As an apology from me since it took me forever to update the last time, here's the new chapter much much sooner than I'd thought. But God, I'm super nervous about posting this up because it's really, really dark. There's a definite tonal shift here. I apologize if things get too dark. I'm still trying to make this within the T-rating, so it hopefully won't get too dark.

PLEASE NOTE THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DISTURBING MATERIAL. I'm posting a trigger warning here as there is a RAPE ATTEMPT. If you are uncomfortable or any sort of rape scene is extremely triggering towards you, I will bold the first sentence where it begins, and bold the last sentence where it ends so that you know where to skip it. I promise you won't miss out on too much that you can get from the rest of the chapter. However, whatever you see here will not cross the T age (Probably will toe it, though), except for maybe language.

And now, for my anonymous reviews:

Enzo - Oh yeah, I have an AO3 account too that I hardly ever update though I probably should. It's just, I kind of want to do it slowly there so that I don't post all the chapters at once and have people get overwhelmed haha. Though, I think that account will probably have the full story because of the restrictions on this site in terms of sex. As for Praline seeing Alternis going into a beauty salon... ah, well it'd be interesting to see, eh? I think we'll get our answer the next chapter (not this one). Thanks for your review! I sincerely appreciate it.

A friend - For what prompted me to write it... well, I kind of felt like the ending was, like you said kind of open-ended. There was still so much left that it sort of felt like Bravely Default ended on a beginning. By beginnings I mean; Agnès must essentially rebuild the Crystal Orthodoxy by herself, Edea's declarations towards the end, and Tiz had to go back to rebuild Norende, and Ringabel went back home. There's a lot of rebuilding there and I wanted to write a story about what comes after major events and wars and how the real damage comes afterward. There was also the fact that although I loved the characterizations of all the games, I felt like the world-building was a little lacking, and I wanted to explore each region a little more. I started writing it before I heard any news about Bravely Second (Aside from the trailer in-game) so it'll probably not be canon at all to the series, haha. But I think your thoughts also encapsulate this as well, life kind of just goes on and the adventure never ends. As for the slow pace of the story; yeah you're right about that. I tend to write stories that are more character-driven than plot-based nowadays so that's probably why the pacing is slow ^^; also, I'm not sure if you've noticed this but each region will have it's own story. For Ancheim it was Edea figuring out how to unite the nations, for Florem, you'll see what that is. Caldisla will focus on Tiz, and I can't spoil too much of Eisen... but I'm sure you know that Eternia will be the end and it'll be about the whole Krov business as well as whether or not Edea ought to make the decision on the throne. Towards the end, Praline is talking about Alternis, definitely not Ringabel, ahaha. Hopefully updates this month will be a lot quicker because I have a lot of time on my hands, but thank you for your kind words and for the review, friend!

And without further ado, here we go!

It had thirty minutes until I met Rose, so I donned my Theif costume to steal off for the night. Ever since I stopped trying to keep my face and demeanor covered, I'd had a lot of offers from men who wished to court me. It was getting annoying and to get from point A to B took at least twenty minutes longer than usual because I was stopped a lot by men. It rankled me to think that all these men had a shot to the Eternian throne. Ha! As if.

My only comfort was that I wasn't alone in this. Men also flocked to Agnès as well, though not as much as they did me. I think it was because she was a religious figurehead, and they thought they had zero chance with a pure woman. Agnès had explained to me a few weeks ago about one detail of being a vestal. "It's very rare that vestals marry. Most end up being virginal for life simply because their duties call for lavishing their attention on the Crystals first and foremost but there have been times over the years that vestals have met a certain someone who has made their life more whole. However, because vestals hardly choose romance most people believe that we must remain virginal for the rest of our lives."

"Oh, that's cool," I said at the time. "So does that mean you still have a shot with Tiz?"

"Edea!" She went a deep red, and then glanced around quickly as if Tiz, who was all the way in Norende, could hear me. "Not so loud," she stammered. "I don't know what you're talking about, in any case."

"Of course not," I said, trying not to smile. But after that conversation, I'd noticed Agnès take full advantage of the fact that people thought vestals had to remain virgins. It didn't stop the men from looking though, and look they did. They gave long, lingering glances toward her filled with lust and it made me uncomfortable to no end.

