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Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts[♥]?
Just a cage of rib bones--and other various parts...
So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess...
...And stop that muscle that makes us confess.

º The middle Gorngus princess paid Oliver no mind when he came and sat next to her. She felt absolutely no obligation to acknowledge his presence; she'd said all she had wanted to say. Her thoughts and attention was focused on her baby sister, who looked so fragile and worn on the ground beside her. She laid her cloak over Kaiko's small form, hoping that that small girl could find peace when she was asleep. Peace that they'd all been deprived of the last few days. Peace that might not truly return to the minds and hearts of any of the princesses even after this episode was over. She was almost eager to see how the culprits would be dealt with; what punishments would be dolled out to those responsible. Obviously, the marriages previously arranged between her sisters and the princes would be ended immediately. But what of Hemelia? Melody looked pretty happy with her little traitor earlier; like they'd just bumped into each other or something. It almost made Gwen sick. On the topic of traitors...
She glaced at the prince out of the corner of her eye when he began to explain himself, taking genuine interest. Nothing he said could make up for what happened; as far as she was concerned, all the princes were responsible. If not directly, those remaining should have at least tried to prevent this nightmare from happening in the first place. Why hadn't anyone spoken up? Had a little bell not gone off in anyone's head even suggesting that this sort of act was utterly immoral and unacceptable?! Bringing herself to listen to what Oliver was rambling about, she felt almost offended when he began to imply that princesses really aren't well-equiped in carrying out rescue missions. Luckily for him, he switched gears and temporarily appeased her fiery temper. Once he had finished, he smiled the most sad, pathetic little smile Gwen had ever witnessed. The smile that made her heart melt all over again.
She sighed, unable to stay mad at someone so sincere. "What's done is done" she said softly, gently removing a few strands of hair from Kaiko's face. "Now all that's left to do is pick up the pieces and move on" she said a bit more sure of herself, clearing her throat. She couldn't help but smile back at him, however. She began to slowly lean over, intent on giving him a quick kiss on the cheek to let him know that she did in fact trust him, when she heard a commotion coming from the secret staircase. She sat back up stiffly, and turned her head in the direction of the noise. Very clearly, she heard a man call out "Don't even think about it, damn brat!". Brat? Was it Athena? Or another princess? Her curiosity overcame her, and very quietly, she rose. She looked Oliver directly in the eyes sternly and motioned for him to wait with Kaiko. Took the bow from her back, grabbed an arrow, and made her way over to the stairs entrance. She looked back once more and again motioned for Oliver to stay put. She grabbed a hold of the chain and pulled slowly, thankful that the old timbers of the wooden door didn't creak as she did so.
Her eyes fell upon a boy and a man a little ways down the staircase. The boy was Adrian, and the man was gripping him tightly by the hair. By the looks of things, Adrian was tired and lacked the strength to fight back. Gwen crouched halfway behind the now propped up door, using it as a defensive shield in case she was discovered. She silently loaded the arrow and aimed. It was worlds different to aim at another human being instead of a hay-stuffed target-- if she'd taken too long to think about it, Gwen might not have been able to bring herself to harm another living creature. But since she didn't... the arrow flew true, whistling through the air before coming into contact with the shoulder of the man holding Adrian. A yell of pain rang through the still air, and as if it was a cue, Gwen threw thr door back all the way and practically lept down the stairs towards the prince, who was becoming less responsive by the second. The man who she'd shot had released the boy, and lost his footing on a stair, causing him to tumble backwards down the rest of them. She managed to manuver herself to where she could lay the fallen Adrian's arm over her shoulders and pull him up to a semi-standing position. With even greater difficulty than she'd had with Kaiko, she stubbornly dragged his half-limp body up the stairs at an aggonizing pace. "Almost there" she thought as she continued to labor under his weight, "Try to... stay with me, Adrian" she said breathily. After what seemed like hours, she gently lowered his body on the ground just outside of the entrance. She put her hands on her knees as she leaned forward slightly, trying to catch her breath. But they weren't out of the woods quite yet. She groaned as she heard someone discover the body at the bottom of the stairs and begin their own ascent. "Damnit" she growled, taking her bow and an arrow, aiming once more. She waited for a clear shot, heart racing as the footsteps got closer and closer. It all ended quickly: he appeared, she left go of the arrow, and he fell back down the stairs as quickly as he had run up. She shoved the door shut stomped on it in an attempt to lodge it into the dirt.
When it appeared as if no one else was coming, she grabbed the fallen prince by the shirt and dragged him over to where his brother and Kaiko were. Noticing immediately the trail of blood he was leaving behind him, Gwen groaned as she laid him by her sister and stumbled towards Cavalier and her medical kit once more.
She washed the wound, applied a salve, and bandaged it, making a note that it would need immediate medical attention when they returned--not so much for bleeding, but to prevent infection. "You Magnisiuses seem to have a knack for getting yourselves injured" she mused, collapsing next to Oliver. She placed the cantine next to Adrian in case he was still awake; or even when he woke up and got thirsty. Once she began to relax, Gwen realized how exhausted she was. It was also frustrating knowing that she couldn't fall asleep; no matter how badly she wanted too. Both of the princes were injured and Kaiko was unconcious. She was pretty much the only one fit to defend anyone at this point. She still had to find Athena, but she couldn't go alone. This was a bad situation all around.
We are so fragile...
And our cracking bones make noise--
& we are just breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys...
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