Mother Rinnesfeld slowly and silently walked into their room. On the bed was Roberia, and on the floor was Katachi.
Ri : (They still sleep separately, hmm. How will they develop if they keep themselves apart like that?)
Mother Rinnesfeld slowly picked up Katachi in her arms, distributing his body weight over her own center of gravity. Lifting him just below her chest level, she walked towards the fuzzy, uncomfortable mattress of Katachi's and laid the boy onto the bed with Roberia.
Ri : (Katachi, Roberia, you are married now. You two could at least try to get used to each other's presence.)
She left the room, as silently as she had arrived.
*** ***
But her intervention was not as secretive as she had thought.
Roberia opened her eyes a little bit, and peeked at what constituted the image of Katachi.
Ro : (His face... It's close. I can feel his breath from here...)
Roberia slowly nudged her head forward, and closed the distance between them slightly further. The bed they laid in was small to begin with, so it was easy to cuddle together.
Slowly, their face inched together, and got close enough for her to feel his face radiating a soft, gentle warmth.
Ro : (Now that I think about it... The kiss I've heard so much about, I wonder what it actually feels like? I mean, Mom and Dad have always done it, and it's supposed to be something between man and wife...)
Her curiosity burned tepidly, once bestowed upon this rare chance.
And so, she stretched her neck further, and slowly, their lips tou-
Right before it did, Katachi flipped himself to face his back against her.
Ro : (Aww, he turned away. Oh well, I guess that can wait for another day. It's probably better if we're both in the mood for it, too.)
K : (WHAT WAS SHE TRYING TO DO!? DID SHE... DID SHE TRY TO KISS ME?! As if our faces being this close isn't uncomfortable enough, she wants to get even closer?! That's WAY too close for comfort!!)
Katachi, who too had feigned sleep, was wide awake since Mother Rinnesfeld entered the room.
K : (Should I turn back around? I feel like she had been eager to kiss, seeing how she shifted closer and closer to me like that... Do I kiss her?! Should I?! I... I just can't! I don't deserve such a beautiful wife. I don't deserve something like the pleasure of a kiss. I don't deserve any of these. All of it would be for naught. Besides, she probably doesn't see me in a romantic light. She probably sees me as a person who can help her family ward off the bandits...)
Katachi slowly raised his hand to his face, and wiped the tear streaks from the side of his head.
K : (... I suppose I deserve a fate like so... Married to someone not of free will, but by coercion and responsibility...)
The two settled down rather quickly after Mother Rinnesfeld had left the room.
Ro : (... Well, back-to-back could be romantic, too.)
So Roberia turned her back to face his, and they slept in the warmth of each other.
*** ***
K : "... The whips..."
Ro : "? Did you say something, Katachi?"
K : "The... The whips... Red... Red everywhere..."
Roberia's shadow towered over his head, prompting him to look up.
Roberia, after waking up a couple of minutes ago, had rather tangled hair. The over-sized, linen pajamas she's wearing had been creased, and her pants sagged, almost falling off her hips. Being leaner and slimmer than Mother Rinnesfeld has its disadvantages - For instance, she couldn't find garments that fitted her size, nor could she comfort this boy with feminine features distinctive to ideal wives and their finely-tuned bodies.
K : "... Whips..."
Ro : "Let me see your hand."
K : "..."
Katachi raised his left hand, bringing it into clear view.
Ro : "... The burn mark's healing, huh... That's good."
K : "... Roberia?"
Ro : "Yes?"
K : "... Your dress style is strangely..."
Her over-sized clothes caused the neckhole and saggy pants to exude a strange, erotic aura which brought out her charms subconsciously.
*Cozy's Notes : I'm just surprised that Mother Rinnesfeld doesn't wear a medieval gown to bed. Then again, the church is pretty poor with only enough to get by, and she probably made clothes with Katachi in mind - So she's been making and wearing men's clothes...
... !!! RINNESFELD IS HUA MULAN*
*Cozy's Notes : I'm just surprised that Mother Rinnesfeld doesn't wear a medieval gown to bed. Then again, the church is pretty poor with only enough to get by, and she probably made clothes with Katachi in mind - So she's been making and wearing men's clothes...
