A/N: Brace yourself for a lengthy author's note... (or you can skip over it, whatever, hehe)

Zebadayus, you brought up some interesting points. A) Okay, so he sealed his swords somewhere. I never knew that. But you're right, it's too late now, so let's just say this is one of those 'alternate universe' fics and say that he never did. Or that he somehow unsealed them. Or something. The beauty of fanfiction is that anything can happen. ^.~ B) I don't *think* Nash was a vampire in Suikoden III, although it's a reasonable possibility. This story works under the assumption that he wasn't though. As for if he is *now* in this fic, you'll find out the truth about him soon enough. I did ask people not to leave predictions, but like I said, I'm not writing a plot-twister here or anything.

Anyway, I hate to say it, but it's quite possible that the sword error will be the first of many plot discrepancies. I made up A LOT of stuff for this fic, and it is entirely possible that some of it may not coincide with the official facts, because although I've researched Suiko history to some degree, I'm certainly not an expert. Like I said though, that's what fanfiction is about!

I know it is not proven fact that Nash is married to Sierra, or even that he's married at all. However, there is a lot of evidence, and for the purposes of this fic, I'm going ahead and saying that he is/was married to her.

I also think that it is not unreasonable that Chris wanted out of Zexen, considering the circumstances. I made it fairly clear in the first chapter, that she still did love Zexen, but felt she could do no more for it. Also, since her husband and several of her close friends died, I would say this contributes to her growing detachment to the place. She was in the same place for twenty years and felt her life was going nowhere. It's okay if you don't find this believable for some reason or another, but in this fic, it is the premise for her leaving Zexen so easily to help Nash. Not to mention she probably secretly missed him, and wanted to help him. ^.~

Okay enough blabbing, on with chapter four. _________________

Chapter Four - Pride

_________________

Chris and Nash moved steadily through the Grasslands, and arrived at their destination in under a week. They almost got lost in Kaput forest, having not traveled through it for so long. However, late one afternoon, they eventually found the quiet establishment of log cabins that was Alma Kinan.

A young woman with a warrior's headdress standing just outside the village gates, spotted them approaching and raised her spear suspiciously. Chris remembered that the village was one of all women, although the reasons for this remained a mystery and the secret of Alma Kinan. She looked to Nash, who was already smiling. She briefly worried that his hormones, which to her never seemed to have matured from his teenage years, might get the best of him with all the beautiful, young, and naïve women. However, she banished the concern from her mind. He had behaved himself decently enough last time they were here. . .

"Who are you? How did you get here?" the woman snapped, as the two approached, her eyes shifting accusingly between Chris and Nash. The woman could not be blamed for being alarmed, as their village was very hard to find and camouflage was their main asset in defense. Alma Kinan did not often receive visitors.

"We are not a threat to you." Chris began, raising her hands in a gesture of peace, "We are simply old friends of Yuiri and Yumi and seek to speak with them."

The woman continued to eye them suspiciously. "Impossible. I have never seen you before and you couldn't be old friends, you're much too young."

"We're older than we look," Nash insisted.

"I must ask you to leave at once!"

Chris sighed. "Could you at least tell Yuiri that we are here? Our names are Chris Lightfellow and Nash Clov-"

But the woman cut her off. "Chris Lightfellow? 'The' Chris Lightfellow? Im-impossible!" She began looking Chris over carefully. "You do look as described. If you are the lady Chris, then you are the Zexen knight with the True Water Rune who helped protect the Grasslands along with the Flame Champion twenty years ago!"

Chris nodded. "Yes, that would be me."

"Yuiri has told us much about the Lady Chris. But... You look no older than twenty!"

"The Rune makes it's bearer immortal, were you not told that part?" Nash said, a little irritated at being suddenly ignored.

"What seems to be the problem?"

The three of them turned to find a middle-aged woman who had come to see what the commotion at the gate was about. It was Yuiri. She was a good deal older looking, her hair graying, but her face, while beginning to show lines of age, was still attractive and her eyes still clear.

"Lady Chris!" Yuiri exclaimed.

"Yuiri." Chris bowed her head slightly in respect for the woman.

The young woman gatekeeper looked shocked, and remained silent.

"This is indeed a surprise," Yuiri said, and smiled, although it was clear something about their visit bothered her. "Come along, you must be tired from your long journey."

"Thank you." They followed Yuiri into the village, Nash looking slightly sulky at having not been addressed at all.

******

"Please forgive me for being so direct, but what is it that you want? I know you would not have come here unless there was something you desperately needed of us." Yuiri sat across on the bench across from theirs in her log cabin, speaking in a no-nonsense manner.

