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Ingrid braced herself as she approached Mercedes' door. Countless hours she had spent in that very room. Several words left unsaid, numerous lingering touches and promises kept silent-- all stemming from that one bedroom. It felt as if it were only a day ago that she was stepping inside for tea and a quick chat. But now she was struggling to find the right words to say. There was so much that she wanted to say, so much that she needed to get off of her chest, and yet words escaped her grasp. Her mind was devoid of any intelligible thoughts. The longer she stood outside, the more she began to question herself. After much deliberation, Ingrid forced herself to knock on the door and took a step back, straightening up her posture and trying her best to put on an impassive front.
Her heart skipped a beat as the lock clicked. The door moved agonizingly slow, toying with her emotions as it creaked and glided across the floor. The faint, familiar smell of perfume filled her nostrils once the door was fully opened. The scent eased her worries for a moment, but as soon as Mercedes poked her head out from behind her door, greeting Ingrid with the same warm smile that never failed to make her heart flutter, she felt her throat tighten.
"Oh, Ingrid! What a lovely surprise!"
"Are you…busy at the moment?" Ingrid began twiddling her thumbs, trying her best to look Mercedes in the eye. "I'd like to have a word with you."
Mercedes' movements were slow and hesitant as she looked back into her room.
"It's just me." Ingrid spoke up. "Nobody followed me, I promise."
Without another word, Mercedes grabbed Ingrid by the hand and pulled her inside of the room. The door suddenly slammed shut, and Ingrid felt Mercedes wrap her arms around her as she stumbled forward. Her cheeks burned a bright red as she returned the hug.
"I wish I had brewed some tea for you." Mercedes closed her eyes and hugged Ingrid closer to her chest. "Or at the very least, baked something to snack on."
"No treats necessary." Ingrid chuckled, reaching up and running her fingers through Mercedes' hair. "I didn't come for tea this time."
"Is everything alright then?" Mercedes released Ingrid and reached for her hands.
"Yes, everything's fine! I..." Ingrid trailed off, casting her gaze off to the side. "I wanted to talk about us."
"Your father didn't find out, did he?" Mercedes frowned
"No, it's nothing like that!" Ingrid gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "Well. Not at the moment. But it's not what you're thinking, I promise."
Mercedes led Ingrid over to her bed, gently urging her to sit. "I'm listening then."
Ingrid took her seat upon the mattress. "I wanted to talk...about us." She took a deep breath, keeping her eyes focused on her boots. Once again, she just couldn't find the words to even begin speaking. Mercedes placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Take your time. I'm listening."
Slowly but surely, Ingrid began to piece together her thoughts. She took another breath and continued.
"The past couple years have been something. Emotionally turbulent, for a lack of better words. Between the war and rebuilding the kingdom, I haven't been able to think clearly. But..."
She looked at Mercedes.
"But even amidst the chaos, you've been by my side for so long."
"I wouldn't just abandon you, Ingrid!" Mercedes took a seat next to her.
"I know! I know. I've just been thinking." Ingrid shifted in place. "We've kept this a secret long before any of this...this madness began. I don't ever regret spending a single moment with you--"
"Ingrid, if want nothing more to do with me, I understand,"
Ingrid felt a pain in her chest upon seeing a frown deeply etched in Mercedes' features. "No! That's not it either! Far from it!"
"I-I'm sorry. Please continue." Mercedes murmured.
"I realize that after the dust settles and the war is over, I'll have to return to my ever so noble pursuit of searching for a husband." Ingrid rolled her eyes. "And judging by the look of things, that time is approaching a lot faster than I expected it to. But no matter how many times I try to convince myself that it's for the greater good, I just...I just can't see myself doing it. Spending the rest of my days married to a man I barely even know sounds downright maddening! All this time, I believed marriage to be a sacred thing and yet here I am! Dreading the very thought of become a man's bride."
She clenched her hands into fists as she ranted. Mercedes held one of her hands, intertwining their fingers and resting their hands in her lap. The warmth from her hands made Ingrid relax a considerable amount. Though she was still wound up, she found comfort in her lover's embrace. Mercedes nodded, silently compelling her to continue.
