One thing that I’ve learned for 18 years of my life, is that life is funny for the fact it can be both predictable and unpredictable.

I knew right away since a kid that having parents with great achievements and records would lead my life to something heavy, something exhausting. I knew from a mile away that people of varying degrees will instill a lot of expectations on me, just for the fact they knew whose son I was.

Mom, Dad, and uncle Luther are people that to this day I appreciate and love for never once instilling anything into me, and I appreciate Martyn and Eleanna too for accepting and only seeing me for what I truly can do.

In retrospect, I should have been a normal kid with ambitions that are conceived solely by myself. With the friends I have, the families I have… they all should have made me fine for what I am.

But life is truly funny as I can’t stop hoarding every, single, thing that could boost my name.

I got the muscles, the brains, the wits, the popularity, the authority, best friends, girlfriends, admirations, jealousy, threats, everything. I got exactly what I needed to start being more than my parents, than my uncle. But then she appears.

She was of course astounded by everything I have, but… she was like Martyn and Eleanna, she didn’t only see the shiny stuff that’s attached to the man, she sees the man also, she even noticed why I even wanted to attach myself with those shiny things.

Caitlin was amazing, she’s fine with my incessant need to hoard everything for my name, she understood my feeling to want to be seen as a man that achieved everything by his own hands, she, she… she is a cheating bitch.

I hate her, I hate that I fell in love with her, I hate that she was in my heart, I hate that I even agreed to be in that sick twisted joke called a long-distance relationship, I hate! I hate, I hate…

I can continuously spout every single curse and cuss about her to make myself feel better, but it won’t change the fact that she was still someone amazing. She saw right through me and even accept who I was, I just… I just thought we could have something great together.

But I wouldn’t say she turned my heart to stone completely, I wouldn’t say that I don’t want to try again either, but what I would say is that I am not ready.

I still am not ready to fall in love again, to commit, and… to face that possibility again.

But again, like what I said, life… is, very, very, funny.

* * *

Click…

“Arthur’s back!” Martyn said excitedly after I closed the door.

“Yeah, where the heck did you ran off to?” Eleanna asked curiously as I put my coat near Martyn’s in the coat stand beside this room’s door.

“I, just had the greatest night of my life!” I announced to them while walking towards the couch enthusiastically. “I met this great woman after Martyn abandoned me!”

“Wait… what happen to that girl, Amèlia?!”

“She… got snatched by another noble.”

“Well yeah, she got snatched by another noble! That fuckin outdoors is a free for all after all!” Martyn said sarcastically and a bit vexingly.

“Hmm… well, so who’s this, woman, that has wooed our Arthur, hehe…” Eleanna keenly said with a playfully tone.

“Well…”

* * *

I was sitting on the chair that was prepared for the outdoor with the woman that I praised highly.

She’s an elf, a somewhat short elf or actually I am just that tall. She’s beautiful of course with her preserved youth, her really pinkish skin, green leaf small eyes, and petite stature.

I don’t exactly know how old she is, but she did said she’s 19 biologically, and her hair! Damn… though short girls aren’t really my type, she really fits the bill with her dark burgundy red hair.

But what sold me of course, is her as a person.

“There’s something I should inform you first, I don’t do rendezvous in these kinds of events!” She clarified.

“Wait, people do hookups here too?” I was genuinely surprised.

“Well… the young, curious, and of course, the unchaste ones usually. But there are those who have matured and should have been more restrained with how far their age is, for example, my friend… over there…” She pointed embarrassingly at her long-eared redheaded friend that’s really handsy with that nobleman.

“Ohh… well, I am young, curious too in fact, but I assure you that whatever is in my pants, stays in my pants!” I smiled a bit. “But I also have to clarify something for ladies like you too!”

“Ohh!” I got her attention. “Do tell!”

“I don’t do the next day of the cheesy romantic night.”

“So… basically a rendezvous just minus the sex and more on having fun?” She nailed it.

