(A/N: Sorry this took so long. Had a bit of trouble getting started after the first chapter. I'm glad not too many people were upset about me changing Nausicaä's role in the prophecy. If anything, I think it gives her can even more important job than the actual prophesized one, since she going to be influencing him. Anyway, hope you enjoy the next chapter. I snuck a few Studio Ghibli references in here, just as I love to do.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 2: Graveyard Talk

Despite the late hour, a single figure walked through the Valley of the Wind. They walked down the road until they came to an area that was completely fenced in. As they approached the gate, they saw a sign that said: Here lie the dead. Mourn not their deaths, but rejoice for the lives they had, and pray for their eternal peace in the next world.

Nausicaä's hand gently ran over the words on the sign before she entered the cemetery. She had come here before to pay her respects to the dead plenty of times, but tonight she had come because she needed to talk. True, the dead never answered her, not with words, but that never meant she still didn't get a reply.

Coming across two identical tombstones, Nausicaä dropped to her knees as she traced her finger over the names on the tombstones.

"Hello Mother, hello Father." She said quietly. "It's Nausicaä. How have you been? I've been pretty good. Lots of things have happened since I last visited." She chuckled. "I know you probably already know what I'm about to tell you, but I still wish to speak with you. You see, Lord Yupa and Asbel came back yesterday after being away for two years." A smile crossed her lips. "I know, it's great. I really missed them both. Lord Yupa's training has really had an impact on Asbel; I can tell. I wish you could have met him, I know you would have liked him."

She shook her head, realizing that she was getting off topic. "But they came with some rather interesting news regarding me and the prophecy. According to what they found out, there's a second verse, one we didn't know of. Apparently, I'm not the prophesized one, as we had originally thought." She blushed slightly. "I'm… I'm their soul mate. I'm supposed to guide the true prophesized one, to show him the way into the light, and he shall guide the people of this planet out of the darkness."

She moved from a kneeling position and sat down. Her arms hugging her legs. "It's all so overwhelming. I know that when we first thought I was the prophesized one that it was also hard to grasp, but after two years, I sort of became used to the idea. Now I find out that I have a different role entirely, one that's maybe even more important.

"Also, Lord Yupa did a background check and discovered that this year is the thousandth year since the Seven Days of Fire. That means that the true prophesized one will arrive this year." Her bottom lip trembled slightly. "I'm at a loss at what to do. Obaba says that I don't really have to do anything, and that when the situation comes I will handle it and things will work out, but I still don't know. To be honest, I'm scared."

"Nausicaä?"

The princess jumped when her name was called. She turned around to find Asbel watching her. She felt somewhat irritated, had he been spying on her?

"Asbel, what are you doing here?" she demanded, trying to keep her irritation out of her voice.

He walked towards her. "I thought I heard your voice." His eyes fell upon the two graves Nausicaä was sitting by. "King Jhil and Queen Zandra." He read. His gaze shifted to Nausicaä. "Your parents?" He received a nod. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I was visiting Lastella's grave and I heard voices."

Nausicaä's irritation turned to shame. Of course, he had been visiting his sister, not spying on her. She should have known better, Asbel wasn't like that.

"You're not intruding." She told him. "You have as much right to be here as I do." She turned back to her parents' graves. "I was just talking to my parents."

"Sorry." Asbel repeated. "I'll leave you alone."

"You can stay." The words were out of her mouth before she had really even thought about it, but she realized it was true, she wanted him to stay.

"You sure?"

She nodded. "I don't want to be alone right now."

Asbel hesitated before sitting down next to her. Silence followed after that. Asbel felt like he should say something, but couldn't think of anything. He finally settled for, "You really miss them, huh?"

Nausicaä nodded. "Yes, but I know I'll see them again some day."

"They would be proud of you." said Asbel. "I may not have known them, but I know that they would be proud."

"Thanks." Nausicaä smiled sadly. "I just wish I could have saved them. My mother died from the sickness of the toxic jungle, and my father… he was killed when the Tolmekians invaded."

Asbel gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

Nausicaä sighed. "That's why I despise violence. It only brings pain and misery."

Asbel's eyes narrowed. "That's just the way the Tolmekians do things. Take over a kingdom, kill the leader, and take control. They did the same thing to Pejite. My father was killed in the attack too. They took Lestella hostage to make sure we would listen to them." He clenched his fists. "All because we discovered that Giant Warrior. I wish we never found it. Then Pejite wouldn't have suffered." He looked down shamefully. "Then the Valley of the Wind wouldn't have suffered." He looked at Nausicaä sadly. "I feel like I owe you an apology. It was because of us that the Tolmekian's invaded you land. If the Giant Warrior was never discovered-"

"Don't blame yourself." Nausicaä interrupted. "It's not like you wanted to find the warrior. You just had the misfortune to stumble across it."

