Disclaimers: I do not own anything out of Resident Evil. All of the contents belongs to Capcom.
Chapter VIII: Turn Around And Leave
'I suggest that you resign from being his stewardess as soon as you can.' - Piers Nivans
Raccoonia Castle
Jake Muller Wesker was impressed. Sherry had withstand him for nearly five days by now when he had expected himself to succeed in his secret mission to be rid of her in less than three days.
He had been ordering her since then, Jake meant business when someone had been accepted under his service.
Sherry had been running all over the castle to do works for the Prince; fetching his drink, fixing him food, heck, Jake even attempted to ask Sherry to bathe him (although the latter then said that it was merely a joke). And even if she had taken more than a while for her task, Jake would not waste the great opportunity to belittle her.
Maybe it was her punishment for getting too close to that puppy.
The young stewardess held back her tears. She was strong, she know that she could handle the Prince.
Seemingly not enough, Jake decided that he should put in more effort to his 'work' and now he scolded Sherry even for the most trivial things, picking the wrong color for for his attire (even if Jake didn't mind the color at all). He acted like a spoiled Prince, just so he can annoy the stewardess.
And for several days he had made Sherry to join him at the wall of the castle and the lakeside to sleep, one of the coldest places in the Palace. Jake reminding her to be his wake up call. Eventually, this forced Sherry to stay awake and watch him sleep so that she won't oversleep.
Everyday was like hell for her.
Sherry had lost count of the days that he had to chase the Prince around the Palace and never letting him off her sight, which was proven a difficult task to do since Jake was avoiding her on purpose. Even when she had him nearby, Jake would lash out on her - telling her she was annoying, telling her that she was a nuisance, everything that lowers one's self-esteem.
So when one morning after she had made the hot bath and breakfast for the Prince, Sherry finally had some room to breathe when Jake ordered her to wash his clothes.
Tiredly, she went down the courtyard where the well was located and she was happy to find that Sheva, Deborah and Helena were there. There were chatting down something as they did the laundry and when they saw the haggard Sherry standing there, they were more than shock to greet their seemingly 'old friend' whom they hadn't seen in a while.
Dumping the piece of cloth back to the basin, Sheva quickly came up to Sherry and stroked her tired cheek, "My goodness, Sherry... what had the Prince done to you?"Sherry smiled and shrugged, truly, she couldn't find words to describe how the Prince had made her went through, "Did he overwork you?"
"No. Not overworking because I can still handle myself, he just made me do a lot of work but I am alright, really." Sherry smiled insincerely, putting her basin down full with men's clothing.
Sheva kindly offered her water to Sherry so that she wouldn't need to draw another bucket herself. Hers was almost done anyways so she might as well help the poor girl out. It's only been five days since Sherry had left them and she had changed too much for one in five days - she had lost some weight and she looked more tired than she had before.
Ignoring Sherry's protest, Deborah and Helena grabbed some of the clothes in Sherry's basin to be washed. In return, Sherry threw them all a thankful look through her droopy eyes.
"I felt bad for you, Sherry. To be serving under that..." Deborah glanced around her surrounding to make sure no one was watching them, "devil."
"I am fine. I can still put up to him. " Sherry reinforced herself, "His Highness is still bearable at times."
Helena quirked an eyebrow perplexedly, "What do mean by 'bearable at times'?"
The blonde bit her lips and a small curve forming on the corner of her lips, "I don't know, although The Prince might be... hard at times, but he did listen to me but rarely," A short silence and Sherry continued, "somewhat I can see that he's doing everything on purpose. "
"On purpose?" All three echoed Sherry's last words.
So, she was forced to elaborate, "My instincts told me that the Prince... how do I put this... his Highness gave me a hard time on purpose."
"Hmm..." It was the first time that Sherry had seen the bright and carefree Sheva Alomar and Deborah Harper to be frowning (Helena was an exception because she frown most of the time), they were deep in thought as they nimble fingers scrubbed through the grime on the clothes and linen. Sheva was the first who spoke, "From what you had said, Sherry... I was thinking about something. Maybe the Prince-"
Deborah interrupted eagerly, "What?"
