image [https://cdn.midjourney.com/0561852b-97e0-4be6-8f12-50fda936adc2/0_1.png]
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Seen from above, Rome was a beautiful city. Ardent had seen movies and photos from the future, but he liked it better now. Smaller, cozy, a classic Italian vibe. An airship floated leisurely over a hill, the one with the Paris-Rome portal.
Who could be? Ardent asked himself, worried that Mickey could have appeared, and prepared to give Dragon the order to warp above the hill.
[THE SYSTEM]: HEY!
[Ardent]: Whoaa! You startled me. What?
[THE SYSTEM]: Hold your horses. That's Salvatore.
[Ardent]: Are you going to follow my every thought?
[THE SYSTEM]: It's up to you, check your new character menu settings, they are very detailed. By default, I assist my fav people. I let your friends know that you're safe and sound.
[Ardent]: Thanks, I guess…
Taking a rain check on the settings, Ardent landed a hundred yards from the crowd and walked toward the villa at a brisk pace. Behind him, the steed changed in his horse form, grazing on the grass under the pines.
A sweet sensation of drunkness took over Ardent. The relief of having overcome the danger, and the mixed scents of the gardens heated by the afternoon's sun were at fault, but not as much as the thought of seeing Elisa again.
Suddenly, Ardent's mood changed from bucolic to tragic. On a bench, a little farther from the crowd, a young man knelt before Elisa, professing a declaration of love. She laughed out loud and ruffled Martinko's hair. His heart skipped a beat, and it would have skipped a second, but she spoke first:
"I'm sorry for not feeling the same. I'm sure you'll find your true soulmate when you grow up."
"I'm twenty-one!" Martinko blurted.
"Oh!" Elisa giggled, covering her mouth. "I thought you were fifteen, sixteen at most. Sorr—" She suddenly stopped her words, seeing Ardent.
"Hi again," Ardent said, summoning his new minion. "Look, I brought a friend."
"Yummy!" Sunny exclaimed, pushing both his arms toward Martinko, who ran away screaming.
"Chase him around a little, but don't possess him," Ardent ordered. Sunny produced two wings from his back and took off into the sky. Elisa rushed to hug him, and all his jealousy vanished. "How did you arrive here so fast?"
"Salvatore appeared and teleported us out… Here he comes, I think they noticed you too…" Elisa said, leaving his embrace, slightly shaking.
Ardent nodded and went forward to meet his friend from the future. "Glad to see you. Where were you all these days?"
"Mickey kidnapped me. Likewise for Leo and Charles of Spain," Salvatore pointed to a small group talking apart further away. Along with the king and Leo, there was Felice della Rovere and D'Ávalos. "We escaped, commandeered Mickey's blimp, arriving here moments after you warped with the dragon. I got the others out of the dungeon first and was about to search for you when we got the notification you were safe. Here."
In Salvatore's forwarded hand was the amulet he always carried around.
"What's this about?" Ardent asked.
"My quest… I was pardoned by the Central System, but giving you this is one of the conditions. The amulet carried our System's iteration at first, but it is still a powerful magic focus. You can bond your magical minion to it."
"Nice… Thanks, man," Ardent said, pocketing the item. "Does this mean you'll leave us?"
"I… don't know yet…" Salvatore shook his head. "Maybe I'll split my time between my old home and this one…"
Ardent nodded, hugging and patting his friend's back.
"Well, I have to go and fix the portals," Salvatore slapped Ardent's shoulder. "We have a lot of guests for the party."
"The what?"
"There's a big feast later. I'll bring Francis, Myrtle, and all our friends."
"M-myrtle?" Ardent stuttered.
"By the way, don't tell anyone I told you, but Clement will offer you Avignon, as a reward for saving Rome. And Francis will add Provence to it."
"Err…"
"Take it, it's a good piece of real estate… you'll be able to pay those debts of yours." Nodding a goodbye, Salvatore vanished.
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The night was perfect. Shining stars, scents of jasmine, magnolias, and roses, a bright full moon, good music… Ardent and Myrtle danced a few gigues… she was a very good dancer, as lively as her eyes, jumping up with a child's energy… Her joy was at the same time warming and breaking Ardent's heart.
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An hour before midnight, he made an excuse, and taking advantage of Myrtle chatting with Martinko, he ran away, roaming around until he found Elisa, in an alcove made of clinging roses, on a swinging chair, for two. He sat near her in silence. She had tired eyes, but no tears.
"I love you with all my heart," he said slowly.
"But you love her more," Elisa said.
"No… I mean… I can't weigh that… It's like I have two hearts in my chest, each loving one of you… Myrtle is… like a bear cub. She's a force of nature, yet so naïve… She can be hurt easily… I… can't… do this… to her."
Elisa patted his hand, then fondled it. "I love you too… It was beautiful, as it lasted."
"I hope you'll find happiness next to a good man..." he whispered.
Despite her sad eyes, she giggled. "Do you think I should marry the kid?"
"The little stupid dick," Ardent hissed. "I'll break his legs… S-sorry, it's not my business."
"I'd rather be on my own feet from now on." Elisa leaned toward him and they kissed, then cuddled in each other arms, then kissed again. "It's like you said… the longer I'm with you, the more it hurts saying goodbye. Take care," she fondled his face, pecked his lips, then went away.
He rested his head on the headrest, looking at the moon and feeling the need to howl, tears flowing down his cheek.
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Trying to calm her fast-beating heart, Elisa took the next path to the left, to go back to the party. All her tears, she had cried them long before. A little good wine… Maybe a glass, two, or even three, to get over this moment, that was what she needed.
An ominous giant shadow interfered with her plans, appearing out of nowhere and running toward her. Before she had the time to escape or invoke a shield, Martin hugged her.
