A/N: Nothing is mine
Here's chapter 4. Sorry for the wait, but I now have some Tae Kwon Do classes which are kicking my butt. I have testing for my yellow belt this coming Monday! Plus a lot of things just seem to be going wrong right now…Oh well, Things could be worse!
4
Seifer groaned as he trudged through the sparkling sand, hating the extra weight that was attached to his back. Through the course of the week storms had hit and each took some of the pack animals that were forced to stay in the weather, which was what caused the need for the teens of the group to now carry a full pack. Of course they saw fit to add extra weight to Seifer's, something about too tired to talk of something. Seifer snorted at the excuse and shifted the pack once again.
Closing his eyes against the high sitting sun, He felt a simple breeze lift the cloth tied around his forehead. Frowning, Seifer stopped and looked in the direction the zephyr had come from. A wall of sand raced forward, filling the air with a hissing sound. Frozen in place, Seifer stared in awe at the speed and size of the sun coloured menace, wondering vaguely why the elders hadn't seen the signs earlier.
It took less than seconds for the cloud to envelope the caravan, twisting and curling into every open crevice and ripping apart thin cloth like paper.
Hunkering down, Seifer's mind raced over everything that he knew about surviving in a sand storm. Pulling the band down from his forehead he fixed it over his eyes before he set to open the pack on his back. Hopefully he had a blanket within the load to cover himself with because he wasn't sure what the next step would be without one. Grimacing he set to diving his hands into the sack, pushing things aside in search for the tell tale softness of cloth.
Suddenly, the wind died down and the heat from the sun pierced down on him like a ray. Flinching from the light, Seifer marveled at his luck and removed the cloth from his eyes. For a moment he wished he hadn't.
All around him swirled the cloud of sand, all except where he and an enormous creature stood, creating a ring of calm. Placing a foot back, Seifer dropped into a deep fighting stance, searching for any apparent weakness. The creature let out a sort of huff, which Seifer assumed was a laugh, and glared down the sun bathed blond.
"You did not listen to us." The thing rumbled, shifting one of its trunk like feet.
"What?!" Seifer blinked his eyes wide, hoping that he was only hearing the voice of a friend from somewhere within the storm.
"When your wise woman spoke to you, she did it for us. It was our mission to the lady, but you ignored her. Since you were so callous to her request I've been sent. You will not defy Hyne again." The purple mass growled.
Seifer focused on its head, peering up high trying to see its mouth. Turning green he realized there wasn't one, neither did the thing have eyes. "Who are you? How are you doing this?!" He motioned around him to the storm.
"I am Pandemonia. The winds listen to my call."
Seifer wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. Pandemonia was a demi-god under Hyne, the heathen's god. And here it was standing right before him.
"You will come with me."
Frowning, Seifer dropped back into his stance. "And why would I do that?" He asked, secretly wishing he had a weapon of some sort to fight off this thing.
"Because my father ordered it so. I do not question his reasoning." The thing spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world, almost like a teacher explaining why the sun raised and set.
"And where are we going?"
Pandemonia's face curled into what could only be a smile. "Heijo-lei of course."
Inhaling softly Seifer checked his options. To run into the storm would be suicide, even under the best of conditions. But if this thing truly did have powers over the wind, then running wouldn't matter much anyway. Fighting the towering demi-god didn't sound like a winning option either, having no weapon nor knowledge of if this thing could die or not. "What if I refuse?"
"You cannot. I will take you. Be prepared." The short warning was followed by quick movement. Lifting its large arms up, the thing stepped closer as it took hold of what looked to be a large bag attached to its body. With the sound in it inhaling, Seifer found himself being pulled off the ground and toward the creature. Closing his eyes, his last thought was that he hoped that this thing wasn't going to eat him.
+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
Squall heaved a small sigh for the umpteenth time that night. The party was extraordinary of course, but it was always that way for such things. The dishes served and delicacies displayed would knock any less experienced Geia off his feat. Squall just smiled with secret scorn and picked though the mess. Rinoa was doing as well as he could have hoped for, staying close behind him and staying absolutely silent. Perhaps with time she could become a great Kei. Much training would be needed for the lost time though.
