[GEM]

Moira's eyes opened to a familiar ceiling as drowsiness left her gradually, the sunlight shining through Astrid's house and waking her to a late morning.

[MELODY]

Moira looked around her taking her time to take her surroundings in as she slowly tried to sit up straight. Confusion in her expression as she reached down to her stomach with her right hand while looking around the house once again.

[GEM]

She felt... incredibly normal, no injuries, no blood and ash covering her face... nothing.

But what was even more strange was the conversation she overheard.

"I think she was talking in her sleep last night—" David was saying.

"At least she doesn't snore like I do apparently," Astrid replied. "But Hiccup sleep kicks which is way worse."

"Why aren't you two married?"

"Because I like to mind my own business."

[MELODY]

Moira's brows knit together as she was even more confused when she heard that conversation which sounded like she heard it before. As she pulled the covers off herself and moved her legs out of the bed she stay seated for a moment collecting her thoughts which were floating in. What in god's name was happening? She stared blankly at the floor as she tried to make sense of it all. She didn't notice she was holding onto the bed's side so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

[GEM]

"Alright one more question—"

"Shh. No. You're going to wake up your sister. She's had it worse than even you these past few days," Astrid said to quiet David below her.

[MELODY]

When she heard them again she got snapped out of her thoughts before they could drown her mind. She decided she had to see Uriah and go to him as quickly as she could. She hastily made herself ready to go outside as she put her hair in a messy bun on her way downstairs. She went to the door and outside without saying anything.

[GEM]

Uriah was breathing heavily as he put his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes as his memories all came flooding back to what happened. But... that assassin's blade...

He frowned with immense confusion and looked around the room. It was just as he had left it last time he slept here. He quickly threw off his blanket and checked himself for injuries, especially where the arrow had pierced his leg. He rubbed his hand over his skin, seeing no mark there at all...

His expression showing concern he... took a second.

It wasn't... it couldn't have been...?

Or was he passed out for weeks?

He grabbed his things and rushed out the door, what he saw almost making him far more confused.

Arne and Faelan were shouting at Gregor and cheering him on in a very familiar way.

"W-whats—" Uriah began with a light head.

Arne and Faelan whirled around to face him and block Gregor from his view. "Oh... hello Uriah," Faelan said with a smile.

"Nothing. We're doing nothing," Arne said with a guilty face.

"You're terrible at lying—he can see right through us," Faelan scolded.

"Well he wasn't going to until you said that you daft beggar."

"Fine. You want to see what we're doing?"

"You're trying to see how many potatoes can fit into Gregor's mouth...?" he asked with suspicion as his mind was all over the place.

"No, wer're—...Oh... yes it is," Arne said.

"And the answer so far is fifteen," Faelan replied as they moved to show Gregor with his face stuffed full.

Uriah's expression told them everything as his eyes were wide and his brows were pulled together in utter confusion, glancing left as he tried to put the pieces together of what on Earth was going on.

"What's the matter lad?" Ruarcc asked from where he was, reclining with his pipe in hand.

"Uh-huh," is all Uriah said. "What day is it?" he then asked.

The group exchanged some looks. "Sleeping that hard were yuh?" Arne asked.

"Just answer the question—" he nearly snapped.

Gregor mumbled something with his mouth full.

"What?"

"The twenty-fifth day of Einmánuður," Faelan translated.

"The morning of the attack..." he muttered to himself. "It's not possible..."

"What attack?" Arne asked with confusion, all of them looking at him with suspicion.

Uriah ignored them as he breathed heavily and ran from the room and out the door. He flung it open and was greeted immediately with the bright sun he had to squint from.

Berk was busy with training and construction of things that Uriah had already seen be put together, overseen by Gobber who was currently directing two large men carrying a long wooden pole made from a huge tree trunk.

He watched them as they ran the pole through the side of the windmill by accident, dumping water all over the man who was there under it.

Uriah looked like he was struck with bewilderment at watching everything unfold before him. He even ducked when a dragon flew overhead, the young blonde trainee trying to control it but it wasn't going very well.

"This is the statue of the greatest treasure hunter in Berk's history," Tuffnut was saying when he approached the stone statue near the center of town. He was talking to some kids who were huddled there. "You wanna be just like him when you grow up?"

They nodded.

"Well too bad, you can't."

They stared blankly.

"Now get lost."

They exchanged some looks and ran off.

"Ha, I'm so good with kids."

