darkinferno | [ic inbox]

[How many times has he picked Ari up like this? He's lost count, honestly, and he considers that to be a good thing.

Dante pulls up outside of Ari's place just under fifteen minutes later, texting her to let her know he's there. He gets out of the car himself as well, leaning against the rear and waiting for her door to open. She says it's a funny memory she has to share, but there seems to be something about it that's bugging her...

What sorts of things has she remembered so far?]

Hey, Ari. Over here.

[She hasn't remembered much, but that's a blessing and a curse both. The picture that she has is nowhere near complete, but the things implied worry here nonetheless. She has always been one for details.

She's out to meet him almost immediately, wearing a light long sleeved sweater and jeans. They're not going out anywhere nice at this time of night so there's no point dressing up. Her hair, though, has been twisted over her shoulder; she often does this when she's nervous and can't keep her hands out of her hair.]

Dante, [she murmurs, relief and happiness settling in her expression. She doesn't hesitate to hug him. It helps to ground her, and of course hugging Dante is always lovely too.]

[It doesn't matter whether she's dressed up in a dress and heels or sweater and jeans--Dante thinks she looks perfect either way. He notices her hair though, an indicator of her current state, and when she steps into his arms, he won't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, hugging her tightly. What's been going on...?

(There's definitely some kissing in there too, if she's amenable to it. Hugs and kisses are always helpful in times of stress, right?)]

Is everything okay?

[She's definitely amenable to kissing, though she keeps it chaste for now.]

Everything's okay. That is-- I think it is, but I don't really know what it means for the person I used to be... It's complicated.

[She huffs and gathers herself enough to look into his eyes.]

Thank you for coming out here. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything.

You weren't.

[He leans down to give her forehead a quick kiss.]

I've always got time for you, Ari. Let's go.

[He pulls away from her so that he can open the passenger seat door for her. She'd asked him to go driving, so he's hardly going to ask her for the details until they're on the road! But once the two of them have gotten into the car and buckled up and Dante's shifted into gear, he'll take another glance her way.]

Do you wanna start from the top?

[The forehead kiss has her blushing anew, but the way she tucks her hair behind her ear means she likes it. Always. She slides into the seat, as familiar as anything, and stretches her feet out... Once they're on the road, she's far more amenable to talking.]

That might be for the best...

[She breathes in and lets it out slowly, watching the lights go by as she collects herself.]

In the memory, I was in a sack with a bunch of really bad-smelling pickles. I was being carried around by someone familiar, someone I trusted. He sneaked me past a border guard and then I was able to get out and change.

We only talked a little bit, but he was-- he was a very bumbling knight, older, like a family friend. We talked about some kind of journey. I was trying to find my way back home so that I could do something important, but I don't know what that is.

[She twists her hair around her fingers as she speaks. It never quite curls enough.]

I told him that he couldn't salute me or call me by my title anymore, or else people would know who we were. I went by 'Dagger' instead.

[There's a lot to take in from that statement alone.]

... I really was a princess.

["Dagger," huh? His lips turn up at that; it looks like their secret symbol had more meaning behind it than either of them knew, huh?

But then she says that she really was a princess and it's a good thing they're coming up to a stoplight, because Dante actually turns to look at her, expression stunned. A princess? For real?

The light turns green; his expression softens into a smile that grows into delight, even as he returns his attention to the road and starts them off again. Oh, this is too perfect.]

I could've told you that.

The way you care about other people, how you're always trying to help everyone around you, using your family's name for good and raising money for charities... you're the type of person people think of when they try to describe what royalty should be like.

So I guess that means I really could be your knight, huh? But not an older, bumbling one, I hope.

[She's expecting him to laugh, but he takes it so well. He looks positively delighted and she can't help blushing scarlet. Somehow Dante always has a way of making things seem better.]

Dante...

[It's not the first time someone has called her family empire royalty, but he makes it sound like less a curse and more an opportunity. That's what she strives for.]

No, you're nothing like he was. Steiner-- that was his name-- he took everything so seriously. No one else took him seriously, unfortunately...

[She finds a smile and reaches over to touch Dante's leg.]

I suppose you really are my knight. Shining armor doesn't seem like it would fit you, though. Can knights wear plainclothes?

Edited 2017-07-25 02:44 (UTC)

[There might be laughter in his voice, but if there is it's only because it's so perfectly fitting for her. He's always known she was royalty, because something about her screams it with every inch of her body, with the softness to her eyes and smiles, with the light that's always radiated out from her. Even without these memories, she'd obviously been a princess.]

I think if you want it, knights can wear anything you want. We are at your service, after all.

[There's a mischievous smirk on his face and he glances over to make sure she sees it--he doesn't want her to take those words as an opportunity to fret more when he's meaning them in a much sillier sort of way!]

[Ari doesn't think of herself as anything special-- not in the slightest. But even she understands the position she's in. Perhaps moreso than anyone else in her family... If Ari had been born penniless, it wouldn't have changed a thing. She is always, always looking to better the world around her. She'll always channel her energy into other people, it's just what she does.

Whether that makes her a decent royal is yet to be seen, but she's certainly trying.]

Hmm... I'll keep that in mind for next time.

[He's trying to keep the mood light and she appreciates that. Kissing people is dangerous while driving though, so she settles for resting a hand on the back of his shoulder.]

[It's a gesture that makes him smile, and if she'll let him, he'll rest his free hand on her knee. Sure, he needs to shift from time to time, but it's another point of contact and he can gently rub his thumb over his knee as he presses:]

That wasn't the only thing you were worried about, was it?

[Despite his pressing, she doesn't sink into herself or panic. She knows as much as he does that sometimes she needs a little bit of a nudge.]

No...

[She closes her eyes for a moment.]

I have a lot of questions. About why I was trying to go back, and about why I left in the first place... It obviously wasn't anything official, since I had to hide my identity and we didn't have any identification.

I have a bad feeling about all of it.

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