Aria in Red

The two of them ate in silence.

If Frein had been younger, he would’ve felt awkward about it. Now he enjoyed the silence. Stiry’s awkward glances and obvious self-conflict whether he should ask for food or not was a wonder given that those begging puppy-dog eyes were almost as large as his head.

Frill noticed it as well and chucked a whole bun towards her yuma. They flying dog snatched it in the air, chewed on it twice, swallowed, then returned with more begging eyes.

When she ignored him, Stiry heaved a large paw towards his mistress. Frill blocked it with an arm as if the yuma’s assault was nothing but a soft nudge.

Frein couldn’t fathom the irony of it. While it was true that Stiry was playfully asking, his claws were still large enough and sharp enough to cause some serious damage. And Frill—despite being smaller compared to her yuma—just shoved it away like it was something she dealt with her entire life.

When Stiry did it again, Frill tsked this time. That small reaction forced the yuma to sit on his haunches and whine. The Aria sighed in response and produced another bun.

“No more than two, okay? Too much sugar’s bad for you.”

With an affirmative bark, Frill tossed the pastry. Stiry savored the treat a bit more this time, pondered for a bit if he should force his luck, then turned his eyes on Frein who was enjoying the entire interaction.

The Visitor quickly stuffed his last piece of sweet bun inside his mouth. “I don’t want your mistress getting angry,” he said in defense.

Stiry huffed an irritated sneeze and decided to roam around, leaving the two alone.

“I thought you can’t talk to yumas?” Frein asked. It was just an assumption given that others were thrilled to know he was able to communicate with them.

“Not as directly as you do,” Frill replied, taking a small portion of her sweet bun. She began to Draw Spatiera, tearing open a space to her personal storage and pulled out a tea set.

“Stiry and I are bonded through our meiyal systems. It’s a mutual sort of bond,” she explained as she began to prepare the tea. She moved in an organized fashion, almost automatic. “I guide his growth by providing him my meiyal and he carries me around pretty much anywhere. The bond pretty much transfers our emotions and intentions to one another. Tea?”

Frein accepted a cup and took a sip. The warm touch of water followed by its fruity flavors worked in unison with the aftertaste of the sweet bun. He downed the entire cup and asked for another. “Delicious. Thank you.”

“No…thank you,” Frill responded, pouring him another cup. “If not for you, I think I might’ve left.” She looked at her yuma who was frolicking along the riverbank. “I might’ve forced him to leave his family.”

“Where would you go?”

“Vyndival.”

Frein nodded. “Well, it’s not like I don’t understand you.” He took a generous sip to let Frill process his words. “It’s not like it’s something you can get over with overnight, but you shouldn’t bottle up your feelings, you know?”

Frill was still, both hands on her teacup. She was shaking.

“You’re really making it easy for me to punch you…” she said, her voice cracking. “You talk like there’s a step-by-step guide to this.”

Frein sighed. “Sorry, if I made it seem so simple. But it’s good that you’ve changed your mind.”

“But I can’t go back yet.” Frill’s shaking worsened. “If I see Liona…I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She stared at her tea, tears falling uncontrollably.

Frein wanted to hold her, give her some assurance, but he knew it would be for the best if her closest friends embraced her first. All things considered; he was still a complete stranger to her. His company might be accepted, but his gestures might be interpreted differently. So, he continued to probe, letting his voice stay calm and peaceful.

“Your friends will be there,” he said. “They’ll be there to help you.”

Frill struggled to regain composure, wiping away her tears in between soft sobs. “You said you understand how I feel…”

“It’s been a long time, but I lost someone, too. My parents. They worked in the military—soldiers like your knights—and their operations took them far away. As far as I can remember, I’ve taken care of my own. I had help from our neighbors and close relatives, but generally it’s just me in my house.

“So, every time may parents come home, it’s the best day ever. We spend all the time together; we’ll go out of town, do a lot of activities, be one happy family. Then they’ll be off to one of their missions again, and I’ll be alone.”

“How about school? Friends?” Frill inquired. “You have school in your world, right?”

“We do, but I didn’t make friends. I was a problem kid. Teachers couldn’t keep me in one place. Bullies kept ganging up on me. Never really had time to make any.”

Frill had replaced her tea and was now calmly listening. Frein had never really shared this story to anyone except to Katherine. It felt odd, but if it helped his new friend—realizing now that he actually made a new one—he didn’t mind sharing.

“So then, when I was fifteen someone else visited my home. Another soldier. Someone more decorated than my parents. They got ambushed and were mercilessly killed, made them eat live hand grenades.”

“Grenades?” Frill interrupted. Frein found it amusing.

“They’re handheld items that contain a volatile chemical reaction held together by a pin. If you remove the pin, the chemicals will result in an explosion. We don’t have Meiyal Arts in our world, so something like that was enough to kill my parents. The only thing left recognizable from them were their tags. I couldn’t even bury them.

