Chapter 10

Rydia walked back down the corridor after discussing other matters with Rosa. She expected to meet Kain there, but then, she snapped her fingers, remembering. He took my things to my room.

She ran up the battlements and toward the tower where she stayed. Slowing down, she began to tap her fingers anxiously. I decided... but will he agree? She wondered. Her memory recalled a time in the Cave of Eblan—before they met Edge—where Kain would occasionally engage in conversation with Rosa.

She half-frowned. Well, if he doesn't, it'll be all right. I can still go with Edge. And yet, the thought of Kain being alone at the ball gnawed at her a little.

The sound of a door closing before her took Rydia from her thoughts, and she found herself staring at Kain. He stopped when he saw her, and then smiled slightly. Rydia gave him a meek smile in response.

"It's good to see you again, it's been awhile, hasn't it?" he said, his deep sounding more gentle than usual.

She put her hands behind her back. "Ah, yes, it has," she agreed. Rydia then realized she was shuffling her fingers anxiously. "Um... what did you want to see me about, again?"

"Come, let's go through the gardens," Kain said, beckoning with his left hand toward the inner courtyard. "I wanted to talk to you about how you are faring these days."

With a blink, she nodded. "Oh, I see! Well, lead the way, Kain." Her fingers stopped shuffling and her muscles relaxed.

He nodded. Rydia followed him down the battlements into the inner courtyard. Her mind was fumbling with what to say, how to ask Kain, how to approach him.

"Rydia?"

She looked up and saw Kain several feet from her. "Would you like to walk with me?"

"Oh!" she repeated, laughing a little. "Of course." She jogged up to him and then moved at his pace. "A little silly of me..."

"Not at all," Kain said. He paused, and then asked, "Rydia, how have you been? I haven't seen you in awhile."

"I'm well, thank you. I was gone because I flew with Edge last weekend," she explained. She bit her lip.

"So, I heard," he replied. Rydia noted a minor tone of discouragement in his voice "How was it?"

"Enjoyable as always," she responded; her hands began to shuffle again. "When I'm flying in the air, I feel so free. My burdens seem to be left on the ground once my face touches the sky."

Kain stopped. "Really? ... I feel the same way; leaving the ground and passing through the heavens. It is freedom."

"Is that why you became a dragoon?"

He paused. "Partially. My father was the Commander of the Baron Dragoons when I was child, so I aspired to become like him."

Rydia smiled. "And you succeeded!" Odd... he hasn't asked me about my school yet.

"Indeed, I always knew I would," he said, nodding his head. Rydia could almost see him brimming with pride. "And you... did you ever see yourself becoming as powerful as your mother?"

She felt herself blush. Taken aback by the question, Rydia paused and then with a sheepish smile answered, "no, I never did." She looked at him, her smile fading. "Kain... I..."

He turned and took a step toward her. "Yes? Is something amiss?"

"... in a way," Rydia admitted.

"Tell me everything," Kain said. "I'll do my best to help."

Her face cooled. "Thank you, Kain," she said. "I was... wondering if you had found anyone for the ball yet?"

He paused again, stiffening with surprise, and then looked at her. "No, I haven't," he answered slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Um... I was just curious," she lied. Why am I so afraid all of a sudden? "No reason," she added, glancing away.

Kain was silent for a moment, and then he spoke again, "you seem quite tense. Come, let's head to the gardens, perhaps it will allow you to relax."

How thoughtful of him. "Thank you, I appreciate it. Yes, please. I've always loved that area of the castle."

He nodded, and beckoned to her.

As she passed into the floral area, the lovely smell of the gardens' fully bloomed flowers waft into her nose, and she beamed. She strayed near a set of cherry stars, gazing at their crimson color.

Then Kain spoke, "You never told me about how you rebuilt Mist. It has become a beautiful town in a mere two years. I would love to know how it all started."

Rydia jerked her head toward him. Really? she thought with surprised relief, grateful he had changed the subject. "Well... it started after Cecil and Rosa's coronation ended, and I wanted to see my home again. It'd be too long," she explained, walking beside him. "When I got there, I felt saddened at how... empty it seemed. So, I decided to take things into my own hands."

"I see," Kain said. "How did acquire the resources needed for such a massive task?"

"It was Cecil and Rosa who helped me," Rydia explained, sitting down on a bench. She gazed at all the beautiful flowers, and her muscles relaxed, releasing all their tension. "They gave me the money I needed to help rebuild the town. Of course, I had to encourage the remaining villagers to help me; like everyone else, they believed the summoner bloodline was lost. But I managed to convince them.

