At Your Service

Chapter 29- Aria's Visit

Ever since Felix came to visit, things have been different. They've been slower. It's like there's no reason to do anything anymore. Marianne and Florent came to visit me yesterday, but I honestly didn't even notice. I haven't eaten in two days, I'm starving, but there isn't any point in hunting. Catfish, brings me a dead mouse every now and again, which I obviously can't eat. I've lost all sense of time, I haven't checked my phone at all. I just feel so numb. I think Catfish knows about my recent mood shift. Every now and again, it tries to get me to play with it. I just don't feel like doing anything to be completely honest. 

Today, I was lying around under my tree. Catfish was in one of the branches above me, napping (I think?). I heard some rustling coming through some bushes, I didn't know which direction. I had no idea what it could possibly be, I didn't really care to be honest. If it was something that planned on eating me, I just hope I'm eaten quickly. I hear whatever it is approaching me closer. But it was weird, it didn't sound like animal footprints. They sounded... human! I turned my head, and I see Aria standing there staring at me. "Aria?!" I exclaimed, sitting up.

"Hello Baker," she greeted.

"How did you find me?" I asked, curiously.

"I tracked Felix's location when he came to visit," she replied, showing me her phone. "But, what is wrong with you? You look absolutely horrendous."

"I dunno," I said, plainly. "I just kind of lost my motivation to do anything I guess," I flop back down in the grass. Aria sat me up, leaning me against my tree. Catfish flew down, prepared to attack. "Catfish stop," I attempted to call it off. But Aria was unfazed, she gripped it by its body, pulling it close. She links her forehead with Catfish's, and closes her eyes.

"So your name is Catfish?" she said to it. I don't say anything, I'm intrigued. "You're quite friendly with Baker aren't you?" Catfish cawed in response. She laughed. "Yes I can tell. Don't worry, I know how to return him to normal."

"What in the-? What the fuck was that?" I asked, astonished. She laughed, taking a seat in front of me.

"My family talks with animals. Everyone in the Po'fei royal lineage can. My sister Viola talks to fish, Bea is good with insects, Calliope could talk specifically with domesticated creatures."

"What about you?"

"I talk with all of them," she smiled. Weird, I didn't think anyone could talk to animals. Just another layer of the amazing Aria Regal.

"So... what did it say?" I asked.

"Well first, you should know Catfish is a boy," she stated. Catfish flew over to me, perching on my shoulder. "But he said that he hates seeing you look so miserable." My face sank as I remembered why I was even sad in the first place. Because I'll never see him again.

"It's because of Felix isn't it...?" she wrapped her arms around me, trying to console me. Her face scrunched up as she inched closer to be. She jumped back, plugging her nose. "You absolutely reek! When's the last time you properly bathed?" she griped. I shrugged, unbothered.

"I don't know, the night before I saw Felix I think," I replied.

"Baker this is simply unacceptable. Now I understand you're depressed because the man you love may not ever see you again but you could at least take decent care of yourself. You need to snap the fuck out of it and get your shit together!" she scolded. I looked at her, completely in shock. That's the first time I had ever heard her curse, she's serious. "But that's not the point. I came here because I need your help with something." I sat up intrigued.

"With what?" She held out some fruit, forcing it into my hands.

"Eat this and go clean yourself. Then we'll talk," she demanded.

After a cold soak in the lake and a couple pieces of fruit Aria filled me in on why she came looking for me in the first place. "Felix and I, our wedding is next week," she informed me.

"I know, Felix told me already. What does this have to do with me?" I asked.

"Let me finish," she insisted.

"If you're here to give me an invite, I don't think Monette would like it if I was front row at the wedding," I joked. Aria rolled her eyes, but I noticed a tiny smirk out of the corners of her lips. "Sorry, please continue."

"As I was saying, the wedding is next week of course. But, what were to happen if the bride went missing," she winked.

"What the fuck are you getting at?" I asked.

"I'm running away the day of the wedding. Kiyoshi is letting me live in her penthouse in New York City. Her private jet is to take me."

"Again, what does this have to do with me?"

"I need someone to help me escape, I'm to be guarded by castle security all day. I can't escape on my own. Baker, I need you," she pleaded.

"Look Aria, I'd really love to help, but I'm in exile. I can't exactly just waltz right into the palace,  whisk you away into a plane then come back here," I argued. She smiled. It was a devious smile, something from which I'd never seen before. It was a planned smile, like something was cooking inside her brain.

"Who said you were coming back here?" she suggested. "Come to New York with me, it's much safer for you there than out here." Go to New York? It sounds risky. There's so many things to account for and think about before we can even leave.

"Do we have enough money? What about citizenship? I don't have a passport."

"Kiyoshi knows people in the city, we'll get money once we arrive. I suppose we'd have to apply for citizenship. Passport? We'll worry about that when the time comes," she said. She seems to have this all figured out. It sounds almost foolproof. But there's one more thing that we have to think of before everything happens.

"Felix...," I said.

"Huh?"

"Felix, are we really just going to leave him here? We're really just going to leave and not tell him at all? He's probably suffering more than both of us! He needs us!... I need him," I ranted. Aria pats my back, trying to calm me down.

"We'll tell Felix where we are the day after. It's much too risky to inform him of the plan. If anyone else finds out, everything will be up in smoke. Most likely you'll be executed immediately, and this time I can't do anything to save you."

"So you're saying we only have one chance to succeed?" I asked.

"Precisely."

"Then let's get the fuck out of this bitch!"