A/N - Well people here is the next chapter! I know you hate cliffhangers but unfortunately you get another one! Enjoy!
Chapter 18
It's cold. Very cold. Wetness. Raining. Thunder. Slamming doors. Yelling voices. Dripping water. Cold breeze. Water splashing.
Leopold woke with a start as water was thrown on her face, completely drowsing her in it and soaking her clothes clear through. Shivering in the cold she closed her eyes again wanting nothing more than to fall into a deep sleep and never awake again. She didn't know where she was but she was definitely uncomfortable on the stone floor she sat on.
"Wake up!" a man hissed sprinkling her with more water. Leopold didn't care. It did no use as she was already soaking wet, but not wanting to make anyone mad she opened her eyes. Maybe he could do something about the pain in her rear and the really bad headache she was forming. When she opened her eyes she stared up at a man who held a bucket that was dripping that last of the water out of it onto her before he threw it into the corner of the cell where it clanked noisily and made Leopold's head throb. At least she thought it was a man from the roughness of his voice, unfortunately the light was so poor in--wherever she was--that she could barely make out any features with which to remember him by. The man smiled a toothy grin and grabbed onto a chain off the floor. Picking it up and pulling it towards the ceiling Leopold realized she was wearing handcuffs and the very short chain was connected to them yanking her to her feet as he tied her hands and arms above her head. Leopold winced out in pain as he tightened the chains and cuffs. When he was done he stood back and grinned stupidly at her as she pulled on the chains trying to free herself. "There's no use milady!" she man laughed "It's solid clear through."
Leopold spit at the man's face without thinking about her actions. The man's smile vanished and he took a step closer before slapping her across the face and squeezing her chin while raising his hand for another slap.
"Now now Tahmores." another man said stepping into the cell with his arms crossed and smiling cruelly towards Leopold who still struggled against the chains and Tahmores hand, which was constantly squeezing her chin harder as she fought the tears that threatened to fall. "Don't treat our guest as such. Don't you see a lady when ones in your presence?"
"'Course boss" Tahmores said still staring at Leopold before squeezing one last time and shoving her face away which sent her rocketing into the back wall as her knees gave out below her. The chains dug deep into her skin as she cried out in pain. Her wrists were soon blooded and scratched as the metal mixed into the sores making it unbearable to live with. Leopold refused to let her captive see her cry as she bit her tongue while slowly trying to stand on her shaking knees. The chains kept her hands and arms hanging in the air which made it almost impossible for her to stand on her own and in the end Tahmores had to grab her waist and haul her to her feet.
"Yes I find the herbs are horrible when they start wearing off. Keeps the druggie asking for more." the man said slowly walking towards her and circling around just out of her reach. Leopold was able to stand on her feet again and if she tilted her feet upwards the chains cut less into her skin, finding them almost bearable. As the man paced slowly in front of her. Once Leopold was sure she had a clear shot she kicked out and collided with Tahmores groin. A small beacon of hope light inside of her as he buckled over gasping for breath. The man who Tahmores called boss laughed while watching Tahmores struggle to stand almost as Leopold had moments before. She gritted her teeth as she watched the fire that was in his eyes as he stood. She closed her eyes and waited for the blow she was sure he would take but it never came. Leopold opened her eyes again and looked to see that the man nodded his head towards the cell door and Tahmores immediately left after glaring at Leopold the entire time.
Tahmores can be quite a challenge at times. But he proved to be the only buffoon in sixteen years to be able to capture you. So I figured I'd keep him around for a while."
Leopold raised her chin in defense to show she wasn't afraid of whoever this guy was, unfortunately she was. He had been the one sending all those men to kill her, and he was probably the one who had sent the men to kill her parents from the start. All those times throughout her life where she woke up screaming and thinking she wasn't going to live to the next day was because of him. He was the one that haunted her dreams with his men dressed in black that entered silently and took care of their job before anyone noticed they were there. He was the one that had made Leopold's life impossible to live. Made it impossible for her to get close to anyone or ever have any true friends because everyone was scared they would be killed as well. That was the entire reason she had to move around so much! Her entire family was scared to take her in for fear that their children would be killed as well if she was around for another assassin attack. He had single handily made her life a living hell and he didn't even know it. He had after all only sent five or six men total in the sixteen years, but everyday of those years she had lived in fear that one would show up right after the other and finish was the first hadn't been able to accomplish. It had almost happened as well. That night on the way home from the Dancing Dove, when Aaron…Leopold forced herself not to think of Aaron at the moment. There was nothing he could or can do for her in the future no one knows where she is, she doesn't even know where she is, and she didn't even think anyone was going to find out in the near future. Maybe he won't kill her. Why she doesn't even know what he wants! What is everything about in the first place? Does a person just wake up one day and decide to kill a family or do they actually have a purpose for killing. Does anything have a purpose anymore?
