Rozalia combed through her hair slowly and methodically, letting her mind wander. She never thought she would be sleeping in this room again. She never thought she'd be in this castle again. So many things have happened over the years. So many things were yet still to happen. She lay her brush down and drew her fingers over the simple ruby necklace around her neck. It had been a long, long time.

Years and years ago:

"Conrart, where on earth are you taking me?"

"Just a little farther."

It was Rozalia's fourteenth birthday and when she visited Conrart in Covenant Castle, he insisted that she come to the garden with him straight away. She had no idea why and let herself get pulled along only because she was curious about his excitement. Conrart stopped at a large tree and looked up at it proudly. Rozalia stared at the tree dubiously.

"It's a tree," she said with a shrug.

"Yes, I hid your present in it," Conrart said, walking to the tree and beginning to climb up it.

"You hid my present in a tree?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It'll be more dramatic when I give it to you," he said, scaling the tree.

"You'll forgive me when I say that you're absolutely insane," Rozalia said. "What could you have possibly hidden up there?"

Conrart laughed. "You'll see," he said disappearing into the tree's branches and leaves.

There were slight rustling sounds as he disappeared from view. Rozalia waited curiously as she listened to Conrart move in the tree, rustling and shaking its leaves and branches. What on earth? she wondered.

"Watch out, Rozalia, I'm dropping something," he said to her from inside the tree.

Then a blue hilted sword in a blue and gold sheath hurtled to the ground and lay at Rozalia's feet. She stared at it uncertainly. It was a pretty sword. It looked heavy.

"Happy Birthday!" Conrart greeted, plopping down to the ground.

Rozalia stared at him almost disbelievingly. "This is my present?" she asked. "This sword?"

"You don't like it?"

"No, no, it's not that," Rozalia attempted to chuckle. "It's just that I didn't expect to get a sword."

"Oh. Maybe you'll like this one better then," Conrart said, pulling a long box out of his pocket and handing it to her.

She took it and looked at it doubtfully. Conrart egged her to open it. She tore away the wrapping and looked at the velvet case for a moment. She opened it and inside laid a pristine ruby necklace set in a white gold chain. It was very simple and beautiful. Rozalia stared at it incredibly.

"Wow, Conrart…"

"Do you like it?" he asked, watching her face happily.

"I love it," she said and reached out to hug him. "Thank you."

"Well, let's put it on," he said, plucking the necklace from the box.

He draped it around her neck and clasped it. The two teenagers smiled at each other. Lady Celi, unknown to the two, watched them from a window, a small smile on her face.

With a sigh, Rozalia took the necklace, unclasped it, and dropped it into her jewelry box. It had been the first time she had taken it off since Conrart had given it to her. She felt sadness watching it lay in the box with all her other baubles. She couldn't wear it anymore. Seeing it made her upset. How did everything go so wrong?

A knock on the door, snapped her out of her reverie. She closed the lid on the jewelry box and turned to the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Conrart."

Rozalia paused uncertainly for a minute then said, "Come in."

The door was pushed open and Rozalia stood up as Conrart entered the room. He stayed by the door and she didn't move from where she stood. Decades of separation and grief stood between them.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm alright," she responded. "Thank you."

Silence.

Since when was talking and having a conversation difficult? They used to chat all the time about nothing and everything. People would have to yell at them to be quiet. Now, no words came out. The separation made everything difficult.

"Rozalia," Conrart began, "I… I never meant to hurt you. You must know that."

She stared at her feet. "I know."

"I hope you aren't getting married so suddenly because of me."

"You made your choice a long time ago, Conrart," Rozalia responded, "and I allowed you to make that choice no matter how I felt. This is my choice. You must allow me to make it."

"I never wanted you to wait for me."

"I suppose I'm just as stubborn as you are."

"You can't really love Holter, Rozalia," Conrart said, giving her a questioning look. "Can you?"

Rozalia stared at him for a long while. Finally, she sighed and looked away. "You'll forgive me if I decline to answer."

Conrart was shocked by her choice to keep something from him. They'd always shared everything. "You used to tell me everything," he commented.

"That was a long time ago," she answered. "All things considered, we barely know each other."

Conrart closed his eyes. "Don't say that," he said softly. "You're my best friend. You can't mean that."

"But I do," she replied. "It's the truth."

"Rozalia…"

"Don't worry about me, Conrart," Rozalia smiled. "I'll be just fine. Shall we move on from the past?"

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable being a stranger to you."

She turned her back on him and walked to the window. "After everything that's happened, you can't ask more of me than what I'm willing to give," she told him, causing him to stare, dumbfounded. "This is the choice I've made. I'll stand by it."

Conrart stared at the back of her head, willing her to turn around. She held herself rigid. She wasn't going to yield to him the way she had done before. He began to think that perhaps he had truly lost her. "Forgive me," he said sadly. "I fear I've trespassed on your time for too long. I bid you goodnight," Conrart turned toward the door, "Lady Rozalia."

Yuri watched Conrart and Rozalia ignore each other, puzzled. Since breakfast started, the two hadn't said a word to each other, they hadn't looked at each other, they hadn't acknowledged each other's existence. It was as if they were strangers and have never met each other ever in their entire lives. Everyone noticed their coldness to each other and everyone snuck furtive glances at them, longing to know what happened but knowing they would never be told.

Greta was the only one who didn't notice as she was busy telling Rozalia what they would do that day. When Conrart stood up, everyone but Rozalia stared.

