Chapter Text
Free time has become an enemy for Laura over the last couple of weeks, extended periods of inactivity giving her mind plenty of opportunity to turn inwards. Right now for example she sits on the sofa in the third dormitory common room staring blankly at the table. Swimming club had effectively been cancelled, with even Monica being unable to attend. Her cup of tea sits on the table before her, untouched and having long grown cold, as she contemplates a subject she'd really rather not. With everything that had happened at Garrelia Fortress she had been able to put it out of her mind for a while, but settling back into her school routine had brought it roaring back.
She sighs heavily. Regardless of her distaste of the topic at hand, it is something that deserves serious consideration, especially if she wishes to avoid being locked into an unfortunate fate.
To that end she has come up with one idea, although even to her it seems a bit rash, a move born of desperation. Then again it also seems like a far better option than the ones given to her, and whilst no explicit deadline had been set, and her father had made his own distaste for things known, she still feels like the clock is running short for her to make her own choice.
“Laura?”
She blinks, her eyes suddenly focusing as she returns to the world around her. Raising her head she sees Rean standing there, concern obvious on his face.
“Oh Rean,” she says. “My apologies, I didn't notice you return.”
“Yeah, I'm not surprised,” he replies. “You seemed really out of it.”
“I'm fine, just lost in thought,” she says. “Although...”
“Although?” he prompts.
She feels a brief second of hesitation but quickly shakes it off, there's no one else in the dorm at the moment apart from Sharon, there would be no better time than now. Yes, just a simple conversation with Rean and she can decide on where to go from there.
“There is something I'd like to discuss with you,” she says. “It concerns our status as nobles.”
“Oh, what is it?” he asks.
She shakes her head. Even if everyone else was out, she didn't want to risk them coming home early and interrupting them.
“Not here,” she answers. “Let's take this somewhere private.”
Only the prospect of this conversation seems a lot less simple as they begin to walk, her stomach twisting and turning on itself as she leads him up the stairs. It's utterly bizarre, she can't remember ever feeling so nervous. All of the enemies and monsters she's faced, and this is what makes her feel so out of sorts? Well, she supposes that she doesn't have much experience in this arena.
“This is your room,” Rean says, as she opens the door to allow him inside.
Laura turns to face him, and she can't help but notice his posture seems a little stiff.
“Yes,” she says. “Are you alright?”
Rean just smiles and scratches at the back of his head.
“Ah,” he replies. “I guess I'm just not used to being in a girl's room.”
Despite his apparent misgivings he enters anyway, and Laura closes the door behind him.
“I understand,” she replies. “But I thought it would be the best place for us to get some privacy.”
“That's true I guess,” he says. “So, what did you want to talk to me about? You said it somehow relates to being a noble.”
Laura's stomach tightens almost painfully, and she feels the heat rising in her cheeks as she walks over to her desk. Briefly she tries to come up with some delicate way to approach the subject, some way to lead them into the conversation naturally. The seconds tick by and nothing occurs to her, and she can feel Rean staring at her as he waits for her explanation. In the end she elects to be straightforward, and cut straight to the heart of the matter.
“Rean, I need you to marry me!” she declares.
Rean doesn't respond immediately, in fact he doesn't do much of anything. He just stands there, his face oddly blank, and his eyes glazed over as he seems to stare right through her.
For a moment she's afraid that she's broken him.
Then his eyes focus and he's looking at her again, he smiles, but it's a little strained.
“I'm sorry, I must have drifted off,” he says. “Because I thought you just said something outrageous.”
Laura wants to look away, but she forces herself to keep meeting his gaze.
“Perhaps I should explain,” she suggests.
“That might be a good idea,” he agrees.
“Well, when we visited Legram on our last field trip my father made me aware of some things,” she explains. “Including...”
She pulls open her desk drawer, removes the bundle of letters inside, and places it down on the smooth oak surface. She handles the letters cautiously, almost as though she's expecting them to turn around and bite her. She's not sure how to feel about them to be quite honest. Some people might say that she should be flattered, but she has honestly just found the whole experience disconcerting. She remembers the first one she read went straight into the fire.
“These are...” she begins. “These are letters requesting my hand in marriage.”
Rean just stares at the stack of papers.
“All of them?” he asks.
“Yes,” she answers. “And there are even more. I received the first in my mail box here at the dorm not long after our field trip to Celdic, and there have been more since. I spoke to my father about them when we stayed at my home, and apparently he has been receiving such letters for the last couple of years. However, the ones addressed directly to me are... Well, see for yourself.”
She removes one of the letters from the bundle, and hands it to him.
Laura watches as he reads the letter, she feels a strange tension, like a weird itch under her skin. Although, she does draw some amusement as his eyebrows rise higher and higher with every second.
“Is he describing his -”
“Yes, yes he is,” she interjects. Why hadn't she burned that one?
“I assume it's a grossly embellished and exaggerated description,” she continues.
“If it's not then he should probably see a doctor,” Rean responds.