I supposed Agnès was the kind of woman that every man wanted to have; she had a pure, almost naïve mind when it came to sexual affairs and a beautiful face, but her body was almost sinful in the way it was curvy. She had no idea about the kind of beauty she possessed and when somebody called it to her attention, she blushed and became embarrassed by it. She was the fantasy that every man wanted. In a sense, I was kind of jealous of her.

I knew it was wrong, but sometimes I tried to compare myself to her and I came up woefully short. My face was probably cute at best if it wasn't scowling all the time thanks to my need to look tough, and I hardly had any breasts. There was nothing "soft" about my body after years and years of relentless training. I was bold, too bold to be a woman. There was nothing demure about me. I supposed the only man who'd want me was a man who was willing to be controlled, but that wasn't the kind of man I was looking for either.

But the way I was still didn't stop the men here from crowding me. It was starting to get annoying, which was why I'd worn my Theif costume. I hadn't applied the asterisk on because I didn't want somebody here to spot weapons on me and think I was going psycho; my fists would be enough anyway.

I stole down one of the streets. I'd gotten directions to the Fontaine Salon a few hours ago, but in dim lighting it was harder to figure out where I was. After a few minutes of thinking, I figured I'd gone the opposite way I was supposed to and cursed aloud. Ten minutes had passed. I needed to be there in another twenty minutes and I hated being late. My sense of direction was starting to rival Agnès's right now. I walked up to a girl who had long golden locks tumbling down her back. She was flirting with two men, judging by the way she kept tossing her hair out and the way she stood straight so that her boobs popped out a little more. The men were totally eating it up. I rolled my eyes. When I was young, I'd always wanted to visit Florem but the women here were almost disgusting.

I forced a smile on my face and strode over to the girl. "Excuse me," I said politely. The girl paid no attention to me, but the two men immediately noticed.

"You're that girl of Eternia!"

They sounded so dumb. "Yes," I said, making my voice as saccharine as possible. "I'm that girl of Eternia."

Forced to finally acknowledge me, the girl turned towards me. "What?" she asked and there was so much attitude thrown into that one word that I nearly took a step backward.

"Sorry to bother you-"

"No bothering at all!" the other man said. I fought the urge to just walk away. "What can we do for you?"

"I was looking for the Fontaine Salon. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

The girl laughed, her voice shrill. "Fontaine Salon?" She gave me a once over that suggested she didn't like what she saw. "You'll need a little more help than that place. Your lips are too thin, and your eyes are totally washed out. I suggest making them a little more purple and getting a little silicone implanted in those lips. Your hair needs to be a little darker, it's too light for your skin which could also do with a bit of a tan. Besides, Rose is such a bitch anyway."

"Um, thanks," I said, unsure if I meant it. I suddenly wished the earth would swallow me. "But I need to get to Fontaine Salon."

"Well you're obviously going the wrong way. It's over on Freesia Avenue which is about six or seven blocks away."

"Freesia Avenue?" one of the men said. "I think I've been there before, haven't we, Ivan?"

"Uh, yeah." He stole a look at me. "We could take you there if you want."

The last thing I wanted was for these buffoons to walk me there, but I only had fifteen minutes to reach Rose. If they made a move on me, I think I could take them out. I said, "Only if you can get me there in fifteen minutes."

"We sure can," the first man said. "You comin', babe?" he turned to look at the girl who looked thoroughly annoyed that I'd taken her dates for the night.

"Yeah right. I need a man who won't abandon me at the first ugly thing he sees," she said, glaring at me.

I bristled at that. "How generous," I murmured sarcastically.

We walked down the streets, each man on either side. "So, how are you liking Florem so far?" asked Ivan. "Definitely a city of love, eh? Beats Eisen, where we're from anyway." He meant to nudge me subtly, perhaps as a flirtatious move, but it felt like he elbowed me instead.

