Trails of Garreg Mach - Late Morning - Clear
Amalthea von Kreuz
Today was supposed to be an exciting day for Thea. It was her birthday, but for some reason she couldn't explain, she wasn't enjoying it like she usually did. She was surrounded by her friends, the people she loved, and that should have been enough for her. So why wasn't it? Why did it feel like there was a small grey cloud in her chest that wouldn't let her enjoy the sunshine and warmth of her birthday? The shuddering of her horse caused Thea to focus her vision back in front of her. Professor was slightly ahead on his horse, Sorcha and Mercer were somewhere in the sky. She couldn't really see them through the trees. Senka, however, had been riding close to Thea.
Lyanna seemed to be speaking to the Professor about something ahead; from her sister's serious expression it had to be something of importance, but their voices were low enough that none of it drifted back.
“Happy birthday, Thea," she stated quietly, smiling a bit in Amalthea's direction. Thea returned it, but it seemed to cause Senka's lips to purse into a fine line. “Are you upset?" she asked. Thea shook her head, and smiled.
“I'm not. I'm really enjoying myself, right now, and it's a beautiful morning," Thea replied, giving Senka an unconvincing smile. It wasn't that it was hard to do; it was just something Amalthea was having trouble with, currently. “Don't worry, I promise I'll be fine," she spoke in a reassuring voice. Senka arched a brow, but didn't say anything.
“If that is what you wish," Senka spoke, and remained quiet. Amalthea nodded her head and glanced at her hands, holding onto the reins just a bit tighter. Vridel was the only person who hadn't shown up, and it bothered her a bit. She hadn't spoken to him since what happened, and it wasn't that she didn't want to. He just... he wasn't around as often, and he always seemed to be avoiding her. It hurt to know that the person she liked, even if they didn't know, ignored her like that.
But what hurt the most was that he was her friend, and he wouldn't speak to her. She just wanted to let him know that it wasn't his fault. None of it. She didn't blame him for what happened to her, and she just... she wanted her friend back, if nothing else.
The trail ahead of them opened up into a clearing; the trees parting for an honest-to-goodness meadow, with wildflowers and everything. Slightly to one side of it ran a small, clear creek that probably emptied into the lake; the unseasonably-warm day with all the sunshine gave it a certain haze between summer and autumn, greens blending with gold threads in the grass and the burgeoning flame-oranges and deep reds of the trees.
“What do you think, Thea?" Lyanna asked, looking back over her shoulder with a soft smile. “Does this look like a good place to eat?"
It was enough that Amalthea felt the smile on her face soften enough to feel genuine, and not forced. “It does! It's really beautiful," she replied, glancing out into the meadow. It really was beautiful, and the colors of the wildflowers melded so well together, that Amalthea had a hard time believing it wasn't a painting. “I think this is perfect to have lunch," she continued, nudging her horse forward. When they reached an appropriate spot, Amalthea slid off of her horse, and joined Lyanna.
Senka had already dismounted Libi, sliding his halter off before grabbing a rolled blanket from behind her saddle. She lifted it over her shoulders before making her way to a spot. She unrolled it, and spread it out as Mercer and Sorcha both landed. It looked like Mercer was carrying a couple of baskets with him, perhaps the food, and he waved towards Amalthea and the others. Amalthea waved back before she made her way towards Senka to help her smooth out the blanket so that everyone could fit comfortably on it.
Once that had been done, Mercer placed the baskets down in the middle, before sighing dramatically. “Man, those were heavy," he spoke, but the grin on his face suggested otherwise. Senka gave him a flat look before rolling her eyes. Amalthea laughed lightly as she shook her head at him.
“But that's why we entrusted it to you, Merc. Who else could carry it but you?" Thea stated as Mercer huffed in a proud manner.
“Don't stroke his ego too much, Thea; Sir did most of the work," Sorcha said, grinning at Amathea and shooting her a wink as she settled on one part of the blanket, crossing her legs beneath her. Despite the season, she was still wearing a short-sleeved tunic, this one a soft blue color, with some white embroidery around the neck. She never seemed to dress like a Princess, Sorcha, or even really like a lot of the nobles Thea had seen visiting the monastery.
Cyril and Lyanna took seats, too, her sister draping the fabric of her riding gown carefully to cover her legs. Lyanna on the other hand had always been very elegant and ladylike somehow.
It made Amalthea feel less out of place, though. Senka had always seemed to be the one dressed more as a noble than Sorcha had, though she always seemed to wear pale colors. Like the tunic she was wearing now, a sleeveless light blue trimmed with gold around the neck in a similar fashion to Sorcha's, however; it seemed nicer, and a little more elaborate.
