Coming out from behind the set of thick metal doors that lead into the main hall of the palace, Locke slowly made his way to the ruler of Figaro castle. “I’d say that guy’s missing a few buttons...” he mumbled as he looked towards the door Kefka exited with his two soldiers.
The blonde man however, was in a less than joyful mood. The normally light-hearted and admittedly lustful King of Figaro was now in a rather somber state thanks to the visit from Emperor Gestahl’s Advisor. “...Where's Terra?”
“Right here...” Lina said as she came out the same door Locke had. It would have been comical, seeing such a small woman trying to support the larger one, if it weren’t for the state the green-tressed lady were in. The look of fear in her eyes, fear of the unknown or the dark, took any hilarity out of the picture.
“Terra...” Edgar said as he firmly marched towards her, pushing Locke aside lightly with a wave of his arm. He placed a hand gently underneath her chin, lifting her head to look in her eyes. “What happened?”
“I... I know that man...” Terra said as she started to stand on her own, though she didn’t let go of Lina just yet. She needed the support.
“You know Kefka?” Edgar asked seriously. This could be bad...
Her eyebrow narrowing a little, Lina asked, “He’s bad news, isn’t he?” She had a second-sense for when somebody was a real problem, and since that man arrived, it had been ringing off the walls in her head.
“I don’t know how,” Terra said, clearly uncomfortable. “But his eyes make me... nervous...”
His eyes narrowing, Edgar turned towards Lina and told her, “Take Terra her to her room...”
“Her room?” Lina asked. “Hey, King!” She shouted. “What are you doing, shooing her aside? We have a problem here and-”
Edgar suddenly held his hand up and placed a finger right over Lina’s lips. “I’d love to chat with you over these matters, but the Chancellor and I must plan our strategy,” he explained in what Lina could feel was only a half truth.
Slowly taking his hand away from Lina’s lips, the blonde-haired ruler of Figaro shook his head. “Sometimes I hate being a king! If you’ll excuse me...” he bowed politely to the two women as he walked past them and back into the main part of the royal castle, the twin metal doors slamming shut behind him.
“Uh... Lina...? Why are you red in the face?” Terra asked in confusion.
“...Nothing...” Lina responded with a pout. She couldn’t believe how that pervert just took control of the situation so calmly and then walked off as if they WEREN’T having a problem.
Terra blinked her eyes and looked between the redhead and towards the doors that Edgar had exited through, wondering what she missed.
“Ahem!” Locke coughed into his hand to get the attention of the two ladies. “I think you two should follow me.” He told them seriously as he began to turn, his arm motioning for them to keep up.
“Um... Locke?” Terra asked as she followed the thieee-Treasure Hunter!
“Hmm?” Locke asked as he started walking along the castle roof before going towards the set of doors on the right.
“Why are we staying here?” The green-haired woman asked, almost nervously looking over her shoulder as if expecting Kefka to be looking at her.
“Because...” Locke grinned as he made his way through the double doors and into the library, before heading down into a stairwell. “Figaro and the Empire are allies!” He chirruped in a sarcastically syrupy-sweet voice.
At that Terra became even more nervous and turned in askance at Lina. Were they being set up?
Taking a hold of Terra’s hand, Lina stopped on the steps with the taller woman. “We aren’t staying here.” She told Locke seriously.
Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, Locke turned to look back at the two ladies. “On the surface, Edgar pretends to support the Empire. The truth is, he’s collaborating with the Returners, an organization opposed to the Empire. I am his contact with that group... the old man you met in Narshe is one of us.”
Lina frowned. “That's just it. I trust Arvis. I don’t trust you.”
“Even after I saved you back in the mines?” Locke asked.
“And had left me and Terra to fend for ourselves when it came to food?” Though she had seconds, those Leafers weren’t that tasty.
“You’re STILL harping about the food!?" Locke shouted in exasperation.
As the shouting between the two escalated, again, Terra looked back and forth and wondered if people being this loud was because they liked each other. After all, neither Lina nor Locke had taken the fight to a physical level.
