What it Means to be Human
Through that long afternoon the journey to the city he saw far off settled into a blur of weariness. The three horses he had maintained the steady lope for which they had been bred. At first impression, the horses looked unimpressive, but unknown to the people is the fact that these horses could do the steady canter they have without tiring too much.
The temptation of course was to urge the one he is riding, but he knew that such action is self-defeating. He was already moving at the horses' best speed. Snipping a glance at the wounded girl behind him, he sighed to himself. He could have just left her there and then, ridding himself of the trouble. Yet duty demands that he saved her, looking at her innocent face, he can't help thinking.
"Besides she doesn't look that bad,"
Moving his body in a slightly more comfortable manner in the saddle was tiring him already. Added to the physical effort of moving constantly to the rhythm of whichever horse he was riding which added to the fact that the three have almost different gaits, due to their difference in size and weight, sent the tall man's teeth shivering in annoyance.
It had been a couple of days since he survived the crash of the ship bringing him here on this god-forsaken place. He had buried his comrades on the beach their swords and shields set on the graves. He had spoken the final rights for them, all in all a regular way of saying goodbye to their comrades-in-arms. He was confused though to the fact that one body is missing.
"I wonder where she is, if she survived at all," he thought to himself as he viewed the emblems on the shields sadly. He knew all of them, masters of their own field, not rookies any more. A challenge for any demon if there is even a demon on this place.
He had been lucky enough to find the surviving horses and truth be told he was a master horse rider before he received his blades. Saddling them he had ridden night and day wandering in the wilderness looking for any sign of town or even a human at all. He had no desire on ending up in an island in the middle of nowhere and later finding out that it is utterly deserted.
After a confused tangle of twists and turns on the trees and even a chasing match against a turkey who refused to be caught, the man finally sat down leaning heavily on a tree. He left the horses to graze the grass not tethered at all. They are trained creatures and are heavily loyal to their masters, which is him for the moment. He sighed, he wanted to hear from his old comrades again, he needed to hear their jokes and especially, he needed to see her. Sure she said that he is not interested in his advances but who is he to deny his heart. He longed to see her smile, the very thought of her lips curving into that faint smile of hers nearly drove him insane.
Snapping his head from daydreaming he realized he had overdone the horse he was riding. Gently he reined the little horse stood its ground. He dismounted stiffly, achin in every joint, and paused to rub the horse's nose affectionately.
"Sorry my friend," he said. The horse reacting to the touch and the voice of its new master neighed softly and shook its mane in recognition. Taking the time of fully recovering from the break. The man stiffly took the time to check the injured girl as he walked towards the oddly bundled figure slumped at the last horse. Checking the straps that held her legs in place, he grunted in satisfaction, it would not do at all if she falls off the animal during the hard ride that they are going through.
"Don't worry little girl, we'll get you some help soon," he muttered, hoping that his voice would cut through the fog of unconsciousness that plagued the long-haired girl since the first time he rescued her in the forest. Judging by the amount of blood loss, she doesn't have long and he knew it.
He gave his horses ten minutes' respite minus the one who is carrying the lanky girl who gave him a reproachful look of how unfair the treatment is, he waited until their breathing seem to settle and sides seem to cease heaving. Then marveling at the recuperative powers and endurance of the horses', he tightened the girths and saddle of the white horse, he swung above the piece of hard leather groaning as he did so. These crusader bred horses' may recover fast, crusaders' took a little while longer.
Touching the young woman's cold fingertips, he sighed. He's going to get her through this, he promised. He might not know her yet but he was pretty sure she had a long life ahead of her and he would makes sure that she would have just that.
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"NO!" Galatea's scream of despair echoed, making the walls ring at the sheer volume of it. Even the soldiers who had held her, covered their ears as the agonizing short sound went like a firecracker in their eardrums. Some even pissed on their underpants as their senses are overloaded by the sudden unexpected stimulus from the white-haired woman.
Only two people are unaffected by the nun's sudden agonizing scream. One is the blue-haired woman who winced slightly as she heard her lover's one word protest at her terms on the fight. The other is the large knight who didn't even notice the sudden outburst of the nun, so great was his concentration on hitting the person in front of him.
