I don't own Rune Factory: Frontier or it's characters!

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Chapter POV: Erik

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It wasn't that I had intentions to harm anyone's personal life or the need to meddle in things I didn't belong. Quite the contrary, even if a wonderful lady was involved, I knew where my boundaries were laid out before me. Raguna had long since become one of those boundaries I never teased or tricked, even if I was cross that half the girls around were following his shadow. I held no real grudge that he was getting along better than I was, but I just couldn't help it.

Watching the aristocrat slowly descend the stairs, noticeably drier than last I'd seen her, it became a little obvious why I'd agreed to help her. It wasn't because she was rich or that she'd offered up the bribe of a reward – of my choosing, at that. Granted, that would be enough to sway a man, looking at all the money she held within her reach. But I liked to think myself above such things, at least most of the time, and found the easiest answer I could give myself when my mind asked what in the world I was doing.

She was so bloody interesting.

"I will inform you that we will not be having anymore meetings up by that lake," Bianca snapped, her eyes narrowing at him in annoyance. "It took far too long to fix myself back up after that tumble and my dress still smells like fish!"

I felt my lips quirk in the hint of a smile, but held it back for the sake of keeping my head attached. She came off so cold and bitter, but there was a twitch just around her own lips, as if she were keeping herself from laughing at the absurdity of the events yesterday. My own snitching on Selphie's jealousy towards the growing attachment between Raguna and Eunice had paled in comparison to her lovely dive into the water. The thought reminded me why I was there so early in the morning.

"Ah, yes, well. About that." I chuckled and reached into my pocket, pulling out the silk ribbons I'd borrowed from her to dry. I held them out and she eyed them suspiciously. I could tell she probably wasn't used to receiving such things – she seemed to be the type that replaced something if it fell out of her liking. Easily, too. However, she reached out and took them from me with little problem, promptly peeling off one of her gloves to stroke the fabric. Her surprised look put a satisfied smile on my face.

"It's as if they didn't get wet at all! They're perfect. But how...?" Her brows had furrowed together in confusion. Of many things I was sure her maid could do, apparently drying silk properly had not been one of them.

"Old farmer trick. Clothes get really dirty working in the fields all the time, so we know a thing or two about laundry. Even us males." My smile brightened, realizing she probably didn't give praise very often for anything. At least that was one point in my favor. "Furthermore, we also have experience as a housewife that would make me the perfect husband, if you're interested."

Just like that, her face fell and she rolled her eyes, exasperated. It was not a reaction I was unused to, so I pushed it aside and made a mental note to get some kind of positive reaction out of her one day. One way or another.

"Are you always like this?" She questioned, scowling at me in a quite unattractive way. I made another mental note to teach this girl how to smile more often. She was going to get frown lines at this rate.

"Yes," I answered cheerfully. "At least until I have girlfriend caught in my hold." I stepped to the side and beckoned to the door, as if she were a princess. "Somewhere you wanted to go today, Bianca? I'd hate to hold up any evil scheming you have to do."

"'Miss Sainte-Coquille'!" she snapped, then sighed heavily. "As for that, I've already taken care of my toll for the day." Her lips moved slowly as she noticeably bit on them, and for a moment, I could swear the briefest flash of discomfort went by her eyes. My shoulders drooped a bit at this observation, but I didn't push her into to telling me what it was. It was probably best I didn't know what kind of plot I was aiding in, although I already had a bitter idea of what was going on.

As was my nature, I put on a comfortable smile. "Well, if that's the case, I could whisk you away and charm you all day with my presence?" I could already tell what her narrowed eyes were saying her answer was, but nonetheless, I laughed. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll get a laugh out of you yet!" I straightened my posture. "Ah. The least you could do is let me take care of that dress for you, then. It's my fault it got ruined anyways."

"Don't bother. I have hundreds of them." She turned her nose up into the air and thrust her head to the side. I stared at her for a moment longer, then frowned.

"Then there's no harm anyways, is there? Just let me help." She looked at me once more, a little less conviction in her gaze. She sighed. With a gesture of her hand, she turned and I fell into place with her as she brought me further into the mansion. It truly was an exquisite building, but it wasn't as if I expected less from someone as high up as her. Really, I found myself a little envious of her living conditions. Had she ever worked for anything in her life? Somehow, with my eyes burning into her back as she stayed ahead of me, I figured it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Her shoulders were so straight they were almost stiff and her steps were slow, as if she were slightly unsure of herself. The ribbons he'd given her were held so tightly in her hands, it was a good thing they were not made of anything breakable. For someone living in a world of luxury, to me, she seemed almost worn. Now that I thought about it, she had been working hard the last few days on whatever it was she was getting herself into, but somehow I don't find myself believing that is the excuse for her subtleties.

