"You're not a very good kidnapper, Ser Isilud."

"I know."

"I mean, to be taken captive after you yourself took someone else as a hostage…"

"I know."

"Downright embarrassing, really."

"I. Know."

In the dungeons of Riovanes Castle, Alma Beoulve stretched her legs out from her sitting position and smoothed out her dress. "Well, no need to worry. My brother will come rescue us. It must be awful, having to be rescued by the very person whose sister you chose to kidnap."

Isilud briefly wondered the gods would be terribly angry if he forsook his oath as a Knight Templar and strangled the girl on the spot. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch – why not add more insult to injury? His pocket already felt much too light since that assassin had taken the Zodiac Stones. Now his father was coming, and it wouldn't be a good time for anyone involved – not for the Beoulve girl who sat beside him, and especially not for Isilud himself. And he realized with a sinking feeling that he was starting to hyperventilate, as he tried and failed to stop thinking of how badly his father would react to his failure.

A hand fell on his shoulder. "Are you all right?" Alma asked, her brown eyes narrowed in concern.

"It's none of your concern," Isilud snapped.

The girl exhaled sharply, withdrawing her hand and crossing her arms as she turned away. "As you wish."

All it took was a few minutes for Isilud to calm down, but that didn't stop his anxiety about when the assassin who kidnapped him in the first place would be returning. He knew his fate was sealed the very second he heard the door open. Though, to his surprise, it was a girl that appeared, instead of the boy from before. "So you're the people my brother took hostage," the girl said, pulling down her white hood. "Alma Beoulve… and Isilud Tengille." The girl peered through the bars of their prison. "Your brother is coming, Miss Beoulve. As is your father, Ser Isilud." Isilud could barely contain his shock as the door to his prison swung open and the girl smiled at them wryly. "Luckily for you, Miss Beoulve, I like your brother. You are free to go."

He audibly gasped at Alma Beoulve's next question. "Is Ser Isilud allowed to leave as well?"

"Ramza never said anything about him," the girl said. "But I suppose—"

"Rapha, what in Saint Ajora's name do you think you're doing?"

Isilud's heart sank, and he heard Alma say something unholy as they both recognized the source of the voice. The girl who agreed to free him – Rapha, presumably – stiffened visibly. "Marach."

"Those are my hostages," Marach said, rushing over and slamming the door to the cell shut. "Duke Barrington wants them—"

"As bargaining chips for his scheme with the Glabados Church," Rapha finished. "I'm aware."

Marach sighed. "If this is about your delusions about Duke Barrington—"

"They are not delusions," Rapha said indignantly.

"Then leave the hostages out of it," Marach said.

Rapha smiled bitterly. "You still refuse to believe me, I see."

"Because it's ludicrous," Marach said shortly.

"He used me!" Rapha said, her voice wavering so much that Isilud could tell that she was close to tears. And the worst part was that she sounded sincere. "He still is. And he's using you too."

"Perhaps we should take this discussion elsewhere," Marach said quietly. "No need to make a scene."

"No," Rapha said firmly. "The hostages can hear this."

"Then would you rather he left us to die back in the village?"

"Yes! Anything would be better than years and years of…" She trailed off, leaving Isilud to piece together the rest of the story himself. And at that moment, he sincerely hoped his father would disagree to whatever deal Duke Barrington wished to strike. The girl couldn't have been much older than Alma and himself, at the very least…

"Rapha, what…" As if coming to terms with the answer, Marach sighed. "He really did hurt you… didn't he, Rapha?"

"Now do you believe me?" the young girl whispered. "I have no reason to lie about this, Marach."

"But if he would really deign to do such a thing to you, then his plans for the Glabados Church and for all of Ivalice would be…"

Isilud would not have liked the knowing smirk on Alma's face if the circumstances were any different and if his fate was not inextricably tied to hers at the moment. "I have a suggestion," she said innocently. "You can derail his plans by freeing us." She stared at Isilud pointedly, prompting him to continue.

"If Duke Barrington's bargain with my father depends on my presence here, then my father would never agree if I were absent," the Knight Templar said simply.

And, almost immediately, Marach opened the cell door. "I'm sorry, Rapha," he said. "I know this does not make up for years and years of ignorance, but…"

"Thank you, Marach," Rapha said with a giggle.

"Thank the gods for older brothers who would do anything for their younger siblings," Alma said as she practically skipped out of the cell.

"And older sisters," Isilud added as he stepped out behind her.

Suddenly, a scream echoed through the halls. "Wh-What was that?" Alma whispered, standing closer to Isilud and Marach.

"Something has gone wrong," Marach said in a low whisper, looking up. "You both need to leave. Now. Rapha, go with them."

