Amazon's Coliseum III (ENG)

Chapter 51: BUCK-TICK

Some years ago, in Russia.

Ekaterina and Nestor were sitting in front of a huge meadow, probably in the Ural region.

-You know... there was a time when I hated you and wanted to avoid you.

-I know –Nestor answers Ekaterina-...

-... it seems unconcerned because of that.

-No, just I take as something that happens and there is no point in thinking about it so much.

-And have you never wondered why I did it?

-Our relationship was not a piece of cake; I know that I had my share of the blame, but if you ask my opinion, it is not like you did your part either. In the end... neither of us were interested.

-Wrong. It wasn't because of that.

-You tell me.

-Because, even though I did many horrible things to you, you still assumed that it wasn't because I was a bad person. You blamed the circumstances.

-It was just putting things into context. You grew up as a military brat and you were always taught that you had to be merciless with the enemy; you grew with the idea that any enemy of the nation deserved nothing but death. You always had to show yourself to everyone as that warrior with a Mona Lisa smile, who is willing to do anything to fulfill her mission, no matter how many have to die if it's for the sake of the Motherland. The thing is that, behind that smile, I see someone suffering, someone who wants all this to end.

Ekaterina sighs.

-That's why I still hate you.

-Now why?

-Because you insist on seeing me as a redeemable person, I hate that you still want to see something good in me.

-Well, if I'm the only one who gets that reaction out of you, it must be because I hit the mark.

Ekaterina lowered her gaze; despite her smile, her gaze seemed gray.

-I'm sorry for not giving you what you wanted.

-Don't apologize, I'll be fine. Save those regrets for something really important. Save that mercy for someone who really needs you.

-Are you telling me to find someone else?

-I'm not talking about a partner; I'm sure that whoever you find, they won't need your mercy or your pity. They must be a nutcase to be able to stand you.

-Ha, ha, ha, ha, you're mean!

-I know.

-Are you still fine being part of my team?

-I will always follow you, not because you were a very important person to me, but because you are my commander. The other thing is water under the bridge.

-If one day I betray the interests of the country, would you follow me?

-I'm an Adyghe, I don't give a damn about giving my loyalty to a guy who thinks he's the new Tsar; but I'll go from that to being part of the Kuban's Ataman host.

-Ha, ha, ha, ha! Just because my parents were Cossacks doesn't make me an ataman.

-Who knows, maybe things would be better that way.

-Well -Ekaterina stands up-... it's time to go, мой Подьесаул.

- Да, моя Атаманка!

Minerva Arena, The City. Current time.

Ekaterina walked out to the cage amid a huge ovation, she no longer cared about what was happening around her, she was only focused on one thing: fighting and winning. Her face looked calm, quite relaxed, as if she were in some kind of strange peace of mind.