"Where's Aria?" Arthur asked as he watched Gawain Galahad and Tristan walk into the room.
"She's sleeping." Tristan said.
"She's wide and awake." Aria said as she waltzed into the dining area.
"We were so sure you were resting." Gawain said with a surprised look.
"Just resting my eyes." She said with a soft smile.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Arthur asked in concern.
"Yeah of course…" she said sitting down. "So what's the plan for today? We've been sitting for far too long…"
"Last night some of the guards spotted movement in the surrounding woods they can hear drums and yelling. The attack is near." Arthur said.
"So we hold tight?" she inquired and Arthur nodded making her instantly sigh. "I hate just sitting still… There must be something we can do to prepare."
"I was thinking of giving the guards a crash course our style of fighting." Arthur said.
"That's a good idea." Gawain said.
"They'll be able to move with us a lot easier if they know how we fight." Dag said.
"You want me to ready an area?" Aria inquired.
"No I want you to eat a good meal other than an apple." Arthur said with a fatherly look and a stern point.
"Where is my apple?" it was thrown at her and she caught it easily before flashing Tristan a dazzling smile and tossing him a pear. He nodded at her before taking a bite. "This is all the meal I need. Honestly. I don't want to spoil myself."
"Spoiling is good sometimes…" Arthur said handing her a butter roll. "Eat this and I'll be happy."
"I'll one up you." She said grabbing a piece of meat and tossing it inside the roll. "I'll eat it on the way and ready the area for training… The horse pin out back would be a good place. It's well hidden from sight of the opposition."
"Good thinking." Arthur said as he watched her head off with the goods in hand. His eyes then went to Galahad who quickly followed her.
"You'll be the last to make amends." Dag said to Lancelot.
"I know… I'm just waiting to finish something for her." Lancelot muttered his eyes down at his un eaten food.
"So you really won't tell us what happened to Aria?" Gawain asked Tristan.
"No." He said.
"Tristan is her confidant as are all of us, what she tells us is to not be shared." Arthur said and Dag nodded in agreement.
Galahad slowly walked into the barn to see Aria readying Teleri. He took a deep breath before walking completely in his hands held behind his back. He stopped short when she turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Hi…" Galahad said before clearing his throat.
"Mhm…" Was all she said turning back to her horse. Galahad walked over and stood at her side.
"Your hands… They're rough from working with the horses…" He said quietly.
"No they aren't they just look it. They're quite soft despite how they look…" She muttered.
"Then what I have will help keep them so… Feminine." She looked to him.
"What do you want Galahad?"
"To apologize." He said.
"No." She said shaking her head.
"No?" He asked. "But I have something."
"I don't want it. Your words against me hurt more than most the others… besides Lancelot…" she looked to him. "You once told me you were loyal to me above all others."
"I remember."
"What happened to that loyalty Galahad?" she asked before walking away.
"Aria please…" he walked to her and took her hand turning her to look at him.
"What?" She asked and he could see she was angry.
"I was…"
"What?"
"Jealous alright?" He asked shifting uncomfortably on his feet. Tristan walked in and stopped stepping inside a stall out of sight. He peaked around seeing Arias hand held in Galahad's.
"Jealous?" She inquired.
"Yes I was Jealous okay?"
"Of what the men gaining up on me? You felt left out or something?"
"What?" he blinked. "Aria no I was Jealous of the thought of you with someone else."
"That makes no sense." Galahad smiled.
"You're so humble." He muttered. "You must have noticed how much you've changed over the last few years. The woman you have become…"
"I guess…" she said with a shrug.
"You're very pretty."
"Galahad…"
"See there's that humbleness…"
"Is that a word?"
"Don't change the subject…"
"I have to, I fear you are about to say something that will change everything…" She said softly. "You're one of my best friends and you can never be more than that to me… Besides what about that bar maid?"
"She's nothing compared to you…" He said quietly.
"She's more." Aria said. "You just don't see it yet."
"We can be more someday… If we both make through this."
"No… No it would never be Galahad I'm sorry…"
"There's someone else?"
"You call into question my honor?" she asked her eyes raging. "Again?"
"No that's not what I meant… I mean do you have eyes for another?"
"I don't know to be honest…" She said softly. "You know me I'm so very indecisive." He smiled and she looked to him. "Galahad… I'm sorry… But I think what you think you feel towards me is misplaced."
"You understand me like no one else."