I shrugged. When I'd traveled this place with Ringabel, I certainly thought so. The ambience and overall atmosphere of the way the place was built certainly contributed. Now that I was back and with the abundance of men here, this place looked more like a trussed up version of the red light district in Eternia and it saddened me. For a place that was strictly matriarchal, it seemed like now Florem was now more about pleasuring men. While I was trying to keep an open mind, I only wished that the festival was about appreciating women in general, rather than outward beauty. Everything here was so materialistic, that even I had trouble keeping up. I hated to admit it, but I almost preferred Ancheim to this, though I wouldn't say it aloud.

The first man suddenly stopped in front of a narrow, dimly lit alley. "I think this is a shortcut."

Ivan nodded. "Uh yeah. A shortcut."

Dubiously, I eyed it. It was dark with a few trashcans. The place screamed dodgy. The only light sources there were from lights on the main street. "I think I'll pass."

The first man grabbed my arm. "Aw, come on. Didn't you say you wanted to get there on time?"

"Let go of me," I wrenched my arm from him, but the second guy grabbed my other arm too. His grip was far more tighter. It suddenly dawned on me how stupid I was for coming here and suddenly I wished that stuck up girl with the blonde hair had come along. Panic was starting to constrict my throat, and I wasn't sure why. They were just two stupid guys. I'd dealt with so many other boys in Kamiizumi's dojo. I couldn't understand why my pulse was racing the way it was.

"Easily spooked, aren't you?" Ivan said, who'd resumed his grip on me. He started to drag me towards the alley. "Always wanted to know how it'd feel to fuck a princess, didn't you, Vlad?"

"I'm not a princess," I said, raising my voice, hoping somebody would hear. "Let go of me, or I'll scream!" My brain was useless. All of a sudden, I wasn't Edea, Master Kamiizumi's protégé, and all around tough girl. I was just another squirming girl, who would probably get raped. I wasn't even sure what to expect. My heel snagged into the dirt as they dragged me and I dug into the ground suddenly.

"Scream?" one of the men - Vlad, maybe - said. "Oh babe, you don't know how Florem works. You ought to take this as a compliment. All women here do. Just means you're too pretty to resist."

I opened my mouth to scream but my throat had closed up so tightly, I couldn't get a sound out.

The worst part was I knew that once it was over, the thing that would bother me the most was that I didn't attack them back, that I was weak. I'd always prided myself on being strong.

No. I couldn't let that happen. I had to find a way out of this shaking madness within me.

I closed my eyes tightly, and tried to calm down by taking deeper breaths. It helped a little, just enough for me to wrench my hand out of one of the men's grasps. I tried not to think, but just do what came naturally. I fisted one of my hands into a fist and swung upward, hoping it connected somewhere. It struck the chest of Ivan, and I heard the hiss of that man's breath as I literally knocked the wind out of him. I heard him stumble backward, but there was no time to check to see what he was up. I turned to Vlad who attempted to grab me. I dodged, and grabbed his arm and with all the strength I had, I quickly pulled him down. I watched them both for a moment, stunned that I'd actually managed to disarm them both. It had to be luck.

My heart was beating wildly, but I pretended not to care. I couldn't care, because if I cared right now, I knew I'd lose all my bravado. "If you think I'm going to forget this incident, you're wrong. Florem will know what you've done."

Vlad wheezed out a laugh, looking up at me from the floor. "You think Florem cares? There's no laws about this kind of stuff here. That's what makes it so damn great." I stamped on his back, forcing him to shut up. I brought my foot down again and again until I saw blood pooling out from underneath his face.

"I hope there's no law against that, but even if there was, it wouldn't prevent me from killing you," I said, but it had none of the punch that I desired. I was shaking all over. I knew I couldn't hold back anymore. I walked out of the other side of the alley and as soon as the soft lights of the city were brighter I squatted, wrapping my arms around my knees and tucking my head inward. I started to rock back and forth, unaware of my surroundings, just that there were people and I'd never been happier of that.

A few minutes later, I allowed myself to cry. Around me, women walked and though there were so many people I'd never felt so alone. After a few minutes, I stood up and started searching for the Fontaine Salon, wondering why I even bothered to come here. This kingdom was obviously damaged beyond repair. Tears still streaming down my face, I somehow managed to locate the Fontaine Salon. Despite what those horrible men did, they'd been right; that alley was a shortcut.

