The rest of the day went smoothly. Cassandra gave him a tour around the preserve. The stable was the first place he visited. It housed Kentucky’s most prized stallions and mares. One particular mare that always been by Cassandra’s side since she was fourteen years old remained on the Preserve for more than a decade before Cassandra was married. Her name was Lara. Eddie found it fascinating that his mother could communicate with her mare.

Next was the barn, where all the other livestock resided. It was like the stable. The barn smelled of manure with dried hay. Nothing out of the ordinary. Returning to the stables once again, Eddie saw that Rosa had already prepared Lara for riding—slipping the saddle onto Lara and fastening the bridle across her face. Eddie was astounded when Cassandra placed her foot in the stirrup and mounted perfectly on the saddle with no issues. She hoisted Eddie up. This brought back memories of Michigan when she used to take him riding on horses from Aunt Petunia’s stable.

Cassandra cantered across the lawn, bypassing the garden of flowers. Eddie saw a small swarm of dragonflies emerged from beneath the lotuses. His curiosity spiked when his mother waved at them.

“Wave, my son. Wave,” she hummed. “They greet us.”

“But . . . those are dragonflies,” Eddie blanched.

“That is nothing but a mirage. Look again.”

A sudden bright haze obstructed his vision. Out from the parted haze, the garden became gladdened with pixie dust. His eye widened with astonishment. Never before had his eyes laid upon such a magnificent panorama. The center of the garden had an erected platinum statue of a fairy, holding an empty intricate goblet. It blossomed with such a radiant light that he couldn’t fathom it. The dragonflies changed into spirits that looked like young ladies. Their dragonfly wings shimmered with sparkling impact.

“They are fairies that serve as my handmaidens. I am their lost ruler Titania, renewed in human flesh” said Cassandra.

“Wow,” Eddie marveled about the unveiling of his mom being the Fairy Queen and the great horde of pixies that were amassed nearby. The more he became learned about his mom, he felt like Cassandra was an outsider.

The pixies’ fragrance had such a scrumptious honeydew smell to it. He stayed quiet as he watched and listened as Cassandra counseled with the pixies. He couldn’t comprehend their dialect. Their vocals seemed like somebody fast-forwarding a tape.

Next thing he knew, the group of fairies assembled around him with interest. Every one of them had conspicuous, blushing cheeks. Their reddening was very clear to Cassandra. Their alluring snickering made Eddie feel uncomfortable. Cassandra hissed. The flock scattered and fled in apprehension of their ruler’s indignation. Eddie had seen this on multiple occasions, watching Japanese anime and perusing manga.

“Why do young ladies’ face get red when they are around some young men? Do they have a fever?”

Cassandra laughed, “They were blushing. When individuals become flushed, they are filled with fervor and shame.”

"I’m a prince then. No miracles they needed to see me,” he giggled. “I’m like a rock star to them.”

“Pretty much. Trust it or not. You are the only living man and child among the pixie society, in spite of being conceived human. The catastrophe happened when Osborne, spouse of the first Titania, was killed in battle, amid the last skirmish of Camelot where both King Arthur and his illegitimate child killed each other in battle. Osborne was the savior to all fairymen. They all died quickly.”

“Ahh man. That is a bummer.”

“Some travel the world looking for their perfect partner. Despite the fact that there is a high value they may pay. Now and again, some pixies lose their powers and stay mortal forever.”

For whatever was left of their trek, they stayed quiet until they reach an overlook bluff. The view was stunning, the striking dull blue shades of the sky converged with the orange cast of the setting sun. The streams below crisscrossed like the Amazon River and consolidated from left to right. The timberland was blackened from the absence of daylight. Flocks of geese moved southwest opposite them.

“How did you meet Dad? What was he like?”

“Your dad is much the same as you. Extremely tumultuous and full with energy. He’s the sort of individual that can win the hearts of the general population with simply his voice alone. He was a war hero,” she said. “I initially met him at a forum numerous years back at the Citadel. In the first place, I thought Alphonse was only a backwoods folk ordinary person that was out to demolish my life.”

“Why would he do that? Was he a terrible man?” Eddie frowned.

Eddie could feel his mom turning out to be exceptionally tense, yet couldn’t see the tears streaming down Cassandra’s cheeks. He didn’t recognize what came over him, yet something let him know that he was not going to like most of his mom’s side of the story.

