A Generation of Aeons
Chapter Thirty-One
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2
Last Time:
Glancing over at her bedside, Lenne saw Arkon calmly sitting in a chair next to her.
"Arkon?"
He held out his hands. "In the flesh." Picking up a glass of water on a table near him, he handed it to her. "You've been going in and out of consciousness for about four days. We managed to get some liquids into you, and I think that kept you from getting a fever."
Lenne looked at him as she finished drinking. "Fever?"
"Oh yes, you were muttering some strange things. Mom, Dad, fayth, Bahamut, Takoire, Takoire, Takoire, you know… mostly Takoire. Just so you know, he's fine, across the hall, and worried sick about you. One of my guardians is looking in on him." Lenne blushed. "Don't worry. I know nothing; I say nothing."
He squirmed and swallowed hard.
"Something wrong?" Lenne asked, noting how the Bevelle prince acted.
He turned away. "While you and Takoire were unconscious… Cheribum, it's about your friend, Prince Kiron…"
"Kiron?" Lenne asked, a lump forming in her throat. "What happened? What's going on?"
Arkon let out a deep breath and stood up, moving to the glass doors that gave way to the balcony that looked down on the city. He crossed his arms and bit the inside of his cheek.
"While you and Takoire were unconscious, your friends came back to Bevelle."
"So where are they?"
"Your friend took the Cheribum's test," Arkon said simply. "Yesterday. No one had any idea he was coming, and before anyone had realized what had happened, he had summoned the Cheribum." He paused and took another deep breath. "I hate being the one to tell you this…"
Lenne looked up at him, the fear building up in her. "Arkon, tell me what's going on."
"He failed," the prince said bitterly, "your friend took the Cheribum's test and failed. I'm sorry."
"The Cheribum's test?" Lenne flustered, struggling with the sheets that seemed to chain her down. "Wha-What? Why? Kiron wouldn't- He didn't have a reason to…" Arkon still refused to look at her. "But if Kiron failed the Cheribum's test…" Lenne suddenly became deathly quiet. "They can't be…" she said, her eyes widening and her breathing quickening, "Kiron, Seru, Zaon…"
Arkon glanced over his shoulder and felt a deep sense of sympathy, watching how hard she was shaking, building a dam against her tears. He tried to soften the blow. "Your friend, Zaon, somehow he survived… The council is running around trying to figure out how and why, but it's a miracle. No guardian, or summoner for that matter, has ever survived after a summoner fails the test. Your friend really is a miracle."
With extreme effort, Lenne managed to stand up and was forced to take long, continuous, and deep breaths to keep from passing out. "But Kiron and Seru are dead." She hadn't said it as a question but as a fact, a fact that the Bevelle prince was supposed to confirm. His silence was all the confirmation Lenne needed, and she shakily made her way past him to the doorway.
The prince rushed to stop her. "Where are you going? You're too weak."
"I don't care," she answered bluntly. "I have to see Zaon. I have to find out what happened. Kiron had no intention of taking the Cheribum's test. I need to know."
Arkon had no intention of deterring Lenne from her mission and stepped aside with a nod. Lenne slowly made her way out of her room with Arkon walking behind her in case she should fall. Without a word, he opened the door for her and sought out no gratitude in return.
Entering the hallway, Lenne saw her guardian asleep outside a closed door. She crouched down next to him and shook him gently. "Takoire? Wake up."
The guardian's eyes hesitantly opened and were forced to be shielded them from the light before looking up at Lenne. "What are you doing out of bed?" He turned to Arkon. "What is she doing out of bed?"
"I want to talk to Zaon," she answered. "Not to mention you look like you need to be in bed as much as I do."
Takoire grimaced and painfully stood up, leaning on the wall for support. "Lenne, you need to understand he's not the same man who left the city a few days ago."
She shook her head. "I don't care. Please open the door, Takoire."
Nodding grimly, Takoire did as he was told. Finally looking inside, Lenne couldn't have pretended to know the man behind the door.
His once neatly cut light brown hair was now nothing more than a disheveled mop sitting on his head. The navy blue shirt Lenne had become accustomed to seeing was ripped all over and was nothing more than a rag. Dark brown eyes that analyzed anything and everything as instinct were replaced by two bottomless holes filled with guilt. If Lenne hadn't known him, she would never have guessed he had been in the army, let alone a hero.
Zaon cowered in a corner, his head between his knees, and muttered to himself constantly. "I shouldn't have- What the hell was I thinking! It's my fault, I should have died with them, but I didn't! Why didn't I die! I'm being punished. I could have talked with the maester, he might have listened to me! I should have tried harder. Then maybe Kiron wouldn't have- It's all my fault. I could have done something…"
Lenne looked to Takoire, who looked weary in every inch of his body. "He's been like this since I found him. We've tried to snap him out of it but nothing's worked."
