The breeze had begun to blow its icy breath from the southward direction, ruffling the leaves and producing hissing claps of jubilee. It was a clear day, devoid of dark clouds that forboded rain; and the sky was already tinged orange by the rays of the setting sun. Ahead of Arthur and Maya, stood a figure, whose countenance was obscured by the contrasting light coming from the sunset. However, somehow, Arthur could make out the person's appearance.

"Could you please go on ahead?" he requested Maya, pointing to his right. "Go straight ahead and then climb up the next clear path you'll see. When you reach the top you'll find a flat open field, and at a corner, there's a grave there. Please, excavate it for me and retrieve the box that looks just like the one at the hero's graveyard."

The path he had just pointed towards was all covered in brambles, bushes, ferns and hiding bugs that occasionally crept into view, inducing Maya's unfavorable remarks.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she irritatingly retorted. "Look clearly where you're pointing at, that's a jungle! Don't forget, I'm only here because of my friend's request, which I only accepted because of my code of honor. That doesn't automatically make me your lackey whom you can just order on a whim to go somewhere so sketchy."

"What are you going on about?" bristled Arthur, turning to Maya. "Of course it's a jungle, because we're in a mountain; I thought that's obvious at first glance. Anyway, nothing will kill you there."

Maya clawed her fingers and traced both her hands vertically in the air in front of her. "Snakes!" exclaimed she in a plaintive expression. "Have you never thought that these things might be lurking in there?"

Arthur chuckled, looking at Maya's childish demeanor.

Within her black outfit and during fights she looked like a fierce warrior that won't budge even if the whole world were to melt down. However, who knew that even the newly elected captain of the Shadow Elites Squad—a secret squad of spies under the command of Light Tower—who's supposed to be the strongest in the group, had such a side to her that perhaps, due to the circumstances of her work, only so very few knew about?

"Shut up will you?" Arthur jokingly and amiably reacted. "You're a level 10 technique practitioner; natural poisons are like bitter tea for people like you. You can just use aether to dilute the poison's effects. Don't think I don't know just because I can't use techniques."

Maya was instantly defeated; in truth, it wasn't because of any danger that stopped her from going, it was actually the creepy atmosphere the forest up ahead seemed to emit. Nonetheless, she had no choice, she must follow through what she had started.

'You must treat me with a bottle of beer next time Sasha!' she declared in her mind, holding a fist in the air. 'Or else my sacrifice will merely be wasted.'

As Maya proceeded as per Arthur's instructions, she sent a sidelong view towards the figure ahead, who was too busy sulking in the sunset that they(1) couldn't notice the two of them.

'So that's her huh?' she thought, 'I wonder what's so special about her that would make men fight over for?'

"Aren't you special too?" a voice whispered from out of nowhere. "Just release it and you will be special again."

"Huh? What was that?" Maya made a stance, ready to attack. "Who was that?"

"Stop playing around will you?" Arthur chided Maya. "Please help me finish this quickly; and after all of this, I'll do anything you want me to do, provided it's within my power."

His words immediately translated to, "I'll keep buying you beer from now on," in Maya's head. Thus, Maya happily proceeded with the plan.

***

Minutes earlier:

Arthur Pendragon and Aisha were about to return to the ship, but Aisha requested to be left alone for a while because she needed to process all the information she had been bombarded with; especially the one about the possibility that Arthur Crane was part of or had connections with the dark organization. After hearing Arthur Pendragon's story, Aisha could tell that his thirst for revenge, regardless if it was right or not, was genuine. Thus, she found his claims somewhat, strangely enough, trustworthy. However, her heart was saying something else. She knew Arthur wouldn't be part of an organization like that; in the first place, he didn't have the power to fight alongside its members—or maybe he acted as an informant?"

Aisha violently rubbed her head with her two hands, trying to take her mind off of the topic. Whenever something reasonable popped up in defense of Arthur, some nefarious thought came out to reasonably accuse him. She couldn't keep on doing this so she decided to take some fresh air. Arthur Pendragon, on the other hand, had already left for the ship, sending her a glance of suspicion the moment he left.

The environment really soothed her inner conflicts, as the breeze coming from the southwest direction, touched her skin with its refreshing coolness. She basked under the light of the setting sun, closing her eyes as if in a trance. The silence filled her soul, and the sounds of nature that most of the time went unnoticed by people with hectic lives played their lively tunes to her ears. Nature was relaxing—

A sudden gust of wind—no, actually it was something more: two arms briskly wrapped around her. She found the embrace to be warm and comforting, and the sturdy chest of the man hugging her from behind felt so dependable. Aisha—smiled.

"Aisha!" cried Arthur, "I can't believe I'd be seeing you here."

Aisha did not respond; she merely let herself delve deeper into the feeling of comfort the embrace brought her. She looked down with teary and somber eyes, her lips slightly parted as she breathed out through her mouth. Her heart was racing, and she did not know what to say.

"I'm so glad to see you again," Arthur hurriedly admitted; a mixture of both enthusiasm and sadness was apparent in his voice.

"I love you too..." he hushly said.

Those three words, whispered to Aisha's ears, flooded her with emotions of both regret and joy. Regret—because her circumstances wouldn't allow her to properly reciprocate Arthur's feelings; and joy because she heard him say those words she wanted to hear all along.

Aisha, realizing that it wouldn't last, immediately peeled herself off of Arthur's gentlemanly grip.

"I'm sorry Arthur," she apologized, "I appreciate you saying that, but I think by now you already know that, that's impossible."

"It is," concurred Arthur, "yet I've decided to regret trying rather than to regret not trying."

