Ohoho! I am back with HecFlor!
Thanks to all of my loyal reviewers, you are a big help and help me remain constructive and creative!
I like this chapter, it was funzzles to write. And now we can see how I react to my stupid tactics! XDX I'm so brilliant. Lyn just goes along with it because sometimes I go a good job!
The next chapter I've already started on, and it's really, really awesome (I can't guarantee every male on the site would be thrilled at the though it, but I know the girls will want to get together with their friends after reading it. It's not inappropriate, just kind of a female past-time.)
Anyways, enjoy the chapter. And yes, I know I overuse fancy adjectives to describe hair and eyes. (Don't do this with your characters: just everyone else's XD)
So READ!
Though everyone was back at camp by now, talking about the incident, Lyn and Kit were the first two people back. Thus, they were the pair to be informed by Guy about the ambush. Kit did not want to talk to anyone, as it had occurred to her as well that she had left two unarmed troupes back at camp. She went to her tent immediately and could be heard banging her head against her notebook. Lyn sighed and shook her head.
"She'll get over it; it's not the first time she's done this sort of thing." She turned to Guy. "Where's Matthew? Wasn't he with you?"
"He's running around in the stable in search of shiny objects the bandits might have been carrying."
"Ah." She looked off. How typical of the blonde thief. Suddenly it occurred to her that Hector and Florina had been at camp too.
"Where's Florina?"
"Oh . . . she's in the quarantine tent with Hector." Guy pointed. Lyn ran over as fast as she could.
"Florina!" She shouted out. Florina was getting her side bandaged by Hector.
"Yeah Lyn?"
"Oh no, are you alright?"
"Yeah. . ." Florina trailed off. Hector tied off the loose bandage and gave Florina a slap on the shoulder. Florina had a little patch of bandage on her cheek where she had been cut as well.
"Well this is a reverse situation." Hector chuckled. "I'm no cleric, but I think you'll be fine after a healing." He helped her up.
"Don't make her do any work too soon!" Lyn's motherly instinct took over.
"She's not going to do any work, but she's not bleeding and dying." Hector sighed. "Sometimes I think you're too protective of her."
"Well yeah! She's around you all the time!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know she's scared to death of you! The least you could do is make it less hard on her and not prod your way into her privacy!"
"Maybe I should just leave her, if you think she doesn't need me around."
"That's what I mean! You treat her the wrong way! When she needs protection you don't give it, and when she needs space you don't give her
that either!"
"L-Lyn." Florina spoke up. Lyn's voice and temper cooled as she turned to the smaller girl.
"Yes Florina?"
". . . H-Hector was just taking me out to see the horses . . . I-I asked him to." The jade haired nomad's lips pursed and she shot a disdainful glare at Hector.
"Alright, I'll let you be. But if he does anything to hurt you Florina," Lyn locked eyes with Florina. "Tell me." She walked off, but the aura she emitted showed she was not trusting of Hector because of the results of the ambush. Hector looked down at Florina with a creased brow.
". . . You never said anything about seeing the horses."
"I- . . . I know . . . I-I'm sorry, I didn't w-want Lyn yelling at you. . ." She confessed.
"Oh. . ." Hector murmured. He bent down and looked her in the eye. Florina was his polar opposite in every way. She was a warrior, but in reality she was a peacemaker. She preferred to create, not destroy. Hector didn't speak to make peace, but to start fires. But now that he thought of it, that trait about Florina balanced him out.
"W-we don't have to go to the stables. I just used that to make Lyn leave." Florina looked up at him.
"Well do you want to go to see the horses?" Hector inquired. Florina gave a tiny nod. "Alright, then that's what we'll do." He smiled.
Florina was able to walk on her own, but Hector trailed closely behind her to make sure she had proper footing. She did stumble now and then; she had twisted her foot when she had tried to escape in the cloud of flash powder, but Hector gave her enough support so that she never did actually fall. They got to the stables, and Florina instantly felt at home. If wanting to fall asleep in the stables every night was wrong, Florina did not want to be right. The dead bandits were now cleared out, and the horses were back, but Florina still felt that the place was alienating without Huey in her proper stall. She made her way over to Sain's horse, which she had become fond of. He let out a whinny at the sight of her and reached his neck out to greet her. Florina gave him a pat on the nose and smiled.
"Do you want a lift so you can pat him on the head?" Hector asked, Florina turned around and gave a slow nod. Hector hoisted her up effortlessly and held her firmly. She reached out a hand to the stallion and stroked his mane.
"T-Thank you. . ." She mumbled, as Hector put her down.
"Not a problem." He smiled. Florina let out a sigh, looking off to the right.
"Is something wrong?" Hector bent down a bit. Florina was generally reserved, but she seemed to be warming up to him enough to tolerate him, so why did she seem sad?
"Oh . . . I just miss Huey." She admitted. Hector slowly placed his hand on her shoulder and sighed.
"I understand. Sure I may not have liked that horse myself, but I get why you're worried."
