A/N: Well, looking at the latest constructive criticisms, and re-reading my last chapter, I must admit that the accuracy in Chris' actions and character can be questioned. I'll admit this to you right now, at the time, I never thought of the Water Rune as a means of escape/diversion. I could probably come up with a hundred or more reasons why Chris acted the way she did, but the bottom line is that she was somewhat out of character, and I apologize. I'm not going to revise it though. As inaccurate as Chris may be in the last chapter, I still kinda liked the way it turned out. I'm sorry if you didn't. As for the matter of Sierra's age, it was a minor plot discrepancy but it doesn't directly affect the plot, and I did write a warning about such errors in the last chapter's author's note. No doubt there'll be more to come. But thank you for your advice and constructive criticism without being flamey. I do appreciate it. ^_^

Anyway, on with chapter six! ____________________

Chapter Six - Dead On

____________________

It was another week of traveling before Chris and Nash reached the old base of the Fire Bringer, Budehuc castle. When they finally arrived one afternoon, they could hardly recognize it from being the old, rundown, drafty building it was twenty years ago.

There were quite a few people bustling about the marketplace just outside the castle. The castle itself stood tall and impressive, the broken brick walls around it all having been repaired, the gaping holes that used to cause such horrible drafts, fixed as though there had never been any to begin with.

There was no young girl in rusty, oversized armor guarding the entrance with a bunch of little dogs. Instead, there stood three or four intimidating Budehuc guards, although they did not stop them from passing through.

Chris and Nash walked in slowly and stopped in the middle of the marketplace, looking around them in awe.

"Are you sure we didn't take a wrong turn somewhere?" Nash asked, although he was grinning. "I never thought I'd see the day when this place was bustling as though it were downtown Vinay Del Zexay."

"Tell me about it," Chris nodded. "What do we do now?"

"Let's see if we can't set up a meeting with the master of the castle," Nash replied.

Chris nodded. "We haven't seen Thomas in two decades. I wonder how much he's changed, now that his castle is so prosperous."

They proceeded up the steps of the castle, where two guards greeted them. "Good day to you," the one said. "May I ask what your business is with Budehuc castle?"

Chris stepped forward. "The two of us were members of the Fire Bringer during the war twenty years ago. We've come to see Master Thomas."

The other guard eyed them suspiciously. "That's impossible. You must have still been in diapers back then."

"Here we go again," sighed Nash.

Just then, the castle doors opened and an attractive woman who looked to be in her thirties came out. She wore fine looking armor that made her look somewhat intimidating, but Chris recognized her golden-blonde hair and bright blue eyes instantly.

"Cecile!"

The woman blinked. "Lady Chris? And... Nash, isn't it?" A smile spread all over her face, and looked as energetic as she had been in her youth. "I simply don't believe it! It's been so long! But you both look so... unchanged."

Chris and Nash exchanged glances. "It's a long story," Nash replied.

"No matter, no matter!" Cecile exclaimed, but then turned to her two guards in sudden fury. "How dare you keep the lady Chris waiting at the door!" She shouted angrily.

The guards straightened and saluted. "Forgive us Commander! We didn't know who she was!"

Chris held up her hands. "Really Cecile, it's okay. How is master Thomas these days?"

Cecile turned back to Chris and smiled. "Busy and fretting about needlessly, he has been the last few months. Have you come to see him?"

Nash nodded. "Yes. We-"

But Cecile cut him off. "Come along then, come along! He'll be ecstatic to see you guys again!" She grabbed Chris by the arm and pulled her into the castle, and Nash followed.

****** "Thomas! Thomas! Look who's here!"

They were in the last room upstairs, and they waited just inside the door while Cecile had run excitedly up to a man who had his back to them while he was bent over a pile of documents on his desk.

"Not now honey, not now. The bill from the Karayan traders just came in and- "

Cecile didn't let him finish before grabbing his head and twisting it around to face their two visitors. Thomas blinked a few times in stunned silence. Then he leapt from his desk, a smile spreading all over his face.

"My word! Lady Chris? Mr. Nash? It's been ages! You both look wonderful!" He exclaimed, running over to them.

