Deep in Thieves Forest Vincent walked, pondering his thoughts.
'I can't believe Auggie would go so far as to lie just to protect that girl… I love Auggie… He's my brother but… His betrayal is cutting deep.'
He took the ring out of his pocket, staring at it.
'Maybe Zander is right… Maybe Auggie truly is in love with that girl.'
NEEEEEEEEEEEIGH BUUUUUUR
The sounds of horses filled Vincent's ears, breaking his train of thought.
He looked around him, trying to locate the sound.
"Look everywhere. I want Thieves Forest completely combed through," A man yelled, his bellowing tone causing Vincent to shake.
Vincent walked towards the voice, his mind in deep curiosity from the familiarity.
"Nobody rests," The same voice shouted, his commands striking fear in the listeners, "Search every area. Her teddy bear was left at the entrance of Thieves Forest which means she's in danger. Use everything you have to find her."
Vincent walked closer, walking behind a tree.
'That sounds like,'
He peeked his head from around the tree, seeing Ansel barking commands to the Royal Guards.
"Move out, find her, let no one get in your way," Ansel barked, his mind wrapped in worry and distress.
'It's Ansel,' Vincent thought, gripping his pocket, 'Auggie was telling the truth…'
"Yes Your Majesty," The Guards responded and broke out, searching in the forest.
'I have to get home, I have to warn my brothers…' Vincent thought, leaving the scene undetected.
Back in the Kidnapper's Hideout Zander stood in Gabrielle's room, towering over her and Auggie. A smile painted brightly on his face.
Gabrielle held on to Auggie's hand, seeing pain fill his eyes.
"Auggie," She shericked, catching the attention of Dom and Brucer, causing them to enter the room.
"What is going on in here," Brucer shouted.
Zander turned to his brothers, his eyes filled with pleasure.
"I told you he was going to betray us," Zander smirked, stepping aside to reveal Auggie.
His brothers rushed over to Auggie, their eyes widened with fear.
"What did you do," Brucer shouted, grabbing Zander by the collar of his shirt.
"What had to be done," Zander smiled, pulling Brucer's hand away, "He was going to release the girl and then all of our plans were going to be ruined. I had to stop him. Now we can really have whatever we want."
"You're crazy," Gabrielle screamed, "You're completely insane."
"Don't talk back to me," Zander thundered, "You're in no position to say anything. You are my prize and I'll have you when I want."
"Stop everyone, stop," Dom quavered, "We need to figure this out."
"It's already figured out," Zander grinned, looking at Dom, "Auggie can't get in the way anymore. His muscles mean nothing."
"No, this is not figured out," Brucer exasperated, "We're all going to the living room to figure this out now. Let's go."
Zander gritted his teeth, storming out the room as Dom and Brucer quickly followed behind him.
Gabrielle looked down seeing Auggie groan from pain. She held on to his hand, her tears dripping onto his chest.
"Please Auggie stay with me," She begged, tears blurring her vision.
"Please… Please d-don't c-cry," Auggie stammered, holding back his pain, "I-I n-never wanted t-this t-to happen."
"I know Auggie," She sniffled, trying to hold back tears, "But we can still get through this."
"G-Gabrielle you have s-something so special with His M-Majesty… S-Something I've wanted my entire l-life… H-His Majesty loves you very m-much and I-I know you l-love h-him. D-Don't ever take i-it for granted," Auggie groaned, trying to catch his breath.
She closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I see you st-still don't believe it b-but it's true… His M-Majesty loves y-you very much," Auggie assured, trying to reason with her, "I-I wish y-you could s-see w-what I s-see… T-The way he f-feels about y-you… I-It was m-my dream t-to love a woman t-that way… But now… Gabrielle don't give up on y-your love."
"Auggie please don't talk like that…" She begged, tightly gripping his hand, "You're going to make it out of this alive… Remember I have to keep my promise."
"G-Gabrielle… You brought m-me back to l-life a-again… T-Thank y-you… P-Please stay al-alive… His Majesty is w-waiting f-for you…" Auggie whispered, slowly closing his eyes.
"Auggie," Gabrielle called out, looking at him, seeing his eyes closed.
"Auggie," She repeated, seeing him stop breathing.
She began shaking, calling out his name repeatedly.
