(A/N: Hey people, I'm back. The next chapter has arrived. You romantics are going to be really angry with me by the time this one is over. But this is when things are going to start to get interesting.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 4: The Kalvandirs

"Come on, admit it." Said Nausicaä with a grin. "You had fun, didn't you?"

Asbel sighed, but was unable to keep the smile off his face. "Yes, ok, I had fun. I've never gone out into the toxic jungle just for fun before; even when I was with Lord Yupa. But I did enjoy myself."

"Told you." said Nausicaä smugly. "Tomorrow I'll show you one of the purified caverns I found." She hesitated. "That is… if you want to come."

"Of course!" said Asbel excitedly. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Nausicaä smiled, feeling a little too happy about this. She had been nervous, but she was glad she had asked. But wasn't the guy supposed to be asking the girl out, not the other way around?

She shook her head. No, this wasn't a date. Today hadn't been one either. They were just friends. She hadn't been asking him out, she had just invited him to join her in the toxic jungle. There was nothing wrong with two friends, who just happened to be a guy and a girl, hanging out together. It had not been a date. Besides, a place such as the toxic jungle wasn't exactly romantic; beautiful, but not romantic. A place filled with toxic spores didn't suit that purpose. They had to wear filtering masks all the time, so they couldn't even kiss.

Nausicaä blushed to the roots of her hair. No, she didn't want to kiss Asbel. One didn't do that with friends, unless it was something harmless like a simple peck on the cheek. But thinking about it drew Nausicaä's attention to Asbel's mouth, and she wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

"Nausicaä, you ok?" he asked.

The princess jumped, not realizing that she had been staring. "Huh, what?"

"Well you were just staring off into space like your mind was on something. Is anything bothering you?"

Nausicaä turned away to hide her embarrassment. "No, nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

"Just things."

Asbel took the hint. "Well, if you need anything, just tell me, I'll be happy to help."

Nausicaä opened her mouth to reply, but someone spoke before she did. "Asbel!"

The Pejite prince winced as he heard his master call him. "Oops." He muttered. "I forgot that I promised to make up this morning's training when I got back."

Nausicaä couldn't help but snicker. "Well, you better hurry then." Lord Yupa was kind and patient, but he was also very strict, especially with his pupils. "You don't want to keep him waiting."

Asbel smirked. "He'll make me train twice as much. I'll see you later."

He hurried over to his master, who had his arms crossed and was tapping his finger against the hilt of his sword. Nausicaä sighed and a smile crept up her face as she watched Asbel apologize to Lord Yupa. It was really good to have him back. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed him until he actually returned to her valley.

"I recognize that type of sigh." Came the voice of the old blind woman. Nausicaä turned to Obaba as the old crone wandered over to her. Nausicaä still wasn't sure how she got around without a walking stick or some other type of way to guide herself. "That is the same type of sigh all women in your position make."

Nausicaä cocked her head to the side, the gesture going unseen by the old woman. "What do you mean?"

Obaba just smiled knowingly. "You will know in time. By the end of this year if Lord Yupa's information is correct and my assumptions are accurate."

"Huh?"

"Patience, child. In time, you will understand. Matters of the heart take time."

She left Nausicaä with this to think about. The princess considered the old woman's words. Sometimes Obaba really confused her, but she had a feeling that she knew what the grandmotherly figure meant. She blushed again.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Nausicaä sat on one of the windmills as she watched the sunset. The view of her valley expanding into the desert area before becoming the Sea of Decay was truly breathtaking with the sun setting behind it. The orange light reflected off the sand, giving it a golden glow.

Teto crawled on top of Nausicaä's head and squeaked. She smiled and stroked the little creature between his ears, making him purr.

"I know, it's beautiful." she said. "Sure wish someone was here to appreciate the view with me."

"Will I be sufficient?" Nausicaä jumped as Asbel joined her on the windmill. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"It's ok." She assured him. "I just wasn't expecting an answer. Please, join me." Asbel sat down, wiping a sheen of sweat off his forehead. "Finish your training?"

