Title: Meant to Be; Part 1 of 7

Author: Risa

Pairing: Prince/Lyon

Rating: T

Disclaimer: If Suikoden were mine Viktor and Flik would be in all of them... somehow.

A/N: At first I didn't use the name "Freyjador" for the prince because I actually dislike the name quite a bit, but for the comfort of you all, the readers, that's what I chose to call him. I guess I'll suck it up and get used to it.

PART 1: Revelation

"Come on in, my boy. Let me have a look at you," said Ferid, who had long awaited the arrival of his son. It was the eve of the Prince's sixteenth birthday, and he appeared as regal, albeit kind as he always had, with one glaring exception. He was a growing boy. Though growing boys generally liked to keep to themselves, Ferid couldn't help but feel that his son could use a bit of advice before his countenance cracked under pressure.

There was a time to be a prince and a time to be a young man. "Hmm, yes."

"What is it, father?" asked Prince Freyjador, not exactly comfortable with all this. He stood before his father dressed in the dust of the dwarf mines, where he visited as a diplomat on behalf of the Queen. His strength was now recognized, and therefore he was given errands all over the country. His face was well known throughout the Queendom, and he made all kinds of friends on his journeys; however, each journey left him feeling a sense of fatigue and untidiness. He would have loved to have gotten into a nice hot bath before speaking with his father, but it was too late for that now.

"You're not quite the runt you used to be, you know. Pretty soon you'll be looking down on more than just Lym, ahahaha!"

Ferid slapped his knee in delight over his own joke, making his boy blush a little. The Prince may have been growing into a fine young man, but he was a bit too sensitive and housebroken. Why, if he knew some of the men Ferid grew up around he'd simply have a heart attack. Prince Freyjador was very tidy, so tidy it put most common women to shame. Speaking of which, that must have been the consequence of being reared in a castle full of women, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. At least the boy liked pulling his own weight around the place, rather than living a simple, luxurious life holed up in the castle.

"W-what was it you wanted to talk about?" said the Prince, as embarrassment started to overwhelm him for no apparent reason. Lately he had gotten embarrassed over the silliest things, like Lyon pledging her life to him, Lyon straightening out his clothes, Lym glomp-attacking him in front of Lyon, and everyone else, and so forth. Things that were once a norm in his life left him extremely hot and bothered, and he hadn't a clue why.

"I want to know if you have anything you want to talk about, my boy. You seem preoccupied as of late," said Ferid, with a more serious expression on his face. It was one that told the Prince that he must speak, or he'd regret it. Freyjador didn't even know where to begin, though, because the changes in his life were all happening so suddenly. Suddenly he was out on missions, day in and day out, with Lyon by his side at all times. Growing up she was his dearest friend, kind-hearted at true to herself, if a little quiet. The Prince made a point to get a smile on her face every day if he could. Now suddenly he felt as though his smiles were intrusive, as though she'd reject his good nature somehow. When she turned to him and smiled back, it embarrassed him. Where all of this was coming from he couldn't tell you. All he knew was that the source of his "preoccupation" as Ferid put it, was Lyon.

"Father… well. L-Lyon's been doing a terrific job as my body guard. I think it's time we make her into a Queen's Knight, don't you think?" said Freyjador, trying to be as smooth about that as possible. Unfortunately he was as easy to read as an Old Book, and Ferid finally got the answer that he was looking for.

Without jumping right into what he suspected, Ferid simply answered his son's question. "Absolutely not. Lyon's good, but it takes more than that to become a full-fledged Queen's Knight. You wouldn't want her getting killed on a mission that's too advanced for her, now would you?"

"Of course not!" Freyjador looked appalled that his father would even suggest such a thing. More so that he himself had wanted to dump Lyon off just because her presence made him feel slightly uneasy. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Well, you appear to be thinking now. So tell me what's on your mind."

It wasn't something the Prince ever planned to put into feasible words. After all, he thought it was just a phase that would die out, and he and Lyon could proceed with their lives as normally as they ever had. It wasn't easy to imagine, though, for he wasn't the only one who grew. She always had a pretty face, the kind that reminded him of Lymsleia's glass dolls, but otherwise she was short, pudgy, and her hair was always a mess. Now with the same pretty doll face she was slender, taller, pinker, and her hair was always tied back neatly. He wanted to think that she looked like a princess to him, but the only way that would be true is if she married him, and that thought drove him up the wall. Him? Marry Lyon? Would that even be allowed? Surely not, making the point moot anyway.

