Chapter Five: Healing begins now
Plot: A day close to being nine months pregnant, Nell can't help but grin at the thought of her and her sisters' captors finally getting their just deserts, yet she can't help but wonder what the future holds.
"This is not what I would normally do on a Saturday," Amber muttered softly, helping Nell into a loose maternity dress. "Not that I like helping you Nell but an execution or hanging of a criminal isn't what a princess normally sees."
"Well your father wants everyone to see it. Which I'm not surprised about," Nell grinned, carefully standing up. "Though Papa and Bobby Lee seem the most excited about all this. I'm just thankful they're be gone."
"We'll all be happy they'll be gone," Sofia agreed as she helped steady her. "We'll never have to think of them ever again."
"You need any help, Nell?" James asked as he came up to them.
"Thanks, James, since I'm carrying twins, I need extra help getting up," Nell smiled as she accepted his hand.
"Good things do come two at a time," James smiled, Amber nodding at his side.
"Very true," Nell chuckled, mussing his and Amber's hair. "But I'm so thankful to the three of you for helping me so much!"
"It's the least we can do. Even with your moods!" James lightly chuckled with a smile
"Well thank you for that," Nell groaned mockingly. "Though I'm lucky I got any sleep at all last night."
"Who kicked you this time?" Bobby Lee asked, sneaking a kiss on the cheek.
"Elena. But they both love to hug my bladder, having me go at least four times last night," Nell smirked, musing his hair.
"Well, soon you won't have to worry about that anymore," Edward smiled as he and Lydia entered. "Are you ready, Helenita?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Nell murmured.
"We'll be with you the whole time, Nell," Sofia assured her.
"And we'll do whatever you want afterward," James agreed. "I can play one of your favorite songs to calm you down if you want."
Nell smiled. "I'd like that."
"And don't worry, the girls will be with a friend the entire time so any bad memories for them won't be brought up," Lydia assured Nell with a squeeze of her hand.
"And Roland has granted you permission to slap Jimmy as many times as you want," Edward grinned, stroking her hair.
"If he let you do it, you would do move than just slap him. Wouldn't you Papa?" Nell asked with a smile, seeing her father's hands now on her stomach
"I killed one goose for pecking you, and we had him over for dinner the next night," Edward smirked. "In the end, I won! Nobody hurts my family and lives!"
"I agree," Bobby Lee added, "But it's too bad that we can't do the same to Jimmy, Beth, and Robby."
"He's left a bad enough taste in our mouths as it is," Edward grinned.
"Edward, as much as I agree with you, stop with the cannibalism jokes!" Lydia smirked.
"Those will be your grandparents and father when you come out in a few weeks!" Nell chuckled, gently putting a hand to her stomach. "So now you wanna kick?"
"I think they're telling you good luck," Bobby Lee joked as Edward nodded in agreement.
"The womb can't talk," Nell smiled, no longer feeling the kicking. "Mama, what month is it again? I just want to know so I'll remember this day forever."
"It's a few days before February, sweetheart," Lydia smiled. "We all agreed that we'd wait until after Wassalia and the new year to execute Jimmy and his worthless family."
"No sense ruining our holiday with an execution," Bobby Lee agreed.
"That's the last thing we would do!" Edward chuckled musing his hair.
Though Nell smiled at the playfulness of her father and boyfriend, she remembered Lydia telling her that they wanted her to avoid an early labor by expanding the date of the executive.
She didn't mind expanding the date even though the thought of her babies dying immediately after birth had her sleep with her parents for a week.
Nell bit her lip at the thought of seeing her captor again. If Jimmy had the guts to touch her growing stomach, she would do more than just slap his hand away.
She would probably knock some of his teeth out as she only allowed family and friends to touch her. Other people had to ask and usually she would allow them.
But not Jimmy. No way was she going to let him touch her again.
"You'll stay with me, right?" Nell asked Bobby Lee. "I don't want to go near Jimmy or his family without some kind of protection."
"I'll stay with you as long as you want me to," Bobby Lee assured her, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again."
