Fire Emblem: Awakening ♪ - Chapter 1 - SmolAngstyWritings - Fire Emblem: Kakusei (2024)

Okay! Here it is~ In case you need my OC info again, here's the linkMy OCs
And though I don't have a proper drawing of her, here's a drawing of her in a blue shirt (not her proper outfit) and a drawing of Frederick (but you've seen this before~)My drawings

Also, I have a future child OC for her as well, but we can get to that later, alright? ^u^

[By the way, I think Chrom is the most well-rounded character in the game (he gets angry, happy, dorky, etc... So he's the most difficult to RP, for me at least! If you want me to change his style, or Gaius', just let me know! -u-]

Chrom bit his lip, feeling his heart beat rapidly in his chest. They, along with the rest of the Shepherds and some castle guards, were set out in the palace hallway. He gripped Falchion tightly at his side, ready to pull it out and fight at any moment. "Emmeryn, stay here!" he exclaimed, ushering his older sister into a small room deeper in the palace. Just as 'Ike' said- he knew that wasn't the girl's real name, but he didn't know what else to call her- assassins had broken into Ylisstol's palace. It boggled him- how onearthcould they break in? They had guards placed all over the building! But right now, there wasn't any time to be in shock- he had to make sure Emmeryn (and the rest of the Shepherds) were safe. Robin sensed his unease and bit his lip, "Stay calm, Chrom. We'll definitely get her out safely." he reassured him, already planning out tactics. They had everyone who could fight on the battlefield, defending the Exalt's life. (1) The tactician spoke to 'Ike', who agreed on helping them. "Stay in front Emmeryn's room; don't letanyoneget to her!" 'Ike' nodded at his words and gripped her sword, preparing to fight as well. Various units were carefully placed around the scene as well, some paired up and some not. Even in such a dire situation, Robin managed to set up a battle plan. Chrom was obviously distressed; after all, 'Ike' said that Emmeryn would be assassinated tonight. They had to anything and everything to protect her! The prince suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see Robin looking at him with a serious yet comforting expression. "She'll be safe, I promise you. I know you want to protect her right here, but I need you to go down further to deal with the thieves and assassins. Get rid of them before they can get closer to here." Chrom nodded slowly. He had no choice but to listen to Robin; if he didn't, he'd break down and cry instead. And he couldn't afford to do that right now.
Gaius blinked. The instructions that they received just now surprised him. They were here tokillthe Exalt? Though the red-head had nothing against stealing, he definitely didn't want to kill her. She didn't deserve it. The thief scoffed, speaking to no one really, though there were other people around him nonetheless, including a black haired girl, "I didn't sign up forkillingher."

~

Imogen chewed her lip as she stood in the room, gripping her sword. She'd only joined the Shepherds a few weeks ago. Even though she was fully aware of what she was signing up for by joining them, she had no idea that things would get this intense so quickly. She still wanted to do her best; they simply couldn't allow Lady Emmeryn to die! Not here! It was a little strange, since most of the assassins that crept into the palace were Plegian; it was one of the first times that she found herself fighting directly against them. It didn't bother her too much- she wanted to fight for justice, which didn't necessarily mean that she had to fight for the country she was born in. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest; this was terrible! They couldn't let the assassins get to Lady Emmeryn-! Thankfully, Robin remained calm enough to assign them strategies to fight. Without his instructions, she'd too panicked to think properly. She was set up on the opposite side of the room where Chrom, Robin and a couple other people ((you can always add some people, or just remain general)). On the side she was on was Frederick, Maribelle, Sumia and Vaike, amongst some others. That meant they had a proper balance, which would hopefully lead to an easier battle-! "Can we really save her?" she mumbled under her breath, though it really was more for herself than for any of the comrades around her. She hoped they would be able to rely on her in battle, though, because some people *cough* were still a little wary about trusting her. ...Especially since she was from Plegia. When they got permission from Robin, Imogen began to move forward along with the other people by her (though they urged Maribelle to stay behind, to stay safe). She gripped her sword as the enemies came closer.

(1) I know that in the game you can only have a certain number of characters in a level, but I'm assuming that in such a situation they would actually have anyone and everyone to fight :P

[[I love how you're playing him >u< So don't worry! Actually, I don't really mind if anyone is out of character, so worry not xD ^u^ Let's see if I could do this--]

Lila-

"I didn't sign up for killing her. I heard someone say. Obviously, a statement such as that was .... curious. So I turned from my position, glancing back to see a red-haired male. "..." I couldn't really think of a response on the spot, for some reason. I just felt an odd mixture of emotions. No one has ever voiced such thoughts aloud ; thoughts that rebelled against Plegia's orders. Hearing the man's words made me look down, almost in shame. The sword I held was meant to kill the Exalt of Ylisse, Emmeryn. It was my job, something I had to do. Even if I wasn't the one /killing/ her, I was still involved in this. I... didn't want her to die. I knew that Ylisse was a beautiful and peaceful place! It must be that way, due to the efforts of their Exalt. I immediately pushed those thoughts aside. If I kept thinking about it, I'd try to rebel. Then I'd surely get killed. I still felt the need, however, to reply to the red-head. "You needn't worry." I spoke softly, so that none of the others would hear me. I paused, then decided to keep my answer as such: vague. For now at least. He didn't need to worry. If anything, maybe these people could beat the Plegians. I heard that Prince Chrom was fighting among them. So surely, Exalt Emmeryn had a chance? "Let's go ahead." I suggested to the male. Maybe... Maybe I wouldn't fight anyone this time, unless they were actually trying to fight me. Maybe I could go aid the Exalt herself, and protect her...! No, that probably wouldn't work out. I held my sword in my hand, turning back to the red-head. "You can join me." I liked his way of thinking, and so maybe the two of us could figure some way to get out of this mission. After a moment, I slipped out of the room we were in, heading into a hallway instead. So many Plegians...! They made no move to stay hidden, however. That's what usually got them killed. They stood out in the open. Fighting in secret, in the shadows-! That gave an element of surprice. Every Mercenary knew that. Hopefully my new companion would follow me, hiding behind the large poles and staying against the wall. I wanted to see what was going on with the Exalt. In the distance, I could see people from Ylisse. The people whom, to me, should be called my 'enemies'. But honestly, I was silently willing them to win this.

Frederick-

"Milord," I began, seeing Chrom's distress, "Do not fret, for we have people here who would rather die than have the Exalt killed." I wasn't sure if this was of any comfort, but I had spoken, nonetheless. "I am among those people. I will fight until every Plegian scum is on the floor! Heed my words, Milord, and do not worry." With that, I looked ahead, keeping a careful look out for Plegians or assassins. I will not hesitate to strike any of them down, in order to protect the royal family. Robin, thankfully, managed to calm Chrom down. Though it wasn't enough. No, we had to eliminate these dastards immediately. Ike had warned us, had told us of this assassination. We could not allow it to happen. From the corner of my eye, I could see Imogen. She had muttered something, though I hadn't caught it. She was one of them - a Plegian. How did she feel, fighting against them now? Although she had been here for a few weeks, I was still wary of her. Milord has trust in her, due to her fighting alongside us in the past. But I just couldn't help my suspicions. She was a rather lovely sight, yes, but that could simply be a cover for her true intentions. Nonetheless, I didn't speak; rather, I mentally decided to stay close to her, and to fight with her in close range. That way, I could keep an eye on her. After tonight... If she was willing to fight her own kind.. then perhaps she would win my trust. I went over to her. "Let us fight alongside each other." ((Pairing up?)) I paused, then gave a nod. This would be the best way to keep an eye on her, to make sure that she wouldn't betray us. Ahead, several enemies can be seen approaching. The closest to Imogen and I was an assassin; and so I nodded down at my companion, telling her that we'd make the first move. We went ahead in order to strike down the enemy- It wasn't too difficult, as I gave my support as well. We had fought together, each of us taking a strike to the enemy before he fell. "There." I said, glancing around the area. "You've fought well." ((We can get more into the fight scenes in a bit- I just want to get Lila on there side-- xD))

[This is beautiful <3 <3 <3 Oh! And since Lucina's here, do you want her to say anything specific to Lila? I can imagine she'd recognize her mother and maaaaybe approach her, though she wouldn't reveal her identity. Do you want that, or no? xP Oh, and I dunno if you know, but Gaius gives everyone nicknames- Chrom=Blue, Tharja=Sunshine, Libra=Padre and so on. Do you have a special request for a[n eventual] nickname for Lila? There's a lot of Gaius right now, but don't worry, I won't write so much for him once he stops talking to Chrom so much-- unless you want it like this? :3]

Chrom made his way over to the group of enemies that were beginning to trickle into the hallway. He and the others (including someone named Panne, who 'Ike' insisted was trust-worthy) took their weapons into arms and attacked the thieves and assassins who managed to get past the first wall of Shepherds. His mind kept wandering back to Emmeryn, but he had to trust 'Ike' and the others to protect her. And for some reason, the prince had a strange feeling that he could trust this 'Ike', even though she had kept her identity covered up. After all, she saved his life, and Lissa's. That much was enough for now. Chrom stroke at the enemies who tried to get past him to his sister, striking back and occasionally killing them. Those who got past him were almost immediately dealt with by another member of the Shepherds. Thieves and assassins were quick, but not necessarily very strong. Gaius blinked; he hadn't expected anyone to hear his musings, much less to actually reply. What was even stranger was that the girl who spoke to him seemed to agree. So... he wasn't the only one who felt ill at the thought of killing a peaceful ruler like Emmeryn? Well, that was a relief at least..! Curious, and deciding that this was the better option, Gaius followed the black haired girl out of the room- he didn't even know her name, but she seemed like a good enough person. It couldn't hurt to see what she had in mind, at least. As another enemy fell to the ground, Chrom was beginning to feel more secure about this whole situation. It wasn't going too badly! Surely they could win and Emmeryn would be safe...! Suddenly, two figures in the hallway caught the prince's eye. They looked like the enemy, for sure, and even though they each held a sword... neither was making a move to attack. Could this mean...? "Stop right there-!" he exclaimed, deciding that they were trying to get past him to get to Emmeryn without fighting. He raised Falchion, but Gaius interrupted him before he could hurt them, "Whoa, whoa-! Calm down, we're not here to hurt anyone." He urged. Chrom looked sceptical, "And yet you run with a band of assassins?" Gaius shrugged, "I'm just trying to make a living, believe it or not." He gestured to the woman besides him, but didn't speak, since he knew next to nothing about her. Whywasshe here, anyway? Chrom's gaze softened slightly, "Then, will you two help us?" Gaius looked taken aback, "You're going to trust us so easily?" The prince nodded, "We need every man who can fight." he glanced at the girl, "And woman," If this had been another situation, he would've noted her beauty, but his mind really was elsewhere right now. "What do you say?" He asked the black haired girl.

~

Imogen was taken out of a small trance when she heard a voice speak besides her. Frederick. She couldn't help but smile slightly, even despite the situation they were in. The woman had been trying to earn his trust all this time- after all, if he trusted her, she was quite sure that the rest of the Shepherds would be more accepting of her as well; they generally trusted his judgement, since it took a lot of work to earn his trust. Even though she held little fondness to the knight as of now, mostly because he'd been wary of her then and now, she definitely respected him. (1) And hearing him suggest that they fight together was a definite improvement. Perhaps he didn't mistrust her so much anymore? That would be wonderful~ He was a little warmer to her, too, so she could see an improvement there as well. It took a long time, and lots of effort, but it was good to finally see his attitude change, even if only a little. Maybe she could even grow to like him more? It was always much easier to be friends with someone when they didn't question everything you did, placing suspicions on it. "Alright. I'm sure we'll be able to fend them off, then!" Imogen nodded in rely, gripping her sword as she moved forward. They met the enemies not too far away and she at once moved to block an attack, countering it with her own. With Frederick's help, the assassin was dead in almost no time at all. But there were still lots of enemies, despite it all. "Thanks. You, too." Imogen spoke, preparing herself for the next attack. She would've complimented the great knight even more, but 1) this wasn't the best time for it, and 2) she was quite sure he was perfectly aware of his strength. Oh well, they could speak later! Right now.. enemies. The assassins and thieves weren't the most difficult part, though. In the distance, still a little while away, Imogen could see mages. To her, who knew next to nothing about magic, casting and even fighting against magic of any kind was a fright. She hated how they could attack her before she could attack them, as they could send spells off from a larger distance. She grimaced slightly, mentally noting to be careful around them when they got closer. "You're not hurt, are you?" Imogen spoke up to Frederick when they had a chance to stop for a moment, regaining their breath as they prepared themselves to attack the enemies who were gradually coming closer. Maribelle wasn't too far away, in any case...

(1) That's what I'm saying now, but she'll get to like him very quickly :PP It's not realistic, but whatever! Love can be quick *u*

[[Oh! Yes! Lucina could say something to her mother~ Or something! And as a nickname- maybe something that has to do with sugar, because he loves sugar? (I read the Giaus one shot you wrote-- ouo XD)]]

Lila-

I was rather glad that the red-head decided to join me. Company was something rare to me. Or... well, /good/ company was rare to me. A man with dark blue hair stopped us from moving any further, raising his sword up. I was about to, involuntarily, swing out my sword in order to disarm him. Luckily, my companion spoke before anything major happened. I pursed my lips, watching the two speak. Ah.. my companion was a theif. He seemed rather confused about me, and so I decided now might be a good time to introduce myself. "Lila. My name is Lila. ...I'm a trained Mercenary." I paused, suddenly feeling ashamed of my title. "Are you the one known as Prince Chrom?" I questioned, as he looked to be dressed well. He definitely didn't seem like a mere knight. My eyes widened, only slightly, when he suggested we help him. D-Did he mean that? Was he really one to trust me so easily? I.. I've killed so many innocent people... I was suddenly feeling guilty. After everything I've done, he was willing to accept me to aid him... I cannot bring back the lives of those I've killed, but I could certainly try to make up for it...! "I will fight with you, then, even if it means dying in the process..!" I said, a confident expression on my face. This was the chance I've been waiting for..! I..I could finally kill those horrid Plegians! I swung my sword around, holding it out. "Exalt Emmeryn will not die on my watch." I swung my arm back, turning with it so that I was standing in front of a Plegian. Without a second breath, I cut him down.

Frederick-

We managed to cut down several Plegians in record time, thank the Gods. Every second passing was more time that Lady Emmeryn could be hurt. We could not allow her to fall to these dastards! Imogen, it seems, was a good fighter. She had not falterted in her attacks. "No, I have not been injured, fear not." She had yet to betray us, and, as time passed, I began to realize that she probably wouldn't. She had fought against her own kind, without any hesitation. Perhaps then, it would be alright to trust her, at least a little. Without a doubt, I /wanted/ to give her my trust. Indeed, she seemed sincere in her actions. This was truly the first time I've ever even considered fully trusting someone so quickly. It has been weeks, yes, but to me, that was hasty. "Are you not well against magic? Then, we should strike them down before they come to us." I spoke, going ahead to one of the mage's. I struck him with my lance, though he didn't fall. Rather, he used his lightning-based magic to fire. "Not on my watch." I said, blocking the magic from hurting Imogen. I did not want my companion hurt; she was, after all, fighting alongside me. I have yet to see her even try to turn against us. Thus, for now, I will keep her in my protection. My steel will be hers. After this, hopefully, I may be able to see just how much I could trust her. The mage was soon killed, though he was only one among a dozen. "Let us take them down in haste." And with that, we went to fight three, four, five more. Each of them were knocked down, dead. After every fight, I'd feel a bit more trustworthy of my companion. She wouldn't kill her own people, had she still felt loyalty towards them.

[[Inigo *u* Ahn.. So I get to make up a different future kid, right? I'm going to make one up ~ And Inigo could call him Chrom-- or 'your highness' or something of the sort? Milord works too-]]

Lila-

((So, Lila's now a sword-wielding dancer- She still has the sword from her father, and everything else is still the same, though I might make her personality a bit different, more sheepish (like the Lila in the Magi RP xD))) Prince Chrom accepted us so easily. It was... quite refreshing. I was grateful, too; I could finally fight against the wrongdoers! Even.. Even if I wasn't the strongest, I'll help in any way I can! I could use a sword after all, so that was good. Plus, dancing really did help-! Right? I hoped so... The Prince called another man over. He had, I noticed, very lovely features. He had the build of a dancer as well! I wondered if he knew how to dance. I gave a slight nod when he questioned my name, indicating that I was, indeed, Lila. "Pleasure to meet you as well, Inigo." I said, watching as he spoke. He could speak and fight at the same time so easily! He asked about a cup of tea later, and it took me a couple seconds to realize he was speaking to me. "A-Ah.. If you would.. Tea sounds pleasant." I agreed, with a slightly sheepish smile. This wasn't the first time I've been asked somewhere - one or two have asked before - but the men who've asked were those that I wanted to plunge my sword into. This man was certainly different, although we've just met. He was fighting for the right reasons, and that was enough for me. ..Plus, it would be cruel to say no to him, when he had such a lovely smile. In fact, it was quite distracting, really... Inigo was a curious person. Asking me to join him for tea, although I had just been on the side of the Plegians. He, too, trusted me so easily... And that meant a lot to me. I wouldn't break anyone's trust. "I will fight alongside you." I said to the male. I fought better as a supporting party, since I was a mere dancer. Nevertheless, when Inigo striked a Plegian, I'd go and strike right after as well. When there was an opening, anyway. He was quite strong, and it was impressive. Perhaps that was because I've never seen someone kill Plegian's so easily? Being a dancer, I wasn't often allowed to go to big battles like this. This time, however, /everyone/ was to go. The Plegian's wanted to succeed after all. Ah.. But as I see it, they were losing, quite horribly too!

Frederick-

We had no time to waste. Each passing second made me feel more and more weary, more anxious to see if the Exalt is alright. Milord would be devastated if anything were to happen to his sister. Everyone would be. Yes... The Exalt will not be harmed, not while I still draw breath! We seemed to be faring quite well, however, as various Plegian scum fell to the ground. My companion fought alongside nicely, never hesitating or faltering in her swings. Indeed, she must be a friend rather than a foe. Perhaps from now on, we should fight in a team. That would allow me, after all, to keep better eye on her; moreover, I think it was about time that I trust her. She has proved herself to me in this battle. She fights , knowing that she may die, to save the Exalt's life. That was a noble thing , without a doubt. Imogen and I fought of various enemies, including the mages. They proved to be irritating dastards, but they fell to the ground as well. That was their fate! "You are welcome." I replied to the female's thanks. We were a team at the moment, so it was my job to see that she were protected. That is how things worked among the Shepherds. We protect each other in the battlefield, unlike the Plegians, who'd let their comrades die. Unfortunately for me, I momentarily glanced back at Imogen, wondering what she was thinking of. This gave one of the Plegian Assassin's an opening, and, within a breaths time, my companion was hurt. I felt as if I've failed in my duty as a Great Knight. "I'm sorry." I spoke, letting out a sigh. I was irritated at myself. "I should have been paying more attention. If Lady Lissa is nearby, perhaps she could heal you." I said, before going ahead and taking my irritation out on the assassin whom had wounded Imogen. "You die here," I said, giving a powerful swing of my lance. The assassin fell down immediately. "Hn." I muttered afterwards, heading back to the redhead. "It seems as if many of the Plegian's have been killed. Shall we find Milday, in order to have you healed?"

[[Actually, I'd rather the future kid come /before/ the pregnancy >:3 Because then Lila and Inigo would be all flustered and yeah- xD By the way, I LOVE the cheesiness! x3]]

Lila-

"A-Ah..." Would I really be considered a 'beautiful flower'? Even though this man seemed like the flirtatious kind, it still gave me a little boost of confidence. I was usually rather self-conscious of my dancing; though, it felt nice to be called beautiful. Involuntarily, a light blush appeared on my cheeks. It's been a while since I've received a (hopefully) sincere compliment. "You needn't worry, kind sir." I smiled a bit, holding out my sword and pointing it in the direction of a Plegian, "It's stage off for you!" I swung my sword around in a rather rare one-strike kill. Ah.. I was proud of that one! Though I'd definitely need to train harder, and perhaps change from a dancer to something more useful... Surely the Shepherds would be able to help? I looked around, seeing no more enemies within range. "Wielding a sword is almost like dancing. You need to be graceful and quick." I smiled a bit, glancing over at my companion. Was the assassination attempt over? I do hope that Exalt Emmeryn was alright-! Seeing as how the area seemed to be clear, I lowered my sword a bit, but still held it in my hand anyway. "You're quite strong," I said to Inigo, voice holding a bit of admiration. "Perhaps, at some point, you can teach me how to wield a sword correctly?" In return, maybe I could teach him some dances..! He had the build of a dancer, for certain! ...Ah, b-but it would be much too embarrassing..

Frederick-

"Then let us go." I said, still holding my lance at the ready. Blood loss would not be the best, especially at a time like this. Moreover, Imogen was in pain. "Milady," I spoke to Lissa once we approached her, "Imogen is in need of immediate medical assistance, if you will. I shall guard you whist you prepare a spell." I watched the redhead go over towards Lady Lissa, whom immediate took out her staff. Not wanting either of them to get hurt, I turned around to guard the two. Barely any Plegians remained; most of them cowardly ran away, to prolong their life somewhat. Though one brave (or perhaps, foolish) man remained, holding his sword at the ready. "Choose a God and pray." I said, thrusting my lance out roughly. The man fell down, dead, with one hit. "It seems as if the area has been cleared." I announced, turning back to Lady Lissa and Imogen. Milady had healed my companion as I had fought, thank the Gods. Not too much blood had been lost. "Are you alright? You've fought bravely alongside me, and for that, I thank you." Lissa giggled at this somewhat, though she would not give an explaination. "We should go see if the Exalt is alright." I led Imogen and Lissa to the heart of the Palace, where, thankfully, the Exalt stood unharmed. "Sister.." Chrom sighed out in relief, just as Lissa ran up to her. "Thank you all, for fighting so bravely..." Emmeryn spoke, a slight smile on her face. "You have my gratitude, all of you." She added.

[[Aaaand you can timeskip >:3]]

[Okay! That's what I did in my previous RPs, too xP Alright, I hope this is okay~? Oooh! And Lila's line (when she lands a critical hit? I dunno) is soooo cool~ "It's stage off for you!" And just for future reference, it's "pick a god and pray", instead of 'choose'. //Don't be mad at me please I'm not being mean--]

Inigo watched with fascination as Lila, this delicate and beautiful thing, attacked and blocked the enemies, killing them in the process, or even scaring them away enough to leave and never come back. Of course, he assisted her in any and every way he could, but she didn't really need too much help. As he watched her move- she really was a dancer, based off of the way her body moved- he continued to feel his admiration for her rise. He'd just met her, but he knew she was a kind person (she joined the Shepherds, after all), a strong fighter, and of course, a beautiful woman. Yes, he'd definitely need to take her out to tea or something later on, to get to know her more~! Thankfully, the fight was over before too long. The palace was dyed red and bloody, and various vases and artifacts lay shattered on the floor, but other than that, there wasn't too much damage. Inigo sighed in relief. Thank Naga...! He smiled at Lila when she spoke up, complimenting him, "Thank you," he grinned, "I hardly deserve them, but your words lift up my heart~ You really were splendid, too!" He nodded when she suggested for him to teach her some more fighting techniques, "It'll be my pleasure," he smiled- it would be more time to spend with this lovely lady, too~ He looked over her, and seeing that she was unhurt, nodded in approval. "Shall we go back and regroup? I'm sure the Exalt has had quite a fright." Inigo spoke, ignoring the urge to extend his hand to her (she really was reacting well; he didn't want to ruin any chances he had with her now!). ~ The next day was much more peaceful. Emmeryn, thankfully, was unharmed, even though the palace was pretty much in ruins. Though Chrom spoke of having her relocate for now, that would still be in a couple days. It was nice to have a day off for now~ Leaving the barracks, Inigo looked around for Lila. He wanted to speak to her about that tea they were going to have, or even about the sparring practice-- he just wanted to spend some time with her... Although he had to admit, he preferred a cup of tea to sweaty fighting. Still, anything would go, if he could spend some time with her!

~

Imogen nodded and made her way over to Lissa, wanting to get the wound healed as soon as possible. When they approached the princess, she took out her staff and began speaking a healing spell. Before too long, a soft blue light came out from the staff, drenching and healing the wound with its magical properties. Imogen sighed out in relief as she felt the pain leave her body. Apart from a torn and bloody shirt, there was no proof of the wound ever having been there. As that happened, she heard a (very attractive) line being spoken by Frederick, and turned around to see him kill off one of the last Plegians. Thank Naga that was over...! The whole palace was in disarray, but that was the preferable choice to giving up your life. They left to meet up with Emmeryn and the others and thankfully found her safe, if not a bit frightened. Just... ah, Imogen was glad it was over. ~ The next day, the redhead wasn't exactly sure what to do. For what seemed like the first time since she joined them, there was nothing specific to do; they had a day off. She knew she should enjoy it, or use it to continue to train, but she didn't really know how to go along with it. Maybe she could go down to the town, look through the shopping stalls and eat some local food? That could be something nice to do. Either way, the woman walked through the palace, wanting to check if any of her friends were partaking in anything they could do together. Maybe she and Sumia could go somewhere, together? Or Maribelle? Still, she couldn't get a nagging feeling out of her chest that she should be doing something productive today instead of enjoying a day off...

[[Did you really like it? OuO Yay~! And oops! ^^; Ahah, thank you for the correction!]]

Lila-

This man definitely had a way with words-! I've never met anybody quite like him. Perhaps that was because I've been around Plegian's all my life...? Of course, I didn't mean /all/ Plegian's - I, too, was one of them after all! - I simply meant those who fought for evil. "I.. A-Ah, do you really think so?" I asked rather sheepishly when he called me 'splendid'. Surely he was just being kind to me, but either way, the thought was sweet-! "You'll teach me? That's great!" I smiled gratefully, then nodded at his words. I would enjoy finally meeting the Exalt in person...! The next morning was pleasant. Lady Emmeryn was safe and sound, about to be relocated in a few days. Although I wanted her safe, it was pleasant to be so ... carefree for once! This was a very rare opportunity, and I enjoyed it. I hummed slightly to myself, practicing a few of my dance moves in private. To be honest, the moves helped me in battle. I've never actually been taught /real/ swordplay. I've mostly learned through watching. Usually, I'd take certain movements from my routines and use them in battle. It was a start, right? Besides, swordsmen all use particular movements-! It's almost like dancing. ...Almost, but not quite. Which reminds me of Inigo's promise to help me better my swordsmanship. 'Oh!' I thought to myself, stopping my dancing all together. 'We were supposed to have tea!' He had offered, right? It would be nice to get to know the man better over some sweet tea~. I left the secluded area I was in and walked ahead. Surprisingly, it wasn't long before I spotted the white haired male. ((He could be white haired, right? *u*)) "Good Morning, Inigo." I said, rather cheerfully. Yesterday, I hadn't had such a good look at him - we had been in the midst of battle after all! - but now, in the bright sunlight, I could see his features much more clearly. "Are you busy? I thought we could go have some tea, like you suggested! ..Th-That is, if you still want to." I added the last part quickly, feeling a sheepish blush creep up onto my face.

