Another chapter is up! \o/
This chapter is dedicated to gummiebears!!! And to the greatest soccer national team!!! MY BRASIL!!! (Yes, dear readers, Brasil is actually written with S!^~ I know how to write my country's name! LOL Actually the entire name is República Federativa do Brasil) Anyways… We have two things to celebrate… First… We won Brasil 3x0 Peru!^^ ANDD… Argentina lost!!! *-* Bolívia 6x1 Arg!!! *-* It's almost better than Brasil's victory! LOL ALMOST!!! Ok, dear readers from Argentina… It's just soccer! And I hate Maradona! LOL He thinks too much of himself… Péle was way better!^~ (Though he also thinks too much of himself…)
Oh! And I'd like to congratulate people from the US, you guys are leading their World Cup's Eliminatory (North America and Caribbean)… I can't wait for Sunday! *-* The most important classic will happen at Rio's Cup! Fla x Flu! (I'm Flu obviously! *-* Tricolor de coração!!!)
Ok… I just love soccer… LOL My entire family loves it! LOL
On to the chapter… LOL
Chapter 34
Mary POV
"Where are we going, brother?" I asked for the third time today.
"You'll find out as soon as we get there, Mary." My brother replied the same way he did the last two times.
"Why are we taking this trip?" I asked again.
"Because we have to." My brother answered and sighed.
"Ugh! Why won't he answer me, Riff?" I asked to my brother's most important person.
"I think he is just trying to protect you, Mary." Riff replied as gently as always.
"Don't you think I would be better protected if I knew from what I should protect myself, Riff?" I asked to Riff, but I was actually challenging my brother.
"Ignorance is a blessing." Cain stated and smirked.
"I asked Riff!" I stated glaring at my older brother as Riff sighed.
"We arrived." The man conducting the carriage announced while stopping it in from of the big front doors of a really big castle.
"Thank you." My brother replied.
"Have a nice stay at the Swans' main house." The man said as he got our luggage out of the carriage.
My brother nodded and paid him. The man was gone a few moments after that. Riff knocked the door and after a few moments a beautiful woman who seemed to be in her late thirties greeted us. She seemed surprised to see guests.
"Good afternoon, may I help you?" She asked politely.
"Is the Duchess Swan at home?" My brother asked and seemed to enjoy the nervousness she seemed to feel as soon as Cain asked for Bella.
"The Duchess?" She asked stuttering.
"Yes, Duchess Isabella Marie Swan." Cain explained and smiled at her. People that never met my brother would think that he was trying to be polite and make her feel at easy, but it was the opposite. "I told her last time we met at her grandmother's house that I wanted to come back here, it's been years since last time I came. I told her fiancé that I was planning on coming this week and he told me that she was here, so I decided to come while she was here."
There is something wrong… My brother normally just acts like this when he's talking with someone he doesn't trust. He's speaking too much, but saying nothing really important…I thought and looked at the lady that seemed so sweet.
"Oh! That's so Bella!" She said and laughed nervously. "She didn't inform us… I'm really sorry Mister…"
"Count Cain Hargreaves." My brother introduced himself and I could see that the woman had to suppress a gasp. "This is my head butler, Riffael Raffit, and the little girl is my sister, Maryweather Hargreaves."
One more time I could notice my brother playing with the poor woman.
"You must be Suzette, right?" He asked sweetly. "We never met, but I always heard a lot about you from Bella. Those green eyes and black hair makes me remember of my dear deceased cousin that was also named Suzette."
"That's right, Count, I'm Suzette." She said embarrassed. "I'm honored to know that you and Bella talked about me."
"You probably are waiting for something right?" My brother asked. "Or else why would you keep your guests that have travelled for 4 days outside?"
"Oh! Yes, I'm sorry but I need to see some sort of invitation with Bella's seal on it, to be able to let you pass." She told seeming more confident.
"It's here!" He showed her and her face immediately lost the confident look it had seconds before.
