Ballad of a Fallen Angel

Chapter Five

'Such a marvel of beauty that has came here.' –Edgar

The steel structure stood firmly in the small sand dunes, as the castle of Figaro stood tall and firm in the middle of the warm desert. Guards paraded about the large structure either scouting around the castle or trying not to stand in one spot to long because of the sun. The clothes they wore were much different now. Their armor and clothes were much lighter now, because most of the guards use to pass out from the heat of the sun. Especially, when they were wearing heavy armor on them, but not anymore. The inside structure was just as the outside, just a little bit more elegant. There were rugs and long velvet runners going down the hallways and a flight of stairs. There were also a few paintings against the walls also. Just a few, there were actually more in the throne room. Though, King Edgar was no where to be found. For he was standing upon the balcony, looking outward to the stretching desert. Long blond tresses were pulled back into a ponytail neatly, with a blue ribbon tied into a bow. His azure eyes looking outward, his mind seeming to wander off as he was thinking of important matters. Sabin gave a long yawn as he was lying on top of the wall. He came every once in awhile to Figaro castle to visit his castle. Sabin was always traveling across the land. That's what he does best and what he lives for. Edgar had offered him to stay with him, but he declined the invitation. Though, he promised he would come and visit him at least one a month. He usually stayed a few days and would leave for two or three months to explore the land again. Edgar never really understood why his brother traveled so much. He wondered what he was looking for…if he was looking for anything.

Sabin eyes were closed as he his arms were behind his head as he was sleeping on the narrow wall. Ah yes, this was so peaceful. It was peaceful until he heard a loud yell, which made him topple off the side of the wall. With quick reflexes he grabbed the edge, he dangling there for a moment before he lifted himself up and over onto the stone floor. "Ah, that was too close for comfort." He said, giving a sigh of relief as he looked over the edge and down to the ground, he could see there was a small commotion brewing. From what he could see, the guards at the door were trying to talk to some man dressed completely in black. Also, there were two others that were sitting on top black chocobo by the looks of it.

Black? That's weird. I've never seen a black chocobo before.

He thought to himself as continued looking below. He couldn't quite place it but that man dressed in all black seemed familiar. He knew he remember meeting him once before…what was his name again? A guard then walked through the doors behind him and looked over the edge.

"I don't believe it. He's still there." The guard said with a groan.

"Who is? That man down there?" Sabain asked.

"Yes, he's been down there for awhile. He wants to talk with King Edgar, but his highness can not be disturbed. And that ninja man is threatening us." He said.

Ninja? I think I might know who he is now…of course!

"Well, don't do anything just yet. I'll go get my brother." Sabin said as he ran though the opened doors and then going down a flight of stairs and up the hallway into the throne room. He looked around and saw no sign of his brother, though he knew where he might be. He walked over to the large throne that had tapestry behind it, he pulled it back and there was a hallway hiding behind it. Sabin emerged down the narrow hallway until he reached the end, where a large balcony was and there was his brother standing there as he thought. He walked over to him and called out his name…but Edgar didn't seem to hear him as he was daydreaming. Sabin then wrapped an arm around his brother's neck and started to ruffle his hair. This got a reaction out of him.

"What the…Sabin! Stop, you're messing my hair!" He said, as he slipped out of his brother's hold after much struggling. His hands going to his hair as he fixing it back to his original state. He hated it when he did that.

"Sorry, but you didn't hear me. Since, you were in that daze again." He said, crossing his arms over his burly chest.

"I wasn't in a daze." Edgar said in defense as he finished fixing his hair and brushed a strand of his blond hair behind his ear. "I was just thinking."

"If you say so…anyway there's a problem outside. Someone needs to see you. You might want to come down." He said.

"I suppose. If it's important." Edgar said, as he turned around and walked off the balcony down the narrow hallway. He pulling the tapestry back and emerged from behind his throne, followed by his younger brother Sabin. As they were making their way to the entrance Edgar greeted some of the servants, the female servants anyway. Sabin shook his head slightly at this. This was almost a daily thing he did sometimes.

