Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sounds of summer permeated through the muggy afternoon air of Rigbarth. A crow cawed nearby, looking down at the scene before it in curiosity. The glint of the sunlight off the sword temporarily blinded the person holding it. A SEED ranger growled in frustration as she tried to fix her sword for what seemed like the thousandth time. The tang just wasn’t staying inside of the hilt, no matter how strong her rivet was.

Alice wasn’t one to give up, and this was her favorite longsword. It had been with her through thick and thin. It had saved her when she needed it the most when she faced the biggest horrors of her life. She needed it to work. Sweat beaded on her hairline as she frowned down at her blade. The exposed tang seemed to be laughing at her. Did her latest upgrade ruin it somehow? No, she had Darroch himself look at it after she upgraded it. He said the upgrade was perfect.

At the thought of the blacksmith, she looked up toward the smithy. The familiar sound of a hammer hitting metal was faint but loud enough to reach her ears regardless. She knew it would cost her, but what choice did she have at this point?

Alice pushed herself away from the forge, looking up at the sun's position while guarding her eyes. It was midday, so Darroch and Martin were most likely available. Martin usually was back from lunch by now. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. After this, she mentally told her body, picking up the pieces of her sword. Well, there went her plan to have Palmo repair the barn on her dragon. The last storm caused wind damage and her repairs would only hold out for so long. She would have to wait for her next haul of crops before considering another big purchase.

Carefully, she wrapped the blade in some spare cloth and then picked up the scabbard and hilt. With a long, heavy sigh, she started to make her way up the hill. Looks like she wouldn’t be hunting any wanted monsters anytime soon if they had to make her a sword. There goes more money opportunities down the drain because of a broken sword.

If she had to buy materials to make a new one or buy one from True Strike, so be it. She couldn’t last without any income for long. That wasn’t an option for the plans she had for her home and the town. Alice finally made it to the door and was surprised to see Martin opening the door for her before she could even reach for the handle.

Martin was always taller than she remembered him being. She was so used to looking at him from her higher step in the forge that when they were on equal ground she was constantly reminded that she needed to crane her neck to look up at him. He wasn’t as big as Darroch, but that didn’t mean his frame didn’t fill the door. She frequently had to remind herself to look away from his chest and arms. “We saw you from the window,” he explained, nodding to the open window of the shop.

Alice blinked in surprise when he took the scabbard and hilt of her sword from her and nodded for her to follow him. “Having trouble with your sword?”

Alice kicked herself into action and followed him in. Darroch was sitting behind the main counter, nodding at her in greeting as he inspected what looked to be a longsword. “Y-yeah, the tang doesn’t want to stay in the hilt no matter what I do. It’s definitely beyond my skills at this point.”

Martin set the hilt down in front of Darroch and both of them started to look at it with critical eyes as she set the blade down on the counter. Ever since Martin was made a partner instead of just an apprentice, he took a more active part in the business she did with them.

She eyed the sword Darroch set aside, taking in how the scabbard's decoration near the hilt gleamed in the sunlight streaming in from the window nearby. Gold lined the hilt and pommel and the leather on the handle was dark compared to the other light colors and it gleamed, telling her the quality of the material.

“Hmm…,” Darroch hummed as he studied the tang of her blade. “You’ve taken good care of it, but some blades just decide when they need to retire. This is a lower quality metal too, so it was bound to wear out at some point.” He gestured to the parts of the tang she saw but didn’t want to believe were there. The parts where the rivets would go in were slightly warped.

She sighed sadly. “I was hoping that wasn’t the case, but I guess two years is long enough,” she said.

“We can make a new blade for you,” Martin suggested, looking at the hilt. “The hilt is still usable.”

Darroch looked over the hilt again, and then the new sword, then back at her hilt. “Yep, we just need to spruce up the parts the rivets go into.” He looked over at Alice again. “That’s if you don’t want to make it yourself? I know you’ve got a knack for doing things on your own.”

Alice bit her lip, doing the mental math in her head. If she got a blade made of quality metal made by Martin or Darroch, then she should be able to take care of it herself and still save money in the long run. “What would you guys suggest?” she asked, looking over at the other longswords.

Darroch and Martin shared a look. “Something durable for sure,” Martin finally said, glancing over at the sword on the counter.

Alice wondered what was so special about it, but didn’t pry. “Like orichalcum? I can mine that if you need me to. I know where a good vein of it is.”

Darroch was giving Martin a pointed look at this point and Alice just wondered what was going on. She could have sworn Martin’s cheeks had a blush on them and he cleared his throat, avoiding her eyes.

An awkward silence hovered over them all as her suggestion hung in the air.

“Try this blade,” Darroch finally said, picking up the nice sword by the scabbard and holding the hilt out to Alice.

Alice balked at the sword. “I don’t need something so—“

“It was made for you,” Darroch interrupted. “Do an old blacksmith a favor and try it out.”

Alice stared down at the sword with wide eyes. He was joking, he had to be. “I don’t want to sound rude, but are you guys kidding around right now?”

Alice felt stupid immediately after she asked the question. These two were the least likely to pull a cruel joke or prank. Darroch was the serious type and she could count on one hand the times Martin smiled around her.

Darroch held the sword out farther and Alice finally gripped the hilt, eyes widening when it seemed to be made for her hand. She slowly pulled the sword from the scabbard, letting out a soft breath at the beautiful gleam of the blade. It almost seemed to shine with its own light. She held it out, testing its weight in her grip. It was perfectly balanced, and she could instantly tell that she would have no trouble wielding it. She put her other hand on the lower half of the hilt, breath catching in her throat. The blade was brilliant steel, almost shining white.

“Go outside and see how it feels,” Darroch insisted.

Alice didn’t have to be told twice.

Martin watched Alice swing the sword through the window, hiding a pleased smile. That was close. If she found out that Martin alone made the sword specifically for her he would have died on the spot from embarrassment.

“You’re going to tell her,” Darroch ordered, brows furrowed.

“Tell her what?”

Darroch huffed. “That you took time to get the materials and make her a new sword yourself. That’s the best one you've ever made, so take pride in it.”

Martin sucked in a breath, wondering if he was going to actually consider disobeying his mentor. He couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t tell her that he noticed how worn out her gear was and that he worried about her. He couldn’t tell her he asked Darroch for time to work on a personal project. Darroch easily found out who the blade was for. Martin couldn’t tell Alice he gave his brother the task of finding out what weapon she preferred and her arm length and her height. How Cecil did it without her getting suspicious, he didn’t know.

No, she couldn’t find out because then she would ask why he did it and he wouldn’t be able to give her a sufficient lie. She couldn’t find out that he watched her more than anyone else in the town. That she captivated his attention whenever she was near.

It would lead to his ruin.

Gods, he couldn’t handle her rejection. She had so much going on in her life and he wouldn’t fit in. He was content with watching from afar and knowing she was safe with better gear.

“She’s not stupid Martin, and I’m not going to lie if she asks which one of us made it,” Darroch said after Martin didn’t answer right away.

“I wouldn’t expect you to, Master Darroch,” Martin finally answered.

Darroch grunted in annoyance and Martin could feel his master’s keen gaze on him. “I don’t think she would mind knowing you made it,” he finally said, standing from his spot behind the counter. “If she insists on paying, tell her she can pay us back by escorting us to the mines next time we need to go. I trust her more than any other Ranger, that’s for sure.”

Martin watched, stunned, as his master went back into the storeroom, leaving him alone in the main part of the smithy. What did he mean she wouldn’t mind if she knew Martin made the sword? Almost on cue, Alice hurried in, slightly sweaty but beaming and in higher spirits than when she first came in. “What do I owe you guys?” she asked, breathless.

Martin almost got distracted by her bright green eyes looking up at him and he quickly cleared his throat, putting some space between them by stepping behind the counter. “It’s a gift, but Master Darroch said you can escort us on the next few mining trips as payment if you insist.”

She looked around, locks of golden hair falling loose from her bun as her head turned. Martin momentarily got distracted by the graceful slope of her neck. “Ah, I see he left the arguing to you,” she teased, smiling at him.

Alice reminded Martin of the sun or the depths of the fire of the forge with how bright her smile and demeanor were. He found it annoying at first, but it grew on him over the two years he got to know her more.

She had her free hand on her hip and it was cocked out sassily now and Martin inwardly whined at how cute it was. “Afraid so,” he said, barely holding back a grin. It was hard to not smile around her.

Alice set the sword on the counter, trailing her hand over the scabbard. Martin started to panic when tears came to her eyes. “Thank you, truly. I was wondering how I could afford a new sword and repairs to my barns at the same time and this is a big weight off my shoulders.”

Martin didn’t know her barns were needing repairs. He couldn’t help but stare at the woman across from him in awe. She did so much but made it look so easy. It was hard imagining her with any worries with the bright smile she put out to the world. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked before he could truly think about it.

Alice stared at him in surprise, sniffing back tears and wiping her eyes on the neckline of her shirt. “Well…there is something, but it was something I figured I could do myself.”

Martin didn’t like how she didn’t think she could ask anyone for help at all. It caused his stomach to sink and he had to stop himself from clenching his fists. “What is it?”

Alice grimaced. “My buffamoos need new shoes again. Usually, I do it myself but with my new heifer and calf, it’s been a handful. I knew I would probably need help next time.”

Martin nodded, going over to the bucket they kept the metal shoes in. Yep, they had plenty for buffamoo in there. “How many do you need? And when does it need to be done?”

She was staring at him like he grew two heads, and Martin knew this was out of character for him. But the idea of her doing everything by herself was making his chest ache and his stomach turn even more. He didn’t like it and he would swallow his pride for her.

“I was going to do it tomorrow if that works for you,” she said, still trailing her hand along the scabbard of her new sword lovingly.

Martin’s heart clenched and his cheeks burned at how she was looking at something he made and he was filled to the brim with relief and pride.

“I can come by in the evening if that works,” he offered.

They worked out the little details and Alice finally left, waving goodbye as she strapped the sword to her hip. Martin leaned heavily on the counter, wiping a hand down his face. He hadn’t spent time alone with her before.

But, he said he would help and he wasn’t going to cancel.

Darroch poked his head out of the storage area. “You’ll tell her when you go, right?”

Martin resisted the urge to frown at his mentor. Sometimes, it seemed like his hearing worked extremely well when he wanted it to.

That didn’t mean Martin was going to tell Alice the truth, though.

Chapter Text

Alice waited near the rope ladder to her Earth dragon the next evening, smiling up at the beast happily. Even after two years, she still couldn’t believe she had the help of these amazing creatures. The other four were flying around their territories. Alice usually just visited them when the town needed supplies for renovations and repairs. The earth dragon was the one that stayed near, happily sleeping in the valley. It was napping in the sunlight, looking like a part of the hills that surrounded Rigbarth with how well it blended in.

Now that she had four buffamoo in total, it was difficult to keep up with all 16 hooves herself. And they all helped on the farm or carted things for her so not having the metal shoes on the bottom of their hooves was not an option.

She almost started all out crying yesterday when Martin offered to help. She was always worried about taking up someone’s important time and she was relieved he offered. She felt the hilt of her new sword again, grinning happily. While her old sword would be missed, she was sure she would get used to this one quickly. She didn’t know how she would ever repay the two men in True Strike, but she was determined to talk them into more than just escorting them on mining jobs.

Alice felt a strong wind blow inland from the ocean and she basked in the momentary relief from the heat. It was the peak of summer so the sun shone without mercy most days. Alice wondered if she had the ingredients for ice cream and those thoughts were cut off when she noticed movement in the distance.

She finally saw Martin leave the blacksmith’s and walk down the hill toward her with a huge bucket. She saw his blacksmith apron’s pockets bulging with what she assumed were nails, hammers, and any other thing they needed for the job.

It amazed her how prepared Martin always seemed, for anything really. She remembered talking to Cecil about his big brother before. He thought the world of Martin. Cecil was either worried or spouting praise for his brother when he was the topic. That was why she never took Martin’s flat affect or bluntness personally. Someone who cared about their brother so much couldn’t be awful. She quickly discovered that some of the Rigbarth residents were just like that anyway.

But, maybe she was finally getting past Martin’s walls since he offered up the precious time he could have spent working to help her instead. She would be lying if she said she didn’t have a little crush on him for a while now, and the idea of getting close to him made her heart race and her stomach flip. It wasn’t like it was going to go anywhere, but Alice was more than happy to get to know him better and become closer friends.

He waved as he got closer and looked between the bucket and the rope ladder, humming in thought. “Got a system for that!” she announced, seeing the question in his eyes before he could say it, “Wait here.”

She hurried up the ladder, patting the dragon on his side just how he liked before making it to the top. She lowered the basket connected to a pulley system that Ryker came up with for her and she peeked over the side at Martin. “Set it in there! I’ll pull it up,” she hollered.

The deep ‘thunk’ of the bucket being set in the basket told her he heard. Bracing her foot on the side of the dragon’s scale, she began to pull. Gods, she was going to have to make Ryker croquettes again in thanks. He saved her so much time and effort with this. The creak of the rope ladder reached her ears as she pulled. It was almost meditation when she had to bring a big load onto the dragon. The repetitive motion of her hands passing over each other on the rope was soothing as she got lost in the action.

The weight significantly decreased when Martin stood next to her and started to help her pull. She didn’t even hear him reach the top of the ladder! The basket got up to them in record time and Alice couldn’t help but look at how the muscles in Martin’s arm flexed as he grabbed the handle of the bucket and hoisted it out. How darehe take off his work gauntlet and long gloves and distract her? Not that she was complaining.

Martin looked around in curiosity, whistling lowly when he saw the long rows of crops and the line of trees. “And here I thought the Farm Dragon thing was an exaggeration,” he said, impressed.

Alice tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as her cheeks flushed a little. Martin did always compliment the hard work she did, but he never closely inspected it like he did now. She saw him eye the strawberries longer than the other plants and she mentally kept that in mind for later. Was he like Cecil and leaned toward fruit? She couldn’t outright ask Cecil because then he’d go into detective mode and ask why she wanted to know.

“Those are out of season but I’m trying to get them to last until autumn,” she said, taking the lead toward the barn. “I should have melons ready soon though, I’m really excited about those.”

He hummed in thought as he followed, letting her know he heard. She noticed that about Martin. He wasn’t a person of many words, but the simplest things said the most. He was letting her lead and tell him what she wanted to tell. He was like that in her other interactions with him, never prying, but staying interested enough to keep her talking.

He was the only one who never pried. He once told Ryker to stop talking when he saw her getting uncomfortable with questions about her memories at one festival last year. No one else had ever stood up for her like that when her memories became involved. Everyone was so curious they seemed to never notice how uncomfortable she could get. She knew it was never malicious. Martin never did, though, and he was quick to intervene when she stopped answering.

That, Alice thinks, is probably the moment this darn crush started. She started to pay attention to him and noticed the little moments of kindness that were hidden behind a face of indifference. He was good with the kids in the town, he helped her wrangle Julian and Hina more than once; he probably had plenty of practice with Cecil.

He was quick to help fix things, always seeming to pull a hammer and nail out of nowhere before anyone else knew something was broken. He was willing to work overtime to make sure someone had enough nails or other essentials before thinking about his own needs. She found that admirable about him, even if it wasn’t healthy sometimes. She noticed he was better about taking breaks lately, probably because Darroch practically kicked him out of the forge.

As she opened the barn door, she wondered what caused the bags under his eyes as five heads turned toward her. “Hi Ladies!” she laughed as her four buffamoos trotted over. Hilda’s calf was right behind her, tail flapping.

“Let’s get Mom done first so she and baby can get out of the way,” Martin suggested, pulling tools out of his pockets. He handed the tools to her before he tugged on short gloves and pulled more tools out.

Alice quickly grabbed her own work gloves and pulled them on. “You take them off, I put them on?”

Martin nodded, already getting the heifer in position and getting to work.

Alice quickly got the tools she needed and the new shoes and waited for Hilda to be ready. “That’s Hilda you got there, and I’m thinking about naming her calf Moondrop, because she looks like she has a petal on her forehead.”

Martin looked over at the calf and she swore she saw a small grin appear on his face before he continued working. “That fits.”

Oh gods, Martin grinning or smiling always surprised her and she always wanted to see it again. Hilda’s shoes were off in record time and he was already guiding the buffamoo her way. Alice mentally slapped herself into gear and got to work. The only time the sound of their work was interrupted was when Alice told him the name of the buffamoo he was working on.

Gertrude was the first buffamoo she ever caught and she didn’t even look fazed by the process. Then there was Eleanor, who had more sass and Alice kept a close eye on her as Martin worked. Last was Jane, who was the sweetest thing in the world.

The sweltering summer air caused the barn to be stuffy but at least they got the chore done quickly and efficiently. Alice let the buffamoo roam around for a while while she and Martin sat in the shade and watched while they drank water. “Thanks again, Martin. That would have taken me hours,” she said, looking up at him.

“You’re welcome, I’m glad I could help.”

A drop of sweat was rolling down the front of his neck and Alice quickly looked away before she could follow its trail toward his chest. “Want to meet the others?” she asked, jerking her thumb toward her other barn. Her dragon wolf and silver wolf probably wanted to see what was going on and they needed to play. And she had to distract herself before she let her mind go down a dangerous road with Martin.

His heavy footsteps were her only clue that he wanted to and she opened the door only to be barreled into by two massive fur balls. “I was up here not that long ago!” she laughed, letting them lick all over her face.

She finally was able to sit up and she looked at the two faces of her wolves, tongues lolling out of their mouths in big doggy smiles. “Brats,” she said lovingly, reaching up and ruffling the fur around their necks.

“What are their names?” Martin asked, squatting down next to her and holding out his hand. She noticed he took the gloves off and she looked at the strong lines of his hands, covered with small burn scars and scrapes from the forge.

“Sterling is the silver one and Nora is the green one,” she said, nodding at her wolves.

Nora, the more friendly of the two, nudged her nose against Martin’s fingers—sniffing—before stepping into his space and demanding to be petted.

She held back her surprise when he smiled softly at the dragon wolf, burying his fingers into her thick fur and ruffling it like she just did. The grim lines around his mouth disappeared and he almost looked like his age for once. Alice always thought Martin looked 10 years older than he was because he always looked so serious. Now, the boyish grin that grew on his face as Nora stepped closer to give him a big dog kiss on his cheek made her stomach swoop.

“These are the ones you take on patrols with you right?” he asked, looking over at Sterling. Sterling slowly blinked at him. He was the more reserved of the two wolves.

“Yep, they’re the perfect partners,” she said, petting Sterling’s back.

Martin started to pet Nora and his smile grew when she started to get closer and lean into him, almost knocking him onto his backside. Alice couldn’t help but smile at the sight, laughing when Nora almost draped herself across his lap. “I think she likes you,” she giggled, deciding to save him by pulling treats out of her pocket.

Both wolves instantly had their noses at her curled fingers as she stood. “Sit!”

Both rumps plopped on the ground, tails wagging. Alice grinned and tossed both treats in the air and they caught them easily. Martin stood and dusted his pants off, standing next to her. “You did well with them. They’re some of the hardest to tame right?”

“Yes, but Sterling was injured and on his own and he let me heal him so taking him was easy. Nora was going to be experimented on at the SEED fortress and I couldn’t just leave her there,” Alice explained, scratching behind Nora’s ear.

Sterling was now curious about Martin and was sniffing at his hand. Martin held it out and Sterling rested his chin in Martin’s palm. Martin scratched under his chin, that lovely grin coming back. “Can you watch them while I get the buffamoos rounded up?” she asked.

Martin became serious again. “Of course.”

Rounding up the buffamoos was no big deal and the wolves were tired anyway, sensing the now-setting sun. After all the monsters were tucked away, Alice and Martin lowered the bucket now filled with old shoes and nails down to the ground and Alice closed everything up for the night, following Martin down the rope ladder.

“Have you eaten?” Alice asked, knowing the answer already. He most likely hadn’t.

“No, but I’ll be fine.”

Alice didn’t like that answer. “C’mon,” she said, not letting him argue. She gestured for him to follow her to the stairs leading up to her home in the Silo.

She had anticipated that Martin would work late and not eat dinner to help her. She was glad she followed her intuition about it. Martin seemed to hesitate at the bottom of the stairs.

“I have cold tea and sandwiches waiting for us. I had a feeling you would skip dinner to help me,” she explained, opening the door. “C’mon. It’s the least I can do for all your help.”

Martin avoided her eyes but stuck his hands in his pockets and followed her up without another word anyway. She set her new sword on the rack next to the door and she gestured to the table near the stairs. “I’ll bring it out, just have a seat.”

She hurried into the next room to where her kitchen was. “Any preferences?” she called out, getting the sandwiches ready.

“I’ll take whatever.”

His voice sounded strained and Alice wondered if maybe she was too pushy and he was just being polite and staying just because she made him. Her face flushed at the possibility. She never wanted to make Martin uncomfortable and she got a little sick at the thought. She finished the two cucumber sandwiches, stepping back into the main room. She found him looking around at the various decorations and ways she made this small room hers over the two years she was here.

“Here! Hope you like cucumber,” she said, trying to not show her anxiety.

Little did she know the same feeling was going through the man sitting across from her.

Martin just couldn’t believe that he was in her room. He saw little clues about who she was scattered around and he felt he was seeing something that was too intimate and not for him. He didn’t earn the right to see into her private life.

He saw impressive shells and various fossils she had no doubt found on her many excursions on her nightstand and on a small shelf near the bed. The old broken sword she had brought into the smithy yesterday was leaning against the bookshelf nearby, which was also cluttered with various books about runes and the flora and fauna of the area. He also saw some novels he had seen Cecil and Priscilla reading on the shelf too with little bookmarks sticking out of the top. Many pieces of decoration were some shade of blue. And he noticed she wore that color more than most. Must be her favorite, he concluded, twiddling his thumbs.

Despite the slight clutter, the room was very clean, which meant she was either a clean freak or never here. It reminded him of his room at home.

“Yeah, I like them,” Martin answered, looking at the sandwiches. They looked perfect after standing out in the muggy summer heat. The iced tea looked perfect too.

Alice grinned, serving him a plate and then getting her own. “This is my favorite summer treat. Especially if I don’t want to be next to the oven cooking after I get home.”

Martin took a bite, brows raising at the taste. The cheese on the sandwich was softer than he was used to but it was perfect. The cucumber was crunchy and fresh and he groaned at the taste, realizing how hungry he was.

“I used buffamoo milk for the cheese, and I put chives and dill in it too,” she said, looking pleased.

“This is amazing,” he said between bites.

“Thanks.”

Gods, she had a beaming grin on her face now because of the compliment and Martin felt his heart clench. How could someone be so nice? And to someone like him no less? He knew he was more blunt than most, and he really tried to not be that way with her, but he knew he put his foot in his mouth more times than not.

His thoughts started to wander as he ate, filled with the woman sitting across from him.

He remembered the exact moment he started to pay attention to her more. It was after she helped him and Darroch with their customer service problem a year ago. Alice had come in for a routine patrol visit and she smoothed over something with a customer with no issues.

That led to him doing something he didn’t like doing; asking for help. But her lessons were invaluable and she even stayed most of the night to do it. He remembered seeing how her hair shone in the forge’s firelight and how pleased she looked when he got something right and he was struck with a certain fact.

Alice was very pretty. With a heart-shaped face, bright green eyes, a cute nose, and bow-shaped lips that had a little dimple accompanying them on her right cheek when she smiled, she was obviously pretty. It just never mattered to him until that moment. For the longest time she was just the amnesiac he felt sorry for but felt that she wasn’t his problem to solve. Since that late night at True Strike, he saw her as more.

His work did improve after that because then he started to get ideas for weapons and equipment she could use to keep her safe. Then he started to imagine that for others besides her. That helped him get the strength to help Master Darroch with his important commission four months ago. Alice was even a part of that. She had escorted him back out to the mines at his request after Darroch was injured. He noticed they found better ore when she was around. Maybe it had to do with all the Earthmate business from when she first got here.

That very sword that helped him get inspiration for the rest of the commission was in the weapon rack by the door now.

Darroch had been poking and prodding at him to give it to her for weeks. He never could find the strength to outright give it to her for the reasons he thought yesterday. He wasn’t meant to be a part of her life. She was someone who could have anyone. She saved the world after all. Why would she settle for someone like him? He wouldn’t, so he was more than happy just knowing that his work would be able to keep her safe.

“Want another?” her voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he was nodding before he could think. He really shouldn’t overstay his welcome.

She took his plate and went back into the other room. It didn’t take her long to make two more sandwiches, one for both of them.

He tucked into his sandwich to avoid looking at her.

“I’m sorry if you felt forced to come in earlier,” she said quietly after a few bites.

Martin looked up at her in surprise, quickly swallowing his bite. “What made you think that?”

She picked at her nails, shrugging. Her smile was gone and she looked guilty now. “You sounded uncomfortable earlier and I started overthinking I guess.”

Martin set his sandwich down, clearing his throat. “Alice, I don’t think you could make someone feel uncomfortable even if you tried. I knew you were just being nice.” He picked up the sandwich again, taking another bite. “And I was hungry. You were right about me skipping dinner.”

The smile he loved came back, replacing the worried frown. “Well, good, because I kept waaaay too many cucumbers this last haul.”

A snort of laughter escaped him before he could stop it and that caused her smile to widen.

“What is your favorite food anyway? I feel like I know everyone’s but yours and I want to fix that,” she continued, looking at him expectantly.

“Fruit, any type,” he answered truthfully. He didn’t know why he hadn’t told her this stuff yet. He could dare say they’ve been friends for a while now. He just didn’t want to get in her way so he stayed out of her business.

She rested her arms on the table, grinning mischievously now. “Tell me, are you a fruit sandwich fiend like your brother?”

Martin rolled his eyes. “Never been accused of that before.”

She laughed and it sounded like bells. “I made some for a snack once and offered him one when he walked by my picnic spot and I think he literally inhaled it.”

Martin couldn’t help but grin at that. That did sound like Cecil. “Yeah, we used to have them growing up. Strawberry ones are my favorite.”

Alice smiled wider, leaning in a little. “Ah, so the interest in my strawberry plants earlier wasn't my imagination?”

Martin finally let himself actually smile. She was being too cute right now. “You caught me.”

Alice leaned back in her chair. “Tell you what, when those come into season, I’ll let you and Cecil know so you can come and pick your fill. I always have too many anyway.”

That chest-constricting feeling that Martin could only describe as affection came back and he couldn’t stop smiling. “Deal.”

Seeing her smile back at him was worth it.

