Story of a Princess Unknown – Chapter 14 - Beaten
Look guys im sorry i can't be bothered replying to all your reviews! I just wanna write!
So thanks so much – i read ALL the reviews and thanks especially to all new reviewers!
WHOHOOH! Oliver rocks! I don't think anyone said Jesse! HA AVRIL! Sorry thats one of my best mates who is obsessed with him! Thanks Pippa, my other best mate who said Oliver too, RIGHT PIPPA?
Pippa has helped me sort out the storyline for this story as I felt the ending was a bit weak. So it is going to be really good now! I think there will definitely be more than four more chapters – i will know more soon!
Glad you guys liked the songfic – JustWriter – what the hell? NO WAY could Jesse sing that song! Hehe!
I had a really awful riding lesson tonight – Frankie was being a brat so only positive reviews please!
Oh GO THE ALL BLACKS! That was for you, Risha. BOO LIONS! DOUG HOWLETT SUCKS! For all that dont know, the ABs are our Kiwi rugby team and they are playing the english lions tonight who are going to lose SO bad!
Anyway – story.
After another sleepless night, Eve just stayed in her room the next morning. She didn't want to have to face the world again. She thought that she was being pathetic – but she really just wanted to be by herself.
Eve knew that she had to go and report to Callum that afternoon. But the problem was that she hadn't seen much of Jared and didn't really have anything to report. No way was she going to tell Callum what they'd done togther.
Frankie seemed happy to be going for a ride again – which was exactly the opposite of how Eve felt. She found herself getting more and more worried as she got closer to the city.
When she arrived at the Rebel HQ she tied Frankie up outside and slipped through the door. It was eerily quiet inside and Eve's apprehension grew.
She crept through the door into the meeting room to find all the men in the group, including Luke and Callum. They were watching. Waiting. For something. For someone.
Callum spoke softly as she entered. Eve faltered. "We've been waiting for you."
"Waiting?" She whispered, echoing the man's words.
His next words were spoken harshly. "You were seen. At the ball."
"What do you mean, seen?" Her tone was defiant.
His voice rose. "Seen talking to Luke! After all of this, our work could have been undone because some noble saw you and Luke talking together!"
"But I didn't ... I mean it wasn't ..." Eve trailed off. She could see that nothing was going to make this man change his mind. But it wasn't my fault! She thought angrily. I tried to stay away from him! He was the one seeking me out!
Eve turned to look beseechingly at Luke. But the look on his face stopped her dead in her tracks. The look on his face was one she had seen before – full of malice and jealousy. But this time there was something more.
"And the prince as well, girl. When were you going to tell us that your relationship was more than ... shall we say, professional?"
Then Eve realised what she had seen on Luke's face. Anticipation.
Frozen with dread, aware that something was going to happen – but she had no control over it anymore. Eve suddenly realised that she'd had no control from the beginning – she was just a pawn in Callum's plan to return the crown to it's rightful owners.
"And there's something else as well, girl. A little secret of yours. When exactly were you planning to tell us?"
"Secret?" She whispered.
"Yes – that's right. Another reason you could have ruined our plan. Your secret – princess." He hissed the last word, his voice full of contempt.
Eve felt numb. They know. How could they? She whirled to see Luke.
"You TOLD them? How could you, Luke? You ... you promised me!"
For a second she thought she saw something, a look of regret, perhaps, flit across his face. But then the old look was back.
"Why do you even care anymore, Eve? 'Cause you sure don't care about me." His words were utterly devoid of emotion, cool and calculated. Eve wondered if he had ever cared about her at all. His blue eyes were like cold, sharp shards of ice.
She turned again to see Callum advancing towards her, along with the other members of the group. She began to panic. What are they doing? I need help!
Eve turned once more to see Luke's face. Please, her eyes silently begged. But he wouldn't respond.
She felt Callum's first blow land on her face, snapping her head back. She instinctively turned to fight, lashing out with her hands, but Blake grabbed her arms so she couldn't move.
Someone's fist smashed into her nose. She felt it crumple and begin to bleed. A blade tore into her forearm and she cried out. Then she felt strangely calm. They're going to kill me, she realised coolly. The blows rained down on her, left, right and centre. Her whole body was a mass of pain as someone beat her once more for something she didn't deserve.
Then, one hard blow landed on her head, and she mercifully lost consciousness and crumpled to the ground.
Luke stared at the body of the girl he had once loved with all his heart, crumpled and bleeding on the floor. Was she dead? Her wounds were bad, that was for sure. Callum didn't go easy on people who didn't follow his orders.
