The city’s market was lively once again, back when the city was besieged, everyone was anxious and worried. Now, since the siege had been lifted, a cheerful and lively atmosphere was back in the city. That night, many vendors opened their stalls and the citizens were enjoying the atmosphere of the lively night. Couples could be seen enjoying the night on the market, children were laughing and running around, it felt like there was no war happening and they were at peace.

“The Duke sure knows how to keep the people's spirit high,” said Lucas while walking around the market.

“It sure feels like we are at peace,” said Ariana, who was walking together with him.

Before, Lucas was told by the Duke about a festival in the city’s market. He said the festival was to celebrate the liberation of the city. When he heard that, Lucas knew that the Duke was a great leader in the time of war, it is important to keep the spirit high in times of war, to avoid low morale among the citizens.

After the Duke told him about the festival, he was thinking of going there by himself. However, he met Ariana on the way out of the mansion and asked her to go with him to the festival, she was surprised when he asked her. She asked him if the others would come, and he said no and she blushed–she thought he was asking her to go on a date.

She composed herself and threw that thought away and agreed to his offer. After all, she knew he was a man of loyalty, he would never have thought of cheating on his fiancee. And the reason for him asking her probably was because she happened to meet him on the way. She told him to wait for her by the gate while she took her robe from her room.

Back in the market, both of them were walking among the crowds.

“Oh, look, a skewer stand. Ahhh, it smells good from here,” said Ariana. She looked at the stand, drooling.

“You want to buy it?” asked Lucas.

“Yes,” answered Ariana. When she reached for her pocket, she realised she had not brought her wallet or any money. “Ahh, on second thought, I-i don’t need it.”

“It’s fine, I brought money with me.” he offered to buy her skewers and she agreed.

They enjoyed the skewers together, it was delicious. They stumbled upon a bard who was singing a song and telling a story of old to the people who watched him play. He sang a piece of old, he brought a string instrument which he used to accompany his singing. His singing was beautiful, he melancholically sang a ballad and the story he told was,

On the land far away, a twin lived together

One struck by love and other was alone

Love then struck the other, too

Alas, love had broken them apart

The other was sent away, never been seen again

The other felt broken and guilty

He wish upon a star for their reunion

And wish for them together once again, like days of old

Everyone was taken aback by the performance of the bard, they felt the feeling of the twin who have broken apart from each other because of love. Some people cried, including Ariana, the song was touching for her. However, Lucas was suspicious, the story told by the bard was like the story of the Lorien twins. He thought whether this was a coincidence or not, but before he could think further he saw Ariana walk forward toward the bard. Surprised, he followed her and then after he got to the front, he could grab her arm.

“What are you doing?” asked Lucas

“Eh? I told you I will sing a song for you,” answered Ariana. She was surprised.

“Ah, sorry. I wasn’t listening to you.”

“So, you want me to sing or not? It’s payment for the skewers.”

“Yeah, sure,” Lucas said with a warm smile.

She approached the bard and everyone cheered for her. She asked him to teach her how to play the instrument and after a few minutes of short teaching from him she was able to play the instrument. She then prepared herself to sing, she stood in front of the crowd, at the same place the bard stood when he sang before. Lucas looked at her, she was a beauty, the light from the surroundings radiates on her face, she uncovered her robe’s hood and her golden hair shone beautifully under the light and the night’s stars. He was captivated by her looks.

She smiled at Lucas before she began singing. She sang an old folk song ‘Scarborough Fair’, the song told a story about an unrequited love of someone. She sang beautifully, her voice was angelic, and there was a hint of hope and sadness in her singing. Lucas kept looking at her while she was singing, he was not only captivated by her beauty but her singing enthralled him as well. He felt a fluttering feeling in his chest, the same feeling he had when he fell in love with Sophie a long time ago. He now understood he had a change of heart, his feelings towards one person had moved to another person.

Lucas smiled at her and their eyes met, she was smiling. Suddenly, the person he saw singing turned into someone he knew, Sophie. He was aghast, he closed his eyes and when he opened it, the person singing was Ariana. Lucas just saw a vision of Sophie on her and he did not know what that meant. He wanted to forget about her and moved to another part of his life, but some part of him refused to let go of the past.

She finished singing and the crowds cheered her loudly. Ariana was flustered when the other chanted to her.