"Was a sadist. He simply love inflicting pain onto people."
Sherry giggled at Sheva's theory, well, a joke actually. The Prince wouldn't be a sadist, no matter how mean he was.
"I think the Prince simply wants to get rid of you." The more rational and mature Helena suggested. It drew Sherry's interest and so did Deborah and Sheva. Helena explained her theory, "From what I've heard, The Prince was a very independent man, Kevin said that he called every single knight as 'dogs' or 'puppies' for the lower rank. And for us ladies in waiting, he refer us as 'bitch'."
Legit enough.
"The word he chose obviously tell us that he didn't like anyone following him at all." Helena concluded.
But there was still something that the twenty-one did not understand: from what she had observed during her five days under his service, Prince Wesker despise not only the knights and the maids. He hated every human being, including his own mother and his King father. She remember when General Chris talked to Prince about the King once, Jake included a lot of venomous words.
And the Prince hadn't visit the Queen at all.
But she let the questions playing in her mind to die there, her three best friends shouldn't know her problems. They had shared her burdens enough and Sherry didn't want to trouble them further.
She wasn't really paying much attention to the conversation until Deborah suddenly said her name, "If sis' theory was right, Sherry," The younger Harper's gaze was hard and firm, "Then you really should humor the Prince, and leave."
The Prince's stewardess blinked, "Why so?"
"If he wanted dispose of you that badly, The Prince might do anything. He might hurt you just to get to that."
Sherry shivered slightly upon Deborah's warning. Her ears later rang with Sheva's and Helena's encouragement to Deborah's coaxing, but she had heard none, just the subtle parts.
Maybe they were right.
If their theory was proven true, then she would risk having the Prince to harm her. He was already torturing her in regular basis. Maybe he'll hurt her physically someday. Or maybe mentality.
Maybe he will do what he did to the latest victim who was rumored to had been...
For the first time in five days, Sherry considered the Queen's and Valentine's offer when she was first introduced to Jake Wesker. If there was the time when she could no longer stand up to the Prince, she may 'talk' to them.
And she will be free from the Prince.
But was she really this weak to surrender?
Rear Castle, Evening
Sherry paced down the hallway quickly, hoping that the Prince was still in his room but she guessed that he wouldn't be. After all, it's all hyper running in his veins. Her bucketful of fresh laundry swayed left and right and she walked, completely unaware that one of the article was dangling at the edge of the pile and was about to fall to the carpet floor.
It did.
And the clueless Sherry kept walking.
"Miss Sherry!"
The young stewardess turned around and was greeted once again by that handsome knight, in his hand was the dropped piece of pants belonged to the Prince. Piers Nivans smiled kindly, offering the clothing and placed it back to her pile, "You dropped this a while ago." She smiled just as meekly, thanking him and he opted for a conversation like all gentleman did.
"A errand for his Highness?" He started sheepishly. Sherry nodded politely, "Yes. Just some laundry. I am on my way back to the Prince."
"Oh," Piers shrugged, he did saw the bucket of clothes she hung on her arm, "Did you need a hand?"
"No, I'm fine." Sherry smiled even more warmly at his offer.
Then Piers shifted awkwardly, using the intervals of 'uh's and 'ah's as if he didn't know how he should proceed with the conversation. But he knew he got to make something up before Sherry bid for her leave. The blonde easily noticed that, so she tilted her head slightly to her side and broke the bubbles for him, "Is there something you needed to ask me about, sir Nivans?"
"Piers," he corrected, "and... yes. I wanted to ask you... about the Prince."
The Prince again?
And Piers feigned coughing several times before he stood ready, "Helena spoke to me yesterday, she said that you changed a lot ever since you served the Prince."
"Helena?"
Piers nodded, "The castle was actually a small world. Helena and her sister Deborah were actually my childhood friends before I left Tall Oaks to Raccoonia. Never thought we would end up in the same place. Back to topic, about the Prince..." the knight stopped, trying to find the suitable words to continue, "I suggest that you resign from being his stewardess as soon as you can."
