Author's Note:

Oh hey, it's me again! You know what? The disclaimer goes here. You know the one, the one that says I don't own anything? Yes, that's the one. It goes *here*.

Anyway, I will not lie. This fic is written for Mythweaver. (Avoid messaging her, or else you will suffer the same fate as I...) It has everything she likes! Ninjas and summoners and...well, it has everything she likes...

It is helpful if you have read my other story 'Fire and Ice' before this, since I consider this to come pretty much directly after it.

I'm not 100% happy with this story, but...I'm a little tired of working on it, so here it is! I've split it into 2 parts, the next one is already done and will be added shortly.

Read on!

The door slammed shut so hard it rattled the candle sticks mounted on the walls.

After the noise, a complete silence took over and the Eblan Four all exchanged a few glances.

Tsukinowa was first to break the silence, "Whoa," he whispered, wincing.

"Didn't he just come from Mist? Isn't he usually in a better mood after he's visited Rydia?" Zangestu asked.

Tsukinowa shrugged, "Maybe they had a fight,"

"They always fight,"

The boy frowned, "Well, maybe this one was actually like, a real fight."

They all glanced at the door, and then looked away in unison.

"You should talk to him."

It took a minute for Izayoi to figure out Gekkou was talking to her and when she did, she frowned, "Why me?"

"Uh, because you're his cousin," Tsukinowa replied in a tone of obviousness.

She raised her chin, "I'm a ninja first,"

"Whatever," the boy muttered, rolling his eyes. She glared at him as Zangestu shrugged, "Maybe we should just wait before we do anything. There may be nothing to worry about."

It was after three days that the other three ninjas convinced Izayoi to talk to her cousin, and she finally agreed when there had been burn marks along a wall in one of the training rooms. There hadn't magical mishaps in years, and it was a sure sign of her cousin's bad mood.

Izayoi sighed, standing outside the door to the same training room, wondering what she was going to say. She didn't know what had happened, so it would be difficult to accurately speak to him.

She looked over her shoulder, using her expression without words to plead to the others to go instead.

Tsukinowa made a shooing motion and Gekkou and Zangestu both nodded encouragingly at her.

She turned back and sighed once more before entering the room, seeing her cousin and target sitting on a windowsill causally tossing shurikens across the room.

She could tell her mission was going to be a disaster from that moment on, his expression and posture were all the signs she needed.

There was an awkward pause; Izayoi knew he knew she was here, but he hadn't said anything or even looked her way. She steeled herself and walked over, asking, "May I join you?"

Edge shrugged, haphazardly throwing another weapon.

There was just enough room on the sill for her to sit on one corner and she watched him for a second, biting back a comment about his terrible form.

Another one embedded in the target across the room before she spoke up, "…You seem…" she trailed off, already lost as to what she wanted to say.

This would not be an enjoyable talk.

"You can say it Izayoi," he muttered, still not looking at her.

With his invitation, she spoke her mind.

"You've been like a spiting ettin snake the last few days. Skipping between being angry and depressed in the blink of an eye. If I may be bold?" she asked before continuing.

Edge rolled his eyes, "Now you ask first? When have you ever not spoken your mind…?"

She frowned, but went on, "Honestly I'm not certain what your problem is. Usually you're all smiles when you get back from Mist. I and the others assume you and Rydia had some sort of fight, but I don't get why it's affected you this much. You two always fight."

He flung another shuriken and gave a short laugh, "Oh, this was different."

His bad attitude and evasive comments grated on her nerves and she stood so she could look at him, one hand on her hip, "Was it now? Well, here's what I think; you're being a stubborn fool by not going back and making up with her. Whatever this fight was about it's not worth losing the summoner over, is it? I think not."

"She's engaged." Edge said, interrupting her lecture.

Izayoi paused mid sentence, "She…what?"

"She's engaged," he repeated slowly, the resentment in his voice thinly disguised.

She blinked, all her compelling words fleeing in an instant.

"Too whom?"

He shrugged, the last of his stash of shurikens flying across the room, "Someone other than me,"

There was an uncomfortable pause, and Izayoi shook away her confusion; it was not a sensation she enjoyed.

"But, surely-"

"There's nothing more to be said," he countered, looking at her for the first time.

She snapped her mouth closed, respecting his authority even if she wanted to find out more. He slid off the windowsill and stalked out of the room, leaving Izayoi alone and doubly confused. She sat down and crossed her arms, staring across the room at the now blackened wall from an earlier session with Edge.

