Mavin tightened his grip on his rifle.

Should he shoot her right now?

“My, quite the murderous gaze, Mavin.”

He stared.  She returned that stare with an emotionless smile.

“Don’t worry. I understand why you did what you did that day. We were enemies and honestly you shouldn’t worry that I will shoot you in the back. I am not a lunatic, Mavin.”

Mavin breathed out. He stayed his rifle in a position that he could raise and aim. She did the same, while keeping that face of hers placid.

“I see.”

His expression froze as well.  What stood in front of Natalya Wilde was nothing more than the person who had fought in the field.

Both their eyes locked and fingers on the trigger.

“Can we solve this peacefully?”

“Can we?”

“I admit that I had every intention to kill you that day.”

“So did I. You bested me.”

“I didn’t do it out of a contest. I didn’t do it because I wanted a challenge, Madam. I did it because you were trying to kill me and I need to take out the shooter that had been killing my brothers-in-arms. We were soldiers who were ordered to kill and I followed that order that my NCO told me to. You were good at killing, Madam. So I had no intention of holding back to the person who culled Imperial Soldiers from afar.”

“Two days was quite a lot.”

“I do admire your tenacity as well, Madam.”

“I told you to call me Natalya.”

“Informally, then. Natalya, I want to know what your intention is.”

“You sound like an electronic voice from Holmia, Mavin Tomas. Why is that?”

“You’re pointing a barrel at me. I am confident that I can stand a shot in the body and return fire. But can you?”

“If I shoot you in the head? Please,” she lowered her rifle, “I am not intending to end your life. When did I say that?”

“That seems to be what you were trying to do.”

She moved an inch closer. Mavin remained unmoved. He looked down on her with the same blank stare that she sported. Fighting fire with fire. To lower yourself to a proud person, no, a soon-to-be Matriarch of a continent spanning Empire would allow them to take hold of you.

“An inch closer and you would have shot my brains out. Nonetheless, I am not a psychopath who would kill out of petty revenge. Oh my, am I so brainless to you?”

“Natalya, I said no such thing.”

“Of course not, you are a kind man, Mavin Tomas. Kind to those who are kind,” she looked at the bodies on the floor sprawled out, “and dangerous to those who you perceive as a threat. I like men who could be civilized and barbarous. I wonder which side is the real one~”

She poked him in the chest. Mavin studied Natalya who seemed to have changed gears from the moment they came into this room. It was clear what the Old Man said changed her opinion.

Ghost of Dinia, they had started calling him after his work on Dinia and later on as ‘Ghost’ in the other trenches where he had picked off soldiers from a distance. He did recall that day where he was staying in the mountains. His head was almost blown to pieces and thankfully he only got a scar on his side.

Mavin touched his own scar. “It seems that the scar you gave me is rather small compared to the one that I give yours.”

She glared. She eyed the scar on his left eyebrow. Mavin was descending a hill when he almost got hit. He barely avoided the shot, but it left a scar on his left brow.

“I did that?”

“Yes, sadly, you were a good shot, Natalya. But you were fortunate to miss that day.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I did scar you, and I do feel bad that I had ruined some of your beauty.”

“Yes, I was called a flower before a bullet carved my face. Don’t worry, I am not mad or anything.”

“Then why are you acting this way?”

She tilted her head, eyes traveling. “I don’t know what to say. I had imagined on many occasions, what would be the meeting between the person that almost killed me, would be like. Should I pull a gun on this person or should I look him in the eyes.”

“You are looking me in the eyes.”

“I am. Because I decided not to kill you. Still, I am not someone who would kill so easily. You do realize that you’ve ruined me? A damaged goods, that’s what they call me now~”

“I am sorry to hear, but I will not apologize for what I did that day. Nonetheless, if you find it in your heart to forgive me, then I will try my hardest to earn that forgiveness.”

“Can you take away the scar on my head?”

