The Lantern Holder

Chapter 10

By Aryn

Nari sat in her wheelchair and gazed out at the setting sun and the gentle ocean. But the scene didn't offer the peacefullness she had hoped for. She had noticed a drastic change in Quatre when he came back from seeing his sister. His eyes seemed to be darker and his face was extremely tense.

"Hey." she said quietly, lightly pulling on his shirt sleeve. Being in a wheelchair only brought her up to his waist. "What's wrong?"

Quatre turned his eyes down to her and seemed to study her face as silent seconds ticked by. "Nothing."

"You looked worried, or hurt." she said. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." he answered. Nari thought she heard a slight twinge of sadness in his voice. But before she could make a remark about it, Quatre spoke up.

"Let's go down to beach."

"Uh, that's going to be a little difficult." Nari said, motioning to the wheelchair.

"No," Quatre smiled, "It won't be that difficult."

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"Keep your eyes closed."

"They are." Nari insisted. She would say that she allowed Quatre to carry her down to the beach, but allowed wasn't the right word. He just picked her up and started down towards the shoreline. He told her to keep her eyes shut and just wait. For what she didn't know. Finally he stopped and Nari felt her feet touch something cold and wet.

"I got you." Quatre whispered in her ear. She felt his arms tighten around her waist holding her up. "Now, what do you feel?"

Concentrating on the sounds and where she was standing, Nari answered. "I feel sand under my feet, the wind on my face and you holding me up."

Quatre slowly nudged one of her feet forward and then moved the other. After a few more small steps like that, something warm washed over her feet and she stood ankle deep in the ocean water.

"So this is what the ocean feels like." she murmmurred.

"Does it feel like you imagined?" Quatre asked her.

"It feels stronger than I thought." she admitted. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yes."

Nari did so and saw the orange-red water reflect the sun's dying light. But the beauty seemed to have a deeper level than it had in the past. She couldn't place whether it was due to the fact that she could feel the effects of it, or if it's was Quatre's presence. Whatever the cause, it was beautiful. Nari let go of Quatre's hand, sure he would steady her, and brushed a stray tear from her cheek. The movement didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you in pain?" Quatre asked, concern lacing every word.

"No, far from it." Nari responded. "I always thought that when I became human again, I would spend the beginning part of my time weeping over all those who died during my 'imprisonment'. I never once thought that I would be capable of tears of joy."

Quatre carefully manuevered around her so he was standing in front of her. He wasn't surprised to find her green eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"Don't be sorry," he told her, "Not for past actions, or inconvience or even for tears."

With his thumb, he brushed a tear off her face and leaned down to kiss her. She felt like a bolt of pure energy had shot through her. Helpless to do anything else, Nari wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Reluctantly, Quatre pulled back, fighting to hide tears of his own.

"That was the best thing I've felt in past few days." Nari said, laying her head on his shoulder. Quatre held her close, tangling his fingers in her now long red hair.

"I love you." he whispered.

Nari tightened her embrace, letting a few more tears slip through her closed eyelids. "I love you too."

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Javin typed furiously at a computer console in the lab, paying no mind to the impacient blond that prowled around like a hunter stalking her prey.

"How much longer are you going to be? I thought you said that we were going back to the Cinq Kingdom." she demanded.

"Would you keep quiet for five minutes." Javin growled through gritted teeth. His pacients were wearing thin when it came to dealing with Inazuma. He was beginning to think he would be better off without her.

"What's this?" she asked.

Javin paused in his work to find Inazuma lifting up the corner of a sheet that covered a body.

"What's it look like?" Javin replied, turning back around.

"Is it another gundanium body?" she asked, curious now.

"Yes it is."

Inazuma pulled back to sheet to reveal the face of a handsome man. "What are we going to use this for?"

"Back up." Javin told her. He finished his typing and got up from the chair. "I need you to go to the lunar base and gather up the mobile dolls. I'll meet you at the Cinq Kingdom and we can begin our assault."

A cruel smile twisted Inazuma's face. "Promise me one thing?"

Javin looked over at her with guarded suspicion.

"Let me finish Nari."

Javin held Inazuma's glare with one of his own. "If it comes down to a fight between just the two of you, go ahead. But as long as there are other people around to fight, leave her to me."

"Fine." she smiled, turning around and leaving the lab, making up her mind to get Nari alone. All the murders she had committed in the past paled in the dream of taking Nari's life.