Act 11 - Curtain Call
In which it ends.
I stood on at the edge of the cave, watching those embracing below. My son, my dearest son, stood amongst his friends, shaken but recovering. I could see the color returning to his cheeks in a flush of health. In a few days, I didn't doubt he'd feel better.
I lifted the necklace I held entwined around my fingers. The silver chain caught the light of the rising day, catching my eyes and distracting me until I heard her soft voice from behind.
"You promised a return to his humanity – A false hope and a damnable lie."
"Well." I started, sucking on the inside of my cheek and then sighing. "To split hairs, I believe what I said was along the lines of 'staying human' – which he did, in a way. Arrogant as that face of his is, I know all concerned prefer it to the Judge's armor. He got to stay himself, which is a lot more than I can say for all the others doomed to the same fate.
Look, I'm sure some day, down the line, as the world ages and he remains unchanged, he'll figure it out. You're strong. He's strong. You'll both move on and survive. I prefer to think of it as, creative problem solving – but it's not my problem to solve." I sighed again and lowered the hand that held the necklace. "The world will need his strength, it always does. Who knows, maybe someday, thousands of years from now when the balance shifts again, the new group of adventures he's saddle with will find a way to free him in truth."
The viera stepped towards me, her face unreadable. "Do not pretend this is a matter far from your care. You eyes betray your heart."
"Put caring in one hand and chocobo droppings in the other – tell me which one you end up with more of. I do care. I've always cared; about him especially. But here we are, anyway."
"You can do nothing for him then? He is to be this way at the beck and call-"
"Yeah," I cut her off, his possible future too heavy for me right now. I didn't have much time left. Without looking at it again, I tossed the necklace to her, the beautiful dark blue cryst trailing past it's silver chain like a falling star. Her long pale fingers caught it gently, Fran's deep ruby eyes troubled as she closed her hand around the cryst that held Balthier's summoning.
"Give it to the Queen, perhaps, to keep safe."
Those red eyes shot up to mine, angry. "Or not. Give it to someone that you can tell the truth to, someone that won't be driven to…to use him or…" I swallowed hard.
"Can I tell you something?" I asked before I could stop myself.
The Viera inclined her beautiful head and I knew she'd listen, no matter how angry she was. She was probably going to be the only living creature I would ever be able to confess to and wasn't that the damnedest thing?
"I hate it." The passion in my voice surprised me. I had thought I had left strong emotions behind a hundred lives ago. Guess not.
"You know what the worst part of this all is? It's the forgetting. That when I'm moved from the Life Stream in to a new body, a 'new' Cid – I forget everything I was before and live my life as if it was the one and only. I fight, I love, I live as this new person, pure as the driven snow and at the end, right when the curtain call comes, it never fails, I think the dying isn't so bad because at least I get to see my loved ones again. That my death meant something." Uncharacteristic tears rimmed my eyes. "But it doesn't and it never ends. If I ever have another son, this could all happen again and I can't make myself remember. I can't stop it from happening…and I hate it." I added softly. I didn't feel better, didn't expect to.
"Any comfort I could offer would feel empty after such admittance. I cannot pretend to understand, my long years are naught a blink to yours. I will see Balthier is cared for, but as well you know, he will be… displeased… when he learns the truth to all of this."
Nodding I turned away from her. I had said my peace. There wasn't anything I could offer her or this world anymore, I supposed. It was time to go.
"Don't tell him about me." I called over my already fading shoulder. "If we cross paths again, let him think it is a man that bears his father's name. It is better that our story end here. He will have enough to carry without holding on to my burden as well."
I don't know if she nodded or agreed. There was no time to guess. No time for anything saved the warm rush that carried my form, ebbed away at my memories. The tide had come.
