King Edgar of Figaro clenched his hands behind his back as he stood on the top most battlement of Figaro castle. The slight breeze teased his tightly combed blonde hair. I should have said 'farewell' before leaving for home, he told himself sternly. But her initial reaction to his visit had surprised him, making him feel guilty and uncomfortable because he knew she wouldn't have felt hurt and confused if he had visited more often. In fact, his lack of visits had caused a heated discussion with Sabin already.
"Why don't you ever visit her, brother?"
Sabin would hurl the question at him as if it was one of his infamous Blitz attacks, expecting an honest and just as rapid reply. How could Edgar admit that he didn't know how to talk to her anymore? Sabin would have found it uproariously amusing and worth repeating. He who had claimed to be the original 'ladies man' had admitted to being uncomfortable in the presence of a lady.
Edgar frowned as he turned from the tower and made his way downstairs. His frown deepened to a glare when his conscience nipped at him using the memory of their parting. I should have stayed for dinner. No. I should have invited her to the campsite. Campsite? Bah! I should have... His frown deepened. I should have what?
Edgar grimaced. He should have stayed and comforted her. He should have coaxed more details from her about what pulled at her so, besides his infrequent visits. And if the reason for her misery is indeed her loss of magic? How does one talk of something such as that? It was still no excuse, he knew.
During their adventures, he'd been able to deftly divert her mind from the terror and cause her to laugh when she had seemed frightened of the future. So why was I unable to give her the comfort she needed? As I have in the past? Of course, he'd been arrogant and full of pride then. Sure of his own importance and blinded by his wealth, good looks, and charm. Terra's innocent oblivion now and before to all of these had reminded him of his own simplicity and the fact that he was, above all, a human being.
The Chancellor rushed up on him then, waving contracts and building plans. Edgar brushed him aside and strode past to lock himself in his bedchamber. To blame the Chancellor for Terra and his premature parting the previous week would have been too convenient, especially when Edgar knew that only he was to blame.
Locke and Celes had mentioned so many times how Terra seemed more withdrawn. Instead of following his common sense and visiting her to offer his help, he had pushed his concern aside with the easy excuse that he couldn't leave his kingdom for such a long journey. Edgar had allowed his kingdom to come between him and a friend. He'd never done that before. Not even with Locke. Why did I not visit? Was I truly convinced that she would scoff at my well-intentioned concern? Did I believe she would despise me for not visiting her, as I had once promised I would?
Again and again the others had voiced their concern for Terra, telling him that she seemed to get worse with each of their visits instead of better. Even Setzer had commented on it, pressing him to visit. Edgar shook his head now and threw himself into a chair to prop his feet up on the table. Either way, Terra Branford had been anything but fine, and it hadn't been because of the loss of her powers.
"Lost powers," Edgar muttered. "She's a woman in need of a man. To protect her. To comfort her. To..."
Edgar glowered at his finely crafted leather boots, again hearing his brother's voice ring through his memory. "You're crazy about her, brother. Why don't you admit it to yourself? She doesn't believe a single smooth-talking phrase from your over-active mouth and you still call her a friend. Normally you'd have lost interest a long time ago, but you and I know there's something about her you can't forget. You respect her silent strength and determination so much that it's obvious to 'naïve' little Relm, so how can you think it's nothing?"
But when had Edgar ever said he thought it nothing?
The door opened, and Edgar didn't bother turning. "Locke, I wish you wouldn't do such things."
"If you don't want me to pick 'em, don't lock 'em. You know it's a challenge no self-respecting treasure hunter can pass up."
Edgar scoffed. "I needed some privacy. You have heard of that, I assume?"
"Of course, but now's not the time for that." Locke leaned against the table across from Edgar's armchair. He crossed his arms as his steel-gray eyes pierced Edgar clean through. "So, what happened?"
"What are you talking about?" Edgar mumbled.
"I know that you went to visit Terra." Locke sounded annoyed. "What happened? Is she coming to the pre-wedding party or not?"
"She is not."
Locke pulled a dagger from somewhere on his person and ran his finger along the blade with a deep breath. "Edgar, what's the matter with you? Did you come out and tell her why you wanted her to come? Or did you not even get to the point?"
Edgar made a gruff sound and stood, stalking to the fireplace to stare into the flames. Locke watched him a moment before lowering his gaze to continue playing with the dagger.
"What did you say that made her mad?" Locke asked suddenly.
"Never mind."
"Some of that smooth talk, I bet."
"I said never mind."
"Okay, okay." Silence fell over the two men. Locke sheathed the dagger. "I don't get it," he admitted. "You guys were as close as anything during that whole fiasco with Kefka. Why do you think I warned Terra about you before I went off to South Figaro that time? I was sure she'd fall head over heels for your charm because she was so... inexperienced, I guess. I didn't want the kid getting hurt."
"Apparently I hurt her without trying, Cole." Edgar sent a glance over his shoulder. "Just drop it."
Locke came to stand by Edgar and leaned against the mantle. "What are you talking about? Who told you that you hurt her?"
"Terra."
Locke blinked. "What? She told you that?"
"Excuse me, Your Highness," the Chancellor interrupted outside the door. "There's a young woman here to meet with you. She seems a trifle frantic."
Locke and Edgar exchanged a glance, and then he straightened with a deep breath. "Very well. I shall be there momentarily." The Chancellor's footsteps were heard leaving the area and Edgar turned. "Forget it, Cole. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it would never work. Terra and I are from two different worlds. Literally. I was born to be a bachelor and she was born... Well, she was born Terra. Pair her with Setzer or Sabin. They seem taken with her."
