The same one evening, Palace of Sephiro

When the terrestrial ambassador introduced the Kisaragi family to the King of Sephiro, both Fuu and Ferio avoided to look at each other and their words were coldly formal. He felt a pang of jealousy seeing Seiji squeeze her hand with tenderness and kindness, a kindness that surely Fuu didn't deserve. Watching her better, Ferio noticed that she had changed: the first wrinkles had appeared on her skin, making her more melancholy and sad expression; her hair had became straw colored, and they soon would have become completely white. Even if she wore a simple dark green dress, Fuu was very thin. And this made him feel worse: he didn't know if hated her or if pitied her.

Fuu watched Ferio without be noticed, also he had changed: his hair was shorter and darker; his clothes were very different from the last time that she had met him. Also his eyes were different: when Fuu picked up enough courage, she peeped at his amber eyes and in them she saw something among anger, disgust and pain.She understood what he thinks about her now, surely he didn't have a good opinion: Fuu wondered if what they had shared had been forgotten.
" I haven't forgotten..." Fuu said to herself looking her glass.
Seiji, seeing his wife so depressed, placed a hand on her shoulder and told her with a smile:
" Is everything all right? Do you feel well? If you want, we could go back at the hotel and..."
" No, first I must speak with him. He must..."
" Yes, it's right to know his intentions: later we'll try to speak alone with him and..."
" No Seiji! I.... I want speak with him alone."
Seiji sighed and passed an arm around her shoulders pulled her to himself: he could feel her body tremble; her sweat was cold, as when she had the high fever.

Ferio watched bored as the couples danced in the hall's center. He didn't have yet had the opportunity to speak alone with Fuu. Looking toward the door, he saw Fuu and her husband sit on a couch while Emma and Saiki were few distant: that view gripped his heart.
" You can't go on in this way, King Ferio: you must talk." Clef said looking the ex Magic Knight of Wind.
Ferio frowned and puffed.
"What? I talk with that... that... I wouldn't dream of it! Not after having revealed the skeleton in her closet."
Clef sighed and tried to make the man see some sense.
" If don't want to do it to understand why Fuu behaves in this way, at least do it for Emma: if her mother is hostile to your marriage, it's your duty clarify every misunderstanding."
" She's jealous." Ferio grumbled " Jealous that the man that has made suffer so much finds a bit of comfort in another woman!"
The two men watched the couple in silence: Emma was talking with her mother and Fuu nodded, and then the girl went toward them. Emma joined Ferio and Clef and bowed to both.
" Ferio, my mother wants to speak alone with you."

" Uhm, yes." he said making a face " Tell her that I''ll wait for her in the library."
Ferio got up, but Emma grabbed his suit's sleeve.
" Please, be kind with her: she isn't... very well, and I would blame myself if she has a crisis because of us... "
Ferio nodded, even if he hadn't understood what Emma meant. Clef looked as Ferio left and Emma goes back to her mother and tell her Ferio's answer: inside of him, he knew that that evening somebody would have suffered.

Fuu was in front of the library's door and watched obsessively the handle: beyond that door, Ferio was waiting for her, but she didn't know which welcome he would have gave her. She breathed deeply and concentrated on her own aim: prevent Emma and Ferio's marriage. Fuu knew to have very valid arguments and she opened the door.
When he heard the door open, Ferio felt a knot close his throat: his feelings for Fuu -past and present, those for Emma, the anger and the girl's words were like a whirlwind in his heart. Ferio was confused. A part of him didn't want to meet his ancient love; the other wanted to know, wanted to see her and embrace her and kiss her. He shook his head: Fuu was the past; Emma the present and the future.
" Emma told me that you wanted to speak with me."Ferio said without looking at her.
Fuu bit her lower lip and sat before him. She opened the mouth, but she wasn't able to speak, she was too restless. She opened her purse, she took a cigarette and she tried to light it, but her hands trembled so much and her lighter fell.
Ferio avoided looking at her: he knew that that sight would have broken his heart. Fuu picked up the lighter and lighted the cigarette; when she was fairly calm, she said:
" I don't want you to marry Emma, it would be an error and..."
" And what? You haven't any right to tell me what to do and what not to do!"
" I think before all to my children's happiness! Do you think that it was easy for me go back to Sephiro after all these years? Do you think that my life has been a bed of roses? Or... or that had I a great time?!"
" I don't know how your life have been until today and I don't care! You have disappointed me, Fuu, and so much: I believed that one day you and I could have been together. God Fuu! I have waited you for all these years, I have hoped, I have... prayed that you would come back; while you had your handsome husband and your beautiful children and you had completely forgotten me!"
" But I never forget! I have married Seiji because I didn't have other choice..."
" Shut up!"
" Let me explain...."
" Explain to me what? That has your family forced you? Therefore would you also be a liar?! Emma has told me about you and Seiji: you have never loved me, I have been just an affair for you."
" That's not true! If you listen to me, you would also understand why I don't want you to marry Emma!"
" Beyond that unfaithful, you are also a jealous woman! That' why you don't want Emma to become my wife: you are jealous that a woman gives me the happiness that you have denied me for years!"
Fuu leaned her hands on her face and tried to calm down: Ferio's words were too harsh for her; it was as if strings of piano wrap and grind her heart.
" F-F-Fer. Ferio l-l-listen me please..."
She faltered between the tears. Ferio puffed and got up.
"Emma and I will get married the next year, we don't have anything else to say, Mrs. Kisaragi."
" Listen to me, I beg you! I have..."
" Stop it, you are pitiful Fuu. Only for what I feel for Emma I will allow you to come to the marriage, but you know that this is the last time that we see: I want neither meet you nor speak to you anymore."
Ferio said leaving.
Fuu watched blankly the door; then the woman got up and left.
" As... as you wish.."

