The father and daughter duo set off on their long journey to Draghdom, a neighboring city to the south of Rahnoff. This would be Eren's first expedition, there was no telling what to expect. For the most part crime is not so much of serious problem as it is in other duchies, the duke is a good leader and cares for his denizens. She feels nervous entering the family carriage with the duke, but her nerves aren't due to any concern for her safety on this trip. The family knights constantly patrol the open roads used by travelers and merchants so there is little banditry to speak of. What ails her is the thought of being in such confined quarters with David for such an extended amount of time.
Up till now their interactions have been superficial and minimal at best. This trip would be a test of Eren's acting skill, an ability for which he lacks talent. To minimize the chances of conversation before he's had a chance to speak to Ariellia in the dream world, he feigns annoyance. If the duke grows curious by her sudden sour mood it could be explained as the result of her fallout with Rei at the church. This would put David in the role of a concerned parent trying to placate his child, giving in to his indulgent nature, and lowering his guard.
Ariellia closes her eyes, relaxing against the plush carriage seat. It's unknown when she nodded off to the gentle rocking of the magically reinforced carriage ride. Eren only realized something was amiss when he found himself standing in a familiar shallow lake. His true appearance of a lean older male in his late twenties with deep-set upturned brown eyes stared back through the water's surface. He wasn't as deeply affected as last time, finally coming to terms with his disembodied state. He follows the same strange pull towards the temple steps like a wandering ghost. This time there's no resistance when he pries open the thick double doors.
"You're finally here!" He spots Ariellia sitting on the bed like last time. Her range of movement seemed oddly limited to just that area, she's unable to venture past the fur carpet. A visualization of the seal holding back her soul perhaps, Eren doesn't pay too much attention to this. He has limited time, there's no telling when David might wake him. His heart trembles at the vicious smile on her doll-like face. He still remembers her offer in the duke's study. She has a way to fool David's watchful eyes and help him disguise his faults better.
"What is your price?" He asks. The only good lesson his delusional mother ever imparted to him was that nothing in life ever goes for free. He's just a tidbit concerned that the arrogant heiress before him might ask for something outrageous.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm not going to bite. I'm actually impressed. You've already thought of a way to deal with that faker Anya. After so many years of making a fool out of me, she's finally met her match. It's put me in a good mood." She really does look pleased, her posture becoming willful and less defensive than the last time he was here.
"For the record I won't kiss Rei for you, please have some consideration for my mental health." He nervously blurts out his bottom line. His current body may not reflect it but he's a hotblooded man himself, the thought of acting out any of her romantic fancies is an absolute no go. He just wanted to be clear on this one point, the rest can be negotiated.
"Relax, I doubt he would appreciate a kiss from me after your performance at the church. We'll be lucky if he chooses to still sleep in our room." She doesn't hide her look of disappointment.
'Young lady what's that look, were you hoping for something while peeping from within the seal!' Eren feels his gums itch, foul curses stuck to the top of his tongue, but he holds back. If he gets her agitated, she might toss him out again like she did last time. Sealed or not, this is still home turf for her.
"Three." Holding up three fingers she explains her request. "Memories, I want three years' worth of your memories. They can be any years, it's up to you. However, be aware you will lose these memories for good, unable to ever recall them again, so I suggest you pick wisely."
He gulps, intuition telling him to think carefully as he begins to understand the deeper implications of her words. If he's careless and gives up the important memories of his formative years he might wake up to a personality crisis. Some memories while painful can end up being a person's very reason for being. If he abandons them, who's to say his moral foundation wouldn't shift, what was unacceptable before might seem plausible. Taking a deep breath, he briefly runs through the years of his life in his head. What changed his life for the better? What memories keep him in check and which ones won't affect his current state overall?
"I've decided. 27, 26, and 24. You can have these years of my life." He's not a masochist, if he could get rid of the bitter taste of betrayal why shouldn't he? Eren first met his ex when he was 24 years old, he'd just started a new job at the company then and they literally stumbled into each other on the train. He'd been excited, confident with the new source of income and stability, he thought this was a heavenly sign to start a love-life.
"Interesting choice." Ariellia doesn't pry into his reason for choosing those years. She only opens her mouth wide, creating an unusual suction force. The objects in the room aren't drawn in by it, but Eren could feel something deep in his mind being pulled away. It felt like many tiny glass shards drilling out of his skull. He didn't know what to do with the indescribable pain, falling to his knees, with his body crying uncontrollably to express its distress.
After an unknown amount of time, he began to come back to himself, panting on the floor like a drowning man given a new lease on life. The pain was so severe he's not sure if it was worth it. His acting skills can't be that bad, maybe he should have taken his chances with David. An exorcism couldn't have felt as bad as this.
"In return, I will bestow you with three important memories of my father and I. He will no longer doubt you if you make use of this knowledge."
["Story time with Uncle Jasper" memory fragment acquired!]
["The first dance lesson with father" memory fragment acquired!]
["David's bitter decision" memory fragment acquired!]