Chapter 24
And he dies
She dumbed her white shiny high heels in a corner while her heart felt like it was about to jump of her chest making her breathing process a lot harder. She looked behind her quickly before lifting her white dress that was now stained with red marks of blood and took off running once again,
She didn't know where she was heading, but she was still inside the castle and she needed to find a way out. Any way.
"MILEY!" his voice thundered not so far away, she gasped and attempted to run faster turning a random corner to find herself in the wide hall of the first floor and soon she bumped into a hard chest.
"Miley," he wrapped his hands around her.
"JOE." She said surprised and relieved at the same time.
"What's wrong?"
"He's coming." She said as if remembered suddenly and took his hand and started running once again.
"Who are you running from?"
A gunshot was loudly heard behind them as she screamed and ran faster while Joe looked behind him and widened his eyes and kept running with her,
"Oh, God!"
Within seconds they were at the big doors of the castle building where they were forced to stop due to another gunshot coming from outside. It was aimed at Jacob who barely missed it and then suddenly them man who shot him was on the floor covered in his own blood.
They looked to the direction where the bullet came from, and there she was with Prince Harry, "Taylor." Miley squealed and ran towards the girl who looked really relieved to see her alive and hugged her tightly.
"MILEY!" she cringed again and hugged Taylor tighter as they looked towards the entrance of the castle where Joe was blocking the view trying to get rid of the guy.
"You have done enough already." He screamed.
"Get out of the way, Joe, you don't understand."
Miley buried her head in Taylor's shoulder and tried to walk away with her.
"Everybody freeze!"
Suddenly everyone was quiet and she looked up to see Paul holding a gun from the other side across from her and pointing it towards the now crowded front. The few moments she closed her eyes, she missed the arrival of Demi, Kevin, Liam, Robbie and Nick.
Miley really didn't want to be near any of the last three men mentioned there. She just wanted to somehow close her eyes and fall asleep until everything is over.
This was so tiring.
"Paul, please!"
"PLEASE? No way! She ruined my perfect dream."
"She's carrying your grandson."
"I don't want it to be from her." He said madly pointing his gun towards Demi who was standing there wide eyed.
"No, dad. I'll not let you hurt her." Joe stood in the way.
"Move, Joseph."
"No."
"MOVE."
"No."
"Enough of your craziness." Liam screamed shooting a bullet in the air shutting Paul up. "I have nothing to do with this crazy stuff. This is my wedding you ruined!"
"You fucking still think she wants to marry you!" Nick screamed at him.
"Shut the fuck up, Nick!" Liam yelled back this time aiming a bullet a few inches away from him.
"Oh, really?" Nick shot him another one.
Miley was watching horrified in Taylor's arms. Demi who was a few steps away from them reached over to them and pulled them away when the place was turned into another battle. They kept hidden as everyone out there was trying to kill each other somehow managing not to get shot at the same time.
Gunshot.
Gunshot.
Scream.
Gunshot.
Yelp.
Gunshot.
Gunshot.
Gunshot.
Scream in pain.
Thud.
"NOOOO!"
The place went quiet once again when he was lying on the ground with the blood leaving his warm body through a burning hole in his head.
27 hours earlier…
She is going crazy. Her so called wedding is tomorrow. And she has nothing to do, all she knows is that she can't get married. Not to Liam. And not that next day.
She took big crazed steps towards a room she has been dreading to visit lately. But, Miley knows that she can count on Taylor.
She knocked hurriedly and opened the door forgetting the rules of waiting for a permission. "Miley?" Taylor stood up from her bed wide eyed looking at her childhood friend nervously.
"Taylor. I know you are still mad at me –well, us. But, I have been giving you space and I really need you now."
"Miley, I don't think it-"
"Taylor, please. I'm sure you heard. I know my dad asked you to stay. To be a bridesmaid, but, I can't do it."
"Can you just-"
"Come on, Taylor, help me out here. I can't marry Liam!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I will come back later…"
Miley spun around to look at the door only to see it was Prince Harry. Did he just enter without knocking at all? No, she must have been just so freaked out that she didn't hear him.
Harry soon disappeared behind the door closing it after him leaving Miley wide-eyed and with a throbbing heart. Yet, she just turned to Taylor not willing to ask about him; her mind was so occupied that a simple detail like Harry bargaining into Taylor's room like this didn't attract her attention.
