She felt alone and empty. There was a sense of forbidding danger that told her Andre was gone. To where, she did not know. He must have taken her coming marriage to Girodere more badly than she thought. Oh Andre, where are you? I need you, Andre. I'm afraid to marry Girodere. Is it right to marry someone you don't love?

She stood speechless and forlorn at the 2nd floor hallway of the Jarjeyes Mansion, her long trail caught at the foot of the side table near the banister, and she bent over to free it, almost slightly tripping on her high-heeled glass pumps. She caught herself at the hallway mirror, almost not recognizing herself in a long flowing white gown embroidered with pearls and lace. I look like Cinderella when she went to the ball but why do I feel as miserable as she must have felt when she was alone cleaning cinders and doing errands for her wicked step-family?

She stood overlooking at the main hall where the wedding presents from her friends and her father's colleagues were piled at one corner. Despite the innumerable beautiful presents from well-wishers, the emptiness and devastating sadness would not ebb. The loving presence of her best friend was crucial. They share a special bond that goes beyond friendship and master-servant relationship that was inexplicable. Without him, she could not completely be happy on her wedding day. Yet, she knew that even with Andre's presence in her wedding she could not be completely happy married to someone she didn't love the way a woman should love her husband.

She never wanted to choose between them. It was Andre she loved and no one else but her sense of obligation, and gratitude forced her to accept Girodelle's proposal but had Andre proposed, would she have chosen Girodere? Had she known losing Andre was the price she would pay for being grateful to one that saved her, now she knew, she would rather have lost her sense of gratitude and obligation. She never knew losing Andre would bring such a terrible heartache, never knew that losing him would be like losing a part of herself.

"What is wrong, my dear? Aren't you pleased with your presents? You don't look like someone who's about to be married," commented General Jarjeyes to her daughter.

He couldn't understand the undeniable sadness he noticed in her eyes.

"I wish Andre were here, father. I don't understand why he should leave without a word," said Oscar.

Her father gave her a comforting hug. Should I tell her? General Jarjeyes sighed in defeat. My daughter has the right to know...

"Look, Oscar. I don't know how you would take this. I don't want to upset you any more than you already are...but I promised Andre he can have your hand in marriage if he finds you and brings you back to me..."

"Well...I didn't know...I was never aware he felt that way for me. Do you think he was disappointed when it was Girodelle who found me? But I know Andre...he will just be happy and grateful that I was found even if it was not him..." interrupted Oscar.

General Jarjeyes stared at Oscar in confusion. "No, my dear. Whatever made you think it was Girodelle who rescued you? It was Andre. He was gone for months that I even thought something must have happened to him during his search...until one day a dove came to his friend Alain with a message...he would be at Lake Avernus with you..."

Her father's words caused Oscar to burst into tears. She was agitated as she exclaimed, "No...it cannot be. It was Girodelle who rescued me... his was the face I saw when I woke up... and I remember how he saved me..."

General Jarjeyes shook his head. "That's impossible. Girodelle was stationed at Fort Lacroix for months. He didn't leave his station but he did help us search for you for a while but when everyone has given up after almost a year of search, Andre continued and never lost hope. Don't cry, Oscar. He was just probably disappointed when you accepted Girodelle's proposal but I'm sure he only wants your happiness and would not hold this against you."

Oscar started to panic. "You don't understand, father. It is Andre I love but...but I decided to accept Girodelle's proposal out of gratitude for saving me..."

"I don't know how you came to believe it was Girodelle who saved you but seeing his face first when you woke up doesn't mean he rescued you. Andre was also wounded and we nursed him as well when we found you both at the riverbank. This is the reason he wasn't beside you when you opened your eyes," explained his father.

No...it couldn't be...I saw Girodelle get wounded by the gigantic water serpent, saw him risked his life in peril, saw him fight with Death as the Queen of the Underworld watched... He carried me all the way till we came out of The Underworld. What is happening?

Suddenly, Alain walked into the main hall carrying a basket. His face was grim, his lips tight. His eyes stared cold and accusing at Oscar as she and her father came down the stairs to meet him.

"Greetings, Lady Oscar. I bring you a wedding present..." said Alain as he handed the basket to Oscar.

Oscar opened the basket and was astonished to find three golden apples. The apples in the goddess' garden...

The distressed look on Oscar's face did not bother Andre nor did it stop him from his reproachful statement. "Andre got this for the woman he loves... almost had himself killed to get it, in fact...so I just thought I'd give it to her for a wedding present"

Oscar was all the more confused. I thought it was Girodelle...

She looked at Alain and her father with uncontrollable tears. She felt so confused, her facts were all muddled, and the current situation was making her more disturbed and baffled by the minute but one thing she was sure of at the moment, she couldn't go through the wedding.

"Father...forgive me...I..I...I don't know anything anymore but I know...I know I can't go through with this wedding anymore."

At those words she picked up her long trail, and ran out of the mansion and into the garden where she cried by the fountain. She was not one to cry. Although at the moment she didn't want to do anything but cry her heart out until there were no more tears left, till her emotions have gone cold, and unfeeling to the tremendous pain his missing presence have created in her life. She will not, and damn her honour and principle that cost her the love of her life, but she will not cry. There was no one else to blame but herself.

Suddenly a lark perched by the fountain and sang about Andre's quest for his lost love; the perils, the obstacles, and the gods, monsters, and spirits he faced along the way. The bird told Oscar how Andre was forced to strike a deal with Death in order to take his love out of the Underworld. The lark spoke of the goddess Artemis who fell in love with Andre but Andre chose his love, enraging the goddess that she tasked the spirits of dreams to implant deceptive visions and hallucinations to his lady love to ensure she marries another. "

The lark's song broke her heart and she begged the bird to tell her how to find Andre. "I cannot tell you where to find him. The answer lies in your hands. You must find it within your heart," replied the bird before he flew out.

Oscar found herself walking into Andre's room in her search for answers that seem to evade her. She believed that Andre's presence in the room would provide some enlightenment to her puzzled orientation, and provide comfort to her currently agitated state and distressed emotions. She lay on Andre's bed, hugging his pillow, seeking his warmth and presence that always gave her strength. Andre, please. Let me find you. I love you. Her eye caught Andre's tote on the bedside table.

She opened it and touched Andre's sword, stained with blood of beasts that he bravely slain to save her, the dagger that must have fought innumerable enemies, and witnessed every peril he faced to find her. She clutched his warrior's tote and wished it was he she was holding. She fought back the tears of longing and missing Andre but a single tear escaped and slid down her dainty cheek.

First and foremost she was a soldier before she was a lady and she will not let the tragic circumstances of her lost best friend and love to keep her locked up in her room wallowing in self-pity and regret. Like a man, she will stand up and face it. Like a born leader and warrior, she will do everything in her power to resolve it, and resolve it she shall, even if it takes her forever.