When Souls Awaken

84. The Bleeding Hearts

"This is why you wanted to scout ahead without Flora..." Valentina breathed, looking upon the broken and bloated corpses left in the scarred battlefield with Allura at her side.

"Yeah, if I can avoid subjecting Flora to this... I will."

"But why didn't you scout ahead with Axis?" Valentina pressed as they made their way through the battlefield, carefully avoiding disrespect to the fallen.

"Gives us a chance to get to know each other, while keeping Axis out of trouble. He's not the best at first impressions," she explained with an awkward smile. "I don't want to scare any survivors. I'm sure they've been through enough."

"You can be rather intimidating," Valentina stated dryly, and Allura's grin grew more crooked, "and quick to the draw."

"Well... You kinda have to be with my life," Allura quietly commented, and Valentina sighed.

"I suppose such is the life of a two sided coin," she relented, and Allura looked to her in confusion. "To be revered as Unicus, and feared as Sicarius," she clarified before Allura came to a stop, and Valentina looked to her, resting the butt of her halberd on the ground.

"I'd appreciate it if you would consider them both dead," she politely requested with a troubled look, and Valentina nodded.

"Of course," she hummed with an understanding smile. "But you need a title. You should come up with one so others do not choose it for you. "

"Why does it really matter?" Allura's confusion returned as they resumed their path.

"Your title sets an expectation of you that people will hold and follow upon meeting you."

"I never really met with anyone. I was more of a rumor than anything, but a few noticed, like you... So you're the Sentinel, huh?"

"Yes. Valentina The Sentinel," she stated proudly, propping her halberd up on her shoulder, and Allura smiled faintly.

"I guess... I'll try coming up with one... So, how did you get into being a hero?"

"My father was a knight, and my mother a noble," she revealed. "Mother and Father were all too happy to support me in joining the knights, while my older sister scorned me for it - not feminine enough for her liking," she chuckled. "I became one of the youngest knights with my father's help, and was confronted many times about not earning it... But the fact was I earned it, and I deserved it. I defeated each naysayer without issue."

"Wow, so you really are Flora's knight in shining armor," Allura snickered, making Valentina laugh again.

"I suppose so. What about you? How did you gain your skills and fall into this life of rescue?" Valentina pressed, but Allura hesitated.

"Well... I just don't want anyone to have to be a victim like I was."

~*~

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BUYER IS GONE?!" a large man roared before glaring accusingly at the young Allura. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" he snapped, and grabbed her by the throat, earning her tears.

"Let go!" Allura whimpered, but he landed a heavy blow to her stomach instead before tossing her to the ground.

"I swear! I will fucking kill you if the next buyer falls through!" he vowed. "You've cost me more than you're worth."

~*~

"Allura?" Valentina pulled her from the memory, and Allura shook her head clear.

"Flora was my first real rescue." She began with a smile on her lips. "Her leg was caught in a trap, and the gravase almost killed us... Well, actually she saved us in the end..." Allura's voice trailed off for a moment. "As for my skills, I learned them through necessity and pain, then survival, and eventually Rixa."