Final Fantasy XVI - Thunder's Torrents

Ch. 19 - The Heart

CN: Mature content in this chapter

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Outside the door to Cid's room, Erie hesitated briefly before giving herself a push and knocking softly to be greeted with an "Come in". She opened the door and found Cid sitting at his desk again, going through some documents.

His eyes brightened when he saw Erie enter. He stood up and approached her. A brief hesitation flickered in his eyes before he pulled Erie close and wrapped her in a hug. Erie placed her hands carefully on his back. They hadn't touched for a long time and she enjoyed feeling his closeness again, his big body enveloping her like a security blanket, wrapping her in cozy warmth.

After a moment of silence, Erie asked, her face still buried in his arms, "When are you going to leave?"

He broke away from her, but kept his face close, far too close, to hers. His gaze was worried and she could tell he was disappointed.

"Tomorrow straight away. I'll buy passage along the coast and cross to Storm. The king already knows."

"And he didn't execute you right away?" Erie asked, surprised.

"You'd be surprised how much Barnabas doesn't care for. I had long known that his machinations and manipulations were aimed at both Benedikta and me. That we, the Dominants, were being exploited for a goal that went beyond the simple preservation of a kingdom. I have averted my eyes long enough, ignored the injustice to all magical people for too long. I can no longer be a part of it. On the contrary, I want to actively work against it and help ensure that the very essence of our being is not taken from us, but that we are free to choose how we die. Of course, I didn't impose this last part on the king."

He winked at Erie, who smirked. What he was saying made sense. She'd always known Cid as someone who wanted to help people. It didn't surprise her that he was raising the bar.

"I can't come with you," Erie said, feeling everything inside her resist saying the words. "I'm sorry. I have to stay, for Benni. I'll do everything I can to convince her to follow you. She needs me, I can't leave her behind. She'll hate you as soon as you walk through the gates tomorrow, but I'll do everything I can to convince her otherwise."

Cid's expression turned serious. "I know. I wish I could change your mind. Benedikta, it seems to me, has chosen her path. I can't get close to her anymore, haven't for a long time. The fact that she never told me how much she knows shows that. I should have known better. Now I don't know how we can stop her. At least I wanted to save you from this place if it wasn't going to work out with her."

"And that's exactly why I have to stay. I have to at least try to protect her from herself. She has no one else...the men in her team are just blindly following her orders. And yet you're right. I don't know what will happen. I only know that I'm no longer safe here without you. Not safe from anyone. Not safe from the soldiers, not safe from the king. I can only protect myself with a sword, but as soon as I do that, Barnabas will take notice of me."

Cid looked at her worriedly, while Erie mustered the courage to get to the point. "It's...a lot to ask, and I don't want to put you in an awkward situation. But I wish I could keep a part of you here. I want it to happen with you before it happens against my will."

Cid's eyes widened and he asked in surprise, an amused undertone in his voice: "What?"

"I'm completely serious, Cid. I've never been with a man, never been loved by anyone. You mean a lot to me and I feel safe with you. Since that day in Garnick, I've done everything I can not to think about what that did to me. But I can't ignore it now if this could be the last time we see each other. I want you to be my first."