Waltz in Snowfall- Have a happy time catching the lost souls of the snowflakes...
Scarcely had he leant outwards by a fraction when a full blow of icy gale, along with prickly snowflakes attacked him.
"The blizzard is worsening," he said to the lavender-haired girl beside him. "And this is hardly what you can call shelter."
The grayish-stoned "shelter" was shallow and provided practically no protection except for the torso and head. Yet, this crevice was all that they could find in this time of emerg3ency.
Huddled under her cloak, she trembled violently as another freezing draft found its way into the crevice. "Sir Kent, what should we do?" Her teeth were chattering uncontrollably.. "Lady Lyndis would be so worried, and we don't have anything except two silver lances and a long sword."
"Lady Florina, fear not," Kent said kindly. "Blizzards rarely last more than a day. Once it is clear, we can go back to find the rest. " He had taken out his cloak and coat and taken off his armour as well.
"But what if it doesn't end," Florina shuddered fearfully. "Then, we will be here trapped without food, fuel or steeds." A violent coughing fit seized her as she spoke. Inhaling deeply, she wrapped the cloak tighter around her body.
Staring at her, Kent felt a pang of pity for his young companion. From a previous conversation, he could make out from her sobs and stutters that she had become a Pegasus knight like her two elder sisters after much pressure from various sources back in Ilia. From then on, she had trained herself against burly enemies thrice her size. Personally, he found her more of a dainty, young maiden, a flower of youth and innocence, rather than a battle harpy like her second sister.
Her lips are turning slightly blue, he thought silently, maybe I can offer her some of my warmth and my coat…
No, another small voice contradicted, you must remember the rules of chivalry and leave the innocence of a maiden alone.
But she's not another maiden, he retorted in his own mind. She's a fellow friend who needs help…
Amongst the rest of the army, he could pride himself in saying that he knew her the best amongst the men. Especially in Caelin, he had spent much time training with her and helping her improve her skills with Lady Lyndis since she had an unusual fear of men. Initially, she had been frightened by his presence as well, but as time passed, she gradually placed more and more faith in him till she could talk to him without stuttering. They could converse with relative ease, but two subjects were strictly forbidden: her unnatural phobia of men and any physical contact.
Another of her strings of coughing pushed into his thoughts. "Are you alright, Lady Florina?" he asked concernedly, "Do you need my cloak?" Say yes, please say yes, the small voice in his head begged.
Don't forget your knightly laws, Kent, his sensibility growled. Touching a woman is forbidden…
"Yes, I'm fine," Florina cleared her throat uncomfortably. Her face had turned from ivory to snow and her lips were bluebell-blue.
As sudden as a marionette had been cut, she collapsed onto the floor of the stone crevice, her eyes closed.
"Lady Florina!" Kent sprang up and held her. Her body was just as cold as the snow. "Lady Florina! Are you alright?" Wrapping her with all of his cloaks and coats, he cradled her in his arms, ignoring the icy gusts tearing at him.
Slowly, her eyelids fluttered as her hands twitched. "Wh-wh-what happened?" she asked shakily.
"You fainted suddenly after a coughing fit," Kent explained. "You need to take care of yourself. I was so worried for you."
At the last few words, he could see the little peach colour rising to her cheeks. "So-so-sorry," she muttered shyly, grabbing her own cloak and sitting down at her original place.
You have got to be braver, Kent, the small voice said, punching a forceful fist into the air. She needs you…
What about your knightly codes of conduct? His sensibility scolded fiercely. Don't forget, Kent, you are still a knight.
"Give me a break," Kent muttered, feeling very irritated about the laws all of a sudden. "Lady Florina, come here!"
"Yes, Sir Kent," she rose and went over slowly, treading the buildup of snowflakes.
Seizing her arm, Kent pulled her downwards in as knightly a manner as possible and wrapped his arms around her, throwing his cloaks over them. "Didn't I tell you to take care of yourself?" he chided gently. "And you were still going to sit there in the cold and ravage yourself."
