Sunday Oct. 23, 6812; Republic of C'ia, Council Chamber

"It's not a matter of right or wrong; what matters is how this will affect our people."

"But what about the girl? We can't just force this on her. She should have a say—"

"No one's forcing her. We're giving her a say."

"No, you're taking advantage of her! You honestly think this is what's best for C'ia? You already know what her answer's going to be; you're just adding insult to injury by posing this as some sort of question—"

The room went quiet the moment she opened the door. The fighting stopped. All eyes on her. Let the awkward moment begin.

What were they just talking about? Naminé couldn't help but wonder as she stood in the middle of the doorway. She let her hands fall from the door, folding them neatly in front of her as she took in the scene before her. The Council's chamber looked no different than any other day. It wasn't anything large or extravagant; just a medium sized room with an oval table in the center. Around it were eight chairs, three for each horizontal side and one for each rounded end. All of the chairs were filled save for the one by the opposite end, by her grandmother's seat.

She had recognized the two voices immediately as two of her grandmother's closest friends and most influential Council members. The first voice belonged to Luxord, a sensible and handsome man, intelligent, who had a way of making her feel uneasy for no exact reason but uneasy all the same. The second voice belonged to a man who didn't make the girl feel as uncomfortable, but he had his moments. Her personal body guard at one point, but now an advisor, Auron.

They both stared at her now, along with the five other people seated at the table. All older men, save for the teen's grandmother and one other woman who was just a handful of years older than Naminé. She only eyed them for a moment before locking her gaze with her grandmother's.

You wouldn't guess the woman had just reached her eighty-fourth birthday. At most, you would assume sixty. Maybe mid-fifties, but not eighties. It was impossible with skin that smooth, a frame so thin and fit, hair so very blonde that it almost looked white. The only things that gave away the woman's age were her demeanor and her eyes. Especially her eyes. You could get sucked in by that much blue and not even realize it. She didn't know how, but Naminé just felt like those eyes looked like they'd been through nearly a century of…well, everything. They could see right through you, if you weren't careful.

The owner of those eyes scowled at her now, held out a hand to Naminé above the table as if the girl were inches away instead of several feet. "Naminé."

The girl was silent a moment before clearing her throat and giving a short bow. "Milady. You called for me?"

Her grandmother nodded before patting the seat beside her, the one by the rounded end of the table. "Come sit."

Wordlessly, Naminé did as she was told.

The silence didn't die down as she walked, heels clicking on the tiled floor. The others continued to stare, if only for a few seconds, before averting their gazes away from the blonde. To the table, to the floor, to their hands resting so stiffly in front of them… Anywhere but at her. The only person who never looked away, who had a rather tired expression painted on her face the entire time, was her grandmother.

She settled into her seat with a slight sigh, hands folded neatly in front of her. She eyeballed the table, unsure what to say in such an awkward situation—not that walking in on a Council meeting was awkward in itself, it was just that no one wanted to say anything now that she was in the room.

Her grandmother felt the need to point this out. The woman sighed and glanced at each person seated. "Oh, come now. A moment ago I couldn't get the lot of you to shut up, and now you're all speechless?"

Auron looked like he was about to speak—and Luxord looked about ready to interrupt him—but the old woman waved her hand and shut them both up before they'd even begun. "Don't. You've done your bickering. It's my turn to talk… Naminé."

The girl looked up then, bracing herself because she had a bad feeling. Whenever the woman spoke in that tone, no, it couldn't be good.

"As I'm sure you're already aware, things aren't looking good for the Third Battalion. Lieutenant Jerad is requesting more backup—but we have none. We can't pull them out, either, because we run the risk of Tytonian forces invading our capital from the southern border. The way it's looking now, our armies are basically at a standstill until one or the other gives up."

Her grandmother paused, drumming her manicured fingers on the table. She seemed lost in thought. The others watched her with held breaths. Quietly, she went on:

"We won't be able to win this war, Naminé."

Words she didn't want to hear, even if she agreed with them. She was aware of this fact. C'ia had been locked in war for so long, this came as no surprise. It had only been a matter of time. The question was why was the Council just now coming to this realization?

"However—" It was here the girl snapped out of her thoughts, met her grandmother's gaze curiously. "—we were just discussing a way to end this peacefully."

The girl frowned. "Peacefully? With Tyto? You're joking, right?"

"Listen." Her grandmother said it quietly and simply enough, and yet she might as well have snapped at the girl. There was just something in her voice that made Naminé shut her mouth. "I'm not talking about Tyto. I'm talking about Jieva. Word's gone round that Queen Priscilla is making negotiations for some sort of military alliance with Tyto—"

This was where she tuned out, if only for a little bit. The moment the word Jieva was thrown into the air. Jieva. A collection of planets, all from different backgrounds, different customs, different languages; planets spread out throughout the galaxy yet all united under one name. The Jieva, the vast empire that had been around long before she had been born, the empire with armed forces that no planet in their galaxy could compare to. The super power with great political and economic hold on pretty much the entire Eastern Pocket. That Jieva? And their queen was contacting the enemy? This would only end badly. If Jieva got involved…

We're all dead. The thought brought a sharp pang to her heart, made her want to scream out at the injustice of it all. No one could face up to an empire that large. No one wanted to, and if they did, well, they weren't in their right mind.

"Naminé?"

She straightened herself, gripping her hands together tightly. Her voice was a bit shaky. "Yes? Tyto and Jieva are making an alliance…"

"That's the word. Apparently they're planning a full on invasion. We won't stand a chance. That's the simple truth about it, I'm afraid. But, yes, an alliance." Her grandmother looked down the table, towards one of the other men seated. (How the hell could she sound so calm about this?) A scruffy old man with a tangled mess of reddish brown hair looked back at the woman gravely. "Isn't that right, Walker?"