"Yeah? You're the only one that really loves her."
Edgar clenched his jaw and straightened his royal cape. "Locke."
"Okay. I'll drop it, but only for a bit. Celes wants a double wedding, and I'm determined to give her what she wants."
"Fine, then marry Shadow off. He's in need of a good woman to change his fashion taste."
Locke chuckled and followed Edgar out of his bedchamber. "Yeah. Like I'd be able to even bribe someone to marry that walking freak show."
"Stranger things have happened."
"Then maybe you'll marry Terra?"
Edgar sent Locke a dark look, but he ignored it as he stared down the hall with a smirk on his face. "Locke Cole," Edgar growled, "you smug old scratch. You always believe you know everything."
Locke chuckled. "Who says I don't?"
"Celes," Edgar snapped.
Locke threw back his head and laughed.
Terra gripped her hands together, clenching them again and again until her fingers were sore from the effort. What's taking him so long? There was a sound behind her as the Chancellor entered the throne room. Terra hurried up to him.
"His highness shall be here presently."
Terra nodded with a sigh of relief. She fought the tears and paced back and forth in front of the empty throne where she'd first seen him. The pleasant memories weren't enough to calm her. How could this happen?
"Terra?"
She looked up sharply. Her throat tightened with relief as Edgar and Locke filed into the throne room. "They're gone," she cried in a choked voice. Terra squeezed her hands together tighter as she cleared her throat. The tears were still there when she tried to speak again. "They're all gone. All my ch-children are gone..."
Her voice cracked as she covered her face with her hands, emotionally unprepared for the strong arms that engulfed her. That firm but gentle grip made the tears come more easily as she hid her face in the soft, scented fabric of Edgar's royal clothes.
"What happened?" he asked in a soothing voice.
"I don't know," she forced out. "I was out gathering food from our little garden and heard a shriek. I think it was Cera. When I got there..." Terra took in a deep breath and gnawed her lower lip. "When I got there... Edgar, they were gone," and her voice faded into sobs.
"Could Setzer have abducted them in his airship?" Locke asked gently. "You know how they love that."
"I-I already asked him before I came here," she choked out. "Setzer thinks they've been kidnapped by a slaver."
Locke cringed and glanced over at Edgar. "We better take off as soon as possible. I'll send a message to Celes in Kohlingen and have her get the others together to start looking around Mobliz, but I'm going with you."
"Very well, Locke." Locke strode from the room as Edgar continued to comfort Terra. He tenderly stroked her hair, and her sobs began to quiet. "All will be well, Terra. I promise. We shall get our gear together, I'm sure I still have it in storage, and set off in search of them. I'm sure they're fine." She pulled back and gazed up into his kind blue eyes. Edgar smiled down at her and absently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "There now. Tears were never meant to be in those eyes."
"I-I'm sorry."
"Tis nothing to apologize for. Now, I'll show you to a room where you may get ready for the journey. Then I'll hunt down Locke and Setzer and receive more details." He wrapped her arm around his and led her from the throne room. "Leave the details to me. You make yourself ready."
She nodded slowly. Her mind and heart oddly calm as she stared at the flagstones that moved beneath her feet.
"Here you are. I shan't be a moment." With that, he kissed her hand and departed with a twirl of his cape.
Terra turned away as the new and raw emotion of terror for her children hit her with numbing precision. She groaned, biting into her lip as she tried to concentrate on getting the right armor and weapon from the storage room. If only I hadn't left them... She had done so many times in the years that she'd raised them. What would have made this one time so different in her mind? In anyone's? Mobliz was a deserted town that no one thought of as home; no one save her and the children that lived there...
Terra's hand wrapped around a familiar feel, and she raised a sword from its resting place. She felt the memory of the age-old power rush through her arms as she recalled the many times she'd wielded it in defense and attack against enemies a normal woman would have turned from in horror. Its magic may have been gone, but the edge was still sharp.
Rage filled Terra's heart as she sheathed the Ragnarok with a harsh motion.
Edgar and Locke met her just outside the storage room.
"Terra," Locke said carefully, "Setzer thinks he knows who's responsible."
Terra pressed her lips together. She began slipping into her armor and strapping her scabbard and sword around her slim waist. "How can he be sure?"
"Because he was in a card game with him recently."
Terra looked up sharply as she paused the slipping on of her gloves. "A card game?"
"A card game. In Zozo. It figures, really," Locke said. "Personally, that place gave me nightmares. I don't know what Setzer was doing there."
"Making money, I dare say," Edgar said with a grim look.
Terra strode through the castle and out into the dim morning sunlight. "Come on. Let's get going. Chances are he won't have taken them to a place like Zozo because of the danger to his own life."
"Meaning: he wouldn't want to get killed by someone wanting to squeeze their way into his sudden claim to fortune," Locke said in a quiet voice.
Terra cringed and nodded. "Exactly."
"What do you suggest?" Edgar asked, a strange look in his eyes. He adjusted his grip on a spear as they made their way out into the tangy air of Figaro desert.
Terra struggled to keep the feelings of helplessness out of her voice. "I don't know. Not yet. Let's go to Jidoor and see if anyone there has any information."
"And if they do not?" Edgar's question, again, was soft.
Terra gripped the handle of her sword. At the entrance of the airship she turned and locked gazes with Edgar. "Then we keep searching."
Locke stepped between them to give Terra a nod. "You've got it, Terra."
Terra's eyes strayed to Edgar's again, and then she boarded the airship.