The downward stroke of Galk was so precise that Galatea was sure it would cleave Hara in half. There was the clash of steel against steel, gaining the attention of every eye in the compound. What appeared to be a powerful two-handed downward stroke was flicked back up by the blue-haired woman's sword who barely moved her hand. A small smirk was tugging her lips as she observed the bulky knight's stunned expression.
"Come on, is that it? I expected more from you, Captain of Rabona," she mocked making the startled face towering her turn into an ugly red with humiliation.
With another savage roar, the knight slashed again, this time in a sideward stroke aiming to remove the woman's head from her shoulders. There was another clash of steel and the onlookers gasped as the heavy blade was deflected again by the slender one with barely an effort on its owner. The tall woman was not even moving, merely standing there with a faint smile on her face, only her arm moved blocking the two strokes of the heavyset knight.
Galatea's face twisted in concern even more as the fuming Rabonian champion hacked, stabbed and sliced with a frenzy with what she could describe as inhuman. She was sure that if he had been facing a regular yoma in that fighting frenzy of his, the hated monster would be nothing more now than a pile of bones and sliced meat. Even the blue-haired woman was taking steps back as she parried the heavy blows again and again with her sword not even having the time to retaliate. The tall knight seems to have forgotten already that all he needed was one single blow for him to claim his prize. Yet Galatea worries, one blow of that sword would most likely cut Hara's slender frame in half. It took all her willpower not to jump in and punch the lights out of the attacking knight.
Without warning the tall woman stopped her retreat holding her ground in a relaxed position blocking the knights' attack with consummate ease that reflected boredom on her face. Again and again the heavy sword came at all directions but was stopped by the slender one barely moving as the woman flicked her wrist softly against every heavy blow. Galatea was stunned by the sheer technique, on her point of view it was like the sea dashing against the rock in a futile effort to bring it down.
There is one more single clash and the two warriors stood with interlocked blades on their chest, one dwarfing the other his heavy armor heaving as he struggled to regain his breath. The other merely looking at her opponent with a sly smile on her face. It was obvious who is going to win already. Then in a sudden motion, the tall man grabbed the woman's sword hilt in one hand pulling her out of balance. Galatea had only one moment to see Hara's surprised expression when Galk's other hand struck down at her face… hard.
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A solid large sound of flesh hitting flesh and the unusual sound of breaking bones echoed in the air. A soft thud hit the ground as a body hit the ground. Hara's surprise turns into confusion as her brain seems to unravel what the hell is going on. She can only stare at the fist that contains blood on it. Confusion turns into anger as confusion turns into comprehension,
"So does that mean he's going to marry her?" a soldier's voice broke the awkward silence.
"Are you kidding me," replied a voice, more likely it's a comrade of his. "There's no way Galk will marry someone like that,"
"Yeah, the spawn would obviously be a monster like the mother,"
"Then what about his prize?" another one interjected.
"I don't know, but I know he won't have that half-breed as a reward,"
Hara felt her hand go numb dropping her sword in the process. All her time as an apprentice and a crusader, never did she drop her sword in the earth. It was her companion, her most trustworthy friend, her protector, and part of her grave mark if she died, but today she dropped it, the most important thing for her in this life…for her.
Her hair was scattered, not like the straight one she had adored. Her eyes seem to look at her as if pleased that she had succeeded on defending her from the one who is about to lay a claim on her. A heavy bruise was on her left cheek, the once pale skin now colored reddish black from the ruptured vessels. The elongated perfect nose was spouting trails of blood on it.
"Gala….why?" Hara asked as she caressed the woman's head lifting it on her legs. It distressed her to see the tall woman hurt like this. "I could have dodged that you know," she added stroking the long hair of the person.
"I know…" wheezed the nun, her throat contracting trying to get the nasty taste of the blood on her lips. "Just too worried….you stupid," she smiled at the crusader.
"And I thought you are supposed to be a chaste nun, Sister Latea," teased Hara ignoring the curios eyes and ears of the people around them, who is trying to get an ear on what they are talking about.
