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Chapter 2: Cons
In hindsight he should have known this would be a bad idea. They’d done this dance before.
After everything that had happened while they were at sea, from Uk’ otoa’s followers attacking the Ball-Eater, to somehow successfully navigating their way through a monumental peace talks, to dealing with the absolute chaos that was TravelerCon, the Mighty Nein had somehow managed to surpass every obstacle in their way no matter the danger or difficulty. By all logical thinking they should be riding the high of success, perhaps even cockily not fearing anything that stands in their way…
So why is this so hard?!
Caleb closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in, trying to block out everything for just one second. All the sights, all the sounds, all of… his feelings.
But upon opening his eyes and taking in the city around him, and the quiet way his walking companion is happily perusing the many shop windows on the streets of Rexxentrum, Caleb knew he was a goner.
At the moment, Veth was looking at a beautiful arrangement of flowers in a florist’s window, admiring the many colors and shapes that were perfectly positioned to catch the sun’s rays amidst the mid-afternoon breeze. She was talking softly, whether it be to herself or Caleb he wasn’t quite sure, but in his musings, he realizes it must have been to him because she quickly turns and looks up at him expectantly.
Caleb blinks rapidly and scratches his head in embarrassment, “Ah, I am sorry I was distracted…what is it?”
Veth’s cheeks grow a shade redder before she quickly looks down at her feet, “Oh! No, it’s nothing important! I-I was just saying that these flowers remind me of the ones I used to put in your hair. You know, for good luck… is all.”
Caleb takes a small step forward, peering into the window over her shoulder, and immediately recognizes what Veth has said to be true. There are many bouquets made of beautiful roses, tulips and flowers that only grow in small sections of Wildemount, clearly obtained through the immense power Rexxentrum has over its surrounding townships, but right in the middle of the many ostentatious bouquets is a single, smaller one, consisting of what appears to be a large grouping of wild flowers, many of which Caleb remembers having seen on the Mighty Nein’s many journeys up and down the Amber Road.
Caleb smiles softly, looking back to Veth, “You’re right. And they are quite beautiful. They certainly are nostalgic to say the least of our days simply traveling on the road.”
Veth gives Caleb and small smile, turning back to look in the shop window. “It feels so long ago, doesn’t it? Since we’ve done it.”
“Done what, put wildflowers in our hair?”
Veth chuckles lightly, “Well yes, but no. I meant simply traveled on the road together.”
Caleb gives Veth a quizzical look, coming to stand right next to her by the window, leaning down ever so slightly to try and lock eyes with her. “Well that simply isn’t true. We the Mighty Nein have traveled up and down the Amber Road countless times in recent months. Gone on many adventures, seen countless incredible things. All things considered we may in fact be traveling that road again in a few days if things go well.”
If Caleb wasn’t always so focused on everything about Veth the Brave, if he didn’t fixate on everything she says, feels, expresses on her face, if he wasn’t so enamored with everything that made up this woman he has come to care for having known her for so long now, he might have missed the words she whispered so breathily.
“I’m not talking about the group. I meant just you and me.”
Oh yes, he truly was a goner.
Caleb takes a step back, trying desperately to look anywhere but at Veth, but he knows better than anyone that he will never be able to deny her. “J-ja it has been some time. Since it was just you and me on the road.”
Veth scrunches up her face and turns away from the flower display, “Or just the two of us in general. This…this is nice, just the two of us. I’ve missed it.”
The I’ve missed you goes unspoken, but Caleb can feel it.
He feels it deep in his bones because it’s the feeling that has had him close to the brink of breaking down for weeks now. Of course he has missed her too. But the fear of talking, looking her in they eye, the idea of having to be brave enough to discuss everything that happened leading up to her transformation and everything that hasn’t happened because of it after is too much to bear.
So instead, Caleb sums up the bare minimum amount of courage he can muster in this situation to even barely look her in the eye as he grabs her hand and begins once more moving through the crowded streets. “You sure you wouldn’t be happier spending your time somewhere else? Preferably free from this city?"
