The Duke's Passion

Kristina looked in the palace's direction as her heart suddenly raced anxiously. Back there was unlike the 'slight' peacefulness in this estate. Even from this distance, she could feel the powerful auras colliding in that place, making her vividly imagine the pile of corpses and blood painting the entire palace.

"Captain…" she whispered, taking a deep breath. She couldn't point what exactly this anxiousness in her heart, but it made her feel restless. 

"Kristina." She snapped her eyes towards Ramin as the man jogged towards her.

"Ramin, what is it?" Kristina asked as soon as Ramin stopped in front of her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Aside from the turned ones looming around the estate and the ones we had seized, everything is alright… I guess."

"Then what do you want?" she inquired with a furrowed brow. "Where's Charlie?"

Ramin pointed his finger up, making her gaze up at the roof. "She's keeping watch. Anyway, you can go."

"Huh?"

"You're worried about the captain, right? You've been staring in the same direction throughout the night."

A weak smile resurfaced on Kristina's lips as she appreciate his thoughts. "It's fine. I'm in charge here. How can I leave my duty because of personal feelings?"

"Kristina, look at me." Ramin's expression grew solemn, planting his hand on both her shoulders. "This is not just your personal feelings. Both you and I are worried about the captain… Charlie probably feels the same."

Once again, Kristina looked up to where Charlotte was at. The latter was just staring in the palace's direction. Even from this distance, Kristina noticed how serious Charlotte's expression was — which was quite rare.

"The Remingtons are wealthy and their knight brigade doesn't lack in numbers. Having you here surely helps a lot, but His Grace and Captain… they're the only ones fighting inside the palace. They may be powerful and competent individuals. I'm confident in their capabilities. However, we can't be complacent… just look around." 

Ramin and Kristina looked around. The people, mostly commoners, had set up their little tents in the open area of the estate. There were just too many evacuees that no matter how enormous the Remington's estate was, it was not enough.

"If I didn't know, I will think His Grace caused this. However, the undeads that His Grace unleashed were all inside the palace." Ramin paused, swallowing down the tension in his throat as he tightened his jaw. 

"The person who put all these people in this situation… is the king himself. I'm certain he will push all the blame to the Duke of Grimsbanne once this is all over."

His hand balled into a fist, as that was just the logical way to drag Samael's already soiled reputation to the gutter. No one would question it, and it would surprise no one if they framed Samael as the mastermind of this night.

Ramin turned his attention to Kristina once again. "His Grace and Captain, we owe them for opening our eyes to see the rotten face of this land. We can't let them die, Kristina."

"Ramin…"

"I don't know why my divine weapon never sensed the evilness in the palace, nor am I even curious why Maxine and the rest of the members of the divine order follow the king like a god." Ramin's eyes glinted, placing a hand on Kristina's shoulder. 

"The answer to these questions is unnecessary right now. But what I'm certain of is… the Bearers… the Order is no more, Kristina. Right now, we can't rely on our weapon's senses; our weapons rely on our senses, and we must act to what we see and feel right as bearers." Resolved filled his eyes as observing the situation opened doors to some strong conclusion.

"And that was to protect the person who gave us the opportunity to see the truth."

Ramin was grateful that Samael trained him to observe things on his own before acting out. If Samael didn't, Ramin and Charlotte were one of the people who would blindly side with Stefan.

"You're the closest with them, Kristina, so make sure to assist them." He stared at her straight in the eye, rocking his head encouragingly. "They may brand us as traitors after this, but we can't let them die, Kristina."

*

"We can't let them die, Kristina."

Ramin's words lingered in Kristina's head throughout her journey back to the palace. He had given her coordinates on which wing Rufus could be engaging in a fight with Dominique, the seventh prince, and Stefan's sword.

"Captain, Your Grace," she murmured, dashing inside the palace gates as no one was guarding it. Or rather, the people who were guarding it were all dead — as if someone forced their way inside.

"We can't let them die… we can't let them… no, they shouldn't…" Kristina's steps slowly came to a halt as her eyes caught Noah's figure from the corner of her eyes. She slowly turned her head in his direction, and her heart sank.

Her eyes fell on the other person with Noah. His arms were placed across Noah's shoulder, head hanging low, and his footwear dragged on the ground. In that instant, one could tell that person was either dead or just unconscious.

"Captain," she called under her breath, recognizing him immediately. "Lord Remington!" 

In a beat, Kristina dashed in their direction while Noah stopped. He raised his head to Kristina, his jaw tightened the second he locked eyes with her.

"Miss Monroe."

"What happened to Captain?" asked Kristina without beating around the bush, eyes on Rufus. "Let me help you. I can give him first aid!" 

She reached her hand to Rufus but stopped midway upon seeing Noah shake his head. The grim expression on Noah's face was akin to a tight slap in the face.

"Miss Monroe, Sir Knight Rufus…" Noah's voice cracked as he held Rufus tightly. "He put up a good fight until the end."

Until the end… these words were akin to a bucket of ice splashed down on her.

Kristina couldn't move for a second as her eyes stung, staring at Rufus and his current state. She gazed down, only to see the blood dripping down on them, and then the trail of blood behind.

"No." She shook her head, shifting her eyes back to Noah. "Don't joke like that, Lord Remington. Captain won't die like this, not easily, at least."

Noah didn't argue with her anymore as it was honestly a shock to him as well. Instead, he carefully put Rufus down for her to see the hole in his chest and his missing heart.

"Captain…" Her eyes hovered over the hole in his chest, before she dropped to her knees, eyes welling up. "… no."

Memories of today's conversation, his smile, his words, his noble character… everything suddenly replayed in her mind while staring at his face. Just earlier, he was talking to her about duties, but now…

"Captain, wake up!" Kristina ground her teeth as he held his shoulder, shaking him awake. She didn't care about the hole in his chest. She wanted to believe that wasn't enough to kill him. 

"His Grace needs you, his fight isn't done yet! Mister Fabian will turn this world upside down if he knows about this! Your brother needs you — no, this place needs you from your brother!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, tears rolling down her cheek as she had lost her composure for the first time. "Mister Fabian will wreak havoc if you keep this up!" 

"How about Lilou?! She needs you! We must keep her alive — that's what you said! The third squadron?! They need you! The people in this land? You want to protect them, so get up!" She hiccuped, chewing her lower lip as she gripped Rufus's lifeless shoulder tightly.

"Captain... how about me? I need you... no, how about her? She needs you, right? You don't have to do it for me... just get up for the sake of everyone else... please." 

Noah placed a hand on her shoulder, suppressing his personal emotions for this loss. "Kristina, this is a war. Casualties are inevitable, you know that better than anyone as a member of the Divine Order."

"Bullshit!" Kristina's eyes were bloodshot, glaring daggers at Noah. 

"Kristina."

A ridiculing laugh escaped her mouth. "Casualty? This casualty... is a loss for this entire kingdom, Your Grace. My captain is the only person here who genuinely fights with the people in his mind, not the king or His Grace."

Kristina shot her eyes towards Rufus, cupping his cheek, and felt how his little warmth fade under her touch. "And as one of his people... I will avenge him."