Scion of Light Chpt. 5

(Chapter 5 – Queen’s decision)

Back in Celestia, after Rhea was killed...

Aria entered a room surrounded by white, bright light. "Rhea.... Are you awake..?" Aria tries to talk to Rhea who was lying on a bed in the bright room.

Rhea responded to the call, she opened her eyes and weakly looked around her. "So, I'm back in Celestia..." She sighed.

Rhea was too weak at that time, but still she tried to stand, Aria stopped her from doing so and then later apologized for not being able to send someone to aid her in her fight. "We were attacked by the same forces; it was unknown to my senses that they were targeting the one who was guiding the girl... I'm sorry, Rhea... I didn't see through their plan."

"Well, that's okay... But we have no time for this... Now that I'm not there to protect the girl anymore, they're going to be more aggressive... I know they're going to take all chances that they have... That's why I must recover quickly..." Immediately and energetically, Rhea stands and started stretching. Aria tried to stop her for doing that but Rhea insists that she would recover fast by doing it.

"Have you reported to the queen yet, milady..?" Rhea asks while she's exercising.

"Not yet, but I was about to do so... I just thought of checking you out first... But you seemed okay..." Looks at Rhea indifferently, "So I'll be on my way..."

When Aria was about to leave the room she remembers something that Rhea might want to hear, so she smiled and said, "Oh... and Rhea... Jed sent a message... He wanted me to tell you how much he's laughing at you right now for failing a mission..."

Rhea got enraged by this, "How dare he!? I didn't fail the mission! It's not yet over to begin with! Darn that braggart! I'm so going to beat him up when I go back! Heh! And I'm going back soon!" Rhea started exercising harder.

Aria smiled and left the room. "Hmph... I should’ve known that a childish mockery would help her gain her energy back much faster..."

Aria went to the throne room, but did not find Sharmaine there, so she went to Sharmaine's chamber, but she's not there either. She went around the palace, looking for the queen, then she found her in the garden, so she went towards her, "Highness, You do know that you shouldn't be seen by other people, right..?"

Sharmaine looked back at her with soft eyes, then smiled softly. Aria noticed the difference of the queen’s personality of that moment from the usual, she knew it was the queen’s softer side, so she cheerfully smiled back and sat with the queen.

“So why are we in the garden today..?” Aria looked at Sharmaine as if she was talking to a child.

Sharmaine picked up a flower beside her and said in a very quiet tone, “Well, this place, is very nostalgic, all my memories are stored here. All those happy memories, few yet most important... Don’t you find this place nostalgic too, big sister..? We used to go here with Cara and big sister Estelle.”

Sharmaine sighed and then looked at the sky “I wonder where they are right now. I really miss them, I miss having a laid-back life with them... You miss them too, don’t you, sister..?”

“Yes, I really miss them too...” Aria looked at Sharmaine; using her power to control the wind, she made the breeze a little colder, “Now... Shall we go back to your throne room..? It’s getting really cold out here; it might be bad for your health...”

Sharmaine looked at Aria with a surprised reaction, “What!? That’s not fair! I just got out here, and I haven’t been here since last three years ago! You cheater! Don’t make my health as your excuse! I know that the cold breeze was made by you! I am not going back to that cage unless I become contented. Hmph!” 

Aria then smiled suspiciously, “Oh, your highness, why would you think that? As the queen’s right hand woman, I’m responsible for everything that concerns you... Now, we don’t want you being sick and making wrong decisions, now, do we..? So be a good little queen and come with me to your throne room, I have something to report...”

Sharmaine started acting stubbornly, “Well I didn’t want to be queen..! I didn’t ask to be queen! Big sister Estelle should’ve been the queen! Why don’t you just work double-time and find her as soon as possible and then make her queen...? That would make it a lot easier for me...” Then she added in a whisper, “and a lot better for the people as well... She IS chosen, unlike me, who is a mere substitute...”

"Meimei..." She poked Sharmaine on the forehead. "Stop making yourself miserable... I thought you got over that insecurity...? And stop running away from your responsibilities, it’s really troublesome.”

Aria started pulling Sharmaine’s arms, “Now shut up and come with me before I beat you up..." Aria looks at Sharmaine with malicious eyes and evil smile, making Sharmaine feel a little scared, so she went with Aria.

Aria then added, "You shouldn’t try to even compare yourself to other people... And don’t underestimate your abilities, Maine, You’re very special..."

Sharmaine then looked with confused face. “What..?” Aria then said, “I know you understood me, so don't ask anymore...”

Sharmaine pouts like a little girl, "I really don't want to be queen... It's so hard to make decisions..."

Aria just kept on pulling her hand. "Whatever... Let's just go... I want to talk to your other side for a little while... can I?" Sharmaine smiled and nod.

"Don't worry, Maine... When we find Estelle... we're going to bring her back and make her queen... then you'll be free to do whatever you want again..." Aria looked at Sharmaine with sympathy. “Don’t worry, I’ll always be here for you.”

Back in the throne room....

"So... the girl awakened already.... But without proper training, she'll still be just a small fry for Zai and his shadow forces also known as the Phantoms... May I ask... how Rhea was doing..?" Sharmaine is sitting on her throne, while Aria kneels down. "She's recovering very fast, your highness... I have a feeling that she'll be alright very soon."

