Okay, so Matthew's finally back this chapter. You can stop harassing me now :
Hinata2004: Thanks for your review!
Kratos Aurion: Unfortunately for Jaffar, Rebecca's attitude towards him won't be changing anytime soon, even though she will be with Nino quite a bit...
Flaming Soul: Use Heath/Priscilla. I COMMAND YOU :P
littlefreeze: Thanks for your review!
Ryzuki: Thanks for your review!
Spectral Flame: I think that quote is true as well. A lot of people think they are experiencing true love when they really aren't. It's a shame really /
Winteress: Does it mention what in the story? I can't tell what you're referring to there /
Bloody Mary: Thanks for your review!
Inferno-Hero: Thanks for your review!
MagicianFairy: Canas will be included, but the supports with Erk I'm still unsure about.
Ragnarok-legend: This story is going all the way to the end. Oh, and don't worry about the PS, it doesn't look like anyone noticed -shifty eyes-
Ryst: A thousand...tubas? Er...
The Blazing Blade: Thanks for your review!
Firelien: I thought I would be able to finish the Kent/Fiora story soon, but I've been overloaded with work recently. I think it may have to wait until after this story is finished.
katelynn: Of course Jaffar is in love! It's just going to be awhile until he recognizes what his feelings are...
Icy AngelWings: Well, hope you can keep your OC away from Mary-sue-ness. Thanks for your review!
timmycheese: I know the last chapter was short, but I had to end it with that last line. You can't really write any more after a line like that /
FireEdge: Well, I'm interested in seeing where Stray Arrow goes now that the "confession" scene has passed. Update soon:)
Seproth: Funny, because I was intending to include that support conversation in this story, lol.
Sword of Seals: Thanks for your review!
Emotion Changing Reviewer: Well, not everyone is in love, but these sort of things tend to get exaggerated when one is jealous :P
Douceur: Thanks for your review!
Kayako: I am proud :D. The next chapters should be longer...
Gigantor04 (x2): Um, what? I don't get it...
Oswin the Nino Fan: Well, the next few chapters should be more interesting. The last one was kind of a "placeholder," really...
nightwaler: Thanks for your review!
Jeanie: You're ALL my "oh-so-sweet" reviewers:) Thanks for your review!
Hamano Ayumi: Thanks for your review!
gentleness28: Damn, you already guessed my idea with the necklace, and Rebecca's supports haven't even begun yet/ Ah well...
May: Thanks for your review!
foxfiresword: Thanks for your review!
lzn64: Yeah, in our society, Rebecca and Nino would probably be too young to marry...but keep in mind that in medieval societies, girls married much earlier than they do today. And I don't think the couples will "inspire" Jaffar, but he will definitely recognize his feelings eventually :)
Dreamer of Riddles: Thanks for your review!
Obsessed with Nino? Well, if you are, that's too bad for you this chapter, because this is...
Chapter Thirteen
Left Alone
The room Jaffar and Nino were provided was not lavishly decorated, but it was still well-made. The setting sun cast a glow on the stone floor through a wide window on the wall. The two beds, one at either side of the room, were small and plain but soft and very comfortable.
Nino sat on the edge of her bed now, still cheerful as always, but as she lazily swung her legs back and forth, it became quite clear that she was rather bored. Jaffar lay on his own bed silently, still reflecting on the emotions he had felt earlier that day.
He had considered that perhaps, since his emotions were confusing him so, it would be a good idea to ask someone else to help him sort out his feelings. The problem, however, lay in finding someone to ask. The idea of asking Nino herself horrified him; she had been embarrassed enough the previous night when she had kissed him and such a request would only make her feel extremely awkward and make him look like a fool in her eyes. He also had briefly considered asking Lyn for assistance, but she was the one who had asked him in the first place if he loved Nino, so she obviously had been unable to fathom his feelings as well.
And so he was left to mull over his feelings on his own.
The one thing that kept coming back to him was the fact that Lyn had seemed to recognize the signs of love in him, even though he did not understand any of those signs himself. Why did she think that he loved Nino, when he himself did not know?
He looked over at Nino again, who was still swinging her legs back and forth—the girl just could not keep still. She caught his gaze, and looked back at him, smiling warmly but saying nothing. There was an uneasiness in her eyes, however; there seemed to be something making her nervous.
If anything was bothering Nino, he was concerned for her. "Is everything all right, Nino?" he asked.
