From the direction of the tavern...

Cassette approaches quietly-but walking with purpose- towards The Healer's Guild, with Alphonse following behind. She cycles the wards, and steps inside. She sighs and sits on the closest available bed, and kicks off her boots, making herself comfortable.

"I thought I was going to go insane sitting in the tavern for so long..." She says to no one in particular. "...can't believe the war is over.." She runs a hand through her hair, and closes her eyes, thinking.

Alphonse hops through the wards as Cassette cycles them, looking about the Guild nodding at how it seems fully intact. He walks over to the circle where Zeke and De Sala stood.

"It's okay you two, the army has retreated."

De Sala nods, Zeke bouncing up and down happily upon seeing Cassette and Alphonse, lowering the circle, De Sala taking up her normal post, as Zeke proceeds to sit within the circle.

Alphonse looks to Cassette bowing his head.

"Cassette, I request forgiveness in being unable to aid you in your endeavors. I wish that I could provide you the help that you need and the assistance in recovering Remmi's mind. I hope that it is not too far gone... If I can, I might could delve into my orb, and try and gaze upon a possible way to obtain it... With this random retreat of the enemy, I feel there may be... a break in the storm, and my eyes may be able to see clearly."

He moves over to her, sitting beside her, placing a hand over hers.

"I deeply apologize for my actions however in the past moon. I have allowed the land to stand in my winds... But I will assist you in all that you need. You are my personal friend, both through the guild, and our past. As well as someone who I care for more than I should..."

He trailed off a bit looking away.

She looks around, nervous eyes wide with concern and fear. She was about to hold a finger to her lips to silence the sampan, but she thought better of it and her expression softened. She remained quiet as she listened to him speak..

"I'm not sure anything can help at this point, Alphonse. All hope looks nearly to be lost and... I just-" She pauses, and looks up, as he sits beside her, placing his hands over hers. Her head spins a tiny bit, as she looks up to meet his gaze, listening to him once more.

"What do you mean, 'more than I should'...?" She speaks quietly, her cheeks flushing so a soft rose color, as she squeezes his hand back, and laughs nervously, but her look is one of pleading and confusion.

"Alphonse... I have no time for jokes, or for.. emotions held back. I never have. For any day could always be your last. So please tell me what you mean."

Alphonse chuckles a bit, standing up.

"The reality is that, I as a foolish sampan, have found myself finding feelings of the heart for you. But alas, I will not allow them to come forth. It's not any good to be honest. If I allow them to come forth... I would have my mind clouded again, and my teachings as a Sampan would fade away again."

He turned gazing at Cassette.

"I care dearly about you. On a personal level. But right now... We have bigger problems. Spoken, our emotions have become. We now must think..."

Walking over to the circle, Alphonse sits, Zeke looking up to him

"Oooooooooh Alphonse and Cassette! Sitting in Stonebranch! Kay, Eye, Ess, Es-"

Alphonse snapped his head to Zeke giving him a glare.

"Zeke. Hush."

Zeke covered his mouth, giggling at random intervals.

Cassette speaks not a word, staring at the ground now, as she listens... and when Alphonse pauses... she doesn't move. Her body so still, that if you were not to have noticed her breathing, you would think she was a statue, lost in thought, with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

She suddenly inhaled, so softly, yet it sounded louder because it may have been one of the only sounds in the guild building.. She parted her lips to speak.

"Alphonse... if I ever learned one thing, and ever stood by one thing in my life, it would be that to hide your feelings... is wrong. If you have feelings for someone, although it may not be a good time to say them, it's wrong to keep them in, and hidden, for however long. I'll admit, sometimes I've had feelings I probably shouldn't have had, and I am forever loyal to my husband..." She sighed, and stood, walking over to him, and giving him a searching look. One that pleaded with him to listen to her.

"...but I've made my share of horrible...horrible mistakes. Maybe it's the fates punishing me, by taking my husband away from me, and taking away his memory... but I've involved myself with another, and I fear I may do it again. I can't deny... I've felt for you too... but I cannot do anything about it now, except offer myself, and all that I have. You've always had my friendship, and I daresay... you may..."

She stopped, slid a hand to his cheek, and held it there, looking gently into his eyes, tears welling up before she looked away, but her hand stayed where it lay.

"I-I'm..sorry. I do not wish to trouble you, nor anyone else... I wonder sometimes if I should just leave this town, before I cause more trouble...cause more hurt and.. ruin more lives..." She bit her lip, and slid her hand from his face, covering her mouth with it.

Alphonse gazed to Cassette, shaking his head.

"I am not pursuing you. It doesn't harm my heart to be without you. And I am not worried about the future. That is not what I meant by it is time to think. The bigger problems we have were just at our doorstep. That is what I meant. I care for you, yes, but I will not let it cloud my judgement or affect my winds."

He stood walking past her to gaze out the door then turned about.

"You have a choice to make, Cassette. You are within the Healer's Guild, yet, I know you have not been devoted to the way of Life. You just want to help town, which is not a bad thing."

He turned again staring downward at his orb.

