One Year Alone
"CHARLES! Charles, help me, please. Charles!"
Charles awoke with sweat rolling down his face. Blankets were pulled up to his chin and he could feel a cool rag on his head. He didn't even know where he was, but he knew he heard Olivia's voice. He started to sit up suddenly when a hand touched his shoulder.
"Lay still," a soft angelic voice said.
"Olivia," Charles said and found that his voice was so hoarse he could barely get her name out.
The voice never said anything. The room was so dark that there were hardly even shadows moving. He tried to sit up again and felt pain shoot all the way up his side. He growled as he fell back to the pillow. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and saw a young girl sit down by the bed. She was holding long white bandages and a large bowl of water.
"I told you to be still," she said, pushing some blonde hair from her face.
Charles looked at her for a long moment and felt his breath catch. He knew the girl who sat in front of him. She had been his prisoners for a few days. Her hair was pulled back in a simple braid. Her blue eyes seemed to be very tired. She had probably stayed up with him the whole time he had been like this; he didn't even know how long it was.
"Where is she?" Charles asked. "Is she here?"
The girl smiled sympathetically and shook her head. Charles felt something ache and was almost certain it was his heart. He stared at the wall for a long moment. Everything he wanted was somewhere else.
"Is she safe?"
"My Lord, I do not know," The girl said as she pulled the blankets down.
Charles watched as the girl had no problem touching his bare chest. He stared at the wound as memories flooded back to him. He could still feel the blade tear flesh. The girl was swift in cleaning and redressing it, but she was not gently. He winced every few minutes as he felt her press and pull.
"What is your name again?" Charles said through gritted teeth.
"Anna," she said without much thought to his pain.
Charles closed his eyes as Anna finished what she was doing. She turned to him and pulled the covers back up. He stared at her for a long time as she pressed another cold cloth to his head. He turned his head a little, trying to find some sort of comfort.
"Why are you helping me?" Charles asked suddenly.
Anna looked up from what she was doing and stared at him for a long time. It was almost as if she was trying to come up with the best answer. She let out a small breath. Charles looked up and waited for her to answer. She rose slowly and very silently. She walked from the room and came back a few minutes later. There was a tall, dark shadow following her. He tried to see who it was, but the darkness made it impossible to tell who it was.
"She is doing this for me," the shadow said from behind Anna.
Charles looked up suddenly. He knew that voice. It had been a long time since he had heard it, but he still knew it. He looked up to find the Lady Mary standing at the foot of his bed with a gentle and soft smile on her lips.
"I hired Anna to look after you when my Father informed me what had happened," Mary said as she sat down.
"My lady," Charles said. "I'm flattered."
Mary blushed a little and looked at him. "You have to get well Charles. Many things are changing, and you are needed."
Charles nodded. His side hurt so badly and all he could think of was seeing Olivia again. That was all he wanted. He closed his eyes, feeling sleep take over him. He had never been one for Court life and now he knew why. The subterfuge of it all was too much. He missed the simplicity of things when he was just the King's best friend.
It was two days before Charles awoke again. He found Mary sitting beside his bed with a small book in her lap. She looked like she had been reading most of the night. He ran a hand through his hair and found that he soaked in sweat. He sat up a little, looking down at his wound. The blood had finally stopped seeping out, and it seemed that it was finally healing. Mary was soon at his side and looked at the wound.
"You have been asleep for two days, your grace," she said simply.
Charles sighed a little. "I guess I needed that. Has my fever finally break?"
Mary nodded. She walked over to him and looked at his wound for a long time. Mary had always had healing hands. They felt cold against his skin, but he said nothing. She pulled the bandage away. Charles looked out the window. Winter was already here. There was a light snow falling over the gardens.
"Where I am?" Charles asked as Mary cleaned the wound.
"England."
"Whitehall or somewhere else?"
Mary nodded. "Whitehall."
Charles nodded and stared at the window. It had been late summer when Olivia was taken from him. He knew that when he was well again, Henry would send him back to France. He wasn't sure he could ever stand on French soil again and not be reminded of all he lost. He turned back to Mary.
"How is the King?" he asked, even though he didn't really care.
Mary smiled. "He's doing better than usual."
Charles nodded. He felt Mary press against his stomach and the rose from the bed. He couldn't even bear the thought of looking at her. So many secrets seemed to be swarm around her. If she knew of Anna, then she knew what Olivia was. He longed to ask her, but it didn't matter. He knew what she was. And he didn't care. He just wanted one chance to know if she was even alive.
"The King has been asking about you. I think you will be able to see him tomorrow."
Mary's words seemed to snap Charles back to where he wad and didn't want to be. He nodded a little and thought better of really answering. He didn't want to the King. He just looked at her for a long moment and then went back to thinking. The day passed without much thought of anything but what had happened. By night fall, he finally tried to stand up. It wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. His whole body was weak, but he managed to stand. He drug his body to the window and stared out. If the ghosts finally came for him, he would not have complained.
It was almost a year before Charles ever felt near to normal. Anna had stayed with him thorough all of it. Charles had thought about claiming her as mistress. However, that thought quickly disappeared. He couldn't think of anything worse than having all the questions that would come with that. Anna was also serving the Lady Mary, so it was easier to pass her off as someone else.
