A Tale of Two Daggers

Chapter 32: Taken

Louis's arc

You left her.

They found her.

She begged for you.

And You weren't there for her.

She called you.

But you didn't answer her.

She trusted you.

And you betrayed her.

She loved you.

And you abandoned her.

That was Louis's conscience screaming. His mind began to shatter. Fate has said his word. Consequences must be yielded.

"No, Dianaaa!" He shouted like a lunatic. The world began to roll around him. The fact kept striking on without mercy. He put his hands on his head, trying to find a solution.

The limping Joseph looked with confusion, not knowing who was Diana to Louis.

He searched the area for any trace of Diana. But the truth became even more painful when he found out her dagger was a little far from the camp. It was all covered with blood. He kneeled to examine it. The dagger blade was reddish to its end. The prince concluded that The dagger sliced or stabbed someone.

"She fought her attacker..." he murmured quietly.

Joseph (limping) caught with him. "Calm down, she could be around here somewhere answering the call of nature at some bushes nearby"

"Oh, Really?!" Louis answered with a chuckle, "Then why is her dagger right here, 50 feet away from the camp, all covered in blood!? Do you think I am that stupid? The scouts that were after you must have found her and captured her. You led them to us, YOU BLOODY MORON!"

Louis shouted. He walked back to the camp. His fingers sunk between his hair. He took the bloody blade with him. He wasn't thinking straight anymore.

"They took her. I shouldn't have left her. I knew that would happen. FUCK !"

He kicked the campfire with his right leg, sending sparks hugging the tensioned air.

"Hey, take a breath. Boy. We can__"

"WE?! Who's we?!" Louis's eyes widen with crystal-shape.

"If not because of you, I would have returned early to save my love from those animals! But NO!  I had to save your sorry coward body. I should have left you to rot there" Louis shouted, pointed a finger, and blamed himself for the good deed he had done.

His breathing was very Fast, and So was his heartbeat. He shakes his head in denial. He was out of energy and morale. So he just sat there on the grass. His forehead rested and fixed between his knees while his face sank between his arms.

He let his feeling take over him. Anxiety was eating him inside.

Joseph blinked, he approached the boy, supporting himself with his half-blooded sword.

"One, I didn't ask for your help. You are the person who offered your kindness. Two, you can stay here. keep whining all night like pregnant women until they return for you as well, or you could follow me to my 2nd line camp, so we-I mean You-can find a way to retrieve her"

A sparkle of hope lighted in Louis's eyes. He raised his head to meet the man's sharp face.

"Wait, I thought that the whole battalion was slaughtered at Nale?!".

Joseph laughed. "You don't know anything about war. Do you, Young prince?"

Louis's eyes widen. He stood slowly while maintaining eye contact. "Y-You know me?! H..How?!!"

"My father was a rich merchant who used to make piles of profit by selling wine to the Royal family. I was by his side sometimes trying to help him when his age got him down.

That's when I recognized your face, that was 6 months ago at a time of peace. When the war came, I was recalled back to arms once more."

Louis's eyes narrowed. "Then Why didn't you capture me, you could have used me as a bargaining chip to help your people!"

"And Why I would betray my savior from death?  I am not a Thankless person, your highness. Besides I wasn't in good shape to do that anyway"

Louis remained silent. Bowing his head to the ground. Ashamed of himself.

Joseph continued on...

"They don't kill young girls, they keep them for...Later.  I am sure your girl is safe, somewhere at "Nale"

Louis raised both his eyebrows. He -as a former prince- had a gruesome knowledge of how the women of war were treated.

While his eyes were lost in those dark thoughts, an extended hand met his eyes. His eyes rose to meet the commander's smile.

"Come on, we have a long ride ahead," Joseph said. Louis stared for a while.

It wasn't easy to accept his hand. Especially after the toxic blaming, he was throwing earlier. So he got up without help. Regaining his confidence.

"Just help me find her and we will get through the border together on our own, consider it the return of debt of saving your life, Commander Joseph"

He may be in need of help, yet Louis didn't ignore the fact that this man would be buried in the forest, Headless and powerless if not for him.

Joseph raised his eyebrows.

"Do I smell a deal, Young prince?". His smile sends a bit of mischievous vibe.

"As I said, consider it a return of favor," Louis said coldly. His voice still had a random temper. "Here is a map of the region if that would help" Louis gave him his map with a doubtful gaze.

Joseph took the map. Exchanging looks while he was unfolding it. On a closer look, his index finger stomped a certain point of the paper. "There. About Two miles". Jospeh realized that his 2nd camp was at the east of their current positon.

"Ok, kid. You help me back to my camp and I will smuggle you and your girl out of the Country, is that good enough for you?"

"Fine"