I smirked in satisfaction as Kratos and I moved freely about Asgard, unmolested by Desians. A trip to the general store replenished my first aid supplies, and Kratos spent his time in the armory, surprising me when he handed me a new dagger and a light breastplate designed for women. I took them hesitantly, eyeing him in suspicion. "I'm not paying you back for these."
He looked surprised. "You're right, I'm paying you back for helping me."
Damn. Damn damn damn. Jerk, making me feel bad... I glared at him for the unintentional barb. He didn't seem to notice. "We've been lucky so far," he commented, agitated. "If you're ready, we should leave."
"Didn't I say I wasn't following you?" I snapped. "Just admit it. You were wrong. I'll do what I want and-" I was cut off by him lunging at me, clamping a hand over my mouth and jerking me into an alley between two buildings. I struggled against him, trying to yell against his hand, but I stilled myself when he whispered, harshly, "Desians." I could almost hear the unspoken "I told you so," in his tone.
I held absolutely still and he took his hand away from my mouth, but still held me against him. He himself was absolutely motionless but for his slow breath, and I scanned my scant view from the alley for these Desians that had startled him so. If he was just trying to scare me into obeying him, I swore I was going to-
My thoughts on what I would've like to do to him halted as a familiar figure came into sight, one that scared and sickened me. "Kvar," I whispered, resulting in Kratos' hand back over my mouth. Now I couldn't even feel him breathing, and I noted that I was holding my breath as well. After what could have possibly been an eternity, Kvar moved on, with his Desian guard. Kratos took his hand from my mouth and gave me a slight push. "Run," he said quietly, and I obeyed, Kratos two steps behind me. I didn't know if the Desians had seen us, if they were chasing us, I just concentrated on getting to the city gates.
I stopped at the gates and for the first time looked back; Kratos skidded to a halt in front of me. "Noishe!" He called, and the big animal came bounding out from the side of the gate. Kratos pulled himself up onto the animal's back and reached down to me, looking over his shoulder into the city. "Hurry!" he ordered, his voice tight; I took his hand and he pulled me up in front of him, then kicked the animal into motion.
We didn't stop until we'd reached Hakonesia Peak, when he twisted around to look behind us, then spoke a sharp command to stop and Noishe obeyed. Kratos slid off his back, his expression dark and thoughtful. "They haven't followed us yet," he said. "I think we got away without being seen."
"That's good," I replied, relieved. I swung my leg over Noishe's back so both feet dangled over the same side and dropped to the ground as well.
Kratos shook his head, staring off in the direction of Asgard. "No. I moved without thinking. They'll keep searching south. We have only as far as Palmacosta to go; I'm assuming you have no sort of personal identification, and I doubt you'd be granted passage on a ship without one. We'd be trapped if we kept going south."
"And we can't just go back the way we came," I said, leaning against Noishe; he whined and licked me lightly on the cheek. I laughed and rubbed his snout, elliciting a happy-sounding whine.
Kratos watched this for a moment, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I suppose if Noishe likes you, I should probably try to."
His comment scored him a strange look from me and a soft growl from Noishe. "Why?"
"Noishe doesn't normally like strangers."
I snorted in a very unlady-like manner and resumed petting Noishe. "That's not true. He's your pet, they don't come much stranger than you."
"Watch it," he growled at me, causing me to giggle. He took himself way too seriously. He hmphed at my giggle and crossed his arms over his chest, looking around. He finally pointed to the east. "We'll go east, then north back to Lake Umacy. It's getting late, so we'll stay there for the night, and tomorrow morning we'll start off for Hima. They won't expect us to go that close to the Ranch."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked, irritated with him. "I'm not following you. We're not together. Remember?"
"I guess you'd rather take your chances alone with Kvar following you?" he snapped in response. "Fine, do that. I don't like providing services for free, anyway."
I gaped at him. What a conceited... "Excuse me? 'Services'? I don't need your protection! I escaped from the Ranch alone and got hurt less than you did in the process! If anything, you need my protection!"