Amalthea had never really dressed like Lyanna, though, preferring something more comfortable and easy to wear, however; as of late, Thea had dressed in nicer tunics and skirts. The one she was currently wearing was white with silver trimmings around the neck, and sleeves, and her black trousers were a little more fitted than usual. While it was still comfortable, it was something that she didn't wear often unless the occasion called for it. Since she was going to be riding today, she elected to wear it rather than the bright orange dress she'd originally planned on wearing.
Mercer, however, huffed lightly at Sorcha's statement. He always seemed to fluctuate between what he wore. Sometimes, it looked like he was very much someone of nobility, and other times, he looked plain. Almost like a commoner, but Amalthea would never tell him that. It'd be rude, she thought. Today, however, he seemed to be dressed in between. His shirt was white in color, but over it, he wore an emerald green short-sleeved coat of sorts. His trousers were an earthy brown, the material seemingly light enough that it didn't seem to bother him with the heat.
“I'm wounded, Sor. I thought you loved me more than Sir?" he stated, causing Amalthea to giggle at his antics. “See, at least Thea still thinks I'm funny."
“I don't think that's what it is, Mercer. She just doesn't want to hurt your feelings."
“Ouch, Sen, I'm offended."
“Good. That's what I was going for."
Amalthea felt her smile inch just a little wider.
While the rest of them had been tossing banter back and forth, Cyril had been laying their lunch out. “Should we do gifts?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Oh, yes, definitely!" Sorcha reached into a pocket, removing something wrapped in tissue paper. “Here you go, Thea. This is from Mercer, Senka, and I." She grinned, settling the thing safely in Thea's hands before leaning back and serving herself some of the food.
Sorcha had found the item at the market several days ago, as Senka recalled, and they'd all agreed that the necklace suited. It was about as close-fitting as a torque, but much lighter and more elegant-looking.
Thea's eyes watered a little at the gift. It was really pretty, beautiful even. “I'm... thank you so much! I love it," she stated, keeping her eyes on the gift. It looked like it was made of nothing but silver, and the part that rested against the back of her neck was roped. The leaves rested just above her clavicle, and she held it there with a shaky hand.
“This is... this is," she spoke, the tears falling from her eyes as she tried to wipe them away. “I'm sorry, this is just... I really like it," she tried to explain. Senka merely smiled at her in a soft way while Mercer just grinned.
“Those are happy tears, Thea. No need to let apologize. It just means we picked out a really good gift for you," Mercer stated as Senka nodded.
“We are glad you like it, Thea. Happy Birthday."
“Yeah, Happy Birthday, Thea!"
Sorcha, Cyril, and Lyanna added their voices to the chorus of well-wishes, and then their Professor stood, jogging back to his horse and removing something rather large from one of the saddlebags. “I apologize for not wrapping it," he said, handing it over to her.
The gift was a book, a leather-bound thing with a slightly-scuffed green cover. Stamped across it in gold lettering were the words Altenburg Tales.
“It's a collection," he explained. “Of folktales and chivalric stories. I found it while we were in Derdriu, and remembered mention that you were interested in that kind of thing." He glanced briefly at Lyanna, but she nodded easily, a little smile playing over her face.
“That's a good collection," she said, looking a little pleased herself. “The Garreg Mach library doesn't have one; they can be tricky to find since they're out of print."
Thea's eyes widened a little as she took the book from Cyril. “Is it... is this really alright for me to have it?" she asked, glancing in Lyanna's direction. She turned her attention back towards Cyril, though, and smiled widely at him. “Thank you so much, Professor! I'll take good care of it, and... and I'll start reading it first thing tonight before bed!" she stated, tracing the book's cover with her finger. This was, by far, her best birthday. Even if one of her friends was missing, and she felt that keenly, her other friends were here, now. And they were making her smile.
“Well, now that that's done, we should all dig in!" Mercer stated.
“Is that all you ever think about: food?"
“We've been through this, Sen, yes. Food is delicious and should not be wasted!" Mercer exclaimed as Senka rolled her eyes. Amalthea giggled lightly as she turned towards Lyanna.
“Thank you for this, sister," she stated, moving over so she could wrap Lyanna in a hug. It was, after all, Lyanna's permission that Amalthea was able to enjoy this day with her friends. She wasn't sure it would have turned out so nice if Lyanna had decided against it, but... Amalthea was glad she didn't.
Lyanna looked almost surprised to be caught up in the embrace, eyes widening for a moment before her entire expression softened and she hugged Thea back, stroking her hair gently. “You're welcome, Thea. I'm–I'm glad I could do that much for you."
A moment later, her arms eased, though, and she made a soft sound of something that might have been amusement. “It looks like someone's here to see you," she murmured, tipping her chin towards the treeline.
