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A Legend's Journey

Chapter 25

Two days later, Raine was seated in a chair beside the bed, holding Auron's hand in one hand, stroking his soft hair with the other, just looking out the window at the green leaves of the tree against the blue of the sky.

A small movement of the hand she was holding made her stop breathing. Yes! There it was again!! "Julan! JULAN!!"

The old Healer hurried into the room, eyebrows raised, gray eyes anxious and questioning.

She held his hand, tears coursing down her cheeks. "Look. Look, Julan! Just watch!!"

In a moment, the hand moved again, moving to wrap large fingers around a small hand.

Sobbing and laughing at the same time, "Did you see it, Julan? Did you see?!"

Julan's laughter joined hers. "Yes, my dear! Yes, I did! That's a very good sign. Oh, very good!" He sighed hugely, his kind face wearing a big smile.

Raine cried tears of relief and joy. He was coming back. A small step, but he was coming back! She wanted to scream it from the rooftop: He's coming back!!

In the days that followed there were other indications that his mind was slowly releasing him from the coma that had held him while his body healed. Raine stayed by him, still talking, still singing softly, still holding his huge hand, her fingers still running through his hair.

The only person who could convince her to leave for a few minutes to eat was, of course, Marin. He appeared in the doorway, she would look at him, sigh, and slowly get up and follow him to the kitchen.

"I swear, Marin, I'm going to buy you a restaurant!"

He laughed. The recent news of Sir Auron's improvement had return the sparkle to his brown eyes.

Raine looked through the remaining food in the kitchen and sighed. "I need to visit the vendors."

She told Casen where she was going and would be back momentarily. She looked at Auron with her heart in her eyes, then turned to do her shopping.

In the square, she bought a few things from Nan and from Anya, Marin close at hand.

She said to him, "I should get some juice from Bana."

She paused for a moment, eyes on the ground. Marin asked, "Is something wrong?"

A small sigh. "No. Bana's juice reminds me of our journey."

Another pause, another sigh, then blue eyes turned to brown ones. "Marin, you saved us. You got us there and back. I can never tell you 'Thank you' enough for that. Never."

Tears were beginning to form. "You saved Auron, Marin. Without you, he would have died."

Townspeople nearby heard her words and looked at Marin. They saw the sunlight glimmer on the gold insignia on each side of his collar, his cap on his unruly dark hair, his uniform neat and sharp, his upright carriage, the quiet confidence in his intelligent eyes, his sword at his side. There was pride and great respect in their eyes for this handsome man they so depended upon for their safety. He had earned their trust.

An uncomfortable Marin touched her arm and said, "Let's get the juice. You don't want to be away long."

Returning to the villa, food was prepared and eaten. Raine smiled at Marin, "Am I free to leave now, sir?"

Marin smiled back and said, "Yes, ma'am." He paused, "But only until the next mealtime!"

Suddenly Raine realized that she loved Marin like the brother she had never had. That thought almost brought tears as the truth of that hit her.

Marin saw her expression quickly change and looked at her questioningly.

Raine didn't respond right away. Then, "Marin, do you have any sisters?"

Puzzled, he answered, "No. Just one brother but he doesn't live here."

She looked at him with a half-smile as she considered her response. "Would you like one? A sister, I mean?"

Marin still had puzzlement on his face.

She laughed. "Marin, I hope you take this the right way – but I just realized that you are the brother I never had!"

Marin didn't move for a second, then a big smile spread across his face. "I would love to be your brother! That gives me the right to bully you into eating, doesn't it?"

She laughed, "You do that anyway."

He smiled at her. Yes, she really was like his sister. And he liked it. A lot! He just hoped that Sir Auron would approve!

Raine straightened the kitchen, Marin returned to his duties, and she returned to Auron's side. Holding his strong hand, she thought, 'If I had to travel through more than a thousand years to find the only man I'll ever love and the brother I never would have had, it was truly worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.' She smiled.

The next morning, Weldon came to shave Auron as he had every morning since their return. He would take no payment, shaking his head. "No, Lady Raine. This is a very small service I can for Sir Auron. He has given everything to us!"

Just as he was finishing and wiping Auron's face, Auron's head moved a little. Weldon and Raine looked at each other. "Casen!!" Raine called excitedly!

Casen hurried into the room.

"He moved his head! Weldon saw it, too!"

Weldon nodded. "He did, sir! He really did!"

They stepped back as Casen checked Auron carefully. He then looked at them and said, "Very good! This is most encouraging." Looking at Auron, he was nodding his head, saying, "Hmm" to himself.

Raine thanked Weldon as usual and he returned to his shop. She stayed beside the bed still talking and singing, touching and stroking, holding his big hand.

Every day there were more signs of Auron's return from the coma in which he had been. Raine was so filled with joy and hope that it fairly radiated from her face.

A short time later, she was at her usual place, holding his hand against her face as she quietly looking out the window, she heard her name spoken in a very soft low voice, barely above a whisper. "Raine."

