The Duke's Passion

769 I think...

"Those children... left on the mainland."

There was a long silence that followed Florence's confession, staring at Fabian, who didn't react the slightest to all those revelations. Her brows rose when another minute had passed, and still nothing. "I must admit your reaction was anti-climatic, but well, what can I expect from you?" she hissed, cackling wickedly. "The man was Fabian Barrett. Who knows what is going through the wicked head of yours, knowing your little masters were in danger?"

"Bold of you to think you can touch them." Fabian smiled. His tone was still polite. "Why? Because the lady in the forbidden forest is with them?" she laughed hysterically until she was coughing. "Ah, goodness! I would've mistaken that you people didn't live on the mainland for years."

Fabian's eyes narrowed as malice shone in them. "Amazing how you seemed to know about the mainland as if you've lived there."

"Because I did! For a short while." Florence simpered, looking at him mischievously. "But that short time was fruitful. I heard a lot about the Grimsbanne... the Divine Order, the witches, the Zodiacs... it was fascinating."

"Zodiac..."

"There is a more interesting set of people around this world, Fabian." Florence tucked her hair behind her ear coquettishly. "You'd be surprised to hear about them, but perhaps you won't. After all, you're the most interesting one."

Her eyes fell on the dark spear within Fabian's grip, biting a finger mildly. "Maleficent... a weapon so powerful that many people want to wield, but couldn't." She snapped her eyes up at him and smirked. "Isn't that interesting? Your dark spear, if handled carelessly, can kill its holder. And yet, you swing it effortlessly. Amazing!" Florence caressed her severed arm, squeezing the clean cut he made. "Even though I couldn't feel her pain, I can tell this cut is devastating! It tickles my curiosity."

Florence weakly pushed herself from him and smiled. His expression was unlike what she expected because he looked back at her almost blankly with a tinge of surprise. "I... saw... everything," she breathed out. "Thank you... for hurting her."

Her vision shook as coldness began to seep into her bones, coming from the tip of her head through the end of her toes. She wanted to say more, but couldn't, with her life slipping out of her hand like running water. "Did I... tell you?" the side of her lips curled up as she slowly fell forward. "You... were quite cool..."

Fabian caught her body steadily. She wasn't moving anymore, and for the next five minutes, Fabian stayed in that same spot, motionless. He didn't know why he couldn't move immediately at that time, but he clearly remembered carrying her and burying her body in the garden with loads of his favorite flowers. There was just silence after that, cleaning up the enemies within the imperial palace without saying another word to them. He then carried Silvia's body, which he buried in the same garden. Fabian did it with Rufus' body as well, giving them a place to rest despite how dirty and bloody his uniform had become throughout the massacre.

Standing in front of the newly dug grave with the crown on top of it, Fabian's expression remained plain. "Master will not be pleased to meet you like this," he whispered his first words after hours of fighting, only to stay silent again for the next ten minutes. Fabian didn't shed a single tear at the death of his brother, nor did Rufus' death even sink in just yet. A lot had happened tonight, which wasn't what he expected when he came into this place. He snapped his eyes ever so slowly as multiple figures appeared behind him.

"I guess I'll have to reschedule my grief." Fabian slowly turned around to face the figures standing in the shadows. "There were a few who were left behind."

His eyes sharpened, holding Maleficent to his side, ready to attack. This time, he knew these people who came to him were a lot more capable and skilled than those he squashed like bugs previously. But he didn't show the slightest hesitation as he charged at them.

That night, Fabian remembered fighting until he could no longer feel anything. All he could remember was fighting intensely, cutting everything in his vicinity, and getting stabbed a few times because he was fighting multiple people at the same time. There were no word exchanges during the fight, but he didn't feel the need to talk as he lusted for blood for the loss of his brother, a friend, and that strange woman whom he hadn't figured her role in his life. [ Present Time ]

Fabian was lying on top of the hays on the cart he hitched a ride on. Staring at the dark blue-ish sky as the sunrise came close, he let out a shallow breath. "I think..." he whispered, trying to remember the rest of the memories before he woke up in the duchy without them. "... I died then."