[Final Fantasy IV] Every Light Casts a Shadow, Chapter Thirty-Three: Wedding Bells in Baron

[lassarina]

Pairings/Characters: Kain Highwind, plus cast
Rating: R (overall), PG (this chapter)
Warnings: Spoilers. Violence and language. Occasional sexual content. Other warnings may apply that are not listed here.
Notes: This fic belongs to the Lucis Ante Terminum arc. Chapter list is here.
Summary: Though it is possible to return home, it is rarely possible to return affairs to their previous state. Sometimes the only course of action is to move forward.
Wordcount: 5000 this chapter.
Beta: celeloriel

Twenty-two years after Zeromus

It was not quite the same as soaring into the sky under his own power, but Kain was forced to admit that piloting a small airship was an acceptable second choice. In the two years that he had been gone from Baron City, airship traffic appeared to have increased massively; there was an enormous field outside the city where airships were directed in a complicated pattern that seemed to be largely controlled by individuals waving large flags as they perched atop very tall, narrow spires. Kain followed the yellow and green flags that directed personal airships to an area that had neatly serried ranks of landing spaces and set the Dragon down in space 43, as directed. Once the airship was safely docked, he had a moment to breathe a sigh of relief and be grateful that Jalen had used his new airship courier service to deliver manuals to all airship owners, explaining these procedures.

He turned to find Elizabeth, and saw that she was already performing post-landing maintenance. She had taken an instant dislike to the first person who had applied to be Kain's airship mechanic, declaring that he looked shifty, and had instead determined that she would learn how to maintain the airship. Her caution had proven justified when one of the estate guards found someone in the airship dock tampering with the engine. Cid had spent a month at Falcon's Reach showing Elizabeth how to maintain and repair the airship at Jalen's insistence, and to her own surprise, Elizabeth had found that she genuinely enjoyed working with machinery, something she had had little opportunity for during Kain's regency. Thus they had found themselves trading responsibilities, with Kain taking over the day-to-day administration of the estate—which in the end was just as complicated, if on a smaller scale, as administering a kingdom, or so it seemed to him.

Elizabeth ducked out of the engine room and locked the door behind her. "There isn't much else I can do until the engine cools," she said, "but everything looks to be in order. I will want to check again before we fly anywhere."

"Of course," Kain said. "Are you ready to depart?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Will it be strange to be in Baron City and not staying in the castle?"

"Very," Kain admitted. "Though it is very kind of Matthew to let us stay with him."

Elizabeth laughed. "I think he just wants help wrangling the children," she said, "but don't tell him I said that." She fell into step with Kain easily as they descended the narrow stairs that gave access to the areas inside the airship's hull. They were met at the bottom of the steps by two of Matthew's household servants, who then proceeded to collect their small amount of luggage and escort them to a chocobo-drawn carriage with House Darmin's crest of arms emblazoned on the doors. Kain handed Elizabeth up into the carriage first, and then joined her. The carriage moved surprisingly smoothly, and looking out the window, he saw that, like many of the roadways in Baron City, this one was set with cobblestones, but the mortar had been built up around the stones such that the surface was nearly completely smooth, with none of the jolting that Kain would have expected. He wondered if this was the innovation that Malcolm Tyrell had used for his own roads, so many years ago.

The ride into the city was uneventful, but Kain found that he could not stop staring about him, eager to see what changes Jalen had wrought. The city itself appeared little changed—perhaps a shop was different there, or a new house had been built on that corner—but there were smaller changes if one knew how to look, such as the change in paving the roadways. Kain could see that smaller, side streets still boasted the old style of cobblestones, but on the major roads, the new method seemed to have been widely implemented. Kain wondered how expensive this method might be, and whether it would be worth implementing at Falcon's Reach and Highvale.

The streets were bustling with people on foot, on chocobo, and atop carts or wagons. It was difficult to tell, with his most recent memory for comparison at two years' remove, but it seemed busier than usual for early summer. Of course the King's wedding ceremony—how strange, still, to think of that title as meaning Jalen, and not Cecil or Odin—would have drawn anyone to the capital who could afford the trip, and the sheer volume of food and other items needed for the celebration would have created quite a bit of extra traffic.

