Author’s Note: Oh no, I’m writing another FFIV fic! When I should be working on all my OTHER stories! Oh well. Good for you I guess. ;) I’m trying something new with this one, so leave me feedback on what you do and don’t like!

Smile Like You Mean It

The castle of Baron looked hostile and imposing until the scattering of smiling guests and the low drifting of music became apparent just outside the gates. There was a guard standing inside, reading to take the Chocobo to the stables and keep him groomed and well-fed until the rider returned.

Rydia slid off the side of the great purple bird, feeling more than a little uncomfortable in her clingy green ball gown. She adjusted the skirt, which at some point during the ride had climbed up her thighs, as the guard took the reigns of her mount and led him in the direction of warm hay and fresh cut grass.

The Summoner couldn’t help feeling both excited and apprehensive about walking herself in through the front gates of the daunting structure. The castle had, unfortunately, lost none of its commanding and imposing aura since she’d last visited, which, upon her calculation, had been over a year ago at Cecil and Rosa’s nuptials.

Rydia slid a hand through her spiral locks, feeling absolutely ridiculous all dressed up. Sensing that there were more party guests arriving behind her, she finally began to move towards the towering double doors, marked today with a simple blue shimmer spell placed over them. If it was to make people feel more welcome inside the awe-inspiring castle of Baron, it was only doing a marginal job.

She held her breath as she walked through them and into the scene.

Once inside, the atmosphere was remarkably different. There were already guests everywhere, mingling and sipping from long flutes of champagne. The candles had all been lit atop the glowing chandeliers leading the way to the throne room, where Rydia assumed most of her comrades would be congregating.

Trying her best to look confident and not at all uncomfortable in such a large group setting, Rydia made her way through the swarms of people, slipping in through several sideways in her quest to make it in one piece to the throne room.

“Rydia!” she heard a voice call out over the dim, which caused her to turn around and search frantically for the owner. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, a larger, bearded man heading her way. She let out a bubble of a laugh, delighted to see the old mechanic in such condition, thinking he looked very fine indeed in his rich red cape and shiny new goggles, which were perched atop his thinning hair.

“Cid!” she smiled, holding out her arms to greet him with an embrace. He was solid and comforting, the first familiar face in a sea of strangers. His gaze on her was affectionate.

“You look wonderful!” she told him, stepping back arm’s length to see him.

“You look older,” he replied, his eyes twinkling. “How’ve ya been?”

“Good,” she answered, taking the arm he offered as he led her into another large group of people. “How are Cecil and Rosa?”

“Great!” he said, flushing in a fatherly manner. “And the babe, he’s a real trooper. So strong already!”

Rydia very much wanted to see the new arrival, the Crown Prince of Baron, born just a couple of months ago. The success of two of her closest friends meant so much to her, especially when she herself had so little to share about her own life.

Cid directed her into the throne room, which was, as Rydia had guessed, where most of her comrades were. She immediately spotted Yang, the new King of Fabul after the late ruler had passed away in his sleep. She gave him a wave and a smile, and he gave her a friendly bow.

Rosa was in front of her before she knew it, squeezing the younger woman into a firm, happy hug. The Queen looked positively radiant, clad in a soft cream dress and a sparkling silver tiara. Her blue eyes were brimming with joyous tears.

“Oh, Rydia!” the blonde woman exclaimed, pulling back. “It’s so good to see you, I’m so glad you could make it!”

To the woman who had always been a motherly figure and inspiration, Rydia could only smile and nod, afraid that she herself would start crying. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed her friends until they were here in front of her again.

Rosa’s hand on her arm led her over to a large blue pram, set up with the same shimmering spell that had been lingering over the entrance to the castle.

“Come and see Darryl,” the Queen beckoned. The Summoner glanced over the shining blue edge of the cradle to see a beautiful, rosy-cheeked baby grinning back at her. Instinctively, her hands went to her mouth.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, watching him coo happily and reach for his booty-clad toes. “Oh, Rosa, he’s perfect!”

The queen merely beamed at the compliment.

