- Suikoden is copyright to Konami. This story is for entertainment only. -


Magician's Tower was always so quiet at night, cold and empty, as if only shades should walk it's halls. Over the years Sarah had taken to wearing soft slippers like the ladies at court, just so her steps would not echo so harshly in the stone halls. She walked them now, pale and quiet as a ghost in the moonlight, until her feet brought her to a certain door. She opened it quietly to step inside.

Luc's room wasn't any brighter than the hallway. No candles or lamps were lit, leaving only the moonlight and the glow from the fireplace to illuminate her way. She closed the door quietly. It seemed he wasn't there at first, until a hint of movement at the window caught her attention and drew her forward. She had finished studying and eaten what passed for her dinner, yet she couldn't sleep yet - he had summoned her. There was no reason to put it off, whatever it was he wanted.

"Master Luc?" she said softly, hanging back from the window. He gave no sign that he knew she was there, simply remaining silent and keeping his back turned to her. Sarah opened her mouth to say something else, but her voice caught in her throat when she padded forward to get a better look at him. Nothing was overtly wrong; Luc's gaze was abstracted, seemingly locked to the window or the dark outlines of the trees outside, and his fingers were rubbing at his right hand incessantly. That wasn't unusual, really. But the Wind rune pulsed, and shimmered as if it was absorbing the light and using it for its own. She couldn't hear its whispers as Luc could, but it was easy to predict. There was nothing for the rune to react to on this island except its bearer.

He was listening to it, as he always did. Maybe he had no choice. Without a true rune of her own, Sarah could not completely relate to what it was like to bear one. But he was strong enough to dominate it, so why? It seemed to always have something unpleasant to say.

To interrupt would be to invite Luc's ire, but she reached over and clasped his hand anyway, pressing her own fingertips hard against the outlines of the rune. "Be quiet!" Luc jumped, maybe surprised, but Sarah stared at the rune until the shimmer began to subside, and then she kept her gaze down anyway, to avoid what she was afraid would be an annoyed response to her interference.

She was surprised it worked. But it would be arrogant to think her command made it go silent - her intention had been to startle him out of his reverie. Sarah had no illusions that she was powerful enough, or special enough, to command True Runes that were not her own.

No angry response came. He didn't even pull his hand away after that initial jerk, and when she gathered the nerve to look over at him, he was staring out the window again. His gaze was brooding now instead of distracted, and that was enough to let her know that she was right. He wasn't expressionless to someone who knew what to look for.

It seemed wrong to cling to him so Sarah released his hand, and it fell limply to his side. Still, nothing. But silence was nothing new from Luc. "I apologize for interrupting."

There was a long pause before he finally answered, "It's fine, Sarah."

Maybe he had forgotten that he summoned her. But that was unlikely. Reluctantly, hoping to coax a little more in the way of speech out of him, she asked, "Was there something you wanted me to do?"

"Yes." His answer was prompt this time, and he offered something to her with his right hand - a razor shined in his hand, already unfolded.

She stared at it, blinking slowly, and then took it. His expression didn't tell her much when she looked up. "What am I supposed to...?"

Luc took hold of her wrist and tugged her over to the windowseat. She sank down onto the cushion and watched him finger a lock of silky brown hair, eyes flicking to the razor. "I'd like you to cut my hair."

Cut it? But she just did that, not more than a few weeks ago. "Why so soon?"

"I can't walk into Crystal Valley looking like this." Luc shrugged, and he seemed indifferent, but that was never the case when he mentioned going to that place.

There was no reason not to do it, but Sarah found herself looking down at the razor and wanting to refuse. There was no good reason for it - just a sentimental attachment to his hair, the same kind of attachment she felt for most things that belonged to him. It was nothing new.

"I'll clean it up later. You won't have to worry about it." His tone assumed that she would do as he asked.

She would, of course. Luc wanted his hair cut, so it would be done.

Sarah nodded after a slight pause and scooted forward to close the distance between them. Her fingers ran through his hair until they reached the ends, and she pulled a bit of it taut, resting the edge of the razor to it, but not slicing through just yet. "What do you want me to do with it?"

His gaze was intent. "Do you remember the day I found you at the temple?" When she nodded, he returned it, very carefully.