And there was Vridel, expression downcast, body language hesitant, but clearly very much there on purpose. When her eyes landed on him, he gestured slightly, seemingly asking her to come towards him.
Thea felt something in her chest, and a strange sensation twisting in her stomach. She was very happy to see him, and she glanced towards the others, briefly. They were all occupied with getting their food, so she nodded at Lyanna, and stood quietly from her spot. She made her way towards Vridel, a large smile forming on her lips as she approached him.
“Vridel, I'm glad... glad that you came," she spoke, stepping in for a hug, however; she stopped herself. It somehow felt as if it wouldn't be appropriate right now, and instead, folded her hands behind her back. She was still smiling at him, though, and her stomach felt like it was doing weird flops. Was she nervous? She felt like she was.
He gave her a slight smile, but honestly it looked more pained than anything. He seemed hesitant to speak, somehow, and took half a breath to hold for several seconds where it was likely he'd originally meant words to go. After a moment, they materialized.
“Would you mind?" he gestured behind him, inviting her to walk, apparently. “I won't keep you from your celebrations long."
“Of course I wouldn't mind!" she replied, feeling the smile on her face soften. “And it's fine if I'm not there for a few moments. I'm with you, so that's all that matters right now," she added, and it was true. She'd always felt safe when she was with Vridel, and being away from her other friends wouldn't hurt them. They were enjoying their food, and she... well, now she felt like this day couldn't get any better. Vridel was here, and he was talking to her, now. And that was, perhaps, the best gift she'd received all day.
She fell in step with him, though, as they walked a bit from the group. It was quiet for a while, but Amalthea didn't mind. It felt comfortable to her, and it didn't matter whether or not they were actually speaking. His company was all that mattered, right now.
Vridel flinched slightly when she spoke, but he waited until they were well away from the clearing before he said anything. “I—Thea, how can you say that? I'm the one who—" His jaw tightened; Vridel kept his eyes fixed directly ahead of them, and his posture was stiff. Now that she was this close, she could see faint circles beneath his eyes, and his face looked a little gaunt, from this angle.
“It's my fault," he said after a moment. “You could have died, and I knew there were rumors going around and I... I didn't walk you back."
Thea felt her stomach drop, and her brows furrowed deeply as she moved to step in front of Vridel to stop him from walking further. “But it's not your fault, Vridel," she spoke, glancing up at him to hold his gaze. “Everyone knew the rumors; Lyanna did, Professor did, and I was still taken. Yes, I could have died, but... I didn't. I'm still here, and... you saved me. You and the others. Even if you'd walked me all the way back, I could have still been taken. There was no way I wouldn't have been." Thea knew herself well to know that she wouldn't have been able to overcome someone stronger than her.
“But I'm safe, and I'm here thanks to you and everyone. And I can say that because you're my friend, Vi. I love you as much as I love everyone else, and I don't blame you. I could never blame you," she spoke, never once breaking eye contact with him. She wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault, that it couldn't be his fault. “What happened to me... I just have to be stronger next time so it doesn't. So that I don't worry the people I care about, again." She wasn't sure if she could bear that a second time.
“Don't you dare," he snapped, turning to glare at her for a split second. His eyes were hard, features twisted into a scowl, but he seemed to realize how he'd sounded a moment later and it softened. “Don't you dare put any of the responsibility on yourself. You don't have to be anything but you. That's more than enough."
Dropping his eyes away, he cleared his throat. “And I know you don't blame me. That doesn't mean I bear no responsibility. I'm pretty sure you'd forgive me if I was the one who kidnapped you, so it's hardly a fair gauge of whether I'm to blame." He said the last part almost as if to himself.
But wasn't that what she was supposed to do? It was her responsibility because she had been taken. If she was stronger, she wouldn't have worried her friends so much, and Vridel wouldn't be blaming himself for something he had no control over. She sighed softly, and reached out to grab one of his hands into hers, and folded both of her hands over his.
“Vridel von Hresvelg, you don't bear any responsibility for what happened to me. Just like Mercer doesn't bear any responsibility for what happened to Sorcha. It's... I'm learning that sometimes bad things do happen to people, but some of us are fortunate enough to have people who care about us to help. And you're wrong, it's not enough. There's... there's so much that I don't know, that I need to, but I'm glad that I get to learn these things with you. You're one of my dear friends, Vi. You've taught me more than I could have ever learned on my own."
“So don't you dare put any of the responsibility on yourself, either. It's not your fault, even though you think it is. It'll never be your fault, Vi. Never."
