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Rozemyne stared at her book without truly seeing the words on the page. Her lips pursed together and she tapped a finger against the cover of her book, irritated with her unfocused mind. Lieseleta peered at her with concern from where she sat nearby, working on embroidery while her lady read. "Is the book not to your liking?" she asked softly. She didn't expect that to be the case, as Rozemyne seemed to enjoy anything and everything that involved written words. It simply provided her lady with an opening to confide in her, if she so chose.
"The book is quite lovely. Mother has certainly outdone herself again. I simply find my thoughts wandering, and I'm frustrated that I can't focus on reading."
"That is unusual for you. Are you feeling unwell?"
Sighing, Rozemyne shook her head and set the thin book down on a table beside her chaise. Her mind seemed elsewhere as she distractedly responded, "I feel fine. But there's something I wish to check. I'll be in my hidden room, reviewing the Grutrissheit."
Lieseleta gave a slight bow and gestured to a cart, "Would you like me to prepare some tea for you to take with you, Lady Rozemyne?"
She hesitated a moment, then nodded, "Yes, please. While I wait, I'll inform Ferdinand of my plans, in case I miss the bell for dinner." Lieseleta flashed her a grateful smile and set to brewing her preferred tea. Rozemyne still disliked using feystones, and she kept her hand closed around the stone until the last possible moment before forming her ordonnanz. She recorded her short message and sent it off to Ferdinand with a small sigh of relief.
"I do believe only someone who has closely watched you would notice your aversion these days, Lady Rozemyne," Lieseleta praised her.
"I thank you ever so much, Lieseleta. It is with all of your help and patience that I have been able to work through my fears." Master and attendant smiled warmly at each other, and a few moments later the magical bird returned. Ferdinand's deep voice emotionlessly acknowledged her plans in triplicate, then the bird returned to stone. Rozemyne had been practicing sleight of hand with Justus for the sole purpose of being able to quickly put feystones away gracefully and without panic.
Lieseleta finished preparing the tea for Rozemyne, then wheeled the cart over to the hidden room. The room was set so that only Ferdinand and she had the mana capacity necessary to enter, and so Rozemyne pushed the cart in with her and closed the door behind her. She formed her Divine Will into an electronic tablet with the chant "Grutrissheit," as she took her seat at her desk. Pulling up what she was looking for, she stood the tablet up and read while sipping at her tea.
She absently reached out for some trombe paper, using a mana pen to record her thoughts on it without worrying about ink. Having one less thing to manage made it easier for her to do many things at once, though it was a flagrant display of wealth and mana that would make most recoil at the waste. She was far too busy thinking over an issue that had plagued her for little more than a year to care about such things, however. Her answer had finally risen within her at the latest romance novel out of Ehrenfest, and silently she praised her noble mother for her insight.
Now, she just had to make sure that when she explained her findings, that she would be understood.
"Ferdinand, I'd like to borrow Justus for some research," Rozemyne smiled over her cup of tea, hoping Ferdinand wouldn't give her any trouble for her request.
He raised a brow, setting his own cup down on the table in front of the couch they shared. "Does this have something to do with what you've been studying the past week?"
"It does. I'd rather not explain more just yet, though, Ferdinand."
His lips turned down in a thoughtful frown and he tapped his temple, considering. "One condition. He has to decide it's worth doing, and that it won't cause me any trouble."
"Deal!"
Ferdinand sighed and looked over his shoulder to his attendant-scholar, waving demonstratively at Rozemyne. "You heard, yes?"
"I did. I'm all ears whenever you'd like to explain this research, aub," Justus grinned, bowing with his arms crossed as a proper attendant should, yet somehow without the gravity and respect. That, however, was normal for him, and she had realized some time ago that it was not a reflection of his opinion on her. In fact, he seemed to think quite highly of her, as he would actually go through the motions, and often lent her his ear and his aid without direct orders from Ferdinand.
"Excellent. Clarissa, give him the documents, if you would."
Justus backed away to read over the research she had gathered, and Rozemyne flashed Ferdinand a bright smile. "Ferdinand, thank you ever so much. If all goes well with this research, I think you'll quite like it."
