Terra took in a deep breath as she again squeezed Edgar's hand. "Well, here it goes."
They heard a door open and close moments before a very recognizable Relm squeal pierced the air. She ran up to them with twinkling eyes and a wide and eager smile as she asked them a myriad of questions as to why they were there, why Interceptor was with them if Shadow wasn't, and where Sabin and the others were. Edgar and Terra did their best to answer each question the best they could, but for each answered was another in its place. As Edgar continued to wade through the quickly rising tide of questions, Terra smiled and watched her.
Relm had always been precocious and adorable, with her bright eyes and naturally blonde tousle of curls. To Terra and the others, Relm's eagerness to stray from what her grandfather believed was appropriate had made her what she was: an independent 10 year old that had turned 12 some time when they hadn't been looking. Now she rapidly approached teen-hood. She still appeared as young and innocent as ever, with the obvious exception of her sharp tongue and quick wit. Terra, with what Shadow had told her of Amanda, could see the woman in the bright clarity of Relm's expression.
Relm's clear green eyes focused on Terra. "Did you need me to watch the kids again?"
Terra's smile widened, and she gathered the girl into a hug. "No. We haven't seen you in a while and thought it would be nice to get away." Terra thought of the pouch in her possession and the smile dissipated. She pushed back and caught Relm's eyes. "We have some bad news, though. We didn't find out until we were in Nikeah."
Relm's eyes displayed an expression of wariness so similar to Shadow that Terra nearly cried.
"Bad news? What are you talking about?" Relm asked.
Edgar stepped forward and rested a hand on Relm's shoulder. Relm switched her eyes to him, watching him as he took the pouch from Terra's belt and handed it to her. "Shadow... Shadow wanted you to have this, Relm. He wished for you to care for Interceptor as well."
Tears were instantly in her eyes. "What? What are you talking about? Interceptor is Shadow's dog! He wouldn't just give him away!"
Edgar sent Terra a helpless expression before turning back to Relm. "Shadow knew that you'd take care of-"
"Shadow can take care of him," Relm shouted, backing off from the two with tears trailing down her cheeks. Interceptor came to stand behind her and nudged at the back of her leg to keep her from running away.
Terra took a hesitant step forward, reaching out her hands to gently take Relm's. Terra knelt and gave the hands a gentle squeeze as the girl silently cried. "Relm, you know that bad things sometimes happen. Shadow knew that too." Relm shook her head with a pained expression as she took her hands from Terra's. "He also knew that you liked Interceptor and Interceptor liked you. Won't you take care of Interceptor until Shadow can come back?"
Terra presented the pouch again, and Relm hesitantly took it. "Will he come back?"
"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. At least you can take care of his dog while he's away. Won't you?"
Relm nodded slowly, opening the pouch to pull out a tattered embroidered scarf. A tear dripped onto it and she sniffed. "It looks like the one he used to wear."
Terra looked down at it with a slow breath. It was the one he'd worn when he'd told her of his past life. Maybe it was the one he'd purchased when first becoming 'Shadow'. Maybe it was the one that his late wife had worn. Whatever the answer, it held special meaning for Shadow. Why else would he give it to Relm? "Yes, it does."
"Why do you suppose he gave it to me?"
Terra hesitated and sent Edgar a glance. He smiled and rested a hand on her back for encouragement. "Maybe because he knew how special you are. After all, Interceptor likes you best. He only tolerates us," Terra said.
Relm smiled slightly and looked up to catch Terra's gaze. "I'm going to miss him."
Terra nodded and brushed the tears from Relm's cheeks. "So will we, Relm. So will we."
Relm sighed deeply, pushing away the heart break with a tenacity that had always amazed the others. She took Terra's hand. "Come on. You better come in and say 'hi' to the old geezer before he blows an artery."
"Will he mind our staying?" Edgar asked.
Relm shrugged as they made their way to the house, Interceptor immediately falling into step beside her. "Probably, but I don't care." She looked over at them with a strange expression in her eyes. "He's not feeling too well lately, so he's kind of grumpy. Spends most of his time in bed."
