Her name is Aria, a third year senior high school student. There is nothing to talk much about her. Though for her, what she loves the most is her bestfriend...her one and only bestfriend.
Aria and her bestfriend, named Cherie, only talked to each other in a dream. Every night at their dream, they talked almost about everything, their minds always connects. Aria was trying to connect to Cherie now but can’t reach her. She tried again, it failed…nothing happened.
It was very unfortunate not to say goodbye to her. She really want to talk to her bestfriend, tell her how thankful she is…and tell her…that she really wish someday that they can meet and embrace each other. But it will never happen…she cried her heart out.
Cherie, on the other hand, was sitting on a round cushioned chair facing the mirror. A young maiden was combing her long silky soft hair. Cherie yawned, she feels sleepy. She and her bestfriend, Aria, slept very late last night, and yet she misses her already. She closed her eyes then heard her name. It was Aria’s voice. She suddenly collapse, it making the young maid terrified, leaving her lying on the floor and run screaming for help.
Cherie feels that her bestfriend was in danger, tries to connect to the voice that calling her name. She was very familiar with that voice; she was talking to that voice in her dreams. She reached through her mind, in the darkness and calls her name. She didn’t know how but senses that Aria was somewhere and calling her. A light appeared and blinded her, as it grew nearer it forms an image of a hand. She holds it tight, not letting it go. A wide spark of light exploded.
“What happened?” she opened her eyes and found that she was in her bedroom and not alone, someone is holding her hand and lying on the floor too. The eyes opened, it startled her.
They both sit-up and looked at each other.
“Cherie…is that you? I am….”
“Aria!” Cherie hugged her tightly. She didn’t need to introduced herself… her voice is enough for her bestfriend to identify her.
“If this is a dream…I don’t want to wake…ever”. Cherie can’t help the tears to fall down her eyes, same with Aria. They waited for the moment that somehow and someday they can meet and hugged each other.
“You’re so beautiful, just as I thought!” Aria released and stared at Cherie.
“Is that all you can say?”
“I…I don’t know what to say…I’m out of words…I’m confused…what happened…? Cherie embraced her tightly. “But I’m happy…you’re here with me now.”
They got startled, someone bang the door; an old man enters the room. Cherie and Aria released from embracing and was shocked.
“What the world is…?” he was in great surprised that a stranger was inside his daughter’s bedroom, wearing a strange dress he never saw before. (For Aria was wearing a school uniform).
“This is insane!” Her father shouted. He was very angry.
“But Father…Aria is my friend!” Cherie defended. Her father, the King, and the household servants saw Aria in her bedroom. The Royal Guards seized her. Then Aria fainted, Cherie got scared…and ran towards her but the maids didn’t let her go near Aria.
“Friend?!” her father is losing patience. “Are you fooling me, my child? You don’t go out your room since you’re a baby…and now you’re calling her ‘friend’!”
“Aria is my friend. Father…I once went out of my room.”
“Yes…you once did…and it almost cost your life!”
Cherie remembered what happened that day, three years ago. She was bored and alone. She decided to go out her room. She was not allowed to go out her room. For the first time, everything was new and she explored.
She walked the long hallways until she reached the palace garden which was full of flowers and shrubs. Fascinated, she ran here and there at the palace garden, running after the butterflies, not aware that the people at the palace already found out she was not in her room and frantically was searching for her. They found her at the summer house at the furthest side of the palace garden, chilling and lying breathless. That fated night, between life and death, she and Aria connects for the first time.
“But that’s the truth Father…had I ever lied to you?” Cherie keeps on pleading his father. This conversation is tiring her; she’s getting difficult at breathing and getting pale too.
“Alright…” The King gave up. “She can stay.” He agreed at last.
Cherie smiled and hugged her father whom was forced to let the stranger stay to the palace as what his only daughter’s wish.
“But if….”
Cherie looked at him.
“But if she gets you in danger. There’s no forgiveness to it.” The King warned his daughter whom he loved most. The princess has a very weak body since the day she was born. They didn’t expected her to lived another day but the princess lived; he will do anything for her.
“No Father. Aria won’t do that.”
The King said no more, his daughter seems so sure of this stranger… this friend of hers which she defend so much. He knows she wont stop till she gets want she wants, it will make her weak body weaker if her heart beats just even a little faster.
Aria found herself on a wide soft bed with a canopy. She get-up and tried to remember what happened but her head hurts.
“Why I’m here? What I am doing here? ...and Cherie?” she asked herself as she looked around. The room is wide and furnished...and grand.
She saw a flock of birds passed the window. She went towards the window and open it; she smells the wind that passed her face, it smelled good and fresh. The sky was clear and many flocks enjoyed their freedom flying on the open air. She was amazed at the view below. A long wide boulevard was leading to a high gate and outside was a crowded town, smokes from chimneys are going up to the sky and was everywhere. She wants to observe the town from above and decided to climb the window sill and sit there.
“You can’t escape going through that window.” A voice startled Aria, making her lost her balance and slip her holding to the window, and fall…but she didn’t fall. “Believe me.” the voice was in front of her. The owner of the voice was not one inch away from her. He catches her from falling, her arms was around him. When she looks at his eyes, it captured her. She never had seen eyes that glare like a marble…so captivating.
“What are you doing?” the young man asked. “What are you doing?’ she repeated. “Can you now take off your hands around me?” “Can you now take off your hands around me?” “Stop repeating what I’m saying!” he shouted, it made Aria got back to herself and was embarrassed to found her arms around this man.
“I’m sorry.” she quickly pulls herself as if she touched something hot. They’re both in silence for a while.
“I heard you came from no where and was found at my sister’s room?” it was a sarcastic question.
“Sister? Then he must be…” Aria’s thought was distracted when a loud knock was heard; a young man was standing at the door.
“Pardon my rudeness, My Lord” he bowed low. “My Lady seeks the presence of the guest.
“My Lord?” Aria mumbled and looked at the young man beside her.
“Yes?” he replied instantly, expecting her to say more but she just looked at him.
Again, Aria was caught by his glaring eyes.
A loud “ehem” from the knight at the door brought her to senses.
“Excuse me!” she excused herself and rushed to the door, her cheeks were blushing, and she was embarrassed by her actions.
Driss, the young knight moved to follow her but was stopped by the prince.
“She was no where to go!” the prince said while leaving the room, making Driss confused to his actions. His young lord was acting weird since he heard about the stranger.
Prince Kliff, heir to the throne and Cherie’s brother was also confused of his behavior, he planned to interrogate and find out the truth from the stranger. He was practicing archery when a servant announced that a girl was found in the princess’ room, he immediately leave the practice with Driss whom acts as a confidant and personal servant, to investigate.
He heard the facts from his father, the King. They’re both worried for the princess’ sake. Just like his father, Kliff wants his sister to be happy more than anyone else. He pities her so much, her being stuck in her room because she wasn’t allowed to go out. Cherie was unexpectedly weak and easily gets sick. Since then, he swore to himself to protect and care for her, for the rest of his life.
While on the hallway, Prince Kliff asked the servants where the stranger is and he went there. He saw her sitting on the window sill. He thought he saw her long raven-black hair flown by the wind. And her eyes, it was also raven-black in color, just like her hair and while she looks at him…he couldn’t avoid the emptiness that shows in her eyes. He knew. Because it waswas the same emptiness in his sister's eyes.
