"…I know that you hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me. Your words where like a dream… but dreams could never fool me, not that easily…"

::A Thousand Words :: JADE (Final Fantasy X-2 closing theme) ::                                                                                                                                        

 Chapter Nine: In the Night

                                       

"What do you mean she isn't dead?" Barked a male voice, as the sound of glass shattering echoed around the room.

"That's what the message said," the servant whimpered, broken fragments of a wine bottle scattered around him along with the liquid crimson.

"I want her head brought to me on a silver platter before the week is over! I'm going to eat that wench's eyes with a fork!"   

~*~          

The room I awoke in smelled fresh and clean, like cedar and larkspur. I slowly sat up, feeling sweat soaked and slightly nauseated.

Flickering light of kerosene lamps lit the room from their hangings on the wall next to the thick, velvety looking drapes embossed with the now somewhat familiar crest of Fanelia. The only sounds that I could hear was the sound of soft breathing and the ticking clock above the fireplace mantel.

The sounds of soft breathing came from Van, who was mumbling something in his sleep as he shifted slightly in his chair, which was tilted at a dangerous angle against the wall, his head resting against his chest with his sword on his lap. Allen was sitting next to him in a similar position, his blond hair falling in disarray across his face so I couldn't see his eyes. From the sight stubble of both of their faces, they must've spent the night.

Careful not to wake either of them, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, dizzily moving towards the bathroom to be sick.

I rinsed my mouth with some fresh water that was in a pitcher above the washbasin after I had finished, feeling worse if possible after emptying the contents of my stomach. My head was spinning as I slinked down to the cold tiled floor of the small room. Voices echoed dully in my head…

"Have you seen my medicine, honey?"

"It's in the medicine cabinet behind Ari's asthma inhaler."

"Thanks… I'm going to lay down for a nap before we have to leave for the airport; can you go pick Ari from school, Hitomi?"

"Yeah sure."

"Hitomi?"

"Hitomi?!"

"I'm in here," I called back weakly, leaning my head against the cedar wall of the room. My breathing was hard and loud in my ears, echoing around and drowning out my thoughts.

The male voice swore loudly, and the sound of heavy footsteps could by heard as Van bolted into view, his hair askew and his shirt half unbuttoned as he leaned over to lift me up beneath my shoulders, his arms locking then around my torso, forcibly picking me up.

"Is she alright?" Allen's voice asked as he moved into view. Van told him something, and nodding, the blond knight disappeared.

"Hey, mom?"

"Hmm…?" "

Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, it's just a migraine…"

"Are you sure? The doctor said—"

"It's just from all this stress from planning this party. Don't worry. After tonight everything will be better. Promise."

Blankets found their way around me, and I collapsed back boneless against a pillow. Allen reappeared, with something in his hand. Van took it from him--- a bottle --- and poured some of its contents into a mug that had been on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Drink this; it will help ease the pain."

Van's fingers press against the nape of my neck; and a warm, bittersweet liquid flows into my mouth. Coughing, I swallowed most of the wine, a faint trail of it running down my chin from my coughing fit. Fingers brush it away.

"Can you eat?"

I shake my head as fingers find their way to my forehead, gently pushing back my bangs, as the back of a hand presses against my clammy forehead.

"She's running a fever," Allen's voice carried on, as a wet cloth brushed against my forehead.

"Do not leave the room without Allen or myself with you again," Van's eyes locked unto mine intently, "Do you understand?"

"It wasn't that far---"

"Promise me." I flinched at Van's tone, feeling as if I had been slapped.

"I-I promise."

Van's form visibly slackened and relaxed, he leaned forward and chastely kissed my forehead. Allen looked away.

"Thank you."

~*~

Allen frowned, twisting the hilt of his sword between the palms of his hands, his blue eyes clouded over thought.

We where in my private study, which was adjacent to my bedroom, with the door between the room open to such a angle where I could see Hitomi's sleeping form.

The sword of the assassin lay across my desk, flecked with the owner's blood, next to where my feet where propped up on the mahogany structure.

Allen glanced over his shoulder at the open door, "She's sleeping peacefully, that's a good sign. Once the fever lifts she should be through the worst of it."

I shook my head, swinging my feet off of the desk and standing, moving to the darkened window, "She's still in danger. Once word leaks out that she's still alive they'll just come back again, and again until the job's finished."

The blond knight sighed, pulling a flask from his front pocket and took a swig from it before tossing it unto me. The bitter taste of alcohol filled my mouth, calming my nerves.

"Does Fanelia have any enemies?" Allen asked, sitting up a little straighter, "Anyone who would be willing to try to assonate who I assume will be the future queen?"

Future Queen… The two words echoed in my head mockingly as my hand tightening around the flask so my knuckles turned white.

Was this the kind of life I – we – looked forward to? Waiting until my throne slowly poisoned us both to death?

I took another deep drink from the flask.

She had been with me for less then a month and I had already managed to place her into danger. I won't fail her again.

"Van?"

"We're having minor trade disputes with the neighboring country to the south, but my ambassadors have almost settled the manner completely," I tossed the flask back to it's owner, turning then so my back was to the window, "I can't think of any other reasons politically why this happened."

I glanced over at the sword that was laying on my desk, frowning, "Are you sure he said nothing before he killed himself?"

Allen nodded, his forehead creasing as he tucked his flask back into his pocket, "By the time I had gotten to him he had already slit his own throat. A most dishonorable way for any warrior to die."

I bit my lip, leaning my head against the cold glass, "What do we do now? We can't wait until they strike again."

"There… is one thing that we could do…" Allen said, running his fingers over his chin, the slightest shadow of facial hair already appearing on it, "We could take her into hiding; to someplace safe until the assassin is found…"

I frowned, watching the sandy haired lump on the bed roll over, "Where to though? We can't go into this blindly, there's a chance that we could be putting her in danger as much as there is one we could be keeping away from it."

"There is one place where no one could find us," Allen said slowly, standing up and moving towards my desk. A single candle illuminated the room, flickering on my desk. Allen seemed to watch it like a cat hunting a mouse.

His eyes then caught mine and he pulled on his ear, silently suggesting that someone might be listening. I nodded, glancing around the room. After what happened earlier, it would be best to assume that the walls already had ears.

"Do you have a map?"

"Yes," I moved towards my desk, pulling a thick roll of parchment from a drawer and unrolling it.

Allen leaned over to look at it, leaning his weight on his right arm as his left hand smoothly ran atop of the candle, putting out the flame with his bare fingers as he leaned further over the desk.

The room fell into darkness, but I still could make out the faint trace of Allen's finger as he marked a trail that led to the mountainous-shared border between Fanelia and Austria where we had first met.

The Fortress.

"We'll have to leave soon," He said, dropping his voice a little more then a whisper, "It's a hard ride with a horse with a doubled burden."

"'We'?"

"She's injured and you're not thinking clearly because of that," Allen said, standing, "Besides, you'll need someone else with you case you run into trouble."

I glanced over at Hitomi, who was still fast asleep in my bed. I had to protect her.

"When do we leave?"

"Within the hour. I'll saddle the horses. Meet me in the stables ready to ride."