"Please don't die," She begged, "You still have a life to live."
She laid her head on his chest, unable to hear a heartbeat, she lifted her head and shut her eyes.
"Auggie," She whispered.
FUWHAM
The front door swung open and Vincent rushed into the house closing the door behind him.
"Auggie wasn't lying…" Vincent announced, "His Majesty is here in Thieves Forest along with his Royal Guards. If he finds her here, we're all dead."
"See I told you," Zander chuckled, wiping his nose, "Auggie probably led them right to her."
"There's no time to argue," Vincent barked, "We've got to get out of here."
"But there's a problem with that," Dom imparted.
"What problem," Vincent inquired.
"There isn't any problem," Zander interjected, "I took care of the problem."
"What do you mean," Vincent queried standing in front of Zander, "What did you do?"
"Auggie's dead," Gabrielle interrupted, standing in the doorway of her room, her dress stained with blood.
Vincent looked at her, seeing her stained dress, his eyes filled with horror.
He looked at his Zander, seeing a growing smirk.
"What did you do," Vincent worried, shaking his brother.
"What had to be done," Zander grinned.
Vincent let go of his brother, running over to Gabrielle's room, he rushed inside, seeing Auggie laying on the floor.
He walked backwards, falling onto the living room floor.
"How could you," He stammered, looking at Zander's smiling face.
"It was very easy actually, Auggie didn't even stand a chance," Zander bragged, "Look at me. I took down the, 'Muscle of the group,' without a single scratch on me. Maybe I should be leader."
"You monster," Gabrielle screamed, running over to Zander.
"How could you do something so horrible to your own brother," She wailed, beating on him repeatedly, "He loved you, he trusted you, and you killed him. You deserve to die."
He grabbed her wrists, throwing her to the ground.
"You have no one to protect you now," He mocked, walking towards her, "Let's see how bold you are without protection."
Vincent looked at Zander, seeing him towering over her.
'How could this have gone so wrong… I should've listened to Auggie… Then he would be alive right now… How… How could I have let this happen?'
He stood to his feet and rushed over to Zander, tackling him to the ground.
He grabbed Zander into a chokehold, his brothers trying to pull them apart.
Zander stood to his feet, starting to thrash around, trying to get Vincent off of him.
"Run Gabrielle, run and don't look back," Vincent shouted, continuing to choke Zander.
Gabrielle ran to the door, rushing outside as Zander and his brothers tried to get Vincent off.
"You're going to kill him," Brucer shouted, trying to pull Vincent off.
"He deserves to die," Vincent barked, "He killed Auggie in cold blood. He didn't care… He's a monster."
Zander continued to thrash around, his face turning red.
"Stop," Brucer begged, "He's dying."
Dom ran to the kitchen, fear making his body tremble, he grabbed a knife, running back into the living.
"Stop," Brucer shouted, "We're brothers."
Dom ran over to his brothers and stabbed Vincent in the side, making him let go of Zander.
He looked at Dom, his eyes filling with tears.
"Why," He mumbled, watching Dom's eyes widened.
Zander looked up at him, quickly standing to his feet. He pulled the knife out of Vincent's side and stabbed him in the chest, making him (Vincent) drop to the floor.
He looked up at his brothers, seeing Zander's eyes fill with excitement.
"I'm sorry I failed you my brothers," He choked out, slowly closing his eyes, he stopped breathing.
Zander looked at Dom and Brucer, laughing hysterically.
"Now I'm the leader. After all these years… I'm in control," He beamed.
"It didn't have to be this way," Brucer quavered, "You killed our brothers."
"I didn't kill both brothers. Dom killed Vincent and I suggest if you don't want to end up like the two of them you'll do what I say," Zander jeered, poking his finger into Brucer's chest.
Zander turned around looking at Vincent's body, he crouched down, searching in his pockets, he grabbed the ring, showing it to his other brothers.
"This ring will be nothing compared to the money we'll get because of that girl…" He laughed, walking over to Gabrielle's room.
He entered the room, walking over to Auggie.
"Since you loved that girl so much, here's a souvenir to remember her by," He laughed, tossing the ring at Auggie.
He left the room, looking at his brothers. "Now let's go," He commanded, leaving the house, while Dom and Brucer followed behind him, in search of Gabrielle.