Bonds of the Beloved

[Anacybele]

So, I'm starting an FE7 fic that takes place 12 years after the events of the game, and 8 years before FE6. I'm a big Sain fangirl, so I just had to write a story with him as the main character. <3

The story focuses on an older, wiser Sain and his bond with his wife, Fiora, their two children, and his best friend, Kent. Kent has also become a family friend by this point and Sain and his family often visit him. This time, however, Kent earns a lot of time off duty after a bunch of tough jobs and decides to go to Ilia to visit Sain and the others. His visit, however, soon becomes a test of just how strong the bond between Sain, his family, and Kent really is when trouble arises. And our favorite blonde Elibian knight must prove how much more of a man he's become over the years.

And as you can see, I'm a fan of the SainxFiora pairing, so if you don't like it, you probably don't want to read this. Other implied pairings: HectorxLyn, EliwoodxNinian, DartxFarina, one-sided KentxLyn. I may also decide to hint at a possible KentxFlorina. If you like KentxLyn, however, then again, you probably won't want to read this for obvious reasons. xP

Anyway, let's get this show on the road. My co-author has not touched this yet, so this draft is all my own writing. I'm posting it now for comparision between our styles.

Bonds of the Beloved

Chapter 1: Sain’s Reflection

“Dad, Dad! Wait, can I wear a headband like you too?” a boy with somewhat unruly bluish-green hair and green eyes asked his father as the two exited their home through the back door. They stepped into scattered piles of sparkling white snow, bundled in coats and thick pants and shirts.

“You know, I thought you might ask that,” a man in his thirties with dirty blonde hair and the same green eyes as his son replied, shooting the boy a smile. He then produced from the bag he was carrying a brown headband exactly like the one he wore, only smaller.

“Yeah, awesome!” the boy cheered, jumping up and down. “Now I’ll be just like you! Thanks!”

“Heh, you’re welcome, kiddo,” the man said as he handed his son the headband. The boy put it on immediately, a large grin donning his face. The father merely chuckled happily.

“It suits you,” he commented. “Now, Nick, your mother made that, so be sure to thank her.”

“Oh, she did? Okay then, I will!” Nick promised. “Now let’s get started! I want to learn to use a lance just like you!”

“Well, that’s good, but let’s start with swords.”

“Aw, but Dad, you’re the Green Lance! I wanna be great like that!”

“That’s true, but swords are easier to work with. They’re almost always lighter and they’re not as difficult to carry around. But tell you what, I’ll also teach you to use a lance after you get the hang of a sword. That sound good to you, sport?”

“Ah, alright then! I still want to be just like you when I grow up, though!”

“Heh, that’s my boy.”

Though, I rather doubt he’d benefit much from the bad habits I had at least twelve years ago

, the man thought to himself with slight abashment, remembering his large interest in women and how he would constantly make advances on any that he thought were attractive.

But hey, that doesn’t mean I can’t teach my son about girls later too! And, I did learn the right way to win ‘em. Or else I wouldn’t be married to my lovely wife. I just hope she doesn’t mind, hehe…

A lopsided smile formed on the man’s face. Nick soon interrupted his thoughts, however.

“Hey, Dad, don’t worry! Mom told me all about how you used to go after all the pretty ladies!” he replied, as if to read his father’s mind. The man soon froze where he stood.

“…Wait, what?” he said. “She did?”

“Yep! Mom said she could tell Emily and I stories. And she did too. You were so funny!”

The man simply brought his hands to his hips.

“Oh, that mother of yours. But she told your sister too, eh?” he replied.

“Uh huh. But she also said that there was way more to you than that. A different side of you that is so worth looking up to!”

“Ahh… Really?” the man wondered, a boyish grin forming on his face.

“Yeah, but it took her a long time to realize it.”

At this, the man deflated.

“Eh…eh heh,” he replied, even more abashed than before. “Yeah, it sure did, didn’t it?”

“That’s what she said! Well, are we gonna get started or not?”

“Ah, yes, of course we are. Here, I’ve got a couple of wooden practice swords in this bag.”

“Yay! Hey, Dad, just one more thing though.”

“Yeah? What’s on your mind?”

“Would you…teach me about girls when I’m a little older anyway? Kent said you’d know anything there is to know about them!”

“Really? He did?”

“Yep! He told me when we last visited him!”

“Huh. I wouldn’t have expected that from him of all people. I always thought he just saw me as a hopeless idiot when it came to women. But, if Kent thinks so, of course I’ll teach you!”

“Yeah!” Nick cheered again, jumping once more.

Hehe, now nobody can stop me if I want to educate our boy on the fine subject of females!

The man thought joyously.

Sain the Expert on Women shall do his stuff! But of course, my son’s combat training comes first.

“Okay, you remember how Kent and I hold swords, right?” Sain said as he handed Nick the smaller of the two wooden swords that he had produced from his bag.

“Yeah, I watched you two spar all the time, remember?” Nick replied, taking the sword and gripping it eagerly by its handle.

“Yep, that you did! Good job! Firstly, though, you remember everything I’ve taught you about adventuring in the great outdoors, right?”

“Yep! You told me about a bunch of plants I should stay away from while we hiked here and in Caelin, and you showed me how to climb trees, some basic tracking skills that you picked up from Lady Lyndis, and all the other stuff! I also remember that you said that snow drowns out sound, so around here, I need to scream really loud if I’m by myself and really need help.”

“Excellent! You’re a fast learner! Now let’s do some basic swings first.”

“Okay! From what I remember seeing in yours and Kent’s spars, those are up and down, left and right, and diagonally, right?”

“Right again! I bet you’re going to be a natural at this! Just watch me and do exactly as I do.”

“Right!”

With that, Sain began swinging his wooden sword horizontally, and Nick followed suit. He did his best to imitate his father perfectly and swung his smaller sword in a horizontal line. Some of his swings were rather sloppy, but after Sain corrected his son’s errors, Nick was able to get the hang of it. As they practiced, a woman with blue eyes and the same bluish green hair as Nick’s stepped outside and stood at the back door, also wearing a coat and thick clothes. She remained there with a smile on her face, watching Sain and Nick as they continued practicing horizontal sword swings, and then moved on to vertical, and later, diagonal swings. Nick still made an erroneous swing on occasion, but over time, these numbered fewer, and the boy could imitate his father nearly perfectly. Diagonal swings proved to be the most difficult for him, but Sain assured his son that with practice, he would master them.

After some time, Sain decided to let Nick spar a bit with him, to see how he would handle going against an opponent. Of course, he would go easy on the boy since it was his first time.

“Alright, now when you face an opponent, you have to watch their every move and stay focused,” Sain explained. “You always have to keep your guard up as well. Whomever you’re against could be unpredictable, so you must be the same. Especially if you know absolutely nothing about whom you’re battling.”

“Ah, okay! That makes sense. But spars can be fun too, right? Cause they’re just friendly matches?”

“Yep, that’s also true. Kent and I always have some fun in our spars. It’s a great way to both train and have a good time!”

“Wow, cool! Then let’s get started!”

“Heh, alright then, I’m gonna get you!”

“Not if I get you first, Dad! Haha!”

The two then began clashing their wooden swords with one another. The woman merely continued watching silently, chuckling quietly every now and then at the pair’s maneuvers. Nick occasionally swung so hard that he tripped and fell over, while Sain would sometimes pretend to be wounded whenever his son managed to hit him, and clutch his gut or arm. Nick realized that his father had been more than right when he said that sparring was not only good for training, but also good for fun. The boy hadn’t had so much fun in a long time, though sometimes it was difficult to do so in the cold weather that plagued their country of Ilia year-round. Every month there was at least some snow on the ground, even during the summer. But somehow, Nick, Sain, and the rest of their family would find ways to have a good time anyway, such as making snow angels or having snowball fights.

“Whoa! Say, you’re getting better already!” Sain observed as Nick came practically within a hair of getting his father right in the middle of his backside.

“Cause my dad’s the best there is!” Nick replied, childishly hefting his wooden sword. “Well, except maybe for Kent.”

“Aw, what?”

“Haha, I mean you’re both the best!”

“Now that’s more like it. C’mere you!”

Sain then grabbed his son by the torso and planted his fist on Nick’s head, quickly rubbing it back and forth in a noogie. The woman at the door giggled harder this time, but neither Sain nor Nick heard her still.

“Hey! Dad! Hahaha, cut it out! That’s not part of training!”

“Yeah, I know, I just wanted to have a bit of non-training fun with you,” Sain replied with a big grin as he released Nick.

“Haha, figures! I’m getting kinda pooped out anyway.”

“Well, we have been swinging wooden swords around for a good while now, haven’t we? But before we end today’s training session, I’ve got one more piece of advice for you.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t forget that some techniques you can learn could also impress the ladies!”

“Ooh, I knew you’d say that!”

“Hee hee, some things never change, do they?” a familiar feminine voice spoke up. The woman that had been standing at the door finally made herself known and approached Sain and Nick.

“Huh?! Fiora!” Sain realized with a jump.

“Mom! Where’d you come from?” Nick wondered, also a bit startled.

“Were you watching us this whole time?” Sain added.

“Haha, not the entire time, but I did see most of it,” Fiora admitted with a chuckle. “It was very enjoyable, don’t worry.”

“Ah, I see…”

“I just hope you don’t end up turning our son into Womanizer Sain the Second.”

“O-Oh, of course not, my sweet!” Sain assured. “ …Wait, you heard that conversation too?”

“Huh? What conversation?”

Sain’s eyes widened with disbelief at what he’d just revealed.

“…Oh, um…er…”

“Sain, what did you say to him?” Fiora inquired in an almost demanding tone, bringing her hands to her hips.

“Okay, okay, I said I’d teach him about girls when he’s older, but he asked me to! I swear!” Sain replied, raising his hands defensively.

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, Dad’s not joking, Mom. I did ask! And Dad said he would!” Nick confirmed. “I’m gonna be a ladies man

and

a knight when I grow up!”

“I see. Well, just so long as you don’t embarrass yourself like your father did, you can go ahead with that,” Fiora replied.

“Aw, do you have to put it

that

way?” Sain grumbled.

“Yes. Yes, I do,” Fiora replied with a teasing grin.

“Don’t worry, you told me all about that. I know,” Nick assured.

“Okay. But just what did your father put in your head?” Fiora wondered.

“Oh, it wasn’t anything he said. It was what you said!”

“…Wait, what? What do you mean what I said?”

Sain snickered with delight.

“Weeeeell. And you believed

I

was filling his head with crazy ideas!” he chuckled, only to be playfully elbowed in the gut by Fiora. “Ouch… Hehe…”

Nick laughed before continuing.

“Anyway, I mean that story about how Dad won your heart, Mom,” he said. “And then when Emily insisted on hearing about when you got married and stuff.”

“Ah… Now I see,” Fiora replied, a grin crossing her face. “

That

is an idea worth having, then. Your father still needs to mind himself, however.”

Fiora eyed her husband.

“Yes, yes, I will do so. I’ve changed since then, remember?” Sain pointed out. “Even though I still enjoy showing off a bit, admittedly, hehe…”

“I know, I’m just reminding you. Now, I had originally come out here to ask if you two were getting hungry. It is around dinner time, after all.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, my stomach has started growling,” Sain replied.

“Yeah, mine too! All that practice made me hungry for sure!” Nick added.

“Well then, let’s go inside and I’ll start dinner. Emily is probably getting lonesome anyway.”

“Oh, yeah, she’s in there by herself, isn’t she? Let’s go!” Sain agreed.

With that, the trio returned inside the house, warmed by the fire going in the fireplace. It was a simple, cozy home, affordable by any group of mercenaries like Sain and his family. The back door led into the small kitchen and dining area, and from there, a door led into the living room. A staircase next to the living room led to three bedrooms upstairs, one of which was Sain and Fiora’s, and the other, smaller two belonged to Nick and Emily. Just seconds after they had entered the kitchen from outside, however, a little girl with blonde pigtails and blue eyes came running towards Sain through the living room. She was carrying a small scroll in her hands.

“Daddy!” she cried, jumping into her father’s torso.

“Oof! Emily, there you are,” Sain replied, taking his daughter into his arms and picking her up. “Sorry for leaving you in here by yourself, sweetie.”

“Oh, don’t worry! I was just fine,” Emily replied with a smile. “I’m just glad to see everyone!”

“Heh. So, what’s that you got there?” Sain wondered, noting the scroll.

“Ah, right! A messenger came by while you guys were outside! He had a letter for us! It’s from Kent! He’s gonna come see us!”

“Really? He is?”

“Yeah, look and see! I couldn’t read all of it though, cause I’m not that good at it yet.”

Emily then held the scroll out to her father in a childish fashion. Sain took it and unrolled it, curious about what it said and why Kent would travel to Ilia to see his friends when they could all meet in a much warmer place. He immediately began to read.

Sain, Fiora, and the kids,

Hey, it’s Kent. Guess what? After a lot of tough jobs in Caelin, Lord Hector decided I deserved some time off, so he gave me a few weeks to do whatever. It’s been awhile since our last meeting, and you all always come down here, so I’ve decided to come up to Ilia and see all of you for a change, and this time, I’ll have a lot more time to spend with you guys! I’m going to drop by Pherae first for Lord Hector, though, to see how Lord Eliwood is doing. It’s been a few years since Lady Ninian passed away, but knowing him, I can imagine that he and young Master Roy are still not quite over it. Oh, and also, I spoke to Lord Hector about my plans, and he said that since Ilia is pretty far from either Ostia, Caelin, or Pherae, however long it takes me to get there won’t be counted in my vacation days! My break starts as soon as I arrive! Isn’t that great? If you got this letter, I should be at your place the next day. Well, I’ll see you soon!

Your good friend,

Kent

“Huh, so he is coming up,” Sain confirmed. “And he says he should be here tomorrow!”

“Oh wow, that’s wonderful!” Fiora chimed excitedly. “We haven’t seen Kent in months. He just has so many responsibilities as steward of Caelin and commander of the knights there.”

“Indeed. He must’ve worked real hard to earn all this time off.”

“Wow, Kent’s gonna visit us? I can’t wait!” Nick blurted, jumping up and down.

“I’m excited too, but I’m a little worried about how he’ll handle the weather here,” Sain replied. “Remember how long it took me to get used to it? Kent’s never even been here before.”

“Oh, good point…” Fiora realized, bringing a hand to her chin. “But we’ll help him as much as we can. After all, he’s willing to take the risk just to visit us.”

“Yeah, that’s true. We’ll make it totally worth it for him. Oh, but before I forget, Kent also says that he visited Pherae first, for Lord Hector. He went to see how Lord Eliwood is.”

“Ah, that’s so nice of him. Lord Eliwood hasn’t been the happiest Marquess lately, as we all know. Same with young Roy, ever since Lady Ninian died.”

“Yeah, it was saddening for many people. But at least we knew it was coming. Nils had warned us as much about Elibe’s air not being able to sustain them for long, after all.”

“I agree. It would’ve been so much harder had it been sudden and unexpected. But it wasn’t, and Lord Eliwood and Roy have so many friends to help them through it.”

“Indeed, they do.”

“Yeah, it’s so sad, but we know they can cope!” Nick added in support. “And I bet Lady Ninian is still watching over them from the sky!”

“That’s right! They can do it! Lots of people still love them!” Emily seconded.

“That is quite true,” Fiora confirmed with a smile. “I’m so glad to hear you both say that. Now, I was thinking of cooking some chicken and rice tonight. How does that sound?”

“Ah, sounds great!” Sain replied. “And it ought to be, if it’s being made by your soft, lovely hands!”

“Sain,” Fiora opined, folding her arms.

“Aw, come on, I can’t even flatter you just a little sometimes for old times’ sake?”

Nick and Emily merely giggled at their parents.

“Not in front of the children, at least,” Fiora insisted, and then smiled. “Save it for later.”

“Heh, fair enough.”

Later that evening and sometime after they ate the meal Fiora prepared, Sain and his wife tucked their children into bed, retreating to their own bedroom soon after. The couple changed into their night clothes, though they didn’t immediately go to bed following. As Fiora grabbed a hairbrush and stood in front of the mirror, Sain plopped onto their queen-sized bed and simply relaxed in the loose brown pants and white undershirt he was wearing. He brought one arm above his head onto his pillow while the other rested at his side. His gaze moved to his wife as she ran her brush through her long, bluish-green hair and wore a light blue spaghetti-strap night gown that reached to her knees. As Sain thought of her, he also thought of his children, whom were likely now sound asleep.

Nick, whose real name was Nicolas, wanted to be just like his father when he grew up. A brave, noble knight and mercenary, always fighting for those he loved and never taking the wrong path. Emily enjoyed listening to his stories as well as Fiora’s, whether they were about Sain’s old habits, his and Kent’s days as Caelin knights, or anything else. She also wished to ride a Pegasus like her mother someday and have adventures as great as those that both her parents had. And Sain knew that both he and Fiora would enjoy training them both so they could reach their goals.

The husband and father’s thoughts were soon interrupted, however, when Fiora finished with the hairbrush, set it on the small table in front of the mirror, and laid down upon the bed.

“Are you alright? You seem distant,” she spoke up.

“…Hm? Ah, sorry,” Sain replied, almost not hearing his wife. “I was just thinking about how lucky I am. To have such a lovely wife and wonderful children. I…never really thought I had that much of a chance of getting that. I mean, before we met, and even

when

we met, I was just a scoundrel when it came to women. I never really meant to be, but I couldn’t help myself. Finally winning you over and later starting a family with you just…well, made me come to my senses.”

A large grin crossed Fiora’s features.

“Heh. I’m glad,” she replied. “And really, Sain, it wasn’t entirely your fault. A lot of women just wouldn’t give you a chance. First impressions can mean a lot, but sometimes they can deceive as well. And in your case, they deceived quite easily.”

“…Really?”

“Mhm. Why else did I fall in love with you? Even though I passed on your advancements the first few times, I still decided to get to know you. And I saw a different Sain behind the womanizing, reckless lunatic.”

“Hey! But, you do make a good point, my dear. You saw the kind, gentle, caring, and brave man I really am, right?”

“Hee hee, that I did. But to top it all off…”

“Hm?”

“One day during the war, after we had set up camp, I was walking back to my tent after speaking with Florina and I saw you with your horse by a nearby lakeside. You were by yourself and you had stripped your armor. I think Kent was with Lady Lyndis. He had quite a thing for her, so yeah. But anyway, I paused, wondering what you were doing. Knowing you, I was thinking some girl might have duped you into believing she was going to hang out with you just to get you off her back, and I didn’t want to see you disappointed because of such a mean thing. I was about to approach you when you took your boots off…and then your shirt.”

At this, Fiora’s cheeks turned a deep red.

“…Ah. Hehe. I think I know where you’re going with this,” Sain replied with a devious, but pleased grin.

“Heh, yeah… Your build and your frame… They were just unbelievable. Those domed biceps of yours with those rippled abs and that broad chest… I blushed harder than I ever had before in my life. I had to confess to myself that you were…very handsome. Of course, you still are. And I had always wondered how you hit enemies so hard all the time.”

“Ah, I remember that. I started doing some pushups afterward to begin my workout routine,” Sain recalled. “And then I was going to go for a swim. But I’m not all that surprised at this. I know very well that lots of young women like muscles on a man.”

“What? You mean you did all that on purpose just so the women would see you?”

“Huh?! No, no! That’s not what I meant! I can understand why you’d assume that, but I really was only intending to do my workout routine. Honest. You can ask Kent, he trains too, you know. Though, he doesn’t really work out like I do, so he’s scrawnier than me. But you get the idea. In fact, I was actually hoping no women would see me in fear that they would accuse me of what you just said and then Kent would find out and clobber me.”

“…Oh. I see now. That does make sense. I rather thought that you cared more about women than anything, though.”

“Well, in a sense, I kinda did, actually. But my honor and respect as a knight and for my country were essentially equally important. Back when Lady Lyndis was fighting to stop that dastard, Lundgren, from taking the Caelin throne and killing Lord Hausen, Marquess Araphen refused to aid her simply because she had Sacae blood. I was so pissed off that I wanted to skewer him right there, but Kent stopped me. It’s one thing not to aid a lovely lady in need, but it’s entirely another when you refuse her aid simply because of her heritage.”

“Ah, I see…”

“Yeah. And also, when the time finally came to battle Lundgren himself, I was the one that took his life. And he said he favored me over Kent, and called him a stubborn fool. What was the first thing I said back? “That is a gracious offer, my lord… However, I’m rather fond of my friend the stubborn fool.””

“Oh… Wow. You didn’t mention Lady Lyndis until afterward?”

“That’s right. And when I faced General Eagler, I didn’t mention any women at all. Just Lord Hausen. Though General Wallace was the one that made the kill in that case. Anyway, no one might have guessed it back then, but I know that if Kent and a random woman I just met but was rather smitten with were in danger and I could only save one… I would be rescuing Kent. He’s my best friend and has been since we got to know each other while training under Eagler. And we’ve practically been through hell together.”

“I see… I was right back then.”

“Hm? About what?”

“That there might actually be things you care more about than women after all.”

“Ah. Yeah, you were definitely right about that.”

“And, another thing, some of your flattery actually was…charming.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. What girl wouldn’t want a man to say she’s as lovely as a field of flowers?”

“Heh, true, I guess. Though when Rebecca told me that saying such things to every girl won’t make any of them feel special, I thought it didn’t mean anything anymore.”

“Well, she was right about that, in a way. Giving the same compliments to every woman you meet could indeed make them feel less special. But there was one thing she forgot.”

“Oh?”

“You never compared any of them to one another. You didn’t say one was prettier or smarter than the other and then say that same thing to another girl. And you never said to one girl that you would choose her and then say the same to another. If you had done any of that, they would definitely not feel special. But you wanted them all to feel special.”

“…You know, you’re absolutely right. I can’t believe I never noticed that myself. And I know I did try to add variety to my flattery as well.”

“That too. You never actually literally used the same compliment twice.”

“Yeah. Still…now that you’ve pretty much explained what made you fall for me, I feel you deserve to know why I chose you.”

“Hee hee, I’d love to hear that.”

Sain merely smiled lovingly before replying.

“…Well, as you put it, you were the only girl to see me for who I truly was. The only one to give me a real chance. And when I got to know you, I realized that there was much more to a woman than just her looks. You taught me that not every good-looking girl will also be a good person on the inside. Uh, I mean, not that I thought you were a

bad

person, it’s that when I got to know you, you turned out to be even lovelier than I thought. And then there was Sonia, for example, from the Black Fang. Sure, she was also lovely, but she was evil. And not even human at that. She wasn’t like you in the least bit. Kent also said he thought you were in love with me and that this was my chance.”

“Really? Kent picked up on my feelings?”

“Yeah. I found myself being rather nervous and shy at that point though. I had no clue what I was supposed to do. I mean, a woman never actually returned my feelings before, you know?”

“Yeah, understandable.”

“But he slapped some sense into me and told me to suck it up and tell you how I really felt, that I had fallen more in love with you than any of the other women. And that was the truth. Those feelings were more real than ever.”

Fiora then nudged closed to her husband and laid her head upon his shoulder. Sain responded by wrapping his arm around his wife.

“Well, then we sorta have Kent to thank for bringing us together, no?” Fiora pointed out.

“Heh, yeah, I guess so,” Sain replied, a grin crossing his features after. “You know, you’re lovelier than a bouquet of roses tonight.”

“Hee hee. Oh, Sain.”

“Hey, you did say to save the flattery for later. Hehe.”

“True, I did. And thank you.”

Fiora giggled again as she spoke her words.

“You’re quite welcome,” her husband replied. He received a kiss on the cheek immediately after.

“Hey, you know…” Fiora continued. “Maybe, also for old times’ sake, you could…take your shirt off again? I know you’ve done it for me in the past, but that was a while ago…”

Sain merely smiled again.

“Heh… Maybe I should.”

With that, he sat up, reached for the sides of his shirt, and pulled it over his head, revealing the sculpted muscles within. Since the war twelve years before, Sain’s build had grown further, and he had become a rather bulky lug. He didn’t look like one of those berserkers, huge men with giant axes, but he was larger than the average knight from the many times he trained and worked out. The domed muscles of his large arms matched the rippled muscles of his stomach and the rock-hard domes on his broad chest and shoulders. Fiora lovingly ran a hand across her husband’s torso.

“Even brawnier than I remember, just as I thought,” she deduced.

“Yep. Never quit training or working out, even after resigning from Caelin,” Sain replied. “But... I can give you more than just a touch of the hand, my beautiful flower…”

With that, Sain yanked Fiora’s smaller form on top of him and pressed his lips against hers. Even as the older, wiser man he now was, his romantic side had never disappeared, and this was yet another one of the things Fiora loved about him. She gladly curled her arms around Sain’s neck and returned his embrace by lancing her tongue into his mouth, not to be outmatched. He caressed her waistline while she slid her arms across his chest and back, though neither of them made any effort to go further. They had agreed long before that two children were enough, and that caressing and cuddling were as far as they’d go from then on. That is, unless they managed to find a solution that would decrease the risk of “baby-making.”

Several moments later, however, the pair was interrupted by two familiar giggles and was forced to part. Sain and Fiora glanced over to see that their bedroom door was ajar, and two small faces were peering inside.

“Hey! No peeping, you two! Get back to bed!” Sain playfully ordered.

“You both know better than this,” Fiora added with a small chuckle.

“Aw, but we can’t sleep! We’re too excited about Kent coming!” Nick replied.

“Yeah, he’s so cool! We just can’t wait to see him!” Emily seconded.

“I know, but you’ll fall asleep eventually,” Sain assured. “Now go on.”

“Okay…” both kids replied at the same time and obeyed their father.

“Those two can be so nosy, can’t they?” Fiora said once the door was closed.

“Yeah, but they don’t mean any harm,” Sain replied.

“Oh, but of course. Still, I think we should just get under the covers now, in case they decide to come back.”

“Agreed.”

With that, the couple tucked themselves under the warm blanket on their bed. Fiora still lovingly allowed Sain to hold her in his brawny arms, but they eventually dozed off together. In truth, however, they were just as excited about Kent’s arrival as their children were, and had chosen to share one more good-night kiss before going to sleep.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Anacybele

[DancingDanny]

“Oh, she did? Okay then, I will!” Nick promised. “Now let’s get started! I want to learn to use a lance just like you!”

“Well, that’s good, but let’s start with swords.”

“Aw, but Dad, you’re known as the Green Lance! I wanna be great like that!”

“That’s true, but swords are easier to work with. They’re almost always lighter and they’re not as difficult to carry around. But tell you what, I’ll also teach you to use a lance after you get the hang of a sword. That sound good to you, sport?”

Lol, I wonder who he stole that from? XP

[Anacybele]

Huh? What do you mean? If you're talking about the quote "That sound good to you sport?" then I actually first heard it (or something very similar to it, at least) in a clip from a dubbed episode of DBZ, and thought it would be the kind of thing Sain would say to his boy.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Anacybele

[Jubby]

He means the bit about using swords and how they're better and whatnot. It's a reference to Kent's little lesson in Chapter 1 (I hate that lesson it takes so looooooong)

[Anacybele]

Ohhh. I see now. I never even thought of that. xP

[Anacybele]

So, it's been awhile, but my co-author and I agreed that I should just continue this story and not wait around for him, so I have chapter 2 ready! However, my co-author may still get in on this in the future, so even if I finish the whole story before he's able to, check back for updates if you're interested. :)

Oh, also, for those of you that like Avatar: The Last Airbender, keep your eyes peeled for a humorous reference. ;D

Chapter 2: Kent’s Arrival

The next day, Sain, Fiora, and both the children were up as early as eight bells. There was no telling exactly when Kent would arrive for his visit, and the family wanted to be sure things were ready for him. Sain prepared the couch in the living room so the knight could sleep on it. Their house didn’t have a guest room since they couldn’t afford a home any larger than a small one with four bedrooms. Sain placed a clean folded blanket and two clean pillows on one side so they would be ready to use in the evenings and he moved the decorative couch pillows to a closet. He also made sure that the cushions were clean and fluffy enough. Fiora went to the market to buy supplies, such as food to feed Kent’s horse in case he ran out himself and so she could feed an extra mouth. Nick and Emily helped tidy up the house. Not that it was filthy, but it was good to make sure every room was spotless anyway.

Sain also gathered more wood for the fireplace, which thankfully was in the living room as well. He knew Kent was hardly used to a lot of cold weather, so he wanted his friend to be as comfortable as possible during his stay. While Fiora and Emily put groceries away, Nick helped his father stack the wood neatly behind the house where they kept all their firewood.

“Dad, I’m so excited! I can’t wait to show Kent what you taught me about swords!” Nick blurted happily as he piled sticks and small logs. Sain stacked the heavier pieces of wood.

“I bet! And I’m sure he’ll want to see,” he replied with a large grin. “After all, you’re a big kid now!”

“Yep, I sure am! And I’m gonna get even better with a sword! In fact, I might even get better than you and Kent.”

Sain merely chuckled.

“Oh yeah? Well, that would take a lot of practice,” he said.

“Hey, I can sure try!” Nick protested with a smile.

“Heh, indeed, you can. And if you put your mind to it, maybe someday, you will.”

“Awesome!”

“Well, after we’re done here, how about we go out and prepare the pasture? We’ll need to fill up the water and food troughs completely if Sampson, Lilac, and Goldie are to all have enough to eat and drink.”

“Okay, I can help with that!”

Sampson was the name of Kent’s horse while Lilac and Goldie were Fiora’s Pegasus and Sain’s horse respectively. When Kent had named his steed, he felt that it deserved a knightly name because it was a warhorse and Sampson sounded perfect. Fiora had picked her Pegasus’s name from a list of pet names she once found and decided Lilac was her favorite. Sain had always wanted a female horse due to his interest in women, as the steed’s gender reminded him of the beautiful ladies he had been attracted to. The name Goldie sounded like a name of great value, just like those women. Sain only hoped that the pasture would have enough room for Kent’s horse. Steeds needed plenty of space to run around and get exercise, after all. All Sain could do was hope for the best.

It didn’t take much longer for Sain and Nick to finish with the wood. Within several more minutes, every piece was neatly stacked and organized. The two then headed back into the house to let Fiora know, so she could later get a warm fire going for when Kent arrived. Sain entered the kitchen, the smell of eggs and pancakes reaching his nose.

“Ahhh, that smells so good!” he complimented with a smile.

“Hee hee, I’m glad,” Fiora replied, returning the gesture. “I’m not the best cook ever, but I’m glad I do well enough for us.”

“I think you cook well too, Mommy!” Emily cried from nearby. She was placing dishes on the table for when everyone was ready to eat.

“Aw, thank you, sweetie.”

“Yeah, we all think so, Mom!” Nick added. “Why wouldn’t we? We’ve been eating your meals for a long time.”

“Heh, that’s true,” Fiora agreed. “And I know pancakes are a favorite of Kent’s, so this meal will be special for him.”

“Ah, yeah, that’s right,” Sain realized. “Not that the rest of us don’t like them, of course. We just want to show our appreciation to him!”

“Exactly.”

“Well, anyway, Nick and I finished stacking the firewood, so you can light up the fireplace anytime you’re ready,” Sain continued.

“Oh, thank you, that’s wonderful. I’ll get to it soon then,” Fiora decided.

“Alright, then I’ll take Nick out back so we can make sure the food and water troughs are full so the mounts have enough to eat and drink while Kent’s here. Gotta make sure the lanterns in there are going as well so the water doesn’t freeze over.”

“Okay. Oh, but wait, that reminds me. Sain, could you be a dear and run into town to get more water? I didn’t have enough room to bring back much when I was out. And Goldie is stronger and heavier than Lilac anyway, so she can carry more weight.”

“Ah, but of course. Anything for you, hun.”

“I’ll go along to help out! We’ve gotta bring back a lot of water,” Nick added.

“Oh, you both are so sweet,” Fiora commented. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re quite welcome,” Sain replied with a loving smile. “Well, let’s get going, Nick!”

“Alright!” Nick agreed. With that, the two headed back outside to saddle up Goldie and make the trip into town. Thankfully, the two didn’t have to go very far. The nearest local water well was only a few blocks away from their home. This meant that they would likely be back before Kent arrived. After Sain strapped the saddle and reins to Goldie, he attached a small wagon to the belt of the saddle and placed four large canteens that were the size of small barrels on it as well as four smaller ones that were about half that size. He then lifted Nick atop the horse’s back and then mounted himself. This wasn’t the first time Nick had gotten to ride a horse with his father, so he was familiar with how to do so safely. He held onto the noose on the front of the saddle so he wouldn’t fall off. Sain then took hold of the reins and navigated the horse into town.

“Hang on, Nick!” Sain instructed as he had Goldie go into a trot down two streets. When the water well, which was located at the top of a small hill at the side of a road, came into view, Sain slowed Goldie to a walk and had her gradually climb to it. The hill had a gentle slope, so it was no trouble for the mare, even with two riders. At the top, the keeper of the well had a small wooden shack, so those buying water could pay for it.

After Sain dismounted and helped Nick off of Goldie’s back, the two removed the canteens from the wagon. Sain took the larger ones while Nick grabbed the smaller two. He then instructed Nick to fill the bucket attached to the pulley on the well and help pour the water into the canteens. The two would then haul one canteen each at a time back to the wagon. The water cost two gold per gallon, and each of the four large canteens could hold six gallons while the smaller ones held three. That meant that each large canteen cost twelve gold while each small one cost six.

“Now how much gold would we have to pay in all?” Sain quizzed. “Can you figure that out, Nick?”

“Huh, let’s see…” Nick contemplated as he pulled up the first bucket of water. “Six times four is easy. That’s twenty four gold total for the small canteens. Now twelve times four… Twelve…twenty four…”

Nick then began counting twelve four times on his fingers.

“Forty eight gold total for the large canteens!” he blurted out moments later and then poured water into the first large canteen.

“That’s right! You’re definitely paying attention to your education,” Sain complimented. “Now just add twenty four to forty eight.”

“Ooh, that’s a toughie…” Nick replied. “I’d have to do it on parchment first.”

“Heh, yeah, at first it seems difficult for a boy your age. But there’s an easy way to do it. Try adding twelve to forty eight two times.”

“Ah, I can try that. Let’ see… Forty eight plus twelve…that’s sixty! Then twelve more…seventy two! Seventy two gold total!”

“You got it! Your mother’s been teaching you well, it seems!”

“Yeah, she teaches me and Emily something almost every day! She even says you should start teaching me more than just swordplay and outdoor stuff too. Haha.”

“Ah, well…” Sain uttered in abashment with a guilty smile. “I guess there is more I can teach you both. Perhaps some history behind the Caelin knights someday?”

“Oh, that sounds fascinating! Just no more boring math and reading! I get that enough from Mom.”

“Haha, sure. I’ll leave that to your mother then. I didn’t like that stuff either when I was your age. But it’s a necessity for many things.”

“Yeah, Mom told me that, but it’s still way more boring than learning to use a sword!”