Chris closed her eyes. "You are right. We need your help."

Yuiri nodded. "I gathered. What is it?"

Just then, another woman, who looked considerably younger than Yuiri, entered the cabin. They recognized her instantly as Yumi. She looked surprisingly the same as before, her face still smooth for the most part, barely a hint of gray in her dark brown hair.

"Chris!" she cried, as vibrant as ever. "How wonderful to see you again!" She ran over to her, and to Chris' slight surprise, gave her a hug. "It's been so long!"

Chris smiled. "I know. It is good to see you again, Yumi."

Nash said nothing, moping silently at having been denied a greeting once again.

"Please Yumi, Chris has come to us for help, but I can't help her if you start chattering away now," said Yuiri, smiling at her younger sister's cheerful greeting.

"Of course!" Yumi said, and took a seat beside Yuiri. "What is it that you need Chris?"

"I... I need to speak with Yun."

The sisters stared at each other, and then back at her.

Chris sighed. "I don't know that I have time to explain everything, but there is trouble afoot, and I know I can use the Water Rune to attain spiritual guidance from Yun, but I... Well I don't know how. I know you can help me."

A sad look had crossed the women's features, and a few minutes passed in silence as they remembered the sacrifice of their little sister.

Finally Yuiri looked up at Chris. "So you want us to help you connect with Yun's spirit through your Rune?"

Chris shook her head. "Yes. I can't do it on my own. I don't know how."

The two Alma Kinan women spoke in low voices to each other for a couple minutes, and Chris sat in silence waiting for them to come to a consensus.

Finally Yuiri nodded. "Alright Chris. I'll help you. We had best get started now. Deep meditation like this is most effective in the early evening. Yumi will show your comrade to his room while we get started." Then as an afterthought she turned to Nash, "By the way, do I know you? You seem awfully familiar."

Nash sat up upon finally being recognized. "Yes. You met me with Chris when we came to Alma Kinan for the first time twenty years ago. There were three of us aside from Chris."

"Aah! Yes, I remember you now!" Yumi exclaimed. "Your name is Fred, right?"

Chris couldn't help but grin as she saw Nash suppress a grimace. "Ah, no. That was the Maximillian knight. I am Nash from Harmonia."

"Oh yes, of course. Forgive me, it was a long time ago." Yumi bowed her head apologetically.

"Time has certainly been treating you kindly," Yuiri commented.

"Why, thank you," Nash replied, grinning slightly.

"This way, Mr. Nash," Yumi said, and led him away to the inn.

"Shall we?" Yuiri asked Chris.

The Zexen nodded.

******

"Now then," Yuiri began, "all you have to do is close your eyes, do what I tell you, and most importantly, keep your mind and spirit open."

"Uh... right," Chris replied, wondering exactly how one could open their spirit.

They were alone, kneeling in the grass in front of the altar where Yun had sacrificed her life to protect the True Water Rune seal all those years ago. The sun was setting, and the light of the lush green forest was slowly fading. There was a slight breeze, which helped Chris clear her mind and focus.

"Hold out the hand with the True Water Rune," the Alma Kinan woman instructed.

Eyes closed, Chris did as she was told, lifting her right hand from her side and stretching it out before her.

"I'm going to recite the sacred passages of the Cyndar Rune spirits. You might feel light headed for a moment, and feel as though your mind is separating from you body. When this happens, do not fight it, but embrace it. That is important."

Eyes still closed, Chris nodded, resolved to do whatever she must to connect with Yun's spirit.

Although Chris couldn't see, Yuiri moved her hands around before her in a ritualistic manner, and began to chant in a strange language that Chris did not recognize.

This seemed to continue for quite some time. Chris began to feel slightly ridiculous, and thoughts of doubt slowly crept into her mind. However, she fought the urge to give up and forced herself to focus harder on Yuiri's strange words and the rune in her right hand.

Suddenly, just as Yuiri had predicted, she felt remarkably light headed, and she felt as though she were floating away. She seemed to see a bluish bright light from behind her eyelids, but refused to open them, concentrating on Yuiri as she spoke, although her voice began to grow faint, as though she were far away.

Then there was complete silence as Yuiri's voice faded away altogether. The blue light grew and intensified, but Chris still kept her eyes closed, focusing on her faint memory of Yun to try and guide her to her.

"Chris. Open your eyes, Chris."

She did. The light was almost overwhelming, but soon her eyes focused and she saw that she appeared to be floating while surrounded by self-illuminated water. Before her, stood Yun.