Vridel sighed. “I'll make you a deal," he said after a moment, meeting her eyes with something almost a touch wry in his own. “I'll do my best to stop blaming myself if you do your best to stop blaming yourself. Wanting to be stronger is fine, but you wouldn't blame another person if they were a victim of a kidnapping, would you?" He pursed his lips together. “So... let's agree that the Death Knight and whoever this Flame Emperor is are at fault and..."
He hesitated, looking very much like he didn't agree with the next part, but he seemed to be giving it a genuine effort. “No one else."
“Agreed," she spoke, smiling brightly at him. She let go of his hand, after that, and tucked her own back behind her. “As long as you stop blaming yourself, I won't blame myself," because he was right; the Flame Emperor and Death Knight were the ones to truly blame. If they hadn't kidnapped her, Vridel wouldn't be blaming himself, and she wouldn't have felt bad about getting kidnapped in the first place.
“And... for what it's worth, Vi, I really do think the world of you. I'm glad you came and finally talked to me," she admitted, her smile inching just a little wider. She was glad that he came to her celebration, and she really did think the world of him. Just like her other friends.
“I know," he said softly, turning to face the path again with a small sigh. “That's what scares me, sometimes."
It seemed to be something he hadn't meant to say, from the way his expression tightened. He left her no time to respond, however, pointing ahead instead. “I... got you something. Just over this hill." He increased his pace slightly, firmly not looking in her direction, then paused at the top to speak over his shoulder as he climbed.
“I know you've kind of changed your aspirations to being an armored knight instead of a great knight, but most of this should still work."
At the bottom of a gentle incline were tethered two horses. One of them she recognized as the one Vridel used when they rode, but the other was entirely unfamiliar: a somewhat smaller than average imperial charger, brilliant white in color, with a snowy, long mane and tail. She had a pinkish nose and dark, intelligent eyes. To her saddle was strapped a white shield, kite-shaped and bearing an unfamiliar device: a sunflower, but where the center would have been there was instead a rendering of the Crest of Cethleann, both the ring of petals and the crest emblazoned in gold.
“The rest of the armor's back at the Monastery; I asked the Professor for the measurements but you should try it on before using it for a mission or anything. It matches the shield." He looked almost uncomfortable as he glanced down at her face, an expression on his that was... a little bit hopeful?
“Is..." Amalthea couldn't find her voice as she stared at it. She swallowed thickly as she glanced up at Vridel, eyes wide with amazement. “Is that really for me? Is that really okay!?" she continued, her voice cracking a bit. “Thank you, Vi! It's... it's," it was lovely, and Amalthea could feel her eyes watering again. This was thoughtful, and she... well, she couldn't really think straight at the moment. It was, perhaps, the reason why she was able to turn to him, and wrap her arms around his side, giving him a rather tight hug.
“I love it!" she exclaimed, glancing up at him from her hug, though she didn't let go. “I'll make sure to take care of all of it, and make sure it fits properly when we get back! Thank you, Vi!" She was really excited to try out her new armor. When she realized she was still holding on to him, she cleared her throat softly, and took a step back, her face tinging a bright red color, she was sure.
“I mean, thank you, again. I really do like it, and it really is lovely. And sunflowers are my favorite," she spoke once she could find her voice.
“I'm aware," he said a bit drolly, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair slightly when she hugged him. “I asked Lyanna to make sure. They suit you." Shifting the hand to her shoulder, he nudged her down the hill in front of him. “I suppose she might not see battle after all, but good horses are trouble enough to get that I already owned her and was having her trained by the time you changed your mind. Still, she should make a perfectly good traveling horse."
“You were... all this time?" she was surprised, even as they walked down the hill towards the horses. She smiled, though, and shook her head. “I could always try out for paladin class, that way she'd get to see battle. It'd be a shame for all of that hard work to be wasted, and I'm sure she'd make a great war horse," Amalthea stated as they neared the horses. She reached out to pat the horse's snout, smiling as she did.
“She's so pretty, though, I'd... hate to see her get muddied by war. Something this pretty shouldn't have to be stained by it, I think," she murmured as she pressed her forehead to the horse's snout. “What's her name?" she asked, turning her head so she could see Vridel.
He was looking at her strangely, something unreadable in his expression. It was rather... intense, though not in the way it could be when he was purposefully teasing her. And yet it was obvious that in this moment, she had the full measure of his attention somehow. It took him a long moment to reply to the query; eventually he shook his head faintly and cleared his throat.
“She doesn't have one, yet. I thought you should do that."
“Sunflower," was Amalthea's immediate response. “I'll name her Sunflower, and Sunny for short," she continued, smiling brightly as she turned back to her horse. “Because even though you're as white as snow, something you share in common with Vi's hair, you're a sunflower to me," she spoke towards her horse. She slid her hand down Sunny's snout before turning her attention back to Vridel.
