Arielle strolled through the olive grove quietly, twirling a long blade of grass in her fingers. The latest revelation about herself was never far from her mind. She had spent hours talking to Eden about her guardianship, its benefits and dangers and Eden really did all she could to teach her everything she knew about it as quickly as possible. What Arielle saw as a wondrous adventure, Eden saw as a potential threat and burden. Eden wanted Arielle to be prepared for the dangers she might face though she hoped with a somber heart that the bard would never be challenged. And Eden would do her damnedest to make sure of that.

"Are you scared?" a soft voice asked and Arielle turned to see her guardian angel gazing at her.

"I... I don't know..." the bard admitted quietly.

"It's a great weight to carry." the angel acknowledged sympathetically.

"I just... I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." Arielle admitted a little shamefully, "I'm not a warrior like Eden is... and I don't want to fight."

"Neither do I." the angel replied calmly, "Being a guardian doesn't mean you have to pick up a sword."

"Then what do I do if I don't fight?"

"There is more than one way to fight." the angel observed, "Use your strengths."

"Do I even have any?" Arielle blurted out doubtfully, "I don't know if I can do this... I'm just some young maiden from Avignon who knows very little of the world. What could I possibly change or do?"

"You've already done more than you know." the angel answered, the words bringing back flashes of memories Arielle still didn't understand.

"I'm... scared..." Arielle realized.

"Focus on something other than your fear."

"Like what?"

"You'll know." the angel replied shortly and with a smile, "Now that you know what you are, you must learn who you are."

"But don't I already know?"

"You are a human, you are a guardian. What you are gives you a sense of existence. Who you are gives you a sense of belonging and purpose."

The angel placed her hand gently on the bard's shoulder as Arielle bit her lower lip slightly, furrowed her brows, and pondered over the words, feeling the calm in the angel's touch. There were so many questions running through her head, but she didn't ask a single one. She was excited and proud to be something more than she always thought she was. But she was also full of doubt and afraid that she would disappoint those close to her. The angel, sensing her struggle, gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and took a step back.

"I know that guardian angels have names." the bard added quickly when she saw the blond angel turning to leave, "May I ask what is yours?"

The angel considered the question in a respectful gravity and Arielle began to think that she might have overstepped some invisible boundary until the angel presented her with her warm smile.

"My name is Gabrielle."

Arielle walked back to find Eden standing at the edge of the grove.

"I had a feeling I might find you here." the warrior said.

The bard stopped for a moment, their gazes locked, and she drank the moment in. She remembered a time not all that long ago when the warrior would have been standing there with a menacing look on her face, dreading the thought of being touched or spoken to and Arielle would have been just short of trembling in fear. But they had both changed. The warrior's ever present anger had simmered away somewhere just beneath the surface, leaving a very somber expression behind. And their gazes didn't intimidate each other, but rather clasped like two hands refusing to ever let go. It was a cause of wonder for the bard who felt like it was only a week ago that she had met Eden. And she began to realize that sometimes it really was enough for someone to simply enter one's life to change it in so many ways. But that someone couldn't be just anyone.

Arielle approached Eden with an easiness she had never thought she would find near the warrior. Eden still daunted her sometimes, but now it was more of an awe of her skill and feral energy than a fear that the warrior would lop her head off in a temper. Yet there was still one fear that remained firmly grounded deep with the blond- the fear Eden would finally just leave her behind one day. The bard wondered over it. She had never felt this attached to anyone since attachment was not something cultivated within her family. She could only remember one figure that she thought about for more of her young days than she could count. It was the knight who would ride up one day, stand outside her window, and then whisk her away, far away from all the reserve, embarrassment, and disappointment her family felt for her and she would finally see the world and feel the love that her heart ached for. And though that dream never came true, she still found the longing returning to her every once in a while and she would wonder whether the knight she had always prayed for would still rescue her in the end.

"Is everything all right?" the warrior asked, tearing the bard from her thoughts.

"Yes, everything's fine. I just came here to be by myself and think a little," the blond replied with a small, but warm smile, "but I'm glad you found me. I could do with the company."

Eden emanated a kind of sedated fury, but Arielle seemed to pull the care and protection from it and wrap it securely around herself like a suit of armor. She smiled at the waiting warrior and her nose now picked up a fragrant smell that seemed to hover around the dark haired woman. Arielle looked at her with an impish grin and a question in her eyes and Eden smiled back at her, bringing her hands out from in back of her.

