Jealousy was not an emotion Seth was used to. Although it was one he had been prepared for. It was the one year anniversary of the end of the war, and everyone was celebrating. Envoys from every kingdom (and Carcino) had gathered in Renais. The heros of the war were treated as guests of honor. It was a time for reuniting with old friends. For everyone except the Silver knight. Seth stood in a corner of the hall. He stood very still, very straight in his blue doublet with the silver trim. He could hear the whispers of the court ladies, asking each other about the handsome General. He ignored them, red eyes focused on the woman dancing in Prince Innes' arms. The general watched with emotionless eyes as the woman of his dreams twirled under the arm of the Frelian prince. Erika laughed and spun, the vision of elegance. Seth wanted to be Innes at that moment. He wanted to be the one to pull the blue-clad princess into his arms, stare into her eyes as they spun about the room together. Seth was the physical epitome of calm, but his heart was a flury of emotion.
Around him, Seth was vaguely aware of Forde and Kyle, laughing at each other. Forde teasing the ever-so-proper Kyle about his recent proposal to the Pegasus Knight Syrene. Kyle scolding Forde for some transgression with a barmaid. Both eagerly chatting about Ephraim's almost-secret (meaning that everyone he hadn't told (excluding Innes) had figured it out) plan to wed Tana. Seth listened with the attention that was polite, but kept his eyes on the gliding figure of Erika who was laughing in Innes's arms. His hand around her waist protectively. She rested on hand in his, one on his arms as he dipped her. Seth was still the epitome of calm. Even as Erika and Innes strolled past him, to get drinks. She was laughing at something the Frelian royal had said when she locked eyes with Seth. She gave him a smile, the one she saved for him. Lips parting slightly in an unspoken invitation and her crystal-blue eyes twinkling. Seth's heart pounded faster. Innes handed the maiden a glass and whispered something. Something Seth couldn't make out. Erika blushed heavily, nodded and took a drink. Innes kissed her cheek and walked away. Seth, the epitome of calm, walked outside "for some air". The kiss was, he knew, an old custom of nobles. There weren't necessarily romantic feelings attached to the kiss, it was simply a common farewell to a woman you were close to. Ephraim had done so frequently, a light peck of Erika's cheek before he left for an extended period of time. So why was Seth so irate? Oh, yea, he was jealous. He didn't want anyone else's lips on Erika. Not even in a friendly farewell. He walked around the garden wall, until he found a bench, and then he sat still again, trying to get his breathing under control. He wasn't sure if the accelerated heart rate was caused by jealousy or something in Erika's smile. Something that made him want very much to take her upstairs and do very improper and un-knightly things. Seth scolded himself for the thought and went back to focusing his breathing.
"Syrene!" He heard Kyle say. The red-haired General looked up to watch a pegasus land a ways away. The normally calm and reserved Kyle hurried over, and helped the beautiful woman dismount. The silver knight watched jealousy as the two kissed and embraced, happy to be together again. He remembered fondly, once when he had accompanied the late King Fado to Frelia. How when he returned, he found Erika waited on a wall for him. How she had smiled at him. A smile which even then, when he truly thought of Erika as a charge, it had filled him with warmth. He smiled, she had him around her little finger didn't she. With a soft groan, the silver knight leant his head against the cool garden wall. Wondering if she knew how entirely he was hers? Thoughts on her, he drifted into sleep. His dreams filled with carrying her away.
II
"Seth!" Erika called out, wandering around the castle, "Sir Seth!" She scowled and looked around her. She had managed to shake Innes once she realized that the General had vanished. Damn it, she groused silently, where was that man? As she wander about the halls she heard a soft giggle.
"Tana?" She asked, pushing open a door to find a madly blushing Ephraim standing, hands on the Frelian princess's chest and Tana staring wide-eyed at her. Both instantly dropped their hands and stepped away from each other shyly.
"Erika..." Ephraim said softly, Erika fought (and lost) to contain a giggle.
"Well, King Ephraim...this is a rather...(chuckle) interesting situtation."
