Ben quickly looked up to face the direction of the angered voice, and as his gaze pierced through the crowd, he caught a glimpse of Antoinette marching towards him.
His expression fell, as his eyes went wide.
"Your girlfriend's coming," Martine said with an intrigued chuckle as she released Ben's wrist.
Ben quickly scrambled to his feet, kicking up dirt as he watched the surrounding crowd split to reveal Antoinette walking with frustration burning in each step.
Her menacing silver eyes locked onto Ben's person, with a gaze so focused she could burn a hole in his chest.
Ben instantly raised his hands in surrender as he took a step back, bumping into Martine, who stood like a wall behind him. "Trying to run?" She asked teasingly, before pushing him back towards Antoinette.
"W-what." Ben stammered as he took a step forward thanks to Martine's push, "Antoinette, I–"
"What were your orders?!" Antoinette snapped, pointing a finger toward the ground as she stopped dead in her tracks, a few feet away from him. "Answer me!"
Ben flinched at her tone, knowing full well he had screwed up majorly. Antoinette had been lenient with him for obvious reasons, but he knew this time… this time he had pushed too far.
He hesitated to answer, glancing around the murmuring crowd of onlookers with an expression of guilt and shame.
He then glanced back at Martine, who stood behind him with a grin. She didn't say anything, but her smile did reach her eyes, as she was enjoying every second of Ben's torment.
The sweet on his forehead, his trembling shoulders, the way he shifted wearily as he turned to face Antoinette.
It was devilishly delicious.
"I–" Ben began, his expression contorted with shame as he averted his gaze. "I was ordered to escort the blades out," he answered, before lifting his head and pointing a thumb behind him. "But it was her who started this!" He exclaimed, "I did my job, I–"
"I don't want your damn excuses!" Antoinette hissed as she angrily stepped towards Ben, her arms outstretched as she yanked Ben close by his ear. "I gave you an order, and I expect it to be followed, do you understand!" Her voice was so loud it echoed through the surrounding air, "but I see you thought it was better to brawl with a blade, is that right?!"
"Y-yes ma'am," Ben whispered weakly, reaching for his ear before stopping himself.
Martine scoffed, "I would say it was a brawl per se–"
"You shut your damn mouth," Antoinette said with a point to Martine, her words sharp and quick. "A royal blade with nothing better to do than provoke my men," Antoinette's expression changed to one of disappointment and disgust. "A damn disgrace."
Martine raised an eyebrow at Antoinette's words, before laughing with a confident lean back. "Ha," she laughed with her arms crossed, "you got some nerve Lieutenant."
Antoinette narrowed her eyes as Martine laughed, her imposing stature not missing a beat.
Martine's laughter then died down quickly, replaced with a confident yet readied expression. "Because I know a lot about you," She then turned her attention towards Ben, who was still in Antoinette's grasp, "things even your little boyfriend would find disgraceful." Her words, while laced with venom, were not just threats, but promises.
Martine knew a lot more than she let on, at least that's the impression Ben got.
Antoinette frowned, but failed to reply, instead she turned towards the surrounding spectators, her cold silver gaze sweeping the crowd. "Clear out!" She commanded, "This isn't some opera, move out!"
The crowd quickly began to disperse, with only a few lingering around with curious looks, before being scared off by Antoinette's gaze.
Antoinette then met Martine's shaded gaze one last time, "Whatever you think you have, it's nothing I'm not prepared to handle." She stated, before turning around and walking away, dragging Ben along.
Martine watched them walk away with a satisfied smile, before turning around herself.
She walked in the direction Pierre headed in previously, passing by buildings that grew smaller and increasingly distant.
The foliage began to grow thicker as the well-paved dirt roads turned into dirt paths until she finally reached the outskirts, where Pierre stood waiting for her with an expectant expression.
"Learn anything?" He asked as Martine approached him with a pep in her step.
"Nope." Martine replied with a shrug and a shake of her head, "seems like our intel was false, Antoinette doesn't know anything, nor do her pathfinders."
Pierre gritted his teeth as he lowered his head in frustration. "Fuck." He hissed under his breath, "Are you sure, because I rather not search the forest."
Martine nodded. "Positive," she affirmed, "the lieutenant showed no signs of hidden intent, if anything, she looked more worn out than deceitful." She further explained, "I doubt she knows of Béatrice's involvement."
Pierre sighed as he lifted his head. "Did you push her hard?" He asked, "Really get under her skin?"
Martine crossed her arms as she stood out her hip. "Pierre, who am I if not a menace?" She asked with a grin, "I even threatened to reveal her file, there's not a hint of fear in that woman's body."
Pierre nodded, "I see, good work." He replied, before turning on his heel, "but that just means this gets harder."
— — —
Trudging through the forest, the duo had been searching for Alexander for the past hour.
They decided to split up, hoping to cover more ground in search of clues to Alexander's whereabouts.
Each Blade used a unique method to search for clues.
Pierre kept an eye on the ground, looking for clues to either demon or Hakshi presence in the forest, such as tracks, campfires, dead animals, etc.
Meanwhile, Martine hopped from tree top to tree top, getting a Birds Eye View, she searched not for evidence but demons, hoping to find a group wandering the forest.
But if she couldn't find demons, criminals would also work, as it's known that demons often hunt criminals in search of easy food and loot.
Between the two blades, one of them was bound to find a clue, but as to who gets one first?
That has yet to be seen.