Author Notes: Again, not much to say here this time around. A big thanks for those who took the time to review, and a friendly reminder - I'm mixing both classic and WotL terminology in my story; classes, names, and places are classic terms, while techniques are WotL (So Wizard, not Black Mage, and Fira, not Fire 2). Although the exception to that rule seems to be "Wish" ("Chant"? really? CHANT?). I hope there isn't too much confusion.

Thats all for now; enjoy (and review?)

Princess Olivia Atkascha gazed at the far off speck that she knew was Lionel Castle. Contained within the fortified city was the ancient Glabados Cathedral; by tomorrow afternoon Olivia would claim sanctuary within the holy ground, protection against her pursuers. Her journey was almost over.

"Almost over…" the girl whispered in the wind, her voice tainted with misery; throughout the danger, the battles, the tiring days, bland food, and dirt-stained clothes, the young woman had rather enjoyed it all. For the last few weeks, she felt like she was finally living her life, not sitting passively by; to the seventeen year old, this was the greatest freedom she could have imagined. Always locked up in a monastery or estate, her days slowly ticking away as she practiced her needlework or sat through dull lectures about etiquette, Olivia was often miserable. Happy for the first time since her childhood, a part of her didn't want this adventure to end. The princess sighed morosely; as she was bluntly reminded yesterday, she would never be as carefree again.

Olivia tore here eyes away from the blessed and cursed distant speck and moved them to where her guards and friends rested; they had taken shelter within an old, collapsed building, probably an abandoned church, to allow Ramza and Mustadio time to cover their tracks, and check for enemy activity in the area. Olivia herself was standing atop a small hill behind the ruins, her only company an old and sickly tree, against which she leaned. Idly running her fingers along the coarse bark, she watched the women below; Agrias was missing from the small group, patrolling the area no doubt, as the other three sat near each other, sharing a meager meal, talking quietly. Olivia allowed a small smile to spread on her face as she watched the three talk, smiles on their own faces; by the redness on Alicia's cheeks, they were most likely talking about boys.

The princess was good at reading people; she had spent most of her life quietly observing everyone around her, as it was a princess's duty to be seen but not heard. The countless days of sitting quietly in the background, listening and watching diplomats, nobles, and soldiers had honed this talent, so it was second nature to the woman to observe her friends as well. Many people saw her silence and passiveness as a girl with a slow mind, but it was quite the opposite; Olivia's mind was quite quick, not overly book smart, as she detested studying, and very wise. Even in the few days she had known Mustadio, she was able to read him like a book; the only one who still remained closed to her was Ramza.

The man was something of an enigma; Olivia had the distinct feeling that she had met Ramza sometime in the past, but couldn't remember when. His emotions were open and closed at the same time, a feat that was confusing in itself; he drew people close to him but didn't let them get too close. He could sense when someone was hurt or in danger, but was oblivious to Agrias's attention; Then again, Olivia pondered, I'm probably the only one who sees Agrias's dilemma. I don't think she is fully aware of it yet, or perhaps she's ignoring the attraction. The holy knight was not the only one pining for the squire, much to Olivia's amusement; Alicia had formed a crush on the man and even Belle showed signs of interest, the chemist's eyes and hands lingering longer then required on the squire.

Olivia shook her head, clearing her mind; now was not the time to analyze Ramza's love life, although the topic had slightly lessened the depressed mood the princess had. Still, Olivia could not shake the morose feelings, as she turned her gaze away from her friends and to the tree, watching her fingers move from the bark to branch, idly plucking a leaf from the tree, turning it in her hands.

"Princess Olivia?"

Olivia turned, blood rushing to her face, at the sound of Agrias's voice; the young woman was so deep in thought she hadn't heard the holy knight approach her. Olivia dropped the leaf without a second glance, looking into the concerned face of Agrias, and gave the older woman a weak smile, "How was your patrol?"

Agrias frowned slightly, noticing the lack of enthusiasm in Olivia's words, "I didn't find any signs of danger, so good, I suppose." There was a moment of silence as Olivia nodded and turned her gaze back to the tree, "Everything ok?"

Olivia stilled her hand, her back turned to the holy knight, and gave a non-committal shrug, "I guess." The princess heard the clanking of metal as Agrias moved closer and the holy knight's hand dropping on her shoulder. Olivia hesitated a moment, then continued, "Worried, I guess; and a little scared."

Agrias gently turned Olivia around to face her, asking softly, "Scared?"

Olivia nodded, moving her arms to hug herself, and seeking comfort within Agrias's eyes, "A little; I wonder if Cardinal Draclau will really help us. What if he…"

Agrias hushed the princess, "Don't worry about that; the Cardinal is very loyal to the royal family. He refuses to take sides in the dispute between Prince Larg and Prince Goltana, as it would go against his own beliefs; there is no way he would turn you over to either one of them." Agrias smiled rubbing Olivia's arms, "He will help you, and you'll be safe."

Olivia nodded, "I hope so…" after hesitating a moment, she slipped into Agrias's arms, finding support within them, and whispered after a minute, "I wish I weren't a princess…"

Agrias shifted, gently rubbing Olivia's back, "Olivia…"

The princess spoke into Agrias's shoulder, "It's just… even with all that's happened, I've had fun these past few weeks." She paused for a moment, before murmuring, "Before this, I was always surrounded by walls, only able to see the sky through them." Olivia moved slightly, so she was more comfortable leaning on Agrias, "But now, with Lionel in sight, it feels like the walls are springing up around me again." Olivia quieted a moment, and whispered, "Also… it feels like my legs have chains on them, the responsibility of being a Princess. Like Mustadio said, people are dying because I'm the princess. It's so painful…"

Olivia heard Mustadio's words ring in her head yet again; it all happened two days ago, a few hours before noon, when they were attacked at a landmark known as Barius Hill. There weren't a lot of enemies, only six, but two of them were powerful casters known as summoners. These magic users had all the benefits of wizards while removing one major penalty; with their magic, they could summon powerful elemental monsters to damage a large number of enemy troops, while causing no harm to allies. Thankfully summoners could only conjure these beings into existence for a moment, but a moment was all that was needed for the creature to unleash its havoc. The two knights and archers that accompanied the summoners were of little threat in comparison.

