A Walk with Eternity-Chapter 50: Beautiful

"Oh... Is that so..." Rue trails off. One can feel the subtle awkwardness in her tone. "Ah, shall we have a light dessert?" She asks them, trying to keep them in this hall for a little longer.

"Yes please..." Ezio was the first to answer, which nearly had her smiling, but she kept it in. Just then, the door opens widely, along with the siren servants carrying the dessert and fruits to help their tongues have a feast of sweetness before sleeping.

After a minute, the servants left again. Rue was feeling a little conscious. This was something she’d never done for guests before. It’s also standard etiquette to only have desserts during tea parties, and not after savory meals.

However, she knows these people she’s currently dining with.

They will always have desserts after meals.

"You remembered..." Milera trailed off, catching attention from everyone in the room. Milera, who has been quiet the whole time, spoke up. She looks at Rue with a warm smile. "Thank you..."

Rue couldn’t help herself at this point. She could feel something completely breaking her heart. Milera was still looking at her with such a soft gaze, all when Rue felt like she didn’t deserve to even look her in the eyes.

"By the looks of it, it seems you haven’t changed much." This time, Lysander spoke up. "We were worried that you would treat us like strangers."

Rue paused for a moment. Why...?

Why did you come here...?

"It’s only been seven years since we last saw each other... How could I dare treat you as strangers?" Rue forced a bitter smile. "In the first place, if I properly reached out first, all of you wouldn’t think I don’t see you all as my closest friends anymore."

Her sentence made them freeze in their spot, in which she intended. She never planned to reveal anything to them, but this can’t be helped anymore.

"What do you mean by that?" Dolunay spoke with a shaky voice. Her eyes were widened in shock, in a stage of complete disbelief.

"I didn’t send that letter," Rue reveals. "I don’t remember even writing you all such a letter."

"Oh..." Dolunay looked somewhat relieved, but at the same time, she seemed somewhat ashamed. She looked down on her dessert, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Who told you about that letter then?" Lysander asks, raising a brow.

Rue smiles. "Who else but Nilsine? I met with her recently secretly," she answered, then chuckled. "Nilsine was so mean when she met me. She’s the one who told me everything?"

"So she’s doing just fine..." Cimmerian trailed off. He wasn’t the only one who seemed relieved from the news. The others seemed to release a bit of tension in their shoulders as well. "We were originally here for her, but our other companion has more plans than just that."

That statement piqued Rue’s interest, but Kian immediately interjected.

"Then who would send such a letter?" Kian asks. Rue sighs at that. She can’t even force herself to lie in front of these friends of hers.

"I have a suspect, but I have no evidence to back it up." Rue looked down on her dessert. "As foolish as it is, she was one of the key figures why I was able to build back this empire."

Please be mad at how helpless I actually am now, even when I’m the empress...

Rue hoped that they wouldn’t be as forgiving as Nilsine was with her. It truly wasn’t her fault, but she’s partly to blame for everything. However, there was no reaction from them.

Rue sighs once again. This tension is killing her.

"Shall we rest for the day? I’m sure you’re all tired," she says as she rises from her seat. "I’ll have the servants take your desired desserts to your room."

She walks to the door, but before she could even leave...

"Rue..." Ezio called her. "Let’s train tomorrow? Like old days."

"I want to see how much you’ve improved too!" Milera adds.

This somewhat made Rue smile, but she refused to turn her head to look at them again.

"I’ll come at the usual time," she answered as she left the room completely.

After ordering a knight to inform someone in the kitchen to clean up the dining hall and attend to the guest, she walked to her room immediately. She stepped inside her spacious bedroom. She didn’t call for a servant and completely undressed herself from her work clothes.

Walking around in her own room naked, she headed towards her bathing room. She walked straight to the marble tub, and it was already filled with warm water and rose petals. It must have been prepared by the servants in advance.

She let out a soft moan as she felt the warm water embrace her body. Water spilled from the tub as she drowns herself completely.

Ah... what a tiring day... will we be able to restore our friendship for the next month? They will stay here for the entire month after all.

Rue drowns in her thoughts, trying to clear her thoughts. Such behavior makes her think she hasn’t grown at all. She’s still the sheltered girl they know.

Trying to calm her mind in the water didn’t work at all. So she tried journaling after slipping into her night gown, but she was already three pages in and it wasn’t getting any better for her at all. She sighs sharply, feeling frustrated.

But she felt a breeze, she turned in that direction. It was coming from her open balcony door.

The night sky seems bright tonight.

Huh... maybe getting some air will help...

Rue rose from her seat and walked towards the balcony. Her eyes looked up. It was a full moon and a clear night sky, she could clearly see the bright stars twinkling in the void. It was beautiful, she could barely take her eyes off it.

She closed her eyes to feel the cold breeze, and it felt like a hug no matter how cold it was.

Ah... there we go...

Just when she was already feeling relaxed, she felt eyes on her from a certain direction.

Who...?

She opened her eyes and turned towards another balcony, a few meters away from hers. It was the nearest room in her chambers.

There, she saw a man in white button up and black pants, with a black hair resting on his shoulders. If not for his lean and tall build, she would have mistaken him as a woman.

He was looking straight at her, but from this distance, she could barely even see his face.

Is that the other delegate? She thought to herself.

"Rue...?"

Her sharp ears heard him call her name with the softest tone possible.

Rue’s purple aniridia eyes slowly widened in realization.

Black hair, pale skin... and black eyes...?

"Yves...?" she mumbled under her breath. She had hope, her feet began moving on their own, walking closer to the balcony.

That’s him right? That should be him... There’s no possible answer to how everything could have been solved so easily... it’s only possible if Yves would be there.

Before she could even touch the railings, a foot had already stepped there. She looked up to him, shocked and barely keeping her balance as she stepped back.

In front of her was truly the person she expected.

It was truly him. Syvestian.

He is here. Smiling at her softly.

Rue was speechless. She couldn’t utter a single word, despite the person she longed to meet was right in front of her. He stepped down the railing and that’s when she knew how much taller he actually is. He’s a few inches taller than she is.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t join you all for dinner, my body was exhausted," he started a conversation. His voice was low, his tone was soothing. He’s sincerely apologizing. "And I’m sorry for intruding now... you must be getting ready to get some sleep."

"I—" Rue’s voice cracked, and even when she’s beyond embarrassed, she continued. "Don’t you feel hungry?"

Rue wanted to slap herself in the face when she couldn’t even find the words that she wanted to tell him.

Syvestian only smiled at her.

"It’s alright, I’m plenty full enough after looking around the city," Syvestian answers simply, he leans back on the railing, looking over the city that was still alive from a distance. "Quite the beautiful empire you have built, Rue."

Rue froze in her spot, feeling all the blood rush up to her face as she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

He’s all grown up too... she thought to herself. His hair had grown longer, he’s taller and more muscular. He seems to be regularly exercising. Even with the dim lighting from the moonlight, his undereyes are visible enough because of his pale skin.

This time, she smiles. She looks over to the same direction he was looking. Indeed, it’s a beautiful city.

"Yes... thank you."

Syvestian, this time, glanced at her, and couldn’t take his gaze off her.

She... has matured quite a bit, hasn’t she...