Title: Final Kiss
By: Tasumi Ashiru
Sometimes the prayer of heaven becomes our own
My prayer is to be with you
To show you that darkness is not all the universe has
But that there is also light
That beauty exists in all things
And to destroy it
Is to destroy that chance to become human
We never need a reason to do things
Never need to bleed to know we are mortal
Or to kiss to know we are in love
It just happens
Like the sun rising in the sky
My love for you is eternal
As long as the universe still shines in the heavens
I will watch over you
My lips in a smile
Your head against my breast
Forever, I will wait till we are together again
Raiyne looked at the beautiful ivory colored head stone of the grave. Running her fingers against the cool stone she sighed, her memories taking her to another time. As they traced the name etched in the stone, she cried softly, her painted red lips parting in a sob.
Zidane watched her, as she pushed the heavy hood from her head. Her hair was a soft red-brown that had little steaks of gold at the very end of the rich curls that framed her face. "Excuse me Miss?"
Raiyne scrambled to her feet and pulled her hood up. "I, oh god please don't kill me."
"Ummn, huh?" Zidane was taken back from her frantic words and startled shaking form that he just stood there blinking at her. "Did you know him?"
"What do you care?" Raiyne balled her dainty hands into fists at her sides.
"He's my brother, even though we had our differences. I wish I would have gotten know him better than I really do. How well did you know him ?"
"What does the King of Alexandria care? I never knew being a musician was a crime." Raiyne just stood there, her deep brown eyes burning from tears and anger.
"What are you hiding? I used to be a thief I think I can tell when a woman is hiding something." Zidane, took a step near her but stopped after seeing the glint of a dagger in her one hand that was produced from a pouch on her side.
"Don't you know when to leave a woman alone?" She switched the dagger back and forth in her hands that were in front of her.
"No, after all that is how I became the king of this kingdom." Zidane smiled. "Don't you know that threatening a king is illegal."
"This dagger is not for you." Raiyne turned her head back, and placed the small daggers blade against her throat.
Zidane leapt at her and pinned her hand to the grassy mound of the grave. Squeezing her hand, she was forced to let go of the dagger's hilt. After pulling her back, Zidane grabbed the dagger and threw it into the woods in front of them. "Now tell me, what this insanity is all about?"
Raiyne tried to break free from his hands, but gave up realizing it was useless to struggle. "I want to die. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Why?" Zidane stepped carefully around her keeping his hand clutching her wrist as he did so. "So tell me, why would a young musician will herself to death over the grave of my brother?"
"I don't want to live alone. I can't, not now. I never could then, I certainly will not now." Raiyne shifted her gaze slightly, her other hand resting against her side.
"Why not now ?" Zidane looked down at her and noticed her swollen belly. "I see." Zidane shook his head and let go of her wrist, letting it fall limply to her side.
Raiyne turned her head to the side embarrassed. "I was running out of money and I tried to sell myself on the street. At first he looked at me with the objection I got from everyone, then seeing the case on back he smiled. He offered me a job playing for him, but only for him. After a few days of playing, I started to care about him. One night, I was playing for him, he sat across from me watching my hands dainty movements. Suddenly before I understood what happened he was behind me, his fingers trailing through my hair. With a soft touch, he brushed his fingers against my cheek and kissed it softly."
"I can tell things certainly went further than just a small peck on the cheek." Zidane smiled, captivated by her story.
"What are you some pervert ? Gosh, I know it went further. That is none of your business your highness." Raiyne pouted softly and looked down at the grass. "I am sorry, but that is something private."
"Understood." Zidane bowed his head and looked off at the setting sun. "I must get back. Do you have somewhere to stay?"
"No, I planed on dying." Raiyne curved her lips into a smile and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you for talking me out of it."
Zidane turned red, and backed away. "It's nothing really."
"Nothing to you, my life to me." Raiyne let go of him and started to walk away.
"Come with me please. I can't stand to leave a pregnant woman out on the streets alone." Zidane offered her his arm with a slight tinge of majestic grace.
Taking it, Raiyne walked with him. "Will the Queen not be jealous of me walking in with you ?"
"How else do you think I should get you in ?" Zidane sighed looking at the castle.
"A King escorting a pregnant street girl into the castle was not my idea of being saved from a night on the streets." Raiyne chuckled. "Besides could you not tell her that I am simply near labor and begged for board at the castle."
"Nay, I could never lie to her." Zidane lowered his head and handed her off to Vivi who was standing out side waiting for him to come home. "Vivi please take care of her while I talk to Dagger about her staying till her child is born."
