Green leaves
1468 Words
They travelled down the open fields,finishing their final mission. Everyone was quiet and the hooves of the horses dug into the ground. To Maxwell's surprise on his right was a place that he'll never forget. A place of such good and bad memories.
Maxwell Foresste's Pov:

"Stop! Everyone stop!"
"What's it now,brother?"
This is where it happened. The forest where they were taken away. I stood beside my horse, I was caught in a daze. I heard nothing and saw nothing but the forest. I started walking,ignoring my horse's neigh. I tugged on his leash and he followed.
I heard the screams,of Mother Dawn's,of Haleina's,of mine. The closer,the louder. They were right next to me,I looked up and they were gone. My eyes were open wide,I can still hear Dona sing that one she made for me:
My heart sits on the tree,
The branches never break.
Into your eyes,I'll see,
Never leave me,for my sake.
"Max,Max!,"Marty shouted.
"Sorry....look."
I pointed at the tree where she wrote out names. Our souls will stay forever,until this tree falls. The heart had our names written in it. The blood covered some of it. Don't you miss them,Marty? Our friends were taking away from us and we haven't found them yet. A tear fell from my eyes. I punched the tree. Why can't we find them? More tears flowed. "We will find them,we will."
He left and I sat there and thought,drowned in tears and ideas and dreams. Maybe, I'm in a cloud of smoke. Unable to see the truth. They are dead,slaughtered,their body parts rotten. Her body, I'll never forget. My body was growing,hers had already grown. She had the hips and eyes and breasts of a woman. I wanted her to be my first,you can't make love to a ghost.I'll never forget her,even if her body has already rotten. She is gone....she is gone. Her brother too.
"You'll find them,soon enough,Max." I looked up and there was no one. I stood up and released my sword from its black scabbard. He stood there beside a tree,black eyes covered in black paint. Dark,long hair and a taunting smile.
"Who are you?"
"Somebody that you used to know."
He ran away and I chased. Who is he?What does he want? Do I know him? He doesn't look like anyone, I remember. I ran around the tree and he was gone. He wore a black cloak,he's from the Brotherhood. His neck......was completely covered.
"Why'd you take so long?" I can't tell them,it's so vital and I can't. If they found out,we would waste time on one single enemy, it's probably a trap. For their safety,I must tell no one.
"I pulled out my stick and took a piss,go f**k yourself,Leo."
"If it pleases,the forgotten prince."
___
"He couldn't remember me,isn't that hilarious. Don't you think,Krisaline?"
Joffrey stood above her,panting after that short chase. She thought of an answer,a safe one.
"He was never interested in the orphanage children,although he only ever cared about Nikolai."
Joffrey Dekkar smiled devilishly and grabbed her cheeks and groped them with force.
"You think he never cared for me."
She pushed his hand back but fear made her weak. It was a mistake to say that. She knew what she had with Nikolai was special. She didn't wish to make him angry,but now he was fuming.
"I'm sorry,I shouldn't say such silly things. He cared...for...all of us." Joffrey let go of her and she touched her sore cheeks and a few drops of blood crippled down. Joffrey looked out to the lake.
"Now,it is not only Nikolai,everyone else has forgotten us too. They will pay for not remembering."
Kenneth and Luke walked along the lake gathering wood while Daisie watched their backs. It was calm,the water flowed peacefully and their footsteps were loudest noise in the forest.
"Luke,is this were they found the captain's friends. What were their names again?" Kenneth was always sceptical of this place. It would never have been possible to kidnap them if it wasn't for their lost captain.
"Dona and Denvor Gren-Cove. I must say that girl was a fine masterpiece but they are long gone. We sent them to The island of Valleys,they are most probably dead."
"I hate it when Joffrey does that. Captures people and leaves them dead. He knows what we have been through and yet he repeats history. The Brotherhood has one goal but killing for fun isn't what we are here for,"Daisie intruded.
"Oh,for haven's sake. Would you shut that god forsaken mouth of yours?!,"Luke demanded. They all stopped and heard Joffrey's shouting.
They ran fast and arrived at their secret spot. Kenneth saw Krisaline's blood.
He knew what happened. Another beating from Joffrey's hands. He couldn't take it anymore. He pulled out a fist and was about to run when Luke tugged him back.
"Don't do anything stupid. Just go help Krisaline and say nothing. You hear me!"
He sprinted towards her and wiped the blood. He held her close and they walked away. Luke turned to Joffrey and stood right at his face.
"What the f**k the did she do to you this time?!"
"Nothing I just got frustrated. That Max boy doesn't even remember me,"Joffrey replied. Luke grabbed his shirt and held a fist.
"Don't think that you're our leader and you can touch her at anytime. I'll crush you,I'm stronger than you,remember that!"
"Do I look frightened? You must remember who I am. You should never forget who my parents are. I have more power than you remember that and once you're done here,were heading for the Island of Valleys,"Joffrey spat.
Luke let go. His hands became weak. He quickly realized what he just did.
He brushed himself off and sorted his hair. Daisie stood far away,judging them through her eyes.
"Alright then,to the island. Hopefully,we'll crush the Special Branch with our camp forces. We have about 2000 men waiting,excluding the golems,"Luke added.
"Before that I need to go to Castle Verk to meet Lord Wallis. The forces of my second camp has been keeping him company. How sad,I really liked that castle. Now the royal Virqua family must die,"Joffrey ranted.
Kenneth held a cloth pressed on Krisaline's face. The blood had stopped after a while and he washed her face with the lake water. She smiled for his courtesy and stood up. Kenneth was close enough for a glance but she was covered up.
"Soon,we will met Nikolai and the others again. He would have never let this happen! He would have cut Joffrey's throat and throw his body in the dog pen and burn his remains and throw it down the dit-,"Krisaline grunted as her mouth got grabbed.
"Hush now,he will hear you. Your motives go against the Brotherhood! Nikolai is long gone and is our enemy! The fire changed everything. We can never go back. You can never go back.....to Nikolai nor Medghar. I know you hate this life but it's the one we chose. We followed the strongest one and we survived,"Kenneth whispered into her ears.
He let go as she gasped for air. Krisaline had calm down and she held her wound. Kenneth eyed her neck tattoo.
"The old lady from the orphanage said,before almost everyone died,of course,was that we must choose our neck tattoo wisely. It represents who we are and why we were born. I chose love. I chose Nikolai but that night when the hut was ablaze. He fell for another,"Krisaline reminisced.
"I remember that night very well. It was an amazing day before that. We laughed at Joffrey and his crazy ideas. Truth be told,it was all too true. We got our tattoos as well,"Kenneth added.
"Can you keep a secret,my only friend,"Krisaline asked.
"Of course,anything for you,"Kenneth said.
"I want to convince Nikolai to come back with us. I want to do something that will make him hate his love and care for me,instead."
"How will you do that? Joffrey said Dona and Denvor are dead."
"Do you truly believe his lies? Why would he kill two of the strongest soldiers in his mother's army?"
"Even if they live,what will you do?"
"Poison,mix a deadly poison with the Sap of the Black Tree and he will never regain his memories back."
"This is madness. This is absolute treason,we cannot let this happen."
"Kenneth,I'm tired of waking up with scars every morning. I'm not even pure anymore,"she pointed out as she began to cry,"he cuts me in places I can't reach and kicks my stomach every night so I don't end up with a child. If you really are my true friend,you will help me or I'll kill you and Joffrey will kill me after that."
Kenneth thought about it and nodded a yes. They hugged as the tears kept falling.
(Edited)
- Writer
