Fitting In

The sea breeze from Beinost's harbor kept the streets cool and welcoming. While not as popular as Etheria Port or Scara Brae in terms of merchant fare, the Necromancer-built city still trafficked its fair deal of business. Much of which either consisted of less than legal activity or high quality wares that catered to the city's ominous yet unparalleled beauty. It fit her, Alyssa Snow, a woman created by crack science under malicious pretenses and forever cursed with hideous deformity.

The young blond tilted her head to the cloud-covered sun. She pulled the brim of her straw sunhat just low enough to shield her crystaline eyes from the harsh light. The soft seabreeze danced in her long sundress as it fluttered against her ankles. In her hands she held a basket filled with all manners of market fare: crisp bread, bright red apples, paper-wrapped meats, and bundles of leafy greens. Alyssa smiled and breathed in deeply.

She felt... normal.

"Howdy, Miss Snow!" Greeted one of her more recent friends, Collin Krasswick, a half-elf carpenter by day.

"Hi, Collin! How're you today?" She greeted in return. The brunette gentlemen weaved his way through the few passersby on the streets. He stood taller than her by a head with broad but lean shoulders. His linen tunic and sifan apron were peppered with wood shavings and sawdust. Sun glistened off beads of sweat on his forehead as he caught his breath and adjusted his glasses.

"I'm well, thank you! Can I help you with your groceries?" He gestured calloused, but elegant hands toward her basket of goods. Alyssa half bowed, gently keeping it from his reach.

"No thank you, I can manage." Collin nodded. "Aren't you working today?"

"No, well, yeah. I mean, we have a few orders but production is slow until we get more redwood from the Reclaimed Forest. Demand has really spiked since they got rid of Pode."

Alyssa's smile faltered at the name and she turned away. A moment of silence wedged between the two, filled with the ambiance of Beinost's Main Street. Collin dawned upon his words for a moment, recalling Alyssa's involvement in the affair. His verdant eyes widened and he staggered back with hands held up.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Sorry..." he apologized with tone drifting lazily into obscurity.

"No no," responded Alyssa as she offered a feigned smile of comfort. "It's okay. It's a thing of the past."

"I-I know. I know you don't like talking about it."

"It's fine, Collin. It's the world now. Everyone is talking about it."

Another wind of silence wafted between the two, rustling short, brown curls and dancing in long, blonde waves.

"Tell you what, Collin," Alyssa began. "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight? I know you always frequent that pub down on fifth. I'll make you something fresh and we can catch up."

The proposal shocked him like a splinter to the finger. His mouth opened but the words failed to spill out.

"I, uh..." he stammered while attempting to straighten his apron and dust off the debris. It afforded him enough time to collect his thoughts. "S-sure, Ms. Snow. I'd appreciate that."

"Alyssa," she corrected with a smile and helped to pick off a shaving from his hair. "I'll see you tonight then."

They shared a warm smile to one another. Collin nodded.

"Now go, I'm sure there's something you can work on in the shop." The young girl shooed him with a wave toward his little place of business, Knots & Knurls. Collin chuckled softly, rosen in the cheeks.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, catching himself mid-error. "Alyssa..."

Then, he disappeared into the darkness of his workshop. The petite blonde shook her head and continued down the streets. She weaved past the elegant structures of elvish and dark magic origin. Iridescent onyx shimmered as if coated in opalescent gems and archways twisted and turned to elegant yet haunting filigree. The residential district, while much less grandiose compared to Main Street, still boasted hints and accents of Beinost's unique history.

Somewhere a few doors past Aeriendale Street and Terrabella Way, Alyssa stepped onto the patio of a small residence. With a key produced from a hidden pocket in her dress, she unlocked the door to her humble home. The girl halted with the door wedged partially ajar. Her eyes listed to the harbor where the Althanian sun crested along the blue horizon. Out there, across the sea, her memories sailed to another land. A face that pained her expression - one she longed to see again, but resolved she knowingly would have to avoid.

For if she did see him again, the reaper's bell would toll and one of them would walk across the veil.

A sigh wrested her drifting thoughts back to her humble abode. Inside, a room spanned open, decorated with several chairs and a love seat around an elegant coffee table. Carved from redwood and centering four glass panes along its length, the work of art boasted some of Collin's best work. Alyssa walked past more of the carpenter's handmade items, hand running along the back of the natural edged chairs. She entered an archway to a humble kitchen and set her basket upon the iron stove. Along the beams above her dangled several dried herbs, salted meats, and baskets.

Alyssa removed her sun hat and from it, a waterfall of golden hair spilled down her back. The young girl hung it on a hook among various pots and pans behind the stove.

"Let's see," she mused, finger placed on her lip.

She pulled a knife from the rack on a counter and set to work on the night's meal. Wood burst into flames, locked within the stove's chamber. The advanced aquifers brought water into most of the homes, allowing Alyssa to fill a pot and bring it to boil. Steel cut through meat with finesse, trimming the less than desirable imperfections. With twine, she wrapped the cut, tucking herbs and spices beneath the cord. Set aside, he cleaned and cubed several vegetables and arranged them all in a deep pan. After another peppering of choice spices, she laid the meat on top and set the entree to cook inside the stove.

With a smile, Alyssa began to dress the table. She left the kitchen and went up the stairs to her room. From a chest at the foot of her bed, she removed a thin, lacy sheet. After returning to the dining area, she placed the sheet atop a small table, seating no more than two. Her hands smoothed it flat, ready for the china she acquired from a potter off 2nd Avenue. Standing back, Alyssa reviewed her placement. Her lips stretched askew, something was missing.

Her brows raised as the idea struck her. Past the dining table, the young blonde parted silken curtains. Outside the ledge of the window hung an array of flowers native to the region. Alyssa opened the window and with a small pair of sheers still wedged in the soil, she trimmed a few lovely blossoms from the stems. After closing the window and setting the curtains aside their hooks, she eyed a large crystal bowl from atop her china cabinet. Too high for her thin frame, Alyssa forced herself to her toes. With much effort, she edged the bowl toward her. It nearly toppled to the ground as it tipped over the edge, stopped from a tragic demise with an arm clutching it against her chest.

