“Howland” Gorbach called the name of his friend “Mind if I sit with you?”

“Mayhap” He spoke back, a smile on his face “It depends whether or not you are asking me as a friend, or as the supreme leader.”

“In either case, I know you won’t refuse me,” Gorbach replied and pulled up one of the empty chairs. Out of all the nobles who accompanied him, Howland seemed to be most suited in simple clothing. Within plain shirt and short-sleeved jacket, he could easily pass off as a well-dressed commoner. Since Howland had finished with the distribution of food, Gorbach found him curiously observing the children, some playing with each other’s, some meeting with their parents.

Gorbach followed his friend's gaze “What are you doing?”

“I don’t know” Howland admitted “I’m just…imagining what it would be like to be a commoner, to grow up in the lower part of the city…”

Gorbach smiled “If you wish, I can strip you of your nobility status sent you off with a few points.”

Howland chuckled at that “Perhaps I am not that curious after all.”

“Where’s Jaque? She should have been here.” Gorbach asked his friend after a while.

Howland shifted his gaze to the last stronghold in the distance “She wanted to, believe me, but her pregnancy had taken a bad turn last night. The royal healers said she and the baby will be fine, but they suggest she stay in bed for a few days.”

“By the god, and you still come?” Gorbach muttered, feeling a pang of slight guilt for making his friend joining him “You should have stayed by her side, at least for a while.”

Howland shrugged “It’s not like I will be assassinated tomorrow, I have the rest of my life to spend with Jaque. Not to mention, it is her wish as well for me to be here, for the both of us.”

“I see” Gorbach responded, “So, your child, is it a…”

“A girl” Howland responded “We managed to determine it last week. Little Elia, we called her now.”

“I need to ask, but did you actually ask Jaque about this?”

“For naming our child after my first betrothed?” Howland responded, then gave a slight nod “She is fine with it, Jaque and Elia are friends too, don’t you recall? This name means as much to me as much to her.”

“Yes…Yes…of course.” Gorbach told him, though he had forgotten about it for a moment “Then I wish you happy fatherhood.”

Howland nodded “I hope so as well, it will be quite a new chapter in my life. Jaque spoke about how we are going to raise our child together, so the girl can grow up with loving parents and we both can have a loving child. Though that would mean I will not be able to fulfill my duty as an advisor as well as before…”

“Lord Corlius had eleven children, and he didn’t seem to be affected,” Gorbach said with a shrug.

Howland couldn’t help but chuckled “Then I wish you a happy govern hood as well, Gorbachius.”

They sat together for a while, gazing upon the lines of children of other tables which were getting shorter and shorter. The nobles who accompanied him were starting to disperse as well, gathering in one place to seemingly chatting. Gorbach was curious about what the content of their conversation was, though whether or not they believed this day to be a good experience or a bad one, it made no matter. There was no mishap, and that all he wished for.

“Remember how we’re first met?” Howland asked all of a sudden.

A pang of sudden guilt overwhelmed Gorbach, he couldn’t remember “I don’t know, Howland. It was so long ago…”

“Well, I remember” He replied, and from his tone, he didn’t seem to judge Gorbach for his forgetfulness “It was a few days after my betrothal to your sister was announced, we were both only seven if I recalled correctly, and in that day my father had commanded the servant to dress me in my best clothes. He kept going on and on how I had to give you a good first impression, that since I will be your future brother-in-law, I will receive a high place at court and be given a position as an advisor, so I must become your trusted confidant, for the good of the Goldeye’s family.”

Gorbach smiled “Well, you have accomplished most of those things, so your father should be proud.”

“He should indeed.” Howland said, a longing tone in his voice, which shifted away in an instant “I had heard much of you before our first meeting. They say that you were a diligent and humble boy, though not the best of built. Never complain about your study, and had a heart for his closed one. My father called you a good heir, but still had a long way to go to be a supreme leader.”

“And pray, how much of that was true?” Gorbach asked, starting to recall their past as well.

“Most of it” He replied with a shrug “We first met in your lord father’s chamber; you were acting very shy, very much awkward when I tried to talk to you for the first moment. Though after we spent some time together, you started to open up. If I remembered correctly, you are already fascinated with books by that age, and you often talk about them when we were together.”

“How could I not, it’s the one thing I always enjoy,” Gorbach said with a smile.

Howland shook his head “The problem was that I have no idea what you are talking about. I think there is a two months period where you talked about nothing but this boy named Harrion or whatever that can create water out of thin air, and I had no clue on who he might be. Regardless, you are quite an enigma of a friend, you like having me with you, but you also wished to be alone on most occasions. Despite being the designated heir, you never flourish around in your position. Not to mention you never like being the center of the attention, though from time to time you deliberately make it so. The childhood we had was quite a strange one. But everything changes on that faithful day, is it?”

