Chapter 210: Airam's Decision [2]

"Because Hermione and Esther need him."

Airam's voice shook slightly.

She forced it steady.

"They need someone who will protect them. If I leave, he has to stay alive."

Ulrich looked at Airam.

Her face was serious.

She was willing to leave.

She was willing to give herself to Valdris if it meant Hermione and Esther could remain safe.

Hermione grabbed her arm.

"W—Wait, Airam!! You really think we will accept this?!"

Esther threw herself against Airam's side.

"No!" She cried. "You cannot go! Eldest sister, do not leave us!"

"This is the only way," Airam said.

Her voice remained calm.

That frightened Hermione more than if she had shouted.

Airam stepped closer to Esther and wrapped both arms around her. Esther immediately clung to her, pressing her face against Airam's chest. Her small hands twisted in the fabric of Airam's nightgown.

"We knew this day would come," Airam whispered, one hand moving slowly over Esther's hair. "After Mother died, we knew he would come for us eventually."

"N—No…" Hermione said.

The word came out weak.

Then she stepped forward.

"No. T—Then we will go too." Her eyes filled with tears as she looked between Airam and Valdris. "We cannot leave you alone with them!"

"Y—yes!" Esther cried into Airam's chest. "We will come too! We stay together!"

Airam held Esther more tightly.

Then she looked at Hermione.

"No."

Hermione's face contorted.

"You are safer here."

"Safer?!" Hermione repeated. "Look around you, Airam! They killed everyone! They nearly killed Ulrich!"

"I know."

"They came here for all of us!"

"I know that too," she said. "That is why you cannot come with me. I refuse to let you return to him. You and Esther are better here with Ulrich."

Hermione stared at her, but she still shook her head, crying.

"No," she said again.

Her voice shook.

"W—We promised to stay together."

Esther lifted her face from Airam's chest.

Tears covered her reddened cheeks.

"You promised," she sobbed. "You promised, eldest sister.... You said we would always stay together."

Airam looked down at her.

For the first time, her expression faltered.

Her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. She swallowed, forcing the feeling down before it could break through.

"I am sorry," she said.

She brushed Esther's hair away from her wet face.

"I am sorry, Esther."

Then Airam gently pulled her away.

Esther refused to let go.

"N—NOOO!!!"

Her fingers caught at Airam's nightgown.

Airam took her hands and carefully pried them free, though Esther cried harder with every finger she lost.

"Please," Airam said to Hermione.

Hermione stared at her.

Then the fear in her face became anger.

"Wait!!"

Airam stopped.

Hermione's hands shook at her sides.

"You think I will accept this?!!" She shouted. "You think I will let you leave alone with him after what happened last time?!!"

The grief in her voice turned the words into something more rageful.

"I cannot let it happen again! I cannot watch them take you!! You are my sister!!"

Airam looked at her.

Hermione's tears spilled over.

"You are not allowed to decide this by yourself!!"

Airam's eyes lowered.

But before she could answer, Ulrich spoke.

"Is that what you want?"

Everyone turned toward him.

Ulrich stood a short distance away.

He had remained silent while Airam argued with her sisters. His body looked barely able to hold itself upright. Blood had dried along one side of his face. His coat was torn open and burned in several places. The broken half of his sword still hung from his hand.

His breathing was faintly ragged.

Yet his eyes were on Airam.

Not Valdris.

Not the black-armored soldiers.

Airam met his gaze.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Then she nodded.

"Yes."

Hermione looked at her in disbelief.

Airam's voice remained quiet.

"I want this."

She turned her eyes toward Ulrich fully.

"Do not spoil it. Take care of my sisters instead, or else you will die and lose everything else."

Ulrich stared at her.

Hermione and Esther clung to Airam again.

"N—No!!" Esther cried. "No, sister!"

"AIRAM!!!" Hermione shouted. "Do not do this! I beg you!"

Airam's hands remained at her sides.

Her whole body had become tense, but she did not pull away from them immediately. She allowed them to hold her for one more moment.

Then Ulrich spoke.

"Fine."

The word silenced everyone.

Hermione's face went blank.

Esther stopped crying for a breath, as though she had not understood him.

Airam turned toward Ulrich.

Even Valdris raised an eyebrow.

Ulrich looked past Airam to Hendrick and Rina.

"Pull them back."

Hendrick did not move.

"My lord…"

"Pull them back," Ulrich repeated once more, colder.

