Love Amidst Wars

nine

"Oh! I forgot to give your father his documents," The viscountess said in a worried tone. Juliette looked at her mother, "What is it?"

"Your father called the house to ask for his military documents. I can't tell the other workers to pass it to him since they're busy as well currently."

Juliette smiled before taking it, "I'll help you, Mom. I might as well give a hand at the site."

"Well, aren't you a sweetheart? Make sure to come back before midnight. And make sure to take your coat! Don't want you to catch a cold."

"Yes, Mother," she answered with a bright smile before leaving the house.

The crickets' melodies filled in the night air, replacing the birds' songs in the morning. The cold breeze made her mind relaxed. She could easily be herself and let her worries go away as she headed to the military site alone.

After almost fifteen minutes of walking, her heart started beating nervously when she realised no one was in sight. Usually, there would at least be ten soldiers greeting her and escorting her to her father.

She hugged herself, warming herself under her coat as she kept walking, exploring the sudden empty site.

Her eyes widened when she encountered a dead soldier bleeding on the ground. She gasped and cupped her mouth, backing away immediately. She ran away and searched for her father who was nowhere to be found.

She turned her head as soon as she heard men shouting and gunshots at the other side of the tents. She kept running, trying her best to hide from the enemies that invaded the site.

"Find the General!"

"We have cleared Section A. Do we torture them or just kill them?"

"Kill them. Find the Viscount and Duke. Bring them to me. It would be fun to torture them for a while."

"Viscount? Is it my father?" She mumbled to herself before running to search for her father. As soon as she reached a tent at the corner, she could hear grunting noises.

Her heart dropped as she walked slowly to see who it was.

She jumped out of her skin when she saw Jake bleeding on the ground, holding his bleeding waist. It appeared that he was shot in the invasion.

"I should find my father first," she said to herself before turning back but halted when she remembered what the enemies said.

"Find the Viscount and Duke. Bring them to me. It would be fun to torture them for a while."

"He was rude to me so why should I help him?" She frowned.

"But then again, he's in danger. I would technically kill him if I turned a blind eye."

She gave in and scurried to him, "Your Grace! Are you alright? Can you get up?"

Jake panted heavily as he struggled to bear the pain of being shot. She placed his arm around her shoulders before helping him sit up straight, "This is gonna hurt but bear with me."

"You!" One of the enemies saw her and aimed to shoot her.

Juliette quickly took Jake's gun and shot the man. Her hands trembled as she let go of the weapon. She placed her hand on the Duke's bleeding waist to put pressure, "Come, we have to get you to a safer place."

They both got up and ran to a safer place. Her eyes formed a few tears of relief as soon as she saw her father's face protecting the other injured soldiers.

Viscount William widened his eyes as soon as he saw his daughter with the Duke, "Juliette! What the hell are you doing here?! Hurry!"

Two of the young soldiers instantly took Jake away from her arms and treated his wound. She panted tiredly and hugged her father, "I thought you were gone!"

"What the hell are you doing here?! You're supposed to tell me before coming."

"Mom said she forgot to give you your military documents so I offered to help."

The old man sighed out of frustration, "Well, you can't leave now. It's too dangerous. Take cover here. The other soldiers will protect you. I have to make sure the enemies are gone."

"Dad, you can't!"

"What do you mean I can't?"

"I heard their conversation earlier. They wanted to find you and the Duke. They want to torture you before killing you. I can't let you leave!"

"Jules, I've been doing this since I was young. Are you not confident of your father doing his job?"

"But..." she gave up arguing and watched her father leave with a heavy heart.

She turned to check Jake's condition. She touched his warm skin before looking at the military doctor who was treating him.

"How is he, sir?"

"He has lost a lot of blood. But thank goodness you brought him here just in time. If not, he would have died."

She nodded before looking at the weak duke. Suddenly, he reached his hand to hold her wrist. She flinched in surprise, "Your Grace!"

He groaned in pain before caressing her cheek out of the blue. "Juliette," he muttered before falling into a deep darkness of slumber.