(YES!!! *does a happy dance* After two months of slaving over my papers, I finally finish Chapter 2! Sadly, it only took up a total of two pieces of notebook paper, but this is the version I am finally happy with. I'm hoping to finish this story by the time my birthday rolls around, but we'll have to see. And unfortunately, my copy of Final Fantasy VIII is on loan to a close friend, and I haven't played it in awhile, so I am having trouble remembering what Ultimecia's castle looks like. I'll see what I can do for later chapters, but to be honest, every time I'd run around Ulty's castle, I'd get lost.)
CHAPTER 2- Is it an Honest Love?
In the passing months, Keith spent much of his time in the dilapidated rubble of the castle, keeping Artemisia company. He often found himself completely entranced by her grace and modesty. She was a gifted Renaissance woman, intelligent, talented in the arts, and yet, she insisted that she was nothing special.
"Hobbies will use the time that boredom wastes," she'd say.
Shortly after she and Keith had first become friends, Artemisia, though she tried to convince herself that it was only because was the only man she had ever really known, found herself falling in love. She argued with herself, claiming that it was unreasonable for her to feel the way she did about him, that the possibility of wrecking a friendship was too great a risk for love. Afraid to lose her only friend, Artemisia kept her feelings hidden.
But, maybe she wasn't the only one questioning her feelings...
*****
"Yo, Keith, can you try coming out of the clouds for a while?"
"Huh?" Keith blinked. "Oh, sorry."
It was a warm Saturday afternoon, and for the first time in weeks, Keith and Evan were spending time together. They had gone down to the beach to meet a few friends, joking about being attacked by a Fasticolon. However, since the defeat of Ultimecia, monsters had begun to dwindle in numbers, so it was actually much safer to wander outside city barriers.
"Geez, you're becoming as ditzy as a cheerleader," Evan said teasingly.
"I'm not spacing out," Keith replied, annoyance present in his voice. "I'm just thinking."
"About?"
"Stuff."
Evan rolled his eyes. "Great... Come on, what's eating you? I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything."
Keith looked down and dug his toes into the sand. Evan sighed, and stalked off to meet their other friends. Keith shrugged a little to himself. He didn't mean to push his best friend away, but he doubted that even Evan could understand what he was feeling.
Two months ago, Keith had woken up with a funny feeling in his chest. He couldn't figure out what it was at first, but when he was brushing his teeth, it hit him. It hit him so hard that he fell from the shock.
He was in love.
He was in love with Artemisia.
And tonight was the night he was going to tell her.
*****
Artemisia sat on her bed, her feet covered by the skirt of her richly colored green silk dress. She had been thinking a lot lately ... about Keith.
"!!!" she growled in frustration.
Artemisia jumped off the bed and began pacing around her room. She knew what love was, she had read about it in books, but feeling it was different. She was confused and, in all honesty, quite scared of these new emotions.
...These were the kinds of things that a mother was good for.
She sighed, and went to the door. She pulled it open and walked down the hall towards the ballroom. She was heading for the chapel.
When she entered the chapel, she sat down in front of her mother's cross. The crudely cut wood with 'Rest in Peace' scrawled across the horizontal part hung on the wall, fitting in eerily with its surroundings. Artemisia clasped her hands together in her lap and stared silently at the mangled timber, her golden eyes filled with frustration.
"Is it an honest love?" she asked.
*****
"Artemisia?"
Keith walked through the front entrance into the Front Foyer. It was quiet. Keith let out a nervous sigh and began fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. He didn't know why, but he had suddenly felt he had to look nice...
Keith was wearing a black short-sleeved button-down shirt, the top button left unopened. He had on clean and ironed jeans and black leather boots. He combed black his hair, but a few stubborn strands of ebony fell across his forehead.
His heart was pounding and his hands were shaking. He was scared out of his mind. Sure, Keith had had girlfriends before, but this was the first time he truly felt in love.
"Keith?" Artemisia appeared at the door to the left.
