Thanks for being so patient and loyal as ever! This was an even longer wait, eh? Truth is, I've hardly gotten time to be on my laptop which is where I write. Can't write for beans on my phone, the way quite a few of you can, I'm sure. Signs of getting old. Also, holy long!chap alert! This one clocks in at 7K and would've been longer, but I had to cut it off where it was because if I didn't I probably would've spent at least another 3K words on this and it would've been exhausting, I'm sure.

Also, I know my author's notes are so annoyingly long especially with the answers I have to do on here so after this chapter, I'm probably just going to refrain from answering anon reviews unless there's a specific question or because I did something really dumb and inconsistent in my story. This'll probably be the last time I do the big ol' answer thing. If you do wanna talk and ask me questions and stuff, I actually recently opened my asks on my tumblr sideblog dedicated to bravely default. I think you can find it on my profile.

Enzo: Thanks for your review and I'm just relieved that nobody thought the content from the last chapter wasn't handled properly, and I'm sorry you had to experience such a horrible thing happen. Though I'm glad nothing happened in your situation, I can see why it could be a horrible and uncomfortable situation. While I haven't been subjected to a lot of those sort of uncomfortable situations, I can say that since I was in fourth grade I've been subjected to men who try to satisfy their own urges and I've always grappled with the question of why, when it comes to these kinds of situations, victims sometimes freeze. One of the things I love about Edea is that she's really strong and fiercely independent and such a badass (I think she has the strongest physical strength in-game, but correct me if I'm wrong!) but at her core, she's still really vulnerable and sensitive when it comes to things like her friendship with Agnés, and maybe even a little with Alternis, and her issues with her father. I wanted to bring some of that element of the fact that she's not as unbreakable as her initial impression may seem. Ah, but jeez, I'm rambling. Thanks again for your review!

A friend: Thanks so much for reviewing! It's always a pleasure reading your thoughts about everything! To be honest, I haven't played many FF games... the only one I've played as a matter of fact was Final Fantasy 4 (with Cecil, Kain, Rydia etc.) and I loved it which is why, when I played the demo to this game, and noticed a few similarities (duh, since it's SE after all!) I knew I had to play it out and then it's history from there. I agree with you about the monotony of the last half of the game. Even though we get a few lovely surprises... like having most of the asterisk-bearers fleshed out and so much more interesting (Though Profiteur, Qada etc., are still awful) it still got really annoying and I was sad that the creators couldn't make the last half a lot more interesting and different. And yes, you do have a point about the world-building... I never really thought about world-building for this fic in the beginning, but I guess once I realized what kind of direction this one was headed, I knew I had to expand on Luxendarc especially since a lot of it deals with the aftermath of war. Anyway, thank you for your words of encouragement and your kind words make me feel super happy! No worries about any misconceptions about the pacing of my story! We're already 70k into this big ol' thing and Alternis and Edea haven't made much progress in the romance department, haha, so even if you did think it was really slow, I wouldn't blame you.

And without further ado, here we go!

Florem's oldest, and largest library was not that far off from the palace. It had only taken me two minutes to reach there by foot. Two minutes of making sure I was within crowds and avoiding dark alleys and secluded areas. I couldn't work myself to ask Agnés along, let alone Alternis just for comfort's sake. First off, it was strange in the beginning that I was headed to a library in the first place. Though I'd read reports, gathering voluntary information wasn't really my thing. Books weren't my thing either and I'd spent most of my life trying to avoid studies if I could help it. I was well-versed in using my fists; they were what I used to get information, not reading.

But I knew that in order to tackle the problem that was currently plaguing Florem, I'd have to find out what the source was in the beginning. My instincts told me that Florem wasn't always this way; that it wasn't always a place that allowed rape willingly and simultaneously killed off all the men and since Florem was one of the oldest kingdoms in Luxendarc, I knew that the problem had to have stemmed earlier than any living soul could tell me. I'd asked Rose if there were any historians or history buffs but she told me she didn't know. "As far as I know," she said, biting her lip, "The only lovers of our history were the acolytes and the Water Vestal herself. And, well, you know what happened to them."