"Because you haven't given someone else other than Gawain the chance to understand you…" He smiled and she laughed. "See… Now that you're thinking about…"
"My feelings are misplaced." He laughed. "I feel dumb… about everything. I'm so very sorry Aria."
"Oh… I can't stay mad at you… You're too adorable." She pinched his cheek.
"Oi!" He said swatting at her hand. "If you don't un hand my cheek you don't get your present." She jumped back. "Here it's for your hands when you're riding…" he handed her two pieces of leather. She slipped them on her hands seeing they wrapped around the inside of her thumbs palm and wrist. She smiled looking down at them.
"Thanks." She said with a smile.
"Can I have my punch now?" He asked turning and reveal his arm.
"Oh hell why not." She pulled back her fist and slammed it into his shoulder.
"Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… Owe!" he yelled before hissing in pain.
"You missed it." she said with a smile.
"I don't know why…" he said. "That's going to hurt for days."
"Try a week." She said walking to Teleri. "Come on let's get to the training site."
"I'll gather the soldiers." He said jumping on his horse and riding off. As Aria climbed onto Teleri she looked to see Tristan waltzing in. "Can you believe him thinking he has fuzzy feelings for me?" She asked softly and he smiled.
"You knew I was here?" He inquired.
"I always know where you are Tristan…" She said with a smile which he returned as he climbed on his own horse.
"Same with you." He said riding alongside her out of the barn. As they rode she tilted back her head and smiled feeling the sunshine.
"A nice day for winter… Hopefully it will be the same when the fight comes. I'd rather war when hot instead of cold." Tristan nodded in agreement. When they got to the horse ring Tristan Galahad and Aria set up weapons as the soldiers stood watch. When Arthur came with the rest of the knights they brought an unwelcome guest with them. "Oh bloody hell…" Aria muttered.
"My fair Aria." Arnes walked over taking her hand and kissing the back. None of the men missed the way her jaw clenched as she looked to him. "Wonderful to see you…"
"I would say the same… But it's not…" She muttered walking away and Arnes smiled his eyes following her movements.
"Want me to kill him?" Gawain muttered to her.
"No I want to do it." She said making the men including Arthur smile.
"Welcome…" Arthur said walking forward as he looked to the soldiers. "Today we will be going over fighting techniques we'll start-."
"We know how to fight." A soldier said.
"Cut him off again and we'll see what a good fighter you truly are." Aria said pointing a dagger at him he went to take a step forward and she threw it the blade sticking in between his toes. He gasped as he moved back only to fall to the ground his sandal pinned to the dirt. Arthur looked to Aria who smiled cheekily. "What?" she mouthed and he just smiled.
-o-
Arthur began to break the soldiers into small groups. As they fought each other the knights would walk around and change whatever flaws they spotted. Arthur noticed one knight didn't participate. Aria. She was tending to the horses as the other knights walked around and helped. He slowly walked over and she smiled at him telling him nothing was wrong. Still he found the need to ask.
"Aria is everything alright?"
"Yeah." She said. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Why aren't you helping the men tend to the flaws of the soldiers?"
"There's no point." She said with a shrug.
"You're meaning?" He inquired.
"They wouldn't listen so I won't waste my time… When the time comes to test their skills though I'll be ready to help."
"You volunteer to fight?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes I think it would be a good lesson as well."
"Agreed." He said with a smile.
"Arthur that one keeps going pigeon toed…" she said pointing it out.
"Nice spot." He said before walking to the soldier who had committed the offense. After two hours of practicing Arthur called the men off and they all made a circle around the pen. "Aria." He said his hand out and she nodded as she walked into the pin and stood at his side. "This is Aria, she will be your test to see if you can hold your own in a fight…"
"You've got to be kidding." A soldier said.
"You're first." Aria said and the knights smiled. "Come on then." The soldier slowly walked into the pen as the knights readied themselves for a good show. "What's your name?"
"Why do you need to know it?"
"I like to know the names of men I'm about to beat the crap out of." He suddenly pulled his sword and rushed at her. She stepped aside slamming her leg into his stomach. The soldier dropped to the ground gasping for air. Aria kicked him and he flipped onto his back as she pointed her sword at his neck. "What do you think Arthur is that a win?"
"That's a win…" he said as Galahad and Gawain dragged the hurt man away.
"You next twinkle toes." She said motioning to the soldier who she had thrown her dagger at.
"I won't go easy on you girly."
"Not counting on it boy…" she muttered stowing her sword away as he pulled hers.
"You won't use a weapon against me?"
