Liana delivers a ferocious left hook to Eldaren's face. It sends him reeling to the floor, stars dancing in his eyes. "What's it going to take to get through to you, Eldaren!? Do you want to get killed? You must. It's the only explanation for your stupidity. I have fought and bled to protect you--but YOU make this task impossible. I quit. I quit this fucking job. No amount of pay, no amount of prestige is worth having to deal with you!"

"Okay look," Eldaren says. "I know on our way back I said some things I maybe shouldn't have, and I know my actions haven't exactly been the best, but give me a break. I'm new to all of this."

"Which is why you need to learn to listen," Liana growls. "I was hired to protect you, not to babysit a fucking child. You little. Fucking. Boy," and then she storms off.

The surrounding crew makes way for her, no one daring to get in her way. They watch her move with tears welling in her eyes, and they also turn to see a bewildered man, young and naive.

A single window blares sunlight into a barren room, with a single drawer for clothes, and a small bed to sleep on. Liana sits here, in this room, hours later and completely alone. She sits with her legs tugged toward her breasts. Her hair is let down, with her bangs covering her eyes, and her armor and weapon rest at the side of her bed.

There's a knock at the door. 

Liana looks at the door and doesn't say anything.

There's another knock on the door.

"If that's you, Eldaren, then you can walk away from that door and leave me the fuck alone. Otherwise, come on in."

The door opens and a familiar face enters the room, purple eyes and black hair, wearing a trench coat that runs just inches above her knees, and black boots that run up her calves. She steps into the room and closes the door behind her before saying, "I heard you were having a hard time. By that look on your face, and that sour tone in your voice, I would have to bet some money that things haven't been going too well."

Liana is unsure if she's happy or not to see Valentine, "How are you even here?"

"We're not here to talk about me today," Valentine says as she strolls towards Liana. She goes to the end of her bed and leans against the wall and looks at Liana and says, "You look like you're ready to beat the shit out of someone for talking to you the wrong way."

Liana frowns at this comment. She hates being easily read.

"Don't worry about being executed," Valentine says. "I would never let the higher-ups do that to you."

Liana feels a dreadful, sinking feeling in her stomach. Placing her hands over her face, she says, "Fuck. You're right. It's bad enough that I swore at Eldaren, but hitting nobility.... oh fuck. I can't believe I let my emotion get the better of me."

"Being in the field is a lot different from field training. The way this job is affecting you is proof enough."

"I just... I didn't think it would be this hard, ma'am."

"Drop that 'ma'am,' crap, Liana. Right now, we're having a talk as two women. I know you want to put up this tough girl act because it's the only way you've been able to get ahead, but no one can be tough all the time. It's also important to allow yourself to have some vulnerability."

Liana drops her hands from her face and stares into Valentine's eyes, as if doing so would allow her to sense her motives, to see who she really is, "I don't even know you, Valentine, and you don't know me. You might have read up about me, but you don't know who I am."

"You're absolutely right," Valentine says. "But I'm here for you. I'm here to listen to what you have to say. I can advise you, or I can just sit back and listen... but if you'd prefer I leave, then I can do that to you. Dealer's choice, Liana."

Liana ponders the offer for a moment. The light seems to recede from the room. Liana then says, "No one ever seems to take me seriously. I thought things would be better once I became a lieutenant, but nothing has changed. People still mistreat me," and images of her fight with Matt flashes through her mind, and the callous words spoken by her peers echo relentlessly. "People still don't take me seriously. People still look down on me. What's it going to take? I just... I thought I had it figured out..."

"Liana," and Valentine takes a moment to carefully select her words before saying, "You do have it figured out. People do respect you. You were given this assignment because you're respected. People placed their trust in you because they think that you're the best one for the job."

"They were wrong. I was wrong."

"...It's okay to feel the way you're feeling right now. People can't be positive all the time. It's unrealistic, but no matter how much you devalue yourself, none of that is true."

"But I failed, Valentine. It doesn't matter if he's seventh in line. He's still nobility and at the end of the day, I'm still a commoner. A military position has no weight over royalty... and even if it did, even if he was an asshole and even if he did deserve it, I shouldn't have done that. I should have kept my cool."

