This chapter's purpose will be for tying up loose ends and solidifying some of the relationships I've built up within the entire story. Hope you guys enjoy this one.

Also, have you guys heard of the Monster Hunter: Commandment of the Hunt light novel? I stumbled upon it not too long ago and I have to say it's amazing. It's a fantastic inspiration for anyone who wants to write a MonHun story, so I urge you all to check it out.

…

Chapter 22

The next day…

"Thank you all for coming," said the Head of Defense as the last of the chosen hunters arrived at the hall. "Now, you're all probably wondering why I ordered Commander Catherine to summon you all here. If some of you might have guessed, it's very much related to the harrowing incident that you hunters survived not too long ago."

The hunters began to murmur amongst themselves, still clearly shaken up at the mention of the incident. "Why us hunters though?" Hilda asked. "We're not your Knights, we're monster hunters and we hunt monsters. Shouldn't the human confrontations be handled by the Guild?"

"I had a feeling this question would be asked. And for that, we have some news for you." He nodded at the Head Strategist who cleared his throat before speaking.

"Through the efforts of The Head of Intelligence, we have discovered the location and details of the Revenant base." He paused, watching the surprised reactions of the hunters. "There are two reasons as to why the Commander summoned you. First, as survivors of the incident, only you hunters are familiar with the enemy, thus only you know first-hand how they fight. Second and perhaps the most alarming reason, is because our intelligence found what appears to be a new species of creature at their base."

"We're not entirely sure what it is, but from what we know, it's a powerful beast," said the Head of Intelligence.

"So, you want us to slay this creature?" Hilda asked, still unsure where this is going.

"Precisely!" The Head Strategist pointed at Catherine. "You hunters will be joining a strike force consisting of you and a squad of our best knights, led by none other than Commander Catherine herself."

"What about Siegfried?" Amber asked, catching the attention of the council. Eris looked to the council as well, eagerly awaiting their answer. "He's a survivor too. Will he be joining us on this mission?

The Head Strategist grinned. "I'm glad you asked." A few moments after, the door opened, and Amber let out an audible gasp.

"Siegfried?" she muttered, unable to contain her joy. Next to her, Eris had the biggest smile on her face which luckily went unnoticed.

The hunter awkwardly greeted them, hands still cuffed and escorted by two Knights. "Hey…"

"Siegfried may have been a traitor, but his experience with the Revenants and the information he holds will be their undoing. He will be our trump card and thus, he will be joining you on this mission," said the Head Strategist as he gestured for Catherine to uncuff the hunter. The woman walked over to the hunter and began to uncuff him, but not before whispering curtly to him.

"Betray us and I'll make you wish you were dead by the time I'm done with you."

Siegfried merely rolled his eyes, unfazed by her threat. "Don't bet on it," he replied, proceeding to lean against the nearby wall as the council continued their talk.

"You have this entire day to rest and prepare for the upcoming battle. If you have any loose ends to tie, now is the time. Until then, good luck hunters."

…

Several minutes after the meeting ended…

"You." Siegfried felt a tap on his shoulder and found himself face to face with the other hunters. "You still owe us an apology by the way, for lying to all of us. To everyone in fact." Rowan said, crossing his arms. Rowan's expression was more disappointed than angry, and Siegfried hated himself for making one of the nicest hunters he's ever met felt this way. Swallowing his pride, Siegfried bent down and – to everyone's shock – prostrated himself in front of the hunters.

"I…I…I want to a-apologize…" Damn it! Why is it so hard for you to just say sorry! "I-I'm sorry I lied to you all and I…shit…I broke all your trust in me. My…actions are inexcusable, and I can understand if you won't ever forgive me. If there is anything, I can do to earn your trust back, then by all means lay it on me…"

"Even if you've "reformed" it doesn't excuse the fact that you hid this from everyone. You should have turned yourself in from the very start!" Hanzo snapped, clenching his fists.

"Knock it off!" Eris said, stepping in front of Siegfried. Amber joined her, alongside Jason as the three of them stood defensively in front of the hunter.

Hilda glared at Eris. "Why are you siding with him? He lied to us Eris! Why should we trust him?"

"He deserves a second chance," Eris stated firmly.

"Oh, like you yourself do?" Hilda retorted. Only she and Eris knew what she meant. "I should have never helped you save him…" she muttered. Suddenly, a fist collided with her face, knocking her down to the floor.

"You take those words back," Eris growled, a killer aura emanating from her.

"Never," Hilda spat back, blood dripping from her nose and mouth.

It took the combined strength of Siegfried and Rowan to hold back a furious Eris while Hanzo and Luca kept a firm grip on their leader's body.

"Eris is right," Rowan said, still holding the struggling huntress back by her arm. "Even if he lied to us, destroyed our trust in him, Siegfried had shown that he is not the same as those bastards." He glanced at Siegfried. "He was the first to attack them, challenging their leader on his own and he nearly paid the price with his life. If it hadn't been for him, we would have never been able to save the hostages. If that isn't a genuine display of courage and redemption, then I don't know what is."

