Yay. The third chapter is up. I'm sorry for taking so long to post it. I had a problem as I got carried away when I was writing it and it became totally random and pointless. So I've spent a long time rewriting it. Please R&R so I can improve it. Hope you like it.

Review Responses
Koriku

Thank you for your review. I've actually used your advice to re-edit the first two chapters. Plus another of your points also shows up in this chap. Hope you don't mind. With regards to Florina drinking, I'm just going to take the easy way out and blame it on Farina. "The Taming of the Shrew" by Shakespeare has nothing to do with this story. Despite the fact I ripped off and mutilated the title. Really it describes the effect Florina has on Sain. I'm useless when it comes to titles so any help will be appreciated. Anyway thanks again for your support.

zed21

Glad you like the story so far. Thanks for the encouragement.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem or any of it's characters.

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Florina stood in the door and looked around her. It was a large, well lit, airy room. She saw that most of the men were huddled around the pool tables in the far corner, with the remaining few dotted around the bar or at tables with groups of women chatting amiably.

Seeing that there was a spot at the bar that was a comfortable distance from anyone else, the pegasus knight headed over to it. She was greeted by a small rather unobtrusive looking man behind the bar.

"Hello missy, what can I get for you?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"Umm, I d…don't suppose you have I…Ilian rum?" Florina stuttered. Since she'd become a proper mercenary after returning to Ilia she'd been introduced to the drink by Farina. She didn't really like it that much but she'd found it useful in drowning out her thoughts. Hopefully it would stop Farina's voice from screaming at her about her irrational fear of men.

"Of course we have, we get quite a few pegasus knights in here when they pass through Ostia," the barman replied.

As he trotted of to get her drink Florina thought that it must be quite a nice place if other Ilians frequented it. While she waited she looked around with more interest than before, trying to spot any other Ilians in the place.

"Here you are ma'am. That'll be 25 gold pieces please." The barman had appeared again holding a large tankard of a thick brown liquid. "Personally I'd have gone for something a bit weaker myself, but it's your choice." He started a monologue on the qualities of the different drinks he had in stock.

Florina just sat there sipping her drink, while nodding and smiling at appropriate moments in the mans speech. She found Charlie, well she guessed he was Charlie, quite amusing in a way. He had an infectious kind of cheerfulness, and she soon found herself cheering up. Of course on the other hand it could have been the rum taking affect.

"Charlie, you're not trying to bore the poor girl to death with your history of alcohol are you?" a voice said from along the bar.

Florina sighed with relief as a woman about Fiora's age stepped up to her and Charlie. "No, of course not Rita," Charlie replied. " The lass seemed quite interested." Rita gave him a sceptical look. "Well she smiled and nodded in the right places anyway," he finished defeated. The woman nodded smiling.

"What? Oh no, I was interested." Florina quickly put in trying to defend Charlie. It was strange, she didn't find him threatening at all. In fact he was just like Merlinus in most respects. She smiled as she remembered the bumbling merchant.

"Really?" Rita didn't sound that convinced. She winked at Charlie and slid some gold pieces onto the bar "I'll have another two rums and a cider please Charlie." He nodded and headed of to pour the drinks.

Florina looked at her, noticing the woman's long blue boots and short dress. "Are… are you from Ilia?" she ventured.

"How could you tell?" she asked. She looked surprised she sat down next to Florina, while she waited for the drinks.

Florina giggled. "Well helps that you're wearing standard uniform for a member of the Wings of Ilia." She smiled at the woman who was blushing. "And finally, barely anybody who's not from Ilia ever tries the rum a second time."

At this Rita started laughing. "Well there's no fooling you is there." Seeing that Florina had finished her drink Rita leaned over the bar and called to Charlie. "Hey Charlie! Get my friend another of what ever she had before." She stopped Florina's protesting with a smile. "Why don't you join me and two friends. You look lonely sitting here on your own."

"Umm, are there any men with you?" Seeing that Rita was shaking her head Florina continued, "Um, I don't see why not." She stood up as Charlie arrived with the drinks. "Where are your friends sitting?" She picked up two of the drinks and watched Rita for an answer.

"Over there in the corner," Rita replied pointing to the far corner. "You go introduce yourself and I'll settle up here." With that she turned back to Charlie.

Florina headed over to the table in the corner nervously. "Err… hello, I'm Florina," she started. "Here are your drinks." She set the drinks down on the table. One of the women must have been a pegasus knight as well judging by her garb. She had a slender face with pale blue eyes and long pink hair. Florina couldn't figure out where the other came from. Her face was hidden in the shadows and her clothes were obscured by a large green cloak that wrapped around them.

"I don't remember this place having such a cute waitress," the pegasus knight commented, grinning at Florina. She just blushed heavily.

The tables other occupant just laughed. "Stop teasing the poor girl, Shara!" she barked in laughter. "Come Florina sit with us. I'm guessing that Rita invited you to join us."

