Chapter 10: X

Maria expected her partner to pass her onto the next awaiting man. To her surprise, Maria felt his fingers intertwined with her own, and she realised she was in no rush to let go either. Once she was up from the dip, Maria laughed and opened her eyes to get a good look at her partner for once. She was almost shaken when her eyes met Anthony Harvey’s, the once brilliant smile on his flushed face, the one she had seen when he had lifted her, was falling as he watched her. Maria’s expression didn’t really show much as she searched her mind for words. All she could muster was a confused, breathless question. 

“Anthony?”

“Harvey!” a voice growled from the crowd that had already moved onto the next dance. 

A man with a murderous glint in his eye emerged between the people, acting brutishly as he shoved a few persons aside to pass them. A glint of silver at the base of his neck drew Maira’s gaze as the man stomped over. “Having a dance, are we?”

“How’s your captain, Flint?” offered Anthony, stepping in front of Maria. 

“Bandaged and recovering, no thanks to your associate’s marksmanship,” the man, Flint, answered. His hand swivelled to his hip, reaching for something. “How about I make it even?”

“Flint, no!” a voice cried. 

Anthony suddenly pushed Maria aside, practically knocking her over. A loud, crisp crack rose into the air and people started yelling. Another shot. 

Maria tried to stand, panicked and unable to process what was happening. A hand helped her up and she saw an unfamiliar face filled with distress. The man urged her to follow him. Not wanting to be shot at again, Maria followed the man as he tried to lead others to safety. They turned a corner only to stop. 

A man in blue, robelike clothing stood in front of them. He looked like one of the foreign traders she’d seen on trips to London. But why did this stop them?

The stranger’s almond eyes were set on the man that led them out of the square. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, kingsman,” said the stranger, his voice smooth and even.

The man acted confused. “I’m leading people to safety, Mr. Hirano.”

“The others, maybe,” the stranger replied unconvinced. “But I will escort Miss Knight from here.”

“Who?”  inquired the man. 

The stranger looked at Maria for a moment, then focused back on the man. Maria took a step away from the crowd she’d been following. There were still sounds of fighting coming from the square. 

“I think I can find my own way from here,” Maria replied, turning to find another street. “Thank you, gentlemen.”

Before she could leave, one of the persons that had followed the man out of the square had caught her arm. 

“Excuse me,” said Maria nervously, trying to pry her arm away, but he didn’t let go. 

“There are four of us and one of you, Mr. Hirano,” the leader told the stranger. “A fine trader such as yourself could get hurt if you get in our way, so I suggest you step aside and let us pass.”

The stranger, Mr. Hirano, nodded. “I see. However, I cannot do that. See, I am here to escort Miss Knight to safety, and unfortunately for you, your master is not exactly safe.”

“Don’t try to be a hero, Hirano. Your wife does good business. I’d hate to see her little operation go under.”

“Listen,” Maira cried suddenly. “I am not some defenceless damsel!” She kicked the man holding her arm in the shin. He yelped and let go. The others whirled around. One moved toward her as she brought up her fists. Maria knew how to throw a punch, even if it was just a weak slap.

“I guess you aren’t just some damsel,” laughed the man in front. “I suppose we have a problem on our hands.”

“Yes you do,” said Mr. Hirano. The last Maria saw was him approaching the lead man in graceful strides before someone had thrown something over her head. 

She couldn’t see, but she could very much still hear the sounds of fighting and grunting. Maria couldn’t tell what was happening except for someone trying to wrestle her arms behind her back. Again. 

Defenceless otherwise, Maria tried to make her legs heavy so she couldn’t be moved, but her attackers seemed hardly affected by her efforts. They moved her further and further from the noise of the fight. She tried to go limp, to make herself heavier. For a moment it started to work, her body slipping little by little. 

“I’m sure you were the toughest lady in your town, miss,” one of her captors chuckled. “But here, Das Blatt König and his men have more power.” 

Suddenly, almost jarringly so, Maria was released and fell to the ground. There was a soft grunt and a thud next to her. 

“Ich han gnueg für eus beidi.” said a familiar voice. 

The cloth was lifted off Maria’s head, and she was met once again with Harvey’s grinning face. Behind her were her attackers, knocked senseless and unstirring. 

Maria’s mouth opened and closed as she looked for her words again, but the baron held up his hand. 

“You can thank me later,” he assured her. “Now, are you going to follow me willingly or am I going to have to carry you out of here?”

“What?” She asked incredulously. “Neither!”

“Fair enough. At least you found your words again. How nice,” the baron teased, rolling his eyes. “Sorry to disappoint you, but—”

“You wouldn’t.” 

“Of course I would.”

Maria recoiled as Anthony reached down and picked her up with ease. She started to struggle, but he just held on tighter. 

“Put me down,” Maria demanded. The Baron only chuckled.