Frederick-

"Milord, do you need-" I began, though was interrupted by a rather exasperated Prince, "No, No Frederick. I don't need anything, thank you. You do a great job as a Great Knight, but, as a friend- Please, take a day off, enjoy yourself! Alright?" Chrom asked with a reassuring smile. "...Is that an order, Milord?" I questioned. Chrom sighed, "I suppose you'd take it as one... But no, it's not an order. It's spoken from your friend, not 'Milord'. Now go enjoy your day off!" He said, nearly pushing me outside. At this point, Lissa spoke, for she had been in the room the entire time, "Yeah, Frederick! Enjoy your day off! Maybe you can go spend the day with Imogen~" She teased. "...Pardon?" I asked. There was nothing wrong with what she said, but it sounded like she was insinuating something. ...Which, when pondered upon, wasn't exactly a bad thing. I was just curious as to where Milady came up with such an insinuation... "I saw the way you were protecting her yesterday! What's more, is that you trusted her much more quickly then you've ever trusted any newcomer." Lissa replied. "Do you even fully trust Robin yet?" She mused aloud. I pursed my lips. "Ah.. I think I will go enjoy my day off." I gave a slight smile, then was off. As luck (or maybe, fate?) would have it, Imogen was the first person I came across after leaving the company of the royals. "What is it that you're up to, today?" I asked the woman. It was curious, how I had truly trusted her so easily (to me). Moreover, there was an odd feeling I got whenever around her. I had just noticed at this moment. "How does one normally spend his or her free time? I am usually with Milord, but he insists on a day off. ...Maybe you can accompany me into town?"

[Of course he can be white haired! Anything you like~]

Inigo turned around, grinning when he heard Lila cheerfully say good morning to him. Oh, it was lovely to hear her voice~ Especially in such a nice situation. He adored meeting her yesterday, too, but he had to admit that, since the circ*mstances were much different, they weren't exactly in a place to talk back then. Which thankfully left them some time to do so today~ "Good morning, Lila," he smiled, looking over at her, "You look stunning today, if I may say so~" In the brief time he'd seen her yesterday, he knew that the dancer was pretty, yes. But he had no idea that she was this gorgeous-! It made him wonder again (and mentally cheer) that she would want to spend time with him~ He shook his head when she asked him if he was busy, "No, not at all," he spoke, thinking for a moment, "In fact, I was looking for some pleasant company to help me get through this day off." When she asked about them having tea together today, Inigo's face at once lit up, "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea!" he exclaimed. She spoke the last part quickly, but he managed to catch it (more or less). Ofcoursehe still wanted to go out with her to tea! The blush that painted itself on her cheeks was a lovely sight, playing along nicely to her soft skin and dark hair, like a melody. Still, he decided not to comment on it, because that would makehimblush instead, and Naga knew that Inigo didn't want to seem un-cool in front of Lila. This was going so well~! Now, what do girls like..? To be honest, the mercenary hardly ever got this far when asking a woman out (they thought he was too much of a flirt), so he was a little at loss of what to do. The white haired man extended his hand, hoping the action wasn't too forward, but he made no move to grab her, either, in case that made her uncomfortable. "Shall we go, then? I know a couple lovely places for tea in Ylisstol." he smiled, "Have you been in Ylisstol before?"

~

It didn't take too long a time for Imogen to see Frederick, walking off from presumably the room Chrom and Lissa were in. Though she'd seen him without his armour on the camp and between marches, it was still quite a surprise to see him not wearing that bulky armour. If she remembered correctly, he'd said once that wearing it often helped him train himself, too, as it was heavy. Not to mention, he had to be prepared for any and every attack. Even though the Great Knight was attractive in his armour as well, Imogen had to admit that it was refreshing to see him without it, handsome as he was. ...Er, did she really just think that? W-well, whatever. It didn't really matter; she hadn't said it out loud, after all! She turned to look at him when he spoke, smiling in greeting. "I'm not entirely sure yet," she spoke, "I was thinking of getting to know some more places in Ylisstol." It was a rather large city, after all, and even though Imogen had been here before, she'd spent pretty much all of her life cooped up in her tiny village before joining the Shepherds a couple weeks ago. Oh, how that action changed her future! Of course, she was more than grateful for it, despite the struggles it brought. She smiled, a little amused at his words, "So you're away from Prince Chrom all day?" she asked. Well, good. Frederick certainly needed some time to relax, even if he himself didn't know it. "I'd be glad to come with you, in that case~" This was wonderful! It was a definite improvement-! Did this mean that Frederick trusted her more now? Or perhaps he was just trying to keep a close eye on her because he didn't trust her at all...? Hopefully that wasn't the case. "Do you have anything in mind? Perhaps you could show me around a little, in that case?" She'd suggest going to a bar or something, but something told her that the Great Knight might not appreciate drinking and getting drunk so much... Well, there were other things to do, too!

[[I fangirl so much over how he says "Hey there" in the game, I swear to God <3 <3 And I loved how, in his Paralouge, he was trying to decide upon his reward- "So if I kill five enemies, maybe I'll get a sweet kiss-" OuO Oh Inigo, I'd kiss you for free <3]]

Lila-

I smiled, a bit sheepishly, "Do you.. think so? I didn't really do anything out of the ordinary today." I mused, my smile never fading. Although I really hadn't done anything different to myself - Really, I had gotten dressed and brushed my hair - It was nice to receive such compliments...! I wondered, however, if Inigo was just being kind. Ah.. no matter. It definitely made me feel better about myself-! "Thank you." I said softly. "You are looking nice today as well," I returned the compliment, a light tint of color on my cheeks despite my smile. Ah... there was absolutely no doubt about his handsome features. I'm sure that nobody in their right mind would be able to call this man anything /except/ handsome. "O-Oh! That's great!" I said when Inigo agreed to having tea together. This would be the first time that I'd accompany a man out somewhere like this. I-I hoped I didn't mess this up... Hopefully, this would be a pleasant day together! And maybe I could get to know the male a bit better. I looked at his extended hand curiously. Did he want to hold hands...? A-Ah, I've never done this before... I gently took his hand, hoping he was alright with it. O-Oh... His hand was warm. I enjoyed it. "Ylisstol is the capital, isn't it? I've only heard of it. I will enjoy seeing it, then, as we go for tea!" I smiled, keeping my hand in his. I was really quite grateful for this man. He.. He had accepted me, even though I had been with the Plegian's at one point..! Many of the Shepherds didn't trust me fully, but this man seemed to. I was glad, that was for sure. As we began to walk, I glanced over at Inigo. "You know, you seem to have a dancer's build." I said with a knowing nod. I paused, suddenly realizing how that sounded. "N-Not that I was, er, studying your build... I-I mean, I, er... I-I just noticed the w-way you move-- U-Uhm.. O-Okay, forget I said anything... A-Anyway!" I grinned nervously, an embarrassed blush on my cheeks. W-Was I messing this up? I-I didn't know what else to speak about.. "I just think you'd make a lovely dancer. Ah.. but not too many males are into such a thing, so I understand if it's not your thing." Men thought that dancing was too 'girly'. Or, well, that's what I heard men say...

Frederick-

"Indeed. Milord wishes for me to relax today. It's quite difficult, however, to come up with something to do that is not training." I paused. Ah... so, Imogen had accepted my invitation. For some reason, hearing her answer was quite... refreshing. I hadn't a clue as to why I suddenly felt so relieved, even grateful, but it did not matter too much at the moment. "Nothing in particular comes to mind, but I will most definitely show you around, if that is what you wish." It would be interesting, to say the least. I haven't roamed the city with anyone other than Prince Chrom. "Ylisstol is full of exotic goods and the such," I explained, then continued, "People enjoy the food and clothing sold at the market very much. There are varrious tea shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as blacksmiths and other weaponry shops. They are all most interesting. ...Sometimes, I find myself preferring camping rather than shopping. It has a certain charm, does it not? I particularly like starting fires- er, campfires." I fixed myself quickly, clearing my throat afterwards. "..In any case, Milady, shall we be off?" It took me a few moments to realize that I had called the woman 'Milady'. It.. It had slipped out, as if it was a natural thing to call her. "...Let us be on our way. The walk to Ylisstol is not too far, however if we are hasty, we might be able to get there before it gets too crowded." It was the capital after all, a place were many Ylisseans went to enjoy their days. I walked beside Imogen, leading her to the lively capital. "If there is anything you would like to see or do in particular, do not hesitate to let me know. Ah.. This is, after all, a day to relax." I wasn't exactly sure /how/ to relax, but it seemed like this was a nice start. I was enjoying myself, even if we were simply walking amonst the Ylissean's. "Have you a hobby? Something that you do while you have free time like this?" I was quite curious to know more about this woman, for some reason. So this seemed like a good way to learn more.

Inigo nodded, "Of course! Though, I can imagine that you look stunning every day~" he grinned. He smiled at her compliment in return (and even though it wasn't really what was on his mind) it was nice to hear her say something like that. Though... was she just returning the compliment because he did so? A soft blush rose up on his cheeks when Lila took his hand; he wasveryglad for it, with no doubt, but he wasn't entirely sure what to do. Things were going along really well- so well that he wasn't sure what to do after. "That's right, this is the capitol," he nodded at her words, "I'll take you to a nice tea place, there are plenty in here." Her next words took him a little by surprise- she spoke of his build? And that he had a dancer's body... A small blush rose up on his face again when he realised that she must have been looking at him, studying his body- not that that was a bad thing, but the thought did make him a little red-faced, too. Still, he had to admit that he was quite happy to receive such attention from her~ Inigo shook his head when she began to stutter, trying to go back over her words, "N-no, it's completely fine! I'm honored that you noticed such a thing~ In fact," he paused for a moment, smiling sheepishly, "I've always adored dancers; I always wanted to be one when I grew up. My mother (1) taught me sometimes when I was a kid, but other than that, I have no experience. ...Perhaps you could teach me sometime?" He definitely would enjoy it, even if dancing in front of her would make him terribly flustered. Still, it would be worth it...! He stopped in front of a small cafe-type of place, decorated humbly with flowers and lanterns. "How about this place? It's one of my favourites; they have lovely tea." he suggested to her.

~

Imogen listened to Frederick as he spoke of the things you could do in Ylisstol. It definitely seemed like a calm and peaceful place, which meant that today would surely be fun. Or at least, just relaxing. Either worked; she'd be thrilled for sure. "Fires?" Imogen blinked, but then shook her head. He must've meant something different, just like setting off campfires (as he had corrected himself later). Well, either way, it probably wasn't anything too important. She nodded when he suggested that they go, and walked with him outside, to the capitol. As they walked, making [slightly awkward] small talk, she smiled. It was strange, but spending time with Frederick was... becoming enjoyable. At least, she didn't sense so much mistrust from the Great Knight. "Hobbies?" she repeated, "I like reading- any novels, really, and gardening. ...Though it's been difficult to find somewhere to plant with the war going on, especially since our camping site changes so often. How about you? What do you like to do?" She hoped he'd give her an interesting answer- not something like "serving Milord". Just... just because surely his /whole/ life couldn't revolve around the royal family? He was someone before he met them, and there's also the person he is when they're not around. Before too long, they arrived at Ylisstol and Imogen looked around in awe at the capitol once again. It was already quite lively, though it was nothing compared to the usual crowds there. There were lots of stalls and booths set up, selling various things. She looked up at Frederick with a smile, "It's really pretty~ ...Do you have anywhere specific in mind?"

(1) Not Olivia, but his mum can be a dancer, too

Lila-

Upon glancing up at my company, I noticed a ... w-was that a blush? O-Oh... Well, that was just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen! ...I didn't say my words aloud, however, because I was worried Inigo might not , er, appreciate it. I was curious though, as to why he was blushing. It was attractive, yes, but ... what was it for? Well, I supposed I'd never really find out... "Ylisstol is beautiful~." I hummed in delight. This was much better than Plegia! After my little mess-up with commenting on Inigo's build, I glanced up at him, face flushed in a hue that was probably darker than his. Ah... His pink cheeks were a lovely sight, even though I hadn't expected him to be the type to become flustered so easily..! I-I was embarrassed as well; I-I might have made him feel uncomfortable... And this was the first time I've actually gotten to spend time with him-! Such a shame... "U-Uhn.." I fidgeted, rather sheepishly, as the man mentioned feeling 'honored' by me noticing his build. A-At least he wasn't upset about it..! "A-Ah... R-Really?" I asked, a sudden excited expression on my face. "You're passionate about dancing? Th-That's great!" I beamed, involuntarily squeezing his hand a bit. It would've been a disappointment if someone with such a dancer's build wasn't interested in dancing...! Moreover, I was glad to see someone - a male, nonetheless! - who shared the same interest as I. "Y-You want me to teach you...? A-Ah.. I-I'm not the best.." I said sheepishly. I-It would be embarrassing-! B-But.. I was glad. "I-I can teach you what I know, though..!" It would be my pleasure, in fact! I'd get to see him dance as well...! "If it's one of your favorites, then let's go inside~ I'm sure I will enjoy it very much!" I smiled. Plus, I had such sweet company..!

Frederick-

Ah.. So.. Imogen caught the comment about the fire... I had been hoping that she wouldn't have heard. Well, there wasn't much I could do about it now; I had, after all, already corrected myself. Luckily, she didn't question me about it any further. "Ah. Reading is undoubtedly a nice pastime." I said with a nod. The part about her gardening was quite interesting. "Have you ever grown any vegetables? They would make for a delectable soup, no doubt." It would certainly be better than bear meat, food that Milord often gave out during our camping nights. I knew he meant well, but I simply could not eat such gamey meat. "Perhaps then, after the war, you can grow some vegetables or fruits. I would be honored if you were to allow me to taste them afterwards as well." I gave the woman a slight smile. "My hobbies...? That is difficult to say. ...I suppose I enjoy being outdoors, and spending time with the Shepherds." Did those even count as hobbies? Just in case, I added, "Horseback riding. There's just something special about riding a horse. It makes one feel rather carefree. Have you ever riden?" I asked, feeling myself become less... awkward with my speech. "Yes, Ylisstol is beautiful, isn't it?" I paused, glancing at the redhead. ...She, too, was beautiful. Perhaps even more so than the capital itself. "Well, I was thinking that-" I paused, my whole body stiffening when I saw a small puppy make it's way near me. "...Stay back, foul creature..!" I ordered sternly, taking a step back.

Inigo nodded, a small smile on his lips even though his cheeks were tinted pink, "Y-yes, dancing has always been my passion," he grinned, trying to push his sheepishness away. He knew Lila was a pretty good fighter, a dancer, and beautiful, but... this was just too wonderful! He had no idea that she would be so happy with teaching him and spending time with him! Really, maybe that attempted assassination-attempted- was a good thing after all; they never would've met otherwise! ...Of course, it was a good thing, too, that Lady Emmeryn was not hurt, but he was very glad to have met Lila~ "If you don't mind teaching me, I'd be very happy," he rubbed his hair softly, grinning. Plus, he wanted to see her dance! Maybe... oh! They could dance together, too! That would definitely be fun~ As long as Inigo didn't stumble over his feet, that is. Actually, it would still be fun! ...Just embarrassing. But he'd managed; anything would be worth it for a sweet dance. When she agreed to going to the small café, he nodded and opened the door for her, following her into the small building. He smiled at a waitress, "Table for two, please~" he motioned for Lila to follow him when the waitress showed them a table by a window and handed them a menu of cakes and teas. The backside was all teas- that's how many there were to choose from, easily over one hundred. Inigo looked over at the menu briefly; he'd been here before so it wouldn't take him a long time to decide what to get. He'd much rather spend that time looking at Lila~ "Take your time reading through these, they're all pretty interesting," he smiled. There were some flowers in a small vase on the table where they were at, soft pinks and whites. He couldn't help but think that they just matched what they were doing now so well; they gave off a happy feeling, too. They matched Lila, too~

~

"Yes, I grew plenty back home," Imogen said with a small smile. Though flowers were beautiful, they weren't exactly a wonderful way to earn money, so she grew more vegetables and fruits than flowers. They sold easier, after all, and you could eat them, too. Maybe after the war she could grow some flowers, too- it would be like a symbol of luxury. "R-really? You'd like to try it?" she asked happily, though she was definitely surprised, too. "Very well, then, I'll be sure to let you know when I have some ready." Somehow... it was a nice and warm feeling, to speak of things 'after the war'. It was... very hopeful, to have plans for what to do when all the fighting was over. She hoped it would be sooner rather than later. She pouted slightly, accompanied by a soft, breathy laugh when he mentioned two 'hobbies'... Well, they were valid, that's true, but she'd been hoping for something more... objective, something that was truly something he liked doing himself. So when Frederick added the fact about horseriding, she smiled, "That's what I meant! You're really good on horseback, from what I've seen in battles and marches. Isn't it difficult, though?" Imogen rubbed the back of her head and shook her head sheepishly, "I've never riden before. It seems... scary." she murmured, averting her gaze slightly- it just felt to admit that to someone who was obviously so great at it. It was a little frightening, to be honest. Besides, Imogen much rather preferred staying on the ground. ...it was less scary, anyway. It felt kind of nice to say that out loud, though- Frederick had an air around him that made it easy to entrust him with secrets- even tiny, tiny ones like that. Imogen blinked, a little startled when he suddenly spoke harshly. W-was there an enemy here? A risen? A Plegian? She looked around desperately, but when she could see none and noticed that he had spoken to a puppy... She couldn't help but laugh softly. It's not that she meant to be rude; she just found it cute that he got scared of a puppy when he was so brave in battle! "Er... Frederick?" she asked and then stepped towards the animal, petting its head. She grinned back at him, teasing just a little, "It's okay, he's not dangerous!"

Lila-

How very lovely! What were the odds of finding a sweet man, whom had a passion of dancing? "I-I'll do my best to teach you, then!" I smiled sheepishly, my light blush still on my features. I-I... I hoped that I wouldn't get nervous and mess up. That would be embarrassing..! But... Ah, I've never taught anyone to dance before..! H-Hopefully I'd do a good job... Together we went into the cafe. It was lovely, to say the least. It also had a very sweet aroma~. We were given a seat by the window, and I couldn't help but smile in delight at the sight of such beautiful flowers, "Sure pretty flowers are always a pleasure to see~. I really like this cafe!" I hummed, enjoying it immensely already. It was so amazing, how a small place like this managed to have many of the things I adored! Such as flowers, sweet scents, and, of course, desserts. I was soon given a menu, and the first thing I saw was the dozens and dozens of teas. "W-Wow.." My eyes lit up a bit, especially when I caught sight of the various sweets the cafe had to offer. "I never knew so many blends of tea existed! I-It'll be so hard to decide..." Should I choose pumpkin spice? Rose? Maybe even strawberry? Ah.. I'd definitely need to come here more often, in order to taste many different types of tea-! "I think I'll go with... Cinnamon tea today~" I finally decided. A-Ah.. There were so many desserts too, but I didn't want to seem greedy. In fact, I should pay for my own tea , but something told me that Inigo wouldn't allow it. I carefully set my menu down, looking across at the man, "Thank you for taking me here," I said softly. I paused. Now... what to talk about? I-I wasn't used to doing such things-! "So, what do you enjoy, other than dancing?" I questioned curiously.

Frederick-

"It isn't as difficult as it seems, especially after a bit of practice." I explained with a nod. "It really isn't a frightening experience. In fact , once you try it, you won't want to stop." That was true, at least for me. Riding a horse was exhilarating, especially when it was for fun rather than battle. During battle, one is more focused on the task at hand than enjoying the fact that one is riding a horse. "If you'd like, you may ride with me at one point. You will enjoy it, I'm sure." A small smile appeared on my face, spreading across my features. "There is nothing to be afraid of, Milady." This time, the smile was more prominent. Though, again, the word 'Milady' had slipped out. "In fact, that seems like a wonderful idea. It will help you get rid of your fright." Surely it would be fun, giving Imogen the experience of riding a horse! When the puppy neared, my companion seemed confused. Did she not see the foul beast nearing us...? It was right there, in plain sight! I nearly cringed as the girl - Gods bless her for her bravery - neared the darned scoundrel and even began to pet it. Did she not see it's evil gaze? It's formidable teeth? It's hostile stature?! (Of course, in reality, that was nothing but exaggeration.. Really, the puppy was tiny, fluffy, and cute). "How can you near such a creature...? Keep it far away, brave maiden, if you may.." I backed up a bit, clearing my throat. It was rather ironic how I had just been telling her that I could help her overcome her fear of horseback riding... "...I suppose this Great Knight has a rather.. er, silly fear... How do you near the creature without so much as flinching...?"

[If you have anything specific you want them to do, just let me know! I want to make you fangirl~~ I may not be able to embarrass you, but I think I can make you fangirl? :3 Maybe? xPP Ohhh. And I don't know what other things Inigo likes to do- he only says stuff like 'come with me to tea and I'll tell you' so I hope what I made up is fine! XD]

"There are hundreds of teas- some places have an even larger selection than this. It's lovely, but the large number of choices makes it difficult to find out which one's your absolute favourite," Inigo spoke, twirling his finger absent-mindedly around a lone flower in the vase. He gave Lila a grin, "Perhaps we should do this more often, then, so you can try out more tea flavours~?" He'd be happy if they would do even that much together- tea with a lovely lady was definitely a pleasant past time. Now... he only had to concentrate on not messing this opportunity up now! "Are you taking any cakes? They're all very delicious. I think I might take a macaroon or two." Inigo set down the menu once he and Lila chose what they were going to get and then motioned over a waitress. She made a gesture that she'd be over in a minute to take their order, so they had some time right now~ He shook his head when she thanked him, "Your words, as much joy as they bring me, are false. It is I who should be thanking you for accompanying me~" Inigo really couldn't think of a better way to spend the day than like this~ "Apart from dancing?" he repeated and then paused, having to think for a moment. Recently, fighting and training had been taking up most of his time, so even though there were lots of things he enjoyed doing, there wasn't too much time to perform it. "I enjoy drinking tea with lovely ladies," he grinned, giving her a quick wink (that he probably could've denied doing if she saw and spoke up about it-), "Music greatly interests me, too, though I'm afraid I don't have much talent," he laughed, "But it's nice to listen to it, caressing your senses as it floats through the air. How about you? What do you enjoy the most?" After she had answered, the waitress came to them, "May I take your order?" she smiled.

~

Imogen bit her lip, but did her best as not to let her reluctance show. To be honest, she'd never ridden a horse because she was frightened- not of the animal, but of falling off. Being high up- even only a couple meters off the ground, as you are when you sit on a horse- made her a little dizzy and panicky. But there was no reason to bring that up now- they could always cross that bridge when they came to it. Though, she was hoping they'd never come to it at all~ But when he suggested that she could ride with him (she assumed it was on the same horse, not side by side-) she felt... almost as though it would maybe be okay to try at some point. Almost. Maybe. Sometime. E-Except now it seemed more as though he was insisting on it? "N-no, it's alright, Frederick, I don't want to be a bother," she lied lamely, when in truth she just didn't want to try riding a horse. It really was quite a different change of pace when Frederick was suddenly the one frightened in the presence of a puppy. She picked the animal up as he wagged his tail happily, "Look how small he is, Frederick~" she giggled softly, "He can't hurt you! And if he somehow did, I'd stop him, I promise." She cuddled up the small creature (even though he was a little dirty from the streets, but she was quite used to that) against her chest and cheek, quite taken aback by his adorableness. It would be so much fun to keep him~ But she knew that would be impossible in their current situation. Oh well, she'd enjoy this for now~ "It's quite unusual that you've a fear of this puppy," Imogen spoke, sobering up for now. Or maybe it was animals in general..? "Why do you hold so much distaste for them? ...Do you want to pet him?"

((Also, a fact to keep in mind about Frederick (just for future reference, we didn't even mention it in the RP--) His horse is a girl. I dunno what her name is, but she's a girl (he calls her 'she'). Ugh this is a weird thing, I know, but there's this one fanfiction series where the author named the MALE horse 'Sir Kieran' and it just bothers me soooo much.
...I'm really particular about Frederick, sorry >.<))

[[The only thing I request (if you don't mind!) is if Inigo can say things like 'My, My', 'Hey there~', and the such *u* And when the go out (or get married?) can he use 'you're truly the only one for me'? O-O AND DID YOU WATCH IT? OHMYGOD <3 And just so you know I /ALWAYS/ fangirl over your posts! Maybe Inigo could help Lila or something at some point, and ask for a reward--]]

Lila-

"W-Wow... Even more tea than this?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in surprise. I wanted to taste them all! "Yes.. It really is hard to decide," I glanced over the menu again before letting my eyes trail back to the white-haired man, "M-More often?" I blushed a bit. Did this mean that he enjoyed spending time with me...? The thought was nice...! Though I wasn't used to it at all. "W-We... I-I mean, I'd gladly accompany you again, if you ever would like to spend time with me. I-I mean, u-uhm, for tea, to try all the fl-flavors. Uhm.. I meant to say, th-that I certainly wouldn't mind coming here again with you...!" Ah, I was messing up again, getting all flustered because of his gaze on me. "Cakes..." I grinned, rather sheepishly, "I-I... I'm worried that if I start, I won't be able to stop." Was that a weird thing for a girl to admit? Well, it was true-! All of the cakes looked so tempting...! Luckily, dancing burned off all the sugar, but still-! Ah.. even if I looked at all those delicious cakes on the menu, I might ask for them all-! "H-Huh? There's no need to thank m-me.." I said, immediately looking down at the table to hide my blush. Well, he certainly was charming-! I glanced up just in time to catch a quick wink, which made me blush even more. Naga... W-Was he trying to fluster me purposely..? Did he really consider me a 'lovely lady'? ...He might just say that to all women, because he had said it was a /hobby/, but still, it was sweet-! "Music is lovely , I agree-! I also sometimes like to sing, b-but I'm not very good at it... Painting has always interested me, but I haven't done it except once or twice." I explained. "...I also enjoy having tea with lovely gentlemen~ ..." I paused. I had been trying to tease him back, but I only ended up getting flustered again and looking down, fidgeting slightly. "...Th-Though this is actually the first time..." I murmured sheepishly as the waitress came over. "Cinnamon tea, please..!"

Frederick-

[[No no, please tell me ANYTHING You want me to know about Frederick! I really want to play him well-! Sorry if I'm doing terribly *n*]]

"There is nothing to be afraid of, so you needn't worry-! At some point, especially during these times, a maiden - or rather, everyone - should be able to ride a horse, just in case a quick getaway is needed. Moreover, I am quite sure that you will enjoy it, and I will be sure that no harm comes your way." I told Imogen, a straight yet confident expression on my face. I eyed the puppy in her arms, wondering how she did so without flinching in fear. "...Size does not matter." I paused, taking a step back. Sure, it /looked/ harmless, but that made no difference in the matter! "...It's not only that puppy, Milady. It is animals. Especially those that have claws and sharp teeth, those that can run, such as dogs." Suddenly, Imogen asked if I wanted to /pet/ the darned thing! "Keep that demon spawn a far distance away! Shoo at once, you blasted beast!" I spoke to the dog near the end of course, not the brave maiden holding it. I cautiously took yet another step back, making sure I was a safe distance away. "...When I was younger, a wolf ((I forgot the story exactly- Was it a wolf? And he got wounded, right? If not, I'm sorry ;n; Just ignore it!)) had given me a rather painful experience. Seeing any animal like those foul beasts make me cringe. ...It is a shame, as I am supposed to be a fearless Knight, defending the innocent! I am ashamed to say I have such a weakness, such a fear. Though it is difficult to get over it. ....I wonder, Milady, if you can teach me how to get over this fear? You seem to be holding the creature without any fear whatsoever." I paused, then continued, "And in turn, perhaps I can take you to ride my horse. She is very gentle indeed, and I will be sure to keep you safe."

[Okay! I'll try to put them in~ And sure! When do you want him to say it- when they're married or before? Also, in FEA you just from A to S rank- there's no dating in between, just marriage. Should we change that in the RP or keep it the same? I haven't watched it yet, sorry ;P Is there anything specific you want him to help out with? It can even be in battle or whatever :P And God bless you for putting 'she' for Frederick's horse <3 you play him wonderfully, so don't worry about a thing!]

