Chapter Fourteen
A family affair
Daylight was just beginning to touch the horizon when the trio left Bevelle behind them. It was a misty gray morning through which they trod, with at least one of them, Tidus, having a heavy heart. He had left Tida ... again, and this time it was by choice. If she had not hated him before, he was certain she would after this. Jecht, longer a parent, glanced at the boy and knew what he was thinking, but he did not question the decision. Leaving them behind in the safety of the spiritual capital of Spira had been the right thing to do. She was safe. They were all safe.
As they walked through the cool, blue eaves of Macalania, Auron thought he heard the sound of voices up ahead at the crossroads between Bevelle, the Calm Lands, and the road to the Thunder Plains.
When they reached the crossroads, Auron stopped in his tracks. Tidus slammed into him. And Jecht followed suit.
"What are you doing here?" Auron asked as he stepped forward, glaring at Pacce, Tiron, Aurie, and Tida, all of whom were standing in the middle of the road, waiting for them.
"You know, it was pretty sneaky trying to leave without us, but we can be sneaky too." said Aurie, folding her arms across her chest defiantly. "Thanks to Pacce." she muttered, giving him a light prod in the ribs.
"You should all go back to Bevelle." he told them.
"Aw, come on, Auron. They're already here ..." Jecht started to say, knowing that it was futile to argue with them. They were obviously quite determined.
"And this is a family affair. All of us are a family, or the next best thing." said Tiron forcefully. "And besides, you need us." he added.
"Yeah, seven went out to beat Sin and did it. It's lucky." said Aurie, pressing the advantage.
"And only five came back. Are you sure you like those odds?" questioned Auron more harshly than he intended.
"We are willing to take our chances." said Tiron. The others nodded their agreement.
Auron glanced at Tidus and Jecht and both indicated their somewhat relucant agreement as well. It was a losing battle. They would not be left behind, not even for their own good.
"Fine. We've wasted enough time here. Come along, if you wish." he said with an impatient sigh.
As they walked, Pacce and Tiron, uncle and nephew, led the group, talking quietly and observing the unfamiliar flora and fauna of Macalania, which Pacce had not seen in a long time. Jecht, Tidus, and Tida walked together in a silent, familial cluster. Tiron was right in his assertion. There were no better words to describe the matter at hand than a 'family affair'. Auron glanced at the girl who walked by his side. She would have been welcome to trot along with Pacce and Tiron, but she chose to stay with him, almost at his elbow. If she had chosen to do otherwise, he may have felt like an outsider, but somehow it was through her that he was included in this make-shift family.
"Auron, did you want to leave us because we aren't skilled warriors like you are?" she questioned in soft tones, not wishing anyone else to hear.
"That was one reason." he admitted.
"There was more than one?"
"Of course. We wanted all of you to be safe. Tidus and Jecht agreed to leave you behind mostly for that reason."
"And you?"
"Both in equal measure. But do not think I have forgotten what it was like to be young and inexperienced. I would have chafed to be left behind for that reason, but I also would have understood ... and obeyed the wishes of my elders."
They walked in silence for a few minutes as Aurie thought about what he said. She gritted her teeth unhappily. They were both right. Or more frustratingly, he was right. They were all both young and inexperienced, even Pacce really, and it was quite likely that it was in their best interest to have stayed in Bevelle. Although she had the sneaking suspicion that Auron would never have followed his own advice.
"But before this is over, you might need us, ya?" she said questioningly, looking him in the eye.
He chuckled softly and said, "We shall see."
She was certainly Rikku's daughter, whatever else she might be. That much was certain.
Just before they reached the beginning of the Thunder Plains, Tidus dropped back and gestured for Aurie to go ahead, that he needed a word with Auron. They slowed their pace and allowed the others to venture ahead of them toward the clearing at the beginning of the wood.
"How far behind are we?" Tidus asked him.
"Not far, I'm sure. If they used the shortcut through the forest, then we may catch up with them, but only if they pause at the Agency."
"If the Agency is still there, you mean."
"Point taken." nodded Auron.
"What if they took the regular route through Macalania?"
"Then we may be hours ahead of them."
"That'd be great."
"And unlikely too. Can you imagine Wakka or Lulu taking the long way around?"
"No, I can't." admitted Tidus.
"How goes it with your daughter?" Auron questioned out of the blue, obviously considering the other matter closed.
"Oh, well, she seems ... shy." stammered Tidus.
"It isn't easy for her, you know."
"Yeah, I kind of get the idea." said Tidus, looking for a moment uncommonly like his father in his obvious discomfort.
"Give it time."
"I only wish ..." he began, stopping mid-sentence and shaking his head.
"Yes?"
"Nothing." said Tidus, thinking of the words of the boy Fayth:
"It all depends on you."
Those words seemed ominous somehow.
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A/N: Thanks (as always) for the great reviews Jade, Summoner Cynthia, sulou, and Lexa Raye! Jade (ShadesOfGiada) asked: "So Braska is (about) the same age as Yuna?" Yes, I think she would be, but the game doesn't really give very many clues about his age when he died.
