ROSALIA'S HEART missed a beat as the Weeping Monk was getting closer to her. She immediately drew her sword to defend herself. Willa was hiding behind her, terrified. Rosalia attacked him first, finding all the energy she could in the endless anger and grief she had felt and was still feeling when finding her home destroyed. And he was a part of it. He needed to pay. But blinded by her emotions, she had forgot to remember what she was taught, and her sword quickly flew out of her hands to drop on his side. Her little sister screamed her name to express her despair. They both knew there was no way for Rosalia to get it back. This was Rosalia's end, but certainly not Willa's.
"Willa, go!" She ordered.
Willa seemed to hesitate.
"Now!" She said with a harsher tone she rarely used.
Willa, tears in her eyes, started running, soon becoming a distant silhouette in the forest. Rosalia was now on her own facing her enemy. She tried her best to conceal her fear. Her father had always told her than showing your adversary that you're afraid only gave them more power. She secretly hoped he was alive and well and would come save his little girl from the monster standing in front of her. But he was nowhere to be found, so the least Rosalia could do was honour him.
"Go on. Do it." She encouraged him.
The Weeping Monk walked closer to her, his sword still in hand. Rosalia froze without even realizing it. He stopped for a second, confused.
"You're not Fey, are you?"
Only half, she thought, but people often mistake her for human. Her Fey abilities were barely existent.
"Does it matter?"
"Of course it matters. Why are you helping them?"
"The same reason why you're killing them. Justice, although we seem to have very different definitions of it."
"Indeed. You know they'd burn you just like them."
"I know. That's why I'm rather relieved that you're killing me now. I always hated fire."
"I'm not killing you. Not today anyway. But I'm taking you with me."
"Hum, I don't think so."
As her last resort, Rosalia sprinted in the opposite direction. She heard him get on his horse to follow her. Her mind kept telling her it was hopeless but she owed it to herself to at least try to escape him. Without any place to hide, she thought of her father whispering to call on the Hidden whenever she needed help. Start by something small, he would say, when frustrated, she wasn't reaching the wanted results. While keeping her father in mind, she imagined a branch wrapping itself around her attacker. His horse's neigh confirmed to her that she had managed to do it. She seized this moment of inattention to hide behind the closest tree. It was the thing that made the most sense considering he would soon get out of this situation and she had already exhausted herself by running for so long.
"I know you're there."
Rosalia held her breath, more as a reflex than something that would actually help.
"Come on, you're just wasting my time. I'm still going to find you."
It suddenly became silent. Rosalia was about to come out of her hiding when she felt a hand firmly grabbing her wrist. And as she raised her other hand, The Weeping Monk tied her wrists with a cord.
"I thought you're weren't Fey."
"Technically, I'm half."
She noticed blood running down his face, probably from her doing.
"You're bleeding." She said with a little smirk she couldn't hold anymore.
He wiped his blood with his sleeve, which wasn't very effective because it spread it across his face even more. Wow, she thought, she really didn't miss him.
"Yes, enjoy it while you can."
Her smile disappeared with his words. She was then dragged for what seemed to be hours on end behind his horse.
"Did your parents never teach you how to treat a lady?"
"Please, you're no lady." He answered.
"That hurts."
"Like the wound on my forehead. Trust me, you get used to it."
"Well, you're just spiteful."
"I've heard worse."
"And arrogant and... and you really think wearing all black makes you a badass, huh? And it kind of does."
"Do you never shut up?"
"Not really, no."
At sunset, they finally stopped. The Weeping Monk attached the cord keeping her a prisoner to a tree before making a fire.
"I have to pee." She informed him.
"No, you don't."
"Well, I'm... I'm hungry. And you don't know me when I'm hungry. I could probably break this rope right now. How about I go and hunt some food?"
"How stupid do you think I am?"
"I don't know, I can't really think straight when I'm hungry."
"I'll go and get some food. Don't try anything or you'll regret it."
A few minutes later, Rosalia heard footsteps. She thought at first The Weeping Monk was back but her face lit up at the sight of several Fey men. One of them, in particular. Illya.
"Thank Gods. Please get me out here before he comes back."
"Too late."
Rosalia turned her head to see him. Her happiness was short-lived as fear quickly replaced it.
"Don't worry, Rosie. We'll take care of him." Illya reassured her.
The Fey men drew their swords and so did The Weeping Monk. Rosalia desperately wished to believe Illya. Six men against one, surely they would get rid of him once and for all. But their adversary had a talent for fighting them off with unusual ease. Rosalia was shocked as the third man to die fell next to her, splattering blood all over her face. The fourth man's body was cut in half. The fifth's man head rolled on the floor, making Rosalia gasp in horror. The Weeping Monk definitely didn't fight her with such violence or she would have known a similar fate. No, he wanted her alive. And as she looked at Illya who was surrounded by his dead friends, it all made sense.
"You're going to regret the day you decided to take my Rosie." Illya promised.
But a moment after those words were pronounced, he too fell.
"No! Illya!" Rosalia screamed.
The Weeping Monk wiped his sword of his blood as if it was just another stain.
"They always come for the damsel in distress." He told her.
"You weren't getting food, were you?"
"You're smarter than you look. I saw them come from miles off. They were just waiting for the perfect opportunity, which you so kindly gave to them."
"That's why you didn't kill me at first because you had planned to use me as bait. Well, you can kill me now so I can patiently wait for you in hell."
"Do you wish to die this bad?"
"I don't really have anything to live for anymore. Everything was taken from me. My parents. My friends. My home." She revealed with a raw honesty that even surprised her.
"But you still have your little sister. Willa, isn't it?"
"If you touch her, I will..."
"I don't harm children." He interrupted her.
"But you destroy their villages, leaving them without their family to fend for themselves or to die alone in the forest."
He walked towards her. She stepped back only to meet the rigidity of the tree. Against all expectations, he used his sword to cut the rope.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm letting you go. I don't need you anymore." He revealed.
Taking her chance, she rapidly got away from him.
"What makes you think I won't come back for you? You just killed my fiancé in front of me."
"You won't if you know what's good for you."
"Can I have my sword back?"
"Don't push it."
"Then I hope we never cross paths again, Weeping Monk."