Private Tales Girl Fight Tonight!

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

I had... I had no idea what to expect... She began, testing her voice to see if some of her usual eloquence had returned... there was no eloquence, but she didnt tremble so she forged ahead.

I thought it was just an outting with a friend... I... I dont even know why I left like I did... I dont know why I started crying...
She lowered her cup to the table and touched her fingers to her lips, her eyes looking nowhere in particular.
She kissed me... I feel so naive that I didnt notice that she had feelings for me... I thought everything was so innocent... I was so wrong!
She felt tears welling up again.

The island elf sat silently allowing her to speak.

Nodding to show he was paying attention. These mainlanders..He almost laughed. Almost.

Not from any mirth at her heart ache but in the idea of being in love with someone so clearly, and yet feeling such shame because of a characteristic..

This was not a flaw..Just a different way of viewing life. The island elves had found themselves to be far more open than their new found allies.

Many things thought common being found to be strange or outright taboo. Leaning more feminine in his looks Kez had seen and even received some of this strange, misguided vitriol first hand.

Often after being underestimated and dealing some much needed comeuppance in the practice arena. Before Dianna would enter and quickly take him down a peg with a wry comment and a few well placed moves. Picking up his often helping slightly battered body to his feet.

Giving his shoulder a kind squeeze and offering a few pointers and encouragement before ruffling his hair in a way she know annoyed him, and shoving him on his way to make room for the next opponent dumb enough to think he could take the skilled soldier.

This kind of behavior had led to rumors of course. Dianna was not unkind, but her cold, professional, exterior was usually only broken when her younger sister Melina entered her conversation.

However Kez, had always felt, it was a platonic kind of playfulness, not flirtatious. Much like she had with her younger sister.

It was an honor to be respected by her in such a way and one he didn’t hold lightly.

He thought over his next words carefully. Aware of the importance of them. “You seem as if you were surprised, but not uninterested..This woman..She cares for you and you for her. I see no reason why you should feel any guilt.” He shrugged.

Well aware that his island opinions would run on the jagged rocks of her own personal beliefs, but that was for her to decided, not his to force upon her.

“We are soldiers. Our time in one place..or even our time here as people are always in question. Never assured. Not that I don’t do my best to help tilt the odds in our favor..” he said with a chuckle and a small grin gesturing to the healers cross on his uniform.

“But..If you feel the same..Even if nothing comes of it. You owe yourself closure when you think you can manage. The sooner the better. This kind of thing..It eats at your heart in a way no healer can mend…” He said calmly. Taking her hand and giving it a small squeeze.

“I do not say this to have you rush out to find them. But think about how you feel. Remove everything else from your mind and simply think of the moment. When it was simply you and her.. then you will know what to do.” He said simply.

Allowing his words to sink in as he drew away his hand and sipped his tea.

Providing simple silent company..

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

“Yes..” The demon would say after a moment.

The question had pulled her from her thoughts like her leg was being hauled out from under her by a a full grown kraken.

But her ingrained obedience forced the truth from her effortlessly. Regardless of her thoughts on it being shared.

“The night I let your mother leave and did not accompany her.” She said her ingrained desire to obey leaving her and allowing the weight of her words to sink into her with a delayed effect.

“I’m sorry ma’am.” Placing a hand to her mouth she would apologize softly. Not meeting the young woman’s gaze.

Charity frowned deeply at Cleo's words. Of course that would be Cleo's answer. But she knew that the demon lived in constant regret for failing her mistress in such a way. Charity also wished that she had been there to defend her mother. If Gwendolyn had more support, maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they had.

"That wasn't your fault Cleo." Charity spoke quietly. "Mother was with Daddy. Nobody would blame you for thinking that there was no way things could go wrong, and that there was no chance of Mother being in danger. Daddy is the strongest person we know, and we both know Mother isn't far behind. With both of them together, they should've been nigh on invincible! But.. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time..." Charity could feel tears coming on, and swiftly distracted herself with another cinnamon roll.

"Well you see, the reason I asked was because... Umm.. Ah..." Charity stammered, struggling to find the words to describe what had happened, while simultaneously fighting the urge to repress the memory once again. "... Something happened while I was with Dianna last night."

Charity didn't bother explaining who Dianna was to the demon. Cleo already knew. She and the other sisters had always kept a close eye on the chaotic rogue at all times. Whether that was for her own well-being, or just to keep track of a useful asset, Charity couldn't say. All she knew was that someone somewhere was keeping tabs on her.

"We took a walk around the city once she was off duty, and we decided to have an impromptu picnic. After buying the food we needed, I showed her a small park overlooking the harbor. We ate and were sitting there watching the sunset together, when all these weird feelings started bubbling up inside me."

"It wasn't lust" Charity continued. "It was more like..." she floundered for words again, finally throwing up her hands with a sigh. "Let's just say it was new, something I had never felt for another woman before. I felt like I was really close to her. Like emotionally I mean." Charity paused and sipped her tea.

"A-Anyway... I wanted to share that feeling with Dianna, and got the bright idea to kiss her. So I did, and of course she was surprised and ran off crying. And now I can't stop thinking about how I messed things up like I always do, and can't think about anything but Dianna!" Charity's voice had gradually been rising in volume until she was nearly shouting. She slammed her teacup down with a frustrated grunt, sending a crack speeding up the side.

"I don't get it!" Charity continued angrily, her voice returning to a normal volume as she ripped a large chunk off her roll and stuffed it into her mouth. "With other women, I can let it go if things don't work out or they reject me. That's fine. It happens every day. But with Dianna... I just can't let her go. And her rejecting me so strongly hurt way more than it had any right to, and I don't know why!"