... !!! RINNESFELD IS HUA MULAN*
Ro : "? Strangely what? These are just Mother Rinnesfeld's pajamas."
K : "... Nothing. I meant to say it made you look..."
Ro : "? Look?"
K : "... Look..."
His stuttering agitated Roberia.
Ro : "Look what? Speak your mind."
K : "... Womanly."
A calming silence rasped at the air about them.
Ro : (He's struggling to acknowledge my charms? ... Then again, from all the people I've met thus far, I don't recall Findeli men being as straightforward and aggressive, unlike us, so it's a good effort, I guess.) "Thank you. Now, time to wake up. We're setting off, aren't we?"
Her eyes perked up, and she hummed a strange, foreign tune while Katachi struggled to overcome his lethargy.
*Cozy's Notes : Hahaha! Normal phrases that will make tsunderes stutter and go "B-b-baka! I-i-it's not like I wanted you to praise me or anything!" doesn't work on her. Contrary to a shy character, Roberia's character is the exact opposite of a stereotypical tsundere! A-ha! Take that, generic Oriental character personality archetypes!
... That doesn't stop her from using violence, though. That's not her personality - That's cultural influence. Most Ilpoh worshipers are supposed to demonstrate strength on almost everything, to keep a domineering presence before and over their enemy, and to reassure their allies in a reliable partner.*
K : "... Yeah. I'll... I'll get up in a bit."
Katachi struggled to wake up, his body still drained from his lack of sleep.
*Cozy's Notes : I WHIP MAH HAIR BACK AND FORTH XD I can imagine her singing that while throwing her hair about in a crazy fashion. Which... Is really un-glamorous, if anything. Man, if only you could see the mental image in my head now.*
*** ***
Ro : "Hurry up, Katachi! I'm leaving without you if you're going to be this slow!!"
K : "I'm on my way, don't rush me! Let me grab something!"
Ri : "I'm sure you two will enjoy each other's company while traveling together. All the best, Roberia dear."
Ro : "I will, Mother Rinnesfeld. And, well... Thank you. If it weren't for you, then I would have been pulled into a Dardicel worship ceremony back then."
Ri : "No worries, dear. Have a safe trip."
Katachi came around the corridor, with his full bag and the 1000-paged book still strapped on his side.
K : "I'm ready!"
Ro : "Let's go already, Katachi! We've wasted enough time. Eliasbury is a two-day journey on foot, you know!"
And so, the two bid farewell to Mother Rinnesfeld.
*** ***
Ro : "You're slow, Katachi! Surely you could walk a bit faster?"
K : "... Spare me..."
The two had started on the sandy path towards Eliasbury. However, thanks to Roberia's constant fumbling in bed, Katachi had been devoid of rest, so his movements were sluggish.
Ro : "Geez, you have no stamina. Fine, let's rest for a bit. This way!"
Roberia walked towards a rather large oak, and sat underneath it. Her hand patted at the spot next to her, inviting Katachi to sit next to her.
Dragging his feet across the hot sand and grass, Katachi finally made it to the shade and put his belongings down.
K : "Haa~..."
Ro : "You didn't strike me as someone this feeble when we fought, Katachi. What's gotten into you?"
Katachi eyed her with a slightly annoyed face.
K : "... *deep breath, exhale* It would be easier if I wasn't carrying both of our stuff, you know."
Ro : "!!" (Both of our stuff? He carried my stuff?) "Carrying my stuff? But... I'm carrying my bag!"
K : "Mother Rin insisted that I bring some of your essentials along. If she hadn't, I'd probably have an easier time with this."
Ro : "... Oh... You were, you were carrying my stuff as well..." (This is awkward. I imposed on him, and yet I had this gall to question his strength.)
K : "Yeah. But the worst of it all, is that she specifically stated that you shouldn't carry this at all, and only I should."
Ro : "? Why? That's crazy!"
K : "... Because as a man, I am supposed to manage the tough labor and not let you worry. If I can't build a strong body, I can't support you, after all."
