The Red Glaive

It was the very same establishment that Valor had attempted to take Aeria to. Jutting out the Ivory Bastion, it was the very same kitchen who cooked for the royal family in the Ivory Bastion, or so the Valet claimed. The white stone walls of the eatery mirrored that of the Castle, and the beautiful stain glass window near the front doors somehow felt familiar.

Adelaide and Caius sat together at a private booth. After arriving nearly an hour late, the eatery had given their four person table to Duke Crassus and his mistress who insisted on sitting with one of his knight friends Sir Thierry Kornbuck and his lady after bumping each other. Despite her indignation, without her Duke Adelaide had very little say outside her home.

So, Caius and Adelaide sat in a romantic private booth that had been reserved for the Duke and his mistress surrounded by sweet smelling candles and a harpist while Aeria and Videl took the knights table outside in the terrace where a bard sang gentle songs as the patrons ate.

“Aeria?” Videl called. Aeria could see Adelaide laugh merrily, placing a hand over chest before lowering back on the table continently over Caius’ arm. Seemingly realizing her ‘mistake’ she pulled her hand back. A calculated blush flooded her face, but it had worked. Caius leaned in closer to her. She was just toying with him. “Aeria?”

“What?” Aeria snapped turning to face him. She was on her knees on her seat peering over the long back of the wooden chair. She would look over the side but that had gotten uncomfortable quick.

A bewildered bard stood at their table. “He was asking if the lovely lady had any recommendations.” Videl said.

“Uh,” Aeria sat back down on her seat and tried to smooth the fictional wrinkles of her blue dress. “Do you know any songs native to Durus?” she asked the bard.

He smiled. “Only the most popular my good lady, unfortunately it being so far away we don’t get too many requests for them. I could sing the Titan’s Final Lamentations for you if you like.”

“Please do, good sir,” Aeria said trying to use the most dignified voice she could muster. She just ended up sounding like Adelaide. The bard looked at her strangely, bards weren’t called ‘sir’ but he went off to start his song regardless.

“What are you doing?” Videl said.

“I don’t know.” Aeria said with a sigh and rested her head in her hand only for it instantly start to burn from Adelaide’s enchantment.

The waitress arrived as if waiting for the bard to depart to present them their meal. Videl had ordered the largest piece of meat Aeria had ever seen, it arrived sizzling still and covered in spices and juices that they nearly fell off his plate. Along with it, they brought him a series of sauces that he was meant to pour over at different times.

Aeria received a chicken dish she didn’t remember ordering. Beautifully cooked with a thin white sauce and small dark green balls that looked like peas. Green vegetables lined the dish interspersed with small white flowers. It was the finest meal either Aeria or Videl had ever had, but Aeria couldn’t focus on her meal like Videl who was somewhat timidly cutting at his food.

She had her back to Caius and Adelaide. “What are they doing?” Aeria asked Videl who chewed on his food with the largest smile on his face.

“They’re eating.” he said glancing at the booth a few ways behind Aeria. “Try your food, it’s delicious. Then you should try mine!”

Aeria grunted at his answer. Surely, he could’t distinguish Adelaide’s mannerisms like she could. “Videl switch seats with me.” Aeria said.

“What?” he said still chewing.

“Please?”

“No! I’m already eating.”

“Well you can just move your food over here!”

“You’re too fixated on them.” he said swallowing. Then with a smirk he added, “is there a particular reason?”

“No!” Aeria huffed, “y, you’re just like Adelaide!” she said crossing her arms over her chest while Videl laughed.

Aeria did her best to ignore them, though she did take a few more peaks during their meal. Each time, Caius and Adelaide had moved closer, on the final peak during desert, she spotted Adelaide attempt to feed Caius a small red fruit. Aeria regretted looking in the first place.

The walk back to Adelaide’s Aeria was silent. Caius and Adelaide walked ahead of them, Adelaide constantly giggling and touching Caius every chance she could. At one point Caius snaked his arm around her waist and Adelaide just allowed it.

“Will you be spending the night?” Adelaide asked when they arrived at her gates. She said to no one in particular, though she knew who it was meant for.

“No.” Aeria said firmly before Caius could answer. “Elyon expects me at the shrine.”

“Guess, I’ll walk you there, it’s on the way back to the caverns.” Caius said, while Adelaide shrugged and walked back into her mansion with a hop in her step and Videl behind her.

Aeria didn’t say anything as they walked. It late at night and close to no one was around anymore. Aeria was still in her dress, but no one would approach her with Caius around.

“What’s wrong?” Caius asked when the silence grew unbearable.

“Nothing.”

“Ariel. . Aeria.” he corrected. “I’ve been around you for more than a year, I know something is off.”

Aeria sighed, might as well get everything off her chest. “When we were little we grew up with Videl and all his brothers. There’s seven of them,”

“I’ve heard.”

“Well, they were always around growing up but we really didn’t get along with us outside of formal events at first. We were the Baron’s daughters after all. It wasn’t until I asked them to teach me to fight that all Ney boys opened up to me, and then all my sisters. Walther was already a knight by then and Owe and Arvon were squires they were the ones who first taught Videl and me how to sword fight. We were close back then, I’d even go as far as to say that I was closer to them than I was to my own sisters. That is, until Adelaide started coming around. Suddenly everything was about Adelaide and trying to impress her. Then Aget, Alita and Amberjill. They all stopped playing with me. Except Videl, he always stood by me.”

Caius laughed. “You think I’ll stop playing with you too?”

“You seemed very taken with her.” Aeria said, her face hot.

“Harmless fun.” Caius said with smile. “Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, I would never choose her over you. You're the only brother I have that’s also my sister and that’s something I’m still coming to terms with, but you and me we’re in this together now.” he said shoving her lightly. “You look. . .nice by the way.”

Aeria bushed furiously. “Stop it!” she exclaimed making Caius laugh.