Champions of the Summer Rose: An Aldean's Adventure: Chapter One: First Love

Antigone pondered the question, gently swirling the glass of wine in her hand. Usually the kind of questions asked at these parties were vapid, or incredibly boring, but apparently tonight's fare was going to stretch her ability to make this situation sound... normal. 

Finally, she landed on, "He was a servant. He bought his freedom recently and I haven't seen him since." 

Between a few scandalized gasps and masked giggles, she was particularly thankful for her dark complexion as it hid the angry flush that heated her face, making her own laughter and smile seem more genuine. 

He had been so much more than that... but it was the only way for now. 

The half-siren almost literally landed in her lap when she was ten, forced out of the sky by a sudden downburst... scared her parents half to death, since they were in the middle of a field study at the time, and they were in no way prepared to treat all of his injuries. Still, they did their best, and the most life-threatening parts were healed, at the expense of a couple of months of research. 

Unfortunately, without the aid of magic, he would never fly again. 

Once he woke, however, there were several questions. 

The Cretin - an off-putting title, but young Antigone took it to heart and decided it was definitely his actual name - knew strikingly little about himself or where he came from. He just knew that his former... family? employers? had taken care of him for as long as he could remember, teaching him how to sing, dance, and entertain guests in exchange for food, clothing, and affection. Essentially raised as a pet as opposed to a person, he didn't know how to read, write, do math... but he was empathetic, charming, and well-socialized; all things Antigone struggled with, being raised as an only child. 

The pair became close companions - inseparable to the point that, when Antigone's grandparents finally came to retrieve their daughter, Cretin was quick to lie and call himself their servant so he wouldn't lose them. He even managed to follow her to finishing school as her valet, seeing her all the way to her societal debut before... 

She remembered the night well. Her heart ached even now. Cretin came to her, a box full of money in his hands. He'd been distant in the time leading up to that moment, spending as little time with her as he physically could, it seemed... and he explained that he'd been working odd jobs in a bid to publically buy his freedom, his eyes shining as he proclaimed he'd even saved enough to buy two tickets to return to the islands... to go home. 

And he wanted to bring her with him. 

...

Her wine rippled as a tear fell into her glass, and she quickly took her leave to a balcony where she could recompose herself. 

Could have... should have... but leaving her parents alone... isolated from each other by her mother's family... She was the only go-between they had... and if she was leaving Aldis, they were all leaving together. 

At least he sent letters. Apparently, rather than boarding the boat immediately, he was traveling around the continent, doing odd jobs, using the writing skills her family taught him so many years ago to weave her stories about the people he met along the way. 

Perhaps... there was a twinge of jealousy in her. But she always looked forward to those letters. 

Taking a deep breath, she adjusted the empty sleeve of her dress and wiped her face. Maybe one day, everything could go back to how it was. 

One day...