"But what if I have to go to the bathroom or change my clothes?" Nell asked.
"If that's the case, I'll wait outside the door for you," Bobby Lee smiled.
"Like a gentleman!" Lydia chuckled with a smile.
"At least he's respectful. Unlike a certain someone who I can't wait to see die slowly," Edward grumbled, clenching his teeth.
"We all can't wait for that to happen," Lydia assured her.
"But are you sure I can't shoot them out of a cannon instead?" James asked.
"James, we've been through this before," Nell chuckled, "Roland's going to have them hung, although I won't object to them being shot out of a cannon too!"
"We better get dressed ourselves," Amber said, dragging Sofia by the hand.
"Amber, we're already dressed!" Sofia yelled, rolling her eyes.
"I would normally agree with Sofia. Though for a day like this, I wouldn't mind Amber's actions for once," James grinned as he avoided a slap to his face.
"And this isn't a ball, Amber, just a simple execution. Emphasis on SIMPLE," Sofia hinted.
"Besides, you don't want to wear anything too fancy, just in case it gets dirty," Nell agreed.
"I agree, white shows everything and blood is difficult to get out," Lydia added.
"Luckily for us, Roland will be letting only the older guards do the hanging," Bobby Lee explained as Nell started to laugh.
"Are you not old enough?!" Nell asked teasingly, musing his hair.
"Helen..." Bobby Lee mumbled, a little embarrassed by her teasing. "I know I'm a junior guard, but he said I'm being allowed to observe so I'll know what to do when it's my turn to do an execution."
"Just like me, to go along with my knight training," James agreed.
"That's true, James, but you do know how serious this is, right?" Edward asked. "You made a joke about it when they ran through a practice."
"What happened?" Sofia asked.
"He sneezed just as the practice death blow was dealt," Edward smirked. "I know, it's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. But he said, 'Dad, can you have Cedric bring Jimmy back to life? I sneezed when the death blow was dealt.'"
Even Nell and Lydia had to laugh. "Count on James to lighten a tense situation," Lydia chuckled.
"I just hope the girls will be okay. I know you said that we'll be fine from now on but I'm scared," Nell admitted once the laughter had died down.
"And it's okay for you to feel that way," Sofia assured her with a smile. "Even I'm a little scared about this."
"You are?" James and Amber asked in surprise.
"I've never seen an execution before," Sofia replied. "I know, I don't have to do anything but watch, but what if I start having nightmares?"
"We had nightmares ourselves when we saw our first execution," Amber admitted.
James nodded beside her. "We used to wake up crying, and we'd run to Dad's room. He let us stay with him for the night, then he had Baileywick cancel all his appointments so he could help us feel better."
"Do you think he'll do that for me?" Sofia asked.
"Knowing Daddy, of course he will," Amber assured her. "And you know Mom will help you too."
The twins gathered Sofia in a reassuring hug as Nell started to cry.
Sensing their looks of alarm and fear of her mood swings, Nell smiled softly, patting at their heads before Lydia squeezed her hand.
"We'll do the same thing for you, Nellie," Lydia murmured.
"We'll do whatever it takes to see you smile again," Edward agreed, pulling her close and stroking her hair.
"Thanks Papa," Nell smiled, accepting a hug.
"Come on. We better meet up with Roland and Miranda," Bobby Lee grinned, stroking her hair. "It's not everyday you get to slap around the man that made your life miserable for two years is it not?"
"No!" Nell laughed, taking Edward's hand before noticing Bobby Lee pouring. "Sorry but Papa was the first man in my life and he always will be."
When they met up with Roland and Miranda, James saw that Nell was nervous again. "Don't worry, Dad; I promise not to sneeze this time," he assured him.
"I know, James, but if you have to sneeze, you have to sneeze; I know you can't do that with your eyes open," Roland smirked, mussing his hair. "But Helen, you know that you have Miranda's and my full support, and we'll do everything in our power to help you get through this."
