31 Dark Proposal

When we arrived on the opposite shore, we all got out, but I thought I saw something brightly colored quite a bit farther down the riverside. "Guys, I'll be right back, I think I saw something." I looked at Yuna, and she nodded, giving me the go-ahead. I hurried over, and found that it was a body of an Al Bhed. Suddenly, she stood. At that moment, I recognized her by the outfit. "Rikku?" I said, a bit at a loss for words.

When I first appeared in Spira, before I arrived at Besaid, I found myself in a strange ruins, which was partially submerged. Rikku found me there and brought me on to her ship and gave me food. She also protected me from her other shipmates, who seemed to want to shoot me. So, yeah, that was my rude introduction to this awful world.

"Thought I was done for, back there." She said. Then she reached behind her and started unzipping her clothes. My eyebrows raised and I looked awkwardly around, wondering why this girl was stripping right in front of me. Then by my peripheral vision, I realized that she was actually wearing clothes under her suit. "Umm...so Rikku?" I said, looking back at her. "Yes?" She said, pulling off her mask to reveal a pretty face and blond hair. She looked to be fifteen or so. She had a bruise on one cheekbone, and in general she looked rather disheveled.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She frowned at me. "I'm terrible!" she whined. "Yeah, you don't look so good. Was that you who kidnapped Yuna? My summoner?" She scowled. "I wasn't kidnapping her. It's not what you think. I was protecting her!" "What-" I started to ask, but then I saw the group approaching us. I kicked her wetsuit into the water, and it was mostly concealed under the moonlilies.

"Yo!" Wakka called. "Friend of yours?" "Uh, you could say that." I mumbled. "Pleased to meet you! I'm Rikku!" She bounced over to him and extended her hand. "Yuna, Lulu... I told you about her, remember? She was the one who helped me before I was washed up on Besaid. She's" I suddenly broke off. I was about to say that she was Al Bhed, but I remembered the vehemence Wakka harbored towards them.

"Wow, so you, like, owe her your life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon!" Wakka heartily shook Rikku's hand. "So, Rikku, you look a little beat up. You okay?" Before Rikku answered Lulu said, "Uh, Wakka..." "There's something we need to discuss." Yuna finished. Wakka leaned back and crossed his arms. "Oh, go ahead." Rikku waved her hand at him. "Girls only! Boys please wait over there!"

"Are you an Al Bhed? Are you the one who kidnapped Yuna?" Lulu asked Rikku as soon as we were out of earshot. "I didn't kidnap her! I tried to take her away from...well, you know...the final summoning." There was a painful silence and then I said, "Rikku, you almost killed me." I was careful to maintain a neutral tone and expression. I knew she hadn't meant to harm me.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was trying to keep you from reaching Zanarkand." I was disappointed in the girl. Lulu stayed silent, letting me deal with her. I decided not to berate her, so I moved on to another subject. "Rikku, do you happen to know anyone named Cid? He's my uncle, on my mother's side."

Rikku nodded vigorously. "Yes! Cid's my Dad!" By her happy expression, I figured he must still be fine. "Really? We're cousins then!" Rikku smiled widely back at me. "So, I guess I ought to know my own cousin's name!" "Yuna. My name is Yuna." "I have a cousin!" Rikku said, loud enough to make me flinch. I hoped the guys didn't hear that. There was no reaction, so I figured we were still in the clear.

"Well Rikku...I am going to do the final summoning. I have my mind made up. But I can only do it if I make it to Zanarkand alive. I would like to get to know you better, since you're my cousin...Do you want to come with us?" "Like a guardian?" Rikku asked. "I know an Al Bhed has never been a guardian before, but there's always a first." She was quiet for a moment. "Well, you know I'm against summoners sacrificing themselves, but if you want me to come, I will." "Good. It's decided, then." I went back over to the group of men.