Breath sharply taken in, her blue eyes snapped to the face of the man she loved so totally, looked into the beautiful dark eyes she hadn't seen in so long, and tears flowed in a torrent down her face.

"Auron...." It was breathed almost like a prayer. "Auron …. Auron" She could barely breathe. He was awake. He knew her.

Her eyes never leaving those of her husband, she called Julan, who caught the different note in her voice and hurried into the room. The first thing he saw was Sir Auron's dark eyes looking into his wife's blue ones. A huge breath taken in and released. At last. At last.

As time passed, Auron gradually came completely out of the life-saving coma and returned to reality. He was still continually cared for by either Julan or Casen. And Raine was by his side.

Slowly, he regained the strength to sit, then to stand, then to walk. Marin came every day, helping Sir Auron move by providing a strong right arm to lean on. At first Auron balked at having to lean on another person, but Raine intervened and he finally accepted it.

The first time Marin helped Auron into the living area, Auron took notice of Marin's limited used of his left arm. He asked, "How did you injure your arm, Marin?"

Brown eyes and blue eyes snapped to each other. Auron saw it and his eyes narrowed slightly. His low voice commanded, "Out with it!"

To this point, the journey to and from Cortland had been glossed over and few details had been given. Auron hadn't asked many questions or said very much except to voice his surprise over Raine riding a Chocobo. He still didn't know that he now owned those two Chocobos!

Raine, seated beside his chair on the floor, looked up at Auron and said softly, "We had a problem on the way back home, Auron. Marin's arm was injured."

His body stiffened and dark eyes went from one to the other. "Problem?"

He saw the looked exchanged between Raine and Marin, who sat on the couch across from them. Then Auron saw her chin come up. 'Uh-oh,' he thought.

Raine took a deep breath and began to tell him the story. Marin interrupted now and then to interject something but mainly Raine told it.

Auron's face became hard and unreadable as she told of the events in Cortland and of how they began their journey home. His eyes never left her face as she spoke but he could see her reliving it as the story unfolded.

When she dropped her eyes and paused, he knew the worst part of the narrative was still to come.

She was describing the early, dark hours of the sixth morning when her voice faltered a bit and she looked at him before continuing.

Marin broke in. "We were set upon by three highwaymen, Sir Auron. It was my fault and I have no excuse. I had let down my guard and missed it until it was too late."

The expression on Auron's face never changed. Raine told of the group's leader moving close to the litter and she drew her sword to move him back. Marin told how he had seen a chance in the lax attention of the other two and of the retreat called by the leader, then of the unexpected attack by the second thug.

They both told of Marin's injury, the quick roadside first aid, of Raine putting him on Dan and of her leading the two birds down the road in the pre-dawn darkness.

Raine looked at Marin and shook her head as he started to speak. "I'll tell this part," she said.

Looking into Auron's dark eyes, she continued with the story. Taking a deep breath, she continued with the events that led to her own injury.

She had made no mention of her injury to Auron prior to this and the expression in his eyes and on his face was that of pure hatred and rage. She was almost afraid.

In a choked voice, tinged with a tremble, his low voice growled, "Where are these men now?"

"They're dead, Auron." She looked steadily into his angry eyes. "You trained us well. As weak and terribly injured as Marin was, he jumped from Dan's back and killed the third man. They're dead. We left them where they fell."

Dark eyes looked into brown ones. A long silence ensued. Then he nodded.

Raine told of her mostly unconscious ride back on Daisy as Marin walked the long hours of the day, leading them home, saying, "He'll have to take it from here. I don't remember anything else until the next morning."

Marin took a deep breath. "Well, there isn't a lot to add. It was just a matter of keeping myself moving, to just - keep walking. By late afternoon, I couldn't even think. Dan and Daisy alerted me to the sight of the town in the distance. I think I remember getting to the compound walls. I think maybe Carlon was there. Don't remember much after that for several of days. Julan and Casen will have to take it from that point."

Auron's eyes stayed on Marin. Again, time passed before he spoke. "You did well, Marin. Very well. I don't know anyone else who could, or would, have done that. I'm tremendously in your debt for saving my wife. I knew my trust in you would not be misplaced." He continued to look at the younger man through slightly narrowed eyes for long minutes, thoughtfully nodding. Yes, he would have made an excellent Guardian. In fact, he was one whether he carried the title or not.

Raine looked at him. "I didn't want to tell you earlier, Auron. You just weren't strong enough. You – you'd been in a coma for so long. I hope you aren't angry with me."

He looked down at her with his heart on his face, took her hand and said, "My precious wife, I can never be angry with you. Is there another woman anywhere who would do for her husband what you did for me? No."

She held his hand against her face, fighting back tears that wanted to fall. Looking back at him, she said softly, "Auron, you are the only reason I live. I'll love you even after I die."

Marin watched them and thought, 'That's my goal in life. To find that kind of love.'

Raine had told Auron of her relationship with Marin, forged during those long days on the road and afterward as they struggled to recover, while watching over him and as Marin badgered her into taking care of herself so she could continue looking after him while he lay in the deep coma. "He has become my brother, Auron. I hope that is acceptable to you. Is it?"

