Matters of the Heart

Terrence decided to make the first move.

He slowly approached Lorica, trying to keep himself calm. It was honestly daunting, going up against a more experienced Hero of Arum…but he knew he had to improve himself this way.

Once he got close enough, he took a quicker step forward and made a diagonal slash at her left shoulder. She made a swift twirl around and countered with a blindingly fast thrust. Terrence turned to parry it, but his right arm was still pierced as he was too slow. He gasped from the burning pain and stepped back a bit.

Lorica flicked the blood off Naturia and beckoned the Prince over, looking more amused. With a grimace, he did his best to focus on his opponent, lunging in with a horizontal. The Elf easily dodged it by hopping back a few feet, then came forward with a jab at Terrence’s chest. He managed to catch her blade with his own, turning slightly so he could deflect her. However, he winced as he still got grazed under his left arm.

Even so, he tried to keep on the attack, going for an uppercut. With her sword arm knocked aside, and them being so close, it should have been easy enough to land the blow, even for someone like Terrence.

Then in that split second, a bundle of emerald wind swirled rapidly in Lorica’s free hand. She released it on the Prince, and he gasped as he was blown back a few feet. He staggered as he came to a stop, nearly falling over.

“W-wind magic!?” He exclaimed.

Before he could recover, Lorica dashed forward to deliver a hard strike with her palm, going for his stomach. He coughed out in pain and fell to his knees, as the impact forced air out of him.

Lorica stepped back and flipped her hair, then adjusted her beret and smiled.

“You almost cut me, though I went easy on you.” She said with slight satisfaction. “Not that bad, for an amateur. But can you keep going?”

After spending a moment taking heavy breaths, Terrence staggered to his feet and looked aside. He saw Mai watching him, a wavering frown on her face as she tried to not look worried.

He placed a hand over his heart, feeling Bjartbrandr’s warmth throughout his body. He looked at her glowing blade, and saw an image of her smiling in encouragement.

With both of his loved ones supporting him, he felt like he could keep trying. So despite the soreness in his gut, he straightened up and took his stance again, then narrowed his eyes on Lorica.

“I’m not done yet.” He declared.

She gave a small nod and took her own pose, looking as calm as ever. After staring her down for a moment, Terrence lunged with a wide horizontal. She avoided it with a hop backwards, then quickly came forward to stab him.

It was just like last time…and he was prepared for it. He turned into his horizontal as Lorica moved in, lowering himself a little to get under her arm. He winced as Naturia cut his shoulder, but didn’t stop moving.

The Prince let out a yell as he came back around, Bjartbrandr gleaming as her edge came close to Lorica’s right side.

Suddenly, Naturia flashed out of existence, and instantly reappeared upside-down in Lorica’s left hand as she moved it. Sparks flew as she intercepted Terrence’s attack, leaving him frozen in shock.

“How…” He gasped.

She smirked proudly. “Checkmate.”

With a flick of her wrist, she sent Terrence’s Treasure flying out of his grip. She followed with a small burst of Wind magic in her free hand, making him stumble away. Then before he could recover, the Elven Princess came in with a graceful turn and landed a sidekick on his chest. He was knocked to the floor again, and he coughed as he was winded for the second time.

While he curled up and huffed for air, Lorica knelt down and waved a glowing finger over him.

“Amenda.” She chanted.

A wave of mystical green energy was sprinkled on Terrence’s body, healing his wounds and relieving his fatigue a little. He took a deep breath of relief, then got on his feet and looked for Bjartbrandr. She was already in regular form and walking up to him.

“You did well.” She said with a gentle smile.

He nodded wearily. “Thanks…but are you alright?”

“No need to worry, I am not hurt. As a Sacred Treasure, my body is almost invincible.”

Terrence nodded, though he still felt concerned for his partner. If he couldn’t get strong enough to wield her properly, she may be hurt someday. He could not live with that…

He shook the bad thoughts away, then turned to see Naturia reverting to her own regular body, right at Lorica’s side.

That move they did a minute ago…Terrence was astounded. He gave them a curious look, knowing he needed to ask.