From the beginning of the battle Agrias's troops were at a disadvantage; the casters were split apart, one on each side of the hill, while the other four held the high ground. Mustadio, with his gun's amazing range and accuracy, was able to handle one of the summoners, but the second was out of everyone else's reach. Olivia, atop Boco, and told to stay out of the fight, ignored Agrias, knowing she could help, and spurned the chocobo forward to the second summoner; Olivia knew the bird could get there quickly, and he was a fierce fighter, but he needed guidance to navigate the dangerous terrain. Ignoring the shouts from her friends, the clatter of metal, the crack of gunpowder, and the nagging within her own head telling her this was a stupid idea, Olivia ran the summoner down before she was able to finish her spell, Boco tearing into the woman with his sharp beak.

The rest of the battle was hazy for the princess; for the longest time, she just stared at the torn summoner's body. Agrias later told Olivia about the short scuffle; Mustadio had crippled, and then killed the second summoner, but not before she was able to summon an Ifrit, a demon of fire. Only the mechanic was harmed by the monster's attack, quite severely, but, thankfully, not critically. Ramza and Agrias had clashed with the knights, with Belle as backup, her potions at the ready, while Lavian and Alicia targeted the archers. As per Ramza's suggestion, Lavian was outfitted as a thief to refine her agility; Lavian had kept one archer busy while Alicia chanted. The tactic worked well, as Lavian nicked the archer's bow out of his hands, giving Alicia plenty of breathing room as she cast her fiery spell. The only problem was it had left the second archer free for a few moments, leaving him free to attack anyone within his range.

Olivia didn't even notice the projectile; she only heard a slight buzzing sound before an arrow seemed to have grown out of Boco's neck. The archer had missed the princess, who he was aiming for, and the wound on the chocobo was nothing more then a sting to the giant bird. The princess only looked blankly at the arrow, slightly confused; the odd part of her confusion was not why she was being attacked, but the complete lack of worry or even care that she was. Boco, sensing his passenger's shock, moved on his own, out of the range of the archer.

The archer didn't live to cast a second arrow at the princess.

Olivia had always heard of the time distortion one felt in the battlefield, it lasting for too long or the battle over too quickly, but, until this moment, she had not experienced it. To the princess, it honestly felt like hours before she was joined by Agrias, worry, fear, and anger written on her face, even though the fight had lasted a only a few violent minutes. Olivia was immediately engulfed by Agrias's worry, the holy knight poking and prodding her, asking questions out of concern one moment and switching to outbursts of anger the next. The princess felt very small in those few moments, Agrias's words becoming background noise as she stared past the woman, looking upon her friends and allies; only three had avoided bloodshed in the fight, those being Olivia, Belle, and Alicia, but Mustadio's wounds stood out as the most severe. He was surrounded by Lavian, Belle, and Alicia, although the wizard was there more for Lavian than the mechanist. Belle was binding the man's face, red from fire, applying some soothing cream upon the burns, and giving him a potion to dull the pain.

Concern for her valiant steed blossomed, and Olivia turned to check on Boco's condition; the chocobo, arrow removed by Ramza, was softly cooing to itself, glowing gold, as it performed its own innate magic, healing the small wound. Sitting next to the bird, also receiving some of the soothing spell, sat Ramza, arrow idly twirling in his hand, a bloody rag wrapped around his head from a wound he received from a shield bash. His face looked drained, but his eyes bright as he met Olivia's stare. For a few heartbeats they connected, briefly, and Olivia could see why her friend was so enamored by the man.

A small, tired smile grew on Ramza's face, as he told her, "Good job."

His words cut through the static around her, and drove away the fog; she had just been praised. Ramza's recognition was fiercely important to Olivia, not only because she was rarely appreciated for what she did, but Olivia wanted to be ennobled by Ramza. His applause seemed more important then others'; she watched as Ramza nodded and turned, walking over to Mustadio, the smile fleeing his face. It was then that Olivia knew why Ramza's praise was profound; he didn't say it because of who she was or because her ego needed a boost. Ramza thought she did the right thing, made a right choice, and did a good job. Olivia, feeling her fortitude returning, faced Agrias, whose words were reprimanding, and cut the holy knight off, "Enough, Agrias!"

Agrias, mid sentence, stared at Olivia, and tried to continue, "You don't seem to understand-"

"I said enough Agrias!" Olivia words were quiet, only heard by the holy knight, but sharp. Once the princess saw Agrias's mouth clamp shut, she continued, her voice softening, "I know your words come from your care of me, and I know my actions were… rash."

Agrias, who had tensed up when Olivia interrupted her, relaxed at the words, and reached a hand out gently, lightly grasping her arm, "I apologize, Olivia; my tone was inappropriate." Agrias glanced around, noticing they had a moment of privacy, "When you charged… it felt as if my heart stopped. I thought…"

Olivia grasped Agrias's hand, giving it a small pat, "I know, Agrias, I know. I knew that the summoner was capable of harming or even killing you. You always risk your life for me, so…" Her bravery almost faltered, but she shook off the doubt, remembering, "I wanted to help, and I did. Boco couldn't have gotten to the summoner alone and needed my guidance." Olivia's face tightened, and she told Agrias firmly, "I did the right thing."

