I wonder if the moon in Riviera waxes and wanes like ours. The only time the moon was mentioned in the game was at Lacrima Castle, and it was full at that time too, at least I think it was. Oh well, I suppose Riviera revolves around a sun too…
You might have noticed some odd errors in the notes area in previous chapters. This is due to the site being unable to recognize certain symbols that I use as… "emoticons." As a result, the sentence looks funny. Sorry about that XD.
Anyway, now, at long last, here is the fourth chapter for The White Wings. This has the first romance scene between Rose and Ledah, and personally, I love it.
I had a friend of mine read over this chapter and the next for some corrections and/or additions that might make it better. I love romance, but sometimes I have trouble with it XD.
Disclaimer: see chapter 1 as usual. Enjoy chapter 4!
--
Ledah was still sitting next to Rose, watching her sleep peacefully. The house was empty except for them and Cierra upstairs sleeping. Rose's eyes opened slowly.
"Where… am I?" Rose asked. She saw Ledah sitting next to her.
"You dozed off while walking back here," Ledah replied. "I carried you back, and you slept right through dinner."
"Aw, why didn't you wake me," Rose joked, smacking Ledah lightly on the head. "I wanted to eat too, you know."
"No one wanted to wake you," Ledah informed her. "You were sleeping so peacefully. Well, I saved you some fruit anyway." He handed her the applecot and banango.
"Oh, thanks, Ledah, that was thoughtful," Rose said, more softly than before. "Come on, let's go." She pulled him towards the door.
"Go? Go where?" Ledah stammered as he let her drag him out of the door after putting shoes on.
"I told you before, let's go somewhere nice after dinner."
"Well, at least let me walk, or fly," Ledah protested. "We'll probably get there faster. And you didn't eat dinner."
Rose agreed to stop dragging him, but she still held on to Ledah's hand. He didn't protest as she happily led him by the hand towards the Grove of Repose.
"Why the grove?" Ledah asked.
"It's always peaceful there," Rose replied. "Come on, don't complain."
"I can't complain if I don't have emotions yet."
"Good point."
They arrived at the grove, but someone else had beaten them there. Rose saw a lone figure lying on the grass and another figure coming down from the tree, picking up a small, round object from the ground.
"Come on, let's hide over here," Rose whispered, pointing at a bush. They crouched down carefully, watching the two figures through the bush.
"I never miss," the figure that picked up the object said. "Does Serene want an applecot?"
"It's Serene and Lina!" Rose whispered to Ledah with excitement. Ledah just raised an eyebrow, though Rose couldn't see it in the dark.
They watched as Serene put Lina's head into her lap. "Whoa, what's going on?" Rose was getting more excited.
"Really?" Lina exclaimed. "Let's go, let's go!"
Serene picked up Lina in her arms and lifted off into the night sky. After a moment of shocked silence, Rose and Ledah crawled back out of the bushes.
"What the heck just happened here?" Rose exclaimed. "Serene and Lina? Together? Ohmygods! That's the most hilarious thing I've ever seen!" She doubled over in laughter. After a few seconds, she regained her stance. "Wow! Who would've thought?" She looked back at Ledah. "Well, enough about them."
Ledah just stood looking at the sky. "It really is nice here," he commented. "I can see why they chose this spot."
"Ledah, weren't you paying attention!" Rose exclaimed. "Those two were making out!"
"I don't understand. What's so interesting about that?"
"Ah, it's the emotions thing again, isn't it," Rose looked down. "Ah, forget it. Sorry."
Rose turned her body towards Ledah, and moved slowly to embrace him. "What a nice night out tonight." Behind her in the sky, the full moon was up a quarter of the way in the sky. The stars twinkled, making Rose seem sparkly. In surprise, Ledah's mind filled with running thoughts as he stood in Rose's embrace. Slowly, he returned the hug, putting his own arms around her back.
"Yeah, that's the way," Rose said softly in his ear.
Ledah began to have a strange sensation in his heart. He could sense it, hear it screaming in pain, from the emotions it didn't have, from the emotions it wanted to have. Suddenly, it exploded within him, and he recoiled from the pain.
"Ledah? What's wrong?" Rose asked, concerned.
"Ah, something… hurts…" Ledah answered. "What's going on? Suddenly… I feel… different."
"Different?"
"I can feel… I can feel it!" Ledah exclaimed. "Pain, sadness, excitement…"
"Lorelei?" Rose pointed at his diviner.
Ledah turned to see Lorelei glowing red. Its aura was bright, and seemed to pierce right to his heart. He felt the pain, but behind it, also pleasure. He didn't know why he was suddenly given his emotions back this night, but he was grateful.
"Ledah? Does it still hurt?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, but it's a good hurt," Ledah said with a smile. "It's nice to be able to feel again."
"Wow, a smile," Rose remarked. "It's got to be the first time I've seen such a smile on your face."
