Arthur Turner and the Elevator Of Time

The Happiest Man In The World

C h a p t e r T e n ~ The Happiest Man In The World

Back in TIME, Marion quickly entered the elevator, and returned to the

bank. Arthur had a strong impulse to stop her, and either make her stay or go

with him, however Marion looked like she wanted to return so he said

nothing for her sake.

"Where are we going now?" Arthur muttered quietly, trying to forget that his

heart was nearly broken.

"Well, that's just the thing, Arthur." The Witch said.

"Dirïnab, I haven't told you yet, but while the darkness began in Manhattan, I

used my Magic to see how many of the Magicians there were, and when they

would attack. Dirïnab, while we were a way, a quarter of the population of

the island, were mad like the others all the while. They left and now

everywhere on the earth at this moment, they are killing without knowing it.

We can't stop them. There’s no use in trying to stop any others, we won’t

have enough time.”

There was only silence at that moment. No one could ever have expected that

in their wildest imagination. Arthur's hopes fell.

"What?" Said the Wizard, just as amazed as Arthur and the Witch.

"I don't know how....I just..." The Witch stopped. There was no need to go

on.

“Are you saying….we can’t do anything? All those people..what we were

going to do….there’s nothing?” Arthur said, amazed.

The Witch shook her head regretfully.

At first, this was just a strange mystery, and just a moment before something

taking him away from Marion that he wanted to run away from. Now, it was

everyone's safety. Including Marion's.

Arthur expected for the Wizard or Witch to say something after that. Either a

way out of it, or a way to say, there is nothing we can do. However, Arthur

was quite surprised when the Wizard, without waiting longer than a moment,

walked up to him, and took him aside.

Arthur remembered this moment for the rest of his life.

As The Wizard took him aside, he took him into the elevator.

"Arthur, " he said, looking straight at him.

"Yes?" Arthur was quite unsure as to The Wizards purpose.

"There is something very special to you I have been meaning to tell you. And

now is the perfect time."

"Why now?"

"Well, let me tell you first. You should sit down I should think although, if

you don't you might hurt yourself standing up."

"Oh? Oh, well...I'm sure ...I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Arthur Turner, you have been a mystery all along. You in the elevator, just

didn't make sense. You can do things we can't, although you have no magic.

One of the things I have learned in my life, is that an observant eye has an

advantage to the quick eye. And as I have observed, I have seen you. You,

have no magic. No magic like I have. But Arthur, you do have magic."

"What? No, that is not true. Really, I would know I don't ev----"

"Arthur, the Elevator was meant to be used by the most powerful man in the

world. You, are the most powerful man in the world."

"No. The Witch has already given me this talk. That-"

"Marion Jones."

Arthur jumped when he said that, a smile that he wished he could have

avoided appeared. He tried to laugh it away. But then he realized the reason

the Wizard brought him to the elevator.

The music began playing again, just after her name was said. The loudest,

and most hyper music played.

Arthur couldn't believe her name could do so much to him.

"You see?" The Wizard said.

"Arthur, love is the magic within you."

Arthur was stunned by this, he nearly began crying.

"You are the most powerful man in the world. No Magician, no Sorcerer, no

Wizard or Witch has the power you hold. While I have magic, it can be taken

away. Love never dies. You have what will never die, Arthur. The man who

built this elevator, did not have you in mind, but he did get what he was

looking for. In fact, he didn't expect someone with your power."

Arthur was more touched by this than anything. He felt so special, that

someone was acknowledging him, even though it wasn't Marion. Arthur's

feelings dropped at that, so did the music. In fact, the music no longer

played.

"There is no reason to be sad, Arthur."

Arthur pretended he didn't know what he was talking about.

"No, I'm not sad about anything."

"Arthur, yes you are. I can see it in your eyes. "

Arthur looked up at him quite embarrassed, he was always worried someone

like him would notice.

"Arthur, the only people on the entire planet, who can press that button and

lead the elevator here, is someone in love."

"I know." Arthur said nodding.

"Only people in love. It only works when they are in the room with the one

they care about, or thinking about them."