[GEM]

Tuffnut sniffed and said, "Hey," to Uriah but the man's face wasn't responsive as the image of Tuffnut turned into the one of his corpse with those empty yellow eyes for a split second before Uriah's vision went back to normal and he couldn't be pulled from his confusion enough to reply.

[MELODY]

Moira tried to stay focused on getting to the longhouse she knew Uriah was staying at with the crew. But on her way she saw far to familiar things happening as she slowly started to realize what day it was. It really overwhelmed her as she had to do her best not to let it panic her. But she picked up her pace and started running she quickly got to where he was. When she spotted him she couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as she called him. "Uriah!" She ran over to him immediately. As she reached him she embraced him tightly nearly making him fall over. A few tears escaping her as she did.

[GEM]

Well that wasn't the same as before.

Her leap caused him to turn around with her once on impact. He grabbed her in his arms with immense relief, shutting his eyes as he just soaked it in that he thought he wouldn't ever get to embrace her like this again. "Oh thank you, God. Thank you," he kept muttering to himself as he held her head against him. He was just so glad he could hold her again; that she was alright, despite his confusion.

[MELODY]

Moira was trembling terribly holding onto him tightly not planning on letting him go any time soon. It was clear she was as confused as him but also had everything come out when she saw him. So relieved to see him unharmed but so overwhelmed by everything else. She had her face buried in his chest as she was quietly sobbing trying to calm herself down by listening to his heartbeat and breathing.

[GEM]

"You guys are weird," Tuffnut commented and just walked away, leaving them alone.

Neither of them even heard him as they were just focused on how grateful they were that they were both alright.

Uriah's hand was stroking the back of her head lovingly as tears began to burn behind his own eyes at the sound of her sobs. He didn't loosen his grip on her either as he wanted this embrace to last for a decade.

[GEM]

His lips pressed to the top of her head and lingered there as he continued to hold her, letting her get all of her emotions out.

One thing was clear.

She remembers it all.

Jan 15, 2024, 1:56 AM

[MELODY]

As she slowly started to calm down in his embrace she glanced up at him. Eyes red from crying, a few last tears escaping her. She was sure by his reaction that he knew, he remembered everything as well. "W-What is happening?" She asked him with a slightly trembling voice, the fear and confusion showing in her eyes as she asked. She was sure that everything went to hell around them but they were back here now. "H-How are we back here?"

[GEM]

He rubbed his hand across her cheek gently, getting the tangled curly hair from her damp cheeks as he looked just as concerned as she was. There was a moment of hesitation in him before he shook his head just barely, blinking as he tried to figure out what had happened. "I don't know..." He played over the images of the last few moments of that battle in his mind as he thought about this.

[MELODY]

The fact that he didn't know slightly scared her but she didn't want to let that bring her down. "..w-we should figure that out..but first what are we going to do? With what we know." She didn't want to go through that hell again. "There must be a way..t-to prevent this from happening.."

[GEM]

He wasn't listening to her because his mind was racing and she could see the puzzle pieces coming together in his mind. "The white gemstone. It was called the Chronos Stone." He looked at her then, depth in his gaze.

[MELODY]

Moira sighed softly before she nodding remembering him saying that when he translated the scroll. "..A-Aye...what are ye thinking?" She asked him softly and as calm as she could then.

[GEM]

"Chronos is 'time', Moira," he explained. "You shot this gemstone free and you and I both..." he took in a breath. "We grabbed it at the same time—do you remember?"

[MELODY]

Moira had to think deeply for a moment to get through her chaotic mind. The concentration it took showed on her face as her eyes slowly widened when the memory of that moment resurfaced. "A-Aye..the..moment of the white glow in our eyes.."

[GEM]

He nodded as his eyes danced between hers, both of them now on the same page. "I think we... absorbed the stone somehow."

[MELODY]

"We...we absorbed it?" Moira asked him as she looked at him shocked. "W-what does that even mean..for us?" She tried to wrap her head around this whole situation.

[GEM]

"It means that when we died we reset the day. That's why Tempus Mora did so well is because he had played that fight over and over God knows how many times using that stone but it's ours now. And more importantly, it means we have a chance, Moira. We have a chance and it's all because of you," he said as he turned and began to jog towards the keep.

[MELODY]

Moira was caught of guard for a moment, what he explained slowly sinking in as she took a deep shakingly breath before she ran after him wondering what his plan was. Assuming he had one by the way he said it.

[GEM]

Uriah went right into the Main Hall and to the war room where Stoick was making plans with Bjorn in there too as both men were about to leave to go outside but they stopped awkwardly when Uriah and Moira were both there. "Stoick, we have news about Tempus Mora. He's going to attack tonight and you are his next target," he said to the man.