Chapter Text

The Seaside Lights festival was in full swing and Alice felt the drain of talking to everyone setting into her. She would give anything to just plop her butt down in the sand and just enjoy the view. But, if she did that, people would just come to her. It’s happened before. And Gods, tourists were barely tolerable at best most days. She was tired of the customer service act for the moment.

She couldn’t go to one village gathering without everyone wanting her opinion on something or needing a moment of her time. Most days she loved it. She loved being needed and wanted. On other days she wanted to scream.

What else was frustrating was the one person she did want to talk to never approached her, not that he ever did at these things. He seemed to find them either a waste of time or was just not interested whatsoever, despite how hard he tried in contests.

She managed to break away from everyone and got some distance between her and the bustle toward the far side of the beach near the rocks.

As she strolled along the sand, she saw a familiar head of silver-green hair ahead of her about five minutes into her walk. Martin was sitting alone further down the beach, casually leaning back on his hands as he took in the sights. There were more fireflies in this area, probably due to the fact it was only Martin here.

She bit her lip as she considered her options. Would Martin let her sit with him? He has been more willing to talk to her after he helped her with the buffamoo. He even helped her pick melons when they were ripe enough a week later, but she believed he did that just so he could have a couple.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she walked up to him. He looked up, seeming surprised to see her standing there. “Mind if I join you?” she asked, looking at the spot next to him.

He silently shook his head and Alice plopped down next to him, letting out a long sigh of relief. “Thanks,” she said, smiling at him. Her leg brushed his on accident as she got settled and she was pleased to see he didn’t move away. She looked out at the fireflies to avoid looking somewhere dangerous, like at his arms or chest. She knew he didn’t do it on purpose, but she felt like the universe was purposefully distracting her whenever Martin wore his swimsuit. He had the type of strength that was built from his work, not sculpted like some of the others in town. There was a certain softness to the hard edges she found appealing.

“You sure you want to sit with me?” he asked. His blunt tone had a harder edge than normal to it.

Alice tilted her head, wondering what was going on in that head of his. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”

Martin looked away from her, looking out at the ocean again.

A tense silence came over them. Maybe Alice was pushing her luck. Martin did like to be alone sometimes. Guilt swept over her at the idea that she might have made him uncomfortable. “I can go if you want me to,” she said softly, moving to stand.

“No!” he quickly said, hand reaching out as if to stop her.

He cleared his throat when she looked at him in surprise again, pulling his hand back. “Sorry, it’s just…you usually spend time with everyone else.”

Alice shrugged. “Everyone else hasn't helped me wrangle buffamoos and pick melons lately,” she joked, grinning at him. Ah, so it was just his tone being more blunt than he meant again. She was glad she was starting to tell the difference for his sake.

Martin huffed out one of his rare laughs. “I see how it is.”

Alice dared to scoot closer so she could nudge his shoulder with hers playfully. “Or maybe I actually wanted to talk to you. Shocking as that might seem,” she joked.

“Most people don’t,” he said quietly, so quiet she almost didn’t hear. He immediately blushed, clearing his throat and looking away.

Alice’s heart broke a little at that. She knew Martin was blunt, but it was never malicious. And she knew he eventually got to what he wanted to say if she waited long enough. “Well,” she said primly, “I’m not most people.”

He looked at her again and Alice couldn’t put a name to the expression on his face. His eyes were softened from their usually steely focus and a soft grin was on his lips. He let out a long sigh before saying, “That’s an understatement.”

Alice felt her cheeks heat up at the sincerity in his words and she had to look away when she realized how close their faces were. Their arms brushed and she had to fight the urge to lean into him. She hugged her knees to her chest, looking out at the lights again. A serene calm that only the waves hitting the sand and the stars shining bright above them could create surrounded them.

That calm caused her to lose her self-control and she leaned into Martin, letting her shoulder rest against his. Her heart flipped around in her chest when he didn’t move away.

Hours could have passed and she wouldn’t have noticed. It was nice to be able to just sit with someone else and not need to fill the silence. To be able to just exist with no expectations was a welcome break from the usual role she had to play. The waves gently washed along the sand and Alice felt her earlier tension seep out of her.

“My parents used to make a big picnic for this festival and Cecil and I would sit down here with them,” he said quietly, breaking the silence.

Alice didn’t say anything, knowing that Martin and Cecil’s parents were a touchy subject. She wasn’t going to pry, letting him take the lead, just like he did for her so many times. “I guess that’s why we like fruit sandwiches so much. Mom made those every year. They were Dad’s favorite too.”

Alice couldn’t help but grin at the little glimpse he let her have of him and his past. Surely that meant he at least saw her as a friend? That was a good start. “You’ll have to show me how she made them if you know,” she suggested.

He looked at her and she suddenly realized how close their faces were. She never imagined kissing anyone here at Rigbarth before, but now that was all she could think about as she found herself looking into his eyes. They were the type of brown that appeared golden or amber in most light and she found herself speechless as she got a close look at them. A small, barely there scar was on his chin and she wondered how he got it. Childhood accident? Something from the forge? All she had to do was lean forward a little and she could see if his lips were as soft as they looked.

“Yeah,” was all he said, not looking away.

Alice held her breath, wondering what to do. She didn’t want to break the spell that settled over them and Martin wasn’t pulling away either.

“Martin!”

The moment was interrupted by the sound of Cecil’s voice calling in the distance. Martin pulled back as if she burned him and stood up, calling back to his brother. Right when Alice started to wonder if he was ashamed, Martin reached down, offering a hand. “10 gold his mystery is where you went,” he said dryly, grinning. A light flush was on his cheeks. Ah, so it was shyness, not him not wanting to be seen with her.

Alice couldn’t help but actually giggle, taking his hand and letting him help her to her feet. While she still had whiplash from the quick changes in Martin’s mood, she couldn’t help but be hopeful. He looked like he was thinking about the same things she was, like what it would be like to share a kiss. Maybe she wasn’t so silly for having a crush on him.

“Martin! There’s a big myst—oh, there she is,” Cecil looked confused to see them alone together. Martin pulled his hand away and Alice immediately mourned its loss. He had very nice hands, she discovered. While they were covered in calluses and scars and were rough, they told her the story of his life. The story of a boy who worked so hard to care for his brother without complaint and of a young man who took so much pride in his work but never felt the need to brag.

“Alice, Simone and Scarlett were looking for you and I offered to find you,” Cecil announced, getting closer. He was still looking between her and his brother and she could see the wheels turning in his head.

Alice got back into the mindset she needed to be in for a Ranger, reluctantly. “What did they need?” she asked, starting to head back to where the main part of the festival was being held.

Cecil still looked between her and Martin for a few moments before getting back to the task at hand. “A tourist’s kid has wandered off and they were hoping you could help with the search.”

Alice nodded and a slight cough had her looking back at Martin, who was following behind them. He mouthed the words, ‘Told you.’

Alice stuck her tongue out at him a little. She could see the affection in his eyes for his brother, despite the comment earlier.

The face he made when he said ‘Most people don’t’ made her heart ache for him when she thought about it again.

Martin probably wouldn’t want this, but she was going to make sure to visit him and spend more time with him. The way he looked at her earlier was enough to give her hope that him not wanting the company wasn’t the case.

She was going to show him that he was someone that was worth talking to.

Before they parted, she reached into her pocket and flicked a 10 G coin at him. He caught it and he looked at her in confusion. “You were right about the mystery,” she said quietly with a cheeky grin before walking away.

The satisfaction she got from his soft huff of laughter was worth it.

Cecil thought he knew everything about his brother. Sure, they both led different social lives now, but they still talked. Cecil should have known something was going on as soon as Martin asked him to find out Alice’s height and arm length. Cecil was easily able to get the information from Yuki by pretending he wanted clothes and he was able to see her notes on Alice as she helped him.

All the clues were there, Cecil just didn't think it was possible for Martin to show interest in anything besides work. Finding him and Alice sitting so close together at the Seaside Lights Festival was the last clue he needed.

It shouldn’t have surprised him so much. Everyone loved Alice. Only someone like her could cause Martin to look away from his work for a second. But, he knew his brother. Martin wasn’t going to act unless Alice specifically showed interest in him. Cecil hummed in thought as he strolled down the path toward the detective agency. He was going to have to use every skill Terry has taught him so far to get this to work. He had to make both of them think it was their own idea to get together.

Alice was going to be the tough one. Did she see Martin like that? Cecil easily figured out Martin but she was the wild card.

His answer came to him on what felt like a silver platter when he saw a familiar head of blonde hair climbing down from the farm dragon’s ladder. He purposely slowed his pace so she would see him.

“Cecil! Good morning,” Alice greeted as she hurried over to him. She was carrying what looked like two pink melons.

“Morning Alice!”

Alice looked down at the melons. “Have you and Martin got through the melons I gave you yet?”

Cecil felt sheepish as he admitted, “We kind of ate them all in one day.”

Alice looked pleased and she held out the melons to him. “Take some more. I planted way too many this year. I know how much you guys like fruit.”

Cecil tilted his head, and that was when the clue he needed appeared. “Martin told you that?”

“Yep! And now I know what to make you both for snacks. I didn’t know both of you were fruit sandwich fiends,” she announced proudly, not noticing his question. Martin actually told her he liked fruit sandwiches?! Martin didn’t like admitting it because it seemed childish to him.

Alice continued, “When’s Martin’s birthday again? I want to do something special for him this year. I have never seen him celebrate before and he deserves it.”

The two started to walk toward the agency together. “It’s the 8th of next month,” he said, wheels turning in his head.

Alice snapped her fingers. “That’s right! It’s two days before mine. I remember now.” She gave him a hopeful look, “Do you have any ideas on what he would like?”

While Alice celebrated others' birthdays around Rigbarth, he couldn’t recall her wanting to do ‘something special’ for anyone else. Cecil suddenly remembered Martin complaining about something the other night. “The tool belt he keeps his tools in broke the other day. I don’t know about anything else he would like outside of the usual.”

Cecil was happy to see the wheels in Alice’s head turning. He knew she was good at crafting things. She made clothes and armor all the time. He even helped her with some of her projects when she needed it.

“Cecil, want to join me on patrol later?” she asked.

Knowing her, she was going to go somewhere she could find quality leather.

“Sure!”

They worked out the details then Alice started to quickly walk back to the Silo, probably to figure out if there were any wanted monsters in the area she needed to go to.

Cecil couldn’t stop the skip in his step the rest of the way to the Agency.

Terry noticed Cecil’s brighter mood when he walked inside, but didn’t ask, just arching a brow. Cecil couldn’t hide his excitement. He just needed to give them both little pushes in the right direction. He noticed Martin seemed happier whenever Alice was around, and that was what he deserved.

Now, how to keep everything to himself without either of them catching on. That was going to be the true challenge.

Martin got to see the sword he made for Alice in action right at the end of summer. He needed to make a trip to the mines in the Kelve Lava Caves and Alice was just as graceful and powerful now as she was the first time he ever saw her fight almost two years ago. She looked petite and slight, but he saw the raw strength in her movement every time she fought.

He was glad he made the sword easy to add upgrades to because the water crystal she infused into it was proving to be extremely valuable as she cut through more monsters than he could count.

Everything was going too well before this, he supposed.

Ever since the Seaside Lights Festival, there was a palpable tension between him and Alice that he didn’t know how to describe. He found himself having to constantly remind himself to keep an appropriate distance from her whenever she was near. He never wanted to be close to anyone in his life, but he wanted to be beside her. He wanted to hold her hand again. He wanted to make sure she was doing okay. He wanted to kiss her.

He wanted everything she chose to give him.

Reminding himself that she deserved better than him was the perfect way to keep an appropriate distance.

Today was a good day, he was able to keep his distance but still have a decent conversation with her the whole way to the Kelve Lava Caves. She even complimented his technique fighting with his hammer! Martin would have to remember to thank Reinhard for the tips at some point. The knight had been helping all of the locals learn how to defend themselves more after the incident that almost took Alice from them.

They had just found some orichalcum ore and light cores among the platinum veins when monsters appeared.

Martin was brought back to the present when Alice shouted as a shadow panther landed a solid blow to her shield and a heavy ‘crack!’ filled the air. She kicked it away and lifted her hand and multiple spikes of rock and earth came out and knocked all of the monsters to the ground.

“Grab the ore!” she ordered, teeth clenching as she held onto the spell that was keeping the enemies at bay.

Knowing what her plan was, he quickly packed up the ore in the leather sack he brought with them and hurried over to her. A shadow panther managed to get through her defense and lunged for her. He swung his hammer, catching the shadow panther in the jaw and leaving it dazed just long enough. He grabbed her hand and suddenly the world was turned upside down then right side up again as they landed right in front of the Silo as her warping magic worked its wonders.

Alice hurried over to him after they got their bearings. “Are you okay?!”

Martin waved off her concern, looking her over with a critical eye. “I’m fine. What about you?”

Alice nodded but held up her arm where her shield was in pieces. “My arm is fine, the shield took most of the blow.”

Martin studied the straps that kept the pieces that remained of the shield to her arm. Before he could remind himself to stay away, he was gently grabbing her wrist and taking a closer look, losing himself in the ideas that came to him. “There should be a way to make this so it won’t bite into your arm like that. Maybe if we add better padding and break the shield into more parts so it's more flexible…”

He pulled out the little notebook he started to carry around to write down his ideas and a piece of charcoal.

“Martin?”

He was already sketching out what came to mind, almost not hearing her. “Hm?”

She didn’t reply but her little huff of amusement brought him back to reality. He was still standing close to her and she was looking up at him with those bright green eyes and her signature big smile. That dimple he liked so much showed up too. He was always reminded of how short she was compared to him when she was this close. “Want to show me the idea you have when you’re done? I’d love to see it,” she asked, a lock of hair falling out of her braid and onto her cheek as she looked down at his sketch.

He cleared his throat and backed away a little. “You don’t have to use this. I…” He truly didn’t know what to say.

“You know more about this stuff than I do. Everything I know is because of you and Darroch anyway,” she said, studying his rough sketch. “I’d be more than happy to have your opinion. You’re very talented.”

Martin felt his cheeks flush and his stomach swooped at the praise. She thought he was talented? The thing he was also shocked about was that she wanted to see his ideas. Only Master Darroch and Cecil were interested in the past. Cecil slowly lost interest over time, though.

But, Alice was looking up at him with those hopeful eyes and he suddenly forgot about his goal to keep a distance from her. How could he when she was making it so hard in the first place? “Um…thanks,” he finally managed to get out, clearing his throat. “Well, I’d need measurements. Then maybe you could tell me what you need and I can work some things out?”

Alice beamed at him. “Deal! Help me get this off?” she asked, holding out her arm. He could see how it would be difficult with the mangled pieces. He tucked his charcoal and notebook back in one of his pockets and helped her unstrap the remains of the shield. He almost cursed when Macguyer bumped into his knee. He needed to find time to make a new tool belt. Soon. His knees would thank him.

His skin seemed to tingle wherever he touched her. Gods, he was hopeless. Doomed from the start of this whole ordeal back when he first made that sword for her. He was slowly realizing something as he held the remains of the shield in his hands as she stretched her arm. He used to be content knowing she was safe using the things he created, but he wasn’t anymore. He wanted to make all of her equipment and be the one she came to when she needed help. He wanted to get closer to her and the idea was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. One season of being around her more broke down his defenses.

Gods, he told himself he shouldn’t get closer to her but she seemed to have other ideas. Who was he to tell her what to do? It couldn’t be bad if they both wanted it, right? Doubt still lingered in the back of his mind, despite this realization.

“Ok, want me to just go to the shop with you and we can put our heads together?” she asked, picking up the bag of ore and handing it out to him.

He nodded, stomach swooping at the idea of working on a project with her. She seemed to be everywhere he turned lately, and he found himself loving it. The arguments to stay away from her were getting weaker and weaker by the day. Darroch’s words kept echoing in his mind too. You need to tell her. I don’t think she’d mind knowing you made it for her.

Did his master see something he didn’t? He was going to have to ask.

Alice opened the door to the shop, waving at Master Darroch before plopping down on the stool next to the counter.

Martin got his notepad out again and set it on the counter in front of her. “Alright, so I think you need something that won’t restrict your movement, considering you need as much as you can for the heavy weapon you wield,” he began, pointing at the rough sketch. His idea was two shields, one for her upper arm and the other for her forearm with a sleek design.

She nodded. “And more pieces that work like armor would help with that?” she asked.

“That’s the idea, but we don’t want to just add more weight. We need something that’s light and durable.”

He lost himself in the work, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore her presence. Instead of distracting him, it helped him focus. She was brilliant in her own way too with her experience making her own armor and shields in the past.

He didn’t realize how close they were sitting next to each other until Darroch clearing his throat pulled him back to the present. He looked over at his Master, who had a brow arched and was looking between him and Alice. Alice was still hunched over the drawing, writing her own notes on the design and practically leaning against Martin.

Martin felt his cheeks flush at Darroch’s smirk and he pulled away so there was some space between him and Alice, reluctantly.

“It’s late. Have either of you eaten?” Darroch asked.

Martin looked out the window and sure enough, the sun had set. “No, but we’ll take a break. Thanks, Master Darroch.”

Alice sat up straight and Martin suddenly couldn’t look away from the back of her neck. A little freckle on the side of her neck near her ear was teasing him. He wondered what it would be like to press his lips there before Alice talking brought him back to focus. “I’ll make sure he eats, Darroch,” she said, giving Martin a teasing grin over her shoulder.

“Good,” Darroch huffed, the teasing glint in his eye not going away. He grabbed his fishing pole and headed toward the door. “Make sure to close up before you go.”

“Yes sir.”

Darroch knew for sure now, if Martin making a sword for her wasn’t obvious enough. A comfortable silence settled over them after he left.

Alice hopped off her stool and stretched, letting out a soft sigh. Martin couldn’t help but look at the lines of her body as she did. She wasn’t the curviest woman out there, but she had softness where it mattered and he could see the strength hidden behind the facade of her petite frame. This was the same girl who fought monsters and could take down people three times her size, and he found that impressive. He quickly looked away, and put their notes back in his pocket.

“Want to go to Lackadaisy?” she asked, turning and putting her hands on her hips.

“Sure.”

As Martin closed up True Strike, he realized something. He and Alice spent the majority of the day together, having set out for the mines midmorning. The thought warmed him from head to toe and he found himself grinning, despite himself. Did this mean that she thought he was worth the time? He wasn’t used to that feeling. Maybe he was looking at the whole situation wrong. Who was he to decide who Alice should spend her time with? She was a force to be reckoned with, he couldn’t imagine telling her to do anything. That was one of the things he loved about her though.

They walked in a comfortable silence all the way to Lackadaisy. He couldn’t think of anyone else he could just be around. She didn’t need the silence around them filled, seeming content with just him.

Lackadaisy had its usual patrons hanging around for the evening hours when they walked in.

Fuuka perked up when she noticed them and she and Alice talked for a few moments before Alice looked at him expectantly. Fuuka looked between the two of them, looking tickled pink. Oh no, Martin knew what she was thinking and he could feel his ears burn. Martin cleared his throat and said, “I’ll have whatever she gets,” before making his escape to a nearby table.

He watched the girls out of the corner of his eye, seeing Alice playfully stick her tongue out at Fuuka before making her way over to him. “I hope you’re in the mood for curry,” she said, plopping down in the seat next to him.

Did he want people to see him and Alice like that? He wondered what she would think about it. Then again, this was between him and Alice, not anyone else. Did she even see him that way? For all he knew she treated all of her friends like this.

Memories of the moment he wanted to kiss her more than anything at the Seaside Lights Festival came back to him and he came to the realization that, no, she probably didn’t treat all of her friends like this.

Four different people came by the table during their dinner to talk to Alice and he could hear her voice becoming more strained with each conversation. Her smile stopped reaching her eyes at person two. When Terry walked away, Martin asked something that had been burning in his mind for months now. “Don’t you get tired of it?” he asked quietly.

She looked at him, fork in her mouth still from her bite of food. She hummed in thought, tilting her head before finishing her bite. “You mean people constantly talking to me?”

He nodded.

She looked up, tapping her fork against her bottom lip as she thought. “Sometimes. It’s nice to feel wanted or needed, and I’m happy to see everyone but,” she paused and looked at him, “it’s nice to just have silence too.”

Martin nodded. He thought it was exhausting just working with customers in the smithy, even though he was better at it now. He couldn’t imagine having everyone in town wanting his attention.

“You don’t make me feel that way though,” she said quietly.

Martin felt his breath catch in his throat, feeling his eyes widen. “Huh?”

Alice blushed, her lashes lowering as she looked away bashfully. “Well, you don’t need me to talk all the time. And you never make me talk.”

Martin tried to think of what she could possibly mean and his confusion must have shown because she got very quiet as she said, “Things like my memories. You never ask me about it, and I kind of appreciate it.”

Times when he told Ryker or Cecil to shut up suddenly came to mind. He remembered how uncomfortable she looked at the Summer Harvest last year when Ryker kept asking her questions. The moment Martin thought he saw tears in her eyes made him speak up. He remembered that moment so clearly because he never saw her cry before, and the sight of her tears bothered him so much at the time. The need to let her know that he could be depended on grew and he said, “You know you can talk to me about that if you need to, right?”

Alice’s smile came back and it reached her eyes this time. “Yeah, I know. Not today, though.”

He nodded, and that was that. He figured that if she wanted him to know about it she would tell him. The fact she said she was so comfortable around him had him reeling still. He wasn’t used to anyone feeling that way around him.

The high of knowing he was a source of comfort for her kept him happy the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

Autumn was finally approaching, making the weather nice enough to work on projects outside again.

Alice was taking advantage of the sunny day, setting out the materials she needed to make the birthday present for Martin under the tree near her garden. When Cecil mentioned the broken tool belt she got into action. After finding the best monster leather, she got to work on designing something that would be durable yet comfortable. She was in the middle of stitching one of the main pockets to the belt when she heard footsteps approaching her.

“Sooooooo…”

Alice looked up to see the smirking face of Lucy standing above her. Alice could easily say Lucy was one of her closest friends in Rigbarth, despite her suspicion at the beginning.

“Soooo?” Alice teased back, making another stitch.

“Whatcha making there?”

Alice focused on the stitches. “A toolbelt.”

Lucy hummed and Alice wasn’t sure what to make of her tone.

“You and Martin, huh?”

That caused her to almost drop the leather pieces, looking up at Lucy with wide eyes. Lucy snickered and settled in the grass next to Alice, looking at her expectantly. “C’mon Alice, you guys have been seen together in Lackadaisy too many times for it to be a coincidence. Cecil told me he’s been helping you on the farm sometimes too.”

Alice cleared her throat, continuing her work. She and Martin had been sharing meals at the restaurant more often, much to her delight. But, he confused her. Sometimes she felt like he wanted something more, other times it seemed like the opposite. She hoped she would make her intentions clear with this present for him. “Lucy, promise you won’t laugh?” she asked, snipping the waxed thread at the end of the stitch. Maybe she just needed to talk to someone, and Lucy was the perfect person.

Lucy’s teasing expression disappeared and she gave Alice her full attention. “Promise.”

Alice got to work on the pocket his hammer and other tools would go into. “I really do like him,” she admitted quietly, holding the belt in a tight grip. “And I’m scared he doesn’t like me like that.”

Lucy looked confused. “Of course he does. This is the happiest he’s been since…y’know.”

Alice could easily say that Martin was smiling more, but she realized she had the perfect source of information sitting right in front of her. Lucy grew up with Martin in Rigbarth. If anyone knew him it would be her. And she wouldn’t be like Cecil and start prying immediately.

“Really?” She wished she didn’t sound so hopeful, but this was Lucy. Lucy truly didn’t have a mean bone in her body and if she promised not to tease she wouldn’t. She also wouldn’t lie about something like this.

Lucy grinned, poking Alice in the arm. “Yes! He became a workaholic to support Cecil and this is the first time I’ve seen him focus on something else.”

Alice fiddled with the stitches she just completed, biting her lip. “I just…sometimes he acts like he doesn’t want to be with me that way, then other times I get the opposite impression.” She set the toolbelt in her lap, brows furrowing. “And I can’t ask Darroch or Cecil without it becoming a huge deal and I don’t want to just outright ask Martin because what if that’s not the case? And—“

“Martin was very shy when we were kids,” Lucy cut in, resting a hand on Alice’s. “I don’t think it’s a matter of him not wanting to. I bet he’s just too shy to say anything.”

Alice thought about all of her recent interactions with him and realized that he did seem adorably shy sometimes when their hands brushed or if they looked at each other too long. “You think so?” she asked after a few moments, starting the next stitch on the belt.

“I know so. Also, you’re a catch. I’d be surprised if someone of your caliber was interested in me. Maybe he thinks you’re out of his league,” Lucy joked, leaning back on her hands.

Alice frowned at that, pulling the stitch extra tight. “Do people really think that? I’m just…me.”

Lucy huffed out a laugh. “Yes! You saved the world, Alice! That’s kind of a big deal last time I checked.”

Alice bit her lip, taking a deep breath to calm her emotions. Did she intimidate Martin? Did he really think he wasn’t worthy of her or something ridiculous like that? She never felt special. She just felt extremely lucky to have gotten lost near a town like Rigbarth. Everyone here quickly became her friends and she felt like she belonged. While not knowing her past or her memories scared her witless sometimes, she felt safe here.

“Oh Lucy, how am I supposed to figure any of this out?” she lamented, looking up at the sky through the tree branches.

Lucy shrugged, leaning against her. “You’ll figure it out. Honestly, Martin is smart with a lot of things but he’s stupid emotionally. I say being straightforward is your best bet.”

Alice’s stomach swooped and her heart thundered in her chest at the thought. Just telling him how she felt was terrifying. But, she wanted to know what kept him up at night. She wanted to know why he worked so hard and what made him think he wasn’t worthy. She wanted to tell him that wasn’t true. He was worthy in every way. She liked his deadpan humor and it always brightened her day. She liked that she could truly feel like she could be herself around him. Or she was discovering what it was to be herself and he was just the one who helped her realize that.

These past two years have been nothing but work and survival. At least the first 6 months were. After defeating the Fathomless Dread, Alice actually felt a little like a leaf in the wind. She knew she belonged in Rigbarth, but she lost her purpose.

So, she threw herself into work on the farm and as a Ranger. It was funny that it took another workaholic to make her realize that she cared about something else other than her duty as a Ranger. She loved listening to Martin talk about being a blacksmith because he was so passionate about it. She supposed that’s what caused her darn crush to get worse.