He looks back over his shoulder to try and lock eyes with Veth once more, only to realize her eyes are transfixed on the hand that is holding her own.
Immediately Caleb’s mind is racing a mile a minute.
Have I made a mistake? Is even this too much? Does she not want me close to her at all anymore? How long has it been since you’ve been close to each other? Since you last touched her?
And the most pressing and frightening thought of all,
Why must her hand fit so perfectly in mine?
He shakes his head rapidly to clear the ever-present thoughts away, sparing one last look over his shoulder at her before trudging on ahead through the rapidly growing crowd.
Caleb would almost be concerned with the number of civilians in the street at this time of day, his time as a pickpocket and as a man under the thumb of Trent Ikithon still leaves him seeking out the many paths and alleyways available as an easy form of escape.
But on this day they have no need to hide.
Word of the successful peace talks has flooded the many winding and twisting streets of Rexxentrum, and the many citizens of the Dwendalian empire have tumbled out of their homes and businesses for a week of celebration, believing that the long going time of hardship in their lives may finally be over.
Caleb sighs and carries on, knowing deep down that no war ends as simply as with a single peace talk. But even so, any cause for celebration is one to be appreciated, and if the celebrations in the street and the fast approaching ball held by King Dwendal himself this evening weren’t enough to raise one’s spirits, for Caleb at least the smile that has been affixed to Veth’s face all day ever since the two of them split off from the group to find magical supplies certainly ought to do it.
Speaking of which, Veth has been awfully quiet the past few minutes as they have been walking and it’s starting to eat away at Caleb’s insides. Afterall, Caleb is used to the loud, boisterous nature of this woman he is so fond of. She is the bravest person he knows. What on earth could make her so quiet?
It is with this thought that Caleb’s body jolts and he is unable to take another step. For a second, he panics. What happened? Did someone cast a spell when I wasn’t looking? Why wasn’t I looking? What are they after? Are they from the assembly? I knew something was suspicious about those peace talks…
It’s this scrambling internally and externally that causes Caleb to take a few seconds more than necessary before he realizes the culprit behind his rapid stop.
Turning to look behind him, Caleb realizes that his arm is being tugged backwards by Veth who has turned to investigate another shop window at the last minute. This one is the window of a smaller establishment with twinkling chimes hanging from the roofing that fill the air with light musical notes, crystals glistening in the late day sun as Veth’s eyes are firmly staring intently into the window display.
Caleb takes the few steps backwards so that he can stand beside Veth and see what made her stop so suddenly. And upon spying the object, he can’t help but sharply inhale.
It’s a ring.
Of course it’s a ring.
And not just any ring, a ring that in Caleb’s eyes seems as if it was made for Veth and Veth alone. A golden band engraved with little leafy swirls running up and down the length of it and secured ever so precisely at the top of the ring sat a small, but undeniably beautiful emerald.
Just like Veth, Caleb couldn’t help but stare at it, admiring the mesmerizing green light it was casting on its surrounding objects and from one look at Veth’s face to the side of him he knew there was no way they could leave this very spot without coming to some conclusion about it.
And if she wasn’t willing to speak on it first, well Caleb would just have to do the honors.
“It’s beautiful.”
Veth darts her head up surprised, as if she hadn’t even noticed Caleb walk up next to her, as if she had completely forgotten that even up to this minute their hands were still intertwined. “What? Oh…yes, yes it is.”
She steps a few feet closer till her face is almost pressed up to the glass and it is only then that Caleb can see in her reflection the hint of sadness that seems to have been leaking out of her very being since he the moment he thought she was too quiet earlier.
“It would suit you,” Caleb says quietly for just Veth to hear.
Veth scoffs, “A ring that fancy suites me? In what world? Have you met me, Caleb?”
“Yes, of course I have. And it suites you in every world, anyone with eyes could see that.”
“But it’s an engagement ring, Caleb. And I’m-” she hesitates, cutting herself off as if she is too scared to take another breath.
