Yoru no Naka
The clock in the corner chimed ten o'clock, the quiet sound echoing around the well-lit room, mingling with the muffled words coming from below. Iianthe glanced up at the timepiece, relieved for something else to stare at that wasn't another set of plans. He knew the debating voices downstairs belonged to Shu, Viktor, and probably one or two others. He would have been there with them but for Nanami, who forced him up to his room for some much needed rest. His foster sister was formidable by herself. Joined by someone equally formidable, say Shu or Flik, and it would be much easier—and more productive—to argue with a boulder.
His gaze wandered to the window and, before he knew it, he got up and went to it. From his rooms, he could see the full extent of the ever-growing Eien Castle. Down at the barracks, lights were dimming or going out completely as the soldiers began to turn in for the night. If he listened closely, he could hear the waters of Lake Deunan, gentle waves lapping against the docks and ships while not-so-gentle ones crashed on the jagged rocks at the eastern side of the bluff on which the castle was located.
He lifted his right hand and gazed at the rune emblazoned upon it. The Bright Shield Rune, one half of the True Rune called the Rune of Beginning. It was quite true to its name, as everything had started when he'd received his half of it. Everything, the soldiers of the Eien Army and the castle that was their headquarters, was set in motion on that fateful day in the Toto shrine.
The rune flashed angrily all of a sudden, momentarily blinding him. He shook his head and blinked rapidly to restore his vision. What had made it flare like that? He knew it only did so either when he used it or if there was some sort of danger. It was obvious that it wasn't the former, and it couldn't have been the latter. The pacing figures on the castle's walled perimeter gave no sign that there was anything to be alarmed about.
A knock at the door made him jump. "Ah...erm...who is it?" he called out.
"Sir," a muffled voice came from outside, "your sister sent me here to check up on you and to see if you'd like some tea if you were still up."
"Y-yes. Come in."
Just what he needed. Some tea would definitely calm his nerves after the strangeness of his rune. Not to mention, clear his mind even for just a little while so he could finish looking over the abandoned plans on his desk.
He turned around to meet the servant, but never made it past the first step to the door. In place of what he'd expected to be one of the civilians that came to help the Eien Army in other ways than fighting, was a young man in a nondescript, coarse, gray cloak that concealed his body. The hood was pushed back to reveal his handsome face with bright, crystal blue eyes and pony tailed silver-blond hair that went down to his waist. Behind him was an older man covered from head to foot in clothes of various grays cut in the style ninjas used.
It was the ninja who spoke after the long, tense silence that followed. "I'll wait on the roof."
At that short statement, he vanished, leaving the two facing each other until Iianthe found his voice. "J...Jowy?!" he managed to splutter out.
The corners of the young man's lips lifted the tiniest fraction. "Hello, Iianthe."
There was another long silence, which Iianthe used to regain his composure. So that was why the Bright Shield Rune had acted up. It had sensed the other half of the Rune of Beginning, the Dark Sword Rune on Jowy's right hand.
The young man standing before him had been his best friend since they were children. They did everything together, defended each other against the teasing of the other children in Kyaro, teased Nanami by keeping "boys only" secrets, even joined the Highland Army under the Unicorn Brigade together. As the years had passed, the bond between them only grew stronger.
Nothing changed when they'd received the runes. At least, he didn't think so. He couldn't sense anything different, even during that talk they'd had that night at the Muse jail. So when Jowy killed Anabelle and betrayed Muse to Highland, it came as a total shock. How long he'd been working with the enemy of the City-States before that, only he knew. He backed Highland since then.
And here he was now, looking the same as he'd been the day Muse fell. Iianthe glanced around for some weapon he could use if he had to defend himself. He could yell and those who were on the floor below would hear him and come to his aid.
"Relax, Iianthe," Jowy told him, walking forward slowly. "It's not like I'm here to kill you." He held out his hands in a peaceful gesture. "I'm unarmed."
"There are many things one can do unarmed," Iianthe replied in a guarded tone. "We trained in those techniques back in the Unicorn Brigade."
The young man chuckled. So much like the old Jowy, the Jowy that had been his best friend.
"Funny. You know as well as I that you could have called for help by now. You would have if I were any danger to you."
Tap...tap...tap... Each step brought the both of them closer to each other. Iianthe held his ground. Was his friend right? Was that why he hadn't done anything when Shu and Viktor were right on the floor below?
Jowy stopped and pulled two of the chairs from the desk. Giving the younger boy another grin, he sat backwards in one, resting his chin on the backrest.
