Y..yes...I..I'm sorry I didn't take note your advice...and end up you had to come and save again..so..sorry..and thank you.'' Valentine try to show her appreciation towards the hunter but couldn't control herself and started crying.

He took her in his arms then, stroking the back of her head as the tears ran down her cheeks. He held her close to him in an half embrace since the other hand was still holding his bow.

"There, there, the worst of it is over, you are safe. I chose to come here and didn't have to save you but I guessed that you were over your head. This forest is extremely dangerous even if you know it well like I do there's always a danger if you're not careful."

'' I..I'm sorry..*sob* Th...thank you...Wi..Will you come with me to the tomb?...I'm..I'm afraid to go alone...'' Valentine plead the hunter to came with her , she didn't want to go alone anymore with those experience she had gone through.

"I rather not. The guardian dwell over there but if I refuse you're still going to go, aren't you, which only will have me going there. " He held her close allowing her to shed her tears, rocking sightly back and forth. He then set his lips to the crown of her head as a parent may do to a child.

'' Ju..just follow me till we reach there..ok? P..please..?'' Valentine begged him in a cute voice she pretend to be hoping the hunter will at least accompany her on the way to the tomb in search of the tears of the kings.

"I shall go. You're just lucky I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress." He thought of heading out then though he was sort of reluctant to break the embrace that had been established between them. He looked at her then, cursed Puck for being an ass then smiled at her to ease her temperament a bit.

"You want to get back to the Shadow that badly? You must have someone there that you really care about if you're willing to risk so much."

Y..yes..someone very important to me...It's been more than a year since I last seen him..wonder how's he doing now..And, that's why I wish to meet him once more~ '' Smile started to filled her face even the hunter can notice it without looking at her. She must be in love he guess.

"I see ..." he nodded, seeing that smile steel over her face. That was a pity, but he had said that he would assist her. In away he had already guessed given her determination.

"Stay close ... the guardian is not easy to deal with at the best of times." He checked his quiver, noted that it was half full though arrows would do him little good nor his sword which had been replaced since he had given to her. He checked his blade hidden at his boat, the silvered weapon emitted a pale glow and was something that he held on to now rather than wasting time drawing.

"Well then, he is a very lucky man. Let's go."

I..I will! Th..thank you..'' Valentine followed up the hunter and continue onward to find the tomb. Along the way she keep close to he hunter fear that there's any danger that'll bring hram to her.

They crossed the bridge, which the troll had maintained quiet well but this section of the forest seemed darker, their was a chill in the air and it seemed devoid of all life. The trees appeared to be gnarled and twisted and occasionally the hunter drew her away from the well beaten path to avoid this hazard and that which she would have most likely stumbled into without the assistance of her guide.

"We are near it now and should see it soon." He paused, looked at her and seemed to hesitate for a moment. He then smiled and she wasn't quite sure what had happened. One moment he was standing there, the next his lips were moving against her own, slowly in a long drawn out kiss.

When it broke he braced himself against a slap which he felt was coming but was quick to explain. "It would be a pity not to have done that if we are to die -" apparently this guardian was that tough or the hunter thought so at least.

''Wha..What are you doing!!!!...D..done what..? Why are we going to die!? T..tell me!!'' The sudden kiss goaded her thus making her yell out loud to the hunter who tried to explain everything after the slap she gave him. She urge him to make a more valid reason on what he had did to her.

He rubbed his cheek after the slap having expected it. "Merely that from this point on that there is a strong possibility of one if not both of us dying. So, I choose to die, if I have to, not dwelling on the things that I should or shouldn't have done. Believe me, there are plenty of things that I regret not doing and this wasn't going to be added to that list.

"To get at the crypt we have to bypass the guardian, a guardian exempt from all conventional attacks save for magical ones," he held forth the dagger. "This was once my father's and his father before him, an enchanted blade that can harm the beast and gives us a fighting chance though we have to allow it to get close to use it. I would have much preferred enchanted arrows but this is all that we have."

Why don't we just hide somewhere and wait for it to come near? Only this way we can stab it directly without any fights...'' Valentine tell the hunter her plan so they can avoid being killed by the guardian and make it out there alive.

"It stays at the crypt from what I understand so we won't encounter it until we get there. It may be something we can do once getting there but I don't think it roams around, in fact I'm not sure what, if anything, it eats or if it even sleeps.

"I have only heard tales were groups have gone up against it with only a sole survivor being driven off from the crypt itself."

'' I...I see..But..I still wish to go...We can make ourself a safe route for escape if things go wrong..can we?..'' No matter what the hunter says, Valentine still wished to tried it out before saying no, she wouldn't want to miss the slightest chance ever. At least that's what show to the hunter how she feels.