“Yes, I’m harping on the food!” Lina shouted. “And despite all the luxury this place has to offer, we haven’t had a bite to eat since we got here! Where are all the cooks, the kitchens, the dining halls? Where in the nine hells do they keep their grub!?”
Staring up at Lina for a few moments in pure silence, Locke slowly told her, “There’s a meal waiting for you and Terra at the living quarters you’ll be sharing.”
*WHOOSH*!
Flat on his back, Locke blinked his eyes as the dust cleared. Sitting up, he rose a hand to his face to try and wipe off the foot-print.
“Food, food, food, food...” Lina chanted as she ran as fast as her skinny legs would carry her; Terra practically flying behind her as she dragged the woman by the wrist at such high-speeds.
“Luh-Lina!” Terra cried, eyes wide with the shock of being dragged so easily by the diminutive woman.
“Food, food, food, food...” Lina continued, the breaking small metal the door off of its hinges as she started to kick up sand as she ran towards the Eastern-most tower. Numerous Chocobos ‘warked’ and reigned back, throwing their riders off from their saddles as they tried to keep back from the sudden wave of sand.
The green-haired woman would’ve apologized for the disruption if she’d been there more than a second. She was hungry, but not so much that she would react like Lina.
Upon reaching the furthest tower, Lina rushed her right hand forward, pushing the door open. She climbed up the small set of steps and suddenly stopped...
...Causing Terra to slam into her back and send the two women sprawling onto the carpeted floor.
“Sorry...” Terra whispered as she hurriedly got off Lina and sat there in embarrassment.
“It’s... it’s all right...” Lina said softly, waving her hand to try and appease the green-tressed woman. She seemed to apologize over everything.
And then Lina snapped back to attention. She turned and pointed to the desk that had been near the small set of stairs into the main room. “LOOK!”
Covering the wooden furniture was a small feast. A large roasted bird, a large bowl of what looked like green mashed potatoes, hot stalks of corn of the cob with melted butter, a plate of sausages, a basket filled with steaming hand-sized loaves of bread, a large jug of wine, and the cutlery and plates for two people.
“It’s food,” Terra pointed out calmly, not seeing the reason for excitement.
“Yes, it’s food!” Lina shouted. “And it’s here, and fine furnishings, for us! And this room has air-conditioning to boot!” She cheered. Even if the King was a bit of a pompous pervert, it seemed he knew how to treat his guests.
Terra stood up and offered a hand to her friend, still not seeing a reason for excitement.
Lina got to her feet quickly with the assistance. “Thanks, Terra! C’mon! Let’s eat already!” She cheered happily as she went right to it, picking up a plate and filling it with vittles. “Oh, this looks good! And this! Gotta have some of this! Oh, this too!”
Having seen Lina eat before, Terra was used to this. So she stepped closer and served herself too. Though her portions were easily only a tenth of Lina’s own.
It was a good meal. Terra was able to eat her full quite easily, and Lina finished off the rest...
“Urrrrp...” Lina belched lightly as she placed a hand over her stomach, patting it lightly. “Now THAT was a good meal...” granted, for her it was a snack, but it was still probably the best meal she had since she got to this world, period. Having a meal on a king’s budget really was something... maybe she should look more into it.
‘But first, a nice nap...’ Lina thought as she sat back up. She looked side to side and saw a clock. Yep. It was getting to be time for it anyway. “Hmm... it’s getting late, Terra. Maybe we should hit the hay...”
“Should we stay here, then?” Terra asked as she looked at the clock, realizing it was rather late but not really feeling like she could sleep.
“Yeah, we should rest up and get our strength back...” Lina said. The woman winced as she took off her pair of boots. Her ankle was doing much better, but still hurt lightly. “Worse comes to worse, we get up early, jack a pair of those large birds, and ride outta here...” to where, Lina had no clue, but at least they wouldn’t be walking across the desert if they had to.
“Should we steal from them? They have been nice to us,” Terra protested.
