Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Fall arrived in Aria turning the landscape into a patchwork quilt. The colors draped over the hills of the city. Aero loved the feeling of the cool air as it swept the fallen leaves across the cobblestones. Water trickled from the aqueducts as the sources began to freeze. The tents of the marketplace below shown brightly against the dulling surroundings. Aero leaned out of the window to get a better view of the lively citizens. They were bustling about the market gathering the fruits of a grand harvest. She was about to leave the view when a hawk caught her eye. It flew close and landed before her holding out its leg. Aero took the note thanking the bird.

Aero,
It is fall here now. I like the trees here. They are very colorful. What is it like there? I hope you are well. Lucidia and I are well. We miss you!
Blake

Aero couldn’t help but smile at the note. They had become a cheerful part of every week since her visitors left. Though Blake’s notes were simple they improved every time he wrote and she enjoyed them immensely.

“Princess Aero,” Beka’s voice came with a knock on the door, “the council has gathered. The meeting will be starting soon.”

“Ah, yes. I will be down soon,” she called back as she hurriedly wrote her reply.
On the way down to the meeting room Aero noticed two figures standing in the inlet of the stairs below. She recognized them as Talim and Senna but they were in the middle of what looked to be a serious conversation. Aero stopped herself from calling to them though she was concerned by Senna’s expression. She had never seen her friend with such a sad face.

“Aero!” Senna cheered as she noticed her friend. “Talim is going to join you in the meeting today.”

“Oh, is that so?” she asked. Senna had forced a happy face and energetic wave but Aero was still troubled.

“It is,” Talim answered. He didn’t hide his concern as easily.

“Well, I won’t keep you from your duty any longer.” Senna’s smile faltered as she quickly turned from them and left.

Talim stared after her as she ran. Aero started after her but turned back when she realized Talim hadn’t moved.

“Shouldn’t we go after her?” she asked. “She didn’t seem herself.”

“She’ll be fine.” He turned and led the way up the steps. “We should go to the meeting. The others are waiting.”

Aero took her seat above the council and scanned their expecting faces. “Please sit.”

No sooner had they taken their seats than the discussion began.

“Your highness, we have an exciting proposition for you,” the Duke of Pines explained, “We would like to have a grand ball. I know it is to late for a welcoming ball, but think of it more as a coming-of-age ball.”

“Coming-of-age?” she asked curiously.

“Why yes. You are nearly of marrying age, dear princess. You should keep your eyes open for a proper suitor.”

“No thank you.” Aero beamed to hide her irritation. “I have no intention of choosing one.”

Her reaction shook the council members.

“Your majesty, you must think of it,” the Duke of Oak pleaded, “You are the last of your line.”

“No,” she told them flat out, “I will not choose someone like that. Anyone who meets me at a ball will only be trying to become king. I don’t want to be married off like that.”

All of what she said was true of course, but the whole truth lay much deeper. She couldn’t bring herself to mention him in front of a group filled with scheming, untrustworthy people. She felt that very few of them actually cared about her feeling and thoughts. They only wanted the royal line to go on.

“Princess,” Talim’s father, the Duke of Maple, told her, “We don’t wish to rush you into anything. If you don’t want to think of marriage just yet then you can use this ball to meet more of your people. At the very least you can use the opportunity to enjoy yourself.”

“Will there be a lot of music?” Aero asked unable to resist the idea of a party similar to the revels of the Faery Realm.

“Yes, plenty.” The Duke of Maples laughed heartily. “It is an absolute must if we want dancing at our ball.”

“Then I accept,” she told them happily.

The ball was set to be the following week and the whole city was busy with preparations. The servants all spent their free time attending to the ballroom decorations. Aero rarely got the chance to talk to anyone but the tailor. It was amazing to the transformation that occurred in the town in so few days. There was so much unity in the people as they worked towards one goal. The days passed quickly as Aero observed the hard work of her people. She had not been permitted to help in any way besides giving her opinion on the various aspects of the ball. Up until the very day of the ball everyone worked busily to make everything the best it could be. All that was left was the anticipation of the event.

As night began Aero began her descent to the ballroom. She could already hear the music playing though the palace. When she reached the floor just above she stopped to admire the city. Though simply decorated it was lit with candles in such a way that the city seemed to blend into the starry sky. A flood of people were entering though the gate but as she gazed she noticed two of them move off towards the inner part of courtyard. She couldn’t get a good look at them from where she was let alone hear them. They seemed to be in a very intense conversation. Suddenly a third figure walked towards them and took one away to rejoin the flood of merry guests. The remaining figure sat down on a bench letting her green gown flow before her.

