Bliss

I looked at the meadow that housed our perfect wedding with a sense of nostalgia. Issac, now 2 years old, was frollicking through the gentle grass and laughing hysterically. I could not help but laugh as well.

“Son, run slower so you do not fall!”

“Bada ba!”

“You are just like me, my little warrior.”

I ran over to him and picked him up. I span around while holding him in the air. His face was frozen in the middle of a laugh. The joy of having a son had finally dawned on me. Was this how my father felt holding me up to the sky like this?

“My love, I was looking for you! I had just received a letter from the King. Do you want to read it at this moment?”

Laila, wearing her favorite yellow gown, pulled her skirt up to jog over to me through the grass. She grabbed hold of Issac and I, and the three of us shared an embrace that I could never forget.

“Yes, my dear. I will read after Issac falls asleep. How are the tunnel expeditions?”

“Well, it seems that my father’s book and my drawings were correct. What surprised me was that the tunnels looked like they were abandoned very recently. The patrols did not find any monsters or bandits. The oddest thing is that they found flags and clothes with the First Era Imperium royal crest…”

“Why is that odd? The tunnels are quite old, correct? Perhaps the Third Era Imperials were nostalgic of their history.”

“Well, the clothes were made of dire wolf pelts.”

Now that was very odd. Dire wolves did not appear until after the Eighth Era Imperium due to their failed experiments of animal husbandry.

“Perhaps some bandits were nostalgic of the old Imperial ways. That is very odd indeed. Have you consulted your father about this matter?”

“I have not. He had not been home for a week. My mother was not formally trained in historical studies, so she was not able to help me either.”

“Perhaps he received the King’s letter as well. The King must be summoning the Royal Court.”

I opened the letter, hoping that it was not another war. I had lost so much after the last wars. I could not lose anymore in my life.

“To Lord Count Rytus Paraxus of the Counties of Lythan and Veraxus,

I summon you to the Royal Court for an emergency meeting, as new urgent matters have arrived. I urge you to travel as soon as you can.

King Theatus III”

This was the shortest letter I have ever witnessed. I felt a pit in my bowels growing and weighing me down. What was the matter that he was not able to explain through a letter?

“My love, we have to prepare for travel. We must go to the capital as soon as we can.”

“What is the matter, dear?” Laila was holding and rocking Issac back and forth while he slowly fell asleep.

“Just as I predicted. A summoning for the Royal Court. But there is no explanation. The letter seemed like the king wrote with much haste. He asked me to travel as fast as I could.”

“I can stay home with Issac and help you watch over our lands.”

“No, I would love for you and Issac to come along. Your mother had told me that you wanted to see the world, and I want Issac to see the world too.”

She smiled widely and looked down toward a slowly waking Issac.

“Did you hear that, Issac? Your papa is taking us to see the world. Are you excited?”

“Baga!”

She kissed him on the head and pulled him closer. Such a precious sight had imprinted deep in my soul. She rocked him more and took him to his bed.

We had a heavy dinner with monster cow steak with salted carrots, mashed potatoes with chopped chives, and the best mead Regulus could deliver. Most nobles would eat without care for their servants, leaving the equivalent of pig feed to them for dinner. However, I invited the maids, butlers, courtsmen and ladies, and of course, Sevrus, to sit with us. I had not had a family dinner in a very long time, and I considered my commonfolk to be part of my family. We dined lavishly and shared many laughs. I absorbed the sheer bliss of also having the love of my life at the table beside me. I raised my cup of mead and stood up.

“To my fine people here tonight with us, to my family, and to Veraxus and Lythan.” The table repeated my toast in unison.

“I thank every one of you for the times you shared with me. Titles may divide the good people in this kingdom, but we are all flesh and blood. We have to look after each other with kindness and love. I have my duty to protect everyone here, including your peaceful way of life.”

“Rytus, if I may,” Sevrus interrupted me. “I believe that your duty was to rule this land, not baby us so much that we stuff our mouths with expensive noble food!” The table laughed in a hearty way.

“Sevrus, do not interrupt me, especially when you speak the truth!”

“Ry, I shall interrupt you when I please, especially when you give me Regulus’ mead.”