"Does Kiron's father…" she couldn't bring herself to finish the question.
"He was notified immediately," Takoire answered bitterly. "The temple-palace is taking care of Kiron and Seru…"
The high summoner bit her lip. A part of her wanted to go back to her room and cry. Cry until she couldn't anymore. Two of her best friends had died, and she hadn't even been there. Another part of her wanted to forget that these two people had ever crossed into her life… if they hadn't, she wouldn't be feeling all the pain and the hurt she felt now. Maybe if she pretended they had never existed, the hurt would go away…
A large part of her was angry. She was angry at Kiron. What was he thinking! He never intended to take the Cheribum's test, as far as Lenne remembered, nor did he need to. Yunalesca was the heir and therefore, he didn't need to be a maester. He shouldn't even have become a maester before his sister. Why!
Lenne was angry at Seru. She had enough sense to see what could, and probably was, going to happen. Seru was always the one who talked Kiron out of doing something stupid or something he would later regret. What had stopped her this time? Why didn't she tell Kiron not to do it? Why didn't she make him see reason! Why!
Lenne was angry at Zaon. The idiot of a soldier was right about a few things, that was for certain. He should have died with them. If Kiron and Seru had died, why hadn't he? He should have done something to stop them if Kiron had lost all sense. He was soon to be Kiron's brother-in-law, he had sworn to protect Kiron from everything in front of the maester of Zanarkand and the aeon Suzaku. But didn't protecting Kiron from himself count! Why!
But mostly, Lenne was angry at herself. If only she hadn't had that damn headache, she could have met them in the city and talked Kiron out of it. She could have done something to stop him! She would have summoned all the old aeons and Suzaku to block their path if she had to. But she was asleep because of some damn headache. Why!
She turned. "Arkon, can you get me one of those spheres that record and project memories?"
Without a word, he left in search of Lenne's request as she turned her attention back to Zaon.
Takoire watched nearby. "I tried talking to him; it's like he doesn't hear me. I've tried."
She gently put a hand to the former soldier's face and tried to calm him. "I don't need him to tell us. I just need him to remember." Lenne paused and continued to talk over the former guardian's mutterings. "Zaon? Zaon, listen to me, it's Lenne."
He looked up. "Lenne?"
"Yeah… it's me." Arkon came running back into the room and handed Lenne a glowing blue sphere. She carefully took it and placed it in Zaon's hands, covering them with her own. "What is it? What should you have done? Why did Kiron take the Cheribum's test? Why, Zaon?"
He shook his head with wide eyes that did not become the man called Zaon. "No. No, I can't-"
"Zaon," Lenne said pleadingly, "please… we need to know."
Lenne kept her hands wrapped around his and tried to emit a gentle reassurance from herself. Zaon breathed slightly easier.
Kiron, Seru, and Zaon approached the entranceway to the Zanarkand palace, the only place left in the great machina city that remained outdated. The building felt the same as it did when it was first built, with the exception of the conveniences the modern city was so proud of.
The prince of Zanarkand held Seru's hand within his as they walked, and people whispered as they passed. He paid them no mind.
A very different Kiron had returned to Zanarkand.
Two guards stood outside the entrance, dressed quite simply in a blue uniform holding rifles. One stepped in their way.
"Prince Kiron, I am under orders by his majesty, Maester Yevon, to place the guardian, Seru, under arrest." He moved to take Seru, but Kiron stood in his way and glared angrily.
"You're not touching her."
"But sir-" the other insisted.
"I don't give a damn about your orders, and if you insist on staying in our way, I'll see you have a dishonorable discharge from the army, but not before I have you punished for disrespecting a prince of Zanarkand," Kiron answered. "Now get out of our way."
The two guards looked at each other, unsure, but gave in and moved aside. Kiron continued on, Seru walked beside him, and Zaon following a step behind.
"Kiron," the former soldier said quietly, "I don't think you're helping the current situation. That's twice we have turned away the soldiers. We will not gain favor with your father by being uncooperative."
The young prince scowled. "I will not see her chained and treated like a traitor, Zaon! Tell me now. How would you react if Yunalesca was being treated in the same manner as Seru is now?"
Zaon could only hang his head in defeat. "I wouldn't allow it."
Kiron nodded, and the trio continued to talk through the palace, whispers continuing to follow them among the guard.
Seru was obviously anxious and worried, the only thing keeping her from breaking down was the high summoner walking next to her. "Kiron, maybe Zaon's right. Maybe this isn't the right way to go about this."
Reaching the opening to a large, elaborate room, Kiron stopped and took both of Seru's hands in his. "Hey," his voice soft and gentle as he looked into her eyes, "I know how you feel right now. I'll take care of everything." She tried to speak, but Kiron silenced her with a glare. "And I know you're worried about your mother; I won't let anything happen to her. I'll take care of you." He planted a soft kiss on her lips and smiled weakly. "I love you."
