True Romance

The next few weeks in Auria's life were chaotic. A war almost broke out when the other kingdoms found out that their princes almost died. Thankfully, with Auria taking the reins, the impending war was abated/ It helped that Lophen was exposed for his misdeeds by his very own henchmen whom Silvia miraculously defeated and imprisoned. It was later on discovered that Lophen never had permission from Quirun to participate in the competition, the latter being only a bastard son of the current king.

On the other hand, the remaining princes stayed in Noir for another month, helping Auria rebuild the kingdom. Fortunately, they didn't take it against Threanas the atrocities committed by Auria's father and the thief prince. In fact, they were thankful to Auria and especially to Lyrus for freeing them from Lophen's control. Unknown to them, Edrana returned to the kingdom and brewed an antidote to counteract the effects of the potion of Obedience. The princes were also more than happy not to imposed upon Auria anymore their desire to marry her. They even promised to support Threanas if needed be, in recognition of Auria's kindness and help.

As for the rebellion, the Midnight Council, assured everyone that reforms would be implemented by Auria. Thenan later on revealed, that the whole council was in fact planning to have her replace Deanor all along. The thought of having the full support of the council, whom she considers as her second family, gave Auria the needed strength and inspiration in her new endeavor as the ruler of the kingdom.

"When will he wake up?" Auria stared at the sleeping form of Lyrus. It had already been a month since the competition had ended but Lyrus was still unconscious. She already ordered that her lover be given a place inside the castle just to ensure that his needs were taken care of.

"I don't know my dear. I'm sorry. I've used all the spells and potions I could think of but it seems the damage on his body was simply too much. Only time will tell when he will wake up." Edrana hugged Auria as she cried once more. Even the old woman's warm and loving gesture failed to uplift her spirit. Everything was almost perfect. Almost. Right now, Lyrus was the only one missing to complete her happiness. Is this the price to pay for her foolishness?

It was already night when Edrana left. The old woman promised to bring more healing potions upon her return. Auria merely nodded and watched as the apothecary left. She examined Lyrus for the nth time. Scars had formed all over his body, evidence of the torture and hardships he went through for the last few months. His hair had already grown long and messier than the usual. He was Lyrus yet he was not. It looked as if the Lyrus before her had changed, had become older, wiser…had become a better man. Auria smiled as she imagined her bestfriend, her lover's reaction upon seeing his appearance. As if drawn by some unknown force, Auria leaned and kiss Lyrus.

Lyrus felt a warmth sensation on his lips. I love you Lyrus. The words echoed in his mind. He felt his strength slowly coming back as the warmth spread throughout his body. It was the same sensation when he changes his appearance to Elyse. His heart seemed to beat faster with every passing minute. With his strength renewed, he opened his eyes and saw Auria's face, crying, as she was kissing him.

"Hey…don't cry," Lyrus spoke to the shock of Auria. However, upon seeing him awake and smiling, Auria became overwhelmed with emotions and simply wept harder as she hugged the man she loved.

"I love you too." Lyrus caressed Auria's head as the princess continued to sob in happiness. He finally said it. After all this time, Lyrus finally confessed his feelings to the woman he loved with no pretensions, no disguise, just by his real self.

The next few days became Lyrus' busiest days. Having wakened up after almost a month of being unconscious, he spent the following days gaining his strength back. Thanks to Auria, whom he just found out had an overlyprotective side to her, he was able to quickly regain full control of his body. After that, everything became surreal as he attended numerous banquets in his honor. It appeared that the news of his victory over the other princes spread like wildfire and he became the stuff of legends within a month.

"You okay?" Freid asked Lyrus as the two drank some ale in a pub. Being not that well off, Lyrus doesn't indulge that much in liquor. In fact, it was his first time to drink in a pub.

"I-I'm fine. I-It's just…I can't believe with everything that's happening to me." Lyrus unconsciously touched the scars on his face. It had somehow become his habit to feel said scars whenever pondering about something. It was as if the scars were an affirmation of the reality of the events of the last few months.