She then called two servants and ordered them to take the baggage. We would stay at the most distant room of the east wing. As soon as we were inside Cain's room, he told me to stay there while he and Riff would search for some food. But I knew better, they were going to search for Bella. Bella is the reason we came here and that woman knows where she is! I'll help too. I decided.
BPOV
It seemed to be the usual time Suzette would come to torture me, but she wasn't there yet. It had been three days since I got here and I probably already had scars on my back that would last forever. They haven't fed me almost anything, the same with water.
The hours passed and I was inside my room, alone and too weak to move around. When the night was falling Suzette appeared.
"Bella…" The woman I once considered my second mother called me, but I couldn't reply even if I wanted. I didn't have the strength. "You are still on the floor? James left you there this morning… Such a spoiled princess…"
"You didn't eat anything today, right?" She asked and I looked up. She had a plate with a piece of apple pie in it.
She knew she was right. She was on the other side of the room, still by the door. I began to crawl into her direction, but she dropped the plate on the floor. I couldn't care less, I was so hungry. But when I thought on how hungry I was, I remembered I was also really thirsty and if I ate I would get even more thirsty, so I stopped.
"What's wrong, Bella?" She asked in her fake concerned tone.
"Wa…ter…" I said with all the voice that I could, which was a little lower than a whisper.
"Aren't you a spoiled girl?" She stated, but it sounded more like a question. "You drank water this morning!"
Yes, I could have drowned with my half glass of water. I thought sarcastically.
"Now, eat!" She ordered. I noticed she was more irritated than normal.
"Not…hungry…" I forced myself to say; again I could barely be heard.
She stomped on my freshly wounded back and I cried in pain, my voice rising to an actual audible tone (that was my loudest possible scream of pain).
"Keep quiet!" She said and placed more of her weight on the foot that was stomping me.
I bit my lower lip and thought about Edward and our meadow. I thought that the time stopped when I wished it did and we were laying on the grass carpet, watching the clouds. The silence was warming me.
Cain POV
I was right all the time. They kept Belladonna at the main house. I could notice that that maid was one of the people who wanted to harm my cousin. Celestine was right, she never trusted that Suzie maid. She allowed Belladonna to turn that maid into a head maid as an excuse to keep her away from Belladonna, since Celestine knew for sure that Belladonna had no intention of going back to that house.
Celestine was not dumb, she gathered information about Renee's lover and found out he had a son. It was easy for her to find out that the son was also Renee's. She died because she knew too much and was protecting her granddaughter without anybody noticing. She gave up her own life to show me the way to catch that bastard and finish him off in a way he would never be able to do anything against Bella again.
From what I gathered so far I have to kill three people: James Dwyer, Victoria Dwyer and Suzette Williams. I wish I could end this up right now, but I need to make sure no one that would try some kind of revenge against any of us. I needed to know if there were more people working with them.
"How is she doing?" I asked Riff.
"Not well… She's been here for three days and she has already lost a lot of blood. They are barely feeding her or even giving her water." Riff told me.
"The black pearls?" I asked using Bella's nickname for James Dwyer, her older half-brother.
"Just got to the house, soon he'll be watching us closely." Riff replied.
"Fire is also with him?" I asked to Riff about James wife, Victoria Dwyer.
"I think she'll follow Mary, Cain." Riff replied.
"I wish she heard me and stayed in my room." I said and sighed, knowing well that the odds were really low that she would obey me. "Go search for her and don't leave her side once you find her." I told Riff.
"Yes, Master Cain." He replied and went away.
I couldn't let Mary at home alone as Bella wished; I was a selfish brother and couldn't leave my sister in London. If things got too dangerous, I would send her to my house near here (half a day) to stay with the others.
I entered my room and saw the black shining pearls looking interested at me. I sighed in relief that Mary didn't actually do what I asked her.
Mary POV
I heard my brother telling the story about Bella's parents' death a few times, so I knew perfectly that they died at the most distant room of the south wing. I went there and found nothing. I was disappointed and began to walk back to my brother's room when a red haired maid found me still in the south wing.
