Remnants of the Sky
By Zell's Girl
Rating: PG-13
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Chapter Three: Experience

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Is love something that can be found? Is it something that is tangible to your average person, or is it only for those the Goddess deems worthy? Perhaps it is just falsehood, an illusion the human mind concocts? Love is the question and answer, the paradox.

The world seems like a cruel place. People are manipulative, and will do anything for power and money, including hurt each other. In a world like this, where does love fit into our lives? Somewhere between the cracks? In the unnoticed cogs? Love is something that seems unnecessary some days, but it's all that matters on others.

Love is not something to be forced. The heart makes its own decisions. It defies knowledge. It spits upon the greater good. Love seems senseless and stubborn. It seems to fool and deceive the most reasonable of people. But, for every shadow, there is twice as much light. That light is just unnoticed when we're blinded.

This is a story young woman's search of love and the broken heart of a noble knight. Remember: as hopeless as things seem, love is something to believe in.

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Yumi shook off what lingering nervousness she had. She quickly turned the handle and opened the door. Leo, Salome, and Percival turned around to face her as she stood just outside the threshold. She stared back at them without a word.

"May we help you?" Salome asked, eyeing the girl, then the basket. "Please don't tell me you're another one of Percival's admirers paying homage…" Leo and Salome laughed while Percival gave them a vengeful look. Yumi did not understand the joke, but smiled none the less.

"I am looking for Sir Borus…" Yumi murmured, keeping her distance from the knights. "By any chance do you know where I may find him?"

"Ah, well, I'm not sure. Perhaps I should give him those when he returns…" Percival said, smiling down at the defenseless cookies with a ravenous look across his face. Yumi clung to the basket, shaking her head furiously.

"N-no thank you…"

Salome laughed heartily, rubbing his eyes. "Good thinking girl, if you leave those here we can't even guarantee that Percival and Leo won't eat them all, the note included!"

Yumi grinned happily at the men. "Do you know where I could find him?" she repeated.

Percival shrugged. "Try the bar."

"And the library," Salome included, "and the horse track."

"Thank you very much."

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"……Romeo. Where are you?" Ayame called in a dull, emotionless manner.

"Here." Roland said, stepping out from behind the synthetic green bush. Roland plucked a fake leaf from his hair and stood before the balcony.

"…How did you manage to scale the walls? Aren't they …high for you?" She interrogated

"I made it over easily enough." Roland retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Borus smiled at the two performers, sipping some of the champagne from his glass. Poor Roland always managed to be cast in such important roles, despite the fact he loathed acting. Not to mention Roland's counterpart always ended up having some sort of strange issue. In just the last performance of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf', Viki had teleported Roland all the way to Chisha Village when she sneezed.

"If my family sees you, they will destroy you quite easily." Ayame informed him without the slightest tone of concern. Roland shook his head.

"It matters not." One cue, Roland returned to the plastic shrubbery that he had hid behind earlier. Fred and Reed dashed onto the stage.

"Lady Juliet…" Reed asked, "Is anything the matter? We heard talking…"

"I was conversing with the pathetic birds that somehow infest my garden at night…"

"I, Fred Maximillian," he declared, "know you were talking to that ruffian behind the bush! Reed, let's grab him!"

The crowd of people roared with laughter as Fred completely changed the entire scene. Nadir was the only one who didn't seem amused, his fists clenched in anger. Fred and Reed dragged Roland from his spot and stood him up in center stage...

"What should we do with him, Lady Juliet?" Reed asked, hoping Ayame would get the production back on track. Reed would have no such luck.

"It matters not to me." She said flatly, turning her back. She walked into the small room behind stage, rather pleased at how poorly things were going.

"I, Fred Maximillian think… we should execute him!" Fred pulled out his sword while the entire crowd cheered. Borus laughed quietly and sipped his drink.

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Yumi walked down the hall quickly, avoiding the peering eyes of other castle residents. She opened the door to the library and peered in. Eike stood within, motionless and alone.

Yumi ran down the stairs and entered the bar. Quite a commotion was going on. "Though I may die, my love will not!" Roland called from on stage. Kidd and Cecile, dressed in black, led Roland to the makeshift guillotine.

Yumi ignored the show and scouted out the tables. She soon spotted the knight in the back corner table, alone. Borus' attention was plainly focused on the stage. Yumi took a deep breath and approached him, lips pursed and hands holding onto her basket as if she would fall to her death if she were to let go.

"Hi…" Yumi whispered as to not disturb the other observers. Borus turned and smiled.

"Oh, hello Miss Yumi! It is quite nice to see you've recovered. Come, sit! The show's been all improvisation for the last hour. It's quite funny. You see, Fred, playing the guard in the scene…" As Yumi sat beside Borus, she placed the basket in front of him. "Oh… what're these?"

