Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ The Glaciers' Widow ❯ plurem temporem volo ( Chapter 5 )

Author's note: "Sephiro" VS "Cephiro"

I had decided to don't add notes in this fanfic, but this is necessary. I know that my grammar isn't the best and often, reading the stories when it's too late, I find some imprecision that have evaded my almost maniacal check: a reader has made me notice a spelling error, "Sephiro" instead of "Cephiro." It isn't an error but a choice that has a precise background. It in the manga's Italian version is used "Sephiro," while in the anime "Cephiro."

The word "Cephiro" sounds like the Italian word for gray mullet, "cefalo," an excellent fish for the soup. Imagine the scene: I am at my city's market and a fishmonger tells me "Hey Miss, look this nice cephiro: it is so fresh that it seems alive!". I don't like to associate Emeraude's world to seafood.

The word "Sephiro," instead, remembers the word "sapphire," which is, as it's well known, one of the more precious stones. In this case I could say: "My boyfriend has given me a sephiro for St. Valentine's day!" I share the Italian publisher's choice: Sephiro is a beautiful and wonderful world, blue and green as a sapphire.

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~*Plurem temporem volo*~

*I want more time*

Ferio walked back and forth in his tent: the thought that the mysterious girl was Arosa's stepsister tortured him. He knew Arosa since when they were children -she and Sarah spent many moons at the castle, and excluding the physical attraction, for her he felt nothing. Ferio should have married Sarah, if she has not gone mad: for Sarah he felt a great affection, which with the time had changed in compassion.

Ferio didn't believe in love at first sight. Rather, he didn't believe in love in: such a feeling was just a poets' invention. His sister Emeraude laughed at him for this: he hadn't ever been in love; but when he would have been, he would have changed idea. Emeraude spent whole afternoons telling him how she and Zagato are been in love. Ferio found disgusting his sister's all sweetness and light confidences, but now he was able to understand her: Emeraude and Zagato seen few suns each two or three moons and both treasured each instant that they could spend together. Zagato was a priest and for this he wasn't able to devote himself as he would have wanted to Emeraude; besides it was common belief that Religion and State must be separated: Emeraude had already decided to renounce her title of Princess after Ferio's marriage.

For him, things were different. His father, King Henry, had tied him by a promise of marriage with the Count of Panzatrippa's daughter: the Count had two daughters, Sarah, born from his lawful wife; and Arosa, born from his affair with Alcyone. The Count had married his lover after his first wife's death and Alcyone had been cared of Sarah as if she was her own daughter. The difference between the two stepsisters was of three or four moons and Arosa was the youngest; also their behaviors were different: Sarah was very sweeter and shy than Arosa. Sarah had a brother too, Owen, an almost twenty-four winters man, whom spent whole moons locked in the family castle: a man rather strange and gloomy, who had a particular affinity with Arosa. Ferio had met Owen a couple of times, and each time that he had crossed his look, the Prince had felt a shiver shake him up the bones. Three winters before, the tragedy: Sarah had a high fever for many suns, but once gotten well the things didn't better. Sarah propped up that Alcyone, Owen and Arosa hated her and that they soon would have killed her: with this obsession she had tried to stab one of the three more than once. The doctors declared her crazy and, for everybody's sake, they confined her in a castle's turret; but after the last spring's fire, nobody had her news. So Arosa had taken Sarah's place and would have become his wife.

Fuu. Each time that Ferio thought about her, he felt something inside, as if his heart jolts in his chest. Fuu was like surrounded by a halo of sweetness: she had something that made her like a summer breeze, a delicate freshness that hides a great strength of mind. But the thought of Arosa as her stepsister was unbearable: a diaphanous and heavenly creature and an unfaithful woman had few in common. No, Fuu wasn't a woman to use as her sister: Fuu was simply a woman to love. To love forever.

Love? Ferio had said "love"?! The Prince shook his head: he couldn't fall in love with a girl with whom he had spoken a couple of times, a girl that knew barely. His future wife's stepsister! Or maybe yes? He must speak with his sister; Emeraude would have been able to give him a suggestion, an advice. So Ferio got out of his tent and reached his sister: Emeraude chatted happily with Lady Umi and Lady Hikaru.

" Dear sister, I want to ask thou an advice about an important matter."

