Olivia I

Oh, how embarrassing! From all the days to screw up, she had to do it now. How could she be so careless? To lose something so precious and not noticing until someone else pointed it out to her, how shameful! And then it took Lady Tiki some time to convince the dancer that she had to report the loss if she wanted to get it back soon. But while she appreciated the help of the palace's guard and Pegasus Knights in keeping an eye out for her possessions, she felt that she was being a bother to them. They all had their own jobs to carry out, after all. To look for something so small in a room full of people was an impossible task for anyone. And even with their help, she was losing hope by the second that she would get it back. Without noticing, she let out a long-winded sigh, much of her hopes leaving her with that breath.

"Everything will turn out well, Lady Olivia," said Lady Tiki's bodyguard and princess of Chon'sin, Lady Say'ri with utmost confidence. "I'm sure the other guests will be informed about what happened and will keep an eye out for-"

"No!" Olivia cut her off, slamming her palms on the table a little too hard as she stood up, her action so abrupt that it left the others confused as to how to react. As she noticed this, the pink-haired girl's cheeks felt like they were on fire. Like butter that's left out in the heat, she melted down to her seat, plopping herself in such a way to make herself look smaller than she already was. "I'm sorry, Lady Say'ri… I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I know you were trying to be nice… It's just… I don't want grandfather to find out that I lost it. If more people know about it, he'll find out for sure, and then…!"

"We understand your concern, Olivia," said the divine dragon that sat to the right of Lady Say'ri. Lady Tiki, from the short time Olivia had known her, had a way to calm down anyone with her presence alone. She carried herself with such confidence that would instantly demand respect, but at the same time, she was a motherly type, giving off the warmth of someone with years of experience on her back. No that her face showed her age. By humans standards, she looked to be in her early twenties. "We made sure to tell the guards not to let any guest know what was lost and who it belonged to. You shouldn't worry yourself about your grandfather finding out. Instead, how about asking for people you personally know for help? We can all search for it together."

It wasn't a bad idea, Olivia would admit. If only a few people that knew her better helped her search, then she would be able to find it faster and perhaps she wouldn't feel as nervous going around the room, trying to approach strangers to take a look at the spot they stood. But then, there was an obvious problem with that plan, which she was quick to point out.

"B-But I don't really know anyone here besides grandfather…" she said, her voice trailing off as she looked dejectedly to her side, biting down on her lower lip. "We brought people with us, but they stayed behind on different taverns around Ylisstol. I don't think I can ask them for help…"

"Fie! That simply isn't true, milady," Say'ri interjected. Though her tone was calm and collected, Olivia was still startled by her sudden response, jumping in her chair slightly. "There is also the Reigning Khan, who I'm sure you know for some time, yes? Mayhaps we could enlist her help. She seems to me as a trustworthy individual. From our talk with her, she also seems to be an approachable person. If you were to ask, I'm sure she would help."

Thinking back on it, Olivia felt horrible to have forgotten about Flavia so easily. The blonde had always been nice to Olivia. Despite the strange relationship she held with her grandfather—both of them trading insult after insult—she treated the dancer like family, always asking about how her dancing had progressed or if her grandfather was treating her right. The dancer had always admired Flavia, as she was yet another confident and immensely strong woman… She just wished that an ounce of confidence from the khan would rub off on her.

Olivia nodded her head in agreement, which brought a small smile to the lips of the other two women.

"Very well, we are making some progress," said Lady Tiki happily. "I can only think of one more candidate, that being Prince Robin and his party. From what I saw when you two talked earlier, it seems like you two know each other and get along well."

Once again, Lady Tiki was right. Though she had met Robin relatively recently, he had been both friendly and patient with her before and after the tournament. The man that came with Robin that time, Gregor, had also come with Robin to the Summit. The man was more intimidating than Robin was, but Olivia couldn't deny that the mercenary was a kind man at heart too. Perhaps including them wouldn't be such a bad idea. Besides, if they were on even better terms, then there was the possibility that Robin would be the champion for their side come the next tournament.

"I'm still unsure whether Prince Robin will give us a hand on this or not, though," said the dancer, looking disheartened. "I mean, I can't go up to him and just ask for his help… He must be busy with everything, and… and…"

Tiki smiled at the much younger girl, resting her hand on top of Olivia's to calm her down. "Let Say'ri and I take care of Prince Robin, dear. As it happens, he asked for our help earlier today. It is only fair that we ask for something in return." Say'ri nodded in agreement. "Then we should get moving. Lady Olivia, you should be the one speaking with Khan Flavia. We can all meet back here once we get them and you can explain the situation to everyone. How does that sound?"

Olivia finally relented, saying, "y-yes, that would be for the best…" I wish I could be so confident.

"We better hurry then. Now that the meal is done with and the Exalt has given her final words, some of the guests will be retiring for the night."