“You can switch hands like that?”

Naturia frowned and crossed her arms. “Did it not occur to you until now? If you can summon your Treasure in one hand, you can obviously switch it to the other! I swear, what are we going to do with you…”

Lorica placed a hand on her hip. “That aside, you have fine wits. Still, your speed and technique need work.”

She looked back at Mea with a smile, and the Cait Sith gave a slight frown in return.

“Do you want a turn?” The Elf beckoned.

After a moment of silence, Mea sighed and stepped into the ring. Lionheart followed close behind, his fierce gaze on Terrence.

“I suppose we’ll test him.” She said in a cool manner.

She held up her left arm to the side, and Lionheart transformed onto it. His weapon form was a golden armored brace, with a set of four silver claws. Like the other Sacred Treasures, Lionheart radiated a divine glow, though it pulsed with more power.

While Lorica and Naturia walked away, Terrence and Bjartbrandr took their place on the other side of the ring. She transformed into his grasp, and he took his stance.

Mea crouched like a cat ready to pounce, narrowing her eyes up at Terrence. The intensity of her glare made his breath hitch, but he managed to keep his gaze on her. He knew she was looking for weakness, and he couldn’t let himself back down.

There was a moment of tense silence…then Mea moved first. She bounded on all fours, swiftly closing the distance, then made a high leap and raised her golden arm for a strike.

Terrence slashed upwards to intercept it, only for her to easily deflect his blade with her higher strength, which made him stumble back. The Cait Sith used the opening to turn in midair and deliver a kick to his cheek, knocking him aside. He slid on the floor as he landed, just barely stopping at the edge of the circle.

He groaned as he picked himself up, standing shakily on his feet. He touched his reddening cheek, wincing from how it stung. Maybe Mea wasn’t as fast as Lorica, but as a Cait Sith she had more strength and flexibility. That made for a deadly combination…

She took her crouching stance again, and spoke to Terrence with a slight growl.

“Giving up? I expected more of a fight.”

He frowned and took a moment to think of a strategy. Maybe a distraction…throwing Bjartbrandr first. Although he wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea, he knew he could retrieve her at will.

“I’m ready, whenever you are.” She said in assurance.

He nodded and took a deep breath, then started to dash towards Mea, who braced herself for the attack. When the Hero of Light was close enough, he chucked his sword at her.

Just as he expected, she rolled aside to dodge it. With an opening made, he dove for her. This was his plan, to leave her vulnerable so he could pin her down. He didn’t need to overwhelm her with strength and agility, just wits. Or at least, that was his thought.

He grabbed her in a bear hug, and they tumbled over the floor for a second, with him being on top when they stopped. After only a short struggle, Mea broke free from Terrence’s trap and grabbed his neck, which made wheeze. She then flipped their positions, so she was now crouching over him. She had a tight grip around his throat, and Lionheart’s claws were in front of his face.

“Did you really think you could capture me that easily?” She said with a cold stare. “I admit, your tactic had merit, but it takes more than wit to trap your prey. You need sufficient technique and strength as well.”

“L-lesson…learned…” He croaked.

She let him go and walked away, allowing him to get up with heavy breaths. After getting his air back, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and went over to Bjartbrandr, who met him in her normal form.

“You almost had her.” She remarked.

Terrence smiled wryly. “I still have a lot to improve on.”

Mai came over to give him a kiss on the cheek, along with a hug.

“Are you okay?” She asked softly.

He smiled gently. “Yes, I’m fine.”

She nodded, then looked over to Mea in a hesitant manner. The dark-haired sister was beginning to leave the hall, and it wouldn’t be long before she was out of sight.

As Terrence noticed his lover’s dilemma, he gave her a gentle push towards her sister. Mai froze for only a second before going on ahead, looking back at her lover with a grateful smile.

He watched her catch up to Mea and start talking to her. He couldn’t hear them, but he could see the irritated look on Mea’s face as her sister pleaded. But eventually, she said something that got Mai’s expression to brighten.

The red-haired Cait Sith then returned with some hopeful news.

