Hello again! If you're here for the new chapter, you may want to know that I've edited the Prolouge and Chapter 1, and completely changed Interlude 1. You should re-read them at some point....
~*~Prologue: Spring Picnic~*~
It was a perfect day for a picnic. The sun was shining, but it wasn't too hot. The trees were beginning to come into leaf, and the dandelions and clover were blooming, making the ground into a carpet of gold and green and white. Birdsong filled the sky, and a small creek babbled just off one side of the meadow.
The silence was broken by the soft sound of Chocobo feet patting on the path that ran through the forest, and two voices laughing in the fresh spring air. The Chocobo broke into the clearing at full sprint, stopping only reluctantly, and the riders dismounted. The woman flipped a large blanket onto the ground and began to unpack a large basket full of food, pulling out breads, pies, cheeses, and a bottle of wine.
The man finished tying up the Chocobo, walked over to the woman, and grabbed her in a bear hug, whispering soft words in her ear. She turned and embraced him in return, kissing him gently.
"I love you...." she said, snuggling into her love's arms.
"I love you, too. Let's eat!"
The two sat down and began to feast. So went the springtime afternoon for Baron's most famous newlyweds. Cecil and Rosa finished their meal and just sat under a tree, content to be together.
"...Ah..." Rosa murmured. A sphere of softly glowing light had appeared. A deep blue-green in color, it hovered just above the lovers' heads. Cecil reached up tentatively, but the will-o'-the-wisp simply floated out of range.
"That's odd..." he murmured, as the ball of light slowly hovered back down to its original position.
"I wonder what it is." Rosa mused, reaching up tentatively herself. The effect was immediate. The orb rushed to her fingers as if they were magnets, surrounding her hand with a soft cerulean aura that quickly faded, absorbed into her body. The two sat in silence for several moments.
"What was that?" Rosa wondered. Cecil had no answer.
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That night, it rained.