Aria's Medley

“Okay class, sit down! I will start my lesson for today!” I shouted at my first-year college students. Everyone sat down and looked at me eagerly. My topic this morning is about the library. As usual, my students took out their notebooks and pens, prepared to write everything that I will discuss. I looked around and when I saw that everyone is ready, I started explaining the library, its functions, sections and whatnot. Yes, for almost year this has been my job after I graduate college. My two-year course is Associate in Teaching, Major in Fundamentals of Library. I may not know where I’m going now. I just start every day like any other. Go to school, teach, vacant period, teach, lunch break, teach, vacant period, teach, go home, eat, sleep, wake up, go to school, teach... I really don’t know if I’m coming closer to my goal in life... Wait I minute, do I really have a GOAL in my boring life? I forgot I don’t have any. My college classmates wanted to be rich, powerful, have children, a boy or girl to be with, have a stable life while others wanted to work out of the country and travel around the world. While me? A big fat nothing. I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to find myself dreaming of the future, of families, riches and different places. I am contented on carrying on my boring life with my beloved father, Ansell.  Huh? Oh right... I haven’t even introduced myself yet... My name is Arianell Villalon. Eighteen years old with a face that looks unmotivated and bored always, I have long eyelashes and my eyes are small but pronounced. It’s black normally but when sunlight hits it, it became chestnut brown like my mom’s. My nose is small and pointed and my lips are thin and flat. Some boys in my class call it “kissable lips” but I don’t really get how it can be when it’s not plump and oftentimes pale because I’m always biting my lower lip when I feel so bored or sleepy. My skin color is light brown but on cold seasons or if hit by direct light, it became white and rosy like my dad’s. Perhaps, the thing that really attracted the boys around me is my waist length, naturally straight black hair. Yeah, it’s just that, boring black... but not until sunlight hits it. When it did, my hair miraculously shimmers and became silvery gray. My changing hair and eye color forced me to wear a baseball cap and black shades when I go out in public. It made me look like a tomboy which is really in my advantage. It means no boys asking for my number or curious stares. “That will be all for today. Your project this midterm is an e-book review of “It Started with a Mcfloat” by Summer del Rio, to be submitted next week. No copy-pasting synopsis and copying from your classmate’s reviews. I will put a zero on the ones who will not at least show some effort on writing their projects. Is that clear?” I asked my students as I looked around the room menacingly. They all nodded and answered, “Yes, Ms. Aria.” “Good. You can go,” I said as I started packing my teaching materials.  I was left behind alone in the classroom... thinking that this might be all there is to my life... -0- “Count Drei, Crown Princess Louise with Crown Count and Crown Countess Travis and Winry is waiting for you at the receiving room.” A guard said to the young Count of the noble house of Tross. Drei nodded and sighed, “Fine, tell them I’ll be there in a jiffy.” The guard bowed his head and left the room leaving Drei alone with his uncle, Kirov Alcor, Advisor to the Emperor of Scandinavia and Lord of the House of Alcor in the office of his father, Baron Consort Denal Alcor. “We will continue this... conversation some other time Drei. I hope by that time, you will consider my proposal.” Lord Kirov said to his nephew who seemed to inherit the House of Alcor’s posture and attitude. The Count nodded curtly and bade his uncle farewell as the Lord show himself out of the room, leaving Drei alone and lost in his thoughts. “Drei, are you all right?” a voice of a girl suddenly asked. He looked up and saw his close relative, Lady Winneth Rynoa, Head of the branch of his family of Tross, the Freedel and the fiancé of his third cousin, Crown Count Travis. She is smiling at him kindly. Drei smiled and nodded. Whenever the two of them walk together side by side, they looked like brother and sister. The truth is that Winry had a twin brother who passed away six years ago. Maybe because they are close relatives, he resembled her deceased brother and she resembled him, especially the astonishing blue eyes they share. Ever since he found out about her true identity, they treated each other like siblings. Her, finding solace by his side and him, feeling needed because he found a girl to be his younger sister, to protect and look after. The Crown Countess live together with his family because technically, the House of Tross must make sure that the last living Freedel is safe and will surely reproduce to continue their line. Along with the House of Hausen the ruling families where the Grand Duchess Kady and Emperor Kyrus belong are the other four noble houses