Author's Note: Aha, finally another update. Sorry it took so long, I really kept meaning to upload this but never got around to it. And I wanted to take the time to replay through FFIV, to make sure that I had the scenes fresh in my mind.

Please, review if you read and give me suggestions. It would be appreciated.

The hot sun beat down upon the backs of Cecil, Rydia, and Tellah. Cecil could feel his hair sticking to the back of his neck, but he was too exhausted to brush it away. Even though the trio had only been walking for a couple of hours, it seemed like they had been wandering the deserts for many days.

The Castle Damcyan loomed in the distance, its tall stone towers providing long shadows that never seemed to get any closer. The sound of airships could be heard in the distance, and Cecil threw his head back to look, shielding his eyes from the sun. He squinted at the group of airships, recognizing the red ships and the crest on the side. 'The Red Wings?" he whispered aloud, and Tellah looked at him.

"The what? Speak up!"

Cecil opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as the sharp whistling noise of a bomb falling filled the air. Paralyzed by shock, Cecil, Rydia, and Tellah watched as a bomb descended at lightning-fast speed through the air, landing on Castle Damcyan and causing it too erupt in red flames.

Rydia covered her mouth with her hands, horrified, as Cecil began to run towards the Castle. He motioned for Tellah and Rydia to follow him, and together they ran as fast as they could towards the burning castle. When they reached the entrance, Cecil banged on the door. To his surprise, the door simply fell from it's frame at his touch. Waving aside the smoke, Cecil began to lead the other two through the smoking and burning castle. He stopped when they reached what seemed to be a throne room, the body of a young-looking blonde girl sprawled face-down on the regal red rug.

Tellah stepped forward. "Is that…it is! Anna!" he began to rush forward to his daughter's side, but the presence of a young man distracted him.

The young man was pale, with very light blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He was dressed in regal robes in colors of red, green, and yellow. He grasped a small harp in his right hand, his blue eyes wide in hope and in fear.

Tellah's eyes widened in rage as he recognized the handsome face. "You!" he sputtered angrily, brandishing his staff at the man. "You're that…that bard!" he seemed to almost growl. "Anna ran away because of you!" Tellah began chanting a magic spell under his breath, and his fingers glowed orange with the light of fire. "You spoony bard!" he screeched, hurling the ball of fire at the bard, who winced and backed up.

"Father, stop!" the voice of Tellah's daughter came from the floor as she pushed herself up, her voice trembling and weak. She seemed out of breath and tired, unable to get up off the floor.

"Anna! Oh, Anna, I'm so glad to see you again!" glaring once again at the bard, Tellah ran to his daughter's side, kneeling down to her level and hugging her tightly.

Anna coughed. "Father…Edward is the prince of Damcyan. Forgive me, father, for running away... but I love Edward." Her eyes shone with fresh tears as she gazed into the face of her father. " Still I knew I couldn't find happiness without your consent, I was on my way home when..."

The bard, Edward, stepped forward to finish her sentence. "We were attacked, by Baron's Red Wings. They were led by Golbez."

Cecil cocked his head in curiosity, stepping forward. "I've never heard of Golbez before," he mused. "Who is he?" he asked, directing the question at Edward.

Edward shook his head, staring at the floor. "I don't know. All I know is that his powers were beyond words…"

"But why would they attacked Damcyan?" Cecil asked, meaning it to be rhetorical. Instead, Edward took the opportunity to answer him.

"They wanted the crystal, and they spared no one to get it. My mother, my father, even Anna shielded me from their arrows." At this, the bard glanced at Anna morosely, and then continued to stare at the floor in front of Cecil.

Hearing this, Tellah looked at his daughter, lying on the floor in front of him. "You love him enough to give up your own life?" he asked her, almost incredulously.

Tears ran down Anna's pale cheeks as she reached up, lightly touching her father's long beard. "Please, father. Forgive me." And with her last words, Anna smiled a last time and closed her eyes, falling limp against the cold floors.