Izayoi was surprised to find herself angry. She rarely got to that point, but she was disappointed in High Summoner Rydia. The woman had earned her respect, but now she'd lost it. Who did she think she was to toy with her cousin like that?

They were a prefect match, the two of them. She could actually tolerate him and he didn't get bored with her. They could carry on a conversation, more often then not an argument, for hours. He trusted her, and she trusted him and Izayoi had rarely seen her cousin act the way he did with Rydia, so open and, plainly, happy.

"I need answers, and Edge isn't going to give them to me." she decided, resolved to not simply let this go here and now. If he wouldn't talk to her, then she would go to someone who would; someone she didn't take orders from.

It was difficult to avoid the other three members of the Eblan Four, and this startled Izayoi. When had they become her shadows? But, she supposed she was their shadow too considering how much time the four of them spent together.

Two years ago they couldn't stand one another and in less then ten minutes were bickering. Now she realized she felt bad for avoiding them and this surprised her.

"I guess we really are a team…"

Izayoi wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Tsukinowa was cheeky and got distracted easily, Zangestu was chatty and told too many stories for her tastes, Gekkou could get fixated on something to the point where she wanted to smack him, but they were all good people, and she trusted them.

Maybe that's why she felt so bad for sneaking out of Eblan without telling them in the middle of the night.

She knew they would want to come with her, but then Edge was bound to notice their absence.

This was actually her first time sneaking out of the castle and city without a set of orders to go with her. She had always been the 'good' one, the one that did what she was supposed too, the one that never got into trouble, except for that one time in Troia when she was a teenager.

Izayoi had to admit, the sheer mischief of it all was an interesting feeling. Maybe that's why her cousin was always doing stupid things he wasn't supposed too.

Like falling for exotic, powerful, green haired women from other countries.

She had just crossed over the main bridge and was about to step onto the fields outside when a voice stopped her.

"Going somewhere?"

She stopped and winced before spinning around to the familiar voice and smirking, "Gate duty again Gekkou?"

He shrugged, "It gives me time to think."

Izayoi paused, and then sighed, "Are you going to stop me?"

"Do I need to?" he asked back calmly.

She blinked, and he added, "You know something we do not, but I trust you to tell us when you think we need to know. As for leaving, I have an idea of where you intend to go."

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Izayoi questioned.

Gekkou shook his head, "Not master Edge."

She smiled a little and tugged her hood into place, "Thank you."

He nodded and with that she was off into the night, prepared for the somewhat long and most likely boring trip to Mist.

The entrance to the Mist Cavern stood before her and the woman appraised it calmly. She had never actually been to Mist. She'd been this far once before, but Rydia had insisted she go to the village alone past this point. Izayoi had heard stories, of course, about the caves being haunted, about the strange people who supposedly lived on the other side of them. Summoners were the stuff of legends, of misty myths that probably had little to no actual fact in them.

She had to admit, though, the cave was an eerie place; dark and damp with so much vapor you couldn't see straight. Through the haze you might think you saw something, but you couldn't be sure.

Of course, that kind of thinking was for superstitious people, and Izayoi was no such person.

The cavern went through the middle of one of the mountains, and before long she had come across an underground stream that gurgled by in a more serene way then creepy. But it was after she crossed a thin stone bridge and an extra thick mist rolled past her ankles as if creeping along the ground.

She watched it for a second, but then her attention was diverted by a flash of something to her left.

By the time she had turned and drawn her blade, the fog had obscured everything, blocking all ways and making it impossible to tell which way she was heading and which way she had come from.

So this was what made the cavern so impassable.

"State your intensions for passing through my domain," a soft voice whispered from somewhere close by.

It was laced with magic and Izayoi frowned, "I would like to know who I speak with,"

"I am the guardian of this village, chosen Eidolon of the High Summoner, I am Mist Dragon."

She couldn't help but smirk; "Now I'm getting somewhere!"

"I see," she said aloud, sheathing her weapon, "I intend to pass through your cavern, mighty dragon."

"Why?" the voice asked, this time coming from behind her.

Izayoi paused, "To speak with your High Summoner."

At first, there was no answer, but then the voice came again with a hint of amusement in it, "Speak with, or yell at?"

The dark haired woman frowned, not entirely sure how to answer that question when the dragon spoke again.

"Rydia is preoccupied. Turn back."

"Preoccupied?" Izayoi repeated, "Like hell."