"That I did," Rita said from behind Florina making her jump. "She looked bored and in need of rescuing from Charlie." She ushered Florina into a seat and placed the two drinks she was carrying on the table.

"Oh, three rums!" Shara exclaimed. "I see we have another Ilian among us."

"Not just an Ilian, but a famous pegasus knight who helped in the fight against Nergal," the mystery woman corrected her companion.

Florina was shocked. "How did you know that!" she demanded. The voice was familiar, but not that reassuring. Florina started to tense up.

The mystery woman just chuckled. " Has my voice really changed that much in two years?" she asked. She leaned forward so her face was no longer hidden in the shadows. Despite her best efforts the tactician burst out laughing

Florina just stared at the delicate face with it's large emerald eyes. The long auburn hair was just how she remembered. "Lief, when…how…" Florina shook her head removing her shock. "That wasn't fair!" she protested. She then started to smile as the other two knights started to laugh.

"I'm sorry Florina, I couldn't resist it." Lief took a mouthful of her cider. "Anyway let me explain my present company," looking disdainfully at Rita and Shara, before continuing. "She gestured towards the two laughing Ilians. "I hired them to escort me here and to keep me company. We served together duringthatincident with the bandits trying to invade Ilia."

"I didn't know you were the tactician there!" Florina started. "Why didn't you contact me," she added crestfallen.

Lief looked at Florina's sad face. "Oh, Florina don't look so sad. It wasn't like that. I only helped out with clearing up the few bandits that survived the battle. I didn't even know you were there." The tactician sighed in disappointment.

Shara had finally gotten her mirth under control and looked at the two solemn faces. "The important thing," she started jovially, "is that we're all here now. Drink and be happy!" With that she raised her tankard and took a swig, to signify the end of that conversation. The others raised their drinks to that and they started talking again.

0-0

Sain had finally escaped from Serra, and was walking stiffly down the corridors of Castle Ostia towards the exit. He needed some fresh air he decided, after being cooped up in that room for so long. He nodded to the guard as he passed through the gate. "Now where to sit," he thought to himself. "I definitely don't want to meet any women tonight. Not like this."

He settled for a spot under a tree halfway down the road running from castle to town. From there he could see anyone coming along the road, whereas he was obscured by the shadows. Smiling smugly to himself, he settled down with his thoughts.

0-0

Florina was decidedly tipsy. She was laughing and joking with her friends. The tactician was just sober enough to wonder, whether it was a good idea for Florina to get drunk. However that state of mind lasted until the next round arrived.

She was startled out off chatting to Florina ,when she saw Rita and Shara kissing. She was aware that Florina had asked her a question. "Umm, sorry Florina what was that?"

"I asked you if you were alright." Before Lief could answer, Florina saw something in the corner of her eye. She turned to see her fellow Ilians locked in their passionate embrace and smiled. Turning back to Lief she started giggling. "Are they what shocked you?"

The tactician nodded her eyes locked on the pair. "I…I had no idea they…they were…" she trailed off embarrassed. Her face had turned bright red and she looked down at the floor.

Florina saw this and just burst out laughing. She was laughing so much she didn't notice that she was slipping off her chair. –THUMP- She hit the floor and just started to laugh again.

Rita and Shara untwined themselves, and helped the giggling Florina back into her chair. "What's so funny? Rita asked, puzzled.

Before Lief could answer, Florina just blurted out, "She's shocked you're gay!" She started to giggle to herself and rested her head on the table. And all that could be heard was giggling

Rita looked at the heavily blushing tactician. "You really didn't know?" She sounded surprised. "I thought you'd have known that quite a few pegasus knights were gay."

The tactician had a mouthful of her cider. A little while later the meaning of Rita's words, penetrated her alcohol clouded mind. She choked on her drink. "What!" Lief looked thoroughly surprised.

"It's not that surprising if you think about it." Shara put in. An academy comprising of only girls." She smiled lovingly at Rita. "Something's bound to happen sooner or later."

"Oh! I suppose, if you put it like that." She looked around the room and saw another couple kissing. "Am I seeing that right?" she asked, gesturing towards the people kissing.

"If you mean by right, the two men kissing over by the pool tables. Then yes, you are seeing it correctly." Shara replied.

"What men!" Lief nearly fell off her chair. "I was pointing to the girls over there." Then realization dawned on her. "You brought me to a gay bar!" she hissed at her friends.

They both started laughing. Eventually Rita calmed down enough to reply to the accusation. "Yes we did. I thought you'd like somewhere, without drunken men trying to chat you up." She grinned. "I know I'd try if Shara wasn't here."

Lief could find no reply to this and just blushed an even deeper shade of red than she already was. "Umm, thank you…I think," she eventually managed.

Rita and Shara just started laughing. Florina had stopped giggling. From where her head was rested on the table, the faint sound of snoring could be heard.

