Crimean Sunrise
A/N: Hm, well, this is something that Diedre and I have been working on since the 15th. I don't think it's all that bad...though my parts aren't as good... *Zelgiusraises his eyebrow* Uh, okay, no one aside from the two of us is going to get that joke, so we'll get started withthe story (with Diedre starting us off)!
Note: This is the actual version...when this was originally posted, fanfiction deleted a lot of the paragraphs for some reason (and the story didn't make a bit of sense).
--
The calm Crimean morning was utterly ruined...again. However, this time (for once) Geoffrey could not place the blame on his overly excitable second in command. He had been expecting to hear someone shouting for him (why, oh why did they have to shout?) but he had to admit, he hadn't thought it would be Bastian.
That poetic stream of words erupting from elsewhere was unmistakable. There was no denying that it was the count of Fayre that was ruining the general's thinking time; his time of peace. He shook his head as the man burst into the open area he was in. Sighing, he looked at the man, also rolling his eyes in the process.
Geoffrey sighed, "Bastian, forgive me, but it is rather early. What are you going on about?" The general asked in the politest voice he could muster.
Bastian took a deep breath and began his speech anew, this time slow enough that the general could understand.
"Geoffrey, oldest and dearest friend. I come to thee asking for solace, guidance and, above all, assistance in a matter that has but recently come under mine attention. It was but moments ago, as I stood in the courtyard to welcome the sun in all its glory back to the Earth, when I happened to hear a scullery maid conversing with the cook." Geoffrey groaned. So, it was just another rumor.
The azure-haired man attempted to put on a face that seemed interested in what the man was about to say, but it was no use. The blonde sage frowned at his lack of enthusiasm.
"To think, kind sir, that one such as myself would come all the way here to tell you of the tales the maids are spinning of you. But alas, I see that it is of no use speaking of the words that leave their foul lips."
Geoffrey's eyes widened as the man spun on his heel, preparing to leave. He stared in shock before replying.
"W-Wait, Bastian, what is it?"
The count turned and looked at the General. "Not just of you, oh friend of friends. But of the Queen." Geoffrey shook his head.
"Forgive me, Bastian. I didn't mean to be discourteous, what is being said?"
"Rumors that the women spin concerning the idea that your and Her Majesty's relationship be more than professional. That her affections towards you are more than any normal subject. Further more, that you feel more than simple loyalty for her." Bastian said, clearly believing this to be important, "I heard tell that you met with Her Majesty late last night. A most scandalous act indeed!" Geoffrey couldn't help himself but laugh.
The general shook his head in amusement, causing the count to give him confused glances. Letting out one more chuckle, the man turned to his friend.
"You believe that, do you, Bastian?"
The sage cocked his head and stared at his friend a moment, trying to grasp the other man's meaning. After all, it was hard to tell when Geoffrey was telling the truth or not--he was always so serious. His facial expression hadn't changed one bit, but that was typical for Geoffrey.
"The reason I possess for not believing it is what?" came his utterly confused reply.
The General shook his head, "Continue please, I'm certain there's more."
Bastian nodded,
"Indeed. And I fear that this is what I came to thee for guidance on. It seems, that as the larks chattered, so too the stable boys commented on the arrival of a certain hawk laguzcome to do business with the Rose of my life, your darling sister." the blonde sage scowled, "It troubles me greatly, for I have not seen Lady Lucia since this rumor began." Geoffrey laughed. It was uncharacteristic and made Bastian's cheeks flush.
"Prithee, my lord, what about my plight so drives thee to such a childish fit of giggles?"
"Ah, it's nothing, Count," Geoffrey attempted to control his laughter, but it only resulted in a coughing fit on his part.
His companion waited for the fit to subside before continuing, "General, 'tis no laughing matter. Your beautiful sister is a beorc; the hawk king's 'eyes' a laguz, no? Such a forbidden matter shouldn't be taken so lightly! All the things that could happen if a relationship beyond purely friendship was their goal--just imagine the monstrosities that could occur!"
