Rebirth (Trinity Blood Fanfic)

Chapter 13: Welcome to the Party

Leon and Hugue were quick enough to mount two stray horses on their escape from Chamberlain. Without their wooden carriage, they would be on the road without food for a while however, that was the least of their problems. 

Hugue had Cam hoisted in front of him riding sidesaddle on the same horse while Leon was responsible for the remaining equipment they had. Their burdens were hard enough to carry had they not been preoccupied with the incessant barking that seemed to chase them away from the village. Hugue could still feel the young girl trembling in his arms and it was enough motivation for him to edge the stallion to go faster

Hugue noticed that Leon was slowly drifting further and further away from him and he risked looking back at his companion.

“Keep riding Hugue! I will drive them off!” Leon called out. Hugue could see Leon quickly reaching into one of the bags tied to the side of his horse and pulling out what seemed to be a red cylindrical stick. Leon twirled his arm through the reins, ensuring that even if he were to fall off, he would still have a firm grasp on his ride. He reached into the inside chest pocket of his jacket and produced a silver lighter. He quickly flicked open the metal box and lit the red stick with a flame. In one swift movement, Leon turned and flung the tube of dynamite at the ferocious hounds that were pursuing them.

They were larger than any animal Hugue had ever laid eyes on before. It seemed that the only people who would ever have any hope of taming such beasts were giants. Their teeth were dripping endlessly with saliva and their fur seemed thicker than the brushes of the trees that they ran through. These dogs were not ordinary, but that was all Hugue could observe before they were stopped in their tracks. The dynamite landed only a few metres away from the furry creatures and the proceeding explosion caused whining yelps to replace the barking.

That was all the captain and the hunter needed to make a complete getaway, far from the village that was cursed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Cam awoke the next morning feeling warm and surprisingly comfortable. Her memory of the night before seemed to be quite vivid, but at the least she was able to recognize the two gentlemen before her. Leon was seated upright with his eyes closed but Hugue was sitting in front of the fire, meticulously turning the skew which held a roasting rabbit. The sun was not quite risen yet, but the morning dawn was certainly beautiful.

The delightful smell of meat began to fill her nose and it wasn’t too long before her initial groggy feeling had subsided. She found herself surrounded by foliage and assumed that they had made camp somewhere off the road. 

Sitting up, she felt her cover sliding off of her and she discovered that it was actually a jacket that was keeping her warm. She looked towards Hugue to find that he was dressed only in a white linen shirt and dirty trousers, unfit for Grantham’s Captain of the Guard. Leon on the other hand was completely covered in layers and Cam felt a flutter in her heart at the Captain’s apparent concern.

“That smells good.” Cam said as she wrapped the jacket around her to cover her shoulders. She leaned forward and was immersed in the smell of herbs and spices that coated the cooking meat. If they were anywhere else, she would never have guessed that Hugue had cooked it without the aid of a recipe book.

However, he seemed to disregard such flattery. “When you’re done with my coat, I would very much like it returned to me unsoiled. I won’t have you eating while you wear it.” Hugue said coldly without so much as a glance. “I also believe that you owe us an explanation.”

Although his voice was bitter, Cam did not seem bothered in the slightest. In fact, she almost found it amusing. She knew that as a captain, he had a respectable reputation to uphold and sometimes, it was seen as weakness to show any compassion. However, she knew that his heart was full of compassion. It was only his face that showed otherwise, especially now that his brow was creased in the centre into a frown.