"Close one," she sighed.

She set the bowl in the center of the table and filled it an inch from the edge with water. Then, carefully, she placed the blossoms on the water's surface where they floated delicately about.

"Perfect," she commented through smiling lips.

Savory aromas from her handiwork filled the air. In it, she picked out the faint, sharp notes of char. Alyssa pulled a thick, sifan cloth from the stove's handle and opened it. Heat billowed out, forcing her to turn away for a moment. When she looked inside, the roast and vegetables had cooked to perfection. The edges of the potatoes and carrots browned slightly with juices dripping along the meat's surface. The young home-maker removed the pan from the oven and set it aside on the counter just as a knock sounded on her door.

"Coming~!" she chimed.

When Alyssa opened the door, Collin stood in a fine, button-down vest and clean, pressed slacks.

"Evening, Alyssa," he greeted, running his fingers nervously through brushed and cleaned hair.

"Come in." The young blonde stepped aside, her cheeks slightly rosen at his efforts. "You look good, Collin."

"Thank you." The half-elf entered and looked about as she closed the door behind him. "Nice place." His eyes fell on his handiwork at the center of the room and he pointed. "Hey, isn't that--"

"Yes," Alyssa interrupted. "One of your redwood pieces. I bought it from you the day you placed it on display. Do you remember?"

Collin's face flushed red.

"I remember," he replied, turning to her with a sheepish smile. "That's the first day we met."

"Good memory!" she teased.

"You came in, looked like after a long trip at sea."

Alyssa grew quiet and sullen.

"But I'd be damned if you didn't brighten the room." Collin laughed. "You remember what I said?"

Alyssa feigned a smile and nodded. "'When did Beinost start trafficking sirens?'" The words left her lips in her best impression of the Raieran half-elf. It forced a giggle from her despite the topic at hand.

Collin laughed nervously and cupped his hand over his face for a moment. "What a silly thing to say..."

"It really was," Alyssa admitted. "But you know what?"

Collin let his hand all fall to reveal a curious expression.

"I think because of that, I smiled for the first time in what felt like months."

"I remember that smile. Couldn't forget it."

An air of silence filled the room, punctuated with awkward eye contact that broke with Collin's words.

"You were just looking to get out of the rain. I helped you to a cup of hot tea. We got to talking."

"I told you I wasn't from around here. I was far from home. You asked me where from..."

"And that's when I found out who you were."

Alyssa nodded. She took a deep breath of nostalgia and turned it into a long drawn sigh.

"Let's get some dinner in you," she commented to break the subject. The young blonde made for the kitchen and Collin followed suite.

"Smells good," he added to break the silence.

"Thanks." Alyssa gestured to the table for him to take a seat. As he did, she brought the roast to the table and set it to the side of the centerpiece.

"You've purchased a lot of pieces from me since then," Collin continued. "Why is that?"

Alyssa froze at the question. Her mind hung on the real reason. The redwood reminded her of the Tarot, of Vincent, Tobias, Rayleigh, Stella and the others. Those people she had avoided for all these months and for what?

"Alyssa?"

"Sorry." The girl shook her head and lifted a knife to cut the roast. "They're very well made, Collin. Everyone loves your work."

The half-elf's expression clearly showed concern, but he couldn't muster the courage to call her bluff. "Yeah, I guess you have a point..."

"Besides, after I bought your coffee table, I needed a place to put it didn't I?" She placed a generous portion of meat on his plate and spooned the roast vegetables beside it.

"Yeah," he laughed. "I asked where you wanted it delivered and you said you didn't have a place yet."

"Mhmm." Alyssa spooned some drippings over his plate before she tended to her own. "You offered then and there to show me a place you knew was for sale. Since I didn't have an umbrella, you closed your shop just to help me out."

"It was a slow day," Collin corrected, hiding the more honest reason.

"Sure it was~" she chimed with a giggle.

"We caught the old lady just as she was packing to leave." Collin tried to continue the story to spare his dignity. He picked up his fork and knife before plucking a roast carrot from his plate.

"Yup." Alyssa finished serving herself and took a seat across from him. "Thankfully, she gave me a deal."

"What did you give her anyway? I've never seen something like that." Collin placed the food in his mouth. "Mmm, delicious!"

"Thanks! It was a quick meal, I didn't have much." She too took a bite, but reacted far less grateful. To her, this was typical fare.

"This is hands over fists better than the pub's." Collin moved for the roast and similarly protested to its quality. Alyssa couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"You really don't cook for yourself much, do you?" she asked.

"No, not really. I might be able to work the beauty from grains of wood, but a kitchen is foreign to me."

Alyssa shook her head.

"You're a mess," she chastised with a smile. His cheeks grew red in response. "But if you can afford it, why not?"

"Yeah." Collin cut another strip of meat from his plate. "But really, what was that? She practically gave you a house for it. I remember you only had a couple hundred gold and that..."

Alyssa finished chewing before she replied. "Unrefined Magicyte," came the reply. Collin quirked a brow. "It's not common in the markets, but I just so happened to have some from..."

Her voice trailed off. She couldn't necessarily tell him about the Tarot or the experimental facility in Alerar. She silently cursed herself for blatantly telling him about Magicyte. As far as most people knew, she could have told him it was raw sapphire. Still, raw sapphire wouldn't have afforded the home they now sat in and enjoyed a meal. She shook her head.

"From one of the sailors on the boat I came in on," she finished. Collin looked at her suspiciously, but again denied his curiosity out of respect. "They gave it to me for helping to protect their boat from a sea creature."

"Y'know," Collin began. "If I didn't know you from hearing your name in the streets, I would question a girl like you fighting monsters. Then again, I still find it hard to believe."

