Chapter 11
Through the barricades
The next morning Kain was training as usually in the courtyard. Being in a good mood, he -- for once-- would have liked to have breakfast with one of his friends, but the castle had been like dead.
"The trip must have been really strenuous -- everybody was probably very tired..." He looked at the sun. "Well, time to meet Diane. Today I'll show her an especially beautiful place in the woods..."
Whistling, he went to the castle front gate, after carefully checking that neither Edward, nor pains in the neck like some certain little twin-wizards were around. They were not -- unfortunately, Diane wasn't there, as well. "Maybe she has forgotten me... I'll check her home..."
The way to the city of Baron was a short one and as it still was early, the streets were still empty and silent. However, as Kain approached Diane's house near the edge of town, he could hear the loud shouting of a familiar voice:
"You are not going!"
It was Cid's voice. "Ah! Curses... I've nearly forgotten that this stubborn old man is back again.. I hope he isn't angry on me any longer..." Kain carefully stealt towards a window and peered through it...
Diane was standing in a corner, staring angrily at the wall. "I've promised it to him! You can't force me! I am grown-up, father..."
"Yes -- you are, Diane, but believe me - Kain is not right for you... He's just a rough fighter with no manners..." Cid sighed, trying to stay calm.
"So that's what Cid thinks about me..." Kain grinned, and upon hearing Diane's next words felt even some pride:
"I am only going for a walk with him, father! Besides he's not always rough. He can be very nice..."
"Just going for a walk with him? That's how it all starts... From all possibly men in the world why has it to be him?" Cid asked, now gesticulating wildly.
Diane stayed unimpressed. "I did not say that it would be him! I just like Kain... He's interesting and mysterious, likes to be alone just like me and knows so much about nature!"
"I am mysterious and interesting?" Kain smiled. No one had ever spoken about him that way.
"Diane, I think we're talking about different persons… "Your" Kain has betrayed many people..." Cid said gravely -- it slowly dawned on him that shouting would not persuade his daughter in the least.
Kain got pale. "I wonder how she will react on this... She's so pure..."
Diane just shook her head. "I've heard such things... But he has changed - he deserves another chance..." she stated.
"She knew all the time and still..." Kain felt a warm feeling surging up in him.
"Diane! He will make you unhappy..." Cid started to sound desperately "Don't be so stubborn..."
"Stubborn, like you, old man..."
"I am going now," Diane started to rush out of the door.
"Diane - wait! It's true what I said... He will never love you!" Cid called after her.
The girl came to a halt. "Wh...why do you say that, father?"
Cid inhaled deeply. "Because he's mad for Rosa! Was, is and will always be!" He lowered his gaze. "I would have liked to avoid telling you this, but you leave me no choice..."
"Shit!" Worlds were breaking apart in Kain. "I should have told her everything..."
"What..." Diane's lips started to tremble, her eyes filling with tears. "He told me of a lost love, but I didn't know it would be..."
Cid sighed. "Diane, please - forgive me, but I don't want my only daughter to throw her life away!"
"Cid - you'll pay for that..."
"Leave... leave me alone... I don't want to see anyone!" the young woman rushed out of the door, her face streaming with tears. She ran directly into Kain's arms.
"Diane..." He grabbed her at the shoulder.
The girl started to struggle at once, trying to get out of his gentle, but firm grasp. "Kai... Kain... Please let me go... I've just had a quarrel..." She did not dare to look at him.
"Yes, I've heard it...It's all my fault... I never wanted to make such a cheerful girl as you cry..."
"Why does it hurt so much to see her tears?"
"That... that's not right...If you really have heard everything, you know it... You played with me all the time! You could have told me that--"
"Shh - I know. It's right that Rosa is the love of my life..." Kain interrupted her.
Diane sobbed hard, still trying to struggle free. "So why concern yourself with a country girl? Rosa is perfect - she's not such a homely girl like me... But I deserve it. I shouldn't have even thought of becoming friends with you...Please... please promise me only one thing..." She looked at him pleadingly and bitter. "Never betray anyone again..."
The ex-dragoon gasped. "That's her only wish...Not to... betray anyone..." Kain loosened his grasp, thus allowing her to run away.