“I think I’ll try that on his birthday,” she said quietly with determination. She inwardly steeled herself after she made the decision. She wanted Martin to know how she felt, and she wanted to get any idea that he wasn’t good enough for her out of his head immediately if it was there. It was silly.

Lucy giggled, hugging her knees to her chest. “You got this! If anyone can get his head out of the smithy it’s you.”

She and Lucy stayed out in the early autumn breeze as she worked, just enjoying each other's company. Lucy eventually moved on to another subject, filling the silence. She probably saw that Alice needed to think and stopped prying into her love life.

Alice kept working on the toolbelt, more than happy to hear about Lucy’s latest adventures out into the fishing spots they had found outside of town.

When the sun was low in the sky, Lucy finally stood up, stretching for a long moment before holding a hand out to Alice. “C‘mon. You need a break. Priscilla said she was baking tonight and I know you love your sweets,” she ordered.

Alice gladly took her hand, following her to Priscilla’s house. Priscilla did make the best treats in Rigbarth. She tucked the toolbelt into her bag, grinning happily. She made good progress today. All she had to do was fasten the buckle and stitch his initials on the inside.

While Martin never left her mind, she was happy to have a girl's night with her friends.

She knew they would support her no matter what happened.

Cecil felt like he was served another clue and opening on a silver platter when Alice told him the amulet she wore to protect herself on patrol wore out the other day. They were sitting outside her farm at the Silo, sharing cut-up fruit and cucumber sandwiches when she lamented about the fact.

“And I don’t have enough silver to make a good base this time, and I’m not confident enough with my skills to use gold,” she was saying, biting into some melon.

Cecil hummed in thought, casually asking, “Martin probably knows, want me to ask him for you when I visit later?”

Alice bit her lip, looking toward True Strike. “I don’t want to bother him.”

Cecil knew this was his moment. He couldn’t be too obvious but he couldn’t be vague either. “If I say it’s for you he won’t mind.”

A light flush came to Alice’s cheeks as she looked back at Cecil. “What do you mean?”

Cecil shrugged, going for ignorance. “He always asks how you’re doing. And I know he’s made other stuff for you.” Leaving that comment to hang in the air, he glanced at her sword before standing up. Knowing Martin, he probably didn’t tell her he made the sword by himself, specifically for her.

He also knew Martin’s work when he saw it. Alice’s sword was all him. Sometimes he’d see little details that were Darroch’s work, but he didn’t see that on Alice’s sword. He listened to Martin talk about smithing enough to know the difference.

“Cecil? Can I ask you a question?”

He nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets to keep them from fidgeting. Alice was running her fingers along the scabbard of her sword now, brow furrowed in concentration.

“What do you mean he’s made other stuff for me?”

Bingo. Cecil felt like the comment he made earlier was the bait and Alice took it. He knelt down next to her again, tapping the gold design on the scabbard and what covered part of the hilt. “Martin likes to use gold for decoration. Darroch prefers platinum or white gold.” He pointed toward the scabbard itself. “And he prefers to use darker leathers to make the gold more prominent. And he uses low heat to make the metal a certain color after it’s done being made. Your blade is a light color right?”

She stared at him in shock. “You can tell all of that?”

Cecil nodded, smiling. “Martin thinks I don’t listen to him anymore, but I do. He becomes a different person when he talks about smithing so it’s hard not to. He acts like he doesn’t care about anything else but I bet he would make everyone a full set of armor and weapons to help them out if they needed it.”

Alice grinned, hand resting on the sword now. “He lights up when he talks about projects. And he truly does care for you and others. I see it all the time.”

That threw Cecil for a loop. He knew Martin worried for him, and he also knew that all of the smithing stuff started because Martin felt he had to support him. Cecil knew the town was more than willing to help two young kids, but Martin had a hard time accepting help, even to this day. Cecil was just surprised Alice noticed. He was so used to having to defend Martin when people accused him of not caring about anyone.

“Yeah, he’s just quiet about it,” Cecil said, rapping his knuckle on the scabbard. “This is all him though, trust me. I know my brother’s work by now.”

She was quiet for a moment, contemplating. Cecil let her have it, realizing that his hunch that Martin didn’t tell her he made the sword was correct. “Cecil, I want your honest opinion about something,” she finally said, looking up at him. He saw a flash of determination in her eyes. “Do you think he has feelings for me?”

Cecil didn’t plan on her asking that, but he didn’t hesitate. He looked her right in the eye so she wouldn’t doubt a word he said, knowing this was Martin’s future on the line. “I know he does.”

She nodded and stood from her spot next to the garden, strapping her sword to her hip. She then held out a hand to Cecil. “Well, I better finish my plan then. I was starting to doubt myself but you just helped,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. He saw a fire light up in her and he wondered what her plan was.

“You make him happy, and that’s all I want for him,” Cecil said, throat closing up with emotion, “he had to sacrifice a lot to help me grow up without hardship. I just want him to have that for himself now.”

Alice pulled him into a hug. “I know.”

They hugged for a moment before she pulled away and cleaned up the remains of their picnic. “Well, I better get to work. And Cecil, please don’t tell him anything. I think I need to do the next part on my own,” she said, making her way toward the Silo.

Cecil made the motion of locking his lips. “Tell him what?”

She laughed and Cecil waved goodbye as he made his way up to the smithy, feeling accomplished.

Now he needed to give Martin the idea to give Alice a new pendant and kick him into gear and he believed that would be the push Martin needed.

The Handicraft Contest was probably Martin’s favorite out of all the festivals.

The autumn weather combined with everyone being so passionate about the things they create made him feel at ease more than anything. Simone was the main judge, but she took in comments and votes from tourists visiting the town and everyone else’s opinion before she made the decision. Many tables lined the festival grounds with wares for sale, allowing the tourists and other townsfolk to easily look at the pieces being submitted.

It was his turn to man True Strike’s table and he watched as multiple tourists looked at their wares with wide, impressed eyes. More of his work was on the table this year and he couldn’t help but be filled to the brim with pride whenever he got complimented. This was his first year as Darroch’s partner and not just his apprentice and it was already a success. He curled his lip at how Ryker was practically asleep at his and Palmo’s table. He looked away before his good mood could be ruined and he started to look for a familiar head of blonde hair.

He found Alice talking to a man near the middle of the square. He looked like a traveling merchant or something of the sort. Martin felt heat flush through him when he saw she was wearing a dark blue sweater dress and leggings. She was adorable in her uniform, but she made anything look cute. Alice finally stepped away from the conversation and she looked his way, smiling widely when she saw him. Gods, he still wasn’t used to that. He never thought he would be the one she would smile at.

“Hey!” she greeted, walking up to his table.

“Hey,” he nodded toward the merchant, “Who was that?”

Alice shrugged, picking up a dagger Martin had crafted earlier that week. “A merchant. He mostly deals with produce and other goods that could be sold in the general store. I sent him toward Misasagi.”

He nodded, watching as her fingers trailed over the design he did on the sheath of the dagger. He tried to do something floral for their feminine customers, but he didn’t know what a woman would think of it. “I was trying something new with that one,” he explained as she studied it closely.

Alice grinned at him. “Really? It looks amazing. You got the pink cats and moondrops just right. And the vines and leaves don’t look like a mish-mash in the leather,” she said, unsheathing the blade. “Mine looks like someone just scratched at the leather a bunch when I try doing something fancy with designs.”

Martin shook his head. He has seen Alice’s work. “No, they don’t.”

Alice smiled, shrugging, seeming to agree to disagree with the action. “You did the dagger too?”

He nodded and realized that the dagger was almost an exactly smaller version of the sword he made for her. He tempered the steel to be a lighter color just like her longsword. And he used gold again for the decoration on the hilt. He was really going to have to start changing it up. Then again, he was thinking about her when he made the dagger, so maybe that was why it turned out that way. He sat out next to her garden for hours to get the design on the sheath right, looking at the flowers she had in the field.

“How much?” she asked, looking at him expectantly. She held up a finger before he could open his mouth. “And don’t underprice me, Mister. I want you to be paid for your hard work.”

She knew he was going to lower the price for her? Martin couldn’t help but huff out a laugh. “If you insist,” was all he could say, completing the transaction.

She got the matching belt too and she immediately fitted it to her waist, smiling down at her new purchase. “This looks like my sword, so I figured it would be the perfect partner,” she said, looking up at him. Her eyes seemed to bore into him as if she was looking for something.

Oh gods, did she figure it out? Martin did his damnedest to make sure the sword stayed out of their conversations. Darroch saying ‘She’s not stupid, Martin’ all those months ago came back to the forefront of his mind. No, Alice was the furthest thing he would call from stupid. She knew how to figure things out, that’s why she was such a good Ranger.

Martin cleared his throat. “You’re right,” was all he could manage to say.

Alice stayed silent for a long moment before looking at the chair next to him. It was supposed to be Darroch’s, but he was currently out looking at other wares and helping Simone vote. “Can I sit with you? I’m done looking around and Livia gave me this Festival off.” She looked so hopeful and Martin felt his heart clench. Did she want to stay here with him? He wasn’t going to be fun to hang around with on her day off. He was busy manning the booth after all.

But, he wanted her to stay so he nodded. He already came to the conclusion that he couldn’t choose for Alice. She was someone one didn’t make decisions for. If she wanted to stay, who was he to tell her no?

She sat in the chair next to him and they people-watched for most of the afternoon. When a customer wasn’t at the table, Alice would start a monologue about a tourist. “I bet he’s a Lord in disguise, running away to experience the commoner life out in the sticks,” was her latest one. It was about a young man who was talking to Lucy at Serendipity’s stall.

He couldn’t help but grin at the absurdity of it all, but it was fun. “No castles out here, only farms and ruins,” he lamented, “he probably wonders how we get by.”

Alice giggled and Martin couldn’t help but feel proud of himself. He usually didn’t like to joke around, but Alice just made it so easy. She was just…easy. There was no other way to describe it. While he worried about getting too close and things like that, their friendship was an easy-going one. He didn’t realize how alike they were until recently. He was so wrong about her before, thinking her bright personality would clash with his blunt one. That wasn’t the case at all. She had the same work ethic he did, and she never discouraged him from talking about his work. He was equally glad to listen to her when she talked about her work as a Ranger. She preferred the quiet just like him, and she was usually in the corner of the smithy in the chair he brought in for her with a book in her hands, spending her little free time at True Strike lately.

Darroch didn’t mind her presence there either, and that was a surprise. He usually didn’t like civilians crowding the work area of the forge. Alice was the exception it seemed.

Knowing she could be spending time with Lucy or some of her more fun friends, he suddenly was overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thank you for spending time with me. I know you could be having fun somewhere else,” he said quietly, looking out into the crowd to avoid her eyes.

A soft touch on his hand had his breath catching in his throat as she intertwined her fingers with his. “But I’m having fun here.”

She didn’t need to say the hidden meaning behind those words. And that almost scared him. What if…what if she did see him the way he saw her? He already decided he couldn’t tell her what to do, but she could have anyone in the world, why him? He, who was blunt, grumpy sometimes, and valued his work more than anything. That’s not true, a soft voice said in his head. You care about her. You care about others too.

“I’m glad,” he managed to croak out, tightening his hold on her hand.

Gods, could he dare hope?

The dance after the contest was always Alice’s favorite part of festivals. She was very hopeful for this dance too. Martin hadn’t let go of her hand for most of the afternoon at the booth and that gave her more hope than ever before.

She noticed Cecil give her a thumbs up at some point when Martin wasn’t looking and she couldn’t help but stick out her tongue at him in response. She was wrong about not confiding in Martin’s brother sooner. Honestly, she lost courage after talking to Lucy and she was going to just give Martin the toolbelt and keep her feelings to herself. Cecil was truly the one who gave her the courage she needed. Maybe she just needed to hear it from someone Martin cared about.

Knowing that Martin made the sword all by himself and he just gave it to her without expecting anything in return made her heart feel too big for her chest and her throat closed with emotion more than once when she thought about it. He didn’t even take credit for it. It truly was a beautiful blade and the best sword she ever wielded. And now she had an equally beautiful dagger and proof that it was him. The dagger could have been an exact replica, and thanks to Cecil she now saw the little details anyone else would have missed.

The booths were cleaned up and now the center of the festival grounds was a dance floor. Palmo was a genius with a fiddle and with Terry on the guitar, festival nights were always a fun and lively way to end the day.

Alice was standing alone for the moment, Martin had offered to get them both mugs of hot chocolate as the autumn chill set into the night. As she looked out at the dancing couples, she wondered if Martin would dance with her.

“Hey darling~,” a familiar voice cooed in her ear.

Alice looked over her shoulder to see Ludmila leaning close to her and grinning from ear to ear. “Hey Ludmila, did people like your wreaths today?”

Ludmila pouted. “Yes, but you never came by.” She looked over at where Martin was standing in line for the drinks. “Someone else stole you away before I could.”

Alice smiled apologetically. “Sorry about that.”

Ludmila sighed heavily and dramatically put the back of her hand to her head. “Absolutely dreadful of you.” She grinned cheekily and lowered her hand. “It’s okay. You guys have been dreaming about each other for months now. I only knew it was a matter of time before you got taken away from me.”

Alice looked at Ludmila in surprise. “Wait, you see what people dream about when you need to eat?”

Ever since they had to set up a schedule for people to take turns feeding Ludmila, Alice hadn’t really thought about it.

Ludmila hummed in thought. “I can choose whether to see or not. I normally don’t but I couldn’t resist when it was your turn once. You’re a greedy little thing when you love someone,” she teased, leaning in close again, “you want it all.”

Alice turned to face her more. “I want it all?”

Ludmila smiled kindly, taking hold of Alice’s hand. “You want to do everything with him and know everything about him. And you want to give him everything in return.” She sighed. “What a lucky boy to catch your eye. I only wish it was me.”

Alice knew the whole flirting thing Ludmila did was mostly an act. She considered the succubus a close friend after all and they had a serious discussion about it. One thing Ludmila said caught her attention, though. You both have been dreaming of each other for months.

Fire seemed to flare in Alice’s gut, sending heat through her veins as she looked over at the man in question. He easily held both of their mugs in one hand as he maneuvered his way through the crowd back to her.

“Keep that energy up, that feeds me the most,” Ludmila teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

Alice spluttered out a laugh and gently poked Ludmila in the arm in retaliation. “You’re awful,” she said with no bite, smiling.

“I always try to be,” Ludmila countered. “Let me know how your night goes, ‘Kay?”

Alice waved her off and the succubus giggled as she practically skipped toward Scarlett.

“Sorry, Priscilla’s hot chocolate is super popular this year,” Martin said, holding a mug out to her.

“It’s okay, Ludmila kept me company for a moment,” she laughed, watching Ludmila fluster Scarlett with something she said.

They both enjoyed their mugs, taking in the sounds of the music and the bustle around them. Alice wished she could hug Priscilla then and there. Her hot chocolate was always perfectly creamy and not too sweet, letting the bitter notes of the cocoa shine. It was the perfect way to warm up. “This is my favorite part,” she said, looking out at everyone’s smiling faces.

Martin finished his sip of cocoa and Alice held back a snicker at the little mustache it left behind on his upper lip. “Of what?”

She gestured to everything around them. “Of the contest festivals. The party afterward is always fun. And everyone is always happy.”

He hummed in thought, tongue poking out to get the chocolate from his lip and heat flared in her gut again. He also pushed his sleeves up earlier and her eyes seemed to focus on his forearms at any given moment. She lamented the longer sleeves earlier since she couldn’t see his arms as easily in the cold weather, but now she was liking the look.

A slower song started to play and more couples took to the dance floor, swaying with the music.

Martin mumbled something and Alice looked up at him again. “What was that?”

He took a deep breath and repeated, “Want to dance with me?”

He wanted to dance? He never danced at these occasions. Before he could think she was rejecting him–and she knew because she could see the doubt on his face already–Alice pushed the shock away and smiled, holding out her hand. “I’d love to.”

They set their mugs on a table nearby and Martin took her hand, leading them toward a more secluded spot on the dance floor. She rested her free hand on his shoulder, heat going through her veins again when she felt how solid it was under her touch, and they started to sway with the music. Her skin tingled where his hand rested on her lower back.

“I’m probably not going to be good at this,” he muttered, not meeting her eyes.

Alice pinched his shoulder. “I don’t care. I’m happy I get to dance with you.”

A soft grin spread on his lips and Alice felt infinitely grateful she got to spend this moment with him. They swayed gently for most of the song, but when the music reached its crescendo, he spun her around and pulled her in even closer at the end into a dip, making her stomach swoop.

As the last notes of the song hung in the air, Alice couldn’t help but glance at his lips for a moment, once again wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

A faster jig started to play, breaking the moment.

“That was nice,” he said when they got back to where their mugs were.

“It was,” she agreed, smiling up at him.

It was even nicer when he didn’t let go of her hand the rest of the night.

Chapter Text

Martin was at a loss.

He stared down at the pendant mold he was working on, frowning at the lump of metal. He wanted to make Alice something for her birthday in three days but he was at his wit's end. He couldn’t lie his way out of this one like the sword, so he had to make this good. And he wanted his gift to be something useful, not just an ornament. He had the materials to protect her from poison and other ailments, but he wanted her to like the design.

He sat at the counter, staring daggers into the metal and that was how Darroch found him. “Stuck?” he asked, stepping closer and looking at the mold.

“Yes.”

Darroch hummed in thought. Ever since he made Martin his business partner instead of just an apprentice, Martin had been trying to not depend on him so often. It was moments like this that had Martin feeling like he was 12 years old all over again.

“Who’s the client?”

Martin took a deep breath, knowing that Darroch knew how he felt already. “It’s a gift.”

Darroch gave him an even stare for a long moment. “You still haven’t told her you made that sword.” It was more of a statement, rather than a question or accusation.

Martin rotated the piece of ore in his hands, nodding.

“Martin, why haven’t you?” Darroch asked, “And I want you to really think about it and tell me the truth.”

Martin felt a lump catch in his throat as he thought about it. It was the fear of rejection and not being good enough. What if Alice didn’t feel the same? What if he was just deluding himself and just wanting her to see him the way he saw her? “She’s…she deserves someone—“

“Better?” Darroch interrupted. “Sounds like you’re making a decision for her, and that’s the biggest mistake you can make in any relationship in your life.” Darroch leaned down so they could be eye to eye. “Martin, does she make you happy? Because to me, it looks like you’re almost refusing to be happy.”

Martin never could lie to Darroch. He nodded. “She does.”

“Tell her that. Alice is good at a lot of things but I guarantee you she can’t read minds,” he huffed, standing up straight again, “So, what are you going to make?”

Martin stared down at the piece of metal in his hands, thinking about how Alice made him feel. Wanted, the word came to him like a whisper. Important, followed after that. Alice did make him feel that way. She was always kind and gave everything she had to everyone around her. He wanted to be the one giving back to her. Remembering the flowers he always saw planted in both of her gardens and in vases around her room had him start chiseling away at the mold.

Darroch nodded in satisfaction and stepped away to leave him to his work and Martin felt a surge of emotion rise in him for the man. He was the person who became a second father to him after his parents disappeared. He practically raised him and Cecil and even paid Martin well enough to support his brother. Now, he made Martin a partner in his business. He should listen to him now more than ever.

It took a while and the design was complicated, but eventually, the moondrop flower was beginning to form in his hands. When the mold was done, he carefully measured the exact amount of the gold ore he would need and melted it down. He started to infuse the materials that would form protection for Alice and he knew it was well past time for bed when he was done with the entire project.

He set the finished pendant in the area they let metals cool, shutting the door and moving back to his work area to work on the chain. He got the polish out and began to put the finishing touches on the chain when it was completed. He could do them in his sleep at this point. He glanced out the window, noticing a light on the upper floor of the Silo. Was Alice still awake? Why? Was she getting enough rest? Remembering the item in his hands, he got back to work, occasionally looking to see if the light was still on.

Even when he finished cleaning up the smithy the light was still on and he began to worry, glancing at the clock. It was almost two in the morning, and while he was used to staying up that late he worried about her. He helped her around the farm on one of his forced days off last week so he knew how much she had to do. Was Alice alright?

He closed down the shop in record time before making his way to the Silo. He couldn’t hear anything, but that didn’t tell him much. Before he could doubt his decision, he made his way up the stairs to her door, quietly knocking. Soft footsteps were the only thing that told him she was still awake as she opened the door.

Alice looked like she was ready for bed, she had her hair up in a loose knot on the back of her head and a robe wrapped around her. He inwardly whined when he saw her feet stuffed into slippers. How could someone be this adorable? Realizing how confusing and awkward the situation was he quickly cleared his throat. “Sorry, I was working late and saw the light. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He nodded and quickly turned to leave, kicking himself about how awkward he sounded. He made it down a couple of steps when she spoke.

“Thanks,” she said softly and the wobble in her voice stopped him in his tracks and he turned back to her. He suddenly noticed how red her eyes were and he saw the tracks the tears had made on her cheeks.

“Alice?” he stepped up one step to get closer and she didn’t move away.

She quickly wiped her cheeks. “I had a nightmare. I think it was some of my memories too. I don’t know, it’s all so confusing.” She bit her lip and Martin’s chest ached when more tears formed, threatening to pool over. “Can you stay? I have enough tea for two and I don’t want to be alone right now.”

He didn’t even have to think as he climbed the last steps and walked over the threshold. She had moved the table since he was last here and it was closer to the balcony and the windows, showing a good view of Rigbarth and the ocean. She poured tea out of the pot on the table into two teacups and she took a seat, sniffling.

He moved the second chair so it was closer to her spot at the table and he took his place. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling good,” he said softly.

Alice gave him a weak smile, staring down at her cup. “I think I was seeing memories of how I ended up in the Whispering Woods.”

Martin leaned closer to her, not knowing what to say or do. Uselessness was the most awful feeling to him and that’s all he felt right now. Gods, he couldn’t even help her now, what made him think he was good enough for her?

“Thank you so much for being here,” she said, tears fully flowing again. Not caring about any of the boundaries he set up for himself when it came to her, he quickly took off his work gauntlet and gloves and tossed them on the table before pulling her close to him. She came willingly, tucking her face into his shoulder and taking deep, heaving breaths as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I think I used to be in the army or something, and that’s why I was out there with a sword. I was fighting an awful monster and then I was in the Whispering Woods near the rune. I don’t know anything beyond that,” she managed to get out. “Martin, it terrifies me. I don’t even know who I am! What if I did awful things? What if I was a bad person?”

Martin wrapped his arms tighter around her, wishing he could take away her pain. All the things he noticed about Alice came to the forefront of his mind. “You’re Alice. Your birthday is the 10th of October and you love sweets so much you always have a pouch of cookies in your pocket,” he rambled, not knowing if this would help, “you like Moondrop flowers. Blue is your favorite color. You are good to your friends and would give the shirt off your back to help someone if they needed it.”

She pulled away a little, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“And no matter what you think, I know there’s no way you could have been a bad person in the past because you are kind. Maybe even the kindest person I know,” he finished quietly, reaching up and wiping a tear away. His fingers lingered near her cheek, amazed at how soft her skin was. How could someone look so soft and delicate yet be the strongest person he knows?

She was quiet for a long time, looking into his eyes. It took everything in his being to not look away. He couldn’t be embarrassed right now. Not when she needed to hear what he had to say. He meant every word. Her eyes reminded him of fresh leaves in spring, looking more vibrant now that she had been crying. “How did you know I like moondrops and the color blue?” she asked, leaning into his touch.

Martin cleared his throat, fighting the embarrassment that made him want to look away. “You have them planted everywhere in your gardens. And you wear blue and use it a lot in your crafting.” He gestured to the decorations around him, which were various shades of the color, and the small vases with moondrops in them. “So I figured you must like it.”

She let out a watery laugh and he counted that as a victory. “And the cookies?”

“You think you’re sneaky, but I watch you pull them out occasionally,” he admitted. He slowly pulled his hand away from her face but she reached up and clasped it in hers instead, holding tightly.

A grin was on her lips, even though she still had tears flowing. She wiped them away on her sleeve. “Sorry, I think this is my way to cope. Having someone nearby, I mean.”

Martin ran his thumb over the back of her hand, noticing a scar on her lower arm. He remembered when she got hurt in the battle that she was almost lost. She was in a sling for almost two months.

“Well,” he finally said, hoping to distract her from the shadows of her past, “maybe it’s a good thing I’m a workaholic then. Working late got me here after all.”

A snicker escaped from her and she moved her chair closer so she could lean against his shoulder easier. He suddenly realized the position they were in. Their chairs were so close they were practically touching. He could feel her from his knees to shoulders and her hand stayed comfortably in his as she rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel the soft strands of her hair on his exposed skin and goosebumps ran down his arms.

He looked out at the view of Rigbarth and the ocean, watching the moonlight shine on the water in the distance. There was a serenity that could only be found at nighttime.

“Sorry for forcing you to stay again,” Alice mumbled, tightening her hold on his hand.

He looked down and noticed her glancing up at him, almost as if she was expecting him to be annoyed or uncomfortable. He shook his head. “You didn’t force me to do anything, I wish you would stop thinking like that,” he said softly. “I like helping you.”

Alice’s lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn’t seem to think of what to say for a moment. “I…I guess I’m just not used to being the one needing help,” she admitted, resting her head on his shoulder again.

Martin gently pushed her tea closer to her and she took the hint and took a sip. He took a sip of the cup she made for him and the herbal smell relaxed him a little. It was perfect for the chill in the air.

“What time was it when you left?” she asked when she was halfway through her cup.

“Two.”

She softly groaned, sitting up straight again and looking up at the clock on the wall. It was well past three in the morning now. “Wait…,” she said, pulling away slightly as she put her cup back on the table. “It’s the 8th now.”

He shrugged. He hadn’t truly celebrated his birthday since his parents passed away. It was just another day to him now. Alice bit her lip for a moment before she stood and walked over to a desk in a different corner of the room.

She turned back around and he noticed a wrapped parcel in her hands and his heart leaped up to his throat. “What—“

“Happy Birthday,” she said, smiling brightly and looking more like herself again as she held it out to him. “I was going to give it to you tonight but…” She shrugged.

Martin gently took it, staring down at the neatly wrapped paper with wide eyes. She actually got him a gift? She sat down again, looking at him expectantly. Gods, she was adorable. He really never did stand a chance against her, did he?

He gently unwrapped the paper and opened the box inside, eyes widening when he realized what it was. A brand new tool belt made from dark leather neatly sat in the box. He set the box down, throat tightening as emotion swept through him. How did she know?

“Cecil told me yours broke and I knew your birthday was soon so…” she trailed off, blushing a little as he stared at her. “I made it so it should be able to clip to your apron easily and—“ She never got to finish her nervous rambling because he pulled her in for a true hug, burying his face into her hair.

