Our paths they did cross...once before.

[Agrias Oaks]

"Mel...."

Mel? thought a voice from the endless void as it drifted downward through seemingly nothing. The descent seemed to last forever while the voice resounded in this place of eternity. Soon she would hear it again, only mildly louder and with a bit more demand...

"Mel...?"

Who is Mel? thought this omnipotent entity. I know not who this 'Mel' is. It was unclear as to whether or not the one seeking 'Mel' would hear such a response, but it would not matter, as the fall seemed to come to a slow.

"Meliadoul, awaken from that dream land of yours already-- a battle is soon at hand!"

Meliadoul? An abrubt stop, followed by an uncomfortable shift in bodily structure as the entity pulled in on itself to form a being. Everything in this new body seemed tense, but would relax as the calling voice kept speaking.

"Meliadoul!"

A pair of eyes would peel open from the new body born from the Endless Abyss. What this entity saw before her could only be described as the inside of a precious jewel--very unfamiliar to her, the reflection that showed. And then, something VERY familiar would dart before her eyes. It was the plush face of a dear comrade.


In front of the green hooded woman knelt another sporting an armored suit of blue, silver and gold. A crown was engraved upon her chest plate to mark her high status upon the ranks, and a heavy cape lingered dully within the soft, tender whispers of the wind. The Holy Knight would blink several times, awaiting for the other to fully awaken. She would even reach over, to rest a gloved hand upon the forest-green hood of the other woman, and pull it down to watch her gaze closely as she spoke, “ Lady Meliadoul, of all places known, thou chooses to slumber behind thine gates of war?” she would sigh, sitting straight now, and tilting her head ever-so-slightly to the left, allowing a gold lock of hair to run astray from the others, “Pray tell, if thou finds fair lady out of breath, allow thy thoughts of ye marching on into battle while counting sheep to be spared!” the woman joked.

The Holy Knight stood and rested one arm upon the other, and examined the one awoken with amber hues, “...Art' thou truly ready... are ye not unnerved from what is to come?”


    Beatrix was confused, but it apparently was not her choice but to get up, brush herself off and respond. Meliadoul smiled and took one of Agrias' hands playfully.
    
    "Dearest Agrias, you of all people know that, if I've not had my beauty sleep, I will be unworthy to enter battle. You dare assume I will ride on looking more hideous than the High Seraph herself?"
    
    Even as she said it jokingly, the Holy Knight would know that Meliadoul only spoke the truth when it came to looks, and even Beatrix would have blushed here if she could.
    
    "I have had my fill of that world, and I can assure you that I am awake and ready...shouldn't you be returning to the side of your queen by now?"

To the question, the knight blinked and looked to the side rather quickly, “M-Mel, I--” a small shade of pink on both her cheeks to indicate she was hiding something, “ I have decided that...” she paused momentarily, clearing her throat, and looking to see the woman's expression, “ ...I am not to go back to the Princess... she does not need my sword anymore—um, another has arisen to protect her in my absence.”

Agrias stood back a moment to glance at her surroundings while she spoke, trying not to keep eye contact with the woman in green as she did. The Knight seemed rather human in this scenario, having moments of shyness, and typical of her young age, “ To be fair, I believe my place upon Ivalice or any other world is here by thy side, at the battle front to assure the battle's end-- to pave world to new beginnings... I have had word with Ramza, and so such decision is final. I am to see the end of this story... so... there!” she cleared her throat again, turning to place her back toward Meliadoul while in thought.

If anything of the woman was as pristine as water, it was the obvious emotions that were laid out for the world to see. The knight had turned to hide away that blush of hers, but what failed her were the surroundings that reflected such shy image back to the emerald knight.

    "Another? Surely you can not mean you have entrusted Master Delita with such a task; you know very well that men should never be trusted to stan--"
    
    Hearing Agrias choose to fight at the Templar's side made her smile, for the first time since she had made peace with Ramza and her brother Izlude's death. Beatrix, inwardly, couldn't help but attempt a smile, herself.
    
    "I...am thankful that you would choose to come and stand at the side of your comrades in such a time of desperation...overjoyed, I am, actually. I had hoped, honestly, that I would not have to say my goodbyes to you here."

“Meli...” she chuckled, turning to face the woman now with a boost of confidence and a broad smile upon her expression, “ as if I would part from thy side so blatantly...we have reached agreement that I am to stay, and that is all that matters. If we have stayed together for so long, what is the reason to part when the end is almost upon this war?”

Agrias took a deep breath, and made her way to rest upon the same wall as Meliadoul while she spoke, “ … I cannot believe how far we have come...”

