Chapter 2: Still Haunted

Rose, Lloyd, and Meru joined; Albert, Emille, Dart, Shana, and Guaraha, Meru's husband; by the fountain in the town square.

"Ah, Meru. Where did you find them?" Albert asked as he handed Rose, and Lloyd each a goblet filled with a deep reddish-purple wine.

"I think they wanted to be alone for a while," Meru told him, adding her typical giggle at the end. Rose's pale skin burned redder than the wine at that. Dart, who had been watching her still with fascination, saved her pride at that moment.

"A toast," Dart said as he stood with his glass raised, "To friendship, love, and unity once more." As they all raised their glasses and drank, Rose gave him a grateful smile. He gave her a sly wink in return.

"Where have Haschel, Kongol, and Miranda gone off to?" Lloyd inquired, noticing that a few of their comrades were missing.

"Haschel has retired for the night," Shana explained as she linked her arm through Dart's. He patted her hand lovingly.

"And I believe Miranda is with the council at the moment," Queen Emille said looking to her husband who nodded to confirm her thoughts.

"And Kongol said he was going to the strong man competition. I wonder who's going to win?" Guaraha added, stressing the sarcasm on the last sentence. Everyone laughed at this, but that died down to an eerie silence. A silence that was graciously broken by the laughter of Jenna as she ran to her parents.

"Momma, Papa, help me! I think Marcus is going to kill me!" Jenna giggled, her fright clearly short lived as she saw her brother stumble into view.

"Marcus, leave your sister alone," his mother ordered as he shot Jenna a mean look, and appeared as if he would lurch at her any moment.

"Why don't you go take a walk," his father told him, placing a fistful of gil coins into his son's hand that he had to unclench first. Marcus closed his hand tightly, debated for a moment, then turned away and stormed off angrily.

"What did you do to make your brother so mad?" Shana asked her daughter. Jenna sat on the side of the fountain pool.

"What didn't I do?" she giggled throwing her hands in the air.

"Jenna!" Dart turned to her. The rest of the dragoons thought this scene very amusing.

"Okay, well, first he was mad at me for not listening to him on the way here. Then when we got here, I spent half our money, which wasn't all mine," she giggled, then continued, "on…something." Rose knew that she meant the armor. She wanted to repay her, but she hadn't thought of a way yet.

"And then, I told Cecily his big secret!" Jenna laughed like a maniac. Everyone else looked confused.

"What is his big secret?" Shana asked, almost worried.

"Well, I told Cecily just how much Marcus loves her. Then she said something to him, and he ran after me and told me that he would rip me to shreds! Kill me! Tear me apart! Hurt me badly! You will suffer! he said," she laughed again, then stopped trying to catch her breath.

"That's quite enough, Jenna, you're making a scene," Dart warned her. Then, another gracious interruption, this time for Jenna's sake, Princess Cecily walked over to them with a confused look on her face. Jenna bit her lip, forcing herself to keep quiet.

"Darling, is something wrong?" Queen Emille asked as she placed an arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"Well," she looked at Jenna, disappointment clear in her voice. Jenna suddenly felt very sorry.

"We know what Jenna said to you," Albert explained as he took Cecily's hand into his. She became very emotional at this.

"I only tried to tell him that I felt the same way, but he…" she threw herself into her mother's arms, and began to cry. Albert and Emille looked at each other, both hating to see their daughter so miserable.

"I'm sure he was just scared," Albert said trying to comfort her.

"I'm sorry Cecily. I didn't mean to make you sad," Jenna apologized as she walked over and rubbed Cecily on the back consoling her. Cecily looked up and wiped her eyes.

"Oh, Jenna. It's not your fault, sweet girl," Cecily smiled down at Jenna, "Do you want to spend the night with me?" she asked, trying to cheer Jenna up. She didn't want her to place the blame on herself.

"Momma, Papa, is it okay if I stay with Cecily?" Jenna pleaded.

"Yes, it's fine," Shana agreed, looking at Dart. The two girls headed toward the castle.

"It is probably best to keep Marcus and Jenna apart for a while," Shana explained.

"What about Marcus and Cecily?" Albert wondered. The two sets of parents wandered off to talk about their children, while Meru, Guaraha, Rose, and Lloyd were left to ponder at the events that just took place. Meru raised an eyebrow at Guaraha, smiled at Rose and Lloyd and the two of them left rather quickly, leaving Rose and Lloyd alone once again. He gazed at Rose making her feel uneasy.

"Why are you staring at me?" her tone had too much edge to it. She hadn't meant to snap at him like that.

"I'm sorry. I just still can't believe it," he said as he glanced away at the newly rising stars. He looked at her once more, the wound her words had left him was obvious in his expression, "It's getting late. I guess we should head to the castle. Everyone else is probably there."

Rose nodded, silently cursing herself for being so brash. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again, as she found no words coming. She followed him into the castle, and a maid led them to a sleeping chamber. The hallway was very quiet. Rose watched as Lloyd disappeared into a room a few doors away from the one she was led to.

