Crossroads of the Heart

Author's Note:

Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.


Chapter 17: Trust

"Farina! Where are you going?" Florina caught her sister's arm; speaking in excited tones. "Haven't you heard? Fiora and Lyn and the others –"

"I heard!" Farina snapped, shaking her arm free. "That's all anyone's talking about, isn't it?"

"Well, aren't you going to come with me to the gate…?" Florina looked slightly hurt at this outburst, and Farina sighed inwardly.

"Look, I'll meet you there, all right? I'm sure Fiora would rather see you anyway."

"That's not…"

"Go on!" Farina shooed her away impatiently. She hated to treat Florina this way, but the fact of the matter was she was out of time – certainly, she didn't have enough to waste here, like this. Lady Lyn and the others were back, and if she intended for her plans to work…

"…But…"

"I'll be there, okay? I just have to take care of one little tiny thing, it'll hardly take any time at all…"

"Well, all right…" Florina gave in dubiously, her subdued manner brightening considerably as she thought on seeing Fiora and Lyn again. "Don't be long…"

"I won't," Farina promised, watching her sister turn to go. Why did the girl look so happy to hear they were back? Didn't she know what that meant? She shook her head, stalking off in the opposite direction. She hadn't been completely truthful… she had no idea how long this would take. As long as needed, she decided, casting one last glance behind her.

Florina moved hurriedly toward the gate, excitement welling within her despite herself. It hadn't been that long since she'd seen Fiora and Lyn, sure, but… it had been so stressful here the past few weeks, without them. Ninian had helped a little, but trying to keep Farina out of trouble without Fiora around… well. At least it was over now. With Lyn back, there wasn't anything she could do anymore, was there? Of course not.

A small crowd had formed at the gate; Florina could see Serra scolding a very chagrined looking Matthew about something or other already, Oswin and a few other knights scattered about nearby them. Fiora wasn't hard to spot; her Pegasus stood out rather starkly, after all. She led the animal by the reigns further into the courtyard, a tired but otherwise cheerful look on her face. Kent, Sain and Lyn were visible a little further away; as Florina watched, she spoke something to the two of them, and they left her side in opposite directions… Kent headed for Fiora, and Sain made his way toward Serra, a roguish smile appearing on his face as he went.

Florina hung back shyly for a few moments, not wanting to interrupt Kent and Fiora. She started walking slowly toward where Lyn now stood alone, stretching wearily as she watched, clearly tired from their travels. She'd hardly gone four steps when she heard the doors open again behind her; she turned to see who it was, moving aside in a hurry. She half expected to see Lord Hector – wouldn't he be in a hurry to see Lyn again? Come to think of it, it was odd that he wasn't here already, wasn't it? She put the thought from her mind as Eliwood and Ninian emerged and walked past, the latter murmuring something to the former and leaving his side briefly to approach her.

"Florina…" Ninian whispered quietly, looking slightly distressed about something. Eliwood glanced at them oddly, but said nothing, continuing to greet Lyn on his own.

"Is something wrong?" Florina took notice of her worried expression, a sudden sick feeling worming its way into her stomach. "What is it?"

"Eliwood and I… he was speaking with Hector, he was fretting about something or other, and…" Ninian cast a glance behind her. "Did Farina say anything to you? She was waiting outside when we came out, and…"

"Farina is in there with Hector?" Florina interrupted for clarification, that sick feeling increasing in intensity. She should have expected something like this, but how could she have… she'd expected Hector to be out here already!

"He was in a hurry to be off, of course, but she seemed… rather… insistent…" Ninian explained.

"She can't possibly be trying anything stupid now, can she?" Florina insisted, looking from the door to the castle before them and where Lyn stood near the gate, engaged in conversation with Eliwood at the moment. "It's too late, Lyn's already…"

"That's what I thought…" Ninian nodded. "But…"

Florina thought quickly; her first instinct was to head back inside and fetch her sister herself, but… if she was with Lord Hector… she wasn't sure if she could approach them by herself, or even with Ninian. She looked from Fiora to Lyn, taking a deep breath.

"I'll tell Fiora," Florina decided, a determined look on her face. "If anyone can handle Farina it's probably her…"

"Actually, I think we'd better get Lyn inside, first…" Ninian suggested, heading toward where her fiancée and the Sacaen princess were standing. "Don't you think?"

Florina followed her, anxiety showing plainly on her face. They walked right past Fiora on their way to Lyn, but the woman had her back turned to them, so caught up in her conversation with Kent that she didn't even notice them walk past. Lyn, on the other hand, saw them coming, smiling broadly as they approached.

