No Matter How Dark the Night
Chapter 5
Ok, guys, here it is after too long! Thanks again to all my reviewers. Sorry it took so long- college is hell! Anyway, here you go- enjoy!
Isthia sat quietly in a meditation chamber off the main antechamber of St. Bevelle. She tried to ease the headache pounding in her temples. It had not been a good day. Kirin avoided her like the plague except to criticize, and she hadn't seen Auron in almost a week. He had received the great honor of escorting High Priest Molkan and his daughter to the opening ceremony of blitzball season in Luca. She missed him terribly. Oh, well, she said to herself, standing up and rubbing her back. No use sitting here wallowing in self-pity. And she started for her house.
Kirin watched her go. He had timed how long it had taken her to get to her home and how long it would take her to discover his surprise. He found himself caring for her deeply. He knew what her role as a summoner demanded of her, but for as long as Isthia was in this world, he wanted to be by her side, perhaps to even be chosen as her Final Aeon. There was only one problem- a tall, dark-haired man named Auron whom, Kirin knew, Isthia loved deeply. The only way he may have a chance with her was to get rid of Auron. But how?
Isthia shut the door to her small dwelling, turned around- and gasped in surprise. There on the table sat the most beautiful arrangement of roses she had ever seen. Yellow, pink, orange, and crimson, complimented by lush greenery and delicate trailing vines. She smiled through the tears beginning to fill her eyes. "Oh, Auron," she breathed, reaching for the card attached to the bouquet. But her dreamy smile soon faded as she read the note.
"I know I was wrong and you may not be able to forgive me- I'm not asking for that. Please give me another chance to prove that I sincerely care about you. Meet me tonight at the Gandof to accept my apology in person. Wear the dress, and bring the flowers. Kirin."
Isthia sat down with a bump. Kirin?! She knew roses like that cost a fortune, and the Gandof was just about the most expensive restaurant in Spira. And what dress? On a hunch, she walked into her bedroom. Laid out on the bed was a dress that sparkled in the pale light. It was white, strapless, made of a shimmery, floating material that reached to the floor. Beside it was a miniature version of the arrangement in her living room, made up in a bouquet-like shape.
"Oh, dear, what now?" Isthia thought to herself. The dress was gorgeous, like nothing she had ever seen. He must have spent every gil he had to do this. She sighed.
"I can't not go," she said aloud. "Oh, Auron, if only you were here."
At that moment, Auron was wishing he was anywhere but where he was. Gaia had not left him alone all night. Now she sat next to him in their chocobo- drawn carriage asleep, her head on his shoulder. Auron sighed. She had come to him before he had accepted the offer to go on this trip to apologize. He mentally replayed the scene.
"I know I'm spoiled and petted and made much of, and I know I've let it go to my head. It was wrong of me to act the way I did. Please forgive me."
Auron had been shocked. The high and mighty priest's daughter, apologizing to him? He had grunted an acceptance, and Gaia had raised her eyes to his. He was even more surprised to see traces of tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek before walking away.
He looked at the girl sleeping on his shoulder. Why, oh why couldn't it be Isthia? He wondered what she was doing now.
At that moment, Isthia was walking up the street leading to the Gandof, roses in hand, her new dress swirling in the slight breeze. Her heart was screaming NO NO NO NO! but her head was motivating her to at least thank Kirin for his kindness. She looked down at her dress, admiring the way the fabric caught the light, the way it hugged her slender figure. From the gaping looks she had received from passersby, she must look wonderful. The maitre'd of the Gandof smiled and bowed.
"Ah, you must be Lady Isthia. Maester Mika is expecting you. This way, Milady."
As Isthia followed him dumbly, her brain was racing. Maester Mika, expecting her? No way! But sure enough, as the maitre'd led her into a private dining room, the aged leader of Spira rose to meet her. Standing next to him to one side was Kirin, dressed in his best robes. On the other side, Isthia recognized someone she had heard much of but never seen- Lord Jyscal Guado, leader of the Guado people and Yevon's newest convert. He smiled warmly at her and Isthia relaxed a little.
"Lady Isthia, I presume?" Maester Mika addressed her, his frail voice reaching every corner of the small chamber.
"Yes, Your Grace," Isthia bowed, making the prayer of Yevon, which the Maester returned.
"Rise, my child. You have nothing to fear." Isthia looked up. Kirin was staring at her with a look akin to worship in his eyes. Isthia slowly rose out of her kneeling position.
"My Lord, if I may..." Isthia began slowly, "Might I ask what your honor is doing here? And with My Lord Jyscal as well?"
