Chapter 20: Romance

Brushing the curtains past him, he felt the cold wind of the night sweep against his skin. It was considerably cold and the night was in full bloom.

As soon as he emerged, his eyes caught sight of her. She was standing out on the balcony, staring out into the intricate garden below. Her arms were rested against the guardrails set at the edge of the balcony, her head was down. Walking up to her, his presence was detected as she looked up. She hadn't been crying.

"Lucius…" she said quietly.

"Florina, are you okay?" Lucius asked. Florina didn't reply as Lucius leant against the rail, looking at her. For some reason, he didn't feel nervous anymore.

"…What are you going to do now that the journey's over?" she asked. She was still looking down towards the garden, her eyes open and at ease. Lucius felt perplexed at the expression; she appeared to be quite happy.

"…I wanted to return to Etruria and establish my own orphanage" he said. It had been his intention for a long time, and the more he found himself saying it, the more real it seemed to be. He had always considered the fact that he may not have made it through the adventure, but knowing that the worst was over, his long sought dreams were finally within reach.

"I talked with Raven" Florina revealed, looking up towards Lucius with admiration. "He told me everything about your plans and how passionate you were about the cause. The way he described your face when you were telling him about it…it was a beautiful portrayal"

"Florina…I heard you were thinking of going back to Ilia" Lucius mentioned. Florina took a breath, but her expression deflated as she sighed her breath out.

"I was…" she said quietly. "But…lately I don't know"

The sense of admiration that Lucius had for Florina was ever growing. Unlike a week ago, when she was reduced to tears by her revelation, she was now a lot stronger. She came across as a fully-grown woman to him now, mature and unafraid of life's unpredictable path.

"Florina, I've had time to think about it" Lucius said quietly, looking around to see if anyone could eavesdrop on them. There seemed to be nobody around; many of the guests had gone to their designated bedchambers.

"Lucius, I'm fine" Florina assured as she moved closer to him, taking his hand. "I've finally learnt that crying won't solve anything. No matter what you say to me…I'll smile" she said quietly. Lucius grasped her hand tighter before taking her other hand. Their eyes were close once more, but there was no eye negotiation. They knew how they felt, and they both knew what they wanted. Looking down, Lucius noticed the scar on her skin by her shoulder, revealed by the design of the dress. It was akin to his own scar: a star shaped battle decoration. He felt his own scar itch a little as he looked at it: everything seemed to be synergizing around them. Lucius intertwined his fingers around Florina's delicate hand, controlling his beating heart and nerves with an assuring grasp.

"…It's strange" Lucius whispered, pressing his forehead softly against Florina's. "I-I never thought I'd fall in love like this…I was a monk from Etruria, a man who was ready to accept a life without romance. And with my androgynous appearance…I thought I would be somewhat immune to it…"

"But you weren't…" Florina whispered back, angling her head closer. Their breaths were quiet, yet both were able to feel it resting on each other's lips; the anticipation was rising between the two. "…I thought my fear of men would keep me single and alone…for all my life"

"Florina…you needn't worry a thing about it" Lucius chuckled quietly. Sliding a hand to her cheek, he stroked it softly, feeling no resistance. Leaning in, their lips met, driving their eyes shut.

Neither could recall such a wondrous, exhilarating feeling in all of their lives. The combination pure romance, the passion and the slight hint of lust that neither one or the other had ever sought all thrown into one action. Not even the heated battles that both had participated in compared to the simple, powerful kiss. As their lips moved, trying to ease the inexperience, it set sparks of excitement and delight flying between them. Lucius tightened his grip, Florina responded in similar fashion. They protected each other from the cold of the night, their hands stroking a small area in compassion as they kissed. Letting go didn't seem to be such an important option to them anymore. Image and reputation meant nothing in that one moment.

Parting, they caught their breaths. They had gotten so carried away that even the fundamentals of life had become transparent. Almost forgetting to breathe during the exchange, Lucius made doubly sure that he didn't let go. Florina, who was taken away by the romance of it all, sighed and leant her head against his chest.

"I know Ilia and Etruria are pretty much next door to each other" Florina said quietly. "I was thinking maybe I could come and visit your orphanage sometime"

"That sounds lovely…" Lucius sighed, still holding onto Florina, his lips tingling. "And when you come to visit, you can tell stories to the children. I'll cook you food and you can stay as long as it pleases you…"

"And then you can bring the children to Ilia on a trip" Florina continued, building yet another of her fantasies, knowing that this one would likely ring true for the future, driving her imagination on. "It'll be your duty on visiting, and they can see the snow covered mountains. I'll learn how to knit and make them all cloaks"

"Florina" Lucius said suddenly, pulling Florina only slightly away, just enough so he could look into her eyes again. She looked up, her eyes displaying her sincerity and her deep-rooted affection. "…Do you think there's a future with us in it? Together?"

Florina allowed a chuckle to escape her lips. She heightened herself on the tips of her feet, just about managing to kiss Lucius, whose eyes closed in the ecstasy of the move. Falling back to the balance of her feet, she rubbed her lips together, unable to get enough of the sensation.

"I was hoping about something like that" she said quietly, taking in a deep breath. Lucius could feel their bond strengthen with every little move they made. He was in awe at the potential that he had with Florina, how far could they possibly go?

"Maybe it isn't just love yet…" Lucius warned, taking Florina back into the full grip of his arms. "But I'm willing to continue with the…'arrangement' that we've got between us"

"Me too…" Florina whispered, resting her head against Lucius's chest once more. "…I promise that I won't be a burden"

"You never were, Florina. You never were…"