"I don't a need a sword to win most fights… You don't pose much of a challenge to me…" The man rushed at her and she ducked out of the way of a sword that he swung at her. As she hit the ground she kicked her foot out catching his legs. He buckled to his knees and she twirled up onto her feet and kicked him across the face knocking him out cold.
"Bloody hell at this rate none of my men are fit for battle." Arnes muttered.
"She's teaching them to be humble after this they'll fight much better." Lancelot said.
"We all had to learn this lesson from her." Dag said.
"We were the better for it." Galahad added.
"Another." She called and they all watched as the biggest man in the group as large as Dag walked forward.
"I'm Trenton." He said shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you Trenton… When you're ready." She said with a smile.
"I don't want to hurt you miss…" he said quietly.
"It's alright if you do I'll just hurt you back." He thought about it for a moment before nodding with a smile making the others chuckle.
"When you're ready…" She said. They stood still for a long moment before Trenton swung at her and leapt back before the harsh punch could connect with her. He quickly moved forward throwing a kick which she also backed away from. Trenton tilted his head as he watched her back far away from him up against the pin wall.
"Afraid girly?" a soldier behind her asked and she just back fisted him across the face. He fell to the ground knocked out as others around him laughed.
"Biding time…" she muttered before rushing forward. Trenton ran at her as well and Aria dove to the ground sliding between his legs before getting up onto her feet and turning around. She rushed at him just as he turned to look at her and she kicked up his body her final hit catching him under the chin. As he fell to the ground she flipped backwards in the air and landed on her feet.
"Bloody hell." Bors said with a clap. She slowly walked over to Trenton and tilted her head.
"You okay?" she asked looking down at him as she rested her hands on her knees.
"I can't rush into things. That's what I was to learn right?"
"Right." She helped him onto his feet.
"That's it!" A man jumped into the pin with two others.
"You haven't been called!" Arnes shouted.
"I won't let her make a fool out of us!" he yelled pulling a sword. "This is for real you're dead." Just as he was about to cut off her head Aria pointed a tiny dagger into his throat. He instantly froze his eyes going wide as blood slowly trickled down his neck.
"Drop the sword or lose your life…" She said with a narrowed gaze.
"You won't kill me." He said.
"I've killed tons of men what would be so special about you as I might spare your life?"
"Stand down." Arnes said. "Drop your sword I order you!"
"He doesn't heed your words…" Aria said her gaze never leaving the soldiers who still threatened to cut off her head.
"Then kill him." Arnes said and Aria jaw clenched as the British soldiers eyes grew wide. She removed the dagger and the knights stared wide eyed. The soldier still held a sword and Arnes moved forward.
"I told you to kill him." He said.
"I don't listen to you Roman…" She said turning to him with a narrowed gaze. "I listen to Arthur…" her eyes turned to him. "I can kill him I have no issues doing so but I'll only do it upon your orders…" The sword from the soldiers wielding hand dropped and she turned to look at him.
"Take him away." Arnes said and two soldiers rushed forward and grabbed him under the arms.
"His offense was never fulfilled." Aria said turning and looking to Arnes.
"He raised his sword to a woman and when asked to lower it he refused."
"In all fairness I had a dagger to his throat. Would you have dropped your sword so easily?"
"If it was raised to a woman yes."
"Even if it were a lady who knew over a hundred ways to kill you swiftly?" she asked.
"A fair woman you still are gentle Aria."
"Gentle Aria…" she muttered with a laugh.
"You all are dismissed for the day." Arnes said and the soldiers slowly walked away he turned back to look to Aria to find she was gone. He turned to see her walking to Arthur.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Why because I'm a woman?" she muttered.
"No because of how you were treated by Arnes." He said quietly.
"I just need to cool down…" She said before jumping atop Teleri and rushing off. Arnes walked forward and the Knights gazes turned to glares.
"Is she alright?"
"She has duties to attend to regarding the horses. She's fine." Arthur said.
"Such a feminine job to tend to horses… Keeping her a lady?"
"You seem a little too interested in my knight Arnes." Arthur said and Arnes blinked.
"I'm just curious." He said with an overly innocent look.
"Be curious about someone else…" He stated before walking off the knights following. "I'm getting the feeling Arnes has intentions towards Aria."
"You're just getting that?" Lancelot inquired.
"I didn't think he was serious in the beginning now though the way he watches her…"
"What do you want us to do?" Gawain asked.
"We could look after her." Galahad offered.
