Chapter 7: The day shone bright through the window as a weak, but well rested Adelaide sat up in her ridiculously sized bed that she could probably get lost in. Her head still had remnants of a throbbing pain, but otherwise the younger Pierce girl felt quite good. She stretched out her arms and smiled to herself. She felt giddy and she wasn't exactly sure why she did. Her arms came down slowly and one brushed against a small table near the bed. A white note fell softly to the ground and Adelaide carefully picked it up. Good morning, Addie. The Queen requests that if you are well enough to fetch her plants that will enhance her appearance. I am sorting dresses in a separate area with Jane Seymour. I will come to visit you by the end of the day. Much love, Katherine. And do not forget to eat your breakfast. Adelaide sighed, but she knew that part of her duties was to try her best to help even when she was a bit weak. And it wasn't like she was being put up to something that will tire her from limb to limb. A few minutes past and she made up her mind, getting out of bed and taking a warm bath that the maid helped with. She then changed into an elegant, yet plain green dress and ate her food. An entire hour finished before she got herself outside with a basket in hand. Remembering how she had wanted to learn more about plants this way she decided to take her job seriously and pick good herbs for Anne. Walking like a dream through the plants, Adelaide checked them for all sorts of things, from smell to strange colorings. For a long time, Adelaide had believed she could never find happiness in a place as cold as where she was and that had certainly proved correct. But there were small things such as plants and perhaps Niall Danbury that brought her comfort when all she really wanted was the warmth of Winchester. Her eyes carefully scanned her assorted array of plants in her basket when she heard a cough at her shoulder. She whipped around, startled to see another lady-in-waiting at her shoulder.
"Hello, Adelaide," she said, but her voice was frantic and scared. Adelaide searched her eyes for the answer but all she could see was fear.
"What is it, Arabell?" she asked the girl, who could barely and older than her.
"I'm not exactly sure… it's Elin Danbury, though. She attempted to kill the Queen." In her head Adelaide almost laughed at that because so many people would have praised Elin for killing "the goggle-eyed whore." But then the fear of what the girl had tried to do burst into Adelaide. That was more than just any kind of danger. She was putting her head under the axe.
"Are you sure? What has happened to her?" Adelaide was quick to ask the right questions so that she couldn't sound one-sided on either side of this. Arabell's hands shook violently. Adelaide took the girl's hand to steady it.
"She's not…it's not…" Arabell stammered in confusion and fear. Adelaide nodded, begging the other girl to go on. "Elin is not human." That stopped Adelaide. Arabell was mad; she should have seen it in the beginning. Either that or she wanted to trick Adelaide.
"Arabell…"
"I swear Adelaide, ask anyone who was there. Ask the Queen. Ask your Jane Seymour or Lily Howard or any lady-in-waiting. Ask your sister! She'll tell you and…and I know you'll believe her." Adelaide stared at Arabell, trying to understand what the girl was trying to say. Elin Danbury was not human? Then another thought struck her. If she's not human, then what about Niall? This is all lies. What complete blasphemy is this?
"Arabell…where is Elin now?" Adelaide finally asked.
"She ran…escaped…just as we all caught her…fangs sticking out…ready to strike…" the other girl's voice broke into hysterical sobs.
"Come Arabell. Why don't we get you something hot to drink and then to eat…" But her voice was cut off when a figure lunged at Arabell and grabbed her with such precise accuracy it stunned Adelaide. Trying to recollect her thoughts and vision, Adelaide bent down to help her but instead she felt faintish and completely awed. There was Elin below drinking the life out of the other girl. Adelaide took a step back and fell into a thorn bush. Her scrapes led to slight breathing and she held her breath. Elin stood up to face her, blood leaking from her jaw, her face contorted from its regular beauty and her hair waving wildly around her face. She was already like this and she couldn't help herself… just one more was all she could think of when Adelaide let out a piercing scream. Elin glared at her, focused her victim, and lunged. Adelaide felt sick before the fangs even hit her neck and the next thing she knew everything went completely black.
There was screaming like usual. Katherine was screaming like a furious mad woman which is what she was. And she was not inclined to deny it. Everything was completely preposterous and it all didn't make a bit of sense to her. Not of it did…her life seemed to be driven to insanity because nothing could be explained. Adelaide sat bolt right in the bed and into the familiar scene of the doctor, Katherine, but this time a few other courtiers stood at the doorway. Adelaide stared up at Katherine who was fuming uncontrollably and then her hand went instinctively to her neck. There was nothing there- could she have imagined the whole thing. One of the courtiers must have understood what was going through her head and reported grimly,
"The attacker was pulled away last minute. Arabell Earleville, however, died from the loss of blood."
"Loss of blood!" Katherine finally exploded. "She was completely drained. If it wasn't for Elin's own brother we all would be dead by now. He turned her in… said that things happened to her when she was little. She was changed." Her beautiful eyes turned upon the courtiers in an inquiring look. "The family has to be investigated," she added.
"Peace, my dear," another one said. "The Danburys show no sign of this…this…corrupt ways that have unfortunately taken the girl. Lord Danbury and his mother are perfectly fine, though now have a ruined reputation because of this…scandal." The doctor sighed and furrowed his brow,
"What concerns me most is the manner they had to kill her in…"
"What do you mean?" Adelaide whispered hoarsely, horror images taking over her mind. Katherine bent low and put a hand on her sister's cheek.
"The manner of which she died, Addie," she said. "Niall had to kill Elin because he said that execution wouldn't work. He had to use a special knife and drive it through a special area in her body…he called it a stake…" The courtiers all looked worried, the doctor wary, but Adelaide looked downright horrified. What if there were more of Elin and what if there was something Niall and his family were not saying…
