This fic is an attempt to somehow analyze Lilly Pendragon's irksome
attitude towards other characters in the game. A lot of people started
getting annoyed with her since Suikoden II, more so in the third one. This
writer is actually one of them. But then, why not give her a slack?
The Percival-Lilly friendship (and I mean friendship) was noticed when this
gamer saw Percival watching Lilly during the beginning of the Zexen-
Grassland camaraderie, when Lilly was demanding (again) who the Flame
Champion is. Well, he was looking at her only because she was talking and
not for any other reason.
This writer chose Percival as the one who understood Lilly not only because
he is a personal favorite but also because he is the most calm and level-
headed among the knights. No offense intended to the other knights.
But, hey, let's face it. Lilly IS beautiful. when she's silent.
Disclaimer: Characters depicted in the story aren't mine. They belong to
Konami.
Misconstrued
"No." His voice was hard and final. "Assign me any other duties but that." Percival briskly walked past the merchants in the Brass Castle. He just rode from Iksay Village, his hometown, when Lady Chris, the Captain of the Zexen Knights, greeted him by the gates. He was told that there was an emergency in their headquarters. That was why he was riding as if the devil himself chased after him. And all that for this. No wonder a feeling of dread settled over him when he saw Chris wearing that sweet, blinding smile even from a distance. That smile of hers, which occurred rarely, was truly suspicious.
"This is an order, Percival." Chris followed him through the busy street of the Brass Castle. Her authoritative voice stopped him from walking away.
"Now you're being unfair." He muttered under his breath. When Chris merely raised an eyebrow, he sighed. "You call this assignment an emergency? I call it an impossible task." He raised his arms in exasperation. "I'd rather walk in a path full of Stone Golems than do what you're expecting me to do. I swear, that lady is a dragon." He was not ignorant of what the lady in question is like. He had heard stories about her selfishness and infuriating demands during their stay in the Lake Castle. And in all honesty, he would not want to meet her again.
"Percival!" Chris admonished him, trying very hard not to laugh. It was true what he said, she admitted to herself. Lilly Pendragon, even though a friend of her now, is indeed very hard to deal with. "You are not to speak of Tinto's representative like so."
"My apologies." Percival replied, not being sorry at all. "Why are you assigning me this duty? I'm sure you can find more suitable candidates who can 'entertain' our guests." Especially this one, he added to himself.
"We, knights, are ordered to attend this year's Zexen Federation Ball. As much as I personally hate such formalities." Chris admitted. "And we are requested to. er. host it as well. It is also a welcoming party to honor the new Zexen Councilor. And besides," she smiled. The smile of hers that he was beginning to dread. "I believe that only you can handle Lilly. I mean, you can charm even a snake."
"Now who's being rude? You just compared her to a snake!"
"No offense intended!" Chris quickly retracted her sentence. "And I was not referring to her. I was merely describing your unique and incomparable charisma."
"Are you trying to sweet talk me into doing this assignment?" His eyes narrowed but a shadow of a smile was tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Not my style." Chris shrugged with a little smile. Percival, being light hearted as he is, almost laughed with the silliness of their conversation. But the importance of the matter weighed on him heavily. Still, he tried to get out of this predicament.
"What about Borus? I'm sure he'll agree since he jumps to your every command." Not a very nice thing to say but. Chris frowned over his comment.
"I figured he doesn't have the patience for it."
"Leo?"
"He prefers wielding his axe more than socializing."
"Roland?"
"He simply doesn't care."
"Lord Salome?"
"He has an awful lot of things in his hands." Chris explained. "So do I." She continued when Percival opened his mouth to protest. He frowned.
"Louis can do it." His last chance, though dim.
"She can scare him away with a mere look." Chris sighed. "Stop wiggling your way out of it. You don't really have a choice." A moment of silence as Percival considered the effects his actions could cause. Then he sighed.
"All right. Fine. Fine." He finally held up his hands in defeat. "I'll do it."