The man nodded, his deep voice relieving some of the tension in the room. "Yes, Milady. Last we heard their negotiations were on hold until… Well, until we gave our response."

At that last bit, his icy blue eyes seemed to flit in Naminé's direction—she wasn't entirely sure—and she could feel the tension rise in the others yet again. She glanced at Auron, who had his usual scowl stretched across his face. It seemed a bit broader now, though. She stole another glance at Luxord's direction, taking in his peeved expression, the way he drummed his ringed fingers on the table. Finally she looked back to her grandmother. "What response are we supposed to be giving? What's this about?"

The old woman played around with the charm on her silver necklace as she spoke, her tone still oddly collected. "Jieva has gone behind the Tytonian council's back and has requested an alliance with us as well. In fact, Prince Liam himself was the one who contacted us just the other day. He and his mother are split on our affairs. The Queen supports Tyto for economic reasons; the Prince holds us in his favor because of his inflated sense of justice and morality and something about 'Jieva's responsibility to preserve our galaxy's peace…' It's all very difficult."

"But what does he want?" That was all Naminé wanted answered. There was no reason for the woman to beat around the bush, and it only served to increase her anxiety. This wasn't like her grandmother, a woman who was always blunt and to the point with her words and actions. Those were the qualities that had once made her a great queen before the monarchy was destroyed… What was the problem here and why was everyone staring at her so intently all of a sudden?

Her grandmother paused yet again, still fiddling with her necklace. Her delicate fingers came to a halt when she spoke again. "To put it simply, Naminé, Prince Liam is asking your hand in marriage. If you say yes, he'll convince his mother to call off the invasion. When the Tytonian king finds out, he'll have no choice but to surrender. We'll have the protection of Jieva, the manpower necessary to regain control of Southern C'ia—"

"He wants me to marry him?"

"Of course, he gave us a few conditions. First and foremost, he wants the Council dissolved and the monarchy restored. C'ia will have to renounce its independence and become part of the Jievan Empire. Though, technically, he'll be the heir to two thrones—"

"He just wants more power! He doesn't give a damn about preserving peace. We're just another chunk of land for him to add to his 'empire,' his—"

"The fact is, Naminé, we're in no position to complain," her grandmother snapped, squeezing her necklace charm in her fist. "You can say no and we'll be run down anyway. Or you can say yes, and at least we'll go out with some dignity intact. It's your choice."

Choice? Ah, and this was what they had been arguing about earlier.

"We can't just force this on her. She should have a say—"

"No one's forcing her. We're giving her a say."

"No, you're taking advantage of her! You already know what her answer's going to be; you're just adding insult to injury by posing this as some sort of question—"

How right Auron had been. No wonder he was so indignant, was so opposed. It didn't matter what she chose. It didn't matter what she wanted; she'd ultimately have to say yes if she wanted things to end peacefully. It was plain unfair, downright… This was far too much to dump on one girl's shoulders on such short notice. She was so upset by it all, she couldn't even think straight.

"It's truly for the best, Princess," the one woman near the other end of the table spoke, her eyes seeming to plead with Naminé. "Our people can't take any more of this fighting. They want the troops home. The troops want to come home. If Jieva and Tyto join forces, we'll lose."

She felt the urge to scream. Just shut up…

"But Jieva never felt the need to step in before." Another man. She couldn't remember his name. He was beside Auron. "Why the hell do they decide to help us now?"

All of you, just shut up.

"We should consider ourselves lucky that they even considered helping us at all."

Why won't you…

Auron scoffed, slammed a fist onto the table. "They waited until both forces were worn down and exhausted, then they offer to help in order to drive another wedge between the two. That's all they've ever done. Let others do the fighting; we'll just pick up the pieces when they're finished."

"And I suppose you have a better idea?" Luxord asked.

"SHUT UP!"

The chatter stopped, the light bickering being passed back and forth alongside the main conversation stopped. Everyone just stopped and stared, doe-eyed, too stunned to say anything. Naminé had risen from her seat then, had both hands pressed against the table and an indignant look on her petite face. In fact, she was just about out of breath and tinted red from shouting. When she spoke, her tone had a hint of venom to it.

"How about this for an idea? The next time you go and try to make decisions about my life, you try asking me first!"

It was as if she had gone around and slapped each and every one of them in the face. They looked so taken aback, so hurt at her outburst. And they should, she thought. It served them right. It was only fair that she got her say. And for a moment she felt satisfied, fulfilled even, that she had managed to make them feel like dirt.

But her grandmother took that feeling away.

"How about this for an idea, Naminé." She sounded so calm, looked so unfazed by her granddaughter's outburst, that Naminé felt a bit hurt herself. "You try thinking about the bigger picture instead of being selfish. This isn't just about you. We've been in war for nearly three decades now, with no progress. People are dying every day, for a cause both sides have long forgotten. You have the chance to end it all without more senseless bloodshed. All we want to know is if you'll cooperate. Because Prince Liam is only giving us three days to respond. If we haven't by then, the invasion will go underway.

"Now, are you going to step up?"

That was all it took for the girl to wilt under her grandmother's gaze. One simple question that really wasn't as simple as it should have been.

Was she going to step up?

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," she replied bitterly, weakly.

Her grandmother sighed and rose to her feet. "None of us do, child. That was the whole point of this meeting… Council's dismissed."