She asked with a subdued voice. Mavin held his rifle and shook his head. “I don’t believe I can, Natalya. Again, I will not apologize for my actions that day, but I will apologize for whatever pain that I cause you.”

“You want to talk this out, do you?”

“I do, Natalya. I don’t want this to be violent. “

She laughed and glanced at the bodies again. “You should have done that for them. Why didn’t you?”

“They were enemies that are trying to pull us back into a damn war. It’s okay if you don’t forgive me, loathe me, hate me, but if you can just keep that anger on me, then I’ll accept it.”

She looked him up through her eyelashes, leaned forward and maintained eye contact with Mavin. Mavin kept his hands on his weapon while watching for any movement from her. Mavin could feel the sole of his shoes wet from the blood coming out of the bodies around them. The brass casing rolled to the side of his foot. The stench of their blood filling the air, mixing with the smoke that populated the air of the room.

He felt strange at the way she looked. Her expressions that were either solemn or stolid have been replaced with such expressions that made him wonder who this woman was.

“Are you sure about that?”

“If it means you can forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive. Nothing at all. Just think that I am as happy as I could be right now. I was wondering if the man who had shot me was alive, and to think it was you of all people. This is kismet, Mavin. No wonder you never missed a shot. How you can do so well. No wonder~”

Mavin traced her finger around his chest and ran her hand on his neck up to the scar on his brow. That sickly sweet smile of hers coupled with those lightless stares made him wary. He wondered if this was right. But he couldn’t allow himself to judge her right now. How easy it was to just pull a gun on her and be done with it.

The Imperator would be dead and the tragedies later on would be avoided.

She took her hand off him and turned around. Mavin glared at her back with the intent to kill. His mind churned as he then bit his lip and walked forward, unable to pull the trigger against her. She was not the Imperator that became the blight of the continent yet. He wasn’t going to just assume that she would become one. He couldn’t afford that conclusion after seeing her act normal and composed before she heard that he was the Ghost that scarred her face.

Natalya stopped in front of the staircase. That expression that was close to madness disappeared. She glanced at him with a long painful stare. “I expected something more.”

“That we start killing one another?”

“Yes, that would have given me an excuse to shoot you in the head.”

“I see.”

“No you don’t. I do loathe what you did to my face. Some people would say that I should be thankful for not getting my brains blown out. That I was only left with a scar. I am sorry, I am a petty woman concerned with her face. Is it lucky? It is. But every time I close my eyes. I still think to the day that I escaped with my life. I got a concussion from that shot, you know? Now I have to wrap my right eye with an eyepatch to keep my right eye from paining me. Funny isn’t it? That I got all these scars all over my body, but the moment I got ruined in the face. I almost thought it was the end of the world. Look at her, the pretty flower is now damaged goods. It gets annoying hearing that all. I don’t particularly need that pity.”

She laughed rather sadly. Mavin stared back. “I still think that you are pretty, Natalya. I really do.”

“I know. You wouldn’t have looked at me like that if you thought I was an abomination of a woman,” she looked at him. “Be glad that you are a good man in my books, Mavin Tomas. If I was more petty and vengeful, I would have shot that pretty head of yours without regrets. Then again, I wonder what I should do knowing who you are, right now.”

“You have the right to do what you need to do.”

She shook her head and said another thing.

“The man who killed Alfred Silheid is helping the Crown Prince. This is something that shouldn’t get out to anyone. You may not be working under him officially, but that wouldn’t look good right now. Not in this kind of situation, Mavin.”

“I know. But I wasn’t expecting that man to say things like that. Maybe, I should have said other things and tried to play coy..”

“No, it was too late to hide things. A man who is close to death wouldn’t lie so easily and those eyes told me he knew your face. Believe me, I was about to pull the trigger on you, knowing who you are. Nevertheless, I thought I should get some words out to the person who had tried to kill me. I was willing to talk it out as reasonably as I could. If we hadn’t been through some tough times just now, I wonder if I have done something different. It's pathetic, that all my grievances about my scar all amounted to this nothing. I guess you don’t want to know how I should have acted.”

