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It’s funny how quickly your life can flip upside down.
Estelle had become so accustomed to the monotony of castle life that the only thing that could induce a sense of awe and wonder in her was the images painted in her imagination via the pages of books. Now it seemed like everything she saw could never be captured by mere words.
Rita had been so consumed by the scientific progress that she seldom had the time to pay attention to the happenings around her. Nowadays she had absolutely no time to focus on paperwork, mathematics or engineering theory.
Both found that raising their heads up to experience the newfound variety of towns, sights and cultures shattered their former impressions of the closed off worlds they had lived in for so long.
Port towns with their endless influxes of people from all walks of life offered the grandest examples of these new spectacles. Today, on Capua Torim’s boardwalk, stands for a festival of some kind are being set up.
There was no indication of what they’re celebrating. Not that it mattered to Estelle who eagerly observed the preparations on the stone steps leading to the town’s upper level. Rita, less enthusiastic, sat beside her.
“It’s my first time seeing an actual festival. What about you Rita?”
Chin in hands, the cynical scholar took one glance at the rows of shop signs being painted and saw through the celebratory facade.
“Seen them before as a kid, never got to attend. I was too broke to enjoy a con artist’s paradise.”
“I bet it’ll be really pretty at night. I don’t know about you but I’m going to check it out when it opens.”
“Yeah no I—“ she cut herself off as a thought popped into her head.
Wait, if I leave her alone then she’ll be preyed upon by every bastard hoping to make a quick buck.
With that threat to their collective bank account in mind, Rita reluctantly switched course.
“Actually sure why the hell not. It’s boring back at the inn anyway.”
Estelle excitedly clapped her hands together. Before proceeding to ruin Rita with her iconic, dangerous smile.
“Wonderful! It’s a date then!
Rita’s face twitched slightly.
You just had to use that word, didn’t you?
Thankfully, Rita had all day to mentally steel herself for what was guaranteed to be an emotionally taxing night.
But the evening of judgment was bound to arrive. Estelle’s lively movements reflected her anticipation as she bounced ahead of her friend. Who in comparison dragged her feet trying to delay the bombardment of noise and irritation about to slap her across the face.
All she had to do was suck it up for fifteen minutes, entertain Estellise then…Rita’s eyes damn well nearly bulged out of her skull when she saw the inordinate amount of people crowding the boardwalk.
“What the hell?! Where did all these people spawn from?!”
Suddenly feeling uncharacteristically coy, Rita retreated behind the Inn’s door. Leaving barely enough of a crack for communication.
“It is pretty overwhelming, I guess spending years isolated within a hut would make it that much more difficult.”
The totally not reclusive scholar stuck out an arm fashioned with an accusatory point in the noblewoman’s direction.
“I don’t wanna hear that from someone who has never even been outside a castle previously.”
“True, being around this many people for the first time is nerve-wracking but, I don’t want to miss out on anything anymore!”
Estelle noticed the finger sharpened at her curiously switch trajectory and following it she saw a group of men carrying an extravagant blastia
She couldn’t help but wear a grin. What luck to have the one thing that could draw her buddy out stroll by so flashingly.
Rita retracted her arm, allowing half her form to be visible now as opposed to a single limb. She still had one foot planted on the wooden floor whilst the other symbolized her desire to move onto the pier.
Estelle had the bait, now she only had to reel in the reclusive scholar.
“What kind of blastia is that?”
“Oh, that guy was built primarily for ceremonial use. Blastia like that are actually significantly rarer than your average barrier or bodhi type since there’s not a large demand for them. In fact, I’ve only ever seen him in sketches but never in person.”
A light grin different from Rita’s usual cocky smirk cropped up on her face. It’s a rare and delightful sight.
“Wow, I never thought there would be blastia out there that not even you’ve seen before.”
As soon as that wonderful look had appeared on the scholar’s face it vanished. Much to Estelle’s displeasure.
Rita’s line of vision went to the sun sinking below the ocean’s horizon. It was more of an excuse for her to mentally distract herself from the statement. Minor statements like that seem to have grander connotations when your entire identity hinges on one subject.
It’s scary how fragile purpose and passion become once one realizes that they are reinforced by abstraction alone. Confidence reliant on knowledge gained from the simulated reality of theory was too easily torn apart by the truths of an unpredictable world.
With such existentialist thoughts assaulting her mind, her newfound excitement filled bravo dissipated. She flipped around intending to return to the party’s quarters but a tug on the stash attached to her arm (Aka the Rita leash) foiled that plan.
“RELEASE ME”
“You want to see it up close don’t you?”
