Siegfried laid the woman down in what he presumed was her bed.
They had found the smithy of which she spoke with relative ease. It had been awkward to carry a woman's body through the streets of a town, but, luckily, no one had stopped them. When they had reached the smithy, they knocked on the front door, but there was no reply. A harder knock again yielded no replies, but did open the door - the lock seemed to be broken. From there, it was merely a case of finding the nearest bedroom and laying the still-unconscious women down in a bed.
As Siegfried laid the woman down, he noticed that her body was shivering. Blast. How could I have overlooked something like this? She fell into that cold water, and her garments are still wet - she must be freezing. He knelt at her side and placed his hand on her forehead. ...Her temperature is not good... If she stays in those wet clothes...He turned to Ivy and Tira.
"She's shivering. Her temperature isn't normal. It's probably a result of her clothes being wet and cold. She needs to get out of her clothing, or her condition could become worse."
Ivy scoffed. "Right. What will you think up an excuse for next? 'Oh, her heart is beating too slow, I'll need to massage her chest for her to survive'."
"Don't joke. Her life is in danger." Siegfried said to her in a low voice that was practically a growl.
Ivy was intrigued that she had touched a nerve by implying that Siegfried was acting towards perverted goals, didn't think that it was worth it to tease him if it would cause her to look like she was being childish about a serious situation. "...Fine. Have your way with her, I don't care. I'll be waiting in another room."
Ivy turned and left the room. Siegfried turned towards Tira.
"...Tira...I hope you understand."
Siegfried now noticed that Tira's shoulders were sagged, and her look was downcast.
"...Don't worry. ...I'm used to it by now."
After these words, she simply turned and walked out of the room, leaving Siegfried alone in the room with the unconscious woman.
'Used to it by now'...? What does she mean by that? Does she think I'm a perverted lecher, too? ...Or have I been...mistreating her? ...Whatever the case, I don't want any foul feelings between her and I. As soon as I'm done with this woman, I should talk to Tira and clear the air between us.
Siegfried turned to the woman, and began to remove her clothing. He tried not to enjoy it, but failed. He tried to keep his eyes only on her face, but this only seemed to make things worse - she was beautiful, incredibly beautiful. Even when she was unconscious, shivering, and had her hair matted down, she was still the most beautiful woman Siegfried had ever seen. He hadn't noticed her beauty until this point, as before he had only seen her as a potential threat, an enemy, and then someone in need of help. But, now, as he kneeled before her, he saw her in a completely different light. His eyes drifted to her naked breasts. They weren't as big as Ivy's, but they had a nicer shape. His eyes then slid up and down the rest of her body. She had a few scars here and there, most likely from battles, but otherwise had a perfectly shaped and attractive body.
...What am I...doing? I'm not supposed to be doing this...I resent what Ivy and Tira think of me, but now I'm proving them right...when did I turn into this sort of person? Was it when I first met Tira, and started being openly sexual with her? Was it when Ivy joined me, and paraded her body in front of me every day? Is it something that has happened gradually as a result of those two women? I've always detested the sort of person who things these kinds of thoughts. Some believe it to be normal, but I find it disgusting. ...Yet, here I am, acting in the same ways I always vowed not to...Am I fit for redemption in this state? The way I am now?
Even as he thought these things, he wasn't able to stop his eyes from roving across her body. They moved of their own accord, despite his pleas. The new admiration he had obtained for the female body was too strong to be overcome by his self-discipline.
Siegfried finally managed to return his mind to business, but not for long. ...Removing her clothing has helped her, but she needs to be dried off. He took a nearby blanket in his hand. ...I'm not doing this because I'm a pervert. I'm doing this to help her. He began to pat down her body with the blanket. His heartbeat and breaths became faster. He felt his pants become tight as his dick grew harder. It's not my fault. I can't help it. She's got such an amazing body...He patted down her entire body, guiltily enjoying every moment of it. By the time he was finished, he had begun to sweat.
...This is much better, but she needs to be warmed. When someone's body is dangerously cold, the best thing to do is huddle against them to warm them with the natural heat of a human body.
