Denying Love for the Enemy (Lesbian)

Chapter 18

On the Edge

POV Michelle

I was thrown into the same shed as Sarah after I finally begged them to let me tend to her wound. 

"Ouch!" I grunted as I hit the cold, hay floor. 

"Nice of you to join me, Michelle.  It was getting kinda lonesome." I heard Sarah joke.

"There's absolutely nothing nice about this situation." I retorted.

I saw her sitting down, still holding her injury which was already seeping through her sleeve with blood.

"Here, let me take a look." I sat down beside her and examined her wound.

I took out my handkerchief and wiped the blood so I could secure a cloth around it.  "Don't worry, it was a clean cut." I said, still focussed on stopping the bleeding.

"You're good at your job." I heard Sarah say as she was looking at me finish up the bandaging.

"I told you before, didn't I?" I recalled our argument upon meeting each other for the first time.

I heard Sarah laugh.  "I didn't doubt you for a moment.  You should have been promoted, you would make a fine captain."

"No...we already have a great captain." I replied in all honesty instead of sarcasm.

Sarah was a bit shocked at my reply. I knew she was blaming herself for what just happened moments ago.

"I should have stopped this beforehand.  You were right, it was a complete slaughter!" she said in a pained voice. 

"You did what you had to do, as captain."

"No! I knew we were being thrown to the wolves! We were expendable to Orthion and they threw us away like worthless trash!  And I pulled out this patriotic bullshit on you just to lie to myself...to make myself feel significant!!"  I heard Sarah scream.  She had her face buried in her hand and her teeth were clenched.

I was surprised to see Sarah lose her cool.  She was on the verge of breaking down in frustration and confusion.  It wasn't the defeat of battle that frightened her, but her place as an Orthion.  She had been working so hard for so long to achieve her rank in the army of a country that threw her away in the blink of an eye.  Her meaning in life was crashing down right before my eyes.

"Look at me. Look at me Sarah!" I shouted and grabbed the sides of her cheeks to force her to look at me.

"You are not worthless!  To those soldiers who died today and to those still alive, you honored them well as captain.  Even though we were given up on, you never gave up on them.  And that's what matters! I don't give a shit about those higher authority bastards who think of us as trash because they are not what we fight for!"  I was panting by the end of my speech.  I don't think I have ever said so much pep talk in my entire life. 

Sarah was completely silent which I didn't know how to interpret.  I removed my hands from her face and looked away to hide my embarrassment from the sudden outburst.

"Wow..ok then." Is all I heard her say.

"Glad you're back." I couldn't help but chuckle. 

Once again silence filled the room. 

Sarah turned towards me with an expression that I've never seen before.....

"Thank you." She said those two words like she meant them.

 Temporary Peace

 POV Yuuna