Arthur placed the watering canister behind the stone countertop. Both of them, at this point, were mentally tired as they brainstormed ideas as to how they would help mend David and Stella's relationship.

"Yes...but it's better than David, who isn't even trying." Elise shook her head while complaining.

In David's defense, Arthur commented. "We don't know that. I haven't heard David's side of the story, but I don't think anyone has."

"Surely he's talked to someone about it, right? I'm sure the other guards at the gate, like Paul, would've been there to support him."

"They aren't." Arthur denied Elise's claim and added, "From what I know, Paul and David are fighting while the other three are watching over them. As for the Captain, he's stepped in a bit, but it seems something is stopping him for some reason."

"Carl? It's that old wolf and his ridiculous professionalism." Elise frowned in discontent once she heard Arthur.

Arthur skimmed through the contents of the flower language book at a leisurely pace and then said, "Maybe we should change how David communicates with Stella."

"Dear, what could you possibly mean?"

"We don't need them to talk to each other right away. Like how Stella brought flowers home, why not just have David bring the same flowers over as well." Arthur turned the book back towards Else and said, "We just need to show Stella that he still cares in a way she understands."

"I see…so we're trying to help David express himself…"

Elise flipped to a page containing a beautiful compact cluster of tiny flowers growing at the end of a stem. The densely packed tubular group of flowers created an elegant appearance that impressed many who saw it.

"These are called hyacinths. If we use purple and blue ones, we can symbolize forgiveness and sincerity."

"That might work. We shouldn't get too much, just enough to help start a conversation. If it works, we could increase the number of flowers."

"Oh my, I think you're onto something, Arthur." Elise walked to the back of the store and pulled an assortment of purple and blue hyacinths on display. Their vibrant colors and breathtaking fragrances filled the air around the counter as she returned. "We can use these and put them in an elegant vase for David to give to Stella! It'll be marvelous."

"Does it need to be a fancy vase? Couldn't we just use a simple one? It's practically the same thing." Arthur examined the design on the blue vase as several long strips spiraled upwards from the base.

"Of course not! It's a matter of impressing Stella and showing her that David is trying to mend their relationship." Elise shut down Arthur's suggestion while transferring the hyacinths into the vase. "When you're older, remember that your actions have an impact, but the effect of that impact depends on how much effort you put in."

"I don't really understand how a vase will make that much of a difference, but I'll trust you." With a reluctant smile, Arthur helped transfer the hyacinths and held the vase still as Elise wrapped it.

"Good. I already like you more than David. If it were him, he wouldn't even take the vase." As a white ribbon was tied to the neck of the vase, Elise gave one final nod of approval before letting Arthur take it.

"It's really for his wife…I don't think he would say no?"

"You'll be surprised at how stubborn that dolt is…" A trace of worry crossed Elise's face. If David had listened to her, then this entire dilemma wouldn't even have been there to begin with. In fact, it was because he didn't want to express his feelings that Stella felt guilty. "I just don't understand why he won't be more transparent with her."

"I wish I could tell you, but I have no clue either…" Arthur looked at the hyacinths and asked, "Shouldn't there also be red and white flowers in this bouquet? I mean, if I was fighting with someone I cared about, I would want them to know that I still cherish them."

"Hmm, that is fair." Elise exchanged some of the existing flowers in the set for red and white flowers. "Oh my, I hope Stella likes it…"

"If it's from David, she will." Arthur firmly reassured as he held the vase in both hands. "I'll make sure to give it to David. Oh wait could I also take the book as well?"

"The book? I don't see why not." Elise nodded as Arthur placed it in his leather pouch.

As Arthur was about to leave, he held the vase in one hand and pulled out a ham and cheese sandwich from the leather satchel with the other. "Take this as payment."

"No, it's alright, dear; you don't need to —" Elise watched as the sandwich landed on the counter with a simple toss as Arthur left the store without listening to her. "I can't tell if children are too polite or just plain rude these days."

.

.

.

As Arthur wandered through the dimly lit alleys of the western district, he let out a frustrated sigh. He had been walking throughout the town for a few hours, looking for David. At first, it didn't seem that difficult, but finding him was more challenging than Arthur had thought. The sun, hovering brightly in the sky, had already set beyond the horizon. Leaving behind a gradient of scarlet and gold colors that vividly dyed the landscape.