~x~

Wednesday Oct. 26, 6812; Republic of C'ia, Councilman's Office

The wedding was in a nine days. November 4th. That had been the arrangement. The Council had contacted the Prince and his mother, and the two had responded by saying they would work things out with Tyto. Call off the invasion. Also, was it possible for the bride-to-be and groom-to-be to meet in person? Of course. How did a week from that Wednesday sound? And the arrangement had been made. Naminé would see Liam for the first time in roughly a week, just three days before the wedding.

The entire time her grandmother told her all of this, she kept thinking of different ways she could possibly weasel her way out of the meeting. She could play sick. No, but her grandmother was too smart to fall for that… Maybe, with Auron's help, she could fake her own death. That would be the end of it. She'd have to go elsewhere, start a new life, take on a different name. Maybe Lucy… She had always thought that was a pretty name.

"What if I dropped dead before the wedding, Auron?" That was the first thing out of her mouth the moment she walked into his office that afternoon. He was busy at his desk, writing something. She didn't go to see him often, but she had to admit that it was a cozy area, complete with two sofas, several glass bookcases pressed against the garnet walls, a desk that was begging to be organized, and a painting right behind it. Naminé stopped by the doorway and eyed the painting.

It was a portrait of her father, the late king. It was almost as old as she was, and it still looked brand new. How odd… The man seemed to be staring right back at her from his seat, legs crossed and hands folded above one knee in a reserved manner. Everything about him was so poised, so in place, almost soothing. His white suit, his polished shoes. His golden hair slicked back and pinned into a ponytail. The girl stared at those ice blue eyes that seemed to speak to her for what seemed like an eternity before Auron's voice pulled her out of her trance.

"Do you miss him?"

The girl never took her eyes off the painting, not even as she took a seat on one of the sofas. Auron glanced up from his papers only for a moment, thoughtful, before continuing his report. Naminé didn't reply right away.

"Sometimes… I mean, he was my father; of course I'm going to miss him, but…I forget how ruthless he was when I see him like this. It's like he never died."

"Mm."

Auron and her grandmother. Those were the only two people she felt comfortable talking to about her father. The monarchy on C'ia had ended after he died—no, after he had been executed by his own people. He'd been a tyrant in every sense of the word, taking after his own father. Though, to be honest, her grandfather hadn't been nearly as bad. He hadn't driven away any and all foreigners, hadn't tried to force his people into submission by controlling every aspect of their lives from what they ate, how they spoke, to what they wore. Her grandfather, unlike her father, hadn't killed his own wife because of her unfaithfulness… Her grandfather hadn't waged a senseless war for the sake of gaining more power. Then again, neither had her father. He'd just added fuel to the fire by further provoking Tyto.

He would have been the undoing of their kingdom if it weren't for a number of men and women who stepped up and brought the king down. Her grandmother hadn't wanted it, but saw no other way so she never stepped in to stop them. He'd been "arrested" in their home on the eve of Naminé's tenth birthday, and the following day he'd been… Well, she didn't like to think about it. She hadn't heard of or seen the man since.

Not long after, the Council had been set up with her grandmother as its head, and for six years it had been going well. Six years the people only worried about getting through the war, about trying to end it once and for all. And now this stupid wedding…

The blonde teen sighed, slouched down in her seat and picked at the fabric of her dress. "I don't want to do this, Auron. It's not fair."

"I know."

"At the same time, it's not like I can just change my mind, either. So many lives depend on this ceremony. So many people are counting on me for this." She was up again, pacing this time. The man was watching her with an unreadable expression, letting her pour her thoughts out. "It's just… Three days wasn't enough time to make a proper decision, especially one so big, so life-changing. But what really gets me is that Jieva is doing this in the name of 'peace' when all they want is more control. The fact that the Council and Grandma are going along with this is just…it's…"

"There's no other way, though." Lazily, Auron set his pen down and folded his fingers together, a thoughtful look crossing his scarred face. "The invasion was supposed to take place a week from now. We wouldn't have had time to sit down and think things out thoroughly. As much as I hate to admit it, Princess, this may be the only way… It will have to be. The Council will be dissolved first thing tomorrow, and after that all decisions will rest with your grandmother."

She understood all of this, she really did, and she agreed one hundred percent. But still.

The girl fell silent and came to a halt in front of the man's desk. Her arms were crossed tightly, fingers digging into the fabric of her sleeves. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she looked back up and replied, "What if I ran away?"

It was such a childish and selfish question, and yet the thought was still there in her mind. The desire was there, as much as she regretted it.

Auron didn't even blink. In fact, he chuckled. Like this whole affair was some sort of joke. "You wouldn't."

"…How can you be so sure?"

"You're too kind. You wouldn't forsake your people."

He made it sound so simple. It wasn't, though. It never was…

After a long moment of silence and thought, the girl turned and left the room.

~x~

Wednesday Nov. 1, 6812; Republic of C'ia, Gardens

"Ah, but she's even more lovely in person! Come here, come closer, dear. You're stunning!"

As flattering as it was, she really wasn't in the mood for this woman's praise… In fact, just seeing this stranger's face was enough to make Naminé want to groan in annoyance.

Three days were left. Just three days before the ceremony, before she'd be forced to walk down that aisle and give up whatever free will her nation had left. Yet, instead of pretending to be ill for the day or playing dead, Naminé found herself woken up early by her grandmother and promptly dressed in an ebony suit. Her hair was even done up for the occasion. Her grandmother looked just as business-like in her own suit, and—did Naminé's eyes betray her? She was wearing their family seal on her ring, on her necklace, even on her earrings. She looked…well, queenly. More so than usual. Before she could even gather herself that Wednesday morning, Naminé was dragged out to the palace courtyard where a figure awaited them patiently in front of the golden hedges nearest the entrance.

