A sound apology, the convincing of a heart

I had not noticed, until I stood against the warm breeze of Aethine on a quiet day, that I had forgotten to miss the quiet cicada chirp within summer.

The chilled frost of the glasses in my hand bit into my palms sharply. It was a wonder to me, how within a world of unnervingly constant heat, the Undine had been able to wield steam and transform it into frost. If only they had managed to find a way to perform such a feat in grand scale, then perhaps they would have been able to bring winter to the harsh-orange sky.

I would have loved to see the snowfall once again. To hold cold weather within my palms however, was something I enjoyed nearly as much.

Creme dei fflouranze.

It was the name that had been given to the drink that sat swimming within frost. Reaped from a mineral found deep within the soot of the oceans, when chilled it became frothy and creamy; saltiness of harsh notes paralleling a sweet, calm flavour.

My eyes widened, and the glasses held between my numbed fingers fell quick towards the ground as I rushed forward.

The shattering of the crystalline vessels resounded through the loud air, spilling rich fiery-orange upon the stone-paneled ground.

The outside of the theatre had an ornate veranda that cast the scene in shadow, but I could still see clearly the tears that fell from the eyes of the playwright, and the man that stood before her, holding an intense expression of anger as he berated her.

My hand fell against Theresia’s chest, pushing her backwards behind me as I grabbed the shirtcuff of the man who stood before her. Glaring into his eyes, I pulled him in close. There was spittle clinging to his bottom lip, red in the face as the steam of the sky matched that which came flooding out of his ears in that moment.

Even despite the shaking of my hands that clung so tight to his shirt that they grew white with further numbness, I released them and backed away from him alongside Theresia.

Standing before the addled man, I let out an aggravated breath. My eyes softened in an instant, and my heart mellowed.

I bowed my head deep, so much so that I was weary of falling forward onto my face.

The man, despite his unusually gruff and rugged attire, had an incredible amount of freshly-wet paint decorating the cloud-white portraiture of his shirt.

"I'm sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced, sir." I spoke softly with a smile. "If there's any way I can afford to help you, for instance, cleaning that dirtied shirt of yours, I would be more than happy to assist."

The man's expression, to my surprise, grew even more twisted with callous anger. Until that moment, I was under the impression that a fire would not burn hotter than its hottest point.

"What the hell are you on about!?" He shouted with his bitter, vile tone of voice. "This damned bastard of a girl can't even hold a bucket straight, so shouldn't she be chastised for tha-"

His words were cut short so suddenly.

The sharpened gaze of a man percieved calm set anxiety in hearts.

As I met his quivering eyes of malice, he simply bit at his aggravation, and walked away in a huff of steam.

I turned towards Theresia, who stood gently beside me, her sun-laced cheeks graced by tears, and her demeanor a mess within my arms.

“You did nothing wrong.” I spoke towards her, pulling her in close as if to console her anxious worries.

"For my sake, you would apologise...?" She whispered soft.

“I’ll gladly bow my head in your place.” I said with a gentle smile, the heat of my happiness upon my aching cheeks. “So live your life without worry. Life your life without guilt.”

“I’m sorry.” Theresia speaks.

“Tell me thank you, instead of sorry.” I laughed simply in response. “Then perhaps my heart will be fueled for another day.”

---

Apart from the pipework mechanisms of the steel city stood large rows of iron-fitted wooden houses that reminded me greatly of normalcy. Hundreds of people rushed through the stone streets, and as I stepped amidst them, they turned to watch me as if I was an animal in an enclosure. I was a spectacle to those who could spare no more than a few seconds to gaze upon me.

Theresia walked inside one of the homes along with me, through the creaking door unfit for its rusted hinges, chipped by wear of weather and time.

A girl sat in the corner of the shadowed atmosphere, not much younger in appearance than I. So, softly I approached her, sitting down on the floor beside her as I smiled.

"It's been a while, Anabelle." I spoke to her.

"Hello, Mr. Agreste." She whispered in return.

Anabelle was a member of Theresia's static acting crew, the one who had previously played the role of Sable in 'The man with the mechanical eye'.

Yet, for the longest time, she hadn't made an appearance within the theatre.

So, for a time, we simply talked within the silence.

"For a time, it was okay, because the audience was a chorus of silence..." Anabelle spoke softly, gripping tight at her shirt as her expression furrowed. "But now, with a crowd of so many... how could I stand and perform before them...?"

"So, in the face of many, your heart aches?" I smiled simply.

"Yes, exactly..."

I looked around the room, before settling my eyes upon the rush of the bustling crowd outside of the curtain-drawn window.

"Anabelle, I wouldn't ever want you to feel pressured to perform..." Theresia whispered.

I simply stood up without saying a word, and opened the wood-splintered door to allow the warmth of sunlight to spill into the room.

In front of the bustling crowd, I stood apparent.

"Hello everyone!" I shouted out suddenly, stretching my arms high towards the sky with a great smile as I spoke. "Well, I have a few things to say, so I hope you all will listen to me well!"

They all turned to look at me in that instance. Near a thousand piercing eyes met my form, and still I smiled their gazes away.

"My name is Agreste, and I work as an assistant to the playwright Theresia Hayes!" I shouted. "But truly, I am and have always been the Baron of Lilacs!"

And just as their gazes had once laid upon me, too did they draw them away as they continued forth with their lives.

No one was really ever listening.

I turned towards Annabelle, who now stood quietly under the sunshine with wonder upon her face.

“You see? As long as you hold a smile on your face, you’re invincible to the world!” I spoke, the gleam of my smile in battle against that of the sun that hung above me.

I took her by the hand, and ruffled her hair which had grown a mess in her quiet solitude.

"Did you know, Annabelle, that the Undine historically don't care much about that which happens around them? They move too quick to notice too much." I smiled bright. "So I don't think there's any need to be worried about the eyes upon you. You should live your life acting the way you would like."

"Can I really...?" Annabelle spoke softly, confusion and wonder lurking within her gaze. "Then... I'll try it as you say. I'll just smile, and then I'll be fine."

"Now you're getting it." I laughed aloud.

With our goodbyes spoken in waving motions, we walked away from the bustling rows of wooden houses with smiles on our faces.

“Thank you.” Theresia spoke suddenly towards me.

"This is something too small to deserve thanks, I think."

She stopped walking, turning towards me as she caught tight the sleeve of my shirt.

"I'm in love with you, Agreste." She spoke sheepishly.

"You've said it many times before."

As I turned to face her, I could see that her face had grown blushed, and she bit at her lower lip as she spoke.

"It's different. For my sake... for my passions you've done so much." Theresia smiled suddenly. "The feeling in my heart now is different. I'm in love with you."