When they got to the cart filled with many other goods besides apples they noticed that it belonged to a merchant. He was just sitting on the side of the carriage reading the letter with a carrier pigeon next to him.
"Luck with you," Rue greeted and walked towards him contentedly.
The man looked up at him and blinked a few times: "Luck with you, do you need anything?" he caught sight of Ylre coming out of the forest behind him.
"We were wondering if you'd give us a ride," Rue smiled, "and sell a few apples."
The man looked at him confused for a moment, before looking at his goods and shaking his head: "I got ripped off by a couple like you last time, so I'm not offering any rides," he said.
"Not for free," Ylre clarified, holding a bag of coins in his hand.
He's prodding clearly caught the man's interest, as his unapproachable expression changed to a more permissive one.
He looked at Rue who asked, "Where are you headed?"
"The original plan was Benil, but there was a change of order, so," he nodded at the piece of paper, "I have to stop in Alycante." he said.
"Nice name, is that a town or a village?" Rue asked, happily biting into one of the apples.
The guy looked at him incomprehensibly: "Where do you live? A town, the largest in Rinsel." he stated.
"Isn't the capital the biggest?" Rue didn't understand.
The guy sighed, as if he couldn't believe that someone didn't even know the basics of their country's geography: "Lacrisans..." he remarked, writing the answer on a piece of paper and attaching it to the pigeon's leg. He then grabbed the reins of the horses.
Ylre got on the cart and after Rue had followed him, he declared:
"Alycante was originally the largest city in the western part of the world... two hundred years ago it was one of the four main ecclesiastical cities under the name of Cante before the countries were divided and the church didn't want to leave the cities to the government," he clarified, "a similar thing happened in the remaining countries. Only Equil kept the capital connected to the nearest ecclesiastical one. However, the government and the church are no longer connected." he explained.
"Ah, so Cante is now called Alycante," Rue said, who didn't find it strange that anyone but Ylre saw his ignorance as strange, "so the government doesn't follow the instructions of the church anymore."
"They don't, the government and the church influence each other, accept and behave usually equally, it depends where you go. People mainly listen to the king, but sometimes the creed weighs more. Some are more religious than others, some don't believe at all," he explained, "but the majority profess some faith...most often."
"Some? The only church is the Church of Luck, isn't it?" Rue remarked confusedly.
"In the past it was...and it's still the strongest...but in recent years another one has been established," said Ylre.
"I don't understand...what could people believe in other than Luck?" he didn'tknow.
Ylre laughed softly, "In bad luck," he clarified, "not everyone is blessed with Luck, some are even angry with Luck for being unfair, they believe that transferring bad luck to others and crystals will bring better results than drawing Luck." he clarified.
"I don't understand," Rue said in confusion, "when you worship Luck, you worship it because it exists...how do people worship bad luck? After all, bad luck is just a lack of Luck." he declared.
"For them, Luck is just the lack of bad luck...when you worship bad luck, according to their ideology, it doesn't affect you as seriously as those who don't worship it, so nothing unmanageable happens to you. On the one hand, you can transfer it to others, thereby reducing their luck and improving your own," he explained.
"To others? Bad luck?" Rue didn't believe anyone would do that.
"Of course, it's not proven...it's just the assumptions of their faith," Ylre clarified.
"Do people really believe in such nonsense now? Why? They see Luck every day, there are writings, books, and clear knowledge about it?" he didn't understand.
"There is no one who can really confirm that these are not just fabrications," Ylre clarified.
"They aren't." Rue said disgruntled.
"I believe you. I'm just saying that people born with a lack of Luck will not believe that worshiping Luck is the right way. It is more advantageous for them to get rid of bad luck," he explained.
"Do all countries believe in the second church" Rue wanted to know.
"No, Lacris only believes in Luck, Rinsel and Equil, it's pretty balanced," he explained.
"So, in Alycante...we will only see the Church of Luck?" Rue asked.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not very interested in church places, and I'd prefer to avoid them," Ylre admitted.