It was a woman donning an extravagant jade dress she had probably plucked right out of the Victorian Era—it was ancient, actually; the teen was surprised they even made clothes in that fashion anymore—and a crown to match. She had a rather thin face, a pointed nose and chin, and yet there was a charm to her angular…ness that you couldn't ignore. The moment Naminé and her grandmother approached, the ginger haired woman flashed milky whites at them and let her gray eyes examine the both of them. Naminé a little too long for comfort.

The woman, Queen Priscilla, rose from the marble bench, heels clicking loudly against the walkway as she took a closer step to Naminé and ran long fingers down the girl's cheek. "My word, you look just like your father. Got his eyes and everything. He was a great man, wasn't he?"

The girl scowled. "He was a dictator whose people feared him."

"That doesn't mean he wasn't great."

What?

But the Queen merely chuckled and ignored the questioning stare Naminé was giving her. Instead, she turned to her grandmother and gave a bow of the head. "Naimone. You look lovely. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Ever the polite one, her grandmother smiled. "The pleasure's all mine. Where is your son?"

"Oh, he's off somewhere examining the courtyard. Oh, which is stunning, by the way. These flowers!"

"Most of them are imported. They're native to the Granier Islands on Pandora, I do believe."

"You don't say? How do you keep them so healthy?"

"You'd have to ask my gardener. I never touch the things. Never did have much of a green thumb."

How could they just stand there and talk about flowers when there were bigger matters at hand? It was as if they didn't care for the reason behind this meeting at all. Or, at least, that's how it seemed with the Jievan Queen. The girl's grandmother looked quite bored with the conversation, and yet Queen Priscilla went on and on about trivial things without taking notice. It was all Naminé could do not to clear her throat loudly, ("AHEM!"), and fuss at the both of them.

Instead, she gave her grandmother a look. What are you doing?

And the woman shot her own look right back out of the corner of her eye. Giving you a chance at privacy. Go find Liam.

At least, that's what she imagined she had heard. She took the hint all the same and ventured into the maze-like hedges with a hint of relief.

The maze itself wasn't that tall or intricate; it barely came up to her waist and was so spaced out so that it was very easy to navigate her way around. She hadn't visited the place in a couple of months, though, so she wasn't entirely familiar with the layout.

New trees seemed to have been added, each looming high into the air, sprouting pastel pink blossoms and a few berries. The flowers looked as lively as ever, varying in size and shape, and especially in color. It was like someone had snatched a rainbow from the sky and sprinkled it onto the curling petals. They seemed to glow with color, if only slightly. It helped soothe the girl's nerves as she wandered down the marble walkways.

How rude is it that they set up this meeting, invite themselves to our home… And now I have to go looking for him? As upset as she was by it, she kept herself calm. There was no need getting worried over little things, not now. Her main concern was making a good impression. It was crucial, according to her grandmother.

"We need them to know that we trust them. That's what this meeting's about."

Trust. Right…

"Princess?"

She stopped at the sound of the foreign voice, turning this way and that for its source. She was in an area where three other walkways came together with hers, forming a circle in the middle of the plants. A fountain could be seen, gushing sparkling fluid that seemed to dance as it fell. It was by that fountain that she spotted the stranger.

Tall, not freakishly so, but enough to make her feel shorter than she already was. He looked to be a couple of years older than her. Amber eyes, an angled face so similar to his mother's and yet more fitting. His hair was a deep teal, cropped short and sticking this way and that in an interesting fashion. It suited him. He, too, was dressed up for the occasion in his own pinstripe suit—well, just the shirt, tie, and pants. His jacket was set down, neglected, on the fountain's edge, along with his crown. (Why, why did they both have to wear crowns? As if everyone didn't already know they were royalty.) She had to admit, though… He was handsome. Very much so.

Naminé gave him a polite smile. "Prince Liam. I didn't expect to see you here." Especially since you should have already greeted us alongside your mother.

He smiled back, stepping closer. Before she realized it, he was taking her hand and giving it a light kiss. "You're even more beautiful than I imagined."

"Thank you… Your mother said the same."

"So you two met?"

"Briefly."

An awkward silence. Naminé gently pulled her hand free, tucked it behind her back and glanced around blankly. Liam gave a small sigh.

"I understand how you feel about this," he said quietly, getting straight to the point. A serious air was about him now.

Naminé didn't quite look back at him, frowned slightly. "Do you?"

"It's a lot at once, and it's not really fair to you or your people."

"Right."

"And you probably want nothing to do with us."

"To be honest, I don't." Her tone was polite, her voice was soft, and yet her eyes betrayed her bitterness. She looked at the young man now. "To be honest, I find it hard to believe that you're doing this out of the interest of peace."

"It's not like we're going to take complete control over your people. Look at all of our other territories. They retain their customs, their practices, their laws, even their languages. We simply ask that they abide our own laws as well, recognize our royal family as their own—"

"And if they don't?"

Liam scowled. "It's not like we mercilessly cut people down."

"So what was this talk of the invasion?"

"My mother's idea. I never wanted this war—"

"It was our war from the beginning and it still is."

"And other planets are being dragged into it."

She fell silent on that note, indignation written on her round face.

"This is your kingdom's best bet, Princess," Liam tried to assure her. He even reached for her hand once, and in spite of herself she let him. He gripped it tightly, pleading with her with his golden eyes. "It's probably not the most ideal, but it'll be enough to give your people peace. Isn't that what you want most of all?"

