Baron's infirmary, deliberately by design, sat adjacent to the Engineer's workshop and airship bay. This served two purposes: to address accidental injuries that inevitably happened to engineers while experimenting with new technologies, and to treat any wounded individuals arriving via airship.
The Engineering division, the Red Wings, and the White Mages all cooperated on missions and projects, more so than any other divisions. The White Mages provided support to the other two divisions, while the Engineering division supplied the Red Wings' fleet and soldiers with new and developing technology, often present in upgraded weapons and airship function. In return, the Red Wings protected the White Mages and Engineers on missions, both domestic and foreign, ensuring the safety of their defensively vulnerable but important personnel. As such, there was often a close working relationship among members of the three divisions.
Kain knew Cid Pollendina indirectly, through the engineer's association with Joanna. Cid was more familiar with Rosa, as he had an obvious soft spot for the girl who was so close in age to his own daughter, Sarah. Rosa had a hidden box of treasures stashed under the floorboards of her room, mostly filled with Cid's creations – little trinkets and gadgets he had crafted for her over the years.
Despite his Apprentice title, Cid was a man approaching middle age. A new hint of gray was scattered throughout his wiry black beard and hair, while the hard muscle of his youth had begun to soften. Apprentice was a special rank within the Engineering division, and was often a lifetime role that started in an engineer's youth. Similar to the King's declaration of an heir, the Apprentice to the Chief Engineer was someone who was undergoing training to eventually assume the Chief Engineer role – an Apprentice learned the secrets of Baron's technology over the course of many years, sometimes decades. If the Chief Engineer died or defected to the enemy, the Apprentice was expected to take over the role to maintain the continued efficient operation of Baron and its military.
Engineers – especially Chief Engineers and their Apprentices – were highly respected by Baron's military and its civilian society. Baron was quick to credit its current economic boom to the innovative airships designed by its Engineering division, which made Baron master of the skies above all other nations.
It was a surprise, then, for Cecil and Kain to see Cid standing outside of his workshop; two Red Wings soldiers were stationed at the door, their matching uniforms and helmets making them anonymous. Kain could hear the faint sounds of raised voices inside the workshop.
"Let me look," Cid said, starting toward the door, but the Red Wings soldiers did not budge. Cid hesitated, then stepped back. "Can I at least watch and make sure things are handled carefully?"
"I'm sorry, Cid," said one of the soldiers, with genuine sympathy in his muffled voice. "But we have orders to make you wait while they do a full inventory."
Cid looked ready to argue, his chest puffing up with a deep inhale. But then he spotted Kain and Cecil watching nearby, and his anger deflated, his shoulders visibly sagging. "What're you boys doing here?" He didn't wait for an answer; understanding softened his expression into pity. It was a sentiment that Kain would soon grow to resent. "You've heard about the survivors?" Cid asked next, sounding gentle despite his gruff voice.
"There's more than one?" Kain asked, a foolish optimism lighting up inside of him. Could it be possible that he and Rosa would both get what they wanted? What they needed?
"Biggs Darklighter, Red Wings pilot, and Wedge Antilles, Red Wings soldier," Cid said, instead of answering Kain's question. "They were found floating in the wreckage, adrift at sea." Cid paused, seeing the new tears in Kain's eyes, then awkwardly added, "I'm sorry."
Kain blinked hard, swallowing back his urge to cry.
"What are they doing in there?" Cecil asked with a nod to the door, mercifully changing the topic, while Kain's world crashed back down around him all over again. His father had seemed so close – the hint of hope, now drowning in an even greater despair, was somehow worse than if there had been no survivors at all.
Cid looked back at the door and the guards standing in front of it. He sighed, and when he spoke, he sounded small and defeated. "Something went missing. The Red Wings are examining the workshop to see if anything else is gone."
"What's missing?" Cecil asked quickly.
"One of my experiments," Cid started to answer, then turned back to look at the boys. Perhaps realizing to whom he was speaking, Cid frowned. "But don't worry about it."
The door to the workshop opened, and another soldier poked his head out. "Engineer Pollendina?"