"Look..." Charity grumbled with a sigh and scratched the back of her head, "What I'm trying to say is that I don't know what to do to fix this and I need your help. Kinda doubt a simple apology would even begin to repair the damage I've done. I know that what I did hurt her, and I really need to make this right. I don't want to lose my best friend."

She sat silently for a moment, watching the teacup slowly repair itself. Charity knew that she had dumped a lot of feelings and information onto Cleo all at once, but she didn't really have anybody else to confide in. Charity sighed once more and looked at the demon. "What would you do if it were you Cleo?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

The island elf sat silently allowing her to speak.

Nodding to show he was paying attention. These mainlanders..He almost laughed. Almost.

Not from any mirth at her heart ache but in the idea of being in love with someone so clearly, and yet feeling such shame because of a characteristic..

This was not a flaw..Just a different way of viewing life. The island elves had found themselves to be far more open than their new found allies.

Many things thought common being found to be strange or outright taboo. Leaning more feminine in his looks Kez had seen and even received some of this strange, misguided vitriol first hand.

Often after being underestimated and dealing some much needed comeuppance in the practice arena. Before Dianna would enter and quickly take him down a peg with a wry comment and a few well placed moves. Picking up his often helping slightly battered body to his feet.

Giving his shoulder a kind squeeze and offering a few pointers and encouragement before ruffling his hair in a way she know annoyed him, and shoving him on his way to make room for the next opponent dumb enough to think he could take the skilled soldier.

This kind of behavior had led to rumors of course. Dianna was not unkind, but her cold, professional, exterior was usually only broken when her younger sister Melina entered her conversation.

However Kez, had always felt, it was a platonic kind of playfulness, not flirtatious. Much like she had with her younger sister.

It was an honor to be respected by her in such a way and one he didn’t hold lightly.

He thought over his next words carefully. Aware of the importance of them. “You seem as if you were surprised, but not uninterested..This woman..She cares for you and you for her. I see no reason why you should feel any guilt.” He shrugged.

Well aware that his island opinions would run on the jagged rocks of her own personal beliefs, but that was for her to decided, not his to force upon her.

“We are soldiers. Our time in one place..or even our time here as people are always in question. Never assured. Not that I don’t do my best to help tilt the odds in our favor..” he said with a chuckle and a small grin gesturing to the healers cross on his uniform.

“But..If you feel the same..Even if nothing comes of it. You owe yourself closure when you think you can manage. The sooner the better. This kind of thing..It eats at your heart in a way no healer can mend…” He said calmly. Taking her hand and giving it a small squeeze.

“I do not say this to have you rush out to find them. But think about how you feel. Remove everything else from your mind and simply think of the moment. When it was simply you and her.. then you will know what to do.” He said simply.

Allowing his words to sink in as he drew away his hand and sipped his tea.

Providing simple silent company..

She took it all in... 'not uninterested'? What did that even mean? Just because she wasn't outright disgusted or even really angry about it didn't mean that she would actually want to kiss a girl... Outside of family of course... Just because it wasn't the worst experience in her life didn't mean that she didn't mind it at all... Right?

Such relationships were all about pleasure. That's what she had been taught since she first witnessed two men kiss each other from the window their family carriage.
Scenes of debauchery and hedonism came to mind when the subject came up. Nothing proper or high status ladies or lords would be caught engaging in publicly.

She let him take her hand and allowed him to reassure her with his presence. Sure, his presence wasn't THAT assuring, his slight and elvish frame with feminine features didn't make her feel any safer. She could likely serve as the more masculine role between the two of them if someone had to compare.
That's why she never really saw him in a romantic way, but his role and features seemed to fit him nicely into the category of confidante.

But... Removing everything from her mind and just thinking about the moment? Just her feelings?
As a Knight Paladin, feelings had no room in her decision making. She'd be packed off back home faster than she could blink if she let her emotions get in the way of making the right call when it counted... And wasn't this one of the times when it counted?

"If I let myself think about that moment I'm afraid I'll lose myself... Isn't this too important? The girl kissed me and I think she thought that we were building a romantic relationship. Isn't this the time to have a clear head, instead of daydreaming? I can't have her thinking that I was playing with her emotions."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Some Days Later​

Charity nervously wandered the small square in front of the Mardanian embassy. She had been there for a while browsing the stalls and trying to ignore her real reason for being there. But try as she might, Charity couldn't stop herself from stealing glances towards the embassy and mentally practicing what she would say to Dianna. She grumbled under her breath. It felt as if it was taking an eternity for Dianna to appear. The sooner Charity could get this over with, the sooner Dianna could move on and Charity could run and hide. She'd just count herself lucky if Dianna didn't immediately turn and walk the other direction.

Oh! There she was! "Hey! Dianna! Over here!" Charity's face automatically lit up with joy as she called out to the woman, but her expression crumbled just as quickly into a mix of sadness and shame as she remembered the reason why she was there. The hand that had been waving excitedly in greeting, slowed and dropped to her side. Charity knew she had no right to act so friendly towards Dianna after what she had done. She held back the beginning of tears of frustration at her own stupidity and roughly shoved her hands into her pockets.

Charity approached Dianna, coming to a stop a few paces away. How she would've loved to run up and hug her and bombard her with tales of what had happened since they had last met, but she couldn't. She knew she couldn't. And it was her own damn fault.

Her fists bunched angrily in her pockets as she took a step forward. Charity's mouth opened as if she were going to speak, but then firmly shut as she quickly turned her head to the side. Charity watched the people milling about in the square for a moment, before reluctantly turning her attention back to Dianna. She had to apologize, and there was no getting out of it. Dianna deserved at least that much.

