Rivalry [Aria backstory]

[Neko]

( This is a solo RP for Aria's backstory. Please don't post unless we speak about it first :D )

"Idiot."

"Imbecile!"

"Ugly hippo horse!"

"...What kind of insult is that?"

A cool breeze rolled its way through the lands of Eyadell, carrying along with it the scent of a summer rain.  Towering over the kingdom was a castle so tall and ornate, the citizens often thought the tip would lead them to heaven.

Every piece of stone was carved with intricate detail - Every window was stained glass with a flowery design, all sporting calming shades of blue and teal. It was an obvious homage to the unique plant life that coated the sides of buildings and neighboring forests. Much of the flowers and various vegetation would glow at night, showering the city in a color similar to that of the castle's windows.

It wasn't just the castle leaving the townsfolk in awe, though. The elven royalty inside were sights to behold themselves. Just as one would expect from their race, each had a beautiful, almost ethereal glow to them. The family consisted of a handsome king, a breath taking queen, and a young pair of adorable twin sisters.

"Hmph, as if you could think of a better insult." Seya huffed, her arms crossed. The young elf's eyes narrowed as she stared down a near mirror image or herself - Her sister, Aria. Both had been blessed with long silver locks which nearly met the floor. Aria shrugged at her sister's babbling, finding herself bored with the game. "Can we do something more fun?" Aria suggested, as she gently leaned herself against the windowsill. Deep purple eyes looked over the city. Few people were treading the streets, a light rain having herded most of them indoors.

Small drops of water tapped against Aria's nose, causing her to lightly blink but still remain by the window. "I think calling you names IS pretty fun!" Seya responded, sticking her tongue out in a silly manner. Seya looked to her only moments older sister with a different set of eyes. Despite being twins, Seya's eyes were an emerald green.

"You're so immature sometimes." Aria laughed. "This is why when the time comes, I'll run things, not you." Aria stated jokingly, although a hint of seriousness could be detected in her voice.

"Ha! You're too shy, stupid! You never talk to anyone, how could you possibly rule Eyadell?" Seya argued, "I'm the only one you even openly talk to!"

Aria didn't respond. She loved her sister more than anything, but knew that with Seya's carless nature and extrovert ways, she'd run Eyadell straight into the ground.

Aria had, on several occasions, spoken with her mother in private. Aria was quiet, but smart. She knew how to hold her own, and how to speak properly when actually needed. Her mother had asked Aria if she thought she was capable of taking care of Eyadell. Aria had responded without hesitation that she wouldn't let her mother, or father, down. Even if Aria seemed cold, her heart was always in the right place.

Seya threw a small cloth at Aria, before plopping back against her bed. Aria jumped, having been focused on the city below. "....Idiot." Aria mumbled as she carefully lay beside her sister. Aria gently took hold of Seya's hand, sighing. "Seya, you know no matter what, we'll rule together. I'll make sure that whatever decisions I make, they are run by you first." Aria said quietly, closing her eyes.

"You say that as if you've already been chosen." Seya responded, glancing at her sister.

Aria said no more, instead choosing to drift off to sleep. Seya pulled her hand away, eventually falling asleep herself.

....................

[Neko]

Two years later.

It was deathly quiet at dinner that night. Only the clinking of silverware could be heard, and  at times, the tip-toeing of a maid across the dining room floor. The table was adorned with shimmering teal roses, scattered artfully around the meal. The amount of food laid out seemed as if it was a feast prepared for much more than the three sitting, unspeaking, around it.

"STUPID."

The word fired from Seya's mouth as she swiped at the glass beside her. Nobody else spoke as it shattered against the marble floors, a nearby maid scoffing at the site. Aria, having been sat beside her sister, continued to eat. Her expression was unchanging.

