Rain showered down across the dirtied cobblestone streets. The downpour was so harsh that it was even kicking up pebbles and flinging them up into the air where they clanged against the scattered remnants of armor so splattered with muck their forms were almost unidentifiable. Maybe it was best they were a bit obscured. Some of the suits of armor were not empty.
Nothing stirred, nothing ventured outside as the storm raged on, washing the blood and grime down into the gutters. So nothing saw the two children huddling, soaking wet, under the half collapsed roof. It was all that remained of a former house blackened with singe marks from the conflagration only recently doused by the weather.
A boy and a girl, both no older than five, struggled to keep each other warm and awake through the freezing dusk hours. And from the other side of the road, Kairielis only just became aware of herself spectating. Like a ghost, she was watching a play unfold in front of her of events that seemed both hauntingly real yet too distorted and illusory to actually be true. It was also vaguely familiar, as if someone had once whispered to her the script of their performance in the past, a lifetime ago.
The two innocent children looked so fragile, their tiny limbs bearing more bruises than not, their clothes tattered and soaked. The little girl was trembling, though not from the cold alone. Neither of those kids really belonged in a place like this, but the girl seemed to particularly stand out. She was like a domesticated pure-bred house cat that had just been hurled into an ice cold river and was struggling to keep her head afloat in the abrasive wilderness. The boy, in contrast, looked a bit more comfortable in the elements. But only slightly. He was maybe more akin to a young wild dog, curiously sniffing out the situation. Less jumpy at the natural elements of his home, but still staring wide-eyed, equal parts terrified and curious at the nature of a society he had stumbled upon, collapsing around him, and whose rules eluded him. Both scared in their own way, and having to rely on each other to weather the storm. Civilization and the wilderness, forced to meet, but appreciating the comfort of one another through such chaos.
Kairielis tipped her head to the side. She had never met these children before. Maybe it was presumptuous of her to assume so much over nothing more than their appearances and basic demeanor. For all she knew they could be siblings. Kairielis tried calling over to the two children, offering help. When they didn't react, she waved her arm back and forth in a grand sweeping arc. Again, no response. Maybe they couldn't see her through the downpour or hear her shouting from over the sound of the splashing rain.
Why were they even out here in this horrid place of death?
...Why was she?
She tried not to gaze too long at the formless shapes half submerged in the sticky mud nearby.
Where even is...here?
A clap of thunder rocked through the clouds and the girl of the young pair shrieked, clutching at her scuffed knees as if scrunching up her body would somehow shield her from the noise.
Kairielis shifted to step towards the lost children, but her feet were stuck fast in the mud. When had the sludge gotten so deep? Surprisingly, it didn't feel cold around her ankles.
It didn't feel like much of anything.
It was then Kairielis realized the rain didn't feel cold either. Surely she should be soaking wet from the storm by now? She wasn't under any cover. Maybe she really was a ghost.
Growing ever more concerned over them, she strained to see through the tempest ahead. The children were talking. About what, she couldn't hear. For about how long, she wasn't sure either. Time itself was hazy, shifting.
Then, through the blurry curtain of rain, she could barely make out the figure of the boy pointing up to a small patch of sky somewhere in the distance behind her. An inexplicable smile was spreading on his face. The little girl who was still cuddled up next to him followed the path of his finger, spotting...whatever it was. Kairielis tried turning around to see, but her body was rooted in place even more firmly.
Whatever was there must have been something special. The little girl was hastily drying the tears from her eyes with a ragged section of her dress, desperate to get a clearer look. Her friend cupped his little hand around hers, and together the two children began shouting unintelligibly against the squall as if triumphant over something, their faces brightened with hope. Still drenched; but no longer drenched by fear.
From up in a tree nearby she could hear a crow, angrily cawing away. She couldn't see him, but she could hear his protests loud and clear.
Something bad was lingering here and she wanted to leave before it saw her. She needed to leave.
The cawing grew louder.
She could hear the squishing of boots marching through muck as they drew closer. Why weren't her feet listening? She could hear a man grunting, hawking and spitting something disgusting into the already disgusting road. His guffaw echoed through her head, wheezing and spluttering like a pig.
She hoped the children would run. They needed to escape.
If they didn't run they would surely be caught by whatever was approaching up that road.
What were they smiling at!? What could possibly be so wonderful up in the sky that it could distract them from such horrible dark visions in every other corner of this place!?
Leave! Escape! Keep each other close and run! Flee so you can be free, together! Together... forever...
...please…
Kairielis woke up screaming.
Every night, the dreams were only getting worse. Not that she expected anything good in her dreams on a night before a day like today.
She got ready for the morning in a hurry, making a point to check out the window just to be sure. The rainstorm in her dreams had been just that. A dream. Outside was just as hot, dry and unforgiving as it had been this whole summer. The ground looking cracked and worn in places where the very moisture was being sucked up greedily by the sun.
Returning to a seat in front of her vanity, she gently grasped a worn wooden hairbrush and passed it a few times through her hair. No doubt before the suitors arrived they were going to stuff her into those gaudy clothes with her hair twisted and styled until she no longer even resembled herself. So there wasn't much point in even using the brush right now, but she still felt like doing it anyway. Just like how she felt like putting on her favorite pink summer dress and her tiny little seashell necklace.
Some staff at the castle had expressed their distaste for this dress in the past, saying the skirt was far too short, or that it hugged her waist far too tightly. The complaints were varied, but all agreed that it wasn't 'proper' for a princess. But she made sure to always tuck it away in a safe corner so it couldn't be ferreted away while she wasn't looking.
If these early morning hours were to be the last time she could feel free before being forced into something overly restrictive and smelling of mothballs, she was going to wear whatever she darn well pleased and no one was going to say otherwise. So what if she had to get changed later?
It was worth it, even if it was only for a short time.
It was also worth seeing the look on Sora's face when she came prancing out to greet him while wearing it.
Hearing her approach, he had jumped down off of the railing he had been perched on and raised his hand in a chipper hello.
"Good morning Ka-"
He froze.
"You're...uh..." Sora couldn't stop staring, but he was trying his best. And failing. "Y-you look...uh..."