"For you." she said simply.

Arielle watched nearly enchanted as Eden placed a flower garland on the bard's head like a crown.

"Did you make it?" the blond asked, which was answered with a single, slightly shy nod.

"It suits you." Eden remarked, taking a step back to admire the sight.

The bard touched the crown of flowers on her head and felt so strangely chosen and special that she was nearly moved to tears. She looked up at the warrior with misty eyes.

"What is it?" Eden asked, wondering what had suddenly made her sad, "Didn't you wear these as a child?"

"No."

The warrior was sometimes stunned at how different and yet starkly similar their youth had been. Eden noticed that she was sometimes so focused on her own pain and injustice that she forgot that she was not the only person hurting in the world or treated unfairly.

"Neither did I." Eden admitted and it somehow made the bard feel better.

There, in that moment, Arielle suddenly realized something. If the woman who fought the greatest evils of the world as God's chosen and one of the most despised humans in Christendom could have the patience and gentleness to weave her a garland for no real reason at all, then Arielle thought anything was possible. It was enough to try, to want to, to do.

"Do you have any plans?" the warrior inquired and when the bard slowly shook her head, she added, "I thought that maybe you'd like to go swimming. It's a nice day today and Arion could use the exercise." Eden explained and when she saw Arielle take a breath, she added, "Xanthus isn't ready for a trip yet."

The bard frowned slightly. Aldric searched for Arielle's horse and had finally found him the day after the bard learned she was a guardian. Xanthus was half starved and so dirty he was nearly black, but the two women rushed to his immediate aid and he was starting to look better as he regained his health in the Hospitaller stables.

"I'd love to go swimming," Arielle answered with an embarrassed smile, "but I was on my way to the tavern. I'm a little hungry."

"Well, that's surprising." the warrior teased and then bowed theatrically and handed her a pouch of dried fruits.

Arielle munched on the fruits happily seated behind Eden as they trotted to a nice place Eden had remembered that morning. They reached a spot where a nearby river was cupped by large boulders and formed a gently murmuring pool. The two women stripped down to their undergarments and Eden jumped in while Arielle made a much more hesitant and less adventurous entrance. The water was cool, clear, and refreshing. They swam around in the pool until they had both grown tired and decided to sit on the large stones to dry. As they moved towards the stones, the bard's attention was caught by the water droplets on the warrior's skin glinting in the bright light of the sun. Her eyes slowly moved across the warrior's collarbone to her shoulder where the scar from the poisoned arrow was.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, approaching the warrior while keeping her eyes on the markings.

"No."

"What a strange scar..." the bard remarked a little absently.

"It's yours." Eden noted cautiously and caught the bard's eyes as they shot up at her.

"I did that?" the bard asked in wonder.

Eden nodded silently as the blond ran her fingers delicately over the markings.

"How?..."

"It's... your gift."

Arielle bit her lower lip in thought. She wanted to ask how she did it exactly, how she knew, and why her. She felt the weight of the responsibility slowly settling on her shoulders. She struggled with who she was now. Was she a guardian and no one else? Was she a true guardian at all? She looked up at Eden. Who am I now to her? Can I protect her? Can I help her or will I just be a burden? Will I be able to save her? The last thought made her shudder a little.

"No more worrying." Eden said gently, seeing the bard's trepidation and putting her hands on her shoulders, "Today we enjoy ourselves."

While they were sunning themselves, Arielle told Eden that Lawrence had suggested that she see a special physician to check on her after everything that had happened. Eden listened, but said nothing.

"I was wondering... would... would you go with me?... If it's not a problem." Arielle stammered out, unsure of herself as always.

"Of course." the warrior replied before she even had a chance to think about.

Arielle smiled brightly at the warrior.

Eden walked into the physician's quarters with a look that didn't disguise her annoyance that they had to be there at all. The warrior was slightly caught by surprise to find a red-headed woman standing there, but then shrugged minutely to herself and waited in the middle of the room for Arielle to be poked and prodded by a supposed pompous, religious academic.

"Hello," the woman physician said warmly, extending her hand to the bard, "my name in Constance. I've heard a lot about you and I'm glad we could finally meet."

"Hello," Arielle returned and then motioned towards the warrior, "this is my friend Eden. I asked her to come with me."

"Yes, I know." the physician replied more somberly, "I've heard even more about you."

