The Engineer's Children

[09.19.99] » by Steve Curtis

"Papa! Papa! Wake up! We were going to the chocobo forest today with Cecil and Kain and Rosa! You promised!"

Cid rolled over to face his daughter, rubbed his eyes open and tried his best to focus without his glasses. He fumbled his burly arm towards the direction of his spectacles on the nightstand and pulled himself up until he figured he was sitting. He turned like a slow carousel with one leg at a time hitting the floor in a monsterous thud. It had been a long night at the castle, He was trying to focus on his ship building plans while Oxford, the ambitious, self righteous commander of Baron's force that was training to become an air force known as the "Blood Wings" or other such nonsense looked over every single detail and demanded more and more. Oxford wanted more guns, ammunition, another large luxury parlor for his personal use and a barrage of other such junk that would hurt the proposed airship more than any attack given. Cid had no idea how much trouble his position of "Royal Engineer" really was until he found out he had to deal with royalty and the military 'elite'. The only thing 'elite' about the whole lot was their attitudes as far as Cid was concearned. He was a patient man, but everyone had their limits, and Oxford had come close to breaking those limits the night before.

He wiped his glasses off with his bedsheet and put them on. Objects were so clear now he had to flinch a little. Clearest of all in the room was the face in front of him, the sweet, tender innocent face of his six year old daughter, Emma. She was wearing a blue dress and her long hair flowed freely in shoulder length, deep brown curls.

'She looks just like her mother...' thought Cid. It was a thought that both healed the tensions of the previous night and opened the wounds of tender memories. Her mother, Cid's wife, Emily, had died giving birth to Emma. He had raised the child on his own, with some help from Diane, a widow and mother of Rosa.

Emma and Rosa were fast friends, much like little Kain and Cecil at the time. They were inseparable from Rosa for that matter. Sometimes Diana or Cid would take the children to the beach close to the town or the chocobo forest, whichever one the children wanted.

Today was one of those days.

"Emma, what time is it?" He was still getting used to being in a vertical position as opposed to his much-preferred horizontal, slumbering state. The slight crack of the sunlight told him it was early in the morning.

"It's twelve-thirty in the afternoon papa," so much for Cid's sense of time. "I tried to wake you up but you snored so loudly you couldn't hear me. So I went to Rosa's and Cecil and Kain were there and they were... they were... um what's that thing when two boys beat each other up?" She had so many things to tell him, she had a busy morning herself, after all she'd been a princess, been thrown in the dungeon, and sent to the moon and came back for lunch. She had quite an active imagination, he was proud of that. She was a dreamer, just like her mother was. the thought of Emily struck him again. "Papa? are you okay?"

"Hunh? I'm fine, a little sleepy but I'm doin' great, why?"

"'Cause you've got a tear going down almost past your glasses." Her concearn was genuine, her eyesight beat that of a hawk.

"What? a tear? Where?" He jerked his head around from side to side and made his face look comically firghtened. Emma started giggling uncontrollably. "Oh no! It's got me! Oh wait! there it is behind you!" Emma, in all childlike behaviour turned around when Cid quickly leapt from the bed, scooped his daughter up in his arms and swung her around like the propellor on his airship design model. He may have been tired, he may have been running on five hours of sleep, but he was still her father and he was going to take her to the chocobo forest today. Airship plans and Oxford be damned.

He put Emma, who was slowly recovering from a laughing fit, down in the big soft chair he had made for Emily when she was pregnant. She quieted down and looked up at him, "well, can we go today? please papa?" It was an offer he couldn't refuse.

"Okay, Just let me get cleaned up, You go to Rosa's house and stay there until I get there. Did you eat today?"

"Yes papa, Rosa's mommy made us peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches already." Diane was always so prepared, so patient with the children. Cid was glad to have her around. She had a way with children, oddly enough, Diane was quite happy that Cid was around to take care of Rosa and her semi-adopted brothers Cecil and Kain, who were very much like family anyway. "Now don't fall asleep in the tub papa!" amd with that, Emma kissed the two day stubble that had grown on his twenty eight year old face, laughed at the tickle that came with it, and left.

Cid looked in the mirror, "Maybe I should grow a beard... nah." and went off to clean himself up for a big day in the woods.

After a short, relaxing bath Cid dried himself off, shaved and got dressed in a white shirt and a clean pair of blue pants. He placed a blanket, some plates, forks and a couple of toys in an empty basket and made his way to Diane's.

It had been a beautiful day, a gorgeous sunny day. It was a perfect day to take a small group of children to play with chocobos or swim in the ocean. The streets of Baron were empty that afternoon, save for the few old people sitting by the east side river. Cid had walked to Diane's whistling a happy, upbeat tune...

Then he reached Diane's.

