DEVOTION - THE WEEPING MONK [PART 2 COMING IN AUGUST 2023]

CHAPTER NINETEEN

They kept running through the fields hoping not to get caught.

"Come quick." They followed the weeping monk. He led the way. She didn't know why? She trusted him. They immediately came to halt when they saw five paladins standing in front of them but they were wearing black cloaks. The camp was empty, only they stayed back. The man supposedly named Abbott began speaking. Then it hit her. The trinity guard. She held Squirrel closer to her, fearing for the worst. Is this how she will meet her demise? She will die like this. The weeping monk stood in front of her in protective mode. "What do we have here? A pair of star-crossed lovers?" He began taunting. Gwen gulped not knowing what to say. Star-crossed lovers? She began to look at him, noticing the stares, solemn face he put on. "I knew it. The moment I met her. I knew it. You came to like her. The weeping monk, a man who is impotent to love, has come to develop feelings."

"What do we do?" She asked changing the topic. She only sighed as he kept pushing her back. Squirrel looked fearfully on what's happening. "Stay close to me," she whispered.

"Does he remind you of someone? This Fey orphan?" He spoke about Squirrel. "Gwen," Squirrel wearily responded. "It's okay. Stay with me," she whispered.

"You don't need him." The weeping monk replied. Abbott smiled. "We need the girl. You know that." He explained. The weeping monk sighed in defeat.

It was night, she could see the sky darkened much more. "Oh god," she spoke to herself biting her lip. "Why? Now!"

"Can't he smell out his own kind like some kind of animal? Or is that just your species?" Abbott smirked. He held his hand up ordering the Trinity Guard to get ready to fight.

"Find cover," he demanded. She nodded quickly, pulling Squirrel to the end behind a log. They watched in horror as he was attacked.

"No!" She screamed horrified

"You do have a reputation, but this is the Trinity Guard. You know their skill. So be it." She watched in horrified gasping for air as what unfolded in front of her.

~ ~ ~ ~

"I have to help him." Gwen muttered. "What? No!" Squirrel told her. She sighed holding his hand. "Squirrel, I love you so much. If I don't make it. You need to run. Run far away. Run like a fox, please just listen to me this time." She told him to place a kiss on his forehead. Squirrel whispered, slowly panicking at the thought of losing her.

Gwen quickly went to the side noticing a sword laying on the ground. She grabbed it, as she ordered Squirrel to stay hidden. She could tell that the weeping monk was getting tired... Both of them were sweating profusely and breathing hard. Then, with a deep breath, she ran toward one of the guards, wildly swinging the sword at the right upper thigh... And once again Gwen deflected his attack with ease... However, this time, after stopping the swing, the guard pushed his/her to the ground. She struggled to get up onto hearing words from the weeping monk.

"No! Please. Don't hurt her."

She managed to get up and rushed towards one of the guards, with the sword raised, and just as he was about to attack, Gwen stepped to the side and tripped him. She then pointed her sword at him pushing it in his stomach. Blood can be seen coming out. She didn't care anymore. These people have killed plenty of innocents, they deserve this.

Another guard began running towards her screaming, she easily parried the blow attempting to deliver to the right side at the same time she blocked the swing. She seemed to be unfazed as she easily dodged or blocked each of their attacks. That's when she noticed how they surrounded the weeping monk in the middle, making him kneeled as they circled around him.

They all turned to her. Abbott began speaking. "It seems like you really do have the bloodline of Ice King. Although you're just like your mother. Your grandfather must be proud of you." She raised her eyebrow unaware, she began to get closer to them only to have the sword dropped onto the floor by another guard. The guard pushed her forward making her sit behind the weeping monk.

~ ~ ~ ~

She sat behind the weeping monk. They were defeated. This is how it will end. "Hey, look. Please, be okay." She whispered only to hear a growled. "We'll isn't romantic, Monk. She is trying to see if you're okay. She does like you back." Gwen felt anger boil insider her, she didn't know what to do or say. She could tell the weeping monk is drained out, tired. Gwen glanced at Squirrel who watched their every move, he was going to do something. She can't let him get involved.

"Hey, listen. If you're still in there. Say something. It's not over. It's not over." She kept repeating. She watched as the men around them laughed at her response. She was getting frustrated.

She needed to do something before Squirrel got involved. Something to snap the weeping monk out of his trance. Then it hit her. The one thing that will certainly shock everybody. She pursed her lips, she breathed in the air feeling the cold breeze. She turned around, grabbing him by the shoulders making sure he turned around.

She then grabbed the sides of his face, him with a kiss. After a long moment, he pulled away from the kiss, tears welled in his own eyes. He moved closer to her, cupping her face in his rough hands. "Thank you," He whispered to her softly. After he pulled away, she looked at him noticing he had enough energy to fend of the rest of the group. She stood there shocked, what just occurred. When she kissed him, she imagined herself under a tree with the stars above them. That's what she saw, felt. He leaned in for the kiss first. What did she do? Why did it feel so right?

The trinity guard begins to circle them, slowly inching closer and closer to them. He quickly got her hand pulling her to his side. She stood behind him as they made every step walking in circles. Gwen took a glance at him who looked like he was ready to kill them and there was nothing that was going to stop him from doing so and each and every person there knew that. Gwen took one last look at the sky seeing it darkened. Taking a look around the camp, to see it empty. The wind began to blow harshly, she could hear the sounds of fires in the distance.

This is it.