"I know." Arthur nodded again.

"Arthur, only people in love."

Arthur began nodding, he didn't even get it for a while, his mind slowly

began forming around what he was getting at. It was then, Arthur

remembered who had led him and Marion there first.

It was Marion.

Marion.

Arthur didn't notice tears began streaming down his face uncontrollably. He

weep bitterly with joy.

"No, she can't, how? She's to wonderful, she is an angel, the most beautiful

angel. I love her. She couldn't love me. There isn't any reason why? How

could she? Have you even seen her with her hair….. She is so beautiful,

and ....and......her eyes....they can't...the don't stop...they jab at me....she kills

me...I..I love her! She couldn't love me....she loves me...she loves me...she is

in love with me!!! Oh My Goodness!!!" Arthur jumped up and hit his head

on the ceiling, though he didn't feel it.

The music was louder than anything, it would have hurt most people's ears.

The craziest, most outlandish, happiest music was heard. For Arthur, it would

never stop. He felt like jumping off a cliff, and who cares? He would die the

happiest man in the world!!! She loved him!!!

Nothing could ever describe his happiness, the word "happiness" does not fit.

There is no word on earth that could begin to say it.

Arthur felt too many emotions for anyone to understand. Dancing around for

hours was not a bad idea in his mind.

The Wizard was the only person there, to see his reaction. It was the most

comical thing to him. Arthur was behaving like a child, a loud, overjoyed

child.

In fact, the Wizard then noticed, he had never actually seen Arthur smile

truly, except for an occasional smile if he felt uncomfortable. But the smile

on his face, was about the biggest smile he had ever seen on anyone.

Arthur's ears were bright red, his cheeks, were even more so.

Arthur had just about had enough of it, when he ran straight out and into the

hallway.

The Witch, still seated, looking over every possible way out of what had

come, was caught by surprise when she saw Arthur running out in a mad

fashion.

"Arthur! Are you okay?" The Witch left her seat and ran to him.

Arthur stopped running. She couldn't see his face, he was hiding it with his

hands. The Witch felt pity for him, believing he was hurt, or injured.

"Arthur, let me see. It's okay."

The Witch tried to move his hands away from his face, but he took off too

quickly.

"Dirïnab?"

She said, as the Wizard walked out of the Elevator.

"Is Arthur okay? He just ran past me and wouldn't let me see his face. I think

he was crying."

"Ah, he's just fine. Let him be."

The Witch nodded still not quite him.

"What did you tell him?"

"Oh, nothing."

Arthur now sat in one of the rooms, in a small chair in the corner. Arthur

could do nothing more than burry his face in his hands.

He still could not process everything rolling through his mind. His main

purpose in sitting was to pause everything, and get control.

He forced himself to breath deeply, and try to stay calm. This, of course, was

hardly possible.

His fist thoughts, were of every minute he had spent with Marion. And all the

while she loved him! All those moments she left him alone, and walked off

without a word, he now knew her true thoughts. Somehow he now could find

an explanation for everything she did, that he had previously thought were

proof of her caring nothing for him.

While he was lost through the gate, as he desperately searched for her, all the

while she did the same. She had looked at him in such unexplainable ways,

that now he explained to be with affection. What did she see in him, he

wondered? There were times he would look bearable, and he had been called

good looking sometimes, but besides that, she had all of that and more if she

just would look in the mirror. Whatever it was, she saw it, and loved it! He

knew the extent of his feelings, he knew they only grew everyday, he could

not imagine her feeling half that way towards him.

Arthur would have sat there all day if he could have. There was not enough

time in the world to think all the thoughts worth thinking.

In fact, the only reason he did stop, was because of a very good thought that

came to his stuffed mind.

This thought of course, was about Marion.

He longed to see her even more now. To be in her presence, knowing she

cared for him!

Arthur smiled.

Arthur got up immediately, and left the room, more like ran out with

happiness.

His intentions, as he had forgotten all about the problem at hand, were to find

Marion again.

In the hallway, the Wizard and Witch still remained, as they talked over what

they would do.

