Hidden in the Heart
Chapter 1: The Blond Pirate
''Krile, i-it's not funny!'' Bartz blushed at their conversation about the other females in the party. He could remember seeing Lenna for the first time crowded by those monsters where the meteorite landed. Then his mind zipped through to the time he, Lenna, and Galuf were captured by Faris' pirate crew. However, when Krile brought up Faris wearing a dress, his face turned from one expression to another. These are definitely the type of situations that Bartz would shy away from.
''Oh, Bartz! If you want to you can always be... you know...'' Putting her hand to her face, Krile giggled mischievously while backing away from the stairs where she sat. Bartz, looking as if he were going to throw a fit like a very young child, scowled at Krile. He seemed to be thinking of why he'd ever mentioned the beginning of his journey in the first place. Raising up from the bench, Bartz moved closer to Krile. He knew she was up to something! "Hey, come back here!'' Running to catch up to the hills where the inn layed, the young man rushed there in worry.
Krile barged into the room where she had last seen Lenna and came to the door. She couldn't wait to tell Lenna about Bartz's reaction from the apparel he'd love to see her sister in. However, Bartz was the first to speak. ''Lenna, listen to her! I-what I said didn't come out right!'' Lenna stared wildly at her two friends who came straight to her. ''Calm down! What do you two want?'' Footsteps could be heard from downstairs coming up to the second floor. They were so busy talking that they hadn't noticed Faris' presence at all.
Bartz and Krile are at it again, Faris thought to herself. I need to leave, before they notice how long I've been gone. Standing still, Faris held the stair railing and looked back at the room with Bartz, Krile, and her sister Lenna. Caressing her arm in a cautious manner, Faris went downstairs. Why let them see my injuries? It'll only worry them. Besides, Lenna would be too hasty to think about anything else—besides me, her sister.
Looking down at her neck, Faris feels shame creeping up her spine. I lost my pendant, how would father feel he saw me right now? Would Lenna be upset? What a stupid question! Of course she's be enraged, furious... All I can remember is peeking inside that abandoned ship and wondering if anyone knew it was there. Next thing I know, the pendant is gone.
''Guess I'll try again.'' Faris steps down quietly to the inn's front desk. Is anyone downstairs? Taking a look look into the hallway, Faris saw no one. How can that be? Thinking to herself in silence, a distraught old man suddenly stood at her feet. ''Empty already? I blame that ship! I bet it was a group of bandits, hiding in the shadows to harm others. Pirates do that kind of stuff, you know.''
Chuckling was Faris' response to the old man. Oh, so we lurk in the shadows and and steal, huh? I shouldn't take this geezer seriously, seeing that he comes up to me starting a rather obnoxious complaint. ''Pirates, what a shame none of Walz's or Karnak's soldiers haven't taken any of them out. Kidnapping princesses, stealing children through those malicious waves! Don't you understand?'' Galloping in circles around Faris, the old guy stopped. ''Oh, I see now! You're not taking me seriously, knowing that you are one to support those fools. What else can I expect form a group of adventurers who stole the crystals, anyhow!''
What is wrong with him? We didn't steal the crystals, we - ''I know who you are, but you will NOT corrupt me! Everyone else is wrong! You should be locked in jail for all of your doings!'' Opening the door, the manager came in, nervous. ''Sir, stay out. You are not welcome in here! Last night you trashed the whole place! Please leave and stop harassing guests!'' Banging his stick onto the wall, the old man left, slamming the door on his way out. Sighing, the manager apologizes.
Walking away from the inn and now outside, Faris ran down a hill covered with vines, thorns, rocks, boulders, and thick fallen branches. They were now enemies of man. Now I recall being right by the ship, and my pendant still hanged from my neck. Water submerged the ship's first floor, so it's useless to navigate it, let alone steal it. What if the soil kept the pendant hidden? No, no sign of it here. Guess I'll head back.
Faris' leg is tugged by a silly kind of moogle. ''Kupo! Kupo!'' I'm really getting tired of seeing them. ''Kupo!'' The moogle points to a string tied to a tree. Does it want me to pull the string down?
''Ku-po!'' The moogle pokes Faris' neck. Krile's moogle, Mog, always plays around with her pendant. Wait, is this Krile's pet, Mog? Krile's anklet is in Mog's teeth! Mog climbed on Faris' shoulder, sleepy.
Tmp, tmp, tmp. A man kicks his way across the water sweating heavily. Sunlight shined over him while his eyes was closed. Everything seemd to be a peace under his guidance. Who is he? Brown hair, blue clothes, skin that lets him boil to death. Tilting slightly upon his back stood a sword. Being soaked didn't phase the heat preying upon him while running in Faris' direction. She took no caution of this man, and a hand tapped her shoulder.
''Faris!'' Faris looks up, and who she saw standing over her gave out such a smile. ''What are you doing here?'' Bartz sees Faris' neck; there was no pendant. ''Oh, your pendant is gone.'' Hmm... How could I cheer her up?, Bartz thought.
''Faris, I'll help you out tomorrow. Today Lenna wants me to help help decide where we're going to stay next week. Not that I can't help, but before you went out it you were not wearing it. Last time I've seen it, it was laying on your coat.'' Bartz holds out his hand to Faris. ''Let's go, soon it'll be dark.''
...She's not listening. If only I could be there for you, to let you know that everything will be all right and you need to be free of worries. Bartz crouches down next to faris. ''Faris, the last thing I would want is for you to be stressed and stay out here all night. Your safety matters to me!''
''Bartz! You're worried so much about me...'' ''In order for me to protect you, being here is very important. Promise methat you'll take it easy, okay?'' Faris looks up at Bartz cracking a grin. '' I promise.''
Walikng back to Walz's inn. Bartz stops. Unzipping his jacket, the wraps it around Faris. ''The jacket will keep you warm.'' He sees that her body has scrapes and marks. ''What happended here? Take that, it should work just fine!'' Bartz gives Faris treatment on her arms with ointment. ''Alcohol should work better, but at least I helped!'' Giving Faris a thumps up sign, Bartz hugged her afterwards. They were now at the inn. so it was time to part ways.
''Good night, Faris!'' Bartz hops up to his room. Mog, who sat on Faris' shoulder, flew away to Krile's room. Thinking about how friendly Bartz was outside, Faris blushed slightly. Heh, he wants to protect me... No, I won't be dependent on him, Faris thought with the movement of shaking her head. I can't believe myself, wanting to be open to Bartz affection. The pendant must have kept my sense as well.
I will miss having him do that stuff, however. Surprising.