Hilda scowled at Rowan. "You too?!"

Rowan, ready to face the brunt of Hilda's anger continued on. "I'm not the type of person to judge a book by its cover so I agree that he deserves a second chance, to see if he truly wants to make up for his mistakes. I really think we should at least give him that chance." Rowan looked at Siegfried. "So? Are you ready to take responsibility?"

The hunter nodded with a determined look on his face. Thank you, Rowan. You're a good man. "I am. And if I fail, you are all free to do whatever you want with me."

The other hunters looked at each other, murmuring amongst themselves as they mulled over his words. Eventually, Romero was the first to speak.

"Well, he risked his life to save mine. I guess I could at least believe him when he says he wants to redeem himself." He crossed his arms and huffed, to which his brother chuckled and gave an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, brother."

"…I believe actions mean far more than words. So, if you can really prove yourself to us, then I guess there's no harm in giving you a chance," Luca said, giving Siegfried a small nod. Pip on the other hand, merely jumped up and down excitedly, his cute ears perking up.

"If meowster Luca says he trusts Siegfried, then I trust him too!"

If only everyone else was like this Palico…Siegfried thought.

The last two remaining hunters were Hilda and Hanzo, who stubbornly looked away. Rowan frowned. "Hanzo…Hilda."

"Can't believe you're siding with them, Rowan. I thought you were better than this."

The hunter looked affronted, "Oh now you're just being immature."

Hilda bit her lip, "…Fuck this. I'm leaving."

"No!" Rowan surged forward and grabbed her wrist. She struggled against his grip.

"Let go!"

"Hilda please…" Rowan pleaded as the huntress stopped struggling. "Talk to me. You've been like this ever since that day." The hunter briefly glanced at Hanzo, who simply nodded at him. "I want you to talk to me, alright? I told you, didn't I? We'll solve this – together." His hand lowered towards her own as he gently held her hand. "Please don't push me away…" Don't push me away again Hilda. I won't leave you, never again.

When the huntress still refused to talk, Hanzo sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Go. Talk to each other."

Hilda flushed red as Rowan mouthed a 'thank you' to Hanzo. Not letting go of her hand, he began to lead her out of the hall. "Let's go somewhere private yeah?"

"…Okay."

As soon as the two hunters left the hall, Hanzo let out a tired sigh. "Dammit…" He turned towards Siegfried. "I'll give you this one chance. Just one. If you screw this up well…you know what they say – karma's a bitch," he threatened, cracking his knuckles.

This had been the only time Siegfried felt genuine fear. Hanzo was nearly two heads taller than him, far more muscular and to top it all off, fiercely protective of Hilda. He wasn't a dumb brute like Claude either and he knew how to fight. If Siegfried were to get in a fight with him, he knew he wouldn't win. "I-I won't disappoint you…" the hunter responded, letting out a gulp.

The taller hunter hummed approvingly. "Good." Without another word, he walked out of the hall, followed closely by Luca and Pip.

"See ya asshole," Jason said to Siegfried as he and Amber also left, the latter waving goodbye as she and her brother went down the stairs.

Romero fidgeted around before perking up. "Uhh…bye?" He disappeared moments later.

With the other hunters gone, only Siegfried and Eris remained. An awkward silence engulfed the two before they spoke up, albeit at the same time.

"Hey."

"What?" Another one.

"You first!"

They both blushed. "Stop it!"

Siegfried laughed, "This again?"

Eris smiled. "Yeah…" She then realized that Siegfried had not worn his armor and was still dressed in his prison outfit. "Where's your stuff?"

Siegfried audibly groaned. "They confiscated everything. My armor, weapons, items even my wallet!"

"Oh, poor baby…" Eris teased, earning a sharp glare from the hunter.

Now what do I do…I have no money so I can't stay at an inn and I don't have my armor and weapons so I can't hunt! For a brief moment, he thought about asking Eris for money but soon dismissed that idea, knowing she would end up laughing at him.

Then as if reading his mind, Eris spoke in a disgusted tone. "Ughh, you absolutely stink. Follow me, I can get you some spare clothes back in my home."

"…What?"

Of all the places he could have taken her, she didn't expect him to take her to him and Romero's shared room at the nearby inn.

"Won't your brother come here?"

"Nah, knowing him, he's probably having his fun at a brothel somewhere considering that we're about to most likely die in the upcoming battle."

Hilda stared at him in horror and the hunter chuckled. "Sorry, that was a bad joke. Well, the dying part at least."

She groaned and he received a punch to the shoulder. "Fool…"

Rowan smiled sheepishly and closed the door behind them. "You may sit on the bed if you'd like. Oh, and do you want a drink?"

"No thank you."

Feeling rude for drinking without her, Rowan instead seated himself beside her on the bed. The huntress briefly flinched in surprise. "Oh uhh…"

"Hey, it's just the two of us here."

"… What do you even want to know?"

"Well for starters…why are you and Eris so hostile to each other?"