"I think you should get Florina back to the castle," Shara told Lief. "She's gonna have one hell of a hangover in the morning."

Lief just nodded and finished her drink. She stood up wobbly and tried to lift Florina up. This resulted in both of them on the floor. The tactician just started to giggle. She smiled as the two conscious Ilians helped her too her feat. They then helped up Florina who had woken up.

Together the four of them headed out into the cold night air.

0-0

"Do I love her? Would I even know love if it slapped me in the face?" Sain mused. He was still sitting under a tree. "Okay if I love her, (although that hasn't been established yet), how do I woo her?" That was a hard one. Everyone thought of Sain as a skirt chaser. A man who would stay faithful, until he saw another pretty face.

"I'm going to need help!" he declared to himself. "But who would help me?" He smiled at his next thought. "Strange as it may seem, I need Kent's advice in matters of the heart. He felt like laughing. Yes, he would confide in his friend. Sain could just imagine the look on Kent's face.

Having realized that he couldn't fathom his own thoughts, he decided he'd make Kent do it instead. Now that was sorted, he could return to the castle. He was just about to make a start, when he heard voices heading his way from the town.

"I swear I had no idea they were, well… you know." An embarrassed voice said. "Mind you, they looked happy when they left together." It added wistfully.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" a sweeter voice tittered.

They were definitely feminine Sain decided, as he headed back to the road. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't resist listening in on the conversation.

"What!" the first voice cried. "No, I mean…" the voice was muffled by something. It resumed a few seconds later, this time it sounded more shocked than indignant. "Wha…why…why did you do that?" it was defiantly shocked.

"I thought you might want to see what it was like," the other voice giggled.

Sain recognized that voice as Florina's. This was interesting, he'd never heard her giggle. But who was her companion and what had Florina just done too her. Shaking his head, Sain decided he really shouldn't be listening.

"What! Are you?" the voice was really shocked now.

Sain turned around as he recognized the voice of Lief, the tactician. She had her customary green cloak wrapped around herself and a smaller figure. That must have been Florina.

Florina was shaking her head from side to side. "Oh no…no no no no no," she mumbled. "But you might be," she accused. She laughed at her friends hurried denial. "Well the only way you can prove it," she started as deviously as is possible for a drunk to be. "Is if you tell me who you like!" She looked triumphant.

"You're evil!" Lief retorted. "Oh well, if you must know it's Geitz." This time it was her turn to be devious. "Now you've got to tell me who you like."

"You know I'm scared of men!" Florina wailed trying to change the subject as her plan backfired.

"Doesn't mean you don't like them." Lief paused to belch, they started laughing. "If you don't tell me I'll think you're gay," she teased. "So who do you like?"

Sain watching this in bemusement, noticed that the moon had come out and he was visible on the road. He turned to hurry off before he was spotted.

"Well…I like…" Florina started. "SAIN!" she screamed in joy. She ran forwards and jumped on the cavalier, knocking him over.

Lief just looked on in amazement as Florina struggled with Sain on the ground and tried to kiss him.

"What the Hell is going on!" Sain shouted at Lief, while warding of the pegasus knight. "Why is she tr…" He was cut off as Florina got past his guard and kissed him passionately. Normally Sain would have replied in kind, to the affections of any woman, but he was to shocked to reply to the kiss. Instead he flailed his arms around trying to get the girl off him. It was no good she'd clamped her lips against his and was holding on with all her strength.

Lief managed to haul Florina off Sain with some effort. The young pegasus knight just smiled and fell asleep. "Sorry about that." She muttered to the cavalier.

Sain just stared at her. "What the hell was that!" was all he could say. He was gasping for air, if it hadn't been for Lief, he'd have passed out from lack of oxygen. He licked his lips and tasted rum on them. "She's completely pissed isn't she?" he asked the tactician.

Lief nodded and started to blush. "She kissed me before as well." She just blushed a bright crimson, as Sain stared at her in disbelief. "Come on, you can give me a hand here. She's heavy."

Sain complied and scooped up Florina into his arms. "If she wakes up and tries that again, I swear I'll drop her," he vowed to Lief.

She just laughed at this. "I thought that you'd have enjoyed that!" She laughed even more at the outraged look Sain shot her. She was laughing so hard that she wasn't watching where she was going and tripped over. She started to giggle.

"Elimine give me strength," Sain muttered as he hauled the tactician to her feat. "You're drunk as well." He exclaimed.

"Just a little," Lief admitted sheepishly.

"Just a little my…You can barely walk in a straight line. Here, lean on me."

So Sain continued back towards the castle carrying a sleeping Florina, with the tactician leaning heavily against him. "I thought I was supposed to the irresponsible one," he thought to himself.

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I know the majority of this chapter isn't that relevant but I still like it. Chapter 4 should be up pretty soon as I wrote half of it while I lacked inspiration to finish this one. Until then, goodbye,

Spingleburt.