"I'm sorry… I began to search for my brother and got lost." I said in my most childish tone.
"Oh… is that so…?" She asked in a babyish tone that didn't match her figure at all. "Who is your brother?"
"Me, my brother and our butler got here today." I told her sweetly, there was no way I was going to tell her my brother's name.
"Oh, Suzette just informed me about the new guests, let me take you there." She said leading the way to the west wing, but we were at the east one.
I couldn't say anything or else she would know I wasn't lost at all. We walked until the half of the corridor and stopped in front of a room that I didn't know. She opened the door and I gasped.
"Bella!" I called and ran to her.
"Mary…?" I faintly hear Bella's voice. She was on the floor, only wearing her undergarment that had its back soaked with blood. I cried. "Run…"
"She won't go anywhere, Isabella." The red haired woman told Bella harshly.
"She is a child." Bella pleaded, I was paralyzed by the shock of seeing Bella that way and pleading to that woman to save MY life.
"Child, do you see how Bella is right now?" Suzette asked me, seeming a completely different person from this afternoon.
I nodded, unable to speak.
"You know we can kill her anytime, right?" The red one asked.
I nodded once again, tears running down my face.
"So you'll do as you are told in order to save her life, right?" Suzette asked.
I nodded for the third time.
"Run, Mary…" Bella pleaded again, crying. Her voice was so low, she was so weak.
"Don't worry, Bella, that's what we want." Suzette said and smiled evilly. "Get your brother and your butler out of here as soon as the sun rises, but don't tell them any of what you saw here."
"Don't tell Edward, please…" Bella said using all her voice.
"I won't… I'll do as you want, but let Bella come with us!" I pleaded. "She is dying!"
"Oh, but Bella can go whenever she wants." Suzette told me sweetly.
"Get out of here, Mary…" Bella whispered, but I think she tried to shout.
"But Bella…" I tried to say, but her whisper interrupted me.
"If not for yourself, save Cain and Riff…" She begged.
I nodded one last time.
"Good girl!" Suzette said. "Now, let's get you to your brother."
We walked the whole way in silence and a man that had black eyes passed us. I immediately remembered that the one that placed a poisonous spider on Bella's room when her grandmother died had black shining pearl eyes. So he was the one behind it. I shivered when I noticed he came from my brother's room's direction.
"Do your part nicely, remember that Bella's life depend on your acting skills!" She told me and left.
"I will." I told her and entered the room.
"Mary?" Cain asked.
"I want to go home!" I said and cried. "Please, let's go home!"
"Why, Mary?" He asked surprised by my childish act.
"Because I need to go away, please, big brother!" I begged. "Let's leave tomorrow morning, please…"
He seemed to think about it for a while and when Riff entered the room and nodded to him, he decided to reply.
"We leave first thing in the morning." He said finally.
"Thanks, big brother!" I said and cried.
The following morning we borrowed a carriage and went to our house near Bella's prison.
Cain POV
Everything happened as planned. James Dwyer just pretended to be a servant of the house and left quickly when he was convinced I had just gone to that house to relax. I was just worried about what Mary saw. From her constant crying I'm sure she saw Belladonna's condition. But for now we could do nothing, they'll be on higher alert mode. Anything may trigger their desire to finish Belladonna's life. I knew we wouldn't save her in that visit, but I wanted to get to know how they were working.
Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme were already at my house. Seeing how things went, I already knew how we would deal with those three and save Belladonna.
BPOV
Seeing Mary meant Cain had come to save me. But they got found and as the new day rose, Suzette came to my room happily, eager to tell me the news.
"Bella, you can breathe again." She stated happily. "That cousin of yours left a few minutes ago."
I sighed in both relief and despair. Mary, Cain and Riff were safe, but I had no other chance to save myself. The hope that had made me go through all this torture left me. I allowed myself to go to a dream world and let them do whatever they wanted with the empty shell that my body was.
