A.N. – Sorry for not updating sooner but there was a tragedy that occurred last week. Someone close to our family passed away very suddenly and at a young age and my family and I have all felt the great loss. I have had neither the energy nor the time to sit down and write any more. But I'm getting back on my feet so I thought I'd start here with you people. I'm only telling you this so you will have more patience with me. Thank you.
Here is the next instalment. Don't know when the next one will come along, maybe when I'm thinking more clearly.
Chapter 4 – A Night of Torture, A Lifetime of Suffering
The past that haunts…
The woman fell back against the pillows in exhaustion, her body covered in sweat. Her face was deeply flushed and crunched up in pain as she tried to get her breathing under control.
"It's alright love, you're almost there!" called the man at her feet. He was also covered in sweat, as well as the blood from the young woman.
"Just one more push and it'll be all over" he said quietly.
The woman pushed herself up onto her elbows again, pushing and breathing deeply.
Her heart was racing. Not only from the long labour, but from fear. What will happen when the child is born? Will the child be alive? Will she herself make it through the night?
There was a sudden release from her body and the woman fell flat on her back. She was exhausted, not to mention barely conscious.
The man was moving around frantically at her feet before she heard a small cry pierce her mind, crashing her down to reality.
She began to cry. Great sobs enveloped her body as the man wrapped something up and moved towards her. Her tears were blinding her as she saw only the blurry outline of the figure moving towards her in the small, dark room. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what she would see.
"It's a girl. You have a beautiful baby girl," the man said, sounding pleased, as he placed the new-born baby in her arms.
The woman remained with her eyes tightly shut, too scared to open them as she felt the warm bundle in her arms. The child felt so warm against her chest and she immediately noticed the crying had ceased. The man was finishing up with the birthing process.
The woman could no longer resist looking at the girl in her arms so began to slowly open her eyes. Would the child look like him?
Looking down at the tiny bundle, the woman's eyes clouded over with more tears as she looked into the bright eyes of a blonde haired beauty. How could such a beautiful being come from such a painful sin?
The man walked up to the side of the bed, finished with his cleaning up. He looked down upon the child, placing a gentle hand upon her head.
"Isn't she beautiful?" he murmured, looking at the child's tiny fingers.
"What will you name her?"
The woman shook her head vigorously, squeezing her eyes shut again.
"No!" her voice rasped, "Take her back! I don't – I can't" was all she could manage.
The woman lifted the child up, pushing her towards the man. The man took the child just as the woman broke down in heart wrenching sobs. It was too much for her to handle, and the man could see it. He knew what he had to do as he watched the broken woman before him.
Wrapping the child up warmly, the man left the room with the baby girl held tightly in his arms. Closing the door on the weeping woman, he walked down the abandoned corridor to a quiet spare room where he placed the child carefully on the bed, making sure it was warm and secure. Turning on the light, the man left the door wide open as he walked back down the corridor to the weeping woman.
He had to get her out of the building immediately, before someone noticed and began asking questions.
It was going to be a long night…
The present races back…Joseph was standing on the back balcony watching Clarisse walk aimlessly around the garden.
Something was wrong and he could clearly see it had been bothering her for days, ever since Dr. Fitzgerald had visited the palace. Clarisse had been so quiet over the past week, barely concentrating on each task she was pursuing and she seemed so sadly distant. What ever the memories were that the doctor brought back for her were definitely painful ones.
'What is Clarisse hiding?' Joseph kept asking himself over and over.
Finally making up his mind to approach her, Joseph walked briskly down the steps to where Clarisse had just disappeared behind some trees.
"Clarisse?" Joseph called quietly when he saw her sitting on the edge of the small fountain, looking in.
Clarisse looked up, startled.
"Joseph! Where – how long have you been following me?" Clarisse asked hurriedly, hand pressed to her chest.
"I've been watching you from a distance so thought I needed to come speak to you" Joseph said quietly with a sympathetic smile.
"What is troubling you my dear?" Joseph asked, sitting down beside Clarisse and taking her hand in his.
"Nothing is troubling me, Joseph" Clarisse said automatically and quite convincingly.
Joseph could see right through it, however, so gave her the 'I know you're lying' look.
"Clarisse, I have known you long enough and I am observant enough to know that there is definitely something bothering you that has been ever since Dr Fitzgerald was here" Joseph squeezed her hand with one of his while he raised the other to lift her chin.
Looking deep into her eyes, Joseph was pained to see the tears threatening to fall.
"What is it, Clarisse? Please tell me".
Clarisse could no longer take it as she suddenly burst into great sobs. Falling against his body, she pressed her face into his chest, clinging to him with such desperation that almost scared Joseph.
"Oh, Joseph. I just can't do this anymore!" Clarisse cried, her face muffled in his shirt.
Joseph wrapped his arms around Clarisse, holding her close and murmuring comforting words into her ear. She clung onto him for some time before releasing her grip and sitting back to wipe her tears.
"All right, Joseph. I'm ready to talk" Clarisse said in a shaky, broken voice.
She then began to explain what had been occupying her mind the past week and why she was so distraught by it…
A.N. – I'm going to stop here for the chapter is already long enough. I'll get into Clarisse's explanation in the next chapter. There may not be any 'past' memories any longer as the one above is probably the last. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was rather depressing. Couldn't be helped I'm afraid.