"You can't just do that! You can't decide that!" Seya continued to yell. "What has Aria done that I haven't?!" Her eyes seemed teary, Seya seeming to work herself up progressively more. The upset sister slammed her hands against the table, Aria's glass tipping over. Yet, still, no words were spoken by anyone else. Seya stormed out of the room, the sound of a door slamming could be heard from upstairs.

Aria sighed quietly to herself, looking at the plate in front of her. She suddenly didn't feel very hungry. "Is she...going to be ok....?" Aria asked, looking to her mother. The queen gave Aria a warm smile, placing a hand calmly over her daughter's.

"Seya will be fine. It's just us girls now, meaning if anything happens to me, it's important somebody will be there to take my place." Aria's mother said. Her voice was soothing, and always seemed to calm the young elf down.

"I promise I'll take good care of everything. I'll make sure Seya feels just as important as me." Aria replied, wiping a single tear from her eye.

"I know you will. Tomorrow we shall begin your training."

Aria nodded. She was ready - No, she had always been ready. THAT was why she had been chosen over Seya. She hoped, over time, her sister would come to understand.

.................

[Neko]

Aria's face had never been redder. It felt as if she was on fire. She knew, if this kept up for much longer, she would explode.

"N-nice to m-m..." The words simply wouldn't leave her mouth. Aria's mother sighed. "Just say it, Aria. It won't hurt, I promise." Her mother quietly encouraged. Aria nodded as she took a deep breath. "You're just talking, everything is ok..." She thought, her eyes traveling about the room. At least five people stared back at the frightened elf, all waiting patiently for her introduction. "It's nice to meet you all!" She finally blurted out. Aria held her hand out shakily. The people around her began to laugh, one of them taking Aria's hand.

"So, this is the beautiful princess Aria, I assume?" The elven man chuckled. "It is nice to meet you as well. My name is Leo Fairfei. I come from, well, basically next door!" The man's light hearted demeanor helped Aria to calm down a little as they shook hands. Aria smiled, her mother had told her to do so more often. Leo Fairfei came from the closest kingdom to them, Thelik. He was quite handsome, but, nothing special by elf standards. His hair was dark, his eyes a piercing silver.

The meeting was simply meant to re-new some of their relations, and to get Aria familiar with their allies. At this point, her mother seemed to take over - Anytime her mother had official meetings, it seemed as though she became a whole different person. She talked and sat with such confidence, Aria couldn't help but admire her. While Aria had been good at being professional in the past, she found herself being overwhelmed as the number of people she dealt with grew. But she knew, with training, she'd be as smooth talking and perfect as her mother.

As the meeting continued, Aria found herself glancing outside. She'd been stuck inside for days, learning and taking in so much information. She caught sight of Seya then, strolling the streets as if some kind of commoner. The two had spoken, quite literally, maybe a word or two since it was decided Aria would take the throne. It was as if a flip was switched in Seya. She was never home, and despite her mother's insistence that she always have some sort of guard, Seya just didn't care anymore. It was likely most didn't even recognize her on the streets, as she'd cut off her hair and seemingly joined up with some sort of gang. Aria continued to spy.

Seya was speaking with a group of men, along with a couple of scantily clad women. They were laughing, seemingly telling each other funny jokes. "Disgusting..." Aria thought. How could her sister have fallen to such a level, and so quickly? Aria had done her best to speak with Seya, but her sister simply didn't want to hear any of it.

"Uhm."

Aria quickly brought her attention back to the meeting, her mother having nudged her arm. "Thank you all again for coming. We'll be having dinner soon, if you would all follow me to the dining room."  Her mother said. "Yes, p-please make yourself at home." Aria added, flush again with embarrassment.

As the people filed out, she took a final glance out the window. Seya was staring right back, their eyes connecting. Anger. Aria could feel it seeping into her soul. She quickly looked away, opting to follow the final guest out the door.

.................

[Neko]

"Hey, wake up, stupid!"

"Hmm itslatewhatdoyouwant....." A half asleep Aria responded to the voice, not registering who it was at first. Her voice came out in an unintelligible mumble.

