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Chapter 2

Catherine's face lit up as Larsa proceeded to escort her out of his room and into the hall way where there were two guards standing guard at his door. They both jumped at their sudden appearance behind them and saluted Larsa sharply before saying, "Good Afternoon Mi Lord! I'm afraid we can't allow you to leave your bed-chambers just yet mi Lord, that thief still running a muck, direct orders from Judge Magister Basch." His voice was shaking and he sounded doubtful.

Larsa smiled at him and said, "Oh, but the alarms have stopped." Larsa looked genuinely puzzled as if he were blissfully ignorant. "Besides, I refuse to allow this figment of imaginations to keep me from entertaining my guest. Inform Judge Magister Basch that I shall be escorting Her Highness around Archades and that I shall return. Thank you." Larsa smiled and walked passed the guards into the hall way, Catherine tagging along behind silently, her face slightly flushed.

Catherine looked up at Larsa as they walked side by side through the halls of the palace. "Are we really going into Archades?" surprisingly enough, things seemed to have been going the way she'd hoped they would to begin with; she had long since wanted to tour Archades with Larsa by her side.

"Yes of course." Larsa smiled down at her and took her hand, "Though I must say, Basch may not be all together happy about our leaving without his permission, so I think best we hurry." He grinned at her and quickened his pace, dragging her along behind him.

Catherine furrowed her brow and tried to pull her hand out of Larsa's to no avail while saying, "No Larsa! We can't do that! You must be obedient!"

Larsa grinned ever more brightly as he stepped through the open front doors of the palace and straight to the air lift. "Too late." He smiled wryly at Catherine before he showed the cab-man His House Solidor Crest and stood beside the open cab door, "Just look, isn't it beautiful?" he said while gesturing to his surroundings.

Catherine was too busy fuming before she could've taken into account that she was currently in the very heart of Archades. She blinked at first before she looked around and gasped as she gaped at the sheer beauty of Archadian architecture and technology as she watched air ships of all sizes zoom over head, as she observed the ornately decorated signs and billboards with advertisements of products she once thought were only found in Rossaria; she wanted to see more, she wanted to truly explore Archades to see all the beauty it had to offer, and also, to spend as much time with Larsa as possible. Catherine had completely forgotten that what she was doing was in fact, 'wrong' by the time she slid gracefully into the cab after which Larsa hopped in beside her and advised the driver that they were headed off to the west upper plaza.

As they got out of the cab, Larsa generously offering his hand as Catherine gracefully stepped out of the cab, graciously taking his offered hand. As they began to walk away from the cab into the plaza were few citizens strutted about as aristocrats do, Larsa made to release her hand, but Catherine refused to let go of his and shied away from his look as her face flush slightly. Larsa chuckled and gave in to her wishes, simply believing she felt insecure in the unfamiliar crowd. Ever the ignorant one Larsa was in these matters.

As they walked along, passing beautiful shops and fantastic displays Catherine grew more and more fond of Archades by the minute, constant commenting on its beauty and brilliance. Catherine paid attention also to the clothing that the people wore, she was very impressed and begged Larsa to allow her to stop by on of the clothes stores to have a look.

"Oh, Larsa please! I only want a look, Archadian design is simply fascinating!" Catherine was simply ecstatic as she turned to face Larsa, the store just behind her, the sales woman already waiting to greet them.

Larsa smiled slightly before he said, "You may browse if you wish, but bare in mind, I've only so much gil on me, most of which I intend to spend on supplies for our journey." He had folded his arms and was looking seriously at Catherine. He knew couldn't afford whatever she would want, not now at least, he hadn't left the castle with any extra money, It would be unwise to travel with more luggage than was needed. Going shopping for Catherine was not an option at the moment.

Catherine pouted and said, "What do you mean you haven't so much gil? You're prince for goodness sake! How can you leave your castle empty handed?" Catherine simply couldn't understand his methods.

"I only carry enough gil for what it is that I...we will need during our journey, such as food and water, potions, new armour if need be, that sort of thing. It would be unwise to travel with any extra luggage, please understand Catherine." Larsa said as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder in an apologetic gesture.