The mists shivered round her and she sighed, "I need to see her, I mean you and the village no harm."

"Turn back, daughter of shadows. You may not mean the village harm, but you would do damage to my summoner."

"I will leave my weapons here if that is your custom,"

"There are other ways to injure without the use of swords."

Izayoi frowned again and looked around the cavern, finding it difficult to talk to someone who was both nowhere and everywhere at once.

"Is it right that she can cause this harm you speak of, then? Is that fair?" Izayoi snapped, "She has answers to questions that I must ask. Will you let me pass?"

The mists swirled in front of her and for a brief moment she glimpsed the shape of a dragon before it faded from sight.

"If I stand against you, would you fight me?"

"No," she replied, "I would find another way around."

The room was filled with a chiming laughter, "Ah, you are most witty, one of water, most charming, as well."

"I thank you for the flattery." she said, finding this conversation entertaining.

The vapors parted and the way became clear once more, a whisper of a voice leading her onward into the last bit of the cave, "I shall allow you passage, but please be kind to my dear summoner."

Izayoi made no promises as she continued along her way, wondering why the Eidolon seemed so set on making it sound like this wasn't Rydia's fault. She was finding it difficult to not harbor any ill will towards the green hair woman and her ridiculous decision.

Izayoi squinted at the bright light as she exited the cave, and after her eyes adjusted, she took in the scenery.

There was most definitely a reason this place was called Mist; the substance rolled off the hills and mountain tops that surrounded the valley, it pooled around trees and floated above rivers. The land around her contained a thick layer of vegetation, and even the mountains that hid the desert from view, were mostly covered in trees.

Izayoi found slight amusement that someone with green hair would grow up here. It was almost as if she had been born out of nature itself.

With a sigh she realized it would take her at least an hour to reach the village she could see in the distance, and she began her downward trip into the heart of the valley from the rocky ledge.

It was a pleasant journey, at least, filled with birdsongs and sunshine and a crispy wind that would occasional ruffle the leaves of nearby trees, but for all it's beauty Izayoi was too irritated to enjoy it.

Most people wouldn't see her anger if they looked at her, she always kept an outward calm, but those that knew her well, those that knew where to look, could see it.

She was unable to mask the cold fire in her eyes whenever she was truly enraged, and the woman was curious if Rydia would notice her fury or not.

There was a rustle from some of the underbrush and she drew her weapon on impulse, having expected at least one foolish monster to challenge her.

She stalked towards the noise, stepping lightly even in the unfamiliar territory.

Another rustle and she poised her katana elegantly, holding it delicately in hand in case she had to adjust the height for the height of the monster.

But when the ferns parted all that stepped out was a little girl with teal hair and a basket in hand.

She looked up, glanced at the blade and then at Izayoi and tipped her head to one side, "Were you planning on stabbing me?"

The question caught Izayoi off guard and she lowered her sword, "…No, I…thought you might have been a monster."

The little girl nodded, "That makes sense."

There was an awkward pause and Izayoi found herself intrigued by the calm manner of the child. Most would have screamed, run, or cry, possibly all at once, but few would have merely assessed the situation so logically.

"Are you from Eblan?" the girl asked.

She blinked, surprised, "Yes, how did you know?"

The child pointed at her weapon, "Thin blade, to long to be even a Baron long sword. Clothes too boring to be Mysidian."

To say she was impressed would be an understatement. This little girl was extremely perceptive.

She smiled, "And, you look kind of like Edge."

"He's my cousin," Izayoi explained.

The child's unnaturally bright blue eyes searched the ground for a moment, "Cousin, a familial relationship." she stated as if reading it out of a textbook.

The dark hair woman raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and the little girl looked back up, asking, "Does that mean you're a princess?"

The question made her laugh, but also made her pause to think, "Well…I suppose it might."

The little girl nodded and then jumped, "Oh! I forgot, my name is Cuore." she said, smiling shyly.

Izayoi smiled back and knelt in front of her, "Nice to meet you, little Cuore. I'm Izayoi."

"Iz-a-yoi," Cuore repeated slowly, rolling the name along her tongue a few times.

For some reason, this action and the rest of the girl's eclectic traits made her seem utterly adorable.

"Oh! I sent a letter to you," the girl said, smiling up at her.

She nodded, "So you did, and what a clever plan you came up with."

It had been the child who came up with the final push to try and get two certain people together once and for all.

Izayoi had always wondered exactly how that letter had made it to her, but she decided that was a conversation for another time.

