He reached over and snapped a short limb off the oak. Taking a piece of string out of his pocket, Georg fashioned a crude fishing rod, using the cheesecake as bait. The he settled down by the brook, waiting for the fish to bite.

What a beautiful countryside. Reminds me of the Royal Gardens back in Falena.

Georg ignored the voice, forcing himself to concentrate on the brook.

Why aren't you paying attention to me?

Still, Georg ignored the voice, checking his line.

Pretending that I do not exist will not make me disappear neither will the memories.

The Royal Gardens of Falena were the most spectacular throughout the land. Even the gardens in Gregminister cast a pale shadow next to Falena's. Exotic birds from parrots to peacocks flocked in the gardens. Flowers, every color of the rainbow, grew abundantly. In the center of the gardens, a marble fountain shot streams of icy water. The Queen of Falena and Georg walked into the gardens, arm in arm, and sat down by the fountain. Marguerite was dressed in a simple brown dress, but Georg was adorned in his official Royal Guard garb, complete with armor and sword. Marguerite leaned her head on Georg's chest in true contentment. "Do you wish that this moment would last forever, Georg?" Marguerite asked.

"Yes, let's make the most of it." Georg replied. "Georg, do you ever think about the future?" Marguerite wondered.

"Sometimes. However, the present clutters my thoughts. There are too many uncertainties that affect the future." Georg said as he placed his arm over Marguerite's shoulder.

"Sometimes I can imagine us getting married, spending the rest of our lives together, having children." Marguerite said, lost in her own world.

"We need to have at least two kids." Georg imagined.

"If it's a girl, we'll name her Sophie Marie," Marguerite trailed off.

"And if we have a boy, we'll name him Vincent Paul." Georg finished.

"Vincent Paul Prime." the queen laughed. "I like the sound of that."

Marguerite pulled herself away from Georg. She took her raven hair and gathered it into a ponytail. "Come on Georg, let's take a walk." she stated.

Georg stood up and took Marguerite's hand. They strolled deeper into the gardens. Willows trees lined the path, their branches drooping towards the ground. Georg picked a violet blossom off one of the trees and presented it to the queen. She accepted and shared a sweet smile with Georg. The Royal Guard cleared his throat and said, "Why don't we go somewhere far away? We could be married and share our lives together."

Marguerite turned her head downward. "It's not that easy Georg. I have responsibilities here, after all I am the Queen of Falena. Let's wait for a while."

"I'm sick of waiting!" Georg shouted, "We've waited for four months! How much longer does our love have to be repressed?"

Marguerite looked as if she had been slapped. A silent tear fell across her cheek, showing her vulnerability. Instantly, Georg's anger dissipated and he slowly massaged the queen's hardened shoulders. "I'm sorry my dear. I didn't mean that. Curse myself for not controlling my anger!"

"That's alright. Your anger is part of you and I love everything about you. Perhaps, when I find a successor, we can leave Falena. Until then, our love must be kept secret." Marguerite said, wiping away the tear.

"That day cannot come too soon for me." Georg said with emotion.

"Just be patient Georg. Eventually we will leave this accursed place. Oh, we have to go now. People will notice that we are gone." Marguerite said regretfully.

Georg snapped back to reality, when a fish tugged his line. After a brief struggle, Georg finally pulled a salmon out of the water. He cooked it on a small fire for an hour. Then Georg devoured the fish in minutes, saving pieces for a future date. Now he stood up, brushing off the crumbs of his breakfast, still thinking about Marguerite.

Do you know that we never made love, Georg?

By now, Georg was used to the voice. "Yes, I know, but I had a good reason not to."

Yes, I realized that. You did not want me to become pregnant and cause a scandal. Sometimes I wish we had though; it would be wonderful…

"….." Georg replied, starting to walk southeast.

As the muscular man traveled, the scenery changed from rocky terrain to grassy meadows. The sky shifted from deep blue to a lighter shade, mixed in with the wispy clouds. Georg kept a brisk pace, wondering how much longer he had to travel. After a few hours, Georg finally arrived at the Harmonia/Highland border. The Highland Army heavily guarded the tall stone walls. Georg pondered how to make his next move; should he sneak across or resort to bribery? After a while, Georg decided to cross in a normal fashion. He walked up the guards and asked in a friendly tone, "Hey, how are you guys doing?"

The guards exchanged glances, "We're fine. If you want to go into Highland, we need proof of identification."

Georg suppressed a smile, "Really. Do you know who I am?"

The head guard scratched his head, "Uh no sir, I don't seem to recognize you."

"Well you should, for I am the knight, Georg Prime." Georg said, striking a heroic pose.

Their eyes widened, the guards whispered among themselves. "I didn't know he was…"

"THE Georg Prime?"

