Celeste opened her eyes to the noise and lazily looked to the side.

“Sorry, I was trying to be quiet.”

What is going on?

Celeste stared at the man and suddenly went to sit up, feeling pain.

“Are you ok?”

Steven hovered over her and went to take the bottom of the quilt away.

“Hey!”

Steven looked at her, “What?”

Celeste moved her head back, away from him, “I’m a girl.”

Frowning, Steven looked at her in confusion, “And I’m a man.”

What a weird girl…

Taking the bottom of the quilt off, he looked at her wound and frowned. “If you hadn’t have woken up soon, I would have just looked. Do you even know it’s past midday? I was getting worried!”

Getting up, he went to the where he placed down the bandages from earlier and brought them closer to the bed.

“What…What’s wrong?”

Steven looked up at her and said, “It’s probably fine, it’s just you bled a lot…Probably why you slept so…Much.”

Celeste rubbed her tired eyes and then finally understood what he meant, her room was cleaner…And brighter…

“I told you not to…Hey!”

Grabbing onto his shirt, Celeste gritted her teeth to the cloth being taken off her wound.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness…”

“Celeste! There is no royalty here!”

Steven looked up at her, not saying anything. Going back to her leg, which seemed to be easier to worry about, he then got to work.

He had found something earlier that could help disinfect it, so he tried to clean it as well as he could, then made sure it wasn’t bleeding anymore, before he placed over it some old liquor.

Feeling his shirt once again be held onto, Steven grabbed her hand. “It’s ok to yell out your pain.”

“No one cares for my pain.”

That’s it, Steven thought. It’s the same as that other time. Her voice held an emotion that was almost like it had its own vortex…

“I do.” Steven blurted out.

That emotion worried him. It scared him. It reminded him of someone from so long ago…

“So?” The Princess didn’t know what else to say. If people had said that earlier, they were probably paid to say it.

This man always got to her though, he got to her because he wasn’t like the others…He was like…Her…

Steven didn’t know how to deal with her. She seemed uncertain about everything!

“Pain in general, whether it for a good or bad person, still feels the same.” Steven uttered. He dried the area around the wound lightly, then started to bandage it back up again.

“Pain is inflicted!” The Princess uttered.

Steven looked at her, “Yes but, pain can also be brought on in a nonphysical way as well. Sometimes the person might not even know that they’ve caused pain to another.”

Celeste looked away from him, she knew way to well about the nonphysical type of pain!

“Are you trying to be a prophet or something?” The Princess asked in vexation. “A philosopher?”

Steven sighed, “I have nothing to state…I’ve not only brought pain physically to someone, but I have done so not physically as well. I just think that people can feel other people’s pains, it’s more of if they care about the person or not, not the pain…”

“…I don’t understand.”

Steven sighed, “For instance, for me, I feel your pain of being…Outcasted…Because I am myself, outcasted. And so, I want to be nice to you, give you a chance, because perhaps I would like that for myself too…But for someone who may not like you but know the feeling of being outcasted, they might not care that you are in pain or not. It’s like, an individual choice to care or not, even if they know what it feels like…”

Steven sat back, remembering something that he’d forgotten. “My mother, she used to…”

He’d forgotten about her…Her teachings, her ways…

It was because she went the way she did…He had been angry with her!

Celeste watched as he went into his own world. What was he thinking about now?

“When she left, she didn’t think of the pain she’d leave behind. It changes people.” Steven then stopped again…

His mother had been like that for a reason. To have so much pain to have wanted to kill herself, she…

Putting a hand to his head, he sat there hiding his face.

His father…Of course his father would have been the one to have caused his mother so much pain!

…Standing up, he walked away, without a word. He felt like such an idiot!

He had hated his mother for leaving him like that. He’d tried to be the best son to his father, only now to realize that his father not only would cast him out so easily but was probably the one to have made his mother kill herself!

All this time he’d just been mad at her for leaving like that, never questioning why she had felt like that to begin with!

He was so stupid! He felt like he betrayed not only himself but his mother! Now, he just added one more thing to his list of how he was living worthlessly!

Why is it that now he felt like he’d done everything wrong in his life? The years after his mother’s death and trying to win his father’s love and pride, it’s all shattered into smithereens! Why, why had he done that!? He’d given so much to the man that is probably the reason why his mother died and…

He…He had also helped his father try to get at Cid. Because his father had wanted the blacksmithing shop, he had wanted it too!

Cid, he was like this big wall that Steven couldn’t seem to climb over! He had done so much wrong to him!

