Chapter 6

"Not only are you late but you also took the Lady Catherine with you! How am I to explain this to the Senate members?" Basch was upset, no, he was livid. He could not believe that Larsa would have been so reckless, even if the chances of Catherine becoming injured were next to zero with both Kira and Larsa standing guard, it could still cause problems for the Senate and for Larsa as well.

"I am sorry, it won't happen again." Larsa said in a dead monotone that truly caught Basch off guard. When Basch had heard of Larsa's and Catherine's return, he rushed to meet them at the Aerodome and immediately knew something was wrong when he saw Larsa's expression and when he realized that Kira was no where to be seen. Usually they came together, and whenever they arrived at Archadia, they would separate and Kira could be spotted just roaming around the Aerodome, waving to random people, only leaving again after Larsa had left for the Palace, but today, Kira was no where in sight. Basch was surprised however when Larsa replied to his chastising. On a regular basis, whenever he was chastised, he would apologize and then joke about it and he wouldn't seem to have much remorse, but today there was something very, very wrong with Larsa.

Basch knew Larsa well, however, and decided to wait until he was ready to talk about it before he asked. "Well, I will address the Senate about this, you haven't need to worry. You just get some rest, you look exhausted."

Larsa looked up at Basch, slightly surprised by the sudden change in tone and smiled a small smile before saying, "Thank you, Basch." he watched Basch leave his room and sighed before he laid back in his bed, his hair fanning out behind him as he stared up at the ceiling. Larsa closed his eyes and decided that he would get some sleep as he was instructed before Catherine returned from her shopping spree, knowing that once she returned, she would want his full attention.

It was a bright sunny day in Archadia as the sun hung high in the sky, its warmth perfect for an afternoon tea session, one of which Larsa Ferrinas Solidor was supposed to be attending, but he instead, opted to stay in his study and finish the work that had piled up on him while he was 'missing'.

Catherine was somewhat upset that he would rather stay in his study and work than to meet with the high standing members of parliament for tea, but when he had asked her if she would stay with him while he worked, she could not refuse. Catherine was fast asleep on Larsa's desk by the time an hour had passed, however, and Larsa couldn't help but smile at her cuteness.

Larsa sat there and watched Catherine for a long time before he called for Basch over the Palace intercom system. Larsa then gently nudged Catherine to wake her up and watched with a smile as she slowly opened her eyes to look at him. She seemed surprised at first then slightly shook her head and began wiping her eyes while muttering inaudibly, whether it was to herself or if he was meant to hear her Larsa wasn't sure, but all he knew was that she was adorable as she yawned widely, delicately covering her mouth with her small hand.

By the time Catherine was fully awake, Basch had arrived at the door of Larsa's study. "Come," Larsa said as he heard Basch knock on the door. The door opened and Basch stepped in, his Judge's helmet under one arm as he closed the door behind him.

"You summoned me mi Lord?" he asked, as he stopped just short of Larsa's work desk where he and Catherine sat opposite each other.

"Yes, I have something I wish to tell you both." Larsa said, looking at Basch then Catherine. There was a moment of silence during which Basch and Catherine waited patiently for Larsa to speak. Larsa took a deep breath and said, "I have decided that I am going to marry Catherine."

Basch's and Catherine's reactions could've been compared to the two opposite ends of the spectrum. Catherine's lips curled up into a grin so wide it could've split her face in half and she screamed loudly before she dashed behind the desk and hugged Larsa tightly, squealing in his ear that she loved him more than anything in the world, while Basch frowned slightly and almost glared at Larsa, not understanding where this sudden decision came from.

"Oh Larsa!!! Do you...you really meant it?!" Catherine was truly ecstatic as she leaned away from him, her arms still around his neck so that she could see his face.

Larsa smiled slightly and said, "Yes..."

Catherine squealed and hugged him tightly again, refusing to let go even as Basch began speaking to Larsa. "Larsa, Kira did not accompany you to the Aerodome. You told her this."

Larsa looked up at Basch and sighed. "Yes..."

Catherine had stopped squealing and squeezing Larsa when she heard Kira's name. She had hoped that she would never have to hear about her ever again considering that Larsa had agreed to marry her and would not be sneaking out of the Palace anymore, so now that they were talking about her, she was rather upset, she didn't dare to say anything though.

"Lar...Lord Larsa, are you certain about this?" Basch asked, his brow knitted as he watched Larsa, searching for any signs of uncertainty. They were there to begin with, but, of course, they were gone the moment Basch asked.

