How We Lost the War p1

Blood was dried on golden locks, matted and ugly, face made of sharp angles and pale skin smeared with dirt mixed with blood. Emerald eyes looked down at the crumbled figure in the dirt, her once pristine robes caked in that same dirt and blood, the sob that spilled from the slender figure was almost so quiet that Aurelius almost missed it.
But tears were no longer enough to sway him.
"Get up," he did not reach up to help her as he might have once had, the great sword made of twisting branches set with white gems was still pointed at her, a warning to move slowly. 
"Aure," Harlow said softly, eye finally looking up to meet his. "Please, everything I did, everything was for you," the words were choked out, her fingers curled into fists admits the mud. 
"Get up," The newly appointed king was ridged, fingers curled so tightly around the hilt of his blade that they ached. 
"Aure-" word were cut short by the strong hand that yanked Harlow from the mud, forcibly setting her on swaying legs. 
"I said, get up," He hissed, hand gone as quickly as it had arrived, "I am not going to kill you like a dog in the mud, have some fucking respect,"  the blade was no longer pointed at her, but the words still spoke to his intent. 
"I don't understand!" Harlow finally snapped,

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A