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The world was a blur.
She went home rather by memory than with any recognition of surroundings, and she did it only because her parents were away. If they weren't, she... Well, she would go outside city. The library wasn't the best place to cry.
But now she closed door and headed straight to her room, a somewhat safe place.
"Mein Fräulein."
She sat on floor and brought knees to her chest, putting forehead on them, while hugging herself so tightly as if she was about to fall apart. That's how she felt, to be honest. Her fingers dug into her arms painfully. The external pain was better than what she felt in chest.
"Mein Fräulein..."
She squeezed her eyes shut, but soon she felt tears on her cheeks anyway. How pathetic. She took a shaky breath.
Feathers brushed her cheeks. She looked up to see Oz perched on bed right next to her arms. One of his wings have been unfolded, laying gently on top of her head, as if covering her from nonexistent rain.
"The people you met today were ill-mannered and ignorant. While it saddens me that they caused you distress, I hope you don't treat their behaviour as one to reason with."
"Could I really blame them, though?" asked Fischl in a barely heard whisper.
"Mein Fräulein..."
"Oz, you know as well as I do what people in the guild think about me."
"Indeed, Mein Fräulein. Those whose opinion is of value think of you as an excellent and hard working member, irreplaceable in investigation team."
"Even then, it's bcause of you. I am valued member thanks to abilities I have with you. I'm not someone they invite for a drink after an successful expedition. People don't spend time with me because they want, but because they need to." She hid her head in arms again. "And so that those recruits left me today... I know this and... I don't really know why am I... crying over it right now. It's not something I didn't know, I ...."
"Mein Fräulein, please, let yourself catch your breath." she could feel the wings that hovered over her moved. Oz was right, and she tried to follow advice, but it proved to be difficult.
Someone knocked on door.
Fischl scrambled to her feet, desperately trying to wipe the sight of tears off her face. She noticed dark smudge on palm of her hand and realised her make up must look horrendous now.
"Oz, will you check who is it?" She asked anxiously, running off. "I need to wash my face."
It was Mona. She could hear her speaking with Oz as she was splashjng her face with water. Why, on earth, of all times had she had to chose to come now? She considered for a moment waiting until she goes away but she doubted Oz would send a guest back without her word on the matter first.
"They did what now?", Mona slightly raised her voice just as Fischl was entering the living room.
Fischl cleared her throat to get attention. "Hold thy anger, lady Megistus. It is vain to-"
"Ah! No, don't give me that!" the astrologist huffed. "Oz, you said that those were new recruits from Guild?"
"Ahem! As I was saying, this is-"
"Indeed, ms Mona." this time it was Oz who spoke over Fischl and she threw him look of deep offense.
"Well, that makes it easy." murmured Mona, summoning her scryglass with annoyance, but Fischl caught her wrist.
"Mona... That is, lady Megistus! I request you stop now. This matter is not important nor does it affect you. Were it not for Ozvaldo Hrafnavins' insubordination", blonde girl gave raven another cold look, "you wouldn't even be aware of it."
"Oh, indeed, it appears I wouldn't be aware", Mona swatted her hand away and put her own on her hips. "Which is exactly my problem. Why didn't you tell me someone is being so rude to you? I swear, do Guild standards get lower with each year?"
"Hmph. To think storming over such trivial matters is a feature so deeply rooted in humans that even esteemed and powerful mage like you, lady Megistus, gets entangled by it... tsk." Fischl shook head, crossing arms and turning head to side.
"Ugh, there we go again... Instead of straightforward answer, just more speech and flowers..." Mona wanted to say more, but she realised there was something strange about the way Fischl just moved. She was hiding her face. "Are you... Are you crying?
"Don't you dare making such suggestions. I'm just pitying the lives corrupt by earthly affairs!", Fischl kept turning back whenever Mona tried to approach her from the front.
Mona rolled her eyes. "Alright, that's it. Let's sit somewhere, shall we?"
She took Fischl's hand. Mona knew this house - she's been there for dinner before. Fischl let herself be led to her own room, busy with frantically wiping eyes, trying to stop those annoying tears.
Mona heavily sighed as she took a seat on bed.
"Alright. Come on", she patted the mattress next to her, and Fischl dragged her feet to join.
What she didn't expect was Mona reaching out to her arms and turning her around as she was about to sit, so that she ended up back to her.
"Why-"
"Shush."
"But-"
"Shhhhh. Shush."
Mona didn't consider herself good at comforting people.
She weren't big on physical affection, and she didn't know if Fischl was either. But seeing Fischl cry prompted her to try comfort her in a way she at least had comforted someone before. She picked a hairbrush she had noticed on nightstand, took a delicate hold of Fischl's hair, and gently, slowly begun to comb it.
"And... what are you now doing?" Fischl sniffed, raising her forearm to wipe eyes once again.
"Albedo often does this when Klee is sad. Sometimes when I visit him, this child just bursts through door with tears... On few instances, I've done it too. "
"You... Dared you just compare me to a child?"
"Miss Mona, please clarify. Did you mean you also burst through a door with tears, or do you also brush Klee's hair?" asked Oz, successfully changing Fischl's grumpy look to almost amusement.
"Really, Oz?" Mona huffed, internally relieved to see Fischl brighten up even a bit. "Of course I meant brushing hair."
"My sincere apologies." Bullshit, there was amusement in voice of raven. "It makes sense Albedo does it. Repetitive sound and feel of having hair brushed must be indeed calming."
