Ten: The Problem of Time

10 – The Problem of Time

 

“Roderich, are you done dressing up yet?” Elizabeta fixated her eyes towards her fiancé’s room, a small smile curving up her lips as she waited for her beloved. She leaned against the wall of their home, arms folded over her chest and patiently tapping her foot on the ground. An exasperated voice came from the room, but it seemed to be too muffled by the shirt she felt he was sliding on. “Ludwig is waiting, and we don’t want to test his patience, dear.”

“He waits if he has to wait.” Roderich stepped out, grumbling. His fitted white shirt seemed the slightest bit wrinkled, and Elizabeta tsked in disapproval at the sight. She smoothed it down in hopes of removing the wrinkles, but only half of them seemed to fade away. “I think I should go change.”

“No, don’t. That’s already alright enough.” She gave the man a light smile. “I like it.” Despite his current emotion, he couldn’t help but feel adoration for her. She moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him affectionately, and the musician did the same to her. They stayed in that position for a few minutes until they pulled away, he lacing his fingers into hers. He squeezed lightly.

“Let’s go. It’s going to be quite a walk, unless you want to go by horse.”

“Ride Vienna.” He looked at her. “We have quite an evening set up.” The man rolled his eyes but complied, taking her out of their house and to their white mare, which was patiently waiting for her owner. Soon, they were riding to the castle, her arms wrapped around his waist. Elizabeta watched Roderich silently, looking over the features of his face, her thoughts scattering amongst the wind.

He was a musician in the Kingdom, as well as a Knight, slightly lower ranked than Gilbert was. Roderich Edelstein was one who took pride in his talents, and he was quite well known for his expertise. He would sometimes travel to the different Kingdoms to play, Elizabeta occasionally joining if she were free.

She could remember when they first met, a merry spring five years back. She smiled at the memory.

“Hello? Is anyone in here?” Elizabeta ran a hand through her hair, glancing around the shop of musical instruments. She needed to buy a new string for Lili’s guitar, which broke the previous day. The shop was packed with instruments, though lacked any other person in sight. Frowning, she walked around, tucking her purse into her pocket.

Unlike others, she didn’t have the patience to play. She was more of a woman suited for combat. She liked to risk and battle, as well as take her time to heal. She was a female Knight, as well as a Medic. Though the latter occupation was more central in her life, she wasn’t part of the Knights for nothing. Gilbert surely knew that.

Walking into another room, she suddenly heart soft notes of music from another place. They were slow, quite low, and to be frank, they were soothing. Wanting to find out the source of the music, she wandered around, until they grew louder to her ears. She stopped in front of a wooden door, and slowly, Elizabeta opened the door.

There was nothing more, aside from a piano, a stool, and a man playing it.

He played beautifully. His fingers glided across the keys, his head moving to the music. His eyes were closed. Elizabeta took in the sight, marveling at how calm he could be while playing such a seemingly difficult piece. His hair was brunette, reaching the nape of his neck. A few locks framed the sides of his face. Part of his hair was slicked back, but a strand curling up stood out among the rest.

This only made him more attractive.

She took the smallest step in.

The wood beneath her foot creaked.

The music stopped, and his head spun. His blue (or was it violet?) eyes saw her, and they were wide with shock. Only now did she notice the glasses and the small mole by the corner of his mouth.

“…that was beautiful,” she managed. This seemed to calm him down.

“…thank you. I composed it.”

“Thank you for having me here on such short notice,” sighed Arthur. Jasmine placed a cup of tea in front of him and left the room, leaving Antonio sitting across the King with a pleasant smile on his face. “This matter is quite important, as you have probably gathered…” Arthur drank. The tea rushed down his throat, and he mixed a little more sugar into it.

“It’s not a problem,” replied Antonio. “I actually have something to speak of as well. I’ll let you go first.” He crossed his legs and played idly with the tomato in his hands, soon taking a large bite.

“Ludwig and Francis don’t like it. I need your words on this…” he cleared his throat. “I suppose you recall the four girls I am currently keeping back in Spades?” Antonio nodded, and Arthur went on. “I was thinking of…asking them to be our Queen.” He worded this carefully, looking at Antonio. The King seemed neutral.

“Go on.”

“We can get close with them…and then, the rest is done.” He shrugged. “Just take note that I have no intention of using them and when the Flush is over, dropping them. No. I care for their wellbeing, and…Antonio?”

Antonio was staring at him with an amazed look.

“Arthur, how did you know I was thinking of the exact same thing?” he eagerly took another large bite from the tomato and stood up, running a hand through his hair. “I just thought of that as well! We could charm each one for ourselves and when the time is right, make her a Queen…” he sighed, content. “I’ll learn to love her, Arthur. That won’t be using if we love each other mutually. Fantastic.”

He blinked.

“You’re…alright with it…?”

