EMBRACE || a violet evergarden fanfic #1

III

"Stay still," He cupped a hand over my lips, and one arm wrapped around my front. He quickly dashed behind one of the bushes and hid, his hot breath trickling down my neck.

"Captain!" Several voices called out, "captain!"

And again, and again, and again, until the man darted a look upwards from our hiding spot, and released his grip on me. He made sure I stood up along with him, and as he did, he gave my hand a little squeeze and said, "it's safe now, we're going home."

"Captain," one of the approaching men did a bow, and tightened his grip on his rifle when he saw me. But the man stood protectively in front of me, "Gentlemen," he greeted curtly, "are you here to bring us back to Leiden or am I going to do it myself?" He asked after a moment's silence.

The soldier bowed awkwardly, "I apologise, Captain, I was lost for words."

"She is a beauty," the man agreed, "but she is not any prized goat for you to stare at." He gestured towards the ship that docked nearby, "are the men ready to go?"

"I apologise again, Captain. Y-yes, we are ready to leave. It will only take us a few minutes back to Leiden," he saluted curtly yet stammered in his words. I took note of that.

The man shook his head, as if the soldier had failed him, "Then why did it take so long to come find me?"

"Your brother has had our hands on deck. He's determined to find you. And this, is for you from him," the soldier replied, and handed to the man a piece of folded paper.

I reached to my toes to read what he'd received, and the paper read ;

私の親愛なる兄弟,
I dread to tell you that while you were gone, father died. We weren't able to give him a proper burial. Something happened. Something big. I have entrusted this letter to one of your trusted companions. By the time you receive this letter, traitors would already swarm and took over your men. I still do not have any idea how he died. But I will wait for you to explain the whole story. When you arrive, I will be waiting at the Port of Leiden.

あなたの兄弟,
.G.B.

Before he could speak or react, I narrowed my eyes at the soldier who'd given the letter to him. "Traitor," I spoke, and flung the blade I had in my hands to the direction of him.

The innocent soldier fell helplessly forward, and collapsed at the man's feet.

Angry, he whirled around and was about to confront me when he remembered something, and stopped in his actions. He stomped away to the ship, and I followed quietly suit.

My first journey back to Leiden was a silent one, and I decided to keep it that way. My gut reminded me that I was in a foreign place - in the hands of a stranger. A very handsome one.

As soon as our ship docked near the port, I practically leapt off the thing, and followed after the man. When I did, I was looked on from every angle. From soldiers to villagers who had no money. But it was only until the man hissed,

"Mind your own business and keep your eyes to yourselves,"  I bit my lip. I had not wanted to cause any trouble on my behalf. I trailed after the man in silence, until I reached a large mansion.

The man turned to me and said, "This is the bougainvillea residence,"

I nodded mutely, and we stepped inside without any other exchange of words. The first person to speak was the butler who bowed when he saw the man, and said, "Your brother wishes to see you,"

"Is that so, my lovely, dear, brother Gilbert would want to see me?" The man shook his head and squared his shoulders as the butler nodded. He continued, "make him meet me in the library. I need to clean up."

"And ... our visitor?" The butler peeked over the man's tall build to meet my gaze, "what of her becoming?"

The man seemed to be debating on what to do with me. But in the end he'd only said, "Lock her up in one of the cupboards and have a blanket over her head. No one is to see her until my brother does."