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The gentle glow of the early evening sun bathed the fishing pond in a warm light.
Seteth could hear Flayn's delighted laughter—she must have caught another fish—from where he was stood, watching from a doorway to the dining hall.
It was with no small amount of pride that he observed his daughter—grown up so much this past year. She scarcely seemed to seek out his presence of late, so busy was she with her new friends.
Now though, in this very moment, she was alone. Much as Flayn would rather avoid her father's watchful eye, Seteth knew that it was times such as these that she was at her most vulnerable to danger.
And so, he watched.
A flicker of motion caught his eye, and he tensed, preparing himself for anything. Anyone.
Anyone, but—
No other person could disarm him so swiftly. So entirely.
Her laughter joined with Flayn's as they conversed over the merits of different baits. The professor must know enough of angling to engage in an amusing conversation with Flayn. This knowledge served only to endear her to him further.
She was lovely. Her loveliness almost too glaring for him to bear, knowing as he did the sheer impossibility of it, of any chance that he might—
He chastised himself for daring to entertain such thoughts again. She was so beautiful. So young to the world. So beloved by all who met her. Quite the opposite of he in so many ways.
By chance, she turned her head and their eyes met. The sun's rays cast a soft gold upon her features, and Seteth was undone.
Charmed as he already was by her, seeing her face illuminated so...he felt as though all the air in his lungs had been pushed out at once.
She smiled at him and raised a hand in greeting. It was all he could do to nod at her in return.
The sunlight felt warmer on his face, as though she was reflecting it towards him. She held his gaze for a moment longer, and turned back to return to her conversation with Flayn.
The warmth in Seteth's cheeks lingered until she was gone.