God Save The Queen [Closed]

Man I never had a chance! Ahaha...

Pariah's mindset was a bit off as he went roaring into the city from the air, his body spinning around as flame flowed from his hands. He knew where he was going; it was a place that he had always known when he was younger, the city of Aria of the nation Arcadia. The only thing that kept himself going was a simple willpower within him to meet the Queen of Arcadia, the one who was in control of the realm that had housed him his entire life.

"Ah, it feels so good to be home..." The man breathed out, his body still a couple hundred feet above sea level. He could barely ignore the feeling of his stomach, the immense amount of hunger that was consuming him plain on his face as he reflected on the state of his body. Crap... I spent way too much time flying... I'm too eager... Ah... I need to calm down...

The Devote of Flame reflected on himself as at last he stopped in front of the massive castle, a calm look in his eyes as he approached the guards...

Needless to say, that did not end well. The strange man in a tie and yarn mittens was promptly thrown out, and as he sighed he realized that he was going to need to use unorthodox methods to get his message across. As he laid in the massive waste bin that he had been unceremoniously ejected into, he brought up his plain hand up to his forehead, taking the mitten off for a moment as he looked at the tattoo on the back of his hand. ...Balcony... He finally realized, his eyes wide as he vanished from the spot, his body moving at an insanely fast speed as he reappeared outside of the bin, before his body began to rapidly circle the outside of the palace.

Found it... He thought to himself as he looked at the balcony that was on the outside of a large garden beneath it. Seems like- His thoughts were cut off, as not only did the balcony open, but the very figure that he had been aiming to see appeared. I need to go... He reflected as he shot forwards from the position, as in front of the woman, the figure of Pariah appearing.

"Hello Milady, I'm Pariah of the Nero and I have something very critical that I have come to make you aware o--"

Without warning, his body suddenly froze, as without warning his hands began to move behind his back, his eyes twitching as he suddenly shot straight upwards in the air. "O-oi...!" He let out as he finally released his gloves, finally his body flipping around and beginning to fall, right in front of the queen...

"Hm?" An unsuspecting beautiful white haired woman turned her attention towards the sudden arrival of a young blond haired man. She was taken aback by the sudden intrusion and stepped away from the edge of the balcony just in case he wasn't the nicest of people. He began speaking and she merely stared curiously at him, tilting her head only slightly when he suddenly froze. It didn't take long for the guards to subdue him. She watched as his body was stunned and he fell before her. She blinked a few times and giggled, hiding her smile behind a petite hand. "My Queen!" a guard ran out onto the balcony to make sure she was okay, a few other men following his lead, "We apologize for letting this man get so close to you. He has already been thrown from the castle once." Lillianna blinked a few times and turned towards the man, "Really? And for what reason?" Her tone was tainted with disapproval of their actions. "Well, uh..." the man began, but Lillianna waved her hand, giving him the notion to keep quiet. "If someone has come to see me, they are not to be thrown out on a whim. You speak to me first. Understood?" she told them. Each man stood straight, agreed to her terms, bowed, and was dismissed.

"If I need assistance, I'll call for it." Lillianna reassured the guards before they left. Once they did, she let out a small sigh and turned towards the young man with a soft smile. Lillianna was not only beautiful, but kind. She had a gentle aura about her, but held herself as a position of authority. Her kind gestures were not to be taken lightly. She was no push over, though not many people knew that. Her demeanor always seemed delicate and made people think that is what she was. Rarely did they see anything else but that. "Are you all right, young man?" she placed a hand on him, dispelling the magic that was placed on him quite easily so he could move, "I apologize for the treatment my Knights have shown... but you were saying? About something you believe I need to be aware of? Please explain."

After a few moments, Pariah had finally regained his footing, his hands literally pushed up with his legs in the air as he regulated his flame flow. This left his hands right above his behind as to not get his legs scorched by the flames, an irritated look in his eyes. Well isn't this just a dandy way to talk with royalty... Sigh... While he was mentally berating himself, he focused on the queen, and more specifically how she handled her subjects. A dozen years ago, perhaps, he would have stuck his tongue out at the guards to show his displeasure at them, but as he was now a man he merely watched them take their scolding before being dismissed.

She reminded him a bit of a flower as she turned around to face him, her hand resting on his foot of all places as the magic dispelled. As soon as it had done so, he rapidly righted himself, standing on top of her balcony, his cloak righting itself. " I'm completely fine... Except for my presentation... I apologize deeply for that." He explained to her, bowing on the balcony, his flames giving a little burst to keep him righted there.

"It is fine... you can probably see why they thought I was not worth the time, aha..." He laughed ironically, holding up his hands as he revealed them to be covered now in only white yarn mittens. These contrasted horribly against his black cloak and dress shirt and tie. The truth was that beneath the cloak and even on the cloak itself, if one cared to look, he was dressed extremely nicely. However, he definitely seemed to be rather windswept. Finally, the flame on his forehead died down as he cleared his throat.

"Right. Pariah, Devote of Flame of The Noir, at your service." He explained, hopping off the railing onto the balcony next to her as he gave dropped to one knee and bowed his head to show his respect. "Normally I hunt down rogue mages within the kingdom of Arcadia as my responsibility. However, recently I have helped establish a new organization known as The Noir. We would like to formally establish a branch office for this group here in my beautiful homeland of Arcadia."

He explained to her rather eloquently, waiting for her permission to rise and for her to address his request. He was acting on his best manners; after all, he was representing The Nero on their first official act of business...

As a Queen, Lillianna dressed elegantly every day of her life. She was brought up on appearances and knows how to keep a good one. A first impression was important for someone like her. This young man's first impression was not bad, but it wasn't fantastic either. It was more along the lines of adorable and peaked her curiosity. What he was wearing helped that, the gloves completely throwing her off though. She was currently wearing a more casual medieval style dress, colored purple and white. It wasn't her most fancy outfit, but it was more comfortable than some of the things she's had to wear. His outfit did not bother her in the slightest. She merely nodded and smiled a bit when he held up his gloves. "There is no need to apologize. They should not have treated you like they did." Lillianna reassured him. Taking a step back towards the balcony and to the side, Lillianna looked out onto her Kingdom. "Lillianna Aranhartte, Queen of Arcadia. Welcome to Aria and my home, dear Pariah." she said in reply to his introduction, "I apologize. I do not know what you mean by a Devote."

