Seasons
Part 2: Sorrow
Auron and Braska stood on the highbridge of Bevelle temple in complete silence. Neither of them could find words to say or the strength to move. They had just gotten word that Kale, their beloved father, had been killed by Sin. And to make matters worse, in the time that it took for the news to get to them, Sin had been defeated by the high summoner.
Auron tried desperately to keep his stoic expression, to keep the tears that were gnawing at him from spilling out of him. Disbelief and rage flowed through the 17-year-old. How could this happen? It wasn't fair.
Braska was in complete shock. He couldn't speak, couldn't think, all he could do was walk. And Auron followed him.
"Auron, I need to be alone."
"Alone?"
Alone? Why? Braska had never asked to be alone before. Why did he need to be alone?
"I need to think."
But why alone? Why was Braska shutting him out?
Auron had stopped dead in his tracks and watched as Braska walked away from him. The truth was that Braska couldn't bear to look at the sorrow in Auron's eyes, the sorrow that he tried so hard to hide, the sorrow that ate away at him, the sorrow that only Braska was perceptive enough to see. He couldn't face that now; it was just too painful to watch.
Auron was left standing a long time after Braska had vanished from his view. He felt lost, completely lost. He didn't know what to do. He had never heard that tone in Braska's voice before, and it frightened him.
Auron felt his feet moving. He didn't know where he was going, didn't care where he was going. He just had to get off that highbridge and the thoughts that haunted him there.
------------------------
When Auron returned to his room he found Braska there. Braska didn't look up when Auron entered the room and continued with the task he buried himself in.
"What are you doing?"
"Packing."
"Packing?"
For what? Why was Braska packing? Was he leaving? Leaving without Auron?
"I'm.going away for a while."
Auron was speechless. Going away?
"I need to get out and think."
Think? Why couldn't Braska do that here?
Braska finally turned to look at Auron.
"Please try to understand Auron. I just.need to get away for a while."
Why? Why are you leaving me?
Braska picked up his suitcase as he stood and laid a gentle hand on Auron's cheek as if he could read the young man's thoughts.
"I will be back, I promise. I could never leave you behind."
Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why?!
Braska whipped away a tear that had escaped Auron's eye, Still such a child.
"This is something I have to do. You will understand someday."
Braska gently kissed Auron's forehead and then walked out the door.
Auron stood in shock staring out the window. He barely noticed the wave that Braska gave to him even though he subconscious returned it. What would he do now?
----------------------------
It would be a year before Braska returned to Bevelle temple. During that time Auron had completely immersed himself in his studies and had greatly advanced his skills. He was now 18 and nearly 6 ft tall although he had not yet reached his full height.
When Auron heard that Braska had returned he ran to the highbridge to meet him. Auron wanted to hug Braska as hard as he could, he would have had he not been stopped dead in his tracks by the woman who held Braska's hand. Auron stood in stunned silence.
"Auron! It's good to see you."
Braska rushed forward to hug the man that he hadn't seen for a year, a man that he had dearly missed. Braska broke the hug and gestured to the woman
"Auron I'd like you to meet my wife."
Wife? Auron was crushed and he felt despair closing in on him. He had been left behind and now abandoned. His felt the remnants of his world crashing down around him. He had thought that he and Braska would be together forever, that things would go back to the way they were. Auron's body may have grown up, but he was still very much a child.
Auron noticed that the woman had reached a hand out to him.
I-
Auron felt heat rise to his cheeks and felt his control slipping from him. He hastily bowed, ducking his head.
"I'm very sorry."
And with those words Auron ran. Braska's eyes grew sad as he watched Auron retreat. Braska turned back to his wife and smiled at her but his thoughts were on Auron.
I will have to speak with him.
------------------------------
Auron's steps were rapid as he walked through the temple halls and it took every ounce of self-control he had to keep himself together.
At some point Auron passed another monk, it was Kinoc. Oh no, not now.
Kinoc quickly approached Auron and draped an arm over his shoulder.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, Auron?"
Auron had become acquainted with Kinoc shortly after Braska had left. Auron had only wanted a friend, but Kinoc wanted more. And although Auron made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with Kinoc in that way, it didn't stop the other monk from trying.
Auron pried Kinoc's arm from his shoulder.