Jyscal smiled. "She's well-mannered, I'll say that. And for a human, she's lovely. Nicely done, Kirin." Kirin blushed and looked at his feet.
Mika smiled a little condescendingly. "Why wouldn't we want to be here for the marriage of our most promising apprentice to such a fine young man? Especially when we helped him arrange all this."
Isthia felt herself growing numb. At the word marriage, a curious low roar had started in her ears. She had a cold feeling creeping over her. She couldn't meet Kirin's eyes. What had he done? She shook her head, as if to clear it.
"My...my Lord, perhaps I don't understand...but... did I just hear you say marriage? Marriage of whom?"
Kirin finally spoke. "Our marriage, Isthia. Maester Mika feels that you need someone in the close capacity that marriage provides in order to make your Final Summoning easier."
"But I don't love you!" Isthia blurted before she thought. Kirin hung his head.
"I know. But this is not about love, Isthia. It is about your solemn duty to bring peace to the people of Yevon. I accept this honor with the hope we may grow to love each other. Maester Mika arranged this knowing how I feel about you. I love you Isthia, even if you cannot return that love."
Isthia swayed and would have fallen if Jyscal had not caught her with lightning speed. She slumped in his arms, her breath coming in gasps. Marry Kirin?! NO! Jyscal rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry child. I was under the impression the feeling was mutual. If I had known, I never would have supported this. Forgive me."
Isthia looked up into his deep gentian-blue eyes. Such kindness, such compassion, and...sadness? She straightened, her mind made up.
"It is my duty, Lord Jyscal. Thank you for your kindness." Jyscal released her, her pain mirrored on his face. Isthia turned to face Mika and Kirin, all trace of emotion erased.
"I have one condition," she said.
"Name it," Kirin said eagerly.
"That the most intimate expression of love be forbidden you, Kirin. I will appear in public by your side, I will support your career as you undoubtedly support mine, but I will not grant you all of me. That was granted to my only love long before you met me, and will never belong to you. Do you understand?" The ice in Isthia's voice was unmistakable.
Kirin nodded. "I expected as much. Whatever you wish, Isthia. I would sooner die than make you do something you don't wish to do."
Isthia nearly screamed, Then don't make me do this! But she kept her composure. Stepping forward, she bowed to Maester Mika.
"Then let us begin."
WELL?!? What did you think? Oh, just wait till Auron hears about this! What's going to happen? MWAHAHAHAHA!
Ok, guys, here it is after too long! Thanks again to all my reviewers. Sorry it took so long- college is hell! Anyway, here you go- enjoy!
Isthia sat quietly in a meditation chamber off the main antechamber of St. Bevelle. She tried to ease the headache pounding in her temples. It had not been a good day. Kirin avoided her like the plague except to criticize, and she hadn't seen Auron in almost a week. He had received the great honor of escorting High Priest Molkan and his daughter to the opening ceremony of blitzball season in Luca. She missed him terribly. Oh, well, she said to herself, standing up and rubbing her back. No use sitting here wallowing in self-pity. And she started for her house.
Kirin watched her go. He had timed how long it had taken her to get to her home and how long it would take her to discover his surprise. He found himself caring for her deeply. He knew what her role as a summoner demanded of her, but for as long as Isthia was in this world, he wanted to be by her side, perhaps to even be chosen as her Final Aeon. There was only one problem- a tall, dark-haired man named Auron whom, Kirin knew, Isthia loved deeply. The only way he may have a chance with her was to get rid of Auron. But how?
Isthia shut the door to her small dwelling, turned around- and gasped in surprise. There on the table sat the most beautiful arrangement of roses she had ever seen. Yellow, pink, orange, and crimson, complimented by lush greenery and delicate trailing vines. She smiled through the tears beginning to fill her eyes. "Oh, Auron," she breathed, reaching for the card attached to the bouquet. But her dreamy smile soon faded as she read the note.
"I know I was wrong and you may not be able to forgive me- I'm not asking for that. Please give me another chance to prove that I sincerely care about you. Meet me tonight at the Gandof to accept my apology in person. Wear the dress, and bring the flowers. Kirin."
Isthia sat down with a bump. Kirin?! She knew roses like that cost a fortune, and the Gandof was just about the most expensive restaurant in Spira. And what dress? On a hunch, she walked into her bedroom. Laid out on the bed was a dress that sparkled in the pale light. It was white, strapless, made of a shimmery, floating material that reached to the floor. Beside it was a miniature version of the arrangement in her living room, made up in a bouquet-like shape.
"Oh, dear, what now?" Isthia thought to herself. The dress was gorgeous, like nothing she had ever seen. He must have spent every gil he had to do this. She sighed.