Ro : "There's no sense nor sanity found in that! *opens bag* Open your bag, and pass me all of my stuff, Katachi."
Katachi's face turned serious.
K : "... Are you sure?"
*** ***
Minutes later, a huge assortment of things were laid across the ground.
Amongst them were a few combs, flints to start fires, some simple clothes Mother Rinnesfeld handed down, a metallic hook, some thick rope, an extra blanket and groundsheet, 3 empty water pouches, and many, many more junk, to name a few of the many items sprawled across the grass.
Ro : "There's... There's too many items!"
K : 'That's what I have been telling her, but Mother Rin can be really stubborn when she needs be."
Ro : "We won't even need most of these stuff, spare the clothes! Why three water pouches?!"
K : "She was afraid that we'd lose one each, so she made sure I brought replacements, and replacements of the replacements. Thanks to all of these excessive items, my bag is close to tearing if I hadn't sewn and reinforced the strap."
Ro : "You should drop off SOME of them, at least..."
K : "I shouldn't. I made a promise to Mother Rin that I would carry these, as unwilling as I was. If I cannot keep my promise to her, I will not be able to keep my promise to anyone."
Ro : (... His pride as a man who dutifully keeps his promise is at stake... I shouldn't interfere then. If I make him break this, he may end up breaking this promise of marriage with me too...)
Roberia held back a bit, and looked up at the clear sky.
The weather was sunny - The thins streaks of clouds did little to filter the sun's radiance and heat. The sandy path filled with many little rocks and grains of minerals trapped the heat of the day, making the walk on the path hellish.
Ro : "... Katachi?"
K : "Yes?"
Ro : "... Let's take a forest route instead. That route looks painful enough for you to walk on. Having the weight sandwiching you into that hot and unforgiving path... It's disconcerting."
K : "... Ah. Okay... If you say so."
*** ***
After some time had passed while they trekked through the forest path...
Ro : "Are you really okay with carrying that big thing? It's becoming painful just watching you struggle with it..."
K : "I'm... Fine..."
Katachi tried as hard as he could, to walk with the really, really heavy bag. Having a single strap meant the entire weight of the contents pressed against one of his shoulders, which made carrying it that much more difficult.
Ro : "You don't look fine, though. Come on, pass me the bag!"
K : "Wha- No, I can't have you doing these things-"
Ro : "Don't be as nonsensical as Mother Rinnesfeld! You'd hurt your back if you keep this up for long!"
K : "But I'm not hurt, don't worry about me! I can carry it-"
Ro : "You can't! You clearly don't have the power to carry it! Have you forgotten that I used to carry a huge, heavy greatsword on my back before?"
K : (But you didn't swing it with strength, you swung it with momentum! It requires much lesser effort, and this isn't something you swing about on your wrists!) "I know that, but this is different!"
Ro : "How is this different?"
K : "... Well, I... Uh..."
Ro : "If you can't answer me, then hand it over!"
Roberia tugged at the one strap, the magic reinforcing the joint gradually stretching to its limit.
K : "Stop! Don't pull! Don't pull!! It's going to snap!"
Ro : "Just trust me on this, and hand the bag over!"
*** ***
The two tugged and tugged, until finally, the grip on her palms loosened slightly, and Katachi toppled over towards a grassy incline.
Ro : "?! Katachi?!"
And he rolled...
K : (Ahh- I'm rolling... It's so dizzy, what a blur... Where am I rolling to?)
And rolled...
Ro : "Katachi, are you okay?!"
And rolled off a small ledge, his inertia sending him flying for a fair bit before landing on the grass with the bag cushioning his fall.
K : "... Ah... I'm alive."
Ro : "Katachi!"
Roberia slid down the slope, leapt the ledge, and performed a smooth rolling landing before regaining her balance and running towards Katachi.
K : (Wow... She's so flexible and graceful in her movements...)
*Cozy's Notes : Damn, she's acrobatic. If she were a Talonflame, I'd give her a Flying Gem, Gale Wings Ability, max attack and speed, Acrobatics base 110 power priority +1 bitch XD Pokemon rules! WOOH!!
