Rozalia waited for him to speak. It felt like an eternity. She could hear her heart beat inside her chest. It seemed like the only sound she could hear. Conrart stared at the ground, cursing himself, his luck, the futility he felt. She was going to walk away again and he stood there like an idiot. Time lengthened and grief pressed down on Rozalia until she couldn't take it anymore. She laughed bitterly.

"So that's it then?" she asked. "You're just going to let me go?"

Conrart couldn't answer. Why couldn't he say the things he needed to say? He didn't deserve her. She should leave him. He couldn't even hold on to the things he cherished most. Pitiful. His silence only hurt Rozalia more.

Determinedly, Rozalia took the doorknob in her hand and pulled it open. The sound made Conrart's heart twist. "If you had asked me to stay even with no reason, I would have. Now it's too late." she told him and before she closed the door behind her she whispered, "It's just like before. You'll never change."

The sound of the door closing felt like a fist punching him in the stomach. Tears easily came to his eyes and Conrart stood in the middle of the abandoned room, tears silently falling down his face. His head was spinning and he thought the walls were closing in on him. He felt like he was dying inside. He thought his heart was pleading and screaming for Rozalia to come back. Conrart thought his legs had developed a mind of their own and were trying to pull him from the room to chase after her. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't speak the words; he couldn't run after her. He was a weak, hollow man and he deserved more than the pain he was feeling. He was nobody without Rozalia and yet the only thing he did was stand pathetically in the room and cry.

Rozalia gnashed her teeth together as she walked down the hall towards the front of the castle where a carriage was waiting to take her away Covenant Castle. She mustn't cry, not yet. She couldn't let anyone see her crying. Stupid, stubborn, prideful Conrart! For once in his life, couldn't he just say what he feels? Her anger almost pushed her to tears. For once, why couldn't he fight for her? Why does he have to make everything so hard? Rozalia wanted to scream as she handed her bag to the footman of the carriage. She loved him so much it actually hurts. Why is he doing this?

Rozalia was about to climb into the carriage when he heard a voice yelling after her.

"Wait!" he yelled, running. "Lady Rozalia!"

"Your Majesty," Rozalia said, watching the black haired king wheeze and pant.

"You can't leave," Yuri gasped. "We-ʺ

"I know what you've been trying to do about Conrart and me, Your Majesty," Rozalia spoke as Yuri gulped. Another look at the poignant misery in Rozalia's eyes rendered the king speechless. "I'm afraid his heart cannot be prevailed upon."

"You have to give him another chance," Yuri insisted. "In fact, I'll go get him right now. He'll tell you."

"I already gave him the chance," Rozalia said sadly, stopping Yuri in mid-step. "I've been waiting an awfully long time. I cannot wait anymore. I'm sorry."

"Lady Rozalia…"

"I want to thank you for allowing me to stay here, Your Majesty," Rozalia said with a ghost of a smile. "I've enjoyed my stay here."

"Sure…" Yuri said uncomfortably.

"I'll be sure to send invitations for my wedding to Covenant Castle," Rozalia said, a flash of regret traveling across her eyes.

"Lady Rozalia, you-ʺ

"I take my leave, Your Majesty," Rozalia said and with a final curtsy climbed into the carriage.

The horses were spurred on and the carriage exited the gates of Covenant Castle. Rozalia clenched her hands into fists and she allowed tears to fall down her face.

Yuri ran through the garden. He had met Gwendal in the hallway on his search for Conrart. Gwendal told Yuri that Conrart was near the biggest tree in the garden. Yuri approached the massive and ancient tree but found Conrart nowhere in sight. Yuri spun around but to no avail.

"Conrad?" Yuri called.

"Up here, Yuri."

Yuri looked up and found Conrart sitting pensively on one of the branches of the tree. "What are you doing up there?" Yuri asked. "I have to talk to you!"

"You'll forgive me," Conrart said emptily, "but I think I'll spend a while here."

