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[Furtuka]

"Ha! Like what? Breaking and entering? Not much use for that in my goals."

[CrimsonEon]

Alec gave a good chuckle.
: "Empire's most successful gambler, right before your eyes."

[Swordstar]

"Sound like Empire's least successful gambler too. Ah well. I suppose to win them all you also need to lose them all."

[Sirus]

: "Um. Well..."

: "I dunno! It's yer dream, not mine. Yer goals. I don'r know what they are and right now I don't much care. Let's say ya can't get stronger, fer whatever reason. Will ya just give up? Or will ya figure somethin' out and make it work with the things yer good at?"

Taken by an impulse she couldn't explain, Grifen grabbed the end of her left sleeve in her right hand and pulled the sleeve back. Her revealed left elbow was scarred and twisted, bumpy with mis-formed bones.

: "I wanted to be a strong archer and defend people like my pa, but then this happened. Now I can barely pull a normal bow at all, and those huge bows Efa uses would snap this stupid thing like a twig! D'ya think I just gave up? Heck no! I had Uncle Rufus teach me how to use crossbows instead, and even though it ain't nearly the same thing it lets me help my friends! I'll never be a strong archer, but as long as I can be brave I'll still make my pa proud." She let the sleeve fall back into place.

: "So you know more about pickin' locks or stealin' gold or whatever than I do. So tell me: how can those things help make yer dreams come true? Use that brain of yers and figure it out."

[birdy51]

Miguel gave Efa a funny look. What was the good of being an archer if you weren't a good shot? It was customary to take something from the enemy leader as well. Certainly he must have dropped something. Regardless, she shot quite well enough today. But it was strange. He never recalled her being this perky.

"You've done very well indeed. Your actions here today will surely be chronicled in the great works of literature!"

[Furtuka]

"I never said that I was giving..."

"Alright fine, maybe I could make use of those skills. Be a heroic thief of some sort, give to the poor. I've considered it."

"Maybe once this is all over I'll do that. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying to get stronger. I know you and the others don't think much of this rebellion, but I believe in it. I think their cause is just, and following them is the fastest route to becoming the hero I want to be. So as long as I'm with them, I'm going to keep looking for ways to improve myself, so that I can give everything I can into helping them succeed. When you learned how to use your crossbow, that made you stronger. You learned skills that let you overcome weakness. What makes it so different from what I'm trying to do?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo was finally satisfied no one needed either of them. He motioned to the nearby woods with his head and walked toward them, confident Sheila would follow. When they were safely among the first trees, far enough away to not be overheard, the saint cleared his throat.

"So, you... wanted to talk?"

He had an idea what she wanted to talk about.

[Blade Master Model 42]

Sheila followed Leo out to the trees, and chose to casually inspect the bark on one of them as she spoke. "Um... Earlier, you said that you knew. About... You know. The way I feel about you. What did you mean by that?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo sighed and looked down.

"It was in the way you moved, how you spoke, little things you did when you were near me that I didn't see you do or say to anyone else. Also, you seemed pretty interested in what I was allowed to do with a woman... a little too interested to just be a friend."

That last bit was more teasing than anything.

"My turn to ask a question. Why me? There are men more handsome, stronger, richer, more worldly. A beautiful woman like yourself could likely get anyone she chose. Why would you want someone who is... not supposed to love you in return?"

He wasn't ungrateful, just genuinely curious.

[Blade Master Model 42]

"...I dunno." Yes she did. But it was very hard for her to put into words. The way he spoke. The way he asked after other people. His unshakable calm. The color of his eyes. That amazing butt. "I just know that you're the man I want in my life." She paused, before continuing. She had to address these niggling doubts. "...If you knew, why didn't you say anything? Your order is allowed to love, even if you have to be married before you do anything, right? Why didn't you tell me? It's been eating me up lately, wondering what you might feel about me..."

[Sirus]

The last couple of sentences confused Grifen.

: "Wait, what? Usin' crossbows don't make me stronger. Anyway, yer other skills already have helped bosslady's rebellion quite a bit. Heck, I'm pretty sure there ain't anyone else here who knows how to pick locks. You don't need pure strength to be a hero."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Leo sighed. This was the hard part.

"Because... I don't deserve you. Or this. Any of this. It's all a sham."

He indicated his robes, raised his hand and looked at his signet ring.

"I don't... believe. I never did. I want to, but... The dragonstone wars... if there ever really was a Dragon God, then why were those his legacy? Gems that could do naught but destroy and tear humanity apart? What divine being would want that for his charges? I've been living a pious lie for a long time, hoping that maybe if I kept to my vows then maybe one day I would see the answer that everyone else seemed to see."

He gestured to the battlefield behind them.

"And this is where that road led me. I wanted to lessen the suffering of the world, and I ended up dragging us all into a war that will not end without the blood of thousands being spilled, families torn apart, fields razed. Everything I do, I get it wrong. And THAT is why I was afraid to love you."

"I didn't want anything to happen to you."

[Furtuka]

"Of course it does. By gaining new skills we become more capable of overcoming challenges, and therefore become stronger. It's the same with gathering wealth and power. That's why I'm studying combat, so I can fight on the front lines and protect people. Save people. Bring an end to injustice."

[Sirus]

A blink. Then:

: "...OH. That's what ya meant by strength."

: "Heh! Sorry fer snappin' at ya. I thought ya meant just gettin' bigger muscles or somethin'. Guess I'm still a bit ruffled from the fight."

: "Mind, I still ain't sure if that's where ya can be the most help, on the front and all. But ya think that's the best way to be a hero, then you should give it yer all!"

[Blade Master Model 42]

"...I think wanting for there to be good, and for there to be reason behind terrible things is part of what makes you you. And even if there isn't a divine reason behind it, you're still always trying. And I think that matters more, y'know? " Sheila embraced Leo in a hug, squeezing him tight to her.

"And it's not your fault we're stuck fighting this stupid war. So don't try and take the blame for it. This war has been brewing a long time,  and we've been forced into it on other people's terms. I don't want you to feel like it's your fault,  okay?" Sheila drew back,  and brought a gloved hand in front of her mouth to stifle a giggle. "I can't believe you thought you don't deserve me. I guess I'm a lot luckier than I guessed. Leo... I promise I won't let anything happen to me, okay? You just keep backing me up, and we'll both get through this. Together, okay?"