Chapter 29: The bandit (3):

The bandit leader turned his head away and replied, "We're no coward. I'll not betray my family just to live. Kill me if you want,". The general smiled and agreed. Oh no, this is bad! He cannot die. At that moment, I hurriedly grabbed my cloak and rushed out screaming, "Stop! Please have mercy,". Everyone froze and turned towards me. "Young Miss, what are you doing?" the butler asked as he ran towards me. I looked up at him and replied, "Stopping a tragedy," he looked confused, so I ignored him and proceeded to walk towards Uncle Robert. "Anna?" he addressed me. I noticed that he hadn't called me Camilla but Anna. It must be because he doesn't want the general and bandits to know who my real identity is. I hurriedly curtsied in front of the grand duke and looked around at the bandits.

"Even when your life is at stake, you still refuse to give up those who ran away. That shows that you aren't someone who would betray your men for your advantage. To be honest, if you were a knight or soldier fighting for the country, how nice would that be? Everyone would be happy to place their country's lives in your hands," I explained. Everyone looked at me confusingly however, the Grand Duke still let me be and told the general to put back his sword. I smiled at him gratefully. 

I walked over to the bandit leader and sat next to him. At this moment, Damian and Ryan walked towards me and they sat down together. I looked at them in confusion, but they only smiled sweetly at me. Even Damian who usually never shows any emotion smiled at me. "What's your name?" I asked addressing the bandit. "Young miss my name is Gerald," he replied looking away from me. The general was someone who did not have good patience. General Reflood muttered, "Young miss the battlefield is not somewhere a young lady should be. Please leave so I can hurry to finish what this man dreams of,". I looked at the general and asked, "General have you ever thought why they would ever become a bandit?". He looked quite shocked that I interrupted him, I ignored him and looked towards the bandit and continued chatting with them. At this moment I looked at Damian and noticed that he was glaring at the general. How sweet.

"So, Gerald why did you become a bandit? You could've chosen a different route," I muttered. "I didn't have a choice young miss," he replied. I looked at him in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?". "I was born a commoner. I had a little sister who was the prettiest thing ever. I only became a bandit because I had no choice. We lived in the poorest area of the Thedo kingdom. When the new King was crowned, he immediately ordered everyone to help people who were poor and homeless. However, we never received money or food. My parents died early, and my only relative was my sister however, the Noble family in charge of our area kidnapped her and wanted to have her as his wife. When I found her, she was already dead. And she was left unpureed and dead in an alleyway. I formed a group of people and charged at the noble house. We killed the man who touched my sister, but that family never forgave me. The person I killed was their only son. So, I had to take the whole group away and into the mountains. We took from the rich and gave to the poor. We didn't do anything bad. We hardly killed anyone," he explained. I looked at him in pity however he didn't show me any emotion apart from sadness.

"This has been a touching story and all, but I would like to do my job now," the general announced shoving me away. Damian caught me on the spot, and I hurriedly got off him and thanked him. I looked at the General and asked, "Have you ever been so hungry that you could eat a rock?". He scoffed and replied, "Of course, I haven't,". I looked at him and laughed. "Then you wouldn't understand. I was an orphan since young, and I had to learn to fend for myself at an early age. Either you learn to cook yourself or you eat people's leftovers," I muttered. "You grew up as a son of a noble how would you know the feeling of being poor? I grew up in an orphanage with nobody to confide in. I believe that the son of the noble was wrong. He took away someone whom Mr Gerald here truly loved and cared for. Perhaps it might have been a bit extreme that you killed his son but he's not in the wrong here. Since young, I realised that whoever hurt me before I pay back them 10 times. As for whoever helped me before I will help them in any way," I announced. "You!" the General screamed.