An Aeon of Timing

-Two Years Later-

"Aurie!" I cried out, flinging my arms around him. "Do you have to go?" He's my knight, surely Yevon can spare him for me. Those Yevonites can find someone else to be their warrior monk.

He pried me loose—it took a bit of work. I have gotten stronger, I want to be able to protect myself from the Al Bhed… but, I'm still a long ways off. Auron ran his fingers through my hair. "Don't worry, Zali, I'll still be nearby. Don't make this harder than it already is." He gave me an awkward hug and an even more awkward kiss before he left.

Just because I'm eleven is not an acceptable excuse for stupidity, but I'll use it anyway. I knew I shouldn't have followed them… but I still did… and got lost. I'd never been in this section of town before.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? It looks like a little girl ran into our clutches. Whatever will we do with her?" A man's voice rang out from behind and I whirled around. "Hey boys, she's saved us the trouble of trying to find her."

"It's you! Stop following me! Aurie!" After I reflected on it, I realized that it was pointless to call out to him. Even if he had heard me, I doubt that he would've been allowed to leave. Damn those Yevonites. I just wasted my breath. Damn again.

"Isn't that cute, the girl obviously thinks someone will come help her." Which I didn't, ok, so maybe at that point in time, I did. The speaker walked forward. HE was obviously the leader of the group.

I backed away from them, inching toward what I thought could be freedom. It was a dead end. The men (boys more like it, not a whole lot older than myself). "What do you want from me? Why do you constantly chase me?"

"Aw… is the poor little girl scared?" one of the men asked, taunting.

The leader scoffed, "Isn't that obvious? Come on little one. We won't hurt you."

Like I'm going to believe that. What do they think I am, stupid? Especially after I heard one of the boys mutter "much" under his breath, only to be quieted by one of his friends stepping on his foot and an evil glare from the leader. So yeah, fat chance that I would believe that they wouldn't hurt me. Now where was I again? Oh yes, I backed up as far as I could, my back pressed uncomfortably into the wall. If I were a black mage, I'd fry them where they stand; if I were a summoner, I'd summon an aeon to save me; if I were a warrior, I'd hack them to pieces. But I'm not; all I am is a cold, frightened girl. Maybe singing will help, Aurie always sang to me when I was scared. I sank to my knees, humming randomly at first, but the notes slowly shaped themselves into a tune heard only in my dreams.

The alley echoed the tune, and soon it felt like it was a deafening roar. I felt a faint, pleasant hum in my bones matching the rhythm and beat of what I was humming. I still felt the hum in my ones, but the ally was silent. "I wondered when you would call on me, my Lady." The voice was deep, "What' this? Don't you boys know a Lady when you see one? Be gone."

Their footsteps quickly faded as they fled. When I could no longer hear them, I looked up. All of my pursuers were gone. Crouched in front of me was what I assumed to be a man, albeit a very blue one. "You're the person from my dreams, right?" Without waiting for an answer, because I knew he was the one, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you for saving me, Mister… umm…"

"I am the aeon Beheyshee, and you are welcome. At any time you need assistance, don't hesitate to call. We aeons have taken a special interest in you, and we would be devastated if any harm were to befall you."

"I will remember, Sir Behey—sorry… I seem to have forgotten the rest." Isn't this embarrassing, I can't be making a good first impression, forgetting his name like that!

"Rest at ease, little Zaliestia, Behey is fine and don't trouble yourself with titles. But we should be getting you back home." I made a face at being called by my full name. "Does something trouble you?"

"It's nothing. Well, it's just that Braskie and his friends never call me by my full name. Only mother does… and the priests. I prefer to go by Zali, that is, if you don't mind."

"Well then, Zali, shall we go?" He stood up and offered his hand to me with a bow. "I have a faster way to get you home. Without the threat of your… friends. Just don't let go."

I took his hand, nodding. With seconds we had disappeared through a gateway, leaving the lonely alleyway, and appeared through the gateway in the courtyard of my house. A place that feels strangely empty, now that it is devoid of my beloved Aurie. Beloved? Yes, I suppose that's a bit strong of a word to throw around, but you have to understand what he is to me. In the past two years, he has become closer to me than even my own brother has. When I had a nightmare, he would sing it away or tell a story to make me laugh. He would swear in front of me and forget he did it, but if anyone else said so much as a "damn" or a "hell," he would round on him or her to watch his or her language. If Braska was teasing me, he would make him stop. I think that if I truly needed him to, he would walk on water to save me. I think, he might even go so far as to betray Yevon, were they to harm me.

"Hello Braska, Jecht! This is Behey." I act as if it is the most natural thing in the world to come through a glimmering gateway that just appeared moments before, and that led to the Land of the Aeons—or at least that's what Behey said the place was, and I was inclined to believe him—with a giant blue person—aeon.

Braska cautiously stepped forward, "Sister, just what exactly is Behey?"

He answered for me. "I am the aeon Beheyshee, her self-appointed protector. I shall guard her while her Knight receives the training he needs. We aeons have an interest in your sister, and I volunteered to watch over her. After a vote, the council deemed me an appropriate choice. I have waited days for her to call me."

"Why are you interested in her? She is still a child, what use can she be of to you?" Thanks Braska, improve my ego while you're at it why don't you? "What do you mean watch over her? And you've waited for her to call you?" Braska demanded answers, and truthfully, I was quite curious myself.

"The aeons are interested in her for reasons you will not be able to understand… not for many years. Maybe when you can, I will tell you. She may be young now, but she will age, and when that happens, she will not be a child, and that is when we will ask her if she wishes to assist us." Yeah, guys, I'm standing right here. Hello? "Of course, if you don't know why she needs protecting, you have absolutely no right whatsoever to claim yourself as her older brother. Today is not the first time the Al Bhed have sought her out, is it? And you know as well as I that it will not be the last time. As to her calling me… I had visited her in the world of dreams and taught her the signal to summon me." I knew he was the one from my dreams.

"The Al Bhed came for her again? Damn them. Sorry Zali, I didn't mean to swear in front of you."

"It's alright, Braskie, I know worse ones."

He chose to ignore that comment. "It's been ages since they've bothered her. I had hoped that they would've given up by now. Obviously I hoped too much." He smiled down at me. "Oh, Zali, you'll need to come up with a good excuse for why you were gone, it's been two hours since you left. Mother is beside herself. In fact, Jecht and I were just on our way to alert the guard to send out a search party for you, on mother's orders."

I sighed. "Bye Behey, I should go speak with mother. Tell her not to send out a search party. I'll call you if I need you, I promise." I cheerfully hugged him then ran up the steps that led into our house. At the top I waved goodbye to him before disappearing into the cool interior of the house.