Welcome to chapter 4! I haven't quite finished chapter 6 yet, but it's at a point where I'm happy that I won't make any mistakes and break my own story's cannon. A word of warning: Jade might seem a little OOC in this chapter, but that is because I believe that Lythia would be a really touchy subject for him, touchier than fomicry in my mind.
Disclaimer: Tales of the Abyss - not mine. Lythia is.
Familial Ties
~11 months before Fall of Akzeriuth~
The fury of Jade Curtiss was not something that many people got to witness, but the man made special exceptions for Emperor Peony. Lythia silently snickered, listening from the door to Peony's rooms as Jade yelled at the blonde Emperor. She would have waited a few minutes before entering but Lythia remembered that there was more than one reason why she had come to her Lord Brothers rooms.
"Lord Brother," she called as she entered. "The God-Generals Dist, Legretta and Arietta have come for an audience with you. The guard wouldn't tell me why."
Lythia frowned as she said that, remembering the way that the guard's expression had twisted into sneer, and how he had said that it was something for Peony's ears only. She looked at Jade with a slight smirk. Time for a small act.
"Oh hello Jade," she said, dropping all titles as she spoke. "I absolutely didn't know that you were in here. What a surprise!"
The reason for Jade's anger was obvious now, since he was holding in his hand the hair tie that had kept the braid, that Lythia had made in his hair, together. As Peony had predicted, the man's hair had become wavy and nigh impossible to straighten after a full night in a braid. Lythia quietly applauded as she managed to stop herself from grinning at the sight of normally perfectly straight hair being interrupted on one side of Jade's head by waves.
"Anyway," Lythia continued, lifting her hand to her chin purposely, so that the sleeve of the dress she had worn, instead of her uniform, fell to reveal old, white scars. "The guard said that Legretta would be back later today."
Lythia managed to keep a straight face, but she could see Peony grinning as they both observed Jade staring at the scars on her arm. For the sake of keeping Jade's questions to a minimum, Lythia kept her head straight ahead, careful not to turn lest she reveal her gold vine hair clip that she had placed in her hair for the first time in years. One question at a time.
Letting her eyes fall to the scars; a jagged set of claw marks that went from her elbow, around her arm, ending about halfway down her forearm, closer to her wrist, Lythia dropped her arm and tugged the sleeve of her dress down to conceal it again.
"How did you get that scar?" Jade asked. Lythia wanted to believe that his voice shook slightly, but that was doubtful.
"I got it years ago," she replied, careful to not let memories overwhelm her. "I used to have a pet wolf, common to the northern regions. She attacked me."
The blonde woman winced as her tone died slightly. Jade didn't seem to notice, too uncharacteristically lost in thought.
"You remind me of my sister," he murmured. Blinking in surprise, Lythia spoke before she could stop the words.
"Which sister is that?" She asked, drawing Jade's attention sharply. "Nephry... or Lythia?"
The silence was deafening. It seemed to be a morning of surprises as Jade's expression morphed first into shock then once again, fury.
"How do you know that name?" He demanded, causing Peony to stand as Jade's hand twitched, glowing slightly, as if he was preparing to summon his spear. Lythia let her hand fall to her own weapon, a dagger on her belt, recognizing that she had taken a big risk blurting out what she had. As it appeared, everything Peony had claimed about Jade in the past was true.
"Twenty-four years ago, you, Jade, said something to Lythia, which caused her to run away," Lythia started, talking slowly, working to diffuse the situation. "She ran from her room in Keterburg to the docks, where she managed to stow away on a ferry to Grand Chokmah. She met with the Emperor, who offered her refuge in exchange for her power and knowledge. For her own peace of mind, Lythia abandoned her name and took up a new one. Lillian."
As Lythia spoke, Jade had fallen back upon his expressionless mask. This terrified Lythia more than anything, for in this moment she wished to see his reactions.
"I am Lythia Balfour," she said, she couldn't back down now. "I am Lythia and I can prove it."
"No one can prove they are my dead sister," Jade coldly stated. "For the one thing that would convince me, she took to her grave."
Lythia smiled tightly. Of course Jade would say that, he would cling to the logic of the matter. But the air in the room was far to tense for her liking. She had to get out.
"You want the words that you spoke that night," she murmured. "Of course you would. Not here, not now. I won't divest that information to anyone, just as you haven't either. Later, but not today."