Alyssa smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

The evening dragged into night as the two continued to regale tales of their friendship. After dinner, Alyssa and Collin moved to the living room where she offered him a drink. Together, they shared a bottle of Raiaeran wine, and the night went on. The space between them closed after each glass, and stories elicited more and more laughter.

"Stop! Stop!" Alyssa begged, holding her stomach with one arm and desperately trying not to spill the wine from her glass in the other. She struggled to breathe between the laughter. "I can't!"

Collin chucked, took a final swig from his glass, and set it down atop the table.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized as Alyssa caught her breath. "You hear a lot of good stories at the pub. I have more if you like."

"No! No! Please!" The blond begged, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes. Her laughter simmered down, face red from either the wine or good company. She brought the glass to her lips, drained it, and set the empty stemware beside his with a clink.

"Thanks for inviting me over," Collin added. It caught Alyssa somewhat off guard by his tone. He sounded quieter and more sincere.

"No problem," she replied. "It's better than Farraday's 'Harbor Surprise', right?" She giggled at the name, recalling one of Collin's whimsical bar stories.

"I really enjoy spending time with you," Collin added, unphased by the inside reference. He placed his hand on her thigh which caught her gaze.

"Collin?" Alyssa moved her crystalline eyes to match his. He looked upon her with those vibrant, green hues and she felt her chest grow heavy.

"Alyssa, I've wanted to tell you this for some time now." Collin removed his glasses, for what reason, Alyssa could only assume. He placed them on the table beside their glasses and took up her hand in his.

"Collin, w-what are you doing?" she stammered. The room began to spin, and her heart beat loudly.

"Ever since we met, I felt it. Since then, it's gotten stronger and now I'm sure of it." Collin drew closer to her. She could feel the warmth of his hands on hers and felt her breath quicken.

"I love you, Alyssa."

Collin leaned in and their lips pressed into one another. Alyssa's eyes fluttered in surprise and then closed. She felt his hand run along her neck and through her hair to pull her closer. A warmth filled her body, a comfort that she both desperately yearned for but didn't know she needed. Her arms found themselves around Collin and their kiss deepened. She felt his lips part and his tongue pressed against hers. It felt odd, her first kiss, but it also felt good. She matched his actions, returning it equally. She felt her body grow warm, almost uncomfortably so, but at the same time she didn't want to stop. Alyssa felt Tobias' hand run underneath the falls of her dress and against her thigh.

Tobias.

Alyssa pushed Collin's hand away and pulled from him.

"No," she blurted, wrapping her arms around herself. "No."

"Alyssa?"

"I can't Collin. I just can't." She forced herself from the love seat and stood, putting distance between the two.

"What's wrong?" Concern painted Collin's expression. He reached for his glasses and nudged them on so he could see her clearly.

"I just... I can't. Not right now." Alyssa shook her head and her eyes brimmed with tears. Collin stood and reached for her. She reeled from his touch.

"Alyssa..."

"I'm not ready," she muttered in choked words. "I'm sorry, Collin."

The half elf hung his head and he drew in a deep breath. His callused hands from years of hard work, ran through his brown locks. In a room full of his creations, purchased by the girl he loves, Collin sighed.

"I shouldn't have come," he stated. "I made a mistake."

Alyssa shook her head, lips pressed together tightly and covered with her hand. Collin looked up to her, defeat and rejection smeared across his face like the guilt of a criminal. He tilted his head to the door.

"I'm... I'm gonna go." He sounded so hurt. Alyssa took a step toward him but pulled back. Conflict wrenched her chest into knots. Her mind spun with emotions she could not begin to understand. Collin began for the door.

"Collin!" she blurted, taking another step, but her body fought her as if he walked through a fire she could not follow.

"It's okay," he continued, hand on the door. "I get it."

The door opened and he looked back to her at the opposite side of the room. He too, held back tears. Tears that Alyssa let freely flow down her face.

"Collin, I'm sorry," she whimpered, frozen in place. Collin shook his head.

"Goodnight, Alyssa."

With that, he left, the latch of the door clicking into place. Alyssa held her mouth with shaking hands as his silohette moved in the moonlight past her silken curtains. Sounds of his footsteps faded into obscurity, leaving her alone with nothing but silence and a storm of thoughts. Her hand fell from her mouth, and cries of sorrow poured out like a torrent. She staggered back to the love seat and fell into it, coming face to face with the two empty glasses of wine. A thin layer of red sat in the bottom of both, but enough to dredge up the very real feeling of what happened just seconds ago.

Alyssa shook her head with a sobbing whimper and planted her face in cupped hands.

"Why?" she managed through the sobs. "Why...?"

Her body heaved with sadness, struggling to stop herself from shaking. She didn't buy the house for him, she didn't buy his furniture for him, and she didn't live here, day after day, for him.

"Tobias..." she muttered until the heavy rap of a knock sounded from her door. Alyssa's head shot up.

"Collin?" She quickly got to her feet, rushing to the door. Without hesitation, he flung it wide. Even if her memories of Tobias burned, Collin made her feel comfortable, welcome. She wanted to apologize to him, explain herself to him.

But nothing prepared herself for what greeted her.

“Alyssa.”

It wasn’t the furniture seller standing at the door waiting for her, it was Vincent Cain. The young man towered over her, his sapphire eyes glaring daggers at her as he placed a hand on the door frame. His sandy blonde hair hung messily at his shoulders, hastily pushed out of his face, as if he wasn’t really planning on going anywhere special.

Yet here he was, the wrong place at the wrong time.

The woman could hardly see through her tears, but she knew damn well who it was; even if time had forged the once scrawny scholar into the muscular hero standing before her. She could never forget that face, not after what they’d been through together. “I appear to have arrived at a bad time.” The scholar muttered cracking his neck. “But I’ve waited long enough, it’s time for us to have a chat.” Without asking, the scholar stepped past her and entered the house with little ceremony. He motioned to the table, where Alyssa had just finished her…date? He eyed over the scene for a moment before unceremoniously plopping himself down where Collin had just been moments before.