I no longer wanted to go inside and I almost didn't, but at the last second, I wiped my face, noting that the skin on my knuckles had been split open and that my thief costume was covered in dirt. Well, no matter. I just hoped that my punches had hurt those men more than it did myself.

The shop sign said closed, but Rose had said if I knocked, she'd let me in so I did. As I waited, I slumped against the wall beside the door feeling dirty and exhausted and weary. All I wanted to do was to go home. I'd seen enough violence for several lifetimes. What was I still doing here? Why couldn't Father have sent Alternis to do this job?

A faint tinkle announced the doors opening and I saw Rose peer out expectantly, before spotting my silhouette. "You're late," she began to say but then she took a closer look at me and frowned. "Did you fall?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Rose took my hand and I flinched away from her. She put her arms up in a surrendering gesture. "Get inside," she commanded. "You look like a mess."

I hesitated for a moment before I walked inside slowly. She closed the door behind her and locked it before peering at me in the harsh salon light. Now that I was in bright light, she could see me better and judging by the reaction on her face, I knew I looked like hell. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I said. If I denied it, maybe it didn't happen. Except my fingers were still shaking.

Rose crossed her arms. "Edea," she said sternly.

"Two men a-attempted to rape me. But I managed to get away before they could do anything."

Rose's face relaxed slightly. "So you got away then?" She turned away from me, grabbing a towel. She turned the sink on and suddenly I was enraged at how casually she was treating me.

"Did you just hear me?" I said, my voice a little stronger. I clung to that anger like a drowning person would to life saver. Anger was something I was familiar with. "I was almost raped."

Rose finally faced me, the wet towel in her hands. "Of course I heard you, Edea and I'm sorry that happened to you but you're not special in this. More often than not, women are forced to do sexual acts against their will in Florem and the culprit - man or woman - usually gets away with it. There's no penalty. Rape is a word that does not exist in Florem so it certainly is not a crime."

I listened to her words with a stunned look glazing my face. "How... How is that possible?"

Rose shrugged. "The Matriarch governs the laws here and that particular law has not changed in years. It would take a lot of pressure to make a motion now." She gestured to one of her salon chairs. "Now have a seat."

Numbly, I made my way over. "T-that's outrageous."

"That's Florem." Rose made her way towards me and gently knelt on one knee so that she was facing me at eye-level. Then she brought the towel to my face and gently began to rub off the sweat and tears. The towel was damp and hot and comforting. Her hands were so gentle and caressing that I calmed down a little more. Even if Rose was talking about the incident in such a casual way, as if she didn't care about what had just happened to me, I understood that she really did understand how I felt otherwise she wouldn't be treating me so gently. She ran the towel to my knuckles. I winced at the way it stung as she cleaned the raw skin off there. "I'm surprised they had the guts to go after you, though. If your father hears of this I'm sure they'd be dead."

"I'm not telling him," I said immediately.

Rose didn't react to that at all, except that she ceased rubbing at my skin for a moment. "If that's what you desire. But they'd be walking free."

"I can't tell my father," I whispered. The shame that was choking my insides was too great. I'd been so stupid and naïve, and I thought if I told Father everything, he'd definitely tell me how stupid and weak I was for willingly going along with two strange men and then having my training kick in so late.

Rose said nothing to that. Instead, all she said was, "Let's get you out of these clothes."

We spent the next two hours going over make up, and what her plan was for me. She also showed me photographs of past clients but my heart wasn't into it. All I wanted to do was find Agnès or curl up under a blanket and sleep. But I managed to keep up the facade that I actually cared. I wasn't sure if Rose noticed my disinterest; she probably did.

Toward the end she took a deep breath. "I suppose I promised you one final thing before you make a decision on whether to book me as your style team or not."

"Oh yeah?" I asked.

Rose crossed her arms. "You wanted me to show you how I looked without my make up."

Oh, right. I flushed at that memory, about the way I'd been so insolent. "It's okay, you don't have to..."

"I want to." She walked off and for a moment I was left in silence. I struggled not to cry again and forced myself to buck-up. It could have been worse, right? I could have actually been dragged into that alley and came out of it totally broken. I'd escaped.