"Florina!" Lyn exclaimed in greeting, her previous weariness forgotten. "How have you—"

"I'm just fine, Lyn, but…" Florina started in her customarily quiet voice.

"Of course… have they been treating you well here? You haven't had any problems, have you?" Lyn embraced her in a quick hug, and Florina blushed lightly, returning the gesture.

"Umm… yes. And… no, no problems… but, Lyn…"

"I have missed you, Florina… I have so much to tell you! After you left us in Sacae…"

"I can't wait to hear, Lyn, but please!" Florina interrupted, speaking in a voice that, though not exactly loud, was far enough removed from her natural tone to get her best friend's attention, finally. "Inside, um… you… you should go in and speak with Lord Hector right away!"

"…Hector…" Lyn made a face that was not readily readable, a mixture of varied emotions. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Hector is probably still inside," Eliwood offered, a thoughtful look on his face. "He would have been here already, but…"

"Please…" Florina interrupted him quickly, as she was fairly certain what he would mention next. "Just go…"

"…I don't understand, but if it will get that worried look off your face," Lyn eyed Florina with a curious expression, crossing her arms.

"She's right, actually," Eliwood was grinning rather broadly now, and Lyn's suspicious look deepened at the sight.

She said nothing, though she did raise an inquisitive eyebrow before striding purposefully for the castle. Though she gave no outward sign, internally she was a mess of emotions; what on earth was it they were so eager for her to speak with Hector about? And why wasn't that man out here, anyway? She took a deep breath as she disappeared into the stone structure before her… she'd been looking forward to seeing him again, but… she had also been dreading it, in equal amounts.

What could she say? What would he say? It was the latter she worried about most...

Florina watched her go, her anxiety refusing to dissipate despite knowing she'd done all she could at this point.

"I'm sure that's enough," Ninian spoke softly, as though reading her thoughts. Florina nodded at her, though she hardly looked convinced.

"Enough for what?" Eliwood inquired beside them curiously. "You two… you look so worried. Has something happened…?"

"N-no…" Florina backed away slowly, shaking her head as though to lend validation to her whispered words.

"It's nothing," Ninian assured him in a slightly more confident voice, smiling up at him reassuringly. "What do you think Lyn will say…?"

"Lyn and Hector…" Eliwood chuckled, taking Ninian lightly by the arm. "You know… back when we were traveling together, I could never tell if they were even friends…"

"I remember you saying that, once…" Ninian giggled, remembering that day quite clearly.

"Yes… you made fun of me for sounding like their chaperone, as I remember," Eliwood shook his head. "I guess it's hard for me to imagine… although, the way Hector's been agonizing over things, I hope she accepts… for his sake."

"Mm…" they both turned toward the castle, both wondering what was going on inside… both for very different reasons.

Florina left them as unassumingly as possible, leaving them to their conversation in peace. This time, Fiora did notice her, turning away from Kent to greet her with a tired, yet no less sincere smile.

"Fiora…" Florina glanced at Kent apologetically, though he hardly seemed to mind the interruption, a pleasant smile on his face as well. "I don't mean to interrupt, so…"

"Nonsense," Fiora quipped matter of factly, studying her younger sister with a critical eye. "You've been well, yes? Look at you, you look thinner – have you been eating well? You can't be sick… or are you?" Fiora placed a hand on her forehead, her happy expression transforming before her eyes to one of worry.

"I'm not sick, I'm just fine, really!" Florina insisted, groaning inwardly at her sister's ministrations.

"…Hm. If you say so… what was all that about…?" Fiora inquired, referring to her previous conversation with Lyn. "And where is Farina?"

"Farina is… ah…"

"She's off somewhere making trouble, isn't she?" Fiora frowned, her brow furrowing. "She hasn't made a nuisance of herself while I've been away, has she? I swear, that woman, I'll—"

"No, not really… I mean, nothing terrible," Florina spoke quickly. "I think… it's all taken care of now, so…"

"And she hasn't been teasing you, either, has she?"

"N-no…"

"Hmm… all right… well, I'm glad to see you again, Florina…"

"Fiora…"

"I've been so worried, leaving you two alone here… you're sure Farina hasn't done anything disgraceful?"

"Um… yes, I'm sure…"

"I see. I'm glad to hear it... I should be getting to the stables… it's been a long flight." Fiora turned to pat her Pegasus soothingly on the nose, whispering some encouraging words into his ear. "I have to get him settled, and some water, and some food, too… Florina? Have you groomed Huey today? You're welcome to join me…"

"Ah…" Florina cast one last anxious look back toward the castle before nodding in response. "Okay… as long as I'm not, um, interrupting or anything…"

"Of course not," Fiora insisted, leading her Pegasus off by the reigns.