"I knew I could count on you!" Chris patted his coated shoulder.
"But don't blame me if anything goes wrong during the evening."
"Just try your best."
* * *
The dreaded day of the ball finally came. Carriages from the different cities included in the alliance arrived one after another in Vinay del Zexay. The guests regally treaded the stone steps leading to the Great Hall. It's large double doors were opened wide to welcome them. Female representatives from each city were finely garbed with rich silk and jewelry. The men, donned with their smooth three piece dinner jackets, made their rounds in the hall to talk to other guests about recent territorial incidents, and even to close business deals. The knights were in their assigned posts to welcome the important guests. Their protection foremost in their minds as they surveyed the area with watchful eyes.
A shiny black carriage with the Tinto insignia halted in front of the beautiful stone edifice. The footman quickly opened the door and bowed nervously, afraid that his employer would find fault in his performance and demand his dismissal. Fortunately for him, Lilly Pendragon ignored him as she got off the carriage.
"Reed, Samus." Lilly called haughtily behind her. "Wait for me right here. I assume this boring event will tire me in an hour." And with that, she turned away from them and walked towards the hall.
"Yes, milady." Both said in unison, almost jumping with joy because they didn't have to suffer their lady's presence. An hour without her is good enough for them. A moment of peace and quiet would be a haven for them. They could even drink the famous ale the tavern of Vinay del Zexay is known for.
Lilly waited by the doors as her name was announced. Her gaze straight ahead, she entered the hall. The guests stared at the regal way the young lady was carrying herself. Her fiery hair was tied in a classy chignon with some tendrils hanging loosely by her ears and nape. Her dark blue gown accentuated the blueness of her eyes. She was definitely one of the most beautiful inside the hall. And she knew it.
Her gaze scanned the room. She saw Lady Chris, with Lord Salome, talking to a Zexen Councilor on one of the tables. Both were in their usual Zexen armor. The ball must be no excuse to get rid of that hideous body armor. She thought. How typical. When the Silver Maiden looked up, she acknowledged Lilly's presence with a nod. The latter slightly nodded back in response.
On the other side of the room, Borus and Percival stood with a glass of wine in hand. Borus looked up the same time Lilly walked inside the hall. "There she is." Borus whispered to Percival with a snicker. "She looks beautiful tonight." He gave him a playful nudge. "Good luck."
Percival looked up and only saw a fire breathing dragon inside the hall.
Misconstrued
"No." His voice was hard and final. "Assign me any other duties but that." Percival briskly walked past the merchants in the Brass Castle. He just rode from Iksay Village, his hometown, when Lady Chris, the Captain of the Zexen Knights, greeted him by the gates. He was told that there was an emergency in their headquarters. That was why he was riding as if the devil himself chased after him. And all that for this. No wonder a feeling of dread settled over him when he saw Chris wearing that sweet, blinding smile even from a distance. That smile of hers, which occurred rarely, was truly suspicious.
"This is an order, Percival." Chris followed him through the busy street of the Brass Castle. Her authoritative voice stopped him from walking away.
"Now you're being unfair." He muttered under his breath. When Chris merely raised an eyebrow, he sighed. "You call this assignment an emergency? I call it an impossible task." He raised his arms in exasperation. "I'd rather walk in a path full of Stone Golems than do what you're expecting me to do. I swear, that lady is a dragon." He was not ignorant of what the lady in question is like. He had heard stories about her selfishness and infuriating demands during their stay in the Lake Castle. And in all honesty, he would not want to meet her again.
"Percival!" Chris admonished him, trying very hard not to laugh. It was true what he said, she admitted to herself. Lilly Pendragon, even though a friend of her now, is indeed very hard to deal with. "You are not to speak of Tinto's representative like so."
"My apologies." Percival replied, not being sorry at all. "Why are you assigning me this duty? I'm sure you can find more suitable candidates who can 'entertain' our guests." Especially this one, he added to himself.
