Alaia Skyhawk: (scrunches down guiltily) ...More fluff... This chapter will have fluff... WHY AM I WRITING SO MUCH FLUFF?! (Grins) Because it's FUN!
I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them...
Enjoy
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Chapter 52: Union of Hope
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As she sat there, Aradine's long blond hair was being brushed until it shone like gold. Soon a number of tiny braids would woven in it and arranged like a net over the tresses left to hang loose down past her shoulders. Two months... It was hard to believe it had been two months since Frank had been picked to marry her. The fear that had filled her that day was gone, replaced by an inner happiness at the thought that, although she hadn't picked Frank herself, she realised now that if she could have had a choice between all the men in Sylvarant she would have picked him anyway. He who had been a part of her life for as long as she could remember.
Closing her eyes as the priestesses around her continued to tend to her, she sighed softly.
I'm not frightened anymore. This life doesn't seem so lonely now that I know he'll be beside me, to love me, and not just be the husband of the Chosen.
These past two months had been wonderful, she couldn't ever remember being so happy. Two people who had grown up as close as siblings, rediscovering each other in a blur of newly realised love. Frank had barely left her side in all that time, doting on her, pulling her out of Church meetings to take her on walks in the snow, and recently to show her the first of the spring flowers pushing their way through the thawing white blanket. She had been half heartedly scolded over a dozen times by more than a few of the clergy, but none of them took it any further, not when they saw how happy she was. It was if in that moment she'd known she loved Frank the frightened child in her had been replaced by a confident young woman. Everyone in the village had remarked upon it, and since that day, when she'd smiled the smiles had been real.
One of the priestesses touched her lightly on the shoulder.
"Chosen One, your hair is done. We need to get you into your dress."
Distracted from her reverie for a moment, Aradine stood up and held her arms out slightly. This wasn't the first time she'd been dressed by attendants, since as the Chosen she'd worn all manner of formal outfits during her life, and so she patiently stood by as they moved in and clothed her in this latest of garments, sliding it on over the simple shift she was wearing.
The dress was white, which was hardly surprising, and was dotted with delicate pale blue accents. It somewhat resembled her usual over robe, but unlike that thigh length garment this dress fell all the way to the floor. Smooth fitted sleeves emphasised her slender arms, the plain lines of the dress making her seem taller than usual. Over it all the priestesses placed the formal tabard of the Chosen of Mana, a long drape of gold embroidered white silk that hung down her front and back as far as her knees.
Preparations complete, the priestesses stepped back from her as she turned to look in the nearby floor length mirror.
Aradine almost didn't recognise herself. This elegant and beautiful young woman was her?
Will Frank like it?
She may have been only fifteen still, and in truth this would be an arranged marriage, but it didn't matter. None of that mattered to her more than whether or not he would think she looked beautiful. This was his and her special day, no matter what anyone could say to the contrary. Not for Cruxis, not for the Church. As far as she was concerned now, she was marrying Frank for herself and for him.
They only truly control my life if I let them, and in this I am of my own free will and nothing will change that.
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Watching the Chosen from where she sat in the corner of the room, Phidra knew her well enough to see the faint rebellion in those eyes. Aradine accepted that she had a duty to the Church and to the people, but that didn't mean she wouldn't grab every little personal victory she could. These past two months the girl's confidence had soared. The first few times Frank had taken her out of meetings of the clergy, that traditionally the Chosen had to sit and observe even though they had no say, she'd protested as he'd ignored the startled stares of the Pastors and led her out of the meeting. Later when he came in Aradine would get up, her eyes daring the Pastors to object to her leaving. The perfectly polite and quietly spoken mouthful she'd given Pastor Willan the first she'd gotten up to leave that way, had since convinced them to let her do as she willed in that respect. In compromise she'd come to the meeting as normal and listen as Phidra read out the agenda for the day. If there was nothing to interest her in that agenda, Aradine would then leave to pursue her own activities for the afternoon.
Phidra chuckled as she remembered the look on Pastor Willan's face, when in those perfectly polite words Aradine had effectively called him a suck up, and an officious slacking imbecile, who'd rather live by the exact letter of the Scriptures than think for himself. Being too lazy to actually use the common sense he should have been born with, yet seemed to be strangely lacking in.
