Well, I almost didn't fulfill my promise...having a virus on the computer and the Document Manager not working didn't help! But I'm updating now...on the 23rd, just as my profile said!

I have a few little notes to add before you read. For one thing, in Part 1, I stated that Florina was nine when she met Tibb...well...I meant for her to be eleven. (What happened to my math skills?) I need to fix that. Secondly, I said that this chapter would be shoter...it was, by 5 WORDS! And for my last comment...RedRequiem (and all you Tibb-dislikers), we'll just pretend that Tibb took a long walk off a short plank...

Disclaimer: Ok, ok...I don't own Fire Emblem and all that stuff...blah blah blah...

My Dear Sister, Florina

Part 2

Florina was never the same after the disappointing incident with Tibb. She spent the following day locked in her room. I could hear her painful sobs when I pressed my ear to the wooden door. I suppose she discovered that not every person was kind and caring on the inside. Those naïve philosophies had proven faulty. It was also here that I realized how easily her feelings were hurt; the harmful words had deeply cut her. She continued to ignore my questions as well, freezing up at the utterance of the boy's name. This pain was only the beginning of her fears.

Lacking self-confidence, Florina began to loathe our visits to the marketplace. At first, I perceived very little difference in her actions, but as the weeks passed, her feelings became more obvious. She tried to escape our outings by commenting about her health or attempting to sleep late. Reluctantly, I allowed her to stay at home, possibly another mistake on my behalf. With time, her reclusive acts became a habit, which only hindered her social maturity.

By the time Florina was fourteen, many changes occurred in her life. She joined the pegasus knight training squad, hoping to follow my example. She regained some of her courage as she progressed with the vigorous exercises, but she would not recover so easily. Farina had left us after becoming an official pegasus knight, desiring to get away from me and seek a better fortune. Her absence slightly disrupted our lives; there was less money to spend, and our house was eerily quiet. Fortunately, as I climbed the mercenary ranks, I was able to acquire better jobs.

It was also during this year of changes that the second notable event occurred. This time, however, I did not witness the entire scene; most of my information came from the nearby citizens, including the culprit himself. I pieced it together as best as I could in order to discover what happened to my dear sister.

Florina and I decided to participate in the Festival of Solfirin, a celebration of the approaching summer. Summer was Ilia's most prosperous season; snow rarely fell, and the temperature grew warmer. The festival gave revelry and relaxation to the weary people, an escape from the daily hardships of the Ilian life. Edessa was always a different place during the festival; charming ornaments animated the town. The villagers hung orb-shaped lanterns across the stone buildings throughout town. The merchants' booths were cleared out for the night, though some were used for the children's games. Two long tables, clothed in plain white sheets, held the simple home-baked meals for the feast.

We eagerly journeyed into town, pointing and gazing at the elegant decorations. The sky grew dim as twilight disappeared; the celebration would begin when the stars emerged. I located a few of my friends from my pegasus troop and conversed with them for a few minutes. I observed that Florina was being overly reserved again, trying to fade into the shadows and avoid attention. I encouraged her to leave my side and meet new people while I talked with my peers. After a long period of reluctance, Florina's curiosity, boredom, and courage increased, and she finally decided to leave.

I must rely on the knowledge of others to unveil the following scenes. I was told that my sister evaded the singing and dancing crowds by lurking near the buildings. For some strange reason, she must have taken a turn onto one of the dim paths intersecting the main road. I do not understand why she would do something so…reckless; shady alleys always have potential dangers – that was something she found out the hard way.

I can imagine the group of ragged thieves looking up at the passing child, surprised to see two innocent eyes staring at them. Their leader, whose face displayed malicious intents, approached her, probably while saying, "What're you doin' out here, little miss?"

Apparently, she backed away until she was pinned between him and a brick wall. He sneered, putrid breath seeping through his discolored teeth. "Hm? Are you goin' to answer me er not?"

His long, slanted nose nearly tickled her face as he bent over to look at her eye to eye. It must have been in that moment that her vociferous shriek erupted, disrupting the mass of light-hearted people. I, too, heard faint noises and immediately dashed through the horde of revelers, desperate to find my sister. "Shut your squealin' mouth!" the man barked as he violently grabbed her arm.

Swiftly running, I turned onto the path, now filled with curious villagers. I sprinted as fast as I could, my breaths painful as I inhaled. The ugly miscreant dragged my struggling sister further into the darkness, careful to elude his pursuers. His fellow thieves had already escaped.

Suddenly, the graceful white wings of a pegasus appeared in the night sky, two others trailing behind. My friends swooped down, landing their mounts at the only exit. I continued my chase until the man was sandwiched between us. I signaled to my partners to dismount and surround him. With three lance heads pointed at the man's neck, Florina escaped his grip and tightly embraced me, her body shaking with fear. Her tears stained the sleeve of my tan dress.

"All right, you…," I said coldly, uncontainable wrath stirring with my voice as I interrogated the man. "What did you do to her?"

His silence invited the iron points to come closer. Sweat dripped from his haggard face. "Answer me!" I demanded.

After much threatening, he chose to answer, though I still doubted the credibility of his words. The thief was soon arrested and taken away.

Florina was unscathed, aside from a minor bruise on her thin arm; I was relieved to see no physical harm. The mental damage, on the other hand, continued to haunt her. She refused to return to town or her training for two weeks. If she even saw a man, her azure eyes would blur with tears as her mind was consumed with horror. (Perhaps she remembered the hideous grin of the miscreant, which pierced her with a paralyzing fear.)

As I see her fight in battle and wandering through our camp, two years after the festival, I know that she has recovered to an extent. Things do not offend or affect her as much as they did in the past. She can tolerate being near a man, though socializing with one is another story. As I mentioned before, she cannot speak to a male without stalling and stuttering. She still has much to accomplish. (I do have word that our blue-haired lord has been talking with her lately…) I am still thankful that she has come so far with the help of her friends. Who knows what the future will bring?

For now, however, I can only support her and pray that she breaks from fear's grip.

Constructive criticism and simple reviews are welcome. Thanks to whoever takes the time to do so! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.