Hoofs sounded upon the cobbled streets along the marketplace, albeit the people didn't spare the two horses more than a few curious glances at best before they resumed their daily routines. Thus, they also didn't pay much attention to the two riders, which was as equally surprising as it was appealing to them. 

 

They were clad in traveller's clothes, along with a thick cloak that was befitting for someone who was not used to the cold climate in the northern regions. However, beneath that cloak, they were still wearing robust leather armor, and their cloak pretty much displayed everything that needed to be said about them, for it was bearing the symbol of the lion, along with a blue coloration. 

 

Even though the citizens remained undisturbed, it didn't go past the two figures at all that especially the guards were almost statically following their every move, the blank and empty gazes that were lingering upon them growing in number with each guard or soldier that they passed. 

 

"It's a wonder that they haven't stopped us yet…" beneath their hood, a woman was keeping track of the guards along their way, her hand always steadily resting upon the hilt of her blade beneath the thick cloak. 

 

Her whisper was just audible enough for her partner to witness, and he subtly nodded in agreement after a small moment of consideration. 

 

"They will be watching our every move. Nobody sane enough would probably ever wander into Imperial territory with the symbol of our kingdom clearly visible, I assume that is why they haven't acted yet." the other figure, a man, was equally cautious once they left the marketplace behind and approached the large palace in the distance. 

 

Albeit as soon as they arrived at the first entry point, which was guarded by a multitude of ceremonial guards, they were finally stopped by the watch captain. 

 

"Anyone wearing the Norian symbol is branded for both persecution and execution. Name your identities and state your business, immediately." 

 

The woman internally narrowed her eyes, but her outward expression remained as calm and professional as her position demanded. 

 

"We are here on behalf of the Norian Kingdom and its people to negotiate. Our contract as ambassadors marks us as political figures that are not to be harmed." even though the captain's face was hidden due to the heavy face plate of his helmet, she could almost envision the glare he was directing at her just as he took the contract she had mentioned from her hand. 

 

True enough, it bore the official signing of the High King of Norin. 

 

"... ambassadors of any kind do not enjoy any special privileges within the Empire. Disregard a single law, disrespect the Emperor or the royal family, or stir up a conflict within the capital, and you will be faced with persecution." again, the woman's expression remained calm, not betraying a single emotion. As a sign of good gesture, both her and her partner removed their hood from their heads. 

 

The woman, her blonde hair reaching down to her shoulders, had sharp blue eyes. Whereas her companion possessed brown hair at about the same length, and his eyes were equally colored. 

 

The watch captain motioned for two other guards to collect their weapons, which they willingly did and complied, removing their blade beneath their cloak and handing it over to the guards before they were finally allowed through the entry point. 

 

But even as they progressed further towards the palace, they were never left without supervision on their way from a small escort. 

 

---

 

"You really…?" Amaragi would have almost glared at Maren, if it weren't for the amount of innocence that was looking back at her from his eyes, the genuine curiosity almost causing her to sigh. How did it come to this again…? 

 

"Yes, I also once had a plush toy that was very dear to me…" when Maren had compared her room to that of her little brother, mentioning all of the cute plush toys that Kiel was still allowed to keep, she had unwittingly remembered her own that she had once possessed. A small bear, wearing an equally tiny bow at the left side of his head… 

 

Albeit that thought hadn't remained as much in her mind as she had believed, since before she knew it, her mouth had done all of the work and Maren was now looking at her like this. As if he had seen yet another side of her. 

 

"... but that is nothing bad at all…" despite the urge, after witnessing the way he was shyly glancing at the ground with a small smile, she couldn't bring herself to roll her eyes. And as much as she wanted to revert back to her older self to simply play it off, a sad feeling was tugging at her chest when she thought back upon the plush toy that she no longer possessed. 

 

Again, another sigh escaped her. Try as she might, even if she desperately wanted to simply play it off, it felt good to share all of that with Maren… the fact that he was accepting it so readily and genuinely actually made her think of herself as a fool for initially believing that he might see her in a negative way for her childish thoughts. 

 

After everything they had shared together, she enjoyed it more than anything else that she could simply be herself like this. 

 

"Why weren't you allowed to keep it, though?" the moment Maren's eyes turned solemn, Amaragi actually had to try and banish the memories that were coursing around in front of her mental eye. 

 

"With age came more responsibilities, prompting father to believe that any negative influences should be removed…" for a long moment, Amaragi remained almost motionless, before a small but sad smile tugged at her lips. 

 

"I actually still remember how often I had tried to sneak into the midden beneath the palace to retrieve it… but I never came far, the servants always got me… even if I had managed to get down there, I doubt I would have ever found it again." the sheer amount of nostalgia and sadness in her voice was crushing Maren, and before he knew it, a thought wormed itself into his mind that refused to leave him alone anymore. 

 

The midden beneath the palace…? If so, how large is it… 

 

As his thoughts swirled around in his mind, he almost absentmindedly noticed a curious scene down below at the palace grounds outside. While idly watching the small number of soldiers that seemed to escort a pair of horseback riders, the moment his eyes caught sight of the blonde woman, he was immediately torn out of his thoughts and forced back on earth. 

 

"... Maya…?" 

 

Amaragi immediately perked up once she noticed that his attention was suddenly drawn outside, thus, joining him at the side of the window to see what was mesmerizing him so much. 

 

When she witnessed the woman he was staring at, the only thing she immediately focused upon was the Norian symbol upon her cloak. 

 

"Do you know her?" unbeknownst to him, Amaragi had taken a faint step back, remaining inches behind him. 

 

"Yes, she is an ambassador from Norin. She has actually been my superior for a while when I was assigned as part of her escort delegation for a trip towards Glenrock." even while Maren was still staring outside, his thoughts wandering, he barely noticed as Amaragi subtly placed her arms around his waist from behind and gently leaned her head upon his shoulder. 

 

"I see…" only when the pressure around his waist began to tighten ever so slightly did he suddenly look at her with surprise. 

 

"H-huh? Is something wrong…?" only to witness that her eyes didn't directly look back at him, and she merely shrugged slightly with her shoulders. 

 

"... nothing..."

 

---

 

AN:

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