This chapter features one of my most recent finds and new favorite song "The Call of the Mountains" by Eluveitei.
As the next few weeks went by, no further news had come about the Hellcry Devils. Ayva avoided everyone as much as she could, especially Rogue. For some reason, he made her feel different than she did around everyone else and it confused her to no end.
One day, when the sun was high and the autumn winds blew through the town, Ayva was walking through the streets and looked at all of the happy faces around her- children playing, people laughing and dancing.
'There must be some kind of celebration going on.'
"Ayva!"
Ayva looked over and saw Sting approaching with Rogue and their exceeds behind him. "Sir."
"Enjoying the day?"
Ayva shrugged. "I suppose. I'm not really one for festivals or parties like this."
"Aw, come on, loosen up a bit!" Sting draped an arm around her shoulders and grinned. "Everyone's got the day off today for the festival. Try to have some fun!"
"Ya, Ayva, you should hang out with us." Lector said, smiling. "We'll show you how to have a good time."
"Ya!" Frosch added, his smile the biggest of all of them.
Ayva looked around at them, blushing when she met Rogue's eyes. She looked at Sting and sighed. "Alright, sir."
Rogue smiled as the exceeds cheered and he followed close behind as Sting led Ayva off to show her the festival.
Ayva found herself actually having a good time, especially in the archery games. They walked through the town, trying the food stands, and stopped at the stage in the center of the town.
"Wow, there's so many people here!" Frosch said.
"Be sure to stay close, OK?" Lector said.
Ayva looked at the stage, feeling sad as she remembered a distant memory from happier times.
"You alright?" Rogue asked, coming to stand next to her.
Ayva nodded. "Ya... I was just remembering something..." She looked at Rogue and Sting. "I had fun today, something I haven't done in a long time." She bowed to them. "Thank you."
Sting and Rogue looked at each other, then up at the stage as the announcer stepped forward.
"Our next song will be 'The Call of the Mountains', but we'd like an audience member to participate. Do we have any volunteers?"
"Right here!" Sting called, waving at the announcer and pointing at Ayva.
"What are you doing?" Ayva asked, looking at him.
"Come on, it'll be fun!" Sting said, grinning. "Now go on!"
Ayva reached up and took the announcer's hand as Sting pushed her to the stage, letting him help her up. She watched as he positioned the mic in front of her and stepped, instructing the band to start playing.
"Wow, that's pretty!" Frosch said, hopping up into Rogue's arms.
They stood there listening to the intro, smiling as Ayva looked at them, but what came next surprised them.
Ayva took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her nerves. "Against the waves, with our swords in our hands. Against the sea, with our backs to the walls. Against distress, in the presence of our enemies. Against the storms, roaring at our faces. A cry rang out throughout the skies. A beckon, the flight of the cranes. The call of the mountains, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The call of the Alps. The call home, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The tune in our hearts. The song of the mountains."
Sting and Rogue stared in awe and looked at each other before they looked back at Ayva, cheering with the rest of the crowd.
"What's that stir, so blatant in our sallying hearts? What's that urge, that lifted up our longing eyes? What's that ring, echoing from the leaden skies? What's that augur, resounding from the lyre's strings? A cry rang on in the sibilant winds. A behest, the outcry of the cranes. The call of the mountains, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The call of the Alps. The call home, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The tune in our hearts. The song of the mountains."
"Wow, she's really good!" Lector said, grinning.
"She looks so happy!" Frosch added, smiling.
'She really does.' Rogue thought, his own smile growing.
"The voice in the wind, the saint in the sky. The call of the mountains, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The call of the Alps. The call home, doo doo doo, oo doo doo. The tune in our hearts. The song of the mountains. The call of the mountains."
"Whoah! Listen to her holding that note!" Sting remarked.
"The call home. The tune in our hearts. The song of the mountains."
Ayva stepped back and smiled, her cheeks blushing as the crowd cheered and whistled. She gave the mic back to the announcer and made her way off the stage and back to the others. "I can't believe you made me do that!"
Sting laughed and grinned. "But you were great! It's nice to see you let loose for once!"
Ayva sighed, but she smiled nonetheless.
"That was awesome, Ayva!" Lector said, jumping. "You couldn't even tell that you don't have a soul!"
"Lector!"
Lector stopped, a paw to his mouth as he looked at Ayva. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
Ayva sighed, a small smile. "It's alright, Lector, I know what you meant. And thank you."
"Where'd you learn to sing like that?" Sting asked as they walked through the streets again.
