlfriend?

“Yeah! I saw you with a really pretty lady in the markets earlier. You two looked so happy together!” Ellen said excitedly. Alfyn's eyes widened when he realized who she was talking about: Primrose.

“O-oh, no. We're not together, Ellen. Prim and I are just good friends is all.” he said, a nervous chuckle escaping him as a deep blush rose on his cheeks.

“Aww, really? But you two looked so cute! And she was holding your arm! You must be a couple if she did that!” the girl said, nodding her head firmly. She pouted when Alfyn only laughed in response.

“Well, if she isn't your girlfriend, then you really need to give her this shell! She'll fall in love with you for sure!” Ellen continued, crossing her arms over her chest confidently.

“Well golly, if you're that sure about it, I guess I'll have to give it a try.” Alfyn said as he tucked the shells carefully into his satchel. He would be lying if he said that he didn't like the idea of being with Primrose. She was beautiful and courageous and strong and just...amazing. He may have developed a not-so-small crush on her. However, he knew that she was way out of his league, so he decided to keep his feelings a secret.

“Yay! Good luck, Alfyn! I'm rooting for you!” Ellen said. She bid him farewell and headed home, leaving Alfyn standing in the sand, with his heart racing and his face a bright shade of red. He knew that these seashells didn't have any power to make someone fall in love with him, but he still contemplated giving one to Primrose anyway. It would be a nice gift from one good friend to another. Just a friend, nothing more. The thought made him sad for some reason, and he sighed as he made his way back to the group.

*

Primrose spent the afternoon shopping with Ophilia. They had bought some cute clothing, and Primrose had even found a purple dancer outfit that she wanted Ophilia to try on. The cleric wasn't convinced that she would look good in it, and Primrose teased that she could just give it to Therion if she didn't like it, which caused her friend to blush madly and Primrose laughed in response.

They made it to the tavern and went inside, and found that most of the group was already occupying a table. Primrose immediately noticed the only person missing: Alfyn. Where was he? He was usually the first to show up and start drinking. A pit of worry formed in her stomach.

“Olberic, have you seen Alfyn?” Primrose asked when she approached the table. He finished taking a swig of ale and shook his head.

“No. He has not shown up yet. I thought he might have met up with you and Ophilia?” he said, and her feelings of unease grew.

“Ah, there he is.” Olberic said, pointing at the door behind Primrose. She smiled and turned around, and that smile immediately fell from her face. Something was wrong. He had burst through the door and looked like he was out of breath. He must have ran all the way here from wherever he had been. His hands were balled into fists at his sides, and his jaw was clenched tightly as a scowl was plastered on his face. Primrose's eyes widened as she met his gaze. His eyes were burning with such an intense fury that she did not expect from him. What on earth had happened?

Primrose shot to her feet and hurried across the room to him. “Alfyn?” she said, placing her hands on his arms, “What is going on? W-why are you so angry?” Alfyn closed his eyes and took a calming, but shaky, breath, letting it out slowly. He opened his eyes and looked down at her.

“Prim. I need your help. Vanessa,” he said, practically spitting out the name as if it was poison on his lips, “has been purposefully making people sick in order to sell her cures at insane prices. I have to stop her. I have to save Flynn.”

Primrose inhaled sharply. How could that woman do such a thing? Primrose knew that she seemed a bit shady, but this was monstrous. She nodded and took Alfyn's hands in hers. He stared down at their hands for a moment before his eyes locked with hers.

“I will help you, Alfyn. We will not let her get away with this.” Primrose said, giving his hands a reassuring squeeze. He managed a small smile.

“Thank you Prim. We'll need to bring some muscle with us.” he said, and soon they, along with H'aanit and Olberic, were off to confront the corrupt apothecary while the others in their group went to inform the guards of the situation.

After fighting their way through the monsters on the outskirts of town, and inside the Caves of Azure, the group managed to find Vanessa. As Primrose listened to her and Alfyn's confrontation, all she wanted to do was stab her dagger into the corrupt apothecary's blackened heart. Alfyn's tone was surprisingly calm, but Primrose saw the absolute fury hiding behind his narrowed eyes. It seemed that Vanessa and her hired goons were not going to give up without a fight, so Primrose tightened her grip on her dagger and charged into the fray alongside her friends.

After trouncing her guards and then making quick work of her, Primrose watched as Alfyn stabbed her with the Slumberthorn. She couldn't help but think that she would have done worse to that horrid woman, but Alfyn was a much better person than her. She walked up to him after he had gathered the moss he needed and placed a gentle hand on his arm. He was shaking, but it lessened after he closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

“Prim...Thank you. For coming with me.” Alfyn said, a smile finally returning to his face. A wave of relief washed through her. The rage that was flaming in his eyes earlier was gone, and he seemed like his normal self again. She was very thankful for that.

“Anytime. You should hurry back. I will stay with H'aanit and Olberic to keep an eyes on them.” Primrose said, waving her hand in the direction of the unconscious Vanessa and her goons.

“I will.” he said, with a nod. He turned to go, but paused and turned back to Primrose, pulling her into a hug. “I really mean it. Thanks.” Primrose's eyes widened at the surprise hug, but she smiled and hugged him back. He really did give the best hugs.

“I get it, now hurry up and go.” Primrose said, chuckling as she gave Alfyn a gentle nudge in the direction of the exit.

“Right! I'll catch up with you all later!” he said, and off he went, to help people and ease suffering like a proper apothecary should. Primrose smiled as she watched him go, and she wondered why her cheeks suddenly felt so warm in the dank depths of this cave.

*

“Grown-ups aren't supposed to cry!”

Alfyn tried in vain to keep the tears from falling. He had always been a bit wishy-washy, but he couldn't help himself. He was overcome at just how selfless and kind Ellen and Flynn were. He thanked the gods that he had happened to end up in Goldshore when he did, for he had been able to save a girl with a golden heart from the dastardly scheme of a corrupt apothecary.

“Even grown-ups need a good cry from time to time.” he said, chuckling as he wiped the tears from his face. Ellen and Flynn giggled and hugged him, and he crouched down to hug them back.

“You two stay healthy for me, ya hear?” he said as he stood up. They both nodded, and he headed down the beach, barely managing to hold back more tears that threatened to escape. He walked for a bit before stopping to watch the sun as it started to slowly set over the water. He would miss this place. He decided that he liked being near the ocean. He would probably be out on the shore watching the sunset every evening if he lived here.

“Ah, here you are.”

Alfyn turned around to find Primrose walking towards him, and his heart skipped a beat because of how radiant she looked in the light of the setting sun.

“Heya. What're you doing here, Prim?” he asked, turning back to look at the horizon in hopes to hide the blush on his face.

Primrose came to a stop next to him, and her eyes stared out at the water for a moment. Unbeknownst to Alfyn, she had heard his entire conversation with Ellen and Flynn. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but she did not want to interrupt, especially when she saw how absolutely sweet Alfyn was being. She was tempted to tease him a little bit.

“I was just looking for you. But, Alfyn,” she said, turning to face him, “You're eyes are all red, have you been crying?” She tried to suppress her giggling as his face turned bright red.

“Ah, no, of course not!” Alfyn said, adverting his gaze as he chewed on his lip. How did she know that he was crying? Ah, his eyes were probably red. He must have rubbed them too hard. He let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed his hands together. “I just, ah, had something in my eye, that's it.”

Primrose noted that Alfyn was a very terrible liar. Even if she didn't already know the truth, the way he avoided eye contact and his fidgeting gave it all away. It was rather cute.

“Alfyn. You know there is no shame in showing your emotions. Those two girls adored you.” she said, and his eyes returned to hers, “In fact, I think you'll make a wonderful father someday.” As soon as the words left Primrose's mouth, she wondered why on earth she had said them. It was true, but a bit awkward to say out of the blue like that.

“F-father?!?” Alfyn sputtered. He was a good many years away from even thinking of starting a family. Heck, he wasn't even romantically involved with anyone. Not that he wouldn't like to be, as the person he did want to be with was standing right in front of him at this very moment.

“Now, be sure to look after those shells.” Primrose said, smiling mischievously as Alfyn raised an eyebrow at her.

“Wait, did you, uh, see all of that?” he asked, suddenly feeling quite embarrassed, not so much that she had seen him crying, but more-so at the fact that he tried to lie to her when she already knew the truth. 'Smooth, Alfyn, really smooth...' he thought as he groaned internally.

Primrose chuckled. “Yes, I did. I apologize for not announcing myself. I did not want to interrupt.” She felt a little bad for embarrassing him, but he was incredibly adorable when flustered.

“Aw, shucks, it's alright...” he said, gazing at the ground. The seashells...His eyes widened as he suddenly remembered what Ellen had said the first time she had given him some shells.

'Well, if she isn't your girlfriend, then you really need to give her this shell! She'll fall in love with you for sure!'

Alfyn certainly didn't believe that those shells had any sort of magical love powers, but he felt that one would be a good thank you gift to Primrose for helping him out today. He smiled and dug around in his satchel.

“What are you looking for?” Primrose asked, tiling her head curiously. He rummaged a bit longer, and she made a mental note to offer to help him organize it sometime. He eventually pulled out a beautiful, sparkling seashell, and he held it out to her.

“H-here. This is for you. Thanks for helping me out today, Prim. And for, you know, just being a great person and friend.” he said. She stared at the shell, and he held his breath as he waited for her to respond.

“Wow, this is beautiful.” Primrose said, a large smile crossing her face. She took the shell and held it in the palm of her hand, examining it in the light of the setting sun. It was really sweet of him to gift this to her, but she wondered why he would part with one, as they were a gift to him.

“But Alfyn, these were gifted to you. Why give me one?” she asked, and his immediate recoil at the question made her all the more curious to know why.

“Well, uh, you see...Um...It's...They're just...” Alfyn stumbled over his words, trying desperately to think of something else to say other than the truth. “It's just...that shell is, well, really pretty and...I just thought it suited you is all.” He decided that what he just said was just about as embarrassing as the truth, and he winced as he waited for Primrose to react negatively.

Primrose blinked at him for a moment, for she was at a loss for words. 'He really thinks I'm pretty?' she thought, feeling a heat rise in her cheeks. She studied his face closely, and sure enough it seemed that he wasn't lying. She would be able to tell if he was; Alfyn was the worst at hiding his true feelings. A warm feeling spread inside of her; she was feeling incredibly happy in this moment with him.

“Thank you. I will treasure it always.” she said, and before Alfyn could respond, Primrose boldly took a step forward, leaned up, and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Time seemed to stop as Alfyn tried to process what was happening. Her lips were warm against his cheek, and it seemed like he had forgotten how to breath. Was this really happening? He just had to be dreaming or something. There was no way this beautiful woman was kissing his cheek. No way.

Fortunately, it was not a dream, but it ended too quickly as Primrose pulled away, and laughed at the flabbergasted look on Alfyn's face.

“What's the matter? Never been kissed on the cheek before?” she teased, and he remembered to breath again as he gasped for air. She chuckled and turned away from the water.

“Come, Alfyn, let's go meet the others. It's about time for dinner, I think.” Primrose said, looking back at him and smiling. He stared at her for a moment before nodding and his legs seemed to move of their own accord as he followed her to the tavern, while his mind was occupied with trying to determine if he was still alive. He was in the presence of an angel, after all, so it would not surprise him one bit if he had died and gone to heaven.

Chapter Text

It was nice to be back in the Riverlands, Alfyn thought as he stood at the entrance of the town of Saintsbridge. He gazed around curiously, taking in the unfamiliar sights. Even though the small village was in the same region of his hometown of Clearbrook, it was different in its own way. The group split off, with Ophilia heading to rekindle the sacred flame residing at the chapel, while the others made their way to the markets or the tavern.

“What a quaint little place.” Primrose said as she walked up beside him. He turned to look at her profile, and he was continuously amazed at how beautiful she looked from every angle. He gazed at her with adoration; it was becoming incredibly difficult to hide his growing feelings for her. He just loved everything about her. Her determination, strength, and charm. Her long, luscious hair, her dazzling brown eyes, her full, soft lips, and that super cute mole under her lip...

“Alfyn? Alfyn!”

He snapped out of his thoughts as someone grabbed his arm and gave it a gentle shake. His eyes came back into focus and he saw that Primrose was staring at him, an eyebrow raised.

“Ah, shucks, s-sorry Prim. I guess I just...spaced out a bit.” he said quickly, tripping over his words slightly. He felt his face heat up as she giggled at him, and he thought that his heart would melt right then and there. Yep, he had it bad for her. He was nothing but a lovesick fool, and unfortunately he didn't have the skills to brew a potion to remedy that kind of sickness.

“I see.” Primrose said, releasing her hold on his arm. She then smirked mischievously at him. “You were staring ever so intensely at me. Do you like what you see?” Alfyn gawked at her and rubbed his neck nervously.

“I-No! I-I mean, yes of course-I mean, uh-” he sputtered, his brain seeming to malfunction at the moment. Primrose laughed and waved a hand at him.

“Peace, Alfyn. I was only teasing you. You're adorable when you're flustered, you know.”

“Oh...right.” Alfyn said, a nervous laugh escaping him as he flushed with embarrassment. Primrose's expression turned serious as her eyes settled on something on the road ahead, and Alfyn followed her gaze.

“Looks like some kind of commotion over there.” he said, and Primrose nodded in response. They both began walking in the direction, and Alfyn frowned when they got close enough to hear what was being said.

“Your life isn't worth saving.”

“...W-Wait! Have some mercy! You can't just leave a man to die!”

Alfyn's frown deepened and he narrowed his eyes. He did not like what he was hearing, and he stormed forward to confront the two men. Primrose watched him with concern in her eyes as she quickly followed.

“Hold it! You're an apothecary, arn't ya? How can you just leave this man to suffer without trying to help him?” Alfyn said as he stepped in front of the uninjured man. The thought of just leaving someone to die on the street made his blood boil, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Primrose watched silently as Alfyn and the man bickered back and forth. This man was certainly a different type of apothecary than Alfyn. She couldn't help but wonder exactly why he didn't want to help this injured man. There had to be more to this story, but seeing how worked up Alfyn was at the moment, she decided to keep those questioning thoughts to herself.

“That jackass...” Alfyn cursed when the man walked off, and he turned his attention to the injured man. He hurried over to him and examined his wound.

“T-thank ye...”

A small smile crossed Primrose's face as she watched Alfyn work his magic on the man. She was always amazed at how kind he was to everyone. As she helped him move the injured man into a nearby cabin, the smile fell from her face. She couldn't help but feel like something was off about the man, Miguel. She always did have a knack for sensing men with ill intentions, given her history dealing with very unsavory types. Alfyn was also still young and naive. Being confined to a small village for most of ones life tended to shield them from the many ways that people did terrible things to each other. She did not want someone to take advantage of his kindness.

When they left the cabin to let Miguel rest, Alfyn sighed and ran a hand though his hair.

“Shucks, Prim. I just don't get it. How could someone just up and refuse to treat a dying man's wounds? I'm worked up just thinkin' about it.”

Primrose hesitated, but ultimately decided to voice her concerns. “Alfyn, maybe...maybe that other apothecary knows something about Miguel that we don't know. He could be a criminal or-”

“That doesn't matter!” Alfyn snapped, cutting Primrose off and causing her eyes to widen at his unexpected outburst. He realized immediately how harsh that sounded and adverted his gaze to the ground, a wave of guilt passing through him.

“I-I'm sorry.” he said softly. He lifted his head back up and met her gaze, his eyes burning with conviction. “It's just...even if he did something bad in the past, I would be betraying all that I believe in if I just let someone die, knowing that I could've saved them. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, ya know?”

A small smile crossed Primrose's face as she nodded slowly. “I know Alfyn, I apologize. You're a good man. Much better than most.” she said, she did not fail to notice the deep blush that rose on his cheeks. He became flustered so easily, and Primrose couldn't help but think it was extremely adorable.

“Let us go and join the others now, okay?” Primrose suggested, and Alfyn nodded in agreement.

“For sure! All this excitement made be build up quite an appetite. Not to mention I'm mighty thirsty as well!” Primrose chuckled and shook her head.

“You always seem to be thirsty.”

“Only when there's ale nearby!” Alfyn said with a wink. They both laughed and finally headed for the tavern to reunite with their friends.

*

This day was turning out to be an eventful one for Alfyn. He sat at a table in the tavern, glowering down at his third mug of ale. When he and Primrose had shown up here to meet the rest of the group, he did not expect to find a dying child on the tavern floor. He also did not expect that sham of an apothecary that he met earlier to show up and know exactly how to save the boy when he himself was at a loss. Don't judge a book by it's cover indeed.

Letting out a deep sigh, he picked up his mug and emptied it within a few gulps. If this experience taught him anything, it was that he still had a long way to go before he truly became a master of his craft. He had taken a slight blow to his confidence, but he would not let this encounter discourage him completely. Especially since Ogen still had decided to leave a dying man on the street without helping at all. The thought still made Alfyn furious.

“Cheer up, lad.” Alfyn was snapped from his thoughts as Olberic sat down next to him, handing him a full mug of ale before taking a swig of his own. “You're still young. This was a learning experience for you. Just make sure you grow from it and move on.”

Alfyn sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, I know. I'm just a bit frustrated is all. Didn't think I'd get totally shown up today.” A flash of red caught his eye, and he turned his head towards the stage next to his table as he continued, “I just need a few more mugs in me and I'll...forget...about it...”

Alfyn suddenly forgot he was even talking to Olberic when his eyes locked onto the solo occupant of the stage. Primrose was dancing gracefully to the music being played by a couple of local bards, and the other tavern patrons clapped and cheered as she preformed. But Alfyn could only hear the sound of his own heartbeat banging rapidly against his eardrums. Her dancer outfit flowed like water around her, and the bangles on her wrists jangled with every movement of her arms.

However, Alfyn was focused on her face, where her smile was so bright he thought he would go blind. Whenever Primrose smiled normally, a sadness always lingered behind her eyes, like she wasn't truly happy. But now, while she was dancing up on that stage without a care in the world, she looked like she was smiling directly from the heart. And her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes were shining like Alfyn had never seen before. He thought he was going to have a heart attack and drop dead right there.

