Star
Spoiler warning for episode 20 and 25 from the Heroic Legend of Arslan anime series (2015)
Author's notes: It has been a while since I got back to writing fanfics but after watching this series, I decided to give writing a shot again. Although I initially thought I wouldn't be able to ship any characters to Arslan, somehow after watching episode 20 made me realize the chemistry he had with Etoile (even though I got surprised at first that he turned out to be a she – that was definitely a trap character) and I wanted to ship them both. And seeing that there are still a few stories written for this pair, I wanted to contribute to the community. So this is the first story I ever wrote about this series and I'll consider this as a comeback story after being away from writing for a few years now. Hopefully this story turns out good and encourage me to write more from here on. I would appreciate any feedback about this.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, I am simply borrowing them from their parents. I'll return them, don't worry.
It was a peaceful night at one of the deserted plains in Pars.
A young girl, no older than 15, sat quietly on one side of the lake nearby their campsite. Her golden eyes were just staring blankly into the space beyond her, with her blond hair dancing with the wind. Although she may look calm, her thoughts and feelings were in turmoil. All her life, it was instilled to her very being that Parsians are evil people who serve false gods and idols and that the people belonging to the royal family itself are demons and monsters that dominate their land. And for that, she had no faith with the Parsians and that they deserve death. But for the past few days, ever since that meeting she had with the Parsian prince at Peshawar, she began to rethink her previous notions about this people. Perhaps there are still good people like him out there in Pars. And as her thoughts led her to the prince, she could not help but feel conflicted and confused about his behavior towards her and her people. She attempted to kill him several times but he had forgiven her as if what she had done was nothing. He had taken the effort to learn more about them, particularly their faith, as he read through the sacred script she had given him before. He allowed her to go free from her prison cell and showed kindness by requesting her to say a prayer for her fallen comrades. He had also permitted her and her people to be taken along by their army as they embark their journey back to the capital fed and taken cared of, instead of leaving them at the Keep with nothing to sustain them or worse, order to have them killed.
The more she thought about him and his actions, the more she felt troubled. Why was he treating them like this? Why was he continuously plaguing her mind? Why was he starting to affect her so much? Certainly her Lord Barcacion and the people who took her in before were also kind to her but somehow this prince is instilling a different effect on her. She failed to understand what was causing these conflicting emotions within her.
As an attempt to clear her head, she stood up and walked into the water until it reached slightly above her ankles. She stared into the water, noticing the reflection of the moon and she looked up into the sky seeing the millions of stars gathered around it. She smiled then as she remembered the relevance of those little lights spread out on the night sky to her. While her thoughts were preoccupied by the sight before her, she failed to notice the presence behind her.
"Beautiful..."
The girl was so startled at the newcomer's voice, she slipped and fell into the water. Now she was drenched from the waist down. She heard someone rushing towards her and calling out her name, then she realized that the voice was familiar. Looking up, she recognized that it was the same person who has been invading her thoughts.
"Etoile! Are you all right?" Prince Arslan rushed to the girl's side, trying to help her up. Her surprise was quickly replaced by annoyance and anger then she quickly lashed out towards him.
"Stay away you stupid prince! This is all your fault! If you hadn't snuck up on me this wouldn't have happened."
The prince recoiled at the outburst and immediately apologized.
"I beg for your forgiveness, Etoile. I did not mean to startle you. If it is any consolation, I too am drenched, though please allow me to help you to make up for earlier."
Prince Arslan reached out a hand towards the girl but she stubbornly ignored it and instead she gave him a sly smirk.
"Well, it seems you're not drenched enough."
She playfully splashed him until his face, hair and torso were wet as well. The prince just blinked with surprise, then gave a hearty laugh. This somehow enraptured the girl seeing the pure mirth on his face, and instead of annoyance, she felt somewhat happy she caused that charming reaction from him. The prince's laughs soon died down and gave the girl a smile. This made her blush all of a sudden and she struggled to get up, only to clumsily slip again into the water. The prince then took hold of her hand and supported her back, gently bringing her upright with him. But that smile never left his face as he looked at the girl, and he never let her hand go even they were already on their feet. A moment passed before the girl realized he was still holding her hand and she immediately retracted it before stomping her way back to shore. The prince followed her, chuckling a bit, in which irked Etoile.
"What's so funny?", she angrily asked.
"You are. I am quite amused on how you behaved, and I have to admit it has been a while since someone playfully acted towards me. It was quite refreshing."
The girl merely harrumphed and crossed her arms.
"Well it should be refreshing as you took an unexpected bath in the lake."
This caused the prince to laugh again.
"Indeed. And I have to thank you for that, oh brave and strong knight."
She was blushing now at the whole exchange. It was as if they did not come from two warring nations, but simply conversing as regular people, or perhaps as friends.
