A/N: Well, the fourth chapter is quite the chapter, to say the lease. I had the most fun role playing this part. I guess Christina, playing Lyndis here, must've had a little fun playing her role, because she decided to bring in an element from her Escaflowne story which I've help writing! (Well, it's more of an Escaflowne/Fire Emblem crossover then anything...) For the reviews-

Van: Hey, man! Yes, I took your quote. Yes, Sain is on crack. Mental crack, that is.

Chris-chan: Hey, what do you know? The WhiteMagick sistas are together once more! Warning- watch out for flamers!

Wandering Cat: Yeah, I think the plot is based on his sickness... Oh, yeah. It's subtle, but Lyn was fishing to keep Sain out of her mind. Oh, and COME ON, PEOPLE! CONTINUE THOSE RATH/LYN FICS!

Koriku: OO What? You want to know about the monkey? Are you sure? Well, in short, it's slang for a male hood area. Pretty much sums it up. Yes, the thought of sitting in a river naked with Lyn nearby is a comical situation. However, with the fact that it would go a little too far would send Sain in a frenzy. And I don't think Lyn would go that far on "the first day", you know...

As usual, I don't own Fire Emblem. I've also got the aid of my Muse of Romance for this story, Saito-kun from Rockman.EXE fame.

"He must be getting delirious," she grimaced as she understood what he had spoken. "We should wait and see if he falls asleep."

Kent played with the rim of his left glove. "What if his fever stays the same?"

"If the fever doesn't break by morning, we'll have to dip him in the river," she answered, wrapping her arms around Sain.

Said knight could now barely distinct what was reality and imagination. He didn't catch what they mostly said, only the word delirious. "I-I'm not...I'm not delirious..." he muttered, burying his face deeper in his lap. This wasn't true! He was simply unwell, needing some care and rest. His mother was near; he could feel her presence.

"That's right, Sain," Lyndis cooed. "Now go to sleep."

A small mewl slithered from his lips. He then lay down, his head on her lap, his right arm on her thigh. This disturbed the compress she was giving him. "Yes, milady..." he mumbled. A small blush began to form on her face, however the smile on her face told Kent there was no need to stay there.

"I will simply leave you two alone, so you may help him," he said to her. As he turned around and walked to the other side of the camp, he started to have doubts. 'What if Sain doesn't get any better? It will delay our arrival to Caelin!' His subconscious, though, decided to pay a little visit to his mind. 'Sain will get better. Love can heal anything. Even the slightest of attention can get one feel energized and ready for combat. Never underestimate the power of commitment, Kento.'

Sain wasn't sure where he was. Was he in Caelin, or was he in the forest full of spirits? Wherever he was, he wasn't going to suffer without a fight. So he called out to someone. Someone that was important to him. A woman that could be never replaced no matter what. She loved him, and he loved her. "Mama..." he whispered.

However, Lyndis could fully hear him. "Mama?" she wondered. Then she remembers that Sain's mother, Alia, seemed about ten years younger than her true age. It would make sense that Sain would call her 'Mama' then 'Mother'. She tried an idea that came in mind. "Would you like me to sing a song, Sain?"

If Sain wasn't so confused, he would've burst out laughing, telling her he wasn't a lad anymore. Instead, he shook his head. He'd rather listen to a music box than letting the lady singing him a lullaby, thank you very much.

"Very well," Lyn managed to say as she tried not to laugh. Unawarely, Sain has made a face that even the coldest man would burst at.

She heard footsteps, one that became familiar after all these weeks. "How's Sainy feeling?" Marth questioned as she kneeled next to the duo.

