Kain snorted, earning a look of warning from Rosa, before the Mage turned back to the Dark Knight and nodded, placing his hand on his palm. She blushed as Cecil put his hand on her hips, his palm warm against the thin fabric over her skin. Kain walked silently away, sitting down at an empty table, his arms folded as his purple gaze followed the Dark Knight and the White Mage, a scowl on his thin lips.
Rosa felt nothing short of awkward, her hands feeling cold yet warm at the same time as she pulled her gaze downward, watching his feet in time with hers. Cecil spun her as the music crescendoed, yet none of Kain's fluidity exhumed from him. It was like there was a wall separating him from her.
"The King spoke very highly of you, Lady Rosa." Cecil's voice is soft, unlike Kain's, and it surprised her, making her look up to meet his gaze. She did not even catch his words and he dipped her backwards before resuming the waltz, "You seem distracted; is it because I tore your dance with your lover short?"
"N-no! Kain isn't - we aren't..." She sputtered, her face turning scarlet. Cecil smirked, letting her gain back her composure by being silent, "I am just honored to share a dance with the Captain of Baron's Elite." Rosa continued, taking care not to have any missteps.
"Lord Kain is also a Captain of Baron's Elite force, and you yourself have the abilities to become the next High White Mage." He replied, their dance becoming slower as the music slowed down. Rosa broke into a smile, the tension breaking a little as she replied, humor dancing in her eyes, "Well, I've known Kain since forever so I don't really see it as an honor anymore. You, on the other hand, are someone new. And my abilities aren't really at par with the other Mages yet." She answered, circling him as part of the dance before taking back his hand.
"The King says otherwise, my lady." Rosa felt weak at the last words, almost stumbling over her step as the dance concluded, three minutes feeling like a blink of an eye. Cecil gave her one last smile and they bowed, him kissing her hand once more, making her face redden a bit further, "It was a pleasure, Lady Rosa."
"The pleasure is all mine, Sir Cecil." She breathed, standing in silence as the Dark Knight turned around and disappeared through the crowd. After a few more moments of standing in shock, Rosa made her way to their table, her fingers tingling with the sensation of the feeling of his skin.
Cecil made his way back to the throne, standing beside his King, his features once more stoic. The King glanced at him before turning back to the crowd, scanning the throng of people before resting his eyes on Rosa, "She has grown into a fine woman, don't you think so?"
"I guess, Your Grace." Cecil replied, looking anywhere but there. He closed his eyes, willing himself to whisk away thoughts of her touch, her warmth; those emerald eyes that seemed to set fire to his soul. The King sensed his unease and reached to pat his back once, then resuming the limb's repose on his throne, "I do not wish for you to be like me, Cecil, I wish for you to find love and not live in darkness forever."
"But it is darkness that gave you power, my liege." He replied, his voice soft yet strong. King Odin shook his head, looking towards his son, even not by blood, but in heart, "Darkness needs the light to exist. There is no darkness if there is no light."
"Too much light can banish the darkness, My Liege." He replied, allowing himself to move his gaze towards her. She could see her smile even from afar, too radiant, and it made him look away. Yes it was light, too much of it, and it would do him no good to covet it.
"I wish you would call me father." Odin spoke, his words laced with sadness, "I raised you three as my own, even if not together, you and them will one day make this Kingdom prosper more than what I have done. I know I can trust you, but you must not let the darkness engulf your heart. I taught you the way of the Dark Blade because I know you have the power to resist and tame the darkness. Prove me correct."
"It is too late, father." Cecil replied, his voice also low enough just for him to hear, "But I chose for it to happen, because it pains me to fight the darkness away."
"May the gods help you, my son."
The rest of the night passed by Rosa in a blur, and Kain gave up trying to have some semblance of fun and merely watched her stare at the silver-haired man. He accepted three dances, all just to get his mind off the White Mage, but the dances were unsatisfactory and bland, unlike with hers. Begrudgingly, he tapped Rosa's shoulder and offered to walk her back to her room, only to be answered by a soft shaking of her head and a whispered 'You go first.'
