Song of the Ancients

Alejandro dwelled within his thoughts for an entire day, jotted his thoughts down in his worn journal. His assumptions of the city began to change with each additional detail unraveling the city’s elusive existence. What’s more was that its underlying vision was no longer a fervent dream, but a tangible reality in the face of the outliers existing throughout the region. The wanderer gazed at the shining constellations over the mountain from the comfort of the clear window. The warmth provided grew familiar yet strange all the same, never imagining he’d find a place of comfort.

"It's quite beautiful," he muttered.

The waft of her distinct citrus scent evoking thoughts of her. He hoped she fared well in her recovery in her absence. The half-elf also provided another miracle in the dreary world he was used to; The idea of elves and human cohabiting brought promise. But muddled in his thoughts was the uncertainty behind her motives, as even he had to admit there was nothing remarkable about him.

"Were you thinking about me?" Enne whispered into his ear.

He fell against his chair, landing on his back as the chair flipped over. Her childish giggle filled the silence, annoying him as he got onto his knees. His hardened heart fluttered to her sudden presence, seeing her seated on the bed's edge. Before he could raise his voice, she shushed him by placing her index finger over his lips.

"Don't you knock?” he growled. “H-how did you get in here?"

"Calm down!" she smiled. “You’re so tense even under relaxed situations.”

“It’s a habit.”

“Well, you should take a load off. You’re probably in the safest part of Gardenia.

She bit her lip with an enticing innocence. Her thigh-length purple dress lent to her natural grace. Her sloppy bun’s loose fringes framed her face, complimenting her elegant style. He tried to find the correct words while she awaited his inevitable compliment, signaled only by her subtle body language.

"You look—You look beautiful, Enne." He cleared his throat, glancing away as though shying from his statement.

"For a moment," she chuckled with her hand over her heart. "I thought you going to fumble your words like some neanderthal."

"Why a Neanderthal?"

"Because they lacked proper communication skills… Something I’ve noticed with most wanderers."

"Always—A learning opportunity with you."

He sat back in his chair, trying to hide the bloodstained shirt. Her sudden appearance could only mean she had something in mind for the evening. She leaned forward, drawing his side glance after closing his journal.

"You've been in this room the entire day," she continued. "How did you like your walk around the city."

"Well—” he nodded, gathering his thoughts. “There are so many questions."

"And you've been thinking about that the whole day?"

"I like to reflect on my experiences."

She sighed.

"And that gives you an excuse for excluding yourself from society?"

Alejandro leaned into his chair, rolling his eyes when he looked away. He didn't have the energy to argue, as he was more concerned about her health. Though she was a strong woman, she also seemed to shrug off anything she’d go through. He wondered how much more they had in common if any.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Just fine," she responded. "That was a hell of a spar, wouldn't you say?"

"You really went all out."

"I mean, if you can't handle me at my strongest, then you can't handle me at all."

Her eyes brows jerked playfully, invoking his tired sigh.

"Eh, the real question is: What brings you to my room at this time of night?"

She held in her laughter with both of her hands while his solemn smile went flat.

"Why else would a beautiful woman such as myself come to your room this late at night?"

"Uh, sex?"

The wanderer grinned to her disgust.

"Oh, so I look like some cheap whore to you?"

"How else was I supposed to answer the question?"

"As expected, you live up to the barbaric code of a wanderer! Another thing I’ve noticed is you all think Elves to be lewd and—"

"Now you're just putting words in my mouth!"

"But I could see your eyes feverishly examine my feminine features! Don't you lie!"

Alejandro relaxed his nerves, refraining from getting baited to her derailing conversation. Under her outraged facade hid a playful smirk.

"Yeah, I'm not falling for it," he dismissed.

"Aw—Fine," she conceded. "You got me! I'm just messing around."

"That would infuriate most, you know?"

"Indeed! But you, lucky wanderer, passed my test!"

"And what did I win?"

She gazed into his tired eyes while holding her bewitched smile.

"A date with me, of course! But should you decline, my heart will forever be wounded."

"Look, En—" he responded, raising his finger in protest.

"You and I are heading to town tonight," she declared.

"Fine."

She saw the bloodied shirt he tried to hide. Enne startled him as she proceeded to rip off his shirt. She saw the discolored bruising and discharge from the burn. Her eyes averted, ashamed of the harm she caused.

"You never thought to get it checked?" she asked. “The hospital could’ve mended this.”

"Didn't want to trouble anyone—" he paused upon seeing her scowl.

“It could be infectious, you doughnut!"

"It'll heal on its—"

He tried to evade her grasp before being tossed onto the bed. The dull pain incapacitated him as Enne held his wrists down. She waited for him to settle as her body rested above his. He glanced away, panting and flushed as he felt her body heat. A grin imprinted along her face, finding satisfaction subduing him before leaning into his ear. Unbeknownst to Alejandro, the door cracked while he looked the mischievous half-elf in her eyes.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why the hell do you make everything so difficult? Just let it happen."

“What the hell?” he muttered.

