Hey everyone! Just wanted to say that I got so into one of my old favorite videogame series, Fable, that I couldn't resist wanting to write a little something for it. It may not be the most popular series out there... but it's one that always stayed close in my heart for it's story, lore, characters, humor and just overall fun fantasy feel. My favorite title of the series would be Fable 2, for all it's bugginess aside, it was quite an interesting departure from the first game and it was a real treat being able to play as a girl hero for once (since I am one).
Anyway, for this story I chose to focus on one of my favorite side characters from that game... Alex. The lonely man whom you are set to either marry or betray in the side quest "Til Death Do Us Part". Personally, I always chose to marry Alex... as I felt so sorry for him and got too attached to ever hurt him more. So, here you'll be reading his perspective on the start of his life, how it got torn to pieces, and how it all came back together thanks to a certain Hero. Enjoy~
My life was one that many would envy. Born into an affluent family in the best part of Bowerstone, Fairfax Gardens...I was part of the grand elite. My father being the head of many mining companies across Albion, and my mother running her own seamstress shop...they both trusted in me to become as ambitious as they were. At the time, I had no qualms about it...I already had a comfortable enough life, might as well make plans for the future, right?
...Well, my vision wasn't thinking that far ahead, as around my 16th birthday, my parents called me into our dining hall to make the biggest announcement of my life. I, Alexander Lionheart...was to be arranged to marry Lady Victoria, the daughter of one my father's most trusted business partners.
Naturally, this came as quite a shock...for I only knew Victoria a few times growing up, and barely spoke much to eachother in recent times. And now I had to become her husband?
Many questions swirled through my head as my parents were quick to set me up on a date with Victoria to discuss this arrangement. Would she even be willing to agree to such a thing? Does she even like me that way? What if things sour after the wedding?
Imagine my surprise when I found that none of those scenarios were the case...in fact, Victoria looked as cheerful as ever when she spoke to me about it. She gushed at how she always dreamed of being a bride, to have the grandest of weddings and to be the talk of the town like that of royalty. Her enthusiasm was quite...charming, I suppose. Forcing myself to smile back, all I could do was just listen to her ramble on until we had to part ways for the evening.
Now it looked like I had no more problems, right? Victoria was happy, Mother and Father were happy, and surely everyone in our social group would've been buzzing with happiness too. Yet...I just shouldn't shake off the feeling that...this was wrong.
Not that I harbored any ill will towards Victoria, but I don't recall us having anything in common or even being that close as friends. The more I thought about it, I wondered if she were only in love with the idea of marrying me to boost herself in our circle...and actually harbored nothing for me, as a person? Silly thought, I know...I mean, here in Fairfax none of us nobles seemed to put much emphasis on "love" being a main factor in a successful marriage. Even my own folks behaved nothing more than simple acquaintances to one another. So, really...what was I to complain about?
For the longest time, I did my best to swallow all my doubts, to give Victoria and our marriage a chance. I smiled through the 2 years worth of arrangements, picking through countless choices of decorations, food, music, and so on. My father gave me the biggest smile when he gifted me his own wedding attire to wear for myself, seeing it fit me perfectly like a glove. And seeing how my mother was practically balling in joy seeing me all dressed, it was nothing short of heartwarming.
As for Victoria, she was so over the moon in excitement as she pranced around the town, accompanied by her friends as they helped pick out the loveliest of dresses to wear for the occasion. I so longed to at least speak to her a bit and see how she was feeling...but Mother forbade me from doing so, calling it "bad luck" to see the bride before the wedding.
Oh...I was about to bring more than simple bad luck...for the unspeakable act I was about to commit...
It started out as a beautiful day, me being woken up early to get dressed and prepared for meeting in the town hall. I was to wait there until my bride showed up, the ceremony would commence, and all of Bowerstone would join together to celebrate our union. It was to be the best day of our lives...and yet because of me, it would all be ruined.
As I stood there in front of the doorway, eyeing the carriage that was sent for me...a million thoughts crossed my mind. I was about to do this...I was about to become a married man. I was going to be the center of everyone's attention at the altar, I was to be the one to carry Victoria towards our honeymoon, I was the one to obey her, to always stand by her side, to bring her children and raise them up as proud as their parents...
...no...I-I can't. The more I mulled it over, the more I realized I just couldn't see myself in that role. A breadwinner, a provider, a husband, a father...all that before I could've explored more of my life. I was only 18, barely reaching my 20's yet it was all going by so fast. What were my parents thinking when they thought of this arrangement? Couldn't they have waited until I was a bit older to decide such a big thing for me? Of course they couldn't, all they ever thought about was themselves...
But, oh Victoria...poor, sweet Victoria. She wanted this more than ever, it was her lifelong dream to have her own grand-star wedding. Yet as much as tried to envision it...I knew I could never be that perfect dream husband to give her whatever she wanted. I barely knew her, no matter how close in partnership our families were. She was better off looking for some other noble boy to spend the rest of her life with...it just couldn't be me.
So, that was when I made the big decision to tell the carriage driver to take me far, far away from Bowerstone. Away from the wedding, and away from everyone. Hell, I didn't even care if we crossed into the dangerous Rookridge area...I just wanted to get out, now. As I looked out the windows seeing the town get smaller and smaller in the distance...I let out the biggest sigh of relief. My problems were far behind me now, I was sure of it. For the next few weeks I hid out in the Rookridge Inn to gather my bearings. Part of me wondered what became of Victoria and the other wedding goers...but I didn't want to dwell too much on the past.
The Inn workers saw how attached I was to this place, so they offered me a job at running the bar. It wasn't that bad, really...save for some occasional rude drunk or two. They didn't bother to pick up fights, just sway around dizzily until they either passed out in their chairs or stumbled out the door.
