When Lon'qu awoke it was dark out, and he most definitely was not in bed. He quickly sat up but his body protested, and the pain of the wounds of the previous day sent him wincing flat on his back. He let out a moan as he fell.

"A-are you alright?"

He looked up at the sound of a girl's voice. Instantly Lon'qu's face bore an expression of pure disgust. It was Florina. "What are you doing here?"

She seemed startled by his tone. "I-I don't know!" she told him. "I thought you would." She looked away, at the scenery around them. "I don't know where here is," she admitted.

Lon'qu looked around, too. It was dark and they were under a starry sky. Silhouettes of mountains were off in the distance, and dark clouds loomed overhead. As Lon'qu concentrated, he realized the wooden surface beneath him was rocking ever so slightly. He sat up and looked around him. The wooden floors seemed spotless, and just a bit away was a broken rope.

"You were tied up," Florina explained in a small voice. "So I helped you out. I used your sword to cut you free-"

"You used my sword?" Lon'qu glared up at her with eyes that could kill.

Florina seemed to shrink. "It was only to get you untied!" she told him.

"Why the hell was I tied up?"

"I-I-I don't know, ho-honest!"

"Like hell you don't!" Lon'qu grabbed at his waist for his sword but it wasn't there. "Where is my sword," he demanded.

Florina didn't speak, only pointed to the killing edge a few feet away. Lon'qu stood and went to get it but just as he reached it the ground jerked, sending him falling straight into the arms of Florina. Both their faces turned a deep shade of crimson as Lon'qu sheathed his sword and stood for himself.

Too embarrassed, Lon'qu could not manage to force the information out of her. He knew she had something to do with their location, and the rope nearby, but he didn't know what. He was very bothered by this, but not bothered enough to face his fears.

So the two of them stood awkwardly, until another quake sent both of them to the ground. Lon'qu moaned in pain and lay there, immobilized by agony. Florina looked to him awkwardly before clearing her throat. "I, um, still have the elixir that the blonde girl gave you. I, er, I think you should-"

"Why do you have my elixir?" Lon'qu snapped. "Not only do you take my sword, but you loot my pockets, too?" Lon'qu sat up, still not looking at her. "At least Gaius has skills with a sword. You're but a petty thief."

Florina recoiled as if she'd been hit. She looked like she was about to speak but a bolt of lightning flashed around them, and thunder was quick to follow. She jumped at the loud sound. The rain picked up soon after, and the two just sat there quickly getting drenched.

Eventually Lon'qu got up to find shelter. Florina followed him, much to his chagrin. He could hardly see where he was going and was using his killing edge as a walking stick. When his sword hit against wood before him he looked to see that he was at a wall. He could see over the wall with ease and underneath he could hear rain against a sea; waves crashing below. "We're on a ship?"

Florina stopped, startled. "I want to go home," she murmured.

He squinted against the darkness, tried to see where they were. It was too hard to make out; they were lost. Where were Basilio and Flavia? Where were the Ylisseans, and the rest of the Shepherds? This didn't make sense. Lon'qu looked back to the rope, and he looked to Florina. Had he been... kidnapped?

This was starting to turn into one of those scary stories that Henry liked telling over campfires. A new recruit, a lost match, a near-fatal injury, a stormy night, and an unknown location. He was not going to be a victim of some crazy horror story. He was not going to be the subject of this girl's sadistic fantasies. Lon'qu unsheathed his sword and turned on Florina. "What the hell are you plotting? I advise you tell me now."

Florina looked up. Her face was red, and her tears had already mixed with the rain pouring down on her. "I'm honest!" she cried. "I'm not plotting anything! I don't know where we are! I don't know anything about ships; I'm a pegasus knight! I go by sky, not sea!" She was sobbing by her last word.

Lon'qu lowered his sword and turned away. He had killed many men before, and though he did not believe Florina in the slightest, he would not slay a sobbing girl. He let out a heavy sigh and tried to make out their destination. Mountains, there were mountains in many lands. Just where were they going, and why? What had happened to Arena Ferox? Where were Basilio and Chrom and Lucina?

He didn't know how long they were out at sea. Lon'qu quickly grew irritated to the sound of Florina's crying. The rain was soaking his clothes through, and his body was aching. He was very uncomfortable, and when he felt the ship land he was the first to the edge. It was too dark to see where they were. In the distance, a town's dying lights were flickering against the night sky.

Lon'qu hopped off the ship, landing on very shaky legs. He immediately regretted the action and clutched his side with a groan. There was no time to worry about his pain. He needed to figure out where he was and how to get back to Ferox.

As he head off, he heard a large thump behind him. Lon'qu turned to see the girl face-down in the sand. She looked up at him and immediately looked away. Not even the darkness of the night could hide the ruby shade of her cheeks. She got up and dusted sand from her dress. Her dress was wet, though, and her dusting did little to clean herself off. Lon'qu rolled his eyes and continued forward, but she soon called out to him, stopping him.

"Um, sir? Can... Can we talk a moment?" She approached him, and he could hear her shaking. "I don't know this land, and um, maybe it would be better if you, I mean, if we could travel together."

"I do not need your assistance," he said curtly.

"But I need yours!" she cried. "I promise, once we get back, I'll leave Ylisse forever! I'll go back to my own land in my own time and you'll never hear of me again. You want that, don't you? But... Please. Help me get back."

He considered it. Lightning shattered behind him, but he remained unflinching. Finally, Lon'qu turned around and continued walking. "Fine," he muttered.

Florina started after him again. "Thank you," she murmured very quietly. "Um, my spear was on the ship. I found it before I jumped. I can fight-"

"I'll do the fighting," Lon'qu interjected.

Florina, silenced, followed him with several paces separating them. Lon'qu was heading for the town he had seen aboard the ship in the hopes of finding out where he was, which way to steer their ship home. They were walking through a forest, and the mud was slippery beneath their feet. The uneven terrain was uncomfortable and even harmful to walk on, but the two continued on without a complaint.

After a few minutes, Florina spoke again. "Um."

Lon'qu stopped. "What now?" He sounded very annoyed, and turned to see the girl looking behind them. The beach was only just visible through the trees. Silently, they watched as their boat drifted back into the sea, leaving them stranded.

Lon'qu sprinted for the beach, but every muscle in his body protested and he fell just a little distance away from it. There, he could see the ship already too far away to catch. Just above the ship, against the dark clouds and the starry sky, Lon'qu could have sworn he saw a wyvern flying off in the direction of his ship.