Catherine pouted even harder, her face the perfect mixture of supreme cuteness and vexation. "Fine then, but I'm still going to look. I'll ask the store keeper to hold the items for me and we'll be able to get the later, yes?" She was sudden hopeful as the idea sprung into her mind.

Larsa blinked slightly at her quick thinking and smiled, "That would be fine. I promise to treat you on our way back." Catherine smiled brilliantly at him and whispered a small cheer as they made their way inside the store, Catherine's lips curled up into a wide smile as she held Larsa's hand all the time.

By the time Larsa had shown Catherine around to most of the shops in Archades, and had introduced her to every person that insisted they were good friends with their Prince, Catherine felt like she had fallen in love with him all over again, as though she had fall fallen in love with this new Larsa. This new Larsa was strong and mature, albeit still childish in many ways, he had still managed to become the prince she was hoping he would be, despite his frequent night time prowling. They spent their time together speaking of politics and of the economy and where it was headed and from that she knew, she just knew that he would grow to become a great leader, and she would be there, by his side to guide and attend to his needs whenever necessary. She giggled at the notion.

They entered the items store just as Larsa had finished explaining to her the importance of the different Wood Chops in Archadian society and how he hopes to be able to change that system once he became king. Catherine didn't fully understand why he would want to change such a seemingly efficient Status Quo system, but figured that he was to be King in two months and must know what his would be. So instead she asked him if he was planning to buy their supplies for the journey now, since they were in the items store. She was slightly confused when he said no.

"We shan't be stocking up here. The stores up here are far too expensive, its theft. Another change that must be made when I am King. It would seem that my plate is rather full wouldn't it?" Larsa smiled brightly at Catherine before conversing politely with some aristocrat that had suddenly claimed to know his great grand uncle Alan the Great, whoever that was.

When they exited the items store, Catherine turned to Larsa and asked, "My, Larsa, you've many acquaintances that seem to know a lot of your late family members, many of them seemed rather young to have known your great grand parents though..." Catherine said as she tapped her index to her chin in deep thought.

"They're all liars." Larsa's tone shock Catherine to say the least. He was only just conversing ever so politely with that young gentleman in the shop with his usual sweet, velvet voice, and yet now he suddenly sounded upset, his tone course and angry. Catherine blinked twice, her mouth agape as she could not find words to reply with at the moment. "I can't stand them. I hate walking the streets of Archades for this reason alone..." Larsa was obviously upset and Catherine had no idea why.

"...Larsa..." Larsa turned to Catherine and smiled softly at seeing her slightly frightened expression.

"I'm sorry, forget what I've said just now, come, it's not far." Larsa's smile brightened somewhat as he took her hand and lead here north into an unoccupied section of the plaza where the amount of people around could've been counted on one hand.

Catherine looked around suspiciously before she turned to Larsa and asked, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Larsa said without looking back at her as he continued northward until they reached the mouth of a short tunnel that lead down to a flight of stares, at the end of which Catherine could just barely make out a figure.

As they began to descend the stairs, Larsa's smiled widened while Catherine's faded away. Catherine had been silly enough to truly believe that Larsa was giving her his full attention and his all his time, she had somehow forgotten that Kira had exited any at all and believed that it would be just Larsa and herself aloe on this little trip. She had completely forgotten it's purpose and replaced it with one that suited her best.

"You sure took your sweet time." Kira grinned as Larsa and Catherine came within ear shot. Larsa grinned at her while Catherine turned away, trying to hide the overwhelming sadness that she was sure would show in her features as she felt her eyes begin to water slowly.

"You know full well I had to spend time with Catherine, and you had to get Old Jacob his medicine, in fact, I'll bet you only arrived just now." Larsa smirked as Kira shrugged her shoulders and shook her head with a slight chuckle.

