{Fan Fics} Knights and Flowers & Secret Moment

[breyzyyin]

Two VERY last-minute fics for Tako's ending on June 15th MWS-wide Prompt. ♥ I'm sorry about that, things have gotten really busy! XD


Username: Yin (of breyzyyin)
Class: White Mage
Title: Knights and Flowers
Summary: Ramza runs into Aerith again after the events of Final Fantasy Tactics, and the two form an odd acquaintanceship.
Characters/Pairings: Ramza, Aerith, Alma, and Ladd. Cloud, Tietra, Argath, Luso, and Balthier are mentioned as well. Pairings are Alma x Ladd and eventually Ramza x Aerith (though it's mostly a friendship story between the two of them until the story's end).
Notes: I use the medieval version of "sir" ("ser") in this story, so that isn't really a misspelling or anything! And this story is about the Ivalice version of Aerith that we see in the game, and not the Aerith from FFVII (though I do kind of give her some similar personality traits with that version of her character as the story progresses). I tend to view Ivalice!Aerith as being an AU version of Aerith's character in the same way that Aerith's Kingdom Hearts persona is. I apologize for any confusion this weird, probably very cracky story of mine might cause because of that though! Also, I apologize for the romance in general...I'm not the best when writing it, so I hope it isn't too bad or anything like that! XD
Word count: 5,288
Rating/warnings: G (PG perhaps in a later description of an injury). Might contain some slight spoilers for FF Tactics.

----Legal Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics or any of the characters from that game. They are the rightful property of Square-Enix.----

First Reunion

While the rain beat down on the crowded city streets mercilessly, most of the people caught in the downpour cursed their fortune and tried to hurry to their next destination. To one like him it was a blessing in a way.

The sounds would have been muffled with the thick city crowds on a regular day, but there was no mistaking them now: footsteps, quick and hurried behind him.

They had been trying to be stealthy, but the puddles forming on the cobblestones of the streets made their quickened pace known through the splashing. Their footsteps were taken with purpose and always several steps behind him, unlike the splashing steps of the people trying to hurry past him out of the torrent.

He was being followed.

Ramza Beoulve continued at the same quick-but-still-leisurely pace he always used now when he traveled on foot through cities, not letting anything in his body language show that he was aware of what was happening. Unfortunately, he was rather used to performing such acting displays now.

There were at least three of four of them, given the amount of footsteps behind him. The fact that they were trying to conceal themselves made the steps all the more apparent in this weather.

He was suddenly very glad that he had asked Alma and Ladd to stay behind for this first venture into the Magick City of Gariland since they hadn’t been in the area for awhile. The two could take care of themselves well enough, especially now that Ladd was coming along to teach Alma some combat abilities: she apparently had thought it best to have someone other than her brother teach her, much to Ramza’s bemusement, and Ladd did have some experience with White Magick besides...but it was never a good idea to have combat in close quarters like this. Civilians could easily be hurt or killed in the struggle, and even more bounty hunters might try to get the heretic’s head if they were alerted to his presence by a prolonged and drawn-out battle within city limits.

A few people were huddled under an overhanging arch of a building. He moved past them quickly, his cloak momentarily snagging on the wicker basket of one bystander. Muttering a hasty apology and not bothering to look up after pulling the bit of fabric free, he pushed through the crowds again.

An alleyway that opened to another street, side-street that opened into a residential district. Another sharp turn, and he was back at a street with houses and shops...and a small church with a well-kept garden and a crowded gravesite that was most likely only used by the common class given the locale and lack of gaudy decorations.

It wouldn't be the first time he had hidden in a church. At least this way he could either monitor the one visible door or find a way to slip out and lose track of them. Decision made, he quickly stepped through the plain wooden door and his vision quickly filled with the small church.

A few pews, and in the back an altar. There were a few candles flickering at intervals in sconces on the walls, but the place was empty. Multi-colored shadows from the stained glass flittered through and bathed everything in strange, muted light.