"Okay." Vivi nodded his head and watched as he walked inside leaving Vivi standing in charge Raiyne. "Are you a friend of Zidane's ?"
"Nay, we just met."
"Oh?" Vivi blushed softly and stammered his feet back and forth.
"Yeah, I met him at his brother's grave. He is just like him." Raiyne smiled and took a seat on the stone wall by the moat.
"I hope not." Vivi looked at the girl who immediately sprang to her feet.
"You hope not.. YOU HOPE NOT!!" Raiyne shook with violent anger as she pondered how many ways to kill him. "You didn't even know him. What gives you the right to judge him?" Raiyne towered over Vivi narrowing her eyes.
"Kuja was insane. He killed and hurt people." Vivi backed away slightly. "Zidane cares about people. He takes care of his friends. I really don't see how you can compare the two."
Raiyne turned away hiding her tears that were falling. "Kuja cared about one person."
"Himself." Vivi nodded and sat back down motioning for her to sit down again.
"no.. me." Raiyne sat down and laid her hand over her belly rubbing it gently. "Kuja loved me. I know he did else he never would have taken me in off the street or kissed me or anything else."
"That is his child!?" Vivi backed away from her.
"Aye." Raiyne smiled and swiped the tears away. "I was his musician, I played for him for over a month. Then one day he just vanished. I wondered what happened to him."
"He was trying to kill me and my friends." Vivi turned from her.
"Enough of that Vivi." Steiner walked out and offered her his arm. Taking it she was lead in side to a small room. "This is your room miss" Steiner let go of her arm and smiled. "Zidane already told me about this, I agreed to take care of you with my wife Beatrix but only as a favor to Zidane."
"Thank you.." Raiyne bowed to him and removed her cloak, laying it down on the bed she sat on it and smiled. "I take it you have something more to say?"
Steiner stood there starring at girl. "How did you met him?"
"By his brother's grave."
"I meant, his brother not his highness." Steiner sat down in a seat and looked at her.
"Ohh. I was a musician, but I began to run out of money. one day I met Kuja, he stared at me and walked right past. Anyway, he noticed the violin I had on my back, while walking away and offered me a business deal. I played for him for about a month when.. One night he came into my room, it was right after I played for him and he kissed my cheek." Raiyne shuffled her feet looking at the older man with her bright brown eyes.
"That's enough." Steiner looked down at her after getting up out of the chair. "Now get some sleep for now you will stay as a sitter for my son in payment."
"Yes sire, thank you." Raiyne closed her eyes and inhaled as the door shut closed then reopened. Beatrix was standing in the door frame, peering her head in she walked in with a small smile.
"Do you need a kind ear to listen to you?" Beatrix stood next to the bed and patted her head gently. "I can tell you are straining to tell someone what happened, besides a girl is more understanding of these issues."
"Thank you." Raiyne smiled and motioned for her to sit in the seat. "It's a long story. How much do you know ?"
"That he came to your room one night, and Steiner couldn't stand the details. You have to understand you and I have both seen Kuja in different ways, I have seen him always as the mad man who rampaged my world and killed my Queen. Our reaction is not out of disrespect but rather circumstance." Beatrix sat down in the seat and crossed her legs. "Now do you understand Vivi's actions?"
"Aye." Raiyne bowed her head slightly. "I understand, that doesn't change the fact that I love Kuja."
"Love is like that. Don't let anyone steal that from you."
"Steal what?" Raiyne shifted her feet.
"Your love of Kuja." Beatrix sighed and placed her arm against the dresser. "Just like my love for Steiner. It's precious just like that child inside you. Sure I wasn't Kuja friendly either, but you saw that side of him that we never saw."
"That means a lot, thank you. Say have you ever talked about love with people?"
"Sure, Dagger, Eiko and now you." Beatrix tapped her fingers on the dresser. "Was Kuja any good at child making ?"
"Would I be pregnant if he was not?" Raiyne smiled and closed her eyes.
"I am sorry to ask, but well a woman cannot help but wonder, specially with the way he dressed."
"I don't mind.. The sex was beyond amazing." Raiyne smiled it was almost triumphantly. "He had this way of always touching me in one way or another. It was seductive, but yet distant always. He had this way of always slipping from my arms when I wanted him to stay. The first time he did anything close to sexual, he was standing in the doorway of my room, I was in the tub cleaning up myself for dinner. He walked right in and knelt down by the tub. Taking the thin cloth from my hands, he bathed me. It was so sensual. When he stopped I tried to urge him for more, but he always told me the time would come for that." Raiyne sat back and propped her self up on the pillow. "Does this really interest you ?"