"As sharp as ever eh? Anyway, I was gonna beg you to take Old Jacob's medicine to him for me, you know he prefers you over me, won't let any girls into his house for some reason. Poor old man, driven insane by the very society that brought him up. Truly a shame that one." Kira shook her head as she took a vile of green liquid out of her back pocket and tossed it to Larsa who caught it systematically, his reflexes as sharp as ever.

"Yes of course, I expected as much, but would you also take Catherine to the lift for me? And also," Larsa handed her a fat wad of gil he'd extracted from his pocket, "5000gil, should be enough for supplies and equipment from that Stranded Merchant, he can keep the change if he really needs it or if we don't need it."

"Yup, that's the drill ain't it?" Kira said as she stuffed the gil into her pocket and nodded.

"Right, then I'll meet you by the lift." Larsa smiled brightly and headed off down the rest of the stairs and disappeared into a narrow alley away.

Kira exhaled sharply and turned to Catherine before saying brightly, "Alright Prince Peach, it's just you and me now, so let's try and get along alright?" Kira smiled brightly and held out her hand to Catherine.

Catherine looked up at Kira, her eyes slightly glazed over with unshed tears. Catherine stood there, staring at Kira for a good while before she finally took her hand reluctantly and shook it briefly before letting go and turning away from her without a word.

Kira's smiled widened as she cheered a small cheer of victory before saying, "Alright then, let's go! Come on, it's not that far, the lift that is, so you'll be reunited with your prince in no time yeah?" Kira winked at Catherine as she flushed slightly at her choice of words.

Catherine pouted slightly as she followed Kira silently, glad that she didn't try to start up any conversation between the two of them; she wasn't sure she would be able to say anything that was particularly nice or simply not rude to her. As they walked together in silence Catherine began to take note of the filth around her. The splendor and glamour that was Archades had suddenly vanished and now all she could see was dirt and scraps. She couldn't find one clean spot on the walls, not one corner that wasn't piled high with junk, not one alley that didn't have at least two rusted barrels with god knows what in them. Catherine instinctively drew closer to Kira as they walked and Kira smirked as she took notice of it.

"First time you've ever been to Old Archades huh? Surprised?" Catherine looked up at Kira with a shocked expression. They were still in Archades? 'Impossible!', she thought. "Shocking that such a place could exist under a thriving city of such high standard and beauty as Archades, but it was in fact that city that created this place, this slum. Whenever people loose their way in the city, they fall and end up down here, where no one gives a damn about them, except me and Larsa of course." Kira said as the continued to walk.

As they passed a small house on the corner of an alley way, at least ten children suddenly darted out and tackled Kira.

"KIRA!!!"

"Kira you're back!!"

"Onee-chan!!"

"Did you bring any food today?!"

"KIRA!! Kira come play with us!!"

"Kira!! Where's Lamont?!"

"Kiraaa!!!"

"My my! Children stop it! You'll kill the poor girl, she's about to topple over!" A tall regal looking woman said as she stepped out of the house. As she came out, the children immediately detached themselves from Kira's waist where they had all managed to wrap some part of themselves whether it was an arms or a leg around her.

Kira coughed slightly as she tried desperately to regain her breath. "Ah, I'm sorry about that Kira, they've been excited all day since they know what day today is." She paused for a moment as she caught Kira's full attention. The woman gulped slightly and her eyes hardened a bit before she continued, almost as if she felt slight guilt, "Speaking of what day today is..."

Kira smiled and held up a hand for her to stop before she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a wad of gil and handed it to the woman before saying, "10,000 gil, that should be enough to be able to have your once a week soup day for everyone until next month right?"

"Oh you blessed child! I'll never understand how one could possibly be as selfless as you." The woman clasped Kira's hand in both of hers and smiled widely as tears of joy streamed down her face while the children cheered at the news of possible soup for dinner that night. Kira smiled brightly and laughed with the kids as they cheered and thanked her, constantly letting them know that it was alright and that she'd do anything for them.

Catherine watched, amazed at how happy the children and the woman seemed to be because of a measly 10,000gil. That could just barely buy what she usually had for brunch, and yet it would have to serve them for an entire month.