“I couldn’t reach out to anyone after that. I couldn’t connect with anybody. I held on to my anger for a year until I found an outlet.”

“What outlet?” Frill asked, now totally absorbed. Even her yuma was beside her, listening in.

“It was an underground arena. I get to beat people up and let out my frustrations and get paid while doing it. That’s how Katherine found me. From there, things turned for the better, and now I’m here.”

Frill sighed in relief.

“Our father died when we were kids,” she began. “Liona cried herself to sleep that night. I did as well, but our mother kept comforting us. I wonder if she cried when we were asleep.”

Frein shrugged. “I think it’s okay to cry.”

Frill sighed again, deeper this time. Her hand held the basket containing the last piece of sweet bun.

“I don’t really eat a lot of these. Liona loves them so much that I just kept buying them for her.” She took the last piece and gave it to Stiry. The yuma had a look of concern, passing stares to her and to Frein. “Just for tonight.”

With a large grin, Stiry took his share.

“We should really go back, Frill. They’ll be worried,” Frein said, urging the Aria to stand.

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“Not until I return the favor,” she replied, looking at the basket.

Frein followed Frill back to where he met the redhaired girl. She was there at the exact same spot and beamed as soon as she saw them approaching her.

“Miss Frill, are you feeling better?” she asked.

“Thank you, Bennie, I feel better now. How much for the buns?”

Bennie waved her had in refusal. “Oh, no! Please, don’t bother. The news travelled pretty quickly and I heard what happened…so I thought…”

Frill gave Bennie a hug. It was tight enough that the younger redhead groaned in pain. Frein couldn’t help but imagine he was observing two siblings who hadn’t seen each other for a long while.

“How about I repay your inn with a song, then? I think Liona would want that.”

Bennie nodded eagerly and guided them through a narrow street. It was a quick walk and immediately the path opened up into an open space.

A plaza of food and people.

The large cobblestone plaza was covered with fancy carpets. Tables and chairs of different sizes filled the space, and men and women of different races and species occupied them. Merriness filled the air, nothing too extravagant to warrant shouting or frolicking. The cozy noise was mostly from side chatter and the occasional laughter.

There was a stage at the center, but no one was performing at the moment.

Overhead was a luxurious canopy tent roof sheltering the entire plaza designed with warm lights and colorful swirly designs.

A whole building encircled the entirety of the open space. Doors opened here and there, delivering food of varying sizes and colors to tables of people happily accepting them.

As soon as they came to view, these same people began to murmur. Frein noticed that they were looking at Frill more than at him; they basically ignored him as a matter of fact. Only Bennie was looking at him.

“Umm…sir,” she started.

“Frein. Just Frein, no titles.”

She beamed at the confirmation of his name. “Well, Frein it is, then. As Frill’s guest, I’d like to offer you a drink. Do you have a preference?”

He didn’t know what to take. Just by looking around, he could tell there was too much variety. As it was his nature, he decided to play it safe.

“I’ll let you decide, but nothing alcoholic, please. I want to stay sober, for now. Thank you.”

As soon as Bennie left, Frein noticed that Frill had taken the center stage of the plaza. Everyone had turned quiet, waiting for the Aria to speak.

“I pray it’s not too much if I take a bit of your evening,” she began. “I’d like to offer a song in memory of those we’ve lost in our most recent battle.”

One by one, the people stopped eating. They took whatever drink they had and stood, facing Frill, waiting for her to begin. Frein stood at the corner with Bennie who gave him a drink similar to what she was holding.

“Hope you don’t mind hot chocolate,” she said.

“It’s perfect. Thank you.”

The girl stayed beside him, blushing at the remark.

“Is this some sort of cultural thing?” Frein asked, trying to break the awkwardness.

“You’re not from around here, then?”

“Not in this country, no.”

“It’s a form of Ritual of Peace,” Bennie explained. “This is a simpler act; less formal. Something that only singers and songstresses are allowed to perform. Frill’s is a bit different since she incorporates her Meiyal Arts into the performance.”

By now, everyone stood and faced the Aria. Frein was filled with anticipation as the meiyal in the entire plaza began to swirl from Frill’s Meiyal Arts.

Thus, the Aria began her song.

“The strength to protect my dearest person.”

A chill ran up Frein’s spine. He could see the flow of meiyal pulsing lights coming from Frill as her voice was accompanied by other voices.

Instruments started to play despite their physical absence. There was an ethnic feel to it, drums, cymbals, string instruments pulling high notes, and background voices interweaving lyrics with each other. The intensity of the intro climaxed as all voices and instruments reached a swelling unison.

Frill began to sing, her voice soft and clear, telling a story about a knight and a princess who grew up in a village together. Her refrain introduced an evil god who demanded the princess as a sacrifice for the continued prosperity of the village.

A harmonic chaos ensued as everyone in the plaza began to partake in the performance, singing the lyrics of the villagers. Instruments went out of their usual rhythm while the villagers chanted their ritual to sacrifice the princess in the story.

