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I'm back with a missed update due to a tendonitis (isn't called "typewriter's cramp" for nothing...) Aaanyway, please enjoy and share your thoughts with me via review!

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Chapter 35 – Consequences

"A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality." - Winston Churchill

"Please! There is no one else we can turn to!"

"But... I'm not a midwife! I'm not even a healer yet."

"You've done it before!" Brunce accused, desperate to get through to the restive blonde.

Lucilla had come to him after escaping her husband. It drove him crazy that he could do nothing to help her now. The only one who could was too conceited or whatever to help!

"Brunce..." Blank placed a hand on the younger's shoulder that was just as much consoling as it was restricting.

The brunette shook him off, too upset to restrain himself to less than pace.

"Mikoto," the redhead took her hands, his eye bore into her's like a stormy wind through a lake,"I know we're asking much of you. No one can know she is here. And now that she needs help... I couldn't think of anyone trustworthy enough... but you. I know you can do it."

A chill run through her body. Yes, she was afraid and he knew.

But, she realized, he was just as scared to handle the situation without her.

When had they started reading each other like that?

She nodded.

Drafty. Cold and drafty.

Those were the first impressions Mikoto had as she entered the small attic room. The furniture was very spar: a small bed, a stool, a barricaded window and a makeshift opening to the chimney. She prayed the later would proof itself big enough to boil water on.

In the far corner – hidden under several blankets – cowered a girl of maybe fourteen or fifteen years. As she got closer, the blonde got a better look at her patient. She was bad nourished and her large green eyes looked haunted like a deer's.

"Hello Lucille, I am Mikoto." she introduced herself in a tone much calmer than she felt, "I will help you through this."

Green eyes looked surprised, but there was enough reliefe and pain in the shy smile to confirm the Healer-Apprentice of the rightness of her decision.

"We can't just sit here, we have to do something!"

"Keep calm, there is nothing we can do. That's women's business." Blank replied, as he had done a hundred times before. It almost felt like a mantra by now.

The younger man sat down on the floor, only to jump up and restart his pacing.

In Lindblum, there is a tradition, dating back to the time when our grand city was a mere hamlet.

Every newborn was laid in front of the assumed father, who would either take it – accepting it to be his own flesh and blood – or ignore it, until someone took pity on the rejected child and carried it away.

With her master's word and the promise of Lucille's husband - to "stifle anything but a son" - in her mind, Mikoto walked through the door, a bundle of blankets held close to her chest.

The two men turned, eager for news, but she only put a finger to her lips and walked straight up to Brunce.

She looked him sternly into the eyes, before kneeling down, freeing the baby from the warm fabric. The newborn began to cry heartrendingly as it was suddenly exposed to the cold night air and the unyielding hardness of the wood floor.

The men stared at the little girl.

"Take thy blood, leave an other's."

The formal phrase registered only slowly through Brunce's confused mind.

Why was she doing this? She knew that he wasn't - couldn't be! - the father of the tiny infant before him.

Blank, who couldn't have been more grateful for the blonde's quick thinking, understood.

The little one had been born prematurely – nine and a half moons after Lucille's wedding. After an honored lindblumese tradition, the binding of the exchanged vows would be nullified, if the bride – knowledgeable of it or not – already expected another man's child.

"I shall be thy witness." Blank willingly filled the role.

Brunce turned to the older man, having caught on as well.

Accepting the baby would free Lucy from her husband, but bind them both to him.

The hideout was unusually quiet. The chime had just announced midday, but all beds had been abandoned hours ago. A rare tranquility that was shattered by Baku's thundering voice.

"You want me to do what?!"

Brunce flinched, but Blank stayed straight faced. He knew it was best to let Boss steam up first, before trying again. With him, it was all about timing.

"What you are asking for is not only illegal", like he'd have a problem with that,"but the highest crime in front of the gods!" he continued, outraged by the mere thought.

"... and will be just and right the moment you're done."

The man ignored Blank's words of reason and turned his attention on the brunette boy.

"Ya haven't done anything stupid, have ya?!"

Brunce's expression hardened and his tone was forcefully calm, "I claimed the child as my own."

Baku's eyes narrowed, "Blank!", he barked,"don't ya dare tell me you're his bloody witness!"

The red-head nodded.

The boss seemed regretful for one second. When he spoke, his voice was dark and controlled.

"Blank, you pledged obedience to me fifteen years ago. Therefore, I demand your silence!"

