Chapter 5, In the castle again
It was getting colder for every minute that passed, but Rydia only thought about keeping Edge warm, not about her own shivering. Then suddenly, just when her teeth began to chatter, she heard somebody's distant voice. Somebody was yelling her and Edge's names high above, on the cliffs. With a rock leaving her heart, she hurriedly sat up. There were lights up there, torches that moved around, searching. More voices shouted.
"Down here!" she called, "powers of fire…"
There was a victorious shout as the flame down on the beach was spotted, and the torches assembled to a line of sparks by the cliff's edge.
"Are you alright?" Yang's voice called down.
"Edge has got fever," Rydia shouted, "he need help! Could you throw down a blanket or something?"
"Wait, my friend, I'm coming…"
"Be careful!"
But she knew that Yang didn't need to hear that. He was the kind of man who didn't need any eyes to climb down a cliff. It didn't take him very long either. Rydia was so relieved that she had to hug him in the light of the torch he had brought down.
"Don't worry, Rydia," Yang warmly said, "you've done well, I'm sure... you go back to Edge for the moment, I will unpack a tent."
He ran the torch down into the sand so that it could stand by itself while he dug around in his magical backpack. Rydia sat down by Edge's side and carefully put her hand on his cheek. He was half unconscious now, didn't seem to know what was happening.
Yang brought a stretcher from his sack, and carefully he and Rydia moved Edge over on it, away from the cold ground. Then the king of Fabul kept his promise about a tent. After putting that up and carrying the stretcher inside, Rydia heavily sat down on the ground and took a relieved breath.
"I was so worried about him, Yang," she sighed, "I was sure he was going to leave…"
"It will be alright now, Rydia," the karate-master kindly said, "now that His Majesty is above the coldness, I am sure that his strong body will face no more problems."
Rydia looked up and smiled. It was so heavenly calming to hear someone else say that again…
"Rydia…" Edge whispered, stuttering.
His hand fumbled and fell to the ground, searching her blindly. She hurried over to him and took the hand, putting it back by his side.
"I'm here, don't worry…" she softly mumbled.
Yang watched the young king and the just as young woman, and a small, warm smile tickled the lips of the great warrior.
Rydia didn't leave Edge for the whole night, just waved away Yang's suggestion about sleeping a little.
"No, it was my fault he ended up like this," she told her older friend, "I can't leave him; he might need me."
"I understand," Yang nodded at that, and didn't insist.
On the brink of morning, as soon as the first rays of the sun touched the world, a small airship landed on the beach. From it, a big group of worried friends hurried. By then Edge's fever had gotten better, so Rosa concluded that they without any problems could bring him on board the airship and take him to Baron castle. Cecil and Yang carried the stretcher, and Rydia walked beside it every single step.
She stayed by Edge all the time on the trip, not noticing the warm glances that her friends exchanged.
They brought the king of Eblan downstairs, to the castle's healing quarters. Rosa and the nurses then pushed the many anxious friends out of the room. Rydia could stay, though. Nobody dreamed about asking her to leave.
Lying in a proper bed, Edge's body seemed to give a sigh and managed to fall into a healthy sleep without nightmares.
"You should rest a little too," Rosa kindly said, "there's nothing more anyone can do for him."
"I want to be there when he awakes," Rydia explained, stubbornly.
Rosa just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. The caller turned to Edge again, holding his hand between her smaller palms. She was so relieved that he was recovering now, that it finally was obvious that he would survive…
Half an hour later she fell asleep after eating some soup, still sitting on the chair. Rosa had left, knowing she wasn't needed and unwilling to disturb. Instead a couple of the nurses carefully moved her over to the bed closest to Edge's.
Two hours later the king of Eblan awoke.
"How are you, Majesty?" one of the nurses kindly asked as soon as she noticed that his eyes looked around, slightly confused, "You are in Baron castle."
Another one of the women in white clothes hurried up the stairs to tell the good news.
"I'm pretty fine," Edge concluded after carefully sitting up in the bed, "just a little shaky…"
He turned his head and looked at Rydia, frowning.
"Fell asleep, the poor, stubborn thing," the nurse kindly explained, "I heard she kept awake through the whole night, watching you, Your Majesty."