That extra traffic caused the trip across town to take half again as long as Kain remembered, and after a while he leaned back against the seat, to find Elizabeth watching him with no small amount of amusement.

"Something entertains you?" he asked, though he kept his tone light and self-deprecating.

She smiled broadly. "I was wondering if you missed your regency," she said. "You seem very interested in what our King has accomplished since we moved north."

"I am," Kain said. "I suppose I have some investment in seeing how he has turned out." He tried to make it casual, but it came out more serious than he had intended. "I do not think I miss it, though. Constantly wondering who held the knife this week was exhausting."

"You have slept better since," Elizabeth agreed. She was silent for a moment, letting the sounds of the city wash by them, and then she rested her hand lightly over his. "You may no longer be regent, but that does not mean you cannot make suggestions," she said. "In fact, as I recall, you were promoted to a title specifically so that you had standing to do so."

Kain shrugged, uncomfortable with the suggestion for reasons he could not quite name. "It is no longer my place," he said. "Should my opinion be solicited, of course I would give it, for to refuse would be inappropriate. But I have not been back here in two years for good reason. My opinion is not desired, and in fact it could endanger the King if I were to be seen taking active interest in his reign. And that I will not do." He did not say that Jalen was as close to a son as he was apparently ever going to have; it was not necessary. Elizabeth's lips tightened slightly and she squeezed his hand before letting go. The silence this time was much less comfortable.

They did not speak again until they arrived at Matthew's residence, one of House Darmin's more notable holdings within the city. It was an old, graceful building of carved grey stone, an impressive three stories in height with a small cupola atop that, located near enough the palace that Matthew could be there to attend to his duties with a few minutes' sprint if he must. The gardens, which were a matter of pride for Constance, were a riot of colour and scent that managed somehow to be both laid out with great precision, and to look as though they had simply happened to grow in such perfect proportion. Kain knew just enough about horticulture to realize what a difficult achievement that display represented.

Matthew and Constance came out to greet them, rather than waiting in the house for their guests to come to them. They were followed by four of their five children, Evan, Robert, Marie, and Peter. Their youngest, Catherine, was yet a babe in arms, and she gurgled enthusiastically at Elizabeth when her aunt gave her a kiss.

"Welcome," Constance said warmly.

"Thank you for hosting us," Kain said with a little bow.

"We are pleased to have you," Matthew assured him. "Come in, there is no need to stand on the doorstep."

The children were sent back to their studies or their play, as age dictated, and the adults convened in a sitting room for a glass of wine before dinner. There seemed to be something that Matthew and Constance wanted to discuss, but neither was bringing it up. The usual pleasantries having been exchanged, Elizabeth leaned forward in her seat and pinned her brother with an unyielding stare that Kain knew only too well. "So," she said, "out with it."

Matthew laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Constance for support. She set aside her glass of wine, looking more nervous than Kain had ever seen her, and shifted in her seat so that she was facing Kain and Elizabeth more directly.

Kain wondered why she looked sad under her smile.

"Matthew and I have been talking," Constance said, "and, please forgive us, but we were talking about you." Her eyes were wide and beseeching; on most women her age it would have looked ridiculous, but Constance had ever managed to carry an air of youth and sweetness about her. "We—ah, well, that is to say, we know that you have no heir to your estates." Pink tinged her cheeks for a moment and she hurried onward. "I thought—we were wondering if you would want to foster Robert, when he is old enough, with the understanding that if you chose to, you could name him heir."

"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked, and she was not asking her brother. Her eyes were fixed on Constance.

Constance's smile was wavering, but sweet. "I am, truly," she said. "I will miss him terribly, but it would be good for him, as well, to know that he has a place—if he earns it." Her smile steadied. "I know that the house of Highwind has high standards."

Elizabeth looked at Kain, and he made a slight gesture with his hands, intended to convey that he had no answer. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

"This is too weighty a decision to be made in an instant," she said, and Matthew nodded. "May we answer at the end of the week?"