Lythia looked at Peony, finally turning her head, letting Jade catch sight of the hair clip.
"By your leave, your Majesty," she snapped, suddenly annoyed at the Emperor. Peony nodded and she left, ignoring both men behind her. As the door slammed behind her, she noted the silence of the palace. She decided to head outside to the palace courtyard.
There, Lythia saw Legretta and Arietta talking quietly. From the frown of Legretta's face, Lythia assumed that they were discussing Dist. Lythia smiled as Arietta noticed her and waved. Sighing away her frustration, Lythia approached the pair.
"Princess Lillian," Legretta greeted. Lythia grimaced at the title.
"Please not today, Legretta," she said, rubbing her hand against her arm. "I need someone to treat me like a normal person."
"Already?" The blonde God-General asked. "A bit early to be sick of hearing your title isn't it?"
Lythia laughed.
"I've just had to deal with Emperor Peony's guards and with general disrespect all morning," she sighed, bringing her fingers to rest upon the bridge of her nose, reminiscent of the way Jade would readjust his glasses. Her tone had turned bitter. She looked down as she felt arms wrap around her waist, and saw Arietta hugging her.
"Don't frown Lillian," the young girl said. This alone caused Lythia to smile.
"And how are you Arietta?" She asked. "I didn't get to see you last time I was in Daath."
The pink haired child started talking about what she had been doing, until she started complaining about Ion's new Fon Master Guardian, Anise. Lythia decided to stop her before she could go any further.
"I just remembered," she said, feigning shock at forgetting. Arietta looked up at Lythia. "I have something for you Arietta, a gift if you will." Lythia turned to look at Legretta. "Would you mind if I took Arietta with me. I know your on official business and all, but if your free..."
The words she was going to say trailed off. Legretta sighed, glancing over her shoulder, to where Lythia assumed was the direction that Dist had disappeared in.
"Don't hurt yourselves trying to annoy some guard like you tried to do in Daath a few years ago," was all she said. Lythia and Arietta looked at each other, then back at the woman with innocent smiles on their faces.
"You must have the wrong people," Lythia demurred, before turning serious again. "I promised never to hurt Arietta. I will not back out of that promise."
Lythia held her hand out to the pink haired teen.
"Come Arietta," she said kindly. "I'll introduce you to the girls who are trying to become my handmaiden."
The two of them walked slowly to Lythia's rooms. They failed to notice Jade watching them from the shadows, nor did they notice him walk over to Legretta. Jade opened his mouth to say something, but the blonde God-General beat him to it.
"I have this feeling," she began casually, "that if placed on opposite sides of a battle field, Princess Lillian would disregard the battle lines just to make sure that Arietta was safe."
"If Lillian treats Arietta anything like the other children of Grand Chokmah, then I suspect that she would fight both armies on her own to keep that girl safe," Jade responded, trying hard to ignore the image of the gold vine clip that wrapped its way around the side of the head of the woman claiming to be his long dead sister.
"Was there something you wanted, Colonel Curtiss?" Legretta asked after several moments of silence, turning to Jade. The brunette man shook himself out of his memories as he returned his thoughts back to his task.
"Emperor Peony will see you in an hour," he said crisply. "It would be a smart idea to find Dist and drag him to the audience hall, for I doubt he is competent enough to get there on time on his own."
Somewhere in the city, a white haired man sneezed.
"Big brother! Teach me fonic artes!"
"Lythia? Why do you want to learn fonic artes?"
"Because then I can be like you!"
"Like me? You want to be like me?"
"Uh-huh! Cause you're the bestest big brother in the world Jade!"
"Alright then, I'll teach you.
"Thank-you Jade!"
~10 months and 2 weeks before Fall of Akzeriuth~
Waiting, as Lythia found in the past weeks, was frustrating and painful, especially when she was waiting for her brother to confront her. Jade had been watching her and her interactions since she had confessed the truth two weeks ago. She hadn't minded much, but it had annoyed Arietta. The young God-General had been staying with Lythia with the permission of the Maestros of the Order of Lorelei while Legretta and Dist had returned to Daath, and Arietta had complained about the man when she had noticed that Jade always seemed to be where they were.
At first Lythia had told Arietta to ignore Jade, but only three days before her patience had snapped, and Lythia had started throwing looks at her snooping brother of varying degrees of frostiness. Jade's red eyes would often look away, but a few times he had met her stares with calculating glares.