“Thank you, Vi, for the best gift I've ever received. It really means a lot." More than words could ever properly convey, at least.
“Best one, huh?" he murmured. “You haven't even seen the armor yet." But he smiled a little anyway, inclining his head graciously. “You're welcome, Thea."
This really was the best birthday she ever had; she made Vridel smile.
Lyanna seemed to be speaking to the Professor about something ahead; from her sister's serious expression it had to be something of importance, but their voices were low enough that none of it drifted back.
“Happy birthday, Thea," she stated quietly, smiling a bit in Amalthea's direction. Thea returned it, but it seemed to cause Senka's lips to purse into a fine line. “Are you upset?" she asked. Thea shook her head, and smiled.
“I'm not. I'm really enjoying myself, right now, and it's a beautiful morning," Thea replied, giving Senka an unconvincing smile. It wasn't that it was hard to do; it was just something Amalthea was having trouble with, currently. “Don't worry, I promise I'll be fine," she spoke in a reassuring voice. Senka arched a brow, but didn't say anything.
“If that is what you wish," Senka spoke, and remained quiet. Amalthea nodded her head and glanced at her hands, holding onto the reins just a bit tighter. Vridel was the only person who hadn't shown up, and it bothered her a bit. She hadn't spoken to him since what happened, and it wasn't that she didn't want to. He just... he wasn't around as often, and he always seemed to be avoiding her. It hurt to know that the person she liked, even if they didn't know, ignored her like that.
But what hurt the most was that he was her friend, and he wouldn't speak to her. She just wanted to let him know that it wasn't his fault. None of it. She didn't blame him for what happened to her, and she just... she wanted her friend back, if nothing else.
The trail ahead of them opened up into a clearing; the trees parting for an honest-to-goodness meadow, with wildflowers and everything. Slightly to one side of it ran a small, clear creek that probably emptied into the lake; the unseasonably-warm day with all the sunshine gave it a certain haze between summer and autumn, greens blending with gold threads in the grass and the burgeoning flame-oranges and deep reds of the trees.
“What do you think, Thea?" Lyanna asked, looking back over her shoulder with a soft smile. “Does this look like a good place to eat?"
It was enough that Amalthea felt the smile on her face soften enough to feel genuine, and not forced. “It does! It's really beautiful," she replied, glancing out into the meadow. It really was beautiful, and the colors of the wildflowers melded so well together, that Amalthea had a hard time believing it wasn't a painting. “I think this is perfect to have lunch," she continued, nudging her horse forward. When they reached an appropriate spot, Amalthea slid off of her horse, and joined Lyanna.
Senka had already dismounted Libi, sliding his halter off before grabbing a rolled blanket from behind her saddle. She lifted it over her shoulders before making her way to a spot. She unrolled it, and spread it out as Mercer and Sorcha both landed. It looked like Mercer was carrying a couple of baskets with him, perhaps the food, and he waved towards Amalthea and the others. Amalthea waved back before she made her way towards Senka to help her smooth out the blanket so that everyone could fit comfortably on it.
Once that had been done, Mercer placed the baskets down in the middle, before sighing dramatically. “Man, those were heavy," he spoke, but the grin on his face suggested otherwise. Senka gave him a flat look before rolling her eyes. Amalthea laughed lightly as she shook her head at him.
“But that's why we entrusted it to you, Merc. Who else could carry it but you?" Thea stated as Mercer huffed in a proud manner.
“Don't stroke his ego too much, Thea; Sir did most of the work," Sorcha said, grinning at Amathea and shooting her a wink as she settled on one part of the blanket, crossing her legs beneath her. Despite the season, she was still wearing a short-sleeved tunic, this one a soft blue color, with some white embroidery around the neck. She never seemed to dress like a Princess, Sorcha, or even really like a lot of the nobles Thea had seen visiting the monastery.
Cyril and Lyanna took seats, too, her sister draping the fabric of her riding gown carefully to cover her legs. Lyanna on the other hand had always been very elegant and ladylike somehow.
It made Amalthea feel less out of place, though. Senka had always seemed to be the one dressed more as a noble than Sorcha had, though she always seemed to wear pale colors. Like the tunic she was wearing now, a sleeveless light blue trimmed with gold around the neck in a similar fashion to Sorcha's, however; it seemed nicer, and a little more elaborate.
Amalthea had never really dressed like Lyanna, though, preferring something more comfortable and easy to wear, however; as of late, Thea had dressed in nicer tunics and skirts. The one she was currently wearing was white with silver trimmings around the neck, and sleeves, and her black trousers were a little more fitted than usual. While it was still comfortable, it was something that she didn't wear often unless the occasion called for it. Since she was going to be riding today, she elected to wear it rather than the bright orange dress she'd originally planned on wearing.