She suddenly blushed at his question. "Ah...it's nothing," she replied hastily. "Don't...don't worry about it."
Her reply hurt—why was she pushing him away when he was just trying to help her?
He was going to ask her again, to try once more to comfort her uneasiness, but a knock on the door of the room interrupted their brief conversation. Nino quickly got up, rushing over to the door before Jaffar could speak further. She opened the door and came face-to-face with a smiling Rebecca.
"Hi, Nino!" she greeted the shorter girl cheerfully.
"Hello, Rebecca!" the young mage replied, any uneasiness that had remained from Jaffar's earlier question vanishing instantly. "What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing," Rebecca replied casually. "I was just wondering if you'd like to come with me so you can meet everyone."
"Oh, sure!" Nino responded brightly. She turned to Jaffar. "Hey Jaffar, do you want to come too?"
"Ah," Rebecca interrupted awkwardly before the assassin could reply, and Nino turned back to her. "Um, I don't mean to be rude," she said slowly, awkwardly, "but...I thought it could be just us girls." She smiled uneasily. "A little 'girl time,' you know?"
Nino's expression made it quite clear that she did not know. She looked back at Jaffar uneasily. "Well..."
"It's not the same if there's a man with us," Rebecca attempted to explain, but she sounded very awkward because Jaffar was only a few yards away from her. She looked at Jaffar now, hastily adding, "A-again, I don't mean to be rude, but..."
"I...I suppose..." Nino replied slowly, still staring uneasily at Jaffar. "Um, sorry, Jaffar..." she murmured ashamedly.
"Do what you wish," he said dismissively, but inside he felt anguished. In truth, he did not wish to come with her, knowing he would only see more taunts of love in other members of the army, but it hurt him to see that she desired to spend time with someone besides him. His pain and jealousy ignored the fact that she was clearly torn over what to do.
Nino, however, smiled a little bit at the assassin's reply. "Well...okay. 'Bye, Jaffar. I'll see you later." And led by Rebecca, she quietly left the room.
But Jaffar barely noticed her departure; he was too caught up in his own worried thoughts. Did Nino wish to go with Rebecca because she disliked him? Was that why she had pushed him away when he had tried to comfort her earlier?
The assassin frowned. He knew he was overreacting over something trivial, yet somehow...he couldn't help his reaction. It was almost as though he had lost control over his feelings.
He sat up suddenly. He had to clear his head somehow; his thoughts of Nino were torturing him.
Slowly, he got up and walked over to the door. Though he had never tried it before (as he never previously needed to), he thought taking a walk might clear his mind, remembering how other, less experienced Black Fang members would do the same when their thoughts were cluttering their head. Perhaps taking a walk would help him as well.
-
But after a few minutes of wandering aimlessly through the halls of the manse, Jaffar's thoughts were no less confusing. He simply could not get his mind off Nino, because other than her, what else was there for the assassin to think about? She seemed to be connected to every facet of his life now, to every decision he made.
He kept hearing her happy voice, kept seeing her smiling face...kept feeling the kiss she had given him. He could not stop wondering about the last one. What had it meant? Had it been a gesture of thanks? Or had she kissed him because, as Lyn said, she "cared for him?" Had he enjoyed it? He had been too shocked to really tell how he felt. Did he like it, because...
Do you love her?
What did love feel like!
An image of a blushing Eliwood and Ninian jumped into his head.
Did he want to be like them?
His hand went to his forehead in frustration as he walked through another hallway of the manse, paying no attention to any people he came across because he was sure love would find another way to torture him if he did.
What was he supposed to do?
He passed by a small balcony.
"Jaffar?"
Lyn's voice.
He stopped, turned to her. She stood leaning on the rail of the small balcony, her long hair and skirt fluttering in the slight wind blowing outside. The sun was setting, and the orange sky caused her figure to appear as a fiery silhouette.
Her expression was sympathetic, the same as it was when she had...stolen his chance to comfort Nino.
He wanted nothing to do with this woman, the woman who had confused him so much in the first place...
"Jaffar..." Lyn said softly. "You're...still thinking about what I said last night, aren't you..." It was barely even a question; apparently the plainswoman was very adept at reading people's emotions...even on someone like Jaffar, who barely showed his emotions whatsoever.