"Florina, you're always welcome," Kent spoke politely at her side, smiling encouragingly at her.

"Um… thank you, Kent… I… uh…"

She couldn't quite find the words she was looking for, but Kent didn't seem particularly surprised or mindful of it; he was long used to her bashfulness around him, though he wasn't sure he'd ever understand it. It was hard to imagine that he'd known Florina so much longer than her sister… he did wish she'd grow at least slightly used to him in turn, but it seemed she'd always be somewhat shy around him… Kent sighed. Ah, well… at least she didn't run at the sight of him, like she often did to Sain…


"You—look, I'm already late as it is!"

"They can wait a few minutes, I'm sure, Lord Hector…" Farina grinned, shutting the door behind them. "There's something I have to speak with you about."

"It can't wait?" Hector complained, crossing his arms. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda in a hurry…"

"That is exactly one of the things that concerns me," Farina muttered, and Hector frowned in response, wondering what exactly she meant by that. "You're going to rush off out there for her, aren't you? Lady Lyndis."

"…What does it matter to you?" Hector replied, looking slightly uncomfortable now. He and Farina had spoken on several occasions, but they certainly weren't well enough acquainted to be discussing matters like this!

Farina watched him carefully, knowing she was right, of course, but carefully gauging his reaction nonetheless. She had to be careful, here… she glanced back at the door, wondering how much time she had left. Not much, likely. So much depended on the next few minutes, and there were so many things that could go wrong… she put the thought from her mind, taking on a determined expression.

"I want you to understand, I only have your best interests at heart, here," Farina crossed her arms, mimicking his pose. "Don't you give me that annoyed look, just hear me out, okay?"

"I told you, I don't have the time to—"

"Then let me be frank. Haven't you wondered, even in the slightest, what that woman has been up to while she's been away…?"

"What are you getting at? I've been worried about her every single day since she left!"

"I'm not talking about that," Farina snapped, taking a few steps toward him, away from the door. He still wore that angry expression on his face, but unlike most people, Farina paid that no mind. If there was one thing she'd learned about Lord Hector… he put on quite a face, but that was all it was. He could snort and stomp and make a scene, but in the end, that's all it would be… she'd known coming into this that he wouldn't like what she had to say.

What he thought about what she was about to say wasn't what was important here, anyway. She resisted glancing toward the door again – she was certain Lyn would be here soon. If Florina didn't send her in, that other noble, Lord Eliwood, most certainly would. She was sure of it.

"Then what's your point?"

"You should have seen her, Lord Hector…" Farina sighed, feigning a somewhat sad tone to lend credibility to her words… of course, she wasn't exactly about to lie, anyway. No, not at all… the best part about this whole thing was that there wasn't any need to make things up. The truth, however embellished, would suffice. Of course, even that wouldn't save her in the end, but she'd worry about that when the time came.

She could run pretty fast, if it came to that.

"What?"

"On the plains, of course! I was there, if you remember – can you even comprehend how much she loves that place?" Farina spoke quickly, her limitations time wise spurring her on. "I'd heard myself, from Florina, but… all she ever did while we were there was look around with that wistful expression…"

"Of course I do," Hector interrupted her, a dark look on his face. "She's told me often enough herself, and…"

"But have you seen it? Can you really understand, Lord Hector?"

"Why do you care so much? You think I haven't thought on that every single day since she came back here?" Oh, yes. He was angry now; Farina had known this would happen… she'd prepared herself for it – she couldn't back down now. No, not yet. "Look, this isn't any of your concern! This is…"

"I'm not finished yet," Farina cut him off coolly, impressing even herself with the detached tone she managed to speak in. "You say you've thought on it so much, but you still seem determined to get her stay… isn't that just a little… well, selfish?"

"Don't you accuse me of being selfish," Hector warned her, speaking in a dangerously quiet tone now. "You don't know a thing of what I've been struggling with."

"You!" Farina barely resisted the urge to laugh. "You think you've been struggling! You should have seen her! From the moment we entered the borders of Sacae, it was clear enough she never wanted to leave! The only reason she considered it, the only reason she forced herself to do the one thing she never wanted to – it was you! Because of you!"

"Do you think it's been my aim to hurt her?" Hector spoke incredulously, disbelievingly. "You might be able to look me in the eye and lie about your wages, but don't you try this. You've already said enough." He took a step forward, toward the door, toward her. "Get out of my way!"

