She could not stand it any longer. It was alright when the General hadn't announced it yet, but once he did, Tharin had to find new ways to avoid crowds, especially the girls. She hurried down the hallway, taking a turn as soon as she spotted someone. She only had three days to prepare for her mission, and she had decided to take some time reading up on advance spells that she could use on her quest. Running quickly into the library, she was sure she was sort of safe. Some crusaders, paladins and some priests in the library, not that scary. Walking at a fast pace, she hurried to a section of the library for spells.
One priest was in the same section, reading up on healing lore. At least there was no one else around. Heaving a sigh, she started to calm down and browse the shelves for what she was looking for. Tharin had expected the General to announce the engagement, but she did not expect him to do it in front of the entire Order. Three days after she agreed, the General summoned everyone in the Order to the grand Cathedral, where he dutifully announced Tharin's and Bashin's engagement. She could still remember when all eyes fell to her. Glares from girls, disappointed looks from the men. It was like she had done the most terrible sin in the history of mankind. Grabbing a thick book from the shelves, she glanced at its title: 'Divine Sword of the Elements'. Wondering what it was, she flipped through some of its pages.
"... This is... what is this doing here?"
Tharin wondered. This was no ordinary book of spells. These were magic sword arts. By combining the form of magic with the skills of swordsmanship, the end result could vary from completely obliterating an enemy, to splitting the ground in two. Only extremely skilled swordsmen were able to use it. To think, that such a book would be in the Order's archive. Looking around, she saw that no one was watching her. Even the priest who was in the same section was no longer there. Tharin quickly placed the book in her leather bag. Normally, she would just ask the librarian to rent out the books, but this book was never meant to be here. It could spell trouble. Plus, Tharin was pretty intrigued by it. She then looked back to the shelves, searching for any more books that were related.
"Tharin? What are you doing here?"
A voice asked. Tharin turn around in response, and saw that her friends were all there. Ailis, Felona and Meilen. Each were carrying some books.
"M-me? Well.. i was looking for some books on some things that could prove useful for my test."
Tharin replied.
"Really? Where are your books, then?"
Meilen asked, noticing that Tharin held no books what-so-ever. Tharin instinctively grabbed a book from the shelves to cover it up. But the book was-
"'The secrets of love'?... Tharin..."
The girls all grinned at Tharin, who could not really explain why such a book was in this section. After a while of changing books, the girls all sat down in a quiet corner of the library, and began to pour into their books.
"... So... what are you guys doing in the library?"
Tharin asked, flipping open her first book on advance healing.
"We're going through the initiation test as well, but we're taking a different one from yours."
Meilen replied, copying notes from a book titled: 'Dragon lore'.
"... Dragons?"
Tharin wondered.
"Each of us are taking a different test. Meilen's test is the one where she has to memorize everything about monsters. Hers is the easiest."
Ailis answered, turning a page of her book rather lazily.
"And yours?"
"Mine? I'm taking the squad test. There are five of us, and we're to join five knights who are suppose to undergo the same test for something. Each pair will have to enter the cave of nightmares on top of the Mount Karles to get an item at the end of the cave, or something."
"'Cave of nightmares'? Isn't that dangerous?"
Felona asked.
"No, not really... Most of the monsters inside are not that hard. I just to make sure the Knight doesn't die on me, or something."
Ailis sighed.
"... Aha... So, what about yours, Felona?"
Tharin asked, seeing as how Felona's book was on flowers.
"Me? I'm heading South to get a rare flower. Nothing much. It would take me about four days for the entire trip."
"... i see..."
Tharin sighed. Yes, it is official, her test is really the hardest of all. She didn't know how long it would take her. A year, maybe? Five years? Who knows.
"I heard of your trial, Tharin. Must be tough."
Ailis said.
"Yeah... I think the Bishop has something against me."
"Maybe. So, how are things with your fiancé?"
"..."
Tharin could not really answer. Ever since that night when they kissed, she had chosen to avoid him as well. Sure, she had made up her mind, but she just not look at him any longer, if not she would die from embarrassment.
"Sigh, Bashin is really off the singles list... how lucky can you get, Tharin?"
Felona sighed.
"Tharin, don't you feel awkward? I mean, Bashin was like a brother to you."
Meilen said, looking up from her vigorous research.
"Yeah... but... i guess it is for the best..."
"The General and the Bishop must have set you guys up. Well, at least your future is set. You'll become the General's wife, and will gain the prestige of a higher class... how lucky."
Felona heaved another sigh, though this one was deeper, showing her true depressed mood. The other girls just ignored her.
"Oh, speak of the devil."
Ailis sniggered, pointing at the library entrance, where Bashin had just stepped in with one of his officers. Tharin, seeing Bashin, opened her next book and hide her face behind it.
"Tharin?"
Ailis peered over Tharin's book.
"Shh! I can't face him now!"
"... You're going away on a very long journey, Tharin. You need to talk to him at least once before you leave. Come on, he's your fiancé, after all."
"But-"
"Ailis, you know she would never dare to by herself."
Meilen said, putting her book down. The three girls looked at each other, smirking to themselves, and evil glints shining from their eyes.
"Hmm... BASHIN!!! CAPTAIN BASHIN!!! OVER HERE!!!"
Ailis suddenly shouted in the quiet library, surprising everyone. Bashin, turning to see, noticed Ailis jumping up and down.