"As you always said…. what a chaste nun I am ….," coughed Galatea spitting out a wad of saliva and blood mixed together. "Don't want you….belong….someone…not..me,"
"Hmm…since when did I belong to others that is not you?" asked the crusader raising her eyebrow at the nun who giggled like a small girl. "Come on, let's get you on your feet and heal that bruises of yours," she patted the woman's uninjured cheek sweetly. "You're too beautiful to keep that bruise,"
Cradling the nun in a bridal style hold on her arms which earned her a lot of gasps and "oohh" with a lot of muttering "sacrilege" from the soldiers and low-ranking priests around them, Hara faced the knight who is leaning on his sword gasping for air. The fight had really worn him out, and it will take more than a few minutes reprieve for him to regain his usual bombastic self.
"Sir Galk, you hold victory over our match pertaining to the rules. So…will you have me as your prize?" asked Hara in a monotone voice. She felt a hand squeeze the fabric of the white uniform in her chest followed by a certain wetness, the nun is crying…thankfully she had her head buried in her direction and not at the humans. She hated making the woman cry, but honor demanded her to fulfill the end of the bargain…..as much as she disliked it.
Hara was surprised though as the tall man bark with laughter, the scar in his face getting more lopsided as his body heaved while laughing. The Crusader was confused, she thought that at least the knight could have swept her off her legs or carried her away to the nearest available bed, or at worst…kiss her in front of everybody. That's the way things are, and looking at the man in front of her laughing as if he doesn't care, got her head whirling in annoyed discomposure. Glancing at the other knights, to address the misunderstanding of their leader's acts, she was greeted by the same confused eyes as hers. Even they don't know why their captain is acting like this.
"I-I'm sorry," sniffed the broad man as he started to regain his composure. "I'm totally fine with where I am, and…." He looked at her quizzically sizing her up and down. "I don't think you're my type,"
The moment the words left his mouth, a silence of such degree came that even a bird could be heard changing branches or the sniffling sobs of someone they can't identify could be heard. Even Hara couldn't believe her ears, someone just refused her, not that it mattered much to her actually she felt relieved. Bound by her duty, she would have ended up losing herself away from Galatea, something which she never wanted to happen.
"ARE YOU MAD!" one of the soldiers shouted breaking the deadlock silence surprising his captain and bringing the crusader's thoughts back to the present. Galk just sighed as he recognized whose voice is it.
"YOU CAN FINALLY HAVE A WIFE AND A HOT ONE-," the soldier continued yelling when Galk waved a hand of silence on which he shut up.
"Be professional Sid and for once start acting like your rank," commanded the knight. Galk was a noble person, he doesn't want to force a woman into submitting to him if they don't want to….no matter how tempting it is.
"BUT SIR!"
"Enough I say,"
"At least let me have her," demanded the young man, causing everyone to gasp.
"Are you out of your mind?!" shouted the large knight.
"Pleas Sir-.."
"Hey, Sir Galk do you have a small empty room here?" asked Hara interrupting the Master and apprentice argument. Long experience tells her that once their conversation started, it would take quite a while to shut both of them up.
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Galatea didn't know what came over her when she jumped in front of the incoming fist heading towards Hara's temple. Memories of what they had been together have literally jumped out of her brain into her eyes on that second. The first time she made her laugh, the jokes she made, that smile of radiance she had that seem to lighten her mood no matter how dark it is, the time they made lain with one another, the time when she said "I love you," straight to her face.
"I can't lose her…I can't," Galatea finally admitted to herself. For the first time ever since she left the Organization, the former number three let go of her pride for the person she loved the most. She chuckled to herself as she thought of that. She felt pathetic again, how could someone like Hara, who is so perfect love a monster like her. Memories of the first time she saw her naked flash in her mind. She cringed at those blue-eyes then as they examined her fully seeing the dark scars that mar her body. Expecting to see the pity on those eyes she turned away covering her chest with her arms to cover her shame. When soft hands brought her back she didn't met pity but understanding and kindness, looking at her in a way that no human or warrior ever did.
Galatea winced as she felt a cold gauze pressed on her face. Opening her eyes she could see the wooden roof above her and the feeling of soft mattress in her back.
"Have I fainted?" she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and rotated her body to a softer position on the bed. The nun sighed as she remembered the times when she was leaning on her hard sword and actually found it amusing that long ago she was accustomed on sleeping on a flat blade and now would forego it for a soft bed anytime of the day.
"How human I have become," she thought happily letting a soft smile touch her lips.
"You know what…I really like seeing you with that smile. It suits you much Gala," said a voice behind her sending happy flowers blooming in her heart.