...And the only other door in the back had a lock on it.

Ramza squinted, his hand already drawing his sword from its sheathe. The lock was rusty enough, and a well-placed jab ought to open it...

Voices carried through from beyond the garden and graveyard, hushed but loud enough to be heard over the din of the rain...another advantage he had due to the weather. They were too close to justify leaving himself open even for the few moments it would take to handle the lock. Silently, sure to muffle the squelching sound of his wet boots on the floor, he moved behind the open door of the church and held his sword out in front of him, a sense of calm readiness overcoming him as he waited for the first man to step through the door . At least the door was small enough that only one or two people could fit through the opening at a time, he’d have to be quick to use that to his advantage.

"Disappeared, eh? There aren’t too many places he could have gone..."

Footsteps. They weren’t even trying to be stealthy anymore. His grip tightened a fraction. At least one of them would be poking their head through the doorway to see if he had himself here in the church soon.

"...Are you looking for your friend, sirs?"

A new voice. Ramza stiffened, unsure of whether some random civilian would be viewed as a threat to his bounty or not.

"Mayhap. What’s it to you, wench?"

"Nothing, really." the female seemed oddly nonplussed, a carefree tilt to her tone, "Only that I’m not sure scaring a ninety-year-old cleric of the church with steel is a sound idea when a cloaked man just slipped into that side-alley over there a few moments ago."

Mutterings.

"If you’re looking for favors from the church, that might not be the best route to take." the voice continued on helpfully.

Outright cursing now. The heavy, splashing footsteps faded away amidst even more colorful curses and threatening timbres.

Soon beyond the rain falling down still in sheets and the thudding of it on the roof over his head: silence.

Ramza waited tensely behind the door for a few more moments, unsure of whether or not it was a ruse to lure him out into a more open spot. For all he knew, the newcomer could well be working with his pursuers…or be an even more clever bounty hunter herself who had figured out a way to misdirect her competition without resorting to combat.

But they would figure out soon enough what had happened if it was genuine soon enough, which meant he only had a few seconds at best to make it to the backdoor as quickly as possible.

A light step landed on the stone just beyond the door opening. Ramza flinched and held his blade tighter, but the slightly tan hands that stretched out into his line of vision next were open in a placating gesture to show that they were unarmed.

"It is a good thing they didn’t seem too bright, otherwise I’m not sure that would have ended well."

Her voice sounded strangely familiar, though he couldn’t quite place his finger on it.

"You should hurry, though. I doubt they will stay fooled for much longer."

The person stepped inside the church fully at this time, water dripping from her cloak to form a small puddle matching the one under his own feet. The wet curls of her brown hair were plastered to the sides of her face behind her bonnet. She held her hands up still, a basket of sodden flowers hanging at the crux of her elbow on one arm.

Green eyes stared at him in mild amusement, "Though I suppose it is rather ironic to find a heretic hiding out inside a church."

------

"Aerith is your name, correct?"

He was following her through the back alleys of the slums as she had volunteered to lead him safely outside of Gariland from there. Sadly, it looked like they would just have to do with what little supplies they had left until they reached a smaller village in the area. He had been pondering over who she was for awhile now, and had just placed the name he had only heard once in passing to the face of his rescuer.

...He had met her twice before, though only briefly and in passing in the Trade City of Sal Ghidos-- a city much farther from Gariland. The first time, he had bought a flower from her for one gil. The second time had been when she had been fleeing from a battle.

A nod. The young woman looked somewhat impressed at his memory, "I’m surprised you remember."

He smiled slightly in way of apology, "It took me far too long considering I owe you my life now. Forgive me, milady."

"'Milady'?" she stopped at that and turned to look at him with mild amusement. Her cheeks were somewhat red and he realized she was trying hard to contain laughter, "Forgive me, ser...but I’m no 'lady.' I’m just a flower peddler from the slums."

