Chapter 53 Bring her back!
Sebastian had ordered his soldiers to set up a camp for the night while they waited for Levi and Fernanda's arrival. He was impatient about the whole situation, and it wasn't helping that he understood few of whatever Levi had reported to him a while ago.
He stood a bit further from where the camp was being set up. While he waited, he remembered Anderson. The old man would have came to stand with him offering some unwarranted but useful advice and cracked some funny jokes.
Sebastian clenched his fists as he replayed Anderson's death in his head all over again. Fernanda might hate him for it and he would also be breaking his promise to Anderson, but the war was far from over even after he gets Fernanda back. He would finish what those bastards started, and would take his time doing so.
Sebastian's face hardened when he heard a slight whistle, then almost immediately a gust of wind came from nowhere and just right in the middle of nothing, a few meters away from him, a large glow got emitted and from the glow of light emerged both Levi and Fernanda.
Sebastian almost couldn't believe his eyes, it was truly them. His expression changed from confusion to excitement and confusion again.
Fernanda was crying. She was crying and hitting Levi repeatedly as he tried to calm her down. “Noo! We have to go back! We can't leave her!” her yells were intermixed with sobs.
“Please let's find a way to go back and rescue her. I'm begging you Levi, we have to go back!” She kept crying. They hadn't seen Sebastian approaching them in a hurry from a few distance. “Fernanda!” He called her name loud enough to get both their attention.
Levi heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Sebastian coming because he had no idea how to comfort Fernanda. He was as distraught as her but did a good job in not showing it. “What happened?! Is she hurt?” Sebastian immediately demanded when he got to where they were.
He made Fernanda look at him with concern written in his eyes, ”What happened Fernanda, talk to me! What is it? Are you hurt?!“ Sebastian asked again, more confused than ever. Fernanda couldn't respond, she just kept sobbing uncontrollably, repeatedly saying they needed go back.
Sebastian instinctively pulled her into his embrace, her sobs muffling as she buried her face into his chest. “Speak now vice commander, what happened?” Sebastian authoritatively asked. He noticed the sadness in Levi's eyes, which meant something really serious happened. He was also stained with blood all over.
Sebastian hated how he was in the dark about things. He hated how he wasn't there to skin alive anyone that dared to touch his wife. He had constantly blamed himself over and over again about failing to protect Fernanda but seeing her cry like this broke something in him even more than Anderson's death.
“Maya, the girl who created the portal, wasn't able to come with us. She was held back by the shadow wielders who took Fernanda in the first place,” Levi explained. “Hence why the Queen is distraught.”
Sebastian recalled Maya being one of Fernanda's Maidservants alongside Yolanda. “That girl? She created the portal?” Sebastian asked, still holding Fernanda in place while trying to calm her down.
“Yes, your majesty.” Levi responded.
“You look worried for her too, is she a trusted Ally?” Sebastian wanted to confirm if Maya was worth saving. “She has proven herself to be.” Levi replied.
“I doubt she'd still be alive though, she has done so many things to piss off the order for them to even think of sparing her.” Levi added again. He didn't want to be optimistic.
Fernanda immediately jerked away from Sebastian's hold and turned the face Levi with rage on her tear stricken face. “How can you say that Levi! How can you give up so easily on Maya. She saved us, she sacrificed a lot for me and you. You cannot just say that she's dead!” Fernanda yelled at him, sobbing harder as she did.
“I am sorry your highness, but I think it's best we assume that she's dead. Going back there to save her might put you in danger again.” Levi told Fernanda. She grunted frustratedly, ”That is so inconsiderate of you Levi! It's Maya!“ Fernanda yelled at him again.
“Fernanda... Stop. Come here.” Sebastian's voice was gentle as he pulled Fernanda closer. She was too angry and sad to realize the extent of Sebastian's gentleness. He held both sides of her face careful and looked into her reddened eyes.
“I will make sure we find Maya and bring her back. We are getting her back and if she's dead–”
“No,” Fernanda broke down further at Sebastian's mention of Maya's death.
“Listen to me Fernanda. If they killed her, I will make sure I hunt every last one of them down until they no longer exist. I personally haven't finished my business with them. But for now, you need to rest and sleep, you look so worn out. Okay?” He asked again and Fernanda nodded.
Sebastian carried Fernanda in his arms as they walked back to his royal camp, he knew there was still a lot he was missing. But for now he decided to let it rest. Same with Levi too. The shadow Wielders would pay for hurting Maya.