TBATE: A Hero's Return

Am I In Love?

Finally having some free time as Tessia was stuck inside for some meetings with the council, Arthur made his way to the embassy to spend some time with his family. As he walked over from the castle to the impressive structure, he couldn't help but be in awe that his little sister was in charge of everyone in this building.

He wasn't sure if the embassy was always this busy, but it seemed like a whirlwind of activity as he stepped inside.

It could only really be described as a hub of activity and bustle as its walls were filled with the sounds of people talking in hushed tones, the rustling of papers, and the shout of a messenger relaying messages from teams across the large expanse of the building.

The place seemed even busier than before as the Dicathen dignitaries Arthur and Tessia brought along filled the space, adding even more to the controlled chaos that seemed to permeate the space. The atmosphere is tense and formal, as important matters of state are being discussed.

Eleanor's desk seemed to be no better, as large stacks of paper stood on her desk. She was so busy that she didn't even realize Arthur had arrived.

"Have the approvals for the Lissuin fruits come in? Highblood Ainsworth said that he wanted some to be included in the festivities for the upcoming cultural fair." Eleanor asked, reading through a page with efficiency before putting it down on the desk, writing her signature in the bottom corner before pushing it to the side.

Tedry was holding a report from Dicathen as he sat across from her. "Hmm, not yet it seems. It is still early in the harvesting season for them, so the report from Elenoir says they will try their best to get them to us, but it will be a tight squeeze."

Eleanor nodded in understanding. "Good, tell them to try their best. Rollup, there was that Alacryan band you had mentioned earlier. Do you think it would be possible to invite them here? If they are good, I think it might be a good idea to hire them to perform the Dicathen anthem for the fair as well."

Rollup, who had been peering into a cabinet for a certain stack of files, poked his head out to respond. "Yes, they should be free. If I remember correctly, they have an opening in their schedule later this week. I will see if we can book an audition."

Eleanor nodded. "Thanks guys. Its the first Alacryan cultural fair that Dicathen is expected to have a presence at, so we need everything to go well."

Arthur turned the corner, letting his sister continue her work without interruption. It had been a couple of years since she started her new role, and from all accounts, she was doing an amazing job at it. However, with the Council in the middle of its first official meeting in Alacrya, many Dicathens have expressed interest in entering Alacrya, leading to the embassy being under an especially difficult workload.

Still, while the three races seemed to have infighting back home, here they all worked in unison like a well-oiled machine. Race, gender, and status fell to the wayside as everyone rolled their sleeves to get to work.

Arthur continued to walk down the hallway, entering the section of the embassy that contained the living spaces for the people that worked within it. His mind, however, was somewhere else entirely.

Unbidden, he recalled a conversation he had with Tessia years ago, when they had been sitting in front of her parents' graves where she asked him, "How do you feel about me?"

I don't think I love you the way you want me to.

Arthur went red with embarrassment and disappointment as he remembered his answer to her question—and something else too.

Something just felt strange, made him feel like he was floundering, even though he was on solid ground.

He remembered Tessia reaching out to him to touch his arm in a warm, friendly gesture, her beautiful hands touching his cheek gently in a gesture that had meant so much to him in his drunken state.