"Well you better believe it, potato sack errr…Sir Potato Sack I mean." Erne busted out laughing as the merchant bought another round of ale for them. Even Erne seemed to have changed. The merchant somehow became a bit courteous and respectful with him.

"Uhhh…E-Erne…thanks." Erne only responded with a quizzical look to Lyrus' gratitude, handing him another pint of ale as he does so.

"Tha-thanks for rescuing me." Lyrus tried to smile at the foul-mouthed merchant but failed spectacularly. Looks like he's still scared of Erne's demeanor in some way. Perhaps due to the amount of ale he drank, Lyrus felt courageous that day and decided to ask the merchant a question that got over his curiosity. "He-hey Erne…Is it true that you were also a knight?"

Erne spat all over their table, to the amusement of Freid, who laughed uncontrollably. "No-no…I wasn't a knight. I-I just told Barthos that lie to scare the dimwitted hooligan," Erne replied, wiping his mouth.

"Oh look, it's Lyrus." Meiros and Karos entered the bar, and to Lyrus' surprise, Meiros had a short sword tied around his waist. Upon sitting at their table, he immediately apologized to Karos for breaking his family's dragon gauntlets to which the blacksmith gave a hearty laugh and clapped his back, saying that the gauntlets were decades old and it wasn't even a surprise that it broke.

"So…why is the Midnight Council's members gathered here again?" Freid asked. Lyrus eyes widened in surprise. Midnight Council? The council that planned the rebellion? Looking around, he saw everyone grinning impishly at him. It suddenly dawned on him that the very people he was with right now were the members of the Midnight Council. He berated himself for forgetting to ask Auria who the members of the council were.

"You forgot? We're celebrating Meiros' squireship. The squire test was held earlier today and he passed. Sheesh." Erne blew a raspberry. The merchant was drunk already. Squire test, huh? It felt like it was just yesterday when Lyrus stood at castle grounds and took his own squire test. How time flew so fast.

The group drank until the wee hours of the morning, when Erne and Meiros began vomiting. Lyrus for his part felt lightheaded yet surprisingly full of energy. Suddenly remembering that he promised Auria to return to the castle early, he made a dash towards the castle gates.

Lyrus tiptoed along the halls of the castle. He was given permanent residence courtesy of Auria, who with the Midnight Council had been managing Threanas quite well. "And why are you tiptoeing, Lyrus Arghant?" He swallowed and turned his head to see an annoyed Auria in her nightgown, looking at him. He was so close to his quarters, so close.

"No-nothing. I was just…" He laughed nervously. Spending more time with Auria nowadays, Lyrus learned more and more about the princess' personality, one of which is her tendency to be like an overprotective mother to him.

"You know your duties as a mentor to new squires are to begin within a few hours, right? So, would you care to tell me why you returned from you drinking spree only now?" Auria came closer to him. Lyrus can only apologized profusely as the princess twisted his fingers playfully. It was a habit she apparently picked up from her former maid Silvia.

"Sleep. You have a lot to do when the sun rises. I won't allow freeloaders here in the castle, okay?" Auria kissed Lyrus on the lips as she bade her goodbye. Auria can't help but giggle at seeing Lyrus' face going red. It feels good to have her lover be also her bestfriend.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lyrus asked Auria with a worried look on his face. Before them, the castle guards proceeded to open one of the cells in the dungeon. Auria nodded in return, as she held tightly Lyrus' hand. It had been more than a month and she knew that sooner or later she herself would need to do it, that she would need to face her father.

"Auria…I've heard…" Deanor didn't look like the proud ruler of Threanas anymore. It's shocking what time can do to a person and while the Midnight Council assured Auria that the former king was unharmed, the degradation that seemed to have descended to his body told another tale. Eating as little as possible, and refusing to talk to anyone, the once well-toned physique of her father had become thin and withered. His beard and hair had turned all white and grown long. It was as if looking at a living skeleton. Auria felt her heart break at the sight of her father but she knew she must be strong. She's the ruler of Threanas now and for the sake of its' people, she knew what must be done.