That got his attention, and I questioned how smart making that remark was. "You have no idea who I am," he hissed at me darkly, his hand tightening slightly on the hilt of his sword; I cringed at the motion. He saw it and loosed his grip once more, straightening. "Fine. Go get yourself killed. And Kvar will kill you the moment he finds you. Come on, Noishe."
He turned and started walking away from me, but to my surprise Noishe simply whuffed softly and sat down. After a few feet Kratos stopped. "Noishe! Come on!" He turned and his eyebrows shot up when he saw his pet staying loyaly at my side. Noishe barked at him; Kratos ran a hand through his hair. "This is neither cute nor funny, Noishe." The animal snarled and barked again. "Fine, you protect her if you want. I told you not to follow me anyway." Kratos' tone had a distinct flavor of hurt in it and I felt pretty bad suddenly. Kratos turned and started walking again.
I watched him and sighed. "Come on, Noishe. You know he'll probably get himself killed if we leave him alone." Noishe whined in agreement and stood, and we followed after him.
It didn't take us very much to catch up with him; I fell into step next to him and he glowered hatefully at me. "I thought you weren't following me?"
I returned his glare with as sweet an expression as I could muster. "I'm not. Your plan makes more sense than going to Palmacosta, after all. It just so happens we're going in the same direction."
He grunted in what sounded like amusement. It didn't take long for us to come to Lake Umacy, thankfully, because it was almost nightfall. Noishe helped Kratos gather some kindling and he lit it with a flint and tinder on the first try. Talented. I wondered at how smart it was to have a campfire when we were pursued by Kvar, but I chose not to voice this concern. He was angry enough at me.
A short discussion resolved that we'd use his rations first, then mine, and we ate in relative silence. I sat back against a tree, staring at the fire; his gaze was on the lake. After what seemed like a few hours of this, Kratos spoke. "Are you familiar with the Legend of Lake Umacy?"
"Vaguely," I replied, closing my eyes.
"According to the Legend, the Goddess Martel was cured of a deadly illness by a unicorn that sleeps in the depths of Lake Umacy," Kratos said quietly. "That unicorn was sent by the keepers of the Great Kharlan Tree for that purpose."
I smiled, but didn't open my eyes. "She must've been important, then."
"She was," he said solemnly, then added, "They say that the unicorn appears in the lake when the Chosen of Mana is born." He stopped, then offered, "I wonder if the unicorn has appeared."
"So look."
"I can't. The unicorn will only appear to a pure maiden."
I was going to tell him that it sucked to be him, in that case, but I had to admit to my own curiosity. I roused myself and went to the edge of the lake, searching the dark waters. "Is it there?" Kratos asked after a moment.
"If it is, I can't see it," I replied. "It'd probably be better for me to look in the morning."
Kratos nodded, then scooted backwards so his back rested against a tree. "You should get some sleep," he offered. "I'll stay up and keep watch."
"What about you?"
"I've been a mercenary for years. I am used to not sleeping for days at a time."
"Fine." I went back to my place at the edge of the fire and laid down; seconds later Noishe was laying beside me. I smiled and rubbed his side, but the smile faded as I thought of the events of the day. "Kratos?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you save me in Asgard?"
A pause. "Why wouldn't I?"
I sat up again and looked at him. "I've treated you like crap since we met," I answered. "I thought I was just returning the favor, but I think that's just how you are. Which makes my behavior that much worse."
He didn't answer me for several minutes. When he did, his voice was cautious and halting. "There are many reasons."
"So? Tell me."
Kratos sighed. "First, if you were caught, I could not guarantee would not help them find me." This irritated me slightly, but it was fair enough; "Second, Kvar himself came after you. As I said before, the only reason they would chase after an escapee is because that person has something they want, and if they want it that badly, we don't want them to have it."
Again, fair enough. I waited for him to continue, as he had said "several" but he didn't continue. "What else?" I prompted.
He met my gaze evenly. "You do not need to know."
I made a face at him. "Fine, be that way."
"Go to sleep, Anna."
"Just for that," I snapped, lying down, "I don't think I will!"
Sadly, the next thing I knew, Kratos was shaking my shoulder gently and saying my name to wake me. I sat up and wiped my eyes groggily, wondering when it was that I fell asleep; Kratos seemed almost giddy. It wasn't something I truely anticipated from him as he pointed to the lake. "Will you check the lake for the unicorn?"