"Yeah?" Cid answered eagerly, turning away from the boys.
"We need your assistance cataloging some items," the soldier said a bit sheepishly.
Cid threw up his hands, now dismayed. "That's what I've been trying to say. How can you know what's missing if you don't know what the hell you're looking at?!" He started for the door, but paused, looking back to Kain. "I'm sorry that I don't have any answers yet – about the crash, and about what happened to your father. But I aim to find out."
"Will you tell me?" Kain asked. "If you do find out, do you promise to tell me?" He thought of all the strange secrets the adults seemed to have, then wondered why they should affect him at all.
Cid hesitated only a second before answering. "I promise," he said, before disappearing behind the workshop's door.
"We should still go to the infirmary and see if Rosa is there," Cecil said as he tugged on Kain's arm, leading him along further down the hall. "We might learn something."
Similar to the outside of the Engineering division, there were Red Wings guards posted outside of the infirmary doors, barring entry. As Cecil and Kain approached, the doors pushed open, and out stepped Rosa, looking hollow-eyed and empty, just as Kain remembered her describing Joanna. She'd been crying anew, evidenced by her tear-stained cheeks and reddened eyes. As she saw the boys approach, she rubbed the heel of her hand against her eyes, then blinked them clear.
"I'm sorry," Kain said, the words feeling impossibly inferior in the enormity of her grief.
"I thought, maybe, it might be..." Rosa started, then sniffed. Kain opened his arms, and she went in easily, hugging him tightly. "But it wasn't," she said, muffled into his shirt, and her shoulders began to shake as a sob tore through her. Kain held her carefully as she cried on, lightly patting her back.
Cecil watched without comment, his gray eyes curious but serious.
This continued, with Rosa quietly crying on in the otherwise silent hallway, until the heavy tread of approaching soldiers interrupted the moment. Rosa pulled away from Kain, wiping her face with her sleeve, sniffling away her remaining tears. Cecil watched down the hall, waiting expectantly.
It was the King himself who finally approached, flanked by his royal guard. First, King Odin looked surprised to see the three of them, then his expression softened. Kain recognized the familiar and infuriating look of pity.
"You should go," King Odin said to the children, with an unusual expression of sympathy he was not known for. "This isn't the place for children."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Cecil said immediately, dropping into a perfunctory bow, even as King Odin was already turning away to disappear inside of the infirmary. "Let's go," Cecil whispered to Rosa and Kain, "We need to talk."
Together, the three children climbed the north west tower stairs until they reached Cecil's room at the top. Cecil led them, while Rosa and Kain trailed behind, holding each other's hands as they followed.
"What's this about?" Kain asked as they entered Cecil's room.
Rosa broke away from Kain, to wander through the new environment. She lingered by the desk, looking over the various papers there.
"Do you know why the King is there?" Cecil asked instead of answering. He began pacing beside the bed, going back and forth slowly across the room as he spoke. "And why are they searching through Cid's workshop?" When Kain offered no answers, Cecil continued, "King Odin himself is questioning the survivors to find out what happened to the ship, and why it might have crashed. Maybe it has something in common with whatever experiment Cid's missing."
"You think so?" Rosa asked.
Cecil shrugged. "I'm not sure, really. I can only guess. But if it's the King himself, then he expects to hear something that he wants no one else to witness."
The children stood still in the tense silence, each pondering the implication.
It was Rosa who broke it, speaking quietly, "We should talk to Cid, then." Both boys turned to look at her, and she looked grim, with little color in her face. She drew in a deep breath, and continued, "Right now, Mama is saying that there was a problem with the engines, some kind of accident that made them stop working. But..."
Rosa closed her eyes briefly, looking like she might cry, but then exhaled slowly, eyes fluttering back open. "But Cid's ships don't just stop working like that. And," she dropped her voice to a whisper, sounding suddenly scared. "And the survivors... I saw them before Mama sent me away. Their skin was all burnt up, like they'd been in a fire. Is that what happens when a ship crashes in the ocean?"
Cecil was already shaking his head in a silent no.
