In A Word?
I am still asked what I see in him. Why I, the most
sought after woman in the Alexandria army, would fall in love with the Captain
of the country's private joke. I do not
really have a one-word answer for them, those ones that ask. Three incidents
are the best I could think of.
The first one happened before we were the leaders of
our respective armies. It was the time every one except the Training Masters
dreaded. The time was mine fourth boot camp…and the first where I was
one of the Trainers.
He had just joined the Pluto Knights under unusual
circumventions. Three weeks after the sun had stopped and then been brought
back. The king himself had put him in the Pluto Knights. Everyone had expected
him to argue with the Training Masters, to complain about the weather, the
hours, the food. He did the exact opposite. He lavished the cooks with praise,
woke up before the Masters, cheered with joy when it rained, and did
whatever the Trainers told him. In fact, he made our job easier. His praise to
the cooks improved our food. His lack of sleeping warned us when a Grand Dragon
attacked. He pointed out to ever other Trainee that this was training to hunt
down monsters. Monsters stopped attacking only when they were dead. Practicing
in rain now, with no monsters around, made you used to it later, when there
were. He never did come up with a good reason to obey Trainers though.
He freaked out very Trainer, including me, with his
thrice-damned cheerfulness. The only annoying thing he did was bath every single
day. That led to the first incident.
The baths are open to all the Trainees. It is just
that not many use them. By the time they can get around to it, they are far too
tired. But not him. He everyday, rain or shine, cheerfully went and
bathed. At the same time every day. The Trainers started setting their clocks
to when he would bath. It ticked me off! After four long hard years, I finally
had one friend. After four weeks, he was a friend with everyone! However, that was not all! The only thing I
was better at then him was sword fighting and magic! Everything else he
was the better one! Damn, he made me mad.
Some weeks into the Training, I noticed some girls
hanging around the bathing room. This puzzled me. If they were there to bathe,
why were they standing outside? Then I remembered. It the time he
bathed. So, I went up and asked those girls why they were there. They blushed
and stammered, but did not answer me. I was starting to get annoyed. The girl
noticed this and fled like rabbits. Still mad, I marched right in there to talk
to him. Then I found out why the girls had been there.
I came face to back with perfection. Dear God, he
was gorgeous. My eyes travel up from his feet, devouring the sight before
me. Then I saw something I had never
expected to see.
The ruined remains of wings. Who ever cut them off
had done a terrible job. The cuts were ragged, and obviously never been cleaned
right. With out thinking, I picked up a brush and started to clean those damaged
wings. He yelped and whirled around in shock. I had to resist the urge to look
down. Instead, I ordered him to turn back around so I could clean his wings. He
stared at me for a moment, and then he did as I said.
The cleansing pained him greatly. He hide it for the
most part. Small gasps, soft intakes of breath were, mostly, the only sighs of
pain. When I cleaned the very middle, the part where the wings met his body, he
let out a short scream and grabbed the wall.
When I had finished, he offered to return the favor.
I turned it down. He then said that the offer was going to say until I
collected it. I ignored him and turned to leave. He introduced himself to my
back. Adelbert Steiner was his name he said. I have not forgotten since.
The second happened before your surprising return. Now
because of the adventure; Eiko and Vivi got a family, Quina got knowledge of
many foods, and Freya got back Fratley. You will not believe this, but Steiner
got a fan club. I am being serious here. He really truly got a fan club. They
pissed me off! I include Steiner in that 'they'. All those females lusting
after my Steiner, and he did not even notice! That is right, Steiner did
not know about his fan club. One sunny day, I finally lost my temper. I found those disgusting leeches flirting to
a very confused Steiner. I do believe that is the first time anyone flirted
with him. Well, I err…attacked. It is not funny! I could have killed those fat,
ugly, sniveling, leeches. In fact, I almost did! Lucky for them, Steiner picked
me up, dragged me kicking and screaming to his room, and tossed me on his bed.
He then proceeded to scold me. That just made me even madder. I bellowed at
him, yelling about how thickheaded he was not to notice what those leeches
really wanted. That just confused him even more. He did not know what I was
talking about. I continued to yell, saying how obvious their flirting was, how
everyone but him knew they were his damned fan club, how I personally could see
why they wanted him so badly. He yelled back at me. I forgot what he said. Or my
replies. Next thing you know, we were making love. I only thing I am saying about our lovemaking is this. He has
amazing self-control. Simply amazing self-control.
When we had finished, the first thing he did was
swear. He then started apologizing to me. It was my turn to be confused.
Finally, I pried the reason out of him.
He thought he might have impregnated me. I started
laughing after he confessed. After that, we told each other about our families.
He even told me who his father was. Stop looking at me like that. Of course, I
did not tell you! He asked me not to!
Now, the third incident happened a bit after you
came back. I was talking to the Pluto Knights. Laudo had just gotten a book of
questions. He kept asking people questions. I had gotten up to get some coffee.
If you stood by the door, you could not see me.
That was when Steiner entered. Steiner stayed by the
door as he asked if anyone knew where Garnet was. Laudo replied by asked him
the following question. In one word, describe you idea of a perfect mate. His
instant reply?
Beatrix.
Then he sighed and told them to go and search for
Garnet. That is when I stepped into his line of vision. Oh, the expression on
his face.
Those three, along with countless others, are why I
love him. Now will you go to sleep, Zidane? I have a date with him and I cannot
go until you are asleep.
Thank you.