Much to his disappointment, Siegfried's mind began to wander again. ...I would be honored to be the one with the privilege of warming that body. It would be so nice to hold that body, so nice to lay with her and-
No! What am I thinking? I'm doing it again. I must stop this.
I'm all alone in a room with a beautiful naked woman. I could do whatever I wanted to her. In fact, the only other two people who know I'm in here probably expect me to do just that. No one would ever know if I put my hands on her breasts right now and-
...No, no! How can I think these things?
Siegfried quickly rose, and began to wrap the woman's body in the blankets of the bed.
What have I become? What sort of a monster am I now? That I would think these things about a sickly woman I'm supposed to be helping? In his dire search for any sort of reason to excuse himself, something came across Siegfried's mind.
"...I place my curse upon you, you who struggle to escape the sword..."
...The curse. That's it. The curse. It must cause deterioration of one's mind and morals, or cause one's dark side to emerge. That's it. That must be it.
The noble side of Siegfried chastised him for using something to excuse his foul thoughts instead of accepting the blame himself, while the side of him that was worried for his mind took comfort and solace in finding a possible reason for his thoughts.
...I have no way of knowing whether it is or the curse or just me, so I suppose I shouldn't use the curse as a scapegoat...but it would explain a lot.
Siegfried realized that he had spent far too long in this room. It undoubtedly must have seemed heavily suspicious to Ivy and Tira. He placed one last blanket on the woman, and then placed his hand on her forehead. ...Good. Her temperature returning to normal. She will be all right.
He exited the room through the door Ivy and Tira had gone through, reaching an area that struck him as a dining room. Ivy was plopped down in a chair with her feet up on a table, as if she owned the very home she was sitting in. Tira was leaning up against a wall, looking down.
"...Well, you sure took your sweet time." Ivy muttered. She had uttered her words just loud enough for Siegfried to hear, but he pretended he didn't hear them. He turned to Tira.
"...Tira."
"...Yes, Master?"
"I want to...speak with you outside."
"...Alright."
Siegfried looked out of the corner of his eye in Ivy's direction. She was looking away from them, but she had a smirk on her face, as if she knew a hilarious joke, but was keeping it to herself. Siegfried ignored her, and he and Tira exited the smithy through the back entrance, entering into a small grassy area that would give them some privacy.
Tira leaned up against the side of the smithy, still looking away. Siegfried followed suit and leaned up against the side of the smithy beside her, hoping that it would be seen as a friendly gesture. If Tira thought so, she didn't show it.
Siegfried gathered his thoughts, and tried to think of what to say. "...Tira, what did you mean when you said-"
"I'm sorry!"
"...What...?"
Tira turned to Siegfried, and he could see tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.
"I know I've been a bad slave. I know I haven't been able to serve you very well. I've been trying - honestly, I have! ...But, there just haven't been many opportunities to show you how hard I've been trying!"
"...Tira..."
"I guess you've rejected me and have been using other women because I'm such a bad slave. ...But, if you used me more often, then maybe I could be a better slave. ...Not that I'm trying to say it's your fault! I'm not trying to say that! ...But...it would help so much if you used me more often. Please, Master...use me...give me more opportunities to serve you better..."
Siegfried smiled weakly. "...I see...Tira, I had no idea I was making you feel that way. I'm sorry. I wasn't upset with you, and I wasn't rejecting you. You've been a good companion, in many different ways. I'm sorry that I haven't been giving you enough attention, or providing you with enough opportunities to prove your worth. If it's any consolation, I think you've proved your worth many times over by now. Right now all I can do is tell you that I'm sorry, but I'll be more considerate of you in the future, Tira."
Tira looked up at Siegfried with her big purple eyes, which were sparkling from the tears that were almost seeping out of them. Her lower lip began to tremble slightly, and then she suddenly wrapped her arms around Siegfried and pressed herself close against him.
"...Th...thank you, Master..."
Siegfried smiled, and stroked the back of her head. "...You're welcome, Tira." The two of them enjoyed a moment in each other's arms, and, for a short while, it felt like they were the only two people who existed.
"...Well, I hate to break up such a charming little love fest..."
