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FantasySquare Fan Fiction
Memoirs of a Rose
Act 2: The Rose that Flew Away with the Wind
By Maya Nagao
Whew ok guys it's been a while.....but here's act two of my fic.
Enjoy!
any questions or comments to sakura@fantasysquare.com
^_^
***
The rain kept falling. It pitter pattered on the soft ground creating
a soothing melody. Sera watched the trees sway to the sigh of the
wind. Lightening cracked. It struck the tree. Collapsing to the soft
ground leaving behind a trail of ashes.
"Miss Seraphim.....I think it's time...."
"Ok...." Sera said calmly.
Sera slowly walked out of the room wondering if there will ever be
a "next time" once she becomes the General of Alexandria.
The maid led her into the throne room. The King was chatting to an
aquantance when he looked up. He knew now was the time. Sera looked
at him, their eyes met. Sera approached the King and kneeled in front
of him. She closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Sera! You must try harder!"
"I can't...."
"Why....?"
"Because.....Because...." Sera couldnt finish her sentence.
She picked herself up and ran away. She kept running until she was
far far away. When she couldnt run away anymore she sat down and
burst into tears. She didnt know why she was crying. She just cried.
There needn't be a reason. Rosalina was left bewildered by her daughter's
sudden rash action. Feeling betrayed she leant back against a tree
wondering what on earth she did wrong. She looked at her sword. The
beautiful "Save the Queen." One day when Alexandria has
it's queen Sera will be able to protect her with it. She decided
to go off and find her daughter. The snow gently falling to the ground
as she jumped from tree top to tree top.
Sera sat underneath the tree. The cherry blossoms were in full
bloom. She marvelled at the pink petals that fell and flew away with
the wind and disappeared into the blue sky. She closed her eyes and
imagined herself flying away like a cherry blossum and not having
a care in the world. Arc watched her from a far. He was amazed and
amused that she would be so fascinated with the small flowers of
a tree. He had seen grander more beautiful flowers before.
"So.....why are you here by yourself?"
Sera opened her eyes and instantly blushed as soon as she saw a young
blonde haired man offered his hand. Sera's cheeks grew redder as
she took his hand and stood up.
"I don't know....I've always come here when I want to be alone..."
"Oh? I thought you just came here to look at the flowers..."
"Yes...I guess that's also a part of the reason. The cherry
blossums are beautiful this year..." Sera looked up.
"Really? Well they cannot compare to the Roses and Wild Flowers
of Lindblum..."
"Well...they are beautiful flowers also...." Sera felt
her cheeks burning, "...but they are just that. Beautiful flowers.
They stand, they look pretty for a while until they become old and
die. Cherry blossums...."Sera closed her eyes, "Cherry
blossums herald the beginning of spring and the promise of new life.
When they blossum, they fly away with the wind going wherever the
wind goes, no one telling them where to stand and look pretty...."
Arc was fascinated. He had never thought of things that way. He looked
up and watched as the blossums flew away into the clear blue sky.
"Here..." Sera placed a blossum in Arc's hand.
"What's this for?"
"It's the first blossum of spring. They say when you hold the
first blossom of spring your loved ones can hear your thoughts and
dreams no matter where they are."
Arc held the blossum. He carefully cupped his hands not wanting to
damage the delicate petal. He had a distant look in his face.
"What's wrong?"
"...nothing...." A sad look came over Arc's eyes.
"I'm sorry I must leave now...." Arc walked away. He dropped
the petal as he walked away. It drifted slowly to the ground as Sera
atched Arc, wondering what went wrong.
"Deputy Commander, Kami Scholtberg, Reporting SIR!"
"Commander Luke Ace, reporting SIR!"
"Hmph....what fools." Tori thought."Lining up for
their Regent like the dogs they are..." She looked away disgusted.
"Good...good you're all here...how are the soldiers faring?"
Regent Leo asked stroking his beard.
"Well the soldiers are recovering well from the Penetration
of the evil forest.....though we had our share of casualties we believe
the Alexandrians were hit the worst." Luke reported
"Well.....we're going to have to keep the soldiers training....we
dont want to let our guard down. The Alexandrians may attack at any
time...."
"YES SIR!" The two commanders shouted.
"....just like dogs...." Tori smirked.
"What about Project Blitzkreig?" Kami enquired. "When
will it be ready?"
"The project is proceeding as planned...You have nothing to
worry about..."
The two commanders saluted as they left the throne room.
"....Tori...."
"Yes father?"
"I dont want you to be involved in these affairs....it's not
the place for a princess...."
"Hmph....I'm not your everyday princess......Father...."She
said coldly. Tori jumped up and melted through the roof of the throne
room. Regent Leo looked up and sighed.
"What am I going to do with her...." he thought.
"Hey Maya....where's Sera?" Mia enquired.
"Sera-chan....well she said she needed to be alone..."
"I bet she's with Arc" Mia smiled.
