OMG! Please forgive me for the long,long update. but good news, I fixed my computer! YAY! So now I can update everyday! Isn't that great?! say yes Okay! Now I'm filled with creative juices so here is chapter twelve! I'm not sure how you guys are going feel about this but there are tons of surprises! Enjoy please. Remember to R&R!
Chapter XII
"What have I done to make him so mad this time?" Yuna eyes appeared glassy and dim as she averted them from the sunlight stinging her as she walked along the flowers. "Perhaps I haven't given myself the chance to fall in love agian." Yuna sat amongst the garden crushing several hibiscus flowers in her wake. " I can't wait for Tidus forever, I can't believe it's been so long." Baralai had locked himself away in his room a few days ago, he hadn't bothered to ask for Yuna. It was so lonely in the temple Yuna felt as if the world were somehow a much larger place without Baralai there to guide her though the emormous puzzle that was Bevelle. No matter how much they fought somehow it just didn't seem likely that he would ever become angry. Baralai was almost a God in New Yevon's eyes. Yet beneath it all belied a wise, talented, and conflicted twenty-something bursting with angst. It was surreal to think that Baralai had become such a large part of her life, she always had the idea that he would only play a walk on role.
"Now isn't the time to analyze your feelings for him,Yuna." In the garden of pink and yellow flowers emerged a shadow-esque figure, cloacked in black satin.
"It is I,Paine."
"Paine, how did you know that I..."
" Don't say another word Yuna, Baralai isn't the perfect man you think he is. His benevolence, his kindness, has always been an act to conceal who he truly is, the monster that bore him. He too is destined to become."
" Paine, I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Yuna, you were always so stupid. Forgive the brashness but out of all the young,eager and wise young men did New Yevon chose Baralai to become their leader?"
" Easily, he was chosen for his objectivity and fairness." Yuna defended Baralai eagerly however Paine had now planted the seed of suspiction in her.
"Wrong, because it was much easier to keep him in check. Just in case he inherited some of his fathers traits."
"His father?" Yuna squeeked.
"An evil man. Baronaile. Once a member of the Crusaders. Although he used that as an excuse to achieve his ultimate goal."
"his ultimate goal?" Yuna shook.
" To become sin, the ultimate form of power."
" Impossible! Baralai would never..."
" You're right, but another thing about Baronaile, he was a fiend."
" Then how is it possible that Baralai was his son?"
" Fiends are still physically alive but his soul was long dead, his mother's pregnancy wasn't consentual."
" That's horrible!" Yuna gasped her eyes becoming moist with disbelief. What was even more unbeliveable was the fact that it was Paine speaking, her voice was drenched with an emptiness almost like the emotional void that she had within her had taken her as a whole.
" No, that wasn't horrible. If anything Baralai's mother deserved it, she wasn't the saint Baralai thought she was. She sold herself to the highest bidder, she even did things more despecable than that. Only after she saw the evil of her ways she dedicated her life to Yevon bringing Baronaile's offspring along with her."
" Paine, you lie!"
" No Yuna! Baralai is the liar. He didn't tell you this because he didn't trust you."
" I know what this is, you can't think of a way to retain him Paine. He married me!"
" Don't pretend you care, Yuna. You didn't marry for love. You married to protect the Al-bhed."
" Impossible! How could you possibly know! You can't be Paine!"
" I know more than you could ever grasp with your feeble mind. You make me sick Yuna. You have no idea who your sleeping with. Which I must say is no great surprise."
" Enough Paine!"
" The man you've come to care for is the son of the Sin that stole your father from you. All those tears you shed were because of Baronaile!"
" You aren't Paine, this has to be a nightmare." Yuna cried in agony. She found it impossible to grasp her mind around this all.
" Think about it Yuna. Confront him! Demand the truth!" Paine's features stretched into a wicked smile.
Yuna knelt hopelessly in the field a gust of wind swept across her hair. " You're wrong, Paine.The actions of his father have no consequence now."
"You say that because of Tidus. Yuna, I can never forgive what Baronaile did to my family. Somewhere Baronaile is out there looking apon us and laughing. His legacy still lives on in Baralai. If we destroy his legacy we can finally live in peace."
" Paine, you were Baralai's friend. How can you?"
