The day King Tycoon left the castle was just like any other day.

The sun had just started to rise over the mountains surrounding the quiet kingdom of Tycoon, an alarm clock of sorts for those working under the name of the royal family. Kitchen servants began preparations for breakfast, ducking and dodging pots and plates. Flames hissed as the stoves were set alight and water and pans were placed above them. The men in the barracks rose from their bunks, shoving on shoes and tugging shirts over heads. Armor needed to be shined and posts needed to be relieved. The handmaidens went about their chores, some filling washbasins for the regal clothing, others filling buckets with soaps to start the cleaning of the castle. The busy bustling of the worker bees created a sweet song, its harmony a comforting sound to the princess of the castle.

Lenna laid in her bed, staring out the window, the curtains already opened from the night before. Dawn had always been a comforting time for her for she thought of it as yesterday being erased and rewritten. A new day, a new start. She could see the mountains from her bed, the large window reaching from the floor to the ceiling. She would like to someday see past the mountains, for she had never been that far away from home, but she knew there was a whole world out there, waiting just for her.

She sprawled her limbs across the bed as far as they could reach, not even close to reaching the edges, in an attempt to stretch. She arose from her bed, gently touching her toes to the stone cold floor, and got up before her lady-in-waiting could arrive. Lenna was always up before the Lady's maid came, but nonetheless she came by every morning, thirty minutes past dawn.

Lenna quietly walked over to the armoire to get dressed, rummaging through her clothing. She pulled on her morning dress and boots, and tied up her hair but stopped to frown at the empty wash cup on her dresser. She'd have to ask to get that filled. She walked to the large piece of glass, a mirror they had called it, to inspect herself. She was short and thin, her curly hair wanting to be released from the bun she had put it in. She had dainty, elfish features. A small upturned nose, brilliant blue eyes. Lenna wasn't really one for vanity, but when she looked at herself, in this mirror, she could only ever think of how she would look as a queen.

One day, when her father passed or she got married, she would become the Queen of Tycoon. The thought was thrilling, but also frightening. She would be in charge of so many people's lives, and they would all look to her when they were in trouble. Her father had told her to have faith in herself, that she would be an excellent queen if she listened to the good people of Tycoon and their concerns. He had also warned her about the men who would seek her hand in marriage. Some would of course just be smitten by her, but others would only want the throne. They would lie and manipulate her heart to get what they desired, and that wasn't what the citizens of Tycoon deserved. She had made a silent promise to herself to guard her heart, and then maybe by doing that, it would also guard the safety of the kingdom.

Her thought was interrupted by a roar of sorts. It was low and she was barely able to make it out, but she knew the sound well; the sound of a wind drake. She quickly crossed her room and reached for her door, nearly running over her handmaiden who was ready to knock on the other side.

"My Lady?" she had asked, but the princess was already halfway down the hall. The clacking of her boots on the stone floors sounded angry and fast; she had to get to the top of the castle. She had to before he left.

How dare he think he can leave before at least saying good bye?

She knew that he was afraid that she would be able to talk him out of leaving, or at least without her. But she briskly climbed the steps of the tower, taking two at a time. She reached the top of the tower and walked out into the early morning sunlight, the sun had just barely peaked over their summits, and there she saw the source of the noise. She saw him there too, her father and king, gently climbing onto the back of the beautiful wind drake. He failed to notice her approach closer, but she continued forward.

"Father!" she shouted. He turned at her voice, pulling on a gentle smile as he climbed off the drake and took a step towards her. "Do you really have to go?" she asked a bit quieter.

He placed a hand on her shoulder but his smile faltered. "You know I do, dear. I need you to protect the castle." He then put on a stern face, as if suddenly remembering an important piece of advice. "Under no circumstances are you to follow me, do you understand?"

Lenna looked down at her feet, her voice threatened to fail her but she kept it steady.

"But, Father…"

The king lifted her chin. "Something is wrong with the wind…" was what came out of his mouth. He looked her in the eyes and continued. "I must go to the Wind Shrine to make certain nothing's happened to the crystal." He dropped his hand from her face at his final word.