“Heh, I must agree with you on that one.”

With that, the two continued to haul up water and pour it into the canteens. Once the first large canteen was full, Sain carefully carried it back to the wagon and reloaded it. Nick carried the smaller ones once they were full so his father didn’t exhaust himself trying to move all of them. Of course, since Nick was much smaller, the weight of the canteens forced him to move slowly, but he was strong enough to do the job without hurting himself. Sain was sure to keep an eye on him as well.

Sometime later, Sain was working on the third large canteen while Nick hauled back the third small one, which was already full. As he was slowly moving towards the wagon, however, a bug whizzed right by his face, causing him to flinch and lose his balance. Nick tried to regain it, but he only tumbled to the ground, the canteen of water flying out of his hands. It went rolling down the slope, right towards a man walking by. By the time he had heard it, however, it was too late. The canteen slammed into him and knocked him to the road below.

“AAAUGH!” the man bellowed as the canteen struck the side of his torso. It also popped open during its tumble, splashing water all over his body. Sain and Nick gasped and quickly ran down to see if he was alright.

“Oh! I-I’m so sorry, Sir,” Nick apologized shakily. The man was wearing slightly tattered clothing and had a rugged face, as well as a muscular build very similar to Sain’s. A beard had begun to grow in and his brown hair was somewhat shaggy. A giant wet spot sat in the middle of his pale blue shirt. Water had splashed his pants as well.

“Are you okay?” Nick continued.

“Yeah, do you need a hand?” Sain added.

“Ugh…” the man moaned. He sat up and angrily threw the canteen off of himself, shooting Nick a nasty glare.

“You little runt!” the man spat, clutching his side as he got up. He then slowly approached Nick. Sain quickly stepped between them and growled.

“Hey! My son said he was sorry!” he shot back. “Now back off!”

“And let the snot-nosed brat get away with almost breakin’ my ribs?!” the man retorted.

“He didn’t mean to do it! You lay a finger on my boy, and you’ll regret it!”

“Ha, I’m shakin’!”

With that, the man tried to approach Nick once more, only to be stopped when Sain drew back his fist and clocked him in the mouth. What looked like a molar went flying past his lips and blood trickled down his chin. The man growled again as he wiped it away.

“Ye’ll pay fer that, you punk!” he shouted and charged at Sain. However, he moved so swiftly that Sain hadn’t enough time to counter and was knocked to the ground. The man remained on top of him and rammed his fist into his face at least a couple times.

“AAH!” Sain bellowed loudly when the man’s elbow struck his arm and his side.

“Dad! NO!” Nick shouted, tears building up in his eyes. He quickly threw his hands over his eyes, as he did not want to see his father get beaten. Unfortunately, he heard Sain’s cries a few more times.

However, he was not finished. He quickly recovered from the blows and rammed his knee into the man’s gut, forcing him to cry out in pain instead. Sain then shoved the bottom of his foot into his chest, forcing the man off of him. He quickly stood up afterward, despite the immense pain in the left side of his face and torso and the blood trickling from his nose. The man clumsily followed suit after and tried to swing at Sain again. Only this time, Sain was prepared and ducked to avoid it. He clocked the man one more time, and finished by going into a wheel kick. Sain swore he heard the man’s jaw crack when his foot struck it. The impact was so strong, it sent the man tumbling back down the hill and crashing into a nearby vegetable stall that was part of a market. A table and tapestry covering fresh vegetables to prevent the cold from spoiling them was smashed to the ground.

“Noooo! My cabbages!” the vendor’s voice shouted. The man did not get up this time, allowing Sain to relax. By now, he was panting slightly and still in great pain.

“Nick?” he called as he turned around. However, the boy was nowhere to be found.

“Nick! Where are you?!” Sain repeated frantically.

“Oh, I’m right here…” Nick finally replied, crawling out from behind the well. By this time, he had run to hide out of fear.

“Thank goodness,” Sain uttered with a sigh of relief.

“Ah! Dad, you look terrible!” Nick cried fearfully. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be okay, I think. I’m real sorry you had to see that. I only wanted to protect you.”

“I know… You were really brave, Dad. I was just afraid that man was going to badly hurt you.”

“Heh, thanks. And don’t worry, I understand. But we should finish up and get out of here quickly. I’m glad there’s only one large canteen left. My face, my side, and my arm hurt so bad… And the blood on my nose is freezing up… Ugh, your mother is going to kill me.”

“Oh no… But Dad, Mom will understand when we tell her what happened!”

“Augh… Yeah, well, I’m afraid it’s not that easy with her.”

“But she’s just gotta. You weren’t being bad, that mean man was.”

“That’s true… Let’s just hope your mother agrees. Now let’s hurry. This cold is hardly helping me and we don’t want to be here when that guy wakes up.”

“Okay…”

With that, the pair quickly got the last two canteens filled up. Since Sain was still in pain, Nick decided to help carry the large one back to the wagon. He took one end of the canteen while Sain picked up the other. It still hurt, but he knew there was nothing else he could do. Nick was nowhere near strong enough to carry six gallons of water by himself. Within the next minute, Nick finished the final small canteen, and the two were ready to go back home. Hopefully, Kent was not there yet, and Sain could treat his wounds before he did arrive. The only thing Sain hated was that he would have to greet his best friend with a black eye. The area around his left one was turning red and purple rapidly and it was swelling a little. And by now, the blood on his nose and lip hung from his skin frozen like icicles. He probably had bruises on his arm and side too. Sain was lucky that the man had missed his ribs.

After the wagon was completely reloaded and ready to bring back home, Sain and Nick went to the shack to pay for the water. No way was Sain leaving his son outside alone while the man from before was still lying on the ground nearby, and could possibly wake up at any time. Not long after they entered, the well keeper greeted them, and it didn’t take long for him to notice Sain’s blackening eye.

“Holy… Sir Sain, I thought I heard some commotion out there,” he said. “What happened to your face?”

“Oh, a jerk threatened my son here after a little accident left the guy soaked and bruised from a runaway canteen,” Sain explained. “I had to keep him from hurting my boy, so I fought him off. But I have seventy two gold ready for thirty six gallons of water, so here. I apologize, but I must get home soon so I can treat my wounds, and I’m expecting a friend to visit real soon.”

“Oh, I see. And don’t worry, I understand,” the keeper replied and took the gold. “That eye of yours has gotten dark and swollen, so you definitely need to put something on it as soon as you can. Though, it’s really a bummer that your friend has to see you like this.”

“Yeah, true… But I have to deal with it. Thanks a lot for your consideration.”

“But of course. Now hurry and help that eye!”

“Right!”

With that, Sain and Nick left and hurriedly returned to Goldie. Thankfully, the man from earlier was still out cold, and no other attention besides that of the vendor of the lost cabbages had been drawn to the scene. At least for now, there wasn’t. The vendor was nowhere to be found, which meant that he could’ve rushed off to find some militia or mercenaries who would get the wrong idea. And Fiora would really chew him out if that happened. Sain could only hope that he could straighten things out with her before then.

Since Goldie was now pulling a heavy load, Sain chose to guide her back to the house on foot while Nick followed. It would take longer to get home this way, but it also saved Goldie energy as well as Sain the trouble of irritating his injuries by trying to mount her. As they headed away from the well and around a block, Sain’s teeth began to chatter almost violently. The icy cold of the frozen blood on his nose chilled his face to the bone. And even worse, snow began to fall.

Damn that stupid bastard…

Sain vented in his mind, wondering why the man he had beaten couldn’t have just left Nick alone.

Fiora’s going to go through the roof when she sees me like this… And I won’t even get started on how Emily will react.

“Aaagh! If only I’d had a sword or lance with me! I would’ve crushed that guy in seconds!” Sain opined in frustration. “And I wouldn’t be in so much pain right now…”

“Yeah, Dad, but… Nobody knew we’d run into a man like that,” Nick pointed out.

“Well, that’s true. Man, am I glad we’re almost home.”

By this time, the pair had passed by the second block and their house was in sight. Sain quickened his pace as much as he could and led Goldie to the pasture in back, where he could unhook the wagon and return the horse to her stall. He would have to unload the water later, as his wounds needed attention first. It would be too painful to lift one of the large canteens anyway. After Sain and Nick put Goldie away, they quickly headed into the house, embracing the warmth from the burning flames in the fireplace. Sain was glad to be inside a warm building again, but he loathed Fiora’s inevitable reaction to his injuries. Unfortunately, the first person he and Nick beheld when they closed the back door was Emily.

“Eeeep!” she cried when she saw her father’s face. “Daddy, you’re hurt! Hold on, I’ll get Mommy!”

“E-Emily, wait! I can tell—!” Sain tried to interrupt. However, Emily didn’t pay attention and rushed to the kitchen.

Damn it…

“Mommy!” the girl blurted frantically upon bursting through the door.

“Oh, Emily! What’s the matter?” Fiora inquired, having just placed finished pancakes onto a plate.

“You gotta come quick! Daddy got hurt badly while he and Nick were gone!”

Fiora’s eyes bulged wide when she heard these words.

“What?!” she exclaimed.

“His face got beat up!” Emily continued. “It looks horrible!”

“Oh! Quick, go get a wet cloth while I have a chat with your father.”

“Okay! Poor Daddy…”

With that, Emily rushed off to the bathroom while Fiora quickly dropped her spatula and darted into the living room. She gasped when she beheld her husband sitting upon the couch. Just as Emily had described, Sain’s face looked terrible. His left eye had become swollen and turned purple and blue while partially frozen blood hung from his nostrils and mouth. The warm fire was gradually melting the blood, however, and it had begun oozing down Sain’s chin. He had attempted to wipe some away with his hands so as not to get any on his clothes.

“Oh no! Sain, what on earth happened to you?!” Fiora frantically wondered. “You look absolutely awful!”

“Well, I…” Sain began, but could not figure out how to continue.

“…You got into a fight with someone, didn’t you?” Fiora guessed, some irritation in her voice.

“Please, I can explain…” Sain replied, though it almost sounded like a plea. “It’s not what you think.”

“Oh, it isn’t? You know I don’t like you getting into fist fights in front of our children! It’s a bad influence!”

“I know, but I didn’t just randomly start throwing punches!”

“Yeah, Mom, it was my fault,” Nick stepped in, sniffling. “I’m really sorry.”

“What? What are you talking about, Nick?” Fiora inquired, bringing her hands to her hips.

“Nick, that’s nonsense,” Sain added. “You know very well that you aren’t to blame.”

“But Dad, you were only trying to protect me! If I hadn’t hurt that man—”

“Please, just be quiet right now, alright?”

“Sigh… Fine…”

Before anyone could say anything else, Emily entered the room again.

“Here you go, Mommy,” she said and handed Fiora the wet cloth she brought. Fiora then practically shoved it in Sain’s face, so he could clean the now-wet blood off of it.

“Sain, what happened?” Fiora asked again, this time in a more demanding tone. “Why would Nick hurt someone?”

“He didn’t

mean

to,” Sain countered. “He was carrying a smaller canteen back to the wagon when he tripped and dropped it down the hill. It slammed into a man walking by, knocking him over. The cork popped off and the water got all over him. He threatened Nick after he got up, and I told him to back off, but he didn’t. I clocked him, and then…well, we got into it.”

“What?! Are you serious?”

“Yes! I’m really sorry…”

“Ugh…Sain… You couldn’t prevent the situation from getting violent at all?”

“No, I couldn’t. Honest, I tried to. But that guy was going to hurt Nick, maybe seriously.”

“I see… But I don’t want our children to think that violence is always a valid solution to conflicts. Nor do I want them to be frightened.”

“I know… I just…I couldn’t bear the thought of Nick ending up in a clinic or something because of this guy, especially when Kent’s on his way.”

“I understand. And I guess you really didn’t have a choice in this case. But don’t forget what I’ve said.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

“I won’t either, Mom,” Nick added. “I was scared, but I’ll try not to fight someone unless I really have to, just like Dad.”

“Yeah, me too,” Emily seconded.

“Good. I’m glad to hear all of you say that,” Fiora replied. “Now Sain, get some ice or snow on that eye as soon as you’re done cleaning up your nose. I have to finish breakfast. I only wish Kent didn’t have to see you like this after so long.”

“Alright. And believe me, I hate that as much as you do.”

“I bet.”

With that, Fiora retreated back to the kitchen while Nick offered to start getting the water unloaded by moving the small canteens. Sain continued to rub at his painful nose, hoping the bleeding would stop soon. Thankfully, the bone didn’t feel broken. The aching in his side had also subsided, meaning once he was finished treating his injuries, Sain could unload the large water canteens. He soon noticed that Emily had not left the room, however. She merely stood there, her large eyes filled with worry.

“Daddy,” she spoke up. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Oh, yes, I’ll be fine,” Sain replied. “I know I must have frightened you. I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t worry, it’s alright. I can go make you an ice pack, if you want. Mommy taught me how to do it with the ice and snow outside.”

“Huh, is that so? Then that would be great, sweetheart. Thank you.”

“Okay then! I’ll be right back!”

With that, Emily rushed back into the kitchen to get a thin cloth. Fiora always made ice packs by placing a handful of snow and ice on it, then tying it closed with a string. It actually looked similar to a vulnerary, a gold pouch containing healing medicine, only smaller. Once the ice and snow melted, the cloth would be wet, but the cold water would still work just as well. Plus, Sain had more to worry about than getting his face wet. Having to greet Kent like this was bad enough. But what if he wanted to explore the town during his stay? Or go hang out at places besides the house? Sain detested the idea of going out in public with his eye as black as it was, especially with a friend as close as Kent. He’d not only draw attention to himself, but to Kent as well. And Sain would never live it down if this led to trouble. Kent was supposed to be relaxing and spending time with his friends during his visit, even if Ilia wasn’t exactly the ideal vacation spot. Stress was the last thing Sain wanted to cause him at a time like that.

Damn it… I hope you’ll forgive me for this, Kent

, Sain thought to himself with a sigh. He removed his cloth from his nose again to find that the bleeding had finally stopped. He then made sure to wipe away whatever was left before going to toss it in the dirty laundry. Sain sighed again when he made his return to the living room, realizing that he can only hope for the best in the situation. Once he walked back in the room, he found Emily there waiting for him, holding the ice pack she promised.

“Oh, Daddy, there you are!” she spoke up. “I was about to go find you! Here you go!”

Emily then held up the ice pack for her father.

“Ah, thank you so much,” Sain replied and took it. He then pressed it against his still painful black eye. The chill of the snow and ice soothed the damaged skin and instantly drove some of the pain away.

“You’re welcome!” Emily replied with a smile. However, it soon faded into a frown and her gaze moved to the floor.

“Is something wrong?” Sain wondered.

“Well…”

Sain then lowered to Emily’s level and smiled.

“Hey, if anything is still bothering you, you can tell me. I’m right here,” he assured his daughter.

“Okay. It’s just… I’m still afraid because of that man you talked about,” Emily admitted. “The one that was mean to Nick.”

“I can understand. I would be scared too.”

“But what if he tries to get back at you? He might hurt all of us.”

“I wouldn’t ever let that happen. I already fought him off once, so I can do it again if I must. He won’t touch you as long as I’m here.”

“Well, that’s true… But he could go tell the…mileesha?”

“Heh, militia, sweetie.”

“Oh, yeah, them. That man could lie about you and make them take you away. Mommy told me and Nick that they fight off bad people or put them in prison.”

“Well, she’s right, but if that happened, I’d straighten it out.”

“How? They could think you’re the liar.”

“Don’t worry, they won’t. I have people to back me up. Your brother saw almost everything, if you remember. He can tell them what he saw.”

“Oh yeah…”

“And what’s more, the well keeper heard the commotion and there are people that can tell them I’m not a bad man. That vegetable vendor that lost part of his stall after I sent the mean man back down the hill might not agree, but he’s just one person compared to many people that would side with me. Oh, and Kent will be here too, so you’ll have double the protection. So don’t worry, everything will be fine, alright?”

“Well, okay. Thank you, Daddy. I feel much better now!” Emily decided, a smile returning to her face.

“Heh, you’re welcome, sweetie. I’d give you a hug, but it would be difficult while trying to hold this ice on my eye.”

“Don’t worry, I know. I’ll just give you a hug instead!”

With that, Emily threw herself into her father’s torso, allowing him to use his free arm to return the embrace.

“I love you, Daddy,” she said. “You always make me feel better when I’m scared.”

“Well, that’s my job,” Sain replied, stroking Emily’s back. “And I love you too.”

By now, Sain also felt better about the situation himself. Even if there was more trouble due to what had happened at the water well, Kent would sooner give up his post than refuse to protect those he cared for. He and Sain had been through far worse situations in the past as Caelin knights and they always had each other’s backs. Sain realized he was a fool to believe Kent might feel his vacation ruined just because his best friend mistakenly attracted a little attention from the wrong people. Just as Sain said himself, things would work out fine.

“So, why don’t you go finish helping Mommy?” Sain said once he and Emily let go of one another. “I’m sure she’s still pretty busy.”

“Oh! That’s right, she said she wanted me to do something else for her,” Emily remembered. “I’ll go right now.”

Emily had turned around to go back into the kitchen, but before she could take more than a few steps, Nick came barging into the room. A big smile was strewn upon his face.

“Dad! Emily! Kent’s here!” Nick announced.

“He is?! Oh yay!” Emily cried, jumping up and down.

“Yeah, I saw him going down the road on Sampson while I was coming back inside! He’s here, he’s here!”

“Ah shoot, I was hoping to have a little more time to treat this eye before he got here…” Sain admitted. “I guess I’ll just have to grin and bear it. Does your mother know?”

“Yeah, I told her before coming in here. She says she’s almost done cleaning the kitchen and will be out in a little bit.”

“Alright, then let’s go greet Kent in the meantime,” Sain proclaimed with a grin. “He’s probably waiting for us!”

“Yeah!” both kids shouted excitedly.

With that, Emily grabbed her coat and the three headed through the front door to meet their guest. As Nick had said, Kent had indeed arrived. The orange-haired Caelin knight was atop Sampson waiting in front of the house for them. He then dismounted to greet his friends. Nick and Emily rushed up to him first.

“Kent!” they both cried at the same time. They buried themselves in Kent’s torso, who chuckled happily.

“Heh heh hey, you two!” Kent greeted, wrapping his arms around both kids. “I guess you really missed me!”

“Of course we did!” Emily replied. “You’re our best friend!”

“You’re the coolest besides my dad!” Nick added. “And you both are the best knights ever!”

“Heh, I’m very glad to hear that!” Kent commented, letting both of them go so he could greet Sain. Of course, the first thing he noticed was his friend holding the ice pack on his eye.

“Whoa. Sain, what happened to your eye?” he wondered, arching an eyebrow. “I can see a lot of purple and blue under that ice pack.”

“Hey there, Kent,” Sain greeted with a smile. “I’m glad you made it here alright. And it’s a long story.”

Sain then repeated what had occurred at the water well earlier before and how he fought off the man that had threatened Nick.

“The guy was tougher than I thought. I ended up with a bloody nose too, but I already took care of that,” he finished. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this.”

“Wow. Don’t worry, I’m just glad neither you nor Nick ended up in a clinic,” Kent replied. “But if that man causes you anymore trouble, you know I’m here to help stop him.”

“Thanks. I’m glad I can count on you. Anyway, it’s been such a long time. I’m so glad we could meet up again.”

“Same here, my friend. There’s nothing else I would’ve rather done with my vacation time.”

“Really? Even though it gets cold as hell here and it’s across the continent?”

“I’m serious. Sain, you and I are a team. It’s like we’re each half of a pair. Ever since we met, we’ve been partners and fought side by side in every battle we joined. And we always looked out for and supported one another. No distance or place can change that.”

“Heh. It means a lot to me to hear you say that. And you know, you’re absolutely right. We are a team and always have been. I was foolish to ask such a dumb question.”

“Oh, it’s fine, I know you were just concerned about how I’d handle this weather. But really, you might have irritated me on occasion with how many women you went after, but you were still a true friend and my best friend through and through.”

“Aw shucks. Yeah, I was a real pain sometimes, I bet, but you stuck by me. And I’m forever grateful for that.”

“Hey, what are friends for?”

Kent held up his hand, motioning for Sain to take it. Sain then responded by doing just that, joining his friend for a bent-elbow hand clasp.

“Right on!” he replied.

When they were finished, Kent returned his attention to Nick and Emily. He then knelt to their level.

“So, how have you two been?” he inquired with a smile. “Wow, you’ve both grown a lot since I last saw you!”

“Yeah, we sure have!” Emily replied. “Mommy measures us every month! And I still help her whenever she needs me!”

“I’m going to grow up to be just like you and dad!” Nick proclaimed. “In fact, Dad’s teaching me to use a sword! I want to show you what I’ve learned!”

“Oh, is that so? I’d love to see, Nick!” Kent commented. “For now, though, I have to talk with your dad for a bit longer. Why don’t you two go tell your mom we’ll be inside shortly?”

“Oh, okay!” Emily agreed. “Just don’t take too long, Mommy’s got breakfast ready! She’s just cleaning up.”

“Yeah, and she made you pancakes too!” Nick added.

“Ah, then I’ll try to make this fast,” Kent replied with a big grin.

With that, Nick and Emily rushed back into the house. Kent turned his attention back to Sain.

“Gosh, Fiora didn’t have to do that for me,” he said. “But I’ll have to thank her nonetheless. I don’t get a pancake breakfast often with how busy I get.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Sain replied. “So, what’s on your mind?”

“Well, firstly, I take you got my letter?”

“Yeah, it came yesterday, just as you suspected. We readied things for you for when you arrived.”

“Ah, I’m glad. And thanks. But…there’s another reason I came here.”

“Oh? What would that be?”

“I need to talk to you about something. It’s important.”

“Oh, well, why can’t we discuss it over breakfast? I’m honestly getting hungry.”

“Well, it’s…sensitive. I don’t think Fiora and the kids ought to know just yet. We need to talk privately first.”

“I see. Why wasn’t this in your letter?”

“Because I actually didn’t find out about it until after I sent it. I apologize.”

“Oh, I see. It’s alright, that’s understandable. Now let’s go put Sampson in the pasture and go eat, we’ll worry about it later.”

“Alright, that’s fine with me. Fiora hasn’t gotten to say hi to me yet anyway.”

With that, the two led Kent’s horse to the nearby pasture and stable where Goldie and Lilac were always kept. After unsaddling Sampson and closing the gate, Sain and Kent made their way to the back door of the house and entered, the smell of warm food wafting through the air. After Kent dropped his bag off in the living room, he and Sain headed for the kitchen. Inside, the table was all set with five plates and sets of silverware, though since it was small, it was somewhat cramped. Due to this, Fiora had to leave the food itself on the kitchen counter. Kent couldn’t help but grin widely when he saw the high stack of pancakes on one plate, eggs on another, rice in a pot, and sliced bread on yet another plate. He almost drooled at the pancakes, as they were indeed a favorite of his. Fiora soon interrupted his thoughts.

“Oh, Kent!” she greeted and rushed over. “It’s so good to see you again!”

Fiora threw her arms around Kent’s neck and welcomed him with a hug. Kent smiled warmly and returned it.

“It’s great to see you too, Fiora,” he replied, letting her go moments later. “It appears everyone is doing very well.”

“Oh, we are. Well, aside from the trouble Sain got himself into earlier, that is.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. It wasn’t his fault. And I really appreciate you making all these pancakes, and even keeping them warm. You didn’t have to, but I guess you knew how much I love them.”

“Of course! How could I not make any? You’re not used to a place like this, so Sain and I figured we ought to make you feel as comfortable as possible.”

“Yup, that’s right,” Sain added. “It

is

your vacation, after all.”

“Aw, thanks so much. I did eat a small meal after I got up this morning, but it was a while ago, so I definitely have room for more!”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!" Fiora replied happily. "Let’s eat!”

Well, that was a bit longer than the first chapter, but I hope it was enjoyable! What does Kent have to talk to Sain about that's so important? And will that guy Sain had to beat up be back? We'll find out soon enough...

Edited February 3, 2013 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

Oh, snap. I finished chapter 3 awhile back, but forgot about this thread. Here it is. xP

Chapter 3: A Devastating Secret

After the five served themselves plates of food, they sat down at the small table to eat. Fiora had grabbed an extra chair from the closet that they always used when they had a guest over so Kent would have something to sit on. Despite the slight lack of elbow room and Fiora having to cut Emily's pancakes for her, the five managed to enjoy their food while catching up since the last time they had all been together. Sain told Kent all about his past mercenary jobs, and how he'd managed to skewer a dozen bandits all by himself using a combination of stealth and the element of surprise. Kent was quite impressed and said that Sain had come a long way since his resignation from the Caelin knights. Kent then described the latest jobs he'd had to do in Caelin, mainly the hoard of tasks he'd accomplished that earned him his time off.

"Being a steward is harder work than I ever thought possible, especially since I'm also a knight." he said. "I have to do pretty much what a marquess does

and

what a general does all in one sitting."

"Wow, really?" Sain wondered as he ate a piece of egg.

"Yeah. You know what a general is supposed to do, obviously, but a steward has to go to a bunch of meetings, enforce laws, negotiate trades and such, make sure the castle is well guarded and the staff is doing their jobs, and more."

"Oh my," Fiora commented after swallowing some pancake. "And I thought being a wife and mother was hard work."

"Try being a husband and father," Sain countered jokingly. "That's even harder!"

"Oh shut up," Fiora playfully retorted and smacked his shoulder, as he was sitting next to her. Nick and Emily merely laughed.

"Heh, I'm sure you both have tough duties at times yourselves," Kent agreed with a smile as he munched on a bite of pancake. "But on my end recently, boy did things start getting hectic."

"What happened?" Sain inquired.

"Well, another thing a steward has to deal with sometimes is idiots. And I ended up with a lot of them on my plate this time. First there were cadets and squires training to replace the men that had been lost in the last war. A couple of them got the bright idea to rub stinkweed on the others' practice weapons before everyone headed out to train. So instead of training, everyone was scrubbing weapons clean. I don't tolerate such foolishness, so of course those two went goodbye."

"Bah, dumb kids these days," Sain opined. "Not my own, though, of course. They're raised with the greatest care possible!"

Sain then affectionately ruffled Nick's hair, who chuckled happily.

"Aw, Dad!" he said.

"Heh, I can't disagree there," Kent replied. "Anyway, after that fiasco was taken care of, some lawsuits erupted against a mill after a food poisoning epidemic broke out."

Kent explained that a crowd had stormed up to the doors of the castle and demanded that he punish the mill workers. Kent had assured everyone that his men were investigating this case and that they had to prove that the mill had done anything wrong at all, but they just wouldn't let the issue go.

"I almost wanted to tell them to just shut up and go away," Kent finished.

"Oh my goodness," Fiora uttered. "There wasn't any trouble from it, was there?"

"No, except for an assassination attempt on the mill owner. Thankfully, I took the precaution to station a few guards there and they caught the tramp before he could fire an arrow. Of course I threw that numbskull in the dungeon."

"Man, seriously? Wow. Just wow," Sain replied, shaking his head. "You really did have to deal with a bunch of nut jobs, didn't you?"

"Yup. It didn't help that I got a lot of crap for even protecting the mill either," Kent continued. "Especially from some of my advisors. Thankfully, they know that if they pull any stunts, they're gone."

"Huh, I'll say," Sain agreed. "You never hesitated to give me a good smacking whenever I got up to mischief back in the day. I believe you."

"And it worked, didn't it?" Kent replied with a grin.

"Now don't you start."

"Hehe. Anyway, it turned out that the produce at the mill was all fine. It was what they had sent to a few shops that was the problem. We found that their storage rooms were filthy and infested with rats, so we closed them down immediately."

"Ewww!" Emily commented. "That's gross!"

"Yeah, people have to be pretty stupid to run a shop like that!" Nick added.

"Ick, I agree. But good that those shops were forced out of business. I guess the people apologized for blaming the mill?" Fiora surmised.

"Yeah, but they were still fools to have gone rampaging to the castle," Kent replied. "Some of them had even started a picket line there for a while."

"Oh geez. Well, good that you got it all sorted out."

"Right. But not long after that, one of the older castle chefs had a heart attack and didn't make it. Of course, I had to arrange the funeral and all."

"That's a shame. I hope his family is doing well," Sain commented.

"Same here. Oh, and for the love of everything, I just have

not

been able to come to an agreement with Laus on some issues," Kent finished with a sigh.

"Oh no. Erik is being a douche again, isn't he?" Sain guessed. Erik became marquess of Laus after his father, Lord Darin, had been slain in the last war.

"Yeah, basically. He still won't let go of his grudge against Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood, I guess. He knows I'm friends with them."

"Yeah, probably. I bet you still go out and clobber bandits once in a while too."

"Yep, that and stop skirmishes with Laus and Bern."

"…Those two will never be friendly with us, will they?"

"Not anytime soon, that's for sure. I'm just praying that this doesn't escalate into another war."

"So do I," Fiora agreed. "We really don't need a repeat of what happened before. All of Elibe was in jeopardy."

"Exactly," Kent confirmed. "But just in case, I'm making sure the new recruits, cadets, and squires work hard."

"Good. It's better to be safe than sorry," Sain pointed out.

"Indeed."

"Well, it sounds like you really did need to get away for a while," Fiora commented.

"You'd better believe it," Kent replied as he finished the last pancake on his plate and what was left of his meal. "Fiora, I tell you, that was the most delicious breakfast I've had in ages. I'm going for seconds on those pancakes!"

"Aw, you're too kind, Kent," Fiora replied, her cheeks going pink. "Good thing I made a lot though, huh?"

"You got that right," Sain agreed, who was almost finished with his food himself. "You're going through them like an archer goes through arrows! Soon, we'll have to start calling you Pancake Kent!"

Nick burst out laughing while Emily giggled.

"Ha, very funny," Kent opined as he went to refill his plate. He began to heap more pancakes and eggs onto it.

"Nick, don't lean back on your chair like that. You could fall backwards and hurt yourself," Fiora lectured as she caught the boy's leaning chair.

"Oh, right. Sorry about that, Mom. I couldn't stop laughing," Nick admitted with a big grin. "Pancake Kent! Haha!"

"Pancake Kent! Pancake Kent!" Emily chanted with a giggle.

"Great, see what you've started now, Sain?" Kent pointed out. He didn't sound that irritated, however.

"Oh come on, it was just a joke," Sain replied, now his turn to stand up and go for seconds. "You know that. And it isn't like any of us would call you that in public."

"Yeah, I know. It's all in good fun," Kent agreed with a smile. He returned to the table to work on his new set of pancakes. Sain rejoined everyone moments later with his own refilled plate, though he didn't have as much food on it as before. Fiora had finished her meal as well and decided to remain at the table so the conversation could continue.

"Well, Kent, it looks like you did really well handling all those troubles," she observed with a smile. "I'm honestly impressed."

"Me too," Sain agreed. "Maybe you ought to be the new marquess."

"Me? Oh no, no way," Kent objected, waving his hand. "The job is hard enough as steward. I'll be happy once someone can take the throne and leave me to just being general. But thanks, I'm glad I could keep things together too."

"Well, if you insist. By the way, who's watching things while you're gone?"

"My second-in-command. One of the few truly reasonable guys in the whole place."

"Ah, that's good. …Wait a minute, he's my replacement!"

"Yeah, so? Someone had to take over after you left."

"But you never left me in charge of anything like that when you had to go somewhere!"

"You? In charge of the whole castle? Well, maybe you'd be able to handle it now, but back then, I knew that all you'd do is hit on the maids all day."

"…Eh, heh. Yeah, now that I think about it, you're probably right."

"Yeah."

"So Kent, I've still gotta show you my new sword skills that Dad taught me!" Nick spoke up. "We even sparred a little!"

"Oh? That's awesome! I can't wait to see!" Kent replied with an eager smile.

"Wait! Kent! I need to show you something first!" Emily put in. "I got a pretty new dress from Mommy and Daddy for my birthday last month! It was one I wanted for a long time and I want you to see!"

"Ah, sounds great!" Kent commented.

"Hey! Wait a minute! I have to show him my sword skills first!" Nick protested.

"No! My dress is important!"

"It is not! Besides, I asked Kent way before you did!"

"Well didn't Mommy ever teach you about ladies first?!"

"Psh, like you're a lady?"

"I am too, you meanie!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"ARE NOT!"

"Hey! Hey!" Sain interrupted. "Don't argue at the table, you two. Kent doesn't want to see you fighting over him."

"Indeed, he has more than enough time to give you both attention," Fiora added. "It's up to him which he wants to see first, so let him choose."

"Fine…" Nick and Emily both conceded.

"Yeah, there's enough of me to go around, don't worry," Kent put in with a smile. "As for which to see first… Well, Nick, it's still a little early. I know you asked first, but it'd be better if I watched you when the weather warms up a bit later. It'll still be cold, yeah, but not as cold as it is now. Plus, watching you use a sword would take longer than Emily donning a dress. You understand what I mean?"

"Well, yeah, I guess you're right," Nick replied.

"Great! Now don't worry, I promise there will be plenty of time to see your sword skills."

"Yeah, Nick, I'll be as fast as I can!" Emily promised. "Cause I know you, Daddy, and Kent when it comes to your practicing. You'll be outside for hours."

"She's got a point there," Sain admitted with a chuckle.

"Touché," Kent conceded with a grin.

"Yeah, true," Nick added.

"Well, I know I haven't quite finished cleaning up my mess in here, but I'm going to clean up my dishes and then head to the stable," Fiora decided. "I believe due to Sain having to nurse his injuries from earlier, the water and food troughs were never filled and the lanterns not lit."

"Aaah! I completely forgot!" Sain realized, smacking his forehead. "I'm real sorry, Fiora. The water's probably half frozen by now."

"Yeah, I would've done it, but it's too much work for me," Nick replied. "But I did get all the water canteens off the wagon. The small ones were easy, but the big ones, I had to lie on their side and roll onto the ground. I just rolled them over to the side then stood them up after that."

"Oh, that's very clever!" Sain complimented. "I have a smart boy! I just hope you didn't hurt yourself. Those things are heavy."

"Don't worry, I'm okay."

"That's good. Great job!"

"Thanks!"

"Well, at least some of the work got done and I know you wouldn't have forgotten had you not been hurt, Sain, so I won't hold that against you," Fiora replied. "Now make sure you all clean up."

"Of course," Sain assured.

With that, everyone went on to finish their meals. Kent offered to help clean up all the dishes once they were done. Sain said he should leave it to him and the kids since he's visiting and shouldn't have to do any work, but Kent insisted, saying it was the least he could do to repay Fiora for the delicious meal. A little bit of rice was leftover, so it got tossed out. Nick and Emily gathered the dirty dishes while Sain and Kent washed them, dried them, and put them away. Miniature water wells and pumps were built in kitchen and bathroom sinks and tubs inside houses, so people didn't have to bathe, do laundry, or other such tasks in the cold. The much larger, public water wells were for people to buy water for animals, guests, and other such occasions where a lot more was needed than what smaller wells held. They were also sometimes used to refill the household wells when they would run dry. It was a very convenient system, especially for a country like Ilia that was cold year round.

