A/N: I wrote this awhile back when I was getting into the 100 Themes writing. It's kind of short, but I think that adding more might do a little too much for the story. Anyways, Jill/Lethe were always one of my favorite couples when playing Path of Radiance. So, here it is.
11. Red
It had been three years since she had last seen the Wyvern rider. She had certainly grown a lot in the recent years. A lot taller and leaner. The girl had lost all signs of baby fat, not that there had been much in the first place, but all ounces of fat that had existed now grew into muscle. Her cheerful demeanor that always had her smiling a few years back, now existed in the stone-look on her face. A chiseled expression of emotionless conduct. The years seemed to have played its fair share on the Wyvern rider.
She had been watching the girl-or, woman now, closely for a few days. Unsure of what to do with her. She seemed so…different and new, all sorts of things ran through her mind at the changes. Was the rider that much different? Or the same? A soft growl came from the back of her throat at her own confusion. Why were Beorc so difficult to understand? What made their minds so complicated?
There was one thing that hadn't changed with the woman though. Her hair. Maybe a little longer now, but the same as it had been. Long, thick red strands pulled back into a high ponytail that arched and fell to stroke her back. At least that hadn't changed. As well as her armor. The same matching red armor that caught the light of the sun whenever she ascended into the air for battle. The same gleam-catching metal that blinded the enemy mere moments before impact.
And her eyes, although narrow and hardened now, maintained the same red tint as years before. They didn't seem to lose their gleam. Part of her wished they never would. There was nothing like watching the flares of battle live inside the eyes. Her red rings memorizing the screaming faces of her foes as she struck them down. Those same red eyes holding a softened gaze under the stream of the moonlight; a misty haze blurring the redness.
But she would see nothing of them if she stayed here. Leaping off her post, she slowly started her advance towards the wondering figure. Surprised at the figure's lack of supervision as she struck closer and closer. She wanted to scare the Wyvern rider, just to prove her point of attention to everything, but decided against it.
"Jill," she called, watching as the Wyvern rider turned at her name. Those red eyes studying her once more before a smile came to her face.
"Lethe, it's been awhile," Jill smiled, walking over to her. Her smile seemed to break the chiseled solitude written on her face.
"Three years," she nodded, crossing her arms. "How's it been?"
Jill just shook her head with a chuckle. "Not much. I'm in, or I was, delivering packages across the continent before this whole…mess broke out. You?"
Lethe just shrugged. "Training soldiers here or there, but more on trying to keep myself in top shape. Seems like I was right for working so hard the past few years."
"It shows," Jill nodded, noticing the Laguz's newly formed muscles of hard-still tissue. "I was going to grab lunch, you wanna come?"
"Sure," she agreed, following the Wyvern rider as they headed to the other side of camp. An awkward silence shifted between them due to the lack of conversation mainly.
"So, how's your sister doing?" Jill asked, trying to break the silence.
"Ugh, fine," Lethe answered with a cringe. "She's working more to get Ranulf's attention than train for this war. It's sickening."
Jill laughed and held the tent flap open for her. Those red eyes brightened and glittered in the sun. "Well I had to work hard to get your attention too, you know."