He looked at her once more.
Her visage hadn't changed at all,still remaining unconscious,laid on her own blood,still breathing despite the odds against it.
Then he glanced at the dagger in his hands,more precisely it's blade,it was a sharp blade that had yet to dull,it was merely 6 months old, a gift from his father at his 19th birthday.
It's dark colour contrasted perfectly with the sunlight pouring on it,the reflection was mild and the bright parts from the sun that flash on it's surface do not impede upon the dark luster it carried on it's surface.
Through it he saw himself.
Arthur:".....*sigh*"
A sigh escaped his lips and along with it his fear.
Let's do this.
He had rid himself of the fear of killing.
If I don't kill her then she will kill me.
Although indirectly, she would be the cause of his death if left alive.
.....
Strangely enough,his younger voice remained silent as he took a step forward.
He glanced to his side,expecting some thing to be said, but after his younger self said nothing he turned back to the assassin.
He lifted his dagger and hovered it over her sleeping face.
Her face was calm and serene despite the blood that had painted over her with the colour of dark crimson,it would have been slightly alluring if the blood splash around her mouth didn't exist.
What is it that lead to her coming here?
A question popped inside his head,although he could understand someone wanting to cling to life,the way she did it still lingered in his mind.
Why should I care?
He growled as he thought so.
The women before him could have a husband for all he cared,he had his family and even if they did not remember him,he did.
But a question still lingered, it wasn't the one he had thought before, no it was something else.
What does her death mean to me?
It wouldn't make sense for one to ask such a question,it was obvious,he would get to live.
But it wasn't it either.
Then it hit him,the reason why his hand trembled in anger as he held it above her head.
Why the thought of killing her was so un-satisfying.
And then the trembling stopped.
He let the dagger rest once more beside him as he gave out a scoffish chuckle.
Ah..... You have got to be kidding me.
She was what he wanted to become, maybe not precisely her,but in a way it was.
He could feel her character plenty even when he was fighting her.
Every movement she made was carried by many,heavy reasons.
She did not hesitate to kill him despite having the eyes of remorse and after realising she was poisoned,she did not hesitate to run out the cave for healing,she didn't think twice about ravaging her own body from the inside-out when she needed to use her mark,he didn't need to be there to know it,the way she carried herself was enough evidence.
All because she had a reason to live.
And after she went through all that to save herself.
I'm just going to kill her without her even knowing that she died.
It was similar to watching a story,when everything seemed to be going fine, some guy,a nobody that would be killed a second later ends up killing one's favourite character.
That somebody would be hated by that watcher....and the some body right now was him.
And he was also the watcher who is angered at the prospect.
.....why!?
It was not sadness that he felt when he thought of killing her, it was frustration and anger.
Why the hell do I have to kill her!
It was a foolish question with a simple answer that he had already thought.
If he did not kill her,he would die.
He had to have his first kill be against his wishes because....
....I am weak.
And the weak had to choose the easier options,for the harder and gruesome ones are for the strong to take,endure and to not break under their own decision.
Arthur:"...Going against the odds is a trait of the strong huh? "
He glanced to the side expecting his younger self to speak,yet he did not hear a thing.
For a moment he thought the hallucination was gone but it had not,he could still hear the shadow-ey whispers in the back of his head.
His younger self simply decided to stay silent.
Arthur:"...you know what? Fu*k this!"
Saying so he threw the dagger to the side, uttering a small apology to his father before looking at the assassin once more.
He spoke out loud despite there being no one to listen,meaning he is calling out to his younger self.
Arthur:"Aren't I trying to become strong? So why should I act weak?".
He laughed boisterously.
Arthur:"You know what? I won't kill her. Why? Because I just.don't.want to those fu*kers back home can go screw themselves! She's mine now."
His legs wobbled slightly.
Keeping her alive would mean she could attempt to kill her anytime she wants, but she can't because her body is currently crippled,if she ran though,then it was imminent death.
Even though he was afraid of what could happen, his hate persisted harder.
Her story was yet to end,and he would not let his story end.
Yours is she? What about the dagger?
As Arthur was about to crouch near her, his younger self spoke for the first time this chapter.
O-oh yeah...
All of his bravado suddenly got extinguished as he went and took his dagger back from the ground before placing it in his holster.
First and foremost.
He blushed slightly as he kneeled infront of his assassin.
Her cloths were in much dis-array and some un-savory parts we're visible.
He tidied her up before he.....
Man.....
He was sitting on the slowly drying blood,there was some cloth he had that was clean which he used to clean her face,it was already dyed red.
I really just did that huh?
You did.
A sense of pride could be felt from the younger counter part's voice.
Although for some,what he did could be small,but for him it was not.He took a hard choice,something someone weak like him shouldn't have chosen.
He was outraged at the fact that he was right to be scared about giving mercy to someone....and after the anger died down,he felt....different.
It made him realise just how quickly one can change,and choose something so drastic from something they once would have chosen.
Arthur:"Man.... Philosophy is way too hard."
Like hell you would be a philosopher.
Arthur:"yeah, yeah keep talking."
After cleaning her up he picked her up and placed her on his back for the piggy back ride.
Arthur:"....oh god!"
He groaned hard.
It was quite stupid for him to do so,his own weight was weighing on his wound And that was mostly his torso,adding the wait of another whole person was too much for the stitches and several of them came undone.
Oi! dumbass! What are you doing!?
Arthur:"Yeah yeah I know! Who cares! Selera would heal it anyway,besides,there are still some stitches left."
Groaning once more in pain he began to move,each step bringing a parade of pain throughout his body.
Oh..... I get it!
His younger self exclaimed mischeviously.
Since your crush is crippled you can revel in what ever dark desire you have! She is quite the beauty after all.
Arthur suddenly stumbled and snapped his head to the side so quickly it could have had whiplash.There was no flusteration,it was genuine shock and disgust.
Arthur:"WHAT THE FU*K!?"
Both his thoughts and voice Alined perfectly as he screamed.
Come on! Don't you think I wouldn't kn—
Arthur:"Shut up you Rag! "
His younger self remained silent for a while.
Excuse me,what in god's name did you just call me?
The tone in his voicewas seemingly right about to burst into a loud inceasent barrage of swearing.
Arthur:"It's you, your name, you are a rag."
What kind of bullsh*t name is that!?
Arthur:"Just so you know, I'm pretty good with naming things"
I don't see how rag is a good name.
Arthur:"First of all,that was Arag. "
That's worse!
Arthur:"Let me finish.... "
Arthur remained silent for a few moments as he began to wall painfully,mostly for dramatic flair.
Arthur:"I did it on purpose."
You son of a.....damn it!
Arthur chuckle softly,before coughing up blood and stumbling once more before gathering his bearings.
Arthur:"Come on Argus, think of it as a nick name."
Argus? Ah....
There was a bit of an emotional touch to his voice at the end.
Argus, the giant from the Greek mythology?
Arthur:"Ow! Damn branches!.. Oh? Yeah."
A warm smile graced his lip as he turned to look at his younger self, Argus.
Arthur:"Suits you doesn't it."
....
Argus remained silent for a while before speaking again.
What about me screams a hundred eyed giant! Huh you schizo!
Besides, stop trying to flatter me, it won't work and since I'm you stop flattering yourself, schizo!.
Arthur:"What did you just call me you rag!?"
You heard me right schizo,just wait until it's night! I'm gonna give you nightmares all night! You won't be able to even go to sleep!.
Arthur:"What!? named me Schizo!? And what? Nightmares? "