"Thank you, Roland," Nell murmured, "I appreciate everything you're doing."
"Helen, when you and your sisters arrived, we weren't fully sure how to deal with trauma filled girls," Roland admitted, musing her hair.
"The past eight months have been one big adventure!" Miranda chuckled with a smile. "Though we've heard around the village about you."
"Anything bad?" Nell asked, no longer nervous but ashamed.
"Several people offered their sympathy to what happened to you, but others...well, there were a few people who called you some charming names I can't repeat, and made just as equally charming comments," Roland admitted. "I explained that what happened to you was not your fault, but they didn't care."
Nell was just about to start crying again, but she held her tears in when she saw Jimmy, Beth, and Robby being led to the gallows. In a split second, mostly because of her mood swings, her fright turned into blind rage, and she marched right up to her abductors. Before anyone could blink, she drew her hand back and slapped all three of them across the face as hard as she could. "That's for kidnapping me and my sisters!" she screamed. She then scratched their faces and eyes with all the force she could muster. "That's for taking advantage of me and traumatizing my family!" She then kicked each of them in their male parts and kicked them in their stomachs. "And that's for all the years of hell you forced on us!"
Bobby Lee handed her a handkerchief when she marched back to him. "Feel better?" he asked, seeing her wipe the blood off her hands.
"A little," Nell smirked. "It felt good to get all that anger out."
"They'll probably remember it as their life flashes back to them Helen Genevieve!" Bianca chuckled, smiling softly at the teenager. "I never thought you had it in you."
"Well we might as well tell you. I been teaching her self defense for the past few months," Bobby Lee smiled softly, helping Nell wipe off the blood she had missed. "We practiced where I did during my first year of junior guard training."
"I added in the scratches," Nell admitted. "Those were Madeline and Sabrina's ideas."
"Oh, yes, we agreed that they wouldn't see this, since they'd be too frightened to see Jimmy and his family again, but we'll tell them everything, especially about that," Bianca agreed.
"I just wish I could've told them how I really felt," Nell frowned before Roland placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You're get your chance. Just try to keep the profanity to a limited amount," Roland grinned, having her brighten up a little. "Remember the children."
"I have two growing inside me and they're surprisingly being quiet today," Nell smiled softly, using her hands to make a heart on her stomach.
"Normally, we never allow you to use such language, Helen Genevieve," Bianca started, "but seeing as how this is a special occasion, I'll allow it just this once. Just stay away from the big ones, if you can help it."
"You mean 'fudge' and 'shoot?'" Nell grinned. "I'll certainly try, Bianca. I'll use the substitutions you taught me, but I can't make promises that the real words might slip out accidentally!"
"And when you go up, I'll have the children cover their ears," Roland agreed.
"I say 'darn it' one time by accident and I never hear the end of it!" James pouted. "And I really did say 'darn', not the bad word!"
"Yes, you get punished for everything, don't you?" Edward grinned, mussing his hair. "Roland, Mister Baileywick, and I understood, and we were happy you found an alternative for profanity!"
"I'm glad too," James smiled, nudging Bobby Lee in the ribs. "And this guy took me to his men last night for a round of word play."
"Oh really? How come I wasn't invited?" Nell asked with a playful pout.
"One you can't travel far in your condition and two the guys kept telling me how lucky I am to have you. Some even started humming the wedding march," Bobby Lee recalled with a smile.
"They're so sweet," Nell smirked. "And James, did you whip the competition?"
"I think we all know the answer to that," Bobby Lee grinned. "I think James has a dictionary in his head!"
"He's helped me with my crossword puzzles several times," Bianca agreed. "I never knew how good he is with word games until we started playing together."
"Maybe you and I can do some word games together, Nell," James offered.
"I'd love to see you in action," Lydia smiled. "I've played games against Edward, and he's quite good. It's going to be interesting to see you two go head to head."
"I would love too, James," Nell smiled, musing his hair. "Tutoring has given me an advantage. Though I don't think I'll be going to the village high school after the girls are born."