Worthy of it? Intelligent? Funny? Beautiful? Deserving of the world and more? What, Veth? What are you that you do not think you are worth just as much if not more than a simple piece of jewelry?
“Married.”
For just a moment his mind goes blank.
Caleb Widogast, you are a fool.
How deep had he fallen into old habits to forget something so monumental? A short time alone with her for the first time in what feels like forever and he acts like its just the two of them again for forever. Life partners. Holding each other’s hearts close and refusing to let go.
You have no right to hold her heart that close. And you can never give her yours. Her heart is someone else’s, what will it take for you to see that?
“R-right, of course. So if not an engagement ring why not wear it as a wedding band? You…you lost yours when, well you know.”
Veth takes a sharp breath in, as if she has been punched. She turns and faces Caleb straight on, attempting to look him directly in the eyes.
But the minute their eyes lock and hold onto each other for what feels like forever for Veth, but Caleb knows to be merely a minute, she falters and looks down to the space between their feet.
“I can’t.”
Caleb tilts his head to try and catch her gaze, “Can’t what, Veth? Afford it? I’ll buy it for you, happily. Do you not think it will fit? We can get the size enchanted so it will never fall off. If it is an issue of quantity we could see if they would make a similar design for-“
“Caleb I don’t want to wear a wedding ring.”
With this Veth has found whatever courage she was seeking in her first attempt, and is now staring at Caleb intently, wringing what appears to be a familiar copper wire between her fingers.
If Caleb were less of observant of her he might have missed it on any random day, but now, in this moment, he cannot help but stare at her hands, the ones he was holding mere minutes ago, the ones that he helped shape in the transformative spell that changed her into the woman she is today. He knows her. Every part of her. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
And it is this eternal bond that has enraptured them since performing the spell that sparks Caleb’s memory of the fact that when he and Veth worked together to shape her form into the person standing before him they decided upon many things about her.
He worked to give her the hair she wanted, bring back the beautiful color of her eyes, and to keep her signature nose piercing that he had grown fond of over their time adventuring together.
But at this moment all he can think about are her tattoos.
At this very second, he is staring directly at one of them. The twisting, swirling blue pattern that frames her eyes so perfectly, a tattoo she got to improve her charisma, something Caleb has never believed her to be lacking in, and he never will.
He sees the tattoo that covers a significant portion of her shoulder, two interlocked yet broken chains, symbolizing the chaos crew that he, in theory is technically a part of, but which is in reality represents the bond held so dearly between Veth, Beau, and Jester. It is a tattoo that symbolizes the bond those three share that Caleb is so grateful Veth has. She deserves friends, she deserves to have as many people care about her as possible…
But no, the tattoo that he truly holds firmly in his mind, that he searches for on her body but cannot find because he knows it is not longer there is perhaps the most gut-wrenching one of all.
She could have kept them all. She could have held on to every last tattoo that she had, and yet…
Where the attempted tattoo of a heart that she once got in Xhorhaus once was, now there is only empty skin on hands softer than the ones Caleb remembers holding oh so long ago when they ran for their lives from a jail cell engulfed in flame.
What he would not give to hold them again without any consequence, without any fear. Only with love.
“Why?” He whispers.
The sad smile that takes hold of Veth’s face is one that hurts Caleb on a level he may never truly be able to express. He knows that smile. He has lived that smile. That is the face of someone who has lost something.
What that something might be Caleb can only guess. But due to recent events, he is starting to have a pretty good idea.
“I don’t want to wear a wedding ring,” she whispers back, “Because that will make it real.”
Hope is a cruel thing.
It makes cowards brave and broken people get back up again and again despite knowing just what fate awaits them around the corner.
Caleb Widogast is a broken man. He is a coward. And try as he might to be better, to keep moving forward and leave the world better than he found it a deep part of him knows that he may never lose this part of himself. The man who ran from everything. The man who for a while, lost his mind.
He is broken and coward.
But never with her by his side.
For her, he can be brave.