Agrias stared at the princess, as she stood there determined and, Agrias realized, proud; the only thing the holy knight could do was nod. Olivia's actions possibly saved their lives, and she walked away unscathed, so there was little Agrias could say, besides, "Don't make a habit of it. My heart can't take it."

Olivia beamed, joyful that Agrias wasn't going to argue with her anymore; the princess wanted to speak further with the holy knight, to share this lingering feeling that she could not describe, something she felt since the summoner had died, but a different commotion came up.

Ramza had confronted Mustadio, after the mechanist was all patched up, still looking red and swollen, but much better then before; the mechanist had started to shuffle away when Ramza stood stoically in front of his path, and stated in a pointed voice, "They asked for you."

Mustadio, looking slightly jittery, shrugged, and tried to slip past the squire; Ramza would have none of Mustadio's dodging, and shifted with the mechanist, asking, "Why are they after you?"

The mechanist opened and closed his mouth, scrounging for words; after a second, he looked away from the squire, muttering, "…I can't tell you."

A frown grew on Ramza's face, as he stared at Mustadio, who was avoiding his gaze, "You can't tell us? It's one thing to be ambushed by knights, archers, and squires, but to send fully trained summoners after you? Because of this secret, you were almost killed!" Ramza's voice, quiet initially, was raised slightly, a hint of anger heard, "Because of this secret, the princess could have been killed!"

"It's not my fault the princess was reckless!" Mustadio interrupted, his voice angry, "Don't place blame of the princess's folly on me! She should know better!" the mechanist took a step back from Ramza, his hands held wide, not noticing Olivia and Agrias approaching, "She's a princess, a noble!" He snorted, "Does she think that none of her guard will die for her? It's the royalty's privilege to send troops to their deaths! With the conflict growing between Larg and Goltana, her existence is already responsible for countless deaths!"

Ramza growled, closing the distance between the two, and grasped Mustadio's shirt, almost looking like he would strike the mechanist, but stopped when he heard Olivia call out, for the second time, "Enough!"

The two men quieted, and Ramza backed off, both looking at Olivia. Her face was carefully controlled, even though she felt the sting of Mustadio's words. The mechanist stared back at the princess; his face was red, but he did not back down from his words. Olivia knew, in that moment, another part of her died; even though his words were crude, Mustadio spoke the truth. The growing conflict in Ivalice seemed to be centered on her, and it was a heavy burden to shoulder. Olivia turned her gaze to Ramza, who looked quite calm, his anger already gone; she rewarded the squire with a smile, as he had championed her a moment ago.

"Now it not the time to be squabbling amongst ourselves." Olivia stated, looking to all her friends, "As for you Mustadio," her eyes turned to him again, "We will continue to respect your secrecy, unless the danger gets too intense, as decided by Agrias." Olivia smiled as she saw Agrias nod to her in agreement, "I have agreed to assist you in your mission; do not let me regret that decision."

With the princess's words, the argument was ended, the group gathering their dropped supplies, as well as removing anything of use from the slain foes. Later that evening, the two men forgave and forgot, Mustadio going so far to apologize to Olivia for his unbefitting words, to which Olivia graciously accepted. Even with all the drama under the bridge, Mustadio still tread lightly around Olivia, seldom talking to her, so the air between them remained distant.

His words still haunted Olivia, as well as the death of the summoner, which turned the princess's light mood morose. The depressed mood had lightened with the sight of Lionel; at least there she would be free of the political mess she had been thrust into. Her mind returned to the present, and Olivia removed herself from Agrias's grasp, "Thank you Agrias. You always could make me feel better."

The holy knight nodded, giving the girl a smile, watching her walk back to the tree, plucking another leaf from its branch, "Olivia, stop blaming yourself for the actions of the princes. They are at fault, for trying to take advantage of you."

Olivia nodded, turning the leaf in her fingers, thinking, "My head knows that, Agrias, but my heart…" she paused, dropping the leaf, "I get used a lot, as a political pawn, being a princess. Few people look past the royalty and see the person; you…" Olivia turned her gaze to Agrias, a sad smile on her face, "and the girl who I befriended at the monastery…"

Agrias thought for a moment, recalling the time they had spent at Orbonne a few years back, "She was the daughter of the Beoulves, Lady Alma, right?"

Olivia smiled, "You remember! Yes, Alma Beoulve… my only friend within those cold walls…"

The privacy the two had was broken by Mustadio's voice, "Ramza! There you are. Find anything?"

Both women turned their heads to gaze down the hill, where the sound came from; sitting at the bottom of the hill, back facing them, but within hearing distance of the women's conversation, was Ramza. The two did not know how long he had been listening, and the squire, when he stood and brushed off his pants, turning to smile at the women, gave no indication of if he heard anything. He called to Mustadio, still looking uphill, "Nothing out of the ordinary."

Agrias, her breath catching as she stared into Ramza's eyes, forced her sight away, asking Mustadio, "What about yourself, Mustadio?"

The mechanic shrugged, turning his attention to her, "All clear. No signs of ambush and I covered our tracks. If we are being followed, they'll be stalled."

Agrias nodded, "Then we should head out."

Olivia shrugged, not really paying attention to the conversation; memories of Alma, and how they played, had resurfaced, and Olivia had plucked a leaf from the tree again, placing the green in her hands, blowing between her fingers, trying to play the makeshift flute. Unsuccessful, she huffed, muttering, "Why isn't this working?"

The leaf was deftly plucked from Olivia's fingers by Ramza, who had quietly walked up next to her, an odd look on his face. His gaze was thoughtful as he silently turned the leaf in his fingers, making a small crease, before correctly holding it, placing the frond next to his lips, blowing softly. A soft humming sound crept over the hill, surprisingly not shrill; smiling, he held out the modified leaf to Olivia, his eyes distant, remembering something, "You forgot to fold it, and you need to lessen your grip; if you hold it too tight, the leaf won't vibrate."

