Chapter 6: Aria Alestra
The night was quiet, the moonlight casting a soft glow through Aria's window as she lay in bed, unable to sleep. Tomorrow, they were leaving for the royal capital to meet Princess Alice. Though she tried not to let it bother her, thoughts of the trip swirled in her mind, making it hard to settle.
What will Princess Alice be like? Aria wondered, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't know much about the princess—only that she was close to her age and had been struggling with her magic. Maybe they could be friends. Aria didn't have many friends her age, which sometimes made her feel lonely, but it wasn't something she spent much time thinking about. Between her studies and magic training, there wasn't much room for friendships.
And besides, friends weren't what mattered most to her.
Her thoughts drifted to Ryan, her little brother. He was 3 years younger, but in some ways, he already seemed so far ahead of her. People were always talking about how talented he was, about how he could do things that even adults struggled with. Aria smiled a little, proud of him. Ryan was special, there was no denying that. But sometimes she wished people wouldn't always make such a big deal out of it.
To her, Ryan was still just her little brother—the one she felt responsible for, the one she had always wanted to protect.
It wasn't because he was weak, of course. Ryan was anything but. Even at such a young age, he had an almost unbelievable control over mana, and his skills in magic were growing faster than anyone could have expected. But to Aria, protecting him wasn't about power or ability. It was about being his big sister. It was just what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. No matter how strong or gifted Ryan became, he would always be her little brother, and she would always want to keep him safe.
She turned over in bed, her heart warming at the thought of him. He had tried to reassure her earlier, telling her she didn't have to be strong all the time.
He meant well, but he didn't understand—being strong wasn't something Aria did because she felt she had to.
She did it because she wanted to.
Her mind drifted back to when she first made that promise to herself.
---
It had been a sunny day, and Aria was only six at the time. She had been practicing her magic in the training yard, struggling to control a simple flame spell. Master Elric, her instructor, had been patient with her, but Aria could see the faint trace of disappointment in his eyes every time the fire flickered out of her control. She clenched her fists in frustration, refusing to give up.
In the distance, she had spotted Ryan. He was sitting under a tree, watching her quietly, his little face full of concentration. He wasn't showing off or trying to get attention—he never did. But even then, Aria could tell that something about him was different. He didn't struggle with magic the way she did. Everything came naturally to him, while she had to work twice as hard just to keep up.
That day, she had stood there in the training yard, watching her brother out of the corner of her eye, and a fierce protectiveness had filled her heart. It wasn't because she thought Ryan was fragile—far from it. It was because she knew that,
no matter how strong he became,
he would still need someone to look out for him.
And that someone would be her.
---
Back in her room, Aria smiled at the memory. She had been so young then, but the feeling had stayed with her. Over the years, it had only grown stronger. Ryan might be destined for great things, but she would always be there, watching his back, making sure nothing bad ever happened to him.
But protecting Ryan wasn't her only goal. Aria had dreams of her own, dreams that stretched far beyond being a good big sister.
I want to be the head of the Alestra family.
The thought filled her with determination. Ever since she was little, she had looked up to her parents, admiring the way they carried the responsibilities of the family.
She had seen the way they made decisions, how they protected the family's legacy and managed their power. And every time she watched them, she knew that one day, she wanted to do the same.
Not because it was expected of her, but because she wanted it.
It was her goal, her vision for the future.
Some people might have thought it was strange for a nine-year-old to think so much about the future, but Aria didn't care. Being the head of the family wasn't something that weighed her down—it was something that inspired her.
She wanted to lead, to be the one to make decisions that would protect and strengthen the Alestra family for generations to come.
And she was going to get there, no matter how hard she had to work.
---
Her thoughts drifted to her training. Magic didn't come as easily to her as it did to Ryan, but she had never let that stop her. Over the years, she had learned to control fire and water, had spent hours practicing until her body ached and her mind was exhausted. She had struggled, made mistakes, but she had always gotten back up and tried again.
One memory, in particular, stood out to her.
She was only seven , standing in the training yard with her mother, who was watching her attempt a fire spell. Aria had been frustrated—nothing was going the way she wanted it to. The flames kept sputtering out of her control, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep them steady.
"Focus, Aria," her mother had said calmly. "Don't try to control the fire. Let it become a part of you."
Aria had closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she tried again. This time, instead of forcing the flames, she let them flow through her like water, imagining the fire as something she could guide, rather than command. Slowly, the flames steadied, growing stronger as they danced in the air around her.
Her mother had smiled. "That's it. You're getting stronger, Aria. One day, you'll lead this family."
Those words had stayed with her ever since. They weren't just a prediction—they were a promise. And Aria was determined to live up to it.
---
As she lay in bed now, her thoughts bouncing between the past and the future, Aria felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. Tomorrow, she would meet Princess Alice. Maybe they would become friends, or maybe they wouldn't. Either way, it didn't matter. She wasn't interested in royal politics or making connections at court.
What mattered was her family. Her future. Her dream of leading the Alestra family one day and standing beside Ryan—not as his protector, but as his equal.
With that thought, Aria finally felt sleep tugging at her, pulling her into a gentle, peaceful rest. She closed her eyes, letting the moonlight wash over her as she whispered one last promise into the night.
"I'll always be there for you, Ryan. Always."
And with that, she drifted into sleep, her heart filled with determination for the future that lay ahead.