Caleb ever so slowly and quietly takes one of Veth’s hands in his own, and with the other lifts her chin so that they both have nowhere else to look but at each other. “Make what real, Veth?”
He can see tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and wishes more than anything that he isn’t the cause. But by this point, he doesn’t know what he could do that wouldn’t hurt her at the moment.
“That this will all have to end.”
He grips her hand tighter. “Veth, you and I have talked about this before. And I will say it as many times as it takes for you to understand. Just because you are in this body now does not mean you have to give up adventuring! You do not have to give up the Mighty Nein to be with your family. And if you want to that is fine, I will accept any decision you make because you are the one making it,”
“But you need to know that you are the same person you have always been. To the world, to yourself, to me. You are smart, you are funny, and you are brave enough to know what it is that you truly want and that all it takes for you to have it is for you to take the first step. If you want to stay with your family, that’s wonderful. I congratulate you on reuniting with them. If you want to come with us and continue adventuring for as long as you please, that’s fantastic, I will support you either way. But no matter your choice, the Mighty Nein will be here for you. I will be here for you. Always. You are the bravest person I have ever met. This is your decision, Veth. There is nothing to fear.”
Veth gives his hand a squeeze, and brings her other hand to wrap softly around the one Caleb has holding her face, “But what if the thing I want and the thing I fear losing are the same?”
Caleb’s words die in his throat. They’ve played this game before.
Danced around each other’s words and actions for days, weeks, hell even months. It is no secret to either of them that they care for each other. That they love each other. But as to what shape that love can take…
They have been standing here, in the streets of Rexxentrum, holding each other like this, for what Caleb counts in his mind to beat least two minutes with neither of them choosing to break away.
All dances must come to an end at some point…
“Veth…” Caleb whispers, bending down so that the two of them are on eye level, pulling her closer than he ever thought himself able to do.
“Caleb,” She whispers back, her breath warm against his face, her lips so close to his own that if he merely leaned forward, this endless game they have been playing for so long could perhaps finally be over.
Words may ruin it, but perhaps his actions may be enough to prove to her once and for all, that his heart, has been and forever will be hers.
And perhaps in doing so, he may finally learn where her heart truly lies as well.
Is it truly selfish of me, he thinks as watches Veth slowly close her eyes and start leaning in, if for once in my life I allow myself to be truly happy, regardless of the consequences?
Caleb ever so slowly lets his eyes gently close, moving forward to perhaps finally close the infinitesimal distance that has been between them for so long. Is it truly selfish of me if what she wants just as desperately is the same thing?
Don’t we both deserve a chance to love and be loved in return?
I am a selfish man Veth, but I will take that chance, if it means I could spend the rest of my life with you.
Caleb closes the distance, and with Veth’s lips on his, he feels more awake than he has in years.
Because this is not a kiss to safe someone’s life. This is not a kiss for a final goodbye.
This is merely kissing the one you love more than anything else because you have wanted to for so long, because now there is no more time left to consider, there are only two people who have had a bond stronger than anything either of them had ever known before that has only grown over time. A love that started as a small flame that now, could burn the entire world to the ground for all they care.
They’ve danced around each other for so long that it seems almost effortless for them to fall into step one after the other, holding each other as a makeshift life support, as if they are the only two people left in the world. A world without wars, a world without assemblies, a world without secret pasts, a world without-
Cayyyleb! It’s Jester! The rest of us have met back up and are starting to get ready for the party tonight. Are you on your way back? Tell Veth that Yeza says-
It’s like he’s been shot right in the heart.
Like every inch of his body has been electrocuted and his brain is finally processing everything at full capacity again and he would give everything he has to turn it off again.
Caleb pulls away from Veth rapidly, unfortunately for his heart not turning away fast enough to miss the look of confusion and hurt on her face as he does so, her lips red from mere moments before and her eyes alight with what could only be described as pure unconditional love. He stands up rapidly and averts his gaze from her eyes, rubbing his mouth with the back of his fist.
Veth looks up at him, pain evident in her quiet voice, “Caleb, what are you-“
“We have to go.”