Olivia stared at the squire for a moment before accepting the reed, holding it like Ramza did, asking, "Like this?" After the squire nodded, Olivia placed the reed to her mouth, and shortly the soft humming was back, circling in the air. The young woman had closed her eyes as she played, enjoying the simple and soothing sound, feeling like a child again; a second voice joined hers, deeper, but in tune, the two sounds merging into one. For a brief moment, Olivia felt as if her friend Alma was there with her; she opened her eyes to see that Ramza was filling Alma's position, and again, she felt a strong sense that she knew the squire.

The music died off as the players ran out of breath; Olivia, her cheeks slightly red from excitement, turned to Agrias, exclaiming, "There! I did it!"

Agrias smiled at the young woman, happy that her depressing mood was lifting. She stepped aside, signaling it was time to leave the hill and get ready to depart. Olivia, smile stuck on her face, nodded, and started to descend, Ramza following, and Mustadio already gone. Once everyone had passed her, the holy knight started down, taking a few moments to reflect on what she saw; the tenderness Ramza had exhibited was poignant. Where he had learned the trick wasn't important, but it seemed to be a dear memory to him, and for Ramza to share it and show a brief glimpse of a kind of vulnerability seemed significant.

An odd surge of feeling rose up in Agrias, and for a brief moment, she had wished Ramza shared that connection with her; she wanted to deny that second of weakness, but could not. Watching Ramza's face soften as he played his reed flute had stirred the harder and harder to contain emotions within her. It was exciting and frightening, but mostly just confusing. She did like the man, that was no secret, and they had formed their own bond; they had the night watch together. Although she wouldn't admit it, not yet, Agrias enjoyed the time they spent at night, while the others slumbered, only each other and the stars for company. They didn't talk much, but not much was needed to be said; they usually spent the watch back to back, next to the fire if they had one, leaning on the other. The feeling of his back on hers felt right; it was conformable and warm.

Agrias did not monopolize Ramza's time, however; the squire spent his time with everyone, and they each had different ways to bond with the man. Mustadio was a fellow man, as silly as it sounds, and the two had quickly become like brothers; like all siblings, they fought sometimes, but their arguments, serious like a few days ago or foolish like this morning, when they bickered on the finer points of a common game referred simply as 'football', were soon forgotten. Lavian was a shield sister, a warrior sibling, and fellow prankster, but that's as far as their relationship went. The samurai in training often used Ramza as a walking library, learning of different techniques and talking of favored weaponry, but, unlike Alicia or Belle, and the holy knight, her eyes never followed the squire; a certain mechanist held her gaze.

Agrias paused her thought process as they reached the rest of her troops, Boco already saddled and ready to go; Lavian nodded to Agrias, motioning that she and the others were ready. The holy knight turned to assist Olivia up onto the chocobo, but had no need, as the princess hopped on without aid, face bright for the first time in days. Agrias quickly flicked her eyes to the two men, who nodded, and gave the gesture to move out. This time taking point, Lavian and Mustadio moved forward, followed by Belle and Olivia, atop Boco, then Ramza and Alicia, leaving the holy knight as rear guard. This suited Agrias fine, giving her more time to study Ramza, her mind picking up where it had left off, as she watched Alicia lean into Ramza, her face splashed by a hint of red, asking a question.

It was slightly ironic in how Agrias could see the obvious signs of a crush from Alicia when she so blatantly ignored her own feelings. The sixteen year old was inexperienced and naive, and under any other circumstance Agrias would be concerned for the girl, but her concerns would have been for naut. Ramza was not the type to take advantage of a young girl's emotions and inexperience; if Alicia ever gathered the courage to confess to the man, and if her feelings were rejected, Agrias was sure that Ramza would dance gently around the issue. No, Alicia's fascination with the squire was not the thing that bugged the holy knight; her eyes moved to Belle, walking aside Olivia, neither talking, but the chemist occasionally turning her head back, to flick her gaze behind her. Belle and Ramza had gotten close; even though it shouldn't, the sight of the two smiling and laughing, or just being next to one another was like a small itch she couldn't scratch. Belle's behavior confused the holy knight; after the horror story the chemist had told, Agrias doubted that Belle would even desire the companionship of a man.

Then again, Agrias pondered, staring at the chemist, noticing the distinctive way her hips moved, obviously meant for Ramza, who was walking behind her, I could be wrong. I've seen Lavian walk the same way when she's trying to entice company for the night. Agrias's cheeks redden, the sudden thought of herself prancing in front of Ramza, walking the way Belle did, rushed to her head. She shook the image from her mind; Belle's changed these past few weeks, the holy knight's gaze wondered to the squire, and Ramza's been the one who's helped her the most. It makes sense that... Agrias cut herself off, turning her gaze away from the group. She was starting to feel jealous again; she shouldn't, after all. Agrias held no claim to anyone, least of all Ramza.

Even if that's what you really want, a part of her whispered conspiratorially.

Agrias stopped short at her own thoughts, even physically stopping for a moment, trying to process the implications of what she just reasoned. She wanted to deny it, deny that thought, but was unable to; still, she did not accept it, either. Agrias was not ready, not ready to admit this feeling, so she retreated, using the excuse she relied on. Princess Olivia is in constant danger. I must be alert to protect her; it is my duty. Agrias ignored the fact that she had been daydreaming for the past hour, telling herself, I don't have the luxury to think of myself. I failed Olivia once before; I won't fail her again! The image of Olivia being carried off into the night due to the holy knight's incompetence flashed into her mind, and with that image she steeled her emotions.

