DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of The Royals characters, however I own some original characters that you'll get to know them one by one.
Hi everyone!
I'm so sorry for updating this late and I know how frustrated some of you were (all the guest comments just asking for an update) and I hope this chapter would satisfy you!
And also, for Hypnotic fans, I'm working on the new chap, so don't worry! :)
The song used in this chapter is "Half Light" by BANNERS because it's fucking beautiful! :D
Without further ado, here's the new chap:
Chapter7_Half Light
Helena was pacing around her room and waiting for a call, the call. Hours had passed since her subtle mention of them on air and she knew they'd contact her soon enough. She was hoping she could finally get some information about her missing daughter.
Her phone finally rang and Helena rushed to get it off her table and looked at the screen. The number was blocked and Helena secretly hoped it was indeed them calling. She answered the call and asked hesitantly: "Yes?"
A dark chuckle reached her ear and she cringed uncontrollably. An automatic voice started speaking: "Helena, the Queen of England, how is your day?" Helena took a deep breath before answering: "It would be a lot better if I had my daughter next to me."
The voice chuckled again and Helena had to purse her lips so she wouldn't say something offensive to whoever was behind that line. The voice started talking: "I heard your little speech today and when you so bravely mentioned our name, I knew I had to contact you."
Helena asked confidently: "Then, what do you want in order to free Eleanor?" There was silence between them for a moment until the voice returned: "All I ever wanted was to see you all gone. Out of this country, hell, even out of this world."
Helena felt a sob coming up before she asked heartbroken: "That's why you killed my son? He was innocent. The most innocent man I've ever seen. And he was going to be a great King but you took him away. Wasn't that ENOUGH?"
The voice answered calmly: "We did not kill Prince Robert." Helena's whole body froze the moment she heard those words. She asked: "What are you talking about? When you kidnapped Eleanor and sent me that card I figured you must've hurt Robert as well…"
The voice explained: "I knew you would assume that and I enjoyed watching fear written all over your face on the telly, my Queen. There's someone else at play here as well, and just like you, I'd like to know who."
Helena pushed desperately: "If you're not the ones responsible for Robert, then what do you want with Eleanor? Why did you do this? Who are you? What does that domino symbol mean?" The voice sighed and said mockingly: "You ask a lot of questions, just like your daughter…"
Helena sucked in her breath and asked: "How's she?" The voice laughed and Helena begged: "Please, don't hurt Eleanor. She's just a girl." The voice stayed silent and Helena let the question she'd been meaning to ask from the start, slip from her lips: "Can I see her?"
The voice clicked his tongue and said: "Let me tell you this, I'll get a picture of her, better yet a video, and send it to you, or post it online. When you see that, you'll do as I say and you only have 24 hours after that. And if you won't obey me, Eleanor will be dead."
Helena half-screamed, half-begged but the call had ended before she could convince him otherwise. The whole room seemed to spin around her and she sat down on her bed to stable herself. She knew nothing good was going to come out of her obeying whoever was behind this, but at least her daughter would be alive and well.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jasper walked into the kitchen, avoiding Kyle's eyes deliberately, and ordered: "Warm up her dinner for her. She's coming here to eat." Kyle did as he was told and stared at his feet for a couple of moments but couldn't hold back his tongue any longer: "So you do care about her…" Jasper hissed: "Stop that nonsense. She can walk in here at any moment."
But Eleanor was already there. She heard their little conversation when she was about to head to the kitchen and her heart started racing. She knew it was just a matter of seconds before they spotted her so she cleared her throat and walked towards them like nothing happened.
The brothers raised their heads together and watched her walk in, wearing a white shirt that was long enough to cover her pink shorts. Jasper felt his throat close up at the sight of her with no makeup and her hair loose around her face. She looked insanely beautiful.
She stood there awkwardly until Kyle motioned for her to sit and Jasper suddenly came back down to the ground. Kyle put the plate in front of her and said: "Enjoy, Princess." Eleanor scoffed and started digging in the chicken hungrily.
Jasper poured himself a drink and went to take a sip that Eleanor gasped loudly. He turned around worried and asked: "What?" She narrowed her eyes at him and asked accusingly: "You had Scotch around here?"
Jasper nodded his head and she pushed: "That day I asked you if you had any Vodka around and you just laughed at me!" Kyle interrupted her: "When was that?" Jasper rolled his eyes and said: "Well, technically, I didn't have any Vodka bottles lying around, just Scotch."