"You hunt them down?" Lillianna blinked a few times when he began explaining things to her, "What do you do when you've caught those you've hunted? And what do you mean by establish a branch in Arcadia? Are you speaking of a Guild, young Pariah?" It was obvious that Lillianna had her concerns towards what he had explained to her. Lillianna wasn't a person to 'hunt' someone down, though she knew it was often done by her Knights. It was just odd to have a young man, who was not a Knight, speak of doing justice through her Kingdom. She wasn't sure whether she was too comfortable with the idea either. She needed a bit more information than that.

He remained silently in a respectful manner as she reassured him, listening to her introduction. "Thank you." He told her simply in reply, at last rising from his kneel as she apologized. "That is fine, it is only natural considering that we are so new. A Devote refers to a member of The Noir with a proof of 'identity', such as my gloves." He explained, as he held the yarn mitten in front of his face, the flame on his forehead reappearing as if lit as the glove suddenly changed with the force of his will. It became a beautiful black leather gauntlet with a large blue stone set in the back of it that was much, much more complimentary of his appearance. "You may liken us to top-level agents of The Noir."

"...I stop them from harming innocent people." He stated simply, looking slightly off to the side. It was not something that he felt like discussing; in fact, he outright despised talking about it if it could be managed, both from the tragedies that it had caused him personally in the past and the tragedies that had been inflicted on normal people. "By set up a branch, I mean establish a hall somewhere in Aria that will be connected with the Noir's main base in Quitilca Forest, which can send and receive communications. It is similar to a guild, but not quite." He informed her, looking out from the balcony solemnly.

"We are an organization with the intention of protection. We protect individual people, and through the individuals groups. For example, if the city of Aria were to come under attack, The Noir would send some forces to aid in its defense if it were requested. Similarly, in business and other pursuits we bind people together and get them contacts aiding those who wish to begin businesses as well as assisting those who seek training in different areas of life. Essentially, we help one another succeed, and I'm requesting permission to establish an office with such facilities within your kingdom which is connected to your highness' will. While we would not be an exclusive ally to Arcadia, never would we take any actions that would be negative for its being." He concluded, before looking back at her.

"...This was on the request of myself for The Noir, the defense of Arcadia... That is why I was sent to talk to you about it, as it is in defense of my will that they are attempting to establish this base..." He explained to the queen, at last falling silent, before blinking, realizing that he did not address her earlier discomfort. "...My village was completely obliterated by a rogue age when I was young. What I used to do was the least that I felt that I could do for my faily and frieds who I ran away from when they died... ... I love the people of this land. I flew here over the Sea of Tears in four hours... The one thing that I truly have is speed. If I can stop the suffering of a few with that.... I was more than happy to do it alone, if that was the cost..." He finally fell silent... and then two things happened.

The first was his stomach, which gave out a small squirm noise of protest, as Pariah could feel his mental presence becoming rapidly very small. Gosh...darnit... And then, he felt something else, as a lump appeared on his shoulder beneath his cloak. "...Oh no... Flare!" He suddenly exclaimed, as he pulled up the edge of his cloak. The glove changed back into a mitten as a small reddish creature's head popped out from under his shoulder, flapping its ears and biting on his ear. "Please don't... not now... I'm sorry, alright...?" He asked of it, as eventually the Felli calmed down, causing him to sigh. "Sorry about that... This is my partner flare. I'm really sorry about my presentation; I wanted to be able to begin the procedure for this as soon as possible. Thank you again for your time." He told her, bowing to her once more but with his other shoulder raised so as to not agitate Flare once more.

Lillianna was not used to this type of interaction at all. This young man was shocking her in a slightly pleasant way with everything that came out of his mouth. Sure, there were a few moments she was unsure whether she enjoyed his idea, but she kept quiet and listened nonetheless. In fact, she kept herself completely silent until the little Felli popped out of his cloak. Seeing this, Lillianna took a step away from Pariah, unsure of the nature of this little animal he had. It had already bitten his owner, so there was no telling whether it would or would not bite her as well. The young man went and talked again and Lillianna was still silent. He bowed once more, though took caution to the little animal on his shoulder. Lillianna would not be shocked if her constant silence was bothering him, but at this point she was unsure of what to say and preferred to let him speak. She was Queen, yes, but she wasn't such a cliche that she refused to allow others to speak. Once he apologized and raised himself out of his bow, Lillianna merely nodded to him. "I apologize for my silence, but to be honest I am a little shocked at your proposal. I know their are guilds similar around the world, but I've always thought my Knights did a pretty good job of protecting the citizens of Arcadia." Lillianna closed her eyes and took a couple steps, sort of pacing along the balcony. She stopped and turned back to him.

"Please do not misunderstand either. I thank you for your services to Arcadia and to protecting those who need it, but I still have a few questions I feel need answered. If you don't mind, it is time for tea. Would you like to join me, so we can discuss what needs to be done for me to accept this?" Lillianna was speaking as kindly as she could to him. Since she wasn't used to, nor did she expect him to turn her down, she turned in to the castle and motioned for him to follow her along. He was the one coming to her, so she didn't think he'd turn away. Also, it wasn't every day that someone was invited into the castle to have tea with the Queen. She actually didn't mind the company. As they would enter the castle, they'd immediately be standing in a hallway. She lead him down towards a few stairs and went towards a small study-like room. Stepping in, she sat down at a table that already had her tea on it and motioned for him to sit as well.

"Now... Please understand my concern. You say the Noir, I believe was the name, will send people to help if we are attacked, correct?" Lillianna hesitated for a moment for confirmation and then continued, "But you also say that you are not an exclusive ally to Arcadia, right?" Once again she paused for confirmation, "If that is so, what happens if another nation that, like Arcadia, you are offering assistance to... chooses to attack? I assume you will not help us in that case because you also offer them help as well. I am not sure I am comfortable with allowing a guild to settle into Aria if their loyalty is not actually to Arcadia. What promises do I have that my people, who I am responsible for, will be protected?" Lillianna kept eye contact with him to show how serious she was about this. She was not against the idea completely because she was a very open person and would never close her borders to someone that is willing to help. She just did not want the chance of a spy or enemy some how infiltrating her home because of a bad decision.

"It is perfectly fine. A good listener makes things much easier to properly communicate." He told her in reply, before blinking. He took a moment to think of how to reply, as it was an odd situation. "I would not know that much of the actions of your knights; I simply know that when I heard of such actions or found them myself, I would do my best to stop them. I've never particularly heard of any other mage hunters, though it is most certainly something that I believe is a necessary position, given how powerful those who use magic can become." He stated simply, his gaze once again becoming clouded as he spoke. It was that same topic, the one that he really did not like speaking of it could be avoided. However, he knew that especially in this case that that could not be avoided, so he replied in the best way that he could.

"Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you for the hospitality." He told her in reply, finally taking Flare off of his shoulder and bowing to the Queen properly. "Oh... Don't worry about Flare. She gets riled up, but only ever at me when I forget something. She's usually very shy." He spoke pleasantly with the Queen as he followed her inside, even as Flare's tail twitched, before curling up in his hands, the gloves changing back into he mittens. He sat down as well, resisting the urge to sigh from the comfort from an actual proper sitting place and paying close attention to her words, relaxing himself. "That is correct. Our jobs are to 'defend' our members and their interests. However, as a group The Noir will never perform subterfuge; that goes beyond the principles of 'defend' that we withhold... And in addition, the members who would be in Arcadia would be Arcadians like myself." He stated, before suddenly Flare's head peeked up from his lap, staring wistfully at the cookies.

"Ah, that's right. Here you go. Good girl." He told his Felli as he took one of the cookies, putting it in front of Flare's face as she bit down on it. After that, she curled back up in his lap, purring as he pet her lightly. "Therefore meaning that any actions such as those would not be tolerable. The people who would be affiliated with us have their loyalty to others, primarily, and to The Noir, secondary, with the exception of The Devote. This means that even if two groups aligned with The Noir should come into conflict, their members are still able to act for their nation, as that is the place where their loyalty should be held. In addition, assignments and communications that pass through are always sent to the main base, as their will not be communications to the other bases. This means that the principles that are against actions that would be harmful to those we are aligned with are upheld." He suddenly breathed out, finishing his explanation as he picked up a cup, drinking a small amount from it. Unfortunately, it did not sate his thirst, but merely awakened it.

"Quite simply, we are a group with only the principles of helping. In each area, we are made up of residents of that area, meaning that they are able to act in any way they please to help their own area. In addition, for conflicts with those whom lack any alignment to The Noir, even The Devote who are not related to that group will assist." He summarized his explanation for her, before pausing for a moment. "That means that if another force were to ever assault Arcadia, I would still rise in its defense, no matter who the enemy was." He finalized, looking Lillianna in the eyes as he did so. "...Ha... Any other questions?"

"...Also... your highness, thank you for allowing me to see you, even in your inner chambers. It is an honor."

This was the first time in a long time that Lillianna was able to constantly keep a smile on her face while she was talking to someone. Usually someone would have said something she didn't like and her smile would drop. This guy was different some how. The way he carried himself had this innocent, yet determined aura about him. It was impressive and refreshing. While he was talking, Lillianna took a few quiet sips of her tea and listened closely. Noticing he was actually speaking quite a lot, Lillianna leaned forward a bit, smiled, and set her elbow on the table beside her tea. She rested the side of her cheek on an open hand and listened to him still. There was something about him she enjoyed listening to. "Hm... Do I have any other questions?" Lillianna's eyes traced off for a moment and then came back to him, "Yes. First of all... If you allow your members to fight along side their nation, what happens if two friends are pit against each other. From what you're saying, you have people from many nations, so if Rydia forbid, we go to war with Lothuria or Zhilihan for that matter. What happens when your members from there meet on the battlefield?"

"I hope my words do not dishearten you, Devote Pariah." Lillianna set her hands in her lap and sat up straight again, "I understand how hard it can be to lead people, to have those you want to protect. I just want to make sure that you understand and have realized all of the possibilities." Raising her hand and waving it a bit, she shook off the thoughts. "No matter. I will aid you in your goal. If you wish to set up a base here, be my guest. Do you want to build one, or buy one of the vacant buildings in Inner Aria? I don't think there are very many, but there may be a few."

Pariah was glad that she was able to relax in his presence. In his lap, Flare had begun to take a nap, her head neatly curled up under her very bushy red tail. "Then they shall be pit against one another. Adding onto what I mentioned earlier, they get to choose their natural alliances. Should their interests clash, then they will clash and as citizens they will have to resolve their differences. When two parties don't get along, there is bound to be conflict. In reality..." Pariah trailed off, his gaze looking down at the tea for a moment.

"The hope of The Noir is that the influence of helping one another whenever possible will rub off on its members; and lead to a happier world." He explained, looking back up at her, his eyes bright. His voice was filled with hope... the most hope that he had held in a statement since he had come to her presence. It was perhaps the most innocent dream that the young man held; and it was the reason for why he had participated in the founding of The Noir. "Thank you for the concern," He began, listening to her as she spoke. "... I have. After all, nothing can truly be at peace without dissension first being dispersed through its presentation." While what he said was a bit... conceptual, he was basically saying that for people to become peaceful, they first had to resolve their differences.

"Thank you, very much." He replied to her, a smile on his face. "... I would say the next time I was in town I would bring along some baked goods as thanks, but, I think I would need a lot of cookies for the members of your household..." He stated, almost regretfully. "Place us wherever you believe requires the most.. hope. The Noir exists, after all, for those who need help. If you have a vacant building, we can accept that; if not, we shall construct our own!" He said with enthusiasm, earning him a whack in the stomach from Flare, who had been disturbed in her nap, and quickly returned to it.

"And now I suppose that I will have to be finding an inn... Hmm. Though there was one piece of personal interest that I had for you. Have you ever by chance fought a dragon?" He asked her, seemingly out of nowhere...

Those eyes... If he wasn't able to light a fire under her before, he did right then. (No pun intended) Lillianna couldn't resist helping him now. She had a kind heart and he seemed to look at every possibility that she had asked, so she would allow it. When he thanked her, she smiled and nodded to him. Lillianna took the last sip of her tea and stood, glancing over to a large window that was covered in lavender colored curtains. "I will give you and your members the resources to build your own, along with a plot of land in Outer Aria. I know I said Inner Aria before, but there is possibility of jealousy or irritation between your Noir and my Knights. And since you may travel out of Aria much more than they, Outer Aria will likely be best for your location. If that is alright with you, I will have the request sent to the workers that would bring you what you need after this meeting is done. The only request I have... Is those within Aria get help from your Noir at half price. I do not think you will take jobs free of charge, so... If that is how you work, I would appreciate that much." Lillianna stepped over to his side and held out her hand, "Do we have a deal?"