“We went to the same school here in Kentucky. Alphonse was my classmate in grade school and my associate amid the Vanaheimian Revolutionary War. He was a decent companion, like a sibling to me, before we became lovers. We got married after we won the war. My young memory of him was the most terrible. He generally used to ask me out on various dates, he sat alongside me, and he was too uproarious and impolite.

“I berated him and rejected him each time he asked me out. My eyes, like each young lady in my era, were on the nice looking, brooding bad-boy young prince. His name was Lancelot of Rivera. He was the child of an outstanding ruler. Each young lady during my era had eyes for him. His hair was dark as a raven, his agonizing attitude, his gifts, and identity made any young lady swoon over him. Indeed, even a few ladies that were twice his age. The motivation behind why I succumbed to him was that I was an outcast, regardless of being conceived a highborn noble.”

“So you and Dad were heroes? What was the war about?”

“That is another story for another time. I want you to hear me out and what I have to say.”

There was a moment of silence as Cassandra gathered her thoughts. Eddie was eager to hear the rest of his mother’s story. He couldn’t help but think that her with his father were just like how the manga portrayed Ramen Ninja Boy interacted with the pink haired girl that he was besotted with. Her name was Hanami, which translated to flower in Japanese. Eddie always hated Hanami’s character. She was bossy, very obnoxious, and violent. There was a boy who was considered to be a prodigy, born from a notorious noble ninja clan, that Hanami was besotted with.

“I was a little younger than you, no less than seven years old, when I was teased and bullied by boys and girls my age. Some commoners also dared to join in, despite my father being the baron of the fief I was raised in. This was why I had no love for commoners. That was one of the two reasons why I never liked Alphonse. Once the prince of Rivera and your father came to my rescue. It became love at first sight, at least that’s what I thought back then. I soon heard the news from my father about my arrange marriage to Lance and it filled with me such joy.

“Alphonse did not take the news lightly and started to get into more fights with Lance. I first thought it was out of pure jealousy, but Alphonse warned me that Lance was after the dowry,” she said solemnly.

“Two years later, we three went to the same school where I would suffer from retribution by the hands of my first love. I should have heeded Alphonse’s warnings. I was blinded by a sick, twisted fantasy that had cost me everything and my previous life.” She sighed, wiping away the tears.

“Not that it matters anymore. When I was lost and broken, I lost faith in mankind. I began to despise men for how they treated women, despite how I myself treated your father wrongly. He was always there by my side. And for the first time in my life, I was able to see Alphonse as my benefactor and love interest. We grew to adulthood, accomplished many guild missions, and skirmishes. I was discharged after the war, and I spent the rest of my days here on Midgard happily married to your father. And you know the rest.” She sighed.

Eddie had the notion that Cassandra was leaving out a lot of information. He dare not pressed on about the prince from Rivera that once claimed his mother’s heart. Eddie chuckled underneath his breath. His mother definitely was like Hanami. His father was like Ramen Ninja Boy. There was no mistake about it.

“How come they bullied you?” Eddie asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be a noble?”

“It was a result of my forehead being too wide for a young lady.”

“What!” He laughed. ”That is so stupid! I don’t see anything wrong with your forehead. It’s so pretty that it makes me want to kiss it!”

Cassandra become flushed, reviewing the carnal connections she had with Alphonse, when he complimented her forehead just before the terrifying night. She was embarrassed by the idea of how similar Eddie was to his father. All the distress bellied up from inside decreased in a flash.

“You! Y-you are much the same as your father! You are just the second man to compliment my forehead,” she said, gratified.

He gave her a thumbs-up and grinned.

“Hehe . . . you know what? Dad is not dead. I just know it! He’s out there somewhere. If Dad’s trying to reach—come home to us—I will find him and bring him back. If he stays, I will beat him up and drag him back home. I will never give up. This is a promise of a lifetime. I will never go back on my word. Not ever! Believe it!”

Cassandra was petrified.

She was overflowing with sad recollections of Alphonse fulfilling his promise to her, presenting Lancelot to her. She would always remember the distress and anguish in Alphonse’s eyes as he watched her clasp hands with Lance and march out into the sunset. She did not say that to Eddie. These kinds of pledges and oaths could pound a man’s pride and heart. There would always be a chance that the Alphonse Ferguson she knew back then was not the man she had known eight years ago, or was no longer part of this world.

Her first love showed her that lesson exceptionally well.

“It’s getting darker. Let’s head back before it gets dark.”