"Is that so...? Then send her back to the human kingdom immediately..." The queen said with no hesitation.

Aria was shocked by this decision, "But, milady, Rhea is still recovering..! We can take care of the girl! Let Rhea rest first..."

Sharmaine then said, "But you don't know the girl well enough yet.... If anyone in this kingdom knows her more, I bet that would be Rhea... I want to talk to her, Aria... Bring Rhea to my room later...please..." Aria half-heartedly nods and left the room.

She went to Rhea's room, Rhea was looking at a photo album but immediately hid it as soon as she heard Aria knocking.

Aria came in, "Hello... How are you doing..?"

Rhea stood with excitement, "Great and ready to kick Jed's butt!"

Aria then simpered and started laughing, "And here I am worrying about you... Come with me to the queen's room... she wants to discuss about something with you..."

"Oh my gosh, are you serious!?" Rhea's eyes enlarged with excitement "Me.... at the Queen's room!? Oh my gosh! That's a great, and I mean a GREAT HONOR!!" Rhea started jumping around the room.

Aria then irritably threw a pillow on Rhea, "What are you so excited about!? Who knows what she wants to tell you!? She might do something cruel to you, you know..."

Rhea then threw the pillow back but Aria caught it, "It's the first time! I never went to the Queen's chamber before nor have I ever talked to her! And who cares if it's something cruel, at least I get to be kind of close to her.. No one except you has been able to approach her and talk to her whenever you want to, and here I am being called! Oh my gosh!" Rhea started jumping with excitement.

Aria then exclaimed, "Alright! Whatever! It's not like you get to see her face but whatever! Let's just go to the room, now! Hurry up!" Rhea then ran quickly towards Aria and they both left the room.

They went to some parts of the palace that no one else could enter, except for the elders, the queen's close relative and the queen herself. Rhea was astonished and excited as she looks around her and saw the view of the whole kingdom from the large bridge-like hallway in open area. They finally reached the Queen's room and then Aria entered it first, telling Rhea to wait outside.

Aria went to find the queen inside the large chamber, and she found her in the library, reading some books. "Sharmaine, your highness, I have brought Rhea with me and she is now waiting outside..." Sharmaine told Aria to let her in.

Rhea then entered the room. "Woah!! So HUGE! Wow.... so cool..." Aria asked Rhea to keep her voice down.

They reached the tea room part of the chamber in which the thin curtain serves as a door. The queen was inside the room, Aria told Rhea not to go beyond the room and then she introduced Rhea to the queen and left the room by the queen's command.

"So you're Rhea, the daughter of Estelle..?" Sharmaine asked with a cold voice.

Rhea got nervous and got tongue tied but immediately redeemed herself, "Ah... yes.... your majesty..."

Sharmaine noticed Rhea’s reaction, "Don't be nervous, child... You're not talking to someone as great as you think..." Sharmaine easily read Rhea's mind even though others find it hard to do so. Rhea got surprised, but she just let it go.

"Rhea, I want to discuss with you about things concerning the Scion of light's awakening... But I'll be straight to the point. I want you to be the one who guides her and train her some weapon arts. I figured that since you're very good with your hands, and your technique is just flawless, maybe you could easily teach the girl some few tricks." This, Sharmaine told Rhea straight, which made Rhea very surprised.

"Ah!? Me!? But... Why not lady Arietta? I mean, your highness, she's a lot better than I am..." Rhea looked more nervous.

Sharmaine then replies with confidence, "Why not Aria..? Because you knew the girl for more than a year and the girl knew you too, so it would be easier for you to gain her trust... Plus, I've given a different mission to Aria... You can do it, can't you..?" Rhea didn't want to accept the job at all, for she thinks she's not fit in for it.

Sharmaine then adds, "And wouldn't it be easier to find your best friend, Alyssa, when you're on a mission in the human world..? And who knows, maybe you can find your mother too..."

With that statement, Rhea thought twice, she looked down with a worried face, "Umm... Your majesty..? If I may ask, have you received reports concerning Alyssa's disappearance..?"

Sharmaine then replies, "I have no proofs of her location yet, but I received message from Jed not too long ago stating that one of the enemy officials said something about Alyssa. You can ask Jed for more information about this... And if you don't mind, I want this to be your side-mission, but I want you to focus on the scion first. Can you do that..?"

Rhea half-heartedly replied, "Yes, your highness..!" She wanted to find her best friend, and from the information they have in hand, it seemed that it will be easier to find her if she took the mission.

Sharmaine dismisses Rhea, so Rhea left the queen’s chamber and Aria asked about what they talked about. Aria was shocked to find out that Sharmaine chose Rhea for the training job. Aria told Rhea to wait, and Aria went inside the room furiously.

Few minutes later, Aria went out of the room, as if she’s not angry anymore. Rhea immediately asked, "What did you two talked about..? Was it something great..? I mean, you seemed enraged when you walked in and now look at you... Even your wrinkles are smiling."

Aria hit Rhea with a fan and furiously exclaimed, "Where did your manners go, child!? Have some respect to your elders..!" Rhea holds her head and said sorry in a joking manner.

"We are to go back to Terra immediately... So pack up... Get ready... We're going to leave as soon as possible..." Few minutes later, they went on their way to the human world, Terra.