A/N: Decided to try my hand at another couple for now, and needless to say, this couple was asking for a story. It has a kind of depressing tone to it and that wasn't really my intentions but that's how it seemed to type itself out to be, so I tried to make it end on a bit of a happier note- not sure if it worked or not.
EDIT: Trying to fix some typos. For some reason, this story had an obscene amount of typos I've had to fix and there are still problems every now and then. Maybe this is a way of telling me to stop typing stories at four in the morning when I'm only slightly delirious.
"I… I believe this arrow…belongs to you, Lady Lucia."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because… it has made itself home in my heart."
He had to have been kidding.
Goddess pray, she hoped he had been kidding.
"Lucia…"
She looked up at the call of her name and pushed herself away from the stone wall behind her; Geoffrey slowly made his way towards her looking worn down and exhausted- like most of the army was now. For the first time in months, he wasn't wearing his signature armor that shined as it lead the Crimean army across the battlefields. No… instead, he wore the simple clothing underneath but with a few more bandages and blood-stains.
Maybe she should've said something first but all she found the strength to do was collapse into his arms.
I.
"Lady Lucia!"
She could hear Elincia chuckle at her side as she grimaced at the sight of the curly haired Ambassador making his way over to her.
"Sir Bastian, what a 'pleasure' to see you… again."
"I should've been able to do something."
Geoffrey sighed as he felt like he could do little to comfort his sister. "Mistakes are made, Lucia… we can't protect everyone. We were fighting a battle on two fronts, we could barely keep an eye on our own backs, let alone someone else's."
"I was two feet away from him; that arrow went right by me." she whispered.
"He knew what he was doing, he wouldn't go out there if he wasn't ready to risk his life for his country; we all made that oath…"
"Soldiers make that oath, Geoffrey…"
II.
"I was pondering if you would enlighten me with your presence tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Sir Bastian, but I've been very busy lately making sure the castle grounds stay secure and keeping Queen Elincia safe-"
"Nonsense." Elincia interrupted with a smile. "Sir Bastian, Lady Lucia would be more than happy to accompany you tonight."
"Elincia!"
They were already in the heat of a battle when reinforcements ambushed them from the back; pinning their army in the middle of the two. It was hell trying to dodge lances and outrun paladins, but she had managed to get out of the fight alive despite being a foot soldier. She gave most of the credit to the curly-haired Ambassador who seemingly insisted on protecting her with his magic. It seemed like he never once closed his tome as he sent whirlwind after whirlwind against enemy soldiers; clearing up the field just enough for her to run through without too much potential danger.
She had just finished pulling her sword out of the neck of an unfortunate solider, when she felt the air just inches from her face shift. She heard the light thud of his tome falling just seconds later.
The image of the arrow lost somewhere in his chest would never leave her memories.
The sound of his body hitting the ground moments later would forever echo in her mind.
III.
The night didn't go as horribly as she had imaged it would in her mind. Instead, she almost hated to admit she had a little bit of fun in it. He certainly seemed to think the world of it and by the end of the night, he had slacked his elaborate speaking just a bit.
She didn't let him hold her hand though… although she allowed him to kiss the back of it before they parted. She also refused to tell Elincia any details of the night.
"He could die tonight…"
"Don't say that." Geoffrey started, although he had the thought cross his mind as well. "We have to believe that he'll make it through. He may not seem like it, but he's a hellva fighter… he won't give up easily. Especially if it means leaving you."
She chuckled lightly at the remark despite that it only seemed to break her fragile defense down even more. "You're right… I should try to put more trust in him."
He tightened his hold around her for just a few seconds before he reluctantly pulled away. "I have to go check on the rest of the soldiers and make sure they're all healed and rested. Are you going to be okay being by yourself here?"
"Yeah… I'll be fine." she nodded as she tried to recompose herself and tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear. "Just go and.. make sure Kieran didn't get another axe lodged in his head."
"Like he has room for another one." he chuckled as he started to leave. "I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Geoffrey… thank you."
IV.
"Lady Lucia…"
She had just barely started her morning and he was already back. "Yes, Sir Bastian? Can I help you with something?"
"I just wanted to give my thanks for that lovely evening underneath the stars."
"Yes well, you're welcome. I… I had fun."
They were lucky to still be within Crimea at the time of the attack.
There was a guard post just a few miles from where they were ambushed; a lot of the severely wounded were sent ahead to receive treatment there while their field healers took care of other minor injuries. She was with him the entire ride; trying and doing her best to comfort him, although he seemed to take enough pleasure in holding her hand the whole way through.
His grip was still strong. She had that to believe in.