After trying and failing to regain Alfyn's attention, Olberic chuckled and sat back in his chair, taking a long swig of his ale. It was obvious to anyone with a working pair of eyes that the lad was head-over-heels in love with Primrose. Olberic had caught him staring at her longingly numerous times, and Alfyn was starting to make a habit of dropping out of conversations randomly to watch her with adoration. It was heartwarming, and Olberic was secretly rooting for them, but he hoped that Alfyn would be able to help Primrose deal with the darkness in her heart. She had been through much hardship in her life. But, Olberic couldn't think of anyone more suited to the task than the pure-hearted apothecary. A smile crossed the seasoned warrior's lips as he downed the rest of his drink and stood up. Alfyn seemed completely oblivious to the fact, and Olberic chuckled again as he went off to speak to Tressa and Therion.

“Alfyn.” He was snapped out of his trance when the most beautiful voice in the world hit his ears, and he looked up to find Primrose standing at the edge of the stage, holding her hand out to him. Without asking why, he blinked in confusion before placing hand in hers. She smiled and pulled him out of his chair, helping him climb onto the stage.

“Err, Prim?” Alfyn asked as he stood, gazing around nervously at the crowds of people in the tavern, all watching the stage with great interest.

“Dance with me, Alfyn.” she said, taking one of his hands and placing it on her waist. Alfyn's face flushed and felt like it was on fire, and he only barely managed to sputter out a response.

“B-but Prim, I'm n-not much of a, ah, dancer...”

“Then I will teach you.” she said, taking the lead as she pulled Alfyn around the stage to the slow beat of the music. Alfyn swallowed, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. His eyes met hers for a moment before he quickly averted his gaze bashfully.

“Um, Prim?” he asked, forcing himself to look at her again, “Why'd you pull me up here? You probably look loads better dancing alone than with awkward ol' Alfyn.” She giggled and it set his heart a flutter, and he couldn't stop a huge smile from spreading across his face.

“It has been some time since I've danced with a partner, I will admit.” she said, shrugging before lifting up his arm and doing a twirl under it, “But, you looked a bit sad sitting there. I thought maybe I could cheer you up. Or at least take your mind off of your encounter with Ogen.”

Alfyn almost let slip a dreamy sigh, but he managed to hold it in. As if he needed more reasons to fall even harder for her. Even after all that she had been through, she was still such a kind person. It truly amazed him.

“Aw shucks, thank you Prim. You really are wonderful, you know?” Alfyn said, smiling as his eyes met hers. She was the one who looked away this time, a light blush rising on her cheeks.

“You are too sweet. I'm sure you...you'll make a special someone very happy someday.” she said softly. Alfyn's heart clenched painfully at her words. He wanted so badly to say that he wanted that someone to be her, but he held his tongue. She deserved someone so much better than a penniless apothecary bum like himself.

“Ah, right...” he said, forcing his lips into a smile. He was suddenly aware that the music had stopped and he had been stand in place, still holding Primrose's hand and waist while the tavern crowd cheered for them, with some wolf whistles piecing through the sound. He cleared his throat awkwardly and regretfully let go of her as he stepped back.

“Thanks for the dance. I better go find my drink. The ale here won't drink itself!” he said, laughing halfheartedly. “I may step out for a bit too, it's a tad warm in here for my tastes.” With that, he retreated from the stage, finished off his mug of ale, and maybe rushed a bit too fast out the door.

Primrose watched him go, and she frowned as she left the stage herself. She wandered back to the table that their group was occupying, taking a seat next to Tressa. The younger woman immediately turned to her, eyebrows furrowed with concern.

“Hey, Primrose? Are you okay? You suddenly look awfully sad.” she asked, her head tilting to one side curiously.

“Ah, I'm fine Tressa, really.”

“But...You looked so happy dancing up there with Alfyn. Something must be bothering you for your mood to have changed so suddenly.”

Primrose winced, and let a deep sigh escape from her lips. Tressa was more perceptive than she thought. It was foolish to think that she would have believed that blatant lie. She was indeed bothered, by what she had said to Alfyn when their dance ended. There was a longing in her heart to be that special someone to him. However, he was much to good for her. She was too broken, too consumed by her quest for revenge to cause him anything but pain. He deserved someone who wasn't damaged like her.

“...It has something to do with Alfyn, right?” Tressa continued, lowering her voice so that the rest of the table wouldn't butt in to their conversation. Primrose nodded slowly, her gaze shifting to the table.

“...Yes.”

“You love him, don't you?”

Primrose's face flushed, and Tressa giggled. Well, she wouldn't say she loved him...yet. She was very fond of him, and certainly did not dislike the idea of being with him. But again, she was not good for him.

“I...no. I do like him very much though.” she said and Tressa's eyes lit up.

“Aww! That's so good! You guys would be great together!” Tressa said, a bit too loud, as Olberic looked over and raised an eyebrow at Primrose. The dancer pursed her lips and looked back at Tressa, shushing her.

“Oops, sorry! That was a little loud.” the merchant said sheepishly, covering her mouth with her hand. “But really, I think that you two would be good for each other. Why not tell him?”

Primrose shook her head sadly. “I...am not good enough for him. He deserves someone who is not-”

“Ugh, c'mon Prim!” Tressa interrupted, groaning as she rolled her eyes. “You are wayyyy to hard on yourself. You're a great person. Sure, you've had a rough time in life, and you've got a score to settle with those guys who killed your dad, but everyone has their ups and downs. Alfyn is probably the most non-judgmental person around, he surely wouldn't care about any of that stuff.”

“But-”

“She's right.” Primrose turned when Ophilia's voice chimed in from her other side. “I'm sure you're aware of how much he cares for you already, Primrose.”

Primrose clenched her jaw. It was hard not to notice the looks of longing that he shot her when he thought she wasn't looking, or how happy he always seemed when talking to her. She knew very well that he was attracted to her in some capacity, but she did not know how deep that infatuation went.

“I...still need to sort out how I feel before I even think of making any moves.” she said, nodding slowly.

“Well, if you ever need to talk about your feelings again, we'll always be here for you, Prim!” Tressa said, and Ophilia nodded in agreement. “I can be a great wing-woman!” Tressa's confident grin earned a laugh from Primrose.

There was a commotion at the boy's end of the table as Alfyn returned from his walk. Primrose watched as he took a mug of ale from Olberic, but oddly declined his invitation for another of their drinking contests. That was odd. Ophilia and Tressa left to grab more drinks, leaving open seats next to her, and soon Alfyn was occupying one. He slumped in the chair, a conflicted look on his face as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“Is everything alright, Alfyn?” she asked, a frown crossing her face as she watched him with concern in her eyes. He did answer right away, and instead took a long, slow swig of his ale. He sighed and set the mug on the table.

“I...ran into Ogen again.” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. Primrose didn't hesitate as she reached out and took Alfyn's hand gently in hers. His cheeks warmed as he stared down at their hands, mouth agape, before he quickly shut it and looked back up at her.

Alfyn cleared his throat before continuing. “I helped out a couple of sick ladies, and I may have mentioned Miguel's name while chatting with one. She...she told me he's a thief.” He averted his gaze with guilt, and Primrose winced slightly. So she had been right about that man. She stayed silent and waited patiently as Alfyn went on.

“I left her house and found Ogen outside. He knew that Miguel was a thief, and that's why he left him to die. But...even knowing that, I still want to save him. I can't let him die.” His voice wavered and he went silent. Primrose could see the conflict raging in his eyes. A small smile crossed her lips.

“I know, Alfyn. Isn't it about time to go check on him?” Primrose asked. Alfyn nodded slowly and she asked, “Would you like me to join you?” He nodded again, and she followed him without another word as he stood up from the table and headed out the door. Primrose told their friends that they would return soon, and she was soon walking down the street at Alfyn's side.

“Ogen...” she wondered aloud, and Alfyn raised an eyebrow at her.

“What's up, Prim?”

“Well, I was just thinking that Ogen's eyes are similar to mine.”

Alfyn laughed and shook his head. “Aw, shucks, are you kidding? You're eyes are a million times more stunning!” The words just tumbled from his mouth without thinking, and his face immediately flushed a bright red as Primrose giggled.

“That's not really what I mean, but I appreciate the complement.” she said, watching with amusement as Alfyn laughed sheepishly. She frowned as she continued. “You see, in my profession I've met the gaze of many a man, and their eyes tend to speak more truth than their tongues.”

“...So what did Ogen's eyes say to you?”

Primrose stopped walking, as they were now in front of the cabin where Miguel was resting. She turned to look Alfyn in the eye, and a sad smile crossed her face.

“That his heart was filled with pain.” She didn't wait for Alfyn to respond as she opened the door and stepped inside.

Alfyn's heart dropped as he watched Primrose disappear through the door. He knew all about her dark and painful past, and the rare times that she mentioned it made him sad. If he knew of a way to take her pain for himself, he wouldn't hesitate to do it a hundred times over. She was too good of a person to be carrying the burden that she did. He sighed and shook his head. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and headed inside. He had a patient to tend to.

*

After tending to Miguel's wounds, Primrose and Alfyn reunited with their friends before they all retired to the inn for the night. The next morning, with Olberic and Tressa in tow, they headed back to the cabin to check on Miguel. They found the cabin empty, and Alfyn rubbed his chin in confusion as they stepped back outside.

“Now where did he run off to?” Alfyn muttered, looking around for any sign of him. Primrose had a bad feeling about this.

“Tressa? What's wrong?” Olberic said, watching as the merchant ran off down the road.

“Guys, I think something's going on over here!” she yelled, not looking back as she turned a corner. The other three looked at each other briefly before taking off after her. They rounded the corner, and Alfyn's blood turned to ice at the sight.

'Damn it all.' he thought, clenching his hands into fists as he watched the scene playing out before him. Miguel...how could he? He promised to change his ways! Bastard!

“Miguel!” Alfyn yelled, running after the thief as he took off into the forest with a hostage. Primrose tried grabbing his arm to stop him, but he was too fast and evaded her hand.

“Alfyn, wait!” she called, cursing as she, Olberic, and Tressa pursued him, trying desperately to keep up and not get lost.

They soon reached a clearing, just in time to see Alfyn charge angrily at Miguel, ax raised to strike and a fury burning in his eyes that Primrose had never seen before. Olberic drew his blade and quickly moved to assist him, with Tressa following close behind. Primrose spotted the kidnapped child and rushed over to him.

“Oh gods.” she cursed as she saw how much he was bleeding. The poor boy whimpered as she gently assessed his wound: A large cut running up one of his arms. She grit her teeth and pulled out some bandages and a jar of salve that Alfyn had given her. She had been watching him while he worked some times, and she hoped that she had picked up on enough to help, at least enough to keep him alive until Alfyn could finish the job.

“This may hurt a bit.” she said softly, taking the boy's hand as she rubbed the salve over his wound. He gripped her hand hard and cried a bit, but held as still as he could as Primrose shoddily wrapped the wound.

'That should work for now.' she thought, and she looked back to the fight just in time to see Alfyn strike Miguel down. There was no mercy in Alfyn's eyes this time, and she was glad for that. Miguel had his second chance at life, and he squandered it.

“Prim!” Alfyn ran over and knelt down next to the boy, checking his pulse.

“He still lives. I think I stopped the bleeding, or at least slowed it.” she said as Alfyn lifted the boy into his arms. He turned and gave her a small and pained smile.

“Thank you. Let's go, I need to treat him properly.” With that, they returned to the village, and Primrose hoped that they were not too late to save the poor boy.

*

That night, after fully treating the boy's wounds, Alfyn did not return to the tavern, so Primrose took it upon herself to search for him. She was worried. Such a horrible turn of events had surely hit Alfyn hard, and she did not think it was a good idea for him to be alone. He was most likely hurting, and the thought of him suffering made her heart ache.

She finally found him, standing by a tree at the river's edge. His arm was resting on the trunk, and his forehead was pressed against said arm. Primrose frowned as she heard him crying, his body shaking with every choked sob that escaped him. She hesitated a moment, before slowly approaching him.

“Alfyn...”

He jumped, startled, and his eyes met hers only for a moment before he looked away and covered his face with one hand as he wrapped his other arm around himself.

“Please Prim...Leave me...I-” he choked out between sobs, before breaking down again. Primrose thought her heart was going to break in two at the sight. She had never seen Alfyn like this. He was always so cheerful and confident. She placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged it away, and her eyes widened in shock.

“Please. I-I don't deserve your comfort!” he cried, shaking his head as he moved away from the tree and towards the riverbank. Primrose silently followed, and he surprised her again by turning around and glaring at her.

“I'm such an idiot!” Alfyn spat, tearing his eyes from her as he began pacing along the river. “I'm a goddamn fool for thinking that Miguel would keep his word. Bastard!” Fresh tears spilled down his face as he let out a frustrated yell.

“Ogen was right, I should have let him die!”

Primrose couldn't let him go on like this. She stepped forward and grabbed both of his arms, stopping him in his tracks. His sobbing came back in full force and he was shaking so badly that Primrose was shaking as well.

“Alfyn, please stop it!” she pleaded, shaking his arms. He shook his head stubbornly and continued his crying. Primrose grit her teeth, let go of one of his arms, and delivered a firm smack to his cheek. Alfyn's sobbing ceased as his eyes widened with shock.

“Listen to me, Alfyn.” Primrose said, cupping the cheek she had struck with her hand and rubbing her thumb over the offended skin. “Look at me.”

She waited patiently as Alfyn sniffed and rubbed his face. He took a few deep, calming breaths before he slowly raised his head until his eyes were locked with hers. She offered him a small smile, and she moved her other hand to his other cheek. She used her thumbs to wipe away the moist trails left by his tears, even though silent ones were still running down his face.

“Alfyn,” she began, her eyes not leaving his. “You are a good man. You are not to blame for this.” She placed a finger to his lips when he opened his mouth to protest, and his mouth immediately closed again as he waited for her to continue.

“The only choices you are responsible for are your own. You chose to help Miguel. You did not chose to kidnap and injure a child. He did.” She paused as Alfyn closed his eyes and swallowed hard, trying to suppress the sobbing fit that threatened to surface. He reopened his eyes and she continued.

“You also did a good thing by going after Miguel. You could have just walked away and did nothing. But you didn't. You risked your own life to save that boy's. You already made up for saving Miguel.”

“B-but if I hadn't...” Alfyn started, but Primrose shook her head.

“But you did, and it's in the past now. It all turned out okay. You waste your time and energy thinking about what could have happened. Look ahead, and focus on doing better.”

“Besides, the Alfyn I know would never, ever let anyone die without trying to help them. You are truly a kind soul, and damn anyone who finds fault in that.” Primrose went silent as she waited for Alfyn to react. He stared at her for a few moments before he sniffed and burst into tears again. He pulled a shocked Primrose into a hug and buried his face in her shoulder. Primrose smiled and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back gently.

They stood there for a while, bathed in the light of the moon, with Alfyn's soft sobs the only sound piercing through the night air. The sobs eventually slowed and then stopped, and Alfyn sighed deeply as he lifted his head from Primrose's shoulder, and she was elated when a small smile returned to his face. He really had a wonderful smile.

“Shucks, Prim.” he said, his voice a bit hoarse from his crying, “I...Thank you. Don't know what I'd do without you to knock some sense into me what I've being all unreasonable like this.” His heart jumped to his throat when she giggled. Gosh, she was too perfect. He wanted so badly to tell her how he really felt about her, but to even dream that she'd lower her standards for him was too much to hope for. Instead, he pulled her into another hug.

“You're welcome, Alfyn. I will always be here for you. You are a dear, dear friend.” Primrose said, her heart lurching painfully as the word 'friend' slipped out. She wanted so much more from him, but she could not be selfish and ask for it. He deserved to be happy, and she would only bring him pain.

“So, to the tavern?” Primrose asked, and she was surprised when Alfyn shook his head.

“Actually, do you wanna stay out here with me a little longer? It really is a beautiful night, and, ah, I should probably give my face some time to recover from my blubbering.” he said, reaching up to gingerly touch his swollen, red eyes. Primrose smiled and nodded. They sat at the river's edge and talked well into the night, both right where they wanted to be, but with a longing in their hearts that was almost too much to bear.

Chapter Text

The moon still hung high in the sky above the Highlands when Alfyn stepped out of his tent, leaving behind the rest of the men who were sound asleep. He sighed as he took a deep breath of the fresh, mountain air and exhaled slowly. Ever since they had left Saintsbridge, he hadn't slept well at all. Even when they had stopped in Stoneguard recently and had a chance to sleep in actual beds, he still tossed and turned throughout the night.

The events that had transpired in the small Riverlands village still weighed heavily on his mind. His dreams were plagued with Miguel's sinister laughter as he stood over that bleeding child, or Ogen's philosophy on healing that clashed so much with Alfyn's own. The nightmares never failed to wake him, covered in sweat and sometimes tears. It was a wonder that he didn't manage to wake the others up.

“Alfyn? Is something wrong?”

Startled, Alfyn jumped as the voice hit his ears. He turned to see Primrose sitting on a log by the campfire, her brow furrowed with concern. What a beautiful sight she was. He already felt a little better, just being in her presence, and he forced a smile as he walked over to the fire, sitting down next to her.

“Ah, I'm okay, Prim. Just couldn't sleep is all.” he said, chuckling halfheartedly. She stared at him for a few moments, until a small smile crossed her face. She turned back to the fire and shook her head.

“You are a terrible liar, Alfyn. I can tell that something is troubling you. Nightmares again?” Primrose said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He let out a deep sigh and nodded in defeat. He forgot sometimes that she was excellent at reading people.

“Yeah, you caught me,” he said as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “It's always the same thing. What happened in Saintsbridge...I don't think I'll ever really get over it at this rate.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, freezing when he felt a hand fall onto his shoulder. He turned his head and found Primrose smiling at him, and his breath caught in his throat.

“I'm sorry that you're still having a hard time with this, Alfyn. The world is not a kind place.” she said, her gaze drifting downward as the smile fell from her face. Alfyn's heart clenched up. Primrose knew firsthand how terrible the world could be to people. He himself was sheltered and naive, having never left his tiny village before this journey of his. Primrose had been forced to grow up far too early in her life. He hoped that he could help her see that there was still kindness left in the world.

“I dunno if I fully agree with you there, Prim.” he said, placing a hand over hers, and he felt her squeeze his shoulder gently in response. “Sure, there are a lot of bad people that take advantage of others, but I think there are more people that just want to live happy lives and make sure that everyone else does too.”

