The servant turned to face Paxton. "You see what I mean, sir? Did you see how she flowed with him? Look how he is hugging her," he spoke up.
Paxton sighed, and folded his arms. "Yes, I see it. I bet it would be even better if I heard it," he replied.
"The sister and her boyfriend appear to be encouraging this relationship…" he stated, pointedly. "That is true. I need to meet up with Zero, see why those three aren't dead yet…I'm going to make him go for the Zipperhead and the sister," Paxton said, turning to the servant.
"Why, sir?" the servant questioned. "Because that way I'll comfort her before the tin man does, and then, he will be gone. Then this kingdom will be ours," Paxton said, before smirking wickedly.
Another week had passed by. The wedding was approaching fast. The group was walking through the woods, in search of a horse that Paxton had reported run away. Apparently it was a horse that was bred from a line of pure-bred horses that had been born in Paxton's family history for many months. Paxton's mother had recently arrived. The two sisters both agreed that she seemed to have a more gentle nature about her.
Paxton's rather rash behavior must have been inherited from his father's side of the family.
"What does this horse even look like?" Glitch questioned. "Gray…" Rodney replied. She looked over at her sister. She noticed Cain was ahead of the group far enough so she could have a private conversation with her sister. "Hey…" Rodney said, in a soft voice.
Julia looked over at her. "How's it going?" she asked. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Rodney replied. "I'll be fine," Julia said, looking at the ground. "You will be fine? I'm not asking how you will be…I'm asking you how you are now…" Rodney stated.
"Rodney, every day you ask me this question….and everyday you hear the same response. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of talking like a broken record…" Julia said, quickening her pace.
She looked up to see that Cain had paused. She narrowed her eyes slightly, confused. "Cain? What are you doing?" she asked. Cain looked at her. "Footsteps…" he whispered. He turned and motioned for Rodney and Glitch to duck behind the bushes that they were about to pass. Glitch tilted his head in confusion, but Rodney tugged on his arm and pulled her down with him.
Cain began to look around them. "Cain, I didn't hear…" Julia was cut off. Cain pushed her so she was against a tree. Her back hit the tree hard, and his body pressed up against hers. She could feel his breathing on her face.
"Cain seriously, I'm flattered but-"
"Shut up," Cain snapped.
"Excuse me?"
"Just press yourself up against the tree as much as possible. Its big enough to hide us,"
"Hide us from what, Cain?"
"I don't know, but its getting closer,"
"Well, why didn't you find your own tree so you could get a clear shot at whatever it is?"
"Because it's the only tree close by that we could hide behind…"
Julia sighed, and looked away. It was then that she heard the footsteps getting closer. She felt Cain press himself more against her. The footsteps stopped and she felt a small gasp from Cain on her face.
"It's Zero…he's back…" he said. Cain pulled away from her slightly, and motioned for her to slowly move around the tree so they could remain unseen.
Cain watched two longcoats began to wander towards the spot where Rodney and Glitch were hiding. Cain moved the one side of his coat to the side, and reached back for his gun. Julia watched as he drew it, and he brought it up, ready to fire. She turned her attention back to Cain's face. His steele blue eyes were looking into her brown ones.
It was then the sound of another gun cocking was heard. Both Julia and Cain turned to see Zero standing there.
"Well, isn't this romantic? Reminds me of an old western film I saw one time…" he said. Cain pulled away from Julia, with his hands raised. "No, no, no…." Zero said, before pushing Cain back up against her. She grunted slightly. "Sorry…" Cain muttered.
"Don't stop on my accord…" Zero said, before taking Cain's gun from him.
"You two just stay right there….ah! Look, it's the younger princess and my favorite alchemist…" Zero said, in a delightful way.
Both Julia and Cain turned to look at them. Two longcoats were holding Rodney, and two more were holding Glitch. Zero laughed, before turning back to Cain.
"Let's get one thing clear. The only person that I'm taking back with me today is Julia. On specific instructions…even if she is the one I wanted dead. But I'll be satisfied with three deaths. Especially yours, Cain. So…want to give the princess one last kiss before you die?" Zero asked.
