Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

The Meaning of Happiness: Part Three - The Wedding Day

Despite the chaos from the death of the High Priest, Rapthorne's revival, and the aftermath to rebuild, Savella Cathedral was still in high spirits, anticipating the union between two faraway kingdoms.

Ryuuichi didn't bother to appreciate the island's lush, forest vegetation and its rolling hills, its mountains that held the most beautiful cathedral that mankind had ever made. He had taken in the sights the first time they visited Savella while chasing a dog-possessed Rapthorne, but even at that time he was too preoccupied from stopping the creature. If it was under different circumstances, maybe he would find the time to explore the island in its entirety, but the captain wondered to himself if he would be able to do that after the ceremony was done.

Their friends behind them hadn't said a word to him regarding his actions on the ship. Which was just as well; he didn't want to be questioned about it. He made the decision months ago when he brought her to her room on the day when Rapthorne was defeated, and he wasn't going to turn back on that promise to himself -- even if it meant that he probably wouldn't be the same without her for a while.

He snapped out of his thoughts when they reached the second set of stairs and the royal advisor turned around.

"This is as far as you will go," the robust old man said to them though he was looking directly at Ryuuichi. "Thank you for doing a job well done. I have already made arrangements for you at the inn to rest tonight and you will leave first thing in the morning."

Ryuuichi merely remained still, shocked to hear such orders. Was the Goddess that cruel to them? Surely the king didn't ask for this -- he knew that at least he wanted his daughter to be as comfortable as possible.

"What?!?" his princess exclaimed. "But I thought they were going to stay for the wedding! Father promised me that they would!"

The advisor looked at her with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. "I-I'm sorry, Princess, but I ---"

"I was the one who asked that your escorts not attend, Princess," the familiar grating voice of Prince Charmles said behind them.

Ryuuichi didn't bother to turn around like everyone else did, mustering all the will that he could to restrain his anger. The fat prince stumbled up the last flight of stairs, breathing heavily from such strenuous exercise on his body. He took her hand in his pudgy ones, looking at her as if she was the best prize he could ever catch, and that made Ryuuichi only angrier. He knew that she didn't deserve such a disgusting man as this for her husband.

Struggling to control the anger, he only caught bits and pieces of what Charmles said to her. Some cheap words of her beauty, for she blinked confusedly, and something else regarding the world. Yet the last words he said Ryuuichi caught word for word, and he was surprised at himself that he didn't draw his sword and jabbed it right through the man's heart.

"And mere commoners shouldn't be allowed to attend such a ceremony that is for royalty like us," Charmles gave him and the others a sneer before happily dragging his princess away. "Now, come, Medea. I'm sure that you will look absolutely lovely in the dress they picked out for you."

Ryuuichi's anger subsided a little as he watched her go, meeting her sad and helpless emerald eyes again, and he himself was helpless to stop them. The four of them stood there, watching until they were too high up to decipher their images, when Yangus started to speak.

"Oi, Guv --"

He immediately turned around, making sure not to make eye contact with any of them as he walked down the stairs, fists curled tightly by his side and literally shaking. "Let's go."

They didn't stop him although he knew they wanted to. He knew they were going to talk to him as soon as they got to the inn, but all he wanted to do right now was to be alone since now, it seemed to be his only companion.

Ryuuichi didn't immediately go to the inn. Taking advantage of the growing crowds to celebrate the wedding ceremony tomorrow, he separated himself from the others and took a stroll outside of the town's safety zone. He needed to vent off some anger and frustration -- both at himself and at the pathetic man that his princess was going to marry. The local monsters, though weak, were plenty and it wasn't until evening when he decided to come back. He was glad that his skills didn't decrease at all, proud at himself that the only visible signs from his small trip were a slight tear on his jacket and the sweat on his face. He grinned despite of himself, giving small smiles to the people (who were mainly women) who watched him as he passed by and entered the inn.

His light mood soon faded as soon as he greeted the faces of his three comrades.

"You took a pretty long walk out there," Angelo, sitting at the table, was the first to speak. "How was the scenery?"

Ryuuichi brushed the underlying tone he had aside, walking into the room as if it was the most normal thing to do. "All right, I suppose."

"Oi, Guv, you just gonna let this go 'n all?" Yangus finally asked the question he had meant to ask when Ryuuichi cut him off earlier.

