Truth After Lies

A Royal Attack

"Please Maddy dont . . ." Leo took a step forward and Maddy immediately held up her hand.
Without another word Maddy pushed past him and this time he didn't stop her. He just stood there lifeless, watching her as she made her way back in. He didn't fight for her, didn't even try to apologise again, he just watched her. Maddy didn't come out of her room for the rest of the day and as she cried herself to sleep she told herself that she would never ever be so affected by another human being, especially someone so heartless as Leo.

The next morning, Maddy woke up with red, puffy eyes and slept through the day till the evening. She was awakened by a loud clash down the hallway. Since she had nothing else to do, she immediately got up and put on a silky dark blue robe and stalked outside quietly as shivers went down her back. She hid behind a large fern plant and watched as the scene played out.

"We get her and we win, so shut up or you'll end up with the same fate as Fallon," a man in a black hood hissed threateningly. The other man shivered and bent his head down low in fear. As the black hooded intruder turned around, Maddy got a good look of his face which sent her screaming. He had only one eye and the rest was covered in stitches, there was a dried, deep cut that ran down the side of his face and his skin was covered in red splotches. They grabbed both her arms, covered her mouth and dragged her down the end of the hall.

"Look, little girl. We're just here for a little visit so if you would just calm down and cooperate then it'll make it a whole lot easier for the both of us," his scratchy voice whispered down her neck as she stopped squirming under his grip. They led her down the grand stairs and as they made their way towards the back gate she got a feeling that if she went along with it she would never be heard of again. She started to talk, gesturing for them to remove the cloth from her mouth.

They did so, hesitantly.
"What are you trying to find?" She whispered, her voice shaking steadily.
"Just lead us to the armours," the one eyed man snapped at her.
"Right this way," she guided them towards the dining hall and a smirk played out in her head as she knew that it was dinner time and that everyone would be present at the table to take down this idiot.

She opened the hall doors and she frowned in horror as she found that there was no one there. She led them to the armours and watched as they stole from the castle. They searched through the countless armours and at last came across a small safe that was hidden amongst them. She recalled a conversation from the ball with the general about something like this and her eyes grew wide immediately. She ran for the doors and started to scream for help but found a sharp knife at her throat.

Suddenly, there were more than two people surrounding her but about twelve people now. She frantically glanced from one pair of eyes to another and finally locked dead with one, Leo. He stood there completely armed with a sword, a gun and three blades ran along his thighs. He was wearing a traditional armour and protection gear as his eyes begged her to stay still. So she stood there, completely still and at calm.

"Your surrounded now, so let's make this easy for the both of us. Let the girl go and we'll go from there," Leo's voice boomed through the large room startling a few others. Maddy noticed that the gang was there as well as a few other soldiers.
"You want the girl? Make a path for me, my friend and this beautiful madam," he put the knife close enough to her neck and it dripped a speck of blood. Leo's eyes didn't break but held firmer as he ordered the soldiers to move aside. Slowly, the three made their way across to the glass doors that led outside.

"I know I'm not going to get far from here so I just want you to know that you should walk away before things get worse," he whispered to her. She blinked, was he for real? Why the sudden change of heart? She walked away with her back towards him, her steps became nothing as she realised what happened next. One by one, people wearing the same black hood started to appear with guns, knifes, swords and other weaponry and a clash or war began. Maddy ran and tucked under the table as the same man who told her to walk away tried to grab her again. There was blood, fights and the sound of clashing swords everywhere.

She went under the table, over the chairs and ran towards a corner, still being chased by this madman. She was cornered.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" She panted towards him.
"You really want to know why I was being so generous to you while you're about to be slayed?" He mocked her, playing around with his sword.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that," she smirked and he frowned as a wicked smile played across his lips at once.
"It was a signal, for my people to attack yours," he stepped towards her.
"But these people aren't my people, they belong to the royal family," she stepped back, right up against the wall.

"Dear girl, when will you learn," with a quick move he plunged his weapon forward only for it to be blocked by another. Strong hands grabbed her waist and pulled her out of the corner and behind the one and only, Leo.
"I could've defended myself," she huffed out in gratitude.
"Oh yeah, is it because you're still angry with me?" He never failed to enlighten her while striking his sword without missing a beat to his opponent.
"Wow, congratulations genius," she moved away as another opponent joined this duel.

"You need to forgive me Maddy, that was all before," he groaned as he stabbed one enemy and attacked another.
"Give me three good reasons why," a smile flashed across her face as she took a shield and defended herself from possible attacks and arrows. A man ran at her and she ran back into the halls and entered the ball room as Leo quickly followed her and straight up sliced the guy.
"One, it was before I got to know you," he managed to get a quick slice on his opponents arm.
"There's still two more," Maddy turned around and Leo got distracted for just a moment as one eye came for her. Leo ditched the sword and he now held two sharp blades.

He blocked the swipe at Maddy easily without even touching her and Maddy turned around to find him fighting just a meter in front of her.
"Two, I'll admit I used you at first but the second I got to know you, I swear I wanted to take back everything, Maddy, every single thing," he puffed out as another's blood covered his body.

Maddy backed up into a closet as another enemy approached her. Leo crept up behind him and stabbed him right in the guts and once again returned to his still undefeated enemy. Using the moment to his advantage, one eye sliced Leo deeply right across his arm and Leo groaned out in pain, clutching his bloodied arm he fell to the ground. One eye stalked towards Maddy, his mouth was filled with blood that wasn't his.

"Tell me, Maddy, why did you want to know why I held sympathy for you?" His eyes never left her body and she almost shook in terror as she saw Leo, wounded.
"That's a good question, one eye," her eyes slithered up to his demented face.
"Answer me," he was now half a meter in front of her and pointing a gun at her face.
"It's because I wanted to distract you so that help would find it's way to save me . . . Just like now," Maddy shrieked as Leo stabbed one eye twice over, he dropped the knife and placed both arms right beside the two sides of her head, locking her in place.

"Three, because I love you," he looked her right in the eye as Maddy's hands went around his neck and she hugged him tightly, she hugged him so tight that he started to choke and only then did she let go.
"You scared me," she smiled through the tears now pouring down her face.
"Yeah, you scare me sometimes when your angry too," he chuckled as Maddy joined him.