Farewells

Chapter 3: Farewells

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

- A.A. Milne

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Lunar Severance Calendar Year 1212~

"Also this king orders you. Nobleman Lucian, to travel to the Elven Kingdom and breakoff your engagement with their princess. As, you no longer have the status.... to carry on that royal agreement.!"

The king dropped another bomb.

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[Lisbeth]

.

I was walking towards his bed chambers, my eyes were still moist and my mind still hazy. 'Just what did the king mean by doing this to him.' I keep thinking of all possibilities. Hate apparent in my eyes, 'I just don't understand this. Everything was so pleasant just yesterday, so why now? What changed?' I sighed audibly, as I approached his chambers.

'Still remembering what happened in the hall and seeing my father just getting up and leaving the t hall. I could see disappointment in his eyes. And all I could do was stand behind Lucian, looking down towards the carpet. Pathetic! That I am…' I couldn't help but sob.

'At least, Lucian seemed calm. Even after hearing all that nonsense from his father he seemed to carry himself well... Sigh! And no matter how much I hate his marriage contract with the elves but this… This was beyond humiliating for him. And it came from his own father no less.' Unable to hold my anger anymore, I barged into his chamber, only to discover a calm and collected Lucian contemplating over a necklace.

'Isn't that aunt's?' Thinking so I went near him. As perceptive as he was, he quickly noticed my presence.

"Oh, there you are Lily. I am merely looking at my mother's necklace. When I started packing and going through my belongings, it caught my eyes..." He told me smiling, but I could discern some moisture in his eyes. 'No matter how calm and cool he acts, I know how much he loves his family… sigh, even that evil bitch of a step mother he has.'

"Lucian, are you really OKAY WITH THIS?" I lost my calm in mid-sentence. I just couldn't keep calm and it felt like I will cry again.

He didn't seem surprised at my outburst, and he still has that calm smile on him. 'Smug bastard…' I started telling myself. 'I have known him all my life, and he has given me so much to make me happy. And, yet I can't do anything, when he is left with nothing…' The pain was unbearable and I started crying.

Seeing me like this, he put the necklace gently on the bed and pulled me in his embrace, 'Ah this warm feeling... Even at his lowest he is still thinking of comforting me. I really am pathetic!' I just hid my self depreciating face on the comfort of his chest.

" You are not pathetic Lily." He gently whispered in my ears and before I could even say anything. "No, I certainly can't read your mind, though I do admit that ability would make it easier to keep a leash on you. Haha, but I have known you for so long that I don't really need to read your mind to know what you are thinking, Lily." He said with a teasing smile. 'I think I was worrying too much for nothing... this ungrateful bastard.' I kicked him on the shin in annoyance, for which he winches in pain. But he only ended up hugging me tighter.

He gently wiped my tears with his hands and made me look at him. 'Please don't look that kindly to my pathetic face Lucian!!.' I screamed in my mind, but he kept smiling at me. 'I really have no clue what to say.'

"Do you still remember, when I started calling you 'Lily'?" He asked me a question that made me face him in confusion. 'Why can't I remember? Did that name really have such important implications.' I tried to remember in panic.

"Lily has many different meanings in this world." He started saying something and I could only watch him speaking, peeking from his chest. Trying to understand, what my nickname means to him. He continued, "But of all those meanings, the lily of the valley holds a special sweetness, it represents friend, loved one and family..... And you are all of those to me, Lily!" He said that with a gentle smile with almost a sobbing tone. I was mesmerized and couldn't say anything. All in my mind was, that one day in our childhood. It was after my aunt died that I dragged him to show my garden full of flowers. But only one certain flower on the valley made him smile when I was trying to sniff it.

I could only smile and cry as I faced him.

After a while, I let go of him and finally said some words for the first time in this exchange of memories, "I am follow-", but before I could even say it, he stopped me with his hand.

"You are going back home. You need to look after your father and mother. Aunt is already unwell and uncle took a considerable shock today. If even you leave, it will only make things worse. And trust me, my journey will be anything but merry." He told me in a stern tone.

"What do you mean? Will someone attack you during?! Don't tell me that BIT-", but he stopped my lips with his fingers. "Don't say that out loud my dear. And I am afraid so. But don't worry they can come all they want. But they will never even get to touch me." He said with his unfairly gentle smile to comfort me. I couldn't help but worry about this gentle fool.

"And your decision is final? Not to take me?" I asked him with a hateful glare. "Yes." He replied with an emotionless face which was meant to stop me from arguing. 'Argg… I hate this." I really hated this feeling of uselessness.

He finished packing up his stuff and looked at the necklace complicatedly, but then he remembered something and took off his identity ring. He grabbed my hand and gave it to me, "Is that supposed to be an engagement ring?" I asked him mockingly but with genuine concerns which he simply rolled his eyes to. I couldn't help but pout in disappointment.