She nods. She's not had any experience with such things, but what had been written there clearly could not be right.
“So,” Rean says. “Your response to all these was to try and marry me?”
Laura feels her stomach twist again. When she had first seen these letters she had felt a sense of claustrophobia, like she had suddenly realised she was working against the clock and time was quickly running out.
“I did write back to the first handful, declining their offers,” she says. “However, that does not seem to have dissuaded anyone. I merely thought that if I was already betrothed to someone else, then that would send a clear message.”
Rean hums.
“That does have a certain logic to it,” he admits.
“Yes,” Laura replies, sounding more eager than she'd intended. “And the betrothal can be broken later if needs be. Once my father returns, or I get a better grasp of the situation.”
“Okay,” Rean says. “But why me?”
Laura can't help but smile at the question. She could probably give him a whole list of reason why he was a suitable candidate, but it would be best to keep it simple for now.
“Well,” she replies. “Of all my close friends only a handful are male, and only two of them are nobility.”
“Okay,” Rean says. “But what about Jusis? Wouldn't he be a better choice? His family are higher ranked than mine.”
“Well, that's because...”
I prefer that it be you.
The words catch in her throat, so instead she says.
“Given who his father is, such a union would be unwise.”
Rean nods.
“That's true,” he says. “The Albarea family is pretty complicated.”
“There's that,” Laura says. “But there's also the fact that my father and Duke Albarea don't like each other very much.”
“I'm sorry,” Rean replies. “I didn't know.”
Laura just shakes her head.
“It's not common knowledge,” she tells him.
Then Rean freezes and stares into space, as though something has suddenly occurred to him.
"Wait," he says. "This isn't what Duke Cayenne came to see your father about while we were there, is it?"
Now it's Laura's turn to frown, as she feels a wave of revulsion wash over her.
"Goddess, I hope not," she replies.
She takes another deep breath. Leaving Duke Cayenne aside for the moment, there's one more subject she needs to discuss with him, and she's not sure how he will take it. She doesn't have much experience with men, or any at all really, but she doesn't imagine that many would agree to it.
“There is one more thing,” she says.
“What is it?” Rean asks.
“I'm my father's only heir,” she answers. “So if it does come to an actual marriage, then I would like to request, that you take my name.”
There's a beat, a single moment that seems to last forever. She's not sure how Rean will take that, she doesn't have much experience with men but she doubts many would agree to such a request, it is quite uncommon.
Then Rean chuckles softly, and places a hand gently on her shoulder.
“That's fine,” he replies. “Your family outranks mine anyway.”
Laura smiles, as she feels a rare flicker of mischief inside of her. She lowers herself onto one knee, and gently takes hold of his hand; the way his grey eyes widen at her actions is very amusing.
“So, Rean Schwarzer,” she says. “Will you marry me?”
Rean averts his gaze, and she can actually see his cheeks turning red. It makes a feel something she'll contemplate later, when she's alone.
“Okay, I'll do it,” he replies. “If it'll keep you from getting more letters like this.”
He waves his other hand, the one still holding the letter.
Laura smiles brightly, and the strange mix of emotions inside her chest is almost indescribable, with relief most prominent amongst them. Almost without intending to she rose to her feet, and threw her arms around his shoulders, enveloping her new fiancé in a hug.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
She almost laughs at the way he stiffens under her touch, before he lightly wraps his arms around her shoulders.
“You're, um, welcome,” he replies.
- - -
Unfortunately, Laura nerves return later on that evening. The entirety of Class Seven is gathered around their dining table in the kitchen of the third dormitory, and the sound of their voices as they laugh and joke with each other should raise her spirits; it represents a sort of camaraderie that she'd never known she'd wanted before attending Thors. She can pick out the individual voices of Jusis trying to stop Millium playing with her food, of Machias discussing the day's lessons with Emma, and Gaius and Elliot comparing different musical traditions.
The scene is almost perfect.
Yet here she is, virtually chugging her water like she has an unquenchable thirst in a vain attempt to settle her nerves. She wonders if her father ever felt like this when he was first engaged to her mother? She's never thought to ask.
She wonders when will be the best moment to break the news? It is something that she and Rean decided on earlier, that regardless of when the official announcement was made, their friends should know immediately. These people who had stuck by them through hell and high water deserve no less.
Eventually the main meal is finished, and everyone is indulging in desert, and Laura knows the time has come.
Rean must have had the same thought, for he catches her eye as soon as she turns towards him. Laura gives him a almost imperceptible nod, takes a deep breath, and begins to stand up. Rean too pushes his chair back and rises to his feet, removing himself from his conversation with Crow to stand beside her. As he takes his place, beside her she can suddenly feel all of the eyes on them.
He gives her another nod, and she takes another breath as she prepares herself. She'd insisted on handling this herself, or she would try to anyway, it had been her idea after all.
To that end she coughs into her hand and steels herself.
“Everyone,” she begins. “Rean and I have something to tell you all.”
“Finally,” Instructor Sara says, sighing. “You two have been giving each other significant looks all night. You're not pregnant are you?”
