Finally dinnertime came by and Cynthia had finished with all the letters and basics to officially declare her engagement to the lord she had chosen. Theo should have been finishing his swimming class right about now, so Cynthia went over to pick him up with a smile on her face. Already putting the thought of her fiancé out of her mind. Thoughts of her pet and wondering about how well he was doing took over instead.

  Cynthia walked over to the poolside. “Ready for dinner Theo?”

  Theo broke through the surface of the water and headed towards the edge and came up with a smile. Swimming was a lot easier than many of his other lessons. Thanks to his first time in the lake with Cynthia, he had a pretty good idea on what to do. He wasn’t the greatest swimmer, but at least now he could tread water and perform some basic swimming movements. He could probably swim in the deep lake… he wasn’t going to try that. He wasn’t stupid. He could probably swim for a bit… but then he’d most likely grow tired and drown. At least there had been some progress made. “Yes! Cynthia let’s eat!” Theo laughed, climbing out of the water.

  “Well look at you~ You’re a natural already.” She brought a towel over and helped him dry off.

  “Thanks, learned from Cynthia!” Theo grinned. “From lake. From lessons.”

  Cynthia scooped him up into her arms. “I'm glad I got to help you out a bit.” She smiled and began carrying him off to the diner.

  “A bit? Cynthia help lots!” He beamed and hugged her arm gratefully.

  “It seems you’ve truly grown fond of this old master of yours huh?” Cynthia chuckled with amusement.

  “Old?” He looked up at her in confusion. “Cynthia not old.” Cynthia was an adult in human standards. For goblins… well she'd still be an adult even if she had been born a goblin instead. And goblins aged faster so she’d have been an old goblin… However, Cynthia was a human and thus she was not old. Theo didn’t see any wrinkles on her or any gray hair. Though to be fair her hair seemed to be naturally white… She wasn’t seventy or eighty or even ninety years old. And Theo had heard stories, most goblins only lived around twenty to thirty years. But those that grow into hobs? They could live more than a hundred years. That was old. Cynthia was definitely not old… he was mostly sure that she wasn’t old.

  “Well I should’ve gotten married long ago. So by noble standards, I'm getting married at quite an old age.” She chuckled. Cynthia carried her pet into the dining room. “Well, then shall we have dinner now?” Cynthia sat down with him.

  "Cynthia not old.” Theo grumbled. "Maybe if goblin not human. Def...defini...definitely not if hob." He felt like he had to tell her that she was not old. Not at all. It didn’t feel right to consider her as old.

  "Thank you dear." She petted him.

  Theo reached for some food and offered it up to Cynthia. As her future Knight he had a duty to serve his lady and also a duty as her pet. "Feed?"

  Cynthia smiled and opened her mouth, accepting the food with a pleased hum. "Yes, I'll feed you too." She went on to offer him a bite of her own food.

  Theo opened his mouth in turn and let her feed him. It felt nice. As a Knight he wouldn't be able to do this. Theo didn't think a Knight was a pet. He offered her some more food for herself. "Busy day, eat lots."

  "Yes, it was wasn't it?" She ate happily.

  He nodded along, smiling. "Learned lots."

  "What have you learned about nobles so far?"

  "Nobles... smart... not all smart. Nobles nice... not all nice. Nobles are busy. Lots busy. Important."

  Cynthia chuckled. "Well that does sound like it."

  "Yep. What about Cynthia?"

  Cynthia tilted her head to the side as she looked down at her pet. "Well what do you think, dear? Does it fit me?"

  "Yes. Cynthia is important!"

  She smiled. "Well I suppose I am."

  "You are!" He nearly shouted. "The best!"

  Cynthia chuckled. "Alright alright, as Theo says.” She fed him again.

  Theo nodded. Theo is always right after all. He lets her feed him and then he lightly poked at her stomach. "Why not married?”

  The question brought out a sad sigh from the lady. "I've honestly just been avoiding it as much as possible. I wanted to be free from marriage for a while longer but I guess there's no use prolonging it anymore."

  "Free? Cynthia not want marry?" He asked, feeling a little confused. He thought she had wanted to get married with how much she had talked about it.

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  "Well not really. I did want to try experiencing love at least once before I did but well... that didn't really happen." Cynthia smiled. "So it's time to settle down as destined."

  Theo blinked at the strange word he had just heard. "What's love?"

  "Hmmm... that's... a bit hard to explain..."

  “Hard?” He blinked again.

  "Do you know what romance is?" Cynthia asked.

  "R... romance?" He shook his head.

