Bramble reached over to touch the center of Moony’s chest and looked to the many overlapping scars over her heart.

“You can- you can touch it…” She whispered, almost afraid. Moon had never let anyone touch that scar and anyone who got close would be pinned to the ground with a sword at their throat. Bramble was different. He could be trusted but he was the limit. Bramble slowly moved his hand over the scar, making sure not to put any pressure on it.

“This- all this was from- him wasn’t it?”

Moony nodded and faced away. It was difficult to recall a time when she felt so trapped. He was ever so careful, tracing each line where a sword had gone through. Bramble hated knowing how much pain Moon had gone through. Now that it was them against the world, he could protect her. He snuggled against her and made a small sigh, hugging her around her waist.

“You’re beautiful moon… really-“

“But it’s so ugly and- unsettling…”

Bramble shook his head. “Not everyone can appreciate true beauty”

“I guess…do- you want to know the whole story?”

Bramble gave a small nod.

Moon took a deep breath. “We trained everyday…we trained to the death. There were several ways he could bring me back. With a spell, a dry powder, or a tedious potion. The most excruciating was the powder and left the receiving person writhing in agony… More often than not, he’d use that after slitting a sword through my chest.”

Bramble listened silently, trying to ignore his anger building. He wished he had been around to stop it.

“He- he would do it every day and I won only a few times but he trained me until I could fight better than most people with their sight.”

Bramble gave a small nod and kissed Moon softly. “You don’t have to be afraid unless I’m gone. I’ll always be by your side…”

“Promise?”

“I swear it”

Moony pulled Bramble up so their faces were closer. “Kiss me…” She said it more in a hopeful sense than as an order. Bramble would comply regardless of how it was asked. He took her face in his hands and pressed a deep kiss to her lips. Moony wove her fingers through Brambles hair as her eyes fluttered closed.