"The council have decided. You and your supporters are to be banished from Threanas and the other kingdoms are to afford you neither shelter nor a way of living. Tomorrow you shall be branded as a sign of your corruption and greed, and so that others may recognize you and avoid emulating your ways." Auria held back her tears as she delivered the grave news to her father. Deanor for his part merely looked at her in the eyes while she spoke. During the meeting to determine the fate of Deanor and his supporters, Silvia and Thenan tried to bargain with the council for a less severe punishment, but to the shock of everyone, it was Auria herself who first expressed her approval for such.

"I understand…I only wish that me and my men be at least provided with some essentials so that we may not die as soon as we left Threanas." Auria bit her lip. Her father, the proud king of Threanas, Deanor was bargaining…no, was pleading before her. She felt Lyrus' hand gripped hers tighter, and found her strength and resolve coming back.

"I shall see to it that your wish be communicated to the council with haste." Auria replied, turning her back quickly as she felt the first tear rolling down her cheek. Lyrus wrapped his arm around her, whispering words of comfort into her ears.

"Auria…I-I'm…I'm sorry for not being the father…that you expected me to be." The tears finally started to pour on Auria's face upon hearing her father's words. Not being able to hold it back any longer, she ran to Deanor and hugged him, apologizing as she wept in his arms.

"It's okay…do not cry…I will be fine…I will manage…" For the first time, she felt warmth and sincerity in her father's words. For the first time, she felt like it was indeed her father who was hugging and comforting her. Looking up, she saw tears also forming on Deanor's eyes. She hugged and cried to him for what seemed like an eternity. Her heart was broken by her father yet at that moment, the very same man repaired and healed it.

She bade a tearful goodbye and left Deanor. Lyrus for his part opted to stay behind as he himself still had some unfinished business to attend to. "Lyrus Arghant…do not make the same mistakes that I did. Take care of Auria and Threanas…Succeed in what I have failed to do." Deanor's grasped Lyrus' arm tightly, as if the king was begging for his very life.

Lyrus merely nodded in reply. The acts done by the king and Lophen were still fresh on his mind and would most likely haunt him until the end of his days. Letting go of the former king's hand. He walked to the last cell, to the person he wants to see.

The golden-haired man's eyes were full of rage. Unlike Deanor, Barthos ate and kept himself healthy while being imprisoned. As a result, despite the rugged look of the former knight, Barthos retained much of his physique. The sight put shivers down Lyrus' spine. Here was a man whose anger never waned but rather strengthened. It was as if he was looking at a captured bear, broken and enraged beyond measure. "What do you want?" Barthos spat at Lyrus' feet.

"I bring news...You and the other supporters of the king are to be branded and exiled. Kingdoms were asked to deny you shelter and a way of living… unless you choose to admit your guilt and be imprisoned for the rest of your lives." Lyrus tried to control his anger. Barthos, one of the persons who made his life miserable was before him. He could easily kill him and get away with it. Freid's account of how the knight attempted to kill him, only made his blood boil harder.

"I admit nothing. I will never feel ashamed of what I have done…my only shame is on my failure to kill –" A punch landed on the man's face as Lyrus entered the cell. He punched Barthos once more, breaking the latter's nose, and drawing blood. He felt his anger subsided upon seeing the blood on his fist. Will he dare stoop down on the king's and Lophen's level? The thought calmed he down a bit. His fists trembling, he quickly turned his back and went outside of the cell.

"I…I will never become the likes of you and I'll make sure that future knights will never become like you. Yo-Your tale shall serve as an example to others…I will give the council your answer and tomorrow you shall be branded and exiled. Goodbye, Barthos." Lyrus held his bloodied fist. Enough. He's done enough. If he is to make sure that no knight follows Barthos' steps then he should lead by example. His business finished, Lyrus climbed out of the dungeon, and into the light of the castle, providing him the warmth his heart needs.

The following day was a cold day even though signs of spring had already appeared throughout the kingdom. It was as if the last remains of the former regime were trying to not let go of Threanas. A dismal atmosphere hang over the coliseum as crowds gathered there once more. Standing in the middle of the structure was the former king and all those who supported him, bound in chains, and heavily guarded. A knight wearing a visor stood by the side holding a metallic rod with a rune symbolizing banishment on its end. A fire pit burned brightly infront of the knight, seemingly eagered to heat the metallic rod.