"Commander! Eeep! Sir-sir-sir Kent!" Florina squeaked, frightened by his actions.
"Relax," he reassured her. "I just thought that this might be a better way to conserve our heat and energy. You trust me, don't you?"
Still twitching, she leant her head on his chest reluctantly. The rhythmic pulsing of his heart eventually lured her to sleep.
Closing his eyes, Kent muttered, "Don't worry, we'll be rescued…" Then his world changed from a pure, iridescent white to a nonchalant, empty black as well.
Despite their prayers, the blizzard raged endlessly for two more days. Florina's health was not getting better either. In fact, it was worsening till she had difficulty breathing.
"Lady Florina, please," Kent wiped off the blood trickling down the corner of her mouth, pleading. "Answer me." Sighing, he tried not to stare at the pool of blood on the virgin white snow as he rested her limp body against his own.
He wondered how long it would take for the blizzard to stop. As soon as possible, he said silently, the sooner, the better. He stared at the pale-faced girl in his arms. If only she would wake up…
"Co-co-commander?" Florina stirred weakly and asked breathlessly.
"Florina!" Kent held her firmly. "I mean—I apologise—Lady Florina." He frowned at her. "You ought to rest, you know."
"It's alright," she leant against the wall and sat down tiredly beside him. "Sir Kent, why don't you leave me here and go find the rest when the snowstorm stops."
"No," Kent refused simply. "I am not leaving you here by yourself, Lady Florina. What if you faint or cough up blood again? How can I possibly leave you to fend for yourself when you are so vulnerable? No, I am staying here with you, Lady Florina."
"Sir Kent," Florina smiled, closing her eyes. "There is nothing to be done for me now, unless the blizzard stops or a healer chances upon us."
"Why not?" He stared at her in astonishment.
"The problem is hereditary," she explained. "Every time I experience cold temperatures, without proper clothing and furs and such, it will resurface from hibernation."
"Isn't there any cure for this?"
"No," she sighed. "The only thing that seems to send it back into hibernation is warmth, or Elfire from an extremely powerful sage. But so far, no Elfire has been able to cure this."
"Don't worry," he comforted, hugging her closer. "We will be able to get away from here very soon."
"Sir Kent?"
"Hmm? Lady Florina, what's wrong?" Kent became alarmed. "Oh no, did I frighten you or something? Why are you crying? Is it because I am too rough? I'm so sorry!"
"No, Sir Kent," Florina continued weeping. "It's not that. It's just that you are the first man besides my father who has ever touched me before and you are so nice, unlike my father…"
"What did he do?" Kent asked, horrified.
"He was an alcoholic," Florina cried, explaining. "He used to spend the entire day in the bar drinking rum and he forced my mother to do all the farming as well as the household chores. He always forced her to give him the income from farming; and when my mother couldn't give him any more money, he would beat her up. When my mother finally died from a weak heart, my father started bringing home strange women. Soon after, Fiora and Farina both left to work as mercenaries, sending home some money to me secretly each week. My father, desperate for money, would beat me with his leather belt to make me give him the money. This continued till, at last, when I left to train as a Pegasus knight. I could never understand why he was so cruel to my mother and to us, even though we were a family." Her voice became a barely audible whisper.
"And that is why you are so scared of men, isn't it?" Kent asked softly, stroking her hair. "It must have been hard on you."
Nodding, she gazed up at him. "But you are different Sir Kent," she smiled. "You are gentlemanly and kind. You have taught me that there are good men in the world whom I can trust."
Lady Florina, I—" he hesitated. "Lady Florina, I know that for a knight, duty is above all and this is going to be very improper due to the topic and because I have not yet learnt the codes of conduct for this since I never thought I would ever have to do this but…" He inhaled deeply. "Once we get back, I intend to court you."
"Commander?" Florina gasped. "What are you—"
"I intend to court you and propose marriage," Kent said firmly. "I have the need to confess the pent-up feeling I have for you and I am glad that I have finally managed it." He knew that he was blushing furiously. "Ever since the day we had our first real conversation, I knew that either I take you as a wife, or no one else."