"I guess that's true." The Pejite prince replied. "But still, that doesn't excuse what we did with the Ohmu. We knew it was dangerous, and most of us were completely against the idea, but we had no other way of beating the Tolmekians, and we couldn't let them awaken the warrior. Even so, if I had known then what drawing the Ohmu into the city would do, I would never have let them."

Nausicaä felt pity for him. "You did what you had to in order to survive, although you're right, that doesn't excuse or justify what your people did."

"I know, and I'm ashamed of it. I guess we got what we deserved."

"Don't say that!" Nausicaä cried. "Don't you ever say that! I agree that what you did was wrong, but that doesn't mean you deserved what happened to you."

"Perhaps." Asbel replied. He looked up at the cloudy night sky. "Maybe it was our past sins finally catching up with us."

Nausicaä gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Still looking at the sky, Asbel asked, "Have you ever heard of the flying castle, Laputa?" Nausicaä shook her head. "It was once a civilization with technology beyond anything we could imagine, before it was abandoned. My family is actually descendants from the Laputain royal family."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's also believed that the Giant Warriors originally came from Laputa. Some of my people believed that was the reason why there was a dormant warrior under Pejite." He sighed. "If that's true, then my ancestors are responsible for the Seven Days of Fire."

"But not you!" Nausicaä cried. "You can't blame yourself for what your ancestors did. Even if what you say is true, that doesn't make you or anyone else in your family responsible."

Asbel perked up a bit. "Maybe."

Nausicaä gave him a smile. "To tell you the truth, my family has a bit of a dark history too. It was long before the Seven Days of Fire, but it still happened. I'm a descendant of the royal Cagliostro family. Some of them, who were considered the dark side of the family, produced a the largest amount of flawless counterfeit dollars all over the world called Goat Bills."

Asbel's eyes widened. "Really?"

"It was put to an end after the current count was defeated by my ancestor and a thief, but still, so much crime for so long still happened." She turned to the Pejite prince. "Does that mean my family and I should be punished for what my ancestors did so long ago?" Asbel shook his head. "And neither should you. Besides, what you claim is just a theory. No one really knows where the Giant Warriors came from or how they came to be. So don't worry about what happened 1,000 of years ago. All we can do is hope for a better future."

Asbel chuckled. "Actually, that's your job. I can help, but it's up to you and the prophesized one to make it happen."

Nausicaä frowned, as her earlier worries came back to her. She sighed and hugged her legs, resting her chin on her knees. "Yeah, that's true."

Asbel noticed her distress. "So… you're scared, huh?"

Nausicaä gave him a surprised look. "What?"

"Sorry!" said Asbel quickly. "I heard you say it to your parents."

The princess rested her chin on her knees again. "Oh."

There was silence again as Asbel considered his next words. "Do you want to talk about it? I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

Nausicaä regarded him for a moment. "It's just, so much is happening. I find out my role in the prophecy isn't what I thought it would be for the past two years, the true prophesized one is supposed to come this year." She blushed. "And they're supposed to be my soul mate."

Asbel's eyes narrowed as he tried to keep the irritation from showing on his face. "Is that bothering you? Don't you want to find someone to be with?"

"Of course I do!" Nausicaä cried. "I just never thought it would be based on a prophecy. I feel like one of those princesses from a long time ago when they were engaged to someone at birth, with no say in the matter. It's like my future was chosen for me."

Asbel tapped his chin, trying to find something to say that would make her feel better. "Well, maybe it is up to you and not destiny."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, with the way you're making it out, you're supposed to fall in love with the prophesized one. Maybe it's the other way around. Maybe the person you fall in love with becomes the prophesized one."

Nausicaä blinked. She had never considered that as a possibility. A smile crept up her face. "Maybe. I never thought about it that way before." Her smile became a small frown as her brow furrowed in thought. "Oh, but now that makes me feel guilty."

Asbel raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sighing, Nausicaä laid down, looking up at the night sky. "Then that would mean that I would be forcing the responsibility of the prophecy onto the one I love."

Asbel just smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that. Anyone would do anything to be with you."

Nausicaä blushed slightly and laughed. "Oh, Asbel, you're such a flatterer."

"No, I'm serious." Said Asbel, all joking aside. "You deserve someone that would be willing to do anything to make you happy." He paused for a moment. "I know I would."

Nausicaä gave him a surprised look. Asbel looked away, feeling very embarrassed. He had been caught up in the moment and said too much.

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

Asel felt himself beginning to turn red. "Nothing." He quickly stood up. "Sorry, but I just remembered that Lord Yupa wanted to see me right after I visited Lestella. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Asbel?"

He ignored her and took off, not running, but not walking either. Nausicaä looked confused. Had she been hearing things, or did Asbel say what she thought he did? If so, what did he mean? Did he mean that he…

"Asbel," she whispered, "were you trying to tell me something?"

(A/N: Ok you romantics, I hope you enjoyed that little scene between Nausicaä and Asbel. You'll be seeing more of that in the future. There will also be competition for Nausicaä's affection. That is going to be fun to right about. Oh, just got an idea for next chapter. I'll see ya next time.)