She had a feeling he would approve of this dress in particular. Even though she knew she really shouldn't be seeking out approval from a boy, and definitely wasn't supposed to put much weight on the opinion of a knight, seeing him so...dumbfounded still felt fantastic.
"...more cheerful than expected." Riku decided to finally complete the unfinished sentence hovering in the air.
She really did feel surprisingly good, all things considered. Maybe it was just her brain trying to cope with all the stress and she had finally just snapped. Or maybe Sora's general optimism was rubbing off on her.
Either way she had done quite a lot of thinking last night. If this was to be her fate, she was going to raise her chin and face it without any more tears. But that didn't mean she was going down without getting a few things her way.
"I have a plan."
At least Sora seemed excited about her declaration. Riku, as she expected, appeared to be withholding judgment until he knew what was going on.
"Care to share, or is it classified?"
She giggled and pressed a finger to her lips.
"We both know that one of us three can't keep a secret." Without pause, she started off towards the temple to finish her morning ritual, smiling inwardly at the cute little protesting sigh she heard behind her.
"Besides, maybe it'll be more effective with the element of surprise! Right?"
There was no guarantee it would even work, but it was worth a try.
As they approached the temple, she noticed there were a few extra knights milling aimlessly about in the gardens outside the entrance. One in particular caught Sora's attention and, with a huge grin, he darted over to the one who was scowling heavily under dirtied blond hair.
"Hey! You're okay! They said you weren't too hurt but I got worried after I didn't see you at the-"
The other knight shoved him back, almost as if Sora was infected with something contagious.
"Get off! As if I want you fretting over me like some lovesick girl."
Sora didn't seem bothered or surprised at all by the venom, and while he acquiesced to the command spat at him and backed up a few steps, he kept smiling.
"I heard you gave that witch a hard time, too. She was so impressed she even mentioned it. You must have been a good distraction."
The other knight squinted at him suspiciously while massaging the knuckles on his left hand. "You'd better not be getting sarcastic with me."
"No, I-"
"If you are, I won't hesitate to teach you some proper manners when you are less...occupied." His eyes briefly flickered over to where she stood, but he made no move to greet her. Focusing back on Sora he rolled his shoulders, as if preparing for a fight. "That witch stole something of mine, and I could use a punching bag right about now."
If he wasn't going to, she decided to acknowledge herself.
"I see you two are acquaintances?" She took several purposeful steps forwards. Sora nodded cheerily back at her, but the other faltered a moment before giving her a stilted bow.
Kairielis monitored his lowered head closely. Normally she disliked forcing others into shows of servitude, but after he threatened Sora she felt like she was allowed to be a tad petty. Everything about him screamed that he had an ego like an over sized banana: ridiculous, hard to ignore, and easily bruised. Maybe he could use a little dose of humility medicine. She waited a full three seconds before finally offering him the command to rise.
"Thank you for your efforts in expelling that dreadful sorceress from the castle. We all appreciate your assistance."
He clearly hated being called an assistant, but it wasn't like he could talk back to her. Yet continued petty jabs at him weren't her intention. She needed him to calm down so he would stop giving Sora that death stare. Luckily she had experience handling cumbersome egos; she had met far too many pompous aristocrats in her life.
They all tried so hard to be tough and hardened, as if that was some testament to manhood. Boys were sometimes strange like that; but she wasn't intimidated. To make him melt, she just had to butter him up first.
"I don't know what that witch was after, but I owe my life to your combined strength. For that reason alone, your presence was invaluable. Thank you for keeping our kingdom safe."
Oh, he definitely liked that comment. He was folding under her like she was the wind and he was a poorly built card castle.
"Please continue to be a wonderful team and do your best. If you are all working together I should have nothing to fear."
The knight ogled her and nodded, stunned out of words.
Good. Hopefully now he won't be trying to pick some inane fist fight over nothing. Kairielis wasn't sure why Sora considered someone so abrasive to be a friend, but hopefully he was only a little rough around the edges.
Or maybe boys really are just strange.
It took him a moment to recover from her fawning compliments, before he tried re-erecting his tough guy veneer from before, shaking the stunned embarrassment from his face and replacing it with a scowl.
"I see. Whatever is for the greater good, correct?"
Kairielis chewed at her lip for a moment, planning her words carefully. "Yes I...I think that sounds reasonable."
She wasn't quite sure how to read his expression. He certainly had quite a lot of pride, and was probably the type of person to agree to your face, but if what you ordered wasn't in line with his own agenda would be quick to defy it. In the end she wasn't sure if she got through to him.
Unfortunately, not a soul in the courtyard, not even the princess or her astute knights noticed the raven spying from the darkness of a nearby hollowed out tree, waiting for his target to wander off somewhere alone. It clutched the broach in the shape of a swallow tighter in its talons, and waited some more.
Perhaps, if the princess had but noticed, she could have altered the inevitable course of fate that wound them all together.
But she didn't.
"Introducing...from the tropical paradise of Balamb, the son of the honored Royal Treasurer, hailed as a shrewd master of finances, and is known as the Silver Tongue...Sir Victor Delgado."
The first of the line of suitors strode confidently forward across the courtyard towards her throne. He had impeccably combed dark hair with his thick, pointed eyebrows and goatee that only further highlighted the sharp lines in his jaw and cheeks. While he certainly did seem suave and nuanced in his motions, he also seemed a tad...older. Surely too old? He lifted one sharp eyebrow in her direction and smiled, sinking into a deep bow.
"From the vast oceans of the kingdom, I bring my equally vast experience. Name me as your beloved and I will make the kingdom wealthier than ever could be imagined! This I vow!"
He rose and took his place under the first of six colorful banners erected in a line, each representing a different garden. Balamb Garden's flag was the color of the ocean and was marked with yellow stars.
She couldn't fault him on his passion, but he must have been nearly twice her age. Kairielis was now starting to question what sort of standards these candidates were even being held up to. Hopefully it was more than whoever had the biggest pocketbook.
The announcer, seeing the central stone platform in the courtyard empty once more, opened his parchment and began reading off the second name.