Larsa furrowed his brow slightly and said in his regal tone, his resolve iron clad , "I am absolutely certain, Judge Basch. You are dismissed."

Basch held Larsa's gaze for a moment before he bowed and turned towards the door. Basch paused in his action before turning the knob of the door and said, without looking back at Larsa, "Will 'The Plague' return?"

Larsa looked away from Basch and sighed, "I know not..."

There was a brief moment of silence before Basch finally turned the knob and left the room. Larsa watched him leave and sighed once more after he'd closed back the door. He was about to go back to work when Catherine seemed to have come out of her stupor after being completely lost during the exchange between Larsa and Basch and was now squealing and hopping up and down beside him, her joy overflowing as she went on and on about wedding plans, when and where they were going to have it, how they were going to tell the Senate, or rather all of Ivalice. Catherine went on and on about their future together and completely prevented Larsa from focusing on his work as he was forced to simply sit and listen to her.

It was the morning of the twenty-third of April and Larsa had woken up surprisingly early. When Larsa awoke, he climbed out of his bed as usual, waked over to his window and pulled the curtains open. He had automatically winced, expecting there to be sun shining into his bedroom through the window, but when the curtains were pulled apart, there was no apparent difference in the lighting of the room, it was still quite dark. Larsa rubbed his eyes and opened the window, leaning out to get a better look around and noted that to the east, there was the faintest trace of orange light on the horizon and the air smelt strongly of early morning myst and the usual sounds one associated with the morning time were amplified.

Larsa sighed as he placed both hands on his window sill and dropped his head. He was tired, he was so tired, but he could not sleep. He could only think and wonder about Kira and whether or not she would come. He remembered last night, and how he tried hard to sleep and had become so fed up with his inability to fall unconscious, so fed up with his own mind and how wrapped up he was in thoughts of Kira that he had actually cast sleep on himself.

Larsa chuckled to himself. He had just realized that he had only woken up because the effects of the magick had worn off. Larsa sighed heavily and wondered just why He couldn't stop thinking about her. He couldn't stop thinking about that expressionless face she had when he'd told her he was going to marry Catherine, he couldn't stop thinking about how she told him to leave, he couldn't stop thinking about how she hadn't gone with him to the Aerodome as usual. He felt as if he was the one rejected rather than her were it that sort of relationship.

Larsa shook his head vigorously and roughly pushed away from the windowsill, annoyed with himself. He would just have to come to terms with the fact that there was a high chance he'd never see Kira again. It's true that the time they spent together was probably the best four years of his life, but all things must come to an end.

Larsa was almost chanting that phrase in his had by the time he'd reached his elaborate bathroom and began his early morning shower.

Throughout the day, Larsa had found every little thing to do. If one of the chefs needed someone to do the dishes, he was in the kitchens, if one of the gardeners needed help carrying seed, he was in the gardens, if Catherine needed to go shopping, again, he was with her, walking around Archades, buying the most expensive things. By the time early evening came about, he had been working for nearly twelve hours straight, and he was still going.

All but one of the persons in the palace was completely clueless as to why their Prince was going around doing chores and helping in the gardens, including Catherine, in fact, she had deliberately took him to go shopping with her to keep him from working in the gardens, to the dismay of the gardens who greatly enjoyed his company. The only person who knew exactly what was going on in Larsa's mind was Judge Basch.

Basch had found it rather amusing as he watched Larsa run to and fro, confusing and amusing the entire castle. It wasn't the first time he had done chores and worked in the gardens, but it was the vigor with which he did them today that baffled the occupants of the palace. Basch, however, knew full well that Larsa was only trying, and probably failing, to keep Kira out of his mind.

Today was the day that 'The Plague' was supposed to arrive. Every Twenty-third of every month, 'The Plague' would arrive and steal a random precious item from the Palace, and Larsa would disappear for a day or two. Basch knew full well that Larsa was currently torturing himself, blaming himself for upsetting her, being upset that she was upset, feeling guilty about feeling upset at her. Basch could only smile as he watched him run around the house, searching for every possible distraction.

