BotB Ch4
Aston sisers x Allen Schezar. Suggested prior reading: Royale and Clues. Please also see my in-universe notes on Calendar Dating (Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4).
Date written: 1-14-2011
Date typed: 2-11-2012
Original posting date: 2-11-12
Date edited: 10/1/2012 (Forgotten "insert something later" notes... *Headdesk*)
Born of the Blood
Chapter 4: Girl Temporarily Loses Boy
[Orange, 2nd Moon, Cemrota of Stahl, Year of Slate East] (June 1989)
She walked carefully along the dark tunnel on her way to the cemetery to meet Allen two days later. Eries had gone over their conversation in her mind and had decided that he wouldn't be terribly angry with her for withholding her identity from him. He hadn't inquired it of her, nor had he shared his directly.
The middle Aston daughter exited from the ivy-covered door and stepped into the cemetery. She walked around the large tomb in front of the door and scanned the cemetery for Allen. Eries found him on a bench near his mother's headstone, holding a few na'zia (never forgotten) in his hands. She approached him; he raised his head and his eyes followed her, neutral, until she sat down. He laid the flowers next to his mother's headstone and approached her.
"Hello," she broke the awkward silence.
"Princess Eries - "
She put up her hand, halting him. "Don't. Out here, away from the palace, I am simply 'Eries.' I… want to be friends. Someone my own age, someone to talk to; without the high respect. But that's hard, unless we drop the formalities. That's why you were out here… You wanted to be away."
Allen studied her face, then nodded. "As you wish," he stated, winking teasingly at her. "For the sake of friendship, then, I would like to introduce myself. I am Allen Schezar."
Eries forced herself past the lilting way his name had rolled off his tongue, like the happy purr of one of Millerna's smuggled kittens. "Eries Aston, nice to meet you."
They sat in silence for several minutes, both unsure how to continue. Eries finally spoke, "What is your favorite color?"
Allen hesitated, a bit lost, then shrugged. "I guess I don't' really have one. What is yours?"
"Dark, deep blue."
"Why?"
It was Eries' turn to pause and think. "It is the color of the ocean just after sunset on a calm evening. It is so serene and calm."
Another pause.
"What's your least favorite color?"
No hesitation. "Chartreuse." I don't understand why different shades of colors have such odd names. And why there are so many shades. Why do you women need so many millions of shades of colors?"
The princess was shocked at his informal 'outburst.' Allen misread her facial reaction. "Allow me to apologize, high-"
Eries waved her hand, cutting him off again. "Just… drop all formality. Ignore the social rules that inhibit honest answers like that. Besides," her eyes twinkled. "I agree with you."
His eyes widened. "You do?"
"Yes. I may be a girl, but I get annoyed with the royal seamstresses when they are forever and a day hovering around me with different colors, all the same." She pitched her voice a bit low. "'No, clashes with her eyes.' 'No, too light.' 'Not this one, makes her look too pasty.' Father has allowed us to pick our own colors when we turn fifteen and I am very thankful; I so enjoyed telling those hens off."
Allen laughed tentatively, then eased into a full out laugh. Eries joined him.
"You ask a question," she prodded.
He paused and thought. "What is it really like in the palace? I mean, truly. The common people always dream of being royalty. But what is it truly like?"
Eries took a few minutes to gather her thoughts and formulate her answer. "Well… I can't compare it to the common life, but… it is boring and not." Allen raised an eyebrow at her contradiction, signaling her to continue. "It's… repetitive. Lessons and lessons and more lessons. Dance, speech, political basics, how to be a good queen and wife. Everyone always watches me; they have to know where I am. People fawn over me, but all I want is to just live my life and have someone not… beneath me… to talk to."
"Like an equal," Allen supplied. Eries nodded in agreement. "Your sisters do no fulfill this role?"
She bit her lip. "Not… not really. Millerna is much too young to grasp what I might say to her. And Marlene… She became so much of a mother to Millerna after Mother's death that she's sort of forgotten to be a sister to me. And she has more lessons than I do, being the oldest. We're too different, too, to be very close anymore. She's bubbly and talkative, always smiling and so beautiful. Everyone always says how wonderful a queen she'll be someday…" Eries trailed off.
Allen realized a nerve had been struck. "So what parts of your lessons do interest you?"
Eries smiled, happy for the change in subject. Allen didn't know what he had gotten himself into. She spent the next twenty minutes talking about various political views that intrigued her. He asked a question or two, but mostly remained silent and allowed her to talk.
Afterward, Eries asked him about travelling with Balgus and their roles reversed. Allen talked animatedly about his mentor and their adventures for nearly another hour. Eries struggled to keep up and fully understand most of what he said, but she let it go. Allen had eased up and they were both enjoying themselves.
The clock tower tolled faintly in the distance and Eries jumped up. It was the fifth hour and if she didn't leave, she would be late. Someone would think her missing and sound the alarm, sending the palace into an uproar. "Allen, I must go. I have to get back before someone things I'm missing."
Allen stood, nodding. "I understand, Pr- Eries. Wait one moment, though. I… I fell that I must say goodbye. I am to leave tomorrow morning. I am to continue my training at Fort Turris. I… I do not know how long I will be away."
The middle Aston daughter felt compelled to hug her new friend. They had only just met, only just begun their friendship. She gave in, holding him only for an instant. Allen was too surprised to respond, but he smiled. "Farewell, friend."
