The Moments Between Us
Moment two:
Promises kept late.
Five years, six months, one week, three days, eight hours, four minutes since the death of Kefka.
Locke peeked back over his shoulder, eyeing the cave opening as he reached into the niche in the raw stonewall before him. He had to be careful not to be too loud here; the place was full of wild animals. Considering how secluded this place was, it wasn't surprising. The small hole proved to be deeper than he had originally thought, so he repositioned, carefully changing his footing.
There! His gloved fingers closed easily about the tiny cold something hidden away in the cave wall. Grinning, he leaned back on his heels, drawing his arm from the opening. Wiping the spider webs from his arm, he raised his hand to take a look at his newest treasure. It was a green crystal the size of a small bird, were it polished and cleaned, it would be as clear as glass. He grinned again as he held it up to the light, reveling in the pure emerald light that washed over him.
Emerald…
He blinked the dust from his eyes as he dropped the stone into his pouch. It was a star crystal, the kind used in star pendants. With any luck, it would fetch him a pretty bag of gold when he got back to town. Turning away from the wall, he continued down the rocky ledge, keeping his ears sharp for any disruptions. Granted, all the big animals were deeper in the cave system, it never hurt to be wary of cave bats and rock rabbits.
Emerald…
He shook his head to clear the thought. Why was that bothering him? There was no way this little backwater cave system could hide any emeralds. The conditions weren't right. He shrugged it off as the ledge spread out into a wider floor, sloping upwards toward another level of the cave system. He'd been through all of them by now, had been through every little hole and crawlspace so many times he could do it blindfolded. But that didn't mean it was safe.
The slope sharpened and he had to drop to his hands and knees to keep going. Hand and foot holds were easy to find and the going was rather low impact, which was just fine for Locke. Catching onto a ledge at the top, he hauled himself up easily, his boots knocking loose a few pebbles as he passed. At the top, he brushed the dust of his hands and looked about him, trying to get his bearings. It was easy enough, the caves being one giant multi-leveled loop.
He took off to the east, making for the exit, his dagger at the ready, for the eventual skirmish. People still referred to a good portion of the world's creatures as monsters, the sad thing was, they were right. It was still far too easy to be jumped by some wild beast just outside of a town, or even in a caravan.
Soon enough, the mouth of the cave yawned before him, the golden light of midday peeking in through the gaping hole hanging not three feet over his head. Reaching up, he cast a last glance behind him before hauling himself up and over the edge.
Golden sunlight momentarily blinded him on the other side before giving way to broad green meadows and rolling hills. Behind him loomed great rocky mountains that formed when Kefka made the decision to rearrange the face of the planet. Somewhere up there was the ruins of a town that had been lost. He'd found them once, and would never go back.
Brushing himself free of the gray cave dust, Locke inhaled deeply, before coughing hard, expelling the dank cave air from his lungs. Bending, he planted his hands on his knees and inhaled again. This time he was able to taste the fresh sweetness of the mountain air he loved so much. Straightening, he put his hands over his head and stretched as far and as hard as he could, reveling in the feeling of blood returning to warm his limbs after the moist chill of the cave.
He settled back down quickly though as he struck out down the mountainside, fingering the laden pouch at his hip. His findings would bring him a decent amount at the shop in town, maybe he'd take Celes out to dinner, they hadn't done that in a while, and she deserved the treat. He'd take her somewhere fancy, ask her to dress up. She didn't get to do that often, only for Edgar's parties, and she was always afraid someone would spill something on her. If he took her to Jidoor, she wouldn't have to worry about that. Yes, that was what he'd do, take her to Jidoor, a little vacation would do the both of them a world of good.
Celes deserved a vacation, some real alone time with him, especially since he'd taken up treasure hunting again. It drew him away from home and often times he'd be gone for weeks. But every time he returned, Celes was there waiting for him, in the house that they'd built two years ago. He'd come home for a while, help around the house, do odd jobs around town before adventure called to him again and he'd kiss Celes goodbye and vanish for a while. She was dealing with it as a military wife would, bless her. But then, that was the only way she could imagine to deal with it. With most of her life in the empire, she'd probably seen a hundred military wives. Some waiting patiently for their love, others, not so patiently and not so true to their love.
It wasn't anything she did. No, she was wonderful, patient, loving and perfect. It was the adventure that drew him away. But, Celes was getting impatient, as she should be. She wanted him to stay home, to get married and have a baby. He wanted those things too, with all his heart. But something kept drawing him back out here. This was where he was truly happy, alone and free of the bustle of the growing city Kholingen was becoming. It was too loud there and he couldn't take it, so he left. He ran off to his first love, the dank shadowy caves and ruins of old castles, empty military bases and towns long forgotten.
He'd asked her to come with him, once or twice but she'd declined, saying that that wasn't the life for her anymore. She wanted to stay home, and go to work in the general store on the corner every morning. She wanted to work in the garden and talk with her friends. She'd settled into life easily, but then, after her life in the empire and the violence of Kefka's downfall, it must have been like laying back onto a fine feather bed for her to find this life comfortable. But then, in a way, this was a good thing, her refusal to join him. History had a way of repeating itself, and he couldn't go through it again. It would probably kill him to lose Celes.
But she was unhappy about his disappearances, as she should be and feared that he'd found someone else or just never come home. Though her fears were well founded, he'd never do that to her, he loved her too much. But, he just couldn't do it, go home and be that perfect husband. Get a job at the stables and make time for a family. He was an adventurer, it was in his blood, it was in his breath, and it was in his soul. He defined himself through his treasure hunting, it told him who and what he was. His self worth hinged on his abilities, and he wasn't about to let them go now, all for an easy and simple life.
He looked back over his shoulder as his feet found the winding dirt road at the base of the steep mountain slope. The chocobo he'd tied to a tree lifted her head from the tree's roots, a great hunk of moist wood in her beak. There was a sharp crack as the bird crushed the wood, releasing the worms and insects inside into her mouth, where she swallowed them greedily.
Locke laughed as the bird dropped the remaining bits of wood to the ground and warbled at him, pulling at her ties like a dog all to pleased to see its human-parent. Striding up to the bird, he reached out to rub the hen's beak before patting at her side, under her wing where she liked it.
"Ok Anya, we can go home now." He crooned to her, pressing his face into her thick neck, rubbing his nose in the soft feathers, "I promised Celes I'd be home for lunch, and I'm afraid we're going to be late if we don't go now."
Anya warbled at him as he loosed her reigns from the tree and heaved himself up into the saddle. The chocobo hen stretched her neck a few times before taking a few delicate steps away from the tree and into the main road, waiting patiently for Locke's direction. He cast his gaze to the east first, his eyes following the road as it curved north and vanished into the mountains. He could get on that road and go on forever, if he could just muster the courage. But, Celes was waiting, and he didn't want to disappoint her again.
He turned Anya to the west and set off for Kholingen, the pace a steady gallop. It wasn't far, but he didn't want to be late again. Celes didn't deserve another disappointment, not after he'd told her he was going to stay home for a while. Though, he'd been mulling over staying home for good, rather than only being here when there was another party to go to, or when it was one of their birthdays.
Parties.
The parties never ceased or changed it seemed. Edgar still threw them, drawing crowds and music, laughter and song. Pulling them all together to remember what they'd done and who'd they'd done it for. Granted, it wasn't as though he didn't see his friends often. He saw a few of them once or twice a month with how much he traveled, but they were only all together at Edgar's parties.
There were a few, though; that he hadn't seen, and was certain he'd never see again. Mog and Umaro had returned to their mountains shortly after the defeat and didn't involve themselves with the outside world very often. Gogo and Shadow had vanished the day after Kefka had fallen, their wounds not even completely healed. But, there was one…
Terra…
He hadn't seen her for two years. Things had drawn him away from her once he and Celes returned to Kohlingen after the last party Terra had attended. He and Celes had decided to build a home for themselves and finally move out of the tiny apartment they shared above the general store. It was cozy enough but they had wanted something all their own, and it wasn't going to drop into their laps for free.