When Larsa and Catherine returned from their shopping spree, it was nearing sunset and occupants of the palace were gearing up for the monthly invasion of 'The Plague'. 'The Plague', often came at night or in the early evening, so it during this time that traps were set, alarms were tweaked, soldiers and guard dogs were readied. There was just about any and everything you could imagine being used against 'The Plague' now-a-days, but yet they still hadn't even caught a glimpse of him. So when Larsa and Catherine were together in his study, looking through the many things Catherine had bought as she tried on outfit after outfit, and the alarm signaling an intruder went off, they both jumped for very different reasons.

Catherine had screamed at the suddenness of the alarm and immediately dropped to the ground, holding her hands over he head as she stooped, expecting something along the lines of an earthquake or a fire. Larsa however, had shot out of his chair and stood shock still, his heart racing. 'Could it be...'

Larsa was dragged out of his thought before they even began as his office door was wrenched open to reveal a surprisingly excited Basch. He smiled knowingly and said to Larsa, "'The Plague' has arrived. I will escort Catherine to her room where she will be safer." He wasted no time in waltzing into the room and gently picking Catherine up off the floor and heading out the door again.

Larsa's lips curled into a wide smile as he nodded his thanks to Basch as he carried a dazzled and confused Catherine to her room without a fuss. Larsa made a mental note to himself that he now owed Basch a great deal as he looked around his suddenly empty office and quiet office, bathed in the warm reddish pre-sunset light that shown in from the westward windows, the song of the crickets filtering in through a suddenly open window.

Larsa turned swiftly to his left after feeling a sudden draft from a freshly opened window and took in a deep breath as he watched Kira gracefully slid down form her position o his window sill, her flaming red hair swaying slightly in the wind, the pre-sunset light setting her hair ablaze, her beauty intensified; the angles and shapes in her face, gracefully sharpened by the shadows and beautifully painted in the warm evening sunlight that further darkened her already evenly tanned skin while her light grey eyes, tainted with smooth lavender shown in bright contrast to the darkness of her face. Larsa could not remember any other time during which he'd ever seen her so beautiful.

"Are you upset with me?!" Kira blinked slightly, looking completely taken aback and was entirely surprised by Larsa's sudden out burst. She smiled however, understanding where he was coming from, then she began to laugh as she watched him, his expression hopeful and frightened at the same time.

Larsa watched her, unsure of what to think as she laughed. He waited a little less patiently than usual as he frowned slightly, waiting for her to calm down enough to be able to talk.

Kira sighed slightly as she finished her last laugh, her grin still in place, before she turned to him and said, "Of course I'm not upset Larsa. I mean really you know me better than that don't you?" Kira chuckled once more as she thought of his expression when he'd asked her if she was upset with him. It was priceless, that expression.

Larsa audibly sighed a sigh of relief and was suddenly very embarrassed as he blushed slightly, realizing how silly he must've look and sounded. Kira saved him, however, by changing the topic as she stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding up a star fruit she'd produced from no where. "So, will we be serving as Princess Peach's Cortège once again?"

Larsa looked up at her and sighs before saying seriously, "I think it best she stays in Archadia this time."

Kira smiled slightly and raised an eye brow at him before saying, "She won't be happy to hear that."

"She won't hear it at all." Larsa said.

Kira's smile widened, "Hmph, well then, we;d best be off before your fiancée takes note of your absence."

Larsa smirked, "Agreed."

Kira grinned and took a quick look around his office before she turned back to him with a playful gleam in her eye that Larsa recognized as a sign of trouble. Larsa literally steeled himself for whatever might've come his way when Kira suddenly moved into a sort of fighting stance, or rather a stance that looked as if she were getting ready to run. He was even more surprised however when she suddenly said, "Race yah to the Tchita Uplands!"

Larsa didn't have time to recover from his shock as Kira stormed off in some seemingly random direction, running straight passed the door of the office and to the windowless wall of his office where she kicked open a piece of the wall and skidded through it. Larsa grinned as he watched her, surprised that she even knew about his secret passages around the castle, but glad all the same that she knew how to get around without getting caught.

He followed suit on top speed, skidding down into the small, maybe three feet high, four feet wide hole in the wall, only to find, to his great dismay, that she had triggered the trap door that lead down into another hidden passage that sloped down a full two floors before it ended in one of the more deserted halls of the castle.

Larsa could hear Kira's gleeful cry as she shot down the hidden passage, skidding to a halt under another trap door he remembered was in the shape of an insignia seemingly etched into the floor. As he skidded to his own halt just behind Kira, she held a finger up to her lips to let him know to be quiet, he however, only knew she had done this because he felt her bring his arm up to meet her face; the passage was pitch black.