Asbel nodded. "Just now. I knew he would train me extra hard for forgetting." He chuckled. "Sorry, I probably don't smell so good right now."

"It's fine." Nausicaä replied. "You actually look pretty attractive after a workout." She clamped her mouth shut, unable to belief what she had just said.

A hint of red appeared on Asbel's cheeks that had nothing to do with him being hot from his workout. "Um… thanks. You look lovely too; you always do."

"T-Thanks."

That hated awkward silence settled over them, the only sound being made by the wind blowing. Both felt obligated to say something, but didn't know what to say.

Apparently, Teto knew how to break the silence. He hopped from Nausicaä's head onto Asbel's. The Pejite prince blinked as the fox-squirrel made itself comfortable on his head.

Nausicaä chuckled. "He's really taken a liking to you. Besides me, I've never seen him get so comfortable with someone so quickly."

Asbel blinked again. "Is that a good thing?"

Nausicaä shoved him. "Of course it is! Teto can be picky about his friends."

Asbel just smiled. "Connecting with nature just seems so easy for you."

Nausicaä shrugged. "I just understand all creatures. Size, shape, instinct, intelligence, they're all living things, no matter how small and insignificant they may be." She sighed and looked out at the toxic jungle. "People just don't understand that life is life, regardless of who or what that life belongs to."

Asbel took in her words. "You're so insightful. I wish I could see things the way you do."

"You're insightful too. And you're learning to appreciate all life, and not just the lives of humans."

Asbel nodded. Yes, he was beginning to understand. There was more to all creatures of life than what meets the eye. The insects were an excellent example of this. In the past, Asbel, along with most of humanity, had thought the insects to be nothing more than bloodthirsty creatures that killed anything outside their own species. He had never thought that they had feelings or could understand things like humans could. A grave error on his part.

"Yes, you're showing me how wrong I've been in the past." He chuckled. "I guess that means you're doing your job as the prophesized one's soul mate."

Nausicaä frowned. "I don't want to think about that right now." She still didn't like the idea of her heart belonging to someone she didn't even know yet.

Asbel also frowned. "You're still worried about the prophecy choosing your destined one?"

Nausicaä nodded. "If I fall in love, I want it to be with someone I choose, not what some ancient prophecy says."

"I can understand how you how you feel." Asbel replied, nodding. "But remember what I said about maybe the person you fall in love with becoming the prophesized one."

"I remember. It is a possibility." She paused for a moment. "But still, I want to be able to choose my own destiny." She turned to face Asbel, lowering her voice. "I want to be able to fall in love on my own, and not according to some old legendary prophecy."

Her eyes were locked on Asbel's, and his on hers. She looked stunning with the wind blowing her red hair as the sun set behind it, making it illuminate with color.

"Well, you still can." He told her. "There's no rule that says you can't follow your own heart and do things your own way."

Neither one seemed to notice it, but their faces were slowly moving closer.

"I guess that's true." Nausicaä replied. "Even if I am bound by the prophecy, that doesn't mean I can't live my own life."

Their faces moved closer.

"Or do the things you want." Asbel added.

Closer.

"Or be free to fall in love with who I want." Nausicaä barely whispered.

Their lips nearly touched.

Teto began growing and hissing, suddenly ruining the moment as he jumped off Asbel's head. The prince and princess turned to the fox-squirrel, wandering what had caused him to react in such a way.

"Teto, what's wrong?" asked Nausicaä.

The fox-squirrel just growled, his fur standing on end.

"Nausicaä, look!" Asbel cried.

She turned in the direction he was pointing in and saw what had Teto on his guard. Coming in for a landing was an enormous airship. It was huge, big enough to fit at least five Ohmu inside it. Teto's sensitive ears had picked up the sound of its roaring engine before Nausicaä or Asbel did.

"Who?" Nausicaä whispered.

"You weren't expecting any… um, visitors?"