Inigo grinned, laughing a little as she stuttered- just because she was so adorable! He, too, had a soft blush on his face just from this conversation, but he was absolutely thrilled to speak about this. A-and she agreed! Well, at least she didn't say no~ "Take a cake if you like; it's all on me~" he said cheerfully when she said 'she wouldn't be able to stop'. Well... Soldiers don't earn too much money, so he probably couldn't afford to buy all the cakes here, but he'd definitely insist on paying for the tea and what they ate. Inigo beamed, "You sing, too? I have no doubt that you have a lovely voice. If a man can be greedy, perhaps you could sing for me at some point?" Well, he'd rather have her dance for him (and with him) but if he could listen to her sing as well, he'd be the happiest man in the world. Hopefully they could do so not too long after this~ "Then we are a fine pair," Inigo smiled (hiding his flustered-ness) when she said she liked having tea with lovely gentlemen. And if this was her first time, he'd make sure to make it enjoyable for her, so she'd like it more often~ ((That sentence on its own XD *wink wink*)). "I'll take chamomile tea," he smiled at the waitress when she took their order, and she was off. It didn't take too long for her to come back with two small teapots and teacups. She set them down, "They still need three minutes to brew," she explained, "Enjoy your date!" She said earnestly and turned to leave.

~

(And yup, you have his story right! I don't think he really remembers it too well, since he was a kid, but the trauma is there. And he nearly died :O)

Imogen blinked, "Animals in general?" Oh, that meant something happened with Frederick and them in the past, right? His harsher tone when she asked if he wanted to let the puppy took her a little by surprise- not that she hadn't heard him like that before; it was normal especially during training or battles- but it nonetheless surprised her a little. At least those words weren't directed at her... Exactly. She still held the puppy in her arms, though stayed a distance away from Frederick so he wouldn't be /too/ upset by the animal's presence. He began to speak again, telling of her an unfortunate experience that happened to him during his childhood. She let her gaze drop, "O-oh. I'm sorry." Imogen said. She suddenly felt quite ashamed- she'd even quite insensitive. Just shows you how you never know someone's story... "Teach you how to get over this fear?" She repeated again- she seemed to be doing that a lot recently, but it took her a little by surprise. If, in exchange she had to ride a horse... Ah, maybe it would be better to say no. Then there would be no reason for an exchange! But then again, the fact that /Frederick/ was asking /her/ to help him was pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity. She didn't want to let it go... Plus, something in her gut or chest or whatever urged her on to spend more time with him. "V-very well," she nodded, "I'll do my best." The redhead looked down at the puppy she was holding again and smiled slightly before returning her gaze to Frederick, "Try to pet him, then. I promise, I won't let any harm come to you. And then we can ask around if anyone's lost a puppy- let's return him."

[[He could say it before marriage >:3 ;u; Anddd maybe he could help her out in battle and be all show-offy~ >u< I think if they were to date, that'd be cuuute~ Well ... Actually... I don't know-- XD Either way is fine! ^u^ And omg that sentence--]]

Lila-

I-Inigo shouldn't offer such tempting things...! I was on the verge of asking for a cake now, but I felt that would be too greedy...! No, I certainly couldn't ask for more, especially when the kind man offered to pay for everything. Again, I felt the need to pay - at least a little! - but I was sure that the man wouldn't allow it. "A-Ah... Y-Y-You want to hear me sing...?" My face flushed in a rather dark, noticable pink color. Th-That would be more embarrassing th-than dancing! "I-I.. I'm really n-not that good at it, b-but... if that's what y-you wish...!" He was so charming and kind, I just couldn't deny him. I'd... I'd need to practice some before he heard than...! "A fine p-pair indeed..." I smiled, rather sheepishly. I mentally noted that my companion ordered chamomile tea. Curiously, I questioned his choice, "Is that your favorite?" I've never had chamomile tea before. I gazed at the flowers in the vase as the waitress left and soon came back, setting down our order. The tea smelled heavenly-! The cinnamon was a most delightful scent. "I love the smell of cinnamon~" I hummed, then suddenly felt my face grow even warmer at the waitress' words. A-Ah... S-She thought we were o-on a d-date...! I fidgeted a bit with my outfit, not commenting or anything of the sort. Perhaps Inigo hadn't heard! Th-That... would be embarrassing. He had invited me because... Huh. I wondered why. Perhaps it was because I was new, and he wanted to welcome me. Yes, that must be it! I'm sure Inigo won't appreciate this being c-called a 'date'..!

Frederick-

"Fret not, fair Maiden. That is simply the reason why I have a fear of certain beasts." Again, I eyed the dog cautiously. "In any case, I feel as if the experience had made me stronger. Er.." Okay, perhaps the saying 'whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger' just didn't work in this situation. The experience had actually made me weaker; it had given me a fear. Well, I simply did not want the fair maiden to feel sorry nor upset. ...It was at this moment, perhaps, that I realized how easily I was able to speak with Imogen. Why, just yesterday, I had been worried about her betrayal. I supposed that, all this time, I had been hoping and /waiting/ to find out that she was, indeed, on our side. That is why I spoke to her so easily, the day after I had given my full trust to her. Now that I think about it, I wondered how I could have ever been suspicious of the female. She was kind and caring, not only to other people, but to beasts and creatures as well. "It is a deal than, Milady? Very well." I gave a faint smile, avoiding looking at the dog in her arms. This was a fair bargain, was it not? We would, in turn, help each other with our fears. Moreover, we would be able to spend more time together. ...For some reason, the thought made me feel content. This was, without a doubt, a win-win situation. Thus, I would certainly need to try and overcome my fear quickly... "Pet the foul creature?" I huffed, looking weary. Despite my words, I took a cautious step forward and reached my hand out, hoping to the Gods that the creature wouldn't, say, try to bite me. The thought brought unpleasant memories to the surface of my mind, nearly causing me to shudder. Nevertheless, I - rather bravely, if I do say so myself! - pet the creature. Well... I did, until it raised it's head simply to look at me. I immediately pulled my hand away.

[Okay! If I ever forgot, just remind me! I want to put in all the things you like~ And I won't be on too much this week, and my replies might be shorter. Sorry in advance-!]

Inigo nodded, "Of course! You have such a lovely voice when you speak, I have no doubt that even a mockingbird won't be able to hold a candle to you," he smiled when she asked if he wanted to hear her sing. It was actually kind of a silly question on her behalf- he definitely wanted to hear her sing. And dance. Maybe both, if she was up for it? When the tea was set down before him, Inigo was sure to start the timer, counting the time down until the tea was brewed and ready to drink. It wouldn't be too long from now. He nodded, "It's one of my favourites, yes," he spoke, "Though I enjoy lots of teas, so I'm not sure if I can exactly choose a favourite one. Have you drunk cinnamon tea before? I have to admit it's still a new taste to me, but it smells lovely- if not a little spicy," the white haired man did his best to make small talk for now- and later, too- until the tea was brewed. It was a little strange, but very nice, how easy it was to speak with her. Despite his shyness (even though he was able to hide it quite well) and her own, too, it was somehow easy to speak with her. Hopefully she felt the same? But by her stuttering and flushed face, he feared that he was only making her uncomfortable while he was having such a nice time. And she seemed to be too timid to slap him or whatever, so he had no idea if she was actually enjoying this or not... When the waitress told them to enjoy their date, Inigo felt his cheeks heat up a bright red, though he managed not to panic and the smile stayed on his face. Thankfully. He didn't want to offend Lila by countering this, but he didn't want to pull her into more than what she agreed to do by merely saying 'thank you'. "A-ah, we're not.. we're not a couple," ((yet)) he smiled, "We're simply enjoying a cup of tea together." The waitress looked at them sheepishly, "F-forgive me, I didn't mean to-- It's just that you two look cute together," she said with a small smile before leaving.

~

Imogen nodded slightly. If he said that the experience helped him, she didn't' have any reason to believe otherwise, and even more so to bring it up. However, she couldn't help but be a little sceptical ((I wrote spectacle at first xDD)) of his words. Surely being attacked by a wolf wasn't pleasant in any way... But if he said he was stronger because of it, then that was certainly good. The red head nodded slightly, still a little hesitantly, "Alright, it's a deal," she spoke. It would be quite difficult to get over her fear, but something told her Frederick would be a pushing teacher, based off of how he trained the Shepherds and new recruits... She still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Either way, she was certain that they would be able to help each other, be it through laughter or pain and tears. Imogen did her best as not to laugh softly when he reached out to pet the puppy- again, it was simply because he was too cute like this, and not because of his misery. She held the puppy tightly in her embrace, making sure that it wouldn't jump up at him or actually surprise him in any way. "He's not a foul creature- look how cute he is!" Imogen replied, though she it's not as though anyone (even the puppy, since he couldn't understand) was offended by the words. He really was quite cute! Hopefully Frederick would be able to see that... though something told Imogen otherwise. Oh well, as long as he wasn't scared witless, she'd be very happy; that was a good goal. She beamed when he patted the puppy's head, "Good job!" she smiled. Even if he pulled away quite quickly, that was still impressive! "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

[And make sure you let me know as well! ^u^]

Lila-

I-I.. wondered if this male complimented /all/ the ladies... A-Ah, nevertheless , he sure knew how to make a girl feel special...! I.. wasn't very confident in my singing, b-but ... If he wished for it, it wouldn't be a problem. I could get over my flustered-ness for him. ...Hopefully-! "W-Well..." I paused, then continued, "In that case, what type of song would you like for me to sing for you?" Even if he ended up not liking my singing (which I thought would be the case), I could at least choose to sing something that he'd enjoy! Not my voice perhaps, but the words themselves. "Maybe next time then, I'll choose chamomile tea." I smiled sheepishly, though realized that he might not really /want/ a next time. I wasn't particularly the most interesting person to hang around... And, although Inigo had suggested coming here more often, I wasn't too sure if he had really meant it. He sounded sincere, but perhaps he was simply being nice...! "Actually, I've never had cinnamon tea. The scent is... attractive though~. Surely it should taste good?" I pondered aloud. When using the word 'attractive', I had meant it literally; the scent , particularly as a male perfume, would be wonderful~. As the waitress commented on our "date", I managed to peek up in order to glance at Inigo's reaction. He actually had a bright red blush on his cheeks. Embarrassment? Perhaps. I wondered what he was thinking...! Ah... In any case, though, his blush was very lovely~. Inigo , although blushing, corrected the waitress, to which she replied that we looked ... cute together. N-Naga...! It's like everyone was trying to fluster m-me..! I-Inigo was certainly pleasant company - /very/ pleasant in fact - and his looks were undeniably attractive .. b-but I.. I wasn't good enough for him, anyway. N-No matter. I enjoyed his company, in any case-! After three minutes (or perhaps five), I took the teapot with the cinnamon tea and gently poured it into my cup. After setting the pot down, I smiled a bit. "It smells even better this way~" I wondered if it just smelled better than it tasted. I lightly blew on the steaming tea, though didn't try to drink it quite yet. It was much too hot. When it cooled down a bit, I carefully took the cup and took a sip. "A~Ah... It's really great!" I smiled.

Frederick-

"I can hardly call that creature cute, fair maiden. I can only see the eyes of a wild beast whom want's to take a bite out of me." I supposed that one /could/ call it cute... However.. "And when it grows up, it will be an even larger, man-eating beast." Hopefully, I will be far away from any 'man-eating' dogs. I did not wish to go through such a painful experience again. "Moreover, the word 'cute' isn't suitable for an animal, is it not? 'Cute' should be used to describe a fair, brave maiden, such as yourself." I said, speaking truthfully. "...And you look nothing near that horrid creature! Thus, it cannot be cute." Imogen was certainly, without any doubts, cute. A puppy, however, was not. Ah, I wonder how she will take what I had said. I had spoken so naturally, as if such words were well-known; as if everyone knew of Imogen's adorable features. ...Which was probably true, I decided. I watched as Imogen pet the head of the puppy. How could she do so that easily? Hopefully, she will be able to help me overcome my fear. "It.. It wasn't so bad.." I said slowly. Well, it hadn't tried to bite me or anything.. and the redhead was holding the creature, so it couldn't move. "...I still feel as though more training to get over this fear is required, however." I said. "Shall we find that beas- er, shall we find the dog's owner, now? Perhaps we can fit in some time to try getting you on a horse." Yes, that would be much better than touching a spawn of the devil! Moreover, I wanted Imogen to enjoy similar interests as I. I wasn't too sure why that was true; though it was. I wanted to help her get over her fear and /enjoy/ it.

[Yup, no problem~ Do you want them to do anything specific after the tea? And I can have Inigo request a specific song, if you want xPP]

"I'd be happy to hear anything you'd sing for me," Inigo smiled. It didn't really matter what it could be; he just wanted to hear her sing. Or, actually, that didn't really matter, either. He just wanted to spend some more time with Lila. He'd be happy with whatever they did together. "I'm not quite sure if I'd enjoy an upbeat folk song more or a slower, poetic one~" he mused, both to himself and to the woman sitting across from him. Hopefully, he'd get to hear something anyway. The dancer smiled, "Of course, take whichever tea you like next time. They're all quite delicious, in my opinion at least. You can tell me anytime you'd like to go out to tea with me~" he said, more teasing than not, but his words were still sincere. Besides, he'd love to go out for more tea with her- to be honest, he almost never got this far with a lady, so he really was ecstatic. He poured his tea into his teacup after a couple minutes, enjoying the scent of it (mixed with the scent of Lila's cinnamon tea), and they waited for thier teas to cool down a little. When Lila took a sip of her tea, face lighting up at the taste of the tea, he smiled. It was good that she enjoyed it- perhaps its was none of his business, but it would just be so much more awkward than aything that could happen if she didn't like the tea she ordered. ...He didn't want to have any spilled on him, either (it happened before with angry women). "I'm glad to hear that," he smiled and lifted his own teacup to his lips, taking a sip of the liquid. As usual, he enjoyed the taste of chamomile tea- it was as good as ever. "So, tell me," he spoke, making small talk, "How did you become a dancer? You seem very graceful- you must've started when you were very young!"

~

Imogen shrugged slightly, deciding not to comment on when he spoke about how the puppy wanted to take a bite of him- hopefully he knew better, at least deep down.Of course, she understood that he must be terribly traumatised by what happened to him before with a wolf, so she wouldn't prod at it any further. At least, not until their next 'lesson' with animals. It would be definitely larger when he grew up, but surely the puppy wouldn't just grow up into a 'man-eating beast'... right? No, she was sure of it. His next words caused a light blush to rise up on her cheeks as she looked a little taken aback, but his words were in no way unpleasant. H-he called her 'cute'! He looked so nonchalant as he did so, though... Well, with Frederick it was always honesty, wasn't it? There were probably no warm emotions in that, at least not what she thought at first. Still, she felt a little happy to hear them. "W-well, th-thank you," she mumbled, not enitrely sure how to respond to that. Oh well, hopefully her answer wasn't too awkward, and they could move on. She smiled when he said it wasn't so bad. That was great! At least he had been brave enough to say something like that! "That's wonderful! We can try again later, either tomorrow or another day," she spoke. It might be a little more difficult to find animals for him to get used to while they were marching
through battle... unless they could keep this puppy! But something told Imogen that he wouldn't allow that, and that they should try to find the dog's owner instead. She nodded, "Alright, let's go ask around if anyone knows who's he is. You can... help me afterwards," Imogen made a mental note to take as long as possible to find the owner, to put off the riding more, but maybe that wouldn't work out so well. She knew she had to be brave, especially since Frederick did just that, but.... she was still scared. She began to walk through the street, looking for someone to ask about the puppy.

Lila-

I smiled, somewhat sheepishly, "Th-Then.. perhaps I'll sing something sweet and poetic, for the gentleman whom offered me tea~." Again trying to tease the man back, I gave a wink of my own- Which really only resulted in my becoming a blushing mess. "..My mother taught me to dance. At first, I didn't like it. But after a while, I just couldn't stop dancing." I explained with a small smile. There was more reasoning, but perhaps we could save that story for another day... *Time Skip!* "Chrommmm..." Lissa whined, huffing and pouting as we walked. I couldn't help but smile a bit, even during this situation. Currently, we were moving Exalt Emmeryn somewhere safe; we wanted her to be out of harms way. We had indeed been travelling for a long while, but I was used to walking so much. Chrom frowned, "What is it, Lissa?" The Prince asked his sister. "Can we please take a break now? I can barely feel my feet!" She said. Chrom shook his head. "Of course not! We need to--" Emmeryn intervened, however, before he could continue, "I think a rest is in order." She smiled gently. "There seems to be some sort of resort ahead. I'm sure it will be safe their, Chrom. You've all been working so hard for me... Please, take a break." She insisted. Lissa grinned. "Yay~! Thanks, Emm!" She hummed, running ahead. It wasn't long before we arrived at the resort. Chrom was still reluctant about this situation, but he listened to his elder sister nonetheless. I looked around, eyes wide with awe. "..W-Wow. This place is wonderful...!" I said. The sky, and the sea! How beautiful..! "I've never seen such a place before..!" I said, to no one in particular. "Welcome, Shepherds! It's about time you showed up!" A woman called, grinning. "It's as if you've been expecting us." Chrom mused. "Huh? Didn't you get the invitations...? Eh, no matter! It's about time you guys get a break!" Chrom suddenly spoke, "E-Er, perhaps you would like to go finish changing first..?" He asked. "Oh? Why would I change? You've never seen a bikini? It's a two-piece swimsuit! Anyway, today we had a random drawing to choose four lucky people to receive a prize~. The winners are..." The woman paused dramatically, "Imogen, Lila, Frederick, and Inigo! Congratulations~" I glanced back at the woman (for I had been looking out at the sea), looking quite surprised. ...H-How did she even know my name? Ah.. "A prize?" I asked. "Mhm! Don't be shy! C'mon, ladies first~. Right this way!" The woman literally tugged Imogen and I towards a little indoor changing hut. I was a bit reluctant, but at least I wasn't here alone-! Imogen was here, too. We hadn't spoken too much yet, but I felt as if we'd be great friends..! "So, you two lovely ladies have just won-- These! They're perfectly suited for the both of you~ Special swimsuits just for you!" Anna grinned, holding out the thin scraps for us to take. "E-Eh..? Y-You want me to p-put this on...? B-But-!" I protested, only to be pushed into a changing room, "No buts! It's not cheap getting specially tailored swimsuits, y'know!" She said through the door.

Frederick-

*Time skip!* Yesterday had passed quite quickly with Imogen as my company. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the puppy's owner until late, so we had not been able to do any riding... Ah, such a shame. She would have enjoyed it..! Or, well, she /will/ enjoy it, once she overcomes her fear. To be quite honest, I had enjoyed yesterday's 'lesson', even though it had brought back rather unpleasant memories. I had spent much time with the redhead, and I had been able to get to know her better. That was certainly a good start! ...Something told me to get to know her well. Perhaps it was because I simply enjoyed her company..? Currently, I walked alongside Imogen, not saying much as we headed towards a safe destination for Lady Emmeryn. It wasn't too long, though, before Milady complained of walking. I was about to offer my horse to her; though I had no time to even come up with a reply. Before long, a decision was made- We'd be relaxing at a nearby resort. Well, it was certainly unexpected, but.. "Milord. I agree. Plegia will not expect the Exalt to be residing at a resort." I explained. It was good cover, and... a break would be most enjoyable, especially during these times. Upon arriving at our new destination, we were able to see the beach and the such. "Ah... Milady, have you ever seen such a place?" I asked Imogen, who stood beside me. "The air is quite nice. And I wonder how many shells could be found here." I paused, in order to pick one up. Involuntarily, I was about to hand it to the woman. (Ah. Perhaps it wasn't involuntarily; I simply wanted to give it to her...!) Though, she was dragged away by an unknown woman. I watched, getting slightly worried. ...Though based on how the redhead was dressed, I'd say she wouldn't be trying to hurt Imogen. She was scarcely covered! How improper! 'What is it that they are up to?' I wonderedto myself.

Frederick Continued-

Almost as if answering my question, I heard the merchant say the word 'swimsuit'. "...Is she to try and force Imogen to wear such a thing...?" I asked aloud, pausing for a while. ...Gods. Why did my face feel rather warm all of a sudden...?

[Ehehe okay sorry, I'll reply to our other RPs next after this (though that might not happen until later today or tomorrow-- :PP]

Inigo walked alongside Lila, sometimes making small talk, sometimes enjoying a warm silence instead. Either way, it was pleasant to be in her company. Even though they were going to find Lady Emmeryn a safe place to stay after the recent assassination attempt, he couldn't help but enjoy the time now. For some reason, he wasn't too worried about her safety- all of the Shepherds would gladly give up their lives for the Exalt. Not to mention, they were all strong. No one wouldhaveto die, except for the enemies themselves. Before too long, they arrived at a resort (after Lissa insisting), where they were met by a strangely dressed woman. His cheeks heated up as he gazed at her- she was still in her smallcloths! What type of woman would ever have the dignity to leave a changing room in her undergarments? He averted his gaze, feeling more embarrassed for her than for himself or anyone else in the Shepherds. He was glad he didn't speak up about it, though, because apparently (after Chrom commented on it), Anna said that it was normal; something called a 'bikini'. A-and apparently there was some sort of lucky draw? He heard his name, along with Lila's amongst a couple others. He watched with curiosity (and slight flustered-ness) as she was dragged away by Anna towards a changing tent. Was she going to change into the same thing...? Though the thought was improper, he couldn't help but feel his cheeks heat up. Moreover.... would he have to dress into something similar? He shifted, a little nervously, already beginning to (involuntarily) imagine Lila in a similar outfit as that woman. It made him feel... almost as though he was taking advantage of her, of her friendship, by thinking such things. And Inigo wasn't sure of what he wanted, but he definitely knew that he didn't want to lose what he had with her already.

~

Imogen kept walking through alongside the Shepherds, ready to at any moment pull out her sword and defend the Exalt or anyone else. Yesterday had been much nicer, when they didn't have to go out and fight anywhere, and even though they had to walk a lot, Imogen was happy like this. For some reason, it was nice even like this, to continue on like this. After a while, they arrived at a resort, like at a beach, and they were soon greeted by a redheaded woman in her undergarments- or what seemed like them, anyway. But apparently, that wasn't it at all, and it was common to see it around here. She shook her head when Frederick spoke to her, "No, I haven't. I've been in deserts back in Plegia, but not by the sea like out here," she said in awe, looking out at the blue shimmering water before them. It looked so peaceful~ She really was glad that they would be able to rest here, even if only for a while! Hopefully, Lady Emmeryn would appreciate the rest as well after that frightful night. Imogen suddenly heard her name- apparently she'd been chosen for a lucky draw. Hm? That's strange, she hadn't been expecting it at all! But she was happy to win /something/ nonetheless~ She was tugged along to a changing tent with Lila- a new member of the Shepherds, also from Plegia, though she hadn't talked to her much yet- where Anna shoved bikini pieces into their hands and shoved them to separate changing room in the tent, insisting for them to change. "E-eh? We're supposed to wear this?" Imogen repeated, blushing. Her undergarments covered more skin than this-! She sighed and spoke through the curtains, "...Lila? Are you changing?" she asked, a little hesitantly as she began to take her outmost layer off.

[[Don't worry one bit! ^u^]]

Lila-

I held up the tiny scraps of cloth. "H-How could these scraps even be expensive?" I asked aloud, to no one in particular. Though, Anna seemed to overhear, "It's very difficult to make something so small so fashionable! It takes skill! And so they're expensive. Just change already~" She said. I huffed, in somewhat resignation. At least the light blue color was nice... I set the scraps down and began to tug off my clothes, blushing in embarrassment. Th-This is i-improper! I heard Imogen's voice from behind the curtain. "Yes... W-Well, we're being forced.." I said, still blushing. I finally got out of my clothes, then eyed the smallcloths suspiciously. How to put them on...? I picked up the bottom part and slipped it on rather easily. B-But..! I-It was so tight! "Th-This barely c-covers anything..!" I said in a tone of distress, though I continued to dress nonetheless. The top was even more revealing! "Y-You can't even consider this as u-undergarments!" I exclaimed once I managed to get everything on. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to cover myself. I-I felt so bare! "You're finished? Great!" Anna suddenly came into my changing room, causing me to squeak in embarrassment. "It looks great on you~! I knew that color would suit you. It totally brings out your eyes. Plus, I'm sure it'll attract the attention of a certain gentleman you've had your eyes on~" She hummed. "E-Eh? B-But.. Wait! I-I'm not going outside like this!" I said, looking horrified. "Oh yes you are~. C'mon, you look great in it! You can go tell one of the other winners to come in here too." Anna said, shoving me near the door. "N-No, c-come on! Th-This is improper!" I whined, trying to stay back. Anna shook her head, "You'll thank me later!" And with that, she pushed me outside. I stayed in my spot, looking horribly embarrassed and sheepish. Wh-What should I do...? I admit, the sun felt nice on my bare skin, b-but I felt nude! I turned around, "C-Can I go change now?" I asked desperately. "Nope!" Anna replied, causing me to whine and turn back around. O-Okay.. Should I hide? There was nowhere to hide! "E-Er.. I-I-Inigo, she wa-wants you i-in th-there..." I stuttered, managing to walk over to him. ((So, Imogen could call Frederick in! I could play Anna for him, would you mind playing Anna for Inigo? *u*]]

Frederick-

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to think of Imogen in something so... revealing. It.. It was certainly nice, but very wrong and inappropriate. ...Right? One shouldn't think.. o-of such things about a fair Maiden.. She would not appreciate the thoughts at all. Wasn't that true? Still, my mind was working on it's own, making me think of such improper thoughts. It wasn't right. The Gods knew that it wasn't. However... I couldn't help myself. And... in a moments time, I would be able to see the fair maiden, scarcely dressed. Was it wrong to wish to see such a thing of Imogen..? It was not anyone else, for some reason. It was only her that I wished to see. ...Perhaps a man's real worst enemy was lust. Ah.. Though this did not seem like mere lust to me. In any case, there was a large chance that Imogen might not even come out. Surely, wearing such small clothes would attract the attention of every man on the beach. ...The thought, Gods know why, bothered me. ...Did I have to wear such a thing as well..? Now... this would be terribly embarrassing. I did not have the... assets to wear such a thing, or something like it. Weren't such things supposed to be worn by those would actually had the figure for it? Take Imogen for example. She would wear such a thing nicely. I'm sure women would be envious of her... ah, ornaments. And men would eye her wishfully. ...Yes, I should stop thinking such things. Meanwhile, back in the tent, Anna was now with Imogen. "Have you finished? Yes? I'm coming in!" Anna went through the curtain, seeing Imogen dressed in the bikini. "Mm.. Yup, I knew I picked out the perfect thing for you! Huh, but I hadn't accounted for you to have ... such feminity. Actually, you're making me a little jealous..." Anna huffed, but then went back to grinning. "It must be one size too small! Oh well, women would die for that body~. And you'll have a flock of men wanting you~. So go seduce the one you're eyeing! He'll fall in love on the spot!" The merchant smirked, pushing Imogen near the door. "Go on! Call Frederick in here, will ya?~"

[Okay, thanks! And sure, I'll play Anna for Inigo! *u* Hehehe this is fun xDD]

Inigo did his utmost best to keep his mind on track, to not disgrace Lila by having inappropriate thoughts of her in any way. Unfortunately, it really was quite difficult, especially since he was quite sure she was changing into that 'swimsuit' now. Oh Gods- he shouldn't be thinking of that ((not yet, at least~)). If she was changing, she'd be taking off her clothes, getting bare.... u-urk okay, he should definitely stop. He looked away with a blush on his face, wanting to distract himself with other thoughts for now. Ah, yes... the sea was beautiful, wasn't it? He'd love to go swimming in it with Lila- Ooookay this was getting a little out of hand. He cleared his throat, trying to clear his mind away as well, but it really was quite difficult. He sighed. Unfortunately, almost as soon as he was beginning to have /innocent/ thoughts about what to eat for lunch, he saw Lila exit the tent and walk up to him. G-Gods...! All those inappropriate thoughts came rushing back at once. Sh-she was wearing such a skimpy outfit-! Though he had to admit, it looked perfect on her. It complimented her curves, and even the light blue colour matched her perfectly. However, the swimsuit left little to the imagination- not that his imagination didn't run off on its own, anyway, trying to get a glimpse of what could be under. "L-Lila, you l-look good...!" he laughed a little sheepishly, rubbin the back of his hair. Inigo did his best to keep his gaze on her face instead of letting it trail down lower to the swimsuits and the parts it {didn't] cover. "I-I'm wanted?" He swallowed. Gods, would he have to wear such a thing as well? He didn't think it would necessarily look good on him, but... Well, he was glad to take the chance to get away for now, away from Lila so that he could let his heartrate slow down and stop his mind from flowing. Moreover, he felt terribly embarassed that he was thinking such things- Lila would probably smack him if she knew. Actually, she SHOULD probably smack him.