Seru was nothing but shocked and was given no chance to respond. Kiron looked away, obviously embarrassed. He opened the door and walked through, stopping only long enough for the unarmed guard to take notice of them.
"Kiron," Zaon said, "do you think we should take our proper places behind you?"
"Probably," he answered, swallowing hard.
The guard stepped forward. "High Summoner and Prince of Zanarkand Kiron and his guardians Sir Zaon and Lady Seru!"
Kiron approached the throne his father rested on in the most dignified manner he could muster. His father Yu Yevon was a stern man, if not a modern thinking one. The maester and ruler of Zanarkand had thick silver hair he wore cut short, with a beard and mustache. He wore a simple outfit of blue that resembled Kiron's, with the exception of a brown and black chain that hung over his shoulder.
The throne next to the maester was empty, meant for his mother. Lenne briefly recalled her Zanarkand friend once mentioning that he had no doubt he had inherited his blue hair from his mother and also that it reminded his father of her. Perhaps that was why he was harsher on him then he was on Yunalesca? But his mother had died when Kiron was barely six, and his father had become a different man.
Standing behind Maester Yevon was High Summoner Yunalesca. She wore a strained face as if she had been put under extreme pressure the past few days.
The young prince took notice of his father's two guardians as well as his sister's three standing unnoticeably in the corners of the room. The two older men, Lenne could only guess, were Maester Yevon's guardians. The first was a burly looking man who Lenne assumed to be Sir Ristow, the guardian assigned to the maester from the army. The other was a tall, blonde, and blue-eyed man that Lenne and Takoire had no doubt was Sir Jole, the guardian Kiron and Yunalesca had so eloquently named The Voice of Reason
Lenne and Takoire saw Alor hiding nearby, his flaming red hair hard to miss while they saw two other young women at hand. Both dressed modestly, one had long black hair that was all in braids while the other had a muddled light brown that they wore in curls.
Reaching the throne, Kiron, Seru, and Zaon were not given time to bow before Maester Yevon stood up, his eyes enflamed. "Guards! I want this traitor seized at once!"
The guards moved to cuff her, but Kiron held an arm in front of her. "No one touches her!" His voice boomed in the empty hall. "You take her down to the dungeons, and you take me, as well!"
The guards looked around unsure, but Yu Yevon took no notice. "Kiron, she is a traitor to Zanarkand!"
"I never saw her betray us!" Kiron argued, his anger becoming more and more apparent. "When did she commit this crime you have put on her head? She has been in Zanarkand since the very moment Takoire left Bevelle, when she ceased to be Bevelle royalty!"
The maester growled. "She's been using you! Don't you see that, Kiron!"
"Father," Yunalesca said gently, "Kiron's right. Seru's never had a chance to contact Bevelle until a few days ago. We've accepted citizens of Bevelle before, why should Seru be any different?"
"That's enough out of you!" Yevon warned. "She neglected to tell us she was from the Bevelle royal line!"
"Which she's been cut off from," Sir Jole interrupted. His voiced tried to make the maester see reason. "Maester, I've always taken pride in the fact that I'm a good judge of character, and you've always trusted that instinct. I tell you now I would not have taught Seru if I did not think she had only her own welfare in mind."
"I don't care!" the ruler of Zanarkand yelled back. "The point is-"
"The point is, father," Kiron said through gritted teeth, "I love Seru. And I intend to marry her! With or without your blessing!" The entire room became so silent a person could hear a light breeze, so light you couldn't feel it. Seru looked as if someone had just stolen all the air out of her lungs, while Yunalesca looked as if she had never seen her brother so serious about anything. Even Zaon was gaping.
Maester Yu Yevon looked like a volcano, ready to erupt. "How dare you!"
Kiron glared back. "I'll leave the line if I have to! You won't notice! You have Yunalesca as your heir! You don't need a prince! She can't use me if I'm not royalty, father! He didn't wait for an answer, but stormed from the hall, not speaking until the doors were safely closed behind him.
"I can't believe you did that!" Seru said, her eyes wide.
"I can't believe I did that!" Kiron sighed and looked at his guardian. "Seru, I know you probably think I just said those things back there because of my father, but… I really do want to marry you," he stumbled, blushing furiously, "and I'll do whatever it takes. I'll wait however long before you feel the same way… If you want to marry me at all… I'm probably still a spoiled prince to you-"
A single tear fell from the corner of her eye before Seru shook her head and smiled, placing a finger on his lips. "Of course I want to marry you."
Kiron kissed her, and Seru wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her in joy. Putting her down, he frowned. "I wish I could make him see reason." He let out a dry laugh. "If I was a maester he might have listened to me…"
Author's Notes:
Final Revision