"I have no time for this distraction," she whispered to herself, continuing her walk, reasoning with her gentler self, "Ramza is nothing more then my soldier, a subordinate, a sword and shield."

That's cruel. He's more then that to you. The incorporeal voice was sad in her mind.

"He can't be. Not now." Agrias spoke back, still quietly, not thinking, or caring, if someone heard her. "Not for a few days. In a few days, then I can…"

"Captain?" Alicia's voice cut off the holy knight's rambling; the young wizard had noticed Agrias's lagging, so, detaching herself from Ramza, she had waited for her commander. "What will you do in a few days?"

Agrias snapped out of her lethargy, staring at her friend, ignoring the blood rushing to her face. Alicia was looking at her expectantly, but Agrias was in no real mood to share, and had no excuse, so shrugged at Alicia, saying, "It is of no concern; what brings you to check up on me?"

Alicia quirked an eyebrow, taking a mental note of Agrias's reddened face, and shrugged, "Whatever you say, ma'am. Ramza had noticed you lagging behind, and wanted to make sure everything was all right." Alicia moved her turned her head to see if Ramza was watching them; he wasn't, so she leaned in closer to Agrias, saying, "I volunteered to walk back here; I wanted to ask you some questions."

Agrias looked at the young woman, who shuffled under the scrutiny, eyes looking everywhere but at the holy knight and ahead, where a squire walked, "Um… what about?"

Alicia blushed, finally looking to Agrias, "Well, um, I want have some questions about a guy," she stumbled, "I mean guys! General questions about men…"

Agrias sighed, suddenly not wanting to speak to the wizard, but knowing she was trapped. It was going to be a long and awkward hike.

---

Agrias looked upon the walls of Lionel Castle, sighing in relief; to her expectations, and slight embarrassment, her conversation with Alicia the day before certainly was awkward, making the tiring trip seem longer. The young woman wasn't completely naïve as Agrias feared, and the questions Alicia had asked were more along the lines of advice than know-how. Still, with Alicia, in her own, almost childish way, asking how to seduce 'a man', who was obviously Ramza, was slightly uncomfortable to the holy knight. Mostly because Agrias was no expert in the art of seduction, her past relationships usually set up by her comrades, friends, or, when she was younger and before her army days, her parents. Her parents' courters didn't last long, and never made any progress with the holy knight; it was during her cadet years and onward when she discovered the secrets shared between man and woman.

When Agrias had joined the army, she discovered that soldiers' mindsets were different then civilians; most men and women weren't looking for long time love, just companionship, someone to share an intimate moment with during the chaos that is training and war. Agrias was never as promiscuous as others in her battalion, and the number of lovers in her past could be counted one hand, with fingers to spare, so she was able to answer Alicia's blunt, but simple, questions dealing with the physical act. Oddly enough, these questions were the easiest for Agrias to answer; it was when Alicia pressed her for advice, advice Agrias could see herself using on the same person Alicia intended, that things got embarrassing and awkward. Their conversation lasted a few hours and ended abruptly when Lavian approached, smiling knowingly, inquiring why their faces were so red.

Lavian, Belle, and even Olivia teased the two mercilessly for the rest of the evening, much to their annoyance. The three were subtle in their approach to the torment, only touching on the topic, being Ramza, for which Agrias was thankful; heaven knows it would have been worse if Ramza knew what Lavian was talking about when she told him, "Beware a black dress."

Ramza, oblivious to the entire affair, blinked at the knight turned thief, and asked, quite intelligently, "Huh?" His confused and startled face caused a round of laughter from the women, even the heavily blushing Agrias and Alicia, with the squire sharing a shrug with Mustadio, who was also clueless. Thankfully by nightfall, the teasing had stopped; the last day of travel was calm and uneventful, the party reaching the gates of Lionel Castle about an hour past noon.

Lionel Castle was much more than its name; the sprawling city housed not only the castle itself, where Cardinal Draclau lived and ruled over the area, but also the Glabados Cathedral, built where, it is said, Saint Ajora himself prophesized the coming of Paradise. Besides the two landmarks, held safe within the walls were hundreds of thousands of people, living their lives as best they could in these dark times; the city was strictly regulated, the wealthy apart from the poor, the trade district separated into separate sections, each profession with its own guild and structure. Lionel had a standing army, loyal first to the church, and they had their own land within the city, troops patrolling the streets, keeping the wealthy safe.

As Lionel Castle was the largest of the four major cities in the Lionel territory, and the wealthiest due to its location, the northern gate was open, allowing the party easy access in. The half dozen guards standing within the gates didn't spare a second glance at the travelers, mostly due to the gate they used to enter the city. The northern gate was commonly referred to the Rats Entrance, as the poor were designated in the northern section of the city. Not wanting Olivia's face seen, Agrias had advised the princess to keep her hood up; Olivia gave no argument, hiding her features within her cloak. As Agrias passed the gates, a foul stench assaulted her nose; the poor quarter was not known for its cleanliness, so the stink of mud, sweat, and even fouler substances lingered in the air. The street was crowded, muddy, and reeked, encouraging the group to quicken their pace, making their way to the eastern section of the city, where the castle and Cathedral lay, both nestled within a second wall, safe from the poor.

As they walked past rundown buildings and shacks, every few street corners they would see a priest of Glabados, flanked by two to four church knights, preaching the word of Saint Ajora, keeping the love, and fear, of God fresh in the minds of the downtrodden. Agrias felt a little torn as she led Boco down the street, watching the priest preach; religion, the church of Glabados, was the foundation of her life, of who she was. She had been raised to praise God, and His prophet Ajora; since she was a little girl, she was taught the dogma and knew His words and commandments. She knew of a loving God; a God to be feared, of course, if one was full of sin. The priest evangelizing to the crowd was focusing more on the sin, and less of His love. Agrias fought down the urge to rush the priest and shake him to stop the depressing words from spouting out of his mouth; it would be better if he spoke the good God can do and the miracles Ajora had performed.