"I can't not go," she said aloud. "Oh, Auron, if only you were here."
At that moment, Auron was wishing he was anywhere but where he was. Gaia had not left him alone all night. Now she sat next to him in their chocobo- drawn carriage asleep, her head on his shoulder. Auron sighed. She had come to him before he had accepted the offer to go on this trip to apologize. He mentally replayed the scene.
"I know I'm spoiled and petted and made much of, and I know I've let it go to my head. It was wrong of me to act the way I did. Please forgive me."
Auron had been shocked. The high and mighty priest's daughter, apologizing to him? He had grunted an acceptance, and Gaia had raised her eyes to his. He was even more surprised to see traces of tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek before walking away.
He looked at the girl sleeping on his shoulder. Why, oh why couldn't it be Isthia? He wondered what she was doing now.
At that moment, Isthia was walking up the street leading to the Gandof, roses in hand, her new dress swirling in the slight breeze. Her heart was screaming NO NO NO NO! but her head was motivating her to at least thank Kirin for his kindness. She looked down at her dress, admiring the way the fabric caught the light, the way it hugged her slender figure. From the gaping looks she had received from passersby, she must look wonderful. The maitre'd of the Gandof smiled and bowed.
"Ah, you must be Lady Isthia. Maester Mika is expecting you. This way, Milady."
As Isthia followed him dumbly, her brain was racing. Maester Mika, expecting her? No way! But sure enough, as the maitre'd led her into a private dining room, the aged leader of Spira rose to meet her. Standing next to him to one side was Kirin, dressed in his best robes. On the other side, Isthia recognized someone she had heard much of but never seen- Lord Jyscal Guado, leader of the Guado people and Yevon's newest convert. He smiled warmly at her and Isthia relaxed a little.
"Lady Isthia, I presume?" Maester Mika addressed her, his frail voice reaching every corner of the small chamber.
"Yes, Your Grace," Isthia bowed, making the prayer of Yevon, which the Maester returned.
"Rise, my child. You have nothing to fear." Isthia looked up. Kirin was staring at her with a look akin to worship in his eyes. Isthia slowly rose out of her kneeling position.
"My Lord, if I may..." Isthia began slowly, "Might I ask what your honor is doing here? And with My Lord Jyscal as well?"
Jyscal smiled. "She's well-mannered, I'll say that. And for a human, she's lovely. Nicely done, Kirin." Kirin blushed and looked at his feet.
Mika smiled a little condescendingly. "Why wouldn't we want to be here for the marriage of our most promising apprentice to such a fine young man? Especially when we helped him arrange all this."
Isthia felt herself growing numb. At the word marriage, a curious low roar had started in her ears. She had a cold feeling creeping over her. She couldn't meet Kirin's eyes. What had he done? She shook her head, as if to clear it.
"My...my Lord, perhaps I don't understand...but... did I just hear you say marriage? Marriage of whom?"
Kirin finally spoke. "Our marriage, Isthia. Maester Mika feels that you need someone in the close capacity that marriage provides in order to make your Final Summoning easier."
"But I don't love you!" Isthia blurted before she thought. Kirin hung his head.
"I know. But this is not about love, Isthia. It is about your solemn duty to bring peace to the people of Yevon. I accept this honor with the hope we may grow to love each other. Maester Mika arranged this knowing how I feel about you. I love you Isthia, even if you cannot return that love."
Isthia swayed and would have fallen if Jyscal had not caught her with lightning speed. She slumped in his arms, her breath coming in gasps. Marry Kirin?! NO! Jyscal rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry child. I was under the impression the feeling was mutual. If I had known, I never would have supported this. Forgive me."
Isthia looked up into his deep gentian-blue eyes. Such kindness, such compassion, and...sadness? She straightened, her mind made up.
"It is my duty, Lord Jyscal. Thank you for your kindness." Jyscal released her, her pain mirrored on his face. Isthia turned to face Mika and Kirin, all trace of emotion erased.
"I have one condition," she said.
"Name it," Kirin said eagerly.
"That the most intimate expression of love be forbidden you, Kirin. I will appear in public by your side, I will support your career as you undoubtedly support mine, but I will not grant you all of me. That was granted to my only love long before you met me, and will never belong to you. Do you understand?" The ice in Isthia's voice was unmistakable.
Kirin nodded. "I expected as much. Whatever you wish, Isthia. I would sooner die than make you do something you don't wish to do."
Isthia nearly screamed, Then don't make me do this! But she kept her composure. Stepping forward, she bowed to Maester Mika.
"Then let us begin."
WELL?!? What did you think? Oh, just wait till Auron hears about this! What's going to happen? MWAHAHAHAHA!
