Fountain of Youth
"No one would have imaged a war..."
Lilina had cursed herself for being so weak and childish. After everything her father, one of the greatest leaders Lycia had ever seen, had taught her, she still believed everything could have been perfect. But her father knew much better.
"Lycia and Bern had been friends for years, Lilina. No one imagined odd behavior from the king and no one expected strange threats. My brother tried to keep peace with every nation on Elibe before his death, but it only lasted until people found out I was going to be the next marquess. It was a war in itself to get where I am now. So just because time appears peaceful, always be wary of the future and what it holds."
"That's Father's way of telling me not to focus on what life used to be...but...those carefree and happy days I spent with Roy...do they truly have to be gone forever?"
Lilina had no idea she was speaking out loud. So it came as a surprise when Wendy answered her question.
"Maybe not, milady. As long as you and Lord Roy remain together, there is always a chance for happiness and joy for the future."
Lilina looked at her pink armor knight questioningly. Wendy mistook it as her lady reprimanding her for speaking out of line. "Forgive me, Lady Lilina, I-"
"It's alright, Wendy," Lilina smiled kindly. "I understand what you are saying. As long as Roy and I remain friends, the future might yet be kind to us. And you're right. I'm sure Roy and I will be friends forever."
"Just friends?" Lilina thought she heard Wendy mutter.
Before the Ostian princess could confirm the armor knight's words, there was a rustling outside their tent and a shadow appeared on the side. A male voice spoke up. "Wendy? Are you ready for our afternoon spar?"
"Yes, I'm on my way, Oujay!" Wendy replied. She quickly closed the book she was reading and began to fasten her armor. The shadow outside the tent moved away and faded.
Lilina watched Wendy with interest. "Are you and Oujay rivals?"
"Yes and no," Wendy replied while adjusting her chest armor. "We are rivals, but we are also friends. We help each other grow by testing each other and pointing out weak spots that we fix for battle. And..." Wendy's voice trailed off as she fixed her shoulder armor, but Lilina was certain she spotted a light blush on the other's face.
"And what?" Lilina dared to ask.
"Ah...I just owe him so much. It's really thanks to him I've come as far as I have, not just as an armor knight of Ostia, but as a female armor knight. Without Oujay's support, I probably would have given up...especially when a group of enemies had spotted me back at Castle Ostia and laughed at me."
Now Lilina was sure Wendy was blushing. "As long as Oujay believes in me, I don't care who laughs. Because when he is near me, I'm strong..." Wendy glanced around and spotted her training spear beside her sleeping bag. She quickly grabbed it and said, "I'm sorry for talking endlessly, Lady Lilina. Please excuse me..."
Lilina was too caught up in Wendy's recollection of Castle Ostia that she didn't notice Wendy leave the tent. It was amazing, she thought, that such simple words could send a trail of thought sprawling across her mind. But indeed, Lilina's mind drifted back and she remembered how Roy had come to her rescue in her own castle and had comforted her when he had to share the sad news of her father's death.
The blue haired princess sniffed and a tear washed down her face. She didn't have much time to cry for her father since after the rebellion at Ostia was finally settled. But now she was alone and the Eutrian Army was having a well deserved break...she felt safe in letting her tears out.
"Father..." Lilina wept, hugging her pillow to her face. "Why...why did you have to...leave me all alone...you and I...w-we were suppose to get through this and visit M-Mother's grave...n-now I'm all alone..."
Silence was the only thing greeting the weeping princess. Memories of her and her father laughing and playing together many years ago flashed through her mind. One memory stuck out above all others; when her father would carry her on his shoulders, he would tell Lilina how he had dreamed of this moment when he was nineteen.
It was almost as if he knew he was going to have a daughter to carry on his shoulders. Lilina sensed that he had wanted a son, but she never once sensed disappointment from her father in anything about her. It made her love him more than anyone.
"Alone..."
Lilina sniffed and heard a shuffling sound behind her, along with the tent flap unzipping. She whirled around and saw the one who entered her tent was none other than the general of the army himself.