It must have been the emotions sweeping through him, the fact she was everything he seemed to want at that moment, and the fact he’s wanted for so long, but it was taking everything in his being not to kiss her then and there. That’s not what she needed right now.

“Thank you,” he managed to croak out. He couldn’t remember the last time he got a gift like this.

“You’re welcome.”

He let her pull away and she bit her lip again, looking into his eyes. He glanced at where her teeth met her lip and a rush of heat swept through him. He quickly stamped it out, reminding himself he came in here to comfort her from a nightmare.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about something. I was gonna bring it up when I gave you the gift tonight but better early than late, huh?” she continued, clasping her hands in her lap. A light blush stayed on her cheeks and she fidgeted in her chair a little.

“What is it?” he asked, pushing the gift to the side a little so he could turn and focus completely on her. His stomach churned a little. Was it bad? Her body language and tone didn’t make it seem like it.

“Well…you see.” She paused and took a deep breath before looking him in the eye again. “I’ve liked you since last summer,” she started, looking up at him through her lashes, “and I‘ve gotten the impression that you like me too.” She cleared her throat as he stared at her, dumbfounded. She liked him?!

She looked away, cheeks flushing a deeper red. “So stop me now before I embarrass myself and—“

“You’re right,” he said, cutting her off. All the air seemed to rush out of his lungs so the next sentence came out more breathy than he wanted. “I just didn’t think it was possible.”

His heart was threatening to hammer out of his chest and his stomach felt like it was flipping. She met his eyes again, looking confused. “Not possible?”

He ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a long breath as he tried to think of how to put what he thought into words without saying the wrong thing like he normally did. “I know I’m not the easiest to get along with,” he started, “And you could have anyone you wanted, so I thought that I was at the bottom of the list.” He looked down at his hands, not knowing what to do with them.

A huff of laughter had him looking back up at her. A soft smile was on her face as she reached out and took his hands in hers. “Well, that’s not the truth, so I want you to get this made-up list of yours out of your head because you’re the only one on it.” Alice leaned closer. “I’ve loved getting to spend more time with you recently, and I valued any moment we had before that since I knew you were busy.”

He intertwined their fingers, swallowing down the lump in his throat before he admitted, “I thought you deserved better, so I kept my distance. But when you needed help with the buffamoos I couldn’t ignore it anymore.”

Alice freed one of her hands and poked his arm. “Well, enough of that. You make me happy, and I want to make you happy. As far as I’m concerned that’s all that matters.”

Martin squeezed her hand. “Even though I’m a workaholic, stick my foot in my mouth all the time, and have what Ryker lovingly calls ‘resting bitch face’?” he asked dryly, grinning when he realized he wouldn’t have to hold himself back around her anymore.

“Hey, I like how passionate you are about smithing. Your face lights up when you talk about it,” she huffed, poking his arm again. “And I like your face, no matter what it's doing.”

He caught her hand and held hers in his, looking down at where his thumbs rubbed over her knuckles. Her compliment astounded him. He knew he wasn’t unattractive. He never thought of the possibility of someone actually liking looking at him. He could feel the callouses from her work on the pads of her fingers and her palms, but her skin was soft compared to his.

“This isn’t how I wanted to tell you,” he admitted softly, thinking about his present for her back in the smithy.

Alice smiled, moving closer again. “I was planning to tell you later today, not right after I cried,” she giggled.

Martin’s grin grew and a laugh escaped from him. “I was going to tell you on your birthday too,” he said.

Laughter bubbled from Alice’s lips. “Great minds think alike.”

He didn’t know if it was because it was almost three thirty in the morning or just the situation in general, but he finally got enough courage to ask, “Can I kiss you?”

She didn’t even hesitate, nodding before leaning forward, freeing one of her hands to rest on his cheek as their lips met. Her lips were just as soft as he imagined, and he tasted the Relax Tea that lingered on her tongue as the kiss deepened.

All of his senses seemed to hone in on her and her alone, and the rest of the world didn’t matter as he reached up to rest his hand on the side of her neck, tilting her head.

One kiss melted into one after another and before he knew it she was moving forward to sit in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He slid one of his arms around her waist and his other hand reached up and buried his fingers in her hair.

He couldn’t think of anything that made him feel like Alice did.

His heart felt like it was about to break free from his chest any second and he had an inferno burning through his veins. Her hair felt like the finest silk and it slipped through his fingers easily. He could feel the strength hidden behind her softness as she pressed against him. He didn’t know how much time had passed when she finally pulled away to catch her breath, resting her forehead against his. He saw a dark smudge on her cheek and he realized she got charcoal dust on her because of him. Her hair was also practically out of its knot. A snicker escaped from him and she pulled away, grinning. “What’s so funny?”

He tapped her cheek. “I got charcoal on you.”

She looked over at her reflection in the window and she snorted out a laugh when she saw the smudge. “I guess I’ll have to get used to it, huh?”

His throat closed up and his heart felt too big for his chest with that simple phrase.

She stood up, much to his disappointment, but then pulled on his hand. “C’mon, let’s sit on the couch. Palmo does wonders with wooden chairs but it's still wood,” she said, helping him to his feet.

He kicked off his boots and gently set the rest of his equipment on the table before joining her. They sat next to one another, eyes growing heavy as they just basked in each other’s presence, hand in hand. Her head rested against his shoulder again as she curled up into a ball next to him and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch. “I’ve never been in a relationship before,” he admitted quietly, tightening his grip on her hand. He helped her arrange the blanket around them.

“I don’t know if I have or not. But I’m willing to learn the ropes with you,” she replied, yawning. She then added on, sounding sleepy, “Maybe our first date could be today or my birthday? I got all my extra chores done yesterday so I could spend time with you.”

That chest-constricting feeling that happened whenever she was nice or did something cute came back tenfold. “I don’t have much to do at the forge. Darroch forces me to leave early on my birthday.”

She hummed in response and her grip loosened on his hand. The soft puffs of breath he heard moments later told him she finally fell asleep. He let his head relax back on the couch and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him too.

The bright morning sunlight woke Alice that morning. The fact it was hitting her couch told her it was late morning. The weight leaning into her side reminded her that Martin being here was, in fact, not a dream. She sat up and looked over at his sleeping face, smiling at how cute he looked. His eyelashes fanned out over his cheekbones and his eyelids fluttered as he dreamed. And she noticed a little freckle on his temple that his visor would usually cover. He looked his age when his brows weren’t furrowed in concentration.

She looked down at his hands, seeing soot and charcoal dust on them from working the day before. She remembered that some was on her cheek and she slowly disentangled herself from him. She hurried over to her wash basin, using a quick fire spell to warm the water before scrubbing at her face. She let her hair out of its bun and ran her wet fingers through it. After that, she tiptoed over to her wardrobe and picked out the outfit she was planning to wear today and hurried to the other room to change. The light blue dress just reminded her that Martin noticed that she liked blue and it brought a smile to her face.

Alice peeked out after she was done, seeing he was still asleep. She set her pajamas on her bed and went back into her kitchen to make breakfast. Deciding to make pancakes, she pulled out the ingredients and started to get to work, letting the skillet heat up on the stove. Thinking of putting strawberries into the pancakes, she pulled some out of the freezer part of the fridge and let them thaw out as she mixed the batter.

A touch to her shoulder had her jumping in surprise and looking up at the sleepy face of Martin. “Oh! I didn’t hear you,” she said, smiling. Her heart flipped when he yawned. He really was adorable sometimes.

“Can I help?” he asked, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

Alice looked at his hands, noticing he cleaned them. His face and hair were slightly damp too and noticeably cleaner. “You can cut the strawberries. Do you like them with pancakes?”

He nodded, slowly getting to work. They worked side by side and Alice wanted to kiss him more and more as he woke up. He was cutting the strawberries meticulously, focusing hard even while cooking. She stood on the tips of her toes and pecked his cheek. “Thanks for helping me,” she said, smiling at how he blushed.

He cleared his throat and nodded but he was grinning.

Their arms kept brushing and she forced herself to focus. She took the pieces of strawberries and put them in the batter and started to cook the pancakes. “There’s honey and syrup in the fridge. And I should have butter sitting out on the table in the dish.”

She heard him moving around her kitchen and her chest ached at the domesticity of it all.

“Dishes?” he asked.

Alice nodded toward a cupboard. “And silverware is in this drawer,” she pointed with the spatula toward the drawer on her right.

He moved around her, gently resting a hand on her lower back as he reached for the silverware and her skin tingled where he was touching.

She bit her lip and grinned as he shuffled back to the table in the next room, still not quite awake. She was surprised she had enough energy to make pancakes as is, so she couldn’t blame him. She put the finished pancakes on the plate she set out and turned the stove off before taking the stack into the other room.

He had set their places next to each other at the table and she couldn’t help but grin. She set the plate down and then plopped down next to him, happy to see he got some orange juice out too. “Thanks for breakfast,” he said, blushing as he looked at her. She noticed his eyes darted to her lips and she got the hint.

He was adorably shy still, even though they’d kissed already, but she was happy to initiate. She gave him a peck on the lips, smiling up at him. “You can do that whenever you want, y’know. I won’t mind,” she teased, keeping her face close.

Martin huffed out a laugh before reaching up and trailing his fingers along her jaw. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure. This is all new.”

Alice leaned into his touch. “Don’t apologize. And don’t be afraid to speak up if you’re uncomfortable about anything. I’ll never be upset with you about that,” she said, looking into his eyes.

A soft smile settled on his face and she was blown away for a moment. Martin smiling was a rare thing but this smile was different. It made her feel like all of his focus was truly set on her. “Only if you do the same.”

Alice couldn’t not kiss him after that. He pulled away after a moment, keeping his lips tantalizingly close. “While I want to keep doing this, breakfast will get cold,” he said and Alice was surprised to see a little teasing grin on his face.

She sighed in fake disappointment, glad he was comfortable enough to joke around. “If only it wouldn’t,” she grumbled, sticking a bite in her mouth.

Breakfast passed by comfortably and Alice was pleasantly surprised at how natural it seemed. She wasn’t used to having someone in her room at the Silo for long, everyone just seemed to acknowledge that it was her space.

Martin seemed to fit in naturally, and that fact made her happier than she had been in a long time. After she was finished, she turned to face him, who was finishing his last bite. “Okay Birthday Boy, what’s the plan today?”

Martin’s cheeks flushed adorably again. He cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “I…don’t know. I haven’t truly celebrated my birthday in years.”

Alice tilted her head, studying him closely. “You worried about Cecil more?”

He nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, and it didn’t seem that important to me after…” he trailed off and shook his head a little before saying, “I actually do need to stop by True Strike really quick, then I’ll be yours the rest of the day.”

I’ll be yours.

That phrase shouldn’t have pleased her as much as it did, and she knew she probably had a lovesick smile on her face but she didn’t care. Martin cared about her too! There was no more questioning or ‘what ifs’ between them now. “Alright! I’ll get the dishes then we can go.”

Martin picked up his own plate as he stood, leaning close again. “I’m not going to make you do dishes after you cooked for me,” he grumbled. His words had no bite.

“But, it’s your—“

“No buts,” he retorted, grabbing her plate and glass as well and walking into the kitchen.

Alice followed after him with the jug of juice and the syrup. Between the two of them, breakfast was cleaned up quickly and they were on their way. Alice looked over at her gardens, happy that Scarlett was able to do the basic chores today. The plants were watered and everything looked in place.

Martin’s hand brushed hers and she didn’t hesitate to reach out and hold it, the action becoming more comfortable and natural every time she did it. He squeezed her hand as they walked and she was happy to see a little grin on his face. He really did have a nice smile. She was going to make it a goal of hers to see it as often as she could.

They stepped into True Strike and Darroch was already working on a piece of armor at the anvil. Martin let go of her hand, “I’ll just be a moment.” Then he went back into an area they kept metal that needed to cool and other unfinished projects.

Alice looked over at what Darroch was working on, seeing what looked like a pauldron taking shape as he worked. She ended up wandering over to the chair that she claimed every time she spent her breaks in True Strike. She was always amazed at how Darroch and Martin worked. Both of them had the ability to quickly create something out of what seemed like nothing.

“Did he finally tell you or did you make the move?” Darroch asked, not looking up from his work.

Alice stared at him in surprise for a long moment and he looked up at her. “You gotta speak up, I know you know I can’t hear,” he teased.

Alice grinned. “I’m speechless,” she retorted, making sure to keep her pitch low and annunciate carefully. Simone taught her that a year ago and she was able to talk to Darroch easier since.

A rare laugh huffed out of his mouth as he got back to work. “Well?”

Alice moved closer to his anvil, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks. But, she knew Darroch was one of the most important people in Martin’s life. The rest of the older townsfolk told her about how he practically took two orphaned boys in when their parents passed away. She respected him for that and his craft, and she was grateful to him. Where would Martin and Cecil be if Darroch hadn’t done what he did? “Well, I told him how I felt. Now, here we are.”

Darroch didn’t even look surprised. “You guys were a little obvious. At least to me, I bet most people couldn’t tell with Martin.” He set the finished pauldron to the side. “I told him to get his head out of his ass and decide to be happy yesterday. I guess my advice worked.”

Alice laughed and Darroch actually smiled at her. “He’s been more confident in his work since you both became friends. I’m excited to see what he can do with you at his side.” He cleared his throat, looking like he felt awkward and the action was so similar to Martin that she almost giggled. “Take care of him. I know it’s a lot to ask on day one, but I won’t bother you after this.”

Well, now she knew where Martin learned everything. She reached out and rested a hand on his. “I intend to,” she said, knowing that was all he needed to hear.

Darroch nodded and looked at the next piece of metal he needed to work on, pulling away. “Well, better get back to work. Keep him away from here, got it?”

Alice laughed and stepped away, giving him the space he would need to continue. “Mission accepted.”

His lips quirked in a grin and that was when Martin stepped out of the back room. “Alright, I’m done.” He looked at Darroch and Alice suddenly noticed that he did the same thing she did when he talked to his mentor. His voice dropped lower and talked at a slower pace. “I’m actually taking the rest of the day off if that’s alright?”

Darroch arched a brow. “Like I don’t kick you out on your birthday every year anyway?”

Martin actually grinned at that and Alice’s heart felt full at the scene. To an unfamiliar eye, these two were gruff and unfeeling, but Alice knew better. She could see the silent affection there. These two were family for a long time now, and she was glad Martin had that for him in his life. Martin walked over and rested a hand on her lower back and once again all of her nerves seemed to focus on the warmth seeping through the material of her dress. “Ready?”

She nodded, letting him guide her out and she mourned the loss when he pulled his hand away. “Well, what do you want to do?” he asked.

Alice laughed. “That’s supposed to be my question! It’s your birthday. What do you want to do?”

Martin was quiet for a long time. “I honestly don’t know. I’m fine as long as it's with you.”

Her heart overflowed with affection and she pecked him on the cheek. “Well, I have strawberries we can pick up on my dragon. Want to get those and have a little picnic somewhere?”

He gestured to the path leading back down toward the Silo, and this time it was him reaching for her hand. “Lead on.”

The pendant burned in Martin’s pocket all day. He never put the finishing touches on a pendant so quickly in his life.

After spending most of the afternoon relaxing under the fruit trees up on Alice’s farm dragon eating strawberries, they started to just walk aimlessly around town, and Martin found himself having a good time regardless. He normally had a hard time relaxing when he was away from the forge. Alice seemed to be the thing he needed.

She was telling him about her plans for next spring, which were adding rooms to her barns and catching some cluckadoodles and some woolies, when they ran into Cecil outside Lackadaisy. Martin didn’t like the knowing look on his brother’s face either. He refused to pull his hand away from Alice’s, regardless. They were together now. She wanted to be with him. And he wanted to keep holding her hand, despite if others could see. He was proud of the fact she chose him. He didn’t want her to think he was ashamed or something when in fact he was just a little embarrassed.

“Hey, Cecil!” Alice greeted, gently tugging Martin toward the restaurant.

“I finally found you! It’s pretty rare when you’re hard to find, Martin,” his brother laughed, eyes creasing in amusement.

Martin had a feeling Cecil knew exactly who he was with. His brother was naive, not unobservant. He was too observant sometimes. Cecil reached into his pocket and handed Martin a small wrapped box. “Happy Birthday! I found this while out exploring with Terry the other day. I figured you could use it on one of your projects.”

Alice let go of his hand so he could unwrap the present and he opened it to find a shimmering scale inside. “Cecil,” Alice asked, frowning at him. “Did you and Terry go into the mazes again?”

Cecil shrugged, looking sheepish. “Maybe…”

Alice’s frown turned into a scowl. “I’ve told you guys multiple times to take a Ranger with you!”

Martin looked down at her in surprise. He knew she was serious about her job, but he rarely saw the side of her that had to scold people. He found himself liking the authoritative tone she took. He hid a smile by looking down at his gift, tilting the box to make the scale shimmer in the setting sunlight. Deciding to spare his brother and keep his girlfriend in a good mood, he said, “Thanks, C. I already have an idea what to do with it.”

It involved a new set of armor for the woman standing next to him. He had been planning it for a while. Now he had the right materials to work with.

Alice looked between the two of them before giving Cecil a pointed stare. “You tell Terry that I’m going to have words with him.”

Cecil saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”

Martin grinned. He knew Cecil and Alice were friends, and he supposed that was a good thing, considering what he was going to tell his brother. “Cecil, try not to give my girlfriend a headache.”

Cecil stared at Martin for a long time before he exclaimed, “About time!”

Martin gave his brother a bewildered look. “Is everyone going to say that?” he grumbled, crossing his arms. He heard Darroch and Alice’s conversation earlier after all.

Alice giggling kept him from going into the mood he usually went into when he got embarrassed.

“Well yeah! I knew you liked her a long time ago. And Yuki, Simone, Elsje, and Misasagi have been making bets for weeks now. They think they’re quiet but they’re not,” Cecil said matter of factly.

Martin looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh. He forgot what happened when the Rigbarth grapevine got bored.

Alice tugged on his sleeve and he uncrossed his arms, then he felt her hand take the one close to her and he was quick to intertwine their fingers. “Well, at least that means they approve? Not that I think they wouldn’t,” she said, shrugging.

Martin rolled his eyes. He couldn’t think of anyone having a problem with them either.

“Well, I’ll let you guys go. I’ve already eaten,” Cecil continued, smiling widely again. “Happy Birthday!”

Alice frowned as soon as he was out of earshot. “Terry is definitely getting a talking to next time I see him,” she grumbled, pouting a little.

Martin couldn’t help but smile. She really did take her job seriously, and he couldn’t do what she did every day. That was part of why he cared about her so much though. “I’m sure he’s expecting it from you or Scarlett.”

Alice’s pout lessened a little. “Better me than Scarlett.”

Martin couldn’t help but agree.

Dinner passed by like all of their others, except Alice ordered cake for them to share at the end.

They made their way up to Lake Melody after dinner, holding hands as they strolled along the shore as the sun set. Martin couldn’t remember the last time he just spent a day with someone without working. Affection bubbled in his chest at the woman walking next to him, who was humming and looking happy as could be, and he remembered the pendant in his pocket.

“Alice?”

“Hm?”

He stopped and she stopped too, looking up at him expectantly. He squeezed her hand, gulping heavily. “I never officially asked you to date me, sorry I just told Cecil that we were earlier.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Yes, because I wouldn’t date the person I said I cared for and kissed many times,” she teased, tugging on his hand so he moved closer to her.

Martin grinned, the earlier guilt evaporating. “Still, I should have asked. And I wanted to ask using this.”

He pulled out the golden pendant, letting go of her hand so he could set it in her cupped palm. “This was going to be your birthday present. And I was going to tell you how I felt this way,” he took a deep breath. “And I still want to ask you officially, because that’s what you deserve.”

Alice stared down at the pendant in her palm with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing many times as she turned it over in her hand. “It’s a moondrop,” she said, that smile he loved so much coming back and almost blinding him.

“Well, I knew you liked them,” he said, relief flowing through him at her positive reaction, “and I infused the gold with one of the dragon scales you sold us. The scale gives resistance against poison and physical damage. Then I used ruby for the center to give resistance to—“

He never got to finish his explanation because her lips cut him off. Her fingers gently cupped his cheek and by the time he started to reciprocate she pulled away. “Thank you,” she said softly. That expectant look came back.

“Alice, will you be my girlfriend?”

Another kiss was his answer, and he was able to react and rest a hand on her waist and pull her close this time. She pulled away just enough to say, “Of course. And thank you, I love it.”

He let her pull away more, even though he wanted to keep kissing her. She held up the necklace. “Help me get it on?”

He took it and she turned and pulled her hair to the side, showing that little freckle near her ear that always seemed to draw his attention. He put it on her and clicked the clasp, remembering what she told him that morning. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to that little freckle, heat flashing through him when she shivered underneath his touch.

She looked over her shoulder at him, mouth parted slightly as she looked at his lips then back up to his eyes. The setting sunlight perfectly hit her eyes, making them appear vibrant. He kissed her again, pulling her back against him. He couldn’t believe he got to do this now. He couldn’t believe how many times he got to do this in one day alone! Alice seemed to like the physical affection he gave her though, and he was happy to give it.

He pulled away, their lips parting with a soft ‘smack’ as he looked her in the eye again. “Thank you, this is the best birthday I’ve had in a long time,” he said softly, resting his chin on her shoulder as he looked out at the lake.

He felt her head rest back against him, her hands resting over his on her stomach. “Happy Birthday, Martin.”

They spent the rest of the day and part of the evening staring out at the lake, enjoying the sounds of nature and each other's breathing.

Martin couldn’t remember when he last felt so at peace.

Unsurprisingly, just like their friendship—even though it was just the first day—Martin had a feeling they would easily fall into a comfortable rhythm with each other.

And, he was right.

Chapter Text

Autumn passed with cool days and chilly nights, slowly turning into the frigid cold of winter.

Alice had less to do on her farm during this time of year, allowing her to spend more time with the people around town and most importantly, her boyfriend. This evening, True Strike or his house, was not her destination despite that fact.

Her group of friends at Rigbarth had started a bi-yearly tradition of renting the big room at Blue Moon during the slow seasons and having a girls' night. She hitched up the covered dish full of cookies in her arms, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

Her bag had her pajamas, a change of clothes, some wooly yarn, and her crochet needles. She was making Martin and Cecil scarves for Christmas. She had been practicing ever since Yuki taught her and she was finally confident enough to give one of her creations. She planned on making Martin’s during the party. She was also going to make a matching stocking hat and socks. She noticed a few pairs of his socks had holes in them when he took off his boots sometimes.

She was lucky to catch a wooly last time she was out patrolling and she had plenty of wool to work with. She had dyed the yarn a beautiful dark blue and she planned on making Cecil’s green. She started to have a skip in her step as she reached The Blue Moon when she thought about giving her gift in a couple of weeks.

Murakumo waved at her as she walked in and she waved back as she made her way back to their normal room.

Most of the crew was already there, the only ones she didn’t see were Lucy and Scarlett; who were probably on their way from work.

“Alice!” Priscilla greeted, hurrying over to her. She took the dish from Alice’s hands and set it over with all of the other snacks. “How was your day?”

Alice waved to the others before following Priscilla to the snack table to help out. She set her bag on one of the unclaimed bunk beds on her way over. “Pretty good. My new monsters are doing great.”

Priscilla reorganized all the snacks in a neat row, nodding in satisfaction when the cookies were added. “That’s good. I know you were worried about the wooly getting settled in.”

Alice finished getting the tiny plates and tea set out of Priscilla’s bag. “I even have yarn to work with now! I’m probably going to crochet while we gossip tonight.”

Priscilla blushed and started to fiddle with the end of her braid. “You might be the focus tonight,” she warned.

Alice set the plates down, reaching for the teapot next. “Oh?”

“Well, you and Martin have been together for a couple months now. Everyone is curious,” Priscilla told her, blushing deeper.

Alice should have expected as much. She wasn’t surprised, she was asked about it frequently enough when she was talking to some of the other single women in town, but now she would have all of them for an audience. She set up the tea set on the table they would all be at and she took a deep breath. “Well, I imagine it won’t be too interesting. It’s the same as all the other times you guys ask.”

Priscilla bit her lip nervously before moving closer. “They want to ask about…private stuff. Like in romance books.”

Ah.

That stuff.

Alice wouldn’t say that she and Martin didn’t toe that line when they kissed sometimes. And he was adorable when he started apologizing profusely whenever his excitement was obvious. Alice had to keep reminding him that she felt the same and she was fine with it. She wished he wasn’t so worried about her getting offended when she noticed he wanted her physically. She didn’t know how to make that clear. And she didn’t even know if she had ever done anything like that before. One would think the body would remember what the mind didn’t, so Alice just started to assume she never did anything like that.

Then again, maybe she could get advice about that very subject here tonight. Ludmila was the obvious choice, but she knew some of the other girls had their own experiences as well.

Alice patted Priscilla on the arm, grinning reassuringly. “It’s okay, Cilla.”

Priscilla let out a long, relieved sigh. “Okay.”

Lucy and Scarlett arrived and the party officially started. Only after eating snacks and getting a fresh pot of tea started, did the dreaded questions finally come. Alice was working on the scarf for Martin when the silence was broken.

“Soooo….” It was Lucy who started it. “How have you and Martin been?”

Alice grinned when the part she was worried about in the scarf turned out okay. She already had to redo a few stitches. “We’ve been great. We make time for each other so work doesn’t get in the way. We went to that hot spring in Lake Yumima the other day.”

Ludmila leaned forward next, wiggling in her chair a little. “Aliiice, that’s not what we want to know about and you know it.”

Alice shrugged. “He’s a very good kisser.” And that was all she was revealing without being directly asked. But, she wanted insight into her problem. She swallowed her embarrassment and added, “But I wish he’d do more.”

Ludmila almost leaped out of her seat. “You guys haven’t—“

Scarlett and Lucy quickly covered her mouth.

Beatrice giggled at the scene and Fuuka started to snicker.

“You wish he’d do more?” Priscilla asked, refilling Alice’s cup of tea.

“Thanks, Cilla.” Alice bit her lip before everything came tumbling out. “Like when we kiss and stuff and he gets…y’know, he suddenly pulls away like I’ll get mad at him or something. I don’t know if he’s uncomfortable with the whole idea or…”

She set her crochet project in her lap, twirling the end of the yarn between her fingers. “Is something wrong with me or was it something I said? I’m at my wit's end.”

