Marriage

It was a hot day much like any other, though living where I did it wasn't a surprise. The vast desert warranted irksome levels of heat that made it harder to see amongst the mob of people in front of me, the city wasn't usually this busy.

"Johan!"

A familiar voice called out to me, it was my friend Dina. His short brown hair and plain face made him almost indistinguishable from everyone else, though he was strangely tall.

"Looks like we're both running late." Dina panted violently, he must've ran here.

"You don't say."

If there was one thing I had from the beginning it would definitely be Dina, my childhood friend from the orphanage.

"I've seen many new faces entering the manor recently." Dina explained "Rumour has it that its in preparation for our lady's wedding."

Dina and I were kicked out of the orphanage when we turned 13 and had nowhere to go, in an environment like this with no roof over your head death was a certainty. Luckily the lady of the local noble house pulled us out of the slums and gave us work.

"It would make sense that she would get married, she is 16 after all." I replied

"Ah but it is unfortunate... her absence makes me wonder if I should just quit when she marries."

Dina's ramblings wouldn't change the fact the she was getting married and that I would never see her again. He was right, what was the point of working in the manor if she wasn't there.

"Johan?"

"Sorry repeat what you said, I wasn't listening." I said apologetically.

"It would do you well to forget any ideas you have about her, there's no way a relationship between an orphan and a noble could ever amount to anything good." Dina said, picking up the pace.

"What gives you that idea?" I questioned nervously.

"Its painfully obvious." groaned Dina "After all you're always in her quarters aren't you? Even though you're a kitchen assistant-"

"We're here." I said as to silence Dina, he wasn't wrong but I didn't feel like talking about it anymore.

We entered the manor through the front gate, it was big compared to the rest of the city especially the slums but paled in comparison to the land of the central families. I shook the dust off my sandals and entered the kitchen alongside Dina.

"What took you so long, if we weren't in such a rush I would've had you peeling potatoes till midnight!" grumbled the head chef.

Dina apologised quickly "We're sorry we'll be helping right away."

We hurried to the back where we changed into our uniforms and Dina quickly hurried back into the kitchen.

Huh?

Hid deep in between my uniform was a slip of paper, I dug it out and unfolded it.

'Meet at dusk don't be late!'

It must be a letter from my lady, after all she usually sends discreet notes like this so we can secretly communicate. If her father knew we talked as much as we did getting fired would be the least of my concerns.

I folded the note back up and went back into the kitchen and began to work, the bustle and tension inside the kitchen was incomparable. This marriage did mean a lot and would help elevate my lady's ranking so I fought through it.

"... Make sure to come on time tomorrow, we still have a lot to do..." It was easy to tell that not only the head chef, but all of the kitchen staff were half dead after the food preparation.

"Sure." Dina and I began to prepare to leave.

"I'm thinking about heading into the city, you in?" Dina smiled wryly.

"Nah, I've got plans."

"Your loss."

Dina left quickly with a sour look on his face, I didn't like rejecting him but if I didn't meet my lady I don't think I would ever have the chance to see her again. I packed up all my things and began to head toward the west side of the manor.

A fairy-like woman was knelt down on a crudely made rug, taking shelter beneath an oak tree. Long black hair paired with soft, slightly tanned skin was my master and closest friend, Isa.

"You're strangely early Johan." joked Isa.

"You make it sound like I don't have any manners."

She giggled and gestured toward her side, I sat down beside her and met her gaze. It was easy to see that something was on her mind, indicated by slightly reddened eyes and faint eyebags. Isa was always one to carry the weight of her burdens alone.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"...Nothing." Isa whispered.

After knowing her for 3 years her lies wouldn't get past me, if they did I wouldn't be able to call myself her friend would I?

"I know you're lying, you have a habit of playing with your hair when you tell a lie."

"Ah... that's super embarrassing." Isa blushed shyly.

No matter how matter times I see her I still can't get over it, she truly is the prettiest woman in the entirety of the Asolum Empire. The others may as well be badly sculpted imitations when compared to Isa.

"My lady, you can speak honestly with me."

"Isa! That's what I told you to call me, pay no mind to manners or status when we are alone. You're the only one that I let call me Isa, aside from my parents of course"

"Not even your fiancé?"

"That thing can't even be classed as a man, if not for my parents I would've been happily married to someone I love." Isa puffed out her cheeks as she said this, adding to her already insane level of cuteness.

"Someone you love? And who would that be?" I looked around Isa's garden as to tease her.

"Someone I wish would take me far away, somewhere nobody would know who we were. Somewhere where we aren't a noble and a commoner, rather just a loving couple." Isa lamented as she laid her head on my shoulder.

I could have the one thing I truly wanted... if not for status, social norms and this world. If hell really does exist surely this is it.

I wrapped my arm around Isa and began to gently stroke her hair. The floral scent emanating from Isa was nothing short of addictive, it was a given as she spent the majority of her time inside her garden.

"Let's say... this man really wanted to take you away? To a special place for just the two of them."

Isa was silent, it was at times like these where I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Despite the time I had spent with her there was always a feeling of reservation held by her, must be what it means to be a noble.

"There's no point in indulging in fantasy, it won't change reality..." Isa said shakily, despite her asking to drop the subject it was clear she wasn't resolute.

"Whose to say it can only be fantasy?" I rebuked somewhat hastily.

"Even if we somehow make it out of the city, there's nothing waiting for us. You know that in this vast desert, we're the only empire present."

"You don't know that, maybe-"

"Everyone that has ever left the empire has never returned, they've probably been taken by the harsh conditions out there" Isa turned away, possibly to hide her facial expression.

"...You're powerless Johan." Isa stood up and began to slowly walk away.

"Rich coming from a stuck-up noble who can't accept the concern of people who I thought were her friends!" I yelled back, I regretted it instantly but there was no way to take it back.

Isa stopped almost instantly though she said nothing back I could tell that I hurt her, and she left as quickly as she had arrived. Her long jet black hair and deep brown eyes that I could get lost in, would this be the last time I saw her?

That night I closed my eyes but could not fall asleep.