Recommended Song:
"Majinahanashi" by Hideyoshi
C-Support:
Ursula: Lord Hector?
Hector: …
Ursula: Lord Hector!
Hector: ...is that the wind? No, the wind is peaceful. That must be a bug.
Ursula: Excuse me? Lord Hector!
Hector: Sigh...what?
Ursula: The latest reports came in. I wanted to -
Hector: I've already seen them. You can return to your post. If you want to prove your worth in this army, you need to do better.
Ursula: ...this man is so infuriating!
B-Support:
Ursula: Hah! I'll squash you like a-
Hector: Look out!
Ursula: Ah!
Hector: Heeya!
Ursula: I'm fine, thank you for asking.
*Hector turns to leave*
Ursula: Wait!
*Hector pauses*
Ursula: I am using my strength to help you. I've turned against my allies. I am trying to prove my worth. Why can't you even look me in the eye?
Hector: Masters. You were a servant to them and nothing else.
Ursula: Given the way you treat me, is there any difference?
Hector: We don't kill children.
Ursula: …
Hector: You want a reason? I have a whole list of reasons, but let's start with the obvious one - you tried to kill children. Children. All because you and your masters wanted power.
Ursula: And the power you seek to gain is any different?
Hector: Yes, because we gain it to protect the ones we love and this world. When we finish our mission, we look forward to putting our weapons down. Do you?
Ursula: …
A-Support:
Ursula: Lord Hector.
Hector: …
Ursula: You claim that you are willing to put down your weapons at the end of this conflict, but what will you do when another one rises again?
Hector: If another conflict rises, I will deal with it. Until then, there will be other ways of solving conflicts.
Ursula: Such as?
Hector: Diplomacy and treaties.
Ursula: Ah, yes, diplomacy.
Hector: Do you have a problem with diplomacy?
Ursula: Diplomacy only works when neither side has the power to oppose the other. Then things become far more...forceful. Diplomacy, embargos, and even assassinations, all depend on power. It may not be the power of an army - indeed, the power of reputation may suffice - but it is power all the same. But you know that, don't you…?
Hector: …
Ursula: Lord Hector, you intrigue me. You help Lord Eliwood under the guise of loyalty, protect Lady Lyndis under the guise of friendship, and act as a brother to those...people...under the guise of humanity.
Hector: It's -
Ursula: It may even be true, yes? But no noble can stay noble with clean hands.
Hector: ...what are you insinuating?
Ursula: Let me be your knife.
Hector: !
Ursula: Let me prove my worth, not only in this army, but as an individual. To you and only you.
Hector: Very well...
Epilogue:
After the war, Ursula soon became Hector's sword. The Marquise of Ostia trusted her with more and more things, until he eventually entrusted Ursula with his heart. Ursula would change in time as well, growing to appreciate and even believe Hector and his friend's ideals, soon welcoming the life she and her love brought into this world.
Author's Notes:
The idea of Hector/Ursula spawned from the fact that Lilina has absolutely no magical mothers. I know magic doesn't have to be an inherited trait, but since it's treated as such in other games with multiple generations, I found it a little weird that it's not treated that way here. So, I gave him one (and while yes, it'd be easier to just create a paired ending for him and Serra, that's not nearly as much fun).
I have no idea how Ursula would survive, but I'd imagine Nino and Jaffar would have something to do with it. Maybe have Nino next to Jaffar as he kills her, and that would allow Nino to ask Jaffar to spare her life? Jaffar then senses Limestella, and puts Ursula in a state where she looks like she's dead, and some of her life-essence can be captured, but she's still alive? I'll go with that.
Hector and Ursula's dialogue is so much...crueler than I wanted it to be. It's not surprising, given how much Hector would hate the modern members of the Black Fang, but it still took me by surprise. Figuring out why the two would ever end up together was a problem I had to solve as I wrote this. The GBA-style constraints didn't help much either. Three conversations to lead to an ending where they may end up together isn't a lot, but at least I didn't have to have them fall in love during the conversations either. Just leave them open enough to believe that things could develop positively in the future.
I sort of like the idea that Ursula is aware of the darker sides of politics, something we know Hector is very cognizant of, but tries to ignore for the most part; Ursula's bringing it up is like hitting a sore-spot for Hector, but then that's also her best in.
I still think I like Selena better as a mother for Lilina, but this idea (and subsequent support) existed long before Selena and Hector's did.