Author's Note: This chapter doesn't feel right. I found it quite hard to write, and I think the characters are a bit off. Sorry about that. It's just another of a bit of a crap chapter 'coz I'm not very good at this writing thing, especially writing drama like this.

Again, TheFrogKiller has been helping me a lot with this (and this whole plot in general), so credit to him for most of the storyline.

And in response to talking about Trevia and what Dark Axem said, I entirely agree by the way, I do much prefer it when she shows emotion rather than just being a 2D cut-out of an assassin. Basically, I was just worried I went too far though making her cry into her pillow, making her seem a little too much like an upset teenage girl than who she was. But most people seemed to like it, so that's okay. I liked it too, I like characters showing weaknesses, no matter how subtle they are. One of my favourite moments in James Bond (who, let's admit it, isn't exactly the type of character who shows weaknesses!) was a line where somebody was talking about what they found out about him, and they came to "Married once to-" and he just cut them off with "I think you proved your point" with a really clenched jaw. (In one of the Bond films he married, but his wife was killed). I loved that, a little subtle weakness in an otherwise invincible character. So I like putting weaknesses in my characters, especially ones like Trevia. I mean, if Vivli has a weakness, or something bothers her, nobody notices it as special, because she's always like that, but when it's somebody like Trevia, I think it can be effective. I just wanted to make sure I didn't go too far, which apparently I didn't, so I'm very glad of that! So yeah, I'm really happy everybody (well, the two people who reviewed at least) enjoyed it!

Right. I'll shut up now and get on with the chapter.

CHAPTER 44

KAZHAM

The sight of an elvaan warship moored just off the coast of Kazham had drawn much attention. Mithran soldiers lined the coast, but every single one was uneasy. Even to Kazham, one of the most remote civilisations in Vana'diel, news of the war on the mainland had reached them, and they were afraid the next step in San d'Oria's conquest was to take Kazham. The soldiers moved their spears uneasily, feeling like they were stood on the front lines of an epic war.

Except it wasn't. A lone rowing boat was heading for the shoreline. They all waited curiously, their eyes attracted to the ship and its set of powerful looking cannons, safely tucked away behind golden doors. As the rowing boat got closer, their eyes fell on the approaching group. A hume stood at the front of the boat, waving a white flag.

The rowing boat bumped against the shore and the unusual group of six people climbed out, two mithra, two humes, a tarutaru and an elvaan. The mithran defence force regarded them curiously.

"Urm. Hello." Olose said with a nervous wave.

"Who are you, outlanders, and why are you on our land?" Snarled the person Olose assumed to be the commander of the mithran forces.

"I'm Captain Olose Sampson, of the Destiny…..II." He remembered to add the new number eventually, a little sad at the memory of the destruction of the original ship.

"And what is your business here?" Asked the commander.

"One of my crew, Trevia Heart, has been recalled to Kazham." He answered, pointing to Trevia, who was shuffling along with an uncharacteristic nervousness about her.

"Recalled?" The commander said in surprise. "If she left, it was herrrr own decision. Therrrre is no rrrreturning."

"Glad that's sorrrrted. Let's go." Trevia laughed nervously, turning to return to the rowing boat. Olose just rolled his eyes.

"She's here for a marriage, as summoned by her family." Olose stated. The commander paused.

"Oh, that Trevia." She sighed irritably. "Verrrrry well. You have delivered your carrrrgo captain." The commander stated. "You may returrrrn to your ship, we shall take Trevia from here."

"I don't think you understand." Olose stated firmly. "Trevia is not here to marry, but to correct a mistake your authorities have made, before she shall return with us. She is part of my crew."

"Outlanders may not walk Kazham." The commander stated in a low growl.

"And I will not leave my crew members!" Olose's voice became a far more fearsome growl than the commander's, and she shivered slightly.

"V-verrrry well." She said, slightly shaken. "I will allow you to enterrrr, but do not expect an entirely warm reception."

"Wouldn't think of it." Olose grumbled.

The crew walked through the streets of Kazham, a little taken aback by the looks they were receiving from the gathered mithra.

"Everrrrybody is starrrring at me!" Whined Suse.
"Just makes you feel popular." Olose whispered to Suse. She smiled.

"This does indeed make me feel rather uncomfortable." Arcadia admitted.

"Well, Trevia, where are we supposed to be going?" Nadia asked Trevia bluntly.

"Urm, I'm not entirely surrrre." She admitted weakly. "It has been a long time." The heat upon her skin felt so familiar, but somehow it made her heart sink. The wooden huts around were so familiar. She thought she recognised the little alley she spotted. Had she played in it as a child?

"Well, well, well." A voice snapped her back to reality. A group of mithra had surrounded them. "The infamous Trevia Heart returns to Kazham."

"Infamous?" Olose asked.