Hilda played with her fingers, biting her lip in hesitation. It was a sensitive topic that she almost never brought up, but this was Rowan! He has always been willing to listen to her every time she looked like she had a problem, even if she often refused to talk. Surely, there was no harm in divulging her feelings about it to him? She let out a sigh and continued to fiddle with her fingers. "It's a long story, one that dates back to my Academy days."

"Tell me about it."

…

10 years ago

For as long as I knew her, she was one of the best students at the Academy. She frequently topped the weekly hunt leaderboards on her own and her written test scores were always in the top ten range, so much so that she was essentially a model student of the Academy. And she was an absolute beauty to boot. You would think that made her an unlikable person…well it was quite the opposite.

Eris was my best friend.

It started at the beginning of the Hunter's Course. I first properly talked to her when I found out we were assigned to be partners for our first field training exercise. I remember how it was she who approached me as we prepped ourselves for the journey ahead.

"You look nervous."

"Why wouldn't I be?! We're about to conduct our first field exercise – in the frigid cold mountains. I can handle one hundred push-ups a day and three written tests in one week, but surviving all on our own out there in the freezing cold climate for an entire day? Might as well freeze to death then!"

"Nonsense! Why? Because you happened to be paired up with the best student in our class." She had puffed her chest out in pride. "Me."

Of course, she was incredibly arrogant, much like every aspiring hunter in the Academy. I couldn't blame her for that though, because we were taught that arrogance was one of the many things that defined a successful hunter. Despite that, we actually grew closer during our initial few hours. She was arrogant, but she didn't hesitate to guide me whenever I had trouble. At that point, I admired her and felt the need to know her better. I hate to admit this now, but several of the skills I've learned could be traced back to her.

But things soon took an unexpected turn.

At some point, while hunting Popo's for their meat, a Tigrex appeared out of nowhere and attacked us. We still lacked the physical strength needed and to top it all off, we hadn't mastered our chosen weapons yet. Needless to say, we were completely unprepared for it. And like the inexperienced hunter I was, it was I who needed saving because Eris made herself as the distraction while I helplessly rushed back to the safety of my camp.

"GO! I'LL HANDLE THIS!"

"But-"

"GO!"

After I returned to camp, I immediately went for more supplies. I just couldn't let her do this alone, even if it will get me killed. But by the time I arrived at the area, the Tigrex was nowhere to be found. When I saw the amount of blood on the snow, I froze, not knowing if it was her blood or the beast's. I hoped it was the latter.

"C'mon! C'mon!" I dug furiously into the snow, desperate to find her body should it be buried somewhere. I was freezing, my fingers stiff from ice and most likely to get frostbite. Hell, there was a chance I would have died before I could even find her. But I couldn't just give up on her, not after all of this.

And then, by the miracle of the gods, I found her, buried deep under the snow, barely alive, armor shattered and bleeding heavily. I mustered all my strength and carried her back to our camp. There, I did everything I could to keep her alive as we waited till the next day.

As if the gods were watching over us, she woke up the next day.

"You saved me. Why?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

The moment she smiled at me; I knew there was no turning back. After that, everything flowed naturally. She and I grew closer till we became good friends. She was highly competitive which sparked my inner need to beat her as well. For the longest time, we were both the best of friends and friendly rivals, competing in both the grades for written and physical tests. But at the same time, we helped each other too. Eris was a lot more knowledgeable, courtesy of her hunter mother and so she offered to guide me whenever I had difficulty with a certain task. I in return helped her with her social skills. Though she wasn't unpopular by any means, she was hilariously awkward when around others. Her presence at the Academy made the hell that was the Hunter Course less well…hell.

"And something happened I presume?"

"I guess you could say that," Hilda said, hesitant on reliving the memory but nonetheless, she continued.

We were nearly inseparable…until that one day.

It started off like any other day. The bell rang, signaling the time for classes to start. I went out of my room and waited by our usual spot near our classroom for Eris. But for the longest time, she didn't show up and I had to go to class. Then I heard them speaking.

"Eris is not here?"

"She was excused for a while. I wonder why?"

"Have you heard? Apparently, Eris' mother died."

"Yeah, I heard. Some rampaging monster did it. I hope she's doing okay."

I never believed in rumors, so I initially dismissed it as being untrue but when the teacher walked in and told us the exact same thing, I was shocked. Eris was grieving and I could understand that. I could only hope that she's doing alright and that if she needed me, I'll be there for her.

Then Eris came back several days later.

I was ecstatic but I knew to respect my boundaries. So, when I went out of my room that day, I saw her standing alone and staring up at the daily leaderboards.

"Welcome back Eris. Are you…doing okay now?"

I saw her click her tongue but otherwise didn't respond to me. I tried reaching out to her, but before my hand could touch her shoulder, she turned to face me…and I couldn't believe my eyes.

The person standing before me looked so different to the Eris I knew. Her normally beautiful blue eyes were completely lifeless, and she had bags under her eyes. There was a hardened edge to her posture and most of all, she now had a perpetual glare on her face. She looked at me with perhaps the coldest look I have ever seen and said:

"What the hell do you want?"

