Chapter 11: The Valiant Dead

In the morning after the full moon festival, the sand dunes were dotted by piles of black ash and white cinders. A few smoldering orange embers remained here and there. There was a slight breeze, and the sunrise began to break on the horizon as a golden radiance invading the nautical morning twilight.

Auron woke up in the sands down in the lowlands below the dunes, under canvas covered shelter by some pile of machina junk. He found Lulu lying cuddled up on his chest. He laid there for a while, content to let her sleep, but soon she began to stir and awake. She lifted herself up and gazed down upon him with sleepy eyes and a dreamy smile. She embraced him tightly once more.

"That was amazing." She whispered. She rested her face upon his chest and fell back asleep for a moment.

"Indeed, it was, Peach Blossom." Auron said with a relaxed sigh. "But you know, we're leaving today." He reminded her. She murmured something unintelligible, but didn't move.

Across the dunes, Tidus and Rikku were cuddled together beside the ashes of one of the bonfires. The little waves of heat that emanated from it had kept them warm enough through the night. The sound of the loud speakers throughout the machina city began to echo over the dunes, and stirred them from their sleep. It was Cid's voice on the megaphones.

"Rise and shine, pilgrims! Your ship is about to depart!" He said, with his typical boisterousness. Rikku and Tidus snapped awake and began stretching together on the sand. Rikku climbed up over Tidus and kissed his neck and his face, and finally his lips. Tidus opened his eyes and saw her green irises beaming into him.

"Pops just doesn't understand how to be subtle, ya know…" She remarked with a sigh as her father's voice continued to call for them, louder than before. Finally after a few minutes he stopped.

"I totally blacked out last night… what happened?" He asked, groaning as he stretched out his arms and his back. Rikku pointed to the sand beside them, where there was a pile of empty bottles and dark-husked fruits cut open at the top with straws protruding from them.

"That happened… some of the boys snuck over some powerful spirits for us." She said. Tidus shook his head.

"Naughty girl…" he teased her, poking her nose with his finger.

"It was your idea!" She retorted. Tidus laughed then. She giggled, and they both rolled over and grabbed a couple vessels and fruit husks that weren't completely empty yet, and they drained them. After they got some fire back in them, they both got up and started swaggering down the slopes of the dune on the way back into the city.

In the airship, Barthello awoke in his chamber. He was laying over Paine, and his face rested on her chest. He could hear her heartbeat pulsing in his ear. As he started to get up, suddenly she wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him close. He heard her sigh deeply in contentment. Finally he gave in and stayed in bed with her.

Eventually Auron and Lulu got up and sorted out their dishevelled hair and clothes, and then went into town and down to the hangar. When they approached the airship, they saw Cid and Tidus and Rikku, and Pacce as well. Cid greeted them.

"Slept in, Auron? I never thought you'd be the one to come in late." Cid remarked with a chuckle.

"Is everyone else ready?" Auron asked, shrugging off Cid's insinuation. Cid shook his head.

"No. Isaaru and Maroda are out on the sand dunes still, according to little Pacce here." Cid informed them. Auron was taken aback by this suggestion.

"They went out to the party last night?" He asked in shock. Pacce shook his head and spoke up.

"No! Isaaru woke up early this morning. We all went out for a walk, and he didn't want to come back. Maroda sent me to tell everyone." Pacce said. As he spoke, the two old sages came striding down the ramp out of the airship.

"I'm going out to find him. Wait for me, Cid." Auron told him. Cid nodded. Morihei spoke up then.

"Take us with you, Sir Auron. I believe Isaaru will need some convincing." He said with his raspy old voice. Auron beckoned for them to follow him, and then he turned and walked out of the hangar with the two old gurus. They made their way up onto the nearest sand dune and scanned the area. Finally they saw two figures in the distance to the east. They made their way over the dunes and valleys until finally they reached the scene, where Isaaru stood beside the blackened sand and ashes of an extinguished bonfire. Maroda approached them, while Isaaru faced away to the east.

