(A/N: This chapter is rather, how should I say, serious. How will Asbel react after what he just saw? Well, read and find out.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 8: Talking With Swords

By the next morning, all of Asbel's self-confidence was gone. Seeing Nausicaä and Ved kiss had sent him back into a state similar to the one he was in yesterday. Regardless of what he had decided the previous day and what Lord Yupa had told him, he had once again thrown himself into his training, trying to fill the void. He found that his master was right. The training may provide a distraction, but it couldn't fill the empty space in his heart.

'Not worthy!' his mind kept screaming. 'Not worthy!'

At the moment, he wasn't exactly sure who he was saying was unworthy. Was he saying that he wasn't worthy of Nausicaä, or that Ved wasn't?

'Both.' He thought. 'None of us are worthy. As far as I'm concerned, there is no man alive who is worthy of her.'

He paused for a moment in his training. He saw his sweaty reflection in his sword. His eyes narrowed and he tossed the blade away.

"Of course I'm not worthy." He muttered. "Nausicaä is too pure-hearted for someone like me. After what I did… after what I allowed my people to do."

His thoughts went back two years ago to the time before he met Nausicaä. To the time when the Tolmekians had invaded Pejite. They had completely taken over the city, imprisoning everyone. They had killed his father, they had abducted his sister, they had taken the Giant Warrior.

There had been only a few of them who hadn't been captured. Asbel had been one of them. He had wanted to go after his sister, but his duty as prince came first, no matter how much he hated it. Some of his people had brought up the idea of using the Ohmu to chase away the Tolmekians. It was a cruel and dangerous move, but Asbel had allowed it to happen. He had then left to rescue his sister and make the Tolmekians pay for what they had done.

"I killed them." He whispered sadly. "And I allowed the Ohmu to destroy Pejite."

He angrily slammed his fist on the ground, splitting his skin open. He didn't care though. His guilt was hurting him much more. There had to have been a better option. But he had let his anger and hatred blind him. It had only been when he had seen Nausicaä's face as she desperately pleaded for him to stop that he had realized what he had done. True, he may have stopped it from happening to the Valley of the Wind, but he couldn't erase his past mistakes. Make up for them, maybe, but not erase them.

That was why he wasn't worthy. While Nausicaä had been willing to sacrifice herself for peace, he had chosen a violent path that had led to the deaths of others and the destruction of his kingdom.

'But I changed.' He told himself. 'I'm not like that anymore. I never wanted to be a bad person to begin with.' His brow furrowed in anger. 'It was those Tolmekians. They forced our hand. They made us. They made us!'

That's what his common sense was telling him. But somewhere in his mind, he knew that it was still his fault. Nausicaä had managed to find a way. He could have too. But he didn't. He had allowed his anger to drive him to do things he would consider to be evil.

"And that is why I'm not worthy of her." he murmured.

"Isn't that her choice?" said a voice in his head, one that sounded an awful lot like Lord Yupa's.

"Great, now I'm hearing voices." He muttered to himself.

Sighing, he laid down and looked up at the sky. Lord Yupa was right, this wasn't helping. If he really wanted something, he had to go for it, otherwise he obviously didn't want it enough if he wasn't willing to do what must be done. And while he had feelings for Nausicaä, what he wanted most was for Nausicaä to be happy. And if that meant that he had to give her up to Ved, then so be it.

"A rather strange position to find a prince in."

Asbel sat up and turned to the person that spoke to him. 'Well, speak of the devil.' He stood up before addressing the Kalvandir prince. "I gave up that title two years ago."

Ved raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"To become Lord Yupa's apprentice."

Apparently, his answer didn't satisfy Ved. "You didn't have to give up your prince status for that."

Asbel shrugged. "I decided that I wasn't making a very good prince."

A look of understanding crossed over Ved's face. "I assume you're talking about using the Ohmu to drive off the Tolmekians."

Asbel gave the Kalvandir prince a surprised look. "You know about that?"

Ved cut his eyes at him. "A kingdom gets completely destroyed and you think we wouldn't know about it?" He shook his head. "Perhaps you should return to your people and take up your royal position again. I'm sure they'll take you back."

Asbel nodded. "I know they will. They said they would. But I figured that I could do more good as a civilian. Perhaps I'll take up my position again when I feel responsible enough."

"Ah," said Ved, nodding, "you're afraid you'll make another mistake that will end disastrous again." He sighed. "It was a time of war. You can't blame yourself for your actions. I'm sure even the kind-hearted Nausicaä would have react badly if provoked. Humans will do what's necessary to protect themselves."

"But we shouldn't have to protect ourselves from each other."

Ved looked surprised by Asbel's choice of words. "Very insightful."

"Nausicaä told me that. And she's right. I just wish I knew and believed then what I do now."