"You're not?" Bobby Lee asked in surprise. "Milly's been asking about you as of late."
"Well, I think I'll be too busy caring for the girls to think about school," Nell admitted. "It's true, I could probably go on a part-time basis, but still..."
"You could try it for a semester," Bobby Lee suggested. "You know I'll help take care of the girls while you're busy with school."
"Sof, Amber, and I'll help too," James agreed.
"I'll think about it," Nell said as Roland mounted the steps.
She started to bit her nails nervously before spotting Cedric in the crowd entertaining the children including her sisters with simple magic tricks.
Oh how she wished she could use it now to ease her nerves.
"We've asked Cedric to give you a calming draught when it's all over," Miranda murmured, hugging her as if she was Sofia. "It's going to be all right, Helen."
"Stay with me?" Nell asked, turning toward Edward and Lydia.
"Every step of the way, sweetheart," Lydia murmured, taking her in her arms.
"Thanks Mama," Nell breathed, smiling a little.
"We better let Roland start honey," Edward hushed, stroking her hair.
"Your speech your majesty," Baileywick said before turning to Nell. "Miss Helen, you'll be seated beside the king."
"But I've never seated beside him before. What do I do?" Nell asked, feeling a bit nervous.
"Just think of it as sitting with us during one of Bianca's tea parties," Lydia suggested. "All you have to do is say your piece when Roland calls you up. You don't have to worry about Madeline and Sabrina; they'll be in good hands while you're on the stage. We agreed that they don't have to face Jimmy or his family, but we'll give them a calming draught too, just to be safe."
Lydia and Edward sat on chairs at the foot of the steps so Nell could watch them out of the corner of her eye as she sat next to Roland.
"You'll be alright, Helen," Roland whispered, "You know that we're all here for you."
"Thank you, Roland," Nell murmured as she watched Roland go up and addressed the crowd.
She felt a kick to her right hand that she had placed on her stomach to calm herself.
"Thank you girls," Nell whispered with a smile. "Mommy needed that. I can't wait for the day I can hold you in my arms and spoil you rotten. Today's the day your real father will disappear for good."
She didn't care that Elena and Gabby couldn't hear her yet, but she appreciated the support her unborn children were giving her.
She watched in silence as Jimmy, Beth, and Robby were marched up to the gallows. She slowly mounted the steps to address her abductors for the last time. As she took her place beside Roland, she was happy to see that the three of them were still bleeding from some of the scratches she'd given them.
Nell silently thanked Bobby Lee for his self defense classes before rubbing her sore neck from the last time they had practiced.
He knew not to aim a fist to her stomach as she had tried to block him before earning the bruise on her neck, thankful that makeup could cover up almost anything.
She took a deep breath as Roland held a hand out to her. She smiled as he squeezed it as they walked to where Jimmy, Beth, and Robby were standing.
"You ruined my life!" She shouted. "You ruined my sisters' lives! You didn't care that they wanted to protect me and they were trying to help me when you took us away from our family! You only wanted two more girls when you were tired of me! You ruined my family's lives! You took two years of happiness from us, and we'll never get it back! Thanks to you, I'm pregnant, but the little girls inside me will never know a monster like you is their father!"
"L-Little girls?" Jimmy stuttered, a bit surprised before Nell slapped the look off his face.
"Yes. Elena and Gabby are the seed that you wanted to put inside of me for two damn years!" Nell growled, slapping him again. "Just be lucky as hell that I haven't knocked your teeth out!"
Jimmy didn't have time to say any more before Nell drew back her fist and punched him in the nose. He winced as he felt bones breaking under her hand. He tasted blood, and groaned in pain as Nell did the same to Beth and Robby.
Nell stormed back to her seat, but as soon as she was seated again, she broke down crying harder than she'd ever cried before.
"It's all right, Nellie, it's over," Lydia murmured, pulling her into a hug. "You did a good job."
"They'll take those scratches, and all the injuries you gave them, with them when they go to hell," Edward promised.
