Don't Fall, part 31
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy in any capacity.
Note: HOW THE HELL IS THIS FIC GOING ON FIVE YEARS OLD?!
FIC START!
Cecil was confused as to why the Red Wings would once again return home on a ship and not in the sky, but just hearing that his son was home was enough for him and his wife of twenty years to head down to the port. He wasted no time in making his way there, though.
"Father," Ceodore said, bowing his head. "It feels as if I have not seen you in far too long."
"It has been far too long," Rosa said, her hands on her hips. "Where in the world has Kain been dragging you?"
"If only it were that simple, Mother," Ceodore said. "I come here under orders from King Yang of Fabul to bring you a message. There was a massive attack."
"Calm down," Cecil said. "You've done well, my son. Tell me, where is Kain?"
Ursula stepped out from below deck. "He's still asleep," she said. "Oh, pardon me, King Cecil and Queen Rosa. I'm here to be the Fabulian representative, as my parents are assisting our people now."
"Asleep? On a ship?" Rosa shook her head in disbelief. "He has never been the type to sleep on a ship..."
"There's a lot you don't know about," Ursula said, giggling.
"No, princess," Ceodore said. "You mustn't. Let Kain tell them."
"Tell us what?" Cecil asked.
Kain came slowly up the stairs, adjusting his ponytail. "Cecil."
"Are you going to tell us what happened?" Cecil asked.
"Hmm, I plan to once we return to the castle," Kain answered. "Rosa, if I may ask - a favor."
"Anything, Kain. Name it and I will see it done."
"Arrange a guest room within the castle, and perhaps a meeting with the mages that trained you."
"...of course," Rosa nodded. "You bring with you another?"
"Aye," Kain said. "Troia's own Skyreader. She has been with me since I was assisting in the relief effort there, and has become wrapped up in all of this. She has been witness to all events, as have I. You will wish her counsel when we discuss where to go from here. But, as of now, allow her to rest."
"Is she able to move on her own?" Rosa asked. "Does she need healing? I can assist with that, if she needs it."
"She is able to move just fine. It should only take her a moment to be out here," Kain answered, looking over to Ceodore. "And you, young man, know what you should be doing. Don't you?"
"Yes, Sir Kain," Ceodore said, bowing his head. "Forgive me, Mother, Father. As a Red Wing, I have things I must do now that I've returned to base. I will catch up with you once my duties are finished."
"Can I not come with?" Ursula asked.
"As much as I'd like your company, not for this," Ceodore said, giving a salute before he dashed off on his own.
A few moments later, Sakinah came out from below deck. She rubbed her eyes for a few minutes, wondering just how long she'd been sleeping. Didn't those kids say they were going to wake them when they were halfway to Baron? Suddenly, they've docked in a port.
"Sakinah?" Ursula asked. "Are you... all right?"
"I think I slept too long?" Sakinah answered.
"Do you need any help?" the princess asked kindly.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm okay," she said. "Sorry if I've kept you waiting or something."
"No, no," Ursula said. "I'd like to introduce you, if you're okay with that."
"Introduce... me?"
Ursula cleared her throat. "King Cecil and Queen Rosa, allow me to introduce to you the Skyreader of Troia - Sakinah!"
"King and Queen?!" Sakinah blinked, noticing that she was indeed standing in the presence of two very elegantly royal figures. "I am... so underprepared for this..."
"It is always wonderful to receive a guest from one of our strongest trading partners," Cecil said, bowing his head to her. "Allow me to welcome you to Baron."
Sakinah couldn't help but notice just how beautiful the features of the king's face. His silver hair, his clear blue eyes that Ceodore had inherited. "How very kind of you, but I am not royalty. You need not stand on ceremony just for me."
"This is not so," Rosa said gently. "It is true that Troia has no royalty. However, you do important work for your kingdom's success and, in turn, you assist our kingdom just as much. I hear that the Skyreader's duties affect all agricultural works within Troia, and there has been plenty of it traded around the world. Please, do not think you, or your rank, unimportant." The queen was just as radiant as her husband.
"These two will smother you in niceties, should you allow it, Sakinah," Kain said. "Be mindful that all the pleasantries in the world may eat up what little time we have to prepare for what is inevitable."
"You scare me with that sort of talk," Cecil said.
"As it should," Kain insisted.
Sakinah felt her stomach rumble, and as embarassing as it was, everyone understood the signal.
"But first," Kain nodded. "We have not eaten in over a day."
"This will be remedied immediately," Cecil said. "Come, then! We will feed you until you can eat no more."
At the grand dining table in Baron Castle, Cecil, Rosa, Kain, Ceodore, Ursula, and Sakinah sat together to enjoy a large meal of roasted chocobo, all sorts of vegetables and fruits, and big mugs of ale. The teenagers were busy flirting between bites of food as their cheeks grew redder through the night. Once the adults had cleared their plates, discussions began.
"When I was returning from Troia, our ship was attacked and we crashed into Damcyan territory, south of Kaipo," Kain said. "Edward and Harley said they would send you a message that we were heading to Fabul."
"We did receive that letter, yes," Rosa said. "But this creature you mentioned before, this... World Eater, did you see it in Damcyan?"
"No." Sakinah answered, even though she had been mostly silent since sitting down to eat. "It was underneath the crop fields in Fabul. There is nothing like that in the desert."
"Can you tell us more about it?" Cecil asked.
"The reason I named it the World Eater was because it was eating the land itself, and leaving nothing behind but rot," Sakinah continued. "The caverns it left behind were decomposing as we walked through it."
"Fabul is in possession of a crystal. Perhaps it wanted the crystal," Cecil said.
"Is? You mean 'was'," Ursula said, visibly red in the face. "Fabul Castle was wiped out, and I don't think anyone went in to recover the crystal while Mother was trying to gather the people from... y'know, the castle crumbling..."
"Oh dear," Rosa said. "Princess, you may want to retire for the night. I believe you've had too much."
"Father told me he wanted me to represent Fabul in whatever decisions you make. Good practice for when I'm on the throne, I guess."
"Excuse us, Mother, Father," Ceodore stood up and offered Ursula his arm. "Come on, then. I'll lead you upstairs."
"Okay, sure..." Ursula took his arm, and they wandered out. "G'night."
Kain turned to Sakinah. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm not drunk," she answered quietly. "If that's what you're worried about."
"...no, that is not what I am asking," the dragoon said. "Everything has happened so fast from meeting you to being here. I just... want to know if you're all right."
"I don't know how to feel right now," she answered. "I'm terrified of that World Eater. But, I feel content and welcome here in your home in Baron, too. I'm happy I'm still at your side, if nothing else."
"Tomorrow, I will have you speak with our combat trainers," Kain said. "We'll get you some experience before we have you engage in any more combat."
"Understood."
They all talked long into the night about everything from the World Eater to the political arrangements between ally nations.