Sherry watched him with her mouth slightly gaped, 'Even this honest young man?' "Why would you suggest this, sir Nivans?"
"Piers." He corrected for the second time, and he looked around himself to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping "Between you and me, I think that the Prince... is dangerous."
She had heard that for countless times, "How so?"
"Truthfully, I don't know. But there's just something I can't explain about him that makes him very dangerous. I am not green in this castle and surely I had heard a lot about him, but all of them was on the negative. For your own sake, miss Sherry, you should consider about leaving the Prince's service."
The friendly gaze he was giving her had turned cold and dead serious. Sherry averted her gaze with his and focused onto the clothing she was holding, "I see. Thank you for telling me that... I will consider about it, um... Piers." She said his first name awkwardly, feeling strangely easy to address a ranked knight as himself so casually.
Then Piers' smiled gladly to her, the hard looks on his eyes returned to his original flame, "Of course, the Harpers is your friends and mine too. So we are basically friends."
"I would say 'friend of friend'. But you're right; we are now friends." The giggles of hers made Piers mimicked it too, "Right on, 'friend'."
"Sherry!"
The thundering roar of the voice she knew very much made Sherry startled, Piers only flinched slightly before turning to his side at the same direction as the woman. Jake Wesker was approaching them with a dark look on his blue orbs. He glared at Piers first, like a hungry hound to his prey, then he switched it to the feared Sherry. For whatever reason, he was angry and his piercing stare looked like he was going to swallow her whole.
She held her breath to whatever kind of verbal wrath he was about to give her. But Jake said nothing as he walked away wordlessly and very, very irritated.
Sherry quickly bid Piers farewell and ran after the leaving man, not even bothering to hear his response.
The Queen's Hall, Evening
Ebony and ivory keys were now complemented by two pale and frail hands as the fingers pressed onto the keys gently. Gabrielle played flawlessly, not a single note was missed nor having them wrong. Jill accompanied her mistress as the Queen played a soft sad tune.
For this evening, Gabrielle decided to pour all her depression onto the instrument that she loved and knew so much. The stewardess only watched sadly when Gabrielle finished with a song, and flipped the music sheet to the next page, starting another gentle lullaby.
It was until somewhere in the middle of the song when Jill got lost into it, a sharp disjointed sound was produced, making the lady frightened and she immediately came to a stand. One trembling hand was pressed against the keys for support and the other was covering her mouth, Gabrielle coughed harshly, one that was much worse than those five days ago.
Valentine wasted no time to be with her Queen's side, her hand stroke her back and the other was on Gabrielle's shoulder, "Are you alright, your Highness?" She was so concerned and worried. Ever since the consult with the two doctors, Jill had never let Gabrielle out of her sight. Gabrielle hummed lowly when the coughing stopped, then placed her hand on top of Jill's, "I'm fine, my dear." She reassured, and Jill was not convinced by the reassurance at all.
Five days ago after Doctor Rebecca Chambers and Doctor George Hamilton had discovered, Queen Gabrielle had requested them to keep it as a secret to everyone, specifically her husband and her son. Though reluctantly, Rebecca complied to the Queen's request and she faked a medical report to the King, stating that it was only a mere infection. "The King shouldn't have to worry about my condition. He have much more things to be worried about. Raccoonia's welfare, for an instance." She had quoted that day, "I should not trouble him with such trivial matter."
But when the faithful Valentine inquired about the Prince, Gabrielle gave no answer.
To their advantage, it seemed the Prince had no interest to visit the Queen too.
Gabrielle removed her hand from her lips, but she regretted it as soon as she saw the color on her palm.
Red. Blood red.
Jill gasped as her eyes widen like a saucer, Gabrielle had just spat blood, "My Queen, forgive me for saying this again but the Prince had to know!" Now she stressed out her conscience, "Prince Wesker must know of your infliction! The King might not care but I am certain the Prince will!" For five days, Jill Valentine had been persuading the Queen to reveal the cancer to her son but to no avail.
Gabrielle waved off the idea, with Jill's assistance, she was bade to sit at the couch as Jill used her handkerchief to wipe the blood away from her palm, "Jake should not know about this. I do not need him to worry about me. He had enough to worry about."