"How is your evening?" A soft voice asked. Glancing over his shoulder Squall recognized the man to be Doctor Rieg, a well known and kind man.
"Satisfactory, as always." Squall answered, forcing a small smile for the man.
"You never did seem to enjoy these sort of parties." The man laughed, walking closer to the Geia.
Squall dipped his head, glad that one man wasn't a total idiot. "It's hard to be impressed some times."
Rieg nodded in assent before glancing up at the stars. "Such a beautiful night." He murmured.
"I suppose. I must admit it's just like every other night for me." Squall muttered, wistfully staring out at the trees. The whole tree garden was in bloom, pale pink flowers lining the sky line and also the ground. "Nature has her own splendor; we just choose to invade it."
Giving a small snort Rieg complied with a hand motion. The darkness was cool, effectively giving a peaceful air compared to the heat inside. "Who was that lovely little lady with you today? I've not seen her before."
"She's my little sister, Rinoa."
"Ahh, another one of those toss 'them in and hope they swim'?" Rieg asked amused.
"Not by my choice, for certain." Squall frowned. "But she has done well." He amended, attempting to not sound too scornful.
"You don't blame her then?"
"She is young. It will take some time for her to become used to the life of a Kei."
Rieg frowned over the rim of his glass before downing the contents. "I'm interested in her."
Turing his head to face the man Squall raised a brow in confusion.
"As you probably know, my last Partner Kei was not the most…Trustworthy. Seeing her so innocent to the crowd…Well, I wish I could make it stay that way." Rieg sighed.
"Are you saying you wish to become her Master Patron?" Squall asked, moving to fully face the man. "You do realize she has not yet even come out in society as a true Kei yet." He pointed out.
"I'm not talking about being her Master Patron. I do not feel that sort of affection toward her…No, more that of a father…" Frowning, Rieg stared at the empty glass in his hands.
Smirking, Squall inwardly rolled his eyes at the man's despondent face at his empty glass. "A moment sir." Returning to the party Squall hunted down a bottle and returned outside.
Rieg huffed in mock annoyance as Squall poured a full glass before corking the bottle. "Always a paragon of perfection."
Lowering his eyes Squall turned away and returned his stare to the trees.
Face mirroring his confusion, Rieg placed his hand on Squall's shoulder. "What?"
Face unreadable, Squall shook his head and continued his staring contest with the trees.
Frowning Rieg forced Squall's eyes back on him. "Did I say something?"
"…" Deep within the blue eyes, Rieg saw a flash of ice, a wall of frozen contempt. It was only a moment; the look was soon masked by a dull light that was usually placed on the fair features.
Faking a smile, Rieg laughed and let Squall go. "I'll be getting back to the party; you never know when someone will over drink his limit…" Somehow, he knew within that moment he had gotten a true look past the first barrier Squall had placed on his soul. Only thing was, I seemed that what lied behind the simple pleasing gestures was a pure hate far everything that he was forced to live with.
Squall watched as the man left him alone in the night, holding the bottle tightly within his grasp. Shifting his gaze back to the trees he laughed with quiet scorn. He, like the trees was forced to stand there and look beautiful. Pruned and crafted into the most elegant of his kind and always so lonely it would kill. In this world, the only currency was beauty. He had his share, only it put him further into despair. Swallowing his anger, he gripped the bottle tightly in his hand. Releasing a calming breath he strode back into the heat and the lights, leaving behind the solitude of the night.
Rinoa was seated a little bit away from the door, glancing around her in wonder. All the people and lights dazzled her vision, having never seen something so wonderful. Biting her lip she fidgeted nervously in her seat, determined to give off a calm aura that all the other Kei seemed to posses.
"Hello." A tall man smiled down to her; setting his glass on the table she sat by. "May I join you?" he asked, motioning to the seat next to her.
Face red, Rinoa nodded, hoping that this was something Squall would approve of. Well, if it wasn't then why did he leave her alone for all this time?
"Rinoa, correct?" The man asked, sipping his drink, seemingly oblivious to her inner dilemma.
