It seemed to Arace that Zelda was not as perturbed by her speaking at first as she had assumed, if only because the female held onto her composure so well. She supposed being in a position of leadership did that - made one as much as an actress as a skilled assassin. Was this her own execution then? Pine had, at least, been quite blunt about what she wanted. Suffering in return for the mental anguish the loved ones had felt. Love was a... it was different. Arace had never assumed to 'love' anything. The bond between her and Starfall was some new bit of sorcery that she had never experienced elsewhere and she found it fascinating as well as beneficial for her own safety. Even if, in these moments, she felt disgusted at her own figure. Her lack of strength and her bum paw.

In response to her jibing, however, Zelda's face turns into a frown, her own displeasure finally breaking through and causing the yellow eyes of Arace to flash in victory. "Fair is not always how things are done, nor should it always be. Tell me, Savior Queen, has nothing happened in your life that wasn't fair? Did love come and leave or been torn from you? Fair is a myth - what is done is about survival and one's word and honor in such. She did not lie about her intentions for me and while a clean death would have been preferable to such a state of anarchy on myself, it was carried out just as she had deemed it. I'm not even sure what justice means, but I suspect it is much different, our ideas of it." Perhaps her words are cold, but there is fervent belief in them; one could not say Arace's life has been easy. It has not, but she had never suspected that there WAS an easier way. Never truly considered until it was too late and she was fine with what she had become.

"Not that I am ungrateful for your attentions." The last was tacked on as an afterthought, noting the disturbed look on Zelda's face. "I am unlike you in thinking, I take it." A saucy grin is offered again, primly, but it falls quickly at the pain in her face. Zelda is so... fair. So kind. It seems harsh to be so blunt with her but Arace would not go into whatever THIS was pretending to be something she was not. She was, at least, honest in this, her actor face tucked back and hidden. There would be no use for it now anyways. What did she have left to do if her paw never healed?

Help me, help you. He would be. A sly look is given in return to those words, measuring and calculating. In those words Zelda spoke her feelings of Arace in placement to those of Starfall - she was a loyal mistress, it appeared, to her own pack. It is honorable and honor is a thing Arace can respect so she nods with an exaggerated end. "You call it fate, I call it sorcery, but I won't complain." Starfall had done much for Arace these few days in taking care of her, something she had no doubt would never have happened without this bond. She could see a change in him - did that mean she was changing as well? A disturbing thought.

Zelda's interpretation of her words makes Arace chuckle suddenly, mirth in her eyes. But she does not answer because she had no clue, really, what she would have to do. An assassin assassinated and without out.. what could she be? Who could she be? It makes her uncomfortable to think about so she turns instead, to this conversation about her own purpose here. Zelda is a fighter - she fights for this chance at redemption for Arace, and it sinks into the slender assassin, her ears pricked to hear her out. Teach, spy, listen. All things she did, minus the actual action part, and it... doesn't sound half bad. Not when Zelda puts it that way. She appears thoughtful, nodding almost slightly as if she was asking internal questions and answering them.

Apologize to Tithe? A look of horror encompasses her face. "Apologize?" The word comes out in shock, as if the idea of apologizing is so foreign to Arace that it might never have been heard of at all. Then her ears tip back and she grunts a sigh. "Fine." The words are gritted, annoyance there, but she refrains from anything else on THAT particular topic. Zelda's view on beauty did little to assuage Arace's discomfort. She knew she was a beautiful wolfess, had used it, banked on it, and scars were... scarring. Hard to miss. It makes her grunt so that Zelda understands she knows what she is saying but doesn't quite agree.

"I will not harm any forest wolves while I am under your service, for however long that may be. As I heal, I will train with those you wish me to train with and teach them my skills, not that I expect much from any of them. It took me many years to become as good as I am," she says, her words revealing her true ego and pride, but that is simply who she is. "My word is given, now have we an accord?"