Seymour Guado glanced around the village as he entered. A small grimace crossed his features. What could he hope to accomplish here? It was a small (read: insignificant) town that held nothing of interest. His two guards stood on either side of him waiting for his next order.

Potentate Mika had said he should travel to gain support of the people. He had been traveling through Spira for the past eight weeks. He had already visited Zanarkand, Macalania, Luca, and just the past week, Kilika. This would be the last stop. If all went as planned it would be easy in, easy out. Just let them know who he was and go back to Bevelle.

That was the plan until a young blond woman walked passed him. She stopped to turn her head to get another look. He gave her a friendly smile and she blushed before running into a nearby hut. Things were looking up already. After all, even he was still a man.

--

"Lulu!" Rikku called as soon as she was safe inside the hut. "I just saw the most wonderful man."

Lulu poked her head out of the kitchen to see what was going on, before the rest of her body followed. Yuna was right behind her.

"Yunie, you're here too?" Rikku asked her in surprise. "Good. I want to tell you about him as well."

"Riana, what are you talking about?" Yuna asked. Even though she knew the truth about the younger girl, she was careful not to say anything in front of others.

"I'm talking about the stranger who just entered town. I was walking over here when I saw him. I stopped to see who it was. After all he did have two very tough looking guards with him. Well, anyway, I stopped to get a better look at him. He caught me staring at him! But instead of getting upset, he smiled at me." She squealed the last part out. "I didn't know what to do then, so I quickly just ran over here." She finished her tale by holding a hand to her chest and sighing before falling back into a chair.

"Sounds like he must be really something." Lulu added.

"Oh, Lulu, you can't imagine."

"But, what about Auron?" She finished her thought.

Rikku sat up in the chair. "What about him? There's nothing between us if that's what you're worried about."

"No, that's not what I meant." She reprimanded, but still caught up as to why Riana would suggest there even was anything between her and her guardian.

"I was being sarky. Eesh, think I want to be seen with him like that?" She did, but not that she would let anyone know that. "Anyway, you guys have to help me."

"Sure, Riana. What do you need?" Yuna jumped in. She was eager to help, whatever it would take to make the blond happy.

"I have to meet him again. But it can't be obvious. I don't want him thinking that I'm stalking him or anything, you know. If he's the one, then I want to know."

"You can count me out." Lulu said as she walked away. "I want no part of any plan."

Rikku looked hurt for only a moment before she saw the light that still shone in Yuna's face. "You're still going to help me, right?" She pouted to make herself look more helpless.

"Riana, don't worry. If you want to know him better, then I am all for helping. I promised I would."

Rikku squealed again before jumping out of her seat and throwing her arms around her friend.

"If you are quite finished, we still have a magic lesson, Riana." Lulu shouted from the other room. Rikku let out a small growl as Yuna laughed at her.

--

"Yes, I would like a room for one, possibly two weeks please." The blue-haired man asked of the woman at the desk.

"Certainly, Lord Seymour. You may have the one on the end. You will be farthest away from any disturbance there." She explained.

"You know of me?" Seymour asked her taken aback by her bluntness of his name.

"I'm sorry sir. I saw you on the sphere when you visited Kilika and Luca. I made sure to save that room is case you decided to come here next. It was my husband's idea." She lowered her head in respect. "I did not mean to offend you milord."

"Offended?" He released a quick but subtle laugh. "Quite the contrary. I am honored that you have thought of me so."

A squeal coming from an open window behind him drew his attention away from the brunette in front of him. Quick as a cactar, he had his staff drawn and ready to defend against whatever was happening. Without thinking, he ran out onto the front stoop to see what he could do to help. The inn propater was right behind him. She relaxed as she saw three woman coming out of the mage's hut.

"I thought so." She stated to herself.

"Hmm?" He questioned as he gazed at her for an explanation.

"That sound was just the young lady in the center there." She pointed. "That is Riana. She came to the village about three months ago with her guardian. Don't hear much from him, but she has made herself right at home here. The woman in the black dress is Lady Lulu. She's teaching Riana the art of black magic. And the last one is the village healer, Yuna. She came to the village as a child, but was widely accepted. Everybody loves her."

Seymour knew now just who to talk to in the village. If he needed any information, this was the woman who would gladly give it. "The Blond, Rina, you said."

"Riana." She corrected.

"Right, Riana. You said she came here three months ago. Where did she come from?"

"That's the thing. No one knows for sure. Some say her and her guardian came from Zanarkand, others say it was Luca."

"And which do you think it is?" He pressed.

"Neither. I don't know where she came from, but those two places just don't seem right."

"Is that so? Thank you. You have helped me more then you can imagine." He snapped his fingers and a guard stepped up to fill his request. "Take my things inside. I will be by later. I think I'm going to take a walk and get to know some of the people here better."

"Yes sir."

Seymour turned back to the inn propater. "If there is any more information I need, I trust you would be able to help?"

"If you need me too. It would be an honor."

He left it at that and began his self guided tour of the village.

--

"Concentrate, Riana. You have to envision the ice melting, otherwise the fire spell will be consumed by it." Lulu advised as Rikku prepared for her next lesson. Rikku had already mastered the basic spells, now she was onto the mid-level ones.

"Just like before, right?" She questioned.

"Precisely. Ready, aim...now!"

The fireball connected with the ice sculpture, but the power of it was still too weak to melt it completely. "Aww, man."

