After the swordsmanship training, I felt physically drained and couldn't move an inch. I stared at Xavier still doing his daily straight swings with his sword from the ground I laid on.
"Xavier~ How are you not tired?" I groaned as I stared at him, exhausted. "Hah... Hah... Well... Hah... Its not that tiring... After awhile. Also... I've been meaning to ask..." Xavier panted before putting his wooden sword down and sitting next to me.
"That man... you brought back... what do you plan on doing to him?" Xavier asked, catching his breath as he stared at me with his clear hazel coloured eyes.
"What man?" I asked, finally sitting up as I looked at Xavier. He was sweating and his face was a little flushed.
"... I knew it." Xavier sighed as he buried his head in between his arms. "Huh? What?" I asked, turning my body to face him.
"I knew you forgot... Hahh, that man from the cave. You told us to bring him back." Xavier said as he leaned back and turned his gaze towards me.
"Ack! You're right! I did forget." I replied, finally remembering that man I instructed the knights to bring back.
"Shall we go now? I think he'll be all too happy if I forget about him another day and he gets to enjoy another square meal." I asked Xavier as I tilted my head inquisitively at him.
"I thought you were tired? But sure. I'm done with practice after all." Xavier agreed as he stood up, extending his hand to me as.
I smiled as I grabbed his extended hand and rose to match his height, patting my training outfit clean of the grass.
***
"-will I get out of here?!" a hoarse voice bellowed from the dark part of the underground prison of the dukedom.
This place was mentioned in the novel. Where I... no... Lily... was confined in. The prince had kept her dehydrated and famished, on the verge of death, as he bombarded her with questions on why she would do such things to Delia.
"What did I do wrong? I just... told her to... stay away from my fiance... That poison... had nothing... to... do... with me..." A hoarse voice echoed in the dark prison as a thin hand shivered. Grasping to reach out towards the prince.
"... I don't think so. I'm... sorry I even gave you a chance." the prince said as he turned around to leave. "N... no... Don't... go..." the hoarse voice barely called out. The voice scratchy and soft, an obvious indication of the dehydration the prisoner was indicted to.
"...ly? ... Lily?!" a voice shocked me from my thoughts as Xavier shook my shoulders, worry etched all over his face.
"Huh... What?" I asked as I blinked dumbfounded at him.
"... You didn't respond for a long while... I was just... worried..." Xavier said as he let his arms fall down lifelessly.
"... I was just deep in thought... Sorry." I muttered softly as I studied his face.
Xavier nodded slowly before turning towards the clamouring sounds coming from one of the prison cells.
"Li... I mean... Miss Lily. Please, stay behind me." Xavier said as he stood in front of me. Leading me towards the cell holding the man who was raising up a ruckus.
"You! You must be that girl! The one who locked me up in this hellhole! Let me out you wench!" the man yelled as his arms stretched out to grab me.
I shrieked in astonishment and panicked before Xavier pulled me close behind his back.
"Shut your mouth you scum! You're in the presence of a Lady of the Lacroix household!" Xavier raised his voice as he kept an arm outstretched to protect me whilst his free hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
"Hah. The Lacroix family. Now I know what place this is. Those guards kept their mouth tightly shut but you just blurted out the one thing I needed to know." the man grinned as he pulled Xavier by his collar, slamming him against the cell door.
I gasped as I was holding tightly onto Xavier's shirt, feeling the sudden lurch forward towards the cell; bumping into Xavier's back.
Xavier grit his teeth as he felt the hot, stinky breath of the vile man upon his face. He wrestled with the man to free himself from his clenches before the man suddenly let go.
"Ouch!" Xavier cried out as he fell on his butt, pinning me between him and the wall of the underground prison.
"You're far too gullible boy. But I'll let this be a lesson for you. You won't be getting anything out of me!" the man said as he slit his throat with the sword he took from Xavier's scabbard.
"Don't look!" Xavier gasped as he immediately turned to cover my eyes, clearly missing a beat as I felt the hot spray of liquid landing on my cheek and saw the crazed look of the man as he dyed his body in red with his own blood.
***
Knights of the Lacroix dukedom came in and out of the prison whilst Xavier remained by my side, patting my back in silence as he kept his gaze pinned to the floor.
I didn't say or think anything for a long moment as I felt the calm circular motion of Xavier reassuring me in silence.
"...my fault." Xavier muttered as I slowly raised my head to look at him.
"It's... all my fault... I should have been more careful! Now... now I've made you lose your only lead to the captors who abducted and almost killed you!" Xavier cried as his face scrunched into a distorted mess.
I immediately reached out to him and hugged him. Gently patting his back instead as he rubbed his eyes with his hands, trying desperately to dry his tears.
"... I'm sure there's a lead. Don't... blame yourself too much." I finally sighed out as I gently caressed his hair.
***
Finally calming down, Xavier lifted his head to look into my eyes. I smiled gently as I took in his tear filled hazelnut coloured eyes.
"Don't worry too much! I'm sure the knights managed to get something out of him during his stay here." I said, trying to reassure Xavier, or maybe trying to reassure myself.
***
The knights shook their heads far too often than they could open their mouths to give me information on that man. I frowned at the thought and furrowed my eyebrows together in a tight knit.
"... I'm... sorry Miss Lily." Xavier apologized once again as he lowered his head before me.
I carefully raised his head to lock eyes with him as I shook my head, telling him that it was fine.
Xavier was about to say something before he noticed something gleaming in the far corner of the prison cell the man was staying in.
"Wait... that..." Xavier said as he stepped towards it. Seeming as if he was drawn to the gleaming object.
I watched as Xavier made his way to the gleaming object before picking it up. Revealing a black onyx like jewel.
"This..." I muttered as I stared at the jewel in Xavier's palm. "It's dextradite. A magic ore." Xavier said as he pulled his gaze from the ore to look at me.
"If it's what you said it is then..." I said as I looked at him.
Xavier only nodded as we both left the prison cell, suddenly re-entering the harsh sunlight that pierced our eyes.
As our eyes readjusted to the sunlight, Xavier held my hand as he led me towards the Lacroix manor to meet my father, the Duke.