Hendrick looked at him, then at Airam, then at Hermione and Esther. His face was full of disbelief. Rina looked no better. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword, though the fight had ended and the weapon no longer mattered.

"My lord," Hendrick said again. "Lady Airam—"

"It is an order."

Ulrich forced himself upright.

Pain moved through his body as he straightened, but he did not show it beyond the slight tightening around his eyes.

Hendrick's jaw clenched.

Then he moved.

Rina moved with him.

They reached Hermione and Esther from behind. Hendrick caught Hermione around the arms before she could cling to Airam again. Rina took Esther carefully but firmly, lifting the younger girl away as Esther struggled and kicked in panic.

"Wait!!!"

Hermione fought against Hendrick's hold.

"Let me go! Airam!"

"Please," Esther screamed. "Give her back! Please! DON'T GO, ELDEST SISTER!!"

Airam stood still while they were pulled away.

For a moment, Hermione and Esther reached toward her, their hands stretched out between Hendrick and Rina.

Airam looked at them.

Her face had gone pale.

Yet she turned away.

She walked toward Valdris.

Each step carried her farther from her sisters.

Hermione screamed her name.

Esther cried until her voice became hoarse.

Airam reached Valdris.

Valdris placed one hand against her upper back, guiding her toward the gathered Valmorian soldiers.

"As promised," Airam said, her voice held tightly under control. "You will spare them."

Valdris looked down at her.

"You have my word."

Then he turned toward his men.

"Move," he said. "We are leaving."

The Valmorian soldiers obeyed.

Black armors began to disappear into the darkness beyond the broken camp. More soldiers who had arrived from the forest moved with them, forming a protective line around Valdris and Airam.

Ulrich remained where he stood.

His broken sword hung at his side.

He did not look at Airam.

He stared ahead, breathing through the pain in his body.

Valdris walked past him.

When he reached Ulrich's side, he stopped.

Airam stood just behind him, surrounded by black armor.

"Thank the Princess," Valdris said.

Ulrich did not react.

"Your pathetic life clings to your body only because she chose to save it."

Still, Ulrich said nothing.

Valdris's eyes narrowed.

"Know your place. You are a mere Count."

He added disdainfully and walked on.

The footsteps of the Valmorian soldiers slowly receded.

Their armor clattered softly in the darkness. The sound became fainter as they passed beyond the trees, taking Airam with them.

For several seconds, Hermione and Esther continued fighting against Hendrick and Rina.

Then the last glimpse of black armor disappeared.

The clearing became quiet.

Only the fire crackled.

Only the wounded groaned.

Only Hermione and Esther's crying filled the night.

Hendrick loosened his hold first.

He had no strength left to restrain Hermione. He had only obeyed because Ulrich ordered him to. His arms fell away from her as though they had become too heavy to lift.

Rina released Esther as well.

Neither knight could continue holding them after it was already too late.

Hermione broke free.

Esther slipped from Rina's arms.

Both sisters ran toward the darkness.

"Airam!!" Hermione screamed.

"Eldest sister!!!" Esther cried.

They had taken only a few steps when Ulrich appeared before them.

He caught both girls.

One arm came around Hermione's shoulders. The other held Esther against his side. He stopped them before they could reach the edge of the camp.

"LET GO!!!"

Hermione screamed and fought against him.

She turned toward Ulrich, tears and blood streaking her face.

Her eyes held no fear now.

Only pure rage.

"YOU ARE THE WORST!!!"

Hermione shouted.

"YOU SAID YOU'D PROTECT US!! YOU SAID YOU WOULD KEEP US SAFE!!! YOU…YOU SAID YOU WOULD SHIELD US!!!"

Ulrich did not answer.

Hermione struck at his chest with both hands.

"YOU LET THEM TAKE HER!!!"

Her voice broke.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!! I WANT AIRAM BACK!! LET ME GO!!"

Ulrich held her tighter when she tried to pull away.

Esther was crying so hard she could barely breathe.

"P…please," she pleaded.

Her voice was small beneath Hermione's screaming.

"Please, Lord Ulrich… I want my eldest sister back. Let me go…. I cannot be without her…"

Then her pleading became a scream.

"I CANNOT!!"

Ulrich held both of them.

His body was exhausted. His wounds burned. The broken sword still remained in one hand, its edge lowered against the grass.

But he did not let them run into the dark after Airam.