She had a good point though. I certainly don't have the number of reviews I might've hoped for... but those of you who have reviewed, thanks. I'm happy for the reviews that I have received, especially since I've updated several other ancient fics of mine (ancient meaning that I hadn't done anything with 'em for about 2 years or so), and received only one or two reviews between the three updates. Ivanfanatic has since changed her Bio, which I am glad to say is now much better. Anyway, on with the story. And Ivanfanatic, if you read this, I would be honored if you reviewed this fic. Even if it is a 'rip-off'. lol
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"Damn, it's hot..." I muttered, sitting in the shade outside of a tent. Whose tent? Did it matter? It was a good placement to provide shade from the blazing hot sun overhead, and I wasn't the only one to have found it to be so useful. There was a black robed Shaman beside me, and we were both sitting on our packs. As usual, the shaman was stuck in a book, but it seemed even he was having trouble keeping his nose in the book in his hands. I looked over to him- yep. Black robes, black hood (though he isn't wearing it right now). Intense sunlight. One didn't have to be a genius or scholar to realize that he had to be extremely hot underneath the heavy robes.
"Canas... good luck. I'm going to see if I can get us something to drink, alright?" I informed my colleague, to which he simply nodded as I walked away. I could see the sweat bead on his brow- I somehow doubted that he would be feeling like talking at this time. Something about dehydration, I think I remembered reading a while ago. Or something like that. The camp had been set up not too long ago, and pretty much everyone was feeling the heat. Despite what Canas had been going on about, I certainly couldn't tell as to why the Nabata desert was supposed to be a paradise for all kinds of magic users.
Guy was suffering about as little as anyone else was, it seemed, as I saw him practicing just outside of camp. He was being watched by that silent mercenary... Rath, that's his name. I'd met him a little over a year ago, back when Serra, that pink haired woman from the bowels of hell (or this desert... damn, it was getting difficult to differentiate!), forced me into joining Lady Lyndis. At least that had been a learning experience, and this was becoming one as well.
"Erk! Oh Erk! Where are you, Erk?" came that shrill, high pitched voice that made me want to hide in the nearest tent. I shivered slowly and quickly looked around. Where was the voice coming from? The tents made all sorts of places for the person looking for me to be coming from. Damn! She was definitely heading towards me from the center of the camp... but from what direction? There were several tents nearby, but I was now too far away to hide beside Canas, and the two Sacaens were oblivous to anything but training or caring for their equipment right now.
"Damn. Not her, anyone but her!" I muttered to myself, and then gritted my teeth. When one wishes to hide quickly, one cannot afford to be picky, I thought. With that in mind, I headed for the nearest tent and opened the flap. "I apologize for the intrusion. Would it be too much to ask if I might stay here for a moment or two?" I asked as I barged into the tent, and then I froze in place. The tent flap behind me swung into place as I saw... a sight I never expected to see.
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The first place I could remember ever, and I certainly mean ever, saw a woman's body. A book in the library at Lord Pent's house in Reglay. He had told me that it would be an important thing to see, that knowing what to look for when it came to appearances. A person in a cloak could hide themselves from being identified, unless a person knew what to look for. Who knew that such a memory would come rushing back to me all of a sudden? I'd been stunned when I saw that girl's body the first time, the one that had been drawn (and badly, I must admit).
---
That picture superimposed upon the girl I saw now, and then faded away as I felt the heat in my cheeks pick up. As if I wasn't overheated before, I couldn't help myself now. The person before me was just as shocked as I was, obviously, as she stood there. Wha... What in the world? Why was she naked? Saint Elimine... it must've been fate. That, or the devil in pink was possibly in cahoots with that tactician to force me into embarassing situations. Then a voice came from behind, the flap opening and flooding the inside of the tent with sunlight. "Sister, I got some water..." came the voice, a soft voice that belonged to someone I thought I knew fairly well.
The look on the mostly nude woman's face before me was priceless. It was one of surprise, a bit of anger and even more of embarassment. I could see tears in her eyes, and now I felt myself get even hotter as a result of this. My throat was dry and I felt my rational thought begin to escape me. And then, my eyes slowly began to close as I felt gravity take over. The last thing I remember was hearing two thumps upon the ground, a soft shriek, and then darkness took over my sight.
