Trust
'Where am I?' Emilia wondered. 'Why does my stomach hurt so bad?'
Her eyes fluttered open only to be promptly shut. It was so bright…Hadn't it been nighttime at the loot house?
Wait, where was—
"Subaru!" she cried as she shot up, ignoring her protesting stomach. "He needs help! Please—"
"Your friend is fine," soothed an unfamiliar voice. "He's getting some much-needed rest."
She looked around, still a bit delirious. "Who said that?"
"Over here." The sliding door at the front of the carriage opened (when did she get in a carriage?) to reveal a man with red hair. "My name is Reinhard. I am a knight of this kingdom. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Ella."
"You as well, Sir Reinhard." She absent-mindedly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before asking, "Wait, what did you just call me?"
"Ella," he repeated. "That is your name, is it not?"
She shook her head, confused. "I don't know where you got that notion. My name is Emilia."
"I see. I apologize for my mistake. You reminded me of someone I'd met before."
"Then why did you just introduce—"
"Your friend is in the back if you'd like to see him," he said, successfully distracting her. She whipped around, completely missing the troubled look on his face.
Emilia knelt next to the sleeping Subaru, unconsciously reaching out to stroke his hair. "Poor thing…you got reeaally hurt, didn't you? You're such an idiot, Subaru," she whispered. "Why would you risk your life for me? You barely know me."
She wasn't expecting a response but continued anyway. "I wasn't strong enough, and now you're hurt." She scoffed, but not at him. "Pathetic, isn't it? I'm trying to become queen, but I can't save a single person."
She bit her lip. "We're…friends, right? You said we were friends, and I'd like that more than anything, but…" She trailed off, her voice wavering. "…Friends don't leave each other, so don't die on me, okay? I could never forgive myself if I let you die."
She rested her forehead against his as she cupped his cheek, the strangest warmth filling her soul at the action. It was like she was supposed to do this. "Come back to me, Subaru Natsuki," she said softly. "I worry about you."
From the front of the carriage, Reinhard—who was not eavesdropping, as that would not be knightly—relaxed. He still had a plethora of questions, each more mind-boggling than the next, but at least he now knew for sure that the girl in the carriage wasn't the monster from Subaru's Od.
But those ears, eyes and hair, and the name 'Ella…'
"Sir Reinhard?" called Emilia, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"Yes, Miss Emilia?"
She bit her lip. "What happened to Elsa?"
He frowned. "Is that another friend of yours?" he asked. "I'm afraid there was no one else at the establishment when I found you."
She looked troubled as she muttered, "So, she escaped."
The carriage was quiet, the conscious occupants mulling over their thoughts. "I was going to wait until both of you were awake," he said slowly, "but it would be much appreciated if you explained what happened."
It took a while, but she told him everything: how her insignia was stolen, meeting Subaru, their negotiations at the loot house, and finally, Elsa's attack.
"I must say, I'm impressed," said Reinhard after she finished. "Few have survived attacks from the Bowel Hunter, and even fewer have fought her off."
She tilted her head and asked, "The Bowel Hunter?"
"The one you call Elsa. She gained her reputation for slicing open the bellies of her victims. She is exceptionally powerful, and her mortality has been called into question." He paused as the memories flashed before his mind's eye. "I don't know the details of how Subaru fought her off after you were injured but it clearly wasn't pleasant. His Od was severely damaged, so he might be mentally unstable."
She looked towards Subaru, eyes shining with determination. "Then I will take care of him," she declared. "He saved my life; the least I can do is be there for him."
Reinhard bowed his head. "Then I must thank you in advance."
They sat in silence for some time. Suddenly, Emilia slapped her forehead. "I am so, so, sooo stupid!" she cried. "Ram! She must be worried sick!"
A pink head of hair appeared next to Reinhard. "Please avoid flattering yourself, Miss Emilia. It is unbecoming."
She gaped. "Ram?" she stuttered. "How did you…what?"
The maid bowed her head, unable to curtsy from her seated position. "Good morning to you too, Miss Emilia."
Reinhard chuckled. "Forgive her aloofness; when I came across her, she was desperately searching for you. What was the description she gave?" He put a finger on his chin and pretended to think. "Ah, yes. 'Silver hair, purple eyes, white clothes, and a wonderful smile.'"