of the Aristocratic Dukedom of Riksent. The House of Del Rio, ruled by the Justin Bieber fanatic and psychologist, the kind and helpful Baroness Summer. She may be single but she has a very young six years old orphan niece, the daughter of her only cousin whom she is taking care of because her cousin died in a tragic plane incident with his wife when the girl is just three years old. The young Countess Winter Del Rio will be the next Baroness in line to the rule the House of Del Rios so Summer has secured the future of her House. The other one is the House of Colte, headed by the chief engineer and inventor of the dukedom, the knowledgeable Baron Daryl. Like the Baroness of Del Rio, he too failed to have a family of his own so instead, he is training his twelve-year-old brother, Dylan to be his heir. The boy is showing promise as he already invented the new set of algorithms for the use of military of the Tripartite Alliance even before he reached thirteen years old. Then his own house, the House of Tross headed by his mother, Baroness Aerith Tross von Alcor. He will be the next in line to be the ruler and one of the four House Heads. Since his childhood days, his mother has already taught him how to run the house and how to be a good leader and server to the clans of families under them. But now, it seems that he has other duties he must fulfill... It conflicts with his own duty being the Count of the Tross... “I’m fine Winry...” Drei said unconvincingly as he and the Crown Countess walked along the grand hallway of the Tross Manor. Winry smiled sadly and shook her head, “When you say your fine Drei you aren’t. Is this about Lord Kirov Alcor and your family back in Scandinavia?” “Yeah... seems like there is an unrest within the House of Alcors... that’s why dad left the dukedom for the time being... but let’s not talk about it... it makes me feel upset and angry.” Winry nodded and a moment later, they reached the room where Louise and her cousin are chatting animatedly. The Crown Princess of Scandinavia is explaining to Travis how she and Stacie, Travis’ sister and Crown Princess of Greenland managed to escape their guards and wander around France unattended for hours.  “Oui! It is most fun! Stacie and I visit stores and the Versailles unguarded! We ate at a local food shop and bought trinkets at the sidewalks... well fun until the Duchy Elite Guards caught up on us. Sacre Bleu! Father scolded us like nine-year-old little girls and grounded us for a week!” Louise told her cousin nostalgically. Travis laughed and wiped the tears off his eyes, “Too bad I wasn’t there. I heard Uncle Kyrus’ anger only comes in second from the wrath of Baroness Severina! I... I miss her...” The Crown Count suddenly became sad and dejected while Louise shed some tears. Drei himself felt sad. The strict Baroness shaped them to be respectable persons and taught them a great deal of things since their childhood. Without her, they would never be fit to be in their titles... the head of the House of Traska passed away suddenly in her sleep at the age of ninety-five. “I’m sad that I never got the chance to meet her personally Travis, the only person you are afraid of as our intel suggest.” Winry said as she sat beside her fiancé and gave him a hug. “Yes. Her baton really makes me cringe whenever I see it. Even Baron Denal and mother fear it. They learned the hard way back when they were young. But they too benefited from her wisdom and discipline.” Travis said. Drei sat beside Louise and gave his cousin a pat on the back, “Hey, why are you all here anyways?” “Well, my career is still on hiatus so I have nothing else to do, Travis is the same while Louise is still on her vacation. We are just visiting and maybe we are just looking for a safe place to gossip.” Winry said truthfully. “So what’s the hottest news in the Palace?” Drei asked. Travis shook his head in sadness and sighed, “The House of Traska and the clans under it is teetering on the verge of collapse. Baroness Severina is the last of the Traskas and the head of their branch family, the House of Stoll’s Lord Malcolm refuses to be the Baron stating that his house will forever serve under the Traskas even if there is no one of them left.” “But that’s absurd! Why are they still clinging to traditions?” Louise asked angrily. Drei is the one who answered her, “That’s what Riksent is all about Louise. Centuries old customs, old laws and taboos are still being upheld. That’s the strength and also the weakness of Riksent. We are forever bound to age old traditions because that is our identity. Yet we can’t make a change without angering the elders or incurring the wrath of the aristocrats who obey the old teachings to the letter, like Lord Malcolm.” “As inflexible and unreasonable as he is, I respect the Lord’s loyalty to the main branch of his family. Even if his liege is already gone, he continued to respect and serve under the old Baroness.” Winry said. Louise nodded and Travis remained silent. Drei however remember his own duties and obligations. Either way, he has to choose in the end...