While Tessia was the one who put all of this in motion after hearing Arthur's drunken yet candid response to her pressing, she was still quite nervous about the trip. She chuckled in self-deprecation. It almost felt like she was getting ready to go to Xyrus Academy all over again more than a decade later. She was no longer a schoolgirl, yet the fraying nerves and pacing around her room as she hoped everything would go well with Arthur somehow still remained the same.
In the meantime, Arthur was blissfully unaware of both the machinations involved that caused him to be taken on this trip and the state of anxiety of his childhood friend.
The night before they were supposed to head out, Arthur decided to pay Tessia a visit to go over any last-minute tasks that needed to be done before they left. As they were discussing the trip and logistics in more detail, Tessia realized that despite them being in Alacrya for many months, Arthur would not really be spending much of it with his family. Most of it will be spent at her side protecting her as they go on tours and other public appearances across Alacrya.
"Wow, I didn't realize until now just how much back and forth you would need to do. I guess being my bodyguard is a tough role," Tessia sighed, suddenly feeling a bit regretful for dragging Arthur along.
"I'm not really your bodyguard, you know," Arthur told her with chagrin. "I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to attempt anything while we're together."
Tessia felt lightning zing through her at the thought. While we're together...
It was just going to be the two of them. Yes, there were going to be Alacryan guides and dignitaries with them, but no one that either were close to. She would have Arthur all to herself. What was she going to do?! She was panicking inside, but she was determined to hold on to her composure even as she worried for her heart. This realization was the final nail in the coffin; she had made a huge mistake getting Arthur to come with her. She had a feeling that this trip was going to be the death of her, that he would somehow worm himself even more firmly into her heart. If that was even possible.
Okay, snap out of it!
Tessia suddenly snorted at herself. She was being overly dramatic about the whole thing, she told herself firmly. Haven't her recent trips taught her anything? That she had skills to rely on and didn't need to fall apart every time they were alone together?
She was no longer that shy bumbling girl anymore. She was Tessia Eralith, princess of the elves and the chosen Dicathen emissary to represent the whole of Dicathen during this trip to Alacrya. She remembered that many people: her grandfather, Curtis, Kathyln, Arthur, among others were counting on and had faith in her. She felt her confidence rising back in her. She was strong, cool, and assured.
Besides, they were just friends, her and Arthur. Two people on a diplomatic mission. She had to remember that.
After they had finished discussing the plans for the next couple of months, Tessia and Arthur continued to talk about anything and everything. Tessia laughed, too. This was good. Friendly chatter. She could do this.
And Tessia used her learned skills to have him continue talking.
Arthur was happy to indulge her. He spent many hours talking about his time in Alacrya, talking about how much of a troublemaker he had been with Caera, about his Alacryan students, and how proud he was to see them improve. Especially Seth; Arthur was impressed at how the weakling turned into a capable warrior in front of his eyes.
Though he'd kept his tone light, Tessia heard the emotional toll it had taken on him being away from everyone in Dicathen. She wished she could have been there to lend a supporting and friendly hand.
At some point, the conversation changed from talking about Alacrya to talking about their parents. Arthur told her stories about his father and mother she had never heard before. He happily and willingly shared some of his cherished memories with his father.
As he talked, his love for his father vibrated through every fiber of his being, in the smile on his face, in the timber of his voice, in the lights dancing in his eyes as he looked off into the distance. It was clear Arthur missed him deeply, but it was also clear just how many happy moments he shared with his late father.
When he was done talking, he finally glanced at her and was startled to see Tessia in tears and pressing a hand to her chest.
She gave a teary chuckle. "I'm sorry Art. I'm being sappy, I know, but I just love hearing you talk about him. I wish I could've spent more time with him. He sounds like a very beautiful soul."
She sniffled into the hanky he'd handed her and she realized this was the second time he'd done that in the last few weeks. She kept silent, loathe to remind him of the last time he'd lost his temper with her.
"He was amazing, my father. And I don't know about his soul being beautiful, but I do remember women used to think he was quite handsome, much to the chagrin of Mom," he said with pride and a small laugh.
