CHAPTER 9

It was an hour before dawn and Seymour was unable to sleep. The quality of his rest suffered greatly because of vivid recollections from his not-so-distant past that constantly haunted his every move. Though he was able to conceal most of it in the waking hours from his thoughts, his subconscious was unable to let go.

Filled with dread of the upcoming court meeting within hours, he paced back and forth in his chamber clad in his violet night robe, imagining possible scenarios of the discussion that would take place. His bride had caused Kinoc a bit of grief, but certainly it was nothing to receive a reprimanding over.

Ah, then he thought of last night's encounter. Should he have revealed as much as he did to her about his endgame? If only she knew his true plan; she'd certainly think he was even more of a madman than she already did. Oh, if only her opinion of him didn't matter! It was bothersome to feel… anything, let alone the longing of her approval.

At least he had taken Yuna to pray to the last Fayth needed to defeat Sin, though he felt they weren't quite ready to make their journey to Zanarkand. As he spent more time with her, his desire to take her to Baaj temple to pray to Anima grew exponentially. Besides; the more power she attained, the more it would benefit him in the long-run.

As he was wrapped up in his thoughts, he heard a gentle knock upon the sturdy wooden door of the bedroom.

"Who is it?" he inquired rather irritably, as the early morning was his only alone time.

"My apologies, Maester. I know the sun has not yet risen, but court starts in two hours and I've brought you breakfast," called out the muffled voice of one of the temple girls who attended to this particular wing of the court quarters.

Breakfast? Eating so early was not appealing in the least to Seymour. Nevertheless, it would be rude not to accept her offer and he did not want the temple thinking of him as such. Why, that would shatter their image of him being a soft-spoken mild-mannered leader of the guado. He personally walked over to the arched wooden slab of a door and opened it to allow the young girl inside.

As the temple girl stepped into the candle-lit chamber, Seymour immediately recognized the vibrant red headed teenager as the girl who had given him his staff after court was dismissed two nights ago. She carried a small wooden tray of exotic fruits which Seymour enjoyed daily back in Guadosalam and placed it on a lengthy console table not too far from the doorway.

"Ah, you were the one who returned my staff two nights ago," he recalled. "What is your name?" It seemed like it was no coincidence that she was here this morning.

After a prayer of Yevon, she introduced herself. "I am Malia, Your Grace. I also attend to Lady Yuna." She was clearly no older than fifteen and it was evident by her body language that she was strongly infatuated with the Maester. "Shall I draw you a bath before I leave?" she offered obediently, somewhat to Seymour's surprise. The suggestion was a little inappropriate, as he was to be married in a matter of days and an older chambermaid usually took care of such affairs. Should he just humor her? He wasn't sure what the foolish girl was expecting from him. Clearly she was too young and not his type anyway. Even Yuna's young age was a bit of a stretch, though her maturity was on another level than her peers.

"That will be all, Lady Malia. You are dismissed," commanded Seymour as politely as possible.

Malia's head immediately hung in disappointment as she clearly was not expecting to be denied of her services. "Oh… as you wish, then," and proceeded to leave in embarrassment as Seymour held the door open for her. Strange. In any case, he would draw a bath for himself at this hour. Cleanliness was a major part of his morning ritual, and he was sure that this temple girl was already aware of that. Odd, that she went out of her way to learn minute details about him. He couldn't remember the last time anyone but his own mother had done so.

An attached room to his chamber housed an enormous bathtub crafted from marble and an oversized window above with frosted glass to allow for light and privacy simultaneously. He began running the water at a lukewarm temperature and stripped from his sleeping robe. As he undressed, his eyes gazed upon his newly scarred body in the adjacent mirror and he winced from the sight of it. Due to his arrogance, he took tremendous pride in keeping his physique in peak condition. All of these scars because of you. Were they worth it? He thought sourly as he ceased the running water and dipped his body into the tub. The multiple wounds still stung as they made contact with the fluid, even after being treated with Cura spells.

As the stinging faded from his lacerations, Seymour reclined onto the sloped end of the marble bath in thought. Would she journey with him when the wedding was over and done with? Or would he be cast aside like a tiny pebble that she came across on her path? Now that he had made it this far, he couldn't take no for an answer. He had waited over a decade for someone who even slightly measured up to Yuna's intelligence, compassion, and beauty. It sounded shallow, but physical attraction was an important component to his plan. Even if playing husband and wife for a short time was but a distraction for the inevitable task of defeating Sin, the idea was appealing. He wondered… would she bathe like this with him? Even if it were in total silence and no physical contact was made; he had been alone for so long… he craved companionship.