"I told them about how I was swallowed by Leviathan, taken to the Feymarch, and was taught," she added, seeing Kain's inquiring expression. "My determination during my training there showed me that anything is possible."

"And that's why you started the school?" Kain asked, sitting down next to her.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I wanted to prove that it was not dead, or we could restore the bloodline, even! I gave the money to the carpenters and stonemasons, and asked them to rebuild the village. They were all shocked, and while all of them agreed to build, some tried to refuse the gil, but I insisted."

"I see, they didn't want the money," Kain repeated. "What did you do?"

"We made a compromise," Rydia said, glancing at Kain. She saw he was looking intently at her face. Her heart warmed, and then continued, "We split the money; I took some of the gil to start my school, while they took the rest to start the renovations."

Kain smiled. "Therefore, you had the money to transform your home into a school, and they had the money to repair the damage," he said. "Am I correct?"

"Yes," Rydia replied. "Yet, to me, the money Cecil and Rosa gave me wasn't for me, and my home, but for the village itself." she explained. Her half-smile grew into a full one. "I probably believed I would have found the money needed for the school elsewhere. Or maybe I just didn't think I would need money." She put her finger to her lip, still smiling. "I must sound like an idiot to you, Kain."

There was a pause. "I do not think so," he said. Rydia looked at him in surprise. "That attitude defines you: you always care about others before yourself. And that is an admirable trait."

"Oh, thank you," Rydia said with a soft voice. "Kain... can I... ask you something?" She swallowed. Will he say 'yes?'

"What is it?" he asked, looking at her curiously. At least, Rydia thought he was, but behind his blue eyes, she could see a glimmer of eagerness.

She clasped her sweating hands together near her knees. "Will you... be my partner for the ball?"

He said nothing for several moments. Then, he smiled and said, "it would be an honor, Rydia."

She paused, blinked, and looked at him. "Really?" He's not surprised I didn't ask Edge?

"I will confess I was hoping you would ask," he said.

He wanted me to ask him? She nearly smacked her forehead, realizing she missed the obvious cues. "Well, your hope wasn't in vain," she said, relaxing. "Think of it as thanks for giving my children the hope to become summoners."

"I'm glad I could assist."

-S-

"So, I've handled the rebels on my side," Edge said, walking beside Cecil on the battlements of Baron Castle. The evening sky was beginning to show the first signs of stars. "What about your rebels?"

"I have them detained in the dungeons," he said. He let out a sigh of dismay, and put a hand on his brow. "I had hoped that we did not have to use them again."

Edge shrugged. "Well, it was bound to happen," he said. "I mean... when things change in the government, there are going to be some bastards that don't like the new regime."

"I suppose you're right," Cecil said. Edge felt the paladin's eyes on him. "How do you keep your ninja rebels contained, though? They have ninjustu just like you do, Edge. They should be able to pass through walls."

Edge laughed, and then he looked at Cecil. "They aren't as skilled as me. I doubt they know that specific justu. But... you are right about one thing—we have to contain them differently than you would. We have some wards against ninjustu within our dungeons."

"What about the guards?"

"They wear a special ring that allows them to use their ninjustu," Edge explained. He held up a hand, showing a black ring on his finger. "These rings are tailored to each individual guard, which means if someone else wore it, the ring would have no effect on them."

"Clever. But such rings must cost a pretty gil to make," Cecil remarked.

"They do," Edge said, nodding. "But—hey, isn't that Rydia down there?" he went over to the edge of the battlement and peered over into the gardens. "What's she doing with Kain?" Wait... she didn't! he thought, alarmed. "Damn..."

"What's wrong?" Cecil asked. Edge didn't look at him. "You sound worried. They are probably just spending some time together as friends." Edge paused, and narrowed his eyes.

Nice try, Cecil, he thought. He rounded on the paladin, pointing. "She asked him... didn't she?!" he growled, frowning. "What do you know? I heard your voice; I know you're hiding something about this!"

"Edge, calm down," the paladin said. "They'll hear us." Edge exhaled. Cecil licked his lips and sighed. "You're right, I do know. Kain has been having some minor feelings for her. He confined in me earlier this week; hoping she'd ask him to the ball."

Edge's jaw dropped. "W-wait! No way! You didn't tell him to—"

"No, I didn't," Cecil said, shaking his head. "Not directly anyway, I merely told him to take action if he really wanted to go with Rydia to the ball. Don't be alarmed over this, Edge. If she's really asked him, and Kain's accepted, it's only a dance." He smiled. "I doubt you'll lose her attention over a social event."

