11 Betrayed, here and there

Guinevere mounted on a horse and left Swan Castle the moment Lancelot left her alone.

She did not care if it was already dark, or that the wind felt like cold daggers against the exposed skin of her face. They were nothing compared to the burning rage she was feeling in her chest.

All she ever cared about was run away from the people who were disappointing her at the moment.

She could not believe how she had been a fool all along.

Days and nights of running away from the Paxley guards and Gusion never mentioned that he was a Paxley!

She could imagine how entertained he was at her face desperately getting away from anyone in that house, completely unaware that she was traveling with one!

And she thought he was a friend! She was just his laughing stock!

She had no voice about rules and traditions because she was a girl. So all she could do was run. But it would eventually end up useless, because one day she was going to be captured and be dragged back to Castle Gorge, where she'll go back following the wishes of her father.

Her hatred burned at the thought, and she felt betrayed! To think that she was starting to trust him!

Her horse was running fast along the dark forest when a light suddenly formed at the pathway ahead. It got bigger, like a spiraling wave of light blue energy; a portal.

She squinted her eyes to get a clearer view, and saw how someone came out of the spiraling light before it disappeared, making the forest dark again.

She grabbed the reins of her horse and pulled it, afraid that she was going to hit that person. The horse stood in its rear as it tried hard to stop immediately, making her slip off the saddle and fall right into the ground, her hood falling off her head.

She grunted and looked around, realizing that she was in front of the person who came out of the portal, and immediately felt the strong dark energy emanating from him.

He looked just a couple of inches taller than her, a young man. He would have looked fine, with his light blond locks falling down to his forehead, if it wasn't for the glowing red eyes, horns spiraling at the upper side of his head and sharp fangs protruding from his sinister grin.

She could smell malice and hate and pain and rage from him.

As he stepped closer to her, she saw the circular blades wrapped around his wrists, shining against the moonlight looking sharp enough to cut her bones.

"Well, hello." His voice sounded more of a boy's than a man's, but it didn't make them any less evil. He did a playful bow at her and chuckled.

She scrambled to her feet and backed up cautiously against her horse, clutching the reins. His aura was enough to make her heart race so fast in fear, but she stood her ground.

"What's a lady doing, wandering around at night?" Then, as if he could feel her pain, he chuckled. He did a long deep inhale, as if there was something in the air that he liked do much. "Aahh. Pain and anger and betrayal, they always put me in a good mood."

"Who are you?" She asked, trying not to let her voice tremble.

He stared at her with his eyes that almost made her run away. "Dyrroth. That's all you have to know." he said and walked past her as he played with a handheld clock in his hand. It was rather odd for someone evil to bring such a thing, and it mad her stare at it more. "You put me in a good mood tonight so I'm gonna spare you. Just this once."

Guinevere was smart enough to mount herself back into the horse, but not before she caught a glimpse of something at the back of his clock that she expected to see but still could not believe it.

"Go. And say hi if you see me again." Then he vanished into the dark.

She was nearly at the gates of the Monastery when she was suddenly whipped with something elastic and slimy, throwing her off the horse's back.

She landed on the ground with a grunt, but before she could recover from the pain, the same elastic thing wrapped around her left ankle and pulled her up, hanging her upside down by the branch of the nearest tree, the horse galloping away.

Only then did there captors showed up. A lizard-like demon almost the same size as her, standing on two legs as it looked up at her with its round, completely gross yellow eyes.

She flailed around and saw that another one, the same features but with a rounder stomach and more stupid look, was holding her by its tongue.

She looked up at her ankles and tried not to puke at the slimy red thing dripping with drool around her ankles.

"Gross!"

"Human. Human." The one holding her with its tongue chanted excitedly, staring at her who was trying to bend her body up and get ahold of its tongue. "Nice and fresh flesh of human. Giddy's favorite.."

"Then hold her tight and make sure she doesn't escape." The one looking up at her commanded.

"Okay, Lizzy." The one named Giddy obeyed without hesitation.

Guinevere frowned and turned her gaze to Lizzy, realizing that it was a girl demon.

"We have to cut her up before Dyrroth catches us." It said.

Guinevere stopped writhing and let her head hang down, looking at the demon in front of her.

"Dyrroth? Is he your leader?"

Lizzy started jumping in her place, her eyes looking around in panicking. "N-no! N-no! We don't know a-any D-d-dyrroth."

She aimed her palm right towards Lizzy's face, letting out a violet haze. "Tell me."

Lizzy backed away but remembered that it had the upper hand. "Just shut your mouth, human girl."

