Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series

I groan as I hear my alarm going off. Its loud, droning beeping makes me want to simply fire a blast of magic at it and just go back to sleep. But then again…it’s my only phone, and it's filled with so much. Not to mention I can’t replace it.

I sigh, rolling out of bed and walk over to my desk and shut it off. I stretch my arms and back, feeling my muscles burn once more with life.

Yesterday was intense without measure aside from any time since fleeing home. The immense level of training I went through definitely left its mark on me. My entire body ached from exerting so much of my magic and having to keep it at that insane level for so long.

So what’s my plan for the day? Heh, why running through the forest of course. I grin as I quickly get ready, slipping on my training clothes.

I then step over to the mirror and look over myself, quickly braiding my hair. I laugh to myself at how normal this has become for me. To simply wake up and go about my life as though all of this was normal to me. I sigh softly, wondering if I’m starting to lose hope and accepting that I’m here forever or that I will forget that this isn’t my era.

I bite hard the inside of my mouth as I shake my head, pushing those thoughts from me. I just have to shrug it off for now. I lean back against a bed post. I do trust Serasfall, I trust her completely. When she said she found a hint of a clue, it made my heart spike for but a moment. It might be just a dead end, meaning back to square one.

I smile softly, feeling my cheeks burn. She really has become like a mother to me, with even her tone feeling even more so towards me. I still can’t push myself to cross that final barrier, not sure if I ever will.

My smile does stretch into a grin, thinking what Kateryna told me. In how Serasfall what make it to where I would be a part of this family within a week. She wasn’t wrong. I tilt my head as I wonder why I haven’t seen them since that first day. Maybe they rotated between here and the residence? I don’t know.

In any case, I just have to put off worrying of it for now.

I pan over to see Fenris sitting by the door. His stoic demeanor belies his anxiousness to get out and run with me. I smile, summoning my boots and putting them on. I finally push away from my bed and head out the door, with my bonded walking beside me.

As we head down the corridor I peer over to him. “You doing okay here, Papa Wolf?” I whisper.

He slows down for moment so that he can look me in the eye. “I am fine, little Aria,” he says. “However, I worry more for you. I have seen you fret over many things, concerned if we are able to return to our time.”

I nod, reaching up and stroking him.

He smiles, nuzzling my face, “Remain strong, daughter, never lose hope.”

I smile, clinging to him, “Thanks, Fenris.”

He leans in and licks my face, causing me to giggle. We each have things that have helped during our time here. I have Celes and Serasfall, while Fenris has Athena. Both factors have been amazing for us. So he’s right, I need to remain hopeful.

We soon pass by a pair of servants, who turn and bow to us. “Good morning, Lady Aria, Master Fenris,” they say in unison.

I smile, “Good morning.”

I often wonder if I should ever help out around the manor or even the estate. But then again, I remember this is a completely different era with a different set of rules. So no dice. I sigh quietly to myself as we move on.

We exit out into the training courtyard.

The sky is now awash with whites and blues as the sun begins to rise in the east. The courtyard is still shielded by the manor itself, with it casting a large shadow which extends far even into towards the forest. This gives the yard a dark, bluish hue while the white stone pillars are now a more pearlescent tone. I will always love this time in the morning, no matter where I am.

Fenris and I hop down the yard and head towards the forest. For the moment, it’s quiet and void of people. Sometimes I really do enjoy having a place to myself, if only for a brief time. I feel the wind as it blows through the yard, hearing the trees sway against it. I smile, feeling truly at peace.

We stop just before the path leading down into the forest. Fenris heads towards the entrance while I begin to stretch out my body once more. I groan with each stretch, feeling the last tense muscles come loose.

“Good morning, Lady Aria.”

I turn to see Piotr walking towards me. I smile, slowly standing up. “Good morning to you as well, Piotr.”

A large smile stretches across his face as he bows. “I hope you are doing well this fine morning.”