Ram closed her eyes in existential pain. "I said no such thing. Please silence yourself."
It wasn't very funny, but after everything that happened, Emilia couldn't help but laugh.
The trip to Roswaal's mansion didn't take much more than a few hours, but to Emilia, it felt like days. She was exhausted, sure, but she needed to get Subaru to a proper bed; the bumpy road must have been horrible for his injuries.
Upon arrival, Emilia, Ram, and Reinhard (carrying a still-unconscious Subaru) were received by Rem and Roswaal.
Roswaal took off his hat with a flourish and bowed. "Ah, Miss Emilia," he greeted. "How woonderful to see you."
Emilia nodded at her benefactor. "It's good to see you as well, Roswaal," she said politely, knowing she was about to ask for a large favor. "I request that this boy be allowed to live in this mansion. He saved my life at great risk to his own and was severely injured in the process."
He leaned forward, inspecting Subaru. "Of course!" he exclaimed, suddenly cheery. "He may stay as looong as he wishes!"
"Thank you, Lord Roswaal." With that, she headed inside, completely missing the odd look that Reinhard gave Rem.
Emilia led Reinhard to one of the many guest rooms, choosing one with a nice view of the flower gardens. Reinhard laid Subaru on the bed, the blankets surrounding him as if they had a mind of their own.
"How did you do that?" she asked as she fussed over Subaru to make sure he was comfortable. "I haven't heard of any bed-making spell."
"It's not a spell," the Sword Saint explained. "It is my Divine Protection of Pillow-Fluffing."
She frowned and said, "That's not a real Divine Protection."
"It is now," stated Reinhard, ignoring her huff. "I trust you will watch over him?"
"Of course," she said with certainty. "He's my friend."
"Friend," he echoed. "Fascinating. If I may ask, how long have you known him for?"
That was a tough question. She wasn't sure how long she was unconscious for, but it couldn't have been more than twelve hours or so. "Only a day," she decided.
"Really, now?" he asked, looking thoughtful. "Miss Emilia, pardon my presumptuousness, but do you happen to have any gaps in your memory?"
Her eyes widened. "I don't know where you obtained such a notion," she said quickly, "but I assure you, I have a perfectly good memory."
"You're lying," he stated with narrowed eyes. "My Divine Protection of Wind Indication will not allow such deceit."
"Great," she mumbled, hiding her shame behind annoyance. "Any other Divine Protections I should know about?"
He didn't respond. She huffed and admitted, "It's true. I cannot remember anything from before I was twelve years old."
"Twelve?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "Not, perhaps, twenty-one, give or take a few years?"
"I'm eighteen years old," she pointed out. "How could I remember my twenties?"
"I cannot fault your logic," he said without a hint of teasing. "I happen to have one last question, and I need you to answer it honestly." His blue eyes grew cold and the air thinned. She shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. To think someone had this much control over their aura…
He placed his hand on the pommel of his sword. "Are you sure your name isn't Ella?"
She frowned but answered anyway. "I am Emilia. Only Emilia. No one has ever called me 'Ella' before." She rubbed her arms as she sheepishly asked, "Can you, um, please stop exerting your aura? It's a bit hard to breathe."
The tension dropped and he smiled gently. "Apologies, Miss Emilia. I just had to be sure."
She gave him a sideways glance. "You're reeaally strange, you know that?"
"I have been told as such, Miss Emilia." With nothing else to accomplish, he turned, ready to head out. "Thank you for answering my questions. I will leave Subaru in your capable hands."
"A-actually, um…"
He turned back. "Yes? How may I help you?"
Gathering her thoughts, she said, "You've asked me a lot of questions, and I answered to the best of my ability, so may I ask you something as well?"
"Of course," he said with a nod.
She bit her lip. "First, I need you to promise not to hurt Subaru after I ask my question."
He raised his eyebrows at the audacity but was not upset in any way. "Making a promise such as that before getting information is dangerous. Doing it before a question? I must say, my curiosity is piqued." With a smile, he vowed, "I shall not hurt Subaru Natsuki as a result of your question nor of the answer that I may or may not provide."
