Warriors of the Wind: The Return of Nausicaa

Answers to the Questions

(A/N: Finally, after being left in the dark about the Kalvandirs' intentions, everything will be revealed. What is Ved's plan? What is the purpose of the strange insect? Everything will be revealed. Well, not everything, but some stuff. Read on and find out.)

Chapter 14: Answers to the Questions

Asbel looked up as he heard footsteps approach. He scowled and tuned away, not wanting to even talk to anyone, let alone see his captors' faces.

"Well," he heard Ved say, though it didn't seem like he was talking to him, "you wanted to know what was in here, now you know."

He heard the door open and someone was thrown in. A woman grunted in pain from being handled roughly and Asbel turned to see who his new cellmate was. His eyes widened when he saw Nausicaä herself sitting up, looking slightly dazed.

"Nausicaä?!" Asbel cried.

The princess looked up. She appeared speechless for a moment before her eyes began to water with tears of joy.

"Asbel!" she cried, throwing herself at the startled Pejite prince.

"N-Nausicaä, what?"

"I was so worried about you! Don't you dare scare me like that again! I thought something terrible happened to you!"

Asbel held her tightly. "I'm sorry, Nausicaä. I let you down." He glared at Ved. "When I found out that you were being used, I tried to stop it. Guess I didn't do such a good job."

"You should have stayed out of it." Ved told him. "All this could have been avoided."

Nausicaä gave him a look of disgust. "Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you?"

Ved crossed his arms. "Well, Asbel is here because he was snooping around and came across something he shouldn't have seen. And you, princess, you're here because you're the Guide."

Nausicaä narrowed her eyes. "And what does me being the Guide have to do with locking me up?"

Ved leaned against the wall, looking fairly relaxed. "You were unwilling to cooperate. I tried to be a good guy and win your heart, but it seems as if that's not going to happen."

"Tricking me into thinking that I love you." Nausicaä spat. "You make me sick. Why would you want to do that?"

Ved slammed his fist against the wall. "Because I'm the one best suited to lead society."

"So that's what this is about." Asbel growled. "Power. It's always about power."

"I have societies bets interest at heart." Ved insisted.

Asbel snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure you do."

"I can create a utopia out of this world. Once I get the world to realize my potential as a ruler and they accept that I know what's best for them, then I can show them the way into the light."

"Is that really what you convinced yourself of? You just want everyone to obey you."

Ved's fists clenched. "I know what's best. We Kalvandirs are always looking to the future and trying to make the world a better place. It's for the greater good."

Nausicaä grabbed the bars, getting as close to Ved as possible so he could see the anger in her eyes. "And how is throwing two innocent people in prison for the greater good? How is trying to trick me into loving you for the greater good?"

"The ends justify the means." Ved told her. "It's well known that there is no love without trust, so I knew that my deception would only work for so long before you realized that you didn't really love me. But that wouldn't have mattered. According to the prophecy, the Guide's true love will be the one to lead society out of the darkness. I only briefly needed everyone to think that you loved me to win their trust. After that, a simple 'accident' in the toxic forest would remove the risk of anyone seeing through my trick."