Chapter 1
"I hope you and Griffith live well."
Before Casca could reply to Guts, her two other fellow mercenaries slid into the scree around them, kicking up rock and snow.
"Give us your company, Guts," they said in a low tone. "One more night. A dinner with your friends before you leave."
Guts didn't answer but Casca knew he would not say no. Her heart previously crestfallen made a little joyous dance. Surely, Guts wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to the Leader. Griffith could sweet-talk a bird from her eggs.
And this, my dear reader, is where we depart from the actual story. In this story, Casca does not give up so early, does not give let the man known as Guts walk away ...
Casca ran after the three men in front of her.
"Captain?" the two junior officers asked in puzzlement. "Weren't you going to get the new recruits settled in?"
"It's all right," Casca lied, "The rookies can handle tenting without guidance."
Before the younger officer could object, the older one coughed loudly. "Yes sir, Captain Casca." He pointed to Guts. "We'll leave the Commander's escorting to you then." Was the man winking at her?
"But that's our job--"
"Shut up, kid" came the swift reply, along with a boot-kick.
Casca picked her rhythm. Only when the sound of the other two men's boots disappeared did she begin to talk. She kept her eyes forward. Her voice sounded like a bird, unrecognizable. "Why do you want to leave? We've just been lauded by the king. Biggest reward since ... forever. Things are going well. Leaving makes no sense."
Guts hesisted. "You wouldn't understand--"
"If you say that it's a thing only men can understand, I'm kicking you." Casca meant it, too.
Guts grinned.
Casca frowned. "Don't you dare."
"Women--"
Casca jumped him. She was no match for his strength, of course, but there were ways to fight a larger foe. Behind the knee, between the shoulder nerves. She hesitated before poking his eyes. The next spot was to split him between his legs but she hesitated there too.
That was too much hesistation. She was grappled in a backhug. But not completely. She jack-knifed, raising her straight legs to her face, then kicking forward with a right-leaning camber. That knocked them both off balance. On the ground, they became equals. Rolling around, she had a chance.
She caught him in a headlock. "Surrender!"
Guts's shoulders tensed, and ... then he did.
Casca released him in disgust. "You let me win. I thought you respected me."
Guts gave a pained expression. But he was a quick thinker. "You held back, too."
Guts was sitting up now, barely out of breath. Casca, however, was panting. She had backpedaled backwards and was leaning on a tree, watching the her breath heat up the air around her face.
This was similar to the time at the forest, when they had been surrounded by a hundred enemies.
"Why are you smiling so creepily?"
Casca blinked and threw a snowball at Guts. "Shut up."
Now it was Guts turn to smile, and Casca knew she only had to wait ... Guts was a terse man. He generally gave her whatever she wanted. All she had to do was wait. Griffith was the opposite; he never gave her what she asked, not truly, no matter how long she had waited.
Guts voice cut through the crisp air. "I told you, hadn't I? You and Griffith. I would just be in the way."
"In the way of what?"
"Do I have to spell it out?" Guts made baby-cradling motions.
"I'll kick you."
"Please don't," Guts said quickly. "I think you dislocated my shoulder."
Casca crawled over. "You big baby. Let me see." The snowy road should be cold but for some reason, her whole body was as if afire.
She slipped her fingers under the pauldron. Massaging. Feeling.
His hands closed over hers. "Stop. This is wrong."
Casca's face was inches from Guts. "I told you before. I belong to no one. Not to Griffith. Not even you."
Then she kissed him.