"It will." Catherine blinked slightly as she looked at Kira to find that she was watching her. "Just now you were wondering how a measly 10,000gil could last for the month weren't you?" Catherine was slightly taken aback, she huffed however and folded her arms.

"I just don't understand how anyone could live in these conditions. I couldn't possibly get through one week with 10,000gil much less an entire month! Oh no, I've got higher standards than that." Catherine said and she brushed stray tresses of curly auburn locks out of her eyes and huffed once more in arrogant defiance.

Kira smirked and said, "When survival is the first thing on your list of objectives, you'd be surprised how far down standards and status fall on the list. Those trivial matters mean nothing to those that fight day in and day out for the chance to see another sun rise." Kira turned away from her and said her goodbyes to the children and the woman before continuing on to the lift that would take them down into the Sochen Cave Palace.

Catherine blinked as she mulled the words over In her head. All her life, the first things on her list were always Standards and Status. She had been grown to know that Standards and Status were the key to survival, so what Kira had said, hadn't made any sense to her what so ever. By the time they had crossed the huge, old nameless suspension bridge, Kira had stopped to hand out money, food and an assortment of other items and useful trinkets to most of the people they passed, and if she hadn't given them something, then she had at least spent a good minute or so just talking to them, listening to their sob stories and their excuses as Catherine deemed them.

Catherine was beginning to feel truly uncomfortable with Kira. Not only had she not introduced her to any of the people she spoke with, none of the people seemed to even acknowledge her presence either. It was as if Catherine had become a ghost, a shadow that was tagging along with Kira who was known by all. The truth of it all really, was that Catherine actually felt small when she was around Kira. She felt unimportant and insignificant to the point where it were as if she didn't exist at all. She was completely and utterly jealous of Kira, so when Catherine saw Larsa leaning against a wall speaking with a dirty looking Seek who sat on the floor in a corner in the alley, her face brightened substantially and she ran straight for him, crashing into his torso as she wrapped her arms around him, her sudden appearance startling him into a jump.

"Catherine!?" Larsa was shocked as she buried her face into his chest and whined loudly before looking up at him sharply.

"Don't ever leave my alone again!" She was just about ready to say not to leave her alone with Kira , but she held it in, knowing full well that it would not have rubbed well against Larsa. She held him tightly and ignored Kira as she walked up to them and chuckled.

"Poor Princess Peach here can't survive a minute without her Prince Charming, especially in a place like this. I think it best we get moving." Kira said with a wink in Larsa's direction before turning to the seek and buying up as much X-potions as possible along with some others that she knew they would need for Catherine.

Larsa chuckled slightly and looked down at Catherine before saying, "Was I missed so dearly?"

"Of course!" Catherine blurted out before she could think and immediately buried her face in his chest to hide her blush. Larsa laughed and Catherine smiled as she felt his strong chest vibrate against her cheek, the sound of his laughter echoing inside her.

"Alright love birds! We're off!" Kira said cheerily as she hopped ahead of them down a narrow alley way that lead to the lift to take them down to the Sochen Cave Palace.

"But Larsa, I am still unsure of where we are headed..." Catherine said sheepishly as she realized that she actually had no idea where they were going.

"Oh that's right. Sorry about that, here let me show you." Larsa said, pulling a small folded up map of Ivalice out of his back pocket and laying it out on the floor. Catherine gracefully stooped down, her dresses neatly pulled over her closed knees and tucked under her buttocks as she leaned over to keep her balance and get a good look at the map while Kira and Larsa stooped down normally, balancing their weight perfectly while Catherine struggled to stay balanced, holding unto Larsa's sleeve to stay upright. "alright, we are here." Larsa said, pointing to a point on the map near the top right that was elaborately labeled "Archadia". "We are headed to Dalmasca first, to drop you off by Old Dalan, and then Kira and I are going for the hunt, where ever that is." Larsa stopped to look at Catherine to make sure that she was following and nodded once when he couldn't find any confusion adorning her features. "First we must pass through the Sochen Cave Palace, then the Tchita Uplands, through Phon Cost, the Salika Wood, The Mosphoran Highwaste, Nalbina Fortress and finally, Rabanastre."