Siegfried and Tira jerked their heads in the direction of the voice.
"...But, our sleeping beauty has awakened." Ivy finished.
She slipped back into the smithy. After a few moments of feeling slightly awkward, Siegfried and Tira followed her.
The previously unconscious woman was sitting in one of the chairs at the dining table. She was still draped in the blankets Siegfried had wrapped her in - he guessed that she had chosen to investigate the matter of strangers in her house before searching for clothing. Her hair was still matted down from its previous wetness, and she looked somewhat sickly. …But that doesn't stop her from looking beautiful. Siegfried noted, with subsequent guilt at his thoughts.
"Who are you?" She asked them. It was the first time she had spoken out of a moment of danger, and Siegfried noticed for the first time how melodious her voice sounded. Why am I...paying so much attention to things like this?
"First, let me know your name." Siegfried said, wishing for something to address her by. At least, he tried to convince himself that this was the case, and that he did not simply wish to learn what this beauty's name was.
The woman seemed a bit annoyed by that question, as if she thought that she were the one who deserved to be receiving answers, but answered Siegfried's question nonetheless. "...My name is Sophitia Alexandra."
Siegfried felt a chill as the syllables of her name spilled forth from her lips. ...Sophitia. Her name is just as beautiful as she is.
Siegfried nodded. "I am Siegfried Schtauffen. This-" he gestured towards Tira, "is Tira, and this woman here is Isabella-"
"Ivy." Ivy said, injecting her preferred alias into Siegfried's sentence.
"...Valentine." Siegfried finished. "We are searching for a way to destroy Soul Edge. We came here wondering if there was a possibility that Hephaestus would be able to render some form of assistance to us."
"I see." The Sophitia said. She looked down slightly, obviously still bearing some shame from her actions at the shrine. "...I suppose it's my turn to explain myself now. Last night, I received an oracle from Hephaestus - he knew that you sought him, but feared that you might seek him for malevolent purposes. He sent me forth to test you."
"Test?" Ivy blurted out. "You call that a test? What does trying to kill someone have to do with finding out their intentions?"
"D-don't mock Hephaestus like that!" Sophitia shot back, flustered. "He must have had good reason to ask for the test that he did. His reasoning is probably beyond what we mortals can understand, anyway."
Ivy scoffed. "Well, if you ask me, this god of yours-"
"No one asked you, Ivy." Siegfried said slowly to Ivy in a stern and cold tone of voice. Ivy looked for a moment like she might go on talking just to spite Siegfried, but decided she'd rather get on with business.
"...I apologize for the trouble I've made you go through." Sophitia said. "I was afraid of defying my god by ceasing to test you, and I was worried for my children..."
Siegfried was thunderstruck. ...Children. She's a mother. That means that there must be a father...there was a man who...That's right. She mentioned something about her children before she fainted at the shrine. How could I have forgotten? ...I can't believe that a man...
"...Is something wrong?"
Siegfried realized that his disappointment must have shown on his face. "...No. I was merely curious - why were you worried for your children?"
"Hephaestus told me that...they are potential hosts for Soul Edge."
"Why is that?"
A sad smile formed on Sophitia's face. "So far, only four people have believed the story. No one else does...so it's a story I don't often tell."
"If it involves Soul Edge, then I must ask...no. If it would bother you, then you don't have to tell us." Siegfried realized that it was his attraction to the woman that had made him change his mind and tell her not to do something that would bother her. It's getting in the way now. I can't let this keep happening.
"...It's...all right. I'll tell you." Sophitia said, putting some of Siegfried's concern to rest. "...A few years ago, Hephaestus sent me on a journey to destroy Soul Edge. He sent other warriors, as well, but none of them reached their goal...but me. I encountered Cervantes in Valencia, and aboard his ship the Adrian, we fought. I managed to destroy one of the blades of Soul Edge."
"You what?" Siegfried and Ivy leaned forward in shock. Since their lives were so deeply intertwined with Soul Edge, meeting someone who had been influential in the events of their lives intrigued them greatly. Even Tira was surprised to learn whom she was standing a few feet away from.