"Anna! I love you, Anna!" Edward cried, falling onto his knees and burying his face in his hands to hide the tears.

Tellah also looked at his daughter as if not really believing that she had passed on. "Anna! God damn you, Golbez. Damn you!" He glared at Edward. "Who is that monster anyways? What do you know about him?" his voice was loud and filled with anger, it bounced off the chamber walls and made him sound more frightening than he really was.

Edward wrung his hands together, trying to control his shaking voice. "He came to Baron one day and became the new leader of their Red Wings. He…" he sniffed before continuing, "He leads them in their missions to plunder the Crystals."

Tellah snarled angrily in Edward's direction. "Stop your simpering! That won't bring Anna back. Golbez of Baron, I shall take his life with my own two hands!" Tellah raised his fist in the air as if to demonstrate, standing up and raising himself to his full height. He prepared to walk out of the chamber, but Cecil grabbed his wrist.

"Tellah, wait. " Cecil said calmly. "I can't possibly let you go alone. It's too dangerous!"

Tellah wrenched his arm from Cecil's grasp. "I will kill Golbez on my own, mark my words. I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help!" Tellah yelled, and with that strode forcefully from the chamber, his long cape swirling behind him.

Upon Tellah's leaving, Edward had rushed to his lover's side, kneeling behind her and cradling her face in his hands. "Oh, Anna," he whispered, and bent over her, letting the tears fall freely from his pale cheeks.

Rydia stepped forward, surprisingly Cecil, who had almost forgotten that she was in the room. Rydia had remained quiet the entire time, but she couldn't stand holding back her feelings any longer. She put her hands on her hips and stared down at Edward's weeping form. " Stop crying! You're a grownup!" she nearly scoffed here. "You're not supposed to cry! I lost my mom, but I'm not going to cry anymore!" she raised her noise in the air to prove her point.

"Rydia!" Cecil exclaimed, shocked at her harsh outburst. He opened his mouth to apologize to the whimpering Prince of Damcyan, but Edward waved an elegant hand to dismiss Cecil and Rydia from his sights.

"Just leave me alone, I don't care what you think. I'm staying here with my Anna. I will never leave her side!" he cried, breaking into fresh sobs over Anna's body.

Cecil grit his teeth, and stepped forward. He grabbed Edward's collar, pulling him almost roughly to his feet. When Edward was on two feet, Cecil gave him a swift slap across the face. "That is enough!" he glared at the Prince. "You're now the rightful ruler of Damcyan, so start acting like it! You owe it to your people and you owe it to Anna." For emphasis, Cecil pointed at the lifeless blonde woman at their feet. "Your majesty," Cecil bowed before Edward. "My name is Cecil, and I need your help."

"What?" Edward asked, rubbing the pink sore spot on his cheek from where Cecil had hit him.

Cecil took a deep breath and began to explain his situation. "My…my friend is suffering from the Desert Fever in Kaipo. I need to get the Sand Ruby to save her. Can you help me?" he bowed again before the Prince.

Edward waved a hand, gesturing for Cecil to stand up. "What is her name?" he questioned of the Dark Knight.

"…Rosa."

Edward wiped the tears from his cheeks and smiled a slow, sad smile. "She is very dear to you, isn't she? Like Anna was to me… You can find the Sand Ruby in the Antlion Cave, which lies to the east." Edward paced back and forth across the marble floor, he almost seemed to be talking to himself as he explained the situation to Cecil and Rydia. "The ruby forms from the fluid that the Antlion secretes when it lays eggs. We must cross the shallows with our hovercraft to reach the cave. After we acquire the Sand Ruby, we can cross the shallows to reach Kaipo." He smiled at the duo in front of him, a reassuring smile. "Let us be on our way. Anna…goodbye." Edward bent to kiss Anna's cold, pale cheek, and then turned and strode out of the room.