I did.

I wondered if Agnés knew anything. In our little group, she and Ringabel had been the ones who sought information in books. Before she met Tiz, Ringabel and I, she had considered Olivia to be her closest friend and therefore the closest source of information I might have had on hand toward what Olivia knew. Any scrap of information could prove useful.

Unfortunately, Agnés had her own problems. The vestaling that Olivia had her eye one was, "promising" Agnés said, "but there's something inside her preventing her from revealing her true potential. Something dark." I bit my lip at that; I suspected I knew what it was. Losing her mother to a sadist like Victoria would inevitably take a huge toll on her. I recalled how the Matriarch had said she'd found her lost outside of Florem.

The only information Agnés had for me was to search for a book that Olivia had mentioned to Agnés when they used to correspond through letters. "It was a book about early Floremese history. I remember it being strange because it was a restricted book. Not just anybody could read it, which was odd because there aren't such forms of censorship in Ancheim."

I stared up at the library in front of me now. It was a massive building with ageless arches and a sort of grace that seemed to only strengthen with time. It was impressive architecture, that was for sure. I also noticed that not a lot of people were headed in and out. Floremese citizens must carry the same attitude that I did towards books; use them only when needed.

I stole up the stone steps, my feet light. At my side was my sword. Ever since that night where I'd nearly been raped, I was sure to carry Ise-no-kami with me at all times. It was foolish how lax I'd been since this whole conquest; I'd been so used to taking somebody with me, that I never bothered to carry a weapon but now I did. I wouldn't be caught off guard anymore. This time, I'd be prepared with my blade.

I entered the library. The ceiling was very high, easily stretching beyond seventy feet and there was a hushed silence, not unlike the silence that I found in each temple that housed crystals. I saw women here and there flitting about, dressed in form-fitting gray frocks. Those had to be the librarians.

There were a few regularly dressed women who were browsing the shelves that stretched almost to the ceiling. The shelves backed against the walls had stairs at each level. The shelves that were in the middle had ladders that rolled from side to side of the shelves if you pushed yourself along. My mouth dropped at these. Though Eternia's central library was far more impressive, Florem's was impressive in its own right. I wondered if I'd be able to have fun on some of these rolling ladders without getting into too much trouble.

"Can I help you, Miss?" a librarian asked me. She was extremely short, so I had to look down at her, and she had glasses perched at the tip of her nose which was unusual; I'd rarely seen women wear glasses here unless it was as a fashion accessory. This girl's glasses were thin-wired and circular, and extremely unfashionable. I did a double-take; she wore no makeup.

"Y-yes," I said, recovering from staring at her for so long. "I wanted to read up on Florem history." Which was a partial lie; I could think of many other less horrible ways to spend my afternoons. I didn't want to read up on Florem history, but I knew I needed to.

The woman - or rather girl, for this one couldn't be older than sixteen - pushed her glasses up to her nose. "How far back did you want to go?"

"How far back do you have available?"

"Well, I can get you up to two-hundred years ago. That's as far as we go for public records."

I frowned. That wouldn't do at all. Eternia was almost a millenia old. Florem had to be almost as old. I put on a sugary sweet smile. "What about something older?"

Her gaze at me turned curious. "Anything further than that, that mentions dates older than two-hundred years back would be in the restricted section. The only way you'd be permitted access is if you had express orders from the Head Librarian or the Matriarch herself. Shouldn't you know that?"

Thinking fast, I simpered, "I'm not from here actually. I'm the Matriarch's esteemed guest. Perhaps you've heard of me? Edea Lee, future ruler to Eternia?" I said it with just the right amount of practiced embarrassment and guilt in my voice that I'd resorted to name-dropping. If I had to be honest though, I wasn't ashamed of what I had to do at all. I might as well use anything to my advantage which included my prominent position.

It worked - the librarian's face changed from one of suspicion to one of wonderment. "You don't look like you're really from here," she said, studying my Eternian paleness. Even though Floremese women were fairer than Ancheim's citizens, they were still darker than us. "Prove that you're Edea," she suddenly said.