Terra tried not to sound alarmed. "I suppose you've already had the doctor over to make sure he's not blowing everything out of proportion."
Relm shrugged again. "I called him, but grandpa just shrieked and said he didn't need any kind of witch doctor looking at him and making like he knew what he was talking about. He just wanted to be left alone."
"I see." Terra sent Edgar another look, and he raised his hands in a helpless gesture. "Well then, I'm sure he'll be fine. He'd know whether or not he needed a doctor, wouldn't he?"
"You never know with grandpa. The old geezer lost his mind ages ago, I think."
Edgar tousled her curls with a chuckle. "You love him anyway, Relm."
She waved off his hands and sent him a scowl. "Humph. Whatever."
"Strago?" Terra crested the stairs of the bedroom and looked around for the old mage. He was sitting at a table in his housecoat writing letters. "Strago, are you too busy for a talk?"
"Probably, but you never let that stop you."
Terra smiled and came to sit on the edge of the bed by the writing desk. "It's about Relm and her father and mother."
Strago's grip on his pen tightened, but he kept writing. "What about them?" Strago asked gruffly.
"What do you know about them? Are they dead?"
"If they weren't, do you think she'd be with me?"
"Does she know about them?"
"What's to know?"
Terra took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "He stopped by the castle, Strago. He's coming."
Strago's pale complexion went yellow. "Who's coming?"
"Clyde." Strago said nothing. Terra looked down at her knees and picked at an imaginary spot. "What are you going to do?"
"About what?"
Terra sighed and looked up. "Strago, you know what I'm talking about. What are you going to do when he shows up? Are you going to refuse to let him in? Are you going to deny everything? What?"
Strago threw down his pen and glared at her. "What can I do about anything when it comes to that little dear? She does what she wants! Just like her mother! Just like her father! If he comes, he comes. If he tells her, he tells her. I'm still her grandpa and I'll still be here to pick up the pieces when he runs away again."
"He didn't run away, Strago. You know that," Terra insisted in Shadow's defense.
"Oh, I know what he said back then, but I also know that 10 years is a long time to be away from the daughter you supposedly loved so damn much." Strago shook his head with a long succession of coughs, and then he took in a slow breath. "No, Terra, I won't come between her and her father, if he's decided to finally come home for good. I won't make things easier, either. He better have some good reasons as to why he's been away for so long."
Terra stood and dropped her gaze. "He told me that he'd do his best. Just... Just try and be understanding, Strago. Please."
"If he's got a good excuse, I'll be understanding. If not, tough luck."
"Strago-"
"That's as good as it gets."
Terra sighed and turned for the stairs. "All right. Thank you, Strago."
"Humph."
Edgar met Terra at the bottom of the stairs with a kiss on the cheek. "How did it go, love light?"
"All right, I guess."
"I take it Strago will be understanding to a certain point."
Terra nodded with an exhalation of breath and wrapped her arms around Edgar for a comforting embrace. "I hope it's enough."
Edgar kissed the top of her head. "You cannot heal them all, dear heart. Try your best, but do not expect all to be totally and completely restored. Life is seldom as perfect as what we have been led to believe it should be."
"Why not? My life with you seems perfect enough."
Edgar smiled with a chuckle and tightened his arms around her. "Ah. I see, then, that our storybook romance has made you forget the harshness of the real world."
She giggled and snuggled in closer with a content breath. "No, I haven't forgotten. It just seems more like a bad dream than anything else."
"It is most assuredly real, my sweet." He sighed as he pulled back, smiling down at her with a twinkle in his bright eyes. "Come, dearest. Let us have a walk. Relm complains of boredom the likes of which we, ourselves, have never experienced. I have promised to rescue her."
"Where is she?"
"Outside playing with Interceptor." Edgar chuckled. "Perhaps I should amend that statement. Interceptor is attempting to play with her. He seems to sense the fact that something is bothering her."
"Bothering her?" Terra looked concerned. "About what?"
"Apparently Strago has been sick for quite a while."
"He still refuses to have a doctor come, even after all this time?"
