Taking in the Scenery (Closed/Completed)

It'd had been a week since Syne Academy had accepted her enrollment, in her short time in Bellmuse everyone commented that Finnek Forest was the pride of Bellmuse, how beautiful it was. The tall blue trees and plant-life that surrounded Fleur was truly breathtaking. Her blonde hair contrasted with the scenery very nicely and her white attire seemed to reflect and glow off it as well. She stopped in a small clearing and listened to the birds chirp and woodland creatures scuttle around her, the forest was strangely calming, the seemingly alive forest and gentle breeze made Fleur want to sing, draw, read or just... something...anything! She headed towards a particular large looking oak about fifty feet in front of her and made up her mind. She stopped, turned and leaned back on the tree's trunk before taking a few seconds to collect herself, Fleur inhaled and began singing.

♪ "So you say you wanna get away, We don't need a plane, I could be your escape..." ♪

Fleur began to slow down her notes as she got the oh so familiar feeling of someone or something watching her. Her hand reached behind her back and grasped the handle of her sword. Another thing she had heard in her limited time in Bellmuse was the flux of Grimm was high, particularly in Finnek Forest, she had to be prepared for anything. Her small bits of information about Grimm swarmed her head, weaknesses, fighting styles whatever she could think of. Maybe she was over reacting? Maybe she wasn't... maybe it was King Taijitu or a pack of Beowolves! Fleur tried to compose herself but her breathing became rapid, she didn't understand why she was so nervous. She just was! and it scared her.

"H-Hello? W-who goes there?" she managed to choke out, she was shaking. Of course she had some training but that seemed insignificant considering her only opponent she had ever actually faced off against had been stumbling and drunk. Fleur had never fought an actual monster of Grimm before, was this going to be her first test? She inhaled sharply and waited as the noise now came from a little to the left of her position as it grew louder, it sounded like rustling, footsteps maybe? Whatever it was it was moving at rather consistent pace toward her location. She was silent now... continually trying to scan for any sign, her grip tightened on her sword's hilt as she waited.

Lothric had always found the famous Finnek Forest of Bellmuse to be one of his favorite places to relax, not only due to the forests blue hue but also the silence due to how few ventured in on the count of the potential Grimm attacks. But today there was not that much silence, it seemed the forest was more alive then most of the times he had been here and it bothered him slightly.

While he was still dressed in his armor Ignem Sudarium and his sword Sanctus Ignis always by his side Lothric did not fear the grimm or at least the chance of an attack as he was fully prepared for it or as much as he could be considering the circumstances. Suddenly something broke his thoughts it was a  voice that turned into song ♪ "So you say you wanna get away, We don't need a plane, I could be your escape..." ♪. Looking around for the source of this melody seemed to be pushed in front of every thought he had, a few moments later and he had spotted her leaning onto a rather tall oak but as he continued his movement towards her it had become clear she had heard him and seemed to slightly panic at this revelation.

Lothric emerged from the surroundings and making sure he was in full view of the womens gaze as well as making sure she could see that his weapon was sheathed. When he was roughly a meter a part from her he removed his helmet and placed it onto his waist where he allowed it to hang from it's usual spot before speaking with his calm and regal manner "A thousand pardons if I have caused you worries." Lothric then lowered his head slightly in respect as he continued to speak "I am Ser Lothric Ember, it is a pleasure to meet you miss?"

Fleur jumped but quickly sighed in relief at the boy's presence in front of her but was still uneasy. He was much taller then her and she cowered slightly. Fleur did feel better about the fact that judging by his age seemed to at least be another student or just some roaming sword wielding vagabond. She posted herself up with obviously fake confidence from the tree so that she could stand up straight and speak to him.

"A thousand pardons if I have caused you worries." "I am Ser Lothric Ember, it is a pleasure to meet you miss?"