Yes. That was what she would like to say. Yet…

Naminé sighed, stared at their intertwined hands. Reluctantly, she gripped back. Her grandmother's words floated around in her head. "It's all about trust."

For whatever reason, the boy smiled. "You won't regret this."

But she definitely would.

~x~

Saturday Nov. 4, 6812; C'ian Airship

At this point, she didn't care anymore. In fact, at this point she was welcoming the fact that she would soon inherit two thrones instead of one. She was looking forward to seeing Liam again, even though they had only spoken that one time in the courtyard.

By the time she was woken up and dressed in an elaborately stitched white gown, her family's crest sewed right across her bosom, she knew. By the time she had pinned her mess of golden hair into a tight bun, had put on her makeup, had inspected herself fully in her mirror, she knew. She didn't mind this arrangement anymore. It was for the best.

But of course she was just lying to herself so she felt better.

They were on their flight to Jieva now. They as in herself, her grandmother, Auron, and a couple of other body guards. Just in case. It wasn't anything large, just an old fashioned plane designed for space travel, a plane that would get them to the empire's main planet in a little less than a day. The other dozens of dozens of passengers were relatively quiet, sleeping at this late hour as they drifted through clouds of dust and stars and flashing lights.

Naminé was seated beside her grandmother who wasn't paying attention to her, and in the aisle to their right sat Auron who was…well, not really paying attention to her either. They both were staring off into space, thoughts floating around their heads, thoughts that Naminé wished she could snatch up and examine.

This is the big day.

She should be excited.

We end this war for good. Today. All it takes is an "I do."

Her people would be at ease. The fighting would stop, the violence would cease. She should be excited.

Even if we won't be C'ians anymore, even if we'll live under the rule of Liam and his mother. We'll be safe. We'll be happy.

But she wasn't. That was all she could think about. That was the only thing on her mind. That, and how awfully selfish she was, even if it was justified.

I'd give anything…anything to get out of this.

That's what she thought, and she hated it.

Then gun shots sounded loudly behind them, and all thoughts left her completely. Before she knew it, people were screaming. More shots were being fired, shouts were thrown in the air. "HEADS DOWN! PUT YOUR HEADS DOWN!"

Naminé's eyes went wide. Her hand flew to her grandmother's, gripped it tightly. The older woman heaved a sigh, her voice wavering. "God, help us…"

"Find the girl. Kill her when you do." The voice again. It was unnerving how close it sounded.

Naminé looked to her grandmother worriedly, whispering, "What's going on?"

Her grandmother leaned over, looked as far back as she could down the aisle and gave a quiet swear at what she saw. "They're Tytonian."

"What?" The girl couldn't believe it, didn't want to. She glanced back herself, spotted the half dozen men further back in matching black suits. Pitch black, like the shades they wore, like the guns they carried and waved in passengers' faces. They were examining every face, barking orders to every shivering individual. "But how… How did they find us?"

"They're probably targeting any flight heading to Jievan territory."

How her grandmother could make herself sound so calm in this situation was beyond her. Naminé was a second away from panicking. She gripped her grandmother's hand tighter. "What do we do?"

Auron and one of their body guards were already out of their seats and beckoning towards them, holding out hands for the females to take. Luxord was behind them, speaking soothingly to other passengers shaking in their seats, instructing them to stay calm, to follow his directions as they tried to handle the situation. Auron, the person closest to Naminé, firmly gripped her hand. "Come this way."

Her grandmother shook her head, rising out of her seat in spite of her fear. "But they'll see us."

"We need to get you both out of here, now come." The dark haired man was pulling a gun hidden in his coat pocket as he called over his shoulder roughly, "Luxord, cover us from behind."

He was answered by a nod, and soon their little group was rushing down the plane's aisle, off to who knew where. It all happened so fast, Naminé wasn't even sure if it was real. The shouts behind them grew, the gun shots became louder, closer.

She felt her head throb as she and her grandmother were ushered into a room near the front of the plane, an emergency room. The Escape Pod Room. It was circular, large. There were controls hooked to the wall, controls that Auron was working with now. Opposite them sat five large rectangular capsules, the Pods, each with their latches opened and their signals turned off. Well, four out of the five, anyway. They were offline. Only one was activated at the moment.

The door behind them was slammed roughly. The guard whose name Naminé could never remember eyed her grandmother with a frown. "I apologize for this, Milady."

Naminé eyeballed the activated Pod. "There's only room for two people in each one."

Her grandmother was silent for a moment before looking over in the control area. "Auron, take Naminé with you. Get her out of here."

"No!" The girl cried.

The man scowled. "Your Majesty—"

"They're after her, Auron. She's our country's only hope." More gun shots, louder shouting. Someone was banging on the door. The nameless guard was holding it down, keeping the men on the other side out. The elderly woman ignored it, clenching her fists together. "Protect that hope, Auron. I'm begging you. She's all I have left."

"Grandma…"

This woman was crazy. She was crazy. She couldn't stay behind, she needed to get in that Pod with her. Or, at least, climb into one of the other ones. But it would take several minutes to activate them, to get them online, to get them set for launching. By the time it was all taken care of, it would be too late…

Her grandmother was in front of her now, tears running down her entrancing eyes. It scared Naminé. The woman planted a kiss on the girl's forehead. "I love you."

"We can't leave without you!"

"If they get to you, they'll kill you on sight. Don't you understand that?"

She did, but… No, this wasn't… "What about you?"

"There's no time. There's no time to get us out safe, my child. You need to go."

"They're definitely in here!"

"Blast the door open."

