Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 41: The plunge

Darkness and fog surrounds me, feeling a nothing but a chilling breeze that wraps around my body. I look around, hoping that something will emerge from the shadows.

An image soon begins to materialize in the fog, which slowly takes shape. While my eyes can’t fully tell who it is, but in my heart I do.

“Mom,” I cry out.

The form, while obscured, is still as tall and beautiful as I would ever know her. Her grace, even just standing there in front of me, is still as awestriking. I have away from her for so long, I just want to grab hold of her.

A gentle pressure wraps itself around me as though caught in an embrace. It’s warm and loving, tight yet secure.

“Rest, my beloved girl,” the figure gently tells me.

“Mom,” I say again, reaching out to the figure. “Mom…I miss you.” I reach out more to her, hoping to finally grab hold of her. However when I finally clasp onto the figure, my hand replaces nothing there.

I look up towards the shadowy figure that I know is my mother. “Mom…please. I miss you.”

I feel something brushing away the hair over my face. “Rest, my girl. Know that we love you, and ever shall.” The figure of my mother then begins to fade in the fog once more.

I stand the darkness, alone yet again. I slowly feel the pull of sleep, dragging me back into wherever I had once been. I drift into calmness and serenity as I return to blissfulness.

I stand in the center of the barrier, feeling the power of our fused state coursing through me. Yet know it feels vastly more under control. I don’t quite feel the strain as I used to. My tails swirl and sway around me as shadow, ice, and fire orbit my body. Resting against my back is Astraea, with it too being with me to master.

Power whooshes around me. I smile softly, feeling at peace, yet still subconsciously resisting the aforementioned strain. Yet now it’s lessened, becoming less noticeable while still present.

“We are growing closer, little Aria,” I hear Fenris telling me from within my mind.

I nod, smiling. We are in control, each playing a part to maintain our combined stated, each giving advice, each maintaining the balance that never falters. It’s a state of purity and serenity, wolf and kitsune as one. He’s with me, and I with him.

We have been training yet again to perfect the fusion. Serasfall’s idea of having me learn to compress my power and to slowly exude it has been working. I now have even greater control over my magic than ever before.

I stare in a mirror that Serasfall conjured. My appearance is now younger than the first few times Fenris and I fused, now looking as though I’m at least twenty years old, and slightly shorter. I grin softly, knowing this is what I am going to be looking like in a few short years. Heh, Kenji is in for a big surprise.

“Wonderful,” says Serasfall. “You have accomplished so much in these past few weeks. Your control has grown significantly and I still attest to your beauty, my dear girl.”

I blush slightly, wrapping my tails around me. I am still self-conscious of how I look, and being complimented on it can still embarrass me.

She grins, “However, there is still more work that must be done until you have fully perfected this form.” She unfolds her crossed arms, “Why don’t we end our lesson for today? I know you are eager to train with your sword.”

I grin, and nod. Within my mind I feel the soft nuzzling of Fenris as we begin to defuse. I feel him slowly pulling away from me, leaving me alone within my own body. While it’s become a lonesome feeling, it’s still a fact that he’s always nearby, never truly away from me.

Fenris soon appears in beside me as Serasfall slowly lowers the barrier. He softly nudges my face, “You have done well, little Aria. We are closer now than never before.”

I smile, stroking his muzzle, “I know, Papa Wolf.” He gently nuzzles my face, feeling his tails wrapping around mine.

I pan over to see Serasfall smiling towards us with Fenris stepping to the side. “Now with this session concluded,” she continues, “I must be off. There is a matter that I have to attend to, one that I’ve put off for a bit too long yet now I feel the time is right.” She steps closer to me, gently brushing some hair from my face. “I will return later tonight. Until then, mind your sister.”

I blush and nod, “Yes Ma’am.” She smiles and turns, nodding to Fenris before walking off. I smile softly, feeling happy with her and Celes. They’ve really become my family, with us growing closer with each passing day.

Although, it’s making me curious to how long it’s been since I arrived. The days seem to blend together and I think I’ve lost track of time. I sigh, oh well. I’m here now and there’s not much I can do.

“Lady Aria?” I hear being called out.

I turn to see Piotr walking over to me. I smile towards him. We haven’t had a session together in a couple days and I wonder if he’s coming over to talk about that. Fenris turns and watches him, not being protective, but merely keeping an eye on him.

I smile, patting the side of his mane. “I can handle this, Papa Wolf. No need to worry.”

He looks to me, his icy-blue eyes staring straight into mine. We hold this gaze for a moment before nodding and sitting down next to me. I pat him reassuringly again.

Piotr bows his head to Fenris before looking to me. “May we speak in private, my Lady?”