Tuning out the scholar’s pleading, Estelle mindlessly hauled her buddy into the stream of people.
“Hrrrrrgh…ok, I’m really being forced to do this…could you at least not jerk me around like this? People are gonna stare.”
Oh, thank the stars Estelle let go of the leash…then proceeded to take Rita’s hand in her own as they shoved their way through the crowd.
This just went from a big problem to an all-out catastrophe. The night has only just begun too.
Rita’s face had so much blood running through it she was sure it was going to explode. Trying desperately to hide her new skin tone (and shame) she blinded herself with her remaining hand.
“Now people are DEFINITELY going to stare”
“Other people are holding hands”
“THOSE PEOPLE ARE COUPLES ESTELLISE”
It was clear that Estelle was too preoccupied with the stalls they had watched being built earlier in the day to care about public perception.
“What’s this? Oh! Hey Rita, look at that!”
The scholar took a deep breath. At least this was to be expected, if she focused on the original reason that led her to getting dragged into this hell then she might be able to get her bearings.
Yet somehow in the split second, it took to conjure up that thought, Estelle managed to be presented with some strange toothpick with meat impaled on it.
The chef, a humble man bearing a bandana, didn't know what to make of the tiny, beet red woman attached to his customer giving him the most menacing glare. He just knew she intimated him.
“W-Would your…partner like one too?”
I’m gonna drown myself in the ocean and haunt this guy for the rest of eternity for using that term.
Estelle turned her head to her victim, not even questioning why she looked like a watermelon.
“It’s cheap! Who knows if we’ll be able to eat something like this again on our journey.”
“It’s cubes of beef on a stick. I could make it, ME ok?”
The intuitive bandana chef tapped on Rita’s shoulder and whispered to her
“Psshh…you have to eat it with two hands if you want a break from the PDA that is.”
Rita brought three sticks each for the both of them but the promise of her being freed didn’t come to fruition. As Estelle figured out a way to eat the damn thing vertically, her fingers still curled around the scholar’s wrist.
I came here to protect her from con-men yet I’m the one who was ripped off.
“Partner…I don’t know about you but I kinda like the way that sounds.”
The out-of-the-blue announcement caused Rita to stab herself in the gums with the tiny meat spear.
WHY CAN’T YOU PICK UP ON ANYTHING!?! WHY AM I SO ATTRACTED TO THIS BRICK?!”
“Do-D-doesn’t make us sound that c-close. I mean, most Aspio researchers will stab each other in the back at the drop of a hat but they still call each other partners.”
Estelle’s face soured slightly with disappointment.
“Oh…”
The noblewoman recovered quickly and pulled her partner for the night to their next destination.
They finally found some breathing room in the form of a clearing in front of a fountain. The duo plopped down on the fountain’s edge to finish up their meal. A nearby gaggle of bards provided a welcome change from the endless buzzing of conversation to some decent music.
That music apparently must’ve had some magical properties as it made random pairs of people get up and utterly fail at dancing.
Rita cast away the stripped meat stick and instead turned her attention to the tragic performers around them.
“Wow what entertainment, seriously, does no one here care about what others think?”
“I give them credit, it takes a lot of courage to go out there and live life to the fullest. I’m a little envious honestly.”
Not a second later after Estelle spoke such words, she noticed a villager couple attempting a dramatic dip.
“Ah! Wait! Excuse Me! Sorry but w-well, you see if you try to dip in that position then your legs may get tangled and you’ll fall on top of each other…"
Rita hoped that Estelle would dash over and physically demonstrate the correct movements. Unfortunately for her, Estelle instead became a human encyclopedia of weird foreign-sounding terms describing various classical dance moves. Why was she so determined to keep their hands glued together?
Once Estelle was finished giving her auditory tutorial, she surprisingly bore her own blush for the first time this night.
“I guess it’s only natural for a noblewoman to know how to waltz. Honestly, you’d probably blow these fools out of the water.”
“I-I’m not that good, besides, I think you have a better figure for waltzing. You’re really graceful on the battlefield after all.”
It was then that a flashback from earlier in the week invaded Rita’s mind.
Not too long ago, the gang was being threatened by a rogue sorceress out in the wilderness.
“C’mon, it’s five against one, there’s no way you can win so give it up.”
Rita had many talents but peace negotiations were certainly not one of them. It’s hard to convince someone you’re not going to beat them to a pulp when you’re brandishing a whip at them.
“No! Go to hell!”
The NPC declared as she fired a basic flame ball spell towards Rita. She easily dodged it and now the Amazoness was pissed.