"Rikku is going to be my guardian." I said matter-of-factly. "Auron approached the young girl. She looked down, avoiding eye contact. "Show me your face." She turned her face up towards him but kept her eyes closed. "Open your eyes." He said firmly. She finally opened her eyes. "Hm. As I thought." He said, seeing her irises, which were green swirls. He looked over at me. "Are you certain?" "Yes." I said. Somehow, Wakka didn't understand the whole exchange, and he had no idea that Rikku was Al Bhed, much to my relief.

In a while, we reached Guadosalam. The city itself is beneath the ground, among tree roots. It was rather dimly lit, and it seemed a bit erie. As we traveled deeper into the city, a guado stepped out of the shadows, startling me a bit. "Lady Yuna, I presume?" "Yes, I am Yuna." I looked at the man seriously. He was very short for a Guado, only my height. Most Guado were taller than that, even the women. "My Lady, please come this way."
"Why?" Wakka asked warily. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I am Tromell. I am in direct service of our leader, the great Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Yuna." I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. The Maester made me feel really uncomfortable. "Please, come inside the manor. All will be explained." I knew that I had to follow him, a Maester's orders were law.

"And of course, your guardians are welcome." We all followed him into a mysterious mansion, formed entirely of roots twisted together to make secure walls. Inside, there were many hors devours and exotic fruits set out on tables throughout the room. "Make yourselves comfortable, have something to eat. Lord Seymour will be here shortly. Truly, it is good to have guests again. Since Lord Jyscal passed on, these halls have been too quiet."

I dipped my head. "The death of Lord Jyscal was a great loss for all of Spira." Trommel nodded. "But now, a new leader, Lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human. He will be the tie that binds our two races together. But that is not all, I think. He will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Spira!" I did not know why this Trommel fellow had so much faith in Maester Seymour, but I hoped I would eventually learn.

When Trommel left, Tidus approached me. "Wow. Talk about showy. That Seymour guy just creeps me out." I glanced around, hoping no one heard him. In a hushed tone I said. "Don't talk so disrespectfully. But he does make me feel uncomfortable too." We exchanged glances and then ate some of the strange looking foods that were set before us. They tasted exquisite.

Soon, Lord Seymour entered the room. "Welcome!" "You wanted to see me?" I said uncertainly. "Please, make yourselves at home. There is no rush." He spoke with a calm, and rather flat tone. "Auron stepped forward. "Please keep this short. Yuna must rush. "Pardon me. It has been a long time since I had guests. Lady Yuna, this way." He led us into another room. It was a rather large room, and completely empty except for one sphere sitting on the floor in the exact center of the room.

Seymour flicked off the light in the room, and the sphere activated, sending a three dimensional image all around the room. It was a city filled with people. It was night, and we could hear a strange kind of music and someone making announcements on a loud speaker. All the people were rushing in the same direction. There were children holding the hands of men and women, probably their parents. Tidus gasped. "Zanarkand!" Lord Seymour turned to look at me.

"He is correct. This sphere is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead on the Farplane. This is Zanarkand as it looked one thousand years ago." My guardians had various reactions, but no one actually said anything. I looked behind me and saw Tidus' expression. It was hard to read. It spelled excitement, pain, and maybe something else, though I wasn't sure what.

"She once lived in this metropolis." Lord Seymour said, as if he was looking for a question. I gave him his wish, not knowing what else to do. "She who?" With a wave of Seymour's hand, the scene changed. The room was richly decorated, and a woman with long, white hair sat on a bed. I recognized her as Lady Yunalesca from paintings. "Lady Yunalesca. You know that she was the first person to defeat Sin and save the world from its ravages. And you have inherited her name."
I looked down shyly. "My father gave me the name." "Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task. He wanted you to face Sin, as Lady Yunalesca did. However, Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone. To defeat the undefeatable Sin, it took an unbreakable bond of love. The kind that binds two hearts for eternity."
As if on queue, a man entered, Lord Zaon. The two embraced, then the scene ended. Lord Seymour led us into yet another room. This one was smaller, but lushly decorated with multiple couches and a thick red carpet. When we had all entered the room, Lord Seymour took my hand. I tried not to flinch as his cold skin touched mine. Then I wished that I wore gloves, like Tidus.