I shrugged. "How am I supposed to prove that it's really me?"

"I've read up on you," she responded, a little breathless.

Now I was intrigued. "There are records of me?" I felt kind of flattered.

"Well, not much, but there are records being made, now that you've had a hand in closing up that mysterious chasm. Well, there are rumors anyway. Nobody knows for sure how it disappeared, but a lot of people said you and the Wind Vestal had something to do with it along with two others. Is it true you're friends with her?" she said this all in one breath.

"Uh, yeah. We're pretty close," I responded hesitantly, a little unnerved by her sudden rapid-fire questions.

"So the fact that you're Anti-Crystalist and she's a prominent member of the Orthodoxy doesn't matter?"

"Well, we'll always have our diff-"

"Did you really close up that chasm that appeared on Caldisla?"

I was starting to grow a little irritated by her questions. I tapped the hilt to Ise-No-Kami. "It opened up in Norende actually and wiped out the whole village. I'm afraid I can't answer all your questions," I said. "I'm a little busy right now, and it's important I get those documents." Suddenly, an idea struck. I unsheathed Ise-No-Kami. The tiny girl flinched.

"This is the Ise-no-kami. It was gifted to me by my master and as far as I know I'm the only one who carries it."

The girl's eyes shone in wonderment. She eyeballed the sword which had since dulled since Master Kamiizumi bequeathed it to me. I hadn't cleaned or sharpened it since coming home. Part of me didn't want to just because I felt like if I did, I'd be cleaning off the memories attached to the sword.

The girl inspected it for a few more minutes, before I said, "Is that enough proof that I'm who I say I am?"

She nodded, so I sheathed the sword and faced her, hip cocked and arms folded. I waited for her verdict. She bit her lip.

"The truth is, it doesn't matter if you were special friends with the Matriarch. I'd need a special note from the our leader herself to allow you to peruse our restricted records." She looked apologetic, and then her expression grew fearful as she watched my face tighten in anger. "But!" she said, "I'd be happy to assist you. If you come after hours... at night perhaps..."

"No," I said flatly. There was no way in Eisen's hell that I'd venture out at night in Florem. I was armed, to be sure, but what really bothered me was the fact that even if I was armed, I still wouldn't be able to fight back.

What haunted me the most about that night wasn't the fact that two men had the audacity to think they could rape me; it was really the fact that I hadn't fought back. Why hadn't I? I knew I could take them on even without being armed. After all, I was pretty strong and had won my fair share of brawls with the other boys in Master Kamiizumi's dojo.

The thought of wandering Florem's streets at night with nobody I trusted was unbearable. I thought about asking Theo or Agnés or Alternis but I couldn't even bring myself to tell them what a coward I'd been. I'd never been in this kind of position before. "No," I repeated again, this time a little softer, because the girl looked taken aback by my first no. "I really do need those records, though. Is there some other way I could get that information?"

The girl frowned, her eyes drifting from librarian to librarian. "Well, I suppose... if you tell me what you're looking for specifically, I might be able to deliver it to you personally."

I considered her proposal. On one hand, I didn't want her dragged into this. What if I told her that the reason I needed to learn about Florem's history was to change laws that had been in place for hundreds of years? As an outsider, this was something that I had no authority over, and I wasn't sure this girl would like me saying that some problems of her society were heavily problematic. "I'm just curious to get a feel of Florem. You know, it's conception, how the males are treated here... that sort of thing." I smiled, hoping that it didn't sound too suspicious.

I could have sworn that the girl gave me a strange, almost thoughtful look, but a second later it vanished. "I'll see what I can find and I'll have it delivered by tomorrow night. I'm Kaimi by the way."

"It's nice to meet you," I responded. On impulse, I said, "Don't go out at night. I'll send somebody to fetch it from you."

The first thing that clued me that I was getting nearer was the foul stench that pervaded the outskirts of Florem. I knew I was reaching one of the mouths of the sewers here.