Nausicaä shook her head and went inside, descending the steps two at a time; Asbel and Teto right behind her. Once on the ground, they hurried over to the place the gigantic airship was beginning to land. They weren't the only ones; several other people were heading over to them, wondering just who was coming into their kingdom unannounced.

"Be cautious." Lord Yupa warned them. "Remember what happened with the Tolmekians."

Nausicaä nodded. She had no intention of starting a battle. "Although this is very unexpected, we shall greet and welcome these people into our valley."

"Maybe they're another kingdom that was overrun by Ohmu," one of the villagers suggested, "or perhaps their home was consumed by the toxic forest."

Asbel's eye caught sight of the symbol on the side of large airship. "Master, do you recognize that mark?"

Lord Yupa nodded. "I do. This ship belongs to the Kalvandirs."

"The Kalvandirs?" Nausicaä repeated.

Lord Yupa nodded. "They're a civilization that depend on their technology and intelligence. They dedicate their lives to science and progress, trying to make the world a better place."

"That sounds a heck of a lot better than the Tolmekians." Said another villager.

The ship settled easily on the ground. The people of the valley gathered around, wondering where the door was on the enormous contraption so they could greet their guests.

"Princess, over here!" someone called. "There's a door opening over here!"

Nausicaä hurried over to where the person was calling her. Asbel and Lord Yupa were right behind her. A door was indeed opening, and a ramp was coming down, allowing the Kalvandirs to exit the enormous airship.

Lord Yupa made a small movement that went by unnoticed by all except Asbel. He knew his master, always being on his guard, was reaching for his sword, just in case this was an attack.

For a moment, he thought they really were going to be attacked when men with weapons came out. He relaxed when they began lining up, facing each other as if they were preparing for the arrival of an important person. That was when he realized that these men were guards.

A short balding man waddled down the ramp and hurried to the end of the row of guards and announced, "Presenting his royal majesty, the prince of Kalvandir, Lord Ved!"

From out of the ship came a young man around the age of Nausicaä and Asbel. He walked down the line of guards with such grace that he almost appeared to be walking on air. He calmly strolled to the end of the line and gave the people of the Valley of the Wind a dazzling smile.

"Greetings to you all. I am Prince Ved, of the kingdom of Kalvandir. Is there a Princess Nausicaä here?"

Hesitantly, Nausicaä stepped forward. "Yes, I am Nausicaä."

Ved placed right hand on his left shoulder and bowed to her. "It's an honor to meet you, Princess."

Nausicaä bowed back. "It's an honor to meet you too, Prince Ved."

The Kalvandir prince smiled. "Please, Ved will be fine."

Nausicaä nodded. "Then you may call me Nausicaä."

"As you wish." Ved replied with another small bow. "Forgive me for my sudden arrival, but we were all anxious to meet you."

Nausicaä just waved it off. "It's no problem. We've just never had a visitor arrive in such a large ship."

Ved laughed. "Yes, my people and I believe that bigger is better. I always take this ship when I go on long trips." His eyes shifted over to the sword master standing behind her. "Lord Yupa, I presume. Yes, I recognize you. The infamous sword master."

Nausicaä turned to him. "Lord Yupa, you two know each other?"

"Of each other." Lord Yupa corrected.

"We went through the Kalvandir kingdom during our travels." Asbel explained. "They knew some of the second verse of the prophecy, so we asked around a bit."

Ved nodded. "Which is what brings me here. I wanted to meet you, Nausicaä. You are one of the two people the legend speaks of. I'm surprised more people haven't come to meet you."

He was wrong there. There had been people that have come to meet Nausicaä, wanting to meet the next Joan of Arc. Nausicaä hadn't really known what to do about it, so she pretty much just humored them. But she had never had someone come in like this.

"Well, I'm honored." Nausicaä replied. "But something tells me that you didn't come here just to meet me."

Ved laughed. "Very perceptive of you. Actually, I do have an another reason for coming here."

