Chapter 9: Past love

"Hey can I ask you something?" we both asked in unison

And for a moment we both stared at each other in bewilderment.

An awkward silence befell us as one waited for the other to speak.

"You go first?" Lydia offered and I nodded.

"Last night…when Charlotte turned into that demon and attacked. You were the one who came together with that large snake right?" I didn't shy away from asking this slightly ridiculous question.

Lydia was silent for a moment as she contemplated on how to respond to this but eventually she shook her head before replying.

"Yes"

"I see. Another question. Why does no one remember Charlotte at all…Its like she just disappeared" I asked again. And this time Lydia could only sigh.

"I can't tell you that before you answer my question and besides…for that we need to at least be somewhere really private" she explained and I didn't complain. She was from a rich family so she had no obligation to answer my questions. Just the fact that she was friendly to me was already a good sign.

"Okay ask away then" I prompted

"How can you use mana?"

"Mana?" I inquired with furrowed eyebrows

Lydia sighed again.

Honestly everytime she sighed made me tense as if I was in a dire situation or something.

"It seems you have no idea what I'm talking about huh"

I nodded

She opened her mouth to speak again when suddenly it felt like something hit me but strangely the pain wasn't physical, rather I was actually mental. I involuntarily gasped as the air was kicked out of me. 

Lydia too hunched over as she felt the energy knock into her. Her eyes widening in shock as she felt the concentration of energy in the air. 

And it wasn't just any energy.

This was mana!

…

5km away from York Town lied the main city or in other words, London. Currently at a fancy restaurant called Indigo Delights. A black woman with black long hair tied in a ponytail was wearing a white shirt and a purple colored skirt walked towards the counter and placed the order for table 9. She was Rose Coleman.

"Good job Rose I think you should take a small break" the woman behind the counter said before she turned towards the kitchen and handed the order to one of the chefs. At that moment the tiny bell rang out.

Indigo Delights utilized bells to signal to the waiters and those that rang them would then raise their hands and be immediately served. It was quite the effective system actually.

Rose turned and looked around the establishment. At the table at the further back of the room, a man in a black tux raised his hand. The man had bronze colored skin, a stunningly handsome face with a well-kept black beard. His jet black hair was combed backwards and his pale gray eyes seemed to hold the secrets of the world. 

Of course this kind of man was usually one of those from the high class…in other words rich pricks as Rose called them.

Rose held a placid somewhat irritated expression on her face when she saw him. This prick of a man had actually already come here yesterday. He bothered her and he even had the audacity to say something like "Your hubby is back!" as if they were very familiar with each other. 

Well…of course they were familiar with each other but that was beside the point and on top of that, it was actually 15 years ago before Huey was born.

Rose's eyes darted all over the place. She was looking for any of the other waiters who might be free. But at this time there were actually none!

'Great just where are the rest of the 7 waiters when you need them' she sighed in exasperation.

The bell rang again and this time Rose could only glare at him. The man actually had the guts to smirk in her direction. 

The smirk dazed her for a moment but as quickly as that came it was replaced by a smoldering heat in her chest. She was angry that she actually missed this prick.

The bell rang once more and Rose couldn't hold it in anymore

"Okay. Okay you shameless bastard" she actually whispered this part to herself. She didn't want to have a low rating of her services ,after all she did really need the tips. She walked towards the bronze skinned man.

"Hello there what can I get you?" she spoke coldly 

"That isn't a way to talk to a customer now is it?" the man smiled at her antics 

"Shut it David just say what you want so I can leave" Rose was giving him the cold shoulder. 

The man now known as David looked hurt for a moment before he regained his composure. He looked at Rose for a moment.

Rose under David's intense stare felt her heartbeat thump louder. She was reminded of the times back then when she was madly in love with this man. She had never known that he was from a rich family back then but when she found out…no when David told her about this her also revealed that he already had an arranged marriage. 

…

"So what does it mean for us?" the 22 year old Rose back then had asked as she sat on a bench in the park next to him. She had short black hair and bright brown eyes that time. It was no exaggeration to say that she was more beautiful than she was at 37 years.

Sitting next to her was a young man of 24. His slick black hair was combed to the side and his bronze colored skin shone lightly even in the night. He turned to look at Rose with his pale gray eyes that she always found herself immersed in. David Steele truly was a handsome man but her feelings for him went beyond his physical appearance. He was a man of character.

"You and I will be together…but for now your hubby has to go and sort this issue out" David said he pulled her into his embrace. Rose leaned into his touch with a teary expression on her face.

"You better keep your promise then Mr. Hubby" she teased with a sad tone.

"Don't worry you know me. I always keep my promises" David assured her which calmed her down a little

"Come on let's get you home" David said but Rose shook her head and said:

"Let's stay like this for a little longer"

And so the two of them held each other silent each contemplating their own thoughts.

'Should I tell him?' she thought to herself before shaking her head. 'No he already has enough to deal with as it is. Besides I can wait…it's not like it would take a long time to cancel marriage right?'

David thinking of how best to stop his engagement. Rose may have thought that breaking off an arranged marriage wouldn't be that be big of an issue and in most cases, that truly was the case but this time it would be very complicated.

Why?

Because the parties involved were the Steele family and the Royal family of Britain, the Lioness family. Yes David was supposed to marry the one and only princess and the beloved daughter of King Richard Lioness

[AN: My stories have variations in history so to those who are knowledgeable in history could criticize me somewhat so just to make it clear. This is a work of fiction and if the names and families in this story truly do exist then it is purely coincidence.]

…

"I already told you yesterday…I want to marry you" David said without even blinking. Rose felt her heart ache when she heard this. Just like yesterday David had said these same words to her and luckily for her, a workmate had come to pull her away. But it seemed that today she would have to stand up for herself.

"I know that you and I have a son Rose" David's voice was soft as he spoke. His eyes pleading with her.

Rose's memory couldn't help but flash back

…

David had left to go sort out the issues with his arranged marriage and Rose was left alone in York Town. She was found to be pregnant and had to withdraw from college. Her family asked her to get an abortion. But she had refused, it went against her morals. So she was chased out, abandoned and disowned.

Luckily for her she managed to find a kind old woman who took her in and took care of her. 

She would silently look out her window at night and hope that David would come back soon.

Time passed. 

Nine months later she gave birth. 

A few months later the old granny got ill and died so she was forced to depend on herself for her baby boy.

Soon a year passed but she still waited on David's return. 

A year turned into two, two to three and soon five years had passed until she saw shocking news on the TV.

Princess Nora Lioness and Tycoon David Steele to be married soon

That was the headline. Ten simple words 

Yet she felt her entire world collapse.