He swallowed and let out a sigh. He's right. I've had Rydia's attention for years. Edge looked back at the two talking in the garden. She wanted to go with me...

"Edge?" he asked. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am," he said, nodding. He turned to Cecil. "You're right; I need to calm down. Rydia is curious about him, too, did you know?" The paladin's eyes widened. "She told me about what happened to one of her children when Kain told them about our battle with Zeromus. She wanted to 'repay' him, and yet, she still wanted to go with me."

"Really? When did she tell you this?" Cecil asked. Edge turned around to see a curious expression on his face.

"Last weekend," Edge said, folding his arms. "I took her on the Falcon for a flight; it took some work to convince my Chancellor to let us go alone." He forced a chuckle. "Anyway, she seemed fine during the flight, but then asked me how I'd feel if she asked someone else. Kain. Though, she was only a little anxious. Sure, I felt jealous, but... I'd never get angry at her."

Cecil nodded. "Indeed," he said with a quiet voice. "You and Rydia grew rather close these past two years."

"We have," Edge agreed. "She seemed torn, though. Like I said, she still wanted to go with me, but I knew she also wanted to ask Kain."

Cecil worked his jaw. "And you said?"

"Well, I told her that she should make a decision," Edge said to him. He looked back over the battlement, watching Rydia and the dragoon walk side by side. "But... I do want to ask her if she did choose him for the ball."

"Well," Cecil said. "Whether or not she has, don't fight with Kain over her. He's our friend after all."

"Yes," Edge responded, still watching Rydia and Kain. "She's not the type that would appreciate two men dueling over her. So, don't worry about that."

"Good," Cecil said. "Did you want to discuss any more of the rebel matter?"

"Not now," Edge said, taking his hands off the battlement ledge. "I want to talk to Rydia first."

"As you wish, my friend."

-S-

"All right, Kain," Rydia said to him as they entered the outer courtyard near the entrance of the castle. "I will see you at the ball." She smiled at him. Her shoulders were relaxed and her muscles lacked the tension she felt earlier.

The dragoon nodded. "Of course. I look forward to it," he said, returning the smile.

The two separated, and Rydia headed to the castle's inner entrance. The guards allowed her inside. She sought out her room, taking an alternate route through the castle to the tower.

She headed for the stairs when she felt eyes on her. She could smell smoke, and she turned around to see Edge standing there. Rydia's muscles tensed and she bit her lip.

"Oh, hello, Edge," she said. Her tone of voice revealed her nervousness.

"Hey, how are you, Rydia?" he asked with a friendly voice. He approached her until he was close. "You seem a little anxious, is something wrong?"

"Uh... um..." Rydia opened her mouth again and again, but couldn't seem to get anything else out. "Well..." He promised he wouldn't be angry with me. And you know he won't be.

"Did you pick someone for the ball?" he asked; straight to the point. She put her hand over her chest. "I hope you made a decision because it's only two days away."

"Well... I..." She paused. Pulling her voice together, she said, "Yes, I did. I asked Kain... I'm sorry, Edge."

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, but Rydia could hear the subtle jealousy in his voice. "You picked someone. That's good."

She smiled. "Ah, yes it is." Rydia cocked her head. "You're jealous, aren't you?"

"You know me," he said with a nod. "But don't fret. Go with him and have fun, we'll see each other there anyway."

She beamed, and hugged him. "Thank you!"

Edge lowered his mask and kissed her on the cheek. "Anything for you. Anyway, I have to return to Eblan."

"What for?" she asked, blinking.

Edge chuckled. "I've got to find a lady to take to the ball."

"And that won't be a problem, right?" she asked with a slight tease in her voice.

"Obviously!" he agreed. Rydia saw a grin on his face. "Well, see you later!"

Rydia opened her mouth to say goodbye, but the ninja vanished in a puff of smoke before she could get it out. Relaxing, she thought, thank you, Edge.

-S-

The next day—the day of the ball—Rydia was walking beside Kain to the Dragoon Platform, asking him about the dragoons. She had never learned how those knights were able to jump so high, and so, she listened to his explanation.

"... so, a novice dragoon must use all the strength in his legs to launch himself in air," Kain was saying. "Expert and veteran dragoons can also use their lower body to assist their legs, creating a deadlier attack."

"Why is that?" Rydia asked. "Is it more difficult to use one's lower body to jump?"

