Chapter 5 Stranded
Vaan was walking around restless. Auda shook her head. Tomaj was up on the airship giving the Galbana a look, and see what needs to be repaired. Vaan kept on pacing. Auda wished he would stop all ready. Penelo, Kytes, Filo, and Llyud were watching him pace as well. Vaan finally stopped, and screamed into the air, a scream that let out frustration.
Tomaj looked over at Vaan. "If you've got time to pace around in frustration, you've got time to lend a hand with the repairs."
Vaan walked up to him. "Sorry, Tomaj. It's just so frustrating. Here we are, hot on the judge's trail, and this happens."
"Don't complain. It could have been much worse."
"I'll complain if I want to. When we find that "judge"..." Vaan ran to the middle of the area and the battle party followed.
"Vaan. What do you think the Judge of Wings was doing back there?" Penelo asked.
"Summoning that Esper named Bahamut, wasn't she?"
Llyud shook his head. "But there was more. The summoning gate was already active."
Vaan thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, there was someone else there, wasn't there?"
"I saw him too," Penelo agreed. "Do you think he helped us escape?"
Filo spoke next. "It couldn't have been Ba'Gamnan. Maybe Rikken?"
Kytes shook his head in disagreement. "I don't think it was him, either."
Tomaj looked over, "Well, it wasn't me!" The party ignored him. "Hello! I'm talking over here!"
Auda laughed, "You just had been denied Tomaj." She walked to the entrance, "I'm starting to feel sick to my stomach…" Auda left to her room. She saw a book there on her bed. "He didn't…" She picked it up. "Your baby and you, what to expect before and after. This isn't his job…"
Auda walked back out, everyone had left besides Tomaj. She looked right at him. "You got me a book?"
"It will be important."
"You are going too far."
"Where is my thank you?" Tomaj had asked.
"I didn't ask you to get me the book. This isn't your job Tomaj."
"Basch isn't here to do it."
"Doesn't mean you get to." She walked right to him. "What were you thinking?"
"That you need the information as fast as possible." Tomaj had answered. "You are on an airship away from Ivalice. Who is on the ship is all you have. I should have asked?"
"Yes." Auda answered. "That would've been nice." She turned her back. "All I want from you is to just be there, just like any friend would."
"Of course. I am Uncle Tomaj."
"I never agreed to have my child call you uncle." She walked off.
Later that day, the battle party returned with a blond who was dressed in armor. He was wounded, and he didn't interact with anyone. With Tomaj's attitude, it was clear he didn't like the wounded hume. It was dark, and the main group was sitting around a fire, the wounded male was nearby.
Auda took a bite of Penelo's stew. It didn't want to say down. She ran off to the woods. "Auda?" Kytes asked. "Penelo's cooking isn't that bad is it?"
Vaan nodded his head.
"Hey!" Penelo yelled at him.
"Auda?" Filo went to her.
Auda threw up another time. She couldn't tell anyone what was going on. Penelo may figure it out though. She was smart after all. Auda couldn't wait for this part to be over. She finally stopped and wiped her mouth. "I'm going to clean up my mouth and go to bed."
"Auda…" Kytes ran to her.
"I have a migraine." She lied. "Sorry… sometimes they can get bad. I just need rest. I may just stay in bed tomorrow."
The following day, Auda woke up to the sunlight shinning in her room. She didn't want to get up, her stomach was still upset. She just can't wait to be over it. She patted the empty spot next to her. She wished she could see Basch soon. "Basch…" She said softly. Her heart ached. She just couldn't wait to see him, but it wouldn't be soon enough.
"Auda?" Tomaj knocked, "It's midday. You awake?"
Auda sat up quickly. "Midday!?" She opened the door. "I'm reading it."
"Good."
She took her vitamin. "Ugh… hopefully that would stay down. I'm awake, and I want to be alone."
"You are missing Basch?"
"That is clear." Auda spoke, "Go back on the repairs, and I'll check on it tomorrow okay."
Tomaj nodded his head. He walked to the door. "Auda… when will you start showing?"
"I don't know. Haven't gotten that far in the book. Hopefully, by then Basch will be at my side."
"Yeah, a child needs their father."