So, they'd picked a spot at what was at the time, the edge of town. They both saved their gold for six months and purchased the little plot of land from the town the moment they had a chance. While Celes kept up her work at the store, Locke and a few other men from the town, broke the land and began to build. One month later, they had a quaint little two room house with a comfy little den and kitchen, a moderate sized bedroom for them and a small guestroom for visitors should they decide to stay for a bit.
But lately, Celes had been eyeing the little guestroom, her heart filled with the sounds of tiny burbles and wails. She'd watch the children in town with a longing that tore at his heart, and had even asked if he thought it was time. And every time she asked, his answer was the same: he didn't know. It wasn't often that he couldn't answer an important question, but the life changing ones like marriage and babies, he just couldn't bring himself to answer. And it hurt Celes to hear it, and it tore at Locke to hurt Celes, but he just couldn't answer.
When he got home, he'd talk with her about it again. Maybe if he brought it up this time, it'd be easier for him to answer. They were getting older now, he into his thirties and Celes into her late twenties, it was high time for them to settle down and have a little one. But, the thought frightened him, and he knew why.
Rachel…
Years had passed and, though she had told him to let go, it still hurt. They'd been young and ready to marry, kids the next thing on their agenda. But, due to his own foolishness, that all went away only to be replaced by this unyielding fear of life, of living in general. He just wasn't ready to let go of the freedom of the open road.
Kohlingen loomed before him before he knew it. The growing town a pleasant sight amid the green meadows and sprawling forests that had survived the 'end of the world.' Even from this distance he could see the farmers out in their fields, preparing the land for the coming fall, mowing the fresh hay and spreading manure over the squash and pumpkins that would soon be on everyone's dinner tables.
Anya kept up her gallop as they moved into the farmland, the smell of fresh hay and tilled soil tickling his nose pleasantly. He waved to the few farmers and extra hands that were in this part of the fields as he passed by. The road through the fields was short though, and he was riding up the slope into town before he could blink.
The town bustled about him, people rushing back and forth between shops, children playing in the new park they'd built in the center of town, and street merchants shouting their wares. Yes, Kholingen was growing, rapidly. The mayor had just recently approved the request of the people to pave the town streets, and the avenues were filled with people laying down cobblestone. It would be wonderful when it was done, another two months and they'd never have to deal with ridiculous amounts of mud every time it rained again.
He directed Anya farther up the slope towards the suburban section of the town. Fine brick and wood houses stood quietly on either side of the road, their owners out in front tending to their animals, if they had them, or sparing a moment in their garden. He waved to a few of them as he and Anya ambled passed by, a welcome sight in the town now that he'd been here a few weeks already. Since he'd taken up his travels again, there had been whispers in the town about him and Celes. She said they whispered about his fidelity behind her back, and worried that she would wait forever for a man who didn't care. It wasn't uncommon for the older folks of the town to bring in some strapping nephew of theirs hoping to spark something between them and marry them off. They said she was too fine a woman to be left alone like that,
Locke agreed. She was too good of a woman to be ignored and left behind, which was why he'd made the decision to stick around for a good chunk of time. The weeks were quickly turning into months though, and he wondered if he'd ever take that road through the mountains alone again. The thought of staying for good was slowly becoming a reality and Celes was just about through the roof with joy. He liked it that way. When she was happy, he was happy. And that was how things should be.
Their house was easy to spot, the small white fence he'd repaired just a week ago set it apart from the others on the street. Celes had asked for the fence the moment they'd bought the land. It had seemed silly to him at first, a tiny fence barely at waist level. What was it supposed to keep out? She'd laughed at him and said that keeping things out wasn't the point. It was an aesthetic thing; just something she thought would be attractive. And she was right. It was cute, and he wasn't surprised to see a few other families starting to put them us. Celes was beside herself for starting the trend. He rode around to the back of the house, slipping out of the saddle and leading Anya into the little stable yard on foot. Anya warbled deep in her throat at the sight of her water bucket.
Chuckling, Locke led the hen into her stall and stripped her of her tack, setting it aside to clean after lunch. Once he'd pulled her beak harness off, Anya whistled at him and trotted off to her water trough where she drank slowly, filling her beak, then raising her head to let the water drift down her throat. As she drank, he came up be side her and scratched under her wing again. She raised her head from the trough and muttered gently at him, tapping him on the head with the bottom of her beak.
"Yes mother," He chuckled. He scratched her once more before turning and making his way into the house through the back door. He paused in the little mudroom to kick off his dusty boots. As he strode into the house proper, he pulled the bandana from around his forehead, not surprised to find it soaked with sweat.
"Celes! I'm back!" He called as he paused to rest for a moment on the edge of little sofa he'd built for them last year.
"I'm in here!" She called from the kitchen, a smile in her voice. "Clean yourself up a bit, we have a visitor."
A visitor? His interest peaked; he slipped into the little out room on the far side of the den and poured water into the basin from the little pitcher on the counter beside it. Washing his face took only a moment, but he paused to take some of the water and run it though his hair. Straightening, he looked into the little mirror he'd hung above the basin, it was a little thing, and expensive, but, he'd bought it for Celes' birthday the year before and she'd loved it. He had to admit, it was useful.
He rubbed at his face slightly as he looked at himself. He needed a shave and had gotten a little too much of a tan during his travels, he didn't like the look of it, but there was no way to avoid it. It was too hot in the summer to wear a cloak, and he'd only known two people in his lifetime that could do it. Celes and Terra, but then, they didn't tan, they burned.
Grabbing the little razor knife he'd bought when he decided to stay a while, he ran it along it's leather strap before applying cream to his chin and neck and giving his face a quick once over. Once finished, he washed his face again and ran the little metal comb he'd bought through his hair. It was getting longer and he kept forgetting to cut it. But it wasn't important, it hung almost to his chin now, and he was starting to like the look.
After dumping out the water, he turned and left the little room, making his way through the den and into the bedroom. He quickly shrugged out of his travel gear and took them to the window where he shook the dust out before putting them into his hamper. He'd do the laundry for Celes in the morning while she was at work. He'd gotten rather good at it the last few weeks and could do it quickly now. Shrugging into a fresh set of clothes, he padded back out into the den and made for the kitchen.
As he came in through the open door, he wasn't at all surprised to find Edgar sitting at the table with Celes, waggling his eyebrows at her after making some joke. Celes was laughing as she put a fresh plate of sliced ham on the table next to a day old loaf of bread and a small plate of butter. She smiled at him as he came in, wiping her hands on a small kitchen cloth before striding over to wrap her arms about him and press a kiss to his lips. He cuddled her for a moment before turning to greet Edgar with a broad grin.
"Your Highness! Good to see you!" He said, extending a hand to his best friend. Edgar rose and gave Locke's hand a hearty shake before coming forward to clap him on the shoulder.
"Cole, looking rattier than ever I see, How've you been?" The king said with a smile as he sat back down at the table. Celes quietly took her seat in her usual spot and Locke plopped down beside her as Edgar had taken his usual spot.
"I've been great. Found some little things in the caves up the road that ought to fetch us some decent gold. It should get me enough to white wash the walls in the bedroom before the winter, and leave me enough to get a few extra blankets for the bed." He didn't miss the look of surprise and pleasure Celes gave him at his statement. The walls in the bedroom were graying over with dust and she couldn't wash it off. A fresh coat of white wash was just what the room needed to brighten it up. And the new blankets would cozy the room up a bit, like she'd been talking about for the last few days.
"That's great," Edgar said with a grin, as he reached for a piece of bread and laid a piece of ham atop it. He took a bite with pleasure and swallowed. "You've built a wonderful home here, though I must say I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart on you." He teased with a chuckle.
Grinning, Celes punched him in the arm before leaning back against Locke, nibbling on a bit of buttered bread. Locke wrapped an arm about her as he popped a bit of ham into his mouth, savoring the honeyed flavor that Celes had baked in, the day before.