"Oh she'd love that." Arthur said sarcastically. "Offer to go with her help her with things just tell her it's a part of penance for everything that has happened…"
"She won't fall for it." Tristan said.
"We could try and tail her…" Bors said. "Sneak about."
"No our answer to her safety isn't through her." Arthur said stopping. "No keep an eye on Arnes."
"Good thinking." Lancelot said.
"I'll double back take first watch." Gawain said and Arthur nodded at him.
-o-
Gawain walked beside Arnes into the dining hall. Everyone watched as they laughed together before taking a seat.
"Where is the fair Aria?" Arnes asked.
"I'm sure she'll be along shortly." Arthur said. "What were you two laughing about?"
"I kept seeing Gawain all around today and got in my head I was being followed then he bumped into me and he said he thought I was following him. It was a good laugh." Arnes explained as Gawain laughed while the knights just smiled. "Ah here she is." Arnes stood as did all the knights as Aria walked in. She stopped tilting her head at the scene. "When a lady walks in the gentlemen stand."
"I see…" she muttered. "Interesting…" she took a seat beside Tristan and food was laid out.
"The drums have grown louder I believe our war should be happening tomorrow." Arnes said.
"Do you believe your men are ready to fight?" Arthur asked.
"Ready or not it's going to happen."
"I would think you would be more concerned about your men's lives." Aria muttered her jaw clenching as she thumbed a goblet full of wine.
"Wars happen as do the deaths connected to it." Arnes said with a smile. A large bell sounded and everyone looked up.
"Escape we have an escape!" they heard a soldier yell as he ran through the estate. "Prisoners have escaped!"
"Long gone by now…" Aria muttered and Arthur looked to her with a smile.
"Sir two of the horses are gone!" A soldier yelled rushing in.
"Well ride off after them." Arnes said.
"A fine idea wear out your men before a coming war…" Aria said and he looked at her for a long moment before slowly nodded and sitting down his jaw clenching.
"You're right… Let them go." Arnes said to the soldier.
"Sir-."
"I said let them go…" Arnes repeated and the soldier nodded before walking away.
"I'm going to see which horses were taken and if the others are in distress from the horns…" Aria said before getting up and heading away.
"If you'll excuse me I need to check how the prisoners got out." Arnes said going in a completely different direction as Aria.
"Should we tail him?" Galahad asked.
"I'm done eating I'll do it." Bors said before Arthur could send anyone else.
"Try not to be seen like Gawain here." Galahad said.
"It's hard to blend in with so much roman dress." Gawain muttered.
-o-
Aria leaned against the wall of the estate. Her eyes were following the movements of the opposition in the tree line. They were going to attack any time now. She rather it be in the morning then the dead of night, but she could feel in her bones that the attack was just mere minute or at the most an hour away. They were way to quiet and she was way to amped up for it to wait till morning. She felt some one walk up behind her and she turned quickly only to see Arnes.
"Hello Aria…" He said looking down at the sword she had put to his throat out of instinct.
"Arnes." She greeted relaxing but only a little. "I was just heading to bed." She said sheathing her weapon.
"Let me walk you. I'm afraid since your fighting with the men today you have put a target on your back…"
"I can walk alone."
"Please I wouldn't feel right as host." She looked at him for a long moment.
"Alright." He smiled and walked with her down the stone stairwell.
"Did you see anything from the vantage point?"
"Not much but I do think an attack is well on its way. It's far too quiet and the air is far too heavy."
"The energy is a bit amped…" As they walked he looked to her. "Aria I wanted to apologize…"
"Apologize?" She inquired with a crooked eyebrow.
"For my treatment of you the past day… I believe I might have treated you in an unfair way…"
"Like I was any other petty woman."
"Yes… Not that I think other women are petty. Not that I think you are." He said quickly. "I honestly don't know what came over me." He said with a sigh. "I think it was because the men were around and I want so badly to match up to them which only proves how much I don't."
"You are incredibly self-aware Arnes." She said dryly.
"I deserved that."
"Yes you did… Your apology is accepted though." He smiled as they headed inside the large stone building of the estate.
"I am so glad." He said genuinely.
-o-
"Shit… Shit… Shit…" Bors said to himself as he ran up the stairs and threw open a door. "Get up you prats!"
"What what's happened?" Gawain asked jolting up in bed as Tristan stood.
"I lost sight of that little bastard Arnes…"
"Where's Aria?" Galahad asked jumping out of bed.
"Not here." Tristan said walking past Bors.
