Holy crap. You guys came through for me in spades. Lots and lots of reviews in just over a day, I'm seriously impressed. Now if only we could do that after every chapter! I'll address some of the questions that I can in the end A/N, so keep an eye out. Some of your questions may be answered here.
The journey back to Border Town was hundreds of times better then the journey from there. No chains, no despair, no worry, just two friends walking down the dirt path with not a care in the world. The running had been exhilarating, but eventually Sveta decided that walking was far more energy conservant and pleasant. The fact that Matthew was having trouble keeping up with her may have contributed to that. They'd left at dusk however, and now the sun had set behind the mountains, shrouding them in growing darkness.
"I guess we should stop for tonight." Matthew said. Sveta nodded, stopping and making a motion to remove her pack, by habit. She quickly realized she wasn't wearing one, due to all of her equipment being taken away when she was imprisoned in Bilibin. And in her haste, she did not think to pick it up before they left. Matthew, was not so unlucky, having kept his the whole time. He began unpacking the bag, setting out what was in it. Food, water skins, a bit of excess cloth, random odds and ends, a small two man tent...wait.
The realization his Matthew almost instantly, as Sveta looked over the contents of the pack. "Matthew, what's wrong?" She asked him, looking over what lay on the ground. It looked like it was all there. "Did they take something from you?"
"No no." Matthew said, moving the gear aside into piles. "Just looks like I'm going to be sleeping under the stars tonight." He remarked, rolling out the tent. Sveta just looked at him.
"And why would you have to do that?"
Matthew looked up at her with a profoundly confused expression.
Please let her just not have noticed...please oh please let her not be suggesting...
"Sveta." Matthew said. "I only have the one tent."
She looked at him, seemingly not caring. "Yes, I noticed. So?"
Matthew seemed lost for words, opening his mouth and then closing it. Sveta smiled at him, not lewdly, with a humorous grin. "Matthew, it is just us, and nothing is going to happen, so what does it matter? Unless, you don't want to..." She put on a slightly disappointed expression.
Matthew snapped up. "Uh no! No, you're right. It's just us, and nothing is going to happen. So it's ok." Sveta smiled brightly, kissing him on the cheek. "Good! That's settled! Now throw the tent over here, let's get it set up!" She said, moving away and helping his stretch out and nail down the canvas. As they did so, Sveta humming happily to herself, Matthew's thoughts swam.
Did she...did she just emotionally blackmail me?
Matthew was absentmindedly pounding in one of the tent pegs when Sveta looked over the top of the canvas. "I think you got it Matthew." She said with a laugh. "What are you thinking about over there?"
"No. Nothing!" Matthew called out, rising from his place and looking about at how dark it had become. "I think we made camp too late for hunting. I have some food with me still, so we should be all right. We should probably avoid that tomorrow."
Sveta nodded, tossing some of the wrapped food to Matthew, who caught it and peeled back the cloth around it. He took a bite of the dried food, and found it wasn't as bad as he'd thought. With the right nuts and herbs added, it could actually be pretty good. Still nothing compared to a fresh cooked meal though, his mind started to wander at that...seeing Ivan had reminded him of visiting his Mother in Kalay. Now she was a good cook.
"Matthew?" Sveta asked, swallowing the bit of food she was nibbling on. "What are you thinking about?"
Matthew looked to her. "Oh, I was just thinking about my mom, back in Kalay. Seeing Karis' dad, Ivan, reminded me of her." He explained. Sveta looked genuinely interested.
"Oh, that was...Jenna, right? You've never really spoken about her, what is she like?" Sveta asked, clearly interested.
"Well." Matthew started. "I don't see her too often. I mostly live with my dad by Mt Aleph. But I visit every now and again, and I was raised in Kalay." He explained. "She's...strong." He replied. "Not like, muscle strong, personality strong. Nobody really gets in her way when she's in one of her moods. Not my dad, Ivan or even Garet. And my dad and Garet have known her their whole lives." He remarked, laughing as he thought about it. "She's really nice though, but strict. And man can she cook. Way better then my dad anyway."
