Allergies and a Harp

by Maelstra

17 - The Ending, Though Perhaps Not a Conclusion

"You're going to do what!" Kain's incredulity resonated loudly through the stone walls of Baron Castle.

Cecil sighed and started massaging his forehead. He had hoped his friend would see the necessity in this situation . . . but . . . "I'm sorry, Kain, but I have to agree with Cid. Until you can master the Song of Strength on your legendary harp, you're still a liability."

"But –! Cecil, don't you think this is really extreme!" Kain glanced over at Rydia and Edge standing at the far side of the room, but found no sympathy – only amusement.

Rosa placed her arm on Cecil's shoulder. "Well . . . just think of it this way, Kain: it will give you added motivation to learn faster." She smiled brightly, as though so doing would somehow make everything better.

"Ahem," Cecil awkwardly motioned for the duo of waiting guards to approach the throne. "Please escort Captain Highwind to the dungeon and lock him in the most secure cell."

The guards hesitated briefly, exchanged a quick glance, then took position to stand at either side of Kain. The dragoon, meanwhile, was staring stonily at the section of wall beyond Cecil's left shoulder, and refused to give comment.

"Kain . . . it's mostly for your own protection." Cecil shrugged as though helpless. "I'll have you released the moment you can adequately play the Song of Strength."

Kain released an indignant sigh, mumbled "Whatever you say, your majesty," then walked forward to take the Harp of Self-Control from Cecil's hands. An awkward moment passed during which Cecil's eyes jumped between the harp and Kain's face, and Kain meanwhile steadily stared at Cecil's feet.

Cecil motioned again, and the guards escorted Kain from the throne room. He sighed loudly and appealed to Rosa, "It won't take him very long, right?"

"I don't know," Edge butted in. "If his practicing on the airship was any indication –"

"But he doesn't have to get it perfect, does he?" Cecil turned and cut Cid off sharply, "And, don't try to tell me about policy about disciplining knights and so forth – I don't want to hear it right now. Especially given the circumstances."

---

Ten hours later, Kain continued to sit on the cell bench, numbly plucking at the harp strings. He had nothing better to do, after all. Cecil had ordered a standing watch for him, but after listening to a few minutes of his playing, all the guards had taken position as far away from Kain's cell as they could get. Edge had visited briefly to slip Kain a pick for the harp, but then snuck off without giving any explanation of how to use it. Kain tried, but could not decide whether or not the little chip was actually helping his playing, anyway.

Kain's left hand started cramping again, so he laid the harp on the floor, and lay himself down on the bench to take another nap.

The rattling of the cell lock awoke him. He had slept some number of hours, and so felt rather groggy upon awakening. "What is it?" he asked, yawning in the middle. "Did Cecil decide I could just stay in my room instead?"

The guard did not answer. He opened the door, stowed the keys at his waist, then drew his sword.

"Uh . . . that's really not necessary. I'm unarmed, you know . . ." Kain stood up warily.

The guard lunged forward, his sword striking the stone wall in the space previously occupied by Kain's torso.

Kain smacked the guard on the back of the head, which failed to stun him but did at least distract him for a moment. In that moment, Kain snatched the other's sword, and used the pommel to hit him again. This time the guard lost consciousness and fell onto Kain's odd little winged creature, with one enormous eye in the middle of its forehead, flew down the hall, crooning a singsongy melody. As this was not a commonplace sight in the castle, Kain concluded that the creature was likely to blame for both the one guard's strange behavior, and the disappearance of all the other guards. Kain vastly preferred using a spear to a sword, but could still manage adequately. His hands still ached from too many hours attempting to play a harp, but after several hits with the blade, he succeeded in dispatching the annoying little thing.

Pausing only for a second to snatch up the harp as well, Kain sprinted up the castle stairs. He found several other guards, unconscious, along the way. As he burst into the throne room, he ran straight into Cecil, who had an oddly dazed look on his face. As soon as Cecil noticed Kain, he drew the Excalibur.

"Uh oh." Kain jumped up over Cecil, but because of his haste jumped a little too high and bumped his head on the ceiling. He landed alright, but his head began throbbing. A trio of the strange, crooning, cyclopean creatures flew in a continual circle around the throne room. Kain's eyes would not focus completely yet, but he managed to thwap two of the monsters with his sword hard enough to make them stop singing. Then Cecil grabbed him, and Edge pried the sword out of his hand.