"And even if you knew about all of this – tell me, Lord Hector, did you know she had someone waiting for her in Sacae?"

A perfect silence greeted these words, a precarious sort of quiet... the sort that Farina was well enough acquainted with. It had often preceded some of her most glorious fights with Fiora, back in Ilia. She looked him directly in the eye, boldly awaiting his response.

"Explain." He spoke curtly, suspiciously, but it was enough.

"That's right. A Sacaen nomad – someone who shares her love of the plains, and your love for her! She didn't mention him, did she?"

"You're lying," Hector spoke flatly, in an unnervingly neutral tone. "I'll ask you one more time – get out of my way."

"I'm not. You know I'm not; why would I lie about something like this?"

"How the hell should I know what that addled brain of yours thinks? Maybe Eliwood was right – how would I know? But I'll tell you, your games end right now. I've heard enough!"

"Right about…" Farina did laugh, then, hardly noticing his mystified expression at her sudden outburst of mirth. She knew what he was referencing there – it had been the very thing that had inspired this plan, after all. She'd been quite ready to give up on this whole thing… until Florina and that other girl, Ninian had come in, with the news that these idiot men thought she of all people was interested in this coarse, stubborn, mule of a man… she shook her head, her laughter dying as suddenly as it had come upon her.

"…I'm serious."

"So am I," Farina assured him sweetly, stepping nearer to him until they were less than a foot apart. "You should have seen them, Lord Hector… he was so happy to see her return… I think it was the first time I ever saw him smile, though I never paid much attention to him to begin with. He's not the smiling type – a lot like you, huh? And when she saw him, she jumped up with that smile on her face-"

"I'm not buying this for a second," Hector insisted, moving to step around her; she stepped quickly to intercept him. As she approached him, an unreadable but decidedly malevolent look on her face, he backed away from her, suddenly getting the distinct impression that he didn't want her to get too close. There was something odd about the way she was acting, now… something entirely unsettling.

"Then you're a bigger fool than I'd imagined," Farina still spoke in that uncharacteristically sweet tone, moving further toward him with every word. "You see, that man in Sacae – he'd have done anything for her, to make her stay. She would have given anything to be able to do just that – it was plain enough from her actions, that wistful look – because everything she wanted was right there, wasn't it? She had her home, she had her freedom, and she had him!"

"If that were true, she wouldn't have come back."

"You don't believe that."

"I don't believe you," Hector corrected her furiously.

Farina opened her mouth to reply, but a noise at the door caught both of their attentions. Her heart skipped a beat; she hadn't expected to convince this stubborn man that what she said was true, although it likely was – she'd merely had to buy enough time to take them here, to this moment. It was now or never. What she'd figured when she'd thought up this idea – no matter what she said to Hector, he wouldn't believe her, not to the point where he'd be convinced to delay his proposal. However, Lyn, on the other hand… they couldn't get married if she said no, right?

"Hector?" That was her, all right. "Are you in there?"

"That's fine," Farina turned her attention back to the matter at hand, shoving the man standing before her backward with as much strength as she could muster. Caught off guard, Hector stumbled backward with a surprised yelp - good enough. "That's just fine," Farina stepped forward, looking him straight in the eyes now, rather pleased at his both furious and utterly confused expression. "But, Lord Hector, tell me… do you think she will believe you?"

"What—"

Behind Farina, the door cracked open; she paid this no mind, leaning forward to cut off Hector's query quite abruptly, pressing her lips insistently against his. His eyes widened in surprise, and behind them, the door opened completely, admitting Lyn into the room.

"Hector? Florina and Eliwood were saying something about…" She trailed off as she realized what exactly was going on in front of her, her mouth hanging slightly open at the sight.

Hector too seemed to realize what was happening at that point, shoving Farina away from him with quite a bit of force; she let out a surprised yelp, tumbling backward and losing her balance to land unceremoniously on her backside on the floor. He sent an utterly scathing glare in her direction, though she hardly paid it any mind, and immediately directed his attention to Lyn, a thousand explanations ready to be brought to bear.

Lyn, however, was having none of them. She held up a hand before he could speak, her face a dangerous mask.

"Don't. Just. Don't. Don't bother."

"Lyn, listen to me. This-"

"Listen to you?" Lyn laughed, a frost bitten chuckle Hector had never expected to hear from someone like her, a mirthless sound that seemed to freeze the very air around them. "Listening to you was the biggest mistake I ever made, Hector!"