A while later ---
"Oh..." I groaned slowly, and my sight began to return. Thought processes were, of course, slowed due to the heat of the desert air and the muddled condition of my mind at this point. Where am I? What had happened? The heat in the air quickly reminded me as to what had happened. "Oh, the heat..." I muttered, and slowly I moved to sit up. I felt a hand on each of my shoulders, which caused me to open my eyes quickly. "What the?"
"Settle, Erk. Sheesh, you certainly are much like my little sister." the voice said, and my eyes began to focus on... green hair. A gentle, somewhat pale face (slightly tanned at the moment) that held a look of concern in her eyes and a weak smile on her face. Then my face was aflame, or felt like it was, as the memory flooded back. I'd seen her, didn't I? She was fully clothed now, though. I looked to the ground beside me and then my eyes went wide- what in the hell? If my cheeks could become anymore heated and red at this point, they would certainly be, as I saw something that shocked me to the core.
It was little Florina! She'd been laid out beside me, for some reason. Then that came back as well. "Um... did she faint, Fiora?" I asked quietly, looking up to her sheepishly. The elder pegasus knight nodded, and then smiled again to me. I groaned softly and then shook my head, one hand rising up to my brow to clutch there, as if I had a headache.
"Yes, she certainly did, though I would think that I should have done such before she had done so. After all, she was not the one without being fully clothed..." she replied, a blush growing on her cheeks as she said this. I looked down and nodded slowly, having to agree with her assessment of the situation. Then I blinked- where was my cloak and shirt? It was still quite warm, but I was not quite as hot as I should have been, were I still wearing my clothes.
"Oh..." Fiora said, echoing my comment from a few moments ago. She must've seen that I realized that my shirt was off, of course, and I looked back up to her as I drew my knees up a bit. Wait... I had no need to hide myself. It wasn't like I was completely naked, after all. "My apologies, sir Erk. I thought it would be best to use the water that Florina had brought to cool you both down a bit. Well, what little was left after she had fainted dead away, anyway." she told me, and I nodded slowly. Logical, I considered.
"I see... Thank you... and, I apologize as well, Fiora." I began to say, to which I felt a pair of fingers upon my lips. My lips closed in this way, and I looked up to her eyes to see what she was doing. She was smiling softly, though still blushing as she shook her head. Ah. So, she didn't wish to speak of this unfortunate incident? Or did she not want to speak about it right now? It was difficult to tell what went on in the minds of the women in this camp, afterall.
"No worries, sir Erk. I heard Serra outside, and I thought that you would be going somewhere to try and hide. I was quite surprised when you barged in here, though. Not as surprised as Florina, it seems..." she said, trailing off as she grinned slightly. We both looked to her little sister, who seemed to be stirring now. She was pretty cute as she lay there beside me, I must admit. Her armor had been taken off- now, she looked every bit the pure and shy maiden that she certainly was.
"Shall I be going?" I asked now, quietly, to which Fiora nodded slowly. Where was my shirt and cloak, though? I could not go outside without them- unlike Bartre and Dorcas, my pale body would likely burn before tanning at all. I smiled softly before I looked away from the younger pegasus knight, casting my gaze about to try and locate my clothing. Fiora noticed my looking around and shook her head slowly before reaching beside her and tossing a folded up shirt and my cloak in my direction, both of which I caught and immediately slid on.
"Hurry now. I do not wish for Florina to be subjected to such a shock again, my friend." she said, and I blinked in surprise as I looked up to the older knight. She had just called me friend? I nodded to her once, slowly, before smiling in return to her. It was certainly nice to be thought of as a friend, I thought to myself, as my cloak slid into place and I latched it about my neck before walking towards the tent flap and looked back to her. "Do not worry... Serra is off with Sain at the moment, sir Erk." she told me, and I grinned a bit. Those two always did take a while when they were speaking with one another.
