Chapter 7: Loyalty
Marille was tired from having traveled a long way to reach the altar in the Temple of Darkness, so she sat on the floor and noticed bead-like bits of obsidian scattered about. It was cold and she shivered, prompting her father to wrap a cloak around her. She smiled up at him and Emil ruffled her hair good-naturedly, but the worry touching his green eyes didn't lessen. Tenebrae appeared and she waved at him, but he and her father started talking and she grew bored quickly. The pebbles were more interesting anyway.
"Lord Emil, I'm afraid it is not remaining static as we had hoped. Whatever happened during the kidnapping, it broke the barriers the Centurions placed on her when she was born."
"Marta thinks I brought her here to restore them. She has no clue they won't work anymore, and anything we do is risky."
Both of them paused, and vaguely Marille was aware of a third member of the conversation; it could only be Ratatosk. Less than a minute later Emil nodded.
"That concerns us all. If the door is being affected, we need to find a way to protect it. Is there anything we can do?"
"If you would permit me, there may be another way to block her powers. If her mana flow was restricted—"
Emil straightened suddenly and placed himself between his daughter and the Centurion. "If you do that she'll die in a matter of days!"
There was an almost tangible sense of anger from the invisible party directed at the black creature as well. Tenebrae had taken a respectful step back and bowed his head.
"My Lord, I would suggest no such thing. All I would do is channel them into an object with enough absorbent qualities that she need never know she has mana-control."
"What sort of object?"
"One very close at hand."
The following silence and her father's expressions made it obvious that the conversation was taking an interesting turn.
"That may work, Ratatosk, but it's only temporary. We need something that resolves the problem, not just covers it." Emil paused and then gave a sharp laugh. "Stop pretending. You can't lie to me and I know you care about her as much as I do."
"If I may point out," Tenebrae spoke up, "it is obvious any real solution requires her to be more mature. Seven is too young for a permanent arrangement, but something must be done now. Perhaps in five or six years she will be strong enough that her life would not be endangered."
Again all talk ceased as Ratatosk put in his two cents. Her father's face grew resigned and Tenebrae vanished from sight. He said Marille's name and she scampered over, holding up her collection of shiny black pebbles proudly and wishing she could speak so that she could explain how special they were. Emil's smile faltered.
Something slid around her neck from behind but before she could turn to look, a wave of dizziness washed over her and everything went dark for a moment. When her sight returned she was unable to focus on anything, but her mind was so fogged that it didn't seem to matter anyway.
Tenebrae floated above, keeping her flat on the floor with his tail while Emil stared at an object in his hand.
"I wish this wasn't the only way…"
"Lord Emil, we must think of what is best for all involved."
"There's no guarantee of that yet," he said with a hint of anger. "Are you sure she can't feel anything right now?"
"She is hardly aware of us at all."
"All right…"
For an instant there was a strange sensation, as though her left side was being jabbed with something sharp but it didn't hurt. Marille continued to stare upward at the ceiling of the Temple of Darkness.
A few seconds later her father stood, and though it was dark she could tell there was blood on his hands. He wiped them off on his clothes carelessly and pulled a special gel out of his pocket. As it melted in her mouth, a healing tingle went all through her body. Tenebrae spoke once more,
"You must be sure no one knows, Lord Emil. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough, and your wife... As much as I respect Lady Marta, I am also aware of how protective she is of your child. If she knew exactly what was done, she would likely be unsatisfied and try to help. Any meddling at all could easily result in a worse disruption of mana than this time. You must make certain no one suspects anything unusual."
"I'll do what I can," he said, lifting his daughter into his arms. "And Marille will be told when she's old enough."
Marille herself blinked groggily as the stupor faded away. "Daddy...?"
His eyes grew wide and he hugged her tightly. "You can talk!"
%*%
She opened her eyes. The sun hadn't risen yet and she could still hear snores from the next room. Raine was lying sprawled along her cot.
Marille got out of bed, grabbed her bag and slid her boots on, lacing them up so quickly that the moment she left the house one popped loose and she had to kneel down on the dusty street to fix it. There was a grove of trees just outside town and she practically dove into it. She reached into the bag and pulled out the gift her mother had given her just last week. Her only thought was to see once and for all if it was true.
The box of gems opened and Marille picked a sapphire, clenching it in her hand and trying with all her might to access the magic. She gave up and took the ruby…only to throw it on the ground a minute later and choose another. One by one she took the gems in her fist, then dropped them.
At last she sat there staring in defeat at their glittering facets as the sun peeked over the horizon.
Why? Why hadn't he told her she could not use magic? Or even that he was the cause of it? How had she harmed the gate? And if Tenebrae thought she needed to be around twelve or thirteen before she'd be ready, why hadn't she heard so much as a whisper about it even at the age of fifteen? But most troubling of all...why hadn't he trusted his own wife with the truth?