"Lyn, please—"

"I've seen enough. I've heard enough. And to think! I thought… I… I can't even remember what I…" She shook her head, backing out of the room, back into the hall. Hector moved forward to grab her, to stop her, she couldn't leave him, not now, not this way. She whirled away from him with the same dexterity she'd so often displayed on the battlefield, her face a mask of fury despite the tears shining in her eyes.

"Don't you touch me. Don't you even dare!" She shouted at him, her voice wavering slightly. She turned away from him, dashing down the hall at a full sprint, and Hector growled a few words that would have warranted quite the lecture from Serra had she been around to hear it. He couldn't catch up with her; she was much faster than he was… but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. He cast a glance behind him, where Farina still sat in his room, looking slightly dazed.

"You had better be gone by the time I get back. Out of here, out of Ostia, out of my life. Because if I ever see you again, you will regret the very day you were born. …That's a promise."

He disappeared noisily out of the doorway at a dead run, and Farina gave no indication that she'd heard him before he was gone. She sat there for a few moments, before a nervous, wild laugh bubbled up from somewhere inside her; a cackle that might have been mistaken for the ravings of a madwoman had anyone been around to hear her. This laughter subsided after a while, and she managed to bring herself to her feet, noticing with a bland expression that her legs were shaking, barely able to keep her up.

"Well…" She spoke to no one in particular, taking a few hesitant steps out. "That went well, didn't it? Yes, indeed."

She stepped out into the abandoned hallway, regaining her confidence and usual poise as she went. Believe it or not, there was still more to be done.

Oh, yes. Much more.


Lyn could hear those heavy footsteps, far behind her, and falling farther back with every second. She couldn't understand why he was chasing after her; hadn't she made herself clear? She furiously wiped the tears from her eyes as she sprinted for the exit, the doorway out of this stifling castle, away from this loathsome life she now understood quite clearly there was no point in attempting to entertain for herself in the future.

She could hear him calling her, his voice echoing off the stone walls around them… she shook her head, blocking the sound from her mind. She never wanted to hear that voice again. Never.

With shaking hands, she pulled open the doors before her, admitting herself into the presence of those still gathered in the courtyard, her eyes scanning the group for one person in particular. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found… Lyn made a frustrated noise, moving away from the threshold of the castle, out onto the grass around it.

Eliwood and Ninian were still there, the former noticing her first; his warm smile faded somewhat as he noticed the expression on her face, a look of confusion taking its place. Ninian looked slightly ill beside him, and Lyn wondered briefly if either of them had known.

No… Eliwood wouldn't have done that to her. Sent her in to see… to see…

"Lyndis?" He approached her carefully, his eyebrows raised. "What—"

"Lyn." She corrected him, holding up a hand, closing her eyes. "My name is Lyn. I was a fool to ever think otherwise."

"What on earth happened in there?" Eliwood blinked, surprised at this fervent declaration. "You're trembling. What…"

"Where is Florina?" Lyn cut him off impatiently, casting another look around the courtyard. She was nowhere to be seen.

"Florina…?"

"She… she left toward the stables… with her sister…" Ninian spoke up quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you, Ninian." Lyn turned away from them both, taking off at a run again toward the stables. Eliwood watched her go, his mouth hanging slightly open.

"Ninian, do you have any idea…"

"I… I don't know…" Ninian whispered, clinging to his arm, dread welling up within her. "I…"

"Lyn!" Hector surprised them both, barreling out of the castle at a speed neither had realized he was capable of. "God damn—where is she!"

Both Ninian and Eliwood pointed in the direction of the stables, neither bothering to ask for an explanation; that would have to wait, it seemed. Although Ninian was certain there was one other person who knew what the meaning of all this was… Hector took off in the direction they indicated, a frightening expression on his face.

Ninian found herself hoping that Florina wasn't in there, after all – if she saw Hector like that, the poor woman might die on the spot…

Far ahead, Lyn burst into the stables, looking almost wildly around for her best friend within. The three people inside all jumped as one in response to her abrupt entrance; Florina stumbling backward away from the door with a yelp.

"Florina!" Lyn paid no mind to Kent and Fiora, though they were eying her with twin looks of shock. Her best friend, blushing furiously at her previous display, turned to face her at the mention of her name.

"Lyn, you… phew…"

"Florina, we need to go."

"…Eh…?"

"Please. Right away?" Lyn spoke in a pleading tone, casting a glance behind her, knowing Hector would be showing up any minute now.