,,Why? Don't you believe in Luck?" Rue wondered, not realizing until now that something like that was even possible.
"I believe," Ylre smiled, "I just don't have the best relationship with the members of the church." He clarified.
"No?" he thought for a moment before realizing the crucial thing, "Actually...neither do I." he smiled as he remembered that the Infeys were at the head of the church. They weren't easy to find in a bunch of regular members, but he didn't want to risk meeting any. He clearly wasn't going to get locked up in a cell again. Even though he knew that he deserved it.
"So, it will be best if we avoid Alycante," Ylre explained, "fortunately there is another nicer and smaller town nearby that we can walk to in a few hours."
"Which one?" Rue enthused at the thought.
Ylre smiled: "Dycae, It's really close, the church has no power over it, since it's mainly under the influence of the other church, which, however, finances the city generously," he laughed, "it's very nice to look at." he said.
"When will we be there?" he asked.
"About a day's travel…at the slow pace this guy is going," Ylre laughed.
"I don't mind that he goes slowly, at least we will see nature and other things," he said.
"Me neither, I'm not in a hurry...but you could be there in half a day on horseback," he said.
Rue smiled softly and looked at Ylre, "You really know everything."
"Not everything, I'm just smart. But I'll tell you anything you want to know," Ylre smiled and looked at him contentedly.
"For example," Rue looked at the trees, "what are those brown marks on the trunks?" he asked.
Ylre looked at the trees by the side of the road and blinked in surprise. He didn't answer for a while. He then stood up, walked back to the goods, through which he leaned towards the merchant: "You're going the wrong way," he informed.
"What?" he didn't understand what Ylre was talking about.
"There are bandits' marks on the trees, if you go further, they will ambush us, I doubt it is a normal traffic route," he said.
"Boy, I've been taking this road all my life, and nothing has ever happened to me, sit back and don't disturb me," he said disgruntled.
"As you wish," Ylre said and sat back, "he doesn't listen, his fault."
"Ambush?" Rue asked in disbelief, "How do you know?"
"I've seen them many times, all the groups have different signs, but the brown rings on the trunks are signs that bandits use to mark busy roads without military control," he explained.
"Shouldn't we try to talk him out of it? If someone ambushes us, will he be in danger? What goods does he have to deliver? People are waiting for it, why isn't he listening?" he didn't understand.
"People usually don't listen, we can't make them...when something happens, I will just call on him. Let him take us as far as possible," he said.
"Ylre," Rue said in a deep voice that made Ylre fall silent for a moment, "People in the world need to help each other, not use each other for their own needs and then leave them without help." He said.
Ylre hesitated for a moment before asking, "When he's not listening?"
"Not everyone sees the right path, so when you're lucky enough to see it, don't resent those who don't," he said.
Ylre nodded softly as a strange feeling filled him and he slowly lay down on the soft bag with something comfortable, "I'll try" he added.
At his rather kind words, Rue responded with a soft smile, not realizing that the whole conversation with Ylre was unrealistically positive. Not only did he not realize that his own words about the world and his thinking about the past made it suspicious that he lived longer than he looked, but he also didn't realize that Ylre knew too much for his physical age.
He didn't realize that in the new era, everyone would laugh if he gave them similar educational advice, he didn't realize that they behaved too intimately for the fact that they just met. And although such things were normal for Rue, although he felt as if he was close with every living creature, he didn't know that others didn't feel the same way. And so he saw nothing unusual in Ylre's behavior.
That's why he just sat contentedly and watched the landscape, which although still looked the same as an hour ago, he still enjoyed it. And he knew he would even more. Because exactly this was what he had been missing all along for a very long time.
***
After being stopped by one of Nielle's men who informed the prince of some matter, they made their way to the palace. Shane was only mildly uneasy as Nielle led him back to the dungeons. He wasn't sure if he wanted to punish him for something else, or if he just wanted to vent some frustration cause he wasn´t able to arrest those Infeys. However, Shane had absolutely no energy or desire to be tortured by the collar around his neck.
