Steiner looked at her wounded complexion; the man was filled not with pity or disgust, but rather anger. He was not only angry at the foe that cut her eye, but also for her view of herself.

If only she could see what I see, he thought to himself, and averted his eyes to the floor. He inhaled slowly and shook his head,

"You're no monster, I see the cruelty of the world, but I see nothing monstrous about you, Beatrix." He looked up to her, "No monster would have aided in the survival of this world, a monster would have cackled as it all burned…" Wanting to take her by the shoulders firmly to show her the conviction of his word, he restrained himself. Instead placed a hand tentatively on her shoulder,

"You didn't do that, nor do I believe you ever would, we all did... Questionable things while in the service of her late highness, but we've changed, we have all changed, Beatrix."

She was surprised at his reaction. Any other time she showed her eye, people just flinched. Either Steiner couldn't see the scar, or perhaps it really did not bother him.

She replied to his statement, "All I did was order a pilot to recklessly fly in front of a few dragons so you can pass through." She flipped her hair, to move it away from her face, "That is hardly heroic… more like reckless." She ran her finger down her scar, and whispered "But then again, I have done many reckless things for the men that I loved."

Steiner tilted his head, not sure if he heard her correctly, but he took in her words, exhaled, and he shook his head, "Nonsense Beatrix! Why if it where not for the reckless people of the world, nothing would have ever gotten done. Worlds would not have been discovered, and wars would have never ended." He nodded in agreement towards his own comment and hoped it will comfort his companion.

Beatrix paused after hearing Steiner's word of comfort, but felt it did not apply to her. Instead of taking in what he said, her mind was made up about herself, "The man who did this to me, called me a filthy monster hiding behind a beautiful mask. Steiner, I dare not tell you the things that I did to the Burmecians, and what I did to Cleyra, for the fear of what you will think of me… "

"I can only try to understand, Beatrix. However, in our line of obligation sworn fealty to the crown, we must do questionable things. Surely the things you've done were carried out while under orders to do so, is this not so? This does not make you what some... 'man' has dubbed you, why, I don't believe such a brand. I never have, nor will what this man said or what you have done will make me think any differently of you, Beatrix," Steiner replied.

Beatrix stared at him as she sat down on the tile below her, "I was following orders, I told myself that all this time, but my mind-set during that time. I showed no pity toward them. I did not even see them as people. My only uneasiness back then was, 'Why did the Queen use black mages and not our women?'" she pushed some of her hair in front on her scared eye, in both shame and the fear that her half-opened eye-ball was disturbing Steiner,

"I am starting to believe what my late fiancée told me was true." Beatrix covered her mouth. She did not mean for the last sentence to slip out, but her mind was slower than her mouth. She was not sure if she was ready to open the door to the past to Steiner.

Caught unaware by her last statement, "F-fian..!?" Steiner blinked in surprise, and took a moment to compose his thoughts. Beatrix, had a fiancée!? Did he hear her right, was his hearing going on him, or was what his father told him true about too much wax in the ears? He cleared his throat and spoke to her, "Yes, there are things that we do that we end up not being very proud of; I haven't ever been given that order while in service... Regardless, I… I want you to know that I don't see you as repugnant, you know I am here for you." A voice of curious reproach in his head that questioned scoffing; why he didn't ask her about the last part? He decided that curiosity isn't to be sated.

"Adelbert..." Upon hearing his last words, her heart skipped a beat. No matter if one is a soldier or a housewife, a woman heart always lightens when they hear 'You know I am here for you.' Beatrix was no exception. She took a deep breath and looked over at Steiner with a genuine smile this time, and thought perhaps, it was okay to open up to him a little bit. It was the time for her to take a chance. "Would you like to hear a story?"
Beholding her smile brought Steiner a smile of his own, to see her with such an expression brought joy to him. At least I done one thing right today, his mind scolds. Steiner nodded at her, "Of course, Beatrix! I would love to hear a story." He internalizes the difference he sees in her now, and how she was before, and how she barely spoke while he was around or within earshot, just to hear her speak was a blessing on its own, he thought.

"Only one condition though," she pressed her pointer finger to his lips, which were still slightly swollen from their kiss, "You have to swear to the great Alexander that you will not tell a soul. What I am about to tell you is something that is only known by Dr. Tot and our late Queen. It cannot be told to anyone else," she looked at him with a fierce seriousness in her eyes.

Taken by the severity in her expression and the look in her eyes, the feeling that was there a moment before she asked of him this oath all but vanished, he spoke quickly, but his words were muddled by her finger, "Ih shvhare dho tah...", he moved his head back, embarrassed a bit by his attempt at speech while sounding so infantile. He resumed, although this time, normal in his speech. "I swear to the name of the Great Alexander that I will not divulge any information that is spoken between us, on my warrant, I do so swear."

She smiled at him and took a deep breath, and allowed a sigh out, "Very good Captain," she paused to take a moment to collect her thoughts, and mentally preparing herself to retell the past that was never retold before. She looked up at the moonlight, remembering her hometown, and all the 28 years of her life.

Yea I know, this is really short. The whole chapter was very long, so I had to cut it in half. I am still editing the rest of the chapter. Next chapter should be interesting. Again thank you for everyone's support and sorry that this chapter was boring. I promise the next one would be better than this.

I actually edited this chapter, so all readers who have read it before and complained about grammar. This should be better. I want to thank everyone for pointing that out and helping me.