"Hello." was all the gruff guardian said, taking the hand and giving it a firm, short shake.

"Is she to stay here the whole time? I'll be examining you and asking different questions." Constance asked the bard a little uneasily and received a single, firm nod, "As you wish."

The woman physician had heard enough about Eden to be both scared and interested at the same time. She could almost feel Eden's eyes burning holes into her as she motioned for Arielle to sit on the prepared table.

Constance began to examine Arielle's head and neck with her hands and the bard realized she felt much more at ease than she thought she would. She noticed the strange mix of gentleness and concern that came from the physician. Arielle could sense that everything Constance did was done with focus and in a geniune desire to help and mend. That coupled with what seemed to be the physician's general good, warm nature caught the bard's attention. From the corner of the room, Eden felt the same thing, but it only made her more watchful. The warrior was always extremely wary of those who were friendly for no obvious reason. It was one reason that Eden sometimes thought Arielle might just be going through some phase and that when the bard would finally see Eden for what she was she would go screaming off into the hills. It was easier to have everyone scared of her and keep their distance than to let people in, even if just a little, and then watch them turn their back. Nevertheless, the warrior relaxed in Constance's calm aura despite her better judgment.

"Take your tunic off and lie down please."

Arielle complied a little shyly and Eden averted her eyes. The physician leaned down and put her ear to Arielle's chest to listen to her heart.

"That is such a beautiful sound." Constance remarked somewhat absently as she listened to the bard's heartbeat, "You must be very powerful, guardian."

Constance couldn't say anything more since her wrists were caught in the warrior's firm grip and an icy stare bore into her light brown eyes. Arielle shot up and pulled her tunic back on, gazing at the woman with confusion. The woman held her breath for a moment, finally experiencing in full the fear of Eden that some part of her held.

"Who are you and what do you know about her?" Eden demanded, ready to break both the woman's arms.

"Stay calm... I know you're both guardians... I'm a friend..." Constance paced her words, pushing them through her tight throat.

"Lawrence didn't say anything about you."

"That's because I'm not really here... Few know of me..."

"I suggest you start speaking with sense." Eden warned, tightening her grip.

"Please calm down..."

"Who are you?!" Eden shouted.

"Please be quiet... No one can know I'm here..." Constance implored, her fear of being found or being killed by Eden beginning to make her shake.

"Speak!" Eden ordered, shaking the physician hard once.

"I am an umbra..." the woman whimpered.

Eden's eyes grew large and her instincts took over. She launched herself across the room, the physician still firmly in her grip, and slammed the woman against the stone wall. Constance cried out in pain, but was cut short as Eden clenched one hand around her throat.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" Eden growled in her face.

"Nothing... I'm not an enemy... I just wanted to help..." Constance choked out.

"Umbras aren't saintly types so tell me what you want before I snap your head off your body." Eden threatened, squeezing her hand.

"Eden..." Arielle tried to interject weakly, walking over slowly and standing behind the warrior, but keeping her eyes on the physician.

"Please... don't kill me... I have children..."

"What?!" Eden shouted, caught off guard by the statement and not sure whether she was playing a trick on her.

"I have two little girls..." Constance whispered with the last of the air she had left as her vision began to grow dark, "Please..."

"Eden, it's alright." the bard now soothed, one hand on the warrior's shoulder and the other on her arm, "She hasn't done any harm. You'll kill her... Let her go..."

The woman's eyes had nearly rolled back into her head when Eden sighed impatiently and finally let her go. Constance fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes and the sound of a desperate gasp of air filled the room. But Eden couldn't take any chances and took her dagger out, crouched down next to the gasping woman, and placed it right under her chin.

"Now you better make your life story quick because I'm very impatient." Eden growled.

"My husband was a watcher,... but he was one of the desideri..." Constance explained hurriedly, gasping for air and massaging her throat, "We had two daughters... I live just outside Jerusalem..."

"Where's your husband?"

"Dead."

"And what are you doing here? You should be dead too."

"I should be..." Constance acknowledged solemnly, her breathing calmer now, "I work here, helping the guardians since I know much about the watchers and dark practices... This was Lawrence's idea..."

"I'll have to thank him."

"Please, this is the only thing I can do without drawing too much attention to myself or my children. You should understand..."

"What do you know of me?" Eden hissed, pushing the dagger up far enough to almost draw blood and Constance saw her rage return as lightning crashed wildly in the warrior's eyes.

