The aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the entire breakfast table. It was around 7 in the morning when everyone slowly started walking into the room.
"Mm! Oh, Misaii, you've really got some talent for making tea, huh?" Dad exclaimed and sat down in his chair. He took the newspaper and brought it up close to his face so he could read it. Anya walked in and sat at the table with a huge yawn.
"Misaii…" she yawned again, "Give me a black coffee, please." She began scrolling through social media.
Mom and grandma entered together and sat at the table next to each other, speaking about something. Grandpa was already out to get groceries. Finally, my great-grandpa entered.
"Misaii, get me my tea, dear." He said. His body looked frail, but his voice was still very powerful. He snatched the papers away from dad who only groaned in response, put on his glasses, and began reading the paper.
But soon enough, his newspaper got snatched away as well, as I put his cup of tea in front of him.
"Nothing beats a kadak chai, dada." I smiled warmly at him. Everyone stared at me in surprise as I kept handing out teacups to everyone.
"Moon? You-"
"Chai kadak, Baba. You want it or not?" I chuckled and handed him the glass and he took a sip, sighing in satisfaction. He looked at Misaii who was just coming out of the kitchen and said, "Misaii, truly you work wonders. This chai is amazing!"
I smiled and went over to grandma and gave her the cup, while Misaii came with the savories.
"Credit should be given where it's due, Esteban. Moon made the tea, not me."
Dad almost gasped in response while I simply gave Misaii an embarrassed look.
"Moon, I said black coffee!" Anya grumbled. I looked at dad who was smiling at Anya. I patted her shoulder and leaned closer so only she could hear me, and said, "This is a special kadak chai. Just for you! Trust me, this will work better than your black coffee and take away all the tiredness from not sleeping on time and reading fantasy books and probably texting someone special throughout the night, and-"
"OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! YES! I-I WILL, TAKE IT, MOON, GLADLY!" Anya chuckled nervously and grabbed her cup of tea, while I smirked at her.
As I went up to mom and almost put the tea on the table, mom got up. Although I was a little taken aback just like everyone else present, I remained silent. However, my great-grandpa spoke.
"Natasha. Sit down. It is rude to leave when everyone else is present," he said. Mom seemed indifferent like she was immune to every word spoken against her.
"I'm sorry, Déde. But I was surprised to see my daughter in the kitchen this early, serving everyone tea and snacks. Especially after all that she has been through in this very place, I really… didn't expect all this." Mom looked at me sternly, but I didn't look away.
"I… I think it's good that she's learning her own culture! I don't think that's a bad thing, after all…" Grandma said, smiling at me. I smiled back at her weakly.
"Is that so, Moon? Are you taking to your cultures after all? Or… is someone forcing you to do all this just to please everyone else?"
I looked up at mom. Her face showed concern, but her eyes… they wandered around the room… from me, to dad… and then finally stopped on Misaii. Misaii didn't look at mom, but clearly felt uneasy. It wasn't too difficult for me to grapple with her words and understand what she was getting at.
I sighed, and came in front of the table and set the tray that I was holding, aside.
"Dad," I spoke directly to him, "Maybe I was taking a bit too long to tell this, but… I want to stay here a little longer."
I didn't know what effect it had on others, but dad's face showed that he was proud of me. He was happy that I made the decision for myself and for everyone. Anya smiled a little too enthusiastically but immediately controlled herself under mom's gaze.
"I do want to learn about my culture. I've had previous conceptions about Hestia, and… most of them weren't that good. And if I'm being honest, Hestia has been a rough experience so far."
"Exactly, that's what I'm trying to-"
"But," I interrupted mom and continued, "I want to give it a try. Until one learns to accept what life throws at one, it is difficult to understand the reason for it all." I turned to look at Misaii, who smiled, approving my words.
"Dada, the festival is approaching. I would love to stay and know Hestia a bit more. Explore its history, its culture, and its people. Although my journey so far was… not as peaceful as I had thought it would be, I still want to give it a fair chance. For myself and for everyone."
A long silence ensued, after which, great-grandpa nodded, and said, "Hetteno-pavernio, Moon. Dare to know! If you dare to know, the deepest of secrets will unfold before your very eyes. I'm proud of you. Hestia will not be unkind to its own people, as long as they love and accept Hestia the same way. Would you love and accept Hestia like it does to you?"
The answer didn't take long enough to form in my head.
"I will, Dada."
He simply nodded and got up, leaving the table. Grandma followed him.
"Bullcrap. This is NONSENSE, Moon!" Mom came up to me and held my arms, shaking me violently. Dad got up from his chair, but one glare from mom made him stand back.
"Moon, for the LAST TIME! WHO TOLD YOU TO SAY ALL THIS?! Do you not understand your own good?! I was trying since the morning to convince your grandma to let us go, but you?- YOU RUINED IT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
Mom's screams made me burst out into tears, and I almost saw some sort of fire burning in her eyes. Anya rushed to us and moved me away from mom, while dad went to calm her down. I could still hear them fight from the other room, but I couldn't bear to stand on my feet anymore. I sunk into my chair and held my face in my hands, breaking down into tears.