“I wish I had your optimism.” Primrose said, her voice dropping in volume as she pulled her hand from Alfyn's shoulder and wrapped her arms around herself. “I myself am having doubts about my...mission.”

Alfyn watched her silently for a moment. They were heading to Noblecourt next, the place of Primrose's birth, and where her father was killed. Alfyn couldn't imagine how horrible that must have been for her, to have her only family murdered in front of her before being forced out of the only home she knew.

“Are you...okay with going back to Noblecourt?” he asked, biting his lip. He hoped that the question wouldn't upset her at all. Primrose stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in her dark eyes.

“Yes.” she said, and a heavy silence fell between them as she continued to gaze intently at the fire, and Alfyn shifted uncomfortably on the log. He was thinking that he said something that he shouldn't have.

“It's just...I was just thinking that you might have a hard time with it, considering what happened. I'm just assuming here, but you've been having nightmares too, haven't you?” Alfyn said, and he knew he was correct in his assumption when she flinched, and turned to look at him again.

“I...yes. I've been dreaming...of that night, so long ago. The night of my father's murder.” Primrose said, and Alfyn saw her eyes take on a watery sheen. Panic welled up inside of him; he didn't want to make her cry, so he blurted out the first thing to come to his head that might make her feel better.

“What was he like? Your father?”

Alfyn felt his face heat up as he mentally smacked himself. How would talking about her father make her feel better? He felt really stupid for saying that of all things. But when he turned his attention back to Primrose, he found her smiling at him, and he blinked owlishly at her.

“My father...was a good man.” she began, “He was diligent as the lord of Noblecourt, always striving to keep crime to a minimum, which he was very successful at. He pushed me to be stronger, but he was never cruel about it. He wanted me to be prepared in every way to take over House Azelhart someday.”

Primrose paused as she leaned towards Alfyn, and he was surprised when her head fell to rest on his shoulder. He was unsure of what to do, but eventually he lifted a shaky arm and slid it to rest on her back. He was relieved when she did not shy away from his touch.

“'Faith will be your shield.' That is the motto of House Azelhart, and something my father wanted me to never forget.”

“Faith will be your shield.” Alfyn echoed, glancing down at Primrose, “What does that mean?”

“My father always said that it meant that 'you cannot waver until you have done what you know in your heart of hearts must be done.'” she said, waving a hand in front of her as she spoke, “'It is the determination to keep your eyes fixed on the path before you, though a thousand indignities may seek to trip you up along the way.'” She paused, chewing on her lip in a rare showing of uncertainty.

“He said that I must find that faith in myself.” she continued, and Alfyn watched as she reached over and pulled out her dagger. Her eyes focused on the shimmering blade as she turned it over in her hand. “My father gave this to me, Alfyn. And now I'm using it to murder those who took him from me. I was so sure that I knew what my purpose was in life, to avenge my father. But now...I'm starting to have doubts.” Primrose lifted her head from Alfyn's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. “I feel like my faith is wavering.”

Alfyn stared at her silently, his eyes never straying from her own. He really had no qualms about her pursuit for revenge. She definitely had her reasons for it, and from what he saw, the men she killed were terrible people and deserved every bit of what they got. But, he could see how that kind of mission was negatively impacting her mental state. He couldn't let this continue.

“Hey, Prim?” Alfyn said, gently taking her hands in his. Her eyes widened a bit, but she did not pull away. He smiled when he noticed her cheeks take on a pinkish tone. She never failed to floor him with her beauty. He cleared his throat and pushed those distracting thoughts from his mind.

“Your faith in yourself may waver, but I just need you to know that I'll always have faith in you. You're so strong, but remember that you're not alone anymore. Shucks Prim, I just...I care about you a lot, and I know that the others do to.” Alfyn glanced over at the tents behind them before looking back at Primrose, who was watching him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape, making her look like she had been stunned by a lightning spell. “If you ever get tired and think you can't go on, I'll carry you along until you're ready to get back on your feet, I swear it.”

“Oh, Alfyn.” Primrose finally spoke up, and she sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. Alfyn's eyes widened, and without giving it a second thought, his hand moved to cup her cheek and he gently wiped away her tears with his thumb.

“Aw gods, I didn't mean to make ya cry.” he said softly, frowning as a wave of guilt passed through him. Primrose smiled at him, and placed her hand over his, which confused him greatly.

“You have nothing to apologize for. You just...always overwhelm me with how kind you are. I've never met anyone like you before. Thank you, Alfyn.”

“Oh, you're welcome, it's really nothing special-” Alfyn started, but whatever else he was going to say was immediately forgotten when he felt her lips press against his. He was frozen in place, eyes wide with shock, as his brain tried to process what was happening without causing him to have an aneurysm. Her hair brushed against his face, soft and beautiful and sweet-smelling. He just couldn't believe that this was happening. She was kissing him. Primrose was kissing him.

It felt like an eternity flew by, but it still ended too soon as Primrose pulled away, leaving Alfyn sitting with an absolutely dumbstruck look on his face. When he finally was able to breath properly again, Primrose had already retreated back to the entrance of her tent. She looked over her shoulder and gave Alfyn a small smile.

“Goodnight Alfyn. Sleep well.” she said, so softly that he barely heard her, and she disappeared inside.

Alfyn sat there, dazed and confused, for a long time. By the time he forced himself to stand and shuffle back to his tent, the fire had died out and his ass had gone numb. But he didn't even notice it much. All he could think about was the fact that he had just been kissed unexpectedly by the love of his life, and it had ended way too quickly. He lay back down in his bedroll and stared up into the darkness, wondering if this was all just a stupid dream, because why on earth would Primrose ever kiss him anywhere but in his wildest dreams?

Alfyn wasn't sure what had just happened between him and Primrose, but as he finally drifted off to sleep, he knew for certain that he wouldn't be forgetting this night for a long, long time.

Chapter Text

Mistakes were a natural part of everyone's lives. Big or small, god's know Primrose had made her fair share of both. She tried to keep herself from making too many big ones, but unfortunately, kissing Alfyn was turning out to be one of her biggest mistakes.

Sighing deeply, she took a large swig out of her fourth mug of ale, her eyelids heavy as she stared at the empty mugs sitting on the table before her. The merry bunch of travelers that she wandered around Orsterra with had stopped in Atlasdam to stock up on supplies. This detour also allowed Cyrus to make sure that the headmaster of his academy hadn't caused any harm to his students before he tried to kill Cyrus in Stoneguard.

Primrose just wanted to get moving, however, because this downtime gave her too much time to mull over how one stupid decision had probably ruined her most treasured friendship. She didn't know why she had kissed Alfyn that fateful night a few days ago. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She had kissed him because she let her strong emotions for him overpower the rational side of her brain. How stupid of her.

She took another swig of her drink, before setting her mug down and rubbing at her temples, brow furrowed with frustration. Primrose didn't mention the kiss after the fact, and Alfyn hadn't either, and now there was a noticeably awkward air to their now brief conversations. Normally they could spend hours talking about anything and everything while they traveled from place to place, but after that night, they really didn't say much to each other besides general greetings. She didn't know how to fix things, and she felt like a pit had formed in her stomach.

Primrose lifted her mug to take another drink, but she realized that it was empty. She pursed her lips in annoyance and moved to stand to go get another, but suddenly a full mug was placed on the table in front of her. Confused, she turned to find Olberic moving to sit in the chair next to her.

"May I join you?" he asked. Primrose smiled slightly and nodded as she sat back down. They sat in silence for a few moments, taking quiet sips of their drinks, before Olberic cleared his throat and turned to look at her.

"Primrose, if there is something bothering you, I am willing to listen and offer advice if you would like. Especially if it has to do with Alfyn."

Primrose's grip tightened on her mug as she slowly looked up to meet his gaze. Olberic was a kind and honorable man, with a troubled past of his own that he had shared with her, and she in turn had shared hers with him. He was one of the few men that she felt that she could truly trust. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"How did you know?"

"Well, I have noticed that you two haven't been speaking as much lately. That, and you declined his offer to go and hunt for herbs with him today." Primrose grimaced. Olberic was too observant sometimes. She had been sad to say no to Alfyn's offer, as she always loved spending time with him picking various interesting plants for him to use in his healing salves. The hurt look on his face when she declined had made her feel worse. She was just afraid that it would have been too awkward to bear, considering their abysmal communication skills as of late.

"Well, thank you, Olberic." Primrose said, and he just smiled slightly and nodded, waiting patiently for her to continue. She paused to take a drink first. "I...made a mistake that may have cost me my friendship with Alfyn." The words felt like poison on her tongue, and she clenched her jaw as she tried to swallow away the lump that was forming in her throat. Olberic nodded in understanding.

"I see. It must have been something quite terrible to cause a rift between you two."

"Yes...I...kissed him. A few nights ago."

There was a long pause, until Olberic let out a rumbling chuckle. Primrose narrowed her eyes at him, not expecting that reaction.

"Olberic, this is no laughing matter."

"I apologize." he said, clearing his throat to compose himself. "I just don't understand how you doing something that the both of you have quite obviously wanted to do for a very long time would be a bad thing."

"...Is it really that obvious?" Primrose said, her cheeks heating up with embarrassment.

"Oh yes. I think that the entire group has caught on by now. Even Cyrus has enquired about it, as oblivious as he normally is."

Primrose groaned and rubbed at her temples. "Oh gods, if that clueless man has noticed something, then everyone with a working pair of eyes has." After taking a gulp of her drink, she shook her head slowly. "It...it doesn't matter. There's no chance of us getting together now."

"And why do you think that?" Olberic asked, his tone kind and patient. Primrose took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, opening them slowly as she exhaled.

"Because, I am too broken for him. He needs someone who can love him as much as he loves them. My heart has been too blackened by my past, by my need for revenge..." she trailed off, feeling tears start to well up in her eyes, and she hastily blinked them away. She glanced over at Olberic, who was silently studying her. He took a long drink of his ale, set his mug down, and placed a warm hand on her arm.

"Primrose," he started, giving her arm a gentle squeeze, "you do not give yourself enough credit. You are a good person, even after everything you've been through. You've suffered, but you did not let that suffering change you for the worse. You are strong, and you are deserving of love." Primrose listened to him silently, and she gulped as she felt the tears returning to her eyes as he continued speaking.

"Alfyn is young, but he is also kind, and is the most selfless man that I've ever met. If anyone is going to judge you for your past and your mission, it is certainly not him. I can tell that his love for you is strong and genuine." Primrose tensed as a few tears escaped and fell down her face, and Olberic reached up with his free hand to wipe some of them away.

"My advice to you is this: Finish up your mission. Avenge your father's murder, and clear your heart of that burden. After that, talk to Alfyn. Be honest with your feelings, and give them a chance to flourish, if you still feel as strongly for him then as you do now. Do not let this opportunity to find true love and happiness pass you by. For now, cherish your friendship with him. Mending friendships can be hard, but it is worth it, I can guarantee that." Primrose knew that he was talking from experience, given the events that had transpired between him and his old friend when they had traveled to Wellspring. It was good advice, advice that she would not take for granted.

"Olberic...I will take your words to heart. I am grateful for your help, truely..." Primrose said, trailing off as she started crying in earnest, and Olberic silently pulled her into a gentle hug. Primrose had only ever been this vulnerable in front of Alfyn before, but Olberic had proven himself to be a steadfast friend and ally. It was a friendship that she held dear to her heart.

"I am glad that I could help. I want you to be happy, Primrose. All of us do. Especially Alfyn." Olberic said when Primrose pulled away after managing to stop her tears from falling. Primrose smiled at him, and held up her mug of ale.

"To friendship." she said, and Olberic laughed and clinked his mug against hers.

"To friendship."

*

The fields outside of Atlasdam were filled to the brim with interesting plants and herbs, but Alfyn wasn't as enthusiastic about them as he normally would be. He sighed as he absentmindedly grabbed some flowers useful in his salves and stuffed them into his satchel. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about that night when Primrose had kissed him. He still had no idea what it meant, but he concluded that it was nothing good, because ever since then, their conversations had been few and far between, and lacking in the usual depth that most of the previous ones had contained.

He couldn't help but feel like it was his fault somehow, this negative shift in their relationship. Maybe it was his lack of reaction to Primrose's kiss that caused this. Or his inability to find the courage to ask her about it. No matter what it was, though, it was depressing him, and he sighed deeply as he reached for another handful of flowers.

"Hey, Alfyn! Didya go deaf on me or what?"

Alfyn blinked in confusion as a ball of grass suddenly hit him in the face, exploding on contact, and he sputtered as bits of grass got into his mouth. He had almost forgotten about his gathering partner, and he looked up to find that Tressa was laughing at him.

"Shucks, I'm sorry, Tress. What's up?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, I found these cool looking herbs, and was wondering if you can find a use for them." Tressa said, beaming at him as she held out a bunch of purple plants. Alfyn shrugged and took them from her.

"I might find something to use them for. Thanks." he said, smiling halfheartedly as he shoved the herbs in his satchel with the flowers. Tressa pouted at him and then sighed, sitting down next to him. They were silent for a moment, before she looked at him with soft eyes.

"Hey, remember what I said to you in Saintsbridge? That if you're ever in need, you can always come to me, and I'll be happy to help?" Tressa said, and he nodded slowly, wincing slightly at the mention of that place where he started to question everything that he believed about being an apothecary.

"Well good, then out with it. What's been bugging you so much lately?" she continued, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've had this sad look in your eyes for a couple of days now."

"Well, I..." Alfyn started, as he fidgeted with the strap on his satchel. He hadn't mentioned anything about that night to anyone in their group yet, but Tressa had become one of his closest friends. Maybe she could help him shed some light on this awkward situation.

"It's just...a couple of nights ago, Prim and I couldn't sleep, so we were sitting out by the campfire together and...well..." He paused when he felt his face heat, up and he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "She kinda...kissed me."

Tressa responded to this information by letting out a squeal so loud that Alfyn winced when the noise hit his ears.

"Oh my gods, no way!" she said, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him excitedly. "I'm so happy for you!" She stopped shaking him and studied his frowning face, the smiled falling from her own.

"But, you don't seem happy about it. Why?"

"It's just...after it happened, Primrose just...went straight to bed. I was too stunned to try and stop her, and ever since then...our normally fun conversations have turned generic and short. It's awkward, and I don't know what to do." Alfyn sighed and held his head in his hands. "I feel like I somehow ruined our friendship." Tressa stared at him for a moment, and then she sighed and shook her head.

"You big dummy," she started, cuffing Alfyn lightly on the back of his head. Alfyn yelped in surprise and narrowed his eyes at her, rubbing at the offended skin. "You need to talk to her about it. Not saying anything won't do you any good."

"But..." Tressa continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "It might not be the right time for it." Alfyn blinked and cocked his head to the side, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it." she said with a shrug, "Primrose has a lot on her mind right now, with her mission and all. She's about to go back to her hometown for the first time in god's know how long. She probably has a lot of conflicting emotions right now. Adding conflicting romantic feelings might not be a good idea." Alfyn nodded slowly. She had a point there. Primrose already had a heavy burden to carry, and he certainly didn't want to add to that load.

"Here's my advice: Be there for her during this tough time. Be the best dang friend that you can be. She needs all the support she can get. Sure, the rest of us will be there for her as well, but you are her closest friend and confidant. Then, after she has dealt with her mission, have an honest conversation about your feelings. Nothing will be accomplished if both of you hold your feelings bottled up inside."

"You two are probably the most selfless and loving people that I've ever met, that's for sure, and I think you two would be perfect together. That's just my opinion though." Tressa continued, winking at Alfyn, "Just know that we are all rooting for you guys. We want you to be the happiest you guys can be!" Alfyn stared at Tressa for a moment, his lip quivering, and he suddenly burst into tears. Tressa's eyes went wide as Alfyn pulled her into a hug and cried on her shoulder.

"T-Thank you, Tress. You sure are a lot wiser than you look." Alfyn said, pulling away as he wiped away his tears. He laughed when she pouted at him.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, you are just a youngin' after all. Didn't think such a tiny gal could hold that much good advice is all." Alfyn ducked this time to avoid a playful swat aimed at his head.

"Whatever. I probably give better advice than Therion, or that clueless scholar of ours." she said, and they both laughed.

"I agree with ya there." Alfyn said as he stood up, and Tressa did as well, "But really, thank you. I feel a lot better now."

"No problem. You can come to me with any of your problems, you know. I'll try to help the best that I can!" Tressa said, "Now, let's find some more salve ingredients!" Alfyn laughed at her enthusiasm and followed her as she ran off across the field, and he knew what he had to do when they got back to town. He needed to talk to Primrose.

*

It was almost sundown when Tressa and Alfyn returned to town, and they headed straight for the tavern. They found the rest of their group inside, and Tressa turned to him, giving him a thumbs up before going to join Therion and Ophilia at their table. Alfyn smiled, and he turned to scan the rest of the tables, until he found who he was looking for. Primrose was sitting at a table with H'aanit, Cyrus, and Olberic. Primrose's eyes met his, and his heart skipped a beat at the radiant smile that she sent his way. He watched her stand and cross the room towards him, beckoning him to the bar. He met her there, and the bartender set two mugs of ale in front of them at her request.

"Hello, Alfyn." Primrose said, her eyes meeting his for the first time in days, without them darting away seconds later. Alfyn almost sighed with relief, but he caught himself and took a sip of ale instead.

"Hey Prim. How was your day?" he asked. She shrugged and twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger.

"Not bad. Had some drinks and conversation with Olberic, and went shopping for a bit with Ophilia. Nothing too exciting. How was your herb gathering adventure?"

"Great! Tressa and I found a lot of useful herbs." Alfyn said excitedly, and his heart fluttered when Primrose giggled. It was such a beautiful sound.

"I am glad that your day went well."

"Thanks."

The two fell silent, and Alfyn started to feel nervous. Oh no, what if this conversation was going to trail off awkwardly like the rest of them? He worried his bottom lip between his teeth and he desperately tried to think of something to say, but he didn't have to.

"Alfyn?" He looked up to find Primrose looking at him, a slight flush gracing her cheeks as she fiddled with the bangles on her wrists. She looked so cute, that Alfyn thought that his heart was going to leap from his chest.

"I was wondering if you'd teach me how to make a new salve? I think that I've gotten pretty good at making that simple healing salve that you taught me. If you think I'm ready to move on." she asked, and a large smile spread out across his face.