"You know what it's like to have a judgment follow you, no matter what you do and who you really are." Constance replied, squeezing her eyes shut and fully expecting to have the dagger driven into her brain.

Instead, she felt the blade being retracted and when she heard a step being taken back, she opened her eyes slowly. Eden was holding the dagger at her side and leaning against the examining table with the bard standing next to her with one hand on the warrior's arm.

"Eden, why does this woman call herself a shadow?" the bard asked quietly.

"Umbra are those who chose lives with watchers. Sharing your heart with a watcher causes you to know their darkness and ways and it swallows some of your light." she explained to the bard and then turned to Constance, "It's custom that if a watcher dies, so does his entire family... so that the darkness doesn't spread."

Constance nodded at the words and again began to fear for her life. She saw that the warrior would have little trouble with carrying out the custom.

"Even if it swallows some of the light, it doesn't mean that it's all gone." the bard noted, looking at the warrior with gentle knowing, "The dark doesn't have to be in control."

Eden didn't know whether to be angry at being argued with or full of admiration at the bard's reason. She sighed and pushed herself lightly off the table and the bard knew that the warrior had relented and so she turned her attention to the woman.

"There's a reason Lawrence sent me here. Tell me what I need to know." Arielle said, crossing her arms over her chest while Eden kept her icy stare pinned to the nervous woman.

"I first... I need to... May I see something on Eden?" the physician stammered.

As Constance approached the warrior, she could feel the dark energy emanating from her. It made her tremble because she could also sense that that energy was being kept at bay more through the bard's presence than the warrior's own will. She pointed to the warrior's shoulder and Eden reluctantly showed it to her.

"You're completely free of the demon's blood. Some always remains, but you have none." Constance noted, looking closely.

"How do you know?" the bard asked.

"The markings." Constance replied, pointing to Eden's shoulder. "Only a guardian protector can do that..."

"Who?" the bard asked in surprise and Constance took a step towards the bard as she took a breath to explain.

"Stay away from her." Eden growled in a low tone that made the physician freeze.

"You don't trust me. I understand." Constance acknowledged, "But know that even if I wanted to do something to her, you would probably know about it faster than I could act."

Arielle looked at the physician slightly puzzled and Constance noticed it.

"Your bond would tell you. It's very strong, the strongest I've ever seen." she said to the two women.

"How do you know?"

"I can simply feel it between you. That shows you how strong it is."

"What is this bond?" Arielle asked further.

"You can feel each other's emotions: sadness, joy, worry... You'll be able to sense her presence and feel her pain, both physical and mental... It works like a link between both your souls."

"What did this to us?" Eden suddenly blurted out quietly, mostly to herself.

"Did this? You act like it's a punishment. Do you know how rare bonds are? And one this strong? I've only read about it once-"

"I know the story." Eden interrupted.

Constance fell silent and Eden decided that that was more than enough for one day. She motioned for the bard to follow her and they both began to leave, keeping a cautious distance between themselves and the physician.

"Eden," Constance said, waiting until the warrior turned to face her at the door, "thank you... for sparing my life. You're not the Black Watcher after all."

Eden threw her a feral stare and stormed out of the room, leaving the door open behind her. Arielle glared at the physician in amazement.

"What did you call her?"

"There's a legend," Constance explained quickly, seeing the bard's friendliness suddenly disappear, "that there is a watcher more powerful than any other- the Black Watcher. Over the years, some thought it was Eden after all she had done... Guardians, watchers, everyone fears her..."

An anger boiled right underneath the blond's skin. She wanted to shout at the physician, asking her if she was completely blind to the woman who had just left. Yet then a small voice in her head asked her if she wasn't the blind one. Constance heard the stories and knew the signs and came to an opinion. Is my judgment blinded by my heart? But the memories of all Eden had done in blind faith came flooding back to the rescue. She looked at the physician sternly.

"Don't ever call her that again." she said protectively.

The blond turned on her heel quickly and left, leaving Constance to slump down into her chair and cry out her fear and thanks.

"I'll venture a guess that you also knew about everything before I did." Arielle mentioned as she walked into the small room where Lawrence was waiting for her.

"I'm a seer. I can't help it." Lawrence admitted, "Eden wasn't very happy with the idea of telling you."

"Yes, I know." she replied, sitting down across from the knight.