"Not everything I touch falls apart, you know." He said, fixing Edgar with a mock glare, feigning seriousness. Edgar laughed and reached over to poke Locke in the arm.
"Could have fooled me." He chuckled, "I seem to recall you trying to repair the leg on one of the pool tables on the Blackjack and it just about coming down on your head."
"Hey, that whole airship had it out for me." Locke countered. Celes laughed, her lithe form, shaking in his grasp.
"Be nice boys," She said between chuckles as she took a piece of ham and tore it into strips, nibbling at them absently as the watched the two of them take jabs at each other.
"No," The said in unison, sending her back into another small fit of laughter.
"At least I'm not a skirt chaser." Locke said, taking the chance to make a jab at his best friend.
"Skirt chaser? You wound me, good sir." Edgar replied, laying a hand across his chest and feigning hurt. "My friend, I am little more than a simple gentleman endlessly seeking a perfect woman."
"Perfect woman?" Celes snorted. "I'm afraid they don't exist my friend, we're all insane."
"I beg to differ, my love." Locke interjected. "Where would I be if not for your brilliance?" Celes looked up at him and smiled. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her soft lips and another to her forehead. Edgar cleared his throat, and Celes blushed.
"So, Edgar, what brings you out this way, and how did you ever escape the chancellor?" He asked. He was taken aback however as Edgar's expression changed from one of mirth to one of all seriousness.
"I wish I'd come simply for a visit, but there is something very pressing about which I need to speak with you, my friend. There is a very urgent issue that has arisen among our family over the past year and I'm afraid that I don't know how much time we have left." He stated. Celes sat up then and folded her hands in her lap, her gaze focusing on the table. Locke looked first to her and then to Edgar in confusion.
"Time? What do you mean? What happened?" He asked, a warning flag popping up in his head at the look on Celes' face.
"Terra's sick." She said quietly. He looked at her his brow knitting together at the announcement. She looked as though she'd known for a while. Why hadn't she told him? He'd been home for a while and this was the first he'd heard of it.
"What does she need? I'm sure the alchemist can…"
"It's not that simple." Edgar said, cutting him off. "She's not sick in the sense that she's bed ridden. It's...it's hard to explain."
"She's falling apart." Celes stated, looking up at him. "That's the only way to say it. There's no real loss of health, she's just…not there anymore. It's like she's fading away."
"I went to see her a month ago," Edgar started, "It's like looking at and talking to a ghost. She smiles and talks and acts like there's nothing wrong, but you can tell she's hiding something."
"She's so thin," Celes stated, leaning over the table and folding her hands together. "It's like she only eats when she has too. She spends all her time working in the fields and keeping up with the children, taking no time for herself. It's sickening, Locke, watching her fall apart in front of our eyes. And she won't talk about it. She says that nothing's wrong and that she doesn't need help. I went out with her the last time I was there, we ran out into the forest and did our usual, we hunted and went rock climbing, camped out under the stars, but there was this undertone of emptiness. Sure, her strength is still there, the fields have kept her strong, but Terra isn't there. I went to hug her, and I thought I was going to break her. She's bone thin and her hair has gotten so long. She never let her hair get long. She hates it. Locke, I, we don't know what to do."
"Which is why I'm here." Edgar said as soon as she'd finished. "We don't know how much time she has left. She looks like she's dying Locke. The only thing Cyan and I have been able to come up with is that it's the loss of magic. She wasn't infused like Celes was, she was half esper, it was in her blood. And when the magic was scored out of her by the loss of Kefka, it must have taken something else with it, something important."
"It's been five years, if it was that, wouldn't it have happened earlier than this?" Locke questioned skeptically, resting his elbows on the table and leaning forward. He meshed his fingers together and gazed steadily across the table at Edgar.
"The thing is, we know almost nothing about espers. When they attacked Vector, all the information about them was destroyed with the laboratory. We know absolutely nothing. And she's showing no outward signs of illness so we have no other leads." Edgar stated flatly. "So, what Sabin, Cyan and I have decided is to get everyone together and make a decision as to how we're going to handle the situation."
"Handle the situation?" Locke asked, surprised at the comment. His temper flared up for a moment as he looked across the table at Edgar. "What do you mean handle the situation? How do you know there is one? She's a big girl, Edgar. She can take care of herself. For Goddess' sake Edgar, she's raising children. I think she can handle whatever is happening to her. You have no right to pull her out of the town and 'look after' her. She's happy there and doesn't need or want, I'm sure, our help.
"You haven't seen her Locke," Edgar growled. "You haven't made any attempt to see her for the last two years, you don't know what we're talking about. If you had even bothered to make the trip in all your wanderings, you'd understand. You come to see Sabin, Gau and I in Figaro but you can't be bothered to drop in at Mobliz once in a while. I understand how far out of the way Terra is, but she at least deserves to see you."
"I was going to see her!" Locke said loudly, louder than he had intended. But, something in his chest had reared an ugly new head that his temper seemed to get along with. Edgar's accusations hurt in a way he'd never have imagined. "I wanted to see her, but then we built the house and things took off from there. I never thought to make the trip."
"That's just it, Locke!" Celes jumped in, her own voice raised a little, which was rare for her. "You didn't think! You've brushed her from your mind like dust out the door, and haven't bothered to even ask how she is." She looked at him, blue eyes blazing.
"Well, what am I supposed to do? Race off right now to see her?"
"Yes!" The two of them practically shouted. Locke leaned back, looking at them both in shock. How could they gang up on him like this? If something was seriously wrong with Terra, she would have sent him a letter, right? But, no, she wouldn't have, would she? Terra had an annoying habit of keeping things to herself.
"I can't," He said simply, "I just now decided to stay home for good, and I want to spend time with you, Celes. Plus, we need to winterize the house and besides, she would have sent me a letter if things were that bad. She's stubborn, yes, but not stupid."
"No, Locke." She said, her face torn. He hadn't told her he was going to stay for good, and she obviously didn't want to let him go. "She wouldn't have. You haven't spoken to her in two years. As far as she thinks, you've forgotten all about her, and she's just going to let you go. She's not going to bother you with letters about how she's doing, that's not her way." She leaned back, her voice quieting as she fixed him with a weak gaze, "And that is exactly why you're going." She propped her elbow on the table and laid her head in her hand, threading her fingers through her lustrous hair.
Locke thought for a moment, looking between Edger and the woman he loved. The were looking at him intently, Edgar looked ready to drag him out of there kicking and screaming, and Locke finally took a moment to get a good look at him. He was dressed in dusty traveling clothes and his face was still red from the wind of the road. There was dust around his hazel eyes and his long blonde hair was tangled and mussed despite being back in a ponytail. He looked as though he'd ridden in only an hour ago.
He cast a glance at Celes. She gazed back at him, her jaw set and stubborn, but her eyes were sad. There was color in her porcelain cheeks from her anger, but her lips held the pout of a torn heart. She wasn't going to let this one go, he could tell that instantly. He was going whether he liked it or not.
"Alright, when do we go." He conceded, looking to her.
"Oh no," She said dropping her arm to the table. "I'm not going with you Locke Cole."
"What?" He asked, eyes wide as he looked to her. "Why not?!"
"Because you need to spend time with her. Not time with me with Terra hanging about in the background. Which is exactly what you've done to her for years. And it's time it stopped. I'd love to go with you Locke, I love Terra more than you could ever understand. But this time, I can't see her. She'll just put on that smiling mask that she keeps around when there's more then one person about, and you'll never really see her for what she's become. Terra is fading away Locke, and I've no idea how much longer she has." Celes' eyes were locked onto his as she spoke, and for the first time in a very long time, she was bordering on crying. Celes did not cry, she just didn't. It had to be something massive for her to turn on the waterworks, so he could only imagine what was happening to Terra.