I tilt my head slightly, this is new. I nod and we both head off.

As we walk, I feel Fenris’ watchful gaze peering down on us. I smile, knowing he’s being the fatherly wolf he’s always been.

We finally come to the ledge overlooking the forest below. I feel a gentle breeze as it brushes against me, blowing into my ears and ruffling the fur on my tails.

He turns and looks to me, “I wish to be forthright with you, my Lady, when I tell you that I have grown to feel for you. I have become enamored with as you trained, and by your beauty and wit.”

Uh oh, I think I might know what this is leading to.

He takes a breath, “You are a true daughter of Shyair, a young woman I have come to admire, and wish to express my heart to.”

Yep…been down this road before. I quickly hold up my hand to him. “I need to stop you before you go any further. You are a true gentleman and wonderful person that I too have come to admire. We laugh together, share stories, and have become close.”

I hold my arms in front of me. “However, I can’t give you give what you’re seeking from me. You have been incredible towards me, a friend, training partner, lending me an ear when I need it. And I know what you’re going to say. But the truth is that I’ve already given my heart to someone else.”

I look to him, “In the time we’ve been together, I’ve never played on your feelings, either leading you on or toying with your heart. Even with that said, I’ve always had to keep constant watch over myself.” I chuckle softly, “Lest I give into my own temptations.”

My grip tightens. This feels slightly easier yet harder for some reason. I did this with Savero last summer, and after that he became an older brother to me. With Piotr, I know he’s been harboring feelings for me for some time now. But I didn’t act on any impulses from myself.

I smile softly to him, “Like I said, you’ve been an amazing friend, but I can’t give you something that's already been given. That’s why I stopped you, before you could speak what you’re holding in your heart.” My tails swish and coil around me. “If you had spoken them, I’m afraid that I could have broken your heart. And that’s something I never want to do.”

Why does this feel so much harder than it should? Yes he’s slightly older than me, which in my era in a huge no no. But here it's commonplace, at least I think it is in Dewloura. The rest of the continent I know that to be true.

Piotr stands quiet, his face drooping slightly as it his eyes dart about. He looks as though I actually did break his heart.

I look up at him, “Are we still friends?”

He smiles, peering into mine. “Yes, yes we are, my Lady. I thank you for your honesty.” He then chuckles, “I guess what everyone was saying was true, that it was a longshot between us.”

I tilt my head. I know Celes and Norick both talked to me about Piotr, and now doubt the other knights as well was clued in. But something else is bugging me about this. It’s now in the open that I’m the descendant of this house, but even still, for a knight, even a good friend, to come up and declare his love for me is way too bold. Unless…

I groan to myself. Oh for the love of God, Serasfall!!! Really? Did he come to you about me? I sigh softly, smiling to him.

I lean up and kiss him on the cheek, “Thank you for understanding.” I pan over to see that the other knights have all gathered some distance away and have been watching us. I roll my eyes. Seems like everyone is into everyone else’s business no matter the era.

Here’s something else, I’m a hopeless romantic, being one of my favorite genres. The idea of a knight and princess being together, while cliché as all hell, is still a wonderful concept. I know my friends in the future, namely Heather, Mandy, and Jenn, would likely throttle me for passing up on this chance.

I turn back to Piotr, now seeing him smiling to me. “With all this now said, my Lady, I wish to stay at your side. If you will have me, that is.”

I smile, “Of course.” Somehow I get the feeling he might ask for something else. Heh, the romantic in me thinks he might ask to become my personal knight. Not gonna lie, I wouldn’t mind that at all.

He smiles, “Care to indulge me in a match later in the day?”

I grin, “You’re on.”

He smiles, bowing to me and turns, walking over to the others. I grin, watching as the group begins to tease him. Kayle and Anarius especially lay into him. I hear Kayle asking, “Going to become the knight of our little princess?”

I blush and smirk as my ear flicks to sound of Fenris’ claws clacking against the stone. He smiles to me, “You handled that well, Aria.”

I smile, “Thanks, it sort of reminded me of when I dealt with Savero. Only without the fanfare and drama.” He smiles, nodding to me.

The two of us then head back over to where we were before. I erect a barrier with Fenris staying close by as I begin running through my sword katas, slowly incorporating magic into them. Fire and icy winds spring forth from my blade as I twirl and spin through the air, summoning mud golems. This mimics my fusion training. However I’m limiting the power given my targets.

I launch balls of flame from streaming inferno, striking against the golems, followed by icy streams and shards, freezing and burning away my targets. I smile, watching as they reform. I then summon orbs from the tip of my sword and launch them the golems, shattering them again.

I look over to Piotr, seeing him sparring with Kayle. I really hope he replaces someone.