and every broken heart will mend

[scourgingstars]

[Not too long after the trial, a note found its way under everyone's doors, all of them written in the same neat handwriting that had been asking after a ring not that long ago.]

If any of you would prefer not to be left alone after all of that, I propose we meet in the dining hall. Nari has taken up cooking at the moment, and should anyone wish to talk I will be present regardless of whether or not the group at large should choose to join us.

-Ardyn

[True to his word, Ardyn was at a smaller table in the dining hall with an untouched cup of coffee in front of him; lost in thought leaning his head on one hand as the other turned a silver coin over between his fingers.]

[King in an empty hall, and savior of nothing. All that effort to prevent bloodshed, and it had come down to a situation designed to force their hand from the beginning.]

Comments

[desperateprayer]

[ After Clarith has some alcohol in her, thank to Junpei, Clarith will walk up to Arianna and just. Drape on her. She doesn't want to be alone and Arianna reminds her a lot of Mikaela. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Okay, good, Arianna had meant to check on her and was just... not really functional enough to do so apparently.

She hadn't really expected her to be this contact-y, or to smell vaguely like she's been drinking, but it's not like either decision is necessarily a bad one.]

Dame Clarith. I'm sorry.

[desperateprayer]

...I'll be fine, Arianna.

[ Her words are... Definitely slurred. Sorry, she's not going to get off you yet. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Hm. She seems to have been drinking Significantly. ...if that's her response to grief, it's a good thing she didn't do it before the trial.]

I must apologize for being somewhat rough with you earlier.

[desperateprayer]

[ Sorry, Arianna, you... Remind her. Of Mikaela. ]

...No, I needed it. We didn't Need me to die, too.

[daughterofthemark]

[She has a talent for reminding people of people apparently.]

I agree. [Small smile.] You are a good person, Dame Clarith.

[desperateprayer]

...You're a very nice person. ...You remind me of Mikaela. She was... Very kind.

[ And she'll lean in and give Arianna a little kiss. Because she hurts and she doesn't want to be alone again. ...This is okay, right? ....Right...? ]

[daughterofthemark]

[That's obviously a high compliment, given the situation, and she's about to thank her when--]

Wh--

What?

[THE PRINCESS IS NOW CONFUSED AND BLUSHING. CONGRATULATIONS!]

[desperateprayer]

[ She's just... Going to bury her face in your shoulder afterwards. ...There may be sobbing. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[OH OKAY this would have been much more line with what she was expecting five seconds ago. She... she didn't just make things worse, did she? SHE DOESN'T KNOW. DRUNK PEOPLE ARE CONFUSING. HELP.]

Th-there, there...

[desperateprayer]

...I don't want to be alone anymore, Arianna. I don't... Want to go back to an empty house...

[ At least she's getting it all out. ]

[daughterofthemark]

Dame Clarith...

[Squeeze. Arianna doesn't even want to go back to her empty bedroom, she knows it must be even worse for her.]

You're with friends now. We won't leave you alone.

[desperateprayer]

[ She's just. Going to break down into sobs again. And gonna be like this awhile. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[That's all right. It's a reasonable reaction, and maybe that way she won't notice when Arianna eventually joins in. It's been an awful day.]

[desperateprayer]

[ Let's just sob on each other, Arianna. Both of them seem to need it. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Yeah that seems to be what's going on here. Just sobbing on each other and hugging and holding.]

[desperateprayer]

I'm s-sorry, Arianna.

[ At least when she's cried herself out enough she apologizes. ]

[daughterofthemark]

There is no need for you to apologize.

[In part because Arianna's not entirely sure what she's apologizing for. Crying on her? Needing to be held back earlier? Kissing her?]

[desperateprayer]

I shouldn't have kissed you.

[ She's aware enough of that, at least. ]

[daughterofthemark]

Ah--!

[Aaaaaaaand now she's blushing again.]

No, no, that--that's perfectly acceptable!

[desperateprayer]

...Arianna...

[ CLARITH IS TRYING TO ARTICULATE THAT IT'S WRONG because she's drunk and that came out of nowhere and this is definitely a rebound and-and-and... ]

You're a very kind person.

[daughterofthemark]

[Meanwhile Arianna's just concerned that Clarith thinks she's in trouble or something.]

Thank you, Dame Clarith. You are as well.