I didn't approach her after that. From there on, it was a complete downwards spiral. Eris had completely transformed from the arrogant but still friendly girl to a cold-hearted, sarcastic bitch. She lashed out at everyone, criticizing their faults while downplaying her own. She refused to work together with anyone, and because of her skill – which had increased at an alarming rate - not even the teachers could do anything about it. Whenever her name didn't appear on top of the weekly leaderboards, she wouldn't take it well. Others were terrified of working together with her because she apparently leaves them to face the monster alone if they can't pull their weight.

"That sounds horrible…" Rowan said.

Hilda shook her head, unable to hide her anger at reliving the memory.

During our breaks, she trained constantly and whenever she went to the gym, others would give her a wide berth. And as for me? No matter what I did, Eris wouldn't talk to me. Hell, she wouldn't even look at me, as if I was just an obstacle in her way. But I had to find a way to talk to her. I refused to believe that this was the same Eris, the same one who argued with me over whether a Kirin was an Elder Dragon or not.

The opportunity came when we were about to conduct our final exams. It was the chance for us students to show what we've learned and to earn the right for our licenses. I thought to myself that if I managed to get a higher score than Eris, she would finally talk to me. And so I studied and studied and trained and trained till I was dizzy, and my body collapsed from exhaustion.

Then the day of the exams arrived.

First, it was the written test and I, much to my frustration and disappointment, was a few points shy of beating her. Despite that, I did catch her glaring at me from amongst the crowd of students by the results board so at least something came out of it. The next and final one was the physical test and I couldn't afford to lose this one.

On the day of the results for the time attack test, I managed to beat her. She was just nearly ten seconds behind me, and I knew she was going to confront me sooner or later…I was right, for she confronted me just hours after the results were posted.

"You stay out of my way."

"Wait, I only want to talk to you."

"Talk? About what? About how you beat me on the exam? Do you want me to praise you or something?"

"No, I-"

"You think beating me this one time will make me acknowledge you? To make your pathetic existence more meaningful?"

"Eris-"

"The next time I see you, I won't hold back. Not ever, not anytime. I'll crush you if you do."

"Please, what happened to you? If you can just tell me, I'll help you any way I can. Don't shut me away."

Then she looked at me as if I grew two heads. "Help me? Do I even know you?"

Hilda clenched her fists. "And just like, all the memories of our friendship shattered. The Eris I knew was gone and in her place a woman who only cared about herself and nothing more. I hated her for what she said to me as if those times we spent together meant nothing! I can never forgive her for that. Ever."

"I see…" Rowan took several moments to process her lengthy story, finally understanding the depth of her issue. Hilda was bitter over the way Eris treated her and tossed away their friendship. The fact that Eris had forgotten about it even many years later had only worsened the issue. Still, the hunter didn't like how Hilda had not seemed to move on. He needed to find a way to get them to reconcile or at least, be able to tolerate each other.

"Hilda I'm really sorry about what happened to you but…you have to talk to her. Set things right."

The huntress looked appalled. "Believe me I tried. You saw it! She doesn't remember me!"

"I know and I also know it's completely out of place for me to say this, but I really hope you two can settle your differences. I'm not just concerned about how well you two can perform together on the mission tomorrow, I'm also concerned about you. This hatred of yours isn't healthy."

"Then what do you suggest I do? Talk to her again like proper adults?"

"Maybe that's the best option," he said, knowing that Hilda would hate his answer. "I believe in second chances. If Siegfried can show that he wants to redeem himself, then Eris can too."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Well, I'll be sure to give her a good hit to the noggin. For you."

Hilda beamed at him, wondering how someone could be this kind to her. "Thank you, Rowan."

"For you, I'll do anything," Rowan confidently stated, eliciting a blush from the huntress. God, I don't deserve this man… The two found themselves scooting closer to each other, staring into each other's eyes and wondering what's on their minds. But as soon as they began to lean towards each other, they knew the answer. Closing their eyes, their lips met.

It was a chaste kiss, but it was enough. Rowan blushed and scratched his temple. "Does this mean we're…"

Hilda chuckled. "I mean if you want to?"

"Y-Yes definitely! I-I mean, yeah…"

The huntress smiled at him as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Rowan reached over and hugged her closer as they settled into a comfortable silence, content on being together with nobody to interrupt them. Until an urgent thought came to him.

"Hilda, I didn't just bring you here to talk about your relationship with Eris."

"Oh, what is it? Nothing sexual I assume?"

"What? No! I-I mean, not yet…at least if you uhh don't mind that is…Shit, forget what I said!"

She giggled. "It's fine. I'm just teasing you. So, what is it?"

"Right." Rowan took a deep breath, wetting his lips in nervousness. After his talk with Hanzo, he had hoped to finally clear things up with Hilda. There was no turning back after this. Taking yet another deep breath, he turned and faced the huntress.

"Do you…" He hesitated, unable to form the words.

