Looking Down From Cerulean Skies
Quiet Promises
By the time the sun started on its way downwards in the sky, the group soon found themselves approaching the base of the Sabil mountains. Locke led the way past the many clusters of pine and evergreen trees to a series of outcroppings in the side of the mountain that from afar looked like a landslide recently befell the area.
In the diming evening sky, they saw a few snatches of light from the ragged stone ledges above. Signals. Terra wondered what they meant. She supposed they weren't warnings to turn back because Locke nodded after the last glimmer disappeared from view and continued on.
She saw Sabin scratch at his hairline after seeing this, and let out a low grunt to himself, seeming to come to the same conclusion as her.
The thief hurried along, leading them to a huge maw in the side of the mountain partially hidden by jagged boulders and dried out dead trees snapped in half, leaning on the rocks for comfort, pieces of bark littering the ground all around. Inside the cave was a low passageway, causing the Figaro twins to duck down as they made their way to a heavy wooden door without a doorknob or lever. Locke gave a few loud, quick taps on the wood with his fist in a sort of rhythm and then the door opened from the inside with a scraping groan.
A middle-aged man with caramel whiskers peered at the group for a second before he heaved the door open the rest of the way with a big smile. "C'mon in Locke!"
"Thanks Tom, good to see you," Locke replied, giving the man's hand a hearty shake as he entered.
"Damn, looks like you've brought some interesting characters along for the ride, huh?" Tom said, eyes wide as he watched the twins and Terra follow the thief inside the Returner's Hideout. Terra heard him gasp when she passed him, but he didn't make any remarks about her.
"Banon's in the library, man. I'm sure he's wanting to have a talk with you."
"That's what I was expecting," Locke let out a laugh, still walking onwards to a little set of carved stone stairs. "See you at dinner!"
The other Returner agreed, and Terra heard the great door heaving back into place.
The hideout was created in a series of caverns. It must have taken ages to dig into the rocks to make passageways larger and to reinforce other parts with steel rods and wooden planks. There were wooden crates stacked three high, reaching the ceiling, each with words painted on the side in black paint.
Relics. Medicines. Clothing.
An urn by the stairs held bottles of potions and tonics.
She did not get a very good look at the hideout though as she followed her friends along a short passageway, up more stairs, along the outskirts of a large room filled with tables and chairs, and through another doorway into a room cluttered with bookcases and worn leather armchairs.
Locke came to a stop in this room behind a coffee-colored chair where a person with wild auburn hair sat, seemingly engrossed in a book.
"Banon, I've brought her, along with a couple friends," Locke said clearly.
The man grunted. She heard the book snap closed. He stood from his chair and turned to face the group with stern gray eyes set under heavy eyebrows and wrinkles. He sat the book down in his chair, eyes not leaving them, and slowly crossed his arms at them.
"Looks like you've brought Figaro's with you, Locke. King Edgar and his brother?" Banon's face crinkled into what seemed to be a grin. It was hard to tell under that bushy auburn beard that covered the bottom half of Banon's face and rested at the collar of his maroon tunic. Over this he wore a yellowing leather vest with two buttons undone and a pocket watch peeking out from his breast pocket.
Locke smiled at this, "Yeah, they tagged along."
Banon went to Edgar and Sabin and smiled up at them. He was much shorter than them, much like everybody else. "You young men look just like your father, Bronson." His eyes moved over to Sabin's face, "Especially you, Sabin. Same exact humorous expression in your eyes. Like you can find the fun in any situation…"
Sabin stiffened up at this, "Thanks, I haven't heard that in years." Banon made to shake their hands, and they both accepted.
Banon now took a few steps to the side, peering past Edgar to see Terra standing a few feet behind the twins.
"Ah, and you must be our Imperial witch." The man came closer, "What's your name, girl?"
"It's Terra…" she replied, looking from his tanned skin and ruddy cheeks to Locke cautiously, willing the thief to give her any hint as to what else to say. None came.
"I've heard that you had some sort of device on your head up until recently. A slave crown. Did you have it on during the raid in Narshe?" Banon asked, coming closer to her. She could smell tobacco.
Flashes of cold hit Terra in waves, going from her head down to her toes. She suddenly felt as if a hard wind was thrashing into her head. Two names popped to the surface, but then they disappeared into a bright light. "I…think so," she managed to whisper. The wind would not let up in her head, making her feel as if everything inside was getting beaten up.
