Of Blood and Duty

Chapter Seventeen • A Bloody Kiss

*Long Chapter* 

-Loren-

About an hour later, the people around him had left. Bored as there was no more fights to watch, or preoccupied with something that could distract them from what he was up to. No one's mind seemed to even linger where his had planted roots; on Mae. No one asked about where she had gone or gossiped what had happened between her and Hagan. It appeared that this sort of event was not really an event to them, but simply something ordinary. The rest of the Guild just went about their day as if nothing had happened. To Loren, going at each other in the middle of a crowd and then disappearing into the woods to sulk, or whatever Mae was now doing, was not ordinary to him. He could not just ignore it and go about his day like the rest of them. Which felt strangely out of character for him. Knowing that if he knew what was best for him, he would leave her alone - but just was not able to. He needed to know what had happened between the twins and their father and why Mae had told him he should count himself lucky for not being there once she had presumably gone off. What had Evor said to her? 

There were too many things screaming for his attention in his head. He was going to find her because if he did not, he would lose his mind from all the questions he needed answered. Unlike those around him, he cared what had happened before the twins had entered the fighting area, mostly because he was certain he was the reason for what had happened prior to it. In the midst of this, the guilt was still very much present in him and he needed it gone. 

Not only had he offended her but he had also gotten her into trouble, again. So, the very least he could do was try to apologize one last time. Regardless if she would let him get through it or not. The honorable thing would be to show her that he was sorry and that he had crossed a line. 

While trudging after Mae through the woods, he had no idea where she had gone. Had no chance of knowing which direction she had gone but walking deeper into the woods nonetheless. 

The sun was beaming down on him and the bottom of the woods where the trees' branches could not reach. Hot rays of late summer warmed his back and had his forehead beaded with sweat within no time along with the back of his neck. He looked out over the path ahead. Soft beds of moss mixing with green foliage looked good enough to sleep on. The sun rays which made it all the way down lit up the forest floor here and there. Somewhere up ahead he could hear the soothing sounds of babbling brook intermingling with the occasional bird chirping above him. 

Had I not been out here to probably get my head bitten off, I would say this is close to paradise. He thought and tried to enjoy his surroundings while he could. Desperately trying not to think about what he was going to say to Mae or what she was going to do to him once he found her. A black eye or a bruised rib... I will walk out of here with one of the two. He thought and felt a hue of cold sweat run across his forehead at the thought. Preparing himself for the pain she doubtlessly would inflict on him... and rightfully so.

"There's no use." A voice called out to him.

Loren stopped immediately. Turned around to see who had followed him but the owner of the voice was nowhere to be seen. He spun around again. Nothing. No one was around. There was only the green paradise and sun beams around him. His right hand went to his waist out of habit. When it grasped for something that was not there he remembered that he was unarmed.  Not trusted with a weapon of his own while living among the Guild, which he suspected Hagan had made sure of. 

"No use?" He called back with a flat voice, swallowing the frustration of being out in the open like this. Vulnerable to someone he could not find or defend himself against.