"What else?" Rhys asked.
Eh? Lyn looked at him surprised, not understanding at first what he was asking. Rhys must have understood since he repeated his question.
"What else Lyn?" Rhys tone is kind and his expression is gentle. "What else do you want to tell me?"
Ah, so Teo was correct. She just has to be honest, Rhys has been waiting for her to be honest. Is it truly okay for her to take the first step? Perhaps it was due to her upbringing, but she has gotten used to hiding how she feels. She cannot cry or scream at the servants who neglected her. She cannot show others that she is suffering because it would only make her happy.
'I have to behave just like a doll. Their words and their actions, I will not let it affect me.'
No matter what they do, she will not show any emotions. However, ever since she met Rhys again she has been a mess. She can't control her emotions anymore.
"T-that is all for now."
Rhys blinked before laughing. "For now huh? Then I will be looking forward to hearing the rest another time."
"I-if we are working together, you better not slow me down."
"Sure. But if we are working together you have to promise me not to do anything reckless."
Lyn pouted hearing those words. "Is that your impression of me?"
"After the stunt you pulled last time I inquired more and it seems like you do a lot of the field work on your own."
"Well, you know it's not right for me to burden my knights too much. They already have to take care of a lot of stuff because I can't trust others to do the work."
"You're being cautious after what happened with your sister." Rhys said understanding.
"The clean up after the war was difficult, my sister's people made up more than two thirds of the Kingdom. Even after we found them all, a few months later more people would crop up. Some had converted to her side and there were those who were hidden very well."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." Rhys gave her hands a gentle squeeze.
"Rhys-"
"It will be different from now on. If there is anything troubling you, I will help."
"Um, I don't think you should promise something like that. When I ran off to find Kazuya, I actually ditched a lot of urgent issues that needed taking care of."
"So you love him that much."
Lyn stared at him speechless. Why is he reacting like that?
"I do think you love me more however, so I will leave it at this."
She still didn't speak. One moment he sounds depressed and in the next second he is saying lines like that.
"Where does your confidence come from Rhys?" Lyn decided it would be better to just ask him.
"My confidence huh?" Rhys trailed off. "Truthfully I'm not very confident about this. I mean, I did say those words to Melissa shortly before we returned here so I was planning on giving up. But your behaviour towards me changed. I do not know the reason for that but it was a glimpse of hope for me."
So, if she continued treating him coldly Rhys would have given up and returned to Melissa? The thought disturbed her greatly.
"Relax, that's not what happened. Right now I am with you trying to grow that spec of sand into something larger."
'It's already large enough, idiot.' But, she can't reveal that she has her memories back now. It is still far too soon, if she says it now he might run away. She doesn't want to risk that.
"Let me make one thing clear while we are on this topic. I may have gone out with Melissa, Lyn but it was only out of desperation and only because she was similar to you. Moreover in the past five years I have not stopped searching about news regarding you, granted this was one sided. I know you didn't bother with me."
It pains her hearing those words. It's not exactly true, after she learned from master that her 'feelings towards Rhys' vanished. She became more and more conscious of his absence. She didn't openly search for information regarding him because she feared others would notice.
But she did search occasionally, so it's not like she was completely unaware. This is no good, if he continues saying stuff like that she won't be able to stop him from completely taking over her heart.
Lyn let's go of his hand and turned away. "I just remembered something urgent that needs my attention. I am afraid I have to excuse myself."
"You shouldn't make such obvious lies." Rhys took hold of her hand again preventing her from leaving. "I heard a lot of stuff the past five years, but what stood out to me was. 'The Queen is a good ruler, but she isn't like before.' 'That cheerful girl we knew has gone.' 'She doesn't speak to anyone, and doesn't look at anyone.' 'She is like a doll."
She flinched hearing those comments. Those comments were most-likely made by the villagers she got along with before. It's unfortunate but she had no choice but to distance herself. Even if she dislikes the social class system, she still has to abide to the rulers.
If she is seen to be too friendly with the commoners, it would anger the nobles. While she does not care for the nobles, as much as she does the commoners. She knew better than to anger them.
One of the main reasons why all those people went to her sisters side is because the nobles were not satisfied with mother's behaviour.
'I cannot risk that happening again. I no longer want to see the Mist Kingdom in a sea of flames.'
"Which is why I was hesitant to meet you again. If you had truly changed like what the others say, then you probably wouldn't want anything to do with me anymore. I didn't want you to look at me coldly, I was anxious and afraid. What happened to make you change like that?"
"...."
She didn't have a choice. If she didn't behave like that people would have stepped over her a long time ago.
*Unedited*