“Sit.” It was more of a command than a request, and Alyssa found herself seated across from him. He snapped his fingers and a bottle of wine appeared in his hands. Carefully, he poured himself a glass and took a small sip before speaking. “How long have you been gone?” He asked cocking his head to one side. He paused for a moment and tutted, “Almost a year? Eleven months maybe?” He shook his head and sighed. “I cannot pretend that I know what the hell you’re going through. After Pode, after being crowned Empress, after…” he paused. “…after him leaving.” He took another sip. “But frankly my patience has run out.” He set his glass down and locked eyes with her.

“While you’ve been rejecting the visions that came with this post, I have been mastering them. While you were pining after…him, I was bettering myself. While you were spending your last eleven months stagnating, I’ve been growing stronger.” He paused and let this sink in. “So imagine my surprise when I had a vision about you last night, here in Beinost of all places.” He paused and pointed to the wall, in the direction of the port. “I’ve practically made my new base of operations out here, and you’ve been hiding right under my nose playing house.” He growled for a moment, before taking a deep breath.

“I needed your help running the show, and you took your bow and left.” He closed his eyes and forced a neutral expression to cross his face. “Right now you are sitting at a crossroads, Alyssa. You have two choices here. Either you come back to the Tarot, and you embrace the destiny you chose when you slew Pode, or you leave here and go hunt down your date. What was his name? Collin?” He asked as he opened his eyes. “But if you take option B, and decide you want to sit here and play house, you have to surrender your link to the Empress so someone can actually do something with it.” He sat back and took another sip of his wine, waiting for her response.

Something about seeing him after all this time became incredibly sobering. Expressions of hope, sadness, fear, and longing froze into a blank slate of bitterness and regret.

"Vince," she replied, waver stripped from her voice.

The Emperor of the Tarot welcomed himself into her home, took a seat, and gestured to the chair across from him. Tears still falling from her cheeks, Alyssa closed the door behind him. Her hands left the handle still, and calm as a surgeons. She sat across from him, legs crossed, and dabbed her reddened eyes gently with the round of her palms. Then, like a father scolding the daughter, Vincent began scolding her.

She let him speak, hardly in the frame of mind to rationalize her actions or even defend herself. Instead, she locked her eyes with his, noticing that a different man sat across from her than she remembered. The Vincent Cain that stumbled in the darkness with her when they first found the House of Cards had grown - matured. Soft features and bright eyes now took rougher edges and intimidating hues. His innocent curls had grown into a golden mane, draped around square shoulders and filled out attire.

He mentioned all the subjects Alyssa did not want to here. The Emperor she remembered would have tiptoed around such things. He would have consoled her, talked to her. Instead, he spoke to her, with no intention of understanding anything than what he desired to hear. All corners were cut, and the path through Alyssa's thicket of pained memories drilled straight to her heart. And as he did, Vincent leaned back, and took a sip of wine in her home.

"You've changed, Vincent." Alyssa rarely used his full name. Her hand hovered over her chest, trying to stifle the weight on her heart. "After everything, you just show up and start issuing ultimatums."

She shook her head, a feeling of nausea washing over.

"You make me sick." The words fell from her lips with blunt truth. All the while, the Emperor remained stoic, as if conversing with a political figure instead of a peer.

"Son of Emperor, the true, physical, flesh and blood of your father. You fit right in, share your world with everyone else from Althanas. Yeah, you're right Vince," spoke the absent Empress in rising tones. "I'm neglecting my imposed duties given to me by a madwoman that took all of Raieara to kill!"

She pointed a finger at him and clenched her teeth, but her anger faded as quickly as it swelled. She recalled her final engagement with the sorceress and the faces she wore. Each one, a member of the Tarot, and Alyssa killed every single one. Illusions as they were, the images still haunted her and until now, they remained nothing but nightmares. In truth, each face was a member of her charge, and each of them relied on her. While she chased down Tobias Stalt, they all became an afterthought.

"I just..." Alyssa sighed and hung her head. "Fight after fight, mission after mission..."

The weariness on her voice shown through. Unlike her opposition, she was born a weapon, jagged and fierce. She wanted to see the world, know what it meant to be human. In the time he carved himself into the cold, collect leader, she softened and mellowed. Since escaping Alerar, Alyssa wanted nothing more than to reclaim her childhood and live.

"You like this, Vincent," she softly muttered. "You like the danger, playing the role of hero. You run to the fights with fists up."

Her eyes still reddened and glistening from a night that progressively worsened, she looked to him with eyes that begged for pity.

"I wasn't even born." Her hand drifted over her shoulder, fingers reached beneath the neckline of her dress and ran over the hideous scar that marred her soft skin. "I was built. My so called mother was a glass vial filled with Pode's... whatever it was. I'm a weapon, Vince. Alerar wanted to use me for violence and war and all I find myself doing since I escaped is more fighting. Forral's Floating Fortress, The Crusade, Dehlos... If it's not one person, its another."

She watched Vince take another draw from his wine glass, features still as carved granite. She sighed. The visions he spoke of gave her such horrible headaches. She tried to reject them, ignore them. The sigil of the Empress bound to her soul ached every day. As of late, she found herself suffering fainting spells, luckily never in public. Vincent suggested she offer it up to another Empress and the idea appealed to Alyssa. She knew, however, relinquishing a bond like this would cost her greatly. Leona stated so.

"Who would you have replace me?" Alyssa asked, the words heavy as they left her. "Rayleigh? Stella?"

“I don’t make that choice Alyssa, you know that.” The scholar sat silently while the woman poured her soul out of her lips. Every doubt, every fear she had, it all seemed to be scrawled over her face like the hastily written text of a madwoman. He sat in silence for a moment, his mind whirring over her words, looking for something to say. “Fate chose us, and we rose to the call. We took our crowns willingly.” He glared at the woman before him before letting out a soft sigh. “But let me make one thing clear…” his eyes met hers. “I do not like this.”