"I wanted you to have something of mine, to remember me, I can't give you my mother's necklace as this is the last bit of her memory I have with me." He said with a heartbreaking tone and put the necklace on himself. It's an overly beautiful necklace with a phoenix carved on it. Ah that unfortunate clan.

He came near and embraced me once more and planted a kiss on my forehead. "Farewell Lily. We will meet when fate decides." He said that and started walking away. And all I could do was cry, staring at his departing back. While clutching the ring he gave me tightly....

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[Geovan]

.

'My brother is standing in front of me with his usual gentle smile. But I can't even look at my brother now. Mother, why did you do this?' I said to myself as my brother came into my chambers to say his farewells.

He pulled me into his embrace and I could see my guards taking out their weapons. Ready to attack my brother. Watching this made my heart go cold. I couldn't help but shout, "STAND DOWN! THIS IS MY BROTHER YOU ARE TRYING TO DRAW YOUR SWORD AGAINST."

They were scared for a moment and one of them tried to calm me down, "But the Que-" before he could finish his sentence, the other guard elbowed him on his arm, glaring at him. "Apologies your majesty it was rude of us." And they go back to their position but with weapons drawn. I wanted to shout again, but my brother stopped me. He still had those loving eyes to him which made my heart break even more. 'Dear mother, why? Why do you need to do this to my brother?' Tears started welling up in my eyes.

My brother just smiled at me and removed my tears with his hands. He took out something wrapped in fine silk and gave it to me. It looked like a sword. I unwrapped it hurriedly and I could see it was his own sword with a Rune crest on it. Feeling puzzled, I looked at him. "I got that sword when I was crowned as the royal prince. Now it belongs to you little brother. May it serve you as it served me." He told me smiling. All I could do was grip the sword tight as he started getting up.

Before he faced the door he said something to me, almost as a whisper, that only I could hear, "Be careful of your mother and please take care of our father. And do your best to be a good king. Happy name day, little brother." He left after saying those words. And all I could do was stare at him in a daze.

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– The royal mausoleum~

[Lucian]

.

"Dear mother, I truly am sorry. I couldn't keep my promise to you." As I stared at my mother's remembrance plaque.

"I know I promised to take care of my father and to lead my people to prosperity. But mother, I have failed in both tasks. Your unfilial son couldn't even keep the promise he made on your deathbed. Please forgive me." I couldn't help but sob as I glanced at my mother's remembrance plague.

"Please look after our family from the beyond and bless this unworthy son of yours. This might be the last time I see you mother. I wanted you to know that I love you..... and I wish you were here. The last 11 years were truly arduous for me without you. I awfully miss you....." I kept looking at the plaque for a while, with tears in my eyes. I do not know how much time has passed. I simply didn't have the strength to get away from here, like a little boy who doesn't want to leave his mother's embrace. 'Yes, I wanted to feel her embrace one last time…' But something got me out of my daze.

"What brings you here your majesty?" I asked without even looking behind me. Because I know that my father was there with few of the higher nobles.

"Leave us!" He said in an authoritative tone to his entourage, "But your highness we-" Duke Brendenrod wanted to refute, but my father stopped him midway. Looking at the old duke, directly in the eye, "This one is still the king, you can do as you please when you have the power." he said lowly with gritted teeth towards the old man. I couldn't help but smirk a bit.

"As you wish your highness." Saying so, he left with the others. He glared at me before leaving, of course not that I mind, the feeling was mutual.

My father opened his mouth after contemplating a while about what to say. But I stopped him before he could say anything. "You don't need to say anything father. I understand the necessity of your actions. But I do have to say that you did too many unintelligent things on your rule and now look how it comes back biting your bottom." He was visibly surprised by what I said, but he also seemed pleased hearing me call him father again. Then he showed an irritated frown hearing my jeering.

"And it's alright, I will be okay. Can't say the same for you. Though, old man, how long do you think you have?" I asked him directly, which surprised him further. He with a dead look in his eyes, all void of life, said a few words, "Not more than a year."

"From that duration I guess it is one of those long effecting poisons that have no cure huh?" for that question he barely nodded. "Can't say how I feel about this… I tried to warn you so many times and you just sent me to my chambers every time. Now look where it has gotten you. But no matter, I can at least say I will do something about that woman and her diabolic father. And don't worry I won't put the kingdom in harm's way, if I can help it that is. I will return one day for revenge old man, be it 10 years or 20. But I WILL BE BACK, I promise on my mother's grave." I declared resolutely.

I kept staring at my mother's plaque. My father looked at me and sometimes at my mother with a complicated expression. After a while he went away while muttering something almost inaudible, "Be safe, my pride and joy."

That last mutter didn't go unnoticed by my sensitive ears and my lips curved up. And then a stern expression appeared on my face, "A noble's revenge, 10 years, isn't too late. Revenge is a dish best served cold after all."

I looked at my mother for the last time, and said my goodbye to her, "Farewell, dear mother." And went out of the mausoleum. Only to be greeted by a gentleman with fine clothes who was smiling gazing towards me.

'This is going to be annoying...'

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