Don't Fall, part 9

FIC START!

Edward may have been a king, but the man was as kind and gentle as anyone else could have been. If Sakinah did not know he was royalty, she never would have guessed by the way he was willing to help her recover from the sudden onset of Desert Fever. He offered to help her stand the first time she climbed out of bed. Even though she didn't feel dizzy at first, when she tried, it was harder than she expected.

"I hear you are the Skyreader of Troia," Edward said as he helped her stand at her feet. He held on to her until he noticed that she was able to handle her own weight.

"It's true," she replied. "Kain says that my ability helps the fields grow better, and thus Troia can help feed kingdoms that are unable to grow crops."

"He is absolutely right. My kingdom is a desert, as you have probably noticed by now," Edward started out of the room. "Come, Lady Sakinah."

"Your Majesty, you need not call me that. Just Sakinah is okay."

"Then you will not address me by title, either," Edward retorted right back at her, smiling. He held the door for her as a true gentleman would do, and he sat her at a table. "I am not letting you leave here without something to eat. Both of you."

Kain approached Sakinah from behind before sitting at the table. "That is kind of you, but-"

"I will not have you passing out in the desert again because of hunger." Edward said, crossing his arms. "All right, innkeeper, we'll have lunch now." Plates of sliced up melon and dried dates, bowls of nuts and berries, and a sunbaked jackrabbit were delivered to the table. "Food of the desert may not be as flowery as what you are used to eating, Sakinah, but it will keep you alive here in the harsh conditions."

"We did not eat much other than what grows in the fields back in Troia. Many there refuse to eat meat at all," Sakinah said. "So they relied on me more than any hunters. The forests there are full of animals, and I have no idea why they couldn't eat those, too. In Mysidia, they eat both plants and animals." She loved the melon the most of everything she ate. It was the most moist thing offered. Her portion of the rabbit meat was tiny in comparison to what both Edward and Kain had on their plates.

Kain ate most of the rabbit and did not touch much of the fruit. A single date, one slice of melon. "In Baron, our people eat more meat than anything else. Fruits and vegetables are not exactly served as main dishes, but only alongside the main meat dish."

"If that's the case, then why does the rest of the world rely on Troia so much to help keeping everyone fed?" Sakinah wondered aloud.

"There are not always animals to be hunted and in places like Mysidia, not every crop can grow." Kain said quietly. "They will migrate with the passing seasons. Winter especially is hard in many places. The earth crystal provided Troia with a land that can grow almost every kind of food people need to survive."

Edward nodded in agreement. "Because of this, all of us around the world do need you, Sakinah."

She looked at the plate in front of her instead of at them. Of course they wanted to keep her spirits up. "Thank you, both of you."

"Have I upset you?" Edward asked. "Forgive me, I did not mean-"

"No, you have not upset me. Thank you for caring, Edward," Sakinah replied. "Still. We can't stay here forever. Do you have a plan for how to reach Fabul?"

"Yes." Kain said, using a napkin to wipe his face and hands. "Edward will take us with him on his hovercraft to Damcyan, and we will use it to reach Mt. Hobs past that. From there, it is only a three day hike to Fabul. We're more lucky to have landed here than I originally thought." He smiled very gently to her, and she only stared at him. He had a hard time figuring out if she was happy, sad, or not feeling anything at all. "And King Yang will give us a ship to Baron, as he has no airships."

"How long was I out for?" she asked.

"You passed out in my arms before we even reached Kaipo," Kain answered her, his volume having decreased more suddenly than she expected. "And I have had a hard time keeping up with time passing while being in here. Apparently, I was coming down with it, too."

"You both slept for two days straight through," Edward stated plainly. "I had to send a letter to the castle to keep Harley from wondering where I had gone for so long. I only came to play my harp at family graves here in Kaipo, as I do every year at this time. I am sure she understands by now." He laughed at himself, but only briefly. "Once you feel you have the strength, we will depart for my castle. I can let you stay there as long as you need."

"I feel rested enough all ready," Sakinah said before letting out a tiny burp. She sure did love the melon, as she kept taking pieces of it. "Excuse me, I didn't mean to do that."

Edward cocked his head to the side. "Do they not burp in Troia?"

Kain shrugged. "I've never seen them eat."

A few hours later, Kain, Edward, and Sakinah climbed into the hovercraft as Edward steered it to the shoals along the western side of the Kaipo desert. From there, they headed north along the shoals until finding another desert but with a large castle within view from the coast. They didn't talk much, allowing each of them to lose themselves in their thoughts along the ride that took about five hours total. The hovercraft was an interesting machine, but Sakinah didn't bother to really take the time to examine it much. She liked it better than the airship she rode before, though, as it was much closer to the ground. Watching the mostly clear skies above, she let herself relax during the ride. Part of her heart wanted to stay on this quest to reach her answers forever. Her curly hair flipped around in the wind, and she felt free.

Kain looked over at her once, and he found her with a tiny smile, as if everything was right with the world for just that one moment. He reached to put his hand on hers, and when their eyes met, they didn't need to say anything. There was understanding between them. Sakinah smiled wider when he touched her. She saw all the peace within his lovely blue eyes and wished she could fall into it. Even though Edward told her how much she was needed, how important her abilities were to the world, she still... she still felt useless.

"Kain."

"Sakinah."

"How many times are you going to save my life?"

"As many as I must, my lady."

"I know I've thanked you so many times..."

"You need not use your words to thank me. Instead, just smile the way you had been. Enjoy life. That is all the thanks I need for saving you."