~ 31 [action]

[fonon_professor]

[Today, Gelda can be found wandering the village. She's going to be making a few stops. Raine's house, for one. Next, she'll go check up on Nephry and Dist. Later that afternoon, she visits the bar to see if Guy is there

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[wise_maiden]

[When Gelda shows up at her house, Raine will open the door for her. That's odd. It seemed a little too cold to be out that early.]

Good morning, Gelda. What brings you by today?

[fonon_professor]

I came to see you, of course. ... And to talk.

[It might clear from her tone of voice that she doesn't mean idle chitchat. It's the kind of talk she's more than willing to brave the cold for.]

[wise_maiden]

[She can definitely tell that in her tone, and it's a little surprising. But she's not going to let Gelda stand there in the cold, moving aside so her colleague can enter.]

Then by all means, please come in and make yourself comfortable.

[fonon_professor]

[She enters the house, making her way to the living room. It's best to start off with a bit of small talk, probably.]

How are Albert and Caesar?

[wise_maiden]

They're both doing well. [She shuts the door after Gelda enters, and follows her.] These past few days have been a breath of relief in comparison to the month we've all had. What about yourself, and Regal?

[She had dropped off presents for the pair, a painting of a view of Altamira for Regal, and some snowflake-shaped earrings for Gelda, which seemed fitting somehow... and of course a tin of those cookies.]

[fonon_professor]

[Who could forget the cookies? Gelda is eating from the tin, if only to be polite, but it's all going at a very slow pace. She doesn't dare eat more than one in the same day. The earrings were a wonderful present, though! This year's Christmas was a great jewelry year for Gelda. As for her, she sculpted a nice vase for Raine, with fine decorative markings along the sides.

She takes a seat, not entirely meeting Raine's eyes. The topic of Regal certainly came up quickly. There's no avoiding it now.]

Regal... has asked for my hand in marriage.

[wise_maiden]

[She did kind of bring the topic on herself, by asking about housemates. It only was natural to do the same.

... Of course that response was not what Raine expected to hear. She's not exactly surprised, but at the same time, it's... well, Gelda's expression seems to sum it up.]

That's... [Not something that Regal would ask lightly. But the idea of it, here... it brings to mind a certain other married couple. It's not really her place to encourage or discourage the idea, though, so she tries to opt for something more neutral, to see what Gelda's thoughts are on the matter.] From your expression... it doesn't seem as if you've made a decision on it, just yet.

[fonon_professor]

[She shakes her head faintly. It's something she's been mulling over for a few days now, but no matter how hard she tries, it doesn't seem like something she can decide without some input from others.]

I haven't. As much as I would love to accept, I just don't know if it's wise.

[wise_maiden]

What are your concerns?

[fonon_professor]

The nature of this place. Considering how long most residents stay in Luceti before being returned home, it's a miracle we've held out for this long. What if he's sent home, then returned a few months later with no memories of this place?

[wise_maiden]

What ifs... are very tricky, and can be paralyzing. Because one could come up with many of them, and yet in that time... nothing may change at all, good or bad. You both are technically together now, aren't you? Even without... something as binding as marriage.

[fonon_professor]

Yes, that's right. But I believe a couple becomes more emotionally invested in a relationship once they're married. [She pauses, then shakes her head. She can't speak for others.] Or, at least, I would. It's a promise to be together for as long as you both live.

[wise_maiden]

But in Luceti, that's not really a certainty. And that's what bothers you. The idea of committing so deeply, only for it to be taken away.

But even outside of Luceti, there are those who get married, only for it to be taken away somehow. But does that make the bond any less?

[fonon_professor]

[She nods faintly. It seems Raine can understand her issue just fine.]

That's... true. Even in times of war, people choose to get married to one another, with threats just on the horizon.

[wise_maiden]

Threats are always there, whether or not you can see them ahead or not. It's a matter of if you truly want your heart to make that choice for you. Regal and I haven't spoken about this... but surely if he would be willing to make such a step, with all of his history, that means he has done some thinking on it as well.

But perhaps you both should discuss it, your concerns and your fears, and whether or not you want to take that risk together.

[fonon_professor]

[It's true. With Regal's past, choosing to propose can't have been something he decided on a whim. It may be frightening for him as well. Gelda has her issues, but she isn't alone and she needs to remember that.]

Yes... Yes, perhaps so. If I can't bring myself to talk to him about this, we may be better off not marrying at all. On the other hand, if we manage to work through this together, then that's all the more reason to be with him.