"An inn? No. Kagura! Are you near, hun?" Lillianna called out and walked towards the door, but before she got there a woman appeared, "Ah. I knew you'd be near. Can you ask Haruhi to ready a room? We have a guest." The woman nodded, bowed, and was dismissed. "There. You can stay here." she said with a smile, before the smile she had been holding for so long finally dropped. "A dragon..." Lillianna's mind immediately flooded with thoughts of that day. She closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. "I have... May I ask why you inquire about that?"

It made him happy, deep inside, to see her accepting them so favorably. "Thank you very much for your generosity. That is the least that we could do." He told her in reply, petting Flare's head to wake the felli up. "...You do n..." He suddenly stopped, cutting himself short as he realized that what she said would be done would be done; that was merely part and parcel of her position.

"...Ah... Sorry if it is a touchy subject. I simply ask because of the figure I remember from that day, shielding her people from harm. It was the first time I had ever seen a dragon in my life, and even though I had come to help I could barely move from fear until I saw its fire being redirected and realized that it could be fought properly. I remember the woman who had held up the barrier collapsing afterwards; was she alright?" He asked simply, concerned. "...I also wanted to thank her for acting when I could not... But I could not find her afterwards anywhere. I was wondering if they still spoke of her or where she could be found now." He explained, though shifting slightly, Flare running back up to his shoulder as he stood up straight. He had not meant to disrespect her or make her angry; while he could most certainly understand why. "...I am sorry if I bring up a displeasing subject... I can understand the pain of those you care about coming under suffering... I simply thought that if there was anyone who could find that person, it would be you. Please forgive me for my request; think no more of it if you will." He finished, bowing once more as Flare went on the inside of the back of his cloak at last, his heart slightly clouded now due to the apparently offensive action he had performed.

Okay, that shocked her. Lillianna blinked a few times, her eyes slightly widened. She listened to what he was saying and felt her heart almost skip a beat. Once he stopped, she stepped over to her side and set a hand on his shoulder. "It's a little odd to say this, but that woman was me. I don't know if I've changed a lot since then, but I am the woman who defended Aria back then." Lillianna said, a weak smile returning to her face, "I used a spell my body was not fully ready for and I used it for too long. Because of that, my body shut down for three weeks and I did not wake during that time. I do not need any thanks, but you're welcome anyways. I did what I needed to do to protect the people of Aria. It's not only my job and responsibility, but the love for my family in Arcadia outweighs any fear I may have felt. I did it because I wanted to."

A couple moments passed and a young woman came into the room to tell them that the room was ready and dinner would soon be served. "Alright, thank you Kagura." Lillianna nodded to her, the woman bowed, and left them. "Why don't I lead you to the room? You can settle down, clean up, and get ready for dinner? While you do that, I will send out the orders and choose the land that will belong to The Noir." Lillianna stepped over to the door and looked back to him, waiting for him to follow. If he did not, she would ask if he was all right. If he did, she would lead him back up the stairs and to the fourth room on the right. "Here is your room. I will return after some time to bring you to dinner, okay?" With that, Lillianna would close the door and head off for a while to complete the tasks she spoke of.

...She really was that woman...? He blinked, realizing that his suspicion had been correct. "Ah... then thank you, even so, for the courage you instilled within me." It made him glad to see her smile again, if only barely. She really, really cares about her country... I'm glad that my land has a ruler like her. He decided, and was even happier that he had always strove to protect the people of this land whenever he could. At last, as she finished speaking, he finally opened his mouth again. "...Queen Aranhartte... You have truly impressed me, both as a person and as a ruler..." He said, seeming a bit uncomfortable. "...I do not mean this as flattery in the least; but simply my opinion... you have a very strong will." He stated, and at last the young woman entered their room, telling them that the room was ready.

"Thank you." He said to the young woman as well, feeling Flare toss her ears about on the back of his neck. "As you desire." He said with a smile, at ease once more as he followed her back to her room. "That would be lovely.. Though I think if it is not too much trouble if you could send some of the trimmings up for Flare to have a bite as well." He asked of her, referring naturally to the parts of fat that were normally removed from meats as well as the ends of cheeses, which were often fed to animals. "Aha... The trash bin outside truly could use less of them... I need to clean..." He berated himself, remembering that he most likely did not smell his most sunshiny-ist due to his earlier.. expulsion in addition to his long trip.

As he followed along behind her, he kept his eyes looking down at the floor. ...All I can remember of that day is chaos... Chaos and more chaos... and eventually... falling? He was slightly disheartened as he seemed to have something on the brink of his memory of that day; something that reminded him of what had happened. Three weeks... Three weeks? Three weeks of her life for her people... ... Being a leader... I wonder if I could ever be cut out for it. Though I wonder... did she think of herself in those moments? No... she was most likely thinking only of those she was helping. ... I like my Queen. He firmly decided, his smile returning to its full size as at last she dropped him off at his room. "Thank you very much." He thanked her once again; hoping that she was alright with him thanking her this much. It was perhaps just a bit odd; but really, to him it was not even close to enough for the hospitality that she was showing him.

He entered the room, and rapidly flung himself and Flare on the bed. "Oh that feels heavenly... Flare, get off, I have to get clean." As he get off the bed, he proceeded to fight with the plumbing for a full twenty minutes before he finally got it to not be freezing cold, and proceeded to bathe himself. As he stood outside of the shower for a moment, he reached over and placed a hand on his cloak. "Ignite..." He whispered, as suddenly his entire body became overflowing with flame, completely burning away any bacteria and leaving him as clean smelling as he possibly could be. "So much better..." He breathed out thankfully, now in a wonderful mood as he nearly danced back into the bedroom, where Flare was watching him from the bed.

"I know I look like an idiot. Shut up." He told the felli, before placing his cloak on the back of a chair, before at last straightening himself up to check himself one last time. He was in his white dress shirt, the first button undone. His hair had come down , leaving small strands that were attempting to rise. He straightened it out, leaving his face clear as he smiled, completely refreshed. He kept his mittens in his pants pocket; no matter what, he would never be separated from those. Finally, he wondered if he could look about the palace a bit; but on remembering what the guards would likely be like if they ever saw his scrawny behind again, he decided he would hold off on that.

By this time or sooner, embarrassingly enough, the Queen would be there to pick him up and he would be ready for dinner...

"...Queen Aranhartte... You have truly impressed me, both as a person and as a ruler... I do not mean this as flattery in the least; but simply my opinion... you have a very strong will."