“An angel has come.”

“The Goddess itself sang for us.”

“Goddess!”

The crowd kept cheering her and the bard praised her performance. When she tried to walk back to Lucas, the crowd surged forward to talk to her. The bard tried his best to keep the crowd from her, but he was overwhelmed. She was swarmed by the crowd and suddenly a loud voice came from the crowd.

“Stop, get away from my girlfriend!” shouted Lucas while he manoeuvred through the crowd to get to her. He was able to grab her hand.

“What girlfriend? So, she was already taken,” said someone from the crowd.

“Yes, she is mine. Please don’t overwhelm her,” Lucas said while hugging her around his arm, “then, we will bid our farewell since she has sung a song for you, thank you for listening.”

The crowd let them go, and Lucas led Ariana away from the crowd–holding her hand. They could hear a click of tongue, disappointment and even praise for them being a lovely couple. Ariana followed Lucas obediently, once they were far enough from the crowd Lucas stopped.

“That was close, are you alright?” asked Lucas. He looked at Ariana who was staring down at the ground.

“Umm…” answered Ariana mumbling.

“What?” Lucas could not hear what she said.

“Drinks...” said Ariana in a low voice.

“Drinks?”

“Yes..”

“Alright, sit over there and I will buy a drink,” said Lucas. He left her sitting on a bench.

Ariana's face was red, blushed, she was shocked by Lucas saying to the crowd that she was his girlfriend. She did not expect him to say those words to her, the song she sang was meant for her unrequited feelings towards him. She wondered if he caught on to those meanings and he acted that way to at least answer her feelings and comforted her. However, she knew he had Princess Sophie already and it would be hard to break the wall keeping her from him.

“Haaa, why did I fall in love with someone who already has a fiance,” said Ariana, mumbling.

“Here you go,” said Lucas. Ariana was startled. Lucas had come back from buying drinks, she hoped he did not hear what she said–he did not.

She took a sip from the juice he bought for her. It was refreshing, she had calmed herself and was able to compose herself. She peeked a glance at Lucas. She wished she had met him earlier, before he was betrothed to Princess Sophie, at least she would have had a chance to be beside him. She looked up to the sky, it was clear and the stars blinking brightly, and wished this moment would last forever.

“The Academy teaches you to dance, right?” asked Lucas.

“Ah, yes. They taught us to waltz and some other dances.”

“Great!” Lucas stood up and offered his hand. “would you like to have a dance, My Lady.”

Ariana was confused, she heard music but she did not want to dance here with only the two of them, then she saw a crowd who were dancing not far from where they were sitting. “S-sure, My Lord.” she took his hand.

When they arrived at the dancing crowd, Ariana felt nervous.

“Don’t worry, just dance whatever you like, if you want just follow my lead.”

“O-okay.” She grabbed his hands and they both started dancing.

She was nervous at first, but as the time went by she loosened up and was able to dance freely and beautifully. She looked at him whenever she had the chance, she felt lucky to meet him. Even though this happiness would only last until they went back from the festival, she wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

While she was dancing, she saw no ring worn on his finger. She wondered what it meant, did he forget to put it on, but he never took it off or forgot about it. She wanted to ask him but she never had the courage to do it. Suddenly, she tripped and was caught by Lucas.

“I guess you were too energetic there,” said Lucas with a smile.

“Ah, sorry.” Then a sound of rumbling came from Ariana’s stomach. She was flustered.

“Right, we left before we had dinner. How about having dinner here?” asked Lucas.

“N-no need, we can go back and eat dinner there.”

Lucas closed into her face and whispered in her ear, “It's my treat and payment for dancing with me… also, I want to spend more time with you tonight.”

Ariana blushed and she answered him with a low shy voice, “O-ok.”

They arrived at an inn and ordered food and drinks. They talked about a lot of things, mostly her life at the academy while waiting for the meals. They ate their meal together, however, Lucas did not know Ariana was a light drinker. She had drunk only 2 glasses of beer and she was already drunk.

“Hahh, I guess we should go back now," Lucas said with a worried face.

“Ehh~ but yous said you want to spend more time with me,” said Ariana with a drunken slurred voice.

“But, you're already drunk.”

“I am not druuuunk. I can drink moreee.” She took a gulp from her glass.

