To See Another Day Chapter 7

Confused Lovers

By Kain Servant

Kain watched as the other airship pulled away in the distance. He tried to concentrate on it, or anything, the bloody birds in the sky, so as not to think about being on an airship. Why had he ever agreed to this?

Beneath him the Red Rose lurched and rumbled as if to spite him, and with every lurch and turn bile rose in his throat. Oh gods this is torture! He turned his head slowly, and left his attention on Garnet standing beside him. She was so beautiful…and for some reason now she wanted him even more than before. Something about how she loved him and wanted him, but he had the feeling that it was more a revenge on her husband for leaving her.

Her husband, Zidane. He was the world’s greatest warrior, and most said about the nicest man they had ever met. Why did he leave her, or did she leave him…or whatever happened in the bedroom last night?

The sun was beginning to sink along the horizon when Kain began to recognize the terrain once again. Slowly he stumbled over to where Garnet was standing, and he put his arm around her shoulders gently. To steady himself, “Queen, um, there’s Treno, the direction we’re going right now. And, er, if we turn left right now we’ll be heading toward Macema…go toward that big mountain over there.” Pyre Mountain it was called. Supposedly the greatest chieftain Gaia had ever known had been burned at the top of that mountain.

She nodded, and Kain felt her sink against his chest, “Alright, I’ll tell the Captain.” The Captain was a midget man that could barely see over the helm, but despite all of the near vomiting experience, Kain had to admit he was a rather good flyer. Captain Venu was his name.

“Kain…can you please sleep with me again tonight?” Here was the question he had been dreading to hear all day. He hesitated for a moment…to feel her, to taste her…

“No…I can’t, it would go against my honor. You are still married, and until you are single once again I cannot defile your honor, nor mine.” Well that sounded rather valorous, so he thought. Garnet looked up at him with regret in her eyes,

“I need you…I left Zidane because of you, you can’t just pull away from me now.”

Oh…he couldn’t stand those imploring eyes on him, they were so sad, so delicate, so…bloody hell, “Well…er…maybe. I guess I’ll think about it.” That maybe was looking more like yes with every second he looked into her eyes, so he shifted his gaze quickly, back to the mountain range rising before them.

Soft lips brushed against his cheek, and then Garnet slipped away, “Thank you, Kain.”

--

As Garnet moved away, she couldn’t help questioning herself. Why was she throwing herself at Kain’s feet? There was nothing more charming about him than Zidane…except for maybe the eyes…and the big build, but Zidane was so lovable and sweet. No, he left her, she couldn’t think of him that way anymore!

‘Is it because that book told me I had to make love to him?’ She pushed that thought away, that book was her future, it wasn’t telling her what to do, she was telling it what to do. She shook her head and opened the door to the control room.

Captain Venu was hunched over the helm, a huge pipe sticking out of one side of his mouth. She coughed softly, and he turned, “Oh, your highness, what can I do for you?” She hastily reiterated the instructions Kain had given her, and he bowed low to the floor, then began changing directions.

Slowly she turned back to the deck, ‘Okay, so I’m going to Macema. I’m going to talk to this elder and he’s going to tell me where I got this book.’ Then what? Her life had to be more than just the life of the queen…chance wouldn’t allow that, it couldn’t. She had to be more!

Slowly her thoughts turned back to the book. As much as she hated it, it also was her only way to find out what was in store for her. ‘Better than being left in the dark.’ She mused, than headed for her chamber.

--

Zidane lay on his back on the deck, staring up at the three dark starless shadows against the sky, the anger machine curled within his fist. Fa’al Delamfar. So that was what the strange man was talking about…they were being invaded, like Terra tried before, another planet of parasites was trying to take over.

And this time they would win, if nothing could be done soon. Already it had taken one of the world’s greatest armies and the finest warriors, just to defeat one army. One army! And they hadn’t even fought the man that had pulled anger right out of Zidane’s mind without even moving.

“There has to be a way…” He murmured, fighting off the sleep that tried to overtake him. He would not sleep until he found a solution.

Garnet…a stab of pain jolted him and his thoughts. Where had she entered his mind from? His wife was the least of his problems; she would probably just…run off with big, hairy, sexually pleasing Kain and forget all about her husband. No need to complete a divorce, she was a queen, she could do things like that.

But I love her! Big, hairy, sexually pleasing Kain might be her focus of attention at the moment, but she had to love him in there somewhere… No, don’t even think about her… Of course…of course he loved her, but there were bigger problems in the world. Like it being destroyed!

But that man said they’re after Garnet. So…she had protection from…Kain. Dammit! What about the planet?

“Zidane?” Zidane nearly flew to his feet, his sword out and pointing into the darkness,

“Come out, bastard! I’ll kill you for what you did to my…” Blank looked rather shocked with the thin steel poised between his eyes. His throat bobbed and he waved his arms frantically. A little too shocked to speak. “Oh…” Zidane removed the sword quickly and carefully, then grinned, “Accident…uh…just…”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, I did the same thing earlier.” Blank wiped at his hair, then dropped into a sitting position on the deck. He stifled a yawn, “What you doing awake, you know…that glow over there means that morning is coming.”

“Yes…” Zidane sighed and sat down next to his old friend, “Just thinking, about…what’s happening. Blank?”

“Yeah?”

“What…” Zidane fought to find the right words, “What would you do, if you suddenly had to just…let go of Ruby. After all these years, just drop her and go find someone else?”