Stoick seemed concerned about this and glanced at Bjorn with hesitation. "How do you know this?" he asked.

Uriah was about to answer but he realized what he was going to say sounded mad. He grimaced and shut his lips before glancing at Moira. "Hm, I did not think this part through much did I?" he said nervously.

[MELODY]

Moira let out a deep sigh before shaking her head slightly. So he didn't have a plan after all. "Aye ye didn't.." she whispered back to him before she glanced up at Stoick then back at Uriah not sure how to explain it either. But they had to tell them to prevent it all from happening. But could they tell them the truth or did they have to come up with an explanation that was more believable to them.

[GEM]

"W-we have reason to believe the last stone is here and it's his next target now that he has the first two—or did, I suppose... uh," he stammered. "He told us this when he was monologuing—"

"You lie to me at a time like this?" Stoick asked with a stone cold face, seeing right through him.

"No I don't—hm..." he looked up with frustration. "The reason we know... the real reason... is... just go with me on this. But one of those stones he has, Moira and I absorbed it last night—tonight—when he attacks and it may have given us the ability to time travel—"

"Aye what have you both been drinking so early in the morning?" Bjorn asked with a bored tone.

[MELODY]

Moira understood their reaction to this but it was really frustrating given what they knew. She narrowed her eyes at Bjorn. "..of course we didn't.." she shot at him sharply. "..the truth is still that ye sir.." she looked at Stoick. "Are his next target and that he will bring hell upon Berk burning it to the ground! Taking everyone with it!" Her frustration showed in her voice as well as her fear. She had tried to keep herself back but she couldn't help it.

Jan 15, 2024, 4:08 AM

[GEM]

"Yes, Moira I appreciate your passion but let's take it down a notch," Uriah said as he kept his gaze ahead while she shouted like that. "The thing is: Mora does attack tonight and if you care about your people then you will prepare for it as well as keep an eye out for stealth dragons flying in or anyone dressed in black lurking behind your shoulder, aye?" he added with a bit more attitude before turning to leave.

[MELODY]

Moira had already turned around with her crossing her arms as she tried to calm herself when she made her way out of the keep. She hoped they would keep in mind what they warned them about.

[GEM]

"Well that went well," Uriah said with sarcasm.

[MELODY]

Moira didn't reply to his sarcastic comment as worry showed in her expression with slight panic. "They didn't believe us at all..it will go exactly the same if they don't listen."

[GEM]

"Well that's why we are going to try a more lenient fellow," he said with his hands behind his back. His strides were casually faster than her own given his height compared to her. But he seemed to be making his way towards where Gobber was working.

[MELODY]

Moira tried to keep up with him as they made their way towards Gobber. The stress she felt was going through her whole body but she tried to ignore it and stay focused. "Alright.." was all she said.

[GEM]

He slowed when they got to the area where he remembered seeing...

"Hiccup!" he called to the lad who was head deep in fixing one of the ballista mounts. "Alright try that," he told the man he was helping before he stood up and the man swung the weapon around and knocked Hiccup off the tower. He fell into a cart full of straw when he did and the man on the tower looked over with regret. "Oops," he said to himself.

[MELODY]

Although it was a humorous sight to see she couldn't help but to run over to check if the lad was alright. "Are ye alright?" She asked him as she held her hand out to him to help him out of the cart.

Jan 15, 2024, 12:10 PM

[GEM]

Hiccup spit straw from his mouth. "Yep. I'md good. I'm great," he replied with struggle before he took her outstretched hand and was helped back to his feet. He began dusting himself off. "Welcome to our circus. How can I help you both?"

"Oh nothing much. We just need to talk about what happens tonight," Uriah said in a serious tone with a hint of attitude at the beginning.

Hiccup seemed confused and concerned at this.

"Gather everyone into the Longhouse. And by 'everyone' I mean the group we took north," he said before leaving him.

[GEM]

Hiccup didn't know what this was about but he did as the man asked, knowing whatever it was, if Uriah was concerned then it had to be important.

"I hope this is important. I was in the middle of showing my sister up on the training grounds," Tuffnut said with his arms crossed.

"Please, Hordver had you in a headlock," Ruff replied.

"Yeah his pits almost smelled as bad as Snotlout—"

Snotlout stood up. "Teacher, can I be excused—?"

"No!" Uriah said incredulously.

He sat back down.

Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout, Astrid, Ruarcc, Faelan, Gregor, and Arne were sitting at or standing around the table in the corner of the Longhouse as they listened to Moira and Uriah who were facing them. "We gathered everyone into one place so we wouldn't have to repeat this story. So shut it and listen up," Uriah told them. He looked at Moira. "You want to take this one, firefly?" he offered, wanting to see if she wanted a whack at telling them what happened.

[MELODY]

Moira nodded briefly as she watched them with her arms crossed. "Stoick is Tempus Mora's next target, he is going to be assassinated..after that there is going to be an attack tonight on Berk by Mora and his army." She said going straight to the point as it was no use going around it.

[GEM]

Everyone's expressions began to show concern and Ruarcc took the pipe from his mouth. "What happened? How did you find this out?" he asked them.

[MELODY]

Moira glanced over at Ruarcc when he asked. It was difficult for her to not see flashes of his death when she looked at him. She seemed to hesitate on what to reply as she glanced up at Uriah.

[GEM]

Uriah was uneasy telling this but he also knew that they would understand this far better than Stoick would. "Well we did some research on the stones Tempus Mora had. The blue is the Imperium Stone and it commands fauna. But the white gemstone that he got from us is called the Chronos Stone... As it turns out it controls time."

Astrid raised her brows. "Time?" she asked in surprise, wondering what that meant for them.

Moira nodded. "Aye and... well the reason we know of the attack tonight is because we lived it. Uriah and I."

Some looks were exchanged.

Uriah continued. "During the ambush here on Berk, Mora destroyed and burned the entire island. He got the last stone, he killed everyone, and with one incredible arrow, Moira broke the Chronos Stone from it's place and she and I grabbed it at the same time. When this happened we saw an immediate shift. Tempus Mora clearly didn't want us dead and he tried to take us with him. Until... until an assassin went out of his way to kill me and we woke up here this morning..."

"One of Mora's assassins?" Faelan asked.

"Aye—or... I don't know. He was dressed like one—"

"But he saved me life," Moira interrupted. "And he was fighting by Melody's side the whole night."

"Melody—the witch?" Ruffnut asked.

"Wait, can we go back for a moment? Back to what you said about grabbing the stone? Are you saying you absorbed it?" Hiccup asked, trying to make out what they were saying.

"We did and I don't know how. All I know is that is what happened," Uriah said.

[MELODY]

"..so we gathered you here so we can find a way to prevent the total destruction of Berk and it's people..since we know how it will go." Moira added as she watched them. "We have a chance now to win."

[GEM]

"So if one of you dies, the day resets?" Arne asked with confusion.

"As far as we know. Though I wouldn't like to push our luck," Uriah said.

"Did you say that Tempus Mora finds the last stone here?" Gregor asked.

"Aye. Apparently that Viking lad--One Legged Lester or whatever his name is--killed the prophet for it. Brought it back with his treasure hoard long ago. You wouldn't happen to know of a magical glowing gemstone in some honorable place around here, would you?" he asked Hiccup.

"Yeah. It's embedded in my dad's circlet," he answered plainly.

"What, it is?" Astrid said with shock.

"No of course not. We don't have anything like that around here--"

"Then how did Mora get it here?" Ruffnut asked.

"Are you sure you two didn't have... you know a bit too much ale before bed?" Tuff asked.

[MELODY]

Moira rolled her eyes as she shot Tuffnut a glare. "..didn't ye know the whole story of that one legged lester?" She asked Tuffnut remembering him telling the story to the kids at that statue. She ignored his comment about them drinking. That's when her mind went back to the statue. "Wait..the statue." She said before she suddenly made her way out of there.

[GEM]

They exchanged a few looks before Uriah followed after her quickly.

[MELODY]

Moira quickly made her way from the longhouse to the statue before glancing up at it once she reached it. She took in all the details observing it hoping to find a clue where the gem was or if the gem was there..in the statue.

[GEM]

She didn't notice anything unusual about the stone structure. It appeared only to be a representation of the Viking's self absorption.

"Looking for a secret latch?" Uriah asked her.

[MELODY]

"Among other things.." Moira said sighing softly as she had stepped closer to take a closer look. "..but I don't see anything unusual.."

[GEM]

"Something tells me Vikings wouldn't really be the ones to concoct a secret entrance into a treasure vault. That's more of the enemy's territory... or those from storybooks," he added with an almost smirk in his eyes.

[MELODY]

"..get me a hammer." She suddenly said out of nowhere as she stepped back glancing over at him.

[GEM]

He raised his eyebrows. "What?"