There was something about her face when she laughed that brought to mind Tietra when they were children and before the bullying at school had caused her to become more withdrawn.

"Had they been mongering flowers on some street corner, she would yet live."

Quickly swallowing down the bile that always came unflinchingly at Argath’s words on that horrible day, Ramza managed to somehow turn the pained look in his eyes to bashfulness before she noticed, "Then I’m no 'ser' either, milady. Not anymore."

Her expression turned serious fairly quickly at having brought up a painful subject, "No, I suppose not." She looked at him in an assessing manner, "Though you don’t strike me as an evil heretic, either."

"I’m..." he stopped, unsure of what to say to that.

"It’s a difficult subject to broach, I imagine. But you helped me twice before yourself, even listened to me ramble on about 'knights' and such. Let’s just say that I will never view you as a bad person and leave it at that. Agreed?"

He nodded, relieved he didn’t have to explain anything further.

"As for titles...if you will just call me 'Aerith,' then I will just call you 'Ramza.'"

"Sounds perfect."

Smiling despite how soaked and cold she must be under her wet cloak and dress, Aerith nodded to herself and started walking again. Water that pooled on the edges of the roofs overhead came cascading down in small icy waterfalls, but she managed to evade them like a dancer might without ever looking up. Undoubtedly she had walked this path countless times before, and that familiarity was something Ramza envied-- as he always seemed to be getting himself even more soaked with shocks of icy water even following right after her.

"So, is that man with the strange hair and glowing eyes still traveling with you?"

It took him a second to realize who she was referring to.

"...Cloud? No, we found a way to send him back awhile ago."

Yes...he, Luso, and Balthier had all said their farewells and went back to their own worlds and time periods. He hoped they were doing well now.

"I see." Aerith’s shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment, but her voice was whimsical when she spoke again, "...I hope that means he’ll find whoever it was I reminded him of again then."

"Mayhap." Ramza smiled at the thought.

"He helped to save my life too." Aerith said conversationally, "After what happened, my mother and I moved to Gariland to start fresh."

"That’s good." Ramza said the next part without even thinking much about it, "So, did that make Cloud your knight then?"

She laughed, taking a sharp turn to the right, "No more than you or those debtors. I’m just very grateful to the two of you."

"Right. Because your knight was going to come and take you away."

Aerith glanced at him in embarrassed amusement, "I’m amazed you remember that."

"At the time, I just thought it helped to showcase that everyone has their own share of problems-- and hopes too."

"Well, in my case, I’m the one who decided to move away from Sal Ghidos...so I guess that makes me my own knight!" she laughed.

"You saved me as well and are helping to whisk me away to safety." Ramza was surprised at how much fun this conversation was.

Aerith spun dramatically around in a circle, arms open wide in a mock bow, "How well do I fit the role?" she joked, "I feel myself becoming more knightly as we speak."

"It suits you."

Aerith stared at the basket of flowers at her arm and sighed, "A knight selling flowers seems more fitting of fairy tales than reality, sadly. Though with this rain I doubt I’ll be selling much of anything, they’re drowned!"

Feeling somewhat guilty for all the trouble he’d caused her and grateful for the help, Ramza reached for his gil pouch underneath his cloak, "How much for the whole basket?"

A brown eyebrow raised in amusement, "...Well look at who is trying to be knightly now himself."

------

Later on, when he was able to finally go back around the city under the cover of darkness and reunite with Ladd and his sister, he told them that their plans had just changed.

Both looked somewhat disappointed given how they had been hoping to spend the night within city walls this time, but caution given their situation was understandable and they began their preparations to leave hurriedly.

While Ramza was folding up their tent and Ladd was feeding some Greens to Boco, Alma took a moment to glance at the one peculiar thing Ramza had brought back with him. She had yet to ask him about it, though it had had been something piquing her curiosity since his return.

...Why had her brother been carrying a very wet basket of drenched flowers underneath his arm?