"Are you here to visit Rydia?" Cuore asked, blinking.

Izayoi sighed, "Yes, I was."

"That's good, maybe it will make her happy." the teal haired girl mumbled sadly, looking towards the village, "She's been sad lately…"

She frowned, but Cuore continued, "Is Edge coming to visit soon? Rydia's always happier when he's here."

"…No, I'm afraid not."

"Oh," the little girl sounded disappointed, "he didn't say goodbye to me last time he left, which is odd. He always says goodbye."

Feeling as though she needed to defend her cousin's actions, she spoke up, "Things can get terribly hectic back home if he's not around, and I'm sure that's why he left so quickly and missed saying goodbye to you."

Cuore nodded, "That makes sense." She brightened, "Do you want me to show you to the village?"

"That would be good," Izayoi said, standing up.

"Great! I'll show you the fastest way to get there," she announced proudly, skipping forward before stopping and turning back, a timid expression on her face, "Can you not tell Rydia I was out here? She doesn't like me leaving the village without her."

"Then why did you?" Izayoi asked.

Cuore glanced into the bushes she had emerged from, "A few days ago I found an injured Zu. It's wing was broken."

"A Zu?" she questioned, eyes flickering into the trees.

"A baby," Cuore added quickly, "It wouldn't hurt anyone…Well, not right now, anyway. I've been taking care of it."

Izayoi smirked and bowed her head, "You have my word, Rydia won't hear anything from me."

Cuore smiled and grabbed her hand, "Thanks! You're good at keeping secrets, just like Edge."

Izayoi tried not to snicker as the girl pulled her along a pathway, basket swinging in her other hand.

She had figured it out that this was the little Maenad child Rydia had brought back from the moon. It had been an unpopular choice among other members of the group who were concerned the girl would prove to be more Maenad then child. Rydia had merely tossed her hair and declared that she didn't care and that the child was coming with her.

Izayoi had admired her for her resolve, but she had secretly worried the skeptics would turn out to be correct.

However, the little girl before her was nothing but cute, with her bobbed teal hair and innocent blue eyes. Their fears seemed unfounded now.

They passed through the archway and into the village, Izayoi taking a moment to scan the area. And it truly only took her a moment; people weren't kidding when they said it was a small town.

"That's our item shop, and that's our inn, although no one ever stays there except Edge when he comes to visit."

Izayoi smirked as the girl rattled off her tour, and decided that if her cousin was ever in a good mood again, she'd tease him about not just staying with Rydia.

"And that's the well," Cuore said, pointing at one last house, "And that's where I live, and Rydia lives. Isn't it pretty? Rydia grew those flowers, I got to help her."

"It's a very nice house." Izayoi agreed, nodding.

Cuore let go of her hand and looked up, "But, I don't think she's home right now. I think she's still meeting with the mayor. They've been talking a lot lately."

Izayoi's eyes narrowed and she tapped her fingertips against one leg, "I see…"

"But its okay, I can stay with you while we wait for her." the girl offered, smiling.

The dark haired woman frowned, "I appreciate the offer, Cuore, but wouldn't you rather play with your friends?"

She tipped her head to a group of child laughing and running in a small field by the well, but the Maenad girl's smile faded and she dropped her gaze, "I don't have any friends."

"You don't?"

She shook her head, "I used to be best friends with Sarah," she explained, pointing to one of the children, a little girl in a red dress with brown pigtails, "but she said we couldn't be friends anymore."

"Why not?" Izayoi asked, glaring at this Sarah girl.

Cuore shrugged, "I don't know, I think it's because I'm not like them. I'm…different." she said quietly.

This information didn't sit well with her, but she was already overloaded with problems to solve and she wasn't sure she wanted to get in the middle of something like this. It might just be kids being kids, but something deep down told her it was far more than that.

"Oh, there's Rydia," Cuore said.

Izayoi glanced up at the sound of a door being slammed and saw Rydia, green hair a mess as usual, spin away from a door with an angry look on her face and tears in her eyes.

The summoner's eyes caught hers and she halted, quickly flicking away a teardrop from her cheek and schooling her expression.

But it was too late; Izayoi had seen it and she narrowed her eyes, wondering what was going on.

Cuore skipped over, and Rydia met her halfway, sparing a glare at Izayoi.

"You shouldn't be here!" she hissed.

The woman scowled at her, "I'm already here,"

The summoner rolled her eyes but there was a flurry of movement as a woman dressed in pale green ran up calling, "High Summoner! Someone said they saw-"

She came to a stop and eyed Izayoi fearfully, making the woman wonder what her problem was.

