Chapter 28 : Old Wounds

"I've been wondering, have you ever heard Arthur sing?" Lady Eleanna suddenly asked in our walk to our next class.

"He did once play the harpsichord for me, but singing? I haven't heard it from him yet. But wait… he's that musical?" This piece of Arthur intrigued me.

"Ohh yeah! very much! Arthur was once a choir boy in his grandfather's church, thank god for him, no priest diddled him, hahaha!"

"Haha…" I laughed a bit awkwardly as her joke about a man of the cloth from her world was quite dark and morbid.

"Yeah… he grew out of it of course, but his singing voice is still there, albeit upgraded befitting to a tenor, and hey! If you have the time, I could make him sing for you!"

"You would do that for me, Lady Eleanna?" I was stunned by her generosity.

"Of course, I would! This would make you fall harder for him, hehe."

"Lady Eleanna…" I blushed as I knew I would definitely fall harder for him, after all, I'm already falling for him.

"I mean… Arthur is a nice a guy, he's talented, he's packing down there even! hehe, but mostly… he needs to move on."

"Pardon?" That last piece of information about Arthur, intrigued me.

"He has told you about his last girlfriend right?"

"Lady Caitlin?"

"Don't… call her a Lady, she doesn't deserve that kind of honor after betraying Arthur's trust" Her tone was quite scary. "And yeah… she's the one."

"Hmm… yes, I've heard of her, how… she messed up Arthur."

"Yeah… but now, he's more better than ever! Of course, it's because of you! so… what do you say? want to hear Arthur sing something romantic? hehe."

"Mmmm… I…" I struggled a bit as I really do want hear Arthur sing something sweet and romantic, but… I don't want to bother him that much… yet… "O…o-okay! yes! It would be lovely to hear him sing and… thank you Lady Eleanna!"

"No problem! Also… just call me Eleanna!"

"My… it is an honor, thank you! Eleanna…" I shyly said Lady Eleanna's name without any honorifics.

"Don't mention it! Just name your first-born girl with Arthur after me!" She playfully said to me.

"Eleanna… that's… a bit too far down the road…" I just can't… Lady Eleanna giving me so many fantasies of the future I wish with Arthur…

"Hehe… by the way, is it just going to be us girls or is Arthur going to join us later?"

"I think he should be ahead of us actually! Ahh! there he is."

We both stopped after seeing Arthur ahead, with a couple of fine gentlemen that he has befriended. I saw a couple that I recognized, like Charles de Maignory, Arthur's sparring partner, and the Peasant, Téodor.

I couldn't really tell what they are all doing, but from how gruff and serious their faces are, I assume something quite impactful is about to happen.

And it did though… not how expected it, as it came in a form of him and his friends passing me and Lady Eleanna, not even noticing us and wearing a face that I couldn't believe Arthur could wore.

He was mad, livid, but… more, like he just saw something unbelievable, something that ticked him off so much.

This was a first for me, to see him so… angry, so… scary…

"You saw it right? His face, his… eyes…" Lady Eleanna asked me.

"Yes…" I shivered slightly.

"The last time I saw him wearing that face, was throughout summer break, the first month of the second semester of our second year, and… when he heard someone cheated on someone."

"Ohh…" I understood right away, the trauma he has probably is compelling him to bring some sort of justice to the cheater.

"Yeah… c'mon let's go!" Lady Eleanna suddenly grabbed me.

"Wait… what about class?"

"That can wait! Arthur needs us now and you being there might help him clear his mind."

"O-okay! Okay then!"

* * *

Me and Lady Eleanna followed Arthur and his gentlemen friends, walking carefully by Lady Eleanna's instruction to not distract them. She said we're here to observe and defuse the situation if the need arises, rather than joining or even stopping them.

I didn't exactly agree with Lady Eleanna, as if can, if we can! We should step in and help Arthur and his friends, but… she did point out that this is a boy's thing, something that they should do it by themselves.

Reasoning why I heeded her words and instructions and kept close with her, while we tailed Arthur and his friends not that far.

