Tales of Destiny

My Dolt

Rutee and Ilene were now sitting back in the orphanage in the main living room. The other workers had taken the children out on a field trip, so the two women were alone to discuss the important matters at hand in private. Ilene was seated at the main sofa, Rutee was in a chair across from her.

"So...what's this all about?"

"Rutee." Ilene began. "I know."

"You know? About what? What are you talking about?"

"About Stahn."

"Huh?"

"It's ok Rutee, you don't have to pretend not to know, I won't get angry."

"Err..." Stuttered a confused Rutee as she scratched the back of her head. Ilene saw this and laughed slightly.

"Oh my, hahaha, is that something you learned from him?"

Rutee instantly returned her hand to her lap, pretending she hadn't done that.

"N...no, 'course not, what could I learn from that country boy except for oversleeping?"

"Stahn is so wonderful Rutee."

"Yeah, I know, and I'm sure you do too, along with alot much more..." Rutee replied with a wave of her hand.

"If that's what you think, then...you're wrong."

"...What?"

"Rutee."

Ilene crossed her arms in a sort of indignant way as she began to talk. Her voice was a bit more serious than before.

"You're a very lucky woman Rutee Katrea, I'd give anything in the world to be you."

"I am? How do you figure?"

"Come now, do I have to spell it out for you?"

Ilene lowered her hands back down.

"It's Stahn."

"What about him?"

"He's here Rutee, he came to see you."

Rutee felt her heart skip a beat.

"He's...here in Cresta?!"

"Well...close, he's in Darilsheid harbor right now."

"Oh..." Rutee said as the butterflies in her stomach went away. "So you wanted to come and get me for another reunion or something is that it?"

"No no, nothing like that. This has nothing to do with me."

Rutee raised an eyebrow at Ilene. What was this all about?

"Soooo...you came here for no reason at all then?"

Ilene just laughed again.

"You really have picked up Stahn's habits Rutee, I guess that's because you traveled with him for so long. Maybe that's why..."

"Why what?"

"It's...hard for me to say this, but...you've won."

Rutee moved a bit closer to Ilene when she saw her breathing start to quicken.

"I didn't come here with Stahn, he came here by himself. I snuck aboard the ship he was on without him knowing."

"What are you saying Ilene?"

"Yesterday evening, Stahn came back to Liena in a hurry. He didn't say a word to me, to his sister, to anyone. I was worried, so when he left this morning I decided to follow him in secret. He had chartered a boat to this continent with the last bit of gald he had. I didn't know why he would want to come to Darilsheid, but I then figured out it wasn't Darilsheid he was going to, it was here, Cresta."

"But why?"

"For you Rutee, like I told you before he came here to see you. He heard you weren't well, so he dropped everything he was doing to make it to you. Doesn't that tell you something?"

Rutee looked at Ilene and remembered what she had said just moments before.

"I've...won...?"

Ilene simply nodded.

"He thinks about you all the time Rutee, he just never mentions it to anyone. Whenever I was with him, I knew he wasn't looking at me like that. Maybe he loves me, maybe he doesn't, but the fact remains...he just doesn't love me as much as he loves you. When he heard you were sick, he panicked and thought of nothing else but coming to your side. That's so like him isn't it?"

Rutee was in shock. She brought her hands to her face, trying to wipe her tears away.

"Y...yeah...it is...but hey...why is he...?"

"...Still in Darilsheid?" Ilene finished for her. "That's easy, he's afraid."

"Afraid? Of what...?"

"He's afraid of seeing you in pain. It hurts him when he sees it. He always thinks about you and what's happened to you. I can remember one night..."

Flashback, Liena Village

"Stahn? What's wrong?"

At the end of the night, Stahn had left his home without a word to Lillith or Thomas. No one had known where he went, no one until Ilene found him in a secluded part of the village, sitting on a tree stump, looking down at the ground.

"Oh, Ilene...you found me...heh..."

"Is everything ok Stahn?"

"Yeah I'm fine, just needed some fresh air that's all."

Ilene walked over to where Stahn was sitting and also took a seat on the stump with him. She playfully ran her fingers through his hair, but he didn't once react.

"Come on Stahn, tell me what's wrong, please?"

"Well...it's Rutee..."

"Ah yes, miss Rutee, she is quite the feisty one isn't she?"

Stahn chuckled weakly.

"I miss her, alot..." Stahn said, ignoring Ilene's question.

"Oh Stahn..." Ilene sighed as she wrapped her arms around him.

"She's been through alot...losing her dad and her brother like that, and then Atwight. I...I wasn't able to do anything to stop it. Leon was wrong, I'm not a knight, I'm just pretending to be one."