"Lady Lyndis, where are you going?" Kent interrupted worriedly. "We've only just returned, and you're already exhausted from our previous journey—"

"Kent. You and Sain… you have been freed from my service for some time," Lyn explained impatiently, meeting his gaze only briefly before looking away. "You have your own lives to lead, your own paths to follow. You cannot follow me everywhere, and you cannot always be there to fight my battles for me."

"Lady Lyndis, it was never my intention to…"

"Kent… stop worrying about me. Consider that my final order to you – stop worrying on my account, and relocate that dedication and commitment you've always shown on my behalf to someone more worthy of the attention." She glanced pointedly at Fiora, who flushed a vibrant shade of red at the implication. Kent stammered something in reply, but Lyn was finished; she had had her say.

"But, Lyn…" Florina's eyes were wide, her face flushed and utterly confused. "Why do you want to leave? Umm… didn't…"

"I'll explain everything, I promise," Lyn's face darkened considerably. "But we need to go, right now… please."

Florina was already fastening Huey's riding straps, tightening them quickly with the air of a seasoned professional. She'd often had to do this quickly in the past, considering the sudden nature of most of the attacks they'd faced before… She lifted herself up, swinging a leg over Huey's back and settling easily in the saddle. She held a hand out, which Lyn took gladly, helping her friend up to slide in place behind her.

"Where are we going, Lyn?" Florina asked softly, her mind running over every possible thing Farina could have done to cause this – that was clearly what had happened, wasn't it? Lyn wouldn't have been this upset simply because Hector had proposed… she refused to believe she'd misjudged that situation, at least. She'd have to find out what happened when Lyn was more willing to talk; she wouldn't learn a thing with her friend distraught this way. She'd have to find a way to set things right… no matter what it was her sister had done…

"Caelin, first," Lyn responded, wrapping her arms around Florina's petite waist in preparation for the journey ahead. And then Sacae…

"…Hold on," Florina advised her, spurring Huey forward through the still open stable door, out into the open air at a quick trot. She gasped and yanked backward on the reigns as they nearly ran right into Lord Hector; he realized what was happening right away, waving at her to slow down, to stop. Huey let out an irritated snort; apparently, he still didn't like Hector much at all.

"Lyn!" Hector shouted as they careened past him, at a gallop, now, and the look on his face… Florina looked away, unable to see him so… so…

"Don't listen to him," Lyn insisted behind her, speaking fiercely into her ear. "Just go!"

Florina nodded, adjusting her pull on the reigns just so, clicking her tongue in a well practiced way that signaled to Huey to take flight; her Pegasus beneath them spread its wings to their full span, leaping gracefully into the air, his wings beating several times in succession as they gained altitude…

Beneath them, castle Ostia shrank in size, and with it, all of those gathered in the courtyard watching them go. Lyn tightened her arms around her, and Florina could plainly hear her crying against her back, sobbing in that soft way she'd never thought to hear again. Florina set her jaw, gripping the reigns even more tightly, her hands beginning to ache from the effort. Farina… Lord Hector… I'm sorry… I am so, so sorry…

Whatever it was her sister had done… even if she could manage to set things right… she'd never forget that heartbroken look on Lord Hector's face. Never.


Far below, now, Hector watched them disappear in the distance, standing perfectly still, perfectly silent. That was it, then. The only woman he'd ever loved, loved so much it hurt… she was gone, and chances were he'd never see her again. The people gathered in the courtyard that had witnessed this latest spectacle watched him with shocked gazes; he could feel their looks on him, but he didn't care. At this moment, he honestly didn't care about a thing. Not one… damn… thing.

He wanted to laugh, to cry, to do something other than stand there staring up at the sky like a fool. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he knew without looking who it would be; only one person would dare approach him at a time like this.

"Hector…" Eliwood's voice, soft, familiar, painfully concerned.

"I told you, didn't I?" Hector shook him away, refusing to meet his best friend's worried gaze. "I told you everything would blow up in my face."

"Hector, I don't understand," Eliwood sounded frustrated now, and rightfully so, Hector supposed. "What on earth happened in there? This doesn't make any sense!"

"I really don't want to talk about it," Hector replied blandly, brushing past his friend toward the castle, pulling something out of one of his pockets as he walked away. "What happened in there… it's something that can't be changed now. It can't be changed, it can't be undone, and no matter what I do, no matter what I try, it can't ever be fixed." He spat the last word like a curse, tossing a particularly adorned box over his shoulder as he continued on in silence, disappearing into the castle without another word.

That box tumbled in the air, the latch that kept it shut snapping open as it landed in the grass, rolling several feet before coming to stop near Eliwood's feet. He looked down at it morosely, the glint of the engagement ring that, if the world hadn't suddenly gone insane, should have been on Lyndis's finger at that moment… not lying here in the grass at his feet. He bent over to pick it up, wiping the dirt off of it with the edge of his cloak.