Auron had looked at her with understanding. He told her, "The very best relationships are forged in hardship. Kimahri and I are brothers for that same reason. Yes. It is more than acceptable to me. I highly regard Marin and am pleased that you have him."

A sparkle appeared in his eyes. "Besides, if he can get you to take care of yourself, I'll have him give me lessons!" That earned him a pillow tossed at his head.

Then there had been the matter of telling Auron of his ownership of a pair of Chocobos. During the early part of his convalescence, while he was resting in one of the big chairs in the living area, Raine had gotten some treats from the kitchen and had told Auron that she would return in a few minutes. "I'm going to check on our birds!" as she went out the door.

When she returned, Auron said, "Did I hear you correctly? Our birds?" as he looked at her sternly.

Raine froze. 'Uh-oh. Did I say that?!'

Watching her discomfort but hiding his enjoyment of it, Auron stayed silent, waiting for her explanation. She approached him slowly, searching his face for any hint of encouragement, but finding only the Auron stare.

"Auron, aft – after Dan and Daisy did so much in getting me to Cortland and then bringing you back -" She paused, then, "I'm sorry if you're angry, Auron, but I just couldn't let them go. I asked Carlon if we could buy them. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to do anything against your wishes."

Swallowing hard, she said in a small voice, "We can sell them. I'll tell Carlon." She turned her head so he wouldn't see the tears beginning to form in her eyes, but a big hand caught her chin and turned her beautiful face to his.

A gentle rumble said, "Raine, you can keep your birds. They mean a lot to you and they brought us home. If they make you happy, then you having them makes me happy."

She caught herself just before she was about to launch herself into his lap; his injuries were nowhere near healed enough for that. So she sat on the arm of the chair and kissed him tenderly and sweetly while one hand slowly played in his hair.

"After a kiss like that, I may go buy some more birds!"

She laughed.

He said, "I don't have to ride them, do I?"

She smiled, "Not if you don't want to. From what Carlon said, nobody except Marin and I can get near them without them trying to kick the barn down."

A low chuckle. "I knew I liked those birds! You and Marin enjoy riding them, then. I'll be happy to wait for you with both feet on the ground."

She kissed him again. "Thank you for not being mad, Auron. I don't ever want to do anything that displeases you."

When Kimahri returned, he was so enraged when he learned of the events that had occurred during his long absence, that Raine was truly afraid he was going to destroy the walls of the compound, so hard did he beat his massive fists on them! His enraged roar had everyone within a mile shaking in fear!

Later when he had calmed, his golden eyes looked at Auron and at her. "Kimahri make promise. Kimahri not ever leave again. Kimahri home here!"

Raine looked at her big blue friend and said, "Kimahri, you can't blame yourself. No one could have anticipated all that."

He responded, "Kimahri not leave. Then Kimahri not worry."

Auron knew the Ronso Warrior well enough to know that nothing short of death would cause him to break his promise and that no words would erase the deep sense of guilt he felt for what he perceived as his failure for not being there when he was so badly needed.

Kimahri played an important role in Auron's physical therapy. He was there daily working with Auron, urging him on, pushing him, rebuilding the badly battered body.

Finally there was the morning when Marin came by to join Raine and Auron for coffee, as he often did. When Raine met him at the door, she took him by the hand, her face radiant, and hurried him into the kitchen.

"Listen, Marin. Hear it?" she softly asked.

Marin heard something but didn't know what it was.

"His sword. It's singing again. He's back, Marin! The sword only sings when he's at top speed in the workout ritual. It's the first time it has done that since before – " The sentence was left unfinished.

She lead him part-way up the stairs so he could see what she was saying without distracting Auron.

Marin's mouth dropped open. Never had he seen such a display! His eyes followed the man commanding that massive sword in moves and at speeds that had to be superhuman! It defied belief unless one saw it for himself. He was seeing The Legend – and it gave him chills.

Raine touched him on the arm and led him back down to the kitchen. Marin sat at the table with disbelief on his face. "How does he do that?!" he asked in a hush.

Raine explained the ritual to him and its importance to Auron, its meaning to him. Marin listened attentively, nodding. He understood.

Shortly afterward, Auron descended the stairs, wiping his face with a towel, the corners of his mouth were quirked slightly upward.

He saw Raine's expression, paused, that corner of his mouth ticked upward a touch more, and he nodded. It had been a long, hard journey, but he had made it. The Guardian was back.

She ran to him and leaped into his arms, laughing with complete happiness. Auron held her tightly, rocking her back and forth for long moments before setting her back on the floor. "I need a shower. What's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you want!"

"Then come with me."

She laughed. "Eggs, bacon and toast?"

"I'll settle for that for now, if I must," as he moved down the hall.

Marin enjoyed just watching the two of them. People would never know the depth and strength of the love between these two. He himself had never seen anything even close to it before and he felt very privileged that they were comfortable in being open like that in front of him. They regarded him as a member of their family. He had their full trust and he would die before betraying that trust.