Second Reunion

It was several months before they went back to the Magick City of Gariland again. Essentially they tried being random with where they were going and never stayed in one place for too long anymore. Ladd was still with them...he’d always been a brotherly comrade to Ramza, and him and Alma had seemed to hit it off rather well. The sun was shining brightly this time, and all three had decided to venture into what was their first town in a month or so. They were to buy some supplies each and meet back on the outskirts of the city in about four hours time.

Ramza was cautious given what had happened earlier here, but it seemed as if the bounty hunters in that incident were not permanent fixtures of the area. He had no sense of being followed, though he kept his senses alert as he moved through the crowds. He was looking for a dry foods store he’d heard talk of earlier, his burlap sack already bulging with the foodstuff supplies he had bought previously. He only had about a hour, he supposed...and no time to dawdle.

"A flower, ser? They only cost a gil."

He started at the white blossom that had been unceremoniously shoved right in front of his face. Amused green eyes seemed to be silently laughing at him from within a tanned face framed by brown hair.

"Aerith?"

Oddly enough, this was the second time she had snuck up on him unawares. It seemed as if the peasant girl had a few tricks up her sleeve for remaining inconspicuous herself. He was almost tempted to ask her about it, though that would undoubtedly be rather rude as far as greetings go.

"I thought that was you!" thankfully, she was clever enough not to say his name, "It’s odd how we keep running into each other."

"...Fortunate, more like." the blond youth couldn’t help himself from smiling gratefully, "It’s always good to see a friendly face."

"With all the traveling you must be doing it’s no wonder." she had caught on to what he was doing and kept the conversation light and vague so that passersby would not find it interesting.

"...I’ll buy your basket again if you could help me find a store."

Aerith grinned at that, "It’s always a pleasure doing business with you. I knew I was in the right to say hello."

------

With Aerith’s familiarity with the city, finding the store in question was not a difficult task. In a matter of minutes, the two were perusing the store’s shelves. The brown-haired girl seemed fond of making faces at some of Ramza’s attempted purchases while pointing out others that she assured him would be more flavorful. Ramza, who was more used to dried rations than anything else himself, was thankful.

Alma sometimes hated some of his food purchases but ate them anyways without complaint out of sheer politeness, though he’d recently caught her sneaking some spiced jerky to Ladd when she thought he wasn’t looking.

When his bag was full to bursting and a grateful shopkeeper waved them off, he looked over at Aerith curiously.

"...I take it you’ve shopped there before?" he hoped he was not prying too much, he was never quite sure how to approach conversations with acquaintances.

A nod. Aerith had her eyes closed and a contented smile on her face. In her basket lay some foodstuffs she had just purchased with the money Ramza had given her for her flowers, "Dried food is cheaper than fresh and it lasts longer. My mother used to buy it a lot when I was growing up. I’ve gotten pretty used to it."

They were walking through a side-alley now, and Ramza thought he caught a glimpse of the church where Aerith had "rescued" him previously. Absent-mindedly, he wondered how it looked when it wasn’t raining.

"...And how are you getting along now? You and your mother, I mean?"

A frown came across Aerith’s face and she stopped walking, her expression pained. Ramza knew that he had stepped onto something he perhaps should not have at that point, and was about to apologize when she spoke up.

"She died three months ago. Caught a sickness and was never able to recover." her voice was hollow, and she stared at the contents of her basket as if she’d only just now seen them.

"...I’m sorry." it was always a horribly inadequate thing to say in those kinds of situations and he had been forced to say it far too often for anyone’s liking already, but it was the only thing that came to mind.

The flower peddler’s body shook as if she was trying to fling something unpleasant off of her, and she suddenly shook her head. For a moment, a brief moment, it looked as if her eyes were glistening...but when she looked up at Ramza again she was wearing a weak smile that seemed to be both somewhat forced and genuine all at the same time.

"You had no way of knowing so there’s no reason you should even be apologizing. Besides, it was nice of you to remember enough about her to even ask in the first place. You’re kind. Thank you, Ramza."