She fired an energy ball at the ground right next to Lizzy's feet, making it shriek as it ran to her other size.

She hauled herself up and managed to grabbed Giddy's tongue around her ankle this time. Giddy screamed as she gripped it, releasing her hot violet magic within her palms and burning the slimy part of the demon.

It loosened around her ankle, letting her fall down. She turned midair and landed in her feet.

They scrambled away from her, but she threw another energy ball to their path, exploding upon the ground that it made them ran towards her direction.

She grabbed Lizzy's tail before it could run away from her, and she pointed her other hand against it, holding an energy wave ready to be fired.

"Don't move or I'll burn your tail."

"Let Lizzy go, human girl!" Giddy demanded in his stupid low voice as he stood in a distance away from her reach.

"Shut up, Fat Lizard."

Giddy growled and started advancing, but before it could even make a step, someone came behind him in a blur.

Giddy screamed and exploded into ash, startling Guinevere. Lizzy took that timing to escape her grip, and before she could grab its tail back, it was then again sliced in half and exploded into ashes.

"Seriously!" She exclaimed at Alucard who moved too fast for her to stop.

Alucard straightened up from his stance, planting the tip of his sword against the ground, demon blood dripping from its sharp side.

"I got it all under control, Alucard!"

"You shouldn't hesitate on killing demons."

"I wasn't hesitating! I was trying to get information."

Alucard sheathed his sword and started heading towards the Monastery. "Demons aren't going to give you answers."

Guinevere stomped after her in irritation. "But they are stupid enough to blabber about it."

"Lady Guinevere, you should never, at all cost, engage with a demon. No matter how harmless they look."

"I believe I can do whatever I want."

"Yes, but I think you are smart enough not to put yourself at harm's way."

Guinevere just sighed dismissively and silently walked beside him. She gave him some slack considering how ragged his appearance currently was.

"Why are you back, Lady Guinevere? And where is Gusion?" He asked as they strode along the empty halls of the place.

"He went his way."

Alucard must have felt her reluctance to talk about him because he dismissed the subject right away. "Let me just walk you to a chamber you can use for the night."

"Yes please." She followed him to two flights of stairs and into a corridor where doors were lined along and across each other. "Where have you been to? I think I'm not the only one who's had a rough night."

She stared from his ruffled hair down to his trench coat which was shredded at some edges. His dark gloves also had this stain that shone darkly against the dim lights of the corridor.

"It's normal for me." He merely said and came to a halt in front of one of the doors. "You can use this room." He opened the door for her.

"Thank you."

Alucard nodded. "Don't mention it. The Monastery of Light is always open for the Empire families."

The Empire families are the oldest bloodline present since the founding of the Land of Dawn; Guinevere's family, the Baroques, the Reginas, the Princess Silvanna Aurelius' family, the Ansaacs and the Paxleys.

Somehow, members of these households were well-known across the land and therefore recognized by many.

Guinevere instantly knew Alucard and the others were aware of which family Gusion belonged to.

"So you knew." She couldn't stop herself from ranting.

Alucard looked puzzled at first, but the look in his eyes immediately turned apologetic. "Lady Guinevere-!"

"Alucard!" Granger's voice suddenly rang in the empty corridor.

Both of them turned to his direction.

He was heading towards them in a quite unusual look; he'd discarded his black clothes and gun and was walking around wearing only a loose white shirt and black night trousers. His black hair that was usually swept back fell freely over his forehead.

He looked quite surprised the moment he clearly had a look at Guinevere. "What are you doing here?"

"I decided to come back."

"Yes, that is apparent. But why?"

"Lady Guinevere met some unpleasant circumstances." Alucard answered for her. "Now let's go." He curled an arm behind Granger and led him away. "Good night, Lady Guinevere."

She nodded at Alucard, but Granger, seeing how gloomy her expression was, seemed to have figured it out.

"So you finally found out!" He was turning his head to her direction despite Alucard's efforts to usher him away quickly, a mischievous glint were in his eyes.

"Shut it." Alucard scolded him.

She glared at Granger until they disappeared into the next corridor ahead. She walked inside the room and threw herself into the bed.

Her body was tired, but her mind just wouldn't stop hovering over thoughts that upset her.

It seemed like the real world was harsher than she thought it would be.

Just when she thought she finally found her brother, only did she realize that she had actually just lost him.

Just when she thought she finally found a friend she could rely on, only did she realize what a pretentious person he was.

She could feel the anger rising in her chest again, and it was hyping her up. So she got up and exited the room.

She walked around the empty hallways aimlessly just to exhaust herself. She ended up in a balcony at the top floor of the place.