He took a seat on one of the beds. "It's her decision. There's no use to argue with her about it."

His reasoning didn't seem to agree with them.

"So that's it, then?" Angelo asked him. "You're just going to let her marry that whelp of a man without a fight? The man who called us commoners, people unworthy of coming to her wedding ceremony when we know her better, especially you -- the person who has known her the longest?"

Ryuuichi remained silent, which only made the silver-haired man angrier. He was the only person who was willing to challenge the captain, especially when it came to matters of what he thought was right and wrong.

"That comment stung you just as much as it did us, didn't it?" he continued. "Or perhaps even more so because it triggered some sort of ridiculous truth that you kept on telling yourself?"

"Then what do you suggest me to do??" Ryuuichi snapped. By the looks of his comrades, he knew that his eyes had shifted colors, but he didn't care. "Crash into the wedding and take her back, endangering the peace between two kingdoms? Trying to find a way to get off this island will be difficult enough if the guards from Trodain, Argonia, and the Church come after us, not including a place to hide even if we did get out. It's been only six months since the world was at peace from Rapthorne, but that doesn't mean that we can stop from instigating a war."

He looked away from them and down at his gloved hands. "Just because we love each other doesn't mean that we should endanger the lives around us."

There he had said it, the closest words to his admission of love for his princess -- no, for Medea.

A heavy silence lingered among them for a while, each person lost on words to say and he lost in his thoughts, until Jessica spoke.

"But Guv," she paused as she began to pick and choose her words. "Isn't it time for you to be selfish just this once?"

He slowly looked up at the woman. While Angelo could argue reason into him and Yangus could nonchalantly offer advice, Jessica was always capable of calmly sorting out the knots and troubles among them.

"I don't think the scenario will be as bad as you think," she continued on. "I mean... aren't Argonia and Trodain on good terms? Not to mention that we did tell the King of Argonia the truth of Prince Charmless' trial. Unless the man does something extremely drastic, his father is still the king. And King Trode will understand your actions; he values Princess Medea more than anything, just like you."

She paused again, making sure that he was following her every word. "And while following your duties is important, isn't it important to also allow yourself to make yourself happy? Although it's important to respect Princess Medea's decision to go through with this marriage, isn't it more important to protect her happiness?"

Ryuuichi's eyes widened slightly at her words and something inside agreed. Yet once again his logic contradicted this spark and Jessica's words, and it wouldn't be until the next morning when the war between his mind and his heart would be over.

He stood up, finished tying his boots and took a glance at the man that stared back in the mirror. It was more recognizable now with his hair tied back in a red bandanna, but the clothes he wore still were not the typical colors he usually did. He hadn't brought the other set of clothes with him since at the time he had only wanted to be as distant from her as much as possible. Today he wore the official "casual" wear for a captain of the guard with a navy blue shirt buttoned up all the way and black slacks and boots. Taking one more look at himself, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to elbow length and shrugged on the silver jacket from yesterday before securing his sword behind his back. Munchie stared at him curiously and he could only pat the creature on the head, signing to him to stay in the bag that was his temporary sleeping quarters before hooking the pouch around his belt again.

He still wasn't used to such dark clothing, but at least he felt a little more comfortable in them than yesterday.

Giving a small smile to the innkeeper as he left, Ryuuichi stepped outside to face what he was about to do. It was important to him to stay away from the affair and leave, but when he knew that Medea would not be happy with the man she was betrothed to since birth, he knew that he would never be able to forgive himself is something happened to her.

It didn't take him long to spot Angelo and Jessica by the stairs, waiting for him.

"So you know what you want to do now, don't you?" the silver-haired man asked him.

Ryuuichi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"Yangus already went up ahead to secure a spot," Jessica added with a smile. "A crowd's already building up, so you better hurry!"

He nodded, giving the two a wave before he jogged up the two flights of stairs. Again, it didn't take long to spot the former bandit who was standing on the edge of the crowd, looking intensely at the group of people to find some openings. It seemed that everyone in the small town wanted to attend the ceremony, and Ryuuichi caught the words of a few local women who were talking amongst themselves about Medea.

"Did you see that wedding dress they brought in yesterday? I bet you that the princess is going to look fantastic!"

"I'll say. The princess of Trodain is quite the beauty, you know. Every man in town's all over her!"