My plan was to send Alternis to get the book from Kaimi but as usual, I couldn't find him. It had been my original plan anyway to talk to him about his past. When I read Father's letter, a torrent of emotions coursed through me. I couldn't imagine Alternis as a little, malnourished boy having to make such an impossible decision; to choose a life of living amongst humans, or to simply survive amongst those he considered his family. My heart nearly tore in two. It was a cruel decision and I wished that Father could have taken all the boys along rather than just Alternis.

What would I have chosen, if it had been me? Would I picked myself over those who needed me?

Things made a lot more sense about our past now. I never bothered to peruse our childhood together that much but I recalled all the times Alternis refused to play with me. At the time, I'd simply thought it was a case of being homesick or something. It never occurred to me that the only girls he'd ever known were responsible for treating him like less than an animal.

I gripped the hilt of my weapon, and finally located an opening. Dirty water was emptying into one of the rivers. For a moment, I watched the brownish-green water, my stomach roiling at the thought of having to wade through it. I was utterly repulsed. For a second, I wondered if I could just send Theo in but I remembered the first time I'd laid eyes on Alternis.

I remember him looking at me with cold eyes, eyes that should never have to belong to any ten year old. I remembered the hollow of his cheeks, the gray shadows that dusted underneath his eyes and most importantly I realized that his eyes showed that he was never whole and could never be whole. I remembered looking at him, young as I was, and being so afraid and yet... and yet...

I'd felt so sorry for him.

It was an emotion I knew Alternis would never appreciate because it was an emotion that I never wanted people to feel for me, yet there I was, pitying him even all those years back. I was ashamed for even feeling it.

I took a firm step into the coursing water and began to walk against the current and up the slope. The rancid odor assailed my nostrils, making the journey almost unbearable. I'd heard so many stories of heroes, villains and assassins sneaking into kingdoms but none of them ever mentioned the overpowering odor. I gave up breathing through my nose, and instead used my mouth. The current was powerful, but my legs were too. With some difficulty, I managed to climb up the slope and into the actual sewer. Inside, the place was dank, and the water moved slowly, making my journey a little easier. It was big enough that I could stand, and had a circular passageway. I clung to the side, so that I could stay as dry as possible, though it was useless anyway; climbing up that current of sewage had already soaked me in at least a hundred different diseases.

I shivered, taking comfort at the sunlight that peeked through the cracks above. I felt slightly relieved at that; I was rusty at any sort of black magic, though I'd carried the asterisk with me just in case the place got too dark and I'd have to cast Fire.

I stole across the passageway. Aside from the occasional squeaking of what I thought were rats, and the sounds of water coursing through or dripping, I couldn't detect any footsteps aside from my own. I frowned; this was going to be harder than I'd thought. I knew all sewers were somewhat connected, but Florem was such a huge city that I knew the tunnels must be equally as huge.

For all I knew, the sewage system could be one, large labyrinth. I unsheathed my sword somewhat reluctantly. I had to be prepared, in case I got lost. I quickly carved a tiny 'X' into the wall next to me to remind myself that I'd come this way.

And that was what I did for roughly the next hour and a half. I came across two or three pronged pathways. Some of them led me back to the mouth, others led me on further. But as far as I knew, I was no closer to finding Alternis, or the other boys.

I'd also come across large, balding rats which made me shudder. I hated the fact that I was constantly in locations where they inhabited. These rats were even worse than the ones in Ancheim; balding and a little too friendly, if they got too close, I made a swipe at them with Ise-no-kami. The glint of steel usually was enough to set them back.

As I wandered through the sewers, my clothes becoming filthier by the second, and my nose becoming accustomed to the rankness of this place, I wondered what I would even say to Alternis. I'd already come to the conclusion that he wouldn't appreciate my prying into his past but I knew it was necessary for me to know.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, that I didn't notice somebody was following me. I noticed as I marked a stone for the fifteenth time. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a shadow darting away, but when I spun around, nothing was there.

"Who is there?" I called out, injecting as much strength as I could. I told myself to breathe easy, that whoever was present inside the sewers was probably who I was searching for anyway.

