Night's onset brings me to a much needed bed. I flop down and cover myself in sheets, my full stomach making me tired. Dinner went by slower than I had wanted. Caspen seemed to have distanced himself and didn't talk to me at all. In fact, it was as though I wasn't even there. His silence stung a little, but I guess I'd feel awkward too.

There were other people besides our small group of wanders at the meal; a few guests from Nalbina, but no one too intimidating. Honestly, I felt very out of place at dinner. Apparently, most of the knights eat else where, but because I was a friend of Balthier and Fran's, and Caspen had saved Vaan and Penelo, we were allowed to dine with everyone else. I still felt out of place, knowing I wasn't a friend of Ashe's and had hardly spoke to her, yet here I sat in her presence. All through dinner my only thoughts were 'I don't belong here.' And so it was a great relief when the meal finally ended.

Feeling utterly alone and miserable, I headed back up to bed. Perhaps tomorrow I will bring the Lady's attention to my problems, but for now I've had all the rejection I can take. Being the third wheel isn't a cheery feeling.

I pressed my face into the pillow, and as I thought more on it, I felt the tears well up. I hate feeling all 'pity me!' but sometimes I can't help it. I feel so uncomfortable. If only I hadn't been such a prick to Caspen, and if only he could get his head around what he felt. Maybe then I'd have somebody to talk to.

All I want to do is get out of here as fast as I can. Run again. Run free and find some other place for me in the world. Free. Someday I would be free, run to the ocean again and make a new.

It was only a dream, but it gave me some comfort. Thinking 'someday' gave me some hope that things might get better. That Caspen and I would get around this awkwardness. No place to go but up, right? But still, my heart was heavy.

With those last bits of thought running through my mind, I drifted off into a much needed sleep.

My eyes open. It's still the middle of the night and I'm dead tired, but I'm up. I sit groggily up in bed, an unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach making me feel uneasy. Although I'm not sure what, something isn't right. Before, while dreaming, I thought I heard my door open, and felt someone standing by my bedside. I couldn't tell who or why or even if there was anyone there, but still, it's not something one likes to experience.

I sit up, feeling as though I'm being watched. Every little goose bump and hair was standing on end, and it was as though electricity was flowing through my body, tingling every nerve so much so that I had to shudder a few times. My heart and stomach quaked uneasily as I stepped out of bed, careful to be as silent as the grave in doing so. I approached the door and pressed an ear tentatively to it, listening for even the smallest creek of a flood board. I hear nothing and back away from the door a little, my cold and bare ankles shivering a little, not from cold, but fear. A cautious hand reaches for the brass door handle, and I rest it there, unsure if I do want to go exploring.

What could be out there that's dangerous? It is the Lady Ashe's castle after all and her guards protect the castle, even at night. Besides, my mind was restless and what I felt had most likely been the effects of a bad dream. But even still, what was the cold stone in the pit of my stomach? If it was just a dream, why was I so sure that someone had indeed been peering over my bed, watching me.

The image of a dark figure standing in my room makes me shoot my hand back from the door and look over my shoulder in fright. I back away a little from the door and want to hide like a child under the covers. But if there was someone in the castle, someone should check it out, and by the sounds of it, I was the only one who knew of this entity. With a feeble resolve, I began to rummage around in a desk for a candle and matches.

Orange and blue burned the fire; pale and frightened glowed my face. I lifted the flame upward and looked to the small bedside lamp, still burning away by my bed. I had forgot to blow it out, or at least I think I did. Honestly, I don't remember it ever being on. Quickly, I suppress these thoughts and head for the door.

The hallway was dark, no light to guide my way or anyone else's. I softly shut my bedroom door and advance down the hallway, heart beating heavily and quickly against my chest. Along the walls lined shadows, mostly of my self, and occasionally a cloud passing by an open window would conceal the moon outside, making the place even creepier. The moon was but a tiny silver sliver in the sky, and it was so feeble looking against the heavens. The long hallway of doors stretched on in front of me, like some bad nightmare where you're just waiting for some monster to jump out and grab you.

I step out onto the level just above the entrance hall and the grand stair leading to the thrown room. Out a large window, I can see the guards' tower lit and waiting, but besides that there appeared to be no life in the castle besides myself. I walk slowly to the stair and peer down into the darkness, looking at my own grotesque shadow falling to the entrance hall. I remember coming down this stair, bursting from a passage and racing down these steps, praying I could escape. Now I'm walking down these stairs for a very different reason.

My bare feet touch the landing steps, my white night gown shivers a little bit, as though there is a breeze. My ankles shake again and I feel the goose bumps become more pronounced. My head turns right, towards the disturbance, and to my dismay, I see a door slightly ajar with a small light pouring out.

I blow out the candle and make my way to the door, placing the light maker on the bottom stair. I wait behind the door to the room and listen.

"So then, the plan's all set." Says a voice from within. "We're all stationed around the castle, as set, ready for the initial take over."

"As planned," Says a voice I know all to well. I chance a peek inside for but a moment and quickly move away as I see them pace around. It is Caspen, "and I have a guard stationed by the front and back entrances so there can be no escape."

"Do we slay them?" Asks another knight.

