Tessia was extremely excited to meet her childhood friend after so many years but was also incredibly nervous about the potential meeting. It had been many years since they last met each other, and he had been engulfed in a new culture on a foreign continent for much of the time.
She still vividly remembers the sheer despair and desperation she felt when Scythe Cadell held Arthur by the neck, a wicked victorious glimmer in his eyes. Arthur on the other hand looked dejected, defeated, and completely exhausted both emotionally and physically as if he was simply done with life. For the first and only time since she knew him, he had given up. And she wasn't strong enough to support him and help him during his lowest moment.
Now, she was in the corner of the Helstea Estate, watching Arthur hug his family and crying with them after so long. She desperately wanted to go over, hug her friend and the love of her life tightly, and tell him how much she missed him. Yet, her feet felt like cinder blocks anchoring her in place. She couldn't bring herself to approach him, butterflies in her stomach stealing away her confidence as she looked at the love of her life from afar.
There is a phenomenon that some people talk about known as the "soldier's eyes." When a veteran of war comes back home, their friends and family seem to note that something not describable is different about their eyes. It is as if the trauma and unspeakable horrors they had to witness left an undetectable scar on their eyes, forever marking and changing their worldview as a result.
Tessia had seen it on many of the soldiers that had come back supposedly unscathed from battle, even on her own grandfather. None of them seemed to have it as bad as Arthur did.
But she also noticed the light fill his eyes again as he saw his family. She smiled to herself. Her childhood friend was traumatized from his time in the war, but she also knew he would easily do it all again in an instant if that was asked of him. He clearly found it all worth it.
She sighed to herself, looking down at the ground as she thought about how pathetic she was for not even being able to say hi to him.
Arthur on the other hand was keenly aware of her presence this whole time. He chuckled to himself as he looked at her, thinking that no matter how old she got, she was always the same bumbling, awkward girl he knew.
"I missed you, Tess."
She looks up wide-eyed, the nails of her fingers digging into her palms behind her back. The sight of her childhood friend smiling brightly at her stunned her. She didn't expect him to have realized she was even in the room. His face blurred from view as tears threatened to escape from her eyes.
"You dummy," Tessia said before wiping her eyes.
She choked back a sob as she ran into his arms. She pressed her arms into his back, pulling him closer to her. She immediately realized under the thin fabric of cloth under her fingers that he had a gruesome scar on his back. Her heart sank at the knowledge. She couldn't stand the fact that he had struggled and been in pain in the time since they last saw each other.
"I missed you too."
After greetings, hugs, and lots more crying and tears of joy had been shed, everyone convened at the couches in the main sitting area to talk. Everyone gave knowing smirks when Tessia sat right next to Arthur. Tessia blushed in response while Arthur appeared blissfully unaware.
They discussed a variety of topics ranging from fond memories from the past to current relationship statuses of friends and those close to everyone. Arthur was especially surprised to learn that his mentor and older sister figure Jasmine now had a boyfriend, an old friend of the Twin Horns back from their adventuring days named Aaron. He made a mental note to meet the guy at some point in the future.
After a couple of hours more of talking, the day became night and people left to go back to their rooms one by one in order to get some sleep. Soon, it was just Tessia and Arthur left. They decided to go for a stroll around Xyrus, as it had been years since Arthur had been back in the city.
Xyrus city was always so amazing to Arthur, as people went about their everyday life among those close to them in a city that floated in the sky. But the part that he found truly amazing was the starry sky on a cloudless night like the one on this day. A cool, calm breeze flowed over his cheeks and lightly ruffled his hair as he walked with his eyes closed in the dim light of the nearly empty streets. There were still a few people out and about at this hour, but it was too dark for anyone to recognize the elven princess and the war hero.
Arthur opened his eyes and turned to see Tessia closely for the first time in many years. While it was clear some of her awkward tendencies from their youth remained, it was also clear that she had grown both physically and in terms of maturity. She held herself in high regard as she walked with well-earned confidence from leading the people of Dicathen from the front lines. There were battles she won, and there were many she lost.
Arthur noticed that she had earned some physical reminders of the war as well, noticing a faint scar hidden on the left side of her face by her eyebrow, as well as some others that lined her arms. Regardless, in the dim light of the passing street lamps and the starlight shining down on them, Arthur admitted to himself she looked beautiful in her sundress and sandals.
"You matured," Arthur said, not really paying attention to his words before they left his mouth.
Tessia pouted in response, puffing her cheeks just enough to show her displeasure at the comment in a manner that Arthur for some reason found surprisingly endearing. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Arthur laughed to himself, realizing he already put his foot in his mouth with his first words to Tessia after so long. That was very much something he remembered doing quite frequently beforehand. "I just meant you look so much more confident in yourself and your capabilities. I am glad you seem to finally be aware of what you were always capable of."
Arthur truly did mean that. They both had been at each others' sides for as long as either of them could remember, learning and training and causing all sorts of mischief together for most of their childhoods. Arthur always knew that while Tessia was always close to him as a friend, she also would sometimes be jealous of him and his abilities as a mage.
But Arthur knew that while he was an amazing mage, he was never any good at the emotional aspect of things and struggled deeply with connecting with people. Sure, he did forge bonds with people that were stronger than steel, but they were quite few in number.
Arthur was keenly aware that he would have failed in his role as a wartime lance if it wasn't for Tessia's help. The numerous nobles he was able to converse with, butter, and please during the retainer party thanks to Tessia's guiding hand helped tremendously when it came time to delegate duties and track down required supplies for his men. Tessia was amazing and capable in her own right, and Arthur was glad she finally seemed to come into her own and realize that for herself.
"Thanks," she said. The genuine tone and smile on Arthur's face as he complimented her made her heart skip a beat. Tessia was very thankful that they were speaking in the dark currently, as she knew her face had erupted into a scarlet red.
What was it about the man in front of her? Was it the way he walked with such confidence that no matter what came in his way, he knew he would be able to handle it? Was it the chiseled features of his stunning face, the clash of auburn and azure that brought alluring color to his face? Was it his warm smile that seemed to steal away her breath and all her worry and fears about the future along with it?
Tessia wasn't sure what it was that made her feel this way, but she suddenly felt the person that made the proverb "absence makes the heart grow fonder" must have been a genius of some sort. She missed him dearly when he was gone, but now that he was right next to her, she felt the same pull she had always felt around him, only stronger this time.
"Anyways, how have you been? I want to know more about you and what you have been up to these past couple of years," Arthur said with a smile on his face.
The two of them continued to walk while talking about anything and everything, both appreciative to have this chance to spend time together after so long.