Love and Strife

No one said love was easy, and I've certainly learned that lesson more than a few times. However, it's also nice to have someone there. Call me what you want, weak, a romantic, I don't care. I enjoy having a loyal woman by my side, but I also know how wrong it can go. So, when a few opportunities popped up, I decided to take it slow and carefully get a feel for each, well... I wish I had a better term, but 'prospect.'

The first, a charming woman of noble blood: Cardinal Lieutenant Ekaterina deSilvestris. I had spotted her in Mercy's Keep, her beauty catching my eye. I shared a drink with her a few times after that, finding myself charmed by her. I must have had a similar effect because she seemed quite amiable to continued interactions. Katerina was a naval brat, her family haaving long been part of it. I had always preferred my Naval rank over the one put upon me by the Knighthood. She called me 'Colonel,' had a love of hard liqour, and was fun to talk to. She was goddamned perfect.

I remember being ecstatic when I caught sight of her at the Knighthood's Masquerade. She looked fantastic and I hurried myself over to where she stood and quickly stole her from her minglers with the offer of a dance. After a slight bump with an 'ex' of hers, our relationship came to an apex with a kiss. I haven't spoken to her since then, a time that is beginning to get measured in months, due to her assignments within the Navy.

However, that same day, I kissed another. That was when a second 'prospect' came into existence. This woman, fellow Knight Karmilla Strife, had long been a friend of mine, someone I could easily relate to and shared more than a few drinks with. She shared a similar history, had seen a lot of the same troubles, shared most of my political views (something none of my other fellow Knights did), and we had both been in PIE together. Karmilla was the closest thing I had to a best friend in the Knighthood. Apparently she had been wanting, and hoping for, more than just the friendship we had. That kiss, in hindsight, may have been in poor taste considering the one I shared earlier, but I was not in any kind of established relationship with either.

After some time of not seeing Ekaterina, I decided to take another step with Karmilla, and we went on a date. We went to the Old Imperial Opera, catching one of their shows on late notice, after which she played me a song on the piano which left me just slightly confused about what she wanted. That was the last happy encounter we had.

The next thing I knew, I had allegations and and accusations coming from every direction. Apparently Karmilla had heard that I was still pursuing my ex-fiance, Shalee Lianne, while also pursuing her and a few other women. Who these other women were I don't know. She confronted me about it, and I was honest. I told her that there was the other woman, though that nothing had happened with anyone. It was true that my ex-fiance and I were talking again, but when she's the co-ceo to the corporation you're in, it's hard not to.

So, with everything getting out of hand, I simply dropped it all. It was much easier to simply open the dam than trying to wade through the rising waters. I hadn't entered into any kind of serious relationship with any of them, so there would be little fallout. Or so I thought.

I had been up in Metropolis, away from the Keep, for a couple of weeks and when I returned, I heard the whispers in the hall, the hushed conversations from staff after I passed. I sensed some kind of lurking hostility from those I spoke with. Karmilla had begun to spread malicious rumors to the rest of the Knighthood and possibly beyond. A confrontation with her revealed that the rumor mill hadn't been the only thing she had been feeding. Apparently she made some other...poor decisions. Decisions that many have told her she will regret. Despite my considering her still being a dear friend, I'm afraid that I agree.