"Ok…" He whispered, reaching over to take Celes' slim hand, she gripped his hard, her fingers trembling in his grasp. Tearing his eyes away from his love, Locke cast his gaze to Edgar and nodded. "When do we leave?"
"Before dawn, it'll take us a few days to get there, two at the fastest. But I intend to get there in one and a half." He said, leaning back from the table, his anger quenched for the time being. He took another piece of ham from the forgotten plate on the table and tore it into strips, eat and rest well, Cole, we have quite the ride ahead of us."
--
Five years, six months, one week, four days, three hours, forty-eight minutes since the death of Kefka.
He stared at the ground as it rushed past, a very unhappy Anya running much faster than he desired, but she wasn't listening to him. And he could understand why. Up before dawn, saddle bags thrown over her back again and told to race through the town to pick up Edgar's chocobo in the stable before racing off down the road to the east. Locke wasn't too happy about it either.
Sure, he'd longed for the road through the mountains, but he hadn't wanted to follow it so soon. He wasn't ready to leave home on another trip just yet, and wasn't exactly in the best of moods. He hadn't spoken to Edgar in hours, and he had no intention of doing so until forced.
The sun had come up onto a cloudy and truly dismal day, a perfect match to his mood. It would rain before the afternoon and he wasn't looking forward to it. Tucking himself further into the hood of his traveling cloak, Locke shivered as an early fall wind shot through the heavy canvas and chilled him near to the bone. The change in the weather wasn't unusual for this time of year, but it had come at a rather poor point in time. Gripping Anya's reigns, he heaved back, hoping to slow her. She tossed her head in refusal and pressed on, legs pumping furiously as she continued to race along the hard packed ground.
"Damned chicken," He growled at her, "If you don't slow down you're going to hurt yourself, and then where will we be?"
Anya ignored him and kept running. Anya was just being stubborn with him, she'd slow down when she got tired. Chocobos had incredible stamina and could run for hours. She wasn't sprinting, however, so it would take another hour or so before she slowed. The great yellow bird gave a sharp whistle as the road turned to the south with a sharp curve around a grand and ancient oak tree that had somehow survived Kefka's cleansing fire. Edgar's chocobo, Tanner gave a whistle of his own, the sound less shrill.
"Locke!" He heard Edgar shout from behind him. "Locke, stop for a minute!"
The treasure hunter heaved on Anya's reigns again, this time pulling far to the left, dragging her great head along with them. She shrieked and slowed quickly, eventually stiffening out her knees and coming to a stop. She looked back at him as Edgar came up beside them. Locke leaned as far back from her sharp beak as possible, tugging at her head like that hurt her long neck and the last thing he needed was for her to bite him.
"Sorry angel eyes." He said gently, reaching down to rub at her left hip, "You wouldn't stop."
The hen blinked at him, the anger fading from her great sapphire eyes before she looked away, distracting herself with warbling back and forth with Tanner. Edgar sat up and stretched his back. They'd been hunched over the racing birds for hours and the muscles had cramped forever ago. Following his best friend's example, Locke stretched as well, laying back over the hen's hips and playing for a moment with one of her great tail plumes.
"What's wrong?" He questioned as he sat up. A deep rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance, drawing his attention to the skies. The clouds had darkened and were threatening downpour.
"That." Edgar stated after another roll of thunder. "There's a town not far ahead, we'll need to stop there until this passes."
"A town? Here? Last time I checked there was nothing out here but grass and hills."
"Things have changed Locke," Edgar said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "There are towns popping up everywhere these days, most of them in the last place you'd expect." Edgar reached down into one of the saddlebags beneath him and rummaged for a moment, retrieving a map of the continent from within. He unrolled it and settled it across the pommel of his saddle. He leaned forward to get a better look at it in the failing light as Locke shifted Anya closer, the two chocobo clicking their beaks together in response. "There, all we have to do is turn west from here, the town is maybe an hours ride from here. And tomorrow, we turn south and make for Mobliz."
Locke stayed quiet as they set off again, the chocobos setting another running pace as the wind picked up. Lightning spread across the sky soon enough, only to be followed by the first drops of freezing rain. It began to pour not long thereafter, drenching them in mere minutes. Locke shrugged as far down into his heavy cloak as it would allow. He was lucky enough to have bought the thing when he saw it last year.
He was chilled to the bone by the time the lights of the tiny town came into view. It had taken them slightly longer than they'd expected as the ground had turned into shifting mud beneath their mount's feet in a matter of minutes. As they rode in through the main gate, a groom from the stable just inside raced to them and reached for the reigns without a single hesitation or word. Locke slid off Anya quickly and laid a hand on her side as the groom led her and Tanner into the heat and light of the stable.
Edgar dropped a few coins into the groom's hand before turning and motioning for Locke to follow him up the street to the inn. He followed quietly, his eyes focused on the muddy ground beneath his feet. He was soaked through and the mud was getting deep, the last thing he needed to fall on his face. He already didn't want to be on this trip, he didn't want it to get worse.
The light and heat of the inn was a welcome reprieve after the biting wind and sheets of rain. The innkeeper rose from behind his desk and came to them before they could even get completely though the door.
"Get in here before you catch your death," The older gentlemen said, brushing them inside before reaching behind them to yank the door shut, cutting out the howl of the wind. "Go ahead and get your cloaks off, we'll get hem hanging by the fire in just a moment, you two sit for a spell and catch your breath."
They found a small table near the hearth and slumped down into the simple wooden chairs. Though a fire roared beside them, Locke couldn't shake off the chill. His clothes were soaked and he'd have given anything to just turn around and go home. If something were so terribly wrong with Terra, she'd have sent them a letter by now. There was no sense in rushing out as though the hounds of hell were at their heels.
He leaned forward and folded his arms on the table, laying his head atop them, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't imagine why no one had told him about this before. Didn't he deserve to know when something was wrong with one of his friends? The whole thing was leaving him with a pounding headache and a poor temper.
The soft click of a wooden bowl being placed before him brought him quickly out of his restless thoughts. Looking up, he found a middle-aged woman with a motherly look to her set a mug of this hot cider next to the bowl of stew she'd just put down. Edgar had already started in on him, spooning it quickly into his mouth in an attempt to stave off the chill.
"Get yourself to eating, young man." She said with a grin, "And once you're done, get yourself out of those clothes and settle in, this'll last all afternoon, you won't be going anywhere."
Locke did as he was told, greedily sipping down the cider and gulping down the potato and cheese stew. His bones were warmed soon enough and he settled back in the chair, his belly full and his eyes lazy.
"We left our bags with the chocobos." He stated simply, watching Edgar across the table as the king finished his mug of cider with a quiet gulp.
"No," He said, putting the earthen ware mug down. "The inn keeper sent a boy to fetch them for us not too long ago. We'll see them shortly. They've got a room ready for us." At that moment the door blew open and a young man slipped inside, their saddlebags draped over one shoulder. He yanked the door shut and turned to grin at them.
"There we go," Edgar said with a grin as he stood up. "Let's get changed and figure out our route.
--
They were changed and dry minutes later as Edgar spread the map out on the table in their room. The room was cozy, if not small and the small hearth did a good job of keeping it warm again the chill. Thunder crashed overhead continuously and the storm showed no signs of letting up.
Locke slumped down at the table as Edgar leaned over the map, tracing a route with his finger, his teeth worrying at his lower lip. He 'hmm'ed a few times and rubbed at his scruffy chin before shifting the map over so that Locke would see. He set a finger on the town they were in at the moment and the tiny mark far to the south that was Mobliz.
"It's a little over a hundred miles out from here. Compensating for road conditions, two and a half days maximum. And that's tentative.
The road should dry out by mid afternoon tomorrow which will make the going easier and faster. We can stop here," He said, pointing at a middle sized town the size of Kohlingen a few miles south of Mobliz. "About twenty miles south of here, the land turns to flat plains and low hills. The chocobo will probably need the rest once we get there." He took a seat across from Locke with a grin, crossing his legs as he leaned back.