  Cynthia smiled. "Well there are different types of love. There's the love you feel for your family, the love you feel for your friends, and the love you feel for your significant other. The one I'm referring to however is the latter… How about I read you a couple stories on love when we go to bed tonight? Maybe that'll help you understand it a bit."

  "Okay, Cynthia!" Theo had even more questions. Like what was a significant other? And what was a latter? Theo didn’t ask either question. He thought he’d learn the answers later that night.

  When they finished eating Cynthia delicately cleaned her lips with a napkin. "Now are you ready for climbing?"

  "Climbing! Let's go!" Theo said eagerly, excited to climb for the first time in a while. And no one would make fun of him this time.

  Cynthia took Theo out back to a really big mango tree standing behind the mansion. "We can reach the fruits and eat them at the very top."

  Theo looked up to the top and then to Cynthia. "I can… climb high? Cynthia's the best!"

  "Well of course. I will be right behind you, but you should be careful alright?"

  He rolled his eyes. "Am always careful." At least he tried to be careful sometimes. He shook his head and stared challengingly at Cynthia for a moment. Theo turned to face the tree, then he grabbed on and began to climb. And when the branches became closer together, he started to swing like a monkey. The muscles in his arms began to burn under his skin as he moved along, up and up.

  “Way to go Theo!”

  Theo laughed, grabbed onto another higher branch and then he swung too far for the next branch. He tried to correct himself, but the branch was already passing- he hooked one leg around the branch and hung there laughing, holding his stomach. It wasn't a perfect pull up maneuver, but all he had needed was to reach the branch with one hand, allowing himself to wrap both hands and legs around the branch and cling to it.

  Cynthia chuckled and followed closely behind. "That's why I told you to be careful." She poked his nose once she reached his side. "Nice save though."

  "I'm fine," Theo said while picking himself up. "This fun Cynthia. Lots fun." He smiled at her. "Even if fall. Had worse hurt. Mean. Old. Goblins get bored. I'm used to." He said it proudly and patted his chest. There was nothing this tree could do to Theo that was worse than some drunken goblin’s rage. Unless the tree fell on him, he supposed that could be worse.

  "...Theo I would prefer it if you didn't get hurt at all. Sure some scratches here and then are a part of life but I wouldn't want you to get hurt if I can help it"

  Theo laughed. "Cynthia silly. I not want hurt. Just fun." His smile softened. "Not stupid." He pointed down towards the ground. "I know dan... dange… dangerous. Like big lake. Too far, choke death. Fall high, cracked neck death." He looked at her and pointed to the top of the tree. "Dangerous. But go anyway. Because fun. Because alive." He dropped the hand, and the smile was still there on his face. "I be safer, I promise."

  Cynthia relented with a smile. "Okay Theo. Go have fun. And even if you fall, know that I'll be there to catch you."

  "Won't fall." Theo said bravely. "If do, trust Cynthia! Thanks Cynthia. Cynthia the best!" He leaped for the next branch and returned to swinging and climbing. Although this time he was being more careful. Just for Cynthia's sake.

  Cynthia followed behind at a decent distance, not too close but not too far, just enough to catch him just in case he fell.

  The smile never faded as Theo reached the top of the tree. He looked down to watch Cynthia close enough behind him. He would have offered her a hand, but he was sure that wouldn't have ended well for either of them. He was too small and weak to be able to help a human like her up. It was like he had told her, Theo wasn't stupid. But even though he was small and weak… he could offer something else aside from physical help. Theo picked two mangoes and offered one to her when she reached the top. If he couldn't offer a hand, then he would offer Cynthia something to eat instead.

  She sat at the top of the tree on the highest branch that could hold her with him. Cynthia reached out and took the mango into her soft hands. "Thank you sweetie."

  "We.. .welcome. Your welcome." He said, beaming.

  Cynthia chuckled and took out a dagger that had been strapped to her thigh underneath her dress. She peeled the mango with such practiced ease as if she did it all the time. "Bon appetite."

  He peels open his own with just his fingernails. Theo’s nails weren’t too long… some goblins had longer and thicker nails that were practically claws. "Bone… apple...tea?" He laughed and started to eat his mango.

  "...bone apple tea?” Cynthia chuckled and took a bite out of her mango.

  He laughed when she said it. He doesn't know what she originally said. Not that it matters anymore. He nearly fell out of the tree from laughing so hard. The little goblin grabbed onto Cynthia before he could fall, and he just howled away. "Bone apple tea!"

  Cynthia giggled and held him steady. "It's bon appetit, dear and it means enjoy the food."