Agrias's urge died as the priest disappeared from sight, the party slowly making headway to the Gold Gate, entrance way to the merchant bazaar, located at the center of the city, a grand market where the merchant class and nobles mingled, browsing fine wares. The guards at the gate were much more observant, combing over the group with a keen eye, making sure they were not ruffians or, worse, peasants. After a brief nod, the group were allowed through, entering the busy marketplace; they did not linger, passing by the merchants and stalls without stop, almost at their destination.

In all, it took a little past a half hour to travel to the gates of the castle; no idle watchmen stood here, no open, inviting gates awaited them. Only the few, the privileged, were allowed within the inner walls, walls build wider and taller then the outer, keeping the hallowed Cathedral, and the men who lived and ruled within, safe from danger. The gate sealed shut, guards standing atop the walls or hidden within the tower, Agrias stopped her party within a dozen feet of the iron reinforced door, waiting,

The holy knight did not wait long until a voice called down, "Who are you? What is your business here?"

Agrias looked up at the knight who had called out to her, flicking back her hair and replying loudly, "I am Agrias Oaks of the Saint Konoe Knights." Agrias paused, letting the guards stew over her identity; the holy knight's job was no secret, but there was still a few exclamations of surprise from above when she finished, "I bring to the holy Cathedral Princess Olivia Atkascha, Heir Presumptive, to claim her right of Sanctuary."

Olivia, having a sense of theatrics, pulled back her hood, looking coolly to the guards above. There was a quick moment of muttering before the guard called back, his voice tinted with nervousness, "It is an honor to house the Lady Oaks and Princess Atkascha. Open the gate!"

There was a low, deep rumbling as the giant gates slowly opened inward, and, within a minute, there was enough room for the party to pass the gateway. On the other side waiting them stood four knights, three flanking the leader, identified with a golden insignia. The officer immediately approached the group, his visor raised and face shown, speaking with an apprehensive smile, "Your Highness," the knight swooped down in a bow, "It is an honor. I am Sergeant Deacon; if you please, follow me, I will bring you to General Thorburn."

Agrias looked at the man critically, asking, "We come for no general. The Princess needs to speak with Cardinal Draclau immediately."

The knight shifted uncomfortably, refusing to look at the princess, who was casting her gaze regally around the grounds, "My… I apologize Lady Oaks, but my orders were to bring Princess Atkascha and her guard to the General."

"I understand, Sergeant." Olivia voice called out, her words almost dismissive. She had instinctively assumed her royal role; no longer was she the mud-stained traveler Olivia. She was again Princess Olivia. "Bring us to your General."

Deacon sighed with relief, bowing once again, "At once Your Highness. Please, follow me." He called out to a squire, telling the boy, "Take care of the Princess's chocobo." The boy, eyes wide, nodded, and he shuffled over to the bird, waiting for the princess to dismount. Ramza assisted Olivia, gently setting her on the ground; the princess gave a smile of thanks, and turned to the sergeant, giving him a nod. Once Deacon saw the signal, he gave again a small bow and turned, walking past his subordinates, flicking his hands at them subtly. The three men broke off, orders received, and disappeared around or within buildings. All noticed them leave, but only Agrias and Ramza noticed the slight movement. The holy knight turned her head, gazing back at the squire, sharing a confused look. Ramza gave a slight shrug, but mouthed one word at the holy knight, "careful."

Agrias held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded, turning to see where Deacon was taking them. It was no place far or secret; past a few buildings held within the inner walls, all of the structures military in nature, and into a large complex, sitting within sight of the Cathedral. Within the compound, men were hustling about, all dressed sharply in uniform, rank clearly shown on their clothes. Deacon moved down a few hallways and stopped at a finely crafted door, knocking three times. From within the room, a muted, "Enter" called out. The Sergeant, face covered by a thin lair of sweat, and not from the heat, opened the door, allowing the group within.

Agrias entered the room slowly, and first, taking a cautious gaze around; it was large, able to hold ten times the number of people who crowded within. Sitting at the far wall, standing from a chair, was the general; he sharply walked over to the princess, kneeling, holding out his hand, saying, "Your Highness."

Olivia gently rested her hand onto his palm, gracing him with her touch; her hand only lingered for a moment, enough time to honor the tradition, before the knight stood stiffly, giving the group a chance to clearly see him. His clothing was cleanly cut and very tidy, not a crease present; he bore no weapons and only had a ceremonial breastplate, inlayed with silver and gold, weighing him down. Thorburn was heavily built, long years of fighting and war hardening his body, but only his mother would call him handsome. His face was heavily scarred from the pox, a disease from his childhood, and part of his left ear was gone, ripped out in a bar fight during his younger years. It was not his unpleasant face that caused Agrias to tense, but his eyes; they were beady eyes, irises so dark brown they seemed black, and they coldly glared at everyone in the room, devoid of any emotion. The general had no hint of a grin on his face, no hint of anything, and his body stayed taut; the holy knight knew this was a dangerous man.

"I understand you seek sanctuary here at the Glabados Cathedral, Your Highness?" Thorburn's words were crisp as he spoke, sharply turning to tromp back to his desk, lifting a scroll in his hands.

Olivia, along with Ramza and Agrias, although the two warriors did tense, showed no signs of intimidation, replying, "Yes, General, I seek the Cardinal at once. Why have I been lead, instead, to you?"