All the anger and confusion she had caused him in just one day was rushing out of him before he knew it. "Why did you have to ask me about...that!" he demanded, his right hand suddenly on his dagger, his voice a deadly whisper. Then, quite suddenly, his articulation left him in his frustration. "You—it was simple until—" he tried to rebuke her, but he could not find the words.
Lyn's gaze dropped; she was clearly sorry for confusing the assassin so. "I...I didn't mean to frustrate you," she said softly, apologetically. "I apologize...I didn't understand that you—"
"What does love feel like?" Jaffar cut her off heatedly, intent on getting an answer to the question that had plagued him all day. "How am I supposed to know if I...love her?"
The plainswoman shook her head sadly. "I...don't know," she replied, almost shamefully.
Jaffar's fury at her answer was so great that he might have cut her down then and there if she had not added, "I...have never felt that sort of love myself."
"Then how am I supposed to figure it out!" the assassin demanded, his voice rising uncontrollably in a way that he had never experienced before.
The plainswoman's head rose; there was more confidence, more honesty in her gaze now. "You will know," she replied with what seemed to be absolute certainty, and her confidence only angered the assassin more—why did she know this, and not him? "The time will come when you know. I may not be able to help you, but others will. I can promise you that."
Jaffar's gaze stayed on her eyes furiously, but the plainswoman only stared back unflinchingly. He wanted to cut her down, to wipe that confident expression off her face...because it was clear that she was right. But he didn't want to have to wait for an answer, like she had said. He wanted an answer now. He wanted an end to the anguish—
"I...am truly sorry, Jaffar," she said, but her gaze remained sure and steady, and there was a hint of anger in her voice now. She gestured to one of the small swords at his waist. "But...attacking me will not grant your wish any more quickly."
Jaffar's hand suddenly unclenched; he had been gripping the hilt of his dagger so tightly that his knuckles had turned white without him even noticing.
"I realize that this is frustrating for you," she went on, her voice suddenly taking on a soothing tone. "But...I apologize, but I cannot help you. You will have to find someone more...experienced in these matters."
"Tell me," he commanded sharply, clenching his jaw ferociously. "Tell me who to ask." He had to know, now.
"There are many in this army that you could talk to," Lyn explained solemnly. "However...I am uncertain how many of them will be comfortable speaking with you."
"They fear me," he said flatly, guessing the meaning in her words.
"If you want me to put it bluntly, then yes, they are afraid of you," the plainswoman confirmed. "But you are a former Black Fang. There is another of your kind in the army, if you did not know."
"Who?"
"His name is Legault."
Legault. The name struck a chord in the assassin's memory. Legault had been known as "the Hurricane" in some circles of the Fang, as the "fifth of the Four Fangs" in others. As his title implied, his skill was second to only that of the Four Fangs themselves, and many had considered him to be the next in line if any of the Four Fangs were to fall.
Yet unexpectedly, just before Jaffar's stand in the Dragon's Gate, he had deserted the Black Fang. He had made off with some of the organization's treasure as well, making his possibly the most spectacular case of treason the Fang had ever seen, and one that did not go unnoticed by its leaders.
Despite their searching, however, the Black Fang had been unable to locate the highly skilled thief. Jaffar had never expected he would have joined up with this army.
"I don't know if he has any more answers for you than I do," Lyn explained. "But he has seen many more years than I have—it cannot hurt to ask him."
Jaffar took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. At least now, there was a chance he might get the answers he sought.
"Very well," he replied flatly.
He turned to leave, to seek out Legault, when another thought popped into his head—the other thing Lyn had said to him the previous night. He turned back to her, and the plainswoman's eyebrows rose inquisitively. "What is it?" she asked.
"Does Nino love me?" he asked, completely serious. He wasn't sure whether or not he actually desired the young mage's affection, but this was something that had been plaguing his mind as well...
The corners of Lyn's mouth twitched upwards a little. "That, Jaffar," she replied, "is something only she herself can tell you." She did smile, now. "But if Nino does love you, you will not have to ask her."
-
The frustration had left him. Lyn's words had not given him the answers he desired, but she had told him of a means of getting those answers. And any direction was better than none when it came to this.
What bothered him, though, were the last words the plainswoman had spoken.
You will not have to ask her.
Did that mean Nino would tell him herself how she felt? Or would someone else inform him? Or—he dreaded this possibility—would it be something he would recognize in her actions? He still didn't know what love felt like himself; how was he supposed to recognize it in another? He could tell when relationships existed between a man and a woman, but love in a single being was something he had never been able to discern.