"To Cid, then," Rosa said, sounding determined.
"But first," Cecil said with a new frown aimed at Kain. "You need to get clean clothes. I can smell you from here."
After a brief but embarrassing stop at Kain's room, where Kain changed his clothes and scrubbed his face with cold water, Rosa, Cecil, and Kain went back to Cid's workshop. They found Cid looking despondent over his bench at the scattered mess of tools lying there. He didn't notice the children at first. They watched as Cid picked up a hammer, looked it over in his hands, then tossed it carelessly back in the pile.
"This was more than an inventory," Cecil said, and it was not a question, but a statement.
Cid looked up, surprised to see the children. "What do you mean?"
"Your missing experiment," Cecil continued as he approached Cid at the bench, "what exactly is it?"
"Why are you asking?" Cid asked, suddenly skeptical of the children.
"Could it be used to damage a ship's engines?" Cecil continued his questions, ignoring Cid's own.
"Or set a ship on fire?" Rosa added, then dropped to a whisper, "…or burn off skin?"
Cid looked puzzled; his brow furrowed deeply. Then, as his understanding unfolded, his eyes widened with a new horror. "No," he said, shaking his head emphatically. "Some recruit stole it as a prank and is too scared to come forward now. It wasn't involved in the ship crash."
"What is it, Cid?" Cecil asked again, and somehow his use of Cid's name made the inquiry more formal. Then, Cecil's serious expression softened. "Please. These two deserve to know if it might be involved."
"A bomb," Cid answered finally, closing his eyes tightly, as if that might absolve him of what he was saying. "It's a small explosive device, designed to be triggered in the event of a ship falling into enemy hands. I wanted a way to destroy a ship, rather than hand the tech over."
"Who knew about it?" Cecil pressed.
"Me and the Chief," Cid paused a moment to consider something, then shook his head. "I did talk with Albert and Richard about Dragoons learning to deploy one. In theory, a dragoon could Jump to an enemy ship, drop the bomb, then Jump away before its detonation. I was working with Albert to decide on the right timing." He saw the serious expressions on all three children's faces, then shook his head. "Neither would have taken it. They wouldn't even know what it looks like."
"How likely is it go off accidentally?" Cecil asked next. "Could it have been planted on the ship, before their departure?"
Cid shook his head slowly. "Nothing is impossible, but unlikely. There's a safety switch that keeps the wiring disconnected, so there's no chance of it going off if thrown around. It must be set intentionally." He threw his hands up, exasperated. "There's no way it could be involved."
"How many of your ships have crashed because of engine problems?" It was Rosa who spoke next, her question sounding small.
"Rosa, ships crash sometimes…" Cid started.
"Yes," Rosa interrupted him, in rare defiance of a grown- up. "But those are because of pilots being stupid or monsters attacking," Rosa continued, "but how many crashes are because your engines failed?"
Kain wondered when Rosa had gotten so brave, and if it was because of her grief or if Cecil was having a meaningful impact on her already.
"None," Cid answered grimly, then shook his head, correcting himself, "This is the first."
"Is it?" Cecil asked, which earned him a glare from Cid.
But Cid eventually sighed, the harsh expression softening. "It feels… wrong when someone dies in an accident. It might seem easier to find something to blame, but sometimes, people just die and there's no reason for it."
"Cid…" Kain finally spoke, "Wouldn't you want to know if there was a traitor still in Baron, stealing your stuff and using it to kill our soldiers?"
Cid didn't reply for a long moment, his temples tense, a few veins standing out in dark relief on his skin. "I'll talk to the King," he said tightly. He stood from the bench and dusted himself off a bit. "But you three go and stay away for a while. I suspect that more is going on than any of us know."
Together, the four of them left the workshop, with Cid closing the door behind him. "I mean what I said," he said in a serious warning tone, "I want you three to keep out of this. Go find some other childish mischief." Cid paused, assessing each child in turn, perhaps wondering if they'd truly listen. Then, he added, "You promise?"
"Yes Cid," the children answered in unison.
Apparently satisfied by this, Cid left, hurrying along the corridor to the center of the castle, where the throne room lay.