The maid's face reddened, seeing Enne pressed against the wanderer. She panted, quickly collecting herself before she shut the door. Enne looked upon the wanderer, seeing he calmed down. Her grip released as she leaned away while remaining on top of him. She placed her hands along his wounded abdomen, dispersing vibrant green energy from her fingertips. He felt a cool sensation throughout when her energy focused. The half-elf stroked her fingers along his wound, healing the damaged skin and eliminating the oozing pus.

Enne opened her eyes, feeling a set of hands-on hers as she met his smile.

****

Liz’s silhouette cast beneath the starry, moonlit evening. They observed the quiet, well-lit city, basking in each other’s silence. Alejandro clung to Enne’s slender waist, trembling after every few steps. The wanderer feared the idea of riding horses, a peculiar fear she found amusing. Upon arriving at the city's entrance, they saw people walking throughout the closed markets. Couples and drunkards about as the community maintain its prosperous silence. She looked over after having felt his bearded chin rest upon her shoulder.

"You know," she whispered endearingly. "There's nothing wrong with clinging onto me like a koala. It’s actually kinda cute.

"Cute?" he muttered. "Easy for you to say. This isn't a good look."

"For a man so educated in the way of the world, you're still held back by meaningless social norms? That’s—Unfortunate."

"Those norms are still prevalent these days."

"Well, I don’t give a shit about that, so you’re in good company."

His skepticism peaked as his eyes averted in discomfort.

"I am taking you out on a date, so," she uttered, hoping to soothe his insecurities. "Hell, you can still kick anyone else's ass around here, so I have no idea what you're so insecure about."

"Wow," he replied. "Those were real comforting words right there. So inspiring!"

"If I thought of you any less, you wouldn't be with me under a starry sky. That's the truth."

His flimsy smile cracked when she turned away. They arrived at Derek’s bar, with music playing and the premise full of patrons. Enne stationed Liz by the other horses, helping the wanderer climb down the mare. As they approached the door, she looked for any signs of his discomfort.

"C'mon, you'll be fine," she insisted with a pleasant voice.

The wanderer nodded unconvincingly before she took him by his hand. The live music venue rumbled the hardwood floors from the far corner of the bar. Everyone acknowledged her presence while Alejandro passed through without looking at anyone. Enne picked a tabled by the small stage, sitting side-by-side after a quick search. In the beginning, they sat listening to strums of the acoustics, but wasn't long before Derek came over to greet them from the busy atmosphere.

"Enne, Alejandro, nice to see you come by," he said.

"Oh, he came by already?" she asked, glancing at the wanderer.

"Yes, I apologized to him about what happened."

"That's good to know."

"So, what can I get you two?"

"Your house special," they requested at once, prompting their respective glances.

"Oh, so you really liked it," Derek scribbled their order on a notepad.

"Smart and a man of culture," she commented, meeting his eye roll.

"Let up with the teasing, will you," he suggested.

"Whoa, I meant that. I wasn't just teasing you."

"Wasn't just teasing me?"

"I mean, you know—The thing! Shit."

Enne attempted to correct her speech before falling silent when realizing he was at peace. She observed the guitar player strum away to the tune of his husky, hardy voice. His emotion reverberated with lyrics that painted a hopeful message. She occasionally glimpsed the wanderer during the performance. His expressionless gaze analyzed the atmosphere, leaving her curious about how he felt. Derek arrived before she could ask when he set down their drinks.

"Here you go," he said. "Holler if you need anything else."

"Thank you," Alejandro spoke for both of them before the bartender turned.

"Hey," she said. "So, how do you like Gardenia so far?"

She drank her alcohol, gulping down more than half the cup. Her eyes were engaged with the wanderer as he spoke, as her anxiety rose.

"It's quite an interesting place… a lot of questions like I said before. But I'm not sure if it's appropriate to bring up here."

"We—Can always keep it between us. Nobody has to know."

Alejandro paused after taking a gulp of his ale, wincing when he saw her flushed face.

"I get the impression we aren't talking about the same thing."

"Um," Enne froze.

Oh my god, I never knew elves could get drunk, I need to note this once I get back, he smirked.

"So," Enne fumbled on her words. "I usually drink here alone every Friday and do some karaoke… Occasionally."

"Enne, I think you've had too much to drink."

"How dare you! I am of Elven descent… And royalty at that! We—Don't get drunk easily."

"You could've fooled me. You're acting like a gnome."

"What did you do with my drink?"

They looked down at her near-finished cup before glancing at the other. She smiled with her rosy cheeks, redder than a moment ago.

"I—I was a little nervous," she answered.

"A little nervous?" he chuckled. "Don't worry, I'd be honored to watch over the princess tonight."

"Spoken like a true minion."

"Ugh."

After a rotation of performers played their tunes, the demand for Enne’s performance rang throughout the crowded room. They cheered her name as she pondered her decision. By now, she drank at least two quarts of the house-mixed alcohol. Every other word she said was jumbled and her reactions dulled. Enne looked into his eyes with an unmistakable clarity before she took him by his hand.

"Come, minion!" she smiled.

"W—What are we doing?" he asked.

"We're going to put on a show for our fine patrons!"