Yet he remained silent and kept the hatred that filled him to himself. He didn't plan to talk with Nielle and he just hoped that he would make it through today without having another mental breakdown. Therefore, he was quite pleased when they didn't enter an empty cell, but instead, Nielle led him to another where the bandits were being interrogated.
The scream that reigned in the room was interrupted the moment they arrived. The man, who was currently torturing one of the guys Nielle had caught, bowed slightly and greeted:
"Your Highness."
"I have to change plans slightly," Nielle said.
"How, sir?" he asked.
"Leave one to robbery, let the other confess to murder, preferably the boss," he nodded at the guy in chains, who no longer looked as brave as when he was mugging him.
"Of course, sir," the executioner said, looking at the former bandit, who didn't even look up, "did you hear that? Are you confessing to the murder?" he asked in a way that made Shane subconsciously hesitate, what a change it was from the conversation with Nielle.
"A M-Murder?" the guy stammered.
"You committed a murder last night...you followed a couple of members of the gambling hall, and you confess to it," the executioner said the sentence he wanted to hear, as he knew all the details.
"I didn't kill...I was in this disgusting cell..." he said barely audible.
Nielle smiled gently and slowly sat down at one of the tables: "Sit down, at least you'll see what your work will be," he told Shane.
Shane sat down slowly and looked blankly at the guys in front of him, where the executioner began his interrogation. It didn't even take ten minutes for the thief to confess to a murder he didn't commit. Shane just stared in disgust at the methods he knew very well how to use but didn't see often in Lacris, then just glared at Nielle.
Nielle smiled contentedly and walked up to the executioner: "Let him keep his new opinion, convince him that he really committed it, if the king has too many questions," he said.
"Yes, Your Highness," the guy nodded, and after Nielle called Shane, he looked at the unknown Lacrisan, "who is it, sir?"
"One ill-bred Lacrisan that's fun to tame," he chuckled and looked at Shane who, despite his usual resilience, was breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of Nielle leaving him here for the same purpose. Not that he couldn't withstand the torture or that he didn't believe in himself, but now he couldn't find the energy even for normal activities, let alone undergoing interrogations. Still he wasn´t going to show it.
"Should I take him to the clean room?" the man asked.
"No... I’ll tame him myself," Nielle explained, "I want to make him the new executioner...his files haven't arrived yet, but he supposedly did all the work in Lacris, I want to see the interrogation techniques used in Lacris." he said.
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"Of course," he nodded.
"What?" Shane couldn't believe it.
"There is a shortage of executioners in every country, right? I believe I'm not the first to put such things in charge of you." Nielle smiled.
"No, but..." he didn't get a chance to finish when Nielle cut him off.
"Or do you want me to let one of my executioners convince you that you were born for this job? Alternatively, do you want to sit in the cell for a while?" Nielle smiled.
Not wanting to be interrogated, tortured, or anything like that in a country known for its educational methods, Shane remained silent. The pain itself didn´t frighten him, but the idea that he would be locked up and would spend a lot of time in the dungeon, not completing his missions didn´t appeal to him.
"I'll send him tomorrow, I haven't really enjoyed him yet, so I'll keep him by my side for today," Nielle explained, not that he had to inform the executioner, but he wanted to. Since Shane was listening very well.
When they left the dungeons and Shane still didn't say anything, Nielle smiled softly. They reached the king's study, where he announced himself to a pair of guards outside the door. When they were let in, Nielle walked in accompanied by Shane. Lacrisan followed Nielle's pattern and bowed gently, without kneeling today.
"Good evening father, I am here to give you a report about the murder that happened yesterday," he said.
"Really?" the king looked up from the papers, "Did you find out who did it."
"Yes, father, the murderer is in jail, he confessed and I plan to punish him tomorrow," he clarified.
"Really?" the king raised his eyebrows and put the papers down, "How did you find him?"
"As you know, my men are capable," he pointed out.
"If they were capable, the murder wouldn't even have happened," the King said.