"So...you...believe me, then?" Sophitia asked, almost as surprised as they were. Enjoying having an audience that believed her, she continued. "...When I shattered one of the blades, some of the fragments of it became embedded in my body."
...So, those scars were from Soul Edge...Siegfried realized.
"...The fragments poisoned my body with Soul Edge's evil. When I gave birth to my children, they were infected, as well. I have known that this gives Soul Edge a hold over them, but recently I learned that this also makes them potential hosts for Soul Edge. It was my concern for them that caused me to fight for longer than I needed to."
"...But what happened to Cervantes? Did you kill him?" Ivy asked, suddenly seeming much more interested in Sophitia and her story.
"No. I didn't. It was..." She was silent for a moment. Then, she looked down. "...I don't even know her name..."
"...Whose name?"
"The name of the woman who came to my rescue, defeated Cervantes, and carried me home. I have no idea who she was, or where she is now. All I remember about her was that she was an Asian woman clad in a red bodysuit."
"What...!"
This sudden expression of surprise from Ivy surprised the others. Ivy's eyes were darting back and forth, as if she was desperately trying to see something clearly, but could not.
An Asian woman in a red bodysuit...could it be...her? The same one who told me that she once fought Cervantes, and that I was his daughter? It must be the same woman...!
"Ivy? What is it?"
"...Nothing that you need to know about."
"Do you know the Asian woman that-"
"Maybe. I don't know." Ivy snapped, interrupting Sophitia. "I don't really want to talk about it. ...Go on."
Sophitia seemed bothered, but continued speaking. "Well, that's really all I have to say. Although I am sure that we will have many questions for one another, and many things to share. Please forgive my current appearance, and again, please forgive me for the fight at the shrine."
"It is of no consequence. Do not worry about it." Siegfried said.
They heard the sound of a door opening, and then a man's voice.
"That's odd, I thought I fixed this lock."
"Ah! Rothion is home." Sophitia said. A delighted look formed on her face, and happiness seemed to emanate from her.
...I am willing to bet that this 'Rothion' is her lover...Siegfried thought.
"Was my family home when you arrived?" Sophitia asked.
"No; the house was empty."
"I see. They must have been out shopping, or something along those lines. Please forgive me; I might need to spend a bit of time with them explaining where I was last night, and who you are."
"It's alright."
The door to the dining room opened, and a man stepped through. He had short, dark hair, and brown eyes. He was powerfully built, but not overly muscular, and his skin was tanned - most likely results of working over a forge many hours a day. He was clad in simple clothing. He seemed like an even-tempered man, as he was registering only surprise and not anger at the strangers in his home and his wife's odd state of dress.
"...Sophitia." He said, unnerved but calm. "Who are...these people?"
"Don't worry, Rothion. They're not here to harm us. They're here seeking help from Hephaestus."
"I see. ...But, why are you...?"
"There was a...misunderstanding, and I nearly drowned, but this man saved me." She said, gesturing at Siegfried.
Rothion looked at Siegfried, and an odd look slowly formed on his face. Siegfried knew exactly what the man was thinking. She nearly drowned, now she's wearing blankets, she must have had her clothing removed, which means...
...You saw my wife naked.
Rothion quickly looked away, not wanting to dwell too long on this unpleasant thought.
"Sophie!" Called out another voice. Siegfried realized that Rothion was not the only one to have returned home. She stepped out now, and Siegfried saw her. She looked somewhat similar to Sophitia, but with shorter hair and a more youthful, lively appearance. She seemed like the type that was always bubbling over with energy.
She dashed past Rothion, weaved around Siegfried and Ivy, and wrapped her arms around Sophitia.
"Sophie! I was worried when you didn't come back last night. I heard that some boys were going up to the temple and causing trouble. I was afraid that they..."
"Oh, Cassie, don't worry. You know I can defend myself. And besides...after last night, I don't think they'll be going back there anymore!"
The two of them shared a laugh together, and then Siegfried heard yet more voices from behind Rothion.
"Mommy!"
