Author's Note: Wow, I've been gone a while. Hello, again! I know I only posted two chapters of my retelling of Infinite Undiscovery before disappearing last year, but I hit this weird place in my life where my mental health was going through extreme up's and down's and I was afraid it was going to show in my writing, which always seems to happen. I genuinely enjoy writing about character's internal struggles, especially when it comes to love, so I figured writing something new, something totally different, would help get me inspired again. I'm not sure if I'm going to jump back into the retelling story right away, just because I've been writing a lot lately and I really feel like publishing stories from different universes, especially with Final Fantasy VII Remake coming out next week. I created two original characters in the FFVII universe a few months ago, and I kid you not I have dreams about them sometimes. My love for that universe is stronger than any. Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy this evening with Aya. It's a little sad, but I had fun exploring her character a little bit in my own ways, even if it was brief.
Basic Synopsis: Aya, distraught with her hidden feelings for Capell, witnesses a sweet moment between him and Faina. Dominica tries to comfort her.
Aya's Internal Struggle
The thought sunk deep into her head as she stared at the ceiling, laying flat upon her bed. Why do I always poke fun at him when he's trying to make me feel better? She covered her face with her arms in embarrassment at the thought, wishing she could go back in time to that beautiful starry night in Fayel on the balcony. Listening to Capell gracefully play that soothing tune sent chills through her, yet somehow all she could muster out was a sarcastic remark at the name of his song. "Fleeing Dog Rhapsody" he called it, which she thought was a little silly, but the song really was lovely. Aya breathed a long, drawn out sigh, knowing she had been given several instances through their journey to have a real conversation with Capell. Yet, the confidence wasn't there for her. She had been having a hard time accepting the fact that she had feelings for him at all, and the thought of admitting to them made her shiver. She had never had romantic feelings for someone before, and the thought scared her.
A few moments passed and Aya began to feel a bit claustrophobic. She sat up, stretching her arms high above her head before swinging her legs to the side of the bed and stepping down to the ice cold floor below her.
Kolton was beautiful. Aya had been there a handful of times for small royal matters between her father and the Alabaster King, however she had never spent an extended period of time there and was thrilled to have the opportunity, regardless of how lonely she was feeling in the moment. Normally, Dominica would keep her company during their stays, but she had matters to attend to with Eugene in the palace after the horrific events that took place with Edward. Aya grabbed a small throw blanket from the lounge chair in the corner of the room, wrapping it around her as she stepped out onto the balcony, looking out onto the horizon. The snow was not something Aya was accustomed to, and it gently fell to the ground without a sound. The dessert was her home, a place she always found comfort in. However, she couldn't help but feel excitement from being in a new place. A small shiver ran down her spine as the cold finally hit her. The sun was setting, though hard to tell through the clouds, and the city was silent except for a small muffled voice in the distance. Aya peered slightly down the road, a small gasp escaping her lips as she quickly knelt down to hide at the sight of the two individuals walking towards the inn.
Capell and Faina were in deep conversation about something as they approached the building. Aya silently observed Faina's body language through the balcony pillars, noticing something: she was very upset. She couldn't quite hear what was being said, as it seemed they were trying to speak quietly. Just as she was about to stand up to head back inside, Capell stepped in front of Faina dramatically, taking her hands in his own, forcing Aya stop. He said something to Faina, a gentle smile across his face, before lifting one hand and gently stroking her cheek. Aya could feel a tug in her heart, reaching up and touching her own cheek, wondering what Capell's hands felt like. Faina spoke something very broken, obvious tears beginning to fall down her cheeks as she stepped forward and forcefully embraced him, her face buried in his chest. He seemed surprised for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her. They stood there for a moment, Capell rubbing her back to calm her down, before whispering something into her ear that caused her to look up at him. The look in their eyes as they stared at one another pained Aya, as she knew what was going to happen. Is this the first one? She thought, watching as the couple's lips met one another, her heart throbbing.
