Readjustment

Alfonse and Veronica have a heart-to-heart.

It's been a while ever since the Emblian Princess has joined the ranks of the Order of Heroes. At first, Alfonse wasn't fond of Kiran's idea of letting her join. After all, she was their enemy in the past. But for the Summoner's sake, he says nothing on the matter.

The prince continued his life as normal, and soon was used to Veronica's presence in their army. Sometimes, though, he catches her staring. Sometimes at Sharena befriending new heroes, or at the Prince himself when he's talking with Kiran. And whenever he catches her, she always looks away.

At another time,  he decided to ask his sister. "Has...anyone talked with Veronica?" Her reply had him surprised. Even Sharena couldn't get her to come out of her shell. Whenever she sees Veronica, it's always when she's with Xander.







It was late in the afternoon, the Order of Heroes returned from yet another battle against Múspell. Unlike his allies, Alfonse came out with more bruises from his duel with Laevatein. "...Every day our battles become more dire by the second..." The prince lays down in the fields and sighs. But instead of a spoiled mood, he found himself smiling. It was the first time Veronica had decided to talk to him. Well, it probably didn't count since she more or less called out to him to save him from Laevatein's blows, but it was the thought that counts. "...I wonder...if she'll ever come out of that shell of hers?" Alfonse laid down on his back, letting the cold breeze soothe him instead of paying attention to the person sitting down beside him.

"..." Veronica sat in silence with Alfonse. "...How are your wounds?"

Closing his eyes, the Prince answered, not moving from his position."They're getting better."

The Emblian Princess and the Askran Prince sat there in silence. Neither of them speaking up. After some time, Veronica followed suit and laid down herself. "..."

"...Hey." Alfonse spoke up. "I wanted to let you know that...you don't have to feel like you're an outsider. You...you can talk to us. If you want." The prince sat up, resting his hands on his knees. "...I just want you to know that."

"..." Veronica continued to stay silent. Instead of replying, she just listened in silence, grasping her dress as she did.

"...I know how it feels like. To...to be alone. To feel like you don't have anyone there for you." Alfonse looked down as he continued, remembering the times when he thought that Zacharias would never come back to them. But then he thought of when Kiran first came along and how they bonded over so much. "...It doesn't feel good, but you don't have to worry about that anymore."

"...My brother and father were the only people I had in my life." Veronica finally spoke up. "When my father died...and Bruno left to join you...I had nobody left." Her voice wavered when she felt Alfonse's hand on her side.

"But...aren't you loved by your people?"

"...I don't know." Alfonse could hear her shuffling around to wipe her eyes. "...Sometimes I think they're scared of me. That's why they 'respect' me...besides, I'm the 'evil scary princess' who steals heroes from their home realms to fight a war for me. I..." She sniffed. "I just didn't want to be alone..."

"...Veronica..." Alfonse took his hand away. He remembered something he said long ago. How he said that if Embla's war was cause Veronica was lonely, then they were truly doomed. But now, he felt differently. She was only a child forced into a position she wasn't ready for. "Hey, Veronica...you know..." The prince smiled as he turned Veronica around to face him. "You don't have to feel that way anymore. You're one of us now, even if we were on the opposite sides before. And..." Alfonse wiped away a stray tear on the princess' face. "Maybe you can invite me and Sharena to a tea party someday?"

"...Prince Alfonse..." The younger girl started to tear up.

"Just call me Alfonse." The prince stood up, reaching a hand out to the princess. "You don't have to refer to me as Prince. We're friends, after all."

"...Friends..." Veronica wiped her tears away and took the older boy's hand. "...Really?"

Alfonse smiled and helped her up. "Really."

"..." Veronica hugged Alfonse. "...Thank you..."

"...It's..." Alfonse comforted the princess. "...You're welcome." The prince smiled down at Veronica. "Oh..." Realizing the sun had already set, he frowned. "...Well, there goes the view we could have seen...it's not all bad, though..." Alfonse held Veronica's hand. "Let's go back inside."

"...Mhm..." Veronica nodded, letting Alfonse take her back inside.

When Sharena and Anna asked, Alfonse had only smiled. "All she ever wanted, was a friend. I knew how it felt to be alone...and if I could make her feel wanted, well...I would do anything to make it happen. Wait, a moment please...I've a tea party to be at. Mind if we continue this later?"

The rest of the Order of Heroes never found out why Alfonse and Veronica were closer now. But despite that, Everyone agreed that Veronica was much happier, as they never had seen the Emblian Princess smile as bright as she did during her tea party with Alfonse.