The other man raised his eyebrow. "Are you implying that she would do better off with you, Milord?"
Bastian's face flushed. "I do not deny that the idea has meandered into my thoughts from time to time. But!" He made a flourish with his cape, "The more important issue is what was said about you and Her Majesty!" Geoffrey groaned.
None of this was terribly new. Yes, what he felt for Elincia was more than simple loyalty, but Bastian certainly knew that.
"Peace, Peace, Bastian, Peace! Thou Talk'st of NOTHING." The azure-haired man said, mimicking the sage's over-dramatic manner of speech. "You, of all people, should know that nothing has happened between Her Majesty and me. You know that I feel more for her than loyalty." Bastian scowled.
"Doest thou dare insult me, valiant commander? 'Tis such a sad fate when one such as yourself allows such petty words to leave thine lips! This count is not one to believe just anything. To be fooled by--" the man was cut off.
"Silence! Don't you see, Bastian? You are believing everything that comes into contact withthose foolish ears of yours! First your little rumors about me and Her Majesty, then you actually disgraced my sister's name? Besides, would it honestly matter to any sophisticated person whether or not she was with a laguz?"
The count stared at him in shock.
Geoffrey sighed again and stood up. He put a consoling hand on his friend's shoulder and gave the outraged count an attempt at a friendly smile.
"We've been friends for all our lives, Bastian, I trust you witheverything. But seriously, these rumors are nothing. Use your head, my old friend," Bastian took a deep breath.
"Were you with Her Majesty last night?" This time it was Geoffrey whose face turned a delightful shade of red, all be it for a different reason.
Bastian stared at his friend, waiting for a response. The general, attempting to regain his composure and muster up some words, finally shook his head.
"Count, I don't believe that it's any business of yours whether or not I was with the queen."
"That does mean that you were with her then?"
"I-I never said that."
"Ah, but you didn't deny it either, my friend."
The extravagantly dressed count winked at his disoriented comrade.
"So what be it, General?"
Geoffrey scowled, "I-I fail to see how what I was up to, with or without Her Majesty, is any of your concern..." Bastian laughed into his sleeve.
"Ah, I can sense that I have ruffled the feathers of this majestic bird."
"Count Bastian!" Geoffrey nearly shouted, "Would you drop it?!" The Count laughed all the harder.
"The color of your face says yes."
"COUNT BASTI-" He was interrupted by the opening of his office door.
"Geoffrey..." A very tired sounding Elincia called from somewhere behind Bastian, "What are you shouting about so early?"
"Nothing, Your Majesty." He shot a dirty look at Bastian, "Don't. You. Dare." the general mouthed.
Despite attempting to keep his words from the queen's sight, Geoffrey's plans were foiled when she cocked her head.
"Don't you dare what, if I may ask?"
"You see, fair queen, our general and I were just discussing a certain--"
The rest of what the man said was a string of incoherent mumblings, as he found his mouth covered by the palm of another's hand. The other man's arm was placed around his neck, while deep blue eyes shot him a nearly-malicious glare. Geoffrey chuckled a bit as he turned back around to face Elincia.
"Heh, Bastian talks too much for his own good! Can't have him telling you about a secret that would ruin your later surprise!"
"…Later surprise?" the woman stood there, confused.
"What my darling brother means," Lucia said from the hallway, "Is that someone, meaning Bastian, found out about the stroll you went on last night."
Geoffrey stared in horror as his older sister walked into the room.
"Oh! Lucia!" Elincia squealed happily, giving her best friend a good-morning hug, "How'd you know about that?"
"A certain count, who will remain nameless, found me this morning and informed me of the castle rumors." She blushed, "Or at least, he meant too..." At her blush Bastian's incoherent mumbles got even louder and it sounded like he was angry about something. Geoffrey glanced at the Count and slowly moved his hand,
"TRIED TO! YOU AND THAT SCON-" Geoffrey clamped his hand back over the furious mage's mouth.
Queen Elincia blinked rapidly as she watched Bastian throw his fit. Geoffrey sighed and Lucia shook her head sadly.