"Wake up the other men!" Gawain said to Bors who nodded and ran off.
"What's happened?" Arthur asked his head peeking out of his bedroom after hearing the commotion.
"I lost sight of Arnes. I failed Arthur I'm sorry."
"Get the men we look for both Aria and Arnes." He said before turning.
"My fair roman lady…" Lancelot muttered in his sleep.
"Lancelot get up!" Arthur yelled.
-o-
"You are a wondrous fighter, better than most men."
"Better then all men." She muttered.
"You think you have a lot to prove don't you?"
"Don't I?" She inquired looking to Arnes.
"I guess you do… You wouldn't have to though." Arnes said stopping her in one of the many hallways.
"Your meaning?" she asked.
"It's just…" He shifted on his feet. "If you were to marry a high level Roman that Roman could get you out of the service you were so unfairly put into."
"I like the service I'm in." She said going to walk away only to have Arnes take her hand stopping her. Her jaw clenched as she looked down at the hand.
"You might have not caught on…" She slowly raised her eyes to his. "But I was offering a hand in marriage…"
"No I didn't catch onto that actually…" She said taking her hand from his. "Though I will admit I've caught onto your advances before this."
"Your thoughts on them?" He asked perking up. "The advances I mean…"
"That they are misplaced. Good night Arnes." She went to walk away and he grabbed onto her arm.
"Just like that our conversation is over?" he asked with a smile.
"Just like that." She went to pull her arm away but he held on. "Let go Arnes." She said with a glare.
"You know I'm not accustomed to hearing no Aria." He said with the same smile as before.
"Well you should get used to it because the way your acting won't have any woman saying yes to you."
"For speaking in such a way I could have your tongue cut out." He said his jaw clenching.
"There's those true Roman colors… I knew you had them in you somewhere." She said before punching two fingers into the crook of his arm. He hissed in pain before letting go of her arm. She went to walk away but gasped when he pulled onto her shoulder and slammed her up against the wall.
"Get ready to say yes." He said his mouth nearly colliding with hers. She punched him across the face before throwing him to the ground.
"You're worse than I thought…" she said before backing away.
"I won't take no as an answer!" he shouted as he got to his feet. Aria went to pull a dagger but halted her movements. She couldn't pull a weapon on a Roman it was against everything she was taught. If she were to do that she and the rest of knights could be put to death.
"You seem stricken with fear."
"I'm not afraid of you Arnes."
"You should be…" he said before rushing at her. She stepped aside and watched him crash to the ground before running herself. Before she knew what had happened she had been picked up and slammed onto a table.
"Stop!" She shouted feeling a panic like she hadn't felt in years settle over her.
"You should have been nicer to me this would have gone so much easier… You see this way you get pregnant and then you have to marry me…" He said as he went to kiss her only to catch an elbow in the face. He laughed as he was flipped onto the table and punched across the face. "Like it rough? I can do that."
He kicked her in her stomach and she cried out in pain as she slammed up against a stone wall. Before she could defend herself Arnes grabbed onto her arms and threw her back on the table where he punched her across the face two times before turning his fists on each side of her rib cage. Arias head rolled back from the pain as she blinding punched Arnes across the face and kicked him between the legs. He cried out in pain before pulling a dagger and placing it against her throat making her freeze.
"Not so tough now are you?" He hissed and she locked eyes onto him.
"I could kill you if I was allowed." She said through gritted teeth.
"That's right you're bound by the laws of the knights… There's a good idea… Being bound… I don't want you taking a shot at me in the middle of the deed it might ruin things." Her jaw clenched. She felt as she did when she was a little girl with James in the barn. In that moment there was no difference between the two it was like she was back all those years ago. Helpless, defenseless, and completely stricken with fear.
"Get off me…" she said through clenched teeth. She didn't want to beg. She had vowed to never beg for anything after the night James had molested her.
"How about I just get off in a general way…" she felt his erection press against her leg and she leaned her head back feeling sick. "You're so pretty…" He said his lips against her ear. "I'm just sorry our relationship had to start this way. I would have preferred you just to fall in love with me. In time you will."
"That will never happen." She said shaking the blade still pressed against her throat.
"Doesn't matter… If I don't make it into your heart at least I will into your body…" Her eyes closed tightly. She didn't know what to do. In fact she did. She could pull her ax from her hip quite easily and cut off his head but to kill the Roman would mean death to her and her family of knights.
"You smell… Like berries." Her eyes snapped open as she let a sob escape her. James had said the same thing to her the night in the barn.