"Yeah, I never imagined Kuja to be so touchy. Even waiting to take you, I never thought him to be the type."
"Neither did I." Raiyne smiled "I am glad he did. The night we made love was beautiful, not because we had sex, but everything felt perfect. He was wearing his usual attire, only the blue and gold over top was removed, and the white one was left on. He stood there at the window his hair was glittering in the moonlight. Walking over to him, I placed my hands in his hand brought my head to rest against his chest. Something told me that was our last night together. It was a nagging feeling I couldn't sleep so I went into his arms."
Beatrix handed her a soft fabric towel and let her dry her eyes before she continued. "You didn't know Kuja died the next day did you?"
"I spent the past 6 months searching for him. I never even got a chance to tell him that I was with child. I know it would have mattered so much to him." Raiyne sobbed and laid her head against the pillow.
"Poor child. Do you want anything?" Beatrix smiled and swiped falling tear from her cheek. She was not crying for Kuja but rather the girl who was sobbing in the bed.
"Can you perform a miracle?" Raiyne sighed. "I just wish I could have given him more. I wish I could have stopped him and his action." Raiyne crumpled the clean linen with her hand.
Beatrix shook her head and stood up. "You should rest."
Raiyne looked up and looked at the closing door. Taking out the thin bound book she flipped the page and ran her fingers over the letters. "Cry alone child. Leave yourself into the wind. This is only fate that we all part. Even though in body I will leave you my soul will forever be beside you. Cry alone my love, even though you are not."
Beatrix looked at Steiner who was standing outside the door and laid her head against his shoulder as she heard the recital of the poem from Raiyne room. "He really loved her Steiner.. He did. Were we wrong for making sure he died like that ?"
"He died because he was killing people. Bea, my dear, this is the child's pain let it not burden you." Steiner stoked her cheek with his thumb and walked away from the door way.
Raiyne turned the pages looking over at each of them tracing each letter like it was Kuja resting there, his head placed against her lap. Looking at the final page she smiled inwardly. It was music, the beautiful melody that she played each night for him. Crawling out of bed she walked over to the dresser and removed the violin from its case. That night she played for hours the same haunting melody resonating through out the entire place.
By: Tasumi Ashiru
Sometimes the prayer of heaven becomes our own
My prayer is to be with you
To show you that darkness is not all the universe has
But that there is also light
That beauty exists in all things
And to destroy it
Is to destroy that chance to become human
We never need a reason to do things
Never need to bleed to know we are mortal
Or to kiss to know we are in love
It just happens
Like the sun rising in the sky
My love for you is eternal
As long as the universe still shines in the heavens
I will watch over you
My lips in a smile
Your head against my breast
Forever, I will wait till we are together again
Raiyne looked at the beautiful ivory colored head stone of the grave. Running her fingers against the cool stone she sighed, her memories taking her to another time. As they traced the name etched in the stone, she cried softly, her painted red lips parting in a sob.
Zidane watched her, as she pushed the heavy hood from her head. Her hair was a soft red-brown that had little steaks of gold at the very end of the rich curls that framed her face. "Excuse me Miss?"
Raiyne scrambled to her feet and pulled her hood up. "I, oh god please don't kill me."
"Ummn, huh?" Zidane was taken back from her frantic words and startled shaking form that he just stood there blinking at her. "Did you know him?"
"What do you care?" Raiyne balled her dainty hands into fists at her sides.
"He's my brother, even though we had our differences. I wish I would have gotten know him better than I really do. How well did you know him ?"
"What does the King of Alexandria care? I never knew being a musician was a crime." Raiyne just stood there, her deep brown eyes burning from tears and anger.
"What are you hiding? I used to be a thief I think I can tell when a woman is hiding something." Zidane, took a step near her but stopped after seeing the glint of a dagger in her one hand that was produced from a pouch on her side.
"Don't you know when to leave a woman alone?" She switched the dagger back and forth in her hands that were in front of her.
"No, after all that is how I became the king of this kingdom." Zidane smiled. "Don't you know that threatening a king is illegal."
"This dagger is not for you." Raiyne turned her head back, and placed the small daggers blade against her throat.
Zidane leapt at her and pinned her hand to the grassy mound of the grave. Squeezing her hand, she was forced to let go of the dagger's hilt. After pulling her back, Zidane grabbed the dagger and threw it into the woods in front of them. "Now tell me, what this insanity is all about?"