She grabbed at the sides of her face softly to help steady herself, "I can't really remember anything from before."
"Sounds about right." Banon said in a gruff voice, now watching her intently, one hand twirling his fingers in his curly beard. "Our sources say that you had it on during every mission you were ordered to carry out. Including that special experiment with Kefka to see how strong your powers were against your own fellow soldiers."
Terra felt acid rise in her throat. She swayed on her feet. Her breath came out in shudders, "I can't remember any of that! I can't remember!" She winced her eyes closed, not wanting to see the concerned look from Edgar, Sabin's jaw hanging open, or Banon's stern eyes bearing down into her.
"Banon! Leave her alone!" Locke demanded as he hurried to Terra's side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to help keep her steady.
"Hiding the truth from her won't make it magically disappear Locke! She'll have to face it sometime!" Banon retorted, giving him a glare. "In fact, we could use her help!"
"Perhaps we can discuss that at a different time, Banon?" Edgar interjected before Locke could say anything else. "It's getting late, and we haven't had a chance to eat our supper yet."
"Yeah, I'm starved!" Sabin agreed loudly with his twin, rubbing at his belly to emphasize his words.
Banon let out a throaty sigh at this. "Alright, get on you young people. Cath's made beef stew and sourdough bread tonight."
The four turned and left Banon in the library. The man kept his eyes on Terra, thinking to himself about how hard it will be to cover up her unusual hair color without scarves and cloaks.
Our story begins on a fine spring day. The flowers were blooming in vibrant yellows and whites in the modest garden where we find our heroine Magda watering her blooms and herbs with the utmost care. The sunlight is shining brilliantly off her soft golden braids and the heat is bringing a sweet color to her delicate cheeks.
"Hey! Get away from there!" a young woman with brass goggles pulled up on her forehead yelled out, pointing an accusatory finger at the younger of the Figaro twins.
Sabin jerked his hands away from the well-loved old radio as if it torched them. He looked to the woman with a sheepish grin, "Okay, okay!" He backed away from the shelf where the radio sat and carefully made his way back to his seat next to Terra, dodging away from the middle-aged woman Cath who was setting the tables around the common room of the Returner's hideout. The mint haired mage looked up at the prince, "What were you going to do?" she asked in her soft whispery voice that caused many to need to lean in closer to hear her.
"Well, I figured it would be more fun to listen to those newest hits from Nikeah instead of some stuffy radio drama." He ran a hand back through his hair, looking across the room at the Returner who reprimanded him.
"My dear Magda, you look as ravishing as ever!" the young, well-dressed man declared with an air of confidence that would make many women not be able to look away. His swagger alone called attention everywhere he went. It made Magda shyly smile, though she quickly turned it into a thin line before he could gather in the details of her plump lips. He brandished a glorious bouquet of fresh red roses tied together with a pure white ribbon to her.
"Aren't those roses picked from your wife's garden?" Magda bit back, "Everybody recognizes her special breed of flowers."
This made the man flinch.
"Leave me be, Darien. I've told you that I have no interest in married men!"
"Oh goodness! How scandalous!" The king of Figaro cried out into his napkin to hide a mouthful of buttered bread.
"I know, I know!" a male Returner across the table agreed, gulping down his mead a bit too fast and let out a satisfied sigh.
Darien did not shrink back from this accusation, "But Magda, I shall be rid of that old heifer within the month!" He thrust the bouquet at her, his hand now brushing against hers, as if daring her to wrap her fingers around his. "My heart only yearns for you! Your beauty has captivated my mind, body, and soul."
Magda stepped away from him, glaring at his display with anger in her ocean blue eyes. "How can I trust a man like you, though? To claim to love me so fervently less than a year after vowing yourself to another? And to hurl insults at your wife so shamelessly?!"
"Bahaha! That sounds like something you'd do, Henley!" Locke snorted in between spoonfuls of stew. The thief was eating so fast his bowl was nearly empty.
"Ouch! If you're going to kick somebody under the table, aim better!" The king snapped at Henley, who was sat across from him and Locke. Henley raised his eyebrows in mock confusion and pointed with his spoon at Locke, "He must have done it; I would never ever try to kick somebody when they make rude comments."