"Yes, sir. And you are?" She inquired, hoping it didn't sound too rude.
"I'm Reig. Dreiden Rieg. I'm a doctor. I've heard tell you are a rising Kei?"
"Yes sir."
Swirling his drink the man smiled kindly at her. "And do you like it?"
Taking in a breath, she stopped before she could say the usual 'yes'. Glancing up at his eyes she shifted in her seat. His eyes were so kind that she almost wished she could spill all her problems to this man. Renewing her courage she shook her head, giving a quiet "No."
Putting down the glass the man stared at her for a moment before replying, "Why not?" It wasn't harsh, but an actual question.
"Well, you see…I…I don't fit in…I can barely remember the steps to a dance that even five year olds can do blind folded. All I have is my voice, but all the people around me…I feel like half the people in this room would eat me alive if I even tried singing." She replied, eyeing the room with fear.
"I could tell that when I first met you…Why are you a Kei anyway? I'm sure there are other jobs better suited for you out there."
Rinoa frowned at the man, wondering if it wasn't common knowledge that most Kei and Geia were more like slaves to a house than workers. "I was sold into it sir."
Rieg frowned, figuring that was the case. "Who sold you?"
"My father. When my mother died, our home fell into decay. I was expendable I guess, so that's why he sold me to a Host Home." She shrugged her shoulders.
Taking a swallow of his drink, Rieg surveyed the girls face trying to place which squandering noble the girl belonged too. It was often that a rich man without his wife's consent would sell his son or daughter, claiming that money was tight and becoming an entertainer would make it so the child would have a comfortable life. It was an obvious lie, but it made the rich feel better about their crimes.
Unable to exactly place the features Rieg gave up guessing. "Who was your father?"
"General Caraway."
Gritting his teeth, Rieg gave a sarcastic smile, mind growling 'Well, that's not much of a surprise. The man would back stab anything so long as it stood still long enough.'
"He may have had a good reason. Maybe he didn't realize all the chances to fail in the…job." Rinoa muttered, twisting her hands together. She had held on to the thought that maybe if she became a great Kei, that perhaps she wouldn't be a burden on her father so he would welcome her back.
"My dear, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most people understand the job, whether they are supposed to or not. It might not be house hold conversations, but most understand the basics." Taking a drink, Rieg stared down at her hopeless eyes and sighed. "You're young enough that you shouldn't be giving up yet. Many things can go your way; you just have to be ready for them. Don't look so despondent."
Giving a half smile, Rinoa quietly thanked the man before sinking into her own mind.
Squall watched the small exchange between his sister and the doctor, unsure if he should interfere or not. Holding back until the girl seemed otherwise preoccupied he floated over to the table. Placing a hand on her shoulder Squall gazed down at her face. The look of depression was evident, obvious that the conversation had been rough. Something a beginning Kei attempted to avoid at all times. Glancing at Rieg, he sent the man a look before leaning over Rinoa's shoulder. "Come, I think we've been here long enough."
Nodding in a small way, Rinoa rose from her chair and bowed low. "It was wonderful to meet you, Doctor Rieg."
"The pleasure was all mine." The man lifted his glass and smiled. "Don't worry, things can get better."
"Well then." Leading Rinoa away from the tables, he set a straight path for the door in hopes of avoiding most of the party. Weaving through the crowd he finally managed to make it to the host of the party who was speaking lively to another business partner. Waiting for a moment to break in at the right time, Squall wished he could just blow the man off, but knew etiquette would thunder down on him. During a particularly long laugh he took advantage of the moment to interrupt politely. "Mr. Owara." Bowing low, he hoped Rinoa had enough sense to do the same. "I regret to tell you that I and my sister must retire." Holding his breath Squall hoped that there would be no complaint.
Looking for one to the other, the man smiled before a loud guffaw heaved out of his lungs. "I almost forgot she was a newbie, she did so wonderfully tonight! You may bring her again if you'd like."
Sighing in relief Squall bowed again before setting out for the door, Rinoa following behind silently. Once their feet were shod, Squall ushered Rinoa out into the dark street. Most sensible people had gone to bed, the only ones staying up being the ones able to afford not going into work the next morning. Climbing into the wooden carriage Squall settled back in the seat. "How did you feel about tonight?"