"Hm. We'll see. Your sense for trouble remains as warped as ever."
"No, I think she's onto something this time," Justus spoke up, grinning at the papers he was reviewing. "I'll start looking into this right away."
Ferdinand frowned, eyeing Justus suspiciously. After a long moment, he sighed with resignation and flashed his fiancee a bemused expression, "Somehow, I am not comforted by his enthusiasm. But it's too late to take back my agreement. Do not think his help comes free, however. We'll discuss payment another time."
Pouting, Rozemyne shifted to bump her shoulder against his, causing him to stiffen at the casual contact. Only their most loyal of retainers were present in the room with them, but it was still far too forward by noble standards to press her whole side to him like that. "You don't even know what you're getting out of it, yet! As long as it works out, I don't think you'll need any further payment! But, well, if it doesn't work, or if you really don't feel like it was worth it…," she trailed off, resting a finger to her lips as she considered. Then she leaned forward, hiding her lips behind her hand as she whispered, "I'll give you a few pages of the Grutrissheit."
He pulled away from her as though she had scorched him, turning away and hiding his face in his hand. His ears burned hot with embarrassment, and he grumbled, "Had you forgotten what I said the last time…?"
The last time…? She tilted her head and recalled the last time she had shared pages of the Book of Mestionora with him. He had grown uncomfortable then, and told her sharing any further pages would have to wait until she had come of age. Of course, she was of age now, though not in the eyes of noble society. Still, she didn't understand why he had imposed that restriction, so she didn't know how to argue around it. Instead, she shrugged, focusing on him again, "Then consider it an [IOU]."
"What is that?"
"Mmm, it just means, I owe you one, to be cashed in at a later time, when it's convenient, or when you most need it." He stared at her for an uncomfortably long moment, and she shifted, unsure of herself and what she had said. "Uh, does that, not work for you?"
"It… is rather open-ended, is it not? It is hardly like you to leave such a weak point open in negotiations."
She demurely rested her hand on her cheek and gently hummed in thought. "That's true, but it's you, Ferdinand. We've bartered lots of times in the past. I trust you to understand what sort of bargain I would accept, and to not take advantage."
His head bowed, and she softly gasped against his ear as his forehead rested heavy on her shoulder. "You should not trust yourself with anyone so completely, Rozemyne. Especially not with me."
Her hand slowly raised up until settling on the back of his head. She gently ran her fingers through his straight hair, and her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke. "You should have at least as much faith in yourself as I do, Ferdinand."
She felt his hot breath through the thin fabric of her summer gown as he exhaled with what sounded like frustration. A moment later he sat up, his expression knit with confusion and mild irritation, and he turned away to pick up his tea and pretend the past few moments had not happened. Shaking her head, she turned to sip at her own tea, and the two passed the rest of their evening in silence, watched over by their concerned retainers.
Mountains stretched seemingly endlessly before them, forming the natural part of the barrier between duchies Ehrenfest and Alexandria. The mountain range held a few volcanoes, one of which many of this very group had once visited years ago. That particular volcano was on the Ehrenfest side of the range, however, and was not their destination. Justus and Eckhart led the modest group of highbeasts speedily past many of the peaks, until finally spiraling down to a patch in the side of a volcano that had been worn flat by an eruption centuries past. The rich soil was home to a stunning variety of plants, and most of the knights landed first to ensure that nothing dangerous lurked in the meadow.
After a few minutes of investigation, Cornelius dismissed his helmet and waved to the group, signalling that it was safe for the rest of them to land. Rozemyne was among the last to set down, and she smoothly moved her highbeast feystone to its cage at her hip in the same motion as she stood free from it. She approached Ferdinand with a bright smile, her hands folded elegantly in front of her. "This place sure is beautiful. I hope it's what I've been looking for."
"Justus is hardly ever wrong, once it gets this far," he reassured her. There was a tension in his voice however, and he looked around, clearly trying to figure out what was going on. "So, what was it you needed from here? Is there something you're hoping to gather?"