Mercer, however, huffed lightly at Sorcha's statement. He always seemed to fluctuate between what he wore. Sometimes, it looked like he was very much someone of nobility, and other times, he looked plain. Almost like a commoner, but Amalthea would never tell him that. It'd be rude, she thought. Today, however, he seemed to be dressed in between. His shirt was white in color, but over it, he wore an emerald green short-sleeved coat of sorts. His trousers were an earthy brown, the material seemingly light enough that it didn't seem to bother him with the heat.
“I'm wounded, Sor. I thought you loved me more than Sir?" he stated, causing Amalthea to giggle at his antics. “See, at least Thea still thinks I'm funny."
“I don't think that's what it is, Mercer. She just doesn't want to hurt your feelings."
“Ouch, Sen, I'm offended."
“Good. That's what I was going for."
Amalthea felt her smile inch just a little wider.
While the rest of them had been tossing banter back and forth, Cyril had been laying their lunch out. “Should we do gifts?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Oh, yes, definitely!" Sorcha reached into a pocket, removing something wrapped in tissue paper. “Here you go, Thea. This is from Mercer, Senka, and I." She grinned, settling the thing safely in Thea's hands before leaning back and serving herself some of the food.
Sorcha had found the item at the market several days ago, as Senka recalled, and they'd all agreed that the necklace suited. It was about as close-fitting as a torque, but much lighter and more elegant-looking.
Thea's eyes watered a little at the gift. It was really pretty, beautiful even. “I'm... thank you so much! I love it," she stated, keeping her eyes on the gift. It looked like it was made of nothing but silver, and the part that rested against the back of her neck was roped. The leaves rested just above her clavicle, and she held it there with a shaky hand.
“This is... this is," she spoke, the tears falling from her eyes as she tried to wipe them away. “I'm sorry, this is just... I really like it," she tried to explain. Senka merely smiled at her in a soft way while Mercer just grinned.
“Those are happy tears, Thea. No need to let apologize. It just means we picked out a really good gift for you," Mercer stated as Senka nodded.
“We are glad you like it, Thea. Happy Birthday."
“Yeah, Happy Birthday, Thea!"
Sorcha, Cyril, and Lyanna added their voices to the chorus of well-wishes, and then their Professor stood, jogging back to his horse and removing something rather large from one of the saddlebags. “I apologize for not wrapping it," he said, handing it over to her.
The gift was a book, a leather-bound thing with a slightly-scuffed green cover. Stamped across it in gold lettering were the words Altenburg Tales.
“It's a collection," he explained. “Of folktales and chivalric stories. I found it while we were in Derdriu, and remembered mention that you were interested in that kind of thing." He glanced briefly at Lyanna, but she nodded easily, a little smile playing over her face.
“That's a good collection," she said, looking a little pleased herself. “The Garreg Mach library doesn't have one; they can be tricky to find since they're out of print."
Thea's eyes widened a little as she took the book from Cyril. “Is it... is this really alright for me to have it?" she asked, glancing in Lyanna's direction. She turned her attention back towards Cyril, though, and smiled widely at him. “Thank you so much, Professor! I'll take good care of it, and... and I'll start reading it first thing tonight before bed!" she stated, tracing the book's cover with her finger. This was, by far, her best birthday. Even if one of her friends was missing, and she felt that keenly, her other friends were here, now. And they were making her smile.
“Well, now that that's done, we should all dig in!" Mercer stated.
“Is that all you ever think about: food?"
“We've been through this, Sen, yes. Food is delicious and should not be wasted!" Mercer exclaimed as Senka rolled her eyes. Amalthea giggled lightly as she turned towards Lyanna.
“Thank you for this, sister," she stated, moving over so she could wrap Lyanna in a hug. It was, after all, Lyanna's permission that Amalthea was able to enjoy this day with her friends. She wasn't sure it would have turned out so nice if Lyanna had decided against it, but... Amalthea was glad she didn't.
Lyanna looked almost surprised to be caught up in the embrace, eyes widening for a moment before her entire expression softened and she hugged Thea back, stroking her hair gently. “You're welcome, Thea. I'm–I'm glad I could do that much for you."
A moment later, her arms eased, though, and she made a soft sound of something that might have been amusement. “It looks like someone's here to see you," she murmured, tipping her chin towards the treeline.
And there was Vridel, expression downcast, body language hesitant, but clearly very much there on purpose. When her eyes landed on him, he gestured slightly, seemingly asking her to come towards him.
Thea felt something in her chest, and a strange sensation twisting in her stomach. She was very happy to see him, and she glanced towards the others, briefly. They were all occupied with getting their food, so she nodded at Lyanna, and stood quietly from her spot. She made her way towards Vridel, a large smile forming on her lips as she approached him.
