Unscripted Love | Fire Emblem Awakening

Chapter 5: Left in the Dust

For the first time in years, I lost sleep to my worries. I'd seen countless nobles cosying up to Merton, but he'd always remained friendly. Lady Florence was the last woman I could imagine him falling in love with. It concerned me. Did that mean he would change? Ylisse needed him to be serving her just the way he was.

As soon as dawn broke and the birds started singing, I rose and dressed in my pegasus knight uniform, sans armour, and went down to the dining room. The hallways were quiet, but I could hear murmurs and moving fabric as if the rest of the guests were slowly preparing for the day.

Two were already sitting at the dining table, their conversation ignorant of the servants. Lady Florence cut off and glared at me as I arrived.

"Good morning, Your Ladyship, Commander Merton." I sat down opposite them.

"Good morning, Calla," Merton replied.

There was a long silence.

"Good morning," Lady Florence said coldly.

She turned back to Merton and continued her gossip, dropping a hundred different names I didn't recognise. I presumed they were other nobles, and I wondered if Merton had ever been acquainted with them.

I was clearly not welcome to join their conversation, so I took the opportunity to study Lady Florence in the morning light. Its harshness made her look no less attractive than she had in the glow of the evening. I noticed that she had painted her lips crimson today, and instead of wearing a gown, she was dressed in a dusty pink skirt and a cerulean blouse. When I glanced under the table, I saw that she was wearing knee-high boots and a pair of frilly stockings. For a noble, it was quite practical.

My heart sank. Please, Naga, don't let her come into Arcton with us.

Annoyed enough for my emotions to slip my mask, I drummed my fingers on the table. It only took five seconds for Lady Florence to stop verbally looking down her nose at whoever she was discussing. She huffed. "Commander Calla, is that really necessary?"

I stopped. "My apologies. It's a habit."

"Of course."

Merton held my gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he turned his attention back to Lady Florence as she continued to gossip.

The stairs creaked as shoes thudded against them, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Cordelia was the first to arrive, followed closely by Earl Mathis and Lady Charlotte.

"Good morning, Your Lordship," we said as he entered.

"Good morning." Earl Mathis sat down. "Did you sleep well?"

I looked at Merton, the usual spokesperson, but he just looked at me. I turned back to Earl Mathis, hoping I appeared sprightly enough for my lie to wash. "Very well, thank you."

"And how is your leg, Commander Calla? Is it troubling you?"

"Not at all, Your Lordship." At least that was true.

"I'm glad to hear it. If you ever have a problem and your healer isn't around, you must not hesitate to ask for one of ours. We have several in-house."

"Thank you, Your Lord--"

"Uncle, darling," Lady Florence said, "what time are you going to Arcton?"

"As soon as we have all eaten." He glanced towards the doorway. While we had been talking, Yukio and Ezri had arrived, but there was still no sign of her own family. "Is your father not awake yet, Florence?"

"I have no idea," she said sourly. "But Father will not be accompanying us, will he? So perhaps we should start breakfast. Everyone who will be going into Arcton is here. And I was hoping that I could come with you. I have not been into town since Grima was Awakened, so I am unaware of what the nasty monsters have done to it. If I saw, I could persuade Father to donate some money to the cause. I know he has been reluctant, but I can always persuade him." She smiled brightly.