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[Sirus]

Tantallos didn't seem to be forthcoming with any information, so Chris turned his attention to the soldier.

"Might as well talk about the women in our lives, then. We all have one. How are things between you and Charlotte?"

: "Oh, it could be worse I guess."
He smiled slightly as he remembered the past few months.

: "I think we've gotten closer than we were before the group split up. We joke around a bit more, trust each other a bit more. Sometimes I wonder what my family would think of her if I ever brought her around for dinner or something." He was lost in his thoughts for a moment, but then shook himself back to the present.

: "But, uh, that's just my take on it. So have you and Ami/Mia managed to spend any time together since coming here? I remember you saying that there wasn't much time when you had undead to fight."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"A little, here and there."

"I wanted to take her out to the village for a day, but the blizzard pretty much ruined any chances of that. I don't know if she wants to come with us today."

"But we've spent some time getting to know each other, yes. I've helped her groom and feed Tenebra, and we've explored the grounds together. Roasted marshmallows and made hot cocoa. Read in the library."

"Simple things, but doing them with her - just being around her - makes me feel... happy. I haven't really felt that in years."

"Honestly... I think it might be love. I don't know how she feels though, and that worries me."

He scratched at his jaw nervously.

"For some reason I can't seem to work up the courage to ask her. Strange, isn't it..."

[Praefectus Screptum]

"Later, Olison."

Chris considered his Hermes Ring.

"Well, I looted this during the attack. I'm thinking about giving it to someone, but I'm not sure who, yet. I've worn it for awhile now and I noticed that it improves reaction time and physical speed, so I was thinking about giving it to you or Alex... somebody who needs it. I still haven't made up my mind yet."

He shrugged.

"Anyway, I have time now, so if you'd like to talk about my duties this is a good time."

"How interesting! That is a Hermes Ring, my friend! Those are really rare, and what you felt is exactly what it does to people. If you wear the ring, you will be able to move faster, it is indeed a useful tool in combat, besides being fancy."

"As for your functions.. as you might know, you will be "solving problems" we may have during diplomacy visits. You are going to work as our shadow. If any of or soldiers get attacked during a diplomatic mission, you will know what to do, and you will have a big advantage over them, surprise attack. Besides that, you will also assist us on the guard and possibly recruit new followers."

[Sirus]

@ Chris

Hearing Chris describe his relationship made Gregor smile...until the last few sentences, which awoke some worries he didn't even know he had.

: "I...think I know exactly what you mean. I'm not sure whether fighting a berserker or asking Charlotte what she's thinking about our relationship is more frightening at the moment."

Well, that was a bit of an exaggeration.

[freeformschooler]

"Sure, I'd like to hear."

: "Very well. I'm sorry if this is long-winded. It's the first time I've remembered it with clarity since childhood."

Charlotte cleared her throat, preparing her Italics Voice for the backstory.

: "When I was six years old, I was already carrying water back and forth between a nearby river and my village in the north. The water was cleaner than any you can now find within reach of empires like Berebia, Menelea or Deynastia. It was the main reason the village was founded in the place it was. In the wild mountains up north, there's quite a lot of spots where the water is iced over, rendering it inaccessible.

There were other boys who were brought water, but many of them dragged their feet (much to the anger of our elders). Only I was sent every day. It wasn't a terrible job. It made my parents proud, and prepared me well for what I had to do in the future. This is not the story, though. The story is six years later. I was twelve years old when it all happened.

I had just jumped the little cliff near the stream when he came into view. A man with bright blonde hair and - ah, how do I put this - those bizarre eyes that you have, Seyena. Less like eyes and more like blue portals to another time and place. This, please understand, is why I acted so oddly toward you when we first met.

Anyway, this man was just standing by the river, looking into it. He had this dark cloak, and it was really fitting with how sad he looked. The last time I saw someone that horrifically sad was... in the last battle, actually, when Gregor mentioned his family. Huh.