[Uwahhh I'm not started with Imogen's at all; can you write alittlebit for Frederick at least, just a filler? Thanks! I'll be back in an hour or two...]

[[Of course! I'll always write for Frederick :D]]

Lila-

When I approached Inigo, he seemed to have a bright blush on his features. I-It was adorable, yes, b-but- "D-Does it l-look bad?" I asked, squeezing my eyes shut as if that would stop the embarrassment. I wasn't very confident with myself - even though Anna had said I looked good, I didn't particularly believe her-! "I-I... I do?" I opened my eyes, raising my eyebrows with the bright blush still on my face. So... he was blushing because he thought I looked good? He.. He liked it, then! A-Anna was right! It must be the pretty color, for sure! I finally managed to lift my gaze up to meet Inigo's. He looked /very/ sheepish and flustered. I wondered what he was thinking...? H-Hn.. Perhaps.. this wasn't.. s-so bad...! It was extremely embarrassing, yes, - It was as if I were standing in undergarments! - but.. but it wasn't so b-bad! The sun felt nice on my skin, and it was definitely cooler than wearing other clothes... A-And I had to admit, I did enjoy seeing Inigo flustered, even though my cheeks were probably an even darker shade than his-! "A-Ah.. Y-Yeah, Anna w-wants you..." I let my sentence trail off, suddenly realizing that Inigo would probably be changing into these skimpy clothes as well. ...Er, well, something of the sort. Not exactly like mine, right? Certainly, it wouldn't fit if it were like mine! ....I-I... I should /definitely/ not be thinking s-such things, G-Gods...! I wondered what Inigo's would look like. ...Based on what I was wearing, 'swimsuits' only covered necessary body parts. .... O-Oh Naga... I quickly looked away, hiding a crimson blush. "Y-Yeah.. M-Maybe after you c-come back, w-we could... A-Ah, look for seashells o-or something.." I offered sheepishly, looking down at the sand and gently playing with it with my feet. O-Or maybe it would be too embarrassing to stay near him when he wore small clothes. H-He'd be practically n-naked! A-Ah..

Frederick-

The new Shepherd, Lila, came out of the tent. I still didn't trust her, obviously, and I probably wouldn't for at least a couple months. Just yesterday, she was a Plegian, fighting against us as well as taking part in the attempted assassination of the Exalt! I did not trust Giaus either, but did anyone truly trust a theif at first? Lila wore those small clothes, though I shook my head in distaste. Like Anna, it seemed immoral and simply improper. Ah... It was strange, however, that in Imogen's case, it was perfectly fine. ... In fact, it would be a pleasure to see her wear such garments. Gods. What has happened to me? Imogen has made a huge impact on me, ever since I started to fully trust her. (Or, perhaps, the impact had taken place even before? I was not too sure.) ...At this moment, the redhead was probably dressing, maybe trying to figure out how to-- I mentally scolded myself. A Great Knight should not have such inappropriate thoughts! It was wrong, and surely, the woman would not appreciate it. I became aware of Lila telling Inigo that he, too, was being called. Ah.. so that was the prize for the random draw, then. Those small clothes. My previous thoughts were correct, although, I couldn't say I was too excited to wear such garments. People would not appreciate me walking around half bare. ...Would Imogen think it disgraceful of a Great Knight? I could only hope not... It would be a shame if she were to think badly of me-! Perhaps Anna will forget about me. That would be for the best. I probably would not be able to face Imogen, while wearing nothing but those skimpy clothes-!

[Thanks! Okay, I wrote this in the car- I'll get to writing Inigo's part now! You don't have to reply at once; I'm just posting this from my iPod and yeah]

Imogen nodded at Lila's words; it was true that they were being forced to wear this right now. Soooo there wasn't really any way out of it. She sighed. The redhead took off her clothes, cautiously, since she was feeling quite vulnerable right now- if anyone were to burst in and attack her now, she would have neither a shred of protection or dignity. Though she supposed she lost both of those things, too, when she dressed in this bikini. It had a nice colour, at least- lime green. It's not a colour she usually wore, but it was pretty nonetheless. Once she put it on and Anna came in, she felt her cheeks heat up already. The top felt a little small, actually... "W-wait, what are you saying?" Imogen huffed slightly- okay, she wasn't the most feminine person, but that comment had been unnecessary-! Well... Whatever. Her cheeks heated up again when she said to 'go seduce the one you're eyeing'. What did that even mean--? Erm, Imogen wasn't even sure if Anna had anyone on mind, but for some reason, she thought of Frederick. No, the knight was too proper- he'd surely disapprove of her wearing such an outfit! Heck, Imogen disapproved of it herself. She got pushed out of the tent in the bikini, wanting to cover up her exposed top with her hands, but she figured that would just draw more attention. At least the sun felt pleasant against her skin..! Face the same shade of red as her hair, Imogen walked up to Frederick, eyes averted to look down, "A-Anna's calling you," she mumbled, pointing in the direction of the tent she and Lila had just left.

Lila-

"O-Oh..? W-Well.." I smiled sheepishly, pretending to be interested in looking at the sand. "Thank you." For some reason, Inigo's response made me feel a tinge bit more confident about myself. He said i-it looked good on me~. At least he didn't disapprove, or say it looked utterly unsuitable! And the man even agreed to look for seashells with me~. That would be delightful! ...It would've been better if I-I actually had /clothes/ on - I mean, these couldn't be considered /clothes/, could they? I watched as Inigo walked towards the tent, seeing Anna tug him inside. 'Alright, Lila.' I thought to myself, 'Be prepared for anything!' Usually, that statement was used in battle. Though... Now I was using it to mentally prepare myself for anything (or maybe , lack of anything?) Inigo might be wearing. Whatever it was, it was certainly going to be revealing, a-and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle that well. N-Not because it wouldn't be an attractive sight! No, not at all! (I wouldn't admit that aloud, however..) It's just that... I-I'd be so flustered..! I guess I understood why he had been blushing so much when he had seen me in such clothes..! Glancing around, I spotted Imogen near Frederick. ...A-Ah. She was in the small clothes too-! They actually looked good on her, though. She must be embarrassed, in any case...! I shifted a bit, then stepped into the cool water, just enough so that my feet would get wet. "H-Hn.. C-Cold.." I mused to myself. Luckily, it didn't take too long for me to get used to the temperature.

Frederick-

I finally managed to think of something else. Collecting fire wood. Ah, yes. I should do that at some point! Milord would certainly - certainly... Dear Naga.. My chain of thoughts was interrupted by a very flustered looking Imogen. Wearing nothing but those two pieces of cloth. ...I.. I needed to leave, before I did something drastic. 'C-Calm yourself, Frederick...' I tried telling myself, but it was /much/ easier said (or thought) than done. The lime green swimsuit contrasted very nicely with the woman's hair. Moreover, it.. it clung to her figure, showing of her lovely body. Gods knew I shouldn't be thinking this way. Gods also knew it was impossible /not/ to think this way... The top of that swimsuit was looking quite tight.. "...Forgive me, Milady. D-Did... Did you say something?" I had been so lost thinking about her, that I barely heard what she had said-! My cheeks, I knew, were tinted light pink in color. It was impossible to hide, I was sure, but I had to admit, that the color looked a hundred times better on Imogen. She certainly looked... alluring. I do hope that no other man thought the same. Who knows what sort of things they'd do to her? ...Even... Even I had to restrain myself. I'm sure others will still look at her... I should stop staring. She certainly wouldn't appreciate it. I cleared my throat, shifting a bit, "You look... quite n-nice." I said slowly, trying to sound casual. It was , again, impossible. "..Ah! You said Anna wished to see me? Then, I hope to spend time with you afterwards." I gave a small smile, turned around, then nearly rushed into the tent. My-! Indeed, my heart was racing. It's best that I cool off some. I was beginning to get, er, worked up...! "Well, finally! Frederick the wary decides to join us. Here y'go. Go change into this." Anna grinned, quite wickedly might I add. I blinked, taking the 'swimming suit'. "Ah, Are you sure these aren't just undergarments, miss?" I questioned. "Of course they're not! Now go change!" The redhead huffed, causing me to sigh and go behind the curtain. Gods. This would be very uncomfortable... I was used to wearing full armor, and now I would be barely covered. Hopefully, it would not look too disgraceful... I stripped out of my clothes (rather reluctantly), then put on the swim suit. ...I felt... exposed. "I don't think-" "Nonsense!" Anna said, interrupting me as she came behind the curtain. I was taken aback; She was very bold indeed. Had I been changing-! "Oh, that looks great on you~. All the ladies will throw themselves at you!" "Miss, I do not wish to-" "Pfft. Fine. Well, I saw how you were eyeing Imogen~. You liked the swimsuit, eh? I knew she'd be a knockout in it! Now it's your turn to make her swoon , right?~ Go on!" Anna insisted, causing a slight blush to appear on my face. S-She had noticed the way I looked at Imogen..? Before I could ask anything, I was pushed out of the tent.

Once Inigo was changed and ready, he felt as though Anna was staring at him. He shifted slightly, feeling rather awkward in this skimpy outfit, but for some reason, Anna laughed instead. "I didn't think you to be the shy type~" she teased, "Though I suppose that works rather nicely. Girls like shy guys, right?" Inigo was about to reply, to say something in protest, but before he could do even that, he was pushed outside of the tent by Anna. He slightly lost his footing in the sand at the push, but thankfully didn't fall. His cheeks were flushed as he looked around, feeling awkward compared to all the other Shepherds since he was in something that resembled his smallclothes. Inigo huffed to himself again at the fact that Anna called him 'shy'- he knew he was like that, but he didn'twantto feel like so. He breathed in sharply and then tried to smile again, pushing away the bright blush on his face. He looked around for Lila, wanting to confide in her (besides, it would be less awkward to stay with her since she was also forced into this). A smile played on his face again as he saw Lila a little way back, at the edge of the water, and he made his way towards her. A small blush was still present on his face, but he managed not to let it take over his entire visage, thankfully. She still looked very alluring in the swimsuit, even from the back, so he'd have to do his best to watch his words and not let anything... awkward slip out, lest she think any less of him. He stepped with her into the water, letting his feet cool in the water. "Lila," he smiled, "Shall we look for seashells together now, hm?" He was glad that she suggested that earlier, so he knew what to say without making it too weird like this.

~

If Imogen hadn't been so determined to keep her eyes averted to the sand beneath her, she would've definitely noticed Frederick's gaze on her. That would've made her blush more, perhaps even say something to it, but like this, she didn't mind because she simply didn't know. Which was perhaps for the best. Besides, she was already blushing so much that it was fine to let herselfnotdo anything to blush more. ...Though his words did exactly that. She smiled slightly when he said she looked nice, but it only made her cheeks heat up even more. "Th-thank you," she murmured, not daring to let her gaze go up to him again. Most of all, she was thrilled that he didn't disapprove of this! And despite her flustered-ness, Frederick's words made her feel more confident. Perhaps this swimsuit didn't look so bad as she thought? Well, it certainly made her happy! She'd heard someone- Chrom or Lissa or Robin, she forgot- say that Frederick was 'sincere to a fault'. So he must've said what he really thought...! Or, if he was just being nice, that was a good thing, too. It meant he had to like her at least a little to lie like that. So either option was pleasant, in the end. Once Frederick left to the tent, Imogen walked towards the edge of the beach, where the waves broke upon the sand. The water was cool, which made Imogen shiver slightly, but it wasn't bad in the warmth of the sun. She closed her eyes, soaking up the sun's rays.

Lila-

From here, I could see Frederick with Imogen. To be honest, the first thought that came to mind when seeing them was how cute they were together-! I wondered if they were going out or something of the sort~. They did seem to make an adorable couple, but I wouldn't say anything, lest someone became irritated or embarrassed. Perhaps I'll ask Imogen about it at some point anyway. She seemed really sweet, someone whom I would definitely enjoy becoming friends with! "Oh," I said with a small smile, my eyes catching sight of a beautiful seashell. Perhaps I could string them into a necklace, after Inigo and I collected some. Would he wear it, if I gave it to him...? He probably wouldn't be interested in shell necklaces. Humming nonetheless, I leaned down to pick the shell up. As soon as I stood up, I heard a familiar voce behind me. "Yes, we should definitely- w-we.. w-we sh-should.. u-uhm..." I had began my sentence pretty well, until turning around to see the male. O-Oh Naga... My face flushed a rather dark shade of red. I-I... It's not like I haven't seen shirtless men before! In fact, Vaike was somewhat shirtless! B-But this was /much/ different. T-The sight actually made my heart rate increase and my face heat up. ... N-Nothing could have prepared me for this. All that mental preparation went down the drain! W-Wah... W-Was it improper to look at him like this? To notice how well-toned his chest was? "I-I... Uhm, S-Sorry..!" I began, sheepishly. "I.. Y-You look really g-good." I finally managed to get out. My words were sincere, but I hadn't exactly wanted /that/ to slip out. I had wanted to say 'the swimsuit looks good', to lower the embarrassment level. B-But.. A-Ah, I guess the deed was done... I-It was the truth, so there was nothing wrong..! "E-Er... Let's l-look for those seashells!" I said, grinning in embarrassment, "I-I've already found one, s-see? We can walk down th-the beach a bit and look for m-more!"

Frederick-

I felt bare, to say the least. Unprotected, and unable to protect anyone else. I felt as if I were failing my duty as a Knight, simply by wearing this. Hopefully, nothing would go wrong; still, I was, as usually, wary. Indeed, if their were an attack, I would have no time to go change. Luckily, a lance could be used as a long ranged weapon, thus allowing me to fight despite the lack of armor. I wasn't too embarrassed about walking around like this; it was quite normal for men on hot days. Not for me, that was true, but still. It wasn't... exactly 'improper' , right? Hopefully, Imogen would think not. I walked ahead slowly, trying to keep my gaze away from Imogen until I actually reached her. ...Staring at her backside was, without a doubt, improper. Though she did, indeed, have a fine backside. ((Pfft- I could kind of imagine him thinking that! I mean, he's rather blunt, right? I haven't seen him embarrassed too often-! U-Uhm, am I playing him well? If I'm not, please correct me-! And I'll make Avatar marry him if I'm doing bad >.<)) I finally approached Imogen, then stood beside her, looking out at the sea for a short moment. "...Can you swim, Milady?" I asked her, finally having enough confidence to look at her. Bad idea though, for, from this position, I could actually see /down/ her top. I immediately cleared my throat, looking away in order to hide a rather obvious blush. Today I should be called 'Frederick the Improper'... I simply could not stop. It.. It happened on it's own. I hadn't meant to look down her top, even though the sight was highly alluring. ...Indeed, I was a man before a Knight, without a doubt.

Inigo blushed softly as he saw Lila lean down to pick up that seashell (mostly because it granted him quite a nice view) before walking up to her. It was nice to be like this in the sun and water, especially because it created a lovely contrast between the warmth and coolness of the elements around him. He smiled as Lila began to speak, though when she looked up at him with that face, letting her sentence drift off, he felt his cheeks begin to heat up again. This time, though, he did his best not to let it show, and quickly averted his eyes (and thoughts) to something else in order to push the hue climbing up onto his face. Was Lila behaving like that because of his attire? His swimsuit, that is. Er... hopefully she was stuttering and red-faced because this was an attractive sight (yes, he dared to hope so!) but most everything pointed towards the fact that she was embarrassed to see him in little more than small clothes. Still, she was good enough not to speak ill of his wear, and even complimented him, saying that he looked 'really good'. A smile grew on his lips (a little sheepishly), "Oh, you think so? It pleases me to hear you say that~" he grinned, "Er, you too. You look really good in that..." he let his sentence trail off here, realising that she probably wouldn't appreciate where his thoughts were beginning to run off to. And for some reason, he had a feeling that if he said 'bikini', she would at once know that he was thinking so much about this. A-ah, this was all too confusing. Damn that Anna for bringing up such an awkward situation! ...Though Inigo also had to admit that he enjoyed seeing Lila like that, despite the discomfort it brought both of them. He looked down at the seashell she held up (he had to remind himselfmultipletimes to keep focused on the shell in her hands instead of the gorgeous view of her torso and breasts). The man nodded, trying to keep his thoughts on track, "Y-yes, good idea. Let's go~" he smiled, grateful (and a little disappointed) for the opportunity to tear his gaze away from Lila and set down to looking for seashells again. He smiled as he saw one on the sand, though before he could get to it, a wave took it away. "W-wait!" he exclaimed to no one in particular, since the wave couldn't really respond, "Come back with that!"

~

((And yeah, you're playing Frederick really well! See, Frederick is the only person I'm actually picky about how he's played, so don't worry; if I don't tell you to change anything, it means it's perfect <3 He is quite blunt~ "Sincere to a fault" to quote the game exactly ;D))
When Imogen suddenly heard footsteps and then a voice beside her, she opened her eyes and looked up at the man next to her. A small smile played on her lips, though she couldn't stop the bright red blush from growing on her face as she looked at Frederick. He, too, was wearing a swimsuit, though (more properly for men) it was just a bottom instead of a two-piece. Like this, almost his entire body was exposed, and really, what a sight! Imogen always knew he was strong, that's for sure, but for some reason, his bare muscles took her by surprise. He looked good like this, outside of his bulky armour ((though he's perfect even then <3)) and in nothing more than swimtrunks, but the red head wouldn't say that aloud, especially not to him. She cleared her throat slightly and looked away again (which was perhaps for the best, or else she would've noticed Frederick's flustered expression as well) but nodded along to his question nonetheless. "A-ah, what? Y-yes, I can swim," Imogen spoke, looking out at the sea in order to give herself more time to get used to the situation, "Though I've never been at sea before. I've only swam in lakes and rivers and ponds. How about you?" she asked, letting herself peek up at him again. Really, seeing Frederick in a swimsuit had such a huge effect on her--! She didn't even know why; she'd seen plenty of shirtless men before, but none had ever gotten a reaction like this from her. ...Was this what Anna was talking about before? No, surely not. Perhaps it was just strange to see Frederick, who was normally so uptight and rigid, in attire like this. Still, Imogen had to admit that he looked great. The woman stepped into the water some more, walking in until it reached just below her knees. It was cooler like this, and she had to take a few moments to get used to the temperature of the water. She smiled and looked back, "Are you coming in, Frederick?"

Lila-

"Y-Yes, r-really! I-I promise!" I reassured Inigo, in case he thought I was simply complimenting him emptily. 'In fact,' I thought to myself, 'He's much /too/ attractive. It's... distracting...' A-Ah... I-I wondered how he became so well built. Was it dancing? No. Those muscles weren't just from dancing. It must be his excellent swordplay! A-Ah... He.. He looks really great... I smiled despite my blush, a bit sheepishly, as the white haired man complimented me once more. "Then... Since we both look good, we make a fine pair." I grinned suddenly, repeating his words from the tea shop in Ylisstol. Although Inigo was /very/ attractive, especially while bare-chested, I tried my best to stay calm. ...It didn't work too well, but I didn't want the man to feel awkward because of my flustered-ness...! I followed Inigo until he found a shell, then watched as a wave took it away. I really couldn't help but giggle at the scene before me. Not because I was laughing /at/ him, but because he was just too cute! (Despite being oh-so-attractive at the same time). "Inigo," I smiled, stepping in the water and then holding out my hand for him to take, "Let's look for it!" We might not be able to find the same exact shell, but we could certainly find others hiding beneath the water! I hoped that he'd take my hand. I mostly wanted to feel that warmth he seemed to give me, but at the same time, I was a bit afraid of deep water. His support would be helpful...! Okay. Maybe that was just an excuse, because the water was only up to our ankles. B-But he didn't know that-! "Oh, come now," I pouted, suddenly reaching out and taking his hand. "The sea shells won't find themselves!" I smiled, another light blush spreading across my features as I held his hand. It was bigger than mine, stronger, warmer, and much more welcome. Did all men have hands so comforting? I wasn't too sure, but I felt as if it depended on the person. "If we collect enough shells, we can make a necklace out of them~. Do you know how to string them together? It's quite fun~. ...Well, I've never actually done it before, but I've done it with flowers. It should have the same concept, right?" I laughed sheepishly, then stopped walking. "Ah.. I feel a ton of shells !" Well, we were barefoot, so it wasn't hard to miss. We were still in the more shallow area, where the water was only a bit above our ankles. "Let's sit here in the water and try to make a necklace from the shells! Okay?" I tugged at the white ribbon in my hair ((I'm just going to say she was wearing one-)) , then held it out. "We can use this to string them together~" I was already having so much fun, to be honest. I sat down in the water on my knees, waiting for Inigo to sit down as well. Sitting in the water was lovely! ((Have you ever done so before? It's so nice~ )) The water was so clear, we can see the shells and even a few tiny gray fish swimming around. "Which one should we use in the middle?" I questioned curiously. "The most beautiful shell of them all! Now which one..."

Frederick-

Imogen seemed somewhat distracted; I was unsure whether or not that was a good thing. Did that perhaps mean that she enjoyed the sight, as I did her? I do hope that was the case. Though, it could be the opposite, which, to me, seemed more likely. After all, I wasn't known to be that attractive. I was fit, I supposed, due to my fitness plan, but that didn't mean too much. Ah.. Naga knew, however, how pleasing the thought of Imogen enjoying the sight was to me...! "I indeed know how to swim. It is, after all, a necessary skill for a knight." I gave a smile, my hands behind my back. ((That closed-eye grin he gives! Imagine that! Also, that reminded me of Volkanon and his bridge building skill xP It's 'necessary' to be a good butler!)) "During times like these, one should be skilled in different things, such as swimming, horseback riding, ... eating bear meat..." I frowned a bit at the thought. Although it was quite random, it was true. What if there come a time when only bear is available? "I fear, Milady, that bear is much too gamey for me. The taste makes me want to gag." I sighed. "Though, that is for another time, yes? Let us enjoy this time and worry about faults later on." Again, I smiled, then watched as Imogen went ahead. And, again, I noticed how attractive she was. It was not only her form - though her figure was a sight for sore eyes, without a doubt - but her features and personality as well. To think that, not too long ago, I hadn't trusted her.. For once, I am regretful of being 'Frederick the Weary'. I stepped ahead, walking side-by-side with her in the cool water. The temperature did not bother me too much, as I was quite used to all sorts of weather. "...Perhaps Milady would care to indulge in a small competition of speed?" I suggested, smiling somewhat. It was nice to enjoy such small pleasures. In fact, I cannot remember that last time I have ever had a swim race with anyone.

((Yup~ Sitting in the water like that is nice *u* Hehehe yup, Frederick and Volkanon are quite similar~ And let's pretend that the rest of the Shepherds are also in swimsuits or whatever, because I can't imagine them being political and diplomatic while these four are looking for seashells and having races xP))

Inigo couldn't help but laugh softly at Lila's words,the ones that echoed his own from yesterday. 'Since we both look good, we make a fine pair,'is what she said, and the words kept circulating in Inigo's mind as he looked down at her. He knew she was probably just teasing, trying to get back for the words he said yesterday, but even still, he was happy to hear her say so. For some reason, it filled him up with a new feeling, one where he felt... what was the word? Perhaps he could use 'almost hopeful'. Yes, that seemed to work relatively well for now. Still, the white-haired man had no idea himself what he was feeling so 'hopeful' about. He shrugged and let his attention go back to the sea, shells and Lila. After the wave stole his seashell and Lila spoke, he looked at her when she stepped into the water and she suggested to look for it. He knew that it would be nearly impossible to find it again, even if they hurried, but going in with Lila wouldn't be unpleasant, that's for sure~ In fact, wouldn't it be more pleasant to be in the water together like that? Perhaps he could even hold her if something 'scary' were to happe-- there goes his train of thought again, running off into areas he didn't dare enter, at least not guiltlessly. Not to mention, Lila's words jerked him out of his thoughts as well, and it took him a while to realise that he still hadn't taken her hand, even though he meant to. She suddenly grabbed his hand instead and tugged him along, to which Inigo happily (if not a little in a surprised manner) followed along. Ah... her hand was so small against his. For some reason, it almost felt as though he had to be careful, as though her petite figure was fragile and could be broken at any moment, like a porcelain doll. Still, he knew that wasn't the case- she was a strong fighter, after all, but the feeling didn't leave him. After a while, they stopped a little deeper in the water and sat down, and Inigo looked curiously at Lila as she began to form a plan of what to put together. He didn't know much about making seashell necklaces, but he could probably learn from watching. In the meantime, he could look for more seashells. "How about that one?" Inigo pointed to a pearl-coloured shell, picking it up to inspect it. It was certainly beautiful, but it wasn't 'the most beautiful'- nothing could compare to Lila's beauty. He took her hand gently and placed the shell there, smiling, almost like a little kid who was proud of himself.

~

Imogen cringed just a little when Frederick mentioned that one should be skillful in many areas, including horseback riding. She was lucky yesterday that she hadn't had to face her fears, since it took longer than expected to find the puppy's owner, but she couldn't push it off for ever.... right? Probably not. She sighed; they'd have to get to it eventually, but she hoped to push if off for as long as possible. Though the next item off his list surprised her a little- eating bear meat? Why would he bring that up? Eyebrows furrowed, she looked at him (this time managing not to blush too much), "Bear meat?" she repeated, "...Is that a problem?" As far as she knew, bear meat was quite good, if cooked correctly. It had been dinner many times during the Shepherd's camp, but now that Imogen thought about it, she hardly ever saw Frederick try any of it. ...In fact, had he eaten any at all? He explained his distaste for it pretty quickly, however, and she nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. So then, you haven't eaten for a good number of our dinners?" she asked. She could probably give him some 'bear eating' lessons, but Imogen feared that would result in him teaching her something back, and for now, horseback riding was more than enough. Oh well, maybe some other time... She nodded when he said to leave this discussion for another time- that would probably be for the best. When he spoke again, from deeper in the water, Imogen pouted slightly, "A race? But I'm quite sure you'll win..." she mused, feeling a little embarrassed. She was a good swimmer, sure, but this wasFrederick. She had yet to see him fail at something. ...Okay, that wasn't completely true, but it was more or less known. "Though we can try, if you'd really like," she smiled slightly. It was nice to do things like this together, for some reason, so even a race would probably be alright. "But give me some time to get used to the water first!" Imogen stepped in again, shivering slightly at the feeling of the water around her waist as she stepped in further. But she had to get used to it..!