"No…" She said feeling his hands begin to roam over her as he gave animalistic grunts. "No…" She took a breath. "Stop…"
"Never…" he whispered his mouth just inches away from hers. Just before he was about to kiss her she head butted him and kicked Arnes off her body. She stood quickly and kicked him between the legs smiling as she watched him go to the ground.
"You bitch…" her eyes grew wide as he slowly stood. "You bitch!" She turned and began to ran, Arnes rushing after her like a bat out of hell. "No one says no to me!" he grabbed her arm and she spun elbowing him in the face as a sob escaped her. There was no way she was ever going to let a man take advantage of her again.
"Let go!" she shouted hitting him over and over again until his hand finally released her arm. Before she could run away he grabbed onto her shoulders and slammed her up against a wall. He back fisted her across the face before punching her in the stomach causing her to collapse against him. He smiled as he pushed her up against the wall and griped onto her chin.
"Stop fighting… You're just a woman…" he whispered his lips nearly colliding with hers. Just as a sob escaped her the weight of Arnes body was gone and she fell to the ground. After a long moment she looked to see Arthur throwing Arnes against the stone wall beside her. She let out a sob of sheer relief her hand clutched onto her leather vest.
"Aria…" A hand on her shoulder made her jump and she turned seeing the Knights. "Hey…" Lancelot said. "It's alright, you're alright…" Her jaw clenched and her eyes grew wide before she looked to see Arthur beating Arnes to a pulp.
"Don't look at her!" he shouted before punching him. "Don't talk to her!" He punched him again. "Don't think about her!" he slammed his fist against him so hard that Arnes fell to the ground. "And don't!" he kicked him. "Touch her!" he kicked him again and Arnes rolled across the ground a bloody mess. Aria slowly stood as Arthur walked to her. "Are you alright?" he asked and she quickly nodded her jaw clenching. "Are you badly hurt?"
"Been hurt worse." She said quietly.
"Aria… Are you badly hurt?" he asked his jaw clenching.
"I told you I'm fine…" she said quietly.
"Aria… Did he… did he manage to-."
"No you stopped him." She said quietly. He gave a relieved sigh before nodding slowly. "I… I have things to do still Horses to tend to."
"You need to go rest." Arthur said.
"I'm fine." She said softly her voice cracking from the strain of screaming.
"You're bloodied bruised and after what you just went through-."
"Arthur…"
"It's an order Aria." She slowly nodded before walking away her jaw clenching. When she got to her room she slowly walked in and heard the others follow her movements.
"I brought water with us… You can wash up." Dag said resting a bronze bowl full of water on a dresser. "Let's give her some privacy…" He said ushering the men out. The last being Tristan whose eyes had never left Aria. When the door closed Aria collapsed to the ground a sob escaping her. The men looked around hearing the foreign noise.
"What is that?" Galahad asked quietly.
"She's crying…" Dag said with a clenching jaw.
"Aria doesn't cry…" Gawain said quietly. "Not ever."
"Maybe she's not crying… Maybe she's in pain." Galahad offered. Dag looked to Tristan who had an intense gaze on the door.
"It is probably sounds of pain… Tristan you tend to most her wounds you should go in." Dag said quietly. Tristan only nodded before slowly walking in and closing the door. Tristan tilted his head. Aria was against the wall her knees pulled to her chest as her shoulders wracked with heart wrenching sobs.
"Aria…" he slowly walked over and kneeled before her. His hand went to hers and she slowly turned her head away.
"Go away Tristan…"
"I can't do that…" he said quietly.
"I don't want you to see me like this… Go away."
"You've never hidden anything from me before."
"This is different." She said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. He moved forward and brushed it away with his thumb. She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself.
"You don't have to worry that I'll judge you…" she slowly looked to him. "You could never be less than perfect to me…" he admitted so quietly that for a moment she wasn't sure she had heard him. "You can tell me anything…" She slowly nodded and went to speak only to shake her head a wave of tears following.
"It's too fresh…" she said pain evident in her voice.
"That's alright… You don't have to say anything if you don't want to…" he slowly brought the bowl down from the dresser they were situated by and dipped a cloth into it. He went to touch her but stopped. "Can I tend to you?" he asked hating that he had to ask.
"You don't ever have to ask… I trust you Tristan…" He smiled softly before moving forward and wiping some blood from the corner of her mouth. "Trust you completely…" She said softly and he looked at her for a long moment before slowly tending to her once more.