Ayva looked up at the sky. "When I was little, my brother and I used to perform for our village with the other children during our festivals. I was the eldest of the girls and had the best voice, so I would often be the one to sing our people's songs." She looked at Sting. "I should thank you, though, Sting. That song was originally composed by my people."
"I uh, you're welcome. Though I had no idea."
Ayva smiled, though sad it was. "It took me back to happier memories, before I lost everything."
"About that..." Sting rubbed his neck and sighed. "I know it's none of my business what happened in your past, but I'm sorry about what happened with milady. She can still tend to be overbearing. Some habits are hard to get rid of."
Ayva shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I have nothing more to say about what happened or to her." She turned to them and bowed. "Thank you for today. It's been a long time since I was able to have fun." She stood. "I'm going to head back, so I'll see you back at the guild hall." She turned and raised in hand in farewell as she walked away, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
"Well, it was nice to see her loosen up for once." Sting said, then glancing at Lector he added, "As crass as he put it, Lector was right. She sang with such heart and soul, you'd have never guessed she doesn't have one." He looked at Rogue. "That night, you went looking for her right?"
Rogue nodded. "She told me what happened."
"What did happen? I'd never have expected her to act like that with anyone."
Rogue sighed. "Perhaps it'd be best that she tell you, though you do need to know and she seems unwilling to speak any further of it." He looked at Sting. "It was sixteen years ago."
Ayva stood by her window, looking out at the crescent moon as it hung in the misty autumn air. She thought back on how much fun she had with the others earlier, something she hadn't ever thought to have again. As she had with singing. She smiled as she thought back to the last time she was truly happy, singing on stage with her little brother and the other children dancing around her. But her smile fade when the rest of the memory surfaced and she remembered that that day was also the day the Hellcry Devils had found Lilvelone- the day she lost everything.
Down the hall, Rogue and Frosch were passing by her room when Frosch stopped.
"What is it, Frosch?"
"She's crying..." Frosch pointed to the slightly ajar door.
"Ayva?"
Ayva wiped her eyes as Rogue and Frosch pushed open her door and stepped inside. Rogue walked over to her, standing in front of her as she tried to hide her tears. "Are you alright?"
Ayva nodded, looking out of the window. "I'm fine."
Frosch climbed up into the chair next to her, looking up at her worried. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
Rogue reached up and wiped away a tear that had slipped free. "You're crying. That's not nothing. Tell me what's wrong?"
Ayva looked at him, sighing. "Persistent as always, aren't you?"
Rogue chuckled. "As persistent as you are stubborn, it would seem."
Ayva searched his eyes, sensing the same strange feeling she had been having for weeks now. "I was just remembering things."
"Like what?"
"Like the last time I was truly happy."
Rogue stroked her cheek, surprised that she was accepting the contact and even more surprised when she placed her hand over his and leaned into his hand.
"The last time I was able to have fun like that was the day that the Hellcry Devils came and ruined everything." Ayva felt more tears in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks as she closed them. "Every good memory that I can recall is tainted by those bastards... I can't even remember singing for my people while my little brother and the other children danced, or remember how happy I felt to see everyone so happy themselves and enjoying the festival without the rest of the memory ruining the good parts..."
Rogue wiped away her tears, pulling her into his arms. "It's alright..." He held her as she cried, rubbing her back and smoothing back her hair. "There will always be good and bad memories, but that's part of being human. And your people wouldn't be any different in that regard." He looked down at her as she pushed away from him. "The best you can do now is to make new memories, happier memories. Don't let the bad overshadow the good."
Ayva looked at him, then down at Frosch as it reached up to grasp her hand.
"You can make good memories with us, Miss Ranger Lady." Frosch said, trying to smile and cheer her up. "That's what friends do, right?"
Ayva sighed and turned back towards the window. "I told you before, Frosch, I don't have any friends..."
"But Frosch is your friend." Frosch looked at her. "We'll always be friends."
Ayva looked down at him, surprised.
"Frosch is right, Ayva. We're your friends, all of us." Rogue said, reaching up to touch her shoulder. "No matter what happens, we'll always be here for you- whatever you need." He looked down at Frosch. "Come on, Frosch, we should get to bed."
Ayva watched as Frosch hopped down, giving her leg a quick hug before following after Rogue. She thought for a moment, then hurried to the hall and ran up to Rogue before he stepped into his room. "Rogue, wait."
Rogue stopped, looking down at her.
Ayva wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. "Thank you..."
Rogue was surprised, but he hugged her back and smiled. "Of course. And I meant what I said, we're all your friends. You don't need to be alone, not anymore."
Ayva's eyes widened at that, but she knew he was right.