Chapter 18: Fears

One week later…

Looking up to the gates of the castle, he took in a deep breath. Castle Pherae. Although it was only one of the many different principalities in the League of Lycia, it was hard to detract from the magnificence of the castle. With tall towers, each adorned with a flag, its glory resided in the strength that it possessed.

As he was shown into the main hall, the first person that came to greet him was Eliwood. With a smile on his face, he reached his hand out.

"Lucius!" he called. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

Smiling, he reached his own hand out, only for Eliwood to take it with both of his hands and shake it vigorously.

"It's nice to see you looking so well, Lord Eliwood!" Lucius commented, noticing that renewed glow on Eliwood's face, devoid of any wrinkles caused by his past troubles. He then looked about the hall: the servants were setting the tables up for a large feast. Everybody from the group of named 'heroes' was expected to attend and the circular tables held up to seven of each. There was a bandstand up at the front, which indicated possible future dancing and to add, there was a large empty space reserved in front of it for the actual dancing.

"Thank you, Lucius" Eliwood replied, his smile more radiant than it had ever been during their journey. "I'm hoping a lot of our friends can also make it. As you can see…oh, Hector!"

Hector had snuck up on Eliwood and slapped his back, startling him.

"Hey, Lucius!" Hector greeted, taking Lucius's hand and shaking it. "Glad to see you here!"

"And the same to yourself, Hector" Lucius replied, giving a smile.

"Tonight's going to be an awesome party" Hector said, looking around the room. Lucius also took a second look; only Dorcas and Oswin had arrived as well as himself. "The ladies are in their dressing rooms preparing their dresses and faces and what have you, which explains the absence of many right now" he explained. "And it's good to see you're wearing something a bit more casual!"

Lucius smiled, taking another look at his outfit, which was a formal suit with a single robe draped over one shoulder. He had the icon of St Elimine on a golden necklace and the colors were a mixture of blue and white, with a single band of red crossing from his right shoulder to his waist. The robe reached to to the area just above his knee, where his formal trousers could be seen from down to his feet, adorned with according black shoes.

"Thank you" Lucius said, rubbing his robe into place.

"Well, feel free to do as you please until the rest of the boys turn up" Hector explained. "Eliwood's gonna call us all when it's time to be seated. See you then!"

Lucius waited patiently for the celebration party to begin, making small talk with Dorcas and Oswin, with Oswin still trying to convince Dorcas to become an Ostian knight. Lucius then noticed that Natalie, Dorcas's wife, was stood next to Dorcas, keeping herself afoot on a pair of crutches, her leg inside a cast. Upon greeting the others, he talked to Natalie about anything that appeared to be relevant. The minutes flew by.

Meanwhile, in the dressing rooms of the castle…

"You're abdicating the throne of Caelin?"

"Yes, I am"

"But why?"

"I've never really been comfortable with the life of royalty. I miss the plains…"

"D-does that mean I'll have to stop being a Caelin knight then?"

"Of course not, you can still be a knight of Caelin"

"But…it's not going to be the same without you Lyn…"

"Come on Florina, there's no need to look so gloomy"

The two were sat down in front of mirrors, perfecting their look for the party. Both Lyn and Florina felt little need to be appearing extravagantly, opting for the lighter, simpler look. Their dresses had been selected and the two were donned in gowns whilst their touched their faces up delicately, hiding the subtle battle scars and scratches, the mementos of their adventures.

"Well…" she sighed. "I can't stop you, can't I?"

"I'm sorry" Lyn sighed back. "Don't think we won't see each other again. Just because I'm abdicating my rule doesn't mean I'm stripped of my privileges. I've had a look of over the clauses of the parchment and according to them, I'm still entitled to many of the services that would have remained available for me as Caelin's Marquess" she explained. "Which means free transport. I'll visit you in Ilia as often as I can"

Stroking the back of her hair, she watched as Florina let out a smile after contemplating the offer.

"…So that means I'll be turning in my knighthood" Florina remarked. "Both me and Fiora are thinking of going back to Ilia to live. It'll be nice to see home again…"

The brief, wistful happiness slowly formed back into the disappointed face that had been present for most of their conversation. She had remembered the main problem about going home to Ilia.

"…Are you thinking about him?" Lyn asked, fully aware of the situation. She had known about Florina and Lucius since the day after their victory against Nergal. The thought of leaving for Ilia, not being able to settle the matter between her and Lucius and have a clear conscience was killing her slowly inside. She knew that every member of the group had planned to move off on their separate ways after the night was through.

"I don't know what's going to happen…" Florina said quietly, fixing an earring onto her earlobe. "I-I'm scared about what he'll say…or if he's forgotten"

"What did he tell you a week ago, Florina?" Lyn asked, aiming to make a valid point.

"He said…h-her said he wasn't ready to love me yet…" she said quietly.

"Love isn't something that comes by easily" Lyn explained. "I know you haven't been in love or felt like this before, but I know plenty of people who've been carried away by this before. It doesn't end nicely, Florina, people get their hearts broken. That's the worst thing that can happen to your state of mind, it's awful"

"H-Have you ever bee in love, Lyn?" Florina asked, nervous about the whole subject. Lyn looked down, looking a little wistful herself.

"…Well, I'm not sure" she replied after a small break. "I do have my eyes on someone…but that's not something I want to discuss right now. But I know I'm going to be careful, and I won't try to envision something for the future"

"Why?" Florina asked. Lyn gave Florina a small smile, happy to be educating her friend.

"It's because it's dangerous for your heart" she explained. "Imagine if you thought of a perfect world where you and Lucius were to live in harmony, only for him to wish differently? You wildest dreams, denied. And it wouldn't be Lucius's fault, because like us all, he is human. He has his own ambitions and dreams I'm sure, and if you were to try and bar him from fulfilling them by chasing your own dreams, then the both of you will be very unhappy. Don't you understand?" she asked. Lyn watched as Florina released her most exasperated sigh yet. Moving her chair across, she gave Florina a hug, surprised not to see her break down into tears. She really had grown tougher over the weeks of their adventure, having learnt to hold her tears in. Florina knew herself that crying never helped anymore.

"…I don't know what to feel anymore" Florina whispered. "I don't know if I'm love with him or if I've just…g-got a c-c-crush….."

"Whatever happens tonight, talk to him about it" Lyn instructed calmly. "Don't be afraid to face him, or fear what he has to say. You're still a young woman and you have so many years to chase suitors and experience everything romance has to offer. Don't push yourself so much, or judge yourself. He's not the only man in the world. Besides, you've made your feelings clear to him already and you both have had time to think. Just hear him out after all the dinner and dancing, and just…go along with it"

Florina pulled away from Lyn, drying her teary eye, having just managed to hold it in.

"I-I will" she said quietly. Lyn rubbed her face, smiling brightly.

"And most importantly…have fun" she explained. "Now enough of that, I want to see how lovely you look in your dress…"