One night (as well as day), when I was heading back to the castle after a great feast, I saw a brooding figure in the moonlight (and sunlight) gazing down at the shimmering waters of the sea. I realized that it was Cornelius’s silhouette. I walked over to him, feeling the soft grass between the toes of my bare feet. We had become good friends during my stay in Essieterra, and I deemed Cornelius to be a wonderful, wise leader.
“Cornelius? Are you alright?” I asked as I approached him.
“Yes, of course, dear. I’ve just been thinking about something…it’s been on my mind for quite a while, actually. I want someone to deeply love; someone to be with for the rest of my life. I want…a wife,” he told me, a tired strain in his voice. It was evident that he had been awake on many a night and day thinking about this.