It was Fuuka who surprised her. The pajama-covered hand settled on Alice’s and she gave her a reassuring smile. “(I’m sure he’s just nervous. Knowing him, he wants it to be perfect.)” She pulled her hand away. “(Some of the women in my pack had similar problems. Usually their partner was just worried they wouldn’t be good at it.)”

Fuuka took a cookie and shrugged, “(As far as I know they turned out okay.)”

Priscilla spoke next. “That seems right. Martin is a perfectionist.”

Lucy huffed. “Did Fuuka say something like he’s worried he’s not good at it or something? No one is good at the start. At least that’s what mom says,” she said.

Ludmila giggled. “But learning is the fun part,” she cooed, getting glassy-eyed.

Alice thought about it, and that did seem something Martin could be worried about. He liked to excel in anything he did and going into something he wasn’t sure about might cause him to be nervous.

Beatrice, surprisingly, had the best advice of the night. “Have you told him how you felt? Any relationship in life, romantic or not, is founded on good communication. Maybe he’ll tell you why if you do.”

Everyone nodded at that, and Alice felt guilty. She just assumed what Martin was feeling or thinking without asking him. She knew he would never get mad at her for being truthful or upfront with him. “You’re right, Beatrice. I’ll talk to him the next time that subject comes up.”

A heavy silence hung over them before Lucy was quick to say, “Alright, now that we’ve quizzed Alice it’s time for me to fess up.”

All eyes locked on Lucy. “What?!” Priscilla squeaked.

“I met a boy at the last festival,” Lucy confessed, sinking in her seat. “And I think he actually liked me.”

All the girls, even Alice, leaned forward. Now that she wasn’t the center of attention, this was fun.

“Who?” Alice asked.

“He’s a soldier that was passing through with that regiment. He asked if he could write to me,” Lucy admitted, blushing a deep red. “He went fishing with me on his day off.”

Priscilla gasped. “Was it that boy I saw walking you into Serendipity?!”

“The blond one?” Scarlett asked, narrowing her eyes. “What’s his name?”

Lucy was now twirling a lock of hair around her finger, sinking further down into her chair. “Ares.”

A spark of pain bloomed in the back of Alice’s head, but it was so mild she was able to shake it off.

“When will he be back?” Priscilla asked, looking eager.

“He said in a week or two when he got leave.” Lucy looked less embarrassed and more excited now.

As everyone kept asking her about her mystery man, Alice couldn’t shake the feeling she knew that name. That spark of pain kept coming back too. She put it on the back burner, not wanting to worry about something she couldn’t control.

The scarf turned out perfect because she was able to focus on that instead.

Martin liked to think he had other friends in town. And the thing he wanted to ask about required someone who wouldn’t blab to everyone else and who would give it to him honestly.

That person was Murakumo.

Lately, he and Alice had been toeing that line in physical intimacy. She had told him many times that she was never mad at him when he accidentally pressed his groin against her when their kissing turned intense, but he wanted to talk to someone about it.

Murakumo had been around, that he knew for a fact. He was the most knowledgeable about such things at the get-togethers the other guys had in town. He poked his head into The Blue Moon, noticing Murakumo back in the kitchen area. Christmas decorations twinkled in the lights around the lobby. He stepped fully inside and made his way up the stairs. Christmas was right around the corner now. He would have to think about what to get Alice. She said she worked on his gift at the little slumber party she went to last week and he was ashamed he was only now thinking of Christmas. Murakumo’s ear twitched at his approach to the dining area. “Hey, Martin! Can I help you?”

Martin stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, wondering how he was going to even bring this up. “I actually need advice.”

Murakumo’s brows rose to his hairline before he looked around. Some customers were milling about the dining area, so he tilted his head back toward the larder. “C’mon.”

Martin followed him into the pantry, weaving through the shelves toward the back, where a lone lantern was lit.

Murakumo stopped and looked back at him. “So, what’s troubling you?”

Martin felt embarrassment rise in his chest and he couldn’t look the other man in the eye. “I was wondering if you could give me advice about the…” he took a deep breath and tried to think of how to say this without sounding like a crass idiot. “Physical stuff, in a relationship, how do you do it?”

There, it was out and Martin wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.

Murakumo hummed in thought for a long time. “You and Alice haven’t…”

“No! I freeze because I don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” Martin snapped, he took a deep breath. “Sorry, I just—I don’t want to disappoint her or something.”

Murakumo huffed out a laugh. “We all start somewhere Martin. And it’s okay.” He leaned down so Martin had to look at him. “And I can’t say I’m an expert, but I’ll tell you what I know.”

Martin listened and had to stop himself from taking notes multiple times. Some of the things he remembered simply because Simone forced everyone in Rigbarth to listen to her Sex Ed lesson when they went through puberty, like where certain parts of female and male anatomy were and how everything worked, and how not to accidentally get someone pregnant. It was the other stuff that shocked him. His face was probably redder than a tomato too, but he kept reminding himself that this was for his girlfriend, who he wanted to love and please more than anyone.

And he realized that he would have to go to Simone for the contraceptive potion. Oh gods….

Martin realized he was looking at it all wrong as Murakumo talked, though. He kept being afraid that Alice would get angry or repulsed when really it was just another way for them to be intimate and close. She never did seem angry either. When the embarrassment was finally over, they stepped back out into the dining area once Martin was certain his face wasn’t glowing anymore. “Thanks, Kumo, I’ll get you some sake next time a merchant rolls through town.”

Murakumo slapped Martin on the back, smiling good-naturedly. “Don’t worry about it! You’ve saved my hide by fixing stuff in my inn all the time. It’s the least I can do.” He grimaced, “At least you got me and not Misa like I did.”

Both men shuddered at the thought.

“Why Misa?” Martin wondered aloud.

“My dad wasn’t good at explaining that stuff. And my mom certainly didn’t really talk to me about it. Misa was already married with Hina on the way so she took the reins when she found out I didn’t know anything.”

Martin was infinitely glad he wasn’t in that situation, but he also felt that bone-deep ache that always came when he wished his parents were around. His dad probably would have explained things. Martin remembered that he wasn’t scared of tough conversations. He was usually the one that sat Martin down and explained the things that were difficult to talk about, like death and hardship. Martin was right on the cusp of the age he probably would have gotten “the talk” from his parents when they disappeared.

“Well, I need to get going. I have to get to work on Christmas presents. I’m already behind this year,” Martin said, trying to find any excuse to leave in case tears came.

Murakumo luckily was pulled away by a customer so Martin was able to escape.

The walk back to his house was frigid, but it helped take his mind off of his parents and the emptiness their death always brought when he thought about it. A light in the upper part of the Silo drew his attention when he got close and he realized he didn’t want to be alone like he usually was when this feeling came. He hurried up the steps to Alice’s door and he gently knocked.

The door opened and Alice beamed up at him when she saw it was him. “Hey!” She instantly stepped forward for a kiss and Martin was happy to give it. “I thought you worked late today?”

She opened the door wider so he could step in and he tapped the snow off his boots before stepping over the threshold. “I got done early.”

Her smile drew him in and he didn’t stop walking toward her, resting a hand on her waist and pulling her in close before kissing her again. She smelled like the earth and fresh plants, even in the barrenness of winter. Her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him down and he went with no resistance.

Suddenly, everything he talked about with Murakumo came to the forefront of his mind and he shoved it away before it could cause other parts of him to stand at attention. He just wanted Alice’s company tonight, nothing else. She always made him feel better when his parents loomed over his every thought.

The kiss ended and he rested his forehead against hers, just basking in her presence. He couldn’t believe he denied himself this for months, pining from afar.

She pulled back a little, hand coming to rest on his cheek. “You’re freezing! C’mon, I just made tea.”

He sat on the couch, waiting while she got two teacups ready. Watching her became second nature to him and he was starting to predict her routine for certain things. He knew exactly how long she brewed the tea and which mugs she would give them. She always took the dark blue one and gave him the green one without fail. “You okay?” she asked, setting his mug on the coffee table.

Martin wondered how to answer that question. He was better now that he was with her but that bone-deep sorrow was still lingering. Remembering how she opened up to him at the beginning of their relationship, he believed it was time he did the same. “I…started thinking about my parents.” He picked up the mug, wanting something to do with his hands. “Whenever I do it’s like every part of me needs to be sad about it. Or upset somehow. I dunno.”

Alice sat next to him, not saying anything yet.

“It’s difficult to be alone when that happens. And seeing Cecil doesn’t help because—no it’s stupid,” he said, shaking his head, not wanting to let her see the negative thoughts he had.

She reached out and took his hand in hers, gently taking the mug and setting it next to hers on the coffee table. She didn’t demand anything from him, but he found himself not able to hold back. Her earnest green eyes pulled the truth from him easily. “Cecil lives in this perfect world where he’ll find our parents or they’ll come home and everything will be back to normal! I can’t look at him when it comes up and not get upset about it.”

His grip on her hand tightened. “I know that’s probably his way of dealing with it but it's frustrating to no end.” He rubbed the back of his neck, not able to look Alice in the eye. “They’re gone. There’s nothing that can change that. They wouldn’t have stayed away more than a decade, not if they could help it.”

A heavy silence settled over them, but Alice’s grip on his hand never wavered and that bone-deep sorrow started to bubble to the surface and he felt his eyes start to burn as his throat started to close up. He quickly wiped at his face, embarrassed he was crying in front of her. Her hand slipped out of his and before he knew it she was wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

He clung to her, teeth gritting as the tears escaped. He wished his parents never got on that damn ship that took them away. What was more important than him and Cecil? What was so important that they would risk leaving him and his brother alone? A dark part of him despised them for it.

“I’m sorry,” Alice said softly, running her fingers through his hair.

His whole body sagged at the action, melting into her as a shaky breath escaped. Nobody had done that for him since his mom died.

“Have you told Cecil this?” she asked.

Martin tightened his hold on her feeling the red-hot flash of frustration build in his chest. “Yes! But he insists that they’re still alive somewhere. It’s naive and foolish and I just want to shake him sometimes.”

Her fingers kept running through his hair, slowly calming him down again. “I think you’re right about how it’s his way to cope,” she said when he finally relaxed.

He pulled away, looking her in the eye now that he didn’t feel like he was about to fall apart. “Sorry, I don’t normally get so upset.”

Alice shook her head, taking his hand in hers. “Don’t be. Captain Livia said something to me once that helps me all the time. She said that negative feelings can stew and make you bitter if you keep them inside for too long. She said talking about it or just letting that anger out in a positive way keeps it from affecting you,” she smiled gently, “I’m sure that’s what blacksmithing has been for you for a long time, but everyone has their limits.”

Martin thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. It was how I distracted myself.”

Alice moved closer and rested her free hand on his cheek. “But have you talked to anyone else about it?”

He momentarily got distracted by her thumb running soothingly over his cheekbone. “Darroch really is the only one. He and my dad were good friends so we talk about how much we miss them sometimes.”

“Good. And you can talk to me whenever you need to, you know that right?” She pulled away and checked their tea. “Good, they’re still warm. Have some, it’s a special blend Ludmila made.”

He arched a brow, hoping to tease her. It worked. That cute pout that only came out when he was successful formed on her face. “I’ve had it before! It’s nothing crazy.”

He grinned and she realized what he was doing and she poked his chest. “Fine! No tea for you ever again.”

He sighed heavily. “What will I ever do?” he asked, happy for the change in conversation. He did feel better though. Infinitely better, actually.

Alice huffed, playfully giving him a side-eye. “You will miss out on my excellent tea-making skills, doomed to watch and never to have.”

Martin snickered and her facade collapsed almost instantly as she burst into giggles. “But really it’s a good blend. She uses toyherb and purple grass and it’s great for relaxing.” She gestured to his cup.

Martin took a sip, surprised by how floral the tea was. He actually found himself liking it. “What are you doing for Christmas?” he asked.

Alice shrugged. “I assumed I was going to spend it with you. This will be the first year Simone or Yuki doesn’t have to force me to come to one of their houses.”

Martin felt a pang of sadness in his heart, thinking about Alice all alone during the holidays sometimes, or being dragged somewhere so she wasn’t alone. “That’s fine. Cecil and I usually spend the morning together before going to the big party at the Great Tree in the evening. You can come over whenever.”

Alice looked happy about the invitation and Martin looked down at the mug of tea in his hand. Maybe he can make her a travel mug? He saw the idea from a traveling merchant and it didn’t look too complicated. If he talked to Ludmila he would know what was needed for her to be able to steep tea on the go.

Satisfied with his idea, he spent the rest of the evening with Alice cuddled at his side, happy as can be. All the earlier feelings he had when he came in were nonexistent.

He even almost forgot about his embarrassing beginning to the evening.

Almost.

Chapter Text

The Christmas lights seemed brighter this year.

Alice supposed it was because she was able to actually celebrate Christmas with people she chose instead of feeling like an intruder in someone else’s holiday.

Martin and Cecil both loved their presents and were wearing them as they walked toward the Great Tree. She was happy the colors she chose suited them so well. Martin’s eyes seemed to be a brighter shade of gold with the blue near them. Alice happily checked her new travel mug that was clipped to her belt, happy to feel the tea inside was still warm. What Martin made her was a marvel in smithing in her opinion. The metal mug had a built-in infuser for her tea that could easily be taken out and washed. And it was pretty with a moondrop flower engraved on the side. The lid was airtight and she noticed no tea spilling out.

She had tried something like this before from a traveling merchant and it broke within the week. Alice had complete faith in her boyfriend though. She knew anything he made and let leave the smithy had to meet a high standard of quality.

Everyone was gathered in the plaza and lights twinkled everywhere and Alice was once again blown away by the beauty of the decorations and the feeling of pure joy in the air. Martin’s gloved hand reached for hers and they both admired the tree as Cecil hurried off to join Terry and the others.

“Thanks for letting me spend Christmas with you guys,” Alice said, looking up at Martin.

His brows pinched. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

Alice toed at some snow that got stuck between the cracks of the cobblestone. “I just feel like I’m a burden when someone lets me spend a holiday with them,” she bit her lip, tears threatening to well in her eyes as her throat constricted for a moment. “It’s times like this not remembering if I had a family is the hardest.”

His grip tightened on her hand and he pulled her closer, letting her tuck her face against his chest as he hugged her. “Has Terry found anything? Cecil hasn’t mentioned the case for a while,” he asked gently.

Alice shook her head. “He said he would wait until I gave him permission to dig deeper. I sometimes wonder if my family didn’t want me and that’s why they’re not looking and it makes me scared,” she admitted.

Martin pulled away enough to gently cup her face in her hands, making her look up at him. “There’s no way that’s true. And they’re insane if they don’t.”

The conviction he said those words made her smile, despite herself. Martin never lied or said something he didn’t believe. There was no reason for him to start now. “Do you think I should give Terry permission to dig deeper? He said he would wait until I was ready,” she mused, leaning into Martin’s touch.

“I’ll support whatever you decide. If you want to find your family I say go for it.”

Alice sniffed the tears away, quickly wiping at her eyes and pulling away. “I’ll ask him after the holiday,” she decided, taking his hand again.

Martin nodded, tightening his grip. “And you let me know how I can help. I’m not good at this stuff but I’ll do my best for you.”

Alice couldn’t help but smile up at him. “Not true. You’ve helped me many times.”

He didn’t believe her, and she knew it would take more than her saying it for him to change his mind.

They joined Lucy, Priscilla, and a few others near the tree at the snack table, sharing the hot chocolate and cider Priscilla made.

Alice proudly showed off her new mug, making Martin blush. Lucy and Priscilla immediately asked if they could get one from him too. Martin was glad to talk shop with them while Alice stood to the side with Ryker and Fuuka. Ryker studied her travel mug. “Huh, this is much better than the garbage the merchant brought in,” he said begrudgingly, turning it in his hands.

Fuuka was looking at it with wide eyes, probably liking how the gold moondrop engraving gleamed.

Alice took it back when Ryker was done, taking a happy sip from it. Ludmila’s toyherb and purple grass tea helped with the emotions still rolling around in Alice’s gut. She always had a harder time around the holidays when it came to her amnesia. Martin was the perfect help, though. He distracted her and then told her exactly what she needed to hear.

Martin finished writing down Priscilla and Lucy’s orders, tucking his notebook back in his pocket. “Never thought I’d start a side gig with those mugs,” he said, tapping hers.

“Yours is much better than the others I’ve seen,” Alice praised, letting him take a sip.

He stood straighter at the praise, ignoring Ryker when he rolled his eyes.

They passed the mug back and forth during the festivities until it was empty. Caroling began on the other side of the plaza and Alice felt content again.

This Christmas was the easiest to endure so far, and she could dare say she had fun.

Terry had his fair share of tough cases. Solved many of them too.

None were as personal and as difficult as Alice’s. He was waiting for her to be mentally ready to find out more about her past. He had told her he would wait for her and he meant it. That didn’t mean he didn’t do some digging while he was waiting. He already reached out to contacts all over the Kingdom, getting multiple replies. The one that intrigued him was the one he got from the capital.

His friend there reported that an upper-class family reported their daughter, Alicandra, missing two years ago.

He could easily see how that name could be shortened to Alice. The description of the daughter matched Alice to a T. And the records his colleague got about Alicandra said more than enough for Terry to focus on this lead. Alicandra of House Green was well known for her level head and prowess with multiple weapons and magic, but she favored a longsword, just like Alice. She quickly rose in the ranks of the Emergency Task Force in the army, which was in charge of natural and magic disasters and handled things SEED couldn’t. She disappeared while on a solo mission examining a Rune circle near the southern border. No one had seen her since.

And, knowing how Rune Circles affected one’s memories, Terry could say it was safe to assume this person was Alice. But, like he told Cecil many times, assumptions don’t solve cases. He had already reached out to House Green and he hoped they would be willing to come to Rigbarth. He wasn’t going to get Alice’s hopes up and send her to dead ends.

It was the last day of the year that he got his reply.

Cecil had carried it in with the rest of the mail, trying to not pry but he was practically vibrating in curiosity. The crest of House Green was stamped into the wax seal. It was a shield surrounded by laurels and many other plants he couldn’t name. It was very fitting for the name and for who Alice might be.

He broke the seal and opened the letter, reading a reply from the matriarch of the family, Regina.

Detective Terry,

Thank you for reaching out to me and my family regarding the matter of my missing daughter. The woman you mentioned in your letter does sound like my Alicandra. But, you cannot blame me for being skeptical, as many others have claimed to have found her and have been proven false.

Fortunately, my son, Ares, is stationed near the border close to Rigbarth. He can easily travel there to verify if this woman is truly Alicandra. If he says it is her, we will have further discussions of compensation and what to do next. He told me he was going to visit on his next leave, which could be any day by the time this message reaches you.

For my and my son’s sake, I hope our search can come to a happy conclusion.

Lady Regina of House Green

Terry liked how practical this woman was and if Alice was indeed her daughter he could see that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The compensation bit bothered him. He decided that if the family did offer a reward, he wouldn’t take it. This was him helping a friend, nothing more.

He looked up at Cecil. “Can you get Alice for me? I might have a lead for her.”

Cecil was out the door like a shot before Terry could even finish the request. He stared down at the crest for the noble house, wondering what would happen if he was right. Alice might be the daughter of a noblewoman. She might be expected to go back home and play the role again.

Martin’s face popped into his mind. Anyone with eyes could see he was smitten with her for some time, even before he and Alice’s relationship started.

He hoped that House Green was an open-minded one, because he didn’t know what Alice would do.

Alice sat in one of Terry’s armchairs, rereading the missing person report from house Green regarding Alicandra. Her head ached every time she saw the name, and when she asked Simone about the headaches months ago, the doctor told her that sometimes the head hurts when memories are recollected.

Alice remembered the awful headache when she recalled what happened in Belpha Ruins with Priscilla all those years ago.

It made sense. But, she knew assumptions led to disappointment. The only way to know was to meet Ares Green when he arrived. She momentarily wondered if that was Lucy’s Ares.

“Do you know anything about House Green, Terry?” Alice asked, handing the letter back to the detective.

Terry pulled out another report. “I looked into them after my friend sent me that letter. House Green is well known for their service to the King in the army, emergency forces, and in the agriculture field. You could say their expertise in agriculture is why Norad has been well-fed for so long.” He handed her the page. “There are names from the family in almost every branch of service. They were one of the biggest supporters of peace during the war. Lady Regina, the one who put the missing person request in, is one of the lead scientists and advises the King on matters regarding agriculture. She is from a smaller branch of the house, not the head. Her late husband was the youngest brother of the current Duke Green.”

Alice bit her lip as she read the report, head swimming and pounding more and more. The crest at the side was the biggest source of pain. She had seen it before, that she knew for a fact. “Simone said I might need a lot of help if I see something that triggers my memories. Will you let me know when he gets here so I can tell Livia and Simone?”

Terry nodded. “Of course. I don’t want you to get hurt. And Livia might be the best person to have around since you came in contact with a Rune.”

Alice nodded, tracing her fingertips along the family crest. “Terry, I’m trying my best not to get my hopes up, I really am.”

Terry stood and rested a hand on her shoulder. “I know, but remember that me, and many others in the town are by your side. We’ll support you no matter what.”

Alice smiled, blinking back tears. “Thank you.”

She was going to need all the support she could get.

Martin was lucky True Strike didn’t have many orders at the moment when Alice told him that the representative from house Green had arrived. They had waited a whole week, filled with anticipation and anxiety every day since Terry told her about his lead.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were spent wondering about all the possibilities for Alice’s future. Alice was excited and nervous, he could tell.

He knew Darroch would understand, but Martin didn’t want to let his business partner have too much work to do. Darroch was quick to shove him out the door after Alice.

The whole walk to Terry’s was in tense silence. Alice kept wringing her hands and he was worried she would draw blood she was biting her lip so hard. He took hold of one of her hands, intertwining her fingers. “It’ll be okay,” he said softly, bringing her fingers to his lips. He didn’t know what else to say.

“I already told Livia and Simone, so hopefully they can handle whatever happens if my head decides it doesn’t like anything,” she said quietly, holding his hand in a vice-like grip.

He let her, knowing she needed him more than ever at this moment.

Lucy was waiting outside the agency, surprised to see Alice and Martin approaching. “Hey guys! What’s up?”

Alice sucked in a breath and Martin wondered why. “He is your Ares,” she said softly.

Lucy looked at the door to the agency and then back at Alice. “Hold on, he just said he had some business here first.”

Alice hurried up the stairs to her friend and Martin wondered what in the world was going on as he followed.

“And they sent a representative to see,” Alice said, finishing her hurried explanation.

Lucy stared at her with wide eyes, tears filling them. “He might be your brother? He might be your brother and I didn’t notice?! Oh, Alice, I’m so sorry.”

Martin was quick to answer. “He might be. We can’t jump to conclusions until they meet.” He looked down at Alice. “What do you mean her Ares?”

Alice looked at Lucy, as if asking for permission.

“I met him at the fall festival and we’ve been writing to each other,” Lucy explained, wiping her eyes. “That explains why my mom and Captain Livia are in there. I wondered why they were here.”

Alice took Martin’s hand again, that vice-like grip coming back tenfold. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she said softly.

Martin leaned down to look her in the eye. “I’m here. I’ll be right beside you. So will Simone and Livia and everyone else in that room. You can do this.”

He knew how much not knowing her past hurt her. And he knew she deserved to know more than anyone. If this answered some questions and ruled out some possibilities, surely it was worth it.

Alice took a deep breath, that familiar courage and determination he knew her for coming back. She turned and knocked on the door, back straightening as she steeled herself. The door opened and Terry let them in. “Hey, they’re waiting in the kitchen. I figured some tea would be a good idea.”

Alice nodded at Terry and Martin followed her to the door. “Do you want me in there?” he asked, not wanting to be overbearing.

Alice thought for a moment. “Yes.”

The door opened and Martin was shocked when he saw the young man standing near the window. He could have been Alice’s double. The only difference was that his eyes were bright blue and he was taller and bulkier. The face shape and eyes were identical though.

The man looked at Alice and tears filled his eyes as his jaw dropped.

Alice, meanwhile, had her head in her hands and a groan of pain escaped from her as she started to sag. Martin caught her before she could fall, gently lowering her to sit on the floor. He let her lean against him, holding back his panic. “Oh gods, my head,” she moaned.

Martin put a comforting hand on her back as Livia stood from her spot at the table. A soft, golden glow came from her hand as she rested it on Alice’s head

“Take deep breaths,” she instructed. Alice followed her instructions and Martin started to rub comforting circles on her back.

“The Rune caused this?” the man he assumed was Ares asked, tentatively stepping closer. He didn’t even brush his tears away he was so concerned.

Simone was quick to keep him from getting too close. “We believe so. Hopefully, with you acting as a trigger, Livia can cancel out whatever is preventing her from regaining her memory.”

Ares wiped at his eyes, gulping heavily. “I’m just glad she’s okay,” he managed to choke out. He looked at Simone. “She’s my twin. This is the longest we’ve been apart from each other.”

That explained many things, but Martin was too worried about Alice to absorb that information right now. He forced himself to stay calm, taking deep breaths as he focused. Captain Livia’s hand still had that golden glow, but now bright blue flecks that reminded him of sparks from a fire were starting to sizzle out from between her fingers.

“Nyah…I can feel where the damage is. Keep her still. This was just what we needed,” she explained, not looking worried. Martin kept Alice braced, letting her hold onto his hand as she winced.

“What happened?” Ares asked, looking at Simone.

Simone gently led him over to the table, pulling out a chair. “Two years ago, Alice saved a young girl from our town from monsters out in the Whispering Woods, the damage from the Rune caused her to pass out and she was brought here. She woke up only remembering her name was Alice and she was born on the 10th day of October and she was 21 years old.”

Simone arched her brow. “I’m going to assume Alice is her nickname? Considering the information Terry found we came to some conclusions.”

Ares grinned and the smile was so much like Alice’s Martin was taken aback. “She hates her full name. She was Alice from the beginning. Alicandra is an old family name. Mom used to joke that she didn’t look like an Alicandra anyway when anyone protested.”

Martin agreed with that, he could never imagine calling the woman he loved that. She was Alice, not something flowery and overdone.

Suddenly, a loud ‘pop’ filled the air as Livia took her hand away, curling her hand into a fist and putting out the blue sparks with her magic. Alice looked up, blinking many times. “You’re done?”

Captain Livia nodded. “Yep! How’s your head feeling?”

Alice rubbed her forehead. “A little sore still, but that’s expected.” She looked up at Ares again and tears filled her eyes. “Hey,” she said softly.