"Umm... I-... So..." Charity sighed heavily. "Look... Can we talk?" Her gaze slid away from Dianna's face down to her scuffed boots, and then back to Dianna. It was almost too painful to look at her now, but Charity forced herself to make eye contact. "It'll only take a minute, I promise. We could sit by the fountain..." she suggested. With that many people around, Dianna could hopefully trust her to not try and pull anything.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

The military is a well oiled machine, and thus it didn't allow for much leeway in the realm of time off. Her duties still had to be performed, and that was fine with Dianna, it allowed her to throw herself into her work and distract herself from her thoughts.

She continued to show up for work and stand guard while she tried to ignore the storm of thoughts that swirled about in her mind.

Charity nervously wandered the small square in front of the Mardanian embassy. She had been there for a while browsing the stalls and trying to ignore her real reason for being there. But try as she might, Charity couldn't stop herself from stealing glances towards the embassy and mentally practicing what she would say to Dianna. She grumbled under her breath. It felt as if it was taking an eternity for Dianna to appear. The sooner Charity could get this over with, the sooner Dianna could move on and Charity could run and hide. She'd just count herself lucky if Dianna didn't immediately turn and walk the other direction.

It has been a few days and she hadn't seen Charity at all in that time. Her conversation with Kez often replayed in her head as she tried to make sense of everything that has happened and that was happening now.

At the end of her shift she removed her armor and exited the embassy.

Oh! There she was! "Hey! Dianna! Over here!" Charity's face automatically lit up with joy as she called out to the woman, but her expression crumbled just as quickly into a mix of sadness and shame as she remembered the reason why she was there. The hand that had been waving excitedly in greeting, slowed and dropped to her side. Charity knew she had no right to act so friendly towards Dianna after what she had done. She held back the beginning of tears of frustration at her own stupidity and roughly shoved her hands into her pockets.

Upon hearing her name she looked around. When she spotted Charity waving at her from across the street her heart leapt into her throat and she froze in place, feeling like a doe caught in a farmers garden for the briefest moment.
But she recovered quickly and plastered a smile on her face in recognition... Which soon faded as she saw Charity's dejected posture.

Charity approached Dianna, coming to a stop a few paces away. How she would've loved to run up and hug her and bombard her with tales of what had happened since they had last met, but she couldn't. She knew she couldn't. And it was her own damn fault.

Her fists bunched angrily in her pockets as she took a step forward. Charity's mouth opened as if she were going to speak, but then firmly shut as she quickly turned her head to the side. Charity watched the people milling about in the square for a moment, before reluctantly turning her attention back to Dianna. She had to apologize, and there was no getting out of it. Dianna deserved at least that much.

When Charity started walking towards her Dianna did the same, stopping when she did, unsure of what was going to come next.
Dianna had been thinking of what she would say if she ran into Charity again, how she would act... She wanted to apologize, she wanted to explain the swirling thoughts and feelings that clogged her head...

She saw Charity open her mouth but stop, Dianna could see that she was struggling to find the words, Dianna struggled too but Charity found the words first.

"Umm... I-... So..." Charity sighed heavily. "Look... Can we talk?" Her gaze slid away from Dianna's face down to her scuffed boots, and then back to Dianna. It was almost too painful to look at her now, but Charity forced herself to make eye contact. "It'll only take a minute, I promise. We could sit by the fountain..." she suggested. With that many people around, Dianna could hopefully trust her to not try and pull anything.

Dianna nodded, her tongue finally freed.
"Yes, the fountain is fine. let's talk."

Dianna led the way, turning away from Charity while she tried desperately to think of what she wanted to say before she had to confront Charity's face again.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Dianna nodded, her tongue finally freed.
"Yes, the fountain is fine. let's talk."

Dianna led the way, turning away from Charity while she tried desperately to think of what she wanted to say before she had to confront Charity's face again.

Charity followed a step behind Dianna, her own thoughts and emotions roiling like a stormy sea. Now that she was back to talk with Dianna, strange feelings rose in her. On one hand she felt giddy, like a schoolgirl seeing her crush for the first time in days. Charity could feel her heart racing with excitement just having Dianna close once again. A faint happy smile cracked her lips suddenly but disappeared just as quickly.

On the other hand, there was a part of her screaming so insistently that it nearly drowned out all other thoughts. A voice urging her to get out of there. Telling her that what was done, was done. There was no good reason to be there. There was nothing she could say or do to undo the damage she had caused, and she was better off running and hiding until nobody remembered her mistakes.

And Charity couldn't deny that there was some truth in what it said. She did have an awful habit of just making things worse. What was she even hoping to accomplish?

Charity was pulled from her thoughts as she almost bumped into Dianna as they reached the fountain. She watched and waited nervously as Dianna sat, before taking a seat herself, leaving a fair amount of space between them.

She sat wordlessly for what felt like any eternity, watching the crowds go by, staring at the clouds, looking down at her boots, looking everywhere but at Dianna. Charity allowed herself to enjoy the familiarity of Dianna's company, a warmth growing inside her. She relaxed slightly, back in the presence of the one person she felt totally safe and comfortable around.

But at the same time, being this close to Dianna was extraordinarily painful. It was as if a jagged blade was plunged into her chest and was ever so slowly twisting further and further into her heart. The one thing she wanted the most desperately at that moment seemed so far out of reach.

Charity took a deep breath and slowly released it before turning to face Dianna. "So, Dianna..." she began uncertainly. "I um... I just wanted to apologize for kissing you out of the blue the other day." Charity paused to take another nervous breath. "I acted on my own desires without thinking about how you would feel about it, or even asking if you minded. It must've been quite the shock. I do have feelings for you, but I know that forcing them on you like that wasn't the right way to go about things." She paused again, continuing with a defeated sigh. "I hope you can forgive me and my stupidity."