The guard couldn't hold on for much longer. The pounding was insistent now. Relentless. They would be in here in a matter of moments. There was such a ruckus going on outside.

Auron had given an angry groan and rushed over, swept the girl up bridal style and place her inside the Pod before jumping in as well. He had just pulled the lid down, had just sealed it and secured it, when the door burst apart and shards of metal sprinkled the room. There were more of the men now, guns ready, guns firing. They saw the Pod, noticed it beginning to launch, tried to stop it—

A bullet had hit her grandmother. That was all she saw when the Pod shifted and headed out into space. She saw the woman's body stain red and fall, heard the thump, felt her heart drop. She clawed at the glass of the window, shrieking.

"GRANDMA!"

But it was too late.

The Pod had already shot through the opening in the plane, had cleared a path and was now jetting quickly through space, leaving a hole in side of the plane. So fast it had all happened.

She sobbed uncontrollably, pressing herself against Auron who could only place a hand on her head comfortingly. "Shh…"

It seemed like ages. Ages before the Pod slowed and started to drift steadily, ages before the girl could quiet herself and merely stared out the window lifelessly, ages before it dawned on her how messed up this whole thing was. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she next spoke.

"What now?"

"We wait. That's all we can do until this thing lands." He was quiet for a moment, examining the screen floating in the middle of the Pod just inches in front of their cushioned seats. He pointed at it, tracing the path it seemed to follow on the holographic map. "See this? It's programmed to take you to the closest emergency port. Looks like it's heading to Luma."

"Where is that?"

"A little beyond our galaxy, but not too much so. We should be there after a while. A few hours, maybe."

Hours…

"What will happen to the other passengers?"

"I don't know."

Why don't you know? She thought angrily, even though there was no reason for it. Her whole body was shaking. "Why is this happening? How did they know what flight we were on?"

The man was silent for a long time, staring out the window himself. He sighed, lifted his free hand to take off his glasses and clean them."My guess…is someone within our ranks probably leaked information. I couldn't name who, but it's not too much of a stretch. Tyto doesn't want the alliance. They don't want the marriage. If that means they have to kill you, then they'll do it."

That was that. That was the logical answer, the real reason—but it wasn't what she wanted to hear. It wasn't what she was looking for. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't feel like that was it. There had to be another reason, something else…

They fell into another silence, let themselves get lost in their own thoughts. Naminé felt numb. Extremely numb. She couldn't think straight, couldn't think at all. After a while a small beeping filled the air. It took her a moment to realize that it was Auron's phone.

The man dug the cell out of his pocket, eyed the screen for a second before clicking the green button and answering, "Auron. Report."

A voice echoed from the speaker. One of the councilmen. He sounded tired. Scared and tired. "C'ia's under attack. Our troops are falling back."

Auron narrowed his eyes angrily. "What the hell happened?"

"They outnumbered us. Somehow they got more men. I don't know how…" A pause. Static in the background."We're calling on Jieva for backup as we speak."

"So they know."

"Yes. How is the Grand Chairwoman?"

The question was met with silence. Auron and Naminé exchanged a look, and it took everything the blonde teen had in her not to start crying again. Auron's voice was low. "…She's dead. Our flight was ambushed. Tytonian spies, I think. They drove us off."

"Wha… And the princess?"

"She's with me. We're heading to Luma as we speak. But we may need backup as soon as possible."

"Copy that. Hang in there." Then he hung up.

Auron thought for a moment, tucked his phone away before eyeing Naminé gravely. "When we land, we need to get on another train. A ship, a plane, anything."

"Where?"

"It doesn't matter where, so long as we leave. If they're still on that plane, then they'll be able to track our Pod coordinates. As soon as we land, we're sitting ducks. We need to get you somewhere safe until we can figure things out."

"I'm scared."

"I know."

"What happens now?"

He didn't have an answer.

~x~

Saturday Nov. 4, 6812; Luma, Docking Port

Just as Auron had said, their Pod had landed at one of the emergency ports in Luma. It was a small planet, though not as small as C'ia. Definitely a lot busier with its bustling streets and people every which way and that, going about their business. There was such an urban atmosphere to it all that it made Naminé feel uncomfortable.

She stuck close to the wary man in front of her, let him lead the way through the streets as they approached what looked like a ship station. There was an archway just yards away from them and on it a sign that read Eden Express: Bon Voyage!

There was a heavy stream of people heading in the same direction, most carting luggage or pulling along young children or their partners.

Hurry, the ship will leave soon.

I'm so EXCITED! I've never been to Eden before!

What do you think it's like? Is it nice?

What stop are we again?

She heard it all, just constant chatter amongst other people she was unfamiliar with. She would have let herself get lost in it all if it hadn't been for the flash of black in the corner of her eye. She glanced behind her as they walked, noticed three figures following after them. Figures in suits. The Tytonian crest on their chests.

No… How had they found them? How did they get to them so quickly?

She tugged roughly at Auron's sleeve. "Auron…"

The man glanced back, noticed the figures weaving in and out of people, heading for them. "Shit."

They were getting closer now. No, they were pushing people now, rushing for them. Auron was quick to grab Naminé and shove her forward. "Go."

"Wait—"

"No time. Run!"

Once again she let her feet lead her, ignoring the indignant cries of people who had the misfortune of being pushed aside and the curious and angry stares. She could feel Auron's hand on her, heard the click of his gun as he readied it in his other hand. Some people took notice of it, started crying out.

"Oh my God!"

"He's got a gun!"

And much more, but she ignored it all.