“C’mon, the guy’s rich!” Lina said. “I’m sure they’re not going to be hampered if we take two birds for ourselves.” She looked back at her pike and shield, as well as Terra’s sword that were against the wall. “They obviously have our best interests in mind for now, setting this place up for us. If they decided to end it, we’d just be making one last use of their hospitality...”
Terra pouted, not feeling convinced in the slightest. It figured that Lina’s protégé in this land would have a conscience...
Rolling her eyes, Lina let off a small sigh. “Look, that’s only in worst-case scenario. If we don’t have to leave right away, we don’t have to leave right away. We can even ASK sometime tomorrow if we can take a pair of Chocobos? All right?” Blasted girl, making Lina think over her actions twice.
That seemed more to Terra’s liking, and the woman gave her friend a smile. “All right.”
Seeing the other woman appeased made Lina smiled lightly. Damn, that girl was just too good-hearted for her own good; too innocent.
“Now that that’s settled...” the redheaded sorceress said slowly as she undid the clasp in front before taking off her shoulder-guards and cape in one go. “I think it’s time we get ready for bed and sleep...”
Terra nodded and looked at the bed, wondering if she would manage to get sleep at all. While on the road that hadn’t been a problem, since she was so tired from traveling, but here she might have more trouble.
Lina frowned as she looked at the woman. “That man really upset you, huh?” She asked. Then again, a face like the one that guy could have probably upset anyone. “Put it behind you for now...” Lina told the taller woman as she slipped her gloves off. “He left; probably out searching around the desert...” she didn’t mention he’d be searching for Terra, though. She didn’t want to put the woman at unease.
The green-haired woman nodded absently, removing her boots slowly.
Carefully removing her Demons’ Blood Talismans, Lina continued to speak. “You really shouldn’t worry. A sturdy place like this could easily fend off any attack. It’s not just a castle, it’s a fortress. I doubt a man and two soldiers could cause much trouble, it any...” she said to ease Terra as she then started to undo the buttons of her shirt.
Terra blinked her eyes and her tense shoulders did seem to relax slightly. “You’re probably right,” she admitted, her worries eased for the moment.
“See?” Lina said as she folded her shirt. “You’ll be safe here for the time being. And if we need to leave, and the Returners can’t do anything, then we’ll simply do that and be on our way...” of course, Lina knew she was stuck in this dimension until she solved the crisis and she’d do it anyway she could, even if it meant on her own.
...
Well... maybe not entirely on her own. She had Terra with her. And the girl had some serious firepower, even if she was a little too timid to use it.
Lina blushed lightly as the green tressed woman bent over as she pulled down her leather skirt... she was wearing a thong...
‘That’s Terra for you...’ Lina thought. A girl too innocent for her own good, with serious firepower and wearing a PINK thong...
And she noted, with jealously, that Terra’s behind was better formed than her own.
‘It’s just not fair...’ Lina thought glumly as she stood and pulled her own pants down; wearing a more modest pair of white cotton panties underneath. Now down to her own undergarments, Lina walked over to the sleeping accommodations while the other woman got out of her shirt. “Now let’s see what we got heeEEY!” Lina shouted as she got under the covers. It was a nice bed. A very ornate frame, and the mattress and sheets certainly looked comfortable...
But it was a SINGLE...
“Is something wrong?” Terra asked, pulling the blanket over them.
“Wait! I...” Lina stopped and blushed. She had initially slide into bed to get a feel for it. She hadn’t expected the other woman to get in with her...
So closely...
While both were only in underwear...
While her interests didn’t go that way, she did feel a little uncomfortable.
Shaking her head to try and dispel her blush, Lina lightly mumbled to the other girl, “Never mind.” The redhead let off a small sigh before she tried to relax. Even if it was a bit of a tighter fit to get two into one bed, it was a comfortable one.
The air-conditioner did make the room somewhat cold. Which gave blankets an actual use in the desert, as well as the act of sharing body heat.
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(Posted Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:44)
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