The Red Glaive

The small gold bangle gleamed in the warm dim light. Aeria ran her finger along the small eagles etched into the gold. She was dressed up again. In red this time because Aeria refused the drops Adelaide had suggested to temporarily alter her eye color. Adelaide had said the more red Aeria wore, the less red her eyes would look. She was grateful that this dress had long sleeves though the shoulders were exposed. It was only a single skirt. Adelaide had told her tonight she was to meet her sponsor, then mingle with some the court and the other women in the pageant. She wasn’t expected to dress up too much.

The small room Aeria waited in was relatively unadorned, by palace standards that is. There was a floor length tapestry on one wall threaded in gold string. It was a scene Aeria wasn’t familiar with but she did recognize the serpentine body of the Leviathan. There were horses threaded in copper emerging from the sea. Durus and Flumina were neighbors, even so, there were few Fluminian myths she knew. Maybe if she described the scene to Niko he could tell her what it was all about.

The door to her room closed softly making Aeria jump. She hadn’t heard it open in the first place but now Valor’s friend stood there. Valor’s friend.

Elric Talbain. Storm Knight. The Vicious Storm.

Aeria’s breath caught in her throat, she wouldn’t forget that name. Niko had said that he was known to be the fiercest of Mollia’s Storm Knights, charged with protecting the one person the king cared about most. She had met him before, spoke to him like anyone else. Now, he seemed grander than what she remembered. His long, pale blond hair was tied back in a pony tail, his features were angular, and his eyes, grey, though it Aeria swore she could see a storm behind them.

“Aeria Finch.” He said and Aeria gulped. “That’s the name you registered under.” Adelaide had registered her. Aeria was glad she done so since she wasn’t the least bit sure where to go. “Clever, how you gave yourself the name of a Baron’s dead daughter. No one would question it and difficult to figure out unless you know the right people.” He stared long and hard at Aeria, his hand resting on the pommel of his narrow sword, until he finally said. “Who are you really?”

Damn you Adelaide.

“I’m not dead,” Aeria said slowly. Thinking of what to say next, but the Storm Knight had come prepared.

“No, clearly, you are not. Here is a death certificate from Benevolentia Shrine in Duowell, signed by Baron Finch himself identifying his daughter’s body.”

“What?” Aeria said snatching the papers from Elric. Body, mangled beyond recognition, identified by birthmark on what remained of left ankle by father, Aeria read. It was all there, an official seal from the shine in Duowell and her father’s signature and seal verifying it.

Where had this body come from? And she never had a birthmark there, and yet her father had signed it?

“So, Elyon, Aeria, or whatever your name is, why are you here?” He said putting emphasis on every word. “If you’ve come seeking to harm the prince, you will come to know why I am called the Vicious Storm.” He said a complete calmness to his voice. It was chilling, even more so when his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.

Aeria steeled herself and took a breath. Within her, Caius’ fire raged with her each and every breath. Beneath her feet, she had the stones and the earth to bend to her will. She would not be intimidated.

“I am Aeria Finch and I am not dead. I ran away from home during the Blood Moon, forsaking my own people, so that I could escape a violent, vile man. I found my way here, and somehow, found Valor. I never thought I’d see him again, beyond that first night. But he came, each and every night I went there, and I. . .” Aeria shut her eyes, feeling a tightness in her chest. She just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Not to Elric Talbain.

“I don’t know what this is,” Aeria said handing Elric his document. “Or why my father signed it. But I am Aeria. Both my sisters can testify on my behalf. Sir Videl Ney can testify too if need be. They've known me all my life.”

“Am I supposed to believe your meeting with the prince is nothing but coincidence and nothing but a woman seeking sanctuary?”

“It’s the truth.” Part of it anyway.

“You really didn’t know he was the crown prince?”

“I didn’t come here seeking him out, didn’t even know what he was supposed to look like until I saw him marching in that parade.” Aeria said. “I just. . .I need to speak to him.”