"Introducing...from the snow-tipped mountains of Trabia, he is the son of the Royal Judge, and holds the rank of Captain among the Task Judicial Force where he is known for his swift and poetic justice...Captain Phoebus Gringoire!"
This man was certainly a character. He strode forward with all the confidence of someone who had never seen defeat in his life. His blonde hair hanging a bit on the longer side, swept back and away from his face. Phoebus gave her an exaggerated bow, flicking his face up to her at the last minute to give her what she was sure he considered a very suave smile. The Task Judicial Force was a silly title given to, essentially, glorified tax collectors. But if the title made them happy…
She just felt like rolling her eyes at the excessive posturing, but gave him a polite nod instead.
"They say our Garden is a frigid place, but your smile could thaw even the most icy heart, my princess. Name me as your beloved and I will make sure your life is always full of warmth and beauty. This I vow!"
He read his script perfectly, at least. Though she wasn't entirely sure how sincere that promise really was. He didn't seem like a bad person, but maybe a bit too smug for her tastes. He also had a strange aura of...dishonesty about him, though, which she couldn't quite understand. It was like he was intentionally putting on some kind of over the top act. His nervous eyes belied a far different feeling than his fake smile. Phoebus sauntered over to the flag of Trabia, colored white with a red rose in the very center and nodded over to Victor. The other suitor pinched his lips into a tight line and said nothing.
Ruffling the parchment a third time, the announcer readied himself for the next declaration.
"Introducing...from the towering vertical gardens and waterfalls of Ru'Lude, a suitor from a long line of strategists and advisers, one who has claimed to have ascended the Cliffs of Insanity using only his bare hands..."
Kairielis sat up a little in her chair. The Cliffs of Insanity? What kind of person was this going to be, some kind of hulking beast of upper body strength?
"...Wee Dingwall, the eldest child of the Dingwall clan!"
Wobbling out from the shadows of the entrance was a straggly, stringy thing. She wasn't sure if he could even hold himself up, let alone scale a cliff face with the power of his knuckles alone. His hair was frizzy and shot straight up towards the sky, as if his head had been replaced with a broom. His teeth were misaligned, and his eyes seemed entirely unfocused, in a constant state of daydream. Neither Victor nor Phoebus could hide their snickering.
The Dingwall's son mumbled something indistinct to her that at some point might have contained the words 'beloved' and 'vow', then shuffled, stumbling, over towards the flag of Ru'Lude. This flag was colored moss green with a swirling vertical line up both edges that likely represented the rising falls. Judging by the looks on the other two suitors by their own flags, Dingwall didn't have all too pleasant an odor to him either.
There was a brief silence hanging through the air and she wished more than anything she could turn back around to face her two knights and see what they thought about all of this so far. But maybe it was better that she not think about Sora right now.
It was clear that the hot-headed knight they had been speaking to at the temple this morning had been right when he said that the suitors coming today were...on the stranger side. What had he said exactly?
..."some of those bozos are real pieces of work"... or something along those lines.
A bit crass, but not altogether incorrect now that she was looking at them herself.
The announcer, unfazed, began to read the next name aloud, snapping her from her daydream of earlier that day.
"Introducing...from Enchanted Garden, a-"
"I'll take it from here myself, if you don't mind!"
A figure marched himself out of the shadows, chest puffed out high like a strutting pigeon, his broad shoulders and bulging muscular tone a clear source of pride. He gestured over towards the sniffling form of Dingwall, and winked.
"This, my boy, is how you win over a princess."
Ripping off his cape he began flexing, grunting as he offered his biceps up for her approval. He strained, and winked. Gods, even his laugh sounded like he was boasting about something. She dug her nails into the arms of her chair, trying not to visibly recoil.
From the slight choking sounds she heard behind her, either Sora, Riku, or both were trying incredibly hard to hold in their own laughter.
She was glad at someone was able to find the situation amusing.
That does it. She resolved to herself firmly. They're done. Every single one on that Noble Committee who picked these 'candidates' is fired. Immediately. I don't care if I'm not even allowed to do that. It's happening.
"You ought to end the competition now, for a competition it is not! I, Gaston LeGume, will be winning the hand of the fair princess today! No one bests Gaston! And when you choose me, princess, that is exactly what you will receive. Me!"
In her whole life she had never been so thankful to see someone's back as he finally decided to stop posturing in front of her and meander confidently over towards Enchanted's flag. This one was the deep red color of wine with a circle of intersecting silver rings in the center.
Surely the remaining two options couldn't be any worse than this display. Who could think that these men were really the best options for King? Granted, she was going to be the one in control, with her husband retained as a figurehead of sorts but honestly.
Thankfully, she was pleasantly relieved when the suitor from Galbadia was called out next by the somewhat shaken announcer who had only just recovered from the previously boisterous interruption.
His name was Hans Westergaard, and by all accounts he seemed refreshingly normal. Nothing particularly special; a touch nervous, but bright eyed, well-dressed, and properly disciplined. She wasn't sure if she liked the whole side burn look, but it did compliment his somewhat longer chin.
After his various titles were recited, he knelt down in front of her, keeping his head bowed. "I have traveled far from Galbadia Garden, but even if I am not chosen today, I will be forever enriched by the experience of seeing many parts of our kingdom that were previously unknown to me. For that, I thank you." He paused for a moment. "Name me as your beloved and I will stay by your side through any trial, and any new adventure. This I vow."
Well, he seemed nice. But under all the formal niceties she still wasn't sure what sort of person lay beneath. She had a feeling there was a lot more buried there.
She felt a heavy silence from the two knights behind her, and hoped it was because they were concentrating, trying to analyze him for faults.
The final candidate was some lord with a very prominent nose and wispy mustache from Faline Garden named Howard Baskerville, Jr. He vowed to 'always keep her safe from any unruly animals that lurked in the uncivilized backwaters'. She wasn't quite sure what to make of him, because he seemed far more excited to be in the castle than to be meeting her. He had spent a long time praising the lack of wilderness, nearly kissing the cobblestones when he bowed. Despite his home being famous for its forests and wildflowers, it didn't seem like he appreciated it very much. It would be a bit nit-picky to dismiss him because of a preference for town life, but for a girl who considered flowers a passionate hobby it was a bit hard to overlook.