"So, you wanted to learn about demons and the mind." he started, looking at her with his usual warm eyes, "I could tell you all the stories, but I assume you've read several in those books you found. So I think we should put theory into practice."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'm going to try to break into your mind, create havoc. I want you to block me out." he stated.

"I don't know how." she replied with a little apprehension.

"Half of it is instinctive. The other half is knowing what the demon is going to go after." the Hospitaller explained, leaning forward a little.

"Alright."

He watched her shift in her chair and try to get comfortable in an attempt to erase her unease and nervousness. He admired her. Despite the tension that could clearly be seen on the surface, she remained there determined to learn something that might save her life or her friends' lives someday and he was proud of her bravery.

"Now remember, demons usually do one of two things: they either find your bad memories and pain and make you relive it or they find your good memories and joy and try to manipulate it into something ugly. In both instances, they want to hurt you, create chaos, and even drive you mad." Lawrence explained calmly, "But remember that the emotions and memories are yours and in your head and you are their keeper. Retain control over your mind and you'll be fine. Are you ready?"

Arielle gave a single, firm nod. Lawrence gave her a final smile as if to apologize for any pain he might cause her. He then began to try to take control of her. Entering her mind was quite simple and once he did, Arielle had a sense that there was some force in her mind that wasn't normally there. She tried to track it, somehow find it, grab it, and throw it out, but she was roaming around more like a child in the fog than a skilled tracker. Lawrence evaded her time and time again and searched for some bad memories to stir up. He practically collided with a large fear that filled the bard's mind and used it, knowing that it would be a rough start, but also knowing that the bard was a quick learner and tough woman.

The moment he latched onto her fear, the blond felt it and her breathing began to quicken along with her heart. He pulled the fear out into the forefront of her mind and it began to fill her head, being the only thing she could think about. And as it filled her mind, it began to seem real, like it was happening.

"No." Arielle whispered.

"Fight me." Lawrence said.

Arielle tried to fight the image, but it was too strong for her.

"Please, no." she whispered, growing pale and shutting her eyes hard.

Lawrence didn't relent, but continued further, taking the fear and reenacting it in front of her mind's eye. It seemed so real to the bard that she could now hardly breathe. A chill ran down all her body and her muscles wanted to spasm in a refusal to believe. Her heart raced and her lungs tried to keep up. Her hands balled into fists and the hair on her forehead grew damp as the bard tried to get the knight out of her head. But Lawrence was much too strong and she had little idea of what she was doing.

"Oh, God, not this. Anything but this. This can't be!" Arielle cried out.

"None of this is real. I'm trying to manipulate what you see. Find the truth and hold on to that. Have faith in it." Lawrence instructed, seeing clearly that the bard was losing this battle very quickly.

But Arielle was shaking already. She saw Eden's beaten, bloody body being dragged like a rag doll out of a dungeon behind a chuckling Dorian, blood dripping from his hands and mouth.

'Eden's dead, my little flower, and you're the one who killed her.' Dorian hissed in her mind.

"No! No!" Arielle cried out at the image.

"Arielle, fight it!" the knight commanded.

The bard watched as the guardian warrior's body was tied roughly to a pole and then bandits and demons from all over suddenly appeared and approached it with swords ready. Paimon was there, along with Azazel, Karas, and the Turk who had attacked Arielle. They neared the warrior's body with feral grins and began to hack and slash at it, defiling it in every way possible as Arielle looked on. The sounds filled her ears and burned in her mind, the words 'you did this' being louder than anything else.

"Make it stop! Oh, God, Eden, please! Don't leave me!" Arielle screamed.

"Arielle, fight this!" Lawrence shouted when an idea entered his head, "Save her! Protect her!"

A sudden flash of light appeared in the bard's mind, forcing the images around Eden's tattered body to move back and Lawrence felt its force in his own mind.

"Be gone." Arielle said as steadily as she could, "Eden isn't dead. Eden isn't gone. This isn't real."

The images left Eden alone, her remains scattered around, but they didn't leave.

"Go." she commanded with a shaking voice.

'Let's make her watch as we throw Eden to the dogs.' Karas hissed.

The images turned towards the bard, licking their bloodied lips and readying their swords and she could feel her heart quickening to the point where she could hardly count the individual beats.

"You can't have her!" Arielle screamed.

A another flash appeared, but this one was more controlled, stronger, and lasted longer, burning the images away and forcing Lawrence to finally retreat from her mind. The flash faded and Arielle slumped down and fell to the ground in utter exhaustion.