"Erika..."
"I won't tell Innes."
"Thank you." her twin smiled sheepishly, "If it makes you feel better. I did propose first." Erika nodded and looked into Ephraim's eyes.
"Brother...have you seen-"
"Seth? No." he said, "I haven't, hope you find him." Erika nodded and shut the door. She sighed and wandered outside.
The gardens were empty and in the moonlight the white roses were bathed in a pale light, turning a blue that seemed nearly mystical. The Princess took a deep breath, the crisp clear air filling her lungs and accompanied by the soft scent of the mint around her. Where was he? She looked around the gardens, searching for some tale-tell sign of the Silver knight. But, he was no where to be found. She strolled around the garden wall until something took her breath away.
Seth was sitting, eyes closed on a bench, his head against the wall. Moonlight danced off the silver trim on his tunic and Erika felt herself go weak. He was so handsome, so beautiful...and they were so very alone...the princess stood there for a moment, just looking at him. For the first time in her life, Erika's legs wouldn't do as she asked. She was so overcome with love that her eyes teared up and her voice felt numbed. Her entire being craved to be in his arms, and her entire being feared, more than anything else, the rejection she knew was to come. It had been a year now, since the war ended, and he...he hadn't spoken much to her since that conversation. The one where he swore never again to forget his duty. THE HELL WITH DUTY! shouted a treachrous little voice in the back of her head. She took an unsteady step forward. Hadn't he admitted that he loved her? Another step. He seemed to be sleeping. Erika walked towards him, drifting like a mist to the bench. Her body ached for him as she watched his breathing. Its slow, steady pace.
"Seth..." she whispered weakly, her mouth feeling as dry as the deserts of Jehenna, "Seth..." His eyes opened and he turned to face her.
"Yes my lady?" He asked, ever the epitome of calm. She smiled weakly at him. And Seth's heart dropped into his ankles.
"Seth...? Would you walk with me a while?"
"Of course my Lady. Are you alright." He asked, standing up and offering her his arm. Erika took it and lead him into the garden, right into the middle of her rose-bushes.
"Seth." She turned to look at the knight, her blue eyes resting on his red ones, "I have to know something. And as your liege, I must ask that you tell me the entire truth." Seth nodded curtly, I can't lie to you anyway Erika. Even when I want to. He thought, his memory retracing that last conversation, he hadn't meant to tell her he felt the same...
"Seth...we are alone, entirely. Tell me...do you...see me only as your Princess?" Seth's heart sank,
"I...do not." The man took a deep breath, "But, I must learn to."
"Why?" She asked, taking a step towards him, "I know that I'm a noble and you're a knight in my service but...Seth I...." she turned her face away, causing a single blue lock to fall in front of her face, "I want..." At this point, Seth, the epitome of calm and controlled, acted solely on impulse. His right hand pulled Erika into him, while his left hand pushed the hair from her face and his lips pressed tightly to hers. They stood there for a minute, Erika threw her arms around him. Pulling herself up to him. They stood there for so long that Forde, who was passing by on his way to a nap, drew a quick sketch for later use.
When at last they parted, both were silent for a while until Erika, stuttering said, "Yes...thats...exactly what I wanted." Seth bent down on one knee and kissed Erika's hand.
"I...don't have a ring but...Erika...if your brother says its okay, would you marry me?"
"OF COURSE ITS OKAY!" Came several shouts. Only one of which was Ephraim's. Seth spun around to see the King, Tana, Joshua, Forde, Kyle and Syrene. Erika laughed.
"Yes. Yes yes yes." Then she turned on her brother, "WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING HERE?"
"We were bored." Syrene laughed
"We've been taking bets." Joshua added
"It's about time." Ephraim noted
"You helped me out." Tana replied with a laugh
"We were here first." Kyle said, arms around the pegasus knight
"hahahahahah!" Forde was just rolling on the ground like a moron.
Forde's picture appeared at the wedding, and last we heard, Kyle is still berating him about it.