1: The Forgotten Child
Lenne hurried through the streets of Zanarkand, pushing past the other children racing towards the concert hall. Her heart fluttered inside her chest, overflowing her with need and desperation. She just had to get to this concert. She needed to. When else would Spira's most famous songstress come to Zanarkand. When else would she offer her fans a free concert. Lenne pushed harder, her breath coming in little puffs of steam as she weaved in between other desperate fans.
"We are nearly full to capacity," called a magnified voice over the noise of the crowds. "We will be closing the gates to Zanarkand Music Hall in fifteen minutes, regardless of demands and protests. Please form an orderly queue once you're through the gates. You will be shown to a seat accordingly. First come, first served."
Lenne panicked, skidding on a particularly nasty piece of black ice as she rounded the last corner. The stadium was in sight! She almost crowed with delight, until she saw the number of people that stood between her and the entrance. There was no way she was going to make it through those crowds. The people were packed together too closely, carefully guarding their right to entrance.
She slowed down with a sad look on her face, joining the back of the endless sea of Arianna Rose fans. There was no way forward for her now. Perhaps she could find a spot outside the stadium where she could hear Arianna sing.
Lenne was snapped from her indulgent daydreams by an angry cry. She looked up and spotted her chance; a gap just wide enough for a child like her to squeeze through. Lenne dropped to her knees and wiggled through, rising up and out of the other side victoriously. Nobody noticed as she dove through the closing doors, too busy arguing with the workers of the stadium to spot a child sneaking into the venue.
Feeling slightly guilty about what she had done, Lenne clambered down the steps of the stadium, looking for a vacant seat. In the meantime, the stage preparations drew to a close and the lights dimmed. Lenne could taste the excitement and tension in the air all around her. Everybody was waiting for the great Arianna Rose of Luca to arrive. Everybody was holding their breath in preparation.
"Good evening ladies and gentleman. Thank you for taking time out of your day to come and see my performance tonight. As you know, this concert is entirely free of charge and is an opportunity for me to share with you new material. I hope you enjoy the show I have prepared for you!"
Lenne froze on the second from last step, gazing up at the young woman who had just emerged from the back of the stage. She had long, cherry red hair that floated around her lithe body as she moved. She had emerald green eyes and alabaster skin. She was everything Lenne wanted to be: beautiful, kind and generous. Lenne stood starstruck as her heroine began the set with a well-known song, Save You.
"Arianna Rose," Lenne breathed out softly. "What it must be like to be a songstress."
She swayed to the music, entirely entranced as Arianna danced around the stage with other women. Under her breath, Lenne murmured the words, getting slightly louder with every passing minute as her surroundings disappeared from her mind. She moved nearer to the stage eagerly, clinging to the barrier as the first three songs slipped by without her noticing. When the forth began, Lenne was pulled from her daydreams by a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Do you have a designated seat, miss, only no-one is allowed to stand on the stairs during the performance?" asked a stout security man.
Lenne trembled under his steady gaze, shaking her head quickly. "I never found a seat, and then the set started. I forgot to look," she tapered off.
"If you don't have a seat now, I doubt you'll find one. Sorry honey, I'm going to ask you to leave," the man said, a genuine apologetic look on his face.
Lenne sighed, knowing her luck had to run out sometime. She turned to leave with the security guard, only to be stopped again, by a second voice. The security stopped too, startled by the interruption, and Lenne noticed that the music was no longer playing. She turned to find Arianna Rose stood at the edge of the stage, her face creased in concern as she watched the security guard grip Lenne's shoulder tightly.
"Is something the matter?" she asked softly, without the microphone.
"This child has no seat, so she has to leave. Nothing I can't handle, Miss Rose."
"I don't doubt that Nico, but it hardly seems fair to make her leave now," Arianna smiled at Lenne. "Do you want to stay?"
"I'd love to stay more than anything," Lenne breathed.
"Then let's find a place to keep you safe and out of the way." Arianna held a hand out to Lenne, who took it without hesitating. The young woman pulled Lenne up and onto the stage, bringing her to the middle. "What's your name?" she asked softly as thousands of eyes settled on Lenne. She blushed a deep pink, whispering into Arianna's ear. She smiled, before turning to the crowd. "I'm going to perform a special duet with Lenne."
A microphone found its way into Lenne's hand, the music started and Lenne stared at the crowd dumbfounded.
"I saw you singing earlier. I know you can do it Lenne," Arianna reassured her. "We're here together. You're not alone."
Lenne nodded. She loved singing more than anything, except she only did it by herself at night. She knew the importance of singing. She knew it could tell stories, move people and heal pain. She also knew that songstresses like Arianna took pride in their work and the way they weaved emotions in and out of each other to create unity between groups. She wasn't sure if she could carry out that important role the way Arianna did, but she was willing to try. She held the microphone tightly in two hands, waiting for her cue.
