Ghosts of the Past

Andreas smiled slightly as he stood in the doorway of the sitting room. Faith was sprawled on the floor at Asrai's feet and it was very clear that if Sebastian could hold Briar in his lap while she played her harp he would. His baby sister was chattering with her usual animation about a new song she'd heard.

"Do you know it Briar?" The violet-eyed princess asked. "I have the music, I managed to scribble it down while the bard was singing."

Briar frowned down at the scrawls. "It sounds familiar…you'll have to start it Asrai, and I'll see if I can catch up." Asrai nodded and in her beautiful contralto began to sing.

"I'd gladly walk across the desert with no shoes upon my feet

To share with you the last bite of bread I had to eat.

I would swim out to save you, in your sea of broken dreams

When all your hopes are sinking, let me show you what love means."

::

She began the chorus and Briar joined her, her soprano blending with Asrai's voice.

"Love can build a bridge, between your heart and mine,

Love can build a bridge, don't you think its time.

Don't you think its time?

::

I would whisper love so loudly every heart would understand

That love and only love, can join the tribes of man

I would give my hearts desire, so that you might see

The first step is to realize, it all begins with you and me."

::

She began the chorus again and this time Briar led off the final verse, Asrai's voice joining hers for a clarion call.

"When we stand together, it's our finest hour,

We can do anything, anything, if we keep believing in the power…

Between your heart and mine.

Love can build a bridge, don't you think is time,

Don't you think its time?"

::

"That is beautiful." Andreas said from the doorway. "And it reminds me of something I have to do." He smiled at his family before he left. "Don't worry if I'm a bit late for Court."

The docks of Suzail weren't the safest place in the world Andreas knew. But somehow it seemed right to him that he stand by the sea waters as he let go of something that had begun by the sea. The silver locket gleamed in the fading afternoon light as he regarded it in his open palm. "Oh Kat, I'm sorry that I must do this. But I don't see a choice anymore. If I am going to do as you asked, and let go, I can't continue to cling to the past, not even to your precious gift."

He sighed slightly and shook his head. "I don't want to end up like that ghost, clinging to the past and searching for someone exactly like you at every turn. I don't want to become a living ghost, clinging to the love we shared as the only one I will know in my life. I need to look to my future Kat, and that means going on. And going on means, as you tried to tell me, letting go of you and our love." He smiled. "But I will always treasure the memory of my love for you. You taught me what love can be. Now I can hope to find something that true to share with my future queen."

He pulled his hand back, the silver chain dangling and cast the locket into the sea as if hurling a spear. It disappeared beneath the waves of Suzail's harbor with nary a glint to show where it had sank.

"That was good silver." The tone of the voice was outraged. "I coulda bought me three or four grog fer that."

Andreas turned and grinned at the grizzled looking man who stood at the end of an alleyway. "Sorry. I had to get rid of a piece of my past." He shrugged.

"Normal folk dinna throw away good silver, they take it ta a pawnshop and git good money fer it." The man told him as if offended.

"Nay they don't." Another voice agreed from the opposite alleyway.

"Well my good men, since you seem to feel that I could have traded that for some good grog, why don't I take you both out for a few tankards?" Andreas grinned well aware that he might just get his throat cut if he wasn't careful. "I've reason to celebrate. My sister is marrying, finally, at the end of the month."

"Marryin'?" The first one repeated. "No one will see her wed if she's marryin' at the end o' the month." He stepped forward a bit to have a good look at this strange person on the dock. "Lookee here." He put his hands on his hips. "I think we got oursel's a fancy man." He chortled.

Andreas rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, I know, I'm ugly and my mother dresses me funny." He grinned. "Are you going to hold that against me or will you celebrate my sisters marriage with me?"

The second man shook his head. "The likes o' ye dinna usually drink wi' the likes o' us." He observed.

Andreas shrugged. "If you're that particular about how your drinking companions dress." He spread his hands aware that he was enjoying himself. It was as if he was free to mock himself a bit whereas a month ago he would have given them both a chilly set down and had his sword out to back up his right to be left alone.

"Nay, we're not that partic'lar." The second man shook his head. "Ye know the Ace in the Hole?"

"I'm familiar with it yes." Andreas nodded.

"Now, now, wait just a min'." The first man protested. "Why in the worl' would ye're sister want ta marry at the end o' Eleint?" He wanted to know. "Tha's the day o' the Royal Wedding ye know. We're ev'n goin' ta watch when they go through the streets."

"I know that's when Princess Lorelei and her brother Prince Sebastian are both getting married." Andreas grinned. "My sister wants to get married that day. What can I say? I don't argue with my sister. It's pointless."