“I rather not know.”

He followed silently after that, watching her back. Here she was, the Imperator that would bring the continent to ruin. She had every right to wound him, beat him, and blame him for her face but she held back. 

The ‘Viola Whitefall’ on his ‘memories’ was a vengeful woman who had waged war against the Empire. She was also a woman who knew nothing but war in those ‘memories’. Her beauty caused many to admire her and fear her. She was someone who had vowed to remove the Athesian Empire from the Magnar-Azia continent. All because the damn war that continued, which led to the invasion of the Grand Duchy of Wilde, and the Siege of Monte which took the lives of people she cared for.

She was unapologetic and proud even at her end.

She looked down at them in her eight feet tall Vulcan suit with most of its parts ripped off. She wanted the death of the Empire and though she had come close to doing so. The last ditch attempt against her worked out and the strike force composed of the Crown Prince Arno, Prince Kaleb, and Lord Gunther managed to take her down alongside her royal guards.

However, she had the last laugh.

Her last laugh was the explosion in Arkadia, the ‘flower’ that completely annihilated the center of power in Athesia. At the end she gave the Empire her greatest weapon, the first atom bomb dropped from a monoplane by one of her daring subordinates who had decided to take the Empire’s proud capital down swiftly.

A despot, a tyrant, madwoman, and the woman who had given the world fear.

She was a destroyer of worlds.

Imagine Mavin’s surprise, learning that the same woman was the one standing in front of him. How could he think of what he should do? What he can do to prevent the rise of someone who could bring chaos to the world. All those thoughts ran into his head. And yet he couldn’t think of doing it. All because of what she had said.

“You should have done that for them. Why didn’t you?”

It hurt that she was right. Maybe there was another way other than opening fire against those people. Perhaps there was something more that he could have done after they were captured and figured out their intentions.

But it was too late.

---

Finding Old Sable meant that the farce was over. Mavin secured the building, barricaded himself and called the Colonel for the place where they were held up. The first one to respond was Axel, Marcus, and Josef. They came in armed with bulletproof vests and submachine guns.

Mavin stayed emotionless during the ordeal. Once in a while he would catch Natalya staring at him with beady eyes. She was watching him. It bothered him that he had excused himself a few more times while the firefight in the city continued. By the time it was noon, the fight in the city was over. Driving the silver limousine again, with him as a driver, Natalya next to him, and the storm vanguards following them from the back.

They traveled back to the seat of power in the city of Flost where the government was. Waiting for them was the press who were armed with cameras. Mavin and Natalya stayed in the car while they let Axel, Marcus, and Josef escort the Prince and the Grand Daughters of the Empire to the stage waiting for them.

“What a sham.”

Mavin kept quiet as Natalya watched. The sight of the Crown Prince with a rifle and with the two of his potential fiancé next to him safe and sound made him look like a goddamn hero in the eyes of the press. In the eyes of the press, the three that was with him right now were the heroes. In the stage the Crown Prince gave honors to the men and women who had helped him fight the enemies trying.

“They think that this will stop the peace we all want to happen,” The Prince started. “I tell them that it will not. I believe that this will not affect the peace. Together we had brought down our enemies as united forces, and through them that we are safe. We will not falter on the ideals that took two years to achieve. Many forces are trying to keep this peace from us, and I say this with confidence, that four days from now, we will sign the agreement that will formally end this long and bloody war. Let it be known that though there are people who seek more blood. We shall not falter on the goals that we have set for ourselves.”

His impassioned words made everyone cheer. Flashes of light coming from the cameras and the clapping of the crowd made those who were behind the Prince frown heavily. 

The Empire had received a boost in this event.