“You want a flogging that badly? Fine!”
The mighty mage started flailing around the dangerous torture device without any rhythm or reason to the technique. The rope went in every direction making the thing look like a pathetic wriggly worm.
Every time the sorceress dodged the scholar’s blood pressure rose.
“Alright, that’s it, come’re you”
Rita took a swipe at the rival mage, she didn’t make contact but she did knock the NPC’s spellbook out of her hand. Quickly snatching it up, Rita raised the magical dictionary over her head and brought it down repeatedly on the mage. The tome’s immense weight nearly sent the midget awkwardly falling backward several times. Making the display of violence that much less badass.
Eventually, the poor woman curled up in a fetal position.
“How many more times do I have to beat the book into you until you learn?”
“Learn what?! How to accept my height?!”
Rita attempted to kick the woman in the ribs but slipped and rolled over her instead.
…Yes, there seemed to be a contradiction between Estelle’s words and Rita’s recollection.
Then again she could hardly be worse than the headless chickens surrounding her.
What did her in was that sad look in her eyes. The look of someone who had been delegated to a forgotten corner on the side before. A gaze expressing a longing to be included.
Rita jumped up and dragged Estellise to a spot in front of the musicians.
“Alright, you’ve piqued my interest. Show me how to do the thing…yeah…”
An ear-to-ear grin burst onto Estelle’s face. It exuberates pure exhilaration which when combined with the noblewoman’s gentle features made Rita’s heart stop.
I’m dead, they’re going to write on my grave “Murdered by the world’s most beautiful brick”
“So first, step back”
Rita obeyed without a fuss.
“Then watch my legs and take a step to the left…”
Rita still listened, keeping her thoughts away from the arm draped around her waist.
All things considered, waltzing was repetitive more than anything else. Step here, step there, don’t crush your partner’s feet. It was that repetitiveness that was allowing Rita to regain her sanity ever so slowly.
As they both got into the rhythm of their movements. They started going faster and faster, creating an illusion of mastery. The elegant display was attracting bystanders, a fact Rita was acutely aware of.
“Oh, goddess there’s so many people watching us…”
“As I said before, you’re very graceful so of course, people will be memorized.”
She may be a brick but my GODDESS she can be smooth
“Me?! You’re clearly running the show! You’re the one everyone is impressed with!”
“Hey, want to try something? Be sure to hang on to my shoulders alright?”
Silently, Rita’s hands crawled up to Estelle’s collarbone. An action which Estelle interpreted as a go-signal.
Carefully, Estelle let her partner down, making extra sure that her own grip on the scholar’s back was sufficient for this grand finale.
A dip of course, instead of breaking away once the performance was finished. The two remained locked in their final position. Both wearing proud, elated expressions courtesy of the accomplishment in being able to pull off this fantastic duet.
Now that she thought about it, it was pretty rare for Estelle to be able to view Rita’s face up close. The mage was rather fond of her personal bubble and everyone knew it.
With striking teal eyes that radiated passion and intensity. It was hard not to be enraptured by the sight of her reflection within such glowing irises.
“This was fun…it really was but my legs weren’t built to bend like this.”
Rita’s legs were shaking like a pair of branches beset by a hurricane. Hiding her disappointment at being unable to hold on to this moment longer, Estelle returned Rita to an upright position.
The scholar, drained of her stamina bent over rested her right hand on her knee. She already knew that getting the left one back was non-negotiable. Rita flinched when Estelle broke out laughing.
“You know, I always wanted to try that back in the castle but…I never could find a partner nor did I have the courage to enter the dance floor. I would always end up back in my room, alone.”
The scholar furrowed her brow in response.
“Don’t try and convince me you’re shy after you kidnapped me and continue to hold my hand hostage.”
Estelle meekly turned her head away from her partner. Trying to hide the redness of her cheeks.
Join the club, join the club, wait, I’m not seriously making her—
Before Rita could finish that thought, Estelle pulled them away from the admiring eyes of the spectators gathered around them.
The age-old saying, time flies by when you’re having fun proved to be true. The moon above was already halfway across the sky. Estelle (and Rita though she would never admit it) soaked up every remaining second they had with each other.
Estelle was going off explaining that she’d learned that this festival was held to celebrate the sailors who would typically be departing for the ocean this time of year. Despite the trade freeze, it was such a beloved tradition that they decided to hold it anyway.
Rita became distracted by the same giant blastia they’d seen earlier being prepared for operation in the distance.