Not for the first time did I revisit the time DeRosa had managed to nab all those girls, me included. It seemed like every single time I came here, I did something stupid that landed me in these kinds of situations. I fisted my hand, feeling the sting of the split skin on my knuckles opening up. I felt helpless.

When Rose walked out she was a completely different person. I stared at her; Her eyes were actually a dark brown. Her nose was rounder and her lips seemed less pouty and thinner. Her cheekbones were not as prominent and her whole face looked a lot more circular. But the most telling thing on her face was the large, slightly puckered scar that cut a jagged line across her nose. It was the first thing that I was staring at and I found that I could not look away.

"Ugly, isn't it?" she said, and for the first time I could detect a tremor in her voice. I understood the enormity of what she'd just done for me, showing me her real face was something she'd probably never done to anyone else.

"Um..." I said, unsure of what to say. I wanted to tell her "no" but I knew that if I did she wouldn't appreciate it if I said otherwise. I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth even if she knew it herself so instead I asked, "What happened?"

Rose turned away, covering her face, as if that could block my memory of how she looked. "I told you that most women of Florem get raped at least once in their lives. Most women just go with it; it's better for them to just go with the flow and act like they wanted it because that way they get to preserve their looks as much as possible. But I did something dumb. I fought, and my attacker tried to shut me up by breaking a glass against my face and as a result I ended up with this scar. It actually looked a lot worse before, but I got a bunch of surgeries to make it look like this. I was so angry that they took my beauty from me that I wanted justice. So I told anybody I could and for awhile there were a few women who were with me. But when we protested in front of the Matriarch's Palace, all she said was that she couldn't do anything. The women I gathered with me slowly lost their hope as time passed and eventually stopped pushing altogether. So I did too.

"But the damage was done. After that, nobody would visit my salon because they considered me some sort of radical. There was also the fact that when other salons hopped onto the Orochi dye and fairy wing craze, I didn't want to do that either."

"Why are you telling me this?" But I think I knew the answer already.

Rose turned around. She pointed at her face. "Take a good look at what lies behind the glitz and glam, Edea. You may already have after today. This place used to be a safe haven for women. Now all it's become is an enemy for women. We abandon our baby boys, yet don't bat an eye when a man overseas abuses us. Throughout it all, the women here pretend that everything is fine, when nothing will forever be the same for women like you and I. Don't you find something sickening about that?" She went back to the mirror and started to reapply her make up. She popped in her contacts first. "When I first heard of you, and the kind of person you were, I was relieved and I vowed that I'd do anything in my power to get you noticed. I want you to win so that you can change some of the laws around here. Because I can't anymore. My reputation has been tarnished beyond my control. I need you, Edea. And it's selfish of me to say that, but it's true. I need you for selfish reasons like restarting my salon, it's true. But I need you to make a difference."

I listened carefully. Part of me wanted to say no, but I knew I'd regret it if I just walked away. She was right. Something in Florem had to change. "Alright," I said quietly. "Alright.

Edea,

I must say it is a pleasant surprise to hear from you after some time. I have heard some news from Ancheim and was pleased to hear you'd reforged an alliance with them. Of course, this was not the way I would have done it, but I am slowly learning that not all of my children must choose their own paths and sometimes that does not include the ways I taught them to do so.

It is good you are using that Wind Vestal to the greatest of your advantage. I realize she may be your friend, but I hope I do not need to remind you that your duty to Eternia comes first which is why I feel I must also commend you on using your friendship with her to your greatest advantage. Capitalize on it as well as that other friendship you had with that boy from Norende. As for this vestaling you speak of in Florem, I had indeed alerted Victoria about the potential vestaling. At the time, I'd asked Artemia to scout for the Water Vestal and the only lead we had gotten were those letters being sent to the vestaling. When I sent Victoria to take her out, she must have ensured that no other vestal should take her place though with Victoria it's hard to say. Perhaps we shall never know since Victor and Victoria are no longer of this world.