“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong? Did you not feel it too? What are you saying?”
Caleb sighs deeply and turns to face the way they had first came. “I just received a message from Jester. Everyone else is already back at the inn. Your…your husband, Yeza, he wants to see you.”
He can hear a sharp intake of breath behind him, as if perhaps it wasn’t just him that felt the world disappear when it was just the two of them. That there were no consequences, no responsibilities.
As if there would be no guilt.
There is a quiet sniffle behind him, and then ever so quietly Veth whispers, “Caleb, I’m so sorry. This… this was my fault, I shouldn’t have-“
“No.” He grits out between the teeth of an all too fake smile, “Don’t you dare be sorry. I will never be sorry for what just happened. I will never regret caring for you.”
Veth stares at him eyes wide. She stands there, having what appears to be an internal battle for a moment before gathering her courage and striding forward to once more take Caleb’s hand. “Alright then, in that case, let’s head back to the others. Gods only know what stories they might be making up about what we’ve been up to…”
As she starts pulling him forwards, Caleb takes one last look to his right and left, and once more stops dead in his tracks.
“Actually…why don’t you go on ahead.”
She turns to face him, a look of almost panic on her face, “What?”
“There are a few things that I do actually have to pick up for my studies from a magic shop in the heart of the city. It won’t take me too long I promise. Why don’t you go on ahead and catch up with Yeza and everyone else? I’ll be there soon.”
Caleb makes to take a step back and away from Veth, but before he can she tightens her grip on his hand and instead takes a step towards him. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t try and bullshit me. I have known you for too long for you to ever even think about lying to me, Caleb Widogast. Don’t. Run. Away. Not from this. Not from me.”
Though her eyes match the ferocity at which she speaks these words to him, Caleb can easily see the way her bottom lip wobbles and her hands shake as she grasps desperately at his hand.
“I’m not running away. I promise you, Veth the Brave. I may be capable of a lot of things, but the one thing I could never do is run from you. I wouldn’t survive that kind of pain.”
A soft smile grows on her lips as she takes a single step backwards away from him, her hands sliding from his wrist up to his hands till only their fingertips remain touching. “You’ll come back to me?”
As their hands finally separate and she continues to take steps backwards away from him, Caleb raises his hand to his lips, and blows her silent kiss. “Always.”
This time her smile is wide and real, and she gives him one final nod before starting her walk down the path from which they came, only looking over her shoulder once to see Caleb waving at her receding form, before turning back around and continuing on her way.
Caleb, meanwhile, had something bigger to worry about.
Or should he say, smaller?
He walks calmly and quietly into the jeweler’s store as to not make himself more noticeable than he probably already is, and strides carefully to the front window display, his eyes firmly trained on a familiar ring.
At a mere few feet away from the object that had started all of the life-changing events of the day, Caleb can’t help but once again marvel at the beauty of the object in front of him.
A ring befitting of a princess…
It is at this moment that he looks to the side of the ring and notices a card that he had not focused on before, on it is written a series of numbers that at first Caleb thinks is meant to represent the creator’s business code or manufacturer’s label, but after closer inspection, the true answer is far, far worse.
Emerald engagement ring, fit for only the noblest of individuals: 500 Platinum.
So my earlier answer was also correct it seems, Caleb thinks to himself as he begins scratching at his inner arm, neither of us can afford something like this right now.
Caleb looks around the store to see who else is currently inhabiting the establishment. As far as he is able to tell, it currently is only him, one other customer, and the shopkeeper himself.
But this was never about what we can afford to have was it?
It’s about what she deserves.
I cannot give her much compared to others who care for her just the same in this world, but I can give her my love. And through use of some old habits, I could also give her this.
Despite his keen mind, in the heat of the moment, Caleb can’t remember the last time his stole something. It feels so long ago, and as he summons Frumpkin to distract the shopkeep as he effortlessly slides the ring into his pocket and bolts for the door very few thoughts run through his mind besides one:
Ah, I’ve truly missed her. And by the gods, I’ve missed this.