Now realizing the sun had risen, he had idled too much of his time in thought and hurriedly drained the bath water. After fully dressing in his usual garb, it was time to venture off once more to the dreary Yevon Courtroom to discuss matters with three foolish men that he did not particularly care for.

As he left his quarters, Tromell was patiently waiting outside with two other guado warriors who were part of Seymour's entourage, face displaying its usual worried expression. "Lord Seymour, you are usually out and about at this hour. I was worried that something might have happened to you."

"Do not fret about me so much, Tromell," dismissed Seymour, who was slightly irritated by his retainer's observation. "I was simply relaxing, for once."

"Y-yes, My Lord. I hope you are recovering well," fretted the obsequious servant. Seymour ignored him and set off for the morning's appointment.

As he reached his post within the courtroom, the guado Maester realized he was the second one to be present, the first being Kelk Ronso. This meant that Mika and Kinoc were likely holding a private meeting before court which usually meant trouble was brewing. Within minutes, both emerged from Mika's private office and made their way to their posts.

"Maesters of Yevon! Yesterday's Sin attack was an unusual matter that has devastated much of Bevelle's military forces. Please consider recruiting reinforcements from Gagazet, Guadosalam, and Luca," began Mika, whose forehead was covered in a nervous sweat. "Also, Maesters, there is a matter at hand that we must discuss: all of our summoners have gone missing and our intelligence has reported the Al Bhed as being the culprits. Sin has become aggressive and must be eradicated as soon as possible. We must invade their Home and take back what rightfully belongs to Yevon and its people!"

Invade Bikanel Island, which housed the Al Bhed Home? Seymour was not a supporter of the idea. Starting unnecessary conflict with a tribe that freely used powerful machina was a lousy proposal in itself. Not only that, but clearly they were keeping the summoners safe so that they would not have to sacrifice their lives in vain. It eliminated any competition for Yuna, so why not just leave Bikanel alone?

"If we are so low on troops, Your Grace, why bother to disturb Bikanel? I do not think the Al Bhed would harm the summoners," questioned Seymour, who felt as though this crusade was pointless.

Kinoc simply laughed at the question. "Just because your bride is half Al Bhed doesn't justify the fact that they're disturbing the order of Yevon. The Calm is beneficial to all of Spira."

Mika had a sour look on his ancient face. "Maester Seymour, you must keep your betrothed under control! She constantly acts without thinking first. Such unruly behavior will not be tolerated within the Yevon court." He pounded on his wooden podium with his left fist and pointed accusingly at Seymour with the other.

Seymour smiled instinctively over being reprimanded by Mika. Yuna's impulsive behavior was not the Grand Maester's problem, so why did he make such a big spectacle in front of the other figureheads of Spira? It did not matter; soon he would resign from Maesterhood and together they would find a way to save Spira from its eternal suffering.

Finally, Kelk Ronso spoke up. "I apologize, Maester Mika, but I must agree with Seymour Guado regarding this matter. We willingly use the Al Bhed during our battles with Sin. Is it necessary to attack an island that otherwise peacefully coexists with the rest of our territory?"

Mika was not amused at Kelk Ronso's question. Of course, his prejudice against the non-human races of Spira was now surfacing. "You fools! Do you know nothing? We need the summoners to fuel Spira's hope! If the warriors who willingly choose to defeat Sin disappear, so does Spira's livelihood!" At this point, Mika was on the verge of wailing. Seymour and Kelk Ronso exchanged disdainful glances at their superior's immature display.

"After your little wedding, Seymour, I'm gathering the Crusaders to Bikanel and we're taking our summoners back whether you're on board with the plan or not," threatened Kinoc, whose self-importance surpassed Seymour's.

The half-guado simply smirked at Kinoc. "Whatever you say, Maester. You are head of Military Affairs, after all."


Tidus was up bright and early to meet Yuna at their rendezvous point near the temple lift, which had a beautiful view of the glistening sea underneath the morning sun. He wouldn't dream of being late for her; he had to let her know how much of a fool he'd been.