"Stahn don't say that! What happened can't be helped! You tried everything you could to help, but it was fate! At least...at least you were able to save me..."

"That's true." Stahn said, forcing a smile. "I just really hope she's doing ok."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"I wonder if she ever thinks about me...?"

Ilene's eyes shot open in shock.

"Stahn..."

"I hope she knows I'll always be there for her..."

"I'm sure she does..."

Ilene silently got to her feet and walked away, but not before stealing one last look at Stahn. He didn't acknowledge her once, not even so much as a simple 'Goodnight.'

"Rutee..." Stahn's solemn words faded on the night sky.

"Ever since that night, Stahn reacted less and less to my affections. At first I thought it was me, but then I realized, it was you. So you see Rutee...?" Ilene said again. "He's scared of seeing you in pain, he doesn't want to see the Rutee Katrea he treasures so much in such a state, which is why he hasn't come here yet. Go to him, please, he needs you."

"He...needs me...?"

"Yes." Ilene said with a nod. "He loves you Rutee, he's just too shy to admit it. Let him know how you feel, I'm sure that's something he's wanted to hear for a very long time..."

"...I will. Thank you Ilene, for everything..." Rutee said joyfully.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry to him right this instant before I change my mind!" Ilene playfully threatened. Rutee bolted out the door and left Cresta in a flash. Ilene calmly walked out of the orphanage and looked to the sky...

I'll go to him...

He wants to see me...

He came for me...

I'm coming...

Wait for me...

Please don't leave...

I have so much I want to say...

And now...

I know that you'll listen...

Rutee plowed through anything that stood in her path as she entered Darilsheid. Merchants, tourists, soldiers, whatever was in her path was knocked to the ground with a forceful shove. Tearing into the harbor she looked around fervantly for him.

"Not here...not over there...wait a second, THERE!"

There he was, sitting on the harbor, throwing rocks into the bay. He was turned away from her, his attention completely occupied on the rolling waves, so she snuck up behind him and encoiled her arms around his waist. Stahn didn't see her coming, so he was so shocked by someone grabbing him that he fell into the water, taking Rutee along with him. He came back up, coughing and sputtering. Rutee emerged seconds later right in front of him, a mischeivious smile pasted on her face.

"Who in the heck...?! Rutee?!"

"Hi there country boy." Rutee said, flashing her impish smirk widely.

"Rutee! You're ok! You're not sick!"

"Yup." She said with a nod. "So what's this I hear about you were worried about me?"

"H...huh?!" Stahn sputtered as he felt his face heating up. "Who told you that?!"

"Oh I don't know...a certain someone who used to work for Oberon..."

"Whoa..." Stahn said in awe. "Did Baruk survive too?! Where's he been?! He's got some explaining to do! Man what a jerk! Not telling us or anything..." He trailed off into a low grumble.

"...You're such a dolt sometimes..." Rutee muttered.

They both emerged from the water and took a seat on the harbor, their clothes still soaking wet.

"So it was Ilene." Said Stahn.

"Yeah, she told me everything."

"E...everything...?" Stahn gulped.

"Uh huh."

Rutee smiled coyly as she scooted closer to Stahn. Stahn bowed his head slightly.

"I was really worried about you Rutee..."

"I know, and I'm happy that you were. Thanks Stahn."

"Ah well shoot...you know..." Stahn said bashfully as he turned away. Rutee giggled and then turned Stahn's face back towards hers with her hand. They looked deeply into each other's eyes...

"Stahn..."

"Rutee..."

And it finally happened. Rutee Katrea and Stahn Aileron shared their first passionate kiss, right there on the harbor in the middle of the hustle and bustle of daily town life. Some kids poked fun at their "game of tonsil hockey," but Stahn and Rutee ignored anyone and anything looking at them, focusing only on their loving kiss. They then broke apart and Rutee rested her head on Stahn's shoulder as he acted as her pillow. They both looked at the sun setting on the horizon. It was the most wonderful thing in the world for Rutee Katrea, only one thing could make it even better. Rutee moved her hand to Stahn's back...

And gave him a mighty shove, sending him back into the water. Stahn reemerged, coughing and sputtering all the while.

"What the heck was that for?!" He yelled.

"That was for the cavern near Janos! Learn to do things right the first time country boy!" Rutee guffawed as she took off running. Stahn climbed out of the water and began to chase her through Darilsheid harbor, both of them laughing all the while.

He may be a dolt...

But he's my dolt.

-'Fin

Author's Notes: So is this the happy ending to the little love triangle between Stahn, Rutee, and Ilene? Yes, and no...Stay tuned for the epilogue, with one of my favorite (and quite fitting for the end of this in my opinion) songs as the pretense for the theme!