Lenna turned her back at his words, looking to those beautiful mountains. Soon her father would be crossing them, and she would be left behind to sit and stay like the good girl she was. Was this really all her life would be, sitting in an old castle? She took a few steps and stopped short of the edge of the tower. There had been some changes in the wind, seasonal gusts hadn't been as strong and the occasional breeze now stopped and started in short shallow gasps. "Yes … I've noticed it as well. But to go alone is-"

"Lenna. Don't worry," he walked to stand next to her, also taking in the beauty of his kingdom and the surrounding land. "I'll be fine. Have faith." His voice was full of determination, but there was something about it that made it sound like he was trying to convince himself more than his daughter. Was he afraid? If he was afraid then that meant…

The king left her side as Lenna looked over her shoulder as she watched her father climb back onto his companion. He shifted his weight then gave it a pat on the neck, readjusting the bag at his side before it gave a loud roar as it slowly ascended into the air. She waved to him as it lifted off, watching as he grew smaller, disappearing into the distance. Her eyes pricked with tears as she turned back towards the castle. She couldn't just sit here and wait for his return. No! She had to do something, didn't she?

But the cool breeze that had been tickling her skin suddenly disappeared. "The wind's stopped…" she noted. The wind wasn't always that prominent, but it was always there. Oh, how quickly had the wind died so shortly after the king's departure. "Father!" she realized with a gasp.

She quickly ran back inside the tower, skipping steps on the stairs, practically flying down countless halls until she reached her room. She threw her chamber door open, startling her lady-in-waiting, who was refilling the wash cup.

"My Lady?" she asked worriedly.

Lenna ignored her as she pulled clothes out of her dresser drawers. She threw the frivolous things aside and tossed appropriate travel clothing onto her freshly made bed.

"My Lady," the handmaiden tried again. She stood to the side, too afraid to intercept the princess.

"Will you get me a suitable bag for traveling?" Lenna asked in a huff, annoyed that the maid had not left her yet. She walked over to her bed and sat among the clothes. "Please?"

The servant nodded and left her to her thoughts. Lenna's heart had started to grow heavy and her stomach twisted into knots. She gripped the wooden column of her bed that held the silken canopy above, desperate for support. What did this mean? Was her father okay? Had he known what he was getting himself into?

A few moments later, her servant came back in the room with a light brown bag that could be placed across the back. Lenna immediately started to place the few clothes she had picked into the bag, not caring to fold them. She figured the boots she had on now would suffice. After all, this would be a short trip, she would return with her father soon.

"My Lady," the handmaiden started cautiously, "where do you plan on going?"

Lenna didn't look up from her packing. "I'm going to retrieve my father."

The handmaiden looked nervous. "But my Lady, His Majesty told the Royal Guard to not let you go after him." She wrung her hands nervously, "you're to stay put, here."

"Yes, but that was before something happened to the wind crystal," She shoved the last of her clothing into her pack and stood up to shoulder it. "Something has happened to my father and I'm going to find out what. I'm leaving and no one's going to stop me." She crossed the room and reached for the door to open it.

"My Lady," the maid inquired, "You won't at least tell the Chancellor that you are leaving?"

He would never let me go, she thought bitterly. "I'll be back before he notices," she lied. She wouldn't but the Chancellor could easily take care of the castle in her absence. He would be extremely upset and stressed, but he would make it work. She wasn't in any real position of power anyway, what could she do for the kingdom in her father's absence other than just sit on her throne besides his and smile?

She proceeded out the door and down the castle hallways, sneaking past members of her royal guard, finally slipping out the front gates. She would get to journey past the mountains earlier than she had expected.

0-0-0-0-0

Lenna felt heavy and drowsy. Her head hurt and she couldn't open her eyes, but there was the uneasy feeling of cracked skin, hands possibly, gripping her wrists and ankles. The sound of footsteps on loose dirt and gravel hit her ears, and it seemed like whoever was carrying her was struggling. Her midsection felt as if it was stooping dangerously low and her head bobbed back and forth. She couldn't tell which way was up and which was down, a very unsettling sensation. Was she being…carried? She couldn't remember where she was and her mind felt fuzzy. Finally, most likely from the fear of her realization, her eyes widened as she stared at the bright blue sky above her. With a shout, she tried shaking out of the grasp of her captors, but it was to no avail.