He chewed on his lower lip and then downed the rest of his drink. “I have now died approximately thirty times.” He let this sit in. “Thirty one if you count my fight with Pode, thirty two if we count when you stabbed me.” He poured himself another glass before continuing. “Have you ever died?” He asked looking up. “Perhaps in the Citadel? It’s quite the sobering experience, feeling your heart stop, breathing your last breath. Just…ending?” He looked up and took another sip. “At first it’s rather frantic, kicking and thrashing, your blood spilling everywhere, your lungs struggling to keep air in them…” He paused and stood up. “I seem to have been rendered immortal by some twist of fate. Every time I die, I scatter into magical essence and recreate my body back in my office.” He paced away and stopped turning back to Alyssa. “Have you ever completely rebuilt yourself? Bit by agonizing bit? Have you ever felt your ligaments reattach to your bones? Your blood refilling your empty veins? Let me tell you Alyssa, it fucking sucks.” He strode back to the table, towering over the gunner. “You’re not the only one dealing with issues. We all are. Granted, you have some rather large problems, but still.” He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “I’m not trying to be rude here, don’t take my bluntness for a lack of empathy but for fucks sake girl.” His mask broke, and for a moment the old Vincent was giving her a dirty look. “You handle your emotions worse than anybody I have ever fucking met, and that’s saying something. John. Fucking. Cromwell. Is more elegant when it comes to dealing with his emotions than you.”

He slammed his hands on the table and growled at her. “You’ve had a year to sort this shit out. Meanwhile I’m throwing everything I have at this, because I’m all alone when it comes to running this show. Leona is gone, you’re gone! I have to handle every minute detail, find all of our missing arcana, find all of our missing artifacts, all the while trying not to let the relationships I have collapse! All because I stuck to my guns! And then you have the NERVE to attack me for asking you to make a GOD DAMN CHOICE.” The scholar’s voice had abandoned all pretense of calm as his speech devolved into a roar.

“I’m dealing with the consequences of your poor decisions. I have every fucking right to come to you and demand a decision from you. It’s super simple. You either walk away from all of this and let go of the Empress card so it can chose another, or you come back and do the fucking job you were chosen for. The job you started when you helped kill Pode. You can go hunt that stupid fucking furniture salesman down and start a happy and easy life. Or you can do what you were destined to do. It’s your choice, that’s all I want.” Finally the rant seemed to stop.

“Those are your options, but I will not tolerate any waffling on this anymore. You pick tonight, or I make the choice for you. I will not let this decision stagnate anymore. The Tarot Hierarchy needs an Empress, even if it’s not you.”

Alyssa shot from her chair, heat burning on her cheeks and fire in her eyes.

"So you want to talk about how horrible it is to be immortal?! How you can make bad decisions and live from them?! How you can fucking survive when one fight goes wrong and everything--!" Her hand drew across his face with all the ferocity her meager muscles could muster. "Everything you've lived for is lost?! Fine then, Vincent!"

Alyssa spread her arms wide.

"Go ahead and take it! Cut it from my heart! Rip it from my soul, you monster! That's what you really want, right?!"

She dropped her hands to her side and stepped inwardly to him, jutting a finger into his chest.

"But you can't," she seethed. "You don't have the arcana or the relics to do so, unless you're willing to kill me. Right here, in my house!"

"Do you want to kill me Vincent? Do you?! God knows you have reasons to!"

She shoved him with all her strength, but her normal frame did nothing against the rock before her.

"Fuck you, Vincent Cain! Fuck you to come in my house and demand anything from me! Fuck you!"

Alyssa punched him in the chest, doing more harm to her wrist than to him.

"Fuck you..!" She spat, softer. Another blow lashed out at the Emperor, weak like her resolve and brittle like her state of mind.

"You're an asshole..." Anger turned into the meek quiver of sadness on her voice. It made no sense, but his words held merit and he may as well have broken her heart. She wanted to keep hitting him, but her body fell against the immovable wall that he was. In a world completely foreign, where nothing felt normal or comfortable to her, Alyssa hated to admit to liking his presence. Even after his wretched words and crass handling of her delicate feelings.

"I hate you," she sobbed, head against his chest. "I hate you..." Again, softer.

The Fate of the Empress, bound to her soul, ached and Alyssa clutched tightly to her chest. This pain that ailed her would never stop. Whether with the Tarot or on her own, she'd eventually be thrust back into conflict. She either died with them, or died on some alien warground among nameless faces and enemies. Ultimatum or not, her visions revealed her fate. Many battles and struggles waited for her regardless of where she stood in the world. Better to suffer beside familiar faces than the sideways glances of strangers.

"Fine..." she muttered into his chest, the very words that left her drowned in defeat. "You win..."

She gripped the fabric of his white coat, pulling it toward her as a child would to her father's sleeve.

"I'll go."

Vincent sat for a moment, and gently raised both his arms and slowly, and very tenderly, pulled Alyssa into a hug. The woman, too tired to even resist, simply sank into his chest. A soft smile formed across his lips as he patted her shoulders, comforting her as she sobbed. There were no words spoken for several minutes, as the Empress let all of her trapped emotions vent for the first time in seemingly forever.

“I’m sorry.”

The words fell out of his lips and crashed over the sobbing woman like tempestuous waves. She looked up at him, her eyes red and bloodshot masked behind her messy hair. “I was, and am currently being an asshole.” His features softened, his sapphire eyes betrayed a hint of warmth. “But right now you need someone to be an asshole. You need someone to tell you to buck it up and to get back at it.” He backed away a bit and locked eyes with her. “I do not like being an asshole, Alyssa.” His voice grew stern again. “But for you I am willing to do just about anything. Even if it means I hate it.” He patted her head softly and sighed.

“Go get your stuff. We’ll be going to the House of Cards tonight. There is much we need to do, very little time. For starters, we need to repair the bond with your arcana. Then, we need to get you a bath because Jesus Christ you are a fucking mess.” He gave her a borderline parental smile and then tapped his amulet and paced away, his hand raised to his temple as if he was concentrating intently.

