Chapter one, woot! Hehe, I still have to get used to this third-person POV typing...

Chapter 1

Rydia took a deep breath as she gazed at the Overworld again. It felt like she hadn't seen this place in many years. The sky was so blue, the air was so fresh… For once she felt free.

After a few days, she had finally made it to Baron, thanks to the airship the dwarves had let her borrow. Maybe she should have told Rosa and Cecil she was going to visit. She shook her head as she walked through the castle towards the throne room. Surprises are nice.

Surprised they were. Cecil and Rosa's eyes both widened at the same time as they watched the beautiful green-haired woman enter.

"Rydia?" Rosa spoke curiously.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was coming." Rydia murmured, bowing.

"It is fine. We just did not think you would come back to the surface so soon." Cecil smiled. "I am glad you are back to visit, though."

"As am I." Rosa nodded.

"Can I talk to you for a moment, Rosa?" Rydia asked without hesitation. 'A skilled white mage. Surely she can help me figure out what's wrong with me?'

"Sure." She waved a farewell to Cecil as she followed Rydia out of the throne room. They walked until they came to stop in secluded corner of the castle. Rydia turned to face Rosa and sighed. "I think I'm either sick or losing my mind."

"Sick?" Rosa asked, her motherly nature kicking in. "Let me see…" She put a hand to Rydia's forehead. "You don't feel too warm. What are some of your symptoms?"

"I'm not too sure. Queasiness, confusion, and too many emotions all at once. I'm sorry if that doesn't help you since most of that isn't really symptoms of sickness, I think." Rydia looked down at the ground. "So I guess this means I'm insane?"

"No, not necessarily." Rosa paused as she started to think of an illness Rydia could possibly have. "Do you feel like this all the time?"

Rydia shook her head. "Only when I think of-" She quickly looked down again, her cheeks burning red as she stopped herself from talking. Should she let Rosa know?

Rosa took Rydia's chin in her hand and tipped her head up to look at her. Her eyes widened as she saw how red Rydia's face was. 'If I'm right, this is no sickness. Oh no. This is much better.' She smiled as Rydia continued to look at the ground.

"When you think of what? Or who?" Rosa questioned. Rydia twitched when she heard the word 'who.' Rosa smiled even wider. 'So I was right.'

"Rydia, I think you are sick after all." Rydia looked back up at Rosa, worry filling her eyes. After a moment's pause, Rosa continued. "You're lovesick!"

"I'm what?" Rydia muttered bluntly, a blank expression on her face. The redness in her cheeks faded.

"You're in love." Rosa smiled a motherly smile as she waited for Rydia to realize it. A few moments passed. Still not a movement from her.

"I'm what?" Rydia asked. "What's love?"

"What's love?" Rosa repeated, astonished. Then she remembered. Her green-haired summoner friend wouldn't know what love really was. She wasn't the age she looked. About a year ago she had only been about eight years old. "Well, how do you feel about that person? Do you think of them a lot?"

Rydia nodded, the redness in her cheeks returning. "I can't stop thinking of him, and I don't know why. I miss him, and I haven't seen him in so long. The last time I did see him, though, he barely said a word to me. Also, I feel funny when I think of him. My stomach flips every once in a while and my heart speeds up." She knew her explanation was lame, but she shook off her uncertainty and hoped Rosa understood.

"That's pretty much love." Rosa nodded.

"Well, I don't like love." Rydia pouted. "It gives me a headache."

Rosa laughed a little, then eyed her friend suspiciously. "So… who is this man you love?"

Rydia blushed a little more. "I don't want to say it… His name makes me feel funny."

Rosa thought for a while, trying to contemplate whom it could be. 'One of her monster friends? No.' Rosa crossed that possibility off of her mental list. 'She could see them at whatever time she wanted. Let's see...' She pondered more, looking down at her friend. A name came to her just then. 'Edge always was bugging her. He lives on the Overworld with Cecil and I. That could explain a reason as to why she hasn't seen him in so long. He did seem to act strange at my wedding... I never did see him anywhere near Rydia...' She leaned over, her eyes sparkling with mischievousness. "Is it Edge?" Rydia's face burned a brighter red as she looked at the floor again. Rosa smiled. "That's wonderful, Rydia! I always knew there was something between you two."

"If this 'something' is making me feel like I am, then I don't like it." Rydia mumbled, rubbing her stomach lightly. "Stupid love."

"You'll learn soon enough that love is a good thing. Once you talk to him, that is."

"Talk to him? I'm afraid that this feeling will get worse if I do."

"It won't get worse." Rosa reassured. "You'll feel better if you see him. Maybe if you tell him how you feel, your sick feeling will never come back."

"I should tell him I feel queasy when he's not around?" Rydia blinked, the blankness on her face returning.

