[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gD9rVru.png[/img][/center]
[color=AC5FFB]Time:[/color]Late Afternoon ~ 4pm
[color=AC5FFB]Location:[/color] River Kingdom, upstairs of the Pretty Flower
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1Z62x3Z.png[/img][/center]

[color=82ca9d]"I am a genius." [/color] 

Vereon spun her around from his grip on her shoulders to face a glass mirror. He moved her hair from the back and over her shoulders. Looking over to the mirror, he smiled at his work. Risa's insanely long locks were cut just to the middle of her chest. Though not a short haircut, it was such a stark difference from her usual length that she looked different. The few bangs that had been cut into her hair tickled her forehead and felt bizarre to Risa. Pink hair was common enough amongst fairies and even seen in other species at times though more rare. There was no need to try to change it. 

Risa tilted her head as he brushed her hair and began to put the bunch of hair on each side into braids. [color=82ca9d]"Little goes a long way huh, lovey?"[/color] She was dressed in a green, long peasant dress and had been given a plain brown cape that she had left on the side of a chair for now. She looked quaint and foreign to herself, but she was grateful for its charm. Vereon bit his lip, worried by her silence and added, [color=82ca9d]"I'll have a better outfit for ya tomorrow. Trust me. It will be the complete opposite of Risa Millinia! Ye won't recognize yerself."[/color]

[color=AC5FFB]"Thank you Vereon. You've been so sweet."[/color]Risa said finally and smiled at him. [color=AC5FFB]"I'll never forget your kindness. Let me make prepare some supper for us. It's the least I can do. Well, actually..."[/color] She moved to her ball gown and began to fish out a bag from a belt that was underneath it. She turned and began to dump some amas on his table, to which his eyes lit up. She gave him a good seventy amas. He went to work talking right away. As she listened, she moved into the kitchen to start using some of the ingredients to prepare a stew. 

[color=82ca9d]"Seriously? Ya sure? You don't have to pay me. Oh sweet alaberries."[/color] He moved over to it rapidly and looked at Risa. [color=82ca9d]"Vena might finally let me take me seriously. I could buy her something so beautiful with this!"[/color] Vereon's eyes watered as his dreams came crashing down as soon as they started, reminding Risa that he had been one of the moodiest fairies she had ever met despite being one of the nicest. [color=82ca9d]"Oh she after that Gurthel. Disgusting name that thing has. Says she only dates a man who is willing to fight for his people. Well, I tell ya, she'd be mighty lonely if he's off to training or at war all day wouldn't she? But I won't give up! I will win Vena's heart! Not all of us be cut out for war and death, but I sure do have my other qualities don't I?"[/color]

Risa sighed, coming over to him before he could continue and put her hands on his cheek.[color=AC5FFB]"Vereon. Look at me."[/color]He blinked, surprised by her sudden movement, [color=AC5FFB]"You're a wonderful man and you will find love worthy of a heart as big as yours. If Vena's interested in Gurthel and not you, then I think you should find yourself a girl with a better head on her shoulders."[/color]She wiped his eyes gently with her thumbs and kissed his forehead as if they had been family by blood. Risa wasn't sure if all this was worth anything with so much on the line. Soon little things like romance there would just be no time for. [color=AC5FFB]"Truth be told, I don't know if it's even ..."[/color]She let go of his face and averted her eyes as she thought out her sentences more carefully before continuing. Her impulsivity was a habit that she needed to let go of if she was going to be of use, even in such a mundane circumstance.[color=AC5FFB]"If you want romance, then go for it, Vereon. Life is a gift so seize the moment."[/color] 

Vereon stared at her and asked, [color=82ca9d]"When did ye get more mature than me?"[/color] 

Risa didn't consider mature to be a good word to describe her at all. If anything, Risa felt much the opposite, as if she was too young and ignorant for the place she was in. She knew she was different now, but she also knew she was grieving and it was impossible for her to be the cheery, obnoxious girl who jumped on his couch singing and then at other times brought animals into this very apartment without permission to do so. 

Somber. Drained.

And it had only been a week in.  

[color=AC5FFB]"I best tell you everything."[/color]Risa decided. She explained everything from start to finish: how she and Dionaea had came to help the elves, how she had protected the human Jean-Luc and found herself a main target for the revolution due to her name, and then how she and Dionaea lost their homes. How she didn't even know if her parents were alive right now. She told him about the ball and the speech, to which he asked her to detail what she had said. By the time she was catching him up to the idea that Dionaea had been brutally murdered and she was separated from Kyran and her new human friend Elsea, she was already serving the stew in a bowl in front of Vereon.

Vereon fell silent as they ate, replying only with, [color=82ca9d]"I'm sorry."[/color]

Risa looked at him, racking her brain for what was the best thing to say, and finally gave him a huge smile, [color=AC5FFB]"Oh don't worry. I will do everything I can to make sure none of this was in vain. Avalia will be freed."[/color]

[color=82ca9d]"This is a burden many grown men could not even handle. Are ya sure ye don't want me to help find a way to back out of this? We can hide ya somewhere."[/color]

[color=AC5FFB]"I'm going to meet with the other rebels the day after tomorrow. I don't know what kind of impression I left but I'm sure I'll have to try to prove myself a worthy figure in this."[/color]Risa told him quietly, ignoring his previous question. It was too late to back out now.

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. [color=82ca9d]"I heard some folks talking about ya speech at the bar. They thought that ye was the one to summon humans. Maybe ya oversold that guilt and beat yaself up as ye usually do. So make sure that gets tidied up."[/color]

[color=AC5FFB]"Maybe I didn't directly bring humans here but I stood there and let it happen. That's a horrible mistake I have to feel guilt for."[/color]Risa said sadly, staring down at her plate. [color=AC5FFB]"If I made myself worse in that manner, then I will tell them my story if they so want to hear. I don't know if I'm who they want me to be."[/color]

Vereon took her shoulder gently. [color=82ca9d]"With that big heart, I know ya are."[/color]