" I discovered this from someone close to the Temple. It appears it was amongst the many secrets New Yevon has convienantly sweeped under the rug."
" I refuse to believe you. Baralai is a kind man. He would never hurt anyone and he leads his people with his heart. He isn't Baronaile."
" I don't think you'll feel the same somehow. When you discover the where abouts of you're uncle."
" Cid?"
" New Yevon imprisioned him a fews days ago. Judging by the expression on your face, you weren't informed."
" NO! How could they?!"
" They are capable of that and much more." Paine smirked." Go see for you're self." Paine rasped in a haunting tone of voice.
Yuna had to look away from Paine's accusing eyes, she stumbled off farther into the garden .Her features were now a scarlet red. Yuna ran to the Temple leaving the hooded figure who claimed to be Paine standing alone. Paine prepared herself for a visit with Baralai. However the idea that Yuna and Baralai's confrontation would come soon was somehow more inticing. Paine had her reasons. Perhaps it was a sick desire she had been surpressing since Yuna and Baralai wed. Baralai's pain aroused something in Paine soul. She would do anything to punish Baronaile, to feel avenged somehow for the years of bloody hell he put her though, the pain of seeing her mother and father slain before her eyes by the gortesque mutation that was sin. She wanted to bask in Baralai's pain.
" Fiohn, I already informed Yuna."
Fiohn approached Paine slowly.
" She ran off in a fit." Fiohn chuckled.
" Fiohn, thank you for telling me the truth about Baralai. If I had known he was the son of such a monster I wouldn't have hesitated twice before beheading him myself."
" Yet, you didn't?"
" In a sense I felt sorry for him. He didn't chose to be the son of Baronaile. He came in great desperation to me one night."
" He obviously still has no idea that we are allies."
Fiohn wrapped his arms around Paine's waist.
" Don't push it old man."
" Forgive me it has been a long time since I have tasted the flesh of another human. If you don't mind, Lady does look appetizing."
" You touch Yuna, forget our alliance. I'll hurt you. She is a victim. Funny how you claim to be Baralai's surrogate father yet you make secret packs with Al-Bhed and contemplate sleeping with his woman. Oh that's right what can I expect from a monk of "New Yevon".
" Leave Paine before Baralai catches you here."
"Don't worry, Fiohn I'll leave before the whole temple discovers you."
" I demand to see Cid!" Yuna screamed at a robust young guard. The guard tried to conserve his stance however he couldn't lie to Yuna. " Claim down, Milady. I was given strict orders not to let you visit with him. However seeing as he is your uncle, proceed."
Yuna stomped down the shrill, dimly lit spiral staircase the steps petite only about a foot and a half in length. Beneath her a cool wind shot up from the black abyss. By the time she had arrived at the bottom step her uncles prison was in full view. Hanging in a steel cage, dangling precariously over one of the inlets to the Via Purifico. Yuna's eyes swelled with outrage Paines words swirling in her mind. Yuna paced towards the cage. Cid crouched in a corner of his small cell snoring loudly and rather rudely leaning on his cell-mate. "Uncle Cid?" Yuna squinted. " Baralai, I can't believe you...wouldn't tell me about this."
" Lady Yuna, this is quite the surprise." Fiohn peered from the top of the spiral staircase, from at least ten steps above her. " You've discovered Baralai's little secret. I never did agree with Baralai when he decided to cage your poor uncle."
Yuna glanced at one of the guards faces.
"You can't be lying too."
" No. Yuna I am Baralai's friend and confidant." Fiohn wandered down the steps slowly and approached Yuna grasping her shoulder slightly.
" Is it true that Baralai's father was Baronaile, the sin that killed my father?"
" Who told you that?" Fiohn smiled knowingly.
" Does it matter at this point?"
" I suppose it does not. I can persuade Baralai to let Cid free however. Just not here. We must meet in secret." Fiohn eyed Yuna's shapely figure.
" I will not meet with you anywhere." Yuna grunted removing Fiohn's hand from her shoulder.
" Tell Baralai I must speak with him." Yuna demanded.
" I'm afriad you're the one I need to speak with Yuna." Baralai appeared. His hair uncombed and tufted , white stuble peeked out of his folicles. His soft brown eyes weary, like those of a man ready to give up on life.
