Living alone was harshâ Lucina knew all about that, though it only began later on during her childhood. Understandably, it seemed the subject had flustered Nina quite a bit. Thinking back to when they first met over the speed dating eventâŠ
Struggling to find apt words, only an apology comes out at first. âIâm sorry, Nina.â
Looking to her left side and finding her beloved Falchion, she takes it out of its scabbard. The light coming through the trees made its golden and argent hues ever more beautiful. What a blessed gift she had received. To this day, though, it often dredged up bad memories.
âFor what itâs worth, I think you became a fine archer. Your hard work paid off.â
Maybe Nina came here often, since this place looked awfully like an armyâs training grounds. A lot of dummies were spread around the clearing, and Lucina thought to clear her mind with some physical activity.
Readying her sword to face a wooden dummy, she spoke in a more hushed toneâ one of sadness, anger, frustration. Perhaps it was more to herself than anyone else.
âBut as much as you fight against it, the past is impossible to change. You can only hope to make the future a better place.â
And with a single slice, she cut off one of the dummyâs arms. Falchion never lost its sharp edge, even after all of these years. After all of itsâŠusage.
âHuh?â Â What in the name of the gods was Lucina apologizing for? Â âItâs not your fault my father chose to prioritize other things over seeing his own child.â
Turning her gaze towards the other girl just as she sliced clean through one of the dummies, as if for a moment it felt like Nina couldnât look away. Â There was something almost lonely about the way Lucina held her sword-- and something peculiar about the blade itself, although Nina was no swordsmaster, so her knowledge on the subject left much to be desired.
Hesitating a bit, Nina had the feeling Lucinaâs worldly experience far outweighed her own, but could also already hear the voices of her friends at home joking about her being left with no quick comeback for once. Â âIâve long since stopped fighting against it. Â It doesnât take a lot to take the hint when everyone elseâs parents visited all the time, but for some reason your own father never would.â
Clenching her bow harder than necessary, âEven the lord he served and his fellow retainer acknowledged and questioned his refusal to see me, so it wasnât as if he had other duties.âÂ
Pausing once more, Nina realized her words werenât exactly matching up.. Yes, she had stopped moping about her father or want to change him, but that didnât necessarily mean she also stopped being mad about it. Oh, how the thought made her want to poke him in his good eye, if she had to see him at all.
âAnyways... Sorry for just sort of... all of that,â gesturing a little, âIâve been told itâs rude of me to talk about my own father like the scum he is..â