"She's special to me. . ." Florina murmured.
"Yeah. . ." Hector nodded. He took his hand off her shoulder now; what Lyn said lingered in his mind and he did want to give Florina her space.
"Don't worry, we'll find her soon."
"You think?" Florina looked up at him, hopeful.
"Sure, if she wants to put up a fight, I'll make her come back. She's missing out on time she could be spending with you." Hector smiled.
"Yeah?" Florina was now smiling a bit herself.
"Yeah." Hector replied.
". . . T-thank you Hector." She blushed.
"You're welcome." He chuckled. "Do you want to stay here or what?" Hector asked.
"Uh . . . c-could we stay . . .? . . . J-just a bit longer?"
"I think that sounds fine." He nodded. He leaned against a support pole and looked down at the sky-riding cavalier before him.
"S-so H-Hector." Her eyes trailed off to the side. "W-what about you? W-what was your life like?"
"My life?" he asked.
"Y-you already know about me. . ."
"Psh, only a bit; You are so quiet." He shrugged.
"Oh. . ." Florina murmured.
"Not that that's a bad thing; it's just hard to get to know you without making you uncomfortable." Hector immediately took what he said back.
"I see. . ." Florina murmured. "S-so d-do you want to know a little about m-me . . .?" Florina felt very uncomfortable, and she probably would have died of fright if she hadn't spent so much time around the reckless axe-wielding lord.
"Sure." He bent one knee out inertly.
"Uh. . ." Florina thought for a moment. "W-well. . .m-my mom and dad died when I was very little." Hector's eyes suddenly went very soft. She didn't know why; practically everyone in their army had to have lost someone precious to them, to death or just being parted. Why should her loss be special?
"No kidding?" He made his way closer to her. ". . .I lost my parents when I was a kid too." Florina was a little shocked.
"Y-you did?" She tilted her head a bit. "B-but you never. . .y-you know. . .act like you did."
"Well that's where the difference of scenario comes in; you're lucky because you've got everyone around supporting you." Florina looked up at him. "I'm a guy, I'm supposed to take care of myself. Once I was old enough to fend for myself, I was expected my most everyone to do so. I can't be weak, I have to be strong." He blinked down at her with big, cornflower eyes.
". . . I-I'm sorry . . ." Florina turned away, her chest hurt, but she didn't think she was going to cry.
"Sorry? For what?"
"Y-you probably go through much more than I do . . . a-and no one cares . . ." She hugged herself. How could she be so uncaring? So ignorant? So. . .selfish?
"Hey, don't be sorry." He leaned against the stall door. "It's just how it is; I'm able to do it. Besides, I've got friends who go through the same thing and lose it." Hector folded his arms and continued to lean against the stall door.
"Lose it?" Florina asked, getting a little confused.
"Remember when lord Elbert died?" Florina nodded, how could she ever forget that? Poor Eliwood was in tears, clutching his father's dead body. In fact if Florina didn't know any better, Eliwood probably would have killed himself, had his friends not been there to keep him in his right mind.
"Eliwood kind of snapped there. He's always been a bit on the sensitive side for a man . . . Is that why you're scared of men?"
"H-huh?"
"Are you afraid of me because I'm not as sensitive as Eliwood?"
"Uh. . .I-I'm scared of most men. . .y-y-you know that." Florina didn't want to offend Hector or hurt his feelings. Hector wasn't fazed.
"Florina, contrary to what most of the people you meet tell you, I'm not an idiot. It's obvious you're scared of me." Hector let out a groan.
"I-. . .I. . ." Florina bit her lip and looked off to the side once more."
"But that's not of concern. I'm just curious; do you like Eliwood because he's more sympathetic?"
"Um . . . I-I'm not sure actually . . . it . . . it never really crossed my mind."
"Well I guess that's food for thought." Hector shrugged. Florina remained silent, but looked up at Hector, hinting that he should pick up the conversation. "Anyways," he got the hint. "They were important to me, but my real father-figure was my brother."
"Do you miss him?"
". . . Yeah, I do. But he wouldn't want me to be sad over his death. He kept it a secret from me so I wouldn't be torn. He kept showing he loved me up until he was gone."
"He was good to you, wasn't he?"
"Yeah, sure he was overprotective sometimes, or too critical . . . but that's how guardians are supposed to be." He mumbled thoughtfully. "How did your sisters treat you Florina? Were they like your parents?"
"Well. . ." Florina thought for a moment. "Fiora took on the motherly role in my life. Farina remained like a sister; she isn't the kind of person to be nurturing, but she cares about me."
"So you had no father-figure at all?"
"No." Hector furrowed his brow. For him it wasn't such a big deal, as his mother hadn't actually died when he was a child; she died when he was a little older, giving enough input into her son's life so that he knew how to feel about women. Hector would naturally grow up to be fearless, masculine, and strong anyways. But Florina's case was different; if a girl grew up without any sort of father-figure, she would be unsure of how to react to men until she had formed a stereotype. In Florina's case, she was terrified of men.
