First posted last July 7, 2009.
Here's a one shot from me and it is an AU. Natalia's name has been changed to Meryl Oakland, her real name, and it is best if you have played and finished the game so that you'll get the whole story. If you have some questions, please don't hesitate to address them in your reviews, or you can PM me. ^^
Notably, this is the clean version of the fic. I have the lemon one posted in another site so… *whistles*
This particular fic is based on a Japanese festival called 'Tanabata'. This fic does not, however, show the customs and traditions done during the Tanabata, but the meaning of the festival itself for the two pairs of lovers.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss. It belongs to Bandai-Namco Games.
Without further ado, here it is! Please enjoy!
Evening of the Seventh
Everyone in Auldrant knew what the Evening of the Seventh is. It told the story of two lovers who only met once a year because the other gods knew that if they were together, they would not be able to do their respective tasks. Each year, everyone in Auldrant would hope and pray that it would not rain on that night, for it would mean that the lovers would have to wait another year to meet once again. Despite it falling on the 41st day of Shadow Redecan on Ifrit Day, they have insisted that it was the day where the moon was a full moon. Thus, for this year, the 41st day of Shadow Redecan was the day when the Evening of the Seventh would be taking place.
While most began with the preparations a week before, namely on the 34th day of Shadow Redecan, a lone blonde woman ignored all of there, mostly focusing on her job as restaurant manager in the Kimlascan side inn in Chesedonia. Despite Chesedonia being one of the few cities that spent freely on this big celebration, Meryl Oakland was not that keen on celebrating with the others. Yes, she also wished that it wouldn't rain on the night of the festival as to let the lovers meet, but she would not be celebrating along with everyone else this year.
It simply reminded her of her past.
It wasn't that unpleasant, but it usually distracted her from her tasks.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Now was not the time for reminiscing, despite tonight being the day of celebration.
After seven that night, she and the other employees began to close down the restaurant. They were given the night off by the owner to enjoy the festivities in Chesedonia, but if Meryl had a say in the matter, she would really prefer working the whole night until it was time to close. Seriously, she did not want to spend the night looking on to the other couples who were enjoying the festival. It made her jealous because she did not have any special someone to spend the night with.
Her Evening of the Seventh this year was becoming… pathetic.
As a child, she found the legend and the story behind it to be romantic and usually, she eagerly anticipating the said festival every year. It all changed last year when things had gotten… messy.
She was forced to leave her former job as a potential lady-in-waiting to the queen of Kimlasca royalty when a scandal began brewing between her and the nephew of her employer. Now twenty years old, she pushed aside any thoughts of romance and instead concentrated with her job.
As she stepped out of the restaurant that she worked in and saw the streamers, the bamboo branches and the people, particularly the couples, on the street, the blonde woman made a beeline for the direction of her apartment, located within walking distance from her workplace. It was a nice apartment, and she was proud with the fact that she was paying for it with her own wages.
She walked faster, careful not to bump the people walking down the streets.
Seeing the familiar beige building made her sigh in relief, and as she placed a hand on the pocket of her skirt, she knew she was home free.
It was time to chill and relax.
She rented a one-bedroom apartment on the third floor of the six-storey building, and as the restaurant manager saw the familiar door of her apartment, Meryl decided that a long, cold shower would do her well tonight. After all, she did not plan to do anything tonight. She had hung her strip of paper containing her wish at the restaurant, but she knew that was impossible for her wish to come true.
After all, she wished for him.
The door opened, and somehow, the sight of her apartment soothed her. It wasn't that cramped, nor was it too spacious for her tastes. From the front door, to the immediate left were two couches with a long, low table in front of the two pieces of furniture. The dining table was on the right, opposite of the living room, while the kitchen had its own separate room, as well as a laundry area. A long hallway lead to her bedroom, and inside it was her personal toilet and shower.
Meryl sighed in relief as she sat down on the couch. Standing up from seven in the morning until six in the evening worn her down, and her calves and feet ache. She had decided to take a short rest on the couch before she would bathe because she could scarcely lift a finger right now. The bubble bath would have to wait later.
Little did she know that her wish would come true…
Half an hour later, at quarter to eight in the evening, when she fell asleep on the couch, someone had given her an untimely and rude awakening.
Someone was hammering against her front door.
