A few hours before dawn, Tidus gave up all hope of getting any sleep. With a heavy sigh he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling of the tent overhead. Outside the world had stilled, since the desert winds stopped blowing about a short while ago. Now everything felt eerily peaceful.
He could not block out events of the last few days from his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see Yuna falling from sight, disappearing in the vicious rapids of the river. But the thought of the assassin also haunted him just as frequently. At first he had been angry with Cid and Rikku for letting him escape, but he knew it was not their fault. They had not known about Lord Seymour's role in the web of deceit. They had not known the horrible secret behind the Children of Light ceremony, but why would they? After all, they were Al Bhed, and were probably hardly aware about the ceremony's existence in the first place.
So, throwing caution to the winds, Tidus and Yuna had decided to tell them everything, from beginning to finish what they knew of the conspiracy. In the short, turbulent time Tidus had known them, he already felt an immediate bond of trust and understanding. In spite of what he had always been raised to believe, these people seemed decent, and he was willing to take a chance with them. Wide-eyed and enraged, the two Al Bhed leaders, father and daughter, listened raptly to the tale.
"And we let that miserable cutthroat get away," Cid had growled, slamming a curled fist against his palm. "If I had known I woulda' wrung his neck myself!"
But by then it was late, and Rikku said that she would have a bed ready for Tidus in the guest tent with Yuna. Of course, sleep did not come to him. His mind was too troubled to allow him rest, even for a short time. In spite of his exhaustion, he tossed and turned for hours.
Yuna murmured quietly in her sleep, interrupting Tidus' thoughts. He turned his head to stare at her dark form on a cot across the tent, no more than four feet away from him. He smiled and allowed himself to relay their reunion in his mind. Never could he remember feeling more relieved and overjoyed than he had been tonight, to see her alive and not seriously hurt. It did not occur to him to be embarrassed when he threw his arms around her and pulled her to him in front of all those people. All he wanted was to feel her again, feel her heart beat, her warmth . . . it was his again, and he loved it.
Throwing the blanket aside, Tidus stood up and stretched, his hands nearly brushing the roof of the tent. There was no point in lying awake when there was exploring to be done. He was curious about the Al Bhed community.
Outside it was completely silent. The sky was still dark, but the horizon to the east was vaguely getting brighter. Tidus moved quietly through the grass, which was soft and cool underfoot. He had not expected such a lush oasis in the desert, but it was a welcome change of environment.
Around the torch-lit boundaries, Tidus could see the sentries posted for the night. They had their backs turned, but when they heard his footsteps, they turned and acknowledged him with friendly salutes.
Drawn by the fragrant smell, he found himself in a small garden of sorts. The paling eastern sky was reflected perfectly on the mirror-like surface of the pool. It was a beautiful little retreat. Tidus sat down on a stone bench and rested his elbows on his knees, letting his mind wander. It was nice to feel safe again, at least for a little while.
"Can't sleep?"
He looked up and saw the Al Bhed girl Rikku standing at the entrance of the garden, wearing a periwinkle blue robe. He smiled politely.
"Looks like I'm not the only one," he commented. He moved over on the bench to allow her some room, and she sat down next to him.
"Thank you for letting us stay for the night," Tidus said after a moment of silence. "But you should know that it is not safe. The Yevonites must still be tracking us, and if they manage to find this place I fear for your people. The last village that helped us . . . was destroyed." He paused and swallowed. It still hurt to think of that night.
Rikku gave him a sympathetic look.
"It must have been terrible," she said quietly. "I can't imagine how you and Yuna felt. But the Yevonites have always been our enemy. If they are to attack us now, at least this time they will have reason." She tried to smile as she said it, showing that she was only kidding, but Tidus did not grin back.
"If your people are put in danger . . . it will break Yuna's heart. And mine," he added. He had seen children tonight. Many young fresh faced children. The last thing he wanted was to hear their screams, or to see their small bodies burnt on the ground. He had experienced enough of that at Lulu's village to last him a lifetime.
"She feels things differently, you know," Tidus continued, staring ahead as he spoke. He could sense Rikku watching him intently. "Everything seems to . . . touch her deeply. In her eyes, nothing is insignificant."
"Do you love her, Tidus?"
He glanced at her sharply. The question was so direct and unexpected that for a moment the warrior couldn't respond. The Al Bhed girl was smiling in a manner that suggested she already knew the answer.
"I just . . . I care about her very much," he managed to stammer, dropping his gaze from hers, embarrassed. Rikku chuckled knowingly, but the subject was dropped.
After a moment of quiet contemplation, Rikku voiced another question.
"Why did you agree to help Yuna, back in Besaid? How did you know she was telling the truth?"
Tidus smiled grimly and shook his head. "Even now I have no idea. I guess . . . well, I guess Yuna looked like the kind of girl who could never tell a convincing lie. It was a dangerous choice. Since then, I've often wondered why the hell I got myself involved in this."
