Unfamiliar Nostalgia

The two finally arrived at the place. They were within the Themiore's household garden. The scenery was magical. The stars aligned their way for the two people to see. The moon was bright above. It was full, and the lights gently descended on the only two within the place. In front of them was an adorned arc of roses. There were different colors to it. They were shining majestically. Their feet landed on the green grasses. The Themiore was also known as a majestic household. The family exemplifies the kind that the Imperial household maintains. Their physique, as well as the way they brought themselves, was like the members of the Imperial family. They were nobles who acted on the same level as the emperor's family. However, this was what the officials didn't like. Though, they would still prefer to be silent than act recklessly.

Two pairs of eyes glimmer. They couldn't avert their eyes around until a moment when Calus met the lady's eyes. Both of their lips rose. Then like a mysterious scenario, the young man's heart started pounding faster.

The two couldn't avert their eyes from the place. They were amazed. It was until Calus looked at the lady beside him. Then his lips rose. Ahh, right, he felt great because he was with the lady he loved. While the lady looked at the scenery unfolding in her eyes, Calus observed her. She had that majestic hair. It was one with the silver rays of the moon. She had those crimson eyes that seemed to draw him, and the way she touched his arms earlier for support was enough to give the young man goosebumps. Everything that the lady did was evident in how he became in love with her.

Calus then blinked. He thought he would still see Arianne in front of his eyes, but another image popped up. It was the image of Ismael's little sister. Calus' eyes broadened. He felt like he had seen something he shouldn't. When he finally became aware of his senses, he saw Arianne and how her forehead twisted. It calmed Calus and composed his stature. That's when Arianne giggled. She thought the Crown Prince imagined something

"Is there something you would like to ask me, Calus?" Arianne asked. Her way of saying some words would always soothe Calus' heart. Even now, her voice was sweeter and gentle. It never changes to caress the young man's heart. Though Calus was doubtful, he doubted that something had changed in him. He doesn't know when it started. However, he felt restless. His mind would wander to someone, and it would be Ismael's little sister. Perhaps, the time he sneaked into the baby's room was the moment he felt amazed at how the baby reacted to him. He doesn't know. So he needed to calm himself. Arianne was with him, so he should focus everything on her.

Calus then blinked his eyes again. That's when everything seemed to change in his view. He doesn't love Ismael's little sister. He was just fond of her. It should be Arianne who's smiling that he should think of. However, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't control what his mind was currently envisioning. For that one second, Calus couldn't bring himself to smile or giggle at what Arianne was doing. It was magical, more than magical than what he had felt after coming toward the household's garden. He knew that the lady before him was Arianne. But in his mind, an image unfamiliar to him crept up. The lady that he had never seen before was smiling at him. She had that golden blonde hair. She was dazzling for a moment. She was smiling. Her eyes were like emerald jewels. They were captivating. She had thin crimson lips. Her figure was like Arianne's. She had rosy white skin, and she was dressed in a plain simple white dress. Calus couldn't help but broaden his eyes. His heart which would never beat for any lady except for Arianne suddenly beat faster than before. He felt mixed emotions. Was it pain, regret, hatred, longing, and love? He doesn't know why he suddenly envisioned an image that he had never met before. He doesn't understand himself anymore.

Why would a figure unknown to him suddenly lurk within his mind? He didn't need to admit something because he knew he had never seen the lady before. His hands that were beside him came to his chest. He wanted to beat it up, but he felt his whole body glued together. He couldn't move one inch. He couldn't figure out what to do. He couldn't avert his vision to the lady in front of him. He wasn't seeing Arianne. He was gazing up at a lady of unknown origin. With the scenario unfolding in front of his eyes, he couldn't stop himself from knitting his eyebrows. While Arianne was in front of him, the lady only giggled. She thought Calus must have been captured by her beauty. However, it wasn't what she was thinking.

Calus wanted to say some words. He immediately opened his mouth. He was prepared for the consequences. He wanted to know who the lady he was envisioning. However, he couldn't. His words got stuck in his throat. He couldn't utter a single word. The more he envisioned the lady. The more time became slower for him. He felt distracted by what he should do. He wasn't like that at all. He was the crown prince, the pride of the empire. But then, a mere tool to become a puppet for the officials.

The lady's image was different from Arianne's. Calus thought that Arianne was beautiful, but it seemed as if the lady that crept into his mind was prettier. That's when he became doubtful. He doubted the changes in his emotions. No, he shouldn't feel something like that. He thought to himself. But then, he couldn't avert toward the image. He regained his senses afterward. He finally shook his head. Then he could finally look at the lady in front of him. She was chuckling. That's when he heaved a sigh

What a strange image? He thought. He should ask his physician later on, but he knew better. Everyone was Duke Ferrer's servant. After all, he had brought them there. He tightened his grip on Arianne's hand. He was about to move and guide the lady when the two heard a very familiar voice behind them. The voice was deep, but it was soft. It gave thrills to Arianne, but Calus inwardly shrugged the thought. Calus halted his moves. Before he could turn around, Arianne had already said the young man's name

"I-Ismael?" Arianne asked. It drew attention toward Calus. He turned his body to see a familiar image. The sight he had seen in his mind earlier about the lady was similar to what he was gazing at. The young man had those curly golden blonde hair. He had fair skin. He was wearing a suit. But the dazzling persona was the same. Their eyes were similar to a piece of sparkling emerald jewelry. That's when Calus thinned his eyes and gently tightened his hold on Arianne's hand once more.

Calus and Ismael couldn't deny what they had heard. Arianne's voice was smooth. It made Calus guilty for envisioning a lady he didn't know. Though, both the two young noblemen hinted that there was a surprise tone in Arianne's words earlier. That hint causes Ismael's lips to rise.

