Chronicles of Symphonia:
Assassins Creed
Chapter 2
Fateful Meetings
Four days had arrived quicker then Luna had presumed and within hours she found herself getting dressed for the dinner. She sighed as her servants quickly tightened her corset and held out the arms to a long, flowing, and silky, white dress. She slowly got into her dress and sat down at a stool where servants continued to ready the princess by doing her hair and lightly applying make-up. Luna, personally, never enjoyed the use of make-up, though she didn't need it either way, the powders and blush only enhanced that which was already beautiful.
Meanwhile, Ammi watched as all the servants hustled about. "You there!" she called. A servant carrying a tray of a full roasted pig, roasted into a deep brown with an apple protruding from it's mouth, approached her, "What day is it today to which you carry such a plate of fine food?"
"Have you not heard?" She asked skeptically, "You must be new. The Prince of Accelerando is arriving tonight for dinner for the hand of the princess!"
Ammi instantly became infuriated, "Go on about your business!" the servant left and Ammi rushed to the courtyard. She made sure no one was watching and made her way to the servants entrance, from where servants made their way to the town if needed on short notice, instead of lowering the drawbridge. She stepped outside to where the moat was and called, "Mai! Torrid!"
A black ball of smoke appeared and two figures, still wearing the black tunics and masks, stood in front of Ammi, each on one knee, "Yes milord?" Mai replied,
"There has been a change in plans." Ammi started,
"Milord?" Mai asked,
"The fool of a King has set up an arranged marriage for her daughter in which the Prince of Accelerando shall be coming to ask for the princess' hand in marriage."
Torrid looked at Mai with a bit of worry in his eyes, but she did not look in return, "What shall you have us do then milord?"
"My brilliant mind has suggested a new plan." Ammi smiled, "We shall not be needing to eliminate the King, if another King wants to."
"Excuse me?" Luna asked,
"Our goal, now, is to kill the Prince of Accelerando."
"I bid you good tidings my son." King Holst told his son with both hands on the prince's shoulders, "You have grown to be a strong and respectful man. I am proud of you."
"Thank you father." Prince Aska replied, "I will do my best to continue to please you."
King Holst smiled, "Good, good! Now be on your way my son, and bring back to me news that you are engaged to a beautiful young woman!"
The prince smiled at his father and nodded. Prince Aska was a fairly tall young man. He had long, black hair that fell past his ears and gave him a mature and older look. His face was stern and serious, though when he smiled, his face lightened up and gave a sense of peace at mind in ones' heart and soul; seldom did he ever not smile. Aska was a medium built man, with toned body muscle, but he did not need to rely on brute strength, nor did he fancy the idea of becoming a heavy weight brawler. Nevertheless, he was as strong as the fiercest solider of his army, and as intellectual as some of the highest-ranking generals. He wore an all white, custom-made suit, with large white buttons, which went down the middle of his coat. He wore medals of heroism and great deeds, he had ivory cuffs worn at the side sleeves, he had a slender sword he used for fencing at his waist, and, lastly, he wore a silver chain around his neck, with a heart-shaped locket. The prince was a kind man, never once did he ever seem to get angry with his servants or his friends or his family. He loved to fence, read, write, lecture, and dream. He, personally, did not like war himself and hated to fight in a duel to the death. His voice was deep, but kind. He was charming and suave and always seemed to know the right words to say at the right time. Through his many years of service and life, he was exceedingly wise for his age, and many people sought his advice.
Aska grabbed a present for the princess, which he picked himself, and walked outside and stepped into his coach. Behind him, four soldiers went, along with six servants, including Aska's personal servant Bach. They reached the castle gates within a few hours and were greeted by many servants and giant decorations of white trees and flowers. Golden confetti was thrown from the high tops of the castle as the coach drove in and stopped in front of a large flight of steps where the King of Cadenza stood.
Aska stepped from the coach and walked up the stairs, "Good evening to you King Larsell." He bowed and, when he was upright again, placed his hand out for a handshake,
"Good evening to you Prince Aska, son of Holst! I am pleased you have arrived early!" The king took the prince's hand and gestured him to come inside, "Please, this way."
The large golden halls of the castle awed the prince as they stepped through the doors. The hall was enormous, stretching twenty, maybe thirty, feet high with amazing paintings of the sky with angles upon it and it stretched forward for what seemed like miles. Large pillars, supporting the ceiling, lined up down the entire hall, with red banners on the side. Candleholders were placed among the sides of each pillar and chandeliers that hung far from the ceiling captured and illuminated the light even further. If one were to enter the castle for three days, they'd say that they'd never thought night had ever passed. The prince looked upon the golden brown tiles and saw that they were so clean he could see his reflection in it. They King and the Prince and all the servants walked on a large red, soft carpet.