She walked to the end of the balcony. It was high enough that she could see far ahead.

But the sky was filled with dark clouds that the moon wasn't even in sight. The stars merely glimmering spots above, faintly shining.

Straight ahead she could see the silhouette of the Moniyan Palace standing high and mighty over the villages it was ruling.

In the opposite direction, looking small and tiny in a distance, was the towering Observatory of Antoinerei.

"I thought you were exhausted."

She jumped in surprise at the sudden speaking of Granger, whom she didn't notice was at one side of the balcony, leaning his elbows against the railings.

"You should not frighten people like that!"

"Sorry." Granger merely glanced at her over his shoulders and stared ahead.

She walked to his direction and rested her hands on the railings.

"Why are you still up?"

"I should ask you the same question."

"Don't you ever get tired keeping up with that cocky attitude?" She asked, and accidentally saw someone below.

Rafaela. She was at a lower balcony, staring up at the night sky. She was glowing against the darkness of the night. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought she had a sad expression in her face.

Then she realized something. She looked at Granger knowingly. He was now avoiding her gaze as if he had been caught.

"You like her?"

"What? No!" He denied, but the way his brows furrowed and his face hardened gave it all away.

"For how long?" She pressed.

"I told you, I do not like her."

Guinevere raised a hand showing to two fingers as she asked, "For how long have you liked her and for how long have you been staring at her?"

Granger turned to her direction and glared at her. "You're crazy."

"I am great at keeping secrets."

"I doubt it." Granger turned his back on her and started walking away.

"Are you afraid she might find out? Or are you afraid to be rejected?"

He halted, and as he stood there, Guinevere saw the way his shoulders sagged. She might never experienced liking someone, but she could recognized the look of someone who was having an unrequited love.

"She loves someone." He said tonelessly as he looked at her at the corner of his eyes.

Guinevere did not know how to react to him.

He had been playful and mischievous around her that she got used to it. Seeing him take off that mask and reveal his sadness put her at a loss.

"Who is it?" She finally asked after almost a minute.

It also took him long to answer. "Someone who is hurting her. So badly." He continued, still not facing her.

"How is he hurting her?"

"By leaving her." Granger said, his voice trembling as if he could feel Rafaela's pain in those words.

"Who is this and how could he leave such an angel behind?"

"They were both angels." Granger finally turned to her direction, his eyes looked darker in the shadows, making his scar looked menacing. "Descended this world at the same time. Sent by the heavens to relinquish all evil and end suffering. But Argus...he betrayed Rafaela...he became obsessed with power...corrupted by the demonic power of the blade he wields. Now he has gone to the abyss, seeking conflict and suffering for his sword to feed."

There was a long pause in which Guinevere racked her brain for something to say again. "I-I don't know to whom I should be sorry...to Rafaela or you."

"Don't be sorry for me." Granger said, his pained voice now gone and his tough image back as he came walking back to where she was standing. "Now it's your turn."

"What?" She asked, puzzled.

"Tell me why you're here. It's unfair for me to tell you something I keep hidden everyday."

"We made no deal about that matter."

"Did you find your brother?"

"Well, yes."

"Then where is he? Why aren't you back at Castle Gorge?"

"Just because."

"Fine. Keep it all to yourself." Granger said in surrender and leaned against the railing again, looking at the pitch black darkness below.

"Why didn't you just tell me back then?" She asked, looking at the horizon so she couldn't see Granger's smirk. She knew he understood what she was talking about.

But Granger didn't laugh nor did he say anything. She looked at him again and saw that he didn't move an inch.

"It wasn't because he wanted to fool you." Granger said a moment later.

"What are you trying to say?"

"He's just as upset as you are about his situation. It just so happens that he met you."

She scoffed, not clearly making sense of what he was saying. "What's so hard about admitting he's a Paxley and then ask not to speak about it ever again?"

Granger straightened up and twisted by his waist so his half body was titled to her direction. "If he admitted it, would you have treated him the way you did?

She thought about it and honestly could not imagine how she would have treated him.

"No, right? If he admitted it, you would have kept him at a distance."

"It's not like we've even gotten really close."

"Haven't you though?" Granger argued. "You wouldn't have fled Swan Castle in the dead of night just because you found out you were traveling with a Paxley if you hadn't gotten close to him."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said dismissively and started walking back to the door. "Good night, Granger. It was nice to have conversation with you."

"Look at you running away..." He continued to press the matter. "You wouldn't feel so betrayed if you didn't make even the slightest connection with him, Lady Guinevere."

