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[ A dress, the dress is delivered to Regina's room with all alterations made. On Regina's desk is a note ]

My dear Regina,

Thank you for coming out with us on the fifth. I do hope you enjoyed it at least a little. The dress is ready whenever you are and I made certain that your friend Sephiroth has something suitable to wear with it. We should take lunch in garden soon. Just the two of us.

Warmest Wishes,

Gloria Maeve

[Maggie delivers a reply to Gloria, one of Regina's beautiful, handcrafted cards. Inside is a very abbreviated note.]

Gloria,

Yes, my friend.

Fondly,
Regina

[Somehow, the line-face expression comes through clearly. Gloria, they're just friends.

Who happen to have a lot of really amazing sex.]

[ The letter drops right out the air and into Regina's hand just after Gloria gets Regina's letter. ]

Regina,

Would you call him amicesti or amicicial?

Yours,
Gloria

[ The words both meaning friend, but the first with connotations of well, more than friend, and the second of one who is trusted intimately. Can you feel her grin, Regina? Can you?]

[The whole manor probably hears Regina's shriek of mingled horror and embarrassment.]

Gloria,

That is a very private question! And not something that should be shared! And well.

Arosema premi. Maybe.

[Which is something of a very intimate combination of the two and, no, her face isn't cherry red, nor is she glowing at all.

Maggie delivers this letter, naturally.]

[ OH! Gloria KNEW IT! She grins at Regina's letter. It's a good thing she got Regina and Sephiroth matching outfits. ]

Regina,

One shares such truths with friends. I know on so many worlds, their customs are far different, but there's no shame in that here. Or having more than one.

[ And now that Gloria thinks about, that explains a few things she's noticed. ]

Gloria,

Of course there's no shame in more than one, but

You didn't tell him any of this. Did you. Did you?

Regina

[IT EXPLAINS NOTHING, GLORIA. DO NOT DO THIS TO US.]

Regina dear,

Of course I haven't said anything to him. That's for you to do in good time. Men from other planets are so fussy about these things. You will, of course, teach him proper Erosian customs for this sort of thing. He may find them beneficial if there are - others.

[ She might just be teasing you now, Regina. ]

Gloria,

Of course you wouldn't say anything to him, that would be rude and tactless, and you're not rude and tactless.

At least he's never met Ashtara. Gods, at least he hasn't met Ashtara. Thank you for the dress, Gloria. I need to write at least five more letters.

Or get very drunk. Perhaps both.

Have you seen my ring? The one I wear on my right hand? The signet ring? I think it's gone missing. I can't find it anywhere.

Yours,
Regina

[ At first Gloria is amused, delighted by the letter. Until she gets to the end. The letter is immediately destroyed leaving no trace of it ever have existing in the first place. ]

Regina,

We put all jewelry that you brought with you into safe keeping until your Father's debt is paid remember? You'll get it back soon enough, so please don't worry about it anymore. And yes, I agree, steer him clear of Ashtara or she'll have you two wed and knee deep in children before this time next year even if that is impossible. Granted, he doesn't strike me as the type to worship Ashtara, thank Ganok for that.

Always,
Gloria

Gloria,

Did you? I can't remember, sometimes. It seems so long ago.

At least Ashtara is better than Victan. Victan would just get us both pregnant and laugh his way back to the house of the gods. No, he's dedicated himself to Ishdra and, thankfully, Ganok by extension.

But the letters. I should get to my letters, and leave you to... to Maeving. I've the strangest headache. Perhaps I'll nap instead.

With affection,
Regina

[It hadn't been easy to track down Maggie but really, finding the maid isn't the hardest part of this. The hardest part for Zack has been enduring, forcing himself to find that inner calm and let it be an anchor for the one in need. The letter therefore is likely telling of that frustration; the letters are deeply indented into the plain paper, as if the writer had been gripping the pen very hard.]

Are you both safe?

-Z

[Her response is penned on her usual paper (the rich, creamy white) and sealed in a matching envelope. Ahtem delivers it because she doesn't trust that someone won't take it from Maggie. The beautiful, looping cursive is a bizarre counterpoint to the message itself.]

Yes. And I will rip out the throats of anyone else who tries to find him in my room.

[That's both warning and promise. The else may imply she's already done this once (she hasn't) or that he's the only exception to the rule (far more likely).]

[He bids Ahtem wait, penning a quick reply to her. He should tell her a dozen things at least; he should tell her about tending wounds, about Mako and the bloodstream and healing, about hydration with broths and honey water. But he doesn't think she needs him harping on her; they both need space.]

Just promise me you will keep him safe, and protect yourself as well.

If you need me, I will come.

