Hello! So this chapter is a bit different than what you might expect. It's sad of course but we are finally getting to a better ending for Rachel. I hope you like it and thank you for all the feedback!
"YOU WHAT?!" Rachel screamed at the King. She was angry, mortified, almost speechless. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Look Rachel, that's why I need your help," he said calmly.
"I would have agree to help you if you didn't kidnap me and didn't threaten me for half my life!" she yelled. She was now standing, head over the King with hands on her hips. Her lips pursed, her eyes crossed at him, her nostrils flaring. it was eating her from the insides.
He just looked at her with deep sadness. His eyes were bottomless pits, with hopelessness, no direction or way to go. He couldn't look at her but Rachel was sure to force the eye contact as she continued to break the window to his heartless soul.
"It was a mistake, Rachel, please you are the only one who can help me," he begged. Begged, he had to stoop that low. He used to be so high, and powerful, or was he? He had only riches and fame, with no reason at all.
"How could you? This is worse than what you have done to me and I hope you realize that the way you treated me was horrible! How dare you! You should be ashamed," she boomed. She paced around the room inside the boat. The small waves crashed softly on the sides which helped her calm down but it wasn't even worth the breathing technique. Nothing could cure her anger after hearing this.
"I was so angry at my staff that they would let you leave...that they got you out. That's my job!" he said trying to explain himself. Rachel just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "When there was a fire in the kitchen, I didn't mean to kill t-them, the fire was an accident but Rachel, I-I admit it! Okay? I admit that I was able to save them and I p-purposely didn't. I now have n-no staff, no followers, and now I am g-going to get killed b-because there are people surrounding every inch of the castle ready to k-kill me," he said sobbing on the floor. Rachel just turned around. She couldn't even look at him. Her friends, were gone, they were killed. She didn't feel sorry for him at all.
"You think I am going to pity you now?" she asked rhetorically while turning around. He sobbed even harder. She was standing over him while he was balled up on the floor. "I hope those townsmen beat you instead of shoot you because I rather you suffer than die at all. I want you to feel the pain I felt for years. I want you to know what it's like to be at the bottom."
"Kill m-me," he whispered. It was so quiet Rachel was almost sure she couldn't hear it. Was he not being that selfish King he always was?
"Excuse me? I will most certainly not kill you because you are just taking the easy way out of this. You put yourself in the boiling water, now find away to turn off the flame," she stomped. She took advantage of the moment to kick his abdominal to which he cried in pain. She smiled at herself and sat down. "You deserve every single curse, every single beating, every single threat put on you when we come back. I hope you know that."
He just nodded while tears streaming down his face. "I'll-I'll do anything Rachel, anything!" He rocked back and forth.
"Anything, huh?" she smiled evilly.
"Y-yes, please Rachel, anything to get forgiveness and for you to help me," he begged.
"For one it is Miss Rachel. And two you will do everything I say from this point on. Understand?" She asked squatting down to his level on the floor. He nodded slowly but shakily from crying. He looked up with red rimmed, puffy eyes and bit his lip. "I want you to go tell the guards that I am in charge now and bring Noah, and the Brenners here now. What I say goes," she said pointing a finger at the door. He slowly got up and made his way to the door. "And I need a thank you before you leave."
"T-thank you MIss Rachel," he said with a shaky breath. Rachel nodded approvingly, also meaning a 'your welcome,' and let him walk out the door. She sat herself down on the chair exhausted from all the yelling. Her head beat with sweat, it was so hot in the boat. She hoped they would be back soon.
"Miss Rachel, I did as you asked," the King said while coming back. He went through a large coughing fit and then sat down on the floor. "They are coming. They first wanted to untie th-themselves." She nodded and waited for the three others to come in. When Noah walked in first she flung herself to him and kissed him.
"I'm glad you are okay," she said softly. He nodded and whispered the same to her. They maintained eye contact for what seemed like eternity until the King had to clear his throat from all the sobbing he was swallowing down.
The older couple slowly walked in with much fear in their eyes. They weren't used to this, they weren't used to any King at all. Rachel's heart broke, why did they have to go through this too?
"Alright, from now on, I am now Queen. He is no longer King," she said looking in the King's direction. He nodded sadly. "You have done enough trouble in a life time and nobody need this anymore. Nobody ever needed it.
"Once this boat reaches a stop at the end of the river and at the town, we will all exit, me first, and we will have the King's hands tied in the back to show the people he is no longer in charge. Once I enter the castle, I will dress for occasion to speak for the people. I am going to turn this town to what it needs to be." They all nodded at her directions and confidence.
"A Queen can't just be the only monarch. That's against the law!" the King protested. Well former King now.
"Did you not hear what I said before!? /I/ say what's going to happen, not you!" Rachel yelled back. "And for now on I will call you by your name and not something as foolish as 'King' because you NEVER led up to that title Michael Winster, ever!" Rachel practically screamed. Noah even seemed angry. "And don't you forget, you were the one to screw things up!"
He was quiet, he knew she was right. Rachel couldn't imagine what Noah was feeling. His friends were dead, and they knew him better than she did. The staff practically grew up together. Her heart sank at the thought of it.
"Apologize!" Noah barked. It was the first word he as said since they left the other town.
"I'm sorry Miss Rachel," he sobbed again. Rachel just nodded. She couldn't say anything else. This man was crying in front of her, begging for forgiveness. How could she forgive a man who wouldn't give food for her father who then died, who raped her, who humiliated her, who allowed everything to fall apart in front of his own eyes, who even killed such innocent people in a kitchen fire? How can she forgive him?
"Everyone just leave me. I want to think about things for myself right now. You all know the drill for tomorrow, please rest, it is going to be a long day," Rachel said dismissing them. The three of them walked out of the room. Rachel sat herself against the closed door and cried openly. She couldn't believe this. It was just too much.
Noah was listening at the other end of the door. He just wanted to scoop Rachel up in his arms and hug her until her face became blue, kiss her until her lips became bruised and red, love her until the day he dies. He knocked softly on the door, but immediately regretted this. He knew she wanted to be alone.
"Noah?" Rachel asked while lifted her head from her hands while hugging her knees closer to her chest.
"Rach, can I come in?" he asked in almost a whisper. She nodded but then remember that he couldn't see her so she got up and opened the door. When she face Noah, he engulfed her in a heart warming hug. "You were so brave today," he soothed while rubbing small circles on her back. She cried freely in his shirt.
"I can't do this. I act so tough but I can't," she confessed. She bit her lip and looked up into Noah's eyes. "How am I going to lead the whole town? I know I have to because I was born for this but I don't know if I can," she said while Noah wiped her tears.
"Remember what I told you along time ago? When you were able to get the King- Winster under your boot?" she just shook her head no.
"I said you would be a great Queen and I meant that Rachel. You would be the best Queen to ever walk on this planet," he said while looking into her eyes. She nodded and kissed his cheek, something familiar to them. It showed a thank you. It showed that she needs him now for than anything. It showed that she loves him, no matter what happens.