Two children ran into the room now, one a little boy, and one a little girl. Not expecting to see strangers, they were surprised when they nearly crashed into a tall, imposing woman standing in their dining room. They looked up at Ivy in fear, and she looked down at them with distaste.
"...Boo." Ivy said to them.
The children squealed and went running to the arms of their mother. "Mommy, who are these people? They look scary." The girl said.
"Don't worry, dear. They're friends. They're here to see Hephaestus." Sophitia said, speaking in the gentle tone of voice that one uses to simplify things for a child.
"They probably won't get to talk to him. He doesn't even talk to you anymore." Said the boy.
"Patroklos, you shouldn't say such discouraging things. And, besides, I happened to speak to Hephaestus just last night."
"Really? What did he say?"
"He told me to wait at the Shrine for these people."
"Oh, so that's where you were last night!"
"We missed you, mom! We thought you might have left again!"
"You're not gonna leave again, right, mom?"
At these questions, Sophitia's eyes went to Rothion's. They both shared a gaze that Siegfried could not interpret, and then Sophitia turned back to her son.
"...I've told you, I can't promise that I won't leave again."
Rothion looked away. The action did not seem particularly angry, but Siegfried sensed that the man was harboring anger for some reason or other. If she were my wife, I would not be happy if she left, either.
"Why do you look like you just took a bath?"
"I fell into the water at the temple. Patroklos, Pyrrha, I really should be paying more attention to our guests. Run along and play now, alright?"
"Okay!"
The two children let go of their mother, took one last fleeting glance at the odd-looking strangers in their house, and then ran off, whispering to one another and giggling.
Siegfried was uneasy. The Sophitia he was seeing now was so much different than the one he had fought at the temple and had taken out of wet clothing. This Sophitia was a wife, a sister, a mother. A family woman, who considers her husband's thoughts, has a nickname for her sister, and explains things to her children in simple terms. This didn't seem at all the same woman who had been lying on a bed naked a few minutes ago. This woman is a person with a family and a personality. And when she was laid before me, I looked at her and thought about her like she was an object for my pleasure. Siegfried felt sick. He nearly felt like he was going to throw up.
...What a horrible man I am.
"So, are we going to be getting to Hephaestus anytime soon?" Ivy asked, irritation discernable in her voice. Siegfried wondered if Ivy had been annoyed by the sight of Sophitia's family, since she hadn't had the luxury of a happy childhood.
"I'm sorry." Sophitia said. "I thought we would talk a bit more, first, but if you really are in a rush..."
"I think we have some time to spare." Siegfried said.
" 'Every moment we spend idle is a moment that danger approaches us'. " Ivy said, mimicking Siegfried's voice.
"That's enough, Ivy." Siegfried said to her in the tone he reserved only for the moments when she was being the most troublesome. Ivy looked like she might lash her snake sword at Siegfried for speaking to her like an unruly child, but once again chose to remain silent.
"...How are you feeling, Sophitia?" Siegfried asked. "You were in bad shape earlier. I did all I could for your condition, but I don't know how much I've helped you."
"I'm sure that I would be a lot worse off if you hadn't helped. I'm feeling weak, though...I don't think I could make the trip to Hephaestus' temple in my current state."
"I see." Siegfried said. A quick glance out the window showed that the sun was setting. "We can wait a little longer. You can recover tonight, and we shall see Hephaestus tomorrow."
Sophitia nodded. "Thank you for your patience."
"It's nothing."
An awkward silence fell over the room. It was broken by the sound of Tira's stomach growling.
"Oh, are you hungry?" Sophitia asked. "I will prepare dinner."
---
Siegfried, Tira, Ivy, Sophitia, Cassandra, and Rothion were seated at the dinner table, but this time, there was much less tension, and they were eating a meal. Sophitia, whom had now changed into more appropriate clothing, and Cassandra had baked a quick dinner, much of which involved the usage of bread. Patroklos and Pyrrha were eating separately, as subjects not for their ears were likely to come up during dinner discussion.
