EMBRACE || a violet evergarden fanfic #1

IV

I grunted when I was roughly pushed inside one of the dark closets they had provided, and my head started to spin as a blanket was thrown over my head and I was enveloped in darkness.

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Dietfried Bougainvillea's POV

"Gilbert, how nice it is to finally see you again," I smirked when my brother entered the library - ever quiet as he always was, and his hands clasped behind his back, stern. I set down my cup of tea when he only stood as I sat in front of him.

"What is it you want, brother?" He asked, nearly as annoyed to be interrupted of his "Gilbert-alone" time. I chuckled, and he turned even more tempered when I played him again.

"You're the one who had requested to see me," I stared into my cup of tea. The deep, green colour of the sweetened teabag had mixed into hot water - traditional Japanese styled tea. "How about you go first, brother?" I raised my head to meet his piercing emerald-green eyes.

He let out a sigh, "I only wish to say that I need more recruits to my group of men, Dietfried." I tensed a little when he addressed me that way, but I quickly recovered from that mistake.

"Right, I deemed to have forgotten to congratulate you on your current status as 'Major'. I apologise to have missed the ceremony." I told him, and he gave me a curt nod, I continued, "I, of course, have returned from my, small expedition when I shipwrecked to one of the many deserted islands of Leiden. You may as well heard that my ship was attacked by one of the many enemies Leiden has." He nodded.

I stood up, and head outside. Beckoning Gilbert to do the same, my expression dropped as I explained, "And I regret to inform you that nearly half of my comrades who'd survived died."

"On what cause?" He asked curiously.

A smile formed in the corner of my lips. I threw open the doors of the closet where the butler had kept her, and lifted the blanket off her head where I'd instructed him to throw. "Her," I told him, and my brother's features tensed immediately.

"She took down the lives of the many of my men who tried to rape her, and even dared to murder the messenger you sent to the island. I suppose she'd only understood the order to kill. And if you would so take her under your wing - she'd be a great soldier." I explained, "keep your emotions in check. She tend to get picky sometimes. She rarely talks, which brings her to be a good tool. But make sure she doesn't kill everyone in your camp. Careful of what you speak."

"Understood," when he gave me a salute, I only rolled my eyes and walked away.

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I gasped when another man leaned over, and I was grateful I had a blanket to cover my dirty self. This man bore the same similarities to the man I had met on the island - spiky, dark blue hair and his eyes ... his eyes were of the colour emerald green, exactly like the gem itself.

"It's okay, it's only me," he told me in a soothing voice, and held out a hand.

I bit my lip nervously. If this was going to head out to the path like I'd had with the other man, I would have regretted it. I took his hand, and gasped when he pulled it to a tight embrace around him.

My other arm lifted from my side hesitantly and wrapped around his back.

"I promise I won't hurt you," He said wistfully, "I will protect you in any means necessary. If any harm comes to you, I will always be there for you."

I only tightened my grip around him in response.