"Are you still mad at me?" Miley asked her almost desperately.
Somehow Taylor seemed a little more relaxed now and sighed sitting herself and Miley down on a couch next to the window, "I'm not mad at you, Miley. It's just so big that I wish you at least bothered to tell me."
"I know, I know, Tay, and I'm so so sorry. And Demi would be too."
"I just… you know- I was trying to work it out with him. I was trying to make myself love him. You would have eased it out on me so much if you told me."
"We were just so afraid. And rushed. And confused. And I still am."
"Still?" Taylor frowned.
"I wonder if it was the right thing to do." Miley nodded looking down only to look up at her a second later with tears in her eyes, "I can't marry Liam, Tay. I can't become a Queen."
"Oh, Mi."
"You know it's not me at all."
"Miley, you know what happens in the Kingdom and-"
"It's his fault. He announced a war he knows he can't go through. Not right now. He lied to people about Demi and it made them lose all trust in him… and he then throws it all on me. I can't handle this."
"Can't Liam find a solution?"
She shook her head, "He said he loves me and wants to marry me…"
"Then, he's not going to hurt you at least…"
"But, I don't love him, Tay. Plus, he sounded scary when he said this. I don't wanna marry him, and I don't know what to do."
Taylor frowned while wrapping her arms around Miley who threw herself on her for a hug. "Scary…"
"I don't know what to do. Help me, please, Taylor."
"Miley, be logical. What do you think you can do? You can't escape like Demi did, because it's one hundred percent sure that your father is guarding the castle very well."
"I know. I will… I will tell him everything. I will tell him that I will not marry Liam and that I love someone else, and he can throw me in prison if he wants… or even kill me, but I'm not going to marry Liam."
"Wait. You said you love someone else?"
"Yeah…" she replied with her cheeks reddening.
"Then why don't you marry him?" Taylor beamed, "The point of marriage is that you are a Queen with a King."
Miley gave a sarcastic laugh, "He's the last person on earth I could get married to."
Taylor raised a sarcastic eyebrow, "Is it Joe?"
Miley smiled, "No, well, then, second to last."
"Miley, no one is worse than Joe." She rolled her eyes then realized, "Unless…"
"Nick? Yeah."
"Oh my God!" Taylor clapped her hands over her mouth, "What is it with you guys?"
"Forbidden love." Miley rolled her eyes partly sad and partly sarcastic.
"This is…" Taylor shook her head, "I mean I thought there might be something between you two at first, but, when you told me about Demi and Joe I thought maybe that was it."
"You did?"
"Yeah, ever since the ball when you ended up drinking with him. But, I actually shook it off, and then the day I saw you two here before you told me everything."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It was only logical to think so." She shrugged, "Does he love you back?"
Miley bit her lip, "He told me so last night… but, Liam almost swears that he doesn't."
"Why would Liam say that? I know he has feelings for you and all, but still this doesn't give him the right to speak of Nick's feelings."
And so, Miley with no hesitation told her Nick's and hers story. Her liking him, then Nick declaring his feelings for her sister, then not liking him, then being friends, then having the feelings coming back. And then, last night.
"Wow."
"Yeah,"
"You guys really do have unique stories!" She scrunched up her nose in a way that made Miley laugh, "Well…"
"What?"
"I know a little about Nick, but… I don't think he'd tell you he likes you unless he is sure. I don't think he would ruin a friendship for a fling. Nick worship friendship and even though he claims there is no such thing as love… but he also worships the idea of love."
"So, you think Liam is wrong?"
"Did he make you hesitant about Nick?"
Miley was taken aback by that question, but she still shook her head, "Well, no. But-"
"I'm sorry, but everybody is ready for you at your room, Princess. To get ready." A maid knocked on the door and entered hurriedly looking in a hurry, "The Queen has been looking for you everywhere."
Miley sighed and looked at Taylor silently asking for her help. Taylor just looked scared and confused. With that, Miley knew it was probably a dead end and left Taylor's room behind the maid.
XxXx
"Paul, are you sure you have to do this?" The Deniseliene Queen asked her King hesitantly.
He gave her a disgusted look, "Since when do you interfere?"
"Since you are about to kill people, Paul."