Ismael realized that he still had that influence over Arianne. The young man's gaze couldn't keep up with the situation. He then looked at the two people in front of him. Then his gaze went to their hands. They were intertwined. For some unknown reason, Ismael's eyes thinned. His heart experienced an abnormal palpitation. Then he gazed at the two young people's faces again. Ismael could see how Arianne was still shocked. Though, Calus did the same thing Ismael did earlier. The crown prince thinned his eyes. Calus is Ismael's best friend. Even if they sometimes argue a lot, Ismael still treats Calus as his trustworthy friend. There was nothing in Ismael's life that Calus wanted to change. He was direct to Ismael. His hurtful words were enough to wake Ismael's realization. One thing Ismael had known —Calus cared deeply for him. Ismael wanted to do the same. He wanted to be truthful to Calus. He wished to say that he and Arianne had encountered in the past before Calus met the lady. Ismael had talked to her several times before. He and Arianne were close as friends. They didn't want their family's status as rivals to ruin their friendship. However, something were always meant to be broken. Either in a way to remove something or gain another thing in return. Before Ismael's father, Duke Ferrer planned to claim Arianne from Calus using Ismael. The young man had already met the lady through a particular incident.

Ismael and Arianne would meet each other to talk about a lot of things. They discussed their dreams, their future, and their current lives. However, one day, Arianne didn't show up at their usual meeting places. Ismael continued to wait. He waited for a day, the next tomorrow, and the following weeks. The lady never came. He only knows where Arianne was when Calus presented that he fell in love with a certain lady. It was Arianne, and that's when Ismael realized something. Arianne chose her family over their friendship.

Even though Ismael still protects Arianne from his father's schemes, he still has his priority set on his little sister now that she's born. But he couldn't let his villainous father do anything to his friends. If he had a choice, he would rather fool his friends to fool his enemies first.

It's better for Ismael to deceive his friends. It's better to hurt them because he never deserved to be loved and cared for. For a second, he remembered his sister. It was enough for him if someone —just one person believed him. After that, he'll end everything about his father's scheme and how their household held power within the empire. He would choose the right thing. Especially if it means Herena could live peacefully.

It's hard for Ismael to mislead his friends. He never wanted it to happen. But who was he? He's part of the Ferrer household. It was the noble family who had corrupted the imperial family's power. Would he be easily forgiven? He knew the answer. That's why he was already setting damage to Calus. He might even break their friendship without telling the truth. But within his thoughts, it was better that way. At the very least, Calus wouldn't be regretting to hurt Ismael in the end.

Ismael would cover up the truth to protect the ones he loved dearly.

Arianne became hopeful for the broken friendship she had with Ismael. At the current time, after she heard Ismael approaching them, her heart fluttered. She was the one who broke their friendship but took the initiative to talk to her first. The look in Ismael's eyes when he looked at Arianne's hand intertwined with Calus pained her. Though, she never showed her true expression. She had long masked her true intentions after her family warned her from Ismael. The time they found out the truth about Arianne was the moment that they cautioned her.

Still, Arianne was confident that one day, Ismael would still wait for her in the meeting place. He would leave letters and roses there. He would still love her as a friend. Arianne thought of certain possibilities. But she also knew better. Once a person breaks her promise, there's nothing left but to let go of that certain promise. It was broken for a reason. It would never be mended to the way it used to be. There were already scars on it.

Arianne composed her look. One second earlier, after she gazed at Ismael, her expression seemed to write all her emotions. She felt regrets, pain, happiness, and... longing? She didn't know the last emotions she had. Though she knew she wanted the friendship she had with Ismael to last. But was it too late for them to mend things on their own? She also doesn't know. She had doubts that they would still be friends after what she did to him.

However, some negative thoughts would always creep into her mind. If she would never bring back the old days she had with Ismael, then it's better for her to acquire power. Maybe in that way, she would command Ismael to be the same back then. Perhaps, she would even make him her eternal friend. Those were never right to do. However, she felt it was favorable on her part. In the very end, even if she does that, the nostalgia of the past would become unfamiliar to them. They would never get back to the days they were happy by being friends.

If that is so, then why would she be keen on acquiring power? Is it because she wanted to do something that no one else would command her? Perhaps it's the answer or not. She doesn't know. She was still on the verge of knowing. However, she realized one thing in the process. Ismael reminded her of the future, dreams, and lives that they have talked about. She wanted to accomplish them, and perhaps it would be great if he was on her journey. The scenery she had in mind was peaceful, but her current situation wasn't.

"It is so unlikely that you will come at this time and place, Ismael," Calus asked. His voice was deep. It was contrary to Ismael's tone earlier. Calus was questioning Ismael's presence with the two. Since Gavin and the rest didn't bother Calus and Ismael, they thought their plans were working. However, it seemed that Ismael ruined it. Calus thinned his eyes after looking at Ismael.

"I have something to say to Lady Arianne, Calus--" Ismael didn't finish his words. Calus rebutted. Still, his eyes thinned.

"And what would that be, Ismael? You know that Lady Arianne was my partner, right?" Calus clarified. He wanted Ismael to say it with Calus beside them. Since it had already come to this, Ismael heaved a sigh and closed his eyes.

Ahh, right. He wanted to fool his friends, right? So this is the only way, Ismael thought. He knew he would never go back now. Not when he had already set his mind to do what he had planned.

Arianne, on the other hand, held her breath. She was anticipating something. That's when Ismael spoke the words completely that widened both pairs of eyes

"Lady Arianne, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for the festival next week?" Ismael asked

Calus finally realized something. He still hadn't had his complete grasp of the lady. Nonetheless, she has to answer him. It might take him a long time to hear Arianne's answer, but he's willing to wait, Calus thought. Now, he gained another rival. It was a worthy rival. After all, he was Calus's friend.