"Not gather. At least, that's not the part I want out of it." Rather than explain further, she turned to their retainers, hands pressed eagerly together as she addressed them. "Knights, please fan out in a circle around the meadow. I'll be performing a replenishment ritual, so feybeasts may end up drawn here. Scholars, stay on this side of the knights. Once I've completed the ritual, you may begin gathering if you wish. Ferdinand, of course I'll let you gather too, but I'd like to speak to you before you do, okay?"
He nodded, brow furrowed, and watched her expectantly. "What do you wish to speak about?"
"Once I finish the ritual," she clarified, holding up a single finger to signal waiting, "I will not keep you long. If this goes well, I am sure there will be lots that you will wish to gather while you can."
Sighing, he crossed his arms and nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Proceed with this ritual, then."
She nodded excitedly and strode out towards the center of the wild grown meadow. She wore her riding outfit, decorative skirts fanning out behind her and catching on the plantlife. The flora seemed to part before her and to reach after her, as though seeking a single caress before settling. Once she was satisfied she had gone far enough, she paused, twirled around, and nodded with approval. Her arms stretched above her head, and she chanted in a strong, clear voice, "Streitkolben!"
A staff rarely seen outside of religious art dropped into her hands. It was not one she had ever called on before, and would hardly prove useful as a weapon. It was wrapped with all manner of creeping flora, from ivy to vines of a plant reminiscent of wisteria, and was capped with a stunning variety of blossoms. As it moved, it seemed to shed petals, though they turned to glittering green mana scant moments after parting from the staff.
Her lips moved in prayer, her words caught only by the wind and the goddesses she called upon. She moved gracefully, tracing a magic circle with her steps, Efflorelume's Divine Instrument leaving a wave of glittering mana as she twirled it round. A magic circle rose up from her feet, spreading across most of the meadow, and it rose slowly into the air.
Plants grew and bloomed within the circle's range, all manner of flower and greenery reaching out to the rising glyphs, seeking nourishment from the mana. Many of the plants were new, not having been growing in the meadow moments before and usually found in other duchies and climes. The variety was stunning, not simply for its beauty, but for how it defied sense. Some of the plants should only bloom in other seasons, or only at night, or any other number of criteria that simply was not being met. And amidst it all, Rozemyne whirled, the plants slipping out of her path then rushing to fill in behind her.
She ended the whirl in the prayer pose, arms and left knee raised as she gave of herself to the gods. The staff held in her right hand dissolved into green mana, and a similar burst shot from the ring on her left hand. The magic circle flashed in activation and showered mana over the meadow, causing one last great wave of growth to ripple out from the center.
Chest heaving, Rozemyne slowly lowered her arms and leg, standing uneasily alone in the center of the flower-filled meadow. Ferdinand rushed forward, the plants parting for him, giving him a clear path to catch her before she fell to her knees in exhaustion. He tugged a potion off his belt and popped off the feystone cap, holding it up to her lips and encouraging her to drink. She swallowed the potion easily, and after a moment, her face screwed up in displeasure, "Blech. One of the ultra-nasty potions, Ferdinand…?"
"Don't complain," he grumbled, resting a hand on her cheek and watching for the moment when her eyes cleared. "You're the fool who drained nearly all of her mana on an unknown, untested ritual."
She laughed and glanced around tiredly, her smile brightening at the sight that surrounded them. "It worked…! Efflorelume's Whirl, there are a few places throughout Yurgenschmidt with more of her touch… If you perform the ritual, all of her creations will grow and bloom, for a few hours…"
He grunted softly, seating himself on the ground and drawing her close, just shy of dragging her into his lap. "I see the appeal now. And if that's the case, I'd like to make the most of this time, and gather." He gave her a pointed look, and she laughed at his impatience.
Sitting up on her own, the potion taking effect, she reached out and took his hand in hers, smiling warmly at his fingers. "I found my answer, Ferdinand."
He stared at her for a long time. Then, hand twitching in hers, he asked, baffled, "What are you talking about, Rozemyne?"
