For What Tomorrow Brings...

Chapter 2: Terra Firma

Main quote: "Your eyes...so warm and kind. Why do you hide your beauty from the world when there is so much for you to express? Someday, everyone will need you." (Rafael)

Love is the spring from which all life gushes forth, where new dreams become endless truths.

April 26, 1204 A.D.

Aachen, Germany

A young scholar garbed in the robes of Aachen's Circle of Scholars, a colorful white and blue royal robe with the priestly sort of mantle as a cape, joins his senior in black.

"Sir, we need to hurry," so said the 16 year old who hurriedly grabbed all the books he can. "Rush not, Felix. We need not make haste. They only said it has not been made official."

"Do you wish it so, Master John Miles?" The taller gentleman of 27 was eager to go.

"Parousia...what secrets does it hold for us?" he says to himself but quickly remembering Felix said something, he answers him, "Who would want war anyway? We had enough for another decade." "Then we ought to be on our way now." Miles brings his things and follows Felix's leave. The library was empty. They take the fastest carriage to Aurora.

Meanwhile in Aurora, Rafael takes his horse around the town as he asks about the pendant on him but to no avail. No person could make of such an old mark. As he thinks of how to find his lead, he recalls those events last night. He bumped into a mysterious stranger. As he grabs hold of the person, he asks, "Who are you?" The chilling wind removes the hood hiding their identity. Long black ebony flowing like silk...and the man had touched soft cotton. No, not the rags she was wearing, this fair girl in his arms. She was weeping with her head bowed down. He was surprised. Suddenly, they hear shouting, which frightens the already panicked woman, causing her to flee, not minding her disguise being removed by this man who grabbed tightly onto her cloak. He was stunned. "Who was that?" Despite the rags, she smelled of fresh roses.

Even now, he still could not comprehend. A voice woke him back to his senses.

"Oi!" He suddenly fell off his horse and into the arms of a familiar face, which he greeted with earnest as soon as he got up on his own two feet. "Hey Bernard!"

Bernard had just taken up residence in the capital. He was a taller man of 21.

"Hey, what are you doing here alone? Should you not be with Nin and take care of Aunt Fiore?" But Rafael was silent at the mention of this. His head bowed down, Bernard knew what this meant and embraced him tightly. "My condolences, friend. So is that why you are here?"

"Yep. I am here to look for a job and maybe a new place to stay. I let Niña stay with Calvin. He will take care of her while I am away but I doubt if I can even come back."

"Aunt Fiore never told me much." Bernard was not actually related to him but they were good friends and treated Fiore with respect. "So you have come...to look for your father."

"My only clue is this pendant but I know not what to make of it."

Bernard was stunned. "We better get to the Castle!"

"What? Are you mad?"

"It makes sense now. Come on, Rafael. Do you not want to know your true family?"

"True family? What do you make of all of this then?"

"I saw this crest somewhere but well...it will come to me once we get to Castle Brudenheim and meet with Lord Deron. He is the Head Overseer and will know..."