He takes off down the streets of Rexxentrum without looking back.
If Caleb closes his eyes and just lets himself feel the wind rushing against his face and the frantic shouts of what appears to be Crown’s Guard chasing after him from behind, he almost feels like he is the boy he once was, Bren Aldric Ermendrud running away from everything expected of him with Astrid and Eodwulf in the late hours of the night, a boy not yet tainted by the life he thought he always wanted. A boy running to get away for just a few hours from the clutches of a master who would never deserve all the praise he gets.
But Caleb is not that boy anymore. And as he runs back down the pathways he knows all too well, for the first time in a long time he feels something never thought possible for someone like him: peace.
He’s not running away from something anymore. No, now he is running home.
He just didn’t expect to run directly into his home when he sharply turns around a corner.
“Ow!” Veth yells as she is pushed to the ground by the sheer force of the man who has run straight into her, “Get off me, ass-“
Her voice falters as she stares up into the eyes of her assailant. Her eyes go wide with surprise and confusion when rather than seeing the face of a random stranger who has just tackled her to the ground, she instead finds herself staring intensely into the eyes of the man she loves.
“Caleb?”
Caleb opens his eyes from the steady squint they were in mere seconds before as he braced for impact with the ground, only to find himself on top of someone else. He originally planned to merely say a quick apology and continue his mad dash back to the inn, but the quiet gravely voice that says his name leaves him frozen in place.
“Veth what are you doing here?”
“I decided part way back that I was just going to wait for you because I realized it wouldn’t take you that long to get what you needed, plus it would probably make more sense if we went back together…” She takes a moment to look him up and down and after a brief inspection realizes just how nervous her partner appears to be, “Caleb what are you doing here? Why were you running? What’s going-“
“HOLD IT!”
Two sets of eyes flick immediately over to the loud voice that has just called out to them, and both Caleb and Veth are struck with a brief moment of fear as the image of a quickly advancing duo of Crown’s Guard makes themselves more and more present in their vision.
Veth turns her gaze back to Caleb who has both arms holding him up above Veth’s body which is sprawled out below him on the ground. She raises her hands to cup both sides of Caleb’s face and stares deep into his eyes with a face that reads you better tell me what the hell you did.
Caleb sighs heavily, using one arm to shakily hold up his bodyweight as the other hand fumbles in his pocket for a few seconds, Calen then proceeds to pull the emerald ring out and present in the small space between him and Veth.
Immediately upon seeing the ring Veth lets out a gasp, which is quickly followed by a light punch to Caleb’s chest.
“Caleb Widogast you are a fool!”
He grins down at her, “I’ve been called far worse.”
“What are we going to do?!”
Caleb thinks quickly to himself, racking his brain for any plan that just might be foolhardy enough to get them out of this situation by sheer luck.
And then he has it.
Looking straight into her eyes with the biggest grin on his face that she is seen in what feels likes months, Caleb lets out a single laugh and winks, “Prince and the Pauper!”
“What?” Veth says, deadpan.
And with that, Caleb leans down and closes the distance once more, kissing Veth passionately as they both lay on the ground, Caleb simultaneously casting seeming on the duo as the Crown’s Guard finally catch up.
“You there! Thief! What do you think you are doing?! You are under arrest!”
Caleb pulls himself up and away from Veth, and where once there were two regular looking citizens laying together in the street, instead in their place is a far more dirty and tattered clothes wearing Caleb, and a jewel adorned, long, golden dress wearing Veth, still laying under Caleb with a bewildered look on her face.
“Gentleman I can assure you there is no need for alarm. I am not a thief! I am merely a peasant who noticed a young pickpocket try and steal this noble lady’s emerald engagement ring of her finger as she traveled through Rexxentrum’s streets. It’s the least a poor man such as myself can do to stop said thief and righteously return the ring to its rightful owner, is it not?” While stating his claim to the Crown’s Guard, Caleb slowly and carefully lifts Veth to her feet, where in doing so she then wobbles for a second before finding her balance.