"Yeah I bet she is.." Maya grinned. "Sera is so lucky....I
wonder if I'll ever get to feel the way she feels....." Maya
thought.
"HEY!!!!" Maya's thoughts were interrupted by Davey. "Well
looky here if it isn't Baby bear, Mama bear and...huh?" Davey
had a confused look on his face. "Where's Sera?"
"She wanted to be alone, Papa bear.." Maya and Mia sweatdropped.
"Ahhhhh ze romance iz in ze air no? Sera wanted some private
time with Arc, no?" Davey asked with a silly look on his face.
"Hey I thought *I* was the one that always got all romantic...."
Maya thought. Lionheart and Tim soon were walking towards them.
"Come on little sister. Time to go" Lionheart smiled.
"Yay! Can we go visit Ling, Tim?"
"Maybe..." Tim smiled "Well.....ok lets go!"
he exclaimed. "But you have to keep up with us ok?" Tim
and Lionheart began running.
"Heeey! wait for me!!!" Mia ran after her two brothers.
Her bag bobbing up and down. Maya sighed as she looked on.
"Well....? Come on lazy bones..."
Maya started the walk home with Davey.
"Davey....." Maya said. "Do you think Sera is going
to fall in love with Arc..?"
"Well I don't know....maybe....well ok very likely...."
"I wonder what it feels like...."
"Sometimes I wonder too...Maybe we'll be single till we're old
and wrinkly" Davey smiled.
"Thats a horrible thought!!! I couldnt imagine being alone till
the day I die...."
"Yeah I know.....well let's put it this way....one day you and
I will feel that special feeling....it will only be a matter of time...."
"But the future is always so uncertain...." Maya said looking
up.
"Well ok then....." Davey stopped.
"What are you doing...?"
Davey rummaged through his bag and produced a small beautiful shell
that had some pure silver thread running through it.
"This used to be my mothers..."
"Wow....it's beautiful...."
"Yeah? Well now it's yours."
"What?"
"You heard me. I promise that you will someday be happy. When
that day comes I want you to return it to me." Davey placed
it in her hand.
"Davey...." Maya was lost for words as she looked at the
small but beautiful shell.
"Then....." Maya took off her cherry blossum shaped earrings.
"I want you to keep these. Promise me...when you become happy
I want you to return them to me." Maya smiled. Davey smiled
back.
"Ok....I promise...."
They both went their separate ways as the sun set over the horizen.
Maya wondered if she ever would be happy. She put the shell necklace
around her neck and decided that she would never figure out the answer
and that she should cherish the happiness she had now. She skipped
all the way home, a smile on her face.
Sera was out training in the evil forest when she noticed the sunset.
Suddenly she felt a cold chill run down her spine. She looked around
her. Nothing. Nothing but the overgrown trees and weeds staring back
at her. Uneasily, she continued.
".....such a beautiful rose....."
Sera shuddered.
".....I wonder if roses can bleed....."
Sera couldnt shake the feeling that she was being watched. She concentrated.
She focused on everything around her...every leaf, every tree....there!
She felt it. She felt that it was there....she was sure of it. She
drew her sword.
Meanwhile in a dark corner of Alexandria...
"So....have you done what I ordered?"
"....yes......the preparations are underway...."
"Good..." a smile curled on the shadowy woman's face.
"...and what of my family?" the man pleaded.
"....oh they are safe.....for now...." she smirked. "Just
make sure everything is prepared by the end of Autumn.....I want
nothing to go wrong...."
The man nodded as he turned and walked away.
"....be careful now...."
The man froze in his tracks.
"....don't turn your back on a rose....it's beauty is only but
a cover for it's deadly thorns...."
Sera had to trust her instincts. One of the first things she ever
learned in training. Gripping the hilt of the sword she stood still
for a second. The air around her freezing. She quickly spun the sword
and held it like a javelin. Like a flash of lightening the sword
pierced through the air like an arrow until it hit it's target. Sera
heard a squeal. Her eyes widened. What if her instincts were wrong?
She quickly ran through the forest. She found her sword plunged into
a tree. Sitting underneath the tree was a young man...his arm grazed
and bleeding.
"Arc!!" Sera ran to his aid.
"Hey...hey their's no need to fuss. It's only a small graze."
Arc smiled.
"I'm sorry....I'm so so sorry...." Sera was nearly in tears.
"Hey...it's ok....there's no need to worry. I wasn't hurt seriously...."
"But you could have been....I.....I would never have forgiven
myself if you were.....Can you move your arm?"
"A little...yeah..."
"Well come back with my to my hut in the forest....I'll put
some healing ointment on it..."
"You know this isn't really necessary..."
"I insist...." Sera helped Arc up. Even though he could
very well walk by himself, Sera wanted to hold him up. Really though
she wanted to be close to him. High above her however, eyes watched
her. Tori looked down at Sera and Arc. She smirked.
"The human heart....will be Alexandria's greatest downfall...."
Her black cape flapped in the wind as she laughed and melted into
the darkness.
