~5 years later~

The shaking of the horse drawn carriage was making Yulie feel on edge and a bit sick. The cart was shaking not only from the uphill movement from the horses, but Yulie was sharing the carriage was Caesar and Kara, who were snuggling very openly in front of her.

"Oh you're so right baby- you'd beat Leonard in a sword fight any day of the week." Kara said to Caesar, being coddled in his arms and resting her head on his chest.

"But what would happen when you have a sword fight with him, precious?" Caesar said, nuzzling Kara's hair with his chin. "I don't think he'll stand a chance."

Kara laughed, looking at Caesar with her endearing eyes, "Oh, Leonard has been getting out of shape living in the palace. I'll beat him before he even draws his sword, hehehe." The two kissed in the carriage, which turned into an all-out make out session- and a private show for lonely Yulie.

Yulie just turned her head away and looked out of the window. The streets of Balandor were still as busy as ever, but the day seemed to be a tad bit brighter, because of the success of the kingdom. Leonard and Cisna had been ruling the kingdom exceptionally well and the political climate hadn't been better for thousands of years. There had been no war, no tension; it was the perfect time to live in Balandor. But Yulie had still been struggling.

The carriage came to stop and Caesar and Kara finally broke free of each other to their own misfortune, and the three of them all exited the carriage. When Yulie got out, she could the large doors to the castle crack open, and little boy ran out of the door and attacked Yulie with a hug around her legs. "Aunt Yu-Yu! Aunt Kara! Uncle Cee-Cee!"

"I told you, it's CAESAR, Rapacci!" Caesar erupted after being hugged, making Kara giggle. Yulie returned the hug, she did love little Rapacci, though a reminder of Leonard and Cisna's relationship, he was the sweetest little boy she had ever met.

The large double doors opened again, and Leonard emerged, holding his hands out for Rapacci to run to him and get twirled around and flung onto Leonard's shoulders. Yulie smiled, it was amazing seeing Leonard as a father, she always thought he would make an amazing one. The guards opened the door for Cisna, who came out in a pink dress with her belly the size of a balloon. Leonard set Rapacci down and helped Cisna walk over to their guests, who were already walking towards her.

"Welcome, my friends." Cisna said, not looking directly at Yulie but none the less acknowledging she was there. "We're so pleased you could come for an early dinner, we have much to catch up on."

Kara rolled her eyes, "Oh don't be so official, Cisna. Come here and give us a hug." Kara reached her arms out and gave Cisna the best hug she could without putting too much pressure on her stomach.

Cisna hugged all three of them- even Yulie, although their hug seemed to be less tender. It was apparent Cisna cared for Yulie's wellbeing, but Yulie knew that she could sense her sadness and tried not to impose too much on her.

"Come on in, you guys! Dinner should be ready really soon. Eldore is already here." Leonard said, gesturing them to be welcomed into the castle.

"Ah, wonderful, nothing like Eldore to ruin the atmosphere of a wonderful evening." Kara said coldly, but entering the castle regardless.

Yulie hadn't been in the castle for at least a year, and it was even more beautiful than she remembered. The ceiling was stretched higher than Yulie could see, and the red velvet carpet and walls seemed to have been cleaned, making them look brighter than ever. Yulie followed the rest of the group to the end of the hall, where Eldore stood alongside the young quiet boy from their travels.

Yulie saw him, the quiet one from their long journey who hardly ever said a single word. He turned to Yulie first, and let out a welcoming grin at her. She waved, and the group finally all came together.

"When did they say dinner would be ready, darling?" Cisna asked Leonard, which made Yulie wince.

"I'm not sure, Frambroise just took my request and left. I'm guessing by from when I first asked her to tell the chefs it should be ready by now…"

Yulie perked her head up, remembering she needed to be courteous and not look like she was miserable. "I can go ask her." She said, making all heads turn to her.

"Oh, thank you Yulie." Cisna said, bowing her head politely. "Leonard, why don't you go with her? I'll show the others to the dining hall."

"Alright." Leonard said, leading Yulie to the right through a grand hallway. Yulie looked back a Cisna, astonished by what she just allowed her husband to do, but she seemed to be looking back with a grin, like she was completely ok with it.