When she opened her mouth, she surprised herself by uttering words. Quietly at first, but the world began to fall away again, much the same as it had when she had sung alone earlier in the show. The noise of the crowd, the faces, even Arianna's supportive figure beside her disappeared as Lenne focused only on the music and nothing else. Something stirred in the bottom of her chest, something warm and satisfying as she closed her eyes and poured her heart out into the lyrics.
The song ended suddenly and the noise of the stadium hit Lenne in one go. The roar of the crowds cheers, the applause and the stomping. She wiped her cheeks quickly, finding tears there. She had no idea why she was crying, but somehow that didn't matter right now. She looked up at Arianna, who shone with pride.
"That, ladies and gentlemen, is what singing is all about. Truth, fear, happiness, sadness. Emotions. That is what today's music lacks. Emotions. Even I cannot manage that level of understanding and empathy in my work. You'll be a fantastic songstress one day Lenne, you mark my words," Arianna declared.
"Me," Lenne repeated in shock. "But I could never become a songstress. I don't have the equipment or money for one."
"Aha, then I have just the thing for you!" Arianna's hands went to her neck, where she quickly undid the clasp on her silver chain. She handed it to Lenne, closing the little girl's hands around the sphere that dangled from it. "This is yours now, if you want it. It's a dressphere."
Lenne's eyes shone with delight.
"I've never seen a sphere before," she exclaimed.
"Now you own one. Charter your memories and your work. Record your feelings and never forget them. Imprint yourself upon this sphere and carve out a beautiful career. Never, ever forget what singing is meant for. I wish I hadn't. Never, ever forget what being a songstress means," Arianna murmured. Lenne looked up at Arianna properly, noticing for the first time how tired she looked. Tears glistened in her eyes.
That image haunted Lenne for years afterwards, the grave feeling it brought about following her off the stage and through her childhood.
The crowd at Midnight Inn had been kind to Lenne tonight. They had mostly been made up of warriors and soldiers back from their tours of Spira, and had asked for three encores. Lenne had managed to collect many tips, as well as her regular wage from the barkeeper, but now that seemed worthless as the sun finally disappeared behind Mount Gagazet. Lenne was nowhere near home and now she was caught out late with the dark sky hanging low over her head. She shivered into her jacket apprehensively, hurrying quickly across the beach.
"Fiends strike at night time," she said to herself out loud. "They attack silly little girls like you who stay out too long and think it's a good idea to walk through the dark."
As if hearing her thoughts, a loud snarl ripped through the silence of the beach. Lenne started running without thinking, quickly realising she could hear not only her footfalls, but another one too. She flung herself down into the sound, searching for an object that she could defend herself with. Her hand came across a stone, and she rolled onto her front to face the enemy. A large dog-like fiend stood before her, salvia dripping from its jaws in streams. It snapped at her, Lenne only just managing to roll away from the sharp teeth.
She clambered to her feet as the fiend lunged forwards a second time. This attempt saw it catch her purple dress between its teeth, which it tore at unrelentingly. Lenne stumbled as her dress snagged on the fiend's teeth, dropping her only weapon. Feeling entrapped, Lenne whipped around, hitting the fiend squarely between the eyes. It roared at her in anger, hissing as she fell backwards. The third attack made contact with her arm, which Lenne had thrown up to protect her face.
Ignoring the stinging pain in her arm, Lenne decided that she would not die without a bitter fight. She kicked hard and the fiend howled in pain as her foot connected with the fleshy part of its underbelly. Lenne searched for the stone in the moment's confusion, watching as the fiend half-fell, half-jumped backwards away from her continuing assault. The only problem with kicking at it over and over was the tiring effect it had on her. Lenne panted in exhaustion, before crowing with delight. She had found her stone, with its sharp point.
The fiend attached Lenne again, this time more aggressively out of frustration and pain. It snarled and sprung forwards lightly, missing Lenne's face by inches. She swung her arm out in retaliation, cutting the fiend across the back as it sailed by her. Fur and blood came away with the stone, making Lenne's hand sticky as she danced around in a half-circle to face the fiend again. When it approached this time, it limped slightly. Taking courage from the sign of weakness, Lenne leaned forwards with her little stone. The fiend barrelled forwards and Lenne shoved her hand out, pointed stone first.
Except the fiend happened to bite at the same time, attacking Lenne's good arm viciously by sinking its teeth in. A little whimper escaped Lenne's lips as fiend and girl tumbled back into the sand, blood now soaking into it. The rolled together, both weaker and more tired than they were at the start of the fight. Eventually, Lenne collapsed back on to the beach, her bad arm wrapped up in the remains of her purple dress. She was wounded and unarmed. There was not much more she could do to keep the fiend at bay.