“Alright, we will go outside and take a walk.” Lucas paid for their meals and held Ariana’s hand to make sure she did not veer away from him.

“Ehehe, we lyook like a cople,” said Ariana giggling.

They were walking in the direction of the Duke’s mansion. “Really?” said Lucas.

“Ye-es~ holding hands and getting this close meant we. are. couple~” said Ariana. She was leaning on his body while walking.

“I see, I guess that does make us look like a couple.” Lucas was used to treating a drunk person, especially after he went out with his people in the Squadron, he had too, at least, guided one of them back to their place.

"ehehe, you are syo nice Lucas. Why are you swo nice to me? youu gave me waem fwelling. I want you."

"You want me? Why?"

"Yesh, youu~ but you have someone else, ryiight. you are cheating on me." said Ariana with a depressed drunken voice.

"Well… I had one."

"Yu had?"

"Yes, she is now far away and I don't know if we will be able to meet again." said Lucas with a longing face. "Ariana, will you help me?"

"Help you?"

"Yes, on forgetting her. Moving away from her."

"um~ ookay. If I help you will you love me~?" said Ariana.

"Sure, I will try it... Well, I do actually like you," said Lucas with a warm smile.

"ehhh~ ehehe, silly Lucas. Of course you are, we are c. o. u. p. l. e. after all."

"Right."

Suddenly, Ariana put her hands around Lucas's head and pulled his face lower, she tiptoed to make her face closer to him, and then kissed him on his mouth. "And this is what couple do~"

Lucas was surprised by the kiss, he did not expect the drunken Ariana would be this aggressive. Immediately after the kiss from her, he put his arm around her body and on her head, and pulled her closer to kiss her again.

The kiss lasted for a while. "Yes, cpuple do this," said Lucas. She saw her face after they kissed and thought she looked more cute and beautiful. He blamed this on the ecstasy of love and tried his best to hold back.

The drunk Ariana fell silent for a while and then slumped on his chest. He held her and then found out that she had fallen asleep. He carried the sleeping Ariana back to the mansion–they were closed by the mansion's gate.

Lucas looked at Ariana's sleeping face. She looked cute when sleeping, he wondered how no one approached her when she was at the academy.

“Was your grandfather's reputation that horrible to the people of the Empire, that you were outcasted?” said Lucas speaking to the sleeping Ariana, “I wondered what made you fall for me, well, if you ask me why I fell for you was not because we were trapped in here. Beside your beauty and cuteness, it was your reaction when teased, your sometimes clumsiness, your laugh, your spirit and your resolve to restore your family name. I wonder what our childr– haha, I should not think that far ahead.”

Ariana slept the whole way to the mansion and when Lucas put her on the bed. He laod her in her bed in her room and went back to his own room. In the morning, Ariana woke up with a terribly hungover, she tried to remember what happened last night.

“You have woken up.” Ariana was startled by the voice, she looked at the person talking, it was Bianca.

“M-morning, Bianca,” said Ariana.

“Afternoon, Princess. Drink this, it will help with your hangover,” said Bianca. She gave her something to drink.

“Eh, afternoon?” said Ariana, puzzled. She drank the drink Bianca brought.

“Yes, Your Highness. The sun is up on top of our head.”

“Why are you talking like that?” said Ariana, annoyed.

“I’ve been coming back here a few times and everytime I came here you were still asleep. Just now, I decided to wait for you to wake up. And that's because of a certain Lord requested me to watch over and paid special attention to his woman.”

“W-what? H-his woman…” said Ariana. Her face turned red, flustered.

“Well, he did not say it like that. He told me to take care of you since you were dead drunk last night.”

“Ugh, stop teasing me, Bianca. Both of you are a teaser you know! Do Lorien teach their children to tease people,” said Ariana, frustrated and annoyed.

“Ahahaha, I guess. Well, it’s fun teasing you.”

“It is not!.” Ariana fumed and pouted.

“So, what did you guys do last night?”

“Didn’t you hear it from him already?”

“He just told me that he went to the festival with you. So~ what happened? Who asked first?” said Bianca, curious and excited.

“He was the one who asked.”

“Oho~ I knew he was bold. ”

“B-but I don’t think he meant it like that. You know… like... a date,” said Ariana, with a sad voice.

“How do you know that?”

“Just a hunch.”

“Try to be positive for once, Ariana. So, what did you guys do?”