Aya quickly looked away, feeling a desperate sense of guilt for ease dropping as she leaned back and allowed her body to settle against the icy wall, out of sight of the couple. After a few moments, she could hear the door of the inn open and close, a sign that the two of them had gone inside. Aya stared through the pillars at the horizon, wishing she could erase what she had just witnessed. A pain in her gut spread through her entire being, making her feel extremely stiff. Why am I like this? She thought.
"Don't be so down on yourself, kid." A voice made Aya gasp, jumping at the abruptness. "Dominica!" She exclaimed, suddenly realizing the situation. "H-how long have you been here?" Dominica chuckled slightly, stepping towards the young woman and reaching a hand in her direction. "You're going to catch a cold sitting out here like this." Aya sighed, taking the woman's hand and pulling herself up off of the floor. "Let's get you warm." The woman said, wrapping an arm around her and stepping back inside the room.
The two of them sat across from each other in front of the small fireplace, Aya staring intently at the flames as the danced. Dominica wasn't used to the silence coming from the young girl, and chose to break the silence. "So are we going to talk about what happened out there, or are you just going to internalize it like usual?" Her question made Aya look up with a sassy expression. "I don't know what you're talking about." She responded, and the answer made Dominica laugh. "So we're going to ignore the face sucking then." Aya's expression softened slightly, the pain in her chest back with a force. "I'm not ignoring anything. I just..." She sighed. "I don't know."
"Let's talk about it, kid." Dominica leaned forward, relaxing her arms on her knees as she stared intently on Aya. "What is there...to talk about?" Aya spoke softly. "Well," Dominica started. "We could start with the obvious. You like the guy, and he somehow amidst this crazy journey found himself a lady. One that isn't you." For a moment, Dominica wondered if she was being too blunt before remembering that this was the only way to get the young princess talking. Aya sighed deeply, leaning her head back in slight embarrassment that Dominica could always see right through her. She was afraid to respond. If she admitted she had feelings for Capell, that was it. No turning back. As the silence continued to fill the room, the sound of the popping flames brought Aya confidence.
"I think I love him." She whispered, a lump forming in her throat. Dominica watched the young girl silently fall apart, realizing the situation was much more serious than she thought. "Aya," She started. "How long have you been feeling this way?" She asked, genuine concern in her voice. Aya struggled to look at the woman, but somehow managed to meet her gaze for a moment. "I-I'm not sure actually." She sighed, a sign of defeat. "I only really started thinking about it before we left Fayel, but...I don't know. Maybe..." She looked down for a moment, really trying to recall the first time she felt strange around Capell. "Sapran. Faina asked if Capell and I were a couple, and I..." She sighed, bringing her hands to her face. "I was so embarrassed in the moment that I said he was more like a brother to me." She groaned at the words. "But I remember instantly regretting it, because that's not how I feel at all." She looked up at Dominica, blushing as she continued. "I actually liked Capell a lot even back then...but I was scared that if he found out, he would like...freak out or something and want to leave the force." The young woman looked back towards the flames. "Besides, he seemed to really like Faina. Who was I to keep him away from her? And now they're..." Dominica felt a small pain in her chest watching the young woman struggle. This girl had been in the woman's care for so long, and yet she had never thought about the day that Aya would fall in love or have her heart broken. Dominica knew she couldn't protect her from everything, but she didn't know how to fix this.
"I'm so stupid." Aya whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, and the expression broke Dominica's heart. "No you're not." She responded, completely unsure of how to make the situation better. She suddenly recalled many instances of the past, knowing true the way Capell lovingly looked at Aya, the pure disappointment in his face anytime she dismissed him, the genuine happiness he seemed to feel around her. But Dominica couldn't tell Aya about any of it, not while he was with someone else. It would destroy her even more.
