=== Alfred & Céline ===
--- C ---


[Alfred]
Hup! Eh... Hup! Eh... Hup! Eh...
[Céline]
Good morning, Alfred.
[Alfred]
Morning, Céline!
[Céline]
Training hard again, I see. Though, normally I
don't find you using a shovel.
[Céline]
That's a deep hole you've dug too. Won't this
be hazardous for the others?
[Alfred]
Heh heh! Oh, Céline, this isn't training.
[Alfred]
And if anything, I need to dig deeper!
[Alfred]
Hup! Eh...
[Céline]
What in the world is the purpose of this?
[Alfred]
I overheard the kitchen staff this morning
complaining that there wasn't enough water.
[Alfred]
So I'm digging a well for them.
[Céline]
Pardon?!
[Céline]
Alfred. If the water supply is low, there's a river
nearby we can fetch more from.
[Céline]
What possessed you to decide that the solution
to the problem was to dig a well?!
[Alfred]
Hey, you're right. That's using your noggin!
[Alfred]
I'd better find a jug and leg it to the river.
Thanks for the tip, Céline!
[Céline]
You haven't changed one bit, it seems.
[Céline]
Better that you should dress in pelts and furs to
warn people of your barbaric mindset!
--- B ---



[Céline]
Do you know what you are, Alfred?
A barbarian in prince's clothing.
[Alfred]
Huh! What a nice thing to say. Thanks, Céline!
[Céline]
How did that strike you as a compliment?!
[Alfred]
You meant that I've got muscles all over like
a barbarian, right?
[Alfred]
That's real praise, even if you're just saying it
'cause I'm your brother.
[Céline]
That is not at all how I meant it!
[Alfred]
Hey, hey... It's OK, Céline.
[Alfred]
If that wasn't the idea, then what did you
mean by it?
[Céline]
Your first impulse on hearing we were low on
water was to dig a well!
[Alfred]
Oh, right! Some mix-up, huh? Boy, was my
face red!
[Céline]
Would that it were the only example.
[Céline]
What about the time you heard some soldiers
wishing they could cleanse themselves?
[Céline]
You immediately leapt to dig them a hot spring!
[Alfred]
Oh. Do we not like hot springs?
[Céline]
That isn't my point. Why is your first instinct
always to go digging?!
[Alfred]
'Cause it's good training!
[Céline]
Save your breath!
[Céline]
It's instincts like that that mark you as barbaric.
[Céline]
Which would be fine for most men, but you are
a prince. Try to act the part.
[Alfred]
All right, Céline. I get your point.
[Alfred]
From now on, I'm gonna train even harder.
No more skip days!
[Alfred]
Pretty soon, I'll be so beefy that everyone can
tell right off what a barbarian I am.
[Alfred]
No...more...confusion!
[Céline]
Ugh! Once again, you have completely missed
the point.
--- A ---


[Alfred]
Ugh...
[Céline]
What are you doing there, Alfred? Digging
another well? Or is this more training?
[Alfred]
Something like that. Trying to keep up my
health, you know.
[Alfred]
Yeah. If I train hard enough, then...
I won't suffer like I used to...
[Céline]
...Alfred?
[Alfred]
Ugh...
[Céline]
What's wrong?!
[Alfred]
Don't worry, Céline... It's...just an attack.
It'll pass soon...
[Céline]
An attack?! Is it your old illness?
[Alfred]
I was doing so well... That part of my life was
supposed to be long gone...
[Céline]
Wait here. I'll fetch someone at once.
[Alfred]
No. Stop!
[Céline]
What? Why should I?!
[Alfred]
I don't want anyone to see me like this. Not our
allies, the Emblems, or the Divine Dragon!
[Alfred]
I can't let them see this...a weak prince, unfit to
fight, who could collapse any day...
[Céline]
None of them would see you that way. They're
far too gracious for that.
[Alfred]
But I would still know! And besides, I don't
want them to worry about me.
[Alfred]
As far as they're concerned, I want to be the
spirited prince who loves working out.
[Alfred]
Just let me rest for a while. I'll be fine.
Please, Céline.
[Céline]
Very well. But know that if your condition ever
worsens, I will seek help.
[Alfred]
Thanks.
[Alfred]
Having a sister like you is true happiness,
if you ask me.
[Céline]
That's your idea of true happiness? Don't
be absurd.
[Alfred]
Well, what about you, then? What brings you
true happiness?
[Céline]
Nothing.
[Alfred]
Really? You've got good friends, you got your
health─none of that does it?
[Céline]
I take joy in those things, to be sure. But I don't
value happiness as a life goal.
[Céline]
After all, what if I found it?
[Céline]
Then my whole life afterward would be spent
looking fondly back.
[Alfred]
Haha, really? Even if something better
comes along?
[Céline]
The possibility that it never will is terrifying.
I couldn't bear it.
[Céline]
I've always yearned for happiness and saw only
misery. Like the day I fled from the castle.
[Céline]
If Firene had fallen or Mother died or you were
lost to us...I wondered, "How would I respond?"
[Céline]
And now this? If things get worse, and you
have to leave... What will I... How can I...
[Céline]
...
[Alfred]
Hey... I'm not gonna die, OK? I'll be fine if I
stick with my training.
[Céline]
You really do have the mind of a barbarian.
If only you had the body to match.
[Alfred]
Haha, I'll get there! That's why I work out.
[Alfred]
Oh, Céline, look! You see that four-leaf clover?
[Céline]
Hmm? Where?
[Alfred]
Right by your foot. There you go. A small joy.
[Céline]
A small joy... That takes me back. We often
sought such things when we were younger.
[Céline]
At that age, I was better at it than you.
I wonder when you surpassed me.
[Alfred]
Talking to you makes me feel better.
Chalk up another small joy for me.
[Céline]
I'm not certain that counts, but I'm relieved to
hear that the worst has passed.
[Alfred]
Let me make it up to you, Céline. I'll find lots
of little joys and bring them to you.
[Alfred]
I can't promise everything will be fine with me,
but we can prop each other up...for Firene.
[Céline]
Yes, Alfred. I will support you in anything.
[Céline]
Whatever else happens, we can make sure
we return to Firene. Together.
--- S ---