“Yeah, pretty much! Because what ruins these kinds of cheesy romantic nights is the next day, is the day where you have to confront those actions, to think of what those actions are to you!”

“Huh… so, you’re not looking for carnal pleasure nor is this an attempt to woo me…” She pondered deeply as she then realized. “You want to make a memory?”

“A great one! heck, a really magical and wonderful one if we can!”

* * *

“OHH! Ohh, holy shit your Ted!!! Or in this case your Victoria! Or actually both by the end I think!” Martyn jumped.

“The hell are you talking about Mar?” El was confused.

“Okay! Okay, what Arthur just proposed was pretty much a way to have something fun and great without making it into a reality! It’s a, like what Marshall said in the episode, a weeny ass idea!”

“No, it’s not! It’s a great idea if you’re just having fun and only looking to make great memories!”

“Which is why it’s a weeny ass idea! Dude! I bet you’re already feeling something there!”

“Whatever Mar, I am a well-focused man that can set his priorities very straight!”

“Sure, sure…” Martyn grinned.

“You know what! It’s my great memory and I don’t need to tell it to you!”

“Ohh, c’mon Art! I am just joking! C’mon, tell us who’s this really great woman you just met!”

“…you promise not to mock me?”

“Yeah, yeah!”

“Okay then…” Though I know he’ll probably make another sarcastic joke somewhere in the middle of my story, I… couldn’t help it, I really wanted to brag about how great she is.

* * *

After proposing the idea, I was pretty much waiting for what her response would be.

I don’t know if this is an appealing idea for the kind of women in her time period, her kind of people even!

She’s an elf after all, making a great memory does sound good on paper, but for her kind who lives for centuries, it’s going to be a bit of a hurtful memory in the future century.

But it surprises me as she.

“Alright! Let’s do it, let’s make a great memory!”

Holy shit it fuckin works… wow… o-okay, okay!

“O-Okay! and… as I said before, it’s a magical night where we don’t need to face the consequences of tomorrow morning, so no addresses! No pigeon exchanges or whatever communication you guys use! and especially, no names!”

“No names? So, we’ll need fake names then… hmm… call me Rath!”

“A pleasure to meet you Lady Rath, my name is… William Gustav Maryblood! You can call me William, Gustav, or Blood, just don’t call me Mary of course! haha…” I giggled a bit.

“Of course, Sir William! Hehe…” she giggle as well.

And everything was pretty much set up, the fake names, the humorous start, and our soon-to-be great memory, which… probably happened in an alternate universe.

“Hey Arthur, have you seen where Sir Fionn is?” out of nowhere, Pere showed up and ruined the setup. “Nevermind, I just saw Foulques. Ohh, and the Lord Pro- I mean, Martyn asked me to say, him and Lady Florens are waiting for you and your date.” He then walked off like he didn’t just blew my goddamn setup to pieces.

After Pere left, the situation was more or less being crept by a brief silence to grieve my perfect setup, with a ton of awkwardness of course in the air between us.

“So… my name is Arthur and you probably already know what my last name is, and… what I am too.” I said defeatedly.

“To be honest, I… actually already know who you are.”

“Damn it…”

“And it’s okay! You’re also, quite the contrary from what ‘the wind’ said.”

“Huh… so what did ‘the wind’ say?” I curiously asked.

“Some said you were a giant, some said you defeated our Prince in just one swing, some even said you killed at least 50 Lobos in Lady Marie’s rescue mission, and the one I am glad that was true, is that you’re a soft-speaking gentleman.”

“I did... come from a family of lawyers and prosecutors! A clear, concise, and well-mannered speech is mandatory for me at home!”

“Well, that’s nice to know… and it’s also nice meeting you Sir Arthur, I am very sorry that your idea couldn’t come to fruition.”

“Wait hold on! Did I say anything about quitting? I mean… yeah, the mystery is dead, but who said we need a mystery to have fun without the consequences of tomorrow?”