She then heard the sound of a heavier pair of footsteps pounding against the hardened soil. She was dropped onto the ground with a thud, a groan escaping her lips. She tried to sit up but she still felt so heavy. From her side she could now see two goblins, her captors, and a young man in a blue tunic. The goblins were short and ugly, and although they were weak, barely a challenge, their cracked skin and lanky limbs made them fearsome.

The young man unsheathed a broadsword and swiftly cut into the goblin to his left. It fell with a scream, making the other goblin try to run in fear, but the man got it through the back before it could escape. Lenna stared with wonder, still on her side, at the raw and untamed skill he had used. It certainly wasn't controlled and disciplined like those of Tycoon's royal guard, and something about that intrigued her. She soon noticed him approaching her, perhaps to finish her off as he had done with the goblins just a few short moments before. Maybe her father was right in warning her not to follow.

Instead, he knelt down next to her, gently placing one hand behind her head and the other on her shoulder, lifting her to a sitting position. She slowly started to clear her head as she was able to hold herself up. She tried to make herself look at him, but his eyes were so intense she had to turn her look down.

He had tried to catch her gaze but she had dropped it so quickly. He cleared his throat.

"Hey, are you alright?" his voice was rich and sweet, and he had a slight accent that sounded from the northern region of the continent, though it was such a delightful sound to hear after the ordeal.

Lenna swallowed. "Y-yes…I believe so…" she rubbed her wrist carefully from where the goblins had tightly gripped her. She gave him a nod, to give him reassurance. "I give you my thanks. My name is Lenna. And you are…?" she finally looked up, taken aback by his shining, grey eyes. She had never seen grey eyes before.

"Me?" he asked with a raised brow. "Call me Bartz," he supplied as he jabbed a thumb into his chest. "Me and my chocobo just go wherever the trail leads us…" He gestured to the area behind him with the sweep of his hand, then looking disappointed at the absence of said chocobo.

"Bartz…" she repeatedly thoughtfully. Such a unique name. She liked the way it rolled off her tongue. He nodded with a smile.

She stood with his help and stepped away from him, brushing herself off as she walked towards the big object she had now just noticed. "This rock suddenly fell from the sky…the impact must of knocked me out."

He let out a sigh looking up at it. "Guess it's a meteorite," He stated flatly.

She brought her hand up to her face, cupping her chin with her index and thumb. It was a nervous habit formed by her pensive character. "A meteorite…" she wondered aloud, "I wonder if it has a connection to the wind stopping?"

She walked back to stop in front of him. She studied him for a moment, taking in his wild brown hair and his long lashes. He was quite a bit taller than her, so he was looking down with a grin. She returned the smile. "Again, I give you my thanks. I wish I could do something more to show my appreciation, but I really must go..." she walked a short distance to where her pack laid and picked it up. The goblins must have taken it off her when they tried to take off with her.

"Whoa-" Bartz said as he took a step towards her. "Hey, hold up a sec." he moved to close the distance between them stopping only a foot from her. She thought she had heard a small gasp come from him.

Lenna felt her breath hitch as she turned to face him. She had heard the gasp again. "Bartz," she started, "did you hear something?"

Bartz looked confused. "Huh?"

"Oooh…"

Bartz and Lenna looked to each other. What the-

"Uugh… Help... me…"

They both looked around, turning in the opposite direction. Had the voice come from the east? Or perhaps the west?

Bartz suddenly pointed to the meteorite. "Over there." He motioned for Lenna to follow him.

As they rounded the meteorite, they found an older gentleman face down in the dirt. Lenna rushed forward dropping to his side.

"Are you alright?" she questioned, placing a hand on his back.

The man rolled over onto his back and groaned. Bruises and dirt covered his face.

"Where am I?" he moaned as he quickly placed a hand to his forehead, "Oh…my aching head!"

Lenna gave a confused glance to Bartz but he was busy inspecting the man. Those are quite the theatrics he's putting up, she thought, what a strange old man.

The old man sat up and placed his other hand to his head, now cradling it, and then shaking it vigorously. He looked at Lenna, then Bartz, and then gingerly stood.

