Legion of Honor
(C) Intelligent Systems and Nintendo
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05. Goodbye, This Country of Sorrows
Today we'll leave Lycia behind. All of us, together.
In a small room in the smallest inn, the only place they could afford in the entire castle town, Lyn gazed out of the window. She and Florina had taken the lone bed in the room while the men had to make do with the floor and blankets, but the small space itself was no different than all the nights they had spent under the stars. It was that feeling of being constantly surrounded that reminded her of being with her tribe, and that comforted her more than the roof over their heads, or the tall bed that made her feel like she might fall off if she rolled away from the center while she slept.
It was a bright, beautiful morning. She wasn't sure what that meant for them, but she hoped--no, she was going to believe that it was a good sign. They had gotten this far despite of everything; the weather was the least of her worries.
Just a little longer.
"I'm back!" Wil called as he entered the room. He had left to return their breakfast tray to the kitchen, instead of having their planning interrupted or overheard. Maybe she was being too cautious, but the memory of possibly being watched made her feel anxious.
"Let's begin," she said, looking at each of her companions, her friends. "When do you think would be the best time to leave?"
"Midday, milady," Sain, who was sitting at the lone small table with Kent, answered promptly. "All the border guards will be exhausted from inspecting the morning rush and waiting to break for lunch. Also, if Ostia's anything like Caelin, they'll be performing their guard rotation around that time. The guards leaving will consider little else than their own stomachs, while the guards coming on will be too miserable or too full to trouble themselves with anything more than adequacy."
Are you speaking from experience? Lyn wondered as she glanced from Sain to Kent. The latter looked almost disinterested, something that puzzled Lyn; if anyone had a remark to make after that report, it would be him. "Kent, do you agree?" she asked, hoping to draw out a response from him.
After a moment, Kent nodded. "That would be an accurate assessment."
"...I see." Shrugging mentally, Lyn decided to move on. "Then, we have some time to get supplies and information before we go. Does anyone have a preference?"
"Ah, Lady Lyndis, there's something that has been weighing on my mind as of late, " Sain said, looking strangely serious. "I'd like to see if Serra has safely arrived."
"That's a great idea. She was returning to Ostia originally, wasn't she?" Thinking back to the days when everything seemed right, Lyn smiled a little as she fiddled with a loosening string from her belt. "I've been worried about everyone, especially since there's no way we can contact most of them by now. If Serra is here, then we can learn about Erk and Matthew. That's not everyone, but..."
"Never fear, milady, your loyal man Sain will find out everything you wish to know!" Standing up, Sain looked every bit the confident knight Lyn knew him as, and she felt her mood spark up a bit in response.
"Then, I'm counting on you," she said. With a grandiose bow that made her giggle, Sain left the room. "Well then, there's still four of us."
"Um..."
Used to the humming quality trembling within Florina's small voice, Lyn leaned forward in genuine interest as she turned towards the bed. "What is it, Florina?"
Her friend fidgeted, fingers that looked too delicate to grip a lance or entangle themselves within leather-strong reins currently playing with the ends of her hair. "Um, there's something that I, um, need to do."
Lyn considered. "In Ostia?" Florina nodded but didn't add more, which Lyn figured was because of the men in the room. "All right, let's go together."
Florina's fingers curled into small fists. "I'd like that, but...it's pegasus knight business, so I have to go alone." Looking up at Lyn, her expression was troubled. "Because there're pegasus knight offices in many capitals, and I still need to register since you said...this was a mercenary group, so..."
"Oh, I remember that," Lyn said, thinking aloud. "We'll meet up later, then?"
A smile bloomed on her best friend's face as she nodded. "Okay. Then, I'll go now..." Other than keeping her head bowed as she walked by Wil, who was leaning against the wall next to the door, Florina seemed to be expressing herself around the others much better than she had in the beginning.
This situation has been tiring, Lyn thought, but trying times do make people stronger. I wonder if I...?