The Prince continued to walk and saw that the hall became a maze of stairs. Great marble stairs faced him in every direction, and he saw hundreds of servants bowing to him on the stairs. He smiled back nodded his head. After walking underneath a few staircases and bridges, the prince was greeted with a maze of doors, or the servant quarters.
"I do not mean to take you down this path of the servants' quarters," the king started, "though, believe me when I say, this is the short cut."
They both laughed and continued to walk. Soon after they reached the dinning room, which gave the Prince wide eyes which gleamed as much as the room itself did. The dinning room was almost as large as the hall. Great chandeliers, bigger and more beautiful then the ones in the halls, hung upon the ceiling. The ceiling itself stretched forty feet high and the dinning table was so large that it would have been able to fit a capacity of a few hundred men and women. At the end of the dinning room were a few steps, which led to a small stage where two thrones sat. One for the king and the other for the princess. The prince laid eyes upon the princess from afar and his eyes seemed to glow from her beauty. The light upon her seemed brighter then all the candles in the palace and he stood in awe, struck dumbfounded by her beauty. He walked towards her, trying to keep his calm and suave manner and bowed when he reached the foot of the stairs, "Mi lady." was all he could think of to say.
Luna had watched the prince walk in and noticed how he walked with his head up and back straight, she grunted, "Stuck up. This is going to be a long night." She sighed and stood and bowed in return, faking a smile.
"I will leave you too to get to know one another better." The king said and left the room.
"May I be so bold as to say you look quite lovely tonight." Aska said as he walked up the steps,
"No you may not." Luna replied,
"How about a 'you look very pretty'?" he smiled,
"No." Luna said with a plain look,
Aska reached the top to the stairs and looked at her. He was a head taller then her, at least, and so he bent his head to look down, "A simple 'hello'?"
"You're getting warmer." She replied,
"A 'good-bye' then. Is that what you wish for me to say?"
Luna smiled, and nodded her head, "Yes. Quite frankly, it is."
Aska smiled, "Well," he started, "at least I've made you smile."
Servants entered the room and moved the thrones to the sides as they set a table for the two. Fancy silverware and fancy plates were placed upon the table and the thrones were placed facing each other on opposite ends of the table. "Could you be so kind as to get me another chair?" Aska asked a servant, "I couldn't possibly sit in the King's throne."
The servant nodded and went out from the room. "So you have some kind of morals and respect for others then yourself? I may say I am impressed." Luna said as she sat in her throne.
The servant returned and placed the chair for Aska to sit, "Oh so I have made you smile and impressed you, all in one day? Seems like we're heading on a smashing start." Aska sat down and pulled the gift from his pocket.
"What's this?" Luna asked as he handed it to her, with both hands.
"A gift, I picked it out myself." The prince said proudly,
Luna laughed, "If you think little trinkets and shiny objects will buy my affection think again!"
Aska smiled, "And I've made you laugh! I must be on a roll. Why don't you open it and throw away whatever it is you seem to think I've gotten you."
Luna was surprised by his audacity, though she didn't show it. She simply smiled and opened the gift. She stopped when she was finished and a puzzled look fell across her face, "What is this?"
"It is a book. A condense version of -"
He was cut short, "Of a book of yourself?" Luna asked,
Aska smiled again, "No, a condense version of a favorite novel of mine. It's called The Nightingales' Last Flight."
"So you can read too?" Luna said, ignoring what the prince had just told her,
Aska smiled once more, "Indeed I can."
"Then tell me, Prince, what is this novel about?"
"It is about a bird, who wishes that she can fly free with her other friends. Though she is afraid to fly, ever since her mother was killed. So she never learned. Until one day, a bird saw her sitting in her nest by herself and he asked her why she sat so alone all the time. And she explained what had happened when she was young. The other bird replied telling her, "Live life to it's fullest. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is a mystery. And Today is a gift, that is why they call it: 'the present'."
Luna sat there for a moment, thinking. She frowned and said, "This seems like a children's novel."
"It is only a children's novel, to those who do not understand it fully." The prince replied,
"So you are calling me a child?"
"Of course not. How am I to make that accusation if I barely know you and that I know you haven't read the book yet."
Luna sat there and sighed. The prince had won this battle. She had nothing to say, and she began to feel as though she shouldn't have accused him of being so many things that he was not. But she soon shook her head from the thought and brought back up her defense. "The food is ready, let us eat."