"Oh, sure! You've got a natural talent for salve making, Prim! I think you're definitely ready to move on to something else!" Alfyn said, happiness practically radiating off of him. Primrose laughed, and the awkwardness and anxiety Alfyn had been feeling melted away in an instant. This felt like a normal Primrose and Alfyn conversation, and he was so happy that things were back to normal between them.

"Good, I'm glad that you think so highly of me." Primrose teased, and he felt his cheeks heat up.

"Well, of course. You're an amazing person, Prim, in more ways than one." Alfyn said, and it was Primrose's turn to blush. He chuckled and set his bag onto the table, pulling out a few herbs and flowers.

"Anyway, I think I'll teach you to make a simple salve used to treat minor burns. You see, this herb helps to dull the pain, and..." Alfyn started, and he lectured on while Primrose listened intently, and they were both incredibly relieved that their relationship was back to normal. They were the best of friends, and that was good enough for the both of them, for the time being anyway.

Chapter Text

Primrose honestly never thought that she'd ever set foot back in her hometown again. Yet, here she was, with her seven loyal companions, finally leaving the wilds of the Flatlands and entering the city of Noblecourt. She paused at the entrance, and closed her eyes, taking in a deep, calming breath through her nose. Exhaling slowly, her hand moved to brush the handle of her dagger, hidden in its sheath at her hip. She was ready to do what she needed to do. She had to be.

"You okay, Prim?" Primrose couldn't stop the small smile that crossed her face as she looked up to find Alfyn watching her with his soft, kind eyes. The rest of the group had moved into the city already, probably to give her some much needed space, but Alfyn remained, and she was very okay with that.

"I think so." she responded. He nodded and beamed at her, and, gods, his smile always gave her pause. It was bright and friendly and beautiful and...She felt her face flush as her thoughts wandered to a place that it really shouldn't at this point in time, so she cleared her throat and began walking into town, with Alfyn at her side.

"Shucks, this place is huge! Can't imagine what it would have been like to grow up here." Alfyn said, as he gazed around with wide eyes. Primrose chuckled.

"This must be very different from where you grew up."

"Oh yeah! Clearbrook ain't even half the size of this place. Lots more dirt and shrubs around too. Oh, and the river that runs through it is mighty clear, and refreshing to take a dip in on hot days." Alfyn said, his eyes lighting up as he gushed about his hometown.

"It sounds like a wonderful place. I'd love to see it someday." Primrose said, and she grinned as Alfyn's face flushed pink.

"O-oh, gosh, I'd be happy to take you there Prim. My old friend Zeph and his little sister would love to meet you." Alfyn said as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, if they are even half as wonderful as you are, I'm sure we would get along fine." Primrose responded, and she barely contained her laughter as Alfyn's blush deepened to red and he sputtered incoherently.

As he composed himself, Primrose's attention was drawn to a crowd in the markets. An eyebrow raised, she moved in that direction, pushing her way through to see what the commotion was. Her heart froze when she saw a man lying on the ground, unmoving, with a woman kneeling next to him, sobbing hysterically. Her eyes went wide, and she didn't notice at first that Alfyn had rushed passed her to examine the body and try to console the distraught woman.

"...Rumor has it that he voiced his displeasure with his lordship a little too loudly, if you catch my meaning." Primrose overheard a townsperson say, and her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. How could her hometown have gone so downhill? She remembered in her childhood that her father made sure that crime was kept to a minimum. Now...murder in the streets, in broad daylight? She needed to put a stop to this, one way or another.

She was snapped from her thoughts as a few guards showed up, and Primrose quickly moved forward to yank Alfyn away from the dead man and back into the cover of the crowd.

"Prim! What're you-" he started to protest, but she brought a finger to his lips to silence him.

"Alfyn, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves. The man that I'm here to kill, he could be anywhere..." Primrose said, her voice dropping to a whisper as she glanced around, looking for anyone suspicious.

"Ah...right." Alfyn said, nodding slowly as a frown crossed his face. He glanced back at the guards ordering the crowd to disperse, and his eyes narrowed. "Something fishy is going on here. I don't like it, not one bit."

Primrose nodded in agreement, but she caught a glimpse of a familiar face and inhaled sharply. He was a friend of her father's...Revello, yes, that was it. Revello Forsythe. Lieutenant commander of the city watch. Or, former, by the looks of things. Primrose watched as he walked off towards the upper part of Noblecourt. Perhaps he could tell her what happened here...

"Alfyn." Primrose said, her tone serious as she turned towards him. "I think we should split up for now. Will you scout around and see if anything else suspicious is going on?" He narrowed his eyes at her and chewed on his lower lip.

"Are you sure, Prim? It might be safer to stick together." Alfyn protested, and she could practically sense the worry flooding off of him. She smiled slightly and took his hand in hers.

"I am. I can handle myself, you know." she said, and Alfyn laughed.

"Well, shucks, I know that. Still, doesn't stop me from worrying." he said, "You come find me if you figure out where this man you're looking for is hiding, okay?"

"I...will. Thank you."

"Anytime. Please be careful, alright? I'll be in the markets for a while if you need me, gonna see what they've got in terms of herbs and such here." Alfyn said, grinning as he gave his satchel a pat. Primrose nodded and turned to head up the stairs.

"See you later." As they went their separate ways, Primrose frowned. She appreciated that Alfyn, and the others, wanted to help her, but she could tell things were dangerous in Noblecourt right now. If she could take care of the next crow on her own, she would certainly try. She shook her head as she headed in the direction she thought that Revello had gone. She was crossing the bridge to the next part of town, when a too familiar voice reached her ears.

"Is it truly you, Lady Primrose?"

Eyes wide and mouth agape with surprise, she looked up to find the last person that she thought she would see here. His long silver hair and handsome face were just the same as she remembered them, from all those years ago.

"Simeon?"

*

"Whew, that's what I call a successful shopping day!" Alfyn said happily to himself as he pushed open the door to the tavern, waving at Olberic, H'aanit, and Cyrus, who were already seated at a table with drinks in hand. He eagerly went up to get his own mug, and he joined them.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" he asked, talking a long drink of his ale.

"Good, good. We just got done helping Therion grab one of those dragonstones he was looking for. It was...a bit of a mess." Olberic said, and the other two nodded in agreement.

"Well, shucks, I'm glad it all worked out okay." Alfyn said with a smile. It quickly fell from his face however, as he gazed around the tavern.

"Um, you guys haven't seen Prim, have you?"

"No, we thought she would be with you. Did something happen?" Cyrus asked, his brow furrowing.

"She decided to do some investigating on her own, and it's starting to get late." Alfyn said, glancing out the window, where the sun was high in the sky. They had entered town in the morning, and it was now past noon. Alfyn had though that Prim would have finished an initial survey and come to regroup with him by now. "I'm just worried about her, is all." Olberic smiled knowingly and nodded.

"I wouldn't worry, I'm sure she-"

Olberic was interrupted when the tavern door was suddenly thrown open, smacking against the wall hard, and Alfyn watched as an out of breath Tressa sprinted towards them, the frightened look on her face telling him that something was wrong.

"Guys! I, ah," she started, pausing briefly to catch her breath, "I think Primrose might be in trouble!" Alfyn shot to his feet, knocking over his mug of ale in the process, but he didn't notice as a wave of terror coursed through him.

"Easy, Tressa, what happened?" Olberic said, laying a hand on Alfyn's shoulder as Cyrus moved to quickly clean up his mess.

"I saw her with this old guy, and they seemed to be in quite the hurry. I tried to follow them, but I lost them in the crowds. She looked...angry. I think she may be going to confront the man she was looking for, without us." Tressa said, her fear layed plain on her face. That was all Alfyn needed to hear. He grabbed his satchel and turned, sprinting out the door without a look back, ignoring the shouts from his companions. He needed to find Primrose.

Alfyn ran through the crowded streets, barely managing to dodge between the masses of people crowding the streets. After running down a few side streets, he stopped in front of a large manse to catch his breath.

"Damn it all!" he cursed, biting his lip as he tried to suppress the panic that was welling up inside of him. Why the hell did she go off on her own? She said she would find him when she was ready to go find that man she was looking for. Why did she lie to him? And why didn't he insist on going with her?

He was about to take off running again to resume his search, but the door to the manse suddenly opened, and Alfyn turned to see who it was. A man ran towards him, and he was angry, judging by the snarl on his face. Alfyn's attention turned to who he carried in his arms, and the familiar red dancer outfit and long brown hair filled him with relief. That feeling was short-lived, when he realized that her clothes and skin were stained red with blood. Blood? He felt his own blood turn to ice in his veins, and he gasped with horrified shock.

"Primrose!"

"Boy! Follow me, quickly!" the man barked as he ran passed Alfyn without slowing down. Alfyn's feet seemed to move of their own accord as he rushed to keep up, and he focused on quelling the absolute terror flowing through him. Did she lose her battle with the crow man? Alfyn cursed himself for letting her go off on her own even more now.

Soon they arrived at a small house, and Alfyn followed the man inside, where he quickly lay the still-bleeding Primrose onto a bed. Alfyn moved to her side and assessed her injury. A stab wound that didn't look too deep, thankfully, but was still bleeding way too much. Alfyn quickly began pulling out the necessary supplies from his satchel, and he turned his attention to the man.

"Please, I need boiled water, and more bandages." he pleaded, his voice cracking as he tried to stay calm. The man nodded and turned to a woman that Alfyn didn't notice was here until now.

"Anna, you boil the water. I'll go hunt down the bandages." She nodded and went to work on her task, and the man ran back out the door. Alfyn turned back to Primrose, and he took one look at her pale face and grit his teeth.

"Don't worry Prim, I won't...I can't let you die." he whispered, rolling up his sleeves. He took a deep breath and steeled himself, before getting down to business, for her sake.

*

Some time later, Primrose's wound was safely sealed and bandaged, and it seemed that she would ultimately pull through. Alfyn sighed with relief as he wiped his hands clean. She still had a fever that he would have to keep an eye on, but Primrose was strong and a fighter, so Alfyn was confident that she could win this battle. The man, Revello, sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"How is she?"

"She...she'll pull through, I reckon." Alfyn said softly, as he swallowed hard. Now that Primrose was out of danger, the fearful emotions Alfyn had been suppressing were returning in full force, and he felt his hands start to shake. Revello stared at him for a moment, before reaching over with a wet cloth to gently dab away some sweat that had accumulated on Primrose's forehead.

"That is a relief. Thank you." Revello said, "What's your name, boy?"

"Alfyn, sir."

"Alfyn, I owe you a great debt for saving Lady Primrose's life. How much do you-"

"Oh, no sir," Alfyn interrupted, shaking his head, "Y'all don't owe me a thing. I'm just doing my job, and Prim's...well, she's a good...friend." Alfyn's eyes drifted to Primrose's face, and he took in a deep breath as he gently pushed some loose hair out of her face. He could feel Revello's gaze boring into him.

"Boy...Alfyn. You're in love with her." he said bluntly, and Alfyn opened his mouth to protest, but he shut it and sighed in defeat instead.

"...Yes sir. Golly, I've never loved anyone or anything as much as I love her." Alfyn said, and a small smile crossed the older man's face.

"I thought so. The way you look at her told me so. Does she know?" Revello chuckled when Alfyn shook his head. "Well, you better tell her soon. She's a beautiful and strong woman. Many a man and woman alike will be asking for her hand. Don't waste your chance."

"I know," Alfyn said as he ran a hand through his hair, "I'm planning on telling her when she's completed her mission. I'm guessing that she was defeated by the crow here?"

"No." Revello said, his jaw clenching, and Alfyn's eyebrows narrowed with confusion. "She was able to fell him, and when the deed was done, I left the room to give her some space to collect herself. I waited for a bit, but then I heard her scream. I ran back into the room and found her bleeding out on the floor. I don't know what happened. I should never have left the room." Alfyn watched as a guilty look filled Revello's eyes as the older man bit his lip, and Alfyn just shook his head.

"Don't blame yourself. You're not the one who stabbed her. I'm just glad you found her as quick as you did." Alfyn said. They sat in silence for a moment, before Alfyn continued, "Do...Do you know who did it?"

Revello shook his head. "I do not. The bastard was gone when I came back. We'll have to wait until Primrose wakes up to find out the details I'm afraid."

"Damn." Alfyn cursed, his face scrunching up in frustration. He wanted so badly to know who did this to her, so that he could go find them and make them pay for hurting the woman he loved.

"You should get some fresh air, though." Revello said, and Alfyn shook his head stubbornly.

"Nah, I can't leave her." he said, and the older man rolled his eyes.

"I will watch over her for you. Just get out of this stuffy house for a few minutes." Rebello said, "Anna already went and told your friends what happened, so you don't need to go far."

Alfyn hesitated, but sighed in defeat as he stood up, wincing at how stiff his arms and legs were. He paused and gave Primrose a once over, as if she'd take a turn for the worse if he took his eyes off of her for even an instant. He finally tore his gaze away and headed for the door, looking back one more time before he stepped outside.

The moon was sitting high in the sky, reminding Alfyn just how long he had been treating Primrose's injuries. Sighing deeply, he leaned against the outside wall of Revello's house, closing his eyes as he exhaled slowly. He felt...exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Primrose's injury was easily the worst he'd ever had to deal with, and the fact that he was head-over-heels in love with her upped his stress levels exponentially. The thought of how close she had been to dying made his feel physically ill. He took in a few more deep breaths, trying to calm his churning stomach. He could feel tears starting to prick at the corners of his eyes, and he was surprised that he had managed to keep them at bay up until now.

"Hey."

Alfyn's gaze lifted from the ground as the voice hit his ears, and he saw Therion standing in front of him, his visible eye watching Alfyn with barely detectable concern. Alfyn blinked owlishly at him, confused as to why he was here. His gaze then wandered to his arm that was outstretched towards him, and then to the mug of ale that he held in his hand.

"Here, thought you could use a pick me up." Therion said, nudging the mug in Alfyn's direction. A small smile crossed the apothecary's face as he gladly took the mug and quickly downed the contents, choking a bit as he drank a little too quickly.

"Easy, damn. Don't go drowning yourself." Therion grumbled, patting Alfyn on the back until he stopped coughing. He grasped Therion's arm to steady himself, and he wiped his mouth with his other sleeve.

"T-Thanks."

"Yeah. How is she?"

Alfyn took in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "She's...she'll live." Therion nodded slowly, relief washing over his face as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Thank the gods. We were all pretty worried when we found out what happened." the thief said, "And how are you?"

Silence fell between them for a moment as Alfyn stared at the ground, and when he looked back up, his cheeks were streaked with tears. Therion frowned and averted his gaze for a moment, before looking back up and holding his arms out in front of him. Alfyn sniffed before he started sobbing in earnest, and he closed the distance between them and buried his face into Therion's shoulder, finally letting out his pent up fear and sorrow. Therion was silent as he hugged his friend, gently rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"I-I was so scared, Therion," Alfyn choked out between sobs, "I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost her."

"You didn't. You saved her."

"I know, but just the thought of her dying breaks my heart in two. When I saw her bleeding like she was, I just...Therion, I love her so much, I just couldn't..." Alfyn's words were swallowed up as he sobbed harder, his hands gripping the front of Therion's shirt so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"Easy. You knew you wouldn't let her die. We all did. We all have faith in your healing skills." Therion said, "We've all got your back. Both of you. Remember that."

Alfyn managed a small smile against Therion's shoulder, but his eyes widened when a large pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders from the side.

"He's right." Olberic's deep voice hit Alfyn's ears. "We are your friends, and we will be with you until the end."

Another, smaller pair of arms wrapped around Alfyn's waist, and he glanced down to see Tressa smiling up at him.

"Yeah! You can always count on us!" she said, and Alfyn sniffed as fresh tears spilled down his cheeks. He felt three other people join the group hug, and he could assume that it was Ophilia, Cyrus, and H'aanit. Lastly, Linde meowed and rubbed up against his legs from below, and Alfyn just sobbed louder and harder. They were all right. He was not alone, and Primrose was not alone. They both had six other friends that would do anything to help them out, and Alfyn would do the same, and he knew that Primrose would too.

"S-Shucks..." Alfyn finally said when he composed himself, his voice hoarse from his crying, "Y'all are real upstanding folks, ya know? I really happy to have met y'all."

"We thinketh the same about thee." H'aanit said as the group hug dismantled.

"Indeed. I don't think any of us have ever met anyone as selfless as you or Primrose before." Cyrus chimed in, and everyone else nodded in agreement. Alfyn flushed and rubbed at the back of his head.

"Golly, that's...mighty kind of you to say. Thanks, for everything." Alfyn said, his signature beaming smile returning to his face. "Let's go check up on Prim together, alright?" Alfyn turned and returned to Revello's house as everyone else followed, and he thanked the gods for blessing him with some of the best companions he would ever have in his life.

*

Primrose groaned as her eyes slid open slowly, and she grimaced as they tried adjusting to the light of the room. She blinked a few times as her memories came flooding back to her.

"Was it...all a dream?" she said to herself, wincing at how sore her throat was. She gazed around, her brow furrowing in confusion. She was lying in a bed, in a room that she did not recognize. Her gaze moved to the side of the bed, and a small smile crossed her face at the sight.

Alfyn was sitting in a chair next to her bed, snoring softly, and she wondered how long he had been there. His hand was covering hers where it rested above the blankets, and she carefully moved her hand so that her fingers were entwined with his. He shifted slightly in his sleep, but did not wake.

Primrose then noticed a dull pain coming from her side, and she slid her free hand under the blankets. She poked at her side gently with her fingers, and winced when they touched bandages. Well, she now knew it wasn't all a dream. Damn it.

"Oh, thank the heavens! You've come back to us at last!"

Primrose looked up to find Anna rushing over to her bedside. The older woman sat in the chair on the unoccupied side of the bed. She gently took Primrose's free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling, my dear?"

"I've...been better." Primrose said honestly. At that moment, Revello walked in the front door, and his eyes widened when his eyes met Primrose's.

"My Lady Primrose! We thought we lost you forever!" he said as he rushed over. He then noticed that Alfyn was sleeping, and he smiled as his voice dropped in volume. "I'm glad the god's decided to be merciful on this day."

"How long was I out?" Primrose asked, and she was slightly afraid of what the answer would be.