As the fiend bared its fangs for the last time, a large fiery bird flew in from the heavens. Lenne blinked her heavy eyes over and over, sure she was imagining things, but no, there it was. A bird of flames, just like a phoenix. She watched with distant interest as the fiend ignored Lenne and turned to address the new threat. It tried to leap into the air to swat the bird from the sky. The bird cawed in a manner much like laughter, before diving at the fiend with its sharp little beak, destroying the fiend in one blow. Pyreflies danced around Lenne's shaking body, lighting up the inky sky like miniature stars.
She wiped tears from her eyes and glanced closer at her saviour, wondering why a fiend was defending her. Perhaps it wanted her for itself. But no, it wasn't a fiend at all. As Lenne looked more closer, the bird lost its fire like glow and gained sharp edges. It was an aeon, Lenne realised. Somebody had spotted her and had saved her from the fiend. Lenne looked for the summoner, sighing softly when she saw a withered old woman hurry towards her.
"Excellent work, Phoenyx. You fought extremely well. I am proud of your efforts. If it weren't for these old legs of mine, I would have fought beside you with my staff and magic," the woman murmured to her aeon. It cawed with affection, before disappearing upwards into the sky. Both Lenne and the woman watched it burst through a heavenly gateway, before turning their attention to one another.
Lenne whimpered in pain and the old woman snapped to attention. Her staff hovered over Lenne's injuries.
"Curasa," the woman muttered and a white light spread across both summoner and wounded. Lenne murmured gratefully as the pain abated, before disappearing completely. She sat up properly, taking in her worn appearance properly. Her dress was beyond saving, but at least she had her life intact.
"Thank you," Lenne spoke softly.
"It was nothing," the old woman replied gruffly. Lenne took in her appearance. The woman wore green robes and her staff ended in a star, the same pattern that adorned the sleeves of her robes. The old woman appeared worn and battered, her greying hair flyaway and loose in its bun. However, her eyes were a contrast, bright green and very aware of all that happened. She was watching Lenne with a stern expression on her face.
The woman was making Lenne feel uncomfortable, almost like a naughty child caught doing something unforgivably bad.
"Why are you out so late?" the woman suddenly barked, not unsympathetically. Curiously, perhaps. Lenne shivered under it.
"I was late leaving my place of work. I was singing at a local bar," Lenne answered. "I need to make money somehow, and the Midnight Inn treats me well. Tonight was a particularly good one. I couldn't leave before collecting as much money as I could get."
Lenne watched the old woman mull this over. Her unease was fading as she realised the old woman felt more like a grandmother than a wicked old witch. She climbed to her feet, dusting down her tattered dress as the woman paced before her. Her hand went to her throat automatically, searching for her sphere. Relief settled on her as her fingers wrapped around the purple ball. The old woman watched her movements like a hawk, snorting when she spotted the dressphere.
"Humph. You're a songstress, are you? Such a shame. You would make a wonderful summoner," the old woman muttered conspiratorily. "Should be in training at the temples right now, if you ask me. How come nobody has scouted you?"
"Perhaps it is because I am an orphan who went straight from the home to an apartment on the outskirts of Zanarkand," Lenne replied automatically. The old woman caught her tone and grinned to herself.
"Feel hard done by, do we? I did wonder what a child like you is doing working at a dirty bar like the Midnight Inn. Well, well."
"Do you really think it's worth my while to attend the trials in summer?" Lenne blurted out as the woman muttered to herself. The crone looked up in surprise, before narrowing her eyes at Lenne, who cringed under the gaze.
"Of course I do! I always mean what I say. I would train you up myself, if I weren't so old and haggard. The Art of Summoning is a beautiful one to pass on to the youth of the day," the woman declared. "You fought valiantly. You never gave up. You were initiative and brave. All the means to survive. If you can sing, that's another thing to add to your qualities. Summoning and Sendings require the power of song. Elegance! Beauty! You would have had it all. You would have been the finest summoner Zanarkand had ever produced."
"I would like to have learnt summoning from you. I have always been fascinated with the similarities between songstresses and summoners. Both of them ease the suffering of other people, through similar means too!" Lenne said, mostly to herself. "To have been a singing summoner. How fine."
"There is hope for you yet, young one," the woman said, having listened to Lenne's whispers. "How old are you?""
"Fourteen summers have passed since my birth this month."
"That is plenty old enough to learn the Arts. Tell me child, do you live far from this beach?"
"No."
"Then I shall walk you home and we shall discuss matters in the morning. Support me child," the woman proffered her arm, which Lenne accepted.