“Vridel, I'm glad... glad that you came," she spoke, stepping in for a hug, however; she stopped herself. It somehow felt as if it wouldn't be appropriate right now, and instead, folded her hands behind her back. She was still smiling at him, though, and her stomach felt like it was doing weird flops. Was she nervous? She felt like she was.
He gave her a slight smile, but honestly it looked more pained than anything. He seemed hesitant to speak, somehow, and took half a breath to hold for several seconds where it was likely he'd originally meant words to go. After a moment, they materialized.
“Would you mind?" he gestured behind him, inviting her to walk, apparently. “I won't keep you from your celebrations long."
“Of course I wouldn't mind!" she replied, feeling the smile on her face soften. “And it's fine if I'm not there for a few moments. I'm with you, so that's all that matters right now," she added, and it was true. She'd always felt safe when she was with Vridel, and being away from her other friends wouldn't hurt them. They were enjoying their food, and she... well, now she felt like this day couldn't get any better. Vridel was here, and he was talking to her, now. And that was, perhaps, the best gift she'd received all day.
She fell in step with him, though, as they walked a bit from the group. It was quiet for a while, but Amalthea didn't mind. It felt comfortable to her, and it didn't matter whether or not they were actually speaking. His company was all that mattered, right now.
Vridel flinched slightly when she spoke, but he waited until they were well away from the clearing before he said anything. “I—Thea, how can you say that? I'm the one who—" His jaw tightened; Vridel kept his eyes fixed directly ahead of them, and his posture was stiff. Now that she was this close, she could see faint circles beneath his eyes, and his face looked a little gaunt, from this angle.
“It's my fault," he said after a moment. “You could have died, and I knew there were rumors going around and I... I didn't walk you back."
Thea felt her stomach drop, and her brows furrowed deeply as she moved to step in front of Vridel to stop him from walking further. “But it's not your fault, Vridel," she spoke, glancing up at him to hold his gaze. “Everyone knew the rumors; Lyanna did, Professor did, and I was still taken. Yes, I could have died, but... I didn't. I'm still here, and... you saved me. You and the others. Even if you'd walked me all the way back, I could have still been taken. There was no way I wouldn't have been." Thea knew herself well to know that she wouldn't have been able to overcome someone stronger than her.
“But I'm safe, and I'm here thanks to you and everyone. And I can say that because you're my friend, Vi. I love you as much as I love everyone else, and I don't blame you. I could never blame you," she spoke, never once breaking eye contact with him. She wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault, that it couldn't be his fault. “What happened to me... I just have to be stronger next time so it doesn't. So that I don't worry the people I care about, again." She wasn't sure if she could bear that a second time.
“Don't you dare," he snapped, turning to glare at her for a split second. His eyes were hard, features twisted into a scowl, but he seemed to realize how he'd sounded a moment later and it softened. “Don't you dare put any of the responsibility on yourself. You don't have to be anything but you. That's more than enough."
Dropping his eyes away, he cleared his throat. “And I know you don't blame me. That doesn't mean I bear no responsibility. I'm pretty sure you'd forgive me if I was the one who kidnapped you, so it's hardly a fair gauge of whether I'm to blame." He said the last part almost as if to himself.
But wasn't that what she was supposed to do? It was her responsibility because she had been taken. If she was stronger, she wouldn't have worried her friends so much, and Vridel wouldn't be blaming himself for something he had no control over. She sighed softly, and reached out to grab one of his hands into hers, and folded both of her hands over his.
“Vridel von Hresvelg, you don't bear any responsibility for what happened to me. Just like Mercer doesn't bear any responsibility for what happened to Sorcha. It's... I'm learning that sometimes bad things do happen to people, but some of us are fortunate enough to have people who care about us to help. And you're wrong, it's not enough. There's... there's so much that I don't know, that I need to, but I'm glad that I get to learn these things with you. You're one of my dear friends, Vi. You've taught me more than I could have ever learned on my own."
“So don't you dare put any of the responsibility on yourself, either. It's not your fault, even though you think it is. It'll never be your fault, Vi. Never."
Vridel sighed. “I'll make you a deal," he said after a moment, meeting her eyes with something almost a touch wry in his own. “I'll do my best to stop blaming myself if you do your best to stop blaming yourself. Wanting to be stronger is fine, but you wouldn't blame another person if they were a victim of a kidnapping, would you?" He pursed his lips together. “So... let's agree that the Death Knight and whoever this Flame Emperor is are at fault and..."
He hesitated, looking very much like he didn't agree with the next part, but he seemed to be giving it a genuine effort. “No one else."