  He shook his head and kept on laughing. "It's bone apple tea, Cynthia!" Theo grinned up at her. He nearly choked on his mango after taking another bite and laughing again.

  She chuckled. "Alright alright. Bone apple tea it is!" Cynthia laughed. "Now don't fall from laughing so much."

  "Won't fall. I won't fall." He slowly stopped laughing and looked around from the top of the tree. "It's nice.”

  "Yes, it's always quite peaceful up here and at the same time fun. Who could've thought those two could fit together so well?"

  "Those two?" He asked, leaning against her and staring around with a smile. "Fun and peace? Fun is. Always good. With peace." He looked up into the sky. "Peaceful, up here. Peaceful, down there. Peaceful here. Could... could be peaceful there, at home. Was drop. Was... cliff. Was cliff there. Peaceful sun set. Watch sometimes. Watch alone. Other goblins, not like. Not like watch. This good. Like cliff. Better with Cynthia."

  "...did you not like your old home?" Cynthia asked him carefully.

  He hesitated. "Don't know. Lots hard work. Never let swim. Never let climb. Never let drink. Never really talk. Just…" Theo poked her lightly in the side, still leaning against her. "Poke. Use hands. Make noises, human not understand. Goblins do. Own language. Still, never talk. Not like this. Just do that. Get this. Don't sit there. Move out of way. I'll hit you. Carry this. Gather food." He sighed and tilted his head to look up at her. "Not nice, like here. Like you. Not talk like this, not... fun. Really not fun, when. Older goblins mad. Drinking mad. Like to hit, with bottles. Or hands. It wasn't nice. But it. It was. All I know. Think, Cynthia. If, Cynthia slave, pet. Gone from mansion. Moved to woods. Sleep in dirt. Eat bugs and bone. Can't swim. Can't climb. No books. No nice talks. Hit when others angry. Would Cynthia like?"

  "...oh Theo…" She pulled him into her arms and hugged him. "Don't worry, I'll be sure you can continue enjoying your life here like this.”

  "And I don't. Don't want Cynthia worry." Theo hugged her back. "Want, stronger. Better. So Cynthia not worry ever."

  She smiled. "Yes, I'm sure you'll grow very strong.”

  "Like Cynthia?"

  "Yes. And who knows? Maybe even stronger than me."

  Theo shook his head at that. "No one better. Cynthia best!"

  Cynthia chuckled. "You honor me, my future knight, Theo."

  Having heard her say those words, filled the goblin with a sudden rush of happiness that lit up inside of his heart. "Your Knight. I'll try."

  She smiled and continued to pet him with one hand before going on to finish her mango.

  Theo popped the last bit of his own mango into his mouth before leaning on Cynthia again. He turned his head towards the sun and the sky and watched on feeling content. "Thank you, Cynthia. For tree climbing. For this.”

  "Any time Theo, I'm glad you're enjoying this."

  "Cynthia happy?" He glanced away from the sky to look at Cynthia’s face. He felt so happy right now, it wouldn't be right if she wasn't feeling happy too.

  "Of course I'm happy. I haven't done these sorts of things for so long now."

  "Why not?" He poked her gently. She could do this practically any time she wanted. She lived here after all.

  "It's not proper for a lady and I have been too busy with my social life."

  "Well, why now?" He wanted to poke her again for being silly. But he didn’t. Cynthia was a silly noble who liked to do not noble things… why did she even want to be a noble?

  Cynthia looked down at her pet with a playful smile before poking him gently. "Well I'm not out in the social circles right now, am I? Plus I'm doing it for you."

  He relaxed against her. And again, he felt guilty about that morning. "Thank you, Cynthia. This is nice. I'm happy."

  Cynthia wrapped her arm around him. "Yes. It’s very nice." She turned her attention back to the sunset as the sun was showing its last rays of light.

  Theo watched the sun sink beneath the ends of the world. It was just like how he used to watch on his cliff, but unlike before he was not alone this time. He felt warm inside, warm and at peace. He put an arm of his own around Cynthia. He would train hard. He would try to pay even more attention in the lessons. Her future Knight. He would do his best.

  There was a moment when Theo turned his head to catch a glimpse of Cynthia's expression. The way the falling sun touched her features before vanishing completely beyond the horizon… for a moment Theo swore that no matter how brightly the sun could shine… this woman would always be able to shine brighter. This woman shone so brightly he swore she was even touching his heart with her light. And in that final moment before the sun vanished from view, Theo had never been prouder of his place in the world than by Cynthia’s side most of all.