She didn't know how long she had been waiting out in the corridor but it felt like days. Her injuries were still open but a majority of them were only minor, just a few nicks and cuts. Her body ached in a mix of anxiety and restlessness- she couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a decent night's sleep since this whole war started. As much as she had denied ever being romantically involved with him… he was still a good friend and ally… Crimea couldn't risk losing him.
She couldn't risk it either.
V.
He always dropped by Crimea to visit every other month or so and with every visit, he insisted on taking her out for the night- something Elincia was almost encouraging him to do. As much as she acted annoyed with the Queen for such actions… she never once regretted the night out. They had been keeping up with the nights for seven or eight months before she finally let him succeed in holding her hand.
He would still have to wait another eight or nine months before she would let him kiss her though.
She looked up as the wooden door was pulled open and two of the healers stepped out. She tried not to seem desperate as she pushed herself to her feet and dusted her uniform of wrinkles.
"How is Ambassador Bastian doing?"
The tired-looking healer let out a long sigh and brushed the back of hand across his sweat-covered brow; hours of non-stop healing had put a physical drain on him and it showed through with the almost sickly pale tone there was to his flesh.
"We did what we could."
"Yes?"
"But, I'm afraid he won't make it through the night. He has a few hours at most."
Never before did she have the urge to grab a healer by the robes and throw him against the wall in anger. But, she kept her emotions stoic and only softly nodded in response. "Is it okay if I… go to see him?"
VI.
She always considered those close to her as her family. Her and Elincia had practically grown up as sisters, which is why the woman was barely surprised when she had finally considered allowing Sir Bastian to court her. Geoffrey, on the other hand, was less than pleased by it. While he and Bastian went way back and had considered one another brothers, that didn't stop him from knocking the Ambassador out in a single hit. She supposed that no matter what, he was still her brother and he wouldn't hesitate to put fear into any man who thought of courting her- no matter who that person was.
But it was still just a thought of consideration, it wasn't like she had made a concrete decision on it yet.
"The arrow managed to pierce a small part of his heart; we healed what we could but there's been a lot of blood lost and the damages that have already been done… his condition isn't good."
She could barely stand to finish listening to what they were saying. If at best, she kindly pushed them aside and invited herself into the dimly lit room; making sure to close the door behind her. A single candle barely illuminated the small room as she carefully tried to make her way to his bedside without bruising her shins on the rest of the furniture inside.
His skin was paler than normal and lined with traces of sweat that almost made it catch a reflection off the candlelight. A dark-colored quilt was pulled up to about his mid-chest and under that was nothing more than bandages it seemed; his shoulder armor, cape, jacket, elaborate vest and everything else had been removed and tossed aside into the nearest chair or on the floor. His hands were rested calmly at his sides while his chest moved slowly with deep breaths that almost sounded like light gasps for air.
This wasn't him.
It couldn't be.
Carefully taking a seat on the bare edge of his bed, she softly rested her hand on top of one of his and felt the coldness in his touch.
"Bastian…"
VII.
There was a night she would never allow herself to forget.
"It would be pointless to say that I should've done something more. At this point, it's too late for those kind of regrets… they wouldn't change the situation. I always told myself those kind of feelings only made things worse… but I never found myself in a situation that would cause that kind of reaction. At least, not until now. And even now, I'm fighting with myself on what to say." she started as she brushed her blue bangs aside once more. "They told me you only have a few hours to live, and I guess I should use this time to say what needs to be said. But the problem with that… is I have nothing to say."
Goddess, she felt stupid talking out loud but this… this was making everything slightly more doable. She could hold herself together for just a bit longer now.
"I don't want to believe them when they say that but it would be foolish to put my faith on a false glimmer of hope. But I don't want to lose you either, Bastian…"
VIII.
When the wartime returned, her biggest regret was having to put their relationship aside. She had to push it so far out of her focus… she had almost forgotten what he meant to her…
"I remember how you were a mix of being completely devastated and completely outraged by the Ludveck situation." she started and chuckled lightly at the memory. "I asked you if you were angry because he had cut my hair… and you replied with 'Lady Lucia, I don't care if your hair is long or short, you are beautiful no matter what.'"
IX.
Despite his long absence for a majority of the battles, when he did finally show, the entire field was lifted in the brutal whirlwinds that could lift horses clean off their hooves and throw Marshalls aside like rag dolls. There was no way to deny his strength in magic… and there was no way to deny that he used that strength to keep her safe- no matter how much he tried to deny it later on.
"There's nothing else for me to say here Bastian… I never kept myself from speaking my mind around you. You already know everything I would have said here, you don't need me to remind you."
X.
"Lady Lucia… I love you."
"Sir Bastian… I love you, goodbye."
" Only a grievous heart bids adieu... my Lady Lucia."