"Stop, you're breaking my ribs!" she pleaded.
"Bwaaah. I'm so happy!" the priest blurted, releasing her. "I couldn't be happier… We'd need a new house… larger… for all of us… I'll pay Leo to build us one… with floor heating running water… I'm so happy! See? Told you I'll treat you like my daughter."
The giant burst into tears and hugged her anew. This time she was prepared and called a shield in time. It really helped. "What are you talking about?" she asked when the giant relented.
"You coming to live with us, as Ardent's second wife, what else?" Martin frowned, like: why are you asking the obvious, duh?
"I hope you're not drunk or something… I won't impose myself as Ardent's second wife behind Myrtle's back." Elisa frowned, pushing him away, but managing to propel herself back, as the giant was immovable.
"Oh, Myrtle's OK, she knows everything," the giant waved his hand. "And don't you worry, I'll babysit the kids while you take care of your writing career. I'll teach Valer riding, shooting, swearing… slowly, of course. I think he's of the proper age to kill or torture prisoners, I won't take him into battle before twelve, though. Err… Are you all right?"
It took a good deal of will for Elisa to be able to close her mouth and talk. "First of all, Val is a girl. Second…" She stopped, shook her head, turned, and ran. It was too much.
"'S OK!" she heard him shouting in her back. "We'll wait. Myrtle started raiding at fourteen."
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After sitting and wishing to scream at the moon for ten minutes, Ardent walked back toward the party but took a wrong turn. He wanted to get drunk, and over his feelings, but now he was lost. Unexpectedly, he stepped into an alley where a man and a woman argued. Myrtle and Martinko.
"Get over it," she yelled, slapping his brother. "Go to sleep, it will pass before tomorrow… Bloody puppy love!" she hit him with her fist on the shoulder.
"You're mean…" Martinko sulked, then walked away. Before Ardent managed to hide, they bumped into each other. "If you don't make her happy, I swear I'll curse you… bwaaaaa…." The youngster interrupted his menace, rushing off, all in tears.
"Fucking little dick idiot," Myrtle cursed. "Ah, sweetie, you're here. Come," she gestured toward a bench.
"Err… what's going on?" Ardent asked hesitantly, before sitting.
"I know everything. That you slept with Elisa, believing she's a whore, but then kept your dick in your pants, so you'd not hurt me. And that you have feelings for her."
"When did you find out?" he whispered, lowering his eyes.
"Oh, that… the day after. Ana told me everything. She was giving me daily reports. Francis let her use his phone for that… And frankly, leaving your phone on the nightstand while you're sleeping… not great for privacy. I've read all your messages."
"I love you," Ardent said bluntly. "I and Elisa will stay in the friends zone from now on."
Se searched for his eyes. "I'm OK if you want to take her as a second wife."
"You what?" he gasped.
"I want you to be happy, Aprig, and for whatever reason, she's the only woman I saw around you who didn't make me jealous. Strange, isn't it? She's so… I don't know… what was the word… petite? I always feared you'd leave me for someone with bigger boobs and ass." They both giggled. "But seriously… She's very nice. Everybody likes her… Papa, Ana… Francis told me she wishes his daughters grow up to be like her… We talked a little at the party… poor thing, the effort she made to keep her composure and not cry… And the kid will keep Papa out of our way for a while. A grandson of the perfect age to train is his best dream come true."
"Val's a girl," Ardent said deadpanned.
She took his face into her hands and kissed him. "It was meant to be… You allowed me and Ileana to have our thing… why should I stop you from being happy?"
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Ardent found Elisa in the last place he searched, sitting on the same swinging chair, a half-empty wine bottle in hand. She looked at him with crossed eyes.
"Hey, I'm seeing two Ardents," Elisa mumbled, pointing her index twice… Do you know your wife is OK with… us?"
"I know," he sighed, taking the bottle from her hand and emptying it. Then, he leaned down and kissed her. The sweet wine's taste mixed with their saliva, was enticing.
"Italian wine is good for making love, but French wine is the best for… hic… drinking," Elisa said, hiccuping a little.
He sat near her and they hugged, arms over their shoulders.
"I won't have Martin teach Valerie to kill people," Elisa said.
"We'll sort it out," he sighed, and they kissed again.
"Hey, lovebirds!"
Francis' voice made them jerk. Behind him was Martin.
"Your… hic… majesty," Elisa tried to curtsy but fell back on the chair.
"So, I heard you sort it out… perfect…" Francis said, rubbing his hands. "Son, she's like my own daughter. Her father was one of my best friends, so take good care of her, right?"
Ardent replied with a growl. All he wished for was for the two to leave so he could kiss Elisa anew.
"I have bad news," Martin interjected. "That guy, Clemy…"
"Madame Bov… I mean the Pope?" Elisa asked, putting a hand over her heart, suddenly more sobber. "Don't tell me he objects!"
"On the contrary. He wants to perform the ceremony. And sing at it."
"Goodness!" Ardent exclaimed, shaking off his dizziness too.
"Yeah, I heard he's bad… not mentioning he's a pagan and all," Martin continued candidly, with Francis rolling his eyes in the background. "So, let's cut to the chase. Francis here's the witness. You two love each other, right?"
"Yes," Ardent said, with Elisa nodding.
"Perfect. Amen. You may kiss the bride," Martin said, making a large cross sign over them. "That would teach that apostate to meddle in other people's businesses. See," he turned toward Francis, "this is how the old style Orthodox ceremony works, no singing and very short."
"It's nothing like this," Ardent whispered in Elisa's ear.
"I'll take anything over Clement singing," she whispered back.
"Now, what do you say we return to that Bordeaux wine?" Francis slapped Martin's back.
"Lead the way," the priest returned the slap, and the two men disappeared in the night, leaving the newlyweds dazed and confused.