A few minutes had passed and finally the beautiful brunette made her presence after leaving the lift looking visibly worn out from Sin's attack the day prior. Upon reaching him, she bowed politely. "Thank you for meeting me. I apologize for being late."

"Oh c'mon, Yuna. You know I don't mind," he dismissed her apology while looking over the Bevelle wall into the distant shimmering water surrounding the city. "Hmmm. What is it about the sea that always brings us together?" he reflected, now that he thought of their past encounters. Besaid, the ferries, Luca, the Mi'ihen ruins… water was always the common denominator when they finally could talk… alone.

Yuna shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe it's because that's how we first met; you washed up on the Besaid shore by chance."

He nodded while resting his arms on the stone enclosure that protected them from the water below. Probably because my old man brought me there, he pondered quietly to himself. "Good point," Tidus agreed while exerting a smile. "Listen, Yuna… I - I really need to apologize to you. I feel like such an idiot."

Yuna gave him a confused look. "Why are you sorry? You've done nothing wrong."

"I… I didn't know what would happen to you, Yuna. Rikku - she told me everything. All of those things I said, like, 'let's go get Sin!' and that I'd show you Zanarkand someday… I just hope I didn't hurt you," admitted Tidus whose icy blue eyes never strayed from her hetero-chromatic gaze. "Please forgive me."

Yuna's smile grew into a teeth-baring grin which was a rare sight from the determined summoner. "Is that why you've been so down, Tidus? Don't be upset… I wanted to tell you from the beginning, but I just didn't know how. Please believe that Wakka and Lulu tried to stop me from becoming a summoner once they found out that I wanted to follow my father's footsteps. Don't feel sorry. You've made me nothing but happy this entire journey."

Such kind words from Yuna touched his heart. "I just… don't wanna let you die, Yuna. I don't know much about Spira, but I can't just let you sacrifice yourself when there might be another way, you know?"

She remained silent a few minutes before responding. "I never questioned Yevon until recently," she admitted. "Until you showed up, I never questioned the Final Summoning. I'm not sure if there's another way… but even if we can't find one, you know that I will still defeat Sin. It's what I'm meant to do in life."

Yuna's resolve reminded him of his own. They were two hard-headed individuals cut from the same cloth. "Defeat Sin, yeah, but don't give up your own life. Believe me when I say I think we'll find another way."

"Actually... I've been wanting to talk to you about something that's been bothering me," Yuna requested his attention quietly, moving closer to him so she could keep her voice down. "Do you promise... not to tell the other guardians?" she asked hesitantly while scoping the area behind to make sure no one was within earshot of the conversation. "I've always found it easy to talk to you because I believe that you aren't really from Spira; you have a completely different perspective of everything."

Keeping secrets? It wasn't very characteristic of his summoner friend, but he'd do anything for her. "Sure, Yuna. I won't tell the others. Not even Rikku."

"I… was asked by Seymour to continue my journey with him as my sole guardian," she admitted, looking away with a hurt expression. Her statement confused him. Why would Seymour ask her to abandon her guardians?

"You mean, none of us would go with you to Zanarkand?" asked Tidus, who didn't fully comprehend the situation. He had to go to Zanarkand; he had to see the ruins with his own eyes.

Yuna nodded. "I'm not sure what happens when I pray to the Final Fayth in the ruins. Apparently Seymour knows of a way to break the cycle and end Spira's suffering. While I'm sure he has plenty of knowledge above my own... I'm not sure how true his words are."

Tidus felt a bit irritated. Was Seymour simply manipulating Yuna over nothing? If so, why would he lie to her about knowing an alternative way to defeat Sin? He already knew Jecht was Tidus' old man so perhaps the Maester did have knowledge that the other guardians were not already aware of. "Yeah, I guess he could know something we don't... but Yuna, I just don't understand. Why him? Seymour's just a distraction from the bigger picture."

"Maybe this wedding is just a distraction," she began, "but, we are both half-breeds who are against Spira's traditions. My father was exiled from Yevon because my mother was an Al Bhed, Seymour was exiled by the Guado… so, I feel like we understand each other in certain ways. I think we have become acquainted for a reason."

"Yeah, but do you love him? Do you even care about him?" Tidus questioned rather aggressively.