"If you didn't reduce the number of soldiers I was allowed to recruit, there wouldn't be streets without security at night," Nielle explained, since he also owned classic soldiers, falling under the army, in addition to his Black Guard, but with him as primary supervisor.
Nielle never used his best soldiers in the Black guard for the little things like patrolling the streets. He was leaving those tasks to the classic soldiers, which he didn't have nearly enough of thanks to his father. But they were sufficient for his own purposes. With all the people he had acquired and installed over the years, he couldn't complain, even though the king didn't know about most of them.
The king sharply put the papers on the table: "Do you know how many soldiers you have? Do you want to own the whole army?"
"I don't have many soldiers at all, Louise has a hundred times more. I know he's in charge of the army, but don't you think it's unfair to let me handle everything just like that, father?" Nielle stated, after which the king threw the papers at him in exasperation.
Nielle sometimes wondered if his father had a penchant for throwing things at others or if he just enjoyed it in his direction. But he really didn't like being his target, so he took a step back, which only irritated the king.
"One more word and I'll let Louis cut out another fifty of your soldiers!" he raised his voice.
"But father," Nielle objected.
"Hundred!" he shouted.
Nielle just nodded with a sigh, "I see...in that case that's all, if you want I can give the murderer to Louis for punishment so everyone thinks he caught him alone," he suggested almost mockingly and seeing the king hesitate, he laughed softly.
"I don't want Louis to be associated with executions, take care of it yourself, don't make Louis do everything for you," he said.
Nielle nodded and made his way out, followed by Shane, who was becoming more and more aware of how unfair this king was to his sons. He didn't understand why Nielle provoked his father at all. However, he assumed that Nielle must dislike Louis quite a bit.
That's why he was mildly surprised when Nielle stopped by Louis's chamber next. A pair of guards let him in, after which this time they stopped right at the table. Nielle sat on it and looked at his brother who was measuring Shane.
,,Do you like him? Do you want him for the night?" Nielle laughed, "I won't lend him to you, maybe when he stops entertaining me."
“Iuwine told me you were overreacting.” Louis ignored his stupid remarks and finally looked at Nielle.
"Appropriate for the situation," Nielle clarified, "I didn't come here for him, I came to inform you. The king will soon tell you to have a hundred of my men cut from the army. I want you to do that with those near Alycante." he said.
"What? Why would he do that, I recently reduced the number of your soldiers." he didn´t understand.
"I know, I couldn't stand how unfair he is and I exploded," he lied, "it happened...so bee a good brother and cut the soldiers at Alycante, at least that won't hurt me." he grabbed his heart and laughed softly.
"Nonsense, I'll explain to father how overacting he is," he stood up, but Nielle stopped him.
"You won't achieve anything, he'll just annoy me with his bullshit how I can't solve problems on my own," he explained, "just do what I say, let the king be satisfied that he pissed me off again and me that I didn't really lose anything." he took out of his pocket a bag of tea that he had brought earlier.
Louis looked at the tea, "Nielle."
"It's a souvenir, not a bribe, father got one too...but I only brought one package of cinnamon-tea, so you might appreciate it," he laughed and walked out of the room.
"Don't you want to not argue with the king and get along?" Louis asked.
Nielle just looked at him and laughed out of pleasure: "Impossible...I'm not you and I don't want to be...have fun with work, I'm going to have fun with him." He nodded at Lacrisan and went out.
Nielle was quite pleased with the result. Despite sacrificing a hundred of his men, or rather not them, but their positions in the army, he knew it was for the greater good and it would be better if he did so early. In such moments, it was quite useful for him, how the king liked to undermine him and prevent him from any goal or comparison with Louis.
According to the information that arrived only a moment ago, the pair of Infeys got on the road heading for Alycante. Since he intended to catch them, he needed to have his people nearby, and since he couldn't let the king find out about the Infeys, he needed those people to be no longer part of the army. Nielle had his men everywhere, but he couldn't tell the hundred spies near Alycante, who had their positions clearly defined, to go catch the pair of guys.