It was during one night of me serving them, that I got the most horrifying news imaginable. While I was cleaning some dirty mugs, I caught wind of two patrons gossiping about a "tragic death" that just occurred in Bowerstone. Apparently a young woman, high in rank, threw herself off a steep cliff after being scorned on her own wedding day. Everyone in her family was crushed, Fairfax Gardens mourned for her, and the people who knew of her groom were cursing his name.
I...I couldn't believe it. Victoria...was dead? But, why would she do such a thing...I thought she didn't feel anything for me? Could she... could have loved me, all this time? A fair young lady with her whole life ahead of her, gave it all up in my name...and now I knew, because of what I did my parents and social circle would never, ever forgive me.
For the longest time, this revelation made me so lost, and lonely as ever. I continued to work at the Inn, but without my former smile I started to see it as just a burden. When my time working there was up, I began to travel around aimlessly...my appearance growing more ragged and bony as I gave up trying to keep up appearances. A man like me didn't deserve luxuries like that anymore... I was pretty much lower than dirt at this point.
Somehow, I ended up finding my way back in Bowerstone again... but never did I dare try to cross into Fairfax Gardens. Surely my parents would've still been there, furious as ever... I wouldn't be surprised if they just disowned me right on the spot before I could even speak up a hello.
So, I stayed near the bridge area, just looking out to the river below in deep thought. Not surprisingly, no one around recognized me with how dirty and poorly I looked. I was basically a nobody, so I was free to just roam around without many people to bother me. Part of me turned a bit bitter though, seeing the smiling faces of the stall keepers and families that crossed the bridge now and then.
They were so lucky, and so happy that I became jealous. If only I just swallowed my damn pride, and accepted marrying Victoria all those years ago... I too could've been just like them. Happy.
On what was supposed to be a rather uneventful day, I gained myself a visitor unlike no other. She stood tall and lean unlike the other villager women, a long coat draped to her ankles and flowed behind like a cape. Half her face was covered by the big curved hat she wore up top her head... but I can still see that she had some thick, brunette locks of hair with a full set of lips that curved to a smile upon seeing me. Why, was she planning to mug me? Not that I'd be surprised... lowly beggars like me should come to expect that.
Yet, my expectations weren't met as instead of ambushing me, the woman came to strike up a conversation. By her side was a dog that was excitedly panting to itself. Cute fella, I must say. I remember always asking my parents for a dog as a child... but they never listened. Found them too "brutish".
-Sorry, anyway... the woman introduced herself as Sparrow, a travelling hero that had accomplished some rather interesting quests on her way here. Yet according to her, she wanted to take a break for a bit and just relax in town for awhile. I tried to stay friendly with her as she kept going... but eventually my voice grew as tired as it always got and I tried to turn her away.
Never did I expect her to be so persistent though, as for the next few days she continued to visit me... bringing me random gifts and food to brighten my day along with a pleasant chat. Even if I was in the grumpiest of moods, it didn't seem to sway her. I know I should've been more respectful, as she was a Hero after all... but, when you've been through so much loneliness as I have, establishing connections again aren't as easy as they may seem to normal people.
And yet... the more she continued to see me, the more I began to feel... whole, again. I was smiling and laughing more than usual, I even managed to clean myself up more to make a good impression. Not to the best of quality as again, I lived on the streets... but it still seemed to make her day watching me pick myself up again. I even started to... feel my heart forming more of an attachment to this lively hero... something that I haven't felt even before my arranged marriage. Could it be... love?
Today was the day, I told myself. After nearly a good couple months of communication, I was to make things official for good with Sparrow. It wasn't going to be easy... as I knew deep down that she had to know the truth about me. Would she still wish to stay with me anyway? Surely she wouldn't... but, I just had to do it.
We met up at our favorite spot, a grassy hilltop just outside of the Bowerstone front gates. She carried her usual radiant smile as she greeted me, patting down a spot next to her so we can sit and chat. We had a grand time catching up on our daily lives... then as the sunset was growing near, I felt it was now time... to tell her.
"You've made me the happiest man in the world... there's, something I must tell you. I was... engaged once. My bride.. she was a sweet girl, but we were both so young... too young. I got scared, and so I ran away the day of the wedding..."
I swallowed down the tears that were forming, as I tried to stay calm while continuing...
"...I hurt her so badly that day. She...s-she took her own life. I had to live with that guilt for so long... never thinking I could love again...until I met you."
My eyes met into Sparrow's, a smile cracking up on my face while I sniffed back more tears. I could see her face conflicting a bit... for a good few minutes of silence, before finally she let out a sigh and pulled me in a kiss. It surprised me, for sure... but then as she let me go, she told me she didn't judge me for what I did. That it was in the past, and it doesn't affect how she felt now. On that day, we admitted our love and continued to steadily see eachother for a good while.
Eventually, she had me travel down to Oakfield for a very special visit. Traveling down to some rocky walls and a beachfront, she knelt down and pulled out a shining, gold ring for me. I knew that gesture from anywhere... it was a marriage proposal. My heart elated so big that I couldn't help but yelp out a "yes", leaping into her arms to give her the biggest kiss of joy.
In that moment, both of us jumped when we heard the rocky walls open into a glowing crevice. Curious, we held eachother's hands and stepped into it... opening our eyes to see the most breathtaking sight imaginable.
A glorious, fruitful farmstead was spread out for us. There was a full garden, flowers, trees, a windmill, and even a cozy house. Apparently, it was ours for the taking... and with a loving smile we agreed to start our new lives together, as husband and wife.