Sorry. Caught up in the X & Y hype. MEGA BLASTOISE #ARMCANNONS!!
Also, it's technically not possible for him to see her land, I know, some of you argue that way since he's dizzy and can't see clearly, but he can roughly hear how she lands and such. He heard only soft thuds and none of the painful crashes he himself had.*
Ro : "Are you okay?"
K : "... Nnnngh... I'm fine."
Roberia chuckled for a bit, and punched his arm.
Ro : "You said that just now, but you weren't, were you?"
Katachi's eyes kept rolling to his left, and he struggled to regain his balance.
K : "... If you hadn't tugged at the bag, I probably would have been..."
Ro : "Come on, take off that bag already. We can swap bags. As your wife, I am to share your burden. We can take turns carrying it, okay?"
K : "But... Mother Rin-"
Ro : "Oh, so Mother Rinnesfeld's opinion is more important than my concern for you right now?"
K : (... I can't rebuke if she says it this way...)
Katachi reached for the strap, but his hand went off-course for a bit.
K : "... The world's spinning..."
Ro : (He just rolled off a cliff... I remember rolling like that myself. He probably hasn't recovered from it yet.) "Fine, I'll take it off for you then, if you're feeling dizzy."
K : "... Please... Do..."
Roberia raised the strap, and tucked Katachi's head underneath it-
"!!!▅▅▂▂▄▄▅▅▂▅▅▂▃▄▃▄!!!"
An earsplitting roar.
An unearthly cry of agony and rage, that was so impactful, it frightened everything in the forest. It made Roberia loosen her grip slightly, and the strap landed on Katachi's forehead and face. The wild animals fled from the area immediately.
Ro : (Wha- What just made that sound?)
Roberia slowly turned around, to find...
... A monster.
A gigantic wyvern-like creature, its entire skin as beautiful as the ebony night sky with its countless stars like little dots, like a Grass-stalking Leopard and Night-hunter Panther hybrid. Two distinctive eyes formed on what appears to be the head of the sifting mass, locking eyes with Roberia and Katachi who was still lying on the floor.
*Cozy's Notes : I've been a fan of Danny Phantom, if you know that show you shared the same childhood as I did. For this beast's skin, refer to Nocturne's body from Danny Phantom as reference. Essentially, they're the same. You can assume that this beast is a combination of Nocturne from Danny Phantom, and Aku from Samurai Jack - Since, well. its shape is so organic, and it's actually capable of *bleeeeeeeeeep*.
LOL WHOOPS that was close. POTENTIAL SPOILERS*
Ro : "Wha-"
"!!!▅▂▄▂▄▄▂▅▅▂▃▅▂▅▂▄▃▄▅▅!!!"
*** ***
*Cozy's Notes : By the way, yeah, its roar sounds weird to them, but if we are to play them in our current time and age, we can convert their cries into actual messages. It is one single roar, with the pitch changing consistently like, like Cortana from the first Halo going higher and higher in pitch before finally going down, except this isn't a consistent, linear increase. Its roar is actually a modulated signal.*
K : "I'm on my way, don't rush me! Let me grab something!"
Ri : "I'm sure you two will enjoy each other's company while traveling together. All the best, Roberia dear."
Ro : "I will, Mother Rinnesfeld. And, well... Thank you. If it weren't for you, then I would have been pulled into a Dardicel worship ceremony back then."
Ri : "No worries, dear. Have a safe trip."
Katachi came around the corridor, with his full bag and the 1000-paged book still strapped on his side.
K : "I'm ready!"
Ro : "Let's go already, Katachi! We've wasted enough time. Eliasbury is a two-day journey on foot, you know!"
And so, the two bid farewell to Mother Rinnesfeld.
*** ***
Ro : "You're slow, Katachi! Surely you could walk a bit faster?"
K : "... Spare me..."
The two had started on the sandy path towards Eliasbury. However, thanks to Roberia's constant fumbling in bed, Katachi had been devoid of rest, so his movements were sluggish.
Ro : "Geez, you have no stamina. Fine, let's rest for a bit. This way!"
Roberia walked towards a rather large oak, and sat underneath it. Her hand patted at the spot next to her, inviting Katachi to sit next to her.