Charity turned away from Dianna and hugged her knees to her chest, anxiously awaiting Dianna's response. Truth be told, she wouldn't be at all surprised if Dianna ripped her apart for being so inconsiderate and selfish.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity followed a step behind Dianna, her own thoughts and emotions roiling like a stormy sea. Now that she was back to talk with Dianna, strange feelings rose in her. On one hand she felt giddy, like a schoolgirl seeing her crush for the first time in days. Charity could feel her heart racing with excitement just having Dianna close once again. A faint happy smile cracked her lips suddenly but disappeared just as quickly.

On the other hand, there was a part of her screaming so insistently that it nearly drowned out all other thoughts. A voice urging her to get out of there. Telling her that what was done, was done. There was no good reason to be there. There was nothing she could say or do to undo the damage she had caused, and she was better off running and hiding until nobody remembered her mistakes.

And Charity couldn't deny that there was some truth in what it said. She did have an awful habit of just making things worse. What was she even hoping to accomplish?

Charity was pulled from her thoughts as she almost bumped into Dianna as they reached the fountain. She watched and waited nervously as Dianna sat, before taking a seat herself, leaving a fair amount of space between them.

She sat wordlessly for what felt like any eternity, watching the crowds go by, staring at the clouds, looking down at her boots, looking everywhere but at Dianna. Charity allowed herself to enjoy the familiarity of Dianna's company, a warmth growing inside her. She relaxed slightly, back in the presence of the one person she felt totally safe and comfortable around.

But at the same time, being this close to Dianna was extraordinarily painful. It was as if a jagged blade was plunged into her chest and was ever so slowly twisting further and further into her heart. The one thing she wanted the most desperately at that moment seemed so far out of reach.

Charity took a deep breath and slowly released it before turning to face Dianna. "So, Dianna..." she began uncertainly. "I um... I just wanted to apologize for kissing you out of the blue the other day." Charity paused to take another nervous breath. "I acted on my own desires without thinking about how you would feel about it, or even asking if you minded. It must've been quite the shock. I do have feelings for you, but I know that forcing them on you like that wasn't the right way to go about things." She paused again, continuing with a defeated sigh. "I hope you can forgive me and my stupidity."

Charity turned away from Dianna and hugged her knees to her chest, anxiously awaiting Dianna's response. Truth be told, she wouldn't be at all surprised if Dianna ripped her apart for being so inconsiderate and selfish.

Dianna sat in silence for a long moment after hearing Charity's apology, waging a different war in her heart.
She wasn't sure if her conversation with her comrade helped or not, what she really wanted was to ask her father what to do. He always supported her, and she never doubted in her life that he always had her best interests at heart.

But this was the agony of being an adult, the burden of having to make decisions on your own. One had to be decisive about how one would live their lives and think through their own stances on a given topic... If she could ask her father, she had no doubt that she would accept whatever his opinion was on the matter, that was the amount of trust she had in him. But now that he wasn't here with her, she had to make her own decision, and she wasn't at all certain that she respected her own opinion quite so much.

Ultimately Charity did help by speaking first, it gave Dianna's mind something to respond to, something to latch onto and grapple with.
When someone comes to you and offers a sincere apology, you accept it graciously. That was simple enough.
"I appreciate your heartfelt apology, Charity, and I accept it in the same spirit it was given."
Dianna turned to face her and saw how utterly miserable she looked, and also how childish she actually was in her vulnerability... And it was incredibly endearing.

Dianna came up short after accepting her apology. She'd gotten this far, what now?
The millions of questions she thought she wanted to ask had fled her panicked mind and she tried desperately to remember at least one of them, as well as the tact and attitude she planned to use when she asked them... At the end of the brief seconds that followed that felt like an eternity, she managed to remember a question, but it came out in a certainly unplanned fashion.
"Do... do you really have feelings for me, Charity? Are you really certain that after our short time together, you... you like me in a way beyond friendship and sisterhood?"

Saying it out loud was far more embarrassing than she thought it would be and her cheeks and ears instantly heated up. Her heart thumped hard in her chest so loud that she thought Charity would certainly hear it. She almost turned away to hide her embarrassment, but seeing how Charity was bold enough to show her vulnerability to her, Dianna forced herself in spite of her reddening cheeks and ears to stay facing her... But that same resolve was not present on her face which clearly indicated her strong desire to put a full-faced helmet on.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Do... do you really have feelings for me, Charity? Are you really certain that after our short time together, you... you like me in a way beyond friendship and sisterhood?"

"Yes! I do!" Charity's answer was instant and spoken without any hint of hesitation. She lifted her head from her knees to look squarely at Dianna. The conviction and determination in her eyes left little room for question. Faltering in her words for a moment, Charity gazed at Dianna. Even in such an emabarrassed and flustered state, the knight was angelically beautiful. Charity cleared her throat and brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

"I-I know we've only known each other for a very short time, but I am certain my feeling for you are for stronger than just friendship! Its-" Charity faltered a second time. How in the hells was she supposed to tell Dianna about her feelings when she herself had never experienced them before, let alone begin to understand them?

"Its like... I can just be myself around you. I don't have to be a "tough girl" like I do around my family, or... or put up any sort of fake facade like I felt I needed to do with other women I have known. You accept me for who I am without expecting me to be something I'm not. You're the only person I know that allows me to just be... Charity."

"On top of that, you're so sweet and kind. Amazingly so. I have met few people who are as caring and understanding as you are. You are the one person in this world who understands me better than anybody else, 'cept maybe my mother."