Raiyne tried to break free from his hands, but gave up realizing it was useless to struggle. "I want to die. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Why?" Zidane stepped carefully around her keeping his hand clutching her wrist as he did so. "So tell me, why would a young musician will herself to death over the grave of my brother?"
"I don't want to live alone. I can't, not now. I never could then, I certainly will not now." Raiyne shifted her gaze slightly, her other hand resting against her side.
"Why not now ?" Zidane looked down at her and noticed her swollen belly. "I see." Zidane shook his head and let go of her wrist, letting it fall limply to her side.
Raiyne turned her head to the side embarrassed. "I was running out of money and I tried to sell myself on the street. At first he looked at me with the objection I got from everyone, then seeing the case on back he smiled. He offered me a job playing for him, but only for him. After a few days of playing, I started to care about him. One night, I was playing for him, he sat across from me watching my hands dainty movements. Suddenly before I understood what happened he was behind me, his fingers trailing through my hair. With a soft touch, he brushed his fingers against my cheek and kissed it softly."
"I can tell things certainly went further than just a small peck on the cheek." Zidane smiled, captivated by her story.
"What are you some pervert ? Gosh, I know it went further. That is none of your business your highness." Raiyne pouted softly and looked down at the grass. "I am sorry, but that is something private."
"Understood." Zidane bowed his head and looked off at the setting sun. "I must get back. Do you have somewhere to stay?"
"No, I planed on dying." Raiyne curved her lips into a smile and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you for talking me out of it."
Zidane turned red, and backed away. "It's nothing really."
"Nothing to you, my life to me." Raiyne let go of him and started to walk away.
"Come with me please. I can't stand to leave a pregnant woman out on the streets alone." Zidane offered her his arm with a slight tinge of majestic grace.
Taking it, Raiyne walked with him. "Will the Queen not be jealous of me walking in with you ?"
"How else do you think I should get you in ?" Zidane sighed looking at the castle.
"A King escorting a pregnant street girl into the castle was not my idea of being saved from a night on the streets." Raiyne chuckled. "Besides could you not tell her that I am simply near labor and begged for board at the castle."
"Nay, I could never lie to her." Zidane lowered his head and handed her off to Vivi who was standing out side waiting for him to come home. "Vivi please take care of her while I talk to Dagger about her staying till her child is born."
"Okay." Vivi nodded his head and watched as he walked inside leaving Vivi standing in charge Raiyne. "Are you a friend of Zidane's ?"
"Nay, we just met."
"Oh?" Vivi blushed softly and stammered his feet back and forth.
"Yeah, I met him at his brother's grave. He is just like him." Raiyne smiled and took a seat on the stone wall by the moat.
"I hope not." Vivi looked at the girl who immediately sprang to her feet.
"You hope not.. YOU HOPE NOT!!" Raiyne shook with violent anger as she pondered how many ways to kill him. "You didn't even know him. What gives you the right to judge him?" Raiyne towered over Vivi narrowing her eyes.
"Kuja was insane. He killed and hurt people." Vivi backed away slightly. "Zidane cares about people. He takes care of his friends. I really don't see how you can compare the two."
Raiyne turned away hiding her tears that were falling. "Kuja cared about one person."
"Himself." Vivi nodded and sat back down motioning for her to sit down again.
"no.. me." Raiyne sat down and laid her hand over her belly rubbing it gently. "Kuja loved me. I know he did else he never would have taken me in off the street or kissed me or anything else."
"That is his child!?" Vivi backed away from her.
"Aye." Raiyne smiled and swiped the tears away. "I was his musician, I played for him for over a month. Then one day he just vanished. I wondered what happened to him."
"He was trying to kill me and my friends." Vivi turned from her.
"Enough of that Vivi." Steiner walked out and offered her his arm. Taking it she was lead in side to a small room. "This is your room miss" Steiner let go of her arm and smiled. "Zidane already told me about this, I agreed to take care of you with my wife Beatrix but only as a favor to Zidane."
"Thank you.." Raiyne bowed to him and removed her cloak, laying it down on the bed she sat on it and smiled. "I take it you have something more to say?"
Steiner stood there starring at girl. "How did you met him?"
"By his brother's grave."
"I meant, his brother not his highness." Steiner sat down in a seat and looked at her.
"Ohh. I was a musician, but I began to run out of money. one day I met Kuja, he stared at me and walked right past. Anyway, he noticed the violin I had on my back, while walking away and offered me a business deal. I played for him for about a month when.. One night he came into my room, it was right after I played for him and he kissed my cheek." Raiyne shuffled her feet looking at the older man with her bright brown eyes.