"Ooooooo!" a group of Returners at the nearest table taunted in unison.
"Got called out!" one laughed, spilling beer on himself.
"What a naughty, naughty guy! Heheh!" another laughed, slapping the table.
"Let's hope Audrey doesn't show up tonight or else she might overhear something!" another added, though was suddenly cut off when Cath smacked the back of his balding head as she walked off towards the kitchen. He rubbed at the spot and scoffed, "Jest tellin' the truth is all…"
Our dear heroine clutched her hands together at her chest, breaths now coming in gasps, "Anna is a kind woman; I won't hear anymore of these terrible words from the man who is supposed to be her dearly beloved!" She turned away from Darien with a flounce of her long skirts. She gazed out at the garden around her, longing now in her voice, "I do not care that we danced at the duke's ball together, nor can I reminisce fondly of our embraces now that I know your true nature!" Magda dropped her watering can and fled in haste to her home. She could not even find solace in tending her flowers now. Tears threatened to fall from her lovely lashes.
Darien watched her departure with his fists clenched. "She cannot deny me! I must have Magda for my own!" He threw the bouquet over the garden hedge in a fury. Red petals fell as if in despair of the treacherous feelings bursting between the two.
"Ya know something, Ter?" That Magda ought to have slapped that idiot as soon as he tried to give her the flowers!" Sabin guffawed. "He's such a loser!"
The mage giggled, nearly dropping her bread into her bowl of stew.
Sabin laughed even louder, "If I were her, I'd march right over to his house and tell his wife what a freaking cheating jerk he is!"
"But what if Magda gets blamed?" Terra wondered, smiling up at him now.
The intermission music began with a flurry of violins rising and falling the notes in a dramatic wave before brass instruments took over the melody, bringing it to a soulful bounce. Much of the common room started buzzing with Returner's debating who should go to Narshe or South Figaro next to gather information. Some had already drunk several glasses of mead and beer while others were wondering what kind of pie was for dessert. Cherry or apple? Perhaps rhubarb since it was in season?
The news of the attack on Figaro castle had quickly spread throughout the Returners and many were going over to ask the king and thief what had transpired.
Some Returners introduced themselves to Terra, including the dubious guy named Henley, all curious about the ex-Imperial soldier and her thoughts about the recent events. The mage soon found herself surrounded and overwhelmed by the questions, especially when asked about Narshe. Locke took over those answers once he noticed how her hands were trembling.
Attention was successfully drawn away. Sabin clapped Terra on the back, "You did a good job dealing with the onslaught there!" She gave him a weak smile before slouching over her bowl of stew, only half eaten. Locke couldn't help glancing over at her during the excitement.
The music ended on a high note from a woodwind.
And now we see our heroine at the market doing the daily shopping for her ill mother. The crowds were a comfort to dear Magda because she could clear her mind of that devilish fiend and focus instead on her task at hand.
"Would all you guys shut up?!" The same female Returner from before cried out, now at the radio and turning up the volume. A hush fell over the common room, some confused, some huffing at her, but all gave into the demand.
And soon, the whole room was listening intently, gasping when the wife of the fiend approached Magda.
"You!" Anna rushed over to Magda from the grocer's stall. "You're the woman trying to steal away my husband!" She held her hand in front of our heroine's face, displaying the golden wedding band on her ring finger and the large diamond in the center.
"But I am not trying to take Darien! Quite the opposite! I cannot allow myself to be swept away by such an unfaithful rogue!" Magda replied, pleading with her whole being for Anna to believe her.
"Are you implying that you are superior to me?!" Anna exclaimed, crossing her arms with a sneer across her beautiful face.
Magda gasped and closed the distance between the two, "No, don't you see?" Her blue eyes caught Anna's in a vice, "We both are too good for that beast of a man!"
"Hell yeah!" Sabin whooped. And received a shoosh.
Now Anna's eyes widened with shock. Her face blushed exquisitely across her soft features up to her ears where ruby earrings dangled. It was obvious how much Anna struggled with the thought. She loved her husband so, but all of the rumors around town echoed in her mind.
Magda grasped Anna's hands in her own. She could feel the quiver there from Anna.
Magda's eyes glittered with inspiration, "Let's poison that evil man! That way we can ensure that he does not break another woman's heart ever again!"
Music swelled from the speakers.