"I… made them for you… I wanted to properly thank you…" She whispered, looking up at the performance. Borus' face lit up. He grabbed a cookie and placed it into his mouth.

"Hey, these are really very good!" he told her, muffled from having his mouth full. "Thank you very much!" Borus raised his glass to his mouth. Yumi recognized the liquid.

"Sir Borus, that's the drink that made me so very ill." She said in a shocked tone.

"Oh, yes." Borus replied, looking down at his glass. "I suppose it might be. It is called 'wine'."

"Why are you drinking it then? It would be quite terrible if something happened to you…"

Borus shook his head. "It doesn't have negative effects in moderation. See, it contains a certain chemical that…"

"Wait!" Ayame's voice shouted from the stage. Both Yumi and Borus turned at the scream. "I would rather kill Sir Romeo myself! Do you believe in happy endings? I don't." The crowd gasped at the unsuspected turn. Borus and Yumi glanced at each other, returning to their conversation.

"If you drink too much, it's bad. Otherwise, it's no different then anything else. I actually collect different kinds of wine. I just really like the taste…" Borus smiled unsurely. "The stuff here isn't nearly as good as the wine back home."

"Oh, I see."

"I have to do some Bujutsu training later… would you like to come with me?" Borus offered. "I would really enjoy your company."

"Oh," Yumi replied, "I'd love to. Let me get my crossbow."

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Yumi and Borus finished training just as darkness descended on Budehuc Castle. They were both drenched in sweat after having improved some of their abilities. The two began to walk back towards the castle, passing several shops.

"Sir Borus, may I ask you something?" Borus nodded at her request. "Why do you have such a… sad aura? I haven't noticed it until recently."

Borus sighed. He really didn't want to talk about his personal matters with Yumi. He was just getting to know her, and just opening up didn't seem like something he should do.

"Rejection from Lady Chris." He told her. Yumi understood. She had always noticed the way Borus eyed Lady Chris, and it made sense that being turned down would be upsetting. "Have you ever been in love, Miss Yumi? Have you ever just wanted to kiss someone even though you know that it will screw everything up?"

Yumi looked down at her feet, watching her boots with each step. "I can't say that I've ever been in love, or that I've ever been kissed or…"

"Are you serious? You've never been kissed?" Borus asked. There was no limit to what this girl didn't know! She had come out of seclusion into this world… and people prey easily upon such ignorance. It made sense why she and her sister never seemed to ever be apart. There is far more safety amongst others.

Yumi nodded quickly. "I truly have not."

Oh, what the hell… "You know, we could fix that right now if you want." He said, pausing in the same spot that he had with Chris days before.

Yumi was shocked at the offer. She immediately froze in place. This seemed rather… odd. Yumi looked him over quickly. He was quite serious from what she could tell. It wouldn't be so bad… It was not as if she didn't feel any physical attraction toward the young man. He was quite handsome among the men she'd seen, being bested only by perhaps Sir Futch and Sir Percival. But, didn't such actions need at least some emotional meaning? Why did it matter? "Um, all right. What do I do?"

Borus smiled to himself. Apart from the ways of battle, Miss Yumi seemed to need instructions in everything. It was actually quite endearing, in its own peculiar way. "Well… just… go with it?"

"Go with it," she repeated, "all right."

Borus slowly placed his hands Yumi's hips and pulled her close to him. Grinning, he took one last look into her eyes before closing his own pair. Very slowly, he placed his lips on hers. Her mouth opened slightly, allowing his tongue entrance into her mouth.

Despite what was going on, Borus' mind was on the occurrence in this same place four days earlier. If only things had gone like this! What he would have give to kiss Chris similarly those days ago. What he would have given for her alacrity to such actions. He could almost feel it then, picture it in the back of his mind… how things would have been!

It seemed like minutes before she pulled back. When Borus opened his eyes, he half expected to see Chris, but there still stood Yumi. Borus smiled none the less. "How was that?"

Yumi took a step back, resuming a proper distance from her companion. She returned a small grin. "Not quite what I expected, really. But can indeed say it was a unique and pleasent experience."

Borus turned and began to walk again, and Yumi quickly followed suit. The two walked into the castle, smiling and talking, as if nothing had all had happened.

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End Chapter Three

Authors Notes:
Hi again! Did you like this chapter? I sure as Sadie hope so. It kinda
made me sad to write that ending though… But, I can probably
guarantee that things'll get more meaningful between these two…
Stay tuned for the next chapter too! It will involve Yuiri's return,
a conversation with Percival, and perhaps some deep meaning!
MAYBE! Well, anyway, expect that in a few days. I'm spitting out
shitty chapters every day or two... well, anyway… Review, please. I
would really appreciate it ever so much… Over and out with lots of
love, viggles, con, and everything in the middle, Kate.