I puzzled at his obsession with this damn legend, but held my silence and checked. After several moments I gave up. "No, if it's there I can't see it."
He looked disappointed, momentarily, then the indifferent mask was back. "I see. I'll go ahead a bit so you can wash up. Noishe'll guide you to me when you're ready."
"Fine," I answered curtly, and his mouth twitched in a slight grin before he wandered off, leaving me alone. Now was my chance. I quickly got up, checked my pack and slung it over my shoulder; then, getting my bearings, I started walking in the opposite direction. I managed a grand total of five steps before Noishe was in my path, growling softly. "I thought you were on my side!" I whined at him, and he barked softly. I sighed. "Look, I know you're a nice creature, but that," I said, pointing in the direction Kratos had gone, "is not. I don't trust him and I don't want to stay with him." A slightly louder bark; I cringed. He was going to come back if this continued. "So you're going to keep me here against my will?"
Noishe barked at full voice and there was a rustle from Kratos's direction; I turned sharply as his voice drifted over to me. "Is everything all right?" he asked, sounding bored.
He had backed against a tree close to the clearing; he couldn't see me, probably out of respect for my privacy. Strange. "Everything's fine," I answered, dropping my pack sullenly and digging out some soap. I noted that he didn't move from his spot behind that tree as I dismally washed my face.
Contentment. Everything I could ever want, in my arms, right now. Except for the fact that she was mercilessly poking my nose. After two minutes of incessant "Beeeeeep... beeeeeep..." I finally opened my eyes and set her with a stern look. "You're killing the afterglow, you know."
"Since when do you get an afterglow?"
I gave a quick look at the timepiece on the wall and closed my eyes again. "Since about fifteen minutes ago."
She laughed and laid her head back down on her chest. "Hey Kratos?"
"Hey Anna?"
This time it was a giggle and she turned her head to look at me. "What do you think about children?"
I snorted. "I don't like them and they don't like me. Why?"
A look of sadness crossed her face. "Oh. I was just wondering, that's all. What if you were to have one of your own, though?"
"That would be impossible. Angels are incapable of procreation."
That got a reaction from her. She sat up, her face suddenly angry, and I wondered, momentarily, what I'd done to anger her. "Oh," she snapped. "So I guess this kid isn't yours, then."
"WHAT?"
Almost instantly, the fury in her face shattered into a laugh. "Kratos! You just squeaked!"
"I did not squeak!" I protested. "What are you talking about, Anna? You can't be-"
"Kratos," she cut me off, putting a hand against my mouth. "How do you know you can't have kids? Have any of you angels ever tried?"
I shook my head and waited patiently for her to remove her hand from my mouth before answering. "It was just assumed..."
"Well, it was assumed wrong." She laughed at my still stricken face and laid back down on me. "You're going to have to learn to like children, Kratos. 'Cause we're having one."
"... oh goddess..."
Sunlight fell across his face, rousing him. Where-? Judging from the heat, Triet, but why-?
Kratos jolted to his feet and made a dash for the bathroom, dry-heaving, nothing in his stomach to be purged. Why he hadn't thrown up when he first awoke was a mysetery to the man, but his body was certainly trying to now. After a few minutes his gagging calmed and he slumped down against the bathroom wall, sweating heavily. It was a matter of time before Yggdrasill came for him now. Why he had let him leave after losing that fight was a matter beyond the auburn-haired angel's comprehension. Yggdrasill had him on his knees, exhausted and defeated, yet made no attempt to force him back to Derris-Kharlan.
Why?
There were many "why"s floating in the man's head. That was one. Why he had been so careless? Overconfident, he was sure. Why had Kvar found them minutes before they would have reached safety. Why did his son have to-
Kratos leaned against the toilet again at this thought and his body managed to expell something from it this time, leaving a disgustingly sour taste in his mouth. The force of it left him in agony, every muscle in his back and abdomen screaming.
Positive his body was done involuntarily abusing itself, Kratos again leaned against the wall, wondering trivially why he couldn't seem to cry moments before passing out.