As the Chosen had steered her equally startled fiancée out of the meeting room, Pastor Willan had begun to splutter in indignation only to be silenced by his fellow members of the clergy. This was not the passive Aradine they were used to, and she was ideally placed to give them a lot of bother if she wanted without actually breaking any of the rules that bound her. She was stepping up to all the limits she could, clawing back every scrap of freedom that was there among the maze of laws and traditions. Any that she could bend, or bypass altogether like attending the meetings, she was doing so without the slightest bit of guilt that she was giving several Pastors an apoplexy.
As for Phidra, she welcomed this new side of Aradine. This woman that was so vibrantly alive, that just to pass her on a walk through the village was enough to set you smiling no matter what might have you feeling down. Pilgrims coming to village left more in awe of Aradine's presence than of the Temple of Martel itself, which was what they had come to visit. Word of her kindness and unwavering smile were spreading across the land, bringing a sense of hope to the people that hadn't been achieved by the announcement of the marriage itself. Phidra had no doubt that if the Chosen were to ever outright rebel against the Church, more than half the population would side with her... Though that was an opinion she had no intention of revealing to Cruxis. If the Seraphim even so much as saw a chance of her rebelling in that way, they'd magically bind her, leaving her a puppet to a compulsion to obey the Church. Such had been done once before long ago, and Phidra shuddered when she remembered what she'd read in the written account of it.
That poor child, driven to the brink of madness just because the High Priest at the time had told Cruxis that she had openly expressed the wish that she were not the Chosen. I'm glad only the Leader of the Priesthood can contact the Seraphim. If it were different then Pastor Willan would have reported her that day she answered back at him. There's no harm in giving her enough freedom for her to be happy and content. Many of the things she was having to do, like the meetings, were pointless. Far better that she has that time for herself. She respects the fact that she is bound by duty, but also craves the chance to have at least a small say in her life, and I won't take that from her.
Getting up from her chair, High Priestess Phidra walked over and guided Aradine out of the room. Leading her to the depths of the Temple where her son would be waiting at the altar.
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The people who had been given the honour of attending stood in hushed silence either side of the stairs that led up into this sacred chamber. There were barely twenty, and fully half of them were members of the Church. Standing directly in front of the altar itself, Frank waiting in the long pale grey robe and trousers he'd been dressed in. Thinking of Aradine, his eyes moved to the Cruxis Crystal that sat in the centre of the great circular altar. It had been put there the moment of her birth by an angel, and it would be hers until the mantle of the Chosen passed to her successor. At that time the current Crystal would be taken away, and a new one put in its place.
There was a sudden burst of murmurs behind him, and turning to look he saw his mother leading his fiancée up from the stairwell and towards the altar.
Aradine... She took his breath away as she smiled at him, clothed in white and gold. A sight more beautiful he had never seen in his life. Reaching him, she knelt upon the cushion waiting for her, Frank doing the same just a moment behind her as Phidra stepped back to join the other members of the Church.
The silence resumed, the occupants of this chamber now tensely awaiting the arrival of Aradine's Guardian. The angel that had brought her Crystal here, and was the one who would have guided her had it been decided that she would carry out the Regeneration Ritual. Minute after minute passed, neither of the soon to be married couple moving so much as an inch. Finally after almost an hour, the Crystal on the altar began to resonate.
A blinding flare of light filled the chamber, fading to reveal a woman in a long ornate green robe, panels trimmed with gold like the priestess' hat she wore on her chestnut hair. White wings fanning softly, she hovered above the altar looking down at the waiting pair with ebon eyes. As those assembled bowed in respect, she spoke in a voice that while seemingly serene, held a cold edge.
"I am Mureili. I am an angel of judgement, and Chosen Aradine's Guardian. I am here to witness the union of Chosen Aradine and Frank Brunel... Rise." The last word was a command to the couple. Rising to their feet, they looked up at the angel. "Chosen Aradine, do you accept the will of Cruxis and take this man to be your husband? To obey the laws of succession that will take effect upon your sixteenth birthday?"