"Eliwood…" Ninian whispered at his side, and he turned to look at her, smiling sadly.

"I don't know what's happened… but I don't think he really meant to throw this away…"

She nodded, glancing at the ring on her own finger absently. If only everyone could be as lucky as they were…


"What was that all about, I wonder?" Fiora broke the silence following Lyn and Florina's hasty exit, certain suspicions already taking root in her mind.

"That was… indeed… strange," Kent shrugged, still looking slightly dazed himself. "I don't understand, myself…"

Fiora glanced outside of the stables, where Eliwood and Ninian stood not too far off… Lord Hector was nowhere to be seen, and the others gathered outside had returned to their previous activities, cautiously acting as though nothing strange had taken place. Sudden movement at the edge of her peripheral vision caught her attention; Fiora turned to face the source of that furtive motion – a moment too late, as her sister caught her completely by surprise, nearly tackling her in her haste to get them both back inside.

"Farina!" Fiora gasped, nearly stumbling over her own feet as Farina shoved her inside, slamming the door behind them, her face flushed and a glint of mischief that made her stomach drop shining in her eyes.

"You have no idea how hard it was to get here without being seen," Farina complained, heading purposefully to her Pegasus, Murphy, where he was tethered near where Huey had previously been. "I see Florina's gone, with Lyn, right?"

"What did you do!" Fiora nearly shrieked, for if this wasn't blatant confirmation of her suspicions, nothing was.

"Will you shut up?" Farina hissed, whirling around to fix her sister with slit eyes. "I did what I had to do, and nothing more. Now, where did they go?"

"Farina, you are going to tell me what you did, right now. And then we are going to march in there, apologize to Lord Hector—"

"Apologize to… ha…" Farina laughed wearily, cutting her sister off with a raised hand. "Let me correct you. If Lord Hector ever sees me again, he'll probably use that axe to separate my head from my shoulders. And I rather like my upper extremeties, thank you."

"Florina told me you hadn't done anything horrible!" Fiora wailed, raising her hands to her face in a helpless gesture. "Why did she…"

"I hadn't, up until then, actually. She doesn't know what I did, either."

"What was it!" Fiora took on a threatening tone, approaching her sister with her hands balled into fists, furious. "Farina, if you've done something to disgrace us—"

"Why would he care about you, because of something I did? Please." Farina worked quickly, fastening her riding straps to a very impatient looking Murphy; understandable, as he'd been cooped up in here for quite some time… he was clearly anxious to be off. "What matters is that Lord Hector and Lady Lyndis aren't getting married."

"Saint Elimine save us…" Fiora was muttering several incomprehensible things into her hands, groaning with utter hopelessness. "I can't even imagine what you must have done… Farina, how could you? How… how could you!"

"I don't need to explain myself to you," Farina replied in clipped tones, lifting herself onto her Pegasus's back with a grunt. "However, I do need to know where Florina went with Lady Lyndis."

"As though I would tell you!" Fiora shouted back furiously, her face flushing with indignation. "As though I would help you with whatever schemes you're planning – haven't you done enough!"

"Not nearly," Farina replied sweetly, and she was half certain had she not been mounted and well out of her sister's reach, she might have slapped her right then. "This is important, and if you don't tell me, I'll find out somehow, anyway. I'm thinking Sacae. Is that right?"

"No," Fiora replied quietly, crossing her arms. "Tell me what you are going to do!"

"I have to reunite her with that blasted grim-faced Sacaen horseman before Florina convinces her, fool girl that she is, to come back here and give Hector a chance to speak for himself!" Farina exploded, in a tone of voice that indicated that her aims should have been obvious. "If she's gone to Sacae, fine, but if she's gone anywhere else, I have to move fast!"

"You've meddled enough in her affairs," Fiora looked away, closing her eyes. "Can't you let her make her own decision, now? And you said it yourself – Florina will be trying to fix whatever it is you've ruined. Can't you take the hint?"

"Oh, please. Grow a spine." Farina snapped the reigns, motioning Murphy forward, past her sister. "You know Florina won't do what's best for her. She's the bloody martyr everyone loves to step on in their own race to reach their own goals. What kind of sister just accepts that for their own—"

"Don't you even finish that thought," Fiora warned her in a dangerous tone. "I've been there for Florina from the beginning – I'd do anything for her, but I won't force her into something I'm not even convinced she wants in the first place!"