"Whatever Hara, let me sleep," she pouted earning her a chuckle from the other woman.
"You've slept enough my chaste little nun," replied the crusader hugging her affectionately. "You won't mind me lying next to you, would you?" asked the blue-haired woman caressing her hair making small shapes out of it.
"No, I won't and don't touch the hair dammit!" protested the ex-Claymore as she turned to face the beautiful woman saving her hair from being re-shaped, somehow the tall woman seemed to have developed a hobby to make shapes on it.
"I never get tired seeing your face," commented Hara as she lie down with the bed facing the pale face in front of her. "If only you know how lucky I am to have met someone amazing as you Sister Latea,"
"And I thank the God I serve that he allowed me to have someone like you enter my life," replied Galatea. Taking the courage she nuzzled closer to the other woman letting their foreheads lean on one another. "You're an ass for risking our relationship there you know," she added looking at the blue eyes with her silver ones.
A small chuckle are heard from the crusader as both of them recalled the past few hours. Despite the façade of the light-hearted manner her lover put on, Galatea saw the guilt in her eyes, and the pain she wore blaming herself of her being hurt.
"Hara talk to me," Galatea said after a few moments of silence gently coaxing her blue-haired counterpart to release her pent-up feelings.
"I got you hurt Gala," whimpered the other woman as she pressed herself to the nun's arms. "I've made you worry and cry for no other reason than to satisfy my pride. I-I'm sorry Gala,"
Galatea actually froze as she felt tears touch her skin. She was mortified, normally it was the other way around, her crying against Hara, not Hara crying on her. She was supposed to be the weak one and her the firm one, not the other way around. It felt wrong, it feels so much….
"Human," thought the nun to herself as she held the crying figure on her body. As much amazing a warrior Hara is and how cheerful she always was, she was still human, and Galatea loved her more for it.
"Shh…Hara," she patted the woman's head as she held her closer with one hand. She loved her and Hara loved her back, the nun couldn't have asked for something more.
"I'm sorry for being so pathetic Gala," the woman cried.
"And I thought you are supposed to be the mature one for both of us," joked Galatea caressing the other softly with her hand. She was rather pleased to hear a small chuckle from the crying warrior. The nun could not help but smile, if there's one thing she learned from the crusader, it's the fact that she laughs easy and also forgets easily unlike Galatea who always harbors grudges and laughs not that often.
"You know I've never let anyone see me cry before," whispered Hara.
"I'm honored to be the first Harhar," the nun smiled holding the crusader close to her, comforting the confused woman.
"Sister Latea," a sudden voice outside followed by a knock on the door caused the two women to sit up immediately, breaking their emotional moment, one frantically wiping the tears off her face.
"Well that sucks," Hara joked despite her tears, wiping the salty liquid off with the bed's mattress.
"Hmm….you're expecting something more?"
"A little," shrugged Hara as she swung herself up going to the door. The nun could not help but smile as she realized again how Hara bested her on height and grace. Long ago she had been one of the tallest women on the city, now here's one in the room which is a tad taller than her.
"Wow this is so nice!" Hara's awed voice echoed in the room sending the blond to spring automatically to her side checking on what caused the other's reaction. What she saw nearly made her laugh.
A large stone slab of white marble about a large frame was on the crusader's hands. In it was the beautiful painting of the twin goddesses but depicting her and Hara that the boy showed her in the crowd before. Only this time it was properly added with colors and detail. He really had gone his way to fulfill his promise even to the extent of paying a mailman to send it to her.
Galatea smiled as she touched the cold surface of the marble slab that contained Hara's face. The little boy had done her justice, the face really looked like her when thinking deeply. She guessed the next time she meets him, he'll earn a kiss for his awesome work.
"You're very beautiful here aren't you?" commented Hara as she touched Galatea's portrait with her own hands. Despite herself the nun couldn't suppress a smile flitting her lips as she saw her own face in the marble figure. It looked regal indeed, the child must have put extra care on painting it. Her nun robes and white hair looked great as far as she saw it.
"I think we owe that child for painting us a great masterpiece,"
"What child?" the curious voice of Hara inquired. The nun had to resist face palming herself, of course she haven't told the crusader about that little meet up with the aspiring new painter.
