Chapter Six – Chris' Sting

By the time Nash had made his way back to Chris' room through the passageway, the sun was setting, and the knight's chambers were growing steadily darker. As he neared the doorway, he could hear a lot of activity going on in the hallways, and he knew that the battle had ended and the knights and citizens were scurrying around looking after the wounded and tallying how much damage had been done.

He was thankful for the diversion, and knew it would be all too easy to slip out of Chris' room without anyone noticing. However, the moment his hand touched the doorknob, he suddenly felt very hot and his head began to swim. The voices in the hallway outside seemed to get further and further away. There was a stab of pain from the wound on his chest, and at that moment, Nash realized Sierra had been right. He had pushed himself too hard and his not-so-youthful body was rebelling.

Staggering slightly, he headed back into Chris' bedroom, and sat on the bed. He took off his thick scarf and checked the bandages beneath his shirt. The wound was still quite sore. Luc really hadn't held back when he blasted him with his wind magic.

He rummaged through his coat, looking for the extra medicine he'd swiped from the nurse back in Harmonia. He'd just have to take some more medicine and press on. But he felt drowsier with every passing moment, and in the next moment he had fallen asleep on Chris' bed.

------

Nash awoke very late at night to the sound of a loud thunderstorm outside. He sat bolt upright and it took him several groggy moments to remember that he was in Chris' room at Brass castle.

He silently reprimanded himself for falling asleep. He had to get to Budehuc as soon as possible. Chris, Sasarai, and the others must have already returned there yesterday. It was only a matter of time until Luc completed the ritual at the Ceremonial Site, and if the Fire Bringer was going to stop him, the leaders had to prepare and move their armies very soon.

Nash pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the stabbing pains in his chest and head. He took some more medicine and slipped out of Chris' room into the dark corridor. He headed to the west gate, and did not suppress a groan when he found that his horse was gone. In the chaos after the battle, someone must have mistaken the horse for theirs and left with it. He'd have to return to Budehuc on foot. It didn't help matters that it was pouring rain.

Grumbling to himself that he wasn't paid enough for this, he set off towards the Yaza plains, hoping to make it to Budehuc by morning without becoming monster meat.

Even though the rain had long-since stopped by the time he'd reached Budehuc the next morning, he was soaked to the skin, and his limbs were numb with cold. He made his way towards the entrance to Budehuc, and Cecile, who was standing guard by the crumbled wall, marched up to him, a severe look on her little face.

"Mr. Nash! I must speak to you about the other week when you neglected your guard dut-" she cut herself off as Nash approached her. "Nash, sir! You're soaked! Were you traveling in that big thunderstorm?"

"No, I decided to shower with my clothes on," Nash replied moodily.

"You're going to get sick standing out here!"

"I'm fine, now where are the leaders of the Fire Bringer? I have something very important to tell them."

Cecile's eyes widened. "Oh, like a military secret? You can tell me! I'll tell them for you. You need to change and get some rest!"

"I assure you Cecile, I'm fine. Where are they?"

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Cecile!"

"Well, okay..." Her bottom lip stuck out slightly in disappointment. "They're going to have a meeting in the battle strategy room on the first floor in about ten minutes. We got back late in the afternoon yesterday, but decided to put off any strategy meetings until the troops had a chance to rest up. Master Thomas, Lady Chris, Hugo, and Geddoe are all meeting with this important bishop from Harmonia. But you can't go marching in there, all wet like that! You really should let me."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine, " Nash replied, and hastily made his way to the castle.

Nash took a deep breath of relief as he reached the interior of the castle. The drafty place was far from warm, but it was at least sheltering him from the cold winds outside.

He took a step towards the conference room and heard his boots make an unpleasant sloshing sound. He looked down to see that he was dripping water onto the floor. Cecile was right, he couldn't barge into the meeting looking like a drowned rat.

He looked up and saw the doors to the conference room weren't closed, which could only mean that the meeting had not yet started. He had no choice, he had to get cleaned up as fast as he could and hope he wasn't too late for the meeting.

This plan took a turn for the worse as he neared his room. Kidd appeared to have been awaiting his return, as he was sitting with his back against Nash's door. When he saw Nash, he sprung to his feet and immediately got out his notebook and pencil.

"Nash Clovis, sir," Kidd began. "You have been missing from the castle for several days-"

Nash's eye twitched. He didn't want this. He was wet. He was tired. And he still hadn't forgiven the child for smashing up Dominguez Junior's wing.

"You have ten seconds to get out of my sight," Nash said through gritted teeth.