Dragging his feet across the hot sand and grass, Katachi finally made it to the shade and put his belongings down.
K : "Haa~..."
Ro : "You didn't strike me as someone this feeble when we fought, Katachi. What's gotten into you?"
Katachi eyed her with a slightly annoyed face.
K : "... *deep breath, exhale* It would be easier if I wasn't carrying both of our stuff, you know."
Ro : "!!" (Both of our stuff? He carried my stuff?) "Carrying my stuff? But... I'm carrying my bag!"
K : "Mother Rin insisted that I bring some of your essentials along. If she hadn't, I'd probably have an easier time with this."
Ro : "... Oh... You were, you were carrying my stuff as well..." (This is awkward. I imposed on him, and yet I had this gall to question his strength.)
K : "Yeah. But the worst of it all, is that she specifically stated that you shouldn't carry this at all, and only I should."
Ro : "? Why? That's crazy!"
K : "... Because as a man, I am supposed to manage the tough labor and not let you worry. If I can't build a strong body, I can't support you, after all."
Ro : "There's no sense nor sanity found in that! *opens bag* Open your bag, and pass me all of my stuff, Katachi."
Katachi's face turned serious.
K : "... Are you sure?"
*** ***
Minutes later, a huge assortment of things were laid across the ground.
Amongst them were a few combs, flints to start fires, some simple clothes Mother Rinnesfeld handed down, a metallic hook, some thick rope, an extra blanket and groundsheet, 3 empty water pouches, and many, many more junk, to name a few of the many items sprawled across the grass.
Ro : "There's... There's too many items!"
K : 'That's what I have been telling her, but Mother Rin can be really stubborn when she needs be."
Ro : "We won't even need most of these stuff, spare the clothes! Why three water pouches?!"
K : "She was afraid that we'd lose one each, so she made sure I brought replacements, and replacements of the replacements. Thanks to all of these excessive items, my bag is close to tearing if I hadn't sewn and reinforced the strap."
Ro : "You should drop off SOME of them, at least..."
K : "I shouldn't. I made a promise to Mother Rin that I would carry these, as unwilling as I was. If I cannot keep my promise to her, I will not be able to keep my promise to anyone."
Ro : (... His pride as a man who dutifully keeps his promise is at stake... I shouldn't interfere then. If I make him break this, he may end up breaking this promise of marriage with me too...)
Roberia held back a bit, and looked up at the clear sky.
The weather was sunny - The thins streaks of clouds did little to filter the sun's radiance and heat. The sandy path filled with many little rocks and grains of minerals trapped the heat of the day, making the walk on the path hellish.
Ro : "... Katachi?"
K : "Yes?"
Ro : "... Let's take a forest route instead. That route looks painful enough for you to walk on. Having the weight sandwiching you into that hot and unforgiving path... It's disconcerting."
K : "... Ah. Okay... If you say so."
*** ***
After some time had passed while they trekked through the forest path...
Ro : "Are you really okay with carrying that big thing? It's becoming painful just watching you struggle with it..."
K : "I'm... Fine..."
Katachi tried as hard as he could, to walk with the really, really heavy bag. Having a single strap meant the entire weight of the contents pressed against one of his shoulders, which made carrying it that much more difficult.
Ro : "You don't look fine, though. Come on, pass me the bag!"
K : "Wha- No, I can't have you doing these things-"
Ro : "Don't be as nonsensical as Mother Rinnesfeld! You'd hurt your back if you keep this up for long!"
K : "But I'm not hurt, don't worry about me! I can carry it-"
Ro : "You can't! You clearly don't have the power to carry it! Have you forgotten that I used to carry a huge, heavy greatsword on my back before?"
K : (But you didn't swing it with strength, you swung it with momentum! It requires much lesser effort, and this isn't something you swing about on your wrists!) "I know that, but this is different!"
Ro : "How is this different?"
K : "... Well, I... Uh..."
Ro : "If you can't answer me, then hand it over!"
Roberia tugged at the one strap, the magic reinforcing the joint gradually stretching to its limit.