"So, tell me, what's up?" he asked conversationally, glancing expectantly at the Eien Army's leader and the other chair. "You've changed a lot since I last saw you."
Iianthe moved up, but didn't sit down, feeling his guard lowering. Was this some Highland plot to make him do just that? Maybe there was an assassin, if not the ninja, waiting outside for the right moment to strike. Maybe Jowy really was going to kill him. After all, who better to send than a former friend?
"So have you," he replied.
"I miss you, Iianthe. You, Nanami, Pilika...I know they're fine here with you..."
The sorrow in his eyes was genuine. Iianthe knew the same emotion was reflected in his. Neither of them had wanted any of this to happen. They would have been perfectly happy traveling somewhere away from the war. Instead, they had been pulled into it and torn apart.
He sank down wearily into the chair, the weight of his emotions suddenly pressing down on him. "...I miss you, too......Jowy..." He sighed. "I wish all of this had never happened. Or at least that this stupid war would end."
Jowy shrugged. "No chance of that anytime soon. Highland and Jowston, they've always been at it. I don't think it'll ever really end until one claims total victory..."
Iianthe traced the lines of his rune. "Maybe another treaty..."
His companion shook his head. "No. Even if that were a possibility, one day there's going to be another Luca Blight and everything will start over. The ruling body of Highland wants to expand, as most do. They're already friends with the people of Harmonia and besides them, there's only the ocean. So they set their sights on Jowston, but the City-States have other ideas. No, there will be no peace treaty. It'll end with this war."
"Seems like you got it all figured out."
"Heh... Still far from it, I think."
"Then what do you think, Jowy? About this war? Who do you think'll win?"
His friend gave a small smile. "I think I'm supposed to be a little biased about that."
"Ah...heh, sorry, forget I asked." A sudden thought came to him and he began to laugh.
"What? Something I say?"
"N-no. It's—it's just..." He forced himself to stop. "It's...y'know, what we're doing. It reminded me of what happened with Han and Genkaku during that last war."
"So, someone finally told you about Genkaku?"
Iianthe nodded. "Viktor told us Genkaku was a State hero. He and Han were the reasons the treaty was signed in the first place. They were friends and used to sit between the camps and talk as if they weren't on two different sides of a war."
"I see... Kind of like now, huh?"
"Yeah." He lowered his gaze to his right hand. "Genkaku even had this rune on his—"
"It's these—things!"
Jowy jumped up suddenly and grabbed the Eien leader's hand, startling him. Their two runes blazed brightly in ferocious enmity.
"What? What things? The runes?" Iianthe asked, bewildered by his companion's actions.
Still holding his friend's hand, Jowy pressed his to his chest, over his heart. "You feel it, too, don't you? The runes oppose each other. I think—as long as we bear them, so we are destined..."
"But...but...no... Jowy. I don't want to fight you anymore..."
I want this all to end as much as you do. I thought—when we were offered the Runes, I though...with this power, we could end the war. All accepting them apparently did was make it worse. I—oh, gods. Oh, gods, Iianthe..."
He released the other's hand and sank to the floor with a choked sob. The younger boy blinked at his sudden emotion. Iianthe knew of only one time his friend cried. That was a long time ago, when he'd gone into Lude Woods. Nanami told him Jowy had cried, bawled, the whole time he was gone.
"......Jowy..." He knelt down and wrapped his arms around the young man.
"I'm sorry, Iianthe," his companion whispered, so soft he was almost inaudible. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me..."
"Forgive you?" he repeated. "What for? Okay, well, I know about the Highland thing, but—"
"I forced you into this, Iianthe. The day at the shrine—you were hesitant to take the Bright Shield Rune... But I made you take it. I thought we could stop the fighting if we had the power of a True Rune... Now, look at what happened. I'm the one who brought this all on with my stupidity..."
The Eien leader was at a loss for words. So now he was blaming himself for all that had happened. They had both chosen the paths for themselves. It was true that Jowy had urged him to accept the rune when he was reluctant to, but it was his decision in the end. He'd thought they could end the war, too, aided by the power of the rune.
The older boy's body convulsed with his sobs. He went on holding him, attempting to soothe him with quiet, murmured nonsense.
In time, Jowy calmed down and lifted his head to look into his eyes. "Do you know why I sent you away? Why I told you to leave the City-States?"
Iianthe shook his head slowly, unsure of where his friend was going with this.
"Because I..." He looked away for a moment before drawing his gaze back. "Iianthe... Ever since that day I saw you with Nanami and Genkaku...I knew we'd be the best of friends. Even though, I was—jealous—of you because you three were a family even when you weren't related, we still got along so well. You were my best friend, Iianthe...my only friend..."