Those lines hit her a lot harder than she dared let be known. Instead, she smiled, nodded, and continued on leading him to his room. Once they arrived there and she was able to leave him alone, she hurried to another room and stood there with tears falling down her face. She wanted desperately to be a good Queen, to be a good leader, and to make her people proud to be Arcadian, but never before had anyone ever told her that she was doing that. She only hoped that her Mother was proud. Once she was able to compose herself, she cleaned her face in a nearby powder room and began her way through the halls. She did exactly what she said she was going to do. She called in a few messengers and sent out the requests she needed done and asked for a response as soon as possible. Doing this was able to pass enough time for dinner to be ready and for Lillianna to return to Pariah's side and lead him to the Dining Room.

Knock, knock, knock...

Lillianna waited at his door dressed in a new dress, this one being slightly more formal. It was blue over all, but the trimmings were all golden. She wore her tiara on her head, her hair being pulled up with different hair accessories. Once he answered, she'd smile happily to him. "It's been a while since I've had a guest. Dinner is ready now. Are you ready to eat?" she asked him. If he answered yes, she would motion for him to follow and lead him back down the stairs and to the right, down a long hall, until they came to one of the castles Dining Halls. She'd lead him in, another man opening the door for the both of them. As they'd enter, the Dining Hall would be decorated nicely, the table quite long, and food already ready for them. She'd lead him down to the end, allowing him to sit at her left side. "Everyone enjoy your dinner." she said, allowing everyone at the table to begin eating. Around them were about thirty people, all actually workers of her home and Knights.

... The only thing in Pariah's mind was stunned silence as he opened the door, greeted by perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Pariah was not a stranger to appreciating female beauty; however, he did not know how he was supposed to act when the figure of such beauty was the queen of his homeland. Her white hair flowed down onto the royal blue garment, made alive by the shimmering gold trimmings. He was not looking any spot in particular, because not only was she wearing such a fabulous garment; she was wearing it well. "Y-yes." He told her simply in reply, seeing her motion for him to follow her.

As they walked down the long hall, his orangish-gold eyes looked up at the scenery around him, looking at the inside of the palace. Pariah had never had any one place that he could call home after his was buried; but he thought that this must be a very nice one, if a bit lonely from the sheer size of it. He saw that there were plates led out, and was even sat next to the host. ...There's... truly no one here more important as a guest than... I...? He wondered, slightly stunned and a bit lost for words, mechanically sitting in his chair next to Lillianna. "Thank you for the food." He said, bowing his head and beginning to eat.

"..." Pariah ate with his very best manners, careful to use the silverware properly and not getting any of the food anywhere but in his mouth. ...I could not do this every day, much less all the time... He reflected on himself, observing the queen eat for a few moments before his eyes drifted over from her and outwards. He caught a few of the knights at the end of the table looking his way and muttering to themselves. Internally, he could only sigh. It was true that his hair got him a lot of unwanted attention. Not only was it such a bright color of blonde, but it made his orange eyes stand out and was extremely... poofy.

For the first time as he looked about the hall, the tattoo on the back of his right wrist would be fully visible. "...Who are they?" He asked Queen Lillianna, his eyes looking at the painting of a man and woman on the wall behind his head. "..." After she answered, he would really get into his food. In fact, if he was able he would go through no less than four plates straight, getting more from wherever it was available. Of course, he would do his very best to maintain his manners and eat in the most polite way a gentleman could; but he simply would not stop consuming until he was looking down at his fifth plate... and then proceeded to eat all the rest of it.

At last, as he was beginning to relax, he noticed the ceiling. "...Interesting... What is it made out of, if you do not mind me inquiring?" He asked of her, honestly just as excited as a kid in a candy shop on the inside to be able to really see all this and sit here, but completely calm on the outside, observing it all with the most respect he could. It was an experience that he would definitely not soon forget.

Dinner was calm as usual. Besides the small amount of conversation that happened around the table, it was also pretty quiet. Lillianna, as usual, ate in silence to enjoy her meal. She looked around and observed those also eating, making sure that they were able to relax. Her attention was soon caught by Pariah and she turned to him. "Who?" she said after finishing her bite and wiping her mouth. She looked up to the pictures that he was referring to. "Ah... Most assume that they are my Mother and Father, since they were obviously rulers before me, but no..." she shook her head and took a drink before clearing her throat, "The woman is the very same Aria that Arcadia was found under and Aria was named after. The man is her husband, both my ancestors." Lillianna looked onto those pictures with a strong expression. She felt a deep connection with Aria and her well-known need to protect those she cared for. Lillianna always felt that Aria's spirit still watched over Arcadia in some way. Some times, she felt like part of her was influenced by the essence of that woman since Aria had been built under her ruling.

More time passed and Lillianna finished her second plate. Something, she couldn't put her finger on what, was making her feel pretty hungry. Seeing as the man next to her had five plates, it wasn't exactly shocking. Once he also finished, she smiled to him. When he asked about the ceiling, she looked up and giggled. "It's made of Ariac Marble. The entire castle is actually. You see, this castle wasn't built. It was carved into the mountain over years and years of hard working men and women like you see in this room." Lillianna said, motioning towards those distracted with their own conversations around the table, "Every room was worked into looking as if they were actually built by wood or stone, but that is just the skill of those of Aria. In fact, this place has no yard. Behind the castle is nothing but the marble that the mountains surrounding Aria are made out of." Lillianna took another drink and let out a quiet breath. "I assume you're done with dinner?" she said and waited for him to reply, "If you wish, we can go for a walk and discuss anything you wish to know about Aria, your property within the City, or... anything else?"

"...The ones who founded our country, hmm..." The Pariah listened carefully to her words as he looked at the painting, wondering exactly what the pair had been thinking about their own creation. "I suppose you would know a lot about them, given your station." He said conversationally, taking note of her strong expression before going back into his food with gusto. As she explained to him about the ceiling, his eyes visibly widened, glad that he had already finished or else there may have been food falling out of his mouth.

"...Truly awe-inspiring..." Was all that he could think to say in reply to that explanation, looking at the walls around him. "I wonder if I could ever work with stone.." He mused quietly to himself, reflecting on his own ability to manipulate fire and how smiths used the elements of the earth to create useful objects. As he was doing so, he heard the queen speaking once again. "Ah... yes." He said sheepishly, having piled each of his plates in a neat little stack in front of his dining spot.

"...I would like that, as long as you are fine with it." He replied to her, standing up from his place at the table and pushing in his chair, "Also my compliments to the chef, if it is all possible that they should receive them. Their food was immensely, immensely appreciated." He told either Lillianna or the person who served the food, whoever was closer, before walking up next to Lillianna to accompany her.