Ares didn’t hesitate to kneel at her side and pull her into a tight hug and Martin moved back to give them space. He saw the recognition in her eyes when she looked at her brother this time. Emotions swelled in his chest as Alice started to heave out massive sobs as she clung to her brother. He wanted to reach forward and comfort her but he didn’t want to intrude either.

Simone and Livia made the decision for him, pulling him to his feet and back out into the main office. “Give them space,” Simone advised gently.

Martin knew she was right, but he hated hearing Alice cry.

Lucy and Cecil were in the main office with Terry and they looked at Livia in anticipation. One could hear a pin drop.

“I got rid of the damage the rune caused. I never could reach it before without a trigger. Her brother was just what we needed,” Livia explained. “Give them time, then Alice will have to decide what she wants to do next. If she wants to leave SEED I can’t stop her.” She shrugged. “Something in my gut tells me she won’t go anywhere though.”

The Captain walked to the door. “Now, I better get back to the Silo before Radea throws a fit about me missing the flan she and Priscilla made.”

And with that, she was gone.

Simone sighed heavily. “It’s moments like this I wish I was better at magic. I’ll have to run some tests and assessments, but the fact she recognized Ares is a good sign.”

She gave Martin, Cecil, and Lucy a pointed look. “Now, don’t open that door. And bring Alice to the clinic as soon as she’s ready. And don’t rush her!”

The doctor left and then it was just the four of them.

Alice’s muffled cries felt like knives to Martin’s gut when he heard them.

Terry clapped his hands. “Alright, who wants to organize papers as we wait?”

Cecil was the only one who raised his hand, but Martin wasn’t going to leave until he knew Alice was alright.

Chapter Text

Ares of House Green was known for his composure.

He rarely lost it or let emotions judge his actions. All of that was thrown to the wind as soon as he saw his sister walk through the door.

Now, they were still on the ground, holding each other close. He just couldn’t believe she was alright and alive. After assuming the worst for two years, seeing her was a miracle. Alice sat up, sniffing away her tears. “Ares, I’m so sorry,” she whined, almost looking like she was ready to burst into tears again.

Ares shook his head, wiping her tears away. “Ali, don’t you dare apologize. You can’t help what that rune did to you. I’m just so happy you’re safe,” he said, pulling her close again.

Alice sniffled into his shoulder, tucking close to him just like she did when they were kids. “How’s Mom? Oh gods, I can’t imagine what she’s gone through with all of this.”

Ares smoothed a hand over her hair. “She’s okay. She’s been working tirelessly to find you. Imagine my surprise when I got a letter from her saying you might be in the beach town I visited.”

Alice let out a watery laugh at that. “My head hurt when Lucy mentioned you. Now I know why.”

Ares pulled back, arching a brow. “She talked about me?”

Alice rolled her eyes and playfully pushed his shoulder. “Yes! Now I have to warn her about you.”

“Warn her about what?!” he laughed, happy to see her familiar sass come back.

Alice was quiet for a second. “Crap, give me a second I’ll remember a few reasons.”

Ares shook his head in amusement before helping her up. “Who was that who came with you?”

Alice’s cheeks flushed for a different reason, and he knew she was embarrassed now because her ears turned pink. “That was Martin. He’s one of the blacksmiths.”

Ares waited, knowing too much about his sister’s type to let that go.

“We might be dating,” she finally squeaked, looking away.

Ares made a note to talk to Martin as soon as he could. He seemed like a good sort, considering how he attended to Alice while she was getting treated. Then again, Alice was the type that could charm anyone. And they would be lucky to have her attention. “Ali, what happened while you were out here?”

Alice sighed and gestured to the table. “You might want to sit down, and this doesn’t leave this room. The people of Rigbarth know the whole story but for Captain Livia’s sake we can’t let the rest of Norad know.”

Ares nodded and then was glad he was sitting as his sister regaled him with stories involving Commander Gideon, SEED, runes, ancient dragons, and explanations for all of the rune and magic imbalances across the kingdom that experts still couldn’t figure out two years later.

“An Earthmate. There are records of that running through the family so I’m not surprised,” he said softly, pushing his tea away. It was cold now anyway.

Alice nodded. “No one can know what Livia and Radea are. I’m worried about how Norad and the king will want to use them, just like Gideon did.” She sat straighter, giving him a pointed look. “And that means not telling anyone.”

“But you saved the world! You should be getting honored and rewarded,” Ares argued, resisting the urge to shake her.

Alice’s eyes hardened. “I didn’t do it for honor and recognition. I did it to protect my friends and the chance of ever finding out who I was. Can’t regain your memories if the world is destroyed,” she huffed.

Ares honestly wasn’t surprised and it was easy to let his frustration slip away. Alice was always the more pragmatic of the two of them. She was eerily like their mother that way. Many have said Alice was an exact copy of Regina and they would be right. “Well, what do you want to do? Or do you need time to think? It sounds like you really made a home for yourself here. You know Mom won’t force you to come back.”

Alice nodded, humming in thought. “I don’t want to leave. I’ve been happy here, regardless of everything. But I have to see Mom, I know that.” She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes. “Gods, what will she think?”

Ares snorted out a laugh. “And are you expecting to keep what you did a secret from her?”

“Especially her!”

Ares couldn’t see that happening. Their Mom seemed to have superpowers regarding sniffing out a lie. “Tell you what, how about we invite her here to talk to the Captain?”

Alice thought about it for a long moment. “We can after I visit the Capital. I plan to formally resign from ETF. I love Rigbarth too much.”

Ares felt the shit-eating grin come to his face before he could stop it, it was almost as if two years never went by when he said, “And Martin has nothing to do with it?”

Alice bunched up a handkerchief and chucked it at him, making him laugh. Gods, he missed her.

“I swear Ares I’ll beat you up,” she threatened, but the threat didn’t meet her eyes. She was too happy it seemed.

Ares stood. “Well, I was planning to debunk a fraud and then spend the day with Lucy, but I guess you win that privilege instead.”

A shit-eating grin now formed on Alice’s face. Oh gods. “So, Lucy?” she said, tone too sweet.

Ares rolled his eyes. “Yes, Lucy.”

“I’m still going to tell her embarrassing things, you just wait.”

“Only if I get to tell Martin about you,” he retorted, helping her to her feet. A pinch to his arm was her answer and he was too happy to care. His sister was safe and whole again.

The massive hole her disappearance left in his heart was finally filling and he felt truly happy for the first time in two years.

He couldn’t wait to tell his Mom.

“So, tell me about Martin.”

Alice blushed, but the lovesick smile on her face told him how she really felt. “He’s one of the blacksmiths like I told you. He and I became friends and we got closer this past year.” She blushed deeper before looking away. “We’ve been dating since October.”

Ares trusted his sister’s judgment, and he didn’t want to drive her away from Martin in any way if he made her happy.

That didn’t mean he didn’t want to talk to the man.

Martin was the first to stand when Alice walked out of the kitchen.

She was quick to smile at him and hurry over. “Hey,” she said softly, taking his hand.

“Are you alright?” he asked, noticing how puffy her eyes were.

She nodded. “Yes, more than alright.” She beckoned to her brother. “Martin, this is Ares, my twin.”

Martin held out a hand and Ares shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Alice only had good things to say about everyone here in Rigbarth.” He looked over at Terry, Cecil, and Lucy. “Thank you all. I owe you a debt I’ll never be able to repay. Alice told me how you saved her.”

Terry waved the comment off. “Think nothing of it. And tell your mother compensation isn’t necessary. This was a favor for a friend,” he said, nodding at Alice. “So Alicandra—“

Alice frowned. “None of that. It’s Alice.”

Terry snickered and the tension broke.

“So do you remember everything now?” Cecil asked, wide-eyed.

Alice nodded, eyes growing a little sad. “Yes, and I’m going to have to visit my old home to finish some business, but I shouldn’t be long.” She looked up at Martin and his stomach swooped when she said, “This is my home now. And I know my Mom will understand.”

Lucy looked skeptical. “But aren’t you nobility?”

Both Ares and Alice snorted out a laugh with no humor at that. “Nobility that works!” Ares said, rolling his eyes.

“We have our family name, but we’re the last in line for anything. That’s all for our uncle and his family. We have more freedom to do as we wish because of that,” Alice explained. “My father was the youngest son, and my mother is from a small noble house. So we didn’t have much to begin with. So we’re nothing like Lady Beatrice.”

Lucy nodded in understanding but was looking happier by the moment. “So you will really be able to stay?”

Alice squeezed Martin’s hand, probably because she could feel him relax. That had plagued their conversations about her future if she was from a noble family. Would she be forced to go back home? It seemed the answer was no. And Ares' reactions to everything were reassuring.

“She’ll have to visit Mom and Mom will probably visit here, but I don’t see why she would say no. SEED might not be the organization it was but rangers are still needed in places surrounded by wilderness like this,” Ares said, gesturing to Alice. “And she would be the best person for the job. That’s all she did with the ETF anyway.”

Martin looked down at Alice. “ETF?”

Alice grinned. “Emergency Task Force. We helped civilians during natural or magical disasters. It explains why I was out here at the beginning of my career when Livia first woke up. I was investigating the ruins here.”

Martin couldn’t think of a better job for Alice that wasn’t a Ranger.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Cecil said, “No wonder you’re so good at your job.”

Ares looked proud of his sister, and Martin felt proud of her too. She truly was amazing.

“Well, Simone had orders to send you straight to her when you were ready,” Terry said, “and we don’t want to ignore her orders.”

Everyone but Ares nodded. But that was because he didn’t know the true nature of Simone’s wrath.

Alice led the way with her brother, giving him an impromptu tour of the town on their way to the clinic. Martin was glad she was feeling okay. And he was relieved everything worked out the way it did. Usually, he got suspicious when things worked out too well. He was willing to push that aside in this case.

They waited outside as Alice and Ares went into the clinic. Martin didn’t like seeing all of Simone’s experiments she kept to the side. They made him nervous.

Lucy and Cecil were chit-chatting animatedly about the events of the day and Martin just nodded when he needed to. He had a feeling Ares would want to speak to him at some point. He just wondered how that would go. Judging from watching him and Alice, they were close before everything that happened to her. He wanted to make a good impression on him and possibly become friends. But, Martin wasn’t good at that. Then again, if he was just like Alice, it shouldn’t be that hard. Right?

He got to find out sooner rather than later that evening when Alice invited them all over for dinner. She had to report to Livia anyway.

Cecil and Lucy stayed downstairs to talk to Scarlett and fill her in and soon Martin and Ares were alone on the upper floor of the Silo. Martin saw similarities to Alice in almost everything the man did or said and it was almost eerie sometimes.

It was quiet for a long moment as they both sat at the table. Martin had no idea whatsoever about what to say first.

“Thank you,” Ares said out of the blue. The gratitude in his eyes startled Martin.

“What for?”

Ares grinned knowingly. “Alice said you helped her a lot lately. And I can tell you both care for each other. Thank you for being there for her.”

Martin felt his cheeks grow warm and he didn’t know what to say, rubbing the back of his neck. “I do care for her, very much actually.” He felt embarrassed to say so but he felt that was the right thing to say.

Ares’ grin turned into a smile. “It’s hard not to.” His smile soon turned mischievous and that was the first difference he saw in the siblings. Alice was more subtle with her teasing. “So, she tells me you’re one of the blacksmiths. I didn’t have a chance to really interrogate her about you so I figured I’d just ask you about yourself.”

Ah, so this was the discussion Martin anticipated. “I was Darroch’s apprentice for 11 years. He made me his partner in his business last summer.” He winced. “I was an apprentice for so long because I started at a younger age than most.”

Ares leaned back in his chair, nodding. “When did you start?”

“I was 12. I had to provide for my brother somehow and Darroch was kind enough to give me the chance.”

Ares looked at Martin for a long time. “You had to provide for Cecil?” he finally asked.

Martin nodded, wondering what Ares thought of that.

“I’m sorry you went through that,” Ares said, crossing his arms. “It sounds like your childhood ended short.”

Martin shrugged. “I always liked watching Darroch work, it always amazed me how he could take a piece of ore and turn it into something new. I feel honored to work with him.”

The two men sat in silence for a while before Ares said, “Sorry, I’m usually better at conversation but I think I’m not over the fact that Alice is okay still. It was quite a surprise.”

Martin huffed out a laugh. “I can only imagine what I would have done in your situation. I don’t think I would have taken it as well.”

Ares ran his hand through his hair, letting out a long sigh. “I’m mostly relieved. Then comes the confusion and anger at the universe for letting that happen to her. And we can’t forget to talk about the guilt of not being there for her when she needed it.” The first sign of weariness set in and Martin had a newfound respect for Ares Green. He was taking this extremely well. Martin had a feeling he would have been a wreck if something like that happened to Cecil.

“There’s no way you could have known. At least that’s what it sounds like. I’m just happy she found you,” he grinned, “and that she didn’t change. That was her biggest fear.”

Ares looked curious at that. “She thought her personality changed with the memory loss?”

Martin wondered if he should be revealing this, but he had a feeling Alice wouldn’t mind. “She wondered if she was a bad person or was different before coming to Rigbarth. I told her that was impossible. She’s the kindest person I know.”

Ares nodded in approval. “I would have said the same. She always makes time for others. Makes people lunch, gives them gifts, and—”

“Would give them the shirt off her back if they needed it,” Martin finished, “and she’s always happy.”

“Exactly!”

Martin was glad their budding friendship was starting with their love for Alice because conversation flowed easily after that. Ares was just like his sister, and Martin supposed that was why he was so comfortable talking to him. He didn’t know how much time passed before Ares leaned for conspiringly.

“Alright, now that I have the impression you’re not awful, I’m going to tell you something embarrassing about Alice,” he began, mischief back in his grin. “She once set fire to our Mom’s greenhouse on accident.”

Martin, who was drinking some water, spat it right back out. “What?!”

Ares’ grin widened. “We were practicing magic in the yard behind the house, which is where the greenhouse was. Alice lost control and everything went crazy in an instant. Luckily our Dad was out there.”

Martin almost couldn’t believe it. Alice was careful and controlled with her magic. He had seen it for himself. “How old were you?” he asked.

“Ten, but remember we’re considered prodigies,” Ares said with an eye roll. “Can’t be making mistakes after all.”

Alice, Lucy, Cecil, and Scarlett walked up the stairs a moment later carrying trays with dinner on them.

“Is Ares telling you tall tales?” Alice accused, setting a pot full of what smelled like stew in the center of the table. She sat between Martin and Ares, frowning at her brother.

Ares played innocent but winked at Martin when Alice wasn’t looking.

Martin had a feeling Ares was going to fit right in.

Alice stared down at the suitcase she packed for her trip home. She couldn’t believe she had the energy to warp all the way to the capital from here, but she knew she could. She never tried going beyond the areas around Rigbarth before because she didn’t know if she had the energy for it. Now that her memories were back, she knew what she was capable of.

She felt a new sense of wholeness ever since she got her memories back, but apprehension for what was to come came with it. She knew she wanted her future to be in Rigbarth. The people have become her family just as much as her mother and brother. And then there was Martin, her heart ached at the idea of a future without him. She had no idea what her Mom would say, or what the captain of the ETF was going to do.

Ares was back in the Silo, saying goodbye to Lucy.

Martin was standing with her, wanting to see her off. “How long do you think you’ll be?” he asked.

Alice shrugged. “I’m going to stay with my Mom most of the time. I just need to formally resign from ETF and then come back here. Hopefully, Mom can come with me since it’s the tail end of winter and all of her preparation for spring should be done. I would say less than a week hopefully?”

He nodded and a thoughtful expression came to his face. “You know none of us would blame you if you want to stay home longer, right?” he finally said quietly.

Alice blessed anyone who would listen for this thoughtful man she ended up in a relationship with. But, he was dense sometimes. “You know my home is here now right?” she replied, smiling up at him. “You’re home.”

She saw his throat bob and he looked away for a moment to compose himself. How anyone thought he couldn’t care about anything other than work astonished her. He was telling her it was okay to take the time she needed to get closure with everything, but she didn’t want to be away from him and the rest of her newfound family for too long.

Ares finally walked outside. “Ready when you are, Ali.”

Martin took a deep breath and squeezed her hand. “Stay safe, and take your time if you need to,” he said, giving her a pointed look.

Stubborn as ever, but that was one of the reasons Alice cared for him so much. “You too, don’t stay cooped up at the forge all the time. Remember your promise.”

She had made him promise to take at least one day off a week months ago and to leave early at least another.

He nodded and Alice gave him one last kiss goodbye before standing next to Ares.

“We shouldn’t be long. Mom will want to see the town,” Ares agreed, holding out his hand. Martin gave it a firm shake then backed up to give them room to warp.

Alice took a deep breath and imagined her childhood home, suitcase in hand.

The sounds of Rigbarth disappeared and soon the familiar noise of the outskirts of the capital city greeted her. It was strange to hear so many people at once after being in a small town for as long as she was.

The house was a quaint estate, she and Ares called it a house as a joke. The greenhouse light was on in the backyard and Alice started to make her way towards it.

Alice felt out of place almost as her past and present mixed together. She had changed as a person in Rigbarth. She was already longing to be back. But, she wanted to see her Mom again. And she couldn’t imagine how worried she was for the past two years.

Ares hurried ahead of her to the door of the greenhouse, smiling at her before opening it and announcing himself. “Mom! I’m back, and I have a present for you.”

Alice stepped in and tears came to her eyes when she saw Mom crouched next to a flower bed on the floor, studying the herbs in it with a magnifying glass. She had more white strands in her blonde hair now. And she looked…tired. There was no other way to explain it.

She stood up and dusted off her work trousers. “Well, was it another hoax or—“ She froze mid-sentence when she saw Alice. “Ali?”

Alice hurried forward and practically leaped into her mother’s arms, burying her face into her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around her. The familiar smell of earth and plants filled her senses.

It took them forever to stop crying.

Regina finally pulled away and cupped Alice’s face in her hands, pushing stray hairs away. “Is it really you?” she asked quietly, almost in disbelief.

Alice didn’t blame her. “Yes Mom, I’m so sorry.”

Regina shook her head, blue eyes seeming unnaturally bright because of her tears. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad you’re okay.” She pulled Alice in close again. “Oh Ali, I almost lost hope. Can you ever forgive me?”

Alice couldn’t blame her at all, but the tears kept flowing and she found herself unable to speak. Gods, she missed her mother. Thinking about not seeing her for two years just made her cry harder.

Regina pulled away again and looked over at Ares. “Come here,” she playfully demanded and Ares stepped into the hug.

Alice basked in the feeling of her mother and brother’s arms around her.

Regina pulled away enough to finally ask, “What happened? Where have you been?”

Alice looked at Ares to remind him to not reveal too much. She suggested going into the parlor and telling Regina her story over tea. After they were settled and tea was served, she told her tale. She left out most of the things involving the Runes and Captain Livia, Radea, and Gideon. She was going to let the Captain reveal that if she wanted to. But she told her Mom about Rigbarth and the beauty surrounding it.

She told her about the people, the land, her farm, and everything else she could think of. Regina listened attentively, sounding impressed with her gardens. And she kept mentioning that she had to write to Terry to reward him, despite Alice and Ares telling her he wouldn’t take a piece of gold from her.

Then, Alice brought up the person she wanted to talk about most. “Mom, I have something else to tell you.” She had just finished explaining how Livia cured the amnesia. Alice had talked about everyone and everything except for one person.

Ares winked at her before leaving, saying something about getting more tea or something along those lines. Ares’ ability to read the room really astounded her sometimes.

Regina grabbed a cookie from the tea tray, taking a bite before setting it down on her plate. “What is it? You’ve already surprised me many times this past hour. I can’t imagine what else you could say.”

Alice bit her lip. Her parents had made it clear that they didn’t expect their children to marry for rank or anything of that sort. They had no such obligation. That fear was still there, nonetheless.

“I think I’m in love,” she said softly.

Regina’s teacup paused in its path to her lips. She set it down gently before looking Alice in the eye. “In love?” She wasn’t incredulous or condescending or anything else that Alice feared, not that she expected it from her mother.

Alice nodded, clasping her hands and setting them in her lap to keep them from wringing. “Yes, his name is Martin.”

Regina tilted her head, curiosity showing in her eyes.

Another good sign.

“Tell me about him,” was all Regina said.

Alice had rehearsed what she wanted to tell her Mom about Martin multiple times in her head but all of that flew out the window when she thought about him. “He’s the one who helped me realize who I was. When I got my memory back, I realized I was myself the most when I was around him.” Now that she was started, there was no stopping. “He has a younger brother he has watched over for the last 13 years. He works hard to make himself better every day at smithing. I can’t think of anyone who cares about his work more than him. He names his tools.” She said the last part quietly like it was a secret, cupping her hands around her teacup.

Regina smiled at that, giving Alice the courage to continue.

“He has a blunt way of speaking but he truly cares underneath it. He encourages me with whatever I decide to do and never tries to hold me back. He has a way of being comforting by just being there instead of saying empty words.”

Regina’s smile grew wider and Alice knew she was thinking the same thing she was. Any suitor that tried to win her hand in the past tried to tell her she couldn’t work anymore or tried to change something about her. Martin never did that.

Alice felt her cheeks grow warm, but she wasn’t afraid to say, “And he’s handsome. I was hopeless from the start.”

Regina’s hand reached forward and she held one of Alice’s, smiling even more. “I’m just amazed someone caught your eye,” she said softly, eyes twinkling.

Alice shrugged. “He was my friend first. I just always had a crush on him. Turns out he did too.”

Regina laughed softly at that. “So I assume he’s a blacksmith?”

Alice nodded. “He’s partnered with Master Darroch in Rigbarth. He’s the one that trained him.” Alice stood up and hurried over to her things, where her sword was. “He made this!”

She brought the sword to her Mom’s side. Regina was the one who taught Alice how to wield a longsword. Her father, Aaron, had taught her everything else. But tactics and swordplay were all her mother. If anyone would appreciate a sword as a gift, it was Regina.

Regina took the blade, studying the scabbard. “Hmm…” she hummed, running her hand along it. She studied the gold design near the hilt of the sword and the hilt itself. “It’s extremely well made, but what about the blade itself?”

Regina stood and stepped into the open area of the parlor, unsheathing the sword. She tested its balance and weight and Alice knew she would see and feel exactly what Alice did when she first held it.

“This is a beautiful sword. Did you buy it or…” Regina trailed off, giving Alice the reins as she sheathed the blade.

Alice took the sword back, hooking the belt of the scabbard over the back of her chair. “That’s a funny story actually. I had to force it out of him.”

Regina arched a thin brow. “Oh?”

“He said I inspired him toward the end of his apprenticeship. He started to design swords and equipment I could use and this was the first one he finished,” Alice explained. “Darroch kept trying to get him to give it to me but he said he felt like I was out of his league.”

Alice rolled her eyes at that. “So, one day I walked into True Strike because my sword at the time broke and Darroch just handed me this one and said it was a gift for all I did for Rigbarth. Martin told me later it was Darroch’s way of kicking him into action. I didn’t even find out Martin made it until his brother pointed it out later on.”

Regina eyed the sword. “I can’t understand why. I would have been proud to claim that blade as my work.

Alice crossed her arms. “He had this idea that he was the last person I would ever think about dating. I ended up just telling him that was plain silly.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Your father had the same hair-brained notion. I ended up telling him how I felt first.”

At one time, Alice would have been annoyed with all of the similarities she had to her mother. She grew up being compared to Regina, now she was proud of them. She knew her mother was an amazing woman and she was glad she shared so many similarities with her. It seemed they even had the same experiences with dating. “I did too,” Alice admitted, grinning widely.

Regina looked tickled pink about the whole situation, sighing heavily. “To think, the way for you to find someone was to lose your memory and then get tossed to the ends of Norad.”

Alice laughed at that, happy they were all starting to joke about it. She didn’t want to dwell in the negatives or ‘what if’s.

Regina’s smile turned sad. “From what you tell me, it sounds like you want to stay out there. Am I guessing that correctly?”

Alice nodded. “Yes.”

Regina reached across the table and Alice took her hand. “Stay here for a little bit and let me get things in order. I’ve been wanting to take a trip anyway.”

Ares came back in to see them hugging again, and he didn’t look surprised.

Chapter Text

It had been two weeks before Alice sent word that she would be returning.

Martin read her letter over and over again when he had spare moments at True Strike. She told him all about her mother and what she had done while she was in the capital. The resignation from her post went smoothly and she was catching up with her old friends and the rest of her family before returning to Rigbarth with her mother and brother. She said by the time the letter got to him she should be arriving any day.

He found himself looking toward the road to the Silo more often than not. He didn’t allow himself to become distracted, but he had to try pretty damn hard.

He was putting the finishing touches on some tools Palmo ordered. His wood chisel broke earlier that week and the carpenter ordered new metal pieces for all of his tools in response. Martin looked down at them, satisfied, then he packed them up to be delivered in the morning.

Today was the day he usually left work early, and he wasn’t about to break his promise to Alice now. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was already beginning to set in the horizon. Winter was far from over and with it came early sunsets. He made his way down the path toward the Silo so he could head toward Lackadaisy to meet with Scarlett, who became a good friend after he and Alice started dating. She had a similar outlook on work and she turned out to be nicer than his occasional encounters with her in the past have shown. And her fascination with puzzles made him want to make a puzzle ring made out of spare pieces of iron like the one he saw in the capital once with Darroch. It would be a challenge but if Martin tried he was sure he could do it.

As he reached the bridge a ‘whoosh’ of air and the familiar pop that happened after someone warped had him looking back at the Silo.

Alice looked around happily before he caught her eye, smiling broadly. “Martin!” She dropped her bag and raced toward him and he was already running forward to meet her halfway, catching her in his arms. The momentum made him have to twirl her around and she laughed as she clung to him.

He finally set her on her feet, smiling down at her. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon after your letter.” He stated. At her arched brow and amused smile he realized how that sounded and he quickly added, “Not that I’m complaining.”

She gave him a quick peck on the lips and he wondered how something so simple could make him want to melt. “I missed you,” she said softly, moving her hands down to his.

A gentle clearing of the throat had him freezing in place and looking over his girlfriend’s head at who he assumed was her mother. Ares winked at him before taking his mother’s bag. “I’ll take these inside. Meet you all at the restaurant this evening?”

Regina nodded and Martin was struck by how much Alice resembled her mom. Her bright blue eyes had the same shape and keen intelligence Alice’s did. She was also on the shorter side, but Martin could see that she wasn’t one to be trifled with. Her bright blonde hair had streaks of white in it and was pulled back into a simple knot on the back of her head. Her ruffled blouse was tucked into a pair of dark pants and work boots were on her feet. A satchel was hanging off her shoulder.