Freyjador could only answer his father with a blush. Ferid didn't like to push, but if his boy needed it then that was exactly what he would do.

"Hmm, son, you fancy Lyon, do you not?" said Ferid, which got the Prince's attention. He snapped his head up, mouth agape, eyes wide, and yet coherent words were not within his grasp. "It's OK, just admit it."

"Father, please lower your voice!" said Freyjador, worried about exactly how close to the door Lyon was standing. She took her duty seriously, and followed him absolutely everywhere, unless he asked to be alone. He rarely did, because he appreciated and enjoyed his dear friend and bodyguard's company, although he occasionally felt awkward around her. The last thing he needed was for her to learn of his feelings for her in such an indirect manner.

"My apologies. Well?" he said, in almost a whisper. As though it weren't painfully obvious at this point. Ferid was just teasing him now.

"I… think so," said the Prince, suddenly feeling an iron weight on his chest lighten. For the first time that evening he could breathe again. "I am positive that I do, actually.

"Please don't tell anyone."

"You know the rule, Freyjador. What's said in this room stays in this room, hahaha," said Ferid, giving his boy a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Good for you, my son."

"Huh?" The Prince was confused. After all, she wasn't of royalty. In fact, had Ferid not rescued her from the night all those years ago she wouldn't even be with them. With him. For better or for worse Lyon was practically part of the family, and Freyjador had always adored her; however, this adoration had gone to a whole new level, and where he would love nothing more than to reveal his affections to her, he feared he'd end up hurting her somehow. Somehow, he just didn't think this was a good idea. It simply wasn't meant to be.

"What is it, my boy? Why so melancholy?" said Ferid, thinking the kid would have been thrilled to get a load off, but it was quite the opposite now. Somehow he didn't think Lyon had rejected him, or that Lyon was seeing another. What monster was manifesting in that head of his?

"I couldn't possibly have her as my lover, could I, father? I'm a prince, and she's… " he paused, with no desire to place himself above Lyon in any way. Ferid would get the point.

"I think you forget too quickly how your mother and I came to be. I didn't amount to much until I had won the Sacred Games, and now look where I am," said Ferid, wrapping an arm around his son. "I have the finest family in the Queendom now, and all it took was hard work and good looks, ahahaha."

Freyjador couldn't help but laugh at that. His mother had once stated jokingly that she would have sent Ferid away if he weren't so dashing, though it wasn't quite like her to think that way. She just wanted everyone to get a fair shot, and Ferid had claimed victory fair and square. It was also clear that they loved each other so now, and the Prince wasn't sure how that could work. You marry a stranger, and somehow fall in love? It worked for his parents, but he wasn't so sure it would work for Lym. He just had to thank his lucky stars that he wasn't the one born a woman.

"Lyon isn't like Godwin, who would merely cause trouble for the Queendom. I'm sure your mother wouldn't disapprove."

"It isn't mother that I'm worried about," said Freyjador, and with that he said no more. He never wanted this subject to arise. He hoped sincerely that this phase would come to pass unnoticed, and he and Lyon could have a relationship befitting of the Prince and his bodyguard. She already made a point to address him as respectfully as possible in public, and she took her job seriously almost to the point where wild beasts on the field never touched him. It was bad enough that Sialeeds started to call it babysitting. He wasn't so delicate that he needed to be babysat, but apparently delicate enough to need a body guard at all times.

Speaking of which, she was probably getting sleepy. He didn't want to keep her waiting.

"Father, I really must be going," said Freyjador with a yawn. After all, his birthday was tomorrow, and he'd have to greet every noble under the sun and then some. That took a lot out of a simple prince, so he'd have to be at his best in the morning.

"Sleep well, my boy," said Ferid, walking his son to the door. Before leaving, though, Ferid left his son with a few last minute thoughts. "It's all right, you know. It's all right to feel the way that you do."

"Goodnight," said the Prince in return, determined not to discuss this any further. He would sleep with a clear mind and move on with his life, simply accepting things that were not meant to be, no matter how hurtful. Seeing Lyon awaiting him faithfully outside the door made things no easier. He could feel his face was flushed, and there she stood happily, none the wiser to the discussion that had just taken place. That way it would stay.

"I trust your discussion with Ferid went well, Prince?" said Lyon, walking him to his bedchamber with ease. Oh, if only she knew, and he would tell her if he could, but he simply couldn't. It just wasn't happening.

"It did. Thanks, Lyon."

And that was that.

TBC