Wherever they went for the walk, Pariah would gladly follow. As long as she was alright with it, he would start with the first question. "...Have you ever been to one of the villages?" Was the first question that he asked. After he spoke this, he suddenly stopped, holding his hands in a peculiar fashion in front of him, creating a spade with his fingers outstretched, his eyes closing. Calm down. You can relax now. He mentally commanded himself, performing a brief meditation as the flame kicked up on his head for a moment, his flesh not burning from it as he breathed out. "My apologies. I kept hesitating with every word out of my mouth; that is not the kind of practice one should have when privately conversing, ahaha..." He laughed nervously, his hands falling back to his sides as the flame burned down. "Have you ever dabbled in the Arcana, Queen Aranhartte?" He suddenly asked, realizing that he had no idea if royalty ever dealt with the Arcane or not, before pausing. "Well, I assumed you have, considering you dispelled that binding earlier. I was just curious if you learned it or were born with it."

Now, he was running his mouth too fast. Finally, he just closed his eyes. "...How would you like for me to act?" He suddenly asked her, pausing. He could not tell what he should do; she kept being extremely friendly and kind and throwing him off and it made him... nervous. "I do not know if how I am maintaining myself is agreeable to you or not. You have invited me into your home, eaten dinner with me, and even invited me to speak to you about business and personal things on a whim it just... I feel so grateful for your hospitality but I do not.. I don't see... the reason for it." He said at last, sheepishly. He honestly was confused, plain and simple. That was the one and only reason for his nervousness; he did not know why he was being treated so well. By all means, he would normally be considered as a commoner. His entering of the palace was unorthodox, he was obviously a Sorcerer with dangerous abilities, and he had a felli stored in his cloak. He just could not understand why... she was being so nice to him. "...Either you are the most kind-hearted person I have ever met, or not very thoughtful. But I have seen your thoughtfulness, so I have to know; why are you so kind-hearted towards a rogue guest?" He finally just asked her directly... and immediately felt like a weight had been removed off of his chest.

"Also my compliments to the chef, if it is all possible that they should receive them. Their food was immensely, immensely appreciated."

As that was said, the two of them actually passed by the three men who had cooked the meal. While he spoke, the three looked over with stars in their eyes, happy to receive such a compliment. Lillianna looked to them and they smiled to her. She smiled back and winked before looking back to Pariah. As they left, Lillianna turned back towards where they had came, but this time lead him out into a courtyard of sorts. Like the rest of the castle, it was carved within the mountain. There were pillars that traced along the pathways and in the middle of the room was a garden of plants that did not need the sun to survive, many you could only find in Arcadia. "You mean other than Aria? Yes, of course." Lillianna said with a following giggle, "I went to Rydian, the school in Colburn, to study The Arcane Arts years ago. A bit after that, I visited Varedia for a little vacation. And I also helped establish Haven as a medical research facility, though back then it was just a small town. It's grown to be one of the main Cities within Arcadia since then." Lillianna stopped along with him and watched what he was doing with curious eyes, tilting her head a small amount. "It is fine." Lillianna said with a reassuring nod, "I understand it can be hard to speak with a Queen on a more social level. I am glad you feel you can be at ease with me."

Lillianna was taken aback again. In fact, she was taken aback enough to not know what to say. She froze for a moment and raised her hand to her mouth, beginning to giggle at him. As the giggle turned into a laugh, she turned away from him and shook her head. "D-Dabbled? Hahaha. Honey, how do you think I helped protect Aria from that red dragon?" Lillianna said, wiping a tear of joy from her right eye and then smiling sweetly towards him, "Of course I do. I'm actually one of the most skilled Scholar's in Arcadia from what I know of." Lillianna began walking along with him again and what came next shocked her even more. "How should you act? Like yourself, of course. I understand that me being who I am can make it uncomfortable and I am sorry for that... But please remember that I am also a person. I do this because I don't get company very often. I love everyone who lives in the castle with me, but they're always busy and none of them really treat me as an actual friend. It's nice to be able to just talk to someone without worrying about titles and reputations."

He listened with interest to her words about the places she had been to; but they did not seem to be quite what he had intended. Nevertheless, he listened with rapt interest. Haven was just a town... That's interesting to know. He reflected to himself, though it also made him realize once again just how much she cared for her people. ...She really is... an amazing person... What she said about Rydia's college he also heard; but as he knew very little about that place, being completely self-taught, there was not much reference in his head other than Magic School. However, even as he thought this, another thought came up. Wait she was allowed to go to magic school... well at least she probably made a lot of acquaintences there. He reflected to himself, feeling slightly glad, at least for the moment.

I feel that I can... and that's the confusing part! He nearly wanted to groan aloud from his inability to straighten out the situation in his head. However, what brought him back to the present was her laugh. "...Magic, I guess...? Well that would make sense.." Inadvertenly, he had learned that she had learned it from the Rydian Academy.

Like myself, huh... He wondered briefly to himself, paying special attention to the words that she spoke to him. "Yes... as a person you are so comfortable to be around and that's why I was feeling unsettled." He confessed, being entirely truthful."...No one treats you as... a.. friend...? No one... in this... entire..." He came to a total halt, his gaze having changed completely into one of concern. "...If you would not mind, there is one thing I am able to do which I can only show my friends. Tell me, Queen Lillianna..." He paused, checking to see if it was truly alright for him to use her first name before proceeding. "Have you ever been flying before? And would you like to try it out?"

"No, not really." Lillianna stopped a few steps in front of him and looked back to him, blinking her eyes with an expression that showed she didn't think it was such a big deal, "I am a Queen and the generations before me were quite different. They preferred people them treating them like Queens, not friends. It's uncomfortable for many of the people here to speak to me in a casual way. I understand it, but I wish they'd change it." Lillianna kept a good eye on him, wondering what was going through his mind. She was about to speak up when he decide to request something from her. "Hm?" she turned fully towards him, waiting for him to continue. "Fly?!" Lillianna shook her head, "Oh no, no. I've never flown. My magic is not based on such things at the moment... Though, I guess if I decided to learn a new thing or two, I could do something alo-... Wait." she stopped herself when she realized something, "You said I could try it out... How?" Lillianna looked around a bit and then motioned for him to follow, "Follow me. There is a place I want to show you." Lillianna probably shouldn't be showing him this, but she was taking a leap of faith. She usually wouldn't reveal something this massively important to someone she had just met. The moment she saw that no one was around, she hurried off towards the end of the corridor. She turned a corner and came to a blank wall. Making sure, once again, that they were the only two around, she mumbled something and placed her hand on the Ariac Marble in front of her.