He watched her for a moment, her loose hair flowing in the wind, her stature as if all the pain of the world would lie on her shoulders, though it were only his lies, his betrayal that had hurt her -- and was hurting him...
He remembered Dawn's words: "Trust yourself" she had said.
"Can I really... only betray others.. betray myself? I... I want to know..."
And now was the time to find out...
He ran after the girl. "Diane! Wait!"
Being a good sprinter, he had reached her very quickly, took her carefully by one arm and whirled her around.
"Diane... I won't betray anyone else, not myself...I..."
She looked at him in despair. "Don't say anything! Even in this moment you're lying... You said that she was the love of your life..."
Kain pulled her closer. He sounded as serious as never before. "That was a life long ago... I only didn't have the courage to start a new... But we can do this, can we? We have the power to determine our lives -- we can decide... Will... will you help me?"
"Kain... you... you talk weird..." Tears welled in her eyes again "We're just friends, right?"
"Yes, friends..." Kain whispered, drawing even nearer to her, until their lips nearly met—Diane made no attempt to move away from him.
"Father will kill me for this..." Her lips trembled as they met Kain's for a soft, careful kiss.
"No... He will kill me..." Kain whispered. Suddenly he grinned. "Probably both of us..."
Diane stared at him wide eyed, cheeks slightly red, choking away some tears. Suddenly she had to smile, too. "Yes, probably us both..." she breathed. They kissed again, this time longer and less carefully.
Kain had problems to hold back tears, feelings flooding through him which he had never felt before. To him it seemed that he was doing for the first time in his life the thing he wanted without hiding behind something in order to protect himself. Be it hate, guilt... or an affection which had become nearly unreal through the years - only another wall to hide behind. In that moment the wall shattered and a heavy load left his soul -- the longing for something unreachable.
And this moment was real...
"Goodbye, Rosa..."
On the other side of the field, Cid was standing at the door way of his house, trembling with rage and anger as he watched his daughter in the arms of Kain.
"This... this is an outrage! I won't let it happen..." With a wild look in his eyes he left for the castle.
"Cecil! Here you are..." Rosa carefully entered a small tower chamber in the oldest parts of the castle. Her husband was sitting on the window ledge, face leant against the glass, looking tired and sorrowful. He probably hadn't slept the whole night. "You didn't come to bed last night- I was worried..." Rosa was looking tired, too.
"Sorry..." her husband said with a hoarse voice. "I just needed some time alone..."
Rosa stepped closer to him and stroked his check softly. "Yes- I suspected so... Cid told me that you had been in a bad mood..." She sighed. "Golbez, I suppose..."
Cecil nodded. He had pondered all night about the discussion they had the day before. As he thought about it, he felt again rage mixed with sorrow well up in him.
"He makes me so angry! What he says about father and himself and..."
"Cecil - please don't get so upset...He's just confused..."
Her husband frowned. "If you say so..."
"Oh gosh - I am really starting to sound like him..."
Rosa sighed again, knowing how sensible her husband reacted on everything that had to do with his brother. She carefully turned his face to her - his skin felt cold.
"You're looking terrible, darling... Sometimes I wish you would act at least a bit like Edge or Kain and go drinking in the pub when feeling down; instead of pondering all night alone in a cold room..." she looked at him half-reproachfully, half concernedly.
Cecil managed a faint smile, happy to change the subject. "I thought you hated pubs..."
"I do, but at least you're smiling again..." Rosa replied mischievously. "You should really get some rest now... You've said yourself yesterday that we all would deserve a rest now - and that does not exclude you!"
"Alright - can't say anything against your wisdom..." The Paladin nodded and left his sitting place, taking her by the hand.
"Maybe I really need some rest to get calm again..."
Before he and Rosa had even reached the door, Cid stormed into the room.
"Cecil, Rosa, something terrible has happened! This damn... I mean Kain - he's standing out there and... and..." he breathed heavily "He's kissing my daughter, Diane!" He looked at his two friends as if the moon had fallen onto the Blue Planet.
Rosa and Cecil exchanged glances.
"Looks like a certain someone is in love against all odds..." the Paladin smiled. "At last welcome news."
Rosa's eyes sparkled. "This is so wonderful! Diane is such a nice girl... She surely will--"
"Rosa! That's the point! He'll spoil her! This bastard... I am away and what does he do? He seduces my daughter!" Cid was red with rage.