"Yes, you are correct," Kain said to her, his helmet covering his upper face. "Dragoons, veteran or not, will use most of the strength in their legs to jump. That's where the primary source of their power is. If a dragoon uses his lower body in conjunction with his legs, he performs a more powerful jump. It requires a lot of strength and stamina to start such a jump, thus novices are taught to use their legs first."

"So I'm guessing," she said. "If novices use their lower body along with their legs first, the jump will be too difficult to perform?"

"Again, you are right, Rydia," he said with a smile. "You are quite perceptive. I suppose if you had been trained as a warrior instead of a summoner, you would have trained as a dragoon quite quickly."

Rydia could tell the compliment was genuine, and she chuckled. "Doesn't that seem a little incredible?" she asked. "Only Troia seems to have female warriors. I've never heard of Baron training women into their warrior ranks."

"That is true," Kain said. "However Cecil seems to have been considering having both sexes in his military—warrior or mage—so that they feel equal."

"I see." She nodded. Rydia took a glance at the Dragoon Platform set between the two towers; she could already see some of the novice dragoons in the air right before landing. "But then again, Cecil wasn't King when I was a child," she added with a smirk. "I really believe a summoner's path was for me." They reached the eastern tower, which led to the entrance of the platform.

"I agree," he said to Rydia's surprise. "Your mother was one; therefore, it was only natural that you would become a summoner. Also, you already had talent when Cecil and I first met you," he added, opening the door for her.

"Thank you, Kain," she said. "Yes, I did. I nearly killed you two with Titan." She let out a small chuckle. They began to ascend the stairs when a lump formed in Rydia's throat. "Kain...?"

"What is it? You sound concerned," he noted.

"I think Edge saw us last night," she explained. "Because he asked me if I had chosen anyone for the ball. I was a little nervous at first, but I knew he wouldn't be angry with me. So, I told him the truth."

"How did he react?" Kain asked.

Rydia half-smiled. "He was glad that I had made a decision. Though, I could tell he was jealous and a little disappointed. Our conversation ended on a good note, but... I still feel a little bad about it."

Kain placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you not the one who told me to rid myself of guilt?" he asked. "What I did in the past was far worse than you making a choice."

She snorted and smiled fully. "You're right. I should stop worrying about Edge. He'll be fine."

They reached the top of the tower with the entrance to the Dragoon Platform before them. Again, he opened the door for her and they passed through into the training field.

While Rydia had seen it from a distance, she had never been on top of it before. The entire platform was made of hard, gray stone that felt solid under her feet. There was a high fence around the field to keep people from falling to their deaths (though, she didn't know what they would do if a dragoon jumped over the fence on accident), and there was a dragon-shaped emblem engraved in the middle of the platform.

"Wow," she said, gazing around the field. "I didn't know Cecil put so much effort into making this." She began to wander over the field, turning and peering at it. Then, Kain grabbed her and pulled her away. "What the!?" She heard the clash of metal against stone just right next to her. She turned her head and saw that a novice dragoon had landed where she had been standing.

"Ah! Lady Rydia!" He bit his lip and fumbled his spear. He picked it up in an awkward manner. "I apologize for almost striking you. I had already jumped when—"

"It's quite all right," Kain said, glancing at Rydia as he let go of her. She gave him an approving nod. "But, do be more careful; there is a way to redirect your landing spot while in the air."

Rydia blinked. "There is?" she asked.

"Indeed," he said with a nod. "However, it is an advanced technique."

"Not to be disrespectful, Master Highwind, but," the novice said, biting his lip. "Why did you tell me about it if it is for advanced dragoons?"

Kain smiled. "So you will know what to expect later in your training."

"Oh! I see now," the novice said. "Thank you, Commander."

"Good luck," the dragoon said with another nod. The novice left Rydia and Kain behind to return to his training. She had the urge to step back further to avoid being skewered by another spear. "Are you all right, Rydia?" he said.

She looked at him and smiled. "Yes, thank you for pulling me away like that." She backed away a few steps from the platform. "I'm sorry, I got lost while gazing at the platform."

"Do not worry," he said, gesturing with his hand. "It is rather grand for a mere training ground. Personally, I feel it is a little distracting."

"Right," Rydia said. "Well, I appreciated the tour, Kain," she added with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad," he said. "I suppose you will be getting ready for the ball soon since it is this afternoon."

"Yes," she said. A smirk crossed her face. "You also better get ready, you wouldn't want to be late, would you?"

He chuckled. "Of course not."

"I'll see you later then," Rydia said. She waved at him and left through the eastern tower's door.