"I can do a lot of investigating in ten seconds," Kidd said determinedly. "Now, is it true that you were in Harmonia during your prolonged absence from Budehuc?"

"Seven...Six...Five..."

"You're evading the question!"

"Four...Three...Two..."

"I'm not leaving until you answer my question!"

"Time is up!"

There was a brief brawl as Nash forced the kicking kid away from his door. He then proceeded to snatch the notebook out of his hand.

"Give that back!" Kidd exclaimed with a note of desperation.

Nash held it up, out of Kidd's reach. "Let's see what you write in this thing."

He calmly flipped it open while Kidd desperately tried to snatch the book back.

"From the looks of things, you have a page of notes on almost everyone in this castle!"

"It's my job!"

"Ohh, and look at this!" Nash said, a malicious smirk crossing his features. "We have little hearts around Lady Chris' name. Miss Jeane's too. How precious! Look at all these drawings you made of them!"

Kidd's face had gone a brilliant shade of scarlet. "Give it back!"

"I think not," Nash said with mock joviality. "I'm sure these two fine women would love to know everything dear little Kidd had to say about them. For that matter, I'd very much like to know what you've been writing about me all this time."

Nash flipped the pages to where his name was written at the top. He stared at the childish handwriting on the page, a look of disbelief coming to his face.

Nash Clovis, information commissioned by B.R.

-He's a shady guy. He had some kind of behind-the-scenes role during the Dunan Unification War.

-It's possible he is hiding something about himself, but I don't know what or why.

-Lately, he has been seen with a nasal bird on his shoulder. He calls it "Dominguez Junior." What a funny name!

-Before coming here, he lived with his sister and a distant relative. There must be a reason...

"You do commissions? Someone has been paying you to snoop around in my business?!" Nash flipped the notebook shut and waved it threateningly at Kidd.

"Erm..." Kidd stuttered sheepishly. "It's tough, making a living as a detective... Detective work for the 'good of the castle' is all very noble work, but it doesn't pay very much. I have to make money any way I can."

"So that's why you've spent so much time bugging me rather than someone else. You're being paid to. How did you find out this last tidbit of information?" Nash asked. The information about the Dunan Unification War and the bird were accounted for, but he knew for a fact that he never told the boy anything about who he lived with.

Kidd spoke quickly, obviously in the hopes that if he told Nash everything, he'd get his notebook back. "I eavesdropped on bishop Sasarai and Dios. I treat all newcomers to the castle as potential suspects, so naturally I spied on them. I heard your name. They said something about alerting your sister and relative so that they could take you back to their home, where you lived before Sasarai 'dragged you into this mess'. They don't think you're here. They seem to think that you're injured and recovering in Harmonia."

"A misapprehension that I will soon rectify," Nash replied, trying to hide the fact that he was mildly impressed with the boy's spying skills.

"My question is," Kidd began, raising his eyebrow as he spoke, "where is your wife if you've been living with your relatives before becoming a member of the Fire Bringer?"

"You're hardly in the position to be asking such questions," Nash replied, dangling the notebook over Kidd's head.

The boy jumped at it, but Nash pulled it back out of his grasp.

"Now, this 'B.R.'," Nash began, looking back at the notebook, "who is paying you to so efficiently make a nuisance of yourself by getting in my way... Those initials wouldn't represent the name Borus Redrum by any chance, would they?"

"N...No..." stammered Kidd.

"I can see that no matter how precious your little notebook is, you don't feel at liberty to disclose such information. But you don't have to... It must be him. Besides, he's the only man in this castle I can think of who would stoop to hire a little boy to nose around in my business. Did he tell you why he wanted information on me?"

"No," Kidd admitted. "But I don't ask questions, as long as they pay the potch."

"You should always know more about the situation than your employer. Otherwise, you could end up in a lot of trouble. However, one day I can see you becoming a fine spy," Nash admitted finally. "You have the perseverance and the courage. But you're still young and lack tact and stealth. If you're lucky, that will come with time.

"In the meantime," he added, "I don't ever want to see your face around here again, no matter how much that rich tin- head tries to pay you."

"Can I have my notebook back?" Kidd asked, rather feebly.

"Not a chance. Now get lost and stay out of my way, or I'll be handing this lovely book in to Arthur to publish its contents in his newspaper. There's enough hearts and doodles of Chris drawn in here to have the whole castle gossiping about you for months."

Kidd stood, his mouth agape.

"Out!"

Defeated, the boy sprinted down the hallway and out of sight.

Nash smiled in satisfaction, and pocketed the book in his green, damp jacket.