"Then you must be bloody blind!"

"I may be blind, Farina, but you! You're a pushy, arrogant, greedy—"

"—That may be, Fiora. That may be, but at least I am doing what I think is right, rather than sitting there caught up with my own made-up morals, too busy poring over codes of honor and what everyone else thinks to stand up and pull a few strings for a sister who's too damn shy to do it on her own! And in the end, if I'm successful, and everything I'm hoping for happens – where will you be, then Fiora?" Farina eyed her coldly.

"…What you are doing is wrong. I hope that one day, you will look back on these events, and realize that…" Fiora looked away, shutting her eyes. "They're in Caelin."

"Thank you."

Farina burst out of the stables, startling the few people still meandering outside, taking to the sky with a purposeful aura.

"Why did you tell her?" Kent asked softly, and Fiora jumped, having nearly forgotten that he was still here.

"Because…" Fiora sighed, staring at the open door, where both of her sisters now had disappeared through. "She would have found out anyway…"


Author's Note, Revisited!

Erm, yes. This is my cue to run and hide – the wait for chapter 18 won't be nearly as long, assuming none of you have murdered me in my sleep by then.

Angel White – YES! Comedy Sain actions #1. And yeah, that was the only way I could really think of to get in the monologue action required at that point. I'm glad you think it worked out so well. Heh.

TheOneAndOnlyT – I'm glad the snowball fight seems to have been a hit. I wasn't sure if I should leave it in or not, considering how STRANGE it was in relation to the overall tone of the chapter, and really the whole story at this point. And yeah… Serra is a complicated girl, isn't she? She always has this need to be "fake" around other people, but I figure when she's by herself, she might be a different person entirely…

Maquarion – Happy ending seem impossible sometimes, don't they? Eheh…

Roflson – I like the tangling metaphor. I think I'll use that. It's like a trainwreck game of cat's cradle.

Nocturna-Fire-Demoness – Ooh, thanks for the complements. I'm glad you decided to review! And another fan of the snowball fight, awesome.

Mizuki – Yes, Florina and Hector have finally spoken. Sort of. I guess. Hehe.

Malignant Plate – I really don't know where that conversation between Fiora and Kent came from. Seriously, off the top of my head. Whee. You're right, we're well past halfway by now. As for what I'll do next, I have two or three Fire Emblem one-shots in mind, and a half-idea brewing in my head for a sequel to this, so I'll definitely be sticking here in the FE section for awhile longer. I'll have to play Tales a second time before I so much as THINK about writing anything for that, although I would like to at least one-shot a Lloyd/Sheena/Zelos story…

Kitten Kisses – Woah! Essay review, awesome. I've spoken to you enough in IM to hopefully keep the response much shorter though, am I right? I'm actually surprised everyone else seems to have gotten into the Serra subplot as much as they have; I really didn't intend for it to become so central… in my original outlines, it was included as more of a comic relief outlet than anything. A lot of people don't seem to like Rath… hmm. I'm sorry I've made you hate Erk, it certainly wasn't my intention. Actually, I like Erk… I've probably made everyone loathe Farina with this chapter, and she's like my third favorite character, haha. Whoops. And yes, Fiora and Kent make an awesome pair. I'll be careful when I finally get around to exploring the ToS section, don't worry! Haha.

Firelien – Yes, Fiora and Ninian have it easy compared with the other main females here, don't they? I'm glad you liked the snowball fight and Serra's ramblings, I was actually really proud of the last chapter… it's one of my favorite ones out of all these I've written. Hehe.

Timmycheese – Whoa, where do you get Oswin and Farina from? I think I missed something here. I like that comparison to the TV series, poor Sain. Haha, but I had to do it…

Schnickers – Serra and Sain, yes, yes. They'll be back soon, very soon. I love all of Hector's pictures at the end, I seriously cannot decide which one is my favorite. The only scene in Ilia that was intended to be comical was the snowball fight, and maybe Wallace's reaction to the aftermath. Hmm. As for the number of chapters, right now my outline says 22. However, keep in mind, the original outline for this story was 10 chapters long, so… eheh.

Spork Bun – Now, hold on. Florina and Ninian aren't the only women in this story. Fiora and Serra certainly aren't winning any hearts by being fainty and feminine, now are they? And I really don't consider either one of them weak… especially not Florina…

Evergladelord – Whoops, sorry the update took so long. Thanks for the review though!

Kratos Aurion – Yes, health and grades. Eep! I'm glad you liked the Serra part, I was expecting to get a little more flak from that from the Serk fans reading this. Phew.