Arthur's excitement faded slightly when he saw their depressed attitudes.

"Oh." He said to himself.

"Is there nothing we can do?” Arthur asked, pretending as if he had been

thinking only of this the whole time and had been in their conversation. He

couldn't help still shaking with excitement.

"There is much we could do to stop them, but the cost to every idea is too

much. So, no." The Witch said.

"Yeah, I wish there was some way we could just take away their power."

Arthur said, walking closer to them, not thinking about what he had just said.

Arthur noticed the Wizard and Witch look at each other when he said this.

"That is true Arthur, it would fix all of this. But..." The Witch said.

"But what?" The Wizard responded looking straight at her.

The Witch turned from Arthur back to the Wizard, with a look of amazement

as if he had just said the craziest thing he could.

"Dirïnab, if we took away their magic, it would be a crime, and every

magical being on earth would loose their own power too. That is like

punishing everyone for the sins of a few crazy people we can't stop. No, we

can't do that."

"Diríet, don't you think that is selfish?” He replied, calmly, knowing too well

vexing her would be no good for anyone.

"What?" She yelled. “Selfish?!!" She roared.

While they continued on, Arthur slowly tried to sneak off to the elevator, still

smiling and almost laughing, but the Witch in her anger, somehow waved her

hand at him and he could no longer move, even though she wasn't even

looking at him.

"Diríet, it's alright. What other thing is there to do?"

"I know," she said, a little more calmly this time.

"But don't you understand what that is? That is taking a piece of ourselves

we have so valued and ruining it. Taking away the only bit of magic, of

beauty, from the world. Taking that from so many people is like stealing their

characters. TIME would be pointless, who will keep this Earth good and

green? Who will keep away the dark bitterness every person would have

without us?"

"Yes. But what would happen if we didn't? So many people would die,

everyone would have magic. Imagine what bad people would do our magic?

The world would fall away. And in the end, there would be no reason for

magic any more. It's our magic, or their lives. Are you willing to give that up

Witch?"

"No! They are all selfish!" The Witch's bad temper had gotten the best of her.

With those angry words she yelled, she came running out in anger.

What Arthur and the Wizard didn't see though, was the Witch once again

feeling faint. A little ways from where they stood, she fell to the ground,

hitting her head on the hard ground. Diríet would not wake for a long time.

"Arthur, I don't want you saying a word of this to anyone." The Wizard said,

sternly.

"What are we going to do then?" Arthur said, struggling to move with

whatever spell was on him.

The Wizard thankfully took it off in a moment.

"We are going to do it. But there isn't much time."

"Why is it that we can't just go through one of the gates to the past, and stop

this from happening in the future?"

"Arthur, you can never change the future. TIME was only a means to enter

the past. No matter how hard we try, it cannot be done. This is not your

world Arthur, your world is up there. Go to her Arthur, come back tomorrow,

and the potion will be ready. Enjoy what time you have left."

Arthur once again, smiled widely, despite his desperately trying not to.

The Wizard, however, did not notice. Even if he had, he would have smiled

back, and not cared.

Before Arthur left, he remembered something The Witch had never

answered.

"Wizard?" He said.

"Yes?"

"Etkeen, who is he?"

"I know Arthur. He is who you saw in the bank that day, and don't ask me

how I know."

"But what was he doing there that day?"

"He was there, because he is a traitor. A useless traitor, but indeed a traitor.

He isn't mad though, but they tricked him into helping them and finding out

any ideas we would have of escaping the Island, or attacking them. He was

there that day, with a Cremboltrival Spice. It is a traveling liquid. Pouring it

on the floor, enabled the Wizards to get to your bank that night. They were

there to destroy every elevator they could, after they found out when this one

was built, in vain trying to stop "the most powerful man in the world"."

"How does it work?"

"You pour a long strip of it onto the ground where the people wish to be.

They too pour a long strip onto the ground, and step into it. It takes them to

the Cremboltrival with the same powders, leading them there."

"Oh. Interesting." Arthur replied, really not caring that much although, as his

real intention was trying to find out what he would say to Marion when he

saw her.

