DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the new characters I come up with and the story line. Thanks.
"Here it comes!"
"Got it!"
Sun shone brightly on the grounds of Covenant Castle. The era of peace (or at least civility) has come. The maids went about their business busily, covertly watching everything and everyone as they usually do. The maids know all. Gwendal sat entombed in his office; head bent over paperwork, his customary scowl perched on his face. Gunter flitted around the library, pulling books for his majesty to study, wailing to himself about his love for the king. Wolfram sat with Greta in his lap, reading a book that Anissina had recently wrote. Anissina walked away from Gwendal's office, irritated that her efforts in procuring him as a guinea pig had been foiled; she marched to the direction of the library.
Yuri and Conrart stood a length apart from each other, playing catch, baseball gloves in hand, and the ball sailing back and forth. The king enjoyed days like these. No danger was looming. No war was being fought. This was the life.
"Your Majesty, a visitor," a castle guard announced, coming into view.
Yuri sighed. Was an uneventful day too much to ask? "Who is it?" he asked.
"Lord Rasmus von Laurent and his sister, your highness," the guard explained. "They are in Lord von Voltaire's office, sir."
"Lord von Laurent? I haven't seen him in a while," Yuri said and looked over to Conrart who had put on a look of deep thought. "Conrad, are you okay?"
"Hmm?" Conrart asked, turning to him and then smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Shall we go say hello?"
"Yeah, let's go."
Yuri knocked and entered Gwendal's office. Gwendal and two other people stood by the window, talking. Lord Rasmus had long braided blonde hair and sharp grey eyes. The woman by his side, whom Yuri assumed was his sister, also had blonde slightly wavy hair and gentle sea green eyes. They all turned as Yuri and Conrart entered the room.
"Your Majesty," Rasmus bowed. "It's a pleasure to see you again."
"You don't need to be so formal," Yuri laughed uncomfortably. "It's nice to see you again, too, Rasmus. What brings you here?"
"I needed to talk to Lord Gwendal here about some border disputes and skirmishes," Rasmus smiled. "Nothing very serious."
"Oh," Yuri said, watching his smiling face. The von Laurent family had always had the reputation of being the gentlest and most kind hearted of the ten aristocrats.
Yuri looked to the woman standing beside Rasmus. Yuri had never seen such an elegant, sweet, and gentle face in his life. Her green eyes seemed to glow with warmth as she smiled at him.
"Forgive me, your highness," Rasmus then said, laughing to himself. "May I introduce my younger sister, Lady Rozalia Anwen von Laurent?"
"It is an honor to finally meet you, your highness," Rozalia said, daintily clutched the skirt of her blue and white gown, and curtsied to Yuri.
Her voice sounded like a harp playing. Yuri laughed uncomfortably at the formality. "Please don't," he said. "It makes me feel uncomfortable."
"I apologize for troubling you," Rozalia responded.
"No, no, it's really okay," Yuri responded.
"I hate to impose upon his majesty but may I implore him to keep Lady Rozalia occupied while Lord Gwendal and I have our meeting?" Rasmus asked.
"Oh, yeah, sure, I don't mind," Yuri said. "Do you, Conrad?"
Yuri then looked to his right where Conrart had been standing silently. Yuri found that he was looking directly at Rozalia searchingly and curiously as if he longed to say something, ask something. It was then that Rozalia turned her soft eyes to him. Yuri couldn't be sure but he could swear that he saw Rozalia's eyes shine as she looked at Conrart. Gwendal breathed out a short laugh and Rasmus closed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. Nobody said a thing. Yuri again felt as if everybody knew a secret that he didn't. Just how many secrets does everyone in this castle have? he wondered.
"Conrad?" Yuri asked.
"Well, shall we leave Gwendal and Rasmus to their business?" Conrad asked, turning towards the door.
Rozalia smiled and headed for the door. Yuri followed her out, thinking everything seemed so strange. There wasn't anything outwardly weird, he thought as he looked over his shoulder at Conrart who smiled at him and looked forward to Rozalia's blonde head. Yuri wondered if there something happened between Conrart and Lady Rozalia. They behaved as if they didn't know each other that well. If they were friends, they seemed pretty distant and that was weird.
"Where shall we-ʺ
Rozalia began but was swiftly interrupted. Wolfram stomped into view, Greta closely following him. "Yuri, there you are!" Wolfram began to nag. "You promised Greta we'd have a picnic in the garden today."