"Three days and three night, my lady." Revello said, and Primrose cringed. That...was longer than she would have liked.

"You're lucky that you're friend here is such a gifted apothecary. He's the reason you're still with us." Anna chimed in, and Primrose glanced over at the Alfyn, who was still fast asleep. She smiled fondly at him, and Anna giggled.

Primrose listened as Revello spoke of Simeon and where to find him, and he eventually left the house to go and tell the rest of her companions that she was awake. Anna stayed at her side, and they sat in comfortable silence for a while.

Gripping the sheets below her with her free hand, Primrose cursed herself for letting her guard down. How could Simeon have betrayed her like this? He was the one who killed her father...What a gods damn fool she was. To think that she had once loved him. How incredibly naive of her.

"Primrose?" Anna finally said, pulling the dancer from her thoughts, "I just think you should know, Alfyn here barely left your side these past three days and nights. Revello had to drag him out of here a few times so that he could get some fresh air." Primrose smiled at that; she was not surprised at all.

"He is in love with you, you know." Anna continued, and Primrose felt her face heat up. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she hastily blinked them away.

"I...I know, Anna." Primrose said softly. "I think I love him too." A knowing smile crossed Anna's face and she nodded.

"You haven't told him?"

"No. I want my heart to be free of the burden of my mission before I try and give it to him."

"I see. You be sure to tell him soon after then, you hear me? He seems like a good man who will bring you great happiness." Anna glanced at Alfyn, who grumbled in his sleep and his eyes moved visibly behind his eyelids.

"I think he's waking up. I'll give you two some privacy." Anna said as she quickly stood up and made her way to the door.

"Thank you, Anna." Primrose said, and Anna just smiled and nodded as she left. Primrose felt Alfyn squeeze her hand and she looked over to see him yawn deeply, and his eyes finally slid open.

"Hmm...Golly, my neck sure is sore..." he mumbled, moving his head side to side as he cracked his neck. He blinked a few times before he finally turned to look at Primrose, and he gasped.

"Prim! You're awake!" he exclaimed, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a gentle hug. Primrose smiled and hugged him back, letting out a content sigh. She always felt so safe and secure in his arms. They embraced a moment longer, before Alfyn pulled away, the light blush on his face not going unnoticed by Primrose. "How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, but I think I'll be okay." she said, and Alfyn sighed with relief.

"Golly, I'm so glad." he said, and he took her hand in his again and frowned. "What happened?"

Primrose's face darkened, and her gaze fell to the bed. She clenched her free hand as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She slowly looked back up until her eyes locked with Alfyn's.

"I...I was betrayed, by someone from my past who I trusted." Primrose said, her voice barely above a whisper as she bit her bottom lip. "He, Simeon, was our family gardener, when I still lived here in Noblecourt. We...were very close." Alfyn nodded slowly, and she continued.

"I killed the second of the crows. Revello left the room to give me some space, and Simeon appeared. I didn't know why he would have been there, but I foolishly let my guard down. He was the one who killed my father, Alfyn. He is the head of the Obsidians. I saw the mark of the crow on his neck." Alfyn's grip tightened on her hand, and Primrose saw his eyes take on a watery sheen.

"Prim, I'm so sorry." he said, sniffing as he blinked away his tears, which made Primrose's heart clench. "I...why didn't you tell me? You said you'd come find me when you got the information you needed. I could have helped you, we all could have helped. Why did you lie to me?" Primrose stared at him for a moment, her own eyes welling up with tears. She brought her hand to her face as the tears started falling down her cheeks, and she looked down, too ashamed to look Alfyn in the eye anymore.

"Alfyn, I just...I've put you all in danger too many times already. When I found out Revello was still around, I thought that maybe I could take out the crow with his help, and not have to risk the lives of my friends...I didn't want you to get hurt for my sake." Primrose said, pausing briefly to take in a shaky breath and make a futile attempt at drying her face. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't want it to turn out this way. I didn't count on Simeon's betrayal."

Alfyn watched her silently for a moment, and Primrose glanced back up at him, and she found that his face was surprisingly unreadable. He then took in a deep breath and the tears he was trying so hard to hold back spilled down his face.

"Oh Primrose," Alfyn sobbed, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, "You don't have to handle everything on your own now. You're not alone anymore." Primrose's eyes widened, and fresh tears stained her cheeks. Alfyn moved his thumb over her cheek to gently wipe away the moisture, but it was a failed effort, as more tears quickly replaced the ones he removed. "I told you, I'll be with you every step of your journey. I want you to find happiness...and if I can help you with that in any way, all you have to do is ask. Even if you don't ask, I'll stick by your side until you get sick of me and kick me to the curb." Primrose let out a strained laugh between sobs, and she wrapped her arms around Alfyn, pulling him into another hug.

"I would never do that to you, Alfyn." she said into his ear, and he chuckled softly as he pulled her close so that her head was resting on his shoulder. "You are the most wonderful man that I've ever met. You've made me realize that maybe the world isn't such a terrible place after all. I will always be grateful to you for that." When her eyes had run dry of tears, she lifted her head up and her eyes locked with his. Primrose wanted so badly to kiss him breathless right then and there, and the look in his eyes told her that he maybe wanted the same thing, but alas, they would have to be patient, she knew this.

Instead, Primrose rested her forehead against Alfyn's, and he smiled brightly, that smile that never failed to make her heart soar. Her hand moved to cup his cheek, and he did the same to hers.

"Thank you, Alfyn. For everything you have done for me." Primrose said.

"You're welcome, Prim. I lo-uh..." Alfyn started, but he suddenly flushed a bright red and averted his gaze, while Primrose’s jaw dropped as she blinked at him. Did he almost...?

Primrose did not get to finish that thought, because right at that moment, the door opened and Tressa burst into the room, followed by the rest of their companions.

"Prim! You're okay!" she said happily as she hurried to the bed. Primrose smiled and she and Alfyn moved away from each other, but their hands stayed clasped together comfortably.

"It is good to see you awake." Olberic said, "We were all very worried for you."

"I'm sorry I worried you all...and that I tried to handle this problem on my own. Please forgive me for acting so foolishly." Primrose said, a wave of guilt passing through her as she looked down at her lap.

"Thou needeth not apologize." H'aanit said, and Primrose looked back up, her eyes wide. "Thou ist too used to being on thine own."

"Indeed." Cyrus chimed in. "We are all friends by now, and we will always be willing to help out in your times of need."

"Yeah, what he said." Therion mumbled, "So no going off on your own and almost getting yourself killed again, alright?"

"You're a great friend, Primrose. Don't be afraid to ask us for help with anything." Ophilia said, and Primrose's eyes yet again filled with tears.

"I...thank you. I am lucky to have met you all." she said, quickly rubbing away the tears that had escaped and ran down her face. The group of eight fell into familiar banter, and, with permission from Revello and Anna, they all fell asleep strewn about around Primrose's bed.

The next morning, they all bid farewell to Revello and Anna, and headed back out into the Flatlands. Primrose paused as they reached the outskirts of Noblecourt, and she turned to give it one last look, for now. The next time she returned, her father would be avenged, and she could finally pay a visit to his grave.

"Ah, Prim, I almost forgot."

Primrose looked up to find Alfyn standing next to her, holding a jar of salve in his hand. She raised an eyebrow at him, and waited for him to explain what it was.

"This'll help if you're wound starts to hurt again, and I reckon it'll help keep the scarring to a minimum too." he said, and she smiled. She had really fallen for a wonderful man.

"Thank you, Alfyn."

"No problem. And please take care of yourself. That's an order from your apothecary, ya hear?" he said with a wink, and Primrose giggled.

"I will, don't worry." she said, and she gently took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers as he blushed.

"Well, good. We'd better catch up to the others before we get left behind." Alfyn said, and she nodded as they headed off, hand-in-hand. For the first time in her adult life, Primrose was confident that she would never have to worry about being alone again, not as long as Alfyn was here by her side. And if the gods were on her side, he would always be there, until the end of her days.

Chapter Text

With the cool mountains of the Highland wilds behind her, Primrose entered the town of Everhold. Surrounded by her seven companions, Primrose’s eyes blazed with determination as she steeled her mind for what she was about to do. One hand clenched into a fist, while the other instinctively went to her dagger, a habit that she would be all too happy to break after she had her revenge. It was so close now, and she was practically shaking with anticipation. Simeon would pay for everything that he had done to her. She would make damn sure of that.

A soft, gentle hand covered her clenched fist, snapping her out of her dark thoughts as she looked up at Alfyn’s smiling face. Primrose forced herself to smile back as she unclenched her fist and took his hand, entwining their fingers together.

“Prim, you know you don’t have to fake a smile for me.” Alfyn said softly, giving her now shaking hand a comforting squeeze. She nodded slowly, the smile indeed falling from her face, replaced by a grim frown.

“I...Thank you, Alfyn.” Primrose said, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “I am...just too used to hiding my real emotions. It will take me awhile to break all of those habits from my days in Sunshade.” Primrose averted her gaze and worried her bottom lip between her teeth, but she looked back up when Alfyn tugged gently on her arm. She let herself be pulled into his warm, tender embrace, and Primrose was reminded that she always felt the safest when Alfyn’s arms were wrapped securely around her.

“It’s okay. I’m here for you.” Alfyn whispered in her ear, and a genuine smile crossed Primrose’s face as she buried her face into his chest, her hands clinging to his back as he continued to hold her. He rubbed his hands gently over her back, and Primrose sighed deeply as some of the tension plaguing her melted away. Alfyn truly was the most wonderful man that she had ever met.

“If you two are done with, uh, whatever you call that, we should probably get going and find this Simeon guy.”

Alfyn and Primrose regretfully pulled away from each other to find Tressa watching them, a sly grin on her face that caused Primrose to blush and turn away.

“Ah, right. Let’s go.” Primrose said quickly, glancing at Alfyn to find that his face had gone completely red, and she giggled as she grabbed his hand again. He rubbed the back of his head bashfully with his free hand and they both followed Tressa to catch up with the rest of the group.

After inquiring about Simeon’s whereabouts with some of the townspeople, the group of travelers found themselves at the top of a set of stairs, leading to a bridge that crossed over to a looming amphitheater. Primrose’s eyes narrowed into a glare as she pictured Simeon’s sinister grin, and her jaw clenched when his maniacal laughter echoed in her mind.

“So this is the stage for the final act…” Primrose mumbled to herself, her eyes taking in the sight of the massive structure. She would have thought it was beautiful, but knowing who was waiting for her inside dulled her impression of the building.

“We wilst haven to be careful.” H’aanit said, leaning down to pet Linde’s head, as the snow leopard had started growling loudly, “I hath a bad feeling about this place.”

“Indeed.” Olberic said, nodding in agreement. “This is Simeon’s turf, and I am certain that he will use that to his advantage.” Primrose swallowed thickly as she nodded, a nervous tightness forming in her chest. She would not lose to that bastard of a man. She could not.

“Don’t worry, Prim.” Alfyn said, his hand falling to rest on her shoulder. She looked up to find a confident grin on his face, and that eased her mind a bit. “If we all work together, there’s no way he can beat us!”

“Yeah! We’ll make him pay for what he did to you!” Tressa exclaimed, her eyes narrowing as she gripped the straps of her backpack tightly.

“Now, now, calm down you two,” Cyrus chimed in, shaking his head. “We cannot just rush in haphazardly. I fear we would be playing right into his hands.”

“Tch, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you Cyrus?” Therion said, rolling his eyes as Cyrus laughed sheepishly and rubbed at his neck.

“If you are referring to that business in Stoneguard, that was just...bad luck.”

“Just remember, Primrose,” Ophilia said, ignoring Cyrus and Therion’s banter, “we’ll be by your side the entire time, so you will not be alone.”

“I...thank you, everyone. I’m very glad that I met you all, and that we’ve become such close friends.” Primrose said, her heart swelling with happiness as her seven friends smiled at her. Her gaze moved to the amphitheater and her eyes narrowed. She was ready for this, she had to be. And, most importantly, she was not alone. Having her friends by her side gave her all the courage that she needed to finally avenge her father’s murder.

“Let’s go finish this. Together.” Primrose said, and with that, she rushed in to face whatever fate had in store for her, alongside all of her most treasured friends, and the man that she loved most in the world.

*

Alfyn could barely contain his anger as he, along with the rest of the group, listened to Simeon and Primrose exchange heated words. In all his days, Alfyn had never met such a cold-hearted, despicable, and downright evil man. Sure, Miguel had been a murderer and a thief, but Simeon was worse in Alfyn’s opinion, due to his sick obsession with Primrose’s misery that he himself had caused. His grip tightened on his ax, and he found himself thinking that he had never wanted to hurt someone so badly before, and that scared him slightly.

“Prepare to die, Simeon.” Primrose said, venom dripping from her words as her grip tightened even more on Alfyn’s hand, but he hardly noticed. All he could think about was what an awful bastard this guy was, and Alfyn would be sure to make him pay for hurting Primrose, both mentally and physically. Not just because he loved her, but because Primrose had done nothing to deserve such pain and suffering.

“Bastard…” Alfyn growled quietly through grit teeth, as he watched the beginning of Simeon’s twisted play along with the rest of his friends. Was this...about Primrose’s life? His theory was all but confirmed when Primrose squeezed his hand so tightly that it hurt, and when he glanced over at her, her eyes were wide, her face was pale, and she was biting her quivering lip to try and hold back the tears that were pooling in the corners of her eyes. Primrose’s eyes suddenly narrowed and she took a step backwards, her hand slipping from Alfyn’s as she turned to address the group.

“Come, we must not become distracted,” she said, her tone calm and even as she held her head high. The sight took Alfyn’s breath away, and he smiled as he tightened his grip on his ax. They decided it would be best to split into two groups to try and corner Simeon by taking both paths through the amphitheater. Olberic, Tressa, Therion, and Ophilia took the right path, while Primrose, Alfyn, Cyrus, and H’aanit took the left.

“Amazing! To think that this used to be an old castle. Whoever did the renovating for the theater did a remarkable job…” Cyrus said as he gazed around curiously.

“Primrose juste said to not getteth distracted, Cyrus.” H’aanit said, narrowing her eyes as Cyrus chuckled sheepishly and fiddled with his collar.

“Er, right. Apologies.” he said as he and H’aanit walked on ahead. Alfyn stopped when he noticed that Primrose had paused, moving into a nearby vomitorium, and was watching the next part of the play, her face unreadable. Alfyn silently moved to stand beside her, and she reached out to take his hand. Her own was trembling, and he entwined their fingers as he used his other hand to rub the back of hers gently.

“You alright, Prim?” Alfyn asked softly, although he probably already knew the answer to that question. Primrose was silent for a moment, her eyes locked onto the stage as the scene came to an end.

“...Yes, sorry.” was her quiet response, and Alfyn frowned when she did not meet his gaze. His free hand went to cup her cheek, and he gently moved her head so that she was looking him in the eyes. He saw the pain that she was trying to mask behind a look of indifference, and his heart clenched at the sight.

“Shucks, Primrose…You’re always chargin’ forward with a full head of steam.” Alfyn said, “Just starin’ straight at the goal in front of you. I just...well, make sure you stop and take a breather sometimes, okay? I know it’s hard when this bastard Simeon is playing with your emotions but…” Alfyn trailed off when Primrose squeezed his hand and pulled him forward into a hug.

“Perhaps you’re right.” she said, her hands gripping tightly at the back of his shirt. She then pulled away and turned to head back the way she came. “There, done. Let’s go.” She glanced over her shoulder, and the small smile on her face made Alfyn’s heart soar, and he smiled back, gently squeezing her hand that he was still holding.

“Right behind ya!” he said. Off they went to regroup with H’aanit and Cyrus, and then to confront the source of Primrose’s pain and misery, to silence him for good.

*

With the rest of their friends preoccupied with fighting off Simeon’s animated marionettes, Primrose finally confronted Simeon, with Alfyn right at her side. Anger blazed in her eyes as she stood across from the man who ruined her life, her hand gripping her dagger so hard that her knuckles had turned white.

“Ah, Primrose,” Simeon said, a sinister grin crossing his face, “You’re life was a beautiful tragedy the moment you were brought into this world. Surely you-”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Primrose’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Alfyn. The angriest glare she’d ever seen on his face was aimed at Simeon as he thrust his ax in his direction. “I won’t let you torment Primrose any longer, you bastard!”

“And who is this now? Have you taken on a new lover, Primrose? He seems a bit...lowborn for you.” Simeon said, and Primrose grit her teeth as she placed herself between him and Alfyn.

“He has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me.”

“Oh, no, he has everything to do with this. Such a delightful turn of events. How should the next act of your miserable life play out now?” Simeon mused, his eyes drifting between Alfyn and Primrose. “Should I kill you in front of your lover, so you can listen to his anguished screams as your life fades away?” Primrose’s stomach dropped as her face paled at the horrifying thought.

“Or,” Simeon continued, laughing as Primrose began visibly shaking, “should I kill your lover here, and watch as the last sliver of happiness leaves your eyes, and renders you a completely empty shell of a human being, devoid of all of the good things that life has to offer you-”

“ENOUGH!”

Primrose inhaled sharply as Alfyn stepped in front of her, eyes wide as she watched him. She had never seen him this angry, not even when he found out what Vanessa had done to Goldshore, or even when Miguel had abused his kindness and kidnapped that child in Saintsbridge.

“You’re nothing but a monster in human form!” Alfyn snarled, “Taking such pleasure in someone else's pain and suffering is unforgivable! Especially since you caused it all!” Alfyn took a step forward, slashing his ax in front of him as Primrose could only watch in stunned silence.

“I’ll say it again: I won’t let you hurt Primrose any more. You won’t be killing me or her today. It’s you who’ll be dead by the end of this!”

“Well, well, you certainly fell in love with a feisty one, my dear Primrose. Unfortunately for the both of you, I am a very jealous man, and I cannot just overlook this common piece of filth attempting to steal you away from me.” Simeon said, casually waving his hand in front of him. Two marionettes appeared at his side, bearing striking resemblances to people that Primrose would rather not think about at this very moment.

“She was never yours, bastard!” Alfyn yelled, his face red with anger, “You don’t deserve someone as kind and selfless and-” Alfyn stopped when Primrose placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he lowered his ax slightly as she stepped in front of him, her eyes narrowed into a glare as she turned her attention back to Simeon.

