The Duke's Passion

"Silvia, step aside before Lancelot mistake you as his meal."

Yul's eyes glinted with malice, his sword trembling under Samael's clutches. "Stop this madness, Hell."

"Have you lost your mind, Stefan? Hell?" Silvia's voice thundered while blocking Stefan's sword, her eyes flickering with rage as she stared at the king.

"It should be me who should ask that, Silvia." Stefan's voice was low. "Have you two lost your minds? Do you want to die?"

"How can you not behave yourself with all those guests… enemies lurking around and waiting for the right time to bare their fangs?!"

"Oh, come on, Via! Don't act as if this is for the goodness of the country!" Samael rolled his eyes. "Just say you don't want me dead because if I did, Rufus will die as well."

"Hell!" This time, Yul's voice pitched as he ground his teeth. "Have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten about your wife?"

Yul had promised Lilou he would bring him to her. He had searched for him, but the more he had searched, Yul had noticed a thing or two. Those hints had led him to a strong conclusion that Samael didn't want to run away. 

"No, of course not." Samael snapped his tongue in irritation, grinding his teeth as he leaned in, pupils constricting. "But I will appreciate it if you and Silvia step aside right now."

"What happened to the truce you both claimed?" Silvia's voice shook, fighting off Stefan's sword that felt heavier against her saber every passing second.

"Isn't it obvious, Silvia?" Stefan's seethed, as he didn't appreciate this intrusion. With no signs of remorse, his sword's blade grate against her blade, forcing it to the side. He then immediately grabbed her neck with his other hand, lifting her up.

"The truce is called off." His eyes glinted as his grip around her neck tightened. "The next time you will overstep, I will snap your neck, Silvia."

Stefan mercilessly tossed her to the side like a doll. His force was too much, as she crashed against the wall, leaving cracks in it.

"Oh, ho! What a heartless husband!" Samael gasped, wide-eyed. "I didn't know my sister is a battered wife! No wonder she doesn't love you."

"Silvia…" Yul gnashed his teeth, casting her figure a look as she crawled while coughing.

"The problem with people like you is you push your luck too far," said Stefan, and Yul froze for a second, sensing Lancelot's tip coming at his back.

Just as fast as Stefan, Samael pulled down Yul's sword and hopped over him, stepping on Lancelot's tip to the floor. Stefan gazed at Samael's foot, then slowly raised it to meet the latter's ridiculing gaze.

"You still have soft spots for your siblings, huh?" he mocked, amused that he didn't expect him to save Yul. "When you protect something or someone… they will become your weakness, Hell."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Samael cocked his head to the side, arms crossed. 

A thick silence followed his question. Yes, Stefan was speaking from experience. Foolish, he thought, that even now, Lilou was still his weakness. He hated her, but not enough for her to die… just enough for him to wish she suffered just as much as he suffered.

"Yul," Samael glanced back at Yul. "You see this guy over here? This piece of shit will follow my wife even to hell. Running and living in constant fear from this lunatic is not the life I want for her and for our children."

"Children?" That word was akin to a scissor, cutting the last straw of Stefan as his eyes darkened. "Don't worry, Hell. I will make sure she will never bear your children."

"Tch. Fuck." Samael spat to the side before cracking his neck. "You know what makes me so annoyed, Stefan?"

Yul staggered back while Stefan hopped back, sensing danger from the devil. Samael brushed his hair back with both his hands, taking deep breaths as something in his head tingled.

"It is not the fact that you have a history with Lilou or the fact that you fantasized about my wife." Samael sucked air through his gritted teeth before disappearing from his spot, and then suddenly appearing in front of Stefan.

"What pisses me off is people seeing her as nothing more than a womb to bear their fucking seed." His eyes glinted as blood oozed from his palm, grabbing Lancelot's body. "That they see her as nothing more than just the last descendant of those Bloodfangs... it pisses me off as well."

Samael slid his grip up, smearing his blood as Stefan's sword sliced through his palm. But that didn't faze him. Instead, the more he bled, the more the force around them grew stronger, creating an impregnable bloodfield around the two of them.

"My wife!" He asserted as the mist formed into sharp needles. "Is more than that. Don't you ever dishonor my wife like this, Stefan."

"Hell!" Yul shouted, but an explosion of force nearly tossed him away. He raised an arm protectively, peeking through squinted eyes, only to see a dark bloodfield. He couldn't see what was going on inside. 

"No, no, no! Hell!" his voice shook as his heart pounded against his chest. "That darkfield… what the hell is he thinking? Why would you use the same darkfield that forced you into slumber before?" 

*****

My grip on the reins tightened, steeling my heart and avoided from looking back. The farther we were from the capital, the heavier my heart was.

"My lady, just continue on the path Lord Noah told us about." Suddenly, Fabian's steed galloped to my side, informing me to go on my own. 

"Fabian…!" I grumbled, gritting my teeth as I cast him a glare. "Just how many people should I leave behind?!" 

"My lady, please, trust us. Once you reach our destination, you will meet five dwarfs. They will lead you the way." 

"Ughh!!!" I kept it in, looking ahead, teeth clenched.

"Never look back, Your Grace." Were Fabian's last words as I galloped ahead while he slowed down.

'Don't ever look back, Lilou. Don't look back. They have a plan for this… they surely have a plan.' I repeated those words in my head like a broken record as I sped away. 'Keep going. Keep going…'

I was nearly successful in listening to myself, but then, there was this powerful explosion of aura from where we came from. My heart skipped a beat and my mind buzzed.

"Sam…" I murmured, gritting my teeth as I pulled the reins abruptly. The steed nearly tossed me out, but I held on. When it stopped, I looked back and from this point, I could still see the palace.

Never look back was what Fabian and I told myself repeatedly, but I did. And now that I did, all the efforts I had exerted until now came crumbling down into nothingness.

"What the hell?" A shallow scoff slipped past my lips. "My husband needs me."

*****

Fabian stood on his steed and jumped off while the horse slowed down on its own. Landing perfectly on the concrete, Fabian raised his head and set his eyes on the people who had followed them.

"Bearers of the Order… or shall I say, bearers of the king?" He sported a smile, but his aura grew sinister. "Either way, I am pleased to meet you."