Sera was in the kitchen cooking up the nights meal. She looked out
at Arc who was by the fire. His eyes in solemn reflection. She thought
about what had happened just then....what was Arc doing in the Evil
Forest? Was he the evil prescence she had felt...if so then why can't
she feel it now? Her mind was humming with questions but all they
did was end up confusing her. She decided this wasnt worth figuring
out so she brushed her feelings aside as she concentrated on the
night's meal. Arc looked around him. The hut was a simple but sturdy
structure. He looked at the bandaged wound on his arm. He couldnt
believe that a successor of one of the most powerful Generals in
Gaia could be so delicate, the bandage was tight but not too tight,
it was...perfect. An image of his parents flashed past him as he
looked up at the burning fire.
"Papa!!! Please, don't go!!" A tearful boy stood at the
edge of a dock. His father kneeled and gently hugged his son feeling
him hold on tight.
"I'm sorry son....but I must do this...for the sake of our kingdom...."
"Why?? Why do you have to go away for?"
"I'm sorry.....I wish things could be different....but...."
a tear rolled down the father's face.
"...but you must be strong....you must protect your mother ok?
Don't cry....for I won't be gone for long...." He tried to smile.
"Promise?" The boy looked at his father. The father was
disturbed by the seriousness in his eyes. He didn't know how to answer
him. He knew that going to war had no garantees. There were no second
chances. Should he make a promise he knows he might no be able to
keep? He held his son close to him and whispered in his ear.
"I will make this promise with you my son. If I return from
the war I will never ever fight again. If I do not return I want
you to promise me that you will look after your mother and grow up
to be the best you can be....can you promise me that?" He looked
at his son the tears welling up in his eyes. His son nodded gently.
"I love you and your mother....always....remember that for me...."
He let go and boarded the boat.
"Arc...you have to be strong ok?" Selaina held her son
close to her. The tears falling onto her hand like raindrops.
Sera put the food on the table. She wanted to ask if he was ready
to eat yet but she felt embarrassed about doing so. She placed her
hand on the hot bread tin that she just lay down on the table as
she watched Arc stare into the fire.
"OUCH!!" She yelped. She held her hand. It burned 100 different
shades of red. Arc snapped out of his thoughts and quickly ran to
Sera's aid. He held Sera's hand and concentrated. Soon her hand had
turned blue. Sera closed her eyes and felt a soothing waterfall rush
over her hands. A blissful feeling came over her. When it was over,
she looked down. Her hand wasnt burning anymore. It was still red
and blistery but the pain was gone....like it had been washed away....
"You should be more careful....bread tins are hot when they
come out of the oven you know?" Arc began to wrap the hand with
some bandages. Sera blushed and laughed nervously. "Do you feel
better now?" He asked looking straight at Sera. She nodded,
dumbly.
"What......what was it...you just did...?"
"Oh that....well.....it was a special relaxation technique my
mother taught me when I was little. It cleanses wounds and eases
the pain...." He had a distant look in his eyes.
"Was your mother a healer?"
"Kinda......"He looked away. "My mother......"
Sera already felt she was digging in too deep. "It's ok if you
don't want to talk about it..." she tried to brush the topic
aside.
"My mother was a spy for Alexandria...during the early days
of the war...."
Sera looked down and was silent.
"Her name was...Selaina....."
"Selaina.....the Selaina that betrayed Alexandria for Lindblum?"
Sera thought.
"My father was Keradon...the commander of Lindblum's army....Ironic
isn't it?" Arc laughed. "A Lindblum commander and an Alexandrian
spy? Surely it is unheard of!" He looked up at the stars in
the sky. "The battle of Midsummer Eve..." his face grew
distant "...my father never returned from the war...."
he took out a sword. It's brilliantly sharp blade shone under the
moonlight. "All they found was his sword....that day when he
didnt return....I swore I would protect mama....but I couldn't even
do that." Arc shook his head. "My mother and father were
both on separate sides...but neither wanted to fight...they just
wanted a peaceful home...and some seeds to grow...But...." Arc
closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "This...this...STUPID
and MEANINGLESS war destroyed all that....NO ONE even knows why they
are fighting anymore....it's gone on for too long....FAR TOO LONG!"
Arc smashed his fist into the wall out of anger. Sera stood up and
put an arm around Arc. He calmed down and laid his head down on her
shoulder. He felt an overwhelming sense of peace and calm whenever
he was near Sera.....
"A war that has gone on for a day has already gone on for far
too long...." she held Arc close to her as she watched the stars.
She felt something familiar yet something immediately strange about
Arc. She even thought she might be even falling in love with Arc.
But she knew she couldn't. The destiny of a Rose is to stand alone
and be strong....the thorns pricking the people closest to her....
***
Ok...that's Act 2 done ^_^ be on the look out for Act 3 coming soon
to a theatre near you ^_^
Any questions or comments? Send them to sakura@fantasysquare.com
Thanks for reading ^_^
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