He looked at her with no emotion then cupped her face looking her in the eyes and whispered, "I'm defending the kingdom I built, the one your son is going to take over. So, don't ever interfere like that again, your highness."
He then gave her a slight smile and turned around.
She looked angrily after him and attempted to mumble, "What makes you even sure he is coming back?"
He stopped in his tracks and faced her again, "What was that?"
She started breathing heavily and gather all the courage she had to say, "I said why are you so sure Joseph is coming back?"
"Fine. Let him be stupid. I have another son."
"Nicholas wouldn't,"
"I wasn't talking about him," He sarcastically said and then turned around again this time actually leaving.
The Queen didn't know what to do or think. It seemed like she finally faced the truth, the one that she has been selfish all the past years. Her husband hurt her emotionally and she let him get to her turning her into a cold stone. She should have sought love from her sons. But she didn't. She just ignored everything around her and lived like a ghost. Including her sons.
Kevin and Joseph took some of Paul's attention while he was preparing each to become a King, but her youngest boy, never had any of their attention. Yes, she talked to him and yes she knew his news, but never did she told him she loved him, or asked him what he feels about… well, anything that has happened. Not Nick and not any of her kids.
Even when Joe fell in love, she was the last to know about it. He didn't feel safe enough to tell her.
Denise didn't know she has been feeling like this for years until now, until she was on her bed crying.
It may be too late for her realization, but she's too sorry for her sons and herself to be willing to do anything to help them.
Anything…
XxXx
"I can't believe we did it." Demi looked up at her newly wedded husband and smiled as he returned it looking down at her, "Oh my God, Joseph, I can't believe we did it."
"I know. Me too. I wanted to be with them. But…"
"I know," she nodded and felt like she was ruining the moment so she reached up and kissed his cheek with a big smile.
"We are unbreakable, right?"
"Yes, we are. Yes."
"Congratulations, dears." Mr. Barney said followed by his siblings and his wife as they exchanged congrats.
"You did the right thing. It's a perfect timing seeing the circumstances." Victor Barney, the younger brother of Mr. Barney said.
"Oh, yes, that way you can show up at the right time." Lila Barney, the oldest of the siblings said.
Joe and Demi showed nothing but confusion as they looked at Mr. Barney who had wide eyes trying to signal his siblings to stop talking.
"What are they talking about, Mr. Barney?"
He sighed, "Well, I didn't want to tell you that until after you're married… but…" He was the one to convince them that waiting for their siblings to be with them to get married is going to take a long time if not forever. Only because he knew exactly how the whole kingdom is on fire.
"But what?"
"It's today."
"What's today?"
"Paul is attacking Demetriana today."
"WHAT?"
"At your sister's wedding."
"Miley?! Who's the husband?"
"Liam Wright."
Demi looked at Joe horrified. And he looked back at her with the same look…
Everything is going wrong… because of them.
XxXx
It was almost time. Miley was standing in her room, in front of her mirror wearing a perfectly royal white wedding dress made especially and hurriedly for her with the matching heels.
She must look like a bride. But her face made it look more like a ghost of a woman died in her wedding. Dull she was.
Her mother wasn't there. She came at first but then left saying she can't stand seeing her daughter like that. Ironic much that it was her daughter's wedding day?
For some odd reason, Miley was told that Taylor was not allowed in with her neither was Selena who she hadn't seen all day or the day before.
But she knew that it was her father's orders; he didn't want her running away like Demi did.
She has been faking a straight face for quite a while now and now that everyone finally left her alone, her lips started to quiver and her forehead formed lines of pain as she stared at her reflection through tears.
She can't go through with this. This can't be happening to her. But, how? How can she stop it? She felt like a doll being only moved by her father, she doesn't have an opinion, a free will. She only does what she is ought to do.
She jumped as her door suddenly opened and as she turned around hand on her heart she found Liam looking nervous.
"We gotta hurry." He told her uneasily.
"What? The ceremony doesn't start until two!"
"Change of plans." He said grabbing her hand but she slipped it out of his grip,
"Liam, what's wrong?"
He huffed, "We have heard that Paul may attack during the ceremony."
"What?!" she said not believing.
"We have t get married now, Miley."
"Does father know that?" she ignored his wishes.
"Do you hear yourself? I said we gotta get married before Paul come!" He practically shouted.