"We, knights, are ordered to attend this year's Zexen Federation Ball. As much as I personally hate such formalities." Chris admitted. "And we are requested to. er. host it as well. It is also a welcoming party to honor the new Zexen Councilor. And besides," she smiled. The smile of hers that he was beginning to dread. "I believe that only you can handle Lilly. I mean, you can charm even a snake."
"Now who's being rude? You just compared her to a snake!"
"No offense intended!" Chris quickly retracted her sentence. "And I was not referring to her. I was merely describing your unique and incomparable charisma."
"Are you trying to sweet talk me into doing this assignment?" His eyes narrowed but a shadow of a smile was tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Not my style." Chris shrugged with a little smile. Percival, being light hearted as he is, almost laughed with the silliness of their conversation. But the importance of the matter weighed on him heavily. Still, he tried to get out of this predicament.
"What about Borus? I'm sure he'll agree since he jumps to your every command." Not a very nice thing to say but. Chris frowned over his comment.
"I figured he doesn't have the patience for it."
"Leo?"
"He prefers wielding his axe more than socializing."
"Roland?"
"He simply doesn't care."
"Lord Salome?"
"He has an awful lot of things in his hands." Chris explained. "So do I." She continued when Percival opened his mouth to protest. He frowned.
"Louis can do it." His last chance, though dim.
"She can scare him away with a mere look." Chris sighed. "Stop wiggling your way out of it. You don't really have a choice." A moment of silence as Percival considered the effects his actions could cause. Then he sighed.
"All right. Fine. Fine." He finally held up his hands in defeat. "I'll do it."
"I knew I could count on you!" Chris patted his coated shoulder.
"But don't blame me if anything goes wrong during the evening."
"Just try your best."
* * *
The dreaded day of the ball finally came. Carriages from the different cities included in the alliance arrived one after another in Vinay del Zexay. The guests regally treaded the stone steps leading to the Great Hall. It's large double doors were opened wide to welcome them. Female representatives from each city were finely garbed with rich silk and jewelry. The men, donned with their smooth three piece dinner jackets, made their rounds in the hall to talk to other guests about recent territorial incidents, and even to close business deals. The knights were in their assigned posts to welcome the important guests. Their protection foremost in their minds as they surveyed the area with watchful eyes.
A shiny black carriage with the Tinto insignia halted in front of the beautiful stone edifice. The footman quickly opened the door and bowed nervously, afraid that his employer would find fault in his performance and demand his dismissal. Fortunately for him, Lilly Pendragon ignored him as she got off the carriage.
"Reed, Samus." Lilly called haughtily behind her. "Wait for me right here. I assume this boring event will tire me in an hour." And with that, she turned away from them and walked towards the hall.
"Yes, milady." Both said in unison, almost jumping with joy because they didn't have to suffer their lady's presence. An hour without her is good enough for them. A moment of peace and quiet would be a haven for them. They could even drink the famous ale the tavern of Vinay del Zexay is known for.
Lilly waited by the doors as her name was announced. Her gaze straight ahead, she entered the hall. The guests stared at the regal way the young lady was carrying herself. Her fiery hair was tied in a classy chignon with some tendrils hanging loosely by her ears and nape. Her dark blue gown accentuated the blueness of her eyes. She was definitely one of the most beautiful inside the hall. And she knew it.
Her gaze scanned the room. She saw Lady Chris, with Lord Salome, talking to a Zexen Councilor on one of the tables. Both were in their usual Zexen armor. The ball must be no excuse to get rid of that hideous body armor. She thought. How typical. When the Silver Maiden looked up, she acknowledged Lilly's presence with a nod. The latter slightly nodded back in response.
On the other side of the room, Borus and Percival stood with a glass of wine in hand. Borus looked up the same time Lilly walked inside the hall. "There she is." Borus whispered to Percival with a snicker. "She looks beautiful tonight." He gave him a playful nudge. "Good luck."
Percival looked up and only saw a fire breathing dragon inside the hall.