Blank scratched his head, “Well…that…depends on what the other girl looks like.”

“Oh for-“

“I’m just kidding, bro, come on. Calm down…” Blank grinned and punched Zidane lightly on the shoulder. Zidane couldn’t help but smile himself. Blank was his own special case. “I’ll probably never let go of her as long as I still have a hope. But…if you’re still thinking about Garnet… Drop her, man. Drop her like an egg and let her crack!”

Drop her? “But…”

“Bro, she left you. She basically said ‘Not interested’ and walked away with her hand down some guy’s pants. You can find a million hot chicks out there that would die for…”

“For the guy with a rat tail…” Zidane finished, trying to grin, “You sure can give the blunt truth.” The blunt truth was stinging at his eyes at the moment, and he rubbed hastily at them, “I think…I need some sleep.”

“Of course you do.” Blank patted Zidane’s back. The concerned friend out to help. “It’ll be a busy day in Treno tomorrow.”

“Yeah…goodnight, Blank.”

“Night, bro.”

Goodnight Garnet…the tears building on Zidane’s face began to spill out, and he hurried away to his room. Wherever you are…whatever you’ve done…I’ll never forget you…

--

It was easier to find the page where the writing left off every time she opened the book. This time it simply opened right to it, revealing a new line of words. Garnet read hungrily:

Queen of the Eidolon met Princess of Forsaken Earth, secrets revealed are hidden, life ever goes on, the waters of time always go on…and on…

“Why can’t it be a straight answer for once?” Garnet mumbled, throwing herself onto the bed. Slowly she tried to straighten out the tangled mess of elaborate words. She was going to meet some Princess of Forsaken Earth, and maybe one of them would tell another one a secret, and then the secret would be hidden…a key? Her thoughts began to dim…it was all so foolish, following a book around because it told her what to do.

If she could only just…leave the book. But she couldn’t do that, she knew she wouldn’t. She had tried many times over the past days, only to find that she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had always wanted a guide of some sort, for her life, now she had it. And she was going to follow it.

Now…about her promise to Kain… She smiled slightly as she slowly began to undress for the night. Her life had changed so much since he arrived. She was really in love again, excited, alive, energized about it, about him. She hadn’t been that way about…

Or was it just because she told herself that she couldn’t? Why did she do that? Zidane could have been just as good as Kain, but she had to force suffering on herself. Suffering that she didn’t deserve. You tried to play God and you lost love. She told herself stubbornly.

Zidane…it wasn’t his fault that he was angry, it was all her fault. If she should punish herself at all, it should be now that she really did something wrong. But now she was trying to make a man, that didn’t want her, take all of her, he trying to preserve both their dignities, and she trying to ruin it all.

She was terrible…if she hadn’t been so stupid there would be at least two men right now living their lives happily…if it wasn’t for her…!

Suddenly she stopped, tears streaming down her face. Don’t think of the past, just look to the future to amend it. Quickly she finished dressing for the night, and rolled into her bed. No more making love to Kain, she knew how she was going to amend the future…

As her breathing slowed and her thoughts began to roll by like the puffy clouds on a clear summer day, she pressed her fingers to her lips, “I love you, Zidane…”

--

Kain paced the deck nervously, waiting for Garnet to come back. He knew she would, begging him again, and he would go off to bed with her and lose control of his mind. It was unfair that women could be so beautiful.

Ahead he could see Pyre Mountain coming closer. Ohh, he wanted to go home. He wanted this whole bloody episode to be over!

Moodily he kicked the rail that protected him from being hurled over the side of the ship, stubbing his toe in the process. Bloody queens falling in love with him…it wasn’t bloody fair! He just wanted to make arrows. He wanted to live in Macema and still be in awe of heroes and legends, instead of stealing one of the greatest legend’s wife, who happened to be a Queen and a legend herself.

Why couldn’t life just be simple and straight with him…it got awfully confusing when it kept spinning around up in his head and he couldn’t straighten it out.

Darkness continued to fog the sky, and out poured the never-ending quantity of sparkling stars. Kain paused for a moment to glance at a large area near the moon that was devoid of stars…probably just some sort of eclipse…

Where is Garnet? He suddenly realized that it had been near an hour since she left, and she had said…”I hope she’s alright.” He murmured, then turned and clomped slowly to the private quarters, tripping twice along the way.

Her door was shut, so he tapped lightly on it, “Garnet…are you in there? Garnet?” Maybe she was talking to the Captain, or out looking for him…or trying to find some seductive way to tease him into giving in to her tonight, or…

Gently he pushed the door open, then peered around the dark interior of the room. Garnet was there, lying on her bed, her chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of sleep. Kain almost breathed a sigh of relief, but decided not to, in case it woke her.

Instead he simply stood and stared at her. I hope you’ve found your true love again, Garnet. It’s not me… His eyes trailed to the floor, where she had discarded her clothing when she undressed. Slowly he entered the room, careful not to make any noise, and picked up her blouse and overalls. Folding them smoothly, he set them down on the dresser, then looked back at her fondly. Why did he want her to love Zidane so badly? A beautiful woman walked straight into his life, and he was worried that she didn’t love her husband?

It’s not your place to take his wife. Yeah, that was true, but borrowing couldn’t hurt…they were stuck on the airship together with no Zidane to barge in this time and…Stop. I won’t do it. Kain sighed wistfully, took one last full look at Garnet, then turned and softly shut the door. It was time to get back to his life.

--

A day passes…

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