[MELODY]

"..well if there is no clue on it..it must be inside, right?" She said plainly as she shrugged.

[GEM]

"Must?" he questioned, a bit amused at her taste for destruction.

[MELODY]

"..Aye." Was all she said before she turned around towards Gobber's black smithery to get a hammer.

[GEM]

He glanced left as if seeing if an invisible person there agreed with him about this before following her. "Alright, Moira, a few concerns," he said. "One: How are you and your tiny arms going to smash a stone statue? Two: Why would a Viking hoarder leave clues to some gemstone he had? He wasn't a dragonblood. He didn't even know what that stone was."

[MELODY]

"One: I can do more then ye think, but ye can do it yerself if ye want. Two: it's a gemstone.. he would either have put it away safely or sold it..but that's unlikely plus we don't have any other clue where it is right now so isn't it worth trying?" She shot back at him with attitude as she entered the smithery looking for a hammer big enough to smash the entire thing.

[GEM]

"I don't think you're going to find a hammer to do what you want. You'd need to drop a boulder," he said with amusement as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wooden post.

[MELODY]

"..or just pick it up and drop the entire thing. Or crush it." Moira said with a shrug as she walked out of the smithery again. She whistled once she was outside again as after a few seconds Cailean landed by her with a loud thud as he did. She smiled seeing him being himself again as she put her arms around his nose when he lowered his head laying hers against it closing her eyes for a minute before opening them again as she turned back around to face Uriah.

[GEM]

"I think we would have more success if we take a diplomatic approach," Uriah told her. "I'll send Faelan and Fionnlagh with Fishlegs and they can discover what else we missed about his connection to the stone. The rest of them need to be preparing for war..." He then walked up to her side and put his hand on Cailean's shoulder gently. "And... we have more bad news to deliver," he said with meaning in his words when he looked at her.

[MELODY]

"But.." Moira wanted to protest but when he looked at her that way she shut up letting out a deep sigh. "Aye..I know.." she said as she glanced up at him.

[GEM]

"I have a bit more questions," Hiccup said when he and Astrid were walking up to the two.

Uriah sighed and thought about how to phrase this, stepping back to approach him. "Hiccup, do you remember what happened at Drago's cavern? When Tempus Mora showed up?"

He frowned and hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "He... took control of their..." He stopped and looked down. "Oh gods..."

He nodded. "We'll have to dismiss our dragons before the fight."

[MELODY]

Moira glanced over at them when they approached her and Uriah. "..he will use that stone to turn them against us.." When she said that the memory of that happening flashed before her eyes as the emotions that she had felt in that moment showed in her eyes but not in her expression as she tried to keep a calm expression now.

[GEM]

"And then we'll be facing an army of twice the size with half as many of our own," Uriah added.

Hiccup was incredibly troubled by this.

"How in the Hel are we supposed to fight off that lunatic's army with just our men alone?" Astrid demanded with confusion.

[MELODY]

"..it will be almost impossible but..we know how they fight..at least from what we experienced. Maybe we can use that to our advantage. Plus we know when they will strike.." Moira said at a calm tone trying to calm them down a bit.

[GEM]

"Hiccup we don't have a choice this time," Uriah said to him.

He was rubbing his face in stress but he knew they were right.

"Besides," he stepped up and put a hand on his shoulder. "You are an inventor. You can help these people create defenses others would only dream of having."

He looked back into his eyes and nodded, mustering determination to replace the worry.

"Now go find Gobber and get to work. Astrid, help Bjorn and Hadvar with training the men. Against men and dragons. Take the others with you. But send Faelan and Fionnlagh to Fishlegs on where to find the stone on Berk. Moira and I will come up with plans for battle and try to remember everything that we know will happen. And come sunset... we will send off the dragons east and put the women and children into the keep."

The both nodded and took off to follow his orders.

He looked at Moira at his side and hesitantly nodded as well when he said, "We can do this," as if trying to reassure himself rather than her.

[MELODY]

Moira glanced up at him as she gently took his hand in hers giving a gentle squish in it. "Aye, we can do this." She said to him in a reassuring way as she showed him a small smile.

[GEM]

He put a kiss at her cheek. "Come on," he said as he pulled her by her hand.

Umbra's paws landed roughly on the rocky terrain of a local island. Her rider leapt to the ground but was careful not to knock the woman sitting behind him off. She had somehow managed to sleep a little on the flight thanks to her cloak and his body heat making it possible. Not to mention the ride was a steady one.

But he stepped down the stones to the small grassy valley that Mortifer landed on as Runa got off his back and fell to the ground with exhaustion, the dragon doing the same.

