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[firstaid]

Yesterday seemed so sad. Even if it was just a curse, everyone was acting as if they were going to be separated even before they were married. Why would anyone want to sign such a negative agreement in anticipation for a life long journey together? Isn’t that why you make sure you find ‘the one’ meant for you, to ensure you two can have a life happy together? I suppose creating and signing such a contract seems so counterproductive to marriage. If a problem arises, then the two of you should work together to fix it, right? Because… you love each other, right?

[Because marriage was supposed to be about love; a binding contract between two people. Being a princess, perhaps her ‘marriage’ to anyone would be different, unless she went out and decided to spend her life with the one she loves. So yes, her saying this is hypocritical in a sense, but it’s so sad. But if she had to be married, she would want to spend her life with the one she loves. That would make her happy.]

Comments

[negativegate]

[Hi, Estelle, Rita's just going to flop on your bed to hang out. She's feeling a little embarrassed about the previous day herself.]

I'm pretty sure the whole document thing was the point of the curse. Besides, there's a reason for the phrase "gold-digger".

[firstaid]

[And Estelle will just be kneeling on her bed with her nose in a book. Though she'll definitely pay attention to her friend!]

You mean people really do just marry for money?

[Read: sheltered princess.]

[negativegate]

[They're both similar in that regard! Though Rita snorts and waves a hand.]

Come on, Estelle. Of course some people do--some people will do anything for one reason or another.

[firstaid]

But why would they go into something as binding as marriage just for money? That... doesn't make sense.

[Says the girl who knows about marriage for political reasons...]

[negativegate]

Maybe they see it as easy money if they kill off the person they marry.

[Not that she's trying to be morbid... It just happens.]

Don't they have stories like that in any of the books you read?

[firstaid]

Well, yes there's stories like that, but I didn't think it was a reality.

[That's why they were stories! Because such terrible people don't exist?]

[negativegate]

Some of this stuff isn't completely made up, you know.

[She sighs, but--on the other hand, she really wouldn't want Estelle to experience that first-hand.]

[firstaid]

I suppose it's not. Do you think someone would want to marry me for money, then?

[Though she can't imagine Yuri or Flynn would do that. Those are the only two she would even consider for such a thing at this moment.]

[negativegate]

Huh?

[Rita isn't the type to pretend that nobody out there would do that, though she feels a little bad for bringing it up. On the other hand, it's good for Estelle to be aware of this kind of thing!]

Well, yeah. There are plenty of scammers out there who'd jump at the chance to marry a noble for fortune or power. Isn't that exactly why they're so picky about who they can marry?

[firstaid]

You would stop that from happening, right Rita?

[She giggles just a little, knowing her friend would protect her, just as she always has. Rita would have to approve of the one she would marry in the future, right? As long as it wasn't a marriage created due to politics...]

[negativegate]

Anyone who tries to pull something like that... Oh, I'd blast them right into orbit!

[As far as Rita's concerned, this also includes political marriages!]

[firstaid]

I know that you would.

[It's times like these she's glad to have a friend like Rita who's honest with her.]

If Flynn and I got married, would you approve of that?

[Meaning that if the curse went through... w-which it didn't!]

[negativegate]

[Friendship is about honesty...even if sometimes it also includes softening her words. She doesn't want to be the same bluntly rude person she was originally.

The question makes her pause, though! Especially now that she isn't cursed, either.]

Huh? Well... He's obviously not out to marry you for power or money...

Would you want to marry him?

[Because that's the other most important thing!]

[firstaid]

Well, um… I was just thinking… if you know… um… if a curse happened and… um… we got married… and um…

[Translation: yes, yes she would…]

[negativegate]

What? No, forget the curse. I'm asking if you'd be happy with him. Because if you really want to, then you should just do it.

[sacredpenance]

What? I-I can't do that. Flynn is busy and I'm sure he wouldn't want that!

[negativegate]

What does him being busy have to do with it? Besides, you can ask him what he wants, right?

[firstaid]

I can't ask him anything like that. Wh-what if he has someone else he likes?

[negativegate]

What if he doesn't? That's the whole point of asking, Estelle.

[firstaid]

I don't want to ask...

[Estelle's petulance knows no bounds.]

[negativegate]

Don't tell me you're afraid of his answer or something.

[So stubborn...]

[firstaid]

[One beat

Two beats

Three beats.]

...I'm better off not knowing.

[Yes, yes she is afraid.]

[negativegate]

...What's that supposed to mean?

[Rita doesn't really get it...besides guessing that she is afraid for some reason.]

[firstaid]

He probably doesn't like me in that fashion. I-I mean, he's busy with work and well, I can't imagine that he would have time for... anything like this.

[She then flops forward into her pillow.]

Just... forget about all of it. It's... it's nothing of importance.

[negativegate]

[...Rita is reminded now of a little thing called 'denial' that she's been accused of plenty of times.

But mostly she's just confused.]

For something not important, you're making a pretty big deal out of it, you know. Besides, what's he busy with? There's no knights or empire here.