But he had a more pressing issue at hand right now, and that was locating Legault, the person who might be able to tell him what he needed to know so badly. So far, however, his search had proven fruitless. When the assassin had finally found a member of the army who knew which room he was staying in, he had gone to the room only to find that Legault was not there. His roommate, who turned out to be the violet-haired scholar known as Canas, opened the door instead, holding a thick book under his arm.
"Ah...hello," the shaman greeted politely as he noticed who stood before him. "You are...Jaffar, correct?"
Jaffar nodded, then got right to the point. "Is Legault there?"
Canas adjusted his monocle. "Unfortunately, he is not," he replied. "He said he was going for a walk around the manse."
"Thank you," the assassin replied flatly.
He turned to leave, but Canas stopped him suddenly. "Oh, Jaffar?"
Jaffar turned back to the shaman silently.
He smiled enthusiastically. "I know you currently stay with Nino, so please tell her she is free to see me whenever she likes," he said happily, his tone clearly indicating that he would be delighted to have Nino do just that. "Is that all right?"
"...Very well," Jaffar replied after a time, wondering just what it was that Nino would want to speak with this man about.
"Thank you," the shaman replied, and went back into his room, closing the door.
Jaffar, however, felt the same doubts he had experienced earlier that day rising again as the scholar left. Why did Nino wish to speak with Canas, rather than stay with him? Did she dislike him? Did she wish for him to leave her alone?
He closed his eyes.
And why did he care about Nino's feelings so greatly?
-
The doubts continued to plague him as he searched the quickly-darkening hallways of the manse for Legault. But after several minutes, it seemed as though the slippery thief would just not allow himself to be found, and Jaffar was quickly becoming frustrated again, both at himself and at Legault. Why did this have to be so difficult? All he wanted to know was what love felt like...
He had heard the footsteps behind him, had dismissed it as someone he was not concerned with, perhaps one of the manse's guards. It was only when he heard the footsteps close in on him that he began listening actively.
But by then it was too late; the owner of the footsteps leapt. Someone crashed into him from behind...an arm wrapped around his waist, holding back his own arms...the other arm held a knife to the assassin's neck...
Jaffar didn't have time to wonder who his assailant was, but he was not about to let his attacker follow through with his desire. Quickly, against the pressing of the arm holding him down, he brought his own arm forward...then swung it back, ramming his elbow into his assailant's midsection.
His attacker choked out a few choice words as his grip slackened, the knife clattering to the floor uselessly.
Jaffar didn't waste the opportunity he had made for himself. In a flash, he was behind his assailant, the position he had just been in now reversed as he held his own dagger to his assailant's neck.
That was when he noticed it was Matthew.
"Leila..." the sandy-haired thief wheezed. "I coul—couldn't avenge..."
Jaffar could only stare dumbly, his knife still at Matthew's throat.
"Go ahead, kill me," Matthew choked out, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
But he could not. Killing Matthew would almost certainly lead to his exile from the army...and that meant leaving Nino behind, alone. He couldn't have that...
He let go.
Matthew fell to his knees, clutching at his stomach, but he wasted no time in rebuking Jaffar. He looked up at the assassin hatefully, demanding, "So, you're going to spare my life, is that it!" Slowly, he staggered up, on one knee now but clearly in pain. "Do you think this is going to make amends for what you did? Do you think that I'm just going to...forgive you now?"
Jaffar only stared back at the thief silently.
"You killed Leila," he declared furiously, slowly getting to his feet. His voice was a deadly whisper. "You took her life. I have no forgiveness for you—I don't care what you do; I will hunt you down. You will die for what you have done."
"Killing her was not my intention," Jaffar stated flatly, attempting to use the same argument Nino had used the previous night. His calmness, however, just seemed to infuriate Matthew further.
"Do you think I want your stinking apologies!" Matthew exploded, breathing heavily. "The only thing that will satisfy me is your death, Jaffar! If you do not want to kill me, then I will destroy you. Do you understand?" He blinked back angry tears that were starting to form in his eyes. "Nothing you do or say will bring Leila back!" he screamed.
"Nor will my death raise her from the grave," Jaffar countered, still perfectly calm.