"Just wake up, dummy."

Aria quickly perked up as she realized it was Seya. Her sister had been ignoring her for months, and for her to be using full sentences to speak to her, well...Aria was a little more than surprised. "What is it Seya? Are you ok?" Aria questioned, quickly sitting up and finding her sister sitting at the edge of her bed. There were no lit candles in the room, their only light source the moonlight peaking through the curtains. Their was still the scent of rain in the air, but it looked as if the night was clear.

"Calm down, I'm fine." Seya ensured, "But, I need you to get dressed."

Aria looked at her sister with a puzzled expression. It was the middle of the night, never had she gone out at such an hour. "What are you talking about?  You know I have classes in the morning." Aria told her, a bit disgruntled.  Seya laughed as she made her way over to Aria's dresser, pulling out some clothes and tossing them at her sister. "Come on! We're going out together. You've been wanting to talk, and I'm ready to talk. But, we're going to do it somewhere fun. Ok?" Seya said with a grin. Aria looked at the clothes in her lap with uncertainty. Her sister had chosen a short red dress for her, along with a pair of old knee high boots  - Something she generally avoided wearing.

"You...promise we can talk then?" Aria asked. "Yeah, yeah, like I said! Put that on lets go!" Seya urged. "I've got friends waiting."

Aria reluctantly did as her sister asked. Even though it was hard to see, her eyes had adjusted enough to get a better look at Seya. Her once incredibly long hair was to her shoulders. Her face looked tired, likely from being out every night. It was caked in makeup. Which, to Aria, seemed unnecessary, her sister was gorgeous without it.

"Ready?!" Seya asked excitedly. Aria couldn't help but crack a smile, it was the first time in so long her sister seemed excited to be around her at all. "I think so..." Aria replied, looking herself over. She remembered why she had avoided wearing the garment in the first place, finding it fit to her form a bit tighter than she would have liked. If it wasn't for the fact that she wanted to reconnect with her sister, there was no way she'd be heading out so late...on top of that, it would require sneaking around, not just waltzing out the front door. Luckily, they had done so before when they were little, and Aria was well aware of the secret passages.

"Alright, idiot. Lead the way." Aria teased. "Tch." Seya rolled her eyes before making her way out of the room.

............

[Neko]

"Ah....ACHOO!" Aria wiped her nose with her forearm, clouds of dust swirling around the sisters as they crawled through the passages. "Do you do this every night....?" Aria questioned. Seya laughed at her sister's concern. "We used to do this all the time, don't you remember?" Seya said back as she reached for a hatch above them. Aria nodded.

She could still see it clearly, the dust and cobwebs bringing back fond memories. Although she'd normally never do so now, when they were younger, it was common practice to sneak out for fun. Of course, the passages were disgusting, being a place not even the maids would visit. "Here we go..." A click could be heard as Seya undid the lock, moonlight washing over the two. Seya climbed the small ladder out, Aria following close behind.

The field around them was lit from head to toe with teal roses. Small, glowing white bugs bounced about, helping to illuminate the already bright scenery. Aria closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the cool air, and fresh, flowery scent. She missed being outside. "Hey! Don't just stand around stupid! We've got places to be, and people to see!" Seya called from further into the field. "A-ah, sorry." Aria apologized as she jogged after her sister.

The two trekked along quietly, Aria wanted to say so many things to Seya, but was afraid she'd be scared off if she bombarded her with a lecture right away. Not just that, but Aria had begun to recall the kind of people she'd seen her sister around recently. They didn't exactly appear to be the friendly types.

"Um...What are your friends like?" Aria asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Oh, they're cool. A lot cooler than people at the castle, anyway." Seya told her.

"Are you sure we...can't just...talk alone...? I don't feel good about this."

Seya stopped walking. She didn't say anything at first, but turned to Aria a moment later with a big smile.