The hallway was enormous- Yulie had never seen this part of the castle before. Suits of armor were lined up along the various rooms, which appeared to be an assortment of guest bedrooms and servant quarters. Yulie decided not to speak, for fear of saying something ridiculous. She hadn't spoken for Leonard for who knew how long- it was incredibly awkward for her. But Leonard didn't seem to feel awkward at all.

"How have you been, Yulie? How are things in Parma?" Leonard asked, smiling at Yulie casually. He never knew how Yulie felt, so to him it was like she was still an old friend.

"Oh, it's all going very well. With all the tension calming down, we have a few new papitaur workers coming to Parma to work, and man are they good farmers." Yulie pretended to giggle, trying to make conversation. But she just felt like an idiot.

"Oh yeah they are! We have some working in the front garden; can you believe those bushes have been there for 60 YEARS?!"

"Wow that's- that's a lot." Yulie said awkwardly. The conversation ended there, and they were finally at the kitchen. Yulie was relieved, but also saddened that the conversation had ended- her relationship with Leonard seemed be getting worse by the day.

When they walked towards the kitchen, Yulie could hear Frambroise's loud chitter-chatter voice echoing through the kitchen and into the hallway. "Anyway- and don't tell ANYBODY that I told you- but I heard from the gardener, who heard it from a merchant on the street who heard it from Eldore who heard it from a Yulie HERSELF that she's still in love with Leonard! ….I KNOW right?! The poor girl just needs to get over herself, I mean for the gods' sakes it's been almost 5 years the girl just needs to move on, I've been meaning to tell her that but you can never catch her at a good momen-"

"Frambroise?" Leonard said behind her. Yulie's face had gone completely red. Part of her wanted to burst into tears and the other half wanted to strangle that gossiping Warg to the ground. Leonard seemed more focused on her, but she knew it- she just KNEW Leonard had heard everything. Yulie began having a near anxiety attack.

"Your grace! I- I…" Frambroise scurried off of the counter she was sitting talking to the chefs and stood at attention to Leonard- but he didn't seem to be impressed at all.

"Is that what you do when I'm not around, Frambroise? You gossip about my friends? Do you gossip about me or Cisna by any chance?" Leonard was yelling a quiet tone, but he seemed furious.

"Oh your grace I- I- I'm so sorry, I was just talking to the chef about your grace's dinner order and I guess we got off topic, I- I'm so sorry you had to hear- oh no please!" Frambroise waved her hand, beckoning at Yulie, who was now taking off running.

Yulie couldn't help the tears, and bolted off down the hallway. She could hear Leonard behind her shouting "YULIE!" but she refused to turn around. Everything was over, her friendship had just been tainted, she couldn't stay in the castle any longer.

Yulie bolted for the castle doors, past Cisna and the others who were looking confused at her. Cisna lifted her arm up and called out, "Yulie? Yulie are you okay?-"

Leonard came running in after, still yelling out at the top of his lungs, "YULIE! YULIE PLEASE-"

"Let her go!" Eldore cried out, making Leonard stop in his tracks. Yulie went jolting out of the castle doors and ran into the courtyard, down into the city. When she could tell Leonard wasn't chasing after her anymore she finally stopped and collapsed on her knees on the side of the street. Her face was now bloodshot red from running, and she was sobbing harder than she ever had in her entire life. Her face was glued on Balandor castle, in case Leonard came running after her, but he wasn't.

Yulie buried her head on a bench on the side of the road away from public view, and began to sob, where she continued to sit for what felt like hours. Her worst nightmare had come true, Leonard now knew her secret, and she had no way to fix it. Nothing would be the same again.

Yulie felt a touch on her shoulder, thinking it was Leonard she jumped and turned around, but it wasn't Leonard. It her other travel companion, the boy she never got to know well enough. He was standing over Yulie offering his hand for Yulie to take, which she did.

The boy looked at Yulie, with a caring expression that she read as being worried. To her surprise, the boy spoke. "Yulie, are you alright?"

Yulie wiped the tears away and nodded, while the boy took her hands. "You aren't as pretty when you're sad. Please be happy, Yulie."

Yulie didn't know what to say, the boy's compassion completely blew her away. She stood and smiled, looking down in embarrassment.

"Let's get away from the castle." He said to her kindly, taking her by the hand and dragging her away, down the street. Instantly Yulie was being taken to who knows where, but oddly for the first time in year she was excited, and also very happy.