The group made their way out of the keep and towards the public square at the centre of the city, which was their designated meeting point with the others.  It was early in the morning the day after they were all arrested, but hopefully the rest would be there waiting. After all, everyone had agreed on getting a good night's sleep beforehand.

Lucian, Kinara and Sorano, along with the newcomer Allen, led the bunch of weary adventurers towards their destination; Gottmar and Angela walked right at the back - there was a charged tension in the air between them that could be cut with a knife. Nima and Ceara were busy chatting amongst themselves. 

Athaliah and Rhiara were chatting the time away as well - they were both devastated by the lack of sleep they got in the cells, but hardly anybody could notice once they started speaking to each other. 
"So, why were you and Sorano there to help in the first place?" Athaliah began. There wasn't a hint of suspicion in her voice at all. In fact, she sounded happy more than anything. "Not sayin' I don't appreciate you, but you've gotta admit, it's kinda fortuitous."

"Well..." Rhiara looked down at her feet. "You hadn't come back when you were expected, and we... uh, I, got worried."
"Worried, about me? C'mon, I feel like you don't take me seriously enough." A little grin appeared at one of the corners of her lips.
Rhiara, however, was less amused; she put a hand on her own hip and looked her friend in the eyes. "You were nearly burned alive for witchcraft and then nearly executed by that knight," she retorted, her voice in a deadpan tone. "How are you not taking this seriously?"

"I'm sorry," Athaliah gulped, looking suitably scolded. "I just wanted to lighten the mood." Athaliah had always hated it when people began to worry for her safety. Of course, that didn't stop her from worrying about Rhiara in much the same way. 

"Speaking of lightening the mood..." Rhiara suddenly started beaming as she pulled her quiver full of arrows off of her back.  She began to file through the arrows, in search of something. It didn't help that both she and Athaliah were walking at the same time.
Athaliah looked at the white-haired girl quizzically. "Uh, what're you doing?"
"I didn't bring my pack with me." Rhiara shrugged as she replied, gesturing with a free hand to a spot on the front of her armour where she'd normally keep a small leather bag.  A few more long seconds passed. 

"Yay! Got it!" Rhiara cheered triumphantly as she pulled out a slightly dirtied red rose. Not a real rose, obviously. It looked to be made of clay, or some other similar material. Nevertheless, it still looked as a rose should, with all the textures that entailed - whomever made it took a lot of pride in their work. "I wanted to get you something. You know, to, ah, thank you for the gift you got me last time we were here. That's why I left you alone last night. Good thing I did..."

Athaliah cringed inwardly. "Rhiara, I appreciate it, truly. But... well, I hate roses."
"Oh." Rhiara looked down at her feet, suddenly and utterly dejected. "I-I'm sorry." Rhiara began to whine like a scolded dog. "I just thought... you know, the symbol of Karargos includes a rose, and I thought it would remind you of home..."
Athaliah gingerly took the fake rose out of Rhiara's hand. "Stop worrying, ya big baby."
"Sorry?"
"I think it's wonderful. Thank you." Athaliah gave her friend a genuine smile. She slipped the stalk of the rose into one of the buckles that fastened her red jerkin up. It was really all she could do with it, given how she didn't bring any storage space with her either. "When and how did you even get this, though?"

"Well, you remember that I said I needed to do something when we got here yesterday?" Rhiara was back to her usual, bubbly self as if she was never saddened in the first place. "This was that!" she exclaimed with glee. "There were so many things that I could ave gotten for you..." Rhiara turned around to cast a quick glance towards Sorano. "I'm glad he came along with me; it might have been boring listening to him going on, but I learned what so many flowers symbolise!"
Athaliah chuckled. "So I guess it's him I need to thank, and not you?"
"What? No, no!" she replied hastily. "Well, kind of. It was mostly me though." Rhiara added, a hint of pride in her voice.

"So..." Athaliah couldn't hide the hint of a cheeky grin on the edge of her lips. "Sorano convinced you to get this little rose, didn't he?"
"I thought of it first!" she replied quickly, taken slightly off-guard by the question. "I knew that the red rose symbolised where you came from even before Sorano helped me make up my mind!"
Athaliah narrowed her eyes with suspicion, though her voice remained light-hearted and playful. "Hmmm. So [i]did[/i] he say to make up your mind completely, then?"
"Please stop." Rhiara groaned as she glanced around nervously, as if silently begging someone to save her from embarrassment. 

A smug grin appeared on Athaliah's lips; her reply was a simple "No."
"Fiiiine!" Rhiara whined. "Apparently it, uh... well... a red rose also means, um..." her face had gone beet red as she squirmed, creating a nice contrast with her white hair. "It represents love and passion." she finally answered. Her voice was as meek as it had ever been. She took in a deep breath before continuing. "I love you." 

Upon saying that, Rhiara felt as though a whole two years' worth of feelings were suddenly lifted from her shoulders. Athaliah fell completely silent, dumbstruck. She eventually swallowed her nervousness after a few tense seconds. "Can we pick this conversation up somewhere private, Weiss?" she put an arm around her friend's shoulder and gave Rhiara her more reassuring smile. "I'd rather not talk about this in front of other people."
Athaliah pulled Rhiara closer and brought her lips to the white-haired girl's ear. "But for now?" she whispered. "I do too."

At that, Rhiara's purple eyes started to glaze over; even the thoughts of Htraknu and gods were forced from her mind as she looked forward to the future with absolute glee.