"Sir Auron, I tried to tell him we would be late. He doesn't want to leave for some reason. He won't really tell me why." Maroda told him. Auron tapped a hand on Maroda's shoulder and then walked past toward Isaaru. He called out to the young summoner.

"Isaaru! It's time to go. We need to reach the northern isles and then finish the pilgrimage." He said to him. Isaaru turned slightly and looked over his shoulder. His face was sullen and his eyes looked dim. Isaaru looked away then. Morihei and Musashi shuffled over toward Isaaru then, and Auron waited with Maroda.

"Have you changed your mind, young summoner?" Morihei asked him. He saw Isaaru tense up, visibly seething.

"No, Sage Morihei. I just… needed time to think." He said.

"What are your thoughts?" Morihei asked.

"I feel that I've acted wrongly. I killed men, and I should have known better. I should not have gone to Bevelle. I should have finished the pilgrimage instead. Now, I don't want to go to the northern isles. I want to go to Zanarkand, and be done with it." He said gloomily, and he stared and the ground.

"If you go now, you will not win. Certainly you will not destroy Sin, you will only subdue it for another brief Calm. Surely if you continue your pilgrimage, there is a good chance that we can put an end to Sin once and for all." Morihei warned him. Isaaru groaned faintly, in anguish.

"Don't burden yourself with anger and woe. The men who died at Bevelle were victims of their own Karma. You acted in your own defense, and the aid of your companions. There is no wrong in it, and no shame to be had." Musashi assured him firmly.

"Isn't there? How can I say that they deserved to die? I don't want to take the lives of others, I have no right to. I want to fight Sin, and bring the Calm." Isaaru reaffirmed determinedly.

"You must do your duty, not what you want to do. It is incumbent upon you to bring the Eternal Calm, if you can do so, and we believe you can." Musashi retorted sternly. Isaaru turned to them with a face marked by anxiety, heavy with shame and despair. He fell on his knees before them.

"I'm sorry, Sage. I shouldn't have allowed my feelings to overcome me… but I can't do this unless it's the right thing to do. I vowed to end suffering, I can't be the one to inflict it on others." Isaaru said, as he began to weep. Morihei sat down on the sands then, beside Isaaru. In an aged and steady voice, calling upon all his wits and ability, he began to deliver his teaching.

"Look there, at the ashes. See the embers that still remain, glowing faintly, about to die out, extinguished by the wind. As they are, so are we. Our lives glow brightly in our youth, and fade out in old age. And the hotter we burn, the faster we fade. The whole cosmos is this way. You see it in the sun and the stars. The nature of this whole universe is a constant slow fading, out into some other realm that we do not see, and ignited by a higher world that we do not know. We only know our own burning through life, our own yearnings. But the truth is, that we are only the thoughts and memories of some higher realm. We are only the fading memories of some cosmic divine mind, and Sin is only the fears and dark thoughts of the cosmos. These thoughts were molded together into one, and that is Sin. Those same thoughts and spirits which constitute the fiends have been coalesced into Sin, and Sin can absorb the fiends, and the fiends can also bleed out from Sin. But like us, all are fading. So you see, young summoner, even if you defeat Sin, the darkness of the universe remains, it must even out and reach a balance with the rest of the universe. That is your task. It is time for the balance to be restored, for Sin to come to an end. All things come to an end. Only the eternal spirit remains, because it is unmanifest and ever-living. It is the life force itself. This is the one thing that lasts, and will never end. When this universe fades away and collapses, then another will spring up and begin anew. The cycle will complete itself and start again, just as we die and are reborn. That life force flows through each of us, in truth it is us. These forms are only temporary, only an expression of the ever-moving and changing thoughts of the universe, of the fluctuating Divine Mind. Flow freely then, Isaaru, and be free. Does a drop of water resist flowing with the tide, or the river? No, so then do not resist the life force. Rather comprehend it, and follow it.