"Hey, I'm going to go on ahead too," Wil suddenly declared. Maybe some of her confusion was showing, because he shrugged and grinned like he didn't have a care in the world. "Don't worry! I'll find out whatever we need to know. You two can handle the shopping best, anyway."
"That's true..."
"See you!"
The wooden, heavy sound of the door closing behind Wil seemed to only make the emptiness of the room that much more apparent. If everyone already had things they wanted to do, I should've just said that I would do the shopping, Lyn thought, her mental tone dry. She looked at the only other person in the room, a very unconcerned-looking Kent. "I guess it's just you and me," she said in an attempt to fill up the room with something other than silence.
Kent nodded. "At your service, milady."
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Hmm...I wonder...I think maybe this...? What did the instructor say again...? Ah...
Florina walked down the unfamiliar street, completely and utterly terrified of the many people all around her as they gathered at the food stalls that lined the street. The sun wasn't too high, but with all the people around it felt hotter somehow. It was nothing like this in Edessa! There, everyone stayed inside and did things because it was too cold not to, unless it was the Festival of the Ice Dragon. That was the only day when everyone was outside and there was lots of food and it felt like fun just breathing.
It didn't feel like that usually, not in Ilia. Not in all the places she'd been to outside of Ilia either, not unless Lyn was with her.
Other than the annual festival, Florina felt nervous around large crowds. Like in training back in Ilia, where she had to follow commands instantly and without even a fumble. It made her so nervous, trying to be perfect like her big sister Fiora, knowing that when she made a mistake--and she always made them, no matter how hard she tried--everyone else in the group would stare at her while the instructor would point out all her flaws. And then Farina would make fun of her all the time.
All crowds were like that. It made her want to be invisible.
Now--right now--she knew she was going to make a mistake. She was going to trip, or someone would ask her a question and she'd stutter a lot and not know what the answer was, and then she'd be stared at by all these people in this foreign city, and it'd somehow be worse because she knew other people didn't like pegasus knights. She'd heard stories.
She was expecting something bad to happen, she just knew it. She just wasn't expecting--
"Hey, there you are! Florina! Can you hear me?"
--Wil.
Florina's mind went blank. By instinct alone, she stopped and stared as Wil bounded through the crowd, his smile wide and ever-present right until he reached her and took a good look at her face. "A-are you okay?" he asked, wide-eyed. "You look like--you're not going to cry, are you?"
As quickly as possible, she turned away from him and shook her head, embarrassed. He just looked so concerned for her that she wanted to get away from him as soon as she could.
Was the crowd watching them now? She couldn't bear to look...
"Oh, good. I don't know what I'd do if that happened. I mean, I guess I'd go find Lyndis, but I couldn't just leave you by yourself to cry in the middle of the street! I'd feel really bad, and I wouldn't be able to face Lyndis...hah, and then I bet Sain would lecture me on how to treat a girl, though I don't think I want to follow his advice..."
The image of Sain lecturing Wil, complete with all those big, gusty gestures and loud voice, bubbled up in her mind, and with that so did her laughter.
She heard him chuckle, a pleasant sound. "I guess you're not mad or anything. That's good." Wil really did sound relieved, and that made her feel guilty. Her face felt hot as she glanced at his shoulder.
"...I'm sorry."
"Hey, don't worry about it. I surprised you, so of course you'd react badly." Suddenly, his face was in view; while she did sneak glances at the faces of all the men she traveled with, it gave her a shock to see Wil's wide, sincere smile so close to her own face. "But you know," he said, his voice softer than usual as his expression turned thoughtful, "we've been traveling together for a while now. We're like comrades! I know you'd watch my back, and I'd definitely watch yours." Now he smiled again, this time in what she sensed was an encouraging manner. Lyn smiled like that a lot. "So, don't be afraid to talk."
Florina trembled, overcome with a strange, nameless emotion. She wanted to say something, but she was never very good about getting her point across, especially not to men. In the end, all she could manage was a tiny, "...Thanks."