Not knowing where to begin, the Sacean pondered. 'How am I going to explain this was all my fault? If I haven't cuddled him, perhaps this wouldn't be as grave. Better not telling her what happened over there. I hope the spirits doesn't tell her.' She took a deep breath, knowing it will greatly help her. "He's full of fatigue, so I guess that is why he's fevered. Kent and I must've asked too much of his endurance and Sain always begged Kent to keep the smaller part of the watches so that he may rest better. I'm sure that's why Sain was with Kent in the first place, to ensure that he wouldn't overdo it with his duty. Sain here must be stressed out and I'm sure that is not helping his mental state. He was asking for his mother, so I think he might be a little delirious, though he won't admit it."

"In short, he lost it?" Marth reasoned.

"Marth, that's not what I mean! What I do mean is that his fever has taken a hold on him. He can't think strait at all."

"Fine, fine!" the tactician rose her hands. "I got the message! But why does he wants his mother?"

"Mama... Where are you?" Sain surely had an effect on Lyn. She looked down to him, her eyes filled with empathic tears. But closing her eyes, she mustered all the strength to control herself.

'No! I must not cry now! Sain wouldn't like it to see me sad... I must stop thinking of him this way!' She then felt a mysterious impulse to treat him like a child. Somehow it was as if Alia was mentally asking that someone would look over her son. Almost like there was a connection between the two that no matter where Sain was, she could sense what was happening to him. Swallowing her pride, she opened her eyes, staring at the other girl. "Marth? Whatever you do, don't interfere, okay?" Bowing her head so she could see him, Lyn deepen her voice to give it an aged sound. "I'm here, Sain. Shush now. You have to get some rest."

Marth thought that for a moment someone had punched her in the lungs. 'There's no way she can do that! How does she expect to get away with this? Sain will find out its not his mother!' It wasn't her to doubt someone, she knew that, nevertheless she didn't understand how his fever had an effect on him. Medicine wasn't her forte, which was more of her weakness.

Sain now had lost it. He was on the thin line of sanity, hardly recognizing actuality from illusions. Calling out for his mother once more, his left hand reached for his chest, and as he found the location, he grasp an item hidden by his high neck shirt. Lyn touched the item, then searched under his collar to feel a thin, cold necklace. Yanking at it, she unveiled a medallion shape in a rectangle. It was green, with Sacean designs upon them. She had never seen this before. "What is this, Sain? Where did you get it?" she questioned.

"Lyn," Marth gripe, clearly fed up. "Why are you asking him that when he's gone in-'Sain'?" To emphasize her sarcasm, she gestured with her fingers when she mentioned Sain's name. The glower the princess gave to her made her sheepish. "Sorry for the pun, it's fun to joke around with his name."

"Well, just keep any puns to yourself and shut up," Lyndis grumbled. Oblivious to the conversation, Sain asked for his mother a third time. She reclaimed her role-play. "I'm here Sain. Where did this necklace come from?"

Never she had heard his voice this soft or pained. "You...gave it to me...remember?"

She traced his cheek with her fingertips. "Of course, I didn't recognize it right away." That wasn't a lie, for she remembered an object such as this back at her home. "I'm sorry for forgetting such. You have to rest, Sain, go to sleep now."

"Yes, Mama..." Suspiring, he let his body relax to the point it went limp. Only the sound of his breathing told her he was asleep.

Brushing strands of his hair away from his face, she reached down and kissed his brow. "Sleep well, knight of heaven," she whispered in his ear, ignorant to the fact that was the name his own mother would call him at the same situation.

Marth was toying with the medallion. "Check this thing out. It's a locket," she concluded. Indeed, Lyn could see the openings, and the catch. She opened it with a slight difficulty, revealing a painting. The tactician was the first to notice something. "Hey, that woman looks like a Sain version of you."

It was indeed. While the young lady was wearing an exact outfit as Lyn, her figure was different. She had gorgeous amber eyes that the artist made it shine the same carefree spirit of Sain's. Her chocolate-colored hair was cut short, under the earlobe approximately. She, too, wore a headband, of the same color as the one Sain was currently wearing. Yet it was how youthfully beautiful she was that struck the Sacean in shock. She seemed to be around her teens, but next to her was Lyn's mother, who was obviously expecting for said Lady. There was no telling she was way older than that.

