Apple signaled his guards. One of them grabbed Straw and ran; Apple followed, while Vinegario was left with one guard who happened to be the first to die.
Duke Pine was fumbling blindly with the leather reins tied around a thick branch. His fingers were shaking so hard that he couldn't loosen the simple knot, his eyes wide with absolute panic as he kept glancing back at the bloody princess.
"Berry, I don't want to do this, but you leave me no choice…" Vinegario said. He shifted his weight, his boots digging into the dirt as he braced his body, holding his blade steady between his face and hers.
Berryanna tried walking in the direction where Straw was taken, but stepped directly into her path, shoving his shoulder into her chest to block her line of sight. She didn't even blink, her face remaining entirely cold as she adjusted her footing on the grass, her eyes still tracking the direction of the fleeing guard.