A family affair
Daylight was just beginning to touch the horizon when the trio left Bevelle behind them. It was a misty gray morning through which they trod, with at least one of them, Tidus, having a heavy heart. He had left Tida ... again, and this time it was by choice. If she had not hated him before, he was certain she would after this. Jecht, longer a parent, glanced at the boy and knew what he was thinking, but he did not question the decision. Leaving them behind in the safety of the spiritual capital of Spira had been the right thing to do. She was safe. They were all safe.
As they walked through the cool, blue eaves of Macalania, Auron thought he heard the sound of voices up ahead at the crossroads between Bevelle, the Calm Lands, and the road to the Thunder Plains.
When they reached the crossroads, Auron stopped in his tracks. Tidus slammed into him. And Jecht followed suit.
"What are you doing here?" Auron asked as he stepped forward, glaring at Pacce, Tiron, Aurie, and Tida, all of whom were standing in the middle of the road, waiting for them.
"You know, it was pretty sneaky trying to leave without us, but we can be sneaky too." said Aurie, folding her arms across her chest defiantly. "Thanks to Pacce." she muttered, giving him a light prod in the ribs.
"You should all go back to Bevelle." he told them.
"Aw, come on, Auron. They're already here ..." Jecht started to say, knowing that it was futile to argue with them. They were obviously quite determined.
"And this is a family affair. All of us are a family, or the next best thing." said Tiron forcefully. "And besides, you need us." he added.
"Yeah, seven went out to beat Sin and did it. It's lucky." said Aurie, pressing the advantage.
"And only five came back. Are you sure you like those odds?" questioned Auron more harshly than he intended.
"We are willing to take our chances." said Tiron. The others nodded their agreement.
Auron glanced at Tidus and Jecht and both indicated their somewhat relucant agreement as well. It was a losing battle. They would not be left behind, not even for their own good.
"Fine. We've wasted enough time here. Come along, if you wish." he said with an impatient sigh.
As they walked, Pacce and Tiron, uncle and nephew, led the group, talking quietly and observing the unfamiliar flora and fauna of Macalania, which Pacce had not seen in a long time. Jecht, Tidus, and Tida walked together in a silent, familial cluster. Tiron was right in his assertion. There were no better words to describe the matter at hand than a 'family affair'. Auron glanced at the girl who walked by his side. She would have been welcome to trot along with Pacce and Tiron, but she chose to stay with him, almost at his elbow. If she had chosen to do otherwise, he may have felt like an outsider, but somehow it was through her that he was included in this make-shift family.
"Auron, did you want to leave us because we aren't skilled warriors like you are?" she questioned in soft tones, not wishing anyone else to hear.
"That was one reason." he admitted.
"There was more than one?"
"Of course. We wanted all of you to be safe. Tidus and Jecht agreed to leave you behind mostly for that reason."
"And you?"
"Both in equal measure. But do not think I have forgotten what it was like to be young and inexperienced. I would have chafed to be left behind for that reason, but I also would have understood ... and obeyed the wishes of my elders."
They walked in silence for a few minutes as Aurie thought about what he said. She gritted her teeth unhappily. They were both right. Or more frustratingly, he was right. They were all both young and inexperienced, even Pacce really, and it was quite likely that it was in their best interest to have stayed in Bevelle. Although she had the sneaking suspicion that Auron would never have followed his own advice.
"But before this is over, you might need us, ya?" she said questioningly, looking him in the eye.
He chuckled softly and said, "We shall see."
She was certainly Rikku's daughter, whatever else she might be. That much was certain.
Just before they reached the beginning of the Thunder Plains, Tidus dropped back and gestured for Aurie to go ahead, that he needed a word with Auron. They slowed their pace and allowed the others to venture ahead of them toward the clearing at the beginning of the wood.
"How far behind are we?" Tidus asked him.
"Not far, I'm sure. If they used the shortcut through the forest, then we may catch up with them, but only if they pause at the Agency."
"If the Agency is still there, you mean."
"Point taken." nodded Auron.
"What if they took the regular route through Macalania?"
"Then we may be hours ahead of them."
"That'd be great."
"And unlikely too. Can you imagine Wakka or Lulu taking the long way around?"
"No, I can't." admitted Tidus.
"How goes it with your daughter?" Auron questioned out of the blue, obviously considering the other matter closed.
"Oh, well, she seems ... shy." stammered Tidus.
"It isn't easy for her, you know."
"Yeah, I kind of get the idea." said Tidus, looking for a moment uncommonly like his father in his obvious discomfort.
"Give it time."
"I only wish ..." he began, stopping mid-sentence and shaking his head.
"Yes?"
"Nothing." said Tidus, thinking of the words of the boy Fayth:
"It all depends on you."
Those words seemed ominous somehow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Thanks (as always) for the great reviews Jade, Summoner Cynthia, sulou, and Lexa Raye! Jade (ShadesOfGiada) asked: "So Braska is (about) the same age as Yuna?" Yes, I think she would be, but the game doesn't really give very many clues about his age when he died.