"Please, dame Fiora. Call me Erk. I am not an employer or lord, simply a mage attempting to better himself. I do not truly deserve any titles." I told her, and when I saw the nod, I brushed aside the tent flap easily enough and stepped outside of the tent. Once outside, I breathed deeply of the heated air and then coughed a little bit. Damn... if I were anywhere else, I'd be happy to be outside a tent for once. But no, Nabata truly took the pleasure of cold air and wrenched it away as if it had never even been imagined before in one's life.
---
It was truly a blessing after our meeting with the Archsage Athos. Somehow, he teleported everyone across the distance between Nabata and Pherae! It was a wonderful feeling, going from almost overwhelmingly hot to a nice, cool breeze and gentle weather in the matter of a single instant. The man had been studying magic of all types for about a thousand years, no less. It was only a small wonder that he knew a spell that could transport others across such a large distance. And now, for the first time in quite a while, no one in the troop would be sleeping in a tent.
No, for we were in Lord Eliwood's home, castle Pherae. Instead of tents, we all had rooms. Oh, there weren't enough for everyone, but with only two people to a room, it was certainly more spacious than a tent (and a much better surrounding than a desert, too!). But... where was I now? I looked about slowly. Hallway after hallway was filled with our people, but where was the library that Lord Eliwood had told me of the other day? Ever since my oafish attempt at being friend with him, he'd told me much of himself and his family, as well as his home. I didn't mind listening- I had told him that I would, after all.
Besides, learning about him allowed me to learn more things about nobility than I would have thought I would learn before now. Even with watching Lord Pent and Lady Louise (both of whom, I must admit, are not truly the best of examples when it came to lords and ladies), I never really learned much about how nobility must act. Lord Eliwood told me much of such things. During our conversations, Dame Fiora would come by every so often, usually glancing to Lord Eliwood as we conversed. I couldn't help but to think that she was, for some reason, interested in the young lord. I could tell that it would be an interesting, if not unusual, pairing for a lord to be with a mercenary from Ilia.
I shrugged and began walking down the hallway. I at least knew that this hallway led to the dining hall, and perhaps from there I might meet someone that could direct me to the library. We had only one day in this castle before Mark and the lords would be ordering us towards Bern, and so I intend to make the most of it by studying as much as I can. But then, as usually seems to happen... I was sidetracked as I heard Dame Fiora's voice from just beyond the hallway, and in the dining hall itself.
"Kent, what a coincidence. I was just looking for you..." I heard Fiora say. I set myself against the wall, relaxing a bit, as I listened in on the conversation. If anyone asked, I'd just tell them I was lost, I thought to myself, even as I continued to listen in on the two. So, she was with Kent? Out of all the men of Caelin's knights, I did like him the most. He was certainly dedicated to his duty, after all.
"Actually, it's about this army..." Kent said, and I could only wonder just what the man meant by his words. "Do you ever feel that some here lack proper moral grounding?" he asked her, and I shook my head slowly. Strange words for a knight of Caelin, I thought to myself. Though, he was rather right about it, now that I thought about several of the people who had joined us. Quite often, there'd been noises coming from a certain tent- the tactician probably knew more about the occupants than even I would care to know, but I knew that our tactician wasn't about to get involved. Lord Pent and Lady Louise did value their privacy, after all.
"Yes, the same thought has occurred to me." Fiora replied, to which I blinked and then looked up towards the ceiling. Strange... Very strange. "As a hired lance, I thought it not my place to speak, however." she said as well to the knight of Caelin. She was speaking somewhat slowly, as if considering his words. Or, perhaps, because she felt guilty for some reason?
"Camaraderie in the field is one thing..." I heard Kent's voice again, and I couldn't help but to stifle a chuckle before it got too out of hand. "But the men and women in the camp are altogether too... intimate..." he said, and I rolled my eyes. Obviously, the knight was not thinking long enough or hard enough on this issue. We all went by rules set by the tactician and the lords. Intimacy was allowed, if the people who shared it wished it, because any one of us could die at any time, from a mistake or simple bad luck.
Fiora's reply was slow in coming once more. "Indeed." she said, somewhat flatly. Perhaps Kent had accidentally hit a sore spot with the pegasus knight? It certainly sounded that way, but without seeing how she was reacting, there was very little chance for me to find out, simply by listening in. "Their minds are not focused on their duties..." she said, and I smiled slowly. Neither was hers, it seemed, and I stepped out from behind the corner I'd been hiding behind. Matthew would likely have been proud of me from my eavesdropping, I thought, and I opened my eyes as I continued into the dining hall, stopping just within to look about.