There was something about the people around her, how they managed to reach out and talk and say things and make it look so easy to do all those things, that she really liked. It was as if they never made mistakes, or at least, that they easily picked themselves up and went along as if nothing had happened at all. She really, really wanted to become someone like that.
Maybe, if she tried really hard, she could.
As Wil talked, first about how he didn't mean to delay her and was she walking this way and oh, he'll walk with her, then about how boring Ostian architecture was and how he liked traveling with Lyn because it was nice to travel in a group, she simply reveled in how he effortlessly filled the space between them with words. It was like he could talk about anything, pulling out sentences and topics from the atmosphere like he was grabbing arrows out of the quiver he usually wore, and while that thought made her shiver a little--oh, arrows were scary--it was right. Though, he didn't try to hurt anyone with his words, so that was good. They walked along the thinning crowd, though she kept close to the buildings so she wouldn't have to dodge too many people. She didn't really notice much, immersed as she was in all his words.
She just happened to glance into the alleyway as she passed by, and then there were hands reaching out towards her--
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"I wouldn't think we'd need new weapons," Lyn mused as she walked, one hand tapping the money pouch she kept on her belt. "We've been lucky every since we began traveling on this side of the river. We don't have much money left anyway, so that's just as well. Then, I think we should just buy some vulneraries..." Glancing over at Kent, who had been walking beside her and being unusually silent, she let her arms casually swing by her sides. "What do you think, Kent?"
He nodded. "That would be best."
"Oh." Lyn looked around at the empty streets of the shopping district, a long walk north from the inn. "I'd think there would be more people in this area."
"The majority of the crowds are at the food stalls at this time of day."
While she was happy that he was answering her questions, the whole mood seemed off. Lyn tilted her head to look at him. "You seem different today. I'm used to hearing you talk more. Are you feeling well?"
Only after the words had left her mouth did Lyn think about how that must've sounded to Kent. It was obvious that it had occurred to him as well, because a flicker of bemusement crossed his face before his usual composure settled back into place. "Pardon?" he asked, his tone mild.
"I don't mean that you talk too much, of course," she assured him, "only that you usually give reasons when you feel one way or another."
The corners of his mouth edged up in a smile, and even his eyes didn't seem as hard as they usually did. "I assure you there is nothing particularly wrong with me. I simply have nothing to add when you make sound decisions."
His voice is slightly hoarse, her mind registered, but she decided not to pry. "If you say so," she said instead, returning his smile. "You must be annoyed by all my questions."
"On the contrary, milady, I'm only sorry that I've worried you so much as of late." He looked around, then pointed at a building, its distinctive crimson roof as bright as blood under the clear skies, up ahead. "I believe that is the item shop that sells vulneraries."
"Don't all item shops?" she asked, confused.
"Ostia is the largest castle town, as well as the head of the Lycian League. Thus, its reputation allows for a greater capacity for trade. That's why there are so many shops here." He gestured at all the stone-gray buildings and their red roofs, the continent standard for armories and item shops.
"It's a good thing we only need to go into one," Lyn remarked as she started towards the shop door. The creeping sensation of being watched prodded at her instincts, which flared up in warning. Narrowing her eyes in irritation, she turned around and found several men staring at them. They looked like little more than common bandits, and the wave of hate that swept through her in response was not unwelcome.
The man in front, who was both bald and had a crinkled face, a combination that made Lyn think of a baby, nodded at her. "Haven't seen you around here before. You passing by?"
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Kent tensing, prepared for a fight. She shook her head, trying to keep her tone mild as she said, "Is there something you need? We're in a hurry."
"Listen to that accent," another man, entirely forgettable in looks, commented. "An' those clothes. She's as foreign as they come. A Sacaean girl traveling with a Lycian knight...there's no mistake. That's the impostor princess and the oathbreaker."
"Lady Lyndis," Kent said in a low voice.