"H-hi. I'm Fleur Aelagari..." she paused and steadied her breathing, she placed her hand on her heart as well to attempt to calm it, it slowed. "I-I'm s-s-sorry I-I didn't know who w-was there, I hope I haven't caused you a-any inconvenience." her stutter started to pick up heavily as she finished. She moved some of her hair out of her amber eyes. She suddenly realized the boy probably heard her singing and her face immediately flushed up into a bright crimson that starkly showed through the blue forest. She had to ask him, she couldn't stand not knowing, maybe he didn't hear her but why would he come this way if he hadn't?! She could only hope as her nervousness started to kick in again. She didn't want to be so forward and just ask him, he might feel bad and think she was just looking for a compliment and not hurt her feelings but was there any other way? Her hands were started to sweat, she HATED feeling like this, it made her feel fragile and helpless. Fleur stopped herself as the quiet forest once again calmed her, she would just ask him. Simple as that. On the count of the 3... 1, 2, 3!

"D-didyouh-hearm-me-s-s-singing?!" she blurted out a little more forceful then she would have liked. Oh my god how embarrassing. She wanted to crawl away somewhere. One of the first people she had met in Syne and already it was going in the direction of a disaster. Tragic.

Lothric noticed the stutter in her speech quite rapidly and this made him slightly concerned as to what could cause her to do this, was it his appearance or maybe he had disturbed her during something rather personal but he soon pushed those thoughts away when she asked or rather blurted out words that he spent a few moments on piecing in the correct fashion as he finally understood what she was asking about.

"Oh of course you where the one who delivered those wonderful words strung together with a beautiful voice. Indeed that was the reason I came over to this direction, I doth hope I did not disturb something personal." after speaking Lothric lowered his head more in what seemed to be an apology or if he was waiting to be scolded by her, as if he had realized the answer to his question about if the singing was something personal.

"I shall understand completely if you feel the desire to scold me for listening in on what might have been a private subject for you as it is clear to have caused you some discomfort."

Within his own mind Lothric silently cursed how this whole conversation was heading as he didn't really mean to cause her any grief or discomfort but it was clear as day that he had done so even if it was involuntarily the blame was still on him and him alone.

'Stop! Pull yourself together Flora! You're acting like a fool!' her own mind screamed back at her, the voice in her head did not belong to her though. She could hear her Father screaming similar words before, almost like a flashback. She shuddered and snapped her eyes shut. This boy was incredibly kind and here she was probably confusing him. Fleur stopped and shook the voice from her head. She took several deep breaths. 'Just remember what you taught yourself, deep breaths, relax your body and it'll go away...' another instructional thought crossed her mind that this time was her own, she took a minute to finally regain control of herself.

"Oh of course you where the one who delivered those wonderful words strung together with a beautiful voice. Indeed that was the reason I came over to this direction, I doth hope I did not disturb something personal." the boy spoke with an apologetic tone. Fleur started to get flustered at the compliment but she couldn't let it get the best of her...NO! she needed progression in this conversation.

"T-thank you for the kind words..." she whispered. 'Yes! Almost 100% no stutter! I can do this!'

"I shall understand completely if you feel the desire to scold me for listening in on what might have been a private subject for you as it is clear to have caused you some discomfort."

Fleur who before this point had her head tilted nervously at the ground shot it up at his statement.

"No...no, no! It's o-okay! Really! I-if anyone is at fault here... it's me. I've been acting so awkward and s-strange. I apologize" The forest at her apology seemed pleased as the noises of nature only seemed to grow louder, sunshine had now fully filtered through some of the clearings trees. Fleur smiled, she reached and took out a tattered journal and a sketch pencil, the sun seemed to ray right down on the young man in front of her, a perfect scene to draw.

"Hold still" she simply said as she began drawing him.

OOC:

Lothric gave her a genuine smile when she dismissed his concerns about the impending scolding and it seemed the conversation was going in a positive manner well at least better than before, but soon he was asked to hold still and Lothric not being sur about it until he saw the journal and pencil decided to humor her and stood completely still while his gaze took in her features as his smile was still plastered upon his features. It was a tad harder then normal to keep his eyes open without squinting as the sun reached them but thank whatever higher force was at work for his hair shrouded most of them in some semblance of shade.

Within his mind Lothric wondered about what might have caused her to start stuttering in the first place and due to his lack of medical knowledge in any field besides how to apply cauterization to a wound in the less destructive manner available.