"I do care about him. I care about everyone," Yuna responded sincerely. "I don't want to leave any of you behind, but he still hasn't disclosed to me the details of his plan. He has inside knowledge of Yevon - that much I do know. As for love, I… can't worry about that. I love Spira more than myself and I will do whatever it takes to save it."

Those words from Yuna cut through Tidus like a sharp knife because the reality of the situation was coming into focus. Was such a wonderful person really meant to go and sacrifice herself without anything in return? It just didn't feel right and he knew why Rikku was adamantly against her cousin's pilgrimage in the first place. "Well, until you know what Seymour's plans are, I won't tell anyone. I just don't trust that guy."

"I know you're still upset over operation Mi'ihen, but he really didn't have anything to do with that. It was Maester Kinoc who ran the operation," explained Yuna, who seemed steadfast in defending her betrothed.

The blonde teenager crossed his arms and furrowed his brow in recollection. "Oh, that short orange guy? He wouldn't tell us anything when we rushed to Bevelle to rescue you. But still, I can't help but feel off about Seymour."

"I know," she said in agreement. "He can be condescending and he even comes off as a little patronizing at times. I seem naive for believing that there's a good man underneath it all. But, I do trust that he has Spira's best interests in the end."

Tidus grinned at her statement. "I don't think you could see bad in anyone, even if you tried," he accused teasingly. "Ah, but I really gotta know, Yuna: if things were different, would you consider… going out with me? Even just once, to Zanarkand." He wasn't sure what emboldened him to ask such a question, but he did know that it made Yuna turn redder than a Fira spell. Perhaps it was the inevitable bond they shared through their fathers' companionship.

"If... I didn't choose the path of being a summoner, it probably would've been different - our relationship, I mean," she replied shyly.

How about after we defeat Sin? He thought to himself, fearing the question was inappropriate in the current situation.

Much to his surprise, however, she denied his affections. "Even if we do find another way... to defeat Sin. Yevon doesn't allow separation. I would be married for life and we could never go to Zanarkand together. But, are you sure your attraction to me isn't simply because of the role I've assumed as a summoner?"

"Whaddya mean?" asked the oblivious blitzer.

"Well, all of my guardians have made me their top priority in their life and maybe that draws me to you. I think you're just as compatible with the other women we travel with. Since you're the star player of the Zanarkand Abes, we both stand out and maybe that makes me appear as a better match," Yuna explained patiently.

The suggestion that the other females were possible suitors seemed strange. Sure, Lulu was a beautiful woman, but her impatient behavior with him was a complete turnoff. Could she have meant Rikku? They were highly compatible; both shared the same positive outlook on life and expressed their feelings openly. Still - he didn't feel like Rikku was into him like that. Was Yuna? She was all smiles whenever they were together, but, as usual, he was probably mistaken. He was never any good at reading women, even in Zanarkand. She did have a point, though: his initial attraction to her was because of her significant role as a summoner.

"Maybe you're right. Besides, they all told me not to fall in love with you from the start. As if I knew what love was in the first place," he said in jest. "Just know that if Seymour hurts you, Yuna, I'll make him regret it."

Yuna released a slight smile over Tidus' concern. "Please don't worry about me. I've been extra cautious about this situation from the very beginning."

"Well, alright. But if he doesn't find a way to save you from… the end, then I will. And that's a promise," he swore, face remaining serious. But, did she believe him?

"Should we go back to meet everyone? I feel terrible for leaving so early last night," suggested the young summoner, who was nervously fidgeting with her pink and white gradient sleeves. Of course, Tidus knew she was mostly nervous of Auron, who would undoubtedly see right through her excuses as he usually did. The young blitzer was currently annoyed at his father's old companion; why didn't he tell him about Yuna's fate, and why would he journey with the daughter of Braska to meet the same terrible end?

"Yeah, we'd better go," he said while touching Yuna's shoulder softly in an attempt to lighten the mood. Back they trekked to the Bevelle city inn which was the most luxurious sleeping accommodation Tidus had experienced in all of Spira thus far. The red stone face that built the exterior of the building jutted outwards into the stone street in order to create a spacious common area.

Tidus halted at the towering twelve foot doors before they both entered the establishment in order to make a suggestion. "I should probably go in first. Everyone'll become suspicious if they see us together." Yuna agreed, so Tidus went inside the warm and inviting lobby by his lonesome with the anxiety of getting caught swelling in his gut.