"I try to see myself with another partner, and I can't. I thought something was wrong with me-- that I was simply being too stubborn and selfish for my own good. But there's no denying that my heart belongs to someone. And that's why I'm here. Mercedes, I love you. Only you. If I have to give my affections to someone else, then I'd rather not have them at all."
Mercedes chuckled, her cheeks flushing pink. "Ingrid, I love you too! More than you could ever know. Truth be told, the thought of you on some nobleman's arm doesn't sit right with me either."
"If I'm going to be anybody's wife, I would much rather be yours."
Mercedes suddenly fell silent, She glanced at Ingrid with a bewildered expression, unsure of whether she should laugh, question her words, or even respond at all.
"M-my...my..."
"You don't have to say anything. We can pretend this conversation never happened if you'd like. I just needed to get my thoughts out, is all." Ingrid turned away from her.
"B-But you can't! What about your dream? You've worked so hard to become a knight!" Mercedes grabbed onto Ingrid's sleeve. "Stealing you away from all your hard work feels like a great disservice to...to everyone, really!"
"Who said I can't do both? Protecting my liege and the woman I love should not be mutually exclusive."
"Ingrid…" Mercedes' voice shook. Her lip trembled slightly, and before she knew it, tears began their descent down her cheeks. She frantically began wiping tears from her eyes.
"Ah! I didn't mean to upset you! Let me get a handkerchief." Ingrid rose to her feet, only for Mercedes to stand up with her.
"No, no! I'm fine! It's happy tears! Hearing that you love me…makes me so happy."
"Does it really? Well then, allow me to say it again." Ingrid chuckled and turned to face her fully. "I love you, Mercedes. From the bottom of my heart, honestly and truly, I love you. I can't imagine taking another step without you by my side. And after the war, I'd love to take you as my bride. If any man has anything to say about it, I'll take matters into my own hands."
"Betrothed to my beloved? It sounds like a fairy tale." Mercedes sniffed. "I…I'd love to be your wife, Ingrid. And I'd be so grateful to take you as mine."
It took Ingrid a moment to process her words. Several emotions stirred up inside of her, bubbling up and culminating to a point where Ingrid could not longer use her words to express herself. Without sparing a second thought, Ingrid kissed Mercedes. Mercedes staggered a bit, but ultimately settled into the kiss and draped her arms over Ingrid's shoulders. For a moment, it felt as if they were no longer bound to the expectations of those around them. Behind closed doors, they were free. Free to love, free to yearn, free to be selfish, if only for a moment. For the first time in what felt like forever, they didn't have a care in the world.
Ingrid pulled away, breathless and dazed. "I wish I had a ring to give you."
"I don't need a silly old ring to know that I'm yours."
"S-Still! Traditions calls for…oh!" Ingrid suddenly stepped away from Mercedes and began to untie one of the ribbons in her hair. "It's no ring, but it'll suffice for the time being. May I?"
Mercedes giggled. "You may."
Ingrid knelt down on one knee, presenting her with the ribbon. "Mercedes von Martritz, would you give me the honor of being your wife?"
"How could I say anything but yes?" Mercedes bent down, allowing Ingrid to tie the ribbon into her hair. "Be honest. How does it look on me?"
"Perfect. Absolutely perfect. And I promise, in the future, we'll have a proper ceremony."
"A real wedding! One with a feast and the fancy desserts and all of our closest companions!"
"A real wedding." Ingrid couldn't help but smile. "I swear on both my honor as a knight, and on my honor as your bride."
"Oh, I can't wait to tell Annie! And Ashe! And Dimitri, and the Professor and--" Mercedes suddenly covered her mouth with her hands. "Wait, are we...can we...?"
"Why don't we tell them together?" Ingrid stood up, taking Mercedes' hand in hers. "I think it's about time they found out the truth."
Hand in hand, the two made their exit. As they departed to share the good news with their companions, Ingrid felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.
Perhaps the future wouldn't be so daunting after all.