“Anthony,” came Mr. Hirano’s voice. He came down the corner, looking just as he had before. He hardly looked as if he’d just been in a fight. 

“There you are, Daichi,” said Anthony. “I take it you’ve met Marie.”

“He’s with you?” Maria questioned, looking from the Baron to the foreigner. 

Mr. Hirano looked at the sight of Anthony carrying Maria, but if he had something to say about it, he didn’t show it. “We need to go.”

Anthony nodded. “Agreed. There are some wagons just this way.”

Racing down the street, they stopped at the edge of town. Anthony set Maria down in the wagon’s cart and leapt into the driver’s side, Mr. Hirano followed suit. 

“Now hold on…” She tried to stand up when Anthony flicked the reins and the horses raced off. Falling backward into the cart, Maria yelled out in annoyance and watched the sides for an opportune moment to escape. 

“They’re coming up behind us,” stated Mr. Hirano.

“Who?” asked Maria.

“How many?”

“How many what?” echoed Maria. 

“Looks like a handful,” replied Mr. Hirano. 

“How fast?” inquired Anthony. 

“Who’s coming up behind us?”

 As soon as she asked, Maria let out a yelp as an arrow sprouted in the wood just by her face. She turned and looked to see what indeed was a handful of men on horseback chasing after the wagon. The centre one held a crossbow. The others were following his example. 

“Keep your head down, Maria,” advised Anthony as he sped the cart along faster. Maria’s heart nearly beat twice as fast.

The horses were quick, cutting whatever distance the Baron put between them and the cart in a considerable amount of time. Their riders, meanwhile, were trying to hit their target, whatever that was. Although the first shot was too close, the others did not seem accustomed to Anthony’s swerving abilities. 

“I thought you said the kingsmen had the deadliest aim in all Europe,” Mr. Hirano remarked as he plucked out an arrow that had missed him by several metres. 

“Perhaps they’re a little off today,” replied Anthony. “No one seems to last long enough to say much else about them.”

“Well, then let's be the first,” said Mr. Hirano. Maria stared in awe as he knocked the freed arrow into his own longbow he seemingly pulled from nowhere. He let it loose, and the arrow hit its target straight on.

“Oh my goodness,” Maria uttered as one of the riders fell off his horse, arm clutching at his shoulder. 

“He’ll be fine,” said Mr. Hirano, knocking another arrow. “Watch out.”

Maria ducked as two more arrows flew and nearly missed her fingers. 

“Not her, Trottels!” Maria heard the one in the centre shout to the others. Mr. Hirano hit two more riders. The centre rider glared in his direction. “Up the sides! Jetz!”

As the other riders kept firing their arrows, two riders put on a burst of speed and led their horses closer and closer to the cart. Maria could hear the clipping of hooves thunder louder and louder. She looked to Mr. Hirano, but the other riders sharper in aim were keeping him otherwise occupied. She looked back at the approaching pursuers and thought of something.

“What am I doing?” Maria mumbled to herself. She faced Mr. Hirano again. “Have you got a gun?” 

He almost looked surprised but tossed her a small handgun. Maria ignored her racing heart as she took aim. It was tough with the rough terrain bouncing the cart, but she found what she was looking for. Once she had a clear shot, Maria confidently fingered the trigger. 

“Maria! Don’t!” cried Anthony, ducking his head as she pointed the barrel of the gun in his direction.

Bang! Bang!

Oh, drat. One more should do it. 

Bang!

Maria was square on her mark. 

The hollow, dead tree she’d eyed a few metres ahead of them fell behind the cart, just perfectly cutting off the riders as it hit the ground with a solid whump. Some of the horses were even spooked and threw off their riders before running in the other direction. 

Anthony cleared his throat and faced forward, wiping the sweat from his brow. 

“Are they still following us?” Maria asked as Mr. Hirano watched behind them. 

He shook his head. “We’ve put too much distance between us and them for them to follow.” He put away his bow and sat back down at the Baron’s side. “By the way, nice shot. I am going to need that back, though.” He held out his hand for the gun. 

Maria looked at it for a second. 

Anthony halted her train of thought before it could even gain momentum. “Daichi would stop you before you got a whole metre.” Mr. Hirano gave him a sideways glance. The Baron continued. “Besides, it will be a lot harder to avoid those riders on foot and alone than with us.”

Unfortunately, for the third time, the Baron was right. Maria had a much easier chance of getting through the forest on the back of the cart. That didn’t mean she had to give up the weapon. 

“What if I held onto it?” prodded Maria, tightening her grip. 

Even without him facing her, Maria could tell Anthony had rolled his eyes. “Either you hand it over or I take it by force.”

“Such a gentleman,” said Maria rather snidely as she handed the weapon back to its owner. 

Anthony turned to face her. “Now was that so hard?” he asked, the familiar smirk on his face. It was Maria’s turn to roll her eyes and brood as the Baron turned back around.

