Chapter 9: 600 GP
Edge paced nervously in his sparsely furnished room. I paid 600 GP for this? He had questioned when he unlocked the door. Yet, with the amount of walking space he was using, the fact that his room had only a bed, a mirror, and a three-drawer chest was actually a plus! Anxiety, nerves, nausea, excitement, desire, energy, apprehension…there did not seem to be a fitting word for what he felt at the moment—he was a mess of emotion. It was all he could do to contain himself, and pacing the room provided an outlet for his worries.
On a good note, the nervous wreck of a man looked darn fine this evening. He had showered, shaved, and brushed his teeth about four times (he was still battling nasty hangover breath—by his third teeth cleaning his gums were bleeding so badly from the scrub that he vowed never to over-drink again!). His white-blond hair, stylishly messy, remained spiked with the help of some fancy hair gel purchased from the inn's gift shop. An iron sat atop the three-drawer chest, evidence that he had taken time to press his familiar orange cape. He had even put on cologne! It was the first time in a few months that he could remember feeling so clean. Even still, every five minutes it seemed he was checking the underarms of his shirt for dampness or obnoxious odor!
He checked himself out in the mirror once more. After straightening the orange collar of his cape he nodded approvingly at his reflection. "All right Edge," he said aloud, "This is your big moment. You love her so tell her so."
His little pep talk was cut short by a knock on the door. He started at the sound, and feeling a fresh wave of perspiration dampen his underarms, he questioned the effectiveness of his little confidence boosting chat. Oh well…here goes…
Cautiously opening the heavy, wooden door Edge found Rosa standing on the other side. Momentary relief flooded his person until she said, "Rydia is here." More perspiration inundated his underarms—and he had no time for another shirt change! "The innkeeper is sending her to your room, so I am going to leave the door slightly open. Good luck!" Rosa squeezed his shoulder, and on impulse reached up to kiss his cheek. Very distracted now, Edge hardly noticed the kiss. He did register a distinct WHOOSH noise as she hurried from the room, though. Without the rustle of Rosa's skirts, the room was silent and very lonely. All that was left was to wait for companionship…to wait for Rydia.
The waiting seemed eternal, though it was really only a few moments later when Edge heard a second tentative knock at the door. He didn't answer—his motor neurons just couldn't seem to respond to the brain's message to move!
"Hello!" Silence.
"Hello?" She tried again, "It's me, Rydia." Nothing.
Oh well…the door is open. I guess I am supposed to go in. A gentle push was all it took. Rydia stepped inside.
From his corner vantage point, Edge could see her in the doorway. Taking in the stunning site before him, he felt his breath catch in his throat. I thought I would never see her again! A seeming million responses to her presence flew through his mind—he couldn't decide if he should cry, dance with joy, or run to her and take her into his arms. His body made the final decision—his motor neurons were still locked at a standstill.
She looked radiant. Her hair, once short to accommodate their travels, was noticeably longer. It hung to almost shoulder length in layers, the light green ends flipping out in random but appealing directions. She wore little make up, only a light touch of mascara to bring out her eyes and a gloss to shine her lips. Edge noticed that she was not wearing her typical traveling clothes—she had dressed up for the occasion in a long, fluttering skirt. A light blue sweater complemented the skirt and the curves of her young body quite nicely. Edge's eyes lingered longer than they should have on the swellings of her chest, two particularly nice attributes he had never been able to appreciate under the armor and robes she wore during their travels. Forcing his eyes back to the face he adored, he realized She's gorgeous! His mouth suddenly dried. Whether it was nerves or hormones he wasn't really sure.
She stepped in the room cautiously looking around. "Hello?" She had yet to see him.
Suddenly the door slammed shut causing Rydia to jump at the sound. Equally startled, Edge impulsively reached for his sword. Before either one could move toward the door, a stream of giggles erupted from the hallway. Someone had shut it on purpose. Knowing the culprits, Edge silently stowed his sword back at his belt. Rydia on the other hand was livid. "By Odin's underwear!" she cursed as she kicked at the door. "I swear, someone better open this door before I call Titan's bum down on this inn!" No one opened the door. She continued to alternatively beat on the door and frantically pull at the handle.
"Hey! Let me out!" She again kicked the door solidly and called louder, "Can someone help me? Hello?" Fighting tears of panic, she banged hopelessly on the solid wood.
Finally freed from his anxiety induced body bind, Edge moved out of his corner. "Allow me," sounded his masculine voice.
Rydia immediately calmed at the familiar voice. It was coming from behind her, but she dared not turn around. Edge? She questioned herself. He's my admirer? No way! She knew it had to be him though—she had only been dreaming about him and strange, romantic scenarios like this one for months now. If he is my "anonymous lover" then he sure did a good job keeping that secret!
"Oh, my knight in shining armor," she quipped. Encouraged by her good-humored reaction, he moved closer to where she stood at the door. "Or might he be wearing an orange cape?"
He stopped moving, and Rydia felt his presence so strongly that she did not need to turn around to know he was right behind her. She breathed in the comforting scent of his cologne, and in her mind's eye, envisioned his appearance—everything about him looked perfect. Turning around and facing Edge, she tested the accuracy of her mental picture—the real thing was far more satisfying!
Meeting his eyes after her initial once-over, Rydia could feel her body pull toward his. Edge felt the same pressure. He needed to be close to her! Before either one could stop it, their foreheads touched, their lips just millimeters away from the same fate.
