It was a quiet evening as the sun set over the hills of Queensdale, a cool breeze rustling the leaves overhead. Two figures sat upon a grassy knoll over-looking the farmland below, casually perched. One figure was clad in dark armor, dark tresses pulled into a ponytail and her sword laid out by her side. Every so often, her gaze would flicker over to observe her companion, a vibrant young woman in opposite attire of frill and pastel hues. Her loose golden curls swayed in the breeze before her hand tucked the strands behind an ear.
"Arlay?" Mina broke the silence and was met with a quiet grunt of acknowledgement. "Have you ever been in love?"
Another stretch of silence followed as Arlay turned the question over in her mind. A weighty question. She exhaled, "Yes."
A smile quirked on Mina's lips, "Do you still love them?"
"Yes."
Mina flopped back onto the grass, staring up at the mixture of orange and yellow hues fading into inky depths. Her hands tucked behind her head comfortably as she laid there. What came next caused the girl to quirk a brow.
"And what of yourself, Mina? Have you ever been love?" Slight amusement teased in Arlay's tone.
A faint flush dusted Mina's cheeks, "I...don't really know?" Her lips pursed in slight frustration as Arlay made an unconvinced noise. "Well, I mean... I've felt my heart hammer in my chest before, accompanied by butterflies in my stomach. I kinda felt like being sick honestly. But, I'd see them and just get this rush..." Her words trailed off.
"And?"
"I never did much about it...regrettably."
"Regrettably? Hnn. Why not?" The older woman pressed, genuinely curious.
"I got so pulled into my studies, which took me...away. You know that."
"You're just not one to let things go so easily."
Mina felt her stomach drop a little, "Chasing crushes wasn't going to help my friends." Now some of that regret was inching it's way in.
It was Arlay's turn to feel that pang of guilt, "Mina, you can always have time for that. You're young. Don't marry yourself to the duty and honor of a warrior."
"It's funny how some things turn out. If you had asked me a few years ago, I would never dreamed of going down this path. For so long I thought I would've settled down with someone from the city by now, maybe work in a bakery and have a family. Things change." Stars began to peek through overhead as sun sank down behind the hills.
"That can still happen yet."
Biting on her bottom lip, Mina shrugged. "Maybe." She closed her eyes, "I won't rule it out."
A rare chuckle escaped Arlay, nearly startling Mina. Perhaps she was rubbing off on the mesmer a bit too much.