Fiora had returned to the kitchen just as the others were finishing up, as she had never finished cleaning up herself. She was astonished to see the room as spotless as it had been when she started. The counters had been wiped down, the sink cleaned after being used to wash dishes, and the table neat and tidy, chairs pushed in and everything.

"Oh, you all cleaned up the entire kitchen for me!" Fiora realized. "You didn't have to do that."

"Well, we felt like it since you worked so hard on that breakfast, hun," Sain replied with a loving smile.

"Yeah, and you were already busy outside, Mom," Nick added.

"Oh, thank you so much," Fiora replied. "But Kent, you didn't have to do anything at all. You're a guest, you should be relaxing instead of working after what you went through in Caelin."

"Ah, it was no trouble," Kent assured. "And I wanted to thank you somehow for the delicious meal."

"You all are such dears," Fiora commented. "And Kent, I'm so glad you enjoyed the food. But you know, Sain can cook too."

"Really? I had no idea," Kent admitted and turned to Sain. "I would have never guessed a guy like you had that kind of talent."

"Ah, well, I only know the basics, but yeah, I can cook a meal if I must," Sain confirmed. "I learned so I could help if Fiora took ill or got hurt or something and couldn't use the kitchen without further hurting herself or contaminating the food. She's still better at it than me though."

"Oh, that makes sense. Especially since you're both mercenaries and likely sustain injuries rather often."

"Yep, exactly," Fiora agreed. "Well, the water in the stable didn't freeze, thankfully, so I turned the lanterns on just in time. It's also a good thing that it's late spring, or else it would be frozen."

"Oh, good. I'm glad my mishap didn't cause another problem," Sain replied. "It's bad enough that I have to walk around with a black eye."

"I bet," Kent commented. "Well, I guess it's time to do something fun!"

"Yeah! I gotta go put my dress on!" Emily exclaimed with excitement.

With that, she left the kitchen and darted up the stars to her bedroom. Nick decided to go out back and practice until Kent was ready to join him. While they waited on Emily, Sain asked Kent if they could spar later as well, as it had been a long time since the last time they had done so. Kent was not hesitant to agree and knew Nick would want to watch anyway. After all, he hadn't seen them spar in a very long time and he could learn from both.

Within the next minute, Emily had emerged from the hall upstairs wearing a blue dress with white lace on the waistline and bows on the spaghetti strap sleeves. Of course, it wasn't something to wear in Ilia's weather, but Emily did enjoy wearing it when the family went to a warmer part of Elibe. Kent thought it was adorable and looked very good on her. Emily thanked him and retreated upstairs again to change. While she did so, Kent turned his attention to Fiora.

"Hey, uh, Fiora, why don't you and Emily go and join Nick when she's back?" he suggested. "Sain and I will be out shortly. I just need to ask him something real quick. It's kind of personal between us."

"Oh, that's fine with me," Fiora replied. "I'm sure you boys talk about a lot of things us girls wouldn't be interested in, so I don't mind."

"Ah, thanks. Don't worry, we won't be long."

"Okay, we'll be waiting for you then!"

Kent merely smiled while Sain arched an eyebrow. However, he remained silent. It didn't take long for Emily to change back into her regular clothes, and minutes later, she had returned once again. Afterward, Fiora led her out back where Nick awaited them. Sain and Kent were by themselves once more, and Kent sighed with relief. Sain folded his arms.

"Alright, what was that all about?" he inquired.

"Remember? I wanted to speak to you privately about something important," Kent reminded his friend. "But I'd prefer to do it elsewhere. I can't risk the others overhearing. It's not that I don't trust them or anything, it's that it's sensitive like I said before."

"Okay, what would you like to do then?"

"How about we go out to a tavern for wine or something later this evening? The kids would be going to bed shortly and Fiora would have to stay and keep an eye on things."

"Sounds fine to me. I know a good tavern not far from here. But we have to tell Fiora where we're going. She'd go crazy if she found us gone all of a sudden."

"Well yeah, of course we'll tell her. We'll just say that we want some time to ourselves. You know, for just us guys."

"Say what? Would that even be the truth? If not, then forget it, because there's no way I'm lying to my own wife like that."

"Huh? Nooo, no no no no. We'll still just hang out. In fact, I've wanted to do that since before I found this important information. I just figured it'd also be the perfect opportunity to tell you about it without risk of your family finding out prematurely."

"Oh, I see. That's different then. Sure, we can head out later."

"Great, thanks. Now let's go out back. We don't want to keep the others waiting."

"Right."

With that, Sain and Kent joined the rest of the group outside in the back of the house, next to where the pasture was. Nick was already swinging his practice sword against a wooden dummy that Fiora must have helped him set up. His swings were still rather sloppy, but he had already looked better than his first session with Sain. Nick described his spar with his father and how he had very nearly landed a clean blow on him. Kent complimented him on his good start and figured that the boy would grow up to be one strong warrior. Nick blushed in abashment at the comment and asked Kent if they could spar sometime as well. Of course, Kent agreed. It was always good to spar with multiple people, so one could get a feel for different fighting styles.

The group spent at least a couple hours outside as Sain, Kent, and Nick practiced swordplay. Kent decided to show Nick a few of his own techniques for future use, and Nick was all the more excited to remember them for when he was skilled enough to learn them. Emily also asked Fiora if she could teach her the lance when she was big enough, as she still wished to ride a Pegasus like her mother. Emily didn't especially like fighting in this manner, but she decided that it would be great to take after Fiora and her aunt Florina and Farina, Fiora's younger sisters.

"I don't know about taking after Aunt Farina, but I can definitely teach you to be a Pegasus knight just like us," Fiora promised with a smile.

"Yay!" Emily cried excitedly.

"Say, speaking of your sisters, Fiora, how have they been?" Kent wondered.

"Oh, Florina is a captain of the Pegasus knights now and she's been doing her job excellently," Fiora replied. "As for Farina, last I heard from her, she was still with that pirate, Dart. I don't know if they're married, but they did seem real close. And of course, she's always dying to fatten her coin purse."

"Ah, Florina has come a long way," Kent realized. "I'm proud of her. When we first met, she was as shy as they come, especially around men. I wouldn't be surprised if Sain gave her nightmares. Haha."

"Now that's not funny!" Sain protested. "I didn't want to scare anybody!"

"It's a joke, Sain."

"Well, I didn't laugh."

"Hehe. Anyway, sounds like Farina is enjoying herself, despite the not-so-noble lifestyle she's got."

"Hey Kent! You know, Aunt Florina is still single!" Emily pointed out. "If you marry her, you'd really become family! Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Oh, that would be awesome!" Nick agreed. "Our dad is already the Green Lance. Then we'd have the Crimson Shield for our uncle! So cool!"

Just like Sain was known as the Green Lance, Kent had earned himself his own nickname of the Crimson Shield. It was due to his red armor and how skilled he was at shielding against attacks and being able to take a good few hits.

"Ah, uh…well…" Kent stammered, his cheeks going pink. "Yeah, it would be, but…"

"Aw, I'm sure you could win her heart!" Emily encouraged.

"Maybe. We'd have to see."

Sain merely chuckled to himself, receiving a glare from Kent. Afterward, they continued their sword training. Once they were finished sometime later, they decided to show Kent around town, as he probably hadn't gotten to see much on his way to the house. Kent admitted having to ask for directions to Sain and Fiora's home as well because he had not been in the area before. They visited the market where the nearest local water well was first, though Sain cringed at the idea of going back to the area where he had beaten up the man that had threatened Nick and caused a vendor to lose some cabbages. Thankfully, neither the man, nor the vendor was around, allowing Sain to rest easy.

The group also went to a museum that was for the history of the Pegasus knights. Fiora had pointed out one knight mentioned there that was hers, Florina's, and Farina's ancestor. Nick and Emily also felt proud to be descended from a well-known Pegasus knight. Afterwards, everyone went to lunch at a café. Sain asked Kent if he was getting too chilly, but Kent assured that he was fine, though he found it wasn't easy to adapt to the cold. He shivered for a good while, though moving around helped to warm him up a little. The café was also somewhat warm thanks to all of the flaming lamps. After lunch, the group went back home, and Kent and Sain decided to spar right after. Nick joined them outside as they had suspected, more excited than ever to watch a match between his father and his other idol, something he hadn't gotten to see in a long time.

Kent and Sain both chose to use swords for the spar since Nick was learning to use one and it would be good for him to learn from. Just as Nick hoped for, the two were evenly matched. Neither could land a precise blow on the other, though on occasion, Sain would nick Kent's shoulder or Kent would barely hit Sain's non-sword arm. Eventually, however, Sain managed to get his friend caught in a clash of their blades and bore down on him.

"Nnnggh… Dang, you've gotten unbelievably strong!" Kent admitted as he was nearly shoved to the ground by Sain's incredible strength. Even so, he continued to push his blade against his friend's.

"Hey, that's what happens when you work out and train like I do!" Sain replied and continued to shove his friend closer to the ground. "You're faster than me though, so I'm sure you can get out of this."

"Oh, you bet I can!"

With that, Kent quickly snatched his blade away and darted out from under Sain, causing the latter to stumble and fall flat on the ground. Kent then attempted to finish the spar and pin Sain down, but Sain was quick enough to roll out of the way and get back to his feet. He might not have been as fast as Kent, but he wasn't slow either. However, Sain was too slow to avoid Kent clashing his blade with his once again, and the two traded swings back and forth. The match went on like this for some time, with both men outsmarting one another multiple times, until the two became too exhausted to carry on. They decided to declare the match a draw.

Afterward, everyone headed inside and Sain and Kent treated the small wounds they sustained. Kent promised Nick he would spar with him the next day and the boy couldn't wait. Later that evening, Fiora cooked a steak and rib dinner with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes, also with some help from Emily. It was after they finished that Sain and Kent told Fiora of their plans to go out for a while. Fiora was fine with it, but reminded them not to be out too late, as it could be dangerous. Not only was it always possible for bandits to lurk about, but at night, the already cold temperatures dropped even further, and being outside too long in such conditions could result in frostbite. Sain and Kent promised not to be gone too long and departed for the stable.

After they saddled up and mounted their horses, the two headed into town. Sain led Kent to a tavern they had passed earlier in the day when they had gone out with the others. It was called the Snowflake Tavern and was a sociable and peaceful place. It wasn't one of those old run-down taverns where idiot drunkards hung out or strippers worked. This tavern only allowed adults over twenty one to drink alcohol there, but even families could go inside to enjoy music, have a quick meal, or rendezvous with friends. Once Sain and Kent tied their horses outside, they walked in and sat down at the bar. There were not many customers at the moment since dinner had ended, much to Kent's relief. He didn't want to risk anyone overhearing what he had to say. He and Sain then ordered a couple glasses of wine.

"So, Kent," Sain spoke up while they waited for the bartender to fill their order. "What's been on your mind that's so important and that my family can't know?"

"Well, to be honest, it's a bit of a long story," Kent admitted, glancing away.

"Hey, if you're embarrassed about something that happened in Caelin, you can talk to me about it," Sain assured. "I wouldn't tell anyone of it, not even Fiora or the kids. Although, I highly doubt they would laugh or refuse to comfort you."

"I know, I don't doubt it either," Kent agreed, though he still wasn't sure how to begin. "But…"

"Hey, I can understand if you made a mistake or two while dealing with all those problems you had. That's not anything to be ashamed of."

"Well, see… The thing is…it's not about me. It's about you."

"Me? What do you mean?"

Kent sighed before continuing.

"Let me start at the beginning," he replied. "I had finished preparing to leave Caelin and head to Pherae to meet Lord Eliwood as I had described in my letter. But just as I was leaving the castle gate, a messenger came up to me. It turns out he had caught me just in time, as he had a letter for me. This confused me, as there was no way a response from you could've come that fast. So I wondered who it came from."

"Okay. So the letter had important information about me?" Sain guessed.

"Not quite. The letter more or less led me to it," Kent continued. "You see…it was from your parents."

"What? My parents? Why would they be sending you letters and not send me or my family anything?"

"It's not that they didn't want to send you anything. Their letter said they needed to speak to me as soon as possible and that they wished for me to pay them a visit."

"So, they wanted to talk about me?"

"You can put it that way, yes."

Moments later, the bartender gave Sain and Kent their drinks, and the two began to sip the wine.

"Sain…" Kent resumed. "Your parents… They were carrying a dark secret."

"…Say what?!" Sain blurted. "What the hell are you talking about, Kent?!"

"Shhh! Keep it down, will you? Anyway, they told me that they never mentioned a word of this to you and that they could never bear to tell you face to face. They feel too ashamed, and have a lot of regret."

"…Are you serious? Then tell me. I demand to know."

"But of course. That is why I wanted to speak with you privately, after all. Anyway, their story began long before you were born. In fact, it was before your parents even met."

"Then what does this have to do with me?"

"Patience, I'll get to that part. Before she met your father, your mother was part of a group of sages that studied and practiced together. She was seeing one of these sages and for a while, the relationship had no problems."

Kent went onto explain that the sage eventually grew rather possessive and Sain's mother had to get away from the group. She figured that perhaps the sage would calm down without her around for a while. However, while she was away, she met Sain's father, and though she had eventually told him of her relationship with the sage, the two gradually fell in love anyway and began an affair. They were eventually married and began living a happy life together. However, Sain's mother had completely forgotten that she never actually officially ended her affair with the sage, and with more time, she became pregnant with baby Sain. Because she could not hide her growing belly and the sage had gone looking for her, he found the couple and was furious.

The sage was not a forgiving man and he had every intention of punishing Sain's parents. He threatened to be back for revenge when the baby was born, as it was not long before Sain's mother was to give birth. When she did, the sage had showed up soon after, as he had promised.

"He arrived not long after your birth," Kent continued. "In fact, your mother was still in bed in a clinic with you in her arms. The sage then said he would cast a curse upon you. A life changing curse."

"…W-What?! A curse?!" Sain gasped, his eyes widening with fear.

"Will you please be quiet?! Anyway, yes, it's no joke. The sage said that once you reached thirteen years of age, the curse would cause you to fall for every pretty girl you would ever meet and not cease your advancements. They would turn you down as a result. The only way this curse would be broken is if you experienced true love and won the heart of the woman you'd be fated to spend your life with."

"…But that…that can't be! All that flattery, all that trying to protect the women, all that being attracted to them… It wasn't me, but a damned curse?!"

"I'm afraid so, Sain. I really wish I didn't have to tell you news like this. But your parents felt that you deserved to know after all these years. They didn't want to keep their regret and shame bottled up forever. And they hope you can forgive them for their foolishness someday."

"This… This is just… I can't believe it…" Sain stammered, his eyes staring at the table in devastation. "I know I used to say that it was my curse to be attracted to all pretty women, but… To think there was actually any literal truth behind that…"

"I understand. I was very shocked to hear this story myself," Kent admitted.

"But now that I think about it… After Fiora and I revealed our feelings to one another, everything just…changed all of a sudden. The urge to flirt with other women was gone. I didn't want to try protecting ever single woman I came across anymore. All that was on my mind was Fiora and our future together. But I thought that was supposed to happen. I mean, when a guy gets a girlfriend, there's no reason for him to go getting flirty with other women."

"That's true, but for you, it happened so fast that it wasn't normal. The curse broke, driving away any heavy womanizing characteristics you had."

"I…I see. Damn…"

Sain slowly lowered his head and buried it in his arms on the table. How could his parents have messed up so terribly, to cause their child's life to become something it shouldn't have been? And what would Fiora and the kids think of this? Sain's flattery and desire to protect her had been partly what made her fall for him in the first place. If she found out it had all been nothing but a curse and not Sain's true character, it could break her heart. As for Nick and Emily, they could literally believe their father to have been a living lie in his younger days. As tears formed in Sain's eyes, all he could think of how his family would react and what they would think of his parents now. Kent placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Sain… I know this is hard for you to take," he said. "But I can help you."

"I don't doubt it," Sain sobbed. "But…why wouldn't they tell me? Why did I have to live my life thinking I was someone I'm not?"

"They feared that either it would devastate you like it is now or that you would never want to break the curse," Kent replied. "But they never wanted to keep it from you this long. They feel very ashamed of themselves."

"I should hope so," Sain agreed, raising his head. "I feel like…a stranger to myself now. Who am I really? What was I supposed to be like? Would I have been as good a knight? Would I have even won Fiora's heart?"

"I wish I could say. But Sain, while the sage thought your chances of breaking the curse were slim to none, you did it anyway."

"Well, duh, I'm married and have two kids! What's your point? That I should tell them I wasn't really who I should've been, which could've been a damned nobody for all I know, and that my parents had messed up my life?"

"No, no! Just listen to me. We might not ever know what you would've been like had you not had a curse placed upon you, but I believe the fact that you succeeded in breaking it and without even knowing of it in the first place says something. It was supposed to be practically impossible for you to break it. The sage was intending for you to remain single and alone your whole life. But you defied that and won the heart of your fated soul mate anyway. Hell, you were even able to control the curse when you met a woman that was already married by backing away and suppressing the urge to flirt with her. Sain, this means your will was more powerful than that curse ever was, which allowed your true character to shine through when it most counted."

"You…you really mean that?"

"Without a doubt."

"Thanks… But… I still don't know how Fiora and the kids will feel about this. They might not understand and still think half my life was a lie. And will they hate my parents? Will Fiora refuse to let Nick and Emily see them again?"

"Now that could be a problem. I honestly wish I knew the answer…"

Before Sain could reply again, the bartender had noticed him bury his face in his hands and sigh.

"Whoa. Is your friend going to be okay, bud?" the bartender asked Kent.

"Yeah, I just had to give some…disappointing news, is all," Kent replied, trying hard to sound completely honest. "He'll be fine."

"I see. Well, good to know."

With that, the bartender returned to his duties in serving drinks and food. Sain heaved a sigh of frustration as he just stared at the counter.

"Kent, I just… What am I going to tell Fiora and the kids?" he wondered. Unfortunately, Kent was unsure of the answer himself.

Later on, after Sain and Kent returned to Sain's home, they found the house fairly dark and quiet. Fiora was setting up the couch in the living room for Kent to sleep on. She had placed the two pillows that had been there at one end and the large blanket spread over the cushions. Neither Nick nor Emily was anywhere to be found, meaning they must have gone to bed already. After all, it was rather late in the evening and everyone had had busy day. A warm fire was blazing in the fireplace again, embracing the room with comforting warmth. Sain and Kent removed their coats as soon as they walked into the door and hung them on the coat rack nearby. Fiora noticed them moments later and approached.

"Oh, you boys are back," she greeted. "Did you have a good time?"

Sain almost didn't hear his wife, as he was still in a bit of shock.

"Hm? Oh, yes," he replied. "Did quite a bit more catching up."

"Yep, that's right," Kent seconded. "We lost track of time after a while."

"Ah, well, I'm glad you didn't end up staying later than you should have," Fiora commented. "I would have worried about you two."

"That's what I told Kent," Sain replied. "But we're here, and that's what matters. I'm guessing the kids are in bed?"

"Yeah, they're sound asleep. Nick wanted to wait for you because of what happened at the water well, but he fell fast asleep before you got here."

"Oh, I see. Poor kid, he should never have had to go through that."

"I agree," Kent added. "It could've been worse, but still."

"Yeah, that's true," Fiora agreed. "Well, the couch is all ready for you, Kent. I wish you could have a more comfortable place to sleep, but we don't have a spare bed and there's no way I'm letting you go back and forth from an inn in the cold, especially at night."

"Oh, don't worry about it, the couch will be fine," Kent assured with a smile. "I've had to sleep in less comfortable places."

"Yeah, like your knapsack," Sain jibed with a chuckle.

"Sain! You didn't have to bring that up!" Kent shot back in irritation.

"Oh, geez, did you really once find him asleep in that, Sain?" Fiora inquired, also giggling.

"Yup, I sure did, and I was on the floor laughing!" Sain replied. "Our platoon of knights had worked extra hard that day, and a lot of us were exhausted, so we camped out. I went to feed Goldie and clean my armor at a nearby pond, and when I came back to our tent, I found Kent on his knees in the corner with his head inside his open knapsack! Oh, it was hilarious!"

"Haha, wow! How silly!"

"Aw come on…"Kent uttered, bringing a hand to his face in embarrassment. "I was really tired and needed to get a few things!"

"Oh, Kent, really, you have to admit that that was funny!" Fiora insisted, giggling again.

"Yeah, for you, it really

was

a nap sack!" Sain joked and burst into laughter.

"Sigh… Well, at least you were smart enough not to tell any of the other knights about it. It was embarrassing."

"Yeah, some of them would've probably laughed you right out of the castle. And of course, I didn't want that."

Sain was glad to have gotten a good laugh, as it helped to cheer him up from his earlier conversation with Kent. However, it couldn't prevent him from still being concerned about how his family would react to his news. It could drive a rift between them that wouldn't be easy to close. And even worse, Fiora could even take the kids and leave Sain out of thinking he had a family that was too crazy for them, though she would probably have to be extremely upset to do such a thing. All Sain could do was hope for the best and that they could remain a happy family regardless of any issues. Before anyone else could say anything, however, a pair of small footsteps came from the hall. The trio turned to see Nick standing at the living room doorway, sniffling and tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Nick? Nick, what's the matter? Are you alright?" Sain inquired worriedly.

"Yes, dear, why are you crying?" Fiora wondered.

"D-Dad, Mom…Kent…sniff…" Nick replied and rushed over to them, rubbing his eyes. "I had a bad dream…about that mean man. He came to our house and hurt everybody… Then he took me away and said I would never see you guys again! Waaaah!"

"Oh, you poor thing…" Fiora replied. She took the boy into her arms to comfort him.

"Whoa. That's really awful," Sain commented. "But it was only a dream. It's never going to happen in real life, Nick."

"I-I hope it doesn't! Sniff…" Nick sobbed as he buried his face in his mother's torso. Kent brought a comforting hand to his shoulder.

"Your dad's right, Nick, it won't. Not as long as we're all here to protect you," he said.

"I-I know, but…it was still scary… And who knows how many buddies that guy could have!" Nick pointed out and cried some more.

"Oh, dear…" Fiora replied and turned to Sain. "Sain, I'm worried. We really need to do something about this. Nick's been through too much. I've heard that nightmares like this tend to continue for a while after a child has had a traumatic experience like this. I mean, Nick was threatened by a strange man and he saw you almost get beaten to death. Kent coming here did ease the pain for a little while, but now that it's night…"

"Yeah, I agree. Let me handle this, though," Sain offered. "I'm part of the reason Nick got in this mess in the first place, so it's only right that I try to help him."

"And if it becomes difficult, you know I'm here to help as well," Kent added.

"Alright, thank you both so much," Fiora replied. "All I ask is that you be gentle and patient with him. Things like this could take some time."

"But of course," Sain promised. With that, he began guiding Nick back upstairs to his room. Kent then sat down on the couch so he could relax a little before going to sleep. He soon turned his attention to Fiora.

"Heh, Sain seems to care a lot for you and your children," Kent observed. "I can tell he's really devoted to his family."

"Oh, Kent, he definitely is," Fiora replied with a smile. "He turned out to be the best husband and father a woman could ask for. It was like he became a whole new person when we confessed our feelings and got married."

You don't know the half of it, I'm afraid…

Kent thought, remembering the story he had to tell Sain at the tavern.

"I bet. I could tell he changed too after that," he agreed. "I was his best man at the wedding, after all."

"Hee hee, that you were, and a fine best man you made! When Sain and I planned our honeymoon, he told me he didn't care where we went as long as I was happy. Because then he'd be happy too."

"Heh, sounds like him alright. He never did pass up the chance to try making a pretty girl happy."

"That's for sure. Anyway, he didn't even care that we'd be living in a cold, winter-locked country. It doesn't snow here as much during spring or summer months, but even so. He didn't care that he was leaving Caelin, he just wanted to be with me and knew that I had to do my duty in Ilia."

"Yeah, though I miss him sometimes. He's a great friend."

"Yeah, I can understand. Sain does everything he can to take care of us, though. Even though I'm a knight myself, Sain works hard to bring home as much money as he can to help get food on the table and clothes on our backs. He doesn't want to have to settle for hand-me-downs or bread and bowls of broth. He wants to make sure we can always have much better than that, the best if possible. And he lets us visit his parents or my parents whenever the kids wish. And even my parents are happy with him, and they always worried what sort of "no-good scoundrel" would steal my heart."

"Wow, that really is devotion."

"Oh, that's not all. And whenever any of us are sick, particularly me, he works even harder. If I'm sick, he stays home so he can make me hot tea or soup. He'll do so for the kids too while I'm out doing jobs. After I recover, he works extra jobs so he can earn the money I hadn't been able to."

"Dang. I always knew Sain to be a quite hard worker, but not that hard."

"What, don't you remember the time he passed out from a fever while trying to overwork himself during the war?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. But even so, I'm surprised."

"Well, there's more. When I was pregnant, Sain took extra care of me then too. He made sure I was eating right, that I was comfortable, and I got all the baby items we needed. Every evening, he buried his nose in a parenting book I picked up too. He kept a close eye on me when it was near time for me to give birth. And when I did, he was right there at my side in my clinic room, to help me through it in case I got nervous. He held my hand the entire time."

"Wow… That's amazing. Sain really does sound like the ideal husband. And I never thought I would say that, to be honest."

"Neither did I. When I had Emily, he left Nick with Florina. He picked him up whenever it was alright for visitors to see me. When Nick himself was born though, oh, Sain was so overjoyed to be a father. He began devoting himself even more to us after that, because he had more mouths to feed. He worked extra jobs again because I had to stay home often to breast-feed and such things."

"Yeah, I bet. He must have a lot of energy."

"Well, even he has a limit. I swear, he worries me sometimes when he works so hard. Like when I was still pregnant, I couldn't work, so Sain insisted that he do extra jobs as well as some chores around the house. He even wanted to make our meals sometimes and feed Nick. And a couple times, he passed out from fever again. And I ended up caring for him."

"Oh, geez. I had a feeling that had happened. I bet you practically had to drag him by his arms to get him in bed."

"I sure did! I insisted that I could still do some things around the house and that I would be fine, but he still wanted to help out, despite being feverish. But I would not let him. He had no choice but to give in, really. Sain had made himself so ill."

"Well, I'm glad he finally decided to rest. It would've been very bad for his health if he had actually continued trying to work."

"I told him the same thing. But still, he's been a wonderful husband and father regardless."

"Yeah, I have to hand it to him. He really is the definition of devotion and carefulness when it comes to you."

"I agree. His first priority has always been his family and he says it always will be."

"Mm…"

Fiora then found herself with a love struck grin while Kent could only feel concern building up in his mind. He was happy that Sain had done so well in the past twelve years and that his family was happy, but he knew there was one thing that could negatively change that.

Man… How will Sain and I ever explain his parents' secret?

Edited February 28, 2013 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

I've completed two more chapters of this, but I never felt like posting them for awhile, but now I'll get chapter 4 up.

Chapter 4: Missing!

Later in the night, after a long time of back rubbing and comforting, Sain finally managed to get Nick to fall back asleep peacefully. He then went back downstairs to the living room to let Kent and Fiora know of this, only to find the former asleep on the couch and the latter not even there. Kent didn't stir at all either from Sain's entrance, he just continued emitting snores. He'd been more tired than he let on from his long journey. Fiora had probably gone up to bed, and Sain decided it was best that he did so as well. As such, he returned upstairs and retreated to the master bedroom. As he had suspected, Sain found Fiora already in bed asleep, though she had stirred as soon as she heard her husband's footsteps.

"Oh, Sain, there you are," she greeted. "Nick went back to sleep?"

"Yeah, he'll be okay. For now, at least," Sain replied with smile.

"I'm glad. I'd like one of us to comfort him every evening if he needs it, until he recovers from this."

"Alright, I can certainly do that. …Or, uh, we could take turns, if you prefer."

"Heh, taking turns sounds good. But no matter what, no overworking yourself. You know how you worry me when you do that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll try."

"Good."

With that, Sain proceeded to change out of his clothes and into some usual nightwear while Fiora attempted to go back to sleep. He was glad he could help Nick for the time being, but he still couldn't get many things off his mind. The fear of what his family would think of his parents after he revealed Kent's story still plagued him. And the worst of it, Sain shuddered to find out what his wife and children would think of him. At this point, he wasn't sure if he'd sleep well himself. However, he knew that Kent would want him to hope for the best and not worry too much about it. But as much as Sain tried to do that, it was difficult.

He and Fiora had been married for twelve years and had few serious family issues in that time. Fiora's parents had even accepted him due to his hard-working and dedicated nature. Not to mention the fact that Sain endlessly worked to become the excellent knight he'd been since the last war. But if they found out that all these years, those characteristics stemmed mostly from his womanizing habits, which had been majorly caused by a curse indirectly brought on by his own parents? Sain had practically been a living lie and for far too long. Such news could deal a major blow to everyone.

There was a possibility that Kent could help Sain out and soften that blow. But what if he couldn't? Or what if it caused Fiora's parents to hate Sain and his family regardless, causing a family feud to erupt? Sain wouldn't have any idea what to do if this happened and Fiora would likely be pestered by her parents to annul her marriage with him, whether she agreed to do so or not. And surely, Sain's parents would beg for forgiveness and want Fiora to stay a part of the family. She would be caught in the middle and all Nick and Emily would be able to do is wonder if their family could ever get along again, or if their parents were going to separate.

I should talk to Kent about this again, Sain thought as he lay down on the bed, pulled the covers over himself, and let his head fall to his pillow. He'd probably just say I'm worrying too much, but I can't help it. This is eating at me like hell. I just hope Kent can help…

With that, Sain turned over and attempted to sleep, despite his fears. He let out a deep sigh and decided to chat with Kent first thing in the morning. Hopefully he'd at least be able to ease Sain's mind on the situation. Even so, Sain was still afraid and eventually worried himself straight to sleep. Light snores left his lips and at first it appeared that he'd peacefully dozed off. Unfortunately, while Fiora still slept soundly, Sain eventually began to toss and turn, and images that he'd likely never forget anytime soon began to form in his head.

Sain found himself in his living room with Fiora and the kids as well as Kent. He sat down on the chair while the others were on the couch. He took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Fiora, Nick, Emily…" he began. "Look, uh… The reason I called everyone in here is because I have something important to tell you."

"Oh?" Fiora replied. "What's the matter, Sain? You don't sound very excited."

"Well… You see… Kent brought me some news while we were out the other night," Sain began. "It…wasn't exactly good. My parents…had a secret that they'd kept from me for years."

Sain then relayed the entire story Kent had told him, down to every detail. Kent added a little bit every now and then himself as well. When they finished, however, all Fiora and the kids could do was stare at Sain in shock and astonishment.

"Sain… Are you serious?" Fiora finally replied moments later, though her tone sounded rather irritated.

"Sadly, yes…" Sain reluctantly admitted, his eyes straying to the floor.

"…I can't believe this. You're telling us such a story after twelve years of being together? What's the matter with you?!"

"Yeah, Dad! This is stupid!" Nick added.

"You're scaring me!" Emily put in.

"Huh?! But I—" Sain began, but was cut off.

"But nothing! If your parents were hiding things all these years, how do I know they can be trusted anymore?! How do I know even you are trustworthy because of that?!" Fiora continued. "For all I know, you actually knew this all along and your parents only pretended it was a dark secret!"

"What?! Fiora, I'd never ever lie to you!"

"Oh really? I have a hard time believing that. In fact, I don't want my children to see your parents anymore. Your family has problems!"

"W-What?! But they—"

"They're scary!" Emily finished. "I don't want to see them either!"

"Yeah, they creep me out now!" Nick seconded. "And Dad, to think I thought you were amazing. Now I know you're just mostly a fake!"

"B-But…" Sain tried to reply, but no more words came out.

"You're not really the man I thought you were either," Fiora added. "I'm sorry, Sain, but we can't deal with this. And when my parents find out we're through, it won't be pretty. I'd rather keep my children out of the conflict, however, so you're on your own in this. Kids, let's pack."

"Okay!" both Nick and Emily obeyed at the same time.

"N-No! Wait, Fiora, please!" Sain begged.

"No thank you," Fiora bluntly replied and stood up to lead the kids upstairs.

"Well, Sain, it looks like I'm going home early," Kent spoke up.

"Wait, what?! Why?!" Sain gasped as he turned to his friend.

"You've got issues to sort out. And I don't want to get caught in the middle. Sorry. I'll go get my things."

"Uh, hey! You're just going to leave me too? Please, no! I need help! You guys!"

"Please…! Come back!" Sain uttered in his sleep as he turned again, a grimace on his face. "Don't leave! Nooo!"

"…Huh?" Fiora muttered, Sain's blurting stirring her from her sleep. "Sain! Sain, wake up!"

Fiora nudged her husband until he shot up with a start.

"Ah!" Sain gasped as he did so. "Huh? Wha?"

"Sain, are you okay? You seemed to be having a nightmare," Fiora pointed out. "Don't tell me the incident at the well has gotten to your head too."

"Huh? Oh, no, it's not that," Sain assured. "It was something else."

"What? Then what is it? If something we don't know about is really bothering you, then tell me. I don't want you to be plagued with nightmares too."

"Well…see, I'd explain it, but I'm not sure how to yet. I…I need a little time to figure it out. I apologize."

"Oh, I see. Don't worry, I understand. I just hope you'll be okay."

"I'll try to be, I promise."

"Thank you, Sain. I just…I just worry about you a lot, you know. What with how hard you work and the dangers you could put yourself in while doing so…and more recently the trouble from this morning."

"I know… And I'm really sorry about that. All I want is to protect you and our kids. …And I feel that if I have to put myself in harm's way to do that, I will. And as for work, I try to be as careful as I can and it pays well enough to give my family a good home, nice clothes to wear, and three full meals a day."

"And I'm so glad of that, Sain. And I know I put myself at risk for the same reasons too. Just promise me that you'll never do anything too reckless or dangerous when you can avoid it. Please…"

"Don't worry, you can count on that."

"Oh, thank you… I love you, Sain. More than I can put into words."

"And I love you too, Fiora. You mean the whole world to me. You, and the kids."

All Fiora could do at this point was let a loving grin cross her features. She then wrapped her arms around Sain's neck and pressed her lips against his cheek. He smiled at the gesture, his mind somewhat eased.

"Now try to get more sleep, okay?" Fiora said afterward.

"Of course. And hopefully, I won't have another nightmare this time," Sain replied.

"Good."

With that, the couple went to sleep once more. Sain dodged an arrow by preventing himself from having to tell Kent's story to Fiora prematurely. Despite that, Fiora had been able to comfort her husband anyway. And thankfully for Sain, he slept soundly the rest of the night. And then Kent would hopefully finish what Fiora had started.

