2.

Before the tea

"So, will you return to the Underworld after the wedding, Lady Rydia?" the burly King Giott enquired, stroking the head of his sobbing daughter at the same time. The little Lucca was still completely frantic because of the mischief Palom had inflicted on her doll and the soothing gestures of her father calmed her only slowly.

"I… I'm not sure…" Rydia stuttered – for some reason, the sign of parental love she was witnessing made her feel uneasy. She had to think of her mother and her loving embraces--- they seemed such a long time ago, like in another life. But then again, she no longer needed something like that – she was an adult now. Still, she shivered inside, feeling cold.

"Well, I hope that you will stay!" A friendly voice laughed and a warm arm was laid around her shoulder. Cecil had appeared next to her, looking radiant in his white wedding garb, the kingly crown on his head fitting like it had been made just for him. Rydia had never seen her friend so relaxed and happy as now – the troubled look had vanished from his eyes, and only appeared shortly when someone asked him about the whereabouts of Kain. She smiled at him, glad that he was there and thankful for the embrace that had made her feel a bit warmer inside.

"I… I was indeed thinking about returning to Mist…" Rydia admitted. "It is my hometown, after all…"

"But you will be alone there... You know that Rosa and I would be very happy if you stayed here in Baron." For a moment, the thoughtful and worried expression returned to Cecil's features.

"Yes, I know… I will think about it." Rydia said, though she already knew how her answer would turn out…

"Hey, your Majesty!" Cid's loud voice shouted across the room, causing some noblewomen to look into his direction with disgust. "I surely like dancing with Rosa, but it seems like you're evading her!"

"We'll continue our talk later, okay?" Cecil gave Rydia's shoulder one last, apologizing squeeze before he hurried off to embrace his beautiful and beaming wife.

Upon his abrupt departure, the summoner got embraced by a chilly feeling once more – she was aware that Cecil and Rosa would be delighted if she stayed in Baron, but she also felt that she should let them live their own life…

"Dad, I'm tired!" Lucca complained – it seemed that the crying had worn her out and that she was short of falling asleep while standing.

"Then lets retire to our rooms, shall we?" With a little laugh, Giott lifted his daughter onto his arm.

"Promise me you'll visit me, yes, Lady Rydia?" the little girl murmured sleepily, before her head slumped against her father's shoulder. With a little nod of approval in Rydia's direction, King Giott left the festivities, carrying his daughter in a protective embrace.

Left alone, Rydia surveyed the room. Everyone was in such good spirits – the world was in peace once more and she knew that she should feel peaceful, too.

The truth was, though, that she felt miserable.

"It seems that everyone has found his or her place and is at ease…" She spotted the royal couple of Baron dancing; she saw the newly crowned Kings Edward and Yang talking intently about- probably- political decisions; she could hear Cid's hearty laughter as he clinked glasses with his apprentices.

Rydia presumed that even Kain in his absence had probably found his place to be.

"Hey sweetheart, why are you looking so sad?" a loutish voice broke her thoughts. Edge was approaching her with a mischievous look in his eyes and a broad smile – Rydia noticed at once that his breath was slightly stale with alcohol. Only a second later, a glass of wine was held under her nose.

"Here, why don't you drink something? It'll cheer you up."

"And then I'll smell like you? No thanks," she retorted curtly.

"Oh, come on! You're a big girl now – you are allowed to drink!" Edge was persistent as always when he had an idea about something in his head. Sometimes it seemed to Rydia like he was always playing a game of will with her – a game she didn't like much and a game she was much too tired for now. Instead of giving another witty answer, she just turned her head away from the glass.

"Well, then maybe you want to dance?" With a sweeping movement, Edge put the glass down on a nearby table, at the same time grabbing her hand and whirling her around.

"Edge, stop that!" Rydia protested and tried to get out of his grasp – she still felt so tired, though, and ultimately had to let herself get dragged onto the dance floor.

"Edge, I don't want to dance…" She started a last, weak attempt of protest.

"But you already are– I also promise you that I won't step on your toes…" Edge laughed. In fact he was a good dancer – Rydia had expected that much from someone who was always intent on his effect on others.

"So, will you stay in Baron?" He asked, his grey-blue eyes regarding her attentively, nearly impertinently. Still, something in his gaze made Rydia loosen up a bit.

"No -- I don't want to interfere in Cecil's and Rosa's life. I'd never feel at home here. I don't know where to go, though… I'm a stranger here, as well as in the Land of the Summoned Monsters…" It felt good and relieving to tell these things to someone -- she would have liked to tell them to Cecil, but knew that he would only start to worry. Edge never seemed to be worried about anything, though, and for once she was glad about it.

The orchestra was playing a slow piece now and Edge pulled her closer, so that her head rested on his shoulder. Rydia thought of breaking free, but it felt strangely calming to lean against him, feeling his warmth; for a precious moment, she felt protected and safe and she closed her eyes, trying to relax.

"Why don't you come with me to Eblan?" His breath was hot against her ear.

"And then?" She asked nearly sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"Do you really need to ask?"

Her eyes flew open in panic as she realized that Edge was trying to kiss her and with a violent motion she pushed him away from her. The ninja managed only barely to avoid stumbling into the other dancing couples.

"Are you crazy? I just wanted to give you a little kiss!" He complained.

"Just a little kiss?" Rydia's heart was racing—he had been so near... Too near. It had made her afraid. "Why… why can you never leave me alone?"

"It didn't seem to me like you wanted to be left alone…" His quizzical remark made Rydia's blood boil. Edge just studied her, amused. "Don't act like a childish little girl, now—"

"But I AM a little girl – can't you see?" She instinctively wanted to shout in his face, wanted to shout out the fear his closeness invoked in her, wanted to tell him to stop, just to hold her like he had done when dancing -- there were so many things she wanted to tell him, too many, and it seemed to her like they all wanted to get out at once; they assembled in her throat, getting stuck and she could only stare at him angrily, her breathing heavy, her face pale.

"Come on, Rydia, don't give me that look. We both know that you like me and can not be truly angry with me." Edge said now, so horribly in love with himself, so sure of himself, sure of his feelings – feelings that were so strange to her…

From all the things Rydia had wanted to say, one finally slipped free, and it was only half true:

"You are such an idiot! I hate you!"

She made her way through the dancing crowd, paying no heed to Cecil's worried call or to the things Edge shouted after her. The fast paced piece that the orchestra was playing now, the couples that were dancing swiftly around her -- everything was much too fast for her taste: Her life had changed, the world had changed, her body had changed, her responsibility had changed --

But her heart and soul stayed still.

On her way out, she passed Palom and Porom who were arguing with the Elder about how long they were supposed to stay awake. Rydia desperately wished that someone would argue about this with her, as well.

That night, she cried in her room, feeling very little, lonely and afraid.