"Arielle!" Lawrence cried out and rushed to her side.

He fell to his knees and pulled the bard up a little, embracing her trembling form.

"What... was... that?" she whispered out, trying to get her heart and breathing under control, clutching Lawrence's arm with a fierce grip.

"It was the power you have." Lawrence answered gently, stroking her hair in a soothing motion, "You'll learn to control it with time."

"You... You found... my dark dreams..." the bard admitted, trying to get the searing pain out of her mind.

"I know... But you forced me out... You did very well..." Lawrence said, "I can feel how much those memories haunt you still..."

"Please don't tell her." Arielle rasped out.

"I won't." Lawrence soothed.

The bard rested her head against his chest and, unbeknown to the bard, he entered her mind again and helped soothe it, washing away the black singe marks the images had left with peace. He relaxed as the bard's trembling faded, her breathing returned to normal, and her grip loosened. And somewhere outside of that room, Eden felt a strange, painful clenching in her chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Eden shouted as she barged into Lawrence's room.

"Choosing clothes actually. Why?" Lawrence answered.

"What is wrong with you? An umbra?"

"Listen, Eden, I know that I didn't tell you-" he started to explain.

"You could have gotten her killed!"

"Are you crazy?" Lawrence shouted back, offended. "I know you love your 'me against the world' attitude, but she's my friend too. I'd never put either of you in danger."

Eden clamped her jaw and glared at him. They both knew he was right and that Eden was mostly angry for being caught off guard.

"Why is she even here? Her husband is dead." Eden asked annoyed.

"Her husband was lynched by a mob."

"There was no white trial?"

"No."

Eden went quiet. Watchers died either through some natural form or by a white trial. It sometimes sickened Eden to think how more just guardians were toward watchers than humans towards their fellow man. There were rules, justice, and honor and death by a hysterical mob of villagers didn't contain any of these. And if Constance's husband really was one of those who had repented, then it just made his death worse. Eden understood why Lawrence had helped her and sighed at the predicament. How little it takes to make a grand mess of things.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Lawrence offered with a smile as a peace offering.

"And I'm sorry you don't look good in brown."

Lawrence laughed and automatically tossed the said tunic to the side.

"How did it go with Arielle?" Eden asked quietly.

"Surprisingly well." the knight admitted.

"I... I felt a strange pain then... I thought... It might be..." Eden stuttered.

"Yes... I drew from a great fear from the beginning, but she stood her ground and actually forced me to retreat from her thoughts." he explained with admiration for the bard.

"It was her pain I felt, wasn't it?" Eden asked in a tone that betrayed that she didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.

"Your connection is uncanny." Lawrence observed, "It's much stronger than ours."

Eden retreated for a moment into her age old debate of the weight of guardianship and her newly forming habit of worrying about the bard. She knew she could go on for days about how the bard wasn't ready for it, that it was too much to place on those fragile shoulders, that none of this was fair to her. The warrior let out a deep breath. She already wasted time wishing the fact away before Arielle finally found out and it hadn't helped any. So the warrior simply resolved to stay by the blond's side until Eden was either finally killed or Arielle found someone else to take care of her. At least that was how simple it seemed in Eden's head.

"Eden, I've been meaning to ask you something." Lawrence mentioned, breaking her from her thoughts, "That strange feeling you had on the way to Mirabel... Does it still follow you around?"

"Yes..." Eden admitted with a few small nods, "It's like there's something lurking in the shadows, but I can't see it. It makes me fear for Arielle more than for myself... As if something is after her..."

"Dorian?"

"I don't know..."

The fact that Eden didn't know bothered her. It felt like someone had the advantage over her, a feeling she really hated. Dorian was the obvious source of her uneasiness, but the warrior wasn't sure if he was both clever and dangerous enough to evoke it in her. There was evil everywhere and a whole number of things could be triggering her senses. Some threats she could easily take care of, some threats she didn't even want to think about.

Later, the Hospitaller announced that they had organized a small celebration for the bard on her discovering her guardianship. All guardians and friends had been invited.

"It's going to look like the festival we had near the end of the summer harvest when we were kids." Lawrence said enthusiastically.

"Oh no." the warrior muttered as she slowly dropped her face into her hands and shook her head.

