Yuri exhaled noisily as he slumped over his desk. Gunter had momentarily exited the study. He remembered that there was an entire book on the childhood of the fifteenth king of the Great Demon Kingdom and went to retrieve it. Yuri felt as like he would pass out. Murata stood by the window, watching with amusement but he had not come there to be amused.
"You've been interfering with them, haven't you?" Murata asked.
"What are you talking about?" Yuri murmured.
"Conrart and Rozalia," Murata said simply.
"How did you know that?" Yuri asked and after a look from Murata chuckled. "Stupid question. You're Murata. You have your ways."
"Yes, well, that's not what we're discussing, Shibuya."
"So I went a little out of my way to get the lovebirds to spend a little more time together," Yuri admitted. "What's the big deal?"
"Lady Rozalia is engaged," Murata pointed out. "You do know that, right?"
Yuri paused for a second. "Yeah," he answered, "but they love each other. If you're as smart as I think you are, Murata, you would know that, too."
"Anyone with eyes can see that," Murata confirmed, "but this isn't something you should meddle with, Shibuya."
"You meddle all the time," Yuri said.
"This is different from affairs of state," Murata went on. "People's emotions shouldn't be fiddled with. They could end up getting hurt."
"They'll never get together without a little push, Murata," Yuri argued. "You know how stubborn Conrad can be."
"It's not your job or your place to interfere with the personal lives of other people," Murata lectured. "Their happiness must be of their own doing. The solution must come from them."
"Nothing wrong with giving them a little push," Yuri said and bit back a groan when Gunter sailed back into the study.
Murata's glasses flashed as he stared at the back of Yuri's head. He didn't have a good feeling about this.
Conrart and Rozalia sat on one of the balconies with Greta. They were finger painting with her. Greta's entire hand was covered with a medley of colors. If Rozalia hadn't insisted that she wear a frock, all of her clothing would have been splattered with color. Rozalia was absently drawing a bird on her paper and Conrart was drawing a sad picture of a tree. Greta laughed gleefully at it. Greta would have been with Anissina but Anissina finally captured Gwendal and was now locked up tight in her lab. Nobody dared save Gwendal and they could faintly hear Gwendal's screams coming from her lab.
Conrart was thinking about the embrace between him and Rozalia a little while ago. He looked over at her. The way the sun lit up her smile made Conrart twist last time they had hugged that close was not a happy occasion.
Years and years ago:
Conrart let his shoulders droop as he led his horse into the stables. Preparations with the Luttenberg Division were getting long. He knew it would be useless. They were going into a futile fight. He thought of Julia's kind eyes. He thought of how miserable Rozalia looked during meal times. It broke his heart to know that he caused it. Conrart loved her so much but a pair of sky blue eyes kept penetrating his mind.
It wasn't fair to her and it was worse that this cursed war tore them further apart. He sighed. Perhaps a walk together after dinner would make them both feel better. Conrart heard footsteps behind him and he deftly turned. He found Rozalia standing at the doorway of the stables, a regretful but determined expression on her face, her eyes showed every imaginable sadness she felt. Conrart tried to give her a loving smile. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Rozalia was rigid and didn't respond to the gesture. Conrart immediately knew something was wrong.
"Rozalia, is-ʺ
"I need to talk to you."
Conrart watched her face and frowned. A feeling of foreboding crept over his skin. He didn't like where this was going. He felt as if he was going to lose her. Conrart turned away from her, not able to look at her stony face anymore. "I-I've got a lot to finish here," he said. "Maybe we'll-ʺ
Conrart was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and held herself to him. He felt the tears fall from her face. She held him as if she would never see him again.
"I love you," she whispered to him. "You believe me, don't you?"
Conrart turned around and pulled her into his arms. "Of course," he answered, looked down at her, and wiped away her tears. "What's gotten into you?"
Rozalia pulled away his hand and walked a short distance away from him. She heaved a shuddering sigh. "I don't want this to go on," she said sadly. "The times are against us but I can't do this anymore."
"Rozalia, don't-ʺ
"I need to say this, Conrart," she said. "I can't compete with Julia anymore. I shouldn't have to. I regret having to do this to you at this time. I know you have far more important things to think of and I… might never see you again but…"
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow morning, Conrart," Rozalia said and Conrart's eyes widened horrifically. My stepmother has asked me to come home and help her with the people under her leadership. I would have been gone already if not for you. Think hard on what you want, Conrart. I have no reason to stay here unless you give me a reason. I leave the decision to you. If you're not there to stop me tomorrow morning…"
"Rozalia…"
She turned back to him, intense sadness in her eyes. Conrart felt as if she was disappearing. "I'll accept whatever decision you make," she said.
"I'm done!" Greta said happily, brandishing her finger-paint portrait. "See, it's a bear bee."
"It's adorable, princess," Rozalia smiled.
"I'm going to go show Wolfram!" Greta hopped off her seat and ran off into the castle.
Rozalia chuckled as she shot off and turned back to Conrart. "Well, shall we clean all this up?"
Conrart agreed and within minutes, they had cleared away the paint, the paint tarp, and the other blank and paint splattered paper. Conrart and Rozalia were walking away from the art room and were nearing the courtyard when they heard two voices arguing.
"Shibuya, you have to stop it," Murata insisted.
"Forget it, Murata," Yuri argued. "I know I can help them."
