CH 112

“Go, William! Take Rowena and Marina with you and leave. Elena will be able to protect them. There’s no time. Move!”

“I can’t leave you behind, Father! Just let go of your pride and come with us!” Rowena yelled, straining her throat.

“This is not about pride, Rowena… This is the last thing I can do to show that I care about you two. Go, get out of here. I’ll take care of this.”

“Father, Father. Come with us. Please… just come with us…” Marina mumbled to herself with a vacant look on her face.

“Then we’re not going, either! We’ll fight alongside you!” Rowena cried out.

In response, Count Townsend raised his hand and slapped Rowena’s face. “I told you to go already. You need to protect Marina. She’s your responsibility now. Go!”

The soldiers were dragging random objects such as tables to the hall doors to block the entrance. Rowena became lost in thought. ‘Logan… What does that man want? Why is he doing this to us…? Why is he attacking us when he’s aiming for the throne…?’

Count Townsend handed over Rowena who was looking blankly into space to William and asserted, “This is an order, William. Use the secret passageway that leads to the woods and get out of here.”

“I won’t leave, my lord. I will die fighting alongside you,” William replied.

Count Townsend tightly grabbed his chest with one hand when he felt that his heart was being torn into pieces. ‘My foolish stubbornness, my foolish heart… I should have listened to Elena… I knew she was right, but this pride of mine kicked her out of here… The only reason we were able to survive until now was because of Elena, yet I… I drove her out of here because of my stupid pride!’

Not wanting to make the same mistake, Count Townsend straightened his back and spoke in a firm voice. “This is my final order, William. Take my daughters and flee to Gareth’s estate. Get my daughters there safely. Risk your life if you have to. That will be your final obligation under me.”

The fierce wind shook the torches that were lit throughout the hall, forcefully putting them out. William briefly stared at his determined lord before nodding. There was no way of stopping Logan and his men or surviving the massacre that was soon to begin. William decided to take at least the count’s daughters to a safe place and pay his price for running away by ending his life after. What was important now was to save at least one person. Gritting his teeth, William grabbed Rowena and Marina by their arms, to which they struggled not to be dragged away and began crying loudly.

“I’m not going! I want to stay here with my father, William! Let go of me! Let go of me!” Marina shrieked as she struggled in the knight’s grip. William opened the door to the secret passageway, ignoring the girl’s yells. Screams and the howling wind filled the dusk-colored sky as well as the narrow aisle.

Count Townsend made all the women, including the maids in the castle, escape through the passageway. He believed that battles were for men; it was something vulnerable women should neither see nor experience.

“Did everyone make it out safely?” the count asked to confirm after a moment.

There was silence. Even the sound of men breathing around him had become quiet.

‘This is the end. It’s… over,’ the count thought as his heart sank heavily. He then blurted, “Thank you all for serving me until now. Don’t… forgive me.”

Bang!

The tightly locked doors to the hall began to shake violently. Count Townsend held his sword in front of him, stood in a defensive stance, and waited for them. Perhaps it was because he had abandoned all hopes for living another day, but regretful memories kept popping into his head.

‘Elena, my precious and beautiful daughter… My child who pretended not to cry even though she did every night alone… I’m sorry you had to take charge of the castle at a young age without even having the time to enjoy your childhood. I’m sorry, Elena. I’m sorry.’