His face had changed quite a bit from when he was a young teenager, a good part of this owing to the stubble on his face from not shaving in the past twenty-four hours. He had grown to be quite tall and was still slightly scrawny. His hair was still dark brown and slightly tussled looking, and his large, kind, brown eyes regarded them fondly.

"Thank you so much, Thomas. It is indeed good to see you again," Chris replied with a smile. "I really shouldn't have kept away from this castle for so long. I must say, you've turned Budehuc into quite the place!"

"Thank you. As you know, this castle means everything to us." Suddenly he turned back to Cecile. "Wait a minute, what are you doing in all that armor? I thought you said you were going to start to take it easy!"

Cecile lifted her chin indignantly. "I don't need to take it easy just yet! It's still over six months away, silly! I can't let my skills get rusty in the meantime! Besides, someone has got to go patrolling!"

Thomas grabbed Cecile by the shoulders, looking at her with a concerned look on his face. "What are you talking about? We have enough guards patrolling this place already, and you need to make sure you don't overexert yourself!"

The two continued to bicker like this for a moment longer, and Chris and Nash exchanged confused glances.

Suddenly they stopped and Thomas scratched his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, we shouldn't argue in front of our guests!"

"Are you two... married?" Nash asked suddenly to Chris' surprise and slight embarrassment.

Thomas and Cecile looked at each other then back at Nash. "Yes we are. We didn't mean to bicker so rudely, it's just that Cecile is expecting again, and I worry about her."

"Expecting?" Chris blinked.

"Again?" added Nash.

Cecile and Thomas exchanged glances once more.

"I guess it really has been a long time, hasn't it?" Cecile giggled. "We've been married for thirteen years, although we're coming up on our fourteenth anniversary soon, aren't we darling?"

Thomas nodded. "Maybe you'd like to meet the children?"

"Oh, but Thomas they've gone with Sebastian to Iksay for the festival, remember? They won't be back for another few days," Cecile reminded him.

"Ah yes, that's right," Thomas scratched his head again. "Well, we have two children. Claire, who is eight, and Todd, who is four. I guess you'll have to meet them some other time though. Oh, that's right! How long are you two staying? At least for the night, I hope?"

"Actually, -" Chris started, but was interrupted by Cecile.

"Of course they are! And they're coming to dinner too! I'll go tell Mamie to make extra!" Cecile excitedly set off downstairs to find the cook.

"Excellent!" Thomas said, bringing his hands together with a clap. "I'll show you two to your room."

Chris cleared her throat. "Rooms."

Thomas' face turned slightly pink. "O-of course. I apologize, I just thought... N-never mind." He said hurriedly, and led them down the hall to their rooms.

Nash grinned and Chris eyed him with a scowl.

******

"So tell us, what brings you two back to Budehuc castle after so long?" Cecile asked at the dinner table that night.

"There's a loaded question," Nash uttered under his breath to Chris.

"Well, I'm afraid it isn't just a social call," Chris answered, ignoring Nash.

"Is something the matter?" Thomas asked between mouthfuls of food.

"Well... It is... complicated."

"Well, we've got all night to listen," Responded Cecile.

Chris gave Nash a long look before answering. Then, taking a deep breath, she told them about the Blue Moon Rune, how Yuber was trying to find it, and how Yun's spirit had pointed them in this direction. She decided to leave out the parts about Nash being a vampire - she didn't want to startle or worry them needlessly. She finished by commenting on how Budehuc castle was the best place to start looking because of how large it was and how there were many secrets in the castle that Thomas himself did not know about.

The Budehuc couple listened in silence until Chris finished, and then Thomas looked down at his plate thoughtfully. "I see, so that is why you have come."

"Can you help us?" Nash asked, polishing off his extra-rare steak.

Thomas shook his head a little. "I do not know of any such seal that exists in this castle. But as you pointed out, there is much I don't know about this place even after twenty years of being the castle's master. It is a possibility."

"So what do you think we should do?" Chris inquired.

"Hmm..." Thomas scratched his chin in thought, then his face lit up. "Come to think of it, I think I remember catching Eike, the librarian, mumbling to himself a while back. Something about a True Rune Seal and some sort of passageway! He doesn't talk much, but he knows a lot more than he lets on. I'll bet you anything he's read something in the library about it!"

