The Meeting that Started it All

Valery adored spending time in the Market Streets of Vinora. 

The Market Streets of Vinora were a series of streets in the capital city of Vesperia that were lined with both stores and small stalls selling products that ranged from the most basic bottle of water to the most obscure ancient tomes on demonic beasts and enchantments. It was still early, so while there were still people walking around, most of the people were street vendors and store owners who had just opened their doors. It was later in the day that the streets truly came alive, when the street performers, musicians and artists would set up and share their talents openly, garnering the attention and patronage of market-goers and tourists. Valery herself could be convinced to spare a few dollars if she thought someone was exceptionally talented. 

Even so, from dawn till dusk, there was never a dull moment to be experienced in the Market Streets.

Valery was aware that she should be heading back to the palace to see her sisters, but after spending three weeks away from civilization, all Valery wanted to do was to bask in the presence of humans. She had simply wanted to wander around the city at first, but as usual, her feet always ended up taking her here.

Catching her reflection in the glass windows of a storefront, Valery spared a moment to secure her hood and mask once more. Her prescription sunglasses did well enough covering the colour of her eyes, but she habitually slid them up higher anyway.

Anywhere else, she probably would have been pulled aside by a Civilian Knight, but this was Vinora. The city that housed the royal family, many important people with a strong desire for anonymity. So as long as she did not make a nuisance of herself, her appearance would only be subject to the occasional curious or vigilant glance. 

It was a cold morning with a temperature low enough to condense her breath into a fog. Valery was glad for the layer of protection her vibrant pink cloak provided her.

As she continued her stroll, she inhaled deeply, taking in the combination of odours unique to the Market Streets. The fabric of her mask dulled her sense of smell a little, but a particularly appetizing smell captured Valery’s attention. Her body moved to follow it with her painfully empty stomach egging her on.

“Oof!” 

Valery’s hand immediately went to her throbbing nose to check for bleeding, but she could not determine anything because of the mask covering her face. 

Annoyed, she leaned away to glare at the brick wall she had walked straight into, but was surprised to find herself face-to-chest with a person instead. 

“Oops.” She amended as she looked up.

And up. 

Oh. 

Tall.

Really tall. 

And masked. 

Valery stepped back immediately and fell into a deep bow. “Oh gosh. I am so sorry. This was completely my fault for not watching where I was going. I shall get out of your way now. Have a good day…Sir?” 

Intending to continue on her journey to find the source of that delicious smell, Valery tried to hurry away. Unfortunately, the grip of a hand on her shoulder prevented her escape. 

Feeling her canines elongate in the presence of danger, Valery gritted her teeth. She slowly turned to face the intimidating figure once more.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” 

“Yes.” 

Definitely a ‘sir’. 

“I require directions to the Imperial Pearl.” 

And a tourist too. The accent was familiar but not something that Valery could quite place. 

“Oh? Are you lost?” Valery asked, looking up at the shrouded stranger curiously.

She did not trust a man that could set off her instincts so quickly, but Valery had always been weak when people needed help. 

“Lost? How could I possibly be lost! I know exactly where I am. I simply cannot find the blasted place!” 

Valery did not have the heart to tell the man that the two were one and the same, so she simply nodded. “Ok. So you need directions to the Imperial Pearl. I can help with that. I can even take you there myself, if you’d like. It’s not like I have anything better to do this morning.” 

The man took a step back. “Take me there yourself? Do I look like someone easy to dupe? Simply tell me how to get there, and leave!” 

His caution was understandable. Nothing ever good came out of a stranger offering to take you somewhere. Especially a masked one. 

“Ok.”

She gave the man directions as clearly as she possibly could to the hotel and skipped off on her merry way once more. 

The sweet smell ended up leading her just beyond the street and into a less densely visited area of the city where a cute little bakery had just opened. It was called ‘Love, Vinora’ and true to its name, the place offered baked goods and flavours popular with the capital’s populace or unique to Vesperia. 

The bakery owner smiled politely as she handed over the package filled to the brim with large lemon and white chocolate chip muffins. “Thank you very much for your patronage, my lady.” 

Valery accepted it gratefully and grinned brightly behind her mask. “Thank you as well. I will be sure to return for more.” 

She was not too familiar with the neighbourhood so she made her way back to the Market Streets with the intention of finding a quiet isolated corner to have her treats. Her mouth watered at the delicious smell that wafted from the warm box in her hands. She wanted to bite into one immediately, never having enjoyed the idea of delayed gratification. However, she had taken the effort of wearing a mask today, so it would be a waste if anyone ended up seeing her face just because she was too hungry to wait a few moments longer. 

