"Umm, let's see…" Florina muttered, crouching over her open pack, going through her pre-battle checklist. "Vulnerary, slim lance, javeli… Eeek!"

Something large and scaly had brushed against her back. Spinning around, Florina found herself face-to-face with the most hideous creature she had ever seen. It had bony spikes coming off the back of its head, green, scaly skin that covered its massive body, a long snout with flaring nostrils at the end, and a few rows of sharp teeth that lined its massive maw.

Florina slowly backed away, stricken by fear. The monster slowly advanced on her as it did so. Its mouth was only slightly open, but Florina could see the hunger in its beady eyes. Before long, though, she found her back to a tree, and the beast only continued to draw closer as she stood absolutely motionless.

"Dear… lord…" Florina whispered, afraid to speak too loud.

The monstrosity that was pinning her to the tree cocked its head to one side. It had heard her, but couldn't understand her. It sniffed at her, hoping to identify her somehow.

Florina clamped her eyes shut, hoping for the end to come swiftly.

Or else, not at all.

"Hyperion!" came a voice.

Florina felt a rush of air as the monster turned away from her. She heard its affectionate growl, and then its footsteps moving away from her. She opened her eyes, and saw the wyvern rider—Heath was his name—stroking the beast's long muzzle, as he turned to face her with a concerned expression.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "Did Hyperion harm you?"

Florina sighed, realizing the 'monster' was merely a wyvern, and what she thought was hunger was only curiosity. "N-No, not at all," she said. "He j-just came up behind me, a-and I was so surprised, I forgot he was a wyvern, and…"

Heath smiled. "I'm sorry, I realize he can be intimidating. Of course, that's what makes him so effective in battle. If that's all…"

"Yes, of course. S-Sorry to bother you," she stammered.

Heath looked back at her. "Are you sure you're all right? You're stammering."

"N-no, it's just that I…"

"Hoy!" a new voice echoed from nearby. "Heath!" The wyvern rider turned to see Sain the knight waving from atop his horse. "You'd best report to Hector's tent! We're receiving our marching orders!"

Heath nodded, and started toward the center of the camp, leading Hyperion behind him. He turned to wave at Florina before continuing on. Sain rode up beside her as she watched the wyvern rider leave, and glanced down at her. "Are you all right, milady? He wasn't bothering you, was he?"

Florina smiled at her friend. "No, Sain, I'm fine." Despite Sain's aggressive and womanizing nature, he and Florina had become good friends during their time in Castle Caelin. He was one of the few men she trusted at all. "His wyvern just startled me."

Sain nodded. "I understand." He smiled at her. "Well, my sweet, if he ever does start to bother you, you know who to ask to beat him down, tie him up and leave him in a bundle at your feet."

Florina laughed softly. "Of course. Thank you, Sain."

Sain smiled broadly, and shouted a command to his mount; the horse shot forward, carrying Sain back toward the main camp. Florina continued her pre-battle check, discovered that her lance was close to breaking, and decided to get a new one before riding into battle.


"Florina!" Lyn called as Florina approached. "Were have you been? We're almost ready to begin our advance!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Lyndis, I was checking my supplies," Florina replied as she got to Lyn and the other Lords, Hector and Eliwood. The lords were gathered with some other soldiers around Hector's tent. "Tell me, why does Lord Peter want my sister and I to be in the front lines in this battle? We can't see well in fog, especially not when it's heavy as this…"

"It's not the conditions, it's the terrain," Peter responded, arriving from his tent with an arm full of maps. He placed them on a small table set up in front of the tent, then turned to Florina. "If someone were ambushed on the other side of the mountains and in need of rescuing, you'd be able to fly over and help quickly; anyone else would arrive too late."

Florina smiled at the tactician. "Yes, I... suppose that makes sense."

Peter nodded as he brushed his blond hair out of his eyes. Peter wasn't so vain about his appearance as he was insecure; he paid almost as much attention to his hair as he did the battlefield, and hid his extra weight with moderate success under a rugged black cloak. The scraggly beginnings of a blond beard were growing along his chin and the sides of his head. But no matter what he did to make himself look mature or masculine, he always had a boyish air around him, especially when he smiled. Hector had said that they kept the man around for his tactics, not his looks; but even so, no girl could say that Peter was entirely unattractive.

"However, I do want you to take this," Peter said, breaking Florina's train of thought and offering her a torch. "It'll make it a bit easier for you to see the enemy. Also, take a sword; I know you can use it, and there may be a few ax-using bandits out there."

Florina accepted the torch. "I'll get a sword from Merlinus later," she said.

"Good," Peter said. He turned to the others, who were already gathered around the map, and began pointing out his strategy. "Hector, you'll lead one group. You should be able to handle most..."

Florina, sensing that she was no longer needed, turned and set out to fulfill her tactician's orders.


"Dear me, we're in Bern! Full of single-minded warriors who'd rather eat you than eat with you! Oh, why do I let these callow youths drag my poor, tired body across… oh, sorry, I didn't see you there. How may I help you, Dame Florina?"

Florina couldn't help but smile at the pained expression on Sir Marcus's face. The poor old knight had to stay with the chatty transporter Merlinus all the time, thanks to Peter's decision. They were standing by Merlinus's tent; Marcus's horse was hitched to a post nearby.

"I need a new slim lance," Florina said. "And a sword, please."

"Hold on," Merlinus said, ducking into the tent. There was a few seconds' pause, as the transporter rummaged through the disorganized mess, and then he emerged, carrying the weapons she had asked for. "Here you are," he said, proudly displaying them.

"Thank you," Florina said, collecting her items. She turned and left, returning to where her Pegasus, Huey, was tied to a tree.

"All right, Huey, It's time," she whispered. She untied the Pegasus, carefully mounted it, and then, with a sharp cry, pulled back on the reins.

Huey whinnied, spread his feathery wings, and slowly rose into the air. Once she was several yards above the ground, Florina uttered an Ilian command in her mount's ear, and the Pegasus shot forward.

Florina had never felt happier than when she was flying. She could be alone if she had to, but she could be with the others when she wanted to. She could feel the exhilaration of speeding through the air; the majesty of soaring high over the ground; or the serenity of just hovering and looking up at the sky. Huey felt it too. He was always anxious to spread his wings and get off the ground.

Florina tugged on the reins, and Huey wheeled around in the air. They flew back towards the group.

I love flying, she thought. But whenever I fly in my dreams, I always wind up…

Florina lost her train of thought, as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw the large but sleek form of a wyvern following her. Heath was firmly mounted on its back. Florina tugged back on the reins, and Huey stopped in mid-air, hovering. Heath and his wyvern flew ahead a ways, wheeled around, and slowly glided towards the Pegasus knight. Once they got within earshot of each other, Heath arose and reached towards her, holding a sword by the blade.

"You dropped this when you took off," he said, calling to be heard over the beating of his wyvern's wings.

Florina reached out, grasped the sword hilt, and gently pulled it out of Heath's hand.

"Thanks…" she said, too soft for Heath to hear.

Heath pulled on the reins. His wyvern beat backwards, and, once they were clear of Florina, dove downwards.

This isn't a dream, Florina reminded herself. I'm on a real battlefield, with real enemies and real friends.

This isn't a dream, so I'm not going to fall.