Charity's words trailed off. She started to wonder if what she was saying was making any sense. Poor Dianna was probably thinking she was crazy with her rambling. "I can't help but love you for all of that!" A hint of a smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the knight. She fell silent, letting Dianna process eveything as she resumed watching the crowds go by.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

"Yes! I do!" Charity's answer was instant and spoken without any hint of hesitation. She lifted her head from her knees to look squarely at Dianna. The conviction and determination in her eyes left little room for question. Faltering in her words for a moment, Charity gazed at Dianna. Even in such an emabarrassed and flustered state, the knight was angelically beautiful. Charity cleared her throat and brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

Her answer was decisive and instantaneous, and that caught Dianna off-guard, and she blinked in surprise.

"I-I know we've only known each other for a very short time, but I am certain my feeling for you are far stronger than just friendship! Its-" Charity faltered a second time. How in the hells was she supposed to tell Dianna about her feelings when she herself had never experienced them before, let alone begin to understand them?

"It's like... I can just be myself around you. I don't have to be a "tough girl" like I do around my family, or... or put up any sort of fake facade like I felt I needed to do with other women I have known. You accept me for who I am without expecting me to be something I'm not. You're the only person I know that allows me to just be... Charity."

"On top of that, you're so sweet and kind. Amazingly so. I have met few people who are as caring and understanding as you are. You are the one person in this world who understands me better than anybody else, 'cept maybe my mother."

Charity's words trailed off. She started to wonder if what she was saying was making any sense. Poor Dianna was probably thinking she was crazy with her rambling. "I can't help but love you for all of that!" A hint of a smile appeared on her lips as she looked at the knight. She fell silent, letting Dianna process everything as she resumed watching the crowds go by.

She needed it. Dianna listened to her impassioned confession with slack jawed amazement and then sat in silence again trying to wrap her mind around what was happening... Well, her words themselves were easy to comprehend, but how she should react to them were another matter entirely that she had no prior experience to draw on.

She wasn't sure what Charity was saying was entirely true. Had she really made her feel accepted? Dianna really had no expectations about who she was after they met so it just seemed natural that she would let Charity reveal who she was on her own... Wasn't that just how friendships were made? Was Charity's reputation in this city really to a point where she had to put on airs and live up to people's expectations? If Dianna were being honest, she figured Charity of all people wouldn't care what people thought of her... But perhaps that's just the sort of reputation she's being held to?

And did she really understand her? Dianna really couldn't see how she could, at least not better than her own family and people who lived in this city far longer and have known her... But that went back to the masks she wore, if Charity was forced to wear a mask her whole life, then how well did the people around her really know her?
And then she, a stranger, comes along and sees her without her masks and shows the basic compassion any new acquaintance would in the normal world, and now Charity sees Dianna as someone special... Was that it? And even if that were all it was, does that make her feelings towards such a person any less valid? And after all of this, really, how complicated was Charity in the first place?

Dianna certainly felt like she understood a lot more after thinking it through... And now it was time for her to decide how to respond...
She thought and thought... But all that came to mind, or rather, all that emerged unbidden from her lips, was a clear and mirthful laugh!
She laughed!

And once she started laughing, she couldn't stop!
She laughed until tears came to her eyes and she was gasping for air clutching her stomach! when she finally started to calm down a bit she wiped her tears and threw her arms around Charity's shoulders and embraced her!
"Charity! my sweet and naive friend! If all someone has to do to get your attention is make you feel like you can be yourself, you will be taken advantage of over and over again! I already know several conmen in this city who do exactly that for a living! You better let me watch over you, so nobody else can abuse your trust so easily!"

She moved back and held her shoulders in her firm grip, making eye contact with a smile still dancing on her lips.
"I won't take advantage of you, Charity. From now on I promise that if you want to trust someone with your true self then I will be that woman! And I won't stand for anyone else coming along and abusing your trust."

There was no other way to take it, if all it takes to get her to lower her guard is to be her friend, she needed a good friend to make sure nobody else used that against her, the courts in Mardania would eat her up for sure! And who could protect the simple and trusting heart of this girl better than a girlfriend?

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

And once she started laughing, she couldn't stop!
She laughed until tears came to her eyes and she was gasping for air clutching her stomach! when she finally started to calm down a bit she wiped her tears and threw her arms around Charity's shoulders and embraced her!
"Charity! my sweet and naive friend! If all someone has to do to get your attention is make you feel like you can be yourself, you will be taken advantage of over and over again! I already know several conmen in this city who do exactly that for a living! You better let me watch over you, so nobody else can abuse your trust so easily!"

At first Charity was shocked. Why was Dianna laughing? Had she said something funny? Her face contorted into a look of utter confusion, which slowly morphed into a frown of mild annoyance. Charity returned the embrace somewhat awkwardly, still not having the foggiest idea about what was happening. Wait. Sweet?! Naive?! What the hells was Dianna on about? How dare she assume Charity was stumbling through life blindly trusting everybody? She opened her mouth to protest, but no words were forthcoming.

If only Dianna understood how much of a breath of fresh air being able to be herself truly was! Charity's line of work demanded so many different masks and personas, and being able to hold them flawlessly for extended periods of time. One day it could be pretending to be somebody she wasn't to gain access to somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. On another day, temporarily adopting the fashions, mannerisms, and etiquette of a certain social class or group to blend in for the purposes of information gathering and spying, assassination, or scouting out future targets. One slip up in her act, and Charity could find herself in prison, or worse.

And did Dianna honestly believe her to be such a simpleton, trusting everything and everybody at face value? If anybody knew the dangers and sheer stupidity that came along with that, it would be Charity. Tell the wrong person the wrong thing, and you might be in for a world of trouble. Always expect that you're being lied to, and believe everything to be a set-up or trap. She had learned at a very early age that lying and playing all sides against each other would be the key to her survival, and her experience in the family business only fortified that belief. Her father's wisdom of "trust no one, and question everything" had been ingrained in her mind at a young age, and they were the words she lived by.