"Yes, I see Belgemine." Rydia replied dryly, sounding annoyed.

The woman swallowed, "Oh…well…then I'll tell everyone not to worry."

She scurried off and Izayoi noticed a few more people giving her weird looks.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" she asked, somewhat insulted.

Rydia sighed and grabbed her arm, leading her towards her house, "Because you shouldn't be here!"

Cuore started to follow but Rydia shook her head, fake smile on her lips, "I'm sorry, Cuore, but I need to talk to Izayoi alone. Could you go see if Dona needs help at the store?"

The girl was visibly disappointed, "But Dona doesn't like me,"

"She likes you fine," Rydia replied, frowning.

Cuore obeyed, but she didn't look too thrilled by the idea.

Izayoi let the summoner drag her to her house, shove her inside and shut the door before sighing out of annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" Rydia asked, closing her eyes.

Izayoi didn't stop frowning, "I should think it was obvious why I'm here."

The summoner shot her a glare and walked further into the house, grabbing a bowl off the wooden table as she went and depositing it on the kitchen counter before speaking.

Her voice dripped bitterness, "Oh yes, I can guess why you're here. Edge shouldn't send you to do things for him."

"Edge doesn't know I'm here," she retorted, crossing her arms.

Rydia paused, but then shook herself and filled the sink with water, "Then why, Izayoi? Why waste your time coming here?"

"Because, I have questions and you have answers."

"Then ask," she snapped, dropping the bowl into the water with a clang.

Any questions she had were overridden with a new query, "Well first off, why is everyone looking at me like I'm going to murder them."

"The people of Mist don't like outsiders." Rydia answered simply, back still turned.

She frowned, "Then why do you have an inn?"

"Because," the summoner retorted, "they rebuilt the village just like before!" Her voice lowered, and became sadder, "They like things the way they used to be."

She pulled the bowl out of the water and began drying it and Izayoi sighed, walking into the house a little more so she could see her better.

For all her desire to yell at the woman and call her out, for all the questions she had been dying to ask, she now felt as though she needed to change plans.

"I heard you were engaged."

The summoner didn't say anything and didn't stop her actions, which sparked the other woman's temper; a rare occurrence.

"Silence? That's your only answer for me? After we traveled the world together, fought side by side, after you accepted my cousin's affections and then tossed them aside, silence is the only thing you offer me?"

Rydia spun around after slamming the glass bowl on the counter so hard it cracked, "What do you want me to say? Do you want me to cry, to tell you that it wasn't my choice? Do you want me to apologize, to ask you to kidnap me so I can get away from it?"

Izayoi was slightly startled by her outburst and even more so when tears spilled down her cheeks.

She turned away and looked at the now fractured bowl, "Oh, damn…" she sobbed.

Izayoi took a deep breath and walked over, hesitating before laying her hand gently on the summoner's shoulder, "I'm sorry, I know nothing of the situation, Rydia."

"Edge didn't tell you?"

"He's said very little."

Rydia sighed and let the other woman guide her to a chair where she sat and wiped off her eyes. It was then Izayoi spotted the plain gold band around her left ring finger and frowned.

"I'm sorry, then, Izayoi. I assumed you were here to yell at me." she said, smiling weakly.

"Well, the thought crossed my mind,"

She laughed a little, "I wouldn't blame you…"

Carefully, Izayoi sat too, and spoke again, "Explain to me all of this, please, I will admit, I am confused. I thought you loved-"

"I do," Rydia interrupted, "trust me, I do. This, all of this? It wasn't my idea, and I certainly wish it could be different."

There was a pause and Rydia sighed, folding her hands neatly in her lap and telling her story quietly.

"The people of Mist still live in the past, they like things the way they used to be, they like to stay out of the world, to avoid the future. They…believe that I'm taking too long in finding…" she trailed off and Izayoi answered for her, "A mate?"

The summoner nodded, "And, they…implied to me that whomever I chose must have a strong magical bloodline lest the summoners die out forever."

The other woman tracked the ideas easily enough, "They are concerned that since you are the last, you have to have children otherwise the craft will be lost,"

"Yes." Rydia said, glancing up, "So, they picked someone for me."

Izayoi frowned as she continued, "A mage from Mysidia with an important family, I guess, some black mage so my children will have pure blood."

"Have you met him?"

