Later that night, in the Chantry bathhouse…

It’s just Anna and me in here, once again. We stayed for dessert… which meant missing evening prayers. Oh well!

We’re washing up side by side, as usual and proper. Perfumed soap and warm water swirl around us in the steamy bathhouse. Having the place all to ourselves is a luxury – I can take my time with my hair… carefully working through each twist. Usually, when it’s crowded, I gotta rush to make it to dinner and prayers.

“Umm… Arisa?”

I glance at Anna, amused by the shy smile she wears. Her hand rests on her cheek, her gaze fixed on my hair. She’s been stealing glances at it for a while now, not just today. Every day, really. Honestly, I don’t mind it at all.

“May I… umm… touch them? Your hair… those lovely curls…”

“Hmm… I don’t see why not!” I reply with a sly grin, tilting my head slightly to offer the left side of my oh-so-fancy hairdo while continuing to work on the right. “In recognition of the badassery you’ve shown on the battlefield thus far… you’ve more than earned the privilege.”

“Yay!”

Carefully, Anna extends a hand, her fingers trembling slightly as they near my hair. Slowly, she presses her palm against it, running her fingers through the damp curls.

“Oh my…”

“Heh. You like ‘em?”

“I do!” Anna exclaims, her eyes lighting up with delight. “It’s incredibly soft…”

“Thanks!” I answer, beaming from ear to ear at her enthusiasm. “I’ve been using that alchemic conditioner you recommended. That stuff’s amazing!”

“But, umm… has your hair always been this silky?”

“Yup, always has been. Back in my world, I had a full routine to keep it like this. It’s not easy maintaining it in Nisha… but I do my best with what I’ve got! Evidently, I’m succeeding… based on your glowing review!”

Anna giggles. “Good to know! Umm… may I…?”

I shift my stool closer. She does the same, her hands reaching for the other side of my hair. Gently, she washes each curl while I continue working on the rest. Amid the lather and steam… we exchange glances and smiles. And I gotta say, this feels… nice.

But as her hands move through my hair… I catch her gaze lingering on the scars along my arms. Her concern mirrors back to me… and I’m looking at them too.

“Ran into some bad folks back in my world,” I explain, brushing my fingertips over the roughness of an old scar. “Knives, y’know? Nasty little things.”

“Arisa…”

“It’s all in the past,” I say lightly, waving off her worry. “I gave as good as I got! And hey, look at this pretty face – still intact! My friends back home say I’ve got the devil’s luck.”

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“Rinnah has blessed you,” Anna says softly, her smile warm. “Never forget that.”

“Yup. For sure.”

Our eyes meet, and my heart swells with warmth. Truly, Anna… being with you every day is a blessing. After everything in Arcadia, these moments between us feel even more precious than they’ve ever been. I don’t think I ever felt this way in the previous timeline… but perhaps it takes losing someone – what feels like losing them forever – to understand how much they mean to you… in your heart of hearts.

“Oh! But as a Healer of your calibre…” Anna ventures nervously, her fingers pausing in my hair. “Have you ever tried to umm… you know… Heal your scars away?”

“Yeah, but it didn’t work,” I say, my gaze falling to the scar cutting through her left eye. “I’m guessing you tried to do the same for yours?”

Anna nods, her expression wistful. It’s a limitation of the Heal spell – flesh, bone, and blood can be mended, but sometimes… scars remain. It’s usually the ones that cut deeper than mere bodily harm. Maybe they’re lessons or reminders. It is what it is.

“Mom said scars are memories of our past,” Anna murmurs. “She said Rinnah wants us to remember and cherish everything – the good, the bad… and everything in between.”

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

“Hmm?”

“Scars are sexy and badass!” I declare with a wink. “In the right places, of course. Like… on an eye, for example!”

Anna’s cheeks flush crimson as she presses her hand to her face. “Oh! Really now… But you’re right. I do aspire to be a badass.”

“Like me?”

“Yes. Just like you, Arisa.”

“Oho!” I tease, grinning as her sweet, earnest smile fills me with warmth. “High praise indeed.”

We return to washing my hair, our laughter mingling with the steam. Soon, it’ll be time to grab towels and leave. But for now, I’m savouring the cosy warmth of this moment. Man, if only every evening could be like this!

“Umm… Arisa?” Anna asks shyly. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Go ahead.”

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

I pause, staring into the hazy steam enveloping the room. I know what she’s asking, and I remember. How we were back then… it’s worth telling. But still, I delay… filling a pail with warm water and dousing myself to buy a little time to gather my thoughts.

“Arisa?”

“I was a bit of a bitch when we first met,” I admit, my reflection blurred in the misty mirror. “In that timeline, when I was summoned here… I was stressed. Impatient. Not exactly the charming specimen you see before you!”

“Why?” Anna asks, wide-eyed. “I can’t imagine why you’d be… stressed.”

“I kept thinking about things back home,” I say, my tone soft. “I left so much behind – my duties, my friends, my family… and I worried about them all day long…”

“Do you still worry about those things?”

“I do. But I got better,” I say, smiling at her. “Thanks to you and Lady Iris, I got used to life on Nisha. I’d still like to go home… but this place ain’t so bad either.”

“Arisa…”

Her emerald-green eyes shine, and I find myself waxing poetic again. Heh.

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

“Because of our past, present, and future… timelines be damned,” I reply, taking her hands in mine. “I cherish us. Now and forever.”

“Oh! That’s so… mushy!” Anna exclaims, her soap slipping from her grasp as her cheeks redden. “But… it does feel…”

“Good?”

“Yes,” Anna admits with a bashful smile. “It does.”

“Feeling good’s good enough.”

“If it helps, I’ll always be good to you too!” Anna declares, puffing her chest out. “As long as I’m your Paladin, I’ll make sure of it.”

“See to it that you do!”

“But umm… on one condition. Just the one!”

“Yeah?”

“You have to try to behave more like a proper lady! Like Mom!”

“Oh, c’mon!” I protest dramatically as Anna bursts into laughter. “I’m hurt! To think I’ve been a proper lady showing nothing but impeccable restraint every fucking day and every fucking night…”

My words trail off as laughter overtakes me. It’s true – I can be a bit foul-mouthed! It’s not exactly presidential behaviour befitting a Student Council President. Sometimes, I wonder how I got the job. Maybe it’s this fancy hairdo? Fuck if I know.

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

“For you, Anna…” I say sincerely. “I’ll try.”