Much to his relief, Tidus caught a glimpse of Rikku sitting by herself in one of the over-sized armchairs that surrounded a flickering hearth. Almost instinctively, he grinned at her presence and occupied the adjacent seat, desiring nothing more than to tell his best friend about all that Yuna and he had discussed. He couldn't betray his promise with Yuna, though, so he suppressed the thought of it. "Hey, you're up early!" he observed rather cheerfully to his Al Bhed friend who looked his way with tired eyes.

"Ugh, I just couldn't get any sleep. I kept having nightmares about Sin attacking Yunie," Rikku groaned in frustration as she tossed aside a Bevelle tabloid she had been preoccupied with in order to pass the time. "You're up pretty early yourself."

"Yeah, I met up with Yuna. I had to apologize, you know... about everything," he told his younger friend, recalling their conversation from the day prior. "She'll be here any minute."

"Did you tell her how you feel?" asked Rikku rather bluntly. The question made Tidus cringe internally with embarrassment. Normally she was the one person he could confide in about nearly everything, but something held him back from telling her about the rejection he had received from their summoner friend. 'You're just as compatible with the other women we travel with'. Was he worried that Rikku would get the wrong idea of him and Yuna?

Suddenly, he felt a gentle tap on his arm. "Hey, you in there?" she questioned in her usual tongue-in-cheek demeanor.

"Oh, I - uh, didn't have anything to tell her. I just love her as a friend - that's all." His response was somewhat truthful. There was nothing within him that indicated that he did love the summoner more than a close companion, for that segment of their relationship was never given the time to be cultivated.

"I dunno, you seem to get a little too worked up over Yunie to just settle as friends. Maybe you can tell her how you feel after we've all found another way to defeat Sin."

Before Tidus could explain to the secular Al Bhed girl that Yevon wouldn't allow Yuna to separate from Seymour anyway, Yuna entered the lobby and an ecstatic Rikku bolted over to give her cousin a tight embrace. "You're alright! I've been having nightmares about you all night."

Oh great, thought Tidus. Now she thinks I'm in love with Yuna. Ah well, it wasn't like Rikku harbored any romantic feelings for him anyway. In fact, he wasn't sure if he saw their relationship other than platonic himself.

The trio met up with the other guardians who occupied the spacious inn suite that Seymour had arranged for them. "You look much better today," Lulu commented as she felt Yuna's forehead in concern for any sign of a fever.

The summoner was currently sitting on a twin-size bed, sandwiched between Lulu and Wakka. "Thank you, I feel much better. I think all I needed was some more sleep."

"Ay, glad to have you widdus!" Wakka vocalized cheerfully as he placed a brotherly shoulder around Yuna. "What's happening with the wedding? It's tomorrow, ya?"

"Yes. The ceremony is tomorrow afternoon and then we're all to go back to Guadosalam to celebrate." As Yuna unraveled more of the details of tomorrow's event, Tidus found himself internally at ease. Perhaps the fact that romantic tension between the two had been put to rest dissipated his bitter feelings over the matter a bit. Or, maybe he was just distracted. He and Rikku were sitting on opposite ends of the adjacent bed. The young Al Bhed, however, was sprawled across the furniture and rested her feet on his lap while listening intently to tomorrow's event lineup. Such casual behavior that was the usual between the two friends now made him oddly… happy.

"And the day after - we continue your journey?" questioned Auron, who seemed more eager to parade onward to Sin than Yuna was. The stoic guardian leaned against a window across the room, looking out onto the street's passersby as he spoke. It was obvious that he did not share the other guardians' enthusiasm over tomorrow's festivities.

Yuna hesitated a bit to answer the question. "Yes, I'll continue. The longer I wait, the more Spira will suffer." Before Auron had the opportunity to barrage her with more inquiries, the brunette turned towards Lulu and Rikku. "I know this is short notice, but I have a dress fitting soon. Would you both like to join me?"

The answer to the question was obvious, but Yuna always remained polite, even to her closest friends. "Of course we'll go with you," Lulu responded with a rare smile. "I never thought I'd see you in a wedding dress. The idea is rather exciting."

"I've been itching to get out of here. Let's go!" Rikku enthused over the suggestion. All three ladies hurriedly left the room in order to make Yuna's dress appointment on time.