“You’re not wrong… but knowing who is in your great memory, leaves a bit of a bad aftertaste whenever you’re going to remember it…” She contemplated for a moment. “But… Enfer that! Mystery is overvalued anyway, and to make this somewhat fairer, my name is Ioctoria le Rath de Caisoleán.”

“Ohh… Rath’s your epithet! What does it mean?”

“Victorious, I know, my father was really keen to see me be a victor in life.”

“That’s just parents in general! After all, it’s natural to wish your children to be a victor in life!”

“Haha… yes, can’t say no to that!”

With that… we’re finally set! There wasn’t anyone to surprise us, to reveal anything detrimental about us, nothing! Nothing…

AGHH Feck…. I don’t know what the fuck to do now! I thought I wouldn’t get this far!!! Ahh, shit… all the dating knowledge and experience I know are pretty much useless here, and… what the fuck do you do in a banquet other than dancing?!

But then it hit me, we’re pretty much in a castle, quite a big one actually! So, there’s bound to be something fun there to do with her.

“So… we’re just going to dance?” She said in a disappointed manner when we were near the ball room.

“You don’t like dancing?” Though I didn’t have any intention to brought her to dance, because I sucked at dancing, I was curious to why she responded like this.

“No… I just… from how enthusiastic you sounded on making a great and magical memory, I thought… you would do something more, than what the nobles are doing here.”

“Ohh! well, lucky for you, I sucked at dancing, so how about we explore this castle instead!”

“Huh… interesting!” I knew right away I hit the jackpot with that interested tone and how cute her long elf ears twitch in excitement.

So, after passing through the entrance and the ballroom, we explored the castle by checking out room per room.

The majority we saw were desolate empty rooms, but there was some treasure we found from opening those doors, one of them was a room full of plate armors that I played around with by wearing one of them and acting silly in front of Ioctoria.

We then also found a library in our search for more surprising rooms, inside was as expected, there were a lot of books, really dusty and old if I have to say.

We took one of them and read it, it was pretty much an old encyclopedia on the Feannag’s family line and we could tell it because Alaxandair wasn’t written there, nor it was a Feannag that has become the Grand Dukes of Tuath.

It was the Tuath’s kings of old, where the last page was dedicated to the famous King Ruiseart I ‘the Shield of the North’ Feannag.

“Kings like him are an inspiration you know! Their deeds of greatness and prowess are things that make people want to achieve more than what they have, I am one of them! And though he’s not my inspiration to be great, people like him makes people like me want to carve their name for all to see throughout history!”

I get that feeling, to be seen as great, to be seen as wonderful, to be seen as a person that achieved something by their own right…

God I wish people back in my world see me like that, but at least, though my uncle’s name for sure will be attached to my back, I can still carve my own name without that much baggage like before.

As we returned the encyclopedia, which… hahaha, Ioctoria accidentally tore a bit of the cover, we moved on to many more rooms where… ehh… I mean…

“I have heard of rooms… where many could do some… rendezvous here… but, I thought it was just rumors!” Ioctoria with a slight blush informed me.

But as we walked quietly not to interrupt their… room activities, I realized who’s moaning sound that was… t was, miss Marie’s.

Realizing that, I speed walk my ass as far from that room as possible, because I don’t need to be traumatized and be ridden with awkward eyes whenever I’ll see miss Marie.

Though that last room was… really just atrocious to my senses, the next room was really fun!

Creek…

Entering the room with Ioctoria, I noticed a peculiar shape instrument that was right in front of us, it looked kind of like a piano but weirdly more smaller, but of course, I realized that this instrument was.

“Sweet! A harpsichord!” I cheered.

“You know how to use the harpsichord Sir Arthur?” Ioctoria asked curiously.

“Yeah! Ehh… sorta of! Back in my world there’s an instrument that’s pretty much an evolution of the harpsichord, and I don’t want to brag, but I do know quite a bit how to play this beauty!”

“Well! Then would you play me something from your world!”

As I received Ioctoria’s request, I sat down, and prepared my hands and fingers to play… hmm… a classic! Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Fate!