Alice pulled him toward her Mom and anxiety made a knot in Martin’s throat when he realized he was finally meeting her whole family.

Regina’s smile was so much like Alice’s he was surprised. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Martin. I’ve heard many good things,” she greeted, holding out her hand.

Martin quickly wiped off his hand on what he hoped was a clean spot on his pants before shaking her hand. Next to both her and Alice he suddenly realized how filthy he must look. He knew he dragged charcoal dust and soot everywhere he went.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he managed to get out, comforted by Alice’s hand resting on his back.

Regina looked around, a smile still on her face. “So this is Rigbarth? I’ve heard of the festivals that people travel to see here, I can see why they do now.”

Alice nodded. “They’re pretty fun. We usually get a good crowd for every harvest festival.”

“You win them all,” Martin teased before he could think about being on his best behavior.

Alice poked her tongue out at him. “I told Simone I was willing to sit out so someone else could have a chance!”

Regina looked toward the plot of land next to the Silo. “Speaking of harvests, can we see your gardens first?”

Martin suddenly remembered that this woman was one of the reasons the people of Norad rarely went hungry. She was an agriculture expert. Alice happily led them both over to her plot of land and they started to talk about things that immediately flew over Martin’s head. Whenever Alice got into the science of her garden he nodded along but didn’t really get it. She was so passionate about it so he loved hearing her talk about it anyway.

“So your greenifier uses the indigo grass from the area? Interesting,” Regina was saying, kneeling down after kicking some snow away so she could see the earth underneath. She reached down and her hand glowed green as she rested her palm on the soil. “Amazing…Ali, can I take some samples and study this?”

Alice nodded, not looking surprised. “I knew you’d ask,” she said, a pleased smile on her face.

Regina surprisingly had the test tubes for samples already in her satchel and she was taking samples already. “And you said the mayor had a chemistry table?”

“Yep! I use it all the time,” Alice confirmed, helping collect samples from other parts of the garden.

Alice led Regina toward the rope ladder next. “And this is the farm dragon! He’s been a big help.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed for a moment before they widened when she finally saw the dragon hiding in plain sight. The dragon had become just another hill on the outskirts of Rigbarth it blended in so well. “Incredible, I’ve only ever read about these amazing creatures,” she said breathlessly, hesitantly reaching forward.

Alice took her hand and guided it to rest on the side of the dragon and tears welled in Regina’s eyes as she felt along the scales. “Incredible.”

Alice let her mother have a moment before looking at him. “I hope the buffamoo and the others didn’t give you and Scarlett too much trouble.”

Martin grinned. The buffamoo detested Scarlett. “Jane gave Scarlett a lot of trouble so I just started to take care of them and she took the other barn,” he said.

He was happy to help do little chores on the farm and help Scarlett out while Alice was away. Jane almost kicked Scarlett one day so Martin just decided to take over that barn of monsters, since all of the buffamoo seemed to not mind his presence. Moondrop tended to follow him around and had become his little friend whenever he came up to take care of them.

“Moondrop and I are best friends now,” he added.

Alice smiled widely before climbing up the ladder. Regina followed and Martin took the rear. Alice was now showing her mom the fruit trees and Regina spoke to him again when they reached the barns. “You’re one of the blacksmiths?” she asked him.

“I’ve only recently finished my apprenticeship. I started at a younger age,” he said, ready for the same questions Ares had for him.

“And you have a younger brother?”

Martin followed the two women into the barn. “Cecil. He’s two years younger than me.”

The buffamoo instantly crowded around Alice, except for Moondrop, who came over to Martin. Martin scratched around the growing mane on the calf’s neck.

“Alice told me all about you, so I don’t know where to start the rest of our conversation,” Regina admitted, grinning up at him, holding out her hand for Moondrop to sniff.

Martin decided to take a risk, asking a question that plagued his mind when he first heard about Regina. “Where did you learn to fight? Alice said you taught her.”

Regina arched an amused brow up at him. “Being a young adult during the war was a trying time. Everyone learned how to fight or defend themselves somehow. Lower-ranked nobles were no exception.” A sad smile reached her lips. “My father taught me. And I wanted a challenge so longsword it was.”

Martin remembered his parents' stories about the war. They weren’t in Rigbarth when it happened, but they were close to the main conflict at the time. “What drew you to agriculture?”

Regina looked at him evenly for many moments, but she seemed pleased when she answered, “Growing plants and maintaining the balance between the earth and the crops were always fascinating to me. Knowing how much to give and take is a delicate balance and the science must be exact.”

Martin remembered how Alice would almost be laying on her stomach as she studied her plants and soil with a magnifying glass sometimes. “I don’t think Alice forgot your lessons about that either,” he said, smiling when he saw Alice look over at them.

“Are you gossiping about me?” she called over.

“Always,” Regina retorted.

Alice huffed out a laugh before making her way back to them. “Let’s go to the other barn,” she said, leading the way.

Regina looked up at Martin as they walked. “What do you mean she didn’t forget my lessons?”

Martin gestured to the sword strapped to Alice’s hip. “She was a natural, even though she didn’t remember where she learned. And she always seemed to know just what to do for her farm.” He cleared his throat. “I assume the magic lessons were from her dad?”

Regina hummed in thought. “I wonder why the Rune blocked her personal memories and not memories of her skills and abilities. That’s something we’ll have to tackle some other time,” she mused, “but yes, Aaron was the one who taught both Alice and Ares magic. He was a true wonder with spells. Never could understand it, I know enough to tell if the earth is doing well and a water spell to water plants and that’s it.”

Their conversation continued on as Alice dragged them around Rigbarth. Regina was surprisingly easy to talk to, despite everything that could cause awkwardness or conflict. Martin could see where Alice got most of her mannerisms from too. The two women tilted their heads the same way when they were deep in thought and even their brows pinched the same. Alice really could have been an exact copy of her mother.

They finally reached Lackadaisy, where Ares was talking to Cecil and Lucy. Priscilla was peeking out of the door to the restaurant, hurrying inside when she saw them. Oh gods, they were probably expecting a snobby noblewoman. Martin couldn’t wait for them to be as surprised as he was.

Ares saw them and waved. “Did you guys get to talk plants all afternoon?”

“Of course! And Rigbarth’s soil quality is astounding, I don’t have to run tests to see that,” Regina said, looking toward Cecil and Lucy. “Are you more of Alice’s friends? My name is Regina.”

Martin could see Lucy’s throat bob as she gulped, she was probably as nervous as he was at first. It was easy to see that Lady Regina Green was not one to ignore.

“Yes ma’am! My name is Lucy.”

Regina shook her hand and her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. “Oh yes! Both of my children have told me about you.”

Lucy’s cheeks got a deep shade of red and Regina was kind enough to move her attention to Cecil. “I’m Cecil! I work for the local detective and I’m Martin’s brother.”

Regina must have heard about Cecil too because she said, “If I have any mystery to solve, I'll be sure to call on you first.”

Alice finally started to guide everyone toward the stairs, but she hung back with Martin. “10 gold the whole town is in Lackadaisy right now?” she whispered in his ear.

He snorted out a laugh. He wouldn’t be surprised. “No, because I’ll lose.”

Alice giggled and then she kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sorry my mom has hogged all the attention.”

Martin shook his head. “She’s great. She asked if she could take a closer look at the forge so she could possibly commission a new sword. And she’s not what you expect from a noble person.”

Alice looked pleased, taking his hand. “I can tell she’s enjoying herself. And she never did act like she was above others. She works with too many farmers and workers to think that way, I think. She has a great respect for them all.”

They walked into Lackadaisy and sure enough, everyone from the town was there and Lady Regina and Ares were being introduced to them one by one. The one that surprised him was Captain Livia, who rarely left the Silo.

He wondered why she left this time.

Lady Regina of House Green couldn’t think of a time she felt more welcomed somewhere.

She could easily tell all of these people cared for her daughter very much. She didn’t think they would have bothered to meet her and Ares if they didn’t. Everyone greeted Alice with a smile or a hug, looking genuinely happy for her. Regina grinned when her daughter looked up at Martin when he said something, the lovesick look in her eyes was endearing. She could tell the feeling was mutual too.

It was moments like this she missed Aaron the most, wishing he could see their children and their accomplishments. She especially just missed him in general. He was a soft-spoken, kind soul. Everyone said Alice was like Regina the most, but Regina saw Aaron shine in almost everything Alice did. Regina learned how to be more selfless because of Aaron, who was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Alice naturally was just like that. It was unfortunate that sickness took him away from them too soon.

It was after dinner and everyone was milling about at the impromptu party and that was when the SEED Captain sat next to her. “What has Alice told you about her time here?” she asked.

Regina tilted her head, curious. She knew Alice wasn’t telling her everything. And she had a feeling it was because she felt it wasn’t her story to tell. Her daughter was easy to read that way. “That she worked for SEED and took care of some dangerous monsters around here while cultivating her farm. Why?”

Captain Livia sighed. “Nyah…I told her I was okay with you knowing.”

Regina arched a brow. “So I was right to assume there was more than that going on here?”

Captain Livia shrugged. “You can choose to not believe me, but I’m only going to tell you the truth.”

Regina decided to stay quiet until the Captain was finished, biting her tongue when the woman claimed to be an ancient dragon and her twin was used by Commander Gideon and how he was almost successful in destroying the world.

“Alice is the reason that didn’t happen. She’s an Earthmate,” Livia said, pushing a folder across to her, “I believe her close contact with the rune activated her abilities.”

Regina frowned. An Earthmate? How was that possible?! She took the folder and opened the file. It was a soulsphere record. The reading next to Alice’s was off the charts and Regina stared at it for a long time. “That’s why her plants can grow even in winter,” she said softly, things starting to become clear. She had wondered how some plants were still thriving in her fields earlier. She had attributed it to the high soil quality and the humidity the air in Rigbarth had due to being close to the sea. It was difficult for even the most talented farmers to get hot hot fruit to grow well at this time of year.

“Alice was able to stabilize the runes in the area because an Earthmate is the only one with the ability to do so. I’m in Rigbarth for a reason,” Livia continued, “Rigbarth is almost in the exact center of three of the most powerful runes in the area. If these runes become more unstable, the rest will follow.”

Regina took a closer look at Livia’s face, seeing something ancient in her eyes this time. “Alice came on a mission near here years ago, she had just joined ETF…”

“And she saved Priscilla in Belpha Ruins. That mission and her being an Earthmate woke me from my slumber in the ruins,” Livia’s eyes hardened. “I had to alter their memories at the time. I still don’t like that I had to do it but it was necessary.”

Regina looked over at her daughter, activating the spell that let her see the state of the earth. Alice was practically glowing. It was almost as if she was made of the earth itself. “Gods…”

“Alice and the rest of Rigbarth are worried that someone else will try to come along and take advantage of Radea and me while we’re not at our most powerful. That’s why she didn’t tell you and I apologize,” Livia continued.

Regina clasped her hands in her lap, looking down at the soulsphere report again. Everything made sense, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. All of the runes two years ago went haywire, throwing all the energy in the world off balance. Reports about Gideon and SEED to the members of the King’s council were also troubling. Then, the man just vanished, causing the King to just make the faction another group in the ETF. The fact her daughter had the ability to almost single-handedly take down Gideon and his plot was hard to believe in itself, but Regina just saw the power that her daughter held just now.

The fact the runes all stabilized seemingly by themselves just proved Livia’s story more.

“I’m not asking you to believe me,” Livia said, most likely seeing the doubt on Regina’s face. “But I’m asking that you keep me and my sister's existence here a secret. I know you work for the King.”

Ah, that was why they wanted this to be a secret. “I’ll keep it a secret because it’ll put my daughter in just as much danger,” she said calmly, pushing the file back toward the Captain. “If Norad finds out an Earthmate is back, I can only imagine what would happen to Alice.”

Livia sagged in relief, resting her hands on the table. “Thank you.”

Regina looked around the restaurant, suddenly feeling overwhelming gratitude for every person in the room. These were the people that took in her daughter in her greatest time of need and gave her a home. They also saved her from dying while fighting for them.

“No, Livia, I have you and everyone else in this room to thank,” she said kindly, grinning at the Captain.

Livia smiled back. “Alice has made us all happier. She truly is an amazing person.”

Regina felt tears come to her eyes at the praise for her daughter. “She always was.”

She found Alice’s familiar head of blonde hair in the crowd, talking to Ares and standing next to Martin. Her hand was in his. Many others surrounded her, vying for her attention.

Alice seemed to know she was being watched because she looked over at her, smiling and waving.

Regina waved back, feeling love and gratitude fill her chest.

Now, she really wished Aaron was here.

Chapter Text

Spring rolled into Rigbarth gently, unlike the previous years.

Alice had just finished planting the last of her seeds in the field next to the Silo, looking down at her work proudly. Sweat beaded on her brow and her whole body was going to be sore tomorrow, but it was worth it.

And, she had help. Mom had stayed in Rigbarth the last month, getting to know everyone. Alice knew she had easily become friends with everyone in town, especially Simone and Misasagi. Now, she was crouched next to her, making sure her strawberry plants were perfectly placed. “You should really get a greenhouse,” she was saying, standing up.

Alice shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about finally commissioning a house from Palmo. He and Ryker could get one done in a short time I bet.” She looked up at the midafternoon sky, basking in the cool breeze from the ocean. “I’m sure a greenhouse wouldn’t be a problem. Martin would like the challenge of making that I bet.”

Regina smiled at that. “He’d be able to do it.”

The biggest relief from her mother’s visit was how well she and Martin got along right away. Regina probably saw exactly what Alice did, and Alice was happy she approved.

“And you’ll definitely need a house if Martin keeps looking at you the way he does,” Regina said next.

Alice choked on her own spit. “Mom!”

“What?”

Alice narrowed her eyes at her, feeling a flush heat her whole face. She remembered the talk she had with her mom years ago when she went through puberty.

“I mean it looks like he might ask you to marry him any second,” Regina teased, eyes twinkling with mirth.

Alice‘s face felt like it was on fire. “You think so?” she asked quietly. She couldn’t help it.

Regina’s eyes softened and she reached over and wrapped an arm around Alice’s shoulders. “I know so. You two are sickening to look at sometimes. But I’m happy you found someone who cares about you that much.”

Regina pecked her temple before letting go and going to pick up their farm tools.

Alice bit her lip, wondering if she really was actually considering asking her mom something that had been plaguing her thoughts when it came to her and Martin’s relationship. “Mom, is it bad we haven't ...y’know.”

Regina set the tools on the rack, looking over her shoulder at her. “No. Sometimes it just takes longer. There are no set rules to those things,” she said. She walked back over to Alice, cupping her face in her hands. How her mom knew this was troubling her, she didn’t know. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Don’t ever base your worth on someone else’s opinions or actions. Besides, he strikes me as a shy one.”

Alice now knew she never had been physical with anyone before. While she wanted to experience that with Martin, her regaining her memories and her family visiting kind of put all of those things on hold almost. “How should I go about it then?”

Regina arched her brow. “Alicandra, have you even talked to the poor man about it? Or have you been worrying and asking everyone but him?” She walked over to their water jugs, handing Alice one. “Yes, it’s embarrassing and awkward but that’s the only way to do it.”

Alice squirmed under her scrutinizing gaze, fiddling with the lid on her water jug. “No, I haven’t.”

Regina rolled her eyes playfully. “Do I have to give you the talk again?”

“No!”

Regina nodded. “Right, then you know to be safe, yes?”

“Mom!”

“I have the recipe for the contraception potion.”

A long silence filled the air before Alice quietly said, “I’d like it, please.”

Thank gods, she wouldn’t have to buy it from Simone now.

The rest of the day was uneventful and Regina gave her a pointed look before she left to have wine with Simone, Misasagi, and Elsje.

Alice was left alone outside the Silo near the request board, pondering her conversation with her mother earlier that day. She pulled out the recipe her mother wrote down for her and read it. It wasn’t too complicated. It just needed medicinal herb and white grass roots, and it didn’t take long to brew. Alice had plenty of both ingredients drying in her pantry right now.

“What’s that?”

Alice squeaked and felt like she jumped ten feet in the air, almost throwing the piece of paper.

Martin gave her an amused look when she spun around to face him. He was covered head to toe in soot, so much so that his hair looked brown. She could see an outline around his eyes where his visor was. He saw where she looked and he shrugged. “It was my turn to stoke the fire today. We had a commission that demanded high heat.”

Alice smiled, tucking the recipe back in her pocket. “Do you want to eat at The Blue Moon so you can wash up?”

He thought about it for a moment. “Yes. Let’s do that.” He spoke up again when they reached the bridge. “What were you reading?”

Alice remembered what her mom said and decided being straightforward was the best way to go. Martin would probably appreciate that. “It was a recipe. I’d rather tell you what it is when no one else is around,” she said, glancing at how Yuki and Randolph were passing by.

Martin looked at her in slight confusion but nodded. “That’s fine.”

Waiting for him in The Blue Moon’s dining room was agony. But, she knew the conversation would have to wait until they were back at the Silo or at his house. She would prefer his house due to the fact her mom could show up at any second in the Silo.

Thankfully, Ares had to report back to his regiment so that was one less possible eavesdropper.

Martin finally got out of the baths, pushing his damp hair back from his forehead as he walked over to their table. He was dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Oh gods, he looked good with his hair pushed back like that. Alice felt a spark of heat ignite in her belly when she saw a drop of water travel down his temple toward his jaw as he sat across from her.

Martin really was handsome. His hair sat at the right length over his brow, bringing out his deep set golden eyes. His face was longer than Cecil’s but they had the same angular jaw. His lips were usually in a firm line in concentration, but they were lovely when he smiled.

She remembered how those lips felt on her neck once and that spark turned into a blaze. She took a deep drink of water to try to distract herself.

“What were you and Darroch working on?” she asked, hoping to get her mind off of how she wanted to ‘climb him like a tree’ as Ludmila would put it.

She tried to ignore how his Adam’s Apple bobbed as he took a drink. She really did. The lines of the muscles in his arms were distracting her too. Since when were forearms attractive? She never thought that until she saw Martin’s.

“And that’s why it needed the high heat,” he finished saying, and Alice realized with dismay that she missed every word he said.

He leaned forward, looking concerned. “Are you alright?”

“Yep!” she said a little too loudly.

He didn’t believe her. “Let’s ask Kumo to pack us something to go.”

Alice didn’t argue as he basically guided her out of the inn after Murakumo kindly packed their dinners up for them. “Can we go to your house?” she managed to ask.

He didn’t ask why but didn’t argue and held her hand the whole way there. Thankfully, Cecil wasn’t home when they walked in and Martin turned on the lights, gently guiding her back to the table. He quickly got out a pitcher of water and forks out and Alice suddenly wasn’t hungry when she thought about why they were eating here and not at the inn. Oh gods, how was she supposed to bring that up? “Alice, really, are you okay?” he asked after they finally sat down again. He was next to her and she was hyper aware of everything he did.

Alice tapped her fingers on the table, trying to think about how she wanted to say this. “Sorry, it’s just so embarrassing but I know we need to talk about this,” she managed to say, biting her lip. She started to fidget in her chair when the heat spread to other places in her body.

Martin moved his chair closer, taking her hand in his. She couldn’t avoid his gaze when he was right next to her like this. “What’s embarrassing?”

Alice took a deep breath and got the recipe for the contraceptive potion out. This was Martin, who always listened attentively and never made her feel silly or foolish when she told him her worries. This should be no different, right? Hopefully, he wanted this just as much as she did.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about this for a while, but everything with my memories and my family just distracted me from it I guess,” she began, handing the sheet of paper to Martin.

Martin read the title and his brows shot up to his hairline and his cheeks instantly turned red. “Oh.”

He cleared his throat, setting the recipe down before resting his elbow on the table, studying it. “I-I’ve actually wanted to talk about this too,” he said, clearing his throat again.

Alice’s face felt on fire but she remembered what her mom said. It was embarrassing and awkward but it had to be done. “I want to,” she admitted softly, not able to look at him.

“Me too.”

She looked up at him, biting her lip. “Thank gods, I thought something was wrong with me for a little while.”

Martin’s ears were red now, but he looked concerned. “What do you mean?”

Alice pushed her hair away from her face. “I know you don’t think this stuff but my brain kept panicking and telling me that you didn’t want to because of me for some reason and I kept fretting about it like a fool,” she rambled. Her hands started to gesture as she continued, “And now I absolutely know I’ve never done that before, so while I want to do it I don’t know if I’ll be good at it and now I’m rambling like an idiot and—“

His hand caught one of hers and he leaned closer. “There is nothing wrong with you, Alice.” He rested a hand on her cheek to turn her head towards him gently. His thumb ran along her cheekbone, making her whole body thrum with energy at the touch. “I haven’t done anything like that either. And I haven’t mentioned it because I was scared I would disappoint you somehow if we got around to it.”

Alice couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Guilt made her stomach churn. “You were worried too? Martin, I’m sorry, we should have talked about this much sooner and—“

“Ali, you just found your family again. I wasn’t about to bring sex up when you had more important things to worry about,” he interrupted, bringing the hand he was holding to his lips. They brushed her knuckles, and even though that wasn’t the first time he kissed her hand, her skin blazed where his lips touched.

Her heart leapt when her nickname left his lips. While her loved ones called her Ali her whole life, it was different when he said it. Maybe it was the tone he used as he said it, maybe it was the fact it was him saying it, she didn’t know.

The absurdity of the situation hit her like a buffamoo. A laugh bubbled past her lips. “Gods, this shouldn’t be so embarrassing,” she laughed, turning to face him more.

He grinned, ears and cheeks still pink. “You’ll probably laugh when I admit something then,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Alice was curious now. “Admit what?”

“I…I was so worried about it I asked Kumo for advice,” he mumbled, looking away.

Alice’s brows shot up. “Murakumo?!”

It was Martin’s turn to fidget in his seat. “I’m not stupid about it all. I’ve heard of some things, but that was stuff I heard from mercenaries or soldiers passing through town. Kumo has actually been in a relationship before so I asked him.”

The fact he got out of his comfort zone and asked someone they’ll have to see in the day-to-day made Alice’s heart swell. “Ludmila has told me stories whether I wanted to hear or not,” she laughed.

Martin grinned at that, looking less embarrassed. “What stories?” He asked, curious.

Alice quickly looked away, clearing her throat. “I’ll only tell you if you tell me what you learned!” It was meant to be a joke, but she wasn’t prepared for his lips to press against the skin below her ear, trailing down her neck.

A heavy shiver ran through her body. “I could show you,” he said, voice lower.

She bit her lip and her whole body burned, hyper-aware of the heat his body gave off and of every move he made.

She nodded, but her eyes caught the recipe for possibly the most important part of the process. “Wait,” her voice was more breathy than she expected and she licked her lips, “the potion.”

He pulled away, looking a little sheepish. “I might have bought some from Simone.”

Well, no time like the present!

She cupped his face in her hands and pressed a hard kiss to his lips, that tickle in her belly becoming stronger by the moment. His hands rested on her waist, practically pulling her into his lap as one kiss melted into another. He mumbled something against her lips but she didn’t hear what he said. She squealed in surprise when he put his hands under her thighs and lifted her as he stood, walking toward his room.

Alice instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him as she trailed her lips down his neck. His quick inhale ignited her, making her feel bold. She hoped he was feeling what she felt. She felt alive with fire burning through her veins and electricity in her skin wherever it brushed against his.

He kicked his door open, then promptly nudged it shut before setting her down on the side of the bed, allowing her to sit. “You’re sure?” he asked, golden eyes looking molten in the dim light of the sun setting outside.

Alice nodded. “Yes,” she said, knowing he would want to hear her say it.

He exhaled deeply, kissing her again before reaching over in the drawer of his bedside table and pulling out two small bottles. “Simone said they work quickly, so we shouldn’t have to wait,” he explained.

Alice couldn’t help but feel pure affection for this wonderful man. He had gone through another embarrassing thing for them. She held out her hand and he set one bottle into it. She popped the cork and downed it in one gulp. It tasted surprisingly minty and her sinuses immediately cleared it was so strong. He huffed out a laugh before downing his own.

Alice felt a slight cramp for a moment in her lower abdomen, then it was gone as soon as it came. She held out her hand to Martin, beckoning him closer. “Come here.”

He stepped forward and Alice’s heart felt like a bird flying in a cage as he leaned over her, guiding her to lie back on the bed. His hand trailed up to wind his fingers through her hair as he kissed her again. Her legs naturally parted and he settled between her thighs, pressing against her as he nibbled at her bottom lip before deepening the kiss. Gods, every part of him was solid and unyielding, but he was so gentle with his kisses and where his other hand was. Alice reached for the back of his shirt, pulling it up his back.

“Off,” she said, shaking the shirt a little.

He huffed out a laugh and he sat up enough to pull it over his head and she was happy she was the only one who got the privilege to see this. He tossed the shirt aside and leaned down into her touch again. Alice trailed her hands down his arms and then back up to his chest as they kissed again. Gods, she loved his arms and chest. They were sculpted from years of work and his skin was smooth from the baths.

She squirmed when his hand trailed up her side, taking her shirt with it. She had worn a simple shirt today for farm work, and she suddenly realized that she might still smell since she hadn’t taken a bath earlier. He didn’t seem to care, moving down to press tickling kisses to her skin as it got exposed.

She giggled and squirmed more when the touches both tickled and excited her. She lifted her arms so he could help pull her shirt over her head and she inwardly lamented not wearing some of her prettier underwear today.

Again, he didn’t seem to care. His pupils were blown wide and he didn’t hesitate to press kisses to the swells of her breasts that peeked out over the edge of her simple, plain bra. His hand rested on her side, fingers spanning across her ribs as she inhaled. Gods, his hands were big and strong and she was arching into his touch. Her blood was ignited, seeming to only flow to her abdomen and wherever he was touching her.

“Martin,” she whined.

He looked up at her face, rolling his hips against her. A high-pitched whine escaped from her when he brushed against her just right. She wasn’t unfamiliar with her body. She had explored herself through frustrated nights many times. Her fingers were nothing compared to feeling Martin’s body against hers though. She could only imagine how his hands and other parts of him would feel. He was looking at her with a focus that should have unnerved her, but–knowing him–he was probably taking in every detail for the next time they did this.

One of his hands gripped her hip and he hissed when she arched up against him, rubbing against his length. He buried his face into her neck, pressing kisses along her pulse. The hand on her hip slid forward toward the waistline of her shorts. He pulled back a little and looked at her, the silent question there. She nodded and lifted her hips and helped him pull her shorts down and he sat up enough to let her kick them to the side.

