TBATE: Your Name

Chapter 8

The engagement party was set for tomorrow night, and yet Arthur had never seen a glimpse of his fiancé.

When he'd gently pointed this out to Merial, she just smiled apologetically, like it was her fault that her daughter just happened to magically disappear whenever Arthur stepped foot in the same room.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." Arthur's heart warms a little hearing the apparent fondness in her voice. "Tessia is very busy right now since she's arranging a couple of important things all throughout Elenoir. Don't worry! If she misses the engagement party tomorrow, I will drag her here by the ear if I have to!"

He was happy that the rest of the royal family seemed to get along with the rest of his family when they finally met. He was a bit worried that his parents and sister might be treated differently as they were not technically royals. But the Elenoir royal family was as friendly and welcoming with them as Arthur could have hoped. Merial and his mom even spent some alone time together, most likely to gossip, while they left their husbands and the former king of Elenoir to drink and laugh the night away.

Meanwhile, Sylvie and Ellie decided to spend some time with Arthur's grandparents, as it had been a couple of weeks since they last met. That left Arthur alone in the night with nothing really to do. He of course took this opportunity to go to his favorite place in the country.

Now, as he sits on one of the benches by the rink, he smiles a little as he ties on his skates. This may be the last time he would be able to skate as a single man. He would inevitably meet his wife-to-be who was really starting to frustrate Arthur since why the hell haven't we even met yet.

Arthur hears the familiar thump thump of skate guards against the padded floor, and he smiles when he sees the emerald-eyed beauty walking through the glass doors that separate the locker room and the rink, her bracelet already taken off and in one hand. Arthur flashes her a giant smile, and the woman smiles back, albeit strained.

Arthur... Sylvie says, reminding him of the conversation they had when she was a continent away. Arthur knew she meant well, but decided to ignore her warning, devoting his attention instead to the mystery woman.

"Hi." The woman says sheepishly, eyes downcast as she shuffles over to the bench.

Arthur smiles, noticing the stiff atmosphere. "Hi."

The woman sits herself on the bench, a few meters away from Arthur. Arthur watches warily, watching the stiff way the woman placed her bracelet on the bench, watching the rushed way the woman removed her skate guards, watching the way her lips were set in a tight line.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asks, just trying to be nice.

"Yeah, I-I... I'm alright." The woman sighed, a little frustrated when one skate guard was being too stiff. "Just... Nervous."

"For what?"

"Lots of things." The woman finally removes both guards, setting them down on the bench, but she does not move from her position. "Arthur?"

"Hm?"

"How do you know that you're good enough for someone?"

Arthur froze a little at the question, surprised at the random statement that did... things to Arthur. He was not sure, but Arthur felt his stomach flip. And at that moment, Arthur knew he'd been asking that question his whole life.

Was he good enough? In what, exactly? There were lots of factors, to be honest. It could branch out to just about anywhere. Was he a good enough leader? Was he a good enough Prince? Was he a good enough brother, son, and grandson? Did he do enough in this life to be considered a good enough person? The questions that began with 'what' mingled with questions that began with 'will'. Will he be good enough? Will he will he will he will he...