The next morning, Fiona dragged Marianne out of the barracks.
"I don't want to go outside," Marianne grumbled as Fiona practically shoved her through the doors.
"Too bad," Fiona said flatly. "You've been sulking long enough."
"I don't sulk."
"Really? What do you call staring at the ceiling dramatically for hours?"
Marianne glared at her.
Fiona smirked.
And for once, Marianne found herself smiling just a little.
They walked through the city streets, watching as life slowly returned to normal.
Merchants reopened their stalls. Children ran through the streets, laughing. The damage from the rebellion was being repaired.
Marianne exhaled, watching the city move around her.
"…I guess the world keeps moving."
Fiona glanced at her.
"It always does."
Marianne crossed her arms.
"You sound like you've been through this before."
Fiona chuckled, looking away.
"…You have no idea."
Marianne raised an eyebrow but didn't press.
For now—this was enough.
They walked together, side by side.
Not as knights or warriors.
Just two peoples—who tried finding comfort in each other's presence.
And for the first time in a long time—Marianne felt at peace.
The sun had long since begun to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet. The bustling city had quieted, leaving only the occasional chatter of distant voices and the faint sounds of the evening wind rustling through the streets.
Near the edge of the city, just outside the barracks, two figures sat atop a small stone wall that overlooked the hills beyond.
Marianne and Fiona.
Neither spoke for a while.
They just sat there, watching the sun sink beneath the horizon, their legs dangling over the edge.
Fiona had been the one to drag Marianne out here, claiming they needed a "break" from everything.
But now, as the silence stretched between them, it was clear there was more to this than just fresh air.
Fiona tilted her head, glancing at Marianne.
The knight had been unusually quiet all day.
She wasn't glaring, she wasn't barking orders, she wasn't even sighing dramatically like she usually did.
Instead, she just stared at the sky, just lost in thought.
Fiona tapped her fingers against the stone wall.
"…You've been brooding again."
Marianne blinked, pulled from her thoughts.
She scoffed lightly.
"I don't brood."
Fiona raised an eyebrow.
Marianne sighed.
"…Fine. Maybe a little, i guess."
Fiona smirked.
"Want to talk about it?"
Marianne hesitated.
She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers.
For a long moment, she seemed uncertain.
Fiona didn't press.
She just waited.
And finally, Marianne spoke.
"…When I was a kid," Marianne started, her voice softer than usual, "I wanted to be a knight more than anything."
Fiona listened in silence.
"My father was once a knight of the royal guard. He was strong. He was respected. He protected people."
She smiled faintly, though there was a tinge of sadness behind it.
"I used to watch him train in the courtyard. I'd sit there for hours, mimicking his movements with a wooden sword."
Fiona could almost picture it.
A small, determined girl, gripping a wooden sword too big for her hands, swinging at invisible foes with all the strength she could muster.
Marianne chuckled.
"I remember once, I snuck into the armory and tried to wear real armor. Nearly broke my neck because it was too heavy."
Fiona snorted.
"I would've paid to see that rare moment of yours."
Marianne rolled her eyes but smirked.
"…My father wasn't happy about that. But instead of scolding me, he just laughed. And then—"
She hesitated, her fingers tightening against the stone.
Fiona noticed.
"…Then what?" she asked quietly.
Marianne took a deep breath.
"…Then he promised me, that one day, I'd be strong enough to wear that armor, and he will be the first person who proud of me being a knight."
A pause.
Her voice grew quieter.
"Unfortunately, he never got to see it."
Fiona's smirk faded.
She didn't need to ask why, because she already knew the answer.
"…War?"
Marianne nodded.
"He died on the battlefield when I was still a child. Maybe i was around 12 years old at that time. I'm just a kid, who still doesn't know everything."
Fiona remained silent..
At least, after living in Jeannie's body, she knew how it felt to have something ripped away before you could even grasp it.
Marianne exhaled.