"They will. Thanks Papa," Nell smiled softly before hearing her name being called.
She groaned in dismay at hearing Jimmy call her name. Whatever he wanted, she hoped it wasn't for mercy.
"What do you want?!" Nell growled, gently putting a protective hand to her stomach.
"Give them little girls of yours a good life," Jimmy murmured. "Give them a better life than the one Robby, Beth, and I forced on you and your sisters. Your father and your man over there are the only father figures they'll know."
"You're damn right they won't know you!" Nell snarled. However, her anger softened. "But I will make sure that they grow up safe, loved, and respected."
Jimmy nodded as Nell walked back to Edward and Bobby Lee.
"He was actually nice... Never thought I see the day," Bobby Lee muttered, smiling a little. "I almost feel bad that he'll be dead in a few minutes."
"Well you shouldn't be," Lydia smirked, musing his hair.
"I'm just surprised how gentle he talked to me," Nell admitted with a smile. "That's only happened a few times."
Maybe he wanted you to remember that side of him," Bianca suggested. "Even monsters, from what I've read in books, have their moments of humanity."
In a few minutes, it was over. James didn't have to ask Cedric to bring Jimmy, Beth, or Robby back to life, since he didn't feel a sneeze coming. But he did give Nell a hug as they watched the execution take place.
"Thank you, James," Nell murmured, hugging him back.
"Any time, Nell," James smiled.
"Helen, there's someone that wants to meet you," Bobby Lees muttered as soon as the execution was over. "She's been asking about you for weeks."
"She?" Nell asked, a little confused.
"Helen!" Nell heard a voice she thought she'd forgotten from her childhood.
"Beatrice LaForest!" Lydia looked up as well. She waved Edward over. "Bea, this is such a wonderful surprise! Robert, Beatrice was one of Helen's best friends when they were small. She moved away when she was four due to her father's new job. I got a letter from them a week ago saying that she was back in town."
"See you still have the scar!" Beatrice chuckled with smile, nudging Nell's cheek. "You used to cover it up in preschool."
"Well things have changed," Nell smiled softly, looking towards Bobby Lee. "He convinced me that it was a battle scar."
"Me and Milly even got you something for your girls," Beatrice grinned, motioning a childhood friend and Nell and Bobby Lee to come over.
"John Cooper! So you two finally got together," Bobby Lee smiled as he shook his old friend's hand. "I remember you saying you'd get married to keep Bea from moving, but it didn't work out."
"Oh, but it did. He popped the question the day I moved back here," Beatrice smiled. "Of course I said yes. He's working in the village as an apprentice horse trainer, and I'm working as a dressmaker."
"No surprise there," Nell grinned. "You always had an eye for fashion, just like Princess Amber."
"And we heard about what happened to you," John added, turning to Nell, and gently taking her hand in his. "We're so sorry we were never there for you, but we'd like to offer our services to you now."
"If you ever want to talk, or even get together, please feel free," Beatrice offered.
"Thank you. Though I swear if we have anymore childhood friends just walk up these stairs!" Nell chuckled before feeling a tap on her shoulder. "Yes?"
"Helen! It's me Milly! John and Bea asked me to be up here!" Milly chuckled with a smile. "We even have a gift for the babies!"
"Helen, I love you so I suggest that you run!" Bobby Lee joked, misquoting a certain snowman.
"Robert! It's okay!" Roland chuckled with a smile, knowing that he was joking. "Isn't she one of your high school friends?"
"Yes she is!" Nell grinned. "Milly and I were joined at the hip when we were in high school together! And what did you bring us?"
"When he's not working with horses, John does part-time work as a carpenter," Beatrice grinned. "He made a cradle for the babies, as well as some little wooden trinkets for you. And I made some little blankets that go with it."
"The cradle's in our wagon," John explained, "I'll get it set up in your room tonight."
"Thank you," Nell smiled, a little bit uneasy. "But you didn't have too!"
"It's the thought that counts Helenita," Edward smiled, kissing her cheek. "Besides now you can start healing."