“Agreed," she spoke, smiling brightly at him. She let go of his hand, after that, and tucked her own back behind her. “As long as you stop blaming yourself, I won't blame myself," because he was right; the Flame Emperor and Death Knight were the ones to truly blame. If they hadn't kidnapped her, Vridel wouldn't be blaming himself, and she wouldn't have felt bad about getting kidnapped in the first place.
“And... for what it's worth, Vi, I really do think the world of you. I'm glad you came and finally talked to me," she admitted, her smile inching just a little wider. She was glad that he came to her celebration, and she really did think the world of him. Just like her other friends.
“I know," he said softly, turning to face the path again with a small sigh. “That's what scares me, sometimes."
It seemed to be something he hadn't meant to say, from the way his expression tightened. He left her no time to respond, however, pointing ahead instead. “I... got you something. Just over this hill." He increased his pace slightly, firmly not looking in her direction, then paused at the top to speak over his shoulder as he climbed.
“I know you've kind of changed your aspirations to being an armored knight instead of a great knight, but most of this should still work."
At the bottom of a gentle incline were tethered two horses. One of them she recognized as the one Vridel used when they rode, but the other was entirely unfamiliar: a somewhat smaller than average imperial charger, brilliant white in color, with a snowy, long mane and tail. She had a pinkish nose and dark, intelligent eyes. To her saddle was strapped a white shield, kite-shaped and bearing an unfamiliar device: a sunflower, but where the center would have been there was instead a rendering of the Crest of Cethleann, both the ring of petals and the crest emblazoned in gold.
“The rest of the armor's back at the Monastery; I asked the Professor for the measurements but you should try it on before using it for a mission or anything. It matches the shield." He looked almost uncomfortable as he glanced down at her face, an expression on his that was... a little bit hopeful?
“Is..." Amalthea couldn't find her voice as she stared at it. She swallowed thickly as she glanced up at Vridel, eyes wide with amazement. “Is that really for me? Is that really okay!?" she continued, her voice cracking a bit. “Thank you, Vi! It's... it's," it was lovely, and Amalthea could feel her eyes watering again. This was thoughtful, and she... well, she couldn't really think straight at the moment. It was, perhaps, the reason why she was able to turn to him, and wrap her arms around his side, giving him a rather tight hug.
“I love it!" she exclaimed, glancing up at him from her hug, though she didn't let go. “I'll make sure to take care of all of it, and make sure it fits properly when we get back! Thank you, Vi!" She was really excited to try out her new armor. When she realized she was still holding on to him, she cleared her throat softly, and took a step back, her face tinging a bright red color, she was sure.
“I mean, thank you, again. I really do like it, and it really is lovely. And sunflowers are my favorite," she spoke once she could find her voice.
“I'm aware," he said a bit drolly, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair slightly when she hugged him. “I asked Lyanna to make sure. They suit you." Shifting the hand to her shoulder, he nudged her down the hill in front of him. “I suppose she might not see battle after all, but good horses are trouble enough to get that I already owned her and was having her trained by the time you changed your mind. Still, she should make a perfectly good traveling horse."
“You were... all this time?" she was surprised, even as they walked down the hill towards the horses. She smiled, though, and shook her head. “I could always try out for paladin class, that way she'd get to see battle. It'd be a shame for all of that hard work to be wasted, and I'm sure she'd make a great war horse," Amalthea stated as they neared the horses. She reached out to pat the horse's snout, smiling as she did.
“She's so pretty, though, I'd... hate to see her get muddied by war. Something this pretty shouldn't have to be stained by it, I think," she murmured as she pressed her forehead to the horse's snout. “What's her name?" she asked, turning her head so she could see Vridel.
He was looking at her strangely, something unreadable in his expression. It was rather... intense, though not in the way it could be when he was purposefully teasing her. And yet it was obvious that in this moment, she had the full measure of his attention somehow. It took him a long moment to reply to the query; eventually he shook his head faintly and cleared his throat.
“She doesn't have one, yet. I thought you should do that."
“Sunflower," was Amalthea's immediate response. “I'll name her Sunflower, and Sunny for short," she continued, smiling brightly as she turned back to her horse. “Because even though you're as white as snow, something you share in common with Vi's hair, you're a sunflower to me," she spoke towards her horse. She slid her hand down Sunny's snout before turning her attention back to Vridel.
“Thank you, Vi, for the best gift I've ever received. It really means a lot." More than words could ever properly convey, at least.
“Best one, huh?" he murmured. “You haven't even seen the armor yet." But he smiled a little anyway, inclining his head graciously. “You're welcome, Thea."
This really was the best birthday she ever had; she made Vridel smile.