He sighed, walking towards the Dragoon quarters, loosening his tie and discarding the uncomfortable tunic. He lied down the bed, closing his eyes and willing his thoughts to go away, thoughts of her. With a pang of jealousy, he recalled how Rosa looked at Cecil, how she seemed so undulated in his arms and it angered hin. He was first; he was there for her during her times of need. He only friend. Kain reached down to take off a shoe, throwing it hard against a wall in frustration before staring up at the ceiling.
Cecil Harvey, what was so good about him? They met once when they were children, the King introducing him as a brother and Kain inwardly thought that he was too soft to be a knight. He was sent away for a special kind of Training and Kain did not hear from him since, but there was no reason to care since Rosa came. He is a stranger; a stranger who found his way into Rosa's heart. His Rosa's heart. He turned to his side, facing the window and watching as the two moons hid behind a curtain of cloud, darkening the room momentarily as his mind raced.
No one can take Rosa away from him, no one.
Emerald eyes greeted the first rays of sun as morning found Rosasitting on her windowsill, bow at hand. She closed her eyes, letting the cool wind caress her face, blowing gently on her hair. She swung her legs to the side, letting below the windowsill, vertigo be damned, for she felt so light, carefree -images of silver hair and gentle eyes fleetingly passing over her mind's eye.
"Rosa!' She heard the familiar shout, looking down and waving at Kain. She had no classes today, the banquet leaving most of the teachers inebriated so she and Kain agreed to make the day as a weekend and go hunting in the woods. With urge, the young mage swung back into her room and grabbed the quiver of arrows resting beside her door before going out.
Her smile widened as she saw Kain talking to a man in dark armor, the only one with that armor was the man in her mind. She rushed towards them, slowing into a walk when she neared, clearing her throat when she's behind the armored man, making both look at her.
"Lady Rosa." The tone was cold, crisp, punctuated with a bow, and it made her smile fall. She bowed too before looking at Kain, who was smiling softly at her with his hand outstretched, "Are you ready?"
Rosa could only nod as she put a hand on his, watching Cecil as he turned and walk away without a second glance, "What's up with him?" She asked, striving tomatch the Dragoon's pace while her hand grew steadilywarm in his hand. Kain shrugged, nodding at the castle guards as they passed, "Maybe he woke up at the wrong side of the bed."
The morning cold was unforgiving, and Rosa being dressed in only her leotard and cape, began to feel the unrelenting cold. Kain looked at her when her hands began to tremble and snorted, reching ovee the hunting satchel on his back and producing a cloak, "Here, Lady Joanna gave this to me when I passed by town earlier. Your mother is really a remarkable woman." He said as Rosa took the garment and pulled it on, "Mother is scary; it's like she could see the future. Hey, you didn't get yelled at again, did you?"
Kain's lips grimaced under his helm, earning a bout of tinkling laughter from Rosa. He crossed his arms in a huff, marching a gew steps ahead as Rosa regained composure, hurrying to his side as they reached the forest, "I don't really know why Mom doesn't like you- you haven't done anything to upset her."
"Other tha being a Dragoon, then no." Kain said, pushing a branch away to let Rosa pass. She stopped, looking at her, her expression that of curiosity, "Why woud that be a reason? My father was a Dragoon and he-"
"And he died." He gave her a little push, urging her to move before passing by the branch as well, "Your mother seemed tothink you will only gain heartbreak from me."
"That's absurd!" Rosa exclaimed, blushing, "You are like my brother. How could she think that?!"
The Dragoon's hand clenched into a fist, falling silent. His eyes followed her, watching her lithe form slide along the winding path, following the old trail with dexterity and grace, his heart feeling like it was slpwly tearing apart. A brother, that waa what he will always be to her and nothing more. And he can't help but feel angry. What should he do? Should he tell her how he felt and risk losing her as a friend, or keep mum and risk losing his chance as her lover? He stopped walking and closed his eye, building his resolve. He was ready to accept the consequences, one way or another.