"No!" Rapha yelled. "We will confront Barrington. Together."

As more screams rang, Isilud covered his ears. "This… What is this…?"

"A monster?" Alma suggested. "Unless… The Lucavi. Just like what Ramza said happened to Cardinal Delacroix…"

"Wh-What?" Isilud stammered.

"The Zodiac Stones," Alma clarified. "They have the power to transform ordinary people into vicious demons. That was how Cardinal Delacroix perished – he was transformed into a demon, and my brother was forced to slay him in self-defense."

"And this is true?" Isilud said. "You're sure?"

"I trust my brother's word," Alma said simply. "Ramza is nothing if not honest."

Isilud stared upward. "So who is…?"

"If this happens with the Knights Templar, then I would assume your father, Ser Isilud," Marach said solemnly.

"You must make haste," Rapha said. "Flee. Do not tell us where you plan to go, in case someone tries to force the answer from us. If it really is your father, Ser Isilud, then you are in the most danger out of all of us."

"And you may have these back," Marach said, handing the Knight Templar the Virgo and Pisces stones he'd taken before. "To risk putting a known weapon in the enemy's hands could very well spell our deaths."

"But…" Isilud protested weakly. "But my father…"

"There is no time," Alma said quickly. "What is the fastest way out of this castle?"

"Well," Rapha said slowly, "there are some tunnels that can lead you out from under the castle itself…"

In the end, Rapha and Marach could only spare one Chocobo, which Alma and Isilud were forced to share. "My father really…" Isilude whispered, struggling to wrap his head around this sudden turn of events.

Alma sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Ser Isilud," she said. "We do not know if your father was truly responsible for the tragedy at Riovanes, but—"

"If that is why the Knights Templar are searching for the Zodiac Stones, then I cannot associate with them any longer."

"We must keep them safe from the church, of course," Alma said seriously. "And from those who wish to use them for ill."

"I'm a heretic now," Isilud said faintly, the thought just occurring to him. He was perhaps going against everything in the oath he took when he was first knighted. But did the oath really matter when people who did follow it committed such horrible atrocities?

"So am I," Alma reasoned with him. "So is Ramza, and Lady Agrias, and Ser Mustadio, and all of my brother's companions. If fighting for what is right brands us as heretics, then so be it."

"Where do we go from here?" Isilud asked quietly.

"We could go our separate ways," Alma said, "but I strongly suspect that neither of us will survive for very long if we follow that course of action. Another option would be to make for Zeltennia. Queen Ovelia and I are on good terms, so she will surely help us. She and Delita will keep us safe."

"We are both too easily recognizable," Isilud pointed out.

"Then I propose a simple cover story – after you took me hostage, we fell hopelessly in love with each other. Knowing that our respective families would disapprove, we decided to elope, and we make for Zeltennia for our own safety."

And, despite all that had happened, despite the fact that Isilud was forced to travel with someone he previously considered an enemy, he couldn't help but laugh. "That is an awful story."

"The only lie in it is that we are… involved. And the only complication that could possibly arise is that we may actually have to marry to legitimize our claim."

"I strongly suspect that your brother will sever my head clean from my body if he catches wind of this. But I cannot say my sister would do the same to you."

Alma giggled. "My dear Ser Isilud, if you are to marry into the Beoulve family, then you must attempt to win Ramza's favor, at the very least. You can worry about Zalbaag and Dycedarg after that."

"Isilud Beoulve? I think Alma Tengille is much more fitting. I hear that you've spent a majority of your early life at Orbonne, so you already fit the part."

"But a marriage contract with the church is just what Dycedarg needs to cement things with the Order of the Northern Sky."

"My father could benefit just as much, if not more, with a marriage contract with the Beoulves."

"But you must remember that this is just a cover story, Ser Isilud."

How quickly he had forgotten himself… "Yes… Of course."

Ramza stood with his blade locked against that of the tall, green-robed woman before him. "This is for Isilud," the woman said venomously, hatred and loathing evident in her eyes.

"I did not kill your brother," Ramza said as he struggled against the force of the woman's blade. "Lady Tengille, please listen to—"

"Your brother is alive, Lady Tengille." Rapha chose to join them at this moment, and Meliadoul withdrew her blade. "At least, he was when I saw him last. My brother and I helped him escape, along with Ramza's sister. Though whether he is still alive, I cannot say. We parted ways at Riovanes itself. The last I saw of him, he fled with Alma Beoulve, and I know not their destination."

Ramza sighed. "Lady Tengille, there is a good chance that your brother is still with my sister," he said calmly. "If you would join us, we could search for our younger siblings together."

The Knight Templar sheathed her weapon and nodded once. "You have my sword."