Locke stared at his feet for a moment and picked at his clean trousers, unsure of what to say. It had been two years since he last saw her, and to be honest, she didn't cross his mind very often. He didn't know how to feel about the coming meeting. A part of him was happy, but there was another part, much bigger than the other, that was a ball of nerves the size of Figaro. His mind told him that there was no way she'd want to see him, not after he broke another promise to her. It seemed that that was all he'd ever given Terra, broken promises. Everything had changed when he'd met Celes. His mind had been a whirl of confusion and puppy love. Celes had been right when she said that he'd brushed Terra aside like dust out the door. He said he'd protect her, and he had, from a distance. It wasn't until he'd believed Celes had betrayed them that he'd truly spent time with Terra again, and now, all he'd done was flat out ignore her.
There was no other way to say it, he was miserable. He wanted nothing more than to turn back and forget this trip entirely. But, he had to admit, when they were traveling together, he'd always been close to Terra in a way he couldn't understand. Whenever something had been wrong with her, he didn't think something was wrong, he knew something was. When it came to the half-esper, he never thought, he always knew. From the first time she'd looked at him, back there on the floor of the cave, there had been a connection, a mental one. He was, after all, the first person she had ever truly looked at and seen. The slave crown had taken more from her than anything had ever taken from anyone. It had taken her mind.
"Does she ever talk about me?" He asked before he'd had a chance to even think about it.
"Terra? No. No, she doesn't." Edgar said after a heavy sigh. He focused his rich green eyes on the table and ran his fingers through his hair. It was longer now, and becoming more golden every year. He was the perfect picture of a young king until he opened his mouth around his friends. Edgar was a good man, if not a bit of a pervert, and Locke was grateful for his honesty. "She stopped asking after you didn't visit for six months. It seems like she's given up entirely. She doesn't expect to ever see you again. And the worst part is, she's come to terms with it." He sighed once again. "She once told me that she wanted nothing more than for you to live a long and happy life with the one you love. That had to be the last thing she ever said about you. But, now…You need to see her Locke."
"Sounds like she doesn't want to see me, so why bother?" Locke shrugged, looking away.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Edgar scoffed shaking his head with what could only be disgust. "What the hell has gotten into you? The way you talk about her, it's like she doesn't mean a damn thing to you. And I can't for the life of me figure out why. It's disgusting Cole. The life you've been leading lately is getting ridiculous and as your friend I'm going to tell you to knock it off. Celes tells me you're never home anymore, always out on the road like some vagabond with nowhere to go. I don't get it, Locke. You built the house and were all set to marry her, and then you vanished. Do you have any idea how that makes her appear? It's ruined both of your reputations, is that what you wanted?"
"I don't give a damn about my reputation. And Celes doesn't need me around to get a good reputation in the community. She's a damn good woman." Locke growled, his temper flaring at Edgar's scolding. "And why should you care whether I'm home or not, I have a right to be away from home."
"Not if there's another person involved, Locke. For goddess' sake, she's practically your wife already! Leaving her alone if the worst thing you can do. She doesn't deserve it. And why she keeps waiting for you, I've no clue, but it's driving me crazy. She's my friend too Locke, and that's why I care.
"I know she doesn't deserve it!" Locke growled, his voice raising a little louder than he generally liked. He dropped his tone and slumped back in his chair. "I'm not talking about this."
"Yes you are, I'm your friend, Cole, and I want to help. Is it something one of you did that's keeping you away? Was it a woman? Tell me."
"No, I could never do that to her. I love her so much it isn't funny. She's amazing, Figaro. She's probably the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. But, I just can't stay home, it's like I've been hit with some kind of incurable wanderlust. Every time I'm there, it's like my whole body is itching to leave again. And I can't scratch the itch unless I do. But this time, I was ok. I was going to stay and not leave again unless I had to. I was going to tell her that, but then you came and dragged me off without giving me a choice."
"You always had a choice, Locke. You had the choice to keep a friend or lose them, and you chose to try and keep them."
"No, I came because if I didn't, Celes would have kicked me out. I don't want to do this Edgar."
"And why the hell not?! What in goddess' name is so bad about going to see Terra? For once in your life will you stop being so bull-headed? I don't understand you, Cole."
"I don't want to go because there's no need. I swear, you all have got to be exaggerating. Terra is tough as steel, Edgar, I seriously doubt that she is as bad off as you are saying. If things were that bad, she'd have sent me a letter by now."
"And why would she?" Edgar asked flatly. "Have you not heard a thing I've said? She doesn't want to bother you, Cole. She's not talking to you because she thinks you two have parted ways. You broke a promise, Locke. What the hell else is she supposed to think?"
"She told you that?" Locke asked, eyes wide and voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes, she told me, I had to squeeze it out of her, but she told me. And you know what's worse? She blew it off as though she expected it the whole time. How sick is that? To be honest, I'd rather you didn't see her at all. The last thing she needs is for you to make another empty promise to her. If I could, I'd do everything in my power to keep you from ever seeing you again. But, that's not fair to either you or her. And, I promised Sabin and Cyan I'd get you there. This is what a real promise looks like, Cole. You do what you say you're going to."
Locke stared at the floorboards, his face so hot he was sure he was blushing. He'd been scolded by Edgar before, but this was far more than he ever thought he'd get out of the man. He felt rather like a child, to be perfectly honest, and the worst of it was, Edgar was right. About everything. His stomach twisted itself in knots as though someone had dropped a hot coal within and just left it there to smolder.
"Look," Edgar began. "I can't even begin to understand your reasons for everything you've been doing lately, but I can tell you that it's sick, and I'm ready to wash my hands of you. But, being who I am, I do still have a shred of respect for you and will give you one more chance. You had better straighten out Locke Cole, or I'll be damned before I ever want to see you again."
Edgar rose from the table and shrugged back into his now much drier cloak. He swept out the door quickly letting it close behind him, a moment later he heard the main door of the inn open and close as he left, either to gather supplies or cool his head. Locke hunched over the table, folding his arms atop it. He gazed down at the forgotten map, his fingers resting over the tiny dot that was Mobliz. He raised a finger to rub at it for a moment as a sense of dread rose in his gut. What if he got there, and she refused to see him? It was a possibility he couldn't ignore. After two years, he wouldn't want to see him either.
Sitting up, he re-rolled the map and held it, focusing on it as though it would solve all this troubles in an instant. Rising from the table, he set the map with Edgar's bags and moved the one tiny window in their room. The clouds were still black and kept dumping rain in sheets. They'd made it to the inn before it had gotten worse, but now Edgar was out there wandering the streets in it. Locke rubbed at his face with both hands, hating himself all the while. He pulled the linen curtain across the glass as lightning streaked across the sky, the bit of cloth doing it's best to lessen it brightness. The oil lamps flicked placidly as he went to sit on the edge of what was to be his bed.
Exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and from today's ride he laid back on the covers, waiting from Edgar to return. When he didn't return a half hour later, Locke put out the lamp beside his bed and slipped under the covers, He fell asleep long before Edgar returned.
---
Five years, six months, one week, six days, ten hours, twenty-nine minutes since the death of Kefka.
The large town of Anthem appeared on the horizon faster that Locke thought possible. Two days ago, the storm had vanished long before morning, allowing them an early pre-dawn start. But, as Edgar had predicted, the roads had been a terrible mess, leaving the chocobos to struggle through it. They'd had to dismount several times in order to lead the great birds through mud and marshy grassland several times, but they made it through with no further issues.
That afternoon they left the mud and mess behind them and took up a ground-eating pace that made up for the time lost. They'd camped out that night and took off early again, making a straight line for the newly popped up harbor town and jumped a ship that took them into another new town a good fifty miles south of Mobliz. From there, they turned north and set a good pace towards their destination. The plains had just rushed past them at that point and Locke easily lost himself in blank thoughts and halting conversations with Edgar over the rushing wind as their birds kept running. Despite himself, Locke was enjoying the trip. Once the rain had passed, it had left brilliant, clear skies and a cooling breeze behind it.