Suddenly the girl felt a chill because of her damp clothes. Prince Arslan noticed this and suggested to get warmed up at the camp fire. Etoile simply agreed to this as it will do her no good to catch a cold. Upon reaching their destination, the prince dismissed a few of the soldiers there doing their rounds, and invited the girl soldier to sit down near the campfire while he had to leave for a short while to retrieve something. This allowed the girl to be alone with her thoughts again, now being plagued as to what has transpired earlier.
'He said, "Beautiful" earlier – I wonder what he was referring to.'
Shortly thereafter, the prince came back with blankets and gave one to the girl.
"I do apologize, I could not find a spare set of clothes because it was a bit dark. I hope these can make do for now."
She hesitated a little before accepting, and she wrapped herself in it while getting a bit closer to the fire. As the prince took a spot beside her and wrapped the other blanket around himself as well, he heard her mumble something that he was not able to catch.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
The girl blushed. She repeated what she said earlier, only a bit louder.
"Tha-thank you."
The prince smiled.
"It is no trouble at all."
The girl's curiosity got out of hand.
"Why are you doing this?"
Prince Arslan simply looked at her bewildered.
"What do you mean?"
"This. Why are you treating me – treating us so kindly when we aren't even your people?"
The prince contemplated for a while before responding.
"You told me before that your faith taught you about equality and that slavery is something you abhor because all men are equal. True we came from opposing nations, but should not equality apply the same to all people despite the differences in origin, culture, or faith? Kindness should not be limited to the people sharing the same beliefs or race as you do. But it extends to all types of people as everyone deserves a little kindness in their lives. We all have gone through too much, inflicting suffering will only beget more suffering if it continues. Neither your people nor mine deserve as such. And thus, I prefer to gradually end that suffering and pain, even just a little, by showing acts of kindness."
The girl was left speechless. Somehow she understood why those people had been willing to serve and follow this young prince. Perhaps there is still hope for this nation or even the world if a ruler as kind as him, carrying those beliefs, will reign.
She had one other thing bothering her though.
"Earlier, at the lake – you said, 'beautiful...'. What were you referring to?"
The prince smiled at her and this caused her to feel her cheeks becoming warmer, and it was not because of the fire.
"Remember the time we were conversing in the prison cell at the Keep of St. Emmanuel?"
"Would you mind telling me your story? Why did you become a knight?" Prince Arslan asked the girl soldier imprisoned in her cell.
"My real name is Estelle. But… I abandoned that name."
"Why?"
"Estelle is a woman's name! I was adopted into a knight's household. That house had no heir, you see. That's why I decided that I would become a knight."
"And thus you decided to become a man…"
"…That's right. There's no problem if I'm a man."
They started to get a glimpse of the past, during the time a very feminine Etoile met the prince at the Peshawar citadel and his highness had helped her escape safely from the fortress.
"Quit remembering! Forget about that time! Got that?"
"I see. That is too bad…"
"What?"
"Oh, nothing…"
Etoile simply nodded.
"You told me about your real name and why you chose to become a knight. Then you asked me to forget what happened at Peshawar and that it was less troublesome if you were a man. Did you know what my thoughts were?"
The girl was a little afraid to know but somehow her curiosity still got the best of her. She shook her head then, not trusting her voice if she said anything.
"When we met that time in Peshawar, you helped me form my resolve to take over the throne as King of Pars. Our conversation was enlightening and I enjoyed your company at the time. I never would want to forget that moment. You looked lovely that evening as well. Thus, as you were gazing at the sky earlier this evening, I recalled that I read somewhere that Estelle or Etoile means 'star'. And I simply thought it was a fitting name for a beautiful girl like you. It would be a shame to throw that away and become a man. Would you not agree?"
Etoile blushed harder and just looked away, refusing to accept what he said. Her? Beautiful? She does not agree to that at all.
"Shut up you stupid prince! You must be blind if you think that way of me."
Prince Arslan chuckled.
"I believe anyone who does not appreciate your beauty is the one who is blind. I am simply saying what I perceive of you, and believe it or not, you are indeed beautiful. Not just in the physical aspect, but even your character, most especially your willingness to help others and your strength, is admirable."
The girl does not know if her face is as red as a tomato right now but it surely felt like it did. Unable to contain her embarrassment, she stood up and handed back the blanket to the prince.
"Thank you for this. I better be off now and look for drier clothing then go to bed."
She hid her face from his view but the blush was still there. As she was about to walk away, she spoke low but enough for the prince to hear her.
"If it matters, you may personally call me Estelle. Only you, and no one else should hear or use that name to call me. Good night, Prince Arslan."
She hurriedly left, leaving his highness seated near the campfire. He just stared at her retreating figure, smiling as he whispered his response.
"Good night, Estelle."
End
Written: Feb 7 2016