Don't give up on us, Bella! I heard Edward's voice say seeming to be in pain. I was startled at first, but as I felt my back burn I noticed it was just my imagination!
He is not here, Bella… He will respect your wish… And Alice said ten days… How long has it been? Cain was here yesterday… So that means that in a week they'll get here… I thought.
Wait for me. I heard Edward's voice again as I thought about killing myself (this way James wouldn't be here when they arrived).
I single tear rolled down my face.
"What wrong, dear sister?" James asked, but I couldn't find the will to speak. "Well, it's over for today… I whipped you little more than I normally would because I'm sure your cousin is suspicious of something now."
I fell on the floor as he released me.
"Suzette will come in a few minutes to place the medicine on your back." He said and left.
That was the common, he would use his whip about thirty times and then Suzette would come to put some medicine on it to heal my wounds, so I could be alive for the next session. The medicine itself was a torture; it was salty and burned like hell on my constantly re-opened wounds. It was surprising how weak I was after just four days, but at the same time it wasn't… Without Edward I became very weak. The lack of water and food helped the torture to make me even weaker. I can only imagine how I look right now, but I must be looking horrible… Mary's eyes showed that to me.
Think about the meadow, Bella. I told myself.
"It's time to heal your wounds, Bella." Suzette said using the fake sweet tone.
Why does she keep using this fake sweet tone with me? I already know that she hates me! So why does she keep doing it? It's so sick! I thought disgusted.
"Now, Bella… Don't look at me like that!" She continued to speak sweetly.
"Why…?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you…" She told me kindly. "I'll get you a cup of water."
She got up and headed out. It got me really confused. Why is she acting like this all of a sudden? I asked myself.
She was back a few minutes later with half a glass of water; she placed it on the floor and sat me up. She began to put the medicine on my back as I slowly drank the water. I really needed that water, but I didn't drink it all at once. I took small sips of it, 'enjoying' every drop as much as I could, since I didn't know when I would be able to drink water again. As I finished drinking she laid me down again, my stomach facing the floor and finished putting the medicine.
"Why?" I asked again.
"What do you mean?" She asked me back.
"Why do you still use the sweet tone with me? Why did you bring me water and let me drink it so slowly? Why am I feeling that you are being kind to me?" I asked, using almost all the voice I had.
She seemed surprised by my questions, but she soon recovered and answered. "That is my tone with you since you were born, fifteen years using that tone with you created this habit, I guess." She said like it was nothing. "But don't fool yourself, I hate you." She said smirking. "The only reason I brought you water is because I don't want you to die just yet, don't be stupid to think that I actually like you or act kindly toward you."
I felt like someone stabbed me. I shouldn't be surprised by her answer. I knew it was probably something like that. But I still hoped that she liked me even a little. I loved her when I was little and I didn't want to believe that all the smiles she gave me were fake ones. She laughed at me.
"You actually thought that I felt something for you besides hate, right?" She asked smirking. "You're so naïve. Everyday was like a long period of boredom. You were always so kind and clumsy, always stealing everyone's attention. I felt sick every time I had to look at you and praise you or when I had to smile when you decided to read me your favorite books. Such a boring and spoiled kid!"
As she finished saying those things, she left the room. My heart hurt so much. I had lost all I had…my parents, my grandmother, my new found family, the love of my life, my dear cousin, his family and at that moment, I had no more doubts that I never had Suzette's affection, even though I loved her as a mother. She simply despised me.
I was all alone again.
*****-*****
Another finished chapter!^~
Ok, dearly beloved reviewers… I'm still sick as hell and my headache is killing me… That's why I'm taking so long to reply to you… As soon as I'm back on the track you'll see the reviews been replied on the right time… Just be patient, please and don't give up reviewing! I feel a lot better when I get to read your reviews!^~
For the curious… The number right now is 919 reviews! *-* Thanks so very much! *-*
Liked? Hated? Curious? Please tell me!^^