"..." Unsure of what to say next, Ramza stayed silent.

Aerith looked thoughtful, a quiet expression on her face, "I’m studying White Magick now."

"You are?" he wasn’t quite sure what else to say.

A nod, "I used to dabble a bit in Chemistry due to my need for flowers. When my mother fell ill, I started getting more serious about that. She said I had a knack for healing and making her feel comfortable." she smiled sadly, a wistful gleam in her eyes, "I know she was just trying to console me, but it sparked my interest all the same. I like selling flowers, but being able to actually help people here and make a difference even if someone doesn’t have a lot of funds to their name? I think that would be amazing."

"It’s a noble cause." Ramza said.

"I’ve learned about potion-making, and I can at least cast Cure now. I still have a long way to go, but I think having that to channel my focus on has helped settle my mind a lot." She looked up at the sky, "I think that was the final gift my mother wanted to give to me."

"It’s a wonderful gift then. You’d make an excellent healer, considering how often you’ve helped me."

She laughed, "We always call it even though."

Silence, their footsteps rang on the cobblestone road.

"...Ramza?"

"Yes?"

"...Thank you."

The two parted ways close to the outskirts of the city, and soon Ramza came across Ladd and Alma walking down the road. The two were smiling and speaking in hushed tones to one another. Ramza’s eyebrows raised slightly in bemusement at the sight of their interlocked fingers, but they quickly pulled apart when they saw him.

Ladd sheepishly smiled in greeting, stammering to his friend about some deal they had made in a shop, while Alma glanced at the bundle Ramza had with him, wondering inwardly at the bouquet of flowers sticking up over the lid of the bag.


Third Reunion

Though he had seen it far too frequently for his liking, it never got any easier.

...His friend was close to dying on the side of the road. Blood was pooling under Ladd from the nasty wound across his chest, and it was coming out of his nose and mouth as well.

The sight caused his fingers to shake slightly as he pulled the stopper off of another Potion.

...No, he corrected himself, Ladd wasn’t dying yet. The wound was severe, yes...but he had seen much worse. All of them had. So long as they got Ladd treated immediately, he would live.

As it was though, all they could do was keep his injuries from getting worse. Alma was casting Curaja and Regen constantly, and Ramza was using Potions in-between trying to staunch the bleeding. It would be awhile before they could risk moving him.

They had been ambushed some miles back. Ladd had shielded the two siblings from an axe attack, his own combat experience and the lighter armor of the Squire job class had been his saving grace as he was able to move just enough to keep from being sliced in half during his deflection. Alma had pulled him onto Boco and they had ridden their Chocobo mounts a fair distance until they were certain they had lost their pursuers before turning their full attention to Ladd.

Sweat drenched Alma’s face and her hands were shaking, but she was steadfast in her determination. Ramza admired that about her, knowing how she was still very much unused to all of this.

"We’re close to the city..." he heard himself saying, his voice surprisingly stead and calm, "Once he’s more stable we can get him to a healer."

"There they are!" an older, gruff voice called out, "See, miss, it wasn’t just a hallucination caused by spirits!"

Over the top of a hill a few feet away came two figures, an older man in shabby, dirt-stained clothes...and joining him moments later a surprisingly familiar face.

"You’re right. The others were wrong to call you a drunk, David." Aerith stared at them and assessed the situation quickly, "I’ll buy you an entire round at the tavern if you can help us bring their injured friend to my home."

------

As it turned out, they had been closer to Gariland than he had first realized during the emergency flight from their pursuers. Just a little ways past the hill Aerith and the local drunk had appeared on was the slums of the city. Thankfully, Aerith’s home was not that far.

There were two beds in the small, one-room ramshackle. Ladd was placed on one of them. Aerith directed them to the sleeping pallet not located under any of the holes in the thatched roof-- wryly staying it wouldn’t help his condition to get rained upon. She had quickly procured several vials of Elixirs and Hi-Potions. Ramza realized from the glass containers that she had probably just made them herself as she administered them to Ladd. Undaunted by the bleeding on her blankets, she helped Ramza and Alma change his dirty bandages to clean ones, then joined Alma with Cure-casting for the better part of the night.