[[They can totally be wearing swimsuits~ And Inigo is SO CUTE OMG]]

Lila-

"Oh!" I smiled, eyes sparkling in delight at Inigo's choice. "That's certainly the most beautiful~." I said, watching as the man set the shell in my hand ever so gently. ...For some reason, I wanted to keep the shell to myself now; to treasure it. Though my companion might fight that... odd. So, I held the ribbon and carefully slipped the shell on, grinning at the results. "Perfect!" I paused, slowly stringing various other shells onto the ribbon. "...In Plegia, people who worked for the King weren't able to go out and do much. Good company was also a rarity. ...I guess that's why I'm having a lot of fun doing something like this. I'm sorry if I'm boring you...! I really enjoy your company, and I think it's really sweet of you to spend your time with me, rather than do something else." I smiled, a slight blush on my cheeks as I peeked up at him. "Thank you~." I hummed, "F-For your kindness, I'll create a d-dance routine, just for you!" It would be very embarrassing, b-but I wanted to gift him! Moreover, he had said that he wanted to see me dance anyway. I continued to string shells onto the ribbon, mostly just enjoying the water and sun. I brushed a strand of hair out of my face, furrowing my eyebrows in concentration until I was finally finished. I tied up the ribbon, then held it up. "There we go! It came out quite nicely, didn't it?" I smiled. "...Would.. you consider wearing it?" I asked him, looking at him curiously. He probably wouldn't want to wear something so... girly, but still, it was worth a shot...! I suddenly glanced into the distance, stiffening a bit when I caught sight of a rather big wave. "I-It's h-huge.." I contemplated getting up and going back to shore, but I definitely didn't want to seem like a coward in front of Inigo. I-It would get smaller by the time it g-gets here, r-right...? H-Hopefully it wouldn't be strong e-enough to knock me over! Even if it did, I..I-I could just get back up, right? I-It was just... frightening.

Frederick-

"...Yes, bear meat. Milord and Robin both eat it so... er, full-heartedly, I'm unsure how they can keep it down..." I frowned, looking as if it was quite the enigma. ...Which it was. "A-Ah. Yes, that is true, but I certainly have never gone hungry. So it is no matter, Milady." I gave another reassuring smile. There was a pause, and, involuntarily, I glanced at Imogen as she spoke. ...Looking down at her, perhaps, wasn't the smartest idea. She was, indeed, beautiful, but... but the position allowed for me to look down her top... It was, without a doubt, a little less awkward wearing these 'clothes' now, because, from what I could see, nearly all the shepherds were dressed similarly. However... None of them resembled Imogen, in the sense of attractiveness. She was, indeed, very... shapely. In my eyes, she was the most distracting. In a good way, of course. Actually... The woman would probably disapprove, so maybe it wasn't good.. Well, I did, I admit, enjoy the sight. Possibly a little too much. I do hope that she didn't notice... "Ah.." I forced myself to look up at her face after mentally scolding myself. Her features were also a lovely sight to gaze upon. The pout was a cute touch as well. I chuckled a bit, "And who is to say that you will not win? In any case, it will be quite fun, if I may say so. It is not often that I get to do such things..." Again, I smiled, then nodded. "Take your time." I agreed as she said she wanted to get used to the water. "Do excuse, but.. if you are cold, I can go bring you something warm , if you would like. ...It might not be of any use in the water, however. Forgive me." I murmured. Had I been a bit bolder, I , perhaps, would have held the woman close, in order to keep her warm.

[Yeah! :3 It must be nice for everyone to be in swimsuits~ Ooooh! We need to choose a wife for Chrom. I mean, we don't need to decide now, but at some point!]

Inigo watched as Lila looked at the shell he gave her, smiling to himself. It really was a pretty shell, though it could never be compared to Lila's own beauty. He was glad she liked it; for some reason, that gave him a pleasant feeling, almost fluttery. He watched as she strung it up on her white ribbon (he was sure she had others in her bag, since she used this one up, so that wouldn't be a problem for later) and smiled at her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you like it," Inigo smiled. When she began to speak of how things were in Plegia, he listened with interset. He had little knowledge of what the other country was like, but he definitely wanted to learn more about it, especially because it was Lila's home country. Still, the things he'd heard about it, and teh experience he had from fighting against Plegians didn't make it seem as though it was a very nice place. He hoped he wasn't jumping to conclusions like that... "What did you do in Plegia, exactly? Did you dance for the king?" Inigo asked. Though there was no doubt that she was strong, she still seemed more frail than not. He couldn't imagine her being part of the army or even a bodyguard... If so, then the Mad King must truly have some strange taste to his protectors instead of having them be dancers. As she spoke, he watched her string the shells together until she finally finished the necklace. He smiled, "It came out really nice!" he blushed softly when she asked if he'd wear it, but he nodded nonetheless, "O-of course. I'd be honoured to wear anything you made!" Psh, even if the other Shepherds were to tease him about wearing something like that, he'd wear it proudly and show off- after all, /they/ didn't have any gifts from pretty ladies like that. When he noticed Lila's silence, Inigo looked into the distance, seeing the wave that she spoke of. It was quite large, and would still be relatively large when it reached them near the shore. When it broke upon them, splashing water all over both of them and even dragging them a little towards the sea, he suddenly felt Lila's body again him. The water returned to the sea and he coughed lightly, looking up to see that the wave had dragged Lila on top of him. A soft blush danced on his cheeks, though this feeling excited him more than it flustered him. "Hey there~" Inigo grinned, rather sheepishly, but nonetheless earnestly.

~

Imogen looked up at Frederick as he spoke, trying not to pay too much attention to his beautiful body. The swimsuit suited him perfectly, even if he did not believe so. Still, staring at him would definitely be awkward, for both of them, so she did her best to keep her eyes steady on his face, and her thoughts only on the sea. The water was still rather cold, but she was getting used to it. The red head did her best to focus on the sun that warmed her skin, at least until the water grew warmer to her touch. She smiled back at Frederick, "That's very kind of you to offer," she spoke earnestly, but it definitely wouldn't be neccessary. She'd just have to get use to the water; it would probably become warm to her before too long. Though it would certainly be nice to have someone to warm her, to put his arms around her... W-wait, no, she didn't just think that-- erm okay this was a little awkward. Imogen sighed. She'd have to get better control over her thoughts before it became too late. "Are you coming? Join me," she spoke, turning around to look at the great knight. After a while, the water became more standable, and Imogen decided she could move on again. She walked in further into the water, this time so it was up to her shoulders, and shivered slightly. Now that she was alost entirely in the seawater, she felt colder than before, but this, too, would fade away with time.. While she waited to get used to the water, she rubbed her arms slightly and looked again at Frederick. This was fun; she hadn't really seen Frederick be so carefree before. It... It suited him. Well, his formality suited him perfectly, too, but it was nice to see him like this as well. Hopefully, she'd get to see him like this more often! Yes, that would definitely be lovely. Before too long, Imogen got used to the water again, fully (apart from her head) and grinned up at Frederick. "Alright, shall we race? I'll do my best!" Even though she was quite sure that he'd win, it would be fun... right?

[[Chrom x Sumia? So they can have Cynthia? x3 ... Actually I don't mind who marries him-- Hm... AND OMG INIGOOOO~]]

Lila-

"Well.." I continued to smile, even though I wasn't exactly happy with what I was about to say, "...I.. I took on the job myself. I needed the money, you see. A-And the only thing I was skilled in was dancing. I learned to use a sword, mostly to defend myself. I guess he allowed me to work him because I was just another person, you know? A decoy, an easy target, maybe a distraction." I shrugged a bit. "I really hated it, though. Luckily, I met all of you~ I'm really grateful." I grinned. "Plus, I got to have tea with a lovely gentleman~." I hummed. I paused, listening to the male's response to my question. "Y-You'll wear it?" It really surprised me, but I was quite happy! I hadn't expected him to agree, much less so enthusiastically! Before I could give him the necklace, the large wave passed over us, causing me to get knocked over somewhat and fall onto my stomach. Huh, funny thing.. I didn't fall that far at all! In fact, I didn't feel the sand underneath me ! Should I be worried..? Once the wave passed, I reached up to move my soaking wet hair out of my face, then blinked some of the water out of my eyes. Ah! Luckily, the necklace was still safely in my hand! It would have been a shame, had it gotten lost...! I suddenly blinked, hearing a ((HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE *-*)) voice. E-Eh...? I-It sounded like it was c-coming from underneath m-- "W-Wah-!" I squeaked in surprise, a dark blush appearing on my cheeks. N-Naga! I-Inigo was u-underneath m-me! Wh-What a.. a.. embarrassing position! ...Actually, it was kind of nice, to be honest. B-But still! "U-Uhm... H-Hello.." H-He had said 'hey there' after all-! (And in such a flirty tone, too!) Mind as well answer him back-! Th-That grin... It made my heart do weird flutters! "S-Sorry-!" I apologized. Ah.. But since I was here... I took the necklace , not moving from my position, and put it around his neck, grinning sheepishly. "A-Ahah... Th-There you g-go.." I blushed. Although I was terribly embarrassed, Inigo's grin intrigued me. "Doesn't... D-Doesn't this hurt you? You look pretty c-content.." I laughed nervously, wondering if I should get up or secretly enjoy the position a bit more. "...The necklace l-looks nice on you, a-anyway..!"

Frederick-

"Milady, is something wrong? You sound quite distressed. I assure you, if you are truly cold, I can bring you something, if it will be of any use to you." It probably wouldn't be of any use, however , since it would be illogical to bring a towel or shirt in the water. Still, I was willing to try. "Indeed," I said with a nod, as Imogen asked if I was coming with her. The water was now up to her shoulders, whereas it reached my chest. The water, to me, was quite welcoming. Though, the redhead seemed to become cold easily. ..Ah, all the more reason to bring her into my embrace. The thought itself seemed to warm me up some, even though I wasn't feeling cold, per se. I wondered what the woman would do, were I to pull her close to give her warmth. It.. It may be enjoyable. To me, at least. Imogen may very well give me a well deserved slap for touching her without consent. ...Perhaps soon, I can question her to see if she would be alright with it. It couldn't hurt to ask. ...Hopefully. Now that we were in deeper water, I was unable to see her 'swimsuit' - which was probably for the best. It... It gave me inappropriate and lewd thoughts. It wasn't fitting for a knight to think such things of a fair maiden. ...Unless, of course, the maiden allowed it. I did not want to dishonor her, no matter how tempting she was. ...Ah. This was... complicating. What was this feeling...? "You still seem cold, Milady. Are you sure you need not some warmth...? I can provide you with some, if you so wish it. Er.. that is..." I cleared my throat, "Nothing. It is nothing." I feared I may have spoken out of bounds. How does one give an embrace without sounding so... odd? "Yes. Let us press on with this race! Are you ready?" I asked, glad for the subject change. I lifted my feet off the sand, floating instead of standing. "To the end of the beach, but the cliff over there. That is where we finish."

[Alright, we can have Chrom marry Sumia and they can have Lucy and Cynthia as their daughters :3 Pshh this is so much fun to write! And when should we have the couples get together? Right after the slave thing? I was tempted to make Inigo kiss Lila, but.. it's too early, huh? XP]

Inigo listened as Lila spoke, sharing her past withhim. It must've been absolutely terrible to have to work as the Mad King's killer because of financial problems. Still, he completely understood Lila's reasoning- he, too, would've gone to such extremes for it if there was no other option. Luckily, the Shepherds found both of them before they had to commit to anything too drastic. And gods knew that Inigo was glad for it- otherwise they never would've even met. When the large wave passed over, knocking Lila on top of the white haired man, he looked up to see her flustered face. She looked absolutely adorable with that red hue on her cheeks, and he even laughed softly at her words and expression, simply because it was too cute. And her answer..! He shook his head when she apologized, indicating that it was alright and she shouldn't feel sorry- especially because it wasn't her fault in the slightest. Moreover, he actually really liked this position. Yes, it was awkward, but he could definitely get used to this~ Not that he'd tell Lila that- she would probably smack him for having such thoughts. But really, Inigo just couldn't help it. Besides, her breasts were pressed up right against his chest like this, which gave him a pleasant reason god touch her without exactly seeming like a pervert- they could and would blame the wave if need be. He had to restrain the impulse to shift and pin her to the ground beneath him instead, but something told him that she wouldn't appreciate it, and he wouldn't be able to place the blame anywhere else. The man lifted his head slightly as she placed the necklace around his neck and smiled, "Thank you~" he grinned, making no move to get up or push her away. Inigo shook his head when she asked him if this hurt, "Not at all! You're light as a feather~" Besides, he didn't mind this position. At all. Even though sand would get in his hair. After a while, when she made no move to get up either, Inigo decided to tease her a little, "Shall we just stay like this, then? I dare say it's a nice position~"

~

((I'm cold as I write this-- Frederick, come warm me up! >< Please))

Imogen shook her head, trying not to shiver, "I-I'm fine," she mused, "I am cold, but it's not too much of a problem... I'm sure I'll get used to the water soon." She nodded, almost as much to herself as to Frederick. When he suggested warming her up, though, she was about to ask how- after all, a blanket wouldn't be useful at all in the water. Then again, she was also very tempted to ask if he would warm her up, at least for a little while, but she decided that he probably wouldn't approve of that. And gods knew that Imogen didn't want to lose the trust and small affection she just earned from Frederick. "N-no, thank you," she finally said through shivers, though she was beginning to warm up. She decided it would be too awkward to ask such a thing of him. Before too long, once she grew accustomed to the temperature and they decided where to race until, Imogen nodded. "Alright, you're on!" She said with determination. On three, two, one and go! they left, starting to swim. Imogen took in a deep breath before diving in under the cool water. She kicked and pulled herself through it, freestyle, and took in even breaths every three strokes. Hopefully her swimsuit wouldn't get disturbed, or fall off or anything because of this sudden movement... That would be awkward. Very awkward. Still, that wasn't exactly what she had been thinking about as she swam, and instead just concentrated on getting to the cliff at the end of the beach. She was beginning to get a little tired, too, but wouldn't let Frederick win, at least not without a fight. As she swam, she pushed herself to go further at the same pace, she began to feel her top start to slip down at the movements. Rather panicked, she slowed down, stopping almost completely to readjust it before it could slip off or expose anything she didn't want to expose.

[[They could give sweet kisses (hand kisses, cheek kisses) ~ After all, we decided that they'd all sort of know of their feelings >:3 AND DO YOU WANT FREDERICK TO MAKE YOU WARM (in the RP)? I'll add it in my next post if you'd like ^u^ I just wasn't sure! He wants to hollld herrr-- and yes , they'll get together right after the slave thing~~]]

Lila-

As time passed, I slowly began to realize... er, smaller details of this situation. For example-! I-I.. I could /feel/ the muscles of his chest against my skin...! Moreover, I became aware of... other things..! I had accidentally shifted slightly, to get a better look at the necklace around Inigo's neck. ...I-I was w-worried that... I-I might accidentally .. b-brush against /th-that/ part of him, which would certainly cause him to feel uncomfortable.. So, I stayed perfectly still. Not that I minded...! Honestly, the position really /was/ comfortable! He was warm, welcoming and he just felt /strong/. I liked it~. A-And he didn't seem to mind -! S-So there wasn't such a h-huge problem, right? I gave a sheepish smile. "Do... D-Do you like it..?" I asked after he thanked me for the shell necklace. "Actually, they match your hair really well." The sheepish smile remained on my face, along with my blush, as I leaned forward a bit. I hadn't meant to go so close to his face, but that's what ended up happening. "A-Ah.. it matches your eyes t-too." I said after a moment, cheeks darkening at the closeness. I pulled away from his face somewhat, though, obviously, we were still very close. I-I was on top of h-him after all! "O-Oh? That's good news, I'm glad I'm not hurting you-!" Being called light was a relief, especially because I /loved/ sweets. They weren't exactly the most healthy choice of food...! "H-Huh?" My face immediately heat up yet again, as it always seemed to around Inigo. "Y-You think i-it's a nice p-position..?" He was probably teasing, but it still made my heart race. "...B-But.." I gave a shy grin, "If you truly enjoy it, then I think I'll st-stay right here~" I was actually trying to tease him back, but I definitely wouldn't move if he had no problem with it. I was tempted to ask /why/ he enjoyed the position, just to tease him, but th-the answer.. might j-just end up flustering me instead. I finally decided to fold my arms on his chest, then rested my chin in my arms as I laid there. "Actually, I could fall asleep like this, y-you're comfortable~" I hummed, closing my eyes for a moment with a slight smile on my face as I enjoyed the warm sunlight on my skin. I opened my eyes after a moment, peeking at the man underneath me, "Are you getting tired of me on you like this yet?" I laughed sheepishly.

Frederick-

The race soon began, and I immediately set off, taking powerful strokes in the water. Ah! Such sports are truly enjoyable. Nothing better than training in such a manner! This, did, indeed, improve stamina and the such. Moreover, having Imogen here as well made everything much more exciting. At one point, however, I noticed something. At the time, we were almost side by side, with myself only a small ways ahead. Thus, I could see Imogen quite clearly. ...As she moved, I could frequently see down her top, allowing me to see her damp cleavage.. It was very inappropriate to be noticing such things, but, unfortunately, I could not help myself. As time passed, the redhead's top seemed to be getting lower and lower, slowly sliding down her shoulders until I, myself, began to slow down due to the distraction. The woman stopped, and I tried to think of a way to speak my mind. ...I would not want her top to come off, lest people such as Vaike or the other shepherds would... take advantage of her. I, myself, was doubting my very self-control. "Milady, your assets.. er.. that is to say, your.. ah, ornaments... Pardon me." I finally said, going over to her, "This can be dangerous. I am afraid that men could be considered as .. wolves , especially when given such a sight. I would not want you to get taken advantage of." My voice was sincere, as I truly did not want any (other) man near her. I.. supposed it might be considered... jealousy. Ah. With a very light blush on my cheeks, I reached out, "Pardon," I repeated, then lifted up the straps of her top to set them back in their correct position. ...I am quite grateful that we were in the water, where she would not be able to notice anything below my chest... I cleared my throat, pulling my hands away afterwards. "..I am quite impressed by your swimming skills. Are you still cold, though?" I questioned slowly. "I must say, I would not want you to catch a cold. That would be most unfortunate. They say warmth can be transfered..." Maybe this was the wrong way of going about things. ((If you don't want this, ignore it! >///<)) I suddenly wrapped my arms around her. It was alright to share an embrace, especially if she was cold, right?

[Alright! That sounds good :3 Hand kisses like omg-- Frederick does that in his confession in the game *u* And sure, we can have Frederick warm her~ So cute >u< But other than that, I don't really have anything specific to add, so yeah :PP]

Inigo was beginning to think that Lila was just trying to tease him. Though he had no doubt that this position was accidental, neither made any move to get up. Moreover, he could feel the woman pressed against him, her breasts against his chest (he did his best not to look at them--), and perhaps worst of all, she was dangerous close to his manhood. Not that he reallyminded- after all, it was quite a nice position- but he definitely didn't want Lila to feel what was beginning to happen beneath his swimsuit. Thankfully, it wasn't too apparent that he was feeling this way, and Lila wasn't technically touching him there, so he was quite sure that she wouldn't realise anything. For now. Unless, of course, she moved again. He hoped not. Actually, he should probably make his way to the water, so that he'd be completely safe from her finding out. Ugh... this was too bothersome. He nodded when she put the necklace on him, "Yes, I really like it~" he grinned. It was even better because she made it for him. He smiled when Lila said that she enjoyed this position, too; they would definitely be able to get along, then~ Though he wouldn't say that to her, at least not in those words. He didn't mind at all for her to stay there, laying on him like this~ Actually, he really enjoyed it, too. He definitely wouldn't mind having her sleep on him like this~ "Feel free to do so, if you like~" Inigo grinned, voice on the verge of purring instead of normal speaking. He shook his head when she asked if he was tired of this position yet, "No, I don't think I could ever get tired of this~" Inigo grinned (though he had to admit that he was getting a little uncomfortable- but not in the way she probably meant it). "Though it's rather hot in the sun like this. How about we go enter the water, hm?" he asked, leaning up on his elbows slightly. It was a shame to change this position, but he didn't want to risk her feeling anything--.

~

Imogen looked up at Frederick after she stopped, noticing that he had done so as well. It was nice of him to stop in the race with her; at least this way they wouldn't get too much ahead of one another. Er... in fact, Imogen wasn't sure if she wanted to continue this race like this, not when the motions affected her in such a way. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly when Frederick spoke, "Assets? Ornamen--" she repeated, not quite understanding what he was trying to get at, though she cut off at once when she understood. A bright blush coloured her face again when he spoke of men and wolves, and even more so when he walked over to her and began to readjust her top. In that moment, she wasn't sure whether she should thank him or slap him for such actions. It... made her feel strange, not necessarily bad, but not exactly happy, either, to know that Frederick had been looking at her... there. Well, he was probably just making sure that everything was proper, but still, that action almost felt as though it was loving... Oh well, she quickly shook those thoughts out of her head. "E-erm thank you," she mumbled, averting her eyes quickly when he finished. Again, she felt terribly awkward in this swimsuit, especially after it had nearly fallen off. "Really? You think so?" she smiled slightly when he complimented her swimming skills, though she was still a little flustered. "N-no, I'm quite warm after that swim--" Imogen began, though she wasn't warm, exactly (though it was much better than before). Not to mention, his warmer arms around her brought her... a happy feeling, somehow (and another blush). "..Frederick?" she asked, quite awkwardly, though she also let her head rest against his chest, enjoying his warmth. She hoped it wasn't too awkward like this, especially because she enjoyed staying like this.

[[Okaii Dokii~ >u< By the way, I forgot- Are we doing the slavers thing after this, or skimming through chapter 7? I-I forgot xD]]

Lila-

I was really glad that Inigo enjoyed the necklace. Really, it was a bit surprising, especially since it wasn't professionally made or anything-! Moreover, I hadn't expected him to agree to wear something that was more commonly worn on females. O-Of course, it really did look nice on him! I felt proud that he was wearing it~. Even if he was doing it just to make me happy, the thought was still sweet. "A-Ah.. You know, when you offer i-it like that, it makes it much more tempting... W-Wouldn't you be bored , just laying underneath me as I slept?" I grinned sheepishly, the blush never leaving my features. "Oh! Or perhaps, if you are also enjoying this position, you could take a nap as well. The sun makes you rather drowsy, doesn't it?" Sleeping like this would be very comfortable, a-and.. well, it would be so sweet-! What would the other Shepherds say, though, if they saw us..? I wouldn't go to sleep, in any case, mostly because Inigo was probably just being nice-! Besides, this would be more enjoyable while I was awake~. I.. I liked hearing his voice, especially that slight purr... A-And seeing his grin was quite the pleasure as well. "Oh.. W-Wait, really? Without a doubt, you would get tired of this eventually-!" I said, looking surprised. My blush did increase, however. S-So.. H-He really enjoyed having me on top of h-him..? ...Actually, now that I really thought about it, i-it ... seemed very inappropriate-! Not.. that I particularly minded--! I couldn't admit that though..! "Well, I guess it works both ways. I also can't get tired of this position~" Another attempted, but still sincere, tease. I blinked, suddenly realizing that he must be extremely hot ((*cough* so very hot-)) underneath me, while in the sun-! "O-Oh! S-Sorry!"I said quickly. I was rather disappointed, but I could still stay with him and spend time with him. I sat up, but then realized that sitting on top of him was a lot more embarrassing. "S-Sorry..!" I repeated, face still flushed as I stood up. While sitting up, I had accidentally brushed my leg against .. /th-that/ part...! O-Oh.. I hoped he wouldn't mind, or feel awkward-! I held out my hand to help him up.

Frederick-

...Perhaps it wasn't the brightest idea to refer to Imogen's breasts as.. ornaments. I simply did not want to go out of bounds, to point out such a thing by using vulgarity. Of course, it was not, without a doubt, /vulgar/. I.. I supposed I felt embarrassed. To me, saying 'your breasts could be seen' sounded a bit more ... inappropriate than sayng 'your ornaments can be seen'. Ah.. I supposed either way, it would still come out awkward. I hadn't meant it to be so strange. Ah.. Indeed, this was a very difficult test. The test of trying to be modest and respectful around a fair maiden. Especially one as beautiful as the redhead. The swimsuit definitely did not help in hiding her immense beauty... "Excuse me for stepping out of boundries, Milady." I murmured after fixing her top. I could easily see her embarrassment. Perhaps she thought of me inappropriate now. That , indeed, made me feel shameful. I did not wish for her to look at me badly. Luckily, the subject was changed (somwhat, as I could see how flustered the woman was). "Yes. You're quite skilled." I smiled a bit, after which I had taken her into my embrace. She was warm, softer than I ever imagined. She .. she was comforting. Just holding her like this brought a light tint to my cheeks, and sent my heart into an irregularly beating frenzy. "Do forgive me. I thought this would best keep you warm. Need I pull away, simply let me know." I said. Imogen felt small, almost delicate. It was almost strange. Well, in a way, it was; she was the opposite of 'delicate'. She was a very strong fighter, skilled in various things. However, having her in my arms like this made me feel as if I needed to protect her.

[Let's skim through chapter 7 after this~!]

Once Lila got up, Inigo would've sighed out in slight relief (since she was so much more tempting lying down on him like that; he didn't want to do anything drastic). However, when he realised that she instead sat up, his blush simply refused to go away. Having her on him like that, for somer reason, make everything all the worse. Could she feel anything from this position? He hoped not. That would be extremely embarrassing, for the both of them. She must've quickly realised it, too, since Lila got up and off of him not long afterwards, apologising profoundly. "N-no, it's alright," he smiled at her as he propped himself up with his hands, "Like I said, that was quite an enjoyable position~" Really, he was tempted to say something along the lines of 'we should do it again sometime~'but figured that she could very well present him with a deserved slap for that comment. ...Or, at least, that she would be terribly flustered. He didn't necessarily want to do that (not yet, at least) lest something strange pop up later. He had to bite his lip, face heating up when she accidentally brushed her leg against him. Really, he had to do everything in his powernotto let out a soft moan of both surprise and pleasure from it. Thankfully, the action was very quick, so he could probably hide it well. Though now, the thought came to find about whether or not she'd felt that part of him- hopefully the movement was too brief for her to figure out any such thing. He took her hand and lifted up from the sand when she extended it towards him, grinning lightly at her. "You're covered in sand, Lila," he teased lightly, "Let's go wash off, hm?" Inigo tugged her gently into the water, slowly making his way into deeper waters, though right now, they only reached his knees.

~

Imogen shook her head, "You don't need to apologise," she breathed, still a little flustered. Frederick just readjusted her swimsuit, made it neater and more proper. There was nothing to be embarrassed about... right? ...Actually, now that she thought of it, she probably wouldn't have been fine like this if it had been anyone else. Frederick somehow seemed... sincere in what he did, even if it was something that, in others, could have underlying motives. ..Which maybe the great knight did, too, but at least he was kind enough to keep them hidden. It was nice to be able to stay in his embrace like this, even if only for a while. "You're warm.." she said quietly, closing her eyes for a moment as she leaned against him. Yes, this was definitely nicer than just staying around in the cold water, shivering. "I'll let you know, should anything happen." Imogen said in reply to his words. She'd probably have to pull away before too long, lest anyone get the wrong idea. She didn't want to pull Frederick into any rumours or whatever, so they probably couldn't stay in such a position for very long... Shame. Still, it was so nice to stay like this, to lean against him and feel his warmth. She could hear his steady breath, too, from so close. She opened her eyes, peeking up at him again. Urk, this felt as though she was being a bother to him; it probably wasn't so interesting for him to just stand there besides her in the water. "..Are you getting bored?" she asked after a moment, not wanting to seem like just another problem he had to deal with.