It was midday when they rode into Anthem, the cobbled streets packed with people shopping and eating in open-air cafes. Townspeople stopped to watch them as they rode in, their chocobos whistling at the sight of all the people. Anya skipped underneath Locke, as children shifted around her, pointing up at the bird in awe or her size. He grinned at their smiling faces and rubbed the back of Anya's head as she tip-toed around them, pushing some of them aside with her great beak. Anya was a people's bird, nothing excited her more than the sound of laughing child. So, she ate it up when the little ones giggled as she nudged them.
"You ham.." Locke chuckled at her once they made it through the crowd. He could understand though, it wasn't everyday that people got to see travelers come through, and especially not on chocobos, that had all changed when Kefka took over. They stopped in at the stable to rest the birds for an hour, brushing them down and getting them a good drink of water. Stayed with Anya and Tanner while Edgar went to fetch them some lunch before they took off again. He stood patiently with the two of them as they drank, stopping them now and again so they wouldn't drink too much and founder. Edgar returned quickly, a wrapped sandwich in each hand and a grin on his face.
"We can get going once we've eaten and stretched our legs a bit, we should be there before sundown." He handed Locke one of the sandwiches and took a big bite of his own. They weren't the best, but they did please the palate and filled their bellies nicely. "The man at the pub said that conditions are great for travel and Mobliz is only about ten miles away. Another half hour and we'll see the town."
Edgar was getting excited quickly. He'd always loved visiting Mobliz, the kids adored him and he loved to wrestle around with the older ones. But, his excitement was not infectious like it should have been. At Edgar's statement of how long it would take to get there, the bottom of Locke's stomach had dropped out and the knot of nerves returned. He hadn't thought about how close they were until just now, and still didn't know what to say when he saw Terra, if she let him see her that was. That hot coal returned to his stomach as he forced down bites of his sandwich and choked out the only thing he could think to say…
"That's great, can't wait to spend some decent time off these giant chickens." Anya warbled at him and knocked him on the top of the head with her beak, a sign of affection. Edgar chuckled as he ate up the rest of his sandwich and took a long drink of the drinking ladle a groom had presented him with. Locke took a drink after and watched for a moment as Edgar resettled his bags around Tanner's saddle and started to lead the great bird out of the stable.
"Come on you," He said to Locke over his shoulder, "Let's walk through the rest of the town and mount up on the other side."
Locke nodded and led Anya back out into the bright sunlight. It felt good just to use his own two legs for once, his muscles un-knotting quickly as he passed down the main street, Edgar at his side. Locke couldn't ignore the groups of young women that stopped to gossip about them as they walked. Edgar was eating up their stares greedily, his head held high despite his dusty riding leathers and mussed hair. Locke rubbed at his face for a moment as though it would wipe the road dust off before giving up. He was taken any way, there was no point in parading about. Besides, there was no way he could compare to Mr. blonde and gorgeous walking right next to him.
That didn't seem to matter however, as he'd gotten his own share of giggles and stares by the time they'd reached the south edge of Anthem. They mounted up quickly, and settled in before setting out at the steady pace till the reached the first of Anthems many farm fields, each full of fall vegetables and hay ready for harvesting. He watched the people out in the fields, raising sickles to mow down the fresh hay for drying as the chocobos began to pick up speed, ready to run the last leg of their journey. As they cleared the last of the farmland, Edgar veered off the clear road and struck out across the plain to the north.
"There is no road to Mobliz." Edgar shouted to him as he steered Tanner around a boulder. "It's not big enough to have one made so it's going to be rough land from here all out. I'm going to let Tanner sprint the rest of the way, see if you can keep up!"
With that said, Edgar ducked down behind Tanner's head and urged the bird to run. Tanner took off like a shot, racing along as though he were flying. Taking his lead, Locke nudged Anya in the sides, giving her the signal to run. She took off as well, whistling at the top of her lungs. The miles passed faster than he'd expected and soon enough the birds were in a dead sprint as the first tiny house appeared on the horizon. Anya trumpeted again at the sight and ducked her head against the wind, as she skipped around a large break in the land. It must have been left behind when Kefka had rocked the land when he took control all those years ago. It was a strange sight, but then Mobliz was hit hard when the floating continent fell, so it wasn't all that surprising. They crossed into the farmland first, the tiny fields filled with their own batch of hay a splash of gold amid all the green of the plains. On the far side of the village, he could see the thin line of glitter that marked the small river that lay nearby. They slowed as they got closer, the chocobos skipping underneath them, their run leaving them excited and ready for more. Locke looked up as someone shouted their approach to the town.
They passed into the shadow of the medium sized windmill just as the sun decided to begin the final stretch of it's fall to the horizon. He gazed up at the windmill atop its hill, its threadbare wings turning lazily in the late afternoon breeze. The gears groaned lazily at them as they passed, only slightly louder than the sound of the ocean not quite a mile away. He felt strange as they passed the first of the burned out houses left behind after Kekfa decided to try and burn up the land. After five years, he thought they'd have cleaned it up by now, but then, there was no one to live there. He shook his head as the hot coal in his belly roared to life again, ready to drive him insane as his heart began to pound along with it. Now that he was here, he wasn't sure that he could go through with this. What was he supposed to do, just walk in there like he'd never left at all? They'd roast him alive.
He started to sweat as the birds trotted into the village square, heads held high as the children came out to see what was going on. He estimated fifteen young heads, all staring up at him and Edgar. Several of them drifted over to Edgar, keeping an eye on Locke as they went to babble at Edgar as he dismounted. Edgar smiled at them, patting a few of the little ones once he got off. Locke slowly made his way to Edgar's side right as the blonde picked up a little boy no older than five and balanced him on his hip. It was a strange sight, Edgar with a kid, but Locke found it suiting. He was surprised to find that he didn't recognize the child at all when he came to stand beside his friend. He recognized most of them, once he got past how much they'd aged, but there were a few he didn't know.
"Edgar!" Called a voice over the mumblings of the children. A man in his early twenties pushed his way through the gaggle of children, his brown hair plastered to his head with sweat, his must have just come in from the fields. "I hadn't expected to see you so soon." The man said as he extended a hand to the king.
"Duane, Good to see you!" Edgar said as he shifted the little boy around a bit so he could shake Duane's hand. "It's early, I know, but I brought a friend. How's Katarin?"
"She's good, the cravings have started so we doubt we're going to lose this one." Duane replied with a grin, "Friend?" He asked as he shifted his gaze to Locke. Locke looked at him for a moment before giving him a slight nod and dropping his gaze to the dusty ground. "Holy mother of… Locke Cole. It's been forever!" At this Duane stepped forward with a smile and grabbed Locke's hand giving it a good hard shake. Surprised, Locke found himself grinning and returning the hearty shake to the best of his ability. Duane patted him hard on the back and chuckled. "You have got to meet our newest family members, they'll be in from the fields shortly to get supper going you're going to love them."
"New family members?" He questioned, looking to Edgar.
"Two families have moved here in the last three years, parents and children. They had nowhere else to go, so they stayed. Great people, all of them."
"Supper won't be too long off, I'll let Katarin know we have company. If you'll give me a moment…" Duane trailed off as he looked beyond the crowd of children, spotting who he was looking for, he raised a hand, "Jacoby! Jacoby, come here!"
A tall, lanky young man strode over then, his pitch black hair hanging unkempt into his rich green eyes. He was surprisingly pale for living in a farming community and he walked with the hunch of a typical teenager. He wiped his long hands on his tan trousers as he pushed through the kids, most of them barely rising to his stomach. He rolled up his white sleeves as he approached them, tossing a smile at Edgar as he came to stand beside Duane.
"Yes, sir?" He asked, his voice much deeper than Locke remembered. But then, everything about Jacoby was different from what Locke remembered. At sixteen, Jacoby was almost as tall as he was and with Locke at 6'2" that was saying something.