Now as he stood at another New Year's celebration, he thought of what this new year might bring. The court was not where he wanted to be. People were biting and spitting at one another worse than before. Although the King's health stayed well, everyone was planning what to do when things went wrong. He walked around the room. He didn't really care what was being said or not said. Lady Mary sent him a smile each time their eyes met. He couldn't resist her sweet and still innocent smile. He stopped for some wine when he heard a hush fall over the crowd. He turned to the entrance and found Lord Henry Howard standing there.
Howard wore in his finest clothes of gold, black, and dark blue. His long cloak flowed to the floor. He wore his coat of arms proudly. This wasn't strange. Howard was a very selfish man that loved to show off. The reason for the hush had fallen was there was a woman by his side. Her hair was pulled back from her face and curled tightly. She wore very fancy jewels that only a noble woman could afford. Her dress was the most elegant in the room. It moved with her body and flowed across the floor. She kept her face hid from him as she looked around the room. Finally, she turned. Charles felt his heart stop. He grabbed onto the table as his knees started to give way.
"Olivia," he whispered.
After he said the name, she looked at him. There was sadness in her eyes that Charles had never seen before. She was in a new prison. He stared at her for a long time until she looked away. Tears were in her eyes. Charles took a step forward and stopped when he saw Surrey's hand slide around her hip. He sat his goblet down hard on the table and walked out. Olivia was alive. She was safe and with that monster. He let the cold air wash over him as he stood on the balcony.
"Charles," a voice said behind him.
Charles turned to find the King looking at him with concern on his face. He let out a sigh. This wasn't what he wanted right now. Henry walked up to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Charles closed his eyes and looked out at the gardens.
"How are you feeling?" Henry asked.
"It's been a year, your majesty," Charles said simply. "But it still ails me sometimes."
Henry nodded. He had the old wounds too. He looked out over the snow and let out a loud sigh. Charles knew what was coming. Henry wanted another wife, and it seemed that he had to have Charles's permission for this. He looked at the King and gave him a slight smile.
"I see Lord Surrey got married," Charles said, gripping the rail tightly.
Henry looked at him for a long moment. "Her name is Olivia…"
"DeWinter," Charles finished.
Henry looked at him and then shook his head. "You must have her confused with someone else. Her name is Olivia Mallaric. She is from Paris."
Charles swore under his breath as he heard another fake name for the woman he loved. He could easily ruin her, but he couldn't bear the thought of seeing hurt in her eyes. He turned to the King and nodded.
"She looks like someone I used to know," Charles said softly.
To the king those words would have meant nothing, but to him they meant everything. He knew Olivia DeWinter. He knew most of her secrets. Or at least he thought he did. Henry looked at him for a long moment and let out a sigh.
"I know some of what happened in France," Henry said staring at Charles.
Charles looked up at him and felt something go through him. It wasn't fear. He didn't worry about what Henry might do to him. He was beyond that. Now, seeing Olivia with the one man that he did fear, was enough to make him almost embrace death. He finally turned to the King.
"Most of it was a mistake," Charles said.
"Do you love the woman?"
Charles felt his heart jump into his throat. The way Henry said that made him feel like they were both young again and talking about some simple maiden they want to bed. He was past that. He should have been past that years ago. He thought of Catherine. Everything had gone all wrong since she had left. Then the words Henry just said came back to him. There was no denying what he felt for Olivia. He loved her.
"Excuse me, your majesty," Charles said and walked back into the hall.
Olivia was nowhere in the room. He walked out and asked an attendant if he had seen her. The young boy was not very helpful, but he knew where she was. It took all it had for him not to run to the garden. He stopped at the entrance and looked around. A lone figure stood at roses. He could see the necklace sparkling in the moonlight. He took a step forward, snapping a root. The figured turned around.
"Olivia," Charles said.
Olivia stared at him for a long moment. He could see tears running down her cheek. He longed to rush to her and hold her. But the look on her face told him to stay where he was. She turned her back to him.
"Why didn't you send word you were safe?" Charles said, keeping his voice low.
Olivia looked at him. "Because I knew you were. I saw you three months ago in France. That's all that mattered to me."
Charles looked at her for a long moment. He took a deep breath, sending a silent prayer to the stars. He didn't want to ask the next question, but he needed to know the answer. He needed to be able to protect her.
"Did you really marry Surrey?"
Olivia turned around and shook her head. "It's a fraud. There is only a piece of paper that says we are, and it is only to present proof if we need it. I could never marry that man. I only came back in the hope that I would see you again."
Charles could bear it no longer. He had spent a year in Hell wondering if she was even alive. He ran to her and grabbed her more roughly than he meant to. He pulled her into his arm and placed the most powerful kiss on her that he could muster. No matter what had happened. He loved her, and he always would. He held the kiss for a long time and then looked at her.
"Tell me how to save you," Charles whispered. "I can't live like this."
Olivia looked at him. You will have to help me get Surrey out of the picture and for me to ever be completely free, we will have to kill my uncle."