"Yes?"

"Do you…remember me, Hilda?"

Rowan waited as he gauged her reaction. For several seconds, the huntress was quiet, staring at him blankly until she separated from him and sat back at her original position on the bed.

"…I do. I do remember you…Rowan Beraja."

"Oh…Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I…just didn't want to believe it. After all this time, I thought you were dead. Then I meet this hunter who introduced himself as Rowan and I thought to myself, this is just a coincidence that someone shared the same name. I then saw your twin brother and I still couldn't believe it. Then during the dance, I saw the scar on your forehead, and only then did I realize. I wanted to tell you but the way you acted, it's as if you don't remember me. In the end, I didn't want to ruin things between us, so I kept quiet…"

"I see…Well if it helps, the memories resurfaced only yesterday for me. I talked with Hanzo and he confirmed and explained everything to me and here I am."

"You talked to Hanzo?"

"Yeah. I recall that he was your father's bodyguard?"

"Correct." She hugged her knees close. "So, what else do you remember?"

"I can't remember too much, but I do recall visiting the castle with Romero and our mother and you greeting us as we arrived. I remember your father seemed to…like our mother?"

At this, Hilda laughed. "That's actually true. My father finds your mother quite charming and he had told me he wished to court her if she would allow him to."

"I'm certain my mother would have been pleased to marry someone of his stature…if only she lived longer to see it. But that aside…Hilda I…I'm truly sorry for forgetting about you all these years, especially when you needed help the most." He got down on his knees. "No number of apologies can ever make up for what I did…"

Hilda sniffed, touched by his apology. "There's no need to apologize as it was never your fault anyway. You were still children back then and had you not distracted those zealots long enough for Hanzo to arrive, your brother and I would have been dead."

"That doesn't excuse my actions! I played with your feelings, Hilda. I should have been more considerate."

Hilda reached down and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked up and she held his face. "Then you're forgiven, Rowan. Not like you were at fault in the first place." She kissed him tenderly, a longer one this time and one full of love. When they separated, Rowan couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face.

Hilda could not stifle her astonishment. "Gosh, I…I still couldn't believe this. You've grown so much from the last time I saw you and your brother. I never expected you both to become hunters." Let alone become as handsome and as muscular as you are now…Oh god Hilda what are you thinking?

"Neither did I for you. Who would have thought that someone of your standing would become the leader of one of the most famous hunting parties on the continent? How in the world did you end up this way?"

"Well after the fall of my kingdom, Hanzo was all I had. He protected me and cared for me as his own. However, I hated being the damsel in distress. I wanted to get stronger, so I can protect people. So, I requested him to enter me into the Hunter's Academy when I turned sixteen and the rest is history." She frowned. "What about you? I really thought you were dead all this time after we got separated during the chaos. How did you and your brother make it out alive?"

The hunter shook his head. "I don't know. All I can remember was that it was just me and our brother looking out for each other all on our own. Nobody took us in, so we practically lived on the streets for several years."

"That's horrible."

Rowan nodded, knowing how grateful he was that he still had his brother with him during that time. "Luckily, our troubles didn't last forever. A man approached us on day. His name was Johann. He…saved us, Hilda. He told me how he was one of the headteachers of the Dundorma Hunter Academy and that he had a former student who was similar to us. Broken, unlucky but determined and strong. He offered to enroll us at the Academy, provided that we were willing to train our minds and bodies to their limits. After what we've been through along with the prospect of hopefully saving lives, how could we refuse?"

"I see." Hilda was relieved that Rowan and his brother had finally found their calling in life. She had been afraid that the poor nine-year-old boy and his twin brother wouldn't survive on their own in this harsh world. It calmed her down, knowing the two boys grew to become fine and strong young men.

"By the way, I was thinking...You are royalty and yet you're willing to love a commoner like me?"

"Ex-royalty," Hilda corrected. "With my kingdom gone, I can no longer be considered a princess. Out here, I'm just Hilda, a hunter working for the Guild which means I can be with whoever I want to be." Suddenly, she frowned slightly, earning a raised eyebrow from Rowan. "The problem isn't me choosing you, it's the fact you're choosing me, a woman four years older than you. I'm aware there are societal standards where it is looked down upon should a man marry a woman older than him. Are you fine with this?"

Rowan snorted. "Fuck societal standards."

The former princess laughed and kissed him once more. "I'm so glad I get to meet you again Rowan."

"Same here," Rowan responded, pressing their foreheads together before capturing her lips again. He didn't care how cliché this whole situation had turned out. All that mattered to him was that they had found each other again.

In front of Eris' mansion...

"To be honest, I expected more."

"Oh, shut it."

Siegfried stared up at the mansion in slight disappointment as Eris fumbled her hand inside her pouch for the key to the gate. Curse this stupid key!

"If you have a home, why bother staying at an inn?"

Eris muttered out a 'yes!' as the gate opened. Siegfried followed her through the gate. "After my mother's death and my father's hospitalization, all the servants quit, thus leaving the mansion unattended. As for me, I didn't bother staying because I don't ever stay in one place anymore."