The third one drew his sword. "If we take 'em down, they could be our ticket to livin' easy. Maybe the new marquess'll even make us knights."
Kent's tone was considerably drier as he warned in the same quiet tone, "We can only afford to incapacitate them. Killing them will make it impossible for us to cross the border today, if at all."
Settling into a ready stance, Lyn nodded. "I don't know how to do that, but I'll try."
I won't have our plans ruined now--we're too close!
As the baby-headed man began to draw his sword, Lyn dashed forward, popping out one of her swords from its scabbard with the thumb of her left hand as she reached for the hilt. Before he could do anything, she stepped to his right, pivoted, and carved a deep gash into his right shoulder. Crying out, the man fell to his knees. Her heartbeat raced as she clearly saw all the ways she could kill the defenseless man without even breaking her rhythm, but the image of him trying to cover his wound with his other hand as blood seeped through his fingers reminded her of Kent's words, her own vow. Sparing a moment to change her grip, she slammed the pommel of her sword against the ridge of his spine at the bottom of his neck and watched him topple over, unconscious.
When she looked up, she was met with a blade rushing towards her face.
By instinct alone she stepped to the right, intending to suffer the blow on her weak arm, but the next sound she heard wasn't that of metal tearing into flesh, but instead the horrific clang of two blades meeting in mid-swing. She turned her head enough to see Kent's strained expression, teeth clenched tightly as he blocked the blow that was meant for her. Lyn took the opportunity she had been given, repeating her previous move and knocking out the bandit. Three bodies on the ground, and although she had been fortunate to have Kent's help, she still wasn't even breathing hard.
"It only gets easier," she murmured to no one in particular.
"Lady Lyndis?"
"Sorry," she began to say as she turned to face him, but something on the roof of the item shop caught her eye. There was a woman standing there, as motionless as the building on which she stood. With the late morning sun in Lyn's eyes, though, she couldn't make out even the color of the stranger's clothes. After a moment, the woman tossed something down at Lyn. Fear thudded within her as she knelt down and picked up the object. It was a small, dark blue glove.
It was Florina's glove.
Lyn jumped up into a standing position, but the other woman was already nimbly running across the rooftop before jumping to the next. Gripped by a violent wave of fear, rage, and something even darker, Lyn took off after her.
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"--And while Lord Uther is...passable, I suppose, his younger brother is the most unbelievably uncouth slob I've ever had the misfortune of laying my delicate eyes upon!"
"Truly?"
"Mm-hm. Well, my situation here isn't so horrible that I can't endure it, I suppose, but I certainly deserve more respect. If only..."
The tender whisper that escaped Serra's lips was almost too much for Sain to bear as they meandered through the church's sparse gardens, following only their hearts as they grasped for what little time they could share now, together, before cruel fate would intervene and pull them apart once more. Just the mere thought of separation was enough to bring his mood down from its exalted heights to the new moon darkness of despair, but he would endure, just like Serra had until he returned into her life like a shooting star--ah, that bright, fleeting gift of hope!
But now, right now, the only fleeting thing was her melodious voice, and so he leaned in a little closer to hear whatever beautiful sorrow she would impart from her maiden's blush-pink, petal-shaped lips. "If only?" he repeated, his heart gripped by an ineffable emotion.
"Hmm..." She was not looking at him; instead, she brought a finger to her lips, the impeccably manicured nail of which was indenting her bottom lip just so. For all the stars in the boundless night sky, he couldn't keep his heart from pounding an impatient tattoo within his chest. "I wonder if I should tell you my secret. After all, a single indiscretion on your part could imperil everything my dear parents worked for to protect me, their beloved only child!"
Sain's eyes flew open, lulled as he was by her sweet voice. "Eh? S-Serra! Would you doubt the word of this knight, your Sain?"
"Well..." Suddenly, Serra seemed greater than her diminutive, slender figure would suggest, brilliant blue eyes dazzling him with their clarity. "You have to admit that you aren't the most trustworthy man alive," she stated, her gaze boring into his own like judgment from on high itself.