Thorburn turned his gaze from the parchment to the princess; Olivia had to suppress a shiver as his frosty gaze met hers, "I apologize, Your Highness, but Cardinal Draclau is currently… occupied. He is meditating, speaking out to Ajora, asking for His blessing and guidance. He will be in prayer until the morning, and he can not be interrupted."

Olivia slowly nodded, "I see…"

"As the Cardinal's advisor, I will see to your housing and comforts, until he is able to greet and speak with you," Thorburn continued abrasively, "Your presence is… unexpected, Your Highness. As we speak I have servants preparing up the Royal Wing. They should be done within a few minutes." There was a sudden knock on the door, causing a Belle and Alicia to turn their heads in surprise, not aware that the door had been closed, Deacon making his escape as soon as the princess had entered the general's room. Thorburn took no notice of the women's discomfort, saying, "Ah, just in time. Enter!"

The door opened, letting in another man, dressed in light body armor but carrying no weapons; he gave a sharp salute, saying in a slithery voice, "Lieutenant Ormond at your service, General."

Ormond was mostly what Thorburn was not; he was lightly built, probably nimble on his feet. His hair was black and long, running down to his mid back, and looked oily; while no scars tainted his features, his face wasn't handsome, or ugly. His eyes held the same intensity of the generals, but instead of being devoid of emotion, Ormond's stare carried hints of greed and desire. His gaze blatantly roamed over everyone, casually dismissing the two men, lingering the longest on the women, an unpleasant gleam in his eyes. When Belle felt the lieutenant's stare she shivered, taking a step behind Ramza, reaching out her hand to lightly grasp the squire's arm. Ramza, feeling her fear, moved to fully block her from the lieutenant's gaze, frowning at the man.

Thorburn, ignoring both Belle's and Ramza's reactions, spoke to his soldier, "At ease, Lieutenant. I need you to show Her Highness to the Royal Wing, along with her guard." His orders issued, Thorburn sat again, ruffling through some paperwork, effectively dismissing the entire room.

Ormond, whose gaze lingered past Ramza, to the woman who hid behind him, saluted again, "At once, Sir." He faced Olivia, bowing, his eyes resting on the floor in front of her, "You will be safe within your quarters in a matter of minutes, Your Highness. Please, follow me." With that, he straightened, resting his gaze for a moment upon Agrias. Under the man's momentary gaze, the holy knight knew why Belle had retreated from it; she somehow felt dirty as the lieutenant undressed her with his eyes. The connection did not last long, but not due to either of the two breaking it; Ramza suddenly moved forward, standing between the two, and started to approach Ormond, a small frown on his face. The lieutenant didn't want a confrontation, not when it wasn't on his terms, so he quickly turned, ignoring the squire, hastily leaving the room.

The party hesitated for a moment before they started to shuffle out of the door; Ormond waited for them in the hall, perhaps a dozen feet away, casually looking over his shoulder until everyone had left the office. Silently, with only a jerk of his head, he started off, walking down through the building. Agrias had the feeling that she was not the only one to dislike the man; it was Ramza's response to Ormond's actions that Agrias noticed primarily. Her eyes resting upon Ramza as they walked, the holy knight noticed that the squire's fist was tightly clenched, his body stiff, and, with Agrias walking to the side of him, she could see him glaring at Ormond, a hint of a fire in his eyes. Agrias felt a sudden rush as she realized the squire was restraining himself from decking the lewd man. She was sure if the coward hadn't retreated Ramza would be nursing a bruised fist at this moment, Ormond's nose probably broken. The thought brought a bubble of elation to the holy knight for some reason.

Thankfully Ormond made no effort to speak to his charges during the walk; the lieutenant led the small party out the barracks and to the massive, elaborate gates of the main castle. There was a slight delay at the gate, where Ormond showed the gatekeeper his orders, but in short time they were within the keep. Passing a plethora of maids and servants, with guards standing watch a score pace from the next, Ormond finally led them to a grand staircase in the eastern section of the castle. At the top of the stairs a dozen women stood, heads bowed, dressed in a simple uniform; one woman, in her later years, stepped forward as the group, lead by Ormond, settled at the top of the stairs. She gave an elegant curtsy, and in a no-nonsense tone addressed the lieutenant, "I will see to the Princess now, Lieutenant Ormond; the inner chambers are no place for an uncouth man."

Ormond's face soured as he stared at the older woman, "Matron Carmella. An… honor, as always." The matron straightened herself out at the man's words, staring back at the lieutenant, locked in a battle of wills, as the group watched in silence. The battle was short, with the matron victorious, Ormond lowering his gaze to the ground, a grimace on his face, and his voice irritated, "I was told by the General to see Her Highness to her quarters." His eyes flicked up for a second as he finished, "And, as you can see, Her Highness has two male guards. Are they denied entrance as well?"

A shadow of a grin spread on Carmella's face as she turned to casually glance at Ramza and Mustadio, both shifting embarrassingly under her scrutiny. Only a moment passed before the matron said, mockingly, "My dear boy, check your hearing; I said clearly that uncouth men are forbidden from the inner chambers." She turned to face the glowering man, her eyes gleaming with contempt, "And the only uncouth man I see stands before me."

There was a muffled growl from the lieutenant, his face ugly and red. Both Ramza and Mustadio, thinking Ormond would strike the grandmotherly woman, took a step forward, but their caution was unneeded. Suddenly, with a sharp salute and a quick turn, Ormond angrily stomped off, his boots ringing loudly down the hall, disappearing from sight. There was a heartbeat of silence, and then Carmella exhaled heavily, the maids giggling quietly. The matron turned to a very confused looking Ramza and Mustadio, saying warmly, "Aren't you two heroic, standing up for a little old lady like me self. Ormond is nothing to worry your handsome heads off for, though; he's all steam and no fire."

