Valdimir couldn't stand to see Anastasia was being that depressed.
He tried to cheer her up for a bit:
- Lady Anastasia, you can go back to your tent. This is your first time participating in such an event so, you won't be punished like the others.
Anastasia turned around and left without lifting her eyes from the ground. She walked away without showing any kind of expression.
Zachary was about to follow her, but he suddenly found Valdimir standing right in front of him while glaring:
- SO, YOU SUCCEEDED THIS TIME. I SUPPOSE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY THAT YOU BETRAYED YOUR COMRADE. I WONDER HOW SHE IS FEELING RIGHT NOW...
- I...I just wanted to win. I...I didn't mean to...
- YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANT...YOU CAN GO AND CELEBRATE. BUT WHAT YOU DID IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.
Zachary felt so terrible. He immediately went back to his tent not knowing what he should do.
- She surely hates me...I did a big mistake. I thought that if I won, even for once, I will be recognized by the others, but I was wrong. I ruined the relationship between me and the only friend I got in this place. What should I do to make it up to her? I think she won't accept to talk to me right now. I will give her some time to calm down, then I will ask for forgiveness.
Meanwhile, Anastasia went back to her tent. As soon as she entered, she threw herself into her bed and covered herself with a cover from head to toe.
- My lady, are you okay?
- Lucia, can you give me some time alone? I don't want to talk to anyone.
- Alright, as you wish...
Lucia left the tent while looking worried about Anastasia. She knew that every time her lady covers herself like that it means that something very bad happened to her. She headed immediately to Sergio to ask him about what did happen.
- Sergio, did something bad happen? My lady looks very depressed.
- Maybe because she failed today in the hunting.
- Are you sure? It seems that something else happened.
- Is her condition that bad?
- Well, I rarely see her like that. It happens only when someone around her hurt her badly.
Valdimir was listening to Lucia and Sergio's conversation.
He felt very angry :
" Does she like him this much? Well, it is a good thing that I show her his real face. Maybe she is hurt, but afterward, she will thank me. "
At dinner time, the soldiers gathered to have their meal as usual. Valdimir went also to eat with them, hoping to get a glimpse at Anastasia but she didn't come.
" She didn't come? is she still depressed? I will make sure to knock some reason into her head. "
He went to Lucia to ask her:
- Why she didn't come?
- My...My lady said that she doesn't want to eat.
Valdimir took some food and headed toward Anastasia's tent. She was still in her bed while covering her whole body.
He made some noise, then he approached her slowly
- Anastasia, get up...
- I don't want to talk to anyone.
Suddenly, Valdimir grabbed the cover and take it away violently. Anastasia became very angry:
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?
- No, I can't. As long as you are in the camp, I'm responsible for you.
Anastasia was feeling so depressed. She wanted so badly to shout at him, but she held herself back.
She sighed, then she looked away:
- We will talk to you tomorrow...Please, leave. I can't say anything to you, right now.
- Do you like that bastard this much?
- What do you mean?
- I mean, you look very depressed for someone who got away from severe punishment. I know that Zachary betrayed you at the last minute. You shouldn't let it affect you this much.
Anastasia became very surprised:
- YOU KNOW? THEN WHY YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING?
- Because it was your fault for trusting him, in the first place. Consider this as a good lesson for you to understand that no one will think about you, especially in the hard times. People intend always to betray for their own sake.
Those words hit Anastasia so deeply in her heart. She couldn't keep quiet anymore and she started yelling out of frustration while her eyes became full of tears:
- DO YOU THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT? I HAVE BEEN LIVING ALL MY LIFE SURROUNDED BY THAT KIND OF PEOPLE. I COULDN'T TRUST ANYONE OR BE FRIENDS WITH ANYONE. EVEN MY FAMILY KEPT HURTING ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHEN I CAME HERE, I THOUGHT THAT THIS BAD LUCK OF MINE WILL CHANGE. I WANTED TO HAVE A FRIEND AND TO ACT MYSELF WITHOUT HAVING FEARS, BUT I THINK I WAS WRONG. NO MATTER WHERE I GO, IT WILL BE THE SAME THING EVERYWHERE.
Anastasia covered her face to hide her tears:
- I must stay alone so I can survive, and I shouldn't trust anyone...I got that...Please, leave me alone...I have nothing more to say.
At that moment Valdimir understood that Anastasia ran away from her home and turned to the army to only feel secure, but he made her feel otherwise.
" What did I do? "
Anastasia pulled the cover and covered herself again:
- I will be on time, tomorrow, for the training...Good night.
" I don't care if he gets angry, he started it first. "
Anastasia thought that Valdimir left, but then he suddenly carried her and put her on his shoulder like a potato bag, which made her very surprised:
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PUT ME DOWN.
Valdimir walked until he reached his horse, then he threw her on the back of the horse without caring about her scream.
- COMMANDER! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?
- SHUT UP...JUST HOLD TIGHT.
Valdimir rode his horse and made it run as fast as it could.
Anastasia tried to sit properly to not fall from the horse. The horse was running too fast to the point that she was forced to wrap her hands around him tightly. Her mind was confused because of all those sudden events.
" What is he doing?...Where are we going this fast? "