Catherine nodded slowly and wondered just how they were going to get there and why he bothered to mention all those places. "So then, what will be our mode of transportation?"

Catherine pouted slightly when Kira stood up and laughed loudly before saying, "Hah! We walking honey!"

Catherine's mouth fell before she could catch it and by the time she regained her composer, Larsa was already walking towards the lift. "Larsa! Larsa, wait! Are we really going to walk all the way to Rabanastre?" He couldn't possibly be serious, they couldn't possibly expect her to walk all the way to Rabanastre.

Larsa turned to her and smiled a weak smile before scratching the back of his head and saying, "Sorry Catherine, but we don't really have a choice. In order to raise money, we have to collect loot by defeating creatures and this is just the best way to do it. Not to mention you could become stronger along the way." He smiled that guilty yet beautiful smile that she couldn't possibly resist and Catherine pouted slightly before turning away from him and huffing, a sign that she had nothing left to say in the argument.

Kira activated the lift and walked over to Larsa and Catherine to wait with them as the lift took its time to come up. "So, Larsa, Catherine," Kira said, regarding them both, "how did you two meet exactly? I mean, the Princess of Rossaria, and the Prince of Archadia, rather odd couple one would think no?" Kira smirked as they all stepped unto the lift, both Larsa's and Catherine's faces flushed.

"Well, it's an old tale really." Larsa said with a chuckle, "I suppose I should tell it quickly, before our hands become full." Larsa said, looking down at the floor of the lift, referring to the enemies to be found in the Sochen Cave Palace.

Catherine glanced up at Larsa, not catching the meaning behind his statement, but instead settled for listening to him while he told their story. She smiled slightly as she engulfed herself in fond memories of their shared past.

"It was a full decade ago that I first met Catherine. During that time, my two eldest brothers, Dante and Caspian, were engaging in a rather heated competition. A political duel of sorts over the throne. Their little squabble, however, expanded and soon resulted in civil war. Those time was dangerous, and I was well known for sneaking out at night and prowling the streets whether or not it meant walking through cross fire, I was too naïve back then. I often thought they were simply playing a rather energetic game of "Gang Wars", like my friends and I used to play in the gardens of the palace. So in order to keep his youngest son safe during the time of war, my Father sent me to live with a good friend of his in Nabudis. It was there that I had met Catherine." Catherine smiled as she remembered the first time she had seen Larsa.

It had been during the annual Rossarian Feast of the Saints of Fructuis and I had been spending the time with my older cousin in Nabudis. I was just barely six years old and was playing in the gardens, picking flowers one day when a boy with short black hair and bright blue eyes suddenly darted through the gardens at top speed, completely knocking me over and trampling my flowers.

"What's wrong with you?! That hurt!! And you've crushed my flowers!!" I said angrily as tears welled up in me eyes, my small round face screwed up into an angry pout.

"Wah!! Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!" The boy came running over to me and immediately offered his hand. "Need a hand?!" He grinned brightly at me, as if we'd been friends for life.

I scuffed at his offered and attempted to stand by myself, but I could not. I could feel the tears of frustration building behind my eyes and I squeezed them shut, trying my hardest to suppress them. I heard a small laugh from above and looked up to find the boy leaning over me.

"You sure you don't need that hand?" His smile captivated me as I automatically took his hand and allowed him to help me stand up. He walked with me to my cousin and there I found out that he was actually the son of a friend of my uncle's. I was surprised to hear that he was in fact the Prince of Archadia.

I was appalled at his behavior as a prince and devoted all of my time there to teaching him the true ways of royalty. It wasn't easy mind you, I oft' times had a right mind to tie him to a chair and shove the book up his nose, but of course I alone was not capable of such a task. We grown fond of each other and learned more and more about each other as the years went by. I would come down to Nabudis every time there was a holiday, and in Rossaria, there are many different holidays that we honour through out the year, so a good portion of my time was spent with Larsa, and whenever I wasn't with him, he was all that was on my mind. You could say that I was struck by Cupid's arrow and all of my servants and hand maids constantly teased me about my new found crush on the Archadian Prince. My father too found it rather amusing, but he had warned me several times that it was not likely that Larsa would be able to stay in Nabudis forever, it was not his home land after all.