I roll my shoulders, feeling them pop. “I am. Fenris and I were about to head out into the forest.”

He bows to Fenris and then turns to me, smiling, “A fox of Shyair truly is at home in the forests of Murvol.” He then winks, “Whether they be human or not.”

I smirk. The smooth charm of this guy is evident and admittedly appealing. I still think he’s cute, despite being older than me. He’s definitely younger than Savero and Drakon, with the former now my brother. The latter…ugh, don’t want to think about him.

Part of his comment sticks with me. The knights know I’m a kitsune, and Serasfall did tell them to treat as part of the family, part…to be called a “fox of Shyair”. Does he know?

“Will you be training with us today?” he asks. “If you were to decline, given how strenuous your session yesterday was, no one would blame you.”

I smile, rocking slightly on my heels. “I might have to think about that.”

He bows his head, “Of course, my Lady.” He looks to me, “I was thinking of going into the city. If you were to go with me, I could act as your personal guard.”

I peer up at him. Yep…I think this is his way of possibly asking me out on a date. Any other girl in my position would instantly say yes. The man is a freaking knight, girls still go crazy over that kind of thing.

I glance over to see that we’re beginning to draw a bit of a crowd. The gathering knights all seem to be smiling broadly as they watch. I wonder if any of them are thinking we might be a good match. If the circumstances were different then perhaps.

I sigh, “I must decline at this time.” The truth is that I can’t. Kenji is waiting for me. I really don’t want to play with Piotr’s heart. I don’t lead him on, or even passively flirt with him.

He bows slightly, “I understand, my Lady.”

I smile to him. He is still a good friend, and I have a blast during our training sessions. However, the idea of him escorting me through the city could be fun. Heh, still the romantic dreamer. But that too might also create issues for me.

I look over to Fenris who’s been watching us the entire time. I reach over and begin to scratch his fur. I smile to him.

Piotr smiles, still standing there.

I smile back to the knight, “I have to go. Wait for me.”

His smile grows as he bows his head, “I shall, my Lady. Always eager to train with you.”

I grin and turn, head out into the forest.

The skies above are deep and gray, feeling as though a storm might be rolling in. This is good weather to be running in. I leap from tree to tree as we pass through the forest. I smile as I land onto the ground, following the beaten path around the estate. It’s not quite the same as back home, namely the lack of dryads rustling through the underbrush or harpies flying overhead while on patrol.

Even without those familiar comforts, there are some similar traits that feel more like home. The rustling trees as they sway in the wind, watching as their sprouting leaves dance against the graying sky. I hear the chirping of birds and beating of wings as they fly from their nests. I look around, catching far off glimpses of deer grazing along the few level sections of the forest.

In spite of my fears and worries, this has truly become my home, and I love it here. The forests have always been a refuge to me, no matter where I am. Being more in nature and away from civilization is better in my opinion.

I peer over to Fenris as my run continues, smiling to him.

He peers over to me, “You were enjoying yourself, little Aria. But take care not to delve beyond your heart, or play with his.”

I nod, “I know, Papa Wolf. I’m trying not to shatter his, for I know where mine is.”

And that’s the truth. I gave my heart to Kenji, feeling his love through our kisses and time together. Whenever I was with him, my heart would shoot into my throat, or would beat heavily against my chest.

Everyone back in the village often said our being together felt right. I have to agree with them. From our first meeting, to our first date and onwards, it felt like he is the one for me.

I blush, still thinking of every fantasy I have about him, starting a family, living in the village, raising our children. Even the idea of our wedding plays through my mind. His own mother spoke of me wearing a wedding kimono. My face shoots a deep burning red as the image of me wearing it enters my mind. A stark white multilayer kimono with a hood and nine flowing pinkish-blonde tails swishing along the ground.

I shake my head, trying to push away those thoughts and dreams for now.

Fenris nods to me, “I will still watch the young knight.”

“As a good father should,” I reply smirking.