[ewe it's short and hardly anything happened, but y'know... school >.>]

[[I love how paranoid Inigo is about being slapped XDD]]

Lila-

Again, I was tempted to ask /why/ Inigo had enjoyed the position so much, but , again, I figured that he'd somehow manage to fluster me instead. Well, I guess i-it could be the same reason as mine..! I, too, had enjoyed the position-! I was about to say something about us being 'a fine pair' again, but I supposed it would be much too overused if I did so. After standing up, I fidgeted a bit. I-I... I should apologize for brushing a-against him-! H-He must have felt it, for his face was flushed. B-But I didn't know how to apologize for such a thing-! ...Plus, I-I.. was very e-embarrassed. I-I.. I think I might have f-felt-! No, I-I shouldn't even think about i-it..! D-Did... I have that effect on him? It must be because.. er.. I brushed against him. ..Th-That part of a man i-is very sensitive, i-isn't it? Oh Naga... I-I didn't mean to-! I-I mean, I .. I felt pretty special, being able to have such an e-effect on him, b-but I'm s-sure he didn't want to feel such discomfort! ...I..I should stop thinking about this. Inigo soon stood up, and, for a moment, I looked at him, feeling my cheeks grow warm all of a sudden. I had just been on top of him, but now, once again, I had full view of him... A-Ah.. He was holding my hand again too. Really, it felt so warm and nice... "H-Hn.. Oh. I-Is that so?" I grinned sheepishly, trying to brush a bit of the sand off my skin. "Mm.. But I'm not the only one with sand all over." I grinned, standing on my tiptoes in order to brush some of the sand out of his hair. "Ah.. There's quite a bit, you might have to wash it out..." I mused, standing back in my normal position. The man began to gently tug me out into the water. When we got to above my knees, I began to get a bit worried. "A-Ah.." I involuntarily held onto his hand a bit more tightly, stepping closer to him, "W-We.. don't need to go t-too much deeper, right...?"

Frederick-

"Warm? If I may say so, you are also quite warm. Ah.. in any case, I am glad that I am able to assist you." I smiled a bit, managing to calm myself down somewhat. I was grateful for the water. It helped to cover any... discomfort that may or may not be noticable. I wished that, perhaps, I could aid this woman better. But, alas, all I could offer at the moment was my warmth. Which was, in my opinion, pleasant indeed. I was unsure of Imogen's opinion on the matter, but, thankfully, she did not seem to abhor the gesture. ...That was a start, at least. I had been afraid that she'd dislike this, and perhaps either scold me or leave. There was a small moment of silence, which, I decided, was quite nice. Just standing here in the clear, gentle water, with a light breeze and Imogen. It sounded like the perfect way to spend a day off. ...Ah, I enjoyed this quite a bit, I realized. Yes, Imogen was quite.. alluring, especially in that outfit, but it was more than that. Once again, I felt regret. I had, after all, not trusted her for quite some time... "Bored? Why, Milady, it is the opposite. I am enjoying myself, if I dare say so." I said. Of course I was not bored. In fact, this might just as well be one of my most pleasant moments. I will surely think about this in the future; remember this special time, at the beach, with the redhead. Now that I thought about it, I couldn't think of anything more enjoyable than what I was doing now. ...Well, I could, but I daren't think such thoughts. They all, without a doubt, involved Imogen. Ah.. She had an immense effect on me, which was a bit surprising. Or perhaps not? She was very special indeed. "Are you, perhaps, bored? We can do something else if you so wish it."

[I'm assuming he's been slapped a lot by ladies before, so it's a valid fear :L]

Inigo did his best not to think about Lila having felt anything- she surely would've let him know somehow if she was uncomfortable, right? ...Even a slap would be a good sign, since it would tell him to back off. If she was just being kind and didn't want to tell him off, he'd never know if she was feeling discomfort... So for now, he'd be happy and imagine that she enjoyed this as much as he did. The white haired man laughed softly, "Really? Well then, we just have to go wash off, then~" he grinned. Going into the water with Lila would be fun, too. Actually, doing anything with her would be quite fun. When she brushed her hand against his hair, taking some of the sand out, he could really feel that there was a lot of it on him. He ran a hand through his hair as well, trying to make the small grains fall out, but it would probably be easier with water. They stepped inside, all the time holding onto each other's hands (he loved the way hers fit in his). The water around them already began to wash off the sand on their legs, up to their knees, and he looked back at Lila when she spoke, gripping tighter onto his hand. "Hm?" He blinked, "Are you uncomfortable in the water?" That would make sense- she didn't want to go in too deep because she was afraid. "I can hold you, if you like. If that makes it easier for you, if you wouldn't be so frightened then." He said, a little lamely. "B-but we don't have to go at all! I'll just go wash the sand off and come back." He didn't want to make her feel discomfort. Besides, Lila wasn't quite as covered in sand as Inigo was- the white haired man had been the one between the sand and Lila, after all, so he needed a wash more than she did. "Will you wait here, then?"

~

Imogen nodded, "Good. I wouldn't want to bore you." She said with a small smile. It was nice, in a way, to know that Frederick could enjoy her company, too. For some reason, it gave her a pleasant, almost fluttery feeling. And she was really quite happy to be in this position with him, in an embrace and feeling his warmth, so she was glad he liked it, too. "Oh, I like this as well. Though perhaps there's a better way to spend a day at the beach than just this?" She mused, both to herself and to the man holding her. She would've suggested going out to, maybe, build a sandcastle or sunbathe or something, simply to get out of the cool water, but she very much enjoyed his warmth around her instead. Actually, that was probably preferable to anything else. And if she was warm, surely there would be no valid reason for him to embrace her like this! So for once in her life, she was really quite glad that she got cold easily. Suddenly, she felt something brush against her ankle- it was a quick feeling, disappearing very quickly. Imogen jumped up a little at it, panicking just for that moment. A fish-! She knew it was normal for them to swim in the sea like this, but the sudden touch of one still surprised her. And perhaps made her a little uncomfortable. It was smooth, and almost a little slimy. "U-Urk-! I felt something..." She breathed, regaining her composure, "S-sorry."

Lila-

There really was a lot of sand covering Inigo! I wondered how much stuck to his back, since he had been laying on the sand-! Ah, that was partly my fault.. I-I felt rather bad, but, luckily, the man didn't seem upset at all. I glanced up at him, blushing in embarrassment, "I.. er, can't s-swim.." I could /stand/ in deep water - up to my chest even! - but... I-I was scared in the sea or ocean. The waves could knock me over. At least in a river or lake, I could stand without problems. While in the sea, I'd much rather stay closer to the shore. I..I could probably deal with going in up to my waist, b-but only if I were clinging to someone for dear life. I'm sure Inigo wouldn't appreciat- "Wh-What?" O-Oh. So my initial thoughts were incorrect..! He... He offered to... to hold me... My gaze softened, my blush darkening. "A-Ah.. You'd do th-that...?" Now that was truly, undeniably, sweet. I definitely didn't want to stand here by myself while he went to wash. Moreover, I didn't really see how anyone could decline such an offer...! "A-Ah.." He hadn't minded me on top of him, so surely he wouldn't mind this either..? I hoped not-! He had offered, right? "M-Maybe.." I paused, averting my gaze in order to try to hide my blush, "If.. If you don't mind.." Okay, this was harder than I thought. "You.. You could hold m-me..?" It came out sounding more like a question than anything else.. Ah.. Yes, this was embarrassing, for sure. I hoped that Inigo wouldn't feel awkward or anything. "U-Uhm.. Th-That is, if you d-don't mind of course!" I said, a bit quickly. My tone was, obviously, flustered. I couldn't force my blush down, either. I supposed I should get used to it; the white-haired man always seemed to bring a blush to my face.

Frederick-

"Milady, you needn't worry about boring me. You are, without a doubt, very pleasing to spend time with. In fact, I was worried that you may think me as such. Needless to say, I thought you would find me to be dull." I mused, not moving from my position in the slightest. The water didn't feel cold at all, now that I was given the gift of Imogen's warmth. Ah, it was surprising, how warm she felt. She had, after all, said that she was cold. Maybe it was more than just temperature. Meaning, that her warmth came from her smile, her personality, and heart. Yes, that sounded correct. "Oh? So you are enjoying yourself? ...That is certainly nice to hear." I said with a small grin and slight blush. I figured that she would not enjoy me holding her close like this. However, she had just stated otherwise! Indeed, that was most pleasing to hear. ...Perhaps, though, she was simply being kind. She did not seem the type to discourage or scold people. Perhaps she really was bored, but did not voice her thoughts in order to spare my feelings. ...That was, of course, sweet of her as well. "We can find other things to do, if you wish." I was content staying here, with her. Then again, it would be an honor to do anything with her. I suddenly noticed the female's body stiffen. She let out a (rather adorable) squeak-like sound, whimpering as well. "My. Did a fish brush past you? They could be quite... uncomfortable feeling. Here you are," I muttered, suddenly picking the girl up of her feet. "This way, you needn't feel any slimy fish, Milady. I do hope you don't mind. I simply wish to please you." ((That sentence >u< INNUENDO-)) I suddenly realized how she felt in my arms like this. Ah. She.. was a perfect fit against me, almost like the final, missing piece of a puzzle... Other than that, holding her like this allowed for.. me to touch her. I had to be careful, for I did not want to accidentally touch somewhere that would make Imogen uncomfortable... It was tempting, yes. But that was no way to treat a lady. ...Not without her permission of course. But, alas, I did not have her permission, nor would she grant it to me. Or so I thought. Perhaps.. as time passed, we could grow closer. "Are you alright like this?" I asked her, looking down at her.

[Omg that line >///< <3]

Oh, so Lila couldn't swim? That explained her reluctance to go in deeper into the water. Inigo nodded, smiling gently, "Alright then, no worries. We needn't go too deep into the water, and I'll be sure to hold you." The white haired man stood closer to her and, with a small 'pardon me', he put his arm around her waist. Of course, the action caused his cheeks to tint a light pink; he wasn't entirely sure how she would react to him doing this, but she asked him to hold her, right? So surely he had the right to do at least that! Of course, there was still a chance that, upon feeling his touch, she would change her mind. He hoped that wouldn't happen, but he took the chance anyway. He pulled her close against him, skin against skin (he made sure not to touch her in an awkward place, even though he at first wanted to-- he was glad he didn't, or she would probably avoid him for the rest of their lives). It was nice like this, he had to admit. She was warm, and so petite, too. Holding her close like this was very pleasing; he hoped she wouldn't mind it. Holding her close like this, Inigo took a couple more steps further into the water, until it reached their hips. He looked at Lila again, especially once the water was at a higher level. The sand up to his hips was pretty much well washed away by now, but his back and hair was still quite sandy. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?" he asked softly, not wanting to make her go further than she wanted to. In that case, perhaps he should hold her in a different way? Yes, that sounded like a good idea! "Is this better, then?" he asked with a small smile, almost a little teasing. Again making sure not to touch her in any strange places, he picked Lila up in his arms, bridal style, and began to walk further into the water. "Don't worry, I've got you. All safe now, buttercup~"

~

Imogen sighed out slightly in relief; she was definitely glad that he wasn't getting bored with her. Especially because she was enjoying this, too, so if they were both enjoying this, it really was a good thing. The compliments he gave her (quite graciously, too) caused her cheeks to heat up in a slight blush, though it's not as though she wasn't enjoying this at all. It was really pleasing to hear him say things like that, for some reason. ...Alright, she was beginning to feel quite fluttery around him. It was strange, but it was a nice feeling, too. When the fish brushed against her, she felt rather embarrassed at her reaction. It really wasn'tthatbig of a deal; she'd certainly touched grosser things in her lifetime before than a fish. But for some reason, she just couldn't help it. So really, it made her happy that he didn't laugh or scoff at her reaction. In fact, he was almost too kind about it. "Y-yes, that's right..." she murmured, still a little embarrassed about it. When he suddenly picked her up, her cheeks heated up again and she looked to him, a little flustered. "F-Frederick," she stuttered, not really sure what to say right now. She wanted to say something, but her mind was kind of frozen right now; all she could think about was Frederick holding her in his arms. Absent mindedly- she didn't even know when this happened- she'd put her arms around his neck, holding on. "O-oh, thank you," she said, smiling up at him earnestly, if not a little awkwardly. This... this was really nice, too. It was a very nice position to be in, so close to him. "This is quite pleasant," she said softly, happily. "A-Are you sure you don't mind?"

[[THAT LAST LINE- OMG <3 "All safe now" that's voiced too and waaaahhhh~~~ Plus 'buttercup' is such an adorable nickname I love it *u*]]

Lila-

Inigo was so gentle, yet his arm felt so strong around me at the same time. It was, without a doubt, a very pleasant feeling. I certainly felt safer like this, so close to him. No need to be afraid anymore-! Ah.. he was so sweet, helping me like this even though it was probably a bother...! Feeling someone's arm around me was actually a pretty new sensation to me. ...B-Being so close made my heart rate speed up a bit. I wondered if it was because it was /him/. H-Hn.. Surprisingly, standing like this seemed closer together than when I had been on top of him. From this position, I could take in a faint, yet attractive scent. It mixed in with the scent of the sea, but I could still smell it. I-It.. it was very pleasant indeed! We went a bit deeper into the water, though, even in this position, I felt my body stiffen a bit. I..I knew I was safe, especially since Inigo was holding me so firmly, but I.. I couldn't help but feel this way. That is, until Inigo suddenly picked me up in his arms. My face immediately turned bright pink. O-Oh! Involuntarily, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Not only did the man hold me, but he also spoke to me, in such a.. a seductive and flirtatious t-tone..! It was undeniably attractive...! M-Moreover, he called me 'buttercup', a name that I found absolutely adorable. At the same time , my cheeks burned brightly; I-I just couldn't force my blush down around him! A-Ahn.. I-I was so close to him n-now, and my heart was beating faster than ever before..! In fact, if I leaned my head against his chest (which I did, involuntarily), I could hear the soft hammering of /his/ heart. For some reason, the sound, (although I was completely flustered), calmed me down immensely. Not my heart; oh no, it certainly didn't lower the pace of my racing heart. It calmed my fear of the water down. "Y-Yes.." I finally murmured, letting out a sigh of content, "I-I.. feel very safe now, like this." I smiled sheepishly despite my blush, then added, "B-But... a-are you sure it's alright? It must be.. bothersome." I truly hoped that it wouldn't bother the man. I enjoyed the position! So much that I wanted to stay here, even if we were in deep water. I wanted to stay like this, all day, every day...! Ah.. I was just so comfortable and warm~. "Th-Thank you." I smiled shyly. "This is.. also e-enjoyable..!" I admitted. "..Oh, there's quite a bit of sand here." I suddenly realized, as some of the sand from his chest got onto my cheek. "Here, allow me..!" I scooped up some of the water and poured it on his chest, letting the sand wash off. "Actually, there's some on your neck, too." I said, shifting slightly in his arms to lean up a bit. I washed the sand from there as well, then, once again, shifted some more so we were almost face-to-face. "My, Inigo, how did you get it on your face?" I smiled sheepishly, due to how close our faces were again. I didn't dump any sea water on his face, instead, I brushed the sand off with my hand. "There we go~."

Frederick-

"Yes, Milady?" I asked, upon hearing the red head in my arms call my name. I dare say, the way she stuttered was adorable. Was it because she was embarrassed, shy, or was it simply because she did not like the position? Perhaps I had went out of bounds? ...If that were the case (which, I truly hoped otherwise) , she would at least realize that I was simply trying to help, right? It is true, that I enjoyed holding the woman in such a way; however, she needn't know that. Not yet, anyway. The lovely woman wrapped her arms around my neck, causing a somewhat dark blush to appear on my cheeks. This was certainly a new position... I do not recall ever holding anyone - man or woman - this way. ...Or , any way, for that matter. This was, without a doubt, pleasant; though I knew it was because I was holding Imogen. It was her that I enjoyed holding. ...I think I might have grown... fond of the woman. Ah, this was certainly new. Nevertheless, I welcomed the feeling with open arms. Of course, this was all unbeknownst to the woman herself; for now, I shall keep my thoughts to myself, lest she did not feel thge same. I looked down at the redhead, returning her smile with a small one of my own. "You needn't thank me." I nearly added 'It is my pleasure', but the last thing I wanted was for her to think badly of me. ..."Is it truly?" I asked curiously as she announced that the position was pleasant. "...In that case, I hope you don't mind me agreeing full-heartedly with you." I was undeniably glad and honored that she liked this. "Of course I do not mind. As I said, this is very pleasant indeed." I smiled. It was quite difficult to hold her carefully, without making a single wrong movement. I was slightly paranoid about touching her ... inappropriately. I did not want her to avoid me for the rest of her days.

[Yup, I remember that it was voiced! It sounded so cool, too! *u* Buttercup is so cute~ >u<]

Inigo was more than glad that Lila didn't reject his actions when he picked her up. Really, he had to admit that it was very pleasant to hold her, to be so close to her like this, so he was glad that she enjoyed it, too. Or, at least, that she didn't stop it from happening. At the same time, he didn't want her to be frightened- he was definitely going to keep her safe from any water or waves, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't be frightened. Fear could penetrate any feeling of safety, even if it was irrational. He just didn't want her to be upset... So that meant he'd have to take extra care to treat her well! Her blush was absolutely adorable- everyone would admit so. But not everyone could hold her like this~ He smiled, nodding slightly, "I'm glad. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're safe," Inigo said with a quick grin, "And don't worry at all! I'm rather enjoying myself, if I may so say~" This wasn't a bother at all! In fact, he was really happy to be able to hold her like this. Somehow, holding her felt as though they were meant to be together- he could feel it just by holding her, by feeling how perfectly they fit together. When Lila laid her head against his chest (what a pleasant feeling!) he could tell that she was surprised at the sand that was there. He laughed slightly- the sand really was everywhere! That was the reason why he had to wash off, and now it seemed that Lila would have to do the same. "Thank you," Inigo grinned when she let the water pour over his chest and then neck, letting the sand off. She was getting closer to him, and even though Inigo somehow managed to bay the blush that was threatening to show on his cheeks, his heart rate increased. She was so close-! Did she not realise how tempting she was? Every cell in Inigo's body urged him to lean in, just a little bit more (especially as she brushed the sand off of his face) and connect their lips. He wanted to do so, but his mind told him otherwise- she would surely react in the wrong way (or... perhaps it's the right way? He wouldn't expect her to kiss back, not now, anyway-), and he didn't want to risk what they had now. So instead, he restrained himself, sighing softly to himself. "Thank you~ I believe I'm mostly clean now," he nodded, looking down at her, "Though that doesn't mean I need to take you back to shore yet, right~?" In fact, if it meant that Lila would continue to hold onto him, Inigo would be glad to go deeper into the water with her~

~

Imogen shook her head, "It's nothing," she said quickly. She'd been surprised, yes, and a little flustered, but it's not as though she didn't enjoy being held like this. For one, she wouldn't have the rik of feeling anymore fish brush past her, but what was even better was that she was in Frederick's arms. The thought (and feeling) tinted her cheeks a darker pink hue, but Imogen decided to ignore it. After all, it felt as though she'd been blushing a lot today (especially because of the swimsuit), so it's not as though it was a new thing for today. May as well try to adapt. She could't say that she felt this a lot, that she was held often by someone, so this really was a pleasant feeling. And for some reason, it didn't seem so... shallow as she would've thought. Perhaps he really was enjoying this, too? She hoped so~ When he agreed with her, she smiled in relief. Good! So he thought the same. It was a nice feeling to know that he didn't mind holding her like this, at least for a little while, and even more so that he enjoyed it. She leaned against him again, closing her eyes for a brief moment. It was nice to feel the coolness of the water around her, the warmth from the sun's rays, and most of all, Frederick's warmth. She wanted to savour the moment- gods knew when they would have another chance to relax like this. With war poking in at daily life, each minute of peace was a treasure. She hoped that the war would be over soon and that they could enjoy days like these more often again. After a short while, the red head opened her eyes again, smiling at Frederick, "..Shall we start heading back towards the shore?" she asked. It would probably be a good idea to stay closer to the group, in case anything happens and they had to abruptly leave, and if not, there were still lots of things to do by the shore, whether it was in the water or on the sand.

[[Do you want Frederick to call Imogen a specific name ? >u< something cute? *u* And if you want you can timeskip to the skim of chapter 7? If not, we can just continue this, because cuteness x Awkwardness y'know >u< But either way is 234677667% fine so yeah >:3]]

Lila-

I really did feel perfectly safe (and content) here in Inigo's arms. Ahn.. I wondered, for a moment, if he's ever held anyone else like this before. Well, no matter. Either way, I felt undeniably special...~. After all, he was spending his time here, with me. Not any of the other Shepherds. Ahn~. I felt quite lucky in fact. "Hn~ I'm enjoying myself too.. It isn't everyday that I get to be held by such a lovely gentleman~." I hummed, looking quite content despite my flustered-ness. Hn.. I.. hadn't meant to say that out loud, but I couldn't help it. Between his lovely voice and charming grin, I just wanted to say everything on my mind. I hoped that he wouldn't mind. I definitely didn't want the man to think that I was going too far too quickly. "You're welcome." I grinned, after he had thanked me. When I leaned up to brush the sand off his face, we were so close that I could feel his warm breath against my skin. Moreover, I could practically hear his heart beat..! ...Or was that mine, ringing in my ears? I wasn't too sure. "H-Hm? Not quite," I murmured once Inigo said that he was mostly clean. "Here.." I reached up, gently brushing the corner of his mouth with my thumb. "Now you're sand-free." I said softly, my blush brightening. I hoped he didn't realize that there actually wasn't any sand there. ...It was just an excuse to touch him again. I moved my hand away, once again wrapping my arms around his neck. I looked away, avoiding his gaze in order to hide my blush. Ahn... My heart felt so fuzzy around him-! "You needn't take me back to the shore yet..~" I smiled sheepishly, still looking away until I finally peeked back up at him. "After all, I..I'm enjoying myself out here, with you~" I didn't feel afraid either, even though we were in deep water. "..You're really quite sweet, you know. Thank you for spending your time with me~" I told him sincerely.

Frederick-

Imogen seemed to be.. quite content, if not a little flustered. Indeed, I was glad that she wasn't upset, nor embarrassed. It would be natural to be flustered in such a situation, I supposed. Even I felt my cheeks grow a bit warm. ...Ah, no matter. I would simply enjoy holding her, here, like this. It was pleasant, without a doubt. I'm sure that others would be honored to be in such a position. After all, when did one get the chance to hold a lovely woman? Imogen was, indeed, quite the beauty. Moreso than any of the other women here, in my opinion. I was not being rude; Imogen's beauty just seemed to outshine the others. I wished to tell her, but, alas, she might take offense or something of the sort. I still was not quite sure of how to interpret the female mindset. Not that they were weird or odd; no, it was the opposite in fact. Or rather, /Imogen/ was the opposite. She was sweet and lovely, though I did not wish to offend her in any way. ...For some reason, people often called me blunt in a disapproving manner. So I would need to choose my words carefully. "If you so wish it, then so be it." I smiled a bit. "I'll take you back to shore, so you needn't feel any fish brush against you." We haven't gotten to finish our race, but I must say, this was definitely a sufficient replacement. In fact, it was more like a prize, being able to hold the redhead like this. "Once we reach the shore, would you like to do anything?" I began to walk, but not so quickly. I certainly didn't want this to end faster than it had to. "Ah.." I paused in my walking, looking down to see Imogen's face. "Here you are," I brushed a strand of damp hair out of her face before continuing on my way. "I would like to thank you," I said suddenly, "For spending this time with me. It is a pleasure indeed." I glanced at her as I walked. "In fact, if you do not mind, I hope we can spend more time together."

[Mm, I don't have anything specific in mind- though later on, maybe he can occasionally call her 'love'? :3 If I think of something else, I'll let you know! How about you and Inigo? And sure, I'll start the time skip~! Chapter 7 needn't be long, but we'll see how it comes out!]

Inigo couldn't help the smile that was forming on his lips as Lila reached up to brush some more sand away, even though he was quite sure his cheeks were still warm (and not from the sun, either). "Oh? How did the sand get there?" Inigo mused, more to himself. He hadn't known that it got there, on the corner of his lips, but he was glad it did- for some reason, Lila's touch against him, especially against his lips, sent a small shiver down his spine. ...Alright, perhaps he shouldn't be so glad about that, since that only made him want to lean in and kiss Lila all the much more, and he was quite sure he shouldn't do that, no matter how much he wanted to. Oh, this was all so complicated... After a while longer in the water, they eventually got out of the sea. The rest of the day was spent in as much as pleasant way as this part was, but they had to return to their normal life-style the next day. At least this march wouldn't be so bad! After all, everything was much nicer with pleasant company. And after the way they spent yesterday (1) together, Inigo was quite sure that Lila wouldn't mind if he walked besides her and spoke with her. On their way, the Shepherds met someone the royalty knew before- an old hierophant ((whose name I forgot xPP)). Though Inigo neither knew him nor liked him very much at first sight, they took him along, at least for now, to provide a safe journey. Emmeryn really was a kind person, after all. "It's a shame we can't have more days like that of yesterday," Inigo said, feigning a small sigh, though really, he was smiling slightly as he walked besides Lila, "Though I have to admit, it's still a good day. After all, my company is really quite wonderful~" One of the Shepherds scoffed slightly at his words- Inigo was a flirt, but really, he just really couldn't stop saying these kinds of things. Well, at least people weren't too surprised to hear him say that. Though in this case, Inigo really was earnest with his words right now.

~

Imogen blinked, looking up at him when he paused. Somehow, when he brushed away the hair strands that stuck to her face, she was filled with a warm feeling. It really was an endearing gesture. She smiled, "Thank you," the woman kept her gaze on him, finding it to be somehow ever more pleasant to look upon him. When had she begun to feel this way? In fact, what was this feeling? Well... that could surely come later. The redhead shook her head when he spoke, "There's no need to thank me. I've enjoyed this time at least as much as you have." That was definitely true; Imogen couldn't imagine a better way to spend this day off than like this- or, well, with Frederick in any way at all. It didn't really matter what they did, now that she thought about it. When the brunet spoke again, speaking of spending more time together, Imogen's face must've lit up involuntarily (she thought, at least, that her emotions must have pierced through and shown on her face). "Yes, of course!" she grinned, "I'm really quite happy about that." The next day, the Shepherds were back to their normal life style, walking for hours on end. They've met an hierophant along the way, and now helped him to move safely. Though Imogen usually stayed at the back of the group, for some reason she found herself urging on more towards the front, to Frederick's company. It really made things more enjoyable. However, the peace of their walk was suddenly interrupted by a band of Plegians, wielding axes and lances and other nasty weapons. Imogen bit her lip, hand at once gripping her sword, preparing to change into a fighting stance at any moment now. "My, what do we have here?" one of them- presumably the leader- said. The hierophant at once spoke up, "P-please spare me! Remember your orders? I brought them-- now give me my reward!"