Immediately after, Arthur knelt one knee down and offered a hand, "I was supposed to ask you out to be my girlfriend but right now I'm going to be bold," he said. "Aisha, although instead of a ring I only have a hand with me, but will you marry me?"

'Yes,' Aisha immediately thought while her heart fluttered in all sorts of wonderful tingly emotions. But—

"No," she replied, "I can't jeopardize my country's future on a whim; that is why I can't accept your proposal."

"Figures," Arthur resigned, slumping as he stood up. He sent an awkward smile towards Aisha, "I knew you'd say that. It's not like I don't understand; I for one know how important peace is, and that those who have the power to keep it aright must never veer from this responsibility—"

'Ah!' Aisha's thoughts were painfully in conflict with her words. The moment she heard Arthur's resignation she felt a pang in her heart, as if something had just come loose. In all honesty, she wanted very much to say 'yes'.

'Please,' she pleaded in her mind.

"That's why," Arthur continued.

'Don't give up Arthur,' such were the thoughts she wanted to convey. Alas, Arthur clearly showed signs that he was about to resign.

"I'm taking up my responsibility and marry you Aisha. I promise that I'll find a way for me and you to end up together."

Those words instantly placated her heart; and tears began to trickle down her face. She felt pangs of pain in her heart, yet strangely enough, they felt pleasing. She felt like she was already soaring and was so happy that she wanted to scream her feelings for Arthur.

In all honesty, the day she and Arthur met, she already had suspicions that he wasn't the Hero Arthur. However, there was something in Arthur Crane that made her deceive herself into believing that she was dating the right guy. That was—his smile.

His smile that hid no envy towards her power; his kindness and gentle strength that made her, for the first time, feel like a real princess; all of it, were things she wanted to experience for more. Such paradox: being a real princess made her live a life amidst lies, deception, schemes, and much more miscreant deeds; and yet the day she disguised herself as an ordinary girl, she met a man who made her feel very precious. She understood then that ordinary people were the ones who were truly living lives of royalty. Thus, she wanted nothing more than to give her whole life to Arthur in marriage.

She quickly embraced Arthur and cried as much as she could. "I-I want to," she stutteringly vocalized through murky sobbing, "marry you Arthur."

Arthur was a little bit surprised at her reaction; nevertheless, he meekly placed a hand on Aisha's head, patting her gently.

"I love you," cried Aisha, "so much."

Arthur smiled happily.

***

When the two of them had already sobered up from the explosion of emotions they had just displayed they finally faced each other with bright smiles. It was then that Aisha remembered that Arthur Pendragon and the mercenary group was waiting for her at the northern exit of the mountain.

"Arthur, I have to go," she said, "Pendragon is waiting for me, if he so much as got wind of your presence he might kill you."

"Yeah," Arthur responded, "about that, what's his reasoning for accusing me of treason?"

"He thinks you have connections with the dark organization, but it isn't true, right, Arthur?"

Arthur did not respond.

"Arthur?"

"I—" Arthur could not answer, because those claims held a bit of truth in them.

"Don't tell me," Aisha's eyes wavered in fear; "that it's true?"

Aisha felt a gush of conflicting emotions coming up from within her heart. She felt dread, and at the same time disbelief welling up inside her that she couldn't find the right words to say.

"M-my mother," she stammered; "died because of them!"

She exploded in fury, causing mana to burst out of her in great waves. Arthur was barely able to breathe by using his bodily enhancement.

That's right, Aisha's mother died protecting her from the organization, and for that reason, her feelings of hate towards the organization somehow, were starting to be directed towards Arthur. She held her palpitating chest in agony as tears flocked in great amounts from her eyes. She really hoped it wasn't true, she wanted it not to be true. How can she love someone who was responsible for her mother's death?

Arthur tried to pat her on the shoulder but she suddenly flicked him away with her hand. She was angry. So angry.

"Stay away from me!" she screamed at Arthur.

Arthur looked down in sadness; he loved Aisha very much and he couldn't bear seeing her like this. He didn't expect his past would complicate things this way.

'I suppose,' he thought, 'we're really not meant to be, huh?'

Arthur decided to let go of Aisha, rather than cause her pain by bringing old and painful memories, with his presence, back to life. Thus, he clenched his fist and decided to walk away.

"I see," Arthur gloomily spoke, "I didn't expect that this would happen. In that case, I guess you won't be happy if you end up with me so—"

Arthur turned around and began walking away.

"I'll leave you alone and never see you again."

However, after hearing Arthur's words that hinted goodbye, Aisha immediately calmed down and the huge mana emanating from her, dissipated; for somehow, another emotion aroused in her heart, one that conflicted with her hate. She hated the organization, but at the same time—

She ran after Arthur and hugged him from behind, clutching him for fear of ever losing him.

"I'm very sorry," she said, while crying heavily. "I didn't mean to do that."

It seemed love had won over hate.

"You are not the organization," she earnestly said, "You’re Arthur Crane. The man who has captured my heart."

Crane then held Aisha's arms that wrapped around him. They were petite and fragile, yet they held the weight of her country's future. Arthur then resolved to never betra—

A sudden flash of light came from behind; on closer inspection it appeared to be a streak coming from a sword.

*Swoosh*

The next instant, Arthur was headless and the blood that gushed out of his lifeless body bathed Aisha in red. Aisha's eyes widened in shock.

"No!!!" She screamed.

___________________________________________

Notes:

Although not all would agree, 'they' is considered as a gender neutral pronoun and can be used to refer to an individual you don't as yet know the gender of.