“Ah, Primrose. Are you ready to have your revenge? What would your father think?” Simeon taunted, lazily twirling a finger in his long silver hair.

“My father is dead.” Primrose said plainly, her expression blank. She closed her eyes for a moment, the events of her past leading up to this moment flashing behind her eyelids. It was a hard life she had lived up until now, but recently there were good memories to look back on. Her adventures with her eight most recent friends played in her mind as well, with Alfyn’s smiling face at the forefront. Yes, she would end this, and she would find her happiness at last. “He would understand, and this will be the end of it. When I plunge this dagger into your breast, it will all be over. I will finish this.” She heard Alfyn move to stand beside her, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that H’aanit and Cyrus had finally made it passed Simeon’s other lackeys and they came to stand beside her and Alfyn.

“Ah, perfect…” Simeon said, sighing dramatically as he waved his arms in front of him, “That heated look in your eyes...yes, this is the girl I fell in love with all those years ago…” Primrose heard Alfyn scoff loudly beside her, and she reached over to gently take his hand, which he held firmly.

“Come to me, Primrose! Let’s bring this beautiful tragedy to a close!” Simeon said. With that, his marionettes charged forward, and Primrose let out a yell as she moved to meet them, with Alfyn, Cyrus, and H’aanit following close behind. She knew that they would prevail, for her faith in her friends, and in the man that she loved, would be her shield.

*

Simeon was dead. It was finally over. Primrose took a few steps backward, her bloody dagger falling from her hand, and the clattering sound of the blade hitting the floor was oddly deafening. She suddenly started shaking, her breaths quick and short, and her legs turned to jelly as they gave out from under her. Before her knees could hit the floor, however, a pair of strong, warm hands caught her, as they had many, many times before.

“Primrose…” Alfyn’s soft voice hit her ears as he slowly lowered the both of them to the floor. Primrose gulped and slowly lifted her gaze to his face, his eyes filled with concern, care, and...love. She took in a deep breath and, like a dam bursting after a flood, she broke down sobbing as all of her pent up emotions rushed to the surface all at once. She buried her face into Alfyn’s chest, quickly soaking the front of his shirt with her tears. His strong, warm arms wrapped around her, one hand rubbing soothing circles over her back, while the other moved to the back of her neck to gently support her head.

“I’ve got you Prim. I’ve got you.” Alfyn whispered in her ear as he continued to hold her, patiently letting her cry out her overwhelming feelings. He could not begin to fathom how many conflicting emotions she was feeling right now, but he could be a source of comfort, and that’s what he would be, as long as she needed him. It was the least he could do for the woman that he loved more than anyone else in the world.

The room was silent for a few long minutes as Primrose continued to cry against Alfyn’s chest. It seemed that the rest of their friends had left the room, giving them some much appreciated privacy. Alfyn made a mental note to thank all of them for that later. He noticed that Primrose’s sobs had slowed, and they eventually ceased altogether. She took in a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly, and she finally lifted her head from his chest to look him in the eyes.

“Alfyn…” Primrose choked out, her throat sore from her crying. He smiled softly down at her, and she sighed deeply and closed her eyes as he cupped her cheek, brushing away the tears that were still left on her face. His other hand moved to push a few stray hairs out of her face.

“You did it, Prim. You finally avenged your father.” Alfyn said, “You’ve been so strong all this time, and I know I’ve only known you for a short time, but I’m proud of you, and I think your father is proud of you too.” Alfyn’s heart soared when Primrose laughed weakly, a few stray tears falling down her cheeks that he quickly brushed away for her. Her smile was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, by a long shot. He hoped that he would get to see it more often now.

“Thank you, for everything you’ve done for me.” Primrose said, reaching up to place her hand over one of Alfyn’s that still covered her cheek. She felt...lighter. Like a heavy stone that had been crushing her chest had finally been lifted off of her. She was free of her most daunting burden, and she could finally look forward to her future, instead of being consumed by her past.

“It’s gotta feel good, right? Now your heart is free from all of that pain! I’m happy for you.” Alfyn said as he beamed at her. Primrose blinked at him, her hand moving to rest on her chest over her heart. ‘Clear your heart of that burden, and then be honest about your feelings for Alfyn.’ Olberic’s words of advice echoed in her mind, and she smiled softly, removing her hand from her chest and instead placing it on Alfyn’s.

“Yes...my heart is finally free,” Primrose whispered, her other hand moving to cup Alfyn’s cheek. “Free to give to whoever I choose.” She giggled when Alfyn’s face flushed a bright red, his mouth opening and closing a few times as he tried to think of a response.

“I, uh...well, yeah.” Alfyn said, stumbling over his words, “W-Whoever you give it two will for sure be the luckiest person in the world-” Primrose rolled her eyes, and decided to stop Alfyn’s rambling in the best way she could think of: by leaning up and pressing her lips to his in a soft, yet tender kiss.

Alfyn’s heart leapt into his throat when Primrose’s soft, beautiful lips pressed against his, and he watched as her eyes slowly slipped shut. He froze for a moment to make sure that this was indeed happening and not just a cruel, cruel dream. When he decided that this was real, he smiled against Primrose’s lips and wrapped his arms around her, one hand moving to the small of her back while the other settled in the loose hair at the back of her neck. Gods, he thought that the first kiss that he shared with Primrose was wonderful, but this was on a whole other level. The happiness he felt was overwhelming, and tears begin to prick at the corners of his eyes.

Primrose snaked her arms around Alfyn’s neck, pulling him even closer as their lips melded together. It had been a long, long time since she had been this happy, and felt so wanted. That was all before she had met Alfyn and fallen hopelessly in love with him. She felt now that she could finally express those feelings, without having her dark past plaguing her heart. Her eyes cracked open when she felt moisture hit her lips, and she broke the kiss when the taste of salt hit her tongue.

“Alfyn, why are you crying? I am that bad of a kisser?” Primrose teased, giggling when his eyes widened and he quickly shook his head.

“Oh, gods no, Prim!” Alfyn blurted out, blushing as Primrose smirked and reached up to wipe his tears away. “I’m just...so happy. I’ve kept my true feelings for you bottled up for so long, and to finally kiss you properly...Well, gods, it’s just kind of overwhelming I guess.”

“And what are these true feelings, hm?” Primrose asked, though she already knew the answer. Alfyn smiled fondly at her and reached up to cup her cheek as he rest his forehead against hers.

“Love. I love you, Primrose.” Alfyn said softly, and it was Primrose’s eyes that welled up with tears this time. “I’ve...never felt this way about someone before. You’re just so kind and beautiful and strong and amazing in every possible way. I couldn’t help but fall head-over-heels for you.”

“Oh, Alfyn…” Primrose sniffed as a few tears fell down her face, and Alfyn brushed them away, placing gentle kisses on each of her cheeks afterward, “You are truly the most wonderful man that I’ve ever met. I...know that I was wary of you at first, and I may have treated you a bit coldly.”

“Aw, don’t worry about that. I know you were treated pretty badly by men before…”

“Even so, you were one of the few that treated me well from the start. When you offered to take care of my wounded foot, I was wary, for the awful men that I encountered in Sunshade always had ulterior motives. When you asked for nothing in return, I was...confused to be honest.”

“It’s fine, Prim.” Alfyn said, taking her hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze. “I was just doing my job as an apothecary, and as a friend.” Primrose chuckled and leaned forward to give Alfyn a quick kiss, and she paused when she pulled away to watch as Alfyn’s entire face lit up.

“And I am grateful for that. I think after that I slowly started falling in love with you, even if I didn’t fully realize the depths of my feelings at first. I just…didn’t think you could ever love someone as broken as me. And I didn’t want to give you a heart so tainted by my past.”

“Wait, you mean…?” Alfyn breathed, eyes wide and jaw falling open in disbelief. Primrose laughed and reached up to push his jaw shut, her hand lingering to cup his cheek. Right, she hadn’t expressed her true feelings yet.

“Yes. I love you too, Alfyn.” Primrose said. She was startled when Alfyn let out an excited ‘whoop’ and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Shucks! You mean it, Prim?” Alfyn said, pulling away with a toothy grin on his face. Primrose laughed and brushed a hand over the hair on the side of his head.

“Of course, Alfyn. I would never joke about something like this. Is it really that unbelievable that I love such a handsome, wonderful man like you?” Primrose teased, and Alfyn blushed and averted his gaze bashfully.

“Wow, I just always thought you were way out of my league. Didn’t think you’d ever fall for a poor, country bumpkin apothecary like me.”

“Well, if it was any other poor, country bumpkin apothecary, then probably not. But you are a very special man, Alfyn. It only seemed natural to fall in love with you.”

“Ah, gosh, you’re making me blush.”

“Oh? It’s cute, so maybe I should keep teasing you.”

Laughter echoed throughout the room as Alfyn and Primrose kissed yet again, tender and soft and filled with their immense love for each other. Wrapped tightly in each other’s embrace, they both secretly wished that this moment would never end. It just seemed too perfect.

“Hey guys! We’re happy for you and all, but we really don’t want to be here all day!”

Regretfully pulling away from each other, Primrose and Alfyn looked over to find Tressa poking her head in the room, a mischievous eyebrow raised and a knowing smile on her face.

“Er, right.” Alfyn said, his face flushing a bright red as he cleared his throat and stood, offering Primrose his hand. She giggled and took it, letting him pull her to her feet. When Tressa retreated from the room, Primrose stole another kiss from Alfyn’s lips as she entwined her fingers with his.

“Well, shall we head for the tavern, my dear Alfyn? We have much to celebrate after all.” Primrose laughed when Alfyn nodded eagerly as they walked towards the door.

“Yeah! All this excitement has got me mighty thirsty.”

“You always seem to be thirsty.”

“Only when there’s good ale to drink!” Alfyn winked as Primrose rolled her eyes, and they were all smiles as they went to reunite with their friends, hand-in-hand and with hearts filled to burst with the love that they held for each other.

*

After a late night of drinking and merriment, the group of eight travelers were ready to set out again by midday the next morning, once the many hangovers had been treated of course. Primrose stood at the edge of town, waiting as Alfyn caught up to her, his hands shuffling around in his satchel as he mumbled to himself.

“Alright...It looks like everything I need is here and ready to go…” he was saying when he stopped in front of Primrose. “Ah, Prim, are you sure you’re okay with not going back to Noblecourt right away? I’m sure the others would understand if you-”

“It’s fine, Alfyn.” Primrose interrupted, chuckling as she took his hand. “My father’s grave will be there whenever I choose to go back. Besides, Cyrus, Olberic and H’aanit still need help with their quests, and I promised to be with everyone until the end.”

“Alright, if you’re sure.” Alfyn said, smiling fondly as he lifted Primrose’s hand to his face and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. “It’s actually good that we’ll be heading to the Riverlands, ‘cause I heard quite the piece of gossip from the apothecary here.”

“Oh?”

“Apparently there’s a sickness plaguing the town of Orewell, in the Cliftlands. Was thinking we could swing by there after we help Olberic and see if I can do anything to help out there.”

Primrose smiled fondly at Alfyn, her heart swelling with pride. She really had fallen in love with a selfless, kind man, and she was happy that she did not have to keep her feelings a secret any longer. She leaned up and placed a kiss on Alfyn’s lips, and she giggled at the goofy smile on his face when she pulled away.

“Shucks, Prim, I reckon I’ll never get used to you just randomly kissing me like that. I feel super warm and giddy inside.” Alfyn said as they started walking down the road to catch up with the rest of the group.

“You’re so cute and innocent, Alfyn. It’s rather adorable.” Primrose said, and she giggled when Alfyn’s face scrunched up and he looked away.

“C’mon, you make me sound like a kid or something…” he grumbled, and Primrose grinned as she slipped her arm behind his back, while his automatically fell to rest over her shoulders.

“Sorry, dear. You’re just too fun to tease.”

“I guess…”

“Mmm, I’ll find some way to make it up to you later.” Primrose leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, and she lightly caressed his waist. Alfyn shivered under the touch, his face turning beet red as he sputtered.

“U-Uh, I mean...that’s, uh…” he said, and Primrose made a mental note of how easy it was to completely fluster him. Oh, this was going to be fun…

“Ugh, get a room already!” Therion said as he came up behind Alfyn and Primrose. “Do we really have to put up with this for the rest of our trip?”

“Oh, Therion,” Primrose said, chuckling as Alfyn just looked away in response, “no need to be jealous. Why, if you just told a certain someone how you feel about them, you could enjoy the same-”

“Never mind!” Therion said quickly, muttering to himself as he quickened his pace to get as far ahead of Primrose as possible. Alfyn shared a glance with Primrose and they both burst out laughing.

“You’re something else, Prim.” Alfyn said, squeezing her shoulder as their laughter died down.

“I do hope that’s a good thing.” Primrose teased.

“Of course it is! I only ever have good things to say about you!”

“Ugh, you are so sickeningly sweet, Alfyn.”

“Aw, I know you like it though, darling.”

Alfyn and Primrose laughed as they resumed their journey, not just the one that they were continuing with their friends, but the one that they had just begun, as lovers.

Chapter Text

“Wow! We’re up so high!”

“Careful now, Tressa. Taking a tumble off of the cliffs from this high up would not end well for you.”

“Aw, I’ll be fine, Professor!”

Alfyn chuckled as he watched his friends admire the view, except for Therion, whose face had grown pale and he looked quite determined to stay as far away from the edge of the cliffs as possible. The town of Orewell was situated even higher in the Cliftlands than Quarrycrest had been, and the view was indeed rather breathtaking. However, he couldn’t quite enjoy it fully, for he had things on his mind that caused the smile to fall from his face.

Distancing himself from the rest of his companions, Alfyn wandered off until he was standing in the middle of one of the bridges over the canyon, connecting the two sides of the town. He sighed deeply and gripped the railing, so hard that his knuckles turned white. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking about what had happened in Saintsbridge. Nightmares about the events that took place there still plagued his sleep, and self-doubt about his beliefs as an apothecary festered in his heart; he was truly at a loss at how to deal with it.

“Alfyn?”

Eyes wide, he turned to see Primrose approaching, head tilted slightly to the side and brown eyes filled with obvious concern. He swallowed thickly and turned his gaze back out at the cliffs. He hated feeling like this, and he hated the fact that he was probably worrying Primrose with his behavior. Feeling her eyes boring into him, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his uncertainty making him unable to form a response.

Primrose watched him carefully with a soft gaze. It was hard to see the man that she loved so down on himself, when he was such a talented and gifted apothecary. She had tried countless times to talk him through what happened in Saintsbridge, but it didn’t seem to ever be enough to pull him out of the pit of insecurity that he had fallen into. She glanced down at his hands and saw that they were pale and shaking, and she reached out towards them.

“Alfyn, it’s okay,” Primrose whispered. She placed her hands over his, where they still had a death grip on the railing, and she gently tugged on them until he relaxed enough so that she could pry his fingers away. She held his hands in hers, watching him patiently until he finally lifted his gaze to her own. A sweet smile crossed her face, causing Alfyn’s cheeks to flush pink, and Primrose giggled as she lifted one of his hands to her face. Her soft lips pressed against the tip of his thumb, and then his index finger, and every other finger after that. She then did the same to his other hand, and when she began kissing his palms and knuckles, Alfyn’s face was flushed fully red and his heartbeat was hammering hard in his ears.

“Mmm, feeling better, dear?” Primrose asked, lips grazing his wrist, and he could feel his pulse jump at the touch. She laughed when Alfyn’s mouth opened and closed a few times, like he was a fish out of water gasping for air, and she released his hands and instead reached up to cup his face.

“Oh my, did I overdo it?” she teased, gently rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs. Alfyn blinked at her before smiling sheepishly as he shook his head.

“Golly, Prim, I just...wow.” A goofy grin crossed his face, and Primrose giggled before placing a quick peck on his lips. She pulled away and looked him straight in the eye as she brushed a few strands of hair from his face.

“If something is troubling you, Alfyn, you can always talk to me about it. I don’t enjoy watching the man that I love suffer in silence.” Primrose’s voice was soft, and a sad smile crossed her face when she saw tears welling up in his eyes.

“Ah, thanks Prim,” he said, rubbing his arm over his face to clear away his tears. His arms fell back to his sides and Primrose gently took his hands in hers, giving them an encouraging squeeze.

“I just…” Alfyn continued, pausing briefly as a deep sigh escaped him, “I feel like I’ve come all this way, and I’ve only found more questions instead of answers.”

“Don’t worry.” Primrose wrapped her arms around Alfyn and pulled him into an embrace. “You will find your answers, I know it. You’ve done so much for me, so I want you to know that I will help you in any way that I can.”

“Shucks, Prim.” Alfyn returned her hug eagerly as he pressed his face against her hair. “It means so much to me to hear you say that. I really do appreciate it. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Primrose pulled away slightly so that she could lean up and press her lips to Alfyn’s. A gust of air left his nose as he sighed, and Primrose felt his arms relax around her as the tension left his body. A hand went to rest at the back of her neck, tilting her head back so that Alfyn could deepen the kiss.

“Ahem. I do not mean to interrupt, but…”

Alfyn quickly broke away, cheeks flushed red and he turned to look at Cyrus, who was scratching at his chin sheepishly and avoiding eye contact. Primrose giggled and gave Alfyn one last kiss on his cheek before she pulled away, her hand slipping into his and entwining their fingers together.

“Er, sorry Cyrus. What’s up?” Alfyn said, smiling as he stole a fond glance at Primrose and gave her hand a squeeze.

“I’ve been inquiring with the residence here about the sickness that we heard about, and it seems that it might be more serious than we initially thought,” Cyrus said, and Alfyn’s brow furrowed, his mouth forming a tight line as a serious glint appeared in his eyes.

“Where are the infected?” Alfyn asked, and Cyrus pointed to a house across the gap in the cliffs, “Alright, let’s go.” He swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, trying to push his insecurities aside for now; he could not let them affect his work, not when lives were at stake.

As Cyrus began leading the way, Primrose cupped Alfyn’s cheek and placed a quick, chaste kiss on his lips. Alfyn’s heart soared, and the anxiety he felt was lifted, if only briefly.

“Remember, Alfyn, we are all here for you. We will help in any way that we can.”