"Back at the shops, there was this child who was moving with a crowd of your inspiring-partners," shrugged Galatea resisting the urge to smile as she saw Hara's face grimace at her use of the word "Inspiring-partners," She had to just get used to the fact that she is too pretty for her own good. "Anyway he was drafting us both a bit and I caught him in the act,"
"Is he drafting it in a bad way?" asked the crusader dryly, still not getting over the nun's joke.
"Not really, as you can see their in the marble portrait it looks exactly like that although this has more color than the one he showed me,"
"Well…ahem…that's nice of him then," Hara smiled holding the portrait looking at it with admiring eyes. The nun grinned seeing her partner content. The crusader simply loved beautiful things, she treasured them and that gained her the nun's respect in a lot of ways. Still there's one question Galatea needed answered.
"Hara if I know this question's insensitive and ridiculous but I need to ask, why did you refuse Galk?" the white-haired woman inquired earning her a glare from the other. Galatea winced as she saw the angry look that her partner gave her.
"I thought it would be obvious Galatea," she replied for the first time without her usual warm, cheery tone she reserved at the white-haired woman. The nun also realized that the crusader didn't use her pet name but called her by her usual one, enough proof that she was offended, but the nun needed answers from the other, angry or not.
"No, tell me," she replied crossing her arms in an act of stubbornness. "He can provide you with something I never can, a family, a child, don't you want that Hara?" she asked not stopping the tears finally cascading in her face avoiding the blue-eyes that become softer on every second as understanding for the nun finally dawned on her "It's something I dreamed of every day Hara, having a family, and a child of my own. And you can't have that if you are with me,"
"Gala,"
"No! please listen." Galatea continued unwilling to stop, now that she had finally gotten the courage to get the words out of her chest. "I want you to experience the things I never have Hara, I want you to love someone and be happy," caressing the other woman's cheek with her hand, she can't stop looking at those blue-eyes that shared her sadness. "I want you to have a family love, have children, watch them grow, have a husband that you could grow old with,"
"Gala," the crusader sadly whispered her name reaching the hand caressing her face.
"If you won't do it for yourself love, do it for me," she said sadly as she finally gotten the heavy burden away from her chest. The very next words nearly tore her heart in two. "I won't ever forgive you if you fall in love with me,"
A small hand lifted the nun's chin making her look at the pair of eyes filled with sadness that looked down on her. Galatea cannot help but felt humbled by the taller woman as their gazes meet one another. There was pity there, but it held an understanding that reached inside the nun's soul nearly making her fall on her feet.
"Isn't that a little late now Sister Latea?" Hara asked a faint smile lingering on her mouth.
"Hara please,"
"Gala…. The moment I met you," she leaned in closer too much for the nun's liking. "I must say that you are one criminally gorgeous woman," she added their faces more than a centimeter apart now. Blushing furiously, Galatea could not help but close her eyes as their lips met again. She could feel the woman's arms going over her robes again and she squirmed in a half-hearted to brush them away. The slab of portrait was laying forgotten at the floor due to the efforts of the crusader.
"Hara….we are in public," she protested as both of them gasped for breath.
"Don't care about that," replied the crusader as she kissed the nun's nose. "We are inside a house after all, even though it's not ours,"
"Hara-," the voice of the protesting nun made a final ditch effort to bring herself back to the I'm-useless-please-don't-love-me-talk. "Shut up Gala and just be satisfied knowing that I love you and only you," the crusader said cutting the nun off.
"But-," Galatea could not help but moan happily as she was cut off by the other woman's deep kiss. She felt blissfully joyful and let herself fall on the bed making the mattress groan of both their combined weight.
"I love you Galatea," the crusader whispered in her ear softly sending her toes tingling with delight.
"And I you," replied the nun as she felt the black robes she had being pulled apart. Letting her self-restraint finally lose, the nun felt oddly blissful as she felt the heavy cloth leave her making her skin shiver on the air. She was wearing only the white fabric gown now that all of her order wore beneath their robes. It is so thin that it barely covered her body revealing the pale skin underneath. Galatea went haywire with joy as the other planted butterfly kisses along her neck and jawline, her lips slowly going to hers paying attention to the nun's smooth skin. Taking a look of love at each other both of them reached each other's mouth for a deep kiss when the sudden sound of the door opening are heard.