Auda walked out in the morning on the 3rd day of being marooned. It was a nice sunny day. She wanted to go swimming again. She looked over at Vaan. "Hey, Vaan, is there a place to go swimming?"
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "You wanna go?"
"Heck yeah!" She nodded back.
"Are you still sick?"
"I'm fine as long as I'm not near food." She answered.
"All right, before we go, we should check on the wounded guy." Vaan ran off to the camp center. Auda followed walking. She spotted Tomaj looking over, and he walked away. Auda knew he was worried. Maybe he can join. Vaan looked at the wounded man. "All we want to know is who you are, and how you got here."
"You shouldn't try to run. You're hurt. Don't worry, you can trust us." Penelo reassured. They only got silence in response.
Vaan and Penelo looked at each other. Filo shook her head. "I don't like it. He talks even less than those agyel!"
"That's not a very nice thing to say, Filo."
Llyud looked confused. He didn't know what to say. Filo has been around to many humes and not enough of other races.
Vaan turned his attention to the wounded man. "Usually, when someone saves your life, you at least thank them." There was still no response.
"I've got an idea!" Penelo walked closer to the guy, and pushed Vaan out of the way. She was moving slowly, trying to find a rhythm within, and soon started to dance. Everyone watched, her body rolls had improved since the last time Auda saw her dance. It was been awhile. Filo and Kytes started to dance up and down. Penelo then stopped. "Still nothing?"
"... Thank you." The man's voice was rough, like he hasn't spoken in such a long while.
Penelo started to laugh, "That's more like it! My name's Penelo. What's yours?"
"My name... My name is Velis."
Penelo walked closer to Velis. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Velis." She gave a kiss on the check.
Vaan got up, and ran off. Auda's heart went out to him. "Vaan."
Penelo looked over. "Where you going, Vaan?"
"We gotta eat, right?" Vaan ran off out of view. Kytes gave chase.
"Huh?" Penelo asked.
"What's troubling him?" Llyud asked.
"Penelo doesn't usually dance for just anyone." Filo explained.
Auda shook her head, "It's more than that. Guess he isn't going swimming with me." She walked to the entrance of the Galbana, "I'll go check on the repairs then."
Tomaj walked pasted Auda, after giving a quick chat with Vaan. He didn't say anything to her. "Tomaj." She called out. "What is the matter?"
Tomaj looked at her, "I'm busy with repairs." He answered.
"And since when you being busy have stopped you from talking to me before?"
Tomaj sighed. "I don't want to get into this right now."
"Into what?"
"I shouldn't have rejected you." Tomaj walked off.
Auda looked down, thinking. Did he really just say that? She walked to her room. She wasn't sure what she should say to that. Was there anything for her to say? She thought they were friends now. Or was he working this hard so she would leave Basch and go to him? She wasn't going to do that. No way in hell.
She crashed on the bed, the book was right in the empty spot where Basch liked to sleep at. She didn't care what side, it was he who needed the left. She picked up the book, though she knew it wouldn't help what Tomaj spoke. She needed to know how long she can keep her secret.
The book didn't have an answer. It just depends on the woman. She didn't even knew how far along she was. She went into the bathroom, and drew herself a bath. She just wanted to relax. Tomaj should have been over this by now right?
Vaan had returned later that night with Kytes, after fighting off some of the yarhi, Vaan took off on to the airship. He spotted Auda sitting out on the roof looking at the stars. "Sorry Auda. We can go swimming tomorrow."
Auda looked at him. "You got really jealous. Does Penelo know your feelings?"
"We are together." He admitted, "Not too long after we became partners."
Auda looked at the sky. "What's the story down there then?"
"He is looking for a woman that he loves."
"I see. Then why are you jealous?" Auda had to ask.
"She kissed him, and danced for him."
"You are reading too much into it." She patted the spot next to her. He sat down. "She is with you, is she not?"
"Tomaj sees it to."
"Tomaj is ignorant." She sighed, "Either way you trust his judgment?"
"I trust what I see." Vaan sighed next. "She pushed me away to dance for him. And when I returned they were close."
"You have to trust Penelo."