Edgar nodded. "That would be what is troubling Relm, I do believe."
"The poor girl. Not only did she just lose Shadow, she thinks she might be losing her grandfather." The door opened then and Relm walked in. She saw Terra and Edgar and absently waved before moving past them to head for her room upstairs. Terra's heart went out to the girl. "Relm, we were just going to find you and take you for a walk. Would you be interested?"
She shrugged and stood beside them. "Sure."
So they made their way out of the house. As they stepped from the front port, a tall man in fairly nice clothes entered town. Terra's heart thumped as she cast Edgar a quick look. He nodded. As the trio approached the end of town, the stranger caught her gaze and slightly smiled, twirling a cap in his hands for a long moment before making his way toward them.
"Hello."
Relm was so engrossed in her own disturbing thoughts that she didn't hear him. Terra and Edgar exchanged a glance before greeting the man themselves.
"Hello," Edgar said. "Is there something we can do for you?"
The man cleared his throat. "I'm looking for Strago Magus."
Relm looked up at that. She examined the stranger's face. "Well, he doesn't take visitors. What'd you need?"
The man hesitated. Terra could tell he fought against the urge to flee. Hadn't she faced that same fear when first exploring a relationship with Edgar? Keep going. You're doing great, she wanted to say. He caught her expression and seemed to read it in her eyes.
He took in a deep breath and pressed on. "I needed to talk to him about something that happened 10 or 11 years ago. It's very important."
Relm continued to intensely scrutinize the man's expression. "Important? Important like what? Like he owes you money? Or like you're his long-lost son?"
The man went a little pale. "Not exactly. No."
Terra tugged on Edgar's sleeve in such a way that Relm didn't notice, and then she gestured toward the house with her eyes. He nodded slightly. "Relm?" Relm turned her eyes toward Terra after a slight pause. "Relm, why don't Edgar and I go tell your grandfather there's someone here to see him?"
Relm made a face. "Don't waste your breath. He won't come out."
Terra smiled. "You never know. He may want to for this. We can always try." Terra motioned to the stranger. "Why don't you keep his would-be guest company while we do our best."
Terra and Edgar turned for the house as Relm refocused her bright eyes on the stranger. She gripped Edgar's hand. "Please oh please let her take it well," she whispered.
Edgar squeezed back.
"So," Relm continued as she turned her attention back to the man. "What's your story?"
"I'm sorry... Story?"
Relm crossed her arms with an 'oh please' expression. "Yeah. Where do you know grandpa from? Usually, as far as I can remember anyway, the only people who want to see him are about as old as they come."
"I..."
He didn't seem about to finish the attempted answer. Relm prodded him with a graceful wave of her hand. "Yes? Waiting."
He took in a deep breath and plunged ahead. "I was married to the daughter of a friend of his."
All thoughts drained from Relm's head. She felt her heart hit the ground at her feet with a definite splut. "What."
The man's eyes darkened. He reached out a hand. "Are you all right?"
Relm waved it away and drew her heart back into her chest. "What did you say?" she pressed in a trembling voice. She cleared her throat. "You were what?"
"I was married to his friend's daughter. Amanda... Are you sure you're all right?"
Relm didn't hear the question. "You were... you were married to her?" The man nodded. Relm felt the hot flash of expectation battle with the chilling intensity of dread. "Did... did you..." She swallowed hard. "Did you have a... a child."
The man's hands gripped his cap. "Yes."
Relm looked down at her hand suddenly, at the ring from her mother that she always wore, and offered it to the man to see. "Was... was this her ring?" He nodded very slowly. Relm watched him for a long and silent minute before risking the final and most important question. "Was your child's name... was her name, Relm?"
He nodded again. "Yes," he whispered.
Relm choked out a cry as she threw herself against him, her arms encircling him and holding him tight. "I knew you were alive," she sniffled passionately as his arms enfolded her. The warmth and strength and protection they brought to her soul quickened the pace of her tears. "No matter what he said, I knew it! I just knew... Oh Daddy... Daddy, Daddy..."
Her choked sob cut off any other words.