 They were quiet for some time, as quiet as they had been in the coach. Maria was thinking extensively about the next chance to escape while plucking the arrows out of the wood cart. One particular arrow was lodged tight in the wood. Maria pulled hard and made little progress. Eventually, the stranger had turned around and helped her. When the arrow finally came loose, Maria’s elbow hit the Baron square in the back. 

“Heaven’s, Marie,” he muttered as the wagon rolled on.

It was then that Maria noticed the scar along his cheek. “What happened there? Did somebody strike you?”

He said nothing and instead flicked the wagon’s reins again to speed the horses along. 

At first, Maria didn’t intend on asking again. She waited for him to answer, but then shrugged and watched the sides of the cart again. But when she sat back in silence, her mind went back to the dance in the square and how her partner had made her feel. No, not her partner—Anthony. What was he doing, trying to manipulate her? Soften her with his actions to coax her back to England? Disgusting. 

Her thoughts started to turn into anger and it was starting to boil, even in the Swiss snow. 

Maria looked back at the scar, tasting the fury in the back of her throat. So now he wanted to ignore her? 

“What’s the scar for?” she asked again. “What’d you do to make someone so mad at you they tried to do you in? Was it those men back there? Have you gotten me mixed into more trouble?”

Still, Anthony said nothing. He sighed heavily and continued ignoring her. His associate, Mr. Hirano, looked at her evenly, and she could see the message in his eyes telling her to stop. Well he could tell Maria whatever he wanted. She wasn’t listening to him. She had bottled her anger for long enough. Whatever that was in the square had put her over the top. 

“I’m just disappointed I wasn’t the one to have done it. Although, I wouldn’t have missed.”

“Alright then,” shouted Anthony finally. He handed Mr. Hirano the reins so he could whirl his appalled gaze right onto Maria. “Might I remind you that I just saved your life?”

“Anthony,” his friend started, but Anthony waved him off. 

She kept her gaze locked with Anthony’s. “But of course! You couldn’t hold your leverage if your hostage was dead, right?”

“For heaven's sake, Maria, those men could have killed you!”

“They were probably trying to kill you, but I was caught up in the crossfire thanks to you!”

“So what if they were? They were still trying to kidnap you,” Anthony yelled. 

“Who isn’t?” Maria cried exasperatedly, tossing her hands up. “That’s hardly life threatening by now.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Anthony,” his friend uttered warningly. 

Maria scoffed. “What don’t I understand then?”

“Those were the kingsmen. They do the bidding of the Blade King. I suspect he’s stolen my idea to get rid of Josiah, and I know for a fact that his methods are a lot more brutal than mine. After you were done being useful to him, Kalixtus would have gotten rid of you.”

“Ah, well, you’re so kind as to be saving me from the exact thing you're planning on doing.”

“Stop that, Maria. You’re not listening; the Blade King will kill you after he kills your brother. The period in between is not pleasant either.”

“And how exactly did he hear of your plan? Did you tell him?”

Anthony opened his mouth but closed it and looked away. “I thought he would help me find you.”

“Figures,” huffed Maria. “The only reason you ‘saved’ me from them was because you wanted to kill my brother yourself, and I doubt this king would let you do that, huh?”

Anthony fixed her with a glare, but Maria didn’t care; she was tired of this and determinedly pressed forward. “Let me ask you this, what were you going to do after I was done being useful? What way would you have covered your tracks, Anthony?”

The words seemed to poison him. “Don’t ask me that,” he said darkly. 

“Why not?” Maria spat angrily. 

“Don’t shout at me, Maria. Don't forget who you’re talking to.”

“I don’t care who you are!” 

The world paused and silence followed her words. After catching her breath, still, Maria went on. 

“All I’m saying is it doesn’t matter which one of you does it; someone is going to use me as bait and get rid of my brother. Either way, I end up losing Josiah, and either way I won’t be able to do anything about it. Either way, I’m faced with death because of you and your pursuit of revenge.” 

“He killed my father, Maria. I think I’m entitled to hate him a little.”

“He bloody didn’t! He outsmarted your father and Charleston Harvey went mad as a result. You just want someone to blame.”

“You really should stop believing the things Josiah tells you. He’s not just a simple blacksmith making money on the side. He’s a crime lord, Maria. He’s not innocent.”

“Hmm, who should I trust? My brother who’s been by my side since I was born and has looked after me all the while or the man who’s tried to kidnap me many, many times so he can destroy my brother and toss me aside when he’s done?”

“Could use some help defending myself here,” Anthony called over his shoulder. 

“I’m driving the cart since you both are engaged at the moment,” Mr. Hirano replied calmly. 

Anthony ignored him and turned back to Maria. “Look, I saved you from Kalixtus.”