"That's not true. Nick wouldn't let him!"
"Nick, Nick, Nick! It always go back to him! Wake up, you're getting married to me."
"You know how I feel. Liam. I love him. Please-"
"Miley! Really, wake up. He is using you! Can't you really see that?!"
"What are you saying? Of course not."
"Yes, he is! He is still in love with your sister. You're the only way he can make her notice him. Besides, now that Joe is gone, he will be the one to take the Kingdom. And you are here; he can use you in his favor. It's a bonus!"
"No! Not true. Besides, he… he promised to stop the war."
"He did? Oh, well, then you must see now he doesn't keep promises since he basically put the plan of today's attack!"
"What are you talking about?"
"We have eyes there, Miley. Your beloved Prince is the one who planned the whole thing for today. This attack that's going to start the war…"
"No, that can't be true." She whispered feeling extremely confused as she just gazed at him not knowing what to think. Her mind just stopped processing.
"You're going to see I'm right sooner or later. But, if you choose later when you see him in the front rows shooting everybody around him, it will be too late to fix things." He said a little sharply before softening and taking her hand in his, "Come on now, Miley. It's the right thing to do right now. And then we will fight… we will fix it."
Her father appeared at the door as if on cue, "What's taking so long? Everything is ready."
Again, she stood up and walked next to Liam hand in hand like a doll. She didn't know what was happening. Nick? But, how? He can't be like this. She trusts him… more than Liam, yes. But, Liam knows very well that if he turned out to be lying she would not just let it go… and her father is in this too, after all, there was no reason to quicken the procedures of the ceremony.
When she looked at her side, to Liam, she saw a look on his face. He was freakishly calm. And there was that ghost of a smirk, that just made the hair on the back of her neck stand. Right then, Liam scared her. She remembered what Nick told her about him before and how nobody seemed to trust him but her…
Could Liam be the bad guy?
She looked back at him to find his face actually holding concern and seemingly in deep thoughts.
What?
Was she imagining that look?
However, there was no going back. The ceremony already started…
They were riding a carriage and going through all the streets of the city and just around the whole kingdom with music playing and people throwing flowers at them.
It all felt like another world to her. Every passing second she wondered if she should just stand and jump out of the carriage and run away. She came around to do it several times… but then she sees her mother smiles and waves at people and hold back or she sees Liam giving her a reassuring smile making her all doubtful again.
It sure took a little past an hour until they were back at the big doors of the city when it happened.
Running their way were a lot of horses and soldiers with the familiar Deniseliene outfit. Miley's heart raced as she heard the sound. She looked their way and tried to spot him. At first she was not able to, but then it came to her as a lightning bolt as she saw him really in the front next to his older brother and his father.
"Shoot, we were too late!" Liam cursed but she didn't hear him. Once again everything was stopped around her as she just saw him riding his horse there and coming to attack their kingdom. Her kingdom.
She thinks she heard her father yell something along the lines of "They are playing it dirty!"
And then everything around her was tensed. She just then found Liam in front of her taking her down the carriage as they started running. That was when she tore her gaze away from him. That was when she actually started crying and caving in to Liam.
And then they took a horse with Liam riding as he took side roads she doesn't know while she rested her cheek on his back while her arms were around his waist.
He took her back to the castle and there they got down,
"What's happening now, Liam?" she asked feeling completely lost.
"It will be fine. We just gotta get married now."
"What? Are you crazy?"
"No! this is the right thing to do."
"No, it's not. For God's sake, there's a war going on behind those walls!"
"Your father wants this."
"I'm pretty sure all my father cares about right now is keeping this kingdom together."
"Which will be achieved by our marriage."
"No, it won't." she fought back with a glare, "How can I get married while my people are dying? For God's sake even my mother is out there."
"It will be fine." He said nervously with a glint of impatience in his eyes. "So, let's just get married the priest is here anyway-"
"I said NO."
"For God's sake, Miley, you saw him there, stop thinking about Nick!"
"Not everything is about him!" she shouted. "Now, all we can do is go out there and find a way to stop this." She said and turned around to go for the horse before finding a firm grip on her wrist.
"Not before we get married."
"Let go of my hand, Liam!"
"No, we are getting married, Miley and that's it." He said walking the other way."
"What is wrong with you?!"
"I'm doing the right thing!"
