Villains also get Second chance

Marianne pov..

"Your highness, are you okay?" I was startled with the voice behind me, when Norma called me.

I looked above and blinked my eyes to get rid of the tears that had brimmed there. 

I gave a last look to the scene in front of my eyes and then turned to her.

"I am fine, what will happen to me. Did you need something?" I asked and she looked back at them and then at me.

"The dinner is served as per your instructions, your highness"

"No, ask them to wait. We will have late dinner tonight.`` I said as I looked at the garden again.

"Yes, your highness" she bowed and left and I turned to see them again.

Cassius was sitting on the carpet with his head in my mother's lap who was gently roaming a hand in his hair and was telling her old stories with a smile. Killian was on the swing laughing and chattering with them. It was in front of my eyes yet it felt like a distant dream.

"So you are just going to stand here and cry or are you going to join them, Mari?" asked Jamie and I shook my head.

"The man laying there had taken a lot of courage to do so. Let him be, or else he would be conscious again. You and I need to talk anyway.`` I said and he looked at them and shook his head.

"That troublemaker is just trying to flare me up by taking my place and copying me all the time. It is time to train him too." he said, giving a last glare to Cassius and then following me.

"We are going to talk about your adventure in the woods?" he asked, taking the seat and I nodded.

"I want to help those outlaws. I have asked Damien to help me in finding the ways of reducing their punishment. And I have found work for their ladies too. But I still need help with something."

He was looking at me attentively as if contemplating my words.

"Why do you want to help them so much? If I am not writing, the condition of your hand is done by them. And they have also tried to keep you there in bondage. My troop is injured because of them and yet you are planning a golden future for them instead of trying to send them to prison. Why?" he asked with a hint of anger. 

I wasn't surprised since everyone knows that James treated his troop as his family as he had spent more time with them than us. 

He was not wrong in his statement either. But I could not tell him that the clan was the reason for my rebirth and I owe them a lifetime. At least, I wanted to pay them with the things I could.

"They were just trying to save their families. And they were the ones who helped us. Would you help me with this or not?" I asked in a strict tone and he chuckled.

"Do you think you can hide things from me, little sister? Tell me the facts if you want me in." he said with a sharper voice and narrowed eyes and I bit my lips.

Even if i would tell him the facts, he would think it was another excuse or just a dream which i had taken as reality as there was no proper explanation of it except a mark on my ears.

"Because of Damien" I did and he frowned.

"What does it have to do with him?" he asked with utter confusion and I smiled.

"Damien was working on the imprisonment of outlaws and his work took him to these kinds of palaces. There a girl tried to attack him and loot him and Damien acted to be a peasant to save his life. The girl let him go and even helped him.

I don't know the whole story but now he is in love with the girl and he is still meeting him being a peasant and that girl helps him with the small money she had.`` I shook my head as the noble heir of Marchioness was taking a meagre amount of money from a young outlaw girl to run his palace.

"What kind of nonsense is this?" he asked and I chuckled.

"A nonsense where a girl is ready to marry a man with a 11 year old kid. A nonsense where the emperor is ready to do anything just to marry the daughter of a baron. A nonsense where a rich man is ready to be a peasant so that the girl could give him a chance. This nonsense is called love brother. And trust me no matter how foolish we sound even to ourselves, this nonsense is worth trying." he looked at me as if i had lost my mind and i was spouting gibberish words with no head or tail but i did not care, if even once did he contemplate them.

"Come on brother, do you want our future sister in law to go to jail?" I asked and he turned silent.

"But these are not the same outlaws. Are they?" he asked and i shook my head, if they would have been the same the matter would not have escalated this much.

"No, but you can not help one randomly. We should do something to help them sell. They are outlaws because they did not have resources for running their family.'' I added and he pursued his lips.

"Fine, tell me what help you need, I would think about it. But I am not promising you anything." he said with a stern tone.

Though I knew the matter was already settled.

"Brother, i forgot to tell you one thing.'' I was sad as he took a sip of the tea Kate had brought in.

"And what is that?" he asked nonchalantly.

"One of them said that he used to do illegal things for marquees"

====================

[Just like Ian, i am thinking of cutting Damien story too. comment if you want me to continue it or want to read a book separately over it. at least once chapter is back on time. i will try to follow old timings from tonight reset. thanks for the patience]