[A/N: Spoilers for Disk 2, just fleshing out some unseen character interactions.]

LENUS AND LLOYD

Lenus and Lloyd shared a love of Tiberoan cuisine--so much so that Lenus thanked her stars (laughing as she did at the Tiberoan superstitions) that it had been the western kingdom that needed her touch, and not vile, pig-eating Serdio. She knew Lloyd came by more for the food than to visit her, but she pretended otherwise. When she had a platter of honeyed dates, grilled fish with blackberry sauce, and Lloyd's long body lying half-naked in the coastal heat, she was happy.

"The castle has visitors," she remembered to tell him.

He turned away from the moon, opalescent in the morning light. At least she won his attention. "Who?"

"Adventurers. The roving, do-gooding sort. Came from Serdio. They're asking about you, Lloyd."

"Then deal with them."

"The little piglet's taken a fancy to them." She joined him on the couch; he made room so that they would not touch. "There's a handsome one with long hair who keeps staring at me."

Her attempt to raise his ire failed. He shrugged and sipped his wine. "You could at least pretend to be jealous," she said crossly, throwing herself back on the divan.

"I'm not an affectionate person, Lenus. If you want to test your claws on some Serdian fop, you're free to do so." He resumed gazing at the moon, drumming his fingers on his knee. "Personally, the thought of coupling with a human nauseates me, but I suppose it'll happen from time to time when the new world comes."

"Liar. You don't care about any woman."

"Well, I certainly don't carry a torch for the menfolk."

Lenus studied him, long and lovingly, angry with him. The most beautiful, brilliant, and courageous son ever born to the Wingly race, a jewel of a man, her promised, whom she sometimes hated as fiercely as she adored.

"You think you have no obligation to anyone who cared about you," she said.

Lloyd laughed. "Why should I? I never asked anyone to care for me."

"I'll die if you need me to, Lloyd."

"Don't be a fool."

She took the wineglass from his hand and threw her legs across his lap. She had seen a human girl do this with her lover, but Lloyd only looked bemused. She took her face between her hands, pressing her lacquered nails against his skin until they left red crescent moons. "Someday, I hope a woman makes you ashamed," she said. "I hope I get to see the first time your heart feels a thing."