"Lucia, what is he complaining about?" the queen turned to her close friend.
The other woman shrugged and laughed nervously.
"Oh, you know Bastian...he's always complaining about something…"
"While that's true, it seems like it's something more this time."
"I-It's nothing!"
Geoffrey watched in amusement as the queen backed his sister into a corner of the room. Lucia winced as her back came in contact with the brick wall, the rough texture scraping against her skin. Her milk sister grinned at her.
"So, what is it?" she asked playfully.
Lucia blushed a heavy shade of red. Geoffrey raised an eyebrow and removed his hand entirely from Bastian's mouth. The count erupted in a slew of venom.
"I, walked into her ladyships room this morn with intent to take her to breakfast and fill her in on the rumors spread about her and that...cur."
Lucia looked firmly away from everyone else,
"We were just eating breakfast."
"We?" Elincia asked.
"Um....eh...heheheheh."
"Yes, 'WE!'" Bastian's eyes were filled with rage, but that which he directed at no one in particular. "To think that I actually believed the rumors of you two to be false! Well it isn't so after this morning, that's for sure!"
Geoffrey stared in shock as all of the flowery speech disappeared in the man's fit. Elincia's eyes widened as Bastian smashed one of the castle's vases on the floor. Normally, such childish acts coming from a nobleman such as Count Bastian would have been quite humorous, but his violence left them all frightened and in astonishment.
Lucia opened her mouth to give her retort, but was stopped when another voice spoke up.
"What's going on here?"
All heads turned to the hawk that was leaning in the doorway, taking in the scene of a broken vase, angry Bastian, frightened onlookers, and...Lucia backed in a corner, with Elincia as her aggressor nonetheless?
"Am I interrupting something?" Janaff asked. Bastian shot the hawk an evil look.
"Get thee gone, villain. Get out of my sight or I will put you out of my sight." the sage growled. Geoffrey looked from Bastian to Lucia to Janaff and back to Bastian.
"Will someone please explain what's going on?" The general asked. Elincia nodded in agreement. She looked at Lucia and released her. Lucia, in turn, walked over to Janaff, who was holding a tray of coffee mugs.
"Um..." Lucia said, "Well, Janaff was sent to speak with Elincia, he got here early this morning, and was kind enough to bring me breakfast." the swordswoman looked at Bastian, "That's ALL, I swear it." Bastian was still glaring, but he seemed to accept her response.
"General Geoffrey, can we be sure of this man's intention? To be found in her ladyships chamber come the break of dawn is--"
"Something you've done before." The general pointed out. He inhaled and caught the scent of the coffee. "Janaff, is that coffee?"
"Yes."
"Just what I needed. This is a lot of chaos, and dawn was scarcely two hours ago."
The hawk nodded and held the tray out before the girl's brother. The general went to pick up one of the mugs, but Janaff stopped him.
"Not to be rude, sir, but that one's for Lucia."
"I see…" Geoffrey glanced at his sister and then back to the mug.
"Might I ask why?"
"It's, well, uh, special… Yes, special," the laguz fumbled for words.
Bastian's eyes widened at the statement and his jaw dropped. "Felon! State thine intentions now and I fear that we shall find thee guilty of attempted poisoning of the lady!"
"W-What? I would never--" Janaff started after taking in what the other man had so confusedly screeched.
"That is so? Ha! General, you would do well to escort this man into the dungeon and shackle him, lest you would rather pay with your sister's life!"
"Bastian, I will do no such thing," the cerulean-haired man stated, shaking his head at his friend's foolishness.
Lucia sighed. "Bastian...he means it has extra sugar and cream. I don't drink my coffee black, unlike you and Geoffrey." She scowled at the sage, "Had you not noticed that?" Geoffrey handed his sister the mug and grabbed a second for himself and one for the sullen mage.
"Well...seeing as you've come clean. Yes, I was with Elincia last night."
Coffee spewed from Bastian's mouth.