The conversation between the two died as I became known to the 'morally pure duo', and I looked over to them with a look of surprise on my face, as if I hadn't expected them to be there. "I apologize, sir Kent, dame Fiora." I said slowly, smiling to the two politely. Oh, did I interrupt something? I certainly did, and I knew it.
"It is quite alright, Erk. Is there anything that we can do for you?" Kent asked me politely enough. There was a hint of anger in his voice though- perhaps at being interrupted in the middle of a conversation? I couldn't blame him too much, and I looked to him and then to Fiora, who was watching me with a strange look in her eyes. I looked back to sir Kent and shook my head slowly. It was unlikely that they could help me find the library, but it never hurt to ask.
"Perhaps... would either of you happen to know the location of Castle Pherae's library? Lord Eliwood never did get around to the details as to where it is at exactly while we were talking." I asked the two, and both shook their heads slowly. I sighed- disappointed, yes, but not exactly surprised by their admissions of not knowing where the library was. I should have followed Canas earlier, I thought to myself, and then shrugged as I smiled to them both and bowed lowly. "My thanks anyway, my friends." I told them, and then headed down the hall towards another hallway. Towards the kitchen, perhaps? Well, perhaps I could find someone there who could direct me, I wondered, even as I heard their conversation continue.
"At least the younger members of this army are polite and focused on their duties, are they not?" I heard Kent say to Fiora, and I had to force myself not to laugh. Focused on our duties? I was focused on developing my magical powers, and since that included defeating the enemies we must face... Well, of course I would do it. Battling in an army was a wonderful way to gain experience, Lord Pent had told me.
"Yes, some do seem to be just that. Though, sometimes I do wonder." was the response given to that comment, and I grinned slowly. Well, at least Fiora seemed to harbor some misgivings about we 'younger' members of the army. Those who were around my age were often kept well-guarded, whether or not our tactician thought of it that way. We were never left alone... we were always 'chaperoned,' I believe the word is. I smiled as I walked on... perhaps something interesting would make itself known soon, or at least someone who knew where the library was might appear.
I heard a pair of voices a little further along the hallway- strange, they did sound familiar! I stopped as I came near a corner and peeked around to see who they were, and I couldn't help but to smile softly and blush as I saw Florina, Rebecca, and Ninian speaking quietly with one another. Rebecca and Flroina were giggling to themselves as Ninian blushed softly- the pale girl with light green hair was quite the beauty, even I knew, and from my conversations with Lord Eliwood, I had heard that they'd been talking with each other for quite a while now. Ninian never did get close with very many in the troop- a few of the girls, such as Lady Lyndis and Florina, Lord Eliwood, and I'd even seen her near that large man from Nabata... Hawkeye.
I smiled as I walked past the hallway now, and continued on my way. Or at least, that's what I thought I would do, until I heard a voice that made me stop. "Erk, don't go that way. You-know-who is down there." I heard from a gentle voice, and I blinked as I turned around and walked to the hallway that I'd passed. Florina had told me that, and her flushed face made it evident that it had taken quite a bit of strength to even say that to me quietly. I smiled to the young pegasus knight and bowed to her politely, her friends watching me. Rebecca looked about ready to laugh aloud and even Ninian seemed ready to giggle at least. Florina watched me for a second before looking away with downcast eyes.
"Thank you, dame Florina." I said to her. I should have guessed that the pink-haired devil would be in that direction- she was probably even waiting for me at the library, I thought to myself, and sighed softly. Florina picked up on that and giggled a little bit- shy though she was, at least she was being courteous and very thoughtful. Damn. What now should I do?
"Of course, Erk... I would not want you to, ah..." she began, and then her face turned red as she thought about something. I blushed as well and hurried back, the way I came, as I realized what she'd been about to say. Crazy girl, I thought to myself. Rebecca loved gossip! Why would she even say anything like that, to even pique the archer's interest? "Elimine, please, lend your strength to Florina and do not allow her to speak a word of what had happened in Nabata to anyone!" I said to myself as quick strides took me back towards the dining hall. I didn't need rumors flying about me within the troop. It was enough that Sain did most of the rumor making and was the butt of many jokes and rumors as well, after all. I didn't need that kind of attention, either.