"I, Princess Auria, ruler of Threanas, together with the Midnight Council, and all of the people of the land, sentence you, Deanor and your followers eternal exile. No kingdom is to grant you shelter or a way of living. You are to leave Noir by afternoon lest be executed." Lyrus held Auria's hand as the two of them watched the branding. Auria cried as she saw her father grimaced in pain as the rune symbolizing exile was stamped on his forehead. On the other hand, Lyrus observed the ceremony with a stoic expression even as Barthos made eye contact with him, eyes full of hatred. He had made peace in his mind and that's all that matters.

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the ceremony came to a close, which only made Auria's heart feel heavier. However, later that afternoon, as she and Lyrus looked at the backs of the exiled as their caravan made its way out of Noir's gates, a spark of hope ignited in her. This is a chance, a chance for her father to turn over a new leaf. She had already spoken to the council, and they agreed to pardon anyone of the exiled in case they return to Noir and as long as they've shown that indeed they have changed. While this was not relayed to her father and the latter's followers, Auria knew that one day the man named Deanor would return and this time as the father she expected him to be.

It was a starry night. Lyrus and Auria sat on a bench at the palace garden. The two had just finished eating supper and decided to spend sometime together. They talked a lot of things, their experiences for the last few months, their hopes and dreams, everything. It felt like they had known each other ever since they were a child.

"Huh…who knew that the person I loved was by my side all this time, thrashing me during training." Lyrus grinned at Auria who giggled at his statement.

"And who knew that the person I would love will be the bumbling peasant that got lost in the palace, literally bumped into me, and later that day, lost his purse." Lyrus' face became red, making Auria laugh harder.

"Well, well…looks like we're not only the ones taking a stroll tonight." Thenan together with Silvia greeted the couple as both Lyrus and Auria blushed.

"Have I ever told you princess that you look funny whenever you become embarrassed?" Silvia teased Auria as the latter made a face seemingly pleading to her former maid not to humiliate her infront of the person she loves.

"You know, I've always told her that…the way she would try to hide her red face reminds me—ow!" Lyrus yelped as the princess twisted playfully his fingers while Thenan burst out laughing at the gesture.

"Thenan…Silvia…thank you for everything." Auria smiled as she shook the hands of the two persons she considered part of her family. Lyrus did the same, but also bowing to Thenan, thanking the knight for taking care of the woman he loves.

"You know, one thing had always bothered us…Just who is Edrana? Where does she live? You both mentioned that she was the one who gave you the transformation potion." Silvia asked with a puzzling look.

"Huh? You don't know Edrana? She is the apothecary of Noir. She lives in an old shop inside the capital. She was the one who made the cure for Wood Fever," replied Auria who seemed to be equally confused by Silvia's reaction.

"Apothecary? There had be no apothecary in Noir for centuries. We, especially your father would have known. Besides, there had been no cure for Wood Fever. All those afflicted by it simply got better after a few days…though it was puzzling how that happened." Thenan pondered as Lyrus suddenly stood in surprise.

"Wha-what do you mean there was no apothecary? Auria and I frequented Edrana's shop. She was the one who healed me when I had Wood Fever and after the third trial." Both Auria and Lyrus now had a confused expression on their faces. Just what is happening? Nobody seemed to know who Edrana is, or rather the two seemed to have forgotten about the kind old lady.

"Okay, okay…calm down. The thing is, while both of you have told us about Edrana multiple times. None of us, even those in the Midnight Council were familiar with the person. After the third trial, we conducted a search for this...Edrana...over fear that her safety might be compromised because of her knowledge in making a transformation potion. But no one, and I mean no one, in Threanas appear to know her except the two of you. I was hoping you—" But Thenan wasn't able to finish what he's saying as the two suddenly ran in a hurry, leaving Thenan and Silvia scratching their heads.