"Leave me alone Kinoc, I am not in the mood for your games."
"Well that wasn't very nice."
Auron didn't care, and he didn't turn back, didn't slow down. He just kept right on walking, he didn't even look back to see if Kinoc was still following him.
-----------------------------
Auron sat on the stone wall of the temple yard looking over the ocean, in that same spot that he and Braska had been so many times.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Auron glanced over his shoulder to see Braska standing behind him.
"I always come here when I need to think."
"I know."
Auron made a sound that only Braska could have understood. How was Braska so able to read him when he could hardly read himself?
"I heard you're a warrior monk now."
Auron nodded.
"Yeah."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks."
There was a long silence as both of them stared out over the ocean. Braska tried to find the words to say.
"Auron."
Auron lifted his head a bit but couldn't bring himself to look in Braska's eyes.
"I haven't abandoned you, please don't think that. I told you before that I could never leave you behind, that has not changed. It's just that.well, you know."
Auron nodded.
No, I DON'T know. Then why the hell had he nodded?
Again there was a long silence.
"Auron,.I've decided to become a summoner."
Auron nearly fell off the wall and he turned to look Braska right in the eye.
"What?!"
"I'm going to become a summoner and defeat Sin."
"But, you know what happens when a summoner calls the final aeon."
"Yes, I know."
"Then why?"
"I want to free the world of sorrow."
Then why are you causing more? Why are you leaving me again?
"That's just stupid."
"Is it stupid to follow a dream?"
"Why?"
"It's something I have to do, a dream I have to make real."
Damn you, Braska, I hate it when you use that answer.
Auron took a deep breath.
"Then, when you start your pilgrimage, I will be your guardian."
Braska threw his arms around Auron's neck and hugged him tight.
"Thank you, Auron. I was hoping you would say that."
Auron had far from given up though, he was not about to stand idly by and watch as Braska sacrificed himself. But he had time, Sin had not yet returned, and he still had opportunity to talk Braska out of it. Auron would leave the subject for now. Right now, he just wanted to spend some time with the one that meant the world to him, he wanted to share old times, even if it wouldn't last.
---to be continued---
Auron and Braska stood on the highbridge of Bevelle temple in complete silence. Neither of them could find words to say or the strength to move. They had just gotten word that Kale, their beloved father, had been killed by Sin. And to make matters worse, in the time that it took for the news to get to them, Sin had been defeated by the high summoner.
Auron tried desperately to keep his stoic expression, to keep the tears that were gnawing at him from spilling out of him. Disbelief and rage flowed through the 17-year-old. How could this happen? It wasn't fair.
Braska was in complete shock. He couldn't speak, couldn't think, all he could do was walk. And Auron followed him.
"Auron, I need to be alone."
"Alone?"
Alone? Why? Braska had never asked to be alone before. Why did he need to be alone?
"I need to think."
But why alone? Why was Braska shutting him out?
Auron had stopped dead in his tracks and watched as Braska walked away from him. The truth was that Braska couldn't bear to look at the sorrow in Auron's eyes, the sorrow that he tried so hard to hide, the sorrow that ate away at him, the sorrow that only Braska was perceptive enough to see. He couldn't face that now; it was just too painful to watch.
Auron was left standing a long time after Braska had vanished from his view. He felt lost, completely lost. He didn't know what to do. He had never heard that tone in Braska's voice before, and it frightened him.
Auron felt his feet moving. He didn't know where he was going, didn't care where he was going. He just had to get off that highbridge and the thoughts that haunted him there.
------------------------
When Auron returned to his room he found Braska there. Braska didn't look up when Auron entered the room and continued with the task he buried himself in.
"What are you doing?"
"Packing."
"Packing?"
For what? Why was Braska packing? Was he leaving? Leaving without Auron?
"I'm.going away for a while."
Auron was speechless. Going away?
"I need to get out and think."
Think? Why couldn't Braska do that here?
Braska finally turned to look at Auron.
"Please try to understand Auron. I just.need to get away for a while."
Why? Why are you leaving me?
Braska picked up his suitcase as he stood and laid a gentle hand on Auron's cheek as if he could read the young man's thoughts.
"I will be back, I promise. I could never leave you behind."
Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why?!