"It's too bad that Argonia's prince doesn't look too hot."

"Oi, Guv!" Yangus bellowed and waved frantically at him and tugged at his arm as soon as he came within the former bandit's reach. "I didn' think that you would'a made it. They're 'bout t'start th'ceremony jus' now, but nobody's bein' let in unless you're invited!"

He proceeded to drag Ryuuichi through the growing mass of people, making use of his intimidating appearance and strength to push many out of the way without argument. The captain nearly stumbled over his feet when he stopped, now in the front.

"From wot I seen, there's only that one guard 'n th'front there," Yangus whispered in his ear. "Th'rest're pro'aly inside, so gettin' in's a cinch, Guv!"

Gently as he could, he prodded Ryuuichi forward which he ungracefully did and almost fell. Yet his years of training saved his balance and he straightened, walking forward to the one guard at the cathedral's doors.

The guard looked at him suspiciously. Before Ryuuichi could make step closer to the stairs that led inside, he was stopped.

"No one else is allowed in the cathedral unless you have a formal invitation!" the guard said to him though his eyes were nervous. Ryuuichi mused that it was perhaps the casual appearance he gave to the man.

He shrugged and sighed. Yangus was right; the guard would be too easy for him. "But I am invited."

"Then show me some proof!"

Before the guard could even draw his sword or see where Ryuuichi had gone, he was sent flying against the doors by the captain's kick, breaking them open. Ryuuichi whispered an apology to the unconscious man as he continued inside and stopped, staring back at the people in the church who had turned around at the commotion he caused. He noted to himself that there were two guards closest to him the most immediate threat as they were already drawing their swords. Far in front of him at the altar was the presiding priest and Prince Charmles. He expected Medea there as well but it looked as if she didn't arrive yet, which to him was odd.

Although he was pretty much at the entrance of the church, he could still hear the rotund man's grating voice.

"You again? What are you still doing here?"

Ryuuichi narrowed his eyes, a hand poised over the hilt of his sword as he kept an eye on the guards that were beginning to surround him. He saw that a man on the side of the altar came up to the prince, whispering something in his ear. Whatever it was, he had a feeling that he was going to be the subject of the prince's wrath.

"What?" he heard the prince shout and then look at him, pointing. "You! I bet you are the one behind this! Guards, get him!"

He didn't quite understand what his token of blame was, but Ryuuichi guessed that it had something to do with the fact that Medea was not at the altar with the prince and he was secretly glad that she wasn't there. Not one to run so easily, Ryuuichi went to full speed, taking out the four guards who were a major threat to him first within seconds. He couldn't help but smile at the look of everyone's faces. Save for Trodain and a select few towns like Arcadia, Orkutsk and Empychuu, the world had no idea that he and his comrades were the very people who defeated the greatest threat to their existence, Rapthorne, just six months before.

These guards were nothing compared to the Lord of Darkness.

Taking out a few more guards, Ryuuichi realized that they were too many to take down and to avoid from being completely surrounded, he backed off and ran the other way with the guards giving chase. A large hammer appeared to his right, and Yangus' bellow and swing sent a dozen men flying from the impact they took.

"Yangus!" he said, both surprised and relieved that the burly man had come to his aid.

"Don' worry 'bout me, Guv, an' git goin'!" Yangus told him, swinging his Uber War Hammer around before slamming it to the ground. The action caused some of the guards to jump as the crowd that had once gathered in front dispersed in confusion and slight panic. "I o'erheard that th'princess an' th'old man ran off! They must be downstairs're somethin'!"

Giving a quick nod of thanks to the former bandit, Ryuuichi continued on, taking down some guards who somehow managed to get beyond Yangus' reach and in his way. His feet were moving so quickly, he felt as if he was flying down the stairs. Yet he skidded to a stop at the first flight, seeing that there were more guards coming up. He frantically looked for a way out, sensing those who managed to steer clear of Yangus' attacks coming from above. He contemplated on jumping over the group by casting Zoom, but he didn't have an area in mind to warp to.

However the group below him seemed to buckle back by a whip that had come in their way and the group above them were toppled over by a small Woosh spell. Ryuuichi's guard relaxed a bit because he knew who exactly came to his aid.

"My apologies for crashing the party," Angelo announced as he drew his sword from its sheath.