"What are you doing?" he demanded from her before pulling his face mask down from his mouth.

"Landing for a moment—"

"We don't have a moment," he said through his teeth as he walked towards her.

"The dragons can't fly for twenty-four straight hours—they have to rest their wings—they have to eat!" she insisted as she looked up at him with frustration as Mortifer was practically passed out on the grass.

He looked up and thought about it but his expression was angry and impatient. Every moment they wasted was a moment they could be too late to get to Stoick. But they had to take care of their dragons or they wouldn't make it at all. "One hour. Then we are flying again," he said before turning and walking back to Umbra.

[MELODY]

Melody climbed off Umbra as well petting the dragon's side when she stood next to it. She then stretched while she looked around. She sighed softly watching the two of them argue before glancing back at the dragons concerned. They were beyond exhausted. But she knew they really had to keep going. They were already later thanks to her, because of the argument with Lyre and her breakdown after. She felt really guilty about it. She went to sit down by Umbra once it laid down before glancing up at Muiredach.

[GEM]

The man walked to the edge of the ledge and looked out over the stormy sea, watching the clouds that were gathering in the south as the waves crashed against stones below them. His expression was a serious one, his mind elsewhere.

[MELODY]

As she watched him she got up again making her way over to him until she was standing next to him. "...the sea seems very restless..but you are as well.."

[GEM]

There was a pause after she said this, his mind clouded. But he said, "Runa isn't the only one plagued by the faces of past victims... Just as you are not the only one trying to make amends for the past..." His eye cast down to his bracer as he messed with it.

[MELODY]

"..I know that.." She said at a calm tone as she kept her gaze on the waves crashing into the rocks. "...you shouldn't be carrying it on your own.." she said to him as she glanced up at him.

[GEM]

He returned her glance briefly after hers before looking ahead again. "I wouldn't dream of placing even half of this burden on your shoulders, little doe," he said plainly and yet his words were full of tender affection.

[MELODY]

"..I wouldn't mind..I would do it..for you." She said to him with a small smile on her face.

[GEM]

His cloak caught in the wind, the heaviness of it being enough to make anyone else off balance but he was a statue. He couldn't deny how his heart felt when she said this. She was by far the sweetest woman he'd ever met. And he was convinced she could even be the sweetest on the whole planet. He worried for her safety in the coming war, desperate that she wouldn't be harmed but it was probably inevitable anyway. That being said, at this point he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she died on his watch.

Why was she so devoted to him? How could he deserve it? Such a sweet gentle soul... and his so dark and damaged.

He was grateful nonetheless. But it did make him wonder why.

[MELODY]

She was quiet for a moment after that returning her gaze to the water again. "I am sorry for delaying us..with what happened.." she said to him quietly as it had been bothering her.

[GEM]

He raised a brow as irritation took his features. He turned and walked back towards the boulders that were sounded by grass. "How about we make a deal?" he asked before he halfway turned, looking at her from under his hood. "I'll let you share in some of my struggle, and you stop blaming yourself for things that were not your fault." He then sat down and reclined against the stones while the dragons caught fish. He took out some bread from his pack and tossed it to her.

[MELODY]

As she turned around when he walked away from her like that before catching the piece of bread as she nodded slightly.  "Alright.." she said as she walked over to him. "Deal.." she said to him as a small smile appeared on her face again as she sat down besides him.

[GEM]

He took a drink from his waterskin as he watched the view. After a moment he said, "Tell me something good. Something of festivals or childhood memories..." he said with longing in his voice. All he ever heard was bad news or terrible memories. He needed a change. Especially if it came from her.

[MELODY]

Melody seemed surprised by him asking that but her smile grew slightly when he did. "Alright..mhm..well there are several festivals we had in the village..each celebrating each of the seasons. It was always my favorite thing..the dancing, the singing..the food..being together..of course there were the traditional rituals that came with each one.." her expression told a lot about how fond she was of those memories.

[GEM]

He watched her carefully as she spoke about this, interested in any story she could tell of her childhood.

[MELODY]

"..one time my sister decided it was funny to pull a prank on my mom by switching sugar with salt while she was making her famous blueberry pie..you should have seen my dad's face when he got the first piece..my sister laughed so hard that my mom immediately knew it was her..she was so angry. But we could laugh about it afterwards." Melody let out a chuckle when she told him this but there was grief mixed in with her fondness for her memories in her expression.