"Lilina, you're crying! Are you hurt? Did something happen? Did someone speak out of line?"
Roy went on with a list of possibilities that could have made Lilina cry. Lilina gave a small smile at his naitivity. "Roy..."
"Are you sick? Is something of yours missing? Did Cath steal something from you? What about-"
"Roy!" Lilina interrupted him. His bumbling was both cute and annoying, but he never once considered Lord Hector. "I...I'm crying over my father."
"Oh!" Roy felt embarrassed. Of all the possibilities he had missed...
Lilina looked down. Roy was the last one to see her father alive, and the princess wanted to know what happened.
"Roy...tell me how my father looked in Araphen before he died," Lilina pleaded. "You saw him last. Please..."
Roy felt his heart freeze. Why...why would she ask about her father's death in the middle of a war? "Lilina...I don't know what to tell you. We were on our way to Araphen to meet him, but King Zephiel got there before we did. We tried to fight through as fast as we could, but he was barely clinging to life when we found him..." the redhaired general paused when he notice Lilina eye him with a suspicious look.
"King Zephiel...my father once told me that he and my mother had saved his life. Certain circumstances had forbid him from revealing who he was, but...that...that dastard King Zephiel!" Lilina almost shouted.
"Shhhh...what if Princess Guinevere hears you? That's her brother you're talking about!" Roy quickly shushed his best friend.
Lilina stopped herself, but her eyes still showed anger and pain. The look was so familiar...the eyes, the way the forehead was furrowed...where had Roy seen that look before?
"Roy...take care of Lilina...she may seem strong, but she's still a child inside..."
That's it! Lord Hector! Of course...Lilina does look like her own father, but the face she was making looked exactly like how he saw Lord Hector last...suddenly, Roy remembered his promise to Lord Hector. His promise to take care of Lilina.
Roy sucked in a deep breath and put his hands on the princess's shoulders. "There was something he made me promise him as well, Lilina."
"What?" Lilina asked, her voice still laced with bitterness.
"He wanted me to take care of you. I made a promise that I swore on my life to keep." Roy paused to bring Lilina closer to him until he was hugging her. He smiled when he felt Lilina's arms reach up and hug him back.
"I'll always be here for you, Lilina. We'll be together forever."
Lilina began to giggle. "Roy, you're sounding different from how you usually sound."
Roy blushed. "I know...not exactly befitting the general of this army..."
Lilina pulled away and, blushing brightly, planted a kiss on Roy's cheek. "Thanks, Roy. For everything."
"H-hey...we'll always be together, right?" Roy stammered.
"Of course. You're my best friend. I always want us to be together," Lilina said, resting her head on Roy's shoulder. She felt much better after a good cry and comfort from the red haired prince.
"Just friends?" Roy thought, his cheek still tingling from the kiss. "Lilina, after this war..."
"Yes?"
"Will you...want me to go back to Ostia with you?" Roy couldn't bring himself to say what he really wanted to say.
"No...you need to go to your father in Pherae first. I'm sure he's anxious to see you, especially since my father made you the leader of the Alliance Army...besides...you're lucky your father is still alive. You should spend every chance you have with him," was Lilina's response.
Roy almost forgot about his sick father. Since his father and Lord Hector were such good friends, Lilina had often looked at Eliwood as a second father. Roy realized she must have been thinking about Eliwood's illness a lot since her own father had passed on.
"Let's go see him together after the war," Roy suddenly said. "After we visit my father, I'll accompany you to Ostia. Together, you and I...we will rebuild Lycia and make it a better place to live."
"Together?" Lilina asked, cuddling in close.
"Together. We will unwrap the presents of the future together. We may not be the leaders our fathers were yet, but their leadership was all in the past. So you and I will set a new future for Lycia," Roy boldly said.
"You're doing it again, Roy..." Lilina laughed softly. "But if that's what you want to do...I'll be right there with you."
For those who I protect...I cannot lose!