Eleanor huffed frustrated and said: "I just needed some freaking alcohol. Like I do now…" Jasper kept quiet as he opened a cabinet and took out another glass and poured her some Scotch. He put the drink on the table and sat down across her.
She murmured a 'thank you' and drowned the glass in a heartbeat. The feeling of burning liquid running down her throat was something she'd missed since she first opened her eyes in her prison. Kyle warned: "Whoa!" But Jasper poured herself some more and she drank her second glass as quickly as she did the last one.
Jasper asked hesitantly: "Feeling better?" Eleanor nodded, not looking at him, and whispered: "Just a little bit…" Jasper didn't know why, but he suddenly had the urge to find all the Scotch in the world until she felt fine. That was crazy thinking.
Kyle's phone suddenly chimed and he announced: "I should take this." He walked out of the kitchen and left her with Jasper. She was still avoiding his eyes and her mind was focused on what she'd heard just moments before. Jasper was looking at his glass and thinking about a way to start up a conversation.
Eleanor blurted out all of a sudden: "Are you going to ask for something from my parents?" Jasper wasn't expecting that question anytime soon but he managed to answer convincingly: "I have no idea." She closed her eyes and half-mocked: "Right. Danny's the one calling all the shots."
Jasper didn't say anything back but only observed her until she opened her eyes again and he looked away. Kyle walked back in and asked Eleanor: "I still got a piece or two left. Want some more?" She shook her head and said: "I'm full. Thanks."
Kyle took the plate and put it in the sink but suddenly whined: "I can't take this ridiculous mask anymore! Jasper?" Jasper gave him a look and then shrugged and let him decide if he wanted Eleanor to see his face or not.
Kyle slowly took off the mask and looked at her and she opened her mouth in shock. Kyle looked a lot like Jasper but with darker hair and eyes. Before she could say anything, Kyle confirmed her theory and said: "We're brothers." Jasper snorted and murmured: "Half-brothers!"
Eleanor chuckled at Kyle's annoyed face and said: "I can't believe you put your brother in charge of cooking for me!" Jasper started seriously: "Well, I trust him more than anyone…" Kyle smiled proudly and then Jasper's tone lightened a bit: "And also, he's gay, so he wouldn't ever look at you the wrong way!"
Eleanor bit back her chuckle and nodded her head towards Kyle and said: "Nice to meet you, then, Jasper's brother." He nodded his head as well and said: "It's Kyle." Jasper wasn't sure if it was smart of the two brothers to use their real names, but at that point, he couldn't care less.
Kyle remembered something and said in a hurry: "Shit! I forgot! That was Ca… umm, Danny… He's coming here again…" Eleanor felt a shiver running down her spine and uncontrollably hugged herself. Jasper stood up and asked: "When? Why didn't he call me?"
Kyle answered: "Tomorrow night." He looked at Eleanor and then back at Jasper and whispered: "And you're not exactly supposed to be here right now…"Eleanor raised her head and saw Jasper glaring at his brother.
Kyle shrugged and said: "None of my business anyway… I'm going to bed." He walked out of the kitchen after bowing ridiculously at Eleanor and making her chuckle again. Jasper sighed and sat back down and finished his drink.
Eleanor asked, half-scared: "Why is he coming here again? Am I supposed to make another video?" Jasper didn't exactly look at her when he said: "I don't think so, but after the speech, maybe he changed his mind."
Eleanor asked hesitantly: "How do you know him?" Jasper finally looked at her and saw a burning desire to know the truth in her eyes and he just couldn't resist anymore: "He's my step brother…" Eleanor's mouth opened in shock and Jasper nodded his head tiredly.
He continued with his head down: "After my mother left my dad, she moved back here and married Danny's father and they had Kyle together. I kept coming here to see them every summer and eventually we got close."
Eleanor finally got herself together and asked sarcastically: "And got into the family business?!" Jasper sighed and said: "I guess you can say that..." Eleanor was still shocked over everything that he said but she was even more surprised by his honesty.
She reached her hand over the table and gently put it on his. Jasper's whole body tensed up at the soft touch and he looked up to see her smiling bitterly. She whispered: "Thanks for being honest with me… I appreciate it…"
Jasper nodded his head slowly and watched as she took her hand and her warmth away from him. She smirked innocently and said: "I haven't exactly seen Danny's face but by far, you're the most handsome one in the family."