"Do you know where your mother is?" Duane asked him as he wiped at his forehead with a dirty handkerchief.
"Yes , Sir. She's in the garden."
"Again?" Edgar asked as he put the little boy down. "What's she doing there? Did we lose someone?"
"No sir, she's just been spending a lot of time there, says she enjoys the sun there at this hour."
"Please Jacoby, don't call me sir. You've known me too long." Jacoby just shrugged before fixing Locke with a cool gaze. Jacoby had really grown into a handsome young man, if not a slightly gloomy one, but then his complexion was the key factor in that.
"You're here," He said, his cold green eyes boring holes into Locke. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he'd just been shot with one of Edgar's auto crossbows. "That's a big surprise."
Locke had to fight to keep from cringing as the hot coal in his stomach gave a short blaze, his muscles clenching from the detest in Jacoby's voice. But then, the young man was justified. Jacoby was the only child who Terra specifically referred to as her son. She'd found him huddled away in a burned out house after her first few days in the village. He'd been starved and terrified and Terra said she'd had to physically drag him out of the house, taking hits from the panicked child all the while. Over time, Jacoby had become very protective of the woman he referred to as his mother. And at the moment, he was obviously unhappy to see Locke.
"Can you take them over? I'm going to let Katarin know we have guests." Jacoby nodded as Duane turned to the children and put his hands up to shoo them. "Come on kids, let's leave 'em alone. Emenda! Alan! Come help me get these two settled." Duane took the reigns of the chocobos and lead them off toward what could only be his and Katarin's house.
Jacoby watched Duane go before turning back to them he tossed a small smile at Edgar before motioning them to follow. They continued to the south and east of the village. They left the few houses behind quickly and started up the hill towards the windmill and the ocean. The hills proved to be steeper than Locke had expected and he found himself struggling to keep up, his legs week from both nerves and the long ride.
"Garden? Why is the garden so far away?" He asked as the ground leveled out a bit. At the top of the hill, the ocean came into view, a vast expanse of blood red as the sun began to go down. Though it was still far off, the ocean wind blew over him in a blast, the cool, salty air filling his lungs and refreshing him almost instantly.
"It's not that kind of garden," Edgar said surprisingly gently and lifted a hand to point one hill over where a tiny cemetery spread itself across a small hill. Even from here, Locke could tell that the gravestones were tiny and malformed as they'd been worked by tiny hands not yet able to properly work the tools.
Jacoby took off down the hill, his long legs carrying him easily down the steep rock face hidden underneath a thin layer of emerald rock-grass. From the side of the hill, Locke turned his gaze toward the cemetery itself. At the top of the hill, sitting amid a small patch of white grave flowers, sat a figure that could only be Terra. He only got a glimpse of her before he picked his way down the rest of the hill, into the deep depression between the two rises of earth. The strange shape of the land here had to be the work of Kefka's upheaval, there was no other way to explain it. They splashed through a small stream at the bottom before starting up the much less steep hill leading into the cemetery. Locke hung back at the entrance and let Edgar and Jacoby keep going a few paces before they noticed him. Locke must have had a look of nervousness on his face because Edgar turned to Jacoby and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Would you do me a favor and go back to the village?" He asked. "We need some time with your mother."
"It's bad isn't it?" Jacoby both asked and stated at the same time, dropping his gaze to the ground. "If you take her, I'm going too. She's my mother, she needs me to look after her."
"We're not taking her. If we ever need too, we'll drag you along kicking and screaming if we have to. It'll be alright." Edgar said gently, giving Jacoby's shoulder a good squeeze. "Get thee hence boy," He said with a grin, "We'll look after her."
Jacoby nodded and started back up the hill towards the village, tossing a glare at Locke as he passed by. He was not unhappy to watch the young man go, but the look he'd given Locke turned the hot coal in his stomach to a lump of ice.
"I can't do this, Edgar." The words dropped out of his mouth before he'd had the chance to think about them.
"What's wrong?" Edgar asked, coming to stand before him. "What happened between you two?"
"Nothing. Nothing happened and that's what's wrong." Locke admitted. "I've broken so many promises and ignored her so long that she probably doesn't want me around."
"Locke," Edgar began, putting his hands on Locke's shoulders and keeping him at arms length as though he were about to give a pep talk. "Stop it, Terra doesn't hate and she doesn't turn people away. That's not in her personality. I'm getting sick of this weepy thing you've been doing since we left and I'm ready to forgo my kingly manners and beat you half to death. Get it together Cole and just talk to her. Now, you wait here while I go see her, I'll call you when we're ready, I want this to be a surprise." He ginned then, though his voice remained gentle. Locke clasped his arm and Edgar drew away and started up the hill.
Locke shivered as the ocean wind swept through the little gully, howling through the rocks as it passed. He climbed up the hill a little ways to escape the chill and came to stand beside a tiny gravestone. As he looked at it, he was able to make out the word 'mommy' chiseled into it with a child's messy hand. Looking up, he was surprised to find that the hill was low enough for him to see them from here.
Terra was seated on the ground in the same spot he'd seen her in mere minutes before, sitting in a tiny patch of white grave flowers at the very top of the hill, a perfect view of the ocean spread out before her. She sat with her legs folded to the side, a long red skirt keeping her long legs out of the chill. Her hair was down, which was surprising for her, and Celes was right, it was much longer, were she standing it would have reached past her hips. Edgar stood over her a gentle smile curling his lips as he looked down at her. She seemed surprised to see him as she leaned back to look at him, her pale hands coming up to cover her slim shoulders. She wore a simple white shirt, settling just off the shoulder with a straight neckline. She tugged the long sleeves down over her pale hands as she sat there. She was a strange sight even from this distance, she never wore long skirts, she hated them as far as he knew, and her hair was a far cry from the length she'd deemed acceptable years before.
"I have a visitor for you," He heard Edgar say. Terra replied, but he could only hear the soft tone of her voice as a gust of wind covered it up. His heart began to pound much harder then. The rush of his blood began to roar in his ears, and he debated just walking away. At his point he was certain that they could both hear the painful percussion of his heart against his ribs. A dizziness crept up on him as he heard Edgar tell her it was a surprise.
"I'll be right back" He heard Edgar say as he approached, and Locke felt his face turn red just from the sheer bundle of nerves he'd become. Why was he so afraid? It was only Terra, but he couldn't get his heart under control and he'd begun to shiver underneath his heavy cloak. He couldn't take his eyes off of Edgar as he approached. Locke shook his head at him and looked at the ground.
"Come on," Edgar said as he put a hand on Locke's arm. "It's time, she's waiting. I haven't told her that it's you."
"I can't do it Edgar."
"Yes you can. Now get up there." The king squeezed his arm and led him up the hill. Locke got a face full of cooling wind as he crested the hill, the salt stinging his eyes for the briefest of moments. Terra had turned back to face the ocean while she waited, her hands folded in her lap. Locke tried to stop shivering as he came to stand about ten feet behind her, entirely uncertain of what to do. The lump of ice in his stomach faded as his stomach vanished completely leaving him with a hollow fear. 'What if she walked away?' was the only clear thought in his head as he stared at her back.
"Terra?" Edgar questioned as he let go of Locke's arm and took a step back. "I have something for you."
Terra cast a glance over her shoulder and unfolded her long legs, pushing herself to her feet. She was barefoot, which was surprising, she never went anywhere with out shoes. She turned to face him and raised a hand to brush the hair from her eyes, Locke stared in shock as she stared back, amethyst eyes wide at the sight of him, her lips parted as she looked him up and down, dead silence between them. Locke's knees quaked as he took in the sight of her. They hadn't lied. She'd lost an unimaginable amount of weight. There was naught but skin and bones to her frail frame. Her face was thin, almost gaunt, a mere ghost of the beauty he'd once known. She was still beautiful, that was unquestionable. But, at that moment, that single infinitesimal moment in time, she was the most amazing thing Locke Cole had ever seen. He choked for a moment, his voice caught in his throat as he looked at her, lost in the sheer sight of her.