Initially, the girl looked no different than she'd remembered her, except she seemed somewhat ageless, as though she were both old and young at the same time. Chris simply stared around her and at Yun, unsure of what to do or say.

"You've finally come to see me," Yun said, and Chris noticed that her lips did not move when she spoke.

"Yun. . . My friend," Chris said. Or did she say it? It seemed the words echoed around her without her having to open her mouth.

Yun smiled. "I hear you talk to me from far away sometimes. I'm glad you did not forget about me."

"Never, Yun. Never. You helped me discover who I was," Chris communicated to her with a small smile. "I need your help."

"I know. I've sensed a disruption in the order of the True Runes. A dark rune of the night is in danger of falling into the wrong hands. Do you intend to prevent that from happening?"

Chris nodded. "Yes."

"How? How will you protect it? Isn't the burden of one True Rune enough, dear Chris?" Yun's expression was one of concern.

"Do you remember Nash, the spy from Harmonia? It has become his duty to protect it. I'm simply helping him to do so... I need you to help me find where the Rune has been sealed."

"Do you think he is qualified for such a responsibility?" Yun didn't seem to be testing her, just asking for her opinion.

"Yes," Chris found herself answering without hesitating, "Even though he has... He has changed. I'm not sure how, or if it's good or bad, but there is something different about him. At any rate, I can tell you that he means to protect the True Rune with his life."

Yun seemed to accept this answer and did not question her further. "I'm not sure of the exact location. It is true that all the True Runes are ultimately connected, but the seal of the Water Rune is my responsibility, and I can only sense things about the other True Runes. But I know that the Blue Moon Rune you seek lies somewhere on the Western coast, North of Vinay del Zexay." Yun shook her head. "That's all I know for sure."

"Thank you so much Yun. It's a little vague, but it's a lead nonetheless."

"Be very careful, Chris. There is an evil and powerful entity looming over you."

"I will be," Chris answered, but before she knew it, Yun's form melted away from view and the glowing, blue water began to swirl and diminish in intensity.

And then it was dark.

******

When Chris opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was Nash leaning over her, although he wasn't looking at her. He looked a little concerned.

"Are you sure she's okay? What if something went wrong?" Turning her head slightly, she saw he was questioning Yuiri, who seemed a good deal calmer than he.

"I assure you, she is perfectly alright. She just needs rest. She's not used to such spiritual exertion and it has left her drained, that is all." She then looked at Chris. "Look, she's coming around right now!"

Nash's head turned back to Chris and relief washed over his features. "Chris, are you okay?"

Chris pushed herself into a sitting position. She was in a room at the village inn. "What happened?"

Yuiri stepped forward. "It seems the spiritual connection overwhelmed you. You came out of meditation well enough, but then you passed out. You just need a little rest, and you'll be fine. You were successful in contacting our Yun, I take it?"

Chris nodded. "Yes." Then she turned to Nash. "The Western coast, North of Vinay del Zexay. She said that's all she knew."

Yuiri did not ask what the meaning of these directions was, but nodded her head. "I'll leave you to get some rest. Nash, please don't keep her up, she does need some time to recuperate." She left, the door to the inn closing behind her.

Nash raised an eyebrow. "North of Vinay del Zexay, along the coast? Those are mighty obscure directions, don't you think?"

Chris sighed. "I know, but at least we've been pointed in the general direction. Let's think, what places lay North of Vinay del Zexay?"

Nash brought a hand to his chin, rubbing it in thought. "Well... Iksay, the Great Hollow, and Budehuc castle, for starts."

"Only Budehuc is along the coast though," Chris pointed out thoughtfully.

"I guess that's where we'll start then, although it seems like an unlikely place for a True Rune to be sealed," Nash replied with a sigh.

"Actually, it's a possibility," began Chris. "I mean, the castle has been around for ages, and even the master of the castle, Thomas, doesn't know all of the secret passageways and rooms in the place."

Nash stood up, relieved that they had at least some kind of plan. "It's settled then. We'll leave first thing in the morning." Suddenly, a sly smile crept onto his face. "You are certain you don't want me to stay with you tonight and make sure you don't suffer any further side-effects from the ritual?"

Somehow Chris doubted the innocence of his intentions.

"Please Nash, I am much too tired for any of your charming wit tonight," she replied sarcastically. "Go to bed. In your *own* room."

Nash feigned a look of hurt before he walked over to the door. "Very well. But remember I'm only a door away." And with a mischievous wink, he left Chris to rest.

But as exhausted as she was, sleep refused to claim her weary form. There was too much going on in her mind. After what must have been over an hour of tossing and turning, she rose from her bed and decided to go for a walk to try and clear her thoughts.