"I have a sense that you are not very hungry." The prince commented,
"And what makes you say that?" Luna asked,
"Any women that eats in a corset never seems to eat very much at all." Aska smiled. "Come, will you join me in a short walk?"
The princess was hesitant, but she slowly rose from the chair. "Fine."
Aska held his arm out to escort her out to the courtyard, but she walked right by him. "Please madam, after you." he said as she was at the bottom step.
She looked back at him and said, "Are you coming or not?"
Aska smiled, "I'm coming."
They reached the courtyard after a 'few' moments of walking. The night air was cool and the lights in the yard were ominous and white. The two walked upon a moist stone path and neither one said anything. They reached a bridge that curved in a semi-circle above a fairly large lake and they stopped in the dead center.
"I have this strong sense coming from you that you do not seem to like me, nor enjoy my company."
Luna smiled, "And what makes you think that?"
Aska smiled in return, "Oh just a feeling is all." He said,
"Well, no." she said blandly, "I do not seem to think you are my kind of 'type'."
Aska tilted his head to his right, "Oh? And having barely met me you already make thus assumption?"
"I may have just met you," Luna replied, "but I've read all about you."
"Oh," Aska smiled, "so you can read as well?"
Luna drew a frown, "As a matter of fact I can!"
"No need to get offended princess, I was merely telling a joke."
"Do not call me princess." Luna replied with an angry tone, "I do not need to stand here and be treated this way by the likes of you!" Luna began to storm off, but she slipped and fell backwards. Luna let out a cry but she suddenly stopped. Aska had caught her. She was looking up at Aska as he looked down at her. Their faces were mere inches from each other and she barely kept her balance. Aska shook a bit, for he was awkwardly positioned himself.
They stared in each other's eyes for a few moments and the only words said was Aska who said, "Are you okay?" Luna felt his breath upon her cheeks. The warm air tickling her beauty and brushing away the cold for a moment. Suddenly, they began to move closer, as if some unseen force was slowly pushing them towards each other.
Then Luna broke free from the trance and sprang upward, "Get your hands off of me!"
"Hey!" Aska exclaimed, "Be careful!" but it was too late, the wet stony floor caused both to slip. Aska tried to grab Luna to hold her up as he fell, but when she grabbed his arm she pushed down upon them. They tumbled sideways and fell into the icy cold water of the pond.
Luna submerged from the water and let out a cry, "It's freezing!"
Aska followed soon after and took a breath of fresh air. He swam over to Luna and grabbed her and pulled her onto the grass nearby. They laid in the grass and breathed heavily and rested. Aska took a look at Luna, her make-up smeared and fading, but she still looked beautiful. "How is that possible?" he thought, "Such beauty…" his thought trailed off. He began to laugh.
Luna looked at the prince and thought he was crazy, but soon she began to laugh as well. They both sat in the cold, laughing away until finally some servants heard their chatter and got them inside and they changed into warmer clothes.
Luna walked with her hair wet and a blanket around her body and met the prince in front of the dining room hall. Aska was wearing a new white shirt, and some loose comfortable pants. They smiled at each other and Aska asked, "Care to try dinner with me, one more time?" he held his arm out as he did before they began their walk.
Luna looked at him and then at his arm. She linked her arm with his and replied, "Just one more time."
Soon after dinner the Prince walked the Princess to her quarters while they spoke of random and miscellaneous things. As they reached Luna's quarter doors, Aska took both of Luna's hands and said, "Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Luna smiled, "I'm sure the pleasure was all mine" Aska smiled and Luna continued saying, "Goodnight to you, dear Aska"
"Goodnight to you, dear Luna." With that said, Luna entered her quarters, but before closing the door gave Aska one last look and a smile. She then continued proceeding into her room. Aska stood in front of the door for a few more moments, struck with awe by such beauty and intellect Luna possessed. Soon after, he returned to the main hall where his servant, Bach, led him to the guest room.
Some time later that night, after having prepared to go to sleep, Luna called for her personal servant, Lullay (loo-lay). "Yes madam?" a servant entered the room,
"You are not Lullay," Luna said confused, "Where is Lullay?"
The servant bowed replied, "I'm sorry madam, but Lullay has fallen dreadfully sick and was sent home for the rest of the week.
"Oh." Luna replied, "Well whom, may I inquire, are you?"
"I beg your pardon princess," The servant started, "My name is Ammi. I am your replacement."
Meanwhile, deep underground in the courtyard, Lullay's body was rotting as her skull was cracked open and the bloody stone hammer lay buried near her body.
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