The next morning, Sain actually was the last to awaken. Fiora had the kids to help her with breakfast again and though the two wondered why Sain wasn't up yet, Fiora simply explained that he'd had some trouble sleeping the previous night.

"Let's just say he's had a lot on his mind lately," she finished, more correct than she realized. "We'll let your father sleep for a little longer."

With that, the children obeyed and the three continued in the kitchen. Kent eventually walked in to see if there was anything he could do, but Fiora insisted that he not do anymore work during his stay. Kent had no choice but to abide since it became clear that Fiora was never going to change her mind.

"Oh, hey Kent!" Nick spoke up a moment later. "We still have to spar! Can we do that after we eat?"

"Ah, that's right. Of course we can," Kent agreed happily.

"Yeah!" Nick cheered with a jump. "I just hope Dad gets up soon so we actually can eat. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Don't worry, I'll go wake him if he doesn't get up on his own by that time," Fiora assured.

"Daddy's a real sleepyhead this morning, isn't he?" Emily commented with a giggle.

"Heh, I'll say!" Fiora replied. "But he deserves it for how hard he works for us."

"Yeah, he certainly does," Kent agreed. "Well, I'll just wait here at the table since you're about finished."

With that, Kent took his seat at the table and waited patiently. Fiora would have liked to tell him about Sain having had a nightmare, but she didn't want to bring it up in front of Nick and Emily. And knowing her husband, he was going to talk to Kent about it anyway. The two had talked about their problems with one another for years, probably since before she'd even met them. They were best friends, after all.

Meanwhile, minutes later, Sain finally awoke, lazily rolling over to stretch. He actually slept well the rest of the night, though it was probably only because Fiora had comforted him after waking him from a nightmare. Even so, Sain still needed to bring it up to Kent. He slowly sat up and then turned to see if Fiora had awakened as well. Much to his surprise, however, she wasn't there. In fact, her side of the bed was neatly made. And Sain knew that meant one thing.

"Ah, man! I hope the others don't mind that I slept a little late…" Sain said to himself as he bolted out of bed and began getting dressed. Just as he'd pulled his shirt off, however, the bedroom door opened. Fiora herself walked in and paused in her footsteps when she saw her husband.

"Oh! Sain! I'm so sorry, I thought you were still asleep," she quickly apologized. "I was coming in to wake you."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Sain replied. "I should've woken up sooner anyway. I'm just glad I only took my shirt off…heh."

"Yeah, that's definitely true. Plus, you know what I think of your shirtless-ness…hee hee."

"Heh, that I do."

Fiora then slowly approached Sain and let her arms slide across his shoulders lovingly.

"So, I assume you slept well?" she inquired with a smile.

"I most certainly did, thanks to you," Sain confirmed as his hands navigated to his wife's waist.

"I'm glad," Fiora commented, her hands sliding back and forth from Sain's chest to his back. "Well, I came to let you know that breakfast is ready and we're waiting for you."

"I figured. Sorry for being late this morning."

"Don't worry, it's perfectly fine. You deserve such rest once in a while, you know."

"Heh, I suppose that's true. Thanks."

"You're very welcome," Fiora replied lovingly. "Now hurry up so you can join us downstairs."

"Right."

With that, the two leaned in for a rather late good morning kiss. Once they parted, Fiora left to rejoin the others in the kitchen and Sain continued getting dressed. He hurriedly changed out of the rest of his nightwear into some everyday clothes and donned his usual headband. Sain had grown so used to wearing it that it had become force of habit for him to put it on every day, even when he wasn't planning on doing any training or mercenary work. Fiora never minded, however. In fact, she thought it made Sain look more handsome than he already was.

Once Sain was fully dressed, he quickly headed downstairs to join his family and Kent for another breakfast. This time, there wasn't as much to talk about as the morning before since they'd already caught up with Kent. Sain would've mentioned his nightmare to him right then, only he couldn't discuss it in front of Fiora or the kids for obvious reasons. Fiora wouldn't like him talking about having nightmares around Nick or Emily anyway. Once everyone finished and cleaned up their dishes, Sain pulled Kent aside in the hallway while the others headed out back.

"Kent, I need to talk to you for a second," Sain spoke up. "It's important."

"Oh? What's the matter?" Kent wondered.

"There was another reason Fiora let me sleep, I think. I woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare about what you told me at the tavern."

"Really? So that's what she meant when you said you had a lot on your mind. But you didn't actually tell her what the dream was about?"

"I told her I didn't know how to explain it yet. But I know she's going to make me tell her eventually. This is Fiora we're talking about here."

"Yeah, I know. And I see. What happened in this nightmare?"

Sain then told Kent of the events from the nightmare as well as he could remember them. Though Fiora had managed to comfort him, it still made him more nervous than ever about how she and the kids would react for real once they were told of the mistake Sain's parents had made.

"…Wow," was all Kent could say. "That's…pretty terrible."

"Exactly! Kent, I need your help with this!" Sain pleaded. "I-I can't deal with this alone! Please don't leave me! Please!"

"Now why on earth would I do that? Sain, firstly, you need to remember that it was just a dream and dreams never make sense. You're my friend. And true friends don't abandon friends in their time of need. For any reason."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Second, I highly doubt Fiora would just jump to conclusions like that and call you a liar. You of all people should know."

"Yeah, but I've never had to tell her something like this! And what of my kids? Emily always looked to me for support and comfort when she needed it and Fiora wasn't able to give it herself. And Nick looks up to me more than anyone. He sees Sain the famous Green Lance, not Sain the once cursed man that could've been anything from a jerk to a nobody if it weren't for it!"

"That's true, but I think you're overthinking this a little. Listen, I'll help you out as much as you need it. This I can assure you of. But the others are waiting outside so I can spar a little with Nick. He asked me if we could after we finished eating."

"Oh! Then let's go. I don't want to keep them waiting more than they need to. Can we talk more later?"

"Of course. In fact, let's go out riding after the spar. We'll be able to discuss this further without the others possibly overhearing us."

"Ah, great idea. Thank you so much, Kent. This means a lot to me."

Kent shot Sain a smile before replying.

"Like I said yesterday, what are friends for?"

With that, the two joined Fiora and the kids outside. Nick had already donned the headband Sain had given him and was practicing his swings with his wooden practice sword. Fiora warned him and Kent not to get too rough because doing a lot of moving around on full stomachs could make them nauseous. Sain added that this was true because he'd learned it the hard way. He once did some serious training after eating a rather large lunch, and ended up vomiting later. Both Nick and Kent definitely decided to take Fiora's advice and took their positions in front of their spectators.

Kent, of course, went easy on Nick since the boy was still a beginner. He also taught him a few of his own techniques as they sparred to further Nick's training. Nick decided that if he mastered the combined skills of both Sain and Kent, he'd be the greatest knight that ever lived. Both men merely chuckled, though they also decided it was certainly possible.

"Say, that reminds me," Kent spoke up after. "Nick, did your dad ever tell you about our strongest and most famous technique?"

"Oh, um…" Nick contemplated. "Ah, you mean that combination attack! Dad called it the Cross Strike, I think."

"That's right," Sain confirmed. "Kent and I are most well-known for forming such a genius move. It's magnificent and always thought I looked great doing it! It even got the ladies' attention. Hehe."

"Actually, that is true," Kent added, noticing Fiora rolling her eyes. "Sometimes we found ourselves being surrounded by several women from the area that we were protecting and they'd admire our skills…and our looks."

"Oh goodness," Fiora commented with a giggle. "Sain must've had a ball."

"I sure did!" Sain confirmed. "In fact, two girls pecked my cheeks at the same time and I was so overwhelmed with joy that I fainted. Ah, I have such fond memories of the past with my dear friend Kent!"

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that," Kent realized with a punchy smile. "I had to carry you and lead your horse all the way back to the castle and practically shove a wash cloth in your face to get you to clean that lipstick off."

At this, Fiora, Nick, and Emily all burst into laughter. Sain's cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Hey! You were the one that made a big scene out of it!" he retorted with embarrassment. "Some of the other knights found us on the floor in one of the barracks bathrooms after you tackled me and thought we'd gotten drunk or something!"

"Heh, yeah, that was quite embarrassing," Kent admitted, scratching the back of his head. "But you could've just cooperated, you know."

"Well, I didn't want to," Sain replied, folding his arms. "It isn't every day you get kissed by two beautiful girls at the same time."

Fiora and the kids continued to laugh.

"You two are so entertaining, you know that?" she spoke up.

"Yeah, you did some really funny stuff!" Nick seconded, who was on the ground rolling by this time.

"You were so silly!" Emily added.

"Haha, yeah, I guess we were," Kent replied.

"Indeed, you've got me on that one," Sain conceded with a smile. "So Nick, would you like to actually see the Cross Strike?"

Nick instantly bolted to his feet upon hearing those words.

"Wow, would I ever!" he replied excitedly. "That would be awesome!"

"Yeah! I've always wanted to see it too, Daddy!" Emily seconded.

"Alright then! Shall we, Kent?" Sain asked his friend.

"It would be my pleasure," Kent agreed with a smile. "We have to go get our mounts first though."

"Right."

With that, the two headed over to the stable to saddle up their mounts. They didn't want to keep Nick and the others waiting, so they moved quickly. Once the horses were ready to go, Sain and Kent mounted them and rode back to the back yard. They then set up a wooden dummy in the middle of the area and Sain equipped himself with another wooden practice sword. Afterward, he and Kent positioned themselves on opposite sides of the yard, the east and west ends, but facing the dummy.

"Now Nick, just keep in mind that it's been years since Kent and I actually last performed this attack," Sain spoke up. "It probably won't be as great as it used to be."

"Oh, I know! But I'm sure it'll still be amazing!" Nick replied.

"Heh, I hope so. You ready, Kent?"

"Yep, ready when you are!" Kent confirmed.

"Alright then! Here goes!" Sain announced.

He readied his practice sword while Kent did the same with his own. At once, the two charged towards the dummy as fast as their mounts would go. Within seconds, they approached the wooden obstacle and as they did so, they struck it with the swords at the exact same time. Once Sain and Kent were at the ends of the yard opposite to where they had started, they steered their mounts into a curve until they faced one another again, only they were at the north and south sides of the yard. But they didn't stop there. Sain and Kent charged towards the dummy once more and repeated what they had done during the first charge. The dummy was cut down as a result, its pieces falling to the snowy ground below.

"WOW!" Nick shouted as he jumped up and down. "That was wicked cool! I see why you call it the Cross Strike!"

"I thought you'd say that!" Sain happily replied. "I'm glad I still have my touch."

"Same with me," Kent added. "Sure, we could practice charging at things all day by ourselves, but this attack isn't the Cross Strike if we're not doing it together and in perfect sync. It's named such because not only are we moving in a cross formation, but our sword swings form a cross shape as we attack as well."

"In addition to that, we don't even normally start sitting so far away from one another," Sain continued. "We actually are side by side most of the time when we begin, just facing opposite directions. This is so we can initiate the attack if we're surrounded by enemies. It's what made the move so famous."

"Wow, that is so clever!" Nick complimented. "I really do have an awesome dad and a second awesome hero!"

"Yeah! What Nick said!" Emily seconded.

"Aw, shucks," Sain replied with a goofy smile. "But that's us! Ready for anything!"

"Well, you can definitely count on your dad and I to always be there for you," Kent proclaimed with an assuring grin.

"Oh, I wouldn't have thought anything else!" Nick agreed.

"And maybe someday, when Nick and I both know how to battle, we can learn the Cross Strike!" Emily added.

"Ah, not a bad plan!" Sain commented. "We could definitely teach you when you're older. Right, Kent?"

"Oh, certainly," Kent happily agreed.

"Hey, yeah, that's a great idea, Em!" Nick replied. "I say we go for it!"

"Oh, yay!" Emily cheered, jumping up and down.

For the next half an hour, Kent and Nick sparred some more, with Sain also coaching his son in the process. Kent was impressed with how well Nick had been learning from Sain regardless, however, and was more than happy to continue lending a hand. Both knights taught him techniques for dodging attacks, though avoiding being hit wouldn't be as easy while on horseback. Since Kent was quicker than Sain, though, Nick had a tougher time coming even close to landing a single blow. Kent explained that while Sain no doubt taught Nick that he has to watch his opponent's every move and that they could be unpredictable, a warrior also needs to learn to read said opponent. Sometimes one might just pick up a pattern or two in the opponent's attacks. However, doing such could take a lot of practice. Nick understood this and promised to remember it.

Eventually, Nick grew worn out and both he and Kent agreed to call it a match. Kent was getting somewhat exhausted himself as well, plus he had promised to go riding with Sain. The two then relayed the plan to Fiora, who of course was absolutely fine with it. Nick, however, protested.

"Dad, wait…" he said.

"Oh? What's the matter?" Sain wondered after he and Kent had remounted their horses.

"Well…I had fun sparring with Kent and all, but I'm still nervous cause of the bad dream I had last night. I just want to know everything will be okay for sure. Or maybe I could go with you?"

"Hmm…" Sain contemplated. "I'd let you come, but I kind of wanted to talk to Kent privately for a bit. We won't be gone for long, though, and I promise we'll take you next time. How does that sound?"

"Oh… Well, okay then. I just want you both to be careful!"

"We will, don't worry."

"Okay. I'm sorry, Dad, I just can't help being so scared…"

"Hey, I understand completely." And I know exactly how you feel too.

"You know, I have an idea," Fiora spoke up. "Nick, why don't you and Emily go to Ajay and Ashelle's? You two always enjoy playing with your friends and I bet they can cheer you up. Marianne would gladly give you support as well. And you walk there all the time since it's only two streets down from here."

Ajay and Ashelle, fraternal twin siblings, were Nick and Emily's best friends. Marianne was their mother. Their father, Phillip, or Phil for short, sometimes partnered up with Sain to do jobs. They considered one another friends, though Phil expressed a little envy towards Sain's fame. Yet, he was also known to brag occasionally about how he got to work with the Green Lance as much as he did.

"Ah, that's an excellent idea," Sain commented. "It ought to make you feel much better, Nick."

"Yeah, that sounds good to me!" Nick agreed.

"Oh, I'd love to go!" Emily seconded. "I always miss Ashelle!"

"Great! I'm glad. Kent and I can let them know you're coming too," Sain offered. "Or would you rather us bring you there ourselves?"

"Oh, you can just ride ahead, Dad," Nick replied. "We always take a secret path that we know is safe."

"Very true. Just make sure you both stick together as always."

"Right!"

"Also, one more thing."

Sain dismounted Goldie for a moment and kneeled to his son' s level.

"Nick, I want you to remember something for me," he began. "I know you're scared of that nightmare and what had happened at the well, and I don't blame you. But if you face your fears and stand up to them, you might find that a little courage can come a long way. And when you and Emily are by yourselves, it's up to you to be the big brother and be there for her when she needs it. You understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Dad," Nick replied with a smile. "I won't ever forget."

"Sain, those words were excellent," Fiora complimented. "I'm proud of you both."

"Aw…" Sain bashfully responded as he stood up again. "Well, we'll get going now, hun."

Sain then approached Fiora and leaned in to kiss her goodbye. Fiora happily returned the gesture.

"Ride safely, of course," she said.

"As always."

With that, Sain remounted Goldie and he and Kent spurred the horses into a trot. They traveled down the road until turning a corner in order to reach the street where Ajay and Ashelle lived. Sain still had his own troubles on his mind, however, and hoped he could hide his emotions from Marianne and Phil. Though, seeing how they were doing was appealing. Sain hadn't needed to partner with Phil in several days and never saw much of him or his wife in that time due to other work on both ends. What's more, Marianne was a mage and florist and enjoyed her profession just as much as her husband did his. Marianne had to import many flowers since the cold weather of Ilia wasn't suitable for growing any in, but the few she did grow herself were planted in pots inside a small glass building in her backyard. She heated it with candles and lanterns.

Sain's thoughts were interrupted, however, when Kent spoke up.

"Say, Sain," he said. "You'd probably do well to follow your own advice."

"…Huh?" Sain replied, only paying half attention. "Oh, what do you mean?"

"What you told Nick just before we left. About courage and facing your fears?"

"Oh, that. Well, I want to say you might be right…"

"I am right. Your situation is hardly different. You're afraid of a nightmare and certain events relating to it happening, just as your son is."

"Yeah, but… I have a much bigger problem than he does. Nick is afraid of something that a lot of kids get scared of. Me, I have to worry about possibly losing my whole family because of a terrible mistake my parents made!"

"That's true, but I still think what you said should apply. How about we talk more after we're done with our little errand here? I wouldn't want your friends to accidentally get involved."

"Alright, good idea."

With that, the two continued on to their destination, which was right down the next street. It was built of the same material as Sain's home, but had a somewhat different design. The two dismounted the horses and approached the front door. Sain knocked and soon, they were greeted by Marianne herself. She was a somewhat plump woman with purple hair and wearing a white flowered dress, befitting her profession. Phil appeared soon after, and he reminded Kent a lot of Lord Hector, at least build-wise. He was a rather hunky man with dark brown hair and a slightly tattered dark red tunic. He carried a sword at his side and wore a burnt orange shoulder guard on his left shoulder. Sain introduced Kent after the greeting, and Phil was most enthusiastic to learn of his identity.

"Kent? You mean the famous Crimson Shield and steward of Caelin?" he said, his mouth dropping open and shaking Kent's hand. "Why, I am greatly honored to meet you! I've heard so many tales of your prowess alongside Sain!"

"Oh, why thank you," Kent replied with abashment. "I do try my best."

"Who'd have thought we'd get to meet you someday?" Marianne wondered. "It truly is a pleasure, Sir Kent!"

"Ah, same here."

"So, my friend, what brings you here?" Phil inquired after turning his attention to Sain.

"Oh, Nick and Emily are going to come by to see Ajay and Ashelle," Sain replied. "See, there was some trouble the other day that gave Nick a nightmare last night and we think he'd feel better if he got to spend some good quality time with his friends."

"Oh my, the poor dear," Marianne commented. "Of course he and Emily can come by! No child deserves to be traumatized or plagued with nightmares."

"Yeah, we'll help in any way we can if you need it!" Phil added. "You're a buddy and that's what we mercenaries do! It's our job to protect our friends and families and the locals! …Well, for a fee on that last one, but still!"

"That is true! And I know I can count on you if anything were to happen," Sain replied with a smile.

"That's right! Nobody around here is getting bothered on my watch! If any lowlife tries something so foolish, they'll be rewarded with my sword up their arse!"

"Exactly what I like to hear! Now, we must be on our way. Kent's only visiting, so we're going to go riding for a while."

"Well, okey dokey then! We'll keep an ear and eye out for your kids."

"And you know I'll be watching them every minute when they get here," Marianne added. "It only takes a few seconds for something awful to happen."

"Right," Sain replied with a smile. "Well, we'll see you later!"

"Take care," Marianne commented, returning the gesture.

With that, both she and Phil waved goodbye as the two knights returned to their mounts and continued on their way.

"Wow, he's certainly enthusiastic," Kent commented as they rode.

"Haha, yeah, Phil's like that," Sain replied. "He's got a good head on his shoulders though."

"He seems like it."

"Yeah. And Marianne can be a little overprotective at times, but she's very sweet. Phil's a lucky guy to have her."

"Heh, I bet. So, about your nightmare again."

"Ah, yes… Kent, as much as I'd like to take my own advice like you say, I just find it so difficult. I don't know how to explain any of this at all."

"That's why I'm here to help. And as I said before, I won't ever abandon you, no matter what happens."

"Oh, I know that now, but…even if Fiora and the kids don't decide to leave me, what if her parents still get angry? Surely Fiora won't let me keep something like this a secret from them and if our parents become at odds with each other, we'd be caught in the middle of a big fued. And what's worse, knowing Fiora's parents, they'll start spreading lies about me and my reputation would be ruined!"

"Hmm… That is indeed a possibility. We'll just have to do our best to convince them that your own parents aren't terrible people and that you're not a freak or anything."

"I'm afraid that's much easier said than done. But if you're present, that could really help. If Fiora's parents know I'm friends with good people, they have to admit I'm still a good guy and that my parents raised me well."

"True, my presence can definitely make things easier. And as I said, that's why I'm here. Now as for how we ought to explain this along with the nightmare, that's going to take some thinking."

"You're telling me…"

"But to be honest Sain, I think you're being a little too paranoid when it comes to Fiora and the kids. I really doubt they're just going to up and leave you like that, especially for a mistake your parents made. Look at what you've done for them in the past twelve years."

"Well…"

"And Fiora told me all about how great a husband and father you've been."

"…She did?"

"Yeah, it was last night while you were comforting Nick. She went on about how hard you worked and how well you took care of your family. Everything. She's so in love with you and your kids love you so much, I don't think anything could make them leave you."

"That really warms my heart… But what I wonder is if it's really me they love and not the "fake" my parents ended up with."

"Well, you know my answer is clear."

"Yeah, and I pray that you're right. But as I said, even if you are, Fiora's parents could be another story entirely."

"Alas, indeed…"

Time passed as Sain and Kent continued discussing the matter. They had decided that the only place to start with the explanation was the beginning. But where was the beginning, exactly? Was it the nightmare, or Kent having received his letter from Sain's parents? Or maybe it could even be Sain simply saying "I found out my parents were carrying a dark secret." Whichever it was, Kent advised his friend to remain calm and not panic. If he became too nervous, Fiora and the kids could begin to worry more than they should to and that was the last thing Sain needed. Kent also said he ought to be as clear as possible so no one misinterpreted anything. Sain was still unsure of himself on how it would turn out, but all he could do at this point was worry about it when the time came. And Kent agreed that they'd tell the others when Sain felt ready enough to do so.

As they rode on through town, the two friends' conversation eventually strayed to other topics, mainly events from the past. They talked of battles they fought together, their time as squires, the war from twelve years before, and more. Sain was enjoying the conversation so much that he had forgotten about being nervous, which had actually been Kent's intent. He didn't want to see his best friend worried all the time, especially while Kent was supposed to be on vacation with him. More than two hours passed and Sain himself was glad he could cheer up as well. The topic soon went to Fiora's talk with Kent the previous night.

"You know, I really had no idea Fiora thought so highly of me," Sain admitted. "I mean, I know I work hard and all, but those times I worried her crazy by making myself ill… I thought maybe I'd been taking things too far. She does keep reminding me not to overwork myself."

"Nooo, don't be ridiculous," Kent protested. "Nobody's perfect, you know. And as far as I've seen, I have to agree with her. You really are a fine husband to Fiora and father to your kids. You've done better than I ever expected, I can tell you that."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sain decided with a grin. "You know, it's so ironic how instead of you, I'm the one out of the two of us that got married and began raising a family."

"Oh shut up," Kent retorted, glaring to the side. "I…I just don't have time for women. My duties in Caelin keep me too busy."

"Sure. Kent, really, I know you. It's because of Lady Lyndis, isn't it? You're still torn up about her choosing Lord Hector over you. You know I know how much you loved her."

Kent's gaze then strayed to his saddle and a tear trickled down his cheek. He sniffled before speaking again.

"…Well…I guess it's true. I kept trying to convince myself that I was over those feelings. But I'm not… I loved Lyn and I still do, yet I know I can never have her. Sain, the truth is…I always wished I was more like you when it came to these situations. Whenever a woman turned you down, you didn't mope about it, you kept going. You never gave up on the idea of finding true love. And you won Fiora's heart. But me? I…I'm too damn sensitive! I mean, just look at me!"

More tears trailed down Kent's face as an old wound was ripped open.

"…Oh. I guess we both have troubles lately," Sain realized. "I'm really sorry I brought this up. But don't talk about yourself like that. You did your best. And I'm sure it was a very tough choice for Lady Lyndis to make. Although…I was…rooting for you. And in all honesty, I expected you to get married before I did for obvious reasons. From the moment I figured out you'd fallen in love with Lady Lyndis, though, I realized how great it would be if we both settled down someday to raise families, yet still remain good friends. So I continued striving for it."

"Sain…"

"I'm serious, Kent. The idea of both of us with wives and our own children to raise…and then allowing the kids to meet and play together… It sounded amazing."

"Yeah… It certainly does. But Nick is already ten isn't he? And Emily is eight if I recall correctly."

"That may be so, but you still have time. You're a magnificent guy, one I can't imagine many nice and pretty girls not falling for. And I believe your future wife is out there somewhere. I've always believed it. And I want you to go get her!"

Kent's frown then turned upside down as he sniffled again.

"Sain… Thank you," he said. "I will!"

"That's my best buddy!"

Before either of them could say anything else, some bells rang out from another part of town. They chimed twelve times, signaling that it was noon.

"…Damn! It's noon already?!" Sain realized. "We've been out too long!"

"Shoot, I'm so sorry! I got too carried away, didn't I?" Kent apologized.

"No, it's not your fault, I was distracted too. Let's hurry back to the house before Fiora decides to have my head."

"Right."

With that, the two directed their mounts to turn around and head in the direction of Sain's home. Hopefully Fiora wouldn't mind them being a little late coming back simply due to having such a good time. And maybe by the time they arrived, Sain would be ready to reveal the secret his parents had been keeping. He'd have to wait for Nick and Emily to get home though, as he knew revealing it to them separately would be a terrible idea. Still, it would give him time to prepare a little more and eat lunch first. He definitely didn't want to go into such a long and troublesome story on an empty stomach. And this notion made him wonder what delicious meal Fiora might have in mind this time.

Sain and Kent weren't much further than halfway home when a rumbling noise echoed from somewhere not far outside of town, causing them to stop for a moment.

"What the—? Damn it, not again…" Sain grumbled in frustration.

"Was that an avalanche?" Kent inquired with surprise.

"Yeah, and the third one that's happened here this week. I don't know why, but a gut feeling tells me that this isn't natural."

"Why's that? We are in a snowy area at the foot of some mountains."

"Yeah, but for avalanches to occur this frequently and when there isn't a lot of wind or noise up there? Something isn't right here."

"If that's true, then I agree. How about we investigate after getting some lunch?"

"What? No way. You're on vacation, Kent. I should go by myself."

"Sain, are you crazy? You're a skilled warrior, but I'm not going to just ignore trouble, especially if it involves my friends. Even if I'm supposed to be relaxing. Plus, it always helps to have backup."

"…Well, when you put it that way, you do have a point. Alright."

"Thank you."

With that, the two hurried the rest of the way back to the house, eager to relay their next plan to Fiora. Sain could easily predict her insisting that the two get some of the local militia or Phil to help them, but he didn't want to cause the town to needlessly panic. If the problem could be solved before anything really serious happened, then there was no point in spreading any news of danger. Sain only hoped that this would actually happen. If the avalanches continued long enough at the rate they were occurring, the entire town could end up buried in snow. Everyone would have to flee from their homes and it would take days to remove all of the snow, if such a feat was even possible. And if it wasn't, the people would have to migrate to another town, or even across the border, with little food, money, clothing, and all their belongings lost. And such a situation would potentially be fatal.

Only a short time passed when Sain and Kent finally came in view of the house. They were about to make way for the stable when they noticed Fiora standing outside near the house's front door, frantically glancing around and looking frightened. Sain hardly expected her to be that worried about him and Kent. …Or had something else happened? Sain and Kent quickly directed their horses towards Fiora, and she soon spotted the two as well, running over to them afterward. Her face was flushed red and she looked like she had been crying…and actually still was. Sain and Kent dismounted as soon as they brought their horses to a halt.

"Oh, Sain! Kent! Thank goodness you two are back!" Fiora cried as she buried herself in Sain's torso.

"Fiora! What's the matter? You weren't really this worried about us, were you?" Sain wondered.

"Yeah, is everything alright?" Kent added.

"No, something terrible has happened!" Fiora replied with a sniffle. "Marianne was just here a little while ago. Nick and Emily never showed up!"

"What?!" Sain gasped. "You can't be serious!"

Kent gaped in fear at Fiora's words.

"Are you sure? When did they leave?" he inquired.

"Just a few minutes after you two did," Fiora replied. "Marianne said she, Phil, and the twins waited all that time, but never saw a trace of Nick or Emily! Marianne then came and told me that something was wrong. Oh, I'm so afraid!"

Fiora buried her face in Sain's chest, tears trailing down her face. Sain took his wife into his arms to comfort her.

"Fiora, don't worry, Kent and I will get to the bottom of this," he assured. "You can count on it."

"That's right, we'll find the kids," Kent seconded. "We won't stop searching until we do."

"Oh, thank you both… Just please hurry," Fiora pleaded.

"Of course," Sain promised. "You stay here in case the kids come back."

Fiora nodded and with that, he and Kent remounted their horses and rode off once more. Sain led Kent to the path Nick and Emily normally took to get to their friends' home, which was a snaking trail around several homes. It sloped in areas as well since it was the foothills of the nearby mountains. Much to their disdain, there was no sign of either child, and many of their footprints in the snow had been brushed over by wind or more snow and footprints. It was as if Nick and Emily had simply vanished into thin air.

"Oh no…" Sain uttered to himself with a grimace. "My kids… They really are gone…"

"This is madness," Kent commented. "I hate to say it, but I've a feeling they were snatched. And if this is the case, then whoever's responsible will be punished."

"I'll tear the rotten scum limb for limb!" Sain threatened.

"I'm with you, but we're going to need some help. Let's report this to the militia headquarters. They should send out a search party or two."

"Right. We can probably get Phil to lend a hand afterward as well."

"Sounds good. Let's hurry!"

With that, Sain and Kent spurred their horses into a gallop and made for the militia headquarters in another part of town. Sain wondered how Nick and Emily could've possibly been kidnapped from the path that he and Fiora had thought only people living nearby it knew of. All he could think of was that somehow, the wrong person or people gained knowledge of it. And the only kinds of people around Ilia that Sain knew would sink so low as to kidnap a child were bandits. But what would they want with his kids? Any ruffians Sain encountered wound up dead in a matter of seconds. But if this wasn't a kidnapping case, then what had happened? Sain's mind now completely puzzled and filled with fear, he could only hope that he and Kent would find the answer soon…before it was too late.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

Ugh, I forgot that I still hadn't put chapter 5 here. But seeing as I've got chapter 6 well in progress, I'd better do so before I totally forget again. xP

Chapter 5: The Crisis Deepens

Unfortunately for Sain and Kent, the militia headquarters was near the other side of town and was a rather long ride away. Sain hardly cared, however, as he wanted to do whatever it took to find Nick and Emily. He'd never forgive himself if they remained missing for a long time, or even worse, were hurt by whoever or whatever was responsible for their disappearance. And Fiora was counting on Sain and Kent to find them and Sain had promised his wife that they would. If he ended up not being able to keep that promise…then he could just kill himself. Nick and Emily were his children, and Fiora's. They were their pride and joy and one of the things that kept them going and kept their relationship strong.

And what if the man who had attacked Sain and Nick at the water well the day before had some connection to the children's disappearance? Sain had also promised Nick and Emily that he would never let him touch them. If he did orchestrate this crime, Sain would feel as if a knife had just been driven through his chest. The mere thought of this chilled him to the bone more than the cold weather of Ilia would ever be able to. Cold tears now flying from his eyes, Sain continued to keep Goldie at a quick gallop. At this point, however, Kent was having a little trouble keeping up.

"Sain! Will you slow down a little? You're going to tire out poor Goldie already and I'm starting to lag behind!" the red-clad knight hollered.

"I'd love to, Kent, but every second we waste is a second more that Nick and Emily are in danger!" Sain replied. "Besides, we should be at the militia headquarters in a few minutes. It's not far now."

"Okay, fine, but you still don't want to exhaust your horse right now. We have a big search ahead of us."

"I know that! She'll get a break while we're talking with the captain."

"Sigh… Alright, if you say so."

With that, the pair continued onward towards the militia headquarters, Kent still concerned about how Sain would continue to handle the situation. It was true that he had every right to be frightened and worried about his children, and Kent wouldn't blame him for being angry if it turned out that some bandits or thieves really were responsible. But if Sain couldn't remain calm and think before acting, it could end up costing him. Kent only hoped that he'd be able to keep his friend from doing anything that he'd regret later.

Just as Sain had said, the militia headquarters had only been a few minutes more away, and the small group of large buildings finally came into view. They were made of wood and stone and stood at least one story higher than many of the other buildings near it. There were also some lookout towers for defensive purposes and a stone wall surrounding the perimeter. Sain told Kent that he sometimes came over to help train new recruits and give them advice since he was a well-known veteran knight. He never thought he'd end up being in need there himself.

Sain and Kent parked their horses near the main entrance and tied them to the hitching post that was there upon dismounting. Without hesitation, the two quickly entered, Sain bursting through the doors like a runaway horse cart. Kent followed behind, hoping they would find the militia captain right there in the main hall. Unfortunately, there was not a soul to be seen.

"Captain Myron!" Sain hollered as soon as he stepped inside the building. "Captain Myron, where are you?!"

Nobody answered the knight's calls.

"Could he be busy somewhere already?" Kent wondered.

Sain responded with a frustrated growl.

"Damn it, if he's not here—"

Sain was cut off by the sound of a door opening near the other end of the room. Out stepped a heavily armored man that was likely no more than ten years older than Sain. His bluish green hair was faintly streaked with gray and he had a small beard growing in on his chin. His armor was colored a dark bluish violet.

"Captain Myron, there you are!" Sain spoke up.

"Oh, Sir Sain," Myron greeted. "I did hear your voice after all. I must apologize, I had been looking over some documents, so my attention was elsewhere."

"That's fine, but I'm so relieved you're here!" Sain replied. "This is urgent!"

"So I can tell. I see you have a guest too," Myron commented, his eyes widening when they further examined Kent. "…And if my eyes don't deceive me, isn't this your partner, Sir Kent the Crimson Shield? I've always wished to see you two in action together! They say your strength and teamwork as knights are unsurpassed!"

"Yes, this is Kent. He came to visit for a while. But we don't have time for any show and tell right now! We really need your help!"

"Ah, do forgive me, I got a little too excited there, it seems. So what can I do for you both?"

Sain gulped, as having to relay his story wasn't making him feel any better.

"Something bad has happened," he continued. "You remember that I'm married and I have two children, right?"

"Yes, of course. Go on," Myron replied.

Sain sniffled before continuing.

"Well, my kids… They… They've disappeared. They're both missing."

"What?!" Myron gasped, his eyes widening further than they had before. "Are you serious?"

"We think they've been kidnapped," Kent explained. "Nobody actually saw anything happen, but the kids were last seen leaving to go to their friends' home."

"That's right. Kent and I were out riding, and when we returned home, we found my wife in tears," Sain added. "She'd found out that the kids never showed up at the house where some friends of ours live. Kent and I then scouted the path that they normally took, and there was no trace of them. Nothing… Gone, just like that…"

Tears built up in Sain's eyes, his mind unable to handle the cold truth.

"Oh dear…" Myron uttered. "This… This is truly terrible. I can't believe something like this has happened. But… Unfortunately, as much as it pains to me to admit it, there isn't a lot I can do at the moment."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?! We need you to send some militia out to serve as a search party!" Sain protested.