Face scrunched Rinoa looked away. "Not the most fun."
Nodding with understanding, Squall turned his eyes back to the road passing by. Sighing softly as a gust of wind picked up the hem of his robes he hoped against hope that the rest of the night would be simple.
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
Rieg sat motionless at the table that Rinoa had just vacated, lost far in thought. The poor girl obviously had a dreamer's spirit. Truly she didn't belong in the world she was forced into, but it seemed fate was much too cruel to the innocent. Taking a large gulp of his drink, Rieg had a moment to wonder what was making the whistling noise before there was a loud crunch outside. Wind whipped through the home, howling like a wolf and overturning tables and chairs in its hurry. Shutting his eyes against the barrage, Rieg felt the wind die down, leaving flickering lights and a mess of a room.
A few coughs sounded before panic ensued. Standing from the table, Rieg hurried to the door to see what on earth had left such a disaster. Out among the trees stood a tall something. Squinting into the dark, he jumped off the railway and into the yard. Sprinting closer to the thing he realized the size of the monstrous thing. Slowing his step, he noticed something lying on the ground at the things feet. Sand dusted the area and the lump on the ground in even coating making the scene even more of a confusion.
The tall thing lumbered around a moment before looking down at Rieg. Rumbling it stood at full height and muttered a few words before another gust came and lifted the creature off of it feet. In a moment the thing was gone, leaving behind only the lump and the sand.
Moving forward again, Rieg knelt down next to the lump, brushing sand off of it in an attempt to make whatever it was obvious. Looking close,he sat back startled. It was a human lying in the grass, one not from the particular area. He was dark as those that worked in the fields all day, but his hair was bleached a most awesome yellowish white. "What have the gods done?" He muttered, searching the body over.
Seifer groaned as he felt fingers searching him over. Trying to bat them away he attempted to sit up only to find disorientation. Inhaling sharply he rolled onto his side in order to empty his stomach anywhere but on himself.
"Are you alright?" An accented voice asked.
Frowning at the odd voice, Seifer brushed the sand out of his eyes and turned to face the speaker. Staring back at him was a dark haired, pale man with dark brown eyes. A heathen.
"Fine." Seifer growled, pushing off the ground despite the nausea.
"Where did you come from?" The man asked cautiously, standing far enough back out of Seifer's reach.
Unsure of how to answer, he was saved the need when a mass of footsteps came barreling toward the spot.
"Rieg, what the devil are you doing out here? You're needed inside!"
Nodding, Rieg headed back to the building, motioning for Seifer to stay put. "I will be back, but until then, stay hidden." And without another word the man disappeared into the dark.
Growling in frustration Seifer sat with a plop, thoroughly confused. Glancing around him, he saw no signs of the caravan at all. Instead there were trees around him. Trees! Not sure he also swore he could hear water, but perhaps that was his imagination. For all intents and purposes Pandemonia must have told the truth. He was in Heijo-lei. Unable to wrap his mind around the concept Seifer picked at the grass (!) at his feet, mind blissfully numb.
The sounds of animals in the trees and the possibility of a waterhole…The land was fertile. How had these people managed to own such a land when Seifer's family was forced to live in a wasteland? Taking a calming breath, Seifer clamped his teeth together hoping he wouldn't loose whatever else he had in his stomach. Taking deep breaths he continued to block out all that he could until someone came with answers.
Rieg glanced around the room in an attempt to calm his breath. Outside was another human being that if had to guess, gathering by looks, was from the desert. Sand of that colour… And the large thing in the dark. Was that one of the gods? And why would it deliver a desert man? They only understood theft and boorish entertainment.
Shaking his head Rieg focused back on the room. Inside where people that needed his help. Setting a chair upright, he made his way to the area set up for those injured by broken glass, tables, or any other debris.
Outside, Seifer decided he'd waited long enough. Standing he glared around to see which direction led the way the wherever the heathen was needed. Light in the distance pointed to what he figured was a house, so Seifer headed in that direction. The odd noises in the dark sent chills up his spine, but the sooner he reached the house the sooner he'd be answered.
