Once again, she's training long after night has fallen and everyone else has gone to bed. Stronger, I must be stronger, I must not rest, she thinks as she casts spell after spell. I am a royal soldier of Brodia. I am Alcryst's protector. I must not falter, even for a minute.

This is nothing new for her, but for once, her own standing and worth are the last thing on her mind. It's been days since their last trip down the old well and glimpsed Brodia's fate in another time. The Divine Dragon, dead along with Sombron. Two who resembled Zephia and Griss of the Four Hounds but couldn't be any different. Fell Dragons fighting alongside their army.

Diamant, ready to accept defeat even as he fought on. Alcryst, sharp and sarcastic with an ego the size of Elyos until she faced him in battle and all of the emotions he'd clearly been stifling bubbled to the surface. It should have been me who died that day! I wanted you to live! Your life is one that can never be replaced!

His pain haunts her, possibly even more than the sight of her uncle a walking zombie and Brodia's treasured Emblem as red as the Fell Princess's eyes.

Another chant, another blast of Elthunder, and it lasts only a second more than the previous attempt. She remembers a few close calls in the most recent battles, Framme needing to heal her and Jean patching her up, because she was too weak to finish the enemy before they had time to hit back.

"It's no good," she whispers, "how can I-"

"Citrinne." She lowers her tome and turns to see Alcryst approaching, as he always does when she's been training herself ragged. "You're going to wear yourself out at this point. Why don't you get some sleep?" She shakes her head, even as she sets her tome down to give him her undivided attention.

"Not yet. My results this evening have been...unacceptable." He puts his hand on her shoulder.

"We've been over this. You're more than worthy of being my retainer, and you work hard enough as it is."

"But I need to be stronger, otherwise someday I could die and cause you unbearable pain," she murmurs. Alcryst blinks, then slowly nods in understanding.

"So you've been thinking about it, too." He closes his eyes. "It's strange, I thought that other me was so cool at first, then the other Diamant said outright that his brother wanted to have him executed and wondered how I could have been so foolish," he says. "And then, I heard what the other me said to you." He swallows. "And I realized that's who I could have become in this world after Father's death, if it wasn't for the Divine Dragon."

Some of the others were shocked that the kind and self-deprecating Prince Alcryst could say such harsh things, but after their narrow escape from Veyle and the Four Hounds, Citrinne didn't blame her cousin one bit for his anger towards Princess Ivy.

"But even that version of you was still kind at heart," she says. "My life being irreplaceable, how he'd wished he'd died instead of me, they weren't that different from what you've told me and Lapis on a daily basis. We're your retainers, but you're always vowing to protect us."

"Because even if I did feel worthy of you risking your lives for me, I don't want to lose you."

She pulls him into a hug, which he returns as he buries his face in her hair. He's nowhere near tears, but she can feel him trembling against her.

"That's why I need to be stronger. So you'll never have to worry about that."

"I know." He pulls back a little. "But I also don't want you overworking yourself, because that's no good for anyone either. I told you once that I trust you with my life even if you're not a born warrior like most Brodians. Remember when Father said he trusted you to take care of me more than he did most of our soldiers to take care of a house plant?" She does, indeed. She hadn't heard the entire argument, but she just knew those people were muttering that a weakling like her wasn't worthy, that she hadn't earned her place as a royal soldier, possibly even ready to spread rumors that her father had paid the King to accept her.

But she did hear her uncle's sharp rebuttal, and now she feels guilty for having forgotten those words to the point where she sincerely believes she doesn't deserve her position.

"I didn't care about prestige. I wanted to protect someone I care for."

"And that's why you're the most worthy retainer I could ask for," he says. "I'll always feel safe knowing my life is that important to you, even if I don't deserve it."

She hugs him again, feeling some of the darkness start to lift from her heart.

"And I promise I'll never die and leave you with so much grief and regret."