She gingerly lifted the circular trap door and looked around. She caught sight of one set of feet pacing the entrance on the left of the narrow hall way, and nothing on the right exit. Kira smiled. She knew these parts of the castle well, and she knew how the guards worked as well. If she made a noise on this side of the hall way, them all the guards on the other side would run to come and check it out, leaving their post clean and clear for a mere three seconds. If she could clear out in that time then she knew Larsa could find his own way out, he always did, and it always cracked her up.

Kira lifted the trap door a little higher and took a deep breath. "HEY!!!" Kira's shout echoed through the hall and the guard was so stunned that he'd nearly toppled over.

"Who's tha'! Show yourself!" Kira grinned, one arm ready to push the trap door up and her legs set to spring her up and out of the passage once she heard the guard walk over the insignia. She waited patiently and Larsa could almost feel the excitement bubbling off her as the sound of clanking armour came ever closer.

Kira near exploded once the familiar sound of an armoured foot clank against the metal of the insignia. It was only a second after wards that she shoved the trap door open, sprang out of the passage and shot down the hall and out of sight; practically invisible, and entirely silent.

Larsa smirked and did the same, only he did not run down the hall and out of sight, there was no time for that. By the time the guard turned back around to face down the hall, Larsa was standing there looking quick casually around as though he were looking for something.

The guard looked flabbergasted and did not have the time to react before Larsa pretended to take notice of him and said, "Ah, the perfect man for the job! Listen, I've been searching for a book called the Repentances, by Nicholson...something, I can't remember, would you mind searching for me?"

The guard stuttered for a moment before he saluted Larsa with a shaky, "Yes Sir!" and ran in the opposite direction and out of sight. Larsa smiled as he turned around, heading towards where he thought her saw Kira flying off to.

As he turned the corner, he saw her leaning against the wall, holding her stomach with one hand and using the other to cover he mouth as she tried in vain to stifle her laughter.

She looked up at him and chuckled slightly before she calmed down and said, "You are absolutely terrible you know that? Terrible..." She shook her head seemed as if she was going to say something else but was somewhat taken aback when Larsa suddenly vaulted over the window sill directly in front of her and landed in the gardens below in a perfect tuck and roll before he started off in the direction of Old Archades.

Kira cried out in annoyed frustration as she too vaulted through he window, unable to believe he would cheat like that.

She caught up to him by the time they were half way through Old Archades and tried in vain to trip him on many occasions as they ran neck to neck until they reached the lift to take them into the Sochen Cave Palace and stopped, leaning against opposite edges of the lift as it went down.

Larsa was leaning over with his hands on his knees and was trying to catch his breath before he looked up at Kira and said, "Just what do you think you were trying back there?!" his grin spread wide across his face.

"ME?!" Kira shot back, her grin also in place, but her voice sounded astonished and annoyed, "And was I the one who decided to just up and ..." The lift stopped however, just then, and they both looked at each other seriously in a moment of silence before grins twice the size of the ones previous splayed across their features as they both bolted out of the lift and into the Sochen Cave Palace.

They shot through the Cave Palace, the two oft hem taking different routes on instinct, separated until they reach the last set of caves where everything merged together. Kira gasped as she realized that Larsa was ahead of her. She grinned a wide mischievous smile as she watched him running in front of her, just reaching the opening of the cave.

Kira took as deep a breath as she possibly could while running and shot into a burst of speed and caught up to Larsa just as they ran into the Tchita Uplands and tackled him. Larsa shouted as he felt something heavy land on his back, hitting him with full force and at top speeding, sending them cascading down a hill.

The two of them laughed out as they tumbled, a chorus of loud, boisterous laughing that was nearer to screaming on Kira's part. They finally coasted to a stop at the bottom of the hill and were still drowning in their own laughing and giggling before they could really take note of their current situation.

Larsa sighed heavily as he tried desperately to cool his laughter and regain some semblance on decency while Kira was still a giggling mess. Larsa shook his head and let out one last chuckled before he regained composure enough to acknowledge his newly found position.

He blushed darkly as he realized that he was currently laying flat on his back while Kira sat, hunched over holding her stomach as she giggled away, her legs straddling his hips while her head rested on his chest. He stayed silent and watched her. Her red hair splayed across his chest and her nearly bare back as he suddenly took careful notice of her belly-skin armoured tank top that she always wore which he never really paid much attention to until now, her giggle-fit slightly shaking her body causing her hair to move ever so slightly and he watched, mesmerized as on particular lock of hair slowly fell from laying on her back to dangling over her shoulder then finally landed in a pool on his chest, joining the other tresses of glossy red hair that had found their way onto and into his casual button up shirt.

