Fire Emblem:

"Sain's Guide to Dating"

&&&

Part Five: The Chain Mail Letter

The flap to the healer's tent opened, and Kent exited the place, hobbling along awkwardly because of his injured ankle. Serra had just judged (by her own professional opinion, she added smugly) that the cavelier was now well enough to be discharged from the infirmary... The knight moved forward gingerly, aided by a crutch.

Kent was just about to head for his own tent very slowly, when Guy passed by, and stopped to talk to him.

"Hi Kent!" greeted the Sacean swordsman, cheerfully. "Say, how's the foot doing?"

"Oh, it's fine," replied Kent, in a resigned tone. "Nothing that a day's rest wouldn't cure..."

"I'm glad to hear that..." Guy then gave him a thoughtful look.

"You know, I heard how you got your injury, Kent..." he started to say.

At this, the knight flushed. "Oh... You did, did you...?"

"Yeah! The whole camp's talking about it!" said the myrmidon enthusiastically.

As Kent kept stonily silent at those words, Guy continued to speak, regardless.

"Yeah, that friend of yours... Sain, is it? He's been telling everyone about how all those girls in the camp came to visit you in the infirmary..."

Kent ground his teeth at this. "Sain..." he growled.

"...And that it was him who made you into such a playboy," concluded Guy. He nudged the knight knowingly. "Boy, that scroll he wrote really must've worked for you, huh?"

Kent's jaw dropped. "But he didn't... But all that was because..." The knight trailed off. "Oh, never mind..." he sighed, exasperated. Then, something else occurred to the knight.

"Um... None of the female soldiers overheard him telling you this, perchance?" Kent asked Guy, tentatively.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed the myrmidon. "I think he was very careful to make sure only the men were listening."

Kent glanced upwards, gratefully. "Thank the heavens..."

Guy then shifted his feet uneasily. "So, uh... Since you seem to be able to deal with women, now... Do you mind if I have the scroll?"

"Um... I don't know..." began Kent hesitantly... He was thinking of all the trouble the document had caused him.

"C'mon, you obviously don't need it anymore..." urged Guy.

The knight sighed. "Oh, very well..." he said reluctantly. Kent pulled the the now rather crumpled piece of parchment out of his breastplate, and handed it to Guy.

"But I must warn you, it's a lot more trouble than it's worth..." the cavelier told him.

"All right! Thanks a lot, Kent!" said Guy, gratefully. The swordsman then began to smooth out the rumpled parchment, in order to read it.

&&&

Chapter 4: Wine, Women and Song

By now, you should've already won over a lady friend (with the help of my knightly wit and charm, of course). Yet not all women will readily accept an immediate visitation to one's tent, after battle... (It doesn't hurt to try, though...)

Inns are the perfect place to entertain a lady. There, you may wine and dine her to your heart's content... And with any luck, you may later retire upstairs for... Other entertainments...

And should you be unfortunate enough not to win the hand of a fair damsel thus far, the inn houses many comely serving girls, with whom you may also try your hand at winning over (and may be more amenable to... Suggestion, shall we say....?)

&&&

Just then, Kent tactfully placed a hand over the document.

"Uh... Perhaps you shouldn't read this out in public, Guy..." advised the cavelier cautiously.

Guy gave him a knowing wink. "Sure... I got ya! Want to keep it a secret between men, right?"

"You... Might say that," replied the knight, slowly.

After bidding the swordsman farewell, Kent limped off towards his tent, trying to hide a smile.

Meanwhile, Guy clutched the scroll protectively in his hands, and then glanced around the crowded army encampment.

"Now... Where in the world can I read this without anyone watching...?" murmured the myrmidon to himself.

&&&

TO BE CONCLUDED...

&&&&&

Notes: Only the Epilogue left to add, I'm afraid... I know I may be ending the story a bit abruptly, but... Oh, well. (Although, I've come up with a title for a possible sequel: "Sain's Guide to Dating 2: A Guy, Some Girls and a Piece of Parchment"...)

Oh, and before I forget again... To aomega6, about Part 3: Wil's question about knighthood is a reference to Lyn/Wil's A level Support; Lyn mentions that Kent told her of Wil's drive to become a knight of Caelin (Did that last sentence make sense...?).