Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 158 The army physician was dead. How was he to appear now? The men around them ground their teeth in fury, yet they dared not act. Frederick had risked his life to save this she-devil. If any of them were foolish enough to lay a hand on her now, they would be courting the prince's wrath and quite possibly their own deaths. William crouched beside Frederick and spoke with forced calm, " Your Highness, this wound from the arrow... There is no medicine here, so we can't treat it. | will choose a band of brave men and attempt to force a way out. Do not fret, Your Highness.

| will see you safely returned to the capital." "No." Frederick gripped William's wrist with what strength he had. His lips, cracked and pale from loss of blood, formed sounds more hoarse than speech. "Outside... there are archers waiting to... ambush us. Whoever charges out... will die." William knew it as well as any man. If even the prince, masterful in arms though he was, couldn't escape the storm of arrows, what hope had they? "We can't remain here to await our end," William protested. "We need to tend to your wounds, otherwise-" ---- He couldn't finish.

He rose instead and called aloud, "Who will join me in charging out? Assemble at once!" Some of the men were too grievously wounded even to stand. Others rose only to falter for want of strength. They had been without food or water for two days and a night, and exhaustion lay heavy upon them all. William's heart ached. To lead these men charging out now would mean certain death, yet Frederick's wounds couldn't be left unattended. Someone suddenly called out, "His Highness was struck because of that woman. If he bled for her, then she should come with us and fight our way out." "Exactly!

We'd die for His Highness. As his woman, she must do the same!" "That's right! She must come with us and break through together! All eyes tured to Freya Even Frederick, who had closed his eyes from pain, forced them open. He didn't wish her to die, nor could he bear the thought of sending her to certain death. And yet, some part of him was morbidly curious, wishing to know whether she would truly die for him. ---- Freya flushed beneath his gaze, her ears burning "D-do you think I'm someone who fears death? I... | only do not wish to be parted from you," she murmured, half-defensively.

Previously, Freya would have charged forward without a second thought. But she had already faced death just moments ago, resulting in a facial injury. Now, she knew all too well how deadly the enemy's arrows could be. Her horse had been riddled with them and died a terrible, violent death. Though she didn't fear death, she feared the pain. "Fred..." Frederick closed his eyes, turning away. His voice was faint, stripped of warmth as he said, "Wait a little longer. Don't... make needless sacrifices. My father will... send men to rescue us." Despite those words, he was broken.

Not only by his wounds, but by the bitter truth that he had been defeated, as well as by Freya's actions. His heart was in tatters. "Fred..." "William, take her aside. Let her rest out of earshot." The prince no longer wanted to hear Freya's voice. ---- William obeyed at once, drawing her back. She stayed silent, afraid that if she spoke, everyone would insist she take the lead and charge out first. If she were struck by a volley of arrows, it would hurt terribly. She could risk death, but truly feared pain.

As the soldiers fell quiet, William knelt at Frederick's side, still pressing desperately at the wound, though the blood flowed without ceasing. In that moment, he found himself wishing with all his soul that the vision they had seen of Selena had not been a trick of mist and despair. He prayed she was indeed somewhere within this stone forest, hurrying toward them even now, ready to draw the arrow free and bind the prince's wound. 'Lady Campbell, where are you? Will you truly come to save us?'