"But surely you, of all people, would understand the fickle nature of love!" he argued. "Day by day, everyday, a single meeting of the eyes is the ephemeral road on which two hearts meet--"
She tapped her foot, arms crossed in a truly fetching display of impatience. "Sain, what's your point?"
"My heart overflows with so much love, and there are so many women who live the bleak lives of those unloved, so--"
"Stop!" He did so, though he was a bit miffed about it. Not one person had ever let him finish his treatise of love. "Of course I understand the hopelessness of love. After all, I've had to turn away so many because of my vows, like poor Erk and Matthew, but the way you go about it..."
Didn't Lady Lyndis say something about...oh! "Speaking of which, where are they? Lady Lyndis was wondering how they were."
Serra shrugged. "Erk left a couple days ago for Etruria. As for Matthew, did you know he's actually an Ostian vassal? It seems like everywhere I turn, there he is! Of course that's understandable, but he should really think about his girlfriend's feelings."
"Wasn't he...a thief?" Sain asked, frowning as he tried to place who Matthew even was.
"Now that I think about it, he's been doing something weird lately over by the west gate. He spoke to me as if I were a common pest when I just happened to notice him there." Now there was an indignant, yet cute, scowl on her face.
"Shall I go find out what he's doing?" Charmed by her many expressions as he was, Sain still wanted to bring about a smile to her lips. After all, women always looked favorably upon those who made them truly happy. He couldn't help but let out a sigh at this thought--that was what he had sworn would be his life's work, although no one seemed to understand.
Serra shrugged again. "If you want. Anyway, I have to go to the castle now, so..."
Leaning in, an expectant smile crossed Sain's face. "Yes?"
"Tell Lyn I wanted to talk to her. Even with that nasty business looming over her head, I won't abandon our friendship!" With those words, she quickly walked around him and was gone, as if she had been nothing more than a whisper of a dream. His heart now beat softly, in longing; he was so sure that she would give him at least a kiss, no matter that even God and the heavenly saint themselves were against their love!
...Well, there was always next time!
-0-
Lyn ran.
Feet pounding the stone-paved ground, body lurching forward, arms propelling her forward--Lyn ran. She ran until her lungs burned from the pressure, until her throat was cotton-dry, until her arms and legs felt like giving out, then she ran even harder.
The glove clutched in her left hand was all she needed to know that stopping wasn't an option.
That woman, who had bounded along the rooftops with all the easy grace of the mountain cats Lyn had seen at home, didn't stop either. When there had been no more shops, she took to the streets, darting in and out of identical-looking alleyways like someone who knew Ostia. She moved with purpose, never a misstep in any of the tak-tak-taks of her high-heeled boots. Lyn could tell that much because she had spent a lifetime on the plains watching the beasts hunt, and hunting them herself. This chase was what the other woman wanted.
It didn't matter. Only Florina mattered. That dark, pulsing rage she had felt before, when Mark had died and Florina had been injured, was like a different heartbeat. It didn't have the same rhythm as the one that beat harder and faster the more she ran.
I want to be stronger to protect everyone, and to avenge the ones I wasn't able to protect.
Then, as suddenly as she moved once the realization that's Florina's glove! burst all over her mind like the splatter of a thrown egg, the chase ended.
They were in a secluded place with lots of shade from big, leafy trees. A building acted as the wall on her right side, and the perimeter wall of the town itself stood in front of and to the left side of her. The woman stood a few feet away, no particular expression on the portion of her face that wasn't covered by her short magenta hair. However, that was no longer the most important thing to Lyn.
Wil and Matthew were there, hitching a wagon full of bales of hay to what looked like Kent and Sain's horses.
Slowly, Lyn began to shake her head in disbelief. "What is this?"