After a short walk through the garden, they arrived at the doorstep. Using the same key, Eris unlocked it and pushed the door open. "After you."

He briefly frowned at her as he stepped through the door. The moment he did, the hunter couldn't help but be awed at what he saw.

While the outside seemed unremarkable, the inside was an entirely different story. White marble floors, dual spiral staircases leading up to the second floor, and an elegant chandelier. There was a large painting on the wall on top of the staircase, and upon a closer look, it was a family portrait of the Havencroft family. And this was just the foyer.

"I knew you were rich, but I didn't know you were that rich."

Eris chuckled. "My father initially wanted a standard-sized house, but the Guild insisted on giving him this mansion. My mother and I had always thought of it to be too much but not much we can do about it. Still, it does have its benefits."

"The place looks surprisingly clean too."

"Contrary to what I said, I do come back from time to time for some cleaning."

Siegfried slowly climbed up the stairs, dragging his hand across the wooden railing. His gaze moved towards the large painting by the center of the staircase. The painting depicted a middle-aged black-haired man in a fancy coat standing with a tired smile on his face. To his left and sitting on a chair was a beautiful white-haired woman in an elegant silver dress, her long hair draped over her shoulder. The hunter couldn't help but stare, unable to believe a woman could be this beautiful. The most surprising thing about her, however, was that she looked like a slightly older version of a certain huntress.

"So now you've seen them. My parents," Eris said, standing next to him.

Eris has definitely been blessed with good genes if her parents look this good. "I…I don't know what to say."

She smiled, turning her gaze back at the painting. "It's a gorgeous piece of art no doubt about it, but the artist who drew this missed one detail."

"What's that?"

She pointed at her mother. "My mother isn't as thin and as delicate as she appears to be. She's actually quite muscular and believe it or not, she's taller than my father. I remember how she got seriously pissed because the artist drew her this way, claiming that a muscular woman as beautiful as her wouldn't look good on painting."

Right, I forgot her mother was a hunter and her father a scholar…Heh, I can definitely tell who was the more dominant one in bed.

Eris let out a sigh. "Anyway, I'm going to change into something more comfortable. You can get some clothes from my father's wardrobe. Their room is upstairs to your right. Oh, and about your current clothes? Dispose of them. I'd rather not mix that disgusting apparel with the laundry." She sniffed the air before recoiling back in disgust. "And make sure to take a damn shower!"

Sometime later…

Outfitted with a white shirt and trousers that barely fit, the hunter exited the room and made his way towards what he presumed to be the living room. The shower did wonders to his body, no longer feeling stiff and dirty. Bless her father's body soap and shampoo. Upon arriving, he was once again greeted with the sight of an extravagant and elaborately decorated room. At this point, he wasn't surprised if even the kitchen looked as fancy as this. He soon settled himself onto one of the couches and waited.

"There you are."

He turned his head around…and couldn't help but stare with eyes as wide as saucers and mouth open. Standing there was Eris…in casual clothing. She wore a simple long-sleeved white chemise under a dark-colored corset and a short skirt exposing her muscular legs while her long hair had been tied into a ponytail and draped over her shoulder. She looked like a carbon copy of her mother from the painting and needless to say, Siegfried was enraptured. Who knew Eris could be this…alluring in simple clothing?
"Close your mouth when you're staring," she said, walking over to him and pushing his jaw close. "I know I'm beautiful and all but you're being rude."

Siegfried grunted and jerked his head away, red tainting his cheeks. "Shut up…" He hated himself for reacting this way to Eris' teasing. What happened to the tough, unflinching, and fiery man he used to be? He was embarrassed to admit that his woman could be the only person to reduce him to a stuttering, grumpy mess. Maybe I do like her…

Eris wordlessly deposited herself next to him on the couch, much to the hunter's surprise. He was uncomfortable for a few seconds before relaxing and leaning back against the couch. Before they knew, the two subconsciously scooted closer to each other, till their shoulders were inches away from touching.

"Hey, I never got to thank you, for y'know, standing up for me back there."

"Well they're the ones who are wrong for thinking that you're a traitor, even after you nearly died saving their lives-" She turned and gave him a sharp glare. "-which by the way, I never want you doing again! How dare you act as if your own life isn't worth a damn!" She reached toward him and harshly pulled his ear, eliciting a pained yelp from the hunter.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry and I won't do it again, promise!"

She released his ear and huffed, crossing her arms under her chest. "You better be."

With the initial awkwardness gone, the two settled into comfortable several minutes of silence. They were simply content sitting there, quietly and with each other.

"So about tomorrow…" Eris asked him softly, finally breaking the silence. "Are you ready?"

Siegfried snorted. "Ready? Fuck no."

"I can understand that. I mean, I too am not ready, and this is me we're talking about!"

"What a pair we make huh?"