The soldiers he had in the army were his reserve, which he was able to release from his dominion due to the demonization of the king and additionally add them to the territory where he currently needed them. When the mission was accomplished, he had them reassigned to other places, sometimes back to the army, sometimes elsewhere.
The only thing that irritated him was the king's paranoia and suspicion. If he let his men go on his own, it wouldn't be without question, and he clearly wasn't going to explain thins like that to someone who was watching his steps.
In any case, he wanted his men to be ready for the Infeys in Alycante, both in the city and in the surrounding area. When Louis does as the king asks, everything will be arranged.
Since last night's murder had it´s perpetrator, he had the Infeys tracking solved and nothing else to deal with right now, he could focus on more fun things...like getting to know his Lacrisan better.
***
It was slowly getting dark when they stopped at a village. The guy took several bags from the back and began to carry the ordered goods to the future owners, while Rue and Ylre waited by the cart.
They were standing near a rather nice meadow, only a narrow path between the flowers showed that people usually walk here. Ylre stood by the carriage and watched as Rue excitedly walked among the flowers, bending down, stroking them enthusiastically, sometimes speaking to them as if they could answer, and then smiling contentedly, as if he had really received an answer. And maybe he did.
Ylre honestly didn't know what all the abilities of the highest Infeys were and therefore he had no idea if Rue could really talk to all living beings, even flowers. Anyway, he looked happy and Ylre couldn't help but smiled softly.
Despite the late hour, the sun was still warm so after a while he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was enjoying the fresh air, the peaceful silence with only Rue's pleasant voice in the background, before a call woke him from his calming half-sleep.
“Ylre…look,” he sounded excited. Ylre opened his blue eyes and watched as Rue ran up to him, showing him a tiny ladybug that had landed on his finger.
Ylre didn't have as strong relationship with natural things as Rue, but he still smiled softly, "Pretty...where did you find it?"
"I didn't, she came alone... isn't she beautiful, isn't the world beautiful?" he looked enthusiastically at the surrounding flowers.
"It depends when and with whom," Ylre pointed out, “right now with you, it really is beautiful.”
“That's what I meant. I hope it will stay beautiful forever.” Rue laughed and gently placed the ladybug next to Ylre who was giving it a look.
He stared at little bug for a moment before it moved closer to him. He slowly extended his finger, letting it climb up his nail and slowly lifted it. He watched the bug for a few seconds before looking at a contented Rue and smiling softly.
He extended his finger to Rue, who hesitated before letting Ylre touch him.
"I hope you can smile like this forever…then the world really will be beautiful." Ylre let the ladybug climb up Rue's shoulder, which was enough to make Rue's face light up with a warm smile.
"How about we take a walk surrounded by flowers. You will feel comfortable." he said.
"No need, I feel comfortable even now," Ylre smiled.
“You don´t want to?” Rue asked, as if he couldn't believe anyone would turn down a walk among the flowers.
Ylre stared at him for a moment before moving his gaze to the flowers and adding, “I do, let´s go."
As Rue smiled contentedly and made his way among the flowerbeds that grew too freely to be called a manicured meadow, Ylre followed him slowly. He himself didn´t like flowers the most, but in this situation, it filled his heart with warm pleasure. They walked along a smaller path that made their way through the colorful meadow plants that Rue was so fascinated by. Ylre was just walking without saying a word when Rue handed him some fallen flower, he picked up. Ylre looked at it surprised but as they walked, he considered the flower rather lonely so he picked another one for it…and then another one.
"Beautiful, isn't it? They are all different and yet they don't grow in groups, but randomly, all together...you have all the colours everywhere, as if they like each other, don't you think? I haven't been in the meadow for a long time, I don't remember them being so beautiful," Rue commented enthusiastically.
Ylre bent to the ground again and took one of the freshly fallen flowers in his hand, where he was already clutching several. After listening to Rue's excited words for a while, he bent down again and added a few other flowers to them.
"I haven't been on the meadow for a long time either," he said.
“Really? You don't look like you can't go for a walk." he didn't understand.
"I just had no reason," Ylre clarified, bowing again.