<Oh yeah, she’s coming. Make sure everything is prepared. Yes, make sure the supplies are in place. I imagine we only have a thirty minute timeline. Everything must be perfect.>

He spent several moments pacing around wordlessly as he continued ushering more and more mental commands, occasionally peering over to Alyssa to check her progress. <She has no clue. Make sure everyone is awake, bright eyes and bushy tailed, but DO NOT, under any circumstances, give Fenn any sugar.>

After a few more moments, he turned back to Alyssa, eyebrows raised. “You ready yet? We have a very tight schedule to keep now. Lots of shit to do, so very little time. It’s gonna take us a long ass time to get to the Red Forest.”

She held onto him and let it out. Her insecurities, the hope she held for Tobias' return, her fate of servitude or leadership, Alyssa let it all out in soft whimpers. She knew she was stronger than this; Alerar programmed her to be so. For once, it felt good to be human. As the tempest of emotions quelled, she broke from Vince's hold. His hand rested on her shoulders and she saw the soft, jubilant Vince she remembered. That younger, gentle Vince existed for a fleeting moment, long enough to reassure her. Then, the Emperor returned, features chiseled and firm.

Alyssa dabbed her reddened eyes of their tears as he patted her messy blonde hair.

"Today?" she asked in a weathered voice. Her features reeled when he suggested she take a bath. If one thing remained true, Vincent Cain was not a tactful man with the opposite gender.

"Fine," Alyssa agreed after a moment of hesitation. Her home, her things, and the people she'd be leaving behind bothered her. A trip to the Red Forest would easily take days if not weeks by wagon. Her chest fell with a sigh and she eyed the empty glasses atop the coffee table. With a glance back to Vincent, Alyssa broke for the stares and made her way to her bedroom.

Simple, yet inviting, Alyssa walked into her room and sat on the bed. From the mirror across the way, she caught a glimpse of herself and her lip curled in protest.

"I look awful," she muttered, rubbing at her forehead. The fallen royal of the Tarot gave herself a final moment to say goodbye to this complicated, but comfortable lifestyle. From her books, to the wardrobe she acquired over the year, to the little decorations she picked up at the various markets, all of it would have to be left behind. With another weighted breath, Alyssa mustered herself to her feet and began to undress.

She made her way to a corner of the room and cleared off an old trunk which had since become a table for various flower vases. Once cleared, Alyssa pulled back a small rug and stuck her finger in a hole between the floorboards. With a yank and a twist, the board pried up and she pulled from the crevice a small key. The key made quick work of the trunk's lock and the rusty hinges groaned loudly as she lifted it open. Inside, her rifle, magnum, knife, ammo, and field gear waited with a light coat of dust. She spent the next few moments dressing herself, the old clothes tighter in the chest and the hips than she remembered. When finished, she stood in front of her dressing mirror and looked at the old memory of a prior self.

"Hello," she mused with a weak smile.

Her hair, silken and down to her mid back looked as if it had been whipped by the wind for hours. Always a viability, but something she kept long to hide her scar, Alyssa plucked a brush and a pair of ornamental rods from a nearby stand. Hand over brush, she tamed the golden fury. Once passable as street worthy, the young homunculi pulled it back into a high pony tail, twisted a few times, and set it with the rods she held in her mouth. Finally, Alyssa was as ready as she was ever going to be.

"Back to the field," she sighed. The words weighed like lead in her mind. Alyssa turned to her firearms on her bed and hesitated for a moment. As elegant and beautiful as they were, they were also instruments of death. In her hands, they meant another fight, another loss, and a constant struggle for survival. Slowly, she plucked the magnum from her patterned sheets and held it in her hands. She checked the cylinder, checked the barrel, tested the hammer and the trigger. Everything worked as before and what ever deviations she remembered could easily be remedied with a few drops of oil.

With a snap of the wrist and finger on the lock, the chamber flung open. Fluid as a river's water over rock, Alyssa snatched her rounds from her waist, clicked the speed-loader in place, and flicked her wrist a second time to snap the chamber closed. No more than a second passed. She hand't forgotten that ingrained muscle memory that she learned since before she should write. The young homunculi threw the weapon into its holster at her thigh and she picked her rifle from the bed, slinging it over her shoulder.

Alyssa made for the door and paused. Her head turned for one last look. Heavy handed, she closed the door behind her and joined Vince downstairs.

"You ready yet? We have a very tight schedule to keep now. Lots of shit to do, so very little time. It’s gonna take us a long ass time to get to the Red Forest," Vincent chastised.

"I know, just one more thing," Alyssa replied. She walked to a small stationary table in her living room and pulled a leaflet from the cuppard. With quill in hand, she began a message.

Quote:

---

Collin,

When you get this, I'll be long gone. I'm sorry I didn't give this to you in person. My life is a... complicated one. I'm sure you know that since I'm one of the famed four. Listen, it's not that I'm not interested. I am. But because of what I am and what I've been through, I can't. I have responsibilities I'm sworn to uphold and they prevent me from having a quiet life.

So, I want to say thank you. While it was a short time, I enjoyed the memories we shared. Where I'm going, you can't find me but if I ever find myself back in Beinost off-duty, I'll stop by. Feel free to use my house as you like, just... don't let it get sold. One day, I want to come back. When all this is over.

Be good to yourself, Collin. Sorry this went the way it did. I hope you can forgive me.

Love,

Alyssa Snow

---

The young girl set the quill in its well and folded the letter. She lifted a stick of wax to one of the candles lighting the room until a bead of red rolled down its length. She dragged the softened wax along the seam and with a brass stamp, and sealed it shut. Without a word to Vince, she walked to the coffee table and set it beneath the two empty wine glasses.

"Okay," Alyssa said with a long draw. She looked to the Emperor with resolve in her eyes. "I'm ready."