"Sakes alive," he said, "What's happened? I don't remember…" he turned to the meteorite, inspecting it himself. "Ehh?" He just as quickly turned around, "I can't remember anything!" The man's sudden exclamation made both Lenna and Bartz jump to their feet.

Bartz folded his arms across his chest, looking the old man up and down. "Looks like you hit your head pretty bad," he said as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "Maybe you got amnesia."

The man gave him an incredulous look but it was soon replaced by one of triumph.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "Something came back to me!"

Bartz exchanged a look with Lenna.

"My name is Galuf," It sounded more like he was telling himself rather than the two kids who stood before him.

"That's a start," Lenna clasped her hands together, "Anything else?"

Galuf stared blankly at the young princess before answering. "Nope, just the name!" he tapped his temple with two fingers, "Other than that, my memory's a blank slate."

Lenna turned away from the two men, remembering her mission.

"I'm very sorry," she began, rummaging through her pack, "but you must excuse me, I have no time to waste." She walked away from the meteorite.

"Where're you going?" she heard Bartz ask. Should she tell him?

She took a breath and looked over her shoulder to him. "I must go to the Wind Shrine."

A loud gasp escaped Galuf's mouth as both Bartz and Lenna turned to fully face him.

"The Wind Shrine!" he practically shouted, "Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure that's where I was headed."

He made his way over to where Lenna was standing. "It's decided, I'm going with you," he said with a grin.

Lenna looked at him with disbelief, "But-"

He gave her a bigger smile. "I could never let such a sweet girl go all by her lonesome."

Lenna looked to Bartz. Perhaps Galuf was right; maybe she did need a guardian. If she could not even defend herself from goblins, how would she ever get to the Wind Shrine?

"Plus," he started again, "I know I've gotta get to that shrine…I feel it in my bones." He poked his chest with his thumb, "You've gotta take me with!"

Lenna thought for a moment before finally nodding her head. She turned back to Bartz. Perhaps she could get him to come along too. He obviously knew how to defend himself, he could be a big help.

"Bartz," she asked, "What about you?"

Bartz gave her a sad smile. "Sorry, I'm gonna bow out on this one," he said. Lenna felt her heart drop a little lower. "Good luck, though."

Galuf put his hand on her shoulder to pull away. She nodded and they walked away from Bartz, looking for another way to the Wind Shrine. Lenna stopped and turned back towards Bartz.

"Bartz, thank you again," she said softly. How could she ever repay him for saving her, if they were now parting ways. "Farewell…" she trailed off.

Galuf impatiently stood behind her. "Godspeed and all that whatnot." He turned back around now, walking towards the edge of the now cleared land.

Lenna gave him once last look and they shared a smile. Finally, she turned to Galuf and proceeded on with her journey.

As they left the clearing, Lenna's thoughts were racing. She prayed to whatever deity there was to keep her father safe until she got there. Her journey had now become at least a few days longer, as the meteorite had blocked the quickest route to the shrine. And her new traveling companion… He was very strange to say the least. His hair went in every direction and, of course, his face was still covered in dirt. He wore clothing that was foreign to her, a style she had never seen. She hoped that he would be able to defend both her and himself, for she only carried a knife and had no idea how to use it. She had finally gotten to leave the castle but under different circumstances than she would've liked.

Her mind then went to the lone wanderer, Bartz. Although their altercation had been brief she had never met anyone like him. He was very normal looking and she got a salt of the earth type vibe from him, like he would help a friend no matter the cost. She seeked that sort of companionship that no one in the castle could give her. She secretly hoped to see him again.

"So," the fragment startled her from her thoughts as she turned her head towards the old man. "What's your name, miss?"

Her name? Had he not already known? Perhaps she hadn't told him when they had first met; but even so, it was such a peculiar question for someone that was known by everyone around her.

"Lenna," she said. She decided to keep the rest of her name secret to avoid any trouble it might cause the kingdom.

"Well, Lenna," he scratched his head, as if trying to etch the name into his brain so he wouldn't soon forget, "You seem awfully young to be traveling by yourself. What business do you have at the Wind Shrine?"