"I did?"
"Don't tell me you forgot," Wolfram glared. "You are so unreliable."
"Shut up!" Yuri defended. "Besides, wouldn't that be rude? We have a guest, you know."
Wolfram turned and was completely taken aback by the sight of Rozalia. "Lady Rozalia!" Wolfram said, looking from Conrart to Rozalia and back. "What a pleasant surprise!"
"It's been a while, Lord Wolfram," Rozalia beamed. "I hope you are well."
"Fine," Wolfram answered and then grabbed Yuri's arm tightly and said to him, "Come on, Yuri. A promise is a promise, isn't it?" When Yuri looked like he was about to refuse, he added, "Let's go. She'll be fine. Conrart is with her."
"Wolfram, let go! That hurts!" Yuri complained. "I have-ʺ
"I beg your pardon, your Majesty," Rozalia spoke up, interrupting Yuri and Wolfram's argument, "but I was wondering if I could request a private audience with Lord Weller."
"A private audience?"
"It means she wants to talk to him alone, stupid," Wolfram said.
"I know what it means!"
"I have a responsibility to protect his highness at all times, Lady Rozalia," Conrart responded calmly. "I'm afraid I cannot leave his side."
Rozalia turned her head to him and said warmly, "We haven't seen each other in so long. I must insist upon this."
Conrart and Rozalia stared at each other, willing the other to back down. Both had so easy and calm a face, nobody would dare think that they were having a mini argument. Yuri, Wolfram, and Greta watched them awkwardly, not knowing what to do. They had never seen such a civilized fight. What a pair! Yuri thought. If those two were any calmer, they'd be dead. The reproachful smiles on Conrart and Rozalia's face were making the other three feel awkward. They would have preferred yelling. It's what they were used to.
"Yuri, what are you waiting for?" Wolfram whispered, elbowing him sharply.
"Huh? What?"
"Tell Conrart to stay with Lady Rozalia," Wolfram ordered. "This tension is suffocating me."
"Right," he said and then spoke up so Conrart and Rozalia could hear. "Hey, Conrad, stay and keep Lady Rozalia company, would you? I promised Greta we'd have a picnic."
"But Yuri-ʺ
"Aw, we'll be fine," Yuri said, waving a hand at him. "You two just catch up. Alright, see ya!"
Yuri turned and ran off, Wolfram and Greta running after him. Yuri turned and saw Conrart and Rozalia watching them run off composedly. They were both so eerily cool and collected. Yuri never thought how odd it was until there were two of them. He shuddered and kept on running.
"Yuri, wait!!" Greta huffed.
"Oh, sorry, Greta," Yuri said and skidded to a stop. "Hey, Wolfram, will Conrart be okay with Lady Rozalia?"
"He'll be fine," Wolfram said and regarded him condescendingly. "What? You think Lady Rozalia is a cannibal or something? Grow a brain."
"That's not what I meant!" Yuri grimaced. "I just think they act weird around each other, that's all."
"That's not surprising," Wolfram said, crossing his arms.
"Are they mad at each other?" Greta asked.
"No, mad isn't the right word," Wolfram said thoughtfully. "No, it's a lot more complicated than that."
"Who is she supposed to be then, Wolfram?" Yuri asked.
"Lady Rozalia was supposed to be Conrart's fiancée."
"Oh, fiancée, yeah," Yuri said before his eyes bugged out. "WHAT? FIANCEE??"
"Shut up!" Wolfram said, trapping Yuri in a headlock. "Do you want the maids to hear? You know they live for gossip like this."
"Alright, alright, let me go," Yuri said, making choking noises.
Wolfram let him go and led the way into the kitchens. "Come on, we've got a picnic got a picnic to get ready for," he said.
"Wolfram, was Lady Rozalia really supposed to be Conrad's fiancée?" Yuri asked.
"It wasn't an official thing," Wolfram informed, "but he did intend to propose. Lady Rozalia was the first friend Conrart made here in the Great Demon Kingdom. They were close."
"They didn't seem close," Yuri muttered, he and Wolfram each taking one of Greta's hands.
"Well, of course not," Wolfram quickly said. "It's because of what happened years and years ago."
"What happened?"
"It's been a while, Conrart," Rozalia said quietly.