The Wizard quickly returned to what he was doing. Whatever that was,

Arthur had not the slightest interest.

So Arthur finally got his chance to do what he wanted to do for too long.

Arthur returned again to the bank. His hope was that he would find Marion

there, and would perhaps eventually, get the courage to- what would he do?

He wondered.

He mainly just wanted to see her again. However, he was quite sad to find

the bank was shut down for the night when he arrived, and Marion was no

where to be seen.

In all his time on the island, he had never even thought about what time it

was. In fact, he hadn't the slightest idea how much time had passed.

Either way, he knew there was no way to see her. At least not then.

With this, Arthur found he was no longer as emotionally destroyed by this.

His spirits were just as lively when he remembered what the Wizard had

said. If she loved him, oh she loved him! Then there was no reason to frown

again in all his life.

Arthur left the building, with no more delays. His car, was still parked

outside, just where he had left it. Thankfully his keys were still in his pocket,

and had never managed to escape.

When he opened his car however, he found on his windshield nearly ten, no,

twelve tickets.

Arthur gasped when he looked at the bill. He had been gone a whole week,

and never even noticed. And now, he had to pay money, a lot of it. He hadn't

even considered yet, (though it would come to him) what his boss had

thought about him never appearing at work.

The tickets were enough on his mind then. And so, he drove back to his

home, and finally was able to get some sleep. The best sleep he had ever had

in all his life

The next day was Sunday. In Arthur's haste to wake and get going, whether

or not Marion was at work wasn't on his mind.

It hadn't even slightly crossed his mind, until he was halfway dressed, and

putting his socks and shoes on and his special jacket.

His smile, (he was, of course doing nothing but smiling in the mirror that

morning) faded into a sad look when he remembered.

It never struck Arthur that all this while, he didn't even know where Marion

lived.

And he didn't even know where to find that out.

"Well," he said, gloomily.

"What do I do?"

The only thing he could do, was go to the bank and hope she was there. He

understood what a fool he would look like, as often as he had entered there at

random when he wasn't meant to.

But he had no other choice.

His smile, after thinking just one more time about Marion's love for him,

grew even wider and he continued getting dressed.

His breakfast, he thought there was no need to have anything. But since he

was so happy that day, he decided "Why don't I have an omelet."

If she was at work, he would have to wait till she had a break, so he knew he

would be missing any time with her.

After he ate, and he ate very quickly, he happily drove to the bank, hoping

more than ever that she would be there.

As he drove along, and saw what a beautiful late-November day it was, he

began realizing how beautiful his world was, and he never even noticed. The

houses he always looked at and despised, now looked wonderful with the

fallen leaves, and the cold air. Christmas was near, and Arthur knew it would

be a good Christmas.

He felt like waving at everyone he saw. The random strangers on the street,

he felt like smiling widely at.

Arthur even turned on some Christmas music, which was so rare for him it

never actually happened. And though he knew people who saw him were

either laughing, or judging, he began dancing with the music.

When Arthur parked his car in the driveway at the bank, and walked through

the doors, he was so relieved to see Marion there.

More than relieved, he felt an unusual contentment. Not that he wasn't even

more scared of her now than ever, but he felt like she was missing the past

week, and he hadn't seen her in years.

He had never, and would never, be more happy to see anyone ever in his life.

"Good morning Marion!" He said quietly.

She looked at him, and smiled.

"Good morning Arthur."

Arthur was so happy to think, what exactly she was thinking.

"What time do you get off today?"

He asked, surprised he was able to say anything.

Marion looked at the small clock that hung on the wall behind him. Arthur

thought for a moment that she was staring at him extensively, but she was

just checking the time.

"2:30. So, in about three and a half hours."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

Marion said, hoping it was for the reason she didn't know it was.

"Oh, just checking." Arthur walked off. He found an empty chair in the

corner. It was the perfect place for him to sit. Marion couldn't see him, but he

could see her, and make sure she was okay. He sat down calmly.

"Three and a half hours." He muttered to himself, as he rested his chin in his

hand, bored.

