Don't Fall, part 33
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IV.
Note: It's been over a year since I updated this! Hello again! You must have thought I was dead! Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm still here.
FIC START!
The maid led Sakinah through the castle. She noticed all the fancy banners and flags hanging on almost every wall, emblazoned with the royal crest of Baron. The guardsmen stood up straight with pride, and the maids were busy with all sorts of things. Even if it was a royal castle, there was all sorts of activity going on everywhere. Yet, despite this, everyone around her seemed to be happy to be doing the work. She mentally compared it to the castle back in Troia, where most of the time, things were quiet even when things were being done.
Eventually, the maid stopped, turned around, and said, "Here we are!"
Sakinah walked through the open door, only to find mostly white and black mages sitting at desks silently working with their books open and quickly jotting things down with their quills. The Queen of Baron, Rosa, called her over to the side of the classroom.
"Thank you for joining us, Sakinah," Rosa gently greeted her, keeping her voice quiet. "This class is ending in just a few moments. Have a seat here for the time being. All right?"
She nodded and sat in the chair next to her desk and watched Rosa go back up to the front of the classroom. "You have one minute left," she announced to the class. Sakinah noticed the hourglass in the front corner of the room, and could easily put two and two together. The moment it was completely out of sand, Rosa spoke again. "Time! Bring what you have up to me, and I'll have it ready for you next week. Thank you for taking the Official Mage Liscence exam. Class dismissed."
"...can one of you white mages cast heal on my brain?" one of the black mages asked, flopping onto his desk.
"You'd think someone would come up with a spell for mental fatigue all ready, huh?" a white mage next to him asked, shaking her head.
"I want a cure spell for my cramps!" a female white mage laughed from the other side of the room.
Rosa nodded. "I've wished that was real since I started studying white magic myself..." she sighed, shrugging. "All right. Enough funny business. Hand in those exam papers and go rest up. If you're chosen, you'll have duties to the King to attend to!"
"Yes, Your Majesty," many of the mages called out.
Once the papers were all handed in and the applicants had left, Rosa stacked the exam sheets nicely on her desk. "And now, for you, Miss Sakinah."
"You don't need to use titles with me, Queen Rosa."
"If that is the case, then I must insist that you do the same towards me," Rosa said, smiling at her. "Please. I've heard a lot from Kain about your journey so far, but I do not know everything. I would understand how to help you better, if you give me a bit more information."
"What do you wish to know?"
Rosa said, "Are you a mage?"
"...not to my knowledge, why?"
"Kain told me that you cast a few spells, but he did not know of them. He could identify any black or white magic spells, even if he cannot cast more than a few spells himself. He's been around me and Rydia both long enough to know how those spells work," Rosa explained. "Do you have some other ability?"
"I am the Skyreader of Troia," Sakinah answered. "I can read the sky and foretell how it will react. I was placed in the highest tower of Troia castle to have the very best view of the sky to better aid in agriculture and other matters. I am not sure exactly how it manifested, but in moments where we were in danger, I would plead to the heavens to answer me, and... somehow, things happened. Until I met Kain, I never had engaged in combat before. Except for when I was taken on the trip between Mysidia and Troia, I hadn't ever stepped foot outside of the bounds of the city."
"Why did you go to Mysidia? That is the land of magic itself."
"Oh, I know. I lived there before I had to move to Troia."
"You were born there?"
"I was," she nodded. "My father was a white mage. Close assistant to the Elder."
"Why did you not attend school there?"
"My father... died," Sakinah said. "You know the law, right?"
"Oh... my condolences... Girl orphans are sent to Troia, and boy orphans are sent to Fabul, yes," Rosa nodded. "If your father was a mage, you may very well have the gift of magic. I wish to test your abilities, to see if this is something we should help you with."
"I wanted to stay in Mysidia, but the Elder told me that all things happen for a reason. If the Red Wings hadn't come to steal our Water Crystal, maybe I would be a mage now..."
Rosa felt her body twitch for a moment. "Oh," she gasped. Her eyes burned with tears, and she had to look away from Sakinah. "And... you know of Kain's position now?"
"I'm aware that he's the current leader of the Red Wings. He told me that the one that murdered my father is no more. That Baron was completely rebuilt from the ground up after the last war, and that guy isn't anywhere to be found. So. I'm over trying to get revenge for it," Sakinah said, shrugging.
"I see..." Rosa only shook her head. "...You must have had a hard life."
"Until the day I got the blessing of the Earth Crystal, it was very difficult."
"B-blessing?" Was that something that could happen? She'd never heard of such a thing happening before.
"Before I could be a citizen of Troia, I had to be presented before the Earth Crystal and say a prayer. When I approached it, I felt... something. Not sure if it was energy or magic or something else entirely, but I felt it. The Epopts immediately took notice, and I was placed in special classes. They wanted me to learn how to behave in the castle! At first, no one had any idea of what it would manifest into. Then, I was watching the sky while daydreaming about... things... and I could tell something was coming. I ran to the Epopt that was looking after me, Lady Tiala, and told her that a dangerous storm was on its way. She laughed at the idea of reading the sky, calling it a childish fantasy. I insisted that she have everyone get to safety. Later that day, it struck out of nowhere... No one died, thank the Crystals, but the fact that I had seen it coming... the Epopts knew then the power I possessed and put me to work right away."
"That is quite the interesting tale."
"I can imagine it sounds made up to you."
"Oh, no. Everything I have seen in my adventures... even hearing that you can read the sky isn't something that shocks me. That being said, I want you to try something for me."
"All right?"
"When you plead to the sky, what kind of intent do you carry in your mind and heart?"
"What does that mean?"
"How do you get the sky to listen to you?"
"Usually, it doesn't. I can't just tell a thunderstorm to move along because the kids at school would love to have time to play outside today."
Rosa giggled. "Casting magic requires emotion. If you manifest energy as magic, you are drawing upon your own mental state. Usually, if you are working out of love or understanding, you use white magic. But there are some black mages I know that draw from their deepest love to manifest their flames, too. But you have to have some kind of emotional intensity or magic will not take form. I'm asking you what kind of thoughts you have when you plead to the sky."
"...I wanted to assist in the battles, because I felt so useless. I know that I can't depend on anyone to defend me all of the time, no matter how close we may grow. There's always a viewpoint you don't see, a moment where anything can go wrong, and... I just wanted to help. Kain taking care of me is taking away from his duties."
"Perhaps it is, but helping you is far more important right now."
"How so?"
"...first off, because Troia exports food to all over the world. They have the most fertile land of our entire world. Secondly, because if Kain didn't see the potential in you, he wouldn't have ever suggested assisting you in the first place. We were all surprised to hear of how he offered to take you to the place where he found his inner light, and he wishes for you to find yours there," Rosa said. "He cares for you."
"And, I..." she blushed. "...want nothing more than to be near him. Even when things are dangerous, I'm just... so happy that he's close."
Rosa nodded, knowing exactly what that feeling was like. She knew that all too well. "Oh, Sakinah..."
"I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. It's... surreal how I know that if anything happened to Kain, I'd... I wouldn't take it the same way as I would anyone else. I think of him so much and want him to know that he's loved and supported by all his friends and family, and..."
"...and you."
"That's why I promised I would get strong enough to support him in battle before we leave Baron," Sakinah said triumphantly. "That's why I'll make it happen! I have to protect Kain!"
Rosa nodded again. "Having a motivation always helps. All right, Sakinah. Let's get you over to the practice battlefield. Did you bring your weapon?"
"I have my boomerang?"
"I know just the person to teach you how to use a boomerang! I'll send for him the moment we're done with the testing. So, come with me."