(1) OR! We could make a larger time skip if you want, just to put time in between how long Inigo and Lila know each other (since they technically met... 3 days ago? I dunno :P)

[[Buttercup was an adorable nickname- I LOVE ADORABLE NICKNAMES- As for the time skip, we can just assume it's been longer, buuut I don't really mind either way~... And again, I... kind of forgot chapter 7, so I'll mostly focus on the fight scene ^^; Ehehe- I NEED YOUR GUIDANCE XD]]

Lila-

Our lives went back to 'normal' the next day; we had to transport Lady Emmeryn to safety. Again, we were walking long hours, wielding weapons. Ah.. That day off had been very nice, though now it felt almost unbearably hot. I had gotten used to wearing that skimpy 'swimsuit'! ..No matter. Inigo and I had been able to spend a lot of time together, which was more than enough for me~. Even now, he walked beside me. And when there was silence between us, I'd remember everything that's happened at the beach together. ...I could almost feel his warm arms holding me-! ..I suppose I had gotten used to that as well. No one could even imagine how much I longed for his warmth again. Unfortunately, we couldn't really do such a thing, even if he agreed. I definitely didn't want him hurt, let alone be the one who /causes/ him to get hurt! Inigo's arms would be in use if he held me, thus making him a good target... Well, at least I still had my memories~. And maybe when this war is over, we can enjoy each other's company some more...! Inigo's [lovely] voice brought me back to reality. "Surely we can indulge in such days again~. Perhaps not right now, but eventually..! Maybe even soon." I reassured him. The man's compliment brought a light blush and sheepish smile to my face. "Th-Thank you. Your company is lovely as well, for sure~." At some point in time, a man joined our group for safety reasons. To be honest, I had barely noticed - which was a bad thing, since I should be alert - until now. Plegian's came and immediately got on the offensive. I frowned, holding out my sword. A-Ah... there were quite a lot. It seems like the man had been working with the Plegian's! "It was all a trap." I murmured. We.. we had to protect Emmeryn!

Frederick-

That night had been one of my most pleasant. After spending the day with Imogen, and after receiving her reply about spending more time together, everything seemed to be more pleasant. It is, without a doubt, due to the woman's promise to indulge in each other's company more often. For reasons unknown, just the thought filled me with confidence. I would do my best, then, in order to have time to spend with the redhead. This I swear. Currently, we were making our way to a secure destination for the Exalt. The road ahead was quiet, it seemed; perhaps too quiet, but I, of course, was weary. The old man who joined us had an odd air about him, but the kindness of the Exalt overruled my reluctance. At least Imogen was next to me. Usually, she stayed near the back; however, this time, she walked next to me. I was tempted to offer her my horse - really, it would be easier than walking, less strenuous - but I remembered that she had a fear of getting on a horse. Ah, hopefully, I will be able to help her tame that fear. At least she was by my side. ...She was like my sword, the one whom kept me going , the one whom supported me and stayed by my side. ...That was a pleasant thought. After a while, we were surrounded by Plegians. Those dastards! They must have known- Ah! It was the man! They had been working together all along. "Coward." I muttered under my breath. It was a shame indeed. We could have taken the man to safety, to perhaps prolong his life, for the Plegian's were a cruel people. "We'll have to fight. There are fliers here." Some enemies riding peagusus (SP?) had come. [[Right? Because I think Cordelia comes now? If I'm wrong, ignore it!]] I held my lance at the ready. "There are a lot of enemies, Imogen. Please stay close and stay safe." ((In my next post, shall I do the horse thing? :3))

[Okay, I’ll have Inigo call her buttercup every now and then! >U< And yeah, having the horse thing now would be good :3 I’ll also have Inigo’s reward thingy in my next post, maybe? You could end with Lila about to get hit or something by an attack and yeah =3= No worries, I’ll guide you through chapter 7 xDD]

[[Yeah! We could do the language thing for sure >:D]]

Lila-

It was times like these that I wished I was more skilled. I could move quickly and easily, yes, but that definitely wouldn't be of help. I couldn't even wield a sword correctly... A-And even a sword wouldn't be good enough to fight enimes in the air! I wished I was skilled in using magic, or at least a bow. But.. I wouldn't give up! I wanted to help the Shepherds and protect Lady Emmeryn! Moreover, I wanted to be of use to Inigo. The terrain was quite awful, but, luckily, I had pretty good balance and the such. I could do /that/ much at least. "Alright..! Please be safe." I replied to Inigo. He was so sweet, even during times like these...! I held my sword tightly, then immediately fought with the closest enemy. He was on foot, luckily, and held a sword just like me. Hn... To be honest, I was better at defense than offense... When the enemy swung his sword, I swung mine up as well, blocking him. "Take a bow, and stay down!" I huffed, swining my sword down and finishing off the enemy. "Ah.. There." I murmured to myself, rather proud. My swordsmanship seemed to be improving! From then on, however, I stayed close to Inigo, mostly supporting him by landing blows when he backed up. His attacks were, of course, much stronger than mine, but I did my best. Ah.. W-We really do make a fine pair! I held my sword up, about to swing at another enemy, but, suddenly, my sword was knocked out of my hand from behind. N-No! I immediately turned around, now quite useless. A wyvern flier! He must have snuck up behind me..! How had I not noticed? His weapon looked undeniably menacing.. H-Hn.. Th-Things might look bleak, b-but I w-won't give up..! I took a quick step backwards, trying desperately to find a weapon, any weapon! But it was too late, and the enemy was closing in on me..! I squeezed my eyes shut, mentally preparing myself for the upcoming pain-

Frederick-

"Of course, Milady." I would be cautious, moreso now than ever before . I had to protect the Exalt, as well as Imogen. In fact, my top priority at the moment was the redhead, for Lady Emmeryn had all of the Shepherds looking after her, while Imogen had none. The terrain was horrid, but it was nothing my horse couldn't handle. She was a very well trained horse after all. I held my spear at the ready, immediately charging ahead to strike at an enemy. "Pick a God and pray!" I said, swinging my spear with extreme accuracy. The enemy was cut down in one hit. "There." I rubbed the head of my horse as she neighed, as if she were pleased with our small victory. Not every enemy I faced was killed with one hit , but most of them took no more than two to three strikes. Only one of the Plegian's had been able to strike at me; a rather violent wyvern rider. He managed to dent my armor and wound me, but it was nothing too major, thank the Gods. I could easily deal with it later. For now- Ah. Where had Imogen gone..? I immediately looked around, spotting her quite a distance away. At first, she seemed to be doing fine; however, after looking for a while longer, I realized that a group of enemies were beginning to surround her from all directions. No one else seemed to notice. Without a moments wait, I flicked the reigns of my horse, making her charge ahead. Upon reaching the group, I slashed through one of the Plegian's in order to get through to Imogen. "Milady, pardon me-" I held my spear in one hand, then held my other hand out for her to take. When she didn't, I reached out and grabbed her hand, gently but quickly pulling her on the horse behind me. "It's much safer this way. Hold on." I told her, not having time to say much else even though I desperately wanted to reassure her.

[Okay, cool! XD ...Erm, any ideas for something with it? I really don't know what they could do with it in the storyline xPP We'll think of something!]

Inigo nodded towards Lila; he'd be safe for sure. Of course, he didn't want to get hurt himself, but more than anything, he didn't want to worry Lila needlessly. He'd be fine; she shouldn't be paying mind to him right now. he didn't want to be the cause of any injury for her. In fact, he wished she didn't have to fight right now, but stay back at stay safe. He'd never say that- Lila was obviously a strong fighter, and he knew that, but he didn't want to risk anything happening to her. ..Also, she'd probably get upset, and maybe mistake his concerns for disbelief in her skills. He didn't want her to think that of him at all, so all he could really do was make sure she was safe. Maybe it was the best idea to stay besides ehr after all, instead of sending her away to a 'safe' place. He'd be sure to protect her, after all. Really, the two of them were a great team. Each managed to fight off the enemies, getting back at them twofold. He grinned; they could definitely win this battle, despite the wounds they'd receive. It was almost like a dance, though one wrong move could cost you your life. ...Needless to say, Inigo was quite happy that all dances didn't have such a punishment at the end. The white haired man plunged his sword into the enemy that fought against him right now, earning a loud cry of pain in return. Yes, they'd definitely be able to win this batt-- a menacing laugh suddenly drew his attention. Inigo jerked his head around, eyes widening as he saw Lila get cornered by a wyvern rider. And she was weaponless--! He at once pulled his sword out and dashed towards Lila, managing to push in between her and the enemy, blocking off his attack. The axe caught in his arm, causing a rather nasty and deep cut and a gasp of pain. Inigo drew in a sharp breath, barely paying attention to his wound right now; if he had been a hair's breadth later, it could've been too late...! That really gave him quite a scare. "You alright?" he asked the dancer as he slashed at the enemy, managing to wound him enough to land a final blow. He sighed softly, but quickly grinned when he realised that he must've been making quite a depressing face before. He only had to push past that second of fear and pain he felt and return back to his normal self. He'd deal with the wound later. "My my, that was quite reckless. I believe a heroic act like that earned me a reward~?"

~

[And omg Frederick you said the line again <3]

Imogen was beginning to realise that she was in quite a nasty place right now. Though she managed to cut down the enemies without too much of a problem, the woman would definitely not be able to handle a handful of them all at once. Which, of course, was exactly what was beginning to happen. She looked around desperately, trying to see if there was a path outside of the group that was getting closer to her, but she could see none. It really was unfair; a whole group against one person! She grimaced, deciding that she only had one option: to fight. Gripping her sword tightly, the redhead continued to block and counter the attacks that were rapidly coming her way, though it really was quite difficult, especially when there were so many. It almost felt as though she wouldn't be able to take this anymore...! She suddenly realised that the sound of hoofs wasn't too far away- she looked behind towards the sound, realising it was Frederick. Relief washed over her (as well as slight embarrassment, but that really wasn't the problem here-) as he struck down a foe and came closer towards her. "F-Frederick..!" the woman called out, letting herself be taken away by relief. Somehow, having him closer like this brought her so much comfort already...! The redhead kept her gaze on him, watching him extend his hand towards her. She bit her lip; she knew they had bigger problems right now (like the crowd of enemies surrounding her), but she still couldn't help but feel hesitant and afraid to join him on his horse. He must've been displeased with her responsiveness-less, and she was instead pulled up behind him. A small yelp left her lips at the sudden action, but she complied along with it, heart beating rapidly in her chest. She didn't have to wait for him to tell her to hold on- she at once wrapped her arms around his middle, holding on for dear life. Even looking down at the ground from the height of the horse made her head spin with diziness. This really wasn't the most comfortable place to be in-- But really, she had to concentrate on the battle right now. She couldn't allow this fear to get the best of her, not now anyways. She released her grip slightly on Frederick, as much as she dared, so that she wasn't squeezing him quite so hard anymore. If he was wounded at all- which she hoped not- then that would surely have hurt him.

[[THAT LAST LINE INIGO SAID- *Swooooooons* */////* Ehem.. Annnd uhm for the languages we'll come up with something! xD]]

Lila-

N-No! I-I don't want to die here! Th-This is too cruel! And after so many lovely things have happened yesterday! I-I still wanted to do so much more in life... I was frozen in place, quite paralysed by the fear of dying. I..I hoped it wouldn't be too painful-! I involuntarily raised my arms, at least wanting to block my face and chest from the oncoming attack. P-Perhaps I'll only be wounded this way, and not killed! Eyes still squeezed shut I waited. And waited. But instead of feeling a painful blow, I instead heard ... "I-Inigo!" I gasped, immediately opening my eyes just in time to see the wyvern rider's axe plunge into his arm. I felt my eyes water up a tiny bit as I saw his blood. Th-That should have been me.. H-He was hurt because of me, and he had come to my rescue-! "W-Why are you asking if /I-I'm/ alright?" I asked, rushing over to him so that I nearly tripped over a stone. The enemy was killed (good riddance!), but Inigo had a horrid wound. "A-Ah.. Y-You're hurt, I-I'm so sorry..." It was all my fault...! Without thinking about it, I tore one of the sleeves from my outfit off, then immediately wrapped his wound up. Although that made me feel a bit better, I was still terribly upset. ...Well, that is, until the man began to speak, as if absolutely nothing was wrong. "H-Huh?" I blushed darkly, looking up at Inigo. W-Wasn't he hurt? Well, I was really glad that it didn't seem to bother him. "W-Well... You're definitely right..!" I told him. Ah.. He made my sadness disappear almost completely, with that flirtatious tone of his and charming smile. Moreover, I should be grateful..! I certainly was, and he was, without a doubt, a hero~. I stepped a bit closer to him, peeking up at him. "You certainly deserve a reward-! A-Ah.. What would you l-like, Inigo? I-I'm willing to give you anything you wish! W-Within my power of course..!" I blushed, quite darkly. Actually, I had a slight idea (from his tone) as to what he wanted, but I didn't want to do anything he'd disapprove of...!

Frederick-

If I had been just a second too late-! I .. did not want to think of the consequences of being too late. The thought made me feel quite sick, in fact. Never have I been truly gripped by fear. Not like this. Imogen could have been killed, and, upon realizing that, I realized something else as well. I was, indeed, fond of the redhead. So much so that I simply could not bear the thought of her dying. Someone so kind and lovely as her did not deserve death, nor pain for that matter. ...Needless to say, I was undeniably relieved when Imogen was safely on my horse with me. "Fret not, Milady. You are safe." I assured her, feeling how tightly she was holding me. I could tell, just by this, how truly afraid she was. Despite that, I.. was slightly distracted due to her touch. For some reason, it nearly made a shudder travel down my spine. Ah.. How irresponsible of me, thinking such things at a time like this. I needed to focus my attention on keeping Imogen safe, as well as taming her fear. "You needn't loosen your grip. If it assures your safety, hold on as tightly as you wish." I wanted her safe /and/ I wanted her not to be afraid. My horse went at a rather quick pace, and, as she moved, I swung out my spear to kill various enemies. I did not want to risk Imogen getting hurt. "Are you feeling alright? Any wounds?" I asked as I concentrated on the various enemies at hand. Their numbers were steadily decreasing, as some back up was called, but, nonetheless, the Plegian's were difficult to kill under the circ*mstances. After cutting down yet another enemy, I made my horse move to a less cluttered area, just for the time being. "Are you alright there, Imogen? I know you are afraid, but, for now, it's best that you stay here, with me. Alright?" I should have tried to help her overcome her fear before. I felt bad that she had to go through such fear , especially in the midst of battle.

[[In your next post, you can say the battle ended~ Because I still need your guidance -3- XD]]

Lila-

I was beyond relieved that Inigo was smiling..! Th-That meant that the pain wasn't too much, right? I hoped so... The cloth would hopefully stop the blood for now, too. So until we get to a healer, this would be good! ...A-Ah, still.. This was all my fault. I felt so guilty and ashamed. I hadn't wanted Inigo to get hurt at all. ...I definitely needed to become stronger, no matter what! I.. I never wanted to risk him getting hurt again..! I watched as the man seemed to think over his 'reward'. After a few moments, he began to speak, after which he paused to inspect his wound. Although I had sort of been expecting him to ask for a kiss, hearing him actually say it was a whole different story. It made my heart flutter, as if it were delighted by his choice. H-Hnn.. I-I.. I could certainly give him what he wanted! Was a single quick kiss even enough? He deserved hundreds upon hundreds of kisses; he had saved my life! Moreover, it... i-it would be pl-pleasant anyway...! Though, I didn't want him to disapprove or anything. Plus, I couldn't exactly smother Inigo in kisses in the midst of battle, even if it was nearly over! "O-Okay." I agreed , a rather dark blush appearing on my face. 'Okay Lila, you can d-do this!' I mentally told myself repeatedly. M-My heart.. it was racing in my chest, hammering in my ears...! Still blushing, I got closer to him, standing up on my tiptoes in order to stand [somewhat] face-to-face with him. "H-Hn.. Th-Thank you, for protecting me. Y-You really are a hero~." I murmured softly, slowly getting closer so that our lips were literally half a centimeter away from each other. O-Oh..! My heart felt like it was going t-to burst...! It was beating so quickly! After a moment, I leaned foward all the way, pressing our lips together in just about the sweetest kiss (and the only one) I have ever experienced. I closed my eyes, as if that would help savor the memory of Inigo's soft lips. I allowed myself to linger there for a few seconds before slowly pulling away. I stayed close to him, however, our faces still near. "W-Was...Was that s-sufficient, or...?" I murmured, blushing quite darkly as I looked up at him.

Frederick-

Imogen truly was scared, for, as soon as I told her to hold tight, she tightened her grip. ...It was quite endearing, yes, but also distracting. Her touch... was something new. It gave me a sensation I've never felt before, something pleasant, without a doubt. ...Yes, I was definitely fond of the woman. I did wonder what she felt towards me, but I supposed that could wait for another time. "That's good." I murmured when the redhead announced that she wasn't hurt. It would have been horrid, had Imogen gotten hurt. "My horse is very sturdy and well-trained. She will never let you fall, so please, you needn't worry , Milady." I regret not teahing her how to ride a horse. If only I had done so, then she would not be so afraid-! Alas, I had not taught her, and I cannot change that fact now. "Mm? Ah. You need not worry about me. A small wound is all." I informed Imogen as she questioned me. It felt quite nice, knowing that she cared for my well-being and the such. In fact, it gave me a slightly... fuzzy sensation in my chest. Ah, I was getting distracted again. Thank Naga the battle seemed to be coming to an end. And the Exalt was still fine and in perfect condition. "Try to think of something pleasant while you are riding. That way, you can forget your fear." I said, feeling her stiff body against me. Ah, I do wish that she would not be so afraid. I swung my lance out at an enemy as we passed by, instantly killing him. "You're quite brave, you know. You are facing your fears despite everything. I truly admire that." I said to her, slowing my horse down a bit in hopes of calming her down.

[Alright, so the battle ends in this post! I dunno if you want to time skip or something; do whatever you like. Also, I forgot... Do they manage to relocate to the palace, or should they just set up camp and tents for now? You can choose!]

Inigo had to admit that he was a little surprised when Lila agreed to his reward, though it was definitely a pleasant surprise. He beamed, whole face lighting up at the prospect of receiving a kiss from her. The dark blush that spread out on her face made her look even more alluring than usual. His wound seemed to heal completely when he thought about the kiss she was about to give him; he couldn't even feel the pain anymore, even though he knew the cut was still there. Seeing and feeling her come closer to him, almost face to face, made his heart palpitate like never before. She was so close to him; he could feel her breath against his skin, warm and almost spine-tingling. When she spoke, lips so close to his but not quite touching, he almost felt as though she was teasing him in a way, even though he knew that she would lean in and connect their lips before too long. The feeling was even lovelier than he had imagined, and Inigo kissed back softly to the gentle kiss. It ended all too quickly, even though the white haired man had told her it could be a quick kiss. When she pulled away, he felt emptiness against his skin again despite the fact that she was still near him. Inigo wanted to tell her no, that it was sufficient so that she would kiss him again, but 1) that would be a lie and 2) he didn't want to push his luck. "It was perfect~" he cooed softly through his breath before breaking out into another grin. "Well then, I believe that kiss was definitely worth the wound," he spoke, glancing down at the bandaged cut again. Though, he still had to get it looked at later... Thankfully, the battlefield was pretty much devoid of enemy life and instead littered with bodies, declaring the Shepherds victorious. Chrom and Sumia (who seemed quite close) finished off the last enemy. Inigo smiled at Lila, "I'm glad that's over," he said, speaking of the fight, "Shall we go regroup?"

~

Imogen nodded slowly when Frederick told her that he was fine, that it was only a small wound. She was beyond glad that he wasn't hurt much, though even a small wound would have to get treated. Hopefully it was small enough so that they could tend to it after the battle, outside of danger. Then again, the battle was beginning to come to an end, thankfully. She was glad that the enemies around them were falling in numbers; the battle would soon be over completely. Most of all, she was glad of it because that meant she could get off the horse again. It's not as though she didn't appreciate Frederick's help and comfort, but she was still quite frightened. She decided she would take Frederick's advice and think of something pleasant to take her mind off of her fear. For some reason, the first thought that entered her mind when he said so was to think ofhim- the redhead thought back to before, at the beach. That had certainly been a lovely day, including both the relaxation and the lovely... sights she saw. Alright, thinking about this managed to calm her down a bit. The horse moved again, quickly, as Frederick thrust his lance into an enemy ((word choice ;D)), but after that, the horse slowed. This definitely made her feel better, and with the battle ending, she could probably get off entirely before too long. "R-Really? You think so?" Imogen breathed, managing to release her grip slightly on Frederick now that they weren't moving so quickly, though she still held him tightly. Actually, hearing him say that made her feel fluttery for some reason, happy, "Thank you." She breathed out, letting herself feel relief as she tried not to freak out. "That looks like all of them," she mused once the last enemy was gone.

((I'll just say that they stay in tents because yeahhhh~))

Lila-

Inigo looked absolutely happy about what was to happen. Did he truly want a sweet kiss from me that much? That made me feel undeniably special. I-I hadn't expected the male to actually feel so excited about it..! Ahn, I hoped that I did a good job, because this was actually my first kiss-! And I had to say, that... I was glad to give it to Inigo. I wouldn't tell him how this was my first kiss, but perhaps soon...! The thing that really made my heart flutter , however , was the fact that the white haired man had kissed me back. It made my blush darken tenfold. H-Hah... My heart was beating so quickly. Inigo had kissed me back. His lips were so soft and sweet , so lovely ! I looked up at the man, my face still flushed. "R-Really...?" I asked him softly. He said it was perfect. So that means I had done a good job, right ? For a moment, I wondered if he asked for kisses from ALL the ladies. The thought was rather upsetting , but, to be honest , I didn't mind. What matters was that sweet kiss. H-Hn... My cheeks were burning , my heart racing ! And the male looked so pleased... What was this sensation that I was feeling? What was it ? I-I ... Wanted to kiss him again. I glanced up at Inigo , slowly shaking my head. "I-I ... Don't think that was sufficient." I murmured , fidgeting somewhat for a moment. "You save my life after all." I grinned, rather sheepishly. Was I being selfish ? I just wanted to kiss him again. B-But he wouldn't mind , right ? I hoped not. He looked to be positively beaming! "Here," I murmured , leaning up to kiss his cheek gently. "That one was to show my appreciation," I paused, then kissed his other cheek. "And that was for being so heroic." I paused, blushing darkly as I pulled away. I glanced up at him for his expression, then leaned forward to gently kiss his lips once more. When I pulled away, I looked away, smiling and blushing shyly, "That one didn't have a reason." And together, afterwards, we went to regroup. (Mini Timeskip) I hummed softly to myself , setting my sword down after a couple hours of training. After what had happened , I had told myself that I'd get stronger , no matter what. So when we all set up camp , I had went straight to practice. I was quite pleased with my results for now, so I went outside in order to go find Inigo. It has been ((a day? A few hours? You decide!)) since we had fought against those Plegians. Now Chrom decided to take a break and set up tents for us. So that's why we were here. "Inigo," I called, seeing the man not too far away. "Have you gotten healed?" I took his arm to inspect it. ((We can do the pick up lines now!))

Frederick-

I smiled a bit, more to myself than to Imogen. "Indeed, fair maiden. " I told her as my horse slowed down. "You're quite brave, and for that, I admire you." I said, as we approached the other shepherds. The enemies were now gone, all killed thank the Gods. I was glad for that, and, of course so was every one else. I stopped my horse, whom neighed somewhat , then carefully took the redheads hand. "Here, allow me. " I helped her down easily, then gave her a small smile. "Next time the circ*mstances will not be so unpleasant. You are not hurt , right?" I paused , noticing how I was still holding her hand. Without really thinking about it, I took her hand to my lips and gently kissed the back of it. "Thank you for your patience, Milady. I know you were afraid." I murmured against her soft skin before letting go (rather reluctantly). (Time Skip) [[If you want, you can have Imogen be with Lila for now so that she has someone to interact with!]] "And what does one do in order to... 'catch a lady'?" I was asking Vaike , my eyebrows furrowed. The man grinned. "Well, ole' Teach will show ya' how to go about doing that!" He said. The man was quite surprised, I could tell. After settling down in the camp a bit, I had decided to go seek advice for my continuously growing feelings towards Imogen. Well, I had not mentioned her name of course. Vaike could be slightly... Loud, if you will. "First, you're gonna need a catchy line! Something that'd attract the ladies, y'know? Girls like that sort of thing." Vaike explained. I pursed my lips, giving a slight nod. "I see. For example?" I asked , wanting to get more details. Perhaps this lesson will allow me to get closer to Imogen. Vaike paused, studying me. "Well, you know how you're a knight?" he asked. I gave yet another nod. "You could... Oh! Yeah, The Vaike has a good one! Try this: 'Save a horse by riding a cavalier.' !" He grinned proudly. I blinked, looking utterly confused. "I do not ... Understand. Is this really going to help ...?" I asked. "Of course! You gotta trust old Teach! That line basically means ... Er, that you're strong." he explained. "Ah! I think I understand." I said in realization. "Here's another good one! 'They say a knight is as hard as his armor'! Oh yeah. The Vaike wishes he was a knight so he could use that one." he murmured. I paused, trying to wrap my head around this one. "So... Perhaps this is referring to how steadfast and heroic a knight is?" I asked slowly. Vaike nodded. "Yeah! That's it." He smiled earnestly. I nodded. "I see. So I simply say these things to the girl-" "-and she'll be all over you!" Vaike finished.

((Sorry if it's short, I can't tell on my iPod --!))

['Sorry if it's short' Woman, this is a super long reply xDD Mine will not be able to compare in the slightest! But I know exactly what you mean when on an iPod- it's sooooo difficult to tell! I hope Inigo's pick up lines will be okay (in the next reply xP)! Let me know if you want anything specific!]

That kiss really was just about the sweetest thing Inigo ever tasted. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, sending shivers down his spine as he felt her lips connect with his own. Pulling away was painful; he didn't want to leave the warmth, but... if Lila had done this much, then perhaps she, too, held closer feelings for him? That thought made him happy for sure, though there was always the possibility that she only felt guilty that he rescued her, and thought that a kiss would make up for it, without feeling anything for him at all. ...That reality would be too painful, Inigo realised. But even if that was the case, he was still thrilled that he received a sweet kiss from her. The next two that followed, placed on his cheek, had a similar effect on him. But even more so, her next kiss, placed again on his lips, was the sweetest by far. Perhaps it was the fact that she said it was there 'for no reason'. Surely... that meant that she felt something akin to likeness to him...! The feeling definitely brought him a warm feeling. ~Time skip~ After camp was more or less set up, Inigo headed straight to Maribelle to get his wound inspected. She fussed over his carelessness, but washed, bandaged and healed the wound quite quickly. He sighed out in relief; the absence of pain was almost as sweet as the kisses he received earlier today~ After that, he left the tent and looked around for a certain someone, smile painted on his face once more. Upon hearing her voice call out his name, the white haired man smiled and turned to her, letting her inspect his arm, "All healed! See? No harm done," Inigo grinned, "And what are you doing now? Perhaps I could keep you company." He wasn't yet sure of what to do, but he knew that he wanted to spend time with Lila, speak to her and the like. Maybe even hint some more about his feelings...?

~

Getting off the horse was also quite difficult. Thankfully, Frederick was still there to help her get off, so by relying on him (again), she got back on solid ground. Ah, how wonderful! It really had been frightening up there, but despite that... she had to admit that it was a rewarding experience. ...Not that she'd necessarily want to do it again, but... anyway. When he mentioned 'next time', the redhead sucked in a breath. She knew they'd have to get to riding lessons eventually, but she still wasn't sure if she really wanted to. Er... "I'm not hurt," she nodded; she was more worried for his own wound. When he brought her hand up to his lips, gently kissing it, warmth and fuzziness spread out through her entire body, through each cell. Somehow... somehow, that single action made everything feel as though it was worth it. ...If that was her reward for riding, perhaps she wouldn't mind so much doing it again... ~Time skip~ After the Shepherds regrouped and set up camp, Imogen stumbled upon Lila as the two of them were walking. She smiled. Though she didn't know the dancer so well, after the incident at the beach, she had to admit that they had... some sort of friendship bond started already. Perhaps they could speak again, under more... normal circ*mstances. Speaking of this and that- battles, dances, swimsuits, or anything, really- Imogen could feel that the two of them were becoming closer friends already. Perhaps in a couple days it would be even better? Then Lila waved Inigo over and the man grinned; they began to speak. A knowing smile played out on Imogen's lips, "I'll leave you two alone," she smiled, a soft laugh escaped. So she was right! There was definitely something going on with those two. Were they a couple? Not yet? She wasn't quite sure about that, but after seeing them together at the beach and now this, /something/ had to be going on..!