Maybe it was the fact that he was a stranger, or the fact that he was strange, but she had made it clear in her mind that she would keep things as vague and simple as possible.

"I'm going to see my father," She said curtly. Galuf let out a laugh through his nose, obviously not getting anywhere with the young girl.

"And what's your father's business at the Wind Shrine?"

"Absolutely none of yours," She replied haughtily, "Perhaps you should tell me what yours is."

He gave her a sour look. "I can't remember."

"Sorry," she supplied. It was not in her nature to be rude, she was raised to have the finest etiquette and manners, but it seemed to have all just left her the moment someone had challenged her.

Was it really a challenge though, she thought. It must be the anxiety.

Galuf stopped and raised his hand. He turned his head towards where they were headed and stood completely still. It looked like he was listening to something, much like a hunter would listen for his prey.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and rocks from the neighboring cliff fell to the ground. Lenna fell to her knees, praying that it would stop soon. Then there was a sickening, loud noise of something that sounded like a thousand brick stones falling down. Lenna tried standing, but the rumbling of the Earth pushed her back down.

She looked to where Galuf was standing and noticed something quite peculiar and quite alarming. At first it was just the grass splitting but it soon became dirt falling into the ground. Lenna let out a scream as the dirt had started to swallow up the old man. She crawled as fast as she could on her hands and knees towards him, her left arm out as she grabbed his hand and desperately tried to pull him back out.

He was hanging now, Lenna the only thing keeping him from being swallowed into the depths of hell. He hopelessly tried pulling himself up with his other hand on the ground, kicking his legs wildly, looking for a foothold in the now broken earth. He had a look of grave proportions as he tightly gripped her arm. He was much bigger than the petite princess and her grip was starting to slip from his. The terrain had also started to crumble where Lenna was kneeling, causing even more alarm.

She groaned as she pulled with all her might, vainly trying to keep this man alive. Oh, how she wished she was stronger! Maybe then-

But her wish was cut short by the all too familiar sound of laughter. Gross, goblin laughter.

Lenna dared to turn her head at the sound, noticing two of them. She quickly looked back to Galuf, pulling even harder now, until she heard a triumphed "Aha!" He had found the foothold!

As he came back to the land above, he quietly took a moment to catch his breath before grabbing Lenna by the hand and dragging her with him past the goblins. But the goblins were quick, and one slashed at Lenna's side, causing her to drop. Galuf stopped to retrieve her but as he knelt down to grab her, he was hit on the head, also causing him to fall.

Intense pain, a kind she had never felt before, seared through her body. Her body felt cool but her side felt warm. She rolled to her side, grasping clumps of grass from the shaking earth.

The shaking soon stopped and she heard the goblins let out screams of terror. Perhaps they had been devoured by the Earth too…

But then she felt the sensation of being picked up from the ground by the collar of her dress and lifted onto something bumpy. It moved spastically beneath her and she let her head fall against something soft. She also heard Galuf groan. So he was okay too…

She soon felt that same drowsiness she had felt earlier and she let it take over. So Father was right…

0-0-0-0-0

Lenna slowly opened her eyes to find that the world was sideways. Letting out a sharp breath, she gently raised herself from the grass she had been placed in. She winced as she experienced some discomfort in her side. She brought a hand to it, noticing now that there was dried blood, but no wound. Behind her was Galuf, gently snoozing. To her right though, was the biggest bird she had ever seen. A big, yellow chocobo. It looked down at her from its enormous height, its big eyes studying her. She swallowed her scream as she noticed to her left that there was a figure standing atop a small cliff. The sun was behind him, his silhouette startling familiar.

She shielded her eyes as the man turned to notice that she was awake, and he began to descend the small cliff, giving her a wave as he touched the bottom.

"G'morning," he placed his hands behind his back as he stepped towards Lenna. His voice…

"Bartz!" she exclaimed. So it was he who had come to save her!

He walked until he was directly in front of her, and smiled.

Lenna looked down at her feet, mildly embarrassed. "It seems I cannot escape being in your debt."

He let out a small laugh. "Hey," he said, leaning down to try and catch her gaze, "Don't worry about it."

