They rode for a while in silence. Yuna relaxed in Tidus' arms that still surrounded her middle, leaning her head back against his chest and watching the sunlight dance off the path before them. Her thoughts kept drifting to the sight of that cloaked assassin standing over Tidus, dagger drawn at the ready. It had been hours ago, but the image of it in her mind still made her stomach clench with nerves. She couldn't remember the last time she'd ever felt so scared. What if he had been killed? What would she do if she lost him? Amazing how quickly she had developed a deep bond with this young man . . . even more amazing was how fast she had come to depend on him for the strength to go on. More than once on this journey she found herself wanting nothing more than to curl up into a little ball and disappear forever rather than face the end of this task. It just wasn't fair. She was young; she could have had her whole life ahead of her. What were the odds of her surviving this mess? What good was she doing, charging off blindly into danger, dragging Tidus along with her?
Yuna sighed softly and closed her eyes, trying to shut out these doubts. Tidus believed in her . . . why could she not believe in herself?
The sun was beginning to set, and soon they would stop for the night. Yuna was looking forward to sleep, and her stomach growled suddenly in hunger. She had not eaten much all day. Behind her, Tidus chuckled.
"I guess that's our cue to stop," he said lightly, dismounting with ease and leading Kyrida off the path.
"I'm fine, really-" Yuna began to protest, but Tidus held up his hand and cut her off.
"Don't worry," he told her with a smile, "I'm ready to stop too. Tomorrow I'll teach you how to use that dagger properly, and then we'll move on."
He had selected a natural clearing, as they were accustomed to habituating during their brief stops. Only this clearing was bigger than the others, and the ground was harder. A small pond sat placidly in the centre, mirror-like and still. For the first time since the journey started, the two companions found themselves needing to pull out their sleeping furs. Before, they had always been content to sleep on the soft earthy moss that seemed to cover the entire land.
All the while they were setting up camp, Yuna could not shake the feeling that they were being watched. She knew Tidus felt it too, because every now and then she caught his eyes searching the trees around them. Neither of them said anything about it, but Yuna was certain they both had the same fear: the assassin was close, far too close. She shivered impulsively, and Tidus gave her a quick, understanding look.
While Yuna was routing through one of the haversacks for a loaf of bread, her hand instead came into contact with a small glass jar. Frowning, she pulled it out to inspect it in the dying light as Tidus unsaddled Kyrida. The container was filled with a dark red powder that almost seem to shimmer on its own.
"What is that?" Tidus asked over his shoulder, staring at it quizzically as he led the mare towards the pond for a drink. Yuna twisted the lid off and sniffed experimentally. At the pungent odour, she coughed and sneezed violently, her eyes stinging.
"I don't believe it," she choked, wiping at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. She recognized that smell from long ago. "It's smoke salt!"
"Smoked salt?" Tidus queried, blinking in confusion.
"No, smoke salt. Oh, Lulu, that wonderful woman!"
"What exactly is smoke salt?" her ally asked again, ignoring Kyrida's lips tugging at his shirt to get his attention. He had stopped walking just short of the pond's edge, and the horse could not yet reach the water.
"It's an ingredient that stifles the smoke from a fire," Yuna explained quickly, holding the jar up to the dying light. "I've only seen priests use it in the Prayer Chambers, since those rooms don't have ventilation . . . It's very rare, and expensive. I wonder how Lulu came across something so hard to find."
"Well, it'll definitely come in handy," Tidus said with a grin, dropping the rein to let Kyrida drink freely. "What do you say we get a fire going and try this salt stuff? I could sure go for some cooked food right now. I saw some fish in the pond that look ripe for the picking."
Yuna smiled back and nodded, handing Tidus some flint from the tinderbox as he set up the stone ring. Moments later he struck up a flame, and Yuna quickly pulled out a pinch of smoke salt. She sprinkled it over the flame and waited to see if it would work. Sure enough, the fire turned a dark shade of red, and then flickered back to its original orange colour. No smoke drifted upwards to be seen by any pursuers.
