GOLDEN REBEL HEART

Chapter 7

This chapter is extremely long, and I'm sorry for the long wait, but things that happened in my life made me incapable of writing, but now everything's okay, so here's something new! First thing first, the new Taylor video made me freak out, especially because Taylor and Katy are my literal everything, I've loved Katy since I was like ten so that scene literally left me shook. Anyway, in this chapter happens a lot, so please buckle up because it's gonna be an intense ride. And as always, tell me what you think, if you like this story, what you think of the slow burn, and if you liked this chapter, please don't forget to leave a little star, it would mean a lot to me!

Thank you and enjoy. I love you all guys!

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The words of that soldier keep replaying in her mind. It had been a simple whisper, a thought that had been said out loud, but nevertheless, it had reached Taylor's ears. She had heard him, and while she hadn't been able to fully comprehend it at the beginning, she was dwelling on it now. She's driving, mindlessly, the seat beside her empty without Karlie's infectious and ambitious energy, and his words are capital letters at the forefront of her mind; I've heard that his wife had an affair with the King. His voice had been so light, so thin and so taunting, that Taylor wonders if it was just a question that he had, or if he had really heard that rumor about her mother. The American is so sure that Ishwari didn't lie to her; not when she had to ask her such a big favor. However, doubts still cloud the woman's mind and leave her hanging with nothing but uncertainty and agitation. Karlie wasn't aware of her terrible state of mind, but as Taylor drives the gravel streets, all she wants to do is go over to the nearby outpost and speak with Karlie. Tell her every fear that was eating her alive, that was making it impossible to sleep at night.

The first day of February, the Golden Path had the pleasure to conquer not only one, but two outposts near Banapur. Now having three of them and having an expanse territory to watch over, Taylor feels like her presence is really making everything better, as if what Karlie had said a month ago, about her being a positive influence on the soldiers, was true. The American doesn't know how to feel; if she should feel grateful, or if she should feel pressurized. What if something terribly bad happened to her and died? Would the troops give up and lose the war, because the last of their hopes was gone? Taylor doesn't want to think about her possible death. Dying here seems so absurd, so insane after just one month. Every soldier of the Golden Path was literally doing everything in their power to protect her; from accompanying her back to her shack, to tagging along on a hunt day. She was never alone, although she sometimes missed the feeling of going out and just be.

Therefore, when she had gone out of Banapur that morning, with no one sitting on the passenger seat, she had felt a little bit freer. She didn't mind some company, but still, she felt like suffocating sometimes; as if this war wasn't enough suffocating itself.

Just as she is driving around, about to turn around and seek Karlie's company, she catches the sight of a Royal Army soldier pinning an old man, whose hands were tied behind his back, and pointing a gun dangerously close to his temple. She immediately stops, parks the car at the side of the road, and gets off the vehicle. She has every intention to just aim at his head and kill him right there, but then a second man appears from behind the tree, making everything worse. It was two against one, but Taylor feels like she can do it; she was getting stronger each day that went by.

With a determined but shaking breath, she shuffles closer to the two men and hides behind a tree, before making her presence known by wrapping her arms around the soldier closest to the hostage, and strangling him. She cuts his throat quickly, pushing him on the ground and focusing her attention on the other one. However, just as she is about to lunge forward and attack the other, a bullet seeps through the light azure fabric of her uniform and wounds her shoulders. Taylor groans quietly, harshly, and falls back behind a tree, trying to seek refuge. She heard the sound of shots, the Royal Army soldier screaming profanities at her while cursing her name. The pain on her shoulder is momentarily forgotten, as she blindly shoots from behind the tree and luckily kills him. When silence overcomes the scene, Taylor finally stands up and walks over to the trembling and frightened figure.