"I can't believe I haven't found him yet," Arthur complained.

Arthur stopped and looked around. Numerous magic lanterns illuminated the end of the alleyway, but as he walked towards it, the hair on his arms stood up. Arthur stared at his arm before turning around. In the deepest part of the alleyway stood a man wearing a black hood that veiled his face. An unfamiliar sensation rang throughout Arthur's body. His blood boiled. It was the first time since he had arrived in this town that he had felt hatred and anger swell within him. Taking several deep breaths to calm himself, Arthur slowly stepped back. But the moment his foot landed on the ground, the figure vanished.

His heartbeat slowly settled as he tightly clenched onto his white tunic. Even though he couldn't see the man's face, Arthur recognized the cracked stone mask and bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils. It was familiar, but the sharp pain in his head pulsated, begging for him to not remember anymore. From the corner of Arthur's eyes, he could see a faint silhouette pass by and immediately pushed aside his current thoughts before rushing to the main street.

One step after another, David made his way through the busy streets while concealing the frustration within his heart. His plain expression was void of emotion, but his eyes were conflicted with grief. A bitter feeling swelled from within as the clouds drifted through the sky. Both arms were crossed one over the other in front of the iron chest plate that was standard guard equipment.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

In a ragged, out-of-breath voice, Arthur asked, "Do you want to make Stella happy?"

David froze like a statute. He knew who the annoying voice belonged to and wanted to avoid him at all costs, but his question struck him. From a distance, the sound of approaching footsteps made him tightly clench his fists.

"Of course I do…but it's not that simple." David took a deep breath with both shoulders arched forward as his head hung downwards.

Seeing this, Arthur walked around David and stood before him. Even though there was that suspicious figure from earlier, it became clear that David wasn't the right person to talk to. The sight of the crumbling composure was enough to paint the struggles and grief. It was the first time Arthur had seen someone so shaken while thinking of another person. Instead, he would try his best to help David overcome this issue.

"Well, maybe not, but it will only get worse if you don't try to talk to her."

"What if I say something that makes her even more upset?" Multiple endings drifted through David's mind, each grimmer than the last as the possible scenarios stacked upon each other, creating a shaking tower.

"You won't know until you try," Arthur said, holding the vase in front of David. "Besides, it's not like you have much of a choice since it's only worsened in the past month."

"Ha…" David didn't know why he asked Arthur these things, but each answer made sense. "She said she wanted space, so I gave it to her. Was that really the worst decision? It's been so long I don't even know what to say..."

Arthur stared at him with a blank expression. He didn't have much experience with love, and parts of him were on the fence about what would be the most correct answer. In the end, he leaned towards the most genuine side. "It could be something simple, ask her how her day was or what she was up to."

"But what if she ignores me or barely says anything back?" David asked as his sense of unease grew.

It was a sinking sensation that made him feel as if everything was already over, but a piece of him wished for it to stay together. He was drowning in a deep self-doubt that made him question every action and twisted his confidence into countless knots. It felt suffocating.

Words failed to escape Arthur, and it became difficult for him to know the right words to say that would help console David. He looked around the park and noticed a nearby bench. "Let's sit for a bit."

As they sat on the bench, it creaked with a low sound echoing throughout the empty park. The awkward silence felt deafening as the two remained still, and in an attempt to break it, Arthur asked, "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty, turning twenty-one this summer." David twiddled his thumbs anxiously as a dry cough left his throat.

"You realize I'm thirteen, right? I'm not exactly your best option for advice." Arthur softly chuckled at the situation.

The one sore spot David realized a split second ago was calmly struck by Arthur, causing his shoulders to slump downwards even more. "Right...but I need advice from someone else because I feel like everything I've done is wrong."

Arthur carefully listened to David's continuous pleas for help. It didn't make sense to him why so much pain was written on their expressions. When Arthur first saw Stella, it was clear she still loved him, so what was there to think about?

"I really don't know. Maybe Mrs. Springfield would be better for this." Arthur couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with David. It weighed on his conscience that the advice he was giving him could possibly end their relationship.

A tired sigh escaped David's lips as he thought about Elise's constant nagging. The first time he asked her for advice, she yelled at him like a broken record and belittled him. "That old hag would probably give worse advice than you."