Now that all six had been presented to her, the announcer rolled up his parchment, cleared his throat and declared his final statement.
"And now, under the watchful eyes of His Highness, the current records keeper, castle staff and the noble lords serving on the selection Committee...a future King must be chosen. Your Highness, Kairielis Aeterna Luxilla, Princess of the Seven Gardens, Duchess of the Floating Isles and Bearer of the Light Refraction...we await your decision. Please point to the one whom you wish to give your heart!"
And all eyes were on her. She closed her own, taking a deep breath of the humid air. The only sound she heard was the fluttering of the flags from the different gardens, and every now and again the sound of someone clearing their throat or coughing.
She knew she was meant to be considering her options, but she had something else in mind. No one, not even her father, could force her to choose her potential husband like this: at random, without knowing a single thing about any one of them. After some soul searching last night, she had decided that the most successful marriage would be between two people who could understand one another. And, perhaps selfishly, she wanted a husband who could, in some way, understand what was in her heart.
Opening her eyes, she noticed Sora was shifting his weight back and forth between his feet, looking like he wanted to say something. Most likely various protests were bubbling around inside of him, making him unsteady.
"I'll be okay." She gave him what she hoped was a comforting smile and rose from her chair.
The first few steps forward were uneasy, but her confidence grew with each stride. She stepped over the edge of the stone patio and strolled, determined, up to the central stone platform in the courtyard. Right in the middle where she was under the watchful eyes of all the nobles in their balconies, all the suitors under the waving banners of their home Gardens, and her father. The later was the only one that interested her right now. She locked eyes with the king, straightened, and took a deep breath.
"There are many worries currently plaguing our kingdom. The drought, and the unsure state of the future to name but a few. It is clear our kingdom is in a state of peril."
She paused for a moment, gauging the reaction of her father and Ienzo who stood next to him, transcribing her words carefully into one of his large tomes. If her father was upset, he didn't show it. So she continued, gripping the sides of her dress to hold back the shaking in her hands.
"As such, in accordance with the old laws, I hereby declare...an Adventurer's Trial. Just as in the past, the reward will be the same: the hand of the princess in exchange for the successful completion of a trial, requested of an adventurer in a time of dire need."
Silence. She had expected more of a reaction to a statement like this, and she faltered. Perhaps everyone was too stunned. That, or they had no idea what she was even talking about.
It was an old tradition written about in faerie tales. A lone adventurer happens upon an ailing kingdom, and in desperation, the royal family decrees that if help can be given, they will offer the princess in marriage. Granted, this wasn't often proposed by the princess herself, but she didn't see any rule that said she couldn't.
"S-summarily...I declare that whomsoever can provide the most satisfactory solution to my requested task, will be the one I will choose to give my heart."
The entire Committee of Nobles erupted into a senseless cacophony of shouting and arguments. Most voices she could parse seemed to be debating if the kingdom could even be considered to be in a state of emergency enough to allow such a measure to be enacted. It was only put into practice when the kingdom was truly desperate, and had only ever been used once before in all of recorded history. Some of the suitors in the courtyard below also began to simmer like boiling water. All except Hans who was waiting, puzzled, and Dingwall, who was staring blank-faced at the flags whipping around the poles in the breeze.
From her place at the center of the courtyard, she could hear her potential suitors bickering among themselves, and eavesdropped as best she could.
The suitor from Trabia, the one named Phoebus, seemed more amused than upset. He extended his arms and glanced about at the others surrounding him. "Show of hands lads; who saw that one coming?"
Victor, the older gentleman from Balamb, grumbled something indistinct and crossed his arms, appearing the most angry out of the six. "There's always a catch..."
Laying a faux sympathetic hand on his shoulder, the muscle head named Gaston chuckled.
"No shame in throwing in the towel, old boy."
"Oh, I agree. You're welcome to go any time." Victor gestured towards the far door under the stone archway they had all just stepped through.
Exhaling sharply, Phoebus watched the exchange with an amused grin. The mere suggestion of leaving didn't seem to sit well with Howard, the representative of Faline who stamped his boot onto the cobblestones and huffed.
"Well I'm not going anywhere! If any of you ruffians think you can rob me of my chance, you are sorely mistaken!"
"Your chance?" Victor was clearly still angry. "What makes you think you even have the tiniest sliver of one to begin with?"
"I agree!" Gaston trumpeted even more loudly than before. "For we all already know who will perfectly complete any task she has to offer. Me! I'll be generous and send you all off with a fruit basket."
"I can't decide if you're serious." Phoebus was glancing over at Gaston, almost in awe at his sheer bravado.
Rather than letting this mess continue, the king swiftly rose up from his throne, his gaze piercing down at her from his balcony. Silence fell.
The light reflecting off of all his shimmering ornaments was like staring into the sun, and she strained to not look away. He made a gesture towards Ienzo, who leaned in to listen to some quietly worded request. The two had a short conversation, most likely debating if she was even allowed to use outdated concepts more often seen in faerie tales than real life.
The records keeper finally straightened, and called down to her, quill at the ready.
"Are we correct in understanding, then, that you wish to offer up a challenge as a means by which to select your future husband? As the old laws called it...an 'Adventurer's Trial'?"
"Yes, that is correct."
More hushed deliberations followed between her father and the scribe. Everyone, even the Nobles, remained anxiously waiting for his decision.
And, from the mouth of Ienzo she got her father's answer. After briefly penciling something in on his book, he gave a terse nod and cleared his throat.
"The motion is granted. Now, if you please, Your Highness: what is your proposed task? The King is reserving the right to reject anything that is impossible, or requested in bad faith."
Well, there went that option. She had considered making her task something as absurd as possible so no one could fulfill it, but even in the fantasy stories this tended to backfire on the quest giver quite spectacularly. And she wasn't keen on being turned into a frog or something. Instead, she had a few back-up options. She relaxed the death grip on her dress slightly and tried to calm the rapid fluttering of her heart.
