~The Day of the Wedding~

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Balandor and Faria, I welcome you to this joining of lovers-"The Arch-Duchess Miu was standing on the high balcony of Balandor Castle, raising her hands in celebration for the wonderful couple in front of her. Queen Cisna and the heroic pactmacker of the White Knight, Leonard were dressed in gorgeous formal attire, and standing hand and hand at the top of the Balcony. Cisna was wearing her traditional queen attire, but it was lavished in long white wedding fabric. Leonard stood, staring lovingly into Cisna's eyes in a sharp black tux.

Yulie was sitting and watching the wedding from the center of the crowd. She couldn't hear anything that was being said over the thunder of the crowd, but she didn't care. The entire wedding pained her to watch. To her, the world was completely mute when she looked at Leonard and saw the happiness in his eyes- the boy she had been in the love with since they were children.

Behind the bride and groom was the wedding party- Caesar and Kara stood at both sides of the bride and groom, dressed in matching white suit and dress. Yulie wasn't invited to stand at either side, but she didn't mind. The wedding made Yulie's heart tear in pieces, and when Leonard leaned in to kiss Cisna, she turned away and fled the crowd.

Yulie ran through the huddle of people, trying not to create notice, fleeing to the back of the crowd where people weren't standing. When she finally broke free, of the people, she walked silently away with her head buried down. She had done her part- she had been there for her friend during the happiest moment of his life, but at the cost of the worst day of hers.

Yulie took a seat by the large archway leading out of the city, sitting on the floor a few feet away from the guards. She slung her back onto the wall and slid down, looking down and starting to burst into tears.

The silent guard couldn't help but notice her, sitting in the shadows by herself. "L-Lady Yulie? Are you alright?"

Yulie looked up, her face drenched in tears. "I-I'm fine… back to your duty!" demanded of him, forcing him to turn away and not look. The only thing she got from her long journey with Leonard was minor authority, and a small piece of fame. But Leonard had taken most of the glory, which didn't bother her, but she wanted to be by his side at all times. Since he proposed to Cisna, she was cast to the shadows so Cisna wouldn't be jealous. Caesar and Kara were now seriously together, Leonard was married, and now Yulie was alone.

Yulie sat crying for the longest time, even past when the wedding crowd was dissipated and the city returned to its regular circulations. Yulie was looking down at trails of ants passing by her feet, before she saw a big foot crush them, and looked up to see her old friend Eldore looking over her. Yulie saw him and turned away, getting the tears off of her face to look him in eye.

Eldore took a seat next to Yulie and looked off into the distance of the busy city with her. Eldore turned to Yulie, who was horribly covering up her emotions. "The time has come to move on. It won't be healthy for you to grieve forever, and I worry that you will."

The tears started to roll back over Yulie's cheek. "I could of told him my feelings… there were so many options… but I just blew it off, thinking she wouldn't go for me. Then she came and just…and just…" Yulie erupted into a sob, and buried her face into Eldore's shoulder, soaking his cape.

Eldore put his hand on Yulie hair, comforting her like a father. "Be strong, Yulie. Right now you need to be his friend."

"I… I can't be his friend. It'll hurt too much, I can't-"Yulie continued to bawl her eyes out, becoming an emotional wreck.

"You will get nowhere mopping. You lost a lover, but you should not lose a friend. It will only hurt more; you need a friend to fall back on." Eldore said into Yulie's ear, trying to calm her down. "Go see him. It's the happiest day of his life and he will want his best friend by his side."

"I-I can't face him…not like this."

"Then brush yourself up." Eldore said, making Yulie break free of her clinging and stand back up on two feet. "Wipe the tears away, and at least attend the reception. You don't have to speak to him, your mere presence will make him at even happier than he already is."

Hearing Eldore talk about Leonard being 'the happiest he's ever been' made Yulie's heart tear, and she understood what she was saying- she had to attend the reception she was invited to, as much as it hurt. Yulie nodded, and wiped the tears off of her face. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course, I was invited as well you know." Eldore joked in his silent Eldore-manner, making Yulie laugh. Yulie nodded, walking with Eldore towards the castle.

Yulie tried with everything she could not to burst in tears, but she knew that she had to see his Leonard. She decided she would try her hardest to at least talk to Leonard, and to talk with the other guests and instead of sitting in the corner by herself and feeling miserable. Yulie knew this was the beginning of the worst, the hardest struggle she would ever have to face in her life, with herself.