The smile disappeared in an instant. He was still cold and damp, and now because of the time he'd wasted fighting off this kid, he did not have time to change. He'd have to go down now the way he was and hope he hadn't missed too much of the meeting!

------

As it was, the timing of his entry was perfect. He had approached the doors just as he heard them discussing what to do next, and he had walked in and saved them all with his valuable information about the Ceremonial Site. He revelled in the surprised looks from Chris and Sasarai.

Caesar seemed very distrustful at first, but was convinced the moment Nash hinted that it had been the tactician's elder brother Albert, who had given him the information. After that, everyone began discussing battle plans, and the meeting was adjourned so that they could inform the rest of the castle about the plan.

Everyone left except for Nash, Chris, and Sasarai.

"Nash, you have no idea how unexpected it was for you to show up like this," Sasarai said, shaking his head. "You were in such bad shape when I left, I told the nurse not to let you get anymore involved with this. And it looks like you've been out in that thunderstorm last night! I can't believe you didn't collapse on the way over here. You should have stayed behind. Didn't the nurse tell you I was going to handle the rest myself?"

"Yes, but if I had decided to stay behind, you would have no clue where to look for Luc next, would you? Besides, I always finish what I start, bishop. I made a commitment to the Fire Bringer, and I promised lady Chris that I would return."

Nash glanced at Chris. At first she looked slightly surprised at his statement, but in the next moment her expression had hardened.

Nash turned back to Sasarai and continued. "As for my health, I assure you, I'm perfectly fine."

"Very well," Sasarai said with a pleased smile. "Then please meet me upstairs in about twenty minutes. Dios and I are going to go over the plans to move the Harmonian armies before raiding the ceremonial site, and I would value any advice you might have."

"Thank you bishop, I will be there."

Sasarai left, and Nash made to follow.

"Nash?" Chris suddenly called.

"Yes?" Nash replied with a smile. Chris' face was unreadable, as it often was, but Nash was sure she was going to thank him for going to the lengths he had gone for the Fire Bringer.

"Can you wait for a moment? I'd like to have a word with you."

"Of course."

The two waited until Sasarai had closed the door behind him, leaving them alone in the room together.

"Now," Nash began, turning to Chris with his sly smirk. "What is it you want to talk about? Our wedding plans, perhaps?"

She promptly slapped him across the face. The slap was not effeminate by any stretch of the imagination. It was as sharp and painful as anyone would expect from a fully-fledged knight, and the force of it nearly sent him sideways into the door. Nash felt his eyes tear up in pain as his hand flew up to cover the burning area on his cheek.

"I travel through the wind and rain to give you the whereabouts of the very man who's out to destroy a large portion of the world, and this is the thanks I get?!" he finally sputtered in astonishment.

"You deserve far worse!"

"I see we are not easily amused this morning," he said as he noted the rage in her tone.

"This is not about your typically inane jokes!" she replied hotly.

"Then please, enlighten me as to what this is about!"

Chris looked simply furious, her cheeks scarlet with rage. "I don't care how clever you think you are, you can't just parade in here, act like our savior by giving us your information, and then get away with all the trouble you've caused around here!"

"What in the world are you talking about?" Nash asked, still rubbing his sore face.

"I've heard nothing but bad reports about you ever since I got back yesterday!" Chris shouted.

"What? From who?" Nash asked, but immediately regretted it. Something told him that he was in for a very long, heated reprimanding.

"From who indeed!" Chris exclaimed. "Where do I start!? Cecile said you weren't there when she went to take over your shift, which means you left even after I told you not to-!"

"What's the big deal Chris? It was six in the morning! I'm sure I read somewhere that monsters like to sleep in."

"Don't interrupt me!" Chris bellowed. "Then I had to put up with Nadir moaning about how you deliberately ruined his big play!"

"Believe me when I say that my version was better. Before I spiced it up, I had to shout my lines to hear myself over the snoring that was coming from the audience."

"I said don't interrupt me! I've heard all sorts of stories about you sneaking about at all hours of the night, doing who knows what!"

"I didn't realize I had a curfew," Nash replied sarcastically.

"The newspaper seems to think that you're having an affair!"

"Besides the fact that it's none of the newspaper's business, it isn't true."

"Another article was about you prowling around at midnight with your wife in the kitchen, and it implied that there was some..." Chris' face flushed an even deeper shade of red as she continued, "...Unorthodox behaviour!"

"I can't help what that blasted boy writes about me! Wait a minute... He promised me that my name wouldn't be mentioned in that article!"

"It wasn't, but anyone with a brain would be able to figure out that it was you, with your notorious history!" Chris exclaimed. "I've also heard rumors that you're responsible for breaking the wing of someone's pet bird!"