Early that evening, the invited guests began to arrive. Eden waited for a while until arriving with Arielle, wanting the hall to be full to show Arielle that she was not alone. The waiting wasn't easy since the bard badgered her for answers when Eden suggested the bard dress more courtly than usual. She put on a simple, yet elegant, dark green dress. She presented herself to the warrior who had trouble forming sounds into words for a few moments at her sight. The bard laughed internally at the astounded black-haired woman, but found herself to be in no better condition. Eden was dressed in a dark blue gambeson with silver lining and the bard could see the hawk clasp holding her dark blue cloak shining fiercely in the candlelight.

"Escort me, warrior?" she whispered sheepishly and received a knowing look and extended arm in response that made her suddenly blush.

When they entered, the hall exploded into clapping and cheering and Arielle looked around the hall in surprised confusion until Eden leaned over and whispered in her ear that this was all for her. A smile crossed the bard's lips, then a grin, and from that moment onward, the bard knew she would enjoy herself. There were many people Arielle was meeting for the first time, but she spotted that Aldric and even Thomas had also come.

"Why aren't you wearing a white cloak like everyone else?" Arielle asked quietly.

"Go on. This is your happy day." Eden replied, giving the bard a soft nudge into the hall.

Eden watched with amusement how the bard floated between all the guardians in white cloaks and others and talked to each. Where Eden would have floundered like a beached sea monster, the blond moved with ease and grace. Eyeing the large crowd, Eden could see that everyone who had been invited had arrived to show their support. Well, except for Garrett.

There was good food, drink, music, and dance. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves; old friends had a chance to catch up while new ones had a chance to be made. Lawrence left the hall for some fresh air and watched on the steps from afar as Eden stood near the side entrance to the monastery and tried to remember how to juggle apples. He knew she didn't like crowds or lots of noise and she was quite content to celebrate from afar. Arielle soon joined him and then carried her eyes to the warrior. They both laughed quietly to themselves as they saw the warrior try and fail juggling the apples, but never giving up.

"The warrior is playing. It's amazing." Arielle observed.

"It is. And too rare." Lawrence added. "But she was like this as a child too. Often serious, seldom smiling. It's a pity really."

Arielle glanced at him. She wondered how much of Eden was her childhood and family and how much was her fate. Lawrence was a guardian too, yet when she looked at him, he didn't seem to be suffering. And he had no family of his own, but had found his warmth in the companionship of others, his friends, his work, and his calling. He seemed happier than the bard was and the perfect image that had been painted for her by her parents of marriage and children being the sole road to happiness and fulfillment began to show another large crack. She turned her gaze back to Eden and Lawrence followed.

"Why isn't Eden wearing a white cloak?" she asked.

"It's a symbol of truth and loyalty to God." he explained quietly. "She doesn't believe she has earned it."

The bard felt a slight pang in her heart at the words.

"What will happen to Eden?" the bard asked a little absently, unknowingly developing the same habit of worrying as Eden had, "Will she always keep herself in the distance... in solitude?"

"I don't know. But I can tell you one thing with certainty. She'll never be lonely if she has you as a friend." he said and gazed at her from the side with a grin.

They both looked at Eden when they heard her shout of success. She was juggling three apples. Lawrence clapped and the warrior looked up and noticed the two of them watching her and she immediately stopped, caught the apples, and walked over to them. She stopped on the steps in front of them, standing half victorious and half embarrassed.

"Bravo. I somehow could never learn to do that." Lawrence said with a big smile on his face that made him look 10 years younger.

"I have many skills." Eden replied, cocking an eyebrow and with that threw an apple to him, then Arielle, and left one for herself.

"Is the banquet over yet?" Eden asked after taking a couple bites of her apple.

"I'm afraid not." answered the knight, shaking his head.

"Hmm. I'm going to need more apples then."

Lawrence chuckled and went back into the hall to join the festivities. Arielle went down the stairs after Eden and they walked into the cloister. They leaned on opposite sides of one of the columns, the warrior's hands rested on the hilt of her sword, enjoying the evening air. The music from inside could still be heard though it was more of a pleasant backdrop.

"Too much jolliness in one room for you?" the bard asked jokingly and gave a small wink at the warrior.

They stood there, looking slightly up at the sky, and losing themselves in their own thoughts. A new song was beginning to be played and the notes drifted straight into Eden's sensitive ears and she looked over to her companion.