"Here." she dropped her hand and the wall vanished from sight, revealing a large stairwell. She hurried inside and put the spell back once he was through. "This place is kept just in case Aria is attacked with enough power to bring battle to the castle. It's an escape route for anyone who makes it here." She lead him down about one hundred stairs until they came to a massive opening deep under ground. The place was extremely large, but there were these little glowing lights every where to keep it all lit up. "If I am to fly, I figure this place is much more suited for it than outside. I do not know how the people will react with me flying around with a man." Lillianna giggled a little bit and looked around, "Is this all right?"

Her statements... deeply disturbed the Pariah. ....What a lonely life... He reflected to himself sadly, resolving that if he could prevent it that he would nto allow for his queen to end up like that, without anyone she could be a friend with. HOwever, her shocked expression to his request brought back his smile, and he could see that she was at the very least interested by the idea. "I brought my gloves." He stated simply to her in reply, his hands sliding in and out of his pockets as those black gauntlets appeared, flame pouring out from them a bit as the fire on his forehead lit up once again.

He was much more satisfied as he followed her, curiosity nearly pouring from him on where exactly they were going. When they reached their destination at last, he was greeted with none other than... A BLANK WALL?! While he had a sneaking suspicion of what this could be, it did surprise him that he was being shown something that apparently... His thoughts stopped as the wall vanished, a stairwell appearing. Interesting Was all that he could think as he began to follow her, his ears twitching as he heard footsteps on the outside, seeing that Lillianna had closed the door before anyone else had detected what had happened. I'm not supposed to be here, am I...? Once again, the queen both pleasantly surprises and scares me with her actions... He thought to himself, his gloves at his side, his calm golden eyes watching her as she turned about, heading down the stairwell. Pariah was directly behind her, their feet maknig CLACK, CLACK noises as they descended down the Ariac Marble.

After about twenty steps, he eventually came to a decision. "Excuse me if I take a little warm up." Was all he told her as he threw his hands out behind him, a wave of red energy appearing before suddenly the flame was emerging from his palms, his body soaring past her gently, a warm draft left behind by his passage as he shot down the stairs, the fire cutting off and throwing him like a rocket down the staircase, like a rock thrown downwards. IT was a much faster method of travel, and as he flipped around his wrists to position himself for the landing he performed a single burst, the energy counteracting with his momentum as he placed his feet on the ground, a stunned look on his face.

"D'arvit..." Was all he could say as he looked at the great cavern laid out before him, fully believing that the place had been built under a mountain. He quickly shot upwards, deciding to investigate the area a bit as flames poured from his hands, his body moving to investigate the little lights, before noticing that Lillianna had arrived. Pariah rejoined her at the base of the steps, his gloves calming their flame down to a red aura, the flame on his forehead also very diminished. "With a man? You speak as if they are expecting me to court you. Ahahahaha..." He laughed with her, for much the same reason. "Oh this is fantastic!" He sated, as suddenly the flame on his head grew intensely, his hands suddenly shooting out a massive amount of fire as he shot backwards from the position, his head looking up towards the ceiling as he threw his body back. He could feel his spine crack from the momentum, a gasp coming from his lips as he stretched out in the air, free flying as the flames diminished, before flying around in an arc.

"Now I can either lift you off fast or slow. If fast, then I'll pick you up and you will have to hold onto me. If slow, then you had best hang onto my back. Either way, you will have to hang onto me somehow, as I do not have my cloak with me that can resist fire. Otherwise I would badly burn myself." He told her, explaining how each would work. If it was fast, he would perform a bursting takeoff, leaving smoke and flame in his trail as he shot upwards into the air. If slow, then he would allow for her to get onto his back before rising up into the air, and then gently flying into the center fo the room. Either way, they would end up at a distance of about a hundred feet off of the ground, and would laugh and look at her. "So, how does it feel to truly be high above everything else, my Queen?"

There was also a third possibility for him reaching that location. If somehow his body became resistant to fire, he would fire the flames from his legs in joy, picking her up in both arms to reach the air at a mediumly fast pace, enjoying the feeling of being able to fly without needing his cloak for the first time using his legs...

"With a man? You speak as if they are expecting me to court you. Ahahahaha..."

Lillianna just stared at him, blinking a couple of times. By her expression, it was obvious that what he said was exactly what she was hinting at. "The people of the kingdom expect me to settle down, find a King, and produce and heir. If they see me with a man that is not a Knight, they will assume such." Lillianna watched him begin to fly around the cavern and smiled at him. She never thought of flying before now and wonders how come she never tried an enchantment that would allow that. Actually, this experience might just give her the idea to do so. "What's more comfortable for you? I'd rather not be slammed into the caverns wall..." she said with a worried tone. He could fly pretty fast, so she wondered about his control. If he went to fast, would he be able to control himself in the air like that? Lillianna was actually putting a lot of trust into this young man. Was it right to do so? She had just revealed a massive secret of Aria to a man she just met. Was this right? Would he betray her? Out of nowhere these thoughts flooded her mind. It was too late to worry about that now. She had revealed enough, so she was going to trust her decision and fly with him.

Lillianna stepped up behind him and held onto his back. It was a little odd for her. She was a Queen, so this or anything similar did not really ever come across in her life before. And then they flew. "W-Well it's interesting..." Lillianna said as she looked down with wide eyes. It made her nervous being so high and not being able to feel the ground beneath her feet. After a few moments of looking around she began to calm down a bit and smiled. "Exactly... How fast can you move when you're up like this? And can you control it easily?" she asked, still looking around at everything while they were just up in the air.

"..." For the second time that day, his features became slightly hard, just like earlier when she said that she did not have any particular 'friends' among her people in the palace. He was silent as she said that she would not like to be slammed into the cavern wall, and while he seemed to be cheered a small amount by that remark, he knew with grim satisfaction that if anyone were to slam into the walls, it would be him. However, before he began to take off, he said only one single thing.

"... My Queen appears to have led quite a hard life..."

With that, he began to fire the boosters, sending them gently into the air, feeling her arms around his back. He looked down below him, having to adjust to having more weight than he was used to, eventually reaching the amount of force he had to exert for the this very important passenger to be able to fly. "It is truly exhilarating, as you shall see shortly." He told her, his eyes beginning to widen as he began to slowly move them up and down, his hands tilting as he moved left and right, beginning to understand how to move like this.

