Disclaimer: If I owned Tales of the Abyss, I would not be here writing this fanfiction. Obviously I don't own it.

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My Knight in Shining Armor

By: Dragnotchi

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The Oracle Knight Headquarters was not the place that Natalia had expected to be that Valentine's Day. In fact, she had expected to be anywhere but stuck in the small room in the back of the training area, tucked away with the Fon Master away from view of her companions. The princess sighed as she fooled with the arrows in her quiver, the only thing they had left her with.

Of course, anything was better than being stuck in Baticul where she would get suitors from all over the city offering her cheap treats and empty promises that meant nothing save to be seen with her for the day. When she was younger she had enjoyed the feeling of being wanted, but with growing older, she had realized that playing with the hearts of all the young men only made hers break even more.

She twirled an arrow between her fingers as she sighed, sagging against the wall and propping her elbow on her knee, her chin resting on her palm. The greatest irony was that this Valentine's Day she had expected something special.

Instead of waking up to find a present placed neatly by her pillow during the night in the morning, Natalia had been greeted by the great gongs to bring everyone to training.

Green eyes turned to look at Ion sleeping peacefully in the bed, and Natalia urged herself not to be envious of the Fon Master's ever-present optimism. Right now, when one of the most anticipated days had come in an unexpected fashion, she supposed she could use some cheer.

It was as Natalia was dropping off into a fretful sleep did the din of fighting sound outside the hallway of her prison. Jolting awake and about to string the bow she didn't have, she watched as the door banged open, revealing one haggard Guy Cecil before he rammed the door shut behind himself.

"Guy, what are you…?" Natalia questioned, looking at the swordsman in shock. The last time she had seen him was in Belkend, two weeks ago. "Did you not find Luke?"

"No, I found him, he's with the others waiting at the entrance to the Cathedral," Guy responded, holding the door closed with his shoulder as soldiers clamored around it from the outside, attempting to knock the door down. "Where's Ion? We have to get out of here soon; I can't hold them for much longer."

"There is no other way out of this room than the entrance you are occupying," Natalia said, gripping the arrow she had been twirling only a few minutes before. "How are we to get out of here without killing ourselves in the process?"

"Your bow," the weapon was tossed to her as Guy turned to hold the door closed with his back. Natalia caught it with a grin, testing the string before stepping over to the single bed in the room and shaking Ion awake.

"Do you need my help?" The Fon Master asked a few moments later as Guy was about to let the door swing open.

"No Ion, we don't need you exhausting yourself with a Daathic fonic arte." Guy replied as he drew his sword. "Natalia and I can take care of it."

"That we can," the princess said, exchanging a grin with the former servant before he let go of the door.

A mass of soldiers surged into the room, many of the ones who had been attempting to thrust the door open falling to the ground. The first man to regain his senses was hit with an arrow before he could lay his brand upon Guy. Guy himself was taking care of the rest of the oracle knights threatening in the doorway.

Time seemed to slow as they continued through the endless halls of the Headquarters. Battle after battle presumed over all else, and it was a welcome relief that Guy and Natalia stumbled upon a small alcove hidden away in the headquarters. They ducked into it, Ion heading into a similar one a distance away after muttering something about spreading themselves out.

"Do you find it odd that there is no one here?" Natalia asked as she stuck her head around the corner of the pillar they were hiding behind. Guy was leaning against the wall a short distance away, arms crossed over his chest.

"I find it a relief… Perhaps they are busy in their Valentine's Day celebrations and don't have time to bother finding us."

"Let us hope," Natalia replied, turning back to look at the swordsman. He was staring at her, a large grin across his face, and she could feel a blush rise to her cheeks at his intense gaze. "Guy… What are you…"

"You didn't get a Valentine's Day present did you, princess?" He asked, continuing to gaze at her. Natalia nodded. "That certainly won't do, but I do believe we can fix it."

"Fix it? Guy, the night for giving gifts has already passed."

"But you can give gifts all day long, they don't have to be wrapped."

She looked at him inquisitively as he crossed the small distance between himself and her. A few moments later, his lips were upon hers, arms snaking around her waist. Her fingers twined into his hair, both getting lost in the kiss, unaware of the clanging footsteps of the pair oracle knights advancing on their hiding spot.

"There they are!" The voice startled them both, and they both leapt away from each other, weapons in hand in a matter of seconds. But the element of surprise was on their foe's side, and Guy had no time to react as a blade sank into his chest.

"Guy!" Natalia's voice pierced through the air, and the soldier had no time to gloat about his victory as she slashed at his unguarded throat with her arrow. He crumpled to the ground, and she notched the bloody arrow onto her bowstring, not looking as she shot at the other knight.

The crash of his armor as he hit the ground was the only thing that told her he was dead. At that moment, Natalia was far past caring, dropping to her knees beside Guy as she inspected the wound in his side.

"Don't waste your artes," Guy said softly as he saw her eyebrows crease in concentration as she muttered under her breath. "You have to get Ion out of here along with yourself."

"I don't need to hear that from you," Natalia responded tearfully. "You're hurt, I need to –"

"Will you be my Valentine…?" He asked, voice hardly more than a whisper. Natalia nodded, biting her lip as a grin graced his features and the spark left his eyes.

"Natalia!" Ion's voice cried after her as she stormed out from the alcove, her bow in hand. She was far past listening, of caring. All she intended to do was kill every last one of the oracle knights that were still standing.

"Natalia, wake up!" She brushed off Luke's voice as she turned a corner in the hallway, bow already drawn. A group of soldiers spotted her as soon as she stepped around. The princess only grinned.

"This is no time to be sleeping Natalia, wake up!" Anise's voice fell on deaf ears as knights fell one after the other to her arrows. But soon they were upon her, and this time she didn't have toast or a sword to defend her against their blades.

"Natalia, can you hear me?" That voice sparked some sort of recognition as she fell pray to the merciless faces of the oracle knights, her bow flying from her hands as she looked around to attempt and spot Guy, but he was no where to be found. Numerous blades stabbed at her body, but she didn't feel anything, desperately trying to find something, anything, that could lead her the way to Guy.

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Natalia leapt to her feet, startling away the numerous members of her party who had been trying to awake her.

"Natalia, are you alright?" Luke asked, watching her in concern as her eyes flickered to him. "You were having a nightmare."

"A… Nightmare?" Natalia asked, looking to the ground in embarrassment. Of all the things to do, fall asleep when her companions had come to rescue her. Her eyes lit on an arrow on the ground, and she picked it up, tucking it back into her quiver. "My apologies for delaying you all."

"No worries; we're just glad you're alri – Natalia! What are you doing?" Guy's sentence broke off into a scream of terror as the princess launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his torso. But she ignored his protests, and the laughter of her companions, and slowly, Guy relaxed, his arms wrapping slowly around her.

And Natalia felt safe; finally held close by her knight in shining armor.

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Not too proud of this, but what can you do? That's what I get for slacking off until the day before this contest entry was due. I scattered a few references here and there to Got Toast? and A Simple Trade for the heck of it; if you've read those stories I'm sure you noticed at least a few hints towards their story lines.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this. Reviews are always welcome