Sveta listened with a smile. "She sounds like quite a women, I'd like to meet her one day."
Matthew just laughed. "Yeah, something tells me you two would hit it off great." He said, chuckling as he imagined that encounter.
Sveta looked at him oddly. "What do you mean? Would she not like me?" She asked, looking slightly worried.
Matthew waved his hand dismissively. "Oh no no. It's just, you're a lot like her. Maybe a bit less of a temper, but that might be because she's a Mars Adept. Tyrell and Eoleo had that hot headed streak too."
Sveta looked at Matthew with a look of mock offense. "Why Matthew, are you saying I am not lady like?" She asked, trying her best to sound indignant.
Matthew grinned, shooting it right back at her. "Well, you did just beat up two dozen professional soldiers with your bare hands without even ripping your dress." He remarked, and Sveta lightly punched him on his shoulder.
"Exactly. If I wasn't a refined lady, I wouldn't have been concerned about the dress." She explained. They both erupted into laughter. After a few moments, Matthew finished wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes. This was how life should be. Two friends, maybe more, on the road, sharing stories and just enjoying their youth. No desperate need to save the world, or find some relic, or to get any place in particular. Belinsk would still be there in a few days time. And in that time, they could lay back and enjoy what they'd found here. But Matthew had one question that had been nagging at his mind for the better part of this trip, and he finally worked up the nerve to ask what might be an unpleasant question.
"Sveta?"
Sveta was still recovering from her laughing fit. "Hee hee, yeah?"
"...What was Elindow like?"
She stopped laughing almost immediately, but her smile didn't fade. She paused, thinking fondly of him. Her husband in another world, maybe. "Why do you ask?" She remarked, though his answer didn't really matter.
"I'm kind of curious, you seemed to really care for him, and you'd only known him for roughly a day, right?"
Sveta nodded. "Yes, that is correct. I met him for the first time when..." She paused. Some of the story was painful, but it was all important to know how she felt about the boy. "This is not a pleasant story Matthew..." She said.
Matthew took her hand in his. "If it hurts too much, you don't need to." He said. But she shook her head.
"No, you deserve to know. It's important that you do. Lady McCoy, she had me thrown into the dungeons. There I was introduced to the royal inquisitor, a man named Lustav..."
The story continued, on and on it went. Explaining everything, from the torture to the recovery, to their long discussions and finding out he was an Adept. Matthew remained silent for this, but he made a mental image of this...Lustav. If he ever saw him, in any of his travels...he would...
"Do nothing." Sveta said. Matthew looked up, and saw her gaze locked with his. "You will do nothing to that wretch of a man. He is mine, as I have a promise to keep to him."
Matthew arched his eyebrow, but let it go. "Anyway." He said, desperate to change the topic. "I can see why you liked him so much, he sounds like quite a man." Sveta laughed to herself.
"Actually, he reminded me of you a lot. In more then just his actions. He always felt very stable, even when things were falling apart." She remarked. "He may have not known what to do, but he was a support." She seemed to be thinking for a moment.
"Say, you mentioned earlier that most Mars Adepts were hot headed, right?"
"Yeah." Matthew said, nodding. "At least all the ones I know of. Garet, Tyrell, Eoleo, Jenna, and then the four Prox warriors..." Sveta arched an eyebrow.
"The four Prox warriors? Who are they?" She asked.
Matthew stalled for a second. "They were four Mars Adepts from a town called Prox at the base of the Mars Lighthouse. They were also trying to revive Alchemy, but they were a bit more...aggressive in their methods." He explained.
"And where are they now?" She asked.
"They were killed by the Warriors of Vale at various parts in the quest..." He said.
"Oh..." Sveta remarked, looking up towards the sky. "I see..." She responds, letting a silence over take them.
After a moment or two, Matthew stood up. "Well, we should probably turn in. It'll be another long trip tomorrow." Sveta smiled at him, but then looked about oddly.
"Ummm...Matthew? Do you have...a blanket or something in there?" She asked awkwardly.