"But you need to follow your winds, Cassette. Do you feel that your place is here? Then pursue it. Be honorable and stand by it. But..."

He turned looking at her.

"If your intentions are not pure in following the Healer's Path, then I encourage you to follow them, Cassette. You're more than just a Healer at heart. I know you are! You're strong. You are passionate. And I want you to forever follow what you desire."

He stood upright, his stature that of a commander who just gave an army a pep talk.

"My work is of Life... My honor is to be blessed by the beings of Life, because nothing is more pure than Lifeforce. It has no price, no coin can buy a soul. So we must ensure that our life is perpetuated."

He walked over looking to Desala and Zeke who looked at him with approval.

"The Healer's Guild will provide you shelter, if you want to pursue more than the Healer's way. But know that I will not turn a blind eye to the loss of lifeforce if it is at your hands."

He turned looking to her now moving closer.

"I want you to be strong, courageous, and determined about everything you do. We had soldiers knocking at our doors about to blow them down... And we can't have the faint of heart to be at the front lines... Not saying you are, but being without your true calling can weaken you. So Cassette, I ask of you, what do you plan to do to aid the Oasis? Do you wish to continue following the pathway of Healing? Or is there a more valiant cause pulling at your sails?

Cassette felt more tears well up in her eyes. She looked down, her body quivering with emotion, her very muscles seemed to drip with fear, and hesitancy.

"I feel at home here, in The Healer's Guild... but I have not known any other home except the Lowtown lodge, and a single cabin of my own, here in Shadowmoor. I wish to live here, but if I do find another place, I hope I won't offend anyone by leaving. I have always thought of The Healer's Guild as a safe-haven since I first entered this town, and escaped the clutches of the Brotherhood... so I will continue to stay here."

She paused, almost as if she was thinking. Her face showed a bit of confusion now, and much hurt.
"I only wish to live a life of happiness, and peace. But if I must sacrifice those things for others, I will willingly do so. I would give up ever being able to smile again, and my own life, if it meant that everyone I loved, and cared for was... always safe, and well."

She sighed gently, and looked up at Alphonse, "I do not know my place.. however I just pray that I can continue to help. I'm choosing to the path of healing, as I've been slowly getting into since before I even journeyed to this town. My winds only seem to lead me to my friends, my family that I have here. You, Sir Ryan, Guildmistress Orianna, Raven, Meemar, and everyone else- you are all my family. And My winds whisper to me to help my family. To keep my loved ones alive. And to fight for this town, no matter how ungrateful or deceitful some may be...

"...But as I've said to you, I do not know my true calling at this moment. I will continue to think, and continue to learn more as to determine what my calling is, but I'm still a member of this guild, as well as the Armory. I will protect my family. That, I believe is truly my calling, but there is no way to know for sure. I... simply have some more soul searching to do. I apologize, Alphonse... I-... I'm sorry. I may be strong.. but I am not strong enough." She kept her teary hazel eyes on his a moment longer before looking down once more.

(replied again in other thread)

see https://shadowmoorhg.forumotion.net/t100-from-high-town

Cassette steps back inside the building, and takes a deep breath. She looks at Alphonse, looks down, clasping her hands in front of her and staring down at them, waiting for him to speak.

Alphonse gazed upwards to Cassette, chuckling standing.

"You are young. I've lived for many moons. Recently, I turned 244 years old. Yet, I'm barely old at all. And even Orianna, and the others of the Oasis and Amaroth, it just is filled with..."

He stood beginning to pace.

"With... With those who have lived long lives and yet never found their calling. However... The reason I usher you to find yours, is that as a Healer, you are taking on a sacred rite. An existence that has not been so in Amaroth since the days of the mass genocide of Healers. It truly is an honorable position. I can only hope that your future will bring you joy."

He smiled that carefree smile, a little of the old Alphonse being revealed.

She gasped softly, seeing the smile, and smiled herself, suddenly hugging him tightly. She held the hug, sighing into the warmth of it, and closed her eyes.

"Thank you. I do hope to have people like you in my life, here with me every step of the way. I love you, Alphonse."

She pauses, and looks up, then looks to the nearest window, and her smile turns to a gentle and happy look of determination and challenge.

"I do have some business to attend to, if you wish to accompany me. I was going to head up to the Armory-I happen to be looking for Sir Alexander and Sir Ryan. And I would rather not go alone, because not only is two better than one, but because of those troops backing down so suddenly... it makes me worry. I also need to stop at some point and speak to Guildmistress Orianna.." Her face registered the plans circulating in her head, as she bit her bottom lip, and sighed, laying her head back down on Alphonse, returning to the full embrace.

"So many things to do...." She said softly, hinting at something else in her voice...

"My dear Cassette, I would love to accompany you, but I believe I need to go to the tavern and catch up on any information gained since the retreat of the soldiers."

He walked into his room, and exited it with his rice hat and spear, smiling brightly to Cassette.

"Be safe dear. If you need me find me in the tavern. Ja ne."

He cycled the wards exiting, walking to the tavern.