The Lord Of The Nin9th Fortress

Ryuga walked in the crowded street of The Capital like two people out on a walk. Ryuga came to a halt and shook his head. "This won't do. Not at all".

"What is it now? Is this not what you wanted?" Irla stands in front of Ryuga, blocking his path. "And anyway,uuuh…. What do you do on date?" She avoids his direct gaze by looking down.

"I'll be honest. I planned nothing for our date. We'll just have to go with whatever comes to mind." He then walked to Irla and held her hand. Irla blushed hard just looking at Ryuga 's hand holding hers. "Speaking of which, there are horse stables. Let's just go on a race." Ryuga pulled her but she wouldn't budge. Irla slowly shook her head and took out a coin.

"Head or tail?" She asked holding it out. But Ryuga wasn't sure what she meant so he just looked at her with a confused expression. "Since there is no list of things to follow, we might as well make it a random stop." She flips the coin and looks at Xicor. "I call heads and we're going to have something to eat. You call tail and we're going to have a horse race."

Irla reveals the coin and it's a ….. head. A bright smiles shines on her face as she celebrates. Ryuga looks like blood has just been sucked out of him. But he shakes off the loss and follows Irla into a restaurant.

"I've never had a meal that wasn't prepared by my attendant, besides when I trained with Lord Heli. I'm not sure what to get." She looked the list of the menu over and over without making a decision.

Ryuga seeing the confusion on her face couldn't help but laugh. He raised his hand and the waitress came over. While Irla was still contemplating on the menu, Ryuga ordered for her.

The waitress left and gew minutes later, a trolley of food came by. Roasted chicken, a beverages, fruits and a cake. "Two reasons why I got this is, one, I'm gonna be broke by the end of this date, I might as well do it in style. Two, I wanted to mimic a noble's meal. As best I could. Now let's eat." Ryuga put his hands together and gestured for her to dig in.

For some reason, at this moment, Irla looked like just any normal person you would meet out there. She was contend with little things before her. She was carefree almost like a child. She was beautiful, more so in Ryuga 's eyes.

To Ryuga, this life seem meaningless and meaningful at the same time. Irla was going to leave this world soon. Her wishes and dreams unrealized. Yet at this moment, she is right in front of him, smiling, cheerful and happy. To him this world in which people cannot know their demise, looked all too cruel. But in the end, maybe there really is nothing that can be done about it. But if it were up to him, he would abolish such unfairness. But maybe that's why God exists, even if it's just in the perspective of the few.

Ryuga became lost in thought as his mind drifted off. Irla, noticing that Ryuga is not eating, raises her head to find his eyes looking at him with a charming somber smile. Her cheeks are puffed up filled with food. At that moment Ryuga 's attention returns. His eyes come into the sight that he finds both cute and funny at the same time.

He looked down and covered his mouth to laugh. Making Irla aware of her behaviour. He handed her a serviette and they they both had their meal.

When they left the restaurant they flipped the coin again and the result led them to a theatre. They watched a comedy performance, but Irla watching a performance by commoners for the first time, wanted to see more. They ended up watching the romance performance then left when it was over. When they came out it was noon. They went to the horse stables to rent horses.

"Sorry but you can only have one." The horse owner spoke with a mischievous look. Ryuga noticed what he was doing and put a pouch of coins on the table.

"Thank you for your services." Ryuga responded with a smile. But too soon Irla broke their scheme.

"There is another horse, now we have two separate horses. Good Ryuga was already paying more than enough for one." She spoke pointing out at the horses that were being prepared. "Now I'll just go get changed." She left them with their mouths gaping.

Ryuga turns his gaze to the horse owner but he just hugs the pouch closer and leaves Ryuga. Ryuga went to get changed in defeat.

Irla was wearing black boots and jacket, a helmet and others. They met in the stables and rode at high speed out of The Capital. They raced out into the fields and bases of mountains. They raced around the mountain, along the river banks leading back to The Capital. They took a rest on the grass by the river to let the horses take a break.

They sat down looking at the river. The sound of the water was calming and view of the sun reflected made that moment even more so beautiful and memorable.

"So, why did you suddenly want to go on date. With me on top of that?" Irla asked Ryuga without turning to look at him. Ryuga took a moment before answering. Then asmile curved on his face.

"Honestly, I don't think I have a valid reason. If I were to think about such things, I would miss out on a lot of things." He paused and looked at Irla. "If I were to give a simple reason like, I LOVE YOU. Would you believe me?"

Irla smiled bitterly, still gazing at the river. "I don't know. But one thing is for sure. My father would have your head if proposed such a thing."

"Then I guess I will give him my head as soon as I get home."

"Then you would truly be, the first person I'll love as long as I live."

The last words were like thorns poking at Ryuga. His heart tightened in his chest and he couldn't help but be uncomfortable. "Let's go back. We've been gone long enough."

Ryuga got up and got onto his horse. At that moment a thought crossed his mind. The reality he was in was not just unfair, it was a hell. He will not burn in the hell called reality. He will be the king of this hell. The Devil himself. They rode back to The Capital and left soon after.

They came across a stall with the owner already packing up.

"How about we get something sweet, and souvenirs too. It's a rule to always have something to remember about an outing." Ryuga pulls Irla to the stall to make her choose a souvenir.

"We have necklaces, wishcards, enchanted bracelets and snacks." The stall owner shows them all in display.

"We'll take a bracelet, a necklace and two cards please. Also a packet of sweets." Ryuga pulls out the last pouch of his savings and puts it on the counter. "Looks like we're going home now my dear Princess."

The seller gives them their goods and they left. As they walked past an alleyway Ryuga sees a boy lying on the ground. He walks over to him and sits him up.

A new phenomenon in the future. This boy was never in any future he saw. Both possible and certain to happen futures.

"What is your name." He looked at the boy who reminded him of the past with Ryuga.

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