She would be fine. She would wear the dress, she would converse with the other guests, she would act like a noble should. And she would like it, dammit. ...Well, maybe that was pushing it a bit. She would at least not completely loathe it. Start with what I can do...

Tear mentally prepped herself as she dressed for the party she was being forced to attend. Unfortunately, it promised to be a traditional noble's gathering; nothing like Emperor Peony's "party" that they had attended only a few days ago. They were back in Baticul, preparing for a gathering at one of the nearby mansions. She was actually going to be expected to act proper.

And she would. Everything got easier with time. Supposedly a positive mental attitude would help. It couldn't hurt to try. She would go in there determined not to hate it, and see if it made her any less miserable.

"Is that really necessary?"

Tear's thoughts were interrupted by Luke's voice from across the room. He was also getting ready, but had stopped in the middle of what he was doing and was watching her skeptically.

She had been so lost in thought that she had not been paying much attention to what she was doing physically, and was not sure what he was referring to. She looked at him quizzically, and he motioned to the object in her hand.

"The knives."

Sure enough, Tear was holding one of her trusty knives in her hand. The other one was already in the small holster strapped around her leg. She was so accustomed to carrying them that she no longer acknowledge putting them on as significant.

"What do you think is going to happen at the party?" Luke asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You never know when or where danger could strike," Tear answered matter-of-factly. "It's best to always be prepared."

Luke looked about to press the subject, but apparently decided it was not worth the effort. He shrugged it off and went back to dressing himself.

In truth, the fear of danger had little to do with it. Tear was so used to carrying the knives that she would feel anxious without them. They were a source of security for her, and she needed all the security she could get if she was going to get through the night without cursing the world.

So far it was going well. As well as it could, anyway. Tear could not say she was enjoying herself, but at least she was managing. She kept assuring herself that it all really wasn't so bad. And it really wasn't, when she put it in perspective. She was hopeful about the future.

A few times her resolved faltered, but it was not difficult to get reaffirmation of what she was doing it all for. She had only to tighten her grip on Luke's arm, or move a little closer to him, or even just look at him the right way and he would usually reward her with some small show of affection, whether it was a smile or a kiss or a hand on her cheek. She had trained him well.

"There you are, darling! I was hoping you would come."

A stab of horror struck Tear; she would recognize that voice anywhere. She watched helplessly as Veronica approached, looking as stunning as ever, her faithful flunkies in tow.

Tear prepared herself for the greatest test of will that she would have to endure. She knew Veronica made a special effort to get on her nerves; it seemed her goal to make Tear either do something rash that would cause her to be outcast, or to just make her give up on being a noble altogether. If Tear could get to the point where Veronica's words and actions no longer bothered her, it would be a satisfying victory.

Determined not to let the other woman get the better of her, Tear smiled as genuinely as she could. "It's a pleasure."

Veronica smiled pleasantly at her. "Oh, but it is. We spoke a couple weeks ago, didn't we? I trust you're still doing well?"

"Indeed. Very well."

"Wonderful." Veronica turned her attention to Luke, and Tear did not like the glint in her eyes. "It's been a while since we spoke, hasn't it? I assume you're also doing well?"

As she spoke, Veronica moved close to Luke. Very close. Tear fought the pang of jealousy that threatened to strike.

Luke was clearly uncomfortable, but Veronica pretended not to notice. "Um, yeah, I'm good," he managed as he edged backwards.

"Excellent," Veronica replied, finally moving back a little ways. "Well, you two enjoy yourselves. I'd love to chat but I need to make sure I catch Viscount Rithel before he leaves. So long."

"Goodbye," Tear responded, relieved the woman was not planning to stay longer.

"What is her problem?" Luke murmured to Tear as he watched Veronica slip away into the crowds of people.

Tear was heartened by Luke's obvious repulsion at Veronica's behavior, and she smiled in amusement. "I think she was trying to seduce you."

"Ugh. Don't make me sick."

"Well, it seems to work on a lot of guys. She is very pretty."

Luke turned to Tear and smiled warmly. "Why would I be tempted by her when I'm married to someone ten times prettier?"

Tear faltered, unsure of how to respond. The comment made her feel good, but it was not in her nature to show that it had. Finally she settled on, "You've spent way too much time with Guy."

Luke was unfazed; he had been with her long enough to know that his words had affected her. "But it's true."