Fuck, he thought.

"Who's ready for a banger for a closer!" she gestured to the receptive crowd as she grabbed the microphone.

"A banger closer? What year are we in?" he muttered while holding the guitar she shoved toward him.

"Shush, you!" she spoke into the microphone. "You'll be my guitar player!"

"What? But I don't know how? I'm better off as backing vocals maybe, but—"

"Play the fucking guitar already!" someone shouted from the back of the room.

Alejandro and Enne looked on before returning to the guitar; She put her weight against him. The crowd seemed to react wildly over the wanderer's sigh.

"C'mon," she whispered. "I totally believe in you."

"Yeah? Totally doesn't change the fact I can't play. Hell, here goes nothing."

"That's the spirit!" she spoke enthusiastically before turning to their patrons.

Her intense spirit eased, closing her eyes to the crowd. She moved her body into motion as her messy bun became undone. The wanderer took it as a queue to strut away at the guitar strings, following her lead as she began to hum. It was a painful start until he found a groove to cling to. Once the guitar strings created a melody she could work with, she sang. Everyone watched her body follow his rhythm as her gentle vocals overlaid the frantic acoustic. Her words seemed concise in their delivery, reaching his heart as her body pressed against him.

Is she singing in tongues? Alejandro wondered.

He focused on maintaining his pace, confused by what she was saying while she harmonized. She seductively moved against him with her dress lifting a little against his thigh. The cheers overlay over her melody as a tight rhythm held. She caressed her free hand along his beard as she delivered her lines with emotion. She lived in the moment, just him and her while blocking out the world.

Her voice resonated; It could touch someone's heart, but her indiscernible words were meant for him, whether or not he realized it. She never left his side throughout the song. And when their ballad ended, they ended in unison, followed by thunderous applause.

"Toss a coin to the princess!" someone shouted.

Alejandro rested his guitar against his waist, processing the ecstatic fanfare. Her melodious vocals carried a tune that reached their hearts with meaningless words. They bowed together as forget-me-nots reached their feet. It had been a while since she sang. She enjoyed herself, wondering if he felt the same. The wanderer stayed close, as close as she was when she performed.

She put on a show for him and him alone.

****

Seeing her too intoxicated to guide the horseback, Alejandro summoned the courage to do so. The wanderer gripped the stirrups with occasional tremors. Her gaze cast toward the expansive field to their right clung tightly to his waist. The dark woods framed beneath the sky with stars dotting throughout the purplish abyss. She couldn't conceive of a more romantic setting as she nestled against his back.

"You okay back there?" he asked.

"Eh, yeah," she responded.

"That was quite a show you put on back there."

"Oh? Did you like what you saw?"

There was silence as she asked for his affirmation.

"The people—They loved you."

That's not what I asked, fool, Enne felt disheartened.

They immediately tried to speak over one another, silencing the other out.

"Enne," he spoke. "Were you singing in tongues?"

"Yes—Yes, I was."

"What did it mean?"

She wished he could see her smile while looking into the starry horizon.

"What is language?" Enne asked him, smiling after hearing a faint sigh.

"I can't say I know much about linguistics."

"Fine. Allow me to explain."

"Oh, a linguistics expert? Wouldn't you know!"

Enne chuckled, replacing her instinctual response of slamming her fist against his back. She felt along his waist, triggering peculiar sensations as he gripped the stirrups harder. Her body leaned away from him with a gentle nudge against his.

"En, careful now," he insisted.

"Sometimes it isn't about the words said," she said.

"What?"

"Meaning changes with time, but the tone—The tone always stays true. There's comfort from how one presents their feelings. What I may have sung was probably nonsense, but my voice bared my soul, laying out its primordial meaning. That ballad was meant for you, my dear wanderer."

Alejandro confirmed their unspoken feelings.

"Well?"

"It all makes sense! It's true to your chaotic nature!"

She slammed her hand against his back while he clenched the stirrups after absorbing her painful strikes.

"Hey! That really hurts!"

Tears ran down her face after she ceased hitting him.

His receptiveness hinged on his internal perspectives; He took a moment to reflect as her silence grew uncomfortable. They belonged in two different worlds, but she saw it as a barrier meant to be broken. Her simmering feelings persisted with a great passion, one where it went from cooperation to something more. The man she sat behind may have been a husk of who he was, but she wanted to bring out the best in him. Little did she know of the fragile wall he built around his heart.

"Enne," Alejandro uttered. "Language isn't just verbal, it comes in different forms."

Her ears perked.

"Your voice was beautiful, your movement was graceful, and your heart—"

His lips withheld as he sought the right words.

"En, there aren't any words that I could describe the beauty you have within."

He was inarticulate, nervous of his own response as she chuckled.

"Well," her cheeks reddened. "Those words should suffice."

Yes, it's based on the song from the original Nier.
This chapter was pretty fun to write. Again we get more of their dynamic and Alejandro's glacial responsiveness to our warm-hearted half-elf.
There is certainly more to it if you wanted to look for something more! ;3
Feel free to leave a like and let me know what you think!
Thanks for reading!