"You need not answer then, if you are not ready," Constance said, and leaned forward to take Elizabeth's hand in hers.

"Thank you," Elizabeth murmured. Kain laid his hand against the back of her shoulder and saw her eyes close for a moment; she had long been unhappy that their marriage had produced no children.

"Let us move to lighter conversations," Matthew suggested, breaking some of the tension in the room. "Have you heard that Princess Gwendolyn threatened to cover the entire field in ice just to watch the guests dance their way to their seats?"

"That sounds like something Edge would come up with," Kain muttered, and winced when he realized he'd forgotten to attribute Edge's proper title.

Matthew laughed. "I told you he would say that," he told Constance, who sighed and handed over a five-gil coin.

"Is there any other news?" Elizabeth asked, and the conversation did indeed turn to lighter things, but their proposal continued to weigh on Kain's mind.

~*~

The day of the wedding dawned clear and warm, but not uncomfortably hot. Much as Edge and Rydia had done, Jalen and Gwendolyn had chosen to hold their ceremony outdoors, allowing more of the citizens of Baron to witness their nuptials. Had Kain still been in charge of the King's safety, he would have refused to countenance such an idea. Matthew had stationed three-quarters of his Dragon Knights around the area set aside for the ceremony, and had arranged for most of the members of the Castle Guard to be incognito among the crowd, dressed as just another citizen enjoying a royal spectacle.

Those lucky enough to obtain an invitation—which included most of the royalty from around the world and the vast majority of Baron's nobility—were guided to the seating area to await the bride. Porom smiled at Kain as he took his seat next to her. "Don't frown," she murmured. "The entire area is warded with Protect, Shell, and Reflect. I worked very hard to make sure this would be safe as soon as Gwen said it was what she wanted."

Kain felt a little of the tension in his shoulders unknot. "Thank you, Porom," he murmured.

She patted his hand. "It is written on your face," she said, and then tipped her head toward the front of the area, where Jalen was waiting anxiously, with Yang's son Zhi and Gwendolyn's brother Edward by his side. "Smile for him, Kain. He wants to know you approve."

Kain stared at her in disbelief, but he observed that Jalen was indeed looking at him anxiously. He smiled and nodded, feeling oddly wooden, and was rewarded with Jalen's smile, just as bright as Cecil's.

Porom sat back in her chair, looking satisfied, and kicked Palom when he looked like he might be thinking about causing some kind of mischief.

The musicians at the rear of the assembled guests struck up a traditional march, and the guests rose to greet the bride. She was preceded by Mei Jia of Fabul and Sophia, both of whom looked entirely pleased with themselves and their lovely dresses. Gwendolyn herself was dressed in shimmering silver, very similar to what Rydia had worn at her own wedding. Rydia, for her part, wore a stunning green gown shimmering with tiny beads and seed pearls as she escorted her daughter down the aisle—less than traditional in Baron, but Kain knew she intended it as a statement from Mist.

That became even more obvious when Gwendolyn stopped next to Jalen and Rydia raised her arms, light flashing off the beading of her dress in a dazzling display. Wind whipped Rydia's hair as a blinding light burst before her, and suddenly Asura and Leviathan were there in all their terrible glory, much as they had been for Rydia's own wedding. The high priest managed not to drop his book, but it was a near thing. Asura smiled with her mother's-face, and Leviathan craned his dragon head to better view the proceedings.

Behind him, the assembled guests murmured fearfully, and Kain didn't bother to conceal his sharp-edged smile. It was good to remind them that Princess Gwendolyn came with her own base of power, one that could not be taken from her by revolution or politics or the shifting of borders.

"You look so pleased," Rosa murmured, from Elizabeth's other side.

"They should remember that Princess Gwendolyn is not to be trifled with," he murmured back.

Elizabeth laughed quietly. "I do not think they will soon forget, after that display."

Rydia bowed formally to her Eidolons, and walked with a measured tread back to the seat that had been left open for her next to Edge. Her smile was serene, but her eyes danced with mischief. Edge's ninja veil did not do a very good job of concealing his wide grin.