For the three years that Larsa spent in Nabudis, it never truly occurred to me what father had meant, but it hit me full force when I had received a letter from Larsa on my ninth birthday which I was celebrating in Rossaria to my great dismay. When I receive the letter I was ecstatic of course, when I read it however, I felt as I had never felt before. I had spent the entire day crying over the loss of my best friend and crush and my father had to cancel everything he had planned for the day because I refused to leave my room while some of my closest hand maids tried desperately to cheer me up.

For the first time in my life, I felt I was treated unfairly. Why did he have to leave so suddenly? Why did he have to leave while I wasn't their? Why was I not even given the chance to say a proper good bye? I was very upset and stayed that way for a good month or so before I received the reply to the letter I had scent him in return. I cheered up instantly as his letter had announced that he would be writing to me every week until we were able to meet again and that he expected me to reply. Oh he needed worry about that, I thought with a wide smile as I rushed to write my reply as quickly as possible.

Three months into this exchange programme however, a divide between Archadia and Rossaria began as My father and Larsa's Father began to disagree on many different plains. Soon enough, Archadia and Rossaria were so divided and separate that no Archadian or Rossaria was ever spotted on each others land. Nothing, not even letter was exchanged between the two countries. There was no way we could possibly reach each other now.

I often fought with me father after that, begging and pleading with him to allow me to send at least one letter, but he refused every time, and most times he'd rant about it and about how traitorous Archadians were and that any child of Gramis' was a child of the Devil. I cried every time we argued like this. Not in front of him of course, but at nights, when I was along in my bed, thinking about Larsa and how there was hardly any hope of us meeting again.

When the war between Archadia and Dalmasca had been subdued by Queen Ashe, and her companions, which included Larsa, my father later learned, he finally began to warm up to House Solidor again, considering that it was only Larsa now after all. And those I was once again given permission to visit or send letters to him, my father, however, still held some semblance of disdain towards House Solidor for he had piled my plate with the activities of a Princess, going to balls and meeting with aristocrats and the occasional blind date he set up for me and of course the papers and the organizing and the public speeches, all the work of a Princess. He clearly didn't want me to have anytime to myself, lest I give it away to Larsa like he knew I would.

It wasn't until four years later that he had finally loosened his choke hold on me and allowed me a visit to Archadia, and on my own as well. I was most happy when he announced the good news to me. His reasons were also good news. I had been very happy that day and decided to set out immediately, and so I did.

I was so excited to see Larsa once more that it had never occurred to me that he might've met other girls while we had been apart. Oh the fool I played.

"Catherine!" Catherine jolted slightly as she felt a slight breeze brush the top of her nose, her train of memory cut short as someone tried desperately to get her attention by waving his hand vigorously in front of her face.

Catherine looked up to see Kira staring at her with a quirked brow. "You alright Princess Peach? You've been staring at the ground for forever and a half now." She leaned away from Catherine and stood akimbo with a curious expression on her face.

"Ah! No, no I'm fine." Catherine said as she regally brushed imaginary dust from her skirt, her face slightly flushed from embarrassment, she held her head up high however as she followed her out of the lift to where Larsa stood by an ancient door, waiting for them.

"Well, that's good to hear, 'cause you're in for one wild ride Peachy." Kira grinned back at Catherine as she cackled her way out the door that opened automatically, the grinding of stone against stone echoing loudly in the underground chamber.

Catherine's brow furrowed and she turned to Larsa with a worried expression. Larsa smiled however and said to her, "You're safe with me, don't worry." Catherine's smile brightened and she giggled slightly as Larsa held his hand out to her. She took it gratefully and walked with him side by side out the door and into the infamous Sochen Cave Palace. She of course, had no idea where she was, or the horrors that awaited her.

OoOoO

To be continued...