"Oh, I wouldn't hesitate at all to do that. If they weren't all on another mission already."

"What?! Is this a joke?!"

"I'm afraid not. I understand your frustration, I really do. And if I could help you right now, I would. Honest to goodness, I would."

"Okay, maybe you didn't hear me clearly before. My kids are missing!"

"Yes, I heard that, my friend. And I have little doubt that if they were indeed kidnapped, then bandits or thieves are responsible. I'm going to send my men out as soon as they return, you can count on that."

"But by then it might be too late! Listen to me, we need all the help we can get! My wife is going crazy and I'm about to be a nervous wreck! Please, Myron!"

"Sain's right. Can't you call some of the militia back?" Kent wondered. "The more time that passes, the more danger the children will be in!"

Myron sighed before responding, clearly frustrated that he had to decline the two knights' request.

"I know, and I really wish I could recall some of them. Normally, I can, but they're out on field duty investigating some local bandits and others are trying to look into those strange avalanches that have been happening lately," Myron explained. "It would take me some time to locate all of them, and what's more, if the avalanches don't stop, the whole town could be in jeopardy, not just your two children. And I have to wait here for them to return. With luck, however, they might also catch whoever took the children while they're out there. But when my men do come back, if we haven't already found them, I promise you that I'll have all of them split into search parties."

Sain gulped again, and sniffled before replying.

"Alright. I see. We'll be taking our leave then," he said.

"I will hope for the best," Myron replied. "And it was a great pleasure to meet you, Sir Kent, though I adamantly wish it had been under better circumstances."

"Indeed, same here," Kent commented.

He and Sain then exited the building, though Sain did not remain as calm as he had been when they bid Myron farewell. Instead of mounting Goldie, the knight simply dropped to his knees and drove his fist into the dirt-laid ground, likely bloodying his knuckles. Tears dripped from his eyes and fell to the ground as his fist sat there. Kent approached his friend with a sigh.

"Sain, pouting like this isn't going to help anything," he pointed out. "Myron not being able to send his men out right now is merely horrible timing."

"That's easy for you to say!" Sain retorted through his tears. "Nick… Emily… They're out there all by themselves somewhere… And the militia can't give any aid right away? To help find TWO MISSING INNOCENT CHILDREN?!"

"It is really irritating and makes things harder, but we won't get anywhere just standing around here shouting and weeping! Now pull yourself together and let's go."

Sain then sniffled again and took a deep breath. He stood back up and wiped his eyes.

"You're right, you're right. I apologize. We have to get out there and start looking right now."

Sain attempted to mount Goldie when Kent grabbed his arm.

"Hey, hold on just a minute," he said. "We can't just go rushing into things and being reckless!"

"Well you said yourself that we can't just stand around either! I made a promise to Fiora that we'd find the kids and I'm not about to break it!"

"We will find them, Sain! But we need to go about this intelligently!"

"Oh, so you're calling me stupid?!"

"What?! No! Don't put words in my mouth! I'm only saying—!"

"That I'd fail to save my kids if I didn't have someone to hold my hand?!"

"NO! Will you listen to me for one second?! Yelling at each other isn't going to solve anything either!"

"Fine, then what are you trying to tell me? I'm all ears."

"That we should be careful and work quickly at the same time. If we go about this without a plan, we could fall into a trap. If the bandits kidnapped Nick and Emily, they could be used as bait to get you and Fiora. And if they succeeded in this because you didn't think before acting, how safe would the kids be then?"

Sain didn't respond right away. He merely sighed, forcing himself to accept that Kent was right.

"I see… I apologize, Kent. I'm just…really frustrated, worried, and angry and it's clouding my mind. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Kent smiled before replying.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "I understand completely. I'd feel the same way if they were my own children."

"I'm glad… Now let's figure out a plan."

"Right. First thing's first though, we need to form our own search parties until Myron can get his ready. Who do you know would be willing to join us?"

"Well, aside from Phil, there are many other mercenaries who would be glad to help. Some might charge a fee for obvious reasons, but I don't care, I'll do whatever it takes to find my kids."

"Alright, anyone else?"

"Um…" Sain contemplated, bringing a hand to his chin. He snapped his fingers seconds later.

"The Pegasus knights!" he cried. "Why didn't I think of them before? They can see for miles from the sky and Florina would definitely order her squad to help, the missing kids are her nephew and niece!"

"That's an excellent idea! We should send someone to notify Florina and her group right away."

"Phil can do it. Florina's more acquainted with him than most of the other townsfolk since he's a friend of mine and Fiora's. She'd trust his word."

"Great! See, Sain, it pays when you stop and use your head for a minute."

"Yeah, it sure does. Let's go!"

With that, the two finally remounted their horses and galloped off back down the road. It would be another fairly long ride back to Sain's part of town, but hopefully along the way, Sain and Kent would find some of the mercenaries that were mentioned beforehand. They would pay another visit to Phil and Marianne first, of course, and then relay their plan to Fiora. Naturally, they also kept their eyes and ears peeled for any possible clue or sign to Nick and Emily's whereabouts. After all, they could stumble upon a lead anytime and anywhere. The two could only hope that despite the setback of Myron not being able to give them aid right away, luck would be on their side.

A good deal of time passed as Sain and Kent drew nearer to their next destination, but thankfully, they managed to locate a few mercenaries not far from Phil's house. Even better, all three were glad to aid in the search right away and chose to search together as a trio. Even if one of them had asked to be paid, however, Sain would refuse to do so until Nick and Emily were found and their supposed captors punished. This would ensure that such a mercenary would keep his or her word and Sain had no time or patience for greedy liars. He was sure Kent wouldn't tolerate such behavior either.

Within the next several minutes, the two finally found themselves at the home of Phil and Marianne once again. And the mercenary himself was standing at his door alongside his wife, likely having expected Sain and Kent to pay them a visit again.

"Ah, Sain! Kent!" Phil greeted and rushed up to the pair, followed by Marianne. "Just the duo we were hoping to see!"

"Yes, I'm sure Fiora told you the awful news," Marianne added. She held a handkerchief in her hand that looked slightly damp, suggesting that she'd also been weeping.

"She did," Sain confirmed, sniffling once more and finding it difficult yet again to hold back tears. "Kent and I paid a visit to Myron to ask for his aid, but…"

"Ah! Damn! That's right! He sent all of his men on that investigation regarding those bandits and the constant avalanches," Phil realized and smacked his forehead. He had also occasionally been hired by the militia.

"You mean you knew about it?! Why didn't you tell Fiora so she could tell us or something?! You could've saved Kent and I a trip across town and back!"

"I don't know! I must've been so shocked and worried that I totally forgot! Man, I really goofed this time…"

"You sure did, you scatterbrain!"

"I know… And I'm real sorry, I am. But I swear I'll do anything to help find Nick and Emily. Just give me orders, sir!"

Phil then took a rather dramatic saluting position.

"Sigh… Alright, but no more mistakes. This is serious, Phil, and I need you to do me a big favor."

"Of course! I'll do my best!"

"Well, there's one thing about you that hasn't changed a bit in twelve years, Sain," Kent spoke up with a smile. "Much more serious than you initially let on."

"Oh shut up," Sain retorted. "Anyway, Phil, you remember my sister-in-law, Florina, right?"

"Ah, that I do! And you wish to get help from the Pegasus knights!" Phil replied.

"Exactly. I want you to go see her while Kent and I round up some other mercenaries to form more search parties. We already managed to get one small group."

"Alright, that I can do. I'll head over to the base of Florina's troop lickety-split!"

"Excellent, thank you so much."

"Not a problem, my friend!"

"I'd love to join one of your search parties too, but I have to stay here to watch over our own children," Marianne put in. "If Nick and Emily were kidnapped, then whoever did it could go after other children next!"

"That's true, and we understand completely," Sain replied with a smile. "I'd never forgive myself if whoever or whatever took my kids also snatched Ajay and Ashelle."

"I know… And I wish you all the best luck."

"Thanks, Marianne."

Phil then shot a smug smile in Kent's direction.

"Hey Kent, you know, Florina is single. If you're interested."

"Oh, they'd make a lovely couple!" Marianne commented. "I'm sure you know her already too, don't you Kent?"

"Oh, uh…" Kent began, his cheeks fading to a rosy red color. "I do know her pretty well, but…"

Suddenly, two young-sounding voices, one male and one female, cut the knight off.

"Dad!" the boy's voice shouted.

"Mommy!" the girl added.

The adults turned around to see a boy that bore some resemblance to Phil running towards them, followed by a girl with hair like Marianne's. It was shoulder-length and topped with a pink headband. Both children were wearing winter clothes similar to ones Nick and Emily usually wore.

"Oh! Ajay, Ashelle, you two shouldn't be out here!" Marianne replied, taking both her children into her arms. "It's very dangerous!"

"We know, but Ash and I just need to know if a lot of people are looking for Nick and Emily!" Ajay protested with a sniffle. "We're really worried!"

"Yeah, I miss them so much…" Ashelle added, tears falling down her cheeks. "And if we can help at all, we want to!"

"You both are so brave and caring," Sain commented. "And we've got several people searching now, don't worry. But you know what you can do for me? You can stay as safe as possible and help your mother keep an eye and ear out for anything strange. Think you two can handle that?"

"Oh! Yeah, we can do that for sure, Sir Sain!" Ajay assured. "We won't let you down!"

"Yeah, my brother and I won't give up!" Ashelle seconded.

"That's what I like to hear," Sain replied with a smile. "Now—"

Suddenly, a loud shattering of glass coming from behind the house cut him off, almost causing the entire group to jump. Ashelle shrieked and clung to Ajay while Marianne took both twins into her arms.

"The hell?!" Phil wondered. "You guys stay here. A thief or bandit might be trying to draw our attention away."

"Be careful, sweetheart!" Marianne replied.

"And yell if you need backup," Sain added.

"Right," Phil responded to both of them. "I'll signal if it's safe."

With that, he carefully approached the back of the house and disappeared around its corner. Ajay and Ashelle fearfully clung to their mother.

"Mommy, I'm scared…" Ashelle whimpered.

"It'll be okay, dear. Daddy's just making sure everything's alright," Marianne ensured.

"I-I hope so," Ajay replied.

Sain merely growled angrily. Something told him that there was more to this incident than met the eye.

"Kent," he spoke up. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"So do I," Kent agreed. "But let's see what Phil finds. We could be wrong."

Sain nodded, though a gut feeling told him that their suspicions were far from incorrect. A couple minutes later, Phil reemerged from behind his house and motioned the group to follow him. They then quickly joined him in the back, curious to see what he had found. Phil led them halfway across the yard and showed them a disturbing scene. Half of a window from the wall lay shattered to pieces in the snow, having been torn from its hinges. Hanging from the handle which opened the window was a ripped piece of grayish blue cloth.

"Oh my…" Marianne gasped, bringing her hands to her cheeks. "D-Did someone break in and then leave just now?!"

"Yeah, that's what it looks like, my dear," Phil confirmed. "Whoever it was is gone though, there's no one in the house. And it doesn't appear that anything was taken."

Sain retrieved the piece of cloth from the broken window and examined it.

"I knew it," he said moments later. "They must have been after Ajay and Ashelle."

"My thought exactly," Kent seconded. "They fled when they noticed that the kids weren't inside. And the reason we didn't hear anything until the window shattered is because the snow absorbed most of the sound. The culprit or culprits were trying to set up the perfect crime."

"Oh! But… But why?" Marianne wondered, the kids clinging to her even harder. "Why would anyone kidnap children at all?"

"I'm not sure, but I know it has something to do with me," Sain replied. "Mine vanished first, and now the bastards are after their friends to ensure that they get what they want."

"Though this is assuming Nick and Emily were indeed kidnapped," Kent added. "But I have little doubt of this now."

"So do I. Phil, I think Marianne and the kids ought to go ask Myron to stay with him at the militia headquarters," Sain suggested. "They wouldn't be as safe anywhere else."

"Yeah, you're right," Phil replied. "I still have to go talk to Florina like you said though. I know I really botched things up and I don't deserve to be asking this, but would you escort my family for me? They certainly can't go alone."

"Phil, you know we will. Not only do we have no choice, but I can forgive you for making one mistake," Sain agreed with a smile. "You're a friend."

"That's right, you can count on us," Kent seconded. "Any friend of Sain's is a friend of mine."

"Ah, thank you, thank you!" Phil gratefully blurted. "I promise to be back to check up on everyone as soon as I can!"

"And again, be careful, dear," Marianne insisted.

"Yes, I know, you don't have to repeat it. Well, good luck and be safe everyone!"

With that, the group bid Phil farewell and Sain and Kent led his family back to their steeds. Sain then explained that they needed to make a quick stop at his own home so they could let Fiora know what was going on and then they would head back to the militia headquarters.

"Oh yes, Fiora must be worried sick about…well, everything!" Marianne realized. "We've got to tell her."

"Indeed, thanks, Marianne," Sain replied. "We'll try not to take too much time, though. The longer you and your kids remain out in the open, the longer they remain vulnerable."

"Right. Oh, I hope for the best…"

"We all do. Now, you can share my horse while Kent takes the kids. If I take the lead, I can guard the front while Kent watches our backs."

"That sounds good to me," Kent agreed and turned to Ajay and Ashelle with a smile. "How would you two like to come with the Crimson Shield?"

"…Ride with you, Sir Kent?!" Ajay gasped. "That would be amazing! Nick and Emily told Ashelle and I all about you! You're so awesome!"

"Yeah, you and Sir Sain both are!" Ashelle seconded. "Nick and Emily are so lucky!"

"Ah, it's nothing," Kent replied bashfully, scratching the back of his head. "Now let's climb aboard!"

"I guess that settles that," Marianne commented with a small giggle. Sain helped her mount his horse while Kent lifted the kids onto his own. In no time at all, they were headed in the direction of Sain and Fiora's home. Hopefully, Fiora herself wasn't going completely out of her mind with worry over her family and Kent. But knowing his wife, Sain doubted this and prepared for a several minute-long session of calming her down. After all, her children were still missing and her husband and their visiting friend had been gone for some time since receiving the news of Nick and Emily's disappearance. For all Fiora knew, Sain and Kent had gotten into deep trouble as well, and she was all alone at the house. At this point, Sain mentally kicked himself for leaving his wife like that, even though he likely had little control over what had caused his lengthy absence. It was a great thing that his home was so close by to Phil's.

Within short minutes, the group arrived at their destination, hoping to find Fiora still waiting at the front door. However, the Pegasus rider was nowhere to be seen. Sain quickly brought Goldie to a halt near the door.

"Fiora?!" He called. "Fiora, where are you?! Fiora!"

There was no immediate answer. Fear built up in Sain's mind as he dismounted his horse.

"Kent, stay out here with Marianne and the twins!" he ordered and rushed inside the house before Kent could respond.

"Sigh…" the red-clad knight uttered. "This is odd though. Where could Fiora be?"

"Oh dear… I honestly haven't a clue," Marianne admitted.

Mere minutes passed when Sain burst through the door once again, frantically panting.

"Damn it! FIORAAA!" he bellowed. For a second, Sain, Kent, and the others heavily worried that Nick and Emily's captors also managed to get their mother. Suddenly, however, the faint sound of wings flapping echoed behind them. They turned around to see Fiora's Pegasus descending to the snow, with Fiora herself mounted atop her.

"Sain! Kent!" Fiora called, dismounting Lilac upon landing. She rushed over to her husband.

"Fiora! Oh, Fiora, thank goodness!" Sain replied and threw his arms around her. "Don't ever scare me like that!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Sain…" Fiora blubbered, wrapping her own arms around his neck. "I didn't hear you calling me until just now. I-I just thought we'd have better luck if I kept watch from the sky… I've been so scared that I forgot that the snow drowns out sound. I am so sorry!"

"It's alright, hun, I'm just relieved that you're safe," Sain assured. "I was afraid that you'd—"

"Oh no… Sain!" Kent called. "You'd better come see this."

He was standing next to the door with his back turned. Sain and the others quickly rushed over to him to see what he'd found. Kent turned around and handed Sain a small piece of parchment with a hole in the top.

"I just noticed it lying by the door a little while ago. It must've fallen off of it when you rushed in," Kent surmised as he handed Sain the parchment. It turned out to be a note and its writing contained a devastating sentence that would strike fear into everyone.

Heh, heh. Good luck finding your precious kids, Green Dunce.

Sain didn't say anything right away. Rage rushed through his veins like an arrow through a Pegasus and a scowl formed on his face. He squeezed the parchment so tight that it would've shattered to tiny pieces if it had been a rock.

"Sain? What is it? What was written on there?" Fiora inquired. "Tell me!"

"Those HEARTLESS SCUMBAGS! THEY'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Sain exploded.

"Sain! What do you mean?!"

"The kids are being held captive and not only do the culprits mock me, but they write as if Nick and Emily have been hurt!"

"OH MY GOD…!" Fiora cried loudly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in Sain's chest.

"Oh my…" Marianne uttered in deep fear, though she was barely heard by anyone.

"Someone must have snuck the note onto the door while you were airborne, Fiora," Kent surmised. "You wouldn't have heard them because of the snow."

"There has to be more than one bandit or thief behind all this," Sain continued. "It would be too hard for one person to keep two kids captive this long and leave a note. But I swear to you, Fiora, I'LL BASH THEIR SKULLS IN WHEN I FIND THEM!"

"Now Sain, don't go doing anything stupid!" Kent warned.

"I'm not! But I will make the culprits sorry that they ever messed with me or my family!"

"Just don't get reckless about it, please. It's what they're most likely counting on."

"Fine, I'll try. But mark my words, I'll show them no mercy!"

"And I won't show them any either. Still, we need not forget our plans."

"Yes, Sain, please, especially after these criminals just tried to strike again," Marianne added with a sniffle.

"What?! Marianne? What are you and the twins doing here?" Fiora wondered, finally realizing their presence. "Sain, what's going on?!"

"That's what we first came to explain to you," Sain replied. "This is more serious than we thought."

He then told her how he and Kent had sought Myron's aid, but found that he had been unable to help them for the time being, and then looked for others to form search parties. Sain then explained the incident that had occurred at Phil and Marianne's home. Fiora was further shocked to her core, as this could mean that children all over town were in danger. Sain also relayed Phil having gone to summon Florina's Pegasus knights and the plan to escort Marianne and the twins to Myron so they could be well-guarded.

"This is why I was so scared when I couldn't find you," Sain finished. "The situation has gotten really bad."

For a few seconds, Fiora couldn't say a word.

"I… I can't believe all of this…" she finally commented, barely able to get a single word out. "How… How could anyone endanger children like that?"

"I don't know, Fiora, but Kent and I will stop them," Sain promised. "We'll get a lot of people to look for Nick and Emily as well as their captors too."

"That's right. This will not stand," Kent agreed. "As Sain put it, we'll bash their skulls in when we find whoever did this."

"And once Myron's men return, I'll help them search!" Marianne joined. "Ajay and Ashelle will be safe enough inside the headquarters barracks with a few militia. Myron wouldn't send all of his men out there if he was also asked to guard two other children who are targets."

"Oh… Thank you so much, all of you," Fiora replied. "Just promise to be real careful."

"Of course," Sain agreed. Kent and Marianne nodded.

"But…" Sain continued, a different grimace forming on his face this time. "I'm so sorry that this all happened. Whoever took our children has something against me, and they're targeting my friends to ensure that they get what they want. I feel like this is my fault and Marianne, I really hate that your family's been dragged into it."

"Oh, Sain, don't be ridiculous," Marianne countered. "None of this is your fault in any way. Some low-lives just want to cause people pain and suffering. And you don't ask for such horrible behavior."

"She's right, Sain," Fiora agreed. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this."

"I'm with the girls," Kent seconded. "It is true that the culprits want to attack you specifically, but that was their cruel decision."

"Well… Thanks, guys," Sain replied with a small smile. "I still feel terrible, but whatever the case, we've got kids to save. So we'd better get going."

"Oh, yeah, we can't be delaying this anymore," Kent realized. "Especially since Ajay and Ashelle are still in danger."

"Ah, that's right!" Marianne said. "Who knows where those crooks could be now."

"Indeed. Well, Fiora, we'll be heading off now," Sain continued. "Are you going to continue to keep watch from the sky?"

"Oh, yes, I will," Fiora confirmed. "I can see a lot farther from up there."

"Good plan then. I hope you'll be okay. And please, watch out for anyone aiming an arrow at you. The enemy now knows where we live, we don't know what weapons these mongrels might use, and we both know Pegasus knights are weakest against archers."

"I'll try, I promise. I just want you to be careful, as I said."

"Of course, my love. We'll be coming back once in a while to check on you too."

"Alright, thank you. And here's a good luck kiss."

Fiora then pressed her lips against Sain's, slightly startling him. Sain lovingly returned it.

"Heh, thanks," he commented when they parted. "I should find lots of others that'll help us now."

"I'm glad. Well, see you all later."

The group bid Fiora farewell for the time being and resumed their journey to the militia headquarters. Despite his friends assuring him that the current situation was by no means his fault, Sain still felt a pang of guilt. He'd been fighting off bandits and thieves for years at this point, he should've known that the ones he'd killed might have pals that could seek revenge for it. And then he'd allowed Nick and Emily to travel by themselves, even if it was a short distance and they'd stuck together. Tears began to stream down the knight's cheeks once more as the thought plagued his mind.

"…I should never have let them go…" he uttered. "Damn it! I should never have let Nick and Emily go!"

"Sain, knock it off already," Kent demanded. "We already told you that you are not to blame."

"Kent, I should've insisted that we bring them to Phil's!" Sain continued. "I mean Nick and I had just been attacked by a crazed fool the morning before, that man might've been involved in this!"

"But we don't know that. And even if he was a bandit, there's no way you could've known that either. Not to mention that you also could not have known that the hidden path the kids were taking had been discovered by the wrong people."

"Well… Still, I just feel like the worst father in Elibe…"

"But you're not and I'm sure Nick and Emily would agree with me. Fiora certainly would."

"That's true… But no matter what, we have to save them and give their captors what's coming to them."

"That's right."

"And I'm sure you'll get all the help you could ever want, Sain," Marianne put in. "You're the famous Green Lance! One of the most respected people in Lycia, Sacae, and Ilia! Maybe even Etruria and Bern. Few people around here would hesitate to aid you."

"Well, you do have a point there," Sain admitted with a small grin.

The trip felt like it lasted days as the group drew closer and closer to the militia headquarters. Sain kept what Fiora and his friends had been saying in mind, but the pain of the situation just would not disappear. He was glad, however, that nobody really did blame him for what was happening. He had more important issues to focus on anyway, and he also realized that he and Kent hadn't even gotten a chance to investigate the mysterious avalanches at all either. Rescuing Nick and Emily came first, however, so this would still have to wait. Now that he thought about it, though, Sain couldn't help but have the feeling that the two situations really were linked, though how this could be, he had no clue.

When the group finally arrived, Sain and Kent parked their horses in the same area they had during their first visit to the militia headquarters. Kent helped the twins off of his mount while Sain and Marianne quickly dismounted Goldie and they all entered the building. However, as was the case last time, Myron was nowhere to be seen.

"Ugh, now where is he?!" Sain wondered in frustration.

"Maybe behind that door again?" Kent suggested. Sain sighed and approached the same door Myron had come out of before and knocked on it a few times. Sure enough, the militia captain himself emerged once again.

"Oh! Sir Sain, Sir Kent. I didn't expect to see you two again so soon," Myron greeted. "And I see you've brought more friends this time. What's the trouble?"

"Our situation got worse, I'm afraid," Sain replied and handed the note from earlier to the captain. Myron's eyes widened as he read the words on it.

"…Oh dear," he finally spoke up. "This is very serious."

"And that's not all. The culprits tried to strike again. They broke into Phil's house and we're guessing that they wanted to take his children."

"…Please tell me you're kidding," was all Myron could say in reply.

"No, I'm not. We were all there. It was lucky that Phil's kids had rushed outside beforehand, or they would've been added to these mongrels' collection. I also have no doubt that more than one person is behind all of this. It just doesn't make sense for only one bandit or thief to commit such a big crime."

"I agree. And you'd like me to guard Phil's family, I'm assuming?"

"Yeah, I had sent Phil to get my sister-in-law and her Pegasus knight squadron to help."

"Ah, that was a smart move. The Pegasus knights surely would have better luck than even my men, but I'll still send them out later and do everything in my power to help. I'll also be glad to watch over these children."

"Oh, thank you so much, Captain Myron," Marianne replied. "I've been so afraid lately. I worry for Sain's family, I worry for my husband, I worry for my children as well as others… I'm practically worried for the whole town!"

"I can imagine," Myron commented. "But you can count on me."

"I know, thank you again. But if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'm quite skilled in the magic arts. If the children can be watched by a few militia, I can help you and the rest of your men. There's still the strange avalanches that have been occurring too, and who knows if Sain's children were…"

"Oh god… No…" Sain uttered, tears building up in his eyes again. "They… They wouldn't survive…"

"We'll hope for the best, Sain," Kent assured. "Trust me."

"Yes… Yes, we must," Sain agreed with a sniffle. "It's such a frightening thought though…"

"We understand," Myron said. "It is quite a scary thought. But you two best be on your way to get more help and continue searching. I wish you the best luck possible."

"Of course. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. And thank you for informing me of what's been going on. No matter what happens, we'll catch these crooks. I promise."

"Yeah. We will. Thanks," Sain replied, a small smile on his face.

With that, he and Kent bid farewell to Myron, Marianne, and the twins. Sain and Kent really needed to be cautious now. It seemed that Nick and Emily's captors were more cunning than they had expected. Rescuing the children and catching their kidnappers would be no easy feat whatsoever. Sain and the others would have to outwit them…or lose the children trying.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

Aaaand, chapter 6! :)

Chapter 6: The Search Continues

Sain and Kent made no hesitation to resume enlisting people to help search for Nick, Emily, and their captors after departing the militia headquarters. Doing so was now as urgent as ever, and the pair needed all the help they could get. As time passed, word of the children's abduction spread through the entire town like wildfire and everyone seemed to know with in mere hours. Sain and Kent were very thankful for this, as it allowed them to form search parties faster than they had thought they would, especially considering the respect they had already harbored from so many people. The two still had to hire the occasional spy or thief and pay up some gold, but every piece was worth it in their eyes, especially Sain's.

Kent eventually warned him not to spend too much on these people, as they could also have hidden agendas and their own reasons for joining the search. And it would be unwise for Sain to leave himself near broke, whether the children were found alive or not.

"Kent, I know that. Relax," Sain assured. "I wasn't planning on hiring more than a few of these guys. I'm not dumb enough give up all my money just to get my kids back. I wouldn't have any left to support them if I did! However, if these kidnappers threaten to harm Nick and Emily unless I pay up, then I sure as hell will do so. I wouldn't have a choice."

"Well, I hope it doesn't come to that last scenario, but I'm glad you're thinking that way," Kent replied. "Also, Sain…"

"Yeah?"

"I…hate to bring up the subject again, but Marianne had a point back in the headquarters. About the avalanches. We should also search the nearby mountains. Like she said, the kids could be anywhere in this area."

Sain cringed once more at the idea of Nick and Emily getting caught in such a disaster. He imagined them locked up in some rickety bandit stronghold, cold and hungry, only to have it bowled over by waves of snow, trapping the children beyond saving. Then, they would only starve to death, if they didn't freeze first.

"I really don't want to think about that…" Sain uttered moments later. "But…you're right. We'll look there too."

"Then it's settled. Some of the search parties will remain in town while the others will scout the surrounding area," Kent decided.

"Right. I think we should be part of the group that's going to the mountains. It'll be hard enough to hear any children's cries with snow everywhere, and only we would be able to recognize even the faintest yelps from Nick and Emily."

"Ah, you're absolutely right. Good idea."

With that, the pair continued riding through town, in hopes they would run into some of the search party members. They did find some, but it was taking yet more time. And the more of it that passed, the more Sain's fear and stress over the situation grew. His mind eventually began to stray to thoughts of his children, as well as Fiora. She was counting on him and Kent to save their family, and Sain would kill himself if he failed the woman he loved; the same woman that had loved him so for more than twelve years.

Fiora was even more than that too. She was the one that agreed to bear his children in the first place, the woman who brought him more happiness in his life than he could've ever imagined. And now to have lost Nick and Emily after how many times Sain had vowed to protect them with his very life was equivalent to a stab in the heart. As he vainly tried to hold back tears, Sain remembered the very day Fiora brought him the greatest news he could have ever heard.

"Sain! Honey! Where are you?! Sain, come here!"

Fiora had barged through the front door of their home and darted through the living room. She nearly ran smack into Sain.

"Whoa, Fiora! Take it easy! Shouldn't you be resting? You were feeling pretty ill when you headed to the clinic."

"Oh, I'm just fine now! Better than that, in fact! I have some amazing news for you!"

Sain arched one eyebrow before replying.

"…Huh? What could be amazing to hear at a time like this?"

"Well…" Fiora started, a large grin on her face. "How about that you're going to be a daddy?"

"…Hwha?!" Sain uttered, his eyes widening. "Y-Y-Y-You mean…?"

"Yes! Yes! Sain, I'm pregnant! We're going to have a baby!"

As she spoke her words, Fiora threw her arms around her husband's neck. Sain happily returned her hug.

"…W-Wow…" he uttered, a lopsided smile on his face. "I'm gonna be a dad…"

"Yes, Sain. You sure are. And I know you'll make a wonderful father!"

"I hope so. I'll do everything I can to love and protect our child, I can tell you that. It's a promise I will never break."

"Hee hee, I'd expect no less from you."

Except now, I fear I've broken that promise after all… Sain thought after he finished replaying the memory. He couldn't help himself now. He soon moved on to roughly nine months later, when Fiora went into labor and baby Nick was born. It had been the happiest day of Sain's life. He could remember it as clearly as glass and would forever.

He remembered the first time he held Nick in his arms, the tiny infant still bawling from the colder air of the world he had just entered.

He remembered how becoming a father and looking at his newborn son's delicate form overwhelmed him with joy.

He remembered gazing lovingly upon Fiora, who returned the gesture despite still being rather sweaty and exhausted from the birth.

And he remembered the first time Nick had said he wanted to be just like his dad when he was grown up.

At this point, Sain could hold his tears back no longer and they began flowing down his face. The feelings of guilt, fear, and failure just continued to plague him. His thoughts then strayed to the day Fiora announced that she was with child again, and Sain couldn't feel more overjoyed. His wife had chosen to give him a second child, and to go through the hardships of pregnancy for him yet again.

Sain remembered the smile on Fiora's face as she let one-and-a-half-year-old Nick place his little hands on her growing belly and feel his baby sister moving around inside.

He remembered how often he'd play with his children when they were still toddlers.

He remembered how many times he promised that he'd always protect them and that he'd never let anyone bring them harm.

Sain's children looked up to him practically more than anyone else. When they were sad, he was there to comfort them. He dried their tears and gave them a hug. He had even done this very deed recently after the attack at the water well. He always did his best to keep them happy and smiling. And they loved him dearly for it. But how did he repay them? By allowing them to be kidnapped. Now, he felt that he'd failed his family. And this wasn't even factoring in the news Kent had brought. Sain could only feel that revealing it now would only make things worse after everything that had happened.

Just…what was he going to do?

A voice soon called out to him. Thinking he was imagining it, Sain continued letting his mind wander. However, the voice kept interrupting.

"Sain? Hello?" Kent repeated. "Sain!"

"…Huh? Wha?" Sain finally replied, snapping out of his trance.

"What's wrong? You've been silent for the past half hour. And…are you crying?"

"…Oh. I apologize, Kent. I've just been thinking about everything. I-I feel like such a failure. I promised I'd always protect Nick and Emily, and they always believed that. And now look what's happened."

Kent sighed in frustration before replying.

"Oh for crying out loud, will you put a sock in it already? You've done nothing wrong and you can still keep your promise."

"But… How? I already let criminals take them!"

"You can save them and bring them home, you moron!"

"Hey! I don't need to be insulted right now!"

"What you need is a slap upside the head! I'm done listening to you mope and pity yourself! You really will fail your family if you keep bawling and beating yourself up like this!"

"Well, yelling at me and calling me names isn't making me feel any better either!"

Kent opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. For once, he had to admit that Sain won the argument.

"Okay, you're right, you're right. I'm sorry," he finally said a moment later. "But what I say about your attitude still stands. You need more faith and a positive outlook. Your family isn't going to hate you just because a few bandits decided to make trouble and take the kids hostage. They know you're going to risk a lot to protect them and bring Nick and Emily home. If you don't believe in yourself, how can you expect your family to?"

Sain couldn't help but allow a small smile to form on his face.

"Now I definitely know that whomever you choose to marry will be one lucky woman. I can't believe I didn't think of it that way. If I keep letting all of this get to me, I won't ever get anywhere."

"Exactly. And thanks."

Kent returned the smile as he spoke.

"Of course, my friend!"

With that, the pair resumed their mission. They also checked in with the search party members who were to remain in town in case they found any clues at all to Nick and Emily's whereabouts. However, several more hours passed, and not a shred of evidence was discovered. Sadly, this was of little surprise to anyone, as the snow could cover up potential clues such as tracks and blood easily. And no one seemed to have witnessed any suspicious activity. One person did report hearing two people shouting about killing something in a nearby home, but it turned out to have been a couple arguing over what to do about some pesky snowy owls getting into their food pantry.

Even so, Kent reassured Sain that this didn't mean the situation was hopeless. Sometimes people went missing for weeks before they were finally found, alive or not. Sain was frightened to think of his children being out there in the cold for such a long time, but hopefully, they'd make it. Somehow, they would.

Sometime later, the pair returned to Sain's home to check on Fiora again, and she was still safe patrolling the skies nearby. But unfortunately, she hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary either. And she too had been crying again, but trying her best to stay strong during such dire times, just as she had after her Pegasus squadron had been wiped out in the war. Back then, Fiora bravely fought in their name alongside Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn's forces. Sain's support had given her even more strength.

Afterwards, the two decided to grab a meal, as trying to track down kidnappers and missing children was difficult work. Minutes after they sat down at an outdoor table in a café, the pair heard their names in the distance. The voices were quite familiar.

"Sain! Kent!" Phil called out as he ran towards them. Following him was a lavender-haired girl riding a Pegasus that looked much like Fiora's. She also wore lightweight blue armor, a white tunic, and boots that matched the armor. Draped from her back was a waist-length cape.

"Sain! I'm so glad we found you!" the girl greeted.

"Florina!" Sain replied, standing up with a large smile on his face and embracing his sister-in-law with a hug after she dismounted her Pegasus, whose name was Huey. "Phil, thank you so much!"

"My pleasure, old buddy!" the mercenary commented with a proud grin. "But we've been looking for you two forever!"

"Yeah, even I had a hard time figuring out where you were," Florina added.

