Necromancer's Descent

29 - Intentions Left Behind

Nao / Rosalin's Point of View

My stomach sinks at Sir Azzo's words, and my mind spins from confusion.

Of course, in hindsight I realize that Johannes and Theodore might look similar, such as their hair, but-

If this is true, then why was Theodore out there in the first place?

I try to order the things I found out about Johannes and his family, all which seemed so unimportant before because I didn't want to know anything more about the idiot than I had to.

I mean, I was asked not to mention his family to Johannes, but did he hate them so much he sent them to that massacre?

...But if they had said that because of something like Johannes was just sad of their passing, then Johannes would never had said something like telling them to go die like his brother. So he despises them? Or at least he despised Theodore?

Did he hate Theodore enough to send him to that place, even though he should have had the influence with the crown prince to keep him safe?

I grip Alger's mane, and feel nausea begin to build up.

"...why are you asking?"

I focus back on Sir Azzo, whose smile has faded, and was now replaced with cautious curity... And hope.

I messed up. I knew Theodore was a noble, so of course his name wouldn't follow the same standards as the soldiers had, but when I heard Troy, I just had to ask. Who could've known that idiohannes would be his brother and Sir Azzo would just happen to be his family knight?

His eyes search mine with an increasingly intense gaze, as I scramble to find an excuse.

"I- I found a letter-"

In an instant, sir Azzo's brown eyes fill with glimmers of hope so strong that his eyes tear up. Causing a heavy wave of guilt to knot up my stomach.

"Don't tell me-"

He turns his head towards the castle with a jolt, about to sprint off right then and there.

"No!"

A shrill shriek slips from my lips, and the sound of it breaks his heart to splinters, as his eyes look into mine again. His stare at though he's begging me to take back that single words, but also so filled with pain that it's about to drag the truth out of me.

"No... it's not- I- I was working in at the graveyard..."

I hurry out the rest of the excuse while lowering my head to escape the guilt of lying.

I should have said the battlefield... This not a bulletproof excuse at all... and if he looks into it, he won't find Theodore's body there... but Theodore is dead. Even if I wanted to I can't bring him back, and I don't know how to kill him either.

From the corner of my eye I see Sir Azzo turn away resolutely with a sharp breath as I shatter the remnants of his hope. Bravery that doesn't last long, as he curls over with trembling shoulders.

Sir Azzo said that they'd been ordered to stay with Johannes despite not wanting to. I can't help but to wonder, if the one who did that was Theodore... because Azzo's silent sobs echo through the stable, as one would cry for a friend rather than just a superior.

I glance down to the ground from Alger, but as much as I want to go down, Alger isn't budging and there's no chair either.

A crash echoes through the stable, making me snap a breath, and as I look up, Sir Azzo pulls his bleeding hand from the gate to Alger's pen. Splinters drop to the floor, as he pulls his hand free. Large splinters stick out from his hand, and blood quickly begins to drip down onto the cobblestones below.