"It must be his mother, Alia," the younger woman concluded.

"No, really?" Marth taunted. "There's her name in runic Lycian." She pointed the inscriptions on the locket door.

"I believe I have a similar painting at home. My mother told me once she did this," a gloved hand indicated the plainswoman's dress, "for an important friend of hers while she spend some leisure time away from home. Surely Sain would've met me once when we were children, because now that I think about it... He reminds me of a boy that came to visit my family, with his own. I don't recall much about him, I don't ever remember his name. However, he did have those same amber eyes Sain possesses."

Kent decided to come over once more. "Milady Lyndis, is he better?" His eyebrow cocked a few notches when he saw how Sain was resting, and of the wet fabric still in Lyn's hand.

The royalty shook herself out of her stupor. "Oh, my apologies, I was a bit surprised to see you there. Yes, he is a tad better. He just fell asleep finally."

A sigh from the redhead told her that his heart was calmed down. "Thank you, Saint Elimine..." His hand touched his chest. "Has everything gone well?"

"You can say that," Marth smirked. "Lyn pretended to be his mother. That is so a moment I'll die remembering it." She received a slap courtesy of Lyn's palm. "Ouch!"

"You've impersonated his mother?" Shaking his head, Kent sighed. He suddenly began to snicker. "Reminds me of a story I have read."

The princess glowered. "Kent, Marth, the two of you are incorrigible!"

She said the wrong thing. Not expecting anything but grumbles, she instead receives a horrible impersonation of the Green Knight from Kent. "It is the Sain in me, milady! It takes me over at certain moments!" he pleaded. Her eyes narrowed at his expression of mock innocence.

"Yeah, right. You should have more respect. He's sick right now and needs our help." She crossed her arms, head high.

Marth glared at Kent, the look of a troublemaker on her face. "Never thought I'll see the day Kent would be disrespectful," she pointed out.

He, however, knew exactly what to reply to her discovery. "Instincts, milady Marth. It is called instincts." He then turned to Lyn, back to his usual serious self. "Wouldn't it be better if he sleeps in the tent? You will need to eat. The fishes are almost done cooking." She gave him approval, and he picked his comrade up, slinging him over his shoulder, arms touching his back. "He lost weight..."

Sain decided then to slur awake. "Papa?" he wondered. Lyn and Marth glanced at each other.

"Uh-oh."

The tactician gritted her teeth. "This can't be good..." she muttered.

Lyn turned to the males. "Kent, just play along. He's delirious, and in his delicate condition we can't risk making him upset." The redhead swore under his breath. He didn't like this at all. It was enough Sain was ill. That he had lost all sense of reality was another thing. Something that had cost the life of Kent's father.

"Pa... pa..." Sain's head lost support from his consciousness. The Sacean's fist was shaking near her mouth.

"Kent, what are we going to do?" No answer came from the knight, yet she could tell he wasn't in a good mood. In fact, she feared what he was going to do next. His body was trembling, yet there was something on his face that seemed out of place. He was gritting his teeth, his eyes seemed redder, and his knuckles started to turn white.

"Well, perhaps IF YOU PUT THAT FLUXING RAG ON HIS FOREHEAD AGAIN, I MIGHT NOT LOSE MY PATIENCE LIKE NOW!"

The two girls could not close their mouth. Kent had never yelled like this, even to Sain. That the person was Lyndis was even more frightening. He seemed liked he was going to strike them down on the spot.

Lyn was the first to react. She walked closer, held the rag on Sain's forehead, then proceeded to smack Kent's jaw, hard. "We're all upset Kent, but that's no reason to snap at me. I'm worried about him just as much as you are."

Marth realized this was going a little too far for her taste. "Woah, woah. Don't put this into a fight because of such gainess¹," she said, using a slang of her hometown. The Lady turned to face her.