"She didn't say? Or don't you stupid outlanders know?" The head of the mithran group, clearly some kind of warrior, taunted. "Selected for brrrrreeding, the highest honour, for marrrrriage, and she turned and ran. So pathetic. She threw away everrrrrything we all wanted, and yet she is still chased!" The leader started to laugh. "And now she hangs around with you misfits. An elvaan without an arm, a midget, a hairy hume, some tart and…what's this? A mithra without a tail?" She laughed again. "How pathetic! How do you live with yourself girl? You've lost your tail and dishonoured your existence!" Suse looked like she was going to cry. Olose drew his sword and placed it at the mithra's neck.
"We don't want trouble, but if you lay one finger on her I will make you beg for death." Olose said with a threatening glint in his eyes.

"You arrrre herrrrre by the smallest thread of good faith. You cause any trouble and you will be killed." The mithra taunted.
"You insult my friends and my crew." Olose stated. "Do your worse."

"Urm, no." Trevia sprang in front of Olose.

"So, she speaks?" Laughed the mithra.

"I do morrrre." Stated Trevia, and in a blur of movement she snapped the mithra's arm and got her in a head lock. The mithra screamed before Trevia hurled her into the ground. "These people are my friends. I won't let you thrrrreaten them. You forrrget, while I am herrrre, I cannot be harmed or the person who did the harrrrming shall be severely punished." The mithra got up clutching her arm. She went to say something, but thought better of it, turned and ran. The rest of her group followed. Olose blinked slightly.

Trevia began to walk away, but Olose stopped her.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

"What?" She shrugged.

"That. Why can't you be harmed here?" He questioned.

"Simple rrrrrules. The mithran males are rare, much rarer than us females. If they were not to marry, and breed, then the race would die out and there would be no morrrre mithra." She explained. "Therrrreforrrre, the mate of a male must be protected to continue the race. Since I'm currrrrently selected as one, I cannot be harrrrmed or else it is taken as trying to destroy all mithra." She folded her arms smugly.

"They werrrre mean!" Suse sobbed. "They picked on me!"

"They were not exactly pleasant to any of us." Arcadia pointed out, obviously a little hurt herself.

"Charming place you grew up in, Trevia." Phabrizoe joked.

"Most of them have never seen an outsider." Trevia explained. "And like any society, therrrrre arrrre a few people who like to cause trouble, such as those you have just seen. Most people arrrre reasonable."
"Seems like you're a little defensive there, Trevia." Olose pointed out. "Strange. I could swear you didn't want to return to this place." He smiled slightly, but Trevia's face just wobbled, clearly dealing with dozens of emotions.

"I can't help but think I was happy herrrre." She told Olose. "When grrrrowing up. It was so much easier to forrrrget when I didn't need to return." She noticed the crew were staring at her, and she quickly looked to the floor. "Urm, I was just pointing it out." She blushed.

Footsteps began to approach the crew, and they all turned around. Trevia's eyes went wide as somebody wrapped her arms around her.

"It can't be." She whispered.

"Trevia! Oh, I'm so glad to see you!" Came a voice.

"Hi, Mum." She said blankly, trying desperately to escape from her mother's arms.

"We werrrre so worrrrrried about you. We thought you might miss the wedding!" Trevia's mother explained.

"Figures." Trevia grumbled. "Wouldn't actually be worrrried about me, would you?"

"You'rrrrre lucky we carrred at all." Her mother snapped. Trevia was again becoming very self conscious of the stares of the crew. As people who had thought of her as a toughened assassin, a conversation with her mother of this type was slightly jarring.

"Mum, I'm herrrre because I'm not getting married. I came to settle this once and forrrr all." Trevia explained.

"You get given the grrrrreatest honourrrrr in all of Kazham and trrrry to turrrrn it away?" Her mother cried in disbelief. "I will not allow you to be a blight on the honour of ourrrr family. I won't!"

"I don't think it's your decision to make." Olose shot.
"And who might you be to speak for my daughterrrr?" Her mother shot. "Please don't tell me she's found some revolting hume loverrrr in you?"

"I should hope not!" Arcadia exclaimed, causing Olose to smirk.

"I'm her captain." He gave in answer. "And a friend."

"Her captain? So you'rrrre the mighty Olose Sampson? It was only yourrrr fame that allowed us to trrrrack her down." Her mother explained.

"Damn you." Trevia shot.

"Now, come with me. Jeren's waiting." She stated.

"Jeren?" Nadia asked.

"Yes, yes. Trevia's futurrrre husband." Her mother explained. Trevia paused, remembering that name. That alley. She was playing in the alley. With a boy named Jeren. They had been childhood friends. Then why had she run away? If only she could remember! But she couldn't. He must have chosen her to marry. She must have hated that feeling of a decided future, so she had left, and made her own future.

The group entered one of the shacks that lines Kazham, and a male mithra instantly fell to one knee before them.
"My Lady." He stated. Trevia rolled her eyes. "You have returned as I hoped you would! I pray you remember me."

"Yes, Jeren. Even I could not forrrrget you." She sighed.

"I didn't think it was possible, but you've only grown more beautiful in your absence." He told her, standing.

