"Leave me alone." Replied the unusually silent Donna.
She became like this after John talked to her last night. She thought back to when John was talking to her after the second attack.
"Donna erect a Rank 4 anti-spy spell." Asked John who seemed to be burned quite badly after the second attack.
She nodded as she finished casting the spell. "Is it about the attack? Was there any mistakes?" She asked him in worry.
"No" John shook his head as he smiled, amidst his badly burned face. Donna was confused 'Why would John ask to erect a rank 4 anti-spy spell if he didn't want to discuss about the plan?'
"How could there be mistakes in the plan since you didn't plan it, Donna?" John said amidst his smiling face.
"I don't understand John?" Replied a confused Donna.
"My plans don't have loose ends, unlike yours Ms. Assassin." Donna's heart skipped a beat as her face started turning pale.
"H...Ho..How?" She struggled to talk as she started sweating.
"I was wondering why the assassin never came back to finish his or her job after trying to kill me. Then when I observed the nobles, commandments and the rest of the people in the empire for few weeks I understood it was none of them who attempted to assassinate me, as they had no reason to kill me.
So, who would have a reason to kill me that isn't a noble?
Instantly my suspicion turned towards one of you guys. It made sense as well, because the only people who knew the layout of the palace like their own home, along with waiting for a perfect chance to kill me, that could only mean someone who has been living in the palace for a long time and was restrained therefore, had to carry out their plan secretly which equals to someone in the 'Rotten Rats'.
Then I thought of the reason, and I knew that some of you were tired of the slavery and frustrated thus one of you turned your anger towards me. So, I just had to find out which one of you did it.
When the opportunity came I got to release you guys. Instantly when the rest of them was looking at me worriedly, partially grateful, one amongst them had anger in their eyes, which was covered with a fake expression of happiness. I knew I found my killer, so I just had to make sure it was you by shaking each of your hand and feeling for the scar on your hand." John said as he took the reluctant hand of Donna and faced her palm upwards for both of them to see the scar in it.
"From there I was able to guess your motive for trying to kill me after observing each one of you for the next few days and I ..."
"SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!" Screamed Donna as her face turned red in anger.
"You think you understand everything, don't you? Do you know how much we had to suffer as that assholes slaves in the past 10 years while you were living comfortably?
We who were once the most famous mercenaries, in the whole empire, turned into a plaything for that bastard.
He tortured all of us physically and mentally, and during these times Seban was our only source of light and comfort." Tears started rolling out of her eyes non stop as she carried on.
"Seeing this do you know what that bastard did to him, he tortured and had one of his servants r*pe Seban in front of us.
Do you know the feeling of seeing the only love of your life getting raped by another man, in front of you? You won't, as we made sure we get to witness it while you lived comfortably. I was there unable to even stop the gruesome things did to Seban. I watched and after a while, they stopped and we all tearfully took the almost dead Seban back.
Do you know what happened next? He didn't break, he kept on being our only source of light and comfort, even that mother fucker grew tired of breaking Seban after a while.
One day Flint was unable to stand to see the smiling Seban, even after all the tortures Seban endured for us. He told him to cry for once, and to let everything he was holding back, out.
But do you know what he said?" She asked John amidst the teary red-eyed face as she walked closer to him.
" 'I have to be the hope for you guys. If I break then all of you will break, and we will lose our will to live, and then there will be no one to protect John when we are gone.' Even in his lowest moment, he thought about no one but you. Keeping you safe was his only goal. Was the price of your freedom captain's happiness?
Since that day I made a decision, that you should suffer a tenth of what the captain suffered. Therefore, I started looking for ways to make you suffer. I slowly waited for my chance. And on that day I took the chance that the gods showed me.
But unfortunately seeing you that day clouded my eyes with rage that I only wanted to kill you. But luckily you survived and managed to escape from me." She said in anger as she lifted John by his collar amidst her teary eyes.
"Oh, so it was for love. How cute?" John replied. Seeing his nonchalance of what happened to them made Donna even angrier as she started casting a spell slowly. She decided to kill him even if it was going to get her killed
"You should be careful about what you are going to do though, I know you don't care about your life but what about Seban and others." Suddenly she stopped and stared at me in shock
"You think I would be foolish enough to leave you and me alone without any form of backup when I know how far someone can go for love.
If you as much as kill me or harm me, I have enough backup plans to make everyone in the empire aware that the rest of the 'Rotten Rats' are alive. And once everyone knows it there will be no saving them from the wrath of the emperor, since I am not alive to protect them."
"Please don't they have suffered enough, especially Seban. Please think about the fact that they sacrificed everything for your safety, for 10 years. I will do anything for you, I will even become your slave, just let them live. I am sorry for everything I did please just let them live." Said a distraught Donna as she knelt down crying in tears.
"Like I told you since the day I met you guys there are no more debts between us. You tried to kill me for love, but I benefited from it in certain ways, so we are even.
Just make sure that no one becomes aware of the fact that it was you who tried to kill me, because once you do the emperor, and the whole royal court will turn the whole empire upside down to slaughter every single one of you, especially Seban.
So, it is better for you to die than for you to reveal it was you. Now go and it is almost your time. We won't see each other from now on. There will be no more ties between you guys and me." Said John coldly as he turned his back to an unbelieving Donna.
After that, she went and followed everything according to John's plan. She never understood what John was thinking.
Any normal person would have killed them all, for what she did to John or have told her teammates of what she did. But John just let them go, without telling anyone anything. She never understood why.
"Donna are you okay?" Said Seban as he shook Donna who seemed to be unresponsive since he started observing Donna for the past few minutes.
"Huh.. Yes, Captain?" She replied as she thought of what John told her when she was about to leave the room.
"What happened to you?" Seban asked her
'Is he a good or a bad person?' Was the final thought Donna as she replied to Seban without thinking.
"Captain... I love you." Said a dazed Donna. Suddenly everyone stopped walking and turned towards Donna and Seban, who seemed to be frozen. There was an awkward silence as Donna finally awoke and realised what she just said.
She suddenly turned red as she remembered what John said when she was about to leave the room "You know, he loves you too. Move forward with him, he needs it, they need it too. Nothing from the past will come towards you guys as long as you keep your heads from poking out. Everything that started with you guys ends with you guys today."