Later that night, in the Chantry bathhouse…

It's just Anna and me again. We stayed for dessert at the Vineyard, and because of that, we missed evening prayers. Oh well!

We’re washing up side by side, as is usual and proper. Perfumed soap and warm water, amid our steamy surroundings. It’s nice to have this place all to ourselves – I can take my time with my hair, washing it carefully, lending a careful hand to each twist. Usually, when the bathhouse is full, I have to do it quickly to be on time for dinner and evening prayers.

“Umm… Arisa?”

I look at Anna, smiling good-naturedly at the demureness of her smile. She’s got a hand on her cheek, and eyes on my hair. I think she’s been staring at these fancy locks of mine for a while – I caught her stealing glances ever since we got in here, and every now and then… every day! Honestly, I don’t mind it too much.

“May I, umm… touch it? Your hair… those twisting curls of yours…”

“Hmm… I don’t see why not!” I exclaim with a sly, cheeky smile, tilting my head slightly forward to offer the left side of my oh-so-fancy hairdo while I continue working on my right. “For all the badassery you’ve shown on the field of battle thus far… you’ve more than earned your right to do so!”

“Yay!”

Hesitantly, Anna extends a hand towards my hair. Slowly, with bated breath, she gently places a hand on it, pressing down and feeling its wetness and softness on her palm while she runs her fingers through my hair.

“Oh my! It’s so soft, Arisa! I really, really like it!”

“Thanks!” I exclaim happily as Anna smiles at me. “I’ve been using that alchemic conditioner you told me about, ever since our first bath here! That stuff’s amazing!”

“I see! Umm… has your hair always been this soft?”

“Yup, always has been. I just don’t have the usual stuff I use for my hair routine back in my world. But the stuff I’ve been using here works just fine. Evidently so, from your feedback!”

“Good to know, Arisa! And umm… may I…?”

I smile and nod knowingly, adjusting my stool to be closer to hers. I know what she’s asking, and she does the same, shifting her stool a little closer too. She reaches for the right side of my hair with both hands, washing it curl by curl while I continue working on my left. And as we do that together… we steal glances at each other, smiles abound.

It’s… quite the feeling, I’ll admit. But amid those smiles, as she works on my hair… I notice that she’s looking me over from head to toe, noticing the scars on my arms. And because she does, so do I.

“Had a few run-ins with some bad folks back in my world,” I explain sheepishly as I run a hand over the wet slickness of my right arm, feeling the roughness of old scars while Anna’s gaze conveys her concern. “Knives, y’know?”

“Arisa…”

“It’s all in the past. Don’t worry – I gave as good as I got! Now, these just remind me that I got off lucky. I mean, look at this pretty face that’s still intact!” I add boisterously, tapping my cheek playfully. “Friends back home like to say I’ve got the devil’s luck. Sometimes.”

“Rinnah has blessed you,” Anna says with a warm smile. “Never forget that!”

“Yeah. I count my blessings every day.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

We look each other in the eye. Truly, Anna… being with you every day is a blessing. Being with you again after what happened in Arcadia, doubly so! It's just one of many in my life, perhaps, but I treasure it more than anything else. And I always will!

“But umm… as a Healer of your calibre…” Anna adds nervously, hand upon her cheek and eyes upon my scars anew while her other hand remains on my hair. “Have you ever used Heal to… umm… you know…?”

“Yeah. Didn’t work, though,” I answer with a slight frown, my gaze focusing on Anna’s scar, its mark a slash right through the prettiness of her left eye. “I’m guessing you tried to do the same for yours?”

With great dismay in her eyes, Anna nods. It’s a limitation of the Heal spell, unfortunately. Flesh, bones and blood can be restored with Heal, but sometimes, scars remain. Scars from the ones that really cut deep into us, deeper than a mere injury. As a reminder and a lesson, maybe. It is what it is, I suppose.

