Louis speaks

I ran to her...I had to convince myself to stop over enjoying over my triumph. I felt that she could be no longer in the town... and what lay in the bag was another girl...maybe it wasn't a human...maybe I was just too desperate to save her that I began to imagine things...

That hideous endless possibilities roamed over me like stalking crows waiting for me to snap at any second.

I could still hear the battle still boiling at the edge of the town, but I knew it was a matter of time before it came to a decisive halt.

I ran to the bag, and untying that knot was the most nervous thing I had to do with those trembling fingers.

The instant I got her out. She slapped me. She clawed at me like a Tigress. She hit me multiple times, screaming illegible words and crying with agony that I had never experienced since my mother's death.

I deserved more than a slap. She was merciful to me. She kept shouting and throwing hands all over me, as if I were the kidnapper.

I surrounded her maniacally hysterical reaction with my tired arms, as I slowly managed to calm her down. Till she finally realised she was no longer in danger. And after many pleas for her to stop, she ceased her assault.

She gradually held her gaze to mine, right in the eyes. And I will never forget those drained orbs looking at me with those strange emotions...

Betrayal

Happiness

Sadness

Exhaustion

I didn't know what to say. She kept crying. I hugged her to contain her. Yet, I couldn't get a hold of myself.

The guilt of what I had done had struck again. Powerful as ever. I eyed her. She couldn't say a word. She was too weak. Her lips were petrified. Her skin was full of dirt and she was so astonishingly cold.

And her clothes...

I looked at her clothes, All torn and in miserable condition. My mind feared for her body. And I had my doubts.

Did they touch her...Was it painful...Did she suffer?! That girl at the town hall said that she was too valuable for them...for the blood drinker...Did that man...

I pressed my tongue before speaking. "Did any of them..." I couldn't finish it. It was even cruel for me to ask her such a barbaric question now. But my fears took hold of me.

She nodded negatively.

My flames of revenge succumbed. Not fully, But still. I had to control myself. For her. For the sake of her remaining pure soul, I felt some of it in her weak arms holding at my shirt. She was still clinging to me.

WHY! I screamed at myself

I wanted her to punish me. To slap me again. To say that she hates me. To leave me and go to someone else. One that can appreciate her more and truly adore her and most of all, never leave her side...

"L-Louis..." I heard her weak whispers.

"I am here..." I tried to embrace myself for whatever was coming out of her tired lips.

"W-Wa...Water". her eyes were half closed and full of dried tears.

"Water?" My stupid brain stopped thinking. "Water?! Right, you need water!"

I looked around and spotted a group of soldiers marching beside me, and I excused them for a borrowed bottle. One of those good men then gave me his half-full bottle. It was better than nothing.

"Here" I took the bottleneck and drew it near her mouth. I supported her lower lip with my finger so that every drop counted. As the liquid slowly flew through her throat, nurturing her deteriorating body.

She drank it all in one breath.

"Hold on, I am going to get you more".

"NO!"

She screamed, With a full eyes

"DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN...Please!"

Her distress call fractured my heart to their core. I couldn't hold my tears any longer and the next moment, she was between my arms as I squeezed her body to mine.

"No one is going to take you from me! Not Wain, Not the Red Castle, and not even this fuck'n war. You are my girl and mine alone!"

I didn't see her face, but I presumed she forgave me. Yet, out the blue, her clutching arms lost their energy and her body became heavier than before, when I looked at her eyes, they were already shut.

"Hon..Diana, DIANA. No NO NO NO NO NO, Stay with me! Diana! Medic!! HEEEEEELP!"

I cried; her awareness disappeared. And I began panicking...I was losing her.

I felt so helpless. This wasn't my land nor my people. The threat of her uncle at Zenda supported my paranoia even more.

She was all I had left.

Lucky for me. My shouts reached Joseph. When I told him what happened he directed me to the nearest medic camp and lent me one of his men's horses.

I carried her in my arms lifted her up to the animal and kicked onwards. I felt a lot of memories harassing me at that time

However one, in particular, stood out.

That day when she saved me from that wolf. Guards told me she ran on my horse with me on its back through the maze like forest till she finally escorted me to safety. She must have felt what I feel now...