"The proposed candidates must..." Here goes nothing. Deep breath. "I was told the kingdom can only be saved if I 'free my trapped memories'. Or so I was warned. So whoever can find a way to fr-"
"I forbid this." The King was staring so intensely he was almost looking right through her. "I approved a task or a trial, not a folly."
She gritted her teeth. "It is not a folly. Obviously it's important, and if me remembering something can save even one person, I want to try."
"Don't be like your mother."
Her protests faded. Her legs trembled. She tried to take another step forward towards her father, but was stumbling and uncoordinated in the excessively tall heeled shoes and dragging skirt. She tripped. And she likely would have fallen flat on her face had she not been able to catch her weight on a small nearby table with a goblet of water resting on top. The surface of the water swayed and shook, and she was like a tiny boat rocking on top of that wave. How dare he say such things with that horrid disdain in his voice. How dare he speak of her mother as if she was something tainted and bad. Had he forgotten how he once loved her?
The king's icy cold voice was also as stiff as iron.
"You will name your task, but it must be something that can be completed within an hour's time. One hour from now, you will make your decision, even if your task lies unfinished. You may judge your suitors however you wish in that interim."
And with that, the king once more returned to his throne. He sat there stiffly, now stubbornly refusing to even acknowledge her presence.
She really did have no father at all, did she? And, if that was to be the way of it…she only had one option left to her.
Gripping the goblet into her hands, she steadied the shifting water inside. And with hardened eyes, she made her final declaration.
"I refuse to withdraw my plea, and will still hold in the high regard anyone who can restore my memory." She saw Ienzo about to protest, and she quickly continued in order to intercept him.
"However, if my task in this case must be limited...I propose a more manageable secondary trial. A riddle, perhaps. Anyone who wishes to have my heart must at least know what it holds dear. What do I consider the most precious? What holds more meaning to me than anything else? You will have one hour to bring it here, then I will make my decision."
One more glance at the king, remaining stoic on his throne, and she stood tall. "This is all I wish."
So it was stated. So it was granted. So it was done.
"Isn't that task going to be impossible, though?"
Sora bounced the tall unlit candelabra back and forth between his hands. It definitely didn't escape her notice that the candlestick was very similar in design to the one she had first tasked him to dispose of what felt like ages ago. But it really hadn't been that long, had it? Somehow the days with them had passed in just a flash, yet felt endless at the same time. It was like fate was screaming out to her that they had always belonged together.
Her daydreaming made her a bit slow to answer, so Riku voiced his own thoughts first.
"Presumably there isn't a set answer, it's more of a personality test to determine what they think she values. They would all likely choose something similar to their own preferences."
Sora didn't buy it, and stopped tossing the candelabra, standing it back up on its feet with a light shake of his head.
"But that can't be right. There's definitely an answer. I just don't understand how someone is supposed to get one."
Alright, now she was curious.
"What makes you so sure?"
"Er...well..." He stammered a little, reaching again for the candelabra but in his nervousness accidentally misjudged the distance and bumped into it with his finger. He scrambled to catch it before it tumbled to the stone patio. Someone really needed to get rid of those fire hazards.
"No, please. Go on. What would you bring?"
Honestly, Riku had been spot on before. There was no answer. She was just going to judge based on whatever it was that these strange suitors dredged up, resolving herself to go with whoever selected the most reasonable thing. The thought of Sora's answer particularly interested her, especially if he considered it to be something unobtainable.
Sora wordlessly pleaded for help from his friend, but Riku shrugged. He was astute enough to know that Sora had dug his own grave. Again. And Riku didn't want to get dragged down into the hole.
Realizing he had to deal with this on his own, Sora sighed and tugged nervously at a strap on his tunic. "It's supposed to be something you think is precious, right?"
She nodded, and Sora glanced momentarily around just to be sure no one else was listening in. A bit pointless; none of the suitors from before were in the courtyard, as they had all bolted off to try and gather up her desired item and return within the hour. Anyone else still sitting in the balconies with the Nobles would be too far to possibly eavesdrop.
"Okay, well..." He lowered his voice to a whisper, taking his secret seriously. "If I could, I would bring you a rainbow."
"A rainb-"
The faint image of her dream flashed before her eyes, illuminated by a phantom lightning strike. She could hear the thunder faintly pealing, as the storm in her minds eye raged on. There was a faint gap between the clouds, gazed upon by two children huddled beneath the downpour in the midst of charred ruins.
Two children, in a hopeless place, smiling at a rainbow. The colored light was twinkling as it barely pierced the dim grime coating the streets.
So that was what they had found in the sky...
Were those children more than just a dream? It felt all too real...
Sora attributed her shock as uncertainty and he repeated himself, more clearly this time.
"Yeah, a rainbow. Though like I said, I wasn't really sure how anyone was supposed to get one and bring it here."
She shook her head to try and clear it. "Why...something like that?"
He tipped side to side for a moment as he organized his thoughts, mimicking the previous motion of the candlestick he had been playing with earlier. "Well..."
Through the intermittent thunder, she could hear a young boy's voice cheerfully trying to speak up over the din. The sound of rain nearly drowning him out.
"I don't know where they come from. But sometimes when it's raining suuuper hard you can find one. It's like the sky says 'Hey, don't cry! Here's a smile!'. So please don't cry. You can't see rainbows too good if you're crying…"
She froze, rattled. The heat of the summer sun bore down on her from above, feeling more oppressively hot than before, even through the shade. There was no rain. Had Sora just been talking to her? She missed what he had said completely.
"I...I'm sorry, what?"
It felt like a gust of wind rattled her off balance and she stumbled towards her chair.
"...Maybe the sky is full of rainbows all the time! Do you wanna look for one with me?"
Somehow she didn't think that was what Sora was saying. She could vaguely hear him talking, see his mouth moving, but instead she could only hear this small child echoing in the back of her mind.
"Let's find the light that's hiding in the dark, okay? It'll be our game together..."
"You're playing a game…?" She pressed two shaking fingers to her temple, sinking down into her seat. It was a relief to be off her feet for a moment, and finally feeling grounded.