"There is always a reason to visit the meadow," he smiled.
"I'm grateful you gave me one," Ylre laughed and gently wrapped the bouquet of meadow flowers in thicker grass, binding it together. As Rue looked his way, Ylre beckoned him closer and handed him the bouquet with a hesitant smile.
"When did you make it?" Rue took the flowers and looked at them happily, "You didn't pluck them," he noted, "you're a good person with a good sense of detail." he looked at the nicely arranged flowers, in appearance, as if they were bought in a flower shop.
Ylre laughed softly, "Thank you...I thought they would please you," he tried.
"Flowers are always a pleasure," Rue gave him a smile, "Thank you." He said, pulling the flower close to him.
Ylre smiled softly and continued walking with Rue, who, with the flowers in his hand, excitedly started chatting about other flowers. The sun was slowly setting, the man didn´t return from the village, and when they were almost at the carriage, Ylre noticed that something was weird.
"Stop," he said to Rue, who didn't understand what was going on.
,,Why?"
"Someone is by the carriage," he said and slowly moved on, whereupon he finally saw a group of about twenty people rummaging in the goods.
“Where?" Rue leaned in when he saw the group of thieves, but he didn´t hesitate and ran out of the meadow, "Who are you?" he walked to them and caught their attention, which was exactly what Ylre didn't want.
Sighing, Ylre caught up with Rue and stopped by him. He looked at the many bandits who didn't seem frightened by their arrival. They just lauhed amusedly, made a few remarks about them, and then pulled out all sorts of their weird weapons.
"When you see a group of guys robbing you and you're not outnumbered, don´t show yourself," one of them laughed.
"Give everything you took back. It's not yours...or ours." Rue stated calmly. With the bouquet in hand, he looked quite comical to the thieves, so the group of guys just laughed in amusement and went about their business.
"Idiots...guys, take their valuables and tie them up, we'll feast on them," he stated, to which the bandits listened and excitedly charged at them. The pair of Infeys couldn't believe how easy it was to be targeted by blades twice a day in this country.
“Ylre.” Rue looked at the redhead who didn't look excited.
"Don't worry, I'll get rid of them," he said, but he didn't have time to say anything else when a group of guys rushed at them.
Ylre was mildly surprised when, instead of a civilized fight, the guys ran at him randomly with feet, fists, and weapons in a disorganized group that he would have preferred to cut down with a single swing.
However, he couldn't draw his sword, he couldn't kill any of them since Rue would see it, and he clearly couldn't grab Rue and stop him from joining the fight. Therefore, only irritated by the interruption of a nice moment, he tackled one of the attackers, sending him to the ground with a kick in the stomach. He knocked him unconscious with the second kick, then took his sword and fought off several guys who rushed towards him.
One slash, one blow, another slash, another blow, blood spattered his face and he just watched as several guys fell to the ground. The burgundy liquid seeped into the dirt by the road, Ylre strode past it and slashed the wrists of several bandits with a sharp swing, forcing them to drop their weapons. He interrupted their screams with a well-aimed slash across the chest and continued.
He didn't realize how far he had walked during the fight. When he finally finished, his hands were dirty with the blood of the ignorant people who had dared to touch them. However, he was standing quite far from Rue, who was still fighting, as his fighting style with humans wasn´t that brutal.
Rue as highest Infey didn't hurt anyone, he regained one sword just like in the capital and sent several guys to the ground while still holding a bouquet of flowers in his other hand. His sword style was well known to Ylre and as he watched his elegante posture filled with light movements, his heart filled with affection. Since his fight wasn't over, Ylre followed him. However, one guy ran at Rue more violently and made the flower fell from his hands, causing him to hesitate in surprise. He looked at the bouquet, automatically sent a guy unconscious and then tried to bend down to pick the flowers.
However, he didn't get the chance to do so. Another guy jumped at him from behind and if Rue hadn't step aside, he would have taken a nasty blow. He didn't look pleased, but after a one harmless blow, he stunned the guy and tried to pick up the flower from the ground a few meters away. But unsuccessfully. In the course of the fight, he struggled to reach it for a moment, before one of the guys stepped on the flowers.
