There was once a time when I was free to make my own decisions. There was once a time when my best friend and I could travel throughout the land without worry of war or violence. Needless to say that time has ended and my dragon Lena and I could no longer wander throughout Archanea as we willed. Once we were content to live in the plains flying and making a living selling wild game. When war broke, I joined Marth and his party to free the land from Medeus and his grip. Now I'm here with him…and someone else.

Lena was actually the first to find him. She smelled him from inside of the castle we raided in our pursuit of the Fire Emblem. It was a blue robed thief with a steel sword at his side and a satchel strapped on his back. I, atop Lena, flew to grab him. Lena caught him safely in her maw.

"What do you want?" I had called to him, my silver lance against his pale throat.

"To raid the castle, same as you," he replied wistfully, not at all intimidated.

Lena shook him. Red curls came tumbling out from underneath his hood as it fell down around his shoulders. Most of it was pulled back into a tail but some of the curls fell loosely around his pale face. He was smiling.

"Raid or don't, I don't care. I'm here to support Prince Marth against the evil Medeus. Will you join us or should I Have Lena swallow you up now?" I grinned. Lena rolled a green eye and gazed at him greedily.

This time the man paled even further, so much so that his face appeared almost sallow, like spoiled milk.

"I-I'll join your prince okay?" he stuttered out.

I patted Lena's scaley green head and she reluctantly dropped him. He fell upon his rear hard. I heard him hit the stone ground. Lena sniffed at him as he stood rubbing his rear. Her nostrils flared once or twice but she made no sudden movement to bite him; she didn't even snarl.

"I am going to keep an eye on you," I said.

He nodded and waved a hand. It was gloved but the leather gloves had no fingers.

"Whatever. Let's go."

We fought together in the castle. I protected him as he picked the lock of chest after chest. The spoils were all brought to Prince Marth. After seeing what the thief could do, Marth let him join the team, but only if I could watch him at all times. I agreed to do so for the sake of the majestic prince. Who could refuse him?

So I had kept one eye trained on this hatchling as he "reformed" in our party of crusaders. He had introduced himself as Sam and only Sam and gave no indicator of where he was from or what family he carried the name of. I introduced myself proudly as the daughter of the noble House of Scales and the daughter of the Lord Scales himself. Our family had long been known for our taming and training of the dragons in the fields nearby. My personal name was Guinevere and I would accept no nicknames for this.

On the road I did not care much for keeping up appearances. I had my brown hair braided back so that my helmet could easily fit over it. The rest of my armor was fairly form fitting as well; it had been designed for me and me alone. Lena's armor as well had been designed for her before we went traveling together. From underneath her silver helmet her poison-green eyes looked venomous and cruel. My eyes matched hers to a T.

Mostly keeping an eye on the thief involved battling with him and watching him sit around camp. He was not social or particularly helpful. Mostly he sat around picking at the grass or staring up at the sky. One day, after I had let Lena out for a hunt, I went to join him.

"Why do you just sit around like this?" I asked, a bit harshly.

He shrugged from underneath his light blue robes. Underneath I could see that his black tunic and trousers were very worn and patched in several places. His sandals showed sign of wear as well.

"I don't know why. I guess I don't know what I want to do with my life so I just sit around and let my mind wander," he responded nonchalantly.

"I hardly find that useful."

He gazed back at me with mischievous green eyes and winked with his finger pointed at me. I blushed furiously.

"That's because you have a purpose in life. You serve Marth. After that, what will your purpose be? Will you be as lost as I am?"

I paused for a moment. True, I had not considered what I would do after the war. More than likely I could go back home or return back to my life of wandering with Lena…but who knows when this war would end? I could be an old maid or dead by the time this is over…No old maid should wander alone.

"I…I don't know." I admitted.

From the hills beyond I saw the sun begin to set, bathing the land in orange light. Calm seemed to sweep over the land. I felt myself relax a bit.

"You spend a lot of time with me," said the man in blue robes.

His voice was laced with seduction but I chose to glance over it. I rubbed my fingers against my temples and bit at my lip. He could really be a pain, but….

"I only do it on Marth's orders. You could betray us," I said with distinction.

The thief threw back his head and laughed. The curls free of his tail bounced around his cheeks. He had perfectly sculpted cheekbones. I turned away from his face once more.

"Yes, I suppose that's true. What could a Lady of the House of Scales want with a dirty rat like me?" he said in a laugh, but with an air of hurt behind it.

I turned back to him, green eyes flashing from underneath dark lashes. I could feel my cheeks grow red. This thief knew how to push my buttons.

"Anyone could like you and want to be with you. Station is not important," I spat out suddenly, without thinking at all.

He rubbed the stubble on his chin gently, saying nothing. Lena returned from the skies. She landed heavily on her front to legs and shuffled her wings at me. A rabbit was hanging from her mouth. I smiled and walked towards her.

"Dinner time. Would you like some?" I offered carefully.

He waved his hand in a simple no and we parted ways.