"Indeed," Meliadoul breathed, relieved. "T'would be a crime, and a waste, for you not to join us in glorious battle against that false prophet, my dearest Agrias...I would have it no other way." She raised a hand to bump it into Agrias' shoulder while smiling brilliantly. After that she removed a stick of coal from her pocket and began using the water neraby as a mirror while she applied the coal to her eyes. "You know I was thinking...your, um...eh...I am glad I do not have to die alone. Please forgive my rhetoric, Lady Agrias--"

“--We will not die!” Agrias interrupted her, facing her immediately and holding at her hand. She leaned forward toward the other, her eyes glowing a soft gold as she spoke, “ We shall be victorious, Mel-- all of us! We will win... why bother think of defeat!?”

The Holy Knight held both of the woman's hands now, causing the girl to drop the coal piece in her sudden actions, “Meliadoul, I--...” she calmed herself, releasing the girl and pausing in place-- noticing her little sudden jump of energy had caused her to become clumsy. She knelt in front of the woman to retrieve the coal piece, and held it up to her... it looked almost suggestive to a proposing hand, “I've been wanting to ask ye for many days and moons now, but... – now, I pray this will not be seen as a final act before battle but... something to look forward to after it.”

    Meliadoul was caught off guard at this, same as the audience within; and when Agrias retrieved and offered back the stick of coal, both inhabitants of Meliadoul's body would blush a deep rosey color. The host tilted her head and smiled, nodding to the Holy Knight. "What is it, Agrias? Anything. Ask what you wish..."

“Ah...” Agrias would stand a moment, and reach for the blade which rested within its sheath quietly. Upon retrieving the sword of gold and steel, Excalibur, she did a little swordplay with it, allowing the winds within the quiet cave to be cut to produce a melody. The blond woman held the sword in front of her, examining the immaculate blade before speaking, “It is said that the Knight's blade is the Knight's Heart...that their very soul resonates within the shine of the blade... Only the Knight should trust oneself with such a delicate tool...but...” she cleared her throat before turning to see the woman, and twirling the blade so that it pointed downward, “... I wanted to ask thee... if thou would have it?”

Amber eyes would stare diligently at those jaded hues, keeping watch for her expressions, “ … I wanted to ask thee... if thou would accept my heart as thine?”

THAT'S IT! Beatrix screamed inwardly within the Meliadoul shell. Had she a body of her own, she would have given it a good slap. Meliadoul, on the other hand, stepped back momentarily to process all that she had taken in just now. Her blush darkened even more, and now it somehow looked mildly blue. "I, eh--Agrias...my, that is, indeed, a request most generous..." A heart embedded into a blade, how rare. The song Excalibur sang sounded somewhat lonely to the Templar, and soon it would be time to change this solo into a duet. Withdrawing Save the Queen, Meliadoul presented it smoothly, with a bit of flash, before her compatriot. "Our hearts have been connected, Agrias, from the moment we met...and yet we have never given unto one another ourselves wholly." She tossed the sword up and caught it upside down so that she could hand it over properly, and bowed her head. "If you wish to burden yourself with this heavy heart, my dearest, then I will let you. I had never dreamt I would see the day I owned yours. Yes."

A look of sweet relief took the knight into a state of rapture, and she took one more step forward to be that one step closer to the other woman, and she held out her sword with the handle facing up. “My heart, Excalibur, is yours Lady Meliadoul,” she would blush a little, chuckling at the impressive swordplay of her counterpart-- who must always have the better presentation, “ As thou gives me thine heart, I shall bestow a promise to always keep it safe... and to always keep it close to my own heart. That is the vow I take upon my blade.” Her free hand reached for the blade of the handle of the other sword, and rested her fingertips upon the back of others hand, just as she allowed Meliadoul to rest her gentle touch upon her own blade. The Exchange of Swords had commenced, and soon finished, once they had each others hearts wrapped in steel as their new weapons. The swords sounded happily in each others embrace, the knights feeling the warmth and care for one another pulsing from the handle of the powerful blades.


The melody that rang through would finish with a resounding A note that made Meliadoul chuckle slightly. She gave Excalibur a once-over appraisingly, and then to Agrias, to whom she realized that she loved. "I make my vow to keep your heart safe, as well, L--Agrias. So long as you live, I shall be at your side. In any time, any place. No matter what. Your heart will remain pure and loved..." She withdrew the blade into Save the Queen's former glittering hilt and moved in close to the Holy Knight. Once she was about a foot away from the other's face she followed impulse and moved in for a kiss. "I love you, Agrias Oaks...and I cannot wait to share sweet victory with you forevermore."

“To victory then, Meli.” Agrias would move to the woman's side, and nod to her approvingly before marching onward through the exit of the crystal passageway. As she made way into the light, the Emerald Knight could hear her voice echo back to her, “ To our love... and our victory upon this dark age.”