" It's time that I faced what I most feared. Even if it means you'll never forgive me Yuna. It's also time for you to tell me the truth. Put me out of my misery!"
" Baralai..." Yuna eyes turned to stone, burning with an untamed anger.
Chapter XII
"What have I done to make him so mad this time?" Yuna eyes appeared glassy and dim as she averted them from the sunlight stinging her as she walked along the flowers. "Perhaps I haven't given myself the chance to fall in love agian." Yuna sat amongst the garden crushing several hibiscus flowers in her wake. " I can't wait for Tidus forever, I can't believe it's been so long." Baralai had locked himself away in his room a few days ago, he hadn't bothered to ask for Yuna. It was so lonely in the temple Yuna felt as if the world were somehow a much larger place without Baralai there to guide her though the emormous puzzle that was Bevelle. No matter how much they fought somehow it just didn't seem likely that he would ever become angry. Baralai was almost a God in New Yevon's eyes. Yet beneath it all belied a wise, talented, and conflicted twenty-something bursting with angst. It was surreal to think that Baralai had become such a large part of her life, she always had the idea that he would only play a walk on role.
"Now isn't the time to analyze your feelings for him,Yuna." In the garden of pink and yellow flowers emerged a shadow-esque figure, cloacked in black satin.
"It is I,Paine."
"Paine, how did you know that I..."
" Don't say another word Yuna, Baralai isn't the perfect man you think he is. His benevolence, his kindness, has always been an act to conceal who he truly is, the monster that bore him. He too is destined to become."
" Paine, I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Yuna, you were always so stupid. Forgive the brashness but out of all the young,eager and wise young men did New Yevon chose Baralai to become their leader?"
" Easily, he was chosen for his objectivity and fairness." Yuna defended Baralai eagerly however Paine had now planted the seed of suspiction in her.
"Wrong, because it was much easier to keep him in check. Just in case he inherited some of his fathers traits."
"His father?" Yuna squeeked.
"An evil man. Baronaile. Once a member of the Crusaders. Although he used that as an excuse to achieve his ultimate goal."
"his ultimate goal?" Yuna shook.
" To become sin, the ultimate form of power."
" Impossible! Baralai would never..."
" You're right, but another thing about Baronaile, he was a fiend."
" Then how is it possible that Baralai was his son?"
" Fiends are still physically alive but his soul was long dead, his mother's pregnancy wasn't consentual."
" That's horrible!" Yuna gasped her eyes becoming moist with disbelief. What was even more unbeliveable was the fact that it was Paine speaking, her voice was drenched with an emptiness almost like the emotional void that she had within her had taken her as a whole.
" No, that wasn't horrible. If anything Baralai's mother deserved it, she wasn't the saint Baralai thought she was. She sold herself to the highest bidder, she even did things more despecable than that. Only after she saw the evil of her ways she dedicated her life to Yevon bringing Baronaile's offspring along with her."
" Paine, you lie!"
" No Yuna! Baralai is the liar. He didn't tell you this because he didn't trust you."
" I know what this is, you can't think of a way to retain him Paine. He married me!"
" Don't pretend you care, Yuna. You didn't marry for love. You married to protect the Al-bhed."
" Impossible! How could you possibly know! You can't be Paine!"
" I know more than you could ever grasp with your feeble mind. You make me sick Yuna. You have no idea who your sleeping with. Which I must say is no great surprise."
" Enough Paine!"
" The man you've come to care for is the son of the Sin that stole your father from you. All those tears you shed were because of Baronaile!"
" You aren't Paine, this has to be a nightmare." Yuna cried in agony. She found it impossible to grasp her mind around this all.
" Think about it Yuna. Confront him! Demand the truth!" Paine's features stretched into a wicked smile.
Yuna knelt hopelessly in the field a gust of wind swept across her hair. " You're wrong, Paine.The actions of his father have no consequence now."
"You say that because of Tidus. Yuna, I can never forgive what Baronaile did to my family. Somewhere Baronaile is out there looking apon us and laughing. His legacy still lives on in Baralai. If we destroy his legacy we can finally live in peace."
" Paine, you were Baralai's friend. How can you?"
" I discovered this from someone close to the Temple. It appears it was amongst the many secrets New Yevon has convienantly sweeped under the rug."
" I refuse to believe you. Baralai is a kind man. He would never hurt anyone and he leads his people with his heart. He isn't Baronaile."