It was two weeks of battles and campaigns before we spoke again. I was riding on Lena's back around camp one evening keeping watch. Suddenly I felt her wing beats falter for a moment. She shrieked out suddenly; I felt her shrieks against my leg in the saddle. I looked down and saw a flash of blue robes against the orangey-green grass bathed in the sunset. It was Sam! I spurred on Lena and let her swoop down upon the escaping thief. We dived down from below the clouds and I snatched the back of his robes with my free hand. I held him firmly until Lean's feet touched the ground and we came to a halting stop.

"Escaping you bastard?" I shrieked at him.

I dropped him upon the grass. He landed with a dull thump, his satchel falling beside him as it went out of his hand. Lena drooped her neck and I unlatched myself from the saddle and slipped off. I could hear my friend growling at the man. I patted her on the snout and she remained pacified for a time.

"What were you trying to accomplish?" I screamed at the man, hands on my armored-covered hips.

Without a word the lanky thief stood up, rubbed his rear, and turned to me. I rolled his green eyes at me. He gave a short snort; it sounded derisive. Lena growled at him and I did nothing to stop her.

"I was going to town," he said shortly.

My stance did not change.

"To buy what?"

"None of your business," he snapped.

With my green eyes but slits I said.

"Fine. Lena and I will take you there."

The thief looked uncomfortable with the idea but said nothing. I climbed upon Lean and strapped my legs into the saddle. I beckoned for the redheaded-man to sit behind me. He did so and gripped my waist tightly. I laughed lightly and gave Lena a light kick with my heel.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of heights!" I laughed and Lena took to the skies.

I could hardly hear anything for a moment as he was screaming loudly in my ears. I turned to him and my braid whipped him in the face momentarily. I laughed at that as well. His blue cape was flapping out from behind him like a king's regal cape.

"Come on!" I yelled and steered Lena towards town.

The thief stopped his shrieking and began to look down. The clouds surrounded us. They were thin and white today but outlined by the orange sheen of the sunset. Lena cooed in the skies, her wings stretched out feeling the wind beneath them. Nothing in the world felt more relaxing than flying.

We reached town in a few minutes. Lena touched down gently but bucked her legs and rear so that the thief fell off backwards. He landed once more upon the ground.

"Would-you-quit-DOING THAT?" he yelled from the dirt.

I laughed and unstrapped my legs. Lena crooned at me and nuzzled my hand as I did so. I rubbed her lightly and picked up the man by his collar.

"Alright we're in town. Get what you need."

He rubbed a hand through his mop of red curls and blew one or two out of his face.

"I'm going just wait," he said.

"Ohhhh nooooo," I chuckled. "I'm coming too."

He shrugged and readjusted his satchel on his back. He began walking into town towards the tents and the shops of the merchants. I followed behind keeping a close eye on my slippery blue friend. He said nothing but wandered from shop to shop until we came upon a rather odd sort of place. It was hardly a tent at all but a piece of cloth upon a hovel towards the edge of town. We went inside the tent even though there was hardly room for both of us inside. The shop was littered with odd objects and the seller beside the objects was an odd redhead.

"Welcome to the Secret Shop! Do you have a card?"

I was about to say no when Sam pulled out a golden card and held it out to her. She nodded and allowed him to browse the "shop." I crouched at the edge of the shop and waited for him to finish up. He picked out a golden object and traded a silver sword for it. My eyes almost fell out of my sockets; where did he get a silver sword?

With that finished he bid goodbye to the shopkeeper.

"Goodbye Anna, say hello to your sisters for me."

She giggled and waved us out.

I returned with the rugged man on the back of Lena. She seemed restless and flew a bit faster than usual, probably because I had left her and disappeared for a while, poor dear. There was no speaking until we arrived back at camp. Lena landed and Sam disembarked. I stayed on the dragon's back but grabbed his shoulder. He turned to me, his green eyes burning like embers.

"What was so important that you needed to get?" I asked hotly.

He tried to shrug off my hand but my grip was far too strong. Finally, he turned to me and smiled. The smile was so warm and genuine I almost fell off of Lena. Who was this redhead?

"I bought this."

Out of his hand he proudly displayed a golden ring betwixt his fingers. It shimmered in the low light of the evening. I gasped; it was absolutely beautiful. There was script upon the ring, but it was too far away for me to read.

With some effort I leapt off of Lena and she bedded down for the night. I stood still with the thief. I played with the end of my brown braid, wondering whether or not I should ask. I did.

"Who is it for?"

Without missing a beat the thief put the ring around my finger. It did indeed fit. I was more than shocked and simply stood there dumbfounded.

"For me? Why?" I sputtered out.

He kissed me lightly on the lips. I suddenly felt warm and tingly all over. It was a sweet little peck on the lips, yet I felt it so deeply within myself. I could hardly respond so instead just stood with my hand out. He hugged me to his robes.

"I love you and I want to marry you. I don't know how long we will live in this war so I wanted to do it as soon as possible," he confessed.

This time it was I who hugged him.

"Yes! Yes! Perfect! I love you!" I screamed with giddy glee.

He laughed and flicked my nose.

"I'm surprised you accepted, but very happy all the same."

I locked my green eyes on his saying:

"You stole my heart you dirty thief."