"Ailis? What are you doing? This is the library, you know."
Bashin said, walking up to the table, when he noticed someone hiding behind a mountain of books.
"Hmm? That hair colour looks very familiar."
"Isn't it?"
Ailis smirked, ripping Tharin's books from her grip, revealing Tharin, who frantically tried to grab her book back.
"Tharin? Haha, i knew it was you."
Bashin laughed.
"... Bashin."
Tharin mumbled his name, giving up on getting the book back.
"Tharin, do you some free time? I would like to talk to you in private."
"Huh? O-oh... S-sure..."
Tharin stood up, and attempted to pick up her books, when the girls snatched her books away from her grasp.
"Tharin, you shouldn't keep the captain waiting."
Ailis smiled in an extremely mischievous way. Sighing, Tharin left the table with her leather sling bag, following Bashin out of the library, all the while, lowering her burning red face to hide it from others.
Stepping outside, Bashin led Tharin to an empty room nearby. Closing the door behind Tharin, Bashin lit some candles in the room. It appears that the room they chose was a storage room, with many training equipment inside. Tharin still felt nervous around Bashin, which she normally wouldn't.
"Tharin..."
"Y-yes?"
Tharin was really nervous. She did not look at Bashin the entire time.
"... Do you hate me?"
"?? Huh? N-no! Not at all. Why?"
"Well, ever since that night, you've been avoiding me. Whenever i see you, you would just run off. I get this feeling that you're not very comfortable with the engagement."
"I-..."
Tharin turned away from Bashin. She did feel uncomfortable with the engagement, but that did not meant she did not want it. She felt... troubled by this.
"It's okay. I'll tell father to call it off."
Bashin said, turning to the door.
"!!!"
Tharin suddenly wrapped her arms around Bashin from behind. She held him tightly, not wanting him to go.
"Th-Tharin?"
"Don't go... I'm sorry that i avoided you, it's just... i... i couldn't solve the troubles in my heart. I... i feel so lost right now, especially before my trial. I... i just needed some space."
Tharin confessed, hoping that it would be enough as an excuse. Bashin sighed, and gently placed his hands on hers.
"Tharin... I understand. If that is all that you want, then i can allow that... but... will you spend at least one night with me?"
Bashin asked, turning to face Tharin, looking into her teary eyes.
"Bashin... i-"
"Shh... i know. You're still unsure, so I'll let you take all of the time in the world to settle things in your heart."
Bashin smiled, stroking Tharin's hair gently. But Tharin shook her head.
"No, Bashin... I've already decided. My heart is set. I love you, Bashin, i truly do. I will no longer run away from what i must do."
Tharin said, tip-toeing forward to Bashin, sealing her words with his lips.
As calm as the silent night air, she slept soundly, her long hair flowing on the bed, radiating the light of the moon, illuminating like a soft river. He smiled softly, resting his head on one hand, while using the other to softly stroking head. She gave a soft murmur, but gave no sign of awakening. He just smiled softly. He loved her, truly.
"... Tharin."
Bashin leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"... Tharin, your answer... is neither wrong, nor right. All i can do for you, is to pray for you..."
two minutes before
Tharin snuggled close to Bashin, his strong arms holding her close to him as the two lay on the bed under the covers.
"Tharin."
"Yes?"
"I have to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"... What... what if you were living in a lie?"
"Huh? What sort of question is that?"
Tharin asked, looking at Bashin, confused by his words.
"I'm saying... what if everything that happened to you were a lie?"
"... You're not saying that for real, are you?"
"No, i was just asking."
"Hmm.."
Tharin thought to herself.
"If this was all a lie, then i would want to live within this lie longer."
"Wouldn't you be angry?"
"It would be pointless to be. Of course i would be angry, but i cannot stay angry for long. I would just have to go on with my life. At least, i know that i had lived in this happiness. The memories of it are something that i will treasure."
Tharin looked at Bashin, as though waiting for his approval.
"... That is an odd answer."
"Hey! I came up that cool answer after thinking so long."
Tharin pouted.
"Haha, sorry. It is interesting, though. Then Tharin, would you have to determination and will power to fully control your actions, so that you would never lose sight of your true goal?"
"Huh? Of course, with you by my side, i will never lose sight of myself."
Present
He did not know what to say. Her beauty truly stunned him, yet, he knew better than anyone, that in her heart and mind, there sat an ugly truth. He trailed his finger from her neck, to her mark that sat nicely above her cleavage. The dark mark, and the cross pendant. These two were something part of Tharin's dark past. He pressed lightly on her mark, and he felt it, dark energies, though slightly, seeping through that mark. He picked up the cross, though it gave him a slight tingle, like an electric shock, almost like it was rejecting him, and lightly pressed it against her mark. The energies stopping flowing. Indeed, this cross was no ordinary pendant.
It was a sealing cross, a powerful one at that, being able to seal away the Dark Devil's powers. Just who gave this cross to her? Tharin had lost all of her memories before the incident, which proved to be almost too convenient. Still, no matter who she was, she is Tharin Lethmen to him. His father chose the name for her, after Bashin's mother. Jovif had said that Tharin looked almost like Bashin's mother. No matter how she looks like, Bashin still loved her. From a young girl who was clumsy and shy, to a young beautiful capable woman.
"Tharin, you have sure grown well."