“Howland, I believe you need to be more specific than that, I have a few days which could be attributed as that,” Gorbach spoke with a smile.

“You know which day I’m speaking of.” Howland countered back “When we were about twelve, you suggested that we should sneak out of the castle to see the city beyond the wall of Last stronghold. At first, I was against it, but you and your sister convinced me. It was supposed to be us two, Elia and her two lady-in-waitings, and a pair of royal guards for protection, but then a boy name Fillius found out about our plan, so we had to let him come with us too.”

Gorbach nodded, it was quite an irregular way to meet a life-long friend, but sometimes god had his own volition.

“We sneaked out through the secret passage by the kitchen and emerged out from the tunnel at the feet of the castle wall. We are all wearing common clothing, so we fit right into the crowd around us, making our tour much easier. It was quite an experience you gave us, let me tell you. We strolled through the trading center, with common’s food in our hands. We went to pray at the grand church, then gone to socialize with the commons our age at this very school. Some of us had come out of the Last Stronghold before, but never like this.”

“I’m sure the fact that we are still innocent children contributes to that as well.” Gorbach joined in.

Howland nodded “I suppose that might be true, but it all turned on its head after your sister insisted on visiting the lower common district, and reluctantly we all agreed. The entire place had a strange odor of rotten and spoiled thing, we passed by dead trees, house so poorly built that it seems like it was about to collapse, some street was so narrow that we could barely walk, some don’t even have a proper pavement and was just wet dirt. The worst part of it was when we passed was a boy the same age as us sitting by the street, his body so thin that we could see his ribcage, and he simply stared at us as we passed by. I asked one of the royal guards how many people live in this place, and you replied ‘About half the city.’”

Gorbach touched his forehead “God…”

“For countless times, the other two girls asked to return to the castle, but you simply continued moving through the street. Finally, after a while, we all arrived on a rooftop of a high building. It was nowhere special, just above a few houses that were stacked together, but the view from it was astonishing. I wasn’t even that good, to be truly honest, just a twisting street and uneven building, but as the sun slowly started to set and the world got darker and darker, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. After a while, I turned to meet you, and I saw a strange look on your face, a sadness that pierced into your heart. That was when I realized that you have come down here before, and you brought all of us here for a reason. So I just watch, as this boy I know for nearly four years, gazing over his father’s suffering people, as a realization hit me that I do not know him at all.”

“Is that what you truly feel? At that moment?” Gorbach asked Howland had never shared his view of that day to him before.

“Yes,” Howland answered with a nod “It was nerve-wracking, to tell true, to see the side of friend which you never see before, or even actively try not to see. Our friendship changed dramatically after that, we went out a dozen more time, I help you study on politic more, once we even pack as much food as we can carry and distribute out to the commons.”

Gorbach chuckled “We were so young, thinking that it would matter in the long run.”

Howland shook his head “Well, perhaps it does, because you really show me what we have to do for the city. I was a noble to the core, Gorbach, pampered all my life, always sleep with a full stomach on a soft feather bed. Not to mention I was given the best education and never need to break a sweat unless I wish to. But on that day you took me to the city, you show us what less unfortunate soul had to endure. Gorbach, you make me care, and I don’t want any talk about leaving a legacy of yours and whatever, I know that, deep down, you also care too.”

“I…” Gorbach tried to say, for the first time in a long while; he was lost for words “…don't know what to say to that.”

Howland shrugged “Then don’t, we are all friends here, after all.”

Gorbach nodded “Then as a friend, I have a favor to ask.”

“Of course you do” He answered with a nod “What is it?”

“I would need you to lead the nobles who accompanied me today back to the castle, I’m afraid I have personal business to attend to.”

“What sort of…” Howland started to say, but then he realized the answer “Let’s me come with you then. I know you twos have a deep connection, but she meant much to me as well.”

Gorbach shook his head, his hand brushed over the silver medallion hanging from his belt “Sorry, I have to do this alone.”

Howland nodded and stood up from his chair “I understand. Quickly finish your business here then, I’ll see you back at the Last Stronghold.”

“That is the plan,” Gorbach replied, and with that, Howland was gone to gather the accompanied nobles together.

“Everyone, I must thank you for being here,” Gorbach told them when they were all in one place. There were about forty nobles here in total, a small fraction of the noble population, but it was a good start. Standing in the small crowd were of course Leaf and Fill, who seemed to already patch things up with each other, and coming to stand next to him was Sophia, with a hard nudge on his hip for the flicking he had given her. Though a person he didn’t seem to see was lord Ptis, but perhaps his advisor simply stood by the back.

