The Liberation of the Mages Heart

Library Friendships

For the next few days, the incident in the intimate chamber was left unspoken, buried beneath the weight of their professional engagements. Ruth meticulously attended to his duties, and Bell continued her tasks and assessments.

Yet, the unexplored tension lingered, creating a subtle undercurrent whenever their paths crossed. The almost-kiss remained a silent secret, echoing through memories of their past encounters and their kiss tree years ago, which neither of them dared to bring up.

Ruth stepped into the hallowed halls of Calypse Castle's ancient library, its towering shelves filled with knowledge spanning centuries. The air carried the scent of aged parchment and history, setting the scene for a clandestine encounter. At the grand oak table, stacks of books and parchment surrounded Belisent, the silver-haired mage's heart skipping a beat at the sight of her.

His disbelief was palpable as he uttered, "You can't be serious!"

Bell, immersed in her documents and savoring cheese-filled rolls, nonchalantly replied, "We usually say hello first when entering a room, you know."

A growl of protest escaped Ruth as he crossed his arms, indignant. "This is a library, not a dining hall, Bell!"

She offered a defense with a mischievous grin, "I call it increasing efficiency by maximizing performance in the time available through multitasking – I highly recommend it!" Her eyes met his, and a radiant smile adorned her face.

Ruth, caught off guard by her charm, blushed momentarily. Regaining composure, he warned, "Tending to various tasks at the same time can lead to mistakes. Just make sure you don't mess anything up here. I swear I'm going to die if I find grease or crumbs in these precious books!"

Her gaze locked onto his, and with a playful tone, she extended a basket of rolls toward him. "Do you want some too?"

Annoyance lingered in his expression, but he couldn't resist. "Yes," he admitted, reaching for a roll, all the while sensing the triumph in her smile.

***

Watching Ruth immersed in his studies, Bell couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. His focus lay in the complexities of academia, leaving her to grapple with the delicate ache that accompanied the fear of unreciprocated feelings.

The notion that Ruth's heart might be a fortress of intellect, impervious to the nuances of romance, played on her mind. Uncertainty loomed as she considered the prospect that her emotions might be an uncharted territory for him, a realm left unexplored in the tapestry of his life.

In the quiet sanctuary of her thoughts, Bell allowed herself to drift into a daydream, a whimsical realm where the boundaries of reality blurred. In this imagined conversation with Ruth, the air was thick with anticipation, and the books on the towering shelves bore witness to the unspoken desires between them.

Bell, with a soft smile, began the conversation. "Ruth, there's something on my mind..."

Ruth, his silver hair catching the soft glow of the library's ambient light, looked up from his studies. "What is it, Bell? You know you can share anything with me."

Embracing the courage within her daydream, Bell continued, "It's about us, about what might be... beyond friendship. Do you ever feel that there might be more?"

Ruth, his eyes locking onto hers, set aside his studies, fully present in the dreamy exchange. "I can't deny there's something more, Bell..."

As the imagined conversation deepened, they found themselves drawn together, the gravitational pull of emotions too strong to resist.

„So you feel it, too...", she approached him slowly. Bell's heart raced as they closed the distance, and in the intimate silence of the library, their lips met in a tender, long-awaited kiss.

„Umm C-commander Belisent?", Maximilian interrupted her train of thought. The daydream left Bell with a bright blush that lingered even as she returned to reality, the echoes of an imagined kiss resonating in the depths of her emotions.

„Ummm...", Bell quickly cleared her throat, regaining composure: „Please call me Bell, my Lady.", she smiled and Maxi nodded shyly.

„Then p-please feel free to call me M-maxi as well!"

„Sure!", Bell smiled then shifted on her chair, pulling up her knee and resting her elbow on it, laying her head in her hand.

Maxi, feeling a newfound camaraderie, gathered her courage and continued: "D-do you think I could also learn how t-to fight?"

„Basically anyone can learn that.", Bell smiled: „Just let me know if you want me to teach you some basics!"

„I'm pretty sure that Sir Riftan wouldn't approve of that.", Ruth interfered: „Also, I suggest you focus on learning magic first. Have you finished your assignment already, my Lady?", he turned to Maxi sternly who gulped shaking her head no and concentrating on the tomb in front of her again.

The flickering candles in the library cast a warm ambiance, creating a haven of knowledge.

As the evening unfolded, laughter and shared wisdom echoed through the library, creating a tapestry of friendship that intertwined the lives of the Lady of the castle, the mage, and the Commander of the South Brigade.

In this setting of learning, bonds grew stronger, and the flickering candles bore witness to a friendship forged amidst the ancient tomes and whispered spells.