She ignored him and went back inside, feeling more confused than she did when she went out of her room.

At the next day, Guinevere was in front of the full-length mirror of her room, checking if the folds of her dress were in place, when she saw the sheath and the blade lying next to her cloak at the foot of her bed.

She argued with herself whether to wear it or not, and ended up belting it around her waist before she grabbed her cloak and wore it.

She was just putting it around her when she felt something hard hit her hand. She rummaged its pockets and came across the clock that Gusion showed the day before.

She had forgotten to return it to him after they got chased by those demons and got distracted by her brother.

Then she headed straight to the dining area, feeling the need to inform the Monastery about this.

She caught Alucard, Granger and Rafaela along with a couple more demon hunters in the dining table when she walked in. They were all dressed up in full combat gear, except for Rafaela who had her linen dress that always looked blindingly white and flowing like a soft wind was constantly blowing on them.

"Lady Guinevere? You're back?"

"Oh. We forgot to tell you." Alucard said as he stuffed himself with food. "She came last night."

"How is your brother? Did you find him?"

"He is alive and kicking." She simply said as she walked towards the side of the table nearest to the three.

Rafaela wasn't really eating. She was just sitting at one end of the long table with the two guys at her right side.

Guinevere occupied the empty seat at her left right across Granger. Their eyes met and exchanged knowing looks at each other.

"But that is not important right now. I discovered something." She said, changing the subject.

"What is it?" Alucard asked.

Granger sipped spoonfuls of his mushroom and spinach stew, looking like he was not interested in getting his breakfast disturbed.

"Couldn't it wait till breakfast? Where do you get that energy to talk when you still haven't eaten yet?" Granger complained.

"Granger's right. You should fill yourself first." Rafaela agreed.

Guinevere threw a dagger look at Granger but ate anyway.

After they had breakfast, they transfered to the study room where they talked to Kimmy before.

Granger was now sitting on one of the chairs like an obedient student, Alucard standing next to one end of the table, his arms squared across his chest. And Rafaela was sitting over the table, her golden staff leaned against the wall nearest to her.

"I'm all ears now." Granger said.

Guinevere rummaged the pockets of her cloak and felt the thing she was looking for.

She took it out and placed it at the table where the other three's eyes followed. "It's from the demon you killed in the forest the first time we met."

They stared at it for a moment, Granger taking it from the table to flip over and under, looking puzzled.

"It's a clock. Maybe the demon got it from someone he killed."

"No. It's not just a clock. It's a teleportation device. A portal maker." Guinevere explained.

Alucard's eyes then brightened.

"So this is what the demons are using. That's why we couldn't find any open portals. Because it closes right after the user gets through it. Because of that."

"Yes. But that's not my point."

"Then what is?"

Guinevere took the clock from Granger's hand and flipped it open, revealing the symbol she knew they could immediately recognize.

Rafaela's eyes widened while the two guys' brows furrowed.

"There's a traitor. Someone from Antoinerei is helping the Lord of the Abyss." Rafaela stated in her gentle voice.

"But who?" Alucard asked anxiously.

"How should we find out who it is?" Granger asked, turning to Alucard who seemed to be thinking hard.

"I don't know. We can't just barge in there and look at each of their inventions."

"Guinevere!"

Gusion suddenly came barging inside the library, his eyes scanning the room before falling on her.

Guinevere stared at him as he walked to her direction.

There was blood in his light blue vest, his violet scarf was torn at the lose end, and there were blood on his armor.

But he held her by the shoulders and shook her. "How could you leave like that at the dead of night?!"

Her anger exploded, and she pushed him strongly away. "Get away from me!"

He staggered backwards but regained his balance.

Looking at him felt so irritating that she clenched her teeth. She summoned her magic into her hand and raised it to fire at his direction when someone from behind caught her wrist.

"Not. Right. Here."

She looked up at him. It was Granger, looking dead serious as he stared her down.

She extinguished her magic and slung her hands off his grip, casting a sharp look at Granger for stopping her.

"Gusion. It would be wise for the two of you to talk about this calmly." Rafaela said. She was now hovering in the air, her staff now in her hands.

But Gusion glared at Guinevere from across the room. "I thought you were smart enough to keep yourself away from danger."

"Traitors and liars disgust me the most that I can't be in the same roof as them."

"Look, why don't you talk about it outside?" Granger suggested, ushering Guinevere towards the door with one arm and grabbing Gusion by the other. "Go to the grounds where you can blast each other to pieces and we won't worry about the building collapsing."

"Granger!" Alucard and Rafaela scolded in unison.