Thought/Flashback/Dream
Chapter 2 - I Need You...
Isabelle closed her hands around the bracelet that her mother had given to her; she could remember her sister also receiving something similar in shape but more ornamented.
A single tear slid down through her smooth face, she had lost her mother and now lost her dear sister, companion for the small adventures and confident.
Elissa had been everything she was not, so strong and powerful in any way, so confident. Everything she had ever done seemed so effortless and Isabelle lived up to her.
She was in the castle garden, she knew that was where Elissa always found the calm she often sought and now Isabelle understood, it was so peaceful. As she glared at the sky and saw two birds flying free, Isabelle knew they had the freedom she had always wanted, the freedom her sister had always seeked, the freedom to be herself and make her own choices.
A smile appeared on her face when the young princess recalled the moments spent with her sister. She remembered clearly the times when Elissa dragged her to explore the market, fascinated with the people who always treated her with kindness and those who did not she always had words for all them. It was always required by their father that the two had to be accompanied by an escort, but Elissa just preferred the company of one single Knight and nothing more. Isabelle admired her; she had always known what to say to gain the things that she wanted from their father.
The young princess could remember what Elissa used to say about the people, she said that the people needed to know, by experience that she was a person like she needed to know them so they could see she was just like them, only with a very distint and powerful family.
There were those moments when Elissa preferred to go alone, in the market, hidden under a cloak to truly know people, it all started because Isabelle didn't like the constant presence of their guardians and to settle Isabelle, Elissa escaped the castle between giggles followed by the younger princess. Later they would be caught by Elmont, frustrated and with an angry look and he would take them right back to the castle but he could never be angry with the both girls and couldn't stop smiling when Elissa reported the adventures of the day.
What will I do without her?!
The smile that graced her face soon became sad, now she wouldn't have the constant companionship of her sister in the little adventures, wouldn't hear her smile or the fun way that she spoke with Elmont or how she fled with sweet words to the company of her fiance, Lord Roderick.
Isabelle had the idea that now that her sister was not present, that now that she was the heir, she was engaged to Lord Roderick... Now she was the only child... She didn't like him and always had the impression that her sister felt the same but her father trusted him, he would trust to him the kingdom and his daughter.
She heard the soft rustle of the grass announcing that someone was approaching, Isabelle wiped her face to hide any hint that she had been crying.
"I beg your pardon princess but the king send word to you" she looked to the knight who was now at her side. She looked to the haunted eyes of Elmont and briefly saw sadness mixed with a deep pain.
"Urgent?"
"No, I think not..."
"Then I would like to be here a little more..." Elmont nodded and started to walk away when Isabelle's voice stopped him "Elmont?" he looked at Isabelle, she wanted to ask what had happened that night but how could she? She remembered the day he had returned without Elissa, the look on his face, the desperation, the hearthache. He had seemed so lost, so dead.
"Yes?" the knight's voice broke her train of thought, she looked at him, even if his voice was calm and smooth she could see the light in his eyes was gone.
"How do you think she would react to all this?" her question was so innocent, simple and curious and he couldn't stop taking a defensive posture. Talking about her sister seemed to aroused in him a rigidity he never thought he had.
"What do you mean, princess?"
"How would she react if I died? Or father? What was her attitude before the engagement? How she received her responsibilities?" she shrugged defeated "I don't know... It seems I never truly knew her."
Elmont felt bad when he looked into her eyes; he rested a hand in her shoulder trying to calm Isabelle.
"You did but only as a sister and Elissa was more, much more. I don't know how she would react if you died but I think she would try to be strong..."
"She was strong"
"She was, but when the queen died sometimes she would allow herself to feel the pain. Elissa never wanted you to know how she struggled with her pain, she wanted to be strong for you and your father"
"And Roderick? she didn't like him, did she?" in that moment, Isabelle tried to remember the times when both her sister and Roderick would be together and she recall the discomfort visible in Elissa's eyes or even the forced smile she always adorned in her face. Isabelle couldn't remember any moment seeing her happy in the company of Lord Roderick, she seemed so diferent when her company was the Knight before her. Elissa had always adorned a smile in her face; she remembered her sister posture, so serene when she was with him.
Did she like him? ... What a silly thought, I think she would tell me if she did...
"Princess, it shouldn't be said such thing..." He smiled at her and a smile appeared on her face too, Isabelle knew what he meant. Such thought shouldn't reach Roderick's or her Father's ears, they wouldn't like "No, not like... not the way that you are asking..."
"I think she didn't like him at all" he laughed lightly and her smile widened, this passed days his laugh and easy smile had complitly dissapear, "But how could she think on marry him if she didn't love him?" Elmont realized she was still innocence, after so many years Isabelle still thought that marrige was made for two people deeply in love and she wouldn't, she couldn't believe diferently. Elissa had sheild her from the true purpose of her engagement with Roderick and as he stare at her, the truth was slowly sinking in her mind but he needed to make sure she understood.
"I must say Elissa confided to me once, didn't love him and if she had a say in it, she wouldn't marry Lord Roderick but she had a duty to the people and that was the only feeling she had for him... the only thing that made her go on, sometimes trying to make her father change his mind. I remembered... she wanted to show she could rule alone without needing a man beside her"
"That's why she wanted to go alone to strengthen the alliance with the northern kingdom?! She wanted to show she was capable..."
"That's why she accepted any of her responsibilities" Elmont spoke with pride, he was proud of the princess who, one day would have been his queen. He lowered his head.
She would have been an amazing Queen and I didn't get her to safety, I didn't, I...
"Elmont, how did she die?" His head rose surprised with the question and looked straight to the face of Princess Isabelle. That's what she sought to know from the start but didn't know how to put the question which she wanted to know desperately the answer.
The Knight swallowed, what she wad trying to find out would not make her happy, how didn't he predict that the conversation would lead to this question? Elmont took a step back to protect himself.
"Princess, this is something you don't want to know..."
"I want to know!"
"I'd rather not to..." she cut him.
"Tell me..." The Knight face became hard when she demanded.
"The King is waiting for you. Please forgive me..." With that, Elmont turned and left.
He didn't want to remember, didn't want to see her eyes frightened and demanding, her face lit by moonlight and the rain water mixed with her tears, didn't want to hear his name out of her mouth in a request lost in the darkness. His left hand closed around the sword he carried.
He would have traded sides with her if that was possible but he didn't had that option, he never had that option.
-/-
Heat... The Heat surrounded her.
She felt like she couldn't breathe, she screamed for help asking the heat to leave her but nothing happened. She wanted nothing more that cold, the cold air to involve and release her from the heat that threatened to kill...
Then she felt a pair of cold hands involveing hers and willingly accept them; they pulled her and released her and she screamed. Again the heat enveloped her and again she heard the cry of agony that slip from her mouth. And, again she felt hands but now were hot, hotter than the heat that surrounded her and the hands burn her skin, melting, she try to break free but she didn't have the strength that has necessary... She screamed when the hands wrap around her neck. She couldn't see, couldn't feel anything but the pain.
Then there was water surrounding her that she greatly welcome, the water only helped for a short time, she stopped receiving air and her lungs screamed in agony, she would have cry for help if she had some energy left in her body.
In the darkness she heard a faint voice that grew in tone, calling her. And the water turned soft like a lovers touch.
Elmont, I need you...
She only could think of him, now in the darkness, she hoped he would free her, would help her like he had always done.
She needed him.