Tidus turned towards Auron with his eyebrows creased downward in frustration. "Geez Auron, did you have to scare them away with your questions? Let everyone have something to look forward to for once."

"Looks like you've changed your views about Yuna's engagement rather quickly," Auron sarcastically inferenced. "Whatever Yuna's hiding is her business and it would do no good for us to try and get a confession out of her. There's... something else that I wanted to discuss with her, but it's best that we wait until after the ceremony."

Something in Auron's voice made Tidus feel uneasy. The mature guardian never let feelings escape from his hardened exterior, but he almost sounded concerned, if it were possible. He exchanged confused glances with Wakka and shrugged. "Hopefully it's nothing bad," Tidus thought aloud.

"It's not good," Auron admitted plainly. "Yesterday while Yuna was still comatose, Maester Kinoc had a few words to say about the situation. As much as he's changed over the last ten years, his words were not unwise. He advised me to guard Yuna more closely and be wary of Seymour. She may be Spira's only remaining summoner; they've all disappeared, it seems."

"The Al Bhed!" surmised Wakka with a clenched fist.

"Kinoc is certain that's who is behind it all," confirmed Auron who stood between the two beds where Wakka and Tidus sat on in order to lower his voice. Kimahri made his way closer to the circle of men in order to listen closely. "He seemed rather proud of his upcoming battle strategy. This time he plans on wasting more Crusader lives by taking the Al Bhed head on in their Home, wherever that may be."

Of course, Wakka did not waste the opportunity to curse the blonde-haired, machina-wielding race. "Good, ya? Someone's gotta rescue the summoners from those no-good-rotten-sonuva-"

Enraged, Tidus interrupted his bigoted friend. "Wakka, cut it out! Rikku's an Al Bhed, remember? Yevon's not any better - Yuna's gonna die in their name and Sin's just gonna come back again!"

The blitz captain hung his head in shame. "So now you know, huh? Can't say I'm happy about it, either. But it's Yuna's choice, ya?"

"Yuna is an Al Bhed," Auron revealed to Wakka who immediately became as pale as a ghost. "If that shatters your image of her, then perhaps you aren't fit to be her guardian. Braska wanted me to keep his daughter's lineage a secret, but now you must know why this concerns her. She has family - her only living relatives - that reside in the Al Bhed Home."

Tidus was no longer as clueless as he was when he first arrived in Spira; he knew this meant the destruction of a place close to both Yuna and Rikku and he felt compelled to do something about it. "So, how are we gonna help? Were you really going to tell Yuna before her wedding day?"

Naturally, Auron had an explanation. "My intention wasn't to lay it all out at once. I am only relaying this information to you all because she and Rikku aren't present and clearly you thought I was hell-bent on ruining tomorrow. Her new political influence could possibly help her out in this scenario, especially because Seymour seems quite taken with her. Only…"

"...he's the better negotiator." Tidus finished Auron's sentence. Of course, it all made sense now: she could save Home so easily. There was no doubt that Seymour would pull some strings as long as Yuna took him as her only guardian. He really was the better negotiator in the end. But, were his intentions really evil? He wanted to inform Auron about Seymour's plan, but he couldn't breach the summoner's trust. The middle-aged man was as sharp as a tack and probably accurately predicted Seymour's motives regardless.

"Kimahri have bad feeling about this," the ronso finally joined in the discussion. He glared at Tidus and Wakka with his fiery yellow feline eyes. "Keep quiet until after wedding. Yuna deserve one day to be happy."

"Yeah, she needs a day that's about her for once," Tidus agreed. "She's always thinking about everyone else."

"Everyone can have their fun tomorrow, but come the day after, we're resuming business as usual. My role as Yuna's guardian isn't to be a killjoy; I already did a fine job of that ten years ago on Braska's journey. This time around, I am a guide for Yuna as she uncovers what Yevon really is," Auron explained as he took a lengthy swig from his jug, clearly disturbed by recollecting his past pilgrimage.

Booze this early in the morning, Auron? You're as bad as my old man. Tidus did not fault him, though, since he was aware of the stresses that guarding a summoner entailed - especially Yuna. In fact, he felt bad for assuming that his senior companion didn't have Yuna's best interests in mind earlier. He had nearly forgotten how Auron had watched over him carefully in Zanarkand and was a guide for him during his story. "All right. Once this wedding's over, we'll get down to business."