"Jowy......?"
"That day at the Highland camp, I stalled the soldiers because I wanted you to get away. When I made the deal to betray Muse, I was planning on how I would get you and the others out. I...I didn't want you to see my treachery..."
"I didn't want to leave you there..."
"I knew I had to risk that. I didn't want you to go, but I also didn't want you killed." He wrapped his arms around the younger boy in a tight embrace. "Iianthe......I..."
"Iianthe? Iianthe, are you......asleep... JOWY?!"
The two of them jumped at the voice and moved away from each other. Standing in the doorway were Nanami and Eien's strategist, Shu. The former looked beyond surprised while the latter's expression was a confused one.
"Jowy, how'd you get here? Why are you here?"
Shu cleared his throat. "Did we, erm—interrupt—something?" he asked, alternating his gaze between the two furiously blushing friends.
"Ah, n-no. Not at all. Ah heh heh heh," Jowy muttered nervously.
"Nanami, did I hear you right? Did you say 'Jowy'?" a voice echoed from the stairway. "If I ever get my hands on that kid..."
"Uh oh..." Iianthe murmured, wincing at each stomp on the stairs.
"Uh—hey—Nanami." The taller youth tried a small smile. "Long time, no see...?"
"Wha—'Long time, no see' my eye!" she fumed. "Do you know how pissed—"
"—I am?"
Viktor appeared behind them. He was a hulking bear of a man, tall and well-muscled. He'd been the leader of the mercenaries along with Flik and was rumored to have fought in the great Liberation War in the former Scarlet Moon Empire—now called the Toran Republic—the country directly south of Jowston. The fatigue in his eyes from the past few days of little or no sleep was gone, replaced by the fiery brightness of anger. Hand on he hilt of the Star Dragon Sword hanging at his side, he pushed past Nanami and Shu and advanced towards the two.
"Why'd you do it, Jowy? Why did you kill Anabelle? Did you give Muse to Highland just to save your own skin or were you always a spy for Luca Blight?"
"W-what? I..."
"As—so I take it the three of you are familiar with our young intruder...?" Shu asked dryly.
"Damn straight!"
The strategist cleared his throat and muttered something inaudible to everyone but Nanami, who edged away from him a little. Ignoring him, Viktor made as if to unsheathe his blade. Jowy blanched and took an unconscious step back.
"No!!!" Iianthe cried out and jumped between the two. "Viktor, stop!"
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing? Get out of the way!"
"Only if you won't hurt him," he replied defiantly.
"Why are you defending the traitor, Iianthe?"
Nanami walked forward, the determined look she always got when defending her foster brother settling on her features. Shu stayed at her side, his grim expression similar to hers.
"Because I...I..."
"How long have the two of you been doing this, huh? Answer me!"
"Viktor, stop yelling at him!" Nanami half-ordered him.
The warrior turned on her suddenly. "How about you, Nanami? Did you know about this?"
She narrowed her eyes. "How dare you..."
"Please, the two of you," Shu interrupted. "Calm down. You must have woken up the entire castle by now."
"You haven't answered me, Iianthe," Viktor's voice was soft, the tone a dangerous one. What were you doing here? Showing him those"—he gestured to the long-forgotten plans on the desk—"so Highland can act accordingly to them?"
"No, I—Jowy was—I mean—" He looked nervous for a moment, then resumed his defiance. "He was just here to see me. You have no right accusing me or Nanami of betrayal—and I'm not going to let you near Jowy with the intent to hurt or kill him."
"Why?" The swordsman glared at him, challenging him to admit to being a traitor.
".................."
"Tell me why, damn you!"
"Because I love him!"
His eyes widened and he fell silent, moving back to stand with his friend. The others stared at him dumbly and silence filled the room. That is, excluding the ticking of the clock.
"Shu..." Iianthe began after a while.
"Y-yes, Lord Iianthe?"
"Jowy is..."He looked questioningly at his friend, who met his gaze and shook his head. He sighed.
"Iianthe...?" Nanami said tentatively, looking from one to the other.
"I'm not leaving," Jowy answered for him. "You can tell my escort on the roof, though I don't doubt he's already heard me." He slowly wrapped an arm around the younger boy. "I'm not leaving Iianthe again."
The Eien leader smiled at him, then looked to the other three, mainly at Eien's strategist. "Shu," he said again. "Meet Jowy, the newest addition to the Eien Army."