"That's, um, a much better reaction than I was hoping for." She hesitated. Then, quietly, "It's about something Elsa said. Before she lost consciousness, she told Subaru he was 'loved by the Witch.' What could she have meant by that?"
Reinhard's eyes became haunted and he looked away, but he said nothing.
"Please, you must know something," she pleaded. "If you didn't, you'd just say you didn't know."
He let out a deep breath. "Before I say anything, I would implore you to think about what I say before making any rash judgments." Finally meeting her eyes, he affirmed, "None of this is Subaru's fault."
She smiled thinly. "I believe that's my line."
"I suppose it is." He paused, trying to put his thoughts into words. "When healing his Od, I saw Subaru's mind. I will not say what I saw, as I'm sure he would rather tell you on his own time."
She nodded. She remembered reading about the process to heal one's Od, and despite her curiosity, she knew not to pry. It was supposed to be an intensely personal experience. Reinhard continued, saying, "I believe what Elsa was referring to was Subaru's Authority, which is a dark power connected to the Witch of Envy."
"Connections to the Witch," she mumbled in disbelief. "But Subaru is so…kind."
"He is a good man, from what I can gather," he agreed. "The fact he acts the way he does while the Witch's miasma runs through his veins is proof that Subaru is a trustworthy individual. Most people would be driven insane, yet he actively uses his powers to save his friends."
They looked down at the sleeping boy, each occupied by their own thoughts.
Emilia, of Subaru choking Elsa with his mind.
Reinhard, of a dead Subaru in a frozen hell.
And a blue-haired maid, just outside the door, of a burning village and her crying sister.
Two days later, Emilia found herself once again hovering by Subaru's bedside. "When do you think he'll wake up?" she asked, concerned. "He shouldn't be asleep for this long."
Despite Beatrice's magic and Emilia's constant care, he stubbornly refused to wake up. Did he want to make Emilia worry? Was this normal behavior for friends? She didn't know.
At his bedside, twin maids huddled close to each other. "Sister, sister, our guest is truly a deadbeat, taking advantage of Lord Roswaal's hospitality."
"Rem, Rem, we should empty the chamber pots on him."
"That's enough, you two," chided Emilia.
"Yes, Miss Emilia. Sister is sorry."
"Yes, Miss Emilia. I am actually not sorry."
She gazed at him, her forehead knotted and her lips tight. 'He'll be fine,' she thought, trying to comfort herself. 'Just another day, maximum.'
Multiple days passed, yet his condition hadn't changed.
"My, this is quiiite the predicament," said Roswaal, though he didn't seem troubled. "What poor hosts we are, unable to entertaaain our honored guest with a meal."
"It's been a week." Emilia's tone was dull, empty. Shadows lined her eyes as she absently played with her food. "Why won't he wake up?
He smirked as he teased, "Perhaps true love's kiiiss will wake up your sleeping hero."
She glared at him. "Don't even joke about that. He'd hate me."
She stabbed at a pea, glowering at it like it was personally responsible for Subaru's coma. "It just doesn't make sense," she fumed, though she didn't know who her ire was directed at. "I know his Od was damaged, but after Reinhard fixed it, he should have woken up within the day. Something else must be hurting him."
At that moment, Beatrice walked in and announced, "There is nothing wrong with him, I suppose."
Roswaal lit up. "Ahhh, Beatrice!" he exclaimed. "How looovely of you to joooin us!"
"I am not here for you, pervert!" she snapped. "Betty is merely here to see when you wanted me to take the boy off my stasis spell, I wonder."
Emilia dropped her fork. "What do you mean, 'stasis spell'?" she asked lowly.
"I meant what I said, hmph!" The spirit crossed her arms turned her head to the side as she huffed. "His condition stabilized after a few hours, so he stopped needing it, I suppose."
A shadow covered Emilia's eyes as her hand shook. "This whole time, I've been worried sick, wondering if Subaru would ever wake up, and he was under a stasis spell?!"
The room cooled significantly. Emilia's breath became visible, and Roswaal tightened his cloak.
Beatrice was unimpressed.
"It's not Betty's problem if you were too dense to notice, I suppose." With that, she turned and left.