My thoughts stopped storming once my eyes saw a large red cross tent with a lot of people around coming close to my view.

"That must be it!". I declared what was supposed to be a thriving triumph

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I disembarked off my horse and carried her around. She was still breathing, yet barely, I had to hurry.

I entered the tent. The familiar scent of blood and witnessing all colours of medicines told me it was the right place to be.

It was much bigger from the inside and full of patients and nurses everywhere. There were at least 30 beds over there and I needed only one vacancy. I ran checking every bed but there weren't any empty ones. They were all taken.

"Hang on a little longer dear, I will get you through this!" I gave her a quick kiss on her cheek While I was lying to her. There was no help anywhere. All nurses and doctors were busy with the men who were either yelling from pain or -like my Diana- at the footstep of death.

Despite how much I pleaded. None paid me any attention...

Except for. ONE. FAITHFUL. LADY.

"Louis!". She yelled as she left her patient in the hand of another of her colleague and hurried towards me. When I tilted my head to the source of the voice, her blue cloak soon caught my eye.

"Aurora! For the love of god, save her!"

She looked at me and then over my Diana. And let me tell you, her presence alone was more than enough to ease me down at least till my girl gets up.

"Follow me, quick," she said while leaving the tent. I followed her outside. She was leading me to another tent about a half-kilometre away to the north.

"Tell me, did you examine her?"

"No, but she told me no one touched her"

"Good, I will examine her just to be double sure" she answered.

My fears kept looming around, diminishing my morality. My legs were burning inside and my brain was barely able to function from all the events of this never-ending day. Nevertheless, I had to keep going.

"And dear..." her voice trailed.

"Y-Yes..."

"Have you seen him there, is he ok?". She was asking about Joseph.

"More than ok, I saw him deal with the blood drinker once and for all. It's a matter of time before he calls for you to celebrate his victory with him in the liberated city"

She stopped and smiled as she blew some air with relief "Thank goodness"

"Aurora!"

"Oh, right. Sorry. This way". She led me to Another huge tent that was filled with injured soldiers as well. However, this tent was filled up to a point, and I spotted several empty beds...

"Here" she pointed for me to a bed on our left. So I lowered her body on it.

"L o u i s" Diana whispered

"No no! She is dying. Do something!"

"Ok, that's it. you need to leave. Now! I will try to do my best"

"Aurora, Please..."

She put her hands on my shoulder. "I won't allow her to die".

"A-Alright," I shakenly said as I left Diana's body in her good hands.

I exited the tent, limping left and right, crying like babies. I no longer felt my princeship within me. All I cared for was that she just keep breathing and won't leave me like this...

Shattered and alone.

My legs collapsed beside the tent from the outside. As my already heavy head fell slightly on the external body of the tent. Taking it as a pillow.

I looked at the carpet of stars lined perfectly at the sky above me.

"Hit me with any punishment you may find suitable. But please don't take her away from me..."

