Slowly, Galen's gaze slid to Rasvien and he lifted his chin ever so slightly. It was as if he had only registered Ras' presence. "And you are?"
Ras made a show of being offended, but that smug expression of his returned immediately after. "Ouch. Aside from not noticing me until now, I am quite hurt that you don't recognize me, Grand General. Or should I say, Lord Galen Gillard."
My body instantly whipped toward Ras. How did he know him?
I saw how Galen's golden pupils gradually cleared with recognition, which was then followed by contempt and hostility. "You."
So they knew each other. But it didn't seem as though they were friends.
"Yes, me." Ras shrugged, looking as if he was the sole person who was happy to see Galen. "How have you been, Grand General? How long had it been since our last encounter? Ever since you were assigned to the borders, I hadn't caught a glimpse of your pretty face at all."
Galen clicked his tongue, annoyance radiating from him. "Spare me the pleasantries, Captain of the Ravens. Will you be able to provide me a good reason as to why you are with the first princess of Orion? Any wrong answer or misstep can land you for jail for sure this time."
Wait… "this time"? What in the goddess' name went on between these two? And why didn't Galen tell me that he had met someone from Cygnus?
Ras' chuckle was dry and empty, and I was certain that it sent Galen fuming even more deep inside. He might put up a calm and cool outward appearance, but for the long time we've known each other, I'd learnt to figure out what went on in that mind of his. He could deceive everyone else in the room about his true emotions, but not me.
"Must I really give you an answer?" Ras told him. "Either way, I'm still going to get in trouble, aren't I?"
Galen huffed. It was as though he had already known that there was no going through Ras. As though he was used to this kind of attitude from him. "Fine then." He went back to me, saying. "I will ask you instead, Rosie. Why are you with this man?"
I opened my mouth, ready to refute any grand things his imagination had come up with. But Ras beat me to it.
"She doesn't have to answer you, either," said the captain. "Rosie doesn't owe you anything, Grand General."
Galen clenched his jaw, letting loose a breath as he closed his eyes. When he opened them he said, "This is a matter concerning the eldest daughter of Orion, Rasvien. This not something so small that you can just take easily. This is not one of those trivial things you present to the knights with regards to the beasts of Evernight as some kind of half-assed attempt to play a prank on us."
It did not escape me how Ras nearly laughed and covered it up quickly by coughing. "I know, I know. Forgive me for that."
I almost laughed myself, had I not realized something. I turned to him, faster than lightning itself. "Wait, you've known?"
Ras' brows went up, perhaps surprised that I was surprised. "That you're the princess? From the very first moment, yes."
My mouth was agape. "How come you didn't tell me?"
Ras threw a nonchalant shoulder in the air. "It was clear that you've drawn the line on that, so I figured it was not my place to ask."
I heard a scoff from behind me, it was Lira's. "But you've figured that you could stick around and find out."
The captain's lips tightened into a straight line in guilt. "Well, yeah… that's part of it, just a little."
I shook my head at him. "I can't believe you were lying the whole time."
"Hey, there's a difference between lying and not invading your desire for privacy," he said, making me rethink what I'd said. "And I did not lie when I told you that I would protect you throughout this travel. I am not someone who goes back on his promises, Rosie."
I bit the inside of my cheek, regret filling me up. What was wrong with me? If anything else, between the two of us I was the one who had tricked him.
I met his eyes. "Forgive me—"
I could not finish what I wanted to say. Galen cut me off and grabbed hold of my wrist, pulling me toward him. He stepped in front of me, and I could see nothing but his back. "Then I suppose the promise has been fulfilled, Captain of the Ravens. Though I appreciate that you've ensured the princess' safety, I will now be taking her back with me."
I attempted to break free, but Galen's grip was resolute. "I said nothing about agreeing to return with you, Galen, so let me go."
"Your Highness, for the sake of Orion and its people, you shall do as I say," he said, his voice low and cold as ice.
Once more, I attempted to release myself from his grasp, nearly thrashing as I did. However, the more I tried it, the more Galen's fingers tightened around my wrist.
I winced. "You're hurting me!"
"Galen, that is enough, please," Lira begged, "it doesn't have to be this way. Let Rosie go and we'll sit down to talk about this, reach and agreement of some kind."
"That was what I'd been going for earlier, Lirajane," Galen replied harshly. "But Her Highness had made it clear that she will leave me no choice but to force her."
A yelp escaped from my lips due to the pain. "G-galen… it hurts."
Before I knew it, I heard the sharp sound of metal sliding against metal. I took a peak from Galen's back and saw the tip of Ras' blade, glinting directly at the point between Galen's unflinching gaze.
Shadows swirled in Ras' eyes, making them darker than black. He was clearly angry, but I was yet to guess what had set him off this way. And if I could, I'd wager that he had grown to care for me that he would be this mad for my sake. Or maybe he was only doing this because it was part of his job, like he'd said.
Either way, I would not deny that even I was scared of the expression that he was making at the moment.
His voice sent chills up my spine as he said, "Release her, Grand General, if you know what's best for you."
I could imagine the calculated smirk on Galen's face when he replied with, "I've no business taking orders from a mere mercenary from Cygnus."
Ras tilted his head, looking mildly impassive. "This mere mercenary seems to know that this is not how a noble knight is supposed to treat a woman."
"You don't know anything," Galen retorted. "We've been friends since we were children."
Ras twisted his blade, the sharp edge almost grazing Galen's chin. "You think that gives you the right to cause her pain? That is a messed up privilege, my lord."
"Sounding like a smart ass, aren't you?" Galen's tone was laced with venom. "Don't preach your righteousness on me, Captain, like you're any better than me. When in fact, you are much worse. Ah, how long has it been since 'that' incident? Three years, I presume."
The last part had clearly set off Ras' rage further, for flames lit up in those dark pools. "Shut your mouth."
"No, you shut your mouth," Galen said, "I am warning you, do not meddle in things that do not concern you."
A deep chuckle rumbled in Ras' throat. "I'm afraid I already have."
It happened too quick. There was a loud explosion, dust blowing into our faces. There was nothing left of the door and its pitiful diamond shaped glass decorations.
Lira and I were coughing, both of us too shocked to register what had happened. However, when I looked around, I saw that Ras and Galen had disappeared from where they had been standing.
And then the situation finally sinked in, my eyes going wide. "Oh no. No, no, no, no!"
"Ah," Lira's shoulders dropped as she sighed heavily, "They're going to kill each other, aren't they? We should probably just let them."
"Lira!'
"What?" She threw her hands in the air. "The captain's brought some time for us, let's make a run for it."
I stared at her, aghast that such a thought even crossed her mind.
She sighed again, in surrender, seeing my horrified expression. "Fine, let's stop them. But if it proves impossible, then we'll make a run for it. A chance has presented itself—"
"I am going to stop you right there," I told her, "will you help me or not?"
"Ah yes, the two of us, stopping two experienced warriors from gutting each other," Lira was grinning sarcastically, her eyes wide in a manic way, "we can definitely do it."
"Lira—"
"Whatever, it's not like I didn't say this was a stupid idea," she said, stepping aside and stretching her arm outward. "We'll be lucky if we don't die."
I ignored her remarks and proceeded to go outside. And the scene that met me was that of chaos and destruction.
I gasped, all hope seeping away. "Goddess end me."
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