"Well maybe if Kent wouldn't be so expectant it wouldn't be a problem!" A growl escaped the knight's lips, ready to drop down his best friend and slap some sense in the both of them. Fortunately or not, Florina decided to butt in the conversation, after eavesdropping over it.

She jabbed a finger at Lyn. "Don't yell at him! Like you said, he's worried too!"

Marth knew this was going out of control when Lyn told Florina, "Don't you defend him! He's a knight, he can handle himself! So enough reactions to the pouty mini Kents revolving around your head!" The Pegasus Knight had tears in her eyes, but she simply huffed, turned around, and walked to the campfire. Too late did Lyn grasp what she had done. "Florina! Wait! I'm sorry!" No answer came. "Oh, great." She held her head with her free hand. "What's gonna happen now?"

'Perfect for a payback time! This is for Florina!' Marth crossed her arms, swayed her hips to the right, a smirk on her face. "Lyn, I think your brain is mainly made of happily jumping chibi Sains²," she noted.

"Actually, it's filled with ill chibi Sains being tended to by frustrated and frightened chibi mes," Lyn snapped at her. Marth simply did a double take.

"Oh." Her grin came back. "So when's the marriage?"

The girls couldn't tell where Kent's hairline started now. "MARTH!" he yelled.

The lady simply held her head high. "Not anytime soon, so don't order a flower-girl gown yet," she grumbled.

"Was that sarcasm I heard?"

The conscious knight turned to the tactician, with a glare that said, 'I hope so...'

Lyn huffed, eyes narrowed, a scowl on her face. "We haven't even discussed whether we're doing anything more than a friendly working relationship, so YES, it's sarcasm. Why even ask?"

The other female shrugged. "I dunno. It's just the way you act looks like you have feelings for him."

Kent had a moment to ponder on what Marth had said. "Are you implying something?"

"I'm implying nothing!" Rolling her eyes, Lyndis let go of her hold on Sain's forehead. "Let's just put Sain in the tent."

Marth had her hands in front of her. "Lyn, wouldn't it be safer if your cloth still be on his forehead? We don't want Kent to go ballistic again, right?"

The red-clad Cavalier bit his lip. "I will not lose control of my emotions again. I promise."

Bringing him to the tent, Kent laid Sain down onto a stretcher-like portable bed. The white pillow sagged beneath the weight of the young man's head, and his hair fell, due to gravity, around his face and on the cushion. His face was getting paler by the minute, yet it seemed to not look like death. The redhead took a step behind him, biting his lower lip.

"Could you please ensure his heart isn't too fast?" He played with the rim of his right glove this time. "I'm feeling a tad worried..." He slightly bowed and left, his body trembling due to the effects on seeing his best friend this ill. Lyn placed the rag on Sain's brow, then checked under his jaw to see if his pulse was indeed faster.

"His pulse seems to be normal."

Marth stared at the door flap, eyes wide. "What's Kent's problem?" she wondered out loud as she indicated the exterior with her hand. "It's like he's scared to touch Sain, except for carrying him around. As if Sain was quarantined or something." Sighing, she turned around and shuffled to the two. "What do you think, Lyn?"

"I think he believes taking care of the sick is a woman's job." The Sacean pondered for a while. "Either that or he has more faith in my abilities."

Marth may not be a fast talker, but she could start speaking like lightning. "I'd say both."

"...Yugi..."

The brunette still standing gaped at the other one, lying down. "WHAT THE GAI?"

M/N: Cliffhanger on this chapter once more? Hey, it gets everyone waiting for more, right? Plus, it gives a reason for the WhiteMagick members to continue RP! (Is that a threat, Saito-kun?) Well, please review, and thank you for reading this!

¹Have you been to Smartania? If you haven't, well, gai is one of their slang. I thought it would make sense that Marth would talk like that, since after all, she IS from an advance civilization...

²Me and my friend Coz (a.k.a. Eddy-kun) were chatting when I keep on talking about Sain when he said that. I laughed so hard at that I just had to use it in my fic.