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Steven slumped down on his bed, even though it was still too early to retire, and just realized something even worse. He didn’t think. Even if his father was who he was, he himself could have still chosen not to do it…He remembered asking himself sometimes if it was the right thing to do and he still did it…So, even if his father was a nasty man and gave him instinctive, Steven knew…He knew that ultimately, he was to blame. He had been the one that gave orders, he had been the one that made the choice!

Putting his head in his hands, Steven felt broken. He was sure that getting forgiveness wouldn’t be easy. It would probably be hard work!

It was to a point in his negative thoughts that he didn’t really care for it anyway…And that, perhaps it was better that he had just disappeared from his country.

Perhaps he shouldn’t ever return…

Maybe, he should just leave entirely. Would that be enough revenge for them?

***

Celeste wanted to get mad at Steven but couldn’t bring herself to. It almost felt like they were at a competition on who’s life was worse. Hers or his…

She was curious. She wanted to know more about him and why he felt the way he did.

But, for the moment, she was sort of stuck in bed.

Things had changed though…Steven, although being quiet, brought her bland meal up to her, not once complaining about having to do all the work by himself.

She knew how much work it was! Picking the vegetables, chopping them all up, cooking…All of it…This man took up all the work and didn’t say a word about it. The only thing that she found even more troubling was that she didn’t want to be left alone anymore…She wanted him more by her side for some reason. At the same time though, she knew that all the work took a lot of time. It was good when there was two of them, she was actually able to enjoy a sunset. She was actually able to cook better, since she could just show her techniques and teach.

Everything was just getting out of control!

What was wrong with her!

She’d already made a choice! She…Actually, she needed to get her head on straight and find her people. Make sure things were still on track, that the time for the big plans to happen for her country were happening as planned…

She’s forgotten…

That’s right, she was here alone for a reason…Yet she still couldn’t bring herself to force Steven away…Not yet…Just a little bit longer…

Celeste walked out to the small veranda and sat down next to Steven, who seemed to be lost in his own little world.

“Talk to me.” She said. Unable to take his silence anymore. She let out a small wish that he’d talk to her on his own accord, but he hadn’t.

Steven looked at her, “I’m selfish, Your Highness, if I talk to you, it’ll mostly be about myself.”

Celeste swallowed and looked out, “Just talk to me.”

After all, she was curious…

“Since coming here, I’ve…Learnt a few things…I really should thank you.” Steven started, “I’ve learnt how to cook…”

Celeste interrupted him, “Not quite.”

Steven let out a small laugh, “You are right! Not quite!”

Looking at her he added, “Picking vegetables?”

Celeste smiled and said nothing.

Steven then added, “Doing laundry?”

The Princess moved her head from side to side but said nothing.

Steven laughed. “What about finding out that when I’m really scared, I start talking nonstop!”

Celeste laughed too, “You were talking utter nonsense!”

Steven shook his head, “I can’t even remember what I said!”

Celeste put her head up in thought, “I think you were saying something about two being better than one.”

Steven stared at her, “…Thank you for saving my life.”

Losing her smile, Celeste looked at him. His eyes seemed to burn into her soul, almost like they could learn all of her secrets…

Looking away from him, the Princess, didn’t know what to say. Oh, except, “Thank you too, my wound is getting better.”

Steven sighed, “You know I used to look after my brother. He was so clumsy and would fall on his knees nearly every day!”

Celeste vaguely remembered that brother of his and looked down. It’s almost come to a point that she felt bad over any bad feeling she’d ever given this man…

“My mother taught me a bit of being a doctor, or physician. She was a daughter of one, but she couldn’t become one herself. When…When she died, I looked after my brother…” Steven stopped and frowned.

Why was he constantly finding faults now!?

Now, just at this moment, he even saw that his brother really needed his father’s help! Why had their father not really brought them up?

We tried to be well behaved for a while but…

Where had his father been!?

It was a mirror…

Celeste just felt like he was a mirror to her.

Why were they both here when they had been brought so much pain?

What was the point!?

“Do you like medicine?” Celeste asked, clearing her throat.

Steven looked at her blankly, “I don’t know, I just…I don’t know.”

It wasn’t a big deal really.

“Try it out, you never know.” Celeste stated, “I have a couple of medicine books here. Not many though, but we can go get some.”

Steven raised his eyebrows…Was he interested though?

He didn’t hate it…

“I’m not asking the world, Steven.” Celeste said, feeling his silence.

Steven looked at the Princess and smiled…

She called me Steven…Was his thoughts.

“Why are you so good at martial arts?” Steven asked. Actually, he’d already wanted to ask her this several times!

How great would it be! Just imagine if they were being chased by bad men, after…After taking something important from the enemy and bang, the Princess does her little kick and flip and…And…

“Steven!”

“Uh?”

“You ask a question, then stop listening. That is rude!”