"I hope Jeture blesses your training endeavors."
"And your lessons."
They parted ways.
Date written: 1-14-2011
Date typed: 2-11-2012
Original posting date: 2-11-12
Date edited: 10/1/2012 (Forgotten "insert something later" notes... *Headdesk*)
Born of the Blood
Chapter 4: Girl Temporarily Loses Boy
[Orange, 2nd Moon, Cemrota of Stahl, Year of Slate East] (June 1989)
She walked carefully along the dark tunnel on her way to the cemetery to meet Allen two days later. Eries had gone over their conversation in her mind and had decided that he wouldn't be terribly angry with her for withholding her identity from him. He hadn't inquired it of her, nor had he shared his directly.
The middle Aston daughter exited from the ivy-covered door and stepped into the cemetery. She walked around the large tomb in front of the door and scanned the cemetery for Allen. Eries found him on a bench near his mother's headstone, holding a few na'zia (never forgotten) in his hands. She approached him; he raised his head and his eyes followed her, neutral, until she sat down. He laid the flowers next to his mother's headstone and approached her.
"Hello," she broke the awkward silence.
"Princess Eries - "
She put up her hand, halting him. "Don't. Out here, away from the palace, I am simply 'Eries.' I… want to be friends. Someone my own age, someone to talk to; without the high respect. But that's hard, unless we drop the formalities. That's why you were out here… You wanted to be away."
Allen studied her face, then nodded. "As you wish," he stated, winking teasingly at her. "For the sake of friendship, then, I would like to introduce myself. I am Allen Schezar."
Eries forced herself past the lilting way his name had rolled off his tongue, like the happy purr of one of Millerna's smuggled kittens. "Eries Aston, nice to meet you."
They sat in silence for several minutes, both unsure how to continue. Eries finally spoke, "What is your favorite color?"
Allen hesitated, a bit lost, then shrugged. "I guess I don't' really have one. What is yours?"
"Dark, deep blue."
"Why?"
It was Eries' turn to pause and think. "It is the color of the ocean just after sunset on a calm evening. It is so serene and calm."
Another pause.
"What's your least favorite color?"
No hesitation. "Chartreuse." I don't understand why different shades of colors have such odd names. And why there are so many shades. Why do you women need so many millions of shades of colors?"
The princess was shocked at his informal 'outburst.' Allen misread her facial reaction. "Allow me to apologize, high-"
Eries waved her hand, cutting him off again. "Just… drop all formality. Ignore the social rules that inhibit honest answers like that. Besides," her eyes twinkled. "I agree with you."
His eyes widened. "You do?"
"Yes. I may be a girl, but I get annoyed with the royal seamstresses when they are forever and a day hovering around me with different colors, all the same." She pitched her voice a bit low. "'No, clashes with her eyes.' 'No, too light.' 'Not this one, makes her look too pasty.' Father has allowed us to pick our own colors when we turn fifteen and I am very thankful; I so enjoyed telling those hens off."
Allen laughed tentatively, then eased into a full out laugh. Eries joined him.
"You ask a question," she prodded.
He paused and thought. "What is it really like in the palace? I mean, truly. The common people always dream of being royalty. But what is it truly like?"
Eries took a few minutes to gather her thoughts and formulate her answer. "Well… I can't compare it to the common life, but… it is boring and not." Allen raised an eyebrow at her contradiction, signaling her to continue. "It's… repetitive. Lessons and lessons and more lessons. Dance, speech, political basics, how to be a good queen and wife. Everyone always watches me; they have to know where I am. People fawn over me, but all I want is to just live my life and have someone not… beneath me… to talk to."
"Like an equal," Allen supplied. Eries nodded in agreement. "Your sisters do no fulfill this role?"
She bit her lip. "Not… not really. Millerna is much too young to grasp what I might say to her. And Marlene… She became so much of a mother to Millerna after Mother's death that she's sort of forgotten to be a sister to me. And she has more lessons than I do, being the oldest. We're too different, too, to be very close anymore. She's bubbly and talkative, always smiling and so beautiful. Everyone always says how wonderful a queen she'll be someday…" Eries trailed off.
Allen realized a nerve had been struck. "So what parts of your lessons do interest you?"
Eries smiled, happy for the change in subject. Allen didn't know what he had gotten himself into. She spent the next twenty minutes talking about various political views that intrigued her. He asked a question or two, but mostly remained silent and allowed her to talk.
Afterward, Eries asked him about travelling with Balgus and their roles reversed. Allen talked animatedly about his mentor and their adventures for nearly another hour. Eries struggled to keep up and fully understand most of what he said, but she let it go. Allen had eased up and they were both enjoying themselves.
The clock tower tolled faintly in the distance and Eries jumped up. It was the fifth hour and if she didn't leave, she would be late. Someone would think her missing and sound the alarm, sending the palace into an uproar. "Allen, I must go. I have to get back before someone things I'm missing."
Allen stood, nodding. "I understand, Pr- Eries. Wait one moment, though. I… I fell that I must say goodbye. I am to leave tomorrow morning. I am to continue my training at Fort Turris. I… I do not know how long I will be away."
The middle Aston daughter felt compelled to hug her new friend. They had only just met, only just begun their friendship. She gave in, holding him only for an instant. Allen was too surprised to respond, but he smiled. "Farewell, friend."
"I hope Jeture blesses your training endeavors."
"And your lessons."
They parted ways.