Roswaal raised his eyebrows, amused at the display. "And wheeere do you think you're going?"
"To wake the boy, I suppose," she said flippantly. "I wouldn't want Bubby to be mad for making his brat cry, in fact."
Emilia left the table, food unfinished, and ran to catch up with Beatrice. "I'm coming, too," she announced.
"I won't allow it, I suppose," Beatrice said, her eyes narrowed. "Your outbursts would distract me from my task, in fact."
Raising her voice, Emilia exclaimed, "Well, perhaps I wouldn't be having 'outbursts' if you didn't put my friend in a magic-induced coma without telling anyone!"
Puck popped out from within Emilia's hair. "Hey, let's all calm down, okay? There's no need for my two favorite girls to fight."
All of a sudden, Beatrice was replaced by a different, much happier girl.
"Bubby!" she shrieked, jumping as high as she could (which wasn't very high) in an attempt to grab Puck. Normally, Emilia wouldn't have minded — she really wouldn't — but today was not a good day.
Emilia grabbed Puck by the nape of his neck, pulling him out of reach of Beatrice's tiny fists. "Nuh-uh," she scolded. "No Bubby until after you wake Subaru."
Beatrice stomped her feet as she glared at Emilia. "That's not fair, I suppose!"
"What am I, a toy?" grumbled Puck, who was promptly ignored.
"The conditions are final," Emilia said sternly. "Wake Subaru now or no Bubby."
Beatrice stomped her feet. "Grr…Fine, I suppose!" She flicked a finger impatiently. "It's done, in fact."
Emilia blinked. "Done?" she asked incredulously. "We haven't even made it to Subaru's room."
Beatrice huffed. "Do you really think I needed to leave the dining hall, I wonder? I simply didn't want to be near the pervert any longer than is absolutely necessary, I suppose." Her face shifted into a huge smile. "Now, it's Bubby time! Come here, Bubby!"
With that, Beatrice and Puck wandered off to who-knows-where, leaving a stunned Emilia behind.
A couple of minutes later, Emilia entered Subaru's room. His breathing was deeper, and his cheeks had more color, but he was still asleep. Emilia couldn't help the rush of disappointment that flowed through her. She knew Beatrice wasn't lying, but she was under the impression that he would have woken up instantly.
She sighed as she sat down in her usual chair. She didn't think of herself as the girl that would sit at her hero's bedside, but here she was.
She also didn't think she'd enjoy stroking his hair while he slept, but that was neither here nor there.
"It's almost time for you to wake up," she whispered. "I'm sorry it took so long. Perhaps if I'd paid better attention, I would have recognized the stasis spell and removed it."
She twirled a lock of dark hair around her finger, marveling at the softness. "I've been thinking a lot about what Reinhard said: how you have a dark power but maintain your good nature. I don't know of anyone else who could do what you do. I know I couldn't. I'd break after a couple of days, but that's just who I am. I'm weak.
"But you…you're strong, aren't you? You took on one of the world's most dangerous criminals while I was too injured to fight. You saved my life, Subaru. You're incredible."
Emilia's gaze drifted down to his lips. She blushed as she remembered what Roswaal suggested before letting out of soft laugh. "Look at me—falling for a boy I just met. Puck would be sooo disappointed in me. I bet he'd say, 'Lia, you need to be more careful around boys. They're all perverts,' and I'd ask him if he's talking about Roswaal." She smiled fondly. "Puck seems to really like you, though. I've never seen him take so fast to a stranger.
"Just…wake up soon, okay? I want to get to know my new friend better, and it's hard to do that when he's sleeping."
She was about to stand up when Subaru shifted ever so slightly. "E…"
He was so quiet, she could barely hear him. "Subaru?" she called out softly. Hope lined her voice as she leaned in closer.
"M…T…" Emilia waited with bated breath, but Subaru was still. She sighed, though not unhappily. She learned something new about her friend today: he was a sleep-talker.
She supposed that she could stay a little longer. After all, who knew what embarrassing things he might say?
A short time later, Emilia woke (just when had she fallen asleep?) to a strange sensation on her scalp. It wasn't unpleasant; it felt kind of like when Puck slept in her hair, but less…fuzzy.
