They weren't even the size of Edgar's thumbnail, but they'd caused more misery and heartache than could be imagined.
Edgar handed the two devices back to the alchemist and stared down at Terra's pale face. The operation had lasted too many hours to count, but the wait wasn't over. Terra's body had to fight the adverse effects at having the foreign technology active in her body after so long a period of silence. The alchemist assured him she'd pull through, he just didn't know how long it would take. So he'd given her a blend of herbs that would let her sleep until her body believed it had healed enough.
Then she'd either wake up or pass away while she slept.
Edgar caressed her cheek with a single finger. Terra... Please.
"You really must leave," the alchemist rasped in his ear. "She needs quiet rest and you gawking at her would set my teeth on edge so you best leave."
Edgar gazed down at her for a long moment more, and then he made his way upstairs to wait yet another day.
"Brother, I've got to ask you something."
Edgar looked up from his book to examine Sabin's face. There was something odd about the expression in his eyes. "What is it?"
"It's kind of... Well it's kind of a sensitive subject."
Edgar raised an eyebrow and set his book aside. He gestured to the seat across from his at the café in Kohlingen. "Have a seat."
Sabin looked at the manager of the café, ordered a glass of hot cider, and then sat across from his brother. "It's about Terra."
Edgar forced a calm expression. "Yes?"
Memories of Sabin's visits to Terra and the kids in Mobliz had begun to plant a seed of jealousy. Especially when his visits had always been the subject of the brothers' conversations at Figaro Castle. Sabin had never failed to inform Edgar of the littlest incident regarding the children or Terra, whether it was a lost tooth, lost pet, or new hairstyle. At the time, Edgar had thought Sabin only tried to get Edgar to visit her for himself, but now he wasn't so sure. Perhaps... Edgar pushed the thought aside and tried to focus on what Sabin said.
"Well... Um..." Sabin rubbed at his neck, accepted the cider from the manager, and guzzled it in a couple swallows. "I think I'm in love with her," he blurted.
The confession had hardly been unexpected, but it still drove a spear through Edgar's gut with the force of anything he'd ever experienced. Edgar was sure he paled just by the expression in Sabin's eyes before he glanced away.
"I know I've been telling you you're crazy about her and that you should marry her... I guess what I'm saying now is that I want to do that."
"I see." Edgar looked down at his book. Thoughts wouldn't come. He forced a smile as he again met Sabin's eyes. "Well brother, you're quite welcome to marry Terra."
Sabin blinked. "A-Are you sure? I was so... Are you sure?"
Edgar presented his hand. "I often thought something was blossoming between you two simply by the way you spoke of her. You shall make her a wonderful... she shall be a lovely bride. Congratulations, brother."
Sabin took Edgar's hand, shaking it slowly before standing to leave the room with several backward glances. Edgar could feel every one focused on the back of his head. When the door of the café closed behind Sabin, Edgar placed the book on the table, paid his tab, and stood to go.
Locke met him on the way out. "What's this business I hear about Terra getting married to Sabin?"
"That's the newest bit of gossip, I hear," Edgar said jovially enough. "In fact, he just asked my permission."
"You said yes?" Locke was shocked. "Edgar, can you be serious about your feelings for Terra at least once in your life?"
Edgar frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Locke opened is mouth to reply, but then he shook his head. "Never mind. If this is your choice, then you're the one who has to live with it. See you at the damned wedding."
He strode to the north part of town. Edgar headed in the opposite direction.
"This was your big plan?" Locke sounded annoyed as he cornered Sabin outside the alchemist's house. "Now he's sure he's found her the perfect husband, you blasted muscle-headed moron! Do you think he's going to propose to her now that he believes you love her?"
Sabin put a hand on Locke's shoulder to calm him down. "Locke, take it easy. I know my brother. He believes it's a good idea with his brain, but it won't last. The alchemist says Terra should be waking up any day now. The minute she asks for him and not me... Zap, he'll be over his attempt at chivalry in no time. You just wait and see."
"That's what you said before. You were sure he would tell you to--"
"I said that's what I would do. I didn't say he would do it."
"Then what was the point?"
Sabin chuckled and shook his head. "To let him know there was competition. If there's anything my brother hates more than an unresponsive woman, it's competition for what he wants."
"What about what Cyan said?"
This brought a scowl to Sabin's face. "Yeah, I've been worrying about that too. Maybe Celes should talk to Terra before we tell Edgar she's awake."
Locke rubbed at his forehead. "My head hurts."
Sabin laughed. "Come on, Locke. We haven't even started having fun yet."
"Well where the hell is Setzer?" Locke asked as he looked around. "Maybe he can talk some sense into you idiots."
"Setzer split. Mumbled something about..."
"Let me guess. Unfinished business."
"Hey. How'd you know that?"
Locke grumbled under his breath and strode away.
"What are we going to do?" Celes asked Locke as she took his hand. "He'll be miserable without her, and she'll never know what it's like to love someone other than her kids."
Locke squeezed her hand with a sigh as they exited the inn. Edgar still refused to go to Terra's side. He'd hoped that the sight of Terra's helpless and sleeping form would have inspired Edgar against Sabin and Terra's marriage. No such luck.
"I know, princess," he said now, "but we can't force them together. It's got to happen on it's own. As soon as she wakes up you just need to talk to her and try to find out if she really does love the old bum. Then we'll see what we can do about him."
They headed for the alchemist's cabin again, Sabin coming to walk beside the two as Cyan trailed behind. Sabin gave Celes a smile. "You know what to do, right?"
She frowned. "I'm going to be a friend, that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to plant any hints or ideas. I'm not going to coax her into thinking something about Edgar that isn't truthful. Or about you either. We'll talk about what she wants to talk about and that's that."
Celes sent Locke a loving smile and squeezed his hand; then she shot Sabin another glare before striding ahead toward the alchemist's home. Her blonde hair waved in the slight early morning breeze.
"I would say she does not approve of this intrigue thee hath planned," Cyan remarked.
"No kidding." Sabin shrugged. "If it works, she'll take the credit. Just wait."
Locke groaned. He regretted any part he'd ever played in the whole scheme.