"Do you need anything, miss?" the young maid asked her as she stood at the doors. Rose shook her head, and the maid left, closing the doors behind her. Rose looked around at the room. The furnishings were simple, but decorated opulently. There was a small balcony that looked over the town. Being alone again felt strange to her. While she felt very alone in the death pit, she knew that Zieg was beside her always.

"Zieg," she whispered the name that she had tried to put out of her mind ever since she had awaken in Fletz. Now that she was alone, her memories would come back to haunt her. She cared forever for Zieg, but he was still in the death pit. Rose looked at her reflection in a mirror on the wall. Her eye caught the choker. Her immortal wound. She would outlive everyone she loved once again. After she was so sure that it was all over, and that she and Zieg would finally be at peace.

"Why do you keep tormenting me?" she cried, her hands tearing at the choker, intending to rip it off. She stopped herself. There had to be an important reason why she had been brought back. She walked out onto the balcony. The night air gently blew through her. Her feelings for Lloyd, she couldn't explain, for she still loved Zieg. Even after 11,046 years. She held onto the balcony railing tightly, making her knuckles whiten, and peered up at the stars. Why did Zieg still have to suffer? She was the one who had murdered in cold blood all those years. Had Zieg been tortured all that time as his body was invaded by Melbu Frahma? She needed answers. Rose breathed in deeply, and sighed heavily. She would try to sleep tonight, for the first time in over 11,000 years. Tomorrow she would set off for Ulara, the wingly city, if it still existed.


Lloyd stood on the balcony. His crimson eyes stared off into the distance. It was too dark too see anything but the stars. The night was silent except for the whispers of the wind rustling throughout the land. He sighed. His mind still lingered deeply on the brief moments he had spent with Rose.

"Is it hopeless for us to be together?" he asked no one. He walked back into his room. He knew that even if he lay down, he wouldn't go to sleep. He decided to go for a walk. The castle was very large, and easy to get lost in. At the moment, Lloyd wanted to get lost. He tried to be very quiet walking through the corridor. When he finally came to the main hallway he decided to go out onto the large balcony. He walked to the railing. It overlooked the river that flowed near the castle. The star's glistened off of its shimmery surface. Then, something else caught his eye. A figure was standing down at the edge of the water. He could tell that it was Rose by the way she stood, and the starlight that glinted off of her body. "What is she doing?" he wondered, then realized, "Probably the same thing that I am doing." After a brief debate, he decided to see if she was okay, although something made him feel that she was just going to brush him off again. He made his way out of the castle without waking the guards who sat, snoring loudly, with their spears sitting inconveniently behind them. He walked down to the river, keeping his distance from Rose, and deciding to stay hidden for a while. He could see her profile. Large violet eyes stared down at the lake, deep red lips parted as if she was speaking without sound, flawless ivory skin glistened in the night, and then something unexpected to them both. A single tear fell from her eye. Her hand jumped at it, startled.

"Oh Zieg… This should be you, not me," she whispered into the darkness, "You shouldn't be the one to suffer. I will love you for as long as I breathe. I don't know how to let go. I will find a way to put your spirit at peace. You are always in my heart. You would be so proud of your son. I wish it were you here. Your grandchildren-," she stopped, becoming more emotional at this, "He would have been my son. He would have been our son Zieg. It is cruel of me to wish you were here instead of I. You would watch your son die in forty more years, and your grandchildren after that. I swear that I will find a way to give you peace Zieg, I swear it."

Lloyd listened from the shadows. He wanted to run to her, take her in his arms, and tell her that everything was going to be all right, but he couldn't bring himself to move. After all, she loved only Zieg. Lloyd turned to leave.

"Who is there?" she had discovered him. Lloyd silently cursed himself for getting discovered, although he was aware that Rose was as alert a person as he. He turned around slowly and walked out of the shadows. He smiled at her, but receiving only a look of contempt in return, he stopped. She turned away from him.

"How long have you been standing there Lloyd?" she asked, grazing her eyes across the heavens again.

"Rose, please. I didn't mean to spy on you. I was just coming to see if you were okay," he said, walking up closer behind her, and placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched this time at his touch, and he let go promptly. Her hand reached up to cover the spot where his had just been.

"You needn't be so concerned," she spoke so harshly that Lloyd took a few steps back.

"I'm very sorry about Zieg, but-" he started, but she cut him off.

"Why should you care about him?" she hissed, throwing her arms to her sides, with her fists clenched tightly.

"Because I care about you!" he shouted angrily. He softened when he heard her beginning to weep, "You don't deserve to be carrying around all of this grief."

"I was the murderer Lloyd. I destroyed thousands of innocent souls. Zieg would never harm the innocent," she explained, her voice hoarse and sharp. He rushed over to her and grabbed her arms making her look at him.

"The black monster is dead, Rose!" he yelled at her fiercely. She looked stricken for a moment, then pulled away from him roughly.

"That doesn't erase my past," she muttered, before she walked off back toward the castle. Lloyd kicked a stone into the water angrily, and sighed. He sat at the edge of the lake and stared at the reflections of the stars.


Author's Note: Thank you for my reviews, I'm so happy you like the story so far. I hope you will like this next installment just as much.