“Wha—They can’t handle a rare specimen like him like that! Geez! Why are the most beautiful things placed in the hands of the most incompetent people? Hang on, I gotta make sure they don’t ruin him.”
True to her words, Rita jerked her hand away at last and stomped over to the blastia’s attenders to give them an earful.
As soon as the warmth left by Rita’s hand was gone, the cold evening air seeped into her skin.
The sound of a hundred voices gleefully mixing together went from supporting a pleasant atmosphere to becoming as intimidating as a howling beast in the night. They seemed to come at her from all sides, invading the innermost of her eardrums. It was impossible to concentrate when it felt like a thousand people were rubbing up beside her.
Not sure what to do, she glanced around at the other festival dwellers. Old friends messing with each other as they walked, lovers leaning up against each other, parents carrying their children on their backs.
A shadow was cast over her, the same shadow that so often fell upon her back at the castle.
It drew a line whenever she wanted to join in on a discussion about history. Its arm dragged her back whenever she hoped to mingle with the other nobles at balls. It whispered in her ear, making sure she knew how out of place she was within this reality.
It felt like a million people were stabbing her with their judging looks yet she was also drowning in the empty void of loneliness. She clawed the hem of her dress as tight as she could and kept her eyes to the floor. It’s weird how a mere hand protected her from all this.
“Pheesh! Honestly, what are people thinking? Using rockia with….”
Before Rita could continue her rant, she noticed how strangely downcast Estelle had become.
“I-is everything alright? Did something happen? It was those thuggish-looking guys over there I bet, here I’ll teach them a lesson!”
Acting on an assumption, Rita cracked her knuckles ready for a showdown but wordlessly Estelle stopped her by taking her hand back into her possession.
“No, no, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. You’ll probably think this is ridiculous but…I was kinda scared when you left. Without being able to feel your hand, the world became kinda hazy I guess is the best word for it.”
Rita who before was content to just have her palm cupped now actively interlocked fingers with the alienated noblewoman.
“If you just said that in the beginning, I wouldn’t have made that big a deal of it you know.”
Well actually I would but only because it’s your hand specifically I’m holding.”
“Ah…thanks Rita, you’re the best you know that.”
You could practically see smoke blowing out of Rita’s reddened ears.
“I-it’s no big deal really, but follow me, the show's about to start soon.”
“Show?”
The scholar brought the duo up on a grassy nearby hill. They could see all of the silhouettes of buildings contrast against the light of the moon. The ocean’s waves glittering alongside the millions of stars above. The glowing lights of the festival dot the town below.
Estelle’s eyes widened, hypnotized by the sheer grandeur of the world laid out before them.
“This…this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…”
Rita placed her free hand on her hip cockily, her smirk reflected this knowing arrogance as well.
“Oh just you wait, I made sure the main event will be one hell of a sight to see. Speaking of which, I think it’s about to begin.”
Something shot up from the blastia down below, it trailed up into the sky before erupting into a kaleidoscope of color.
It was followed by a barrage of similar missiles of neon, each bearing its unique shape. Some fell to the earth like shooting stars, some disintegrated like confetti, Estelle even thought one resembled the petals of the Halure Tree. That one was her favorite naturally.
“Annnnd…here comes the final act.” Rita was absolutely drunk on the euphoria present on Estelle’s face. As much as she hated it at first, now she wished this festival would last forever.
The blastia shot the rest of the fireworks out in quick succession, filling the sky with dozens of varicolored explosions that painted the entire landscape in different hues of the rainbow.
At some point, the two girls glanced over at each other. Sharing the exact same thought as they did so.
My goddess, she’s drop dead gorgeous right now
The night went quiet, only smoke floated up into the sky now. The partners saw only the grins on the other’s face. Without warning, Estelle lunged at Rita and trapped her in a tender embrace.
“W-Why?!”
“I’m just, I’m just so happy right now. And it’s all thanks to you, Rita. If you weren’t here with me right now, I don’t think I’d have this much fun.”
Estelle stroked the back of Rita’s head as the scholar ringed her arms around her hips.
“I-I mean, I w-w-wouldn’t have even come out if you didn’t push me to. Actually, you were the one who made this night happen, not me.”
“Life’s so much better with a partner. I’m so glad you came with us. I hope we can share nights like this for the rest of our lives.”
“R-rest of our lives is a pretty big statement, one hell of a commitment too.”
Estelle, excitement-filled though she continued to hold Rita, pushed back a little so she could see into those teal eyes again.
“It’s not if it’s you, Rita.”
If I wasn’t in love with her before this night THAN I SURE IN SEVEN HELLS AM NOW