The ceremony itself was lengthy and complex, made more so by the high priest's nervousness. He kept glancing back over his shoulder as though he expected Leviathan to bite off his head and swallow it whole, though Kain personally thought Asura the greater threat. Jalen and Gwendolyn gave their responses in clear, carrying voices, and Asura smiled down on them, her magic sparkling at the edges of her many swords.

The true reason for the Eidolons' presence became clear when the marriage ceremony was complete. Jalen had chosen to combine the wedding and Gwendolyn's coronation as Queen of Baron, and his new grandparents-in-law watched as the priest intoned the second set of vows and placed the finely crafted golden crown—the same one Rosa had worn—on Gwendolyn's head. When the priest stepped back, Asura stepped forward, her head rotating to show her warrior's face.

"Child of Mist," she said to Gwendolyn, "how come thou before us?"

Gwendolyn gave a formal curtsey first to Leviathan—who, if a dragon could grin, was most certainly wearing that expression—and then to Asura. "I come before thee as a summoner, as a daughter of a summoner, as a daughter of the mountains, and as a grandchild of the Feymarch," she replied.

"Name thy lineage," Leviathan said, deep and booming like the ocean's waves.

"I am Gwendolyn, daughter of Edge of Eblan and Rydia of Mist. Rydia is the daughter of Gwendolyn and Seamus. Gwendolyn was the daughter of Cathleen and Cormac." She went on, naming the history of Mist back fifteen generations. Kain recognized some of the names from the military history he had studied; Baron and Mist had not often been at true peace. Clearly, Gwendolyn had expected this questioning, which meant Rydia would have as well. Kain glanced at her; her face was unreadable, though she was clasping Edge's hand tightly. He wondered if this ceremony posed a danger to Gwendolyn. Given that summoners had to battle their Eidolons for the privilege of calling them in battle, he suspected it did.

Asura answered the question by unsheathing one of her swords and resting the point against Gwendolyn's throat, right in the hollow of her collarbones. Gwendolyn didn't flinch. The Dragon Knights closest to the royal couple leveled their spears, and Jalen waved them back. They obeyed, reluctantly. Out of the corner of his eye, Kain thought he saw a flicker of green light around Rydia, but when he looked more closely it was gone.

"Child of Mist," Asura said, as golden light flickered like fire down the blade of her sword, inching closer to Gwendolyn, "how claim thou thy place?"

"I claim my place in Mist as a summoner, and the daughter of a summoner, and a daughter of the mountains, and a child of the Feymarch." Gwendolyn's voice didn't waver, even as the light-flame licked close to her throat.

"Prove thy worth," Asura said, as her face shifted to that of the Queen.

Kain wondered if she meant to begin a battle here—he would find that extremely unfair, and would step in to aid—but Gwendolyn started to chant the bone-shaking syllables of a Call, and he found himself gripping the sides of his chair until the wood dug painfully into his hands as magic washed over him. Asura's fire wrapped around her, a coruscant aura of light that nonetheless did not seem to damage her.

Where Rydia raised her arms and let forces of nature swell with the movement, Gwendolyn merely extended her hand and curled her fingers. The warm day turned suddenly chill as an icy wind swept over the guests and coalesced into Shiva. The ice woman bowed to her Queen, and Asura's three faces nodded in return. The golden fire leapt to the top of Gwendolyn's head and shaped itself into a dazzling crown that burned blindingly bright for only a moment, and then disappeared in a shower of golden sparks.

Gwendolyn was untouched.

Asura lowered her sword.

"Thou hast been found suitable to inherit the Mist," Asura said.

Kain saw, out of the corner of his eye, Edge and Rydia sag slightly in relief for only a moment before they held themselves straight once more.

Gwendolyn curtsied, and Asura smiled, her face turning back to the mother's mien as she sheathed her sword. Leviathan leaned down and very gently bumped Gwendolyn's shoulder with his head. Jalen's face had grown very pale during this whole ordeal, but now he stepped forward and bowed to both of them.

