"Milord!"
The young man looked up from the leaves he'd been so intently studying, his once bright, sapphire eyes troubled. Let them keep looking, he thought dully. I'm no longer that person. None of us are.
The source of that voice burst from the trees, her blue eyes scanning the clearing. Spotting the young lord, she gathered up her skirts and sprinted to the other side of the clearing. Standing over the young man, she placed her hand son her hips. "Milord! Didn't you hear me calling you?"
He sighed and stood up, brushing the bits of leaves and needles from his tunic. "Yes, Hilde, I heard you." He ran his fingers through his wavy blonde hair. "I suppose they are coming."
"Yes, milord. They're about a half a day's ride away."
"I guess I better go gather my things. Does Duo know?"
"Yea, milord. He's packing now."
He turned and looked at her. "Hilde, please stop calling me that. First of all I was never your lord....you're my cousin. Second, the Duke took everything away. I'm nothing now." He said softly.
She grabbed his arm. "Mi...Quatre, that's not true! The Duke may have taken your lands and monies, but you're still our lord. I don't care who he gave the lands to! And neither does Duo."
He smiled gently at the fierce loyalty in the girl's face. Ruffling her short black hair, he spoke. "It's alright, Hilde. Now, let's go."
On the walk back, the young girl fell silent and Quatre once again retreated into his own thoughts. He gotten through his grief and anger over his father's execution and the confiscation of his lands. It was not unusual for these things to happen. Now, he was filled with a grim determination.
He'd been ordered to remain at the hall and to serve the new lord, continuing penance for his father's crimes. He was not going to do it. He was going to gather up his cousins, who'd been raised with him and flee. Because the two had been his father's wards, he felt responsible for them, now. Besides, he loved them both fiercely, they were all the family he had left. He would protect them with his very life, if needed.
A sharp gasp from Hilde brought out of his thoughts. "Noooo, Duo!" She whispered.
He grabbed her wrist, as she made to run towards the hall, and drew her back into the woods. "I thought you said a half a day's ride!" He hissed.
"The group we saw was." She retorted. "Shit! This is a different party."
"Hilde, your language." He replied absently, dismissing the fact that she'd been out with the scouting party, his eyes never leaving the riders. He frowned as his gaze settled on a man with grey eyes and brown hair, who was directing everyone around him. Is that the Viscount, he wondered.
"LET ME GO!"
Hilde grabbed Quatre, stopping him from charging out of the woods. "Quatre, no!" She whispered. "They'll kill you. What good will that do?"
Quatre groaned and watched helplessly as his cousin was dragged into the courtyard by his long, thick braid. "Duo." He whispered, noting with some satisfaction, the blood flowing form the soldier's cheek.
"At least he got a good hit in." Hilde remarked.
"Bastard! I said, let me GO!" Duo demanded angrily, his violet eyes blazing.
The man, holding him, laughed. "Fine." And yanked hard on the braid, sending the young man sprawling in the dirt.
The grey eyed man stepped forward and placed his foot in the middle of Duo's shoulders, holding him down. "Well, it seems that we've found one of Winner's brats, eh?"
"I believe," the soldier said. "That he's the son of Winner's sister."
"Well, brat, are you?"
When the chestnut haired boy didn't answer, the man bent down and grabbed him by the tunic and dragged him to his feet. "Answer me, brat! Are you Maxwell's son?" Looking him over, he decided on the answer for himself. "I can see that you are. You pedigree is stamped on your features. I knew your parents. I still remember the expressions on their faces when I killed them." He sneered. "Now, tell me. Where are your cousin and sister?"
Duo's eyes narrowed at the mention of his parents and his reply was to spat in the man's face.
He shoved the boy back to the ground. "You are too much like your father. Rhoderic!"
"Yes, milord."
"Take this young whelp of Maxwell's somewhere and teach him some manners." He laughed. "In whatever manner you may choose."
The soldier chuckled and grabbed Duo's braid, hauling him back to his feet and keeping him off balance. "Come, boy. I think we can have a bit of fun with one as fair as you are." He leered, dragging the struggling Duo off.
"Quatre." Hilde whispered. "What are they going to do to him?"
Quatre's eyes filled with tears, how could he possibly tell her. These were the types of horrors his father has tried to protect them from, by refusing to become involved in the many conflicts that plagued their land. "See what your actions have led to, father." He whispered.
"Quatre!"
He turned to her. "Hilde." He said and hugged her. "Don't worry, we'll get him outof there."
"How?"
"When night falls, I'll sneak in and get him."
"But, you don't have any weapons."
He sighed. "I'll find something." He replied, thankful that he'd gone against his father's wishes and learned how to fight. "Right now, we need to hide somewhere until it gets dark."
Leading the dark-haired girl deeper into the woods, he mourned. He couldn't save his cousin from the punishment they had in store for him. His only hope was that he could rescue him while his mind was still intact. Before their cruelty broke him. "Duo," He whispered, his voice cracking with his grief. "I'll come for you. That I promise."
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