Walking right around without a care. (for firsttsurugi)
With an accomplished smile gracing her lips the Princess and Heir to the throne of Seyruun signed off the final document with a flourish, her signature quite possibly the only pleasing sight upon the dull-looking parchment. With the quill set aside and the rest of the papers gathered together she tapped the bottom of it against the desk to tidy
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The royal guard quirked their heads in mild confusion to the blond's words. They had concluded their day of training just now. He had been working with them for about a week now...if he was keeping track of his days correctly. He needed something to do, after all. And something to take his mind off of the potentially very real fact...the very blunt reality, that he very well might have not been returning home anytime soon.
A part of him was fine with that, and by the same token...he wasn't one to admit to being homesick, but he was certain that a certain Princess of Seyruun would have felt the same were the roles reversed. Before the day came that he would leave though, he might as well have left his mark...he might as well have bettered those around him, for their sakes. And for the sake of this peaceful kingdom.
Sheathing his weapon, he stood tall and proud before the soldiers whom had just only two weeks ago, arrested him. "And...whatever happens, protect your honor." SOLDIER did not exist here...but that was enough. Honor was a step in the right direction towards obtaining one's dreams. Even the impossible ones.
"Are we clear?"
"SIR! YES SIR!" They had come to respect him, it seemed...
"Let's call it a day," he waved them off casually before turning from them with a soft sigh, one that went unnoticed by the royal guard. It didn't take the blond long to have gained his distance from the others and find himself alone once again. Today was just a little bit cloudier then the last, but by no means unpleasant. The sun poured down over the kingdom through the gaps of thin fluff in the sky. Unsheathing the hefty sword from his back, he sat back against a tree within the royal garden, closing his eyes as he held the sword by his side.
And it was from there...that his thoughts drifted once more. Breathing soft, almost like he was sleeping, dreaming...
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On that day, it had been just over two weeks since Cloud had arrived to her kingdom, her world. Ever since she had been trying her very best to ensure that he was not only comfortable but well taken care of. She respected her friend’s habits of wanting periods of time to himself. It was Amelia who also suggested to him that he give working with the royal guard a chance. After all, what could it hurt? And it would certainly give him something to do! The last thing Amelia wanted was for her friend to grow bored of this world and upset him in the works.
The heels of her shoes did well not to find any holes this time or slip on the grass for that matter. As she made her way across the field she passed the members of the guard along the way. Of course the Princess paused long enough to smile and thank all of them for their hard word, waiting until they were standing up straight once more and heading back towards the castle before she hurried forward to where they had once been training.
From the window of her own study she had heard Cloud instructing and drilling them. When the Princess caught sight of the sleeping Soldier beneath the tree she couldn’t help the affectionate smile. Slowing her pace to a walk Amelia was careful to stay as quiet as she possible could as so that she would not wake the slumbering blond.
There was a pause. A curled hand to her chin she looked around the area to see if anyone was within sight. Left, right, left, right - there was nary a person in sight. That meant that she could enjoy a bit of time with her friend, alone, before anyone would come looking for her. As Amelia sat down beside him, tucking her skirts beneath her legs, she could only smile still at the peaceful expression that was etched upon his face.
“Mister Cloud…”
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It was just them for now... Talking, staying silent, sitting there beside her as he let the day drift by after helping the royal guard... It mattered not to him.
It seemed like she needed a break from her duties too. A Princess to the end, maybe she had found the time to just be Amelia for him. Just as he could just be Cloud for her.
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"I hope I'm not disturbing you. I thought that you were resting after the training session with the guards," she replied, taking the time to smooth out the imaginary wrinkles of her dress. "And.... well, I wanted to see how you were fairing."
It was her duty as not only a Princess but as his friend to ensure that he was being treated fairly by everyone in the castle. Not that she expected anything less of course! It was just that tendency she had to worry over those she held dear to her heart. Amelia leaned back to rest against the tree, ignoring the bark that touched the back of her neck, in order to look up at the branches that hung over head. Through the leaves the mid-day light came pouring through the cracks, leaving spots of light among the patches of shadow that was caste upon the grass.
"You have been working so hard to train our soldiers. Even Daddy has taken well to you accompanying me to the Council meetings!" There was a sense of pride in her tone, but one that she held for the man that sat beside her. As the princess turned her gaze upon him once more she smiled and added, "You've done so much... here, on Atia... I don't know if I could ever thank you enough, Mister Cloud."
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No obligations unlike Atia... Just to see him. Just to see her. As Amelia's eyes drifted upward, so did his. The patches of light and shadow felt good...and the sun wasn't even in his eyes. All he could see...all he could feel? It was light. If he could help it...he'd hang onto that. For as long as he could.
"Thank me enough?" he sounded honestly perplexed by her statement. He was...well accustomed to the kingdom by now. Living in a castle, no collar, peaceful moments, peaceful days despite the times he longed for home. With Amelia here? A friend met and salvaged in Atia, and deepening further? He knew what he stood for, what he fought for. In the end though,
"I don't think I could thank you enough," he corrected.
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The friends she made were ones that were kind and true. Ones that she knew she could count on no matter what - Miss Lina, Mister Gourry, Mister Zelgadis - all of her dearest friends she treasured far more than the entire Kingdom's treasury combined.
"I suppose we both have a great deal to be thankful for, don't we?"
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"But more than anything, I'm just glad that you're all right, Mister Cloud. I was worried about everyone on Atia when I came back home and I couldn't help but hope that the others were somehow able to return to their homes, their families..."
The sunlight that did manage to shine through the branches bounced off the gems on her wristbands just as another breeze passed their way.
"I know this is not a world you are familiar with but I promise that we will find you a way back to your loved ones."
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"I pity you. You just don't get it at all. There's not a thing I don't cherish!"
"I'll miss you when I go," he said as if it wasn't much of a big deal to say. The dulled metal of the wolf on his shoulder pauldron seemed a little brighter under the peeks of light that shone through the branches...
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And for that split second that followed, just the thought of the swordsman leaving the kingdom brought a pang of pain to her heart. One of her hands rose to rest over her heart as she looked down once more as she scolded herself mentally for even thinking something so selfish.
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"..."
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"It... it's nothing..."
She never was a good liar.
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"I know you don't want me to go."
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"I shouldn't think like that though. It's so selfish of me to want you to stay here!"
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