"Explain…" Shadow said in a monotone, with his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at the guards. They were uncomfortable as they were under his gaze, not to mention just his presence here.

"Er…w-w-we can't give you passage inside. You would need King Edgar's permission or invite to enter."

"Invite? This is my invite." In a blink of an eye he unsheathed the long pointed dagger from his hip. The blade gleaming as rays of sunlight bounced off it. The guard seemed to step back, one of them nearly stumbling over. K' looked a bit perplexed at the scene, she then looked down at Relm rubbed her shoulder trying to wake her, since she had been asleep for the whole trip.

"Relm… Relm? Wake up, I think we're here now." She said, as she shook her gently waking her. Relm yawned, as she shifted against the front of her body. The ten-year-old sat up just a little and rubbed her eyes. Her blue eyes looking up at K', her vision blurred and she still half-asleep.

"Mommy?" She said and rubbed her eyes. K' blinked in confusion, not understanding too much of what she meant.

I wonder why she said that…did she think I was her creator?

"Oh it's you K'." She said, as she was wide-awake now. She sitting up stretching her arms and then looking around, "We must be here now, right?"

K' nodded slightly, "Yes, I suppose this is it. I think that Shadow is asking them let us in."

Relm turned her head, looking at the guards who were in fear of him, along with Interceptor, "Not asking…more like telling them to." Relm and K' continued watching, before the doors had started to open and Sabin and King Edgar had emerged out.

"Who is that?" K' asked.

"The one with all the muscles is Sabin and the one dressed fancy is Edgar." Relm answered.

"I see."

"There is no need for such barbaric actions here." Edgar said as he held out a hand.

"Hey, so I was right. You're Shadow right? I remember you now." Sabin said. Shadow looked at him, seeming to recognize him. He narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I'm very sorry Mr.…Shadow, but I can't tolerate such actions like these. If you're going to continue threatening my guards you'll have to leave."

"It's not a option." Shadow said, as he sheathed his dagger back. Relm had taken the liberty of stepping in at this point. She and K' had got off of Scallop and walked over to them.

"What he means is that we came here because we needed to get our friend here some clean clothes to wear. There wasn't a close enough town for us to go to and Narshe is all the way north." She explained to them very sweetly. K' walking up behind her.

"It would mean a great deal to us." K' said.

Edgar looked at the young girl, "I see…well perhaps, but I'm not sure if…" He stopped in mid-sentence as his vision moved up from Relm and to the young woman standing behind her. He walked over to her as if he was in a daze, he grasping her hands in his own and looking at her.

"Such a marvel of beauty that has come here." He said, looking at her with a smile.

"Um…thank you?" She said confused, not understanding his actions. All of a sudden, she was feeling a bit awkward and uncomfortable. Sabin put a hand over his face and shook his head and gave a sigh. This is the same ritual he goes through every time he meets a pretty face.

My brother is such a Casanova.

He thought to himself, he thinking it was pretty lame how he was always doing this.

"So, can you?" Relm asked, looking up at him. Edgar nodded, he answering her but his vision upon the young woman.

"Of course you can. I'm sure there are some clean clothes for your beautiful friend to wear here and if you like you can all stay the night. Even this Shadow person…" Edgar said.

"I wonder how far my blade can penetrate his head." Shadow said to himself.

"It probably wouldn't go in very far though his thick head. I wouldn't try. You would either break your blade or it would get stuck." Sabin said sarcastically, he putting his arms behind his head and looked up at the sky. Not sure if he could look at his brother swooning over another pretty girl again.

"I am Edgar Figaro. Ruler here and also of South Figaro. So, what is the name you go by my dear?"

"My name is K'." She said, wearily.

"K'? What a strange name, but it fits a beauty of her stature. Please, enter my home and make yourselves comfortable." He said, leading her in. K' looked back at Relm who just shrugged and followed her along with Interceptor, but one of the guards had stopped momentarily.