“We’re going to meet in her room tonight! I can finally talk with her after so long!”

“That’s great!” Terrence said genuinely.

Bjartbrandr clasped her hands. “Yes, congratulations Mai!”

At that moment, Lorica and Naturia came over to join the conversation.

“I suppose that gives me an opportunity to make a request.” The Hero of Wind stated, crossing her arms. “Prince Terrence, will you join me in the garden tonight? I want to start teaching you magic.”

Terrence was surprised, but he nodded. “O-okay, I’ll be there.”

“A-and I want some personal time with you, Bjartbrandr!” Naturia sputtered out. “Let me join you in your room!”

Bjartbrandr laughed softly. “Of course, see you tonight.”

_______________________________________

That night, Terrence went to join Lorica outside at the palace garden. He found her sitting on a blanket over the grass, looking up at the stars with a serene smile on her face. She glanced aside as she noticed him, and gracefully stood up.

“Good evening.” She said with a hand on her hip. “Are you ready to learn about magic?”

“Yes, I am.” He said firmly. “I’ve been wondering how it all works.”

“Then watch me. It goes like this…”

Lorica composed herself and took a deep breath, then slowly waved her hands around. Emerald winds began to pick up around her, glittering like the night stars.

“Feel the mana within you, and let it flow. Control it, but don’t force it. Even in the heat of battle, you must keep focus.”

The winds swirled more intensely, allowing the Elf to hover over the blanket. She gave Terrence a small smirk and inclined her head.

“Well, you try it. Don’t be ashamed if it doesn’t work the first time.”

He put on a determined face and nodded, then closed his eyes as he began to compose himself. He focused within himself, trying to feel that mystical energy. After a few minutes…he felt it. Something…warm, like a lamp in his gut.

He carefully tapped that lamp, and gasped as he felt the power flow throughout his body. He opened his eyes and looked at his shivering hands, which were glowing a soft white.

“As expected, you have the Light affinity.” Lorica said in a calm manner. “Now, don’t panic. Just try to give that magic a form.”

Terrence took a few breaths as he regained composure, then concentrated on trying to control his Light magic. In each of his palms, a ball of energy began to grow, and he glanced away to avoid being blinded by the light.

Then suddenly, he felt that lamp within him go cold, and his magic faded. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily as he was now exhausted.

“Why…” He coughed.

“You didn’t control your mana properly.” Lorica explained, looking amused. “Because of that, you used it all at once, instead of only a portion. It happens to all beginners, so don’t feel bad about it.”

She dismissed her winds and landed softly on the blanket, then went to help up Terrence while speaking in a more stern tone.

“But be careful. If you run out of mana, magic will start to use your life energy. You’ll die if you overexert yourself.”

He nodded wearily. “A-alright…”

She smiled in a knowing manner. “Mana restores on its own over time. But…it is possible for someone to share their own with you.”

He looked at the Elf in confusion. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, mana can be shared through the exchange of bodily fluids. Like through kissing, or…”

The Human blushed as his mind momentarily wandered to romantic activities with Mai and Bjartbrandr, but he shook his head and snapped out of it.

“O-oh, I see…” He muttered.

Lorica laughed softly. “That said, such a way of exchange is mostly done between lovers, as part of their usual romantic routines. It’s a very intimate ritual, after all.”

After a moment of silence, she took on a more solemn expression before speaking again.

“Terrence, I’m sure you already know this…but please, take care of Mai. The love you have is a precious thing, and you shouldn’t take it for granted.”

He held a hand over his heart. “Yeah, I know. Mai means so much to me…I want to make sure she’s happy and safe. I want to support her through her problems, like she’s doing for me.”

Lorica smiled softly. “I believe in you. You really are a respectable man, Prince Terrence.”

“Well, I try to be, as best as I can.”

A thought occurred to the Prince, and he decided to voice it.

“Princess Lorica, do you have someone you love, back in Grindea?”

A shadow hid her eyes as she looked up at the night sky, and held a hand over her chest.

“...I have two people that I love.” She said quietly. “I could not commit to either of them. It was a triangle of strife…and there was a lot of pain.”