"You should tell him you like him. Tell him what you told me. That you can't stop thinking of him and you have missed him. That your heart acts funny near him. Anything to say how you need him by your side." Rosa patted her friend on the shoulder comfortingly. "You'll think of how to say it over time. Don't worry about it yet."

"Thanks, Rosa." Rydia smiled.

"So, are you going to go see him yet?" Rosa wondered.

"I might as well. I'll come back and see you before I go back to my home."

"Tell me how it went with Edge when you come back."

"Uuh…" Rydia grumbled, holding her stomach.

"Um… sorry." Rosa smiled and turned to walk back to the throne room.

Rydia stood there for a while longer, contemplating how to talk to him. What should she say first? Just go ahead and say that she liked him? Or talk casually and then bring up the subject? She shook her head. Rosa was right. She'd know what to do when the time came.

Rydia walked out of Baron castle and to the airship the dwarves had let her borrow. Next stop, Eblan; a place where she didn't know what would happen.

Edge sat on his throne in Eblan's throne room. It was just about time for a good night's sleep, considering it was past midnight. For the past few weeks, he hadn't really cared about sleep, though. She haunted his dreams every time he slept. She always was near him… so close…

One of his guards approached him, bowing sincerely. "There is a woman who came to stay at the inn a few moments ago, Your Highness."

Edge sighed. "No, I will not consider courting a stranger. I won't consider marrying anyone but-" He paused, then shook his head.

"I know your advisor keeps telling you to choose a woman from here in Eblan, Your Highness. But maybe this girl you keep talking about will come back."

Edge looked down at the floor. "No she won't." He muttered. "She won't ever come back here. Not after the way I treated her the last time I saw her…" Thorns wrapped around his heart as he remembered the day of Cecil's and Rosa's wedding. He didn't know why, but Rydia seemed much more beautiful than she had ever been that day. His heart seemed to want to be too close to her. He couldn't let her know how much she meant to him… not yet. Edge knew the truth. There was no way Rydia- the kind, gentle, strange, yet powerful summoner- would ever like him- the arrogant, conceited guy he had always been towards her. Maybe if he had acted differently around her, things would be better for him. But now… his heart was in a chain of iron thorns, and his mind was in a whirlpool of despair.

"You can leave now." Edge mumbled, watching as the guard left the room. He sat in his throne for another hour, his emotions consuming him. 'Is being a king worth this pain…? Without a queen…Without Rydia…'

Edge shook his head and stood, walking out of the throne room. 'I need to clear my head…'

Rydia sat on her bed in the inn, looking distantly at the ceiling. 'What should I say…?' She wondered, getting up to pace the room. A swift shadow out of the corner of her eye made her freeze. 'What was that?' She followed in the direction of which the shadow went, walking out of the castle and into the open. Amazingly, no monsters attacked her as she walked, having no idea where the shadow went. Finally, she came to the ocean, the calm surface reflecting a bright full moon. The sounds of the gentle ocean calmed her, and as she started to close her eyes, she noticed a figure on the shore. Her eyes snapped open. It was a familiar figure, she was sure of that. She stepped forward, coming closer to the silhouette. The person turned, their storm blue eyes shining in the dim light.

"R…Rydia…?" The man asked, amazed. "N-No…" He turned around, gazing at the ocean again. "My mind is… hallucinating."

"Edge?" Rydia murmured, stepping closer.

"Stop." Edge whispered. "Even her beautiful voice haunts me… I'm dreaming… I'm dreaming a wonderful dream that tortures like a nightmare…"

"Edge!" She yelled, putting a hand on his shoulder and turning him to face her. "Snap out of it! What is wrong with you?"

"Rydia?" He stood there, gazing into her eyes for a few moments. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

Rydia looked up at him. 'What in the world?' She wondered, her bright eyes widening.

Edge looked down at her again, slowly leaning in closer to her, then stopped. The thorns chaining his heart cut deeper into him. He saw innocent confusion in her eyes, and more painful than that, fear. He released his grip on her, backing away a few steps.

"I-I'm sorry… I…" He stammered, running off and disappearing into the night.

"Edge!" Rydia called after him, but he was already long gone. "What has gotten into you…?" She murmured sadly. She didn't get a greeting. She didn't get an 'I missed you.' All she got was more confusion.

Edge slammed his fist into the wall, his anger taking over. "Why was I so stupid?" He muttered, hitting the wall again. "I wasn't myself, and I let my guard down. I was in a trance-like state… Now she'll never talk to me again. Damn!" He hit the wall one more time for good measure, then sat down in a chair. "I have to learn to be like my old self again. I can't be so… vulnerable around her. Sure my sarcastic side might hurt her, but my weak self might hurt her even more." Right then and there he started thinking of everything he used to say to her. He had to make sure his guard wouldn't drop. He had to be strong, or else he couldn't ever face her again.

Aww... Poor Edge. He's lost himself. Maybe the next chapter will be better for him...