~Roy's SSBM win taunt
Lilina had cursed herself for being so weak and childish. After everything her father, one of the greatest leaders Lycia had ever seen, had taught her, she still believed everything could have been perfect. But her father knew much better.
"Lycia and Bern had been friends for years, Lilina. No one imagined odd behavior from the king and no one expected strange threats. My brother tried to keep peace with every nation on Elibe before his death, but it only lasted until people found out I was going to be the next marquess. It was a war in itself to get where I am now. So just because time appears peaceful, always be wary of the future and what it holds."
"That's Father's way of telling me not to focus on what life used to be...but...those carefree and happy days I spent with Roy...do they truly have to be gone forever?"
Lilina had no idea she was speaking out loud. So it came as a surprise when Wendy answered her question.
"Maybe not, milady. As long as you and Lord Roy remain together, there is always a chance for happiness and joy for the future."
Lilina looked at her pink armor knight questioningly. Wendy mistook it as her lady reprimanding her for speaking out of line. "Forgive me, Lady Lilina, I-"
"It's alright, Wendy," Lilina smiled kindly. "I understand what you are saying. As long as Roy and I remain friends, the future might yet be kind to us. And you're right. I'm sure Roy and I will be friends forever."
"Just friends?" Lilina thought she heard Wendy mutter.
Before the Ostian princess could confirm the armor knight's words, there was a rustling outside their tent and a shadow appeared on the side. A male voice spoke up. "Wendy? Are you ready for our afternoon spar?"
"Yes, I'm on my way, Oujay!" Wendy replied. She quickly closed the book she was reading and began to fasten her armor. The shadow outside the tent moved away and faded.
Lilina watched Wendy with interest. "Are you and Oujay rivals?"
"Yes and no," Wendy replied while adjusting her chest armor. "We are rivals, but we are also friends. We help each other grow by testing each other and pointing out weak spots that we fix for battle. And..." Wendy's voice trailed off as she fixed her shoulder armor, but Lilina was certain she spotted a light blush on the other's face.
"And what?" Lilina dared to ask.
"Ah...I just owe him so much. It's really thanks to him I've come as far as I have, not just as an armor knight of Ostia, but as a female armor knight. Without Oujay's support, I probably would have given up...especially when a group of enemies had spotted me back at Castle Ostia and laughed at me."
Now Lilina was sure Wendy was blushing. "As long as Oujay believes in me, I don't care who laughs. Because when he is near me, I'm strong..." Wendy glanced around and spotted her training spear beside her sleeping bag. She quickly grabbed it and said, "I'm sorry for talking endlessly, Lady Lilina. Please excuse me..."
Lilina was too caught up in Wendy's recollection of Castle Ostia that she didn't notice Wendy leave the tent. It was amazing, she thought, that such simple words could send a trail of thought sprawling across her mind. But indeed, Lilina's mind drifted back and she remembered how Roy had come to her rescue in her own castle and had comforted her when he had to share the sad news of her father's death.
The blue haired princess sniffed and a tear washed down her face. She didn't have much time to cry for her father since after the rebellion at Ostia was finally settled. But now she was alone and the Eutrian Army was having a well deserved break...she felt safe in letting her tears out.
"Father..." Lilina wept, hugging her pillow to her face. "Why...why did you have to...leave me all alone...you and I...w-we were suppose to get through this and visit M-Mother's grave...n-now I'm all alone..."
Silence was the only thing greeting the weeping princess. Memories of her and her father laughing and playing together many years ago flashed through her mind. One memory stuck out above all others; when her father would carry her on his shoulders, he would tell Lilina how he had dreamed of this moment when he was nineteen.
It was almost as if he knew he was going to have a daughter to carry on his shoulders. Lilina sensed that he had wanted a son, but she never once sensed disappointment from her father in anything about her. It made her love him more than anyone.
"Alone..."
Lilina sniffed and heard a shuffling sound behind her, along with the tent flap unzipping. She whirled around and saw the one who entered her tent was none other than the general of the army himself.