We cling to this world out of fear, when we do not realize who and what we truly are. We fear what we do, and what may happen, because we do not understand the immortal life force. But in truth, none of us have cause to fear. None of us are harmed by the world, or by each other. We can only harm ourselves through ignorance and fear. But the nature of life is our own nature, and it is eternal. Therefore, fight Isaaru, and complete the cycle! Once understood, this knowledge will grant you the power to conquer Sin. Do not fear, and do not yield to shame. The only true shame is in ignorance." Morihei told him.

"But even if that is true, how does it help me to overcome my feelings? How can I understand this, when my own knowledge is limited?" Isaaru asked, with doubt lingering in his heart.

"Become more observant, more meditative. Understand by logic, that this is and must be true. See it everywhere in nature, in life, and even in others. You will notice, by and by, that there are even other people who intuitively know this. Their bravery and strength derives from it. They are animated by the eternal life force and its virtue, its will to grow and prosper, and conquer. Observe their virtues and emulate them. Know yourself, and understand the source and true nature of your own desires and feelings. Then you will see them for what they are… temporary, and ever changing." Morihei answered him confidently. Finally Isaaru nodded, and he bowed low before the sages. Musashi took hold of his arm and lifted him up then.

"Come along, young summoner. We have a date with destiny." Musashi said. They joined Auron and Maroda, and walked back to the city. As they strode along, Isaaru stepped up beside Auron and spoke.

"Forgive me, Sir Auron. I shouldn't have behaved that way. I did not mean any disrespect to you. It has been the honor of my life to have you for my guardian." Isaaru said apologetically. Auron shook his head.

"Don't apologize, Isaaru. Keep your head up. We all know the pilgrimage isn't easy. We're here to support each other. If you ever need to talk, just seek me out. Don't isolate yourself." Auron told him good naturedly. Isaaru nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Sir Auron. I'll make you proud." He vowed determinedly. They went on through the city together. Soon they came to the hangar and met with their comrades, and Cid hurried up into the airship when he saw them approaching. The engines began revving up as Auron and his companions walked up the ramp into the cargo bay. The crew raised the ramp behind them, and they made their way to the control room. Auron stepped up to the sphere oscillo-finder, where Cid had projected a map of the northern isles above Wilderia. He called on Auron immediately.

"Auron, do we have everybody on board now?" He asked impatiently.

"I have everyone from the dunes, but I haven't seen Barthello or Paine yet." Auron said.

"Paine's not in her room, last time I checked. Barthello has his door locked, so I'm guessing he must be in there. I'll unlock the door if we need to check up on him. Does anybody know where Paine might have gone? Rikku, wasn't she out with you last night?" Cid asked. Lulu and Rikku shot nervous, cautionary glances at Auron as soon as Cid mentioned unlocking Barthello's door. Auron chuckled quietly.

"We have everyone we need. Let's go, Cid." He concluded.

"Oh, I'll go find Paine. She came back to the ship early last night because of her leg… I'm sure she must have gone to the medic station. I'll go there first…" Rikku suggested, convincingly enough that her father thought nothing of it. Cid merely shrugged.

"Alright boys, prepare for lift off! We're gonna get started heading for Cale-Albia. I'll need someone to get Barthello up here at some point to tell us where we should land." He said as he turned back to the control panel. Rikku immediately hurried out of the control and down the hall. Lulu and Auron smiled knowingly at each other. They walked out of the control room and went to the upper deck. Lulu walked up to the windows and watched as the ship lifted gracefully into the air and slid out of the hangar. Auron stepped up beside her, and they beheld the desert passing steadily by.

"She finally got what she wanted." Lulu remarked contentedly.

"So it seems. I wonder what it's done to Barthello. I hope he hasn't gotten any radical ideas. We really could use his help at the end, I've got a feeling." Auron pondered aloud, and he seemed a bit troubled.

"Do you really think he would quit? I don't think Paine would… surely not?" Lulu asked. Auron shrugged.

"I doubt it, but I suppose we'll see. He'll be conflicted though, I'm sure." Auron said.

"Girls complicate things, don't we?" She teased him. Auron nodded with a smirk. He stroked her hair with his fingers, and kissed the side of her face.

"Things won't be easy, for sure. I hope you realize that." He forewarned her. Lulu's joyous expression was cracked by dismay then.