" I don't think you'll feel the same somehow. When you discover the where abouts of you're uncle."
" Cid?"
" New Yevon imprisioned him a fews days ago. Judging by the expression on your face, you weren't informed."
" NO! How could they?!"
" They are capable of that and much more." Paine smirked." Go see for you're self." Paine rasped in a haunting tone of voice.
Yuna had to look away from Paine's accusing eyes, she stumbled off farther into the garden .Her features were now a scarlet red. Yuna ran to the Temple leaving the hooded figure who claimed to be Paine standing alone. Paine prepared herself for a visit with Baralai. However the idea that Yuna and Baralai's confrontation would come soon was somehow more inticing. Paine had her reasons. Perhaps it was a sick desire she had been surpressing since Yuna and Baralai wed. Baralai's pain aroused something in Paine soul. She would do anything to punish Baronaile, to feel avenged somehow for the years of bloody hell he put her though, the pain of seeing her mother and father slain before her eyes by the gortesque mutation that was sin. She wanted to bask in Baralai's pain.
" Fiohn, I already informed Yuna."
Fiohn approached Paine slowly.
" She ran off in a fit." Fiohn chuckled.
" Fiohn, thank you for telling me the truth about Baralai. If I had known he was the son of such a monster I wouldn't have hesitated twice before beheading him myself."
" Yet, you didn't?"
" In a sense I felt sorry for him. He didn't chose to be the son of Baronaile. He came in great desperation to me one night."
" He obviously still has no idea that we are allies."
Fiohn wrapped his arms around Paine's waist.
" Don't push it old man."
" Forgive me it has been a long time since I have tasted the flesh of another human. If you don't mind, Lady does look appetizing."
" You touch Yuna, forget our alliance. I'll hurt you. She is a victim. Funny how you claim to be Baralai's surrogate father yet you make secret packs with Al-Bhed and contemplate sleeping with his woman. Oh that's right what can I expect from a monk of "New Yevon".
" Leave Paine before Baralai catches you here."
"Don't worry, Fiohn I'll leave before the whole temple discovers you."
" I demand to see Cid!" Yuna screamed at a robust young guard. The guard tried to conserve his stance however he couldn't lie to Yuna. " Claim down, Milady. I was given strict orders not to let you visit with him. However seeing as he is your uncle, proceed."
Yuna stomped down the shrill, dimly lit spiral staircase the steps petite only about a foot and a half in length. Beneath her a cool wind shot up from the black abyss. By the time she had arrived at the bottom step her uncles prison was in full view. Hanging in a steel cage, dangling precariously over one of the inlets to the Via Purifico. Yuna's eyes swelled with outrage Paines words swirling in her mind. Yuna paced towards the cage. Cid crouched in a corner of his small cell snoring loudly and rather rudely leaning on his cell-mate. "Uncle Cid?" Yuna squinted. " Baralai, I can't believe you...wouldn't tell me about this."
" Lady Yuna, this is quite the surprise." Fiohn peered from the top of the spiral staircase, from at least ten steps above her. " You've discovered Baralai's little secret. I never did agree with Baralai when he decided to cage your poor uncle."
Yuna glanced at one of the guards faces.
"You can't be lying too."
" No. Yuna I am Baralai's friend and confidant." Fiohn wandered down the steps slowly and approached Yuna grasping her shoulder slightly.
" Is it true that Baralai's father was Baronaile, the sin that killed my father?"
" Who told you that?" Fiohn smiled knowingly.
" Does it matter at this point?"
" I suppose it does not. I can persuade Baralai to let Cid free however. Just not here. We must meet in secret." Fiohn eyed Yuna's shapely figure.
" I will not meet with you anywhere." Yuna grunted removing Fiohn's hand from her shoulder.
" Tell Baralai I must speak with him." Yuna demanded.
" I'm afriad you're the one I need to speak with Yuna." Baralai appeared. His hair uncombed and tufted , white stuble peeked out of his folicles. His soft brown eyes weary, like those of a man ready to give up on life.
" It's time that I faced what I most feared. Even if it means you'll never forgive me Yuna. It's also time for you to tell me the truth. Put me out of my misery!"
" Baralai..." Yuna eyes turned to stone, burning with an untamed anger.