She moved back and held her shoulders in her firm grip, making eye contact with a smile still dancing on her lips.
"I won't take advantage of you, Charity. From now on I promise that if you want to trust someone with your true self then I will be that woman! And I won't stand for anyone else coming along and abusing your trust."

Charity once again opened her mouth to protest, to tell Dianna that she had it all wrong. "No! No! That's not it! Not at all! What I meant was..." She paused, frantically trying to find some other way to explain it to Dianna. Finding no other way at the moment, Charity frowned. "And I'm really not as innocent as you think!" she protested. "I'm a big girl y'know! Fully capable of handling myself!" Charity huffed. She roughly crossed her arms with a pout, making a clear point of momentarily ignoring Dianna.

But the more she thought about what Dianna had said, the more her pout transformed into a happy smile. Charity couldn't honestly say she was opposed to the idea of putting her full trust in Dianna. Not just the trust of showing Dianna her true self, but trusting her with everything.

"Thank you, Dianna." Charity turned back to her friend with a warm smile. She put an arm around the knight's waist and pulled her a bit closer. "I appreciate it. I really do! I would be honored to be looked after and cared for by such a beautiful and noble knight!"

One of these days she would find the right words to clearly express he feelings to Dianna. But she would worry about that when the time came. Right now there was something else gnawing at her conscience. After a long silence, Charity spoke up. "Hey Dianna?" Charity's tone was somber with a hint of uncertainty. "Are you really okay? The way you ran off the other night had me so worried! I-I know it was all my fault but still..."

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

At first Charity was shocked. Why was Dianna laughing? Had she said something funny? Her face contorted into a look of utter confusion, which slowly morphed into a frown of mild annoyance. Charity returned the embrace somewhat awkwardly, still not having the foggiest idea about what was happening. Wait. Sweet?! Naive?! What the hells was Dianna on about? How dare she assume Charity was stumbling through life blindly trusting everybody? She opened her mouth to protest, but no words were forthcoming.

If only Dianna understood how much of a breath of fresh air being able to be herself truly was! Charity's line of work demanded so many different masks and personas, and being able to hold them flawlessly for extended periods of time. One day it could be pretending to be somebody she wasn't to gain access to somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. On another day, temporarily adopting the fashions, mannerisms, and etiquette of a certain social class or group to blend in for the purposes of information gathering and spying, assassination, or scouting out future targets. One slip up in her act, and Charity could find herself in prison, or worse.

And did Dianna honestly believe her to be such a simpleton, trusting everything and everybody at face value? If anybody knew the dangers and sheer stupidity that came along with that, it would be Charity. Tell the wrong person the wrong thing, and you might be in for a world of trouble. Always expect that you're being lied to, and believe everything to be a set-up or trap. She had learned at a very early age that lying and playing all sides against each other would be the key to her survival, and her experience in the family business only fortified that belief. Her father's wisdom of "trust no one, and question everything" had been ingrained in her mind at a young age, and they were the words she lived by.

Charity once again opened her mouth to protest, to tell Dianna that she had it all wrong. "No! No! That's not it! Not at all! What I meant was..." She paused, frantically trying to find some other way to explain it to Dianna. Finding no other way at the moment, Charity frowned. "And I'm really not as innocent as you think!" she protested. "I'm a big girl y'know! Fully capable of handling myself!" Charity huffed. She roughly crossed her arms with a pout, making a clear point of momentarily ignoring Dianna.


But the more she thought about what Dianna had said, the more her pout transformed into a happy smile. Charity couldn't honestly say she was opposed to the idea of putting her full trust in Dianna. Not just the trust of showing Dianna her true self, but trusting her with everything.

Her pout was absolutely adorable! and it reminded Dianna of her younger sister but with much less fire and indignation.
And her description of herself as a 'big girl' only sold that image all the better!
She let Charity turn away from her if only to cover her mouth with her hand to hide the adoring smile that was growing on her face.

Dianna caught her breath but now she just couldn't stop smiling and looking at Charity.
She sat with her in silence for the time being, letting herself look at Charity and see someone that was more than another sister, but as someone she desired... It wasn't easy, but she could do it. It might take some getting used to, all of it would... But for Charity she was willing to try.

"Thank you, Dianna." Charity turned back to her friend with a warm smile. She put an arm around the knight's waist and pulled her a bit closer. "I appreciate it. I really do! I would be honored to be looked after and cared for by such a beautiful and noble knight!"

One of these days she would find the right words to clearly express her feelings to Dianna. But she would worry about that when the time came. Right now, there was something else gnawing at her conscience. After a long silence, Charity spoke up. "Hey Dianna?" Charity's tone was somber with a hint of uncertainty. "Are you really okay? The way you ran off the other night had me so worried! I-I know it was all my fault but still..."

Dianna sobered a bit at the question and sighed.
"I apologize for that, I was... I suppose I was caught off-guard..."
It was Dianna's turn to falter again. She'd already thought long and hard about how she felt about it, but she wasn't exactly ready to revisit those thoughts yet. Taking the advice of her comrade she let her feelings dictate this decision, and she was half afraid that if she let herself reevaluate it logically that she might regret it, after all, she had been raised to look at men as potential partners her entire life and that had never been called into question until Charity kissed her...