"That's enough." Steiner looked down at her after getting up out of the chair. "Now get some sleep for now you will stay as a sitter for my son in payment."
"Yes sire, thank you." Raiyne closed her eyes and inhaled as the door shut closed then reopened. Beatrix was standing in the door frame, peering her head in she walked in with a small smile.
"Do you need a kind ear to listen to you?" Beatrix stood next to the bed and patted her head gently. "I can tell you are straining to tell someone what happened, besides a girl is more understanding of these issues."
"Thank you." Raiyne smiled and motioned for her to sit in the seat. "It's a long story. How much do you know ?"
"That he came to your room one night, and Steiner couldn't stand the details. You have to understand you and I have both seen Kuja in different ways, I have seen him always as the mad man who rampaged my world and killed my Queen. Our reaction is not out of disrespect but rather circumstance." Beatrix sat down in the seat and crossed her legs. "Now do you understand Vivi's actions?"
"Aye." Raiyne bowed her head slightly. "I understand, that doesn't change the fact that I love Kuja."
"Love is like that. Don't let anyone steal that from you."
"Steal what?" Raiyne shifted her feet.
"Your love of Kuja." Beatrix sighed and placed her arm against the dresser. "Just like my love for Steiner. It's precious just like that child inside you. Sure I wasn't Kuja friendly either, but you saw that side of him that we never saw."
"That means a lot, thank you. Say have you ever talked about love with people?"
"Sure, Dagger, Eiko and now you." Beatrix tapped her fingers on the dresser. "Was Kuja any good at child making ?"
"Would I be pregnant if he was not?" Raiyne smiled and closed her eyes.
"I am sorry to ask, but well a woman cannot help but wonder, specially with the way he dressed."
"I don't mind.. The sex was beyond amazing." Raiyne smiled it was almost triumphantly. "He had this way of always touching me in one way or another. It was seductive, but yet distant always. He had this way of always slipping from my arms when I wanted him to stay. The first time he did anything close to sexual, he was standing in the doorway of my room, I was in the tub cleaning up myself for dinner. He walked right in and knelt down by the tub. Taking the thin cloth from my hands, he bathed me. It was so sensual. When he stopped I tried to urge him for more, but he always told me the time would come for that." Raiyne sat back and propped her self up on the pillow. "Does this really interest you ?"
"Yeah, I never imagined Kuja to be so touchy. Even waiting to take you, I never thought him to be the type."
"Neither did I." Raiyne smiled "I am glad he did. The night we made love was beautiful, not because we had sex, but everything felt perfect. He was wearing his usual attire, only the blue and gold over top was removed, and the white one was left on. He stood there at the window his hair was glittering in the moonlight. Walking over to him, I placed my hands in his hand brought my head to rest against his chest. Something told me that was our last night together. It was a nagging feeling I couldn't sleep so I went into his arms."
Beatrix handed her a soft fabric towel and let her dry her eyes before she continued. "You didn't know Kuja died the next day did you?"
"I spent the past 6 months searching for him. I never even got a chance to tell him that I was with child. I know it would have mattered so much to him." Raiyne sobbed and laid her head against the pillow.
"Poor child. Do you want anything?" Beatrix smiled and swiped falling tear from her cheek. She was not crying for Kuja but rather the girl who was sobbing in the bed.
"Can you perform a miracle?" Raiyne sighed. "I just wish I could have given him more. I wish I could have stopped him and his action." Raiyne crumpled the clean linen with her hand.
Beatrix shook her head and stood up. "You should rest."
Raiyne looked up and looked at the closing door. Taking out the thin bound book she flipped the page and ran her fingers over the letters. "Cry alone child. Leave yourself into the wind. This is only fate that we all part. Even though in body I will leave you my soul will forever be beside you. Cry alone my love, even though you are not."
Beatrix looked at Steiner who was standing outside the door and laid her head against his shoulder as she heard the recital of the poem from Raiyne room. "He really loved her Steiner.. He did. Were we wrong for making sure he died like that ?"
"He died because he was killing people. Bea, my dear, this is the child's pain let it not burden you." Steiner stoked her cheek with his thumb and walked away from the door way.
Raiyne turned the pages looking over at each of them tracing each letter like it was Kuja resting there, his head placed against her lap. Looking at the final page she smiled inwardly. It was music, the beautiful melody that she played each night for him. Crawling out of bed she walked over to the dresser and removed the violin from its case. That night she played for hours the same haunting melody resonating through out the entire place.