So I finally took that hiatus I was warning you about. Except it wasn't a few months…it was about 4 years. Oops. Well, here is the happy conclusion to this story. :)

Taking a Risk

Serra's face scrunched. She couldn't think of any more lessons for Florina to learn – but she knew there had to be something. Letting out an agitated breath, she reclined on the grass and stared at the sky.

Eye contact - check.

Loud voice – check.

Confident strutting – check.

Starting (and maintaining) a conversation with a man – check. Well…sort of. Erk was probably not the best choice as a conversationalist, and all Sain would do was make flirtatious remarks that made Florina clam up even more. But she could let Florina slide on that one.

Unfortunately for her devious plans, Lord Hector had been at an important meeting with the other lords and the tactician when she was conducting that lesson. In fact, he had been awfully quiet ever since returning from that meeting. Even her overly cheery encouragement didn't seem to do much for his mood. She frowned – not a sad, melancholy frown, mind you, but rather an "I-didn't-get-my-way-and-I'm-unhappy-about-it" kind of frown.

"I just need to find one more lesson…something that will finally get Florina and Lord Hector together," she said to herself. The gears of her mind were turning as she studied clouds moving across the soft blue sky.

Suddenly, an idea struck that so excited her being, she jumped to her feet and nearly flew to Florina's tent.

Florina shared a tent with her sisters, Farina and Fiora. As soon as she heard the loud cries of "Florina," with the last syllable purposefully drawn out, chills ran up her spine. The calls were likely coming from the far opposite edge of the camp, meaning that everyone in their troop could hear Serra's beckoning voice.

She froze, hoping the look of panic didn't appear to her sisters, and quickly excused herself for a moment. They didn't seem to mind. Serra was good for her. She was almost the exact opposite of Florina, and they hoped that by spending time together, perhaps some balance would come in each girl's manner. The sisters just looked at each other, and Farina had to stifle a giggle.

Florina anxiously looked this way and that for her loud-mouthed friend. "Florina!" Serra exclaimed. Her entire demeanor brightened (if that was even possible for as bright as she already was) at the sight of her friend. "Florina! I have another lesson for you to learn!"

"Oh…," she said, heat rising to her cheeks.

"I think it's going to be the last one, but it's going to be the best one!"

It seemed like the "better" something was to Serra, the "worse" it was to Florina. "Aren't you excited?"

"I guess so…," she mumbled, then thought, "I think I'm more excited that it's going to be over!"

"Ok, come with me!"

So off they went to find Erk - Serra bouncing along and Florina dragging her feet. "Serra, what lesson am I going to be learning here?" Florina asked.

"You'll see! We just have to find Erk first," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "But I will go ahead and tell you the first step. The first thing you have to do is say 'I have something I want to tell you.' Just like that!"

"I have something I want to tell you?" Florina really didn't like where this was going.

"Uh-huh!"

Just then, Erk emerged from his tent with a yawn, but before Serra could squeal his name, a look of sheer terror was expressed on his face, and he instantly retreated into the safety of his tent.

"Errrrk!" Serra wailed. "I neeeeed you!"

"Go away, Serra! I'm not in the mood to fool around today," he said flatly.

Knowing that she could override his reluctance eventually, she persisted. "But Erk, I just have to tell you one thing! And then I'll go!"

"Just one thing?" he asked skeptically.

"Just one itty-bitty little thing!" she affirmed.

He poked only his head from the flap of the tent. "Well?"

Serra leaned closer to him, putting her mouth by his cheek. And just as she took a breath to "whisper" her message, she turned toward his cheek instead and planted a sweet little kiss on his cheek.

The reaction of Erk's face was much like his Elfire spell being cast upon an enemy. He instantly turned red, and Serra couldn't tell if his firm grimace meant he was happy or mortified. But she just giggled and turned to Florina. "And that's all you have to do! Easy, right?"

Florina was blushing almost as much as Erk, partly because she was embarrassed for him, but also because she knew that Serra expected her to use the same deceptive charm to kiss…Lord Hector.

"Bye, Erky!" Serra called as Erk's face disappeared into the tent. "Now to find someone for you to kiss!"

Florina felt paralyzed.

She let out a sigh.

Serra had led her to the tent of a certain someone, and, while her "teacher" was not looking, Florina slipped away. That was the good thing about being quiet. It was easier to get out of things, and people would never notice.

Now she found herself wandering aimlessly in the grassy field where Serra had so recently invented this lesson. The fresh air was certainly welcome. She would rather be up in the air with Huey. But this would do for a while.

She wondered if Serra would try to chase and retrieve her. She shuddered at the thought. If she could avoid Serra and Lord Hector for the next few days, perhaps she could regain her mind from this swirl of emotions. She knew, deep down, that she could never ever bring herself to do this. Especially without knowing if he had any affection for her.

Kissing him, even if a little kiss on the cheek, was much too drastic. And she might ruin whatever relationship that she had with him. The tactician, Mark, seemed to place them in the same area during battles. (Although sometimes she wondered if Serra had something to do with that.) They had talked – or at least he had talked – a few times. And he did help her out with the first lesson.

But still.

"But perhaps it is worth the risk," she thought. "Maybe it is my only chance to tell him…"

However, her thoughts were quickly interrupted.

"So…someone told me that you had something to say to me," Hector said, casually walking up to her. He smirked. "This isn't about your pegasus, is it? I thought we were over that already!"

"Oh! L-lord Hector…um…"

Her mind raced to find an answer – an excuse. Serra must have sent him out here. Not now! She couldn't do this!

"But this might be your chance, Florina."

"Well?" His face was expectant, but not impatient.

"I…"

Her mind was still trying to think of something to say that didn't make her pucker her lips.

He still stood there, waiting.

And suddenly, she looked in his eyes, just like in her first lesson. His eyes were warm and caring, not angry, not skeptical. He genuinely wanted to know what it was she had to say. And somehow, she found the courage to lean forward, just slightly.

"I do have something to tell you," she whispered.

He bent closer to her, almost as if he knew what she was up to, and she, in turn, put her mouth next to his ear. Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.

Just as she was instructed, she turned ever so gently and let her lips brush his cheek. Instantly she pulled away, squeezing her eyes shut, as if he would disappear now, and she could tell Serra that she passed this final test.

He was quiet for a moment, and she thought perhaps he really had disappeared. She cracked one of her eyes open, just to see what he was doing or if he was even still there. What she didn't expect was that Hector moved closer to her and now his mouth was next to her ear. She was trembling.

"I had something to tell you, as well," he said with a grin. He planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

There was nothing more that needed to be said.

"So, so, so?" Serra eagerly badgered her friend for more details. "What happened?"

For once, Serra did not stalk her student and watch her from afar. But now it was time for the juicy story to come out.

"I passed," Florina said, a twinge of confidence mingled in her voice. Her face was bright red as she said it.

Serra would have pestered her for more information, but she restrained herself, seeing in her friend's face that the statement was true. Serra could not contain her ecstatic grin. "So – aren't you glad you took lessons from me?"

A faint smile was on Florina's lips. She didn't want to admit it, but deep down, she was actually very thankful for the lessons.

Fin.

For the past few years, I've spent so much time trying to forget romance. I got so disenchanted because sometimes I think too much about it and get all girly. But I realized this summer that trying to take that away has left me so...unloving? I realized that it was ok to be girly sometimes and to hear love stories.

And so this happened. (It also helped that there were a few people asking for another chapter!) Hope you liked it! I know it was a long time coming! Whether I will continue writing fan-fictions is debatable, but you never know! God bless, thank you for reading!