"Nay, we use them as bait. You know the Archadian empire won't respond to us if the Lady is dead. No, we let them believe she is well, and summon them out here on business. Then when the King Larsa arrives, we slay both."

"But why must we kill the Lady?" Caspen says, a note of reluctance in his voice. "Didn't the boss says to keep both alive? Or do you have other plans?"

"Because, idiot, she is an ally of the Archadians now. Don't kill her and we'll have more of a problem on our hands. More revolts. No, we use our army and control the people, force them to fight for us. If Rosaria comes into the picture, we fight them too. She'll understand all that. I'll make her."

"So then, what of the girl? We have her here, in our wing, shall we slay her now? Not that it really matters what happened in the past, but I'd so love to just slit her throat."

"Well, why don't you just tell her that to her face? She's right outside the door you know." In a flurry of fast footsteps, I try to run, but a fast hand tangles itself around my wrist. A small scream escapes my mouth, echoing a bit, but is silenced and a metal hand slips over it. "Look who decided to join us, boys. Fidelynn. You both remember her. Screwed over or first plan of take over, thank god you weren't totally in the loop otherwise we would have been caught. But no matter, you won't be in or way much longer, love." It's the bald man from the play, Gladius, a councilor and key strategist in the Organization.

"Well," says a man I know as Caux, his jet black hair and tanned skin easy to recognize without a helmet, "nowhere to run now."

"Give her to Caspen. I think he deserves to kill the most out of us." Gladius says and pushes me into Caspen.

"Wah?" Caspen says, alarmed.

"Go on then, use that new sword you got from the boss. You know, the one she gave you to when you got promoted. Haven't killed with it yet." Caux says, eyes glinting. My frantic and frightened eyes dart to Caspen, looming above me. He looks down at me, face inexpressive. I begin to struggle, trying to break free, but Gladius smacks me hard, and I topple to the ground, spilling from Caspen's arms. I can feel warm blood dribbling down from my mouth where I was struck. The shing of a sword being freed of it's scabbard reaches my ears. Caspen's feet move from behind me to in front. He pauses, and I look up at him, him down at me.

My mind goes numb.

"Ashes to ashes." He whispers, and raises the sword high above his head. My wounded arm trembles. And I shut my eyes tightly.

And then a gun's fire goes off, echoing around the castle. Everyone stands in a stunned silence. Caspen's sword falls to the ground.

"Lucky I like midnight strolls," comes Balthier's voice from the door. Caspen falls to the ground before me and the two other men quickly flee the scene through two side passage ways. I sit there, shakily staring at the body of my Caspen. My Caspen who had always been there for me, always. And now-

"Fidel!" Barks Balthier, quickly coming over. "What happened? I need you to tell me everything." My mind can't focus, all I can see is the dead body lying in front of me. I can see the blood dripping over Caspen, erupting from the bullet wound in the back of his head. How red blood is. I thought it would be darker, but no, it's brighter. That can't possibly be blood, can it?

Balthier moves in front of Caspen and hunches down to my level, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"H-he's dead." I stammer weakly. " Y-you killed him."

"Fidel, I need you to focus. I need you to tell me what happend. Please," I look into Balthier's face. No, this couldn't be happening. Caspen wasn't dead. He hadn't betrayed me. He couldn't have. It wasn't him, not the man I loved. He couldn't be dead. "Fidel," Balthier says again, "speak to me."

"Caspen," I breathe, seeing but not seeing, thinking but not, "I don't understand. You left them. You left-"

"Never left-" Balthier says in a breath. The tears start to overflow as my drained body sits on the cold ground.

"Balthier!" Comes a frantic voice from the door and then an intake of air follows. "What happened?!" It was Penelo, closely followed by both Fran and Vaan.

"No time to explain I'm afraid. But we are all in serious danger." Balthier says quickly.

"H-he's dead." Penelo says in shock, looking at Caspen's body.

"Part of some scheme apparently."

"And how do you knows this?" Vaan says in an accusatory way.

"Had to put two and two together. Fidel is in no mind for much talking right now I'm afraid." Balthier says, looking back at me. "She saw the hole thing."

"Fidel," Vaan says, turning his attention to me, "look, I know this is hard right now, but please! You have to tell us something." I look to Vaan. I felt numb all over, and the tears wouldn't stop.

"Get the Lady Ashe out of here." I say. "She's in the most danger."

"Ashe?!" Penelo says panic stricken.

"Can you tell us anything else?!" Vaan barks at me. "Like why are they after her?"

"Leave her," Fran says to Vaan, putting a hand on his shoulder, "she is in shock and needs time."

"Time that we don't have." Vaan snaps back.

"Look," Balthier says, "we don't have time for this. Two men who were with Caspen just ran off, no doubt accomplices. Soon this place will be infested with these people. Fran and Vaan, go and get Ashe and Basch, we have to leave this place as fast as possible before more people die." Balthier says bitterly looking at Caspen. "Only then will it be safe to play catch up. Meet us down in the dungeons afterwards." Vaan nods.

"Right!" He says and the two run off.

"What about me?" Penelo says

"We have to get down into the dungeons. Help me get Fidel down there. We won't go far, but we should hide until the others find us." Balthier and Penelo help me to my feet. As though I were a child, I'm lead by the hand out of the room where Caspen's body lies, and I feel a bit of my heart die away.