“Oof!” 

Valery was honestly starting to wonder whether her prescription needed updating. 

She looked up. 

And up. 

“Oh. Hello again. Did you manage to get to the hotel?” 

The man leaned back from her as if burned. “It's you again! What are you doing here? Are you following me?" 

Valery rolls her eyes and raises her purchases for him to see. "I'm shopping!"

The man said nothing for a few moments and simply stared at her. Or that was what it seemed like. It was a bit difficult to say with how the black mask completely covered his face. 

Feeling like her stomach was trying to eat itself, Valery shifted from one foot to another and opened her mouth to excuse herself when the stranger finally spoke. 

"...Your name.” 

“What?” 

“Tell me your name.”

“It’s Vale-“ Valery wanted to slap herself. She was a little flustered from running into this masked stranger again, but how could she let herself get so carried away. “Val.” 

“Your name is Val-Val?” 

Valery could practically feel the raised eyebrow being directed at her from behind the mask. 

“…yes. Val-Val. That’s what all my friends call me!” 

Not technically a lie. It probably was what any close friends would call her. If she ever manages to make any in the future. 

“Then I request that you take me to the Imperial Pearl, Val-Val. I have… been unable to locate it once more. All the streets of your kingdom are indistinguishable from one another! I would be very grateful for your…assistance. You will be rewarded greatly for your service.”

'So, you are lost!', was what Valery wanted to say, but she managed to stop herself from making such a mistake again when she remembered the man’s vehement rejection of the idea last time. 

He must be lost and feeling pretty desperate, if he decided to take up her offer this time. 

When she had previously offered her assistance she had time to space, but now, the time she had set to return home was nearing. If she assisted the man now, she would take longer to get back and probably cause people to worry about her absence. Still...

“Alright. Sure.” 

Valery was so, so weak to people that needed help. 

“So, what brings you to Vesperia? Business or pleasure?” 

“That is none of your business.” 

Wow. Rude. 

“Is it your first time visiting here?” 

The stranger released a quiet sigh, but Valery heard it clearly enough to make her flinch. 

Valery was curious, but her intention was not to annoy him.  

“I’m sorry. I’m not asking for any personal details. I just wanted to have a chat to make our walk more pleasant. As a fellow mask-wearer, I have utmost respect for your privacy, but sharing a few details won’t be of any consequence. Either way, it’s not like we’ll be meeting each other again after this, so what’s the harm in answering a few questions to satisfy my curiosity a little?” Valery knew she was rambling, but the last thing she wanted to do to her new acquaintance was to make him feel unsafe. 

“It is. This is my first time travelling outside of my country.”

Valery's grin was as bright as the sun behind the mask. 

“Really? That must be difficult. Are you travelling on your own?” 

The stranger was cautious with his answers, but her impassioned speech must have gotten through to him because for the rest of their walk, he was almost pleasant to be around. 

“Watch where you’re going, idiot woman. This is the third time I have had to stop you from walking into something!” 

Almost, being the key word here. 

Valery removed the man’s grip from her shoulder as politely as she could, hackles rising once more from being in such close proximity to this dangerous stranger. She tried not to speculate into the man’s identity too much, truly wanting to respect his privacy, but knowing that he had the ability to kill her really kept her on edge. 

She offered him a hopefully consoling pat and put a little distance between them once more. “I apologise, thank you for saving me again. Let’s keep going, we’re only five minutes away.” 

She wondered what it was about this man that made her lose all sense of spatial awareness. 

Eventually, the duo arrive at their destination with a frigid silence hanging heavy between them. Valery had not been able to bring herself to try picking up the conversation where they had left off after he had yelled at her so harshly. 

Despite him probably not being able to see it, Valery still forced herself to smile. “Well, there’s the Imperial Pearl right there. You shouldn’t have any trouble returning to your friends now right?” She checked the time on her phone and was unhappy to realise that she truly was going to be later than she would have liked. “I need to get going now. I’m running late. It was lovely meeting you, sir. I hope you have a pleasant stay in Vesperia!” 

She did not wait for a response before she began jogging away in the direction of the palace, but she did briefly look back to see the man heading towards the hotel. 

She smiled, feeling the pleasant rush that she always did knowing that she had done a good deed. 

Now, she could only hope that she could make it to the palace on time before people start to panic at her absence. She forced her legs into the longer, faster strides of a sprint, her grin turning excited at the challenge of it. 

If she can make it back with minutes to spare, she will reward herself with a full day of nothing but Courtship reruns and sweets. 

It was a miracle that she did not run into anything else with how uncontrollably fast she was running. 

“Oof!” 

Spoke too soon.