Chapter 423: The Chosen One (1)
Chapter 423: The Chosen One (1)
Note: From here, the story will be told in Alphonse's POV. This is the official start of his story.
I asked my twin sister Aerith for a dance, and she much obliged. I extended my hand and she put her on mine. I escorted her towards the center of the dance floor and held her in a position for us to start dancing.
"Be nice, okay?" Aerith gave me a serious knowing look. I cannot help but chuckle.
"Pfft…" I tried to prevent my laughter from going out. "Do not worry, I will not do anything to embarrass you in front of so many people."
In our every dance lesson, because Aerith was ahead of me in that area I always do pranks on her that sometimes made her furious. She is such a good dancer that I was able to improve my dancing skills significantly.
We started to sway with the music at the center of the dance floor. I can feel all eyes are upon eyes, staring at the two of us intently. I can feel the tension to do better and not making any mistakes.
"Do not be so stiff." Aerith whispered to me. "You are doing great. I can see that you have improved significantly."
"I may be behind you in dance lessons, but I still do good by practicing." I smiled at my twin sister. "And it is thanks to you that I am dancing better. It is like you are the one leading."
"Well, for now I am not that confident with your dancing skills. Hehe." Aerith giggled. "But I am sure that you will improve even more. So that when the time comes, you will not embarrass yourself when you ask your significant person to dance." She smiled teasingly and her eyesight fell on a specific person.
I saw Thalia standing by her parent's side. She was wearing a cute baby blue dress that complimented her fiery red hair. I blushed seeing how cute she was.
"I can see that my twin brother has a crush." Aerith teased and I blushed even more.
"I-It is not like that." I tried to reason out. "I-It is just that… she is just too cute." I said with embarrassment.
"Well that is true." Aerith agreed. "Well, having a crush is not a bad thing. You also know who my crush is, so we are quits." She grinned.
I have already known that Aerith has a long time crush with Philip. Sine we are little, she has been glued to him. We siblings are very fond of Philip, but Aerith has an adoration to him that is beyond just fondness.
"Yes, I know who you have a crush on." I smiled. "Heck, it really is not a secret at all." I chuckled.
"I hope someday he would also notice it." Aerith said with dreamy eyes. "Just imagine him being my one and only personal knight who will stand by my side like father did to mother."
The love story between my imperial parents is an open book. They have such a great love story that the whole empire knows of it.
"Well I doubt that he is such a romantic." I teased my twin sister.
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Truthfully, I cannot see even a spec of any romantic bone in Philip's body. He was more focused on his goals to be a fully fledged knight of the empire.
"Hmph,
"I am sure you will." I said with a smile. "Suitors will line up just to court you, and of course I will be there to assess them all. Only those that pass my expectations can court you." I had a feeling of irritation just by thinking of men trying to woo my twin sister in courtship.
"I am not so keen in taking any suitors, Al. You know I only have one man I have set my eyes upon." Aerith said.
"Hehe, then good luck with that." I teased.
The music played around us as we danced around the dance floor. Time passed by so quickly that in a blink of an eye, we are dancing in our eighteenth birthday party.
Aerith and I have grown up to be striking images of our parents. Aerith had my mother's long platinum blonde hair flowing down her shoulders, her eyes were the blue sapphires from my father's. I on the other hand had my long hair cut short again. The black pigment of my hair color has gone back, with some silver streaks here and there. My eyes were the silver eyes that came from my mother's.
My body has fully grown into a young man's body. I have well toned muscled that I came to have in training every day. I have grown taller, even taller than my father a wee bit. Aerith on the other hand had a well curved body. She had the beauty of our mother, and like I have predicted suitors are lining up and courting her.
"Looks like your suitors are eager to have a dance with you, twin sister." I teased. My voice was now low and deep, what a typical young man's voice is meant to be.
"Hah, and I am thinking of reasons to decline them." Aerith sighed. "I am happy that you asked me for a dance, twin brother. I am sure you would have wanted to dance with a beautiful someone." She teased back at me.
Like us, our friends and family have grown up. Leonhart has grown to be a fine young lad, while the twins Deimos and Aliyah were now a fine young man and lady. Henry is not a dashing young lad and Thalia was the most beautiful young maiden I have ever seen that has stolen my heart.
The four sacred beasts had each instructed their new masters, preparing us for what the future may have instore for us. All of us had grown to be much more powerful than we have ever been, getting ready on what is to come.
"Look who is talking." I chuckled. "I bet you would have wanted to dance with Philip rather than me." I teased back.
Philip was now a full fledged knight. He had climbed the ranks and is now vice captain of the imperial knights, next to Sir William. He has also become my twin sister's personal knight as she has so wished. I thought that juggling the two positions would be hard for Philip, but he has managed to do well. Inside the palace, he is the vice captain of the imperial knights and when Aerith goes out he becomes her personal knight that is always by her side to ensure her safety. Well, either of the two positions, Philip is not far away from Aerith which is what my twin sister wants.
"Hmph, he is on guard duty today of all days." Aerith pouted her lips in irritation. "I had asked him to become my escort tonight in my coming of age ceremony, but he declined saying he is not worthy of such a position."
"Well, he is very strict in his position as a knight." I replied. "Do not worry, you still have me as your escort." I smiled.
"Yes, I know you always have my back, Al." Aerith smiled back. "Do not worry, if you do not have a partner on your coming of age, then I will gladly be your partner. But I doubt that, because many of the young ladies and maidens here all have their eyes on you and our little brother Leon. Who said you two should have such dashing looks?"
"Hahaha, then blame our parents for our looks." I laughed out.
My parents have harmoniously ruled the empire side by side. They may have aged but there love for each other never diminished even a bit. In fact, it seems like they love each other more every passing day.
"Yeah, well our genes are really to blame for this." Aerith sighed.
When the music stopped, Aerith and I bowed down to each other and I escorted her back to where my parents and brother Leonhart are. It is time to announce the coming of age of my dear twin sister Aerith. This was the time where she can officially accept suitors that are vying for her affection.
Well even though she has not yet come of age, some had showed their adoration towards her making her irritated because of the added attention towards her. Many gifts have been given to her such as bouquets of flowers, bolts of expensive fabric, jewelry, expensive perfumes and the so many more. I for one had been given many things such as embroidered handkerchiefs, tassels. And many others by young ladies and maidens of the empire. It may be suffocating to be flooded with such adoration.
"Thank you for coming here today." My imperial father started. "We are here to celebrate my twin's eighteenth birthday, a day that they have now stood at the adults world. Not only that, today is my daughter's coming of age ceremony." He gestured Aerith to come near.
"My only daughter Aerith, the first princes of the Astley Empire, is now a full fledged young woman." My imperial father announced. "Anyone who is vying for my daughter's hand in marriage is welcome to try their luck. But I warn you, it will not be an easy task." He said with a tone that can strike fear into the hearts of those suitor candidates. I smiled feeling very satisfied with my father's words.
"Let us cheers to this special night." My imperial mother said. "Let us continue the festivities while the night is still young."
We lifted up our glass of wine and the guests followed.
"Cheers to the imperial family. May they live a long and prosperous life.." The guests said. "CHEERS!"