I held my sword in a defensive stance and continued cautiously toward where I thought I'd seen the shadow. The path turned sharply, and without thinking I took that turn.

Instantly, something hit me in the stomach, making me fall backward.

"Come into our territory, ya dirty whore?"

I fell into the sewage water with a strangled cry. Hours ago, I would have been appalled at having been knocked into that filthy water, but now I hardly cared, even feeling a little grateful that it was soft. Hands grabbed at me, and from the very dim lighting, I could make out that they were bony with dirty, uneven and long fingernails. They scrabbled against my skin and I began to panic. There had to be at least six pairs of hands.

All I could think about was that I couldn't be overpowered, not again. I squeezed my eyes shut, lashed out with my sword, and I felt it sink into something that was not stone. I heard a boy cry out - a keening, boyish wail that made the skin on my arms crawl and my heart almost stop - and then all of a sudden I heard a hiss. "She's armed. Didn't know she could use 'em 'pons!"

The hands let go of me, and I finally opened my eyes. I stared down at the water and to my utmost horror, I saw dull red coating the brownish water. I looked up and surrounding me were at least ten to fifteen boys, their hair matted and messy, their eyes a mixture of wariness and anger. My eyes traveled towards the source of blood. There was a boy, about eight, who wore only underwear. I could see his ribcage, and my sword was currently sticking into his shoulder. He was staring at me, his expression not unlike a dog who had just been severely injured. His face was like a sheet of paper, and I had to commend him for not outright crying or making any sudden movements. Maybe it was because he was in shock.

Horrified, I almost took my sword out. At the last second I realized if I did, I had nothing sterile to staunch the flow of blood and the place was too diseased. Surely it would get infected here of all places. But I couldn't just leave my sword in. I cursed myself, wishing I'd brought my Salve-maker, White Mage or even Spiritmaster asterisk, but all I had equipped on me was Dark Mage and my Knight. Neither of them would do; I needed Agnés.

"Hey," I said in what I hoped to be a reassuring voice. The boy flinched at my name. For some strange reason, he reminded me of Egil when we first rescued him. "Are you okay?" Inwardly, I felt really stupid. Here I was, asking if he was alright, while my sword was currently embedded in his shoulder.

The boy flinched at my voice. "Listen," I said in the same low voice. "Don't move. Don't try taking out my sword. If you do, I'll have nothing to put on your wound and you might lose a lot of blood."

For the first time, the boy spoke, and his voice was high-pitched. "It hurts."

"I know," I said. "I'm sorry. This was an accident." I raised my gaze to the boys who still surrounded me, poised to attack if necessary. "Can any one of you get help, or has any clean cloth?"

One of the boys gave an unkind laugh. "Hah! That's a joke right?"

I took a deep breath, trying to focus. This was bad. Very bad. I'd had a lot of blood on my hands in the past; I'd killed my friends, my peers, my teachers and had been prepared to even kill my own father. But never in my life had I killed a child. I wasn't about to cross that line too. The trouble was, none of these boys would believe me because I was a woman. I almost cried in frustration at my plight. How stupid was I?

If I'd been Agnés, I probably would make it worse. Though I doubted Agnés would find herself in this situation and neither would Tiz. Both were the kinds of people who thought before they struck; I was the complete opposite. I tried to think about what Ringabel would do in my current situation. He'd probably charm his way out of here if he could. Unfortunately I didn't have that sort of suaveness... neither did Alternis for that matter. Not for the first time did I stop to pause how different they were.

Alternis... "Alternis!" I shouted, my voice bouncing off the walls. My last hope.

The boys jumped back in surprise at my loud voice. "Do you know a boy named Alternis?" I asked breathlessly. I wasn't even thinking about pride in this moment. After all, it wasn't just my life on the line anymore; it was this boy and maybe the future of Florem if I was being more dramatic.

The boys all exchanged a looks toward one another. "Why should we tell you anything? As 'tis, the only reason you ain't dead yet is 'cause your sword is stickin' out of Pudge's chest."

