A New Friend and Ally 3

"It's raining outside.." Aria said looking out the window and sighed.

"Aria! Lunch is ready!" Uchi said walking in her room."

Uchi looked at Aria and saw her staring outside then smiled. She walked to her and leaned on her then placed her chin on her shoulder. Aria jumped a bit and looked back.

"U-Uchi? W-What are you doing?" Aria blushed.

"Lunch is ready. Ginchiyo made enough for all her men and us. Come before it gets cold." Uchi smiled.

"A-Alright." Aria nodded.

They walked out the room to the dining room. Aria rubbed her eyes and looked around then froze. Her eyes glowed and looked at someone with pure disgust.

"Why is HE here?" Aria asked.

"Mmm?" Ginchiyo looked up and looked at Reud. "Oh he joined the army. His skills with the-"

Aria walked to Reud and grabbed his shirt and glared. She glared with pure hatred and was breathing heavily. She closed her eyes and let him go then walked away, grabbing a coat.

"Aria wait!" Uchi looked back at Reud and looked worried. She didn't know why Aria was so mad. She instinctively followed Aria.

Reud sat there and continued eating. Ginchiyo and Muneshige were very confused. Avani paid it no mind as she most likely knew what was going on. She knew Reud did something so bad to make Aria hate him.

"Aria wait up! Just stop!" Uchi grabbed her arm.

"Please met me go.." Aria said quietly. "I need space.."

"Aria..what happened..? Why do you look at him with so much hate?" Uchi asked.

Aria didn't respond. The rain droplets were hitting them on the head, the thunder boomed and they were getting drenched. Uchi looked at Aria worried and walked to her then turned Aria so she can face her. Aria looked at Uchi and looked away.

"He let..Lord Astros die...my brother...Reud was the one man Lord Astros trusted more than me...he just let him die...then tried to stop me from completing my goal.." Aria said.

Uchi listened to Aria and looked more and more sad then her lip quivered. She began to wipe her eyes as she listened to Aria as she told her how close her and Lord Astros was.

"I can never forgive a person who just allows an innocent person to die...Lord Astros did nothing wrong in his life..always putting himself last when it came to anything...especially dinner..he would always let his people eat first before he begins to eat himself..I often shared my food with him..I.." Aria choked on her words and couldn't speak. "I.."

Aria covered her mouth and her body started to shake. Uchi held her shoulders and sniffled more and tried to hold back her tears. Aria was breaking ever so slowly since the first day she heard Lord Astros had been killed. All of her smiles, her laughs, they were covering her growing sadness. Aria gripped onto Uchi and sobbed loudly and started to fall to her knees. Uchi sat down with her and tears fell. She didn't know what to do.

Meanwhile in the castle, things between Ginchiyo and Reud began to become heated.

"What? Her brother died and she blames you?" Muneshige asked.

"Who else could she blame? I told him to not send Aria on a mission..yet-"

"Yet you are still at fault." Ginchiyo said.

Avani opened her eyes and watched the events unfold. Muneshige knew to not speak when Ginchiyo is angry. Her rage is as dangerous as getting struck by lightning 5 times in a row.

"How am I at fault?" Reud said. "Don't tell me her hatred is justified."

"I believe it is. I know the feeling of losing a family member most important to me. The only difference is Lord Astros's death could have been stopped. Why weren't you on the battlefield, defending your kingdom?! Are you a warrior or a coward?!" Ginchiyo bellowed.

"Another Aria, aren't you the same woman who told Aria her dream is childish? Her dream is childish, something only a child would dream about. This here is reality. Her fantasy will end up getting her killed just like-"

Ginchiyo slammed her hand on the table and glared. Now she knew why Aria hated Reud so much. Muneshige understood as well.

"Have you no honor..?! No shame?! How dare you talk about the dead in such a vulgar matter?! You sicken me..nothing but a leech!" Ginchiyo said.

"His death was deserved for what he has done to me. I plotted my revenge. You know.." Reud stood up. "I am the one who let Ignis to Auroria months before hand. Why wouldn't I? He killed my fiancé, in cold blood..I got my exact revenge. An eye for an eye..that is the world we live in. Aria will only get herself killed."

Ginchiyo couldn't believe what she was hearing with her ears. She looked at Muneshige and back at Reud and nodded. She kicked Reud and glared.

"You're nothing but a pest that I must eliminate." Ginchiyo said and summoned her sword.

"Okay they are fighting in the castle?!" Avani said and stood up.

Reud stood up and summoned his sword. They clashed multiple times then Ginchiyo parried his attack and kicked his side, making him stumble to the side. Aria heard a crash and got up and ran inside the castle. Uchi followed.

"You're nothing but a disgrace! You do not have the right to live!" Ginichiyo slashed down.

Reud parried and slashed. Muneshige blocked the attack and summoned his claymore.

"Honestly, I didn't suspect you as an enemy..but after hearing what you said..you're no better than Lord Omu.." Muneshige said.

"What's-" Aria looked at Reud. "I knew it..you're a monster.."

"Monster?! I could say the same about your saint of a brother!" Reud said. "Do you know the crimes he has committed? Do you even know who he really was?!"

"Shut up! You are a backstabbing prick!" Aria said.

"Your saint of a brother was a demon in Mistral, one responsible for the assassination of the Holy Emperor! He killed the man everyone looked up to! He killed my wife in cold blood, he is a war criminal!" Reud said.

"He was not!" Aria yelled.

"He fed you all of those lies, he escaped Mistral and taking on the name Astros! His original name-"

"Is Agress! The First Emperor of Randall! The Second King of Mistral! One of the Four Kings! He was a hero branded a traitor for saving his wife who assassinated the First King! He escaped Mistral with his wife but his wife died of blood loss.." Aria said and showed them all a report. The report was all wet from the rain.

Reud looked at the paper and Aria closed her eyes. She had a heavy heart and couldn't take it anymore.

"You..are the person who killed the Holy Emperor..the Holy Emperor killed your fiance because she worked with Ark, and was planning to kill off all 30 Divisions of the Demon Hunters...my brother happened to be at the scene of the crime at the wrong time.." Aria said. "He told me everything about his past..him being the Supreme Emperor..his family struggles..everything.."

"Aria.." Reud said.

"Reud..." Aria said and slowly drew her sword. "I am not taking an apology from you...I never want to taint my blade with blood..but there are two exceptions..you...and Lord Omu.."

Aria looked up and her eyes turned red and her blade shined brightly. Uchi looked at Aria sadly, but understood this is what she needed to do. Ginchiyo watched her and wanted to speak, but decided not to. Aria was planning to end Reud once and for all, no matter the cost.