"Sir Kent, you're not— " she breathed.
"I have never been this serious in my life."
"Sir Kent," she said slowly, smiling. "I was always hoping, longing for the day when you might…" Snuggling against him shyly, she leant her head against his muscular chest. "I never would have said anything, Sir Kent…I feel so happy and contented all of a sudden…"
"Me too," Kent held her tightly in his arms.
"I feel so relieved to know all that," she smiled, before a violent coughing spasm caused her to since in pain.
"Are you sure you will be fine?" He gripped her.
"Mmm…" She closed her eyes. "I just feel a little tired. I will get back and get some sleep."
"You should," he said gently.
"You won't leave me alone, will you?"
"No," he said steadily. "I will be here beside you, guarding you, till you wake up. After you wake up, I will officially find Lucius and announce our engagement."
"Yes, but still," her voice trailed off. "Don't be too sad, or I will too…"
"Too sad?" Kent asked. "What do you mean?"
There was no response from her sleeping frame.
Kent woke up to the unusually bright sunlight. The blizzard had stopped, and the sun was shining as cheerily as ever in the blue-glazed sky.
"Lady Florina," he said urgently, shaking Florina gently. "Wake up. The blizzard stopped. Lady Florina!"
No response.
"Lady Florina! Wake up!" He shook her much harder.
Still no response.
With shaking hands, he turned her in his arms. She was pale, still and silent. Kent put a finger to her wrist in disbelief. The vein was silent and not pulsing.
"No!" He shouted suddenly, jumping to his feet. "Impossible! She can't be dead! It's a mistake! There must be a pulse somewhere, somewhere…
" He swayed unsteadily and fell to his knees beside her. The sky seemed to crash down on him that instant, the blue tiles mocking him in his face. A silent scream of agony and pain tore through as realization dawned on him. That was why she had parted with those words. She had known…she had foreseen this with her remaining strength…she had sought out a last chance to carry away a pleasant memory of him that she could cherish…
A wave of bitterness blew across him as he judged the unfairness of the situation. Crushing snow between his fingers, he slammed them at the stone wall. Kicking up the snow, he pummeled the dead tree nearby with snow. As the stem finally snapped, he sank to the ground, dry sobs tearing at his throat. Throughout his eight years as a squire and six years as a knight, he had never once lost control before. "Why?" he demanded hoarsely. "Why must this world be so unfair?"
There was only the mild blowing of the wind, bringing forth with it an impossible answer.
Staggering back to the crevice, he looked affectionately at her body, then sat down by the wall, a glassy look in his eyes.
Barely, he could hear the shouts. "We've found them! Lady Lyndis! Lord Hector! Lord Eliwood! We've found them!"
"Kent! My boon companion! What did you do to yourself?" It was Sain's voice.
"Sain? Is that you?" He groaned, opening his eyes.
"Of course it's me," Sain cried. "What did you do to yourself? Hang on! The healers are coming."
"it's over, Sain," Kent sighed. "it's over. Florina's gone. She died before me. It's all over."
"I can tell, Kent," Sain exclaimed. "But you need to continue life!"
"I can't, it's over," Kent smiled bitterly. "She was going to marry me. She agreed to be my wife, even without the courting. She was so happy, just as I was. Then, she died. She knew it was coming. She warned me, but I was too happy to understand…"
"Kent, what are you saying?" Sain asked. :"You're hallucinating, Kent. How many fingers are there on my hand, Kent? Answer me! It's not inside the code of conduct to ignore people who irritate you."
"I told you, those don't matter anymore to me," Kent gasped for breathes. "it's all over, all over…I am just happy…that I…kept my vow…to…her…and stay…by her…always…"
As he drew his final breath, a multitude of snowflakes fluttered down from the heavens, each spinning a story, each carrying a greeting from heaven, from a girl to the one whom she had loved most.
So, how many did you manage to catch and save? A soul in a snowflake, lost souls in a snowstorm, seeking for another of their kind...