AN: This story is settled in the aftermath of the final battle against Nergal, focusing on Lyn and Florina (there are to little fics about them). I had the idea how Lyn's life is gonna change when there are no more battles to fight and she has to prepare as the heir of Caelin (I don't care about the credits!). It may become shoujoai later on but I'm not yet sure, dependson how it's going.
Please read and review I need something that keeps my lazy ass writing. :-)
Florina pushed aside the curtain guarding the entrance of the tent and entered.
"Lady Lyndis, I bring your supper."
No one answered her though. As her eyes got accustomed to the twilight inside, she saw that nobody was in here.
"Lady Lyndis?" she called out, again with no result.
The orchid haired girl stepped out, looking frantically around for her lady. Lady Lyndis was injured, she should stay in bed. Florina worried about her.
Although they were quiet a number of people in their camp the usual buzz was missing. Everyone was still worn out from the last fight back yesterday and not few members of the party had suffered injuries, minor or major.
The only person who happened to be around was Kent. Florina approached him, intending to ask him about the missing noblewoman. Kent noticed her and stopped.
"Florina, what's up? Weren't you supposed to bring Lady Lyndis her supper?" he asked.
Florina looked at him for a moment, while Kent waited for her to answer. She had lost some of timidity around men since she had become engaged in the service of house Caelin and Kent had always been kind and polite towards her, yet she thought better about asking him about their Lady.
"Ah yes. I was just going for some water to wash her wound and change the bandages." she said, not meeting his eyes. Florina didn't like to lie, especially not to someone like Kent, but he obviously didn't know anything about Lyndis whereabouts and, she told herself, it was better for him as well. Knowing Kent, he wouldn't hesitate to turn the whole camp upside down, if she told him Lyndis wasn't in her tent, duteous as he was.
"Then good evening to you," he said smiling and walked away.
Florina couldn't help to notice he was walking rather slow and stiff.
No wonder, with that slash across the chest he suffered, he shouldn't even be walking around…
Briefly she wondered if she herself would be back on her feet, just a day after she had been close to dying like Kent. In truth, if it hadn't been for Serra's healing arts he probably would have died of the blood loss back on the battlefield and it would still take some time until the deep wound would have healed properly. Somehow she admired Kent for his strength and braveness. She wished to be just as brave a knight herself.
Lacking a better direction to start her search, Florina turned round and set off for the little spring, a bit west of the camp at the edge of a forest.
To no surprise Lyn wasn't there.
Florina was worried now. Lyndis injury wasn't grave, but she still would do better resting in her bed instead of running around. She frowned for a moment and tried to come up with a place where she would go to if she were Lyn.
Somewhere alone and away from the camp probably…
She sighed, then decided to give it a try and walked into the forest. Finally, after she had crossed the small forest, she saw her, sitting in the grass on a little hill watching the sunset.
Relieved she waited a moment behind a trunk, catching her breath. Then she stepped out of the cool shadows of the wood.
"Lady Lyndis you shouldn't be out here, and all on your own. You must be curing your injuries." she chided.
At the familiar voice Lyn looked up and smiled. "You sound just like Kent."
Florina blushed. "I didn't intent to make it sound like giving you orders..."
"It's okay. I know you're just worried but I'm fine." Lyn replied. She patted the grass next to her. "Just sit down with me."
Florina complied.
"How's your arm, milady?" she asked.
Lyn touched the white bandage on her left arm thoughtful. "Not that bad. At least good enough to be sitting out here instead of inside a sticky tent." She grinned at her smaller friend.
"If you say so milady." Florina replied.
"Can't you stop calling me milady?" She sounded slightly irritated. The told one hung her head.
"We are friends Florina, aren't we? You don't have to be so stiff and formal around me. Just call me Lyn, like you used to back on the plains." The swordswoman stated.
In a timid voice the girl answered. "But you weren't a noblewoman back then. Or", she corrected herself quickly. "I didn't know you were. I am merely a knight in your service and I should be glad to have achieved such a post at my age at all."
"I don't need another knight who treats me like a fragile and delicate doll, like those other noblewomen seem to be." Lyn huffed. "I don't want Florina the knight who protects me. I want Florina the friend to whom I can talk to."
Florina smiled at the passionate declaration Lyn had finished. This was just what she liked so much about her friend. True, she was different, but she was also special.
"Then Lyn," she said putting emphasis on her name, "what do you want to talk about?"
"Nothing, actually. Just keep me company if you don't mind." Lyn replied and let her gaze wander back to the setting golden sun. Florina nodded and made herself comfortable next to her lady.
They sat together in silence before Lyn started to talk again.
"You know," she began, jerking Florina out of her own thoughts. "I still can't really believe it."
"What do you mean?" her friend asked, though she thought she knew what Lyn was referring to.
"I still can't believe we really defeated Nergal. I mean yesterday the whole world was about to perish and now we are sitting here watching the sunset."
Florina nodded but kept silent, she knew Lyn wasn't finished yet.
"I've never seen an evening so beautiful as this one."
"Yes."
"But it's probably only because I know how close we where to loosing it at all…"she trailed off.
After a little while Lyndis raised her voice once again.
"Yesterday before our last battle, I was afraid, assumedly more afraid than ever before."
Florina lightly touched her arm. "It's okay to be afraid of death."
"No, I wasn't afraid of dying." Lyn stated. "I just thought about all the things I'd wanted to do, but hadn't done and that I've missed so much in my life. For example I've never had a chance to fight with Guy, to get tutored in shooting by Louise, I've still got so many promises left open to my Grandfather and the people of Caelin." She took a deep breath.
"Hell, I haven't even ever kissed anyone!" Lyn shouted.
"Neither did I", Florina mumbled.
"Huh" Lyn blinked and renoticed the girl beside her, who she had forgotten, absorbed in her own speech.
"Well then, let's get this over so we won't have it anymore on our regret-list." She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes and before Florina could react she found her lips locked with Lyn's in a gentle kiss. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft warmth against her own lips.
After a moment Lyn retreated and eyed the dazzled girl before her. Florina blushed profusely under her gaze and stared at the ground.
"I'm sorry, Florina." She said rueful. "I didn't want to abuse your friendship."
"No, it's okay, Lyn. You just surprised me, that's all." The younger girl mumbled, but kept her gaze still directed to the grass.
"I don't want you to be awkward about it. I-" Lyn continued apologizing for her spontaneous action, but was cut off by her friend.
"I said it's okay, you're my best friend Lyn," she said touched by Lyn's sudden remorse. "and I trust you."
"You're really not angry?" she asked tentatively.
"No," she smiled. "Imagine if I got my first kiss from a man. I'd likely fainted."
Lyn laughed out at that remark and her companion joined in.
Then the noblewoman got earnest again.
"I'm a bit anxious about the future, too." She confided. "I'm absolutely different to the rest of the nobility. As far as I know from Eliwood and Hector, other noblewomen don't know how to use neither a bow, nor a sword or to fight at all, but I was raised on the plains and it's completely normal to me. I don't think I will fit in." Lyn sighed "I don't want to disgrace grandpa or Caelin's esteem."
"Don't worry Lyn." Florina said and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. "I'll help you. I'll stay by your side and help you to best I can."
Lyn squeezed back. "Thank you."
Florina just smiled in response and laid her head on Lyn's shoulder. They remained there until the night had completely fallen.