"Ah, sorry about that. Kent and I just got caught up in the situation," Sain explained. "I should've asked you to meet us somewhere."

"Oh, don't worry about it, I understand that you're going through a rough time," Florina replied kindly. "It's hard for me too. My poor niece and nephew are in trouble somewhere!"

"Indeed. And I'm so glad to see you. The more friendly faces in on this, the better."

"I agree!"

Florina then turned her attention to Kent and sat down next to him.

"And Kent, I'm surprised you're here too!" she said. "It's been so long! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It has been a long time since we last saw each other though, hasn't it?" Kent replied with a smile. "Last I remember seeing, you always ran away from Sain. Heh, heh."

"Shut up!" Sain retorted. "That's not funny!"

"Heh, true, but I've grown used to a lot of the men I met during the war," Florina replied, chuckling at Sain's annoyance. "And Sain has changed too. You of all people should know that, Kent. You two are the greatest team ever. Two halves of an amazing whole!"

"Well, I don't know, Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood are certainly a fine pair," Kent commented. "But you're right, Sain and I have been friends and partners for years. Thanks."

"So, what brought you way out here? Not much to do in Caelin right now?"

"Well, actually, I'd been working my arse off for a good while, and Lord Hector gave me permission to take a vacation. So I sent Sain and Fiora a letter and decided to come here."

"Aw, that's so nice! I'm glad you came! I've wanted to see you again for a while now."

Kent's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Sain shot him a smug grin, which he took note of, but ignored.

"Er…really?" Kent uttered in reply.

"Yeah, you're one of the few men that I wasn't totally frightened around all the time. I felt safe and comfortable with you," Florina replied. "Unlike a certain green-armored knight that my sister fell in love with, hee hee."

"Oh come on!" Sain blurted, his face going red with embarrassment. Kent and Phil burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Florina replied, chuckling again. "I just couldn't help myself. But in truth, Fiora chose a good man. I mean it, Sain. There was always more to you than meets the eye."

"Ah, thanks so much. That means a great deal to me, Florina. I feel better now too. Anyone in the mood to order dinner and then search for some no-good kidnappers?"

The others made no hesitation to voice the affirmative and soon all four of them were seated at the table. Florina had fastened Huey to a nearby hitching post so he wouldn't fly off for whatever reason. As she did so, Sain began whispering to Kent, a grin on his face.

"She's into you, I know it! You totally need to ask her out!"

"Er…maybe another time. We've got other things to worry about right now, you know," Kent pointed out, his cheeks going pink. "But still, you could be right."

"Ah, true, but I still think she's your woman! And I know I'm right!"

"Well shush, she's coming back."

The four then ordered their meals and began discussing the situation at hand. Florina revealed that she had her Pegasus squadron divide into three groups and patrol the skies above both the town and the mountains as soon as Phil explained what had happened. She cared a great deal about Nick and Emily and they had been closer to her since they were little. She had promised to do everything in her power to help bring them home safely. While he and Florina returned to seek out Sain and Kent, Phil managed to locate a few more mercenaries he was acquainted with and add them to the search as well. They didn't charge a single piece of gold either, as they too held respect for the missing children's father.

"Oh, that should help a lot, Phil. Thanks so much once again," Sain replied. "I wouldn't have minded paying, but I won't complain."

"But of course! Like I said before, you're my friend. Plus, I wanted to make up for my earlier blunder," Phil replied.

"Well, I'd say you've succeeded in that!"

"Aw shucks… I'm glad!"

"Well, Sain, how about we take our time planning our next move?" Kent suggested. "I don't think there's any need to rush."

"What?! Kent, are you serious? We agreed that we don't have time to be fooling around!" Sain protested.

"Yes, but just listen for a minute. I've been thinking that over. I've a feeling that whoever took Nick and Emily will keep them alive and well. Think about it. They're very valuable hostages, and killing them would only destroy that value. If I were a kidnapper, I'd keep such a hostage until a ransom of some sort was paid or I got a fair deal in return."

"Hmm… You might have something there. But I still don't think we should dawdle. For all we know, the kidnapper might get tired of waiting, do away with the kids, and look for another way to get what they want. Let's just come up with a good plan, finish eating, and get moving."

"Alright, fair enough. How about the four of us function as another search party and head to the mountains? We've got plenty of others remaining here in town."

"That'll work for me."

"I'm certainly up for that!" Phil agreed.

"Me too! Huey can brave the mountains better than most people anyway," Florina added.

"Alright, then we have that settled!" Sain commented with a smile.

With that, the discussion continued. The four decided to begin their journey through the mountains in the morning, as dusk had approached and it would be difficult enough to travel through the snow-ridden mountainous areas during the day if there were to be a blizzard. Florina would stay the night with Sain, Kent, and Fiora while Phil would return to his home and meet up with this comrades at Sain's home at dawn. Sain hated to leave his children out there overnight, but they would have to hang in there. Hopefully, Kent's theory was correct and their captors would not let any harm come to them. The only thing left was to decide where to start once they reached the mountains, but that would come when they departed the next day.

"Then we all know what to do," Sain concluded as they ate their food.

"Right," Kent replied. "But perhaps we should also form a backup plan in case something goes wrong."

"Alright, we can think on that in the morning. Right now, I believe you and Florina have some catching up to do."

Sain waggled his eyebrows as he eyed his now wide-eyed friend.

"Uhhh…" Kent uttered nervously.

"Oh, great idea, Sain!" Florina agreed happily. "So, Kent, you were saying earlier that you'd been really busy in Caelin? Anything interesting happen?"

"Er… Oh! Yes, that," Kent finally replied, clearing his throat. "A lot did happen, that's right."

Kent then told Florina of the events he had described to Sain, Fiora and the kids the morning he had arrived. Florina listened with great interest and curiosity, though this was no surprise to Sain. Not only did he still think the Falcon Knight had an interest in his friend, Florina was best friends with Lyn, who was Caelin's princess before she placed it under Hector's rule in Ostia. Though, because she married Hector, she still had some power over it. She could even be called Kent's superior. Florina still visited Lyn in Ostia once in a while too. One could even say that their friendship was as strong as Sain and Kent's.

"Wow. That does sound like it was quite a chore," Florina commented. "But you've done an amazing job, Kent! You were just what Caelin needed in Lyn's absence, no doubt!"

"Ah, I'm just doing what needs to be done," Kent replied bashfully, scratching the back of his head. His cheeks also faded into a rosy pink once again.

"Why Kent, I believe you're blushing!"

"Huh?! N-No I'm not!"

"Oh yes you are, Crimson Cheeks," Sain teased with a chuckle.

"AHAHAHAHAAA! "Crimson Cheeks!"" Phil blurted, falling out of his chair in laughter.

"Errg… Damn it, Sain!" Kent retorted, his face going redder. Florina couldn't help but giggle as well.

"Sorry, I really couldn't resist," Sain apologized, snickering under his breath.

"Me too, me too. Haha, that was just so clever," Phil added, his face nearly buried in the ground from the hilarity. He returned to his chair after.

"Indeed, this was pretty silly of us," Florina seconded, trying not to giggle any further. "Though Kent, I realize that this might bring back some bad memories of how Lyn chose Lord Hector over you."

"W-Wait, you knew?" Kent replied, his eyes widening. "That I…loved her?"

"Mhm. Sain and Fiora told me a long time ago. I apologize if this hurt you at all…"

"Oh… Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault. And I'm…doing my best to cope. Sain even thinks that I still have a future wife out there somewhere."

"Yep! And I know Kent's going to find her someday!" Sain confirmed.

"Well, you never know. Sain could be right," Florina replied. Kent could swear that her smile had a hint of smugness in it.

"Yeah, don't give up on it!" Phil encouraged. "Why, for all you know, she could even be right he—"

Kent cut him off by clasping his hand over his mouth.

"Er, let's not rush things, okay?" he said.

"Eh-heh, right," Phil replied innocently after Kent removed his hand.

"Speaking of family, though," Sain continued. "Phil, yours is in good hands. Marianne and the twins are safe at the militia headquarters."

"Ah, thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that! Would it be alright if we stopped by before we go to the mountains tomorrow?"

"Sure, there's no harm in doing that. Myron could have a lead for us too."

"Great, thanks again!"

***

While Sain, Kent, and the others continued filling their stomachs, another event had unfolded elsewhere, likely where one would fear to look for missing children. Nick and Emily lay unconscious in near pitch black darkness, surrounded by little more than snow, tree branches, and rocks. Nick's arms shielded his sister while the rest of his form was halfway on top of her. The area around them was very silent, so quiet that one could barely hear a twig drop. Small piles of snow lay on the children as well, but thankfully, the two still had their winter clothes on, and thus did not freeze. Soon enough, Nick's eyes fluttered open, and it took him little time to realize where he and his sister were. He sat up to notice that Emily was still out cold, and began to nudge her.

"Oh no… Em! Em, are you okay?!" he gasped, hoping that she hadn't sustained any injuries when they were knocked out. "Em!"

"Uhnn… Huh…?" Emily's voice finally uttered moments later.

"Oh, I'm glad you're not hurt!" Nick commented, sighing with relief. "Dad would've killed me."

Emily gasped and sat up with a start upon hearing her brother's words.

"Oh no!" she cried, tears forming in her eyes. "We're stuck here! And it's so dark! Mommy and Daddy are probably scared! How will they ever find us…?"

Emily began to weep as Nick took her into his arms.

"Don't worry, Em. Dad will come, I know it! And Kent will be there with him!" he assured. "Besides, we'll be okay here. We got lucky."

"A-Are you sure? Though, I did notice that I'm not cold. I feel kinda warm, in fact," Emily pointed out.

"Yeah, Dad told me a long time ago that if you're ever lost around here, building a big snow fort is a good idea because the snow traps heat."

"Oh! Then that's why!"

"Yep! And speaking of heat, if I can just find enough rocks and branches around here, I can build a little campfire."

Emily's eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"Wow, really?" she replied.

"Yeah, Dad taught me that too," Nick confirmed. "Em, I'm just as scared as you are, but Dad told me that it's up to me to be the big brother when it's just us two. I'm trying my best…"

"Oh, Nick, I know! And you're the best big brother ever!" Emily proudly admitted. "I mean, you're the reason we're okay right now!"

"Heh, yeah, I guess that's true! Thanks, sis!"

Nick scratched the back of his head in abashment.

"Now Em, I'm going to need your help here. Go find all the rocks and branches you can. I also have an idea to help Dad and Kent find us."

"Oh? Tell me! I'll do whatever you say! After all, Mommy told me that even big brothers and sisters need help sometimes, and it's up to me to help you when you need it!"

"Great! Now listen. Remember how we build those little snow forts when we have snowball fights outside with Ajay and Ashelle?"

"Yeah, that's always so much fun!"

"Okay, now remember how we always poked peep holes in them to spy on our "enemy"?

"Oh! We're gonna poke a hole in the snow over there and try yelling through it or something?"

"Yep, you got it! We're gonna need a nice thick branch for that, 'kay?"

"Yeah, okay!"

With that, the two poked around for branches and small rocks so they could build Nick's campfire. They weren't yet sure what they'd do about food, but Nick knew he would have to think of something eventually, or they'd starve. He kept replaying in his mind a lot of the outdoor and survival skills Sain had taught him, but when he and Emily were trapped the way they were, finding a solution simply wasn't easy at all. But for the time being, the two siblings focused on lighting their campfire and finding a good branch to use for the peep hole. Thankfully, the area they had access to was filled with rocks of many sizes, and a small fallen tree nearby provided the wood. Nick placed the rocks in a circle to contain the flames and he and Emily placed wood inside.

"Now Dad said that you can make a flame using either sticks or rocks, but he only showed me how to do it with rocks, so that's how I'm gonna do it," Nick explained. "All you have to do is hit one rock against the other really fast and it should make sparks."

"Oh! That doesn't sound hard at all," Emily commented.

"Yeah, you just gotta make sure the sparks land where you want them to."

"Oh yeah, so you don't burn yourself or something else that isn't supposed to be burned."

"Exactly. Now watch this!"

With that, Nick took two more rocks and began beating one against the other over the wood in the circle of rocks. Within seconds, tiny sparks began falling into the wood. However, it wouldn't quite ignite.

"Ugh, come on, dang it!" Nick blurted in frustration. "Maybe I'm not strong enough."

"Oh, but you just gotta be! I know you can do it, Nick!" Emily encouraged. "Maybe try beating the rock even faster?"

"I don't know how much faster I can go, but I'll try!"

With that, Nick beat the rock as fast as he could and with all his might. Finally, a lit flame burst from the wood a few seconds later.

"Yay! You did it!" Emily cheered, giving her brother a hug.

"Yeah! I did!" Nick replied. "Now for the peep hole. Did you find a big branch?"

"I think so!"

Emily then held up a branch that was nearly as long as she was tall. It had to be as thick as Nick's rocks.

"That's perfect!" Nick commented. "Now the snow seems like it's really packed in, so it'll probably take both of us to shove that branch through. Let's go!"

"Right!"

With that, the two took hold of the branch and thrust it into the heap of snow nearby. As Nick had surmised, it took their combined strength to get it through, but they managed to let a tiny beam of light into their dark prison. Nick decided to leave the branch in, however, so the snow didn't collapse on them. They'd remove the branch whenever they wished to peek through their new hole to see if anyone was nearby.

"We make an awesome team!" Emily commented.

"Yeah, definitely!" Nick replied. "High five, Sis!"

"Yeah!"

The two then joined their hands in a high-five and seated themselves in front of the fire. They huddled close to one another so they could be even warmer, almost to the point where they could remove their coats. But they chose not to just to be safe.

"Now we just need to figure out how to eat…" Nick spoke up seconds later.

"Yeah…" Emily agreed. "But when we do find some food, Mommy told me that we can use the fire to cook it!"

"Oh yeah, Dad said the same thing! Good thinking, Em."

"Thanks! Oh, but… I hope Daddy and Kent come soon. I really want to go home. I miss Mommy and everyone else."

Emily sniffled again, trying hard to hold back more tears.

"I know, Em, me too. But we can get through this together. I know it!" Nick assured. "And since I'm here, you're not ever going to be alone."

Emily managed a small smile upon hearing her brother's words.

"Okay… You know, we might fight a lot and call each other mean names sometimes… But I really do love you, Nick! I do!"

It was Nick's turn to smile as his sister gave him a hug.

"Heh, thanks, Sis. I feel the same way about you."

***

The next morning, Sain, Kent, Florina, and Fiora woke at dawn to prepare for the day ahead of them. Fiora was going to continue keeping watch in the sky in case anything strange occurred in the others' absence. Sain, Kent, and Florina needed to meet up with Phil again in preparation for their trip through the nearby mountains. Fiora had them all bundle up in winter battle gear as well as their armor so they wouldn't risk suffering frostbite in the higher elevations. It wouldn't do Nick, Emily, or anyone else any good to possibly lose fingers and toes. They just hoped that Nick and Emily themselves weren't freezing that badly, wherever they were.

Fiora and Florina also packed lunches for later, as the trip would most likely last all day. The meals contained sandwiches, fruit, and canteens of water. Sain and Kent put the food in their saddlebags, as did Florina. They also packed a meal for Phil in case he didn't think to prepare one himself. Soon enough, the entire group was nearly all set, complete with scarves, gloves, winter boots, and earmuffs.

"Also, Sain, before you four go anywhere near those mountains, you must borrow a map from the town library," Fiora continued. "How would you be able to bring our children home if you got lost?"

"Yes, hun, I know," Sain replied with a smile. "We'll get a map, don't worry."

"Good. And don't you even think about losing it."

"Of course we won't. We'd be in a lot of trouble if we did."

"Indeed. And you can be sure I won't ever let that happen," Kent added.

"Well, I'm glad we have you here, Kent," Fiora commented with a smile. "I've a feeling that Sain would've never gotten where he is without you."

"Hey!" Sain blurted. "…Okay, that's probably true. To an extent."

"Oh of course, I was half teasing," Fiora chuckled.

"Haha, well, I just do what any good friend would," Kent said.

"I don't doubt it," Fiora agreed with a smile. "Oh, and Florina, I'm so grateful that you're going out of your way to help the boys. Others would've thought you'd be tracking bandits or investigating those avalanches."

"Of course, sister!" Florina replied happily. "Those other people either don't know that the kidnapped children are my niece and nephew or they don't know how much I care about them. I'm also not nearly as timid around men as I used to be. I just hope that if we do run into bandits, I'll be able to handle myself."

"We have your back, Florina, don't worry," Kent assured. "Not even an archer will get within firing range of you as long as Sain and I are around. Phil will be there too."

"Yeah, and you're my family now. I could never let you get hurt," Sain added. "Or Fiora would kill me."

"You're sure right I would," Fiora confirmed. "But I know she's safe with you. You already did protect Florina in the war, after all."

"You sure did!" Florina recalled. "Thanks so much, I'll be sure to watch your backs too!"

"Great!" Sain replied. "Well, we'd better move out and pick up Phil. He might already be waiting for us."

"Right. Just please be very careful," Fiora pleaded. "Nick and Emily are already gone. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too, Sain…"

"That's not going to happen. I promise," Sain assured his wife. "We'll be back in one piece."

"Thank you..."

Fiora smiled lovingly before kissing her husband goodbye. Sain happily returned the gesture.

"See you later, love," he said.

With that, Sain, Kent, and Florina departed the house and made for their mounts. Thankfully, Sain and Fiora's stable had an extra stall in case they had a visitor such as Florina, so Huey had a place to sleep as well. They attached their saddlebags, brought the mounts outside, and prepared to begin what would likely be a long trip. The trio quickly stopped at Phil's house in hopes that he was ready to go. It was decided that he would share Florina's mount so they had two sets of eyes searching from the sky. Phil was a little late getting out of the door, but he had been able to prepare his own lunch. Now the group had extra food just in case.

"Sorry for not being on time," Phil apologized. "I kind of overslept. I…had a nightmare about those bandits getting my kids too…"

"Oh," Sain replied, frowning. "It seems that this situation is starting to get to everyone. But don't worry, nobody's going to touch Ajay and Ashelle as long as they stay with Myron."

"I hope so. But it's time to get rolling! We won't stop these mongrels standing here!"

"Right! And as promised, we'll swing by the militia headquarters to check up on your family."

"Ah, great!"

With that, Sain allowed Phil to pack his food in Goldie's saddlebag so Huey wouldn't be weighed down too much. Phil then mounted the Pegasus and the group took off once again, this time for the militia headquarters. Both Sain and Kent advised Phil not to dwell too much on his nightmare. It would never do him any good. And Sain knew this all too well. He told of how he'd had a nightmare himself about recent events some nights before, though he chose not to disclose all of the details. Even so, Phil and Florina were shocked to hear of Sain's parents having kept a dark secret for so long.

"Whoa. That's intense," Phil commented. "I don't blame you one bit for being nervous about telling Fiora and your kids. I'd feel the same way if I had to tell such news to Marianne and the twins!"

"Yeah, so would I," Florina seconded. "But you tell your family whenever you're most comfortable. Kent will be right there with you too."

"That's right. We've discussed this before, Sain," Kent reminded his friend.

"I know, and I greatly appreciate it," Sain replied with a smile. "I'm just saying that Phil's hardly alone in this."

"And I'm glad of that. It makes me feel better already!" Phil replied, a grin forming on his face.

"Hah, excellent!"

When the group arrived at the militia headquarters sometime later, they were pleased to find out that Marianne and the twins were still safe and sound. Though Ajay and Ashelle complained of occasional boredom, everything was fine. Unfortunately, Myron's men had not yet returned, but he had received a message with a possible lead. The avalanches were indeed not natural. They had been purposely triggered using wooden mechanisms that could hold massive amounts of snow upon mountains. And when these devices were opened, all of the snow would come crashing down. Someone was actually planning to endanger the town so it could easily be picked clean.

Angered at this, Sain and Kent decided that once Nick and Emily were brought home, they'd help find whoever was causing this mayhem and put an end to it. They were endangering dozens of innocent lives. However, it seemed that even though the militia had picked up the trail, they'd been unable to reach the end of it and apprehend the criminals. Their targets were moving just as fast as they were. Clearly, there wasn't a lot of time before the town would be covered in several feet of snow. And if this happened, a lot of food would spoil, people and their families would be snowed inside or outside of their homes, and warmth would be hard to find unless everyone abandoned their settlement.

At least now, thankfully, Sain's group had a vague idea of where to look for Nick and Emily. If their captors were indeed involved with the avalanches, following the remains of the mechanisms used to create them could be a wise start.

After departing the militia headquarters, the group then made for the town library to borrow a map of the surrounding mountains. There were many trails leading up and around them, some not even Florina knew existed. Fiora had definitely been right that they would need the map. Kent volunteered to hold onto it since his saddlebag still had plenty of room left and Florina was too afraid of dropping it into a gorge or something. Myron had said that his men discovered the wooden mechanisms mostly to the northeast, so that was where the group decided to start.

Upon arriving at the nearest northeastern mountain trail, however, the four discovered that navigating would be harder than they thought, even with a map. As they traversed further into the mountains, they found that the trail was covered with so much snow that it became difficult to tell what was path and what wasn't. More snow gradually began to fall, and a light wind picked up.

"Hey, Kent, are you doing alright?" Sain inquired. "You're probably not used to this kind of weather at all."

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Kent replied. "I just need to be very careful in case of a blizzard, I'm assuming."

"Yeah, exactly. The weather can be pretty harsh up here."

"I thought so. I've a feeling we're going to be searching for a very long time, though. This snow will definitely hinder our vision and hearing."

"Yeah… Nick, Emily, just hang in there…"

With that, they continued up the trail, traversing higher into the mountain. Along the way, they found dozens of footprints in the snow, likely belonging to both Myron's men and the bandits, but there were so many that it was too difficult to determine if any were child-size. More snow had fallen over some of them as well. But it didn't hurt to follow these as best as the group could either, for they could very well lead right to wherever Nick and Emily were being held. But then again, this could also be just what their captors were counting on. The kids could very well merely be bait to get an even greater prize: Sain's life. Still, the group had no choice. It was their only immediate lead. They would just have to be very cautious.

Not more than ten minutes passed when Florina and Phil shouted from above.

"Hey! I think we found something!" Florina called. "It's right around the corner from here!"

"Yeah! It looks like one of those mechanisms Myron mentioned!" Phil added. "It's definitely wood, I know that!"

"Ah, great! Let's check it out!" Sain replied. "Keep your ears peeled, everyone. Even if we can't see them, Nick and Emily will probably cry for help if they can spot us."

With that, the four rushed to the location Florina had pointed out. Sure enough, slabs of wood dangled from the edge of a cliff along with some rope. The bandits likely shoveled snow onto a wooden platform, only to release it down the mountainside later in a forced avalanche via the rope by cutting it. The impact had apparently been strong enough to rip the platform to pieces. And as expected, dozens more footprints were embedded in the snow nearby.

"Yeah, this would be one of those avalanche makers alright," Sain deduced. "Myron's men probably already found this one and scouted the area, but let's double check. The bandits could easily move the kids to another location."

"Good thinking. Let's—Whoaaa!" Kent yelped as he was cut off by a sudden gust of wind blowing right in the group's direction. Snow was blasted in their faces, causing Huey to suddenly halt and shake his head. He was used snow, so he wasn't spooked, but this startled Florina and Phil nonetheless.

"What the—? I've never seen winds this sudden around here!" Phil spoke up. "Nnngh!"

"Me…neither!" Florina seconded, vainly trying to fight the wind, which seemed to be growing stronger. "But there's a first time…for everything, I guess!"

"Gaaah! That's true," Sain agreed. "Hang in there, everyone!"

"I'm trying! But it isn't easy…when I don't have any reins or nothing to hold onto up here!" Phil replied. "W-WHOAA!"

Suddenly, a powerful gust blasted in their direction, catching Phil off guard. He lost his balance and fell off of Huey, plunging down a cliff to the path below.

"AAAAAH!"

"PHIL!" Sain hollered, rushing back down the trail to see to his friend.

"Oh no!" Florina cried, turning Huey around to follow. Kent also joined them.

It didn't take long, however, for them to discover Phil lying at the bottom of the cliff, clutching his right ankle. A tight grimace on his face showed that he was in a lot of pain.

"Ugh… Damn it!" he blurted in annoyance. "I think I broke my ankle!"

"Excellent…" Sain uttered in annoyance. "Let me see. I've had my share of broken bones in the past."

With that, Sain carefully felt Phil's ankle. Sure enough, it felt quite tender, and the mercenary was unable to move his entire foot.

"Yeah, it's broken," he confirmed. "I'm not surprised though, you took quite a plunge."

"Indeed," Kent agreed. "Thankfully, the snow also cushioned your fall. You could've been injured a lot worse."

"True…" Phil replied. "But I hate this! I'm slowing everyone down now!"

"Don't worry about that, you need to get to a doctor," Sain insisted. "The cold isn't going to make that ankle any better."

"He's right, you'll only get worse out here," Kent agreed.

"I'll take him. Huey can get to the nearest clinic faster than either of the horses," Florina pointed out. "Phil will be in good hands."

"True, good idea," Sain replied. "Kent and I will be okay on our own, since we have the map."

"Alright, then I'll try to catch up with you guys later."

"Great! Kent, could you give me a hand? Phil's going to need help getting back in that saddle."

"Of course," Kent said with a smile.

With that, both knights took one of Phil's arms and hoisted him to his feet. They then lifted him back onto Huey's back so Florina could bring him back to town. She then remounted.

"Man, I'm sorry, Sain," Phil spoke up. "I'm just causing more problems…"

"No you're not," Sain countered good-naturedly. "You've been a big help, don't worry. Just see a doctor and then go home and rest. And keep your doors and windows locked."

"Well, alright. But make sure you come tell me how things go out here! I need to know when it's safe for my family to come home."

"But of course, my friend."

With that, Sain and Kent bid Florina and Phil goodbye and watched them fly off. Sain and Kent had the map and their horses, but now they were on their own. Hopefully, their skills and teamwork alone would be a match for whatever bandits they were going to face. Or else rescuing Nick and Emily and stopping the avalanches could be next to impossible.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

I never put chapter 7 here? Man, I wish I'd have noticed that sooner. Sorry about that, folks, I'll do it now. Chapter 8 is finished as well and will be in the next post. Chapter 8 is the final chapter as well, so this story is complete. :)

Chapter 7: A Cold Confrontation

After watching Florina disappear into the sky with Phil, Sain and Kent returned their attention to the mountain ahead of them. Sain couldn't be positive about it, but he had a weird feeling that the powerful winds that blew Phil off of Florina's Pegasus were far from natural. They just felt…different, somehow. Sain and Kent had to get up the mountain and find the children, and fast. Whatever was going on at the top, it could not be good.

"Well, Kent, let's move on," Sain spoke up. "We need to keep climbing the mountain. That wind wasn't like any blizzard I've faced here before. Something funky is going on up there."

"Yeah, and whatever it is, I bet it's connected to the recent avalanches," Kent agreed. "Not to mention that if Nick and Emily are trapped here somewhere, this weather puts them in grave danger."

Sain shot his friend a smile and the two resumed their journey, taking the same path they had been following before Phil had taken his plunge. And fortunately, the strange wind that had knocked the mercenary down was not returning quickly. In fact, the weather remained relatively calm despite all of the snow. Even so, Sain periodically asked Kent if he was doing alright and the knight assured his friend that he was fine.

"Sain, you don't need to keep asking me every ten minutes," Kent said in a friendly voice.

"I know, it's just… With Nick and Emily trapped somewhere and all, I'm kind of paranoid about the idea of you getting in trouble too," Sain replied. "I also wish I could check on Fiora more often for the same reason."

"Ah, I understand. But don't worry, I assure you that I'm perfectly alright."

"Well, alright. Let's just play it safe if we end up having to fight bandits up there. I would hate for either of us to get sent over a cliff, by snow or wind."

"Of course."

As the two climbed higher and higher on the mountain, it became progressively colder, and the snow fell harder. But it didn't bother Sain, he was much too focused on finding his children. Kent did his best to endure it, but he was beginning to find that Sain's constant asking of his wellbeing was well placed. The cold began to burn his ears and cause his nose to get runny, and he couldn't help but shiver. He couldn't start getting hindered how, however, as he had promised Sain that he would stick by him in the situation no matter what.

After at least an hour had passed, the two found themselves on the edge of a high cliff on the trail at the west side of the mountain. It overlooked more mountains in the distance, and unsurprisingly, more snow. Sain soon brought Goldie to a stop on this cliff and gazed upon the vast scenery before him. Kent followed suit and halted Sampson next to him, as Sain remained where he and his horse were for several moments.

"Hey, why are we stopping?" Kent inquired. "Is something wrong?"

"…Oh, no," Sain replied, breaking out of his trance after a second. "I just recognize this part of the mountain very well. I've been this far before."

"Oh, I see. It does appear that one would get a lovely view from up here in nicer weather."

"You can say that again. During the summer months, when there wasn't a blizzard or a lot of wind, I sometimes took Nick and Emily up here to view magnificent sunsets upon the mountains. They both always loved it."

"Heh, that sounds wonderful. Fiora never came though?"

"No, she didn't. I wish she would, but she just doesn't like going up the mountain without Lilac and when she's riding her, she can see a lovely sunset from anywhere. I think she's kind of scared of standing on the edge of a high cliff. I want to say she's afraid of heights, but then she wouldn't be a Pegasus knight if that was the case."

"Yeah, that is a bit ironic there. But I suppose she just feels safer on the back of a steed."

"Probably. Well, maybe we should take a rest. We've been out here for quite a while. There's also a small cave near here that travelers often take a break in when they're on this mountain."

"Ah, good idea. Our own steeds are probably getting exhausted and cold by now."

"Exactly. It doesn't stop me from worrying about the kids though… Sigh…"

"I know. But I can tell that they're strong despite their young age. They can hold on for a few more minutes."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

Kent then shot Sain a very friendly smile before replying.

"Well, they have a fantastic father for a role model."

At this, Sain couldn't help but pause and just look at his friend in pleasant disbelief and surprise. He then returned the smile.

"Kent… That…that really means a lot to me. Thank you."

"Of course, my friend."

Sain took one more moment to look upon the view the cliff granted them.

"You know… Even now it feels like Nick and Emily are right here with us. I can even hear their voices faintly calling out to me in my mind."

"Heh, it just shows how strong your bond with them is," Kent commented.

"That it does…"

Now Sain couldn't help but take a moment to listen to those voices in his head. The cries of Nick and Emily calling him sounded so clear that it really was as if they were there, telling him that they were alive and well. It sounded like they were calling Kent's name as well. It was then that their cries echoing once more made Sain's eyes bulge. This was not his imagination. Nick and Emily were calling the two friends for real, and their voices were very, very faintly coming from somewhere at the base of the cliff.

"Oh no…" Sain suddenly uttered.

"Sain, what's wrong now?" Kent wondered.

"Kent, follow me, and fast!" Sain ordered abruptly and spurred Goldie to a gallop.

"Huh?! Wait! What for? I thought we were going to take a rest!"

"We will, just later! I wasn't imagining things! I was hearing Nick and Emily for real!"

"What?! But I didn't hear a thing!"

"I was probably sitting a little closer to them. Their cries were extremely faint. But I recognize them anywhere!"

"Well, I hope you're right!"

"I know I am!"

Sain quickly led Kent down another nearby trail that took them towards the area at the base of the cliff they had just been on. Sure enough, Nick and Emily's cries reached Kent's ears as well. Sain had not been jesting. They were trapped somewhere nearby and crying for both Sain and Kent to find them.

"You were right! I hear them now too!" Kent shouted.

"I told you!" Sain replied.

"Daaad!" Nick's voice called out again. "Keeent!"

"Daaaddyyy! Kent!" Emily's voice followed in a weeping tone. She was likely afraid that her father and Kent would mistakenly pass by them without noticing.

"Nick! Emily!" Sain replied. "I hear you both! Where are you?!"

"DAD!" Nick shouted, the most relieved he had been in hours. "Look for a big stick sliding in and out of a pile of snow! Em and I made one of our peep holes!"

The boy's voice was still a little faint, but Sain picked up enough to understand. Kent did as well and the two frantically began looking for the aforementioned stick. Thankfully, there weren't many trees around due the elevation, so spotting a moving stick protruding from a large mound of snow hadn't taken long. Nick had been right, it was a stick that was so thick that it must have been as long as Sain was tall.

"Nick! Emily!" Sain called again. "Are you both alright?!"

"Daddy!" Emily cried. "We're okay! But we're hungry too! Please heeelp!"

"Don't worry, sweetheart! Kent and I are here and can dig you out! Nick! You two aren't cold, are you?"

"No, we've actually been warm because of what you told me about snow trapping heat!" Nick replied.

"Oh! Well that's a relief."

Sain then turned to Kent.

"Kent, you remembered to bring a shovel too, right?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm glad we thought of bringing a pair just in case," Kent affirmed.

"Great! Let's dig and get the kids out of there! But be careful, we don't want to cause more snow to collapse on them."

"Right!"

With that, Sain and Kent grabbed a pair of short shovels from their saddlebags and shoved them into the show. It turned out that it was going to be harder than they thought, though.

"Damn! This snow is packed tight!" Sain grunted. "No wonder they couldn't get out!"

"Yeah. But we have to keep going!" Kent replied. "The kids will starve in there!"

"You can say that again."

It took a lot of might and strength, but finally the two were able to remove the snow little by little. Nick eventually joined in by punching at it to help break it up. Emily was still rather frightened, but she also didn't want to sit back and let him do all the work, so she soon followed suit. Her punches were likely too weak to do much of anything, but it didn't matter to her. Both of them wanted to be reunited with their parents as soon as possible, and Emily had learned something of courage from Nick after the time they spent trapped in the small cave they were in. Where she had once been too scared to do much of anything without Nick's guidance, she was now doing something on her own to help in the situation.

And finally, after at least fifteen minutes of digging and punching, the snow had been broken through completely and a hole large enough for either of the kids to climb through was formed.

"Dad! Kent!" Nick shouted, tears of joy in his eyes.

"Daddy!" Emily followed. The two weren't hesitant to collide with Sain's torso as he kneeled to catch them in his arms.

"Nick! Emily!" he replied, tears forming in his eyes too. "You don't know how relieved I am to find you safe and sound."

"I know, Dad… We're sorry!" Nick blubbered into his father's chest.

"Yeah, Daddy, we must've had everyone scared!" Emily surmised.

"Don't worry, this was hardly your fault," Sain protested. "Bandits did this to you two, didn't they?"

"Yeah. They came after we left for Ajay and Ashelle's house," Nick confirmed. "How did you know?"

"Well, they left me an insulting note on our front door," Sain explained. "But it didn't scare me away. I was mad, believe me."

"I bet you were!" Emily commented. "But those meanies would've done even more to us if Nick hadn't done what he did! Daddy, he was so brave!"