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It was a few days later when I was called aside by Lord Eliwood during our march towards Bern. I was a bit surprised at the sudden summons- he'd been spending most of his time with Ninian or with Lord Hector, after all. I came up beside Lord Eliwood, wondering just what he had in mind to speak with me about. I watched our tactician walk away as I came up closer, and I groaned softly as I predicted the worst. Was it at all possible that I was about to be sent out as a messenger boy to someone like Bartre? I'd just as likely attempt to burn him on the spot than say more than hello or my name to him and grunt.
"Erk, thank you for coming over... our tactician has a small job for you." Lord Eliwood informed me, and I couldn't hide the sigh that had been building up for just this moment. Why was I able to see this coming? Lord Pent must have taught me fairly well... he and Lady Louise, that is. But then Lord Eliwood continued on, much to my surprise. "Here... give this to dame Fiora, if you will." he told me, and handed a small item to me. I took the item and looked to it- ah, spoils from one of our earlier battles, I recognized. An elysium whip, no less!
"To... dame Fiora? I suppose I can do that, if she would come down from the heights." I replied, a small smile on my face. So, our grand tactician had decided to provide her a mystical item to enhance her abilities, and grant her the title of Falcoknight? Who was I to deny that he was likely correct in doing so? She was certainly worthy of the title and the gift, I knew, as Eliwood sent me away with a small smile. Perhaps I should have been worried about that smile, I considered, though the thought remained in the back of my mind as I walked slower, staying near to the end of the line.
I heard that annoyingly piercing voice pass right by me as I remained out of her sight. To avoid Serra was a thing of divine intervention, after all, though to hear her voice was inevitable by any. I smiled as I watched Bartre follow up behind her, hitting his own skull with a somewhat large flat rock that he must have picked up somewhere... funny, I would likely take up the same sort of 'mental punishment' as he did, if I had lacked the wisdom to escape the sound of that shrieking woman's voice. It didn't take long until I was at the end of the line and among the somewhat slower members of our group- Wil, sir Kent, Canas, and our resident married couple.
Lord Pent and Lady Louise, I considered for a moment. I had long been in their care, learning the art of using anima magic and attempting to learn whatever else I possibly could. They were often out and about, but whenever they were at house Reglay they would dote on me so much... But now I knew that they had not doted upon me, but actually cared for my well-being. A fine line between the two, I realized, as I watched them walk a bit faster. Their 'son' was growing up, I thought, and I smiled softly as I fell behind even the rest of the group. Even Dorcas was now in front of me, the silent axe-fighter from Bern... well, originally. I'd heard a rumor that after joining with Lady Lyndis, he had moved to Pherae instead with his wife. What was her name? Oh yes, a plain woman but rather charming despite her injured leg. Natalie.
"Um..." I heard a voice from my left, and I looked over to see Florina, who was blushing softly as she brought her steed to land on the ground carefully. For once, it was a good landing, I saw, as she brought her pegasus into a slow walk beside me. "H... hi... er, um..." she stammered, and I smiled gently to her, my cheeks a little red as well as I shook my head. She never would get over her fear of men, would she? That would be rather a bad thing, in my opinion... Florina was certainly the kind of maiden that any reputable man would like to have as a wife.
I blinked as I thought of such a thing, and then looked ahead before replying to the young, innocent maiden of a knight. "Yes, dame Florina?" I asked her, looking to her slowly as I smiled a little. My cheeks still burned, but I did not mind at all. Truly, the man that she could open her heart to and discard all fear from would be a lucky man. I just hoped that her older sister did not view me in the same manner, for I would hope that I could speak to my comrades, man or woman, despite my fears as to what they might think about what I might say.
"Ah... no... noth-nothing, Erk." she replied, and then I watched her as she took off again. She seemed to speak to me... well, try to speak to me at least, more than she did with most of the other men in the company. Why was that, exactly? Did she like me more than some of the others? No... I had seen her listen to Wil on more than one occassion. I had even seen her speak with him in something almost actually somewhat like a conversation! Just what was the young pegasus knight attempting to tell me?
