Shionne and Alphen in Menancia

[silentsuffering]

They've all come a long way since Calaglia, both in terms of distance and... other things. Things Shionne was forcing herself not to acknowledge. Because what would the point be to acknowledge those thoughts when she couldn't act on them - when at the end of this journey, she had no future? Ah... but that was something she hadn't - couldn't - tell the others, who she's begun thinking of as more than just 'tools'.

Particularly Alphen.

It was the hardest to think of him when she knew how much she was keeping from him. Much to her frustration, however, the group had decided to take a break for a little while since Shionne's pace had been pushing the others quite a lot - and they did just gain two new companions. Shionne was avoiding them as much as possible, deciding to go for a walk through the city almost...baffled by how accepting the Dahnans and Renans were.

It was ... nice. But it felt so alien to her, at the same time.

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[silentsuffering]

Shionne glanced at him with a soft laugh of her own, "No?" ALL of the skepticism in her voice, though it at least wasn't accusatory. She had a feeling he /was/ implying something, but she couldn't call him on it. Or even poke him for it. "I can't help but agree with the Queen's thoughts though." Her friends were important to her, but Alphen had taken a place even higher than that.

[painlesssuffering]

"Oh I'm sure. After all they've been together for so long there's no way the king doesn't know what's going on in his queen's head by now." Really were they actually talking about the two owls or themselves. Alphen would NEVER tell same way Shionne would never tell. Sides not like there was anyone here to call them out on it. Well no one they knew anyway.

[silentsuffering]

"Maybe... I'm sure she's grateful to have someone so dear to her heart to know her so well. There'd be fewer opportunities for misunderstandings - of course I'm sure in their earlier years there were plenty of those but the King's persistance and calm prevailed over the Queen's..stubbornness." Yep, they're definitely speculating on the owls. "I think I'm a little jealous."

[painlesssuffering]

"Well kings aren't born wise or patient so I think he probably learned just as much from her." Alphen chuckled befoer he heard Shionne's next words which in turn puzzled him slightly.

"Oh? Jealous you say?"

[silentsuffering]

"Only a little," Shionne fidgeted a bit, "The Queen has had years to spend with her King after all, and they have that cozy little nest to s-" A pause as imagining sleeping in the same bed as Alphen makes her brain short out for a second. "Mmg.." She's fine, she's good, she's GRAND. "U-uh.. ne-nevermind."

[painlesssuffering]

"Hmmmm" He was giving her a very skeptical look since clearly he had not been dreaming that just now and she also looked awfully flustered all of a sudden.

"Well if it's something you can tell me eventually, you'll tell me." He shrugged his shoulders before looking around some more.

"Still have to find our way up to the top of this dreary castle."

[silentsuffering]

Phew, spared. Shionne let out a soft sigh of relief, and straightened from the railing, glancing around, "There's probably another set of stairs -" Well duh. Though she hadn't been up this high before - probably a good thing, she might have tried to jump then. She turned to walk away, "Let's try this way." For some reason, she was extremely keen to see the highest view with him.

[painlesssuffering]

She THOUGHT she got away with it. Alphen would remember and bring it up again at a later date. Though seeing her smile and act so lively and excited for a change was a very welcome sight in Alphen's eyes.

"Sure maybe we'll get lucky~" He already did though. The moment she landed in that train cart he was helping stock up on the mining quota.

[silentsuffering]

Shionne smiled warmly at him, "Are you hoping to see more owls?" She teased, glancing around the archway - aha, stairs! Hopefully they led all the way up, it was going to be exhausted running around the castle - the view really had best be incredible. "Over here, Alphen."

[painlesssuffering]

"Actually I already found two of them on the first day after we had our confrontation in the throne room." ALphen said with a small hint of pride before realizing that was so silly to be smug about and just coughed awkwardly just before she found the stairs.

"Oh great~ seems we got lucky and wandered in the right direction after all~"

[silentsuffering]

"You did?" Shionne paused to give him a curious look, before breaking into soft laughter. She couldn't help it, he was so precious to her, that proud expression was charming. Though agh, she kept having the urge to take his arm or his hand, catching herself before she accidentally zapped him, and focused on keeping her hands to herself. For now. Once her curse was broken.. she focused on walking up the steps! Because letting her thoughts wander down THAT path were going to make her even more flustered, and Alphen was going to notice that. "I suppose in theory even if we'd gone in the other direction we would have found the steps going to the roof anyway - just on the opposite side."

[painlesssuffering]

That soft laugh was a treasure that Alphen had come to value more than anything else. He would continue to do so even once he gave her more chances and reasons to laugh like that every day. He would imagine such a future so easily as if it was only natural. Or maybe he just wished it to be so badly that he'd fooled himself. Regardless it didn't change his feelings towards Shionne.

"I guess so but it's not like the trip getting there wasn't enjoyable in of itself~":

[silentsuffering]

Shionne smiled a little shyly, "..well, with you.. I've found more and more things to enjoy on this planet than I thought I would." By this point, they'd about reached the top of the stairs, their goal in sight. She almost slowed her steps, just so she could extend the conversation with Alphen a bit more.