As for Alternis, his was indeed a tragic story. I do not have to tell you about the problematic way in which Florem deals with its men. While the kingdom's inhabitants are mainly women, it becomes a source of shame when one of its people bears a son. In normal circumstances, if a male child is born to a Floremese woman, she will deliver it to whom she believes is the father to raise and the son shall never know who his mother is. But in rare circumstances where the woman cannot be sure who the father is, or the father is unwilling to accept a child born out of wedlock, she will kill the child, or abandon it. Such is the harsh reality of Florem. When I found Alternis, he was roaming the sewers, as he has probably said to you in the past. Most of the boys of Florem live there, but not for very long because they either die due to disease, starvation, or they simply leave with any travelers who take pity upon them, though that seldom happens since most of the travelers who visit Florem in the first place are to seek the pleasures of flesh and beauty. Very rarely do these boys even reach an age where they have memories. This tradition may seem ugly to you, but it is a tradition that has plagued Florem for centuries now, when its sense of matriarchal society grew out of hand.

Alternis, as you know, was about ten years old when I found him which was surprising. Most boys who stay in those sewers do not live beyond five years of age. You may ask how I know Alternis was ten if he'd been abandoned. The reason for this was that he'd been abandoned at a later age. While most boys are abandoned within the first few months after birth, Alternis had been abandoned when he was of three years of age which leads me to wonder what kind of woman his mother was or the circumstances as to why she abandoned him as she did. Even more puzzling is why she had decided to keep him for so long as that is not in custom with Floremese tradition. When I found Alternis, I found him to be brighter than the rest of the boys simply because he'd been taken care of for a longer time than they had. He shone as a leader, taking it upon himself as a boy who cared for the other abandoned boys to the best of his abilities. While he knew how to talk and could recite the alphabet when he was abandoned, my suspicions were that he taught himself to read and write and talk with a bigger vocabulary using shop signs in Florem and to pick up on language spoken by the women. He taught the other boys who were old enough to walk how to read and write and steal food at night when Florem had gone to sleep. I chanced upon him while taking a stroll around midnight and followed him to the sewers, but the only boy there who really stood out was Alternis. I was impressed with the way he built himself up on practically nothing so I told him to come with me.

He was hesitant at first; he didn't want to abandon his boys, and I suspect that even though his hatred for Florem ran deep (I could see his vehemence for this place even as a boy so young as he), he had still considered it his home. But the prospect of having a new family to care for him for a change was too tempting for him. His ambitions and desperation to break free won him over, and the boys he had led for so long felt divided over his decision to leave. On one hand they understood, but at the same time there was a deep sense of betrayal and jealousy there. When Alternis left me, I knew he was having second thoughts even after he made his choice. All these years, he wanted to go back, but I never allowed him because I knew his personal life might hinder him from his role as a prominent member of the Council of Six. I was also afraid that his presence there might cause a stir; for Alternis was abandoned at an age that struck him the hardest. He was old enough to remember the injustice of it all, and I do not think he has forgotten the bitter taste Florem has left him with. You would do well to keep a closer eye on him, Edea. For as much love that we Lees have showered upon him and made him one of our own, there are some things that cannot ever be healed.

I hope this answers some of your questions, daughter, about Alternis.

Yours sincerely

Braev Lee

P.S. You need not concern yourself with Krov. He is your mother's and I's problem. We are still in the process of figuring out who this may be but I've come to wonder if I've met him before. He seems somewhat familiar. But for now, please focus on the rest of Luxendarc. Eternia's problems are my problems as of now.

Again, I'm sorry this was such a dark chapter compared to the others. It's kind of different from the others in the sense that I was writing it I felt that it almost came out of nowhere? But at the same time that was the kind of feeling I wanted to go for because while I love Florem and I think it's so pretty, I can't help but think that it's probably one of the most problematic societies in Luxendarc. Everything that happened in these chapters in-game was just so dark...

In other news, I know we've been missing Alternis for some time, but we'll get to him, don't worry! Next chapter, I promise. At least we know his past now, eh?

As always, thanks for being so patient and for sticking with me thus far. I can't believe it's already the end of 2014! I started this in June and I've stuck with this thus far. This is the longest I've ever stuck with a story that I've consistently updated. Reviews/follows/favs whatever are, as always, appreciated. Until next time!