Never taking her eyes of her Guardian, Aradine spoke unwaveringly.
"I do. I accept my duty, and will do as is asked of me."
Eyes now focusing on the slightly feared expression on Frank's face, the angel spoke again.
"Frank Brunel, do you accept the will of Cruxis to become the partner of Chosen Aradine? Will you swear to follow the laws of the Mana Lineage, and the laws of succession that will take effect five months hence upon the day of her sixteenth birthday?"
Taking a deep breath, he answered.
"I do. I accept this duty, and will do as is asked of me."
Mureili held out her arms as though in benediction.
"Then I, Lady Mureili, declare that Aradine Terin is now Aradine Brunel. Long may the Lineage continue! The blessings of Martel be upon all who witness this joyous event!"
As the last of her words rang out across the chamber, the angel was then wreathed in light and vanished once more.
Standing beside his wife, Frank watched as a handful of feathers fell and disappeared. Taking hold of Aradine's hand he pulled her close and hugged her tight.
"It doesn't matter what I said to her. I married you because you mean the world to me, and not because they told me to."
Looking into his eyes, she smiled.
"And I, you."
Bringing her hands up, she pulled his face down the few inches to her level and kissed him. Nothing would spoil this moment for them... Nothing.
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Checking on his wife as she slept soundly, Frank then softly closed the door of her room and headed down the stairs past his own. They may have been married, but for now they would remain separate as proprietary dictated. She was still only fifteen, still classed as a minor by Sylvarantian law, and not even Cruxis would push the two of them into such a situation. They would have no choice but to do as they were required once she was sixteen, but for now both could simply enjoy each other's company without any pressure or expectations. In that way he supposed, Cruxis had been kind to make them marry when they did.
Entering the combined living room and kitchen that made up most of the ground floor of the house, Frank sat himself at the wooden table and glanced over at his mother where she sat on the small couch in the corner.
"It's been quite a day, and I'm well and truly stuck now, not that I mind much. I've lost some things and gained others, but that's just the way things work I guess."
Phidra smiled and nodded at him, though she said nothing. Bending back to her work on a piece of embroidery, she used it as a kind of excuse not to say anything. All his life she'd remained silent while she sewed, he was used to it and so had no idea she was actually avoiding talking because of what was on her mind.
Eyes fixed on the movements of the needle in her hand, Phidra felt as though she was shrivelling up inside.
How in Martel's name can I tell him? Or do I keep hiding it? He and Aradine are so happy right now, but they have no idea... They have no idea that Cruxis is going to demand the life of their child...
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Sitting at his desk, Yuan mulled over the news he had received from his nephew. Sylvarant's Chosen was now married, which meant that at minimum her successor could be born just fourteen months or so from now. Things were moving forward, with it now possible to estimate an approximate date, it was time for his agent to make the next move.
Setting a hand on the transmitter built into his desk, Yuan typed in one of the most closely guarded com encryptions he'd created. Activating the transmitter, he waited for his agent to reply.
After several minutes a crackle of static heralded the voice that answered.
"Agent Little Bird here."
Yuan chuckled at the joke, this agent had changed his code name when Yuan had briefed him on the procedure they were going to use to manipulate Rodyle. Now whenever Yuan explained to Kratos what the man had fed to Rodyle, he was left saying 'Little Bird told him...' Still smiling, he gave his command.
"Little Bird, commence final stage of operation Thunder. Contact the extraction team with details of your next 'Fishing Run', be sure to take your usual small Desian Escort with you. You'll need witnesses for your 'death'."
There was a pause on the other end.
"Understood, the package will be delivered."
The connection closed, leaving only silence as Yuan considered what he'd just done.
There's no turning back now... That disk will be in Rodyle's hands within a week... Who would ever have thought we'd be setting about ensuring the construction of a Mana Cannon? Still... it's the simplest way to do what we might have to do. Fate be willing, we'll never have to use it...
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Alaia Skyhawk: The plot thickens... Man that is such a clichéd line. Anyway, this chapter was a real mix. Fluff, angst, and foreshadowing, dun dun dun! Oh and humour... Little Bird told him... he he.