And that concludes this week's episode of Poisonous Love! Will our heroine succeed in convincing Anna to aide in her plan? Will they become partners in a crime of passion? Or will Darien win over our heroine with one last endeavor?!
Tune in next week to find out!
That night, Locke and Terra shared a bed. They were given a tiny room which was barely large enough for the bed to fit along with the small round table and chair. Their belongings were settled on the table, Terra's dark maroon boots were placed underneath the chair on the packed stone floor, and Locke had removed the bandanas from his head and sat them on the chair next to the dagger he kept tucked in them. He always believed that you could never have enough protection, especially in the line of work he was in.
He heard movement behind him—it was just Terra shifting over onto her other side facing the wall. She forgot to take her ribbons out of her hair. He saw the pink fabric poke out from the minty green curls. The girl must have been dead tired. And upset. Banon was always blunt, sometimes way too blunt. Hopefully, nobody else in the Hideout would confront her about the things that she did while under the control of the slave crown. Things like that needed time to settle. He leaned down to the small gas lamp and snuffed it out.
Locke shrugged out of his dark blue jacket and slipped his feet out of his worn boots before trying to settle into bed. The other occupant didn't make a sound when he pulled the blankets over himself as well.
He started out lying on his back, making sure to give Terra plenty of room and not hog the covers. She was so quiet that he thought she had fallen asleep, so Locke let his thoughts drift away to the drama that had been playing on the radio in the common room during dinner.
Surprisingly, the story was not of a young woman chasing after a young man, yearning for his affections and love, whether he was involved with another woman or not, but of a young woman trying to free herself of a man. Edgar, of course, was in raptures over the story, shushing his twin during suspenseful parts. Sabin kept whispering to Terra over their bowls of stew about the things he thought the woman could have done to make the story funnier. The prince didn't seem to like dramas. He had gotten Terra giggling so much that she nearly choked on her bread.
"Hey Locke? Are you asleep?" came a whispery voice from his side.
"Nah. You okay, Ter?" he shifted his head so he could see the vague outline of Terra's curls against the pillow in the darkness.
The bedsprings squeaked as she rolled over to face him, "I think so…I was wondering why you wanted to help me."
The question seemed to drift in the air between them. Locke gulped.
"Because I wanted to. I needed to."
"But you could have left me at the castle and went on your way." She had a point. He didn't have to stay with her all this time. He could've sent a message, let one of the other Returners take over while he continued his duties for Banon. Spying was pretty fun to be honest.
"Was this your job as a Returner? To stay with me?" she continued. Terra shifted her legs under the blankets; one of her feet brushed against his leg.
His mind stumbled over, trying to find the words. Locke briefly saw a flash of Terra there, on the icy ground in that cave in Narshe, knocked out and shivering. Alone but for him and the firelight.
He bit his lower lip, "I have to stay with you. I helped you escape." Again, the words floated between them. He waited for her to accuse him of only doing his duty as a Returner once more. Only staying because of some sense of pride and self-righteousness.
She didn't say a word.
"I want to stay with you," he took in a deep breath, "We're friends now, Ter. True friends never leave each other's sides…" Locke shifted onto his side and brought his hand up to find her in the dark. He found her arm and held on gently, "I won't let them treat you like you're just a weapon to be used against the Empire. You're a person, and you deserve better than that."
He heard her breath waiver as if she was shaking. "Don't you ever forget that."
Locke felt her hands suddenly slide around his torso and up around his shoulders as she hugged him tight. Her soft curls tickled his cheek as she buried her face into his neck. He felt her tears soaking into his shirt. He returned the embrace, bringing her closer, his arms easily wrapping around her small frame. He thought that he might burn up under the blankets with her, but they fell asleep together, holding onto each other as if they were freezing to death in the Narshe mountains.
Author's Note: Well, I'm not dead! So hello, back again with an update to this fic after nearly 2 years. I know this is a short chapter, but I have a lot more coming. I was planning on uploading one huge chapter, buuuut once I reached the 18 page mark, I thought it would be better to split the Returner's Hideout into different parts because of everything that happens. The next chapter will be out soon I swear. I have most of it done, and who knows? Maybe I'll have it out by next week once my beta reader gives her feedback? Who knows? It's great to finally be back into writing. I've missed it a lot. Hope you enjoyed!
-Moogle