The huntress couldn't help but react at the mention of the word pair, idly twirling her hair as Siegfried continued to stare blankly in front of him. Eris let her gaze linger on him, noting his tired look, the way his body hunched, how her father's shirt looked too tight on his body, his chin covered in small stubbles, and his short ponytail which she had the urge to release and run her fingers through his-

She stopped herself before her thoughts could escalate any further. She silently cursed herself, noting how her past self would laugh if she were to see her acting this way. Love sucks…

"…ris? Hey, you've gone silent. Are you alright?"

Realizing that he had been calling her for the past few seconds, the huntress blushed in embarrassment. Once again, damn him for turning her into a blushing mess. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Of course, I'm fine!"

He simply gave her a disbelieving look. "Eris, I've only known you for two weeks, but I can easily tell that you're hiding something."

She shook her head. "Don't be a smartass."

The hunter frowned. "You're a hypocrite. Aren't you the one who told me we can talk about our problems as partners? What happened to that?"

When she didn't answer, he leaned towards her and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him. "Eris," he said, saying her name in a way that made the huntress shiver slightly.

"Let go…"

"Not until you talk to me."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Eris…"

She struggled against his grip, but the hunter was stronger. "I said let go! I'm perfectly fine!"

"Bullshit."

She glared at him, growing frustrated at his insistence. "Why are you so persistent? What do you even want to know? That I grew anxious and hopeful every time I visit you in your cell? That every day, I hoped for you to be released so we can hunt together again? That I hated these feelings inside me whenever I'm around you? And that I…that I…"

"That you what?"

The huntress felt like screaming. As much as she wanted to outright tell him that she didn't want to just be partners, the words failed to come out of her mouth. Deciding that actions are better than words, she briefly clenched her fists before quickly turning to face Siegfried. He looked confused for a second before Eris seized him by the front of his shirt and pulled him towards her.

The moment Siegfried felt the soft sensation on his lips, he froze, trying to process her actions. For a few seconds, he nearly surrendered himself to her, arms hesitantly rising up to hold her as she moved her hands to cup his cheeks. But just before he completely surrendered to her, his eyes snapped open and he rapidly jerked back, startling the huntress.

He covered his lips with his hand, staring at her with wide eyes. "Did you just…"

At that moment, Eris immediately regretted her actions. Stupid, stupid, stupid! You ruined everything! No words could describe the shame and embarrassment she felt after the kiss. Unable to handle it anymore, she abruptly stood up and scurried off before Siegfried could get another word in.

…

It took a while for him to find her, knocking and opening every door in the mansion only to find them empty. Eventually, however, he found her outside at the back garden, sitting on a bench by a pond. Her head was down, and she appeared to not notice him, though the hunter was inclined to believe that her enhanced hearing must have heard his footsteps.

"If you're here to laugh at me, then fuck off," she snapped, refusing to face him.

She did hear me alright… "I'm not. I just came to talk."

Boldly, he sat next to her on the bench, causing the huntress to uncharacteristically flinch. Just like before, an awkward silence permeated between the two of them before eventually, one of them broke the silence. It was Siegfried.

"I'm sorry for reacting that way. I was just…surprised that's all."

She sighed. "Just forget about it. It was stupid of me anyway." She fidgeted on her seat, playing with her fingers and doing anything but looking at him. I can never look at him the same way again…You messed up Eris. Big time. Fantastic.

As the huntress continued to sulk internally, Siegfried watched from the corner of his eye, an indiscernible expression on his face. He exhaled and focused his gaze on the pond, long devoid of fish.

"Why did you…you know, do that?"

At his words, the huntress jerked her head upwards and glared fiercely at him. "Isn't it obvious?" she hissed, appalled at his denseness. "Figure it out yourself you dunce!"

She expected a retort, but to her confusion Siegfried kept quiet. For the first time, the huntress was unable to decipher the meaning behind his expression as he continued to stare at the pond as if his question hadn't done anything to affect her. This made her even angrier.

"Say something you-" She stopped the moment she heard him laugh. Eris stared at him in utter confusion as Siegfried laughed for several seconds before turning to face her, flashing a grin that made Eris's normally frozen heart flutter. Curse him and that…smile of his!

"Sorry for that…" Siegfried apologized, scratching the back of his neck. "It's just…I realized how much of a fucking idiot I am."

Eris tilted her head in confusion.

"I've been denying it for too long, constantly telling myself it was not possible. But the time I spent locked up in that cell alone gave me the time to think." This time, I'll be honest with you. Only you. "Eris, when you kissed me before…I finally figured it out."

Eris held her breath.

"I think…" Her eyes widened upon seeing the blush on his cheeks. "I think I like you too. Not as a friend, but as a woman."

At that moment, all the gears within her head stopped working and she sat there, staring at him as a massive blush began to form on her cheeks. He…He…Before she could get a word in, Siegfried smirked. Instantly, her blush disappeared.

"I finally got the infamous Ice Queen to blush and go speechless. That's one for the history books."

Eris began to tremble. "You-"

"That was payback by the way. For kissing me out of nowhere. I win this time."