"Now what?" Kain asked.
Cecil was already in motion, pushing against the workshop door, testing the handle experimentally. When it easily opened, Cecil grinned. "Cid is always bad about locking up. It's why he thinks someone just took it as joke, because it's not the first time it's happened." With a purpose in his steps, Cecil walked into the workshop.
"What're you doing?" Rosa also asked, following Cecil back inside.
"The infirmary has two levels, right?" Cecil posed the question to no one in particular as he moved through the workshop, looking back and forth in an obvious search for something.
"Yes," it was Kain who answered, having memorized the castle's exterior from Cecil's roof.
Cecil seemed to find his prize, making a "Ah!" noise as he rushed over to the wall, to a folded ladder leaning against there. He pulled it away from the wall, testing its weight – while the ladder was not heavy, it was long and awkward to carry alone.
"What's the plan?" Kain asked, as he stepped behind Cecil to grab the ladder's opposite end, and the two boys held it balanced between them.
"Mischief, of course," Cecil answered with a grin.
"After all," Rosa added with her own growing smile, "We did promise."
If the guards thought anything of the three children carrying a ladder through the castle, they did not comment – they only offered passing smiles related to memories of their own long-ago childhoods. By the time that Rosa, Cecil, and Kain made their way outside to the training courtyard, it had begun to rain; the wet, miserable winter rain made the insistent wind claw through gaps in the children's clothing. The weather was a blessing, despite its discomfort, as it had driven away the usual trainees who regularly practiced in the courtyard; the children found themselves alone.
Ignoring the chilling cold, Kain guided them to western wall, while he scrutinized the area where the low roof met the edge of the wall. Once he was sure of the location, he stopped and eased the ladder up against the stone wall. He tested his weight against it, shifted it a bit to the left, then tested again. Satisfied, Kain looked back to Cecil, nodding in confirmation.
Cecil took a few steps back, looking up to the roof and following the line of it. His gaze settled somewhere, focused, and then he smiled. "There," he said, pointing ahead, cold rain dripping from his hand. "That balcony connects to the infirmary." Cecil looked back to Kain. "This is where you said the whole roof connects. Can you get us to the infirmary?"
Kain felt an odd flip in his stomach. He hadn't thought that Cecil would remember their conversation about the roof. "I can. But only you, not Rosa."
But Rosa was already kneeling, tying up her skirts to give her legs more freedom. "Not a chance," she declared as stood back up. "Besides, you don't know the inside of the infirmary or where the soldiers are." Rosa looked extremely smug as she added, "But I do."
Kain glanced back at Cecil for any support, but Cecil did not disagree – he only shrugged.
"Fine," Kain huffed. "It goes me, Rosa, then you." Kain narrowed his eyes in a serious stare at Cecil. "Promise you'll watch her and make sure she doesn't fall."
"I'm not a baby," Rosa protested.
"I promise," Cecil said at the same time.
Satisfied despite Rosa's pout, Kain turned back to the ladder and started to climb. With his long reach, it was easy for Kain to pull himself up and over the edge, then onto the roof. Behind him, Rosa struggled with her outstretched hand to reach the edge from the ladder's highest step, but her fingers swiped just inches too short. Kain leaned down, grasped her by the arms, and felt a strange pang of familiarity as his earlier dream threatened to surface. Instead, he shook his head clear, then hoisted her up. Cecil was last and needed no help, pulling himself up as easily as Kain.
Kain crouched low, his arms outstretched to balance himself as he moved; the other two mimicked his posture. "Follow my steps and go slow," he shout-whispered back at Rosa and Cecil. "It might be slippery in the rain."
The children made slow progress over the sloping roof, Rosa and Cecil following in a single file line behind Kain. Once, Rosa slipped, arms flailing wildly as she tried to catch her balance. Cecil was behind her – he grabbed her by the shoulder and kept her from falling entirely off of the roof. When Kain saw gratitude in the brilliant smile she directed back toward Cecil, he instantly resented it.