"My answer!" she exclaimed, as though that cleared anything up. Squeezing his hand, she leaned forward, her face bright red, her earnest emotions openly displayed for him to read. "I've been struggling with it since our engagement. I hated not being able to answer you, because I didn't know anything about romantic love. I mean, everyone always makes it seem like it's this one, grand thing, y'know? But, I don't think that's it at all! That's my answer!"
She watched him closely as his face turned an interesting shade of red before he sucked in a great lungful of air. His jaw worked, but it took several attempts to respond before Grammaratur graced him with speech once again. "I, I'm not sure I understand the connection, Rozemyne, but, are you saying that…?"
His hand ached as she squeezed it ever tighter, and she nodded stiffly with great embarrassment. She still found it difficult to look at him, but as long as she focused on their hands, she could speak without hiding her face from him. "My answer, it's… a lot of beautiful things, are actually lots of pretty little things, coming together, to make something greater. I was trying so hard to find that one singular thing that I thought was love, that I was missing all of the little pieces. And, uhm, I'm sorry about that, Ferdinand. It probably felt like I didn't appreciate everything, but that's not true at all. I was distracted, but I'm not anymore…! I see it all, and, and all of these pretty little flowers you've caused to blossom in my heart, it… I realize now, I do love you, Ferdinand. And, I have for a long time." Exhausting herself with her admission, she hung her head over their joined hands, resting her forehead there, as she mumbled out the last, "I'm sorry I was so dense about it."
He sighed heavily and shifted until resting his own head against hers, gently returning the squeeze on his hand, "Good grief. What am I to do with you, Rozemyne? Was that truly so difficult to understand?"
His words made her twitch in annoyance, but his tone was warm with a depth of emotion she rarely heard from him. Turning her face up towards him, she pouted cutely, shifting closer to him, "It really was…! So… So tell me I did a good job!"
Chuckling, he rested his hand on top of her head, lips turned up in a rare, genuine smile as he regarded her, "Very good, Rozemyne."
She trembled for a moment, then launched herself at him, arms wrapping around his shoulders as she clumsily crashed her lips to his and toppled them over. He allowed her the unsightly display of emotions, and the flora seemed to move to hide them from the rustling of nearby scholars gathering. Ferdinand held her close, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, gently leading with teasing nibbles to her lips and swipes of his tongue to a far more enjoyable position than their collision had first allowed. A sweet, tingling rush passed between them and Rozemyne shivered, gasping with surprise. Breathless and flushed, they pulled reluctantly apart, and Rozemyne looked down on him in a daze, tongue brushing over pink lips to better taste the sweetness of his mana.
"Ferdinand, uhm…"
"May I gather now, Rozemyne?" he asked with a smug grin. He would not be disappointed if she instead wanted to continue, but they weren't alone, and there was still most of a year remaining until their Star Binding.
Bright red and more than a little irritated, Rozemyne sat bolt upright and put some distance between them, tilting her face up and away from him. "Right! Of course you can! I said you could, after all, once you listened to what I had to say, and I did do this for you, so, of course, go right ahead!"
It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself, and Ferdinand chuckled softly as she failed to fool him one bit. He rose to his feet and held his hand out to help her rise. She took it slowly, and he held her steady as she stood up, his eyes still locked on her as she looked around the colorful meadow. Around the edges, some of their knights were fending off feybeasts, and that drew out another sigh from her. Resting her cheek pensively in hand, she looked up to Ferdinand apologetically and gestured, "You had best get to gathering, Ferdinand. I'll go support our knights."
He finally looked away from her and nodded his agreement, though his actions were counter to their goals. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close. Lifting his cloak to hide them from view, he captured her lips in another sweet kiss, reveling in the affection and intimacy he had been unsure would ever be his to enjoy. She leaned into him, clutching at his robes and trembling with emotion, and she nearly stumbled when he broke away and smirked at her. "We can continue this conversation later. In a hidden room. Perhaps I'll let you share some pages of your Grutrissheit with me, after all."
"You make it sound like you're the one doing me a favor…," she pouted.
"I'll share some of mine, as well."
"That's not the point I was making at all!"
He chuckled and turned deliberately away from her to begin gathering at last.