Yawning and still half asleep, she grumpily marched towards the front door and was about to give the person a piece of her half-awake mind as soon as she opened the door, but failed to do so. As soon as the door flung open, she felt herself pulled and her mouth was suddenly covered by someone else's mouth.
She considered having the person get a taste of what it felt like being punched when Meryl felt the familiar sensation of her lower lip getting nibbled and tugged at by the kisser.
Only one person knew how to kiss her like that…
Asch…
She struggled to break free. "A-Asch! What are you doing here?" Meryl asked at once as she managed to break free from their kiss. Unfortunately, 'Asch' hadn't been keen on breaking up and instead, encircled his arms around her.
Lorelei help her, was this real?
Writing on a measly strip of paper could do this much, or was it all just a dream?
"I wanted to see you…" slowly, he began to unbutton the white blouse that she wore for work. Alarmed at the fact that he was undressing her with the door wide open, she wondered if this was truly a dream or simply a fantasy that would end abruptly. "Haven't seen you since you left the Manor…"
"A-Asch, p-please… not now… I-I need to take a bath." Lorelei knows she did not want him to be turned off nor disgusted with her hygiene issues.
"Then let's take a bath together…"
She did a double take.
This was definitely not Asch fon Fabre. This man was an imposter, she thought to herself, as he suddenly locked the door to her apartment and carried her in his arms. As if reading her thoughts, he chuckled, saying, "This isn't a dream. I am really Asch." He said huskily. "Where would your bathroom be, Meryl?"
"F-Far end of the hallway… inside my room." she said before she could stop herself. Mentally, she cursed herself for letting herself be lured by this man to giving in to her desires. Meryl was still not convinced that the man carrying her was her former master and lover, and she needed proof before she could finally believe that it was him, and not some doppelganger nor an impostor. She hoped that it wasn't his twin that was doing this. She loved Luke, yes, but as a brother.
Asch was a different case.
"Not yet convinced?" when she shook her head, he merely smirked. "Alright. I'll convince you."
He had managed to get to her room without tearing off a single piece of clothing, though when he had let her down to her feet, he was having a hard time controlling himself.
Impatient with unbuttoning every single one of the buttons of her blouse, he pulled it apart, causing most of the buttons to fall down on the floor and Meryl to gasp both in anger and in shock. Ignoring the destroyed article of clothing, as well as her reaction to it, he himself took off his polo, threw it on the floor of her room, and grabbed her by her waist, pulling her towards the bathroom.
"Can you explain to me why you have suddenly decided to go all the way…?"
After their joint shower, they were now in Meryl's bed, lying down next to each other, minds finally cleared from the passion that had been clouding their senses for the past few months. They have had their night, and now, it was time for them to talk.
"… The Score."
Meryl frowned. Knowing Asch, he was one of the few who did not abide by it, despite the promises of prosperity brought by it if followed. "What about it?"
"Despite myself not wanting to follow it, the Order of Lorelei, together with the representatives of the King and my Father, has found out something that you should be aware of." He told her, pulling her closer to him.
She was curious. "What would that be…?"
He let out a small smile escape his lips. "If the circumstances have allowed it… you would've been the Princess of Kimlasca."
She blinked at the revelation. "E-excuse me…?"
She found that hard to believe. How could have that happened when it was evident that she possessed neither red hair nor emerald green eyes? If ever, it would be hard to pass herself up as a member of the royal family of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear.
"My cousin, the late Princess Natalia, died as a stillborn. Do you remember that?" when she nodded, he continued. "My aunt the Queen was devastated with the tragedy, and out of desperation to make her happy, her wet nurse had decided to switch you and the dead princess. Unfortunately, the guards found out about it, and the switching did not take place. The wet nurse was to be punished for commit an act of treason, but was spared by my uncle."
She knew who that wet nurse was, of course.
It was her maternal grandmother.
"You remained Meryl Oakland. If you had become the princess, you would have become my fiancée. Instead, you became a candidate for the position of lady-in-waiting in the future. In this instance, it would have been evident that we would not cross paths. However…"
"We crossed paths." She finished for him.
"Correct." He said. "Now, think about it. You, as a princess, would become my fiancée, thus, we end up together. The circumstances are different now, yet the result was the same. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"The Order ruled that they could not prevent the union between a noble and a commoner from happening, more so if the Score foretold it. And… they told us about a rather curious concept as well."