As Tidus waded into the pond, he removed his shirt and held it at the ready to snatch up a fish like a net. Kyrida stood nearby, dozing upright and occasionally snorting in her sleep. The fire was warm and brought a welcome sense of comfort, and Yuna hugged herself with a faint smile on her face. It was bizarre, this feeling of complete freedom. She had spent her whole life in the temple, and now that she was finally away from it and surviving on her own (Well, not completely alone, Yuna thought to herself, her eyes darting back towards Tidus' poised figure), it was only to be caught in a web of conspiracy and danger. She was literally on a mission to save not only her life, but also the lives that still lay captured in Sin's core, and the potential lives sacrificed for Seymour's greed.
Yuna sighed and lay down on her sleeping furs, gazing at the pale stars just emerging in the evening sky. She recognized the constellations, after many astronomy classes back in Besaid . . . she remembered the sweet sense of liberty as a child, staring up at the heavens. She would dream of flying up to the sky to sit among the stars, escaping the cold confines of the temple for good. In a way, part of that fantasy had come true. At least she was away from the island, and on a mission few could even imagine. It was sort of exciting to think of it like that, but Yuna felt an immediate stab of guilt. Once more she lapsed into memory, thinking of those horrible screams the night the pagan village was attacked. Lulu's black silhouette facing a horde of hollow-eyed killers in crimson coats . . . Kohan's blank face . . . the girl Tidus had kissed falling to the ashen dirt, her bloodied skull fragments landing around her like grotesque puzzle pieces . . .
The young woman shut her eyes and shook her head briefly, as if trying to shake the thoughts from her mind. It still made her stomach clench to think of that night . . . her skin felt unclean, knowing that she was the cause of it. If only she had shut her mouth and quietly accepted her fate as a Chosen one . . . then she never would have begged Tidus to help her, and ultimately she could have saved those villagers . . .
"Yuna?"
She opened her eyes with a start and saw Tidus crouching next to her, a fat silver fish on one hand. His face held traces of concern, and Yuna realized that she must have been 'thinking visibly' again. It was term her father used for her when she was little, since her emotions were always written so plainly on her features.
"You feeling okay?" Tidus asked, grinning crookedly down at her. Yuna licked her lips and smiled in return, nodding.
"Yes, I . . . I'm fine," she told him, sitting upright. He did not look entirely convinced.
"You don't look fine . . ." he said suspiciously. Yuna licked her lips again, a familiar nervous habit.
"I suppose I just need to eat something," she replied weakly, patting his arm reassuringly, when in reality all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and tell him every doubt and fear nagging at her heart. He still eyed her uncertainly, but she did her best to make it obvious that he did not have to worry. At last he rose to his feet and picked up the fish, heading towards the fire.
"Well, if you're sure," he said to her casually. "Wow, it's been a while since I've had fish."
"I know, me too," Yuna jumped in, eager to change the subject. "I haven't had any since back in Besai-"
She stopped instantly, biting her lip as if to prevent any other words from escaping. Tidus hesitated beside the fire, his back turned to her, and then began cleaning the fish out. His gestures were deliberate and fierce, stabbing his dagger into the body almost viciously. Yuna swallowed and looked away from him, her face burning with embarrassment. The last thing she wanted to do was to remind them both of the island, but the words had come unbidden.
"I miss it," Tidus said quietly. It sounded as if he was speaking in a dream; his voice was so quiet and distant. "Besaid, it . . . it was my home. I was happier there than I ever was in Zanarkand."
Yuna sucked in a sharp breath. Homesick tears well up in her eyes, but she blinked furiously to rid herself of them. Her heart lurched with guilt.
