Marianne’s mad giggling gradually died down as she felt Jacob place his hand on her shoulder. Even so, her displeasure and disdain for it all still showed in her presence. And yet, the dark aura began to retract slowly but surely. 

_"Marianne calm down, it doesn't bother me... I worry about you all, you’re my Shepherds now. I have to take care of you all, if you don't want to talk about it that's fine. But you need to trust me if I'm going to trust you, I don't care what’s under the patch, what I need is you to that as long as your one of my Shepherds your under my protection. No one here is going to make you lift that patch but sometimes people will talk about things. I'm here if you need someone to talk to."
_

“Jacob…?”

Watching him leave her side with wide eyes, she studied his calm demeanor as he sat down at his now splinted desk, collecting and working on whatever documents he could grab a hold of. His words seemed to have struck a cord though, as Marianne’s lip began to quiver, and it seemed she was about to burst into tears.

“Nugn….ghh….gahahahahhahahhaaha!”

All traces of sadness were soon drowned out with more laughter, though this one was noticeably devoid of the former’s maddening cries. Wiping her eyes of tears caused by amusement, she chuckled some more before walking towards Jacob’s desk, looming in front of him.

“Is that all you wanted? I must say, you riled me up for nothing then. That’s very naughty of you, my fearless leader,” she said with a smirk. “Even so, I understand your words loud and clear. From now on, I’ll be sure to inform you of any problems I have, alright? Heh, I knew it would be worth while studying you. If it’s all the same my Shepherd…you’re my most interesting specimen yet.”

She said this with the utmost respect, admiration and…was that affection?

Bowing to him, she moved to exit his tent. However, she immediately stopped half-way through; turning around, she fixed him with a stare meant to freeze blood. 

“All the same, I only joined this little group because _**you **_interest me Jacob. However, mention my eye-patch again, and I will _**not**_ hesitate to make sure Naga’s Champion ends up scattered across the land in _**little, tiny, pieces,**_” she warned darkly.

To emphasize her point, she pointed a newly glowing hand in a random direction and cast a curse right then and there, causing a miniature explosion to occur. When the smoke cleared, a decent sized hole was left in its wake. Just two inches from it was a certain ease-dropping swordsman, no doubt reeling back at what could have been him.

Not even acknowledging Jacob, she turned and made her departure from the tent. As she walked along, raising a hand to her eye-patch, she suddenly became startled with herself at the sudden action she had just committed. She felt…_enraged_ at his prying. That was something new for her…no wait. Rather, it was something she didn’t feel very often.

Why did he, of all people, make her feel like she wanted to set the whole camp aflame? Confused for once in her life, Marianne walked aimlessly around until she entered her own tent.