Julia looked at Cain for a few seconds, before looking at Zero. "There is no need for that…because no one is dying today," she replied. Zero sighed. "Fine…" he said, before grabbing Cain's arm and pulling him away.
Rodney struggled against the two longcoats that were holding her back. "You are not getting away with this…" she hissed. "Rodney, so glad you decided to break the ice. You are going to be the first one I kill," Zero said, turning to her.
"No," Julia spoke up. She took strides towards Zero. "You and I are going to settle this…right now…." She said. Zero smiled, and pushed Cain to the ground.
"Fine, what are you going to do? Kill me? My dear, you failed at that last time. Why is this going to be any different?" he asked.
"I have a new motive…" she said. Zero walked towards her as well. Rodney looked over at her. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Saving your butt, okay? So I don't want to hear any complaints about how I do it…." Julia said, not taking her eyes off of Zero.
Zero smirked. "Fine…" he said. He threw a punch towards her head. Julia stepped out on an angle, and trapped his arm. She spun inward, underneath his now raised arm. She elbowed him in the face, before trapping his arm behind him.
"There is only going to be one death today, and that's yours…" she hissed.
She nodded at Cain, who shifted over and picked his gun up from the dirt. Zero's eyes widened slightly, as he stopped on Julia's foot. She winced, but refused to let go. Zero elbowed her in the stomach with his free arm. She was forced to let go. Zero turned to face her, and punched her across the face.
He turned to face the other long coats. "Shoot those two!" he ordered, nodding towards Rodney and Glitch.
Julia looked at Cain. "Help…them…" she muttered. She turned her attention back towards Zero.
"I wish I could just kill you right now…but I made a promise…" he growled. "Cain, what are you waiting for?" Julia asked, still looking at Zero. When Cain didn't reply, she turned to look at him. "Cain, shoot them before they kill my sister and Glitch!" she yelled. Cain turned to look at the four longcoats. He knew he couldn't take out all of them at once.
Zero on the other hand, he could handle with a single bullet. He looked at Rodney for a second, and then looked at Glitch. "Glitch, want to dance?" Cain asked. Rodney's jaw dropped slightly. "We are all about to die, and your worried about dancing?" Rodney asked.
Glitch tilted his head, before nodding in understanding. He turned to Rodney. "Rodney….there is something I want you to know before you die…" he said. Rodney turned to look at Glitch. "Don't you dare…" she hissed. "It's all about rhythm…" he said. Rodney's face softened. She smiled to herself, before looking at the longcoat on her right.
"I love rhythm…how about you?" she questioned. He looked down at her, confused. Rodney then jerked her head to the right and headbutted him. She turned to her left and back-kicked him in the groin. They both released her, and she continued to beat on them. Glitch also began to knee and stomp on the longcoats that were holding him.
Zero drew his gun. "Honestly how hard is it to shoot someone?" he asked. He aimed his gun at Rodney, who was too busy fighting off longcoats to notice. Julia struggled to stand up. She lifted her leg and kicked Zero on the back of his leg. Zero's gun fired, and hit the tree nearby. Both Rodney and Glitch ducked, before resuming to fight off the four longcoats.
Cain sat up, his gun pointed at Zero at the same time Zero looked at him. Cain pulled the trigger and fired the bullet at Zero's heart. Zero staggered back, before falling to the ground. Julia turned to look over at Cain in shock. "W…." she couldn't even find the right words to say. At the sight of their fallen leader, the other longcoats fled, despite their wounds and injuries.
Rodney looked over at Glitch. "You alright?" she asked, breathing heavily. Glitch nodded. "Yea, you?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She shrugged. "Been better…" she said, before looking over at her sister. Julia was sliding backwards, away from the Zero's corpse.
"Oh…hunny…" Rodney said, running over towards her. She helped her sister to her feet, before hugging her. "It's okay…." She said.
Julia looked over Rodney's shoulder at Cain, and showed him a grateful smile.