Headed by a Snake

Mina couldn't believe her master's callousness.

Just when she thought-- for the briefest moment that he actually cared about her... she realized that she was just deluding herself.

Captain Krysaos flashed his whitest, most handsome, most heroic smile.

That smile...

Mina placed her hand against her chest, feeling a dozen different emotions blossom.

Her heart thumped so painfully...

Yet, that was NOT enough to temper her rage!!

"You are the WORST MASTER in the entire REALM!!!" She screamed.

"Alright!" Krysaos yelped, "I get it!! I'm sorry!!"

"Tell!!! Her!! How!! YOU!!! FEEEEEL!!!!"

Krysaos caught her hand, "Mina, it's not like that."

"Master!!" Mina pouted. She was mad. Really mad.

...But just yelling wasn't going to change anything.

"I know... I know you're not telling her because you're worried about me..." She sighed, "but... you've already won me over. I promised my soul to you. All that and... you... you don't see me as a woman. That's-- that's fine. But... it's different for Imperia."

She intertwined her fingers with her master's... "I know you have feelings for her."

Krysaos firmly snatched his hand back, "Mina... I'm not gonna jeopardize my friendship with Imperia and everyone else with my selfishness."

"But--"

"Listen to me," Krysaos gestured with his open hands... "I dunno if you've forgotten-- but I'm human."

"You're not just *any* human, Krysaos," Mina pouted. "You are the Chosen One!"

Krysaos shook his head, "You... really give me too much credit, girlie."

"I have faith in you, Master," Mina insisted. "I have faith in love... and love is capable of crossing any boundary!"

"Yeah, well-- that's not the point I'm tryin' to make," Krysaos twisted his lips to the side. "Me bein' human-- that makes me a realist.

"Y'see... a human can fall in love a dozen or more times over the course of a lifetime...

"Then... there's a dozen different kinds of love. I might like Imperia a little bit-- but that doesn't mean we have the kind of relationship where I wanna drop everything an' share the rest of my life with her."

Krysaos rubbed the back of his head, "I mean... it might end up like that some-sun? Maybe. But right now, I don't know that."

"And it'll NEVER be like that if you don't do anything about it," Mina huffed. "I can't understand you, Master. How can you be so brave on the battlefield but such a COWARD outside of it?!?"

Krysaos stared down at her with a serious expression, "The truth... is a burden."

"The truth, Master," Mina hmphed, "sets us free!"

"No, Mina," Krysaos shook his head. "Setting unrealistic expectations sets us up for failure."

He cradled his head in his hands, "Seven hells. Now I sound like the LT..."

"How blind can you be, Master?" Mina glared up at him, narrowing her eyes, "Imperia obviously likes you too!!"

"I know."

"You..." Mina's eyes widened, "You wwWWWHAaaaAAT?!"

"I said," Krysaos took a breath-- "I know. Just like I know that she's a Princess but it doesn't have nearly as much weight as she acts like it does.... Just like I know that she's got a lot of pressure to complete her own quest-- somethin' to do with King."

"Well..." Mina frowned... "I'm... I'm sure that's true... but--"

"But nothin', Mina." Krysaos cut her off, his words as sharp as a knife. "I've got a quest to complete. So does Imperia.

"For now, Tycon's goals align with mine-- I help him, he helps me.

"You, Mina, are with the sword. I'm your hero and I'll always try to do right by you, because you trust me.

"You guys... all you guys are my friends and allies until the world burns...

"But Imperia-- she's her own person. I'm not gonna be the selfish prick that's gonna grab hold of an innocent girl's heartstrings and say shite like, 'now you're mine, come with me, no questions asked.'"

Mina wrapped her arms around her tail and pulled it close to her chest... "That's... what you did to me."

Krysaos nodded... "Yeah... I know."

He grew quiet after that...

That... was him accepting responsibility-- without so many words.

That was... him rejecting his chance to be with a literal Princess...

That was... Krysaos being the hero that Mina knew he was.

Mina threw her arms around him... and she cried.

He didn't offer any more words... He didn't even hug her back.

It was... his way of showing kindness without betraying himself.

Krysaos wasn't selfish at all...

Mina realized... it was her being the selfish one, all along.

"Thank you, Mina," Krysaos quietly whispered.

"Master?" Mina looked up with tearstained eyes, "For... for what?"

"For always thinking of me..."

...

⟬ In the Dungeon infirmary... ⟭

Tycon placed two fingers on his sleeping lover's wrist to check her pulse.

« System, analyze: Elle's condition. »

⟬ Analyzing... ⟭

He breathed a sigh of relief as his System listed her vitals. She was healthy and uninjured. It was reasonable to be sleeping so soundly, considering the elevated physical exertion and lack of sleep over the past several suns.

She would be fine, with rest.

Tycon had no issues with the treatment she received. She was installed in a luxurious bed enchanted for pliability and with a tolerable lavender scent.

Still, he wished to know more about the events that led to his lover's current state.

He turned to his leonine companion and gestured to Elle, "For this, I'd like an explanation."

"Grrr!" Ravidius sneered as he crossed his muscle bound arms, "You should know, Monsieur Tycon. As they say, curiosity killed ze Catoblepas."

"I am asking because I do not," Tycon pursed his lips, "Your aphorism answers nothing. And I do not believe that is a common phrase."

Ravidius lowered his chin, narrowing his eyes... "All three?"

"All three."

"...Ze mademoiselle was nya'vigating ze Dungeon... alone... lost and afraid..."

Tycon tapped his foot impatiently, "And you..."

"--I'm getting to zat," The lion waved his emerald right hand. "And so... I activated ze magic in my spear to take CONTROL of her BODY!!"

Tycon twisted his lips to the side, "That sounds like a heavy-handed use of Fourth-Circle magic..."

"It was NYE'CESSARY!!!" Ravidius seethed, his leonine maw dripping with saliva.

Tycon absentmindedly tapped on the corner of his lips.

The lion wiped his face with the back of his wrist, "Merci."

"De rien."