"Oh I'm sorry," the man laughed obviously still talking as Leopold snapped out of her thoughts and returned to the reality that was then and there. "Did my men do that to you?"
Leopold realized he was talking about the long scar that ran horizontal across her neck from that night in the alley when the man had held the knife to her throat. Not that that had been the first time a knife had been pressed to her throat. There was after all the time in the forest when she first met Aaron. Why did everything in her life have to come back to Aaron! I mean even the reason she was--wherever she was--in the first place is because Aaron couldn't tell the truth about his past and she had ended up finding out because she happened to run into--literally--his twin brother who explained everything, not even realizing that his own brother was miles from where they stood. Leopold had gone to confront Aaron and after they fought she left the inn in a hurry not being wary of her surroundings or the fact that Tahmores had crept up behind her and poisoned her with herbs.
"Putting two and two together now are we?" the man asked still pacing in the shadows so Leopold couldn't see him. Leopold tried responding but her throat was dry and she had no spit left to wet it with. "Thirsty?" the man laughed coming forward and grabbing a glass from the table to the left of Leopold that she just now noticed. He grabbed the mug next to it and quickly filled it with clear blue water before bringing it over and holding it to Leopold's lips, tilting it up and letting her drink the sweet taste. Leopold guzzled the water down thirstily and was sorry when it was gone. "Can you talk now?" he mocked her
"Yes," Leopold croaked.
"Good," the man said smiling and placing the glass back on the table like it was the best thing that happened in a long time. "Well should we get down to business or should I let you guess why you're here? Or even where here is?"
Leopold remained silent fearing she would burst all that was bothering her--not just the fact that she was locked in chains in a cell with a scary man and practically bleeding to death--. So she kept her mouth shut.
"I thought you could talk? Or are you a mute who can only speak a few words!" the man said shocked and acting like he really really wanted her to talk. "Oh that's just great! All these years I've been trying to kill a mute! Doesn't that look good on my conscience! Now my father will be pleased to hear that the only living child of the Duke and Duchess of Wessex is a dumb mute!"
"I'm not dumb and I'm not a mute!" Leopold hissed glaring at the ground as it hurt to raise her head.
"So you do speak." the man said coming towards her as if he were going to hit her.
"Of course I speak!"
"Then lets get down to business," the man continued, "I suppose you want to know why you're here?"
Chapter 18
It's cold. Very cold. Wetness. Raining. Thunder. Slamming doors. Yelling voices. Dripping water. Cold breeze. Water splashing.
Leopold woke with a start as water was thrown on her face, completely drowsing her in it and soaking her clothes clear through. Shivering in the cold she closed her eyes again wanting nothing more than to fall into a deep sleep and never awake again. She didn't know where she was but she was definitely uncomfortable on the stone floor she sat on.
"Wake up!" a man hissed sprinkling her with more water. Leopold didn't care. It did no use as she was already soaking wet, but not wanting to make anyone mad she opened her eyes. Maybe he could do something about the pain in her rear and the really bad headache she was forming. When she opened her eyes she stared up at a man who held a bucket that was dripping that last of the water out of it onto her before he threw it into the corner of the cell where it clanked noisily and made Leopold's head throb. At least she thought it was a man from the roughness of his voice, unfortunately the light was so poor in--wherever she was--that she could barely make out any features with which to remember him by. The man smiled a toothy grin and grabbed onto a chain off the floor. Picking it up and pulling it towards the ceiling Leopold realized she was wearing handcuffs and the very short chain was connected to them yanking her to her feet as he tied her hands and arms above her head. Leopold winced out in pain as he tightened the chains and cuffs. When he was done he stood back and grinned stupidly at her as she pulled on the chains trying to free herself. "There's no use milady!" she man laughed "It's solid clear through."
Leopold spit at the man's face without thinking about her actions. The man's smile vanished and he took a step closer before slapping her across the face and squeezing her chin while raising his hand for another slap.
"Now now Tahmores." another man said stepping into the cell with his arms crossed and smiling cruelly towards Leopold who still struggled against the chains and Tahmores hand, which was constantly squeezing her chin harder as she fought the tears that threatened to fall. "Don't treat our guest as such. Don't you see a lady when ones in your presence?"
"'Course boss" Tahmores said still staring at Leopold before squeezing one last time and shoving her face away which sent her rocketing into the back wall as her knees gave out below her. The chains dug deep into her skin as she cried out in pain. Her wrists were soon blooded and scratched as the metal mixed into the sores making it unbearable to live with. Leopold refused to let her captive see her cry as she bit her tongue while slowly trying to stand on her shaking knees. The chains kept her hands and arms hanging in the air which made it almost impossible for her to stand on her own and in the end Tahmores had to grab her waist and haul her to her feet.