Oz took a seat in Fischl's lap. It was rather cute seeing him sit: with his legs hidden, suddenly he looked like chubby pigeon. But of course Mona didn't comment on it.
Fischl delicately started to stroke his feathers and he neither have complained, nor showed any reaction. Mona continued with combing her hair.
Yeah, it... was calming.
Breathing had become easier, and her eyes stopped this annoying thing called crying.
Fischl cleared her throat, deciding it's time to swallow bit of pride. "Very well. Your willingness to share burdens of Immernachtreich's Sovereign shan't go unnoticed, Reader of Stars. Thus, you are granted the honor of... assisting me with this routine."
"Good, thank you, your Highness, does that mean you will stop moving your head so much?"
"Stop pulling my hair, then! Be more delicate."
"Alright, alright, I'll try." Mona sighed. "Everything is a ceremony with you, isn't it."
Her rhetorical question didn't contain any malice. In fact, there was... fondness to it that Fischl haven't really expected. It was different from comments made by Adventurers' Guild members.
Fischl decided it deserves honest answer.
"The tapestry of time and space is hardly comprehendible to souls of mortals, so it is only right that every element of this ornament is appreciated for the intricateness it's woven with... The fabric of time truly makes for a astounding cloth for eternity to wear."
"Uh," Mona halted her movements, a little lost. "Pardon?"
"What Mein Fräulein means to say," Oz conviently came to the rescue, "she believes it's a way to appreciate fleeting moments of everyday life, common or uncommon."
"Indeed, Oz."
"Oh" Mona pondered for a while. "I guess... there's something to it."
In comfortable silence, the three of them sat together: Fischl stroking Oz's feathers, and Mona brushing Fischl's hair. Mona realised she, too, finds peace in repetitive movements of hairbrush.
"So. Do you want to talk about it, Fischl?" asked Mona after some time. She was braiding now Fischl's pigtails into a crown around her head.
"I... No, thank you."
"Oh, well, maybe then Oz will tell me more?"
"Mona!"
"Ms Mona, though your intentions are good, it's best if Mein Fräulein speaks whenever she feels like it."
"Of course." she sighed. "I'm just... Okay, I'll say it. I'm just worried. You've mentioned that some adventurers don't really talk to you, but I didn't know it goes as far as disrespecting you."
"Aren't you also tired?"
"What?" Sudden question asked by Fischl in normal manner threw Mona off guard. "Tired?"
"Of me." Fischl curled in on herself ever so slightly.
"Of...you?"
"...and of the way I talk."
Mona casted a glance at Fischl. She noticed her hands that were folded on Oz's back were tightly gripping one another, as if to keep them from trembling.
"Fischl."
Mona got up from where she sat, circling Fischl to stand before her and put hands on her shoulders with serious expression. Fischl hesitantly looked up.
"I know I act annoyed... quite often, but believe me, I'm not tired of you. You should know I most certainly don't willingly spend time with people I'm tired of."
"Is that true?" asked Fischl shyly.
"As true as my astrological readings, and you better not doubt those."
In green eye that stared up at Mona it was visible that some weight was taken from Fischl's heart.
In fact, it even sparkled a little.
She surprised Mona - and Oz, who fell from her lap and disappeared in a poof - by standing up too. Oz in a zap materialised back at Fischl's side.
"Your words gladden my heart, noble astrologist, and you prove yourself to be one of most faithful companions I met in this plane. Thus, allow me to bestow you with the greatest honor I can."
"Um, what are you doing?' Mona asked, flabbergasted as Fischl hopped to stand on bed (probably to appear taller?).
"Esteemed Astrologist Mona Megistus, Reader of Stars." Fischl reached out her hand towards Mona. "I hereby proclaim you the court Archmage of Immernachtreich."
"It means that Mein Fräulein appreciates you greatly and recognizes as her friend", Oz said to Mona, lowering his voice.
"O-z!"
Now it was Mona's turn to chuckle. "Oh, is that so?" Her tone immediately switched to a smug one."Well. I won't deny the rightfulness of this decision. I am the greatest astrologist you can find, after all. But I thought it's been long clear that I am your friend?"
Fischl's eye lit up again. With a smile, she crossed arms. "Hmph. Lady Megistus, you truly do not learn."
"This honorable title is a sign of recognition", Oz helpfully spoke, "It is also a way to celebrate moment, in the manner similar to what we've talked about before."
"A moment of glory amidst shadows of mortal plane", added Fischl. "Where noble heart shined to oppose the foul ones."
"In other words, Mein Fräulein had been in a bad moment just before you came, and your presence made a great difference, both today as well as in life." Oz said, and though it was impossible with his beak, there was warm smile in the sound of his voice. Fischl got flustered at the last words.
"Oz, you talk too much!" She turned her head to side pridefully. "As an Archmage it is expected from her to understand what needs to be understood anyway."
"Oh, so that role comes with job expectations too?" Mona put hands on hips.
"Indeed, Lady Megistus."
"Oz", groaned Mona. "don't you dare to start calling me Lady Megistus too."
"But that is expected from me, Lady Megistus. Its the only proper way to address court archmage." Oz bowed, supposedly respectfully, but seeing Fischl's smug smile Mona started to suspect it was a bit mocking too.
"You", she said in defeat, "are insufferable, both of you. Now, if you would be so kind to sit down, Fischl, so I can finish braiding your hair..."