[GEM]

A gentle smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he listened to her. For a moment he tried to bury himself in her memory, imagining such a simple and joyful time. The story was to his ears as honey was to his tongue. And he let her voice soothe him as he listened, his icy eyes dancing in hers as he subconsciously admired her profile. At last he finally said, "You were lucky... though they're now gone... those memories live on in you. And they made you who you are; a rare and beautiful diamond. So cherish them and don't let them darken your spirits." He always spoke with such assurance and poise, as if each word was just as intentional as the last. This didn't surprise her given how quiet and thoughtful he always was.

[MELODY]

Melody's smile grew when he said that as she quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes that had formed. "..I won't..I know they will always be with me..in my heart.." she said as she looked back at him.

[GEM]

His eyes held a bit of sympathy when she looked emotional. He placed his fingers under her chin to lift her face up towards him and wiped the tear that fell from her left eye with his gloved thumb, his eyes soft and thoughtful. He then let her rest against him in hopes it would help to comfort her so she wouldn't become sorrowful for her lost family.

[MELODY]

A slight blush appeared on her face when he did that. She leaned against him listening to his breathing and heartbeat before she raised an eyebrow. "By the way was it just me or did you just call me beautiful?" She asked him a bit teasingly with an amused tone in her voice. She asked it to lighten the mood but mainly to tease him.

[GEM]

Slowly an amused smirk spread on his lips and his eyes lifted to look away with irritation, a rugged redness rising in his cheeks but... surely that was because of the chilled air right? "Perhaps I did and perhaps I didn't. But if I did, it's something you should also cherish because I won't be making a habit of it," he said as he kept his gaze ahead with slight attitude, copying her teasing tone. His hand that belong to the arm that was around her rested on the curve of her waist.

[MELODY]

Melody couldn't help but let out a chuckle at his reaction hearing his heartbeat speed up slightly. "Oh I will cherish it because it's so rare..believe me." She then fell quiet for a moment as she watched the view in front of them sinking into her thoughts. "..so..what were you like as a boy?" She asked carefully breaking the silence. She was  curious about his childhood but knew he probably didn't have a good normal one like hers.

[GEM]

That question hit him a bit harder than he had expected. His mind took a dive into the corners of his worst memories as it fell backwards in time, bringing forth things he hadn't thought about in years. His expression looked troubled even if he did a good job hiding that. His brows pinched together slightly and his gaze was on his leg as he thought about it. "Mischievous at best... and cruel at worst. Everything else was beaten out of me... including my innocence," he said plainly, seemingly rather up front about it. No beating around the bush.

[MELODY]

Melody felt terrible for asking now seeing the way he reacted and hearing the way he replied. "..you must have felt alone..didn't you?" She asked him as she gently reached for his other hand the one that wasn't on her and held it between hers. "..it's not right to beat a child...only because they want to shape you to their ideal..that's terrible.." She wasn't trying to pity him. She just felt angry now that he hadn't been given a good normal childhood like hers..

[GEM]

He felt warm under her touch, even through his glove. "Hm. I grew up wealthy because of my father's morbid code of ethics. We had a plantation of slaves and a rather large house on the land... But I never felt wealthy. My father made sure of that. He gave me only what I needed to survive and forced me to fend for myself whenever possible. He taught me how to steal, charm, swindle, deceive, hide, and plenty of slight-of-hand tricks. His two faced criminal way of life got me my first scar. And the next was due to my rebellious nature against him."

[MELODY]

She listened thoughtfully about what he was telling her. It surprised her where he came from. "..didn't you have any siblings?" She asked as she kept her gaze on his hand as she held it. "..and your mother? I can't imagine a mother approving of the way your father treated you.."

[GEM]

"No siblings. And mother... well it didn't matter to him what she thought. He beat her nearly on the daily while I watched... until one day it was his last. Of course he framed someone else for the murder. One of his own slaves and had him beheaded."

He looked down at their woven hands as he got an image suddenly of his small palms with his mother's blood on them when he tried to wake her up but was kicked and locked into the other room... pounding on the door as he smeared crimson on the wood... The images disappeared as fast as they came, however.

[MELODY]

Her eyes widened in shock when he told her that as she was quiet for a moment. "..what a horrible monster of a man.." she said to him as there was a slight anger in her voice when she said that. It disgusted her that someone could do such things. Mistreating others for their own gain, having no idea what they damaged or took away from someone else.

[GEM]

"...And when he didn't have mother anymore to satisfy him... let's just say his second choice finally found a way to escape... I had never run so hard before that or since... Of course the skills he taught me helped me live on the streets as a rogue until I was sixteen and joined the Brotherhood to try and fight for something larger than myself. Didn't surprise me that I found it so satisfying to kill the rich bastards that resembled my father..."