Eventually, they reached roof directly above the balcony that Cecil had spotted. Kain lowered Cecil first, holding the dangling Cecil by his wrists. Kain grunted with effort as he swung Cecil inward, launching Cecil toward the floor of the balcony, and he was rewarded with a dull thud as Cecil landed. Rosa went next and was easier to lower down; Cecil was there to control her fall, helping her down to the floor as Kain let go. Kain himself gripped the edge of the roof, maintaining an unsure grip in the cold rain. He lowered himself down, let his whole body dangle for a perilous second, and then swung inward to land soundly on his feet.
Rosa took the lead next, silently beckoning the other children to follow as she approached the door to the inside. It eased open – no point in locking a door to a balcony, after all – and the children slipped inside, tracking in with them dripping rain from their clothing, shoes, and hair.
Inside, the second floor of the infirmary was nearly silent. Beds lined both walls in identical rows. Most were empty, the linens done up neatly and precisely without a wrinkle or askew pillow in sight. A white mage stood at the end, beside the only two occupied beds.
"What're you doing here?" asked the white mage as he approached, looking concerned at the sight of the three children.
"My mother needs you to report to the King right away," Rosa said, the lie sounding surprisingly natural. Kain had never heard her lie before and found it disconcerting. "She's waiting for you in the throne room."
"She did?" the white mage asked, clearly skeptical. "Why send you instead of a guard?"
"Because," Rosa said, her mouth pressed into a thin, tense line, her words stressed with impatience. "She's trying to keep gossip contained and you know how the guards talk." Only family-" she vaguely gestured at Kain "-knows right now and we're trying to keep it that way." When the white mage still hesitated, Rosa put both fists on her hips and frowned; it was a gesture she had learned from Joanna. "Go right away. I'll let them know downstairs to send a relief, but I wouldn't keep the King waiting if I were you."
"Of course!" the white mage looked alarmed and took off nearly in a run.
As he exited, Rosa released a troubled sigh. "I'm going to be in so much trouble…" she lamented, then shook her head, as if that would dispel the terrifying thought. "Never mind," she said, looking back to Kain and Cecil. "We won't have much time, so let's ask what we need and get out."
"What do you want?" asked a gruff voice from one of the occupied beds.
The children approached, slowly. It was dimly lit in this wing of the infirmary to encourage rest for the recovering wounded. When they had nearly reached the beds, the children could see two figures – one in each bed.
The first figure, silent and unmoving, was not conscious. He lay prone on the bed; the only hint of movement was the faint rise and fall of his chest and stomach as he breathed. The exhalations were strained and labored, rather than the soft, breathy exhalations of deep sleep; a strange whistling sound punctuated each inhale. He wore no shirt or pants, and only had a loose sheet draped around his middle to protect his modesty. His face was hidden from view, wrapped up in loose bandages. It was only as they got closer that the children saw the wrongness of the man's exposed skin – it was raw, red, and shining under the thin light of a nearby hanging lantern.
"Wh…" Kain started to ask, leaving the question hanging in the air.
"Newly healed skin," Rosa whispered, her eyes still wide in horror, as she watched the man struggle through each breath. "With large injuries, the body can take only so much magic-aided healing, so they must do it in stages, to allow the body to recover between treatments." She covered her mouth with her hand, the next words muffled with disbelief. "His skin must have been all gone..."
"What happened to him?" Cecil asked, not to Kain or Rosa, but to the second figure in the adjacent bed.
The second man was resting in the bed, reclined at a slight upward angle, with several pillows behind his back to prop him up. He had the same bandages as the first, only these covered his whole body, with no exposed skin to be seen.
"What do you want?" the man asked again, breath rasping in his chest.
"We want to know what happened to both of you." It was Cecil who answered. "Captain Darklighter?" Cecil asked, a bit uncertain. "We need to know how your ship crashed."
Kain realized he wasn't sure anymore, a sudden anxiety seizing him – did he really want to know how these horrible events happened? He inhaled, and the breath was suddenly strangled in his chest and left him gasping.
Then, he felt Rosa's small hand pressed against his palm, her chilly fingers laced with his. He looked down to see her watching him, looking concerned.