Matthew clenched his teeth. "It will give you the punishment you deserve, you craven murderer!" he whispered ferociously. "Remember that. You left me alone, and I will get my revenge, even if it takes my entire life."
And without another word, Matthew picked up his dropped knife and walked away, down the hall. Jaffar's gaze followed the thief's retreating figure, expecting him to attack again, but Matthew did not even look back.
Jaffar took a deep breath. He would have to be more careful from now on.
-
As the hallways of the manse were shrouded in the darkness of the night, Jaffar began to realize that he was not going to find Legault any time soon. He checked back at the thief's room to see if he had returned, but Canas informed the assassin that he had not.
It had angered him, to be sure, that he had been unable to locate Legault, but he was not as frustrated as he had been that morning. Perhaps he had not been able to speak with the thief today, but he could find him tomorrow. He would find out what he sought eventually.
So for now, he returned to his own room, feeling a little better at the knowledge that Nino would be there. As he approached the door of the room, however, it seemed Rebecca was in the room as well—he heard the sniper's voice from inside, shouting something.
"Well, of course he was surprised!" she was saying, presumably to Nino. "I mean, how many other girls do you think have done that?"
"I know..." Jaffar heard Nino's voice respond. "I'm...I'm just afraid that maybe...you know..."
"Well, why don't you ask him about it?" Rebecca asked in response.
"I can't ask him!" Nino cried fearfully, and Jaffar wondered what it was they were talking about. He had a hunch, but... "W-what if I offended him? W-what if he thinks I'm crazy or something?"
"Well, you won't know until you ask," the sniper encouraged her.
"I-I suppose..."
And that was when Jaffar decided to enter the room.
The two of them were both sitting cross-legged on the floor of the room. Nino's face had been burning red, but she was even more embarrassed when she noticed that Jaffar had walked in. "J-Jaffar!" she stammered, clearly terrified that the assassin might have heard what she was saying.
Rebecca smirked. "I think I'll leave you two alone now..." she said, standing up, and Jaffar could have sworn he saw her give the young mage a small wink. She walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"A-ah...h-hello, Jaffar..." Nino said softly, stuttering, her face still bright-red. Her eyes were on the floor, and she was clearly trying to shrink away from the assassin.
"Nino, is something bothering you?" he asked, concerned. There wasn't much of a point in asking—obviously something was the matter. He just hoped she wouldn't push him away like she had earlier...
The young mage got up slowly, still blushing fiercely. "Jaffar..." she began softly, then apparently decided against it. She shook her head. "N-no. I-it—it's nothing...n-nothing you should worry about." She turned away from him, staring fixedly at the floor.
"Nino..." the assassin said softly, devastated that Nino still didn't desire his help. Remembering how he had comforted the young mage the previous night, he stepped towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why won't you tell me what is the matter?"
Her head turned, she looked at the hand on her shoulder. Then, taking a deep, shaking breath, she turned fully to the assassin, her face now as red as a tomato. "Jaffar..." Her voice was barely above a whisper; she clearly was thinking against telling him. But she persevered. She stared at the floor, taking another deep breath, and then she spoke. It was slow, halting, but she was speaking nonetheless. "L-last night...d-did I off—offend you?"
It did not take Jaffar much thought to realize what "last night" referred to—the kiss she had given him. But he did not have to wonder about the answer. He had been surprised, too surprised to know how he felt...but he certainly had not been offended by her gesture of affection. That much he could tell, even through his confusion.
"No," he answered flatly. "You didn't."
She looked up at him, eyes wide, clearly unable to believe the answer she had been given. For a moment, Jaffar wondered if his answer had not been the one she wanted, before she let out an explosive breath and her face split into an almost maniacal grin. "Oh, thank you, Jaffar!" she cried happily, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight. "Thank you!"
Jaffar could only return the embrace silently, his body filling with that warm sensation that seemed to have last come such a long time ago...even though it had only been the previous night.
Is this love? he wondered as the sensation spread through his body.
She let go of him, smiling brightly, and Jaffar felt his doubts from earlier in the day disappearing almost instantly.
He still wasn't sure if the feeling was love. But if it was, he mused, he certainly wouldn't mind being in love with this girl.
Geez, I can hardly believe I'm a guy after writing all of this. It's so...cute. Even I think I'm taking the fluff a bit far here...
One question though: is Lyn still in-character? I'm still a bit doubtful about that.
Please review!
-TheOneAndOnlyT