He quickly removed the though from his mind as he waited for the girl to be done with what might either be a sketch or whatever it was, despite his love for the arts Lothric had no talent for it besides the manipulation of his flame and the shape they took but he always practiced it due to his love for their purity and form.


I wonder if I can perhaps ask her for some pointers in how to increase my imagination so that I may do proper honor to the flames I adore so much. The thought crossed his mind more then once while he was waiting for her to finish with well whatever it was she was doing and it provided him with more then a few momentary distraction while he still kept the same stance and posture she had explicitly stated he should hold.

OOC::

He smiled at her, it was a lovely smile. Lothric got his position down as Fleur began sketching. First start with his head and hair before moving down to his muscular body. The actual frame of his body wasn't hard to get down correctly but the armor he was wearing was a challenge. The armor itself seemed very unique. It had red fabric bridled in between the actually plating and also a blue tabard with an unknown symbol but another one she recognized as the Syne Academy emblem, she naturally sketched that on as well. She quickly did his hair, eyes, ears, nose and smile before moving onto the forest scenery behind him. She drew the trees that looked dull without their bluish hue and finally she drew the ray of light that glistened now off his armor. Once she had finished the sketch she quickly glanced over it. The art itself was rather well done for being completed in such a rapid fashion and it was a pretty close match between the drawing and Lothric himself... but... something was missing. She looked at him in person and noticed that the sun ray only really hit the chestplate of his armor and only a little glimmering of light had reached his shin plating and feet, it reminded Fleur of a slow fire, building from the base up. Just like his name... Ember...Fire.

'Fire...' she thought. Fleur quickly drew in a small spark behind the boy's body on the journal, it was difficult to see at first but by the time in reached the boy's back it seemed to be a massive flame, it engulfed the boy's drawing leaving Lothric; who used to be the drawing centerpiece a mere backdrop now silhouetted by the fire that swallowed his character. The drawing seemed to take a mind of it's own as it quickly spread; fitting I suppose considering the new highlight of the piece. Fleur stopped, the art was now just a flame that consumed the forest behind Lothric, he was just a outlined shadow with his armor being the most prominent part of him in the picture. Fleur was almost hesitant to show him, what would he think of her creative choice to completely destroy his detailed person in the blaze?

'He'll think it's worthless. YOU are WORTHLESS' it was back, she snapped her eyes closed and relaxed herself, it would go away...it would fade...away. She stopped and placed the pencil back into the journal's binds. 'Relax Fleur... show him' her own soothing voice comforted her as she turned the drawing towards it's subject. She'd hope he'd like it and think it wasn't 'WORTHLESS GIRL... you are good for NOTHING... THIS IS YOUR FAULT' Fleur shook slightly as she tried to calm herself.

"Please... go..." she whispered. Her hand that held the drawing outstretched quivered as she dropped the journal onto the ground. 'Pick it UP! NOW! Don't make me come over there Flora!' 'Be strong Fleur...he's not here. Calm yourself.' her own voice seemed to reassure herself as she picked up her journal. What an absolute freak he must think she is...this is why she preferred to be alone.

OOC:

As Lothric took the drawing he could only stare in amazement as he looked over the drawing and it seemed to have developed from a sketch into what it was now but he was in slight shock about how she could have known to put fire with him and the whole drawing just made him lost for words.

When he then heard her whisper something although he couldn't make it out he took his gaze from the drawing and back at Fleur but there was something he couldn't fix his mind on, she had been acting slightly weird and he knew that the stuttering had to come from somewhere. He mentally smacked him self a bit before he placed the drawing in a small pouch on his belt before moving his left hand on her shoulder and placed his right hand under her check before he tried to move her head up slightly so that he could look her in the eyes.

"Pardon my movements but are you doing alright Fleur?" he sounded concerned and slightly guilty as he felt that some of this was his fault but before he could allow that thought to continue he kept of speaking "I know this might seem weird for a complete stranger to do this but I am slightly worried for you, so if you want to talk about it then just do so but if you wish to stay silent about it I will respect your wishes."