Instructor Sara's tone is flippant, clearly not serious, but that doesn't stop the blood from rushing to Laura's face. She glances over at Rean, and finds that he's already massaging the bridge of his nose.
A promising start.
“Of course not,” she answers, fighting to keep her voice steady.
“Oh good,” the instructor replies. “I can't even imagine the lecture the vice principal would give me if one of my students got knocked up right under my nose.”
Rean sighs.
“Of course that would be your priority,” he says.
Instructor Sara just smiles at him.
“So what's the big news?” Fie asks.
Laura is immensely grateful towards the smaller girl, and she sweeps her gaze across the table, taking in all of the other as they stare back awaiting her answer.
“A-Actually,” she says. “Instructor Sara may not have been as far off as you think.”
She's not ashamed to say that she draws some satisfaction from the way the smile just drops off of the woman's face.
“Rean and I,” she continues. “Are engaged.”
Her words seem to echo through the room as everything goes incredibly quiet and still, and every member of the class stares at them with wide eyes. It's actually incredibly eerie, she had actually been expecting to be bombarded with questions or something, in fact she might have preferred that.
Then Crow sticks his fingers in his mouth, and wolf-whistles.
“Go Rean!” he says. “You guys really kept that on the down low. I didn't even realise the two of you were a thing.”
“Well, we weren't until about three hours ago,” Rean replies.
Crow laughs.
“Oh man,” he says. “You work fast. Maybe I should be taking notes? Then again, I have no intention of settling down any time soon.”
“Wait, I'm confused. If the two of you weren't dating, then how are you engaged?” Elliot asks.
“I would assume there were political considerations,” Jusis offers.
Laura inclines her head.
“You would be correct for the most part,” she replies.
Jusis returns her nod, accepting the explanation as though it's the most natural thing in the world.
Machias however, sighs heavily.
“A political marriage,” he mutters.
“For nobles romantic attachments aren't always the most important part of deciding a marriage, in fact they usually aren't,” Jusis explains.
“I know that!” Machias replies, irritably.
Suddenly Laura is forcibly reminded of the story Machias told them during their trip to Heimdallr, about his sister and her noble lover. She glances over towards Rean, and from the wide-eyed expression on his face she assumes that he has come to the same conclusion. She quickly tries to come-up with a way to change the course of the conversation before it can delve any deeper down that rabbit hole, but comes up blank.
Fortunately, there's no need, as Millium almost literally jumps to their rescue.
“Hey! There's usually cake at a wedding, right?” she asks.
“There is,” Rean confirms. “But the actual wedding won't be for a while yet, we both need to graduate first.”
“Boo!” Millium whines, as she flops back into her seat.
“Regardless,” Jusis says. “Allow me to be the first to offer my heartfelt congratulations.”
The noble boy actually rises from his seat, and walks around the table shake both of their hands.
Almost as though he doesn't want to be shown up, Machias is soon standing too.
“And me,” he says. “As long as this is something the two of you chose for yourselves, then you won't hear me raise a word against it.”
Soon enough the entirety of Class Seven are on their feet, and Laura finds herself shaking hands with everyone.
There is however, one notable exception to this. Alisa is still in her seat, staring up at the two of them with wide-eyes as though she is lost in her own thoughts.
“Alisa?” Laura asks, walking over to where the other girl is sat.
The blonde blinks several times in quick succession as her eyes refocus.
“Are you okay?”
Alisa offers her a smile, but there's something not quite right about it.
“Yeah, sorry,” she replies. “It was just really sudden, you know? I think I'm kinda tired too, I should probably head to bed.”
She draws Laura into a very brief, very light hug, then takes a step back.
“Anyway, congratulations,” she says.
Then just like that she's gone.
Sharon quickly makes to follow her out the room, but before she disappears she turns and curtsies.
“Lady Laura, Master Rean, congratulations,” she says. She too offers them a smile, but it's a weak, sad thing.
Unfortunately, Laura doesn't get a chance to contemplate the meaning of this before being drawn back in by the others.
Half an hour later finds both Laura and Rean on the couches in the common room. She allows herself to recline into the soft cushions, and stares up at the ceiling; she feels exhausted, she never knew a simple conversation could take so much out of her.
She hears a chuckle, and turns her head to see Rean smiling at her.
“Well,” he begins. “That went well.”
“Indeed,” she replies. “I was expecting that we would have to do a lot more explaining.”
“Oh don't worry, you will.”
And suddenly instructor Sara is there, perched on the arm of the couch, and smiling at them a little too brightly.
“But not tonight, it's getting late,” she says. “So congratulations you two, now get yourselves to bed, you've got combat training tomorrow.”
Their teacher stands up, and heads towards stairs. Suddenly she stops, and looks back at them over her shoulder, a mischievous smile on her face.
“In your own beds if you don't mind,” she says. “Engaged or not, they'll be no hanky-panky as long as you're living under my roof.”
Laura can feel her face burn, and she hears Rean splutter.