"He has nothing to worry about... He had not a single interest in politic nor his father's business. To anything at all, not even himself. What does he have to worry-" The stewardess countered.
"He is my flesh and blood, Jill. My son. I know what he was worrying about." Gabrielle cut her off weakly, her energy sapped, "Jake was worrying about how to move on. I know that he can't bear to stay the same man as he is now for ever. And if he know about this, think of how he would react."
Jill could only imagine two scenarios. One; Jake would probably cause a mayhem. Two; he might as well leave and never to see the ailing Queen again. Jake Wesker was unpredictable, anything could happen.
"But we can't hide this forever. He will know of this sooner or later. And I daresay he will be so much angrier if he knew we hide this from him."
Gabrielle smiled, "I will think of something."
And Jill still would not believe that Gabrielle could.
As the beautiful but drained Queen gazed out the window, one thought went across her mind, 'I only hope that Sherry can make a difference of him before my death. I know she can.'
Rear Castle, Night
After the short meeting with Albert Wesker, Chris was once again met with Jill who was waiting for him anxiously. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap and when she saw the bulky general coming out of the hall, she literally stumbled her way to him as if she had so many things to say to him.
But when she was facing Chris directly, her tongue tied on its own accord. She only stared at the Raccoon emblem tattered on Chris's armor.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about, miss Valentine?" He asked gently, a small smile forming on his lips.
Without saying anything, Jill grabbed his hand and pulled his heavy body away from the kings's hall where Albert was sitting inside. Chris obeyed her tugging silently, but he was still surprised by her drastic actions. They had met like these a lot of times, but never having the woman dragging him away somewhere.
When they had reached somewhere far from the King and from people, then she dared to speak, "General..." Her voice was shaky and Chris knew she was holding back her tears by the hoarseness of her voice, "Do you... do you think the King still love his Queen?"
Chris was taken aback by her sudden question but he made no move to show it, instead he wore his stoic face. His lips were made into a fine line and Chris shook his head honestly, "No. I don't think so. Not with that Excella bitch around."
"Excella?"
"You should have- shouldn't see how she was acting right now. She spoke like she had already replaced Queen Gabrielle." Chris made a scornful smirk, "After the King somewhat 'entertained' her bitchy implications."
Then, Jill looked to the ground sadly. 'I knew I am right about the King. He had broken his promise to visit the Queen. He love her no more.'
"Is it something happened to the Queen?" Chris inquired, the way Jill looked at him in bewilderment made Chris believe what he was guessing was correct.
It does matter the Queen.
Valentine sighed, she couldn't lie to him now so she said, "I am so sorry, General, but I cannot tell you about this. I promised the Queen I will not tell." She silently hoped that Chris will not interrogate her about it and she got her wish; Chris nodded affirmatively and smiled sincerely.
"I understand. If that is your wish then I will honor it, miss Valentine." He looked down at her shorter height, "But you know that you can come talk to me anything, didn't you, miss Valentine?"
Upon hearing his offer, Jill smiled back to him that evening and what happened next wasn't what Chris had ever expected. Stretching her slender body upwards, Jill timidly peck the General's hard cheek and blushed furiously.
Chris could only stare at his best friend with widen eyes and his expression was simply priceless.
"Thank you, Chris. And... good night."
With that, Jill ran off away from him before her face redden any further in front of the valiant general.
Touching the small spot that her lips had just touched, Chris grinned idiotically and spoke to no one in particular.
"You are welcome."
A.N: Chris/Jill, they are actually my second in my 'Most favorite couple of RE', first is of course Jake/Sherry! :D
Oohhh, Piers is flirting with Sherry again, not intentionally though. They were just chatting up. And anyone of you are wondering why Jake was so angry? :D
And I have a lot of comment (PMs as well) why Gabrielle kept her infliction from Jake. You see, a lot of people handled their terminal disease very differently. Some are very open about it, some are not. Gabrielle was the kind whom she didn't want to trouble her family with her matter, hope this chapter explained the confusion. I have a reason to describe her this way.