"I know, but for now I need something to keep me going. Even if it's only for a while. Don't you? How do you know that this is what you truly want to do?" She asked him.

"It's what I have to do, there's no way around it. I owe it to Jecht, anyway. He's suffered enough." Auron said as he turned his gaze back through the window and into the distant sands of Bikanel. Soon they were left behind, however, and they crossed over the azul waves of the western ocean.

"Do you think there's anything left of his true self?" She asked him.

"There's only one way to know for sure… if he comes out to face me, then yes. I have a feeling he will. I don't think he could resist one final match. That was always the deepest nature of his spirit. He lived for battle, and for camaraderie." Auron reckoned intuitively.

"What will you say to him?" She asked. Auron shrugged again.

"There's not much more that should be said between us. Each of us knows how the other truly feels. Maybe, 'goodbye', is all that should be said. Really, a sword has its own voice, and it faithfully translates the language of a man's heart, and pronounces it visibly into the world, with every flash and every whistle through the air. It's a more honest language than ours." Auron related poetically. Lulu gazed at him with love and passion burning in her amber eyes. She treasured him then, as a truly unique soul, the likes of which she had never before known.

For most of the day the airship flew over the sea, and some of the outer coasts of Wilderia. They were swiftly approaching their destination. Barthello had been called up to the control room then, and he joined Auron and Cid at the oscillo-finder.

"I hope you're feeling better now. The captain needs some information on where we should land." Auron said to Barthello. The muscular guardian nodded, a bit reserved and anxious in his expression.

"We should go to the village furthest in the north, by the slopes of Mount Eragal. It's a little port town called Heargborough. My family will greet us there, and welcome us into their home for as long as we choose to stay." Barthello told them. Cid nodded.

"Alright then, we'll be heading to the north. Shouldn't be too much longer now." He informed them.

While the others were in the control room, Rikku sneaked down the hallway and into Barthello's room. Paine was there, sprawled on his bed. She saw Rikku enter, but she didn't seem to be bothered. Her face expressed a sublime smile. Rikku stepped over to the bedside.

"You know everyone is wondering where you're at… I covered for you pretty well I think." Rikku informed her.

"Thanks. I owe you." Paine said, but her tone was perfectly relaxed. She clearly wasn't concerned.

"So, how was it?" Rikku asked with a mischievous smile. Paine sighed with joy.

"It was amazing… absolutely perfect!" She answered.

"I knew it! Tell me what happened!" She begged greedily. Paine smiled and winked at her.

"Alright, just between you and me…" Paine relinquished, and she began a sultry story. They chatted for awhile, for as long as they thought they could get away with it, and then Rikku crept back out and went to her own quarters.

A couple hours later, just before sunset, the airship hovered over the forests and plains nearby Mount Eragal, the tallest peak of the mountain range on the north coast of the island, and the one standing apart from the others. It loomed over the village by the northeastern coast, and a thick forest surrounded its base. Some rocky hills, fields and sparse woods patched around the southern plains below the village, and these were broken by another thick forest in the middle of the island. Cid lowered the airship down onto an open field of golden prairie grass, a couple miles south of the village. It was the best location he could find for a proper landing. Auron gathered up all of his companions and they went down the ramp onto the field together. Cid and his crew began securing the area. As Barthello and Auron led them all northward, suddenly they saw figures moving swiftly out of the village and coming down a white gravel road toward them. These people were riding on quadruped beasts, horses, and giant, powerful stallions at that.

"What are they riding?" Rikku asked curiously.

"Horses. We don't use chocobos up north. They don't like the winter weather. Some of the southern tribes use them, and other mounts as well. The Boru clan prefers horses, though." He explained. As he spoke, the clattering hoofs of the riders drew closer, and the neighing of their mounts could be heard. Rikku and Paine giggled at the sound. Barthello stepped up in front of them all and made himself clearly visible.

"Are we welcome here?" Auron asked him. Barthello nodded.

"My kinsmen will not refuse to host my guests, but you must wait until I've introduced you. Otherwise they may think that you are pirates." Barthello cautioned them.