Jessica snapped her whip back into place, smiling triumphantly at the soldiers she took down. "You should get going, Guv. We'll take care of this."

He nodded without a word, running pas the magician and the path she cleared for him. Another crowd had formed on the first level, but what had surprised Ryuuichi was that the crowd were not the locals but rather the guards of the cathedral who seemed to be hesitantly surrounding two figures. Coming closer, he realized that they were Medea and her father.

He didn't know why they were being surrounded but the duty to protect his king and his daughter kicked in. Jumping off the last half of stairs, he drew his sword, ready to swing it down on a potential threat. His sword clanged and made a dent against the helmet of one guard as he landed next to King Trode, knocking the unfortunate man unconscious and causing the other guards to scoot back though they were all still wary.

Ryuuichi swung his sword, slicing the air, which caused the guards to inch back even further. "Your highness."

"Ichi, my boy, what took you so long?" the king merely replied. He waved his free hand, the other still holding his sword. "Never mind that, take Medea away from here."

Ryuuichi blinked, the information slowly sinking in. "Sir?"

The king pushed him towards Medea, though he still kept an eye on the guards. "Didn't you hear me the first time, my boy? I said take my daughter away from here! I'll take care of these bumbling fools."

Ryuuichi and Medea looked at each other and then back at the king whose back was turned away from them.

"Fulfilling a promise between old friends is one thing," he said, raising his sword. "But what's most important is to find happiness in your life. And I am not the type of father who will sacrifice his daughter's happiness for the sake of an age-old promise!"

"Father..." Medea murmured, tears in her eyes.

King Trode glanced back at Ryuuichi. "Go. I entrust her to you."

For a second, Ryuuichi hesitated, touched by the words. He finally nodded, sheathing his sword, and held out a hand to Medea. She, too, was at first hesitant to take it but as their hands met, their future was sealed. He led her away to the side, to an exit rarely used which he discovered the day before. There would be the rocky mountainside beyond that, and he knew that Medea probably wouldn't be able to walk far in her wedding gown over the rocks.

They stopped in front of the exit, and she looked at him curiously. "...Ryuuichi?"

Heaving out a sigh of nervousness at what he was about to do, he turned around. With one quick single movement, he carried her in his arms.

"Ryuuichi!" she yelped in surprise.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction as he proceeded to walk to their destination. She held onto him tighter as they balanced over the boulders.

"I'm not good at hiding things, am I?" he murmured his thoughts aloud.

"Huh?" she asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "Although you look breathtaking in that dress, I doubt that you would like to ruin it over a long trek of rocks and boulders, Medea."

"Oh..."

They shared a mutual silence, indulging in the moments of their intimacy as they made their way to the ship. There was no need for words, though he knew he had to voice his feelings to her. The scent of her ahir and the light fabric of her veil tickled his nose and as they approached the ramp of the ship, he set her down and looked into her emerald eyes.

He felt lost in them as he did many times before, but he had to at least explain why he did what he did. Yet something inside him was afraid.

"Medea, I---" he was stopped by two of her gloved fingers that lightly pressed against his lips.

"I know," she replied as she smiled. He saw that tears were forming in her eyes again. "And I'm so glad. I thought... that you didn't care anymore."

He lowered her hand with his, wiping away a stray tear that slid down her cheek.

"Your father is right," he said. "What's most important is not duty or an age old promise. It's to find your happiness in your life."

He leaned forwards and closer to her but never broke eye contact.

"To others, you may be a princess and I a mere captain to your kingdom." Their faces were just centimeters apart now, but neither wanted to break the contact. "But to you and me, I am just the man you love and you... will always be my Medea."

Their lips met in a soft yet passionate kiss, unaware of the small audience of approving looks and smiles on the ship, happy for the couple as they prepared to leave.

He hadn't wanted her to go and neither did she, but he forced himself to distance himself away from her out of respect to an age old promise that was long overdue. His duty as a servant to the throne was to protect it at all costs, and in the process he had forgotten about protecting the happiness of the one he cherished the most. Twelve years worth of waiting since the day he arrived at the castle an orphan to war -- the memory of his family gone -- eight months of travel to defeat the being that was released from its prison and set a curse upon an entire kingdom, and six months of solitary peace did Ryuuichi finally understand the meaning of happiness after years of searching.

And he finally obtained it.