"Moon!" Anya sat down next to me and hugged me as tight as she could, but I kept sobbing. Misaii stood there silently, unable to do anything, but finally brought me a glass of water.
"Drink some water, my dear. Calm down."
I was still sobbing as I looked at her through a blur of tears. Almost impulsively, I hugged her and cried even louder, but she shushed me as if I was a little child. When my crying was finally reduced to sniffling, I drank the water. Misaii still didn't speak. It was as if she was almost guilt-tripping because of the whole thing. Even Anya couldn't figure out what to do. Mom's sudden change even made her feel uncomfortable and helpless.
I calmed down once I drank the water, and I held Misaii's hand softly, not looking at her.
"It isn't your fault, Misaii. It was my decision. I don't know what made mom burst out that way but… maybe she's just concerned because of the attack. She said it herself, 'for my own good'. So… maybe it's just… that. But…" I stood up and looked at her.
"I really don't think you should blame yourself for it. No matter what mom says, you did nothing wrong, Misaii. You only told me what I wanted to know. And that's fair."
After a moment of silence, I could sense the tension slowly fading away. Although mom's words really affected me, I didn't let it make me feel bad for long.
"Haha, Gosh… now I would need a kadak chai!" I laughed. It was a bad attempt to make the situation better, but Misaii went to the kitchen to get me some tea. Thankfully, her tea made me feel a lot better. However, I had to take a nap right after that to recover from the mental pressure. Mom had changed all of a sudden and it didn't sit well with me. But every time I tried to understand her actions, I felt exhausted and weary.
When I woke up from the nap, it was already dinner time. Misaii didn't wake me up, thinking it was better if I took a good nap before coming out of my room, again. To be honest, I wasn't mad about it, but now I was really hungry.
Dinner was quick, but there wasn't as much tension as there was this morning. I felt relieved. I looked at dad, who signaled me that everything was okay. Though mom looked just the same, I wanted to hold on to dad's words, since those were really comforting. Calming down my thoughts seemed difficult at the moment, but I was sure things would get better eventually. I knew my mom. She would never get mad at me for no reason.
Night fell quick and right after a hot shower, the bed seemed more appealing to me than any hot actor in Hollywood.
"Awh yes, Gosh…" I almost moaned as I stretched on my bed. It was no doubt a long and eventful day, but hitting the bed after so long felt wonderful. I almost instantly fell asleep, and bits of my memory from the day kept coming back to me…
"My sleep was peaceful but short-lived. I woke up early and looked outside. The sun's feeble rays seemed to tease the Earth by not touching the ground completely. Leaves of the trees swayed in the wind, and birds chirped in the garden. I quickly took a look at the mirror. Apart from a bit of disheveled hair, nothing else looked out of place. My dark-brown eyes sparkled in the light, as I began brushing my hair.
"F- this hair fall!" I cursed at the comb getting stuck in my hair, but I somehow managed to comb my hair. Throwing away the hairs that fell off, I walked out into the garden. The fresh air immediately seemed to soothe my soul and relieved me from all my worries. I took a deep breath and exhaled.
"You are up early today, My Lady." I turned around at Misaii's voice. She had just come out to water the plants. I smiled at her.
"Yeah. I didn't really have much sleep last night, so I thought now that I am up, why not go out into the garden." I said. She came up to me and fidgeted her hands for a bit as she spoke in a low voice, "Have you… taken your decision yet?"
Although I didn't want to address the topic at all, running away didn't feel like the best option either. I had to talk about it anyway, so there was no use in delaying it any further.
"I… have made my decision, Misaii. But…" I paused, looking at her for her reaction, and then continued, "Before I speak about it, I want to know about the festival. Dad… He specifically chose this time to visit Hestia, so… I want to know what this festival is about, before deciding if I want to leave."
Misaii's old eyes lit up with renewed energy as she smiled wide at me, revealing her gums.
"Oh, Eternia! My Lady, I-I will tell you! I am so glad you asked me about this, My Lady. Trust me, this festival is wonderful! Come, come!" Misaii led us to the bench in the garden and we sat down. Misaii took a few deep breaths and looked into the distance, as if picking the right words to say…
"This story speaks of love, this story speaks of war,
This story hides in the depths of time, from humans near and far.
Every town knows this story, every alley knows this story,
But where exactly this took place, is not revealed by this story.
The depths of time opened doors of truth, for humans near and far,
The humans then saw the strength of love, and despair during war.
Hestia was born out of love and out of hate,
The eternal fight of light and dark was waiting for its bait.
The bait came as a boy, tall, fair, and strong,
His string of fate brought with him, the forbidden prayer song.
The prayer for the lonely souls, lovelorn and weak,
Brought along a ray of hope, in lives cold and bleak.
Then came along the princess in the castle,
Everyone thought she was a big deal of hassle.
She fought, and healed, and saved the weak,
She bent and broke the rules with a tweak.
She held the power that many desired, she was the reason why the gun was fired.
But among many wars and the screams,
Love found its way like water in streams.
Love flew like a bird in the sky, love grew like a butterfly.
