[LGear's notes - Look up the song "Tsubasa o Kudasai" on Youtube for reference. This snip takes place immediately after Old Heart, Young Eyes in the main Halkegenia Online story.]

Give Me Wings
by LGear

xxxxxxxxxx

Ima watashi no
Negau koto ga
Kanau naraba
Tsubasa hoshii…

It wasn't the lake's cold water splashing on his face that awoke Lieutenant Renault Rafale from his morning stupor, but a melody, a graceful song carried by a tender feminine voice, gentle in tone yet rousing with an audible echo, each word as clear as the morning air.

Kono senaka ni
Toori no you ni
Shiroi tsubasa
Tsukete kudasai…

The language was completely foreign to him, his ears unable to make head or tails of what he was hearing, as lovely as it was. Yet for an inexplicable reason, he understood the words perfectly:

In this vast sky,
I want to spread my wings and fly…

Setting his sword and cape straight he followed the source of the song, letting his ears lead him. Past the thick brushes and the shadow of tree canopies, he came across another clearing by the edge of the lake covered in a thin layer of mist.

There, standing by the water's edge, was the source of the song. And when he finally laid eyes on it, his breath momentarily failed him.

"Truly, the Captain was right."

The slowly rising sun softly illuminated the figure, her fair skin like alabaster glimmering in the rays of morning limelight, her hands clasped together on her chest. Her face like a goddess was the very image of serenity, her eyes closed to the world yet her mild, carefree expression showing the open love of her heart through the song released from her peach-colored lips. Long aqua-colored hair spilled over her shoulders draped in her soft ivory nightgown, touching her skin in teasing ways, emphasizing the woman's sensual curves. Finally, her sharp, pointed ears added an exotic allure, giving her a mystifying air.

In legends, Faerie women were said to be the doom of mortal men, hopelessly beguiled by their radiant feminine beauty. As his heart beamed at the sight of the wonder in front of him, he understood why.

'If so, then let me be doomed today.'

Even as those words crossed the lovestruck mage he certainly wasn't ready to be doomed just yet, and so Renault stayed a respectable distance from the singing Faerie to listen a while longer.

Kanashimi no nai
Jiyuu no sora e
Tsubasa hatamekase
Yukitai…

Renault couldn't stop his hands from evoking his admiration, his claps replacing the Faerie's tranquil song.

"Ah!"

The startled Faerie gasped in surprise at the sight of him, grabbing her unique golden staff off the ground, and for a moment Renault regretted clapping as he did. Said regret got mercilessly crushed by his clenching heart as a hint of red flushed the bashful Faerie's cheeks.

"You heard that?" The embarrassed Faerie woman asked as she faced him, voice clear as a bell, but carrying a slight edge. That lovely face and that equally lovely voice… recognition finally dawned upon the Lieutenant. Bless the Founder, it seems destiny was with him today, and before he knew it his feet were carrying him closer to that Faerie who had captured his heart.

"Milady Lumis Eterne? Fancy seeing you here this splendid morning!" Renault greeted in equal parts surprise and delight. He knew that the Faerie he met on the road to Arrun three nights ago was beautiful even when obscured by the darkness of dusk, but in the morning light Eterne was absolutely stunning.

"Oh, Lieutenant Rafale, good morning to you," Eterne greeted after sticking her ringing staff back to the ground, bowing with her hands clasped together in the manner so common among the Fae it seems. "I admit, I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here."

"Neither did I," Renault beamed. "Hearing the fine voice of a siren's song compelled me to find its origin, and it led me to you."

The way Eterne blushed ever so slightly as she did was almost too much for the Lieutenant's spirit, but he was made of sterner stuff as an Officer in her Majesty's Royal Army, and so did not fall into a molten heap like a lesser man. "I see. I must apologize then," Eterne said, "my voice must've been atrocious."

By what impossibly high standard did these Fae judge their voices with?! "Not at all Lady Eterne. My compulsion to find you was driven by how bewitched I was by your song. A masterpiece if I say so myself!"

"You flatter me, but thanks anyway." That shy embarrasment that Eterne gave assaulted the constitution of Renault's heart like nothing he had ever experienced. But as a gentleman, he must weather the heavenly punishment lest he lose his conduct!

"Do not belittle yourself so Lady Eterne, I only state the Founder-given truth of your elegant voice giving such an exquisite song proper justice."

Renault had hardened his defences, but Eterne's dainty giggles were proving to be formidable. "That's the first time I've heard that song described as exquisite. It's not that grand."

Curiosity was a trait cultivated among the Rafale family for generations, especially in the fields of art and music. And his interest in Eterne's words went beyond his desire to keep her occupied. "Then do enlighten me on the nature of this song."

Eterne clasped her hands behind her back, eyes looking on with reminiscence. "It's a just popular song back where we came from. Sometimes, it would be sung to students on their graduation from high school."

"High school?" Renault wondered at the strange term, but judging from the words he hazarded a guess as to what it meant. "It must truly be important song, if sung from such a place of nobility."