Olivia had been so worried about everything that had happened to her that she hadn't noticed at all that some of the guests had been leaving for some time now. She couldn't remember much of the meal, in fact. Leaving to find a place to stay was something that she wouldn't have to worry herself over too much, considering that she was a special guest along with Lady Tiki and Princess Say'ri and many others. Such guests were receiving accommodations for their stay in the palace . The Pegasus Knight that received them would show them to their rooms their baggage was taken to. It was just a matter of waiting for the knight Sumia to come. It was while she was thinking this that she failed to notice (again) Tiki and Say'ri heading towards Robin's table. Only when she finally noticed did Olivia stand up to look for Khan Flavia.

But how am I supposed to get Flavia away from Grandfather? It was true that the two khans got along like cats and dogs, but that was as much good as it was bad. During celebrations, they would stick together mainly because, like with anything else, their competitive spirit made everything into a duel. And when alcohol was involved, this mainly revolved around who could drink more. This left Olivia in an uncomfortable situation, where no matter whether her grandfather won or lost, she would lose because she would need to take an inebriated man that weighed at least three times her weight to his bed.

She shook the thought from her head by slapping her cheeks, leaving them a little pink, not that anyone would notice that was the cause with her blush coming and going so often. Lady Tiki and Lady Say'ri had already taken Lord Robin aside to speak with him in private. Olivia couldn't fall behind, especially if she was the one to explain everything to the others. Picking up her pace, she fast approached the Reigning Khan. Her Grandfather was not sitting at the table for the moment—he was talking with King Validar some distance away—so it was the perfect opportunity. But as she got closer and closer to the woman with sun-kissed skin, she felt her nervousness come back to her. Come on, Olivia. You can do this!

She came to a stop to Flavia's right, who was enjoying another mug of the local mead. She could feel her throat going dry, suddenly wishing she could have her own mead, not only to quench her parched throat, but also to get the liquid courage she needed...if she hadn't inherited her grandfather's alcohol tolerance. She fidgeted, trying hard to think of a way to get the khan's attention. Taking in a deep breath, she was ready. All she had to do was call out to her and then-

"Olivia?" While in preparation, Flavia had turned to face her, likely detecting her presence there for too long for her to be passing by. "What are you doing standing there? Come on! Sit with me and have a drink!" The blonde patted the seat that was meant for her Grandfather, which Olivia took hesitantly, but ultimately thanked Flavia before being trusted with a mug of mead. Where Flavia had gotten it from was a mystery to the pinkette. "That's the spirit! Cheers!"

The two lifted their mugs—Olivia using both of her hands and Flavia only one—and toasted. Olivia brought the mug down after drinking some of it's contents and followed with a sigh. She was meant to bring Flavia back with her, not sit there and have a drink! The others would be waiting for her. She felt guilty enough as it was to ask for their help. Making them wait too long would be-

"Is something wrong, Olivia?" Flavia asked as she leaned in closer to the younger girl. "You look troubled… More troubled than usual. Were you looking for the oaf? He went to speak with Prince Chrom to convince him to fight for him next year in the tournament. He's probably thinking that it'll take the prince of Ylisse to take down the prince of Plegia. I'm looking forward to the fight, if it comes to that. Robin may not have the skills with the blade that many others do, but he compensates with it in other areas…" She winked at the dancer, who blushed madly and started stuttering so much that she couldn't get a word out.

Never had she imagine that Flavia would have...that kind of a relationship with Lord Robin! Grandfather had always told her that many men had offered companionship to Flavia, but that she was too hot headed for anyone to handle, so she stayed by herself. Could Lord Robin really be able to handle the khan?

Flavia had a hard laugh, almost to the point of tearing up. She placed a hand on the dancer's slim shoulder and smiled. "I'm messing with you, Olivia. I meant he makes up for it with his magic and, more importantly, his mind."

Of course she was playing around! How silly. It was a nice joke, but her heart wasn't one to take jokes like that. She was only thankful that Lord Robin wasn't there too. She wouldn't be able to face him again otherwise.

"Speaking of minds," Flavia continued. "Something's one yours. Out with it. Don't tell me you got your eyes on some fancy-pansy guy here…"

"Wha- N-no, it's nothing like that!" Olivia felt her cheeks heating up again. She had been so nervous with everything that had happened that she didn't have time to look at anyone- Wait, no, that wasn't it! She wouldn't go looking for a man like that even if everything was okay! Once Flavia laughed again, Olivia knew just why she had said it. "Honestly, Flavia. My heart can only stand so much…"

"Haha! I'm sorry. I can't get enough of your reactions. So, tell me. If you weren't here looking for the oaf, you came here for me, yes? What's on your mind?"

"Well, I… I lost something…"

"You lost something? You should talk with the guards then. They'll keep an eye open for it. Unless it's something that you can't get back..."

"No, it's nothing like that… I talked with some of the guards already, but I thought...maybe… I can explain things better in a second, but I wanted to ask for your help…please."

Flavia raised an eyebrow. For a moment Olivia wasn't sure if the khan would lend her a hand. Though they got along, she knew that Flavia would be very busy with everything that was going on during the Summit, being the voice of Ferox during the actual meetings. She probably wouldn't have time to help, but the very least the pinkette could do after all Lady Tiki and Lady Say'ri had done to help her, this was the least she could do, even if it was really to help herself.

