The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

124 - Prelude to Decision - The Fallen's Part

Mike's Point Of View

When the mock funeral was over, we still weren't quite done dealing with Peony. In the end, none of us really know Peony or if he would betray the lady... however, he had betrayed Vitis who had always wanted the best for him. If he could betray Vitis the way he did... disregarding all kindness Vitis had ever shown him and request to get to kill him in a duel, then it was unlikely he would keep any of our Lady's secrets after she condemned him... 

So as we pulled him out of the stone coffin we kept his fire magic choked as we tried pinning him to the ground to cuff him with anti-magic chains. In an instant he began resisting, his instincts probably told him that this is where our Lady's punishment ended. His eyes narrowed with spite, as I pressed his shoulder down against the dirt hard enough to feel the bone of his joint against the fingertips I dug into him.

He squirmed to get free as Vitis put a knee to his chest, nearly slipping free as he twisted on the ground, only have his leg ripped to the side by Arven who was also barely out of treatment. Peony, tried to spark fires at us, causing glints of bright light that would turn into smoke as the fire blessed knights extinguished it as fast as he made it. We cuffed his legs first, preventing him from fleeing. Then ripped his shirt over his head while pressing his face into the muddy ground as we cuffed his hands... and pulled him out to the river on the other side of the castle.

The ground was cold and wet as we got there. The wild grasses stood tall as we dropped him to the ground, standing over the defenseless him.

"If you hurt me you'll break your chivalry code," he speaks out with that cold voice of his... that cold voice he used to say those words to Rudder as he abandoned him.

"Shut up..." I mutter out as I kneel down beside him... the cold mud seeps through to my knees, but my stomach feels like its burning. My useless hangs limply by my arm as I swing my other the best I can, hammering it against his face.

I stare at Peony's face where I just hit him, staring at the red scrape on his jaw, but he just spits at the ground and glares back at me.

"Is that the best-"

I smack him again.

Why... why can he be like this?

I clench my hand tighter, then punch him again even though my fist is burning, even though I just felt his nose crack against my fist, creating a sound that made my toes curl up. I hit him again, even though I can see his eyes roll and blood splurt out from his lips onto the muddy green grass.

I pause... staring at him.

"Apologize... apologize to him," I whisper as I sit back on my heels. My limp hand flopping into the cold mud. 

"He protected you. Even though he hated you he protected you... he never treated you badly."

...because you can never give him back. No matter how much I beat him. No matter how much I torture him I can never see Rudder again. So... if he just this once shows empathy, if he just this once shows regret then I'll stop. I'll stop. I'll stop because I can't stand looking at this guy anymore, as all I remember is Rudder's terrified look at those words.

Peony spits out a couple of teeth and then stares at me while blood runs from his nose and mouth and leans his head up while looking me in the eyes. 

"And so did I, you're the ones treating me unfairly," he spits out at me in return. Then spits a thick glob of blood at my face... it's warm. His blood is still warm... unlike Rudder's.

I feel a rush of fury go through me, and I lash out at him again, putting my knee on his warm chest, pressing down till the air goes out of him as he tenses up again. I grip his face, ripping at his cheek violently, digging my nails into the flesh.