K : "Stop! Don't pull! Don't pull!! It's going to snap!"
Ro : "Just trust me on this, and hand the bag over!"
*** ***
The two tugged and tugged, until finally, the grip on her palms loosened slightly, and Katachi toppled over towards a grassy incline.
Ro : "?! Katachi?!"
And he rolled...
K : (Ahh- I'm rolling... It's so dizzy, what a blur... Where am I rolling to?)
And rolled...
Ro : "Katachi, are you okay?!"
And rolled off a small ledge, his inertia sending him flying for a fair bit before landing on the grass with the bag cushioning his fall.
K : "... Ah... I'm alive."
Ro : "Katachi!"
Roberia slid down the slope, leapt the ledge, and performed a smooth rolling landing before regaining her balance and running towards Katachi.
K : (Wow... She's so flexible and graceful in her movements...)
*Cozy's Notes : Damn, she's acrobatic. If she were a Talonflame, I'd give her a Flying Gem, Gale Wings Ability, max attack and speed, Acrobatics base 110 power priority +1 bitch XD Pokemon rules! WOOH!!
Sorry. Caught up in the X & Y hype. MEGA BLASTOISE #ARMCANNONS!!
Also, it's technically not possible for him to see her land, I know, some of you argue that way since he's dizzy and can't see clearly, but he can roughly hear how she lands and such. He heard only soft thuds and none of the painful crashes he himself had.*
Ro : "Are you okay?"
K : "... Nnnngh... I'm fine."
Roberia chuckled for a bit, and punched his arm.
Ro : "You said that just now, but you weren't, were you?"
Katachi's eyes kept rolling to his left, and he struggled to regain his balance.
K : "... If you hadn't tugged at the bag, I probably would have been..."
Ro : "Come on, take off that bag already. We can swap bags. As your wife, I am to share your burden. We can take turns carrying it, okay?"
K : "But... Mother Rin-"
Ro : "Oh, so Mother Rinnesfeld's opinion is more important than my concern for you right now?"
K : (... I can't rebuke if she says it this way...)
Katachi reached for the strap, but his hand went off-course for a bit.
K : "... The world's spinning..."
Ro : (He just rolled off a cliff... I remember rolling like that myself. He probably hasn't recovered from it yet.) "Fine, I'll take it off for you then, if you're feeling dizzy."
K : "... Please... Do..."
Roberia raised the strap, and tucked Katachi's head underneath it-
"!!!▅▅▂▂▄▄▅▅▂▅▅▂▃▄▃▄!!!"
An earsplitting roar.
An unearthly cry of agony and rage, that was so impactful, it frightened everything in the forest. It made Roberia loosen her grip slightly, and the strap landed on Katachi's forehead and face. The wild animals fled from the area immediately.
Ro : (Wha- What just made that sound?)
Roberia slowly turned around, to find...
... A monster.
A gigantic wyvern-like creature, its entire skin as beautiful as the ebony night sky with its countless stars like little dots, like a Grass-stalking Leopard and Night-hunter Panther hybrid. Two distinctive eyes formed on what appears to be the head of the sifting mass, locking eyes with Roberia and Katachi who was still lying on the floor.
*Cozy's Notes : I've been a fan of Danny Phantom, if you know that show you shared the same childhood as I did. For this beast's skin, refer to Nocturne's body from Danny Phantom as reference. Essentially, they're the same. You can assume that this beast is a combination of Nocturne from Danny Phantom, and Aku from Samurai Jack - Since, well. its shape is so organic, and it's actually capable of *bleeeeeeeeeep*.
LOL WHOOPS that was close. POTENTIAL SPOILERS*
Ro : "Wha-"
"!!!▅▂▄▂▄▄▂▅▅▂▃▅▂▅▂▄▃▄▅▅!!!"
*** ***
*Cozy's Notes : By the way, yeah, its roar sounds weird to them, but if we are to play them in our current time and age, we can convert their cries into actual messages. It is one single roar, with the pitch changing consistently like, like Cortana from the first Halo going higher and higher in pitch before finally going down, except this isn't a consistent, linear increase. Its roar is actually a modulated signal.*
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