"Pardon my movements but are you doing alright Fleur?"

She looked around. She didn't see him anywhere. Where did he go? It was just her and Lothric, but he had to be here right? She had heard him so clearly, it was like he had transcended from voice to physicality but when Fleur looked around he was gone. Was he even truly there? No. Of course he wasn't... that would be ridiculous.

"I know this might seem weird for a complete stranger to do this but I am slightly worried for you, so if you want to talk about it then just do so but if you wish to stay silent about it I will respect your wishes."

She looked at him, she didn't say anything for a moment. She just sat there trying to form some sort of coherent sentence.

"I-I think... I think I'll be o-okay." "I-I'm sorry for causing you w-worry. Maybe I should j-just go." She walked around him and towards the Academy. Why...why was this happening to her? She had left him and that life behind for a reason! She was frustrated at herself for letting this happen even if she knew that she had no control over the situation.

'Worthless' rang in her brain as she attempted to leave the scene.

Lothric let out a heavy sigh as he watched her leave but then looked down at the pouch and thought of the drawing. Before he had made up his mind he was moving it seems his body made the decision for him and when he closed the gap between them he pulled out the drawing and held it up in front of Fleur before he started to speak. "Firstly sorry for this Fleur but I need to ask. How did you know about the flames?" he was speaking with genuine interest and as he did he had used his free arm to create a few sparks and allowed the fire to envelop his features. Lothric then stepped in front of Fleur and looked at her as he still held out the drawing as the flames covered him and blazed to life just like the drawing.

"How did you know Fleur?"

Within his mind he was racing from on thought to the next and it was really disturbing him at how Fleur was acting, he couldn't shake the thought from his mind. Lothric felt slightly ashamed of not allowing her to just leave but somewhere he felt a need to confront her and get her to talk, solitude was not something any one could survive and to face one self while in such a position as Fleur seemed to be would certainly end in failure. That damned word echoed within him and Lothric knew he could not allow himself let alone another to fail and most certainly not against them selves.

Lothric had sudden caught up and appeared in front of her. She stopped when she held the picture out for her to see again. He had followed her. She inwardly sighed but this is what she wanted right? For him to be concerned because nobody else was? His voice broke her chain of thought.

"How did you know Fleur?"

She looked at him, surprised as he turned into the drawing in front of her, his armor lit ablaze at will.

"Know? I-I don't know The sun's reflection on your armor when you posed reminded me of fire. N-nothing more..." she was in awe, it must have been his semblance.

'Don't just stand there! Say something, I will not be made a fool of on your account!' Her Father's voice was stronger then ever, it was giving her a massive headache. Why couldn't he just go away? WHY! Fleur clutched her forehead with her hand and winced. 'Worthless, Pathetic, Idiot Girl, YOUR FAULT' it all swirled in her brain until it just stopped, completely. Everything was quiet again. The headache...gone, her father's voice, gone... she waited to see if it was merely a trick of some sort, nothing happened for a solid minute of silence. Her first peace and quiet since coming out here. She giggled in happiness and smiled finally ready to answer his question.

"Lucky guess." she responded confidently, she always did like a bit of mystery.

Noticing her giggle Lothric couldn't help but chuckle lightly and adding to that her answer the chuckle turned into a laugh before he focused the flame into his free hand. "You seem to have gained a new spark Fleur. But I shan't be one who doth not return a gesture." with those words spoken Lothric moved his hand that was engulfed in fire over his helmet and removed the metal spikes adorning the top of his helmet, he then gathered them in his hand properly and started to melt them into a new form using his strength and his free hand with the aid of the blazing inferno covering his hand to shape it into a small pendant of a Fire droplet with a chain.

After he had finished with the task he extinguished the fire and placed the drawing into the pouch before suddenly taking a small step towards Fleur and placing the pendant around her neck before taking a small step back. "Well not the finest of gifts but alas it is all I can muster at this point but I must say the color fits your very well Fleur."

He then chuckled before scratching the back of his head while within his mind he was mentally slapping him self for doing something so sudden but alas it was done and he would have to deal with the consequences.

