In nomine Sanctae Mariae de lumine Latonae Cælo ilia lucere super nos semper. Amen.

L'Arachel exhaled, rising from her knees. Her habit shifting, smooth fabric rustling as she rose to her feet. Incense swirled about the room, rising up to the ceiling, whirling around the gilt frames of Saint Latona and the minor saints. She pressed down her skirt, the long, golden scarf at her hip snagging on a pew as he made her way down the aisle.

"Princess!" a voice called. L'Archel paused, adjusting her wimple over her hair. A few tendrils of green hair escaped and she tucked them behind her ear as she turned. A younger candidate, clad in similar clothes are L'Arachel, stood behind her, hands clasps. The tips of her ears poked at her wimple, giving her a mildly impish feel.

"Yes?" L'Arachel answered, pink lips neutral.

"Milady, if it is in my place to speak-"

"Speak." L'Arachel had little patience for court manners today. After the three hour service, she felt drained, wanting nothing more than to quit o her solar and spend the day devouring books and gossip, even on the Holy Sabbath.

"Y-Yes, Princess. I… You seemed… distracted during the service. Are you… alright?" her bright eyes glimmered, as if she were going to cry.

L'Arachel sighed and flopped into a pew, crossing her legs. "Your name?"

The girl nodded. "Amity." She smiled gently.

"Ah, Amity, you…" L'Arachel paused, chewing her lips. "You'd be correct." She scooted over in the pew. Amity climbed in eagerly, barely concealing her excitement.

"Is is because you left your betrothed?" Amity asked. L'Arachel winced, nails digging into the seat cushion.

"…Perhaps," she responded. "I suppose that Queen Eirika has been on my mind."

Amity nodded slowly, head bobbing. "I… I can understand why. Mother Abbess says that love is a many faceted thing, and that although we pledge ourselves to Latona's path, our love for her is similar to romantic love, much like what you feel right now."

"Save for the fact that Latona won't just up and decide not to talk to you for weeks on end," L'Arachel shouted.

Amity waited until L'Arachel calmed down.

"Na'mi, one of the Novice, tells me that she's yet to hear Latona truly call her. Yet she's immensely devoted to Latona, enough that she's now in her fourth year of devotion to learning her path." Amity turned her soft gaze on L'Arachel, reaching for her hand. L'Arachel accepted, body suddenly a bit lighter. "I…I know it's not like love, yet… yet I think that her devotion is a form of it. She loved Latona, enough to persevere despite " Amity rose, smile wider. "Perhaps that is something only you, and not Latona, can reflect on." She bowed and scampered away, ducking behind a curtain, a door slam echoing around the sanctuary.

"We'll break here for the day!" Enma called. Linde pulled up hard, whinnying loudly as Eirika leapt down. Her legs were immensely sore from the hard ride, and her bottom ached, sores and bruises throbbing in time with her heartbeat.

"Are we close?" Eirika asked. Enma nodded.

"Milady, we've only just reached the Carcino-Renais border. It's still a near a fortnight's ride to Capital Rausten, and that's if we push the horses as hard as you," Enma pointed at Eirika, pressing a finger hard into her sternum, "ride them. Keep it up, and it'll turn into a month of caravans and marching."

Eirika sighed and set herself to pitching tends. Despite her sores, the hard work felt solid, making her glad to be in control of her legs again. Soon, all three tents were pitched, and Eirika's group seated themselves around a crackling fire, the sun dipping below the treeline.

"So, this is the edge of Renais," quirked Ai'shi. The Sojian smiled, twirling a blade around lazily. "Exciting. She tossed the knife, caught the hilt in her hand and sheathed it reclining back on the ground.

"Trust me, Carcino's nothing special," Lute said, thumbing through a tome. She mumured a spell, and a blast of fire erupted from her hand, causing the fire to leap into the air. Ai'shi clapped, clearly amused. "It's not even truly a country."