"Where are you going, Conrart?" Yuri asked.

"Patrol," Conrart smiled. "I'll be back later."

They all watched Conrart walk out of the room, their eyes dogging him. As soon as the door shut behind him, all their eyes turned to Rozalia who was absently picking at her breakfast. When she looked up, they all turned back to their own food. Yuri could almost see the word "Awkward" floating above all their heads. Rozalia looked at each of them curiously.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"No, no," Gunter laughed.

"Nothing's wrong," Wolfram said with an uncomfortable smile.

"Why would you think that?" Yuri added.

Rozalia stared as they all laughed uncomfortably together. Awkward…

"I'm done!" Greta announced and then turned to her new playmate. "Are you ready to play, Lady Rozalia?"

"Sure," she smiled and left the room with Greta.

They all watched as she walked out of the room. Rozalia watched them watch her, curious and slightly uncomfortable. Yuri sighed as the door closed.

"Well, that was awkward," he said.

"They're acting as if they're strangers," Wolfram observed.

"I wonder what could have happened," Gunter mused.

"Gossip," Gwendal muttered. "Haven't any of you got anything better to do?"

"Don't act as if you're not curious, Gwendal," Yuri said as Gwendal's frown deepened.

"We're all curious," Wolfram added.

"Gah!" Yuri exclaimed. "Doesn't anyone know what all happened?!"

"I do."

All of them turned suddenly to Anissina who had been eating her food calmly.

"You know everything, Anissina?" Gwendal asked doubtfully.

"Well, of course," she answered. "Rozalia's a good friend of mine, after all."

"TELL US!!" everyone yelled.

"You can't expect me to betray her trust for free, do you?" Anissina asked deviously.

"What are your demands?" Gunter asked as if striking a treaty.

"Guinea pigs," Anissina said simply. "I demand that you and Gwendal be my willing guinea pigs for the rest of the day."

Gunter and Gwendal gulped and a look of absolute terror washed over their face. "You're diabolical," Gwendal announced.

"Those are my terms, gentlemen," Anissina said with a nod. "Take it or leave it."

"Come on, Gunter," Yuri prodded. "It's just for one day. What do you say? Then we can solve the Conrart-Rozalia case for good! Come on, do it for your country! Do it for the good of demon kind!"

"You're such a Neanderthal," Wolfram muttered as Yuri glared at him.

"If his Majesty wills it," Gunter gulped, "then I agree to your terms."

"Fantastic!" Anissina grinned. "What about you, Gwendal?"

Gwendal's brow twitched angrily. "Unlike everyone here, I am not consumed with curiosity about other people's private affairs," he said, irritated.

"Come on, Gwendal," Yuri said. "Be a team player."

"I refuse to be your pawn."

"If you do, none of us will bother you in your office for the rest of the week," Wolfram said in a very businesslike manner.

Gwendal glanced over. Yuri nodded in agreement. Having the peace of his office not invaded for the rest of the week appealed to him more than he should have allowed. Finally, he sighed and said, "Fine. I'll play along."

"Wonderful," Anissina laughed. "I'll hold you both to it!"

"So what do you know, Anissina?" Yuri asked.

"Everything that's happened has been because of Julia."

Conrart rode back to the castle and saw Rozalia with Greta. They were making flower crowns among the many flowers in the castle garden. His heart twisted sadly. She used to be all he could think about. Her smile, her eyes, her laugh. She was everything to him. And just like that, he had thrown everything away. Now all she wanted was to move on from the past. He couldn't blame her. After all the pain he caused her. But he longed for her and he couldn't explain it. He had turned his back on her so many times and now that she's accepted it, he can't bring himself to let it go. He can't bring himself to be a stranger to the woman that has been with him for ages.

"You can't ask more of me than what I'm willing to give."

Her words had hurt him. He didn't want to lose her. But he also knew that he couldn't give up the memory of Julia.

"Conrart!" he looked over and saw Greta running toward him, a flower necklace in her hands. "Look what I made!"

Conrart dismounted his horse and kneeled to Greta's eye level. Greta placed the flower necklace over his head and around his neck. "Isn't it pretty?" Greta asked.

"It's very pretty."

"Lady Rozalia showed me how to make it," Greta informed.

Conrart looked up and saw Rozalia walk over to them. "That's very nice of her," Conrart smiled.

"You should make some with us!" Greta laughed, already pulling Conrart and Rozalia back to the flower field.

"Princess, don't you think Lord Weller has important duties to take care of?" Rozalia asked gently.

"He can take a break for a little while, can't you, Conrart?" Greta asked, plopping down comfortably and gathering some flowers in her hands.

"For a while, yes," Conrart said, sitting down next to Greta and then looked up at Rozalia. "Well, Lady Rozalia, shall you teach me how to make a flower necklace."

"Of course," Rozalia said and sat down a safe distance from him.

"Oh, wait, we don't have enough string!" Greta observed, stood up and ran back toward the castle. "You two stay here; I'll go get more string."

Conrart and Rozalia watched her run off. Rozalia quietly strung flowers together, her body turned slightly away from Conrart. He watched her from the corner of his eyes. He didn't want it to be like this.

"So," he began as she looked over at him, "will you teach me?"

"Sure, if you want."

Yuri watched them a distance away. He watched them string flowers together. They do look good together, he observed, his gears working. Then a sly smirk crept on his face. They loved each other. Two people who loved each other should be together, shouldn't they? He smirked wider. It seems that the great Conrart-Rozalia case wasn't over just yet.