“Let’s go.” He muttered motioning for the gunner to step through. Apprehensive, the woman strode over to the portal and paused for a moment, unsure about this new magic. She was so engrossed with the swirling teal energy, she didn’t notice Vince standing behind her. By the time she did, it was too late; his hand was on her shoulder giving her a small push. The gunner gave a small gasp and stumbled forward, suddenly finding herself in a very familiar room. Vincent stepped through the portal behind her and shot her a grin as he suppressed a laugh.

“I’m full of new tricks.”

The gunner turned around and took everything in. The two of them were standing in the throne room of the House of Cards. The polished marble floors seemed absolutely flawless, and reflected the celestial light from the massive crystal spire that jutted from the vaulted ceiling. Around them stood twenty two thrones, each covered in a light layer of dust. Vincent raised a hand, and suddenly a golden cup was flying to his hand. He turned to look at Alyssa and shook it slightly.

“Your bond to your Arcana is…weakened. We need to repair it.” He stated solemnly. “We need to rebind you to the Empress.” He snapped his fingers and a small Damascus dagger came to his hand in a flash of sparks. “You know how the ritual goes, yes? Or has time worn your memories away?” He shot her a teasing grin as he flipped the dagger and caught it carefully by the blade offering it to the woman in front of him.

“Spill some blood into the cup, swear your allegiance, take a bath. Super simple.” He fidgeted, shifting his weight slightly. “It might hurt a bit, I’ve never had to repair an Arcana, only bind.”

Alyssa spent more time looking at the man that held the knife versus the sacred chalice cradled in her hands or the blade he held in his hand. Not only several miles, but several feet underground, they transitioned from one place to another. Even Alyssa's own trinket from the Red Crusade paled in comparison to that kind of power. Vincent had indeed changed over the year.

"You need me to repeat the steps?" he asked again, waving the blade at her between pinched fingers.

"No," she replied taking the blade from him and shoving the chalice into his hands. "Hold this."

She shook her head. Did he think she could cut herself and hold the cup at the same time? Alyssa took a deep breath and put the edge of the blade into the palm of her hand where it froze. Her chest tightened. Did she want to repair her bond? The idea of harming herself didn't warrant a minutia of her worries. She knew worse had happened to her, but as she stood in the hall of the Arcana, she felt doubt. She doubted her leadership, her purpose. Could she keep them all safe? Could she be as strong as the man in front of her?

Alyssa looked to Vince, blade motionless against her skin.

"Vince," she spoke in a soft tone. "If I go after him again, I want you to stop me at all costs. Can you do that for me?"

"I was already planning on it," Vince reassured.

Alyssa nodded, her grip tight on the knife. With a deep breath, she pulled the blade across her palm, parting pale skin to the deep red beneath. The blonde's lips parted ever so slightly as a soft whimper slipped past. With a similar finesse to the Emperor, Alyssa spun the knife to its tip and held it to him. She exchanged blade for chalice and held her hand over the golden cup. Crimson ichor welled in the valley of her wound before she clenched it tight and spilled fresh blood against its golden well.

The Arcana of the Empress appeared on Alyssa the day Pode breathed her last. As the magic of the chalice took grip over her and her mark, the surrounding world as she knew it faded to white. From the ethereal haze a woman clad in a flowing red gown came into view. Her smile racked Alyssa with unease and color washed from the Empress's face.

"Hello, my daughter," Pode hissed. The Forgotten One dragged her pointed red nails along the underside of Alyssa's chin. She froze in the haunting presence of the fallen.

"You -- You're dead!" Alyssa stammered, shaking her head and almost choking on the shock of her presence.

"No thanks to you and your friends," chided the Forgotten one.

"Leave the girl alone," demanded a foreign voice, strong and loud. Alyssa felt a firm grip on her shoulder and she turned to face the hardened features of a fiery redhead clad in armored plates and leather. Her form seemed to glow a golden hue around the edges as if possessed by a holy light.

"You've tormented the girl enough, Daughter of Aeris Valencia," the woman spoke with a glare to Pode. The forgotten one crossed her arms with a snarl at the name.

"Hello, child," greeted the redhead, firmly gripping her square by the shoulders.

"Who are you?" Alyssa questioned, relieved by her mere presence as Pode watched on from a distance.

"Terra," she replied, "Terra Eterna, the first Empress." Terra smiled warmly. "I'm here to help you."

"I don't understand." Alyssa felt dazed, her mind foggy.

"Shh..." Terra placed a finger on Alyssa's lips. "You've been through a lot." The redhead shot a firm look at Pode who glared in reply. "Listen, I need to repair your soul. Ignoring the call of fate has begun to tear it asunder. Without my help, it could fracture."

"My soul?" Alyssa uttered the words with confusion, hand placed above her heart. "I... have a soul?"

Sensing the context of the question, Terra nodded. "Yes, you do. Yours is different than most, but it still is a soul."

"Not quite all hers, though," Pode added with a sneer. Terra's face grew flat with a sigh, and a nod.

"Yes, that is true. Because of how you came to be, your soul is not human. Part of it is her." Terra pointed to Pode who waved a taunting gesture. "Part of it is artificial." The words hit Alyssa like an arrow and she downcast her eyes. Terra pulled her gaze back with a hand under her chin. "But a part of it is also yours. Unique only to you and gifted to you by fate. Without it, you would have never been chosen by the Empress."

"What if... What if I don't want to be the Empress?" Alyssa asked. The redhead shook her head.

"Fate chose you for this. You have a duty to uphold now. You cannot neglect it. Do so, and you will follow in her footsteps."

Pode walked up behind Terra, looming over her shoulder to look down on the young girl in Terra's hands. Alyssa drifted her gaze between the two. The weight of the information hung heavy on her and Alyssa took a deep breath. She nodded.

"When this is over, whatever this is, will I ever be able to live a peaceful life?" The homunculus asked.

Terra smiled warmly. Pode snickered a toothy grin.

"Yes," Terra replied. "When fate no longer needs you, you can do whatever your heart desires." Pode shook her head in background, pushing unease into Terra's reassuring words.