"Would you like to...?" she said, her words drifting away after realizing what she was asking, who she was asking, and that she didn't really know how to ask.

The bard looked at her in suspicious yet playful surprise.

"My dear warrior, are you asking me to dance?" she asked, enjoying the discomfort of the warrior's shyness, who was now shifting from foot to foot and looking everywhere but at the blond. She could never get over the fact how Eden was a courageous warrior out in the open spaces of the world, but here, with her, she was just a shy, delicate, young woman waiting for a dance.

"Well... I... I just thought... the music..." the warrior stuttered, her hands now tangling themselves behind her back.

"And are you blushing?" the blond continued, crinkling her nose and crossing her arms over her chest with a self satisfied smile on her face.

At the mention of it, Eden began to blush.

"Urgh!" the warrior voiced and threw her arms in the air and was about to walk away when the blond's hand caught her arm.

"I'd love to," she calmed the somewhat surprised warrior, "but to be honest, I'm not very good at it. I love to dance, but I keep stepping on my partner's feet. Or so they say." she admitted sheepishly.

Eden only smiled lightly in response, outstretched her hand, and the bard took it. They walked over a few steps farther into the cloister to have enough room.

"Follow my lead then." Eden said quietly and the blond nodded.

They danced slowly, their gazes fixed. Their eyes were drawn to each other by some kind of strange magnetism, like an outside force pushing the two together whenever they were standing too far apart. And though they constantly held each other's gaze, they both found themselves strangely comfortable and strangely nervous in it. Eden danced gallantly, almost like a knight courting a lady and her arms were strong, but gentle. She lead Arielle through the steps and turns and they looked like they lived the dance. At the end, the warrior suddenly picked up the bard by the hips with relative ease and spun her around slowly. The bard let out a gasp, which after a while gave way to a wide smile that mirrored Eden's and the bard outstretched her arms to the sides as if she wanted to soar into the heavens. The warrior finally let her down at the end of the song and they stood close to each other, breathing hard. The applause erupting out of the hall brought Arielle out of her stupor.

"Oh my." she said flustered and fanning her face with her hand, "I think I need some air."

"We're out in the air, Arielle." Eden mentioned, raising one eyebrow, enjoying that now the bard was feeling uncomfortable.

"Yes, well, I know. I just need more air it seems." the bard said quickly, turned around, and walked out into the middle of the courtyard while the black haired woman crossed her arms and quietly laughed to herself, noticing that the bard hadn't stepped on her foot once.

The warrior gave the bard her space and after a while, Arielle returned to the celebration. She laughed, danced, and ate to her heart's content. She marveled at how she was in a hall full of people who all held her in regard. The bard decided to give something back and walked to the middle of the hall, stood on a stool, and began to tell a story. One led to another and soon everyone was huddled around the bard, cheering for another story. When she caught sight of Eden standing in the corner, listening intently, she decided that it was enough for one night and after a collective groan of disappointment, everyone returned to the festivities. Arielle walked up to Eden and the warrior noticed how she was beaming with happiness, lighting up the entire room. The closer Arielle got, the more lost Eden became in the light that seemed to naturally radiate off of the bard. It made Eden feel such peace and quiet, like a small, inviting cove where Eden could hide away from all the storms of the world. The warrior forced herself out of those thoughts and back to the present and hung her head under Arielle's gentle gaze, not knowing what to say.

"Do you want to hear something funny?" the bard asked.

"Hm?"

"You always hang your head and smile lightly when you're a little shy. Like a young girl." the bard said with a grin.

"I do not." the warrior replied, raising her head in offense, "And I'm not shy."

"Relax, it's endearing." Arielle said cheerfully and then leaned in and whispered in Eden's ear, "I won't tell a soul."

The warrior hung her head and smiled, fighting off a blush with all her might. The bard crinkled her nose and let out a small giggle. She couldn't remember ever having more fun than that evening.

That night as they lay down to sleep, Arielle silently watched as Eden stared up at the ceiling and her jaw muscles worked as she fell into deep thought. It was the troubling kind of thought, the kind that frustrated Eden and made her doubt herself and her choices. Arielle shifted closer to the warrior and gently put her arm around her and rested her head on her shoulder. Eden adjusted a little and let out a deep sigh.

"You aren't the Black Watcher... You never were. You never could be. You're not that dark." Arielle whispered over the warrior's shoulder.

"How do you know?"

"Because you drive the dark away."