"Not nobility," Eterne shook her head. "Every," she emphasized, "adolescent is required to undergo high school, as part of mandatory education."

Mandatory education… Renault didn't need to think much to realize the meaning of the word, even has his mind struggled to understand the concept behind it in the context of Eterne's description. Only the rich nobility had the time or money to be able to afford proper education through tutorship and schooling. While the Church provided free education for commoners, that was only true for young children, and commoners were expected to work upon reaching adolescence. Even in just the past two days though Renault had observed a startlingly high degree of literacy among even Fae youngsters, like Eterne's own companions. Along with the discovery of Arrun holding an immense library full of Faerie tomes and literature, and it spoke to him of the Fae being a race that valued knowledge and its dissemination above all.

"And you attended this… high school as well I imagine?"

Eterne looked out unto the lake. "I did."

He was about to ask more about this strange, new aspect of Fae culture he just discovered, but the words died in his mouth. He was so glad that his eyes watched Eterne's divine face so eagerly, that he was able to catch the hint of melancholy on her face, a barely visible unease.

He had seen that expression once before, on someone completely different, on a face unfortunately not as pleasant to look at. Remembering how his insensitiveness back then had turned that a mere question into something completely ugly was enough to give Renault pause. If there was anything that was making her so uneasy, then it was his duty to steer the conversation elsewhere. He'd rather not risk upon a potentially volatile subject.

"I see." Searching for an exit, Renault pushed for the first question that had been on the back of his mind for the past several moments, trying on a different tact. "I admit the song itself still baffles me. For a race of Firstborns with the ability to fly, wishing for wings is rather odd."

At least now she was looking at him again, even if her melancholic expression had now been tinted with amusement at his topic change, a soft smile affixed on her lips. "That's because back when we were human, we didn't have wings."

And there was that, a major detail about these Faeries that Renault had completely forgotten. He had read the reports of how the race they now know as the Faeries were once humans from the realm known as Aiyarel, playing within a vast enchanted dream world for entertainment until The Transition had made their dream real. Yet he had failed to even consider such an important fact of the Fae in his musings. The story itself had stretched his own imagination to its limits, and the Fae's unusual actions, anatomy and culture made it difficult to think of them in terms of being human.

"I apologize milady, my ignorance for your people's plight was revealed."

Eterne shook her head, wisps of hair swaying with her movement. "No need Sir Rafale. I sometimes forget that I used to be human." She looked down on the water by her feet, no doubt studying her own reflection. She closed her eyes for a moment, looking as she did when he first came upon her this morning, then shook her head.

"Though I guess you're right," Eterne continued with a nervous laugh. "The song does sound silly when we sing it, wishing for something that we now have."

Silly? He found it a strange dissonance, like the sometimes disconcerting fact of how Eterne's lips spoke one word yet he heard and understood another. But never silly, not after he remembered what he heard.

"Not everything milady. Your song spoke of a sky without sadness. Has that wish been granted as well?"

The next sound Renault heard was the flapping of wings, and the sensation of his Familiar link getting stronger. He lifted a hand to the sky, and let an orange sparrow perch on his fingers, then lowering it to eye level.

"Recette, taking me back already?"

The sparrow only twitted at his query, and that was enough. He turned to Eterne, who seemed to be eyeing his familiar with a fondly curious look. He could never get tired of seeing all these faces she was showing.

"Lady Eterne, I introduce Recette, my dearest familiar."

Eterne bowed as was the Faerie way. "Lumis Eterne, nice to meet you Recette."

Letting Recette hop unto his shoulder, Renault tugged his cape straight. No matter how much he wished he could stay here with his fair lady longer, duty called.

"I'm afraid I must take my leave now milady, I am needed back at the garrison."

"I see." Eterne's melancholy seems to have lifted at least from how she sounded, even if only slightly. "Then, I will also need to be going then."

The Lieutenant took off his hat and placed it over his chest as he bowed. "A pleasure having your company Lady Eterne, may we meet again."

A sweet giggle of seeming amusement escaped from the fair Fae's lips, as Eterne bowed in a traditional curtsey, so unlike her earlier gestures, but one he was most familiar with. "The pleasure was mine Sir Rafale."

Then in the moment he wasn't expecting, Eterne did something that momentarily gave his heart pause. She clasped her hands together... and smiled. "And... thank you for listening."

Oh how Renault wished he could engrave that last smile she gave into his soul for all eternity.

Two gossamer wings sprouted from Eterne's back, releasing pinpoints of sparkling light into the cold morning air. With a flap of her wings, Eterne gently lifted into the air, and spared him a wave of her hand before she sped off into parts unknown.

"Grant me white wings, on my back like a bird." Renault muttered the words of the song in contemplation, the words that encompassed the song's essence, perfectly describing the sight he just witnessed. As he turned and headed back towards the direction of the garrison he thought how this meeting, no matter how brief, should have been the best morning he ever had, and he uttered a silent praise to the Founder Brimir for his luck today.

Yet he never did get a reply to his last question.