"She did?"
Edge tried to remember what had happened. The poison, the fever… Rydia… the nightmares… she had stayed with him all the time?
She looked so calm now, but he recalled her anxiety. A tidal wave of tenderness built up inside of Edge as he watched her. He wanted to get out of the bed, walk over to her, awake her, thank her for all that she had done as he had been helpless. But to break her peace… no, he could wait. It was worth it. She deserved to rest now, and waiting a while would only make the thanking sweeter and give him some time to think of what he could say. And this time, he wouldn't allow his tongue to slip and betray him.
"Do you want to eat a little, Your Majesty?"
A nurse offered him a soup plate. Edge smiled, grateful. He noticed that his hands shook a little as he took the plate. Now as he thought about it, he hadn't eaten in a whole day and night. The antidote didn't count. No wonder he felt weakened…
"Has she eaten anything?" he asked, nodding at Rydia.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Nothing to worry about."
Edge nodded and then began to eat the soup, forcing himself to do it slowly.
He remembered that he had asked her to take care of Eblan. It had startled her, for sure. But he had felt forced to do so, somebody had to do it if he wasn't there anymore to do it himself. And she was really the only one he trusted to compete with the hard work and had the same kind of strong will as him. His poor country did certainly not need a war over the throne.
All the soup was gone. Edge placed the plate on the table beside the bed and then laid down again, his eyes resting upon Rydia.
It had been long ago that he had watched her sleep. During the journeys a few weeks earlier, everyone had been sleeping beside each other since there seldom had been much space to spare. Edge smiled as he recalled all the times Rydia had warned him to try something, and then calmly laid down to sleep just beside him…
She had embraced him to keep him warm.
Edge's eyebrows twitched.
Rydia had embraced him. Laid beside him and held him tightly to protect him against the shivers.
Oh, gods…
How he had dreamed of such a thing… and the fever had made him so absent that he hardly had noticed it. Even if it only had been to save his life and not true emotions…
He watched Rydia.
I love you.
"Powers of healing, I bid of thee to lend me thy powers," a voice suddenly chanted, softly, "send deep, calm sleep…"
Warmly purple threads danced above Rydia's head for a moment, before disappearing as suddenly as they had come. She mumbled something and kept sleeping. The nurses nodded at their king and left the room as he kindly pointed at the door.
"Hello, Cecil," Edge said, not allowing any sign of irritation to show.
The king of Baron had interrupted the king of Eblan's thoughts and viewing of Rydia, but he had done so as a worried friend.
"Just thought you wanted some privacy," Cecil said and nodded at Rydia, "or rather, I wanted it to be so."
Edge's eyebrows went up.
"Feeling any better?" Cecil asked and sat down on a chair between the beds.
"Yes, thank you."
Cecil smiled.
"Everyone wanted to rush down and see you," he said, "but I waved most violently with my sword, so here I am."
They grinned at each other. Then Cecil cleared his throat.
"Say, Edge," he carefully said, "want to talk about Rydia?"
"What about her?" Edge innocently said, "she's a good friend, just like you and Rosa."
"Oh, cut it out," Cecil sighed, "everybody knows that you two love each other."
Edge startled.
"What?"
"Edge, for all the gods' sake…" Cecil said, rolling his eyes, "it's only the two of you who refuses to see it."
Edge shook his head.
"No, that's not true," he slowly said, "I know I love her. But I doubt that Rydia feels the same."
He was pushed into a corner. Anyhow, he had longed for telling someone the truth. He felt much better as his wishes and doubts had been partly released, even though it wasn't that much.
"I don't," Cecil said.
He leaned back.
"You know, I know Rosa since fifteen years. About ten of those she used to tell me she loved me. But it seemed like I never understood what she was saying before Golbez kidnapped her. It's a wonder that Kain never caved my thick head in for my own good."
"I wonder where he is now," Edge hurriedly said.
Cecil shook his head.
"No changing subjects, my friend," he said, "what I'm saying is the truth. It's obvious."
"No, it's not," Edge said, "I might be in love, but I'm certain that Rydia is left in friendship."