"Oi, I hear that." The first man nodded his understanding with a male's sympathy for another man burdened with a difficult female. "I be Jeg, and this be Mort." He nodded his head politely. "What be yer name?"

"Ah, my family calls me Andreas." The Crown Prince grinned. "Let me get my friend here." He turned and looked into the now dark shadows. "Karse, what do you think, have I got time for a few drinks?"

"Your mother will skin you if you come back too late." The watcher informed him as he stepped from the shadows. "And if she does, you'd better make it clear that I'm not your nursemaid."

"My mother hasn't ever skinned a man in her life." Andreas retorted. "We're only going to have some grog, we won't be too long."

"Little do you know." Karse grumbled and shook his head. "Still if you want to upset her that's your lookout."

Andreas grinned. "Then it's settled." He looked at the other two. "Jeg, Mort, this is Karse." He bowed elaborately. "Shall we be off?"

Almost lost beneath the waves, the silver locket gleamed in the water-faded moonlight and then, unseen by those on the docks, disappeared in a flash of silver light.

The silver seemed heavy in the lady's white hand, as it appeared in her palm. Slim strong fingers closed around it, and a smile of both resigned sorrow and joy curved her lips. With the locket's reappearance she knew someone far away had finally let go of the past and would go on to a future that did not include her. The smile that tilted her mouth grew more joyful as she carefully slipped the locket within a soft pouch and set it in a simple wooden case. Someday, she knew with serene certainty, it would go around her son's neck.

Several tankards of grog and a half an hour later Jeg was squinting at Andreas in the slightly better light of the tavern. "Ye know, ye look familiar."

"I should, you've been drinking with me for half an hour now." Andreas retorted with a smile.

"Nah, nah." Mort shook his head. "Did your mother really skin somebody?" He looked at Karse for confirmation.

The dour Watcher grimaced but then a grin brightened his face for a moment. "Andreas' mum is that bad to cross." He admitted. "But I don't think she's ever skinned someone. She's gotten ready to do it though, when she found out what her second son got up to."

"What did he do?" Andreas laughed with a wry shake of his head. "Sebastian managed to get in more trouble all in the name of learning new tricks."

"Climbed the palace walls without a safety rope and your father climbed up after him and brought him down." Karse told him. "Your mother was that angry with him. She made him climb the walls with her for two days straight from dawn until sundown. His hands trembled for days, but he never pulled that stunt again."

Mort and Jeg stared at Andreas as if he were a talking mule. "What?" The Crown Prince asked them. "Your mothers never made you do anything like that?" Mort nearly fell over himself and knocked over his chair getting up to bow to Andreas. Jeg just fell over and stared up at the prince.

"Oh please don't." Andreas shook his head. "We were enjoying ourselves." He looked at the two of them. "Weren't we?"

"But ye're the Crown Prince." Jeg stuttered in a whisper. "Ye should be in the palace."

"Why?" Andreas asked reasonably. "You're good men, fine drinking companions, and you're enthused about the impending marital celebrations. You've been polite if inquisitive and excellent company. I like you. Why should I be stuck in the palace all the time when I could be getting to know good men like you?"

That logic defeated the two of them for a moment. "But what if someone decides they don't like ye?" Mort asked. "We don't want ye gettin' killed for a tankard o' grog." He looked around uneasily.

"Mort, Jeg, please sit down and finish your grog." Andreas smiled. "You're right in that I should be going, lest I end up with an even more dire punishment than what Sebastian got." He clapped Karse on the shoulder and went to the bar. Handing the bartender a large pouch he spoke with him a minute and then returned to the table. "My mother expects me soon so I'd best be going. It was a pleasure to meet you two men and if you ever need work or help of any kind, come to the palace gates and tell the guard. Word will get to me and I'll give you a hand if I'm able to do so."

Karse rose and grinned amiably at the two men before following Andreas out of the tavern. As the prince left the bartender called out. "All right you drunken louts. His Royal Highness said to tell you, that you're some of the finest men in Suzail, and he appreciates your company. He wants you to celebrate his twin's coming marriage and his younger brothers as well. You can drink until this runs out!" He hefted the bag and opened it up to see yellow gold gleaming up at him. "And that will be a while!" A huge cheer went up as everyone bellied up to the bar.

"I gave you the rings right?" Sebastian asked Andreas for the fourth time.