“Those men were shooting at you! Not me!” she shouted. “We’ve established that much. They wouldn’t have noticed me if it weren’t for you!”

“Alright! Yes, they were shooting at me, I’ll admit it. I would be surprised if they hadn’t.” He pointed to the scar on his face. “You asked about this, right? Kalixtus had his men try to kill me out in the woods. I was left with this scar after a missed shot, and if it weren’t for Daichi, I would have died on the forest floor and buried under snow.”

Now it was Maria’s turn to say nothing. She was taken aback; she hadn’t expected that. Something in her stomach twisted, but she tried to push the feeling away and recall her anger. 

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Probably because he knew I would get in the way of what he wanted to do.”

“Well…” Maria tried to speak again, but her words fell flat. She couldn’t take the way the Baron held her gaze, waiting for her answer. Tears sprang into Maria’s eyes and she didn’t know why. Worse, they started to fall. She was crying, crying in front of Anthony, and she couldn’t fathom a reason. 

Maria tore her eyes away and wiped them furiously before the cold mountain air had time to sting her face. She turned so her back was to the Baron, watching the end of the cart bounce along the road. 

“Maria,” Anthony tried, but sounding unsure, had stopped himself. His voice had gone soft and warm again. Something fluttered in Maria’s chest. The tears seemed to fall harder. He was doing it again! 

She wanted to swallow her thoughts downwards, but they started to fight it. She focused her eyes on the repetitive woodland backdrop to draw attention away from the war inside her mind. He wasn’t going to manipulate her this time. 

“Leave me be, Anthony,” said Maria’s watery voice. She winced at how pathetic it sounded. “You got what you wanted. You have your leverage again.”

She thought he would say something. Maria wanted him to say something, something to stir up her anger again so she could yell at him. She was confused and hurt and angry and…she didn’t know what. Or at least she didn’t want to know. 

After a while, she knew no one would say anything more. Maria wiped away the last of her tears and continued to watch the forest pass by in silence until her body involuntarily drifted off to sleep.

*  *  *  *

As Maria slept, the forest was awake and alive. Anthony usually enjoyed listening to the peaceful quiet of nature. It was where he spent his leisure before taking up his father’s burden. 

Unlike this silence. It felt unbearable. It made him restless, and since Daichi still had the reins, he couldn’t distract himself. He took a careful glance at Maria. 

“Leave her be, Anthony. She’s asleep,” Daichi advised. 

“Hmm?” inclined Anthony, having not heard. 

“Watching her like that might unsettle her.”

Anthony turned back to face the road in front of them. “She’s already unsettled by me. What more damage could I possibly do?” He leaned back on the cart’s bench and gazed at the evergreen branches above. 

“That’s not her fault,” Daichi said sensibly. 

“I know,” Anthony murmured. 

Overhead, the clouds passed and let a few stars peek through the grey blanket. The wind blew softer, the boughs rustling less and less as even the breeze grew tired around them. Daichi pulled the cart to a stop to let the horses rest. The air held onto a heavy, peaceful silence. 

But still, Anthony could not relax. 

Daichi took note of this. “What’s weighing on you?” he contended. 

“What isn’t,” Anthony remarked with a dry, false chuckle. He then exhaled slowly. “What am I doing, Daichi?”

“I’ve been wondering about that myself,” said his friend. “You usually have some idea.”

Anthony shrugged his shoulders. “I have to; I’d be lost without one.”

“And are you lost?”

Anthony sat up and turned to Daichi. “I can’t stand her, Daichi. I can’t stand the way she complicates things. I can’t stand the way she manages to always make my job harder. I can’t stand the way she wrecks my train of thought. I can’t stand her persistence. Why does she have to be so difficult?”

“Well, you did just elaborate on the reasons she’s a thorn in your side,” reasoned Daichi with a raised brow. 

“But—”

“And, as she had repeatedly pointed out in the few minutes since I’ve met her, you have made her life harder. And you are trying to kill her brother. You told me yourself; Josiah has one living relative. You’re threatening the person you;re afraid to admit you admire with something you wish on your greatest enemy.”

This suggestion made Anthony stumble. “I don’t…She’s just…” It took a moment for him to find his footing. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt that doesn’t need to.”

“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you did pull her into this. The very idea of a leverage situation was yours to begin with.”

“I know that. I was focused on Josiah, not her. I didn’t think it through well enough.”

“It seems you haven’t thought clearly since you met her.”

“Who’s side are you on?” Anthony asked, offended. 

“My own,” Daichi said with indifference. “I don’t pick sides, Anthony, unless it’s my wife’s. You know that.” He paused, looking deep in thought before asking “What are you planning on doing next?”

Anthony went quiet again. He had to remember his father. He had to push his own feelings aside. 

“We head to Graubunden to start the journey back to England. I’m going to finish what I started. I will avenge my father.”