She turned around and walked past Terrence, heading for the palace entrance.

“That’s enough for tonight. Rest well, we have more training tomorrow.”

He slowly nodded, having an expression of concern. So she also loved two people…yet, it didn’t work out for her. Knowing that…made him worried about his own relationship with Mai and Bjartbrandr, and how they would all keep getting along as the days became more difficult.

Deciding it would be best to talk about it, he followed Lorica into the palace and headed for his room.

___________________________________

In Mea’s own royal bedroom, she and Mai were sitting on the bed. A cold silence hung between them, and Mai was struggling to find something to talk about.

Even their childhood together wasn’t exactly the best topic…They hadn’t shared many good memories, due to their circumstances. Wait, there was something…and it made Mai smile slightly.

“...Do you remember when we used to sneak away from the camp together, and look up at the stars?” She said tentatively. “We’d always wish for our situation to become better. For us to be loved like anyone else.”

Mea frowned and looked towards the window. “Yes, I recall that. Back then, we were clinging to a thread of hope. Nobody liked us, not even Grandmother. At best, we were tolerated because we still had royal blood.”

Mai sighed. “I gave up on that hope…and I left. I ended up leaving you behind…”

Mea shook her head. “No…I chose to stay. Unlike you, I didn’t want to give up on trying to earn the respect of our tribe.”

“And how did that turn out for you, in the end?”

“Ever since I inherited Lionheart, everyone has looked up to me. I’m recognized as a proper royal and Hero.”

Mea gave her sister a frustrated scowl, clenching the bedsheets and tearing them with her claws.

“That’s why…I’m so mad at you. If you had just stayed and kept trying, everything would have turned out better.”

“...And you wouldn’t have done it all alone.” Mai added sadly.

“I endured it all by myself, the ridicule and the distrust. Not only that, but…the nightmares too. But I overcame them all, and now I’m a proud Hero of Arum.”

Mea sighed and relaxed, then gave the other Cait Sith a more suspicious glare and spoke in a dark tone.

“Tell me…do you still have those nightmares? Is the darkness still haunting you?”

After a moment of hesitation, Mai slowly nodded. “Yes…and they’ve become worse recently.”

“And I guess your lover doesn’t know of it. Have you told him who you truly are?”

“He knows we’re sisters, and that I used to be a princess. But he still accepts me, just the way I am.”

Mea scoffed. “But he doesn’t know your true secret. The beast lurking in your heart is growing stronger, Mai. If you keep trying to run from it, you will lose yourself.”

Mai looked down and touched her heart. “...All I want is to live peacefully. I already know I can’t fight this darkness, so I just push it away.”

“So you refuse to confront your other half…I figured that was the case.”

The dark-haired sister gestured to the door, giving Mai a cold stare.

“I knew this would just be a waste of my time. If you want to keep going down the path of pain, not just for you but for that boy you love, then go ahead. You’re not getting help from me, so long as you continue to be a coward.”

Mai’s eyes widened in shock, and tears welled up in her eyes. Then wordlessly, she got off the bed and left the room.

Mea let out a tired sigh and looked to the window again, seeing the twinkling stars outside. Lionheart appeared beside the bed, giving his master a stern gaze.

“You were quite harsh.” He muttered.

“I know…” She murmured. “But it’s the truth. Nothing good will come of her refusal to confront herself.”

_______________________________

With Bjartbrandr and Naturia, the latter was braiding the former’s hair, while they traded stories amongst themselves.

“I still remember when Lionheart let those children climb on him!” Bjartbrandr said jovially. “For someone who looks so scary, he really has a soft spot for kids.”

Naturia giggled. “He’s a really good man at heart, even if he’s not the most approachable. Oh, do you recall when Symphonia participated in that Ladies Pageant?”

“Yes, her master at the time was not happy. But he ended up voting for her anyway! I can still recall her look of joy!”

Naturia moved back as she examined her handiwork, and nodded in satisfaction.

“Alright, it’s done. Take a look.”