But then came again the reign of the dark,
Destruction paved its way with a hark!
Chaos took the place of love, love broke like a feeble twig,
But what remained is a story of great sacrifice and devotion that was big.
The Queen of people left the land, to someplace unknown,
She left the land in search of hope, for people of her own.
The people roared and screamed and tried to bring her back,
But she had made her heart of stone, never to make it crack.
"My words shall live forth," she said, her voice echoed in the wood,
"My soul shall live forth", she said, for the people and their good.
What happened to her, or what ended the story, that we do not know of,
But what we do know, is that the legend lives on, to tell the story of love.
Hestia lives on, in its glory for this story of Eternia,
We love, we celebrate, to remember the glory of Eternia.
The legacy that she left, we take after it,
We live to spread love and tell the story of it."
Tears ran down my cheeks, even though the story wasn't mine. It made me feel a pang in my heart and made me tear up. Despite the narration and the story being vague, I could still see it clearly in front of my eyes, as if the protagonists were just here. With each word that Misaii said, my breathing got heavier. I looked away to hide my tears and then…
"1320: The Festival Of Eternia.
Loud noises and crowds swamped the entire ground of Hestia. People from faraway lands had come to see the spectacle of Hestia. Its bright culture, its people, and delicacies attracted crowds from nearby states as well.
I sat on my bed as my chaperone did my hair and makeup for the day.
"Oh dear Eternia! You look wonderful. Your Uncle would be very pleased to see you after so long! Are you excited to see him?" She asked.
"I don't know. Will Vic be there?" I asked. My naïvety obviously stunned the woman, as she dropped the comb from her hands.
"Shh! Oh, Eternia! Don't you know what the rules are? Don't take his name in front of anyone! Its-"
"Forbidden?" I got up from the bed calmly and looked at her.
"To hell with the rules. He is my friend, and I trust him."
Hearing this from an eight-year-old shocked the woman. She immediately left to complain to her Mistress. But I had no time to waste. I ran out to the garden, and through the west, I ran out to the celebration grounds to meet my Uncle. I ran through the crowd, miraculously avoiding other running kids and shoppers.
"Uncle!" My cheerful voice rang through the field, and my Uncle soon heard me and ran up to me. He picked me up in his arms and twirled me around as I laughed out loud.
"What did you wish for, Uncle?!" I almost squealed as he put me down. She smiled and leaned closer and whispered, "A Little brother for you to play with!"
Joy sparkled in my eyes as I clapped and ran around my uncle while he laughed.
"Okay, okay! Calm down! Don't you wanna go pray?!" He said, pointing towards the Türbeh. It was still not opened to the people of Hestia so that the royal could be the first ones to pray. Even though I didn't side with the rules, I still ran inside as fast as I could and sat down to pray. The voice inside my heart was pure, full of compassion, and love. My thoughts were serene like the moon, and my prayers were for love. Love for humanity.
"Eternia…" I whispered my prayers to the Goddess that I had never seen before or knew of. But she gave me power, and the strength to acknowledge myself as an individual. She gave me the power to be kind and spread love to everyone, despite who they are and which tribe they belonged to. My thoughts unanimously asked for one thing, "Pure connection. The bond of friendship and love."
A pair of blue-green eyes flashed before my eyes, as I blushed. I opened my eyes immediately and caught myself smiling at my thoughts. But as if to avoid Eternia from seeing them, I turned around. To my surprise, there he was. Right in front of me. His blue-green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, telling me he was right in front of me. It was as if Eternia knew what I was wanting.
"Vic…" my smile grew wider, but the boy on the other side kept looking at me with an emotionless face, which then grew serious.
"Vic? What happened… aren't you… happy?" The smile slowly faded away from my lips too, as I walked a little closer to him, but he swiftly moved away and looked at me, disgusted.
"STAY AWAY!"
"Vic?" I was stunned.
"YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU TURNED ME INTO A MONSTER!! YOU- YOU'RE A DEMON! A MONSTER! I HATE YOU, DIONE! I-I HATE YOU!!!"
"I hate you…" his words echoed in my mind and my little feet swayed. Tears blurred my vision and my breathing got progressively worse. His wrist burnt with red glowing sigils, and everyone around us gathered to catch him. But my mind was stuck on his words.
"I hate you… I hate you, Dione… I hate you."
"AH!" I woke up with a gasp and took deep breaths to calm my nerves.
"A dream within a dream?" I thought. My whole body was covered with sweat and my throat felt dry like a desert.
It was still difficult for me to believe that it was Vic in my dreams. But if it really was, then… How was it even possible? Even my presence in the visions didn't make me feel uneasy, but Vic… Who is he? And… were all these visions connected? Maybe of a past life? Maybe it wasn't Vic, after all?
I shook my head, trying to clear out the thoughts. I quickly climbed down from the bed and drank some water and sat for a few more minutes to calm down. Then, there was a knock.
"Yes?"
"Moon! Come on out! You said you wanted to go to the festival grounds! Astra is taking us! Come on!" Anya's cheerful voice sounded through the door. I sighed and got up to face a new day.