“Well, we walked, then ate. I sang a song then…” she fell silent.

“Then?”

“He said I am his girlfriend.” Ariana buried her face in the pillow.

“Hmm… Let me guess, there are only 2 reasons he would say that, either he meant it as is or he is trying to get you out of trouble.”

“It must be the latter, I was swarmed by the crowd after I sang,” said Ariana, disappointed. She hugged the pillow.

“Oh, too bad. So what happened next?”

“He asked me to dance–” Suddenly Ariana remembered something important. “Ah, when I danced, he did not wear his engagement ring.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Bianca put her hand on her chin as if she was thinking. “Interesting, he never took off the ring since they were engaged. I guess someone has changed.”

“Changed?”

“Yes, you may– no, you will be able to make him yours.”

“Make him mine?”

Bianca turned smug. “Yes, and I will support you. So, next!?”

Ariana looked at the ceiling, trying to recall the event last night. “Well, after that we had a meal in an inn and…”

“And?”

“I-i don’t remember. I drank beers and got drunk, aghh, the memory is hazy,” said Ariana. She tried to think again.

“Well, tha–”

“Ahhhhh!” Ariana suddenly slammed her head on the pillow she was hugging.

“What is it?”

Ariana's face turned red again, redder than before. She looked at Bianca. “I-i-i think w-we ki-kissed last night.”

“What, really?”

“Yes, and it was me who kissed him first.”

“Wow, you are bold,” said Bianca. She put her hand on her mouth.

“I am not! I was drunk, alright.” Ariana looked frustrated. “Ahh, d-did he do anything to me last night?”

Ariana checked her body. Bianca immediately said, “No, he did not. I have checked your body, nothing out of the ordinary. ”

“What? Stop touching sleeping people!” Ariana did not feel any pain in her body at all, except for her headache because of the hangover.

Bianca was irritated. “I am a medic, it’s my job to check on my patients.”

“So, he did not do anything to me...” Ariana looked depressed,

“Weirdo,” said Bianca looking at Ariana's reaction. Bianca noticed a hairpin on the table next to the bed. “Oh, did he give you that?”

Bianca pointed at the hairpin and Ariana looked at it. “What is that? A hairpin with a flower-shaped jewel on it… a lily?”

“Yes, it is a white lily,” said Bianca. The Lily flower is a symbol of Lorien and is well known through the Galactic Imperium.

“Well, isn’t it yours?”

“It is not.”

Ariana looked puzzled. “Well, it could not be Lucas’.”

“Correct, it wasn’t his..." Bianca trailed off her speech.

"Bianca?"

"It once belonged to his twin sister, Lucy.”

“Twin sister?”

“Yes,” said Bianca. She had a sad expression.

Ariana noticed the change in Bianca's expression, she understood her expression. “Ah, I’m sorry… Well, why is it here?”

“I guess he meant to give it to you.”

“Me, why?”

“No idea. But, that hairpin meant a lot to him, he always carried it with him.”

Ariana picked up the hairpin. “Do I remind him of her?”

“Sorry. Not a chance,” mocked Bianca.

“Ugh. You really are honest.”

“Just for you know, Princess Sophie was never given that. You are the only person I know to be given Lucy’s memento by him.”

“Oh really”–Ariana wore the hairpin on her hair–” then I shall cherish this gift.”

Bianca saw Ariana looked cute with the hairpin on. It reminded her of Lucy. “You look beautiful with that... but not as beautiful as her.”

“Ugh, don’t compare me with a lady from Lorien, there is no way I can compare with her.”

“Pfftt, Well, you do look like a lady of Lorien with the hairpin on. Sometimes women who are married to Lorien will use jewellery or dress with Lilies flower decorations or motifs to show their allegiance to our house... and... men from House Lorien gifted their partner those kinds of jewellery to show their love.”

Ariana looked shy. “I-i see.”

“Anyway, Lucas is, well probably, serious about courting you. I can’t wait to be your sister-in-law!”

Ariana buried her face in the pillow. “Ugh.”

“Well.” Bianca stood up and walked towards the door ”I will bring lunch to you shortly.”

“Thank you.”

Since that day, Ariana avoided meeting Lucas because she was too embarrassed to face him. Lucas, on the other hand, was busy helping Duke August prepare the army.