Satisfied with a victorious smirk on his face, the hunter puffed out his chest in pride before soon finding himself knocked hard onto the grass behind him, courtesy of a kick to his chest. He gasped, coughing. "What the fu-"

He was interrupted by a weight landing directly on his stomach. "Oof!" He opened his eyes and was met with Eris's blue eyes. He tried to stand up, but the huntress straddled his waist, pinning his body to the grass. It was a relief that nobody else was there, otherwise, it would be difficult to explain the compromising position they were in.

"Bastard! How dare you toy with my feelings like that!" Eris shouted, gripping the front of his shirt and shaking him up and down furiously.

Siegfried grabbed her wrists and flashed her another grin. "I'm not. I mean it Eris. I really do like you."

She flushed red but didn't let go of her anger yet. "You- The real Siegfried would never act this way! I demand you return the real Siegfried!"

"It's you. Only you will my heart open up. No other woman has ever pissed me off as much as they allure and attract me. So, if you'll allow me…Eris Marianne Havencroft, will you give me permission to court you?"

For several seconds, she didn't respond…until she leaned down and kissed him. Hard. I'll take that as a yes. He pulled her closer to his body, reciprocating the kiss with equal fervor. For the first time, both hunters were free – free from the hesitation, the fear, the anger that held their emotions back. For the first time, they can finally be honest with each other. At that moment, they weren't Siegfried the Fire King and Eris the Ice Queen. They were just a man and woman in love with each other.

The huntress let out a satisfied moan as Siegfried's calloused hands rubbed circles on her hair, back, and waist, not daring to move lower which she appreciated. Growing bolder, she proceeded to deepen the kiss.

The hunter nearly opened his eyes the moment he felt a familiar appendage enter his mouth. Oh…When did she get so bold? Siegfried could sense the inexperience behind her kiss, and he had the urge to tease her about it. Which he did, by moving his hands under the back of her shirt, finally feeling her skin and lightly pulling on the straps of her brassiere. Eris gasped into his mouth, tightly fisting his shirt.

They lost count of how long they locked lips, their stronger lungs enabling them to last longer without air. But alas, they were still human and as such, they finally broke apart for air. Both hunters were panting, completely flushed and with rather stupid grins on their faces.

"For someone inexperienced…you're pretty good."

Eris felt herself swell with pride at his words. "I'm a woman of many skills Siegfried." But Eris was a woman with a goal, and she had been taught that when a man was to court a woman, there was bound to be an end goal to it. And at that moment, Eris knew what she wanted. Besides, possibly the biggest battle of their lives was just a day away and she couldn't afford to wait anymore. They might die after all. She leaned down again as Siegfried anticipated another kiss. Instead, her lips landed on his neck. Relying solely on what she learned about human anatomy from the Academy, she lightly sucked on his neck, kissing and pressing her mouth against various spots on his neck.

"Ahh…Eris-"

"Be quiet," she ordered as the hunter promptly shut up, allowing Eris to continue her admittedly lewd actions. His hands gripped her waist as she ended up biting, leaving a very obvious mark and showing everyone that he belonged to someone. To her.

Siegfried was hesitant to make an early judgment based on her actions. He feared pushing her away upon misreading her signs. He had to make sure, so he held her shoulders and pushed her away, much to her annoyance.

"Are you…" His question was left hanging as he saw within her eyes that unmistakable look, one he was familiar with due to his experience sleeping with prostitutes. Lust. And it was safe to say he returned those exact same feelings.

"There is no turning back. I understand that for someone like you, your virtue is a sacred thing. Are you sure you want this with someone like me?"

"I've never been so sure of anything my entire life." She leaned down and held his cheeks, pressing their foreheads together tenderly as she stared at him, eyes full of conviction. "I'm yours and yours alone Siegfried Montague if you'll allow me."

His heart practically burst out of his chest at her confession. This was possibly the only time he'll ever see Eris pour her heart out and he damn well knew he couldn't waste this opportunity.

Eris yelped when she suddenly found herself flipped onto the ground, this time with him on top. He smirked before moving his arms under her, hugging her close to his chest as he stood up to full height, lifting her up as he did so. Not wanting to fall, the huntress wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She glared down at him. "A warning would have been appreciated."

"Sorry," Siegfried said without a hint of remorse, hands under her thighs as he proceeded to walk back to the mansion and towards the nearest bedroom. Siegfried silently thanked the gods that they made it to the bedroom unscathed, not with the huntress currently attacking his mouth and earlobe, her hands digging into his scalp. He would have never guessed her to be this ravenous, but he couldn't say he disliked it.

Later under the warmth of the covers, they moved rhythmically against each other, sweating and panting, chests pressed together, hands intertwined, lips bruised, their bodies covered in marks and yet they couldn't be any happier. He held her close as they recovered their energy, satisfied and satiated knowing that the greatest battle of their lives was just a day away. Plus, they could deal with the repercussions later. For now, they slept, nestled in each other's arms, connected as one. That night, it was everything they could have asked for.

…

Please review!