"Yes Sebastian, I have the ring you selected for Briar and the one she picked out for you. I also have Dragon's and Lorelei's. They are all in my room." Andreas said slowly with exaggerated patience. With only a few days before the wedding his normally organized brother was growing more and more worried about double-checking his preparations. "Trust me, the wedding will be fine. Or if it isn't, it won't be because of something you forgot. Morgana arrived along with the party from the Cormanthor, and Evermeet." He frowned slightly over that. "And there's an elf who is always by her side and looks at her in a way I'm not sure I like, or at least, I'm not entirely comfortable with it."

Sebastian shook his head. "All right, all right. I know I'm worrying for naught but I've waited what seems like forever for my Rose. If something goes wrong…I'm going to carry her off." He shot an amused look at his brother. "That elf is Dragon's cousin Darius."

"Nothing's going to go wrong Sebastian. You've got two days. Somehow you'll get through them." His brother said firmly. "Now this tea is getting cold and our thoughtfulness will have much less impact if the refreshments are lacking." He shook his head over the identity of the elf but refrained from commenting further.

Sebastian nodded and picked up his tray and followed his brother. Thankfully it seemed that of the arriving guests the gentlemen were content to entertain themselves for the moment. His three sisters and their mother had undertaken to entertain the ladies as they arrived. This afternoon it was a swimming party. Years ago their father had a pool made within the palace itself. It was a warm inviting place with enameled wire furniture and lush greenery. Andreas had suggested that the two of them bring the ladies high tea so the party would not have to be curtailed for refreshments. Sebastian, well aware that his betrothed had been fitted for a bathing costume under his sister Lorelei's supervision, had been eager to agree.

The two brothers had invited Dragon as well but the older man had shaken his head with a wild look in his eyes and said it was best if he stayed far away from Lorelei when she was in a bathing suit. "I can only imagine how scanty it is." He'd told them. "Since I can barely control myself when she's properly clothed I don't want to think about my reaction when she's not." He'd walked off muttering something about sparring until he was too exhausted to think.

The guard who stood outside the double poolroom doors grinned at the sight of the two princes carrying trays like footmen. "Your Royal Highness, your Highness." He greeted the brothers.

Andreas rolled his eyes at their formality. "What, so stiff and proper? Are you practicing so all the distinguished guests don't guess that the Obarskyrs are on informal terms with the Royal guard and serving staff?" He grinned.

"Actually yes." The old guard winked. "Can't have it being said you are not proper rulers can we?"

"Oh that's been said by the Northerners for years." Sebastian drawled. "It's the Sargen blood. They think it's unpredictable."

"I can't imagine why." Andreas said facetiously. "Will we be allowed entrance do you think?" He inquired. "We come bearing food."

The guard grinned at him and opened the door. "I'll swear you snuck past me." He told them as they entered.

The warmth of the room they entered made it clear that it wasn't meant to be inhabited for long if one was fully clothed. The sight that greeted them was worth the slight discomfort of the temperature though. Andreas was thankful he'd had the foresight to tell a footman to place a portable table cupboard of teacups and saucers within the room.

Most of the women were related to the brothers in some way or another, or were good friends of the family, so they were familiar. But somehow with hair slicked wetly to their heads and tendrils waving over the water's surface like blossoms, faces and barely clothed forms seemed more exotic and not as well known as Andreas had thought. His attention was pulled from one hazel-eyed dark haired beauty to his brother as Sebastian caught sight of his betrothed.

Briar was wearing what appeared to be three none too large triangles of deep claret colored fabric. Strings that seemed absurdly flimsy held the triangles over strategic areas but most of the half elf's pale white skin was exposed to Sebastian's now very warm gaze.

Andreas set his tray down and regarded his brother who was simply staring at Briar. "Uh, Sebastian?" He said quietly. "Do you think you could set the tray down before you drop it?"

Sebastian jerked in surprise and nodded putting the tray on the table his brother was pointing to before moving back to the edge of the pool where his beloved was sitting. The younger prince was about to slide his hands around his betrothed's waist, pull her from the water and begin kissing her thoroughly when his mother's familiar voice sounded in his ears. "Sebastian."

With a sigh he looked up and blinked. "Mother does Dad know what you're wearing?" He asked in a mildly shocked tone. His betrothed was conservatively dressed in comparison to his mother.

Sabine rolled her eyes. "Let me worry about your father." She admonished. "You go and help Andreas." Sebastian rose to obey her and smiled as Briar caught his hand and kissed his fingers with a wink he knew meant she would show off her bathing costume for him later when they were alone.

Andreas grinned at his younger brother and suggested wryly. "Why don't I pour the tea?"