[MELODY]

As she tried to process what he told her she took a deep breath before speaking again. "..have you ever seen him again since?" She asked him with a calm tone, but underneath she wasn't calm at all. Before she met him and Runa she had never met anyone who didn't have a good childhood like she did. Of course she had known that not everyone had that but hearing it from someone she deeply cared about hurt her. This hurt her more to hear then she had expected.

[GEM]

"...No." He thought about this. He wasn't really concerned about where his father ended up or if he was even still alive. He had turned his back that day and never looked over his shoulder. The man would rot in some way or another. There was no hope for him to change or repent. He had his place in the eternal depths fixed.

[MELODY]

Melody nodded slowly when he said that. It was logical that given what happened he didn't care what happened to him. "..that man gets what he deserves anyway...maybe he already has.." she said to him quietly as she gently went with her fingers over his gloved hand. "..I wish I could go back in time and just take you from that place. I am sure you would have liked the village.." she said with a small smile.

[GEM]

Though she couldn't see it, he copied her subtle smile when she said this. How could he not? Her offer was hollow and yet it spoke a thousand loving words. Everything she said seemed to be so astronomically opposite the sentiments he was given his whole life. She truly was a kiss of pure sunlight in his dark life and he adored everything about her... of course he wouldn't admit that out loud.

"Hm... quite the offer," he said softly, his voice coarse when he talked in a gentle and quiet tone. "Though if I changed my past then I wouldn't have ended up this... rugged character you find so irresistible," he teased.

[MELODY]

She raised an eyebrow when he said that as she got an amused look in her eyes. "..irresistible? Fascinating yes..but irresistible." Although what he said was true she wanted to tease him back. But she found him fascinating as well. She never felt a pull like this towards anyone before.

[GEM]

"Fascinating is it? Hm... in what way do I seem to fascinate you, little doe?"

She hadn't realized his left hand had been grazing her arm softly and slowly as he spoke.

[MELODY]

A slight blush appeared on her face when she noticed that but her smile grew as well. "..just the person you are..and the way you interact with others.." she really couldn't find a good way to describe why she found him fascinating, she just did.

[GEM]

"I suppose I could say the same about you, couldn't I? After all I don't think I've met anyone softer. Nor do I believe I will even if I come across a stray kitten," he added the last part in a teasing tone. Of course he meant soft as in loving or caring and not weak. In fact, her softness was definitely her strength. But the last part was added just to mess with her and his left hand pinched her side in a slight tickling fashion.

[MELODY]

She rolled her eyes at him comment before her blush became brighter when he pinched her side like that. She let out a yelp when he did. "Hey! Stop that!" She said to him trying to get get out of his grasp now.

[GEM]

He chuckled cutely as he felt his heart tumble with the sound of her laugh and sight of her stunning smile; one he wished would never leave her lips...

He had ahold of her arms to keep her captive as he said in her ear, "How about you make me?" in a teasing manner.

[MELODY]

Melody's eyes widened when he grabbed her arms like that. Not losing the smile on her face as she looked up at him. "Oh really?" She acted like she was thinking deeply about it before she just leaned in giving him a kiss on his cheek.

[GEM]

That seemed to work. His grip loosened when his cheeks flushed red and his lips stretched into a genuinely bashful smile. But he didn't shy away from her as he returned her gaze, adoration in his eyes for her. For a moment she didn't see the killer he was in the past. She just saw the man he was pushing to be; who he was going to be and who he was inside. Such a deeply wounded character who had never felt love before, finally beginning to understand the sensation. And it made his past existence impossible to bear if he had to go back to it. She brought out something in him he didn't even know he had. He didn't even know how to categorize how he felt but he never wanted to let the feeling go.

He twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers as he looked into her eyes before he forced a serious look back to his face and cleared his throat. "Fine you win," he relented as he looked ahead again, keeping a smile at bay.

[MELODY]

Her blush became brighter as she stared back into his eyes smiling brightly. She was surprised by him finally showing another side of him but pleasantly surprised. She smirked slightly when he said she won. "..good." Was all she said before she gave him a smile again.

[GEM]

He felt strange when she was smiling at him. It was a feeling he was all unfamiliar with and it caused him to be taken aback mentally, unsure of what to make of it. But he kept his hand on her waist and watched the waves again with a strangely content feeling in his soul all because of the woman in his arms.