Fleur was feeling much better, the air seemed lighter and the overall her mind seemed more clear then it had been since arriving, but was it truly the end of her struggles? She had no way of knowing.

She had heard Lothric say something but had not quite picked up on his words as she was momentarily lost in her own happiness. He was doing something with his pyrotechnics. He weaved the flames and was melting what looked like a spike from his helmet. Was he forging in front of her? Fleur looked on in amazement, it was a truly beautiful art. Before long he had completed whatever process he had began. A necklace with a flame droplet was in his hand, it was stunning and so well done that Fleur thought he had already had it and that the fire show was simply a distraction but she saw it... she saw it made... in his own hand!

Lothric had stepped forward, much to Fleur's confusion and he placed it around her neck. Realizing his actions she turned as bright as his flames. Her cheeks were burning red but while it was in embarrassment; Fleur couldn't have been happier.

"Well not the finest of gifts but alas it is all I can muster at this point but I must say the color fits your very well Fleur."

She was stunned, such kindness, for her! Was he wrong? All that time? Could it be possibly that she wasn't...? It was the first time someone had EVER done something so nice for her. A tear just like the pendent slowly rolled down her face, she hugged him and while his armor wasn't exactly the most comfortable to grasp it was the only way she could accurately show appreciation.

"T-thank y-you! So m-much!" She looked up at him "It's lovely" her stutter that time wasn't fear, wasn't nervousness, nothing negative. It was because she was now crying. Happy tears which was a completely new concept for the teen girl.

Was left quite in shock as Fleur just hugged him out of the blue but when she spoke he couldn't help but smile at her, it felt good to help or at least see her smile. He then moved his arms to wrap around her shoulders and held the hug there for a few moments before allowing her to release, Lothric chuckled slightly as he had turned quite red in his face from blushing a fact he was horrid in hiding.

"Eh Fleur, not to bother but do you wish to head towards the Academy or do you want to stay here for a while. I can be by your side for both if you want." he was quite nervous when he spoke but it was no helping it. Lothric was never any good when it came to this and thought he might as well ask just so that he could get the conversation flowing again so that he didn't die of blushing too much considering his entire face was bright red and his gaze was averted to the side every time he tried to look upon Fleur.

I swear I am horrid when it comes to this but how could I know she was just going to do that all out of nowhere, not that I hate it but argh I am just so bad at this!!! as this thought raced through his mind Lothric had to mentally smack himself a few times so that he wouldn't just fall to his knees not that the thought hadn't occurred to him but he wanted to at least look like he had some semblance of control tho not much.

The hug came quickly and ended just as fast. The pair broke apart and she noticed his face. Bright red, Fleur laughed. They both were at some point in the last 5 minutes embarrassed and it was a cute exchange.

"Eh Fleur, not to bother but do you wish to head towards the Academy or do you want to stay here for a while. I can be by your side for both if you want."

She was fiddling and examining her new accessory when he spoke to her again. She smiled at his offer, did she detect a hint of nervousness in his voice? Probably not, he seemed so calm in the little time that she had know him. She looked about Finnek Forest, the sun had now been slightly covered by gray clouds, it was probably wise to head back towards the school. She passed him and looked over her shoulder, a mischievous smile on her face.

"I'll race you back to Syne!" and then she took off not waiting for his response but hoping he stuck to his previous statement and raced after her.

Lothric watched her pass and turned as she made the challenge he dashed after her from the get go there was no hesitation not for even a moment. He would not only be by her side for the run but Lothric was determined to beat her as well, but maybe a slip up or two could happen towards Syne so that she could win.

Nah, the word rang clear in his mind as he increased his speed, there was no way he wasn't giving this his all no matter and he sincerely doubted Fleur would want him to go easy on her.

"Ey cheat start! Ah no matter I am going to beat you either way!" as he spoke a chuckled could be heard and he seemed to be really happy, Lothric wanted to win this and perhaps he could find out more about Fleur for she seemed to be a person he would like to become friends with and in the end it is those that are your friends you can count on when the time comes to face your inner demons.