Reflexively, Kain swung at Edge with his right hand, forgetting that he still held the harp. The strings twanged at the impact, and Edge took a reflexive step back. Kain squirmed out of Cecil's grip, then as the final creature flew past, Kain clocked it in the face with the harp. It squawked, then dropped with a final thud.

Immediately, Kain turned and started poking Cecil. "Wakey, wakey, your majesty."

"Huh?" Cecil came alert quickly. With a puzzled look on his face, he noted his drawn sword and immediately sheathed it. Then he finally recognized Kain's presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you, of course." Kain grinned widely, thoroughly pleased with himself. "I'm the only one in the castle that's immune to these creatures' mind control."

"What!" Edge sputtered, then stopped in confusion as his fingers found the new sore spot on the side of his head.

Cecil kicked one of the creatures at his feet, and it crumbled away into dust, the way certain monsters sometimes did. He stepped back to permit Rydia to blast the remaining two with fire, then asked everyone present, "Where did these things come from?"

"coughplotholecough." Rydia brushed off invisible grime from touching the creatures.

Edge glanced over at her, confused. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

Kain, still grinning smugly, went over and poked Edge in the shoulder. "Now, weren't you saying something on the moon about ninjas being more resistant to confusion?"

Edge narrowed his eyes at the dragoon. "So what? Everyone can get caught by those spells sometimes. At least that's a lot better than, say, having severe reactions to certain . . . healing items . . ."

"Now, you –"

"Edge, will you please knock it off, for once?" Rydia glowered at the ninja, hands on her hips.

Edge raised an eyebrow. "Of course, milady. Especially since you asked so nicely . . ."

"So, this means I'm out of the dungeon for good, right?" Kain happily turned his back on the ninja and started wheedling Cecil.

"Well, yes . . ." Cecil automatically looked around for Cid, then remembered that the engineer had gone home a few hours ago. "We'll work out the official details later, but as far as I'm concerned, you now have your old position back as captain of the dragoons."

In the background, Edge and Rydia continued their conversation, and Rydia abruptly started giggling.

"Thank you, your majesty." Kain bowed slightly to Cecil.

"And please stop calling me 'your majesty.' I keep wanting to look over my shoulder for the old king of Baron."

"Like it or not, you are king now. You'll have to learn to take it sooner or later."

"Yes, but I don't want to have to take it from you."

"Hey, Cecil?" Edge interrupted, grabbing the king's arm. "I'm a good dancer, right? You saw me dancing at your wedding . . ."

While Cecil made a strange face as he tried to think of ways to get out of answering Edge's question, Rosa cleared her throat and interrupted everybody. "Excuse me. Don't you think that someone should make sure there aren't any more of these creatures in the castle or the city?"

"Well, aren't we lucky to have someone –" Edge slapped Kain on the back – "who is immune to their spell?"

Kain rolled his eyes. "Ri-ight. I think I'd like some armor, first. And a better weapon than this harp."

"Why don't you just play the harp?" Rosa suggested. "That might make the rest of us immune as well."

"Sorry, your majesty." Kain said as he displayed his blistered fingers. "But, I don't think I can. Edge could play, though."

"Um, no. I . . . don't play."

"Yes you do! You were playing it in that cursed forest!"

"I – you have no witnesses!"

"Edge," Rydia growled. "Just play the stupid harp."

"If it pleases you, my love."

"Don't call me 'your love'."

"Whatever!" Cecil drew the Excalibur, grabbed Kain by the arm, and then marched out the door, dragging his friend with him. Rydia smirked back at Edge and gave him a you're-not-going-to-let-them-have-all-the-fun-are-you look, then followed Rosa out into the corridor.

Left in an empty room, all by himself, Edge shrugged and retrieved Kain's forgotten sword, then drew his Masamune as well. "Wait for me!" He ran outside to catch up with the others.

The End

---

And that's the end. So, what did you think? I considered ending the story by leaving Kain in the dungeon, but decided that after all the abuse I'd put him through, he deserved a happy ending.

Oh, and if you found the title confusing, all I meant was that this feels like it could go straight into a sequel, but I doubt I would write one. Hopefully you'll agree that I ended this at a point that it stands alone well.

Final thanks again to Dragonlover, Katmillia, and Mythweaver1. I really appreciated your encouragement and suggestions!

And now, I really need some sleep, so I'll wish you all a good night!