“Aw shucks, I know. Thanks, darlin’,” Alfyn gushed, and they quickly caught up with Cyrus and the others, heading for the house that contained the afflicted.

After assessing the condition of the sick villagers, Alfyn sent everyone but Primrose out to gather the supplies he needed. Worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, he sighed and shook his head.

“There are so many…” Alfyn muttered, pushing his sleeves up and kneeling beside his first patient. Primrose was about to kneel down next to him, but she turned when she heard the door open.

“...I’m coming in.”

Primrose’s eyes widened when Ogen, of all people, stepped into the house. She heard Alfyn inhale sharply, and she turned towards him, placing a hand on his slightly shaking arm.

Ogen ignored the two of them and went to one of the sick men on the opposite side of the room. Alfyn was quiet as he watched Ogen, and Primrose had no idea what was going on inside his head at the moment. She gave his arm a gentle squeeze, and he let out a breath that he did not realize he had been holding. They both watched as Ogen started talking to one of the sick men, and Alfyn’s eyes narrowed when Ogen tried to pull a tonic from his satchel, only to fumble with it and send it tumbling back into the bag. That was...odd.

Primrose raised an eyebrow when Alfyn stood up and walked up to Ogen. She watched silently as they talked, and she was not surprised when Ogen turned down Alfyn’s offer to work together. He was too similar to herself, that old man was. Although, unlike him, she was luckily getting better at letting people help her with her problems. Alfyn was a big part of that change in her, and she was curious to see if maybe he could influence Ogen in a similar way.

Alfyn returned to their side of the room, and they got to work helping the sick men and women. It was tiring, but they pushed through and, with the supplies that their friends brought them, Alfyn and Primrose were able to successfully tend to each and every one of the sick.

“That takes care of everyone!” Alfyn said, a bright smile crossing his face as he wiped an arm across his sweaty brow, and Primrose smiled as she nodded.

“You did well, Alfyn. I’m proud of you.” She leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek, and Alfyn flushed as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Aw shucks, thanks Prim. Couldn’t have done it without my beautiful assistant helpin’ me out,” he gushed, pulling her into a hug as he placed a kiss on her forehead. A loud ‘ahem’ hit Alfyn’s ears, and he cleared his throat bashfully as he released his hold on Primrose. He had forgotten that they weren’t alone. Whoops…

“Er, uh, well, all this work caused me to work up quite a thirst! Prim, darlin’, would you like to hit the tavern now?” Alfyn asked, holding his arm out to her. Primrose giggled as she nodded, lightly placing her hand over his forearm.

“Of course, love. Lead the way.” Alfyn smiled as he placed his hand over hers and made for the door.

“See you around, Ogen,” Alfyn said as they stepped outside, and he paused to look back at the door.

“Alfyn?” Primrose’s eyes narrowed as she watched him closely.

“Ah, it’s nothing,” he said, smiling as he shook his head, “Let’s get going.” Primrose wasn’t convinced, but she held her tongue this time. She could try and talk to him about his troubles later, because she was also feeling a bit thirsty right now, and they both could use some unwinding after taking care of so many sick people.

“There you guys are! Did you get all those poor villagers taken care of?” Tressa asked when Alfyn and Primrose approached their table at the tavern. Alfyn placed a quick kiss on Primrose’s cheek and went up to the bar to get them a couple of mugs, leaving her to respond to Tressa’s question.

“Yes. I think they will all make a quick recovery,” Primrose said as she sat down in between Tressa and Ophilia.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Ophilia said, smiling as she sipped on her drink. “Um, is Alfyn doing any better? With his self-confidence issues?” Primrose sighed and shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest as she twirled her hair around her finger.

“I wish I could say yes. He’s such a talented apothecary. It’s a shame that one incident has put such a dent into his confidence. I wish I could do more for him…” Primrose trailed off, and she blinked as a mug of ale slid to a stop in front of her. Smiling, she turned to Alfyn as he sat down, but her smile quickly faded when she saw the look on his face.

“Alfyn? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Ogen.” Alfyn’s voice dropped low, and Primrose stole a glance behind him, where she saw Ogen finish his drink, pay the bartender, and promptly leave the tavern.

“He...I think something’s wrong with him,” Alfyn continued, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, “He kept on dropping things when we were taking care of those sick villagers earlier, and his hands were shaking when I was chatting with him, just now.”

“Do you think...he could have caught the sickness from the villagers?” Primrose asked, exchanging a worried glance with Tressa and Ophilia.

“I don’t think so. He just got to town, like us. He couldn’t have caught it so quickly…” Alfyn pursed his lips as he stared down at his mug, so intensely that Primrose wouldn’t have been surprised if it had caught fire.

“Alfyn, maybe he’s just...tired, from tending to those sick people? We were tired after doing so too, after all.” Primrose wasn’t so sure herself, but Alfyn finally looked up at her and nodded slowly.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. I might just be looking into it too much.”

“Don’t worry yourself to death, dear. It’s not a bad thing to have a bleeding heart, but don’t bleed yourself dry.”

Alfyn laughed and wrapped an arm around Primrose’s shoulders, leaning over to place a kiss on her cheek.

“You’ve got a point, Prim. Thanks.” He held his mug up and clinked it against her own. “Cheers, to doing some good work today!” Primrose giggled as they drank their ale, and she was grateful that his mood seemed to be improving, at least for the night.

---

Primrose awoke the next morning, feeling refreshed and ready to continue helping Alfyn tend to the sick villagers. As she took her breakfast with Tressa and Ophilia at the inn, she found it odd that she hadn’t seen Alfyn yet.

“Therion?” she asked when the thief stumbled down the stairs, still half-asleep, “Is Alfyn still asleep?” She wasn’t surprised when Therion shook his head; Alfyn was usually one of the first people in their group awake, next to H’aanit. So where was he?

“Maybe he went out to get some more supplies?” Tressa suggested, and Primrose slowly took a bite of her bread. She didn’t think that Alfyn’s satchel had been running low on anything, but maybe-

Her thoughts were interrupted when Alfyn suddenly burst in through the door, wide-eyed and out of breath. His eyes met hers and he quickly crossed the room, placing his hands on Primrose’s shoulders.

“Alfyn, what-”

“Prim! I know what I need to do now!” Alfyn said, determination blazing in his eyes as he gently squeezed her shoulders. Primrose just blinked at him, confused, and he took a deep breath before smiling at her.

“No one is gonna keep me from doin’ it, and I’m gonna show everyone what I believe in!” he continued, and Primrose mirrored his smile before bursting into a fit of giggles.

“That’s wonderful, Alfyn, but I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she teased, and Alfyn’s face flushed a bright red as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Ah, right, sorry,” he said sheepishly, “I ran into Ogen this morning, and it turns out that he really is sick! Terribly so!” Primrose’s eyes widened at that, and she took his hands in hers.

“He told me that he’s a sinner, and that he’s not worth saving, but you know what? I told him that I didn’t give a damn!” Alfyn continued, and a broad smile slowly spread out across Primrose’s face. To her relief, it seemed like his self confidence issues were melting away.

“It ain’t my job to choose who lives or dies, ‘cause I ain’t no god!” Alfyn entwined his fingers with hers and pulled Primrose to her feet. “If it’s in my power to help a body, then I’ll be damned if that ain’t what I’m gonna do! That’s why I became an apothecary, and that’s what I believe in!”

“That...sounds just like the Alfyn that I know and love,” Primrose said, giving his hands a reassuring squeeze. Ophilia and Tressa giggled as they both nodded in agreement.

Alfyn grinned and barked out a laugh. “Does it? Golly, I’m glad you think so. Thank you, Prim, for believing in me. And you guys too, all of you.” He looked from Tressa to Ophilia, and even to Therion, who still seemed half-asleep.

“So, about Ogen, can you treat him?” Primrose asked, and Alfyn’s face turned serious, but he did nod, which eased Primrose’s worries a bit.

“Yes, he...has the same disease that almost killed me as a kid.”

“Wow, what a coincidence that is!” Tressa chimed in, and Primrose nodded in agreement.

“It sure is,” Alfyn said, his bottom lip slipping between his teeth, “and I finally remember how to make the elixir that cured me. Problem is, the main ingredient is gonna be dangerous to get. But luckily, we can get it in the forest not too far from here.”

“What is it, this ingredient?” Primrose asked.

“The feather of an ogre eagle.”

“Sounds like a fun time. Well, when are we going to get it?”

A conflicted look crossed Alfyn’s face as his gaze wandered over his companions, falling to rest on Primrose. “I dunno...It’ll be pretty dangerous. Y’all really willing to risk your lives for my sake?” Primrose barked out a laugh and rolled her eyes.

“Please, Alfyn. How many times have you helped all of us out with our dangerous problems, hm?” She giggled when he averted his gaze and his cheeks flushed pink. “I certainly will follow you to the ends of the world, and I’m sure the others here will do the same.” Ophilia and Tressa agreed wholeheartedly, and Therion rolled his eyes, but a grin crossed his face as he nodded.

“Thanks. Really, I owe y’all a lot.” Alfyn sniffed as a few tears fell down his face, and Primrose gently brushed them away before placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Ugh, let’s just get a move on before I lose my breakfast here,” Therion groaned, making an exaggerated gagging noise as Tressa and Ophilia laughed. Alfyn’s face flushed red, and Primrose smiled as she took her hand in his.

“Should we wait for the other’s to get back here?” Primrose asked, and Alfyn shook his head.

“Nah. I ran into them on the way here, and H’aanit’s already hunting the eagle. Cyrus and Olberic are helping her out too, so they should find it in no time.”

“Then we should get going.”

Ophilia, Tressa, and Therion all quickly went to gather their supplies for the fight, but Alfyn stopped Primrose when she made to follow them. She turned towards him, a curious eyebrow raised, and he pressed his lips to hers before she had time to think about it.

“Prim,” he whispered when he pulled away, “thank you, for believing in me...for loving me. I really couldn’t have busted out of this slump without you. Well, a lot of people actually, but you’ve really been my light in this dark spot of my life.” Primrose smiled softly and lifted his hand to her face, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

“I am happy that I was able to pull you through this, Alfyn. It’s the absolute least I could to for all that you have done for me. All I want is for you to be happy.”

“Shucks, I really must have been blessed by the gods. It still kinda feels like a dream, you know, being loved by you in return.”

“Oh, no need to be so sappy, dear.”

“Heh, sorry.”

Alfyn stole one last kiss from Primrose’s lips, before they both gathered their supplies and took off with the others, both of them determined to save the life of a sick, broken man, just because it was the right thing to do.

---

In the end, the ogre eagle was defeated, and Alfyn was able to make the elixir that would save Ogen’s life. Primrose smiled as she stepped out of the inn, three days after that exciting battle. Alfyn was already gone, and she was curious as to where he had run off to this time. She had expected him to be in Ogen’s room, but when she had gone to check there, she found the room empty.

“Excuse me, you are...Primrose?”

Speak of the devil...Primrose looked up as she began crossing the bridge over the chasm to find Ogen standing there, looking much healthier than the last time that she saw him.

“Yes. It’s good to see you up and about, Ogen.” He shrugged at that, and gestured over his shoulder with his head.

“If you’re looking for Alfyn, he’s over on the far side of the cliffs.”

“Thank you.” Primrose nodded as she made to move passed him, and as she did so, she paused when he spoke again.

“One last thing: Take care of him. That bleeding heart of his will get him into trouble someday if he’s not careful.” Primrose smiled and let out a chuckle as she stole a glance behind her.

“I will. Take care, Ogen.”

“Yeah, you too.”

She watched him walk off for a moment, before she turned and continued walking across the bridge. She stopped half way, however, when she saw Alfyn walking towards her from the opposite direction.

“Hey Primrose! Were you looking for me?” Alfyn said, grinning as he quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her into the air.

“Alfyn!” Primrose laughed as she placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, and he tightened his arms around her as she gently brushed the hair from his face.

“Heh, sorry if I startled ya! I’m just...really happy with how things turned out, you know?” Primrose smiled as she kissed his cheek, and rest her forehead against his.

“I understand. I’m really proud of you, for saving Ogen. You really are the most loving man I have ever met, Alfyn.” Alfyn beamed at that, and Primrose giggled as he nuzzled his cheek against hers, his stubble gently tickling her.

“Shucks, I reckon that’s because I’m loved by the most beautiful, kind, loving woman that I’ve ever met!” Primrose felt her face flush at that, and she cupped his face in her hands, leaning down to brush her lips against his. A warmth spread through her chest when she felt him smile against her lips, and when they parted, the look of sheer love and admiration in Alfyn’s eyes took Primrose’s breath away.

“Hey, Primrose?” Alfyn asked, his head tilting to one side, “You’re going back to Noblecourt after this journey of ours ends, right?”

“Yes. I would like to reinstate House Azelhart, if possible.” Primrose’s heart sank as she spoke. She hadn’t thought about what Alfyn would do after they were finished traveling. He would go back to his hometown, right? The thought of not being with him was almost too much for Primrose to bear.

“I thought so,” Alfyn said, as he carefully set Primrose back on her feet. He then took her hand in his and lifted it to his face, placing a tender kiss upon her knuckles. Primrose’s heart hammered hard in her chest as a bright smile crossed his face.

"If it’s not too much trouble...I would like to go there with you!” Primrose stared at him, too shocked to respond, so he continued. “I-I want to be by your side, for as long as you’ll have me, Primrose! I love you too much to ever leave you alone again, ever!”

Primrose’s jaw dropped and she shook her head slightly. “B-But Alfyn, are you sure? You’d be leaving your hometown behind.”

“I’m sure! I wouldn’t be leaving Clearbrook totally high and dry, you know. My best buddy Zeph is a great apothecary himself, and he can handle things without me. Plus, I plan on visiting them often, for sure!” The absolute desperation in Alfyn’s voice almost made Primrose laugh, but she bit her tongue. “Please, Primrose, I love you so much. I always want to be by your side. To love you and support you in all the ways that I can!”

“Alfyn,” Primrose started, finally letting a small giggle slip as she cupped his face in her hands, “I would love nothing more than for you to come with me. You are the one that I love the most, and I would be happy to share my life with you.”

“R-Really? You really mean it?” Primrose nodded, and let out a surprised yelp when Alfyn hoisted her into the air again, twirling her around in circles as he laughed.

“Golly, Prim, I’ve never been so excited in my entire life!” Alfyn exclaimed as he stopped spinning and leaned up to place a kiss on her cheek, “I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world, I swear to the gods that I will! I love you!”

“I love you too, Alfyn,” Primrose said, happy tears welling up in her eyes, “I never thought that I would deserve to be loved after everything that I’ve done, but...I’m so happy that you love me as much as I love you.”

“Prim...you deserve love, happiness, and so, so much more. I just hope that I’m good enough for you…”

“You are so much more than good enough, Alfyn. Don’t you worry about that.” Primrose emphasized her declaration as she kissed Alfyn breathless, and as he returned her kiss with equal fervor, they both couldn’t wait to see what life had in store for them, together.

Chapter Text

After helping the last few members of their group with their quests, the journey of the eight travelers finally came to an end. Their last stop had been in the Woodlands, so they all decided to spend a week of well-earned relaxation and recovery in H’aanit’s home of S’warkii.

That week had flown by all too soon, and the travelers said their goodbyes, with heartfelt promises to keep in touch and see each other again soon. When her quest for revenge had first begun, Primrose had thought that she would make use of her companions to further her own goals without getting attached, so it was still so surreal that she had made so many precious friends, and had fallen so deeply in love with one of them.

“Shucks! It feels like forever since I’ve been back home!”

Primrose chuckled as Alfyn beamed at her, and he gave her hand a squeeze as they approached the small Riverlands village. As they entered Clearbrook, Primrose noted that Alfyn grew up in a very different environment than she had, but it very much suited him.

“Well, here we are! What do you think, darlin’?” Alfyn asked, waving his arm in front of him. Primrose took in the sights; the river bubbling off to one side, the large hill jutting upwards on the opposite side of the village, cows grazing lazily on a small farm. A wave of guilt suddenly passed through her, and Primrose averted her gaze to the ground and worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

“It’s really beautiful...Are you sure that you want to leave this all behind for Noblecourt?” Primrose’s eyes widened when Alfyn’s laughter hit her ears, and his fingers slipped under her chin. He gently tilted her head back up, so that her eyes met his, and the beautiful smile that crossed his face took her breath away.

“Aw shucks, Prim, I already told ya: I want to stay by your side, always. Hell, I’d follow you to the farthest corners of Orsterra, and even farther if you asked me to!” Alfyn said as he released his hold on her chin and moved to cup her cheek. Primrose couldn’t help but giggle in response as she leaned into the warm touch of his hand.

“You’re so cheesy, Alfyn,” she said, and he pouted, pulling his hand away to rub sheepishly at the back of his head.

“C’mon, I’m being sincere here!”

Primrose raised a mischievous eyebrow, and she pressed herself flush against him, her hands moving up to fiddle with his collar. “Oh, now I never said that was a bad thing, my dear.” She tugged on Alfyn’s collar hard enough to pull his face down, close enough so that their noses brushed against each other.

“W-Well I, uh…” Alfyn sputtered, and Primrose took a moment to admire the deep flush in his cheeks. She giggled softly as she leaned up to close the minuscule distance between them…

“Alf, is that really you?!”

“Alfyn’s back! Alfyn’s back!”

Primrose pulled away and turned to see a brown-haired man approaching them, and he was quickly overtaken by a young girl who sprinted up to Alfyn and hugged his legs. Alfyn laughed and picked the girl up, twirling her around in the air before returning her hug.

“Nina, good to see ya! Why, you look so grown up now, I barely recognize you!” He set Nina back onto her feet, and she smiled and shook her head.

“It hasn’t been that long! And that’s good, ‘cause my brother’s been so worried about you. I was getting tired of hearing about it.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it!”

Alfyn laughed while Nina tried and failed to stifle her giggling, and Zeph huffed and rolled his eyes.

“Don’t encourage her, Alf. She’s starting to get sassy as she approaches the pre-teens.” A grin crossed Zeph’s face as he spoke, and he pulled Alfyn into a hug. “I did miss you though, and I’m glad you made it back safe.”

“Missed you too, Zeph.”

Primrose silently watched the scene unfold with a fond smile on her face. Alfyn’s hometown friends seemed like a nice sort, and she really didn’t expect anything less.

“Um…excuse me.”