"Ah, sir Erk! Why did my sister just fly away with such haste from you, hm?" I heard Fiora ask as she came up close, a gust of wind causing my hood to fall from over my head, exposing purple tresses to the air as I looked up and to her. She landed on my right side now- opposite from where her sister had been, mind you. "I trust that you did not embarass her, for if you did, I shall have to deal with you." she said, and I could tell that she was teasing from the small grin that she gave me. I smiled amiably in return and nodded slightly at her words.
"Now, why would I ever do such a thing, dame Fiora? Surely you trust me more than you might trust Sain?" I asked her in return, in the same jovial tone that she had used with me. She giggled a little, a happy little sound that I did not truly think I would hear her ever make. "Besides, I was given something that belongs to you, milady." I told her now, sliding my left hand into my pocket as I watched her curiosity rise in her eyes and face. It was something to behold as she sidestepped her pegasus closer to me and I pulled out the magical item that I'd been told to give to her.
"Well now, what have we here?" she asked with a smile, watching as I offered the item to her with clasped fingers about it. But it was only a moment before I turned my hand about, palm upwards as my fingers slid from staying around the item, and her gasp of surprise... or appreciation, perhaps, was easily audible as she recognized its form. "A... an elysium whip?" she breathed out slowly, quietly, her pegasus coming to a stop as I did and I raised the item even further up to her so she wouldn't have to lean down so far to take it.
"It is yours, by right and by choice of our tactician, milady." I told her, and I smiled still as I stretched out... almost on my toes only, I realized. Still, she did not move. Surely, she did not think that the item was not hers or that she did not deserve it? I knew better, the troop knew better... Fiora had never been too good at accepting compliments, from what I had seen of her meeting with others (including Sain) who attempted to provide her with them. I was starting to get uncomfortable with this position after a moment, though...
"Ah... Fiora?" I asked her, watching her with concern as the others in the group continued to head on ahead of us. She finally snapped out of her reverie with a shake of her head, her braided dark green hair falling over her shoulder as she nodded and took the item from me, our fingers brushing against one another before she clasped it in her hand. We both blushed at the same time and then I looked away slowly, beginning to walk again.
"Erk?" I heard her call, before I could walk too far ahead. I turned slowly, looking back up to the girl who was standing there behind me, and smiled softly, cheeks still a little red as I nodded slightly. She smiled in return and slipped off of her pegasus before coming before men and giving me a hug. "Thank you, sir Erk." she said softly, as I felt myself pressed against her slender body, clad in armor and that I had actually seen without most anything on the other day. My cheeks became even more red as I returned the hug, and smiled again as my hands squeezed her back softly.
"You are welcome... Fiora." I replied, my hands leaving her back as I stepped away a little bit, from her embrace. I heard another little giggle erupt from her, and blinked in surprise as I saw her quickly lean before me and kiss my cheek. It was so sudden, that soft feeling of warmth from something other than a blush that I felt, that I stepped back after the merest instant and smiled softly, looking to the ground. "I think it is my turn to thank you, dame Fiora." I murmured, to which I was surprised as I felt her fingers upon my chin and was forced to look up and to her face, which was quite equally as red.
"Nay, Erk. Fiora only, to you." she whispered, and we both smiled as our flushed cheeks began to fade from their reddened color back to their normal colors. She hopped back up onto her pegasus, and then came up alongside me, arm extended to me. I grinned, and took her hand, giving the pegasus knight's hand a soft squeeze before climbing up behind her, and then we were in the air as we attempted to do something that we enjoyed- being close with one another.
Florina was soon beside us, and we smiled over to her. Her blushing face belied her innocence as she waved to us, and I waved back for the both of us.
Perhaps, this is how it should be, I considered.
---
Author's Note: I certainly hope everyone enjoys this... I probably shouldn't have watched Onegai Twins before and during the writing of this, though. hehe, funny stuff there. That was the last chapter- I thought it would be short, actually, but this turned out to be a decent length anyway! Anyway, please leave a review! And, Sara Jaye, I hope you enjoyed!