"They'll end up getting hurt," Murata bickered.
Conrart and Rozalia exchanged glances.
"That's why I'm trying to help them along. Everyone needs a little push," Yuri went on. "Everyone could see that Conrart and Lady Rozalia love each other. They just won't admit it. Getting them to spend time with each other and fall deeply for each other is easy! Soon we'll be celebrating their wedding, you just watch."
The king's words settled on Rozalia with a strange sort of numbness. Conrart glanced over at her worriedly. Slowly, a sense of acute panic stabbed through her and she turned and ran from the hall. Conrart expected this. He turned and chased after her. He watched her rigid frame as she ran away. This has always been her solution to everything. She has always turned from everything painful and horrid and ran as quickly as she could. Why are you doing this? Conrart wondered how long she will keep on running. Ironic, he thought as they passed Gwendal and Anissina who watched them with wonder and concern. Rozalia had always run from her problems but Conrart never found it in him to stop her. Perhaps he was just as bad as she was. Her feet pounded the floor, the feeling of anxiety and the pain of the past rapidly catching up to her left her breathless.
"ROZALIA!" Conrart yelled after her. "ROZALIA, STOP THIS!!"
Rozalia turned a corner and narrowly missed colliding with Greta. Greta gasped and looked up at her with large eyes. "Lady Rozalia, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, princess," Rozalia heaved, skirting around her and continued to run. "I have to go."
"Go?"
"I have to leave."
"ROZALIA, STOP!!"
Greta watched Conrart chase after her and then put on a frown, taking off down the hall in the opposite direction. "I'm getting Yuri!"
Rozalia neared the door of her room and saw a guard walking the halls on patrol. He assessed the look of absolute panic on her face and predicted trouble.
"Are you alright, my lady?" the guard asked.
"Prepare a carriage for me," Rozalia said, hardly pausing to give her answer. "I want to leave for Laurent Castle at once."
"Yes, my lady," the guard said and jogged off.
Rozalia wrenched open the door of her room and fled inside, panic consuming her entire body and she shook with anxiety. Conrart caught the door just in time before it slammed shut. He dashed inside to find that Rozalia had thrown a bag onto her bed and was now hastily throwing clothes into.
"Rozalia, will you calm down?" he asked, watching her run around in frenzy, a deep frown on his face. All traces of the demure and composed lady were gone. Conrart knew that when Rozalia got like this, she was absolutely unreasonable.
"I never should have come back here," Rozalia muttered to herself, tears falling down her face, flitting around the room. "I never should have come back here."
"Rozalia, stop this," Conrart said, walking to her and taking her by the shoulders, stopping her from her hysteria.
"Let me go!" Rozalia screamed, trying to force herself out of his grip. "I can't stay here! I have to leave! I have to leave!"
Rozalia pounded his chest with her fist. All the anger and frustration she felt, all of the disappointment and pain she's bottled up exploded out of her and she hit him mercilessly, tears flying down her face, her throat tightening painfully. Conrart felt her fists but refused to let her go. He knew she was acting on the feelings she had worked so hard to conceal. He felt he deserved far more than what she was giving him. He had been powerless to stop her from leaving before. He was too weak to tell her how much she meant to him. He had hurt the woman whom he loved more than anything. He caused her so much pain. He didn't deserve the tears she shed for him. He didn't deserve her. The thoughts tortured Conrart more than Rozalia's fists ever could.
Slowly, the fight drained out of Rozalia and she leaned against Conrart's chest, crying hysterically. He folded his arms around her and held her to him, knowing perfectly well that this could be one of the last times he'll have her in his arms. He knew perfectly well that he would soon lose her forever. The thought pained him and he held her tighter against him.
Rozalia pushed out of his embrace and continued packing with less madness, crying all the while. Conrart watched her painfully. It seemed that she was adamant on leaving. Why is she doing this? Why does she have to leave him like this? She can't do this. Not again.
"Rozalia…"
"I'm so tired of feeling this way," she said. "I'm tired of everything. I don't want to feel anymore. I want it all to end."
"You can't leave it this way," Conrart said, tightly, his hands clenching into fists.
"I have to leave here, Conrart," Rozalia insisted. "I can't let this go on."
"You can't just leave!" Conrart said loudly, finally showing the rage he's been hiding. "Damn it, will you wait?! You can't just leave me like you did before!"
Rozalia turned to him, her eyes flashing with anger. "I waited for you!" she yelled at him. "I waited for you that morning for two hours. You weren't there! You didn't come! That was your choice and I accepted it. But why?! Why?!"
Conrart stood there, staring. He couldn't tell her why he wasn't there. He wasn't proud of the reason. He looked away from her. The simple action broke Rozalia's heart. She cried harder because of it. For years she wondered why he never came for her and it seems that he still wouldn't tell her. Trembling, she snatched her bag and headed for the door. When she passed him, her heart twisted too painfully. Both of them realized that once she made it out of that door, they could never have anything to do with each other again. Conrart felt their shoulders slightly touch and he flinched. Rozalia steeled herself against the contact and willfully headed for the door. She reached for the doorknob, tears falling down her face.
"Rozalia, please…."
Rozalia's hand stilled.
"You really can't think to leave," Conrart said quietly.
"What reason can I have to stay?" Rozalia asked, her voice shaking. "Give me one reason to stay."