"I heard he served in the Grasslands, the Queendom of Falena AND the Toran Republic!"

"Someone told me that his strength was so great, that he wasn't human!"

"Wow! He wants to cross OUR guard post? I've never been so honored in my life!"

Only the head guard was unimpressed. "Well if you're so famous, then prove it! Bryan!" he yelled, "Fight this man!"

A young solider stepped out from behind the gate, carrying an one-handed sword. He was heavily armored and looked tough. "So let's fight! It'll be a fight to the finish!" he snarled.

Georg grinned, "That's to bad… for you."

In an instant, Georg grabbed his sword and maintained a fighting stance. Bryan sneered, "This will be a piece of cake."

Quickly, Georg knocked the sword out of Bryan's hand and pushed him to the ground. Pointing the tip of his sword at Bryan's neck. Georg calmly said, "Yes, that was rather easy."

"Alright, alright, you won! Just get that stupid sword off me!" Bryan shouted.

Georg placed his sword back in his belt and Bryan ran to the guardhouse. The head guard shook his head, "Well I guess I'll let you pass now."

"Thank you. I'll be on my way." Georg answered, "Can you tell me where the nearest village is located?"

A guard piped in, "Well, Sajah Village is about an hour's journey away. Oh and by the way, can I have your autograph?"

"Most certainly." Georg said, signing the man's paper.

As he walked across the border, Georg heard a voice say, "Who's Georg Prime?"

Georg threw back his head and let loose a hoarse laugh. Then he started to estimate how long it would take him to reach Sajah. "At my present rate, maybe an half an hour." he said.

The wind picked up and rustled through Georg's dark hair. It reminded him of life in the Grasslands, where the weather was either windy or as hot as hell itself. Georg shook his head; it had been seventeen years since he visited the Grasslands. However it seemed like eternity. So many memories formed, pushing the old ones into oblivion.

Memories of us.

"Yes of us." Georg whispered. "If only our situation had been different, then we could still be together, sharing our intermost thoughts."

To Georg's amazement, Sajah Village laid before him. He became so lost in thought that time had rapidly passed by. The middle-aged man entered the village declaring, "Civilization at last." his voice fading as he noticed the rural setting, "Sort of."

Sajah Village was a quiet peaceful community, near the Highland border. A few houses were scattered around a central road. Children played in the street, immune to fear. It was a sharp contrast to the cities, which Georg had previously lived in. Then again, how could Gregminister compare to a peasant village. Sighing in disappointment, Georg walked into an inn and talked to the woman behind the counter. "May I have a room please?"

"Why, yes sir! You'll have a good home cooked meal and a comfortable bed, all for 40 potch." the woman pleasantly said.

Georg reached into his pocket and removed a few small coins. He handed them to the woman who beamed. "Thank you sir! Your room is upstairs, second from the right."

Georg climbed up the creaky wooden stairs to his room. It was small, but quaint, complete with a bed, a small dresser, and a window overlooking the street. Immediately, Georg stripped off all his clothes, except a pair of shorts. He placed them on the dresser and leaned his sword against the bed. The muscular man carefully closed the door, then laid in the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

"The High Court of Falena finds you guilty of treason, Georg Prime!" Franz, the royal minister of Falena shouted.

Georg stood before the plaintiff, his dignity stripped along with his uniform. "I am not responsible for that massacre! I demand justice because I am innocence!"

"Silence! You have no right to speak! You betrayed your country and your queen so you must die!" Franz yelled.

"Your Majesty." Georg pleaded. "You know that I am innocent; please overrule my sentence for only you can."

Marguerite's skin color turned from tan to ghostly white. She kept her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry Georg. I am not able to do that." she said with regret.

"No! Please Your Majesty, deliver me!" Georg begged.

"Silence!" Franz interrupted, "You have no right to speak, you traitor! Guards! Take this man to the courtyard and execute him immediately!"

The guards started to drag Georg away. As he struggled, the former Royal Guard cried, "Help me, Your Majesty! I am not a murderer! Please someone help me!"

Georg sat up in bed, cold sweat dripping off his face. He moved out of the bed, shaken by his dream. The window opened and a cool breeze wafted in the room. Georg closed his eyes, reliving memories of him and Marguerite.

The smell of her wavy hair.
Oh Georg.
My coarse lips against her soft skin.
Oh Marguerite.
The feel of her slender body.
We will always be together.
Her beauty, her grace.
Until the end of time.
Her sparkling emerald eyes.
Our love will last forever.

Georg opened his eyes to see Marguerite standing at the doorway, beckoning to him. He reached over to place his bulky hand in her slender one, but Marguerite vanished with the wind. A beam of light caught Georg's attention. Underneath the flaps of his clothing was a necklace. Georg grasped it in his hands.

Marguerite's necklace! The one she wore at the party.