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His voice was her favourite melody.
Seconds after silence finally sang its turn, her ecstatic clapping filled the meadow. “Wow!” she exclaimed. “Wow, wow, wow!” she repeated, over and over. Cheeks flushed in faint red from the joy that bloomed within. A pink smile curled wider to see the wild flash of crimson in his dashing face.
To be honest, Alfonse started to briefly regret telling her about his little secret.
“I-It’s…” Voice broken to embarrassed stutters, he then proceeded to take a deep breath. “It wasn’t that great, Kiran.” Still, the smile he vainly tried to hold back perked up slightly. White teeth nipped the insides of his burning cheek, the prince slowly shook his head at her overly excited denial.
“Nonsense!” Both hands waved up and down, then plopped back to her lap as she looked at him. Her legs stretched forward. Her toes curled cosily. The green grass beneath them felt like a plush carpet. One hand placed onto the ground, Kiran silently wondered if she would fall asleep immediately if she lay down on her back.
Maybe Alfonse could sing another song as her lullaby.
Tempting. Truly tempting. But otherwise a terribly embarrassing request.
“And may I know what you find funny now, Kiran?”
She hadn’t realized laughter had bubbled out of her lips from the idea. Right hand then zoomed to her mouth, fingers delicately pressed against her hot skin. “Oh no—nothing, nothing!”
Alfonse didn’t buy her blatant lie.
A single eyebrow raised in curiosity. A charming grin tickled the corner of his mouth. “It doesn’t seem like a ‘nothing’.”
“It does.” She convinced, though more laughter rang as an act of betrayal to her words. Back straightened slightly, Kiran pursed her lips and quickly changed the topic. “So, do you basically know all the traditional Askarian songs or are there any secret ones that require a soul-searching journey in order to know?”
She always loved listening to his chuckle.
“I know…” Those pretty pink lips were pouted for a while, “some, I suppose. Mother introduced a lot of songs when I and Sharena were little. But in time, there are some songs that I find quite difficult to sing.” One hand placed on his crossed legs, Alfonse brought his right finger up and tapped his chin. “I think it’s mostly because it’s written in ancient text, so to read and memorize it might take some time than usual.”
“Ah,” Her head tipped upwards in understanding. Interest fully shined upon the prince, Kiran bent her legs close to her chest. “If it’s okay with you, can I hear the melody of these old songs, at least?” Her left cheek gently rested on her knees, Kiran flashed a sweet smile. “I mean…” Embarrassment now sizzled her face. Excitement now accelerated her heartbeat. “If…you don’t mind, of course.”
His smile was one of the radiant sun. “Of course I don’t, Kiran.”
Their smiles matched each other perfectly. Their faces continued to burn, yet warmth pooled cosily in the pits of their stomachs.
She loved staring at him. But she could never get used to him staring at her.
“A-Anyways!” Again she quickly changed the topic. “So, tell me about the super old songs!” God, she really needed to fan her face from the sudden heat. “Since you said it’s written in ancient text, does it have another magical powers?”
His reply was immediate, but Kiran didn’t expect it to be in a form of lively laughter.
Deep brown eyes were wide on the prince. Stupor briefly flashed upon the summoner’s face, heat then boiled straight to her head when she realized her question might be the stupidest question she had asked yet.
“That—!” Swiftly he huffed out his laughter into chuckles. Upon realizing that his reaction might have offended her, Alfonse coughed once into his right fist and kept a serious expression in front of her.
It failed, however, when he saw that adorable pout.
“You never know!” Without waiting for his response, Kiran stifled a loud, long groan. “I mean, mages and sorcerers use weird words to form magic, so I just assumed—” More groans replaced her reasoning when she saw that frustratingly cute tremble of his lips. “Oh shut up!” Head dizzying with embarrassment, the summoner then opted to just drop her head to her knees.
She could still hear his laugh.
“I’m sorry, Kiran.” His smile softened. His gaze never torn away from her. “Truly I am.”
God, her heart could melt so easily like this.
Forgiveness was then given in a form of a jutted tongue. More laughter rang from the prince, and soon enough, Kiran couldn’t help herself and joined him in the silly bliss.
“To be honest, I am quite curious, though.” Sitting in front of her, Alfonse momentarily gazed at the blue skies. “Since it is written in ancient texts, I wouldn’t be surprise if the texts share similar traits to those the magic-users use.” Shoulders shrugged once, he then dropped his gaze back at the summoner. “Who knows? Maybe it might possess some magical qualities that we never knew.”
“Yeah.” Her heart raced. “Like a spell to revive someone.”
For a short moment in time, Alfonse felt as if all air had been robbed right out of his lungs.
Shock flickered in a pair of azures. But when he saw her smile beamed so brightly in his vision, that shock simmered down to pure, sheer admiration. “Yes…” His laughter this time was softer, quieter. “Perhaps.”
---
He couldn’t hear anything.
Steel was clashing against steel. Sounds of flesh tearing apart and bones breaking into pieces echoed demonically into the bright blue sky. Blood soaked the once green ground. Bodies decorated the area that was once pure from war and death.
His arms were shaking. His breathing grew heavier.
He didn’t let her go.
He didn’t want to let her go. His arms were still trembling, but his grip on her body remained firm and close. Right arm wrapped around her back and hand squeezed her right shoulder, Alfonse pressed his shaking left hand onto her chest.
The blood felt cold. The flesh within felt colder.
K— Dazed horror flashed in a pair of wide azures. K-K— Tears pooled fast and heavy in each socket. Head lowered and bobbed weakly above her, Alfonse trailed his gaze from the gaping wound to her face.
Her eyes were wide. Too wide.
She didn’t move a muscle. Her whole body was still as stone as the only movement that could be registered from her was entirely from him.
She still didn’t move.
Screams and cries still shrilled painfully around him, yet Alfonse begged, prayed desperately for the only sound in his arms.
“Like a spell to revive someone.”
His throat then felt as if someone had clamped one hand around it, Alfonse coughed heavily before nausea rolled deep in his stomach.
A song.
His whole body began to shake. His numbed mind forced itself to remember the ancient song that he had secretly learned and memorized in order to surprise her. Torn lips dry and shaky, Alfonse heaved a shaky, uneven breath before weakly lowered his head to hers.
Azure eyes met deep browns.
His voice was weak. Too weak. Too brittle and too faint to make out any words that deemed incomprehensible. But he forced himself. He forced out the words that slurred pathetically against the growingly cold face.
She still didn’t move.
More and more tears dropped, cruelly mixed along with the blood that gushed through the long line on her left cheek. The colour in her iris started to fade, started to be swallowed by the growing shape of her pupils. Blood trickled down the corner of her mouth. Blood caressed his lips as Alfonse weakly sobbed the song close to her mouth.
The sounds around him was agonizing, jarring, deafening.
He didn’t want to hear them. Pl— He didn’t want to hear any of them! –ease—Pl—e…ase—!
Right now, her voice was his desperate wish.
END