"Say again, Sir? I fear that mine ears made mockery of your words."
Geoffrey frowned as he was handed a rag to wipe Bastian's mess off of his face. As the man violently attacked his skin to mop up the dark brown substance the count had spit on him, he glared at the nuisance.
After he had finished, he sighed and restated what was previously said, "Yes, Bastian, I lied to you the whole time. Elincia and I were together last night--but it was a mere stroll, I tell you!"
Elinciagiggled slightly before walking over to the general, taking the rag from him, and rubbing it along his cheek, which the man had previously forgotten. When she had finished, she discarded the cloth on a nearby table and turned to Count Bastian.
"Now, was it really necessary to spit your drink up on Geoffrey's handsome face?"
Lucia tried to suppress a chuckle as her brother turned a slight shade of red. Elincia didn't seem to notice, as she was staring at the blonde sage intently.
"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"
It was at this moment, when Bastian was at a loss for words and the rest of the group in a mix of frustration and bliss, that Janaff whispered something in Lucia's ear. She smiled and nodded before walking over to the sage.
"My dear friend." She said, her gloved hand resting on his shoulder, "You worry too much about the affairs of others. Trust us, we are your friends, Bastian." She smiled, "Not a person in this room, except maybe Janaff, trusts you with any less than their lives, can you really not return the favor? None of this would have happened if you had just listened to us instead of the kitchen maids."
"But, Geoffrey lied."
"Geoffrey," the woman gave her younger brother a meaningful look, "Can be an insecure, timid airhead some days." The queen laughed at the remark, kissing her General on the cheek.
"Quite true, Milady, but...such a high-ranking commander shouldn't lie, no?" Bastian cocked his head in confusion.
Lucia gave out an aggravated sigh. "Count Bastian, everyone lies once in awhile."
"So, what have you lied about, Sister?" Geoffrey inquired as he and Elincia shared knowing looks.
"Well, I, uhh... T-That has nothing to do with anything, Brother."
Her brother laughed at her loss for words. Elincia winked at her foster siblings before turning her attention back to her general. Janaffand Bastian both gave the woman they shared affections for curious glances.
The girl attempted to avert the attention from herself by gesturing towards her sibling and queen, the two which were sharing fond looks with one another. The hawk moved over to where she stood and put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer and whispering in her ear.
"Now, what could you have possibly lied about, my dear?"
Lucia's ivory cheeks tinted red at the laguz's forward display of affection; she relaxed into him. He held her all the tighter, letting her weight fall into his arms. Janaff blushed lightly, and Bastian scowled again.
"This lie, Sister?" Geoffrey asked. Elincia had wrapped herself around the man's arm and was all smiles.
"Yes, my lady, what falsehoods have you spoke of late?" the count spat out venomously. Lucia sighed, Janaff felt her tense in his arms. She slid the glove off her left hand and held it up for everyone to see the ring that sparkled on her third finger.
"This. I didn't exactly lie but..." She looked up at Janaff, "I'm in love."
Geoffrey quickly let go of Elincia, nearly sending her to the floor, had the queen not been able to catch her balance. The man quickly grabbed and restrained Bastian's hands before the sage could do anything violent--after all, there weren't many vases left in the room and he'd hate to see something happen to his sister or her...fiancé...
The three watched as Lucia and Janaff stared into each other's eyes, completely oblivious to the actions going on around them. Crimea's queen couldn't help but smile at her friend's joy. She, too, was caught up in staring rather than observing Count Bastian's sadness.
"As am I, my love. As am I," Janaff said in a voice barely above a whisper.
The hawk kissed the woman's forehead, almost causing Elincia to let out a squeal of childish excitement. The queen, however, was able to restrain herself, though barely. Lucia beamed as she rested her head against Janaff's chest, making the laguz grin.
Lucia looked into the hawk's eyes and kissed his lips softly. Janaff turned a delightful shade of red. Elincia giggled, Bastian swore and Geoffrey...Geoffrey restrained the sage, and himself from wringing the laguz's neck.
