~~~Part 11, Begin~~~Cenna's POV~~~

We flew until nightfall. Once the sun had set, I angled downward and landed. After shifting, I faced Reyson. "Should we stop for the night?"

"Depends on how far away we are."

"A few more hours, I think? It depends on how off our calculations were on where Elincia is."

"So maybe we should just walk for a little bit? Maybe we'll run into their watch."

"The sounds like a good idea." We began to walk in the direction we had been flying. We didn't speak, but I felt the need to be communicating with him. So I did something I had never consciously done before:

I unblocked myself.

I was tired of staying hidden from him. Even though my heart was the one thing that Tibarn could never control, I made sure no one else could tell what I felt; not even Reyson.

I couldn't tell if it was working, so I looked over at Reyson.

A second passed, and then another.

Slowly, Reyson realized something. I hid a smile as his eyes widened.

"Cenna…" he whispered. "Why?"

"If we want what we have to work, then I feel that we need to be open with each other. And this is the best way I could think of to do that." I replied softly.

He stopped.

"Reyson, we need to keep moving."

No response.

"Reyson?" I turned to look at him. His head was down, his blonde hair blocking my view of his face. I took one step forward and gently pushed back a veil of hair. Now that I could see his face, I saw the two or three tears that were falling from his eyes. I lightly tilted his head up to meet his eyes. "Reyson, what is wrong?"

"Cenna, you never let anyone in. Ever."

"And you're crying because of that?"

"I know that letting me in is a big step." He rested a hand on my face. "I'm happy that you trust me enough to let me in. For you, your heart is your last safe place. To let me share that can't be easy for you."

I laughed. "If I knew you'd go all emotional on me, I would have done this when we weren't on a mission that could affect the war."

"Why can't get emotional?"

"Well, isn't that usually the girl's job?"

Now Reyson laughed and we started to walk again. "Cenna, you're a hawk. I'm fairly certain that crying isn't high on your list."

"Reyson, I feel there is something you're not telling me."

"Don't worry about it." He grinned. "It isn't anything that you don't already know."

I let it go. We walked forward a little bit longer, maybe an hour. That's when I heard trouble.

SNAP! CRACK!

"Reyson get down!" I called, whirling around to place a rock at our back. I drew my sword, widened my stance, and readied myself for anything.

SNAP! CRACK!

"I don't know where it's coming from." I muttered to myself.

"Cenna, let me help!" stated Reyson from behind me.

"No, just stay there."

"Cenna!" said several voices, aside from Reyson's.

I recognized the voices as members of Crimea's royal guard. I lowered my sword slightly as Astrid, Makalov, Danved and several other Crimean soldiers appeared. "What are you doing here, hawk?" demanded one of the soldiers.

"I'm here to speak to Queen Elincia. It is very urgent." I replied.

"Of course. Come this way." Astrid led Reyson and I in a slightly different direction than what we had been heading in before. We arrived at their base camp within minutes.

We were led to what I assumed was Elincia's tent. As we approached, Geoffrey, Lucia and Elincia appeared.

"Cenna, it's good to see you." Said Elincia. We hugged quickly. "But what brings you here?"

"Can we speak inside?" I asked.

"Of course." She led me back into her tent. "Now what do you need from me?"

"Ike and Tibarn sent us to ask why you are helping the Begnion army. They wish to understand the choices that have led to this action."

She sighed. "Cenna, Begnion is our mother country. If they need to pass through our country, then I cannot deny them."

"I know. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a different problem going on."

She smiled at me. "I appreciate your compassion for us, Cenna. But there isn't anything else that you can do for us. I'm going to try and reason with Begnion, but I do not expect them to agree with me. I hope that your army will be far away when this happens."

"They are on their way here. They want to support you and Crimea." I took a deep breath. "And so do I. I intend to stay by your side, to protect you from whatever tricks they might pull."

"Cenna, Queen Elincia has nothing to fear." Geoffrey spoke up. "The Royal Guard will be close, if need be."

"Elincia, I want to protect you."

"Cenna, I intend on going out there unarmed. As a laguz, you are constantly armed, and that won't help my plea."

"There is a way." I murmured.

Now Geoffrey stepped in. "Cenna you can't possibly be thinking-"

"There is a stone that, if it comes in contact with laguz flesh, will negate our ability to transform."

"Cenna, you didn't find such a stone, did you?" Reyson demanded.

"I've had one for awhile. I keep it in a pouch. I wore it before I met up with the Greil Mercenaries, that way I could be around beorc without feeling the need to transform." I pulled out a small leather pouch from my shirt. "If I wear this stone, I'll just be a beorc with wings. I can wear a cloak and be considered a handmaiden. No one would know the difference." I looked at Elincia. "Please, my Queen," I knelt, "please let me join you in your effort for peace."

"Cenna," Elincia knelt as well, to become on my eye-level, "I would be honored to have you join me."

~~~Part 11, fin~~~