13. History: Calista, Jirall and Zael

Summary: Calista thinks back to the past. Jirall tries to take this as a chance to woo her, but is unsuccessful.

Performers: Gamemaster Jirall, Acrobat Calista

Calista sat in the practice tent, on one of the wooden platforms that hung high above the net-covered ground. She wasn't in the mood to practice right now, especially with the worry over her uncle's health hanging over her. She couldn't help but think of her past.

She'd been engaged to Jirall, an arrangement set between the House of Arganan and the House of Rambaldt.

And they fought. They fought very often. She had no interest in him, while he had too much interest in her. Too many times he tried to woo her, charm her, seduce her, be rough with her, but she did her very best to reject it all.

It seemed like she had no freedom at all...and then Zael came along.

He was a knight-in-training at the Lazulis Castle, and he happened to be on break from duties when he ran into her, seeing her cry. He didn't just walk past her like everyone else. He didn't ignore her cries for help. He just sat down beside her, asked if she was okay, and even handed her a handkerchief that she could cry with.

That was the first meeting out of several they would have. Almost every day, they would find each other somehow in this prison of a castle and just talk to each other. He poured his heart out about where he came from, what he'd been doing before he ended up at the castle, and she told him of her life, filled with loneliness and wrecking balls of relationships.

Really, the two were friends within millions of heartbeats they had whenever they were beside each other.

They didn't realize they loved each other until the night they ran away.

Calista had gotten sick of the notion of being engaged and eventually married to Jirall, so one night she snuck into Zael's room and literally dragged him out of bed, telling him that they had to run away. If there was anyone she wanted to run away with, it was Zael.

The plan would have went so well. The only problem was that Calista ran out of Sleep Arrows when the two ran into Jirall. The next in line for Rambaldt's heir had been in the middle of packing up, believing that the marriage arrangement wasn't worth it and was planning to leave.

But he couldn't go back to his family, either—the reveal of a letter from his father had shown that he'd been disowned.

Calista had insisted right then and there that, even though she disliked him as a marriage partner, she didn't mind him being a runaway partner if they all worked together and on the conditions that no one would hit on each other for at least the first bit of the journey, and no one was going to murder each other.

Zael and Jirall reluctantly agreed with the conditions. And it was hard to hold back flirting with one another, at times.

Thankfully, no one killed each other over that.

They could have possibly died, however, from hunger. The three had neglected to buy food rations and regretted that mistake immediately, a while after hitting the road.

Hell, Zael even fainted due to hunger.

Thankfully, that was when Ringmaster Asthar showed up with the carnies and brought them back to their camp for the night, making sure everyone was in better health and had something to eat. It wasn't like the extravagant foods at Lazulis Castle, but at least it was something to fill their stomachs.

Calista, Jirall and Zael stayed with the Carnevale di Felicita ever since.

She thought it was good that she did so—if she, Jirall and Zael hadn't stayed with the others, they probably wouldn't have gotten far by themselves.

"My sweet Calista..."

The Acrobat turned to see none other than the Gamemaster approach her quietly.

"Jirall." Calista got up, standing and turning to face him. "Is there anything the matter?"

The Gamemaster nodded, before extending a blue rose to her.

She stared at the rose, fresh and beautiful, glimmering in the moonlight above them, before she looked to him. "Jirall, where did you get this?"

Flowers were not so common in the land anymore, save for any dense forests that the carnival traveled through. They were nowhere near a florist shop, so where did Jirall find it?

The disowned Rambaldt kept the rose extended to her as he spoke. "I've been...growing the roses secretly. I thought you'd like a change of scenery with one. This one bloomed only just yesterday...I knew I had to give it to you."

Calista slowly accepted the rose, holding it in her hand and smelling it. It was sweet, but faint, reminding her slightly of the past. She smiled, looking up at Jirall. "Thank you, Jirall. I appreciate this."

Jirall smiled. "You are welcome, Calista..." He then hesitated, biting his lower lip briefly, before looking her in the eyes, his smile fading. "I need to tell you something. I...love you. I truly do. And I know we fought so much that it seems impossible for the both of us to ever be together, but I know I was in the wrong. I was stupid, foolish, to ever make you cry and I'd spend a hell of an eternity to do anything to make up for that."

Calista looked to Jirall quietly, and the Gamemaster looked down, seemingly scared to look her in the eye. She frowned a little.

She didn't love him.

His face fell completey. He could just tell from her facial expression that she didn't.

"I'm sorry, Jirall." Calista spoke quietly. "But...I don't love you."

The Gamemaster nodded solemnly, looking up at her. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'll...leave you be. Goodnight." He turned, jumping off the platform and landing in the nets below, getting off the nets before slowly shuffling out of the tent.

Calista looked to the blue rose in her hand, holding it tightly.

She didn't love him.

However, she did forgive him for what he'd done to her in the past.

Author note: AAAHHH super short chapter this time. Sorry! _ Next chapter should hopefully be a bit longer than this! XD Thanks for reading and reviewing so far! XDDD

ATTENTION: I'm starting a new poll! XD Which male carnie is your favourite!? XD You can vote on my profile or if you're an anonie that doesn't have an account, you can vote through reviews! Thanks! XDD