"Ahem." the general cleared his throat. No response from the lovers, "AHEM!"
Geoffrey was tempted to just release Bastian when neither his sister nor Janaff responded to him. But he didn't, out of fear that Bastian would somehow accidentally hurt Lucia as he attempted to take the hawk down.
He sighed once again. "Lucia..." His frustration showed clearly in his voice.
"Oh, Geoffrey, just leave them be..." the man's own love tried to coax him when Lucia and Janaff continued to ignore him, still locked in their passionate kiss.
"I don't think so." He stomped his foot upon the ground. "LUCIA!!!"
No one could deny that it was funny to watch as both laguz and beorc jumped. They turned, facing Geoffrey as if they hadn't noticed him.
"Yes?" Lucia asked shyly. Geoffrey was glowering.
"What was all--" he was silenced by Elincia's mouth on his own.
This time it was Lucia and Janaff's turn to stare at the other couple as they embraced each other. The laguz turned to his fiancé, confusion clear on his features.
"What did we miss?"
She laughed slightly. "Who cares? As long as my brother's not yelling at us, it's fine, right?"
She wrapped the hawk's arms tighter around her waist and smiled. He lightly pecked her on the cheek, causing Count Bastian to thrown another one of his tantrums.
"General, general! I do believe that it is time to scold these two lovebirds! Aren't you concerned for your sister's safety? Don't you care--"
"No, not really," Geoffrey shrugged, breaking his lips from Elincia's for a second and returning them after he had responded to his friend.
Lucia grinned as she further attempted to anger the lonely man by placing her arms around Janaff's neck and allowing him to envelope her lips in a kiss once more. Bastian stopped himself from ruining another of the queen's vases before sighing.
"So wrong about me is something that would not dare a woman to return my affections?"
Lucia broke the kiss and put an index finger on Janaff'slips, a promise that they'd pick up where she was leaving off. With a smile, the swordswoman gave Bastian a hug and whispered into his ear.
"You are an old and dear friend to me Bastian, Count of Fayre. But I fear you can never be more."
"Milady, so I see it. Though it pains me to have to leave you like this, I know I must. Do take care to remember though, when this foul-hearted rascal parts from you," he waved his hand at Janaff, as if suggesting that he was scum, before continuing, "as I know he will, I shall forever be your loyal confidant, your friend."
The sage grabbed Lucia's ungloved hand and placed a kiss upon it, as he had once referenced to before--as he quite often dreamed of. This act caused Geoffrey and Elincia to break apart and stare at the man in shock. Lucia stood there, stunned, while Janaff shot the man a glare.
Lucia managed a weak smile, "I'll...I'll keep that in mind Bastian," she muttered. Janaff was still scowling.
"Pretty words." Janaff groused, "Do not a suitor make." This time they all stared at the Laguz instead. Janaff smiled and shrugged, "Picked that up from Naesala."
Bastian departed the room, still angry, but under control. Elincia gave Lucia and Janaff an "out please" look to which the two happily obliged. The queen turned to look at Geoffrey, who was pinching his nose trying to stave off a migraine.
The queen turned back to her general, placing her hands on his shoulders and giving him a concerned look.
"Geoffrey, is everything alright?"
The man opened his eyes--which he had previously shut in an attempt to rid himself of the oncoming migraine--and looked around the room. He noted that Bastian was gone, as well as his sister and Janaff. He had a puzzled expression on his features as he glanced at Elincia.
"Milady, where has everyone gone?"
The woman shrugged.
"Bastian just left angrily and I sent Lucia and Janaff away."
"Why would you do that?"
She rolled her eyes and sat on the corner of his desk.
"Can't you guess General?"
"I-I'm not sure that I can, Your Majesty..."
He turned slightly red and nearly forgot to breathe as she gave him that look again. It was the same look that she had given to Ludveck as he had announced his plans to take Lucia's life-- No, Geoffrey couldn't think about that. Nearly losing his sister was one of the most traumatic situations he had ever been in. As he slowly watched her nearly be strangled... Forever was he grateful to Ike and his mercenaries for saving the girl's life.