Lila-

Imogen was definitely a lovely person. Hopefully, we'd become even better friends~. We seemed so close already! When Inigo came over, the redhead left, a knowing smile on her lips. Huh... S-She seemed to be teasing us, indirectly. I waved as she left nonetheless, then gave my full attention to the white haired man. "Oh! You're healed..! That's great!" I smiled sheepishly, "I was worried, you know." I actually still felt bad, that was for sure. Though, I was glad he was better. Moreover, he had risked his /life/ to save me. That... That definitely made me feel special. I wondered.. if he felt something towards me. Just the thought made my heart flutter in my chest..! Hn.. His presence reminded me about earlier today... The kisses I had given him. In fact, I had been thinking about that ever since it happened..! His sweet lips against mine... a-ahn.. how wonderful it had been! "Mm? What am I doing? Talking to you, silly~." I grinned, laughing a bit. I knew that wasn't what he had meant, however, and so I continued, "Well, I had been practicing my swordsmanship. Then Imogen and I spoke for a while, before I spotted you. Soo here I am~." I said, peeking up at him. "Yes! Your company is always welcome, no matter what the time may be~." ...Okay, maybe that could be taken the wrong way. E-Er... A-Actually, now that I was really thinking about it, I felt my cheeks warm up in a blush. Eh... Well I-I hadn't exactly meant that he could come in my tent at two in the morning. That... W-Well, I-I mean, he certainly could! I-If that's what he wanted, b-but... Okay. I should definitely stop making such a big deal out of things! "W-Well... shall we take a walk together?" I suggested. That sounded nice! We could just walk, talk, and enjoy each other's company...~ Maybe I could even get a sweet kiss from him this time! I'll have to think of a way... Or I didn't mind 'rewarding' him again~. He certainly hadn't seemed to mind either! So perhaps...!

Frederick-

"I see... Well then, I should go test this out." I nodded, talking mostly to myself. "Woah! Hold on, The Vaike has some more pick u-- Er, phrases!" The man quickly corrected himself. I glanced at him, awaiting for him to continue. "Okay. So, since you're a Great Knight and all, you could say... 'Would you like to wield my two-handed sword?'" I frowned a bit. "I am not in possession of a--" "Ah, it's no prob! It's just an expression, y'see? Basically it's talking about a... er, a knight's strength! Yeah, that's it. You gotta believe ole' Teach!" The male interrupted me, grinning knowingly. "So go out there and make me proud!" He said, nodding. I slowly turned around, mentally repeating everything that was told to me. Ah... Females were quite enigmatic, if they liked such confusing lines. Though, I would go through with it. A knight will never give up! Moreover, I do hope it worked. I would like to become closer to Imogen... I left the tent I was in, making my way outside before glancing around. Now where would she be..? Ah, there she was. "Imogen," I cleared my throat, going over to her. "Just the lady I wished to see. I... I, er, wanted to talk to you." I paused. Now, how should I go about doing this...? "Did you know?" I paused, nodding somewhat, "That a knight is as hard as his armor." Had I said it right? I do hope so. Now what sort of reaction would Imogen give me? "Also, you should save a horse , and ride a cavalier instead." Vaike had said that as well, right? I blinked. This didn't quite feel right. I felt as if I were doing something wrong... "Milady, would you, perhaps like to wield my two-handed sword...?" I asked. Alright. According to Vaike, Imogen should be.. 'all over me'. Hm..

Inigo had to admit that he was quite happy with the fact that Lila was worried about him, even though he was completely fine right now. He nodded, "Don't worry, buttercup, I don't regret that at all." He'd happily do it again if such circ*mstances arose- he just didn't want to ever see her hurt. ..Moreover, he'd love to get another reward~ Would it be possible to do so without getting hurt, though, he wondered? Hopefully. In fact, maybe he could try saying some things now to see if she'd be willing..? Yes, that seemed like a fine idea! Inigo scoffed slightly, laughing along with it, when Lila said that she was talking to him. He knew that, and he very well knew that she knew what he meant, but it was a nice feeling, somehow. Oh, so she was practicing her swordsmanship? "Ah, didn't we speak before about me helping you with practice with swords? And in return you'll teach me some more dances." Inigo smiled earnestly; he'd be more than happy to do so. Not to mention that he'd love to dance with her, even if his own movements wouldn't be as graceful as hers. "Let me know whenever you'd like to start lessons- I'll make time for you anytime~" He grinned, a barely visible pink colouring his cheeks when Lila said that he could come to her any time, "You know, you really should be careful with whom you say such things to," Inigo mused, a little lowly but cheerfully nonetheless. He knew people out there who would take advantage of that- and it's not as though Inigo didn't think about things like that, but he definitely wouldn't do such a thing without her consent, no matter how tempting she was. "Very well, a walk with you sounds lovely~" Inigo extended his arm slightly to her for her to take as he began to stroll through camp. "Speaking of those lessons again... I'm really quite skilled with swordplay; I'd be happy to give you a lesson anytime~" He paused for a moment, thinking about his words. He hadn't meant for them to come out like that- the statement really began with innocence, but his deeper thoughts must've shown through his words regardless. He peeked at Lila from the corner of his eye, trying to see her reaction, but before he did, he stopped himself, not sure if he wanted to see. If she understood the innuendo, surely she wouldn't be happy... right? He hoped that wouldn't be the case, though! "Moreover, sword handling skills are very useful for a woman like you to know; I could teach you," the words slipped out of his mouth almost by themselves and he mentally scolded himself for it. Alright, no more talk of swordplay! Surely dancing would be a more appropriate topic? "When we get together to dance, I do hope you'll teach me the tango. I've always adored it, but I fear I never had a partner to do it with. It does take two to tango, after all," Inigo smiled, though he again noted that his words had a deeper meaning. Urk.. he hoped Lila wouldn't be upset, especially because he was quite enjoying himself. "I know a handful of dances as well, so we can dance the night away, until we run out of breath." Okay, Inigo decided he'd just shut up- all these innuendos were coming out by themselves and he couldn't stop them.

~

Imogen turned around and looked at Frederick when she heard him approach. A smile played on her lips, "Oh, Frederick. Do you need me for something?" she asked. Well, though she said so, she was thrilled that he 'wanted to see her', no matter the reason. ...Alright, perhaps a scolding wouldn't be so pleasant, but what she meant was that she was happy to speak with him, regardless of why. Though she had to admit that she was very curious as to why he wanted to speak with her. Hopefully it was something good~! She looked at him, listening closely as he began to speak. Oh, so was this a fun fact of some sort? ... Imogen's face at once darkened to red when he finished his sentence. W-was he t-talking about h-himself?? Wh-why would he s-say that? W-wait, no, she must be overthinking this. Curse her dirty mind-! Frederick would surely never say such a thing, at least not unless he truly meant it, and especially not with such a calm face. H-he must've meant something else! She desperately tried to get her blush to lessen, trying to slow her rapid heartbeat, but that was quite difficult to do. She wanted to say something, but nothinginnocentcame to her mind right now. Moreover, as much as she wanted to break away, her gaze remained on Frederick the entire time. He couldn't have meant what she thought he did. But when he spoke again, that was getting more and more difficult to believe- surely he wouldn't say two shameless lines like that by coincidence? Wait, no, this was Frederick- he wouldn't say something like that..! Right? Right? Well... there was always that incident with that Chrom poster, so perhaps the great knight was more comfortable with these things than she thought. And when he spoke again, this time of his 'two-handed sword', the redhead was sure that this wasn't just a coincidence. "F-Frederick..!" she exclaimed, "H-h-how can you s-say s-such a th-thing?? A-And so sh-shamelessly?" she covered her face- which was now the same shade of red as her hair- with her hands, feeling herself heat up in embarrassment. W-well it's not as though she reallymindedthis too much, b-but surely this was much too soon! Not to mention, who spoke so openly about this?? She had no idea what to say to him; her mind was running in circles and her entire body felt both stiff and fuzzy from all of this.

Lila-

I felt my cheeks warm up in a bright blush. A-Ah... Inigo had called me 'Buttercup' again. ..It was such an adorably endearing name that my heart began to flutter joyously...! Ahn. I felt undeniably special, to have earned such a sweet nickname from him~. "Oh, yes! Actually, I... I recently thought up a new dance routine, just to teach you!" I blushed a bit more, twirling a strand of hair around my finger shyly. I paused, listening to the man speak. "Eh? Well... I'd only offer such a thing to you, so you needn't worry!" ...Okay, maybe that sounded... inappropriate. B-But really, I wouldn't tell anyone else to join me at any time! ...U-Urk. A-At least Inigo said that he, too, would make time for me whenever! I peeked up at him, carefully taking his arm when he offered it to me. H-Hn.. He was so warm..~ I very much enjoyed being so close to him.. He had that intoxicating scent about him, too. "Hm?" I smiled, looking over at him as we walked. "Swordplay? Well, I'd love to be taught by you! ...Actually, I'd also like to see your sword if you don't mind. You can show me how to wield it too, right? It.. might be rather hard though..." ((XDD)) I said, almost obliviously. His statement sounded normal enough, if not a little flirtatious. ...Huh. I gave a slight nod at his next words. "That's true. I..I'm not very good at sword handling though... I'd be so grateful if you taught me...!" ((Omg- XD)) I glanced at the man, cheeks growing a bit warm. O-Okay. He was starting to sound like he had a deeper meaning to his words... "The tango...? Well, I've actually never had a partner to do it with either... Yes, we definitely need two to tango. ...We should do it together, for sure! I could take the lead~" I grinned widely, looking quite excited. ((That was one big innuendo- XD)) I continued to smile, walking side by side with Inigo before nodding once more. "Mhm! We can dance the night away, until we're breathless, sweaty, and exhausted~. It'll be fun to dance that much with you~." I grinned, but then immediately blinked. ... ... O-Oooh dear. I just realized how dirty all of that sounded. ... "U-Urk." My face turned a dark shade of red. N-Now that I thought about it, Inigo had been speaking in innuendos! A-And I had agreed to each and every one! "I-I didn't mean i-it like /th-that/...! I-I.. W-Wait! N-No, it's not that I /mind/-- O-Oh Naga, I-I mean... U-Uhm.." I paused, face a dark shade of red. I was unbelievably flustered- especially when I remembered my past words. "O-Oh G-Gods! Wh-When I a-asked if you can teach me how to wield your s-sword, I-I didn't-! A-And.. I-I.. O-Oh G-Gods..! U-Uhm..."

Frederick-

For some reason, Imogen's face was darkening in a (rather alluring) dark shade of red. ...Huh. Did my words really have such a huge effect...? Well, a thanks was in order, for Vaike. I guess this was a good thing.. Why else would Imogen's face flush, if my words hadn't such an effect? ...By the Gods. The poor woman seemed quite distressed all of a sudden. She seemed unbelievably flustered now. "Milady, is your reaction due to your excitement for wielding my two-handed sword?" I asked, rather curiously. I would like to know, so that I could actually get my hands on one. I did not have a long sword in my possession, but if the suggestion excited her so much, then, surely, I could get one. "Beg pardon?" I asked, frowning a bit. "Why shall I be shameless over such a thing? It would be an honor to help you wield it, if it is what you wish." I said, furrowing my eyebrows together. There was something wrong, without a doubt. I just did not know what it was. "Ah! Fair Maiden, it must be your excitement." I decided, smiling a bit. "Let us go then." Now that I thought about it, I think I knew where to find such a weapon. "Now, heed my words, Milady; The long sword that I have is quite hard to wield. I do hope you will be able to control it successfully." I smiled, giving a slight nod. "Though there is nothing to be so worried about. I assure you, I will aid you so that you become a master of the long sword. After I'm finished with you, you'll know how to wield and withstand it as well." I said, my tone reassuring. "There's no need to be so flustered. It's natural to start off as a beginner. You will get used to it with time, despite how long it is." ((I-I'm dying Omg- X'D))

[Bwahahahaha this is soooo funny xDD I love this!]

When Lila said that she'd "love to be taught swordplay" by him, he bit back a smile, trying to keep a soft blush from rising on his cheeks. Sh-she agreed! Well, the white haired man had no doubt that she didn't know what he was really speaking about, or else she would've been terribly flustered. ...Right? He was quite sure of it, anyway- Lila surely wouldn't have agreed to such activities so easily with him... right? "I'd be happy to show you my sword," he kept looking ahead, fearing that if he looked at her, his flush and grin would give everything away, "It's very hard," he nodded, "But I'm sure you'll be able to wield it properly, anyway~ I'll be sure to teach you well. You'll probably feel a little sore after our first couple times, but I promise you'll enjoy it nonetheless. And then you'll grow accustomed to it, and we can try new ways! Twirls, attacking from behind, quicker movements..." Inigo mused, though all the time, his mind screamed out for him to stop. Surely she'd realise his innuendoes before too long-! ((I'm having way too much fun with this-- xDD)) "I'd be thrilled to dance with you, all night~" It would definitely be fun, too, if she took the lead. He kind of wished that Lila would realise what they were really saying, so that he could know if he had any chance at all, but this was really fun. Not to mention, he wasn't at all sure of whether or not Lila would be happy with him saying that- he didn't want to ruin the chance he had with her, but for some reason, he simply couldn't stop with all these innuendoes. And, almost immediately after that, Lila's face darkened to a deep shade of red, looking terribly flustered. Sh-she must have realised! Inigo held his breath, almost involuntarily as he waited to see her reaction. He hoped she wouldn't betooupset...! He wasn't quite sure what to say to her, now that she was blushing and stuttering and going back over her words; for some reason, all he could really do was smile and look at her. "O-oh." he finally said, speaking slowly. On one hand, he wanted to tease her some more, but on the other, he definitely didn't want to lose his chances by saying more strange things. "Well... we don't have to do any of that; don't worry, I'm not the type of man to force a beautiful lady into these things." he said with a nod. Surely that would suffice? "...Though, if you change your mind, I'm always open~" Almost unintentionally, he winked at her, flirtily.

~

Each sentence that Frederick spoke only made things worse. Imogen's face might as well be on fire by now, but the worst thing was that she was unable to form a coherent thought, much less reply, to all these things. Was he serious? S-surely not! Wouldn't he be at least alittleembarrassed or cautious about saying something like this? But it couldn't have been a coincidence that he said so many suggestive things...! "N-no! That's not itat all!" Imogen exclaimed when he asked if she was excited to 'wield his two-handed sword'. "You should have at least a little caution when saying these things-!" she hissed. W-well, it was good, she supposed, to know that he'd help her if she wanted to, but... right now, Imogen had no wish to even see his 'sword'. R-Really! How embarrassing..! "I-I'd rather not.." the redhead spoke, slightly panicked when he suggested to go. U-urk! When he spoke again, she covered her mouth again, though it wasn't as though that helped hide her flushed face, "I-I d-don't r-really want t-to... I-I mean, I-I d-don't r-really m-mind, but th-this is r-really s-sudden...!" At least the words were somehow coming out. She wasn't sure how to feel about this at all- it's not as though she abhorred the thought, but she wasn't exactly comfortable with discussing and agreeing to such things now.. "F-Forgive me, I-I... I'll d-decline for n-now..." The redhead turned around, wanting to hide her embarrassment from him. Wh-why did this come so suddenly? "Erm, I-I just remembered, I h-have a... a meeting! Y-yes, I r-really should be on m-my way r-right now..! Ahahaha..!" It was a terrible excuse, and Imogen felt guilty from just running away, but she couldn't do anything else, even if she wanted to. With that, she began to take steps away, on her way to... well, anywhere, just so she could catch her breath and sort this out.

((Darn... I'd love to have Imogen and Frederick talk more about this xD, but I really can't imagine her doing anything else-- ^^" Do whatever you like!))

[[OMG INIGO X'D I-I DON'T KNOW WETHER TO BE FLUSTERED OR LAUGH--]]

Lila-

Now that I understood what was going on, every single word he said seemed to have a deeper meaning-! M-Moreover, I-I had a-agreed to a-all of i-it.. I-Inigo was happily going on about.. O-Oh Naga, h-he offered to show me his 'sword'! ...W-Wait! I-I had literally /asked/ him to show it to m-me! My cheeks grew even darker in color (if that were possible) as he continued to speak. O-Oh G-Gods! H-He said i-it was /h-hard/, a-and he'd happily t-teach me! O-Oh! I-I was so flustered, especially when he mentioned me being 'sore after our first few times' and 'different ways'. I placed my hands on my cheeks, as if trying to force the blush down. Wh-What sh-should I-I do?! H-He was speaking so casually a-about... a-about //that//! I didn't know whether to be honored or flustered or what-! I-I mean, considering how he wanted to go th-that far with me - And not only once, for he had s-said our 'first few times together'! - I should feel sp-special. Which I did! But I was unbelievably flustered as well, a-and... What if he just uses this on all the ladies? W-Well... personally, I haven't /seen/ him say such things to others, b-but still... Inigo must have noticed how flustered I was, for he reassured me. "I-I know you wo-wouldn't do th-that.." Despite everything, my heart fluttered when he refered to me as a 'beautiful lady'. It fluttered yet again upon seeing his wink, and hearing his next words. I looked up at him, face flushed as I fidgeted somewhat. "I-I.." I looked down, avoiding his gaze in order to hide my blush. "I-It's n-not li-like I-I'd.. m-mind, I.. I-I'm just.. U-Uhm, n-not.. educated in the art o-of.. 's-swordsmanship' ..." I gazed up at him, a slightly shy smile on my face. "B-But... I..I wouldn't m-mind... at.. one point... If you'd wait f-for me." The words came out by themselves. To be honest, they .. they, too, held a deeper meaning. I wasn't quite sure of it myself though. Not yet, at least-! ...I'm never going to be able to say the word 'dancing' or 'swordsmanship' around him without getting flustered now, I knew that much..! "A-Ah.." I smiled a bit, suddenly taking his hand, "F-For now, let's continue o-our walk together, o-okay?"

Frederick-

I furrowed my eyebrows somewhat. Well, Imogen seemed... quite upset! That was horrid. Had I said something wrong? I.. I had not said something inappropriate, had I? What did I need to be shameful about? Was all this because of the long sword..? "Forgive me, Milady. I hadn't a clue that you weren't fond of long swords to such an extent." I apologized, then watched as she turned away. "It is my fault, I suppose, for listening to Vaike. He assured me that suggesting such a thing would be good." I certainly did not owe the man a 'thank you' after all. Everything had gone wrong! ...Wrong... ..."...By the Gods." I suddenly said, realization in my voice. I rubbed my temples. "M-Milady! I apologize, I.. I hadn't meant such shameless things!" Naga...! Everything I had said.. was a huge innuendo! Vaike had probably tricked me, to get a laugh or two! He'd be receiving a scolding later, the dastard! The things I had said! My cheeks grew warm , though I desperately tried to keep a straight face as I caught up to the woman. "I do apologize ..! In fact, you have the right to hit me, Milady, I hadn't meant to step out of bounds like that!" I was thoroughly embarrassed. "I had no right to say such things. I... had been tricked into it, you see. I would never purposely -! I.. I mean, if you so wish it, but I certainly didn't mean-!" Despite everything, I still could not help but to remember a certain statement. Hadn't Imogen said that she would not mind it...? Perhaps, then, she had some sort of fondness of me, as I did her..? Naga, she may just start wearing a chastity belt because of me... "I do apologize," I repeated again, stepping in front of her to hold on to her shoulders. The blush was still on my face as I spoke, "Will you forgive my ignorance?"

[[YOU SHOULD BE FLUSTERED- THAT'S ONE STEP CLOSE TO EMBARRASSMENT WHICH IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO XD And... is there anything else we want to do in this scene?]

At some point, Inigo thought that he could probably deny that his words had any deeper meaning whatsoever and that he just wanted to teach her swordplay and learn dancing, but it was probably too late for that now. Ah... he went overboard, didn't he? And now that she realised the innuendoes behind his words, she wouldn't look at him the same way again... right? The white haired man sighed. He wanted her to be comfortable around him, but... urk, now that he had stepped out of line, was it even possible to go back to the way things were? Curse his desire to speak in innuendoes! However, though Lila was terribly flustered, for some reason... it didn't feel as though she hated him or anything. That was good. A-and she even said that at some point...! Inigo smiled gently and took her hand lightly into his, "If that's the case, I will wait until forever," he spoke earnestly, "And even if that time never comes, I won't mind at all." Most of all, he didn't want to do anything she was uncomfortable with. A rather sheepish grin spread on his face and the man waved his hand slightly, "Yes, I believe a walk is in order, to clear our heads." And he could definitely use this time to get to know her more! Truth be told, he would've loved to know more about her past, though the little he knew seemed as though it wasn't too pleasant a story to tell... And right now, he didn't want to prod at her any more about things she could be uncomfortable with. "Oh! I wasn't aware that these grew in such a colour," Inigo said suddenly, motioning towards some wild flowers that were growing a little bit away. He was doing his best to speak of innocent, kind things. "The blue colour looks really nice on them."

~

"N-no, it's n-not l-like I... I m-mean, I p-prefer l-longswords to sh-sheaths, b-but I--" Imogen stuttered, unable to really form any coherent sentences. W-wait, why was she explaining herself like that? Surely there was no need..! She turned away, though slightly looked back at him when he mentioned that Vaike told him to say so. "V-Vaike told you to say that?" she clenched her hand into a fist, "Oh, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind--!" She never thought that her friend would tell him that... well, Vaike was quite loud, and even perverted, if you'd have it, so she supposed it wasn'tthatstrange... "W-wait, why were you asking his advice, anyway?" Surely everyone in the Shepherds had more sense than to ask him- he'd often respond with something dirty. Well, at least Frederick realised what his words really conveyed. It was really very awkward when he didn't understand his innuendoes... Well, she'd been right! Frederick wouldn't say anything like that! ..Well, unless he had no idea what he was really talking of, of course. The woman paused in her tracks when he caught up to her, though the bright blush on her face wouldn't go down. She averted her eyes to the ground, "..I'm not going to hit you," she sighed slightly. This whole situation would be terribly funny if she hadn't been so flustered...! Though, it's not as if she could really stay mad at him. It made perfect sense that he knew not what the words Vaike gave him meant, and coupled with his apologies, there really was no way for her to stay away. Imogen only turned her gaze up to him again when he stepped in front of her and held her shoulders. The redhead nodded slowly, her cheeks still red, "I-It's alright," she said quietly, "I-I don't think y-you really meant those things.. Though please, c-can we just... neverbringthisupagain?"

[[XD Hmmm- OKAY! So I did a bit of a time skip! Basically Frederick , Imogen, Lila, and Inigo are looking for supplies, and the guys are surrounded so the girls give themselves up to protect em' >u< Right? That was the plan? If not, feel free to change it!]]

Lila-

I beamed joyfully, eyes sparkling a bit despite my bright blush. "F-Forever...?" I looked at him. For some reason, the thought made my heart flutter, even though we were talking about something so inappropriate. "You... You're so sweet, you know." I said softly, leaning up to press my lips against his cheek. "...That was for making me so happy~. Let's enjoy the rest of our walk, together~." ((Time Skip!)) The next morning, Chrom suggested we stop in the nearby town to restock on supplies. Frederick, of course, agreed to go, since the other shepherds needed to watch over Lady Emmeryn. Since the Great Knight was going, he asked Imogen to tag along - and, of course, I just had to go too. Since I was going, I asked Inigo to join us as well. I.. I enjoyed his company very much after all~. "I have four gold pieces saved from my last job. Do you think they sell shells, Inigo? ...I wanted to have a matching necklace, like yours." I grinned sheepishly as the four of us walked through the small town. ...For some reason, though, it seemed abnormally quiet. It didn't take long to figure out why. Almost out of nowhere, bandits appeared, and immediately surrounded Inigo and Frederick. There was a whole group of them! Two men - presumably the leaders - held weapons at our companion's necks. I.. I didn't have my weapon with me! "If we kill em' off, we could rob em' blind!" One of the two men said. I gasped, looking at Imogen with wide eyes before stepping forward. "D-Don't touch them!" Despite my tone, I was quite scared. For /him/. I was scared.. of losing Inigo... The realization hit me, almost like a rock had been thrown at the back of my head. 'I love him.' I thought to myself, feeling my heart ache all of a sudden. 'I.. I can't let him die!' I wasn't even sure if he had brought a weapon with him... The men glanced at me, raising a brow. "You.. Y-You can take me instead! You'd.. m-make money o-off of me, more then you can g-get by killing th-them..!" One of the men smirked. "How noble of you. Very well." He said, pushing Inigo to the side. "Eyy! These two'll make us a fortune!" The other man said, pushing Frederick aside as well. "Right. We could sell em'. Mm.. This one'll get us a lot~" The man pulled Imogen close to him, as the other one took a hold of me. My eyes widened. "N-No! Don't touch her!" I-I hadn't wanted to drag Imogen into this mess! Though... If she was close to Frederick, she probably would feel the same as me.. The rest of the bandits blocked Inigo and Frederick so they couldn't reach us. "Let's go." One of the two men said, pulling us away. I looked up, my eyes suddenly watering a bit. A-Ah... I.. I hoped he would be safe. 'I'll miss you, Inigo.' I thought to myself, trying to put on a brave face. Th-This... was to protect him! I wanted him to stay alive. And.. And maybe we can get out of this mess..! We'll.. meet again, right..?

Frederick-

"Ah.. I was asking him.. for, er, ... anyway." I cleared my throat, then shifted a bit. "...There is no need to worry, Milady. I shall take heed to your words. Never agaim will it be mentioned." Unless she wanted it, of course. ...I may have developed feelings for Imogen, I realized. It was much more than fondness. "Now, shall we find Vaike?" (Time Skip!) The town near camp was small, and quiet. Eerie indeed. I supposed it was due to the location. We were, after all, in the middle of nowhere. "Does this catch your fancy?" I indicated to a rather nice, but simple necklace. "I think it you suit you." I added to Imogen, purchasing it. "..You will wear it, right? Think of it as a thank you, for spending your time with me." I smiled a bit, putting the necklace around the redhead's neck. "Ah! If I may, that looks quite nice on you." There was a few moments of silence, before it was broken by the sound of quick footsteps running our way. Before I could take out my lance, it was knocked out of my hand, and a sword was placed against my neck. Inigo was now in a similar situation. "Unhand me, dastard!" I said, though the sword only dug deeper into my skin. Killed? Was this the spot where I would breath my last? Such a shameful death, to be killed be lowly bandits! ...Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Inigo and I were pushed to the side, guarded by a group of bandits as the 'leaders' set their attention on the two females. "Do not lay a hand on her!" I scowled, trying to shove past the crowd blocking me. What was Imogen doing? Why wouldn't she struggle? ..This was all my fault. I could not protect her. I failed as a knight, ...and as a friend. Yes, I loved her. I did. She saw me as a friend, but I loved her, and I could not bear to see her being taken away. "Let her go!"

Frederick Continued:

"Let her go now, Dastard!" I yelled, still attempting to get away so that I could save her. "Imogen! I..Imogen, I will bring you back, safe!" I called, almost desperately. And she was gone, out of sight. Majority of the bandits made a run for it, but I managed to grab one. "By Naga, you better tell me where they are being taken."

[[In your post, for Imogen, you can say they were taken to like the black market, where, y'know, they were skimpy cloth to show their assets-]]