Rydia shrugged, "Once or twice, when I've gone to teach in Mysidia."

Izayoi could tell by her bored tone of voice she didn't care for the man.

"But, how can they make you do this? You're the High Summoner, aren't you?"

Rydia smiled sadly, "Yes, I am, and that is exactly why they can."

At her confusion, the green haired woman explained softly, "High Summoners aren't rulers; we don't tell people what to do. We're…protectors, guardians. We're servants of the people."

"So," the dark haired woman said, making sure she understood, "They're hanging this title over your head to force you into something."

Rydia glared at her, "You make them sound horrible,"

"They are." she replied, giving the other woman a look and wondering why she couldn't see it.

"They're my people!" the summoner snapped, standing up, "They're doing what they think is right, and maybe it is!"

"They are making your choices for you," Izayoi argued, "forcing you to marry someone you barely know! How could you think that this is right? This effects more people then you realize!"

Rydia shook her head, "You don't understand,"

"Then make me understand."

The summoner squeezed her eyes shut, "Without summoners the Feymarch disappears. Slowly, piece by piece, a little here and a little there…one Eidolon at a time. If I died tomorrow, there is no one to carry on that legacy and the process begins with no way to stop it."

Izayoi hadn't thought of the Feymarch, and now she could see Rydia's dilemma. No matter her choice, she could lose a home, possibly two.

"Then, the Eidolons want you to marry this mage?" she asked.

Rydia averted her gaze, "Actually, no, they don't." she whispered. "They want me to do what makes me happy. But, I don't think they really understand what's at stake."

There was a long, silent pause and Rydia walked away, picking up pieces of glass from the earlier incident.

Izayoi sighed and sat back in her chair, annoyed.

"What about Cuore?" she asked at last.

The green haired woman slowed and looked over her shoulder, "I haven't told her yet."

"That's not what I meant. Weren't you going to train her as a summoner? Can't she carry on this legacy you speak of?"

Rydia swallowed and turned fully around to face her, a fresh set of sorrow clouding her face, "The people of Mist won't accept her as a summoner. They want me to…stop training her."

There was more to this story so the woman raised an eyebrow, making Rydia sigh and expand, "There were…reservations about her from the beginning, but then a few weeks ago she nearly lost control of her magic. I think the people here are more afraid of her then anything now."

"Nearly, but she didn't?"

"No, but it was a type of magic that I've never seen before. I think it scared her a little, too. She's already had trouble with…nightmares. She's finding it difficult to cope with her Maenad heritage."

Izayoi knew she had just uncovered the reason for Cuore's friend trouble and found herself growing more and more upset at the people in this village. What was wrong with them?

"They control everything about you," she muttered, earning a sharp glare from the summoner.

"Don't pretend to understand this, Izayoi." she snapped, turning back to the window.

She glared at her back, biting back a few more choice words for her and instead asking, "So, you haven't told her about this marriage?"

"No, not yet. I…don't really know how too."

"She's a smart girl, you think she hasn't noticed?"

Rydia covered the ring with her other hand, "She's also not from here, I don't think she knows how our customs work."

Izayoi rolled her eyes, thinking the summoner gave the little girl far too little credit.

Another moment of silence came over them and Izayoi studied the tabletop, trying to come up with a suitable argument to convince the summoner what she was doing was wrong. But she knew that Rydia would never cave. The woman was desperate to please her people, that much was obvious, and if she didn't do this, she would lose not only them but also her Eidolons. No matter what the ethereal beings said, Rydia would do what she had too to save them; she proved that three months ago with the lengths she went too to rescue them from the Maenad's control.

If summoners were servants of the people, then she was the best summoner to ever live. She was selfless, unfortunately, and in this case it wasn't a good thing.

"Does Edge hate me?"

Izayoi looked up, the question bringing her back to reality, where she did something she had rarely done in the past. Lie.

"No, he doesn't."

Rydia walked over and sat back down, tears coming to her eyes, "We fought last time…I…said things I'm not proud of. I just…"

She closed her eyes and a few tears leaked from her eyes to roll down her cheeks. Izayoi wasn't comfortable with crying, it made her uneasy and she hesitated before awkwardly reaching out to touch her arm.

All it did was make her cry even more and Izayoi winced.

"Rydia-"

"No, no, I haven't really let myself cry, it's not you, Izayoi." the summoner assured her, waving a hand at her but refusing to make eye contact. "You're a good friend, to come here. I'm sorry I snapped at you, I know you don't understand but I have to do this."