Emeraude giggled and took his hands:

" Brother, I want too to ask thou something: do thou mind if a new friend joins us at our table this evening? Please, tell me yes, satisfy thy sister!"

" Ahem... if.... if thou like it so much, why no."

Ferio answered hesitating. Emeraude embraced him and said joyfully:

" Thanks brother thanks! Thou will see, Baroness Fuu is a lovely girl: thou will appreciate her company!"

" Who?!"

" Baroness Fuu, Duke Dessin's daughter: we have met today and this evening I would want so much chat with her! I know what thou think, brother: she could sit at her family's table, but Countess Alcyone would prevent us from speaking freely."

Ferio turned pale: this was too much. Have Fuu before him for all the supper would have drove him crazy.

" Sister, I don't mind, but... I want to talk thou about an other matter. In private."

Umi peeped at the Prince and, understanding what to do, she took Hikaru by an arm and apologized saying that she went to call the Baroness. Emeraude and Ferio came in her tent: they sat on the couch and Ferio sighed. Emeraude took his brother's hand and squeezed it with a sweet smile.

" Emeraude, I... I am.... I mean, I think.... I think to be in love. No, don't laugh: mine is a simple supposition. Since when I have met her, I always think of her and my heart beats so hard that it could run away from my chest; when I meet her and I speak with her I feel so well, as if... I am not able to describe this feeling: I feel happy and sad in the same time. I must seem a fool to thee, also because I don't know her from much time."

Ferio murmured sad. Emeraude embraced him and cradled him slightly.

" I understand how thou feel: I too feel these emotions when I am with Zagato. I am very happy that finally thou too have found love."

" Art thou.... sure? It isn't that mine is simple... physical attraction?"

" Once thou have told me that for Arosa thou feel just a physical attraction. Think over it: what do thou feel for this girl is the same of what thou feel for Arosa?"

" No! They art two different things!" he answered without hesitation "Arosa is a beautiful woman, I don't deny it! But /she/... she is entirely different from Arosa: she is so angelic and sweet, since the first time I have laid eyes on her, I have wished her to love me. However I won't have the time to know her, neither to be loved from her."

" It is for the engagement, isn't it?"

Ferio nodded.

" Tonight our father will announce officially the engagement; after I won't meet other women but Arosa and the Countess Alcyone. Emeraude, please, give me an advice: when I am far from /her/, I feel to go mad!"

Emeraude kept silent; she lowered her eyes on her own hands: she was thinking. After some minute, she said:

" Try to take time, asks our father to postpone the announcement of few moon: after all he could do it the sun before the wedding too. For what concerns thy beloved, try to read in her heart if she exchanges thy love; but above all don't speak about this with Arosa: thou don't know how she could react."

Ferio embraced his sister and peeked her cheek; he then got up and said getting out:

" Thanks sister: I run to our father!"

" Ferio, waits: thou hadn't told me her name!"

Ferio reached his parents' tend: Countess Alcyone and Arosa had just finished a talk with the King. The three looked each other and greeted with a small nod. Ferio was announced: his father was reading some documents.

" Ah, Ferio: thou have come in the right moment."

" Father, I would want to... "

" I have just stopped talking with Countess Alcyone and Arosa: a Countess' sister is ill and their must go back at Varnesh to take care of her. The Countess has asked me if I could postpone the engagement's announcement: if her sister's illness is serious, it isn't proper to celebrate. I have replied that I would have spoken with thou before take a decision: what do thou wish do?"

Ferio watched amazed his father: now he was sure, he had the gods' favor.

" For how much time will they be away?"

" The necessary time: we could be forced to postpone the wedding in case of mourning and wait other eighteen moons. In this case thou should wait more than two winters to marry Arosa."

Two winters: in two winters Ferio could know deeply Fuu and perhaps too...

" What a coincidence!" Ferio exclaimed " I too had come to ask thee to postpone the announcement: I don't have... end some business within today, which I should have given up after the engagement; and so..."

" Ferio Ferio...." The father said shaking his head" thou art incorrigible: Arosa is a pleasant woman, why do thou run after the maids? However I have understood: we will wait Arosa'a return from Varnesh to announce thy engagement."

" Thanks: thou art the better father in the world!"

" Don't flatter me Ferio; try somewhat to leave those girls."