“It has some drawbacks, but it has to work.” He ate the rest of the tomato. “This is our only chance, friend. Though my morality is against it, my love for my Kingdom is what drives me to go through with this plan – and say…” he paused. “Francis and Ludwig haven’t warmed up to it…”

“No.” sighed Arthur. “Not at all.”

“I can persuade Francis. He’ll listen to me. Try speaking with Ludwig…and Arthur.” The blonde lifted his head, tea cup in hand. “Not a word to our Knights.”

 
“Maybelline.”

“Francis.”

“A word, if you may.” The petite, younger woman walked to her King, steadily meeting his gaze. She kept her expression empty, cocking a brow as he instructed her to sit down across him. “Maybelline, answer my question. There are no right are wrong answers.” She wondered what had gotten into Francis. He was never this serious. She adjusted the rim of her glasses and tied her hair into a high bun, folding her arms over her chest.

“Tell me.”

“How would you feel if you were used?”

How strange.

Maybelline’s answer was immediate.

“Angry. A woman’s anger is not to be underestimated.” Soon, Francis nodded, and dismissed her. Maybelline walked out, unsure of why he had asked such a question. She passed by Yao, who asked her what happened. The young woman merely shrugged.

“He just asked something of trivial matter.” With that, she left. Yao blinked and went into the room, frowning deeply. Francis looked up.

“What did you ask her?”

“Feminine inquiries.” He dismissed the topic with the wave of a hand. Yao noticed the letter on his desk, and his eyes tightened.

“You need to get a Queen soon.”

"Yao, I know.”

“Francis, I am serious!” snapped the Knight. Francis blinked. “I work here to support my siblings at home – you’ve seen Kiku, Leon, and Mei.” He sighed, frustrated. “Working as Knight for years…I’m not ready to lose that title just yet. So you better get your ass up and find yourself a Queen, or God forbid I will find one for you!”

The King opened his mouth to speak.

“And I am serious about this!”

Yao gave him a hard look and then left, wanting to clear his thoughts.

Ludwig liked formal events. So when Elizabeta and Roderich told him of their engagement, he congratulated them and offered to find a good place for the wedding. Roderich appreciated that, and Elizabeta was all-smiles throughout. When he asked when the date would be, the musician answered that there was no tentative date yet. He nodded, and the two went off to the gardens for some time alone.

He hadn’t seen Gilbert for some time after that. He recalled his older brother’s face when the two broke the news. Repulsed. Stunned. Disoriented. He then numbly congratulated the two and went off, muttering something about riding horses. His blue eyes never left his brother until he got out of the room, with Elizabeta looking anxious and Roderich only irritated with what just happened.

So, Ludwig cleared his throat and tried to carry the conversation.

Now, he was out by the stables, rubbing the head of his black horse. “See Konigsberg anywhere, Dresden?” he muttered. The horse let out a neigh, and he took it as a no. “My brother is such an idiot.”

Galloping came from behind. Louder and louder, until it stopped. Ludwig turned around, only to see Gilbert descending his horse, gently patting it on the head.

“That was a good ride…come on, back to the stables.”

“Brother.”

“Ludwig!” Gilbert pulled a smile. “I guess the two lovebirds are elsewhere, right?” he laughed, but it wasn’t as heartfelt as his usual laugh. Both of them knew that. “Koni wanted a ride, and I took her for one…she loves the rush as much as Dresden.”

He ignored that. “Brother, are you alright?”

“Peachy, bro. Just peachy. I’ll be heading in after I bring Koni to her stable.”

 

* * * * *

“Lili, slow down. We’re not being chased.” His adopted sister’s transition was terrifying. She had turned to him an hour ago to see if he was well, and her eyes were a dark violet, her hair suddenly much longer than they were. Lili was much more alert, twitchier and seemed to be paranoid of her surroundings. Vash, on the other hand, didn’t quite change compared to her.

“We have to make it before nightfall.”

She moved quicker, searching for their final destination. Lili suddenly sped up, Vash stumbling after her. She ran and ran, with her older brother right behind her. Finally, she saw it, stopping. A tangled mess of branches blocked the entrance.

“Lili, don’t you even try.”

She turned to him.

There are no rules in Relisotai.”
 

A month passed.

Arthur remains in his study, frowning as he reads a number of papers, pencil in hand. He jots down another note, a few numbers and thinks hard; trying to explain the occurrence of what had just happened only a number of days back.

His paper read:

 

W1= W2

W1 – h = ?

W2 – h = ?

W1 – h = W2 ({})

W2 – h = W1 ({})

 

Wherein W1 = first world

W2 = second world

H = humans or inhabitants

({}) = empty or null

 

“But what exactly is empty in that world?” he asked himself. He was coming up with a suitable reason for the strange occurrence of the girls. Though excellent in magic, he just wasn’t able to see a good reason on why they couldn’t get back to their world.

 It was all mathematics.

Arthur closed his eyes.

“Could it be time?"