Izayoi sighed and scooted her chair closer so she could take the green hair woman's shoulders, "Rydia, I wanted answers, and you gave them to me. I just needed to know that it wasn't your idea."

Rydia laughed haltingly through her tears, "It wasn't, and trust me, I wish it could be different."

Izayoi stayed with her for a few minutes until she had stopped crying, and even then she was hesitant to leave her. The summoner was broken at the moment.

Finally Rydia insisted she leave since the people of Mist were uneasy with her being here and she didn't want any trouble.

Izayoi closed the door behind her and had to fight the urge to find all the people of Mist and tell them exactly what she thought of them. Didn't they see how they were hurting their High Summoner? Didn't they care about her?

The whole situation baffled the woman and she would have left then and there if not for needing to see the little teal hair girl before she went. After all of this, the last thing the child would need was two people from Eblan failing to say goodbye to her.

It was easy enough to spot her with the vibrantly colored hair, and Izayoi saw her in a few seconds after stepping away from the door. The girl was sitting in the flower garden next to the house, reading a book that seemed much too large for her.

She looked up at Izayoi's approaching and smiled, but there was a tinge of sadness in her eyes, proving that she had some idea of what was going on.

"I…came to say goodbye."

Cuore blinked, "You're leaving already?"

"Yes, I need to get back."

The girl set her book aside, "Is…something going on? Rydia's so sad lately, and everyone is always whispering…did I do something bad? Is this because of my magic?"

Izayoi knelt in front of her and shook her head, "It has very little to do with you, Cuore. There are things going on around here that you don't know about yet."

She looked down and Izayoi sighed, patience with depressed people nearly gone.

"Listen, I'm not good at dealing with this sort of thing, or with children, but I needed to see you before I left because I don't want you to think ill of me or my cousin."

Cuore looked up, blue eyes wide, "I don't think your bad with children, I think you're really nice. Rydia thinks so too, and why would I feel ill? Should I be sick?"

Izayoi had to chuckle, "No, not sick. I meant I don't want you to think badly of us."

"Oh," the little girl said, "it's incomprehensible to me, all these social structures and double meanings…"

She sighed and looked back up, "But I don't think badly of you or Edge, why should I?"

"…Things are going on that you don't know about yet." Izayoi explained vaguely one more.

Cuore nodded slowly, "I…know."

They sat there for a moment and then the dark haired woman stood, unable to stay in the village any longer and knowing she need to get back to Eblan.

"I have to leave, Cuore, it was good to meet you."

She smiled up at her, "It was good to meet you too, Izayoi. Will I see you again?"

"I hope so, little one."

It took Izayoi twenty full minutes to apologize and explain herself for why she went to Mist without them. Even then the rest of the Eblan Four were grumpy about it, even Gekkou who had seen her sneaking out.

But then she got down to business; getting their king and the summoner back together.

"Engaged to some guy?" Tsukinowa repeated, carefully creasing a sheet of paper.

Izayoi nodded, perched on the windowsill in the room, "I know, I was equally unhappy with the news."

"And Rydia?" Gekkou asked.

She frowned, "Yes, I was unhappy with her as well, but after I saw her…"

"She has little choice. She is the last of her kind." Zangestu mumbled, watching Tsukinowa fold the paper.

Izayoi looked out the window at the sunset, "There must be something we can do, something that can help us. If the people of Mist would relent, if they would tell her she didn't have to do it, then maybe she would listen to us and to the Eidolons…"

Zangestu sighed, "But we don't even know this man's name, where can we even start to make a difference?"

"When is this wedding?" Gekkou asked, turning to look at her.

Izayoi scowled, "Two weeks, on the night of the full moon, but it will be daytime in Mist."

All three of them cringed.

"Bad timing," Tsukinowa exclaimed, still crafting his paper.

She sighed, "I know, and I wonder if Edge knows the date, too."

They all fell silent.

The wedding couldn't have been on a worse day; it was same day as Edge's birthday. He already hated the day because the kingdom always wanted to celebrate and he said it just reminded him of two people who weren't here to share it with him.

"Wait, this guy she's marrying, he's from Mysidia?" Tsukinowa asked, inspecting the newly formed paper crane in his hand.

"Yes, a black mage, she said." Izayoi explained.

The boy grinned and looked up, finished with his crafting project, "I'll go visit Palom and see what dirt I can dig up."

"You, go to Mysidia?" Gekkou asked, rising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, "Sure, Palom said I can visit whenever I want too."

