Disclaimer: The characters and ideas used in this story do not belong to me.

Notes: Here's chapter two. I've been working on this one for a while. I can finally get down to some writing because all summer vacations are over. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to all the lovely reviewers. I hope to hear from you again. Thanks for the tips! I'll keep them in mind while I'm writing this.

To PriestessLennoue: The story isn't under the R rated stories because I rated it PG-13 for now. I wanted to keep my options open. He He. Thanks a bunch again for reviewing!

This chapter is more focused on the romance part. Review please. I'll stop rambling now.

Chapter two: Memories of a lost soul.

Four years previous.

Sophitia Alexandra was outside on the beautiful day, hanging her mothers wash out to dry. The Alexandra family lived on the outskirts of the sparse village in Athens. The sun was high over the looming mountains, warming the earth beneath it. Sophitia's brothers and sisters were outside playing, a long with the other children in the village. This was the kind of day Sophitia favored.

She looked up to see a stranger treading down the pathway. He was a soldier by the looks of the silver armor that he wore. He was certainly handsome. The young man had long golden hair, and had handsome features. Sophitia was enthralled just looking at him. Never had she seen such a godly looking man in her small town. She decided to go and greet him. That was when she noticed a limp in his walk. She rushed toward him knowing that he must be injured.

"Good day to you sir," Sophitia greeted, giving a little curtsy. "I notice a limp in your walk. Are you hurt?"

The soldier gave her a brief smile, and lifted up the material on his leg. Sophitia felt a little scream escape her lips, as she looked upon his injury. It was a deep gash that ran up to his calf. Sophitia had never seen such a monstrous wound.

"Come with me stranger. I will take you to the healer." She said, beckoning him towards her.

"No!" He said his first word in a panic. "You must not let anyone see me. I will have to take my leave before sunset. I only ask that you help me in whatever way you can."

Sophitia paused. She had knowledge in healing, but she had never been asked to treat such a bad cut. However she decided that she would have to help him.

"I will help you. But first we must be properly introduced." She held out a hand. "Sophitia Alexandra."

"Siegfried Schtauffen." The soldier replied, taking her hand.

"If you wish to be kept a secret, I will take you down into the valley. But first I must get my medical supplies. Wait among the trees if you wish not to be seen." She smiled at him and headed towards her cottage.

Siegfried studied her as she headed toward the small house made of stone. She was an undoubtably a beautiful woman. Endless, wheat colored hair hung freely down her back. She had eyes that were as blue as the oceans that Siegfried had passed on his many journeys. The young woman had a sense of strength about her as well. Siegfried got the impression that this was a woman who had learned the arts of battle and was hungry to prove it.

He moved gingerly back into the shadows of the trees trying to support his maimed leg. He silently cursedthat his life had turned out in such a way. Siegfried wondered what he could of done as a child to deserve this. After all, all children were innocent at birth.

Siegfried knew however why his life was haunted. It was all due to the sword that glittered with evil, that he held in his very hands. The large sword was dormant, as it always was in the light of day. The great eye was closed. He knew it was merely waiting until his defenses were down.

Siegfried tried to think about what his life would be like without the soul edge. He would maybe continue his work with the Schwargwind-black wind for awhile. Siegfried figured he would then have taken a wife and started a family. It was a peaceful image in a very disturbed mind.

His long train of though was ended as his eyes rested once again on Sophitia who was headed toward him. She was clutching a small black bag.

"We will go down through this trail." She said upon arriving, pointing to a cut out trail. "I promise you it is not far. We will have no visitors." Sophitia smiled at him softly.

"Thank you very much milady." Siegfried replied, bowing as much as he could without wincing in pain. He returned her soft smile. This young lady could not know how much her kindness affected him deep inside.

"I would never forgive myself if I left you there."

Her eyes were vaguely amused. She then took his shoulder and began leading the bruised knight down the pathway.

"Put some of your weight on me." Sophitia told him, this time her voice sounding amused. "I will not break."

Siegfried knew this had been exactly what he was thinking. He had been right in assuming she was not one of the fragile women he was used to seeing. Most women he had met a long his travels had been vain and did not like to put themselves out for anyone. He smiled at her gratefully and rested some of his weight upon her soft shoulder.

They hobbled down the narrow trail in silence until they reached an opening that Siegfried would not have noticed if not for Sophitia pointing it out. She led him down through the bushes and into the most beautiful place Siegfried had ever seen. It was indeed a valley. A sloping mountain range with a sparkling lake dwelling at the bottom.

Together, Siegfried still residing his weight onto the woman's shoulder the pair slowly made their way down the slope. Once they reached the bottom Sophitia gently laid down the soldier onto the soft, wispy grass.

"Tell me about yourself Siegfried." She said, as she began to withdraw her dressing supplies from her bag.

"There is not much to tell."

Siegfried was not prepared to share any of his indecent past to this lovely lady.

"Surely a strong looking soldier such as yourself must have many great tales to tell." Sophitia replied as she tended to the wound.

"I have a few. Although none are worth telling a woman such as yourself."Siegfried replied. "Tell me about yourself." He was hoping to get off the subject of himself.

She laughed. It was a quiet melody to Siegfried's ears. It had been many decades since such a thing had made him feel alive again.

"I am the daughter of a simple couple who live in a simple village. That is all there is to know about me."

"Such a beautiful lady must have a fine young man to take care of her."

Siegfried found himself more interested in this then he knew he should be. She laughed again and his heart swelled. It died slowly as she gazed at him.

"Most men do not wish to love such a quiet girl."

"Quiet?"

Sophitia smiled shyly. Siegfried was overwhelmed with a feeling that was foreign to him.

"I keep to myself mostly. It is the way I like things. Men like to have a social wife. One who will fit the standards of what a wife should be." She finished bandaging the gash. Her hand felt like a soft feather against his bare leg.

"That is not what all men want." Siegfried told her.

Before he could register what he was doing he lifted a single hand to stroke her cheek. He marveled how soft her skin really was. It was flawless. Her gaze was on him, intense and longing.

All thoughts and uncertainty left him. He surrendered to the urge locked away inside of him since his gaze had rested on Sophitia.

Siegfried leaned forward and gently pressed his lips upon hers. Reality was swept from him and for a few precious moments he forgot everything. His curse, his wretched life and his father. Their lips moved together in a silent dance, making Siegfried long for more.

When they drifted apart everything became real again. Siegfried realized that the sun would soon begin it's decent from the sky and be buried into the high mountainous slopes. He needed to get away now or he would endanger the life of Sophitia and her family.

"I must leave." He told her.

Surprise was evident in her eyes. Siegfried also detected hurt.

"There are horrors about my life that you must not know. I cannot put you in that kind of danger." He tried desperately to explain.

The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He silently cursed himself for kissing her. After all, he had only known her for a short time. Yet he had also known that she made him feel as he hadn't before. And that his time was limited if anything was to be done.

He was surprised when she lay a gentle hand on his arm.

"I will not question you then."

Siegfried kissed her again. This time he poured his soul into it. He knew this would be his last chance to kiss her. To lay eyes on her. They remained for long minutes when Siegfried ended it.

"Thank you. For everything. Well will not meet again." He felt sure of this.

"Do not be quick to say that. My heart tells me our paths will cross again." She replied, sounding confident.

Siegfried then began his walk with those comforting words. Sophitia watched him, rooted to where she was standing. The knight drifted away and soon became lost in the horizon.

'My heart tells me our paths will cross again.'

Siegfried parted, becoming lost in the epic forest once again with those words echoing in his mind. It was a deathly reminder of what he could not have.

It seems that all of my chapters come off too short. Review please!