"After my father's death, my mother can't accept the news about it. She commit suicide in front of my eyes. Since that time, i lost everyone that i loved so much..."
She paused for a moment. Her eyes were red, holding all her emotion.
Fiona,looking at her pathetic expression felt something unsusual in her heart.
"I'm really sorry for making you remember that. It's fine If you don't want to tell me about things that you don't want to remember...", said her with regretful tone.
"No need to apologize for that. You are my closest friend, same with that idiot Aldric, Jeannie. Besides, we spent 10 years in the Knight's duty, but i've never told you about my story..", she continued to spoke, looking at the sky again.
"Later on, a battle occured, took place inside the city where i live. And my home was destroyed....Only this sword that i manage to keep, and i always use this sword, the last thing my father left for me,"
Marianne showed her sword to Fiona. It was an old sword with a unique relief in it. But even after years, the sword was still sharp without any signs of rusting. Looking from how clean and deadly her sword was, Marianne probably took care and maintained this sword everyday.
"When i have nowhere to got, where i must live on the harsh street, this sword saved my life for countless times, until the knights order arrived and i joined the recruitment. Luckily, at that time, i managed to pass the trial and started my duty as a knight".
She paused again for a moment, and then looked back at Fiona.
"But I didn't stop at there. I trained, fought, and I climbed the ranks. And eventually, I became a knight—just like him."
Fiona tilted her head.
"And? Did it feel as great as you imagined?"
Marianne smiled faintly.
"…No."
Fiona blinked.
Marianne turned to look at her, an unreadable expression in her eyes.
"I thought being a knight would bring me closer to him. That if I fought hard enough, if I became strong enough, I'd understand why he chose this path."
Her voice wavered slightly.
"…But all I found was blood, betrayal, and war."
Fiona watched her carefully.
Marianne clenched her fists.
"Aldric was one of the only people who made it bearable. We trained and fought together for 10 years. I thought—"
She stopped.
Then, with a bitter laugh, she muttered:
"…I thought we had the same dream and purpose, and we Will fix this kingdom together."
Fiona frowned.
She had never seen Marianne like this.
So raw,honest, and open.
It was really strange for her.
And yet…she understood.
Marianne turned back toward the sky, her expression unreadable.
"But it seems that i was wrong."
Fiona didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she leaned back on her hands, gazing at the darkening sky.
"…You know, Marianne."
Marianne glanced at her.
Fiona's voice was softer now.
"Dreams don't always end the way we expect them to."
A pause.
"But that doesn't mean they weren't worth chasing."
Marianne's eyes widened slightly.
Fiona smirked.
"Maybe being a knight wasn't what you imagined. Maybe Aldric wasn't who you thought he was. But that doesn't mean your dream was a mistake."
Marianne stared at her.
Then, she let out a quiet chuckle.
"…Honestly, i'm really courious about you, Jeannie. Since when you are wiser than me?"
Fiona grinned.
"Don't get used to it."
Marianne shook her head.
And for the first time in days, she felt a little lighter.
Silence settled between them again, but this time—it was comfortable.
The sun had long since disappeared, replaced by the twinkling of stars.
Fiona stretched her arms, letting out a yawn.
"Well, I'd say this was a productive therapy session for a friend."
Marianne scoffed.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Fiona smirked.
Then, suddenly—Marianne turned to her.
"…Jeannie."
Fiona blinked.
Marianne hesitated for a moment.
Then—she smiled.
"Thank you."
Fiona's eyes widened slightly.
For a brief second, she almost forgot to breathe.
She didn't know why.
But something about that smile—about hearing her own fake name spoken so sincerely, made her heart do something strange.
She quickly masked it with a smirk.
"Don't get all sentimental on me now, Marianne. I might cry."
Marianne rolled her eyes.
"Idiot."
Fiona chuckled.
And for the rest of the night, they simply sat there together—watching the stars.
Neither realizing just how much this night would mean to them both.