He huffs and swats my butt with his tail, “That I am, my daughter.”

I giggle.

We soon come close towards the main stairs. I veer off slightly and find a tree and lean up against it. My usual routine for running involved several laps around the estate. Each lap measured roughly a mile and we are on lap three.

This is yet another good reason why I will forever choose to run early in the morning. Granted it’s about sevenish and I’ve clocked my laps being at least ten to fifteen minutes apiece. Twenty if I want to go slow.

I rest my head up against the trunk and gaze out onto the forest beyond. The trees and leaves seem to glisten as a gentle breeze blows through the forest, causing some of the morning dew to roll off and fall to the ground.

I smile, seeing the far off lake. I still would love to venture there, not sure why I haven’t yet. The entire forest belongs to the house of Shyair, which stretches for miles in every direction. I peer through the canopy and see the aqueducts snake their way through the incredibly tall trees. Their white stony arches almost appear distant yet close by.

I look down, seeing the second level landing clearly. I must be at least forty or fifty yards from it. I smile softly, seeing the tiered flower beds below. Even from this distance, I can see the Senacia flowers, bluish-white with four to five petals with purple stamens at its heart.

Since my time here, they’ve quickly become my favorites. I even took a sample and pressed into a book containing other botanical samples from all over the city.

This truly is home, a fantasy made real and I love it all. The magic of the forest is welcoming and calm, almost attuned to me. It's similar the leyline back home, only different.

Fenris sits beside me on my left, his towering mass of dark fur waves in the breeze, shimmering softly despite the low light. I reach over and stroke him, feeling his soft fur as I take my fingers through it. He stares out stoically, looking more and more majestic.

The sound of approaching footsteps echo into my ear. They’re heavy yet slight, almost like a hunter. I peer over to see Norick walking towards us from the steps. I smile to him.

He bows and smiles to me, “Good morning, Lady Aria, Master Fenris.”

“Hey Norick,” I reply, tilting my head towards him. “I see you’re here today. Hope your students aren’t giving you too much trouble.”

He grins, “Not at all, my Lady. I do love teaching, but I long for my days here more than anything.”

Norick, while being one of the leaders of the knights, also teaches at one of the schools here in the city. His subjects range from not only the obvious archery, but also mathematics. Well, if you’re going to be an archer, it helps to know how to calculate distances. I personally wouldn’t mind learning under him.

He smiles, “I saw your discourse with Piotr.” I smile softly. He nods, “He is a fine young man, honorable and faithful.”

Heh, I think he’s trying to play matchmaker. A for effort, and I do appreciate it.

He then grins, “However, I know he is fighting a losing battle.”

I giggle, looking up towards the manor, he’s right on that point. “That’s very true,” I reply.

“Is it because you have someone waiting for you in the future, my Lady?” he asks. “Or should I call you, ‘little princess’?”

I quickly look to him in shock, feeling my heart racing within my chest. I glance over to Fenris who tilts his head slightly. I turn back to the knight, “You…you know?”

He smiles even more, “It wasn’t hard to deduce that you are a descendant of the house, given your mannerisms, vernacular, and even the sight of your devices around the manor.”

I gulp softly. I guess I’ve had my phone and camera out a bit too much lately.

He chuckles lightly, “Granted, it took us a couple weeks to be sure. That and your eyes were a clear giveaway.”

I cling softly to the tree. “So…you’re saying the other knights know then?” I ask slowly.

He nods, “That they do, Your Highness.”

I sigh, beating my head against the tree. I roll my gaze over to him, “'Lady Aria' will do.”

He smiles, “As you wish, my Lady. As for the matter of Piotr, I will allow you to handle him, given how you are the target of his affections.”

My cheeks burn softly as I nod. Well…that’s great. At least I don’t have to tiptoe around more people. Still wondering if they talked to Orga and Kateryna about me. This also makes what Piotr said makes sense. Heh, well…I am a fox of Shyair, a daughter of this house, and I love its people.