"Well, I know why you did it," his companion told him confidently, smiling brightly. He raised his eyebrows at her.
"Oh?" he queried. "And how could you possibly know?"
Rikku's grin broadened and she looked up to the fading stars. Tidus followed her gaze curiously.
"Yevonites always say that we Al Bhed have no faith, but that's not true. We respect Yevon, yes, but he is not our god. His rules aren't ours. But . . . we do believe in something else," she said slowly.
"What is that?" Tidus questioned, interested. He too had made the mistake of believing that the Al Bhed had no spirituality. Rikku seemed to hesitate, choosing her words carefully. Her eyes remained fixed on the stars above.
"We believe . . . that everyone in life has a purpose. It's not like fate, though. There are people who can change their purpose, as long as they have what it takes. Most people won't play important roles in Spira, or have their names recorded in history for doing anything spectacular. But every now and then, someone is born who has . . . a big, special purpose that they can't avoid or change. They are born with the gift to do something no one else can do. I think . . . that you and Yuna both have that same destiny, Tidus. You two were meant to do something amazing. Maybe a part of you knew that when you saw her," she said at last, finally turning to look him in the eye again.
Her words sent chills down his spine. Lulu had said nearly the exact same thing when they first met . . . so could it be true? Could all this nonsense about fate and purpose be real? Yevon always taught his children that they were the masters of their own future, and nobody could command their choices. But . . . if that was the case, why did Tidus agree to help Yuna?
Rikku, seeming to understand his inner turmoil, patted him on the arm and stood up.
"It's almost dawn," she said, beginning to walk away. "Get some rest, okay?"
He nodded, barely hearing her as he was so deeply immersed in his thoughts. When she left the garden, Tidus breathed in deeply to clear his mind. The scent of flowers filled his nostrils.
"Lilacs," he murmured out loud. Yuna's favourite. There was a wall of lilac bushes right across from him, their amethyst petals hanging like clumps of jewels.
And quite suddenly, Tidus was struck by an idea.
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Dawn had nearly arrived.
He worked silently and swiftly inside the tent, moving like a shadow. It was not easy to be quiet, but Yuna was sound asleep and not the slightest bit aware of what was going on around her. Tidus hung one more lilac bunch above Yuna's cot, grinning at his own genius. It was the perfect way for Yuna to awaken, surrounded by her favourite blossom just like she did long ago with her father.
Tidus had filled the entire tent with lilacs, having borrowed an astonishing number of pots and vases to bunch them in. He also arranged them on the floor and even on the cots themselves. The tent was filled with their sweet heady perfume.
When at last he finished, Tidus sat down gently on the side of the cot, the final cluster of lilacs in hand. Hardly able to contain his eagerness, he held the flower under Yuna's nose. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, he detected her nostrils flaring, subconsciously taking in the aroma. She frowned in her sleep, puzzled, and gradually Tidus watched as her eyes flickered open sleepily. He couldn't help but grin down at her bleary expression.
"Tidus, what . . .?" she murmured, sitting up slowly. Then all of a sudden she seemed to understand. Her eyes fell to the bouquet in his hand, and a wide smile broke out over her features. Then she looked around the rest of the tent, shocked and delighted. The mounting light outside seemed to create the illusion that the tent was glowing purple from all the lilacs.
"Oh," she gasped wondrously, craning her neck to drink in the sight. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
"Me too," Tidus said in a slightly hushed tone, never taking his eyes from her. She of course did not know that he was talking about something completely different.
"I don't know what to say, Tidus," she told him, at last returning her gaze to meet his. She was no longer smiling, but her face was radiant with adoration.
Bracing himself, Tidus reached up and brushed a lock of stray hair away from her face.
"Well, actions speak louder than words, Yuna," he said softly.
For an endless moment, she stared at him, unmoving as his hand brushed against her cheek. Then she slowly raised her own hand and covered the back of his, holding it against her face as if afraid of letting him pull back.
"Then listen carefully," she murmured, leaning forward.
Tidus met her half way, his lips finding hers effortlessly as he closed his eyes in anticipation. He pulled her to him, dragging her forward from her sitting position so that she was nearly directly on his lap. His arms closed in around her, locking her to him possessively. She opened her mouth to him, her hands pressed against his broad firm chest. Tidus delved into her deeply, memorizing her taste, loving every single detail of her. Her body fit in his arms perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle coming together in glorious union, completing a masterpiece.
Nothing existed anymore, nothing else mattered. Eternities passed in each second. Lifetimes flew by with every silent tick of the great nonexistent clock.
