Fields of Mistria March

MarchI didn't think you'd actually show.

MarchI hear you've been making yourself useful around town. Everybody only has good things to say about you.

It's been lots of fun helping out!

So I guess this is where you apologize for your bad attitude.

MarchFun? Ugh.

MarchWe both know what's ACTUALLY going on here.

MarchOh please. You're in way over your head. You come out here, no money, no experience, and think you can just fake your way through running a farm?

MarchAnd now everyone in town acts like it was YOU who won the first-place blacksmithing trophy three years running.

MarchIt's all fun and games now, but the second things actually get tough, I'm sure you're going to ditch Mistria and its problems.

I'm not going anywhere!

Jealousy is an ugly thing, March.

MarchWe'll see.

MarchYou think you can hack it for the long haul? Here.

MarchIf you fail, you can't blame it on a lack of help from me.

MarchWho knows, maybe you'll surprise me. I'll be keeping an eye on you.

MarchSee you around, Ari.

OlricAri, am I glad to see you!

OlricMarch is negotiating with Balor for more iron ingots, so I'm getting everything tidy.

You said you needed a helping hand?

What are we working on?

OlricFor sure, it's been nonstop!

OlricWith the bridge repaired, we don't have the same supply problems, but stuff is still like, way expensive after the earthquake.

OlricSo we gotta make the things the town needs right here! Can I count on you to pitch in?

MarchOlric! Balor cut me a great deal on the ingots. But we'll have to bring them to the forge ourselves, so we'll need to-

OlricAri, what do you think you're doing here, exactly?

OlricMarch! Ari heard how backed up we were and uh... volunteered to help out! Right, buddy?

Many hands make light work!

It's okay to admit you're in over your head, March.

MarchI don't need platitudes, especially from you.

OlricWell you can just-

OlricFine! Fine. But you'd better be able to keep up.

OlricOlric, Balor's at the Inn with our shipment. Start carrying it over.

OlricYou got it, bro!

MarchAri, let's get started! Get that forge fired up!

OlricKeep the temperature steady! Steady... good.

OlricJust add it to the pile there, Ari.

OlricAre you good to jump back in, Olric?

OlricYeah! Put me in, coach!

MarchAnd... that's... it!

OlricWhew, I think we're done. Are we done, Olric?

OlricWe sure are! Everyone is going to be super happy about this!

That was fun!

Great work, everyone!

MarchY-yeah!

Olric...

OlricI mean... thanks, Ari.

OlricI'm going inside, I need to cool down.

OlricThanks Ari! You're the best.

OlricSeems like you and March make a pretty good team! I hope we can count on you in the future.

Afterwards

AdelineAri! Olric says you helped March and him get through that absolute mountain of smithing work! Thank you!

BalorMarch said you helped out a bit at the forge, Ari!

LandenThere's the hero of the hour! I heard about you helping out at the Blacksmith's.

MarchI don't think we can squeeze anything else into our schedule.

OlricIt's going to be rough, bro.

MarchOh! Hey.

OlricYou asked Ari for help? That's so smart of you, March!

MarchI-It sped things along last time, so...

You don't have to be shy about asking for my help!

Happy to chip in for Mistria's sake.

MarchDon't make me regret calling you over...

OlricYou're the raddest, Ari! Now let's see what we can do about this pile of orders!

AdelineOh hi everyone!

AdelineAri, I'm glad you're here too!

MarchAdeline, if this is a rush request, I'm not sure we'll be able to-

AdelineW-wait, just hear me out!

AdelineMy mother, Baroness Linnet, was just awarded the Shield of the Realm award for her services to the king!

OlricWooooah, what an honor! Big congrats, Adeline!

AdelineThank you Olric! Better yet, she's requested that the shield itself be made here in Mistria!

MarchSo she wants me to make it?

AdelineIt seems that way, yes!

MarchReally? That's... that's great!

AdelineHowever...

AdelineThe letter appears to have been delayed on its way here...

AdelineAnd to make it in time for the award ceremony, the shield needs to be done... today.

OlricThat's some gnarly timing...

MarchAdeline, you know how much it'd mean to me to craft this shield, but-

Let me help you make the shield, March!

Just leave it to me and March!

MarchI... I don't-

AdelineThat sounds like a great solution, Ari! If you work together, it should be possible to finish it today, right?

AdelineMother will be so happy!

AdelineWhat do you say, March?

MarchWhat is there to say?

MarchBaroness Linnet, we won't let you down!

MarchOlric, gather our materials! Ari, don't just stand there, get the forge going!

AdelineThank you for taking this on, it means a lot!

AdelineI'll go around town and let folks know to expect their orders a bit late.

AdelineI'm sure everyone will understand.

MarchWe're almost done. I just need to finish the detailing.

MarchHold the shield steady for me.