"I like him." Arcadia whispered to Olose. "He can speak properly. No rolling of the 'r's."

"Listen, Jeren, I-" Trevia began.

"Please, Trevia, there's no need to talk now. I haven't seen you in well over a decade. Let us eat and be happy, and deal with whatever is on your mind later." He told her with a friendly smile.

"No Jeren, let's not." Trevia said bluntly. "I can only say this bluntly. I do not want to marry you. I am herrrre to tell you that the marriage is off." Jeren's eyes went wide as his heart was torn in two.

"But-" He stumbled over his words. "But I-" He couldn't quite manage to speak, and Trevia sighed. "Trevia, I'm a male, and thus I can chose any girl in the whole of Kazham. Yet years on, my heart still belongs to you. Can you not see how important you are too me?"

"And can you not see how little you mean to me?" Trevia shot. Jeren shut his eyes painfully. "I'm sorrrry." She sighed. "I do not feel anything for you, or this place. I do not want to marrrrry a man I do not love. You must underrrrstand." Jeren gulped.

"I understand." He answered, doing his best not to cry. "I am sorry you had to return here." He got up and walked to the door. "Please. Feel free to stay the night, and then you can depart tomorrow." He turned to Olose. "I trust you are her captain?"

"Glad you could tell." Olose told him.

"Thank you for bringing her back, even if it was for such a short time. I am glad I got to see her again, even if it was just for a few minutes." Jeren walked out, no longer able to hold his own tears back. Everybody stood in an awkward silence.

"Sorry." Trevia whispered, guilt tugging at her heart.

Jeren wondered through the streets of Kazham, and arrived at the coast. He stood there, tears running down his cheeks. He loved her so much, but she didn't care. He would not have her in an empty marriage with him. It wasn't what she wanted, so it wasn't something he would force on her. Why wouldn't she love him? Why couldn't she understand how much he cared?

"I know your pain." Came a voice. Jeren spun around.

"Oh. You." He stated. Another male mithra stood across from him.

"Yes, me." He answered plainly. "You know, they give us one freedom. The ability to chose who we must marry. And now they aim to take that away from us."

"I am not in the mood for one of your rants about how we are oppressed, Jacob." Jeren shot. Jeren often dealt with Jacob, a protestor mostly for the rights of the male mithra, feeling they had been oppressed as little more than breeding machines. No male could hunt, go out into the world, or follow any profession, all were oppressed by the larger, female half of the population. Jeren intended to agree with him, but didn't like causing trouble.

"How about a solution?" Jacob offered.

"To what?" Jeren asked.

"Your problem." He answered. "Trevia Heart will never love you as who she has become. You must make her into who she was before she left."

"Trevia was a young, innocent girl before she left." Jeren stated. "Now she's bitter. I could see it her eyes. She barely remembers me. I don't know if there's anything of who she was left in her."

"What if I could make her love you?" Jacob offered.

"I'm not interested in you forcing her to love me." Jeren shot back. "I love her. I'm not going to let you and your magic tricks mess with her mind. If she does not love me, then she should not be forced to. That was her decision. I love her too much to force her to be different."

"Ah, but what if it was her who loved you?" Jacob asked. "I could erase her recent memory. Make her that person she was before she left. Except in her older body, and older form, she'd be much more open to her feelings for you. She'd admit they exist instead of running away. She'd love you, and it would be the girl you fell in love with that loved you, not this twisted girl she has become." Jeren turned back to Jacob.

"You can make her into the person she was?" He asked.

"Yes." Jacob stated. "Then, if she chooses to love you, it is her choice. I will not influence her emotions, purely her memories."

"No. It's immoral." Jeren stated.

"I know how she feels. I can sense it." Jacob explained. "She burns with guilt from her life as an assassin. She can't stand the thought she took lives now she has a bond with this pathetic rabble she has associated herself with. She can barely still live with herself. It would be doing her a favour."

"How do you know all this?" Jeren asked, his eyes darkening.

"I have my methods." Smiled Jacob. "Now, she is upset. She is guilty. She feels sick whenever she considers what she has done and I am certain has pondered suicide more than once. My potion would cure her of all of that, and might even make her love you. It would be an act of kindness for your true love. Do not tell me you do not want that." Jacob's face etched into a smile.

"It seems like a perfect solution." Jeren admitted.

"It is." Jacob smiled. "That is why I've approached you."

"So why would you do this for me?" Jeren asked suspiciously.

"We males are all in this together. If I help you marry, then surely you will support my cause for our equal rights." He smiled.

"That's all you ask in return? My support?" Jeren asked.

"Yes." Jacob stated.

"Then I agree. After all, you know I support what you say anyway. It is unfair we cannot do what the females do. We are not physically anything less. We are just rarer in society. It seems unfair."

"Exactly." Jacob smiled. "Another supporter, especially one who is married, will greatly aid my cause. And in return, I shall use this potion to assist Trevia in dealing with her guilt, and finding her love." Jeren sighed.

"What must I do?" He asked.