Callum was now sipping wine, sitting in an armchair in front of the fire. "Throw the girl outside. I don't want her bleeding all over the inside of the house."
Luke was glad for something to distract him from his inner battle. He and Blake roughly dragged Eve's body outside, leaving it on the street. He shivered and blew on his hands. It was cold. If she wasn't dead already, Eve would surely die of cold.
But it's nothing to do with me.
And he turned and went inside.
Jared was riding Vinny wearily back from Alexandra's house. His father was forcing him to spend more and more time with his betrothed. He was utterly sick of her already – he just didn't want to think about what marriage would be like.
He saw a bundle on the road ahead. Probably just some beggar scavenging in the middle of the road. But the thing didn't move as he went by. A few metres away, he pulled Vinny up and went to investigate.
Jared realised with a shock that it was a body. He recoiled with horror for a moment – then realised that the person was still breathing. Shallowly, laboriously – but breathing. As he saw the dark hair spread over the pavement he felt his heart jolt with horror. No. It can't be.
He gently turned the person over, though his mind was racing. "Please. Don't let it be -"
But as Jared saw the face, he knew it was Eve. Something wet and sticky trickled down his hand, and he realised with a shock that she was bleeding – badly. He couldn't see her wounds properly in the dark, but he knew that there was a lot of blood. Too much blood.
She took a shuddering breath in but didn't regain consciousness. Jared wanted to cry, to find whoever was responsible for this, and – well, he didn't know what he would do to them, but it would be bad.
But first he had to help Eve. As he slid his arms under her, she didn't move. Just breathed that shallow, rattling breath once again. He was so scared. So scared that he was too late.
He picked her light body up, and, with difficulty, mounted Vinny again. The mare stood still, sensing that she had an important job to do. Jared knew that he didn't have much time – not time enough to get to Cythera and Eric's. And he didn't want to take her to the palace. But he had a friend who owned an inn near here where there would be a bed – and someone who could help him.
He set off purposely for the Oliver's inn, going as fast as he dared, and clutching Eve's fragile body close to his.
Ten minutes later, Jared rode into the stableyard of the inn, calling out for a stablehand. One appeared almost immediately, bowing when he saw the prince. "Your highness -"
Jared interrupted him. "Please, my friend is hurt. Badly. Can you take my horse? I need to get her inside – and I need someone who can help my friend."
The man nodded, taking Vinny quickly and sending an apprentice to fetch a doctor.
The next half an hour was a blur for Jared. He took Eve inside, explaining to Oliver how he had found her. The kind innkeeper quickly led him into a room and helped him lay Eve down gently. He looked gravely at the girl. "I'm not sure she'll make it, lad." He murmured softly to Jared.
Then a doctor arrived. He cleaned the blood off Eve's body and stitched her up. But still she didn't wake up. He too looked gravely at her. "Don't hope too hard."
Then he left. So did Oliver. And Jared was left alone with Eve. And only then did he allow himself to cry.
He cried because someone had tried to kill the girl he loved more than anything. He cried because he hadn't been there to stop them. He cried because he was afraid that she wouldn't wake up. And he cried because he knew he had betrayed her. All the pain and grief of the last few days came bursting out of him.
Eve began to shiver and her body was wracked with spasms. She tossed and turned. Jared felt her forehead – she was hot. Too hot. But the doctor had said that he couldn't do anything more for her. She thrashed about, her body still full of pain.
Jared couldn't bear it. He climbed in next to her and put his arms around her, holding her close, stopping the spasms that tore through her fragile body. She gradually grew quiet as Jared held her – for his own comfort as much as hers.
He didn't say anything. Just held her as she settled and then slept peacefully.
Colin was beating her again. She cried out and tried to twist away to avoid the pain. "Stop it! Stop it!" She cried. But he just leered at her and continued hitting her tortured body. The whip lashed into her time and time again.
Then, she felt someone's arms come around her. Someone held her as Anna had long ago. She felt safe. At peace. And she slept.
Eve awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar bed, held close to Jared. She started and tried to pull away – but then realised that she didn't have any strength to move. So she didn't try.
Jared woke up. He started too when he saw her – then the previous night's events came flooding back to him. Eve stared into his eyes, wondering at the joy she saw there.
"You're awake!" He murmured.
She gently traced the teartracks still visible on his cheeks. "Why were you crying?" She whispered.
He held her tightly and she winced with pain. "It doesn't matter now. Just sleep, Eve. I'll take care of you."
And she believed him, and closed her eyes once more.
Well? Was it good? It was fun to write! Now review please!
Love Amy