Matthew looked at her. "Hmm? Oh yeah I do, but I hadn't planned to use it. It's pretty warm. Why? Are you cold?" He asked, moving over to her.
Sveta shook her head. "No no, it's not that it's just...I...um...this is all I have." She said, gesturing to the kimono. Matthew got what she was saying, and his face went red as he realized.
"Right! Right! I'll uh...just let you get changed and lay down first then...or you can just have the tent."
Sveta looked annoyed this time. "It's just the two of us, nothing is going to happen Matthew."
"R-Right...nothing is going to happen..." And with that, Sveta took the blanket and retreated into the tent. The sound of ruffling clothing hit Matthew's ears, and he found it very difficult to focus on anything other then that sound and the image his teenage mind had conjured up.
Oh please gods, don't use Spirit Sense...
"All right Matthew." She called from behind the flap. "You can come in now." Sveta resisted the urge to say 'No Peaking', she figured that would not do anything to set Matthew's poor mind at ease.
Gulping Matthew moved into the tent, and saw that Sveta was on the other side of it, buried under the blanket as her kimono was neatly folded off to the side. Matthew laid down in the tent awkwardly, sparing a glance in her direction as she peered over the blanket to look at him.
"G-Good night Sveta." He mumbled, laying down with his back to her.
"Good night...Matthew." She whispered, closing her eyes as she lay on her back.
Matthew lay happily under the blue sky. Their journey had been long, but they finally made it back to Belinsk. Now they rested, but a moment, outside of the city walls. She lay next to him, her head rested in the crook of his arms. This moment was perfect, if only it could stay forever. She looked to Matthew, and he found himself falling into those emerald eyes of her. She spoke softly.
"Matthew...there is something I've always wanted to do..." She spoke so sweetly...so alluring.
"Anything." Matthew responded, as he pulled her closer and she buried her face into his chest. She then dug her claws into his chest and ripped in.
A sharp pain brought Matthew back to reality as he lay on the tent ground. His eyes adjusted quickly, since pain made that easier. He was in the tent, his chest hurt, and he was facing away from the tent flap. He looked down, and saw why. Sveta was pressed up against him, clinging to him, and her claws were actually into his chest. Only slightly, but enough to hurt. He went to pull back slightly, but realized the problem instantly. Her legs, and her blanket, had somehow managed to get tangled in his own. If he moved, chances are he would pull the blanket, that was already hovering dangerously low on her chest, completely off.
Matthew swallowed had, before moving his hands down and taking Sveta's hands. He could swear he saw her smile in her dream as he pulled her nails out of his chest and laid her arms on the blanket. They didn't remain there long, though, as they immediately found there way back to him, though not impaling him this time.
Matthew sighed softly. So Sveta was an active sleeper, just great. Well..he wasn't getting any sleep tonight. He looked down at her sleeping face, she smiled so contently, and decided that it was worth it. To see her this happy was worth a night of no sleep, but they'd have to find a better solution tomorrow.
To spite his thoughts, and obvious distraction at having a mostly nude women clinging off of him in her sleep, he did eventually fade into sleep himself. The dreams this time, were much different then they were before. And he was quite glad that Sveta was not awake to Spirit Sense him as to why he looked so happy in his dreams.
When morning finally did come, Matthew was the first to wake. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at Sveta's still sleeping face. Her lips pursed together so...perfectly...her body clinging to him...it was like something out of a dream here. But as he saw her rouse, he quickly shut his eyes again, pretending to be asleep. He heard her grumbling as she roused herself, and eeping in surprise as she realized where she was. He felt the motion next to him as she pulled herself away rapidly, and the flurry of cloth moving about as she was getting herself dressed. It was at this point that Matthew allowed himself to stir, looking around the tent as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He yawned, looking to her.
"Ah...Morning Sveta." He said, looking towards her with a smile. She smiled back, her face slightly red when she suddenly looked aghast, staring at him. Matthew looked down, and saw what she was looking it. He had eight small holes in his shirt, and a few small trickles of blood on the shirt itself.