Izayoi had noticed the boy's friendship with the twin mages when they traveled together but she hadn't thought it would be survived after the final battle.

"Can you stay focused on getting information rather then on Porom?" Zangestu asked, smirking at the boy.

Tsukinowa flushed and looked away, "Shut up and yes, I can."

Izayoi hesitated to send him off, but she couldn't deny the hope his offer brought to life. If they could find something out about the man that would make him unsuitable for the summoner, then the people of Mist might change their minds.

The boy had already gotten out of his seat and placed his paper crane on a nearby shelf with dozens of others before declaring, "I'll leave right now!"

Tsukinowa had said to give him a few days to get his job done while Zangestu had started working on figuring out if the seneschal of Eblan would help them with this scheme. No one was quite sure where he stood on the topic of their king's chosen love. Despite the attempts they were making to stop this wedding, every hour that passed made Izayoi more and more uneasy. She knew that if they failed, if Rydia was married off to someone she barely knew and didn't love that it would effect the world.

Rydia would be miserable, Edge would be too and probably begin taking stupid risks again and there was no telling how all of it would affect Cuore, the strange little Maenad child. Izayoi sighed and decided she couldn't sit idly by and let everyone else try to fix this. She would go to the source and try a direct approach.

She would do what she never thought she would; defy orders.

Finding Edge was the problem. He wasn't anywhere she expected him to be, even the places he thought she didn't know he went to be alone.

On a whim Izayoi followed one of the hallways and ended up in the library, and it was there that she found him. He was sitting in the back of the room on the floor, apparently ignoring the table and chair right next him, and reading a book by the light of a single candle.

Surprised by her discovery she made her way over to him and let her curiosity guide her eyes down to the book he was reading. It was one of the oldest in the library, judging by its appearance, and the page he was so intently looking at contained a picture of a glorious flaming bird with ancient writing she couldn't read.

Edge glanced up at her, looking tired, and she didn't bother with any pretenses.

"I went to Mist."

He looked angry and she swallowed, knowing she was going to endure more then a little reprimand for this.

"You did what?" he asked, setting the book aside.

Izayoi refused to feeling badly for her actions, "I went to Mist. You weren't giving me answers so I asked Rydia."

"You can't just go to Mist, Izayoi."

She frowned, "I went as your cousin, not one of your Eblan Four."

"And I'm sure the people there just loved that!" he snapped.

His temper had already gone off, but hers had just started to build.

"She's your match, Edge, don't you see that?" she pleaded, opening her hands wide, "When I first came back to Eblan you talked about her none stop! You've never been poetic, but the way you describe her…hair like the finest jade? Eyes that sparkle like the ocean on the clearest day? She means everything to you, I see it, why don't you?"

"I do see it!" Edge exclaimed, standing up to face her, "You think I want to just let her go?"

"You're not doing very much to keep her!" she retorted.

"You don't get it," he snapped, and she narrowed her eyes, sick of hearing those words, "Don't I? You're acting ridiculous! Have you even tried to convince her to not marry this man?"

Edge glared at her, "No, because I know I could!"

He suddenly sighed and turned away, resting his hands on the table while Izayoi stared, puzzled, at his back.

After a moment he explained far more quietly, "I know that if I asked her too, if I pleaded with her, if I used just the right words, I know I could keep her from marrying him. She thinks this is the only choice she has, she's terrified to lose her people and Eidolons and I know that. If I persuaded her to come away with me, she'd been unhappy for the rest of her life. She would hate herself for that choice, and ultimately she would hate me, too."

Izayoi didn't have a comeback for that and stayed silent, pondering his words, when he glared over his shoulder at her, "And none of that has anything to do with you going off without telling me!"

She averted her gaze, "I went to find out what was going on. I went because I want you to be happy."

"Well I'm not, not with you."

She winced, "I'm sorry,"

"You should be." he said, turning back around while she felt a little offended.

"I may be one of your ninjas but I'm still family," she said softly, touching his arm.

Edge glared at her and batted her hand away, "Well right now I don't want either,"

Izayoi was actually stung by his words and backed up a few steps, surprised. He never talked to her that way, and she suddenly realized that he might be mad at her for the rest of their lives over this.

Her cousin had sat back down, resolutely ignoring her until she got the message and left the room quietly.

Author's Note part 2:

I left it on a depressing note...sorry about that. I guess you'll just have to read the rest! There will be a longer author's note at the bottom of the final part to explain things.