Sebastian's answering grin was unrepentant. "Why don't you do that Andreas?" He began setting out several cups and saucers. When he looked up again Andreas was pouring tea into a cup but his attention was on something else entirely. Make that someone else, Sebastian corrected himself as he followed his brothers gaze.

A slender young lady in a black two-piece bathing suit was climbing out of the water. Raising her arms she pushed her soaking hair back out of her face, slicking it damply to her head and shook her hands to remove the excess water. With her hair pushed back her eyes appeared enormous and her mouth extremely dark. Andreas appeared to be riveted as she padded over to them.

"Andreas." Sebastian murmured a warning as he saw the tea rising dangerously high in the cup. "Andreas, I think that's enough tea don't you?" He moved deliberately between his brother and the young lady breaking the spell.

The Crown Prince appeared to be breathing a bit more quickly as he set the teapot down. Sebastian moved it out of his brother's reach and turned with a smile as the lady reached them. "Tea?" He offered her the hot drink.

The lady's smile was concentrated more upon Andreas than Sebastian, though she accepted the drink murmuring. "Thank you, I'm perishing of hunger, so I hope you brought food as well as drink."

Andreas nodded as if in a daze, unable to remove his eyes from her and then blinked as his brother nudged him. "Yes, we did Lady." He smiled slowly his eyes lighting up as he gestured towards the other tray. "Some sandwiches and cakes from Cook." Turning he saw that Sebastian's attention had been captured by Briar's white form as she'd emerged from the pool. "Sebastian, we'd best let the ladies tend to themselves I think." He said hurriedly, suddenly feeling as if his boots had been lit on fire. "Let's be off, and let them have their privacy. Lady." He bowed to the lady before him gracefully and tugged his younger brother away.

Sebastian went, if reluctantly, and watched his brother with a bemused gaze as Andreas shut the door behind them and leaned against it, breathing as if he'd just run for his life. "What in the name of Sune just happened?" Andreas asked in bewilderment.

"You said it brother." Sebastian remarked. "Sune's thunderbolts. The lady seems a bit familiar doesn't she?" He asked wickedly. Whistling merrily he walked away.

Sebastian's grin as he turned away from his brother nearly forced him to stop whistling as he thought that of the coming days. Serenity had come out of the background with a vengeance and made quite an impression on his brother.

Maggie was giggling slightly as the two brothers left the room. Turning to Lorelei she asked with a grin. "Did you see the look on Andreas' face?"

Lorelei nodded but clearly she didn't understand why Maggie was so amused. "Yes, he looked like he'd been struck by lightening. Maggie why are you…"

The redhead shrugged and murmured. "This is wonderful. Don't you think so?" She asked. Seeing Lorelei's face, Maggie smiled more slowly. "I see some spark between them that is more than matters of the flesh. Although, knowing your brother as I do, I doubt it is ever only a matter of the flesh with him. I think he's falling for her."

"But why are you happy about it, I mean you're…" Lorelei paused not wanting to be impolite but well aware that her twin shared Maggie's bed. "Aren't you upset?"

Maggie smiled shaking her head patiently. "I'm his friend yes, and I adore my nights with him, but I couldn't be queen. And he's not in love with me nor I with him. We care for each other, but just as friends. If I were a man we'd probably be great companions but I'm not so I share his bed."

"She wants what's best for Andreas." Sabine said softly as she moved through the water to them. She nodded at Briar. "Just as Briar resisted Sebastian for so long because she wanted what she thought was best for him."

Lorelei blinked. "That's what all of that brouhaha was about?" She muttered in surprise.

"Really Lorelei, you're usually more astute." Maggie looked surprised.

Sabine smiled. "Though if Andreas had fallen in love with you Maggie, and truly had been willing to defy Amon and me to marry you, then we would have given him our blessing." She grinned at the look on Maggie's face. "But that is a moot point, for which I think you are grateful." Her violet eyes twinkled as Maggie nodded in relief.

"But this is wonderful because he's falling for her, and from the way she ignored Sebastian mostly, and hardly anyone ignores that young man, she really likes him. In fact from the look in her eyes I'd say she got hit with the same bolt of lightening." Maggie chuckled before a peculiar look came over her face and she groaned. "But I'll bet my best garter belt that I only get cuddled and held tonight. He won't be thinking of my bed with anything except friendship in his mind."

"Poor Maggie." Lorelei teased. "Putting up with what I've had to deal with for months. Minus the holding and cuddling part."

Maggie grinned at her evilly and with a quick move of her hand splashed the princess. All serious discussion was curtailed during the water fight that ensued.

TBC

Author's Note: The song Asrai and Briar sing together is called 'Love Can Build a Bridge' and it's written and sung by The Judds.