She found herself by the sacrificial altar where she had connected with Yun's spirit earlier that evening. She wondered how many other girls had sacrificed themselves in this quaint but mysterious village. Even after all these years, she couldn't help but regret Yun's willing death.

"Being here brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Chris jumped slightly, having been so deep in thought that she had not heard Nash approaching.

"I suppose it does," Chris replied shortly, not bothering to ask him what he wanted this time of night. She couldn't expect to get a straight answer from him if she asked, and she'd find out sooner or later anyway.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, stepping out of the shadows and standing at her side, gazing at the stone altar with Chris.

She shrugged. "I have a lot on my mind."

He nodded, and there was a moment of silence.

"Do you remember the first talk we had here?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes. Vaguely. It was when you told me that you were actually a spy for Harmonia."

Nash gave her a sidelong glace. "Do you remember what was said before that? I initially told you I had wanted to talk to you alone so I could seduce you, but decided I didn't want to risk it that day because of my wife. You told me that I wouldn't be able to risk it any other day either, but I told you not to be so sure."

Chris sighed, wondering where Nash was trying to go with this. "Yes, it seemed there was something about this forest that caused your crude, indecent sense of humor to increase tenfold. Maybe it was your testosterone going into overdrive from being in a village of so many women who you couldn't have for fear of defiling some sacred Alma Kinan tradition."

"There's only ever been one woman who I've really wanted and couldn't have," Nash responded, narrowing his eyes at her. "And it was for a much different reason than tainting some tradition."

She was unable to resist asking any longer. "Is there something you want?"

Nash flashed a roguish grin. "Perhaps." He stepped back out of her peripheral vision, but she did not turn to see where he went. She knew he was still there.

"Well whatever it is, make it quick. We have an early start tomorrow morning."

But Nash did not heed her request, and there was a long moment of silence. She was beginning to wonder if he really was still there, when he spoke suddenly.

"I'm finding I can't sleep either," he gave Chris gave a slight start, for he had practically whispered right in her ear, and she realized he was standing very closely behind her. "It seems I'm feeling - what was the word you used before? Ah yes - 'scandalous'."

However, she did not move or reply, despite the fact that she finally realized he was no longer joking.

"...I never once forgot about you, Chris. I tried, but it was useless... My feelings towards you never changed..." Her body stiffened as she felt his hands gently squeeze the sides of her shoulders. She felt him breathing softly against her ear.

Her heart began to race. She had never fully forgotten him either, nor had she forgotten his confessions of love the night they went their separate ways. But over the years, she had managed to convince herself that it had all been a game of his. After all, how could love with such a man possibly exist? He was not Percival.

Since she'd met up with him again, she had distantly feared something like this. However, the way he had been acting around her suggested to her that he had decided to disregard the past entirely. Now she knew that she was mistaken, and she wasn't sure what she should do.

So she stood as though frozen, responding neither negatively nor positively to Nash's advances.

"Please, Chris..." he whispered finally, his lips brushing lightly against her neck. "...Don't fight me..."

But upon his words Chris broke from away from his touch, whirling around on him, sudden fury in her eyes. "Did you have this all planned out too? 'Save the rune, avenge the wife, seduce the partner?' Is this all some kind of game to you?!"

Nash blinked in shock. "You know that isn't true! I have never once treated this mission as a game, and certainly not you!" he exclaimed, genuinely taken aback by Chris' abrupt rage.

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Chris, can you honestly tell me that you never felt that there was something between us when we were working as together as part of the Fire Bringer, regardless of how imprudent you found it to be?" Nash asked in earnest. "I know you had feelings for me, just as I did for you!"

"That was all in your arrogant imagination!"

"Oh, really? And what about that kiss the evening after the war ended, did I imagine that too?"

Silence fell between them and Chris gave him a long, hateful glare.

"Get out," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Nash shook his head. "I walked away from you once already, Chris. I'm not going to again."

She glared at him a moment longer before spinning around and leaving the altar. Nash stared after her, but did not follow.

Chris fought back tears of frustration and denial as she marched back towards the inn.

He was right. She did have feelings for him then. And even after twenty years of his absence, she still did.

But she could never let him know. Because in Chris' mind, Nash was only playing games, and to admit that he was right would be to let him win.

And she was too proud to let him win.

________________________________________________________________________

A/N: It got a little melodramatic near the end, I know. I was really hesitant to put up this chapter because this is where some romantic interaction starts to take place between them, and I wanted it to be believable. My apologies if you think they slipped out of character at all.

As always, thanks for continuing to read and review my fic!

Next Chapter: 'Truth"