"You can't just sit up there! Lady Rozalia left!" Yuri shouted at him. "Get your horse! Go after her!"

Conrart was silent. Yuri couldn't read his expression from the ground.

"I can't."

"What do you mean, Conrad?!" Yuri demanded. "You love her! Conrad!" He didn't answer. "Conrad, I demand that you get on your horse and go after her!!"

"I respectfully decline, Your Majesty," Conrart said. "Things have happened that I'm not proud of. I cannot possibly trouble her heart any more than I already have."

"But Conrad-ʺ

"If you don't mind, Yuri," Conrart said almost sadly, "I think I'll stay up here for a while."

Laurent Castle was peaceful. Rozalia watched the castle guards walk around importantly from her room window. She watched the gardener prune the flowers. It was a beautiful day. She felt like crying. A knock on her door pulled her out of her misery and she wiped a stray tear from her face.

"Come in."

Her brother, Rasmus, stepped in and gave her a smile. Rozalia tried and failed to return it.

"Are you alright, Rozalia?" he asked.

"Of course," Rozalia said, trying and failing to give him a confident laugh. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you returned so suddenly and then locked yourself up in your room without seeing anyone," Rasmus observed. "I gathered something was wrong."

Rozalia paused for a second. "I'll be fine."

"Will be?" Rasmus asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did something happen with Conrart?"

"Brother, please," Rozalia said and squeezed her eyes shut.

Rasmus sighed and stared out the window. "When will the both of you cease hurting each other?" he asked. Rasmus glanced at his sister. She looked absolutely miserable. "Would you like for me to cancel the wedding?"

Rozalia's gaze snapped to her brother at once. Rasmus looked worriedly at her. Rozalia knew her brother didn't approve of her engagement to Holter but she had insisted upon it. Rasmus had wanted to give his sister away to a better man. He was frustrated with his younger sister for being such a self sacrificing stubborn idiot.

"No, of course not," Rozalia said, stood up and walked nearer to the window so her brother wouldn't see her tears. "Why would you do a thing like that?"

Rasmus sighed and pulled his sister into an embrace. "There's no need for you to put up a façade, Rozalia," Rasmus told her. "Cry if you want to."

Rozalia took her brother's advice and just wept. She let out all the anger and frustration she's been carefully hiding. Rasmus held his sister tightly, gently stroking her hair. He listened to her tears with sadness. His sister has been melancholy for more than twenty years. It was hard for him to watch her so depressed. He had half a mind to cancel her cursed wedding whether she permitted him or not, stubborn woman.

The sky outside was dark. Gwendal headed for the dining hall. He observed that dinner was a lifeless and awkward affair. By then, everyone had heard some version or other about what happened to Conrart and Rozalia and they were all itching to ask about it but all knew it would be unwise to do so. Conrart, Gwendal observed, was unequivocally lost in his own thoughts and Gwendal knew perfectly well he was in pain over whatever transpired between them.

Gwendal pushed open the door to the darkened dining hall. He caught sight of his bottle of liquor on the dining table. Conrart stood next to the window, moodily staring out the window, a glass in his hand.

"So you're the perpetrator who made off with my liquor," Gwendal said, closing the door behind him.

Conrart watched Gwendal pour himself a glass. "My apologies, Gwendal," Conrart said. "I meant to ask you."

"You're not a drinking man, Conrart," Gwendal stated, joining him by the window.

"I thought I'd make tonight an exception," Conrart answered, taking a swig of his drink.

"You had a fight with Rozalia today, didn't you?" Gwendal asked knowingly and received no answer from his brother. "This liquor won't solve your problems for you."

"I know."

Gwendal stared out into the night sky. He couldn't believe how incredibly idiotic his brother was sometimes. "I don't know why you didn't just tell Rozalia what really happened years and years ago."

"The truth is of little interest to people."

"True," Gwendal conceded. "But it would have made things easier to figure out at least."