"Huh? No, I..."As if alarmed by her confusion, Sora hastily offered her the goblet of water again, making sure to leave plenty of space for her to grab it without worry. She took a few tentative sips, feeling the storm in her head dissipating already. A soft cat paw tapped at her leg and she glanced down to see Doc Berlioz seeking to join her up on the throne. She scooped him up and tried to relax. But still echoing through her memory was a song, recited by a group of giggling children.
See me dance across the sky,
Full of color flying by.
Oooh, Oooh,
Hidden often yet still true.
So remember little cloud,
If all the light has gone,
I am always here with you,
Let's make a rainbow dawn.
It was like fragments of memories were slowly rising up out of her subconsciousness. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't line the fractured pieces up into anything that resembled a clear image.
"Are you…uh...?" Sora's furrowed brow spoke volumes and she tried to shake off the last haunting specters of a past she couldn't understand.
"Yes, I feel better now. What were you saying...?"
To her chagrin, Sora only seemed eager to drop the subject altogether. "It's nothing, really..."
"It's not nothing! You'd better tell me, mister, or I'll never let you live it down." For some reason this felt far more important than it really should be. Why did it matter what a knight thought about rainbows? It wasn't like he was actually participating in this wild hunt to find an object to win her affection.
"Heh. Mister, huh?" He inexplicably smiled again, and she wished she could even only for a one moment peek inside that head of his to see what he was thinking.
He cleared his throat and tried to explain again. Thankfully this time she could actually focus on his words.
"Well, I would choose a rainbow because they are kind of inspiring, in a way. It's like a little reminder that there is always light that we can find, even when times are dark and stormy. You never know when there is one waiting right behind the clouds, ready to give you a smile. It makes me never want to give up, because if I hide myself away from the rain, I'll never be able to see it. Your light makes me feel...well...kinda like that, I guess." He paused, and gave a weak laugh. "I thought maybe that was the answer but...guess I was really wrong, huh?"
She watched him itch at his cheek, recognizing that he usually only did that when nervous. But with that earnest of an answer she wasn't sure what he would have to be nervous about. He could do with a little self confidence, maybe. Not as much as Gaston. But a bit could help.
"No...no, it's not that, I..."
For some reason she remembered that far off dream once more, growing ever fainter in her mind. It was such a warm rush of comfort caressing her body like a soft blanket on a cold day. She remembered how it felt to see that splash of color painted across the gray skies, filling her with hope in a world that was nothing. Hope really was a precious, irreplaceable thing; he wasn't wrong.
Berlioz purred and flicked his tail against her arm. Just next to her, she saw Riku take a sip of water from his pouch with the kind of far-off sadness she would expect to see on someone who had just been told their relative had fallen ill.
Their eyes met, briefly. And she understood.
They had both come to the same, unfortunate conclusion in this entirely hapless situation. When it came to matters of her heart, Sora was far, far from wrong.
That is the answer, isn't it? The answer to an answer-less question.
"I think I understand, and a rainbow really can be wonderful..." Newfound sorrow weighed heavily down on her heart. "But...we'll just have to see what the others can think of."
Sora bobbed his head cheerfully. "I hope one of them brings a rainbow. It'd be nice to see one today."
"I'd settle even for just a little rain..." Riku murmured, checking on the placement of the clouds. Suddenly his eyes snapped over to something out on the courtyard and he furrowed his brow.
"Good afternoon, your highness."
She didn't recognize the voice, but sounded like someone had decided to pay her a visit. She turned to see the one named Phoebus confidently striding towards her, tipping his hand in an aloof greeting, a suspiciously smug grin on his face.
Maybe he was here to try and wiggle some information out of her to get an advantage in the trial. Before she could respond, Riku had already stepped out in front of her, shielding her from view.
"Can I help you?" His voice was laced with sharp little daggers, each one pointed at the intruder. It was almost sweet in a way to see him so protective.
Phoebus skidded to a halt, raising his hands defensively. Instead of addressing Riku, however, she saw his eyes soaking in the scene before him. Sora was hovering cautiously over by the side of her throne, poised like a coiled spring, while she rested deep against the backboard, stroking the ever grumpy-faced Berlioz curled on her lap. With both of her knights around, she didn't feel threatened in the slightest.
In fact, she felt quite confident.
"If you're seeking a hint of some sort, I'm not divulging a thing."
The self-proclaimed "Captain of the Judicial Force" or some other such over inflated and irrelevant title, tried to take another step forward towards her but Riku shifted positions again, effectively blocking him.
Phoebus faltered, but a cavalier smirk still spread across his face and he chuckled. "...does this guy bite?"
Kairielis hummed and gave Berlioz an affectionate scratch around the ears, lifting him up for display to the Captain. "Only those he doesn't like. And he's very particular."
She added a coy smile for good measure.
Phoebus paused for a moment to glance at the fuzzy lump under her hand. "Right...the cat..." He then took an uneasy step away from Riku, who was still bearing down on him with those razor-sharp green eyes.
"You may be a guest in this castle, but you will not cross that line." Riku pointed stiffly to the natural edge that formed between the border of the courtyard and her stone patio under the awning. "I will not warn you twice."
"I gotcha, I gotcha..." He took another step backwards and surveyed the area again, no doubt astutely aware of the eyes on him. While Sora didn't appear as outwardly intimidating as his friend, there was definitely still a protective aura hovering around him and he was watching quite carefully.
Phoebus sighed, and shrugged in accepted defeat. "You're very lucky, princess. Not many can command such loyalty."
"I've never commanded anything of the sort." She huffed, offended at the insinuation.
"Exactly my point."
"Oh, and here I was worried you didn't have one." Riku retorted back testily, clearly not in the mood for his flattering banter. "Unless you have some other point to make. Then please share."
"I was hoping to speak to her alone."
"Sorry, we're not going anywhere." This time, it was Sora who piped up. While not as stern, his voice was definitely not showing any signs of flexibility.
Phoebus stalled for a moment, but gave up quickly when neither Sora nor Riku were giving him any quarter at all.
"Alright, well...here it goes." A heavy sigh, and the smugness crumbled from his face entirely. "I have a favor to ask."
