You, Me, and the World Between Us (Dragon Quest)

XXV - Spill

For the remainder of the voyage, Maxim tried to avoid Georginna at all costs. The encounter they shared on the deck the first night ended in embarrassment, and he thought it was best not to relive it. Inessa took note of how tense the two were, of course. She found it odd how whenever one's name was brought up, the other would change the subject. They never sat by one another at meal times, and they certainly wouldn't make eye contact. The Tsarevna knew better than to ask either of them about what happened, but she couldn't help but wonder what in the name of the Goddess took place to make them act like that.

A few days passed and the ship landed along the shores of Mintos. The anchors were dropped deep into the sea and the ladder was thrown down to the ground below them. "Right then, crew! Disembark! We're looking for a Darwyn Galey, he should just be at the end of the merchant's block. He's got plenty for us to take back with us, so no slacking off, you hear? Bring it back here and we'll get it loaded into the hold," Aberforth instructed his children as they climbed down the rope ladder. He turned to the Zamoksvans, hands on his hips. "Now, as for you two, feel free to roam the town until we set back off. Conrad Hilton made this town quite the feat during his time here, I think it's worth a look around."

"Thank you, Captain Doughlas," Maxim said, Inessa nodding along. The pair of them climbed down the rope ladder, Thorn jumping down behind them. Upon entering the town of Mintos, they immediately noticed the hustle and bustle the town boasted. Many shops were set up all in a row and civilians filled the town square. The duo took a moment to stand back and admire the booming town in all its glory. Maxim's eyes wandered over to the inn, a place he'd only heard about in stories, and memories flooded his mind. Inessa was about five years old, her hair in pigtails and a smile on her face as she approached her parents. "Mommy, Daddy, how did you fall in love?" she asked, her eyes shining as she looked up at them. Their mother laughed and shook her head at the question, while their father's face lit up with utter joy as he looked down at his daughter.

Maxim groaned; the last thing he wanted was to hear a love story. Their father merely laughed at his son's antics, kneeling down so he could be at eye level with his children. "Well, many believe that love at first sight cannot happen. Now, I can assure you that it most certainly does. As soon as I laid eyes on your mother, I knew I cared deeply for her. As I continued working under the castle's bishop, your mother and I grew very close; best friends, you could say. Soon, I realized that she was even more amazing than I imagined her to be. I think that's when I really noticed that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her," Kiryl said, making Inessa giggle, "now, it took your mother much longer for her to realize she had feelings for me; it wasn't until I was bedridden with a life-threatening sickness in Mintos that she started to develop feelings for me!"

"Oh, be quiet!" their mother exclaimed, smacking their father's shoulder lightly with the back of her hand. She scoffed and looked away, her red curls bouncing over her shoulder. "My feelings for you had been growing far before then, it was that I hadn't acknowledged them until you almost left this life forever. But you came back, and I praise the Goddess that I get to spend every day by your side," Alena said, bending over and giving her husband a kiss on the cheek. /Maxim laughed at the memory, though he did feel a bit melancholy; here he was, feeling a bit in love himself and not having the slightest clue what to do. He wished his mother or father were with him to give him some advice, his spirits faltering a little.

"This is where Mother fell in love with Father, isn't it?" Inessa asked, pulling Maxim out of his daze. He looked over to his younger sister and nodded. He noted that her shoulders slumped forward and her eyes were a bit teary; she must've recalled the same memory he did. She forced a smile on her face, nodded at her brother. "I thought so. I can sense it, I think. There's a loving aura in the air," Inessa noted. Now that she had brought it up, Maxim felt it as well. He smiled to himself, letting out a big sigh. Perhaps it would help him in the way of making amends with Georginna. "I think I'm going to see what they have in the shops. If you'd like to come along, you can," she said.