"Now you listen to me," the king of Baron said, frowning, "I and all the others want you two to be happy. But this might be the only chance you've got to finally admit what you feel for each other. Are you aware that Rydia very well might return to the land of Espers permanently if nobody doesn't tie her to our world?"
Edge stared at his friend.
"What!? But the time flow…" he choked.
Cecil nodded, gravely.
"Yes, I know. It's her decision, but… she don't have any real strong bonds in this world, you know. We are her friends, but she grew up among the espers."
The king of Baron was crossing his fingers, holding the hand on the other side of his legs where Edge couldn't see it. Cecil was well aware that Leviathan could change the time stream for Rydia's sake, but lying to the ninja king might be the only way to make him think clearly.
Edge sighed.
"Well, I can't force her," he said.
"Edge!"
"Look, it's not like I'm her babysitter. She's an adult and have the right to decide herself, I don't want to push her into something. I wouldn't do that to her."
Cecil sighed, imitating his friend.
"Edge, listen…"
"No, I'm not going to press her, even though I don't want her to leave," Edge resolutely said.
"Well, I guess I can't make it through to you," Cecil said and stood up, "but I believe that you're the only one who can ask her to stay. You should at least think about it."
Cecil walked out of the room and up the stairs, leaving Edge to his new troubled thoughts.
Everyone living in the castle waited in the throne room. Cecil knew it, so he went there to leave his report. The crowd split into two to allow him to reach the throne, where everyone could see him.
Rosa stood up there already.
"Well?" she worriedly said, speaking everyone's thoughts.
Cecil sighed and shook his head.
"The fool is afraid to lure her into a hasty decision. I could have strangled him…"
There was a lot of sighing in the room. Rosa finished her depressed breathing and then looked at Cecil.
"I'm sure it'll be alright," she said, "I doubt he can compete with the risk of loosing her 'forever'."
"Yeah, I guess…" Cecil said, but he wasn't very sure about it.
Edge was such a stubborn idiot at times…
The guards, servants, kings and others in the room fell into concerned silence.
'They want to be together,' Cecil thought, frowning, 'what does it take for them to see that? What should I do…?'
"Why is there a crowd here, Cecil?" a voice suddenly called.
A lot of heads snapped up, and many people spun around. Everyone stared. Especially the one who had been called.
"K-k-k-k…" Cecil stupidly stuttered.
"Kain!" Rosa exclaimed.
"Missed the wedding, didn't we?" the dragoon said with an excusing smile, "I'm sorry about that. We traveled here as fast as possible…"
He wore his armor, as always. But he smiled, and that was unlike him. Behind him stood a figure in a brown robe, with a hood that hid the person's face.
Cecil rushed down the room and grabbed his friend's armored shoulders.
"You're back!" the king said with a broad smile.
"Seems so, doesn't it?" Kain replied and thumped Cecil's back, "and you're the king now, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am," Cecil nodded, "and Rosa's the queen."
"Go figure…"
Kain smiled and took off his helmet. His eyes were slightly different than Cecil remembered. They were still the same, but… there had always been a small bitterness hiding deep inside before. Now that was completely gone.
Rosa hurried over to the dragoon and hugged him despite his armor.
"We've missed to have you around," she smiled.
"I'm sorry about that."
She took a closer look.
"You look… happy, Kain," she said.
"I do?" he smiled.
"Yeah, where have you dropped your depression?" Cid grinned, approaching with Yang just one step behind.
"I buried it somewhere…" Kain said with a chuckle, "with a little help."
His friends finally caught up with a detail.
"'We traveled here'?" Cecil said, puzzled.
He turned his head.
"Oh, who's your friend?"
Kain turned around with a warm smile and held up a hand. The robed figure put a fine hand in his gloved palm, stepping closer to him.
"This might surprise you," Kain softly said, "but this is the woman I love."
Several slightly surprised "congratulations" got stuck in several throats as the hood was pushed backwards, revealing a beautiful face and a stream of thick, blond hair.
"What the…" Cecil gasped.
"… Heck?" Yang ended the sentence, most uncharacteristically.
"Hello," the woman carefully said, as if ready to run.
"Don't even think about it," Kain warned, stepping in between his company and the surprised people.
