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With Frieren and Kraft leaving for three whole days, Fern took the opportunity to clear out their inventory. She couldn't throw away anything when Frieren was around, so this is the perfect time for a thorough cleanup. She sorted the junk into three categories: useful, maybe useful, and throw away immediately.
"Seriously? She bought another one?" She scowled while holding a purple bottle of clothes-vanishing potion. She found it hidden, stuffed deep inside a side pocket under some other bottles for cover. It was immediately sorted into the third pile.
She spent most of the morning in this activity and the sun outside was high up in the sky now, casting the inside of the cabin in a bright light. She can now clearly see the specks of dust floating around in the air. Maybe she'll ask Stark to help her clean the whole cabin tomorrow.
She sighed tiredly and stuck her hand in their briefcase to unearth the next piece of junk but stumbled upon a small, intricate-looking box instead. It looked fairly new and the detailed design showed impeccable craftsmanship. Not detecting any curses, she opened the lid and was surprised to hear music start to emanate from it. Not just any music, this was...
"Hey! That's the song we danced to at Vorig!" Stark has just entered the cabin, shaking the snow off his hair. He was back from collecting firewood outside. She recognized the song immediately too. It was hard not to after she spent months hearing it being played over and over again while practicing with Lord Orden's head housekeeper for the soiree.
Memories of her accidentally stepping on the poor lady's toes and stumbling from her own uncoordinated feet made her cringe.
"Care for a dance, milady?" Stark was suddenly on his knee in front of Fern and offering his hand out. She was about to refuse but after seeing the earnest look in his eyes, took his hand and stood up with him. It was time for a break from cleaning after all.
He led them into the middle of the cabin where there was enough space, and proceeded to seamlesly glide them together in time with the music.
"How do you still remember every step?" She was surprised at how well he was leading her towards every move.
"I dunno. Maybe because it reminds me of the footwork my master made me do a thousand times. He taught me how warriors should be sure-footed in battle and tripped me every time my stance was wrong. I had to memorize them fast if I wanted to stop landing on my ass." He recalled with a smile in his eyes.
She imagined him falling on his butt a few times and giggled. "Ha. If you think that's funny, wait 'til you hear this..." He told her another story from his training with Eisen to keep her entertained while they danced, and he laughed when she in turn shared the story of her horrifying practice sessions with the housekeeper and how she once pleaded with Fern to stop in the middle of practice to tend to her bruised toes.
The afternoon light was shining in through the window directly at them like a spotlight now. He admired how its reflection made her smooth, purple hair shine even more. Her melodious laugh blended with the music like it was part of the orchestra. Even the dust swirling all around them looked like glitter to him. She truly made everything beautiful.
Before they knew it, the song faded away to its end. He knelt on one knee and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand, as was customary at the end of the dance. Still keeping his hand in hers, he stood up to his full height. "Hey Fern...can I kiss you?" He softly ran his thumb through her knuckles while she pondered for a second or two.
"Yes...you may..." With her permission granted he started to move closer to her. She closed her eyes and waited for him with bated breath, and he slowly but surely pressed his lips...to her forehead.
"Huh?" Her brows furrowed in confusion. She put a hand on the middle of her forehead where he just placed his lips. "Come on. You didn't really think i'd kiss you on the lips right? I don't want to get kicked on the leg." He jokingly said. She had kicked him for far less after all. Just yesterday he got a swift kick from throwing a snowball at her.
"Hmp!" She snatched back her hand from his, sat down on the floor, and folded her arms across her chest. Her face was wearing its signature pout now. Round cheeks all puffed up and lips in a thin, straight line. She can't believe him!
Contrary to how she treats him, she had actually been growing fond of Stark these past few months. And after that lovely dance and sharing of funny memories, she was fully prepared to receive her first kiss from him. And then he went and made her feel like a fool!
He sat down next to her, put his hands on her shoulders and started gently swaying her back and forth. "I'm sorryyyy~ I didn't think you actually wanted me to kiss you on the lips. I didn't wanna get kicked againnnn" He was whining pathetically as usual.
She sighed exasperatedly. "Just so you know, I wasn't going to kick you if you did. To be perfectly honest, I was actually quite excited for it..."
She turned away from him while she explained this, probably too embarrassed. He was such an idiot. He stopped shaking her back and forth but kept his hands on her shoulders.
