The side table was small, but settled into a sunlit nook. A single blue bowl sat atop a delicate lace doily, apples stacked with care inside. Esere sat at the chair, enjoying the sunlight as she put her full attention to peeling the apple.

The small silver blade sliced through the crisp fruit flesh, making slow work of it to avoid an accident. Silence lingered in the room, only broken by the sound of the knife carving. The knight said nothing to the other person in the room, letting the fragile smile remain on her lips.

Only after the first apple was cleaned and she reached for a second was the quiet broken. "You don't have to stay with me."

Esere shook her head, loosening strands of hair from behind her ear. "I want to be here."

"Surely, there's something else the Vice-Captain must need to see to."

"Renault is seeing to most of them. Whatever remains undone will be seen to later," Esere answered simply. Wiping the small knife clean, she tucked it away into a deep belt pouch. Long fingers picked up the plate in her lap, and she stepped away from the sitting area.

"I don't mean to be a pain, Esere. I can understand if you don't want to be here. You don't have to go through the motions." Her voice was tired, soul weary.

Esere settled down again at the edge of the bed, putting the sliced apples onto the nightstand next to the small, leather-bound book that Lindarcia always doted over. "I know we haven't talked as we once did, Lindie. We may not be as close as we once were. But you are still my dear friend, Lindie. I belong here with you."

The mage studied the woolen comforter, wrinkles forming on her brow as she twisted the soft, green threads in her fingers. "I never thought I'd see you in a dress outside of a party, Esere." Lindarcia smiled at the silken panels of Esere's skirt as she offered the change in topic. When was the last time they spoke so candidly to one another?

"Well, it's not as if I'm on duty right now," Esere started, as if trying to excuse her choice in dressing. Laughing quietly, she nodded as she agreed. "I do not do it, very often, no."

"Faldanis would have liked to see you like this."

The mention of Lindarcia's younger brother gave Esere pause as a wave of color swept across her cheeks. She couldn't hide her face fast enough as she tried to calm the sudden flush. Lindarcia giggled as she tried to pry Esere's hands from her face. "It's true! He loved you very much."

One eye peeked out at Lindarcia, the red rapidly fading from Esere's face. "And I loved him very much, Lindie. I was inspired to achieve because of him. I may not have finished my training to be a knight without him." A sad smile remained on her lips as Esere's eyes shifted, looking past her friend, reminiscing.

"I still have the cup he gave me after we went on a picnic in Eversong." The paladin settled her hands over the mage's, holding them gently in her own.

"What happened between you both?" Lindie questioned, curiosity nagging her as always.

She sighed. "Velurian found us out, and your cousin thought it best we not see each other again. And your brother always honored Velurian's wishes..."

Hands squeezed together as the two of them sat there remembering good times of years past.

"Thank you."