Steven widened his eyes and bowed his head, “I’m sorry, Your Highness! I’m so sorry!”

Should he get on the floor and kneel or something?

Hearing the Princess let out a loud sigh, Steven looked at her, seeing her shaking her head.

“Are you truly interested?” The Princess asked, showing her doubt.

Steven nodded, “I was just thinking how great it would be to be running away and you beat up a whole heap of people.”

Celeste just stared at the idiotic man, he was almost like a little boy!

Sighing again, Celeste asked, “Are you listening now then? I’m not going to repeat myself!”

Steven obediently nodded his head.

Smiling at him, she lowered her head, feeling satisfied, “When I was cast out to here, this small castle, I did have maids. I was taught here and that included martial arts.”

Remembering back, Celeste tried not to think too deeply upon something that doesn’t matter anymore. “I was a bit mean to some servants, so they were removed. But there was one that I did not play any tricks with…It was my martial arts trainer.”

Steven waited patiently for her to continue.

“I was diligent in learning martial arts, simply because it was the only thing I could do.”

Celeste frowned at nothing, “I don’t know what normal children filled their time in with.”

Steven sat back properly, more comfortably, “When I wasn’t learning, I was playing with my brother, or even other children…Or trying to follow my father around…”

Ah, so that was it, Steven looked at the Princess. Finally understanding.

The Princess never had her mother, nor her father…Did she even have any other children? Or had it really only been her this entire time?

She smiled at him and nodded, “I think that is what I missed…And to fill that, I used martial arts. He ended up leaving because he had nothing more to teach me.”

Steven nodded, “So that’s how it is.”

“Were you learning anything specifically?” Celeste asked Steven, looking at him.

Steven shrugged, “I was the heir, so I was to take over from my father. The business was quite popular, back then, so I needed to learn several things.”

Waiting for him to continue, Celeste found herself liking this rare chance to have a normal conversation.

“I had to learn how to do finance, I had to learn how to fill in the books. I had to learn how to treat customers, to talk to providers. I had to learn how to think ahead, so that I could order in the next months…Stuff. It was exhausting.”

Steven let out a huff, thinking of all that! Perhaps it would have been easier if Freddie had been the heir…

“You didn’t like it?” Celeste asked.

Steven looked at her, smiling, “No! I felt like it was hard to think all the time! Do people do it all the time!? Isn’t it exhausting!?”

Celeste smirked, “Some do, yes.”

Steven put a hand through his hair, “I don’t know, perhaps I could do better…Not that it matters anymore…”

That’s right, it doesn’t matter, so why bother worrying about it…

He’d much prefer to think about something else…Anything else…

Looking at Celeste, he let himself become distracted.

It wasn’t hard, she really was such a beautiful woman…

Under his gaze, for the first time ever in her life, Celeste felt heat go to into her cheeks…

“You know, I don’t know why they call you Medusa. Your beautiful!”

Steven hardly remembered when he had so much courage but, it was the truth.

Celeste frowned at him, “Beauty isn’t why they call me Medusa.”

Steven sighed, “It’s all been confusing since coming here!”

Celeste let out a small laugh, “Why?”

“You have no servants, even I had servants! You do work! Work! Even Princess Bethany didn’t do work half as much as you!” Steven just let it flow out of him.

Celeste frowned though, she knew all this! “You don’t understand.”

Hang on, did he personally know Princess Bethany or was that just hearsay?

Steven huffed out, “Clearly! It must be because this country is broken!”

Wanting to laugh at his strange wording, Celeste got up, “There are indeed some things in this country that are…Broken…But that is still not the reason why I am called Medusa. I will be going in now, I expect to see you at lunch.”

In an instant, Steven went to pick her up and she yelped to the sudden sway of her body.

“Medusa is some ugly girl with snakes or something. I don’t see the resemblance at all…Unless I’m dreaming or blind.” Steven muttered, on his way to her room.

Celeste half smiled, “She is a legend, mythical…Magical.”

“Is that what everyone is trying to say then? You know, this conversation makes me feel stupid!”

Putting her down Steven looked directly at her, almost like the conversation was one of the most stupidest things in the world!

“It’s not my fault! That’s just what the country calls me.”

“But it’s not because you…Aren’t ugly. Then why?” Steven asked, sitting down next to her.

The Princess frowned, “I’m a nasty person.”

Steven rolled his eyes, “So am I! I don’t get called Medusa. What’s wrong with people of today?”

By now he had gotten up again and started to walk out.

“You’re not a bad person…” Celeste called out to him. “If you were, I doubt we’d be in the situation.”

Steven turned to her, serious all of a sudden, “You have misunderstood then.”

With that he left, leaving Celeste to wonder why he felt so strongly that he was a bad person.