"You are crazy, Liam. Let me go!"
"Shut. Up." He screamed at her before taking a deep breath closing his eyes and re-opening them, "Just follow my lead, I know what I'm doing…"
And right then Miley knew it was time to react, she quickly but forcefully kicked him in between his legs and started taking off away quickly.
Liam has gone crazy. They were right when they said he only wants to take a role. He was offered a King role here, and he just wasn't about to let it slip out of his hands.
She let out a shrieking scream when she found him blocking her way. "What do you think you are doing?" he yelled at her reaching out to grab her once again but she jumped away and grabbed a very heavy painting of the walls and threw it his way.
she heard him fall as she started running again but he soon caught up with her and grabbed her from behind. This time she began kicking and hitting him wherever she could reach, which led to her slipping out of his grip. Unfortunately for her, they were at the top of stairs. And so, she fell down the stairs. She felt totally numb, she felt like she couldn't move, but when she saw his figure descending down the stairs, the adrenaline kicked in, and despite the fact that she hurt her head and arm which was covered in blood, she stood up and ran as fast as she could.
She took of her heels.
She ran.
He's behind her.
She bumped into Joe.
They ran.
She saw Taylor outside.
Everybody was there.
They exchanged few yells.
Gunshots.
A dead body.
"NOOOO!"
Miley looked in horror at him, he can't be dead, right? He must still be alive. But, there was that hole in his head. He can't survive that, can he?
Nobody moved, she knew some were waiting for her reaction. But, what did they expect?
So many things ran through her mind as she pushed herself out of Taylor's and Demi's arms and took a small step forward towards him.
There were just so many things that she needed to talk to him about, she wanted to ask so many questions, she wanted to share so many moments, she wanted to remember so many memories with him and tell him even about things he didn't know about. And most importantly, she wanted to tell him that she forgave him, and that no matter what, she actually loves him.
"No, no, no, noooooo." She started screaming as she ran towards her father's dead body not caring that there are still enemies around that could probably shoot her dead too, Demi followed her as if her little sister's reaction finally confirmed it's happening.
"No, don't leave me, please." She cried loudly as she hugged his lifeless body.
"I'm sorry, dad. I'm so sorry." Demi whispered holding his hands and kissing them.
Joe leant down and side hugged Demi who wouldn't let go of his hands, while Miley now was just burying her face in his body and crying. Liam, Jacob, Taylor, Nick and Harry inched closer to them slowly until they were standing right behind them not knowing what to do. As for Paul, he disappeared.
Joe finally managed to take a screaming Demi away from her father's body while still holding her. Taylor looked between the two sisters not knowing what to do and as Joe caught her eyes he silently told her to deal with Miley with a nod of his head before talking Demi inside.
She fell down next to her, "Miles, it's gonna be okay." She whispered to her hugging her and rubbing her back. She continued to whisper soothing words and trying to get her to let him go but she was failing miserably.
Nick took a step forward and put a hand on her shoulder, "Miles."
Suddenly she was alarmed as she pushed herself up suddenly smacking his hand away, "Don't touch me!" she screamed at him glaring with her bloodshot eyes and her wet face, "This is all because of you!"
"Come on, b-" Liam tried to put in leaning to hug her but she also pushed him away hardly,
"Don't you dare!" She screamed, "I don't wanna see you again! Ever! He's dead because of you."
No one knew who she was addressing exactly with her words, but everybody was scared of her constant screaming and her glares.
Soldiers arrived to take the King's body away with sad shocked faces.
"ROBBIE!" the Queen barged out there screaming, "Miley, is it true? Did they kill your father?" she hysterically turned to her daughter who just started crying again and fell in her mother's hug with Taylor's hand rubbing her back.
As for the others, they just stood there watching stunned as everything took place…
While all that crossed Nick's mind –aside from his sympathy- was that something definitely happened to Miley, and he clearly blamed Liam…
Hi, guys, I don't know if you are still expecting me to update, but I WILL finish this story... and all my stories for what it matters.
Anyway, my excuse for delay is a massive writer's block... and college. so, I'm really sorry.
So, this chapter was really long and really boring I know! But, I had to explain a lot of stuff here that would help in future chapters... and now I have lots of tings planned for this story and hopefully my writer's block is already leaving :)
So, if you read please tell me what you think :)