Chapter 3

Baylion had to rest; he couldn't continue to go on like this. He felt even weaker than he had when he had left Faldor. He stopped Twilight and got off of her, when his feet hit the ground he cried out in pain and fell to the ground, his vision blackened as he began to lose consciousness. He retreated into himself, the pain was unbearable, he needed help, but it was too late now, he was still out three hours from Belincoff.

He didn't know how long he lay there, time became meaningless as he continued to draw in ragged breaths, he wished so much that death would take him, but it was not so. He became aware of the sound of urgent voice. The voice was commanding, and seemed to be frightened. Baylion tried to open his eyes and speak, but when he moved it hurt terribly, and he gasped, causing more pain in his ribs.

"Rest, and be still. You will be taken care of," said a male's voice. Baylion tried to see who it was, but everything was foggy. He put his head back onto the dirt ground and closed his eyes, he was exhausted.

He woke up what seemed to be an eternity later, and felt himself lying on a bed with satin sheets. He could feel a female dabbing a damp towel on his forehead. The soft dainty fingers felt practiced as whoever it was continued to nurse him back to his health.

He must have groaned, because the lady said," Shhhh, you need to rest, you had four broken ribs and two deep lacerations on your head. You've been heeled by our master magician and your body has to use energy to help repair the damage."

The voice was soft and gentle. It had a fluty tone to it, but there was extreme kindness and love in that voice. So much so, that he calmed down even more and felt completely at ease with whatever would happen next. He fell back asleep, after a little while he woke again and felt his energy return. He still wasn't completely healed, but he was able to sit up. He looked round and found himself in a massive, luxurious room.

The walls were lined with golden crown molding that meshed perfectly with the calming blue walls.

"Good evening," said the same voice that had talked to him before," I'm happy to see you are awake."

There was a young lady in the corner at her desk, she was writing on parchment with a feather that matched the color of her dress. Her hair fell in curls down her shoulders.

She turned and smiled at him sweetly," How are you feeling," she asked as she got up and got him a glass of water.

"I feel fine," said Baylion in a weak voice," I'm very sore and my head feels like it will explode."

She looked at him curiously," Are you always so honest about everything?"

"Yes, I find no reason to hide the truth from others; it will only postpone the inevitable."

She had a smile on her face now," Well, the headache is from the magic meshing," she handed him the glass of water," My father is rather anxious to hear what happened to Faldor. There is not a trace of anything. My father wants to kill whoever did this."

"He can't," Baylion said," I am a expert swords man, although I will admit my skill with my new blade are lacking, but the person who I tried to fight was not of this world."

She had a worried look on her face; her eyes told Baylion that there was something that she wasn't telling him, but he didn't press her, he was thankful for her care.

"I will send someone to fetch my father," she said after a little while," he will want to know this. In the mean time, rest and recover your strength, you're going to need it for the Naor-Shati. It will take a couple of days but you'll feel better."

She left him laying there, the thoughts of his experience flooded his head.

Why did Gorge call me his big brother?

This and many other questions entered his head. He wanted to know what the Fallen Nine were; he wanted to know who that mysterious person was. Baylion thought about this so much that he grew tired and fell back asleep. When he woke again, he could hear the girl yelling at what seemed to be her father.

"No! I won't allow you to put him in a cell. Most importantly, he holds one of the Nine Swords of Power, he also has information we can use, and I like him," the last part was said somewhat quieter.

"I will not allow my daughter, the princes of Ivalice, to fall for a peasant who has made his living hunting animals and eating like a dog."

"Well you don't have a choice," she said lividly," If you don't want to, I will take care of him. You don't even have to see him."

Baylion heard the door slam and he opened his eyes to see her stalk towards him.

"What are the Swords of Power," asked Baylion.

She looked at him and color flooded her cheeks," You shouldn't have heard that," but she sat next to him and took a breath," I want to show you something, it will be hard to understand at first, but you must accept it."

Baylion had no idea what she was talking about, but he agreed to let her do this. He got out of the bed and the girl said," I had some special clothes made for you, you won't recognize what they are until I show what I want you to see, but if my theory is correct, they will fit you perfectly."

She held out the clothing. It was a black robe with one sleeve on the left arm. There was a lion on then chest right above the heart made of silver and there were also a pair of boot. It was far nicer than anything Baylion had ever seen. He was led to a room where he could shower and change. He got into the tub after she, Princes Ashe, had left.

It was a different experience, taking a bath. He had never been confined to a tub, he had always swam in the Crystal Falls. After he had finished, he put the robe on and to his surprise it fit perfectly. It even made him look princely. There was a knock at the door as he finished strapping the sword to his back.

"Come in," he said, she slowly opened the door and gave a gasp as she beheld him.

"It's a perfect fit," she said breathlessly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She shook herself from her stupor and smiled sweetly at him," Nothing, you will know all in a few moments."

She ushered him out of the bathing room and back into the room and led him to his new sword.

"The blade seems to fit you well," said Princes Ashe distractedly.

"It didn't work well enough for me when I fought Gorge," he said as he strapped the weapon to his back.

Ashe turned to him," Gorge? That was the beings name?"

Baylion didn't answer her, he realized he was giving a lot away and finished strapping the weapons sword into place at his back. She smiled up at him with gentle lips, but her eyes told him that she thought he was alien to her. She didn't understand him at all.

She turned on her heels and opened the front door to him. He walked out cautiously and there was a metallic thunk as guards placed their scythes across his path. "It's alright gentlemen," said Princes Ashe," I'm with him."

"You Highness," said the biggest guard without turning his head," your father has ordered that the prisoner is not to leave his quarters without his expressed permission."

She growled and said," Damn him! Let us by Burris, I'll talk to my father about this, but please, let him pass. You won't be thrown in the dungeon. You did your job."

The man nodded warily and let them by the princess turned to him and said gravely," Follow me."