“Where’s Cecil?” the Summoner asked, anxious to greet the most influential man she’d had in her life. Rosa pointed into the crowd a ways, which parted to reveal Cecil, sans armor, wearing a cream cape that matched his wife’s dress and a golden crown, which seemed strangely fitting atop his flaxen hair.

“He’s talking to Edward about the new trade regulations,” the Queen said, seeming like she couldn’t possibly be more proud of her family.

“Edward!” Rydia sighed, seeing the other man for the first time. He seemed to have matured quite a bit since the last she’d seen of him, his hair still long and golden, but now complimented with the rich red of his tunic. He certainly had taken to the part of King well. He was laughing, his face lighter and happier than she ever recalled seeing.

Somewhere behind the crowd, an orchestra began playing a lively waltz, and in a wink the swarm of people had left the floor to make way for those who wished to dance. Rydia instinctively took a step backwards, nearly running over the cradle with Darryl inside, who’s happy laughs revealed his liking for the waltz.

Cecil made his way towards Rosa, his entire attention focused on his radiant wife. He took her hand gently, and kissed it, and then led his Queen onto the floor to join the other couples who were eloquently dancing around each other.

Rydia hung back, feeling more than a little out of place. She glanced into the pram again.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think you can dance quite yet,” she told the infant prince, who simply laughed.

“But I know I can,” came a haughty, slightly nasal voice behind her. Rydia’s heart instantly flip-flopped, though she wasn’t quite sure if it was a good feeling or a bad one. She knew exactly who she would see standing behind her, she just wasn’t expecting him to be quite so close.

Or kissing her the moment she turned to look at him. She let out a muffled cry of surprise but he caught her so off-guard that she couldn’t do anything more. Without another word he pulled back and pulled her onto the dance floor, sweeping her up into the swell of the three-part beat.

“Edge,” she said, almost accusingly as he led her into the steps. She knew the waltz, but not well, and her feet were moving hesitantly to his easy sway.

“My love,” he answered, grinning at her. He looked good, she couldn’t deny it. His dark gray cape was swept elegantly onto his shoulder, with the crest of the Ninja holding it around his neck. His hair was tied back at the base of his neck with a piece of white cord.

“Stop that,” she hissed to him, trying not to arise suspicion from nearby dancers. “Stop acting like we’re a couple.”

“Why shouldn’t we be?” he asked lightly, tilting his chin back to study her. From the way his eyes moved up and down her gown she gathered that he approved of her appearance. “We’re the best looking people here, other than Cecil and Rosa of course.”

“Edge!” she tried again, but he merely spun her around and caught her deftly, continuing to impress with his waltzing skills. “Edge!”

Her voice echoed louder than she’d intended, but when she started she realized it was because many of the dancers had quieted and stopped moving to watch the King and Queen, who stood motionless on the floor. Rydia craned her head over Edge’s shoulder to see what was going on.

Cecil was standing absolutely still, staring at the entrance to the throne room. Rosa kept her hand in her husband’s, but her eyes too were directed to the doors. Rydia strained to see what had caught their attention so well.

She saw only the vague outline of a human figure before Edge twisted and his cape got in her way. She took the opportunity to free her hand of his and smack him on the shoulder, side-stepping around his bulk so she could get a better view.

“Kain,” Cecil said in what seemed to be a strangled voice before Rydia had even registered who the handsome blonde man was. Her heart did a little twinge. She hadn’t expected the Dragoon to be here, and she could sense that the King of Baron hadn’t either.

There was a very tense moment in which no one moved and the orchestra ceased playing. Rydia could tell by the flush in Kain’s cheeks that this wasn’t exactly the welcome he’d been hoping for, and his shoulder turned slightly to the door as if he might leave.

Then Cecil broke away from Rosa on the dance floor and engulfed his friend in a tight embrace, which elected applause from everyone watching. Kain, seeming surprised for a moment, returned the gesture with slightly more reserve. Rosa quickly followed, once again appearing jubilant.

“The prodigal son returns,” Edge quipped mildly. Rydia, unable to hear the low conversation between the two over the music, which had started up once the tension had left the room, turned back to her dancing partner.

“You!” she pointed up at him, refusing to step closer to resume the dance she had unwillingly been dragged into.