She breathed his name, in the brief moment when they pulled apart. No sooner had he heard his name on her lips then he hungered for her again, attacking her with gentle lust. He could sense her becoming bolder, more explorative. Almost hesitantly she drew back again, but far enough only so that she could look him straight in the eye. Then, with hands shaking from both nervousness and excitement, she began pulling away at the strings that held the front of her nightgown closed. His heart began to pound harder. He almost couldn't take his eyes off her body the more it was revealed to him, but he managed to meet her gaze for a moments, searching her for any sign of indecision or fear. There was nothing but trust and certainty.
"I want you," Yuna whispered, her chest heaving before him. Her voice washed over him like tantalizing warm rain. "I want you to have me."
And in the silver light of dawn, lost in a world of lilacs, he did.
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Tremath grit his teeth in anger as he ploughed his way through the desert sand. Blast that woman! Blast her to the deepest circle of hell! He had been so close to finally doing away with the boy, but she had to interfere and ruin everything, just like she did the first time!
His leg still hurt from where it hit the rock upon landing in the river, and his body ached with bruises, but no pain was greater than that of defeat.
Only, this wasn't defeat, not completely. Tremath was not a man to easily give up. Oh, no. He would have his revenge, no matter what that Seymour Guado said. When he had the chance, he would strike Yuna down as well for getting in the way. She would pay for his injuries in blood. First he would make her watch Tidus die. He would cut him and let him bleed to death, slowly. Then he would slice her apart, piece-by-piece, limb from limb.
He cackled maniacally, hardly aware of the rumble in his stomach or the heaviness of his eyelids. It was only his luck that those Al Bhed fools had not been aware of his connection to Yuna. If she had told them that he was an assassin sent by Lord Seymour, they would have taken care of him in a heartbeat.
The very second he woke up, he had dashed out of the sickbed they placed him in and escaped the infirmary, much to the surprise and protest of the Al Bhed healers sent to watch over him.
Right now all that mattered was getting to a travel inn and restocking his supplies. Then he would send a letter to Lord Seymour and inform him that any day now the mission would be complete. He would, of course, conveniently avoid mentioning his secret ambition to slaughter Yuna as well, but surely Seymour would have no trouble finding a replacement to appease Sin.
It was going to be a long, arduous trial, re-tracking those two young fools and staying close behind, especially if they remained in the company of the Al Bhed. But he was Tremath, the greatest assassin in all the land. Nothing would stand between him and his prey. He was the hunter, the mighty predator with the mind of a human, but the vicious killing instincts of a mighty carnivore.
Tremath viewed his career choice as a sort of necessity to society. Similar to the way wild beasts hunted each other to keep a natural balance, he was entrusted with the task of taking out potential threats to innocent people, to keep the balance of peace. Tidus and Yuna were threats. If they should succeed in their attempts to vanquish Sin and uncover the Maester's scheme, what would become of Spira's Calm? With no Yevon to believe in, there would be total anarchy and chaos. Tremath was providing a service, and he was going to do it well, even if he had to bend a few of the rules to do so. His victory would make him a rich man, not only in gil, but also in satisfaction. Where ordinary men lusted after women, Tremath lusted for the kill. He craved it, relished it. The power to take life was his, and he was virtually a god for it.
Still laughing, the bounty hunter struggled on across the dunes. The time would come for vengeance, that much was certain. But that time must be precise and calculated. One wrong move could result in terrible consequences.
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She was sleeping again, her naked figure nestled against him. Her bare arm was slung across his stomach, the other tucked under her head. Their legs were comfortably entangled.
Tidus kissed her lightly sweat-soaked hair and let his head fall back to the pillow. A lazy smile played across his lips. His arms were still wrapped around her, and he had little to no intention of releasing her so soon.
Beyond the tent, other people were now stirring. A new day was starting, and there were chores to be carried out. Tidus listened for a moment to the sounds of life all around them. He felt humbled suddenly, but he did not know why. Perhaps he was simply in awe of everything he had experienced over the last two weeks of his life. All that he had ever known was different. He was different. And he knew for certain that the rest of the world would change too.
Closing his eyes, the events that had just occurred danced through his mind. He remembered everything with startling clarity. He remembered the way her hair moved, catching the pale light from outside. He remembered the way her skin glowed almost purple from all the lilacs. He remembered her crying out in short gasps, mingling with his own. The smell of her sweat, the heat of her body . . . all of it forever engraved in his memory.
When they had finished, she had smiled at him, her eyes shining with what he knew she had never felt before. They kissed swiftly, and Yuna fell asleep against him almost instantly.
"You've given me peace," Tidus whispered out loud as she slumbered quietly. "You've given me peace, when all I have ever known was confusion and doubt."
It gave him a strange sense of comfort to know that she could not hear these words, genuine as they were. Perhaps someday he would gain the courage to say them to her face and witness her reaction. For now, he was content just to voice them and know them to be true.
'This is fate,' he thought to himself. 'We do belong here.'
He fell asleep only seconds later, still smiling.