Bjartbrandr hopped off the bed and went to the mirror, and did a twirl as she looked at how the braid shortened her hair to her shoulders.

“Oh, I like this!” She said happily. “You haven’t lost your touch!”

“I do Lady Lorica’s hair every day!” Naturia said proudly. “Thanks to her, I can keep my skills sharp!”

She fell silent for a moment as she took on a more solemn expression, looking deep in thought. Then she spoke again in a softer manner.

“I’m glad we get to keep our memories of each other. It’s much less lonely like this.”

Bjartbrandr looked back at her, smiling gently. “Mhm, I like to remember all of our times in the past, with every one of our friends.”

Her expression became more sullen as she returned her gaze to her reflection, and she reached out to it.

“Still…I’m sad that I can’t remember everything from my previous lives. Especially regarding my former wielders…I wonder, did I get along well with them, like I do with Prince Terrence?”

Naturia hesitated before nodding. “From what I can recall…yes. Your previous masters handled you with great care.”

Bjartbrandr smiled again. “I see…That makes me happy.”

She went to rejoin her fellow Treasure on the bed, and gently took her hands while looking happily into her eyes.

“Naturia, thank you. I may have said it before, but you truly are my best friend.”

Naturia blushed bright red. “O-of course, Bjartbrandr! Forgive me but…I truly love you, and want to see you safe and happy. Even though you don’t feel like I do…I’ll always fight for your sake.”

The Sword of Light laughed softly. “I truly am grateful for everything you do, my friend. But I do hope you can find someone else to love, and that they’ll reciprocate your affections.”

A minute later, there was a knock on the door, followed by Terrence’s voice.

“Is it alright to come in?”

“You may!” Bjartbrandr called out.

Naturia hopped off the bed. “I suppose I’ll take my leave. Bjartbrandr, good night, and see you tomorrow.”

As she passed by Terrence, she gave him a slight glare, which made him freeze in surprise. Before he could say anything, she was out of sight, and he decided to just forget it.

________________________________

Later that night, when Terrence, Bjartbrandr, and Mai were sitting on the bed, he brought up what had been on his mind.

“So…the three of us being together…Are you two comfortable with how we are?”

Mai hummed in thought, looking at Bjartbrandr. “It may have been sudden, how you just took a spot between us, but now I can’t imagine life without you there. You’re an important part of our family, Bjartbrandr.”

The divine girl smiled softly. “Thank you, Lady Mai. It truly feels right to be here, between you and Master Terrence. I love him, and I love you. This family we have is important to me.”

Terrence nodded solemnly. “The two of you are more precious to me than anything else, and I want to be sure we’re all in this together. Whatever problems we have, I want us to talk about them. I couldn’t forgive myself if you two were hurt because of my ignorance.”

Mai took his hand, looking worried. “What makes you say that?”

“Earlier with Lorica, she told me how she also loved two people, but it didn’t work out for her. From what she said, there was a lot of pain involved…so I wanted to be sure things were alright with us.”

“I see…To be honest, I’m also afraid of hurting you both.”

As her lovers gave her confused looks, she guiltily looked down at her lap.

“I’m just…afraid that I’ll mess up somehow, and the both of you will suffer for it. You two are so important to me, and…I’d hate myself if my mistakes hurt you.”

After looking back and forth, Bjartbrandr placed her own hand over theirs and gave them a warm smile.

“It’ll all be okay.” She said kindly. “So long as we continue to trust each other like this, we can share each other’s burdens and work through them together.”

Terrence smiled back and nodded. “You’re right…I love you two, and that’s why I felt like I should talk about this. Let’s keep sharing our burdens, alright?”

After a little hesitation, Mai returned the looks. “Yeah…Whatever happens, I want to keep talking with you, just like now. I…I love you both.”

The three of them came in for a group hug, sharing each other’s warmths for a moment. Then Bjartbrandr gave her master a sweet kiss…then surprised Mai with a deeper one and gently pushed her down.

“W-what are you doing?” The Cait Sith said with a heavy blush.

Bjartbrandr giggled. “To be honest, I’ve been holding back with you this whole time. But knowing you feel the same way as me…I can’t resist anymore.”