It was in the early morning light when she seemed satisfied that Ladd was stable enough and gently told Alma that the constant buffeting of White Magick was no longer necessary.

"Now he just needs to rest." she said kindly, handing Alma two mugs of herbal tea, "If he stirs, be sure to make him sip some of that. It helps calm nerves. I think both of you need it."

"Thank you." Alma took one of the mugs gratefully and set the other one by the bedside. Though she looked exhausted and drained, her concerned eyes never left Ladd’s sleeping face...her hand gripping the youth’s tightly as he slept.

Aerith gave Alma’s shoulder a comforting squeeze and excused herself from the house to tend to the small patch of flowers growing outside.

Ramza sat next to Alma at Ladd’s bedside.

"...He’s going to be all right now, Alma." he assured her.

She smiled slightly with tears still in her eyes, squeezing Ladd’s hand, "I know."

Silence. The moments ticked by.

"...So is she the reason you always came back from Gariland with a bushel of flowers?" Alma finally asked, and it was evident from her tone that she was teasing her brother.

For some reason, her mentioning of that caused the blood to rush to Ramza’s face, "She’s helped me out a lot. I always buy her wares to thank her."

"If she hadn’t helped us now, Ladd’s condition wouldn’t be so steady." Alma glared at Ramza playfully, "Be sure to buy ten bushels or more this time!"

------

Aerith looked up from her spot tending her tiny garden when Ramza stepped outside, his cheeks still slightly red from his sister’s teasing.

"How is your friend doing?" she asked, standing up and wiping soil carelessly on her apron.

"Better now, and resting soundly thanks to you."

She waved it off, "I meant what I said about wanting to be a healer, Ramza. You have no reason to thank me."

"Even still. You did a great boon for us today. Thank you."

The finality broached no room for argument. Aerith merely nodded, concern in her voice, "Your sister?"

Ramza had left just as Ladd had come to. The two had been holding hands when he had last looked back, the grateful tear-stained face of his sister breaking into a joyful smile at Ladd’s weak voice the last thing he’d seen.

"She’s doing much better now that he is stable and somewhat conscious."

"That’s good. It must have been hard for her, seeing him like that." After a few moments, she added, "It’s obvious they care for one another."

"Yes." Ramza glanced at the doorway thoughtfully, "I wonder when that first happened though?"

It seemed as if, all at once, that had become somewhat apparent in their interactions with one another earlier. He couldn’t place an exact time or place to it at all.

Aerith smiled wistfully, "Love can surprise you. When you least expect it, it can happen. I imagine they just grew close to one another because of the circumstances."

"Ladd’s a good friend. And Alma...deserves to be happy." Not for the first time, Ramza felt guilty for having dragged so many undeserving people into what had happened. If some good came of it, that was enough to be hopeful for, "I’m glad for them."

Ramza glanced at Aerith, and for a moment was taken aback by her appearance. She looked as tired, haggard, and emotionally drained as he felt...but there was something graceful, warm, and open about her smile and face as she stood there in the pale morning light.

Her smile brightened, "I’m famished. If you’d like, we can go and buy breakfast for everyone and leave the two of them alone for awhile. I’ll call it even if you pay."

He smiled and shook his head, "That doesn’t even come close. But I’ll take you up on the offer."

Aerith grinned, "Then I’m just a very generous and chivalrous knight, I suppose."

The two walked in comfortable silence for awhile, Ramza enjoying the natural feeling of just walking through town with a friend after everything that had happened. It felt soothing and just...right in a way he couldn’t describe. Cathartic, almost.

"Aerith?"

"Hmm?" she seemed lost in her own thoughts, a dreamy look in her emerald eyes.