After the speech on the stage the Crown Prince was driven inside an armored truck alongside the ladies. Lord Gunther, armed to the teeth, took them away with an escort surrounding them. As they drove away the cheers of the crown didn’t stop. The three sapheads drove after the armored car. Still seated next to him, Natalya placed her rifle aside and leaned back.

“That’s over.”

“I hope it is.”

She stood upright and looked at him with her cheek resting on top of the glove compartment. “So, what are your plans now?”

“I should be asking that to someone.”

“Truthfully, I didn’t even want to come to this party. Now that I think about it, I guess this is fate.”

Mavin held the steering wheel in silence. He drove the car to the Upper Town where he returned the car to the compound of the Crown Prince. He had let Natalya borrow his sack coat as they strolled on the sidewalk, watching the destruction and death. “You were right, maybe I should have done something.”

“You could have, but I might understand the reasoning behind your actions. Oh my, don’t tell me you are thinking that you can become an all-seeing god that could predict everything and know every answer? Please, you aren’t that wonderful, Mavin Tomas.”

He looked at her. “You’re speaking so informally that it kinda bothers me.”

“My, did you like my formality? Sorry to say, but you aren’t exactly someone that I have to be stiff about. Besides, I don’t have to be polite to someone who had almost killed me.”

“I don’t recommend using that against me all the time.”

“Not that I planned to. You could use that scar on your brow against me as well. Claim vengeance for ruining your face.”

“All I looked forward to right now is the signing of the treaty, Natalya. Sorry to disappoint.”

“I can say the same. Honestly, I doubt anyone would try anything against the treaty right now unless they want the Ambassador from Holmia to think that the three nations are doing everything they can to stop it. The Empire had been lenient twice, and I cannot imagine it being forgiving if another thing comes up.”

Arriving in the hotel that Mavin was staying, he sat next to the table. Natalya sat across the table with her elbows leaned on top of it. One of the servers brought them drinks.

“I’m tired.”

“I am as well.”

“Well, I think you should get some rest. Your friend should be coming to get you.”

“Rosa is coming, huh. Mavin.”

“Yes?”

“We should be friends.”

“I thought you loathe me?”

“For giving me a scar? Yes, but it would also mean that I have someone to vent on in the future. I am not a lunatic, don’t worry, I won’t torture you or make you feel bad about giving me this scar~ I promise.”

“I…don’t believe you.”

“Oh no, you found out.”

Mavin sipped on his drink while watching Natalya show that emotionless smile of hers. Reflecting her eyes was his face, and every time he moved, her eyes would follow.

“We should continue this conversation later…”

“Oh, I think we will.”

After some time passed, a woman who wore her uniform and red-crossed insignia on her mantle entered the lobby. Spotting Natalya, she hurried to her and took her away.

“Bye Mavin,” Natalya waved her hand.

 

---

 

Inside Rosa’s car, Natalya leaned her head on the backrest. The curious Rosa, who was navigating through the road, rubble, and the locomotives on the spacious street spoke first.

“Who was that?”

“Mavin Tomas.”

“What about the gentleman that I had picked to escort you?”

“You mean the opportunist who wouldn’t even look at my face?”

“So how come you were with  this ‘Mavin Tomas’ and was with the Crown Prince, battling anti-peace forces all over the city!?”

“It just happened.”

Rosa snorted. “I am glad that you were around, but please consider my poor heart.”

“He’s one who gave me this scar.”

She stomped on the brake pedal. Natalya almost got her head slammed on the compartment of the car.

“Pardon?”

“He was the shooter who gave me my scar. Goodness Rosa, if a bullet didn’t kill me today, you will.”

“Tell me that you sock him.”

“I didn’t. He…saved my life.”

Natalya wanted to empty the mag on him. She truly wanted to. She resisted the temptation that was burning inside of her. She dreaded to wonder what would have happened if he didn’t save her from that shot that should have gotten her. If it wasn’t for that life-saving tackle. She wondered if she had killed Mavin out of anger.