Slow clapping drew her attention away from the sculpture and to a blue-haired man. "Very nicely done, milady. I am impressed, however, you do need to work on your focus a little more."

Rikku gasped when she saw who was addressing her. She blushed and tried to hide behind Yuna. "It's him. That's the guy I was telling you about." She whispered in her ear.

"He is charming. I'll give you that." Yuna whispered back.

"Ahh, forgive me ladies." He bowed before continuing. "I am here on business, but also to meet the people of Spira. I could not help but to notice a black art lesson. You see I also am a master of the black and white arts." He explained his motive as Lulu kept looking at him strangely. "That was very well done. Might I have the privilege of seeing that again?"

Rikku stepped out from behind her friend. "I-I guess so." She closed her eyes as she concentrated. This time she had an audience to impress.

Seymour smiled as he watched how much effort she was putting into this. He raised one finger to his mouth to the two other woman before releasing his own fira spell at the same time she did. Rikku opened her eyes to see if she had done any better this time. She was shocked to see not only the ice had been melted, but that it was still smoldering.

"Did, did I do that?" She pointed at the puddle of water that collected around the basin of the practice target.

"Of course you did, milady. And if you try hard enough, you can do it again." Seymour answered before the two woman could say otherwise.

Now having the confidence she needed, Rikku attempted the spell again after Lulu reconstructed the sculpture. She closed her eyes and focused more just as Seymour had said she needed. When she opened them again, she was surprised to see that the ice was melted as it was before. "I really did do it!" She exclaimed.

Seymour walked up behind her. "I knew you could. All you needed was a little confidence." He leaned so he was whispering in her ear. One hand rested on her shoulder.

She blushed again. "Well thank you sir...?" She trailed off. It had occurred to her that she did not even know his name.

"Seymour. Seymour Guado." He answered for her.

"Lord Seymour Guado?" Yuna asked when she heard.

"The same." He replied as he turned to face the new voice in the conversation. "Might I ask the name of you ladies as well?"

"I am the island healer, Yuna. This is Lulu," She pointed to the mage. "And she is Riana." She finished.

"How intriguing. And you have all lived here all your lives?"

"Only I have, my Lord." Lulu spoke up. "Yuna has been here ever since she was a child."

"And I just moved her about three months ago. Auron takes care of me. He's the one who decided to move here." Rikku added.

"Auron, you say?" Now here was something new.

"Yuna!" Someone new shouted. Yuna glanced around for the person who had called for her. She waved when she saw a blond haired male coming her way. "Be right there!" She called back to them. "I'm sorry, if you would excuse me." She bowed to the lord before joining her friend.

Seymour seeing this as his own chance to leave took the initiative. "I better be going as well." He kissed Rikku's hand and bowed low to her before staring into her eyes. "I bid you farewell." He stood, turned, and then was gone.

--

"What is it, Tidus?" Yuna asked when they were alone.

"Someone's hurt. You're needed." He answered as they headed to the newly finished infirmary. "They sent me to come find you."

"Who is it?" She wondered, right away going into the role of healer.

"One of the villagers was attacked in the forest. It wasn't a fiend, but they don't know what it was." He explained as they ran. He was about to say more, but they had arrived at the infirmary.

"Come with me. I might need your help." He nodded and set about doing what he could. After watching her do this for the past month, he knew what her patterns were.

Yuna picked up the bowl of warm water and cleaned the wounds of dirt and debris. Then she began the magic part of the healing. Casting a weak regen spell, she continued. Tidus backed off at this point knowing there wasn't anything he could do now.

Even with her magic and experience, Yuna was loosing the villager. She cast a stronger cure, and regen hoping it would work. His breathing became normal for about two minutes before he becoming sporadic again.

"It's not working!" Yuna panicked. "My magic isn't strong enough!"

Tidus moved from his spot and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can do this. Relax. Think of his family."

With new found determination, she tried again. Even though it could do more damage if it was too much, she tried a cura spell. She was desperate to save him. It had little effect.

Someone new entered the room, and they both turned to see who it was. "Lord Seymour." Yuna exclaimed.

Tidus backed off while hiding a sneer. He didn't like this person at all. It was like he sent out bad vibes or something.

"You look troubled, milady. Is there anything I can do to help?" He offered.

"Please. My magic isn't working. I can't save him."

Seymour stepped up and placed a hand on the villager's forehead. "Cura." He whispered as a white light surrounded the man. As it faded, they could see he was breathing normally again. Many of the scrapes and cuts he had suffered were gone. Yuna gasped at the improvement.

"You really are a master of the arts." She said amazed.

He gave her a cocky smile that Tidus was unable to see. "Indeed, but I believe I am done here. I had only come to see if there was something I could do after the fiend attack."

"Thank you, milord." Yuna bowed as he left the room.

"I don't like him." Tidus stated as he watched the lord leave.

Yuna gasped. "Don't say that. He wants to help heal Spira."

"Maybe, but at what cost?" He watched the doorway as if he expected the blue-haired Lord to come back in.

--

Seymour left the infirmary quietly. He slowly made his way back to his room at the inn. As he walked he could see the outline of someone watching him from the trees on his left. He could only guess at who it could have been. Of course as future Potentate, he would have plenty of enemies. Those few weeks as he traveled Spira proved that. Ignoring the nagging feeling he had, Seymour went in and planned things out for the next two weeks.