“I asked Mom why it didn’t work… and she said that scars are memories of our past that Rinnah wants us to remember and cherish everything – the good, the bad, and umm… everything in-between!”

“Damn straight! Lady Iris told me something similar, back in my timeline. And besides…”

“Hmm?”

“Scars are sexy and badass!” I exclaim with great gusto, winking cheekily. “In the right places, of course. Y’know… like on one’s eye, for example!”

“Oh! Really now…” Anna exclaims, hand upon her cheek pressing down hard as her face turns red like roses, filled with dreams. “But umm… you’re right! I do endeavour to be a badass…”

“Like me?”

“Yes. Just like you, Arisa!”

“Oho!” I answer jovially, smiling as Anna smiles sweetly and earnestly at me. “I aim to please.”

We continue washing my hair. We’re almost done! My hair’s gotten plenty of love and care tonight. Soon enough, we’d get up and go for our towels. But it’s so nice, sitting here amid all the steam and soap and water. So damn warm and cosy, when it’s just the two of us. Oh well! If only every night was like this. One can dream!

“Umm… Arisa?” Anna asks shyly. “I’ve been meaning to ask, now that it comes to mind…”

“Sure. Ask away.”

“Were we always this close, back in your timeline? What were we like when we first met, Arisa? Were we also… like this?”

“Well…”

I stare off into the distance, into the shifting, colourless hot steam enveloping the room. I know what she’s asking, and I remember how we were in the previous timeline, at this same point in time. And I gotta say it! But even then, I find myself engaging in a short while of token resistance to play a little hard to get as I fill my pail to the brim with water, dousing myself with its warmth. Because, y’know… anything to stall for a little more time!

“Arisa?”

“I was a bit of an asshole when we first met, in the previous timeline,” I say ruefully as I stare into the cloudiness of the mirror before me. “When I was first summoned here in that previous timeline of mine… I was pretty stressed. Impatient to all hell and back.”

“Huh!? Why!? Umm… I just hope I didn’t make you angry!” Anna exclaims, before shying away meekly. “I’m sorry if I umm… you know…”

Quietly, I stare into the mirror. Cloaked in mist, I can barely see my own reflection, the image of my face marred in splotches of condensed steam.

“For the first time ever, not being in control of my situation, getting things done the way I want them to be done. It was hard, getting used to this world.”

“But you did, right?”

“Yeah,” I answer as I smile at Anna. “Thanks to you and Lady Iris.”

“Arisa…”

Her eyes are green like emeralds set in diamonds. Green like elysian fields. Damn. I’m waxing poetic again.

“Is that why you’re so good to me, Arisa?” Anna asks quietly. “Because of the past?”

“Because of our past, present, and future. Timelines be damned,” I answer warmly, taking her hands into mine. “Because I cherish us, now and forever… I’ll always be good to you.”

“Oh! Really now! That’s so… mushy!” Anna exclaims, her eyes on me as her soap falls to the floor, hand upon her cheek. “To hear something like that… umm… it really feels…”

“Good?”

“Yes, actually. It does!”

“Feeling good’s good enough.”

“Umm… if it helps any… I’ll always be good to you too, Arisa!” Anna declares bravely, puffing up her chest. “As long as I’m your Paladin, I’ll make sure of it!”

“Awesome.”

“But umm… I do have one caveat…”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t curse so much if you can help it!”

“Oh, c’mon!” I exclaim in mock exasperation, hamming it up as Anna laughs merrily. “I’m hurt! To think I’ve been a proper lady showing nothing but goddamn restraint every fucking day and every fucking night…”

I don’t finish this sentence either, because I can barely contain my own laughter! I suppose I’ve been a little foul-mouthed, to say the least of it. It’s definitely unbecoming of a Student Council President. Sometimes, I do wonder how I got the job. Maybe it’s the hairdo. Fuck if I know.

“But will you?” Anna asks sweetly. “Pretty please?”

“I’ll do my best!” I answer, smiling sincerely. “For you and only you, I’ll try!”