"Yes I find the herbs are horrible when they start wearing off. Keeps the druggie asking for more." the man said slowly walking towards her and circling around just out of her reach. Leopold was able to stand on her feet again and if she tilted her feet upwards the chains cut less into her skin, finding them almost bearable. As the man paced slowly in front of her. Once Leopold was sure she had a clear shot she kicked out and collided with Tahmores groin. A small beacon of hope light inside of her as he buckled over gasping for breath. The man who Tahmores called boss laughed while watching Tahmores struggle to stand almost as Leopold had moments before. She gritted her teeth as she watched the fire that was in his eyes as he stood. She closed her eyes and waited for the blow she was sure he would take but it never came. Leopold opened her eyes again and looked to see that the man nodded his head towards the cell door and Tahmores immediately left after glaring at Leopold the entire time.
Tahmores can be quite a challenge at times. But he proved to be the only buffoon in sixteen years to be able to capture you. So I figured I'd keep him around for a while."
Leopold raised her chin in defense to show she wasn't afraid of whoever this guy was, unfortunately she was. He had been the one sending all those men to kill her, and he was probably the one who had sent the men to kill her parents from the start. All those times throughout her life where she woke up screaming and thinking she wasn't going to live to the next day was because of him. He was the one that haunted her dreams with his men dressed in black that entered silently and took care of their job before anyone noticed they were there. He was the one that had made Leopold's life impossible to live. Made it impossible for her to get close to anyone or ever have any true friends because everyone was scared they would be killed as well. That was the entire reason she had to move around so much! Her entire family was scared to take her in for fear that their children would be killed as well if she was around for another assassin attack. He had single handily made her life a living hell and he didn't even know it. He had after all only sent five or six men total in the sixteen years, but everyday of those years she had lived in fear that one would show up right after the other and finish was the first hadn't been able to accomplish. It had almost happened as well. That night on the way home from the Dancing Dove, when Aaron…Leopold forced herself not to think of Aaron at the moment. There was nothing he could or can do for her in the future no one knows where she is, she doesn't even know where she is, and she didn't even think anyone was going to find out in the near future. Maybe he won't kill her. Why she doesn't even know what he wants! What is everything about in the first place? Does a person just wake up one day and decide to kill a family or do they actually have a purpose for killing. Does anything have a purpose anymore?
"Oh I'm sorry," the man laughed obviously still talking as Leopold snapped out of her thoughts and returned to the reality that was then and there. "Did my men do that to you?"
Leopold realized he was talking about the long scar that ran horizontal across her neck from that night in the alley when the man had held the knife to her throat. Not that that had been the first time a knife had been pressed to her throat. There was after all the time in the forest when she first met Aaron. Why did everything in her life have to come back to Aaron! I mean even the reason she was--wherever she was--in the first place is because Aaron couldn't tell the truth about his past and she had ended up finding out because she happened to run into--literally--his twin brother who explained everything, not even realizing that his own brother was miles from where they stood. Leopold had gone to confront Aaron and after they fought she left the inn in a hurry not being wary of her surroundings or the fact that Tahmores had crept up behind her and poisoned her with herbs.
"Putting two and two together now are we?" the man asked still pacing in the shadows so Leopold couldn't see him. Leopold tried responding but her throat was dry and she had no spit left to wet it with. "Thirsty?" the man laughed coming forward and grabbing a glass from the table to the left of Leopold that she just now noticed. He grabbed the mug next to it and quickly filled it with clear blue water before bringing it over and holding it to Leopold's lips, tilting it up and letting her drink the sweet taste. Leopold guzzled the water down thirstily and was sorry when it was gone. "Can you talk now?" he mocked her
"Yes," Leopold croaked.
"Good," the man said smiling and placing the glass back on the table like it was the best thing that happened in a long time. "Well should we get down to business or should I let you guess why you're here? Or even where here is?"
Leopold remained silent fearing she would burst all that was bothering her--not just the fact that she was locked in chains in a cell with a scary man and practically bleeding to death--. So she kept her mouth shut.
"I thought you could talk? Or are you a mute who can only speak a few words!" the man said shocked and acting like he really really wanted her to talk. "Oh that's just great! All these years I've been trying to kill a mute! Doesn't that look good on my conscience! Now my father will be pleased to hear that the only living child of the Duke and Duchess of Wessex is a dumb mute!"
"I'm not dumb and I'm not a mute!" Leopold hissed glaring at the ground as it hurt to raise her head.
"So you do speak." the man said coming towards her as if he were going to hit her.
"Of course I speak!"
"Then lets get down to business," the man continued, "I suppose you want to know why you're here?"