"Is this what you want, Kain?" Rosa asked, the question gentle.
"I don't know," Kain answered honestly, feeling dizzy with the indecision.
"What do you want?" the captain asked again, only this time through a sudden, heaving sob. "My ship… my ship! She's gone up in flames and I'm trapped inside, so what more do you want for me?!" His head lolled to the side, an eerie mournful wail sounding from deep within his throat.
"What's going on here?!" A new voice demanded.
The children turned around to see a guard, with the same white mage from earlier, behind him.
"So much trouble…" Rosa said with a wince.
With the guard glaring at their backs, Rosa, Kain, and Cecil found themselves escorted directly to the throne room. The guard closed the door behind him as he left. The room was almost entirely empty – only King Odin sat on his throne, and Cid stood before him. Cid cast an anxious look at the children as they approached, but he said nothing.
"First," Odin spoke, his voice clapping like thunder through the room. "I will address Miss Farrell." He settled his heavy gaze on Rosa, paralyzing her in place. "You know best of these three the importance of peaceful rest while healing, and you know that disrupting such rest is harmful. You harmed those men tonight, and you should be ashamed of yourself."
Rosa gasped as if struck, new tears forming in her eyes.
"I would lecture you more," the king continued, unmoved by her emotion, "but I suspect it will pale in comparison to what your mother has to say. Go straight home," Odin commanded, "and think on how you must always show respect and dignity to the sick and wounded."
Rosa squeaked something in reply, but it was inaudible through her sniffles. She left without a backwards glance to Kain or Cecil, her shoulders trembling as she cried.
"As for you, Cecil," the King said less formally, now directing his stern glare toward Cecil. "I will say this once, and only once. Do not look further into this incident. There is nothing more that you need to know. Do you understand?"
"I understand, sir," Cecil said obediently. If Cecil was afraid, Kain couldn't tell. Cecil stood still and stiff, as if he were a soldier reporting for duty.
"Do not disobey me on this," the king added, and for a brief second, Cecil did look frightened, unused to second warnings from Odin – they had never been necessary before. He gulped once, then nodded. Odin gestured with a wave, which Cecil took as a dismissal, turning to go.
Before he left, Cecil caught eyes with Kain and mouthed, I'm sorry.
Kain thought he was next, but the King looked beyond him, toward Cid. "Engineer Pollendina," Odin said, resuming the formality. "This has been an unfortunate matter that does not involve you or anything from your workshop. After investigating, it appears your device was accidentally destroyed by a well-meaning eningeer. However, I will take your concerns into consideration, but I will assure you that the matter has been settled. You will not worry further about this."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Cid said dutifully.
There was no further admonishment for Cid, only a curt, "You may go," from Odin. Cid walked away, his eyes on the floor, but hesitated by the door. He drew in a deep breath, turned back to face the king and Kain again. He looked like he might speak, but instead shook his head to himself. Then he left.
Now, with only King Odin and Kain in the throne room, the silence felt deafening. Odin let it stretch on painfully, only watching Kain with a neutral look. Kain shifted uncomfortably, unsure if he should look at the King or not. Instead, he awkwardly glanced between the floor and Odin, unable to make eye contact.
"Kain," King Odin finally spoke, easing the tension of the moment with a surprisingly kind tone. "I have put you in a difficult position, I realize."
"Sir?" Kain asked, confused.
"Of course you have questions about what happened to your father," Odin continued, "And of course you might be expected to seek out whatever information you can find. But I will do you this kindness and tell you honestly: there are no answers that will satisfy you."
"I…. I..." Kain stammered, unsure of how to respond.
"Look no further," Odin said, "You must promise me this. For your own sake."
Kain hesitated.
"For Cecil and Rosa's, too," Odin added.
"I promise," Kain said promptly.
Richard Highwind's funeral was a small affair, with only dragoons and Kain in attendance. This was not unusual, as dragoons were intensely private in general, but especially in mourning. There was no body to say goodbye to, so they all gathered in the castle's highest tower and bid farewell to the wind instead.