"Me too," she murmured softly. Her life in the temple may have felt almost like a cage, but Besaid was a beautiful, peaceful island. It was a wonderful place to call home. "I'm sorry, I-"
"No," Tidus interrupted, rotating his upper body to look at her. "Don't apologize. It's good to remember. There's no need to be sorry."
Yuna searched his eyes for any hint of lies, but he turned away from her before she could come to any sure conclusion.
"We should take turns keeping watch," she said after a hushed moment. He nodded his head once, but he did not look at her again.
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Hours later, Yuna felt a gentle hand shake her awake. She moaned softly and opened her eyes only to find darkness. Then she caught the blue gleam of Tidus' eyes, and she realized that it was her turn to keep watch. Much as she objected, Tidus had firmly ordered her to get some sleep first, and that he would wake her at sunrise. Yuna wondered just how much sleep Tidus had on this journey . . .
She watched him from across the dying embers of the fire, his face alight in an orange glow. He looked tired, but peaceful. The very second he lay down and pulled a cloak over himself, he had fallen into a deep sleep. Yuna smiled slightly at him. How beautiful he was, how gentle his features seemed. To think, an assassin's blade could have taken away all that tranquility, that beauty-
A twig snapped behind, and Yuna jumped to her feet with alarm, pulling her dagger out automatically. She stood frozen for a few minutes, her eyes scanning the gloom of the forest around her. When she heard nothing more, she breathed a soft sigh of relief and sat down again. Still, she kept her sword unsheathed. It was comforting to know that soon Tidus would teach her how to use it properly.
Suddenly, Yuna heard a soft murmur from across the fire. She looked up to see Tidus' once peaceful expression was now twisted with what looked like fear. No, not fear . . . desperation. Helplessness, perhaps? Frowning, Yuna stood up and walked around to kneel at his side, peering down at him. He stirred, and then moaned again. It looked as if he was trying to see something important. It occurred to Yuna that it was very odd for her to be so certain what he was thinking subconsciously.
"Tidus . . ." she whispered, resting her arm on his shoulder. "Tidus, wake-"
"Mother!" Tidus cried, sitting bolt upright. His hands came up and gripped either side of Yuna's face. She tried to pull back, unnerved by his abrupt movement, but his wide blue eyes were locked onto hers hypnotically. They were glazed over, still lingering on the dream he was having. He held her firmly in place, his lips so close she could feel his breath ruffling the hair that fell across her face.
Gradually the mist began to dissolve from his eyes as he came more and more alert. He blinked, and then stared at Yuna as if seeing her for the first time.
"Mother, she . . ." he muttered, slowly releasing Yuna from his grasp. Her flesh felt curiously warm where his hands had been.
"What about her?" Yuna questioned gently, noting that Tidus was still leaning remarkably close to her. "What about your mother?"
"I . . . she . . ." he stammered, running his fingers through his flaxen hair. He looked almost confused. At last he seemed to regain full awareness, and he sighed heavily. "Nothing. Forget it," he said quietly, dropping his gaze.
"This was not the first dream you've had of her since this journey began," Yuna told him carefully, her fingers itching to reach out and touch his face the way he'd held hers. "Perhaps . . . perhaps there is some sort of message?"
"I hear my mother's voice in my dream, and she . . . she says 'Only love can defeat evil'. That is all I can remember. Everything else before it is just a dark haze," he said, closing his eyes at the memory.
"Think hard," she urged. "Surely you can remember something else?"
"Nothing," he replied grimly, shaking his head. "I only hear my mother's words, and then I wake up."
"But reoccurring dreams always have some sort of meaning," Yuna insisted, frowning in thought. "Perhaps if you had some time to think-"
"Don't you think I've tried?" Tidus snapped, interrupting her. She blinked at him, startled by his temper. "I've been thinking about it ever since I first dreamt it!"
"I don't mean to pressure you," she said softly, trying to calm him. "But I have the strangest feeling that this is of great importance, Tidus. You must try harder. Think. What could possibly have come before you heard your mother's voice?"