“Me,” he answered with a wink and a smile, moving his hands out as if to grab hers again. “Dance.”

“No,” she struggled against his hold on her arms. He was a great deal stronger than her, and when he began to ease back into the three-step dance she had very little choice but to stumble around with him. “Stop it!”

“People are staring,” he snapped, for once seeming irate with her. “Dance with me.”

Rydia, who remembered only the nights of shame and scorn she’d brought upon herself last time she gave into the Ninja, shook her head hard to remove the unpleasant thoughts from her head. She didn’t want a repeat. She’d already lost her heart to him once.

“Edge, let me go!” she exclaimed, not caring that the couples around her were indeed giving her slightly incredulous looks. After checking the sides of the dance floor, she realized that the harem of women that seemed to follow the King of Eblan around were also glaring angrily in her direction.

She didn’t care. But she couldn’t get out of the Ninja’s grasp.

“Rydia,” he hissed at her, his voice dangerously low before there was a tap on his shoulder and with a theatrical flourish, the Ninja King turned around. Kain was standing directly behind him, an unreadable expression on his face.

“The Queen of Baron wants a dance with you,” he told the other man, who couldn’t find anything to say to this proposition. No one in their right mind would dare to deny the Queen of the celebration her right to choose her dancing partner. Edge had no choice but to let Rydia go and move away, graciously accepting Rosa’s hands as she smiled at him.

Rydia would have to thank her friend for that, for she knew Rosa had purposefully separated them.

Now she felt painfully embarrassed, standing alone in the midst of waltzing couples around her.

“Er,” she said rather ungracefully, feeling her face heat up. She turned to make her way out of the sea of people as a hand reached out to stop her. The fingers on her forearm were warm.

“Dance with me?” Kain asked awkwardly, sensing her discomfort.

Rydia reversed her turn to face him, holding her hands out and smiling.

“Yes,” she answered, pleased to be spending time with the friend she didn’t think would come. He was taller than Edge was, and she was unuse to having any other dancing partners, but he moved with a much more fluid grace than the Ninja had, who was always preoccupied more with how he looked to others than how he was acting to his partner.

Kain was a good leader, and Rydia felt more at ease knowing Edge was safely distracted by Rosa.

“He’s a little overbearing,” the Dragoon said, knowing Rydia’s thoughts were focused on the King of Eblan. She snorted slightly.

“More than a little,” she corrected, feeling Kain adeptly maneuver them through several other couples. He was steering her away from Edge and Rosa, and she appreciated it.

“I was being polite,” Kain smiled, a rare sight. Rydia rather liked it when he smiled. It made her feel like old times again, before everyone had gone their separate ways. She was feeling awfully guilty about not taking the effort to see her comrades more often.

They didn’t talk for awhile, Rydia concentrating on the steps that she was sure she was getting wrong. Kain didn’t complain, and he seemed to be able to compensate for any missteps she took. Glancing over, the Summoner realized that Cecil was dancing with Rosa again but Edge was no where to be found.

Somehow this lightened her mood.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” she said suddenly to the blonde man she was dancing with. He started a little bit and she realized that it was probably to heavy a conversation to have during a waltz.

“I wasn’t sure if I would be welcome,” he responded, his voice low. His steps slowed down a bit and Rydia squeezed his shoulder where her hand was resting. He felt a little gaunt, and she wondered just how long he’d holed himself up on the mountain to atone for his discretions.

“You’ll always be welcome,” she told him gently, knowing emotion was shining in her eyes. “I’ve always considered you my friend.”

His smile was genuine.

“Thank you,” he said as the music ended, and the crowd applauded for the orchestra. Rydia felt more than a little reluctant to let go of the Dragoon’s hands. She was afraid Edge would appear behind her any moment and sweep her off into unpleasant memories she’d been fighting to surpress.

“Rydia!” came Cecil’s voice suddenly. She turned to be swept up in yet another happy embrace. “I’m so glad you made it!”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” she laughed. “You’re a father now!”

“So I am,” the King of Baron said easily, grinning. “Care to join me for some champagne and catching up?”

“Love to,” she tucked her arm into his and followed him to the side, where baby Darryl and a smiling Rosa were waiting.