I didn't have to approach him. He certainly didn't approach me. But when I did, he turned, looking a little surprised. He said something to me:"

: "Do you know how it feels to lose everything?"

"Of course I didn't. Nothing horrible had ever happened in the village except a death here and there. I was just standing there, speechless at the large man's forward attitude."

: "Don't take that water back to the village. It's not clean. Take this instead."

"He handed me a completely different pail of water. It didn't look as fresh as the river water normally was. I smelled something funny, but it wasn't coming from the pail. It was coming from something close by. Walking over to the river with the man's pail in hand, I spotted an odd coloration in the normally-clear flow. It was... a hint of purple. Yes, the water was tinted purple, and no matter how much ran downstream, it didn't clear up. In fact, it seemed only to discolor itself further.

Looking back, you know what was quaint about it?

The river was turning the color of Berebia."

: "There's something else in there, too. I need you to keep it safe no matter what, alright? It's the most important thing you've ever done."

"That was a little bit of an odd thing to say, but sure enough, I looked into the pail and spotted a faint, gold-ish gleam. Reaching inside, it was a stone about the size of my fist, pulsing with a color - a color not unlike his hair in the sunslight. Or yours."

Charlotte looks back up at Seyena.

: "The man walked down the side of the river alone. I headed back to the village in a daze, the Tiger's Eye - as I would later hear it called off-hand by someone in-the-know - beneath my clothes, much like it is now. I didn't think much about what I would do if the water was still not 'clean' tomorrow, but I didn't really have the opportunity.

Later that night, I jolted awake in a coughing fit. My parents were not in the hut. It seemed a little odd they would leave without telling me, so I stepped outside only to see the village's inhabitants, all four or so dozen of them, screaming, leaving their huts and running in many directions. Their visions were obscured by a thick cover of smoke from some burning houses. Fire magic. Not something anyone in the village knew or could afford to learn.

Off in the distance, there were some figures on black horses, their lances clattering against heavy shields. They seemed to be approaching - fast - so I ran in the only direction I knew to run: back toward the river. I was terrified. Every few steps, I'd hear a CLANG, but the smoke was wide-spread, and I couldn't tell whether one of the invaders had followed me or not. Not until I reached the river.

On top of the smoke, it was dark. Still, the light from the full moon and the distant fire allowed a brief glimpse of the river's color. It was still sickeningly purple, and oddly, it seemed to have slowed down. As if the purple material was simply too heavy for the water to carry downstream.

For the next three days, I walked downstream alongside the unclean river. I was too scared to drink its water, and I had forgotten to bring any food, so I was very hungry and very thirsty. But, finally, the river branched in two directions. One continued to carry a faint purple hue. By some miracle of nature, the other did not. I considered it a sign and hopped across some rocks, careful not to fall in the water. For a whole day, I filled up on the clean water while following along its path.

Finally, after two more days had passed, I collapsed. No more progress could be made. Legs were bruised. Feet were swollen. Eyelids were heavy. I wanted to finally let loose and cry about all that happened, but I didn't have the strength to do that. I simply fell asleep.

I don't remember when I woke up, but I remember where. It was a small clearing between a thick forest cover. Kesselring Forest, though at the time, it was just 'the forest.' Above my head, there was a small stone structure. Smaller even than the lance you carry. It was beautiful. A little stone model of a winged serpent rested on top of it. I called it a 'shrine,' but no one else ever visited it, so who knows?

You don't need to hear the rest of my story. You can probably guess it. Three or so years learning to hunt and fend in Kesselring forest, keeping the Tiger's Eye safe within the dragon shrine. Right up until I met Gregor in the forest, and everything changed awfully fast."

Charlotte took a long, deep breath and allowed for a moment of silence.

: "Anyway. I'm probably wrong, but I like to believe everything is connected in a sort of cosmic way. When I saw first saw you in that tavern, you stood out of the crowd, Seyena. From a distance, it even looked like you might be him. You know, the one from before, by the river. I don't know what happened to him or if he was even a Latzenhommer. Maybe it's just one big coincidence, but - ah - "

It was a little difficult to spit the words out.