Arthur sat there a very very very long time.

He knew it would perhaps be wise to find something to occupy his time,

instead of waste it. But he just couldn't. He couldn't even sit still. For a full

three hours, and thirty minutes, he waited, with nothing at all to do. To him,

it was a whole day.

And it wasn't about to get better.

When the clock finally reached 2:30, he was sure she was finally off.

However to his dismay, his boss came up to Marion and took her to his office

for a meeting he held there.

Now he would have to wait even longer, and because he couldn't see her any

more, he had no idea how much longer he would be able to stand it.

Marion, was no less annoyed. Though Arthur believed she couldn't see him,

while she was taking a break to use the restroom, she had seen him from the

corner of her eye, despite his desperate attempts at staying hidden.

This lit up her heart greatly, and perhaps was the only thing that got her

through the next few hours.

She too was hopelessly anxious.

She could feel him watching her every now and again, and was only glad for

work as a distraction.

Once inside William’s office, she couldn't speak a word to anyone, for fear of

yelling her way out.

The meeting, of course, had no point whatsoever.

William had heard that two of his workers were not acting well enough to

tell customers, and so he brought in everyone from the front desk as if "those

two workers" was everyone.

This was not the reason though. William merely enjoyed sitting in his swivel

chair, pointing fingers and saying important things to look like he was

actually running the bank.

So Marion sat there, holding (squeezing rather) her hands in her lap to stay

under control, listening to him rattle on, in the midst of his pride.

William, though quite self-obsessed, didn't always have things to say, and so

he ended the meeting with "You are all good workers, but not good enough. I

expect better out if all of you. The best."

And they were all excused, none of them as grateful as Marion.

By the time she was out, it was already

3:34 PM.

"Hello Arthur." She said, smiling at the thought that he had waited for her

faithfully all that time.

Arthur jumped.

When he saw her face, he smiled just as wide as she.

"Hello."

"What are you doing sitting there?" She said, trying not to laugh, he had no

excuse this time.

"Oh...what am I....oh... yeah...I...well..do you..." Arthur had always tried and

always wanted to tell her of his love for her. He wanted to go drink coffee

with her and just talk. He wanted to go on a long walk, and talk some more.

Or perhaps, they could just stand there, and never leave. He just wanted to be

with her. And finally, she wanted to be with him too.

"Do you want to go on a walk?" He blurted out finally.

Marion nearly began crying, at least, she had never been more pleased.

Marion had often seen Arthur's obvious loving behavior towards her, she had

even seen him run from her that one time when she first saw him, but

perhaps, he had been called by someone.

And now he was asking to go on a walk! Oh yes! Marion's reaction was no

less excited than Arthur's had been.

"Sure." She said, trembling inside, just as Arthur was.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Let me get my jacket. Oh, can I drive to my apartment really fast? It's

just down the street, I'll need to get something there." She said.

"Oh...sure...of course yeah, yeah." Arthur replied, slightly relieved that he

would have a moment to get a hold of himself.

Marion returned to her small apartment. Her real reason for going there was

that she too wanted to get a hold of herself, and, she believed she wasn't

dressed right.

Marion searched for a full fifteen minutes through her wardrobe. She nearly

put on her favorite dress, but then when see was looking at it in the mirror

she realized it was for summer time, so she put it back.

Marion decided on a short, cream colored dress with leggings, her favorite

jacket, and black boots beneath it.

She took even longer, on messing with her hair enough to make it into a bun.

When she was ready, she got into her car and drove away.

Arthur, had snuck off to a Starbucks store nearby, and bought two Christmas

drinks for them.

When Marion came back in her car, she opened her door and waved to him

that she was ready.

Arthur was beginning to think he couldn't do it.

Arthur's adrenaline was crushing him, and it got the best of him, when on his

way out, he tripped over a chair humiliating himself in front of everyone.

Even Marion had seen.

Arthur left the doors, and walked up to Marion’s car.

"We can take my car." He said, dreading the idea of making her pay for gas

for his sake.

When she agreed, they got into his car.