"Lilina, you're crying! Are you hurt? Did something happen? Did someone speak out of line?"
Roy went on with a list of possibilities that could have made Lilina cry. Lilina gave a small smile at his naitivity. "Roy..."
"Are you sick? Is something of yours missing? Did Cath steal something from you? What about-"
"Roy!" Lilina interrupted him. His bumbling was both cute and annoying, but he never once considered Lord Hector. "I...I'm crying over my father."
"Oh!" Roy felt embarrassed. Of all the possibilities he had missed...
Lilina looked down. Roy was the last one to see her father alive, and the princess wanted to know what happened.
"Roy...tell me how my father looked in Araphen before he died," Lilina pleaded. "You saw him last. Please..."
Roy felt his heart freeze. Why...why would she ask about her father's death in the middle of a war? "Lilina...I don't know what to tell you. We were on our way to Araphen to meet him, but King Zephiel got there before we did. We tried to fight through as fast as we could, but he was barely clinging to life when we found him..." the redhaired general paused when he notice Lilina eye him with a suspicious look.
"King Zephiel...my father once told me that he and my mother had saved his life. Certain circumstances had forbid him from revealing who he was, but...that...that dastard King Zephiel!" Lilina almost shouted.
"Shhhh...what if Princess Guinevere hears you? That's her brother you're talking about!" Roy quickly shushed his best friend.
Lilina stopped herself, but her eyes still showed anger and pain. The look was so familiar...the eyes, the way the forehead was furrowed...where had Roy seen that look before?
"Roy...take care of Lilina...she may seem strong, but she's still a child inside..."
That's it! Lord Hector! Of course...Lilina does look like her own father, but the face she was making looked exactly like how he saw Lord Hector last...suddenly, Roy remembered his promise to Lord Hector. His promise to take care of Lilina.
Roy sucked in a deep breath and put his hands on the princess's shoulders. "There was something he made me promise him as well, Lilina."
"What?" Lilina asked, her voice still laced with bitterness.
"He wanted me to take care of you. I made a promise that I swore on my life to keep." Roy paused to bring Lilina closer to him until he was hugging her. He smiled when he felt Lilina's arms reach up and hug him back.
"I'll always be here for you, Lilina. We'll be together forever."
Lilina began to giggle. "Roy, you're sounding different from how you usually sound."
Roy blushed. "I know...not exactly befitting the general of this army..."
Lilina pulled away and, blushing brightly, planted a kiss on Roy's cheek. "Thanks, Roy. For everything."
"H-hey...we'll always be together, right?" Roy stammered.
"Of course. You're my best friend. I always want us to be together," Lilina said, resting her head on Roy's shoulder. She felt much better after a good cry and comfort from the red haired prince.
"Just friends?" Roy thought, his cheek still tingling from the kiss. "Lilina, after this war..."
"Yes?"
"Will you...want me to go back to Ostia with you?" Roy couldn't bring himself to say what he really wanted to say.
"No...you need to go to your father in Pherae first. I'm sure he's anxious to see you, especially since my father made you the leader of the Alliance Army...besides...you're lucky your father is still alive. You should spend every chance you have with him," was Lilina's response.
Roy almost forgot about his sick father. Since his father and Lord Hector were such good friends, Lilina had often looked at Eliwood as a second father. Roy realized she must have been thinking about Eliwood's illness a lot since her own father had passed on.
"Let's go see him together after the war," Roy suddenly said. "After we visit my father, I'll accompany you to Ostia. Together, you and I...we will rebuild Lycia and make it a better place to live."
"Together?" Lilina asked, cuddling in close.
"Together. We will unwrap the presents of the future together. We may not be the leaders our fathers were yet, but their leadership was all in the past. So you and I will set a new future for Lycia," Roy boldly said.
"You're doing it again, Roy..." Lilina laughed softly. "But if that's what you want to do...I'll be right there with you."
For those who I protect...I cannot lose!
~Roy's SSBM win taunt