He turned back to where the queen was. No, this look was actually a bit different. It seemed as though she was trying to force herself to give him that look; more as if she was pouting than actually angry with him.
He was about to speak when a bit of a smile began to play on her lips. He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"Elincia, you're not a very good actress you know..."
They both had to control themselves to prevent their bodies from releasing the laughter that so demanded to be released. Regaining her almost-lost composure, the woman turned to her knight.
"You know, Geoffrey...you called me Elincia."
The blush shot straight to the roots of his azure hair. He let go of her face, turning his face so he was very much not-looking at her.
"F-Forgive me, my queen." He sputtered, "I apologize for my lack of--" he was cut off by the hands that pulled him back to facing her. "res...pect..." he finished weakly. Elincia put her lips to his softly.
"You are so dense." she laughed.
"And you're awfully bold." he managed after a moment of taking in the situation. It was a joke, simple light, the sort he and Lucia had exchanged when they were younger.
"And so she is, Brother. But would you two have it any other way?"
The pair turned once again to face Lucia leaning in the doorway, staring at them intently. A grin played on her lips as she walked towards her still-blushing brother and annoyed-looking queen. Before she could speak again, Elincia spoke up.
"Not to be rude, Lucia, but I do believe you were supposed to be elsewhere."
"That I was, Your Highness, but I came to remind you that Janaff needed to speak with you about something," she winked at her brother as she said this.
"Yes, of course," she turned to Geoffrey before continuing, "I'll be back in just a moment."
The swordmistress leaned against her brother's desk as the queen walked through the doorway. After she had departed them, Geoffrey spoke up--though not looking at his sister directly, as he was standing next to her, facing in the same direction.
"Now, Sister, how much of that did you actually witness?"
She shrugged. "Just about all of it. I especially liked when your face turned all red and--"
Geoffrey shot her a glare, but quickly followed it up with a smile. He shook his head, and sat down.
"Shouldn't you go check on Bastian?"
"Why?"
"He is one of your oldest friends."
"True, but at the same time he was over reacting and needs time to cool off."
"Lucia..."
"But..."
"Now."
"Fine." she scowled and left to go find the sage. Geoffrey sighed and looked at his coffee mug. Too early, it was definitely too early for this nonsense. He set his head down on the desk, just for a moment, honest, and then fell asleep.
--
Lucia dashed down one of the castle's long hallways. Upon not finding Count Bastian in his chambers, she had decided to check the courtyard, as it was a favorite thinking spot of his. She opened up the two large oak doors that led to the outside and was instantly blinded by light.
Looking around, she noticed the vines growing all over the stone walls--the perfect escape route that she, Geoffrey, and Elincia had used when they were younger. The flowers were also in full bloom--pink, lavender, and pale yellow petals littered the lush green grass.
In a corner opposite of where she stood, she once again saw the small fountain spurting out water. Multiple times had the children been scolded for playing in this--after all, 'it was a decoration, not a toy for little monsters,' as her mother had always put it. Now there were birds bathing in it--splashing around and chirping happily.
One corner of the back wall was the only gloomy sight. Under a cherry blossom-filled tree sat Bastian, legs folded, arms resting on his legs, and his head buried in his lap. He didn't look up or take any notice of her as she approached him.
"Count Bastian?" her voice was barely above a whisper, but she knew that her words had reached the man when he twitched slightly.
"Get thee gone, oh beauteous fiend. Never again can I gaze upon someone so bewitching fair if never again I may righteously dream of it being mine."
She sighed as she sat down next to him, resting her back against the trunk of the tree. She mindlessly played with a lock of his curly blonde hair, twirling it around her finger and separating the individual strands.
"Fine, you don't have to look at me, but will you at least talk with me?" had he been looking, he would have noticed the pleading look in her eyes--the look her features had always expressed, since the day she was born, when she knew that she had upset someone. It was true that she didn't love Bastian in such a way that she loved Janaff, but she didn't want him to be so crushed...she couldn't stand to see him this unhappy.