"Shoulder," I corrected, and the boy who had just spoken only glared at me. I could definitely take on all these boys and win, but I knew that wasn't the right solution at all. "But that's neither here nor there. Look, I promise when I say that I meant no harm. What can I do to make you all trust me? Your friend is in desperate need of medical attention, and I fear the only person now who can help you is my... friend," I said, hesitating on the word. Friend was such an innocent word to use on Alternis because it barely scratched the surface. I cleared my throat. "So I'm asking again, do you know who Alternis is?"

One of the boys in the back - a smaller one - piped, "We do. Claimed to be one of us, 'smatter of fact. Hard to believe, he's so tall and strong, but 'e knew how to find us all the same." The older boy glared at him, but the smaller one looked determined and pointedly ignored him.

My heart throbbed painfully at the mention of Alternis claiming to be one of the boys, but I ignored it. I'd talk to Alternis later about his past. Right now, I had more pressing concerns. "Could one of you please go find him and get him? Tell him Edea Lee really needs his help and bring him to me. Tell him to bring some clean cloths and towels."

"An' why should we trust you? You might just be letting him go so you got less of us to fight," the first boy said. His face was so filthy that the only thing that really stood out were his coal-black eyes which glinted in the dim light angrily.

I took a deep breath, my mind coming to a conclusion. I was taking a big risk, but it was the only way to make them trust me. "One of your boys can hold the sword, and the rest of you can tie me up, if you'd like. Hold me as your prisoner." I was so against this idea, but I knew it was the only way to get these boys to trust me. I needed them to think I was powerless against them.

I saw doubt cloud the boy's eyes now. "That a joke? You'd really do that?"

"Pudge is in trouble. I don't know how the women are really like in Florem when it comes to you boys, but I'm not from here. If I see somebody hurt, I'll try to save them. As it is, we're wasting time here. The longer my sword stays in his body, the more his chances of surviving dwindle."

The boy flinched; he knew I was right. "Fine. Dip'll get him."

The smaller boy who had told me about Alternis, jumped to his feet and scrambled off without so much as looking back. In the meantime, this boy warily approached me with the rest. I allowed him to grasp the handle of Ise-no-kami, while the other boys unkindly took my arms and shoved them behind me. I felt a rough cord wind tightly around my wrists and I tried not to cry out. The last thing I wanted was to show them I was weak. I let them roughly handle me for a moment, trying to ignore how much their touch really made me uncomfortable. After binding my feet as well, a silence took over, broken only by the gentle drops of sewage water.

I stared at the boys, trying not to think about how vulnerable I was. A boy who hated me beyond belief was holding my sword and could stab me, before I summoned even an inkling of Fire. I had no way of defending myself for sure, since my Dark Magic was rusty. I wasn't sure I could even react in time to cast a spell, should the boy choose to take the sword out of Pudge and stab me. I recalled all the times I hated taking a guard with me but now I wished there was somebody with me. I could only pray that Dip found Alternis soon.

I hadn't even noticed the fact that the odor, once so repulsive and pungent, was now just background smell. It was only faintly distracting. My clothes were even worse, uncomfortably soaked with fluids that I tried not to think about. I tried to scoot myself over the wall, but the boys all took a step closer when I did, so I abandoned all thoughts of doing so.

Several minutes passed. "What's your name?" I asked the boy holding on to Ise-no-kami.

"Why should I tell you?" he snarled back. Now that my eyes were better accustomed to the dim lighting, I could see that his eyebrows seemed to be permanently locked into a frown.

"You know mine. It only seems fair," I said, trying to make my voice light. I didn't want to show them that I was regretting my proposal of willingly becoming some a hostage.

"Fairness?" he gave a sharp laugh. He gave me an angry look which forcibly reminded me of Alternis. "What would your kind know about fairness? Just because we wern' born women we're cast away."