Ramza couldn't believe the irony of the situation as he offered a quick prayer for the recently departed Confessor Zalmour. "Perhaps you should stay the night, Ramza," Delita suggested. "Such a quick trip to Zeltennia must have tired you."

"Thank you, Delita, but I'll have to decline," Ramza said politely. "The sooner we make haste to our next location, the better."

"Then at least stay for lunch."

"We can eat on the way."

"Gods damn it, Ramza, your sister is here, in Zeltennia, accompanied by a man whom she claims to all that is not either Ovelia or myself is her fiancé. Knight Templar, Ser Isilud Tengille."

"Fiancé?" Ramza echoed. "She agreed to marry Isilud Tengille?"

His status as a heretic must have turned the gods against him, because Meliadoul joined the conversation at precisely this moment. "My brother is marrying into the Beoulve family?"

"My sister is marrying into the church?" Ramza demanded.

And as both Ramza and Meliadoul glowered at the knight before them, Delita sighed in irritation and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ask them yourself. I no longer want any part of this."

"Alma, do you realize what people would think if they saw you traveling with a man your age who is not your consort?"

"Isilud, you abandoned your oath, and you officially qualify as a heretic!"

"Exactly why we told everyone who crossed our path that we were to marry, Ramza. It was the only lie amidst a sea of truths."

"The oath means nothing anymore, Mel. Surely Ser Ramza has told you the truth of the matter by now."

As Ramza and Meliadoul looked to each other, they revised their priorities and glared harshly at their younger siblings, crying out in unison: "You could have died!"

"Which is exactly why we fled," Alma and Isilud replied simultaneously, and the fact that their respective tones matched almost perfectly was somewhat frightening.

Ramza and Meliadoul sighed together. "Your sister has infected my brother with her insanity," Meliadoul said.

"It might be the other way around, actually," Ramza said, "because she was much milder before she was kidnapped."

"Ah…" Isilud said quietly, all mirth leaving his face as he kneeled down before Ramza. "Ser Ramza, I sincerely apologize for all I have done to wrong you and your family. If you would have me, I will gladly fight with you to protect the Zodiac Stones from those who wish to use them for ill."

Not that there was any room for doubt, but the look on Alma's face told Ramza that she would personally make the rest of his life a living hell if he refused. "Rise, Ser Isilud," he said. "Your assistance is most welcome."

"And I will accompany you as well," Alma said. "There will be no room for argument, Ramza."

Ramza's eyes narrowed as Meliadoul outright laughed at him. "Of course."

"So where do we go from here?" Isilud asked almost excitedly.

"We search for the next Zodiac Stone, of course," Meliadoul replied. "Didn't you say that Marquis Elmdore possesses one, Ramza?"

"So Limberry then?" Alma asked, clapping her hands together. "Hopefully Ovelia and Delita can spare more than one Chocobo. Having to share one with Isilud was bad enough the first time."

"I was riding half off the gods damned bird because you refused to share, Alma," Isilud said accusingly, yet somewhat affectionately at the same time.

Meliadoul sighed as her forehead met the palm of her hand. "First name basis, Isilud…"

"Alma, please tell me that you did not actually marry this man to legitimize your claim."

The two younger siblings shared a knowing, yet evil look. "Well…" they said simultaneously.

The ensuing reaction was instantaneous. Color drained from Ramza's face as a spectrum of emotions – ranging from murderous rage to reluctant acceptance – graced Meliadoul's features. The two older siblings were reduced to stuttering, blubbering messes as Isilud whispered to Alma: "Do you think we should tell them that you are not Lady Alma Tengille yet?"

"This is too much fun," Alma whispered back. "And I believe you mean Ser Isilud Beoulve. And whatever do you mean by 'not yet'?"

"Zalbaag will not take this well," Ramza lamented.

"If Father didn't kill you back in Riovanes, he certainly will now," Meliadoul moaned.

"This makes you my sister-in-law now, Lady Tengille," Ramza said.

"And you my brother-in-law, Ser Ramza," Meliadoul replied. The illusion was shattered as Alma erupted into a fit of giggles and Isilud snorted in laughter. "Saint Ajora, please look in the other direction as I asphyxiate my younger brother."

"Alma, I will personally search for the most boring, unromantic man for your arranged marriage," Ramza said in all seriousness. "Someone Dycedarg's age. Preferably older."

"But Ramza, you wouldn't."

"Please have mercy, Mel."

All in all, it was to be a very eventful several weeks.

I ship Isilud/Alma so hard. Even though Isilud is kind of sort of dead. And I used the PSP names to be consistent, even though I like "Izlude" better than "Isilud". Please review!