"We expect much from you, Caller of Mist," Leviathan said, and it sounded like both a benediction and a warning.

"I understand," Gwendolyn said.

Asura smiled and inclined her head to both Gwendolyn and Rydia. Then she and Leviathan vanished in a shimmer of silver light, presumably back to the Feymarch.

Kain let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding.

The tense silence hung for a long moment until Jalen turned back to the high priest, who was clutching his book to his chest and looked as though staying on his feet was an act of will for which he scarcely had the strength. "If you would, High Priest," he said courteously.

"O-Of course," the priest stammered, and flipped pages until he found the one he sought. The ceremony continued.

When they turned to proceed down the aisle, it seemed to take the audience a long time to remember that now was an appropriate time for applause, but the cheer was resounding when it did begin.

Kain had to mentally chivvy himself to his feet, and saw that the others in the front row looked similarly drained. Theirs was the right to go first, as highest in rank, but they were slow to take advantage of it. Rydia and Edge were leaning heavily on each other, and Rosa looked shaken.

They were all silent as they went to the banquet hall, where the tables were already set up. Edge and Rydia both claimed glasses of wine from passing servants and drained them in a single draught, then all but fell into their seats at the high table.

"Are you well?" Yang asked them, taking his own seat in a more decorous manner. Kain and Elizabeth had been seated at the high table, also, as had Matthew and Constance, owing to his captaincy. However, they were all at the far ends of the table, as befit the difference between their rank and everyone else's.

"I am well," Rydia said with a long sigh. "I expected it, but—it was very hard to watch." She examined her palms, where tiny rust-colored crescents marked the points where her nails had dug into her skin enough to draw blood. Constance got up and came around the table to offer a Cure spell.

"And here I thought the final tests to be declared a master of ninjutsu were bad." Edge tilted his head back until it rested on the carved wooden back of his chair. "Why didn't you tell me what to expect?"

"You would have tried to interfere more than you did," Rydia said.

So she had cast magic during that little show.

"You didn't have to cast Stop," Edge protested.

"Pray tell, what else might I have cast without harming you?" Rydia asked. Edge sighed and rolled his eyes, but didn't actually speak.

The room gradually became louder as the other guests filed in; Kain saw Lord Nerthic at the next-highest table, as well as other members of the Council. Lord Nerthic's title exceeded Kain's own since he had stepped down as Regent, which made Kain feel slightly awkward about his seat at the high table, but he suspected Jalen would excuse it on the grounds of family.

Rosa was seated to Kain's right, with Elizabeth on his left. Kain looked farther down the table and read the place cards; Sophia would sit next to Zhi, with Mei Jia accompanied by Edward.

"How is everything?" Kain asked Rosa, low enough not to be overheard.

She shrugged. "Jalen says he is doing well. I have not been to a Council meeting since he took the Crown, but I have not heard of any issues. Lord Nerthic brings me regular, unauthorized reports." The corner of her mouth quirked upward; Kain smiled back, for he received the same reports. He was grateful for Lord Nerthic's long friendship with his family and stalwart service. Jalen was lucky to have such an advisor. "Sophia and Zhi have become very close," Rosa continued.

Kain raised an eyebrow. "An alliance with Fabul would be beneficial to Baron," he said.

"I don't care about alliances," Rosa said, a sharp edge to her tone. "I care about my children's happiness. Bad enough Jalen had to wed for politics; do not saddle my daughter with the same blanket."

"I apologize," Kain murmured, directing a smile at Yang, who had looked over with concern.

Rosa sighed. "I hope that is not her reasoning," she said, "though they always got on well, even as children, even when they quarreled." She turned her empty wineglass idly in her hands. "Sophia will join the Dragon Knights formally on her name-day."

"Matthew will strike the right balance between safety and challenge," Kain said. "He has had much practice at it, by now."

Whatever reply Rosa would have made was cut short by the appearance of the herald at the far side of the room. Other conversations were swiftly silenced.