"I know," I said. "It isn't fair." The ropes were cutting into my skin now, so I tried to shift my hands into a more comfortable position. I thought about the way gender was also unequal in Eternia. Women were expected to stay at home, while men had to work. It was almost lucky that Mother had only me; if she'd had a son I'd probably be pampered my whole life into that of a typical princess. Because Mother was fragile and nearly died giving birth to me, Father decided that they'd never have anymore children and I'd always suspected that because I was an only child and potential future ruler to Eternia, Master Kamiizumi took me in as a pupil.

I couldn't begin to understand the horror and fears that these boys had in comparison to the women in Eternia, but I understood some of the unfairness. By now, my hands were starting to numb. I watched the boy turn away from me, the look of scorn still on his face. He didn't believe I could sympathize with him. And why should he anyway? As far as he knew, every woman he'd met thus far treated him worse than a rat.

The sound of splashing water tore me away from my thoughts. That had to be Alternis and Dip. Unexpectedly, I felt my heart beat a little faster. It had been some time since I'd seen Alternis. Doubtless he'd be angry at the fact that I was here in the first place. He hadn't wanted me to see the ugly reality of where he lived.

The footsteps and splashes grew closer, until I was finally forced to look up. Through the dim lighting, I saw Alternis's face, his mouth drawn in a tight, worried line, searching for somebody until his eyes finally rested on me.

"Edea," he said, as if he couldn't quite comprehend that I was here. His hair was down, not in its elaborate updo like Ringabel's. Maybe I shouldn't have been here. I suddenly felt like I'd went too far landing myself here.

"Alternis," I said, a little relieved he was here, but still a little apprehensive. "The boy. You have to save him." I nodded in Pudge's direction.

Just then, Dip arrived a little breathlessly. In his hands he was holding onto a bunch of clean cloths and a two jars of something.

Alternis lifted his gaze from me to where I'd nodded at. I watched his face grow sharper into something like anger. "What did you do?" he asked, his voice betraying the tremors of an angry man who was barely keeping his fury at bay.

"It was an accident," I whispered, looking down at my my knees. "I was looking for you." It struck me how strange it was that I wasn't fighting with him. Maybe I was tired of arguing. Or maybe I knew that what I did, no matter the reasons behind it, were inexcusable. The cold numbness of my bound hands were gradually climbing up to my elbows.

I said the words I found so hard to say, so unbearably difficult. They were words I'd never wanted to say to Alternis of all people. "I need your help."

I wasn't looking at him when I said it, but I knew that he must've reacted in some way; he had to know how much I loathed it.

"Get that sword out of his shoulder when I say so," I heard him say in a clipped voice. "Get the towels and salve ready. We have to use it to clean that wound. The bandages too." His voice was like a leader's, and the boys seemed to know that. In just a short few days, they were already obeying him. My insides curled up but I couldn't tell if it was from pride or jealousy. Of course I'd be happy that these boys listened to him. Of course I admired him for this quality. But I couldn't help but have my pride wounded at the fact that the leadership stuff seemed to come too easy to him but I had to work at it. I couldn't help but bitterly think that while I'd been born to Father, a child whose traits he wouldn't choose, he had picked Alternis because he'd seen something in him. He was Father's choice; if the past year proved anything, it was that I wasn't the child Father had hoped for.

I brushed the self-pity aside for a moment, even if it did remain in the back of my head. The boys scrambled around Pudge, making it impossible for me to see what was going on there. They clustered around Alternis. I saw a sudden movement, and a shrill cry. Then a flash of my bloodied sword. There was another scramble, and I heard Pudge moaning and sobbing. Whatever was going on, it made me feel helpless because I couldn't do anything. Pudge's screams turned muffled, as if he'd had something to bite down on, and eventually I heard quiet whimpers that bounced off the rounded vicinity.

"Help him to your quarters," I heard Alternis say brusquely and a second or two later he emerged from the crowd toward me. His face was curiously blank when I got a good look, which frustrated me. He knelt toward me, his body dangerously close to mine. His cheek was nearly touching mine, and then his arms circled around me. My heart beat faster at our close proximity, and I froze, despite my discomfort.