Today however, Jade had been nowhere to be seen. It was late afternoon and Arietta was happily talking to Arya, while Lythia sat on the bench that was in one of the few parks that existed around Grand Chokmah, as she brushed the hair of one of the children that had gathered around her. The children of the city adored Lythia, and they were always begging for stories.
Serill and the only other remaining girl, Nyx, were standing off to the side, watching the on goings. The three girls, Arya, Serill and Nyx, where the only three who had managed to last a week in the trial to become Lythia's handmaiden. Most had left on the first day, one more had left the day after, the day that Lythia had revealed the truth to Jade, when Lythia had brought Arietta back to her rooms, ordering the girls to treat the pink haired God-General as if she were her daughter. The girl who had left had something against Arietta.
"Princess Lillian!" One of the children called, bringing Lythia's frayed attention to a boy with dark hair.
"Yes?" she replied.
"Will you tell us about the Witch Child?" the boy asked. The question made Lythia freeze slightly, before smiling.
"Why would you want to hear a scary, old story?" she asked, laughing lightly.
"Please!" the boy, and several other children, begged. Lythia let out a small sigh.
"Alright," she consented. "The Witch Child, the rumoured servant of the previous Emperors of Malkuth. She was said to have powers that were truly horrific. The criminals of the empire would be brought before the Emperor, tried, and when found guilty of crimes such as murder, would be taken to some room that apparently lies deeper than the dungeons. There, the voice of a young girl is heard before all sound is blocked by fonic glyphs."
All the children had their eyes upon Lythia as she spoke.
"Does this room exist?" one girl called. Lythia laughed.
"If it does," she replied, letting her eyes close, "I've never seen it. And quite frankly, I don't think I'd want to."
Lythia smiled, casting her gaze over the group of children as they rose to her bait, begging to know why she didn't want to see the room in her story. The eyes of the children sparkled with delight and eagerness, which Lythia revelled in.
"Because, it's said," Lythia began, leaning forward for dramatic effect, "that whoever enters that room never... comes… out."
The children were silent and wide eyed, so Lythia waited for a few moments.
"Boo!" she exclaimed, causing the children to jump in surprise. They all looked at each other, before bursting into laughter. The sound made Lythia's smile widen as the children started chattering to each other. Her smile fell however when she noticed the familiar face of Jade leaning against one of the trees in the area. He gave her a small sign indicating that he wanted her to follow. With a sigh Lythia called Serill, Nyx and Arya over to her.
"I want you three to go back to the Imperial palace," she commanded. "I need to talk to Colonel Curtiss in private."
The three girls nodded, before walking off. Lythia turned back to the children and gave her apologies and farewells before striding off.
"Arietta!" she called as she walked, feeling the girl's hands wrap around the fabric of the dress that Lythia rarely wore. "I am going to be talking to Jade now, Arietta, you can go back to the palace and wait for me, or you can go explore Grand Chokmah."
Arietta nodded then waved her goodbye with a small smile, running off in the direction of the palace. Lythia watched her go, before walking over to Jade, glancing behind her to see the group of children playing chase.
"A curious tale you told them," her brother's voice said with casual inflection. Lythia looked back at Jade, sighing at his statement.
"That is all it is," she replied, "a story and myth that has passed around the children of this age. Come, let us walk. It is pointless for us to discuss what we need to here in the open."
Jade agreed, acting the perfect gentleman in the crowded streets of the city, and led Lythia to the outskirts of Grand Chokmah. The sun was setting, causing a purple light to wash around the two as they stood, next to one of the great waterfalls. Silence sat uncomfortably between the two. Lythia closed her eyes, waiting for Jade to speak, but the silence extended until it was clear to Lythia that it wouldn't be broken anytime soon.
"Whatever you want to say Jade, say it now," Lythia commanded softly, keeping her eyes closed so that she wouldn't see the expression on her brother's face. "I shan't wait forever."
Hope you liked this chapter!
Yes - I added Arietta, she is literally the cutest character I have ever met. She will be another important character in the story.
Please review! Tell me your thoughts!
~Icetail of WindClan - Meta-If~
Unimportant Notes:
Of all the God-Generals, Lythia adores Arietta and respects Legretta. She hasn't come face to face with Dist since she ran away from Keterburg. Largo, Sync and Asch she has seen occasionally around Daath. That's all I have to say in these notes. Bye!