Kain did not attend Roland Farrell's funeral, as he was not invited – he dared not risk more of Joanna's wrath, if only for Rosa's sake. He hadn't seen Rosa in the days and then weeks that followed, as Joanna kept her close by, although he watched from a distance each time they entered or left the castle.
Biggs and Wedge remained in the infirmary for nearly a month before they were able to return to their lives. Whatever was said behind those closed doors was never repeated, not even in the deepest circles of gossip. Kain thought about approaching them, to ask again of what happened, but then he remembered his promise to King Odin and knew he had to be a man of his word, as his father had always been.
Cecil became Kain's companion, in those dark winter days – his only remaining friend in the gray, dreary world. They explored the castle together, quickly learning the castle's layout and its daily activities. Baron Castle also became another friend, a constant witness to their play, sometimes surprising them with a new secret within her stone walls.
It was impossible, however, to keep Kain and Rosa separated forever. Eventually, their mourning period lifted; Kain and Rosa were expected to return to classes and resume their lives, however fractured they might be in the wake of their loss.
So as spring began to soften the cold earth, Kain stood waiting at the castle gates, trying to spot Rosa among the passing children on their way to the castle. When he finally saw her, his heart skipped a beat, and his mouth was suddenly dry.
"Kain!" she exclaimed, breaking into a run toward him. He caught her in his arms and they hugged, Rosa squeezing him possessively tight, as if she were afraid he'd disappear.
All seemed right with the world again. Despite the sorrow, Kain knew then that he would survive his father's death, and find his path forward in life. He remembered King Odin's warnings, to both himself and the others. As he stood there, holding Rosa, he decided to leave the past behind.
Kain could move forward, with Cecil and Rosa. All would be well if they were together.
Only one other thing of note happened in the lonely winter days before Kain saw Rosa again.
Kain had another dream; a singularly vivid, real-feeling dream. He was in his room back at his house, and he heard his father come in. It was something Richard sometimes still did, to check on him in the middle of the night, although Kain had told his father that he was old enough not to need it.
Richard crept quietly across the room, his steps soundless on the floor. But Kain knew this game, and kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep as he always did. Kain sensed Richard's presence near his bed and heard Richard's faint breathing in the quiet.
"Be a good boy, Kain," Richard whispered softly. "And a good man, too."
This didn't make sense to Kain, not even under the veil of a dream. He opened his eyes, still blurry in the dark, and saw his father's back as he slipped out the door. "Wait, Father…" Kain called out, but heard no reply.
The boundaries of wakefulness and dream collided… At some point, Kain must have actually woken up, because he blinked and suddenly he was back in his room at Baron Castle.
Grief seized Kain, hollowing him out. He felt utterly lonely in this dark, empty room. He did not cry, but supposed he might have welcomed it, as it might alleviate some of the heavy pit in his stomach. Only knowing he couldn't be alone for a second longer, Kain found himself getting out of bed, his feet carrying him up the tower.
Kain knocked on the door twice before Cecil opened it, with sleepy eyes and disheveled hair. He didn't say anything, only welcomed Kain in with a gesture and a grunt.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Kain asked, feeling meek, as he followed Cecil inside.
Cecil said nothing, only climbed back into the bed, scooting all the way over to the opposite side against the wall. When Kain did not move, Cecil flapped his arm weakly in the air with another grunt, in an attempt to beckon Kain towards him. Then he flopped back down on the bed, burrowing into the blankets.
Oddly, Kain felt sheepish as he approached, but tried to ignore it as he got into the bed. He laid there for a long moment, his eyes on the dark ceiling above, trying to puzzle out the dream he had. But it was fading quickly, and soon Kain found that it was only vague images that ended with intense loneliness.
"Thank you for being my friend," Kain whispered to Cecil, turning his head to look over at Cecil. But he found Cecil was already asleep, curled up tightly on his side, breathing deeply through his open mouth. Kain found himself smiling. "I promise to always look out for you," Kain told the sleeping boy.
With Rosa and Cecil to balance him out, Kain moved on.
Life moved on.