Rosa stared at him "Cid - calm yourself... I didn't know you thought about Kain that way..."
Cecil came to her aid. "Cid, there's no need to talk to Rosa like that -- Kain surely did not intend to "seduce" your daughter - sometimes love just strikes..."
Cid stared at the paladin in disbelief. "Love just strikes! I hope something else strikes Kain - how about a thunderbolt! You are some friend! You promised me to talk to him..."
Cecil nervously ran a slender hand through his hair.
"Listen Cid..." he said as patiently as he could manage. "I thought you were just upset without a reason -- Kain isn't as bad as you suppose..."
Rosa nodded in agreement.
"Who's your friend, Cecil, Rosa - me or Kain?" Cid snapped.
"Cid..." Cecil frowned. "What's that for a question?"
"You're both our friends..." Rosa said softly.
Cid was silent for a moment. "Then it's time to decide for one or the other one... And as long as you don't, do not expect any maintenance of the airships!" He puffed furiously and rushed away.
For a moment Cecil and Rosa were staring at each other, wordlessly. A castle servant entered the room.
"King Cecil, Queen Rosa!" Some of your people are waiting at the throne room - it's audience day today..."
"I am going after Cid--" Rosa sighed.
"--And I am taking care of the rest..." Cecil concluded her sentence. He embraced his wife and hurried towards his duties. Just before he could reach the throne room, desperately trying to get at least a half decent look again, Rydia approached him.
"Cecil - we really need to talk!"
"Not again..." the Paladin sighed quietly. "Rydia - I am sorry, but right now some people are waiting for me.. I can't let slip my duties as a King..."
"But as a friend?" The caller demanded and was sorry at once for her words as she saw the sorrowful look of her friend.
"Please don't say this, Rydia... Duty is duty..."
She looked at him pleadingly "Just a minute..."
"Yeah, alright..." her friend sighed. He was wishing now, too, that he had slept last night a bit.
"What is the real reason for not wanting to go to the tower of Bab-Il?"
"You must be joking Rydia... I've told you before..." Cecil was nervously eyeing the entrance to the throne room, where he was announced just now... "It's too dangerous!"
"Kieran said— Forget it… I mean: Are you doing everything you can to bring me back home?"
"Ye... Yeah... Rydia - please have more patience... This is your home, too - the Underworld is not running away..." he said hastily, hoping to satisfy her.
Rydia wasn't satisfied at all with this answer and looked at him, warily. "Cecil - why do you call me your friend?"
The herald had stopped announcing Cecil.
"Rydia - now it's enough - you know what happened back in Mist and that... Curses! I have to go...Let's talk later..." He patted her on the shoulder and hurried to the throne room...
"Why was he so rough?. "You know what happened in Mist..". Maybe it's true after all what Kieran said..."
"Rydia - have you seen Cid?" Rosa's friendly face appeared beside her.
"Rosa will surely understand..."
"Rosa! Have you got a moment time for me?" Rydia asked. From somewhere one could hear someone swearing.
"This must be Cid!" Rosa sighed. She kissed the green-haired girl on the cheek... "Not at the moment- sorry..." Before Rydia could say anything, she had hurried away.
"Why I am feeling so lonely all of a sudden? They should see that I am in need of someone... In the monster world there had always been someone to speak to..."
She felt the need to see Diane. After a while of searching she found her, sitting -- totally unusual for her -- on a bench in the castle courtyard.
"Well, hello Rydia!" her friend exclaimed excitedly. "You don't know what just had happened--"
"What?" Rydia asked full of concern despite her own worries. "You look as if you'd cried..."
Her friend blushed. "Yes, that's right, but do you know what Kain and I..." She told her in short the whole story.
The caller's face turned pale. "Kain?" she uttered horrified. She never really had forgiven Kain for the assault of Mist, knowing in her heart that Cecil alone had saved her from death.
"You know what he has done, don't you? He has not only helped to burn my village but has betrayed several of our friends!"
Diane looked at her surprised. "Rydia… What's the matter? I thought you would be happy for me... He has changed... I love him!"
"He's more important than me..."
"Well, then... I wish you fun!" Rydia snapped and rushed away.