Dun, Dun, Dun, Duuuun!!!

Ioctoria was surprised, no! she was shocked as she should be, this piece is quite strong after all.

I remembered when I heard it the first time, the sudden tapping of the keys bringing quite a rock and roll feel to it and the end that’s as a strong as the opening, this piece was pretty much why I even dare to learn the piano.

“Wow… that piece hits harder than I expected!” She said in amazement as she then sat beside me.

“Well, Fate does punch quite hard.” I replied.

“Ohh…” Ioctoria blushed when he heard my reply.

“It’s what’s the piece is called!” I realized what I just said, as I quickly tried to clear the misunderstanding.

“Ohh! Haha… well then, for the next one, how about something slow from your world!”

Heeding her second request, the very first that popped up in my head was… Clair de Lune… we are in the dead of the night after all.

When she heard the intro, she surprisingly turned mellow, I could tell that she was enjoying this piece from how less tense and a bit lowered down her long ears is.

She then looked me, with such a gorgeous smile, I couldn’t help to smile as well with her but something else was pushing me. This melodious sound I am producing with the harpsichord, this room’s moody lighting, and her thin smooth lips, I…

“I… don’t think we should kiss…”

DUNNN…

“Look, we’ve both already know who we are and with the fun that we’re having, a kiss would put a strain on this memory! It would be hard to not question our actions right now in the morning…”

I couldn’t argue with her, she was right, putting a kiss on this memory would tip the balance massively. Heck the balance is already tipped,and having a kiss would really ruin it.

After that we left the harpsichord and continue our journey through this castle’s hallways, looking for more interesting rooms, interesting stuff to talk about, and to have fun! But I realized we reached the end of our date as we saw the balcony.

As we walked towards the balcony and opened that door, a cold wind touched our skin and tingled us, our eyes then were delighted with the open sea.

It was dark, as the moon was pretty much right above us, but coincidentally it was a full moon where the balcony, the docks, and everywhere where the moon is all present to see, gave us, though it was still quite dim, a light.

We stood there and enjoyed this midnight view. Ioctoria was leaning on the balcony's stone railing, feeling the northern breeze and enjoying the crashing waves of the sea.

While me, I was looking at her. The moonlight was shining at her, clearing my eyes to her pinkish skin, her green leaf small eyes, her long dark burgundy red hair, her long exquisite elf ears, her beauty...

As I was entranced by her under this moonlight, she noticed it, smiled at me, and walked slowly towards me.

"You know I realize a painful flaw this idea I made, because of all the wonderful and memorable things we've done here... it’s going to be really painful when I see you go…" I said realizingly… but I couldn’t complain, I ask for this.

“Hmm… it is painful to see and then remember you leaving me…” She said sorrowfully. “But I have an idea! Close your eyes!”

I close my eyes without reluctance, as I already know where this is going, I just didn't expect that it would be her who leaves me. But before she left, she went near my right ear, leaving a tiny, warm, breath, and a...

“Thank you…”

I opened my eyes, already accepted that she would be gone, accepted that this will only be a memory. But... something feels wrong, my heart, it aches, and… ahh...

Well… I can’t blame anyone but myself for this.

* * *

“You’re an idiot…” Martyn said disappointingly.

“Art… are you really sure about this? She sounded really great!” Eleanna on the other hand was concerned.

“She is more than great! She’s infuriatingly incredible! She’s sharp, funny, ambitious, smart, and much more experienced than any of us… I can’t in all honesty treat it like the sham relationships I had with girls after Caitlin! But I can’t in all honesty too, be committed like with Alice and… be ready for the possibility again… I just.”

Am not ready… I am scared, to be honest, I don’t want to feel that feeling again, I don’t want to pick up and piece my heart all back together again… I, I…

DAMN IT! Why did her face just pop into my head? why am I remembering again the things we’ve done? W-why?

