The Soldier Of Sins | ✓

[29] Sorting Out

The silent afternoon wasn't silent anymore. The cold breeze blew sand around the ground while sunlight had started to fade. The echoes of their discussions roamed in each other's minds.

"This is not the Nathaniel I loved," wept Samara. "I knew him sweet, caring and responsible. There is something wrong. He never hated my brother before. Even the first day after the return, he had came to see Samuel recovering and even praised his act of taking arrows on himself in the greed of attacking the warriors of other kingdom. There must have been some misunderstanding."

"Maybe, this is because of Samuel's expertise in archery. We all know, Nathaniel is no less." Logan shrugged his shoulders while squeezing Violet's hand who was quite all this time as if deep in thought.

Samara wiped her tears and looked at them. "I will simply ask my brother as soon as he reaches home. Everything. He has been hiding a lot since the first day after the return. But I am not even sure if he is returning any soon."

Logan breathed heavily. "Do not worry, Samara. Rodwin might be resting at home but he has a storm going on in his mind. He won't let Samuel get hurt because he has his own doubts on someone else."

"What does he say?" Violet asked immediately, looking at him.

Samara too watched him curiously as he explained, "I haven't been able to talk to him today until yesterday, he has his share of doubts on almost every soldier." Logan picked up the stick and told them, "He told me that after reaching the tent with Samuel, he hadn't seen Nathaniel in his group's tent. Earl, Brody and Preston were asleep while Davis was washing his hands. They all must have washed themselves already as they were dirtied from the running and falling in the woods when wolves followed them. But Nathaniel wasn't there. I only saw him the next day fighting in the war, that even with his one arm bandaged."

"He doubts Nathaniel," Samara exclaimed in shock. Her eyes lowered slightly as she suddenly remembered the night when Rodwin had climbed to her window for the first time after the war. He would often do that in childhood too but that night, he seemed quite interested in showing her something. She recalled how they both had watched Nathaniel walking across the well and further walking towards the woods. Not to forget that he was one of the three soldiers out of the hall.

"He also learned that Brody had a severe infection in his leg after that night which turned worse and he died in the middle of the attack on the last third day of the war. He might have other injuries but he wasn't hurt on leg before that night happened, you see. I myself have distributed bandages to the soldiers most of the times," Logan explained. "He thinks somehow he doubts Davis too. Because his behavior has completed changed. He is now acting very silent and is being quite serious about posts and his training."

"Davis couldn't be the beast. He might be favoring Nathaniel but he has always been nice to us. His father is my father's great friend. He can't mix up with Nathaniel and his friends to hurt Samuel," exclaimed Samara, making Logan look at her in sympathy. "He has awaken a day before the award ceremony only."

"She is right. Otherwise, how will he be able to make the first kill if he was unconscious all those days?" Violet pointed, " We  should keep all the kills in check to get the pattern."

Logan widened his eyes at her as if not impressed. "That is not profitable at all. You see, he kills the one who dares enter the woods at night. The first death happened because of that reason. Rodwin was attacked the same way. Now, what happened at the castle, the soldier was present at the castle and he couldn't leave for the forest early so he attacked any person who came in his way."

Violet's lips parted in blankness. "Even after knowing most of the things. We aren't able to recognize the beast," she whispered. "We must do something before more kills happened."