"Oh my gods! Matthew I am so sorry!" She exclaimed. "I don't know what came over me. Oh no I-"
But Matthew stopped her. "Sveta, please. I've gotten worse then this setting up camp. Like when Tyrell nearly took my foot off when he was cutting firewood?" He placed his hands on his chest, but Sveta knocked them away.
"Stop being stupid and let me see it." She said, opening his vest so she could see the punctures. The shirt still obstructed her view, and she lifted it up to inspect the skin. "Beastmen claws are designed to rip and tear, I need to make sure the wounds aren't too jagged, otherwise they won't heal right with a blanket cure." She explained, resting her hands on the wounds. Matthew felt the energy flow, the healing energy that was his anathema. Still, the wounds knitted themselves together, and he let out a small sigh as he felt the strength boost from Sveta's Psynergy. She seemed satisfied with what she saw, and looked up to Matthew.
"Now it is fixed...uh..." She just realized the awkwardness of the situation they'd placed themselves in. "I'm...going to go gather some breakfast!" She said, dashing out of the tent. Matthew watched her run off.
What kind of breakfast is she going to gather dressed like a Sanan noble?
The next day had passed mostly uneventfully. Casual discussions of life, the past, what the future plans were, and what their friends must be doing now. More then a few times the subject of Karis and Tyrell came to the forefront, bringing bright laughter from the both of them. But eventually, the walls of Border Town came into view on the horizon. Sveta saw it first.
"Look, Matthew! We're here, where our journey started." Matthew nodded, looking to her.
"It was a dangerous journey." He spoke, solemnly. "All of us almost died...war was almost declared, and I almost made the biggest mistake of my life." Sveta looked to him, concerned.
"Do you regret it?"
Matthew swept over to her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, which she happily returned.
"Never."
She smiled at him as he broke the kiss. "You are such a flirt." She said, playfully slapping his face. Matthew grabbed her hand and held it in his.
"And you love it." He shot right back at her. Sveta laughed again, but then straightened up and removed her hand from his. She still was not ready to act as a couple in public, just traveling companions as they had been. Matthew supposed he could live with that. It would, after all, be such a scandal for a Morgal National Hero to be seen flirting with the Queen.
They reached the walls, and found a somewhat familiar face come out from the side of the walls to stand before them. Matthew nearly went for his weapon, but stopped himself seeing that his opponent had none drawn. Sveta walked up to the dark haired man and looked over him.
"General Alastor..." She spoke as a greeting.
"Queen Sveta." He responded, nodding to her, and stepping aside. "You are free to return to your own country."
Sveta and Matthew moved past him, walking into the Bilibin side of Border Town, which had started to be repaired. It seemed that things were going to return to normal, eventually. But the General behind them spoke up.
"You, boy. You are called Matthew, correct?"
Matthew turned to him, trying not to glare. "Yes, I am." He responded. Sveta turned as well, looking at Alastor curiously.
"Where did you get that scarf? I know a man thirty years ago who wore one just like it, he was called Isaac." If Matthew was surprised., he suppressed it quickly.
"He's my father." Matthew answered. The General nodded.
"Very well then, when you see him, tell him a soldier of Bilibin thanks him for saving his life." The General spoke, his strong eyes not wavering.
Matthew couldn't help his surprise now. "My Father...saved your life?" He echoed, and the man nodded.
"I was but a green soldier, and he saved Bilibin and Kolima from the curse of the Divine Tree. I, myself, remember that..curse...quite vividly. He left before I could ever thank him, and I never saw him again. If you can ensure that message reaches him, this old soldier would appreciate it."
Matthew nodded. "I'll tell him." He said, looking the man over. He didn't seem like a bad person, but he'd certainly done nothing but cause them trouble. Sveta, on the other hand, had closed her eyes and sniffed the air. She bowed her head in a moment and spoke.
"I am sorry, General Alastor. I had my suspicions for quite some time, but I didn't know until I was able to meet you alone."