Enma nodded curtly. "Still, we had best be on guard. Our mission is to-"

"Yeah, yeah, deliver the Queen to Rausten. We get it Enma," Mychal groaned, rolling fawn brown eyes.

"We're soldiers, not dumb," another male, Lewis, said, digging around his saddle bag. He withdrew a shiny red apple and held it up to his horse, Whisper. He devoured it with keen teeth, juicy running down his fur. "Plus, we'd never let anything happen to Queenie there. She'd lose us our jobs."

Whack!

Enma launched her leather glove at Lewis, hitting him square in the back of his head. He grunted and spun around. "Hey! What's that for?!"

Enma's mouth was tight. "Do not joke about the Queen in such a manner. She is not a trinket, you fool!"

"Enma," Eirika placed a hand on Enma's shoulder. "Don't worry. Lewis makes a good point. I go and he's back to mucking stalls, eh farm boy?" She winked for good measure, and Enma relaxed, grey gaze cast down.

Lewis laughed, loud guffaws that toppled him backwards into the dust. "Fine, fine," Enma said, interrupting. "It's time to get dinner. Lewis, go fetch us something half- decent. Ai'shi, go get water. Mychal, you're on forage duty. Nuts and berries." Lewis sighed and rolled his eyes, rising to his feet.

"Fine, fine, sir," he answered. He grabbed at his bow and quiver, arrows rattling inside. "I'll be sure to snipe us something right fine."

Enma watches as the ground reentered the forest, their voices fading. "I'll fetch us some wood for the night. We'll need it for the fire and for sitting."

Lute nodded, smiling gently. "I'll keep Eirika then." Enma nodded and, grabbing an ax, set off towards the others, whistling softly.

"So…" Lute began. "What's the plan?"

Eirika crossed her legs, elbows resting on her thighs. "Convince L'Arachel of my worth."

"Ha!" Lute exclaimed. "That stubborn diva? Eirika, do you not remember our travels during The War? L'Arachel's sense of 'justice'," Lute motioned with her hands, "far exceeds her ability to cognitively accept you as a possibility."

Eirika blinked. "Lute, no jargon," she suggested.

"Very well then." Lute cleared her throat. "You have no chance."

Eirika felt her chest tighten. "Thank you, Lute." She couldn't come up with much more to say.

After a while the group returned, Lewis carrying three rabbits, Ai'shi with skins of cold, spring water, and Mychal with a sack full of wild mushrooms, acorns, dandelions, and a good amount of gooseberries. He'd even found a patch of lovage and sheep sorrel tucked into the woods and had gathered enough to stuff the rabbits with.

"Smells good," Eirika murmured, the scent of the rabbit fat cooking enticing. Mychal had sealed the skinned beasts inside of a metal pot he'd brought and stuffed it into the flames, allowing the rabbits to roast in their own juices. Combined with the wild herbs, the sharp scent of lemon and the crisp tang of celery made for a pleasant evening around the fire. As the food cooked, Mychal plucked a lute, offering a cheery melody about the forests and spirits.

"It'll be done soon," Lewis said, reclining against a log. He kicked a branch deeper into the fire, producing a spray of sparks. Ai'shi giggled, the spray dancing in the air before disappearing, and she passed around skins of cold water.

"Don't forget the bread and cheese," she mentioned, nudging her back. "I even had the kitchens make us blossom cheese!" She yanked out a wedge of soft cheese wrapped in wax paper. Bright pink petals formed a crust of sorts on the outside, and it smelled faintly of cherries. "It's a delicacy back in Soji."

Enma smiled, finally relaxed. "It'll go good on the bread," she sighed, reclining. "Check that rabbit, Mychal."

"Aye, aye sir," he said, standing. He poked a thick branch into the top of the lid, pulling it off. Steam billowed out, and the group sighed, the smells of roast rabbit in the air. "They're done!"

Quickly, Lewis aided him in removing the pot. They sat it on the ground and set to portioning out meat. Eirika received her plate first but waited until everyone was served before they all simultaneous bit into the sweet meat. A collective sigh erupted through the group, and they al burst into laughter, scarfing down the scalding flesh.