Meryl gave him a questioning look. "What did they say?"
"The Red String of Fate." He replied. "It connects two people who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The red string does not break; rather, it only stretches or tangles."
"What does that have to do with us?"
"… The Order says that it applies to us."
Now that she thought about it, it did apply to them. It was a match like no other: he was the son of a duke and a princess, the heir to the Kimlasca while she was the daughter of a mercenary and a lady-in-waiting. His blood was truly blue, while hers was red, like everyone else. She was a commoner, while he was a nobleman whose destiny was already laid out for him ever since his birth. Yet, under strange circumstances, they met, they fell for each other and now, to her shock, they were permitted by the Order of Lorelei as well as his father and his uncle to be together.
It seems that their days of hiding under the scrutinizing eye of the nobles were numbered.
"Have the other nobles given their consent in this matter?"
"Not yet. Little by little, Meryl." He kissed her forehead. "For now, all I need is for your approval to marry me."
Her eyes literally went wide open from the surprise. "M-marry…?"
"Of course." then came his trademark smirk. "Why do you think I've done the deed with you? I needed to secure you, of course. The heir of Kimlasca has taken you, madam, to bed, and if there is a child… he is next in line to the throne. You wouldn't want that child be deprived of his divine right to rule the kingdom, right…?"
"Y-you beast!" she hit his chest repeatedly at his rather arrogant way of stating facts. She may love him, but he was still the same old egoistic brat that she had left.
He laughed at her feeble attacks, but turned serious as soon as he caught both her wrists. "Joking aside, I really intended for you to give me your approval to marry me. This time, no one intervenes. We don't have to spend every Evening of the Seventh alone."
She nodded.
So he understood what she felt as well.
"If you approve, I will be back by the next month to fetch you. I will be fixing the documents for the civil marriage, and that way, you will have time to think things through. If you do not want to go through with this…" he dreaded to continue, but he knew he had to. "I will understand and respect your decision."
She shook her head. "No need to look so forlorn, my lord." She told him. "I… I accept your proposal to… marry."
The night was just starting, and because there was no rain, the two lovers met again. They have all night to be together, but when the sun comes up, they must part ways and say goodbye. They have to wait yet another year before they can meet up, hoping against hope that it would not rain.
As for the two of them, they, too, only have the whole night to make the most out of it. They have to wait another month before they would be able to see each other again. For many, it may seem as if a breeze had passed by, but not to them.
A year felt like forever.
What more if it was a month?
One night was not enough for them to make up for lost time, and because time was not on their side, they must make the most out of it before the sun comes up…
Meryl opened her eyes when she felt her bed shift. Sitting up, she looked around and found Asch getting dressed. That morning, his red hair was sticking out everywhere while there were dark circles under her dull emerald green eyes. The lack of sleep from last night was the cause of this, she told herself, smiling at the same time. The events of last night made her shiver in delight, remembering the times when he would kiss her passionately, as well as making her do something… kinky.
She blushed at her antics from last night.
Somehow, it felt… embarrassing.
The blonde woman took a look at her bedside clock. It read seven in the morning.
"Good morning, Asch. Going back so soon?"
"Yes." He pulled on his pants over his hips and began buttoning it. "I don't think it'll be good if they knew that I went over to your place because I couldn't get a hotel booking at the inn…"
She nodded, understanding what he meant. Despite getting an approval from the Order and the king himself, many nobles wanted their daughters to marry Asch. If they knew that he had preferred a commoner to them, hell would break loose.
"I understand." She slowly got off her bed, testing her walking ability. She still felt sore from last night, but she knew that it couldn't be helped. The first time always hurts, and now that it had came to pass, she rather looked forward to more of it in the future. "As for me, I have to go and get ready for work."
He nodded. "Alright. Take care until I get back." He hugged her from behind, feeling her body for one last time before he becomes celibate for the meantime. "Don't overwork yourself."
"You too." She tightened her grip on his arms.
The sun was up, and it was back to reality for both of them.
"Goodbye for now."
"Goodbye… Master Asch."
Planned sequel in the works. Hopefully, I'll be able to have it up before the end of my summer vacation... orz
Thank you so much for reading! Please drop me a review and tell me what you think!