Blood Sterling

Chapter £23

Clair found Robyn's voice to be familiar, so she responded in turn. "Yes, it is."

Robyn stumbled to quickly stand up. "Please! Take me and Cecil with you!"

Clair and Kyoinor was confused by Robyn's begging. "Why? Why are you asking me to take you two in?"

"Ever since boss died and the gang disbanded, we had nowhere to go! It looked like you and the boss had a close relationship so you're our only option left!" Robyn spoke.

Cecil slowly stood up. "Please, we're begging you."

"I don't understand. Why can't you two live your own lives? You don't need to depend on someone." Clair responded.

"That would be disrespecting the boss's memory. The only reason we're alive is because of him." Cecil said. "We need to keep living for him even if he's no longer with us. We owe everything and our lives to the boss."

Clair clenched her fists before releasing her grip on her hands. "Why should I take you two in? You've caused harm to my friends and I."

She could hear the sudden slamming onto the sidewalk as Robyn and Cecil groveled at her feet, their heads facing down. "Forgive us, please. You're our only hope left. We'll do anything, just please accept us."

Clair was caught off guard by their begging. "On your feet please. Do not beg me like this."

The two quickly rose up to their feet. Their eyes were pervaded with desperation and hopelessness. Clair exhaled out of sorrow and grief. "I'm the one who shot Lloyd. I am the one you killed your boss. I am not your savior."

"That may be true. But the boss would never have spared nor kept you safe if you weren't close to him. You're the only fragment of the boss we have left. He doesn't have any family alive and you were the closest friend he had." Cecil said.

"Please, don't deny us of our devotion and loyalty to the boss." Robyn said.

"Fine." Clair decided. "I'll only take in you two temporarily. After that, you have to leave and go out with your own volition and goals. I do not want you two to be overdependent on anyone. I'm sure.. Lloyd wouldn't want that either."

"Thank you so much." they both said.

Kyoinor was surprised by Clair's answer. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Clair spoke. "It's quite pitiful to leave them on the streets like that. Especially with their dangerous overdependence on Lloyd. Would you mind taking them to stay in your house?"

"I don't mind. As long as they don't cause too much trouble." he said.

"It's settled then." she said before turning to look at the two. "You two get yourselves cleaned up when we go to Kyoinor's house."

"Understood!" they both said.

The four started walking back towards the mercenary's house. "What did Lloyd exactly do to possess your undying loyalties?"

"He took us in when we war orphans." Cecil said. "We had absolutely nothing until the boss offered his generosity to us."

"I see. But you two have already grown into adults. It is not necessary for you two be dependent on one person. Lloyd took you both in because he wanted to. You owe no obligation to him after his death." the former detective spoke.

"Lloyd saved us from being killed from British soldiers during the civil war. He took pity on us and that pity was what saved our lives." Robyn said.

Clair sighed. "Am I supposed to be a substitute in Lloyd's place?"

"You're the only one we'll accept taking orders from." Cecil said.

Eventually, the four arrived at Kyoinor's house. Robyn and Cecil were able to take a shower before they were bestowed a change of clothes from Kyoinor. Once both young adults were finished cleaning themselves up, they returned by Clair's side. "Tomorrow, we plan to ambush our enemies using the help of a spy. If you two so desperately want orders, then I'll ask you two to fight during this ordeal."

Robyn and Cecil nodded. "Get a good night's rest." Clair spoke.

"Night." Kyoinor said before walking to his room.

Clair laid down onto Kyoinor's couch while the two laid on the ground. The historian pulled her blanket over her and went to sleep. Cecil had asked for him and Robyn to sleep on the ground instead of the couch. Clair complied with their request and took the couch herself.

"The boss's friend sure is generous." Robyn said as she stared at her auburn locks that were laid upon the floor.

"Quite so." Cecil agreed. "We shall be eternally grateful to her."

"I miss the boss, Cecil." she said.

"I miss him as well, Robyn. He's always been there for us, then suddenly he's not here with us." Cecil said. "I don't know why he wanted to die. I can't figure him out. But whatever the reason, we'll just have to accept it."

Robyn gripped on her checkered tie before the two fell asleep.

Two bullets.

That's all it took for Lloyd Vaughan to save two lives. Two pieces of lifeless metal saving two children. A poor bruised up Welsh boy and a helpless Irish girl with her clothes torn up. Scars and cuts riddled their fragile skin as dirt covered them. He had decided to save these feeble, frail children. Cecil's arm was bleeding immensely- a consequence he endured on trying to save his friend. Robyn was trembling from violation and the cold air. Two British soldiers laid dead on the ground as Lloyd apatheically stared down upon them with cold eyes.

The former detective turned to look at the two children. The children were confused on why a man who did not seem to be a soldier was on this hellish battlefield. He extended his gloved hand to them. His gaze still retained a distant expression, but it expressed a hint of sympathy. "I'm sorry."

They were confused on why this man was apologizing to them. "I'm sorry that you had to witness such atrocities as children. You had to feel such violation by these vile soldiers."

"It wasn't your fault sir." Cecil finally responded as he clenched his fists. "What happened to Robyn wasn't your fault."

The teenage boy attempted to hold in his tears, but he had started to cry. "I-It's not your fault sir. It really isn't."

Lloyd went to wipe his tears with his thumb. Robyn had started to sob as well as the two seeked comfort from the man who had saved them. Lloyd had taken both teenagers into his warm embrace. Robyn and Cecil cried, finding the man to be affable even with his frigid gaze.