They ran straight for the ramp that passengers were boarding, just barely passing a couple of security guards who weren't aware of their situation and were trying to get a hold of them as well. They made it as far up the ramp as possible before Naminé felt the hand on her shoulder pull free, then she stopped to stare at the man behind her. He was turning back to… Was he leaving?

Wide eyed, Naminé grabbed Auron's arm. "You aren't coming with me?"

"I need you out of harm's way. I'll take care of them myself."

"You can't leave me!"

"Do this, Naminé." And the way he snapped at her, the way he called her name made her take a shaky step back.

She shook her head. "But…the wedding."

"We'll smooth things out with Jieva."

"Grandma…and C'ia—"

"It's fallen, Princess. Go! Get away, be safe, but don't go to Jieva and don't come back home. Not yet."

She could see the guards, the men from the plane. They were rushing up the ramp now. An alarm was going off, but it wasn't for security reasons. A voice sounded in the air, from the ship's speakers. The EE is now departing…

She had to go. Something wouldn't let her, though. There was a pleading tone in her voice. "But—"

"You listen to me. Go to Eden and find someplace safe. I promise someone will find you, just be safe…"

And that was that before the man shoved her through the door with the last of the boarding passengers. The door closed, and that was it.

She found herself alone.

~x~

Saturday Nov. 4, 6812; Eden Express

This wasn't good. This wasn't good. She felt sick. Dizzy, almost. Where was she supposed to go? What did she do in a situation like this? Why, why, WHY hadn't Auron come with her? She had no way of contacting him, no way to know if he'd be alright, if he was even alive. What about her grandmother's…her body? And the wedding…

What do I do?

No phone. No money. No computer to use. Maybe they had on one this ship, but how long would it take for her to connect with someone at the palace?

But they got to the palace too…

Normally Naminé was able to keep her head, able to figure out something. Now was not one of those times. She had plenty options, she was sure, she just didn't know what those options were and which one would be best. What was the word? Helpless. She felt absolutely helpless. So she did the only thing that usually calmed her nerves. She took a walk.

The Eden Express was a rather quiet ship. Most ships she rode on usually had a low buzz of chatter and a steady stream of passengers roaming the halls, but there didn't seem to be anyone present other than a few stewardesses and clerks at small desks.

The girl let her sore limbs carry her to the second floor, let her eyes stare longingly out the giant windows that provided a gorgeous view of the stars and moon and twinkling planets in the distance. The railway that the train was on seemed to glow softly in the inky sky.

It all felt very lonely.

She wanted to cry. This wasn't right. This shouldn't have happened. There had to be someone she could talk to, maybe some extra Pods or Lifeboats she could take that would lead to Jieva before time ran out. She could be safe with them. Or, at least, she could send an email, a letter, a message of some sort. Couldn't she? Just let them know that she was safe, but alone. Then her last conversation with Auron rang in her ears:

"It's fallen, Princess. Go! Get away, be safe, but don't go to Jieva and don't come back home. Not yet."

"But—"

"You listen to me. Go to Eden and find someplace safe. I promise someone will find you, just be safe…"

She couldn't go back. Not yet. It probably wasn't safe to contact anyone either. But still. Then another thought popped into her head.

Isn't this what you wanted? A way out. You could hide away on Eden, away from everyone and everything. Disappear. No one would know if you were alive or not. You'd be free. Free, you could…

She wanted to cry.

It wasn't until she felt the sting of tears in the back of her throat that she realized she had come to a stop in front of the window. There was a boy by her side, a bit taller than her, probably no older either. She hadn't noticed him when she had walked up, but now she got a good look at him. A closer look at him…

He looks sad, too. She didn't know why the thought popped up in her head. It just did. And now she couldn't stop staring at him, couldn't keep from wondering what was troubling the blonde stranger so much that he didn't even realize there was someone next to him. There was some look in his eye, something close to disdain, but mixed with something else. She couldn't place it.

Naminé followed his gaze out the window, eyed the stars that seemed to drift by beyond the glass. "It's horrible, isn't it?"

The boy jumped at the sound of her voice, turning only to realize—at last—that she was there. He seemed really taken aback by her question, unsure about her presence. In fact, he seemed to examine her for a good minute. "I'm sorry?"

"Nights like these."

She didn't have the slightest clue why these words were coming out of her mouth, what kind of meaning they were supposed to have. Not once did she take her eyes away from the window, her mouth forming a thin frown.

"I don't think I understand."

She fell silent for a moment. Tried to figure out what she meant. Then: "It's like it's sucking you in. You know. It makes you feel really small, really insignificant. Like one of those specks of dust."

Isn't that how she felt now? Like a useless speck of dust?

The boy wasn't so sure either. "I guess."

"And then…the stars look so close, and the moon too. Makes you think you can reach out and touch them, right? Like, if you can do that, you can do anything."

"I suppose."

Her hands were trembling now as she tried to keep herself from crying, so she folded them neatly in front of her. Why was she saying such things? It didn't make sense. For a long while she fell silent, trying to sort out her emotions, her thoughts. As the seconds ticked away, though, she felt her eyes grow more and more watery, felt her vision blur.

"Um…are you okay?"

She couldn't even speak, instead just shook her head.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

No… She didn't, she really didn't. It would only make it worse. Yet she found herself clenching her hands together and talking all the same. She looked at the stranger. "Have you ever…ever been forced to do something you didn't want to do?"

The boy's azure gaze washed over her curiously, and an expression crossed his face. Yes. He understood. Maybe not exactly, but something about the way he was staring at her let her know that he understood to some extent. "Everyone…has moments where it feels like that, I'm sure."

"But have you ever been forced into anything." Little streams were running down her cheeks now, and she didn't care anymore. She just let them. "Something you'd give anything to get out of?"