"Sire, please give me the honor of telling them." The short bald man requested.

The Kalvandir prince gave him a smile. "As you wish, Ken. You may do so."

The short man, Ken, looked thrilled. "Princess Nausicaä, people of the Valley of the Wind, we know of the prophecy that has long been the hope of us. It is known that your princess is the guide for the prophesized one, and it has recently become known to us Kalvandirs that our very own Prince Ved is in fact the prophesized one himself!"

There were shocked gasps all around. Even Lord Yupa was caught off guard by Ken's declaration.

"Him?" cried Asbel in disbelief, pointing at the Kalvandir prince. "He's the prophesized one?"

Ved just shrugged. "It would appear so."

Lord Yupa crossed his arms, unconvinced. "Forgive me for my lack of trust, but I am unable to accept that without proof." He wasn't about to believe the words of some energetic balding man when he had searched his whole life for the meaning of the prophecy.

Ved nodded in understanding. "I can accept that. But my people and I have researched the subject, and I fit all the qualifications the prophesized one is said to have. First off, my favorite color is blue, and I am rarely seen in clothes of another color."

Nausicaä realized for the first time that Ved was clad entirely in blue. Still that wasn't enough to convince her. There was bound to be several people in the world that liked to wear blue clothes.

"Also," Ved continued, "I have always had a strong connection with the earth and all its creatures; the Ohmu especially. I even had one as a pet when I was younger." He smiled. "They actually make good companions if you treat them with kindness."

"Many people felt uncomfortable with the prince having such a dangerous creature as a pet." Said Ken.

Ved cut his eyes at the little man. "I told you, they're only dangerous if you make them feel threatened. They have a right to defend themselves."

Ken shook his head. "My prince, I'll never understand you. You were always such a strange boy, always running off to play in the toxic jungle."

Nausicaä raised an eyebrow at that. Ved liked to spend time in the toxic jungle too? Ok, that was a lot less common than someone whose favorite color was blue, but she still needed more proof.

"It was just recently that we realized that he was the prophesized one." Ken continued. He looked at Lord Yupa and Asbel. "It happened shortly after these two left our kingdom. An injured insect wandered into town. None of us knew what to do. When it began drawing a crowd, it started calling for help. We all feared that the other insects would come and kill us all." He turned back to Ved. "But then our prince came and saved us. He calmed the creature down and took it in his arms. He carried it all the way to the toxic jungle. The other insects were indeed coming to the aid of their fellow insect." He shivered. "I still remember their angry red eyes glaring at us. They looked ready to kill us all." He smiled. "But then our prince held out the wounded bug, and calmly spoke to the others. Their rage subsided, and they took their friend and left. None of us could believe it. We had thought we were finished."

"I told you." said Ved. "They're far more understanding than you give them credit for."

Ken nodded. "If you say so, my lord." He turned back to Nausicaä. "The sun was setting at that time. And just before the land becomes part of the toxic jungle, there is a field of sand, much like the one here. The sun reflecting on it gave it a golden glow. And as our prince walked back to us, we saw him for what he truly was. Clad in blue, descending on a field of gold. And to wrap it all up, he is the prince of a kingdom that is all about progress. There are no doubts in our mind. He is the prophesized one."

Nausicaä looked at Ved again. She could see why his people would believe he was who he claimed to be. But still, it seemed too convenient. Perhaps he was the one in the legend, then again, perhaps not. There was only one real way to know for sure, and that was if she fell in love with him. Well, love at first sight certainly hadn't happened, but who knows what time will tell.

"So, you truly believe that you're the prophesized one?" she asked.

Ved simply shrugged. "I make no claim. I am simply providing the evidence. It is you that will make the decision whether to believe if I am the prophesized one or not."

Nausicaä glanced at Lord Yupa and Asbel. They had been the ones researching the prophecy, so she wanted their opinions. She saw that Lord Yupa was tapping his chin, thinking carefully about this unexpected development. Asbel, on the other hand, didn't seem to be even giving what he had just learned any consideration. For some reason, he looked very frustrated, though Nausicaä couldn't figure out why.

