Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Yumi - 40

It's been about an hour, or at least that's how long Yumi feels like it's been seen the illusory world stranded her and Sapha on this silent beach together. Their surroundings are devoid of any sense of time passing and Yumi's contained herself with remaining quiet as long as possible. She turns to Sapha and opens her mouth to speak, but Sapha cuts her off without even opening her eyes. "Ten minutes."

Yumi tilts her head. "What?"

"You lasted ten minutes. I'd be impressed if it wasn't so pathetic." Sapha smirks and opens her eyes. "And don't think I haven't noticed you're perfectly capable of keeping your mouth shut around everyone else."

Yumi can feel her cheeks flush with heat. "I... But... You just take a lot more wearing down to get anything out of you."

"I'm really not that interesting. What's there to get out of me?"

Yumi glares. "Literally anything. I wouldn't even know your name if the empress didn't use it... And I still don't know what the big deal is about that."

Sapha looks shocked with confusion. "You... Don't?"

Yumi shakes her head and shrugs. "I know it's Nuvian, but that would have been obvious..."

Sapha stares at her. "You have to be lying."

"I mean... I realize it's the same name as the Nuvian lord, but..."

Sapha's bafflement has increased tenfold. Yumi's eyes widen as she realizes her foolish assumption. "Oh my gods... You're a princess?!"

Sapha slumps as her eyes narrow. "No, I am not, but yes I am one of those Pavartis."

"Your father is the king of Nuvoluce?"

"That was only a title and he..."

"So you're a princess."

"Yumi." Sapha's tone is much more stern. "My family is not royalty. They're criminal tyrants and I was one of them. I'm not a princess. I never was and I never will be."

Fine, be grumpy, still a princess. Yumi pouts as she crosses her arms.

"You don't hide what you're thinking very well, you know." Sapha's judgmental gaze makes Yumi tighten her posture slightly as she continues. "Anyway... how did you not put that together?"

Yumi answers sheepishly, "I just... I've read about your family... And people talked about them in Ukiyo. That didn't seem like you." Yumi looks over and Sapha avoids her eyes. "I know you're good at what you do. But... So am I... When no one was willing to tell me you we're from that Pavarti family, I just assumed there was something I didn't understand. Because... you're just so..."

Sapha shakes her head. "I've only been on my own for a few years, Yumi. Whatever you heard about my family? I was a part of that. Hell, practically the head of it." Her fist tightens. "But my father and brother were the face to the realm... I was the hand in the shadows... actually getting things done. And making them more powerful..."

"But then you followed your heart."

Sapha looks over surprised. "What?"

Yumi shakes her head. "You weren't like them. You were just too good deep down to let them use you."

"I... it's not like I stopped working. I'm still an assassin, Yumi."

Yumi raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It seems like your employment came into question when they lit your soul on fire."

Sapha chuckles. "Well... that doesn't change what I am."

"Who were they, anyway?"

"We're not talking about that, Yumi."