It was a short-lived trance. "You wrote the letter!" she accused. "You didn't have the nerve come deal with me in person. It's just like you, Edge to be so damn immature!" She backed away from him only to feel the door behind her. "Anonymous lover my butt! What in Zeromus's name was I thinking coming here?" Turning around, she tried the door again. "Chocobo fudge chips!" she cursed. It was still stuck.
Really, the door was locked. The innkeeper locked it in part to please the group that had arranged this meeting, but also to ensure that the 600 GP remained stowed in his cash register, not his rectum.
Edge reached in and daringly placed a calming hand on her shoulder. Rydia instantly stiffened at the contact. "Rydia, please, hear me out. I did not write that letter."
Dizzy from the electric shocks his touch sent through her, Rydia was not sure she had heard Edge correctly. "What?" To make matters even more confusing, a noisy commotion arose outside the room.
"Hi Rydia!" A chorus of voices greeted her from behind the heavy wooden door. She recognized the voices of her friends and Queen Asura. Comprehension dawned on Rydia's face.
"That is quite enough eavesdropping everyone. Let us return home and give them some peace and quiet." A shuffling of feet outside the door indicated that all had followed Queen Asura's directive.
Now knowing with certainty that she wouldn't be leaving the room anytime soon, Rydia angrily pushed past Edge and walked further inside. "You mean, they did this?" Looking for a chair, Rydia found disappointment in the room's furnishings. She had no choice really, and so she sunk exhaustedly into the fluffy pillows adorning the bed. Perhaps it was only the softness of the pillows, but as she leaned into their cushy goodness, Rydia's facial expression lost its harshness. It was replaced by a look of wonder mixed with compassion. "They did this for us?"
Edge nodded. He couldn't speak again quite yet. There was something exciting about the image of Rydia reclining on a bed. Plus, her demeanor had changed almost instantaneously. He just needed a moment to process this shift.
"How did they get you here, Edge? Please don't tell me you ran at the summons of a secret admirer." Picking up a decorative pillow, she covered her face, wanting to hide her scarlet cheeks. Her voice was muffled by pillow fluff as she said, "I am so embarrassed! That is so not like me!"
Bravely Edge approached the bed. He reached out and gently tugged on the pillow until she released it. Her face was still red, but quickly fading to its normal hue.
"No, I know it is not like you. And don't be embarrassed, please! I am so glad you are here." She leaned back on the pillows again, her inquisitive expression telling him she was ready to listen to his story. Being that the bed was the only seat, he carefully sat down on its end, trying not to crowd her. Honesty apparent in his eyes, he spoke out, "I don't know who concocted this plan to get us together, but I know I would not be here if it weren't for Queen Asura. She found my parents in the Land of the Dead and asked them to draw me out of the castle." He recounted the details of his conversation with is parents. "I actually was not happy at all to hear of your secret admirer. You should have seen the speed with which I drew my sword. I was ready to do him in if I got my hands on him!" Rydia caught a sly twinkle in his eye and laughed at his statement. He continued, "It just wasn't fair to think that another man would get a chance to…" His voice trailed off.
Rydia, senses heightened, sat up and scooted toward Edge's seat at the end of the bed. Not knowing exactly how to draw from him what she hoped he would say she settled for holding his hand. "Would get a chance to what?" she asked as his hand closed warmly around her smaller one.
With his free hand he reached up and touched her cheek. Her fair skin was softer than he ever could have imagined. Rydia moved her head back, inviting his caresses. His hand traveled behind her ear, his fingers opened, and he ran them slowly through her hair feeling its silky texture. While bringing his hand back to her cheek, he took a deep breath. Looking into her eyes he said, "It just wasn't fair to think that another man would get a chance to fall in love with you before I could tell you that I already am. Rydia, I love you."
There, he'd said it! Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard angels sing a chorus of hallelujahs. A weight lifted from his shoulders, and he said it again. "I love you."
A tear slid down Rydia's cheek. He followed its wet trail with his finger and wiped it away when it reached her chin. She smiled at the gesture and willingly allowed him to steer her chin toward his. The kiss they shared was gentle, a soul-searching kiss, each of them seeking love in the other's heart. Inevitably, the kiss deepened. Months of stifled passion took control and the kiss grew into something powerful, something they both knew they could no longer deny.
Hours later, Rydia awoke in Edge's arms. It was cool outdoors; typical of desert nighttime weather, yet Rydia felt only warmth radiating from Edge's bare skin. She wanted to giggle as she thought about what had just happened between her and Edge. But the moment they had just shared was too special for laughter—it was wonderful, and it deserved wonderful words. Feeling her stir, Edge tightened his arms around her. She snuggled closer to him, breathing deeply the scent of his skin, welcoming his possessiveness. She whispered, "I love you too, Edge." Her breathing slowed as she relaxed, and in moments she fell back into sleep.
Feeling Rydia drift off, Edge smiled contentedly. Suddenly things seemed right, things seemed easy. In the few hours that he and Rydia were together, Edge had forgotten the anguish, pain, and loneliness of the last few months. Instead, he felt happier than he could ever remember. His eyes closed, but before joining Rydia in sleep, his mind recalled an image of the poor innkeeper's face after he was threatened with a GP induced anal blockage. Not to worry Sir Innkeeper. Your money and your hiney are safe.
Edge had definitely received his 600 GP worth that evening!