[painlesssuffering]

She was being silly again. But then it was understandable so Alphen just stuck close to Shionne before they came to a stop at the sight of the celestial canvas above them.

"Wow. It really does feel so different when you're so high up from the ground." Alphen exclaimed before he instinctively reached out for her hand.

[silentsuffering]

"It makes you feel small, doesn't it..?" Shionne agreed, a nostalgic but content smile on her lips. It was a shame such atrocities happened in this place, because it really did have some beautiful views. Although Shionne felt she wouldn't think that way if Alphen weren't with her. Unconsciously reaching for his hand as well - it stopped when she realized what she was doing, her gaze dropping to look at her hand. And then his own when it drifted near her hand - she wanted nothing more than to hold his hand, but she didn't want to hurt him either. The day she could touch him was too far away as far as she was concerned. "Alphen.." She murmured softly -- then shook her head, not sure what she wanted to say.

[painlesssuffering]

He'd held her hand so often before the mask cracked that it felt like something was missing now that he couldn't without hurting her heart with his own pained reactions. Honestly if not for that specific detail he'd brave the pain to take her hand anyway. But he knew that doing so now would just get him smacked and scolded by a teary eyed Shionne for being so reckless.

So he kept those feelings to himself as much as he could.

"Small is fine. Honestly I never wanted to be some great hero of legend. I just wanted to be me. I wanted the freedom to be myself."

He then turned that unfair smile now completely unfiltered without the mask.

"I only got that freedom because I met you."

[silentsuffering]

Oh that's an evil expression. Or not evil but it was definitely unfair, as Shionne caught her breath at the sight of the smile. "I..." She shook her head with a soft smile, "I didn't do that much." Although she had to admit that if she hadn't chosen to take that insane jump and luckily landed on the cargo train she'd never have met him. So maybe she did set things in motion to change his life, in a way. "You found your freedom because of me..and I...I found my heart because of you." ... that was a little cheesy - she felt herself blushing at even admitting that much.

[painlesssuffering]

IT was cheesy but it made Alphen blush just as much and this time he couldn't conveniently hide it inside of the helm like that one time early on when she first donned her dress.

"I...I'm happy I could do that for you." Though honestly he felt the only one who believed for a moment she didn't have a heart was Shionne herself.

[silentsuffering]

"That..was too much wasn't it?" Shionne nervously tapped her fingers together, before leaning against the railing sheepishly, "It's just.. you always make me say such embarrassing things." Just by smiling or watching her, so technically he's not doing it, it was just her own self letting slip those feelings.

[painlesssuffering]

"Ah no no it's fine. I just...felt happy hearing that." Honestly he went from a lifetime of slavery to being able to make such a big difference for someone else's life. Before meeting Shionne he'd never even entertain that kind of thought.

[silentsuffering]

Shionne let out a quiet sigh of relief and smiled, "..good. Then .. hopefully I'll be able to keep making you happy..for a long time." The implication is obvious, which might be why she's a little embarrassed saying it, but she meant the words she said, and she watched him rather intently to see his reaction. Partly to see that he understood what she meant, and partly..because she thought his reaction would be cute anyway.

[painlesssuffering]

"I don't think you have anything to worry about there." Since being with her was already enough to make him happy. Even if they were doing normal casual things now that they could not touch like they could in the past. Alphen could endure it when he thought of how much worse it must be for Shionne herself.

[silentsuffering]

Shionne gave him a surprised glance at the confidence that he said that, though she glanced away with a soft chuckle. "You're really something else, Alphen..." He'd better be totally sure about being with her though, because the moment she was able to touch him again, she wasn't letting go. The craving to feel him again - just that thought made her flustered, but it wasn't going away, it was only going to get stronger the more they spent time like this together. "...do you want to wait until the sun goes down before we join the others..?" It's... sort of a joke, poking fun at him wanting to spend so much time with someone who couldn't hold him in such a romantic location, but she was also perfectly happy to spend time with him there.

[painlesssuffering]

There is nothing in this life he is more sure of than how much he wants Shionne to be a part of it. If not a crucial part even. Still seeing her smile like that and talking to him more was exactly what He craved for the most.

"Hm? Well I don't see why we need to rush to meet up with everyone else. There's plenty of time left before dinner." He was in no hurry to go back. Time with Shionne was precious even with them taking steps back whenever they almost touched now..

[silentsuffering]

She clasped her hands, leaning against the railing, "Haha... you're... you really know just the right things to say." She smiled, tilting her head at him. It was crazy to think how he just.. spoke from the heart the way he did. It was no wonder she fell for him so hard. "You know it's.. almost strange to see you without it now." She lifted a hand as if she was going to brush her fingers against his cheek - caught herself and lowered her hand again.

"Knowing this is what you looked like completely without it.. it was a bit of a surprise." Once she'd recovered from everything /else/ that is.