"No, dogs allowed in the castle." He said, but jumped as Interceptor growled at him.

"The dog stays. Leave him alone and it may not eat you." Shadow said, walking up the stairs and entering the castle with Sabin following. Interceptor growled at the guard once more before he emerged inside after his master.

I guess I'll never hear the end of this from Edgar.

Sabin thought to himself as he continued listening to his brother talk on and on with perplexed girl. She just nodding her head a little, showing some interest. Though, she didn't really have the faintest idea of what he was talking about, except the compliments he gave her. Edgar's suave and poised talking was annoying Shadow now, almost more than Sabin. He really couldn't stand men like that at all. Of course, long ago he actually acted like that when he had first met his wife. He couldn't be like that anymore, so that's why Edgar being in his presence wasn't exactly pleasant. After walking down a hallway and turning a few corners he came to a door and opened it, the room was well furnished. There were two maids that were tidying the room a little as they entered. "You are welcome to stay here. I think there are some clothes in the dressers, so feel free to wear them." He then motioned over to the maids, they walking over to him. "Run a bath for this young lady and clean her thoroughly." The maids nodded, "Yes, King Edgar." One of them ran off to go get a towel and the other pulled K' in as she was looking around the room and blinked. There was an opened door in the room that led to the bathroom. Relm followed as she looked around, "Wow, this room is big. Even the bed is big. Hey, K'? Can I stay in here with you? I don't like staying in a room by myself." She said, looking at her as the maid had sat her on the bed.

"Hmm? Of course, I don't mind if you want too." She said, as the maid was pulling back clothes and was starting to unwrap the bandages around her shoulder blades.

"Well, since they are using this room I'm sure you and your…dog can stay across from them. Just make sure the dog doesn't jump up on the bed or chairs." Edgar said, as he turned around looking at Shadow.

"You can't take a bath with this on." She said as she unwrapped the bandages. The other maid had walked in with a towel now.

"Don't take it off…her wound probably hasn't healed yet." Relm said.

"Wound? What wound?" Edgar asked, as he started to walk in but was pushed out by the little girl.

"You can't come in. She's not decent. You can come in when we're done." She said, and closed the door. Unfortunately, when Edgar tried to ask something else the door had made contact with his nose, which was indeed painful. He cupped his hand over his assaulted sore nose. Sabin snickered under his breath at the hilarious scene in front of him, his cheeks a light red as he was tempted to burst out laughing. Shadow seemed amused by this, he smirking at the King's misfortune. Edgar turned looking at them with a glare, he looking at Sabin with an annoyed look and talked in a low voice with his speech distorted, which made the situation more hilarious, "Dun't say a ward, booth of you." Sabin bit his lip, he trying to hold in his laughter and was a little short of breath also. He gave a 'who me?' look, he snickering a little. Shadow remained silent, though Edgar could tell he wanted to rub it in. Shadow then sidestepped and extended an arm granting the king passage…now he was rubbing it in. Edgar growled and took his leave with his hand over his nose as he left. He could her Sabin laughing, of course. No respect…no respect what so ever.

"I don't believe it…" Relm said as she looked at K's back. It was completely healed now. She wasn't sure how. She remembered when her back was bloody and that she had deep long cuts in her shoulder blades. Her wounds couldn't have healed in such a short period of time. Though, there were scars left there though. They were a little visible, as they were light brown scars. K' wasn't sure how to respond or even explain to why or how her wound had healed so fast. Both maids then finished undressing her and led her into the bathroom where they put her in a bathtub with warm water. They beginning to scrub her skin and wash her hair. K' closed her eyes as she did not want to get soap in them. They cleaning all the dirt off of her body and out of her hair as they worked it into a fine lather and then pouring water over her head, rinsing her hair thoroughly. Relm was sitting on the large bed pondering on how her wounds could have healed in such a short time.