Rue stopped: "Why are you destroying such a beautiful thing?"
But only Ylre noticed Rue´s words from the short distance where he was attacked by other guys a moment ago. None of the bandits paid attention to Rue's question, they just continued to try to catch him, and after Rue dodged a few times, sending several guys to the ground, he again disgruntledly tried to take the trampled flowers from the ground. It took some time before the space near him was cleared and he slowly walked towards the flower, which didn´t look as beautiful as before. He slowly bent down to it, sighed softly and caressed it gently.
At that moment, Ylre finally finished slashing the guys on his side and was finally able to run towards Rue, who was no longer focused on the fight. in fact, Rue never took the fight with humans seriously. He didn´t have to. That's why he didn't notice how one of the guys woke up and irritated by the development of the fight, lunged at him.
"Watch out!" Ylre yelled since he wasn't close enough to intervene. When Rue came to his senses, all he could do was dodge to the side at the last moment before the sword would surely pierce his back.
Instead of his back, the blade pierced through his arm and cut into his shoulder, making him hiss in pain. The guy ran at him again in irritation, but Ylre was already in front of him, slashing the guy's chest a furious lunge. As the man´s sword fell to the ground, Ylre sliced open his stomach in another deep blow. With a murderous look on his face he stabbed him again.
The guy just gasped in shock, splashing blood on Ylre's face with a violent cough, but Ylre didn't hesitate and pulled the sword out of his body only to try to repeat the stab. But before he could complete the movement, an unexpected touch on his arm made him freeze.
"What are you doing, Ylre?" he heard a calm stern sounding voice that gave Ylre chills, "Do you think what you just did was right?" Rue asked after which Ylre let go of the sword.
The weapon fell to the ground, Ylre slowly turned to face Rue, whose golden eyes burned him as if they wanted to stab him from the inside…and Ylre had the feeling that they did exactly that.
"No…" he managed after a while and gently lowered his gaze,, “I-…I am sorry.”
“Why did you do it if you are sorry?” Rue's tone remained unchanged.
Ylre didn't answer for a moment before he opened his mouth and asked timidly, "Are you angry?"
"I'm angry," Rue said, stating, "People shouldn’t kill, people aren´t to blame for the way they are and shouldn´t be killed because of their lack of knowledge…why did you just do that?"
"I," Ylre looked at Rue's bleeding hand and looked down again, "got mad."
"At whom?" he didn´t understand.
"At him... and at myself," Ylre said.
"Why?" Rue asked.
Ylre remained silent for a moment before looking into Rue's golden irises again, "I'm sorry…it wasn't right. I won´t do it again…don´t be angry at me."
Since Rue didn't expect one of the people to understand his words right away, he smiled softly: "I´m not...don't do things like that again." He reached out his hand and stroked his red hair gently.
Ylre looked down in confusion and let himself be petted while Rue only ran his fingers through his hair before he decided he had explained the situation to Ylre enough for now.
“Did you understand, Ylre?” Rue asked, slowly picking up the flowers.
Ylre just gave a soft nod of how taken aback he was and gently touched his hair. He felt as if he could feel his hair tingling with a strange, tense yet pleasurable sensation that he hadn't experienced in a long time. His heart was pounding more than it had during the fight, and as Rue moved closer to the carriage, he took a step before stopping. It had been a while since his legs were as weak as now…and all it took was a few words from Rue, one of his caresses and a gentle smile.
Ylre took a deep breath, and after Rue called out to him, he walked towards him.
"I'm going," he blinked and went to the carriage.
Despite how strange he felt right now, despite how he blamed himself for letting Rue see his inappropriate behavior, he knew there was something more important than his own feelings. Because even though all the Infeys were doing excellently in healing themselves, even though Rue was in the category that he wouldn't be killed even if someone pierced him through, his injury still needed to be treated as best as possible.
And Ylre wasn't sure he would even let him.