After a few miles of walking, the red headed goddess and her trustee sidekick noticed a crying middle aged man sitting on a tree stump. “Lets keep moving Sam, after the last holdup, we’ve gotten behind schedule. I know you, and you’ll want to help this poor weakling out.”
“Of course I do, look at him. He needs our help, so come on. Maybe he can help with our journey to Greece.
She had noticed that Sam had taken interest in poor man, and let out a sigh of disgust and frustration. Liliana had always been impatient, that was just her style. “What ya crying about mister,” Sam asked casually?
“Oh, my one true love doesn’t want to get married. I’ve proposed marriage to her almost three times already. She just won’t say yes to me.”
“You poor fool, you don’t even know how to romance a girl,” Liliana said with a laugh.
“Do not mock what you don’t understand foolish girl. Ariel is the only lover I’ve ever had and want. She made me a man a long time ago and I haven’t looked back. I just need help trying to win her over!”
“We will help you mister, and don’t mind my partner here, she’s a little rude at times. My name is Samwell, just call me Sam though.”
“Thank you young sir, you won’t regret it. Most people call me Peter the Hopeless Romantic, but just call me Pete for short. Lets get back on the road, Woodland Village is just up the road here.”
The three of them walked the short distance just over the horizon to Woodland Village. A small and cozy home, its great for raising a small family. This is my perfect home for when I’m done with my current occupation. The trio arrived at The Hopeless Romantic’s house. It was a gorgeous home, filled with great art by Joc del Tio and Jean del Tio.
“Now I have an idea I haven’t tried yet, POETRY,” the man shouted with confidence. “I am a great writer, my father wrote a poem to this girl he wanted to marry. That woman became my beloved mother. So when it comes to romance, I know a thing or too.”
“OH BROTHER,” Liliana added! “If you were the master of romance, your soon to be bride would have accepted your proposal by now.”
“Oh little girl, its only a minor hiccup. Well, enough banter, lets go find my beautiful bride-to-be. She should be at the tavern.” The Hopeless Romantic lead them through the town, the citizens of Woodland knew Pete because of his little intricacies when it comes to women. As they walked they all heard people name calling Pete such things like “Wimp and Lady-worshiper,” and something I’d rather not repeat. They arrived at the tavern named “The Dry Mermaid,” which makes no sense at all. The woman was outside, she was drop dead gorgeous. She had eyes that the Creator designed with great care, the angels would fall out of the sky just to see her. She looked similar to the Great Helen, the most beautiful of them all, but I won’t go into that story. With skin as creamy as fresh milk and hair golden like bee’s honey, I wonder how this pathetic fool could have courted her.
“Honey, how are you this fine afternoon? Have you pondered about my proposal any more.”
“Oh Peter, I still see you’re as naive as ever. I thought that beating I gave you would have finally made you a man. I see you’ve brought some friends along with you as well. The young man is cute, but the redhead looks pretty dangerous. I am Jade, from the Kingdom of Okyra.”
“Oh me too Jade, although I haven’t seen you around ever,” Sam said.
“Well, of course not. I left home as a child, and came here to Woodland. I consider this my home because I know everyone here. Even this pathetic fool Peter here.”
Now the four of them began to exchange pleasantries and whanot, and went into the tavern. After a few hours in there doing who knows, they came out together. The couple had invited the two fighters to their home to stay the night. Of course they accepted being how they had nowhere else to stay for the night. Once they arrived at their home, the Hopeless Romantic pulled the two partners away for a second.
“Now listen guys you will be staying upstairs. I need you guys to write me a poem to get her back. I won’t have any time to write it down because I will be occupied. Hopefully, Jade is in a good mood, I don’t want anymore beatings tonight.”
“Are you saying that she beats you mister? Why would she do that to you Pete,” Sam asked with genuine concern.
“Oh its nothing she just has these temper tantrums every now and then, and she takes it out on me. So, if you hear any noises downstairs, just try to ignore it.”
The two youngsters went upstairs to there room. There was only one bed in the room, but they managed.
“So which one of us gets the bed,” Liliana asked?
