Stranded

Chapter 4

"It's been a long day, love…"

"Mm-hmm…"

"Why don't we go away for a while? The celebration has been lovely, but too many people flock around me."

"It's my first night here. Must we be so open?"

"Love, don't you trust me?"

"…"

"Let me help you trust me."

"…"

"Rydia…"

"Edge, please…"

"Shh…"

"…"

"Ah, Rydia…"

"I love you…"

"As do I"


"Does it look like I care? You've completely vanished the past two days and I want to know why!"

Rydia's eyes fluttered.

"How many times do I have to say it? You. Cannot. Know. You will find out, and you will do something completely stupid because of your ego, and the whole world will have to suffer for your arrogance!"

What on earth had he done this time?

"Don't give me that! Tell me what on earth is going on!"

Rydia sat up, and looked over to the cave. Edge's arms were flailing, and Kain looked like he was near to punching him. Rydia slowly crept down the cliff, wanting to disappear into the jungle before anyone saw her.

The shouting match was done within a few minutes, but by the time either of them had realized she had left, she was deep into the jungle again, looking for the etching of the symbol.

Rydia ran through the trees, head flailing, looking around wildly for any sign of the carving. She hardly remembered what it looked like. She stopped to take a break, but started to hurry along when she heard Edge parading around behind her, pretending to look for her.

It wasn't long before Rydia realized she was lost. Sighing, she sat down, leaning against a tree. She prayed someone would come for them. That this whole thing would be sorted out. That…

And there it was again. This time it was etched in the ground, but it was the same symbol. She looked up. There was the tree. The leaves seemed to have the symbol burned into them. Rydia whirled around, her eyes becoming unfocused, and her mind starting to melt. This whole island…it has to be a dream, doesn't it? How could this be happening?

"Why did you come back?"

Rydia felt a strong arm grab her.

"Why did you come back? Why didn't you listen?"

Rydia stared at Kain, at a loss for words.

"Rydia! You can't come here! How do I get this through your head!"

Rydia just stared at him. Kain pulled Rydia close and jumped, heading towards the same cliff as the day before. Rydia closed her eyes, hoping the ride would be over soon. She wasn't extremely fond of jumping.

"Rydia."

"…"

"Rydia. Look at me."

Rydia lifted her head so their eyes just met.

"What do I have to do to make you understand?"

He looked at her hard, with a pleading look on his face. Rydia was frozen. She had never seen him like this before. He never showed any feeling before.

"I…I'm sorry…"

"Rydia…" he said, pulling Rydia down as he got on his knees.

"…I need you to understand. I need you to realize that you have to do what I tell you. You cannot go near those symbols. I know I've given you no reason to trust me in the past, but you need to now. I know I've done things for which I can never redeem myself, but you need to do as I ask."

Rydia felt bad that she ever blamed the dragoon for anything. He seemed genuinely sorry. Nothing could ever bring her mother back, her town, or undo the terrible things he had done. But he was trying to change.

"Please, Rydia…"

Rydia looked at him and smiled.

"I'll keep my curiosity packed away for now."

"Thank you."

Kain took Rydia back down to the beach, where Edge was nowhere to be found.

"He must still be out looking for you."

"Leave him."

Kain was silent for a moment.

"He wasn't the one who rescued you."

Rydia spun around.

"I found you on the beach. He was the one trying to save his precious possessions. I found you on the far side of the island, sort of behind the row of cliffs we were just on. I carried you down to the beach and into the cave. I found him trying to drag one of his chests out of the water. He started yelling at me for how I left when the monsters came, and how I was just standing there, not doing anything to help him get his stuff."

Rydia looked at the ground. Figures that Edge would take credit for saving her.

"Then, of course, he was right back up by your side when I told him I found you."

Then Kain spoke again, after a brief pause.

"You're not too fond of him, are you?"

Silence ensued.

Rydia gave him a look.

"He's a terrible person. All he cares about is women. He doesn't give even half his attention to anything else. I was stupid enough to fall into his trap…"

Rydia fell to the sand, near tears. Remembering her life at Eblan was like taking a knife to the chest. So many painful memories…

Kain slowly kneeled down next to her.

"Shh…" he whispered.

Rydia looked up, wanting to stay close to him. She was afraid to be alone now. After what Edge had tried last night, she was afraid. He never took no for an answer. And he had no other woman to turn to now.

Kain was her savior.

And Rydia needed him now. If for no other reason than to keep Edge away.


It was a long while before Edge stumbled his way back into camp, and he was furious at having been left to wander the woods for so long. He ended up sulking off onto the cliff for a while, while Kain was wandering around feverishly, trying to come up with enough wood to try to start a fire. Rydia just sort of stood back, and soon enough, a tiny flame appeared amidst the pile of wood.

"How…" she started, wondering how Kain knew how to do all of this.

"Training. Like I said before, we don't have magic." Kain slowly fed the fire, until it was a decent size, and could stay alive without constant attention.

Of course, that's when Edge sulks back into camp, his cape slung over his back filled with something.

"Whoa…fire…" he muttered, dropping the cape and dropping down in front of the fire, as though it was sacred.

"Edge… look at all the food!" Rydia bent down to look at all of it. There were tons of the sweet berries, bamboo shoots, and a large amount of vines and sticks. Kain Walked over, grabbed a few of the vines and sticks, and walked into the cave.

Rydia was busy admiring the food. Soon enough, most of the berries were gone, and Edge was still completely entranced with the fire. Rydia tried her best to sneak away, but of course, the ninja decided to be receptive to the outer world.

"Come here, precious."

Rydia just stopped in her tracks, sighed, and turned to Edge, trying to be as civil as possible.

"Please, Edge, not tonight…I'm pretty tired, and I kind of…"

"Oh Rydia, I don't doubt that you're tired…" Suddenly the ninja was behind her, whispering in her ear, hands around her waist.

"Edge…"

"Rydia…come sit with me…stay by me…"

Rydia's throat started to tighten. Help me… she thought. Come back Kain. She needed him. She couldn't say no. Why couldn't she say no?

Edge put his first kiss right below her ear. Against Rydia's will, she melted in his arms, praying that Kain would come. To put an end to it.

She tried her best to resist. She wouldn't show any sign of enjoyment. But that didn't stop the ninja.

Nothing could.

Except Kain.

Her savior.

Please help me… she prayed. She snuck a look at the cave. It was too far away. He wouldn't come, would he?

Edge started to progress as Rydia's resistance fell as her heart sank. She couldn't expect Kain to do anything. She had been quite nasty to him in the time she had known him. Rydia almost wanted to cry. Edge was almost on top of her, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't say no. It was part of the mystery of him. No one could tell the ninja king no…

"Rydia!"

Rydia gasped. Oh gods, thank you gods…

The dragoon strode down the beach to the couple. Edge lifted himself from Rydia slowly, staring daggers at Kain. Rydia looked at Kain, who looked back, with an expression saying you're welcome. Rydia quickly picked herself up off the ground and hurried into the cave. Edge sulked off behind the cliff.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," Rydia said, sitting beside Kain in the cave.

Kain was weaving something from the sticks and vines, but Rydia couldn't make out what it was. She was content leaning against his arms, feeling safe and comfortable for the first time in a long time.

She was content.

She was happy.


Author's notes: that Edge and Rydia scene was impossibly hard to write. I promise I'll stop doing that. Nothing much to say besides that. I think I've finally figured out where this is going, but it's going to be complicated, so try to stick with me. Send me questions and I'll try to answer them. Can't give away too much though. The Magnifique