Against his better judgment, Bastian turned his head and looked up at her.
He sighed, "Curse thee, Angel, for even when righteous, I can't stay mad at thee." He sat up a little straighter and with a friendly hand brushed the hair out of her concerned blue eyes. "I know not why, but thou hast a stranglehold upon my heart. Since we were young I have wanted little else than to be to thee what thou art to me." She smiled sadly and shook her head.
"Bastian...I'm sorry but I..."
"I know full well what thou would say. Thou ist in love, and he is love with thee but, I would ask that thou might take pity upon thine humble servant and speak not of it at this moment," she nodded and relaxed against the tree. For all his pretty words and unwanted advances, Bastian was still her friend. She looked up and noticed Janaff sitting just out of Bastian's sight, watching them. She smiled up at him, and he nodded, casting a mildly suspicious look at Bastian.
"It would seem we are watched, oh angel of Tellius."
"Yes." She laughed, "Although given your angry display in Geoffrey's office, it's not exactly surprising."
"Think thee, my love, that your loyal count would dare to harm you?" For one of those rare moments that she had known the man, Lucia could see the frown that he currently wore. It wasn't often that the man was unhappy--or rather, that he showed his unhappiness.
"No, Bastian, it's not...I was just..." she fumbled with her words for a moment.
"What Lucia is trying to say is that I couldn't help but be concerned with her welfare--no matter the person she is with. I'm sure you would do the same, correct?"
Bastian looked up just in time to see the laguz land in front of them. Lucia attempted to hide her joy at the hawk's arrival, but was unable to when he sat down in front of her, in a diagonal pattern to the count. He rolled his eyes a bit as the woman he loved threw her arms around the other man's neck.
"Quite true indeed, dear Janaff. I'm sure that it is now understandable why I was so upset to find you in milady's chambers this morning, no?"
The girl's fiancé blushed slightly at the reminder of the day's previous events. Indeed he understood, and to tell the truth, he had been quite embarrassed when the other man had discovered that he was there. No one, aside from Lucia, of course, was supposed to know of his arrival or the fact that he had gone to see the woman so early on in the day.
Of course they were just having breakfast, but he knew what it would look like to others. He knew how it would ruin the swordmaster's reputation if a man was found in her room so early in the morning--let alone a laguz as the one they would rumor her to be with.
But, upon noticing the stares both Lucia and the other man were giving him, he was forced to reply to the question he had been asked, "Y-Yes, of course, Bastian. I understand your concern completely."
Lucia smiled at the awkward blush on Janaff's face. The laguz took a deep breath.
"I'm actually over here for more than just to keep an eye on Lucia." She watched as the hawk swallowed his pride, "But also to apologize for my behavior earlier. I should have realized that your over-reaction to the situation was merely your concern for her, and not a personal issue with me."
"Accepted, and I too must beg pardon for the rashness of my action earlier in the day. Had I been wiser, I'd have spoke with the lady,"
"I'm right here..." Lucia said, letting a little irritation into her voice at being referred to in third person.
"Before making assumptions." Bastian finished.
Even if she was a tad bit irritated by the men ignoring her, she couldn't help but smile at the fact that they were apologizing to each other. She removed one of her arms from Janaff's neck, causing him to give her a confused glance, and pulled Bastian into a hug as well.
The count thought he would die from this interaction at first, but ended up returning her embrace. Janaff faked a smile but was truly joyful when Lucia released Bastian and rested her head on the hawk's chest. Forgetting that Bastian was there, Janaff kissed Lucia's nose and plucked a nearby flower, placing it in the woman's hair. Its pale yellowness contrasted beautifully with her brighter blue hair. Lucia smiled and pecked his cheek.
"Milady..."
The couple turned their heads to face the count, who was sitting there rather impatiently. His heart couldn't help but break when he saw how gorgeous she looked with that flower in her hair. It was amazing how something so simple could bring out her beauty. But compared to her, that flower was a mere weed in his eyes.