“Gods,” he breathed, eyes trailing down her body.

Alice was usually shy about how she wasn’t as curvy as other women. But she felt beautiful as he looked at her, trailing his fingertips along her legs as he knelt between them. She was a little embarrassed but glad to find that she wasn’t nervous like she expected herself to be. Maybe it was because this was Martin, who made her feel safe and wanted all the time and not just here.

His fingers reached the edges of her underwear, which she cursed her luck again because they were plain old boring ones, but once again he didn’t seem to mind. That silent question was there again and Alice slipped out of her bra as an answer, throwing it to the side.

He froze, eyes zeroing in on her breasts and she wondered if they were too small or not to his liking. Suddenly, he seemed to be everywhere at once. Another whine escaped her when his mouth pressed to one nipple while his hand cupped the other. She buried her fingers in his hair, not knowing what else to do as the sensations swept over her. The silky strands slipped through her grasp as his lips trailed down her abdomen, leaving a trail of fire along her skin.

He looked up at her and his gaze burned her from the inside out. She didn’t care what those romance novels said, this was the most erotic thing she ever experienced. Seeing the man she loved looking up at her with pure want and adoration was overwhelming in the best way.

“You’ll tell me if you don’t like something?” he asked, his voice was rough and at a lower pitch, almost sounding like a growl.

Her abdomen jumped at the sound and she nodded, grabbing one of his hands while the other stayed in his hair.

He started to pull down her underwear and she lifted her hips, feeling like she was burning from within as she was finally bare in front of him. She was once again conscious that she hadn’t bathed yet but–once again–he didn’t seem to care. He gently pressed a finger to her folds and her hips jerked when he grazed that little bundle of nerves.

He leaned over her and kissed her as his finger entered her and she clung to his shoulders, moaning into his mouth as he moved his hand. He added another one and she gasped against his lips when he curled his fingers against the spot that had her seeing stars. His palm was pressing against her clit just right and it had her rocking her hips in time with him. Alice couldn’t do anything but moan, turning her head into the pillow as her breathing quickened. She felt that familiar surge of energy build up inside of her as she arched her back. “Martin!” she cried, clinging to his arms. She tried to be conscious of her nails biting into his skin, but soon all thought left her.

Alice felt his lips press against her neck and she gasped when he licked along her pulse. She finally crested that peak, crying out as her body bowed, writhing against him.

It took a few moments, but she finally caught her breath as she looked up at his awestruck face. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, gently kissing her. She mourned the loss of his fingers as he pulled away. “Gods, you’re beautiful,” he said again, resting his forehead against hers as she panted against him, reaching up to cling to his shoulders.

She rolled her hips against his groin, feeling the hard length there. He groaned, burying his face in the crook where her neck met her shoulder. “I want to see you,” she said, pushing at the waistline of his pants.

He pulled away and she watched hungrily as he stood and pushed his pants and boxers down. She ached for something more than his fingers now and she finally wanted to see all of him. He was well muscled everywhere, which was no surprise. She had admired his ass many times in the past. As he turned away to kick the pants to the side she bit her lip when she saw the dimple his muscles created. She saw his length bobbing between his legs and her mouth became dry in anticipation. He wasn’t huge, but she thought he was perfect. He was everything she wanted in that moment and she thanked whoever was listening for blessing her to have him in her life.

He bit his lip, a heavy breath leaving him as he asked, “I know it's easier if you’re on top for the first time. I don’t care as long as you’re happy.”

Alice didn’t care where she was as long as he was where she wanted him in the next ten seconds. “C’mere,” she said, beckoning to him, opening her legs more.

She knew she was ready, she could feel how embarrassingly wet she was, but she didn’t care. She needed. She needed so much and only he could quench the thirst that was devouring her every thought. He helped her readjust so her head was resting on the pillows better before settling between her thighs. He shifted her so one of her thighs was raised at his hip, keeping her at a perfect angle. “Let me know if you need me to–”

“I will,” Alice promised, resting a hand on his side as he positioned his tip against her entrance.

She remembered that she needed to relax and she let out a deep breath as he gently pushed in. He rocked a few times, waiting for her to be ready before pushing in more. Alice felt no pain, just a slight burn as she adjusted to him and that thirst inside her was barely beginning to subside the deeper he pressed. He stopped when he was hilted inside of her, resting his forehead against her shoulder. “Gods, you feel amazing,” he barely managed to get out, pressing kisses wherever he could. Alice saw him grip the bedding by her head, knuckles white he was holding them so tightly.

Alice rolled her hips and they both groaned at the friction it created. “I’m okay, love.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. His hips snapped against hers, pulling a long moan from her lips. She clung to his shoulders, raising her thighs so they were higher along his waist, allowing him to press deeper as he started to set a rhythm. Her mind went into a state of euphoria as he hit that one spot that was sensitive from earlier. “There!”

Martin was always observant when he wanted to learn something, and it seemed like her body was no exception. One of his hands moved to the back of her thigh, raising it even higher, allowing him to hit that spot consistently. Her hands scrabbled for purchase, trying to find anything to hold onto as that familiar wave started to build up again at a surprising pace. Her hand found his and he intertwined their fingers, pressing their hands into the bed next to her head. Her other hand gripped the sheets, not wanting to hurt him she was holding on so tight.

She tried to kiss him, to show him how much she loved him then and there, but all she could do was pant against his lips as another long, keening whine escaped from her.

His pace became erratic and she could feel how close she was. He let go of her leg and reached between them for that little bundle of nerves and her mouth fell open into a silent scream as she crested over that wave, falling into bliss. He collapsed against her moments later, panting heavily. She reached up with her free hand, running her fingers through his hair when she recovered. She pressed soft kisses against his temple and cheek, showing her appreciation for him. “We should have done that sooner,” she said softly, breaking the silence.

A snort of laughter escaped him and he managed to lift himself up, looking down at her with soft eyes. “You’re right, as always,” he said, smiling.

Alice kissed him, resting a hand on his cheek. They both groaned when he pulled away. How he was able to stand, she didn’t know. Her legs felt like jelly and she could barely move. He dipped a washcloth in the wash basin nearby and he handed it to her and he grabbed another for himself. After they were both cleaned up, he collapsed in the bed next to her. They looked at each other for a long moment before he leaned over to kiss her, gently trailing his fingers along her jaw. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

Alice felt tears prick at her eyes and she couldn’t stop the lovesick smile from growing on her lips. “I love you too.”

Martin pulled back, tucking some hair behind her ear. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, I mean it.”

Tears welled in Alice’s eyes and Martin started to look panicked. “Really?” she asked, cursing her emotions and her tendency to cry at the drop of a hat.

He smiled, panic fading as he kissed her again. “Really.”

She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest, inhaling the cedar smell of his soap and his natural scent. He held her close and she could feel a soft peck on the top of her head.

Sleep had never come so easily after they got settled under the covers, kissing sleepily until they couldn’t stay awake anymore.

Except, sleep didn’t come for Martin.

He didn’t want to miss a moment, watching Alice’s face as she dreamed. Her long eyelashes fanned out on her cheekbones, drawing attention to the freckles that had started to darken again by being out in the sun. It had to have been a couple of hours since she fell asleep, since the moon was high in the sky now. She was curled on her side, facing him and her hands were pressed against his chest. He leaned up on his elbow, resting his head on his hand as he studied every detail, not wanting to forget this moment for the rest of his life. Her hair spread out on the pillow beneath her like a golden halo. Her lips were still red from all of his kisses, and he felt a small rush of satisfaction when he saw some bruises appearing on her neck and collarbones. They weren’t too noticeable, and he knew her SEED uniform would cover them all, but he would know they were there.

His other arm was still draped over her waist, keeping her close. His thumb trailed across her skin, marveling at how soft it was. She was incredible, and she loved him. He was on cloud nine when she said those words back to him. He was willing to wait for her answer when he told her how he felt, but he couldn’t hold it inside anymore. He loved how kind and selfless she was, he loved how she was strong even during the hardest of times, he loved her smile, loved how her eyes squinted and crinkled at the edges when she laughed, loved the little freckles he found as he explored her body last night, he loved how her brows pinched when she was thinking hard or cross.

He loved every little bit of her, the good and the bad.

Martin reached up, trailing a fingertip along her cheek, doing his best to not wake her. A small snore escaped from her and he grinned. She was adorable even when she snored.

It was strange, sharing his bed with someone. He found himself enjoying it regardless. Feeling her warmth and hearing her brought an amount of comfort he didn’t think possible. He stamped down the feeling of arousal as she moved closer to him in her sleep, brushing against him. While he wanted to make love to her again, neither of them had the energy for another round earlier. He wanted to explore every inch of her and learn exactly what she liked. He learned so much about her in one night alone and got to show her how much he adored her instead of just saying it.

The feeling of being joined with her was indescribable and he was surprised he lasted as long as he did. Murakumo had told him it was rare to come with one’s partner at the same time but they almost accomplished it. Maybe it was because it was their first time.

He knew the amount of trust Alice put in him for a lot of things last night, and he hoped he didn’t disappoint. He felt he didn’t from her reactions to everything.

She sighed heavily in her sleep, tucking her face closer to his chest as she curled up more into a ball. He wrapped his arm around her again and relaxed his head on the pillow, watching her still. How he earned her love, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to look the gift buffamoo in the mouth. He vowed then and there that he was going to work harder every day to be the man she deserved and needed by her side.

He tucked his other arm under her pillow, supporting her head as he finally let sleep take him.

Alice woke when the rays of the sun shining through the window hit her eyes, making her tuck her head into the pillow and yawn.

What surprised her was that her hand was resting on the bedsheets and not against her boyfriend. She sat up, suddenly very aware of her nakedness. Where was Martin? She felt a pang of disappointment when the thought that he might have gone to work came to mind. But, then she heard sounds from the kitchen, and she saw that his toolbelt and other tools were still on the desk in the corner.

She gently slapped her cheeks to help wake herself up before she slid a tentative foot out of bed, hissing when it met cold stone. This was her least favorite part of waking up, getting cold.

She pulled on the first shirt she could find and she was happy that it was Martin’s. It was a dress on her, but she didn’t care. Her underwear was a mess still and she made a face at them before reaching for her shorts. Luckily, they were linen ones and not the cargo ones she wore for her uniform. She wouldn’t be putting them on at all if the risk of Cecil being here too wasn’t on her mind.

She really was going to have to talk to Palmo about building her a house.

While the Silo was her home for the last two years, now that she decided that Rigbarth was truly her home and she had a future here, she needed her own space.

She wanted somewhere she could be without the risk of anyone barging in up the stairs. She wanted to decorate it as she liked without fearing she would be getting in the way. She wanted a real kitchen and living room and everything else. She wanted so much now. And she wanted the man in the other room to be there every step of the way. She winced as she got her sandals back on, but it was a good ache. Alice could easily heal it with the spell she knew, but she didn’t want to. She gasped when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a disaster. And small bruises littered her neck and upper chest.

The wide neckline of Martin’s shirt did nothing to hide them either.

Today was definitely a SEED uniform day.

Alice wouldn’t have traded last night for anything, though. She combed her hair with Martin’s comb, smiling to herself when she remembered how Martin looked at her. Like she was beautiful and wanted. She hoped she made him feel the same way.

When she was finally presentable enough to walk over to the Silo, she stepped out of the bedroom, smiling when she saw Martin over at the stove, cooking what appeared to be pancakes and scrambled eggs. He was shirtless and only wearing his pants and she balked when she saw the perfect crescent-shaped marks on the backs of his arms.

Her small gasp had him looking over her shoulder and his smile threw her off. “Mornin’. Sorry I didn’t wake you, I’d figured I’d make you breakfast.”

Alice’s heart warmed at the thought, but her worry about his arms made her hurry to his side. “I clawed you!”

He looked confused and lifted his arm, seeing a glimpse of what she saw. “Huh, so you did.” He held out a hand when she started to reach forward with a healing spell. “I’m fine, love. I didn’t even know they were there.”

Alice pouted up at him. “But–”

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I mean it, I’m fine.” He nodded to the cabinets nearby. “Can you get plates out, please?”

Alice couldn’t refuse, getting plates and silverware out for them. After breakfast was served and they tucked in, Alice leaned over and kissed Martin’s cheek. “Thanks for breakfast,” she said, keeping her face close.

He turned his head and gave her the kiss she wanted. “You’re welcome.”

He glanced down and Alice could swear she saw a tiny, satisfied smirk appear before he started to eat again. She filed that information away, glad she decided to not heal the bruises earlier.

After a few bites, she brought up what she was thinking earlier. “I think I’m finally going to talk to Palmo about a house.”

Martin nodded. “Good. He’s been planning one for weeks. He already put orders for nails and things like that into us,” he said, grinning. “We haven’t started because we were waiting for your permission really.”

Alice felt tears prick her eyes. It always amazed her how the people of Rigbarth helped each other. “Really?”

Martin smiled, reaching over and taking her hand. “Of course. Everyone was hoping you would stay after finding your family. Simone was ready to make an argument for you to stay and everything too if your Mom wasn’t as open-minded as she is.”

Martin’s smile grew. “I did talk Palmo out of the tower and statue he was planning though.”

Alice started laughing, and the laughter grew because Martin chuckled along. “He was serious about that statue, huh?” she asked, only imagining what the carpenter was planning.

“He really wants to, but I told him you wouldn’t like it.”

“You’re right,” she huffed playfully. “Well, since that’s the topic, I was hoping to commission a greenhouse too. I think it's more for my mom when she visits but it would be handy for the off-season plants.”

Martin hummed in thought, bringing his hand to his chin as he pushed his finished plate aside. “The building has to be precise. The thermoregulation is a challenge enough, but with the right materials and with Palmo and Ryker it shouldn’t be a problem.” Martin curled his lip a little. “Ryker surprisingly knows a lot about complicated buildings.”

Alice smiled, knowing that Martin respected Ryker more than he let on. He just criticized because he didn’t want to see Ryker’s talents go to waste. “Well, I guess that’s what I’m doing today,” she said, getting up from her chair. “I’ll go see Simone about what plot of land is available first, then Palmo is next I suppose.”

Martin nodded, grabbing their plates and standing up too. “Good. Do you want me to come with you? I decided to take today off after…” he trailed off and a cute blush appeared on his cheeks.

Alice’s smile turned coy and she stood up, taking the plates from him. “I enjoyed it too,” she said softly, pecking his lips before moving to the sink. “Get ready. I’ll have to change at the Silo then we can go talk to Simone.”

Martin left with a wide grin on his face and Alice couldn’t have been more pleased.

She couldn’t wait to talk to Palmo later.

Chapter Text

Martin knew Alice was sad to see Regina leave at the end of April. But, Regina had her own responsibilities back in the Capital.

He stood to the side as Alice and Regina talked for a long time outside the Silo. He was waiting for the right moment because he had an important question for Regina.

Regina finally looked his way and beckoned him over and he stepped closer, resting a hand on Alice’s back. “Ali, can I talk to your mom for a second?”

Alice arched a brow, but she shrugged and walked over to where Captain Livia and Scarlett were waiting at the front door of the Silo to see Regina off.

“Do you have questions about your surprise in the greenhouse?” Regina asked quietly, grinning conspiringly.

Martin shook his head. He and Regina had made meticulous plans for the greenhouse Martin designed for Alice’s backyard. She had loved his idea to put a special room in the back for Alice to have her own chemistry table and toolset so she didn’t have to keep borrowing the Silo’s or Simone’s. Regina was the ultimate source of information on what a greenhouse would need.

“I actually wanted your opinion on something,” he managed to ask, feeling anxiety bubble in his stomach. He hoped he wasn’t wrong about Regina approving of him for Alice. She never gave him the impression otherwise.

Regina tilted her head in the way that reminded him of Alice so much. He pulled out a piece of paper that had an entirely different design on it. He had been practicing rings for months now and he finally got the technique he wanted to use down. But, he wasn’t able to pin Regina down the last couple of days because Alice was always next to her. This was going to be his only chance.

He handed the paper over to her, and he knew she would recognize the style of ring immediately. Engagement and wedding rings in Norad usually had three stones in them. He planned to use a diamond in the middle and have aquamarine on either side of the diamond in a gold band. He had to practice the technique to get the vinelike design around the gems for weeks but he finally got it down. Darroch had been a perfect support, distracting Alice whenever she came in while he was working on it and helping him otherwise.

Regina’s smile softened and tears gathered in her eyes while she looked at it. “I knew you wanted to,” she said softly, looking up at him.

Martin rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat. “I’m obviously going to talk to her about it first, but I know how important you and Ares are to her and I wanted your blessing before continuing.”

She surprised him when she stepped forward and gave him a hug. His throat closed up with emotion because her hug reminded him of when his mom used to hug him. She pulled away before he could reciprocate. “Of course you have it. You don’t realize how happy you make her. I hope you do someday,” she said, smiling widely.

Tears pricked at his own eyes and he quickly blinked them away. “She makes me happy, I can’t imagine not having her in my life now.”

Regina wiped away happy tears. “I still can’t believe I have her back in my life some days. I’m so grateful for everything you all have done for her. There’s nothing I can do to repay that kindness.” She took a shaky breath. “And I’m happy she found someone to love. And Ares and I will be happy to call you a part of the family.”

Family…for so long Martin only had Cecil and Darroch. Then, Alice came into his life. No one else held a candle to her.

“Now, we need to stop being emotional or Alice won’t believe that we were talking shop about the greenhouse,” she said, winking.

She handed him his design for the ring and he quickly tucked it back into his pocket, taking a deep breath. “You’re right, but I’m an awful liar in the first place.”

Regina shrugged. “Oh well, it can’t be helped our Alice is too smart for her own good.”

He smiled at that, escorting her back toward everyone else.

They all said their final goodbyes and Regina gave him a warm look before she activated the warping spell.

Martin now had a sure plan.

The Flower Festival was in two weeks and it would be the perfect time to ask.

Unfortunately, he was going to be embarrassed the day of since he planned on buying a bouquet from Ludmila.

Alice always loved the Flower Festival.

She and Ludmila worked really hard this year, making bouquets and arrangements long into the night the day before. Alice was especially proud of her moondrops and pink cats this year.

She set the last bunch of flowers on the table at the festival grounds, watching happily as tourists and townsfolk alike all had flowers in their hands as they milled about.

The arraignment contest was already underway, but Alice decided not to compete this year. She wanted to spend all of her time with Martin instead. She hadn’t seen him since he got out of bed early that morning, kissing her on the forehead and saying goodbye, muttering something about needing to finish something at True Strike before heading to the festival.

Alice blushed a little, thinking about how they rarely slept apart these days. She would have to add a queen size bed to her growing list of furniture she would need for her house when it was completed. While she loved cuddling with Martin, she knew it would be sweltering when summer came. She also made a note to add a place to put his tools. She traced her fingertip along the petal of a moondrop, biting her lip. Many of the girls in town had been asking if he asked her to marry him yet. Even her other friends, like Reinhard and Ryker, had started to ask, surprised she wasn’t engaged yet. Ryker had offered to kick some sense into Martin, which Alice instantly declined.

She and Martin had talked about the future a few times, and Alice was sure he wanted to, but she didn’t know how to explicitly ask him without outright proposing. Knowing him, he probably had a big plan and she didn’t want to ruin it for him. She’d rather wait and see what he came up with. Her mother’s letters lately hinted that he at least talked to Regina about it, so that meant he basically already asked for her blessing. Regina asked about it every time she wrote, so Alice knew she was waiting for the news.

“Hey.”

Alice looked over her shoulder, happy to see the man she was just thinking about standing next to her, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her eyes widened when she saw how well put together it was, suggesting he got help. No wonder Ludmila looked more sly than usual all day today!

The bouquet was mainly moondrops, but pink cats, cherry grass, charm blues, and eli leaves were delicately arranged around them.

“I’m not good with flowers so I got Ludmila’s help,” he admitted, handing the bouquet to her.

Alice smiled, reaching forward to pull him down for a kiss with her free hand. “I love it, thank you!”

He looked pleased and Alice took his hand, walking around the festival grounds and seeing everyone else’s arrangements. Ludmila’s booth for her shop was the most crowded, so they steered clear of that. They eventually walked down to the beach, where it was less crowded. It was still early spring, so people weren’t swimming in the ocean yet and it was still too cold for anything like that. Alice kept smelling her bouquet, happy as could be.

It was alright if Martin’s plan to ask her took a long time. She was willing to wait. She was happy to spend time with him like this as is. It was funny to think that last year she was pining over him from afar, not thinking she stood a chance.

“I wanted to give you flowers last year,” he said softly, hold on her hand tightening.

Alice looked up at him in surprise. “You did?”

Martin nodded, toeing at a rock before kicking it out of the way. “Yeah, but I was worried you would think it was weird or reject them so I just didn’t. It’s funny to think that way now.”

Alice laughed. “I was just thinking about how I was pining over you last year. I did at every festival, actually.”

Martin rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. “Go us.”

She giggled, squeezing his hand and gently nudging against him. “Hey, I’m honestly happy with how everything turned out. All it took was my sword breaking to break the ice, so to speak.”

He grinned. “I should have known you’d figure that out. It’s why you’re such a good Ranger after all.”

Alice shook her head. “Actually, it was Cecil who helped me.”

He looked at her, incredulous. “Cecil?”

Alice stopped, looking out at the ocean. “Yep, it was him. He recognized your work and told me so.” She looked up at him with a knowing smile. “He listens more than you think he does when you talk about smithing. And he sees your patterns. He sees everyone's patterns. He’d be a scary good detective if he wasn’t so–”

“Naive,” he said with her, smiling now.

He was silent for a long moment. “He knew?”

Alice nodded, remembering that fateful conversation she had with Cecil that early Fall afternoon. “I’m embarrassed to think about it now, but I was desperate at the time I suppose. I asked him if he thought you had feelings for me. He had just outright told me the sword I thought you and Darroch had made was actually all you. He pointed out all of the little details too.” She gave Martin a teasing smile. “It seems like he knew before either of us did because he said he knew you did.”

Martin was silent for a long moment before muttering, “Well I’ll be damned.”

She laughed, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad he told me though. It gave me the courage to say what I did that night you came to my rescue.”

She could feel his huff of laughter more than hear it. “It's crazy that I have Cecil to thank for my happiness,” he said softly.

“I’ll make him a strawberry cake for his birthday,” Alice said.

Martin pulled away a little and turned to face her. “I’ll have to thank him for figuring out your ring size too. It took us forever to find a ring you actually wore recently. He’s the one who found it.”

Alice was confused for a moment before the answer dawned on her. He pulled a little box out of his pocket, holding it out to her. Her stomach flipped and her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest.

He took her hand and set the box into it, folding her fingers over it. “I had a whole flowery speech planned, but it just doesn’t seem right. I love you, and you make me happier than I ever could have imagined. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy,” he said, looking down at their hands. “Will you marry me?”

Alice didn’t even have to think as she tossed both the bouquet and little box to the side and leapt up into his arms. She clung to him, burying her face into his neck, holding back happy tears. “Of course I will,” she managed to get out.

He held her tight and she felt him start to press kisses wherever he could and she pulled back enough to kiss him on the lips. He finally set her back down on her feet and she realized in her excitement she threw the most important thing to the side. “Whoops,” she sheepishly said when she saw the small box and the bouquet lying in the sand.

Martin huffed out a laugh, not looking upset at all as he reached down and got the box. He opened it and she gasped when she saw the ring. “Did you…?”

“Yep, had to practice for weeks. The design was difficult but I finally got it.” It was his turn to look sheepish. “I would have asked you sooner but I wanted it to be perfect.”

Alice held out her hand and he slipped it on her right ring finger. She held out her hand, admiring the ring. It was a gold band with a small diamond with aquamarine on either side of it. She could see why he had to practice with the vinelike tendrils surrounding the gemstones. It was simple and beautiful and she instantly knew she would never take it off.

She reached up, framing his face in her hands as she pulled him down for another kiss.

She could feel his smile against her lips and she felt the same.

Everything was perfect.

Ten years later…

Martin hadn’t felt this lighthearted in a long time.

Scarlett and Ludmila were finally getting married and the whole town of Rigbarth was bustling to make it a big party. He helped Murakumo put up the last of the streamers on the Great Tree, smiling down at their little helpers.

Ariana, his oldest daughter who was nine, had handed them the streamers from her spot at the side of the ladder. Her bright blonde hair shone in the sunlight and her amber eyes were squinted in laughter as she giggled at something her little brother and sister were doing. Aaron and Laura, meanwhile, were spinning around with the extra streamers and were getting caught up in them, making them look like little mummies. The twins’ silver-green hair was already a mess, despite how much he and Alice wrestled with them that morning to get them ready for the ceremony.

Had someone asked Martin ten years ago if he was going to be a father, he would have choked or something. Now, he had three children and the only reason he and Alice didn’t have more was because the twin’s pregnancy was tough on her.

“Oh no! Someone call SEED, we have mummies!” Murakumo laughed, stepping down from the ladder.

Aaron’s dark blue eyes became mischievous and he groaned playfully, marching toward Murakumo with his arms outstretched. Murakumo and Ariana playfully yelled in fake terror, allowing the 5-year-old to chase them around the plaza.

Laura, meanwhile, was actually stuck in the streamer. Her arms were practically pinned to her side and he could see tears of frustration forming in her green eyes. “Papa!” she whined, wriggling more.

Martin, who could never ignore his little girl, quickly knelt down and helped get her untangled. “There you go, honey,” he said softly, tossing the evil streamer to the side.

She stuck her tongue out at it before leaping into his arms. “Thanks, Papa!”

He kissed her temple before letting her pull back a little. She looked around with wide eyes, taking in the scenery around her. “Papa, did you and Mama get married?”

He nodded. “We did.”

Her eyes narrowed and her expression became calculating. “That means you fell in love like Aunt Scarlett and Aunt Ludmila?”

A smile came to his face and he picked her up as he stood, holding her tight. “Not quite like them, but yes.”

The ceremony was about to begin and everyone got in their places. Martin made it to Alice’s side, and she was currently pulling the streamer off of Aaron while Ariana giggled to the side.

Laura was the type of child that was never afraid to ask a question. Her keen gaze zeroed in on her mother and she practically demanded, “Mama! Tell us how you and Papa fell in love.”

Alice looked at Laura in surprise. “What?”

“Papa said you fell in love but not like Aunt Scarlett and Aunt Ludmila. How?”

All of their children were looking up at Alice and Martin expectantly now, waiting in anticipation.

Alice smiled, tucking a lock of Laura’s hair behind her ear. “It all started with a sword,” she began.