Years and years ago:

Conrart's heart was pounding hard in his stomach, panic and urgency threatened to consume him. Conrart tossed the bridle of his horse to Yozak who watched him worriedly as he ran off in the direction of the castle gates. He hoped vainly that he was not too late. He hoped vainly that Rozalia still has not left for Laurent Castle and would still be there when he arrived. Luttenberg Division training had run long that morning and as a result, Conrart was within inches of losing Rozalia.

The thought made him run faster, barreling past some maids. He shouted an apology over his shoulder but did not slow down. Conrart thought his legs would give out from the force he was exerting on them but he didn't dare slow down. The thought of losing Rozalia forever, the thought of never seeing her again, only made him spur on his feet faster. He had made his mistakes and he had hurt her countless times but despite all that he still absolutely loved her and he was damned if he was going to let her just ride away from him.

Conrart saw a flash of metal from the corner of his eyes, braced himself, and pulled out his own sword just in time to block the attack.

"Going somewhere, Lord Weller?" Holter leered at him, a mad glint in his eyes.

Conrart pushed him away. "I have no time for this, Holter," Conrart told him. "I have somewhere to be."

Holter charged at Conrart. Conrart's sense of foreboding heightened. Holter was far too determined to only want a friendly spar. Conrart blocked his attack easily and once again fended him off. Holter continued to leer at him.

"You're going to stop Lady Rozalia from leaving, aren't you?" Holter spoke and brought down his sword on Conrart.

Holter's sword clashed with Conrart's again and again. Holter was fighting madly, an insane light in his eyes. Conrart didn't understand. "Yes," Conrart huffed, blocking another one of his attacks. He was wasting time. "That's why we have to stop this if I want to make it there before it's too late."

"I can't let you do that," Holter said, swinging his blade upwards, hoping to catch him off guard. Conrart easily deflected him. "You see, Rozalia deserves more than a no account half breed like you!"

Conrart finally understood as their swords collided again with a deafening clang. Holter meant to fight Conrart so he wouldn't be there to stop Rozalia from leaving. Conrart repelled his attacks skillfully but nevertheless, Holter only continued attacking, a gleeful spark in his dark eyes. He wanted Conrart to lose Rozalia. The thought filled Conrart with rage as he once again pushed Holter away from him.

"Why are you doing this?" Conrart yelled, finally attacking Holter himself.

"Why do you think?" Holter questioned, blocking the attack. "She's so infuriatingly in love with you. Once she thinks you've forsaken her, I'll finally have my chance with her."

"Scoundrel!" Conrart exclaimed, slashing down at him to no avail.

"You don't deserve her!" Holter announced.

Conrart saw a flash of red hair and watched in astonishment as Yozak entered the fight. Yozak gave him a huge grin. "What are you still doing here, Captain?" Yozak asked. "Don't you have a carriage to stop?"

"This has nothing to do with you, peasant!" Holter yelled indignantly.

"Shut up," Yozak said to Holter.

"Yozak…"

"Get out of here, lover boy," Yozak said, grinning audaciously at Holter. "I can handle him."

Holter's scowl was feral. Conrart said his thanks to Yozak and ran off in the direction of the gates. Holter attempted to chase after Conrart but was blocked by Yozak.

Conrart listened to the sounds of clashing metal fade away behind him. He could hear his own heart pounding as his feet hammered against the ground. He had lost so much time. He saw a vision of Rozalia turning away from him and he only ran faster. He was not going to let her get leave him. He was not going to lose her.

Conrart arrived at the gates and looked around. There was no carriage. There were no horses. The gates were closed. The guard told him Rozalia's carriage left ten minutes ago. Conrart dropped his sword to the ground. He was too late.

*So, I'm pretty sure you guys just about hate me for making that happen but I have my reasons. Trust me. But now I'm curious. Knowing the complete story, whose fault is it? Conrart? Rozalia? Julia? Holter? I want to know what you guys think!!! Thanks everyone!*