The questions hung in the air unanswered while she slowly retrieved the useless gemstones, then almost without meaning to she felt the spot on her left side where the "object" was hidden. It continued to remain as mysterious as ever, but at least she understood a bit more now.
Marille has gained the title Magically Incompetent
Okay, enough with the insults! 'Magically Incompatible' would be a lot nicer.
Saying nothing to the others about her dream or her suspicions, Marille rushed through breakfast and shot outside to saddle her wolf. Duchess almost seemed to grin at her, tongue lolling out, while she tightened the cinch and made sure the straps around the orion's forelegs wouldn't chafe. The twins came out and looked at each other nervously as she stood surveying her job.
"I guess we should have told you earlier—" Leo started.
"But we didn't want to ruin your breakfast," his brother finished.
Marille glanced between them. "What is it?"
"The wolves need to eat sometime today."
Geo nodded. "They're not pets, you know. Sure, they'll eat dried meat and carrion, but after a while they refuse it. Last night we gave them some scraps, but when we checked on them this morning nothing was touched. Been cooped up too long maybe. Fresh meat always does the trick. They'll probably need a bath afterward, though. Or two, depending on—um, never mind."
She tried to keep the sudden bout of nausea from affecting her stomach too much. "Do they have to go hunting right now?"
The boys shrugged. "We can travel half the day and then let them go. Since you smell something like your father there shouldn't be any problem with them coming back to find us."
"You mean sometimes they don't come back after they go hunting?"
Leo nodded. "Remember the part about them being wild? Emil usually brings them back when that happens, so it's no big deal except for those of us who get stranded. Though I've never had that problem with Roxy," he almost gloated, stroking the fenrir's fire-like mane of blue fur.
Raine wished them luck as they left, bounding toward the sandy dunes to the east. The orion was extremely conscious of its rider, slowing to a walk anytime Marille stiffened for a minute or two. The boys would have asked about what she was seeing, but her visibly growing frustration kept them from voicing any questions.
They made good time, and didn't dismount until they had reached the border of the desert. Izoold was nearly within spitting distance, so they decided that traveling the rest of the way on foot would be good for them. According to Geo, they could take it easy and still be at the town by noon the following day. People would still be setting up for the festival, but early-comers usually got the first shot at anything good to be had.
The instant they were free of the saddles, Roxy and Duchess shook themselves and let out excited howls before loping off across the green lands. Left with no other means of transportation, the three teenagers shrugged the packs on and the boys each hefted a saddle.
"Be ready to drop everything and fight when we meet any unfriendlies," Leo warned her.
"I already know the drill."
If only it had been so easy.
A flock of axe beaks came at them shrieking angrily and Leo drew both his swords, slicing two in half with a single move. Geo pulled out his blade and swiped to keep one of the birds back. Marille had just pulled out her father's Black Sword when her body froze against her will and she didn't move even when her opponent crashed into her and began to peck mercilessly. Leo dispatched it and then stood protectively over her, killing three more, until she sat up.
"I take it you just had another flashback."
"I got beat up by an axe beak. Tell me that's not embarrassing," she muttered, taking a cloth from her pack and dabbing at the bloody cuts on her arms. "The worst part is that everything I'm getting is just in pieces."
Geo came over, still keeping an eye out for any monsters that might sneak up while they were distracted. "It's a real problem if we can't be sure you'll be able to take care of yourself. At least it doesn't happen often."
She popped an apple gel into her mouth and chewed mechanically while her cuts suddenly stopped bleeding. "I just wish I could see it all in order. I've seen the very end and a lot of random traveling, but nothing that stitches the picture together properly." She wiped the back of her hand across her face with an exasperated noise.
"Marille, you have a blood smear on your nose," Leo said. "And your forehead."
She looked down at the cut on her hand and saw it had reopened. "Nuts! Do you have any more apple gels?"
Geo pulled some from his pack and handed them over. "Since we only have a few left why don't we buy some from the trader up ahead?"
The Castagnier girl looked around as she chewed, but the rolling land kept her from seeing much in any direction. "Where?"
"Not far. Just look at those tracks we've been following. The wheels are too wide for your typical wagon, so it must be a trader who is on the road a lot and has to carry a heavy load. This is also the hottest time of day when most traders stop to let their animals rest, and the mud in these ruts is still damp. We should catch up in less than half an hour," he finished.
"Showoff," Leo growled. He could never quite reconcile his inability to track well with his brother's excellence at it. His only comfort was that he could beat Geo at sword fighting any day of the week.
Sure enough, the trader's camp came in sight shortly. Several people who lived in a nearby cluster of houses (too small to be considered a village) were shopping through the wares, and one woman in particular was attempting to haggle with the man.
"500 gald for those? They're just second-hand pots."