Those herbs I have used couldn't have healed them just like that…maybe the wounds weren't that bad, but they looked really bad to me and I know Shadow saw them too. I just don't understand.

After the maids bathed her for ten minutes, washing her body until there wasn't any dirt detectable o n her body. She was wrapped in a towel and pulled back into the room. One of the maids drying her and the other combing her hair, straightening it. K' winced as the maid was struggling to comb the tangles out in her hair. After awhile, she had finally finished straightening her hair. She pulled it back into a long ponytail and took a ribbon and tied it at the top of her head along with some bells. The other maid had finished drying her body and had picked out a nice set of clothing for her. Shadow and Sabin could here some slight commotion inside of the room. Sabin had finally stopped his hysterical laughing from what happened to his brother

"What do you think?" K' asked as she looked at Relm and then the maids. She was dressed in long silk pants that stopped above her ankles, a long blue sleeveless vest that stopped at her waist and was tied by a sash, covered over the long sleeve silk shirt under it. Relm nodded in approval, "I think it looks nice on you." K' smiled at the blonde girl. The maids also nodded in approval before they took their leave. The door opened and the two maids then left, they making their way down the hallway. Relm tugged K' over to the doorway for Sabin and Shadow to see, "How does she look? She looks so much better than before, huh?"

"Oh yes. Those clothes fit her well don't you say?" Sabin asked, as he looked over at Shadow. He folding his arms and giving a small mumble, it was very rare that he would actually compliment anyone.

"They're nice…"

Sabin then looked at them before talking, "Well, as my brother had said you are all welcome to stay here and spend the night. I suppose you might want to rest, before dinner?" He said. K' nodded a little, " I think I might. It's been a long journey. Thank you for kindness once again." She said, as she went back inside of the room. Sabin then decided he should go check on Edgar to see if he would be nursing his nose or that ego of his one. Shadow walked over to the room across from theirs; Interceptor had walked as soon as he opened the door. As he was about to emerge inside, a small hand tugged on the fabric around his waist. He turned and looked down at Relm. "Yes?" Relm looked up at him with her blue eyes and spoke in a small tone, "I need to tell you something. I think it's important." He looked at her for a moment, she seeming to give a pleading look up at him for awhile, before he would give in. Of course, he did. He surrendered by kneeling down to the girl's height and looking at her eye to eye so she would feel a little more comfortable.

"Now…what did you want to tell me?" He asked. She leaned over and whispered to him, but check to make sure no one was listening first.

"It's about K'. I think there's something wrong." She said, a little wearily.

"How wrong?"

"Well…when the maid had unwrapped the bandages the wounds were all closed up and healed. I just thought it was strange that they would do something like that…is that normal?" She asked. He looked at her a little surprised, but didn't want to alarm her. "No, it's not really that normal, but don't worry about it." He said, as he glanced over to the other room, the door half opened.

Not normal at all…wounds don't' heal that fast. There's something strange about that young woman, but I'm not sure what it is.

Yes, there was a hidden origin behind her, but it was no one else concern but her own. She didn't want to burden anyone or get them involved. K' then winced, her head throbbing a bit as she then held it. He was trying to reach her. If he did, he would be able to control her again. She had to block him or use some kind of barrier. She try to concentrate and flush the waves of repress out of her mind.

AHHHHHH!

Terra sat up in bed, holding her head tightly. Sweat running down the side of her face as this pain had entered her mind. That familiar pain she had felt when she was under Kefka's control once before, but how was she feeling this? She wasn't under any mind control anymore…was she? Her body shook from some shock, but stopped after awhile as the pain was starting to come to a slow halt. She gave a heavy sigh of relief, but looked at her sweating hands her eyes closing and her head tilted forward.

It's happening again…

~TBC~

Phew, that took me awhile. I was going to make it longer, but I'm tired. This is about eight pages worth of a chapter about. It's almost nine. Ugh, it'll be awhile before I can do the next chapter. Give me a week or so. Hope you liked it. Please review.