The General looked at her oddly. "What are you talking about?" He asked, his face still all business.
"That scar on your eye, that was from a Beastmen, wasn't it?"
The General closed his eyes, turning away from her. "Ancient history child."
Sveta bowed to him. "I hope one day you can forgive my people for what they have done to you."
He glanced towards her. "Forgiveness for something so permanent is rather hard to give. You may know that soon enough."
Sveta looked confused, but he turned and walked away to the guard house, slamming the door behind him. Matthew placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's all right, he'll see one day. Let's go." He spoke into her ear in a soothing tone.
Sveta nodded, heading down the path towards the bridge. As she did, she heard a crack fill the air that made her jump. Matthew noticed this and went to her side. Sveta's breathing was heavy, her eyes had nearly dilated, and she looked like she was about to pass out. "Sveta! Hey Sveta! You ok in there?" he asked, as two other voices came to his ears.
"I don't see why we can't just use these beasts to build the bridge back up. Why do we need to use our own people?"
"It's the Lord's orders. No harm is to come to Morgal's people."
"Oh I won't hurt them...much. Heh heh heh heh."
Matthew heard this and felt his blood boil, but he did notice something unusual. His hands on Sveta seemed to be getting pushed out...away? He looked back at her, and nearly recoiled as he saw her in the midst of her transformation. The regal kimono ripped to shreds as her muscles bulged. She looked livid, and ready to kill.
"Sveta!" Matthew called, running forward to her. But she bounded away from him before he could get close. She rounded the corner with a snarl, and a pair of screams greeted Matthew's ears as she vanished from his sight.
No no no no! Dammit! This is the last thing I need right now!
Matthew rounded the corner, and saw a sight that made his mind blank with rage. One man was knocked to the side, obviously terrified, but unhurt. The other, a short, balding, fat man was held in the air by her right claw. He struggled lamely, trying in vain to pull her claw away from his neck as she began to squeeze. Matthew saw trickles of blood fall from where the man's neck was slowly being punctured.
"Sveta!" He called, going to run forward and stop her. She was going to do something irreversible, even if the man deserved it. However, an armored hand blocked his path. Matthew looked up to see Alastor standing next to him. He would have pushed past, but he saw that his other hand was holding back his own troops.
"None of you can interfere. It isn't our place." He said sternly. And Matthew stood watching, even though he wanted so badly to run to her.
The man screamed and wailed, begging for his life from the beast before him. The beast merely growled, her massive fangs an inch from the pathetic man. With a loud roar she opened her mouth wide, and the man shrieked before passing out. She then threw the body to the side, and it crashed into several spare planks of wood along a pile of stone. The body fell limply to the ground as Sveta slowly resumed a human shape. In an instant, Alastor stepped forward and pulled off his cape, marking him as a commander, and wrapped it about her. Sveta, who wore an expression of extreme disgust, looked to him curiously as she felt the cloth touch her shoulders. She then realized that the Sanan Kimono was not as loose fitting as her travel gear, and had not been designed with her transformation in mind. Red began to fill her cheeks as she realized that she had just...transformed back...in front of...
Alastor's strong arms rose up to catch her as the darkness claimed her. Or maybe it was just all the blood rushing to her head.
Sveta was having the most wonderful dream. She couldn't seem to remember what it was, but she knew it was good. When the cool breeze woke her, it was dark. She blinked twice, and took in her surroundings. She was in a bed, ok good start. She pulled the covers back and was about to swing her legs out when she noticed that she was not dressed.
"Eep!" She got out, pulling the covers up tightly. The noise had been enough to wake up Matthew, who was across the room. He yawned, getting up from his chair.
"Ah, welcome back." He said, not looking directly at her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Y-yes..." She mumbled out. "W-What happened?"