"It is true…" said Lord Yupa carefully. "These events do relate to the prophecy. However, there is one other qualification."

Ved nodded. "I am aware of it." He looked at Nausicaä. "The prophesized one's soul mate. The one who walked the golden road before him." He began walking towards her. "I can easily see myself falling in love with you, Princess." He took her hand and kissed it, causing her to blush. Not letting go of her hand, he got down on one knee, giving her one of his dazzling smiles. "Nausicaä, I would like to ask for your hand in marriage."

Asbel made a funny noise, but it went by unnoticed by the stunned Nausicaä, who was now blushing even harder. She felt flattered that Ved could claim to easily be able to fall in love with her. He seemed like the perfect gentleman, and he was very attractive. His spiky brown hair fell over half his face, as his ocean blue eyes studied her, patiently waiting for her decision was making her heart beat very fast.

"I'm… honored by your request," she said, pulling her hand away, "but I've just met you. I couldn't possibly accept a marriage proposal from someone I know nothing about. I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."

Ved showed no sign of disappointment. Instead he just smiled and stood up. "I understand perfectly. I am actually glad you're not immediately jumping into commitment. I hope, however, that you will not completely dismiss the idea, and will allow me to court you."

Nausicaä opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She should at least consider the idea. She should at least get to know him a little bit. If he was the true prophesized one, then things would happen as they were meant to. Simply allowing him to court her didn't mean that they were engaged or anything. But…

She turned and looked at Asbel. He still looked frustrated. Perhaps even more so than he had before. Why didn't he seem so angry? And why did she feel so against the idea of allowing Ved to court her? He seemed like a very nice guy. She felt almost as if it were her duty to give him a chance.

"I… guess it couldn't hurt to have one date." She said, deciding to give him that much.

"Wonderful!" Ved declared. "It will be an honor to get to know you more. I will be looking forward to it." He bowed again. "For now, I shall bid you all good night. The hour is getting late, and there is much I have to do. I will see you tomorrow, Nausicaä."

Nausicaä nodded. "Sure. See you tomorrow."

He smiled at her again and turned to go back inside, Ken following close behind. As he passed his guards, they got out of line and followed him back inside the large ship, the door closing behind him.

As the people of the valley began discussing what had just happened, Nausicaä turned to Asbel and Lord Yupa. "Well, that was certainly unexpected."

"I'll say." Asbel agreed, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.

Nausicaä blinked, confused by his anger. "Asbel, are mad about something?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped, harsher than he meant to. He took a calming breath and said in a calmer toner, "I need to go clean up. I'm still all dirty from training."

He walked away, his posture and movements a clear indication that he was frustrated.

"Oh boy." Lord Yupa muttered.

Nausicaä turned to the sword master. "Lord Yupa, is he ok?"

He nodded. "Don't worry about him, Nausicaä. He will be fine. But what about you? What are you going to do?"

Nausicaä turned to the large airship. "I have to give him a chance. If he is the prophesized one, then things will progress as they're meant to."

Lord Yupa nodded. "A wise decision on your part. If you do not feel he is the one, then you may end the courtship."

He turned to leave, but Nausicaä stopped him. "Lord Yupa, do you think Ved is the one in the legend?"

Lord Yupa paused for a moment, hesitating before he answered. "I do not know, Nausicaä. I have done all I can. The rest is up to you."

He left it at that, leaving Nausicaä with even more questions.

(A/N: You're all upset that I ruined the kiss between Nausicaä and Asbel, aren't you? I knew it. But where would the fun be if I made it that simple. Now there's a rival for Nausicaä's affections, and Asbel sure isn't happy about it. Jealousy alert! Now some drama is going to be thrown in. And could Ved really be the prophesized one? I might make it happen. Remember, this isn't strictly a Nausicaä X Asbel fic. So stay tuned for more, and I'll update soon.)