Caleb locks eyes with her for just a second before turning both of them to face the Crown’s Guard, and in that moment, he can just barely make out what she is mouthing to him using her copper wire:
This isn’t how the con works, Caleb!
He smiles to her quickly, before nudging her with his elbow to have Veth continue their ploy, “A-ah yes! This man does indeed speak the truth good sirs. I was merely taking a stroll through the streets before the King’s ball tonight and happened to take one wrong turn and found myself on the wrong side of a thief’s blade demanding I give him my engagement ring! If it were not for this pauper here I do not know what would have become of me or my ring, so to thank him I just had to grant him a single kiss, but lost my balance and we both tumbled to the ground! Silly me!”
Veth laughs breezily, though her eyes tell Caleb exactly how convincing she thinks this performance is.
The Crown’s Guard look the two of them up and down before the leader of the two lets out a deep sigh. “You swear this man wasn’t hurting you?”
Veth gives the guard a small curtsey and a smile, “I promise. If anything, this man just saved my life, so really you should thank him and let us be on our way.”
“Yes,” Caleb says confidently now facing the guards head on, “I suggest you let the two of us walk away in peace.”
Caleb can feel the spell grasp hold of the two guards who a few seconds later, nod to each other and begin to back away, “Alright then sir, madam, you two run along now and have a good evening. This is a time of peace; we best keep it that way.”
As the guards slowly walk away and fade into the distance, Caleb lets out a joyous laugh and picks Veth up whilst spinning them around in a happy circle. It is only after Caleb has put her down and turned to look her in the eyes does he see the pouty look on her face.
“Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” He responds innocently.
Veth scoffs “You and I both know that is not how the Prince and the Pauper con works! You are meant to ask as the noble prince and I am meant to the Pauper! That is how it’s always been and why it has yet to fail! So why did you decide to change things up today?!”
Caleb merely grins at Nott and takes her hand. “Because someone as beautiful as you should never be forced to play the role of a pauper when you are far more deserving of being royalty.”
Veth laughs lightly as they begin to resume their walk back to the inn, “Well that’s no fair, because I could say the same about you. You have never been a pauper to me Caleb. And you never will be. You are worth far more than that.”
Caleb sighs softly, once more feeling for the ring in his pocket. “Fine,” he whispers quietly, “If you says so.” With this, Caleb adjusts the seeming spell that resides on him, now presenting himself to be far more respectable than moments prior. Now both he and Veth look like a noble couple merely taking their daily walk about town as a quiet evening awaits.
Veth looks to him, reaching up to brush a strand of his hair back behind Caleb’s ear that has fallen out of his ponytail, “There you are.”
Caleb smiles, catching her arm before she can let it fall back down to her side, “Shall we return home, my love?”
Veth’s smile grows wider as her eyes crinkle at the corners, a face Caleb wants to save and remember every day for the rest of his life, and perhaps, if he’s lucky, he will. “Why of course, darling, I would love nothing more.”
Arm in arm they travel the rest of the quiet journey back to the inn where they currently reside with the rest of the Mighty Nein, worries and troubles left far behind them as the talk and laugh happily together.
And if Caleb repeatedly flips the ring in his pocket over and over again, gripping it even tighter as the duo comes into view of the inn, the rest of the Mighty Nein and Yeza taking notice of them and waving with smiles on their faces, with only Caleb and Veth to remember what had happened between them today, well he’ll never tell.
Someday soon, Veth. I will give you this ring and ask you to accept my love. And when that day comes, I will truly know if you feel the same, and as a man who desires knowledge of the infinite paths we as people can take, I’ll find out once and for all if there is a future for us.
Caleb watches as Yeza runs up to Veth, giving her a big hug, spinning her around to give her a kiss on the cheek, all the while her eyes remain firmly locked with Caleb’s, a sad smile pressed once more where Caleb’s own lips were mere hours before.
I know there is. There has to be.
And once more, the dancers take their places, and the music starts again.