Ferio felt a bit guilt: Emma had asked him to be kind with her mother because she wasn't well. But his anger, his disappointment and his pain were too big: anyone would have reacted in that way. Yes, he was said, /anyone/ would have been angry. What did Fuu expect from him? That would he have greeted her with open arms and would he have left Emma only because she wants it? No, Emma didn't deserve to be treated so; and it was for Emma that he would have born that woman the wedding's day. He wouldn't have prevented to his wife to meet her mother, it would have been wrong: simply he wouldn't be in palace in those days. Yes, Fuu was right only on a point: before all the good of Emma.
" I thought that you and my wife would have spoken for a longer time."
Ferio started: Seiji was in front of him; his penetrating look peered in his soul.
" There was not much to say. I think that now you too will try to convince me to not to marry Emma." Ferio said with a half smile," Your wife hasn't given me any motive for not doing it."
" I hope that you haven't been too harsh with her. It's since when the twins were born that she suffers of depression: I have often feared that she tries to commit suicide, but it has never happened up to now."
Seiji said bitterly. Ferio watched him: that man showed such kindness for his own wife -a wife that he didn't deserve it- it was touching. He gave voice to this thought. Seiji looked him harshly and hissed:
" You don't know my wife, you don't know what she has gone through! See the beloved woman live in this way for all these years would break whoever's heart. What hurt me more, it is that she never...."
"King Ferio! King Ferio!" Ascot exclaimed joining the two men," It's happened something serious!"
Ferio looked confused and alarmed at his friend.
" What's happened?"
" Presea... Presea says that one of the three escudo's swords is missing and Clef has sensed the Magic Knight of Wind's aura near the Temple of Skies, and it isn't at all a serene aura. You must do something!"
" I don't have any intention to have to do with that.... that idiot. I have more important things which pay attention to."
" But Your Highness..."
" No buts, I have said that I don't want to have to do with that idiot."
Ascot opened his mouth, but he then gave up. Mumbled a "As you wish", the Summoner left.
Ferio puffed: he didn't care why Fuu took her sword and went to Windam. Besides he didn't understand why Clef wants that /he/ went to see what was happening to the Temple of Skies: if the Mage was so worried, why didn't he go? Ah, yes:Ferio was the only one who could enter in the Temple and came out alive.
Then Seiji's words came back in his mind:
' ... I have often feared that she tries to commit suicide, but it has never happened up to now.' Shit! If something had happened to Fuu - above all something that he could have avoided- Emma wouldn't forgive him. Ferio called Ascot and told him more annoyed than worried:
" Call one of your friends: I got to go give it a glance."

" Therefore, will you do it, Windam?"
Fuu asked raising her eyes full of tears and placing a hand on her mashin's beak.
** As thou wish, my Magic Knight. **
" He hasn't wanted to listen to me, but to you... he'll surely listen to you and he'll believe you... he couldn't marry my Emma... "
** Don't fear, it won't happen. Art thou sure of thy choice, Magic Knight? **
" I had decided it a long time ago. Goodbye Windam. "
** Goodbye, Fuu Houoji.**
The four-winged phoenix said looking the woman.

Ferio had an unpleasant premonition: the more he approached the Temple and more the disagreeable feeling grew. He sighed and squeezed the griffon borrowed: why was he going to Fuu after have told her that he didn't want see her anymore? For Emma, it was his first answer. But to his spite, Ferio knew that he still loved the Magic Knight of Wind, despite her awful behavior.
" Why Fuu, do you have cheat on me? Why did you tell me that I was yours first love when there was Seiji? You don't know how I have loved and how I love you... "
The wind around the Temple was very strong, but it calmed down at his coming. Ferio got off the griffon and, taken by an inexplicable panic, ran toward the main room where Fuu and Windam were: the king sensed his anxiety grows with each footstep; he hoped to come before Fuu did any stupid thing. When he reached the room, Ferio leaned against the door and taking back breath, he looked for the woman with the glance.
He saw Fuu, in high armor, and her sword piercing her body.
" No Fuu!!"
Ferio ran toward her: the armor and the sword had disappeared and she lay in a pool of blood. Ferio embraced her: her heartbeat was weak and the breath was irregular; the wound was deep, but it hadn't affected any vital organ. If he hasn't gone to the Temple, she would have bled to death. Ferio got away the cloak and tried to tampon the wound; he then lifted her to bring her
back to palace where she would have been healed.
** Wait, King of this world**
Ferio was almost blinded by Windam's shine.
" Mashin of Wind, why do you have allowed her to do this?! Heal her!"
** No, I won't**
" Why? She is your Knight!"
** My Magic Knight has wished the Death, and I respect her will. **
" Then let me go! I couldn't allow that Fuu dies!"
** Thou haven't wanted to listen to my Knight, and she has given me the assignment to reveal thou the truth. Listen to me, King of this world..."

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