Braska whipped away a tear that had escaped Auron's eye, Still such a child.
"This is something I have to do. You will understand someday."
Braska gently kissed Auron's forehead and then walked out the door.
Auron stood in shock staring out the window. He barely noticed the wave that Braska gave to him even though he subconscious returned it. What would he do now?
----------------------------
It would be a year before Braska returned to Bevelle temple. During that time Auron had completely immersed himself in his studies and had greatly advanced his skills. He was now 18 and nearly 6 ft tall although he had not yet reached his full height.
When Auron heard that Braska had returned he ran to the highbridge to meet him. Auron wanted to hug Braska as hard as he could, he would have had he not been stopped dead in his tracks by the woman who held Braska's hand. Auron stood in stunned silence.
"Auron! It's good to see you."
Braska rushed forward to hug the man that he hadn't seen for a year, a man that he had dearly missed. Braska broke the hug and gestured to the woman
"Auron I'd like you to meet my wife."
Wife? Auron was crushed and he felt despair closing in on him. He had been left behind and now abandoned. His felt the remnants of his world crashing down around him. He had thought that he and Braska would be together forever, that things would go back to the way they were. Auron's body may have grown up, but he was still very much a child.
Auron noticed that the woman had reached a hand out to him.
I-
Auron felt heat rise to his cheeks and felt his control slipping from him. He hastily bowed, ducking his head.
"I'm very sorry."
And with those words Auron ran. Braska's eyes grew sad as he watched Auron retreat. Braska turned back to his wife and smiled at her but his thoughts were on Auron.
I will have to speak with him.
------------------------------
Auron's steps were rapid as he walked through the temple halls and it took every ounce of self-control he had to keep himself together.
At some point Auron passed another monk, it was Kinoc. Oh no, not now.
Kinoc quickly approached Auron and draped an arm over his shoulder.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, Auron?"
Auron had become acquainted with Kinoc shortly after Braska had left. Auron had only wanted a friend, but Kinoc wanted more. And although Auron made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with Kinoc in that way, it didn't stop the other monk from trying.
Auron pried Kinoc's arm from his shoulder.
"Leave me alone Kinoc, I am not in the mood for your games."
"Well that wasn't very nice."
Auron didn't care, and he didn't turn back, didn't slow down. He just kept right on walking, he didn't even look back to see if Kinoc was still following him.
-----------------------------
Auron sat on the stone wall of the temple yard looking over the ocean, in that same spot that he and Braska had been so many times.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Auron glanced over his shoulder to see Braska standing behind him.
"I always come here when I need to think."
"I know."
Auron made a sound that only Braska could have understood. How was Braska so able to read him when he could hardly read himself?
"I heard you're a warrior monk now."
Auron nodded.
"Yeah."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks."
There was a long silence as both of them stared out over the ocean. Braska tried to find the words to say.
"Auron."
Auron lifted his head a bit but couldn't bring himself to look in Braska's eyes.
"I haven't abandoned you, please don't think that. I told you before that I could never leave you behind, that has not changed. It's just that.well, you know."
Auron nodded.
No, I DON'T know. Then why the hell had he nodded?
Again there was a long silence.
"Auron,.I've decided to become a summoner."
Auron nearly fell off the wall and he turned to look Braska right in the eye.
"What?!"
"I'm going to become a summoner and defeat Sin."
"But, you know what happens when a summoner calls the final aeon."
"Yes, I know."
"Then why?"
"I want to free the world of sorrow."
Then why are you causing more? Why are you leaving me again?
"That's just stupid."
"Is it stupid to follow a dream?"
"Why?"
"It's something I have to do, a dream I have to make real."
Damn you, Braska, I hate it when you use that answer.
Auron took a deep breath.
"Then, when you start your pilgrimage, I will be your guardian."
Braska threw his arms around Auron's neck and hugged him tight.
"Thank you, Auron. I was hoping you would say that."
Auron had far from given up though, he was not about to stand idly by and watch as Braska sacrificed himself. But he had time, Sin had not yet returned, and he still had opportunity to talk Braska out of it. Auron would leave the subject for now. Right now, he just wanted to spend some time with the one that meant the world to him, he wanted to share old times, even if it wouldn't last.
---to be continued---