[And if they don't, he'll give them both space until they come to find him. It kills him, of course it does, but that's the depth of the trust he has for Sephiroth.]

[Ahtem delivers her reply some two hours later. The corners are wrinkled. She cried on it.]

Zack,

Please, don't come. Not yet. I don't trust myself with other people. I have to keep him safe, and no one can see him like this.

But is there anything I need to know about how the... Mako? in your blood interacts with herbs used to heal? Should I be wary of anything? The Maeve made sure he cannot quickly heal.

He seemed distressed when I accidentally swallowed some of his blood. [Oh. That's what we're calling it. What a sterile, sanitized, edited version of events, Regina.] Why?

Yours,
Regina

[The reply is two pages long, the writing a little sloppy from speed. He hadn't wanted to keep her waiting.]

Regina,

I trust you, and I know he does. That's all that matters right now.

Keep his wounds clean and bandaged. Change them if they start to bleed through. The Mako will help him heal, but if the Maeve have interfered, it will take him longer than usual. Make sure he stays hydrated, preferably with broth or if he won't take that, give him honeyed water. He needs the nutrients. Herbs should be okay, but stay away from pills - painkillers or otherwise. His system will try to fight them off, and it's a strain he doesn't need. If the Maeve have not blocked his magic, the magic of our homeworld, I will send my healing materia back with Ahtem.

It's not his blood he's distressed about, it's what's in his blood. It's not just the Mako, there's something in our genes, something put there by the scientists on my planet. It links us all, all of us who have those cells. I could feel what was happening to him the whole time, we all would have felt it. If you swallowed blood you have his cells, you're a part of that link now.

If you're upset, please don't use that link to reach for him. I don't say this to offend you and I don't mean to keep you from him. But please, please don't use that link. If he gives you permission I will tell you everything, I promise, but this is for his own safety. I'm deadly serious. If you need to reach, try to find me. He can tell you how.

I will be in my room here, so Ahtem will be able to find me easily. Let me know what help you need.

Zack

[She reads the letter several times, making sure she understands it. Then she sets it somewhere safe so she can refer to it as she needs to.

Ahtem looks visibly upset when he delivers her reply.]

Zack,

Herbs, hydration, no penicillin, understood. Broth is all Maggie will feed us. We will be thankful, then, for that. A stipulation of this punishment was that he heal without magical aide for a week. Materia will be ineffectual.

Thank you for telling me, but don't worry. I won't use something like that. No one should ever have to touch my mind. I'll do my best to keep you all out. Would it be best to stay awake so that you aren't disturbed by my dreams? Regardless, I will give Sephiroth as much distance as I can.

Yours,
Regina

[Seeing such an expression on Ahtem's face makes Zack uneasy himself. He hopes that his last letter hadn't upset her. Reading this one he thinks it may have, but he's not sure.]

Regina,

It may be that is all they are allowing her to bring to you. If you think it safe, I can try to send something with Ahtem, but I don't want to risk either of you getting into trouble for it.

Wash his hair, when you are able. It's a small thing but it'll go a long way to making him feel better.

I don't think depriving yourself of sleep will help. For everything but the strongest emotions, you would have to consciously reach out to one of us, for us to feel it. That's a little bit of what he did, I don't know if he told you. I could feel him reaching for me, and I just held steady for him. I guess that's the best way to say it. It's hard to describe. But I think you should sleep so you can be awake and strong when he needs you.

Don't think it an evil thing. Though it was given with ill intent, that is something you and I both have in common. It's something Sephiroth and I have turned around, have used to grow closer. Composed and calm, your presence will be welcome to him. Trust me, I know. It is rage and anger that are the danger.

I'm going to Ganok's temple tomorrow. I don't know much about prayer here, so I don't know if that's the right word. But I am going to make an offering to him, with thoughts of your recovery. Both of your recovery. I don't know if it'll help, but I don't know what else I can do for you.

Zack

Zack,

Ahtem is clever, but broth is probably best for now. I can barely keep that down, and Sephiroth's appetite is small enough. But thank you.

No, it's not that I think it's evil, it's that no one should have to see what's in my mind. Zack, I am broken. My mind is shattered. I have no memories, no substance. Most days, I'm not even sure I'm real. My only real memory is my father leaving me with the Maeve, sneaking out of their house after a dinner, but now I'm not sure even that is real. Everything else is fog and blood and horror. I don't I wouldn't want anyone No one should This isn't something anything should have to suffer through. [Someone had no idea how to write that and didn't realize she'd started it a million different ways.]

Ask the priests for water's breath. It's a drink that will allow you to breathe underwater. You can meditate in the water under the pathways, and no one will bother you. Don't pray for me. Sephiroth needs your prayers much, much more.