"Aw, Em…" Nick uttered, flustered and blushing.

"Oh?" Sain wondered, releasing his children for a minute.

"Yeah, I'm intrigued too," Kent stepped in.

"Well, those mean bandits grabbed us and took us all the way to this mountain," Emily began. "They were so strong, so we just couldn't get away. Nick said he was going to find a way to save us both though! And he did by kicking the bandit that was holding him right here!"

Emily then pointed to the area between her legs. Sain had to use all his willpower to suppress a chuckle.

"The meanie dropped him and then he kicked the bandit that was holding me! I got dropped as well and we just ran! But then the snow fell. Nick saw that little cave and we rushed in. But the snow trapped us."

"…Wow," was all Sain could say. "I am amazed."

"Indeed, I'm very impressed too!" Kent commented. "Nick got the best of those bandits and then you two managed to survive an avalanche?"

"I know, I'm still shocked too!" Nick replied. "I also made a little campfire to keep us warm in there while we waited to be saved. All I did was remember what my dad taught me."

At this, Sain couldn't prevent a large grin from crossing his features.

"Nick… I… I am more proud of you than I have ever been in my life," he finally said, another tear of joy trickling down his cheek.

"Aw, thanks, Dad! But what you said before, you were right! It was my job to look out for my little sister when it was just me and her."

"And you did, Nick! I stopped being scared after a while!" Emily added. "And I'll never be scared like that again if something bad happens long as I'm with you or Mommy or Daddy or everyone."

"That's awesome!" Nick complimented. "I guess being close will do that! It's like no matter what kind of bad thing happens, your family will always be there for you if all really care about each other a lot."

"Yeah! And we care a lot, don't we?" Emily said.

"We do, Em!" Nick happily confirmed.

Sain soon found himself falling silent for the next few moments upon hearing his son's words. He was instantly reminded of the news Kent had brought when he arrived. Sain had completely forgotten about it for a while due to the situation with Nick and Emily. And now, Nick's words somehow struck a cord and brought it back to the surface of Sain's mind. Did what he said include bad events from the past? Was Nick essentially telling his father that he had nothing to worry about when he revealed Kent's news? Sain couldn't help but decide that this had to be the case, as it would fit with what Kent had been telling him all along, that Sain had been over-thinking the entire thing. After this was all over, Sain decided he had to finally reveal his parents' secret. It would be the first thing he did when he returned home, no matter how hard it might be.

"…Sain? Are you alright?" Kent inquired, breaking his friend out of his trance.

"…Oh! I'm fine, don't worry," Sain replied, smiling. "I just zoned out for a little bit there. But Nick, you're absolutely right! A strong bond will work wonders in tough situations."

"Heh, it sure does!" Nick agreed.

"Yeah…" Sain continued, pulling his children into his arms again. "I was so frightened for the both of you… I can't stop being relieved that you're safe."

"Us too, Daddy…" Emily agreed, returning the hug.

"Totally," Nick seconded.

"…And Kent, thank you too!" Emily cried as she pulled away from her father and rushed over to the red-clad knight. Nick soon followed and the two had thrown their arms around him.

"Yeah! Kent, you never stopped helping to look for us, did you?" Nick guessed.

"Oof! Indeed, I never did," Kent confirmed with a smile. He happily returned their hug. Sain couldn't help but chuckle for real this time.

"Oh! We need to get you two home!" Sain realized. "Your mother is still going out of her mind."

"Ah!" Emily replied. "Daddy, you're right! Nick, we've gotta go home. Mommy needs us right now."

"Oh yeah! Mom still doesn't know! But Dad, can we—" Nick began, but was cut off by a familiar female voice.

"Hello! …Sain, Kent! Oh my goodness!"

Everybody turned to see Florina and Huey coming in for a landing.

"You found the children!" Florina cried happily.

"Aunt Florina!" Nick and Emily blurted at the same time and rushed over to throw their arms around the Falcon Knight this time.

"Omph! I'm so happy to see you two are safe!" Florina replied. "We had dozens of people searching for you!"

"I bet!" Nick replied.

"We're okay though!" Emily added. "We were just about to go home."

"Oh, that's good! I came back to give your father and Kent a hand, but it looks like that might not be needed," Florina explained with a smile.

"Actually, Florina, now that you're here, how about you take the kids home?" Sain suggested. "Kent and I still have business to take care of here."

"Oh, yes. That's a good idea. I'll certainly be glad to do it."

"I'm fine with that. Those bandits need to be taken care of," Kent agreed.

"That settles it then," Sain said. "Oh, but before you go, Florina, how's Phil doing?"

"Ah, he still seems like his pride is hurt, but he'll be fine as long as he rests at home and stays off that ankle," Florina confirmed.

"That's good to know. Though since this is Phil we're talking about, we should check on him later. He's stubborn and won't willingly stay down for long."

"That is probably for the best. He was reluctant to just lay on his couch while we did all the work."

"Yep, that's Phil for you. Well, you better take the kids and get going now. Fiora can't keep waiting."

"Ah, right!"

"But Dad, I didn't finish my question earlier! I wanted to ask if I could ask Mom to take us to Ajay and Ashelle's so they can know that we're safe!" Nick interrupted.

"Ah, that's not a bad idea either. You can, but Marianne and the twins are at the militia headquarters. The bandits targeted Ajay and Ashelle too, I'm afraid," Sain replied.

"What?! Those jerks! Dad, I want you and Kent to crush their heads!"

"Yeah, me too!" Emily angrily added.

"Heh, we'll certainly try! Now go on, hurry home!" Sain insisted.

Nick and Emily weren't hesitant to comply and let Florina help them upon Huey's back. After goodbyes were made and Florina told the two knights to be careful, Huey took off back into the sky with his passengers.

Sain and Kent were then left to gaze once more upon the mountain, knowing that they had to climb it again if they were to reach the bandits responsible for everything.

"Well, Kent…" Sain spoke up moments later. "Let's go. We have bandits to teach a lesson to."

"You got it," Kent replied.

The two then remounted their horses and made for the elevation they had been at before picking up Nick and Emily's cries. If anything, the bandits would be camped out near the mountain's peak due to the avalanches. Even if they weren't causing them, they wouldn't be affected by them if they camped above rather than below where the snow would strike.

However, there were still some questions left unanswered. How many bandits were there and how strong were they? Would Sain and Kent by themselves be strong enough to stop them? If the enemy proved to be too overwhelming, the pair could only hope that they would be able to retreat to find reinforcements before it was too late. Or, that Myron's militia crew wasn't far away or heard the commotion. Whatever the case, Sain and Kent did their best to brace themselves in case things didn't go in their favor.

As they had decided before the discovery of Nick and Emily, Sain and Kent took a rest in the cave Sain had mentioned when they had paused on the cliff. It wasn't very big due to being at a high elevation on the mountain, but it worked well enough as a temporary shelter for the two knights. While they were inside, Sain eventually noticed Kent shivering uncomfortably and moved closer to him.

"Kent, you're really cold, aren't you?" he guessed.

"I'm fine, Sain. Don't worry," Kent countered.

"Don't try that, you're shivering like mad. You've been hiding this from me the whole time, haven't you?"

Kent let out a shaky sigh before replying.

"Well… I suppose so. I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to worry about me when we had missing children to find."

"I understand, but now that they're safe and on their way home, I have more concern for you right now. Should we go back to my place and let you warm up? I can go ally with Florina's squad and Myron's militia instead, if you want."

"No, no, I can handle it…" Kent insisted through chattering teeth. "I just need to get used to this is all. We'll be moving around a lot soon enough, and that should help me feel better."

"Well, that's true. Alright. But if I see you looking like this again, we're going home," Sain decided. "You're the only thing Caelin has right now for leadership barring Lord Hector overseeing things from Ostia. They would be in major trouble if something happened to you."

"…Agreed. Fair enough."

"Good."

With that, the two presumed to rest and allow their steeds to do the same. Moments later, however, both Goldie and Sampson perked their heads and glanced around.

"Hey, is something the matter?" Sain wondered when he noticed. Kent was about to ask a similar question, but before he could, the ground began to rumble beneath them. Sain's eyes widened as it grew more intense. The horses began neighing in protest.

"…Oh no," he uttered. "Damn it! Kent, we have to get out of here now!"

"Blast! Is this—?" Kent tried to respond, but was cut off.

"Another avalanche! Come on!"

The two made no hesitation to hop upon their mounts again and rush them outside. Sain motioned Kent to follow up further up the mountain, where the snow could not hit them. It was falling downward, so they needed to travel in the opposite direction.

"HURRY!" Sain hollered.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Kent replied. Their steeds galloped as quickly as they could, the sound of the falling snow growing louder. The avalanche had been occurring very close by, as if it was specifically meant to target the two knights. And neither of them would be surprised if that was really the case.

As they continued to flee, the snow grew closer, until it came within a hair of burying Kent and Sampson alive. Sain and Kent brought their mounts to a halt as they watched the remaining snow plunge down beside them harmlessly. Both were panting, their hearts racing after the near-miss. Unfortunately, the snow now blocked their path back down.

"Blast it!" Kent blurted. "How are we going to get back down the mountain now?"

"Well, luckily for us, there are other paths on the mountain that can lead to the base," Sain replied after a few breaths. "None are as quick as the one we just used, but there are still a few left that aren't that much longer. I'm not as familiar with them, but we have a map."

"That's a relief."

Kent then peered ahead and soon spotted something out of the ordinary.

"Hey! I think I see some smoke up there! We must be near the bandits' camp!" he deduced.

"You're right!" Sain realized when he turned his attention to what Kent was looking at. "Let's go. It's time to give them a piece of our minds!"

"I'm behind you all the way!"

The two made no hesitation to spur their mounts once again and charge towards the billowing smoke. Sure enough, Sain and Kent spotted large weatherized tents and a burning campfire minutes later. The tents had been weatherized by being hoisted on thick, strong poles and stakes. That way, snow wouldn't plow over them and knock them over. Some of the bandits were patrolling the area as well, and a few others were conversing. One of them, however, really managed to catch the two knights' eyes. He was wearing long robes and was carrying a green book with gold embroidery, which was undoubtedly a wind magic tome.

At this, Sain's anger began to fuel again and a scowl painted his face. This man had to be responsible for the earlier strong gusts of wind that had eventually resulted in Phil's broken ankle.

"Kent! Are you thinking the same thing about that mage as I am?" Sain wondered.

"I believe so. There's no doubt in my mind that that man caused Phil to get injured!" Kent agreed.

"Then these imbeciles have a lot to pay for!"

"Agreed! But let's not wildly charge in, we don't know what else they might have waiting for us there."

"Good point. We'll confront them verbally first."

"Got it."

The two then approached the camp, bloodlust in their eyes. Kent was also finally forgetting about being cold. Instead, he was much more focused on the enemy this time. Both he and Sain brought their horses to a scorching halt near the mage, who had been speaking with an axe wielder with little more to protect his body than basic clothing and spiked shoulder armor. Still, his buff physique and silver axe definitely gave away that he was the leader. Closer inspection of the mage's robes revealed them to be well-detailed, indicating that he was a magic practitioner of high skill.

"HEY! I believe it's me you imbeciles want?" Sain blurted, his brow creasing further from his anger.

"…Well, well!" the leader spoke up once he took note of Sain. "If it isn't the Green Dunce we left that lil' message for!"

"Yeah, and look at that, he brought his famous friend the Crimpy Shield too!" the mage taunted. "He must be scared stiff of us if he needs him! Bwahaha!"

"You two won't be laughing when we're through here," Kent stepped in. "We know what you did to Sain's children!"

"Ha, what we did? My guys here did take 'em, but truth is, we no longer have 'em. Those wretched brats got away!" the leader protested.

"We know," Sain replied. "We found them trapped in a cave blocked up with snow. Avalanche snow! Caused by you!"

"Whoa, now hold on there. We be the ones burying your precious little town in snow, but the avalanche that got those kids was a botched up plan by one of the fools in this here camp. The idiot set it off too early! He got an earful for it, he did!"

"Ha! Why should we believe you?" Sain snapped. "My kids could've died!"

"What now? We never wanted 'em dead, ya moron! You've caused me and my buddies way too much trouble and you killed most of 'em! I don't take losin' my friends and losin' my loot lightly! We was plannin' on cashin' in on those brats as hostages. And then we would do away with 'em! Heh, heh."

"WHAT?!" Sain thundered.

"That's right! We get you and the town to give up your money and valuables tryin' to save the little twerps and then we just kill 'em once we got the loot! The perfect vengeance for what ya did to my mates!"

Sain couldn't help but growl loudly, his rage building. Kent also felt his blood boil.

"And then you tried to stop us using that blizzard and then another avalanche!" the Crimson Shield deduced. "Sain was right all along!"

"Haha… We couldn't find where those kids got buried, so we figured we'd wait for you to pursue us and then fall into some traps! But that failed, so I guess we'll just get to kill you both ourselves!" the mage confirmed.

"Which will be just as sweet!" the leader added.

"Not if we have anything to say about it, you sorry bastards!" Sain retorted, raising a silver sword he'd brought with him.

Sain didn't hesitate to charge forward and bellow with rage as he clashed with the leader. Kent did likewise with the mage as they drew attention from all over the camp. Gradually, the other bandits suited up and emerged from the tents to join the action. By the time the number of adversaries stopped growing, there were over a dozen bandits surrounding Sain and Kent, who were forced to endlessly blocked attack after attack as their enemies repeatedly attempted to strike. There were so many targeting the two that they rarely ever had an opportunity to make any more counterattacks.

The group of bandits was varied in their weaponry too. Some of them wielded axes, some of them used swords, others used bows, and of course, there was the mage. He and the archers complicated things the most, since they could attack from a farther range than either Sain or Kent could. Due to this, the two knights mainly targeted them first. This caused arrows to graze their skin and trickle blood from their arms and legs as they attempted to dodge them, but both friends managed to separate and plow their way through the traffic to strike down every archer. Sain struck a pair in the head and neck with his lance while Kent managed to take down a third with a slit to the throat with his sword.

The mage, however, proved to be more competent than any of those archers. He was able to use some advanced anima magic including Elfire and Elthunder tomes. And it wasn't as easy to draw a mage into melee combat as it was an archer due to the magic being less predictable. Still, Sain figured he could use the mage to his and Kent's advantage.

"Kent, follow my lead!" he instructed. "I know how to cause that mage some trouble."

"Oh?" Kent replied. "Well, I hope you know what you're doing!"

"Trust me."

With that, Sain shot a goofy smile at the mage, provoking him into targeting the knight further. Sain then positioned himself and Goldie in front of one of the axe wielding bandits and watch as a burst of flames from the mage's Elfire tome headed right in his direction when he fended off the axe bandit's attack. However, Sain was quick enough to spur Goldie and himself out of the Elfire spell's path, resulting in the fire striking the axe bandit instead. Sain could only chuckle with delight as the mage's eyes popped wide open and his jaw dropped, stupefied at what he'd just done. The axe bandit was ignited and burned to death even before he hit the ground upon impact.

"You… You will pay for that!" the mage threatened.

"Make me!" Sain replied, still grinning.

"Ha! That was brilliant, Sain!" Kent complimented.

"Heh, thanks!"

"You're being a thorn in my side too!" the mage continued when he redirected his focus on Kent.

Kent then wondered if the mage wasn't as bright as he appeared to be. He repeated what Sain had done and positioned himself in front of another adversary, this time a swordsman. But the mage was able to catch on.

"Ha, you must be a fool to think I would fall for the same trick twice!" he blurted.

"Ah, well, it was worth a try," Kent responded smugly.

"You think we be morons?" the leader spoke up. "You two ain't seen nothin'! Do what we do best, mates!"

With that, the remaining bandits began forming a circle around Sain and Kent. It only took moments for the two to be completely surrounded, cut off from any hopes of escape. And with both knights now riddled with cuts and bruises due to how out-numbered they were, this was indeed a difficult position for them to be in. Sain growled once again as the grinning bandits drew closer.

"Damn it…!" he uttered. "I was hoping to avoid a situation like this…"

"Same here, but…" Kent replied, a grin then forming on his face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Sain then found himself grinning confidently as well.

"I sure am," he confirmed. "Just like old times."

Kent's grin widened as the two readjusted to turn their backs to one another. They raised their weapons and their horses reared back onto their hind legs. In the next second, both knights went into a sudden charge in opposite directions.

The Cross Strike threw the bandits for a wild loop as Sain and Kent struck different adversaries with their first blows and then went on to strike the same targets relentlessly with the same tactic. As they had shown Nick and Emily before, they approached each bandit from different sides, resulting in a near instantly fatal blow for the sorry creature on the receiving end of the attack.

Sain and Kent were even moving so quickly and staying scattered so many times that the mage had trouble aiming for either one of them as he watched his allies' numbers dwindle. The leader watched with shock and horror as well, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets as his men fell one by one and blood stained much of the snow. Sain and Kent's rampage also caused several tents to collapse when their owners fell into them, though many of the poles that held them up remained standing.

It wasn't long before only a few enemies remained other than the mage and the leader. Sain and Kent had been aiming to take out the weaker bandits first so they had no distractions while they fought the stronger ones. They no longer needed the Cross Strike, and fought off the last few underling bandits with ease.

"Argh! No!" the leader shouted angrily. "My camp!"

"Ready to give up yet?" Sain said.

"Ha, in yer dreams! Me and my mate still be standing!"

"Not for long," Kent replied as he snuck behind the mage.

"AAAIEEE!" the man yelped as Kent grabbed him by the collar of his cloak and slit his throat.

"That's for hurting our friend Phil!" Kent commented, throwing the corpse to the snow.

"Good show, Kent!" Sain complimented.

"AAH! Now you gone and done it!" the lone leader bellowed, his rage growing.

"You really should surrender while you have a chance," Kent continued. "You don't stand a chance against both of us by yourself."

"Well, I ain't goin' down without a fight! An' trust me, I be tougher than me mates ever were!"

With that, the bandit leader charged towards Sain, his running speed greater than either he or Kent thought. Sain was nearly caught off guard when the man clashed with his sword again. Kent soon joined him, and surprisingly, the leader hadn't been lying when he said he was strong. He was able to block attacks from both knights, though with great difficulty. With Sain being very strong on his own, and that coupled with Kent's own might, the two bore down on him like a sack of bricks.

Eventually, the leader was shoved fairly close to a cliff that overlooked a steep drop into a gorge below. Sain and Kent would've liked to shove the man over the edge, but he was smart and never let them get quite close enough. However, fending off two veteran horseback knights naturally took its toll on the leader and he began panting and sweating. And when he didn't block their strikes, the man wound up with cuts on his arms and chest. Even so, he attempted to attack, and finally, when Kent took advantage of it, it cost him. Kent had Sampson stick one of his front hooves out in front of him, and the bandit leader could only fall forward right into Sain's blade. It pierced his torso, though not all the way through, and blood covered half of the blade. The leader collapsed on his side as Sain removed his sword and clutched his torso with one hand.

Sain then dismounted Goldie and approached him. He pointed the tip of his bloody weapon at the man's throat.

"It's over, scumbag," he said, his facial scowl returning.

"You could've saved yourself if you had simply cooperated," Kent informed, dismounting as well and folding his arms. "Then you would be living the rest of your life in a prison rather than bleeding and dying."

"Ha… Hahaha…!" the leader merely cackled. "I might be dead soon… But I can still take ya with me! The joke's on you, sucker!"

Without warning, the leader drew a whistle from underneath his shirt and used one last breath to blow into it. Within seconds, a loud rumbling echoed from above. Sain and Kent looked up to see another massive heap of snow prepared on another wooden mechanism. Before either of them could react, the mechanism released, likely by another ally of the bandit leader hidden at the top, and the snow began to tumble downward monstrously. And it was headed straight for Sain.

"NO!" Kent yelled in rage. He impulsively rushed over to shove his friend out of the snow's path.

Sain landed safely near the horses. Unfortunately, Kent was not so lucky. The snow came down so fast that he hadn't even a split second to run away. He was struck hard enough by the disaster that it sent him plowing over the cliff.

"AGH!"

"KENT!" Sain blurted, fear suddenly surging through his veins like an erupting volcano.

"Sain!" Kent's voice echoed, and began to grow faint from the snow. "You have to live…for your family!"

"No…" Sain uttered, his instincts forcing him to run towards the snow in hopes the knight could somehow be rescued. "KENT! KEEEENT!"

All Sain could hear after this was Sampson whinnying in dismay and the faint sound of Kent's cry, which then faded into nothing as the snow finished descending. And then…all grew quiet.

Sain was now left there, alone and his mind completely scattered and devastated. The only thing he could do was stare into the snow covered massive view over the cliff, dropping to his knees as he did so. And not even Sampson's repeated whimpering over his master's fate could breach the zone the knight's statue-like state went into.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Anacybele

[Anacybele]

And here's the final chapter! ^^

Chapter 8: Family and Friendship

After sitting in the snow and staring at nothing in particular for what felt like hours, Sain let out a scream of agony, so loud that even despite the snow, it could probably be heard from the base of the cliff. He then buried his face in his cold, numbing hands, completely ignoring the freezing temperatures. He had just watched his best friend sacrifice himself to save him, all so his wife would still have a husband and his children would still have a father.

But why…why did it have to come down to that?

The question repeatedly rang through Sain's head as he attempted to collect himself. None of this was supposed to happen at all. There wasn't supposed to be any fighting or bandits, there wasn't supposed to be any kidnappings. And Kent was supposed to be on vacation, visiting his friend Sain and Sain's family and having a good time while escaping the pressures of being Caelin's steward. He wasn't supposed to be involved in anything like this. Yet…he was now dead. And all Sain could keep thinking to himself was that…it should've been him.

IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME! Sain's mind exploded, despite that he understood Kent's intentions. Neither of them would've ever wanted Fiora to be left a widow or Nick and Emily to be left without a father. But wasn't Kent thinking of all of the people of Caelin? Now they had nobody to watch over them. Who was Hector going to leave in charge now? Why did Sain's family mean so much compared to hundreds living on Caelin soil?

Maybe Kent had just forgotten in the heat of the moment and acted upon impulse. Or perhaps he thought there was someone who could take his place. Sain had no choice but to either inquire about it when he relayed the news of Kent's death to Hector and Lyn…or do it himself.

Years before, Sain had his sights set on spending his life with Fiora and their children in Ilia, working as mercenaries to provide for them. And Fiora wanted to continue supporting her country. But now, that probably could not continue any longer. Caelin now would have next to no law and order since Hector could not be in two places at once, and without that, things could take a turn for the worst. And given what Kent had recounted back at Sain's home, that could very well happen quickly.

All Sain knew for sure now though, was that the same grief and mourning that had come when Ninian had passed would return yet again, this time for a respected and beloved knight. And Sain had to be the one to break the devastating news. This was going to be the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life, even harder than having to tell Fiora and the kids of the secret Sain's parents had been keeping. Which he would now have to reveal on his own as well.

And I can't just sit here all day… Sain continued thinking. I have to go back now, before everyone begins to worry. Even though they'll soon be…upset…anyway…

Sain sniffled as he still had trouble pulling himself together, tears running down his cheeks as he took Sampson's reins and then mounted Goldie. He now had to guide both horses back down the mountain, and give Sampson a new home with him. If there was anything Sain absolutely had to do for Kent after what he had done, it was care for his noble steed for him. And Sampson was quite familiar with Sain, so the stallion would surely have no problems.

Sain slowly brought both horses down the mountain path and towards the base, being careful not to let Sampson trip or fall over the edge of a cliff like his late master had. If Sain allowed another to die so soon, even one of the horses, he swore he would take his own sword and cut his throat. Thankfully, there were no strong winds or a lot of falling snow, so the journey was fairly easy. It seemed to last hours with Sain not able to dry his tears or stop mentally kicking himself for what had happened, but soon enough, the town came into view. Sampson, however, turned his head around again to look at the mountain, the current gravesite of his late master, and whinny in sadness again. Sain sniffled again, feeling the horse's pain.

"I'm so sorry, Sampson…" he uttered, hardly able to get the words out of his mouth. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me…"

As if to tell Sain that it was alright and that it wasn't his fault, Sampson gently nudged him. As much as Sain wanted to give even a small smile at this, he couldn't. Hopefully Sampson understood as much. Sain had once heard that many animals were good at sensing pain, both physical and emotional. The horse seemed to be no exception.

"Let's keep going though. The pain won't get any easier to deal with if we just stand around here," Sain said moments later. Sampson shook his head as if to nod and agree. They then continued into the town, Sain vainly bracing himself for what was going to happen next.

As he and the horses walked into town and through the roads, Sain could only sadly look away in silence when he saw passersby confusedly wondering why he was traveling alone with two horses. Those who recognized Kent's steed likely guessed what had happened, and many people began chattering amongst themselves. But Sain needed to return home and tell his family first. They needed to know he was safe and Sain wanted to be there with them when they learned the news. Although, he could hardly imagine how Nick and Emily would react. They both loved Kent like he was a big brother, maybe even a second father. And they were only children. The news Sain had to bring them…he wasn't at all sure how he could comfort them.

Sain ended up being so absorbed in his grief that he almost missed a turnoff that led to his home. He took the path as he shook his head and attempted to pay more attention. Thankfully, he could now see the house in the distance and Fiora airborne on her Pegasus. She had Lilac land as Sain and the horses approached, worriedly wondering what had happened. Sain sniffled yet again as he brought Sampson and Goldie to a stop in the front yard and dismounted the latter. Nick and Emily weren't anywhere to be found, likely inside the house. Fiora immediately approached her husband, noticing his glassy, reddened eyes and half-frozen tears on his equally red cheeks.

"Sain!" she blurted, throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm relieved to see you safe! But what happened?! W-Where's Kent?! Where is he?!"

Sain didn't respond right away, having trouble getting any words out between his constant sniffling.

"Fiora…" he began. "He and I had defeated those bandits… But… The leader…had one last trick up his sleeve and… Kent… I couldn't… I couldn't save him…!"

"…Oh…Oh my god…!" Fiora blurted, her own eyes now draining tears as quickly as Sain's had. She buried her face in his chest as he took her into a tight hug. Neither of them could stop weeping at this point.

"I'm so sorry…" Sain uttered. "It's all my fault. He died to save me!"

"Sain, don't say that! He…He was brave," Fiora countered though her tears. "You didn't do anything to cause this… Yet…I…I can't believe this has happened!"

Fiora then continued to weep into Sain's shoulder and chest, unable to produce anymore words.

"I know…" Sain agreed. "Neither can I. My best friend is gone… My best friend is gone…!"

Sain's own weeping then grew louder as the two continued to remain locked in their hug, no longer exchanging any words for the time being.

Moments later, however, the front door burst open and Nick and Emily came running towards them, donned in their winter coats again.

"Mom! Dad!" Nick shouted. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, Daddy, what happened to Kent?" Emily added. "Me and Nick saw you and Mommy from the window. …Are you crying?"

Both Sain and Fiora could only look at their two children in silence for the next minute, until they knelt to their level.

"Nick, Emily…" Sain began. "Kent…couldn't make it…"

"Yes… I'm afraid something terrible has happened," Fiora added, barely able to hold back anymore tears.

"…W-What?" Nick uttered, freezing where he stood, and not from the cold.

"…No," Emily said, her eyes turning glassy. "Kent… He can't! No!"

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Fiora barely replied. Emily then burst into tears herself, burying her body into Fiora's torso. She bawled as Fiora tightly clutched her daughter, tears streaming down her cheeks yet again as well.

"Dad… No… Why?!" Nick blurted angrily, tears building up in his eyes as well. "WHY?!"

The boy then repeated what Emily had done, only with Sain instead. Sain clutched his son as tightly as he could as well, feeling the most pain he'd ever felt in his entire life, not just for himself or Fiora, but now for his children too.

"I don't know, Nick…" Sain blubbered. "I just don't know…"

For the next few minutes, the four of them could only weep and mourn their loss in silence. There were simply no words to be said at the moment. The world had just lost a great man and warrior. Someone whom many people in all of Elibe respected. And Sain and his family had just lost an invaluable friend.

Finally, however, Fiora broke the silence, turning her attention to Sain again.

"Sain… Sniff… What's going to happen in Caelin now? What should we do?"

"Well…" Sain began, wiping his eyes. "I've decided that I should go back and oversee it until Lord Hector can find a permanent ruler."

"What? A-Are you sure?"

"Yes… I'm really sorry… I'm all Caelin has left right now. I have no idea if the guy Kent left in charge while he was gone has enough experience for this. And it's a sudden change."

"I suppose… I guess this means that we have to move."

"W-What? We have to leave Ajay and Ashelle?" Nick gasped.

"But I don't want to go away from our best friends!" Emily protested between sobs.

"I know…" Sain understood. "But Kent would want someone to take care of Caelin in his memory. And it's only right that I do it after he gave his life to save me on the mountain. And we can't just sit here crying all day, as painful as this is. I'm really sorry."

"I…I understand," Nick replied, sniffling.

"Of course… I won't force the three of you to come with me if you really don't want to. I know how much being here means to you," Sain continued. "I would just hope that you can get by alright without me."

"No, Sain," Fiora insisted. "We're going with you. We're not leaving you to deal with this alone."

"Mommy's right!" Emily agreed. "We'll miss everybody here, but… It would feel even more wrong to let you go all by yourself!"

"Yeah…" Nick seconded. "What they said, Dad."

For the first time in hours, Sain felt a small smile come to his features.

"Heh… Thanks, guys," he replied. "But first thing's first… We have to tell Florina… And Phil… And everyone else here. A lot of them knew me and at least heard about Kent."

"Ah, right…" Fiora realized. "Poor Florina… I think she was beginning to grow quite fond of him…"

"It's possible…" Sain agreed. "Another thing, a funeral has to be prepared. Even if we don't find…his body…he deserves it and more…"

"Yes, of course…"

"Lastly, if you three don't mind, I would like to deliver this news to Lord Hector and Lady Lyn in person on our way to Caelin. I would feel better doing that instead of just writing to them."

"That's fine, I understand."

"I actually always wanted to meet Lord Hector…" Nick admitted. "Just not like this."

"I know, Nick…" Sain replied and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "But we're going to have to pull ourselves together here. We can mourn and grieve all we want, but we also have to be strong for Kent, in his memory. He wouldn't want us to be sad like this forever, you know."

"Yeah, you're right about that," Nick agreed, wiping his eyes. "Are you okay, Em?"

"Uh huh… Daddy is right," Emily replied. "I really really miss Kent already, but isn't he also still right here?"

Emily then pointed to her chest, indicating her heart.

"Yes, yes he is, Emily," Sain confirmed with a smile. "Now, let's get ready to go for a ride around town and start preparing for our journey and the funeral."

Sain's family all gave him nods of approval, though all four of them still could not keep more tears from building up in their eyes. Despite Sain's words, moving on with their lives wasn't going to be the least bit easy.

Even so, Sain put Sampson in the pasture while he remounted Goldie and Fiora did the same with Lilac. Nick joined Sain on Goldie's back while Emily did likewise with Fiora and her steed. All Sampson really did, however, was stare at the mountain which his master had died on. Animals had feelings too, surely it was going to be just as hard for the stallion to move on from Kent's death as it would be for Sain and the others.

Sain thought the pain might ease a little by talking to the townsfolk about the tragedy, but it barely helped at all. He still found himself wanting to cry until his eyes hurt, maybe even after that. The locals were still saddened themselves and offered their support and condolences, but it did little to affect either Sain or his family positively. None of them could stop their eyes from watering. Soon enough, Sain and Fiora spotted Phil limping slowly down the road, having left his house for an unknown reason. He was using a wooden crutch, likely given to him by the doctor that treated him.

"Sain! Hey, there you are!" he greeted. "I saw you and your folks from my window. What's going on? And where's Kent?"

"Phil, what are you doing out of your house? You're still injured," Sain countered.

"Yes, Phil, you could reinjure that ankle if you're not careful!" Fiora added.

"I know, but never mind that for right now! You promised you would tell me when it's safe for my family to come home!" Phil pointed out. "So Sain, what's going on here? You and Kent did teach those bandits a lesson, right?"

At this, Sain couldn't help but scrunch his face into a grimace before replying.

"We did, yes…" he began. "But… The leader secretly had another avalanche waiting… It was supposed to be for me, but Kent shoved me out of the way and let it hit him instead! It sent him over a cliff and now he's…"

Phil blinked as Sain trailed off, hardly able to believe what he was hearing.

"…What? No way…" he muttered, freezing where he stood. "Aw man…"

The normally cheerful mercenary now found himself with a grimace of emotional pain as well. The idea that Kent had just been killed seemed nothing short of surreal. He was the Crimson Shield, one of the best knights in all of Elibe, not just Lycia or Caelin. And Phil had only recently gotten to meet the man himself.

"I can't believe it…" he continued. "I…I'm so sorry, Sain. If there's anything I can do for you and your family, tell me. Marianne and I would both be more than glad to help. You're our friends and we wanted to call Kent our friend too."

"I understand. Thanks," Sain replied with a small smile. "You still have a broken ankle though, and can't be going anywhere. At least not by yourself. We'll stop by the militia headquarters and let Myron and Marianne know that your family can come home. Then you guys can help spread the word about Kent together."

"Alright, that works. Anything for the guy. Sain, I'm glad my family and I were able to meet him, at least. He was a good man, and more than a good knight."

"He was… Sniff… He was…"

"Oh, Sain, I just remembered," Fiora suddenly spoke up. "I had forgotten earlier due to being worried about you and Kent, but Florina went to the headquarters as well after she brought Nick and Emily home. She had to join the rest of her Pegasus knights as well as Myron's men in looking for anymore bandits."

"Ah, good. Then we can talk to her while we're there too."

With that, Phil began hobbling back to his house while Sain and his party continued towards the militia headquarters. This was going to be yet another difficult revealing of news. Telling random townsfolk was one thing, but Phil and Florina were different. Phil was, as he had said, a friend. Florina was Fiora's sister, and she possibly had feelings for Kent. How she was going to handle the news that her would-be crush had been killed, Sain had absolutely no clue. He suspected that this had crossed Fiora's mind as well as the minds of Nick and Emily.

When the family arrived at their destination and had dismounted the steeds, Sain could only take a deep breath as he hesitated for a moment to enter the building. Of course, it was actually possible that Florina wasn't there, as she could've still been out patrolling with the militia and her squadron. And if she wasn't, Sain and the others simply would wait for her return.

Inside, neither Myron nor Florina were in sight, but a militia soldier was, and he gladly summoned Myron from his office. Thankfully, Florina was actually with him and had just returned minutes before. Both Sain and Fiora then relayed the news, vainly trying to hold back more tears and weeping.

"…W-What?!" Florina uttered, freezing where she stood. "I can't…I can't believe this…!"

She soon ran into her sister's arms, sobbing nearly as hard as her and Sain had.