"Val… Valvalis?!" Cecil, Rosa, Yang and Cid choked.
Kain opened his mouth to speak, but Valvalis moved past him and faced her former enemies.
"Yes, it's me," she said, "but I am no longer the fiend of Air. I was purified on mount Ordeals, just as you once were, king Cecil."
"She was used by Zemus," Kain grimly said, "he deceived her mind like mine and Golbez'."
"But… but… but… err?" Cid stupidly said.
"You were rather dying last time I saw you," Cecil said, disbelieving.
"I was," Valvalis nodded, "but Rubicant saved me by teleporting me out of the giant of Bab-Il. That fooled you to believe that I dissolved like a dying monster do."
Kain draped his arm around her shoulders, careful since he still wore the armor.
"You don't know her like I do, that's all," he said, "if you did, you'd trust her."
He smiled.
"Look at me," he said, "I've been together with her for two months, ever since I met her on mount Ordeals after I left you in Mysidia. And I'm feeling better than ever before, certainly not because she's used some magic to turn my head around again."
Valvalis stepped backwards so that her back touched Kain's chest plate. Not too wrongfully she felt that the dragoon's friends definitely didn't trust her to have left his mind alone.
Kain frowned and wrapped his arms around her, protecting.
"Wait, calm down," Rosa said.
She walked closer and reached out a hand. Her fingertips touched Kain's forehead.
"Holy powers of the world, I bid of thee to send me thy blessings," she chanted, "if there is darkness within, then drive it out of this man…"
Kain didn't even blink as a ray of light left Rosa's hand and went straight through his head without leaving a scratch. The queen turned to Valvalis. The holy force could not harm her either.
"They are telling the truth," Rosa said and smiled carefully, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you at first."
"I understand why," Valvalis said.
"Actually I was prepared for that you wouldn't accept her, and then I would have left again with her," Kain said and smiled at Cecil, "but if you do, well… I'm at your service, my friend and liege."
Cecil reached out and put his hand on Kain's shoulder.
"Hey, don't call me your liege, it gives me the creeps," the king smiled, "welcome back, my friend. And you are also welcome, Valvalis."
"Thank you so much…" the old fiend of Air mumbled.
Kain kissed her hair, and she smiled warmly at him.
"We'll get you an armor soon enough, love," Kain said.
She chuckled.
"You see," she said to the others in the room, "before I was captured by Milon and brought to Zemus, I was a dragon warrior; nowadays it's called a dragoon. Do you have any room in the castle for another one?"
"Of course," Cecil smiled.
"Well then, back to my question," Kain said, "what's going on here?"
"We are assembling for pondering a problem together," Yang sighed.
"So it is," Edward said, "we have without luck sought a way to combine the hearts of fair Rydia and king Edge. So far there have been flowers exchanged, as well as poison and high fever at work. However the fear to hurt and stubbornness within still manage to fight back the two doves' love for each other."
"String the harp, bro," Palom grinned, "that'll be a nice song."
And for once his sister didn't hit him for opening his mouth.
"Edge didn't want to listen," Cecil sighed, "he thought that he shouldn't try to fret Rydia in any way. "
Kain and Valvalis exchanged glances, smiling.
"They don't get it, is that the problem?" Kain submitted.
"Exactly," his friends nodded with deep sighs.
"Have you tried locking them up in a room in the middle of the night, all alone with each other?" Valvalis said with a laugh.
Silence.
Suddenly, Cecil began to grin.
"Valvalis," he said, "you are a genius!"
"Actually, it was a joke…" she said, eyebrows rising.
"Not anymore!"
"Would not that be a bit cruel?" Yang said, but his grin gave away that Cecil had his full support.
"I'm ready to try anything by now," the king of Baron said.
"Just because you bet a trading contract to Edge's chancellor that you'd get the king married?" Rosa said and rolled her eyes, laughing.
"Not only that," Cid grinned before Cecil had time to answer, "he told me that if he didn't succeed, he'd name his first son after me!"
"Cecil!" Rosa gasped.
But then she laughed. So did everyone else in the room. Edge and Rydia were happily unaware what was planned behind their backs, still down in the healing quarters.
Author's note:
Mwehehee… and that's all I'm gonna say ;)