Jasper raised his eyebrows and Eleanor, who had just realized what she'd said, blushed in response. Jasper chuckled as Eleanor tried to make things better: "Not that… I don't… It's probably because I hadn't had a drink for a long time… That must be it…"
Jasper didn't want to embarrass her more than that so he stopped laughing and said playfully: "Well, maybe I should always supply you with drinks, Princess…" She bit her lower lip and let out: "Maybe you should…"
It makes me feel nervous
You have that look in your eye
Oh, what takes over?
What is it that holds you tight?
The atmosphere of the room was changing and they both could feel it. Jasper knew if things went on, if he made a mistake like that day, not only him, but Eleanor would regret it as well. They weren't supposed to be attracted to each other and they sure as hell weren't supposed to look at each other the way they were doing at that moment.
And you can tear it up
No one tears it up like you
You can rip it up
No one rips it up like you
Jasper cleared his throat and said: "You should probably head back to your room. It's late." Eleanor's face fell all of a sudden and she stood up quickly. She felt her pent-up rage spreading across her face and moving down to cover her whole body.
When you're in the half light
It is not you I see
And you'll live a half life
You only show half to me
He always did this. He always let her feel something, a connection, and then he would let her down. He always left. But Eleanor couldn't stay quiet any more, she had to say something, she had to get it off her chest and then maybe she could stop thinking about him all the time.
Sometimes I join you
Let you wash over me
When we're in the darkness
Only the blind can see
"And you should stop being such a dick but we don't always get what we want, do we?" Eleanor snapped back angrily and Jasper stood up and asked confused: "What?" Eleanor shook her head and said: "Don't act like you don't know what's going on..."
And you can tear it up
No one tears it up like you
You can rip it up
I can rip it up like you
Jasper started walking towards her and said: "I honestly don't know what you're talking about…" Eleanor asked loudly: "Oh really? How about the fact that you keep being the good guy around me and the moment I feel like there's something here, you push me away? It's like you got a fucking switch and you just turn it off."
When you're in the half light
It is not you I see
And you'll live a half life
You only show half to me
She was hardly breathing and couldn't think of something else to say so she observed him. He was quiet and looking at her in a strange way. No one had ever looked at her like that. And in the middle of her heavy breaths and her regret for saying the things she shouldn't have, she couldn't help but adore that look.
And can you shake it off?
Can you shake it off for me?
When you're in the half light
I don't like the half I see
Jasper took a couple of lazy steps towards her and started talking in a low voice: "Do you think I want this? Do you really think I feel this connection you're talking about and just walk away willingly? It takes every ounce of strength I have not to grab your waist and kiss you right now..."
What possesses you?
What possesses you?
Eleanor mouth went dry hearing his word and she took a step closer, her face near his, and asked: "What's stopping you…?" Jasper gulped, looking down on her, focusing on her luscious parted lips, waiting for his.
What possesses you?
What possesses you?
And he was about to finally move his head down that they both heard footsteps coming from the hallway. Jasper quickly pulled himself away and Eleanor managed to sit down at her chair without falling down.
Kyle entered the kitchen yawning and whined: "I'm so thirsty." He drank a glass of water and turned around to see Jasper and Eleanor's annoyed faces. He noticed Jasper's angry eyes and Eleanor's blushing face and in a second he figured what was probably going on in there and whispered a quiet 'good night' and left in a hurry.
Jasper and Eleanor both avoided looking at each other for a full moment after Kyle had left. Jasper was the first to clear his throat and start in a bitter tone: "Second time that happened. Makes me feel like it's not supposed to happen…"
Eleanor could sense the disappointment in his voice, just like she could feel it in her bones. The moment was passed and there was nothing they could do about it. Maybe Jasper was right after all. Maybe his phone calling or Kyle walking in on them were all signs that this was a stupid idea.
She let out against her will: "You're probably right." Jasper chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head before asking: "Walk you to your room?" Eleanor nodded and quietly followed him out of the kitchen and commanded herself to be strong.
After all, she was still the Princess of England.
So how was it? Do you want to kill me?! Believe me, good things are in store for these two, but you'll just have to be more patient! ;)
And did you like the song choice? I'm in love with this song! And I think it really matched how Jasper kept changing back and forth with Eleanor. Sometimes he was the good guy, but other times he had to deal with her Danny's way and Eleanor's always has conflicted feelings for Jasper, precisely for this reason, and well, also because he's a kidnapper!
Tell me what you think? :)
Xoxo,
S