Primrose looked down to find Nina gazing up at her, a shy smile on her face as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. Tilting her head slightly, Primrose crouched down so that she was eye level with the girl, and that seemed to spur her to continue.

“My name is Nina! What’s yours?”

“I am Primrose.”

“Oooh, I like that name! And your dress is really pretty!” Primrose chuckled at Nina’s youthful excitement, and she looked up as Alfyn took her hand.

“Ah, shoot! I’m forgettin’ all of my manners! Zeph, Nina, this is Primrose Azelhart, the loveliest gal in all of Orsterra.” Primrose blushed as Nina gasped and Zeph smiled knowingly. “And Primrose, this is my best buddy Zeph, and you’ve met his adorable little sister Nina.”

“A pleasure to meet you both.”

“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine.” Zeph held out his hand and Primrose took it, giving it a firm shake, before she was pulled into an unexpected hug. After the initial shock wore off, Primrose relaxed and returned the hug.

“Thanks for keeping an eye on ol’ Alf here,” Zeph continued, “I reckon he’d get into all sorts of trouble if left to his own devices.”

“It was hard to keep him in line sometimes, I’ll admit.” Primrose chuckled when Alfyn pouted at her.

“C’mon darlin’, I’m standing right here!” All three of them shared a laugh, and Primrose looked down when Nina tugged on her hand.

“Miss Primrose! I found some flowers by the river the other day that match your dress, let me show you!”

Primrose glanced at Zeph, who smiled and nodded, and she let herself be dragged off by the excited girl.

Alfyn watched her leave, and when she glanced over her shoulder to smile at him, he felt his face heat up and his pulse raced. Golly, he would never get used to her looking at him like that…

“So…” Zeph’s voice snapped Alfyn back to reality, and he turned to see him grinning at him with an eyebrow raised. “You went on this journey to heal people throughout the realm, and ended up bringing a beautiful woman home with you. How’d that happen?”

“Well, I…” Alfyn started, and he regaled Zeph with the tale of his journey, and of how he met and fell in love with Primrose. Zeph listened intently, and when Alfyn finished speaking, he laughed and shook his head.

“That’s a hell of an adventure you’ve had, Alf. Glad you were able to find love along the way.”

“Gods Zeph, I really do love her.” Alfyn sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his gaze wandering towards the riverbank, where Nina was braiding flowers into Primrose’s hair. “Prim’s had such a hard life, but she's finally gonna turn it around, and I wanna do all I can to make sure she’s as happy as she can be.”

“And that’s why…” Alfyn’s voice trailed off and he bit his lip. When he had started his journey, he had been so adamant that Clearbrook was where he belonged, but now he was leaving that behind to be with Primrose. He wasn’t sure how Zeph would take the news.

“You’re going to live with her, right?”

Alfyn’s jaw dropped as Zeph chuckled, and he let out a sheepish chuckle as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Damn, you saw right through me.”

“Of course! You’re my best friend, after all.” Zeph slapped a friendly hand to Alfyn’s back, and his brow furrowed as the smile fell from his face. “But seriously Alf, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I can handle things here in Clearbrook, so you can take your talents wherever you want and be with the woman you love.”

Alfyn was silent for a moment, before he sniffed and a few tears fell down his face. “Thanks Zeph. You really are the best friend a guy could ever ask for.” Zeph chuckled as they hugged again.

“Right back at ya. But you better come visit me sometimes. Nina’d raise hell if you didn’t.”

Alfyn laughed and rubbed his face with his arm to clear away the tears. “You got it! As long as you come visit me too!” Zeph nodded, and the two men looked up as Nina came running up to them.

“Zeph, Alfyn, look! Isn’t Primrose’s hair pretty?” Nina gestured behind her with both arms, and Alfyn’s eyes widened when he looked at Primrose.

Her hair was normally tied up in a ponytail or worn down, but Nina had braided it, and pure white flowers now intermingled with her brown locks, and Alfyn thought she looked absolutely radiant.

“Well, I reckon you did an amazing job, Nina! My darlin’ Prim looks like an angel, well, not that she doesn’t normally!” Alfyn took Primrose’s hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles, and the beautiful, deep blush that rose upon her cheeks gave him pause.

“Gods, get a room,” Alfyn heard Zeph mumble under his breath, and he swatted at his arm, while Primrose giggled and entwined her fingers with his.

“Well, what do you say we hit up the tavern? I bet you two are mighty thirsty after your long journey back here,” Zeph said, and Alfyn let out an excited whoop and punched his free fist into the air.

“Now you’re talkin’! I miss that sweet hometown ale. You gotta try some, Prim!” Primrose laughed as Alfyn looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, and she nodded.

“I’d love to try it, dear.”

“Alright, let’s go!” And with that, the four of them made their way to the tavern, where they exchanged tales, both exciting and mundane, well into the night.

---

The sunlight shining through the window roused Primrose from her slumber. She yawned and stretched out her limbs as she slowly blinked the sleep from her eyes. Gazing around the unfamiliar room, the events of last night flooded back to her, and a smile crossed her face.

Alfyn’s house was modest and cozy, and exactly what Primrose expected it to be. She then realized that she was alone, and her brow furrowed; where could Alfyn have gone off to so early?

After getting dressed and freshening up, Primrose left the house, and was lucky enough to run into Zeph right away.

“Oh, good morning Miss Primrose!” Zeph said cheerfully as he adjusted the bags that he carried in his arms.

“Good morning, Zeph.” Primrose eyed the bags and smiled. “Do you need help with those?”

“Oh, sure, that’d be great!” Primrose chuckled as she took two bags from him and they made their way to his house. They chatted along the way, and Primrose was not surprised that Zeph was Alfyn’s best friend; they both had the same easy-going and helpful personality.

“Thanks for the help!” Zeph said when they arrived at his door. He took the bags that Primrose carried for him and then turned around to point at a large hill on the side of the village opposite of the entrance. “If you’re looking for Alfyn, he’s probably visiting his ma up on the hill there.”

“Thank you Zeph. Is it…okay for me to go to him there?” Primrose knew that both of Alfyn’s parents were dead, just like her own, and she didn’t want to intrude if he wanted to be alone.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s probably eager to introduce you to her!” Zeph smiled knowingly and placed a hand on Primrose’s shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “And Primrose, thanks again for looking after him. I know how much he loves you just by the way he looks at you, and I’m glad he has someone who loves him just as much as he loves them.”

A soft smile crossed Primrose’s face as she placed her hand over his. “Think nothing of it, I would never let anything happen to Alfyn, not while I draw breath.”

“I’ll be sure to hold you to that!”

They bid farewell to each other, and Primrose made her way to the top of the hill where the graveyard was. She spotted Alfyn standing in front of a grave towards the back, and as she got closer, she could hear him speaking.

“...And then we defeated the ogre eagle and saved Ogen’s life!” Alfyn was saying, and Primrose stayed quiet, not wanting to interrupt. “It sure was a hell of an adventure, Ma!”

Primrose bit her lip to stifle a giggle when he punched a fist in the air, and she raised a curious eyebrow when Alfyn’s voice softened when he spoke again.

“But that wasn’t even the best part of the journey Ma, because I...I met the woman of my dreams.” Primrose’s eyes widened as Alfyn tilted his head back so that he was looking straight up at the sky, and she thought that she saw his eyes take on a watery sheen.

“Ma, I just…Gods, I never thought I’d meet someone like her, you know? She’s so kind, and strong, and funny, and beautiful, and driven, and just…so many other wonderful things! I just couldn’t help but fall in love with her!” Primrose felt her face heat up at his gushing, but she couldn’t stop a silly grin from gracing her lips.

“I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with her! She’s been through so much hell, Ma, but I swear I’ll make her the happiest woman alive!” Primrose let a giggle slip at his dramatic declaration, and he tilted his head back more until his eyes met hers.

“Oh, g‘morning darlin’!” Alfyn turned around as Primrose approached him, and he gathered her into a hug. “Sorry I just up and left you this morning, but you were sleeping so deep I just didn’t wanna wake ya. I thought I might have been able to get back before you woke up, but I guess I lost track of time.” Alfyn rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly as Primrose shook her head.

“It’s quite alright, Alfyn. I ran into Zeph and he let me know where to find you,” she said, “He said that you were visiting your mom.”

“Yep! Oh, speaking of that!” Alfyn took Primrose’s hand and led her to the front of the grave, and he looked up at the sky once more. “Ma, this is the gal I was just talking about: Primrose Azelhart, the love of my life.”

Primrose’s heart swelled at his words, and she followed his gaze to the sky. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Greengrass. You raised a wonderful man. The most wonderful man that I’ve ever met, in fact.” Alfyn laughed as he turned to Primrose and wrapped his arms around her.

“And you’re always calling me cheesy, Prim.” Alfyn teased, and Primrose averted her gaze and tried to hide her smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just being sincere.” Alfyn barked out a laugh and lifted her into his arms.

“Hey now, I feel like I’ve said the exact same thing to you!” Primrose giggled when Alfyn started to pepper kisses up her neck and on her cheeks, the stubble on his chin tickling her as it rubbed against her skin.

“You may have.” Primrose admitted, and she gently cupped his face in her hands. “I love you, Alfyn.”

“Love you too, Prim.” Alfyn’s voice dropped to a whisper as he pressed his forehead against hers. “Always and forever.”

After sharing a brief kiss, they both bid Alfyn’s mom goodbye and went on with their day. After staying in Clearbrook for a month, they finally set off for Noblecourt to start building their life together. When they arrived, they found that Revello had managed to restore order to the city, and had taken the first steps to have House Azelhart reinstated, much to Primrose’s surprise, and he was ready to help them get settled in any way that he could.

“Thanks for the opportunity, sir! I won’t let you down!” The old man behind the counter smiled and waved at Alfyn as he stepped outside of the Noblecourt apothecary’s shop, his new place of employment.

“I can’t thank you enough, Revello!” Alfyn said as they made their way back towards the Azelhart estate. He had been the one to recommend Alfyn to be the assistant to the aging apothecary of Noblecourt, and he was eager to get started. “You’ve done so much for Prim and I, and I dunno how we could ever repay ya!”

“Don’t worry about it, boy.” Revello waved a hand in front of him and cracked a smile. “You saved Lady Primrose’s life, and that is a debt that I certainly will never be able to repay.”

“Aw shucks, I’d do it a million times over,” Alfyn said, and he meant every word. After making a quick stop at the florist to buy a bouquet of roses for Primrose, he bid Revello farewell and continued on his own. As he approached the estate, he heard a voice coming from somewhere below. He wandered over to the railing overlooking the small graveyard and looked down to find Primrose standing before one of the graves.

“...I’m still not certain of what will become of my life, but until then, I will dance.” Primrose was saying, and Alfyn smiled as he nodded. That sounded like a very Primrose thing to say, and he would support her in whatever way he could until she did figure out what path she would take in life.

“I do know one thing, Father,” Primrose continued, and Alfyn’s eyes widened when she turned her head upward and her eyes locked with his, “and it’s that...I met the man of my dreams.”

Alfyn’s jaw dropped and his face flushed a bright red, even more so when Primrose grinned and continued speaking. “He is so, so loving, and generous almost to a fault, and wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s carefree and stubborn and a bit reckless, and I love all of that about him, and much, much more.”

Primrose motioned with her head towards the stairs, and Alfyn’s legs seemed to move of their own accord as he made his way down to her. Primrose took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, before she turned her attention back to her father’s grave.

“This is Alfyn Greengrass, Father, the man that I love, and the one that I want to spend the rest of my life with.” She slipped her hand behind Alfyn’s back and hugged him close to her side, and she sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I…I just know that you would have loved him too.”

A small smile crossed Alfyn’s face as he lifted his hand to Primrose’s face to brush away her tears. He hugged her even tighter and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“I know I never met him, Prim,” Alfyn said, taking one of the roses from the bouquet he had and setting it in front of the grave, “but I just have a feeling that he’d be damn proud of you. You’re an amazing person.”

“I feel like you might be a little biased there, love.” Primrose raised an eyebrow at Alfyn and he shrugged.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t make it less true.” They both laughed at that, and he held out the bouquet of roses to her, “Here, Prim, I thought these suited you: Beautiful, and will teach a painful lesson to those who underestimate her.” Primrose snorted to suppress another laugh and rolled her eyes.

“Hmm, an apt comparison.” Primrose took the roses, being careful not to prick herself on the thorns and give herself a painful lesson, and she sighed as she leaned further into his embrace. “I am so glad that I met you, love. I’m so happy that I get to share my life with you. I…didn’t think that I deserved to be this happy, with everything that I’ve done-”

“Aw, don’t talk like that, Prim,” Alfyn cut her off, a frown crossing his face as he took her free hand in his, “Everyone deserves a chance at happiness, especially someone as kindhearted as you. And I’m the luckiest man alive to be the one to stand by your side, for better and for worse.”

Primrose smiled and entwined her fingers with his; she felt like she was the lucky one here, but she also felt like that was an argument that neither of them would win, so she kept that to herself for now. Instead, she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

“Thank you, Alfyn. Let’s go home, shall we?”

“Sure thing, darlin’!”

As they made their way back to the Azelhart estate, Primrose was thankful that she could finally cast off the burdens of her past, and that she and Alfyn could look forward to building a happy life together.

Chapter Text

“Ah, good afternoon Mr. Azelhart!”

After locking the door to the Noblecourt Apothecary, Alfyn turned around with a smile on his face to greet the old man.

“Howdy Evan! I’m just closing shop for the day, didya need something?”

Evan shook his head and smiled. “Oh no, I just wanted to thank you for helping my wife! That concoction you gave her cleared her sickness right up!”

“Aw shucks,” Alfyn said with a laugh, “You don’t need to thank me, just doing my job!”

“You deserve some praise, young man,” Evan gently poked Alfyn in the stomach with his cane, “You’ve been a godsend to this town, especially in the aftermath of Albus’ reign of terror.”

Evan glanced around before leaning close and dropping his voice to a whisper. “And between you and me, your predecessor overcharged for many of his services.”

“Haha, I can’t argue with you there!” Alfyn said, trying to stifle his snickering, “But make sure he doesn’t hear you saying that!”

They both laughed at that, and Evan held out a small bag. “Here, my wife made you some sweets as thanks for curing her. She said that you must share them with your wife, though, or she’ll give you a stern talking to!”

“Ah, she didn’t have to go to all this trouble for me, but thanks!” Alfyn said as he took the bag, “And of course I’ll share them with Prim!”

“How is Lady Primrose, by the way? She’s got to be close to her due date by now.”

Alfyn beamed at him and nodded. “Yep! She’s got about a month to go, I reckon.”

“Well, congratulations. I know you two will make great parents!” Evan said with a wink. “Just make sure you don’t blink, or the little one will grow up before you know it!”

“Haha, thanks Evan, I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good rest of your day!” Alfyn waved as the they parted ways, and he made his way back to the Azelhart Estate, responding to various greetings and medical questions from the townsfolk along the way.

Instead of going right to the front door, Alfyn went around the side of the estate and peaked into the window, and he smiled at the sight.

When they first moved into the estate together, Primrose had suggested turning a wing into a dance studio, and she had been teaching classes to the townsfolk ever since. It looked like this particular class was almost over, so Alfyn quietly slipped into the door.

“...I think that’s enough for today.” Primrose was saying when he stepped inside. She was sitting on a bench against the wall, and the gaggle of children that she was teaching quickly gathered around her.

“Thanks for the lesson, Mrs. Primrose!” They said in unison, and Alfyn grinned as they stared at her with eyes wide with excitement.

“Oh, Mrs. Primrose!” One of the children said as he bounced on his feet, “You’re gonna have a baby soon, right?” Primrose smiled and nodded, prompting the group to let out some excited cheers.

“Yay! I hope it’s a girl!”

“No, a boy!”

“Girl, girl!”

“Y’all are sure getting riled up by this,” Alfyn finally spoke up and walked towards the group, and the children immediately surrounded him.

“Oh, oh! Mr. Alfyn! Do you want the baby to be a boy or a girl?” one child asked, and Alfyn chuckled as he ruffled her hair.

“Aw shucks, it doesn’t matter to me what they are, I’ll love them no matter what!” he said, and the children seemed satisfied with that answer as they cheered again

“Okay you rascals, I’m sure your parents are all waiting for you to get home for dinner,” Primrose interjected, and the children said their goodbyes before heading out.

Alfyn grinned as he took a seat next to Primrose. “Golly Prim, I don’t know how you keep their attention long enough to teach them anything.”

“It’s tough some days,” she said, sighing as she leaned her head on his shoulder, “but they all love dancing, so if they do get distracted, it isn’t for long.”

Alfyn nodded and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “So, how’s our little bundle of joy today?” Primrose smiled and brushed her hands over her very pregnant belly.

“They’ve been very active. I think we may have a tiny dancer on our hands.” Primrose took Alfyn’s hand and gently placed his palm against her stomach. Sure enough, after a few moments, Alfyn felt his unborn child kick his hand, and tears started to well up in his eyes.

“Primrose, I…” Alfyn sniffed as a few tears fell down his face, and Primrose lifted her head from his shoulder. She cupped his face as a soft smile graced her lips, and she gently brushed away his tears with her thumbs.

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“Oh, nothing’s wrong,” Alfyn said quickly as he shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, “It’s just…Shucks, I’m just so godsdamn happy, Primrose. It feels like a dream that I’m starting a family with the love of my life!”

Primrose chuckled as she wrapped her arms around him, prompting him to do the same. “I feel the same, Alfyn. There was a time when I thought that I didn’t deserve a life like this, but I’m forever grateful that you proved me wrong.”

“Hehe, well I’m just glad that an ol’ country bumpkin like me somehow managed to charm the prettiest gal in all of Orsterra!” Alfyn barked out a laugh, prompting Primrose to join in, and she gave him a quick, tender kiss before pressing their foreheads together.

“I’m glad you did too,” Primrose said, her voice dropping to a whisper as her eyes locked with his. “I love you, Alfyn. I’m so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Love you too, Primrose. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us, and our little one here.” Alfyn placed his hand over one of Primrose’s that was resting on her baby bump, and they shared another kiss as their fingers laced together.

The apothecary and the dancer had led very different lives before the Gods had led them to each other, but that mattered not, because Alfyn and Primrose knew for certain that they were both right where they were meant to be.