: "But wouldn't it be funny if this stone really did belong to you?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Chris nodded to Tantallos.

"That's about what I expected. I can do that."

He turned back to Gregor.

"So it's not just me... that's good. Although... I think it's more obvious between you and Charlotte. She really likes being around you, too. Anyone can see it."

"With Ami... it's a little different. I like both her and Mia - that's what I've named her other personality, and she seems to like it - but I'm never certain how much time I'll get to spend with either. And it's always a little strange to be talking with one about one thing, then have to pick up an old conversation thread when the other one suddenly appears."

"It's certainly a challenge!"

[Sirus]

Gregor blinked, suddenly dumbfounded by the type of problems such a situation could present.

: "I never even thought of that. That must be tricky to keep track of!"

: "But if nothing else, at least it looks like both halves of Ami - or Mia, or whatever she likes to be called - seem to like you. It could certainly be a lot worse, or at least more awkward!"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Indeed. It must be difficult for her, too."

"And you're right. I do have that going for me."

Chris adjusted his knives and crossbow out of habit.

"Anyway, aside from shopping for supplies, anything you'd like to get up to while out in the village?"

[Sirus]

Gregor thought for a moment.

: "Seems like Olison could use some medicine, assuming Ami or Seyena can't cure him. Other than that, I guess we'll have to see what the village has to offer. At least Mannan - sorry: Lord Tunhausen - has arranged reduced prices for us. What about you, got anything in mind?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Well... I was going to play in the snow, to be perfectly honest. Build snowmen. Make snow angels. Maybe arrange a snowball fight."

[Sirus]

Gregor raised an eyebrow.

: "A good portion of the Menelean army is camped just a day's march away, we barely have enough supplies and gold for another battle or two, we still have no idea where Derick is, and you're gonna play in the snow?"

: "...Count me in? After shopping, of course."

Anything to keep his mind occupied on happier things...

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Well... yes! People could do with some cheer around here. Everyone is so gloomy."

Chris sighed, his tone becoming more serious.

"...And as you implied, we could all die soon. So I'm going to take this opportunity to do the things that I'm 'not supposed' to."

He suddenly lightened up.

"We could even organize a cookout of sorts. I'm sure Charlotte and I can catch a deer or two to cook, and we can camp in the woods. Roast marshmallows, tell stories around a campfire..."

[Sirus]

: "Whoa, hold up there."

: "I'm all for unwinding a bit after all the recent bad news, but don't you think a campout is a little much? My understanding is that it gets pretty cold out here at night."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"That's what the fire is for. And hopefully perhaps sharing someone's bedroll."

Chris gave him a thoughtful look before chuckling quietly.

"Well, maybe not. You and Charlotte don't seem the type to do that sort of thing. At least not without vows first."

[Gamerboy4life]

"The stone- wh-what, mine? How...?" If it was hers- that meant it would have been one person to give Charlotte that stone. Only one person she knew would fit that description. Did Charlotte meet her father?

No she would have remembered if he kept the stone on his person. Wait- he had a box that could have housed it. He never yelled at us, save for the time we tried to see what was inside. Back then... I was five, Nala would have been nine.

"But... it could have been anyone." Seyena muttered. It wasn't her father, the likelihood is nearly impossible- she didn't believe in fate.

And then she began to think- to recall- trying to line up Charlotte's story with her own memories.

I was eleven, Nala was fifteen. That's when she was murdered, and I was taken away. If me and Charlotte are close to the same age... Then my father could have met her shortly after.

If it was her father that gave Charlotte the Tigerseye, did that mean she could be a Latzenhommer? No, I still have no idea whether or not it was him. Unless... She could really only think of one way to verify for sure.

She finally spoke, but her voice carried the smallest quiver. This was a lot to take in for her.
"Charlotte. Did... did the man who gave you the stone... d-did he have a scar on the back of his right hand?"

She was terrified of a yes.