"It's MY pet bird! And it wasn't my fault! Well... Not entirely!"

"AND," Chris continued, ignoring Nash, and the raising of her voice indicated that she was now about to address the worst of Nash's offences. "The night you showed up at my camp and stole Borus' horse, I spent hours upon hours looking for Borus and Percival, only to have them show up at Budehuc castle four days later, with this curious story that a teleportress named Viki had whisked them away to some strange limbo land and forced them to have a picnic with her– at your command!!!"

Despite the fact that Chris was livid beyond anything he'd ever witnessed before, he could not suppress the urge to laugh. He let out a brief snicker, which he quickly turned into a rough cough.

Chris was seething, staring at him as though daring him to explain himself. Nash said nothing.

"Well?!" she exploded, finally.

Nash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I can see you're greatly upset. All I can say is that I was just trying to do my job."

"Your job was to help the Fire Bringer, not be an encumbrance to it!"

"I'm afraid that something else had to take priority... Bishop Sasarai would not be here right now if it weren't for me," Nash pointed out.

"I don't care! All I know is that you've been nothing but a hindrance to this faction and you've made me look like a fool!"

"How have I made you look like a fool?" Nash asked.

"Because I'm the reason you're here! I'm the one who let you stay here! I'm the fool who trusted you! I'm one of the leaders here, and people will have begun to question my judgement because of you! In fact, I'm beginning to question it myself..."

"Chris..." Nash shook his head. "You're making this seem worse than it is. People may question me, but they don't question you or your judgement. You're a great leader and just because I've been associated with you throughout this doesn't mean my actions are your responsibility. Besides, there are worse recruitments around here than me, let me tell you that. Yes, I had another agenda before bishop Sasarai joined the fight. But I told you I'd be back, now I am, and the success of this army is now my priority."

Chris stared at him long after he'd finished his explanation before she replied, and it was in a much quieter voice than before. "I can't kick you out because you're with bishop Sasarai. But I don't trust you, Nash. You should have told me the truth about what you had to do, and you shouldn't have been so inconsiderate to my knights and the other people here at the castle... You shouldn't have pretended to be my friend throughout all this so that you could manipulate my trust to 'do your job'..."

Chris suddenly trailed off as though she'd said something she hadn't planned on saying, and Nash couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't just hit upon the actual cause behind all her fury. Now that he thought about it, she had made a bitter remark about him 'using' her back on the day when he had convinced her to let him stay.

"Chris..." Nash said softly. "I wasn't pretending to be your friend..."

"Weren't you?" her voice was unusually high. "Ever since I first ran into you in Iksay... Helping me out in that battle against the Lizard Clan. Helping me find my father. Comforting me when Yun died... It was all just so you could tag along with me and be led to the True Fire rune."

"Chris, you aren't being fair!" Nash exclaimed in earnest. "I didn't have to tell you that I was a spy from Harmonia, but I did! And just because I needed you to find the Flame Champion doesn't mean I wasn't sincere with you."

But Chris wasn't listening. "And then, when the Fire Bringer was established... You convinced me to let you stay, promised me you'd help out around the castle. Then you somehow found out about the True Water rune and my father, and consoled me about his death so that you could tell me you were leaving and I would let you come back."

"That isn't true!"

"You've done nothing but tell me lie after lie since I've met you, and I don't care what your reasons were, I'm not going to let you take my trust for granted anymore. I'm not some stupid woman, like the kind you're probably used to manipulating, who will swoon at your charms and forget the fact that you use her and lie to her."

"Chris... I've lied about a lot of things, I'll credit you that, but I do respect you... and I truly regard you as a friend..." Nash replied, and for once he knew he was telling the truth. "Please, give me a chance here!"

Chris shook her head, and spoke quietly. "You're a liar, Nash. And I've already given you far more chances than you're worth."

She left the room, and Nash was shocked to find that the sting of her slap was nothing in comparison to the sting of her words.

A/N: Another chapter done. I tried a little harder to proofread this one... I went back and read the first few chapters, and I can't believe how many typos and errors I missed! Makes me cringe every time I see one! Hopefully, I'll have some time to fix them up.

I know it seems like the story is going by quick, but that's because in the game your characters are doing missions and stuff around the same time. Like while Chris is with Yumi in Kaput forest, Geddoe would already be heading for Le Buque, and shortly after Hugo would head for Brass Castle, so it makes the story seem longer. Anyway, there's only about two or three more chapters to come after this one before the story is finished. Thanks again for reading, I hope you're enjoying it!