"Sort of."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing… I haven't done anything yet."

She didn't know what it was she wanted to hear. Didn't know why she was asking this boy who didn't know the first thing about her, a boy that she didn't know the first thing about. Why was she asking these questions in the first place? She didn't know, but she wanted to. She wanted an answer. She wanted to know if she should go with her own selfish desire or wait it out until she could return back home.

Do I want to go home? That's the question. Do I really want to?

"You're too kind. You wouldn't forsake your people."

Was she? Wouldn't she?

The girl had to struggle to keep her voice level. "If you could, would you run? If it meant hurting someone you cared about?"

It was clear that this boy didn't know how to respond. He looked a bit uncomfortable, and yet he was reaching out a hand to wipe at her tears. His kindness only made her feel worse. She couldn't explain it, but her tears seemed to increase.

"I don't know. It depends… Please don't cry; it's kind of awkward."

"I'm sorry." But she couldn't stop.

The boy continued to wipe at her face gently until Naminé shook her head away and did so herself. In spite of the situation, she managed to give a weak laugh, shaking her head. "Look at me. I'm freaking you out and I don't even know you…"

He looked like he was about to laugh himself, not because it was funny but because, well, it made the awkwardness a little better. Finally, he asked, "Are you a princess?"

How does he…? Oh… My dress. She had almost forgotten she was wearing her royal crest right on her chest. She'd probably have to change later. The girl shook her head. "The daughter of one. My grandmother's more of a figurehead in our land nowadays, though."

Was, before the Council was dissolved. Before Jieva went on with their meddling. Before the elderly woman had…

The boy stared at her questioningly. "Where?"

"C'ia."

"Oh." He paused for a moment, looked like he was about to move but didn't. For some reason, Naminé saw his next question coming even before he asked it. "If you don't mind me asking…"

"I do," she replied quietly, politely, still wiping her eyes. She couldn't explain her situation. Probably shouldn't, as tempting as it was. She couldn't be sure…not until she figured out what she would do. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have bothered you."

"It's fine."

Why are you so nice to me? You don't even know me? Plus you probably have your own problems. Instead of asking all of this, though, she merely stared back out the window, sniffing. From the corner of her eye she saw the boy lift a hand, almost as if to pat her shoulder, but he seemed to think better of it and let it fall to his side. Slowly he turned to head past her, but paused. "I hope, whatever it is, it gets better for you."

She couldn't help but smile. He was sweet. He really was. Even if she didn't really feel better, even if it probably wouldn't get better. "And for you, too."

She looked back at him, taking in his curious expression. "What?"

"You looked really sad when I walked up…"

Ah, then he seemed to understand. It was weird…there was some weird connection between the two of them. He smiled once more.

"I'm Roxas."

"Naminé."

"Feel better."

"Thank you."

Then he left her in the middle of the hallway, left her to her thoughts.

Not long after, she came to her decision.

~x~

Sunday Nov. 5, 6812; Eden Express

A day had come and gone. She had spent it wandering the ship, eating what free food was available in the Dining Hall, and wandering some more. She didn't know what else to do. It wasn't until she checked one of the clocks in the hall and realized how early it was that exhaustion washed over her.

She needed to sleep. So she managed to find a rather small room in the back on the very first floor. It was set up like a train with two aisles of seats pressed to the walls, but it didn't go back that far. Only a handful of people were present—some men, some women. Some of them were in uniform, though she wasn't sure what kind they were. Everyone had their seats reclined so they could sleep. A chorus of light snores and tired mumbles met her ears when she slipped inside.

This was good. She'd just take a seat near the back, away from them all, and—

"Excuse me."

"Hm?"

"Can I help you?"

Crap. She was caught. A young woman was eyeing her curiously from her seat, green eyes never leaving Naminé's face. The woman's curly brown hair fell down of her shoulders, the rest of it in a lengthy braid. She was one of the few people not in uniform, instead sporting a pink dress that was rather similar to Naminé's. Something about the way this woman was staring at her… The girl's voice was a whisper. "Um…"

"You aren't supposed to be back here." In spite of the words, the woman's tone was gentle. Understanding, almost. It made Naminé nervous for some reason.

"I… I need someplace to stay."

"You don't have a room?"

"No."

"How are you onboard then?"

What was she supposed to say? That she was a stowaway? She felt tears welling up again. "Please… I… I j-just need a p-place to stay…"

The woman eyed her for a long moment before giving a sigh, scanning the room. The others were still asleep. The woman scooted over into the seat beside her, patting the now vacant chair. "Sit with me."

Wiping at her eyes furiously, Naminé obliged. The woman lightly patted the girl on the back, mustering a smile. "You just stay with me for the time being. Technically it's not allowed, but I can pull some strings with my boss."

"Thank y-you, miss."

"Call me Aerith."

"Miss Aerith. I-I'm Naminé."

"Where are you from?"

So she told her. Because she couldn't take it anymore, she told the woman the entire story, tears streaming down her face the entire time. When she was finished, the woman was staring at her wide eyed with her hand pressed to her mouth.

"Oh my…"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Okay, we'll… We'll figure something out. Maybe I could contact somebody. I'm not sure."

"I-I'm really s-sorry…"

"Stop it, alright." The woman was almost motherly in the way she was soothing the girl, and it only made Naminé want to cry more. Why were random people being so nice to her? "It's going to be okay."

She said that now, and yet she didn't really know. She couldn't be sure. Though…

Naminé could only hope.

~x~

Redone: Jan. 3, 2012

Edited: Jan. 5, 2012