"Oh, there you are." As if there was nothing wrong, a smirk played on Matthew's face as he said, "Guess my secret's out. Though, I'm sure you would've never believed that a common thief could possibly be working for Ostia."
"Matthew," the woman said in a chiding voice. At that, his smirk only grew wider.
"C'mon, Leila. I owe her an explanation."
So many emotions churned inside Lyn that she couldn't hope to sort through them. Everything felt surreal, as if she was in that moment between sleep and full wakefulness. It was all she could do to lift the hand that held Florina's glove. "Where is Florina?"
Wil turned to face her. His smile was not a comfort. "Don't worry, she's fine. She was a bit surprised about everything, but right now she's on her way to the other side of the border." Then, his smile dropped. "Lyndis? I wanted to be the one to tell you, but I had to help get the horses..."
"I thought Florina was in danger," she said, trying to temper down her anger. She turned to the woman, this Leila. "Why didn't you just talk to me?"
"I was wary about approaching you right after your battle while bearing your friend's glove." Leila bowed her head in what Lyn supposed was meant as an apology. "It was reckless of me."
"You were in a fight?" Wil asked, worry in his voice. Lyn nodded.
"Kent and I were recognized, but it wasn't too bad." Something bothered her, and after another cursory look around, she realized what it was. "Where's Sain? He went to go see Serra, and--"
"He went to see who?" Matthew asked, an edge to his voice that wasn't there before. Lyn frowned at him, surprised at his reaction.
"Serra. Don't you remember her? She's a cleric who was heading to Ostia--"
Matthew held up a hand. "I know, I know. But why would he...wait, why am I asking that?"
"Kent." Lyn turned, idly realizing that she had never even thought about Kent once she began running, yet he was right there when she needed him--and she had expected that. "Can you see if Sain is in the area?" With a nod of acknowledgment, Kent left. Once she could no longer see him, she turned back towards the others. "I'm still confused by all this," she admitted.
"Hey, perfectly understandable." After glancing at Wil's attempt to attach what Lyn thought was Sain's horse to the wagon, Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Leila, can you help Wil? We have to leave soon."
"I've never done this before," Wil muttered, moving aside for Leila.
"Anyway, my lord was interested when he heard that the former Marquess Caelin had a granddaughter, and he wanted to assess your claim to Caelin's throne. That's where I came in," Matthew said as he approached Lyn. "He was willing to give his support to you, but with Lord Hausen's death, he had to withdraw and pretend to be a neutral spectator."
Puzzling over this, Lyn could only ask, "Why?"
"Two reasons." He raised one finger. "One, he's the marquess of the most powerful canton in the League, as well as the head of the governing council and such. He can't be shown as being partial, especially since your situation wasn't looking too great then. Since he has other issues that he wanted to have the other marquesses pass, he couldn't afford to show support or else the other marquesses would think that he'd use his power to interfere with their territories."
A second finger followed. "Two, you don't have any physical claim, like a ring or a pendant or anything like that. You have no living Lycian relative who would make the claim for you. To the common Lycian, you're just a girl from Sacae claiming to be a marquess' relative. To the other marquesses, you're a threat by virtue of being an absolute unknown to them. Most of them are too entrenched in their ways and resist change unless it suits them. Caelin's inheritance struggles didn't."
"Even if it was the right thing to do?" she asked, her words lacking their usual force. Matthew nodded.
"I know Lord Elbert gave you assistance, even going so far as to deceive Lundgren in person, and my lord allowed me to do this on the condition that I take full responsibility if you're discovered. 'Course, with the help I found, that won't happen." He inclined his head towards the woman who was deftly preparing the horses, and Lyn could see a certain tenderness soften his usual smirk.
Lyn, who prided herself on being someone who could look at anyone in the eye, glanced away. "Thank you," she said, but her thoughts were not as kind.
All these powerful people, and yet they can't do anything. They don't do anything. They only watch and wait to see what the outcome will be before deciding how to make the situation profitable for themselves. The most any of them can do is assist in secret, almost as if it were shameful to help others...I shouldn't have doubted Eliwood's father, but I never would've thought that he would be helping me by meeting with Lundgren. It's a different world from Sacae...