“Perhaps I shall flood your throat with the mead the next time you interrupt me.”

“How about I toss this cup at you after I flood my throat with the mead instead?”

“Do you want to draw your sword?”

Of course, this was normal banter between Sevrus and I, but I had forgotten that most people would not be familiar with this display of masculine brotherhood. The table went silent as we walked towards each other. We shared a long embrace and pats on the back. I looked over towards the table and noticed many handkerchiefs over people’s faces, showing visible sighs of relief, or shock. Possibly both.

“My friends, we are jesting! Please continue the dining!” Sevrus had a charismatic edge to him that I had never seen in anyone I had ever met. I was glad that he was in my court as my steward, as if he were in another court, he would easily overthrow their keep with his tongue.

The dinner ended with a dessert cake doused with buttercream and strawberries. I had not had a strawberry before, since they were only found in a particular field within the Kingdom of Noraté, and that the trade routes outside of the country were closed from our constant warring, only reopening about a year ago. I whispered to Sevrus to research and save some of these fruits to cultivate in our own lands.

After dessert, I followed Laila to the balcony by the library. The light of the moon ever so gently outlined her face, causing a mirage of a halo around her head. That was how I saw her anyways; she was my goddess in this life. I grasped her side and peered into the night sky with her. We enjoyed a moment of silence together, with slight bumps from the servants below, howling of dire wolves in the forests, and a bustling town winding down for the night.

“My love, Laila, you complete this scene of serenity.”

“Oh, Rytus, I loved those words. You are more handsome than the moon, and stronger than the Mountains of Demune. I am so fortunate to have fallen in love with you.”

“The vastness of the sea pales in comparison to the beauty and the power you have over me. You represent your name well, my Goddess Laylana.”

“The sea can be turbulent, as your ship may rock violently over the waves, Rytus.”

“My ship can handle quite a bit, Laila.”

“We shall see.”

After completing our business, we laid in bed in each other’s arms. I had randomly recalled some memories while idling in bed. I remembered the letters that I shared with my unknown lover years ago. I wondered how that person had been since the last correspondence. Laila noticed my inability to sleep.

“Dear, what is on your mind?”

“I am worried about the meeting tomorrow.”

“Is that all?”

“No…” It was extremely difficult for me to tell her about those letters. I had every intention to keep those a secret until my deathbed, but I could not lie to Laila.

“It started during the Great Oddity. Remember when everyone received wrong letters? I had a letter delivered to me from a lover to another man. I decided to pretend to be that man, and I sent letters back to her. I fell in love with her.” Laila gasped, but she remained calm.

“Have you ever met her? She would have been the luckiest woman on Earth.”

“Thank you, my love. I had never met her. She knew that I was not her lover, yet she continued to send letters to me anyways. I asked her to come to me before I was able to reveal myself to her. The last letter I ever received from her was her willingness to come to me. She had people she took care of. Whole communities of people. They were always relocating like nomads.”

“Was she caught between the usurpers before? Perhaps she was looking for a safe place for her people, and was lucky enough to find you. It is unfortunate that she could not get your answer in time. We should find her someday. I know that we can accommodate her in our lands. I wonder if she was a noble.”

“My love, you are sharper than my longsword, and kinder than an orphanage priest. Are you sure about supporting my past lover, though?”

“Remember, I was the one that you married. I have strength beyond my years, and I would not be jealous of anyone around you.” What did I do to deserve this powerful woman?

“I will care for everyone you love, no matter what.”

“I deeply appreciate that, my love.” I took her hand and kissed it. “While I miss her, she was someone who helped keep my sanity during my loneliest days. I do not mind finding her again, but I do not think that it should be my priority. The best approach to this is perhaps to wait for another letter from her, and we can try to convince her again. Since it had been more than 5 years, I fear that she might have perished.”

“Perhaps. But I will hold some hope for her and for you. I know that she will appear in your life again someday, and we will be able to protect her. Anywho, we should rest soon before our journey. We have quite a way to go to the capital.”

As she slept, I laid in bed, unable to sleep. There was something that I could not shake. This feeling that I recognized years ago before I left for the Arkan War. There was doom looming over my future again.