She drowsily leaned into the sensation, letting out a quiet 'hmm' as she did so.
"You know, I wouldn't mind doing this more often," said a voice she had dearly missed.
Emilia's eyes shot open. She sat up far too quickly, holding her head to regain her bearings. "S-Subaru?"
Subaru was sitting up in bed, smiling and awake.
"Subaru!" She threw her arms around him and grinned. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about you."
"Emilia was worried and is now hugging me? I must be the luckiest man alive."
She pulled back with the strangest feeling in her belly. "A week unconscious and the first thing you do is tease me. Why am I not surprised?"
Subaru jolted. "Wait, a week? I wasn't hurt that bad, was I?"
"You had life-threatening injuries and your Od was leaking out. If not for Reinhard, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Reinhard, huh?" He grinned. "I gotta thank him for patching me up next time I see him."
"'Patching you up' is putting it lightly. To heal your Od, he had to use extremely complex soul magic to see your most important memories: the moments that make you who you are."
His eyes widened. "He saw all that…and he's still alive?" He let out an exhilarated laugh as he breathlessly said, "If he saw that, then that means my curse is broken! I don't have to be alone anymore! Emilia, I can Return by D—"
Suddenly, he lurched forward, clutching his chest. She gently set him back down, a concerned expression on her face. "You shouldn't be exerting yourself," she scolded gently. "You can tell me some other time."
"Y-yeah," he muttered weakly. He turned away from her and pulled his knees into his chest. "Hey, Emilia? Can I have a moment to myself?"
She nodded, trying not to feel hurt. "I understand. You've been through a lot. I'll have one of the maids grab you for dinner in a few hours." He tensed but said nothing. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you."
With those parting words, she shut the door and went to inform Roswaal of Subaru's awakening.
Subaru found her a few hours later, apologizing for his outburst. She waved it off. "I'm just happy you're okay," she said with a soft smile. "Thanks again for saving me, Subaru."
The next four days were like a dream. Subaru got a job at the mansion, meaning he wouldn't be leaving her. She knew it was selfish to keep him here, but she couldn't help it. He was so fun to be around.
She didn't understand it, but he made her feel warm. She wanted to stay by his side. It felt right to be beside him.
She pored over her notes and tried to study, but it was hard to focus. Why was it so hard to focus? Why couldn't she stop thinking about him?
'Focus, Emilia!' she thought reproachfully. 'The seventeenth Queen of Lugunica loved radio calisthenics—Wait, that wasn't…Drat.'
Laying on her desk, Puck stretched and said, "Looks like Subaru's adjusting well."
Grateful for the distraction, she looked up from her notes and smiled at him. "Reeaally well. It's nice to have him here. Beatrice has been complaining about his late nights researching in the library but doesn't seem to mind the company too much."
A knock on the door interrupted them and Rem popped her head in the door. "Miss Emilia, dinner will be ready soon."
Emilia smiled at the maid. "Thanks, Rem. How's Subaru doing?"
"He is not feeling well," the maid said flatly. "As such, he will not be joining us for dinner tonight."
Her smile fell. "I'll go check on him. Perhaps his Od—"
"There is no need." Rem's face was carefully blank. "I will check on him myself. Perhaps you will see him tomorrow." With that, she turned and left, leaving Emilia to mouth 'perhaps' in her wake.
Puck floated in front of her. "Aw, cheer up, Lia," he said brightly. "I'm sure he'll be fine for your upcoming date."
"Th-that's not what I'm worried about," she insisted, a blush on her cheeks. "He's my friend, and I'm worried about him. That's all."
Friend. They were friends. He wanted to be her friend.
"Good." Puck crossed his arms with a victorious smile. "No boy is about to take my daughter away!"
She laughed, reveling in her giddiness. "You're so silly, Puck. I'm not going anywhere."
They headed out to the dining hall, chatting along the way. Entering and finding Roswaal already seated, they—
"I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about you."
AN: "Subaru choking Elsa with his mind"? Did I make him a fucking Sith Lord?
"Have you ever heard the tale of Darth Pleiades the Sage? I thought not. It's not a story the Witch's Cult would tell you." ~ Echidna, 20XX