Embracing Fate/Astrid: Resolute Damsel

Astrid: Resolute Damsel - C

Eir	A stroll in the evening might help to clear my mind... Wait, who is that?
Oh! Is someone there? Forgive me if I startled you. Given your attire, I believe you are Princess Eir, right? It is a pleasure to meet you.		Astrid
Eir	Likewise. Though, it is rare to encounter someone else wandering outside the castle this late at night.
Perhaps we have similar reasons for needing some fresh air... Oh, my apologies! I am Astrid. I have recently arrived in this world in response to 【Summoner】’s summons.		Astrid
Eir	I see. And what brought you outside the castle walls?
I was...stargazing. I thought this hill would offer the clearest view of the heavens above. ...But I must admit the constellations here are completely different from the ones I knew in Tellius. Even so, I am happy to see that they shine just as brightly.		Astrid
Eir	You seem to be well-versed on the topic.
Well, I speak only from experience. I often sleep outside—though it can be rather hard to fall asleep, you see.		Astrid
Eir	Afraid of what lurks beyond the campfire?
Exactly. It would be all too easy for enemies to spring an attack in the middle of the night. When I close my eyes, I have no guarantee that I will ever open them again to see the morning. But there is a fate even worse than death awaiting me back home, so it is not as if I can simply return. At times like this, I find myself unable and unwilling to sleep. So, to pass the time, I gaze up at the stars. Oh, please forgive me. We have only just met, but I am burdening you with my worries.		Astrid
Eir	Think nothing of it... I haven’t seen a sky this clear in some time. May I join you?
Of course. I’d like that.		Astrid

Astrid: Resolute Damsel - B

Eir	(Hmm... It’s that girl again.)
Good evening, Princess Eir. We meet again.		Astrid
Eir	Good evening, Astrid. Still stargazing, are you?
Indeed. Try as I might, I could not seem to fall asleep tonight either. So...I am here. Still, this is quite the coincidence. I did not ask last time we spoke, but do you enjoy stargazing as well?		Astrid
Eir	Watching the stars is...comforting. Where I come from, death grinds all to a halt, and time itself has been brought to a standstill. Hel is a land of finality—the last stop on a long and winding journey. But when I see the stars streaking through the sky, I see something else. I see motion. I see life.
I have heard about the land of the dead from Commander Anna. It sounds rather...inhospitable.		Astrid
Eir	You are kind to describe it in such a diplomatic way.
You said that time is at a standstill there, yes?		Astrid
Eir	When death claims its due, it robs the living of every last thing they possess. With nothing left, you are doomed to simply exist. Nothing to look forward to, and nothing to regret.
And yet, you still struggled against that inescapable force, didn’t you? That sounds hauntingly familiar. I rejected the path my father chose for me and set off on my own. And yet, no matter how hard I try to rid myself of that fate, it sometimes feels as if I have only sunk deeper. The closer I get to the surface, the fiercer the undertow becomes.		Astrid
Eir	I am familiar with the pain and frustration that comes with being subjected to another’s will.
Eir	...But the night is yet young. I would love to hear more of your journey here.
Oh, well... Yes, of course. I shall endeavor not to bore you to sleep just yet.		Astrid

Astrid: Resolute Damsel - A

Astrid	As the child of a noble house, I spent my youth in luxury, never wanting for food or shelter. There was just one thing that my parents refused to grant me: my freedom.
(Being seen as more of a tool than a daughter... I know this despair well.)		Eir
Astrid	From the moment I was born, my life was not my own. I was to be wed to a stranger for the family’s benefit. Not once did anyone ask how I felt.
I know how that feels... A parent’s overbearing glare can extinguish one’s resolve in an instant.		Eir
Astrid	Once I realized my fate, it was as if all the life in my little world fell away, I was nothing more than their doll. I had to escape, and the knights of Begnion were my only way out. I thought if I struck out on my own, I could seize control of my life. But my desperate struggle to break free did little more than make clear just how powerless I truly am.
When we spoke before, you mentioned that you have trouble falling asleep.		Eir
Astrid	As embarrassing as that sounds, yes. It is true.
Fear drives animals to fight tooth and nail to survive. Humans are no different. You feel fear because you wish to see what tomorrow will bring. That fear is proof of the hope you carry in your heart.		Eir
Astrid	Hope and fear... I never would have thought of them that way, but I think I understand.
So long as they draw breath, the living cannot escape from who they truly are... But the strong can become weak, and the weak can become strong. You must choose your path. Perhaps... Perhaps it is this lifelong struggle that makes someone human.		Eir
Astrid	Your words carry wisdom, Princess Eir. If I remain paralyzed by my fears, I have lost before I can even begin. There is no shame in weakness. But, at the same time, I need not remain weak forever.

Astrid: Resolute Damsel - S

Astrid	Good evening, Princess Eir.
Good evening, Astrid.		Eir
Astrid	The clouds are sparse tonight. Could it be that we came here with the same intention?
Indeed. The conditions are perfect for stargazing.		Eir
Astrid	Have you ever noticed the clusters of small stars scattered among the larger stars? Individually, each one is nothing more than a distant, tiny glimmer of light... But they work together to overcome their circumstances and shine just as brilliantly. Together, they are more than the sum of their parts. And...I find that rather inspiring.
Everyone wants to shine, but sometimes the night sky is simply too dark to be seen. Together, however, they can create something truly dazzling. With others at our side, Heroes like us can become something far greater than we could ever be on our own.		Eir
Astrid	So long as the stars above shine, I will remain hopeful that I should someday be so lucky.

Scenario
← Marcia		Jill →
Embracing Fate
Volke	Tanith	Astrid	Marcia

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