“Lets just both be in the same bed, there isn’t anything wrong with that is there?”
“Women aren’t supposed to be in the same bed with another man unless we’re married. Especially Tzarian women. Just promise not to touch me, and no funny business either.”
“Funny business, what in the world are you talking about Lily. I just want to help this guy and go to sleep, thats all. I have an idea for a poem, so just leave this to me.”
The boy found a piece of parchment on the nearby table and with a quill lying there waiting for his expertise. He began to write, taking many breaks with lots of pondering in between.
The two of them started to hear sounds of loud noises and bumping coming from downstairs. After the racket, they heard shouting.
“You think we should go and check it out Sam?”
The boy remained silent, as he continued to write down his secreting thoughts, he was as focused as The Great Philosopher.
“Well, I guess you’re going to ignore me until you’re done writing your great romance poem. When you’re done just let me know, I need a nap. I don’t plan on staying here much longer, I hope you didn’t forget about the big picture. We’re headed to Greece to get help. The Hooded Man won’t stay quiet much longer.”
Sam said nothing....
After a few hours, Sam finally broke out of his silence.
“Okay Lily, wake up. I think this will win the heart of Jade, we just have to give it to Pete.”
The two waited till morning to give Pete the poem that Sam wrote himself. When he took the piece of parchment downstairs, Sam noticed that Jade had left. She had stormed off in the middle of the night.
“Where’s Jade Pete?”
“Oh, she stormed off last night. After I proposed to her again, she called me a failure and left. I’m sorry, I should sticked to the plan.” The Hopeless Romantic began to sob uncontrollably, then began to whine.
“Please you guys you have to help me, I need her to live. Without her, I am nothing on my own. Please help me!”
“OK calm down Pete, will go and get her. I have wrote a poem that I think will win her over. We’ll be back.”
The two left the house to find Jade. They asked around a few of the residents of the Village and they found out that she was at the tavern. Once they got there, they instantly found her inside. “Jade, Pete is looking for you. He also wanted me to give you this....”
He handed her the piece of parchment with the Sam’s poem, it read..
“My love Jade, I wander about your beauty. Me marrying you is my only duty. In all the land you are the best, but getting you to marry me is my greatest test. My love for you grows each and every day, waiting for you to come home and lay. You drive me crazy with all your enticing ways, for you I will do whatever it takes.”
“Oh, how sweet! I love him even more now. I am going to go home and propose to him. Thank you Sam for showing me this wonderful love poem. I want you guys to come home and celebrate our marriage.”
The three of them strolled back to the house with a smile on each face except of Liliana’s of course. They reached the house. “Okay you guys wait outside, when I propose to Pete, you will come in and surprise him. She walked into the house.... About 5 seconds later she let out a horrifying scream. The two rushed in and saw the horrific sight. The suspended corpse of Pete was dangling from the roof of the house. The man had hung himself. There was a note by the body, the boy picked it up and read it...
“My love Jade, I hate you for what you have done to me. You turned me into a fool, now I am no more. I gave you my heart, and you stomped it into the ground. Now you will see what it is like to be truly alone. If you’re reading this, it means you were late. In essence you were always late, now It is time for meet Death. I hope I won’t see you where I’m going.”
The girl was now in tears as the note was read aloud. “NO PETER, WHY DID YOU DO THIS TOO ME. I’M SORRY, I WAS A FOOL. I DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU AND I WON’T!”
Jade made a lunge for the sword on Liliana’s back. She pulled it off and thrusted the blade into her heart. The girl and the Hopeless Romantic were now lying and hanging there, empty of love and life. “Lets leave now Sam. We’ve caused enough trouble here.”
The two left the death-filled home, and trudged away from the suicides. I always hated “cleaning” up suicides, but I had to do it. The two of them came away on their own terms, there was no fighting or no begging for second chances. They wanted to see me, I guess there is a first time for everything. Love is supposed to be this bringer of great happiness, people never realize how powerful it is until its too late. I caught up with the two of them as they got back on the long journey to Greece, who else's lives will they ruin on the way...