The Storm Knight just stared, his expression unreadable, until he sighed. “It doesn’t matter if you’re telling the truth or not. Or that you distract Prince Valerian from his duties.” Aeria winced. It never occurred to her that Valor as prince might have other more important things to do instead of spending those long nights with her. “The only thing that does seem to matter,” Elric continued, “is that Val’s the happiest I’ve seen him in a very long time.”

Valor was unhappy? Suddenly all that talk about running away together was put into perspective.

“Whoever you are, I will put up with you for that reason alone,” Elric said, “and I need not repeat what will become of you if you cause him any harm.”

Aeria smiled. He cared for him very much. The Vicious Storm’s hard stare wavered. “I don’t intend to cause him any harm,” Aeria said assuring him. “Is he here? I need to speak to him.”

“No, he is having dinner with his family tonight. I’ll do my best to get him to come down.”

“Just tell I’m here.”

“I can’t do that,” Elric said quickly as if he expected her to say it. “If he knew you were here, he’d come running down straight to you. The other ladies will cry foul and do everything in their power to tear you apart.”

“They couldn’t.”

“You underestimate them.” Elric said firmly. “Prince Valerian has to make his way to your pageant and to you on his own naturally. Otherwise the ladies of the court will use the pageants rules against you. They push hard enough and they could even have you imprisoned. We do this the right way or none at all.”

Overwhelmed, Aeria sat back down in her plush chair before finally saying, “Alright, but what am I supposed to do while you get Valor here?”

Elric took a seat in the wooden chair opposite to her. “It’d be wise to get into some of their circles, if you don’t already have one.” Circles? The only circle of friends she had was Caius, Niko, Telfer and Videl. None were exactly high nobility. “Get them talking about you, if Valerian gets hints about you it’ll be that much easier to guide him your way. If fail to get Valerian to come, you still have after darkless night, as you promised him. Though going though the pageant would be much better since the two of you wouldn't have to hide.”

Aeria didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to wait until Radiant Week was over to see Valor, she’d do anything to get him to come down tonight. If should could figure out how. “Don’t forget,” Elric continued, this is still a contest. Your results must impress the nobility, but most importantly, the King himself. It is he, ultimately, that must deem you appropriate for his son.”

Aeria gulped. “Will the king be here?”

“No, I just said the prince is having a family dinner.”

“I mean other nights!”

“Oh,” Elric said, “No, he does get reports though, usually only if someone truly stands out. So you must -“

“Stand out?” Aeria finished and Elric chuckled.

“Now you’re getting it.” Elric stood. “We will not meet after this,” he took her hand and helped to her feet then took a hold where the gold bangle he had given her rested. “Keep this on, and don’t tell anyone it was I who gave it to you, if they insist say it was Elia or Arnoul.” Aeria nodded. “You will be on your own, only the nobility and the contestants are allowed within the hall,”

Alone? Fides had escorted her there and waited just beyond the doors. The fact that not even he would be allowed to come with her terrified her.

“You’ll be fine.” Elric said before he departed.

Aeria glanced down at the gold bangle before Fides appeared. “I have to escort you to the banquet hall.” Fides said.

It wasn’t far, just down the hallway, but it felt like Aeria waked with heavy weights attached to her feet. She could fight devils, stare them down in the eye, but this was a different beast entirely and with out Fides? All she had to do was mingle, as the pageant progressed; impress the nobles, outdo her competitors, and get the king to somehow approve of her?

It seemed like a lot.

“Don’t let them see you nervous.” Fides said. “I’ve worked for many of these types before I ended up with your sister. Most put a front when they attend these types of things, you, you have a good heart. Let it be your guide.”

Aeria gave him a look.

“It might not seem like much, but it’s a lot more than I can say for the majority of the people you’re about to meet.”

Let her heart be her guide? “Thank you Fides.” Aeria said. She did feel a tiny bit better.

Fides nodded and opened the door for her.