"Hey, Conrad?"

"Yes?"

Yuri sighed. Playing catch with Conrart wasn't all that fun. His mind seemed to be somewhere else and Yuri couldn't be too sure but he thinks it's somewhere inside the castle where the love of his life is talking to her fiancé.

"Do you think that… do you believe that… two people who love each other… should be together?" Yuri asked.

Conrart couldn't hide the shock on his face. Because of his astonishment, he completely missed the baseball that sailed past his head. "Well, yes, in theory," Conrart confessed.

"Then why, sometimes, doesn't it happen that way?"

"Because… sometimes life and circumstances get in the way," Conrart replied, picking up the baseball that landed a few feet away.

"Shouldn't they try everything they could to stay together then?" Yuri asked, catching the ball Conrart lobbed.

"I suppose," Conrart agreed and then looked at Yuri with a knowing smile. "Are you trying to make a point, your Majesty?"

"What?" Yuri laughed nervously. "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Well, I-ʺ

"YOUR MAJESTY!!"

Out of nowhere, Gunter appeared and tackled Yuri from the side. Yuri wailed as Gunter lifted Yuri off the ground and spun him around.

"Your majesty, you must come back and finish the rest of your studies this instant," Gunter insisted.

"Gunter, I can't breathe," Yuri choked.

"It seems our game is over, your Majesty," Conrart and smiled as Greta ran into view and took Yuri's glove handed to her by Gunter.

Conrart and Greta chuckled as Gunter dragged Yuri away, wailing and moaning his allegiance to him while Yuri choked and protested. Greta asked Conrart if he would like to play and Conrart agreed. The baseball sailed back and forth and the courtyard was filled with Greta's laughter.

"Hey, Conrart?" Greta asked. "Could I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"But you have to promise to absolutely tell the truth," Greta said. "No lying or trying to change the topic, promise?"

Conrart chuckled. "Yes, alright."

"You love Lady Rozalia, don't you?"

The baseball once again sailed past Conrart's head and landed a few feet away. The shock on his face made Greta frown.

"Greta…"

"Conrart, you promised!" Greta exclaimed.

"Well, I suppose…," Conrart sighed, "that I… did."

"You still do, don't you?" Conrart stared at the little girl. "If you do, you should tell her. You never know what will happen in the future. You should tell her now before it's too late."

"Greta, I-ʺ

"I'm going to see if there are more cookies," Greta hurled off her glove and pushed it into Conrart's hand before running off.

Conrart stared after her. So many things have happened between them. He looked up at the sky. He only wished it was that easy.

"Could I stop you before you go into your flashback?"

Conrart looked around and found Murata grinning at him.

Rozalia sat rigidly in her seat, a tea cup in her hand. She listened to Holter speak, only half listening. Her thoughts were somewhere else, with the man outside the castle. She knew why the two men disliked each other and she was sad to say that it was she who was the cause of it all. This was the last thing she wanted.

"Are you alright, dear?" Holter asked.

"Why did you come all the way here, Holter?" Rozalia asked.

Holter chuckled. "My, you are in a state, aren't you?" he asked. "Tell me; is it so wrong to visit my fiancée?"

"The only reason you traveled all the way here is because you know Conrart is here with me, isn't it?" Rozalia replied and looked at him severely. "When will this nonsense end?"

"Darling," he replied charmingly, "I implore you not to think ill of me because of this. I was merely worried. After all he did to you-ʺ

"What happened between Conrart and me was hardly any of your business, Holter," Rozalia said tightly. "You knew it then and you should know it now. You should never have interfered."

Holter frowned at her irritated expression. This was not where he wanted it to go. "I was only thinking of you, Rozalia," he said with a faint smile.

Rozalia got up and walked to the window. "I'm capable of taking care of myself and I'm capable of making my own choices."

"I know that."

"If we're to get married, you must place more trust in me."

Holter looked at her sideways. "Like the trust you put in your Conrart?"

Rozalia sharply turned to him, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You're out of line, Holter," she said as he closed his eyes and sighed.

"My apologies, darling," Holter replied. "I was only thinking of your happiness and wellbeing, believe me. Besides, would it have mattered? He didn't arrive to stop you back then, did he?"

"Stop it."

"I'm sorry to hurt you," Holter went on, "but you know what I said then and what I say now is the truth."

Rozalia paused and looked out into the sky. "Yes… I know."

Years and years ago:

Rozalia stood in front of the tree, their tree, waiting. It's been at least an hour. Conrart still hasn't come. They had agreed to meet under the tree, their tree. They were supposed to go on a picnic. They had both agreed it had been a long while since they had done anything. All sorts of circumstances interfered with their lives. There was the war… and there was Julia. Rozalia was helping the families of soldiers get by without their husbands to sustain them and Conrart… had his Luttenberg Division. And to make matters worse, Julia was between them. They agreed that spending time with each other would do them both some good, give them an escape from the all consuming war. But Conrart was nowhere to be found and their picnic basket lay lonely at Rozalia's feet.

"He isn't coming, is he?"

Rozalia turned around. She found Holter standing a few feet away from her. The level of concern on his face for her made Rozalia uncomfortable. She turned away from him. "Nobody can know that," she insisted.

"Where is he then?"

"He might be doing preparations with the Luttenberg Division," Rozalia said, hoping vainly it was true.

Holter paused for a second as if debating with himself. "He's with Lady Julia," he said and watched Rozalia flinch, "by the fountain. I saw them."