Cecile nodded with a smile. "Yes, and if anyone knows anything about stuff like this, it's him."

"Alright then," Chris nodded. "How about we ask him tomorrow? It's getting a little late now..."

"Good idea. Cecile and I will also look into it by going through some old files. Who knows what might pop up?" Thomas said as he stood from his chair. "You two have a good night's sleep, you must be simply exhausted from all the traveling."

Chris nodded, and dinner ended.

******

Nash entered Chris' room that evening without knocking, which was much to her fury.

"Nash, have you forgotten *all* of the manners your poor mother tried to teach you?! Get out of here!" she cried, rising from the chair she had been sitting in. She had been cleaning her sword when he had entered.

"Why so angry?" Nash asked, completely unaffected by Chris' anger. "It's not like you were getting changed or something."

"I could have been!"

A truly devilish smirk came to his face. "I know."

"Get out, before I run you through with my sword!"

"You wouldn't do that," Nash said smartly, taking a seat on the chair across from hers, "You just cleaned it."

She didn't say anything else, but glared at him.

"Thomas and Cecile are quite the couple aren't they?" Nash stated, pretending to be oblivious to how unwelcome he was. "It's seems like just the other day they were a couple of kids and now they're married with kids of their own."

Chris did not answer. She was not in the mood for conversation. However, she couldn't help but feel strangely when she thought of Thomas and Cecile as a couple. As Nash had said, they were married with kids, and here she was in her forties (regardless of whether she looked it or not) and alone.

"I can tell that you rather envy them," Nash said, and Chris' eyes slanted in anger. He knew full well that he was pushing her limits, but he continued nonetheless. "I bet you're starting to regret not having fully settled down with Percival... I know because I feel the same way. I was married for almost thirty years, yet I never found the time for kids. Seems like a sin, doesn't it?"

Chris acted as though she were ignoring him, having gotten up to stare out the window of her room. There was a long pause. She eventually found herself looking at the floor, waiting for him to do something. Preferably leave.

However, he continued, unfazed by her silence. "They say that some people are born to be wanderers, people who are unable to settle down, and therefore they end up being alone. I guess that's what we are now, aren't we? Wanderers. Both of us have a place to return to, but are not sure that we really want to. Oh yes, I know that you have finally grown tired with the Zexen government. You're as much as a wanderer as I am now. But you know, I don't believe that a wanderer must always end up alone... Not if two wanderers decide to drift together."

Again, Nash was answered with silence. He got up and stood beside her at the window. He stared at her, even though she would not meet his gaze.

"I know you don't want to talk about 'us'. You have been avoiding the topic like the plague ever since Alma Kinan. But let's face the facts, Chris. You don't want to be alone forever. To be honest, the idea doesn't sit that well with me either. You probably think you are cursed to live alone for all of eternity. You were hurt when Percival died, and since then you have probably decided never to let yourself love again because you are immortal while the rest of the world is not." Nash leaned forward until he was an inch from her face. She didn't flinch, and continued to pretend like she couldn't see or hear him.

"But you see Chris, I, unlike the rest of the world, can love you until the end of eternity," he said, having lowered his voice to a mere whisper. "And I will. As for whether I do so from afar or by your side... That is for you to decide."

Chris struggled to keep her face in a neutral expression, and her eyes were everywhere but on his face. However, to her relief, he finally pulled back, and after staring at her a moment longer, turned to leave. He stopped at the door, and they stood there for a moment in silence with their backs to each other.

"I won't bring this up anymore. I won't force myself on you, Chris. But as I see it, the only thing that's holding you back is spite, denial and possibly fear. But I'm here when you get over it. Just remember that."

He left.

Chris didn't move for a long time after that, but her mind was in turmoil, as she desperately tried to convince herself that he was wrong about everything.

But in her heart she knew he was dead on.

________________________________________________________________________

A/N: I must thank all those who continue to read and review my story. I'm a little disappointed in that I've seemed to have lost a few of my readers over the weeks, but that's understandable, seeing as I had a month long period where I did not update. But really, I appreciate reviews to know end, as long as they aren't flames. Thank you again for reading, and chapter seven will follow soon!

Next Chapter: 'Seal'