"I know but Papa, I'm worried about the future," Nell admitted with a shaky breath.
"You don't have to worry about a thing, Nellie," Lydia smiled. "Jimmy and his family are dead and out of our lives forever, we can move on, and you can face a bright future with your two daughters, which we'll all help raise."
"Thank you," Nell smiled. "I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am to all of you."
"Nell! Nell! Nell!" Sabrina giggled with a smile, running into her sister's arms.
"Sabrina, I can barely bend down these days! There's no way I'll be able to lift you!" Nell chuckled with a smile.
"I know! But me and Madeline have something for you! Someone you and Amber both like!" Sabrina giggled again, jumping up and down.
"Do I get a hint?" Nell asked, feeling Edward and Lydia covering her eyes.
She felt something slide over her wrist. Opening her eyes, Nell smiled when she saw a bracelet with several gold discs on them. She noticed that each disc had a name on them; one for every member of their family, one for the royal family, one for Bobby Lee, and even two for Elena and Gabby.
"We were working on this as Jimmy, Beth, and Robby were being hung," Madeline explained. "Mister Cedric helped make the names on each little disc."
"I know you didn't want to watch the execution, so this was a perfect solution for you," Nell smiled. "Thank you, girls; I love it!"
She hugged her sisters close, gathering them in a hug and smiled softly before feeling something at her feet.
"I know how you feel, to be lost in a world you're not familiar with, to wonder what the future may hold. You might feel scared, trapped in a tower but eventually you'll be okay," Lydia read the scroll aloud, a bit surprised.
"Your surprise visitor is back in the castle," Amber grinned with a smile. "It took about say twenty letters and lots of planning but I assure you Nell it'll be worth it."
"If it's a family thing, we better not intrude," Beatrice muttered, walking down the steps with Milly and John.
"No! I want all of you here with us," Nell said as she followed them into the castle.
"You're right. This is a time for celebration!" Edward smiled. "Friends and extended family are more than welcome to be here!"
secs ago"Then let's go!" Sabrina giggled, dragging Nell by the hand.
"Sabrina, I can walk just fine!" Nell laughed, patting her head.
"Amber who exactly did you invite?" James wondered, seeing her grin.
"Only Sofia, Mother, Baileywick, and Daddy know and I would've told you but I just couldn't trust you with secrets," Amber answered, much to his annoyance.
"Amber, you don't need to say that," Nell frowned. "Like Papa said, this is a time for celebrating, not fighting."
Everyone agreed, but the tense atmosphere was soon forgotten as they went into the castle ballroom.
Nell stared around the room, in awe of the celebration before spotting someone she normally didn't see everyday.
"Long blonde hair in a braid, barefoot," Nell muttered before her mind started to piece the picture together.
"So you're Helen!" A cheerful voice greeted with a smile. "When Amber talked about you in her letters, I was a bit unsure. Until I read your story to Eugene. It took a lot of convincing to my dad for me to come here but he finally agreed just as long as Eugene was with me."
"You can thank our princess to princess program for how I know her," Amber whispered, seeing Nell's stunned look of surprise. "I know she's one of your favorite princesses."
"And yours, Amber," Rapunzel smiled. "It's great to see you again!"
"Well, now that our special guests are here, shall we get this celebration under way?" Roland suggested.
"That's a wonderful idea, Roland," Nell smiled.
"It's not everyday you get to celebrate your freedom from trauma," Lydia grinned, musing her hair. "Nellie what is it?"
"I just can't believe everyone is here for us. Even a famous princess!" Nell chuckled before feeling a tap on her shoulder.
"Cupcake?" Bobby Lee asked, smiling softly at her. "Eugene suggested the idea."
"And a wonderful idea it was," Nell smiled. "Just be sure not to go overboard with sugar, Madeline...Sabrina...Bobby Lee...James!"
"All right, Nellie, that's enough," Lydia broke in. "We know they'll all go easy on the sugar, but since this is a time of celebration, it can't hurt to have a few extra treats, just this once."