"Pirates? Do you have a problem with them around here?" Cid asked. Before Barthello could answer, the first of the riders came galloping into the field and slowed to a stop when they recognized him. They waved and saluted him, calling out joyfully.

"Barthello, is that you?" One of the men asked as he dropped down out of his saddle. He was a tall and handsome man, with a shaved head and a long blonde beard, broad shouldered and muscular. All of his companions were as well.

"Yes Brock, it's me!" Barthello said, and he went to embrace his kinsman and shake hands with all his people.

"We never expected you to return… I thought for certain that your pilgrimage would be successful. Am I to understand now, that the Calm has returned to Spira? Did someone else finish before you?" Brock asked him. Barthello shook his head.

"Not quite. These are my companions, and we are still on the pilgrimage. Two sages from the desert island have advised us to come here, to Mount Eragal." Barthello explained. Brock looked upon them all with a suspicious gaze.

"Surely you don't mean… to the great tomb? They know that foreigners are not permitted there… and even if they should go, they may not return." Brock forewarned.

"I know, but we have no choice. I must speak with your father, and with the elders. They must approve or deny their consent." Barthello said.

"Fair enough, my friend. I shall leave it to them. I know you wouldn't have come if it wasn't important." Brock said, and he mounted up on his horse again. "I'll go to tell my father of this, and gather the elders. I'll tell your family that you have returned."

Brock and Barthello saluted each other then, and the riders swiftly took off back to the village. Auron led the companions onto the road and to the village. The air was cool and tranquil, and smelled like the north seas. This was the warmer part of the year still, toward the close of summer, but it was already cooler than most of Spira. Soon they neared the outskirts of the village, and saw log cabins and wooden longhouses, with wood shingled roofs and dragons or horses carved on each end of their ridge beams. Often the doors and roof shingles were painted red, green or blue. The buildings themselves were usually unpainted, or sometimes accented with knotwork patterns that were colored red or gold. The whole village had a very earthy, organic atmosphere to it. The smell of smoked fish and venison, beer and baked bread filled the air. Some incense burned at the shrine on the north side of the village.

Barthello took them to the big longhouse in the middle of the village, and they went up the stone steps of the rock foundation to reach the porch and the double doors of the front entrance. Brock opened the doors and came out to meet them once they arrived. An older man and woman, both of them gray haired, came out to meet them as well. They smiled as soon as they saw Barthello.

"You've come home, son!" The old man said. Barthello went to embrace both of them.

"Are you done with your travels now, my boy?" His mother asked him, with hope in her eyes. Barthello hesitated then.

"I wish I was. No mother, I have much still to do in the world, before I can rest." He told her.

"Who are these people you've brought with you?" His father asked. Barthello introduced them then.

"Please meet Sir Auron, he is a famous guardian in Spira. It has been my honor to serve with him. This is Isaaru, a dear friend of mine, and the summoner whom we have sworn to protect on his pilgrimage. We must speak together later, when there is time; I would like you to get to know him. Let me introduce the others too, they are all good people." Barthello said, as he proceeded with introductions. "Everyone, this is my father Thurmond, and my mother Sinead."

After all of them had met and been introduced, Brock spoke up to usher them inside the hall.

"My father, the chieftain of the Boru clan, wishes to speak with you all. Please step inside, and sit at our table." He welcomed them.

They went in through the wide double doors, into an illustrious and rich hall, with a long table sitting ready for them. The chieftain sat in the head seat at the far end of the table. Brock went to his right hand and spoke with him, telling him who these visitors were. The chieftain of the Boru was a big man, broad shouldered and barrel-chested, and very tall. He was old and bald, with a long gray beard. His blue eyes seemed to radiate an upbeat mood, but also a stern mentality. He looked over them all as they took seats at his table. Brock motioned for Auron, Isaaru and the two sages to sit nearest to the chieftain. Brock spoke up then, to introduce the chieftain to them all.

"Welcome to the hall of the Lord of the Boru clan, Beorg, son of Bestla." Brock announced. With a deep, masculine voice, the chieftain spoke to them.