After walking for quite somewhile, we finally arrived as Arthur and his friends stopped at the halls that leads to the Academia's park. Then they huddled together and discussed something.

They were whispery, very whispery with one another, as if they were planning some kind of surprise attack. I could hear what they were talking of course, my Fada ears are made for this after all.

"So… that's the girl your courting?" Arthur asked his friend.

"Yes… and… god…." He was distraught, he was heartbroken from how defeated his tone was.

"It's okay James! we're here!" Charles de Maignory, comforted him, James.

"Yeah! you don't need to confront her and that bastard right now Heorstan! We can do this later." The Peasant, Téodor, said.

"No! I need… to do this! I can't call myself a man if I let this happen longer than it is!" With resolve, though still clouded by his heartbreak, James Heorstan said to them.

"Good, we'll be behind you, just say what you have to say James!" Arthur said, still… with the livid and the scary face he is wearing.

After that brief discussion, they all went to the said girl James Heorstan was courting. I believe that Lady is Agnes d'Hounville, third daughter of the Baron of Hounville, Baron Guy d'Hounville.

I kind of knew she was a strumpet, a very loose one as I always found the chance to always see her with another man at her side. Rumors more or less flew in the air of her might or might not un-intact virginity, but… the one I'm quite surprise of, is that someone fell for her.

"Agnes!" James Heorstan said loudly to that strumpet.

"James!! I… I can explain!" She tried to plead.

"Explain?! Like you did before, saying it's just a one time thing?!!!" And… wow… I guess the drama is more deeper than I thought.

"I…"

"Your what? your lonely?! Am I not enough for you? I have given everything to you, I even humilated my family just so I can be with you! I love you, you know!!!"

"I know… but… I… I… I don't deserve you!" And… it thickens.

"What…" And of course, the response confused him.

"You… you should just leave me James, you already know I'm a whore that will always seek any sort of attention, and you… I do love you, as you are the greatest of all the man that I have fallen for… you accepted me for who I am… but… I'm sorry James, I… don't deserve you."

"..." Heorstan was silent, still appalled at her actions, but… speechless for how much distance she is making to him.

He broke that silence soon as he speed walk his legs towards Agnes d'Hounville and… hugged her.

There was a moment of silence, awkwardness with the man she cheated with, confusion with Heorsten friends and me and Lady Eleanna, but… unbridled rage and fury from Arthur.

"I love you Agnes! I don't care if you don't deserve me, because I want you! I love you! Just please… consider my feelings, my love for you!"

"I… I'm sorry James…" She cried, crocodile tears might be, but… from her tone I could feel a semblance of genuines.

"No, no, no!!!! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING JAMES!!!" Arthur couldn't take it.

"I… love her and… I'm forgiving her!"

"Even after all she has done?!!! All the betrayal, all the cheating, all the broken trust?!!! ARE YOU AN IDIOT OR SOMETHING?!!"

"..." James was silent, Arthur's case was still solid.

"Leave her James! You already heard what she said! All you will have is a life of broken promises, lies, heartbreaks, a colorless life. No joy, only pain, brought by that whore you say you love."

And… when Arthur said whore, Heorstan's anger clicked as he left Agnes and ran straight to Arthur with a fist ready to hit him.

Arthur of course saw this coming, as he counter it with his own fist that landed quite hard at Heorstan's face.

"And now you're fighting for the whore? the slut? unbelievable…" With rage and fury in him, Arthur mocked as he prepared to give another round of his hand to Heorstan's face.

"Okay this our cue Ioctoria! run!" Lady Eleanna somewhat panically said.

Hearing this I ran quickly with Lady Eleanna towards Arthur, stopping him from doing something very dangerous.

And it was quite in the nick of time, as Lady Eleanna caught his arm and I stood in front of him, protecting Heorstan.

"Arthur stop!" I said to him in a concern voice to his… very livid and mad face.

"Ioctoria? Eleanna?" And he, thank the mother fay… came to his senses.

"You're going to have a fuckin field day with Miss Marie after this Art!" Lady Eleanna said. "I mean Jesus Christ… you almost smacked him to pieces like Dave! What the fuck is wrong with you?!!"

