Chapter Three: Anxious hearts: Chapter Ten

Colette

"Sapphire bloom!" Celsius yelled as she felled the desert worm, landing opposite of it. Sheena ran up it's back and placed two seals, and as she jumped off ice fully encased it, freezing the worm in it's tracks. With a quick chant and prayer to Mana and Martel, I summoned a large beam of light which shattered the beast.

"Hehe, that was fun." I smiled, looking at my two friends. We just left Triet, we planned to have a more serious visit there after we make it to Iselia and pack up after a week of visiting friends and family.

Celsius dissipated her ice blade which melted quickly0 into water and fell harmlessly onto the warm sand. "Man, I hate the desert. The heat kills me." She wiped off the dirt from her skirt and continued to walk.

Sheena did the same, "I remember when we first had to kill a worm for that bastard Abyssion." Ah, I remember him. I feel sorry for him, but I can't tell if he was telling the truth or not but I did pity him. I said a quick prayer to Mana to the poor soul that I just happened to remember as I followed Sheena and Celsius.

"Anyways, let's go! It's less then a day's walk to Iselia." I smiled. I couldn't help but be nervous, as much as I loved Lloyd and saw Sheena as a friend, it hurt me to see them together.

As long as I've known Lloyd, I've always adored him. I've followed his lead, even if it was reckless. He taught me many things in life, that it is always worth living. I guess I did fall in love with Lloyd when I first met him.

"Hey!" I yelled at the new boy who had just walked into the classroom. Suddenly my legs buckled and I tripped. I noticed that the new boy ran over to me, I looked up as he smiled. A smile that has never changed.

"Are you okay?" asked the brown haired boy. He had clam and quirky eyes, his hair was medium length and a soft brown. He wore a red short with overalls with a white shirt. The boy bent over and offered my his loving hand.

I smiled at him as I took his hand and stood up, "Thank you." I cleaned myself off and crossed my arms. "Hi there! I'm Colette! Who are you?" I asked happily.

"Oh, I'm Lloyd. It's nice to meet you Colette." he said. Then class began seeing as everyone was here.

"Hey, you in there?" asked Sheena, looking over at me. "You've been like this most of the walk. Are you okay?"

"Oh yes, I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired. The heat does that to me sometimes." as I looked upwards I noticed that we were finally at Iselia.

Celsius

I could tell that Colette still really liked Lloyd, and I could tell that Lloyd really liked Colette. It's hard being the one stuck in the middle like this, so much so that I want to help Sheena but I also want to help Colette. It's times like this that I wonder who Lloyd will pick.

We finally made it to the gates of Iselia, from what I hear talking to Sheena, she hasn't seen Lloyd for five months since the incident at Flanoir. But no matter what, she makes sure to clean the Flanoir flower every day and keep it sparkling clean just like when Lloyd first gave it to her.

"So, are you ever going to tell me what happened at the Silver nest?" I asked Sheena, moving my Rehaird closer to hers. We were all generally spread out, and only the drivers we're awake. Zelos wanted to spend some time with his sister, and Regal and Presea finally gave Alicia the prayers she deserved at Altamira. So basically, it was only me, Sheena, Colette, Lloyd, Raine and Genis.

Sheena smiled and looked behind her at the sleeping swordsmen. She then looked back at me, "Maybe I will one day. But I still have something to tell you." she sounded slightly concerned.

I looked at her, "Alright." I noticed it was getting dark, so I landed my Rehaird near the SW Abby near Heimdall. Raine and Sheena did the same.

"So are we going to rest here for today?" asked Raine.

"Yeah, I have to talk to Sheena for a bit." Sheena woke up Lloyd and I woke up Colette, after a bit of coaxing, they walked in, leaving me and Sheena alone outside. I sat down on a bench and Sheena did the same next to me. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked.

"It's about Lloyd and me." She began, "I probably won't see him for at least several months. And I don't know if I can stay in love with him for that long." I began to think. Why wouldn't she love him anymore? Was there someone else waiting for her back at Mizuho?

"Why? The Flanoir flower will wilt if you be like this." It's hard coming up with something to say at times like this.