"That's too bad." Hector finally spoke again.
"It's okay." Florina looked up at him with aquamarine eyes.
"No, it's not." Hector looked her in the eye. Florina suddenly felt submissive. "It's not okay." Hector moved closer to her. She was beginning to feel shaky, if he wanted something a certain way, by all means she'd make it so; she was scared of him after all. Hector bent down and met her with an oddly concerned gaze in his blue eyes. "That's left a scar on you. Because you never had a father in your life, you're scared of men. Look at yourself! You're shivering just by looking at me!" Florina looked down to find she had Goosebumps on what parts of her arm were visible. She let out a sigh and rubbed her shoulder.
"I-I know." She stuttered. "I-I'm sorry. . ."
"Aw geez Florina, don't be sorry for everything you do." He gave her a quick pat on the head. "I just feel bad that you're scared of men because you never really got to know any." He leaned back even further on the stall door, causing it to swing open, and send Hector crashing to the ground. Florina held in a giggle; something was funny about seeing him dazed on the floor.
"My vital organs. . ." His voice was quiet. Florina accidentally let the giggle escape. Hector looked up and her before chuckling himself. "Just goes to show how clumsy I am." He sat up and brushed some hay out of his dark blue hair. Florina climbed over the stall and curled up in a pile of soft straw. It was Huey's stall, so it was empty, but Florina had still mucked it out and kept fresh bedding in it in case Huey decided to return. Unlike most girls, Florina's favorite scent had to be fresh hay and straw. It wasn't overly flowery, but it did have a sweet fragrance. She inhaled deeply before looking over at Hector. He turned around and sat cross-legged in front of her.
"You like how it smells, huh?" he smiled a bit.
"Yes," Florina gave a small smile back, the scent comforted her. "It's so fresh and sweet." Hector gave a bigger smile and inched closer to her. He lay back so his head was pillowed by the bedding.
"I guess it is." He looked up at her. Florina was unsure of what to do. She knew if it was Eliwood in this position, he'd start piling up hay on Hector's face. If it was Lyn, she'd wait until Hector closed his eyes before doing something like dowsing him in water, just to get back at him for letting Florina get hurt. Hector seemed to know what to do next, because he took her tiny hand in his own huge gloved one and just held it for a moment.
"Uh . . .?" Florina trailed off.
"Sorry," Hector let go of her hand. "Forgot I shouldn't do that."
"N-no! . . . I-it's okay." Florina hoped that was the right thing to say.
"Alright, but only if you're okay with it." Hector took her hand again. He ran his huge thumb over her palm and gave it a gentle squeeze. Florina shifted; her twisted ankle was beginning to feel better, but now it was starting to fall asleep. Hector looked up at her, a big grin still on his face. She smiled back at him a bit. Hector let out a deep sigh of contentment and gave Florina's hand another squeeze.
"S-so. . ." Florina finally spoke up. "C-can you ride a horse?" She couldn't think of much else to strike up a conversation. Now it was Hector's turn to look off to the side awkwardly.
"Uh. . ." He scratched his head. "N-no. No I cannot."
"Oh." Florina didn't really mind; many people in the army couldn't ride a horse. A funny memory that lingered in her mind was when Serra got the idea to borrow Priscilla's horse one particular battle. She was screaming so loud and looked so silly, even Erk was laughing at her.
"Yeah, I can't ride a horse. I'm good at walking though." He chuckled. Florina gave a nod and leaned up against the stable wall. They continued to talk until Hector had somehow managed to drift off. Florina was braiding pieces of straw and tying them together to pass time, until she noticed Hector was asleep. He was drooling a bit, but he wasn't snoring (not loudly anyways). Florina suppressed a giggle as she look at him; she thought about what kinds of mean little pranks Lyn would pull on him while he was in that deep a sleep.
"Florina! Florina!" A voice suddenly beckoned for her. She stood up and looked to find it was Nils.
"Y-yes Nils?" She asked softly.
"Dinner's ready Florina." He called out.
"O-okay! Be there in a minute!" She shouted back. Nils left as quickly as he had arrived, and Florina turned to Hector once more. "H-Hector, wake up." she tapped his shoulder. His eyes slowly opened and he sat up and stretched.
"Hey." He mumbled as he wiped his mouth.
"D-dinner's ready. We should go. . ."
"Oh sure thing, no problem." He got up and brushed the many pieces of straw from his armour. "You can walk by yourself right?"
"Yep." Florina nodded and stretched her legs.
"Alright then." he left the stall and lingered, waiting for Florina. Florina walked a bit further behind him, still savoring her space from him. But . . . was she really completely afraid of him? She had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach and even weirder in her chest, and it certainly wasn't her wound. . .
As always, tips are appreciated, as is praise and advice. I'm new to writing multi-chapter romance, and we're just getting into the fluff, so please go easy on me!