Yours,
Regina

Regina,

Let me know if that changes and I'll see what I can do.

You're not broken. You're a little beaten and battered but you have a caring heart. That's not the sign of a broken person. I'm not going to push you for details, but I want you to know that you have a friend right here who understands blood and fog and horror, though I know mine's probably different from yours. That I can tell you about sometime, if you really want to know.

You're not broken, okay? I know it's not easy, or easy to hear, but I believe in you Regina. And you can lean on me any time that you need.

Water's breath, I'll remember that. I will pray for both of you, because you'll both be in my thoughts.

Zack

Zack,

I will. Thank you. Your concern means a great deal to me, as does your willingness to leave us for now.

You're sweet to say as much, but it's true. I have no magic, no memories, no sense of self. For me, my life started the day my father left me with the Maeve. I don't remember my mother at all, or growing up. Little things that people carry with them, memories from birthday parties or embarrassing things that happened to them at school? I don't have those. I don't remember my first kiss. I don't remember my first boyfriend or girlfriend or if I've ever even been on a date. I can't remember ever seeing a movie at the cinemas

Everything that normal people have, I don't. I have nothing, just vague ideas. I see something in a movie or read it in a book and I decide it must have happened to me, too, because it's been in other movies or books.

Forgive me. I

[The letter ends abruptly. Ahtem has delivered two. That one, Regina clearly didn't intend Ahtem to bring. Sneaky man managed to give it to Zack anyway.]

Zack,

I will. Thank you. Your concern means a great deal to me, as does your willingness to leave us for now.

You're sweet to say as much, but it would be best for me to keep my distance. I don't want to see you hurt because of the mistakes I'll make. I try so hard to make Evelyn happy, but I'm never good enough.

Regina

[Ahtem is Good People, clearly. Zack thanks the man; that first letter will be stored carefully where prying eyes will never find it. He tries to answer as if he'd only read the second one, to not get the ~~bodyguard~~ footman in trouble.]

Regina,

You and Sephiroth are my dearest friends in this place. When you are ready, I'll be here.

Remember, you're only human. We all make mistakes. Hell, some of us make more than others; Sephiroth has saved my skin plenty of times. (If you want to see him roll his eyes and laugh, ask him about the first time we met in Wutai.) But learning from your mistakes is the important part, right? I have faith in you Regina, I can't say it enough times. I really do. You're stronger than you think you are. I know Evelyn's disappointment is hard right now, and it stings. But sometimes a punishment comes because someone loves you that much. I know it sounds weird, but it's something someone once told me, and I really do think it's true.

I'd like to see you again when this is over, just to spend some time together doing something happy. Maybe we could go to the Temple District again, or have a picnic in the gardens here? Let me know if you'd like to do something like that sometime. [He won't call it a date but yeah, he's asking her on a date.]

Zack

[Ahtem knows what's up. Which is why he also slips Zack a second letter along with Regina's next reply.

This is a birthday card. Inside is a note from Evelyn wishing Regina the happiest 23rd birthday. Along with a "present" - instructions to don the mask and white dress Maggie has been provided, to go to a room in the basement, and to watch the show whilst saying nothing. Happy birthday, Regina. Love always, Evelyn.]

Zack,

I'm not sure it would be wise to go anywhere with me. I don't want you to get hurt because of the mistakes I make - or for anyone else to get hurt because of the mistakes I make. Perhaps it would be best for you to stay away for now. To stay safe. I don't want to cause you pain.

Regina

[Someone give Ahtem a raise. Seriously.]

Regina,

What causes me pain is seeing you alone and hurting. I consider you a friend, and for my friends, there is nothing I wouldn't do to see them smile. You're so pretty when you smile, it lights up your whole face. I know that sounds corny but I want to see you smile again Regina, when you feel you can.

There's no time limit on that offer. Whenever you feel ready.

Zack

[As soon as Ahtem leaves to deliver the letter, Zack heads to the dojo. He's furious with Evelyn, he knows he can't hide it, but he refuses to do anything that will get either Regina or Sephiroth into more trouble.]

[A single rose is waiting for him when he gets back, paper color in rich, ruby red and garnet. The edges of the flower are studded with chips of actual red gemstones.

Attached is a little tag, and on the tag is a complex design: Zack's name, written in old, layred Erosian runes. Regina's handwriting spells his name beneath the rune.]

Regina,

I've not seen you around since the last festival. I hope you're doing well. After a party like that, I believe we all could use some time to ourselves.

I wish to inform you that I've succeeded in forming a contract with an air elemental named Saba. I followed your suggestions and we seem to be getting along rather well.

Enclosed is a wind rune charm I managed to carve. Thank you for your kindness and friendship. I hope we see one another again soon.

-V-

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