"Aya, this will pass." Dominica knew words meant nothing when your heart is in pain, but she had to say something. She was witnessing the young woman destroying herself inside and she couldn't take it. "You are a beautiful young woman, whose incredibly full of wit. You have a kindness in your heart stronger than any I've ever known." Aya sighed, shaking her head. "You don't have to do this, Dominica. I'm fine. I'm sorry I unloaded like that." The woman scoffed. "Excuse me? I wish you did it more." She got up from her seat, taking a few steps towards the woman and crouching down in front of her, taking one of her hands in her own. "I'm sorry that I can't fix this. To be honest, I've never been good with romance myself." She stared at the gentle snowfall outside. "But I can promise you Aya, someday you will experience what it feels like to be loved by someone unconditionally." Aya smiled softly, nodding her head. Dominica placed the girl's hand back in her lap before stepping towards the fireplace to set another log upon the fire.
"Sheesh, that kid is so dense when it comes to women, isn't he?" The woman asked, which made Aya laugh. "He really is. He flirts with any girl that will listen, yet I'm not even sure he'd know how to react if one actually went for it!" She rolled her eyes, a small smile creeping up on her lips at the thought of his naive nature. "He's very kind though." Her tone changed, an unknown feeling flowing through her. Dominica pretended to tend to the fire, quietly listening to the young woman. "He doesn't judge anyone he meets, just cares for everyone equally no matter who they are." She stared down at her hands. "Whenever he plays the flute, I instantly feel like I'm somewhere else. Somewhere...peaceful. It's almost like it's...magic." Dominica, could hear the love in her voice, beginning to understand her feelings. "I'll admit too," Aya continued. "And...don't make fun of me for this, okay? But the the first time I saw him in Lord Sigmund's armor, I kind of...uh..."
"Swooned?" Dominica laughed loudly. "I said don't make fun of me! He just looked handsome, okay? I couldn't help it!" Aya exclaimed. Dominica laughed on, always getting a kick out of a flustered Aya. A sudden knock on the door brought the two of them to their feet. "May I come in?" A voice called from the other side. "Y-yes!" Aya responded, and the door slowly clicked open to reveal Capell himself. Aya could feel her heart pounding in her chest, begging that he hadn't heard their conversation. "I just wanted to let you guys know that we'll be heading to Halgita a little earlier than planned. Ed seems pretty anxious to get moving." His expression and voice were very upbeat and chipper. Aya desperately tried to get the image of him and Faina out of her head, but it stood strong. She knew very well why he was acting the way he was. "I hope your meeting with the Alabaster King went well, Dominica." He said, and the woman responded. "It went better than expected, thanks. Oh! Aya, I meant to tell you. I got into contact with the Amir to request aid in repairing the city damages." Aya swallowed in fear, knowing her father would be furious to know she was involved. "Don't worry kid," Dominica chimed in upon seeing her expression. "I've already fully explained the situation. Your father was happy to help. Hell, he's practically offering Lord Sigmund a sponsorship at this point." Aya sighed in slight relief.
"Well then," Capell continued. "We'll be leaving after everyone has prepared for the trip in the morning." He turns to Aya. "Actually Aya, I was on my way to show you something earlier today but I got a little...uh..." Aya could sense his struggle as he cleared his throat. "I just got a little sidetracked, sorry about that. I stumbled across a bowyer in the east district. You may want to check them out before we leave tomorrow, they seemed to have a good variety of arrows. Sorry I didn't pick any up for you, I'm not too familiar with bows..." Aya shook her head, a small but warm smile appearing on her face. "That's okay, and thank you. I'll be sure to check in tomorrow morning." Capell smiled proudly, sending another small jab into Aya's heart. "Well, I think I'm going to head to bed a little early." He said. "Sleep well, guys!"
"Night, kid." Dominica said. "Goodnight." Aya gently responded, watching him leave. She turned to Dominica, a nervous look on her face. "You don't think he heard us earlier, do you?" The woman laughed, shaking her head. "Not a chance. Remember, he's not the brightest when it comes to women." Aya sighed, knowing she was probably right.
If I told you, Capell...would it make you happy?