The chocobo next to her let out a little dance as Bartz moved away to gaze at something else. She watched his back, noticing that he gripped one hand with the other.

"The shockwave from the meteorite's impact caused landslides," he started.

Landslides? Lenna thought, it seemed more like the world was falling apart.

"The road's covered in rubble," he spoke again, "I don't think you're gonna be able to make it to Tule that way."

She walked to stand next to Bartz, wondering what he was staring at in the distance. She looked at the side of his face. "But, if I can't get to the Wind Shrine, then-"

Her words were interrupted by a soft moan from Galuf. Bartz turned his attention over to him now, Lenna following. The old man still seemed to be asleep.

"The Wind Shrine," Galuf moaned, "gotta hurry…"

Bartz placed his hands on his hips staring down at the old man. "The old guy's pretty dead set on getting there, too." he sounded amused.

"All right," he said, now looking at Lenna, "I'll go with you and personally see to it that you get there safely."

Lenna felt her face light up as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "Oh!" she couldn't believe it! "Really?"

"Yeah," he replied. He turned his gaze back to Galuf, "you know, it was my dad's dying wish that I go out and travel the world." He had a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Plus, this time, it feels like- like the wind is calling me," he looked to Lenna and gave her a mischievous wink.

She felt heat rise to her face as a chuckle came from the man still on the floor.

"What a sweet-talker!" he uttered with his face in the dirt, "As if you just don't have the hots for the little missy."

Lenna's eyes grew wide as the blush spread even further across her face. This old man was something else!

Bartz gave a look of surprise towards the old man as he stood up from the grass.

"Wha- You're awake?" he questioned. Surely Bartz hadn't meant anything by the comment, had he?

The old man let out another laugh, this one heartier than the last. "Don't sound so surprised. This old dog is always ready for anything."

He took a step away from the two youngsters. "Still," he began, lifting a finger to his chin, "if the road is blocked, that makes things a sight more difficult."

They all thought for a moment, pondering if they could even make it to Tule.

Lenna spoke first. "I won't give up," she stated, "There must be a way to reach the Wind Shrine."

Galuf stepped up beside her, giving her a wicked grin. "Right. And we'll find it."

Bartz walked over to his large bird and hopped upon its back. "All right," he said, extending his hand, "Let's ride."

He helped Lenna up onto the bird first, taking her seat in front of him, then Galuf, who was placed behind him.

"Why couldn't she be in the middle," the old man protested. Bartz snapped his head to look at him.

"It would've been easier for you to fall off if she was," he explained.

"As if," Galuf mumbled, awkwardly placing his hands on the sides of Bartz, then just settling to place them on the back of the bird.

Lenna felt Bartz's arms on either side of her waist as he reached for feathers on the back of the chocobo's neck. She felt heat rise up her neck at the contact, embarrassing her even more at the thought of being embarrassed. The chancellor would be so scandalized if he saw her now!

Bartz gently kicked the sides of the oversized bird and it lurched forward at an alarming speed. Lenna let out a small noise as she quickly grasped for Bartz's thighs, tightly hanging on.

She felt his breath on her neck as he leaned down so she could hear him. "What's wrong," he shouted over the whirling world, "you've never been on a chocobo?"

She quickly shook her head, still pushing her backside into him and gripping even tighter into his legs.

"Well," he laughed, "there's a first for everything."

She soon relaxed as the world did not seem to be moving so fast, and eventually released her death grip on Bartz and gently smoothed her hands over the soft feathers of the chocobo. Eventually they had to stop as they came to a tall cliff blocking their path.

Galuf, then Bartz then Lenna, plopped down from the back of the large bird, looking to what seemed to be a cave entrance.

Lenna noticed flowers blooming on either side of the entrance, something she had stopped to look at before the meteor impact.

"I don't remember there being a cave here," she reported.

"Probably opened up during one of those quakes," Bartz supplied.

He turned to where his magnificent bird was standing. "Boko," he said patting its neck, "I think this is gonna be a little too dangerous for chocobos. You stay here okay?"

The bird stepped from one foot to the other in protest, but eventually stood down.

"All right guys," Bartz said in triumph, "Let's have a peek inside."