Dagger felt awful, as usual. It always started pretty bad; after all, he had just died. Every breath felt like blades were being pushed into his ribs and the sunlight hurt, even though his eyes were closed. Dagger knew that if he tried to get up, he would collapse at this point. Instead, he focused on his surroundings, trying to ignore intense pain and gain information on what had happened since he had died.

Faintly he could hear birdsong, and he could feel that the sun was getting ready to set again. He could also hear someone breathing and the occasional sound of a page being turned; As'rya had stayed. She hadn't stayed hidden in the grass, but he supposed she had come out when she saw him breathing again. Not exactly like he was in any condition to tell her off right now. At least it meant she was okay. He’d have to ask about her arm later, he thought vaguely to himself as he tried not to breathe too deeply.

After a half hour or so, Dagger could breathe with much less pain. He opened his eyes carefully, wincing still at the half light of the clearing. The princess sat beside him, legs crossed as she paged through her book, unaware he had woken yet. Looking around as best as he could, he saw that the grassy area was the same, save for a handful of flowers tossed around the edge. He wondered if the girl had made him a funeral bouquet; the thought made him chuckle out loud.

Ow. The chuckle turned into a groan as he disturbed the wound on his chest. Yep, not quite ready to get up yet.

As'rya flinched, then looked over at him with wide eyes.

"You're okay! You did wake up," the princess said with a sigh of relief. Quickly tucking her book away, she pulled out her water flask and handed it over to him.

"I'm...going to need a minute," he told her, voice rough. As'rya nodded quickly, setting it aside and patiently waiting as he recovered.

Once it began, the recovery process was fairly quick. Dagger had recovered from many different types of death. Some of them were much more painful than others; some, he wasn't sure how he recovered in the first place. But it usually took between four to twelve hours, sometimes as long as a full day, like when he had been burned alive. This injury hadn't been too severe, all things considered. Even so, it still hurt like a god's wrath, his flesh burning as it forcefully fused itself back together.

Once he felt he could manage it, the vigilante carefully pushed himself up to a sitting position, teeth clenched. As'rya had put her hands out as though to help, before putting them back in her lap and biting her lip, looking concerned but remaining silent.

Dagger gestured to the water, which As'rya handed over immediately. Feeling his head clear after taking a long drink, Dagger looked around the clearing once more.

"Those men didn't come back," the girl spoke, interrupting Dagger's musings. He nodded his head but didn't say anything.

"They killed you," she pressed on. "You were dead for five hours. And then...you weren't. How?" Her sharp eyes pierced into his as she stared at him, the question hanging in the air.

"I don't think you're in a place to be demanding answers," Dagger finally replied, his voice hoarse but firm. "You're the whole reason this happened anyways."

He had expected her to back down, maybe even admit defeat then and there, but the princess squared her shoulders and told him with a glare, "If I had known all the information beforehand, I would have made a better decision. How can I act accordingly if you don't tell me anything?"

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"You don't need to do anything," the vigilante retorted, his own anger rising. Why couldn't this girl just listen? "You just need to let me handle it. Isn’t that why I’m here?” But even as he said the words, he remembered arriving back in the clearing, the assassins already poised and ready to strike. His own carelessness had led to this as well.

As'rya seemed especially hurt by his words, her gaze falling and her form shrinking. Hands clenched together tightly, fire gone from her eyes, she looked like a completely different person than just a few moments ago.

Instead of replying or asking another question, As'rya instead pulled something from the grass beside her. The sword from the assassin, forgotten in the fight. Handing it over, she watched his face intently as the man looked over the weapon. After inspecting the insignia, he looked up at the princess, confusion and disappointment flashing across his face.

"Do you...recognize the symbol?" he asked quietly. Biting her lip, As'rya replied.

"It's the symbol of the imperial assassins. It's highly likely my mother sent them." The heavy silence hung for a moment in the air.

"I think we need to have a talk," the princess told him. "I believe we both need to clear some things up."

*****

Night was falling, the air cooling as the sun retreated below the horizon. As'rya pulled her cloak on as Dagger walked around the clearing, stretching his muscles and scouting the area with shadow sense. As'rya had told him his pack was gone when she had searched, and he hadn't been able to find it either. There went their food, all of Dagger's extra supplies, and his notebook. He considered taking the sword, but he wasn’t particularly practiced with them and he didn’t think the constant reminder of the betrayal would be good to have around the princess.

At least he still had the knife and the maps. With a sigh, he finally returned to where the girl was standing, her arms crossed. He wanted to get going, but she had seemed adamant about getting some answers. Dagger thought that with the news of the Queen being the one who sent the assassins after them, the princess might be shaken up. It was just the kind of thing the vigilante expected from the two faced snake, but to do something so low and cruel to your own daughter...

"I suppose you can start," Dagger nodded to As'rya, who seemed bursting at the seams with questions. He steeled himself.

"How did you come back to life?" she asked him immediately.

"It's part of the curse I have," he told her, already uncomfortable. It was something he hated talking about; it was something he hated remembering at all.

"What else does the curse do? Have you always been cursed?" the princess rattled off her next questions. With a heavy sigh, the vigilante sat down and the girl followed suit, settling in the grass, legs crossed.

"The curse I have is a double edged sword," he began to explain, watching for her reaction. "I can use some abilities, such as using shadows to travel and seeing other places through the shadows. I can also manipulate darkness, use it to make myself hidden." As'rya's eyes sparkled with fascination as Dagger continued. "And as you witnessed today, if I die, I come back. I can also heal from any injury, faster than any ordinary man. But it also comes with a cost." The man trailed off, not wanting to continue. It was once again As'rya's prying that brought him to answer.

"What's the cost?" As'rya asked quietly, her gaze serious despite her eager interest. Dagger shook his head, looking away.

"I'm a monster, that's what," he growled, shame clawing its way into his chest. "I kill everything I touch, anything human or animal." The man didn't know how to mention the Beast, so didn't bring it up.

"It's in my nature to murder." Dagger balled his gloved hands into fists. As'rya didn't reply; instead, she pursed her lips, giving him a steady look.

"Why did you decide to become a vigilante?" she asked next. He paused, the question catching him off guard. His voice was heavy as he replied.

"To...atone. For my sins."

"So, you're killing people to atone for killing." Yes, Dagger understood how it looked backwards when she didn't know about the hunger of the Beast, but enough of his darkness had been revealed. He didn't need her to understand.

"Why did you agree to take me to the Lysima Empire?" As'rya moved on, repeating her question from earlier. "What do you gain out of it?"

"I already told you," the man snapped, frustration rising. "The Queen made a deal-"

"And now it is null and void," the princess interrupted him curtly. "You no longer benefit from completing the mission, knowing now that it was a double cross. Why are you still willing to take me to Lysima?"

It was a fair question, but to Dagger, the answer was simple. How could he just leave someone in the middle of the wilderness, after being targeted by some of the most elite assassins in the nation? He wasn’t exactly safe, but it would be certain death for her if he abandoned the princess now.

"Because it's the right thing to do," he told her, staring back. "It's not like I could just walk away and leave you alone to fend for yourself."

As'rya's lip twitched at the indirect poke at her competence, but she replied, "That's awfully noble of you, for being a cold blooded killer."

Dagger didn't try to correct or rebuke her, instead gazing out at nothing for a long moment.

"Why is the Queen trying to kill you?" his head swiveled, eyes meeting hers. Time for him to get some answers as well. The princess flinched, her gaze sliding away under his scrutiny.