"Yeah, I can't smile much without emotion."
"It's almost like Lorelei's unlocking your clammed up emotions inside," Rose observed. "I wonder if Lorelei will lose its power once you regain your emotions?"
"Didn't you tell me before, Rose?" Ledah reminded her. "Those who fight with emotions are much better fighters than emotionless fighters."
"Well, you also don't want to lose your strength," Rose returned. "What use do emotions have if you can't use them?"
"Ah, in times of peace, it doesn't matter…"
"I guess you have a point there, but what about when we're threatened again? What then?"
"We'll see what happens when the time comes."
Lorelei glowed brighter, surrounding Ledah with red light. Ledah embraced the light with expectation. Lorelei suddenly burst into flames, which subsided in a couple seconds. After the flames died, Lorelei lay on the ground, with its full former condition.
I think I can entrust your emotions back with you. You are the one best able to use your emotions to your benefit.
The words echoed inside Ledah's head. It is time you received control of your heart once again. Follow your heart well, and don't let me down.
"I understand," Ledah decreed. "I shall become stronger with the help of these emotions."
"Ledah?" Rose looked at him curiously. "Who are you talking to?"
"My old friend, Lorelei," Ledah answered. "It's been a long time since I heard her voice."
Ledah picked up Lorelei and swung it around a couple times. Flames shot out from its tip. Satisfied, he sheathed it again. He could still feel the flames of power within, but something else was there. A desire to help and to protect. He could feel it calling to him. At once, he understood the mission that was assigned to him ever since he was born.
"To help and to protect…" Ledah pondered. "I get it now."
"What the heck are you babbling about?" Rose smacked him on the head again, but not to hurt.
"Lorelei… has shown me the way to live, the path of life that was built for me."
"I see." Rose understood what he was saying. "Well, we can put that incident aside for now…"
Rose walked over to an undisturbed patch of grass that Serene and Lina hadn't touched and lay down, looking up at the same night sky. Ledah, meanwhile, had pulled Lorelei back out and was staring at it. After a moment, he shook out of his reverie and sheathed it again, and came over to where Rose lay and laid down beside her.
Rose turned to Ledah. "So? What do you think, now that you have your emotions back?"
"I think it's beautiful," Ledah replied. "What a great night."
"It's so romantic."
After a couple moments of silence, Ledah sat up behind Rose and set her head on his chest. Rose didn't resist as he set his arms around her waist.
"I understand why you picked this place," Ledah whispered in her ear. "It's really peaceful and serene." He gently kissed her on her neck.
Rose she felt her body shudder and melt as his gentle lips brushed against her neck. "Yeah, that's exactly it."
Ledah's head was spinning. With his newly regained emotions, he could understand everything he was previously unable to. This is so sudden, but I think this is right…
Rose turned around in his embrace to face him. She pecked him on the cheek, then shrunk away a little, blushing.
"I want to be with you… always…" Rose said under her breath, which was getting short and ragged. She felt her cheeks growing warm and her heart pounding away inside, as if it were driving her lungs. She could see Ledah's face turning slightly red too, and heard his short raspy breath in the cool night. "Always… ever since first meeting you… and always will… for the rest of my life."
"I do too," Ledah replied. "I'll always be by your side, to protect you, to be with you, to love you…"
"I love you, Ledah…"
"And I love you too, Rose."
As his lips met hers, Ledah felt his emotions inside explode again. Wrapping his wings around her, he felt at peace, as if he finally found his place in life. What a nice sensation, he thought. I don't think I can ever let go.
As Ledah covered her with his wings, Rose felt as if she'd never be able to part with him. She filled with ecstasy and joy. Breaking the kiss softly, she whispered to him, "Promise me… promise me that you'll never leave me, that I can always be with you…"
"I promise, Rose," Ledah affirmed. "I promise to always be by your side."
As they kissed again, the moon reached its peak in the sky and the stars continued to twinkle and dance around it in the shining night sky. Soon after, Rose drifted off to sleep in Ledah's protective embrace, in his wings, with full contentment of fulfillment.
--
A/N: Wheee! I love that pairing (Don't you just want to say "aww!"?)! I've only read small hints for LxR, but no full romance like that squeak. Okay, I sound like a fangirl… don't get me wrong, I'm a guy. That's why I loved the previous chapter anyway :D
I've been slacking off lately… I wrote one chapter in three days and slacked off for two days. I should stop doing that, or my work will catch up to me XD. And Klondike Days just began (If you don't know, it's a festival that lasts 10 days in Canada), so I'll be slacking even more… and once school starts, it's gonna be even worse. Anyway, nothing much else to say, so here's the next chapter preview:
Chapter 5: Moonlit Water (Release on July 23, 2006)
It's Ein and Fia's turn! They make their way to the secluded Undine Springs, where the moonlight sparkles on the water. How will their night fare?