The two men stared uncomprehendingly at him. They both knew Baku did nearly everything to not upset the gods, but this was monstrously!

"This still leaves me as a witness."

All eyes focused on Mikoto, who had simply been forgotten as she watched the discussion from the door frame,"You cannot demand my silence." she looked up at the man - now towering over her - with unyielding eyes.

Baku growled inwardly, as he felt his anger crumble. He tried to hide it, but he'd always been unable to deny anything to a woman who stood up for her beliefs. A circumstance Ruby had used in her favor countless times.

"Are there any signs of a premature birth?" he asked, trying to find a valid reason for his ongoing refusal.

"The child's weight and size are within the norm and going backward from the day of birth, the conception occurred before the nuptials."

Blank barely suppressed the urge to snatch the blonde up and kiss her, as she squirmed herself around a straight answer, dancing on the very line between truth and lie.

Silence followed.

Then a monstrous intake of breath and an equal exhale echoed through the room.

They had won.

"Meet me at the docks at midnight. No one may see you. Her husband is already looking for her."

On the way back to Lucille's hiding place, Mikoto found herself held back by the wrist, leaving Brunce to take the lead.

"I think it's better you don't come with us tonight. It is too dangerous." her companion's breath felt hot against her neck.

"No, we are in this together." she replied without a backwards glance, "Besides, she is still my responsibility."

"What's with you two?" the brunette in the front called out and was soon joined by the pair.

A human's muffled shout echoed through the mist covered waterways, alarming the silent passengers on their way to the harbor.

"Almost there, almost there..."

Mikoto heard Brunce whisper to Lucille, turning her head towards the unkind presents that made her shiver since they had entered the unlit pathways.

The voice resounded, then it was gone.

Almost there, almost there...

She refocused her attention to the front, where Cinna maneuvered the tiny boat through the canal.

He had never really caught the genome's attention and even in Zidane's stories he usually played a neglect-able role. Tonight he had caught them on their way out, asking a million questions. But as soon as he realized who accompanied them, he stopped talking and guided them swiftly to the very vessel they populated now.

"Duck!" Cinna hissed, as the boat hid beneath a plank walkway.

Not a second later, two guards rounded the corner.

Mikoto prayed the babe in her arms wouldn't start crying, it had become her own mantra since they had left the attic. She tried to channel as much calm towards the neonate as possible, hoping to block off the tenseness around them.

With only a few more nerve wracking almost-encounters, the group made it to the docks, and finally to The Woodnympf. They entered the sturdy looking boat and began the last part of their venture.

"You can do it." the blonde encouraged her patient, having taken the place at Lucille's side since the men had taken the sweeps.

The girl smiled tiredly. She was still very weak and despite Brunce carrying her around bridal style, the trip had taken a great toll on her.

Baku watched the waters with growing unease. He begrudged the law for granting him the authority to wed a couple on the open sea. A sea that – obviously reflecting the gods' dismay – grew more and more fitful as the minutes passed.

At last he spotted the small ship morphing out of the harbor's shadow, making an almost straight line for him. It took the group almost an hour to reach him. He saw in their tired faces, the exhausted bodies and felt less morose.

They bore witness that his betrayal of the gods was truly worth the possible damnation.

The ceremony had been as quick as possible, only the raw basics. But none the less, the gruff man saw himself surrounded by smiling faces. As he watched the newly weds, he remembered them as little children, playing treasure hunter and master thieves around the clock-tower. They might not be a perfect match, but they cared about each other. He had seen worse matches.

"Another investment lost...!"

Blank heard the boss mumble, but there was no way he could fool him.

"And you" Baku added, not appreciating the redhead's smirk,"Ya better ain't gonna get married, got me?"

The addressed man found humor in the statement, holding up his hands with an even wider smirk.

As if... he thought dismissively.

But the massive man had already focused his attention at the blonde who – in an other way – was just as much trouble as her brother. If not worse.

Before the Prince Consort's sister had become her apprentice, Melissa had endured many incapable pupils.

Pupils incapable to get their hands dirty,

pupils incapable to accept their parents' career-choice for them,

pupils incapable to care for the sick.

The blonde's behavior had been a sharp contrast to her past experiences. Her flawless diligence, obedience and intellect had been only a few of her assets.

Who could have thought her apprentice's loyalty of all things would bring them to this.

Melissa glanced down on the blond shock of hair, as the girl knelt in front of her.