"I present to you Prince Cormac of Eblan, and Princess Mei Jia of Fabul," the herald intoned, and they proceeded down the long aisle between tables to take their seats at the high table. "I present to you Princess Sophia of Baron and Prince Zhi of Fabul," the herald continued. After Rosa's revelation, Kain looked more closely, and saw that Sophia's hand was clasping Zhi's tightly, and that Zhi's smile in her direction was quite fond. He nodded at Rosa, who smiled tightly.

The herald waited until all of the wedding party were seated before drawing a deep breath. "I present to you King Jalen and Queen Gwendolyn of Baron, Caller of Mist!"

They proceeded down the aisle, hand in hand, and though they were not quite as obvious as Sophia and Zhi had been, Kain thought he saw signs of fondness in them; he hoped they would be fortunate enough for it to grow into something more.

The royal couple were seated, and servants came around to pour the initial glass of wine. It all but glowed darkly in the glass. Zhi got to his feet and raised his glass to begin his toast. It was long and meandering, sprinkled as it was with amusing, but not too embarrassing, stories of the couple as children.

Kain glanced across the table and saw that Constance had gone white as a sheet; her eyes were fixed on one of the servants, and her expression was strained. Abruptly his hand itched for his sword.

"...and may you have a full and happy lifetime together," Zhi was saying. He tipped his glass in the couple's direction.

Constance jumped to her feet. "Queen Gwendolyn, please do not drink that!" she cried.

Gwendolyn paused with her glass a mere inch from her lips. Kain and Matthew rose as one, Kain wishing desperately for a sword he was not wearing. He looked around the room, trying to identify the threat.

Constance pointed at the servant who had filled the royal couple's glasses. "He has poisoned the wine," she said, her voice shaking.

The guards moved nearly instantly to block the exits to the hall; Gwendolyn set the cup down so hastily that wine sloshed over the edge onto the tablecloth, where it hissed. She stared at it for a moment and then her face set into tight lines of anger.

White magic shimmered around her as Jalen cast protective spells. Edge had vanished from his chair into the shadows behind the table; electricity snapped at Rydia's fingertips. Guards had seized the servant, who was loudly protesting his innocence as the guests began to murmur to each other.

"Enough," Jalen said, and the entire room fell deadly silent.

"Lady Constance." Jalen turned to her, and she swallowed hard. She had to lean on the table; she was clearly unsteady. "Please explain."

She licked her lips nervously. "I have seen that man before, Your Majesty. He is a skilled apothecary whose services have frequently been sought by members of the Houses—though rarely for such final means."

"Have you used his services yourself?" Jalen asked her.

She shook her head, her eyes wide and horrified. "No, Your Majesty! I would never! That is not—" She caught her breath on a half-sob, and then shook her head again. "I would never," she whispered. Matthew stood back, clearly torn between wanting to comfort her and the call of his duty.

"Then how do you know of him?" Jalen asked, implacable.

She bowed her head, and tears made thin trails down her cheeks. "I have seen him meet with my father, Your Majesty," she said, with such reluctance it was nearly tangible.

"You shame your House, Constance," Lord Nerthic said, pushing to his feet.

"I did not give you leave to speak," Jalen snapped, turning to face Lord Nerthic. "Guards, arrest them both, and have the captain of the guard sent to me."

Constance went with the guards silently and without a struggle, tears still running down her face. Lord Nerthic went stiffly, his entire body a statement of his outrage. Quiet servants came in and cleared all of the place settings, replacing them with another set, which no one touched.

"Kain, Uncle Yang, Aunt Rydia, Mother, Uncle Edge," Jalen said, "I would have you with me. Captain Darmin, I hope you will understand why I cannot invite you; please send your lieutenant in your stead."

Matthew nodded stiffly. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Jalen studied him for a moment, then walked closer and murmured something in Matthew's ear. He nodded, looking no less displeased but slightly comforted, and bowed before leaving the room. A few minutes later, his lieutenant arrived.

"What now?" Porom asked, very softly.

Jalen's expression was grim. "Now, we search their estates," he said, "and find out who is lying."

Kain was as grim as Jalen as he followed them out of the banquet hall.