That would take more precision than straightening out the ends as she usually did. Moonlight wasn't enough for that. She drew a trickle of power from her Rage rune and the two lamps flanking the window burst alight. Their illumination was dim, but much better for the task at hand. She sifted her fingers into his hair again silently, measured out the first lock, and set it to the razor. It cut through with a hiss, and she let the hair drift to the carpet.

It was surprisingly difficult for such a mundane task. Luc's hair offered little resistance, but her mind was not as easy to overcome.

In a way, it was going back to a past that she could remember as almost happy. He was freedom, and protection, and her savior from the lonely halls of the Temple. When he revealed himself to her, his hair had been short, windswept, falling into his eyes in a way one would never see in the perfect, orderly ranks of priests.

Now, when she finished, he looked very much the same. But the fond memory was somewhat dampened by the knowledge that he would be returning to that place.

She turned his head to both sides, and leaned forward to peer at the back, and everything appeared to be neat enough. One last time she ran her fingers through his hair and over his shoulders to brush away any lingering bits of hair, and then the razor was folded and set on the windowsill, and Sarah sat back with her hands resting in her lap. She wouldn't have the luxury of doing that again for a long while.

Luc reached up to feel her handiwork, turning to look at his reflection in the glass. He didn't seem pleased, quite, but his expression was somewhere in the realm of satisfied.

"You'll be careful, won't you?" She hadn't meant to let that out when it had already been said earlier, but he didn't seem annoyed, and her nagging worry just wouldn't leave her in peace. "I know you can get in without being seen, but..."

"I'll be fine." Luc cast her a sidelong look through his newly cut bangs, raising an eyebrow. "We've already discussed this. You may come with me if-"

"No," Sarah said hastily, and immediately lowered her eyes to her hands. He didn't like being interrupted and she disliked looking like a coward, but it couldn't be taken back now, and she wouldn't change her mind even given the chance. The very idea made her feel sick.

"Why do you worry so much?" His voice was almost hesitant. "I'll be fine." And if not... he wasn't inclined to care, but for the desire to keep the rune out of Hikusaak's grasp.

"Do I need a reason?" It seemed so obvious to her, but he never gave any indication that he noticed. Maybe he really didn't, and in a way, that was a relief. It was a secret, safe. Sometimes, though, she did wish for a chance to say something. The way he talked, he was inhuman, unlovable... and that simply wasn't true. But the words to express that wouldn't come. She didn't know what would make him listen.

And it wasn't just words she wanted to give. More than just her service. It was a big enough step that she allowed herself to be openly worried, though in all honesty she probably couldn't have held it in. That was one of her failings. She would have to learn to control her emotion better come time for their final journey.

Final. It was an ominous word.

Sarah leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her face was hidden against his chest, the perfect excuse to stay silent so she wouldn't be compelled to try to say anything else. Crystal Valley was a dangerous place for them. She wanted him back safely, so she might have the chance to do this again, to listen to his heartbeat. There wasn't a song in the world that would lull her as quickly as that sound. If it stopped, hers would too.

"Sarah..?" Openly puzzled now, his voice was echoed under her ear, deeper. She made to shake her head, but the motion didn't complete itself.

"You'll be careful," she whispered, tightening her arms a little. It was a statement this time, a reassurance for herself, to replace the one he never gave. "You'll be fine."

Luc was quiet, and she wondered if he would tell her to sit up and look at him, explain her behavior, or simply remove herself so he could go to bed. It was late, and they were both very tired.

Instead her embrace was returned tentatively, and once she was sure he would not withdraw right away, Sarah let herself relax, and pulled her legs onto the windowseat behind her. Their reflection in the glass was a little blurry when she opened her eyes to look out at the sky.

It was a nice vision, but in the end just a dream, and nothing more.


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- Finished 10-23-03, 8:17pm.

No, it's not the best story on the face of the planet. ^^ The important thing about it is Sarah - she is why I wrote it. I've been playing with scenes centering around her for the past few weeks, and Luc's role is often very minimal. He's only there because everything Sarah does revolves around him, and therefore, he must at least be seen or mentioned. But these stories are about her... and they're definitely slanted in that direction. I suppose a good author would be able to find a balance between the two, but I never claimed to be a good author.

I'm also scared to death of trying to write Luc for some reason. When I figure it out, perhaps the scenes will improve.