Those were the last thing I remembered I said, before I closed my eyes and fell asleep on the spot...

~~~~~~

My consciousness slowly returned. As my eyes blink. I looked around. It was morning. I yawned. I was so tired that I slept where I fell. And when I examined my body, I found a blanket over me.

Speaking of sleeping, I had to check on my girl. Now that I am well-rested and able.

I jumped out of my place and entered the tent.

"They are all sleeping!" I gasped to myself.

It was true that all the doctors and nurses were face down next to the sleeping patients. Poor souls were working all night trying to save as many lives as possible.

I sneaked forward. There wasn't a single person awake and Aurora wasn't there either.

My eyes roamed till I spotted the place of her bed. It was all surrounded by white sheets linked to iron stands.

I carefully slide the sheets aside and then...I smiled...

I saw her stable body. She was breathing normally. I drew closer to her face and examined her lips. They were in much better condition. I put my hands on her cheeks, and She was warm again.

Whatever Aurora did, her results were fascinating. I kept looking at her, I wanted her to be awake already. I wanted to apologise.

I held her small hands towards my face. "I...I don't know if you are going to forgive me after you wake up. But I really am sorry for every moment of pain you endured because of me. I can't promise you that the road ahead to be paved in gold but I promise one thing tha__"

"Who on earth are you talking to?". Aurora crept from behind me. To be honest I already heared her footsteps coming, she was probably on its way to check on her.

I looked behind and smiled at her and then pointed my head towards my sleeping beauty. "Her. I am trying to speak some of my heart out"

"I see. Well, I knew what happened to her there. She woke up while you were sleeping"

I turned around with wide eyes. "Wait, She woke up?!"

"Yes, Who do you think put that blanket on you while you were sleeping outside?"

I paused looking at my sleeping girl "That makes sense, T-Then how was she?"

"No one layed hands on her. But her body was tortured by Acute starvation and unbelievable dehydration. It's a miracle she survived"

"Darn it, That blood-Pisser must have interrogated her to try to reach me. My Poor darling truly didn't know where I was. She woke up in the middle of the forest and the next thing she saw, I was gone. Vanished. That was the truth. But I bet that thick head idiot didn't believe her anyway. That bastard killed one of his men in front of my eyes, Imagine what he was doing with those girls"

Aurora's hands patted my back. "And there's another thing. She didn't stop looking for you and was worried all night about you. And to be clear, I didn't notice one cell of hatred towards you. So if I were you, I would let go of what happened in that woods"

I blinked. "Perhaps. Perhaps you are right". No, I was certain she was right about my exaggerated guilty feelings. Although, I would argue that this harsh feeling was the one that kept me pressing onward till I got her back.

Suddenly, I spotted a wide smile on Aurora's face. "Speaking of righteous. Look who's up!"

When I looked back, I saw those two cute childish eyes staring at me with great innocence.

Diana was awake.

I smiled as I hardly contained myself. My blackened heart bounced with coloured happiness once more. A lost part of my soul had returned to me. And like a shattered puzzle, she collected me together with just a gaze

"Morningو my love" I smiled.

She blinked and answered faint weak smile spread over her lips.

"Ok, you two. I am going to attend to the rest of my patients, oh and Please don't break up". She stood up, held the sheets and shoved them to the left.

"This woman is amusing". My girl smirked.

"Yeah, correct," I smiled, trying miserably to hide my anxiety about bringing up the subject.

"Louis..." her eyes blinked and her face was serious. "She told me everything..."

I was taken aback by the sentence. Trying to absorb what she was saying. "E-Everything...You mean..."

"From the moment that frog hopped on your nose, till you got me here"

Woah, that's three chapters in one night

"Diana, I...I don't know what to say"

"It's ok. Not that we would have stood a chance against them. We could have been captured together. Either way, I would have been captured or maybe killed. They wanted you, not me. And for that my life was crucial"

My eyes dropped. I knew she was trying to cool things off. But I had to admit it. Fate has saved me from a far worse incident.

"I should have at least woken you up...". I protested.

She brought herself to the sitting posture as her hands reached to me and touched my cheeks. "I know and I am not angry at you. Not anymore."

"SOOOOooo, you are not going to slap me again?". I teased while I pressed her hand more to my face.

"Oh, About that...Does it still hurt you?"

"Not as much as your absence did, no". I smiled.

She smiled at me with her sweet lips and lovely eyes.

"Oh, I completely forgot!" I gasped as I turned around to fetch it from my clothes.

"Here".

"My dagger!" She snatched the blade and hugged it to her heart. Like a lost doll. Back then, when this nightmare began, I promised myself if I found her safely, I would deliver that blade back.

"Thank you". She raised her eyes to me and smiled. She reached her other hand to me. And my heart began racing. Her face got closer and closer, as her arms were locked around my neck. While her blonde hair's strings were scattered everywhere over me, tickling me.

Our faces were 2 inches away. Our figures were so close to each other that we could mediate there for eternity and still won't be enough.

I missed those moments.

The moment when her warm breaths began hitting my eyes. That sensation of loving her. To link our hearts together once more. To have her again between my arms. United as one.

If that's what I felt after leaving her for 4 days. I can only imagine her father's reaction after almost a year and a half away from her.

~ End of Louis's arc ~