Soon, Eirika quit to her tent, exhausted from the hard day's ride. Enma joined her, leaving Lute and Ai'shi to room together, and Lewis and Mychal to their own devices. "Long day, eh, Eirika?" Enma said. She tucked her sword against the tent as she changed.

"Very. I can't believe we've only been gone two days. Rausten feels as if it's across another world," she sighed, hands working her hair into a braid.

"Tis not that far, Eirika," Enma replied. "Soon, we'll be at Princess L'Arachel's doorstep, and you'll be groveling."

"Groveling?" Eirika mused, raising an eyebrow.

"Indeed."

As planned, L'Archel had quit to her solar, escaping from her thoughts. Now she sat clad in a simple night gown, alone in her private quarters, tucked into bed. Nighttime had come quickly, leaving her alone for the first time in days.

Her return to the capital had been sudden: after all, her uncle had urged her to Renais for political duties. It was her duty to the crown, to Rausten, to help it flourish, yet… her heart had gotten caught up, more so than she could have ever imagined.

Now, as she lay in bed, she felt Eirika returning to her thoughts. It had only been a matter of three days, yet she felt a burning in her heart, almost a lust for the Queen. "Oh, dash it all," she cried, turning over in bed. She threw a pillow at the wall and it landed with a mocking thump, sliding to the ground and flopping over.

Knock knock. Knock knock.

"Princess?"

L'Arachel sat up, sighing. "Enter."

A chubby girl with skin as dark as night entered L'Arachel's room, piercing green eyes and a large, voluminous pile of raspberry hair tumbling from her head. A yellow and blue nightgown with capped sleeves swished as she pushed the door up behind her. "Imani!" L'Arachel cried. Imani dropped into a curtsy, a bright smile on her face.

"I sensed you may need a… confidant tonight," she replied. L'Arachel patted the bed and she clambered in, adjusting her gown.

"You'd be correct. I made sure to retire the maids for the night. I… I needed more than a maid."

"Well, I'm the best secret keeper in all of Latona, if not all of Rausten," she chuckled, face settling into a frown. "This is about the girl, isn't it? You long for her."

L'Arachel nodded, blinking away tears. "I… I feel so confused. Should I not hate her?"

Imani nodded. "Hate and Love are not all that different, Princess. Sometimes, what we think we should feel is far from what we actually have in our hearts."

L'Arachel sighed. After all, Eirika had done no crime save for ignoring her. Even her advances, which had ceased, hadn't insulted L'Arachel. Truthfully, they had awakened something in her that made her crave to stray from her religious notions. "Imani, can't you just… do your magic and make this better?" She pressed a hand to forehead, massaging her temples.

Imani shrugged her shoulders. "I can go fetch a draught for you. Or perhaps… a hex," Imani's gaze turned dark and she chuckled. L'Arachel had forgotten how truly dark the Dark Mage could be.

"No, no hexes," L'Arachel responded. "Just… spend the night. At least until dawn?"

Imani nodded. "Anything in your service, Princess."

Settling in, Imani curled up, a pillow held steadfast in her grasp. Soon, she was snoring, soft noises filling L'Arachel's chamber. They became hypnotic, and soon, L'Arachel found herself getting drowsy, body suddenly heavy.

"Good night," she whispered, settling in, her hand seeking Imani's. She smiled, the comforting feeling of Imani's body heat next to her soothing away thoughts of her Queen.

Notes:

· The prayer at the beginning of the story translates from Latin to mean: "In the name of Our Lady of Light Latona, may she shine on us forever from the Heavens beyond. Amen."

· Ai'shi is an Assasin, Enma is a Hero, Mychal a Bard, and Lewis a Sniper. Lute, a charcter from Sacred Stones, is a Sage, following her cannon class.

· Blossom Cheese is based on the Japanese "Sakura Cheese", which is a soft cheese that uses cherry blossoms for flavoring.