Kismet’s Tale

    Old Fred was about to walk out of the Imperial Palace when he spotted the Daughter of Anastasia bracing herself against a wall.

“Is there anything wrong, Milady?” Old Fred asked, he took a handkerchief from his pocket.

He was in a hurry, but he couldn’t leave one of the girls that he had tutored.

“Oh, Teacher Fred,” said Lady Mildred Anastasia. “I, forgive me for a moment of weakness, Teacher.”

Old Fred nodded, understanding her pain. “I see that Prince Arno had chosen Lady Emilia?”

She nodded meekly. “I had thought that I would have a chance after Flost City.”

She led Old Fred to one of the seats. “But it seemed like she had settled on his heart too deeply.”

“Be proud,” Old Fred said “You have done your best. I have watched all of you grow to become wonderful individuals. Searching for your own paths, and reaching it. You are usually misunderstood, Milady. But your heart is in the right place. So be proud that you did your best. Forgive me for saying this, but Prince Arno had always looked on Lady Emilia gently.”

“I had left with my dignity,” Mildred said softly. “If this was before I would have hated Emilia. But I had a long thought of her and decided to reconcile. It is not proper to become a sore loser after losing. I am better than that. That is why I must accept my defeat graciously.”

She teared up. “But it is truly hard to do so, Teacher Fred. Teacher, my heart hurts, and I don’t know what to say.”

Mildred Anastasia sobbed.

Her shoulders shook as she covered her mouth with her handkerchief.

Old Fred stayed his gaze on the Lady, not moving from his seat.

“Soon, it shall pass.”

Mildred looked at. Old Fred repeated what he said. “Before long it shall pass, the pain, hurt, and the memories will soon fade. Milady, may I tell you a story?”

Mildred nodded unconsciously. She had been taught obediently by Old Fred, and those he had tutored had been trained well in manners by the Older Gentleman.

“There is a boy who strives to become the pillar of the world. He is a boy, a frail little boy who lost his light. The boy truly had no way other than to follow a path that would lead to his destruction.”

Mildred listened quietly. There was confusion in her face. Old Fred smiled at that reaction, continuing his words.

“So the boy continued to strive to become better. He had abandoned his heart, and thought only of bettering the world around him. But the boy was insightful enough to get people who knew better, and learn from them while covering his weakness, enabling him to succeed long enough that none would think that he was a boy.

“But the boy had always been lonely. He was constantly pursuing a mission that would cause him to run out of time. The boy doesn’t even wonder if he was wounded or does he look at those who follow him, his eyes trained on that obstacle, that greater enemy.”

There was a face of longing in Old Fred. Mildred studied the Older Gentleman’s face, but didn’t say anything.

“The boy loved...a girl. She was a lovely one and before the day that everything changed for him. He had cherished that girl and they were always together. But fate is a cruel mistress, and the boy could only let go and sought out half-measures, still hoping for the girl's salvation while chasing his duty.

“She would one day go away. He could have stayed with this girl until her time ran out, but he had to fulfill the mission. The mission that might change the outcome of the world. He couldn’t tell anyone about it. He could only let them figure out what he was doing, and understand the path he was taking.

“The girl did not waver and decided to live on as well. If there was another path then perhaps they would have found something than this path offers them.

“It was a union that could not be. Despite knowing each other ever since young, the two had different paths. Duty, love, it is something painful for the two, and I believe that there could be a way. But that path would lead only to their broken hearts, and thus they refuse to weaken themselves.

“Milady, you are somewhat like that boy, and from the fire that I see in your eyes right now. You would still continue on this path, hoping that you could choose the path for yourself. Milady, I advise that you find a path that you would be happy to take, and do not let that goal consume your mind and spirit. Or else you might end up becoming like the boy who does not even think of the path he was going.”

Mildred contemplated before nodding her head. “Perhaps, you are right that the duty might consume me that I don’t have love now in me,” she chucked. “Let me pay my respects to you, Teacher. I don’t know whether it was fate that made you come to me today, but I thank you for this ‘story’ that you told me.”

“It’s nothing. Perhaps, the story might not have made sense to you. You are not that boy after all.”

“I am not. But I know the feeling of trying to chase after duty and love at the same time. Teacher, you were always the one who had taught me a lot of things.”

“I hope that you cheer up, milady. Perhaps one day you will find the person that you will share your love with. Until that day then take care.”

Old Fred recalled that he had a duty to do. He left the Lady whose eyes remained with him. It was only when he found his way back to his car that he had thought of that silly story he had told to the Lady. It did not make sense to anyone, but in a way he simply wanted an excuse to get those thoughts off his chest. How he had wished that he could have spent more time with the Young Master if he knew that the path he chose was a dangerous one.

***

Lady Mildred watched the Older Gentleman leave. Duty, huh, she thought of the story that he told as excuse to advise her, and somewhat recalled the path she was going to take.

Lady Mildred held her head suddenly. Her breath became still and she looked at the world slowed down. She breathed out fast, and time returned back to normal.

“What is happening to me?” Lady Mildred asked. “Maybe I have been stressed out by all of this, I should go back home now.”

Lady Mildred walked out of the Imperial Palace. She made a backward glance, and said. “Goodbye, my love.” 

And walked away.