"You need to learn how to forgive yourself," Valentine says. "Sure, you went a little overboard. But I'll bet that what you've done will change Eldaren for the better."

"Will the higher-ups even care about that?"

"I guess you and I will both find out, eventually."

Liana gets off the bed, paces around a bit, and then turns to Valentine and says, "I don't think I'll be happy staying in this contract, Valentine. But," and she crosses her arms and says, "I don't see any way out of it."

Valentine lays herself on the bed, spreads her arms out, and says, "Liana, you can play that boy like a fiddle if you really wanted to. It's wise of you to have some restraint for doing so, but I think you've got this. I bet if you walk up to him and tell him that you quit, he wouldn't do anything about it."

"But the contract..."

"As part of teaching Eldaren some responsibility, the contract specifically states that, after initial negotiations are finalized, he has sole responsibility for enforcing the contract. If he decides to enforce the contract then that'll be just as much a detriment to him."

Liana goes to lean on the wall, near the end of her bed as Valentine was before, "How?"

Valentine sits up, crosses her legs and says, "Because I don't think Eldaren will want people to think he's an asshole. If he enforces the contract, then naturally there will be an investigation as to why there was any deviancy, to begin with. He would share his story, and you would share yours. I know enough about that man to know that his personal image, and especially his family image, is important to him. If word gets out that he HAD to enforce his contract because he was being difficult, it won't look good for him or his family."

"But it won't look good for me, either. It'd also look bad for Lucien, and I'd rather not develop any bad blood with his house." Liana sighs heavily before saying, "I don't know, Valentine. I appreciate your optimism but it seems like I'm going to come out of this one a loser. Either way, there's going to be an investigation, and either way, both Eldaren and I lose."

"There won't be an investigation if Eldaren says you left on his own volition," Valentine says. She repositions her body so that she's laying on her stomach, her arms crossed beneath her, and her head resting on her arms as she looks at Liana and says, "If he relieves you of duty, then that'll be that. His family name will be preserved and your dignity will be left intact. You'll be able to walk away from this and be free. Eldaren's family will probably just think that he made a decision to stand on his own. Or they might even think that you had a hand to play in his own self-sufficiency."

Liana's eyes light up as the room darkens. She squats down and levels herself with Valentine and says, "Your idea sounds ridiculously risky, but I'm all for it. I'd rather give that a try than be stuck in a job I hate."

"Did you at least make any friends on the way?"

Liana rises and says, "Sort of. I wasn't on this mission to make any friends, but the people I've met seem decent enough. Maybe we could have even become better friends under different circumstances."

"It could still happen. Just because things aren't ending well with Eldaren, doesn't mean you can't leave on good terms with everyone else."

"Good point, but I think I'm already on good terms with everyone here."

Valentine rolls over and gets off of the bed. She stands up, stretches, and says, "Good for you. It's important to keep your connections."

"Thanks for stopping by, Valentine. You've been amazing."

Valentine turns to her and smiles, "You're amazing, Liana, and no need to ever thank me. It's an honor to lift up other people."

"I still think gestures of appreciation are important," Liana says. "Will you let me treat you out somewhere, someday?"

"If I ever get a day off, I'd love to take you up on that offer," and then Valentine begins to stroll towards the door. "Do you have anything else you'd like to discuss with me before I go?"

"Is there anything you'd like to discuss with me before you go?" and Liana looks at the way Valentine walks, the way her body draws, and even demands attention. 

Valentine turns around and says, "Aren't you cute? But I've already told you, Liana. We aren't here to talk about me."

Liana can only smile back.

"You take care now, Liana. I'll see you when I see you," and with that, Valentine turns her back, opens the door, and steps out of the room. She closes the door behind her as she leaves.

Valentine is gone, out of Liana's sight but not out of her mind. Liana then takes a deep breath in and exhales. She stretches her neck from side to side as she steps towards the door to lock it. After she locks the door, she starts to walk back to her bed while performing various stretches. When she reaches her bed, she throws the sheets to the side and strips naked. She then slips into bed and pulls the sheets over her toned and lightly tanned body. Liana ponders what'll come next after she leaves.

She decides the anxiety isn't worth it, not now.

She closes her eyes and tries to sleep. Eventually, she does.