"Because, I'm betrothed to Orochi. In Mizuho, there are no marriages of love. All couples must be of the same social class and standard." She started.

"That's crazy! Marriage should be of love! Not of status!" That's one thing I hated about Mizuho, there was no love. Only political marriages.

"I was told at a very early age that when the time came, my husband would be Orochi. It's impossible for me to marry someone like Lloyd who's not even from the clan, let alone my equal in Mizuho." I was astonished, could she so freely drop Lloyd like that? She's like everyone else.

"Sheena! Your horrible. Why would you do this to Lloyd?"

"To spare him of becoming more attached to me and leaving him from pain. When I see him again after everything in Mizuho becomes stable. I will leave him, because I'll already be married to Orochi."

We walked silently into Iselia, we got some strange looks and smiles, but no crowds of people asking for autographs or anything of the sort. Unlike Colette, I knew why Sheena was more reluctant about talking about Lloyd. At our night in Triet, I saw a wedding ring on Sheena's right hand. She was already married to Orochi. This crushed me. Day by day, I saw the Flanoir flower wilt more and more. Even though Sheena kept it clean, it become more and more like the paper it was made from. It will soon just be another piece of paper again.

"Hey! Let's goto my house! I'll have father cook you something good to eat!" Colette said with a smile that contrasted from my grim outlook.

"Sure, I'll be right there." the walk from Triet to here took us from Breakfast to dinner time. So it was natural that we were hungry. I looked at Sheena, who was looking at the Flanoir flower, it was already darkening and becoming paper-like.

"Oh, I have to talk to someone, maybe I'll be back in a few hours." Sheena hid the flower and ran off without saying goodbye.

Colette looked a bit downcast, I won't try to hook Colette and Lloyd up, but maybe she'll be able to help. If anything I'll hide in the bushes and see what happens later. "Let's go inside, I'm looking forwards to Frank's cooking." I tried to be as oblivious as possible to the fact that today was going to be a long day.

Sheena

The walk to Lloyd's house was the longest in my life, I've kept my mind off the subject for most of the walk here. But the flower is wilting faster and faster, I can almost watch it slowly become like the paper it was created from.

I stopped in the forest for a minute and took off Lloyd's sash. I held it close to my face one last time, I could feel the tears streaming from my face now. But I managed to stop myself before I could break out into an all out bawl. I kneeled down and folded it up carefully. Two pictures fell out of it. I stared at them, remembering how nervous Lloyd was when he took the first one. And the small story behind the second one…

"Hey! Lloyd!" I burst into his room at the inn in Sybak. I knew he was awake so I didn't bother to knock.

"Huh? What is it Sheena?" He asked sheepishly, wondering why I went into his room at nine PM.

"Guess what? They're showing off the camera again at the student library! Let's go! I got the guy to take our picture!" I grabbed Lloyd by the arm, almost dragging in out and into the streets of the university city.

"H-hey!" Lloyd yelled as he followed closely behind me. I wove in and out of the people around the place, and onto the very top of the stairs where the man was waiting.

He looked at us with a smile, "Are you two ready?"

"Well I am, I don't know about Lloyd." I said, letting go of his hand."

"Well then make him ready while I take the picture!" He laughed as he readied the camera.

"Okay, just take it." I closed in on Lloyd, I brung his head closer to mine, and I kissed him on the cheek. FLASH. That moment was immortalized in time.

I felt another tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it off as quickly as it appeared. I stood up and took both ends of the picture. There was a strong breeze that day, all the better to erase my memories of him. I ripped the picture in half and I let the wind take it away. Then I pulled out my clothing wing-pack and I took out my pink sash while carrying Lloyd's over my arm. This would be the longest walk in my life.

After another hour of slowly walking to Lloyd's house, I found myself at his doorstep. I was at a loss for words to say, but I guess he found them for me.

"Sheena! Long time no see!" He said with a genuine enthusiasm. "Come on up! I'm on the terrace!" he smiled, how could I not resist that smile of his… so true and beautiful. Unlike me, a false liar and more ugly then Rodyole himself.