“I-I see…”

After thinking for a moment, Mai smiled in a very bashful manner, with her ears and tail flicking about.

“Then…do as you wish. Terrence, you’ll be joining us, right?”

As both girls gave him expectant looks, Terrence chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. This was going to be a long night…

_________________________________

For the second time, after so long, Terrence dreamed about the young lady named Hart.

This time, she was in a trainee’s tunic and wielding a wooden sword. She was crossing blades with a dark-skinned female knight, who was of a similar age and had a ponytail of red hair.

“Pathetic!” The redhead spat.

With little effort, she deflected Hart’s rather weak strike and sent her falling back. The honey-haired girl gasped as her butt hit the floor, but she kept a determined face and got back on her feet.

“I’m not giving up that easily!” She declared.

Again and again, she went on the attack, only to be met with a seemingly unstoppable force. The redhead just had more strength and skill, and was barely even moving from her initial spot.

Terrence watched Hart with a sympathetic look, having been going through similar situations. It wasn’t easy, training with people so much better than you…To keep pushing to reach those heights required a lot of willpower.

“Do you really think you’re worthy of Prince Henry’s hand!?” Aria shouted with more venom.

“I don’t!” Hart retorted. “But I’m going to make myself worthy, no matter what!”

She made a low swing at Aria’s left leg, only for her sword to be kicked away. As she stumbled back, Aria knocked her aside with a blunt strike to the cheek.

“Just face it! You’re too weak! Too fragile! You’ll only get yourself killed, along with the Prince! Just give up and go home!”

Hart shivered on the floor. “I…will not…give up!”

She shakily got back on her feet, and glared at the dark-skinned woman, who returned the look and readied her wooden blade again.

“You truly love him, don’t you?” Aria muttered.

“I do, and that’s why I’ll keep fighting. I’ll become strong enough to stay by his side.”

“Hmph, how admirable. But you’re not the only one who loves him…and unlike you, I am strong!”

They both let out battlecries as they lunged toward each other and swung in unison. Their wooden blades clacked hard, and they stared with great intensity as they pushed against each other.

But after a handful of seconds, Aria overpowered the weaker girl and pushed her down. Hart panted heavily as she collapsed, completely exhausted.

Aria huffed as she sheathed her training sword, and gave the other girl a contemplative look.

“...I understand how you feel, Hart.” She said solemnly. “I, too, have dedicated myself for his sake. It’s a path full of pain, and I’ve been walking it since I was eight years old. To be honest…I’m envious of how quickly Prince Henry took a liking to you.”

She knelt down and helped Hart onto her feet, keeping a hold on her so she wouldn’t fall back down. The battered and bruised girl gave her senior a tired smile.

“You…love him too.” She murmured. “You’ve loved him for far longer than I have…I’m sorry that I got in your way.”

Aria shook her head. “Don’t be, it’s what his heart wants, after all. But I can’t help but be worried about his life, and whether you can truly protect it.”

“Then…help me become strong, so I can protect him. It’s what we both want, right?”

“...Yes, you’re right. Hart, I’m sorry…for taking my anger out on you.”

Hart laughed softly. “It’s okay…I probably would have done the same.”

After a moment of silence, she spoke again in a more bashful manner.

“Hey…why don’t you tell Prince Henry how you feel? Maybe we can both have him, if he’d be comfortable with that.”

Aria gave her a surprised look. “I mean, it’s not like it wouldn’t be allowed…but would it even work? Assuming he loves us both…it’s not like we feel the same way with each other.”

Hart giggled, blushing a little. “Well…want to try, at least?”

Aria’s dark cheeks reddened as well, but she nodded slowly. The girls brought their lips close, then shared a tentative kiss. After a moment of keeping still, they deepened their sign of affection.

Terrence turned a little red and turned his head away, then thought about all that he had seen. Aria…Prince Henry III’s personal knight, who became his wife after the First Dark War. Hart had been involved with them both…Yet, there was no record of a second wife.

What had happened to her? And more importantly…why was Terrence dreaming of her?