Arthur was just hoping he wouldn't get into a car crash with her beside him.

There wasn't much time for them to speak while driving, and Arthur was

glad, he wasn't fully prepared yet. So they said nothing, as they drove to

what Arthur thought of as the most beautiful place in New York.

It was a small little walkway, near to a large bridge. And that night, what

made it even more magical was the snow. Arthur, had never seen more than a

flurry there, but all of a sudden, the moment they got out of the car, snow

began to fall.

"It's a beautiful day for a walk." Marion said looking up at the sky.

"Yes." Arthur got the two cups of coffee he held, and handed the biggest, and

the best one to Marion.

"Here. It's for….if you…you know.…if…if you get cold."

Arthur handed her a spoon as well.

"That's for the Whipped cream, I never like eating mine without it."

Marion laughed.

"Me too Arthur. Thank you so much! That is so kind."

Arthur offered Marion his shoulder to hold on to. She took it, and their arms

clasped around each other as the walked.

Arthur and Marion could barely move their limbs. Perhaps it was the cold

that kept them moving.

Arthur never felt better in all his life. He never wanted to let her go. Never.

So he held on a little tighter to her arm hoping she wouldn't notice.

"So, have you always had hair like that?" Marion said, half joking.

"Yeah, mostly. So many people say I'm sloppy with it, but it just stays like

this. I don't know how it got so big. I have tried multiple ways to trim it, but

it never works out."

"Really? I don't think it looks sloppy."

"Well, I think so, but thank you."

"So, what have you done this week?" He said, before Marion could respond

to what he had just said.

"Working mainly. How about you?"

"Well, I found a hidden island, and spent a week with unusual people who

lived there."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry again about your head, is it doing any better?"

"Yes, I barely feel it anymore. What happened to your glasses? I haven't seen

you wear them. "

"Yeah...well.. they broke."

"I'm sorry. You seemed to be really attached to them, did you get them from

someone special?"

"That's alright. Yeah... I did. It was my mother. When I was 10 years old, I

got a really bad fever and it was really hard for me to see sometimes, my

parents thought for a while I was loosing my eyesight. One time I was lying

on my bed crying about it. My Mother picked up one of the glasses Father

was selling, that was his business. She put them on me, and I could see

clearly again. She told me anytime I was scared, if I put them on, she would

be there. I have had them ever since. She died the next year though, so...I

guess……..it was just my way of bringing her back. When I used to put them

on, it just comforts me."

"I'm sorry for your loss. Is your Dad alive still?"

"Yeah...but...he and Mom were never...you know.... really, really in love.

Well, there isn't a way to be in between, you either are or you aren't. They

weren't in love, I mean, and they both knew it. They got married because

their parents said it would work out better for everyone. It only did for me

though. When Mom died my Father cried maybe twice, attended the funeral

and then just left. I haven't seen him since. What about you, do you have

parents?"

"Arthur, I'm so sorry. I'm glad you never lost your eye sight. But yeah, I

have a sister, and of course, you know Toby. But after a while when we both

left home to find our own lives, she just sort of stopped talking to me, and I

don't really know why."

"I'm sorry, I'm glad your parents are there for you though."

"Yeah. I used to get lonely all the time, especially at Christmas time. With

work and everything, time sped by and I never really had time to do much of

anything. Then when my brother came to work with me, it was much easier."

Marion had thought of saying something to Arthur about how he made her

life so much less lonely. But she felt he would be too aware of her feelings

that way, so she said nothing.

"Me too, sometimes I would wonder what the point of everyday was." Arthur

too, wanted to say to Marion how she fixed his whole life. But he decided it

wasn't time yet.

"It's so beautiful tonight, the stars are wonderful at this time." Arthur said,

looking up.

"Yes, they are. The moon is almost full. Snow is so magical."

"Usually when I get lonely I'll read really interesting books." Arthur said,

beginning to feel he could tell her anything.

"Me too! What books do you read?"