She did not have time to react before his hands shot out again, grabbing her by the arms. His nails dug into her skin painfully, and he was shaking her almost brutally.
"Damn it, Yuna!" he snarled, tightening his grasp. "You don't get it! The first dream I've ever had about my mother since she died and I don't remember a single thing other than her voice! I can't even see her face!"
"Tidus, please!" Yuna gasped, her neck snapping back and forward by the cruel shakes. Her head felt as if it was about to fall off by the sheer force of it.
"I can't even see her eyes, Yuna! And I know she's trying to tell me something but I – just - don't – understand!" he was saying.
"Tidus! Stop!" she begged, struggling to free herself. Her stomach was reeling with fear, a sensation she had never expected to feel in Tidus' presence.
It seemed then that Tidus finally understood what was going on. The shakings stopped instantly, and his hands fell away from her arms. His eyes bore into Yuna's face, wide with shock at his own actions. He was breathing heavily and his skin looked rained of colour. Yuna crawled backwards away from him, her arms burning with pain. Her neck felt weak and made of rubber . . . her head seemed too heavy to hold up properly. She too was panting, trying desperately to calm her racing heart.
"I . . . Yuna, I didn't . . ." Tidus breathed, his voice sounding eerily small. He opened and closed his mouth, but no other sound came out. He swallowed thickly and glanced down at his hands as if they were loathsome rodents. When he looked back up at her, Yuna was dimly shocked to see disbelieving tears in his eyes.
"Yuna . . ." he whispered, his mouth trembling. "Please . . . I didn't mean to . . ."
Instantly her heart melted. Any trace of fear or even anger evaporated, and she reached for him. He pulled her to him so that she was practically straddling his lap, and pressed his face in her neck, shaking. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, letting him feel her pulse, how calm it was. Her lips found the side of his face, and she kissed him a few times to tell him in some voiceless way that she forgave him. His arms clung to her around her middle, and he shook against her as she stroked his back. She was whispering to him, small simple words that she was barely aware of saying. It did not matter. Somehow she wanted him to know that all was well between them, that she did understand his pain.
When at last they found the courage to pull away, Yuna offered him a gentle smile. He tried to smile back, his arms still circling her. With a tenderness she did not know she possessed, Yuna cupped his face in her hands and brushed his tears away with her thumbs, and then leaned down to kiss him between the eyes.
His forehead was warm under her lips, and he remained still for a moment. Then, before she could withdraw, he tilted his face up so that his mouth just barely brushed hers. For one heart-stopping second, Yuna truly thought he was going to kiss her, and she had no idea how to prepare for it.
He seemed to hesitate, his gaze flickering between her eyes and lips. Then, rather than do what Yuna thought he was going to do, he merely closed his eyes and sighed, letting his head drop down to rest against her shoulder. Yuna swallowed the disappointment cutting through her.
She too closed her eyes, and held onto him, with no intention of letting go.
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Just beyond the tree line, a pair of icily cold eyes watched the whole episode with grim indifference.
Tremath was not used to failure, but he learned to get over interfering emotions such as anger and frustration quite rapidly. He had not meant to step on a damn twig and snap it while Lady Yuna kept watch. As her eyes peered into the trees, looking for signs of danger, he'd held his breath and remained absolutely still so as not to be discovered. It was only fear and uncertainty that kept Yuna from exploring the noise further, and Tremath thanked his lucky stars for that. It would have been completely tactless to advance on her while she had her eyes fixed on his location. Rather, it would be wise to wait another night and approach more carefully, so that he could slit that damnable Yevonite Warrior's throat while her back was obliviously turned. Tremath was renowned for such a talent.
He smirked slightly at the sight of the two young people embracing. How innocent they seemed, how unaware. It was almost heartbreaking to know that a merciless killer was standing just beyond that lovely little exchange, carrying a blade that would soon be painted with blood.
But not tonight. Alas, not tonight . . .