It was a whole garden of worms she didn't want to dig up yet, she wanted to let herself make this decision even if it turned out to be the wrong one because then... at least she would know...
"... I thought about it... I thought about it a lot, actually... That night when you kissed me, and I fled..."
She was searching for the right way to respond and hoped that by starting to speak that the words would come to her... that strategy failed, but she decided to try again.
"... I've never done anything like this before... or rather, I've never taken it seriously before... you know, a woman confessing her love for me... But we were already friends and when you kissed me, I wasn't sure what to think, or how I felt... Ugh! It's all so complicated to put into words!"

Dianna rubbed her eyes with one hand while she tried to organize herself.
"This isn't at all how I imagined I would fall in love... Don't get me wrong! I am sure of my decision; I just... I don't want to second guess myself before I know more about what I'm getting into, you know? Wait... that didn't come out right! Grrrrrr!"
Dianna groaned and jammed her fingers into her hair and rested her elbows on her knees as she cradled her skull trying to make her words into a coherent line of logic.
"I don't want you to think you pressured me at all, you didn't! but I'm only just now coming into contact with feelings for a woman I never knew existed before, I need time... space..."

She suddenly had an inspiration!
She got off the bench and went down to one knee in front of Charity, like she'd read about a heroic knight doing once for his beloved.
She clasped Charity's hands in both of hers and made direct eye contact with her.
"I will ask you for your patience, but until such a time when I can fully throw myself into your embrace... Miss Charity, I would like to profess myself your most ardent admirer."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

It was a whole garden of worms she didn't want to dig up yet, she wanted to let herself make this decision even if it turned out to be the wrong one because then... at least she would know...
"... I thought about it... I thought about it a lot, actually... That night when you kissed me, and I fled..."
She was searching for the right way to respond and hoped that by starting to speak that the words would come to her... that strategy failed, but she decided to try again.
"... I've never done anything like this before... or rather, I've never taken it seriously before... you know, a woman confessing her love for me... But we were already friends and when you kissed me, I wasn't sure what to think, or how I felt... Ugh! It's all so complicated to put into words!"

Dianna rubbed her eyes with one hand while she tried to organize herself.
"This isn't at all how I imagined I would fall in love... Don't get me wrong! I am sure of my decision; I just... I don't want to second guess myself before I know more about what I'm getting into, you know? Wait... that didn't come out right! Grrrrrr!"
Dianna groaned and jammed her fingers into her hair and rested her elbows on her knees as she cradled her skull trying to make her words into a coherent line of logic.
"I don't want you to think you pressured me at all, you didn't! but I'm only just now coming into contact with feelings for a woman I never knew existed before, I need time... space..."

Charity looked at Dianna with deep sympathy as she held her head in her hands, trying to find the right words. She could only imagine how difficult a time Dianna was having. Going from seeing other women as nothing more than friends, colleagues, or sisters, to developing feelings for one in the span of a few days must be quite the shock. Charity reflected back on her first time expressing her feelings to another woman, and she had to say Dianna was handling this much better than she had back then.

She suddenly had an inspiration!
She got off the bench and went down to one knee in front of Charity, like she'd read about a heroic knight doing once for his beloved.
She clasped Charity's hands in both of hers and made direct eye contact with her.
"I will ask you for your patience, but until such a time when I can fully throw myself into your embrace... Miss Charity, I would like to profess myself your most ardent admirer."

Dianna rose from the bench suddenly, startling Charity from her thoughts. What was going on?! Had Dianna given up on her and changed her mind? Charity's confusion only grew as Dianna knelt before her. Wait! Was Dianna about to propose to her? Wasn't it way too soon for that?! Charity felt her ears begin to burn as Dianna took her hands. No, it wasn't a proposal, but a confession of some sort? "Patience? Embrace? A-Admirer?" Charity could feel her face heating up, and all the thoughts exiting her head until all that remained on her mind was Dianna.

Charity struggled mightily, flustered and red faced, to find something, anything to say in response to Dianna. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and her face felt like it was on fire. This wasn't how things were meant to go at all! SHE was the one who was supposed to make the ladies blush and swoon! Not the other way around! Though to be on the receiving end was quite an exhilarating experience! The heat in her face, the racing of her heart... It really was an amazing feeling!

At first all Charity could manage was a small nod. She wasn't exactly sure what she was agreeing to, if anything at all. After what felt like a lifetime, she finally found her voice, if only to speak a few words. "O-Okay! I...I'll be waiting for you!" she said with a soft voice and shy smile. It wasn't a true confession of love, but Charity would accept it until they could both sort their feelings out.

Charity found she could no longer maintain eye contact and her gaze dropped to her lap as her face continued to burn up. How could mere words turn her into such a mess? It wasn't like this was a full on love confession! She stayed like that for a moment, until seeming to make her mind up about something.

She gently grasped Dianna's hands, pulling her back to her feet and standing with her. As soon as Dianna was standing, Charity's arms wrapped tightly around her. "Dianna... Do you need to go right back to the barracks?" she asked burying her face in Dianna's shoulder to hide her still red face. "It's still early y'know... So... could we stay here for a while? Or take a walk? Oh! We could visit the new tea shop that just opened down the road. I hear they have delicious cakes..." In all honesty, Charity could care less what they did. She just didn't want to be away from Dianna so soon.

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity looked at Dianna with deep sympathy as she held her head in her hands, trying to find the right words. She could only imagine how difficult a time Dianna was having. Going from seeing other women as nothing more than friends, colleagues, or sisters, to developing feelings for one in the span of a few days must be quite the shock. Charity reflected back on her first time expressing her feelings to another woman, and she had to say Dianna was handling this much better than she had back then.