Tessia sighed, wishing someday, somebody would speak of her the way Arthur had just done about his father. She looked up to find his azure blue gaze on her. "Well, you are very handsome too, so it makes sense."
The stark silence that greeted her statement made her suddenly realize what she'd just blurted out. He was blinking rapidly at her, his face was turning pink, but a smile filled with pleasure was forming on his lips.
She was red, she knew. Tessia squeaked in panic and did the one thing she thought she'd never do in front of him ever again. She became a blushing mess. She held his gaze as best as she could, but she copped out a couple of times and had to look down.
She looked at him again and tried to cover for her unsolicited compliment. "What I mean is that, ever since the war ended, you've got all these women admiring you. I've seen the way they look at you..."
He was blushing, but he was still looking at her in amazement.
Oh, god. Tessia thought. Gah! Why the heck did I say that?! It sounded like she'd been constantly watching other women looking at him. Which, she did, but he didn't need to know that!
Still, he was smiling, as his hand was scratching the side of his cheek. He was clearly embarrassed. He'd obviously heard her and there was no way she could backtrack now. She decided to throw caution to the winds. It was done, the words were out of her, and they were the truth, so the only thing she could do was move forward.
"But I always thought you were handsome, you know," she admitted in a rush, her face pink, her pointer fingers rapidly tapping at each other. "Even before the war."
If anything, Arthur flushed even redder before smiling at her. "T-Thank you Tess."
Tessia looked at him smiling at her, the glow of the lighting artifacts reflecting off his auburn hair and bright eyes. She was glad she'd told him the truth in her heart. It would be so easy to tell him again that she loved him, but she knew it wouldn't be right. She knew she looked foolish, just smiling at him, but these moments with him might never happen again so she just enjoyed them for what they were.
And if he never came to love her back, if in the future she found herself old and alone, she would replay these memories and remember he'd smiled at her once, with such a tender look on his face.
"Tess, you are beautiful too. You have such a kind heart and warm personality. I always seem to find it so easy to talk with you," he suddenly blurted out, his face beet red as he spoke. Tessia's face glowed with the strength of her happiness, making him feel so relieved that he'd hit upon the perfect compliment for her.
"Thanks, Art," she said. "I'm glad you think that."
And he realized he'd meant it. She had an easy way about her that made him feel restful, that when she was silent, he didn't need to jump in and say anything. He never was great with emotions or words, but she picked up a lot of what he meant to say and did not always focus on what he was saying.
The fact that he had shared with her his memories of his father had surprised him. He hadn't meant to do it, but she'd asked lots of questions about his time in Alacrya and he'd suddenly found himself talking freely about the things that were on his mind. He realized he'd never really talked to anyone about it besides his mom. It was the first time he'd ever talked about his father with someone outside of his family.
She looked happy as she sighed, just sitting there and being in the moment. Sometimes she would look at him, or up at the chandelier dangling above their heads, all without talking, and he realized that she was very comfortable in silence, that she was used to just letting things be as they were meant to be.
But while their conversation was punctuated by comfortable silence, it never remained that way for long, both them teasing the other and telling jokes in order to get the other to laugh. They sat laughing for a while until they looked at the window and saw that the stars were twinkling and the moon was out. They had an early day tomorrow.
"Time for bed, I think," Arthur said, and he was filled with regret. He wanted to spend more time talking with her, but they still had to travel to Alacrya the next day. Sure, there were portals that make the journey itself short, but the large time difference between the continents can still make the process quite tiring. They needed the rest.
He looked at her. She was sitting on her bed next to him, more relaxed than he had seen her in recent history. Her elbows were on her knees now, one hand supporting a cheek as she smiled at him. Her long hair slid from her shoulders and framed her face, her shining emerald eyes.
Arthur realized with surprise that he was in the presence of one of the most beautiful women he had ever known. Without really understanding why himself, he suddenly wanted to reach out to touch Tessia on the cheek.
He must have moved to do so because she abruptly stood up.
"Okay, good night, Art!" she said as she quickly stood up before pushing him out of her room.
He shook his head, but he was still smiling. Man, some things never changed.