"Hey! I told you, if you want to talk, we have to do things MY way. Remember how you said we'd rule together? Well, consider this an important meeting, a meeting I put together. Hey, maybe it could even be practice, we both know how you act around big groups." Seya told her, before continuing forward and gesturing for Aria to follow.

Aria was hesitant, but went along anyway. She was determined to win Seya back no matter what, even if it meant going out of her comfort zone.

It wasn't long before they reached an inner part of the city. The further they went, the darker, less lit the areas were. It didn't surprise Aria her sister had been hanging out in such a slum, but it was still uncomfortable being around it. While Aria didn't know the people personally, she knew OF them, and was well aware of their thieving and immoral ways. Aria had gone completely quiet, not wanting to speak out of fear of drawing attention to herself, or Seya. "Here we are, sis!" Seya said cheerfully, Aria's eyes looking past her sister to what looked to be a tavern. Everything around them was dark, besides the light coming from inside their apparent destination.

The tavern was dimly lit, and despite how quiet it had been, a fair amount of people were inside. A few mumbles could be heard here and there, but no loud chatter. It was easy to see right away, a fair variety of races sat around the bar.  Eyadell was, for the most part, an elven only city. But, there were a few exceptions, and often times they'd meet in bars like this in hopes of finding people like themselves. But, seeing as they'd chosen a bar in the slums, Aria couldn't help but make the assumption they weren't the best of people, regardless of race.

As the sisters moved farther in, Aria couldn't help but notice many of the eyes had turned their attention to them. "Are these...your friends?" Aria asked, her words incredibly quiet. Aria had gotten close to Seya, taking her sister's arm out of reflex and fear. Rather than respond to Aria, Seya threw her free arm into the air. "Hey guys! Why so glum? Lets have some fun, and drink!" Seya shouted. A few people laughed, others began to approach. "Welcome back, princess. What can I get cha'?" A short, chubby man asked. He looked to be some form of gnome, his nose so large Aria couldn't help but stare. "Is this the sister you been talkin' bout'?" He asked, peaking around Seya to get a better look at the cowering Aria. "Yeah, this is Aria. Nice to see you Dorhim! Don't mind her, a few drinks and she should loosen up I'm sure. Also, what did I say about calling me princess? I'm the queen!" Seya began to laugh, as did various people around them. It seemed as if the moment Seya had spoken, the place lightened up.

"Wait...drinks? Seya, I can't do that...I've...never even had alcohol before..." Aria whispered to her sister with a look of grave concern.

"Get us some beers, will ya?" Seya said to her gnome friend.

"Seya, are you listening to me?" Aria whispered again, shaking her sister's arm.

"Oh my gosh, lighten up, Aria!! This is going to be FUN. We're going to have FUN. Ok?" Aria went quiet, getting the feeling Seya was becoming annoyed by her constant words of concern. Seya shook Aria off her arm, the gnome having returned with drinks in hand.

"Would you look at that! Princess Aria! I'm so glad we could meet again!" Aria perked up at the words, the voice incredibly familiar. She spun around to find the prince from before, Leo Fairfei. Aria didn't speak at first, mostly just shocked to find him in such a place. "P-prince. What are you doing here...?" Aria questioned, the surprise evident on her face. Leo laughed, before giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Not sure if you heard during our little meeting, but Thelik is pretty big in the trading game! Especially between our kingdoms. I like to check out the smaller, less known places as I travel around. You meet the most interesting people! I'm a deal maker, as well. Getting to know small places like this and working with them can make a big difference!" He explained. Aria smiled a little. Just as before, his incredibly friendly nature calming her a bit. Seya rolled her eyes, seemingly not impressed with Leo's speech.

"Alright, stupid, take a sip!" Seya said as she shoved one of the beers she'd been holding at Aria. Aria took hold of it, but as usual, hesitated. It seemed as if the room had gone quiet, all eyes on Aria as they waited for her to take a sip. She glanced about nervously, her hands beginning to shake a bit. "Go on!" Seya urged, pushing the mug up toward her mouth. Aria closed her eyes as she took a big gulp, some of the beer running down her chin. Everyone immediately began to chant Aria's name, the entire tavern clapping and laughing.