Dianna rose from the bench suddenly, startling Charity from her thoughts. What was going on?! Had Dianna given up on her and changed her mind? Charity's confusion only grew as Dianna knelt before her. Wait! Was Dianna about to propose to her? Wasn't it way too soon for that?! Charity felt her ears begin to burn as Dianna took her hands. No, it wasn't a proposal, but a confession of some sort? "Patience? Embrace? A-Admirer?" Charity could feel her face heating up, and all the thoughts exiting her head until all that remained on her mind was Dianna.

Charity struggled mightily, flustered and red faced, to find something, anything to say in response to Dianna. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and her face felt like it was on fire. This wasn't how things were meant to go at all! SHE was the one who was supposed to make the ladies blush and swoon! Not the other way around! Though to be on the receiving end was quite an exhilarating experience! The heat in her face, the racing of her heart... It really was an amazing feeling!

At first all Charity could manage was a small nod. She wasn't exactly sure what she was agreeing to, if anything at all. After what felt like a lifetime, she finally found her voice, if only to speak a few words. "O-Okay! I...I'll be waiting for you!" she said with a soft voice and shy smile. It wasn't a true confession of love, but Charity would accept it until they could both sort their feelings out.

Charity found she could no longer maintain eye contact and her gaze dropped to her lap as her face continued to burn up. How could mere words turn her into such a mess? It wasn't like this was a full on love confession! She stayed like that for a moment, until seeming to make her mind up about something.

She gently grasped Dianna's hands, pulling her back to her feet and standing with her. As soon as Dianna was standing, Charity's arms wrapped tightly around her. "Dianna... Do you need to go right back to the barracks?" she asked burying her face in Dianna's shoulder to hide her still red face. "It's still early y'know... So... could we stay here for a while? Or take a walk? Oh! We could visit the new tea shop that just opened down the road. I hear they have delicious cakes..." In all honesty, Charity could care less what they did. She just didn't want to be away from Dianna so soon.

Dianna smiled brightly as they stood and hugged each other.
Those cheesy lines from a book actually worked!
They embraced each other and Dianna felt something a little different this time, feeling their bodies so close together... But also putting her arms around Charity seemed to cement a sense in her similar to ownership, That Charity was someone she wanted to protect, even if Charity was physically capable on her own.

When Charity suggested they do something Dianna agreed.
"Of course... I want to get to know you better. Let's take a walk and talk."
Grinning like a fool, Dianna walked side by side with Charity. She didn't have a direction in mind, so she just picked one at random and started walking with Charity in hand.
Unsure of where to begin, Dianna took a shot in the dark.
"Have you ever traveled outside of Alliria?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

When Charity suggested they do something Dianna agreed.
"Of course... I want to get to know you better. Let's take a walk and talk."
Grinning like a fool, Dianna walked side by side with Charity. She didn't have a direction in mind, so she just picked one at random and started walking with Charity in hand.
Unsure of where to begin, Dianna took a shot in the dark.
"Have you ever traveled outside of Alliria?"

Charity gasped in shock and joy as Dianna agreed to walk with her, and she buried her face even deeper into Dianna's shoulder. The knight seemed to have the hidden talent of making Charity feel like a princess. A damsel wrapped in the arms of a caring and protective knight. Never before had somebody been able to completely and thoroughly shatter her tough exterior to reach her softer feminine side. It was a bit embarrassing to display this part of herself so openly, but she felt totally safe letting Dianna see it. She held Dianna's offered hand shyly.

"I have only been out of the city once." Charity admitted as they set off. "A couple of years ago, Mother, my sister Eile, and I took a vacation to Fal'Addas. Apparently, their families were originally from there, and they had a lot of history there so they wanted to learn more about it. I on the other hand, was much more interested in the taverns, bathhouses, and beautiful elven women." A light blush colored her cheeks once more as she recalled her time there. "It really was a beautiful city..."

"What about you?" Charity smiled at Dianna. "Have you ever gone anywhere outside of Mardania, besides Alliria?"

 

[Dianna Calcutte]

Charity gasped in shock and joy as Dianna agreed to walk with her, and she buried her face even deeper into Dianna's shoulder. The knight seemed to have the hidden talent of making Charity feel like a princess. A damsel wrapped in the arms of a caring and protective knight. Never before had somebody been so completely and thoroughly shattered her tough exterior to reach her softer feminine side. It was a bit embarrassing to display this part of herself so openly, but she felt totally safe letting Dianna see it. She held Dianna's offered hand shyly.

"I have only been out of the city once." Charity admitted as they set off. "A couple of years ago, Mother, my sister Eile, and I took a vacation to Fal'Addas. Apparently, their families were originally from there, and they had a lot of history there so they wanted to learn more about it. I on the other hand, was much more interested in the taverns, bathhouses, and beautiful elven women." A light blush colored her cheeks once more as she recalled her time there. "It really was a beautiful city..."

"It does sound like a wonderful city."
Dianna agreed, deciding to skip over the part about the elven women.
She'd heard rumors from a few travelers in the taverns that there was a war going on between the elves of Fal'Addas and the neighboring human country, and their spies sent to both respective people confirmed as much.
But aside from that she hadn't heard much.

"What about you?" Charity smiled at Dianna. "Have you ever gone anywhere outside of Mardania, besides Alliria?"

Dianna shook her head.
"Not really, aside from the travel between the portal stones from Mardania to here, there's quite a few independent settlements and kingdoms to be found that are less known. Naturally I ran security for the convoy so I didn't really get to do too much sightseeing."
Dianna just walked, not paying attention to where they were going but simply walking for the sake of drawing out their time together.
She had a woman on her arm, and that was an odd thought to her still.
"I've not even been everywhere there is to go in Mardania, it's a large country with many cities and towns."

She kept her eyes forward but unfocused as she continued trying to organize her thoughts.
"Do you have any brothers? You've said that you and your sisters are adopted, but is it only girls?"