The birds then suddenly stop singing, with the trees going eerily silent. I tilt my head, thinking it’s odd as I look up. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Something is nearby, something that shouldn’t be here. I hear Fenris shuffling as he stands, fur bristling. His tails swish softly yet appear to be agitated

My eyes scan the forest until the rest upon the second level landing. I tilt my head as I see the figure of a man standing at its center.

I look to Norick. “Do we normally have people come here this early in the morning?”

He crouches down, kneeling beside me. “No, my Lady. No one, outside of the great houses or our friends and allies, is allowed to come this far without prior notice. Even still, they would have at the very least passed by the guards stationed near the borders to our lands.”

I nod.

“Even if someone did manage to slip past the guards,” he continues, “they would never come to the second level gardens. I would think they would attempt to avoid coming near us.”

I crouch down, trying to get a better view of the man. My eyes transform into my kitsune eyes, seeing a slightly clearer image of him, but not enough to see him perfectly. I feel something emanating from him, a wrongness, something that’s just plain off.

“We need to capture and interrogate the man,” says Norick as he summons his bow. It’s broader along the limbs, looking more bladed with some feathering at the edges. The top and bottom of the grip look like silver diamond shapes. At its core is a deep blue crystal, the telltale sign of Shyair weaponry.

I nod to him, looking around, “We’ll need to encircle him. Fenris take the right, I’ll go left.” I peer to Norick, “Cover us with your bow. I’ll motion when it’s time to move in.”

“Yes, my Lady,” says Norick.

Fenris nods and disappears into the forest.

The knight then looks to me, “Do you have a weapon?”

I reach back, instinctively reaching for my bokken, then remembering that I left of back in my room. I swear under my breath, then looking to him. “I don’t.”

He nods and draws a small dagger and hands it to me.

I nod and take it, “Thank you.” I then turn and disappear into the forest.

It takes me less than a moment to get into a good position. I look over, still seeing Norick, poised and ready. I peer back towards the gardens. I point down, motioning Fenris and Norick to move in. We slowly creep forward, moving silently through the trees.

Once we’re close enough, I look over and motion everyone again. We burst out of the trees, quickly landing on the stoop, only to find no one. We look around, with Fenris sniff the stone tiling. Yet…there’s nothing.

“We couldn’t have miss him,” says Norick. “We could not have been less than ten meters away.”

Fenris walks around the landing, his head raised as he sniffs the air. The fur on his back ruffles and bristles, an obvious sign of frustration. He then let out an annoyed gruff, tails swishing against the tiles.

I walk over to where the man was standing, feeling a faint trace of something, something familiar. I kneel down and swipe my hand over the tiles. My head tilts, sending a pulse of kitsune-bi into them. The surface flares for a moment, sparking a faint hue of deep darkness, only to crackle and burn away.

Whatever was here, it wasn’t natural. Yet…I know I’ve felt this before. Kitsune-bi is the supreme fire of the spirit, and it reacts to anything in opposition to it. Yet this reaction is strange, veiled.

I again peer around the landing. “We did actually see that man here right?” I ask.

“That we did, my Lady,” replies Norick. I stand up and walk over the railings, scanning around the forest and tiled paths. Again…nothing.

“I will have to inform Her Grace of this,” he adds, sheathing his bow. “Perhaps increasing security, if not subtly.”

I nod, again stretching out my senses, trying to find anything, yet nothing is there. A wraith or even a spirit would leave traces. I could perform a few Shinto or Celtic spirit chants in order to locate something, yet I don’t think anything will come of it.

“We should return to the manor,” says Norick.

I nod and stand, walking over to him. I smile, handing him back his dagger. He nods and quickly sheathes it. Fenris steps beside me, nose still sniffing the air. He huffs as we start to head back up the stairs.

I again look around, starting to wonder if this could be related to the other times I’ve seen strange men around the citadel.