"Edrana! Edrana!" Lyrus and Auria barged into the old woman's shop. To their shock, the whole cabin was deserted, thick dust had accumulated, and its inside suddenly turned into a decrepit state. It was as if no one had lived on it for centuries. Lyrus and Auria looked at each other in disbelief. Just what is the meaning of this? Just who is Edrana? Even a faerie would leave a trace of itself wherever it went, right? These questions filled the couple's mind as they scan the room for any clue as to the existence of the kind old woman.

As if on cue, the door leading to Edrana's workshop opened. The two carefully walked inside and to their delight, saw the old woman sitting on an old wooden chair. Edrana smiled at them as they entered, as if she had been expecting them this whole time. Auria wasn't able to contain herself and immediately hugged the apothecary while Lyrus stood by their side smiling, happy to see the apothecary once more.

"There, there…Why look at how much the two of you have grown. It seemed that you no longer need this little potion of mine and myself for that matter." Edrana chuckled as she studied Auria and Lyrus. For the first time, the two indeed felt that they have grown, that their experiences of the last few months seemed to have made them stronger, a better person in whole.

"Now, now…I'm sorry for my frequent and prolonged absence in the last few months but just like you I also have my own duties to fulfill…and sadly, my duty here in Noir has ended…but I was glad it ended on a happy note though." Tears welled in both Lyrus' and Auria's eyes. Edrana is leaving for good. The words of the old woman tugged deeply at their hearts. Edrana had been a part of their lives for the last few months. It was saddening to know that they won't be seeing the warm smile of the apothecary.

"Bu-but…we need you here. Ca-can't you just stay?" Lyrus had started sobbing. While he always tries to hide his sadness, this time, he simply can't contain the sorrow in his heart.

"I'm sorry my dear, but I can't. You have your roles to fulfill, I have mine. Sadly, my duty here had ended, and as a sign, the memories of everyone about me is also starting to fade. If it comforts you, I made arrangements to ensure that you two at the very least would still remember of our time together. I am very proud to have been part of your lives during my short stay here. You two are my greatest accomplishments." With that, the two broke down. Auria and Lyrus cried like little children about to bid their grandmother goodbye. It didn't matter if they looked ugly or ridiculous while crying. All they know was that they're sad.

After the two had calmed down. Lyrus left Auria and Edrana alone so that they may say goodbye properly to each other. "I will miss you. Thank you for changing my life." Auria wiped a tear from her eye as she hugged Edrana once more.

"You take care of yourself, okay? Whatever happens, be strong, okay?" Auria nodded in understanding, and with a final hug and a kiss on the cheek, left the room.

"Ah, Lyrus…you really changed so much. But time will come that Elderone will need you and you will be forced to leave Threanas. Leaving Threanas…would mean sacrificing your happiness in order to protect the happiness of others. However, you can stay here with Auria and be happy." Lyrus swallowed as the old woman looked at him with a grim expression on her face. Leave Threanas? But what about Auria?

"So…what's your decision?" Edrana asked, staring directly into the eyes of the knight. Taking a deep breath, Lyrus smiled at the old woman.

"I choose to have both. I wish to have my own happiness and to protect those of other's. I don't know how but I will find a way. After all, it's you who taught me that there's nothing wrong with being selfish as long as you don't step on somebody." Lyrus winked at Edrana, hinting that he knew she was the being of light all along. Edrana laughed wholeheartedly at the gesture.

"Well said…very well said…Oh how the two of you never ceased to surprise me. Well, if that's your choice then so be it. Take care always, will you? I've had seen all kinds of love in my time, both good and bad, and the two of you is what I would prefer to call as true love." Edrana smiled and hugged Lyrus.

The two bade goodbye to the old woman and made their way back at the castle, the starry sky guiding them back. "Do you think we'll ever see her again?" Auria asked Lyrus as they held each other's hand while walking.

"Yes, I believe so. After all, the world is small, and fate is like a puppeteer ever so playful with its dolls." Auria laughed at the bad metaphor given by Lyrus. Lyrus simply chuckled in return. The two walked while the coldness of the night faded away, replaced by the warmth of the love they have for each other, the love between a princess and a knight.