He moved one hand to put on her chin and slowly tilted her head to face him. He understood it now. "I'm really sorry, Fern. You can close your eyes again. Please." She was still upset, but did as he asked. He stretched his thumb to lightly graze her lower lip. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise at the contact. He moved closer to her again and this time planted his lips directly on to hers.
"How was that?" He asked her quietly. Their heads were still so close together, the tips of their noses were touching. They were both blushing quite furiously, the loud beating of their hearts drowning out the noise of a bird loudly chirping in the tree outside.
She swallowed and quickly looked away from him. "Fine." She curtly replied.
"Just fine?!" There he goes with his screechy voice again.
"It was...perfectly adequate. Thank you." A hint of a smile was in her voice now.
"Okay. Well. I have to go train now. Bye!" He stood up quickly and was out the door in a flash.
"What the..."
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Stark didn't know what to do with himself after kissing Fern. He hurriedly went outside to escape the awkwardness (and potential kick from her) and chopped down a few trees. He even gave the side of the nearby mountain a few good strikes just to work out some of his restless energy. He still couldn't believe she wanted him to do it.
She always seemed to be disgusted by him and even called him a pervert to his face once(which still hurt by the way), and he still had trouble understanding her from time to time.
She gets into a grumpy mood so quickly he just ends up apologizing immediately without even knowing what for, only for her to end up being mad at Frieren all along but he guessed he was right in feeling that there was a growing fondness for him there, underneath her cold exterior.
She tells him funny anecdotes from the time before he joined their group, kept her kicking down to a minimum of once per day (it used to be five), and even thoughtfully bought him a bracelet on his birthday (it was now one of his prized possessions alongside the battleaxe from his master). Not to mention being his partner at Lord Orden's soiree.
The familiar tune from the music box earlier made him relive that night and how awestruck he'd been at Fern. She wore a white dress that emphasized her innocent charm, and her hair was tied up which showed the skin of her delicate shoulders usually hidden by her everyday outfit.
He remembered that was the first time she thought of Fern as not just the young mage he was adventuring with(he thought of Frieren as the old one but knew better than to say that out loud), but a beautiful girl that he was incredibly lucky to be a companion of.
That's why he got the urge to kiss her once the music was over. He didn't expect her to agree, but thankfully she did. She even got mad at him when he didn't do it the first time (which he will definitely tease her about later). Now they've shared their first kiss. He felt such a surge of energy he felt like he could slay a hundred dragons.
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Fern dedicated most of her childhood to studying magic, perusing the numerous grimoires and texbooks in Master Heiter's library. Then one day she accidentally stumbled upon an unusual book tucked away in the middle of all the old tomes.
It contained a tale of a maiden and her village cursed with an eternal slumber by a vengeful demon, and apparently the only way to break the curse was a true love's kiss. A valiant warrior had to go through a dangerous dark forest, defeat a terrifying three-headed creature, and slay the vengeful demon itself to prove his true love and place a kiss on the sleeping maiden.
Reading this as a child, Fern wondered why the maiden had to receive a kiss to break the curse. From what she'd learned in her other textbooks, killing the one who cast the curse would have been enough to stop its effects. There was never any mention of a kiss being powerful enough to break a curse. It didn't make any sense.
Older Fern was now sitting alone, fingers softly touching her lips which was pressed into Stark's just a moment ago. She can feel a comfortable warmth spreading throughout her body and her heart was still beating so loudly in her chest she was afraid it was going to burst. Now that she has experienced it for herself, a kiss being strong enough to break a curse suddenly made all the sense in the world.
EPILOGUE
"We're baaack. Got any hot stew for us?" Frieren and Kraft were back at the cabin that evening after spending the last few days up in the mountains. She was cold and starving from the walk and couldn't wait to fill her belly up with something warm. "How in the world did you get that Stark?"
She looked at the red-haired warrior rubbing a big bruise on his forehead that was almost as red as his hair. He answered her in the whiny way he usually does.
"I dunnooooo why dont you ask her?" Pointing to Fern who was sitting at the corner with her arms crossed, wearing her usual pouty face.
"If your forehead hurts so much, why don't you ask someone to kiss it?" She retorted angrily.
The elven mage just looked at her in confusion and pleaded to the monk for help. He sighed and suggested they all hold hands, close their eyes, and seek guidance from the goddess.