"Thank you. I truly mean it."


Final Reunion

He wasn’t quite sure why, but his feet let him back to Gariland well before the time when he considered it "safe" to return to a location normally.

The ramshackle house in the densely crowded slums seemed like a beacon with its small patch of well-tended flowers.

She was standing in the doorway, surprise at his appearance quickly turning into a beaming smile. A White Mage’s staff was gripped firmly in one hand, a basket of flowers in another.

"We keep running into each other." she said cordially, setting the basket down as she strode over to him, "How is your friend doing?"

"Much better, thanks to you. He’s recovering in Goug with a friend. Alma’s tending to him as well."

"I bet they’re both pleased with that." She was teasing him with a playful smile still on her face, "They’re probably enjoying just being able to stay in one place by themselves for a little while."

"Yes, I suppose so."

"And you? What brings you back here on your own?"

Ramza shrugged, "I’m not...sure." He answered honestly, "I just didn’t want to feel like I was intruding on their privacy...and I’ve gotten used to traveling now somewhat, so long as I can see friends along the way."

Aerith regarded him thoughtfully, "Is that so?"

"I see you have a staff now. Is your training complete then?" The thought made him happy, "Congratulations!"

A proud smile responded to his statement, followed by an energetic nod, "Yes! And you know...I’m really glad to see you, actually."

"Oh?" he was surprised, and unsure of what she was getting at.

"I’ve been thinking of traveling myself now. I now have a patient in Goug apparently that I’d love to check up on..." she sighed dramatically, but a blush reddened her cheeks somewhat, "Besides, I have decided that I’m not quite done looking for my knight yet."

"You aren’t?" That statement caught him off-guard.

"No. I hear he travels a lot, you see." She looked pointedly at him as she spoke, "So I figured my best bet is to travel myself."

Ramza frowned, although he was surprised at the odd quiver in his chest when the meaning of her words sank in, "Aerith, that’s far too dangerous a--"

She stepped past him and patted his shoulder congenially, "It’s all right. I know the risks and I can take care of myself. It’s my decision to make, after all."

"But..."

"Didn’t you say so yourself? I’m a capable, rescue-giving knight. Even if you tell me no, I’ll head to Goug myself anyways, at least."

When Ramza did not say anything to that, Aerith continued, "Look on the bright side: you won’t risk going broke buying my flowers out of gratitude anymore either."

He couldn’t help but smile somewhat at the joke, "Well, that’s true at least."

Aerith surprised him by turning quickly and grasping his hand tightly in her own. Her face was bright red, and even if he hadn’t seen his reflection in the depths of her eyes...he knew from the heat on his face that his was red as well.

Her hand in his felt natural, and he unconsciously tightened his grip a little. Aerith did the same, matching his grip perfectly. She was smiling shyly at him now, and he couldn’t help but do the same in return.

"Well now, we’re two knights who found each other!" she joked.

"...I guess we are." He heard himself agreeing, the sentiment oddly appealing to his ears.

*****

Username: Yin (of breyzyyin)
Class: White Mage
Title: Secret Moment
Summary: After his first assignment as a knight right out of training, Ingus and Sara have a telling moment together.
Characters/Pairings: Ingus and Sara Altney. Pairing is Ingus x Sara Altney.
Notes: I apologize for the romance in general...I'm not the best when writing it, so I hope it isn't too bad or anything like that! XD
Word count: 896
Rating/warnings: G (PG perhaps in a later description of an injury). Might contain some slight spoilers for FFIII.

----Legal Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy III or any of the characters from that game. They are the rightful property of Square-Enix.----


The cut on his forehead stung. Badly.

Blood streamed down the side of his face, causing his vision to blur. He closed his eyes and let his practiced movements swing through the motion.

His sword cut through the air and came down in a flashing arc of steel. The Goblin fell down screaming, but quickly recovered...the scream changing to a furious roar as it leapt towards him.