"You know...I'm starting to think the reason she doesn't like you isn't only because of Stella," Arthur's subtle remark caused David to frown. At this point, he had no clue what to do. Secretly, he was praying that they were done, as most of the responses were made up on the spot.

"Do you really think I should try speaking to her?" David inquired in a tone that suggested worry and regret.

"In my opinion...yes. Relationships are like water; if they become stagnant, then they'll slowly become poisonous." Arthur calmly replied. "For them to be healthy, there needs to be some flow that keeps them moving."

"This feels more like waves crashing than stagnant water," David bitterly commented.

"If waves were crashing, you two would at least be talking," Arthur retorted.

"Fair point." David forced a smile and leaned back against the wooden bench.

The livelihood of the park dimmed as the sun set beyond the horizon. Arthur patted his thighs, brushing off the fallen leaves that landed on his pants. He then glanced at the vase filled with flowers and then at David. As Arthur stood up from the bench, a quiet creaking sound resounded throughout the park.

"Sometimes it's enough to be there for them and to let them know that you still love them despite the difficulties," Arthur added while stretching his arms.

David stood up from the bench with a newfound sense of determination. With a refreshed expression, David jokingly said, "You should consider writing this down; maybe in the future, you'll need to look back at this for reference."

Arthur couldn't help but laugh. "I barely know how to read. How will I know how to write?"

"It's okay. You'll learn." David stared at the ground, but before any negative thoughts could enter his head, a beautiful arrangement of flowers covered his entire perspective.

"Keep your head up. Stella wouldn't want to talk to the top of your head, so have some confidence." Arthur pushed the vase into David's hands. "These might even help."

David sighed in defeat. If it wasn't for the child in front of him, he would have still been drinking today. Maybe it was because he was sober and wasn't numb that he felt alive again. There were so many worries in his head. What if he made a mistake? What if Stella didn't think his apology was sincere? What if she no longer loves him? All these thoughts buried themselves in his head, but upon seeing the straightforward attitude of the boy before him, he felt that it was a chance worth talking.

"Do you love her?" Arthur asked a simple question that he already knew the answer to.

"Without a doubt," David answered.

"Then there's nothing to worry about." Arthur pulled out a book with a silver bouquet of flowers and said, "I know you don't care about flowers, but Stella does. So give it a read for those flowers. It might make a good conversation or something."

Just as David took the book, a small rectangular sharp wrapped in brown paper appeared before his eyes. Arthur gently held onto it, extending his arm out.

"It's a sandwich for you to eat. Maybe you can share it with Stella if she hasn't eaten anything." Arthur waved the sandwich he made for them to eat during the patrol, but because David ran away, he never had the chance to give it to him. "Sometimes you never know if you're doing enough until you see it yourself."

"Are you telling me to just…go for it?" Uncertainty filled David's mind as it wavered on a thin line of regret, but before a decision could be made, the sandwich was placed between the vase and his chest.

"Yeah, it's better to try and learn than to do nothing." Arthur calmly spoke as if speaking from experience and added, "Don't hesitate and leave any regrets. I know I haven't had any regrets, but if I were in your shoes, then I know I wouldn't give up without fighting for it."

It felt like the thin line had been cut as David listened to Arthur's words. David was terrified at the thought of hurting Stella but more so of the idea that he would lose her. A heart-wrenching realization tore apart the uncertainty in his mind as each word from Arthur's mouth struck him to his core.

"You're right. I'll get going now. Thanks for saying what I needed to hear." David nodded and began walking down the cobblestone path.

"No worries, and good luck." Arthur waved as he watched David's silhouette fade. Once David's figure could barely be seen, he reached into the leather pouch on his waist, taking out the metal flask that used to contain the red wine. "I guess David won't be needing this anymore."

White aura covered Arthur's hand as he tightly gripped it, crushing the metal flask and dropping it on the ground as the leftover contents spilled over several blades of grass. Arthur's gaze remained on the crushed flask surrounded by his aura before realizing that he would make a bad example as a guard to litter.

If only the flask could just return to my hand.

As Arthur thought to himself and reached for the flask, the metal object made a subtle movement upwards, causing Arthur's eyes to widen in surprise.

Eh?