Frein could hear an ominous voice demanding for the princess’s life, the evil god. It didn’t come from anyone. A voice purely made from meiyal.

Frill’s voice broke out, slashing away at the demon god. The knight had thrown away everything including his morals, killing the entire village along with the demon.

“Oh, god of destruction, oh, god of destruction, we offer the princess as your bride.”

“Hand over the princess and I shall reward you!”

“I will not let you take her, demon!”

The song continued on with the villagers’ voices, the evil god, and Frill as the lone knight, battling with each other for the princess’s life.

Frein was taken to the edge, his grip slightly shaking. Bennie tapped him on his shoulder, attempting to bring him back to reality. But he could feel the power of meiyal innervating his strength, filling him with so much energy. And more than that, he was taken away by the song.

The chaotic battle continued, ravaging the music between highs and lows. Until the knight and the god dealt their final blows.

“If I should give everything away, even if I lose myself in the darkness, even if you don’t recognize me anymore, I will gladly do so to save you. Because only you mean the world to me.”

The song ended after that, leaving all the details after the clash into mystery. Frill collapsed on the ground, residue of meiyal glittered like little orbs swaying along the wind.

Applause followed afterward. Frill struggled on her feet and gave everyone her gratitude, until finally everyone returned to their seats.

Frein realized he was holding his breath. It took him a while to get rid of the chill on his spine and find the courage to finish his drink. Bennie looked at him expectantly.

“It’s delicious, thank you.”

The girl smiled and took the cup before running off again.

He was left with his own thoughts for a while until Frill found him.

“So, what did you think of the song?” She stood up beside him. Not a second later, Bennie showed up again with three glasses of hot chocolate this time.

“Bennie said this was supposed to be a Ritual of Peace,” Frein began, taking another sip. “But the song itself didn’t sound peaceful at all. It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that, as far as I understand it, the song was on the brink of insanity.”

“Insane love,” Frill affirmed. “It’s an old song from a classical group who took their inspiration from before the Divine Severing. Liona loved it and we grew up with it. It’s difficult, but I did my best to learn it for her. On an informal Ritual of Peace like this, we offer songs loved by the ones who passed on. Doesn’t matter if it’s about death or about happiness.”

“Do other performers sing like you do?”

“I’m the only one that can sing like this. Others use instruments.”

“I’m sure you made Liona happy,” Bennie interjected, unable to contain her feelings. She was on the brink of tears. “I can’t believe she’s gone.” At that, her tears fell.

Frill smiled. Not a joyous smile, but an understanding and thankful one. “Me too, Bennie.” She gave the girl another hug, a more caring and reassuring one compared to the first. “We should go.”

As soon as Frein and Frill returned to Minaveil Manor, they found Katherine waiting by the gates.

“I should apologize, Frill. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Katherine. Liona won’t blame you, and I won’t either. I would’ve prepared a better welcome, if not for, you know…”

“It’s not about that…” Katherine turned to Frein for guidance. He refused her but gave her a silent support. She sighed once. “When you were in a trance, you were threatening to break Rindea. The only solution I had was…” She trailed off, unable to finish.

Frill held Katherine in a tight embrace. “It’s okay. I understand. Is Liona inside? I need to see her before she goes.”

“Go where?” Frein asked. He implied the question of burning bodies out of respect.

“She’s inside, Frill,” Lor answered, limping, with Flimeth on his side to help him stand. He turned to answer Frein’s question. “I’ll bring her to the Veli Manor for the wake, and then the burning ritual. If we can afford to wait, then we wait.”

“Lor,” Frill began. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

Lor placed a massive hand on top of Frill’s red head. “You’ve got nothing to apologize, Frill.” He pulled her in a tight embrace. Flimeth wrapped around the both of them.

They headed inside the manor. There in the courtyard, they found Liona peacefully asleep inside a coffin of flowers. Her wounds had been cleaned and her clothes replaced with a white silken robe. Kristel was there, tending to the finer details of her attendant's resting place.

Frill approached.

“Are you okay?” Kristel asked with concern.

“I’m fine now,” Frill responded with a weak smile. She looked at Liona and couldn’t help but tear up again. This time, Kristel was there to comfort her.

“Do you want to go with them tomorrow?”

Frill shook her head. “Liona would be angry if I leave you for one second. Besides, Lor would be there.”

“Then we’ll follow after I settle a few things here,” Kristel said before turning to Frein, implying the invitation.

The Visitor shrugged. “I’ll think about it. I’m not so sure where we should go, yet.”

The Princess nodded then turned to Lor. “We have a lot of things to do here, but we’ll make it in time before the ritual.”

“Let me go with Lor,” Flimeth said, addressing the Princess. “With your permission, I should be able to escort him since he’s still too weak to travel on his own.”

“I’ll let the High Palace know, but head out tomorrow.” Kristel motioned at the flowerbed surrounding Liona. The flowers began floating above her, eventually covering every inch of her body. “Tonight, we all need to rest.”

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