"You know, I've never seen your family around here," I noted, trying to keep my words sounding like companionable chatter and not plain curiosity. I may be impish and off my rocker at times, at least that's what Raguna says, but I hardly wanted to offend the masked woman in front of me.

Her steps faltered for a moment, and immediately I was afraid I'd done just that. But then she fell right back into her confident strides, though I did notice her stiffness had spread from her shoulders, to her spine. "My father is busy back home," she murmured, her head turning to the side for a moment so she could see me over her shoulder. I, of course, knew that her dad was not a resident and more than likely never would be. I did find it odd he had not come to visit even once, however. Although maybe it was just a summer vacation and nothing more? No, she'd been living here since she'd been given that monster.

I glanced at the walls as if the wallpaper were the most amazing thing in the world. "I see... do you talk to him much?"

"That is hardly any of your business!" Bianca turned fully and fixed me with a cold glare. When I stood there, staring at her with something akin to sympathy in my eyes, she seemed to deflate. She pointed to a small door on the left. "The wash room. Tabatha isn't in today, so just look on top of the washer."

I nodded and made my way into the room, spotting the dress with little problem. Hoisting it over my arm, I found it surprisingly light with how many frills decorated it. I noticed with a little examination that it varied a bit from the one she was wearing – this one had a corset of sorts, and briefly I wondered if she had every one made with something that individualized it from the others. I wouldn't doubt it.

"Anything else you might need?" I suggested, walking out of the room and closing the door behind me. I turned to look at her, but when I did, I was met with an empty opening. Shortly, a door on the other end of the room opened up and she walked out backwards, gently beckoning the pink monster out with her.

With movements less rigid than before, she turned and made her way over to me, Francoise in tow behind her. "That will be all, until our next meeting. But before you go, I want to make sure you still hold your end of the bargain. No matter what happens, you won't say anything about me, will you? I know you're close to Raguna..." Despite her hardened look, I knew she was worried. She must've done something that morning. The monster nudged into her from behind, and she held up a gloved hand to pet it.

I reminded myself I did not like to interfere with others' lives, even when they surpassed me in certain fields of my own life (such as romance, Raguna be darned). "I won't tell anyone, Bianca. I make a deal, I keep it. Really. I promise." But, Bianca be darned, I couldn't bring myself to deny her my help, even though my gut feeling told me this would end badly for my farming friend. Relief flood across her face, and even her stony expression found peace enough to show she was thankful.

Of course, not for long. She was right back to herself in seconds. "Good. Maybe you can redeem yourself for yesterday, after all. Now then, I'm going to play with Francoise. You better be able to fix that dress, Erik." She glowered at him, though not unkindly. Gently pushing the monster back towards the center of the room, she began to coo to him affectionately.

I noted that a gentleness overcame her when caring for that pink beast.

Chuckling to myself, I clutched the dress closer as a means of keeping it from touching the ground, and made my way through the large house once more. As I exited and closed the door behind me, my fingers lingered on the door knob for a moment longer. So lost in my thoughts was I that I did not notice Raguna storm by off to the side, rushing his way towards the city in a panic, clutching a letter in his hand. Or perhaps I chose not to notice him in a way to keep myself oblivious to what was going on. A soft smile worked its way across my lips.

"She's certainly different," I murmured, cocking my head to the side as I pushed away to head back to my own home. I naturally found women to be interesting and beautiful, as I took the time to fill Raguna in on about every time he visited me, but none of the others in this place were even in the same galaxy as Bianca de Sainte-Coquille.

I found myself suddenly changing my tune and justifying any actions I would soon take in her steed. I wanted to know more about her.

Lets face it. I'm a terrible updater. But this story is not dead. It will be finished, one day. This I promise!

XD;

Thanks to anyone who's still reading this and anyone else who happens to stumble upon it! Reviews are appreciated to give me any advice/criticism/opinions, yada.

I hope you liked my characterization of Erik for his first POV chapter. I'm trying to still keep him as silly as he was in the game, but kind of make him more believable too. Hopefully.

Thanks again for stopping by!

-Matron of Madness.

P.S. - Sorry it's shorter than the other chapters. Just an interlude to build up a little more interaction before any drama sets in, and it didn't fit into the next chapter very well. At least the story is alive? 8D