MarchNot like that, hold it closer to the edge.

Like this?

You mean here?

MarchNo no, you'll get hurt like that!

MarchGive me your hand. Like this, see?

MarchHold your fingers out of the way and keep the pressure even.

Okay, is this better?

March, you can let go of my hand now...

MarchYeah, perfect.

MarchAlright, now keep holding it steady, just like that.

AdelineOh my gosh! Is it done?

MarchYes!

OlricWhoa...

AdelineI'll get this bundled up and have a courier take it to my mother as fast as they can ride.

AdelineAri, March, thank you. You two have done something incredible.

MarchI could have handled it myself any other day, you know.

MarchBut at least we got it done.

March...

We make a pretty good team, huh?

Do you two still need help with the other orders?

MarchYou just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

OlricAdeline arranged for extensions on everyone's orders. We have the time to handle them now!

OlricShe's like... way good at organizing stuff.

MarchSounds like we've got it from here.

OlricThanks for your help, Ari!

MarchY-yeah.

Afterwards

ElsieAdeline was over the moon at how the shield turned out, I'm sure Linnet feels the same.

HemlockSeems my cutlery order at the blacksmith is a bit delayed.

OlricI've been telling everyone about that rad shield you and March made!

RyisAdeline came by and let me know some of my blacksmithing orders would be delayed. I told her no problem.

OlricHey Ari!

OlricI hope you don't mind me asking...

OlricI-Is March here? He didn't come home last night.

Why would March be here?

I'm sorry... what?

OlricSo he's not, then?

OlricHe mentioned he had something he wanted to talk to you about before he left last night...

OlricWhew. I think that about wraps things up.

OlricGot any plans tonight, March? I'm going to sort my rock collection, if you want in!

MarchNah, you go on ahead.

MarchI think I might head over to your farm.

MarchThere's something I've been meaning to talk to Ari about...

OlricThat's cool. Feel free to stop by after if you-

MarchOh! Adeline.

MarchWe were just closing up for the day. Did you need something?

AdelineSorry to barge in!

AdelineThe truth is...

AdelineI just got word of another special commission from the Capital.

AdelineMy father, Baron Wiscar, has been awarded the Gold Dragon Crest in recognition of his service as Advisor to the King!

AdelineI feel bad bringing in another rush order like this, but-

AdelineThe last time the King issued a Gold Dragon Crest, it was your mother who crafted it, and...

AdelineI thought you'd want to make this one. B-but if you'd rather I ask someone else-

MarchNo. I'll make it.

OlricThat's great, March!

OlricMom would be super proud.

OlricYou were just going over to talk to Ari, right?

OlricWhy don't you ask for some help? Like last time?

MarchI don't need any help!

OlricBut... we don't have enough Gold Ore for a project like this, bro.

OlricAnd it's only found deep in the Mines.

OlricIt's a maze down there, and Ari is the only one who knows the way...

OlricI was sure he came to see you after that, but...

OlricMaybe he went somewhere else? I'll go ask around town!

MarchAri...?

MarchAre you okay, Ari?

MarchYou're not hurt, are you?

MarchDon't scare me like that!

I was looking for you, March... What happened?

You're hurt, March... What happened?

MarchI came here looking for ore...

MarchBut then the ground collapsed without warning.

MarchI landed pretty hard, I guess.

Here, let me look at that arm.

Hold still, let me take a look at you.

MarchF-Fine... just be careful.

MarchWhat?

You're freezing cold!

Your skin is like ice!

MarchWell, what do you expect?

MarchI've been down here all night.

MarchBetween my arm and the cold, it was a rough one.

MarchW-what are you-?

I'm warming you up! Here, sit down and give me your hand.

We need to get you warm before you freeze to death!

March......

MarchWhy did you come looking for me, Ari? Now you're trapped here, too.

Because I care about you, March!

Because I don't want anything bad to happen to you!

MarchAri... I-

March...

MarchYou're awake!

MarchI'm not sure how long we slept, but I think it's night already.

MarchAre you hungry?

MarchI thought so.

MarchHere, I found some forage while you were sleeping.

MarchIt's not much, but it will have to do until somebody finds us.

MarchI'm sorry for getting you into this mess.

Why did you come to the Mines all alone?

Why didn't you just ask for my help?

MarchIt's just...

MarchThis new commission Adeline brought me. The Gold Dragon Crest...

MarchI wanted to make it myself, start to finish. I wanted-

MarchTo make something I could be proud of. Given my mom's legacy...

Your... mom?

Huh?

MarchHer name was Jade. She was a master blacksmith from the Capital.

MarchAnd my Dad, Olin... He was a merchant that traded goods overseas.

MarchThey saw the potential in these Mines, so they moved to Mistria to start their own business.

MarchMom would turn raw materials from the Mines into all sorts of showpieces.