"I'll have you know, ma'am," the trader said with an air of authority, "these are in fine condition and were once the very set used by Raine Sage. That lovely lady bestowed them on me herself less than one week ago."
The woman stood there staring at the pots, then she reached out and lifted the lid of one before the trader could stop her. "Aha! I knew you were trying to cheat me! This is stained all along the inside. Burnt food, no doubt, and practically impossible to clean."
She started to turn away but the man called, "I'll drop to 150 and throw in all the utensils that went with them."
The woman paused, then smiled as she turned back and took out a bag of gald. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Guntz."
Marille snapped around and stared, concentration creasing her brow. The twins looked at each other and then at her, wondering what the matter was.
"His name…where have I heard his name…?" Suddenly an image of herself holding a mallet and threatening someone came to mind. "Hey, you!"
She rushed over to him, interrupting the exchange. The trader looked up in annoyance. "Missy, can you not see I am in the middle of a business transaction?"
"Are you the one who has been spreading lies about the Castagniers?" she demanded. "We need to talk. Now."
The man's eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open with surprise. He quickly turned to his customer and shoved the pots into her arms. "My dear lady, here is your merchandise. Thank you for your time and I hope you are able to shine them to a satisfactory luster."
Guntz gestured for all three of them to come into his wagon and they did. It was crowded, but there was a small table crammed against the far wall with boxes that served as seats. The trader asked them to please sit and then he himself proceeded to walk to and fro in the tiny area available for pacing.
"I assume you are the Castagnier's only child," he began, "and though I know how this must appear to you, I have never reported anything but what I was told and I always made sure to say it was a rumor."
"Oh, wow," she replied sarcastically. "I feel so much better knowing the attack on my mother is all just a little misunderstanding because you were considerate enough to say the word 'rumor'."
Guntz swallowed hard. "I am sorry about Mrs. Castagnier. I never meant to accuse your family of being demons. The man I talked to said it was their organization's suspicion."
"Whose?"
"Mizuho's. He told me they had been investigating the Castagniers for years but were unable to pin anything down for sure."
"What are you talking about?!" one of the boys said indignantly. "Mom and Dad would never say—or even think—such a thing!"
"Wait, who are you two?" the man wondered.
"Our parents are Lloyd and Sheena Irving," Geo stated proudly, chin up.
The trader's face grew white and he tugged at his collar as if suddenly too hot. "I didn't lie. He said that, he really did!"
"Does he have a name?"
"Never gave it, but he looked just like one of Mizuho's scouts. I thought I could trust him. It was about four weeks ago or maybe a little less, but he bought a fancy bottle of perfume I got from Altamira. After he paid for it we started exchanging news and that's when he told me."
Marille leaned forward, gazing at him intently. "Was it a clear perfume bottle with a green top?"
Guntz nodded.
She stared at the grooves of the table, trying to wrap her head around everything this meant. "The one who started the rumor is the same one who put the poison in the perfume… But why? Was he trying to throw us off-track?"
Leo looked back at Guntz. "Is there any description you can give us?"
"Well, he had a sword on his back. He looked like any other ninja, really. Although…while he was comparing the different perfumes I had, he pulled his mask down a little. I saw his flesh on the left side of his face was paler—" Guntz traced a line along his cheekbone. "You know, like when someone gets a deep cut and the skin grows back lighter."
The boys looked at each other, their eyes slowly widening.
"The only one with a scar there on his face—"
"Why couldn't it have been anyone else?"
"You know what this means, right?"
The blonde girl jumped up and grabbed them each by an ear, dragging them close so that she could shout in their faces. "Who?!"
"Genji!" they shouted back as though the answer was completely obvious.
Marille's mouth fell open half an inch and she stood there, stunned. "But he's the one who's supposed to deliver the antidote..."
%*%
The previous morning...
Rajin's cerberus slowed to a stop beside the boat waiting at the appointed place. That breed of monster had such good stamina that they could run all day and all night before dropping. It panted heavily but didn't appear exhausted, giving a friendly whuff to the fenrir there. Genji silently took the bottle his fellow ninja held out and then led his wolf onto the flat-bottomed boat, casting off immediately.
The moment the pre-dawn darkness hid him from the eyes onshore, Genji changed direction. Only when the sun rose a few hours later did he turn towards the land, and by then he was well on his way north instead of south.
The fenrir followed him off the boat, unquestioning. It paid no attention as its rider held out the small blue bottle. With something of a sneer he dropped it to the ground and crushed it beneath his boot. As the glass snapped, the antidote for Marta's condition sank into the sand.
"There is only one place those boys will take her," he said to himself as he made sure the monster's harness was secure. Genji paused and felt along the left side of his face where the skin was abnormally smooth. "Seventeen years... This will be worth the wait."
A/N: Ah, such a tangled web! I'm sure some of you have already figured out what exactly is going on with Genji, but the next chapter should shed a whole bucketload of light on it.