"H-hi…" He managed to choke out. "I-i.."
He tried to say something, but she looked away then, curling her hands together atop her chest. She looked at the ground as the wind tossed her hair and skirt about, a writhing mass of green and red before a bloody evening sky. As far as Locke knew, his heart stopped completely. It just sat there, like a stone. It didn't even have the strength to break. Looking down, he stuck his hands into his pockets and said the only thing that came to mind, the truth.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to talk to me either." He stumbled through the words and turned away. Edgar just stared at them in shock, his mouth working though no words came from within. He reached for Locke but pulled his hand back, his face a mask of uncertainty.
"You came…" Her voice was tiny, and he barely heard it above the roar of the ocean. Stopping he looked back at her in confusion, unable to come up with anything intelligent to say.
"Huh?" Was the only thing he could think to say.
"You came…" Her voice was slightly louder now, and he was able to make out the quaver in her tone.
"Y-yeah." His voice shook as he looked at her over his shoulder, he was facing Edgar who was standing to the side of them and didn't have the strength to turn to face her. "I'm sorry it's been so long between visits." He felt stupid. There was no apology he could give that would make this better. For the first time, he truly felt his broken promises as though they were a brand, burned into the skin of his face. His knees quaked beneath the weight of his guilt and the memories of the things he'd said and promised her flooded through his memory like a tidal wave.
"I'll protect you..."
"It's been two years between visits." She stated, still not looking at him, her hands clasped against her collarbone.
"I'm so sorry," He closed his eyes and dropped his head, choking on the words, they felt meek in ocean wind. "I-i.."
The sound of her feet on the grass made him look up, she crossed the ten feet between them in an instant, not walking, but running once more, just as she had two years ago. He barely caught her as she collapsed into his guilt numbed arms. Arms too frail for his liking locked around him as she pressed her face into his chest, her long fingers gripping at the back of his cloak tightly. All he could do was cling to her as her knees gave out. There was absolutely nothing to her, no real weight or anything. He laid a hand on the back of her head as he wrapped her in a grip he was certain would crush her. He fell to his knees, still clutching her, his mouth working and endless string of whispered apologies into her ear.
Though she was absolutely silent, he knew she was crying. No sobbing or sniffing at all, just an awareness of growing a wet spot on the front of his shirt. She shook like a leaf as he held her so he threw his heavy cloak about them, desperate to cut off those shivers. A puff of dust flew from the canvas as it came about Terra. He was filthy. Covered in the dust of the road that had turned muddy from his sweat and he definitely didn't smell very good at all. But she clung anyway, shifting so she could get her arms around his neck and press a kiss to his unshaven cheek.
"You're the only one who didn't come." She whispered to him, her eyes still leaking hot tears as she laid her cheek against his, despite the uncomfortable scruffiness. "Everyone but you."
"Goddess' name, I'm so sorry." He choked. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as Edgar stepped back slowly, a smirk of satisfaction on his face as he turned and made for the village. Locke couldn't thank him enough.
He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before leaning back, letting go of her slowly. She lowered her arms and looked up at him, folding her pale hands in her lap, her red and puffy eyes still leaking tears. Smiling, Locke tugged off his gloves before raising a hand to brush the tears from her eyes, her pale cheek fitting perfectly in the palm of his hand.
"I'm s-sorry." She said, her voice quavering in the chill air. "I c-can't b-believe I'm c-crying."
"Shh..It's ok," Locke said gently, "You're allowed to once in a while."
She chuckled and sat back, rubbing at her eyes. As she did so, he couldn't understand what Edgar and Celes were talking about. There was no emptiness here, this was all Terra, every bit of it. She looked up at him again and offered him a meek smile. The chill in him vanished completely as she sat before him, offering up that pretty smile, her eyes dancing as the sun slipped quietly beneath the hills leaving them in near darkness. She leaned forward again, pressing her chilled face into his chest. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he unfolded his knees from beneath him and laid back on the grass, dragging her with him. She settled into his cloak with her head on his chest, her long fingers gripping at the front of his vest. As they lay like that, the chill of the world fled from his bones as the warmth that could only come from the half esper flooded his body, banishing the chill of the night.
He had no idea how long they laid there, her head on his chest, listening to his heart with closed eyes. He cradled her close with one arm behind her back, supporting her. He just stared up at those quickly brightening stars and listened to her breathe, the sound minute over the ocean wind. She sat up eventually and looked about them, raising a hand to comb her hair back from her face as the wind played with it. He watched as she breathed deep, her small chest rising and falling as though the action were a strain. Reaching up, he laid a hand on her stomach, his strong fingers wrapping around to her side. If he remembered correctly, she was ticklish there. He'd have to use that later.
She looked down at him and offered a frail smile, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him, the long sheet of her emerald hair falling over one slim shoulder. A soft half-smile curled his lips as he took his hand from her stomach and ran his fingers gently through her hair, begin careful not to tug on any tangles the wind was sure to have left in the soft strands. She raised a hand to his face, trailing the backs of her fingers down his cheek before sitting up entirely and facing back toward the slight glow that was the town. She braced herself up with her hands and stretched her legs about before her.
"I need to go back soon, or Jacoby will come to fetch me for supper." The moon began to rise over the ocean then, casting them in it's silvery light. She looked back at him as he propped himself up on an elbow and reached out to play with her hair again. It was strange to him that she didn't use scented soaps in her hair like Celes did. Celes always made a point of keeping her hair in the best condition it could be. She'd cut it to the middle of her back a little over a year ago and always kept it that length. She constantly smelled of the gardenia soaps she used and Locke had gotten so used to it, it surprised him to find that Terra used no such thing. She just used the coarse soaps Katrin made out of the roots that they could find in the nearby forest. But then, considering where and how Terra lived, it made sense.
"Would you like something to eat?" She asked as she pushed herself to her feet and stepped away. She offered him a hand up, which he took for no other reason than just for the sake of doing so and got up, just as Jacoby came up the hill, a cloak over his shoulders now to fight the night chill. Locke nodded to her in acceptance of her offer just as his stomach gave a loud grumble of protest.
"Jacoby," She said, turning to the young man with a gentle smile. "Do you remember Mr. Cole? He traveled with Edgar and I a few years ago." The boy nodded quietly in response as his mother continued "We have an addition to the dinner circle this evening. Have we enough?"
"Yes mother, but, we're not quite ready, but I came to let you know that Sir Edgar left." The boy said, brushing his hair from his eyes.
"He what?" Locke asked, surprise in his tone. "What do you mean?"
"He said that he'd been gone to long and left shortly after he returned to town. He asked that we look after you from the time being."
"That's alright," Terra said, cutting Locke off before he could say anything, she'd learned very early on when he was going to start ranting and how to stop it. "It's getting late and a chocobo ride in the dark is never very enjoyable. So, let's all get back to town and eat before Katrin comes after us with a pitchfork."
With that said, she bent and picked up a pair of simple flat shoes from their hiding place amid the grave flowers. As she slipped them on, Locke had never seen such a poor excuse for shoes. They were nothing but a few pieces of leather hide that he was certain that she'd be better off going barefoot. But he said nothing as she waved them ahead, a faint smile on her face, but as he reached back to take her hand, she'd cast a glance back at the rising moon. As he reached for her hand, she looked back at him, and he finally understood what they had meant when they said she was empty. The glassy gaze that she turned on him in that moment could have stopped Kefka in his tracks. There was nothing. No light, no warmth and barely a hint of life.
But she smiled then, and gripped his hand, her skin like porcelain in his strong grip. She shivered in the chill as they started down the hill, Jacoby already waiting for them at the bottom. She trailed her hands along a few of the gravestones as they passed, a faint smile on her face. He squeezed her hand again before they climbed back up the hill, and as they came into the view of the town's lights, Locke was glad Edgar had left.
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End chapter. Please review.