Neverending fight

Chapter 2

"Anna?"

I couldn't say if the girls who had been protecting me had stood up or were lifted up. I couldn't say how much time had passed. I couldn't say what I had heard and what I had thought.

"Anna, it's over, you can stand up." Robb placed a hand on my shoulder.

I realised that my entire body hurt. My muscles were tensed and I was breathing heavily. I knew however that everyone, if there were still people left at least, was watching me. I had to stand up as if I had not been afraid, terrified. I had to stand up as if I wasn't harmed in any way.

"We survived." Robb held out his hand and I placed my hand in his. His hair was glued to his forehead and I didn't need to ask where all those dark red spots on his clothes came from. He wore his sword hidden in a scabbard, but I knew that liquid in that same dark red color would drip from it.

"Dominic?" I straightened my back and tried to lift my chin.

"He's safe as well." Robb nodded at me and even though I didn't need his hand anymore he tightened his grip while I turned around.

I stopped breathing when I saw the chaos in the throne room. I felt my stomach twirl when I noticed the bodies of countless of soldiers on the floor and a few of them on top of spears stuck in the marmer floor.

Most of the bodies were surrounded by their own and each other's blood. Some of them were barely recognisable.

In a way I was glad about that. I would soon enough find out who had survived and who hadn't, but I preferred not to remember them like this.

"They didn't die for nothing." Robb squeezed my hand and I knew that the survivors were watching me hoping the same thing.

"They won't give up after one lost fight." I replied and even though my legs protested I started walking, making my way through the room. I tried not to stare at my feet and shoes. I tried to keep my eyes on the door at the very end.

The door was still closed, even though the guards in front of it had not survived the attempts to get past them.

"They thought you and Dominic would be inside, out of reach." Robb spoke softly, as if he didn't want to disturb the deafening silence. "They didn't suspect that you were next to me."

"Would they have stopped fighting when they had managed to kill me?" I didn't dare to look at him.

Robb had once said that it was me asking those questions, that made the people love me. "Maybe, but we wouldn't have." He swallowed. "Your people wouldn't have."

I sighed and took a few deep breaths when we stood still in front of the door.

Two soldiers, who were more or less unharmed, removed the dead bodies and opened the door without saying a word.

I knew I would never be able to return a favour like this. Especially not because I knew they would have to do this until the Big Kingdom had no army left anymore.

"Do you think you can make it from here?" Robb dropped my hand and for a short moment I was afraid I would lose my balance and collapse, but instead I nodded. "Dominic and my parents are on their way from the bunker. They'll be here any minute." He nodded when I made eye contact with him. "I'll take care of the soldiers in the throne room. They fought bravely today."

"I know."

Robb closed the door behind me after those last few words and my eyes needed a little time to adjust to the sudden lack of light.