"Fate will never let go," Pode added. Terra turned abruptly and planted a finger in the Forgotten One's chest.

"You let anger take control of you! You killed your fellow Tarot and turned our forest into a sea of poison and death! Were I still alive, I would have cut you down the moment you raised your hand against your fellow members! Be glad I can't do so now!" Terra roared and Pode, for the first time Alyssa had seen, reeled under the might of another. "You ignored the call of fate for your own selfish revenge! So, in this eternity, find penance for your actions and leave the next generation be!"

Pode surrendered, hands up and stepped away.

"I'll leave your precious charge alone," Pode chided. "But hear me girl, I heard these words too, and Terra never came to my aid when the Elves marched against the Durklan."

Terra snarled. "You and your people were destined to fall." Her words fell like daggers from her tongue. "Fate is not always kind. You were not strong enough to understand and cope with the loss!"

Pode shook her head and smiled. "Have your way," she cooed.

Terra stomped her frustrations, fist clenched and shaking. She spat at Pode's feet and turned to Alyssa.

"Our time is running out," the First Empress warned. "I will repair your bond, but keep in mind what was said here today. You still choose your path, but every choice has consequence. The more you deny your fate, the darker your path will become."

Terra placed her hand over Alyssa's chest and rays of light poured from where their skin met.

"It's up to you, Alyssa." Terra stated as light became blinding. The First Empress' form began to fade in the brightness and in her shadow stood the crimson gowned Pode.

"We'll meet again," Pode warned until all semblance of the world washed white with radiance.

Alyssa gasped and the chalice slipped from her hands. Vince's deftly caught it before the relic fell to the floor, but couldn't help Alyssa as she collapsed to her knees. Her wound, fresh just seconds ago, bleed a luminous glow. Flesh mended upon itself, shutting the light out and left her skin completely unmarred. Winded, Alyssa struggled to catch her breath both feeling rejuvenated and exhausted. Head toward the marble floor, face hidden by the falls of her ponytail, Alyssa held her hand to Vince for help.

"About..." she managed between deep breaths. "About that bath?"

Vince gingerly tool Alyssa’s hand and pulled her from the floor, raising her arm over his shoulder and hoisted her to her feet. Her legs gave out under her, and her found himself effortlessly supporting her full weight as she clutched against his torso. The rebinding had clearing taken its toll on her, but he could feel what was bothering her. The red aura of Pode’s taint seemed to linger on her, trying to cloak her in it. It seemed to snap and sizzle immaterially with the small traces of the evil witch’s aura that had stained Vincent in the same crimson. He wrapped his other arm around her and gave her a patient smile.

“Let’s get you that bath.” He gingerly took a step forward, making sure she could find her footing with each step. The walk from the throne room was slow, but sure work. If anyone was in the House of Cards, they couldn’t tell from sheer lack of sound. The silence was deafening, causing each footstep to echo, each breath to reverberate endlessly through the cold stone halls. The ancient stone fortress seemed to be abandoned of all life except for the two of them.

Finally, after a winding staircase, and a long abandoned hallway, the two stood before the cloth curtain entrance to the Tarot’s bathing facilities. Vincent let Alyssa go, and ushered to the curtain. She nodded and took a few sheepish steps, a baby deer learning to walk. “I’ll see you when I get out.” He assured her grinning. “I just need to go take care of some paperwork, tell some people you’re back, the works.” Alyssa nodded and passed through the curtain off to her relaxing bath. The moment he was sure she was gone, Vincent turned on his heel and took off in a dead sprint, raising his left hand to his temple.

<Did you set the oven to preheat already? The batters made right? Good. Make sure the prep for the snacks and finger food are done and standby, I’ll be in the kitchen in ten seconds.> His right hand swished through the air, as if he was changing channels on a radio, and he was on another conversation. <Decorations done? Excellent. Fenn and Stella are accounted for yes? Good. The Empress is in the nest, be ready to go at any given moment, good job with not making any noise.> He hit the center of the floor, where the four wings met at a massive spiral staircase and he quickly hit the stairs and started to ascend. He flipped “channels” one time last time and asked a simple question.

<Any sightings? Good. Let me know if her ever so much as thinks about setting foot in Raiaera. I’ll personally greet him to give his fucking sword back.> With that he signed off the telepathic communications and reached the main floor of the House of Cards, filled with all the residences and utility rooms. He took a deep breath and smiled, knowing the rough day Alyssa had been through, he estimated he had about twenty minutes.

Plenty of time to throw a party together.

The warm, damp air of the hot springs wrapped around her as Alyssa fell against a stone bench. She caught herself on the edge and hoisted up to at least a seated position. Swaths of nausea churned in her stomach, and her bones felt like they were forcibly hollowed and filled with termites. She ran her hand along her brow then through her hair. The feeling helped to soothe her headache.

"Back home, I guess," Alyssa muttered with a single dry chuckle. She shook her head.

With a deep breath, she worked free the bands that held her hair and blond waves washed over her shoulders. With some effort and a great deal of help from whatever she could lean against, Alyssa managed to undress. She tucked her belongings into one of the empty cubbie holes. Alyssa couldn't help but notice one of them held a white tank tee covered in grease stains. It must have been left there by Rayleigh- busy with her machines, no doubt.

Alyssa pulled a towel from the pile next to the pigeon holes and walked through the draping curtain to the hot springs. The room opened up wide with a brightly luminescent ceiling, filled with shining crystals and veins of unknown ore. Alyssa smirked at the familiar dragon statues and scattered runic glyph both in and out of the water. Compared to the first day Vincent brought her here, not much changed. The dead body and moss had been cleared away. All the signs of wear had been polished and patched.

With a smile, Alyssa carefully made her way to the water's edge. Her balance shifted ever so slightly along the way, and she looked as though several glasses into a good night. Finally, she knelt and slid herself into one of the soaking pools. Hot water hugged her aching body and worked tirelessly to ease her pain. A breath of relief escaped her lips, she leaned her head back, and let a long, emotional day melt away.