"Oh, h-hi."
Dammit Keith, he scolded himself. Don't stutter.
"You look nice today."
"Y-yeah, thanks. You too."
Artemisia smiled, her cheeks turning slightly pink. Keith thought she looked even more beautiful with the color in her pale face. He swallowed hard and his mouth went dry.
"Is something wrong?" Artemisia approached him. "You're shaking."
"There's something I have t-to t-tell you," Keith stammered.
"What is it?"
"Artemisia, I, uh..."
Artemisia took his hands and looked into his jade-colored eyes.
"What is it?" she asked again, her voice gentle.
Keith's lips formed a nervous half-smile and he leaned in slightly, until his face was only a few inches from hers.
"I love you," he whispered.
Artemisia gasped and covered her mouth. He eyes almost immediately began to glitter with tears and she started to cry.
"Are you okay?" Keith questioned nervously.
"I don't know, I... I..."
Artemisia threw her arms around Keith's neck and pressed her lips against his. Keith was caught by surprise, but was quickly able to fall into the moment. He returned the kiss, placing his arms around her waist so that he could hold her close.
"I love you too," she said softly when their lips parted.
*****
"Yeah, so my mom left us when I was twelve," Keith was telling Artemisia. "Ever since then, it's been just me and my dad, but I'm cool with it. My best friend, Evan, his mom's always looked out for me."
"I see." Artemisia stared quietly at her bare feet.
"What's wrong?"
"I envy you." Artemisia glanced up at him.
"Oh... I'm sorry..."
"Please, don't be," she said softly. "I don't want pity..."
Keith thought for a second. He bit his lip, hoping he wouldn't regret asking.
"...What about your family?"
"You mean my mother."
"No... I... Yeah," Keith accepted defeat. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I won't ask again."
"...My father died before I was born," Artemisia began to tell her tale. "It was just my mother and I living inside our cottage for as long as I could remember. I look like her. She was almost the same; long white hair, yellow eyes, but I was told that I had my father's smile. Mother was loved in our little country town, but things change. They can change in the worst possible ways..."
"When I was five, our home was broken into by some drunken lunatics," Artemisia continued. "Mother hid me in a closet, but the men found her. They ... did things ... made her scream... They called her a whore ... even though she didn't want them to touch her..."
Keith took a hold of Artemisia's hand and squeezed it gently.
"After that, she became cold and emotionless," she continued, tucking a loose strand of snow-colored hair behind her ear. "Except for at night. That' when she cried. No one in town understood what she was going through, so they kept away... It was like that for three years. Then one night, an old woman showed up at our door. She told us that she was a sorceress, and that she needed to pass her powers on before she died. My mother accepted them without hesitation."
"Dear Hyne," Keith whispered under his breath.
"My mother knew exactly what she wanted. Revenge. Revenge on the world for pushing her away. She began acting differently, dressing differently. Her sense of power was frightening. She brought us to this castle and created monstrous servants to protect her from anyone who would try to stop her. You know the rest of the story."
Keith tilted Artemisia's chin up so she could face him. "Thanks for telling me. I think I have a new perspective on things now."
Artemisia smiled weakly. The young couple embraced and their lips met again in a passionate kiss.
*****
Keith yawned as he sleepily opened the door to the two-story brick home that lived in with his father, Xander Swordstrife. It was well past midnight, and sure enough, his father was waiting for him in the living room.
"Where were you?" Xander started the interrogation immediately.
"...Evan's..."
"Why didn't you leave a note?"
"...Forgot..."
"You better be going straight to bed."
"I am."
"Always let me know where you are," Xander told his son sternly. "Don't forget again, or I'll have your head, young man."
Keith trudged up the stairs and into his room. He fell forward onto his bed and kicked his sneakers off onto the floor. He fell asleep with a smile plastered across his face.
He was in love.
He had found the one.
*****
(No clue when I'll get around to starting Chapter Three, but I did say that updates would be slow.)