"So you must be Auron, the famous swordsman from Spira. You are in charge of this pilgrimage, aren't you? It's interesting to me… I heard you disappeared after Lord Braska finished the last pilgrimage. Where have you been, might I ask?" Beorg asked him.

"I took a vacation." Auron said with a smirk. The chieftain gave him a serious look for a moment, and everyone fell silent, uneasily waiting for his reply. All of a sudden, he released a boisterous, thundering laugh that filled up the hall. He slapped Auron's shoulder with his big, powerful hand, and called for drinks for all of them.

"Ladies, bring us all some beer! It's good to have guests that can entertain me for a change! Haha! What good fun. So tell me, is this scrawny boy your summoner? What would bring you here, away from your pilgrimage?" He asked.

"Actually, this is part of our pilgrimage, if you'll give us your permission, my Lord." Isaaru said in a cautious tone. The old chieftain gave him a curious gaze, and then looked to Auron and Barthello.

"Bart, my boy, I'm glad to see you home. I'm sure your folks are too. But what is the meaning of all this, exactly?" He continued to question them.

"My chieftain, we have come to take Isaaru to the sacred sites of our people, in the hopes that the Valiant Dead may join our quest. We will need their help in the final battle against Sin." Barthello said. Beorg smiled at them then.

"Haha! I think you shall find that you've wasted a trip, dear boys. He is not one of our people; the Valor will not abide with him. But even if he should somehow be found worthy, it would do him no good. The Valiant Dead will not leave our shores. They fight for the people of Cale-Albia, and to defend Wulfgar's tomb. You know that, Barthello. Why didn't you tell them?" Beorg asked indignantly.

"We are aware of that, Lord Beorg, but we think that this young man possesses a heart that is pure, and our need is dire. The time has come for Sin to finally be done away with for good, and much in the world will change." said the old sage, Morihei. Beorg looked to the sage with bewilderment in his deep blue eyes.

"They have not left this island since they came to it, a thousand years ago. What makes you think they will come when you call them?" Beorg asked.

"Donar came to me, on the Thunderplains, when I called on him for aid. We were in need of rescue, and he answered." Barthello informed the old chieftain. Beorg was awestruck then, and he gazed at Barthello with widened eyes. Paine spoke up to reassure him.

"It true, we all saw it." She said. Beorg blustered in response.

"Of course it's true, girl! A Boru man never lies!" He barked. Morihei spoke up then, to try to calm the chieftain.

"Surely this means that Barthello is a warrior pure of heart. We will need such qualities to overcome Sin for the final time. Isaaru is a summoner of great skill, and his intentions are of the noblest sort. We have to try, my lord. Please, will you not grant us this opportunity?" Morihei asked him humbly.

"Intentions are one thing, but to know what you're doing is another. The power of old Wulfgar and his warriors is not to be trifled with. They can destroy you, if they see fit. Our people are bound to them in a sacred covenant, but outsiders will not understand that. You must show the proper reverence for them, or else you profane the sacred sites! How can you understand the love that our people share, with our ancestors?" The chieftain demanded.

"Only through enlightenment, and understanding the heart. Isaaru knows this." Morihei replied gently.

"How can I trust you? I know that you're Barthello's friends, and he is a noble warrior, but this is a very serious matter." Beorg said. Just then another figure entered the dining room from one of the halls of the longhouse. He was a wizened old sage, dressed in green robes and carrying a carved wooden staff. He had long sandy brown hair and a long brown beard, glinting with strands of silver. His eyes were placid and colored bright gray, almost like steel. He spoke with a calm, baritone voice.

"Perhaps I may be of help in that regard, my lord. I can speak with these sages, and hear their case. I can assess the spiritual attainment of their summoner as well." He said. Beorg looked over to the green-robed skald and nodded slowly in agreement.