I shot an empty smile at him. "I'll be right there!" I said. To my side, I saw Lloyd's father, Dirk looking at me and smiling.

"Go on up Lass. I don't mind." He said, looking at the grave of Anna.

"…" I couldn't say anything. I just opened the door and walked in. I took the sash off my arm, carefully folded it again and placed it next to the door. On top of it I placed the picture of Lloyd and the … Flanoir flower on top of it.

"Sheena! C'mon slowpoke!" Lloyd's voice rang at the top of the stairs.

"Okay!" my voice sunk as I walked to his room, "…I'm on my way."

I found Lloyd standing outside wearing his normal traveling garb, clean and pristine as if he just washed them. "What's the long face for Sheena? Aren't you happy to see me?"

"…I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?" He said, as I walked up next to him.

"Everything." it was getting dark, the sun was starting to set already. Lloyd's face began to look increasingly downcast as did mine. "I lied to you about everything, loving you, wanting to be with you, everything I said in the past was a lie, Lloyd Irving."

"…what are you saying Sheena?"

I took out the ring and placed it on my right finger, "I'm married Lloyd. I don't love you anymore. I can't love you anymore."

"Sheena. If you didn't love me. You should of just told me. I'm happy for you. I'm happy your married to the person you truly love." He smiled. He smiled at me. He smiled at the most horrible person in the world.

"Lloyd! Why do you have to be this way? Stop caring about me and care for yourself once in a while! I don't love you Lloyd! I never did and I never will!"

"…thanks for lying to me everyday then. If you want me to care about myself, then I will. I loved you Sheena, everyday was a gift with you. I looked forwards to every morning and seeing your face greet me. I loved it when you smiled with me. I loved it when you laughed. I thought I had finally found someone who understands me. I felt…true love for the first time in my life when you said that you loved me. Are you happy? Is that the answer you wanted?"

"Lloyd. Don't kid yourself any longer. I'm married. Flanoir was a lie. Heimdall was a lie. Derris-Kharlan was a lie. The ice cavern was a lie."

"But to me. It was the only truth I've known for a long time."

My reflex took over, I slapped him with all power I had in my right hand. "I hate you! I always did! That smile! That genuine laugh! That purity of life! I hate you!" I don't know what came over me. But I ran out of the house, crying like I have never before. I don't know why, but I still love Lloyd. Just because he's Lloyd. But maybe now we can finally live our lives without worrying one another.

I saw dirk at the side of the stairway, holding a note. "Lass…"

"Tell Lloyd I'm sorry, that true love may always be a lie." I ran out of the house and back to Iselia. Back to my life that's a lie. I saw the Flanoir flower, it wasn't the crystal anymore. It was a paper flower.

Colette

A week has passed, I've seen Sheena and Celsius, we planned to stay here for this long to gather our materials. But both of them have seemed very sad. it's not good for the atmosphere around here. But I haven't seen Lloyd anywhere, I thought he'd be the first to show up, but I haven't seen him at all. I went to his house two days ago, but Dirk said that Lloyd couldn't speak.

"Lass…I'm afraid Lloyd is rather sick right now, he can't come out." Dirk said with a grim frown.

"Oh, what's wrong with him?" I asked.

"Something happened a few days ago that hurt Lloyd badly. Since then he hasn't been able to speak. He's not able to walk much and his heart seems to beat much more slower." Dirk had never been this sad for a long time, I've almost never seen Dirk like this.

"Could I come in and see him then?"

"No, no, no. Seeing people will only make it worse. It's hard enough as it is. Please go now lass. I'll send word to Frank when he get's better. I also sent word to that friend Raine of yours to come sometime and take a look at him. He'll be fine though, just let him rest."

"Hey, ready to go yet?" I asked Celsius and Sheena who were in their respective beds.

"I'm ready to go." Celsius walked towards Sheena's bed, her sash has changed from a white to pink, and she no longer wears the necklace that she had from Flanoir and she hasn't spoken much in the last few days. "How about you Sheena?"

"…yeah. Let's go."

a/n-well, another chapter, another plot twist. How is it? I'm not going to tell you what's going to happen! So there! Read and Review and I MIGHT tell you what's going to happen