"It's so blue."

Most people would laugh and say of course it is, what color did he think the sky was? But Prince Alcryst has lived in the mountainous region of Brodia all his life, and the war hasn't given them many chances to go sightseeing for more than a few minutes. He'd been told the sky was blue, sure, but from his vantage point it was blocked by cliffs and crags. She'd heard there were precious few spots for a proper sky-gaze in all of Brodia.

This is the first time Celine has ever been able to take him to her favorite tea field and let him experience a sky of this color. She spreads the blanket over a bare patch of grass, sitting down and motioning for him to join her.

"At this time of day, the clouds part and the sun shifts positions," she says. "Without the bright white, you can truly see the skies over Firene in their brilliance." Alcryst sits down, slowly turning his gaze towards her. His cheeks are flushed, his eyes bright, he looks overwhelmed but in a different way than he typically is.

"It's incredible. I've never seen anything like it..." He looks down, toying nervously with a lock of his hair. "I wouldn't even be able to describe it to anyone who asked!" He tenses. "Oh, no, if I can't describe it, that means I haven't appreciated it enough, I'm not-"

"Alcryst." She rests her hand on his shoulder. He'd been so gentle and relaxed when they discussed their mutual nighttime struggles, she'd almost forgotten how easily rattled he was otherwise. "We just got here. You need to give yourself time to enjoy it."

"Right..." He brushes a hand through his bangs, adjusting the clip holding them in place. "Just enjoy it."

It takes him a few minutes to truly calm down, to let himself relax, but when he does his gaze drifts back up towards the sky. She lets go of his shoulder, only to place her hand on his own. He gasps, but doesn't try to move away.

"I can see why this is your favorite field," he says after a long silence. "The scent, the feel of the breeze, the quiet...it's really comforting." He sighs. "I never really let myself take in the little things about other countries. Now I realize just how much I've been missing out."

Celine smiles, moving closer and taking his hand. Their fingers instinctively lock together, and his eyes shine.

"I'd be glad to help you make up for that lost time. I'll take you back here anytime you want." His cheeks turn pink, but his gaze doesn't waver. He nods, squeezing her hand.

"I'd like that."

The breeze blows through the tea plants, carrying their scent across the field, and above them the sky in its most radiant shade of blue.