MarchAnd then Dad would find buyers through his network of customers.

MarchOne day, they sailed west to make a shipment... and never returned.

MarchI know that they didn't really abandon me and Olric.

MarchI know that their ship was lost during a storm. That they didn't survive.

MarchBut I can't help that I'm still angry at them for leaving us!

MarchI guess part of me always wanted to prove that I didn't need them...

MarchThat I didn't need anyone.

MarchWhat you said before, Ari...

MarchThat you care about me.

MarchDid you really mean it?

I did mean it. You're my best friend, March.

I do care about you. More than anyone...

MarchAri...

MarchI was planning to talk to you last night, before everything happened.

MarchI've been wanting to tell you... you're my best friend, too.

MarchAnd I'm sorry that I've been such a jerk.

MarchI was wrong to give you such a hard time when you just moved to Mistria.

MarchI hope-

MarchI hope that you can forgive me.

You were a jerk, but... I forgive you, March.

Don't even worry about it.

ErrolHellooooooo?

ErrolOver here, Olric! I told you I heard voices!

OlricBro? Ari? Are you down there!?

MarchWe're here, Olric! Both of us!

OlricHang tight. We're coming to get you!

MarchThe ore for the Gold Dragon Crest...?

MarchThank you, Ari.

ErrolOkay Olric, time to lower the ladder-

ErrolLet's get these two home!

Afterwards

AdelineOh, Ari!

ErrolAri! Thank you for stopping by.

MarchHey, Ari.

MarchHey, Ari.

MarchOlric said that since we're best friends now, that means he's your best-friend-in-law.

OlricHow are you feeling, Ari?

RyisI heard all about what happened.

ValenHold it right there, Ari!

MarchWow, it's so nice up here...

MarchMaybe we should make an effort to hike up to the Summit more often.

MarchLooking out over the town with you, everything seems more...

MarchWell, more beautiful than before.

MarchDon't get me wrong, I know you've worked hard to restore Mistria. That's not exactly what I'm talking about, though...

MarchThere's just something about you, Ari.

MarchI don't know what it is, exactly...

MarchYou make me see things differently than I used to. I wouldn't have guessed that was possible, back when we first met.

Back then, I hoped one day you might one day see me differently, too...

When we first met, I wouldn't have thought it possible either...

MarchAri...

MarchI uh... I always noticed certain things about you. Even if I didn't care to mention them at the time.

MarchThe way your eyes light up when you smile. The way your cheeks flush near the heat of the forge...

MarchYour unwavering persistence in the face of, er... stubbornness.

MarchI don't know what compelled you to give me a second chance back then-

MarchOr a third, or a fourth...

MarchBut Ari...

MarchI'm so glad that you did.

MarchMy heart was closed off, when you first arrived.

MarchIt had been, for a long time already.

MarchI didn't like the thought of anything, anyone breaking through.

MarchBut you just kept chipping away. With each hello, with each smile.

MarchUntil before I knew it... You'd changed me.

You changed me, too. I gained a new kind of strength...

Forged by the fire in my heart...

MarchReally, Ari?

MarchI hope that means you can forgive me for being such a jerk back then.

MarchI was cold. I know that. And yet-

MarchI sometimes wonder if that's just the kind of person I am.

MarchIt's still not easy for me to open up, you know.

MarchThere are times I have to fight myself, to keep myself from pushing you away.

MarchNot because I don't want you-

MarchBut because of how intensely I DO want you.

MarchI want you here by my side, always. I want to see your smile...

MarchAnd I want to protect you from anything that might threaten to make it disappear.

MarchI've been thinking about that a lot lately, Ari.

MarchThat's why I crafted the Mistrian Shield for you.

MarchIt represents my promise...

MarchTo protect you, and your happiness, no matter what.

MarchAri, I-

MarchThere's something I want to ask you...

March...

MarchWhat am I saying?

MarchYou're the one who invited me out here to talk! You should go first.

MarchWhat was on your mind?

No, no... after you, really.

Let's talk about it another time...

MarchYou want me to go first? Well-

MarchAri, I wanted to ask you-

MarchTo ask if you would-

MarchI mean, will... will you......?

I love you, March. Of course I'll marry you!

Actually, let's talk about it more another day.

MarchYou will?

MarchYou'll marry me?

MarchYou're serious? You're not just teasing me, right?

MarchI love you, Ari!

MarchI feel like I might be dreaming right now...

MarchI thought so much about how I was going to ask you, the whole time I was working on your Mistrian Shield...

MarchAnd I thought about a hundred different ways you might say "no".

MarchBut now it seems ridiculous that I was ever afraid. E-even if it was hard to get the words out.

MarchI'm going to marry you, Ari! You're mine! I'm so happy!

Afterwards

MarchOh, Ari! Hey.