"That settles it then," said Flavia as she smiled. "I'll lend you a hand. Both, if need be! If this helps me get out of meetings, I'll help even more!"

"You don't have to go that far!" Though she said that, Olivia was happy to hear that Flavia was so willing to help.

"No, I insist."

With Flavia on board, Olivia guided her over to a more desolated area, specifically, the spot where Lady Tiki, Lady Say'ri, Lord Robin, and the mercenary, Gregor, were all waiting. It seemed that they were exchanging a few words, but as soon as they noticed Olivia and Flavia approaching, they stop their conversation to face them instead.

"You got roped into this too, Robin?" Flavia asked as she half grinned at the Plegian, who scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"Well, something like that," he admitted, but quickly back tracked when he noticed Olivia looking at the ground. "Not that it was necessary! I am truly honored to hear you trust me this much, Olivia. I promise to give it my all… Though I'm not sure what I'm supposed to give my all in."

"We wanted to get everyone together before going into detail," said Lady Tiki."Lady Olivia, if you could."

Olivia nodded and went on to explain the events that transpired. Some time between her arrival to just before dinner was served, she noticed that something was missing. How she hadn't noticed it before was beyond her, being something so important. Out of embarrassment, she didn't want to make a fuss about it, especially when everyone else seemed to be having a good time, but she was still worried about finding it.

"This thing you speak of is pretty ring, yes?" Gregor asked as he rubbed his chin and leaned forward to take a closer look at the dancer. "Gregor remember seeing big ring on ringer before. Gregor thinks pretty ring on pretty lady. This be engagement ring?"

Olivia blushed madly, shaking her head rapidly. "N-No- Well, yes, but no! I-It is an engagement ring, but it's wasn't given to me like that…"

"...The oaf's?" Flavia asked.

"Yes… That was the ring that Grandfather gave my grandmother. Later on, Grandmother gave it to my father so that he could propose to my mother… And before she passed, my mother gave it to me… It's a very important and dear piece to me… I should have noticed sooner! When I did, I was too worried about how Grandfather would react that I froze. I didn't want him to get mad, or sad, or be disappointed in me" The pinkette's eyes began to sting as she sniffled.

"I see. I understand now why you would try to keep this low key," Lord Robin said as he nodded and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we will do all we can to help you find it and keep Basilio from learning about what happened to the ring."

"Agreed," Flavia added. "The oaf might be an idiot, but gods know how he would react to something like this. Keeping him from learning about this should be easy. The hard part is finding the darn thing. There are so many people around, and even if we continue the search the next morning, the peace talks are starting early in the day."

I forgot about that! Olivia looked down in embarrassment. The whole reason for coming to Ylisse was for the peace talks that would be taking place for the whole duration of the event. That would complicate the search, as their numbers would be cut. "I-I'm sorry… I should have realized…"

Lady Say'ri put a hand on the dancer's shoulders. "Fie, no need to apologize, milady. There are some of us that can continue the search. Bodyguards nor retainers will be allowed during the meetings. That leaves me and Ser Gregor to offer you our assistance."

"Unfortunately, I can't miss this first meeting," Flavia confessed with a sigh. "As Reigning Khan, it is my duty to be there. That oaf must be laughing his ass off now that he gets to lay back and relax while I deal with all this bureaucracy…"

"Gregor be doing the distracting of Basilio," said the mercenary. "Basilio and Gregor know each other from long time. Gregor knows weaknesses of kahn! Ha!"

"I will also be engaged during the meetings," said the manakete. "I promise to look for you all once the meeting is over."

Already their numbers would be cut in half. It was to be expected. She was still glad that at least Gregor and Lady Say'ri would be able to help her in the search, but she wished that they had a few more hands on their side. "You will be there too, won't you Lord Robin?"

To the pinkette's surprise, the prince shook his head. "Only representatives are allowed. My father is the one that will take the seat for Plegia. Panne and Nowi will be seated too, as they represent the interests of their species, even if most part of them are in Plegia. As for me, I'm free to roam around for some time. Don't tell Panne or Nowi about that, though. I had a hard time convincing them to accept the sits. If they find out I won't be there before the talks start, I won't hear the end of it."

Instantly Olivia cheered up. Four out of six wasn't that bad. She was glad she'd followed Lady Tiki's and Lady Say'ri's advice after all, not to mention that Royal Guard and the Pegasus Knights would also continued searching for the ring.

"I must remind you all of something else," Lord Robin continued. "The Ylissean Guild Masters will be arriving tomorrow as well. There will be a second banquet equal or greater in size than this one. We must make sure to find the ring or at the very least some clues as to what happened to it before then. We should prioritize the search in the morning and asking questions to the other guests during the banquet."

"Tactics to find a ring?" Flavia grinned. "You never get tired to such things, do you, Robin? You must enjoy it."

"I don't know about that…"

Happy to see that she would receive the help of these people—no, her new friends, Olivia finally smiled. She quickly bowed to them all, catching their attention. "I really, really, really want to thank you all for this," she said. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay all of you, but I will give it my all."

"'Tis nothing, milady," said Lady Say'ri. "For now, let us concentrate on the search. Once we find the ring, you can worry about anything else."