Rozalia didn't answer. How could she? She had hoped that he wasn't with her but somehow she knew… she knew that he was. Tears threatened to fall and Rozalia's hands clenched into fists. It was becoming too much and she didn't know what to do. She was losing him and she stood there helpless to do anything about it.

"He shouldn't be doing this to you," Holter said, walking next to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You deserve better, much better than Conrart Weller."

"Please, Holter," Rozalia sighed and shrugged off his hand.

"He won't let go of Lady Julia even after he's seen how much it hurts you," Holter added. "Why do you stay with him? Why do you only look the other way?"

"I love him," Rozalia stated and noticed Holter's jaw tighten. "What else is there for me to do?"

"There is only one thing to do to someone who is blatantly uncaring," Holter said. "You should leave him. He mustn't really love you, Rozalia, if he intends to be so indifferent."

Rozalia was silent for a long while. She had her eyes closed and after a while, she relaxed her fists. She bent down, picked up the picnic basket without a word, and started walking away.

"Rozalia?" Holter called. "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking this to a family in town," she said emptily. "It shouldn't go to waste."

Rozalia watched numbly as Holter kissed her hand and smiled charismatically. She managed to give him a weak smile. He mounted his horse and with a final grin at her, rode off.

Conrart was only being civil to Holter out of respect for her. Holter was only being barely tolerable to Conrart so Rozalia wouldn't be upset. She wondered if she could really marry Holter. She knew perfectly well that she could never love him. At times, Holter has acted as if he knew this as well. Rozalia turned and started walking.

Nothing has changed. For as long as she can remember, there was only one man on her mind. Everything about Conrart permeated her mind. His skill, his strength, his loyalty, his charm, his smile, his eyes, his gentleness; all of these thoughts pulled themselves round and round in her head.

She thought she had moved on. She had taken the pain numbing and the hurt fading as signs of just that but coming to Covenant Castle, seeing him, talking to him, spending time with him seemed to tear down every wall she's put up to defend herself. Rozalia sighed. She didn't know if she can do this. She loved Conrart though she couldn't very much say that out loud. She's an engaged woman. And could she really marry Holter and start a family with him knowing very well that she's in love with another man?

"Well, hello."

Rozalia looked up and found that she had wandered into the courtyard. She found Conrart and another man looking at her. The man Conrart was talking to seemed to be the same age as the king and also had black hair and black eyes but wore glasses.

"Lady Rozalia, may I introduce Ken Murata, our Great Wiseman and the king's trusted adviser and friend," Conrart spoke. "Your Eminence, this is Lady Rozalia von Laurent."

"It's an honor, your Eminence," Rozalia responded, curtsying demurely to him.

"I was hoping to meet the visitor that everyone's been talking about," Murata said with an amiable smile. "I was told you're getting married."

"Yes, I am marrying Lord Holter Conradi," Rozalia confirmed. Murata took note of the sadness that seemed to go over her like a veil.

"Congratulations," Murata replied. "I also understand that you and Lord Weller here are old friends."

"Yes, he was my childhood best friend," Rozalia answered, glancing at Conrart. Murata took note of the yearning in her eyes.

"He's a good friend to have," Murata commented. "Well, I believe I'll go see what our king is up to."

"You'll find him studying with Gunter, sire," Conrart informed.

"He'll no doubt be bored to tears then," Murata chuckled and then looked at Conrart pointedly. "You'll remember what I told you, won't you?"

Rozalia saw surprise flash across Conrart's eyes. "Yes, your Eminence," Conrart answered.

"I leave you in Lord Weller's capable hands, Lady Rozalia," Murata said and walked off.

The pair watched him disappear from view. Then Conrart turned back to Rozalia with a light smile. "Has Holter left?" he asked.

"Yes, just now," Rozalia confirmed and sighed. "I'm sorry about Holter. I know he can be impolite when he's of a mind to be."

"I suppose he's only being protective," Conrart said.

"Still, I know he said some unnecessary things to you."

"Don't worry about it," Conrart said with a kind smile and looked a distance away. "He must love you so much to get so agitated."

"I suppose so…"

Conrart turned back and watched a gloomy shadow come over her entire frame. He could tell that her mind was occupied and whatever she was thinking about greatly upset her. This caused Conrart to frown. He hated seeing her unhappy.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Rozalia tried to smile.

Conrart stared hard at her, a frown still written on his face. "You used to be able to tell me anything," he pointed out, causing Rozalia to look up at him suddenly. "Now tell me, what's the matter?"

Rozalia watched him walk toward her and stared at his openly gentle face for a little while. She should not allow herself this luxury but could not bring herself to turn away from him. At length, she sighed.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Conrart," Rozalia confessed. "I don't know if marrying Holter is the right thing to do. He's a good man with good intentions but the solutions he has are a bit underhanded. I don't know if what I'm doing is right. I don't know if I can be happy with him. I don't know what I should do. I don't-ʺ

Conrart pulled her into an embrace to stop her from ranting. The action astonished Rozalia. Her eyes were wide with surprise. He hadn't embraced her in so long. She had forgotten how comfortable his arms were and she had forgotten how easily she fit into those arms. She felt him hold her to him gently but firmly and as if it was a conditioned response to his touch, all her stress and anxiety ebbed away and she allowed herself to relax.

Rozalia knew this was another luxury she shouldn't have but for the moment, she allowed herself to enjoy it. For the moment, she allowed herself to wrap her arms around his waist. Conrart didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Even if he did, he felt he would only upset Rozalia more and complicate things further.