Up close, the house was much different than what Seifer had ever seen. The walls were made from wood, not clay or brick, and some were even made from a sort of paper material. How stupid. Stepping up the ramp he marveled at the doorway, finding their ability to carve a plus in their favour.
Inside was chaos, people scuttling back and forth through a room that looked like a storm had rushed through. Remembering that Pandemonia had been his mode of transportation it probably wasn't too far from the truth. Stepping inside the door, he immediately was run over by a small man in a weird costume. Face painted white, lips red, and around the eyes black the man stared up at him in a state of shock. Glaring down, Seifer now understood why they were considered heathens. That moment it seemed the wide eyed man got his voice back and let out a piecing shriek.
"God damn, how the hell can you make that noise?!" Seifer growled, adding a headache to his list of problems. The man only pointed and backed away.
The first shriek was followed by sounds of surprise or fear, all making a grumpy Seifer ever more so.
"Really, shut the hell up! Heaven above I know women quieter!" He snapped, pushing past the group of costumed people. Spotting the man from outside he waded through the shocked crowd of short people toward the only face he knew. "Hey, asshole, thanks for leaving me all by my lonesome. Your kindness knows no bounds. What the fuck is going on?"
The man looked up and managed to stand gracefully, even though he was one of the tallest in the room he was still dwarfed by the blonds' height. "I do think I said to wait outside." He commented lightly, giving the giant a severe glare.
"I got bored waiting." Seifer drawled.
Ignoring the behemoth in front of him Rieg looked past him to the people in the room. Most, if not all, were staring, each with a different degree of shock or horror. Thinking quick Rieg smiled at the crowd and formed a lie. "Sorry, he's a new servant in my house. I bought him in hopes of him being able to do more of the physical work around the house…The wind storm made him jumpy and he wanted to check up on me." Rieg smiled brighter, eyes sending Seifer a warning.
Leaning close to the man Seifer loomed over the doctor. "The HELL I'm your servant." He growled low. There was no fixing this day now. "I don't know where I am beyond Heijo-lei, I don't know anyone, and right now the only thing I can think of is beating the hell outta someone."
Meeting the glare Rieg stepped closer and muttered, "If you don't do what I say, you're going to end up dead. It wouldn't be any skin off my back. So either take the out or fight your way out of the country. And I should warn you, there are thousands of miles between here and the mountains so you better have a whole hell of a plan."
Swallowing back a retort, Seifer fumed over the truth. Right now he wasn't sure if he could fight out of the room he was currently in. "Fine." He snapped, pulling away from the shorter man to face the room. Plastering a fake smile to his face he tried his best to seem servile.
The room was quiet, some people attempting to smile back, others cowering into a corner. Counting to ten, Seifer lifted the nearest table and set it right. Ignoring the sighs of relief Seifer continued to fix the room back to what he supposed was order. Hopefully, by tomorrow this mess would be straightened out so he could return home. That, or at least be out of the services of one doctor…
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
The sun rose the next morning, only to be clouded with rain. The drizzle was constant leaving no one in the streets dry and splashing mud up on passerby's clothes. Seifer stared out the window in wonder. Water fell from the sky only once or twice a year in desert cities, with luck. Shivering, he sat back on the floor and waited. Soon the 'master' of the home would be up and that was exactly what Seifer was waiting for. His ticket out of this weird hell. Around him doors opened and shut, signaling the movement of servants throughout the house. Smirking, Seifer wasn't sure how the hell people had fallen for his servant routine. It was bogus, that much should have been obvious. But they took it like a new map to an old oasis.
"I see your manners still need improvement."
Craning his neck to look over his shoulder, Seifer noted that most people around seemed obsessed with robes. "What, am I a house dog that needs training?"
A deep sigh was his only response.
"Enough crap, when do I get out of here?" Seifer snapped irritated at the condescending look the smaller man was sending him.
"Not any time soon, that would be sure." Rieg closed his eyes and counted back from ten. Opening his eyes on one, he began again. "Right now, everyone is suspicious of you. I'm suspicious of you. There is no way you could make it to the border even if you had an army. All people know right now, is that there is a large man with the look of the desert in the city. You need a better reputation."