"Rosa." He called, her name as sweet as honey on his lips. His heart beated with haste as she turned back, light dancing on her green eyes, an eyebrow raising in question. He found the courage to step forward, cold sweat running down his spine as the crunching of twigs followed his walk towards her. he hesitated before taking her hand,her eyes looking down on it before back to him, yet she didn't recoil. She was always so trusting, so genuine, so naive, and her innocence continued to beguile him. Her hand is fair, soft against hia calloused ones, save for a few rough spots where she expertly pulled on her bowstrungs, but even then he found it an addition to her charm. Her hand is clean against his that took so many lives. Light and Darkness. Her and him.
"What is it Kain?" Her oice seemed to be the only thing her could hear, and his jjaw locked in realization. He was afraid, afraid of hearing her answer because he knew what it will be. He shook his head, straining a smile and gripped her shoulders, turning her around and making her walk with a soft push, "You were making too much noise; you'll scare all the game away."
"Hey I'm not the one with the noisy, creaky armor." She retorted, the smile on her lips sending a chill down his spine. He let his heart die, letting go of the chance that may not come again. He did not deserve her light, not yet. Not when he was doing nothing to save her.
"Shh..." Rosa suddenly stopped, a finger on her lips as sge stood, stock still, her left hand reaching back to retrieve a steel arrow. Kain looked towards the direction she was looking, squinting his eyes to pull his vision up a notch. Rosa always had an excellent eyesight, and sure enough, a doe clopped out of the bushes, its ears moving to and fro, trying to sense danger. Silently, Rosa loaded the arrow on her bow, her breathing almost escaping Kain's ears as she let go of the string. The cry of the creature and the sudden silence colored Kain impressed, matching the grin that Rosa gave him, "Pretty good."
"Really? That's all the praise I get?" She said jokingly, nudging him before moving forward. Kain followed her, stepping across the roots while Rosa ran to their game excitedly. he found her crouching over the doe, her head turned towards him, a bright smile on her lips. Kain felt his lips turn up as well, assessing the kill with a few prods of his spear, Really good, better tham all the Red Wings and Dragoons combined." He humored, earning a pout from her. She stood up, shouldering her bow while Kain pulled a dagger from his satchel, working to take the parts they needed before following her into a forest clearing. There they found the small camp they set up when they were children; a routine they fell into until now. There, Kain would work to clean the parts on the nearby stream while Rosa would start the fire. The routine survived through a decade, growinf up as they grew, making them both stronger, swifter, closer.
It was during these covert meetings that Kain started to want more.
"What do you think of him, Kain?" Rosa suddenly asked, the fire crackling merrily underneath logs of wood, a part of deer roasting above it.
"Who?" Kain asked through gritted teeth, knowing who it might be. He let the rock he was using to sharpen his spear fall to the grass, refusing to look at her directly.
"Cecil." Rosa sang, mirth in her voice like daggers to Kain's heart. He never heard her call him with that tone, never in a million years will he hear her call him with that adoration. Yet Cecil, the stranger, managed to have her smitten in just one, fleeting meeting.
He felt cheated.
"I don't like him." He replied, burying the tip of his spear on the ground, making Rosa flinch, "He's...I can feel the darkness flowing out from him. You best stay away."
"How can you say that? Even the King trusts him." Rosa said reproachfully, "We have no reason to mistrust someone the King trusts."
"Why are you asking me what I think if you're gping to be offended by my answer anyway?" He spat, pulling the spear out with force. Rosa fell silent, her lower lip quivering aa Kain glared at the ground, silence enveloping them like a thick fog. His eyes softened, standing up and walking towards her but she shirked away, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Rosa..." He started, but she stood up and ran away from him, disappearing into the forest, leaving him and his shattered heart.
I'm sooo sorry for the wait! I kinda don't have a pc now so everything is mobile for me as of the moment...it sucks but I got to deal
Please read and review...it helps me continue the story to know that there are people out there reading it 3