“I don’t understand.”

“He pushed me out of the way from a gunman. I wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for him being a good shot either. Honestly, I owed him too much to care about the scar that he gave me.”

“Are you sure?”

Natalya nodded. “I know that I have ranted and complained about what I would do to the bastard who gave me this scar. Unfortunately, the same bastard who gave me this scar, saved my life. If it wasn’t for him being good at what he does. I would have been part of the dead in that hall. So, despite what I was feeling upon learning that he was the Ghost who had almost killed me. I had to wrestle and conclude that I would call it even. My life is greater than this stupid scar, and I am not a fucking ingrate, Rosa.”

“I would have acted differently.”

“I’m sure you would.”

“Saw you staring at him. You don’t do that often.”

“I asked him to be my friend. I don’t know why…I should be angry…but at the end I just wanted to talk it out. I was strangely tired, Rosa. I don’t want to shoot more people than I should.  Especially to the person who saved my life.”

“Is that so? I thought you’d never want anything to do with him after this trouble.”

“I usually would, but not this time.”

“Odd of you. Kinda proud of you. No wonder you are always the best out of us.”

“Girl, I almost lost control of my senses. Also, don’t tell anyone about this and him being the Ghost.”

“Taly, I don’t have the loose mouth. You should know better than that. Besides, I want this treaty done so we can finally end this war.”

“Just to be safe.”

The car stopped in a crossing. Armored trucks were towing disabled automobiles from the street. Soldiers were cleaning up and those who surrendered were being rounded on the ground with their hands tied. On the sidewalk the ones hanged were pulled down. A traction engine was pulling a wagon filled with artillery shells and mortars.

“Looks like we turned this city to shit.”

“Aye, we did,” Rosa shifted gear. “Most of the fighting was done in the Upper Arches, the Crown Prince of Athesia kept on yammering about while we were in combat, I heard your voice in the radio so I was sure you were with the Crown Prince.”

“Casualties?”

“Fifty dead, don’t know about the numbers on the enemy side, but we know that it ain’t pretty. The Federation took most of the blame with how things went with how lacking their security was. On our side, we were first to secure the ballroom and found Lord Gunther apprehending the gunmen. I was up all night patching up soldiers from all over the place.”

“The shelling?”

“Worst, thankfully, gloomcrossing wasn’t hit and the trains coming in should supply us with what we need. Most of the hospitals in the city are being filled up with the wounded.”

“Thought you’d be busy to come after me.”

“As much as I like saving people, I won’t hesitate to go after my girl when she needs me.”

“What about your superiors?”

“What about them?”

Rosa simply smiled.  Natalya smirked as she leaned her head on the window. “We caused quite a ruckus. All this death and suffering seems like home again.”

“Home…huh.”

“Don’t blame me. I stayed in that hell voluntarily. I hate that it feels like home again. Just hours ago I felt bored to death, and now I feel alive again. I think I need a drink.”

“Yes, you need a drink.”

“Good job, Taly.”

“Thank you. I don’t hear that often. The Officers aren’t mad at me, right?”

“Nope. They were thankful that you were with them. Everyone knows that the Lady Bellatrix helped the Crown Prince by now. We had it better compared to the Kingdom, and the Federation who are trying to deal with all the fuckups right now.”

“So the signing is still going to happen?”

“Oh, it will. This time the Holmian Ambassador will bring in their weapons at the treaty. They said that it was better to be safe than let any accident happen in this peaceful event. The place is going to be tight with security. Rejoice, this time, you aren’t going to be on a beautiful dress.”

“With my rifle by my side, hopefully.”

“They’ll allow it. They cannot refuse you right now. I’m sure.”

“Good.”

Natalya removed her eyepatch and looked at herself in the rear view mirror. She traced the scar on the side of her head and looked away.  A helpless look on her face.

She couldn’t understand why she was so calmed despite it all.

“I guess we’re even,” she said, looking up at the sky.