Turning from the blinking men, Carmella stepped forward and engulfed Olivia in a warm hug, "My dear, you must be exhausted from your travels." The matron took a step back, eying Olivia critically, "Your dress be in shambles, My Lady, and you look too thin. Let's get you out of those rags and put some food in your stomach." She turned her gaze to the rest of the women, "I dare say all of you need a new dress and meal." The matron ignored Agrias's blanch at the word 'dress', plowing on, "But first, after I get you all settled of course, comes a bath!"

Olivia, overwhelmed by the matron, could only squeak out an, "Um…"

Taking the princess's word for agreement, Carmella ushered the group past the door, as a mother chicken would herd her chicks, past the gateway; it was as if the group had entered a manor within the castle. The Royal Wing was enormous, containing a dozen chambers, including its own kitchen, dining room, and bathhouse. All but Agrias, Olivia, and Ramza gaped at the finery, hardly listening to the words Carmella spoke, the matron giving a run down of what the wing held. Passing by a private library and study with only a mention, and ignoring six other doors, Carmella moved the group into the common room, or entertainment room. Only the royal bedchambers outsized the common room, set along the eastern side of the castle, an elaborate glass window decorating the entire eastern wall. Gold inlayed glass doors opened to a balcony overlooking the pine covered mountains, rising along the eastern coast. The door to the bedchambers rested on the left wall, with three other doors on the right, two opening to a small, but luxurious, two-person room, and the other, furthest from the glass wall, in the corner of the room, the entrance to a collection of servant quarters.

Besides the common things one would see in an entertainment room, comfortable chairs and couches, small drink tables, desks with oil lanterns and other comforts, there were a few things that drew the group's attention. Mustadio spotted a chess table off in the far corner, easily recognizable by its checkered top, and Olivia gave a clap of delight at the various musical instruments resting in front of the glass wall. Exploration was put on hold as Carmella, summoning up her army of maids, issued out orders, and telling the group, "Princess Olivia's chambers are beyond that door there; you four," the matron pointed to Agrias, Alicia, Belle, and Lavian, "Two to each room. Come now, no dallying, drop your things off in your quarters and get dressed in the robes provided within. I'm having a bath drawn as we speak."

The four women, Olivia already drawn inside her chambers by three maids, hesitated, before Alicia grabbed Lavian, dragging the thief to one of the rooms. Belle gave Agrias a small smile, before going to the second door. Agrias hesitated, sharing a look with Ramza, who shrugged; Carmella cut off anything the holy knight might have said by speaking, "Shoo, lady knight, before the water gets cold."

Agrias nodded, led off by one of the maids, as Carmella turned to the men, taking a few relaxing breaths; Ramza took the moment to study the matron. She was getting on in her years, having seen more then fifty winters, but had the energy of someone decades younger. Her face was pleasant to look at, few wrinkles cracking her skin, and her hair was gray; she was probably a beauty in her early years. Thin and nimble, with a lion's spirit, Ramza could see why she was the matron; she ran her crew efficiently with an iron fist. Ramza immediately found the woman likable, and, with her fierce attitude and deft way she handled Ormond, he was sure everyone else would too.

"I was unaware old women drew the eyes of young lads these days," Carmella remarked, catching Ramza staring at her, drawing some giggles from the remaining maids.

Ramza, ignoring his reddening face, and a snort from Mustadio, didn't miss a beat, giving a deep bow, "My eyes only see a beautiful woman before me, m'lady."

"Hmmm, looks like this one has a quick wit about him." Carmella replied after a moment, a smile on her face, giving the maids time to finish their twittering. The matron turned her gaze to Mustadio, who was staring at the squire, eyebrow raised in amusement, "You can learn a thing from this one, lad." Carmella gave a warm laugh as Mustadio, startled by the sudden attention, stuttered, a blush rising to his own face.

Chortling subsiding, the matron continued, "I bet you boys be wondering where you'll be bunking down," she paused to look at the two, both hiking their packs and shifting, "done ye worry, Carmella has room for you all." The matron moved to the far door, opening it to expose a hallway, multiple doors lining the corridor. She walked to the first door, opening it, "This wing had not been used for many years, not since King Omdoria, God bless him, visited over a decade ago. Usually the guards stay within the barracks, but this be a unique occasion; your pretty lasses are bedding where the royal advisors would stay, and you lads will be placed within these servant quarters." Carmella moved aside, letting the room come into view; it was very small, but comfortable, consisting of only a down bed, its bedspread absent, a stout trunk to store belongings, and a small desk, complete with a backed wooden chair. The absence of activity was obvious, a small layer of dust covering the room.

"Your Princess arrived unannounced, so I had little time to prepare; only Her Highness's room and the two advisor rooms were cleaned and set in time." Carmella gave a smile, opening the door opposite the one open, revealing an identical room, "We womenfolk have much cleaning up to do, so I'll leave your rooms to you." The grin turned mischievous as two of her maids circled from behind her, one holding sheets and the other two sets of brooms, bins, bottles, and rags.

Mustadio gave a groan, accepting, reluctantly, the sheets, while Ramza gave a laugh, deftly plucking the cleaning items out of the second maid's arms. The matron patted both their shoulders, and left, followed by the maids, leaving the two men alone. Mustadio sighed again, saying, "Isn't it their job to do this?"

Ramza shrugged, "It was rude of us to come unannounced, and it's only a little cleaning; it won't kill you." He chuckled at the mechanic's elaborated groaning, Mustadio picking up the boom and bin, facing a dusty room, mimicked by the squire. They paused, each facing their chosen room, and looked back at one another; both shrugged, and clacking their brooms together, said, "To battle."