Aerith & Tifa (Tirith)

[Tifa Lockhart]

The King looked deeply apologetic. He'd married his wife for love - though she fit in with the political requirements stipulated by his father - and had never wanted to force a strictly political marriage on his daughter...
"Please Sabela. This war has gone on too long, we have no hope of winning it... this marriage saves not only your Kingdom but your future... this way your safety is guaranteed." He took up her hands again "The boy is your age, a handsome fellow, and much kinder than his father... were he on the thrown things would be much different."

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela felt a tear slip down her cheek, which she immediately wiped away. It wasn't proper to cause a scene. But she couldn't accept this. Married to another man? She had always had it in her mind that somehow she would end up with Llyr...
"Isn't there another way?" she pleaded.
"What if my heart doesn't belong to him?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

The King's eyes were sad, but they began to harden. "If i had another daughter perhaps Sabela, but you're the Kingdoms only remaining hope for peace." He didn't want to have to get firm with her... but he was desperate for peace with Hasnia.
"Your foremost duty is to your Kingdom my dear... with time your heart may learn to love him."

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela started sobbing softly, bringing her hand up to her mouth. She knew that as a princess, she was being selfish, but she didn't want to give up on the future she desired with Llyr.
"And if he doesn't love me?..." she whispered in a last-ditch effort.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Llyr shifted in the corner, looking as if he wanted to move over and comfort Sabela, but then King raised a hand to make him stay at his post.
"I raised you to think of your people Sabela." The King said firmly, "Love can grow with time, and a relationship can be based off something else. Love is not all that matters."

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela's shoulders still shook and her eyes were cast to the floor, but she quietened.
"Y-yes father..." she whispered.
"Excuse me."
She tore herself away from him, gathering up her skirt to run from the room, regardless of any objections her father would have.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Llyr moved out of the corner as Sabela ran off, his eyes dark with grief.
"Sire..." He began in passive protest, "if the Princess is to be sent away... w-what is to become of me?" He kept his interests purely professional when around the King to kill any suspicions.
"You're to escort the Princess to Hasnia and see to it she settles in, once she is settled you're to return here, i could use a new Captain of my personal guard."

For anyone else the chance to lead the renowned King's Guard would be a chance of a lifetime... but Llyr could find no real joy in the idea... guarding the princess was all he'd ever seen himself doing. Being by her side was his only ambition.
"Thankyou sire." he said with a slight bow. He paused briefly, and then spoke again, "Sire... permission to speak at liberty?"
The king quirked an eye, "What is it my dear lad?"
"May i go speak with the Princess...?" He asked hesitantly.
The King sighed and nodded, waving a hand of leave to Llyr, "You're her dearest friend my boy, if anyone can help her through the hardships of her duty it is you. Go with my blessing." He turned away, holding his head, to sit in his throne.

In the meantime Llyr went to look for Sabela, his heart was heavy, it felt like a sword had been driven through his chest.

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela had run to the gardens, ignoring the looks she got from the servants and guards as she rushed away. Tears were flowing freely down her face now that she didn't have to struggle to maintain her composure. She found privacy in the tendrils hanging from the branches of an old tree in the farthest corner of the garden, curled in against its trunk. She cried into her knees, shoulders and hands shaking.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Llyr knew exactly where Sabela would be... as children they'd climbed the tree and sat for hours watching clouds drift by as the lay in the safety of the broad branches. Now as he approached the ancient tree he spied a sliver of pale blue amongst the drooping green leaves.
He said nothing for the moment and took a seat at the base of the old tree amongst its gnarled roots, leaning back against the sturdy trunk. Then he produced from his pocket a tiny silver flute, the item was a gift from Sabela and her mother to him many years ago when they'd caught him playing beautifully on a wooden pipe he'd whittled for himself. He brought the flute to his lips and began to play a gentle tune, expecting it to urge Sabela from the tree... he would have climbed after her, but these days it would only be considered inappropriate or even insubordinate of him by any passer-by.

[The Painted Lady]

It took a moment, but Sabela finally emerged, pulling away the vines that impeded her vision of the man behind it. She was still crying, but she wiped her eyes, before crawling down to sit beside him. She knew it would make him feel awkward, but she still curled into his side, crying into his shoulder.

[Tifa Lockhart]

While usually Llyr would implore her to back away while they were in daylight he didn't this time, instead he put his arms around her, pocketing his little flute. He didn't say anything yet, not really knowing what to say to make her feel any better.

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela wrapped her arms around Llyr too, resting her head in the crook of his neck.
"I don't want to go," she whispered.
"It's not fair. I want to stay here... with you."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Llyr sighed, all along he'd known it was futile to get his hopes up.
"A Princess must do her duty for the better of the Kingdom." He said, his voice restrained, "Sometimes ones duty is not what one wants..." He spoke from experience, ever since he'd found himself falling for her he'd wished he had been born to someone with status, rather than being found nameless and sireless.

[The Painted Lady]

Sabela choked back a scream. Of all people, she would have thought Llyr would agree with her, would help her.
"So I'm to be some trade to make peace with a kingdom we can't even trust?"
She pulled away from him.
"What if it's all one big double-cross?!"
She buried her head in her knees.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Llyr was silent for a long time, knowing from her reaction that he had hurt her. But what did she expect from him? It wasn't like he could whisk her away on his horse into the sunset. They would inevitably be caught, and his honour couldn't bear a life of the run.
"If it turns out to be a double-cross i will be there to protect you as is my duty.... and my honour." He finally said, drawing one knee up and resting an elbow on this. "What were you hoping for...? We've always known i am not good enough for you, therefore we have always known you would be married to another." He sighed, casting sad blue-green eyes to the floor, "It was merely a matter of when."