"Rydia... Wait!" Diane shouted after her. "Maybe it was too hasty to tell you all this - you seem to have problems of your own... Please... Tell me!..."
Unfortunately, Rydia was already too far away to hear her.
She ran to her guest room and threw herself on the bed, crying.
"Why is no one listening to me? Maybe they are all too busy right now, but still..."
She thought of the things again that Kieran said to her: "They don't understand you... They won't let you go..." Could it be true?
Kieran, at least seemed to understand her... She started to brood, felling more and more depressed.
"What will the others say if I lose all my magic abilities and I am of no use? Or what would happen if the same as to the poor Kieran would happen to me and I would misuse a spell?" Tears were filling her eyes again.
"Rydia? Why are you crying?" a surprised voice came from the direction of the door. It was Edge.
"Edge..." Rydia mumbled. "I... I don't know - I just feel so alone..."
"Hey girl! No need for that! Your long time friend Edge is here!" With a jump he landed directly next to Rydia. "Did you know that I am also a really good listener?"
The caller had to laugh and wiped her tears away.
"No..." she sniffed.
Edge looked at her reproachfully, but his eyes were smiling. "What's the problem?" As he saw Rydia hesitate, it suddenly seemed to dawn on him. "It was this Kieran guy, wasn't it?" he demanded angrily.
"Yes... But not as you think... He really has made through a lot..."
Edge wasn't interested in the least in someone he saw as a death rival, so he interrupted her. "Listen Rydia - this guy is just weird... Have you looked at the monster he called at Agart? This Bonedancer thing, from what he says it comes from another dimension? I mean some of your monsters can be scary -- but hey -- if anyone croaks in the castle I will surely suspect him! …Rydia?"
The caller's smile had completely vanished and she was about to cry again. Without a word she left the room only to storm into Kieran's quarters in desperation. "Kieran... I--" was everything she brought forth.
The wizard smiled, then looked at her in concern and carefully wrapped her arms around her.
"Hey now... No need to speak... I know..." he said in a low whisper, rocking her gently.
The caller let herself go completely and sobbed in his shoulder -- for a moment she had the feeling of absolute safety. "What am I to do now? They are my friends, but they behave so strange..."
"It always starts this way... Rydia - come with me... Together we can not only return to the Underworld but also possibly save this whole planet... and your friends, if you want..."
Rydia hesitated - though she was unsure of her feelings at the moment the thought to go against Cecil's orders disturbed her. "I don't know... Maybe they are all too busy at the moment... If I just go away they will be sick with worry... I should speak with them again..."
Suddenly Kieran released his grasp. "Yes - you're right. Sorry that I asked you to come...You're still young and I can understand that you have certain... obligations to these people - you must decide yourself where you want to go...I for one, am going..." He took his staff out of the corner.
"Obligations...Domesticated..."
"Kieran.. Wait...This... this is much too dangerous. You've never been in the tower..." Rydia stared at him wide eyed.
Kieran laughed bitterly. "I have no where to go else... If I stay here they'll hunt me down..." He left the room. "Goodbye Rydia and take care..."
"Wait!" She hurried after him till they reached the place where the chocobos were kept.
"Well, I need a black one, I think..." Kieran entered the stables.
"Kieran! This is stealing!" Rydia followed him and was greeted by an especially nice looking black chocobo with a loud "Squak!" It was Night Mist, Rydia's favourite animal.
Kieran studied the bird. "Oh - is it the only black chocobo here, at the moment?"
"Yes... I guess so..." Rydia nodded.
"Would you..." He looked at her pleadingly.
"What will you do if I won't give it to you?" Rydia asked. She knew what was coming now.
"Probably taking the airship, which I can't fly, or swimming which I can't do very well either..." Kieran said grinning mischievously.
"I can't let him die...He needs me... He has no one else..."
"Well - I guess I'll give it to you then. Under one condition..."
"Which would be?"
The caller swallowed "Take me with you..."
"Rydia... I don't know if I should..."
"Please... I want to know the truth... and if there really is no way back we can still return here and get help from Cecil... Maybe..." She frowned.
"Alright - get on. We callers have to stick together, have we?" he replied friendly, helping the caller to mount the chocobo.