"You seem to be the only one that thinks that way."

"Then everyone else is blind."

He sounded so insistent that she could not help but laugh. "Seriously, stop hanging around Guy. You sound foolish."

Luke huffed in mock indignation. "Fine, see if I compliment you again."

She smiled wryly. "That's more like it."

"Well, in any case, I need something to drink. What about you?"

Tear shook her head. "I'm fine for now. Though if Veronica comes back I may need something."

Luke laughed. "I'll go grab something. Be back in a second."

"All right."

It occurred to Tear only after Luke left that she probably would have been better off just going with him. She did not particularly like the idea of having to socialize on her own. Maybe if she just stood quietly near the edge of the room no one would approach her...

"Oh good, you didn't go anywhere!"

No such luck. If she were more prone to the action, Tear could have cried. Of all the people there, it had to be Veronica who came back to speak to her.

"Hello again," Tear greeted her, hoping she sounded a lot less bitter than she felt.

"Hello, dear," Veronica responded, then glanced around as if she were afraid someone would overhear. When she spoke again she had lowered her voice. "There's something I've been meaning to say to you, and since I caught you alone I'll say it now."

If she were less familiar with Veronica's antics, Tear may have actually believed that the concern in her voice was authentic. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to say, I'm terribly sorry. I know it must be hard for you, living with your husband and his... condition."

Tear's expression of false cheerfulness was replaced by genuine confusion. "Condition?"

"You know." Veronica looked shocked that Tear was not following. "The fact that he's..." She glanced around again before lowering her voice further and finishing with, "...a replica."

The statement was so ridiculously uncalled for that at first Tear did not know whether to laugh or be offended. It had been well-known in the community for years that Luke was a replica. Just the fact that she was acting secretive about it was, in itself, an insult. Luke had dealt with his fair share of prejudice among the other nobles, but most of them had since gotten bored of giving him a hard time and moved onto gossiping about more recent scandals.

As the full implications of Veronica's words sank in, Tear lost the desire to laugh. She found herself suppressing a rage that she was rarely driven to feeling. Using all her willpower to keep that rage from entering her voice, Tear responded, "It's not a disease. I assure you I'm just fine. And so is he."

"Oh, of course darling. I understand." Veronica spoke in a voice she might have used to humor a five-year-old.

Tear was tired, uncomfortable, anxious, and distressed. The last thing she needed was someone bringing up such a sensitive topic. And mocking her for it, no less. She should have just walked away, but she was in no mood to take crap from anyone, least of all Veronica.

"I don't think you do," Tear hissed, barely even trying to hide her annoyance anymore. "There's nothing wrong with Luke, so your 'sympathy' is very misplaced."

"It's all right, I know how you must feel." Veronica was still using the same irritating tone of voice. "I would be in denial too, if I knew my husband was part of an inferior speci-"

A woman screamed, but it wasn't Veronica; she was too in shock to voice her own terror. In the amount of time it would have taken her to finish the last word of her sentence, Veronica had been thrown to the ground and had a knife held against her neck.

Tear loomed over her, eyes flashing dangerously. When she spoke, her voice was frighteningly calm. "Take that back."

The façade was dead. Neither woman retained even a trace of the faked pleasantness that they had both clung to only seconds before. The crowd around them had fallen deathly silent, watching the scene unfold in horrified fascination.

Veronica recovered from shock, and broke the silence with her hysterical cries. "What are you all doing?! Don't just stand there, get this madwoman away from me!"

"Tear!"

Someone grabbed Tear's arm and pulled it away from Veronica. Tear wanted to lash out, to hurt whoever dared stopped her from enacting justice, but she quickly recognized the touch and succumbed to it. She did not object when Luke slipped both the knives out of her hands.

"What happened?!" Luke held the knives in one hand and placed the other under Tear's chin, moving her head up so that she would be forced to look at him. His eyes were desperate.

Tear stared up at him blankly. She was in a daze, not fully aware of what she had done or what was going on around her. The more she tried to concentrate on her surroundings, the more her head spun. She vaguely noted that the crowd had erupted into conversation before she lost her ability to stand and collapsed onto Luke.

"Tear! Tear! Dammit, don't do this to me..."

The last thing Tear heard before she blacked out completely was Veronica's voice.

"How pathetic. I knew she could never be refined. Once a soldier, always a soldier."