Larsa only noticed that Kira had stopped laughing when she released he stomach and leaned away from him using her arms to prop her up as she placed her hands on either side of his shoulders and shook her head in order to get her hair in order and not have it splaying across Larsa's chest and her face.

She released one last giggle before she focused on her current position. She didn't seem as embarrassed or shocked by their position as Larsa did, but her cheeks had turned a light shade of pink when Larsa's eye caught hold of her own. The two of the stayed there, frozen in their position as their eyes locked, Persian blue sinking deep into light greyish-purple while light greyish-purple swam in deep Persian blue seas. Neither could look away nor did they want to, and only God He knows whether or not they were consciously moving closer and closer together.

It wasn't until Kira's nose brushed Larsa's that he snapped out of it, and a rush of guilty and foreboding feelings coursed through him, followed by another set of brazen and reckless feelings, but he forced himself to look away, his eyes shut tight, his lips perused. No matter what path he chose, he'd have felt guilty, no matter what path he choose, he would've felt as if he'd done something right. What was he to do then?

Kira blinked as he turned away from her then sighed softly. She understood, she knew he couldn't and she didn't have the right to force him. She smiled slightly, he surely had more self control than most boys his age and she was proud of him for it. She looked over to the right while Larsa was staring hard to the left and gasped slightly as she took in the sudden beauty of the sunset. She straightened and nudged Larsa as she pointed to the west where the sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, pink, orange and reddish lights cascading along the open fields of the Tchita Uplands, showering the plains with a radiantly warm glow, its last show of brilliance for the day as the sun sank further and further into the horizon.

"Its beautiful isn't it?" Kira whispered as she watched the sunset, the beauty of her feature amplified ten fold by the radiance of the sun as Larsa looked up at her. He smiled and nodded his agreement.

They stayed there, watching the sunset in silence, neither of them uncomfortable, however, they weren't entirely comfortable either. Larsa watched as the last rays of sun disappeared from the plains and the first star made its appearance in the steadily darkened night sky. He looked up at Kira and said, "We should rest here tonight. I doubt I'd be able to make it through these plains in my current condition, worse at night."

Kira looked down at him and nodded, "True, you do look exhausted." she chuckled as he rolled his eyes and looked away from her. "I suppose we should rest her for the night yes, I don't think we'd be bothered much either..." she said as she looked around.

Kira nodded to herself slightly as she finished doing a quick visual patrol of the area and was about to climb off of Larsa and lie down beside him when she realized she was suddenly anchored to him. Kira blinked slightly and looked down at Larsa with a questioning look, but he could see her, he was gazing hard in the other direction, his face clearly burning red, his blush practically glowing in the nighttime darkness.

Kira chuckled slightly and said, "Uhm...Larsa...?"

His brow visibly twitched and Kira chuckled again as his blush deepened if possible. "It'll be cold..."

Kira nearly burst out laughing when she'd heard his excuse. It had barely escaped his lips, almost as though he were talking to the grass and not her, but shed heard him all the same and was quite amused. Kira shook her head and said softly, "Of course..." her sarcasm clear in her voice despite its softness as she adjusted her body so that she was lieing on top of Larsa, her arms folded under her chin as she rested them on his chest. Kira shivered slightly as she felt his arms wrap around her bare waist and secure her firmly onto him to prevent her from rolling off during their sleep, or so it seemed. She smiled as she closed her eyes and took in his scent, her nose brushing the fabric of his shirt for a moment as she closed her eyes and muttered a soft goodnight to Larsa, which she did not receive a reply to. Kira furrowed her brow slightly, wondering if he hadn't heard, but nearly broke into another fit of giggles when she realized with a jolt that he had already fallen asleep. Kira smiled slightly and opened her eyes for a moment, the temptation overcoming her as she looked up at his sleeping face. She moved as lightly as she possibly could in order not to wake him while she reached up so that her face was leaning over his own. She smiled slightly as he muttered something in his sleep and turned his head towards the left, making her mission even easier. Kira slowly leaned closer to him and ever so gently pressed a butterfly soft kiss on his cheek before she moved back to her previous position and flipped her off switch, falling fast asleep in his arms.

OoOoO

To be Continued...