Hello guys! It's been a while since I have written in English for the TOS' section!

This One-Shot is a request from a dear german friend of mine. I will translate it in French, my first language, for my french followers later.

The story is based on Tetheha'lla hen episode 4.

If I make any mistake of grammar or anything, feel free to let me know, so that I can improve!

Summary:

Disclaimer: TOS belongs to Namco and the characters are grateful for it.

Sweet Medicine

' With all due respect My Lord, why didn't you kill them in the mine? If you did, none of this would have ever happened. '

Pronyma looked at her master. He was clearly not appreciating her lecture. His green eyes were iced and if looks could kill, she would be a corpse right now. She felt that she went too far.

' I do apologize... ' She said before getting up.

It was not her intention to hurt his feelings. She just wanted to understand, she wanted to help him, to give her life for him if it was needed! She made a move to leave. Yggdrasill was still looking at her and as she started to turn away, a wave of guilt hit him. He immediately got up to reach her, taking her wrist in his hand to stop her.

' No, it's me who should apologize, Pronyma. I know you did not mean any harm. Will you forgive me? '

The young woman turned her head to see his face. He looked so sad, he meant what he just said.

' I know it was not your intention to lecture me. You are certainly one of my most faithful servant, I do not want to lose you, nor the trust you placed in me. I... You are right, I should have killed them before, it would have been best. I made a mistake. I admit it. You are clever and you always think before you act. You'd make a better leader than me. '

' No, not at all, My Lord! How could I ever be better than you?! '

Yggdrasill's eyes softened a bit and a small warm smile appeared on his lips. Seeing him like this, peaceful, radiant, happy made Pronyma's heart beat faster. She loved him. She loved him from the very beginning, when he saved her from the iced lands of Flanoir, bannished from the city after her parents' demise. He certainly had a huge impact on the fifteen years old girl. Just try to imagine the picture:

A young teenager in the snow, freezing and suddenly, a tall man appears, his long blond hair floating in the air, his outfit as white as the ground she was sitting on, a warm coat on his shoulders and green eyes so iced that the snow was actually hot compared to them. He was charismatic.

He went to see her, recognizing easily her race. He just asked her:

' What is your biggest wish? '

' A world for people like myself, where humans would pay for what they have done to people of my kind. '

He put his cloak on her shoulders and helped her to get up on her feet. The fifteen years old Pronyma became a desian. A desian in admiration and in love with her saviour. Thirteen years later, her feelings was stronger than ever. She was proud to be a desian. She was proud to have his trust. And letting him down or disappoint him was her biggest fear.

' You would make a better leader than me. You always have a hold on your emotions. You are a brave woman. A clever one. With authority. And wisdom. In fact, should I die before Martel comes back, I'd be relieved to know that you would rule. Kratos would be fine but his love for his brat makes him weak. And now that we know that Yuan is a bastard in the every sense of the term, it leaves only you. My most faithful servant. I bless the day I met you. '

Her master was praising her. She felt her cheeks burning her and that made him laugh. A true and sincere laugh.

' Will you accept this? '

' I have no other will but yours, My Lord. I was born to serve you and to obey you. '

' Even when I am dead? '

' I swore loyalty to you and only to you, until the day I die. '

He let her go, whispering a ' thank you ' and watched her go. His smile dissapeared. He perfectly knew how Pronyma saw him. But he already had a woman in his life: his sister. True, Pronyma had all the virtues he mentioned to her and she could have been his queen, had he not love Martel so much that she became his obsession. He felt a bit guilty, playing with her feelings like that. But from time to time, in his existence, he felt incredibly lonely. Very often, a question crossed his mind:

What if he did not managed to bring Martel back? Would Kratos and Yuan be mad at him because he could not keep his promise to them?

Then, he would be all alone. That was one of his darkest fears. Martel remaining in her state and his two former companions leaving him, blaming him. Kratos blaming him for the loss of his family and Yuan blaming him for giving false hopes, hopes he believed in and deprived him of, maybe, finding happiness again, without occulting Martel from his heart. Having Pronyma loving him the way she did was a sweet medicine for the leader of Cruxis. He did not lie to her, should he die before he achieved his goals, in his will, Pronyma would be declared his heir. He did not lie about her being the servant he could rely on blindly.

He appreciated her. He could even call her a friend. A close friend.

But he was not in love with her. Not quite.

That was his first and only lie to the woman who could have replaced Martel, in order to ease his aching heart.

The End