Aero wanted to go to the figure and find out what was wrong. She couldn’t understand why the scene below her seemed so sad. It was such a contrast against the merry spirits she had been surrounded with of late.

“Princess,” the Duke of Maple called startling her out of her gaze, “It’s time for the ball.”

The music stopped as Aero walked slowly to the top of the steps as she was announced. “Her royal highness, Princess Aero Luna of Light.”

Her white embroidered corset forced her to stand up straight though she wanted to shrink away at the sight of the crowd. She walked slowly down the stairs for fear of falling in her high-heeled shoes. Somehow it seemed her people mistook it for grace for their faces had a look of awe. The tailor had made her dress a deep red to make her wings show brighter. The layers of her skirt billowed gently in her wake until she reached the bottom of the stairs. All that had gathered bowed low to greet her. When they rose Talim stepped forward offering his hand to escort her. She was thankful that her friend had been the first to make the offer for she felt the hungry eyes of unfamiliar guests boring into her back.

The music began again as her walked into the center of the floor. Everyone paired off and bowed to each other before joining hands with their partner. The music wasn’t as rhythmic as that of the Faery Realm. The notes were more sustained and flowing and the dance reflected it with orderly movements. Everything was so different from the group dances of the Faery Realm. The pairs didn’t dance with each other. She never joined in with the other girls in a dance. She was most startled when people she didn’t know asked to switch partners with her. She was often passed from guest to guest as she danced. It didn’t take long for her to notice that the gentlemen she was dancing with were her possible suitors. So many names were thrown at her in such a short period of time. She couldn’t remember even one that she could match the proper face. Finally, she was reunited with Talim.
“Are you having fun, Princess?” he asked politely as ever.

“I’m a little dizzy. It must be all the excitement,” she answered breathlessly. She was uncomfortably aware of her heavy dress.

“Would you like to sit down for a while?” Talim asked worriedly. “You look a little pale.”

“Maybe I just need a drink.”

Aero stumbled back and walked over to the drink table. She held onto the table as her breath became short. She reached for a cup but a strange floating sensation filled her followed by a gripping in her chest. For an instant there was an odd sense of vertigo followed by darkness.

When she came to she was laying on a couch of what she recalled to be one of the second floor parlors. Aero sat up noticing that her corset had been removed and lay neatly on the floor beside her. She was able to breathe easily without the tightly bound fabric. The door to the parlor was open just slightly but voices could be heard from the hall.

“It’s not fair,” a woman’s voice spoke quietly, “I can’t hate Aero, but I don’t want it to be this way.”

“I know,” the man’s voice that answered had a painful edge, “but I don’t have a choice in the matter. She isn’t ready to find someone but the nobles are getting anxious, the whole realm is.”

“But I don’t like it. It’s not fair to Aero to be forced to find someone and it’s not fair to us to have to be separated.” Her voice shook with sobs. “I love you, Talim. I really do. I don’t want you to be taken from me.”

“Senna,” Talim told her softly trying to calm her, “I feel the same, but I don’t know what to do.”

Aero peaked out the door to see them standing apart from each other. Senna clung to the skirt of her green gown looking down trembling. Talim also looked away from her. He stood still though visibly forcing himself against his want to go to her.

“Senna, what should I do?” he asked quietly, “I-I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to see you hurt like this or abandon Aero.”

“I know,” she sobbed. She stepped towards him. “There isn’t a way to win. No matter what someone is going to get hurt.”

Talim couldn’t stand it anymore. He reached out and pulled Senna close. She broke out in tears as soon as he held her. They stood comforting each other with their sorrow.

Aero felt a familiar stab of pain at the sight of them. She pulled away from the door knowing she was the cause of their grief. Suddenly she looked up with determination and burst though the door startling them both. She embraced them both as tightly as she could.

“I don’t want to separate you,” she told them, “I want you two to stay together. Talim you are like an older brother to me. Senna you are one of my best friends. I wish only for your happiness. Please, don’t let me be the cause of your distress any longer.”

They awoke from their shock upon hearing her pleas. Aero felt them both return her embrace warmly.

“Thank you Aero,” Talim spoke relieved, “I am forever indebted to you.”