"Will you tell me, why you left without permission?"

"I apologize for my renewed disobedience, but I cannot tell you about the why and where of my absence, Master Melissa."

"You know of the consequences of such a behavior?" the old woman demanded to know with a stern voice and sinking heart.

A sharp intake of breath and a hard swallow betrayed the girl's calm posture, before she nodded.

"Then... hand me your cloak."

Blank found the blonde sitting on the steps in a backstreet. It would have been difficult to recognize the one underneath the gray cloak's cape drawn deeply into her face, if not for the sand colored tail that lay limply behind her.

He sat next to her, joining in the silence.

No words were needed, as the cut-out symbol of infinity on her cloak spoke for itself.

"Don't be.", she said sensing her companion's growing regret for involving her, "It was my decision."

He opened his mouth, but the words escaped him.

"Maybe he will let me go back now...", her voice was just above a whisper.

"'Go back' … home?" the man was taken aback by her revelation after almost half an hour had passed between them in silence.

A rueful smiled played on her lips, hidden from view by her hood. He thought her homesick, when in facts it was the longing to fulfill her programmed duty to watch the vessels, to return to the surreal quiet of the vacant desert landscape.

Well... maybe it was some twisted kind of homesickness after all... Being with those who needed you, a place to let the mind rest...

Nowadays, many things Terran seemed to be twisted somehow.

"Come!" he urged her, already on his feed, holding his hand out for her to take,"You need some distraction."

The genome wasn't really in the mood, but decided she might just as well walk around instead of sitting on the cold steps.

Little did she know...

"What are they celebrating?"

"The evening, the first day of the week or life, maybe?" he winked at her, but it was easy to see she didn't appreciate his dismissive attitude.

"Does is truly matter? They're having fun."

"Maybe not" she relented, finding pleasure in watching the people dance first in groups, than in pairs, shifting like colored crystals in a kaleidoscope.

The plaza wasn't very large, and yet several hundred people populated the makeshift dance floor. A band played from a balcony of the surrounding houses.

"That's what I love most about the theater district! Let's go!" he laughed.

"But I don't know how to dance to this music!" she planted her feet firmly into the cobblestone street.

She really wasn't in the mood to...

"I'll show you."

"I will just stand here and watch."

He raised an eyebrow without loosing his amused smile.

"But that's no fun!"

The blonde didn't like his teasing tone. It promised actions.

"Oh, I can assure you it is plenty of – Hey!"

Ignoring all protest, Blank finally grabbed her wrist and marched right into the moving pulp. By the time he let go of her hand and turned to face her, they were completely surrounded.

"Fine," Mikoto sighed with the resigned acceptance of a maiden sacrifice,"Show me."

He grinned and stepped a little closer.

"Put your feet on mine."

She looked at him sceptically.

The grin turned into a new smirk as he – without further ado – took hold of her waist, lifted her feet off the floor and placed them on his boots.

"Hold on tight." he cautioned, only slightly surprised as her tail wrapped around his calf. He looked down at her. She obviously hadn't noticed. He grinned.

A gentleman never tells.

Meanwhile a certain woman slung her arms around his middle and did just as she had been told, feeling a little unbalanced already. With chagrin she noticed her tutor was yet to do his first step.

Slowly, Mikoto got used to the odd sensation of being moved. This dance wasn't all that bad and she started to enjoy his teaching methods, except for...

"They are looking at me." she mumbled into his chest, feeling uncomfortable.

The redhead blinked, taking a look around. She was right. The music had taken on a faster rhythm, prompting the couples to dance further apart.

"Don't worry, half of their stares are aimed at me." he remarked mockingly.

Mikoto lifted her head and couldn't prevent the teasing smile on her lips "Good thing you are not self-assertive."

His eyes twinkle with mischief. He had come to enjoyed their little banters a lot and wasn't about to let her have the last word this time.

"No, I'm being really modest here. You see, half of those stares come from men who wish you'd dance with them instead of me."

"And the other half?"

Blank smiled. It was just like her to keep a close enough track on a conversation to notice those loopholes.

"Oh, that are the women who'd like to be in your shoes."

"Real modest, eh?"

"Oh, hush!" he playfully tucked her head back under his jaw.

Mikoto felt the portentous feeling of blood rushing into her cheeks, an unasked for physical reaction that had occurred definitely too frequently during the last weeks.

You just gotta love those two, don't cha? XD

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