"Alright then, Ruach. You can see to it. If you deem them worthy, then they may carry on their pilgrimage here with my consent. I'll trust your judgment on the matter. For now, let us eat and drink. We'll dwell on more pleasant matters while we can." He decided, and he lifted up his tankard and saluted his guests. "Welcome to our island, my new friends. You will find it is beautiful, and not without dangers. As long as you are amongst my people, you will be safe and well fed. Don't venture far without an escort. Enjoy yourselves, and ask for anything you wish. I offer my hospitality to you while you stay." Beorg said generously.

They all drank and ate together in the chieftain's longhouse, while he spoke and laughed with Auron and Barthello. Isaaru and the sages left the table early to go with Ruach into the study of the longhouse. Paine, Lulu and Rikku sat by the hearth, and their faces glowed in the firelight. Paine watched Barthello as he spoke with his father in hushed tones, and Thurmond gazed across the hall at her with curiosity and suspicion in his eyes. He shook his head at Barthello then, and got up to leave the hall, taking Sinead with him. Paine glanced dejectedly to Lulu and Rikku then.

"That looked bad." Paine said, and her voice cracked.

"Who knows? You should ask him." Rikku said. Paine sighed deeply, and got up to walk over to the table. She sat down beside Barthello. His face was solemn.

"So what did he say, Your father?" She asked anxiously. Barthello spoke in a hushed tone.

"He says it's not proper, because you're not one of our people. He says we can't be legally married by our customs, because you have no parents to bless off on the union. He's upset with me for suggesting it, instead of allowing him to arrange a marriage to a woman from our clan." Barthello told her. Paine gazed at him with moistening eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"So what can we do?" She asked him. Barthello glanced around to see that the others weren't watching them. Then he spoke.

"I don't know. I'll have to speak with my parents again. Maybe I should also speak with the chieftain, and with Sage Ruach. They might know of some way to help us. Until then, we can't stay together, or be seen together without others to escort us. You should stay close to Auron and the sages while you're here; it's not proper for a young woman to roam around in a strange place, and certainly not after dusk. Tell the other women this also." Barthello cautioned her.

"Why do I get the feeling that your clan doesn't respect women?" She asked him indignantly.

"We have more respect for women than any other community I've been to. We just expect them to earn it, and to keep it. It's the same way for men. I can't be seen with you too much, or people will start asking questions." Barthello explained.

"Alright. Just hurry up and find a way for us to be together." She insisted.

"Of course I will, Loveable." He said, showing her a faint and tender smile. He clasped her hand under the table. For a while longer they sat together, pretending to eat and drink as they spoke only in a casual manner. Soon their companions began to retire, as a few servants showed them to the quarters that had been prepared for them. Barthello went home to his family's house. Paine, Rikku and Lulu were all given a large room together, away from the men.

"These people have some interesting customs… and some interesting ideas about love and marriage." Paine remarked with frustration and weariness in her voice.

"They've only just met you, give it a little more time." Lulu advised her.

"We don't have much of that left. They're both burning to finish the pilgrimage." Paine replied.

"I can't believe that I'm not allowed to see Tidus right now! Tomorrow night we're staying in the airship!" Rikku protested fiercely.

"I suppose that's one way to get around it…" Paine pondered aloud.

"It's also a way for your father to get suspicious… and he'll skin you if he finds out." Lulu forewarned.

"Why do you think I became a thief? Sneaking past him won't be a problem!" Rikku said with a mischievous grin.

"Bad girl…" Lulu said as she poked Rikku's nose with her finger.

"I get it all from Pops." She retorted.

"I bet so, but you know there's a lot of ways to get caught troublemaking with boys, if you're not careful." Lulu cautioned her. Rikku nodded.

"I think we'll get married after the pilgrimage. It should be easier for us. I'll wish you luck, Paine." She said, smiling at her friend. Paine merely nodded, as she was not particularly comforted.

"Don't worry; things will work out for the best." Lulu said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I know, I'm just tired from last night and this morning; he really wore me out." Paine revealed to them with a satisfied smirk. Rikku and Lulu laughed in amusement.

"Alright then, girls, we should probably turn in." Lulu concluded, and they all blew out their candles and got into their beds, and soon drifted off into sleep.