Lucia found Janaff perched on the window ledge of the high tower. He turned around to look at her. Her hair was a mess, she was out of breath for having sped all the way up the stairs.
"Hi." he said, his voice betraying a hint of sadness and irritation. Lucia, unable to regain her lady-like composure felt a grin spread over her face.
"You made it." she said breathlessly. Taking a few steps toward where he sat. The laguz didn't move, his brown wings fluttered a little, adjusting automatically so he could stand or fly if he needed.
"Yea..." he said softly, "Just in time for the dancing."

So this is what Tibarn had meant by sulking. Lucia walked over and sat beside him. She faced inside the room, he faced the outside, but their eyes were locked on each others.
"There's nothing between Count Bastian and I." She said after a moment, "We grew up together. And he recently asked my brother for permission to woo me."
"Beorc have to get permission?" Janaff said, obviously cheered by her reassurance that there was nothing between her and the Wind Sage, "Why? Why not do what your heart tells you?"
"I don't know." she shrugged, "The common folk, peasantry and such, do for the most part. But the nobles, like myself and Queen Elinica, are bound by certain social restrictions." She smiled at him.
"That's silly." Janaff said, "But then again, Beorc society and Laguz society are very different." Lucia nodded. He turned his face back to the moon and the soft night sky.

"I missed you." He said after a couple deep breaths, "I thought I was going mad back home. It was so weird I mean, we didn't exactly talk much during the war but...once you were gone..." He stopped, turned his head back to her face, "I couldn't focus on anything. I kept wondering how you were...where you were..." He smiled at her. "Then I got that letter from you and well..." She turned a lovely shade of crimson and set her left hand beside her to support her weight as she used her right hand to brush a lock of hair from her face.
"You're going your hair out again..." His voice was barely above a whisper.
"You noticed." Lucia blushed.
"Of course I did. I was so surprised at how short it was, and a little bit disappointed."
"Disappointed?" she let out a light chuckle
"You have beautiful hair." the hawk laguz shrugged, "You were gorgeous with it short too but...I don't know...I preferred it a little bit longer." Lucia giggled. She looked at the smiling Laguz and warmth flowed through her. She hadn't realized how...empty she had been without him. No, they hadn't spoken much, little chats in the firelight, a few actual conversations here and there, but the silence spoke volumes. The way Janaff had hovered as Lucia cleaned her sword, the way her hands had lingered on his when she brought him his meal. Little things, little things that snowballed into this wave of love that overwhelmed them both.

His hand covered hers where it supported her weight on the wall. She blushed, he chuckled. His hand was warm, and it held hers gently. They sat for a moment, listening to the Heron's song as it drifted to their perch with the wind. The melody wrapped around them like ribbons, binding them together.
"What...what took you so long Janaff? To get here?" Lucia asked, her voice somewhat shy. It was a rude question, one she would never have dreamed of asking anyone else. Janaff smiled and shook his head.
"Before that, I have to go talk to your Brother."
"My Brother? Why?" She asked. Instead of an answer, she was pulled from the ledge, Janaff's strong arms wrapped securely around her waist in a hug. She let out a gasp as they dove to the courtyard, her hands instinctively around Janaff's neck.

They plummeted towards the ground, Lucia's face buried in Janaff's neck. He pulled up at the last minute and they landed with perfect grace in the middle of the dance floor. There were gasps and clapping. Janaff released Lucia and gave her a smile. She could hear Tibarn laugh.

"Well, he's not sulking anymore." And it was true, Janaff, straight backed, eyes set on Geoffrey's face with determination and wings closed majestically behind him, moved towards the Beorc General.

"General Geoffrey." Janaff said, his voice that of a courtier. Lucia cast a confused look at Tibarn, who laughed again.
"He's a noble, Lady Lucia." Ulki said softly. Lucia nodded, still not quite believing it.
"Didn't hurt things that he's been taking lessons from me." Naesala sneered. Leanne's gentle laugh sounded like bells as she agreed with the Raven king. Janaff and Geoffrey shot the "peanut gallery" matching disapproving looks before Janaff went back to speaking.
"I have come to ask your permission in a matter."
"What would this be?" Geoffrey asked, even though (judging from the entry) no questions needed to be asked.
"I ask for you permission to seek the hand of your sister, the Lady Lucia, in marriage." The hawk asked, his voice was a strange and loveable mixture of strong and shy. It was obvious that this speech had been rehearsed, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Janaff, as proud a laguz as ever, was under going a beorc formality that he thought was ridiculous. And he was doing it for Lucia. She let out a little breath. Elincia wrapped her arms around the swordmaster and whispered "good for you" in her ear. Lucia nodded and bit her lip, it was hard to believe that this was actually happening.

Janaff noticed Geoffrey's eyes dart to Bastian, and knew there was conflict in the General's heart. It wasn't unexpected, Bastian was an old friend of Geoffrey's, loyal, Beorc and, most importantly, wouldn't be whisking Lucia away to another country. However, Geoffrey's blue eyes met Lucia's and knew that there was no other choice. He couldn't choose the option that would hurt or distress her.

"Permission granted." Geoffrey said, "If she'll have you. She's all yours." Janaff grinned like a school-boy and turned around, walking briskly over to Lucia and Tibarn.
"Tibarn." He said, the hawk king acknowledged him with a friendly "what's up" nod.
"I ask permission, as your Eyes, to split my duties between you and the woman I love."
"Geez." The hawk king smiled, "You've been hanging around that scumbag of a raven too long. You don't need my permission, you need hers. I sure as hell ain't marrying you." Everyone laughed. Janaff smiled and looked at Lucia, her eyes speaking the words he longed to hear. He walked over to her and took her white gloved hand in his own. Everyone knew what was coming.