"It has," Conrart agreed. "I was beginning to wonder whether you intended to forget about me altogether."
Rozalia averted her gaze and didn't say anything for a while. "You know I could never do such a thing," she replied, "not after everything… everything that-ʺ
"Rozalia, don't," Conrart interrupted. "You know very well that I couldn't possibly."
"I didn't ask for a private audience with you for that, believe me," Rozalia chuckled, looking back at him.
"Then what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I'm so tired," she replied, turning her back to him, "so tired of everything. But now, now I've faced everything that I've been trying to bury and I'm finally content with the past that I regret. I found that you find strength in your moments of weakness and for once in a long, long time, I'm at peace with myself."
"What do you mean, Rozalia?"
"Conrart, I've been trapped in the past for far too long," Rozalia said and turned back around to face him. "I've made up my mind. I'm moving on."
"That's… fantastic," Conrart said to her. "I-ʺ
"I'm getting married."
Conrart was silent for a long while. He just stared at her and she only calmly looked back at him, waiting for his reply. "Married?" Conrart repeated as she nodded. "To who?"
"Lord Holter Conradi," Rozalia answered. "He's a good man, Conrart."
"Yes, I know."
"Do I have your blessing then?" she asked.
Conrart regarded her face searchingly. "Do you need my blessing?"
"No," Rozalia chuckled, "but I should like to have it all the same."
Conrart smiled and looked up at the sky. "I wish you all the happiness, Rozalia," he said. "You deserve it.
"Thank you," Rozalia said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to find Anissina. She won't take it too kindly if she found out I'm keeping secrets from her."
Conrart watched her walk away. She was finally walking away from me for good, he thought to himself. He felt intense guilt and remorse at her news. He was happy that she would move on with her life, of course. But there was something aching, nagging, nipping at him and he didn't understand. Conrart attributed it to yearning for his the best friend he had come to find in her.
"Rozalia?" he called and she stopped and turned to him questioningly. "I… I apologize for causing you pain."
Rozalia smiled sadly at him. "It's all in the past, Conrart," she said and walked away.
Conrart sighed and looked back up at the sky. He was not entirely satisfied with that. He still felt slightly uneasy.
Years and years ago:
Conrart walked next to a stream, swinging the sword that his father had given him. Gwendal was heatedly sparring with his father and his mother was off shopping… again. Little Conrart was bored. He walked along the stream near their mansion, bored. He didn't have any friends here in the Great Demon Kingdom. What was so great about it if there weren't other kids to play with? Conrart plopped down next to the stream and dropped his sword next to him. He drew up his legs and rested his chin on his knees. He was sad.
Then a blue ball rolled to him and hit him on the leg gently. Conrart looked at it and picked it up. Then, a little blonde girl who had on a purple dress came running toward him. The little girl saw Conrart had her ball in his hands and she stopped and stared at him. Little Conrart got to his feet and looked down at the ball and then back to the little girl. He walked over to her. She stared at him with large green eyes. Conrart held the ball out to her.
"Is this your ball?" he asked.
"Uh-huh," she nodded.
"Here you go," Conrart said, dropping the ball into her hands.
Then he turned and walked back to his sword. The little girl watched with wide eyes as little Conrart picked up the sword.
"Is that a real sword?" the little girl asked.
Conrart turned back to her and smiled. "Yup," he said. "My father gave it to me."
"Wow," the little girl said.
"I want to be strong like my father someday," Conrart confessed to her.
"That's really awesome," the little girl gushed. "My father has swords, too. But he only lets my brother learn how to use them." She sighed. "I wish I could learn how to use a sword."
Conrart watched her sad face for a moment and then said, "I could teach you if you want."
"Really?" the little girl asked, her face brightening.
"Sure, if you want," Conrart smiled.
"Wow, that'd be great!" the little girl laughed. "What's your name?"
"Conrart," he answered. "What's yours?"
"Rozalia," she said, looked down at her ball and then back at him. "Do you want to play?"
"Yeah."
Conrart closed his eyes. That had been a very, very long time ago. She was his oldest friend. It wasn't until months after that that he made other friends. But he did try to teach Rozalia everything he learned about swordsmanship. When he was small, she was his dearest friend. Now they barely even knew each other. He sighed again. Life certainly has a way of complicating everything, he thought. Now his childhood best friend… his once sweetheart… was getting married. And he… he still held on to the memory of a woman long dead.