Ved didn't reply at first. Instead, he went over to Asbel's sword and picked it up, returning it to the Pejite prince. "Then it sounds to me that she is doing her part in the prophecy." He held out Asbel's sword. "And if it makes you feel any better, I can't say if I wouldn't have made the same decision you did in dealing with the Tolmekians."

Asbel shook his head. "It wasn't my idea. I didn't support it." He looked away. "But I did nothing to stop it."

Ved was silent a moment before smiling and saying, "Lets have a friendly duel to take your mind off it."

Asbel looked surprised. "You want to duel with me? Do you even know how to handle a sword?"

Ved laughed. "Don't insult me. Of course I know. I'm nowhere near as good as Lord Yupa, but perhaps I can stand up to his apprentice." He cocked his head to the side. "I'd like to find out. So what do you say? Duel me."

Asbel thought about it a moment before standing up. "Not with real swords, I hope."

Ved laughed again. "Of course not. We'll use practice swords. Come, I have the necessary equipment in my ship."

He motioned for Asbel to follow him, leading him to the enormous airship he arrived in.

Asbel wasn't sure what he had expected to find, but an entire training room and battle arena was not it.

"You have a whole arena in here?" he cried.

Ved looked around, as if he had just noticed this. "Well, of course. Why do you think it's a bit much?"

"Does this place have its own city hall too?"

Ved found that funny. "I like you, Asbel."

He tossed the Pejite prince a sword. Asbel examined it carefully. It seemed like any other sword, but he found that it wasn't sharp. It didn't even break the skin when he ran the blade over his hand.

"We use those for practice." Ved explained. "They're safe and easy to wield. Just avoid striking me in the head. They may not be strong enough to break the skin, but they can still put an eye out."

Asbel nodded, still testing out the sword. "What are these made of?"

Ved chuckled. "Sorry, trade secret, can't tell you."

Asbel rolled his eyes. "Ok, so how do you want to do this? First strike to the torso? First to lose their weapon? First to surrender? Time limit?"

Ved waved his sword around. "Whatever you decide."

Asbel nodded. "Ok then. How about a ten minute round, or first to lose their weapon?"

Ved just smiled and headed towards the other side of the arena. He turned back to Asbel and bowed. "Whenever, you're ready."

Asbel bowed back and charged at the Kalvandir prince. Ved ran out to meet him in the middle. The two swords clanged together noisily as they met. Asbel pulled back and went in for an opening, only to have himself blocked by Ved's blade. Then Ved went in for an opening, but he too was blocked.

The two princes found themselves locked in a dance of blades as they each matched the other's movements. Asbel was surprised by Ved's skills. The Kalvandir prince was very good. He wondered who trained him.

The swords came together again, each duelist trying to push the other one back. Ved's stressed face broke out into a smile.

"You're very good." He said.

"So are you." Asbel replied, returning the compliment. "Who taught you?"

"Multiple sword masters. Although none of them are even close to the level as yours."

They broke apart and began their dance of death again.

"By the way," said Ved, as he ducked under Asbel's blade, "I should apologize about yesterday. You and Nausicaä had planned on spending the day together."

Asbel's grip on his sword tightened. "I'm just a friend. You're the one that's courting her, not me."

Ved smiled. "You can't fool me, my friend. I see it on you as plain as day." Their swords clanged together. "You're in love with her."

Asbel growled and pulled away. "What makes you-"

"Don't deny it." Interrupted Ved. "I know that you love her. The question is, what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean, what am I going to do about it?"

Ved sighed. "If you truly love Nausicaä, then you'll want what's best for her. That's what we all want, isn't it?"

Asbel jumped back from Ved's swinging sword. "So, what are you saying?"

"I just want you to do what you feel is best. Nausicaä is very important. We have to do what is best for her, not what we want for her or from her. If you desire her, then what is stopping you from courting her as well?"

"I-"

"Before you answer, you must think about this carefully." Ved had a very serious expression on his face. "This is more than winning Nausicaä's love. This is also about the prophecy. We can't be greedy. We have to think about what's best for the world before anything else."

"Nausicaä is the world to me!" Asbel shouted.

He charged forward. Ved made an unexpected movement and knocked the sword from Asbel's hand. The sword landed several feet away from them.

"If that is true," said Ved calmly, "then you'll be willing to do anything for her. You must make the choice that is best for her, regardless of what you want. Can you do that, Asbel?" He received no answer. Ved sighed and sheathed his sword. "I'm not saying to give up on her. By all means, court her with me. Just make sure it's the right decision."

He turned and walked away. Asbel remained where he was, thinking about what Ved had told him. He hadn't said anything that he hadn't already know, but to put it out in the open like that…

"So," said Ved, startling the Pejite prince. He tossed Asbel the practice sword again, giving him a smile. "How about a rematch?"

(A/N: Ved is making it very hard for Asbel to hate him. He does give him something to think about though. What's Asbel going to do next? Nausicaä wasn't in this chapter, but she'll be in the next one.)