"After you transformed back, you fainted. Probably from the stress of the sudden transformation." Matthew said. He figured that was wrong, but it sounded more polite then saying she passed out because she'd just flashed her boyfriend and two strangers. "Anyway. Alastor sent...that thing ahead to Belinsk to be tried under your rule. Seems he was up to a lot more then just his job. Anyway, the bridge we set up is still there for now, but they are gonna tear it down after we get across so they can build a more permanent one." He explained. "Oh yes, and one of the couples living on the other side sent some clothing for you, after hearing what had happened. It's a shame, really. You looked very nice in that kimono." He finished.
Sveta sat there thinking, and making sure to hold the covers up so it covered her fully. "I...see. That is a lot to take in. Oh, I am sorry Matthew could you leave so..."
Matthew nodded. "Right right, I'll leave you to it then." He said, leaving the room quickly.
Sveta just sighed. This relationship, was moving very quickly. And, her mind though, it was about to come to a screeching halt pretty soon. Karis and Tyrell had been as kind as they could, but neither her nor Matthew could dodge their destiny forever. She slowly put on the clothing, a loose shirt and tight bottoms with a green over coat. She very rarely wore green, but somehow this time it didn't seem to clash with her hair, instead melding together quite nicely.
She finished getting dressed and stepped out onto the balcony, looking at the stars shining above the quiet and recovering town. She smiled, times like this made her forget who she was, and she cherished them more then any other. Matthew had stepped outside, and seemed to be looking at the sky like she was. With a glance, he spied her and grinned. She looked down at him and smiled.
"Don't they have a story like this?" She asked, looking over the balcony at him. She stepped back with a surprised, but happy, shout as he flew past her and hopped onto the balcony. He just loved playing with Grip.
"I don't think that is how the story went." She remarked to him with a broad smile.
"It probably should have." He said, placing a kiss on her lips under the moon light. She was happy...but...
"Matthew..." She said, sadly, pushing him away. Matthew looked stunned, and his face betrayed it.
"I'm sorry." She said. "But we have to come to this sooner rather then later...this isn't going to work."
Matthew was thunderstruck. After all that had happened...after all they'd been through...now she was giving up? "Says who?" He asked.
"Matthew..." She said, her face betraying how this tore her up. "I...just can't keep doing this...loving you when we are together, and having to hide it when we're in public...it's like I'm living two lives."
"So stop!" Matthew said, fearing what she was saying. "Why do you care what they think? Does it matter if you choose to associate with a commoner?"
"Don't say that!" She shouted, before regaining herself. "Matthew...I'm royalty. How I appear to others is the reason for my life..."
Matthew felt himself torn apart by her saying this. After everything...after all he'd done...it just wasn't enough...
He turned from her, looking over the balcony again. "I guess this is goodbye then."
"Matthew..." She said, reaching out for him. But he pulled away from her. "Matthew...please...it doesn't have to be like this."
"It does though, you said it. Your duties are too important to you. It'd probably better if I wasn't around to distract you anymore." He responded, trying to keep his face stone. He couldn't even look at her.
Her eyes started to tear...how could he...say that? "You...don't mean that..." She said, trying to hold back the sorrow she felt.
"Good luck with the reconstruction Queen Czarmaral." He said, as he jumped from the balcony. Her cries of anguish filled the night air, and caught his ears even as he left the town.
Before I get lynched by my fans for ruining what could have very easily been a happily ever after ending, I'm going to do some review responses.
Waypoint: It seems that the title does still hold meaning, but it could just be that I am a bastard like that. :D
Kaos: Now this is a tricky question. I cannot really answer it without spoiling some stuff, but I will say this. In a world so covered by Psynergy, it does seem odd that someone could go so long without it being discovered. Also, don't worry about Dinar, his part in this is far from over.
Dark-Dullahan: I hope you aren't too upset at me turning a happy ending into a tear jerker, but there might still be a happy ending for them in the future! You never know.
BlackAcer: Yep, not the end. And I can't end it here either, my fans would hunt me down and kill me!
Keep reading and reviewing people. The response to the last chapter was staggering, and I have never felt so appreciated. Thanks a bunch! Also, as an aside, when I read the final part of this chapter, it brings a tear to my eye...and I wrote it! Once again, very pleased with this chapter, to spite it being such a massive Player Punch.