Sophitia began the discussion by telling Siegfried, Tira, and Ivy more about herself and her past journeys. They had all been to many of the same places and fought many of the same opponents, and having these things in common gave them much to talk about. For example, Sophitia had once encountered 'Rock', the enormous man whom Tira had defeated at the Arena. Sophitia was responsible for helping the man reach a revelation that adjusted his life's course. It was this coincidence and many others that the group took pleasure in talking about. When Sophitia had told them everything relevant about herself, she decided to ask them to do the same.
"So, Siegfried." She began. "Would you like to tell us more about yourself?"
Siegfried was both prepared and unprepared for that question. He knew that it was going to come up, and that there were some details about himself that would need to be revealed, but was not anxious at all to talk about it.
"...It's...a story difficult for me to tell..." He began.
"Oh, that's all right. If you don't want to-"
"No." Siegfried interrupted. "...I think you should know."
He folded his hands together, and looked at them in concentration. Finally, when he had found the best way to explain himself, he spoke.
"...I was also in Valencia and aboard the Adrian on that day that you were." He began. "Although, I arrived what must have been shortly after you left. When I arrived, I found the corpse of Cervantes. It...reanimated, somehow."
"Cervantes was not defeated?"
"I'm not sure myself. Perhaps Cervantes was defeated, but came back. Whatever the case was, I defeated him. Afterwards, I...I was seduced by Soul Edge, and became a host for it."
"A host! The only hosts I've heard of in recent years were Cervantes and the Azure Knight."
Siegfried slowly nodded. Sophitia's eyes widened as she realized that he was implying.
"...You were..."
"Yes. I was the Azure Knight."
Sophitia, Cassandra, and Rothion all registered shock at this surprising and disturbing news. Tira and Ivy had both known it for a long time now, but reminders of it came infrequently, and it was almost equally disturbing for them to think of Siegfried as his devastating past form.
Siegfried relayed, in abbreviated form, his ordeal as the Azure Knight, highlighting the important moments, and elaborating on his quest for redemption. His air of dignity and inner pain did most of the talking for him on the last subject.
Although all parties sitting at the table were interested in hearing Siegfried's story, even if they'd heard the majority of it before, Sophitia was the most interested. Her 'job' at one point had been to seek those corrupted by Soul Edge and stop them, after all. Not only that, but she was very interested in learning what life was like as a host of Soul Edge, that being a potential fate for her own children.
"...That's such a moving tale, Sir Siegfried." Sophitia said. "I never thought I would meet someone more touched by Soul Edge than myself. I wish you the best of luck on your quest for redemption. You will be in my prayers."
"Thank you."
"And, whom else do I have the pleasure of sitting with? ...You, Miss Ivy? What's your story?"
Ivy had been the least interested in anything that anyone had to say thus far, most of the time not even looking in the same direction as the rest of the group. At Sophitia's words, she slowly rolled her head in her direction, and spoke.
"If you're expecting me to tell you the story of my life, sorry. I don't feel like it, and most of it is private. Let's just say I have several very good reasons for destroying Soul Edge, and leave it at that." With this, she turned away again.
"...I see. I will respect your wishes for privacy, miss." Sophitia said, choosing to return Ivy's coldness with politeness and formality.
"No formal titles, please."
"...As you wish, Ivy. ...And, what about you, Miss Tira?"
Tira glanced at Siegfried, as if to ask permission to respond to someone who was addressing her. When Siegfried didn't return her glance with one that was especially significant, she replied.
"I am Master's slave!"
Sophitia stared at Tira, blinked a few times, and then turned to Siegfried, hoping for a better explanation.
"Her...'title', I suppose, is my servant. However, I prefer to think of her as a traveling companion."
Tira seemed hurt by Siegfried's words. He noticed this, leaned towards her, and whispered into her ear.
"...That's because you're more to me than just a servant."
The blush that came to Tira's cheeks was her response.
Sophitia raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. "We spent such a long time talking. It's gotten very late, hasn't it? Perhaps we should rest for our trip tomorrow." The others nodded in agreement. "I'm afraid our house isn't big enough to accommodate all of you. There is an inn nearby that you can stay at, however."
"That will do."
Sophitia rose, and the rest of the group did, as well. "You're all such interesting people. It was wonderful getting to know you all better. I hope you enjoyed it, too."