I turned to face the Guado. He leaned towards me, and for a split second, I thought he was going to try to kiss me. I leaned back, but then realized that he was going to whisper in my ear. My heart was pounding and I was having trouble breathing. I was disquieted by his forward actions, but I tried not to disrespect the Maester.

"Lady Yuna, please marry me." My heart dropped into my stomach. My head was spinning. I could hardly process the request. It was actually more of a command. Without thinking, I pulled my hand out of his and covered my mouth with both of mine. I could feel my cheeks heat up, surely turning bright red. He backed away from me and nodded slowly.

I stumbled over to a table and grabbed a glass of water, swiftly gulping it down. Tidus' eyebrows raised so high that they seemed ready to reach his hairline. The others weren't much less surprised. "He...he asked me to marry him!"

"What?" I shouted as the other guardians gasped. I couldn't believe it. There was no way that Yuna would marry this creep. I felt some kind of disdain rising in my chest for the conceited Maester. I glanced at him with no respect whatsoever in my expression. He ignored me, his gaze set on my summoner.

Auron said, "You know what Yuna must do." Seymour gave a tiny smirk. I was disgusted with this Guado man. "Of course. Lady Yuna, and all summoners are charged with bringing peace to Spira." Every eye in the room was fixated on the crazy blue haired Guado. "But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of all Spira. She must be a leader for the people. I proposed to Lady Yuna as a Maester of Yevon." Auron scowled at him, his opposition to the proposal was obvious. I wasn't too keen on it either. In fact, I hated the idea...a lot.

"Spira is no playhouse." Auron said in a low voice. "A moment's diversion may amuse the audience, but it changes nothing." "Even so, the actors must play their parts." Seymour countered. He approached Yuna, and it was all I could do not to step between the two. I didn't want to cause trouble, though. "Lady Yuna, there is no need to answer right away. Please, think it over." Seymour spoke gracefully, though I suspected his impatience.
"We leave." Auron said. We all followed. "Lady Yuna. I await your favorable reply." Seymour called after us. Once we had traveled a bit away from the manor, finally one of us spoke. Lulu gave a small speech, though she didn't reveal her feelings on the subject by the way she said it. "Yuna, the high summoner's daughter. Maester Seymour, leader of the Guado. Married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barriers of race. It would give Spira something cheery to talk about, for a change." "Sounds like a passin' daydream, like Auron says." Wakka replied.

"Come on! Let's just get on with the pilgrimage. I mean...marriage?" I just didn't understand why these people were even considering it! "Hmm! Jealous?" Rikku poked me in the ribs. I brushed her hand away. "What? No!" I denied it immediately, not even thinking about it. I did admit to myself though, if the only options were for Yuna to marry me or this weirdo, I would marry her without a second thought. It was enough to make me blush. I knew that I really liked Yuna, but not like that.

"He sure picked a fine time to lay this one on us." Wakka was definitely being sarcastic, though just mildly. "Maybe it is a fine time..." Yuna's words were quiet and contemplative. I frowned deeply and pulled my head back in disbelief. "Are you serious?" She gave me a tiny smile. "If my getting married would help Spira...if it would make people happy...If I could do that for the people, maybe I should do what I can. I never imagined doing anything like this...But I won't answer until I know what's right."

I was speechless. How could she not know what was right. This guy was downright spooky. How in the world could the answer be anything but no?

Rikku spoke, a hopeful tone to her voice. "You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married." Yuna shook her head. "I will go on. I'm sure that Lord Seymour will understand." I had to stop myself from shouting, 'What's there to think about! Just don't do it, Yuna!" Yuna calmly whispered, "I'm going to see my father and think on this." Lulu nodded at her. "Go on, we'll be right behind you."