The house was silent, too silent to have children anywhere near it. "Emma! Kids! Diane!" he called out, but there was no answer. It was the strangest thing, the door was even open.

The door was open?

Cid went closer and inspected the open portal, it had been forced open, and the small hallway looked like it had been ransacked. Cid ran through the house looking for signs of life amongst the debris until he found one. It was Diane, she was unconsious, beaten badly. Cid immediately picked her up over his shoulder and was about to hurry her to the medics in the castle when he heard something else.

Two little voices... crying.

It came from under a table that had been turned over against the wall. He used his free arm to pull back the table. It was Cecil and Kain, bewildered and more frightened than they had ever been. They were tightly wrapped in little balls, awaiting the worst scenario.

"Boys, it's okay, It's me, it's uncle Cid," he said in the calmest poissible voice he could muster at this time. Cecil looked up first, his face streaming with tears, then Kain who was in the same condition. "Alright, you have to come with me boys, I have to take Rosa's mommy to the castle and I am not gonna leave you alone." The boys slowly got up, still shaking and crying. "Let's go."

The boys were silent on the way to the castle, it was a quick trip, the guards let them in on sight, after all Cid was the Royal Engineer and Cecil was the King's adopted son. They went to the white mage's station and placed Diane on the bed. "Please, this woman's been beaten badly, just please help her," he frantically requested of the closest mage. "Please."

"Leave her with me, She'll be fine." The mage looked as though he was quite happy to get the work.

"Thank you." Cid then looked to the boys, he kneeled down so he was eye-to-eye with them. "Cecil, Kain, who did this to Rosa's mom?"

"It-it-it was b-bb-bandits." Said Cecil.

"They t-took Rosa and Emma too," added Kain.

"Do you know where they went?" Cid asked slowly and calmly.

"They said something about a cave" said Kain, struggling to remember.

"It c-could be mist cave"

Mist cave had been a haven for bandits. The villagers of Mist had a protection against any sort of robbers, thieves or bandits, unfortunately Baron's end of the cave did not. Cid could feel the pressure building in him.

"Boys, I am going to take you to the nursery, you are to stay there until I come back." There was a powerful echo in his words, the boys knew not to question this time. "I am going to get Rosa and Emma and I want to know that you two are safe, understand?"

The boys nodded their understanding. "I'll be back very soon," promised Cid as he left the boys in care of the guards and the sitter at the nursery. He then hurried out of the castle, only to be interupted by Oxford. "Cid! I'm glad to see you, I wanted to discuss the design plans for-"

"Shut up, and get the HELL out of my way!" Cid pushed back Oxford with what he thought to be a minimal amount of force. To be honest, the indents in the wall form Oxford's armor after that push are still there. Cid went to his toolshop, grabbed the heaviest sledgehammer he could find (not that he really needed it) and proceeded to the Mist Cave.

The trip to the Mist cave had been simple enough, imps and floateyes soon became puddles along the plains. One fell swoop brought down an entire party of impsn but Cid did not care, he had a mission. He had to save his daughter. He knew Mist Cave quite well, as a young boy he often made trips to the villages of Mist and Kaipo. the old guardian at the end of the tunnel always let him pass.

The monsters in the cave had their own society, their own legends about the mighty "Sidd", a man as big as a house with a hammer that decided justice. Monsters do have the ability to smell fear, and other such emotions. The scent of Cid's emotion at the time made them think that justice just wasn't the thing they wanted for the day so they left him alone.

He wandered through the cave, checking every nook and cranny, every hidden sub cave and left no stone unturned. When that didn't work, he stopped dead in his tracks, and listened...

All that he heard was the crackling of a fire, and that was more than enough for him. He followed the sound, further tightening the the grip of his hammer as he came closer and closer to the sound. There was a hidden path there, one he had never seen before. He could see it now through small cracks in the wall. There was no apparent switch, and he didn't feel like looking for one, so he took the most direct route possible.

It has been said that on each rock there is a point where, when hit, the entire rock will shatter. With Cid, it didn't matter. He raised his hammer, and with every ounce of strength he had, turned the deceptively thin rock into a pile of dust. The group of bandits looked at Cid. Or, more importantly, looked for a way out. All but their leader who just stood there with a smug look on his face.

"Boss! C'mon we gotta get out of here!" One of the bandits cried whilst scrambling to leave.

"Heh, don't worry, we're on one of those magic safe places, he can't hurt us." The boss started laughing, giving his crew a little bravery.

Cid threw down his hammer. He slowly walked to the boss, picked him up, looked him squarely in the eye and said "That protection only works against monsters. Now, we can go through this two ways. First way is I crush you like a bug and get one of your lackeys to tell me where my kids are. Or you can tell me where my kids are then you leave this cave, and never set foot in Baron again. If I were you I'd go with way number two."