"I…" He was stunned, probably remembered what Lady Eleanna said.

* * *

I could hear… the sound of a very angry parent, or in this case, a very angry guardian. I heard scolding like noneother from outside the room that Arthur and Lady Maynard is in.

It was one sided, I didn't hear any sound, any whispers even from Arthur's, only the anger of Lady Maynard.

Soon it went quiet as the door opened, revealing a still livid Lady Maynard and a somewhat guilt ridden Arthur.

"You better apologize Arthur! And I don't want to hear any of this anymore!" Lady Maynard said lividly.

"Yes, Miss Marie…" Arthur could only sheepishly reply.

After that the door closes and I went to Arthur, comforting him and… honestly trying to understand why he is like this.

But I didn't ask right away, I knew from his face he was not in the mood to talk about it. So, I walked with him, comforting him and just help him get to Heorstan and apologize.

Until of course in the middle of the way, he spoke.

"You… must be wondering why I did that to Heorstan, right?" Arthur asked me.

"Ye- NO! no… ehh… kind of… but! I won't ask if you're not comfortable with it."

"It's okay, I'll tell you, I mean… I've already told you about Caitlin."

"Yes… you did."

"Yeah… huh…" He took out a huge sigh. "I still don't get it, I still don't get why there are people that would easily forgive people that betray their trust, like… why? is the coochie that good?"

"Coochie?" Another slang from his world that I don't know.

"Ehh… pussy…" He shyly said.

"Ohhh! ohh…" I was genuinely surprised at what it is.

"Yeah, I mean… is it that good? what things that are so good from the person you're dating, that their cheating is but an inconvenience for you!"

"Well… if we're strictly speaking of lustful and materialistic things… I guess that would counter it?"

"Yeah, I guess… but then what about people like Heorstan? Is love really something that can outweigh someone's betrayal."

"It shouldn't honestly." I gave my opinion.

"Right!"

"But… when you feel something, something so powerful, so moving, so… warm from a person, love towards that person! You would want to try to keep it, to try to hold at it as long as you can…" And… I gave my counter opinion.

"..." Arthur was silent, I do hope it's of understanding.

"Have you, ever… tried reaching, tried… to start over with Caitlin, Arthur?" I was curious.

"No… I haven't, and I don't think I will…"

"Because you hate her?"

"Might be… but… I think it's because I loved her so much."

"What do you mean?" His answer intrigued me.

"I was hurt of course, remembering her, remembering the fact she cheated on me, hurts… But it hurts more when the thought of giving her a second chance popped, as I know I would love her again, fell so hard again… I'm scared of loving her again and... well… getting my heart broke… again…"

His answer, strucked me as it seems… I'm not the only one that's not ready to be in a serious relationship.

I somewhat get it now, his hatred towards cheating people, his… pain, and… the distance he unknowingly gives to me.

I knew since the banquet, that there was something that is holding him back, holding him for doing something greater then and even… now…

Gods… I do am falling for him, I can't help it. But… the problems we have, still looms like a specter behind us. Our baggage, our weight, still is holding us back.

But for now, the least I could do to show how I feel towards him, is to comfort him, to ease his pain, and maybe…

"Ioctoria?" Arthur was surprised as I… went to him and hugged him.

"I'm here… I may say that I don't want to have something serious with you, but you should know, I do have feelings for you Arthur, I do have precious feelings for you. So… I'm here if you need me!" I said to him.

"..." He was silent for a moment, but he broke as he hugged me back. "Thank you Ioctoria… Also while we're at this weird sort of confession, I guess… I have precious feelings for you too…" He shyly said.

"Hahaha…" I laughed, not to mock him, but… out of relief that he does feel the same way.

"Get a room you two lovebirds!" Suddenly… our hugging session was interrupted by Lady Eleanna. "Don't forget to name your firstborn girl after me, 'kay! hehe…" She smirkingly said.

"EL!!!!" Arthur of course was shy, but me… well.. I'm too deep on hugging the man I… like, very, very much.