Riku glanced over to her to see if she had any protests. No harm in letting him ask, at least. It didn't mean she had to grant it if she didn't want to. Sora seemed also to visibly relax slightly, as if deciding maybe this man wasn't entirely up to no good.
She gave the suitor from Trabia a small nod to continue.
"To be honest, I'm only here because of my father. Nepotism at it's finest, you see. And there's...someone else in here." He touched his chest, right above his heart. "But my father and I don't exactly...agree on the matter. He pitched my name to that Committee and, lucky me, I'm the one who got shipped off."
Kairielis sank further down into her chair, realizing exactly where this was going. Phoebus had been hurled into this situation just as unwillingly. He didn't want to be engaged to her. He just wanted to be free to marry the one he loved.
She already knew what favor he wanted granted, because it was the same favor she wished could be blessed upon her.
"I considered acting out to make myself as unappealing as possible, but after seeing some of those other...options you have out there, I felt for you. Decided maybe it was better to just come clean and throw myself at your mercy."
"I appreciate the honesty. And...of course I understand." She gave him the tiniest smile she could muster. "Give her my regards when you return home; I wish you two every happiness."
Seeing the joy and relief on his face was worth the slight pangs of jealousy that clawed up at her. At least there would be one happy ending out of all of this.
Phoebus quickly tried to regain his composure and straightened. "The only worry I have now is what to do about your trial. I can't show up empty handed, can I?"
That certainly would stand out as a bit suspicious. For his sake it would be best for all of them to keep pretending the Captain was still in the running.
More people were now starting to return to the courtyard, as the trial hour was already drawing to a close. There wasn't much time for him to run out and grab something. But it wasn't like she really had anything on hand, either. She carefully examined the excessively gaudy dress they had stuffed her into, plucking at the lace and ribbons. Nothing at all in the pockets.
Sora, who had long since lost any semblance of hostility towards the former intruder, gestured towards her lap.
"What about him? Think he's willing to volunteer?"
Berlioz lifted a grumpy paw in Sora's direction and swiped. Giggling, she gave her protesting pet a reprimanding pat on his head.
"Come on now, Burly. We all have to do our part sometime or another." She pointed over towards Phoebus, who was staring warily at the distinctly untrimmed paws flexing on her lap. "You don't want to lose your tuna privileges, do you?"
The cat mewed testily, but eventually leapt down and slumped across the patio towards the Captain. He wrinkled his nose and gripped the cat awkwardly around the middle.
"I'll...uh...return him at the earliest convenience."
The courtyard was now bubbling, bustling with energy as the candidates began to file towards their places next to their flags, keeping their guesses to her riddle clutched close. She gave a quick nod over towards Phoebus, now struggling to babysit Doc Berlioz, as he departed towards the white Trabia flag.
Howard, with his disdain of wildlife, sneezed heavily and glanced to his left at the Captain and his prize. He took one look at the cat and winced. With one swift movement, he yanked his own flag from out of the stand, marched over to the opposite side of the courtyard and slammed it back down into the dirt as far from Phoebus as possible.
That was some deep-seated hatred of animals.
One by one, the members of the Noble Committee filed back in to their seats, looking a mix of impatient yet curious. It was almost time, then. If only this could all be over already. She almost considered just playing a round of pick-a-petal with her remaining options right then and there, but that felt far too childish now.
And who knows? Maybe one of the suitors had brought something interesting or unexpected that they thought she valued. But some part of her really doubted there could be any answer better than his...
"Hey, Kairi…?"
From next to her chair, she heard his soft whispering and her heart fluttered at hearing her name. For so long her name held such a bitter connotation, yet for some reason hearing it softly murmured from his lips was more comforting than she could have ever imagined. She knew she should correct him. This one time, though, maybe just this once it was okay. She cast Sora a long furtive glance, waiting for him to speak again.
"After what happened with that Captain guy, I was thinking..."
"Yes?"
"Before you make a decision or anything, I have to know. Do you think you can really be happy like this?"
There was no way to know for sure. It was the future, after all. The only thing she could do was take a guess at one of the doors offered to her and step through. Though maybe it was less a door and more of an imposing cliff. Her duty had walked her to the edge and now she needed to make a leap of faith and pray there was something soft beneath her to catch her fall.
"I might be. I hope I will be."
"So...did you want someone to rescue you too? I know you said you had a plan, but..."
She nearly choked, shocked he would ask such a thing. "Rescue? Sora, you should know by now that I can't run away from this. Besides, my plan was never to escape. I only wanted to find some way to get to know them even just slightly before I have to choose."
A bell chimed in the distance, signaling that she was only moments from having to do just that.
"Not running away, exactly…" He glanced, slightly flustered at the courtyard, aware that he was running out of time to ask his question properly. "I mean...what if...what if say, there was a magic spell or something that could allow you to be free. Free to be able to meet anyone you wanted, hug your friends and to not have to get married or have a kid before you're ready, all without giving up your ability to help people?"
Still stunned, she wondered why Riku was staying eerily quiet through this. With such a bizarre question she almost expected him to offer up a strong rebuke. None came. She briefly checked to see that he had his head lowered in thought as if he had mentally removed himself from the room. What was he thinking so intensely about?
Better to just answer and get this all over with.
"Of course I would love something like that, Sora, but...this isn't like a child's storybook. That sort of magic just doesn't..." Her fists clenched and opened a few times. "It doesn't exist."
"So...you would want it, though?"
She was starting to lose her patience slightly with his insistence. What was the point? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It would be just like the storybooks, the handsome knight leaping right into the gaping maw of the beast to snatch his beloved away just in time. Her helpless situation being suddenly rectified by a true loves kiss, or some magic spell from a benevolent witch.
"Yes, if something that perfect existed."
His face was almost deathly serious, and she saw him swallow in trepidation. That wouldn't do. She wanted-no, she needed her happy Sora back right now. This day was challenging enough already. She tried giving him a playful smile to hopefully pry out his own.
"Now I suppose you are going to announce you are my long lost prince and have a magic fruit that will grant my every wish, right?"
Ignoring her quip, he continued pressing.