The boss, after careful consideration that lasted about half a second, went with the second option. Banditery was important to him, but so were vital signs. "Alright, alright, they're in the next room." If he hadn't been so scared, he would have noticed he was wetting himself.

"If you hurt one hair on their heads I'll use your face as an anvil." Cid walked into the room, still holding on to the boss with one arm, and there were Rosa and Emma, sitting in the corner, their eyes lit up at the sight of Cid.

"Daddy!" Emma ran to her father and virtually attached herself to his gigantic leg. Rosa did the same to the other. "Daddy! take us home, please!"

"Did this man or any of the others hurt you?" Cid asked, his hand getting a bit tighter with each word. The boss found he was starting to have toruble breathing.

"No uncle Cid, they didn't." And with that Cid threw the boss to the corner.

"Now, tell me why you took my kids." He didn't threaten, at this point he didn't have to. The boss knew he wasn't the boss in this situation.

"Black *pant* market *wheeze* adoption ring. I have clients in Damcyan who wanted two girls." The mand cringed and curled himself up into a ball, preparing the worst.

"I see. Tell them they won't be getting anyone. I suggest you get out of here... Now." The force of that last word sent the small mosters who were out to see what was going on scurrying back to thier holes and nests. The bandits did likewise for a way out of the cave, one mentioned that Silveria was nice that time of year. The boss hobbled after, what happened to him? well no one knows but monsters don't appreciate when bandits mess with their legends.

It had been two weeks, Diane and Rosa, and subsequently Cecil and Kain stayed with Cid and Emma until Diane had fully recovered and her house had been cleaned up. Cid was no longer working into the early morning, and Oxford tried his best to stay out of Cid's way. Thus Cid had time to cook and take care of the kids while Diane and a friend from Mysidia named Bryant, a young sage who he Mysidian elders said would make High Magi one day for the Tower Of Wishes, restored and redecorated her house.

"Papa! Papa! wake up! We're supposed to go to the Chocobo Forest today! you promised!"

Cid opened his eyes, he was never more happy than to have his daughter safe and sound as he had been in those past weeks. "I did, didn't I? well, get ready." He sat up quickly and easily (which is odd considering his size), the sun through the windowshade told him it was the morning, and he was quite sure this time, in fact, he was right. It was nine thirty in the morning.

Cecil, Diane, and the children had a wonderful day at the Chocobo forest. The food Diana had made for the occaision was delicious, and the chocobos were in a very friendly mood. Cecil rode on a chocobo almost twice his height. Kain climbed the trees while Diane watched and Cid made sure he was close enough to catch him if he fell. Rosa and Emma were trying to play matchmaker amongst the chocobos. They ran, the jumped, they played tag, and everyone had a great time. No one noticed that time was flying by, in almost a blink of an eye it was twilight. Cid and Diane were sitting on the picnic blanket, and the four children were lying on the ground, looking at the sunset, thinking.

"What do you want to be when you grow up Cecil?" Rosa looked over to him.

"Me? I don't know. I guess I wan to fly in one of those air thingies Uncle Cid's making. You think I could do that someday Uncle Cid?" Cecil raised his head and looked hopeful. Cid smiled, nodded and Cecil laid his head back onto the soft grass. "What about you guys? what do you wanna be?"

It was a question all of them had considered, a grown up fantasy. Kain spoke first. "I want to be just like my dad! I want to be a Dragoon Knight and go places and fight people and stuff." The thought made him smile, it was excitement that he wanted. Then Rosa spoke.

"I want to be a Wizard"

"Girls can't be wizards" piped Cecil. "They can only be mages or witches!"

"Can too!" She had to defend her choice, and her gender for that matter. Cecil had been in a argument like this before with rosa, it resulted in her pulling out some of his silver hair, he decided to avoid that route again.

"All right, they can too. What about you Emma?"

"I want to marry a handsome prince and live in a castle by the sea." She said, with all certainty, it could have happened, handsome princes came to Baron all of the time, and she was sure that by the time she was old enough, she'd be a very pretty girl. All four started laughing, then became quiet, Kain had already fallen asleep, then Cecil, Rosa and Emma. Cid and Diane knew it was time to go home.

Cid softly picked up the four, one at a time, and walked home, whispering a conversation with Diane about the rise in prices of potions and medicines when Emma woke up, still being carried by her father.

"It could happen, right Papa?"

"What could?" He didn't understand her question. After all, in a world like theirs, anything could have happened.

"I could marry a prince one day, couldn't I?" she looked so hopeful, even when she was tired and half asleep she seemed so full of life.

"One day, I'm sure of it." replied Cid, and as softly as she awoke, she fell asleep, satisfied. She was full of possibilities. He couldn't help but smile, and felt a tear roll down his cheek as he thought...

'She's just like her mother'.