"Well, sometimes I read poetry. Poetry is my favorite subject. I don't know

why, but it just fascinates me how you can say so much in such an artistic

way. Although, I do enjoy other books, like Charles Dickens. Shakespeare is

wonderful as well, I used to stay up all night and read his books when I was

younger, even though I couldn't ever get through any other books. How

about you?"

"Yes, I love Dickens, he is an amazing author. Shakespeare, for me as well is

just wonderful. I can't write poetry that well, but I'm sure you're great at it,

you should show me some of yours sometime."

Arthur grew tense, in the last week he had written nearly fifteen about

Marion, and hadn't been able to write anything different since, now she

wanted to read it.

"Uhm..well.. I'm not that good at it..I am bad at finishing poems, so none

are... really complete I guess."

Marion laughed.

"Okay, I understand."

"What about you, what thing do you like doing?" Arthur asked, trying to get

off the subject of his writing.

"Well, I love drawing, but really the one thing that I just love is making

coffee for people. It's my dream to have a Café all to myself, and just make

coffee all day."

"Really?" Arthur smiled.

"Yeah, I don't know why. I just have always been enthralled with it. I always

have wanted to go to Paris and go to every coffee shop there is. Perhaps even

work there part time."

"So you want to move to Paris?"

"Well..no...I don't know really. I definitely want to visit there one day.

Perhaps for my Honeymoon." Marion's cheeks became red.

"I mean....if I get married..."

"Yeah. I too have wanted to go there for a while, it seems like a good place to

write poetry. Maybe one day we should go there. You can buy a coffee shop,

and I can go there every day to write."

Marion laughed, a very happy laugh.

"Yes, that sounds great."

"Are you engaged?" Arthur said, noticing her ring she wore on her finger,

knowing of course, the answer would be no.

"No, why?"

"The ring on your finger."

"Oh, yeah, actually, .......I was once."

Arthur grew hot inside, he was scared about what she was about to say.

"Really? Who was he?"

"His name was Caleb Kinman. I don't know why, but I had this crush on him,

it wasn't even that big, and I didn't even think he looked that cute, or even

like who he was that much, I just decided I was going to marry him. He did

too, it's not often you crush on someone who crushes on you. So he proposed

when I was 17. I said yes but just the next day I.........well....yeah..I just didn't

like him anymore. It was that day I realized... there is no point in marriage if

you aren't truly in love." Marion was referring to the day she met Arthur, but

of course she didn't say that.

"Yeah, I'm glad to say that never happened to me."

Arthur regretted suddenly that he had said that, he felt like as if he was being

cold to Marion's feelings.

"Yeah, I am too. It's not fun." She laughed again.

Arthur and Marion, on their small walk, walked nearly nine miles in circles

around the city. Every once in a while, the conversation would pause and

Arthur was afraid Marion would say it was late, and take off. But this did not

happen for quite a long time. In fact, neither of them knew how many hours

into he night they talked, without running out of things to say, or growing

bored for a second.

For three full hours, they carried on, and only stopped when it was nearly

pitch black outside, and so Arthur was the one forced to say he needed to go.

"I'm sorry, but I need to be going. The two people you met yesterday, I'm

supposed to meet them tomorrow."

"For what?"

"Oh, it's really complicated." Arthur prevented himself from telling her, not

because he was hiding anything.

Arthur said nothing, because with his knowledge of her affections, if she

knew he was about to risk his life, she would come along, and Arthur would

not for anything, allow her to be hurt.

"I wish I could get out of it but..." Arthur looked at her. He hated more than

anything leaving her, not even knowing when he would see her next. He

hated having to go back to he Wizard and Witch, because the reason was

Marion's safety, even though it didn't feel that way sometimes.

So Arthur decided, he would say something to reassure her of his feelings.

"Do you want to walk here again tomorrow or the next day? Or whenever

really."

This was what they both knew was an invitation to walk together every day.

Marion was excited and over joyed at this.

"Yes, that would be great! What time?"

"Well, I might not show up tomorrow, but just in case, you can come here at,

say……7:44 AM? Is that too early for you?"

"No, that's perfect! I’ll wait for you."

Arthur smiled.

"Thank you."

Arthur wouldn't let Marion down this time.