"What if you could get your freedom, but there was maybe a one percent chance that the spell wouldn't work and you'd lose everything. Would you still want to try?"
"Wh-" Her voice caught in her throat. What kind of question was that? She might have dismissed it right away, but the way his eyes were desperately shimmering at her made her think twice. And she tried to consider it. She really did.
No matter what fear gripped her in this life, she could never ever live with herself if she were to do something so selfish. Even if it were just one percent, half a percent, or half of a half of a percent risk of losing her Ability; it was too much to gamble. All of those names and voices of the people in the town she had almost met still echoed through her consciousness. Claire and her bakery, Alain and his paintings, Wilbur and his good luck charms. All of those people needed her to stay strong and fulfill the duty she was destined to complete. She had to be brave through this. She couldn't throw their lives away just for herself.
Even though she made that promise to herself that she wouldn't cry any more, it was getting harder to stem the growing swell of tears. The handsome knight was trying to rescue his damsel, reaching out desperately to save her. She had no idea what his plan was, or what he even thought he could do, but he still wanted to try. It would be in vain. The beautiful maiden would not take his hand. She couldn't.
This was the end.
She readied herself to answer him, but her sorrowfully resigned expression must have conveyed her thoughts wordlessly anyway. With a lowered head, he mumbled down to the ground.
"I understand."
It seemed like this was to be their destiny. To be like two birds forever only able to sing to one another through an open window. Neither could leave their own cage. Neither could be free. To never fly together through the gentle wind. Kairielis folded her hands in her lap and tried to smile through the pain.
Her heart knew the truth. And not with a thousand rules could they stamp it out of her. Even if it had to remain buried, the feeling would always, inevitably, be there.
"You know, Sora...we could play quite a funny joke on them today."
Perking up slightly, he tilted his now baffled expression up to her. "A joke?"
"Only a joke..." She rose from her chair and stared down at the suitors milling about the courtyard, keeping her voice low enough that only he could hear.
"They are all ready to go through their ridiculous posturing to try and win my affections. And when that is all over they will say grandly 'oh princess, loving and fair, please tell us to whom you wish to give your heart!' and expect me to point to my one choice."
Sora blinked a few times, and checked on the assembly of suitors waiting a stones throw away.
"Wouldn't it be funny, if when they ask me such a thing..."Kairielis cupped her hands behind her back, staring up at the cloudless blue sky. "What if I turned to you, instead? Reached out to you, like this?"
She spun around playfully, mocking the movement, extending a hand towards him. Startled, it took Sora a moment to consider her words as his focus shifted between her hand and her eyes a few times before he relaxed and smiled back.
But it wasn't a true smile. Not really.
"Y-yeah...I can only imagine what your dad would say."
He suddenly found his shoes particularly interesting, and after briefly pawing at his sleeve, once more chanced a yearning look towards her extended hand.
He really was like a caged bird, singing out a song ever the more beautiful and haunting the more it desired to be free. His forced laugh was almost painful.
"And would it...would it be even funnier if I accepted? If I promised to watch over your heart forever?"
The summer air was warm. Hot. Making her drowsy. She let the heaviness in her eyelids take over, her hand flopping uselessly to her side. She never wanted to forget how he looked at that moment. That purely wonderful, painful yet beautiful moment.
She shivered, even surrounded by all the sun's heat. "I-it would be very funny. And...then we could both shout, 'Just kidding!' and laugh. Laugh until we can't stop ourselves from crying. The most...the most funny thing..."
He knew who she really was. Always seemed to know that underneath her stuffy formal dress, underneath all the gaudy makeup, her hair twisted all out of shape, under the heavy crown weighing down her head, maybe a lonely girl named Kairi really was still there.
Around him, she never felt like a princess.
She kept her eyes pinched shut desperately, knowing if she opened them again she likely wouldn't be able to stop her own tears. "But...it's too cruel. I could never play a joke like that."
"...I know."
Despite her struggle, a single tear rolled down her cheek and she hastily turned, wiping at her eyes. "Maybe I'm just too weak, but I can't ruin everything that everyone has worked so hard for. I can't chance a single thing."
She swallowed.
It hurt.
"I'm too weak to break the script they've already penned for me long before I was born. And I'm..." She couldn't steady the wobbling in her voice. "I'm a-afraid the role of p-princess isn't written to be funny."
For a while he said nothing. Then, still wordlessly, he approached her place at the edge of the courtyard, just under the shade of the awning. Both standing in the edge of the shadow, side-by-side. She didn't care that he wasn't supposed to stand there next to her. Or that he was probably closer than the rules allowed. So close, yet not nearly close enough.
She just wanted him there. Wanted to see his expression once more as optimistic and comforting as it always had been. To have him right next to her as the wave of duty destroyed her happy little sand castle and swept it out to oblivion.
"It's not weakness, Kairi. Not at all."
On a lone pole in the marketplace, the parchment flier fluttered in the breeze. Over the course of the day many had stopped to read its words, some reacting in shock, others in curiosity. Most enjoyed standing around idly gossiping about its content, happy to have something new other than the weather to chat about.
For declared in the fanciest scrawling calligraphy, posted on all the message boards across town was a formal announcement from the castle.
"For the good of the kingdom in this trying time, we urge everyone to make merry and celebrate our loving princess, ever devoted to her people. Despite not yet coming of age, and not yet succeeding the throne, she has chosen a suitor. Together, at the nearest fortuitous day, both Kairielis Aeterna Luxilla and Duke Hans Westergaard of Galbadia will be joined together, forever, in the ceremony of Light.
Many blessings upon their future rein."
Claire shoved her broom across the cobblestones in front of her bakery, knowing fully well they were already clean. She also knew there wasn't a pastry in the world sweet enough that could mask the bitterness of this news. She scoffed as she remembered all the flowery language about 'blessings' and 'fortuitousness'. It was all wrong. And whoever this 'Duke' was could go march right on back to Galbadia whence he came.
Those two honey sweet children deserved a faerie tale ending, not this hogwash.
She wrenched her broom back and forth even harder than before, fighting back her rage at the injustice of it all, huffing under her breath.
"Oh, what might have been..."