Apologies

True to Cid's word, the party reached the river by noon. If you hadn't looked up to find the sun, however, you would never had known it was noon. The sky remained the same grayish blue color all throughout the day which made it almost impossible to guess the time.

By now, Marina had won the hearts of the soldiers with her kindness and playful charm. She served them their lunch and sat with them in their wide circle.

Balthier decided to sit alone to think but he hadn't even started on his thoughts before his father sat beside him. Cid noticed how Balthier chose to ignore him and keep his eyes on Marina. "You know...she'd make a beautiful queen. And she is royalty after all so she already knows-"

Balthier cut him off. "Marina would die before she became Queen of Endor."

"But why? She has been so blind with hatred for me that she has not noticed that her people are prospering like never before. They live in peace and hold no hatred for me. She should too."

Balthier finally turned to look at him. "You ordered her and her family killed. Did you forget that detail?"

"I ordered no such thing. I ordered that they should be brought before me so that we may speak of a truce. I was told they were killed in the crossfire and was enraged with the news."

Normally Balthier would not believe Cid but he saw the truth in the eyes so very much like his own. He sighed and looked at Marina. Cid looked at her as well. "I see now why she hates me so much. But I swear to you I had nothing to do with her family being murdered." Balthier knew that Marina deserved to know the truth but how was he supposed to tell her?

--

After eating the party crossed the hip deep river and moved on towards the mountains. As the sun was setting the small company reached the waterfall. As the soldiers began to sit down to rest, Balthier approached his father. "Something puzzles me. We were told all of these villages and people were destroyed but we have come across nothing that looks like ruins" he said quietly so only Cid could hear.

"Your grandfather told me these people generally lived in the forests and mountains. We've been traveling across nothing but hills so that would explain why we haven't seen anything." Balthier nodded and turned to walk away but Cid grabbed his arm. "For whatever it's worth son, I didn't mean to hurt you or your mother and I regret more than anything that I did." Balthier nodded once as a silent 'thank you' and went to sit beside Marina.

"So how are you doing?" she asked when he sat down.

"I'm fine. I feel...unsure about a lot of things but I'll figure it out."

Marina smiled. "I know you will."

--

The next morning the party walked carefully beneath the waterfall. No one liked the idea of walking down a long dark tunnel soaking wet but they didn't really have a choice. The company's footsteps echoed loudly off the rock walls. The soldiers pulled some magic powered lamps from the supply bags and handed them out.

Once the four lamps were lit they realized that the cave they were in was a half of a mile wide and stretched on into the darkness ahead of them. Unsure of what they would find, everyone walked forward in silence. They walked for an hour before they were stopped by a dead end.

"Maybe we missed a turn off" Mattis suggested.

Cid ignored him and began to examine the wall. After ten minutes of searching Cid found a small keyhole in the wall. He turned to Balthier and Marina. "You wouldn't happen to have a key with you, would you?"

Marina looked at Balthier and he nodded. She took the key out of her pocket and walked forward. She put the key in and everyone held their breath as she turned it.