Gusts of air flew past him, sharpened to a sword’s edge due to its high-speed precision, and the monster was thrown backwards by the force of the projectiles. This time, its scream turned into a death knell and it remained motionless on the ground.

The Aero spell had prevented the battle from turning into a prolonged affair.

"Are you injured?"

Ingus recognized the concerned voice immediately, having heard it since childhood. His squinted eyes he forced open to look up at Sara Altney’s face hovering mere inches from his own. The blush came to his face reactively, but fortunately the still flowing blood from the cut covered it up to save him from embarrassment.

"Princess...?"

Hastily, Sara touched her fingers to his forehead, unmindful of the blood now coating her fingertips. Her lips moved in quick motions as she silently cast a Cure spell.

Soothing light washed over his wound, and the stinging abated as the warmth radiated from her touch...the cut slowly closing.

When it was done, however, while relieved, Ingus couldn’t help the shock that came out, "Princess, what are you doing here? The Goblin attacks were being taken care of by the Sasune Knights. It was too dangerous for you to get involved!"

Color flushed on Sara’s face and she glared at him indignantly, "What about you, Ingus? You just barely came out of training! If I hadn’t been here, that fight could have gone much worse."

His face reddened in embarrassment, "That’s true." He finally managed to admit, never able to hide things from her...and his own pride would not let him deny when help had been given when it was desperately needed, "Thank you for that."

Sara’s anger lessened at that as well. It was always the same between the two of them: their fights could spark at a moment’s notice, but they abated just as quickly.

She stepped away, her expression downcast, "I was just worried. When I heard about the attacks and you being assigned to them so soon..." she shrugged, "When we were children, we were inseparable. But once you began your training, I hardly ever saw you. I just wanted to make sure that would not become permanent."

"I’m sorry." Ingus lowered his head as well, feeling guilty, "Things have been different lately...and now that I’m a knight, I wasn’t sure of how to approach you anymore."

"The same as always." Sara smiled playfully, her blue eyes warm, "I’m still me. And you’re still stilly, protocol-driven Ingus."

"...I like that sentiment." There was a light of a smile in the blond knight’s eyes as well, and it matched the slight one forming on his lips rather fittingly.

Gripping his hand, Sara helped him to stand.

Another thought about the battle occurred to him, and he frowned thoughtfully, "But why have you been learning White Magic? As princess..."

Sara’s lips drew into a tight line, "I am well aware that my father doesn’t approve of my training, but I am Princess of Sasune and it is my duty to protect its people just as ably as any king or knight would."

Her tone had the ring of challenge she often had as a child when she dared him to do something. Ingus couldn’t help but smile again at the thought.

"You are an incredible princess, Sara." He had not used her name alone since they were children, but the familiarity seemed fitting somehow for this conversation they were now having, "Sasune is fortunate to have you."

Sara blushed, but remained straight-faced...a smile lingering in her eyes though, "Sasune is also incredibly fortunate to have you as a knight, Ingus." Her blush deepened, "I am fortunate to have always had you by my side as well."

"That won’t change. Ever." It was amazing that he was able to talk so openly to Sara when he imagined that with anyone else he wouldn’t even be able to say anything similar to these sentiments, but they’d always been close...and she’d always been the one person he felt he could share anything with, even as children. He wanted to convey that now more than ever: "I’ve always been fortunate to be by your side as well."

She laughed at that, "A princess and her knight? How cliché!"

He grinned...the only time he ever grinned was in her presence, when they were alone and no one was watching them for any impropriety, "Yes, but I think the kingdom will be better for it. Will be glad of it."

A nod of agreement, "Two souls dedicated to its safety, working side-by-side."

They walked back to Sasune Castle hand-in-hand, smiles on their faces and every sideways glance causing them both to blush. It was the first time everything had been put out into the open since they were children.

"Ingus?" Sara asked into the peaceful silence.

"Yes?"

"...I’m glad of it too."

He returned her smile, a secret one between the two of them alone, "I am too."