Rolling his eyes at the logic, Seifer glared at the man for all he was worth. "Am why should I trust you? You clearly don't trust me."
"As of right now I am only telling the truth, not giving my help."
Snorting Seifer leaned back on his palms and gazed amusedly back. "Such a distinction I see. And what great task, oh mighty bastard, am I supposed to complete before you're going to help me? Let me guess, save your daughter from an evil genie? Rescue you so you owe me a life debt? I don't do house cleaning…"
"All I want is an explanation as to why you are here. Nothing more." Rieg wondered if he'd ever met someone as positively annoying as this man. It was almost too impossible to believe.
"That's all? Well gee oh master, I might have known. But first, I'm hungry. Tell me you heathens don't eat grubs."
Maybe it would be better if he just let the man loose on the city…Frowning at the thought, Rieg straightened and nodded. He had made an oath that he would help all those in need or in dire circumstances. Being a doctor had its perks, like eternal gratitude from most of the households in the area…But then he always managed to get one asshole in the group ever once and a while that made him think of recanting the damned oath. Stepping into the dining room Rieg pulled a cord and motioned for Seifer to sit.
"What the hell is with you people and low tables?" Seifer mused, looking down at the table that barely reached his knees.
"And what kind of tables are you used to eating at?" Rieg muttered, wishing he didn't find the most irritating idiots in the world.
"Well, usually they come up to about here, a normal height." Seifer motioned to his waist.
"How on earth do you reach the food then?"
Seifer laughed at the perplexed look and shook his head."Chairs dumbass."
Rolling his eyes, Rieg sat at the table and waited for Seifer to do the same. When the blond finally complied, Rieg asked again for the story.
"I have my own questions first, Skippy. So why don't you answer mine, then I'll answer yours." Seifer smirked as Riegs face glowed red. The man was easier to annoy than Quistis.
Taking a calming breath, Rieg forced a smile like grimace and tried again, "How about you ask a question, and once it's answered I will ask a question. Then you and then back to me…Sound fair?"
"Sure, but I don't do fair."
"Just ask your question!" Rieg snapped, clenching his fists tight.
"Fine, fine…Alright…What do you know about Pandemonia?" Seifer asked, eyeing Rieg for a response. The man didn't disappoint, for his face changed from anger to confusion. Sitting back on his hands, Seifer waited for a verbal response from the flustered man.
"Well….He's the god of the winds…He stays out of many of the wars of the heavens…We pray to him for fair wind on the seas and also for travel. He and Leviathan are close brothers, both being very important to our culture." Rieg bit his lip, trying to remember all the details about the large god. It was hard to explain to a foreign man something every else already knew.
"What does he look like?" Drawled Seifer, bemused that Rieg couldn't seem to get his story out straight.
"Well, in all the manuscripts he's very large. He stands on two legs and has two arms. He has no eyes to speak of and no mouth to talk with, but he still communicates the same. Some believe he speaks with the winds voice. He carries a large bag on his back, were he stores the winds of the North, South, West, and East. He has a purple hue, faded blue in some places." Rieg pictured the creature in his mind, easily conjuring the image up from all the years being forced to study the gods.
"What would you say if I told you I say the monster?" Seifer stared at the man hoping he wouldn't sound too confused.
"Then I'd say that you have a story to tell." Rieg replied interest peeked.
That moment a servant entered with a tray piled high with dishes of all sorts. "Seifer looked skeptically at some of the concoctions placed on the plates, wondering what the tentacled creature could be. Huffing at his luck, Seifer reached for a plate and began his story.
Wow, that's a lot of writing…I'm not going to write Seifer's story again because 1) You already know it, and 2) Because that would take up a lot of space for something that you already know and it sounds redundant. I'm trying to equal a chapter a month at least, but classes at college start Monday and I don't know how things will pan out. My Mon & Wed schedule is good but Tue & Thu rather sucks. 8-3:50….At least I have a painting class though! Maybe I'll be able to actually capture some of the scenes in the story…Right… Toodles!