"I do." He shook his head, "I just don't like this. Anyways, Tomaj seemed like he was avoiding you."
"That's because he is." Auda looked back at the stars again. "He didn't say much, but what he did say, it was all he needed. He regrets rejecting me."
"Oh…"
"Do you think Basch is looking at the same stars?"
"We are under the same sky. You miss Basch a lot that I do know. How has life been up in Archadia?"
"Yeah." Auda brought her knees close to her body. "I am happy with Basch, I went back to face my past head on so I can be with him. Many don't care as long as I don't affect their life. Though some do, and some believe me and Larsa. Those that disagree let themselves known. Life in Archadia hasn't been easy for me. Those that disagree though, aren't high up though, they are the ones who have a natural distrust of the government. They have no power."
"Does he know it hasn't been easy?"
"He has been by my side through everything, as I him. You know I have nightmares. He has nightmares too."
"You both are broken but together you make a perfect whole." Vaan laughed. "Much like me and Penelo. I just wish that she wouldn't ignore me for him."
"You need to talk to her."
"If I get the chance."
"That would be the tricky part." Auda laughed lightly.
"What about you? Are you going to talk to Tomaj about what he said?"
"Why should I?" Auda had humphed. She closed her eyes, "If he doesn't want to let go, that's his problem. I hoped we moved past that and actually became friends. However, it seems his old feelings had showed its ugliness. I can't just go up to him and tell him to get over it. That he has to do on his own." She gave a yawn.
"Have you eaten anything?" Vaan asked to change the subject.
"Not much." She responded, "The smell of it makes me sick again. I can't keep anything down."
"Penelo's cooking is that bad though."
"Don't be mean!"
It's been a week since they had crashed. Auda's appetite hasn't improved. She would like to know how far along she was. She went to the edges of the book in her room. She wrote down the information she does know. She counted back. "Five and a half weeks." She spoke to herself once the math was done. She walked out to the sky saloon, Tomaj was resting. "Repairs done?" She asked.
"Not yet, close if we pull an all nighter." He spoke. "About what I said."
She shook her head. "Don't mention it." She gave a light smile. "This hasn't been easy for you, I know, and I'm sorry. But I thought we were friends. I thought you were over that. It was over a year ago."
"Feelings came back up." Tomaj walked to her. He looked around before he touched her stomach. "I would like to be Uncle Tomaj if you let me."
"Asking now?" She gave a light laugh. "No more bring up the past then."
"No more."
She nodded her head and stepped away. "The book didn't have a real answer for the question you asked. Different women show at different times, as early has 2 months, to 4, then not even showing until way later."
"I see. They will find out sooner or later. They know you nap during the day, and they know you aren't eating much. You gotta eat."
"I'll eat when I start craving." She rolled her eyes. She then looked out to the camp below. "I know they worry, but I don't want them to know yet."
"I know." Tomaj spoke. "Don't worry, they won't, not until you are ready. I'm leaving that to you." He went outside just to come back in. "A fight is out there. That wounded guy transformed into Odin."
"Odin huh?" Auda looked out the window, Penelo was on her knees. "Penelo."
"You aren't going out there. You don't have the energy, nor can you or your child get hurt."
"I know…" She whispered. "I have to trust Vaan…" She looked at him fighting. "It won't stop me from worrying."
Auda woke up late again the next day, she yawned and stepped out, Tomaj ran to her with Vaan behind him. "The Galbana is fixed!" Vaan yelled.
Tomaj nodded, "I'm going for a nap."
Auda nodded her head. "Go for it." He left. "Is Penelo okay? I saw the fight last night."
Vaan looked behind him, looking at her. "That guy, Velis, reminded her of her brothers. I was a jerk."
Auda laughed. "You guys needed to talk was all. There is no right or wrong, as long as you guys talk things out, everything will be fine." She saw Penelo get on board with everyone else. "She loves you, she will treat you right. You love her, and so you should treat her right. I'm glad you guys are finally together. Now I'm waiting for Filo and Kytes."
"I know right?" Vaan laughed as well. "And Tomaj sighted the Strahl!"
"And you tell me this now?" Auda asked. "Let's hurry! It would be great to see Balthier and Fran again!"