"Alternis, what..." I said, my voice unnaturally high. But the rest of my sentence was lost when I felt his hands finally find my wrists. I could hardly feel the pressure of his hands on my wrists since my arms were numb but I could tell that he was untying the ropes on my wrist and as they loosened, I could already feel the blood returning into my arms. I relaxed slightly when I realized there was a purpose for him being so close to me, but I was troubled at the way I froze up in the first place. What had I been expecting? That Alternis would take me into his arms and tell me he was glad I was safe?

Not likely. Get real, Edea.

"Thanks," I mumbled, as he finally removed my bindings.

"You're welcome," he responded, his voice as blank and neutral as his face. I expected him to say something else, but he turned away from me, focusing on the boys.

I admit, I was a little shocked. I expected him to ask what on earth I was even doing here in the first place; the story behind everything. He had to be a little curious as to how I'd know he was here. I wasn't expecting this tepid, uninspiring silence.

Unsteadily, I rose to my feet, my legs a little wobbly from being bent in one position for so long. I massaged my wrists, knowing I'd feel the ache even worse tomorrow. Even with the dim lighting, I could tell that there would be marks around my wrists tomorrow. I frowned and tried not to think of how Rose would react to these bruises.

I hurried over to the huddle of boys who were now following Alternis who now had Pudge in his arms. Dip held on to my sword, though by the way he carried it, I could tell it was the first time he'd ever so much as held one. It would've looked comical had I not been so desperate to gauge Alternis's mood.

I pushed my dirty hair back and caught up to him, trying not to wince at my aching legs. When I finally reached his side, I asked hesitantly, "Can we... talk?"

"I'm a little busy," came his brusque response. The subtext of that simple sentence seemed to say, I'm a little busy cleaning up your mess.

I watched a rat scuttle off, and shivered. "I know. It's just..." my voice drifted off, and I suddenly felt exhausted. I wanted to tell him that I missed him at my side these past few days, that I really needed him to be there for me especially now. But I couldn't say any of that, not while he was cleaning up my mess.

And besides, I realized, Alternis had a life outside of me. He had his own problems too, problems that I knew I ought to try to help solve. This was something Alternis and I, for once, could agree on; that these boys under the sewers did not deserve such treatment and that Florem needed to undergo some massive changes. I bit my lip. But tackling this issue wouldn't help my image at all amongst the women here, and if Florem's women hated me, then surely I would not succeed in forging a bond between Eternia and Florem.

I still couldn't back away from this issue. How many times had Alternis helped me out, even if he disapproved of what I did? And even when I was considered an enemy and a traitor to Eternia, Alternis had still given me so many chances and had spared my life. It was my turn now. I'd also be lying if I said that I wouldn't rest easy knowing I didn't try anything to help these boys. The way they looked at me with all the fury of the world made my heart sink.

I looked up at Alternis, as we made our way deeper into the sewers. I swallowed. "I've had a rough couple of days," I began. "I don't want to fight you."

I saw his eyebrows lift up a fraction of a centimeter, but all he said was, "Oh?"

I sighed, the weariness overtaking me. "I just... I need you."

He turned his head sharply to face me, and I thought for a moment he'd yell at me. But his eyes, which looked almost like a molten silver, were gazing at me with an almost peculiar expression, his eyebrows contorted a little upward. I'd seen Ringabel pull that face on me sometimes towards the end, when he'd regained his memories. The same expression he pulled when he thought I wasn't looking, but I'd always been able to face Ringabel.

And I recognized it for what it was; concern.

Alternis was worried about me. I wasn't sure why it mattered so much to me, but it did. I felt a wave of emotions build up, and felt my insides burn.

His expression softened just a little. "Tell me everything."

A strange way to end, but I'm already late as it is, and plus, like I said earlier long!chap. So it seems like there's some sort of turning point here between Alternis and Edea? Hopefully? Maybe?

The Festival stuff should take place next chapter, if anybody was wondering what's going on with that. And as well that whole bit with Edea trying to figure out who Alternis wants to kill, don't think I've forgotten about that either. That ought to be revealed very soon too.

As always, thank you so much for the reviews and favs and follows and hits!