If Grandfather had lived, would I have stayed here? Would I have learned to accept such ideals?
"Time to go," she heard Matthew mutter under his breath, and she turned to find Kent and Sain approaching. As Matthew walked away, mumbling about finding a hat, Lyn could see the exact instant Sain's eyes fell upon Leila.
"Ah, I've never seen such a--" The words stopped when Sain happened to glance at Lyn. In the time it took to take a breath, Sain's entire demeanor changed. "Lady Lyndis? What's wrong?" He rushed over to her, Kent not far behind.
I can't think about any of that. Not now. It doesn't matter anymore.
She tried to smile, but settled for just trying to look normal. "I'm fine, really." Nodding towards the wagon, she ran a hand through her bangs. "Let's go."
-0-
"Lyn!"
Brushing bits of straw from her clothing, Lyn turned at the familiar voice. "Florina!" she cried out, running towards her best friend and giving her a quick hug. "You made it safely?"
Florina nodded. "I was worried that the border guards would be annoyed, but, um, I guess they see lots of pegasus knights so they didn't care."
"Good!" Pulling out Florina's glove from her belt, Lyn handed it to her. "Here. I was so worried when I received this. I thought something horrible had happened to you!"
"Um, I'm sorry," Florina murmured, looking down. Lyn shook her head.
"It's fine. We're together again now."
A bright smile appeared on Florina's face. "Right!"
As they walked back to the wagon, Florina's pegasus walking behind them without needing to be led, Lyn looked around. Etruria looked similar to Lycia, all open fields with the occasional grove of fruit-bearing trees, but to her there was something different in the air, something lighter carried by the wind. It didn't remind her of Sacae, but that was fine.
"Lady Lyndis, we're ready to leave whenever you're ready," Kent informed her when they arrived. Lyn glanced at the wagon that was still attached to the horses.
"We're keeping the wagon?"
"Think of it as a gift," Matthew said in a cheerful tone, a large straw hat balanced on his head. Beside him, Leila only shook her head, amused. Lyn remembered hearing the conversation the two had had, muffled by the straw she and her friends had to hide in, about how Matthew was supposed to fool anyone into believing he was a farmer with just a hat, but somehow it had worked.
"Thank you for everything," Lyn said, pleased at having so much hay for the horses, even though Etruria looked lush in late springtime. "I hope one day we can meet again."
"Right, same here." After a moment, Matthew and Leila turned around and began to walk back towards the border, not even a mile away.
Lyn began to walk, smiling as Wil chose to sit in the wagon, but something soft and insistent began to prod at her. After trying to ignore it, she realized that was important enough to stop for. After telling the others that she'd be right back, she began to jog down the road, reaching the couple without feeling winded. They had heard her coming, and they both glanced at her with curiosity when she reached them. Lyn took a deep breath, then asked the question that had been on her mind. "Why didn't you ask me about Mark?"
Matthew shrugged. "Once I heard about your time in Pherae, I knew he was dead. He was a good tactician, but as soon as your grandfather died I don't think he would've ever made it out of Caelin alive." There was nothing Lyn could say to that, so she didn't. Instead, she nodded and turned to walk back to her friends.
Lycia was behind her now.
-to be continued-
And this concludes our 'Escape' arc! It only took over a year to get it finished...heh, sorry. I hope you've enjoyed it, and I can only hope you'll keep enjoying where the story goes!
Between FE6 and 7, I have no clue how Ostia actually looks, but I'll assume it's larger than the shopping sidequest chapter suggests!
...I don't think I'll write another Sain perspective for a while. It's fun, but my mind hurts.
06: As Lyn and her friends settle down in a small Etrurian village to recuperate and decide on their next destination, one of them considers the past and present in ways that could lead to a separate future from the others...