"...While going full speed, to the point where the air begins to cut at my body... When I cover myself in flame to prevent that... Well, let's just say that jets are fun to race." Was all he told her, before thinking for a moment on her second question, stroking his chin with one hand and maintaining flight with the other, before blinking as he realized that he could keep one hand up. "Control is really hit-or-miss. I can sacrifice precision for control, which can result in scrapes or bruises if I am not careful. Generally, the more power I am releasing from my body, the harder it is to control. For myself, I've practiced to the point where control comes easily. With a passenger... Ahaha... well, my queen, you would be my second."

With this statement, the gloves power suddenly went off, and he began to fall easily. "Hold on tight now." Was all he said as his gloves began to catch light, as calmly they began to level out, heading forwards through the cliff. Pariah's back was towards the ground, and he could feel his own heartbeat as well as hers beginning to accelerate as they changed like this. "Here's the first taste of aerial maneuvering... Hold on!" He called out, as suddenly he threw his lower body forwards, his arms swiveling in their positions as the flame began to burst out in a semicircle in front of him, before finally pushing him straight upwards, his body gently circling with hers attached to him before ending up at about the same height they had started at before he looked over his shoulder at her, his orange eyes blazing with passion for what he was doing, adrenaline coursing through his body and his heart pumping.

"...Queen Lillianna.. Is there anything that you like to do that makes you get excited? Like swimming or mountain climbing... anything like that."

"Understand my friend, the same way a flower does not choose where it blooms... No child can choose where they are born. They merely are born and live with what they've been given." Lillianna explained to him to the best of her abilities, "I have not had a hard life. Yes, it comes with difficulties and there are things I would like to change, but it is not hard. My life is actually quite lax and easy. Someone like yourself, someone who was not born with authoritative power, a royal bloodline, and a massive amount of wealth... Your life was likely harder than mine will ever be. I merely wave a hand, tell someone yes or no, and what I decide will happen. Those who are loyal to me and my family line will follow those orders as well. If I wished, I could become a tyrant and my bloodline says I have the right to do so. Those not in my line though... They are the one's who have it hard and that is why they are the one's that I believe and truly wish to protect. I wish to make their lives easier, even if it may never be like my own." Lillianna was sure that her speech would explain her feelings on the situation. She did not want Pariah thinking that she had a hard life or deserved more. She did not. She had everything that she could want and could even get more if she wished. What made her different than a tyrant is the fact that she is in well of mind and knows where she wishes to put her power. She will not take advantage of those that are statistically below her.

With a short conversation in between her speech and the main event, the two of them were flying. She admit that it was interesting and there was no way that she was going to let go of him. "Hold on tight, now." he said and Lillianna felt her heart skip a beat. They weren't flying anymore, they were falling. She could tell just by how the air was moving. She suddenly got very lightheaded, but it calmed just a bit when they finally leveled out and he regained control. She wasn't sure that she was too fond of this. "That was... interesting." she said the same sentence she did before, but this time her voice was slightly hesitant. He told her to hold on again and began maneuvering through the air. While they moved, she couldn't help but close her eyes. Once she felt them stop, she opened them up and saw him looking at her. "I-I would appreciate being put down now..." Lillianna said with a smile, still feeling lightheaded, "I don't think flying is something I can enjoy, unfortunately." She took a few deep breaths, calming down when he began asking her a question. "Excitement? In truth, no. I am not used to thrills and excitement." she told him as her feet hopefully touched ground again. She would hop off his back and thank Rydia that her feet were once again met with the ground. "I do nothing like that. I am more into the arts than into outdoor activities, and even then the arts are not a large part of my life. I do not know how to climb a mountain for sport or swim, so I could not even tell you whether I enjoyed them."

"..." Pariah did not talk further than he did, turning over the words she had spoken to him as they touched down. As he landed them safely, the fire in his hands going out, the two of them standing in the middle of the underground, he turned around to face her, the only thing lighting his face the dim artificial light. Throughout the maneuvers, it felt like a knot had been developing in his stomach, and it was making him feel odd. He was thinking, his mind constantly inputting the new information that she was giving him. His expression was blank at last as they returned, before he suddenly tipped his head forwards, his recently washed golden hair falling over his eyes.

"...ghk..." Maybe she could see it, and maybe she could not. The expression on the face of the male was... distraught. His mouth wasn't seeming to breathe, his eyes were wide, but perhaps the strangest thing were the tears that were running down his face. He had not breathed during their flight after her explanation; he could not bring himself to. He knew that if he had, he would release a wail of agony, of sheer despair. It was not despair for himself, but for her, his queen.

Pariah was not a stupid man. On the contrary, his mind had developed to the point where when he came to a subject, he would repeat the facts endlessly to make sure that he remembered everything of it and reflected on it. This was what was happening... except it was not for himself, but for the tale of his queen. ...Never had a friend... But says her life has been easy... Her parents are dead... she chose to lead us... And more than that... He stopped, falling to his knees, before grabbing at the ground through his gloves, the liquid coming from his eyes.

And yet more than that, she calls it easy...! She sees us as the ones who work hard... She who controls the safety of us all... she who welcomed me, a stranger into her home... Who helped us... Who trusted me so intricately... And yet she who would be this trusting, says that I live the harder life...? My life is simple... I have only to worry about..

'My qu...queen." He finally got out, coughing, his eyes unable to be seen by her through his hair. "...Does it nev... never occur to you... My quee... queen. That you have made your life the hardest... that it possibly could...? You... you who... accepted a Pariah like this so willingly... Who cares for... Every single..." He stopped, his teeth clenching up as he remembered at last to breathe again, shuddering gasps coming out as at last his hand clawed at the ground again, before releasing. "Every single citizen you would place on your back... if you could... How can you not... see that...? How can you be so cruel, only... to yourself?" He asked, looking up at her at last, his gaze still clogged with tears, pulling a handkercheif out of his vest and blowing in it to clear his nose, disgusted slightly with himself for his body's natural reaction, throwing it away.

"...And now I have forced you to... to witness something so unsightly. On top of being unable to think of some gift I could return to you for your beautiful... hospitality... Ugh... ..." At last, he paused, the tears finally starting to come to a stop, though he was still gulping for breath. "...Queen Lillianna... why... Why do you care for others so much...?

And while those were the words that exited his lips, the other, unspoken part was indubitably there as well. But deny yourself...?