"I know, sister…" Fiora replied, returning the hug. "We're all devastated…"

"I wanted to save him, Florina, I really did. I even tried to… But I couldn't…" Sain admitted. "I'm so sorry…"

"Sain, none of this was your fault," Florina insisted. "Those heartless bandits did it. They took Kent from us…"

"Well…true…"

"Still… Th-This is awful! He was a wonderful man, so many loved him… And he originally just came here to visit some friends…"

"Indeed… He never deserved this end at all."

"And the worst feeling I'll have now is that I never got…to tell him…"

Florina trailed off, only able to weep some more at this point.

"Hm?" Sain inquired.

"Oh… Nothing… I was just ranting a little. Besides, I should be worrying more about you and your family. He was closer to you than anyone."

"Right…"

In a normal scenario, Sain might have given a smug smile and still inquired about what Florina was going to say, but at this time, he had a hard time smiling at all.

"This is truly a tragedy," Myron agreed. "I only wish I could've helped you more. Kent might still be alive if I had…"

"Myron, you did all you were able to," Sain insisted. "I was overreacting a little before due to what had happened with my kids. You're not at fault for any of this either."

"I know, but this is still so surreal and unbelievable. That a man of Sir Kent's caliber could lose his life this way and at such a young age…"

"…That's true," Sain agreed, sniffling again.

"So… What will happen with Caelin now?" Florina wondered. "It no longer has a steward now."

"It will once I return," Sain replied. "I don't think I have a choice. I doubt there's anyone left that's as qualified. Lord Hector knows me pretty well too."

"What? But that means…"

"Yeah… Fiora and the kids and I will have to move there."

"Florina, we all agreed on it, you don't have to worry about us," Fiora assured.

"I…I see…" Florina replied, though rather hesitantly. "And I understand. But will you be able to handle it? You know, with…everything that's happened?"

"I'll have to. Like I said, I have no choice."

"Well, alright… We have to prepare a funeral service there as well as here anyway. Kent helped save this entire town, the citizens will want to honor him for that."

"Oh yes, I know. Let's get started as soon as we can. We have to get through all of this so we can…well, heal."

Everyone voiced their agreement and the planning and preparations began. Before they left the militia headquarters, however, Sain first let Marianne and the twins know that they could go home and also let them know of Phil's injury. They were also as devastated as anyone else to hear of Kent's death, but promised that they and Phil would hang in there together and do whatever they could to help with anything.

Sain suggested a town meeting of sorts to decide how to honor Kent and what to do for his funeral. Myron agreed that this was a good idea, and within a matter of time, all of the town's important people were situated in the town square. Myron himself, Sain, Phil, the town magistrate, and more were present, and the meeting soon got underway. It actually didn't take long for people to agree that building a little memorial for Kent was the proper thing to do. It would be a small statue of him in his memory, decorated with poinsettia flowers at the base. Poinsettias grew better than most flowers in this part of Elibe, so it was the obvious choice. They were also most commonly red, the same color as Kent's armor.

Once the memorial was finished being sculpted, the town's funeral service would take place. In the meantime, Sain, Fiora, Nick, Emily, Florina, and a few others would travel to Caelin for the more official funeral. And if Kent's body was ever found, a burial would be done there as well.

With the plans all figured out and agreed upon, Sain and his family headed home to begin preparing themselves. They needed formal wear for the funeral, and to pack for their journey to Caelin. They also had to plan a route so they would arrive at their destination at the quickest possible time. It was still difficult to discuss things without tearing up again, but Sain and Fiora managed to do so. They also surmised that Phil, Marianne, the twins, and Florina would like to join them, so they chose to include them in their plans. They began overlooking a map of Elibe laid out onto the kitchen table, pointing out towns and other areas along possible routes. The group would have to stop at least a few times to eat and take a rest, as it would be a long journey.

Suddenly, however, there was a pounding on the door, followed by a familiar voice.

"Sain! Fiora! Come quickly! Please!" Florina shouted between her fist hitting the door.

Sain and Fiora immediately vaulted from the table and hurried to the door, Sain swinging it open almost like he would a sword.

"Florina, calm down, what's the matter?" Sain inquired.

"Yes, what is it?" Fiora added.

Florina caught her breath for a moment before answering.

"Kent!"

"Huh?" Sain replied. "You or someone else found his body?"

"A local hunter did. He was apparently out there most of the day and had no idea what happened. He just stumbled onto Kent lying motionless and freezing cold at the edge of a river!" Florina explained. "Thanks to him, we can give Kent a proper burial now."

"That's good," Fiora commented. "Kent deserves much better than a rugged, snow covered grave."

"I agree," Sain seconded. "But where did you learn this, Florina?"

"I happened to be flying overhead as the hunter was bringing Kent into town. I saw him coming in," Florina continued. "So I took Kent for him."

"Huh?! So you have him with you right now?"

"Yes."

Florina then turned to show Sain and Fiora Huey, who did indeed have the orange-haired knight's corpse as his cargo. Kent's body was hanging over his back, bound to the saddle by rope. His armor was dented and chipped in places, and some frozen blood stuck to his face. His clothes were torn as well.

"Oh dear, the poor man…" Fiora uttered, her tears sprawling down her cheeks again.

"I know…" Sain added with a sniffle. He then approached his best friend's corpse, a little eased now that he could give him a proper goodbye. Kent's skin was pale and looked as cold to the touch as Florina had described. His left arm was also awkwardly bent, though there was obviously nothing to be done about that. Sain then brought his hands to the knight's head and lifted it up, so he could thank him for everything he'd done and for being such a great friend. However, Sain himself froze when his hands touched Kent's skin. He was…a little warm.

"What the…?!" Sain gasped. Without hesitation, he brought two fingers to Kent's neck. Sure enough, a very faint pulse greeted him.

"OH MY GOD!" he shouted, nearly causing the girls to jump.

"Sain, what's the matter?!" Fiora replied, rushing over as Sain proceeded to haul Kent onto his back. Florina had followed.

"Yeah, are you alright?" she wondered.

"He's alive!" Sain revealed, his heart racing. "Help me get him into the house! Hurry!"

"Oh my goodness!" Fiora gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth. She quickly opened the front door wide and so Sain could gently bring Kent inside and lay him upon the living room couch.

"Fiora, get the kids to bring some pillows and blankets from upstairs!" Sain ordered, to which Fiora obliged. "Florina, can you bring some firewood inside? We have some in the back yard. Fiora can help you when she comes back down."

"Oh, I can do that!" Florina agreed and rushed out back.

"Hang in there, Kent, you're going to be fine!" Sain insisted to his friend, who was still unconscious. After gently laying him upon the couch, Sain ignited a fire in the fireplace as quickly as he could and also fetched a few lanterns from the storage closet. They were typically used for evening travel, but Kent needed to be warmed up as quickly as possible or he really would be dead. Sain placed the lanterns on the small tables near the couch and lit them so some heat immediately reached Kent.

Moments later, Fiora, Nick, and Emily came charging down the stairs, complete with a large spare blanket and two pillows.

"Dad! What's going—holy cow!" Nick blurted, immediately seeing Kent on the couch. Emily gasped louder than she ever had in her life.

"Kent! Daddy, Kent's not dead?!" she shouted. "Will he be okay?"

"I sure hope so, sweetheart," Sain replied. "He really needs that blanket and pillows though, so come on."

"Oh, right!"

Nick and Emily, with Fiora's help, quickly bundled Kent up in the bedding.

"Sain, we should clean that blood off of him too," Fiora suggested. "And clean his wounds. They might've been infected out there."

"Ah, good idea," Sain agreed. "Although…"

"Hm?"

Before Sain could answer, Florina came rushing in with her arms full with firewood.

"Ah, good timing, Florina! Put some of it in the fire! I don't think it's burning enough yet," Sain instructed.

"Alright! I'll go get more too, I've a feeling you'll need it," Florina replied.

"I'll go help!" Nick added. The two then rushed back to the back yard.

"Well, as I was about to say, I've a feeling Kent fell into a river, and one that was flowing quickly," Sain continued. "Florina said the hunter found him next to one. I bet that's how he survived. The river was flowing, so it wasn't frozen, and it broke his fall. It was still very cold though, and his fall was bumpy since he has all those cuts and that injured arm."

"That is a good theory…" Fiora agreed. "There are a few rivers in those mountains. But regardless, I'm so relieved that he still lives… Oh, everyone will be so happy!"

"Well, if we succeed in saving him…"

"Ah, yes…"

"Oh! We need to get a doctor over here too!" Sain realized. "I don't think we can treat him ourselves."

"Ah, you're right! Should I—?"

Before Fiora could finish, Florina and Nick reentered the room with more firewood.

"No, Florina, how about you go to the nearest infirmary and get a doctor?" Sain requested. "I feel Fiora and I ought to watch over Kent."

"Oh, of course!" Florina agreed. "I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"Great, thanks!"

With that, Florina was out the front door again and off to her next task. At this point, all Sain and the others could do was wait and hope for the best. Sain decided to check Kent's pulse again and it was still faint, but he was already warming up thanks to the others' quick actions. Although, his breathing was weak.

"Hey, Sain, I have another idea," Fiora spoke up moments later. "If Kent wakes up, I'll make him some hot soup and tea."

"Alright, that should help too. He was out there in the cold for hours, so there's a chance he'll wake up feeling sick," Sain realized. "More reason to have a doctor here too."

"Right."

Not a few seconds later, there was another knock at the door. Florina couldn't have possibly returned that fast, even on a Pegasus. Sain wondered who it was as it opened the door, and found none other than Phil and Marianne standing there, the former complete with his crutches.

"Hey, buddy!" Phil greeted.

"Phil, what are you doing here?" Sain insisted, allowing the pair to come in. "I told you that you needed to stay home!"

"I know, but Marianne and I just wanted to check up on you and—SWEET GALLOPING PALADINS!"

"Oh!" Marianne gasped.

The two had quickly noticed Kent's unconscious form on the couch.

"Kent's…alive?!" Phil blurted.

"He is, it's a miracle," Sain confirmed. "Florina is out getting a doctor. We're hoping we can save him."

"Wow…" Phil commented. "This has turned out to be one crazy as hell situation."

"My, it certainly has!" Marianne agreed.

"Tell me about it. Hey, where are your kids at? A neighbor's, I hope?" Sain wondered.

"Oh, yes, a neighbor is babysitting for us," Marianne confirmed. "She's been a friend for a long time, so we trust her. Ajay and Ashelle love her too. I'm glad we decided not to bring them though. I wouldn't have ever wanted them to see poor Kent like this, even if he's not actually dead."

"Yeah, what she said," Phil seconded. "As I was saying though, we just wanted to check up on you guys after what happened. I mean, Nick and Emily must be traumatized after what they went through, and then Kent happened…"

"I understand," Sain replied with a smile. "And thanks."

"Yes, you two are such good friends," Fiora added.

"Ah, don't mention it," Phil said, scratching the back of his head in abashment. "You guys mind if we stick around for a bit though? I'd like to see right away if Kent does actually make it. And…er, it's hard traveling with a broken ankle."

"Yeah, you're going to have to," Sain agreed. "I don't want you moving so much when you're injured the way you are. Besides, the doctor that's on the way can check you out while he or she's here."

"Heh, right. Thanks."

Sain then allowed the pair to bring the kitchen chairs into the living room since the couch was occupied. By this time, Nick had also finished bringing in enough firewood to keep the fire blazing for a long while. Fiora soon went into the kitchen and came out a minute later with a long, white cloth.

"Sain, I'm going to put Kent's arm in a sling," she said. "We wouldn't want it to get injured even more."

"Oh yeah, good idea. I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner," Sain agreed.

Fiora then gently lifted Kent's injured arm and sent it in the cloth so she could tie it to his neck.

"Oh! He can't lay there in his armor either, that's not comfortable," Sain pointed out. "Man, I got so busy trying to warm him up that I just forgot everything else."

"It's fine, I think. He's still breathing, if lightly."

"We'll help," Phil offered.

With that, the four unbuckled Kent's armor and set it nearby. They made sure to be careful with it since it had also been dented in Kent's fall. It likely prevented him from being injured further than he already was. Afterward, all they could do was await Florina's return with the doctor and continue hoping for the best. So far, Kent still had a faint pulse and was breathing, most certainly due to having been found and brought to Sain's home. But how long this would last, no one could possibly know.

A moment later, Sain noticed a drop of sweat trickle down the side of Kent's head. He quickly brought a hand to his forehead, only to snatch it away in an instant.

"Whoa!" he gasped. "Kent's burning up now. And I don't think the fire is the reason."

"Oh dear…" Fiora commented, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"That's no good," Phil added. "Clear sign that the cold has made him sick."

"Exactly. Fiora, remember when I made myself ill during the war and you helped me recover? What was it that you did? I wish I could remember, but it escapes me! It could help Kent too," Sain pointed out. "And you've done the same whenever the kids were ill too, right?"

"Ah, yes…" Fiora recalled. "I made you some hot tea and soup and had you rest a lot. And you had a damp cloth on your head at all times. I don't know if Kent has the same affliction you had, but I could definitely try this."

"Alright, then let's do it."

With that, the two got up to prepare the tea and cloth. Before they could leave the room, however, another knock came at the door.

"Oh, that must be Florina and the doctor," Fiora pointed out. "I'll do this Sain, you go greet them."

"Sure thing, thanks," Sain replied and made for the front door again. Just as Fiora had guessed, Florina and a doctor were waiting on the other side of it. Sain greeted them immediately and let them in.

"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner," Florina said. "I went to the closest infirmary I could find and all the doctors there were in the middle of appointments."

"Yeah, she speaks the truth," the doctor, a dark blue-haired man who appeared to be in his late thirties, replied. "Now let's—…Phil? What are you doing here?"

Everyone soon turned to Phil, blinking in surprise.

"Er… Hey there. Just visiting a friend. Heh," Phil replied with a nervous smile. Sain folded his arms in clear irritation.

"Phil. Explain," he said.

"Ah, alright. This is the same doctor that treated my ankle," Phil admitted.

"And I specifically told him to stay home all day," the doctor added.

"I know, but I was worried for my friends here after what happened to Kent. I just couldn't stay away…"

"I understand that. And since this is a dire situation, I'll let you off the hook this time. Anyway, let's see what I can do for Kent. I'm honestly amazed that he's alive at all."

"Join the club…" Sain replied.

"Ha, indeed."

"We think the river he fell into is what saved him," Sain said. "He was found washed up upon one that was flowing in the nearby mountains."

"Hm, yes, that is quite plausible," the doctor agreed. "I think you're right. A flowing river would carry him somewhere and he wouldn't just sit in it. If he did, he would have surely frozen to death by now."

"Exactly," Sain said. "He was extremely lucky… I wonder if the gods above had a hand in this… Seeing our friendship as too precious to end so soon."

"It's possible. The power of things like love and friendship is incredible, perhaps even limitless in what it can do."

As they spoke, the doctor knelt by Kent's side and began examining him. He felt for his temperature, checked his heartbeat, and examined all the cuts and bruises as well as his injured arm. He also forced open his eyelids to check his eyes and peered into his nose and ears. Fiora also returned to the room in the meantime.

"Hmm…" the doctor spoke up. "You've done a good job so far, putting his broken arm in a sling and bundling him up near a fire. He is definitely cold, feverish, and I felt a break somewhere in that arm. Have you cleaned his cuts too?"

"Oh, no, we haven't gotten to that yet," Sain replied. "We probably should have, though…"

"It's alright, I can do that and bandage his arm further myself now. I've brought some supplies."

Sain nodded as the doctor continued his work. He produced bandages from his brown bag and wrapped Kent's arm so it could more comfortably rest in the sling. He also bandaged all the cuts on his arms, legs, and torso. A bandage was needed for his head as well.

"He has a bump and large scrape on his head, which is probably what knocked him out," the doctor said. "He likely hit a rock on his way down."

"Yes, those mountains get pretty rugged in places," Sain agreed. "So, what are his chances?"

"Well, as far as I can see, he has a good chance of survival. He doesn't have any large wounds that a lot of blood would be lost through, nor do I feel any skull fractures on his head. He does appear to be in a coma, however, so I cannot say for sure that he will live."

"Oh…" Fiora commented, sniffling. "He's been unconscious for hours… It's been that long since Sain returned from the mountain on which they were battling a group of bandits."

"Hm, then all we can do right now is wait. Even if he does wake, however, Kent must be monitored," the doctor instructed. "He still has a high fever, is shivering slightly, and his heart rate and breathing rate are increasing faster than usual in cases like this. I can't be positive about his unless he wakes up, but I fear he may have contracted Blood Frost. Which, as you may know, is not easy to treat when the patient is not awake. If he doesn't regain consciousness soon enough, his illness could kill him."

"Oh man…" Sain commented. "I've heard of Blood Frost before. If memory serves, it happens most often to people who have just had a cold or flu."

"Correct," the doctor confirmed. "However, it can also occur without those things, and being in freezing cold weather for a while can definitely expose you to a lot of diseases. If Kent wakes up and begins coughing, vomiting, feeling very tired or weak, having the chills, having chest pain, and he coughs up mucus, then it's definitely Blood Frost. I can prescribe some medicinal herbs for him if that's the case."

"Alright, we'll send for you again if that happens. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure, Sir Sain. I shall be going now."

With that, the doctor took his leave, and the group was left to wait for Kent to wake. If he ever would, that is.

"Sain, I know of Blood Frost too, and we can also help," Fiora pointed out. "Kent will have to stay on the couch and get plenty of rest if he has it, and drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated. It's why I made the hot tea and put soup on the oven."

"Ah, good. I just hope it isn't cold by the time he wakes."

"Heh, well, I can always make more."

"And Dad, if you and Mom have to be really busy, Em and I will take care of Kent!" Nick stepped in. "We'll bring him his tea or soup or medicine or whatever else he needs."

"Yeah! Just like the doctor told us!" Emily seconded.

"You two are so sweet," Fiora commented with a smile. "Thank you. Although, Aunt Florina should help you if it's necessary. That soup and tea can get really hot, so you need to be careful."

"Yeah. But yes, thank you both," Sain agreed, repeating the gesture. "Just be careful like your mother said."

"Alright!" both kids obeyed.

"Oh, speaking of which, I need to go check on the tea and soup," Fiora realized and headed back into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Sain sat as close to Kent as he could, waiting anxiously to see if his best friend would wake. His heart raced as he watched another drop of sweat trickle down the side of the knight's head. Soon enough, he couldn't suppress the urge to check Kent's fever and pulse yet again. And both were still present.

"Sain, you know, if you keep touching and sitting so close to him, you might catch whatever Kent has yourself," Phil pointed out.

"Phil's right, Sain," Marianne seconded. "You wouldn't want to get ill too, would you?"

"Well, no," Sain admitted. "But I would stay by Kent's side for however long it takes for him to recover. Besides, as the doctor said, he needs to be monitored."

"Hm, you're right about that," Phil said and then smiled. "Just don't forget to eat and sleep."

"Phil, honestly…"

"Oh, I'm joking. Don't worry, I know you won't forget that stuff. I just wanted to brighten up the moment a little."

"Heh, I understand. It's alright."

A few moments of silence passed as all attention remained focused on Kent. Sain could only hope that if Kent remained in his coma through the night, he would be alright in the morning. Nobody could sit with him during that time, after all, as everyone needed their sleep. Just as Sain began getting lost in thought, however, he thought he noticed Kent shift a little on the couch. He blinked, and saw the knight move again, this time letting out a light moan. A gasp escaped Sain's lips in an instant.

"Kent? Kent!" he cried, hoping to get his friend's attention. Kent's eyes soon fluttered open.

"Whoa!" Phil blurted.

"Fiora! Come in here, quick!" Sain called. "Kent woke up!"

"…Wa…?" Kent uttered, his vision slightly blurred. "Where…?"

Fiora soon rushed back into the room, and the kids rushed to Kent's side as well.

"Where…am I?" Kent wondered, his vision beginning to clear.

"You're safe with us now," Sain replied, smiling.

"…Sain? But…"

"Try not to speak too much. You're in pretty bad shape."

"Huh? …Uggh, my chest hurts."

Sain suddenly felt it hard to smile. That was another symptom of Blood Frost.

"Well, you'll be alright now," he said.

"Seems so… I thought I was dead though. My memory is fuzzy right now, but I remember…the bandits, and the avalanche… And shoving you out of the way. But nothing after that."

"You said I had to live for my family. Those were your last words…or so I thought. I and everyone else thought you had died too. We even started preparing for a funeral and to move to Caelin so I could watch over it in your place."

"Oh wow…"

Before anyone could say anything else, Kent suddenly went into a fit of coughing. Sain and Fiora both felt lumps form in their throats, as he was showing yet another symptom.

"Ugh… I'm sorry…" Kent said when he finally regained his voice. "I don't feel well… I feel cold…yet sweaty. That's a fever, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Fiora confirmed. "A doctor was here earlier, he said you were ill."

"Well, he was right… I feel very tired and fatigued too. And… Wait. Fever, chest pain, coughing, fatigue… Oh god. It's Blood Frost, isn't it?"

"…Yep," Sain confirmed through a worried tone.

"Well, that's lovely…"

Kent then finally noticed his bandaged arm.

"Hey, my arm, did it break in my fall?"

"The doctor confirmed that too," Fiora replied. "He also said he had some herbs he could give to you for the Blood Frost."

"That's good. Can someone go get them for me?"

"Of course. You just rest."

"Yeah, one of us will go," Sain agreed. "Florina, would you mind going out again, or would you prefer to take a break from what?"

"Oh, I can go again, it's no trouble," Florina replied with a smile. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Ah, thanks."

With that, Florina departed once more, relieved to be able to tell the doctor some somewhat good news. Though being as sick as he was wasn't anything to cheer about, Kent was awake and alert.

"While we wait, Kent, I have some hot tea and soup for you," Fiora said. "It should be nearly ready."

"Ah, that sounds good to me, thank you," Kent replied.

"You'll have to try to sit up though, otherwise you could spill it."

"Right, I'll try."

Fiora then returned to the kitchen, leaving the others to wait again. Kent soon noticed Phil and Marianne in the room, after not having seen them at first.

"Oh, Phil… Marianne," he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you two until now. What are you both here for?"

"Ah, no worries, we were just worried about Sain and family and then got the shock of our lives when we saw you on the couch," Phil replied with a chuckle. "We wanted to see if you'd be alright. And I have a hard time moving with my ankle broken."

"…Oh yeah, I remember. You had fallen off of Florina's Pegasus."

"Yep. It'll be a little while longer before I can get back in action though, sadly."

"Yeah, I bet. But thank you for being here. I appreciate it."

"Hey, no problem! We might've only just met recently, but you're still a friend!"

"Heh, thanks…"

"Oh, but I will make sure Phil stays put when we go home," Marianne assured. "I won't let him aggravate that injury."

"Oh, I'm sure," Kent commented, managing a small smile. Within the next second, however, he went into another round of coughing.

"Ugh… I'll be glad when I can take that medicine Florina is bringing…" he groaned. "My head hurts too."

"The doctor said you had to have hit your head when you fell. Lucky that it didn't cause you to lose your memory or your sight or anything," Sain replied.

"Well, my memory is still a bit fuzzy, since it's taking me a little while to remember things, but true."

At that moment, Fiora returned, carrying a bowl and cup carefully. She set them down onto the coffee table in front of Kent, alongside a napkin and spoon. The cup sat on a little tea plate. Kent's illness didn't stop his nostrils from helping him to appreciate the warm aroma of the soup and tea.

"Here you go, Kent," Fiora said with a smile. "Eat and drink slowly, though. Nausea is a symptom of Blood Frost too, and if you consume anything too fast, it'll probably upset your stomach."

"Ah, right…" Kent remembered. "I'll take it slow. Thank you so much…"

"Oh, of course. And if you need anything, anything at all, you let us know. You've been through too much."

"Yeah, definitely," Sain seconded.

"True. Thanks again," Kent replied, managing a small smile.

He then slowly sat up, though through the pain of his aching body and arm. Kent was more hungry than thirsty due to how long he'd been out in the mountains, and the tea looked even more piping hot than the soup, so he went for the soup first. It was noodles in chicken broth. Kent took the spoon and ladled a small sip to his mouth after lightly blowing on it.

"Ah, delicious," he commented with a smile. "Makes me feel a little better already."

"Oh, I'm glad," Fiora replied, smiling delightfully. "Keep sipping it every now and then, though. And if it gets cold, I can put it back on the oven."

"Right."

"Well, I guess you'll be here for a while, huh?" Sain pointed out. "You can't go home in this condition."

"Yeah, I might have to stay longer than planned," Kent realized. "We'll have to write to Lord Hector to let him know, so he doesn't worry about me."

"Oh, definitely."

"Kent, we're just glad you're okay after all!" Nick put in as he and Emily rushed over to give the knight a hug.

"Yeah! We were so sad!" Emily added. "You're like family to us!"

"Ooh, careful, kids," Kent said, wincing slightly from the hug. "I'm still injured, remember. But thank you."

"Oh, right, sorry!" Nick replied.

"It's alright. But I'm really like family to all of you?"

"Oh yeah," Sain replied. "Just like Emily said. Kent, seriously, how can I not think of you like a brother? I'm surprised Nick and Emily haven't ever called you Uncle Kent yet."

"Oh, we're waiting to see if Kent marries Aunt Florina!" Nick pointed out with a chuckle.

"Yep!" Emily confirmed, giggling. At that, Kent's cheeks faded into a rosy red.

"Haha, that figures," Sain commented.

In the next moment, the front door opened again to reveal none other than Florina herself, carrying a small bag of the herbs that the doctor had mentioned.

"And speaking of which," Fiora said with a smile.

"Oh, were you talking about me?" Florina said with a giggle. "Here are the herbs though. The doctor wanted to mix them up himself, but he had his hands full with another patient."

"Ah, well, that should be no problem as long as he left instructions," Sain replied.

"He did, don't worry," Florina replied. "They're right here."

She then handed Sain a small sheet of parchment.

"Good. Fiora, you're better at this than I am, so could you?" Sain wondered.

"Oh, of course," Fiora replied with a smile.

She then took the parchment from Sain and the herbs from Florina and returned to the kitchen yet again. By this time, she had to be going in there half a dozen times. She didn't mind, however, since it was to help care for Kent. The resulting silence was soon broken, though.

"Kent, how are you feeling?" Florina wondered.

"Sigh… Well, as alright as to be expected, I suppose," Kent replied. "I'm still in some pain and feeling ill."

The knight broke into another fit of coughing a moment later.

"Oh, you poor thing…" Florina commented. "But I'm glad we won't have to tell Lord Hector and Lyn that you're dead after all. They would have been heartbroken."

"Probably."

At that moment, Sain's eyes bulged wide and he brought a hand to his head.

"Ah, crud! I just remembered!" he blurted. "Kent and I had something to talk to Fiora and the kids about. We were waiting until after the bandits were dealt with and the kids were safe. Florina, I'm glad you, Phil, and Marianne are here, as you three should know too."

"Oh yeah, that's right," Kent realized. "Well, once Fiora returns from the kitchen, let's do that. Sain, remember what we talked about."

"Yes, I know."

"Oh, is it what that nightmare you had was all about?" Phil wondered.

"Actually, yeah," Sain confirmed.

"I thought so."

"He told me about the nightmare as well," Kent said.

"Oh, this must be very serious," Marianne commented.

"Yeah," Nick seconded. "I should know, I had a nightmare too. But about something different, I think."

"It is a different matter," Sain confirmed. "But it does concern all of us, Nick. You and Emily will understand."

"I hope so."

A minute or so later, Fiora re-emerged from the kitchen carrying a small bowl and spoon. In it was the mixture of herbs, which she was still stirring. She set it down onto the coffee table next to Kent's soup and tea, which he had also been sipping more of.

"Alright, Kent, according to the doctor's instructions, you have to take a spoonful of this every five hours," Fiora explained. "It's for your high fever. There's another medicine you'll have to take for the coughing and your lungs, and I'll make that one shortly."

"I understand, and thank you," Kent replied. "I just hope I can stand the taste…"

"I'm sure you can, you're tough," Fiora said with a smile.

"Heh, I would hope so!"

"Fiora, before you go back into the kitchen for the umpteenth time, can we all talk for a little while?" Sain wondered. "This shouldn't take long. And it's…important."

"Oh? Are you finally going to explain that nightmare you had?"

"…Yes, as a matter of fact. I knew you weren't going to forget."

"I wouldn't ever. You had me worried."

"I know. But, it's still not easy to explain. And it will probably change our lives forever."

"What do you mean?"

Sain took a deep breath before continuing, his heart beginning to race.

"Well… I'll start at the beginning, so everyone can understand."

He stood up, eyeing his friends and family around him, bracing himself for what their reactions to his story may be.

"Alright… When Kent arrived, he had some news to bring me," Sain began. "He only found out after he'd actually left on his journey, so he couldn't mention it in his letter. My parents spoke with him."

"What? Why would they have to do that?" Fiora wondered.

"They…weren't ready to face me with this. I wish they would have asked to see me, but they didn't and summoned Kent instead. My parents…had a secret."

"A secret? Sain, are you serious?"

"Dad, why would grandma and grandpa keep secrets?" Nick wondered. "That doesn't sound like them."

"Yeah, they told us all kinds of stories! Even ones about you!" Emily pointed out.

Sain felt his cheeks go pink for a second as a small smile formed on his features.

"Heh, yes, that's true," he said. "But there was something they never even told me. And they kept it to themselves for years. Ever since I was born, in fact. It's a big secret."

"Sure sounds like it, given that you had a nightmare about it," Phil commented.

"Yeah. What happened was…when I was born, a spell was cast on me."

Sain went on to tell the very same story Kent had given him in the tavern, nervously making sure not to leave out any important details. Even so, his heart pounded and his hands trembled a little more with every word he said. So far, he looked to be reliving the very nightmare he'd had about this. When he finished, Sain could only take a gulp. Before Fiora or the kids could comment, however, Phil burst out laughing. Kent could only blink in shock while Sain merely deflated like a balloon.

"And what, may I ask, are you laughing at?" he said irritably.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Phil gasped between chuckles. "I don't think you're lying or anything, I believe you. It's just, a curse that makes you hit on women? That's hilarious!"

"Yeah, well, you don't seem to get how this affects me," Sain replied. "It means that I wasn't who I should've been, and I grew up a lie. When I got Fiora, then I became the man I was supposed to. Some of the stories about me that my kids were told? They weren't because of me, but because of some damn curse!"

"Er… Well, you do have a point."

"Sain… This is all true?" Fiora wondered.

"…Y-Yes," Sain replied, a lump forming in his throat. "It is. Kent told me everything in the tavern. But I swear, my parents aren't bad people. My mother made one big mistake, and she still regrets it, I'm sure. I still love all of you and intend to do so the way I have for the last twelve years."

"Sain. Is this why you were shouting for us not to leave when you were asleep that night?" Fiora continued.

"…Yes."

"Sain. Why would you ever think we would abandon you? Yes, this is rather…awkward. But it's as you said, you didn't do anything, it was that curse and your mother's ex. None of it was your fault. And the fact that you broke the curse says things about you. Your mother's ex probably intended for you to never find true love, and you did anyway."

"And like I told you, Sain, you even could keep it under control by leaving married women alone," Kent added. "You had too powerful a will! Do you understand now?"

"Dad, to me, this is just another neat story about you!" Nick stepped in. "Mom's right, it is kinda weird too, but that's no reason to stop calling you my hero!"

"And mine too!" Emily seconded. "Daddy, nobody here would ever leave you. And you showed that you love us by saving us today, remember?"

Sain sniffled upon hearing these words, vainly attempting to hold back tears of happiness.

"I…see," Sain finally replied a moment later.

"Yeah, Sain. I'm still sorry I laughed, but you're still my friend," Phil said. "A little ol' curse won't change that. It's broken anyway!"

"Anything I could say has already been said," Marianne put in. "Sain, we'll always respect you."

"There isn't anything I can add either," Florina said with a smile. "Everyone else hit the nail on the head. I couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law."

"Guys… Thank you," Sain said. "I guess my fears really were ill-placed. I'm so…so relieved. I couldn't ask for a better family or friends."

"Hey, family and friends are meant to stick together," Kent commented. "That's what true friendship is all about. And if a family has to break up, they were never a real family to begin with."

"Heh, you do have a point there. We are a family. And that won't change."

"Never," Fiora agreed.

"By the way, Kent, I promise that we'll make up for the time you have to take resting and recovering here," Sain continued. "Anything you'd like to do, just name it."

"Yes, you only need but ask," Fiora seconded with a smile.

"Oh, thank you. If I think of anything, I'll let you know," Kent agreed.

"I can help too, Kent," Florina offered, following Fiora's gesture. "With all those bandits taken care of, there isn't much work for my squad to do right now. And we still haven't gotten to do much catching up after so long."

"Ah, not a bad idea," Sain replied with a punchy smile. "Why don't you two go out to dinner sometime?"

"Huh?!" Kent blurted, almost falling off the couch.

"Oh, that would be lovely!" Florina agreed. "Although, you and Fiora could join us! I wouldn't want to leave you guys out."

"Ooh, a double date!" Phil chimed in. "But add me and Marianne, and we can triple it!"

"Now there's an idea!" Sain commented smugly.

"H-Hey! Hold on here!" Kent intervened. "N-Not that dinner doesn't sound good, but I'm still stuck on a couch! And I don't know if it should be called a date."

"Oh, we're just teasing you. But all of us going out to eat sometime is a nice idea regardless," Sain said with a smile. "We'll keep it in mind."

"Well, I can agree with that. And I do need my mind taken off these body aches and this annoying cough every now and then."

"Indeed."

"And we don't have to call anything a date if you really don't want to," Florina said. "I understand if you still have lingering feelings for Lyn or something else on your mind. Things like that can take time to heal, after all. …Oh, no pun intended."

"Heh, don't worry, you're right," Kent agreed. "And…thank you, Florina. I mean it. In fact…you saved me, didn't you?"

"…I…I did! How did you know?"

Kent merely smiled.

"Well, someone had to bring me here from the mountain. Fiora wasn't going anywhere after what Nick and Emily went through and believing that I was dead, and you're the only other person we know around here that rides a Pegasus."

"Ah, you always were one of the smart ones. Although, it wasn't only me. A hunter found you on the trail and I saw him carrying you while patrolling. We had to make sure that there were absolutely no bandits left."

"Well, you both have my ultimate thanks. I'd say you deserve that dinner now too. Regardless of who is there with us or if it's a date."

"Aw… You're very sweet. Thanks."

The room then fell silent while Kent sipped more of his tea and soup. Fiora chose to head back to the kitchen to make the knight's second medicine. Meanwhile, Sain could swear that neither Kent nor Florina could take their eyes off of one another for several moments. Phil noticed as well, as he shot Sain a wink, notifying him that he shared his thoughts on the pair. They were going to get them together, without a doubt. Although, Sain knew that the most important thing was something Kent had said earlier. Real friends and family stuck together through thick and thin, no matter what.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Anacybele