...................

[Neko]

"Here, have another!" Seya offered Aria her 7th beer, the two sitting at one of the worn down tables. "I....yew fink? *hic*." Aria responded, the world around her spinning. Aria leaned back against her chair, her head drooping back, her silver locks grazing the floor boards. Seya slid the drink across the table, the cup stopping just before the edge. Aria flopped forward again, her hand reaching for the drink but missing. "Ahh, I dun know iff..I can anymure." Aria's words were slurred, her eyes cloudy. Although no longer able to stand on her own, or even speak properly, Aria felt warm and comfortable. It had been a while since she'd felt so calm, the alcohol completely taking over. "I'm sho...I, I'mm sho shorry I...Yew wur righ, thish ish fun." Aria said as she continued trying to get a safe grip on her beverage. Seya leaned back, crossing her arms. She propped her feet on the table with a sigh.

"I'm ready to talk now." Seya said.

"O-oh! Yew...yeah okai." Aria gave up on the drink, her body too numb to respond properly. Had Seya just said she was ready to talk? She wasn't sure.

"But, I want to do the talking." Seya had taken on a serious tone. Aria listened quietly, finding it hard to focus.

"You already know why I'm upset. We don't have to go over that." Seya began. Aria could hear someone approach from behind her chair and stop, but she paid it little mind.

"These past few months, I started to wonder...What should I be doing? While you're taking classes, training to be queen...Was I to just wait around and watch? You, of everyone, knew how much getting the crown meant to me, Aria. I felt so lost for a little there." Seya took Aria's drink back, taking a big gulp herself instead.

"But, my friends made me realize a few things. You and mother talk so badly of the slums, but these people are smart. They know how to make things happen, things that regular people can't do!" Seya pushed the remainder of her drink to the side, pulled her feet from the table, and leaned forward, her eyes connecting with Aria's. Her drunken sister blinked slowly.

"I always call you stupid, because you are. You're naive, you think you're better than me. You seem to think using words can solve any problem, but I believe actions are what make the difference. And, you know what? Tonight I'm taking those actions." Aria's brow furrowed as she tried to decipher what exactly Seya was going on about. Actions over words...?

"Cam we go ome now plsh. My tummy kind uf herts..." Aria whined as she rubbed her belly.

"So, stuuuupid!!!" Seya responded. She waved her hand about as if gesturing for someone to come closer.

"Alright, up we go!" A voice chimed in. Aria was confused as someone carefully pulled her up from the chair, guiding her by her arm. "A-ah prince Leo, wah ish goin'...on..?" She asked, stumbling along as he guided her across the tavern. He didn't respond as they continued toward the back, eventually making it to the taverns rear entrance. Aria tried glancing back at Seya, but found it made her too dizzy to do so. Nobody else had seemed to pay what was happening any mind, everyone continuing to chatter among themselves.

"....Wait.." She mumbled. A rush of cold air washed over her as Leo ushered the elf outside. It was hard for Aria to see. Just like at the front, there was little lighting in the back. Once the door was closed behind them though, her eyes began to adjust, and she could make out several other figures. One of them approached Leo, handing him what looked to be a large pouch. Aria shook her head, trying to grasp the situation, yet, it felt as if she was getting drowsier every moment. Her knees buckled, but the prince made sure she didn't fall. "Can....we go ome....now..?" Aria's words were hardly comprehensible.

"Ah!" Aria let out a gasp, Leo having pushed her forward and toward the strangers surrounding them. She knew, at this point, something was very wrong. But, no matter how hard she tried, her body didn't want to respond properly. Every blink brought her closer to unconsciousness. One of the figures took hold of Aria and spun her around.

The last thing she could remember was the feeling of rope winding tightly around her wrists and ankles.

................