I… I don’t want to be hurt again! I don’t want to be betrayed again! I don’t want to feel, this, this shitty feeling where life is just colorless!!! Goddamn it… I don’t want to…

I…

“DAMN IT I NEED TO SEE HER!”

““YES!”” Martyn and Eleanna said in relief.

“C’mon, let’s find her! Lady Chloé!!!” Martyn in excitement, out of nowhere called for Lady Chloé, who… wow, I mean she is known for popping out of nowhere, but… damn.

“Lord Protector.” She bowed before Martyn. “Unfortunately, Lady de Caisoleán has already departed, but fortunately, she’s not that far! In horseback, Sir Arthur can catch her in a manner of minutes.”

“You heard the Lady! GO! GO! GO!” Eleanna’s encouragement moved my ass from the couch.

“I am coming too! I am really excited about how all of this will end!” Martyn like me, ass already off the couch, ran with me to the stables.

We both ran like never before, I ran like never before!

My heart was pounding really fast and I can’t believe I am doing this… She might laugh at me, she might scold me, but fuck that! I don’t want just a memory with her, I want memories with her, I want to make more together!

I want it to be memories that we could be embarrassed about together, be happy about together, be something that we could reminisce together!

As we took on the reins of the horses and made them gallop, we rushed through this winter city to get out of it’s and out there to the snow-covered plains, there where I have to meet her again, and say everything that I just proposed was stupid.

“There they are!” Martyn as usual with his sharp eyes saw the carriage.

It’s only a matter of time now, yes, yes, yes!!!

The horse was gaining on them though a bit slow, it’s in a sure matter that we will reach them to make the fuzzy look of the carriage, to be more and more sharper, I could even see a couple of mounted guards beside the carriage!

I thought of what to say to her, I was on a fence about whether to go full-on corny and cheesy with her or maybe even kiss, hahaha… or maybe… just tell everything on what I think about her.

Telling her that there are more memories we could build together, more memorable and fun memories we could make together.

Yes… I want to that, I want to see that, I want…

I’ll see you again, Barthur…

No… no, why am I remembering her?! Why??? Of all the time!!! I…

You’ll of course always be here in my heart, silly Barthur!

GODDAMN IT WHY?! WHY??? Why is this coming again???

I really, really, really love you Barthur!

No… no, no, no, no, no, no, no…

I am sorry… I am really sorry Arthur… I… can’t excuse myself for this, I am a horrible person, and I understand if you will never forgive me...

I saw that memory again.

I remember how she was holding back her tears only for them to rain down after she confessed everything.

I remember how I was frozen and can only stare at her, stare at her tears, thinking if she was just playing around.

But her tears, it screams everything, everything we just lost…

Now… I’m more afraid than before, because if I reached her carriage, I know for a fact that I would subject myself to that possibility again… I… really, really do like her, but, but…

I slowed the horse, slowed it to the point it just stops on these cold plains.

“Art why are you stopping?!” Martyn who ran passed me, saw and went back. “Dude c’mon!!”

“No… I can’t, it’s better this way for me…”

“Arthur…” Martyn probably knows everything from my eyes again, knows that I can’t.

“But it was still one hell of a memory with her! It was still… something that I can laugh at, I can be happy about, something, I can, remember…”

Life is indeed funny, I just hope… its funniness can make me move on.

* * *

Arthur left first on horseback as I gazed back at that carriage, I was thinking… I don’t know what I was thinking, I was just sad, sad that I couldn’t see Arthur move on and be happy with this amazing woman he just told.

“Lady Chloé…”

“Yes, Lord Protector?” She appeared near the horse.

“Keep an eye on her like a hawk and I want you to quickly inform me if she’s anywhere near Londini!”

“As your wish, Lord Protector.”

Manic pixie girl, manic pixie girl… she’s an elf even! Really is the funniest shit ever…

Me, Eleanna, and Arthur, especially Arthur, will be waiting for you Ioctoria le Rath de Caisoleán, to finish this love story you’ve made with him. But because you wonderfully came and mess with my best friend, do expect some… bumpy roads in the future.