Chapter 3: Deception

The whole forest was cloaked in darkness. The lamp that is held by King Dominique is the only light illuminating the road they are taking. Trees stood still like statues, no leaf dared to fall from their branches as they ran through.

King Dominique held Everly's hand tightly, not letting go. Sounds of men approaching drew nearer to them. Dominique cursed silently and moved his legs faster than they already were.

Everly looked puzzled at his sudden actions but didn't voice anything. She didn't manage to hear anything aside from the eerie sound of the forest. Her hearing wasn't trained for the military, so it's not a question why she didn't hear the approaching danger.

A thin layer of sweat covered the nape of her neck. While keeping her breathy steady, she asked for the second time. "Reyl, what is really happening? Why are we running away?"

"D*mn it! Someone followed me." Dominique cursed under his breath. He stopped for a moment and glanced around the place. His men are drawing nearer and it would be very dangerous for Everly to be caught.

After a moment of contemplation, he looked at Everly's face intently. "Close your eyes. Promise me that whatever you're going to hear, don't open your eyes. Understood?"

Everly looked at him puzzled. She noticed his constant glances at her back, trying to look for someone. He ignored her gaze and took off his long fur coat and wrapped it around her.

"Don't take it off. The night is cold. Let this keep you warm. Stay here and close your eyes. Don't open them unless I tell you so."

"For the third time Reyl, what is happening?" She looked intently at his face. She meets his beautiful blue eyes that show his great love. His whole persona might look cold, but only she knew the underlying truth behind it.

He smiled and caressed her hair. "I'll be back."

Before Everly could respond, he turned around and ran towards the direction they had taken. She was about to follow him but stopped when she noticed something. She took a step back with her heart pounding so fast. 'Impossible. That's not true. That's not him. How can it be him?'

Dominique sprinted fast towards the men following them. With the sword in his hand, he hurriedly approached the man coming charging forward. Their swords clashed like thunder in the dark night.

His feet moved rapidly across the ground like an elegant dance as he lunged forward again. His eyes lingered on the blood split by the enemy without a hint of emotion.

Another group of men approached, raising their swords ready to attack him. He charged forward once again. Blood spilled everywhere as his sword plunged toward his enemy's body. The battle continued as the ground was covered with layers of red.

Sounds of swords clashing, shouts of cries, and spills of blood echoed in the quiet forest. Dominique held the bloody sword in his hand and walked slowly towards the last man alive.

He directed the tip of his sword towards his neck and coldly stared at him. "Who sent you here?"

The man refused to answer, so he thrust his sword toward the man's injured leg. The man on the ground cried out in pain. "I don't like to ask for the third time. Who sent you here?"

With great difficulty, the man muttered under his breath. "It's the queen". Although it sounded like a whisper, Dominique managed to hear it clearly. His blue eyes darkened in anger as he struck his sword towards the man's heart.

The man fell down to the ground, completely lifeless. Dominique drew back his sword. "You're finally showing your true colors. Wait for my return and I will settle the score with you."

He cleaned out his sword first before dashing back to where Everly was. At this great speed, he could barely see a few feet ahead of him. His thoughts were clouded by his beloved's safety.

She might have been terrified since she was left alone there. With these thoughts in mind, he fastened his pace.

Everly leaned back on the tree behind her with her head lowered down. Terror sucked the very breath from her mouth when she thought of how everything was slowly unfolding.

She can't accept the fact that she was completely clueless about everything. When she thought of the thousands of people who died from this war, tears raced down her cheeks.

A great sob escaped her, and she covered her face with shaking hands while mumbling under her breath. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

"Everly! Are you okay?!" Dominique fastened his pace when he saw Everly crying. He pulled her towards his chest while slowly stroking her hair. "What's wrong, my love? Why are you crying?"

Everly angrily pushed him away with great difficulty. Dominique looked at her, puzzled about her sudden reluctance. "What's wrong?" He asked while slowly approaching her once again.

Her feet moved back as she looked angrily at him. "Don't come near me! Stay away you liar!" A look of great bitterness swept across her face.

Anger curled hot and unstoppable in her gut, like a blazing inferno that wanted to burn her from the inside out. "What other lies are you going to tell me, huh Reyl? Or should I say, King Dominique?!"

His body didn't know how to react, it just shut down. He froze to a point where he was hardly breathing. His world suddenly crashed down on him when he heard that name coming from her lips. "How... What... Everly..."

She clenched her fist angrily and her nails cut into her skin. She let out a sarcastic laugh while looking at him, who looked shocked.

"Oh, you are wondering how I knew about it? When you arrived wearing those clothes, I was surprised because that's for the royalty in Heathern. But I ignored that thought, thinking that maybe you got it while running away. How silly of me to have that thought."

His mouth opened to explain but no words came out. For several moments, he stood there unmoving. Looked at the woman filled with hate in her eyes.

She paused for a moment and tightly closed her eyes. The sounds of the people crying in pain flashed like tidal waves in her memory. Her face darkened instantly as she reminisced those memories.

"My suspicions heightened when you showed your martial arts ability. We know for a fact that only the king of Heathern had that kind of ability. And the last straw is that!" Pointing at the glistening crest lying on his chest.

"When you took off that coat of yours, there I saw the crest belonging to the King of Heathern! There I have finally proven that you deceived me! How could you deceive me? How could you lie to me?! Why?! I trusted you, Reyl, I gave my full trust to you!"

He took two small steps forward. "Everly... I, I didn't mean to deceive you. At first... yes, at first, I was planning to use you. But as time went by... My feelings changed and my affection for you turned real. Believe me, Everly, I didn't mean to deceive. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"Stop! Stop right there! Don't come closer! Stop!" Dominique stopped in his tracks. His heart hurt while looking at the tears streaming down her face. He knew loving her was wrong. He tried to fight it but it grew stronger and stronger as they spent their time together.

She was the only happiness he had. She was the only light the world had given to him. So, he doesn't want that to end. He needed her more than anything in this world. "Everly-"

His eyes went wide when he saw the man drawing his bows. His heart skipped a beat when the arrow was released and came straight towards Everly.

Without further thought, he threw his sword toward the archer, which directly hit his heart, losing his life later. But the arrow was already released, so he pulled Everly in his arms and switched their positions. The arrow went straight to his heart, causing him to fall to his knees.

Everly's eyes widened in shock when she saw the blood coming out from him. "Dominique. Dominique. No!"

She could hold the heartbreak no longer and she fell to the ground in a disheveled heap as she hugged his weakening figure. Grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. "No! Wake up! Wake up please! Dominique!

A weak smile flashed on his lips as he stared at her blurring figure. He looked at her crying figure, slowly raising his arms to reach her face. "Don't...cry. I'm happy... I haven't failed to protect you. I'm sorry for what I've done..."

Before he closed his eyes for the final time, he smiled and said, "Everly, my love... Don't cry for me. Always remember that I love you, now and forever. If there's a next life, I will still love it. Goodbye, my love." Soon he slipped away into his endless sleep, surrounded by the darkness of the trees and the cries of his beloved Everly.