“This represents the first step to the new era of the city.” Gorbach told them all, he did not really have to give this speech, but it was in order “From now on, we shall move toward the expansion of our city, but also reducing the gap between us nobles and the commons we have sworn to protect. And after that, perhaps we all shall have the peaceful city we can all be proud of.”

A considerable applaud went by after he muttered his last word. Gorbach also expected a murmur as well, for even this very much selected crowd of people would there still be those who did not wish for their privilege to be shaved away and give to the common people. But to his surprise, as far as he could see, there wasn’t any, perhaps they were smart enough not to show discontent out in front of their supreme leader.

‘Well, it makes no matter.” He thought. To them, Gorbach was still high above all, a symbol of power. And even though his position was rather stood over a thin sheet of ice rather than a solid ground, a large amount of them did not know that. And no matter how dangerous the things he did and the things he was about to do is, he had to take some risk, for his legacy, and for the brighter future for all.

“You know what funny?” Sophia started to say as the crowd started to disperse, the royals guard taking formation to provide the noble escort “When I first started working for you, I always thought how depressing it actually is to know that, only when the person in charge wish it, shall the world become better.”

“That is not strictly true.” Gorbach told her “But I wish to hear what you are leading to.”

Sophia nodded “But after a while, I realize that I was looking at it all wrong, what noble about what you are doing is that you know you are the only one who has the power to do it, and you follow through.”

“I never look at it that way before, but I suppose that is true.” He answered, “And don’t praise me so much, all this would not have happened if not for you.”

A burst of sad laughter seeped out of Sophia’s mouth “Like you never have a plan to make any reform before you met me.”

“No” Gorbach admitted “But you give me the courage I need to enact it, the type of push that I could never receive from any of my friends. So, thank you.”

But before Sophia could make a reply, Gorbach made up his mind and gave her a hug, kneeling down on the ground and swept his hands around her back, pulling his little advisor into a brotherly embraced.

After a moment, he could hear her said: “Gorbach, let’s me go.”

An overwhelming amount of regret pierces into his heart ‘Why did I do that?’ he thought, Gorbach had enough self-control to not do anything on a whim, but what he did seemed to be a good idea at the time. Quickly he released his grip “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine” Sophia answered, and to his surprise, she was brushing, her hand curled around a lock of hair, which he had never seen her do “It’s kinda nice, actually. Just it was so sudden.”

“Here, let’s me make it up to you,” Gorbach said, his hand reaching into the pocket of his coat and brought out…a candy. He unwrapped the foil and gave it to Sophia, who stared at the object.

“Why…do you have candy in your coat pocket? Like I understand that you sometimes eat snack, but I never seen you carry this around before.”

Gorbach sighed “It doesn’t matter, just eat.”

Sophia did as she was bided and chuck the sweet into her mouth “It’s soft and squishy, not to mention has a really weird taste.” She complained.

“Its honeydew flavor, and you were supposed to chew them.” He explained, “How was it?”

She swallowed it “Eatable, but I don’t particularly like it.”

Gorbach raised his eyebrow “It’s good stuff.”

Sophia put her hands over her hip “Yeah, but I don’t like it, and nobody can’t change that part about me.”

Gorbach gave out a long sigh “That is true. Just go ahead with the other nobles; I need to go somewhere first.”

Sophia nodded, she had less idea on what he might be doing than Howland, but still didn’t ask any question, which was kind of nice of her. “For the last time, don’t group me with these people,” Sophia said and left.

‘Best I get going too.’ Gorbach thought and gave a signal, and immediately a pair of royal guards came by his side.

Gorbach looked up into the sky, wherein a distance, a railroad tower rose above other buildings “Come on, we will be walking, the destination is quite close.” He told his guards.

“Is that wise, your leadership? Surely if we took one of the cars…” One of them expressed their concern.

“Yes, but we are doing it anyway.” He replied. Remembering the story Howland told, he wished to walk the city one more time.

His two guards looked glanced at each other; a look of worry was formed behind their visor, but still nodded to obey regardless “It will be as the supreme leader said.”

So off Gorbach and his guards went, walking through the road of pavement like common men, attracting the attention of the people they passed by. Having the supreme leader at a public place was one thing, but to have him walking around the street with barely any guards was quite a sight to see. Gorbach greeted them as best as he could, trying his best to give them the approachable impression. But alas, no one came to speak to him.

‘Centuries of oppressing would do that to them.’ Gorbach thought, after so long. They would not trust a man who bore the supreme leader’s pin. Hopefully, he would be able to do something about that in the future.

Gorbach shook his head as they took another turn and entered the main street ‘Today, I’m done with reformation, now is the time to grieve. Besides, I’m nearly there.’